Another Year!!

Thanks so much for your input. I am taking the 2nd year off!!! I am usually a horrible decision maker, but this one was easy once I looked at the pros & cons. My kids will never be small again & like Zeeks said, I would really regret leaving them if I didn't have to. Mommabee is right too that I would feel much better leaving kids that are just about pre-school age rather than infants. Thanks so much!!

This title has a double meaning....today is my birthday & I am another year older...33!(Happy Birthday to Zeeks also...but I think you are only 30 today!?!) This year flew by. Last year at this time I was VERY pregnant & "homeless". We had closed on our house & I was living with my mom until we were finished with updating the new house. I am surprised that as I write this, it feels like it was a very long time ago. This year was a great birthday. I spent it with my kids & my family. The weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was the most beautiful day of 2006 so far!

Oh well, I better get going while the babies are still sleeping. They still wake up during the night...any advice on that????

I need advice!

I took a year off from teaching to stay home with the babies. The year is quickly coming to an end & I need to let my boss know what I am doing next year.

I would really love another year off. My district allows you to take 2 years off, but they don't guarantee that you will have the same position. My boss promised me my job teaching 3rd grade math if I return for next school year. He can't say where I'd be if I take the second year. I could be in my same position (very small chance), a different grade or subject in my same school, or in a totally different school teaching "all" the subjects.

I really "love" my current position, and I dread having to learn to teach another grade/subject. I don't feel like putting the time in to do it. I feel like I will be crazy just trying to go back to work with kids, let alone trying to learn all new material.

The cost of daycare is also a consideration. If I go back to work this September my kids are still considered infants (14 months old), so I would be paying over $500 per week. If I wait the year (they will be 26 months old), I'll be able to save almost $100 a week in child care costs.
What would you do???????

Equal Day!

Today is the day that my babies have been alive the same amount of time they were inside me! They are 36 weeks 4 days today...which translates to almost 8 and 1/2 months!

I can't believe time is flying by. My pregnancy seemed sooooo long, but it feels like the babies were just born! I try to cherish each day with them, but it is simply just going too fast! Crista -- I'll see what I can do about pictures....I'll try to email some news ones soon!

The Underbelly of the Twin World!

It is hard to believe that I have been the mother of twins for over 8 months!! During this time, I have become educated on the social class system within the twin world & I am here to report that I am the lowest of the low!!

Going out with twins is like taking a 3 ring circus with you...even when the kids are quietly sleeping. Everyone stops you & has a comment. Most of the time the people mean well & are delighted to see 2 babies. I usually smile & try to do whatever I am out doing (grocery shop, etc.) while I talk to the people. Many comments are totally inappropriate & do nothing but conjure up bad memories of infertility, miscarriages, & IVF. The pc way to ask if I had fertility treatments is to ask "Do twins run in your family?" I actually have a twin cousins, so I always say "Yes!" The other day an old man blatantly asked me "Are these IVF babies?" I ignored him & he just yelled the question louder. I lied & walked away. Earlier that same week I was in Babies R US & had to endure a husband & wife discussing my use of fertilty drugs. The wife yelled out to the husband "well of course there are so many twins, everyone is on effin fertility drugs." These comments bother me, but I love my babies too much to let them really get to me. I'd endure this any day to have the precious babies that I have. I often wonder what people would think if I started asking every mother of singletons if they went through IVF!

Anyway, the twin world is full of inappropriate comments from strangers! But that is not the only world....there is a secret society that you join when you have twins. Parents of twins have a secret head-nod that we use when we see eachother. With that head nod comes a barrage of questions to see where you are on the twin world scale. Here are a few:

When did you deliver? I delivered at 36w4d, so I am "up" there, but not as high as those who made it to 38 or even 40 weeks.

Natural deliver, C-section, or a combination? I had a c-section...so I am low on the au natural totem pole.

Where you on bedrest? Yes...10 weeks. I am so uncool!

Did your babies spend time in the NICU? Yes...because of my assinine clotting problems, which still doesn't make sense to me...but whatever! Again, this response puts me down lower on the scale!

You get the idea!! The funny thing is that it also happens online. If you go to any twin message board everyone has these stats plus birth weight in their signatures! It cracks me up!!

I honestly don't care that I am such a "low-life" twin mom -- I am just so thankful that my babies are growing beautifully & hitting all of their milestones on or ahead of schedule! Here are some highlights:

Sophia has 2 teeth, pulls up to standing, butt walks, rocks on all 4s, & is super active and into everything. She even claps her hands!! I love when she has pretend conversations with herself!

Christian is about 22 pounds...but he is very agile! He also rocks on all 4s & can even crawl backwards! He also claps his hands & pulls himself up. He is a real babbler...especially with the dadas! Nothing gets past him & he is curious about everything!

Well, that's life in the twin nutshell! I am amazed that they are sleeping without me...but that is a post for another day! I hope all is well with everyone...GO CARA M!!!!! I Also want to congratule Lynn on the birth of her son!!