tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32731785747810698962024-03-05T13:15:27.699-08:00Chasing VizslasMeganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-52414531449598029002016-01-04T12:24:00.000-08:002016-01-04T12:24:33.931-08:00Bouncy ball thoughts. Chime in if you wish. "I want another one. Not two. Just one."<br />
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The words dropped from Shaun's mouth so easily one night last week. The words have been weighing all too heavily on my mind since he dropped them like a bomb. I'm pretty sure he said them without knowing how heavy they would be on my brain and soul. Now, his wish is all I can think about and I'm pretty sure he has moved on from truly thinking about it.<br />
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We have taken some time to talk about some possible pros and cons together. The con list is so much longer than the pro, by the way. But as most men do, I think Shaun starts to think about other Shaun things and my brain just dwells on every scenario that a third (or another set of twins) could bring. Yes, it's entirely possible that twins could happen again. <br />
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I'm contemplating our home. I love our home so much. It has character and I wanted to raise a family here. We have three bedrooms so having another means no spare bedroom and some sibling always has to share a room with another sibling. We talked about an addition to our beloved house, but the thought of all of the noise and house disruption makes me freak out. We talked about buying another house, but of course that makes me sad because (like I said) I love this house! And...I HATE moving.<br />
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I'm contemplating our vehicle. Shortly after the boys were born, we got a Sequoia. I love the beast. Her name is Jazzy. I feel safe in it and I've always been more of a truck girl so it's hard for me to picture myself in anything else. The logistics of it right now though are somewhat of a pain and as much as I love it, we've been throwing the idea around of (gasp!) trading it in for a mini van. Yep. You read that right. My heart aches a little just writing it. Financially it makes great sense and from a family standpoint it makes sense too...I just don't want to admit it. I will say though that I've seen some pretty sweet mini vans around lately. Maybe they're becoming cool? Or, maybe I'm just being all the more uncool and my eyes are changing.<br />
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Those are just a couple of the big things I've thought (and we've talked) about. But now, almost every single moment of the day, I'm thinking about what it would be like to have a little one around in addition to the craziness of what already exists. It's easy to want another one when things are going really good of course and vice versa.<br />
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I could write forever on this topic, but of course it would be all over the place like a bouncy ball. Do I want another one? My heart does, yes. My brain tells me otherwise. It makes me feel selfish. I really just don't want another one because things are getting to a point where we can share more and more experiences with them and I love it. We're getting to a point where we can drop them off at the grandparents (because they live so close now!) and get some time away for ourselves. We haven't really had that in over two years. I feel like having another one would add on another two to three years of being somewhat completely selfless. I'm not so sure I'm ready for that. I wasn't sure I was ready to handle twins either though. When I think about how long life actually is though, another two to three years seems so minimal!<br />
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I do love the idea of Owen and Emmett having a brother or sister. I do love the idea of a semi-big family...perhaps not in the short run, but in the long run I like it. I do love the idea of getting another experience with being pregnant and laboring. Maybe I'd actually get the birth experience I really wanted on the next go round! I do love the idea of creating another kind soul for this world.<br />
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See? Right now I'm feeling all mushy and want one. But I could probably come back in another 15 minutes and write something completely different. It's easy to want another one as I'm listening to my boys sweetly waking up from their nap and talking and singing to one another...Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-56020320490681321822015-02-13T07:33:00.002-08:002015-02-13T07:33:39.455-08:00I can't keep calm. I have toddlers. I could begin with writing about how long it has been since I last wrote, but I'm sure you get it. Kids are busy! Sure, I have some time to write when they're napping or after they go to bed, but I don't want to! Truth is, I choose to be lazy during those times. I sometimes feel guilty after tidying up if I sit down to just watch The Real Housewives, but I'm trying to be better about just enjoying the downtime. A constant work in progress...that is me. <div>
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Here's the daily grind now: waking, eating, playing, morning outing, return home for more playing, more eating, NAP!, waking, eating, playing, walking the dogs, playing, eating, BED! </div>
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Seems so simple, right? It's a pretty basic routine, but what you can place in the in-between spaces are giggling, whining, crying, frustration, hitting, throwing and more whining. The communication skills they lack are not just frustrating for them, but for me too! Welcome to the toddler years, I guess. </div>
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The toddler years are a huge reason why having another baby seems like the most insane idea ever to me. Sure, they're overall cute, but the whining and tantrums are things that work on my patience very quick. I try to remind myself that it's not me they're frustrated with, but something they simply cannot communicate. Are they hungry? Tired? Teething pain? Stomach hurt? Just moody today? We all have our days where we don't want to interact with others, right? I can't imagine waking up cranky and not being able to simply say, "I'm cranky today, please leave me alone". </div>
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So I think, maybe if I just leave him have some alone time, he'll work it out. Nope. There he is, tugging at my leg. Then I think, ok, I'll just take a moment and be with him. Take some time to really make eye contact and let him know I'm here for him. Hold him. Nope! How dare I! So this is the point when I get frustrated myself and I also start throwing a temper tantrum. Well, fine! I didn't want a hug anyway! So then the three of us simply wander the house whining and crying. More often than not, it's fixed with a nap (alone time for me) and we're all good with each other again after we've had some time away from one another. </div>
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I was talking with a friend's aunt yesterday who is one sibling out of triplets. We were just making small talk about having multiples in general, but we were imagining how her mother did it daily. No dryer, no disposable diapers, different formulas for the kids, none of the things that honestly make my life a little easier. During the time when she had triplets, it was very rare so she also didn't have a multiples parenting support group like I do. I can't even imagine what it was like for her on a daily basis. Did she feel like some days she was on top of the world like I do? Did she feel like bedtime could not come quick enough on other days like I do? What advice would she have for me? I will never know. What I do know, is that I'm missing family presence more than ever. </div>
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In the early days, I was very willing and eager to seek out help from almost anyone. People that got me through some hard days were neighbors, close friends, acquaintences and sometimes complete strangers! Turn the clock to now and I'd have to say that it's harder for me to accept help. I'm more stubborn about it. I think it's because I've been (more often than not) solo with them for so long that I'm set in my routine and the way we roll. It's hard for me to let go of control. There I said it...I'm a control freak with them. I'm a Momzilla. Hear me roar. </div>
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I get jealous when I see others (via social media) having date nights, outing with their friends or solo time doing whatever they want. I miss my selfish days. It's normal (I hope). But family is not here (and I hate paying for sitters) so I need to either ask for help, accept help or be 100% happy with the constant daily grind of wrestling (yes, at times it feels like we're wrestling) with these boys. I need to stop my whining and communicate my needs and wants that are gonna keep me sane. I need to stop acting like a toddler. </div>
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Shaun repeatedly tells me have solo time, but I don't. The weekends are when we have true family time so I feel guilty leaving. He loves having solo time with the boys, but I just enjoy doing things as a family of four. Plus, I know how much easier outings are with the extra hands. I also know that being alone or hanging out with a friend lifts my spirit in a completely different way that it makes me a better Mom. </div>
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A work in progress. It always comes back to that. I'm doing the best that I can and enjoying my days with them because I know how quickly they are passing. This is it. At times the days may seem so incredibly long, but all too quick I'll be left standing in the kitchen and asking, "where did my little boys go"? All of the frustrating moments seem to go out the window at the end of the day when I get to sit down and be thankful. I'm so thankful that I get the best of both worlds of being their mom during the day and working a little too. They are very sweet and funny boys. I know our family wishes they could be near this "insanity" just as much as I wish they could rescue me from it at times. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-2333174762653068372014-09-26T18:17:00.001-07:002014-09-26T18:19:44.927-07:00New Wobbles and Mom WoesEleven months. Seriously? It's unbelievable that I am totally into planning their one year party. I never thought I would get into it because I know that they will not remember it or do not realize what's going on, but thanks to Pinterest it's too easy to go nuts! Plus, I'm looking at it more of a celebration for us as a unit. We have (almost) survived a year! However, thinking about the next road we're about to go down (toddlerhood) produces an impending panic attack. For now, let me reflect on the most recent passing month and I'll just keep pretending that I will have two perfect toddler angels.<br />
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Over the Labor Day weekend and shortly after they turned ten months, we returned to Topsail Island for some beach time. The boys had a fantastic time, but the only sitting down Shaun and I got to enjoy was when they were napping! I don't even know why we even packed our beach chairs. Did I really picture myself sitting back and sipping on my Corona with lime? *Side note: although I'm a beer snob, my beach drink of choice is Corona with a lime.* The boys were entertained by sitting in tidal pools splashing for an entire hour! When the hour was up, we pretty much let them crawl up and down the beach and bent down every five seconds to retrieve a seashell that was heading into the mouth. They surprisingly didn't eat that much sand this time. I guess they moved on to seashells...and it was always the tiny ones!<br />
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The room we rented was an efficiency so it was basically one large open space. I was worried about how it would work out, but it was nice because when the boys would go down for a nap, Shaun and I were forced to sit out on the balcony and relax! Well, I thoroughly enjoyed my time out there reading magazines and just watching the ocean waves. Shaun would go running and didn't figure out how peaceful it was until the last day.<br />
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Upon our return from the trip, Owen had a low grade fever and was randomly fussy. We chalked it up to teething like we always do. By the way, neither of them have any teeth yet! Anyway, on the third day of the low fever, we decided we should take him to the doctor. It turned out that he had about seven ulcers in the back of his mouth. These and the low grade fever meant hand, foot and mouth disease. Such an awful name for a little virus! Of course, being a virus only meant that as soon as Owen felt better, Emmett began feeling bad. It was such an awful week of being out of routine and dealing with unhappy babes. Shaun did an awesome job trying to come home as early as possible and even took a personal day when I broke down in tears out of pure frustration. I was glad when the week was over and I had my monsters back!<br />
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Thank goodness they rid their bodies of that because it was time for <a href="http://www.sproutsongsmusic.com/" target="_blank">Sproutsongs</a> to begin! This program was recommended to me by a teacher friend and although I was hesitant because of the cost, I am so glad we enrolled. I believe that music is vital to a person. I believe it's just something you need in your life. You can use music to relax, to workout, to take you back to a certain moment in time, to cope and so on and so on. With that said, O and E have been having so much fun with all the music...probably too much fun! They are the animals of the class. Toddlers in the room don't even move as much as these two! Although I absolutely love watching them enjoying themselves, sadly it made me question myself as a mother. Am I doing something wrong? Do I have no control? Why are my boys so crazy busy and all over the place?! Of course there is no judgement in this particular class. They love for the kids to be themselves, but I still can't seem to shut my worrying mind off that others are judging me and my boys. Another example is story time at the library. I can no longer go by myself with them because they are all over the place and in different directions! I was getting "the look" from other Moms which made me embarrassed so now I make sure to have a friend with me to play man on man defense.<br />
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The main point is why should I be embarrassed? They are eleven months old and have discovered that there is a whole world to explore! This self Mom judgement I have has been a (new) recent struggle. Until now, I was always this confident mother, but now that I'm getting the "look" from other mothers, I have begun to question my parenting. It shouldn't be this way. Being a Mom is a REALLY hard job. We shouldn't be judging one another, but perhaps lending a hand because each of us knows how difficult it is.<br />
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Of course when I share my feelings with friends they tell me I'm doing an amazing job and yadda yadda yadda. I think it's just a parent thing that you will always question whether or not you're raising your children right and wonder how you'll screw them up. Aren't we all screwed up somehow? It's almost like it's inevitable not to screw up your kids in some way or another. I'm trying to come to terms that I will not be a perfect parent and I will not have perfect children. So go explore boys and I'll deal with the looks for now. I don't want perfection and neither should you my little monsters. I want you to be you! Speaking of being you, here's what each of you are up to these days...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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Owen has been very independent this month. He loves to stand and clap or stand and bang two things together. He seems to love noise! He's very into the instruments at Sproutsongs and giggles when you hold him to dance to the beat. I'm pretty sure he'll be our first walker. His favorite toy is probably the cat bowl and Maisey loves when it gets tossed around because it makes crazy reflections on the walls. She is going to love having these boys as play buddies! I'm sure she'll especially love Owen because he lo<br />
