My Halloween Scare

Here are some pictures of tummy time tonight. Lil Miss Prissy and Mr. Pitiful.

Question: Does that stuff that runs out of a chicken pot pie down to the bottom of the oven catch fire the next time you use it at 450*?

Answer: Most definitely YES!

Last night I promised Victoria that we would make blueberry muffins for breakfast this morning. I timed the babies eating just right so that I could make muffins and still have time to sit and eat breakfast with her before the screaming from the nursery began. I preheated the oven and began making the mix. I saw smoke coming from one of the burners and we curious about the cause. I opened the oven to find about 8-10 inch flames. I stood there wondering what to do and then I remembered flour was sitting just to the right of me on the counter. I grabbed it and threw the whole thing of flour in the oven until it was gone... not enough. I still had some flames in the back so I had to close the oven and reach in the cabinet above for my backup flour that I bought just this week. That did the trick. Needless to say we had cereal this morning. I had to empty my hand held bag less vacuum twice getting the flour out of the oven. So yes if you have been keeping up with my blog I store things in my bathtub and I vacuum my oven. Only in the Craig house.

I opted not to trick or treat this year. My neck has decided to go out again and I have spent most of my time on pain killers and ice packs. Carrying two car seats and corralling a toddler just didn't appeal to me today. Mom came over and brought some chicken so I made some biscuits formed into pumpkins. We just did our trick or treating earlier at the zoo with the cousins. I don't need another excuse to have sugar in the house I am fattening up for winter just fine. After dinner we enjoyed watching the babies have tummy time. My how they are growing. Hope all had a Happy Halloween!

Neonatal Follow-up

Things that suck having twins at a doctor visit:

1. Twice the stuff to keep track of to bring with you.
2. Twice the paperwork with asking the same information. (as if paperwork isn't fun enough to fill out I have to fill out the SAME paper twice for separate files)
3. Twice the questions to ask and keep track of what questions belong to what babies.
4. Double co-pays OUCH!

Today was the doctor visit for their neonatal follow up. I just can't begin to praise the team connected with Norton enough. They have just been wonderful. I have been really concerned about Addison she just didn't seem to be keeping up with Anthony as far as development. The doctor took her time with me and answered all of my questions. Addison is doing very well actually. I am just needed to concentrate a lil more on "tummy time" so they can develop their upper body muscles. Addison is having a hard time moving her neck and tends to favor her left side. I am thinking because she was so low in the womb maybe her head was stuck to one side and she just needs to work the muscles a lil more. Doctor says that they are right where they need to be even in weight. Mr. Anthony is now 9lbs even and Addison is 8lbs 11oz. Needless to say we have no concerns about them growing. I am now able to give them cereal in their bottle to help with a possible acid reflex. Doctor says that will help them sleep through the night consistently. I have had 7 hours sleep twice this week and 5 1/2 to 6 the other nights. I am very proud! You are going to get a kick out of this though. I asked the doctor about Anthony's eyes he seems to have a dry skin issue right in the inside of his eyelids. The doctor told me he has a case of cradle cap. She said if I treat that the dry skin around the eyes will take care of themselves. Can you believe it?!?! I am a retired hairdresser and my son has dandruff! Go figure.

We won the prize!

Victoria and I are very proud this weekend. We attended a Halloween party and chili cook off for our friend Marlina's family and friends. We really enjoyed ourselves. James became nominated as an official chili taste tester and helped name (unknowingly) Marlina's grandma, the hostess of the party, as winner of the chili contest. Victoria and I won for best dessert. Our ghosts that we made earlier in the week and my latest concoction were a hit. I had so many left over pretzels and chocolate chips that I decided to get another package of white chocolate and make some Halloween bark. I just melted the chocolate and spread it on some wax paper. I then added crunched up pretzels and sprinkled them on the chocolate and added the mini chips and Halloween sprinkles. It wound up looking like the chocolate bark that you spend 20 dollars on for school fund raisers and get only 2 pieces. I was tickled because I spend the span of two days working on a cake that I thought would be a sure winner of the contest and it was hardly touched. It was two bunt cakes placed end to end on top of each other and frosted to make it look like a pumpkin. I just used marble cakes and added orange food coloring to the yellow to make Halloween colors and all. I mixed 3 different shades of orange in the icing and made leaves and stem out of pipe cleaner. I really sweat over that thing and it was barely touched. I think people were afraid to mess it up or something. I got tickled though it was proof that sometimes simple things are the best. Two day cake.....barely touched. 5 minute candy.......GONE!!

