i can't believe it's almost march

we have so much going on right now. we are both working a ton, the kids have been sick, we have all of these March of Dimes things going on (Thanks Mel for donating!!) and stuff is crazy. i'll update tomorrow night because i'll have new pictures of our March for Babies kickoff meetings!!

we (don't) want the funk

now i've got the funk. 102 degree fever, cough, general feeling of crappiness.

Do you see what time it is??!!

It's 6:08 am, people. I'm awake, and have been for most of the night. You see, last night we took Noah to the ER. He's been coughing a lot lately and having trouble breathing and wheezing, so I thought it might be pneumonia and we went ahead and took him in. Not pneumonia, just RSV!! Respiratory Syncytial Virus. They have been on synagist for RSV since October. It's an antibody that is supposed to help prevent them from getting it. It's about $3000 per shot and they get one a month from October-March. Yeah. It's common in babies and small children and it's a virus that attacks the lungs and RESPIRATORY system, hence the R in RSV. We've been scared of this virus since usually it puts babies in the hospital immediately. Luckily I took Noah before he got to that point. He is contagious, however, and banned from daycare until he is better. This sucks, as this is the worst possible week this could happen. They sent us home with him on breathing treatments. This nebulizer they sent is as loud as a freight train! Imagine putting that up to a baby's face! He wasn't really digging it, and I'm sure this thing will cost us a couple of thousand --- insurance better pay for it! Anyway, that's my gripe. No sleep and a sick baby again - hopefully Aaron won't get it, but that's highly unlikely.

lazy days

So, the photo class seems to be going alright. It seems so elementary to me, but I have gotten a couple of things out of it. I got accolades for a couple of pictures. I guess there isn't a very high expectation in there. I attached a couple of them. It's been a tough week. Work is busy - inventory and just having too much to do. Travis is busy at work and all stressed because his Michelin girl is out on maternity leave. Having two tired parents is not conducive to having action-packed evenings with kids. Good thing they've slept pretty well the last couple of days. I am getting more and more nervous about the wedding I'm photographing. You're always scared of ruining someone's day, I suppose. I guess that's about it. Nothing really going on this week. I tried this fat flush thing to jump start my last 10 lbs and it so didn't work. This juice stuff tasted like the worst ass-smelling crap you can imagine. I guess I'll just have to go at it the way I used to . . . by eating right . . . . boo.

the latest and the greatest

so i start a new photography class tomorrow. it will probably be filled with a bunch of nerds and goobers and i'll be the only cool one, but i'm still nervous. see, i think i suck. i'm really trying to get gung-ho about this whole photo-business thing, but i just don't think i'm that good. i'm doing a wedding for a friend on 2/12 so we'll see how that turns out. hopefully it will be awesome so that i can have some pics for my portfolio. everyone in the house is sick except for travis. work is crazy - been thinking about quitting my job and just doing something PT a few days a week and keeping the babies myself. they stay sick at daycare. everyone warned me. i will lose my sanity if i am home all of the time, but if i can get this photo thing going, maybe not. anyway. wish me luck. here is my business card that i designed and a couple of pictures of Noah that i took with my new flash. (please sing) money money money money. over and out.

i know, i know

Yeah, I know I'm slack. It's been super-busy - who isn't around Christmas? Quick update: things are good. The babies are doing fine - finally not sick! (i am knocking on wood) They are 7 months today. Amazing, huh? I'm actually off this weekend which is a miracle in itself, but I have a baby shower tomorrow for my sister-in-law. She is due in Feb. We're excited. Other than that, work is busy and still sucks. I need a haircut and I still have 10 lbs to lose. Will write later!

SO MUCH TO SAY (dave matthews, anyone?)

Can I really call this a blog if I only update once a month? Eh. What a busy time for us! #1, I work retail. Love it or hate it, it is the way it is. It's good money, but I hope to be outta there one day. This beast is what keeps me from getting on here very often. . . that and the ratkids. Yes, I said ratkids. . . it's been an eventful month of preparing for a first christmas that they won't even remember. This is also the first year that it wasn't all about 'us,' meaning Travis and me. It seemed a little lonely Christmas morning without a new TV or camcorder or some big, expensive electronic or whatever to open. Having kids = no money for you. I feel like the Soup Nazi has been yelling at me for a month now. . . those Seinfeld freaks will get it. All in all, it was a great Krimmus. Everyone had fun, lots of pictures were taken, food was actually consumed in moderation, and the babies racked up on toys and clothes that they have no idea about.
We also both got sick a couple of times since I last wrote. Neither of us have been sick sick in a while - we're talking years- and this year we have both had 2 viruses. Luckily, the babies didn't get it, they probably gave it to us. All is well now. I will update all of my other random thoughts soon. I have to much to write!!!!! Right now, gotta finish invites to Amanda's baby shower! We're getting close to welcoming Rufus the Toothless Doofus! This is the name that was chosen since we aren't finding out until he/she is born!!! Love it!

