This weekend was awesome. We had a cookout on Saturday and the weather and gathering of good friends and family was fantastic. My parents, aunt Sue & uncle Charlie, cousins (Buddy, Tiffany, Mandy, Brooke, and Hannah) and former neighbors (Miss Lynn, Becca and Liz)came over to enjoy some steaks and various side salads. I can't believe how many people we packed into my dining room at one time (10 of us around the table at any one given time) We had people eating in the kitchen and the living room too! I ate so much I felt like I could go into a FOOD coma!! The kids played outside in their new air maze and had a blast. They really enjoy going in and out of the maze and crawling around the tunnels. They really enjoyed having their Memaw and PaPaw down for a visit too. Cooper would come over and tell them "to come on" and proceed to drag them to the playhouse and to the maze to play with him. Saturday night they enjoyed playing indoors as Papaw would hide and they would go running to find them and get "scared" when he would jump out and say "RAH!" Then he, Elliott and Cooper would run all around the kitchen island chasing each other. On Sunday we all went to the park and the boys spent a lot of time just swinging. We have thought about getting them a swingset in our backyard but the park is just a short walk away that I don't think we'd go as much if we had it in our backyard! We went over to my cousins house for a visit and my parents got a tour from Hannah and Brooke. We are waiting for Hurricane Ophelia to come ashore this week. This will be our first hurricane in our new house. Thankfully it will only be category one but those tend to be so slow that they can do a lot of damage too. We've had few shower bands come through this morning but expect by this evening that the wind will be picking up. We've also heard from a few hurricane Katrina survivors that are interested in our house in Robersonville. We are hopeful that our house will go to someone who truly needs it and will love it as much as we did.

Update time......I have officially withdrawn from college. Completely my own decision, it wasn't the classes, the finances, the craziness.....it was my kids. I am not ready to leave them. I looked at them and played with them......when it dawned on me. My kids do not care what degree I hold, how much money I make.....they just want to be loved and have quality time spent with them. Sure there are a lot of women who can cook, clean, work, go to school and raise a family. I am not one of them. I am making a choice that I cannot be selfish about my wants and needs right now. Maybe it's Hurricane Katrina that has me reprioritizing things in my life. I don't know. But I am at peace with my decision. I may go back to school, but for now I am going to stay at home with my boys. I feel so extremely blessed to be able to stay at home with them. I look forward to the many new things they will be doing and learning as they enter their toddler years. This really is the best job ever!! Other news.....Invitro time is approaching. I had my lab work done on Friday and will await results. Today I start birth control pills, which is so weird to me to have to take when you are trying to conceive (but it so they can control when I ovulate) I have to have the rest of my tests done this week and then we go from there. We are still getting finances together, so any and all prayers are appreciated. Another note.....We are trying to find a charitable organization to donate our house in Robersonville to Hurricane survivors. If you know of any, please let me know. We've been in contact with several organizations and are awaiting responses from the "people in upper management". Our house has a small mortgage still on it, and we would need the organization to take care of that. I wish we could just "give it away" but it would be a blessing to us and the family that gets it. I just want to make sure we donate correctly so that the family that gets the house does not get taxed on such a gift. I do know that the charitable organization gets the tax write off if they pay our mortgage so it does make our house appealing to them, plus it isn't a large expense. I think that some families from LA or MS would love the small town atmosphere and it would be a fresh start on a new life. The house is plenty big that even two families could stay there. If I can find an organization, then I am going to ask area businesses to see what they can donate to help a family. I'll keep you posted on this as new information comes in. On a lighter note.....something funny. Cooper is now fascinated with putting things in the toilet. And I wish it was potty training kind of stuff.....but yesterday I found a candle in the toilet......which was pretty funny. They are quite mischievious and I have to keep a good eye on them these days. We're going to add water to our fish tank this week and order our fish. Something says that I will be finding things in that tank too.......LOL!! We also ordered their undersea adventure airmaze for the back yard. Come on over next weekend and romp around in it with the boys....it looks like it will be lots of fun! here is what it looks like http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B0000AJN2N/ref=dp_product-image-only_0/103-0502571-4927065?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=295058&s=toys That's about all for now......Hopefully I can update more frequently in the future!

