Up and.....running?

Seems that a year has basically blown past me in what seems like just a day. Exactly a year ago today I was laying in my comfy king size bed, flipping channels aimlessly in an attempt to find something entertaining to watch as I was forced to lay there until I absolutely had to get up, which the absolute was generally a bathroom break. Yes, I was on what I called house arrest, bed rest, as I was 34 weeks and 6 days pregnant with Thing One and Thing Two. I had gone into preterm labor at 34 weeks and 2 days, in hopes of delivering as I was miserable, only to be put on a magnesium drip for two days and sent home on bed rest.....which I failed to do. I am not one to just "lie down" on the job.

So here we all are at a year later and my little Peanut, who came into the world with her eyes wide open is now up and attempting to walk. She is 11 months and 16 days old and dying to walk around. The cutest thing about her attempts to walk is that she is so short and so excited, you can just feel the energy bursting inside her, that she becomes so frustrated and crawls into you like a freight train. Anyday now....anyday, she will be up and toddling into and over everything. She already scales all of the furniture, cabinets, your legs, she is like Spiderman the way she can crawl up something to stand. So anyday now she will be walking and then...running! Oh how time flies and they grow so fast.

You know life is rough when...

Life is rough when this conversation takes place between a five year old kindergartner and his parents:

Me: G, you need to go get dressed baby. Since you are done eating you need to get out of your Jammie's and get ready for school.

DH: Yup buddy, you have school today. Listen to your mother and go get dressed.

G walks into his room and then promptly turns right back around and comes out with this horrendous whine.

DH: Buddy...why aren't you getting dressed.

G: (mumbles something completely incoherent)

DH: Buddy, I can't understand you.

Me: Listening in like a hawk.

G: I can't get dressed.

Me and DH: Why can't you get dressed?

G: I just can't! (whining) There is just too much.

DH: What the hell is he talking about...too much what buddy?

G: There's just too much. I just have too much clothes...I can't get dressed.

Me: Well then just pick your favorite of what you want to wear.

Sheesh, I wish I had that problem at the ripe old age of FIVE!! So many clothes the kid can't figure out what to wear on a school day.

Enjoy the Squishy Squids

I wanted to leave you all with the best unplanned and unstaged picture ever to grace my camera phone. The photo makes you want to reach out and pinch some cheeks......butt cheeks that is!

Here are the Squids chomping at the bit to hop in the tub for some clean time....and Pickles Magoo decided to turn and pose just at the right time. Just some "ass"inine fun to cheer up the day!

Upgrading from the Volkswagen...to the BMW!

I haven't blogged much in the last I don't even know, I can't even tell you and I am lucky to know what day today is! Been so busy with the twins inching closer to that ONE YEAR mark, which I am just falling over about and then G went back to school TODAY (FINALLY!). He has had since last Wednesday off and he has been driving me insane. I have been keeping him busy, plus throw in my homework (since I graduate in MAY! Hallelujah!!), the Squids running a demolition derby through the house and NO TIME TO BLOG!

Anyway, enough ranting. So the major reason why I have not been able to exploit my boring life with my Big G and Squids is that my computer will randomly decide some time to lockup on me requiring a full reboot. This sucks the big one....huge big one. My computer mind you is the Volkswagen edition of computers. One of my DH's many "hand me down" computers that I have accepted graciously and used until he decides to upgrade his machine to be the Terminator of all operating machines. To which I then get his left over computer to operate on which is generally about 4 years old. Again, I shouldn't complain, but when I cannot complete my tasks I am highly annoyed.

With that, I was lucky enough to have a green streak (cash in fist!) and I was finally able to buy myself my VERY OWN BRAND NEW computer! I know!!! Sounds totally lame but this thing is the BMW of computers for me and I am just tickled pink! This posting was merely to apologize for my lack of posting useless information about my oh so boring life and to rejoice in my new computer...that will be ALL MINE! I mean ALL MINE! No kids on it, no Nick, No DH name on the ownership...everything will read MY NAME! So I wanted to share my good fortune and my apologies for not being able to post all my crazy chaos. Soon, I will be able to operate at lightning speeds for my ever so happy blogging addiction, surf and operate on Facebook, and pay bills all at the same time.....with no lockups, interruptions from a random kid pop-up, and I will be able to post on a regular basis! HOORAY!!