We then went on a hay ride in the field behind the party. We were all piled up on the first wagon ride and crept through the corn to be greeted by monsters with chainsaws and skeletons in trees. Needless to say we were not expecting this when we piled Victoria and Brooklyn on the wagon. The hay ride ended in tears from both girls and much more elbow room than we started with. The 7 or 8 pre-teen girls on the end of the wagon with us condensed themselves down to the seating space of about 2 people by the end of the ride. Each surprise guest from the surrounding woods moved them one foot closer to the tractor pulling us. We convinced Victoria that the glow necklace that Marlina gave her earlier was her protection from the monsters and she clung to it for dear life on the ride and never took it off even on the ride home. When we finally made our way home from Elizabeth IN we put the girls in bed and Victoria made sure I still had my glow bracelet on when I went to bed to make sure that the monsters wouldn't get me. How sweet she just wanted to make sure everyone was safe before she went to sleep. Surprisingly no nightmares that night for anyone.

On a side note Victoria got her first kiss tonight from Marlina's cousin Devin. He hung on her the whole night and was repeatedly in trouble from his parents for dragging her around his grandma's place like a dog on a leash. Apparently this happened on a walk that they took to "get married" in the back yard. Victoria came in to tell us that he kissed her and he never once denied it. He seemed almost proud. Shortly thereafter he dropped his pants in the yard and peed in front of God and everyone. Thankfully Victoria had decided she wanted to go in the house just before this display of "manliness"

Sometimes rainy days are the best

Last weekend turned out to be really nice with the wedding and the trip to the zoo. James left yesterday morning and I am back to mommy duty. I have laundry to catch up on and baths to give. Babies are now sleeping about 5 hours before their next feeding and sometimes going 5 1/2 to 6 at night. It has made all of the difference in the world to have that extra hour.

Mom stopped by and dropped off some clothes for the babies. She has made a habit of yard saleing and thrift store shopping and found some great clothes for them and spent so little. I find it so hard to justify buying brand new clothes when they are out of them in a month. Plus you can get a stack of clothes for the price of one outfit at Babies R Us.

Mom came at the perfect time to help me feed them lunch and put them down for a nap. Victoria was due for a nap too. It worked out perfect! Mom fed Anthony and I fed Addison. When we were finished I got to actually take a shower for the first time in longer than I care to admit. I have never had a shower feel so good in my life and it was great to be clean along with the kids and not just envy them. After I was done I got to do something else that I haven't done in quite a while I TOOK A NAP! I forgot what that felt like. It was great and I woke feeling so fresh and renewed.

When Victoria woke up I decided to have some Mommy and Me time and brought her into the kitchen to help me make some treats for the party we are going to this weekend. We made white chocolate ghosts riding pretzel broomsticks wrapped in fruit roll up bristles. She really got a kick out of handing me the pretzels and eating the ones that were broken. After making the ghosts we made use of the brown bananas on the counter and made the best banana bread that I ever have.

All of the kids are now behind me , Anthony and Addison included in their bouncy seats, watching America's Next Top Model. The babies eyes are glued to the tube. Addison is yelling at the TV periodically just babbling away. Today was a great day. Company of someone over the age of 4, I got a nap, I got a shower, I got to spend time with Victoria without wanting to strangle her, and I have some wonderful treats to munch on when I wake up to feed them tonight. Life is good!

