I Delcare Bull

So I was in the grocery store tonight. I was super tired and looked up and saw a hot chick in a bikini. I thought to myself, 'Hmmm, she looks nice. Super cute suit. Killer tummy. Wait. WHAT?' Yeah. OCTOMOM is apparently gorgeous and rocking a bikini bod- get this, with no surgery. YEAH RIGHT.

This is featured on the cover of STAR magazine. This is what she looked like while pregnant. And you're telling me she looks like this one year after giving birth to EIGHT CHILDREN?! I don't mean to rewrite this post but there's no way. Maybe I'm just bitter. Maybe I'm jealous my tummy doesn't boast a taut lil' button. But seeing that mag cover clearly urked something in me. And that something is...just be honest. Rock that killer body and give praises to the medicine that helped you. I know I shouldn't care. Maybe it's my new photoshop class that's giving me license to claim bull...

Rainy Day Schedule

Eat. Dance. Play.

Back to School

I'm going back to school! I am taking intro to photoshop at our community college with little Maegann. Last night was our first class. We'll meet once a week until May and I am so excited! We even get homework! (Yes, Maegann rolled her eyes at me when she saw I was excited about the homework bit). I have been wanting to learn how to more on the computer, especially with photos. The babies get Monday nights with their Dad and I get to be with Meg. Can't wait to show you what I learn :)

Best Buddies

Photo Upload Fix

My problem 'exceeded photo upload' was a result of too many images on Picasa/Picasa Web Albums. I have 168 posts and have been blogging since June of 2008. I love using Picasa because my photo files are super organized and I like the quick edits Picasa allows. During that time I've used 1 GB of google storage. So...I purchased the cheapest option google offered for more space. $5 bucks for 20 GB! To be honest, I would have paid more than that. I've said before, I'm using this blog as my baby book (and publishing it through blurb). I also just enjoy blogging.

So I can now do 20 times the amount that I've already done. For $5.

Waiting for Lily

My good friend Crystal is due to have her baby girl Lily any day now. And I can't stand it. Which means Crystal must REALLY be ready. Like most mothers, I can't help but become introspective when I hear about other women's birth stories. It seems like it was just yesterday...

I was admitted in the hospital for eight days at week 34 to keep the babies from coming early. I was put on magnesium sulfate and it felt worse than any flu I've ever had- but obviously a small sacrifice to keep the babies healthy and growing.

I remember their birth in following highlights:

*I was terrified of going back into the hospital and having them send me home because it 'wasn't time.' So I kept praying that after 36 weeks my water would break so I would really know. It broke. Seriously broke. Mike was putting on his shoes to leave for work and I just started laughing because fortheloveofgod the fluids would not stop coming! It was like a hose was gushing out of my, you know, and I just kept laughing.

*During the early hours of labor I have to admit, I secretly thought I was amazing. Like, yes the contractions kind of hurt but I was going to be tough. I didn't know what all these women were whining about. This bravado lasted a few more hours and then I insisted on casually agreed to an epidural.

*My water broke around 7 a.m. and sometime later that morning/early afternoon they started the Pitocin. It seemed like it was taking forever and it wasn't until around 9 p.m. that I was finally dilated to 9. We got super excited and prepared to go into the operating room. With twins, they have double the people in the room (doctor, nurses, pediatrician, surgeon, etc.). So when we finally got in the room it felt like a party. At first. With the epidural in full force I was feeling good, just sleepy. Mike looked cute in his scrubs. I was really thirsty and begging for ice chips, which they gave me sparingly because there was a good possibility I for a c-section. So from there, I started pushing.

*I'm not kidding when I say I actively pushed from around 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. That's like pushing during the drive from Atascadero to L.A. The whole time people in my face chanting, 'Come on Meghan! Push like you have to poop! Push like you have to poop!' It was almost a little funny the first half hour, and then it more like you've got to be kidding, stop saying that. So I pushed. And pushed. And pushed. At one point a nurse suggested I let the epidural run out so that I could use the feel of the contractions to push. At that point I think my words to her were, 'whatever.' Um, if you ever find yourself in that position, kindly decline and keep the epidural. Remember how I said I had been tough at first? I was not tough anymore. Yes, you forget the pain of labor, but I still remember thinking that I wanted to pull the nurses hair for every suggesting that I go from feeling nothing but fatigue to full blown labor in minutes. OUCH.

*I pushed on my side. On my knees. On my other side. I pulled up on this silly bar thing. I just kept pushing. It was awful pain and they started the epidural back up. Come to find out, little Maxwell was stuck on my pelvic bone so they told us they were going to suction him out. As exhausted as I was, we were grateful that with all those extra people on call for us, no one was pressuring me to have a Cesarean. It was really time. We were about to hold our first baby.

