Fuss Budgets

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Megan - the 2.5 year old daughter of Audry, on the toilet, hand on Audry's face, speaking ever so softly: Mother. Listen to me...listen.....to......me.....Do you know....the muffin man?

My two little fuss budgets will be 7 weeks old this Wednesday. What is a "fuss budget" you might ask?

Well, this is a fuss budget.

And this is a fuss budget.

And we finally figured out why their budgets fuss so much. They take after their mother and whine about everything.

So, it's been awhile, huh. Well, we've been a tad busy. David and I were alone for the first time with them last weekend. Mom left to go back home to visit Dad and when she walked out the door, we just kind of stood in the middle of the living room and looked at them in their thrones

...sleeping so peacefully...asking each other, "What do we do when they wake up? Do you think we could leave without them noticing? Would it be wrong to put make-up on them? Do you think they want to watch TV?" Amazingly, we all survived the weekend and Mom came back Sunday evening.

I gotta say, I was surprised...no, SHOCKED...with the lack of support for women who formula-fed their kids as opposed to breastfed on the internet. Not that your source of support should be from the internet in any way, but I was just researching and looking up some answers to questions and there are some mean people out there. I'm still breastfeeding...mainly because it's become a challenge for me...just to see how long I can go. I'm 90% pumping and feeding from a bottle and 10% nursing, just because it's fun and I love doing that part of it...pumping, not so much. But, I've realized that I can't keep it up for forever. It's incredibly exhausting and takes so much time and every few days, I get really weak and achey from it. It's not mastitis, but it's just sheer being tired and it just doesn't feel great. So, my goal is still three months. I've a little over halfway there. But, just researching questions I had...and hearing how negative people were towards those who decided to formula feed. I'm telling you, I have the utmost respect for women who breastfeed for anytime at all. I also have the utmost respect for women who formula-feed for any time at all. I also have the utmost respect for women who have had children and who care for them and who are the best moms to them...whether they breastfeed or not. How about there are a GAZILLION kids out there who are formula-fed and how about, they're just fine. Nothing wrong with breastfeeding, nothing wrong with formula-feeding. It's each mother's decision and not a soul can say anything to them. It's nobody else's business. I tell you what, I've gotten really worked up about that. Just to clarify, nobody has said anything to me and people who have commented or sent me emails have been nothing but supportive. I am so blessed and thankful to have family and friends who are so encouraging about whatever decision I make regarding my children. Things work differently for some people and it just kills me that there's not more support among women out there. Once again, nobody's said anything to me, I'd punch 'em in the face, but still. It's not easy and I just assumed women would support each other more. Some women are dumb. Thank goodness I don't know any of them.

On Tuesday, we got the girls all dolled up and headed to see Dr. Mac for my 6-week check-up.

There was some birthing emergency...somebody just HAD to have a BABY right during my appointment and Dr. Mac was running late. Some people are just soooo selfish. Everybody knows you have babies in the middle of the night. So, after a forever wait in the lobby, they put me in a room in which I was told to don a sheet for my lower half and this ridiculous "vest" the size of a napkin for my upper half. For someone who is breastfeeding, that's not the most convenient choice of apparel...I mean, things happen. But, whatever...I just sat there and waited. Finally, I could hear him yelling down the hall that he was coming. He said everything looked great and I was fine to resume my normal activities. I don't even remember what my normal activities used to be. He asked if I had any questions and my first and only question was, of course, "When can I get back on birth control?" Apparently, there's only one type that's safe to use when breastfeeding and the practice doesn't prescribe it and I'm not super cool with it anyways, so it worked out. So...it's just good ole fashion regular birth con...well...it's...well, no pills. Dr. Mac also said I was his favorite patient ever. I'm everybody's favorite everything, so I get that a lot, but it still meant a lot. He said I had a good attitude about everything......ha. haha. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...oh yeah, me and my good attitude. He gave the girls their first New Testaments and wrote a verse on the inside for them. And I got a picture of them with him for their baby books. I know he didn't deliver them, but he was their doctor the whole time, so I wanted them to get to see him.

