I’m posting a picture of my preemies (home together for the first time after six and seven weeks in the NICU in 2004) for the March of Dimes and Prematurity Awareness Day. November is also Prematurity Awareness Month. I have so many reasons to be grateful my baby girls are alive and healthy — March of Dimes is one of them.
We just finished reading Two Snowflakes by Jennifer Miller, who blogs at TwinHappy. She also does #TwinTuesday on Twitter as @TwinHappyJen.
I won the book in a giveaway. It’s a sweet story about two identical snowflakes who find two identical girls. My daughters aren’t identical twins, but we always love a good story about twins. Thanks, Jen!
When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly Me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five,
I was just alive.
But now I am Six, I’m as clever as clever.
So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever.
~ A. A. Milne
Both of my daughters were excited for their birthday today, but one was especially thrilled.
“I can’t wait for my birthday!” she squealed with glee last night as we tucked her in bed.
Sure enough. She came to our room at 2 a.m., 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. to ask, “Is it my birthday yet?”
Then, at just after 6 a.m., she came running to say, “It’s the 29th! It’s my birthday!”
So … happy birthday, Sweetie. Happy birthday to your lovely sister too.
It’s official. My daughters are ready for Kindergarten. I attended an “exiting special education services” conference last month. After almost six years of therapies and special education, this is a huge milestone. They don’t just meet the minimum requirements. They exceed them.
I don’t spend a lot of time going back over everything we’ve been through with preemie twins. I wrote a lot when they were in the NICU. I’ve tried a few times to read it, but I can’t. It was a scary, scary time, and I still can’t relive it. I do have to look back right now, though, to appreciate just how incredibly far they have come.
This is where they started: 2 pounds, 12 ounces each, born at 29 weeks, way before their July due date.
And this is where they are now, trying on their first dancing costumes.
This week, they turn 6. This fall, they start Kindergarten. After that, they’ll take over the world.
Seriously, what else is one supposed to eat for breakfast in December?
I need a Wii Fit to work off the sugar cookies and chocolate stars come the New Year. What do you think, Loser Moms?
How do I get inspired to work out? Here’s the deal.
When I had three babies in diapers and my doctor asked me if I exercised, I gave him a dark look and a sarcastic chuckle. (Maybe it was more of a crazy cackle.) Do I exercise? Well, I live in a two-story house, and I carry two babies (at one time) up and down the stairs umpteen times a day and a toddler umpteen more. I bounce one baby in the bouncy seat with a foot while breastfeeding the other baby and reading a book to the toddler. And the diapers? Yeah. I change at least 20 a day, give or take. Do I exercise.
Hmph.
My babies aren’t babies anymore, and I’m not carrying them everywhere or changing diapers. But work out?
Who says I don’t work out every day?
Know how much of a workout it is to get them dressed like this, out the door, in the car and off to school in 10 minutes flat?
Or how much of a workout it is to trudge through the snowdrifts to gather wood for the fireplace?
Or to chase after a 50-pound puppy whose reaction to, “Come!” is this look?
Or just to keep from freezing in general?
Oh, wait. You want to know what inspires me to work out … just for me?
Blink, blink.
You can do that? … Really?
To quote George Bailey: I want a Wii. [sob] I want a Wii!
[Cue snowflakes and Zuzu's petals.]
Yes, I do. Now I’m blogging at You’ve Got Your Hands Full.
9/2011