ves to play with balls and that includes the millions of tennis balls that Maisey has lying around. It seems he really digs the animals' toys! His favorite noise to make is a high pitched squeal and he loves it when Emmett chases him!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTF1xzmVW0dB1-miYA1RX2SbGTj_R4D4u6lp7QL73Mf1T3s-RBuSG43XA5hDCjOeZAhD5cwfS2BGDlSUwf7wdsIuzF6WjaQezz3wDrhej3tfQHaIa9U9D0uJ8_jVmDC9NajGv2zyZAhnS/s1600/DSC_0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTF1xzmVW0dB1-miYA1RX2SbGTj_R4D4u6lp7QL73Mf1T3s-RBuSG43XA5hDCjOeZAhD5cwfS2BGDlSUwf7wdsIuzF6WjaQezz3wDrhej3tfQHaIa9U9D0uJ8_jVmDC9NajGv2zyZAhnS/s1600/DSC_0893.JPG" height="320" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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Emmett has taken a turn from being the more independent one and now touches your leg or pulls at your pants to be held. He's still very good at entertaining himself, but when he wants to be snuggled, he'll let you know. Although it's very sweet, it always seems to happen when I'm trying to cook dinner and wish for him to be independent! But of course, I welcome the snuggles. When he is playing, he loves his cars and trucks. He's got a firetruck and tow truck that seem to be perfect for his little hands and he pushes them all around the house and gets very upset when Owen comes and takes them away. It's cute to watch him put them on chairs and make little motor noises as he pushes them around. I think he learned that from hearing Shaun. He's also standing on his own, clapping and waving bye bye. He's our morning talker and I love listening to him when he first wakes up. He's got this sweet little lullaby-like voice, but that little voice gets louder throughout the day. He loves the instruments at Sproutsongs too, but his voice really comes alive during the class more than Owen's. He also loves the chase game and that includes chasing our cat!<br />
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It's time to forget my Mom woes and focus on these new wobbles. Walking, here we come! For now, I hope to focus on my confidence as a parent. I know if I lead by example then my little monsters will follow. Happy eleven months Owen and Emmett. I love you both so much!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best shot I could get of them together...too busy to pose now!</td></tr>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-71999013213118912772014-08-26T10:50:00.001-07:002014-08-26T10:51:07.274-07:00They're on the move...can I keep up?I have heard over and over again that the first year with twins is pure survival mode. It wasn't until last week that I realized my own reality of doing it. The boys and I walked with a newer twin Mom and after she left to return home, I tried to reflect on when my boys were her boys' age. Although it was only six months ago, I really could not pull a whole lot out of the hat of memories. I know some of you are laughing as you read this because you truly know me and know that when it comes to most things (not just my children), that I don't really have a memory at all! Well, needless to say, I am really glad that I've been blogging and keeping a small journal for daily jottings beside my bed because either my brain doesn't want to go back there or I really can't remember s*%t!<br />
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Today, Owen and Emmett are ten months old and my memory is just fine as I recall this month being a lot of survival mode. It was one of those months where I got comfortable with the way things were rolling around here and now I find myself switching gears and trying to keep up with my busy boys. They are crawling all over the place and pulling themselves up to stand on everything. The poor dogs stand outside the bathroom door downstairs because they know that's where their bowls are locked up for most of the day. Nothing is safe! I'm re-evaluating my baby-proofing because hearing my boys hit their heads off the hardwood every twenty minutes or so is not fun. I want them to explore without my supervision in the playroom that's blocked off, but even that is proving to be a fail at times because Emmett loves to pull Owen's hair and hit him with toys. The days have been exhausting mentally and physically. I feel like a baby lifeguard most of the day, just trying my best to keep the peace. </div>
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This month will eventually be a blur in memory too, I know. For now, I'll continue to look forward to the hour or so that I drop them off at the YMCA nursery. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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Owen started crawling this past month! I think he finally calculated that walking was going to take a bit longer than he had anticipated so he decided to join his brother in getting around. In classic Owen style, he crawls and stops along the way to ponder a bit. He's also pulling up to stand on things and has the most contagious laugh. Sometimes he'll laugh for no reason at all! He loves to start clapping and is thrilled when you join in. He loves making music by taking two small toys and banging them together. He is my little sweetheart. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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Emmett has one crawling speed: turbo. Turbo to the doors, turbo to the kitchen, turbo to the back, turbo to the playroom and turbo around the patio. He is such a do-er! He's also pulling to stand on everything and one of his favorite activities is standing at the cardboard garage that Shaun made them and putting his toys on top so he can play with them there. Meanwhile, Owen likes to be inside the garage to play so of course it's a calamity when he tries to crawl out and more often than not, knocks Emmett down on his way out. Sigh. Emmett is the talker and loves to hear himself squeal. He also loves to take away anything that Owen is currently playing with and pull his brother's hair too. Each diaper change is also a wrestling match with him. He thinks it's hilarious, but I don't! As you can read, Emmett is more often than not, my daily challenge. He is my <a href="http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Animal" target="_blank">Animal</a>.<br />
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It's unbelievable that I'm looking at things to celebrate their first birthday. Is it a first year birthday party or is it more of a first year survival party? It just may be a celebration of both.<br />
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Happy Ten Months Owen and Emmett! I love you, my little monsters!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the move...no time for pictures! </td></tr>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-7686010177349733232014-08-01T12:29:00.001-07:002014-08-01T12:29:30.936-07:00The fine 9A perfect rainy day on my back porch to try and catch up on this blog while O and E nap. When I went on my Facebook hiatus, apparently I went on a writing hiatus as well since it has been nearly three months since my last post. Now I find myself struggling with how to get you all up to speed. I guess I can begin with reflections on the Facebook timeout.<br />
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Overall, it felt good to not be on it. I remember the very first day away I even tried logging on to my Twitter account. I guess I was just longing to have some sort of connection. Anyway, what a joke! I quickly realized why I don't use Twitter. I just simply don't get it! It feels spastic to me and not user friendly. I think I spent all of five minutes trying to reconnect and then felt ashamed for even doing so. Wasn't one of my main reasons for the hiatus because I found myself not being present with my boys? And yet, here I sit, off of Facebook but still with the phone in my hand and not paying attention!<br />
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I realized that my main use for it is to simply keep people updated that aren't in our daily lives. All of our family is in Pennsylvania so it's great to be able to post pictures of O and E and to let people know that we're (in general) alive and thriving. I also realized that I use it to know the happenings around Raleigh. I felt lost without it! I have given a "like" to so many local places that it's actually how I stay up to date on happenings. I attempted to read different local blogs and such, but Facebook is nice because all events are listed in one place.<br />
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I thought I would reflect more about being deactivated for a month, but it really didn't give me any knowledge that I didn't already know. I honestly hate it. I hate that I compare my life to other lives and now I compare my children to other children. It's hard not to as you scroll through the never ending feed. I've had people insinuate that my life is perfect because of what I post on Facebook. Ha! Don't be fooled my friends. I am a normal human being. Gasp! The only reason it may appear that I have my crap together is because I choose to only post happy things on Facebook and usually it's only through pictures. It's like that part on Bambi when Thumper says, "If you can't say something nice...then don't say nothin' at all". I enjoy putting positive things on social media, but it doesn't mean that life is grand every minute of every day.<br />
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So if I hate it so much then why am I back? I returned for those far away. It is simply easier to stay connected (and quickly) all in one place. I also like to know what's going on around Raleigh :)<br />
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As far as life with the boys goes, we have officially survived nine months. They had their check-up today and we have proof that they're growing and thriving! I'm still enjoying the best of both worlds of being a stay-at-home Mom and working at night when I'm able. I wouldn't say things are easy on a day to day basis, but they're different. Need me to explain? A great example is that I used to have to find a friend in order to take them to story time at the library. With both of them requiring to be held, it was just easier to have some help. Now that they're both able to sit up, I'm able to take both of them by myself! It's quite a bit of work, but we're doing it! The whole sitting up thing has also opened up a world of going to Target without my giant IKEA bag hooked to their stroller. I can now put one in the cart and one strapped in the carrier on me. So you see, things aren't "easy," but they're different.<br />
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I would say the biggest struggle of all is still my marriage. I feel like I do the best that I can as a mother and the best that I can to take care of myself and then there's nothing left for my other half. We're way better than we were in the beginning, but we still have a long way to go. I'm snippy. SO snippy. And...I'm totally aware that I'm snippy! That's the worst part. I know my problem and yet I continue to do it. I wish I could be as patient with Shaun as I am with the boys. It's so easy to hurt the ones we love the most, isn't it?<br />
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I know that I am an extremely lucky woman to have the man that I do in my life. He is kind, smart, funny, handsome, hard-working, a damn good father that participates in the boys' lives and we make a great team. I wish I could just snap out of it and be this perfect wife, but again...I'm only human. I don't want rumors to start spreading that we're falling apart. We're not, but I feel like we're just going through the motions of being together. We want more. I think I need to start putting a certain percentage of my energy into him. He's important too, you know? Without him, there would be no family. I guess what I'm looking for is guidance. Having kids changed my marital world (among other things). I'm sure lots of you have been through it. Any suggestions?<br />
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Now it's time I get back to the boys. Since the last time I wrote, O and E became little travelers! A ten day trip to Pennsylvania had been in the works for a while, but Shaun and I thought it would be smart to do a "practice trip". The boys have their routine here at home so I was a bit nervous to take them out of their element. We took a few days and booked an apartment above a motel office at Topsail Beach. We stuck to our routine as much as we could and they adjusted just fine. Phew! The part I was most nervous about were the sleeping arrangements. At home they each have their big crib. I took a pack and play and two <a href="http://www.amazon.com/PeaPod-Plus-Travel-Twilight-Kidco/dp/B00BWIPD42/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406918682&sr=8-2&keywords=pea+pod" target="_blank">pea pods</a>. I was hoping the pea pods would work because the pack and play is bulky and heavy. Plus, they have never slept together before and Emmett is a wild sleeper! In the end, both boys slept just fine in the pods and we had no real issues minus the drive home which was our fault. We decided that we wanted to take the scenic route home because that's what we liked to do in our "all about us" days. Lesson learned...if we're going to travel during afternoon nap time, make sure to get right home! The boys woke up and we still had about an hour to travel home. That left the boys with an hour to scream all the way home. It was beyond stressful and it quickly drove me to insanity.<br />
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To travel to PA, we left at the boys' bedtime and drove through the night. It went smoothly and they woke up as the sun was rising and we were pulling in to Shaun's house. We had an amazing and memorable trip. O and E had so many firsts from meeting tons of family to trying a lot of new food! They were absolute troopers through all of it and impressed me all the way. We stuck to our home routine the best we could and they adjusted beautifully. From their first taste of ice cream in Waymart to watching the horse races at their first Clearfield County Fair, I was so proud to be the Momma of two amazing little boys. Here are their latest pictures and what they're up to:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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Owen is so sweet. Over the PA trip he gave me my first real "Ma-Ma" as he was crawling towards me in bed early one morning. My heart melted and I began to cry. He was our first little "talker" and it all began on our way out to Topsail. Out of nowhere he just decided that he enjoyed hearing himself say "ba ba ba", "da da da" and "ma ma ma". He is our thinker and inspects everything he touches. I believe he thinks so much that it is the sole reason that he isn't crawling! We've had some forward motion, but nothing like his brother. He gets beyond frustrated but just won't do it! Instead, he just sits up and rocks back and forth grunting. He may not be crawling, but he loves to make music by banging things together and hearing what different noises he can create. He also loves it when you clap for him and say, "yea!" His eyes light up and he'll get even more excited to make more music.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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Emmett is my busy and easily distracted boy. This kid is on the move and there's no stopping him! He seems to be the opposite of Owen and likes to just do things and not think about them. He's all over the place with his crawling and taking on the world...and dog bowls. He enjoys smashing his toys, attempting to stand up and harassing the cat. In fact, his first word might have been "tat". I wasn't there, but Shaun says it happened and I believe it. He also seems to enjoy using his mobility to his advantage by taking and crawling away with whatever his brother is playing with and that leaves Owen rather upset for a moment. He's also "talking" quite a bit now, but thoroughly enjoys hearing himself hold a long, loud "ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh". I believe he just wants everyone to know that, "Emmett's here and ready to party!" Mark my words, this boy is going to be my wild child. It makes total sense too because he was always the "quiet one" on the inside. My Mom always told me that "it's the quiet ones you gotta worry about" and I think Emmett is a fine example of what she meant.<br />
