Groundhog Day

"The same things every day slowly kill us off." - Ernst Bloch, The Principle of Hope (1959)

I've waved the white flag and called for help. I can't keep up the pace of a full-time job, twin girls and working on my photo project... along with getting sick every 2 weeks, tending to sick girls and countless house/kitty projects. I waved the white flag to The Hubby with the hope of some relief.
"I'm in GroundHog day", I explained.
Every day is the same. I wake up, girls, work, girls, clean, eat, bed. If I'm lucky, I work on my massive life-time achievement photo project, extra projects around the house or get to read 2 pages of a book before I collapse.
My Hero came to my rescue. He has taken over cooking for the short term... and the towels, sheets and whatever else needs attention. I just need a short term relief from the routine in order to FINALLY build my health back to a reasonable level (ever since the pneumonia, I'm just walking a thin line of health).
The Hubby has been making dinner... not just spagetti or the easy way out... He has made an asian dish with coconut milk, a beef stir fry with oranges and pineapple and is on his way to culinary awards.

So, that brings me to today. The girls are down for a late, late nap. The Hubby is working next to me and I'm about to catalog and process more photos.
I can't wait to see what is for dinner.

Last night Ana asked for a Fork.

She mispronounced it.
That is all I will say.

Good heart and 3 teeth. No shirt!

Update on Ana's heart appointment - She does NOT have a hole in her heart.
Whew!
Apparently, she just has a really, really loud heart... (and she also has mine).

Funny thing this weekend. I had a friend over for a playdate with her twins. I was marveling at the teeth that filled their little mouths. Wonderful teeth. Teeth that can chew things. Oh to have kids with teeth... Well, Ana cut 3 teeth THAT SAME DAY! I'm thinking of inviting my friend to live with us until both kids get caught up on their teeth count. It is a little sad to see Ana loose the Beaver-look that she had going on.

More on Ana:
She has fallen in LOVE with a blue monkey shirt that Auntie Didi bought for her. It was an oversized boys shirt, but Ana can't go anywhere or do anything without it. (At the doctors office, we had to put the monkey shirt on an actual stuffed monkey animal to console Ana during her EKG, Xray and ultrasound). So imagine Saturday she can't find her shirt. "Where shirt?", she asks in her ridiculously tiny voice.
"Oh, sweetie. The shirt is in the laundry. Sorry about that."
"No shirt? No shirt. No shirt. No shirt"
This went on for hours... except Ana forgot to use the "R" in shirt.

Yeah. My lack of parenting skills really shined when I didn't correct her all day.
No shirt. I wouldn't shirt you.

Am I supposed to know if yaks Moo?

So, Keira and I had our first fight.
You see... she has this alphabet book. Each page has a letter and images that start with that letter. A has an apple, etc. "Y" had a picture of a Yak.
Keira pointed to the Yak and said, "Cow. Moo!"
I lovingly pointed out, "No sweetie. That is a yak. See? It has looong fur and horns. I have no idea if it moos. It might. Anyways, it's a yak."
She looked at me like I was a raving idiot, pointed back at the book and said, "No, no! Moo! Cow!" and turned the page to Z.
I sat in silence for a moment.
Was that our first argument?
Really?
That was it?
And she thinks I'm an idiot.
Awesome.
I still have no idea if it moos.

So I took time off... sue me.

Ana, Keira and cousin Quinn

I know, I know... I've been busy... OK?

Here are the updates

Hubby - B is doing MUCH better with his palsy since he has started using the apnea machine. Apparently people need a good night's rest with higher levels of oxygen. Who knew? We're using his disability time as family time. I'm getting really used to seeing him at night... it will be extremely hard to give that up.

Me - Since I've had the girls I feel as though I'm always chasing the clock, burning the candle at both ends, self eating watermellon... whatever you want to call it. As soon as my alarm goes off, I'm trying to keep up with the billion things that will happen before the day's end. Of course, this leads me to "night time Mommy". "Night Time Mommy" likes to stay up late. I've never been a night person, but the freedom I get after 9pm... when I get to eat dinner... it is just amazing. I want to read, watch tv, stay up too late... and then... well, "Morning Mommy" just hates the hayll out of "Night Time Mommy".

Girls - They're getting SO BIG. Big needs to be defined as growing up... both girls are still hovering at the 21lb mark and are almost 20 months.

Ana - Ana is SO CLEAR when she speaks. New words happen daily, with the latest being table, water and puppy. I really can't stress how clearly she speaks. So cute. Her favorite toys are her monkey, penguin, baby dolls in the stroller and small towels which serve as blankets for all of the above. Her favorite activity is gymnastics. She'll hang from just about anything. Including the stove. Which doesn't lock. You really only need one time to learn that lesson...

Keira - Keira is still facinated with books and movies. She has taught Ana how to wrongly say "movie" ("MOO-NEE"). This is where that twin speak comes into play, I believe. She is quite possibly the funniest little girl ever. She makes funny sounds, has the oddest dance ever and laughs at almost anything. Her latest life lesson was that you can, indeed, fall into a pool. (Good save, Daddy)

I'm sorry for taking a long time off, Constant Reader. Hubby's palsy took a little out of us already this year. We've also said goodbye to too many family members this year. They will always be part of us. I'm looking forward to telling stories of my "crazy Auntie Joan" to my girls when they're ready for it... which will put them into their 20s to reeeeally be ready. This year also brings good news to friends and family as I watch the closest people in my life bring new wee ones into the world. Good thoughts to Jenn, KT, Sheri, C, CJ, Trish and Linda and the wee ones they're bringing to this wonderful world.

Herding Cats

Taking pictures of 1 year olds is like herding cats.

I'll try to do a better job... when I get a spare moment...

Quick update:

Keira - Very happy as of late. Walking, touching and grabbing at Ana as much as possible, saying kitty (kIKIIII), Daddy, MumMum, up (PUP) and ball. She trys to say almost everything we say. She is very gentle with the kitty and is very easy going when you let her play on her own.

Ana - Very dramatic. She'll throw herself on the ground in a New York second if she doesn't get her way. She gets over it equally as fast, but we're keeping our eye on this little personality blip. Ana loves to clean up spilled milk or water with a cloth (very cute) and also loves to play "ring around the rosy" (kinda wishin I hadn't taught her that at times).

Both - They're still under 20lbs (boo).

Mom and Dad - we're going to go clean the kitchen, now... and then we all fall DOWN!

Bone Crushing

I am so tired today. Ana kept me up all night, which is unusual... and then she did a "big barf" all over me this morning- while wearing my work clothes - with a huge meeting first thing in the morning. I felt so bad for my little wee one. She is so sweet and it kills me to see her uncomfortable... even if I have to take a second shower to remove the rancid smell of milk off of me.

Where was I? Oh... tired. So tired lately that I haven't felt like updating you on their weights - 19.8 and 19.9.

What else is new? Keira has two top teeth! It is a bloody, painful nightmare apparently. Poor babies. Being wee is so hard!

I'll update all y'all more later. I'm just too tired.
A mother of multiples one told me (as I was about to give birth) that I would experience a tired like I had never felt before. Bone crushing tired. The first few months were rough, but this is the kind of tired that goes with the drudgery of the nightly routine, lack of sleep or free time and a lingering holiday with relatives looming on the horizon. This is the kind of tired that comes with long work weeks with new bosses. This is the kind of tired that you count the moments until the kids go to bed, so you can just lay on the couch but instead you decide to update your blog because you're so tired you're too stupid to eat and take care of yourself.
Bone. Crushing. Tired.