Ok, for all those that have been waiting with baited breath......I dropped the class. I will not be taking Nutrition this fall!! The decision was easy after buying books........$397 bucks worth......and they threw in a free Intuition razor........WOOHOO!!! Now I am searching for a small desk to put in my room so that I can study while the boys are going to bed. I found one I liked at Sam's....but it will not function as a computer desk later (but it is awfully cute!) Going to get a good nights sleep......I still have a cold....I probably will have a hacking spell in class tomorrow and be known forever as the cough girl! I better bring some cough drops just in case!

Ok, now I am starting to hit a panic mode. I am returning to college in just a few days.....10 credit hours! Thanks to Jes, I found out about "ratemyprofessors.com" website and took a look at my classes. Anatomy 2140 class.....good professor, Chemistry 1130.....good professor, Nutrition......they all were rated bad! What is up with that?? I thought nutrition would be a fluff class, not easy but not hard either. I don't want to be shallow and say that these ratings have influenced my decision making, but some of the comments did not make me feel so sure. Oh well! I am debating on whether or not to drop the class and take my chances in the spring/summer. Plus I've never taken classes now that I am a mom! I am starting to worry that I may not be able to juggle so much my first semester back. And then we have to rearrange Jonathan's schedule so that he can watch the boys while I am in school, or they will have to be in daycare at least twice week from 9-1 if I change nutrition to a morning class. UGGH!! And I still have to buy books.....maybe tomorrow, once I make up my mind for sure!

Some advice for those expecting twins...I am one of the lucky few that made it to 39 weeks (actually 38 and 5 days before induction) I was placed on bedrest Jan 25 and was induced on May 6th. My cervix was shortening and I was not on strict bedrest, but if it continued to shorten then I would have only been allowed up for an hour each day. Bed rest was fun, the first two days....then I thought I was going to go stir crazy. I had a ton of things brought to me to keep me busy (crossword puzzles, books, magazines) and I watched tv (but there is only so much that you can take!) I spent a lot of time on the computer talking to other multiple moms for tips and tricks of the trade (but each case is different so I was prepared). You can write in your baby books (as you will find little time to do much after the boys are born) and write in a journal, letters to your boys. I was induced on the 6th but my body did not react properly to the pitocin (sp) and at 10PM that day we stopped induction. The next morning I woke up with natural labor pains (which weren't too bad....like a mild to medium period cramp) and by 7PM that night I was having hard contractions but not dilating. They upped my pitocin and gave me an epidural (loved that......but boy is that a weird feeling not having feeling from the waist down) The doctor checked me around 10:30 and said I was dilated to 5 and most likely would deliver around 5-6AM the next day. At 1AM I woke up with terrible heartburn and coughed up what we thought was tum antacid but was actually blood (sorry if to much info). Turns out I was having a reaction to the pitocin and when the doctor checked me he said I was ready to push! We were taken into the delivery room just incase anything happened they needed to have all the proper equipment. I gave three strong pushes and at 2:35AM out came a 7lb 6.7 oz baby boy! I couldn't really feel myself pushing because I couldn't feel anything. I had to visualize "using the toilet" to use the proper muscles, and the doctor said that he was amazed how well I did (I never told him what I was thinking!!) 20 minutes later I pushed again three times and delivered another boy 6 lbs 2.7 oz. They were big boys!! They cleaned them up in separate cubbies and then when they put them in one together they held hands!! I could hear the nurses ooohing and ahhhing over that. Luckily I had a great friend come in the operating room and video tape just the birth (only after they came out, and my dh cutting the cords) I told her no pictures of me, because I didn't want privates or my face all scrunched up during labor. It was really nice to have her do this as it allowed my husband just to be with me and the boys and not to worry about getting photos and videos. I had a great OB team that allowed me to have pretty much whoever I wanted in the OR with me (normally they only allow 2 people or less to go back)