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Both boys are enjoying water. They each enjoy the plastic pool on our patio and they each enjoyed the ocean. Emmett liked sitting in tidal pools and splashing, but Owen seemed a bit overwhelmed and liked to just enjoy it while he was being held. They started taking swim lessons at the YMCA right before we left for PA and had such a fun time! It was so awesome to watch them both giggling and splashing and neat to see them mimic natural swim motions in the water. We're looking forward to another lesson tomorrow!<br />
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Happy 9 Months, Owen and Emmett. The two of you make my world a better place and I love you both so much!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and Emmett at 9 Months</td></tr>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-10603253204492552622014-05-07T12:08:00.001-07:002014-05-07T12:08:01.521-07:006 Month Update and the ChallengeWow, really behind on this one, but Owen and Emmett hit the six month mark on April 26! Life is moving extremely fast to say the least. We've got a great schedule working (for now). I think people wonder about how our day rolls so here's your chance to get a glimpse.<br />
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The boys wake up between 7 and 7:30 a.m. We usually snuggle for a bit in Shaun and I's bed (love!) and then we head downstairs for breakfast in a bottle. After that is some play time and diaper changes. While they're playing, I can usually make tea and squeeze in breakfast for myself. By 9 or 9:30 a.m. they take a (power) nap in their swings. It's usually about 30 minutes long and then they wake up cooing and babbling and ready to play again! There's quite a bit of time between their morning nap and next bottle, so usually we get out of the house for a bit and see what there is to see. Each day is different. You may find us at Target, baby story time at the library, hanging at a friend's house, walking around museums downtown, swinging at our neighborhood park, getting groceries, picking out new books at the library or enjoying Momma Fit Camp. By the time we get home, it's time for them to eat again and play a bit more.<br />
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The afternoon nap is the long one. They go to sleep between 12:30 and 1 p.m. and will sleep two hours at the very least. I love nap time...seriously. It's my time to do what I want. No matter what, I always eat lunch, tidy a bit, shower and prep for the rest of the night and even prep the bottle for the next morning. All of this usually takes about an hour or so and that leaves me with an hour to do whatever I wish! Sometimes I'll do something productive and other times you may find me just lying in my bed and resting my eyes. I really never fall asleep unless I'm super tired (which, I always feel like I am), but it always feels so good just to be still for a while.<br />
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After they wake up all happy and cute, we go downstairs and play some more. Shocking, I know! They eat again between 3:30 and 4 p.m. and then we change diapers and get ready to walk the dogs. We usually go for a two to three mile walk. O and E are always just happy looking around and now they're starting to babble at times while we're out. Occasionally there is some fussing, but it's rare. When we get back home they play some more and that gives me time to cook dinner and start the countdown until Shaun gets home...yea! Another pair of hands! On nights when I have to go into work, it's usually rushed and we basically do a quick change of shift report, kisses goodbye and I'm out the door. If I don't have to work, we get to have some family time for a bit and eat dinner together. The final bottle is around 7:30 p.m. and then we start the bedtime routine. The boys are asleep between 8 and 8:30 p.m., the nightly rat race of tidying begins, I get some "me" time again and then repeat it all the next day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZLuBo6CZCzoaESY3psBGPXUZevaO66BKHlpa2HcloolKiQ_78E5miTGhGs1PZMMSgRSH8iu31nK1TYQifBIRQIY74fWind8DaYWhbYp77RMWj6zEuucoqMpixSXEaOaauj9Rg7uIeUQ9/s1600/IMG_3255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZLuBo6CZCzoaESY3psBGPXUZevaO66BKHlpa2HcloolKiQ_78E5miTGhGs1PZMMSgRSH8iu31nK1TYQifBIRQIY74fWind8DaYWhbYp77RMWj6zEuucoqMpixSXEaOaauj9Rg7uIeUQ9/s1600/IMG_3255.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a>Throughout the daily grind during the past month, Owen has really come out of his "serious" persona. It's like he's trying to prove that we've been wrong all along. He giggles a lot now and goes on and on about nothing. Even with strangers, he's the one that isn't shy and will let his personality shine. He rolls all over the place and is almost sitting up by himself. He likes to be read to and you know what he likes even more than that? Sucking on his left big toe.<br />
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Emmett is still silly and just as nosey as ever. His laugh is contagious. He tends to act serious around strangers, but opens up quickly. He's also rolling all over the place, almost sitting up alone and seems to be attracted to the TV. I have to turn it off if I want him to focus on me. You have to watch out for diaper changes with this one. He is in love with grabbing and squishing his balls. Testicles? Junk? Scrotum? Whatever you want to call it, he loves it. It can be a true challenge during a bad shit storm. I usually have to distract him with a toy so that he'll play with that instead while I get him cleaned up. Emmett's going to love this post when he has his first date ;)<br />
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In the last post, I think I wrote that I would go into more depth about transitioning them to their cribs, but that seems like so long ago now! Without going into much detail, they had a rough time going from their rock and play sleepers and into their cribs. When they turned five months and could roll over, we attempted the transition again because my thinking was they could roll into whatever position was comfortable for them. It took a while and we did it in baby steps, but we would put them to sleep in the crib and when they woke up inconsolable, we would return them to the rock and plays to sleep the rest of the night. I just wanted to ensure that they were still getting good sleep and not up all night crying because of their crib hatred. Night after night they kept sleeping longer in them and now the rock and plays are a thing of the past. Victory!<br />
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On a final note, I ran across an <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/30/habits-mindful-people_n_5186510.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular" target="_blank">article</a> the other day about 13 Things Mindful People Do Differently Every Day. I read it at a time when I had just caught myself checking Facebook on my phone while feeding the boys. I was disappointed in myself. Are my kids not entertaining enough? Why am I on Facebook right now? I felt guilty. The thought crossed my mind to delete my account for a while and that's when I ran across the article.<br />
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I love a good challenge. I believe they provide growth and a chance to reflect. The article states that being mindful is "the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally". Be present. In the moment. These are all things we are able to do, but I feel like we've lost the ability to do it.<br />
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I can't tell you how many times I'm at the grocery store or walking out of work and people have a hard time looking me in the eye. When I try to make eye contact, people instantly bring their phones up to their face. Am I ugly? Do I have a booger in my nose? Stuff in my teeth? Do I scare you?<br />
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Eye contact seems to make people completely uncomfortable nowadays yet according to this article and another book I'm reading called Love Rituals, eye contact helps to develop and maintain stronger connections in all relationships. These strong connections (with children) help with cooperation and discipline. I would love to build this kind of relationship with Owen and Emmett.<br />
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With all of this said, I am challenging myself to deactivate my Facebook account for at least a month. Some of you may or may not have noticed, but I've already been weaning since last Friday. I've already removed the app from my phone and will deactivate my account after the sharing of this post. I will continue to use Facebook messenger which is basically like texting if anyone doesn't have my number and wishes to get in touch. I will still post pictures on Instagram so follow me there! I love Instagram so much more than Facebook. It's overall a much more positive experience for me.<br />
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I have a friend that recently gave up Facebook for lent. She has since returned, but it was interesting to read her blog about what she took away from the experience. I hope to take good notes about my revelations and of course, be in the moment and continue to work on building a strong connection with my boys. I encourage all of you to read the article and come up with a challenge for yourself. Are you living in the moment?<br />
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I love you, Owen and Emmett. You are my world. Happy 6 months!<br />
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I love/hate you Facebook. Goodbye (for now)!</div>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-26394437273098364392014-04-04T11:35:00.001-07:002014-04-04T11:35:39.274-07:00The Fantastic Five (months)Better late than never, right? The boys hit the 5-month mark on March 26th. I managed to take their pictures a little after the date, but haven't been able to find the energy to write over the last week. Once we put O and E down for bedtime around 8 o'clock, it's like my entire being just shuts down. All I ever want to do is a super quick tidy and either watch a mindless tv show or get in bed and read. It's amazing that two little beings can suck you of all energy and will to do things for yourself after they've gone to bed. I get so excited for "me" time throughout the day and conjure up grand plans for how to spend my time, but when their day ends and mine can begin, I just wanna clock out and head home. Shift over. I'm done.<br />
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Over the last month, I've come to better understand and accept my role as a mother. I'm starting to see just how hard this job is, but also realizing how important it is. You mean, I'm semi-responsible for creating two upstanding gentlemen for this society? Yikes! It's a tough realization. At first, I just wanted to run and hide. However, lately my mindset has switched over to thoughts of making it happen or at least making a valid attempt.<br />
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Thoughts of how I want to raise our boys forced me to look back on my childhood and pick things out that I think helped me become who I am today. What kind of things do I think shaped who I am today? I remember playing outside a lot, letting my imagination run wild, playing with animals, playing with friends, riding bikes, playing sports, playing/discovering all kinds of music, laughing and joking. I think in today's day and age, that I will have an uphill battle. There are too many "distractions" from reality: iPods, iPhones, computers, video games, etc. I hope to limit their time with these things and encourage them to experience the world around them. Although I absolutely love where and how I grew up, I'm thankful that we live in Raleigh. There's so much to do, see and experience. At the same time, I hope to expose them to places that resemble where I was raised. I want to take them to small towns out in the mountain and beach areas of NC or elsewhere. I really hope to travel with Shaun, O and E. I'm sure they'll reach an age where they won't want to be seen with us anymore, but I can do my best to create a motherly friendship with boundaries. Huh? Well, it's exactly how I was brought up. I still have no idea how my mother did it, but I grew up knowing that she was the Mom and respecting that but I also saw her as a trusted friend. I was never embarrassed to be seen with her in front of my friends. I'm hopeful that my boys will view me in the same way.<br />
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It took me quite a few months to accept my Mom role, but now I feel like I'm all in. I feel very fortunate that I'm able to have the best of both worlds. I'm able to be a full time mother and work occasionally to fulfill my personal needs to get out and contribute to society in a different way. I feel so lucky to have a job where I'm able to work casually and pick up shifts here and there as it works for our lives right now. As the boys get older, I'm sure I'll increase my work, but right now this is working and I'm (finally) totally enjoying being their mother.<br />
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So what have my two goobers been up to over the last month? Well, both HATE their cribs. Transitioning them from sleeping in their rock and play sleepers (aka the bucket) to sleeping in their own cribs has been a nightmare. If I would have known what a challenge this would be, they would have been introduced to their cribs from day one! As I write this, we have now made amazing strides in the crib department, but I'll write more about it next post.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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Owen: This boy LOVES to jump! We bought a jumperoo at a consignment sale and I swear he could go all day in that thing. Once he figured out that the jumping produces music, he just jumps and jumps and jumps! He's still our more serious boy, but he really opened up more this past month. He enjoys laying on the activity mats and reaching for all the things above him. He seems to be inspecting them all. He still enjoys tummy time and can roll front to back, but hasn't rolled back to front. Just when we think he's about to do it, he's a stinker and just rolls to his back again as if to say, "meh, maybe tomorrow". He loves to inspect your face when it's right in front of him, enjoys peek-a-boo and does little baby sit-ups to strengthen his core.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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Emmett: Silly, silly boy! He is bright-eyed and bushy tailed. He is nosey like my Grandma Luzier was and is constantly looking at everything around him with his neck stretched out and eyes wide. I call him chatty Cathy because he's constantly babbling. Giggles come easily when you tickle him or make goofy noises and faces at him. He can roll front to back and back to front, especially if he's trying to check something out across the room...nosey! When placed in the jumperoo, he enjoys jumping up and down a little bit, but is really into standing in it and inspecting all of the toys on it...nosey! Like his brother, he also does baby sit-ups and I swear he does them in the stroller the whole time we're out for our walks. I have a feeling this one will be our trouble maker.<br />
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I can't believe that the next time I write that the boys will be six months old. We'll be at a wedding that day so be on the lookout for pictures of some dapper-looking dudes! I love you Owen and Emmett. Happy five months!<br />
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-73575134338522477112014-03-03T19:34:00.001-08:002014-03-03T19:34:29.515-08:00No Longer a Pout-Pout FishWhere did February go? I guess when you're the month with only 28 days, you're bound to fly. I'm a little behind on this post, but with the month going so fast and the stomach bug hitting our crew the day after the boys turned four months, we're just now getting back into the groove of life.<br />
