53. Nurse new baby for 12 weeks (or pump)

Whew - I kicked this goal's ass. It has been 5 and half months of pumping. I finally returned my turbo rental pump this week, and am down to pumping 3 x per day with my travel pump. Oddly enough, pumping for the twins was less of a mental battle than when I did for Gwen. I think that providing the essential nutrients and antibodies for 2 babies was well worth it. And I KNOW it made a difference. Even being in day care neither one has had an ear infection or gotten seriously ill. Well, until this weekend, Madeline has a wicked cold. I felt a little guilty about wanting to quit, until I went on the run I mentioned below and remembered how great I feel after running and I would like to do so more often, which is difficult when pumping 5 times a day. I do feel sad about not getting to really breastfeed. I would not have done it exclusively with the twins (16 x per day? say what?), but it would have been wonderful to have that special time with them.

It's been awhile since I...

Posted. It is just so busy here. Even with hired help a couple days a week I feel like I get nothing accomplished. But I have some good things going on too.

What am I MOST EXCITED ABOUT?!?! Running! I ran for the first time in about a year today. And I have to say it was awesome. Now I am just hoping not to have any weird pain tomorrow. Thoughts about running:
1 - Running in Pflugerville is fugging windy. It is ridiculous.
2 - I love running by myself. It is a rare opportunity to clear my head and allow myself to breathe.
3 - It was a beautiful day, sunny, crisp and clear
4 - I really missed running. I know I won't get to do it as often as I was pre-twins (4 times per week including a long run on the weekend), but I would like to run at least twice a week. We have jogging strollers to fit all the little Mills, so John and I both want to get into the habit of taking them out as often as possible.
5 - Running gives me a natural high that is better than coffee. After that run I was in a great mood. Probably the best in months (ask the random people that have called me out for being... less than cheerful lately).

Top Baby Names 2008

WTF? Madeline was only 61 last year! I thought staying out of the top 50 would keep her from being too popular. I had a whole spread sheet with my analysis.

	Girls Names	Boys Names
1	Emma	Aiden
2	Sophia	Jayden
3	Madison	Ethan
4	Isabella	Jacob
5	Olivia	Caden
6	Ava	Jackson
7	Madeline	Noah
8	Addison	Jack
9	Hailey	Logan
10	Lily	Matthew

An email message from Sandy

I just looked at your crazy 1001 list on your blog. I'm gonna call it like it is, girl...crazy. I think your list needs to more like...
1. Eat more ice cream (what the hell is the no eating after 8 pm rule?).
2. Look out the window and enjoy the fact that there is no snow.
3. Kick your feet up and relax.
4. Watch TV and don't think about your list because you have just had twins and plus you have Gwen and that has got to make you need to sit back and watch TV and relax and not think about the list.

In fact...I might make you a list. Hmm.... I think I'll roll it around in my head for a while. You need a new list. Yours is too "Been at the Engineering Building" all day for me. :-)

I'll let you know when your new list is done.

Love,
Sandy

*************************************************

I look forward to you list Crazy Schmals

#20 Date Night with John

Wow, how has it been since we've had a date night? At least 6 months. Anyway, darling Christy asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday a few months ago and I said "all I want is babysitting". I think I probably slurred it through a haze of exhaustion. She remembered and thoughtfully arranged to have a bunch of girls come over to watch my herd of children. Fortunately for them, we finally got the babies sleeping in the evenings, so they wouldn't have to deal with the insanity that we had been experiencing for 4 months. Christy even made Gwen's favority dish - baked pasta - for everybody.

We tried a new Chinese place and it was pretty good. Then we went to the movies and saw "The Spirit". It was terrible. Like, comically terrible. One of the worst movies that I have seen. 10 people walked out in the first 30 minutes. On our way home we were discussing the movie and all its badness when ... there were flashing lights behind us and... things got even funnier.

Oddly enough, it was a great date and we so needed to spend some time alone discussing Chinese food, bad movies and anything not relating to infants and toddlers.

Thanks to Christy, Lauren, Monica and Jennifer for babysitting and making this night possible!

It's coming...

Helmet Head!

Bad government, bad

Holy S - check this out:

http://babycheapskate.blogspot.com/2009/01/end-of-kiddie-consignment-shops.html

Definitely worth sending a letter to your congressman/woman about. Talk about a good idea gone bad.

Amy's blog about it