Trick or Treating at the Zoo

I don't have a lot of energy to write tonight. Watching Anthony fall asleep in my arms about did me in . I am exhausted! I had a ball tonight some of the Pennington side of the family went to the zoo for their Halloween party. There was 16 of us I believe, we had a great time and missed the ones that were unable to make it. ( I know it was a long night before with the wedding I don't blame you for sleeping) Victoria's costume was a hit! And no she didn't ride to the zoo with that on. We had it in the back of the car.

Nikki's wedding

Tonight was my cousin's wedding. Nikki married her middle school sweetheart Adam. I am so happy for them. God has meant for them to be together all along they just took the long way around.

Mom, God love her, helped out so much today. I have not had a chance to go to the grocery store in a while and mom came over and watched the kids so mommy can go and run her errands. Just those 2 hours away helped out so much and I have never flown through the grocery store so quickly. Every single minute was precious today thinking about all that I have to do to get everyone ready for the wedding tonight. My front door is covered in To Do lists and don't forget lists. When I arrived home Mom and Victoria were on the porch with their arms out to help me carry in groceries. What a help! By the time I got home mom had both babies fed and all three kids bathed. She is super helper when it comes to the stuff. I don't' know what I would do without her!

The wedding was beautiful and of course I cried through most of it. When the doors were opened to reveal Nikki Addison in my arms started farting away! I thought she was filling her pants the way she was grunting and groaning. I was cracking up. My children's timing is just uncanny. Addison with her butt at a wedding and Anthony at church during communion I guess it was just bread into her through James and I. Then after she was done "letting off some steam" she decided to fall back asleep and proceed to snore. Poor thing just has no manners. We did have a great time laughing and cutting up with my cousins. Tiffany (pictured above with me) got to hold her new cousin for the first time. She is expecting and due in Feb. I just can't wait to see her lil one. She is having a little girl and has picked out the name Brooklyn Nichole. She looks like a natural holding Addison. It5 was great night out for mom regardless of all of the work to get ready to go. Plus it was nice to sit down and have a meal while it was still hot, something I don't get to do often these days.

Calgon take me away!

8:00 and I am still alive and kicking. That is kicking and screaming. Today started off great I spent the night at my mom and dad's house due to storms in the area. Let me tell ya you become VERY aware that you live in a mobile home when the wind kicks up. I heard a comedian once say concerning bad weather, go to your basement ,if you do not have a basement get to a central location in the house and if you live in a mobile home drop to your knees and repeat after me... Our father who art in heaven. That is about the size of it. So off to Grandma Harbs we headed. Mom had fresh sheets on the bed in my old room and all. I have to say it we very weird to be back at home in my old room with MY children in the playpen next to the bed.

This morning mom fixed pancakes and eggs..yum! We headed off to see my sister and my neice for a bit. They haven't seen the babies a whole lot due to me placing them in a bubble for about a month to keep them from getting sick. She has been very patient and now I want them to see the babies when a chance presents itself. My sister is so cute with them. Addison grunted the whole time and Anthony true to self made all kinds of faces to make up laugh.

I picked up Addison's costume this afternoon also. I borrowed it from my friend Melissa one of her clients made it for her daughter. She took a sleeper and sewed ballet slippers and a tulle skirt to it. So she is goin to be my lil ballerina. I can't wait to take them to the zoo on Sunday

I flew home after my visits to finish all that I could before I passed out. ( I had a really hard time sleeping last night with the storms) I am proud to say that the closet is done!! My house is finally how I want it, well besides the 3 extra bedrooms and pool. James called to say that he took another load to Detroit and I had a melt down on him. We were suppose to go to my cousin's wedding tomorrow and now it is just me and the kids. Bless his heart he is such a hard worker I couldn't ask for a better provider for our family. I just hate that he has to work so hard with me being home. The meltdown today was sporatic lasting from about 4 to next Wednesday. Everyone asks me how I am doing with everything and I always say "Depends on what hour segment of my day you catch me on." Well this evening you would of have to have a bit of time on your hands to listen to me whine. Again ,wonderful man, James is God blessed him with listening skills matched by no other. I am one lucky girl.