Tag-a-licious!

Normally when I am tagged I am oblivious...this time is no different. I think my lovely sister wants me to blog more. I am trying, been a rough week of conferences, projects, assignments, fires, you know, same pile....only bigger on a different day.





Anyway, I am tagged! I am excited to post all of this lovely and useless information, but I think the whole thing is absolutely fun. So here goes:





1. I am an absolute freak about my feet. Yes, I love to have pretty feet. I will only touch my feet, my children's feet, and my dog's feet. Everyone else might as well have the plague attached to their feet and I have no desire to come into any contact with them at all.

2. With that being said about the feet, I do not like to have stuff touching my feet on my floors. I want to ONLY feel the floor as in the hardwood or my carpet. If I can feel anything other than that I must eliminate said thing. Even if the task takes me weeks or all freaking day I will remove the scum off the floor for my bare feet to adore. (Huh, poet and didn't know it! LOL)

3. I am extremely vain. So sad really because I am just your average woman with three kids driving a mini-van. But whenever I can catch a glimpse of myself, I look at her just to say "I love you!" Yes, you can call me Narcissus....that's A-ok.

4. I have to have sun-light. I hate the dark, I despise overcast days (unless I am in a mood for one), and I love the warmth of the sun. I hate waking up in the winter and the sun has yet to rise. I am a sun person, my zodiac sign is that of the Sun since I am a Leo, gotta have my sun.

5. I kept my same initials. HA! Yes I have the same monogram and initials as I did before I got married. However, with that, my name sounds like "Julia Goolia" from the Wedding Singer. Terrible I know, but hey, saved money on not having to get a new robe or towels right?

6. I am super ticklish. You can touch me just about anywhere and I mean anywhere and I fall over and start laughing like a silly girl. DH touched my shins and I about wet myself laughing so hard, he thought this was hilarious that I can basically freak out so easily from being tickled.

7. I am and always will be a scent freak! I have always had flowers, eucalyptus, reed diffusers, Plug-ins, candles, whatever in my house and in my room growing up as I love smelly things! I also have so much perfume that it weighed so much on my cabinet....it took the cabinet off the wall. Yeah, so this eliminated some of my perfume. I don't wear perfume often, but man I love the smell of a good Eau de Parfum, candle, or whatever is smelling good.

As for tagging...I have no idea where to start on tagging.....so if you want to play...TAG...you're it!

Cleaning up

The Herring's have recently vowed in this new year to 'Go Green'! In addition to going green we have also made some strong attempts to go green with what we eat. By that I mean we have gone organic. So while 'Going Green' and changing out regular incandescents for CFL bulbs, using HE washers such as our front loader, and recycling anything we possibly can, we have failed to clean up the one thing in our home that really need some cleaning up: OUR POTTY MOUTHS!

The other day while playing with all the kids in the Squids' room, I asked G to help me pick up the toys that were left on the floor after they were all done playing and the Squids scampered down the hall after something (probably DH). While he was helping me clean up the toys the following conversation took place:

G: Mama I am a good helper.

Me: Yes buddy you sure are a big helper. Just know that you don't have to take care of your brother and sister, that is Mama's job.

G: So I am a good boy again?

Me: Buddy...you are always a good boy!

G: So I am not an A$$HOLE any more?

Me: (controlling my uncontrollable laughter) Buddy, we don't say that word.

G: That's a Mama word?

Me: Yes buddy, that is a Mama word and you are ALWAYS a good boy.

I had to stop myself and realize.....OMG have I said that word enough in front of him that he knows how to use this word in the correct context? So we (DH and I) decided that while we are "Going Green", that the idea of going green with our language would be a fantastic idea too.

Hail to the Chief

As Commander and Chief of House, Home and all that is domestic (which includes paying bills, etc) I have noticed that my children salute me. Most of the salutes I have received over the years from G have been in the form of a tantrum, slamming door, or food thrown in my direction. However, with the Squids I have received a new salute of sorts.

Every one of my children has spoken their first word of "Dada", with the exception of Peanut who said "Mama" first, or that's my story for now.

