Happy July 4th!!!

Or as I'm fond of quoting since 2005 when I spent July 4th in Zimbabwe, "Congratulations on your day of independence." (Which is what I was told by one of the students I was working with over there.) We had a really low key 4th around here. Marcus, bless him took the babies this morning and I slept in until 11. I don't know what's wrong with me but I've been really exhausted lately.

We stayed around home until 5 when we left to over to my moms house. That's pretty much of the extent of it. We don't usually do a whole lot on the 4th but it was nice just to have a day of nothing.

It's so impossible to get a picture of these two together these days. I too so many pictures and ultimately it worked best for Marcus and I to hold their hands so they would stay still. 

Always trying to escape.

We did watch a few fireworks tonight as well. Emerson was so cute. She just kept staring at the sky and smiling at as they went off. Eli didn't really seem to care one way or another about them. 

I have a job!!! (And other things...)

This has been one of the longest weeks I've had in a long time. Marcus went out of town on Tuesday and Wednesday for a training and for the first time I was left alone with the babies at night. I feel like such a loser mom for saying this but I was really nervous about handling them all day and then also dealing with bedtime and then the actual night. Luckily my in-laws came home from work and played with the babies for a little bit so I had somewhat of a break (I told you I'm a loser mom), but staying home with them 24/7 is really really hard for me.

Emerson is so whiney and needy. She wants to be held ALL the time and it's really wearing. Eli is usually content to play but he gets into everything and for some reason both of my children think the word No is the funniest thing in the world. (We're working on this).

Eli has also decided that he would like to spend all of his time outdoors. Which is fine to some degree. Yesterday we all went outside for several hours and they're both content outside. However, Eli is an explorer and gets into dirt and his personal favorite climbing up my in-laws rocks. Owww....

I would get him, bring him back to the grass, he would throw a fit and immediately head back over. At one point he was sitting on the grass next to the rocks and pulling as many rocks as he could out. Then when he collected about 20 he sat down proudly in the midst of his new collection. He was so mad at me when I put them all back.

Eli and Emerson have also started playing together which is just adorable and I have to say is one of the rewards to having twins. Lately I'll suddenly just hear them both start laughing and I'll peak around the corner to look and they're just sitting their laughing at seemingly nothing. Another favorite game of theirs is to throw a ball and then they both crawl after it laughing hysterically. 

Emerson is getting better and better at watching me do something and then trying it herself. The other day I was feeding Eli purees from a spoon. Emerson watched and then took her spoon and also began to feed Eli (who was in the high chair next to her). Eli didn't mind and happily alternated spoons. 

She's looking so much older to me these days. So all this to say that I survived two days without Marcus he passed his certification and the job hunt for him continues.

Now onto the most exciting news for me. I have a job!!!! The job is perfect and is more than I ever could have hoped for. Marcus and I knew we wanted to stay in the western/midwestern part of the country but we never dreamed that staying in the same state was possible. Then last thursday I was told about a new job opening in a city just 178 miles from our hometown. I applied on Friday, they contacted me on Saturday, I went for my interview on Thursday and they offered me the job on the spot! I'm so incredibly relieved and excited. 

I was feeling really depressed about my prospects and not getting the job I interviewed for a couple of weeks ago, and then suddenly something even better appeared. I start August 1st so we're now in the process of finding housing and Marcus is still searching. But I am employed and I think this job is going to be a perfect match and setting for me!!! 

Minnesota Adventures (Part I)...

I'm perpetually behind on blog posts (I still haven't blogged any pictures from Marcus' graduation and that was  month ago). So I decided I better quickly do a Minnesota post to try and stay on top of things. I didn't take very many of the wedding mostly because I was trying to deal with the babies the entire time.

Here's my Cousin Kathryn and her new husband Nick

My aunt and Uncle (who are also my godparents) and my cousin

My Grandparents with all of their great grandchildren. Eli and Emerson were not very pleased with this idea. (Only my sisters baby is missing). 

My grandparents. Papa & Mama Mou and we call them

Then on Sunday we went to the horse races. This was my first experience with any of that and my betting strategy was pretty awesome. It consisted of me going to the window and just putting money down on random horses. We won $60 that way.

Me with Eli & Emerson waiting for the horses

The family in front of the track

Some horses

Then Eli rode on his own racehorse and really seemed to like it...

Emerson was less thrilled at the prospect so Eli finished the rest of her turn.

And us by a random fake horse.

So that's a quick picture summary of our first few days in Minnesota. More to come later because it takes forever to upload pictures at my MIL's house. 

Quirky things about my kids (Part II)...