Victoria went with her mamaw and papaw to visit family and they didn't know if they were goin to spend the night or not. Well they decided not! Victoria made it home at 6 with about 15 minutes notice. Then I found out at 8 tonight as my butt is hanging out of my bathtub trying to scrub it that when I called to see if she had eaten dinner and was answered yes that papaw neglected to tell me that it was actually lunch. Poor Victoria had been asking me for a snack since she got home and had been putting her off till I got all of my stuff done telling her we would have one together.

Needless to say the day started off great and ended with me being frazzled. So much to do and such precious time to do it in. Just packing up the kids to go to two Grandparents houses yesterday took everything that I had. I almost left without bringing bottles and formula. I think this mom needs a break and I am goin to see to it that I have one soon if only enough time to go to the bathroom. Maybe a bubble bath tonight after everyone goes to sleep will do the trick.

Drop the Burrito!

I woke up this morning so refreshed! Victoria spent the night with my In-Laws and praise God both babies slept almost 6 hours last night. I am trying not to be too excited about that and just appreciate it when it happens. I just don't know if this means that they are going to start sleeping through the night. I'll keep my fingers crossed.



Victoria got home and she helped me clean her bathroom and room. We organized the bathtub (is has a hole in the tub and we can't use it so we now use it for storage. Not many people know that a bathtub is perfect for storing bedding and board games. We even have a spring rod across the top holding clothes that the babies haven't grown into yet and winter jackets) It looks great now. I am going to have to most organized house ever at this rate. Even an organized bathtub?!?! I need my own talk show!



Mom came over for a burrito lunch. She was so excited. When she arrived I had the beef cooked and still in the skillet with the cheese and fixings laid out on the counter. I fixed Victoria's burrito and my own too and put my plate on the TV tray in the living room. I was getting Victoria something to drink when I "thought" I gestured to the kitchen and said to mom "Help yourself" when I turned to go back into the living room I saw mom sitting at my TV tray taking her first bite of MY burrito. I started cracking up! She looked at me surprised and then realized that she was eating MY lunch! She got so tickled and just kept on eating. Apparently we like our burritos fixed the same way. We teased her about it the rest of the day.



I decided to pack up the kids and go somewhere without having an errand to run. We hopped into the car to head to Jeffersonville to the Santa Depot. If you live in this area I highly recommend it. If you are looking for an ornament for someone and they don't have it they just don't make it. We wandered around for a bit planning our Christmas trees and what ornaments we would like to have. I just love that store.



We then headed to Horner Novelty for some Halloween fun. I worked there to help out a friend of mom's one season and wanted to show off the babies. I couldn't get over the merchandise there. Victoria walked with us around all of the ghosts and goblins quite timidly. I think I am going to pay for that visit when it is time to get her to bed tonight. Hopefully she will forget all of the scary stuff she saw today and go to sleep thinking of the sugarplums that she saw at Santa Depot. All I know is she better hold on tight to her burrito or Grandma Harb is going to steal it.

In the still of the night

It is 9:30 and the house is calm and quiet. Victoria went to Mamaw and Papaw's house to play today outside and to ride her bike. Papaw called about 2 hours after coming to get her to see if she could spent the night I eagerly said yes. Victoria and I needed a break from each other. I needed a break from a question every 30 seconds and she needed a break from a tired mommy that had to take care of her brother and sister too. It is nice and we always feel refreshed when we get that break. We love each other to death but the house gets very small when mommy doesn't work. Plus I needed to watch the DVD set of The Office that my friend loaned to me. I love me some Steve Carell when I want a good laugh to unwind.

I decided to take the time to get out of the house a bit and go with the babies to Hobby Lobby I was needing to get purple balloons for Victoria's costume and I needed to get them without her around so I didn't hear "Are we going to blow up my balloons?" a thousand times before Sunday. God love her she just gets soo excited. Let me just say one thing about Hobby Lobby their carts are toooo small for 2 reasons. One you can't fit all that you want to buy in it and two you can't fit 2 infant seats. So I had to strap one baby on (this time Anthony) to my belly with his backpack carrier and put Addison in the cart in her seat. Poor Anthony's butt kept bumping into his sisters seat as I was pushing the cart, my arms are only so long to push and distance myself and Anthony from the cart. It eventually woke him up in the Christmas ornaments but he was good I was surprised he didn't cry. He just looked around and took it all in. I think the funniest part was coming in the door of the store. For some reason the check out area was packed and I could hear people saying "Oh bless her heart she is having to carry one on her chest and one in the cart" I just looked up and smiled at everyone wanting to tell them there would be no extra charge for the entertainment. All of that for 4 dollars worth of Purple balloons.