So the salute that I am speaking of and how that relates to my children's first words are very much related to what I do for them. When they are satisfied with anything, such as after eating, laying down for a nap, getting out of the tub, they all say "Dada", including G, who has now upgraded to Dada.1 where he is now called "Dad". Anyway, everything before all of these satisfying moments call for the assistance of Commander and Chief of House, Home and all that is domestic. For example,

Squids are tired: "Mama"
Squids are hungry: "Mama"
Squids want a bottle: "Mama"

But every other time......the salute is to "Dada". I mean what the hell? "Mama" carried you for nine months (36 weeks and 4 days to be exact on the squids), "Mama" changes all the poo (and I do mean ALL, I try to ignore the scent so that "Dada" will get it....but I always pick a stinky one when we play the "Who is stinky" game), "Mama" handles all the feedings.....so why does "Dada" get the reaping rewards for all of "Mama"'s hard work. Well, whatever the reason may be....I am just so glad they all know and want "Mama" and they know "Mama" will git 'er done!

Help....Need a Little Help!!

I am not one to ask for help. NEVER have I asked for help. Refusal to ask for help is such a flaw of mine that I have been working on ever since I was prego with the Squids. I had to learn to ask for help A LOT during my pregnancy with them because simple tasks were simply unattainable.

One day I finally mustered enough strength to call my mother and ask for help. She was always the last person on Earth I would ask for help because she taught me how to take care of myself from a very young age, and so help was not in my vocabulary. I picked up the phone and dialed. She answered, we exchanged simple cordials, and then I whimpered. A truly pathetic whimper of "Help" and then I began to gush like a big baby and began crying uncontrollably about how a trip to the grocery store would be impossible. My mother was so overcome with joy that after 30 years I finally asked for help agreed to help me push a cart through the grocery store and help me to load and unload. Since that day I have made myself ask others for help when I truly need help, otherwise I know I can manage.

The Squids are a handful at times when putting them to bed. Some times they are a breeze....hand them their blankets, turn on the sleep sheep, a warm bottle and off they drift. Other nights however, are a challenge to my brittle nerves and last night was one of those nights. Pickles decided he wanted to stand up in the crib, especially now since he is mastering the skill of standing and Peanut wanted to stand and shake the rails like a monkey in the zoo. IMPOSSIBLE!!! Absolutely impossible to get them to relax and go to bed.

I would take out one Squid and the other would whine and carry on uncontrollably. I would switch.....then the other would carry on.....UGH!!! I was at my end when I said to myself.....TO HELL WITH IT, I CAN DO THIS! So I put Pickles on my right side, leaned over the rail to grab Peanut with my left and hoisted her out of the crib and positioned them both for the rock of a lifetime.

That's right, had to rock them both at the same time. Thankfully I have only had to do this a few times in their short life, because otherwise I would need a hoist to get myself up out of the rocker. This time was one of those times. I had successfully rocked Thing One and Two to sleep and both finally succumbed to the endless bars of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and Billy Joel's Piano Man. However, I was sitting for too long that my butt cheeks had also succumbed. My ass fell asleep!! I swear, there I was embracing both kids thoroughly enjoying the long moments of watching them sleep only to realize my backside also fell asleep and I could not remove myself from the rocker.

Not wanting to wake either one.....in fear that I would have to start from singing and rocking scratch again I waited. I waited and waited until I heard heavy steps coming down the hall. HALLELUJAH!!!! DH was heading down the hall to give the Original G some water. So I quietly signaled my S.O.S. to DH who stopped at the door way looking around like he heard a ghost. I called again and said, "I'm stuck! Help....need a little help." Flipping on the hall light to see I was holding both Squids in my arms who were dead weight, sleeping, he chuckled at my quandary and stood there. I had to break him of his amusement so that he would relieve me of half the 40 pounds I was burdening on my upper body. After we laid both Squids back to bed in the crib I was able to "shake" my butt awake so I could walk again. My lesson to the conundrum I was in....was to have some sort of signaling device available in case my ass falls asleep again and I can't get up and need help!

"I can relate"

I was blessed the other day with having a wonderful stranger come up to me to ask about the twins, which mind you happens every time I leave the house. Only this time the questions were so inviting and so welcoming. A fellow Mom of twins!

