False Alarm

...or false relief. It's still here. The morning sickness, that is. Although I really shouldn't call it morning sickness because it's all day sickness. All day sickness that intensifies and is worse at night. So, I guess I should be thankful that I had a day off. Maybe my body is moving in that direction, anyway. Here's hoping.

I did, however, buy a new lens, a bag and memory card for my camera. So, I guess that outweighs the return of my evening sickness and all in all, it was a good day.

Is it over??

Is it over? Is it over? Just like that? A flick of a switch?

I woke up this morning and to my amazement?? I felt good. Maybe not pre-pregnancy good, but really good. I wasn't still exhausted, even though I had slept 9 hours. And, I wasn't sick. Wow. So, I spent the day waiting for it to hit. And.... I'm happy to report that I'm still waiting.

I cleaned the house (at least somewhat). Made french toast (the good kind with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla). Did the dishes. Dressed the kids. Made lunch. We went outside and I shoveled (yes shoveled) the driveway and the walks. Wow. Put the kids down for a nap and I will admit that I took one too. But, after the shoveling, I needed it, I guess.

Got us up from our naps, made jambalaya for dinner and after? I made oatmeal chocolate chip (w/ peanut butter) cookies. I told Gene it was a treat for the kids but in all honesty, while it was indeed a treat for them, it was for me as well and I was craving them.

Speaking of cravings, I don't really remember having any with the twins. This time, however, I've been suffering from one steady craving. Tomato and swiss sandwiches. They came about as an accident one day as I was trying to make a tuna sandwich and while in the middle of preparing, I discovered that Gene had finished off the tuna salad. So, I ate the sandwich minus the tuna - which turned out to be swiss, mayo, and lots of tomatoes on wheat bread. It was heavenly. Ever since then, I've been known to have a couple in one day. I'll eat them at night, in the morning, anytime. And, I pile the tomatoes so high I can barely bite into the sandwich. I guess I should be thankful this is my one steady craving. It could have been chocolate milkshakes.

Thoughts of Baby

I think it's really starting to sink in. Now that the initial shock is over, the idea that I'm having a baby is finally real and I'm now feeling myself switching into high gear organization mode. You'd think with having twins I would be all set, but things like a single stroller are a must have item. Guess I can sell the two doubles that I have now.

My to do lists and to buy lists are starting to, at least mentally, be created. Thoughts of the design of the nursery, paint colors and bedding are popping into my head. Names? Haven't even started thinking about names and honestly, I don't want to. I think picking names is the hardest part of it all and I'm not looking forward to it. Everything else? Thankfully, with already having a boy and a girl, and having two of most everything, I *should* have most of what I need.

I'm nearing the end of the first trimester and I think that I'm starting to feel a bit better. I seem to be less tired and a little less sick... although that could just be wishful thinking. I go next Friday for an ultrasound. It's part of the list of tests that they recommend I have now that I'm the ripe old age of 35 and considered to be "advanced maternal age". Yippee. To be honest, I would have skipped the test but I really enjoy having ultrasounds and the more times I can see my baby and know that all is ok, the happier I am. So, of course, I agreed.

Given that I'll only be 12 weeks at the time of the ultrasound, any gender predictions will not be guaranteed. But, it still will be nice to take a peek. I'm convinced that I'm having a girl and can't wait to know for sure. Given that I have a boy and girl now, however, I have no preference.

I finally got around to creating a page last night. I'm vowing to do this baby's book as it comes so that I'm not overwhelmed with a huge project after the fact. Which could be why the twins books are not completed yet, and they're going to be four in two months. Oops! Here's the first page:



We had an ultrasound done Christmas Eve day and this was it. I was only six weeks and three days at the time which is why you can barely make out the little blur that is a baby. But, we saw the heartbeat, which was the best Christmas present we could have been given. Now I'm just looking forward to next week's scan and the reassurance that all is going well.

New Beginnings....

New Beginnings, originally uploaded by G.M.B.

and big changes. The last few months seem to be full of them. A new year. A new President. A new (surprise) baby on the way. And the latest, soon to be newly unemployed.

I found out Friday that I will be losing my job. The earliest will be April and the latest will probably be July. I've been offered a full time position to stay on with the company but with a new baby on the way, and the twins still over a year out from starting school, I just can't do it. Thankfully, Gene supports the decision 100%.

So, I turned down the full time job. Life would just be too incredibly crazy with me working a full time job. I know many Moms do it, but I don't want to be one of them. My part time job has been wonderful and it's been a great way to keep one foot in the professional world but also allow myself time with my kids. It was a good balance. We didn't decide to have children so that they could spend 9+ hours a day in daycare everyday and basically be raised by someone else. So, I'm not signing up for that now, just because I'm scared to lose my job.

For kicks, I decided to calculate what we would pay for daycare for 3 kiddos. It's staggering. How about $500 per week? And for what? For the craziness that comes along with two parents working full time? The stressful mornings of trying to get everyone out the door by 7:15? The stressful evenings of trying to get dinner, baths and everyone to bed by 8 pm just so we can do it all over again the next morning? No thanks. Not me and not my kids.

So, we've got a few months to get our new bare bones budget in place so that we can survive the next year or two on one income. I've decided that I'm not even going to look for another job until the twins start kindergarten. And even then, it will need to be part time. I do plan to someday go back full time. But, it won't be until all of our kids are in school and a bit older. The way I look at it, people are working well into their 60's and I've got plenty of time for my career. My babes are only with us for a short time and I want to make the most of that time for me and for them.

Here's to a exciting 2009!

I Took the Plunge

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

I finally bought my Canon XSi today!! Was doing my daily internet browsing over my lunch break and saw a deal I couldn't pass up. Every single day for the last three months I've scanned the internet for prices for this camera. Missed some really good deals, hoping for better ones to come along. Better deals that never did come along. So today, I saw a deal, not the best deal, but a very, very good deal.

I'm happy with my good deal and over the moon about this new camera! It should be here next week and I'm counting down the days!