Sorry I haven't posted in a while I have been in while I have been in organization mode. I get that way when I am stressed. James didn't make it home this weekend he was stuck in Alabama with a trailer that couldn't be loaded because it had "a smell". The people in charge of loading the trailer came to the conclusion that "the smell" was gone and the trailer was ready to load about an hour AFTER they stopped loading trucks for the day on a Friday! James wasn't able to get loaded with load home until Sunday night at 7 so he sat in his truck for 3 days just waiting. I don't know how he does it. Needless to say it was a long weekend with him gone. I tend to crave interaction with an adult over the age of 4 these days. So off to organizing I went. I am now working on the closet a very big job!

My cousin is getting married and I can't wait to witness it. Plus I found a dress last night for Addison that is just too much. Black velvet on top with satin on the bottom. I had to put her in it as soon as I got home. Just precious. She is filling out so much she is turning into a chunky thing. Seems like just yesterday that she was just skin and bones and we were trying to fatten her up. Now she is almost sleeping through the night and when she does taking a 6-7 ounce bottle when she wakes. Anthony on the other hand is having a hard time getting his laziness out of the way when he is eating he just sits there and lets gravity fill his mouth with milk and lets it run down his throat and face. It is soo frustrating at times so when Daddy is home I make him feed him. hee hee. He is smiling a lot though these days. Daddy got a few good ones out of him.

The day after the wedding my side of the family has decided to get together and go to the zoo for trick or treating. Mom found a dog outfit for Anthony and Addison I believe is goin to be a ballerina ( a borrowed costume from a friend) and Victoria is goin to be grapes. I found a sweatsuit in her closet that I bought for her last year on a sale rack. We are goin to add balloons and a stem to her she is really excited.

Well it is feeding time and the zoo and lil miss Addison is purple from screaming. Until next time.

Mommy's first day alone with stroller!

I would of given a good amount of money to have a video tape of me yesterday. James parents wanted to have Victoria for the night and that meant that I would be one child less. I immediately called my friend Leslie to see if by chance she would have an appointment open to get my hair colored. She did at 3 right after my 2 o'clock feeding I was set. I started getting everything ready around 5am (that is about how much time that it takes to get everyone packed and ready to go by myself. I almost went ahead and put the kids in the car seats the night before) I headed off to the salon and came out looking wonderful!! She did such a good job and it felt great to be blond again at the scalp. It had been since July!

After my mommy makeover I headed to meet another friend Marlina at the mall in Louisville. She was having her car worked on and happened to be in town and looking for something to do herself. I called as I was driving into the parking lot with screaming children. You see it was 6 and that meant a bottle was suppose to be ready and waiting.....it was not! She, like a good friend offered to help me unload everyone, me like and idiot thought "oh no I can do this no problem" This would be the first time that I alone set up stroller (as long as a bus) and attached everyone and packed it up. Let me add for those of you not living in this area yesterday it decided to be fall and have a cool crisp feel to the air borderline cold.