What normal Mom's do not understand (and this is not a bad thing) and cannot relate to is having multiples. Having twins, triplets, and beyond is a far greater challenge than having numerous singletons. Granted, I can relate to what life is like with three kids, but I can relate and have a greater understanding of what having three kids and multiples is like. Three singletons who are close in age are COMPLETELY different than having twins or triplets. Yes similarities exist in that more than one child is in diapers, however, they are NOT the same age, they are NOT doing the same thing and going through the same things at the same time. Nor were they BORN at the same time, so not the same. I get Mom's who tell me that all the time.

"Oh...my kids are like twins because they are so close in age." No, sorry, your kids are not like twins.

HAVING TWINS is LIKE having twins.

This was the welcoming and inviting conversation I had with another Mom of multiples. She knew that Mom's who try to compare their singletons to your multiples are in a sense taking away what hard work, sweat, blood, tears, and every sacrifice in the world you have given as a mother and they are reducing that to nothing. Relating to having twins or any set of multiples is impossible until you have them. Even imagining life with multiples is beyond reach. I tried to imagine, I thought I could relate and would be no big deal. I mean I conquered a hellion boy to age FIVE that twins would be a breeze. Oh was I sorry. But after having the twins I could relate. I could relate to the total and utter lack of sleep, the feeling of being at a total loss, the feeling of defeat, unrest, unsure, and total exhaustion. Things are hard enough with one crying baby that tacking on another makes the situation even more dire. Who do you pick up first? Who do you feed first? Sure the answer is clear if there is someone there to help and if you are bottle feeding. But if you are by yourself and you are breast feeding......then it is just you......no one else...left to fend, calm, and man-handle two infants.

I was reassured by my fellow mother of twins that I wasn't alone. She told me:

"My twins are six now. I thought I was never going to make it, that life was just impossible. It wasn't until six months that I finally told myself 'I'm gonna make it'."

And she was right!!! Finally, someone could relate to how insane I was feeling and my feeling of loss and just total craziness! I thought I was totally alone in all of this and that no one could relate. I heard a bunch of minutiae from other moms who said "they could relate" but they didn't have twins and they always wanted them. Which made me realize how my kids and I were a novelty to them. But finally!!! Someone who could relate. I knew at about the same time, when the twins turned six months and finally when they BOTH started crawling.....I'm going to make it. I have made it this far without totally losing my marbles that the rest of my earthly life with them will be absolute bliss and just a joy to watch. To have twins and describe their phenomenon does not do them justice. Only watching how they interact with one another and how they exist together is truly amazing and impossible to describe.

A New Toy

I made a mistake by watching something on TV the other day with my son; who feels we need everything that is seen on TV. I have been told by G that we need Green Bags for the Bananas, Mighty Putty for the sprinklers, a snuggie for watching TV (which DH did order, in LARGE quantities....still waiting for them to arrive since they are backordered) and now I was informed of the new toy we need to buy after seeing them on TV.

We happened to be watching the TODAY show on NBC on Friday morning. Our family is AVID, and I mean AVID bulldog lovers. We have had two bulldogs, the first was Diesel who we had to put down right before G was born and then we got Ginger days before G was born. So G and Ginger have basically grown up together and G feels that whatever he gets, Ginger should get something too. Although this has been replaced with Pickles and Peanut get what he gets or they don't, depending on his mood. Back to the TODAY show....the clip was about Tyson and Tillman the English Bulldogs and how they were part of the Rose Parade in Pasadena. Well, G didn't know they were the "skateboarding" bulldogs. (See the clip....totally cute.) http://www.doginmypocket.com/2008/12/tyson-and-tillman-pasadena-tournament-of-roses-parade/
Today, G had to remind me that when he gets his new bike that we will get Ginger her new skateboard. That ought to be interesting since we can't get her off the couch right now.

My New Project

I almost totally forgot to share the fantastic news! Not only are there major perks of multiples such as all the cool comments, clubs, and fun of watching two kids interact with one another the way twin siblings do, but DH and I were invited to be part of a cool project. That cool project is the Arizona Twin Project! We were notified by the Department of Vital Records that Arizona State University is organizing a sociology experiment called the Arizona Twins Project.

I am thoroughly excited about being a part of this and can't wait to post all the fun and interesting tid bits. Now off to feel normal and watch my fellow M.o.M. (Mother of Multiples) Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8.

Devil's Food

Do you know why they call Devil's Food cake Devil's Food? Let me tell you why.

