Beachy Babes

So we're here in Sea Isle, and Charlotte and Gavin LOVED the beach. I was a little worried, because I've known plenty of babies who have freaked out the moment their bodies touched the sand. Not a problem here. The moment we got there, Charlotte plopped down and started dumping sand on her legs, and Gavin ran straight for the water. I never actually got to sit down, but it's still a zillion times better than last year when I was marathon-nursing and only managed 2 hours on the beach the whole week. No complaints here.

Oh, hi.

Let's catch up.

I know, I know, I haven't been the best penpal lately. I've been trying to post, I really have. It's just that my brain is mush because of all the homework and lesson planning I've been doing. I have nothing intelligent to say, unless you want to hear about the presidential candidates' educational platform or Brown v. Board of Education. No? I didn't think so.

Things are hectic on the home front. The twins are more mobile than ever, and learning something new everyday. "Ring Around The Rosie" is our latest obsession.

We've been spending some time in my Mom's pool which, surprisingly, the twins don't love. They like to sit on the rafts and float around, but won't tolerate being in the water for very long. Interesting, since they love splashing in the tub.

Michael and I went out to dinner alone tonight to celebrate our 6th anniversary. It's the first time we've been out to dinner alone since January. We hardly knew what to do with ourselves, and we were back home within an hour and a half. We'll work on that.

Biting Off WAY More Than I Can Chew

I'm not sure what I have gotten myself into these days, but I'm certain that my blood pressure has been rising steadily over the past few weeks. (Probably not good for a pregnant lady...)

In just about a month and a half, I am returning to my full-time job. I will be about 6 months pregnant, mind you, but I am still returning, because that was my plan, darn it, and I'm sticking to it! (Hello, Type A!) Many of you know that teaching is not a 9-5 gig. My work is about 45 minutes away, so I have to leave my house at 7 am to get there on time. That means I will somehow have to get myself, Charlotte, Gavin, and eventually a new baby ready all before 7 am. (Deep breaths, Amy.) If I even begin thinking about all of the lesson planning, grading, conferencing, and collaborating that I am going to have to do, I will need a paper bag to breathe into. I will be lucky if I see the twins for a couple of hours a day. I wish I didn't have such a crazy commute.

I've also begun taking a graduate course. At this point you are probably thinking that I have lost my marbles, so let me get you up to speed here. When the twins were born, I was just about 14 weeks short of obtaining my Masters in Reading/Reading Specialist Certification. Receiving this Masters will not only move me up the pay scale, but also open some doors for me career-wise. I have three courses left to graduate. I am taking one course right now, over the summer. The final two are thesis writing courses, and I have to take them during the fall semester. Which means I will have to write some sort of thesis. When I am very pregnant. And working full-time. And missing my twin toddlers at home. (Deep breaths, Amy.) With Michael's encouragement, I decided that if I didn't finish the degree now, I would never finish it. So I am muddling through just to get it done.

If that isn't enough, I am getting ready to teach a 2-week Reading and Writing course to first and second graders. I agreed to this before I knew I was pregnant, and before I started taking a grad class. And I'm not a quitter, so I start next week. So now I am busy writing lesson plans on top of all the homework I'm doing for my grad class. (Deep breaths, Amy.)

We are so getting a cleaning lady when I return to work in September.

Strollers

So, now that I'm going to be the mother of three kids under the age of two, am I going to need a triple stroller? Because I really, really don't want one. Baby #3 is scheduled to arrive in December, so I know I won't be taking a lot of walks outdoors until the baby is, say, four or five months old. Is it reasonable to assume that I can push the twins in their double stroller and just strap the baby in the Baby Bjorn?
Also, let's be honest; I think my days of venturing to Target with the children by myself are numbered, at least until they are a little older. So if there's someone else going with me, we can have the twins in the double and Baby #3 in a single. No?

Timing

Here is a link to an interesting CNN article my mom sent me about vaccines. The timing is perfect since I just posted about it!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/06/19/ep.vaccines/index.html

Vaccines

Anyone feel like weighing in on the whole vaccine debate? Or is that just opening a can of worms?

I'll tell you where I stand: I am vaccinating my kids. But that's not to say I'm not keeping myself informed about the issue. I love my pediatricians, and I trust them completely, but they are definitely of the "vaccines aren't proven to cause autism or anything else" variety. That may be true, but they also haven't been entirely ruled out either.

After doing a ton of reading about it over the last year, here's what I'm thinking. I don't want any vaccines with thimerisol in them. Most vaccines are thimerisol-free, but from what I understand, the flu shot still contains it. (And all four of us had that shot last year...this year I'm going to ask for Flu Mist, which is thimerisol-free.) Also, if I can stand my ground in the face of an annoyed pediatrician, I'm only going to allow the babies one vaccine per month. They have a 15-month check-up on Friday, so I think I'm going to call the office to see what's on the agenda for them. If there's more than one, I'm going to ask that they only receive one. I've asked Michael and my mom to back me up on this one (my mom because she is the one that goes to the twins' appointments with me) even though I don't think they feel nearly as strongly as I do about the situation. I tend to back down when I feel embarrassed or outnumbered, so I really want to stand my ground if the pediatrician tells me I'm being ridiculous. (She might be totally onboard with it -- who knows!)

Further complicating the matter is the fact that my father and sister are both highly-respected and brilliant physicians. Clearly they know more than I about these matters, so their opinion and expertise means a great deal to me. I have no idea where they stand on vaccines--we've never really discussed it --but sometimes when I question Western medicine, I feel like I'm questioning them directly. Almost like if they had issues with public education, I would feel like I had to answer to it. Does that make sense?

It's Mardi Gras Every Day!

Gavin insists on wearing these ridiculous beads around the house. It's cute, yes. But he often trips on them, or Charlotte tries to pull them off of his neck while he's wearing them, and I worry that the necklace might break and he'll end up swallowing a bead. But he just looks so darn sweet.