I am still breastfeeding my boys and they are 2 weeks from being 2 years old. It was never my intent on feeding them this long but they are self weaning so I feel it is just a matter of time. And I do know that I will miss it! My oldest son, Cooper was sleeping through the night (which for me was 6 hours) at two months. His brother didn't sleep through the night steadily until he started eating baby food at 7 months. Breastfed babies typically do not sleep through the night as the milk is processed faster. But it does help with less trips to the Pedatrician as they tend to get less ear infections and colds. I started off feeding them one at a time, then soon learned that it was easier feeding them together. If you feed them one at a time it is 15-20 minutes for each baby.. (40 minutes total) and then they are hungry again in roughly 2-2 1/2 hours. The only drawback to that was when we were out shopping at the mall and they both wanted "mommy".....by the way the handicap stall in the changing rooms work great for nursing and you can sit comfortably and have your stroller nearby. We chose to cosleep with our boys, having both pack n play bassinets beside the bed, that worked best for us. I also rented a breast pump before I bought one (just in case I didn't like it or wasn't able to use it before spending the money for it). Since you are in the hospital ask if they have someone there that assists mothers with breastfeeding. Our hospital had a great staff that really encouraged breastfeeding and soemone came in right after I delivered to make sure that both boys were able to latch on. They were awesome, the first night I was really discouraged as it was 2AM and both boys were crying (I was concerned about the other mothers and babies that were trying to sleep). They had someone come right in and she showed me how to nurse them both at the same time, she even showed my dh how to hand them to me while I was feeding the other. That was a big help. The best feeding position for me was having them lay in my arms while they were feeding (they were small enough that this was comfortable. As they grew I found that laying them in the same position as they fed, their bodies would lay side by side and often one's bottom half would be a pillow for their brother! They were very particular about their sides from an early start. I tried changing them up, as one side often produced more milk and I would be lopsided until I pumped the excess. If you try the breast pump, what worked for me is doing it first thing in the morning, even if they were fussing for a feeding. You'll find you produce milk rather efficiently when they babies are crying. I wasn't able to pump very much on my first try, but the more I did it, the more I would produce. And it also gave my dh some bonding time to feed the babies as well. Buy several different kinds of nipples, some babies prefer certain kinds (mine like medela brand). Also by the disposable nursing pads (the washable kind do not protect you from leaks). Medela makes a good pad, they are slim and discrete and they hold a good amount of milk before any leaks (be sure to put them in a diaper bag too) Almost any baby crying will start you lactating.....even smelling your own baby can trigger a leak....lol (oh the stories you'll have!)

If you have several floors in your house, have make shift changing tables on each floor. We were lucky in our first house it was one story. We have three levels now and I have changing stations hidden on each floor. It saves on running up and down the stairs. Some babies love bouncy seats, some love swings.....mine only loved the swings (but we did use the bouncy seats when we took them to the beach when they were 3 months old and they work great as the bottom will dig into the sand and rinses off nicely)

Don't try and bath them every night.....you will wear yourself out!! We bought a Eurobath tub (toys r us, babies r us, burlington coat factory carry them) this tub worked wonders for us......it is a bigger bathtub but it cradles your baby and allows you to use both hands at times....plus it does grow with the babies (mine would both bath in it at the same time as they learned to sit up).

Have items that you know you will use washed and ready (burp pads, burp cloths, nighties, blankets, socks, several outfits). Make sure you wash items if they have breast puke on them as soon as possible or you will find them "soured" later. The nighties that worked best for us were the gerber gowns, it made night time changes easy and didn't disrupt them from sleeping. If you can have someone stay with you for the first week (two weeks or more if you are lucky, church members will volunteer and if anyone says they want to help...take them up on their offers!!) very quickly you can establish a routine. Then stick with the routine, and while you have help in the beginning....do try an outting (it is not impossible and not that hard if you plan ahead). Invest in a BIG diaper bag as you will be carrying two of everything (clothes, blankets, burp cloths, diapers, wipes, bottles)...I am on my second diaper bag now (I wore the first one out). If you have a stroller where the car seats attach this will make life easier. I took my twins out shopping when they were a week old. I had my mother with me and after I had nursed them, I knew we had 2 hours before they would start to get fussy. Do expect when you do go on outtings that you will be stopped by every passerby asking "are they twins", "double trouble", "I bet you have your hands full" or they will share with you their story about someone they know being a twin, or if they are a twin themselves they are often drawn to other twins. I always would ask the twins questions about being a twin just to gain some insight. You can no longer just run into a store and get out in a quick manner, sometimes it is nice to hear others stories, but if you are pressed for time....plan ahead for the delays!! While my mother was there at my house, I still did everything but she helped with laundry and dressings. Before she left I was doing everything on my own and she was there more for security. It was nice to know that I could do it and not get overwelmed. If you have a mothers of multiples group in your area they are great too. It will give you adult conversation and also pointers and tips from the been there, done that mom. Also LeLeche Groups also are helpful if you are breastfeeding and offer support as well.

