The Merrick Twins: October 2013

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

3 months old

Jack on left

Ben on left...football Saturday!!!

3 months old - photo shoot. Jack as Mike W.

And...photo shoot over

Mommy ran 3 miles (without any walking) for the first time in a year!!! Jack on left

All dressed up...nowhere to go:). Jack on left

Ben on left...some typical hands to your brother's face "accidentally". They appear to not mind being repeatedly hit in the face by one another...well...at least not yet:)

So Mike survived the race and the boys and I had a decent weekend. I am glad we made the trip...mostly to get me used to traveling with infants. We brought a lot of stuff...but nothing we did not use and nothing too frivolous. In fact, Ben had his longest sleep to date the first night in the hotel...he slept from 8:30pm until 4:45am. Jack was up at 12 and 3, and I took the overnight feelings so Mike could get done pre-race rest. I think I woke Mike up around 5:30...Ben slept so well he was not interested in going back to sleep. And as with most first nights in a new place, I did not fall asleep easily, nor could I fall back asleep after waking to feed the babies. Nothing a few cups of coffee can't fix...

Upon checking in to our hotel, Mike walked to a nearby grocery store to pick up some bottled water (the tap water tasted like the ocean...probably not good for formula mixing or pre-race hydration). After buying 4 gallons of water, 4 vitamin waters, salad and salad dressing, and some ice cream, Mike remembered he had to carry it all about 5 blocks:). Not only that, but the vitamin water bag broke mid intersection on the way back. Mike and the vitamin water all safely returned to the hotel:)

The boys' Godmothers came and helped me with baby duty during the race. We missed seeing Mike and his brother run by, but we did make it out to cheer for some strangers:)

All bundled up to spectate at the army 10 Miler

Jack with the pumpkin hat

Frankenstein-Ben. Aka frankenben

Jack the Jack o'Lantern

Finishers!!

Okay..so we took some pictures...

Out to lunch...Noodles and Co = Yum!!

High rise hotel baby:)

Look...a Vitamin Water:)

Fun with iPhone filters makes it look like Jack has black eyes...freaky:)

Mommy and Ben

Hotel couches are gross...we brought an old duvet cover to cover the couch...like I said nothing frivolous:)

Just about all packed up and ready to leave! Daddy and Jack

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Trying to recreate the perfect day

Yeah, so recreating the perfect day is impossible, but I should have known better. Things are still going well, but the less good days make you appreciate the great days more, right?!?

We live in a new housing development, so there is a lot of construction going on. It usually takes me at least 30 minutes to get both boys to settle down simultaneously for a nap. After a rough hour long period where they were both exhausted, but fighting sleep for some strange reason, I finally get them to sleep. Hoping to at least get dressed, brush my teeth, drink some coffee, and maybe even eat some breakfast, I sprint downstairs to start a pot of coffee. I hear the loudest noise ever and look outside. I was unaware that a line of cement trucks had appeared on the street. The first truck in the line stopped right in front of the house and started turning his load. Screams erupt...and both boys are awake...

I even went outside and asked VERY NICELY if they could stop further up the street instead of in front of my house. The guy said sure, but the next truck did the same thing anyway...so much for a little common courtesy...

Anyhow, there is no recreating the perfect day...there are too many factors at play. I still had a decent week. It was my first week by myself during the day all week (except for a short visit from Mommom on Wednesday). Here it is Friday evening and I survived!

Mike is running the Army Ten Miler on Sunday with his brother, so we will be doing our first hotel stay with the boys. Nervous, but excited for that...

Family photo from "cement truck day" aka "no baby wants to sleep" day

Jack

Ben sitting like a big man in the car (we were PARKED)

Jack on the left

Awesome onesies! Gifts from Mikes coworker

Gifts from my Aunt Linda

Jack learning to hold his first ball

Ben in the bouncy standby thingy

The only good nap they had was in the stroller while I ran today. I walked around for an extra 30 minutes because they were sleeping so well. My stopping to take this picture woke them up...

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Doing ok...

Knock on wood, I feel like super mom today. Tomorrow, things will probably go crap-tastically. I think that is the way it goes with multiple babies. If things are in sync, it is great. If things are out of whack, it is HORRIBLE. So, more days like today please:)

I managed to get both boys sleeping at the same time so I could take a shower that actually included washing my hair (yes, there's this thing called 'the rinse' which is a quick shower without hair washing...Crider might have dubbed it thusly). Anyway, I also made a casserole for dinner, emptied and loaded the dishwasher, went to the park and pushed the boys on a "run," did two loads of laundry, and had a glass of wine while the boys slept soundly in the evening.

Yay, me:)