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The month went so fast that I didn't keep my usual log of happenings.Yikes! I recall the boys getting to see their first couple of snows. In the same month, they also got to ride in the stroller without getting all bundled up and go sockless. Crazy weather! Even as I write this it's 25 degrees and freezing rain is coming down. Yesterday we were all in t-shirts enjoying the sun and 72 degree air! Anyway, back to the kiddos...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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They are really becoming so much more animated. Emmett is especially vibrant. He lights up when we smile at him and babbles like a little surfer dude. He's loud! On the other hand, Owen typically tends to be the more serious one and has the sweetest little voice. It's soft and I imagine him saying the nicest things. He smiles and giggles too, but he always seems to be pondering something so you have to put a little extra effort into getting a response. </div>
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They're also a lot more active. The activity mat (baby gym) is now a place where they don't mind hanging out. It's also where they're trying really hard to roll over. It's so frustrating to watch them rock back and forth only to get stuck on their side. I just want to give them a little push to help them out! They also love it when you put them above your head and fly them around. I imagine it's like a whole new world up there! The other thing they both enjoy is being held up so they can stand and bounce. I attempted putting them in an exersaucer, but even propped up with blankets and books stacked underneath their feet, they're still too small to enjoy it. We'll get there! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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A new favorite book has entered the house. On Valentine's Day, Shaun and I scored a few free hours<br />
so naturally we ended up at the public library (my how times have changed!) to pick up some new books for the boys. We brought one home called The Pout-Pout Fish and it was a hit! They get the biggest kick out of us reading one particular part and going into a very dull sounding "Blub, bluuub, bluuuuuuuub". We sadly had to return the book over the weekend, but have the part they like memorized so we've added it to our repertoire of things that make them smile.<br />
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This month was MUCH better than the last. Three are still some rocky days here and there, but I'm managing them a whole lot better. After putting the boys to bed one night, I realized a list of things that were not normal for me. I seemed fearful of what the next day would bring and when the next day finally did arrive, I found myself counting down the hours until Shaun got home. I loved visitors, but would hate when they would leave because I was scared to be alone with the boys again. It was that night that I was reflecting on all of these things among others that I realized that it was not<br />
normal. I didn't want to not look forward to being with my buggies (that's what I call them) and I<br />
didn't want to fear being alone with them. I made an appointment with my OB and we talked about<br />
my bluesy feelings. It was hard for me to make that appointment and admit that I was having a tough<br />
time, but I'm so glad I went. My midwife made me feel like what I was going through was completely normal and now, talking to other moms, I have also found out that I am not alone. </div>
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I went back and forth about whether or not I should share my story about my postpartum blues, but how could I not? I'm honest in every other blog post, so why hold back now? If this post gives one person that push to go get some help for the low that they feel after having their whole world changed, then I feel that my story was worth sharing. Up to 80% of new moms experience these blues so obviously I am not alone. I felt like I was doing all that I could to prevent any sad feelings: walking everyday, getting out with the boys, visiting with friends, getting back to work, taking my placenta pills. Yes, I had my placentas encapsulated. That's a totally different blog post so google it or ask me privately about it if you're curious, but research shows that the placenta helps prevent postpartum depression. Was I depressed? No. Perhaps some of the previously listed things prevented a bad depression, but I was not the mother I wanted to be. I wanted to be in the moment and not anxious and the medication I'm on now helps me to do just that. I guess we all need a little help sometimes...from family, friends, neighbors, food, alcohol, exercise, or little blue pills!<br />
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A heavy ending to this blog. My apologies. I'm a Sagittarius and brutally honest :)<br />
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What will month four to five bring?! I'm (now) looking forward to finding out! Happy 4 months Owen and Emmett...I love you both so much!<br />
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-13247435294654615412014-01-28T18:34:00.000-08:002014-01-28T18:34:07.654-08:00Defeated.O and E hit the 3 month mark last Sunday. The only word to describe the past month is...defeated.<br />
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I have never cried so much in my life. They are more alert than ever right now and taking everything in, but at the same time they seem to get bored rather quickly. When they become disinterested, a fun session quickly turns into a simultaneous scream session. It's intense and I have no idea who to console first. And now, they're starting to feed off of each other's cries so even if you try to console one, the other one crying will just continue to set off the one you're trying to console. It's a game I cannot win!<br />
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The time span between month two and three has been tough because they can only do so much at this age and I can't blame them for getting bored! We rotate between "stations" during the day. The choices are activity gym A, activity gym B (piano included), tummy time, bumbo seats, swings, baby flash cards and their rock and play sleepers. That's a lot of stuff if you ask me, but rotating through them doesn't last long and sometimes I swear they give me a look as if to say, "Oh no! This thing again?!" I spend a lot of time just walking around the neighborhood, sometimes five or six miles a day (two separate walks), simply because they are super content in their stroller! If they're not sleeping in it then they are alert and just happy to be looking around.<br />
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On occasion during the past month, these boys have left me bawling at the end of the night. I feel beat down and sometimes even dread the next day. When that thought comes across my mind, it's then that I feel like a terrible person and that maybe I wasn't meant to be a Mom at all. I had a moment yesterday where I actually lost my patience and screamed at Emmett to "shut up". I felt like the most terrible person in the world. I quickly put him down and went outside leaving both of them screaming inside and just sat down and bawled. After talking with Shaun and making him worry, he texted a friend to check in on me. I was embarrassed at the time, but I'm thankful that she was on the phone looking back on the day now. Today was 100% better...in case you were wondering :)<br />
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People keep telling me it gets easier and that the first year with twins is pure survival mode. I'm hopeful that they're right and I try to enjoy the good moments and learn from the bad. Speaking of good moments, there were quite a few so don't let this post concern you too much!<br />
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We rang in 2014 with their first round of immunizations. Two shots and a liquid were given to each. The doctor forewarned us that the liquid was a live rotovirus vaccine so we spent most of the day and night waiting for "rotopoops". The boys slept most of the time after the appointment, but when they awakened we were left to soothe some hurt tummies all while deveining shrimp for our own little NYE festivity! A little Tylenol fixed both boys and we put them to bed early so that we could enjoy the final hours of 2013 and reflect on the year. The "rotopoops" never happened, by the way.<br />
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I got out a lot more by myself with them during this month. New strollers were key in helping this happen. We now own three strollers. Insane, I know! But trust me, they each shine in their own little way for different outings. If I have to, I can now take one stroller and strap a giant tarp-like bag to it and gather groceries to put in the bag and underneath the stroller. No cart necessary! However, I also discovered that I can order my groceries online at Harris Teeter and just pull up and pick up my order when it's ready. Genius! It's so nice because you don't have to get the boys out of the car! This may come in handy during the toddler years too so I don't end up with random crap in my cart from tiny boy hands grabbing things off shelves when I'm not looking ;)<br />
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A group of girlfriends have been saviors this month too. We have been getting together weekly, if not more, to just simply get out and share our motherly woes to feel normal again. I'm very thankful for my friends this past month. They save me every single day and lift my spirits whether it's talking on the phone, texting or getting together. You know who you all are...thank you! Thank you! Thank you!<br />
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I also went to my first TMOTT group meeting this month. TMOTT (Triangle Moms of Twins and Triplets) is a local group full of people with multiples. I mainly joined because they have a killer consignment sale and if you're a member, you get to shop a day early. The entire first week of January was pretty rough on my emotions so I decided that maybe a meeting would help. I'm so glad I went! These women made me feel so normal, made me laugh and gave me hope! I left feeling refreshed and ready to tackle (not literally) the boys! They were full of great advice and it felt good to actually be able to give some advice myself to the new people expecting multiples. They were easy to spot...not just because of the belly, but because of the deer-in-the-headlights look!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXaTM6NMdzIiI7C7_RGF8QKOPV1hnuu9TaqsavcIL-EDGixLq6p3YdahygOrhn_gyQafQi-09HoPwk3ckmczsxet8BEJiHb0FMuxB2orrLp9wDU8Yl1UQRQH45SNOcvmKxnjuui9C1YEhM/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXaTM6NMdzIiI7C7_RGF8QKOPV1hnuu9TaqsavcIL-EDGixLq6p3YdahygOrhn_gyQafQi-09HoPwk3ckmczsxet8BEJiHb0FMuxB2orrLp9wDU8Yl1UQRQH45SNOcvmKxnjuui9C1YEhM/s1600/DSC_0301.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen and Emmett</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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These boys are my world. I love the coos and the tiny giggles that are starting to form. The mornings of them smiling and doing "dance pants" in their sleepers melts my heart. The snuggles are still happening and as much as I wish this year would move along sometimes, I cherish every single time they are curled up on my chest. One of these nights, I would love to just stay up and watch them sleep. They are so precious when they sleep with their little faint smiles and sleep laughs that crack me up! I wonder what they're dreaming about...<br />
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I love you Owen and Emmett. Happy 3 months!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YiEYiPqqt8W6trm4LkKp9lwxer8wpOAUh2wSDP-_cqqWMCcUgmO73shJISGp8zs7XRCDBrclOXDrXFTAon6OX8g_39jd-xmjsuY2r3Pqd728JlxnBFoFJf784kW3U1fFZY4k4shwbPko/s1600/DSC_0292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YiEYiPqqt8W6trm4LkKp9lwxer8wpOAUh2wSDP-_cqqWMCcUgmO73shJISGp8zs7XRCDBrclOXDrXFTAon6OX8g_39jd-xmjsuY2r3Pqd728JlxnBFoFJf784kW3U1fFZY4k4shwbPko/s1600/DSC_0292.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-42106775847013257752013-12-27T09:37:00.001-08:002013-12-27T09:37:48.949-08:00Two months and too tiredThe last month has been an even more challenging one. I think the adrenaline has worn off and the continuation of being in survival mode is finally taking a toll on me. I physically hurt everywhere, I'm in a constant state of tired and...well...I'm quite cranky at times. But guess what? It's not all about me anymore. Having children is a very selfless act and that's one thing you need to accept before being willing to even commit to the thought of bringing sweet babies into this world.<br />
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Even though this past month has been a trying one, Owen and Emmett bring me the utmost joy. They have become more alert and smile. They know my voice and according to Shaun, always try to find me when I enter a room where they can hear me. They both love to "work out". Tummy time and playing on the activity gym is fun for them, but what they really love is for you to hold them up while they bust out a ton of squats! They're going to have incredible quad muscles. They've also begun to find their voices. It's so adorable to hear them "oooo" and "ahhhh".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkH3GwenJxSxWVFWbsrg21EgW9hTIJ1XyH7GmU39YKZtrNhwY-7TARu5jGSvdPKxLXJ2wMamLuJjYsOQ0OijUjH3enZkJ1F7Wguedt2oTwQdXgo0JzcHvep5GtswJU5D_xV8T_L9xK-JI/s1600/DSC_0189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkH3GwenJxSxWVFWbsrg21EgW9hTIJ1XyH7GmU39YKZtrNhwY-7TARu5jGSvdPKxLXJ2wMamLuJjYsOQ0OijUjH3enZkJ1F7Wguedt2oTwQdXgo0JzcHvep5GtswJU5D_xV8T_L9xK-JI/s320/DSC_0189.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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We have discovered that Owen is more the laid back type. He can easily entertain himself and always seems to be pondering things. I swear he sleeps with one eye open so that he doesn't miss taking something in. He seems to think every piece of this world is spectacular. He's also my tummy time animal. He can pick his head up like a champ and hold it for what seems like forever!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPKYFfRG8j1HPioihEoSRYEVm9PtHSVwhdzbj6dgpXNDvh8lnZrXA2pk5pMqmicW_UI-WSR82JCbZt8EU1UCP95C6CYcGoNZHj3vkqoI2TL0FtbSH6rOGCnN8qJNxSO_p8m3Fyx0SN6lu/s1600/DSC_0196.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPKYFfRG8j1HPioihEoSRYEVm9PtHSVwhdzbj6dgpXNDvh8lnZrXA2pk5pMqmicW_UI-WSR82JCbZt8EU1UCP95C6CYcGoNZHj3vkqoI2TL0FtbSH6rOGCnN8qJNxSO_p8m3Fyx0SN6lu/s320/DSC_0196.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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Emmett is my sweet boy, but oh...so dramatic. He loves to be held and snuggled. Unfortunately, when things don't go perfectly for him he'll let you know with a loud cry that demands your attention. "My paci fell out!" "I need changed!" "You were holding me and now you're not holding me...come back here and pick me up!" I have no idea where he gets his flare for drama. When he's not being a drama queen, he is so angelic to look at. He has a way of melting my heart. He's not into tummy time as much as his brother (he prefers to do it while laying on your chest), but loves to be held up so he can do his baby squats.<br />
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I have had quite a bit of help this past month. My Dad and stepmom, Gwen, visited from PA and stayed for two weeks. My stepsister, Erin also came up from GA for a few days. We enjoyed their company and the extra hands. The boys loved the extra snuggles and my family enjoyed the bonding time it provided.<br />
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Having family around allowed Shaun and I to even get out for a few hours alone! We had dinner at a new joint in our neighborhood. It was like we were on a first date again and we didn't know what to talk about. We found ourselves looking at pictures of the boys on our phones and talking about them. My oh my, how times have changed. Even though we loved talking about our boys, we had to stop and get to know each other again. Sounds funny, but it's the truth. I am not (exactly) the same person I was before I had O and E and I know Shaun is not the same man. Babies change a marriage. When you are sleep deprived and have two little boys demanding your constant attention, it makes paying attention to your other half quite difficult. We're working on adjusting to our "new" marriage each and every day.<br />