You will have lack of sleep for a long time (but it is not that bad)......they say sleep when they are sleeping (never worked for me, I am a busy body and would be up cleaning and doing laundry while they were sleeping). Your boys will probably nap in both the morning and afternoon in the beginning......if you can nap during one of those times (if you can't do it every day, try a few times a week). My husband was a big help at night, I would nurse them and he would do the diaper changes. There were many a night that a baby would be asleep in our bed, but I never got any sleep when they did (I always worried about smothering and dh rolling around). Find out what works for you, every mother will say "my baby is sleeping through the night....etc, etc" when in reality they are up some nights and some nights the baby sleeps. My pediatrician said that as long as your baby rested the proper amount of time each day, sleeping through the night does not have a timed amount attached to it. Don't worry about what people are saying like "your boys should be doing this, that or the other" As long as they are growing, gaining the recommended weight and you are all happy......then stick with your instincts. Babies on formula will sleep through the night at a faster rate, but they can also develop colic and have chronic ear infections too. I tried to substitute one feeding with formula but it didn't work (my boys preferred premium boobie to the unleaded formula...lol) Sleep deprivation still exists in my house (even though they sleep through the night I don't always get a full nights rest, you still have to plan some "just you" time) Also make sure you plan some time to be romantic with dh, they often feel a little neglected when the new men in our lives arrive :D We would rent a movie and eat dinner in (as it was awhile before I felt I could leave them with a sitter) My family lives in another state and I would travel to see them once a month after the boys were born (most of the time I would travel alone as my husband works at the hospital and has limited time off). My mother said I was fearless and she didn't know how I did it and still do it. I simply say, I don't have anything else to compare it to, raising twins is all I've known. It's a trial and error learning process. For the first 6 months I was a sterile fanatic (careful of everything) making sure everything was sterile and clean.....as time passes, you may find you are still cautious but that they are boys and they will get into all kinds of things. Nothing is as important as the time you spend with them, the laundry, cooking, cleaning will come later. You'll get a system going and will probably have many pointers to pass along to the next mother expecting twins.

I hope I am not making this sound scary or give you anxiety.....I would have twins again in a heartbeat. I can't imagine anything more awesome than being a twin mom. They really enjoy being swaddled (so if you don't know how to swaddle a baby, have someone from the nursery show you before you leave). Something about being swaddled would always calm my boys down, that and we would sit them in a Boppy Pillow with a blanket folded in the hole part so that they would not fall down into the hole. I think that they sometimes felt like they were being held in the pillow because it looked like they felt they were snuggled in my arms. Oh, and another secret I learned.....I played a CD to my womb as soon as the OB said they could hear. I would play the CD over and over again (lullabies and easy listening kid songs). When my boys would fuss in the car ride and I was alone with them, I would play that CD and they would calm down......same could be said for at home. It was as if they remembered it. I also purchased the Baby Einstein Videos and they are terrific. It is well worth the money and the music and videos seem to mesmorize our boys to this day. They even hum some of the classical songs! Oh....buy lots of film now....take tons of pictures.....they change so fast. We would carry our camera in our diaper bag so we always would have it with us (just be sure to have a few extra rolls tucked in as you will go through a roll quickly) If you don't have a video camera, that is another item that you'll be glad that you have....get the tapes now they go fast too (and they love looking at themselves as they get older!) Keep receipts on clothes, etc.....take tags off things that you know they will wear and for others you can return or exchange if they are not able to wear them (due to change in the seasons, or if they have so much that you can't get around to them wearing everything).