Happy First Thanksgiving

The girls survived their first Thanksgiving today. It went incredibly well. We dressed them in their adorable Pooh dresses that we had gotten for a family picture and then headed to grandma's house with Daddy at the wheel. They sat and watched us eat dinner and then (finally) got to have their special meal of Sweet Potatoes and Turkey baby food. They gobbled it down. Grandma and I took the girls for a walk in the Big Girl stroller (DuoGlider) that Grandma has at her house. Once we were back from our walk I made the big decision to switch the girls from their SnugRide Infant Seats to their big girl Triumph Advance Convertible carseats. It was quite the milestone to make that decision since there are two of them and one of me and I am the one that will be with them a majority of the time. I can't afford to get injured though from attempting to carry both of them plus the infant seats.

Sssh!

As the girls are getting older they are starting to realize that the world is a really fun place and that when they are sleeping they can't participate in it. This has resulted in some new sleep patterns that are throwing Lee and I for a loop. I think I need to re check out the sleep book that I had attempted to read while I was pregnant (for the record I didn't get to read much of it). Hopefully it has some new (to me) methods that I can use to get through this "bump" in the parenting road.

For the record, as I type this, I have just had a very sleepy Anna snuglied to me and just was able to get her into the crib asleep after standing and rocking with her while I was reading my emails (multitasking at it's best). I think part of her problem with going to sleep tonight was that she has two teeny tiny little bumps in her mouth where she will have teeth soon enough. Also for the record, Lily fought us on sleep tonight too but she went into her crib much easier than Anna. Oh and I think I forgot to tell everyone... we now have found a way to set up the second crib in the living room so each girl has her own space to sleep in. I'm getting somewhat hopeful that soon enough we'll be able to give them a bedroom to share when we eventually move.

I need a Rewind Button

Ugh... I wish I had known a few things before this mommy gig started... I so am wishing for a rewind button these days. Needless to say it's been rough here lately since BOTH girls have had their first colds (they share so well). Also with the economy being the way it is at the moment, I so wish that I had possibly tried to Nurse the girls. It's the weirdest feeling at times since I am so not a breastfeeding type person at all, yet those maternal instincts kick in (after the milk has totally dried up and is gone) and it feels so natural to want that closeness. Ok maybe it's that it would be the quickest and simpliest way to quiet the children when I don't want to prep or heat another bottle first thing in the morning or there is a baby screaming at me because I miscalculated the time since the last bottle and they are HUNGRY. I might have even enjoyed the experience.



I also really miss the Cheryl that was able to work (or even have a job) without having to hope that the stars align just right to get daycare figured out. Everyone keeps telling me that it gets better over time and that things will work out for us. That I'll find a job, that we'll eventually find a bigger place or be able to afford a house, that the economy will get better. I'm so tired all the time and feeling resentful of so many things and it's just not fair to the girls that their mom feels like a failure at times. It's not fair to Lee that I yell and get so emotional so easily lately which is not good for either of us or our relationship with each other. I wish that I'd planned better. Had something lined up for daycare somewhere and worked harder on the job thing and the place to live thing while I was still Pregnant. Instead I'm feeling overwhelmed and stressed and I don't think that mixes well when I'm feeling depressed.



I guess I need to just keep plugging away (like Charlie Brown does) and live in the moment and just keep trying to survive one day, one hour or even one minute at a time.

Here Comes the Sun

sorry for the Beatles reference but I'm feeling so great today..

I feel like I am finally coming out on the other side of my funk from all the PPD stuff that I went through. Today finally feels like the first day that everything went ok and clicked for me since sometime way back in May. I realized this while feeding the girls their dinner tonight and thought back on my day and how I actually got through the day without any tears or anxiety.

Today was the Annual Harvest Fair at our church and I went and worked it while Lee had the girls at home. I feel like I got a ton of things accomplished and had a purpose today. Near the end of the fair I went home and got Lee and girls since today was also the day that Olan Mills would be at our church for Church Directory photos and our appt was for after the fair was over. The photo shoot went well. I think we overspent for prints but included in the package that we got is a small proof size print of all the poses that they took so i can make my own additional prints from them (we asked about this option).

On our way out we noticed that they were taking quite a few of the Attic Table / White Elephant items out to the curb to be FREE Items and I spied an exersaucer out there and ran to grab it (I've been looking for one for about a month now). We also came away with a baby toy (folding pre-walker toy), a rubber ducky, a backgammon set and a small chalkboard that we can possibly hang on the wall here for writing down the grocery list as we need items. Once home and our treasures were inside, I was inspired to clean more in our bedroom and I was able to find homes for a few things that had somehow taken up residence on my side of the room. The best thing about today though.... the babies fell asleep for the night before 8pm and I was able to make a nice dinner for Lee and myself without the stress of having to take care of 2 crying babies as I attempt to cook.

Now I am realistic enough to know that everyday is not going to be this great and that there is always the possibility of many many rocky days ahead of me but for today.. it's enough to know that I am able to have a really good day and that I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face from a sunshine day (even when the weather is cold and gray outside).

Happy Halloween from the Ringen Girls

Winnie the Pooh (Lily) and Tigger the Tiger (Anna) had a nice First Halloween. Four parties in 3 days tired out this new momma so on Halloween Day they wore Halloween sleep and play outfits instead of their costumes..