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I wonder what the next month will bring? I'm assuming even more alertness, even more smiles and perhaps even more sleep! I look forward to the next month of learning and welcoming 2014 along with it. Happy two months Owen and Emmett! I wanted you more than you'll ever know...so I sent love to follow wherever you go. *That's a special line from the book we read to them while they were in the womb* :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBS0pjXjRtEOQ9CPhyphenhyphencmhPvaYjEPXpEfQe_TojCmo9IVYJIInYjcz_DDh3dT_hyruCwKrzJWRDiloQWOaqzo6uF0FILZoZpA6cI8wLPeGArle3pi18rpbKBFk3wXI6PbGl5IxGXft_APeF/s1600/DSC_0208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBS0pjXjRtEOQ9CPhyphenhyphencmhPvaYjEPXpEfQe_TojCmo9IVYJIInYjcz_DDh3dT_hyruCwKrzJWRDiloQWOaqzo6uF0FILZoZpA6cI8wLPeGArle3pi18rpbKBFk3wXI6PbGl5IxGXft_APeF/s400/DSC_0208.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett and Owen the day after their first Christmas</td></tr>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-58815834226259801632013-11-26T17:02:00.005-08:002013-11-26T17:02:46.070-08:00O and E: The First MonthToday marks one month with Owen and Emmett. It definitely flew by and why not? Your days go fast when they're filled with feedings, burpings, changing diapers, getting peed and pooped on, pumping for breast milk somewhere in between all of that, attempting to keep up with a semi-tidy house, laundry, finding time for my basic needs and also show some sort of affection towards that guy in my life...what's his name? Oh yeah, Shaun :) Here's what I've learned during the last month. It will be a quick list because, well, I've got twin boys! So, in no particular order, I've learned...<div>
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<li>You can deeply love human beings that you don't even really know just yet. Owen and Emmett have personalities, don't get me wrong, but the first month has been a lot of giving on my (and Shaun's) part. I'm looking forward to that first connection where they really look at me and smile because they think I rock! </li>
<li>I can't imagine not having two babies to love. I would have a hard time sharing just one! </li>
<li>Sometimes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Two babies crying at the same time can be a bit overwhelming at times. I have cried simply because they're crying! </li>
<li>I can multitask like a champ. I thank my profession and being a woman for that. </li>
<li>Cold tea is ok. </li>
<li>I can now eat as fast as someone in the military. </li>
<li>I've quickly become ambidextrous. </li>
<li>I can feed two babies at one time. However, I have yet to master dual burping. </li>
<li>If you let them cry...they're ok! </li>
<li>If I let myself cry...I'm ok! </li>
<li>Bumpy stroller walks are soothing for all. </li>
<li>I can manage my big rig stroller and walking my pups all at the same time and no one gets hurt! </li>
<li>Poop and pee can end up on walls. </li>
<li>I have a hard time allowing people to help. I'm stubborn and like control over certain things. Thus, allowing people to help when I've found a good routine and schedule is a hardship. I'm working on it and improving. </li>
<li>It truly takes a village. I have been amazed, but not shocked at the kindness of people during the last month. Family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances and strangers alike have checked in on us, brought us food, offered to walk our dogs and have even offered to babysit. Visitors have simply allowed me to shower while watching the boys and fed one so that I didn't have to feed two at the same time for a round. I am so grateful for the human beings that surround us. </li>
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Obviously I've learned a lot and most of it is more than likely not listed above. Happy 1 month, Owen and Emmett. I love you, my little nuggets! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_aMmJwCR0AXFAtoxXHk6goXqGuPXIzdTevW81t01wvM-xhXcuLEQPf0kj1eGBfG9yFSX8DRiKuN-aXJQ29H2qGwMPNM4B9qRqb6FOM2f33gA7whW7CBpIy4GFOqZRO36aGbevS0X1ipm/s1600/IMG_0574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_aMmJwCR0AXFAtoxXHk6goXqGuPXIzdTevW81t01wvM-xhXcuLEQPf0kj1eGBfG9yFSX8DRiKuN-aXJQ29H2qGwMPNM4B9qRqb6FOM2f33gA7whW7CBpIy4GFOqZRO36aGbevS0X1ipm/s400/IMG_0574.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1Vmsh7QpC23VbMxsVTDGc-4qKKrO1FsZS45O7vmV9psNFxkX8T4UJU_iXRe2z3D-Mks4Juu78i2AOwHG3t6ptOyS3LYm1u41leyzfZ4eRHt7n9z4dhfkvE2RPTMqkPxRFxHfY0vj866v/s1600/IMG_0578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1Vmsh7QpC23VbMxsVTDGc-4qKKrO1FsZS45O7vmV9psNFxkX8T4UJU_iXRe2z3D-Mks4Juu78i2AOwHG3t6ptOyS3LYm1u41leyzfZ4eRHt7n9z4dhfkvE2RPTMqkPxRFxHfY0vj866v/s400/IMG_0578.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emmett</td></tr>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-5267944722471252602013-08-19T13:39:00.000-07:002013-08-19T13:39:55.205-07:00Time warpMy last post was in March. I was pregnant at the time when I wrote it, but it was still early so I didn't announce it. I had to laugh when I was reading the last post and saw the picture from the last Tir Na Nog 8k that I did. I was probably about 4 or 5 weeks pregnant in that little kilt! Hope the beer was put to good use in my womb. <div>
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Fast forward. Tomorrow is the official start date of my third trimester. I can't believe it...the home stretch! I'm sure you all know by now, but Shaun and I are expecting twin boys soon. We are so excited and super scared all at the same time! It has been a whirlwind and I'm sure this whirlwind is small compared to the one that we're about to be in. Here's what has been going on in our Dunning whirlwind...</div>
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<b>March 25</b>: Our first ultrasound. We simply wanted confirmation that yes, we're expecting a bundle of joy and yes, it's a viable pregnancy. I remember looking at the screen and trying to make sense of it all when the lady said "This is a twin pregnancy." Simply stated. Needless to say, Shaun and I were shocked! In the eleven years we've been together, I've always teased Shaun that I'm "in line" for twins and to beware. We would always laugh, but walking into that appointment, not once did it cross our minds that we'd see two babies on that little screen! My maternal grandmother (Dorothy Luzier) had a twin brother. Supposedly, it skipped a generation and fell to me. Not sure how much truth there is in all of that "skip a generation" thing, but nonetheless, here they are! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first ultrasound. Baby A and Baby B.<br /><br /></td></tr>
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After that appointment, we stood in the parking lot stunned and hugging, only to part ways in our separate cars to head on with our daily lives. This appointment was just a simple confirmation and then they just kick you to the street with your head spinning! It was almost three weeks until our next appointment when we could ask all the questions we wanted. I remember it being such an exciting time, yet scary because there's nothing really there to see or feel. We had three weeks to think and torture ourselves with our own thoughts! Needless to say, we headed in to that second appointment with a handwritten (yes, I'm old school) list of questions. You don't have much time at these appointments, so write your questions down as you think of them at home or from wherever you are! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkkNBcJWJAtuQyEzIGwU_vd7yh2Ng5Bf90pq6YmQH5np2NkMyU-JtkuQH2scC74TgeDVbP_SMnyWluA-InCYKe47ZVT3zsniu1U8tsenflhVuHzTC-O8902nShdQcSlpjpx1snwp5931w/s1600/IMG_1157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkkNBcJWJAtuQyEzIGwU_vd7yh2Ng5Bf90pq6YmQH5np2NkMyU-JtkuQH2scC74TgeDVbP_SMnyWluA-InCYKe47ZVT3zsniu1U8tsenflhVuHzTC-O8902nShdQcSlpjpx1snwp5931w/s200/IMG_1157.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shaun cooking breakfast at MerleFest</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_drLm12NEMriIKJzK7LfOSIn1NYKVfQ159K0zJPTassaiF1l7WK55beHKoF_RrHf19QrhnatuA6IRj8Op2jAJyXXEWJrGiF4yX8GFaEXdo1uWFL6Povrkbl0glQFhWalZMjyU8rXhryq/s1600/IMG_1151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_drLm12NEMriIKJzK7LfOSIn1NYKVfQ159K0zJPTassaiF1l7WK55beHKoF_RrHf19QrhnatuA6IRj8Op2jAJyXXEWJrGiF4yX8GFaEXdo1uWFL6Povrkbl0glQFhWalZMjyU8rXhryq/s200/IMG_1151.jpg" width="150" /></a>We found some relief from our spinning thoughts at MerleFest. It was a small weekend getaway of camping, the most incredible bluegrass musicians and the simple company of my best friend. It was the first time we'd ever been there and it was super kid friendly so we look forward to taking our boys there one day! I had the tiniest "bump" so I remember it starting to feel real at that time. MerleFest was totally worth killing my immune system. Upon return from the weekend, I ended up with the nastiest cold and called out sick from work all three days I was scheduled. I'm one that rarely gets sick, but I got a true taste of a pregnant immune system. What makes it so bad is simply that nothing is safe to take! I credit my recovery to knocking myself out with Tylenol PM and the Neti Pot for irrigating my nasal passages. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scythian playing at MerleFest<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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If our boys don't enjoy music, I will be stunned. Shortly after MerleFest, they had the pleasure of listening to Band of Horses and in June got to hear The Lumineers. Concerts are definitely different when you're expecting. There's just something about a concert and a good beer that go hand in hand. I find that putting a koozie on my Diet Dr. Pepper makes me feel like I'm part of the party.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">The month of May brought on questions of how we wanted our birth to go. I knew I wanted a </span><a href="http://sevengenerationswellness.com/services/pregnancy-childbirth/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">doula</a><span style="text-align: left;"> to be by our side for the experience, but during our interview with her, I didn't expect to be so dumbfounded. I quickly learned that I was pretty uneducated with birthing and how I wanted my birth experience to go. I have always thought of birthing as a natural thing for a woman to do, but anymore it seems like you have to put up a battle to do so. Let's face it, the hospital system is set up as a business so of course the system will do what they can do to get you in and out quickly (i.e. start Pitocin, schedule a C-section/push for a C-section when it may not be needed). With this said, letting labor progress naturally takes a long time and like Sweet Brown says, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" </span><br />
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After meeting with Donna (our doula), she recommended I explore the <a href="http://www.bradleybirth.com/faqs.aspx" target="_blank">Bradley Method</a>. Of course I got home and went straight to google. At first, I remember thinking, "Oh geez. Sounds like some wacky crunchy granola crap." But as I kept doing more research and spoke with the instructor (Susan) for the local class, I realized that natural childbirth is the goal, but the method also recognizes the beauty of modern medicine in emergent or necessary situations. Sign us up! We have been enrolled in our Bradley class (a 12-week course) since June 8. We have learned many things and I feel ready to tackle this birth as if I were doin' it in the woods! Of course, our case is a little bit different since we're having twins, but we feel we have prepared ourselves to the best of our ability to have the best experience we can. With that said, I feel mentally prepared to handle whatever happens if it doesn't go the natural way I want it to. As long as our boys arrive healthy and I'm healthy, then I'll consider it a success! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrM3392xoAcBnyYQn3Q3SEfRRufh_sPRtopgBltsjPAF7HvGTX5f5qjrAS6BqK4UK98CWRh-ZaI9nII1MzKRMgSd9DcKrBNBymQFXpThcxM_Rz4bSYcw6sSEFqMRJixf2ltOhEngE2TSOr/s1600/IMG_1224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrM3392xoAcBnyYQn3Q3SEfRRufh_sPRtopgBltsjPAF7HvGTX5f5qjrAS6BqK4UK98CWRh-ZaI9nII1MzKRMgSd9DcKrBNBymQFXpThcxM_Rz4bSYcw6sSEFqMRJixf2ltOhEngE2TSOr/s320/IMG_1224.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our cabin in Lexington, VA</td></tr>
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May also brought us a little family time in Lexington, VA. My stepdad finished sprucing up a bed fame for us and this cute little town served as a midway point for us to pick it up and catch up a bit. We had an amazing time just relaxing, cooking, talking and exploring the town. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dumping the river out of my kayak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWcm_NDo7Oop7DMkAj1BHrX8kqamPcoPufPFy7TsNFAENRde2cbrfBALL_0_r3er1GL_vqfUZYtRVltrOFznPTxHO89Bj0WaIVYwuzPV5Qw8DbFyAFb0ohHSXcKSDnrgRjxu-4IP83UM-/s1600/IMG_1340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWcm_NDo7Oop7DMkAj1BHrX8kqamPcoPufPFy7TsNFAENRde2cbrfBALL_0_r3er1GL_vqfUZYtRVltrOFznPTxHO89Bj0WaIVYwuzPV5Qw8DbFyAFb0ohHSXcKSDnrgRjxu-4IP83UM-/s200/IMG_1340.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset in Washington</td></tr>
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A month later we had an extensive ultrasound and left with two envelopes that held the gender of baby A and baby B. We tortured ourselves for a few days and drove out to one of our favorite spots in Washington, NC (known as little Washington) to kayak out to a small park and discover what we were having. It was totally worth the wait! The drive there seemed to take forever (it's about 2 hours away). We quickly got the kayaks down, slathered on some sunscreen and paddled rather quickly to the spot. After I capsized my kayak and fell in the river (balance is a little bit trickier), Shaun spent the next 20 minutes dumping the water out while I was on land scoping out a special spot to open the envelopes. We sat down on a little bench and just went for it! I opened the Baby A envelope first and it was a boy! We sat there for a few minutes all giggly and excited and then Shaun opened the Baby B envelope to reveal another boy! Two boys! I called it! For the longest time, we had girl names picked out and zero boy names. I had a gut feeling that it would be two boys simply based on the fact that we had no names! Afterwards we called some family and friends with our exciting news and then of course, made it "Facebook official". That night we were on such a high! We ate dinner at one of our favorite joints and then checked in for a night at a bed and breakfast after enjoying the little downtown and seeing a gorgeous sunset. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 boys!<br /></td></tr>
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What an incredible journey so far. After the two boy reveal, time has done nothing but go faster. We had family baby showers in PA almost a month ago and felt so much love! It was a great time to make the long drive as I wasn't as uncomfortable as I am now. We got to spend time with so many people we love and the boys were showered with many things to welcome them into the world. We even had a maternity photo shoot with my mom and cousin, Jen as the photographers. Our family is beyond excited for the arrivals and we are so grateful for the support. I only wish they all lived closer :(<br />
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As I head into this last trimester, it's fun to reminisce as I write this. As my bump grows, I'm extremely uncomfortable doing anything at this point. But, I will say, the things that make me feel a little better are walking, yoga, massages and my pre-natal DVD workouts. I do everything super slow these days and find myself having to lay down and rest frequently to recharge a bit. It hasn't all been easy. Trust me. I have a permanent knot in the middle of my back that is relentless and I've been dealing with episodes where I nearly pass out that are now increasing in how often they happen. Don't worry, I'm ok and have learned today at our appointment that it's the boys are basically positioning themselves on things in my body that they shouldn't be. I just have to do things to try to get them to move so that I don't end up on the floor. As they get larger and larger, I just have to be more and more careful. On a more positive note, the ultrasound today showed us that both boys look great and weigh in at 2.4 pounds a piece!<br />