DH decided to make a Devil's Food cake this evening with a chocolate fudge frosting that I whipped so deliciously. Beside the point. So G had dinner and saw DH frosting said cake and he stated he wanted a piece. The time now is 643pm.....G had cake at 543pm. The effects of the cake have resulted in the following actions:

DH: G, was that good cake or what? You are pretty hyped up on cake aren't you?
G: Dad that was the bestest cake ever.....and I am a ninja. (*takes ninja stance with Styrofoam sword in hand)

Now he has been sword fighting Pickles for the last ten minutes.......hmmmm.......sword fighting an 11 month old.....not hard to do.
Now we are running sprints up and down the hallway of the house.....with no slowing in sight. Oh, now we are racing Peanut.....an 11 month old opponent. I have to give him props for having such enthusiam for playing with his younger siblings but competition with them is beyond comedic.

Sugar is so awesome! Especially because sugar takes the affect of pure adrenaline pulsing through my son's veins. Sugar tends to hype most kids, but mine, yeah, he might as well have taken a shot of epinephrine right in the heart. Going to let DH put him to bed tonight since he is to blame for giving Devil's Food to the "angel".

Resolutions

Every New Year marks the dawn of a new era for some and for others just another day. For those who start the year off fresh resolutions are fantastic. Resolutions and the New Year are as if the slate has been wiped clean. I welcome and enjoy the New Year because of the new slate, however, I do not think that the slate wipes itself clean. Some tool must be used in order to wipe the slate clean, almost like an affirmation of all wrongs done through the year and the promise to oneself to right those wrongs or to not make the same mistakes again. WOW, this sounds much like AA if you ask me. Nonetheless, resolutions are fantastic!

My resolution that I had made year after year after year was to "lose weight", "quit smoking", "stop saying F&^K, so much"......all of these resolutions failed me until I was ready and I was never ready. But this year, I don't smoke (thanks to the Super Squids), I am losing weight (only because I gained lots of twin poundage), and the "F" word is so universal that I will probably continue to use it with all the universal glory in which the word was created for, an adjective, verb, noun, pronoun, you get the idea.

This year my resolution is to TAKE BETTER CARE OF MYSELF!

WOW!! This is just novel right? Wrong! As a mom, a mother of multiples, and wife the person you put first are the aforementioned individuals, never yourself. So this year is a year of "K". With taking better care of myself which includes my super duper healthy eating and drinking LOTS more water and getting LOTS more sleep (including naps) is to ward off toxicity. Toxicity you say? Toxicity I do say. This entails everything that could be harmful to me, my life, my family, and is not conducive to my taking better care of me lifestyle. I mean last year I bore twins, breastfed them for over EIGHT months, and managed to take care of everyone else but myself! I mean I cared for the twins, my G, DH, my home, my education, the dog, everything! But I did not take care of me and in there I got angry.....really angry and I wasn't clear why. I now know why. So these are the things that I will be warding off until further notice....even though I will have reservations, I know the decision is for the best and somethings I will be doing for myself:

• I will say NO more......lots more......not to my kids, they know this word well....I mean EVERYONE ELSE!!! A big FAT NO is headed your way this year.
• I will ward off family that is toxic. Family that is ungrateful and does not have a good interest for my family or does not care how his or her actions affect me or my family.
• I will ward off my Pepsi. (EEEE Gad, I love my caffeine) Hence, the Pepsi is bad, so I must ward off and limit my intake.
• I will ward off ice cream. (Oh something I indulge in whether I am sad or happy, ice cream is my comfort) But this too I must ward off.
• I will make sure I am taken care of before my kids. (I know this sounds super selfish, but without a happy, healthy Mommy, my kids would not be happy or healthy....can you say Britney Spears episode....right!)
• I will no longer go out of MY way for someone else unless I receive some personal gain, such as the feeling of goodwill. I think HIGH time someone else "paid it forward".
• I will have more girls night and girls time......so me and my girls will get together without DH's.
• I will take more time outs and let (make) DH do more around the house and with the kids.
• I will take more time to sit and play with my kids. (I play with them quite a bit now, but I need to do it more. That's why we have kids right....? Is to act like a kid more!)

There it is. There is my small, but expanding list. I look at my resolution list as a pregnancy belly, slowly growing, milestones will be met, and the big payoff in the end after much patience and love. Happy New Year everyone. Please feel free to share your Resolutions, they are always great to share.