Rootie Toot Tootin'

So, it's been a few days since I updated. It's been busy, so I can't say there's nothing going on, I'm just tired and slack. I guess the topics of the week is that the babies went to see Santa Claus and we decorated our tree. Wednesday night we got them all dressed up in their new clothes and off we went. Noah wore a white turtleneck onesie with grey dress pants and a navy/grey/white striped sweater. Aaron wore a red plaid button-down shirt with khaki corduroy pants and an ivory sweater. They were too cute! We looked for some shoes for them everywhere, but to no avail. Those with boys know what I'm talking about! There are no little boy clothes or shoes anywhere! Tons and tons of little girl stuff, but no boys. I do like it best what I had a friend say - right now we hate the fact that there is nothing for little boys, but 10 or so years from now when little girls want to look like Britney and dress like a hoochie I'll be thankful for my little boys. :) I know from experience . . . when I was in 5th grade, I was dressing like Madonna. Believe me, it wasn't pretty. Anyway, we got them all decked out and went to the mall. I absolutely hate the mall. With a passion. So much I couldn't tell you the last time I went. We trekked down there and the babies were asleep when we got to Santa. We woke them up just before we got in line, and then they just sat there. No smiles. No nothing. Just little baby lumps. i think they were more concentrated on the rootie toot toots they were doing on Santa's lap than anything else. Maybe they were making wishes. I do think I heard them wish for a new HD/DVD player and a new car. I think they wanted some hardwood floors, too. Heh! So, that has been my week. Other than work, nothing going on. I did lose another 3 lbs. Yay! Only about 9 lbs. to go to get to my pre-babies weight. I did join Peak Fitness and made it 3 times this week. I'm going this morning at 10 when they open. I still want to lose another 15 lbs and tone up again. I have an entire closet-full of clothes and can't wear most of them. If I could afford it I would go back to Weight Watchers, too. Oh well. And, work stinks, by the way. It stinks to work in retail during Christmas. Honestly, I don't really like people in public in general, but everyone is so needy and no one wants to do anything for themselves. Eh, that's my complaining. It's all worth it when I come home and see the chirren (my slang for children) smiling and laughing and talking. . . Here's our tree and the babies with Santa. Have a good week, all.

The season of "firsts"

Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas is quickly upon us. Being first-time parents and going through the holidays brings nothing but series of "firsts." Today, we went and got our "first" Christmas tree with the babies. It was cold out, so we put their "first" carseat covers on to keep them warm. They are called SnugBug seat covers and I found this great website called dmartstores.com where I got them for cheap!!! The babies were too cute! Today they also had their "first" applesauce. They ate it up, and later both had the poops to prove it. Mmmm. Earlier this week they had their "first" sweet potatoes. Number one, baby food is nasty. It stinks and looks gross -- if only they knew what they were eating. For whatever reason, Aaron loves it already. Noah is still a little slow with the eating thing. Aaron ate almost an entire container of sweet potatoes. I had to clean it from his face, neck, clothes, and hands. . . I thought I did well, but the next morning when I was changing him, I saw it up his nose. This whole parenting thing is bound to get more and more interesting. Next Sunday, we will take them for their "first" visit with Santa. That should be nice. Think back to how you were and any picture you've ever seen with children and Santa. Yeah. Times two. Again, this will be interesting. This week we will decorate our "first" tree and hang their "first" stockings, put up the Baby's "First" Christmas ornaments, and take their "first" pictures looking at the lights. Advice to any non-parents that are going to be parents any time. . . WRITE IT DOWN, DOCUMENT IT, TAKE PICTURES. There is no next time for the "first."

'Tis the season.

NOW check out the pictures!