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I'm looking forward to continuing this amazing journey. We have been working like crazy on the nursery and I recently became a member of the Triangle Moms of Twins and Triplets (TMOTT). I only have a couple of resources for people that have recently had twins so this was a way for me to quickly gain more. I'll take all the help that I can get! I'm also looking forward to a baby shower with friends here in Raleigh and Shaun and I getting away for one last (kidless and dogless) getaway in Beaufort, NC. I believe this is referred to as a "baby moon" nowadays.<br />
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Hopefully my next post will not be months away. I know I probably write this after every entry. I'll try to be better...at least, until the boys get here ;) I have to remember that if I post more often, then the entries won't have to be as long! Thank you for reading...I think you deserve a bump picture. I tend not to post them on Facebook, but a lot of people give me crap for not posting a lot. So, if you want to see it, here it comes. If you don't want to see it, then don't look down! This was taken last week...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6A3vGLuxGwAQW-pgC8mtub1MYYczFgfssQ8S0Qw0yzXmAs3IDZqAFpmgMvntk0-uD6Wk2qX3TludLt6RlYfhSkxrXwzMPHP8pBbbY2x2qZQQ6e0uRu7GdrCCDrri2YbZDPZr_r25Ik6O/s1600/IMG_1461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6A3vGLuxGwAQW-pgC8mtub1MYYczFgfssQ8S0Qw0yzXmAs3IDZqAFpmgMvntk0-uD6Wk2qX3TludLt6RlYfhSkxrXwzMPHP8pBbbY2x2qZQQ6e0uRu7GdrCCDrri2YbZDPZr_r25Ik6O/s320/IMG_1461.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A week before the big 3rd Trimester! </td></tr>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-73128410804207754612013-03-18T13:34:00.002-07:002013-03-18T13:34:39.678-07:00Cram SessionNo blog post since January? For someone that has a poor memory, this should be an interesting post. Let me dig deep into my brain and see what I can retrieve.<br />
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February is such a short month, so of course it flew by. Shaun and I made an unfortunate trip home to say goodbye to my Grandma Luzier. It's always nice to head back home to see family, but it was a sad realization that the past couple of times we've been home have been for funerals. I guess it's just a part of growing up. My grandmother loved her husband deeply and now it's nice to know that maybe they're together again. It's always tough to say goodbye, but funerals also allow us to say hello to so many family members that we don't get to see often at all. It was so nice to be given so many hugs and reminisce. It was especially nice to see my Grandma Plubell. She's still highly active and enjoys fishing and dancing...such an inspiration!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Grandma Plubell </td></tr>
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February also brought a new hobby...riding lessons! Some of you may or may not know, but I grew up with horses, but at the time when I was really learning to ride, my parents divorced and I moved on to the big city of Clearfield and just sort of parted ways with riding. I've always had this yearning to get back on a horse. Sure, I've been on plenty of group trail rides throughout the years, but what I really wanted was to learn was how to properly ride and jump. When I started nursing school years ago, I told Shaun that when I finished and got a job that I would take lessons. Well, I've been at my job almost two years now and finally signed up! Last year I got a coupon for four 30-minute lessons and I was hoping that if those went well and I liked the facility and the instructor that I would continue riding. It all worked out and it's been amazing and something I look forward to every single week! I forgot how hard it is...there are so many things to remember while you're up there! It's been therapeutic in many ways.<br />
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Ok, that's all I really remember about that month so let's move on to March.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrkOdbCae_FwfHhdbshwQ6Nt4SdOQtPq2RmdXGgAEGVDv55eMR9BWI54XpOyFPaVnU9Z0YOwzZLLybaRBdk-CIrci2Xf9VxOYbXpwm6Nvo2DRkuhzSjwJuhuChw-lnS2ou-A42LEXD9l_/s1600/IMG_1072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrkOdbCae_FwfHhdbshwQ6Nt4SdOQtPq2RmdXGgAEGVDv55eMR9BWI54XpOyFPaVnU9Z0YOwzZLLybaRBdk-CIrci2Xf9VxOYbXpwm6Nvo2DRkuhzSjwJuhuChw-lnS2ou-A42LEXD9l_/s200/IMG_1072.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZ8b1V5GUbz2FVvzHeKoXr0hTdLQcndRD8d0KTNRsRE30b-e3lniod3RLvht0ZG2OqXuxy4nt9RGQjdT-D4t3ETccZGMxiR0f7YZVlXTtpptprVl1rdoBK7WJTLda5eMiJFTSSlcOlYuD/s1600/IMG_1074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZ8b1V5GUbz2FVvzHeKoXr0hTdLQcndRD8d0KTNRsRE30b-e3lniod3RLvht0ZG2OqXuxy4nt9RGQjdT-D4t3ETccZGMxiR0f7YZVlXTtpptprVl1rdoBK7WJTLda5eMiJFTSSlcOlYuD/s200/IMG_1074.jpg" width="150" /></a>The first weekend began with another Run Green 8K put on by one of our favorite bars, <a href="http://www.tnnirishpub.com/" target="_blank">Tir Na Nog</a>. Yet again I didn't do any running prior to the race, but yet again survived! I'm so lucky that I am still able to just get out there and run 5 miles. My body hates it, but I'm still very thankful that I'm healthy enough to do it! We've signed up for this particular race since it began a few years ago, but this year the race attempted to break the Guinness World Record for most kilted runners. We came up 200 people short, but it was so much fun to see so many people in kilts...especially my love!<br />
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March has also been full of visitors from PA! Over the second weekend, Shaun's sister, Kelly flew in from Waymart to get away from reality for a bit. It was so nice to have her and she picked a gorgeous weekend to be here. The weather was showing every sign of Spring so we spent a lot of time just hanging around outside and of course, eating! Raleigh has a ton of good food and we love when people visit so that we can eat it all! Her visit also fell on the second Monday which lead us to the <a href="http://www.busybeeraleigh.com/" target="_blank">Busy Bee</a> for the <a href="https://www.pinecone.org/bluegrass-jam.php" target="_blank">Pinecone</a> Bluegrass Jam. It's simply good beer and good jammin'. It's becoming a regular thing for us if I'm not working and several family members have now had the pleasure of enjoying it too. It was sad to see Kelly head back, but we only had a few days before our next two visitors!<br />
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Dad and Gwen just left this afternoon for GA to visit my stepsister, Erin. They arrived last Friday night and we figured they'd be exhausted from driving so we ordered <a href="http://lillyspizza.com/" target="_blank">Lilly's</a> pizza and made a fire pit outside. It was a perfect way to catch up. We kept them rather busy the next couple of days because we get so excited to have visitors. We headed downtown for the St. Patrick's Day parade on Saturday and although we really couldn't see much of the parade, the people-watching was spectacular and it was the most beautiful day to just simply be outside. After the parade we drove over to the Farmer's Market and picked out some things for dinner. Of course, by the time we were about to head home, we quickly realized that no one felt like cooking and headed to one of our favorite restaurants, <a href="http://jbetskis.com/" target="_blank">J. Betski's</a>, instead. It was delicious and totally worth taking all of our market finds home to the refrigerator.<br />
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The temperature took a chillier drop on Sunday so we slept in and I cooked up some shrimp and grits for everyone. It was a great easy morning. We later headed out to the flea market, but didn't stay long because of the cold. Shaun took us over to tour his workplace and then we were craving a good burger and treated ourselves to <a href="http://www.ac-restaurants.com/chucks/" target="_blank">Chuck's</a>. I am a lover of fries and these are top notch and pair perfectly with their malt vinegar aioli :) With our bellies full, we headed back home for an easy evening in our pajamas.<br />
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It was so nice to have the house full of some family the past couple of weekends. We absolutely love to share our city with people! We're looking forward to our next set of visitors although I'm not sure who that is. The house is now quiet, the dogs are pooped and those Farmer's Market finds are still in the fridge. I should probably ignore my city this week and use them up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raleigh at night during Kelly's visit at the Boylan Bridge Brewpub </td></tr>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-34557801746418842032013-01-07T14:16:00.001-08:002013-01-07T14:16:08.535-08:00Reset ButtonTime in the mountains is just something I simply need. It's always a reset button for me. To welcome the year of 2013, Shaun and I decided to head to a cabin near Hendersonville, NC.<br />
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A rather long gravel driveway led up to the little cabin. We were greeted at the bottom by a big bloodhound/mastiff-looking dog that we eventually would name "Hank". Shaun had to get out of the car to make sure I didn't run him over! After Shaun got back in the car, Hank was like a Wal-Mart greeter and walked in front of the car all the way up the driveway and led us right up to the cabin steps. It was too funny! Hank and the other neighbor dogs visited from time to time throughout our four day stay.<br />
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After arriving at the cabin and taking inventory of supplies and amenities, we let Parker and Maisey play for a bit and then headed out for a "quick" trip to the grocery store. Ha! We took a wrong turn somewhere and our quick trip turned into a 40-minute drive to the store! Needless to say, we stocked up for our stay and ate great while we were there.<br />
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The next morning I went downstairs to make tea. The peace and quiet was incredible. I took my tea out into the cold morning and walked with the dogs around the property. I love breathing in that chilly mountain air. It feels like it cleanses the entire body and mind. Before getting to the cabin, Shaun and I were looking forward to silence, reading and relaxing. However, while I was outside, I felt slightly rejuvenated and was hoping he'd wake up and want to go hiking somewhere. I headed excitedly back inside (brrr!) and picked up the<a href="http://www.dupontforest.com/" target="_blank"> DuPont State Forest </a>map that was lying on the kitchen table. I chose what I thought would be a good hike and when Shaun came down the stairs, I bombarded him with my excitement! Even in his sleepy state, he was excited too, but wanted to go for a quick run. A very quick run, indeed. Those hills and lack of oxygen brought him back to the cabin in about twenty minutes and then we were off for a hike!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A relaxing morning with Mr. Tea<br /></td></tr>
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DuPont is over 10,000 acres of forest and is filled with trails and waterfalls. The map we had was handy and the trails were very well marked. Not sure what it's like the rest of the year, but we only ran into a handful of people the whole hike and not one of them gave us crap for our dogs being off leash! So yes, Parker and Maisey had the best time...EVER!<br />
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The first hike we did was about four miles long and led to an amazing view. There's nothing I love more than a hike with a view! It was the perfect spot to share peanuts and a beer among the clouds.<br />
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When we did the first day's hike, we ran into the most lovely older couple who spotted Bridal Veil Falls from the current view above. The next day, we decided it to make it our next adventure. The journey there wasn't all too exciting. We were on dirt roads most of the time and I didn't know if they were accessible by cars so I was nervous about letting the dogs run amuck. We did come across an old airstrip landing with an incredible view.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Airstrip Trail" in DuPont</td></tr>
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It was neat to stand in the middle of it and think about how it probably used to be busy with planes coming and going. On this day, it felt particularly desolate. I felt very tiny standing on it. Not just my normal small, but very tiny :)<br />
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We eventually made it to Bridal Veil Falls and took a moment to take in it's beauty. The dogs just wanted to swim around, so part of our time was spent convincing them that it wasn't the best idea. Where would they be without us to tell them "no"? Hypothermic, probably.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridal Veil Falls</td></tr>
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Since we weren't satisfied with our hike to the falls, we decided to plan a different way back. Shaun found us a way and we set off. There weren't any views, but it was so nice to let the dogs run around for some fun and we simply enjoyed the sounds of nature. In the middle of the hike, I got the urge forsome human contact so we sped up a little in hopes that we could get back to the cabin in time to shower and make it into downtown Hendersonville before things closed for the night (it was a Sunday, y'all). </div>
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The downtown was pretty cute! We talked about how it felt like a baby Boulder, CO. Ok, it wasn't even close, but we admired how it felt tucked into the mountain setting. There were cute little shops to enjoy (most of the them closed for the day), but we managed to make it into <a href="http://www.mastgeneralstore.com/" target="_blank">Mast General Store </a>which I always enjoy and getting a little something for the pups at a store called <a href="http://wagpetboutique.com/" target="_blank">Wag</a>. It was pretty chilly that day and the sun was starting to set so we headed into the Black Rose Pub for a beer and some food. The Shepherd's Pie was the perfect cozy meal. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Hendersonville, NC</td></tr>
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The final day at the cabin was bittersweet. Don't get me wrong, the whole trip was relaxing, but I always feel like I finally start to truly RELAX after a few days. New Year's Eve (the final day) was absolutely perfect and filled with nothing. I hung out with Mr. Tea a few times and finished a book outside on the porch with a cozy fire, my baby by my side, my dogs running around like maniacs and the smell of pork and sauerkraut (a northern tradition to bring good luck) permeating the entire cabin. I found myself reflecting on 2012 intermittently and looking ahead to 2013 and what it might bring.<br />
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I don't make resolutions. They more often than not get broken, but yeah, there are things that I'm looking forward to this year: a possible trip to Europe (or wherever our little heart's decide), more volunteering, riding lessons, more running/lifting, perhaps a new hobby, continuing to decorate our house, more fun moments with my love and our dogs (friends, too) and... a baby? Will this be our year? Who knows? All of us look forward to a fresh start whenever a new year starts over. We all seem to picture it going perfectly and as our best year yet. But, even if the year doesn't go as planned, every moment and experience (good or bad) is one to grow from. Overall, I look forward to growing more this year (not vertically, of course). I also look forward to another moment, at another cabin, where I can prop my feet up by another cozy fire.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The end of 2012</td></tr>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-47948808834793489262012-11-09T16:31:00.003-08:002012-11-09T16:31:46.844-08:00Philly LoveMy long-time friend since 5th grade got married on Shaun and I's 5-year anniversary. Prior to the wedding festivities, we decided to take a vacation and stay in the heart of Philadelphia. Being from PA originally, I was a bit skeptical about how much fun we would have celebrating our anniversary there. Boy, was I wrong! It turns out, Philly has a lot to offer and we kept ourselves so busy throughout the week that we needed another vacation. Here's how the week went...<br />