Part I is here. Since the last one was about Eli this one is about my silly little Emerson. Lately she's developed quite the personality and so much of it cracks us up and amazes us.

1.) She carries things around like a dog by putting them in her mouth and just keeping them there. It's actually pretty genius she gets to carry things around and still have her hands free. The funny thing is she does it with everything. It doesn't matter what it is. Every time we look at her she has another thing hanging out of her mouth.

2.) She's discovered eyelashes. She will quietly sit and just feel her lashes. She also does this with mine while I'm feeding her, and today she did it to Eli's while he was laying on the floor (and he really didn't seem to mind). It's adorable to watch her tiny little fingers delicately touch the eye lashes. She seems utterly intrigued by their presence. 

3.) She sings when my MIL's clock chimes. Lately she has started humming sweet little melodies. I had no idea babies did that but it's among the sweetest things I have ever heard. When the clock chimes she always seems to start.

Now if she would only get over her separation anxiety and allow me to leave her sight without having a total meltdown we would be in business. (Oh, and sleeping through the night and napping would be nice too). 

Can you guess what we spent our day doing...

This.

We dropped the babies off with my mom and went to a local coffee shop to apply for jobs. Fun times, fun times. I can't get over how time consuming the process is. Hopefully we both find something soon so we can get out of here. It's not that I dislike my hometown I have just grown accustom to living in larger communities. Today for example Marcus and I wanted to go somewhere with wifi to work on our applications, easy right? We thought maybe the library would be the logical place... yeah no wifi. 

There were decidedly few places to go to do any kind of work. Two local coffee shops or two of our casinos. Awesome just where I want to work in a smoke filled casino. We need a good local bookstore or a library who can get with the program a little bit. Exasperated I looked at Marcus and asked, "Where do people go to do work around here?" Which is just a sign that I've been a student for the last 7 years and my "work" has involved a constant connection to books, my laptop, and the internet. 

The babies seem to be feeling a little better today. For the first time in about a week they both seem to be holding down their formula and we made it through the day without any throwing up. (Thank the lord). Emerson had a huge attitude with my mom today. She usually has some separation anxiety but once we leave she's usually fine within a few minutes. Not today, today for my mom she screamed at the top of her lungs for 3 hours. Then as soon as we arrived to pick her up she stopped and smiled at my mom. Any one have any great suggestions on how to fix that battle? She's so stubborn and has the longest attention span. One would think a baby would get tired and just calm down, but not Emerson when she decides she doesn't want to do something that it's there's no changing her mind (This includes things like naps and going to bed at night). It's a constant battle as she fights these things. 

Marcus starts a job here tomorrow which will just be a source of some income while we both continue to search for our "real jobs". 

Happy Father's Day...

We're home (or whatever since we're currently homeless). We're all exhausted and the babies are still sick (Emerson threw up yet again today. Poor baby it's been almost a week). I have a ton more to update but that will wait since today is father's day and I wanted to pay tribute to Marcus who is among the best dads I have ever met/seen. 

I honestly could not have survived this last year without him. As he picked up the pieces and the slack when I physically and mentally just couldn't do it. While motherhood does not come easily or naturally to me, Marcus was born to be a father and it is among my biggest joy watching him with our babies. 

Marcus with Eli

Marcus with Emerson

(Photos by Brisham Photography)

Happy Father's Day Marcus the babies and I all love you!

Pukefest 2010 (Possibly TMI) ...

The fun never seems to end with us. On Monday night Emerson threw up, multiples times. In the process I discovered dealing with puking babies is so not my forte, as she threw up all over me and I worked incredibly hard to maintain my own composure. (Luckily Marcus seems not to be bothered by all of this). Not to mention a sick, barfing baby is one of the saddest things ever. Then yesterday Eli got sick too only he threw up millions of times (okay not millions but it sure did seem that way). Neither baby could keep anything down, they wouldn't take water or apple juice or any clear liquids, and so off to urgent care we went. (Have I mentioned we're still in Minnesota). The doctor and the urgent care were great and we were in and out in a matter of about an hour.

We were suppose to fly back this morning but luckily we were able to change our flight (thank you Delta airlines for taking pity on us and waiving the $300 fee). Then to add to the excitement I also got sick last night. All night long and now this morning. The babies seem to be feeling slightly better although poor Eli is still so lethargic and whiney, and now my cousin, aunt, and grandpa all have it too.

Yup, we sure do know how to have fun on a vacation. We're attempting our flight tomorrow and hoping for the best. I have a feeling it could possibly be one of the worst flight experiences of my life. We're also hoping that Marcus doesn't get it.