OK are you ready......deep breath.........I opened the hatch and pulled out the stroller opened it up and pulled down the backrest to the back seat and lifted up the seat part to get it ready to attach the infant seat. Moved to the front to drop the cup holder tray and pull the cross bar through the hole in between the dropped tray and the bottom of the seat lifted up the attachment and pulled out the extension bars. I then moved into safety mode and locked the wheels so I wouldn't turn to find mt stroller on the other end of the parking lot . I didn't know that the wheels were locked already so I was in fact unlocking them and the stroller started to move in the front so I locked one of the wheels in the front. I needed to adjust where the stroller was by the car so I could open the door to get a baby out. Remember they are both screaming in the car through all of this. When I tried to move the stroller I forgot that I had just locked that wheel in the front and go to unlock not remembering if up is lock or if down was lock so I inevitably alternate what wheel is locked and unlocked several times before fighting back a scream alone in the parking lot by Sears. I finally figure it out and open the car door to find Addison near purple from the constant screaming for her mother. I take her out of her base and attach her to the front seat of the stroller, throw a blanket on her and grab the two straps to wrap around the seat to secure it. She is still screaming! I then try to move to the other side of the car. Again realizing that "one" of the wheels in the front is locked and still can't remember which one. I finally say "heck with it" and drag the stroller around to the other side of the car with the wheels locked up and Addison now getting a lil vibration from me half dragging and half bouncing the stroller to get her brother. I open the door to find Anthony surprisingly exhausted from crying and fast asleep with his pacifier in his mouth. (light bulb over head) I snatch the paci out of his mouth and shove, and I mean shove it into Addison's mouth. no crying. I get Anthony out of his base and place him in the back seat. Go back to the hatch and get my purse and diaper bag (where is Victoria when I need her?) and place my keys and cell phone in the handy dandy lil tray for myself. By this time Addison has fallen asleep and Anthony is screaming I look at Addison and then back at Anthony and snatch that paci right out of her mouth and give it to her brother, close what seems like all of the doors on my car and head to mall. As I am approaching the door I am trying to figure out how I am going to navigate my 30 foot long stroller into the double doors. I head in backwards and prop the door open with my foot grab a hold of the handle to the stroller and fling as much as I can in between the two sets of doors. Luckily the cashier saw me struggling and opened the second set for me. By this time Addison and Anthony are both awake and I have only one precious pacifier (again light bulb) I thought I had come up with a genius idea and grab my baby bottle out of the diaper bag and unscrew the top and shove it into her mouth of course it immediately falls out due to the hole in it taking away any chance of suction happening to keep it in her mouth. I finally give up and just start walking trying to look like I have it all together. I did meet up with Marlina and had a wonderful time visiting with old friends that I used to work with in the mall. I think tomorrow I am going to get that stroller out and with a sharpie put down is lock and up is unlock on the wheels of my stroller to make my life a lil easier.

Today I took the babies to meet their papaw Mac in LaGrange. I called mom and reminder her that Harvest Homecoming was this weekend. Harvest is a festival in downtown New Albany with craft booths and wonderful fattening food. I finally found a parking place and mom turned to me and asked if we were going to get the stroller out or just use the baby backpack carriers. What do you think I said????? Yep the carriers worked like a charm! Helped keep all of us warm too. I think now I am going to try to figure out a way to strap one on the back AND one on the front.

By the way I am aware I tend to ramble on. Love me anyway.

So do they wake each other up?!?!

In regards to this question Anthony would like to give you a demonstration as only he can.....again a testimony as to how laid back my daughter is. How appropriate his nightgown tonight says "Watch me go"

Nesting after the birds are born & bath time bonding

I feel really good about today. I decided to get into some closets and cabinets and organize. I didn't really get a chance to nest any late in my pregnancy because of "bed rest" and it really bothered me. I typically am not an organized person. My house is usually messy in some way or another. I feels great after months of sitting on my butt and watching my mom help maintain my house (as nice as that was) to being able to do it myself. I enjoy cleaning when I get in the mood and become pychotic about it when I get in the zone. I cleaned out our pots and pans cabinet so I might be able to find something to cook in when dinner time comes and did some serious work in Victoria's room in her closet and toy box ridding her of clothes that she isn't able to wear anymore and toys that are broken or missing parts. Of course this was done while she played in the living room not aware of me throwing things in garbage bags with a smile on my face.