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<b>Sunday</b> (10/21): We arrived at our home away from home around 5 p.m. I found the place through a website called <a href="http://www.airbnb.com/" target="_blank">airbnb</a>. It was a very small apartment two blocks away from the area known as Rittenhouse Square. We were shocked at our bill of $30 to park for 24 hours, but decided we'd eat the cost for the night since we'd have to use the car the next day. The place had the necessary things like a bed, dining table, bathroom, kitchen and a place to lounge and watch tv if you wanted. I was looking forward to being able to relax and read my magazines and books, but I didn't even get to do such things! Shortly after we got our things semi-settled, we were out the door to <a href="http://villagewhiskey.com/" target="_blank">Village Whiskey</a> to meet our old pal Brian Steffy. We met Brian in Raleigh, but he now lives in San Diego so sightings are rare. He happened to be in town for a wedding and was leaving the following day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Shaun, Brian and Jerry at Cavanaughs</td></tr>
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Village Whiskey's burgers and fries are absolutely amazing! The place is very, VERY small, but we only had to wait about 20 minutes for our table. I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. After dinner, we travelled to a sports-type bar, <a href="http://www.cavanaughsrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">Cavanaughs</a>. We cheered on the SF Giants, caught up and drank some quality brews throughout. As we walked back to our place, I thought the night was over and I began to look forward to a bed. As we were about to part ways, Shaun had the bright (post-drinking) idea to head over to the South Street area for a Philly cheesesteak challenge. In the cab and off we go!<br />
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Pats vs. Geno's is a classic battle. It was honestly my first time to have Geno's. I've typically been put off by their fancy neon signs. That particular night, Geno's actually won the battle! Shaun stuck with Pat's. How we even ate those cheesesteaks after the burgers we had is still beyond me.<br />
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<b>Monday</b> (10/22): Sleeping in feels so good, but it still never seems like enough. I swear I'm just always sleep backlogged. Shaun took a run that morning. I was still sore from the 8K we ran that Saturday so I opted for a shower. We walked to <a href="http://nookbakeryandcoffee.com/" target="_blank">Nook</a> that morning in search of quality tea, coffee and treats. We found them! I paired a chai latte with a pumpkin muffin and it made my morning (errr, afternoon). The employees were friendly, the place was cozy and all of their goods are made with love in house.<br />
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Next stop was the <a href="http://www.collegeofphysicians.org/mutter-museum/" target="_blank">Mutter Museum</a>. We giggled when we got out of our cab because it was practically right around the corner from Nook. This museum seemed like the original Bodies exhibit. Skulls from past learning, human book binders, original operating room tools and Chang and Eng surrounded us among other intriguing things. The 19th century cabinet glass that you look through can mess with your eyes as it still has the "wavy" appearance of glass during that time. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mutter Museum </td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">After the museum, we walked aimlessly (which I love) and then went back to the apartment to freshen up for our date with Heather and Fran at </span><a href="http://victorybeer.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Victory</a><span style="text-align: left;">. We had such a great time and it was so good to spend time with them before their actual wedding. I was so thankful that we could catch up since I knew we really wouldn't be able to on the big day. Besides having great beer, it turns out that the brewpub actually has amazing food! We don't visit these places for the food, but it's always a bonus if it's good. </span></div>
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<b>Tuesday</b> (10/23): This particular day was all about Shaun. We basically used this entire trip as an anniversary gift, but I had surprises up my sleeve for Tuesday. Shaun loves haunted places, ghost stories, etc. so I planned a day at the <a href="http://www.easternstate.org/" target="_blank">Eastern State Penitentiary</a>. It was in the Fairmount area, but we decided to take our time and walk there so that we could see what was also around.</div>
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Shaun had been bugging me since Sunday about going to ESP and it didn't help when his high school friend, Chris called him about meeting up to do the haunted prison tour on Thursday night. I kept blowing it off for two days, but I knew eventually it would bother him because it was on the top of his "to-see" list. As we were walking up towards the massive prison, he casually said, "Hey, isn't that the prison?" I got super excited and told him that we would doing the daytime tour, grabbing some dinner and then coming back for the Terror Behind the Walls part. This place was an incredible sight inside and out. </div>
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We arrived just in time for the guided tour. I cannot even begin to sum up the history of this place, but the idea of why it started (solitary confinement) and how it all panned out (too many criminals and not enough space) is quite a story. It is an eerie place as most supposedly haunted spots are. If I hadn't been with a group, I probably would have been freaked out a little more...even in the daytime. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prison wall (yikes!)</td></tr>
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After the tour, we attempted to get a hold of Chris for some dinner ideas since he lived in the area, but with no response we ended up choosing a place using Yelp. We ended up picking <a href="http://www.lacalacafeliz.com/" target="_blank">La Calaca Feliz</a> and we were so glad we did! Shortly after we got our drinks, Chris returned our text and wrote that we were at the place he was gonna recommend to us for dinner...a great sign that we did some excellent yelping! I'm not sure how long Philadelphia restaurants stick around, but if you're in the area and this one is still standing, check it out. From the margaritas to the guacamole to the duck breast tacos...two thumbs up! </div>
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After dinner, it turned out that Chris lived a few minutes walk from the good eatin'. It was great to see him again, catch up and meet his girlfriend, Kelly, before we travelled back to prison for the haunted house. It was hard to catch up over one brew, so we made plans to meet them after the prison. The haunted part ended up being pretty cool. I think being in the prison only a few short hours before put my brain at ease because I didn't seem to scare as bad as I usually do. Don't get me wrong, I screamed like a little girl, but it honestly wasn't that bad! The costumes and the scenery were very well done. I think we were both glad we got to experience it. We headed back to Chris and Kelly's place afterwards and went to the old place where they both used to work, <a href="http://www.rembrandts.com/" target="_blank">Rembrant's</a>. Good conversation and good brews on tap, but we were pretty beat from our long day so we made the trek back into the Rittenhouse area. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelly, Me, Chris and Shaun at Rembrant's </td></tr>
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<b>Wednesday</b> (10/24): My husband never ceases to amaze me. I can't recall what we did during the day (perhaps Old City sight seeing), but we caught a cab that night back over to the Fairmount area and pulled up in front of the restaurant where our friend Chris is executive chef, <a href="http://modomiorestaurant.com/popolino_live/index.html" target="_blank">Popolino</a>. I knew Shaun had something planned and I also knew that Chris was in on it, but I did not expect to go to a private little table set up for us in the kitchen of the restaurant. A beautiful bouquet of flowers caught my eye that held five big sunflowers (one for each year). I asked Shaun how many sunflowers there would be if it was our 40th anniversary instead and he simply replied, "Forty!" I have no doubt that this man will continue this tradition for the rest of our lives. It's one of the many reasons why I love him.<br />
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Chris and his crew were fancied up in suits and cooked our special menu right in front of our eyes and noses. The smells were amazing and the food was even better. You savor your pasta a little bit more when you see all of the hard work that goes into making it from scratch. I will never forget this special night nor the pumpkin above our table that Chris carved with love. It was also great to chill in the basement of the restaurant after hours and share some toasts with the crew...and smash the pumpkin on kitchen floor :) </div>
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<b>Thursday</b> (10/25): This was our last day to be-bop around the city before leaving for wedding festivities the next day. Our first stop was <a href="http://therandomtearoom.com/" target="_blank">The Random Tea Room</a>. To one day own a shop like this is my dream. It was cozy, warm, had a shop dog, mismatched furniture and one damn good chai latte. I'm talking Boulder, CO good. I didn't think it was possible to find a chai like I had out there and here it was! The girl that opened the shop was great to talk to and her story was rather simple. It was never a dream of hers to have a tea room, but she decided she wanted to have one and thought she'd figure it all out along the way. She got lucky and met a tea sensei who helped her learn about tea and also taught her how to make tea blends. The rest is history and she has been open for five years strong. Maybe one day I'll get just as lucky. Actually, I don't even care if I open a store like hers and it's just me and my old pals sharing tea and stories! As you can tell, it's a retirement dream of sorts. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shop dog at The Random Tea Room</td></tr>
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I could have stayed at the tea room all day, but our hunger forced us to leave and head to the <a href="http://www.readingterminalmarket.org/" target="_blank">Reading Terminal Market</a>. As if we hadn't eaten enough all week, we ate way too much here. Our first stop was the Travel Channel's pick for Best Sandwich in America, <a href="http://www.tommydinics.com/" target="_blank">Dinic's</a>. There aren't enough adjectives to describe this sandwich. I wish it were closer to me so that I could have one whenever I wanted. Simply outstanding. You know I took a picture (apologies, vegan friends). I do love food porn. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinic's roast pork<br /><div style="text-align: left;">
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The place is huge, so we walked some before planting ourselves at the recommended Dutch Eating Place. Chicken and waffles like mom used to make? Yes, please. We totally have room in our stomachs for that! More and more walking to see the sights and we ended with an ice cream treat from <a href="http://bassettsicecream.com/" target="_blank">Bassetts</a> and continued our meandering around the city to burn some of the calories. </div>
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When we felt like we made room for more calories, we decided that our next stop was to check out <a href="http://www.yardsbrewing.com/" target="_blank">Yards Brewing</a>. As expected, it's a giant warehouse-type building. We made our way to the bar and passed a photo shoot on our way in. I've never seen a beer photo shoot before and I could not stop watching! The lighting was perfect, the foam was strategically played with, and a lot of beer was poured to get that perfect, sexy shot. I was honestly still too full to thoroughly enjoy my beer so I was happy to have the distraction. We were very impressed with the drinks crafted here. If you make it out to the place or if it's available in your area, the Tavern Spruce Ale is perfect for the fall/winter weather. </div>
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We wrapped up the final evening by walking to meet Shaun's nephew, Brandon, for a drink. We hadn't seen Brandon since our wedding so of course there was not enough time to catch up on all things good and bad. We were still glad that we could all find the time to share some laughs and hugs as we don't get to see any of our family members very often. </div>
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<b>Friday </b>(10/26): It was time to depart and head to Malvern for Davis/DePiano wedding festivities. We had a final caffeine fix at Nook and made our way out of the expensive parking lot to leave the city behind, but not without an accident. Sigh. Yep, I had my very first accident in Philly...in a parking lot...and I hit a parked car. Really?! Needless to say, I was embarrassed and beyond mad at myself for making such a silly mistake. No excuses, I just should've taken more time pulling out. It's been almost two weeks and a claim has yet to be filed. Maybe they don't care?</div>
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Because of the mini-accident, it took us an hour and a half to leave the parking lot. We finally made it to the hotel in time to freshen up for the rehearsal. The church was absolutely beautiful. Built in 1775 (I believe), it was very small inside with brick floors and had pews with doors. The sheep outside kept the grass tidy around the old pre-revolutinary tombstones. Simply stunning. The bride was stunning too, of course! <b>Saturday</b> was Heather's wedding and the day of Shaun and I's anniversary. We had a blast at the wedding and it was good to see some old high school friends. It was an absolutely perfect setting to fall in love all over again with my husband of five years and celebrate.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heather and Fran on their special day</td></tr>
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A great week, indeed. Thank you, Philadelphia. We had a great time in your city of brotherly love! </div>
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<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-31567912879963820742012-10-19T15:45:00.000-07:002012-10-19T15:45:48.853-07:00The journey beginsIt's officially been over a year that Shaun and I have been trying to make a little one. Is it me? Is it him? Is it our opposite life schedules? So many questions are burning through my mind that I sometimes wish there was something obviously wrong my body or his. I obviously don't wish myself or others to be ill, but if I could pinpoint something, then perhaps we could just go ahead and fix it (or not). Instead, I'm left with burning questions and lots of trial and error.<br />
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Last Friday I had my first appointment with an acupuncturist. I was recommended to check out two people from friends. The one I chose was a nurse for 20 years and then decided to take a more holistic approach to the care she provided. I was eager to meet her, but I received no response when I sent an email so I set up an appointment with my other option, <a href="http://www.remedyclinic.com/" target="_blank">Remedy Clinic</a>. Who knows how the other person would have worked out, but I am so satisfied with the interactions I've had with Ginna at Remedy.<br />
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The first appointment was a lot of discussion. She asked about my daily routine, exercise, diet, sleep, Shaun's habits, my menstrual cycle and much more. The second part of the appointment was the acupuncture part. Do the needles hurt? No. Are they all over my body? No. When the needles are placed, you feel a slight pinch and then a dull pressure which eases away. The needles are placed strategically on points that are thought to increase fertility. I had some on my feet, in my wrists and across my lower abdomen. I was left alone for about ten minutes and then Ginna returned to "tweak" the needles. After my time on my back was up, I turned over and had the needles placed on my back. I fell asleep I was so relaxed! Ok, maybe exhausted ;) I left feeling positive about this new journey, but was not looking forward to the homework. Yes, homework!<br />