On the way out of the office, look what we found in the hallway.

(Calm down, calm down...I was like three inches from her while Sara took the picture.)

On Friday, the girls had their doctor's appointment...in the snow. We totally got a ton of snow! I was about forever years old before the first time I saw snow and these gals are only 6 weeks and they got to see snow already. And it was big snow. Big furry flakes. They made you squint when you walked outside because it was like cottonballs hitting you in the face. Cold, wet cottonballs. I sound like I'm from the Serengeti, but it's just that we don't get a lot of snow here. And it's slightly exciting. So, we put them in their polar bear outfits and headed out.

We're going WHERE?!?

Well, the girls are definitely eating okay...Piper Lee weighs 9 pounds and 12 ounces. Harper weighs 10 pounds and 2 ounces. They've gained almost the exact same weight...off by an ounce...in one month. He said they looked great. He checked their eyes, ears, mouths, bellies...let me tell you how much he squished their bellies around. I thought, "If you smush my daughter's belly one more time, I will take that stethoscope and hang you up by your ankles." I know he was checking to make sure all their pieces were there, but still. The girls didn't mind it, but I did.

And then...sad...they had to get their first set of shots. Oh, it was awful. I knew it was coming, but I thought maybe if I ignored it, it wouldn't have to happen...but it did.

What's going on, Mom? Why do you look so sad? Nah, I'm cool...but you don't look happy. Why? Wait...why ARE you so sad.........waaaaaaaait....

Seriously...why do guys have such worried looks on your faces? Do you know something I don't know, Mommajoe?

I'm pretty chill about the whole situation. I was in the NICU for a week...I'm a pro. Needles shmeedles...no pain, no gain.

Since I'm such a strong and brave person, I headed to the lobby while the girls got their shots...FOUR shots each. It was pitiful. Sara and Mom said the girls did great, though. Of course they did...they have my stoicism. The nurse put four bandaids on them...two on each leg. When we got home, we changed Harper's diaper and saw her bandaids, so cute. We changed Piper Lee's diaper...bandaids nowhere to be found. Still to this day have no idea where they went. Apparently, on the car ride home, she undressed herself, took the bandaids off, and threw them away.

The girls' first snow!! And David, my sweet Valumtime, got a snow day!!

(If you recognize this location, it's probably because you know where it is). Yes, I stopped by to grab some deliciousness from Tris...that sounds weird...supper, she made us a delicious supper. And to drop off Brandi's dish and Tris' pants. That also sounds weird. I have good friends...they let me borrow stuff. Like a dish...and pants.)

The twins inSISted on making snow angels when we got home.

They loved it, as you can see. Piper Lee performs her evil, maniacal Phantom of the Opera monologue while Harper blesses us with her autobiographical monologue entitled "Get Me Out of the Stupid Snow and Feed Me."

Well, for the next two weeks, I'm down south with my parents. My mom's been with us for almost 6 weeks straight and she obviously needed some time at home and I can't work and handle the girls by myself yet (until they're like, 18), so I came here for awhile. This will give my whole extended family time to see the girls and me time to work and Mom time to sleep and David time to study for the rest of the CPA and catch up on sleep as well. So, works out for everybody. Little Hugs will be visiting us on the weekends! But, it's been really nice. The girls seem to like it, too.

Hmmm...who's that a-singin' on Momma's phone...why, it's a little Bebo Norman for our nap. Which, we did NOT take.

Sara found this little snow beast in the yard and Mom let her keep it.

Simba. It's time.

(It's the circle of liiiiiiife...and it moves us alll.....)

I got a pear on my head and a cat on my shirt. What's it to you?

Ha...you make funny jokes, I see. Funny guy...you're a funny, funny guy. You think I'm weak because I'm a girl...with a pear on my head and a cat on my shirt.

Joey...show our guest to the door. Make sure he receives our special goodbye. And bring me some fried catfish.