I made a concious effort to spend some quality time with my kids today and not just concentrateing on a schedule or projects too much. I took Victoria outside today and played tea party with her. My mom got her a really neat shiney and sparkly tea set at teh store last time we was out. She was actually the one that started the whole tea party play last time she stayed at her Grandma Harb's house. My mom's name is actually Barbara or so we think, (that one is for you Aunt Kathy) and when James and I started dating I tried to get the girls to call her Grandma Barb well Victoria just came out with Grandma Harb and it has just stuck. She even called my dad Grandpa Harb once in the middle of Meijer's.



After bonding with Victoria for a bit it was time to again feed the babies. I recieved a bath time kit from a client of mine with bedtime bath lotion, soap, and massage gel. I decided to go online and research infant massage. I tried it out on the nursery floor and decided that infant massage time in the Craig house would be called "Let's pee on mommy while she is trying to relax us." It went over GREAT. They didn't fuss at all and seemed to really enjoy it I just need to make sure that the room is a little warmer and I have a towel close by.



After bath time I laid them both in Anthony's bed and let them rest. I came in to find them just staring at each other and interacting. It touched me and so I recorded it. I wanted to post it for you guys to see my lil ones in motion. I hope it works. You can tell how laid back Addison is compared to Anthony.

Go Lions!!

This weekend was a big one for "Big sister Victoria" she got to hold her little sister for the first time. You can see by the look in her eyes that she was excited.

Never thought that I would be a girl that would get into some high school football. My nephew Tyler has played since 8th grade and I am completely in love with it. I even find myself yelling at the refs about bad calls and what not. Yep that is right folks I even understand what is going on to a certain extent. I have missed a few games this year due to my massive belly and "kankles" and it has killed me. I don't remember missing a game last year home or away. Victoria has joined in the holiday that we call "going to the football" She loves anything that involves cheerleaders and food. I have to say I don't blame her on the concession stand food.

At my baby shower I received the most precious gift from my sister "Aunt Punkin" Anthony and Addison now have Salem Lions onesies that she had made with Tyler's number on the back with paw prints on their butt. Victoria got a real kick out of them. Every time I would go into the nursery to look around and think about the babies before they were here I would open the drawer to their dresser to find that "someone" had been playing with the onesies. She would flip them over and crack up at what she called the Blue's Clues on the butt. Funny how kids see things differently I see it as being school spirit and she sees it as a Blue's Clue.

Well we are back from the game. Salem had their first upset in 3 years!!! The team was crushed. They gave it their best and that is all you can do. The babies were a hit tonight. They finally are able to be out in public and passed around. It was great for me to have my hands free for a minute and I think people enjoyed seeing the products of my ever growing belly at the games. We had a great time. The loud noises didn't even seem to bother them too much I am hoping that Anthony enjoyed it enough to become a football player himself one day. His sister could be a cheerleader too! Crap now I am goin to have to start making outfits. You know they are my children but they are my toys too.

Doctor Doctor Give Me the News

Anthony and Addison had their one month check up today. Can you believe it?! I know I can't. I packed everyone in the car again with lil Victoria being my pack mule. Both babies are looking good and Anthony is now 7lb. 4oz. and Addison is 6lb. 11oz. My how they have grown. To think that Addison has almost doubled her birth weight. Guess they are getting enough to eat. I might start setting a plate out for them at the dinner table.

First for Anthony

My how he has grown since this picture. Last night James and I were sitting on the couch feeding the babies. I had already fed Anthony and James had started on Addison. I had just placed Anthony in his bouncy seat at Daddy's feet so he and Daddy could bond a lil more. James is just smitten with them. Lucy our cat had to come in and see what everyone was in the Living room about and proceeded to walk right in front of Anthony in his seat. I happened to be looking at Anthony at the time and watched him follow Lucy with his eyes all way across his bouncy seat. He just looked so surprised! I swear I heard him say " Huh we have a cat........cool" Now I spend my daytoday waving my hand slowly in front of his face watching his eyes follow me. It just was really neat to see the "new trick" that my son had for me and for his daddy to be home to witness is was wonderful. I hope a lot of firsts happen when he is home off of the road. It meant just as much to see James smile at the fact that he too was home to see it and not just hear about it on the phone. He really gets a kick out of being a daddy.