*The suction/pushing was a blur, but finally came Maxwell Daniel, March 4, 2009 . When he came out the room went quiet. Mike was supposed to cut the cord but the doctor immediately cut it and laid him in front of the pediatrician. Maxwell was limp and he wasn't crying. I kept asking Mike, 'Why isn't he crying? Why isn't he crying?' Mike didn't look me in the eye but he said he was okay. Within a minute Maxwell was fine. He began to cry and his apgar when up. Apparently he was also tired from the four hour push. Poor little guy. Finally I got to hold him and all the cliches came true. Our miracle baby was here.

*Part of me was so tired I kind of forgot I had to do the whole thing over again. When the doctor told me he had to break my water for baby girl I started to correct him. 'Oh no, my water already broke.' If he had seen Niagara falls between my legs that morning he would have understood. But apparently only one of the sacs had broken. Unbelievable. I watched him take out this hook and was so tired I didn't even flinch. But when I saw Mike's face I assumed we would never have sex again. Twenty-one minutes after Maxwell was born, Ella Vita arrived. And she cried. We each held a baby and so it began. Our prayers answered. This incredible life with two.

There are more stories and I'm certain I have a selective memory, but waiting for Lily reminds of our wait. Then our birth story. Crystal, I can't wait to hear yours. You and Andy will do great! I love you~

Maxwell Daniel, 5 lbs. 10 oz.

Ella Vita, 4 lbs. 14 oz.

Beach Day For Mom

Yesterday was my Mom's birthday. We shared it with her and my Dad at the beach. We brought the RV and Mike ran the BBQ...yummy!

Mom, I really do want to be like you when I grow up. Happy Birthday. We LOVE you so much.

'Exceeded your photo upload quota'

So, apparently my photos aren't posting because blogger now wants to charge me for more space storage. The error is reading, 'We're sorry, but you have exceeded your photo upload quota. For more information, take a look at this Blogger Help page.'

Google accounts link blogger with Picasa, etc., so I guess I'm out of room. Before I pay the money I wanted to see if this has happened to anyone else. If so, after you paid was everything back to normal? Thanks!

10 months

Today you babies are ten months old. I want to tell you to stop growing, but I know it's going to happen anyway. I need new words to say 'I love you,' because I say them so often I'm afraid they'll lose their meaning to you. But you know what? I just LOVE YOU. I really, really do. You both are so much fun right now. I tell you to stop growing, but really, every month is funner than the last. You are silly, funny, and so observant of the world around you. I can't wait to see what new things you discover each day.

Maxwell,
You are a great big brother. You have become the leader of your little party of two. Together, you and your sister travel from room to room in the house. Sometimes you chose to crawl on all fours, but for the most part you continue to army crawl. And you're fast! You have two new bottom teeth poking through. I think they are bothering you at night, but you are mostly a very happy boy. Your smile is HUGE and I love how special you make me feel when you give it to me. You love to be silly and make your family laugh. You love to clap. Especially when I'm feeding you in your high chair. And the food goes everywhere when your hand wackes it out. You think this is HILARIOUS. Ha. Ha. You love when your Dad 'gets you.' You start crawling down the hall, then you look back to see if he's going to chase after you and you squeal with delight! You and Ella love your 'activity table' from your big cousin Charli. Your favorite is dancing against it when the music comes on. You make your Dad and I laugh so hard because your dance moves are, ummm, basically thrusting against the table. Silly boy. You are still sleeping in your own bed, in your own room. I simply cannot say it enough, I love you so much sweet boy.

Ella Vita,
You are beautiful. I LOVE seeing you change all the time. You are still independent and strong willed, but you've recently started copying your brother. You clap when he claps, you wave when he waves, you even laugh when he does- but it's a ridiculous fake laugh. That makes me laugh too. You like to blow bubbles and make funny noises. You are a smart girl. You copy me when I say 'da da da,' and then when I say 'ma ma ma.' You LOVE to be naked. Seriously. When I take your clothes off for bath time you squeal and squirm out of my arms. If I let you down, you're off and crawling- so fast!!! You laugh and parade around, 'Look at me! No clothes!' Silly naked girl. You and your brother are finally getting hair, but you are kind of over me putting headbands in. You pull them off and look at me, like, really? A flower? Ok, fine. You love to swing. You love to explore. The minute the front door opens you are outside on the front porch. You look around with urgency, afraid you'll miss something. You still love animals. You love Sadie and like to see the donkeys on our walks. You put everything in your mouth. And you get so mad at me when I try to take it out. Sorry sweets, rocks aren't for babies. You don't have any teeth yet but I imagine they are coming any day now. You are incredible and I thank God for you and Maxwell. This family loves you both so very, very much.