Photobucket Album

Thanksgiving weekend

I'm pooped so there will not be much typing. I will just post some pictures for everyone to see. It was a rough week/weekend because the babies have gotten congested and sniffly again. They don't sleep well and just generally feel like crap. They did really well on Thanksgiving Day, though. The family finally got to really see them, so that was nice. We got some neat pictures of them. Now I'm sick again with some sort of sinus-something and it stinks! I did finally join the gym this weekend, so hopefully I can get back into shape. It was our Christmas present to me. It's funny how the years go by and surprise presents go out the window. . . anyway. Check out the pictures!

More than meets the eye

Noah and Aaron are my little Transformer buddies. They are both at my Mom's this weekend because Travis and I have the funk. Apparently they are enjoying themselves watching The Smurfs, Spongebob Squarepants, and Transformers. Better those shows than all of those new-fangled things on TV nowadays. Heh! I'm going to be one of those parents that tries to get my kids to watch The Snorks and stuff like I watched when I was little. They are going to think I'm so lame. Oh well! My little buddies. . . . I sure do miss them.


Noah is Bumblebee.


Aaron is Optimus Prime. . . I love it!!

Babies and barf . . . unrelated.

What a day! Well, the babies went to the doctor today for their RSV vaccines. Noah is up to 11 lbs 9 oz. and Aaron is 11 lbs 4 oz. They're doing very well. We were actually able to start them on rice cereal today. We can add it to their bottles twice a day and hopefully increase to every bottle in the next few days to help them gain weight. I got them the kind with bananas and they seem to like it pretty well. Hopefully it will help them to sleep longer through the night. It will be interesting to see how it affects their poop. Funny how you talk and think of things like that after kids. Actually, it's still hard to believe I even have kids. I changed Aaron tonight after his nap and bottle and he gave me a big smile so I knew that there was a nice present in there for me. . . . and boy was there! Mmm. I'll spare you the details. It gets even better - Travis is sick. And I mean sick. If he's not better tonight I will take him to the hospital. He hasn't been able to eat or keep anything down or in for 24 hours now. He's never sick, but he's been ill twice in the last 2 weeks. He recently bought more Peter Pan peanut butter so of course I thought salmonella, but not so. I hope he's better soon because I'm tiring quickly. Staying up all night with babies and a sick husband doesn't do for a happy Amber. I think I will try to get a couple of hours of sleep now. Nite all.

Weight Loss

So, I'm getting closer to my starting weight before I had the babies. It seems like it has taken forever just to get back down to this point. I gained around 35 pounds with the babies. I have 11 more pounds to go and it figures that Thanksgiving and Christmas is coming up. I guess this is the time where my will power must prevail. I had a meeting at work this morning and they had biscuits, donuts, other junk, fruit, and yogurt. I had a banana and some yogurt. I really wanted one of the chocolate covered donuts from Donut Connection. Yum. I really need to work out or walk or something but time to do this is non-existent anymore. I need to try harder. More pushups, more abs, more legs. I guess I will get to work rather than sitting in front of this computer!
Adios!

Randomness

Is that even a word? Anyway. I just wanted to say that I miss Clemson football games. I miss tailgating and hanging out - decking out in the clothes, being hoarse on Sundays, sweating in places you didn't know could sweat . . . oh the times. I miss our tailgate buddies Amanda and Nathan. Cooking, CORNHOLING, making orange rice crispy treats. We didn't get our season tickets this year because we thought the babies were coming around August -- wish we would have now. oh well. we have 3 games left and I plan to make the most of them. Tomorrow is Friday. SOLID ORANGE FRIDAY. Support your Tigers!!!

FIVE MONTHS!

The babies will be five months on Monday. I had cards made for their 4 month birthday and still haven't sent them out. I'm slack. My days off are spent in doctor's offices, cleaning the house, or sleeping. I really need to be better. The babies were fussy this morning, but fell into a nice sleep on the way to daycare. They have new hats. My mom got them and they cry initially when you put them on, but then they forget about it and sleep. Good thing, because they're too darn cute with them on! Enjoy the pictures!!!

evolving

Ok. So this 'blog thing is different. I find that it seems like it will be an easy way to keep up with people we know and love and make it easy for others to keep up with the babies. I know that everyone wants to know what's going on with the babies, and that's ok. I'm not offended or hurt. :) After all, they are much more exciting than Travis and I could ever be. Prepare yourself for poop stories, new adventures, and laughs. We are joining this new revolution . . . the blog.