Nobody is safe when Anthony is hungry

It is interesting to see the babies personalities evolve. Addison seems to be really laid back until she is hungry then she tends to cry a very hard cry that ends up sounding like a goat. Her movements are very slow and well thought out. I call her my Tai Chi baby. She will slide her hands in front of her so slowly and purposeful.

Anthony on the other hand is FRANTIC and has very lil faith in anyone's ability to take care of him at all. I have to agree with his reasoning a little bit when I am trying to give him a bath and Addison is screaming and Victoria is at my feet wanting me to get her crayons out of the closet I look down and see that I have put him in his bath with his socks on. He just looks up at me with a look of "Do you have ANY idea what you are doing here?!?!" I had to laugh at myself on this one.

As I stated in a previous post Anthony is very attached to dinner time. At 2am this morning I heard someone VERY upset from my monitor on the headboard. I staggered down the hall and turned on the light in the nursery. I let them sleep together at night sometimes and listen to them talk to each other (they have already developed their own lil chirp to talk to each other across the room) My lil Anthony has scooted up out of his sleep positioner and is laying perpendicular to his sister sucking frantically on her forehead as if it was a bottle. It wasn't even a gently loving lil "Oh sissy I love you" He was throwing his head back and forth on her noggin going to town on her forehead. Addison my lil lady is just sound asleep letting Bubby do whatever as long as it stops him from screaming in her ear. By the time I was awake enough to think about getting the camera he had already tuckered out and fallen asleep against her. They are just so cute together but I may have to separate them at night for Addison's safety. Apparently he will begin to eat anything close to him when it is dinner time and mommy isn't listening.

Does the weekend really have to be over?

What a weekend! James and I finally got our date we wound up goin to a local pub to see a favorite band of ours play. It was just a great night to go out and cut loose for a change and just be Kelly without the damands of motherhood as much as I enjoy it. The morning came much too early and was quite bright for my slightly hungover eyes. I was sure excited though to hear my mom's car in the driveway bringing my babies back to me...OK to us. Sounds like the first overnight stay was a hit and they were really good. Thank goodness! I think my dad has fallen in love with his new grandchildren. He has been doing well and takes laps around the yard everyday to get some excercise. I told mom she should get some spray paint and paint arrows making a path for him to follow complete with a TV tray of water in dixie cups. Mom said that he took his laps with Addison in his arms in the house guess she needed her excercise too. I think they are realizing that their lil girl has grown up and it is hard for them to believe that I am now a mother myself.

"Grandma Harb" talked us into goin to the zoo Sunday. James and I loaded up everyone in the car transfered the bases to the infant seats from mom's car to mine and then headed over to Steinert's where we left our car the night before. We did the responsible thing and took a cab home. Off to the zoo we were! All in all it took about 2 1/2 days to get all of the gear packed, transfered in the car and unloaded at the zoo, stroller equiped with water bottles, diaperbag and sunglasses (very important!) We took a quick lap around the zoo watching Daddy push the stroller with such pride.

After the zoo we decided that we were all hungry and decided to hit the Wendy's just down the street, a family tradition. We packed all of our stuff in the back room and set up camp knowing that 6pm was just minutes away and the screams for a bottle were about to begin. Ok try to get the visual....James and I are sitting on one side of a four top with Victoria on the other. Grandma Harb is sitting behind Victoria at the next table. The table across the aisle from us is set up to be the kitchen with bottles, a bottle of water and a can of formula waiting in the wings. The table behind James and I we have set up to be the nursery I have my changing pad, diapers, wipes, and burp cloths all laid out ready to go. Oh and don't forget the VERY IMPORTANT "binky" for Anthony once he gets done with his bottle. Anthony and Addison are just chillin in their infant seats in the aisle. We may need to start calling fast food resturants ahead of time and have them put a reserved sign on a wing of their dining area to make sure we have enough room to have a "quick meal". Let me tell you there is no such thing except for when it is MY time to eat if and when I get a chance to. Still I wouldn't change a thing!