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Since the appointment, I've been reading all that was given to me about acupuncture and fertility and documenting like crazy. As if my job doesn't have enough documenting, now I have to do it at home! This is just the start, but I've been tracking my daily basal body temperature (BBT), symptoms and moods. All of this information will help Ginna provide the best acupuncture according to my cycle. All of my documenting is through an app on my phone so it's been super easy.<br />
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Today I had two appointments. The first one was with my gynecologist. Again, it was another discussion. Why are you here and where do you want to go from here? Eek! I don't know! That's why I'm here! We talked for a bit and she wrote down a list of things to check out. They were basically written from least invasive to most. She agreed with tracking the BBT, suggested Shaun get checked out too (sterile cup provided, hehe) and we were about to set up an appointment to draw blood next week, but since I will not be here, that appointment will now have to wait until my next cycle. If I've learned one thing so far in this journey, it's that the stars literally have to line up perfectly to get things checked so therefore, I may not have answers as quick as I want them. Patience, Megan. Patience.<br />
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The second appointment was with Ginna. We chatted about my charting and I had another relaxing needle-sticking session. Sounds crazy. I left with a bag full of goodies. Herbal goodies. I was given a mega-potent fish oil (lemon-lime flavored...yum!) and some sort of pill to support my luteal phase. What? I think I have to go read some more now...<br />
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If you've read this post this far, then you must be willing to join me on this crazy ride. Welcome! Hop in! I'm glad you're here for the support.<br />
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XOXOMeganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-39917487151879512172012-09-28T08:51:00.000-07:002012-09-28T08:51:27.545-07:00Empty NestThe parents just pulled out of the driveway on their motorcycles and they're on their way home to PA. My love is at work. Empty nest kicks in.<br />
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I hate when this happens. The week has been busy with going here and there, laughter, and way too much eating and drinking. I try hard to reflect on the good of the week, but it doesn't work for some reason and I just end up sad and tearful. Now I'm left alone with my thoughts, the emptiness of the house and the impending doom of heading back to work tonight.<br />
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I absolutely love living here in NC, but it's moments like these when it hits hard that I miss being around family. As we continue to try to have a baby, I'm sure this struggle will only get harder. I picture Sunday dinners with family or an outing somewhere to a museum or park. The only con of living here is honestly being away from family. I'm still hopeful that one day some of them will be nearer.<br />
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I'm gonna allow myself one day to soak in the sadness. So, with that said, I'm heading back upstairs to my bed with my pups. This sadness will pass as the routine of life goes on.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-12200033604465874842012-09-01T10:50:00.000-07:002012-09-01T10:50:33.852-07:00Mountain poseBreathing Mountain Yoga has opened a studio on Bloodworth Street and they had their open house today and treated everyone to a free class. The space is actually an old house that currently occupies three businesses. No one seems to be able to stay long, but I'm hoping this one sticks around. It's been quite a while (I'm guessing over a year) since I've done any yoga. Wow. Today's class was not that difficult and I struggled. My hamstrings struggled too. We didn't even go into that many poses, but focused on each part of our body and tightening and releasing all kinds of tiny muscles I forget about. My legs were actually shaking at one point. Afterward, my entire body and spirit was thankful...and eager, for more. I'm signed up for class every Saturday for the next eight weeks and I'm very much looking forward to each of them. <div>
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The old purple house bends inward as you approach it on Bloodworth. I love the look of this house and always have. There's something about it that's welcoming which is why it's perfect for a yoga studio. I felt like I was practicing in a friend's cozy home. The smell of incense burning, the old creaking wood floors and the soft exchange of neighborly conversation was perfect. Jessica (the owner) was a great instructor. Her voice is soft and her instructions are simple. She walks around at times to help make sure you are in the poses correctly too, which I love because I definitely need help! I think I'm in the right position all the time and then someone walks by and lifts my hip or extends my arm just a little bit more and "ow!" My body quickly hates me and then accepts the new (right) position. If you're looking to start yoga or welcome it back into your routine like me, I encourage you to check out <a href="http://www.yogainraleigh.com/" target="_blank">Breathing Mountain</a>. </div>
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A big thank you to Andrea Wallenbeck for joining me this morning. Yoga is always better with a friend! </div>
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Namaste. </div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-51086107302493941882012-08-22T15:56:00.001-07:002012-08-22T16:02:24.153-07:00Pause.<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Relax. It's something I feel that folks have forgotten to incorporate into their daily lives. We work hard and play hard, yet the easiest and one of the healthiest things we can do doesn't even reach our to-do lists. I, however, feel that I have (almost) mastered it and believe that it strongly contributes to my (hopefully) good state of health. As I write, I decided to google "benefits of relaxation". Here's what I found...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Relaxation: </span><br />
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<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">gives the heart a rest by slowing the heart rate</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">reduces blood pressure</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">slows the rate of breathing, which reduces the need for oxygen</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">increases blood flow to the muscles</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">decreases muscle tension</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 20px;">As a result of relaxation, people may experience:</span></span><br />
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<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">more energy</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">better sleep</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">enhanced immunity</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">increased concentration</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">better problem-solving abilities</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">greater efficiency</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">smoother emotions — less anger, crying, anxiety, frustration</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: square; margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">less headaches and pain</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 20px;">My research is lacking as I read the first hit that came up, but this is honestly cutting into my relaxation time ;) Do I have room for improvement with my relaxation skills? Of course! I still struggle with frequent headaches and pain (thank you, job), but I recently registered for a weekly yoga class and I'm hoping this will be a positive step in decreasing those aches and pains. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 20px;">So, what do you do to relax? Do you relax often? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 20px;">Back to my relaxing state: Bare feet, cozy striped chair, hot oolong tea, The Shins playing, pups at my feet (not chasing them at the moment), deep breaths. Perfect. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: white; line-height: 20px;"><b>Disclaimer: Don't relax too much...that's not good for your health either! :) </b></span></span></div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-24311915943397385002012-08-02T13:15:00.003-07:002012-08-02T18:42:53.383-07:00The Last LetterHearing about someones death, even when it's an expected one, is never an easy thing to hear. My step grandfather had been on hospice care since January. I've been mourning the loss of my Papa Lee for quite some time, but when I got the news on Sunday that he had passed, there were still so many emotions. I was sad. I was happy. I was relieved. I was mad...at myself. I always enjoyed writing him letters because he absolutely loved reading them. A few weeks ago, he had a birthday and I forgot to send him a card. No excuses, I just got caught up in my own life. Selfish, I know. I had not seen him since April, so I told myself that in lieu of a card, I would write him a letter and fill him in on the happenings of the Dunning household. He loved hearing about our lives.<br />
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In the shower Sunday afternoon, I was thinking about what else I wanted to accomplish that day. In my mind, I had moved writing Papa Lee to top priority. It was within twenty minutes of that thought, that my Dad called. "I have some bad news. Well, maybe it's good news," he had said. Even though expected, I was still in shock. My Dad was right. It was bad news, but it was also good news. Although I believe he died as comfortably as he could with the help of hospice, he was not Papa Lee. He was in his house, but it was not him in that house. There was a man in a bed. For months, people stopped in to say goodbye including myself, Shaun and the dogs in April. I told him stories like I normally would. The only difference was he was not sharing the stories about his amazing life and travels in return and I was telling him our life updates while giving him his morphine to relieve his pain. It felt strange. Awkward. I know he heard me say goodbye and "I love you" that day, but that is not enough closure for me. Closure, is writing the letter that I should have sent:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Papa Lee, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>I'm sorry I missed your birthday. I know it probably could not have been your happiest one, but I was thinking of you and sending a hug from NC to PA. Dad tells me he visits frequently and gives me updates about your care when we talk. It sounds like you have your good days and your bad days as expected. You are very loved and seem to have many visitors! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Things continue to go well here in the hot state of NC. The humidity has been relentless and I'm ready for my favorite season, Fall. It's a Summer like this one when I actually miss PA quite a bit. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>I passed the year mark at work. Time flies! It has been a year of ups and downs trying to navigate this new career. I went from wanting to transfer units because I was always nervous being on mine to now wanting to stay another year and re-evaluate at that time. The unit is intense, but I'm learning so much. The best part of my job is getting to care for so many people during a time when they're not their best. Oh, trust me, I have patients that test my limits. But, the patients that thank you at the end of your shift make it all worthwhile. I love being a nurse. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Shaun is doing really well at NetApp. Yet again, he is quickly climbing the ladder and received another promotion. I could not be more proud of him. I know you know this, but he works incredibly hard so it's nice to see his efforts get rewarded. He'll probably get to travel more with this new role so we should have more stories for you! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Parker and Maisey are as crazy as ever. Parker will turn six this month and we celebrated Maisey's first birthday with a party here at the house. Sounds crazy, but friends and their dogs came to have some fun! We had food, drinks, yard games and even a doggie birthday cake! Needless to say, the little kids that came were totally confused about why they could not eat the birthday cake. I felt terrible! I should have had a real birthday cake on hand for them. Everyone had a great time and it felt good to fill the house with friends and laughter since we never really had a housewarming party. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>That's all for now. I think of you every day and hope you're at peace. A giant hug is included with this letter. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Love, </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>Megan </i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4TLYn7Zee1vypOOqctHoTLOW7OBCIcoh0EytyO8TcrdDScBNFaaBpxa6eDKelkVA9KRsOvMNUWBURwMTDwExbxqlnRAlXOaSPtvrgACD-hBv2t4kyKnw1SSsP_wcjpE6PSzLVMZaOQzG/s1600/IMG_0820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4TLYn7Zee1vypOOqctHoTLOW7OBCIcoh0EytyO8TcrdDScBNFaaBpxa6eDKelkVA9KRsOvMNUWBURwMTDwExbxqlnRAlXOaSPtvrgACD-hBv2t4kyKnw1SSsP_wcjpE6PSzLVMZaOQzG/s320/IMG_0820.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Until we meet again, goodbye Papa Lee. </div>
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<br /></div>Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3273178574781069896.post-30831077991813397702012-07-09T11:10:00.001-07:002012-07-09T11:10:16.333-07:00Feeling invaded<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Writing a first blog entry is a little intense! I feel like my thoughts are being invaded, but I guess I will have to get used to this feeling if I really want to continue with this blog. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I battled a long time with whether or not to create a blog. As a person who likes a paper journal, I struggled with many questions. Is my life really that interesting? Would anyone read it? Do I want anyone to read it? Does anyone care? Will people think my thoughts are strange? In the end, I came to a realization that yeah, my life is important and pretty cool! I think that I live a pretty normal life, but lately I've realized that maybe someone out there wants to come along for a more intimate ride. Intimate? Ok, I don't know about that, but throw your hands in the air and come along for a roller coaster ride! Honestly, that's what life feels like at times, right? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My hope for this blog is to just put it all out there and hopefully with pictures (if I can figure out how to add them). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love the saying, "I am perfectly imperfect" and through my writing, you will (hopefully) see that. I have my good days and I have my bad days...we ALL do. I'm hoping people will be able to identify with my blog. I'm also hoping that this blog will give me a different way to connect to my family in Pennsylvania. As some of you may or may not know, my husband and I have been trying to get pregnant since late last year. Once we have a little one, I believe this will be a great way to share moments with far and away family and friends. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, as you can see, I have no (real) purpose for this blog. Is that bad? Just me, my thoughts, and sharing the stories of my life...all, while chasing (two) vizslas. </span><br />
<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17898065284962844800noreply@blogger.com4