RECIPE ALERT: NomNom Egg and Bacon Biscuit

bacon
It's not very often that Hershey and I get to eat breakfast together anymore.  He stays up to feed the twins at 12:00 a.m., so he doesn't come to bed until after 1:00 a.m.  With my getting up to feed them at 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., his only real time to get restful sleep is after I take them both out of the room to start our day at 9:00 a.m.  So he usually is in bed until well after 12:30 p.m. (I sleep from 11:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. thanks to him taking the 12:00 shift).  

So when we found ourselves both awake this morning during the 9:00 feeding hour at the zoo, I seized the moment to try out a recipe that I found on Jessica Garvin's website a couple of days ago.  I couldn't find the post again, so I winged it based on what I remembered it looking like, but here's how it breaks down:

NOMNOM EGG AND BACON BISCUIT

You can use any brand, but these are the brands that I chose.
 I started with these homestyle Grands Buttermilk biscuits by Pillsbury.  First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Next, I split the biscuits in half so that there was a top and a bottom, and I fitted the bottom pieces into a cupcake tin.  I then cooked one slice of turkey bacon and scrambled one egg for every sandwich I was making (there's only 2 of us, so I only made 6 sandwiches, saving the last two uncooked biscuits in a ziploc bag in the fridge so that I can make them with our next dinner).

Once the eggs were scrambled and the bacon was done, I scooped spoonfuls of the eggs into the bottom parts of the biscuits, chopped up the bacon and put that on top, and then topped that with cheese (3 with shredded sharp cheddar, 3 with white American slices).  I then put the tops of the biscuits back on and put the cupcake tin into the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.



Once the sandwiches were done (I checked by poking the top bun with my finger and looking at the color, very technical, I know), I let them sit for about 5 minutes to cool and then I used a butter knife to cut around the edges, and the sandwiches easily popped out of the tin in one chunk.



We then enjoyed breakfast together(ish).  Hershey was able to finish 3 of these puppies in one sitting, while I one-handed two of them while giving Jane her bottle.  We didn't exactly time it quite right, because I took a 20 minute long shower once we put the girls down for their morning nap since I didn't shower yesterday at all (I know, EW).  So our feeding ran into theirs.  But it was still delicious and worth it!




This was one of the easiest and most delicious breakfasts I've made in a long time.  It took me maybe 20 minutes all together (30 if you count clean-up time).  I even saved one for tomorrow morning!

To make the day even better, we got SMILES from our favorite girls!

Giggles from Emma

Left-of-center laughs from Jane
Hope this helps you get your Monday off to a better start!  Happy twinning!

How did I explode the toilet?

babies
At 6:00 this morning, I woke up, picked up Emma, and made my way groggily out of the bedroom for her 6:00 feeding.  I had to pee, so I plunked the baby down in her crib and made my way to our hallway bathroom with my eyes half open.

Two months ago, our landlord sold the house we live in.  Before that, he "fixed" several things in our apartment, the hallway bathroom toilet being one of them.  Every third flush, the toilet runs for hours on end if you don't jiggle the handle or open the top and reach in to unkink the chain.  The landlord assured us three times that it was fixed.  He even had a "plumber" come in to look at it (I say "plumber" because it was his "buddy" so you know how THAT goes).

As I flushed the toilet at 6:00 this morning, I heard Emma screaming bloody murder in her crib.  I went in, picked her up, changed her diaper, and carried her out into the hallway, where I could hear that the toilet was steadily still running.  I muttered a myriad of curse words that I would wash my daughters' mouths out for saying under my breath, and headed into the bathroom to check out the situation, with Emma in a football hold under my right arm.  I lifted the top of the tank and reached in, balancing the tank top on my arm.  As I jiggled the chain, the tank top slipped off of my arm, fell into the toilet tank and CRASHED through the bottom of the tank, where water immediately started pouring out at 29382 mph.

I ran into the bedroom, screaming, "HONEY HELP I DROPPED THE TOILET!"  My poor hubby, who had just fallen asleep at 4 a.m. after a harrowing night with the twins, threw the covers back and came running into the hallway, where the water was slowly filling up the bathroom floor and creeping out into the hallway carpet.  Luckily, the hubs is exceptionally good in a crises, and he reached down behind the tank and shut the water off.  As he stood up to look at me through bleary eyes, the smoke alarm started going bonkers.

He reached up and pushed the button on the alarm, but nothing happened.  He held it down for several seconds, and the alarm blared louder.

"Take it down and take the batteries out!" I yelled over the beeping.

He unscrewed the alarm and, to our dismay, we realized that it was hard-wired to the ceiling.  It started to die down, but not after Hershey threatened to rip the whole thing out of the ceiling.  We stood looking at each other in the hallway, Emma sleeping peacefully in the crook of my right arm through all of this excitement.

After another screaming alarm, we finally found the breaker and cut the power to the alarm.  I fed Emma, and Hershey came into the nursery 10 minutes later with an inconsolable Jane.  We sat together on the couch as a family until 7:15 a.m., when we decided that we were too exhausted to worry about sleeping in an apartment without a smoke detector, carried the babes into the bedroom, put them to sleep, and went back to bed ourselves.

At 8:40 a.m., Emma, deciding that NOW would be a good time to wake up, started crying like a little lost lamb.  I swept her out of our room, trying to give Hershey some precious sleep time.  Of course, when I walked back in at 9:45 to pick up Jane, my poor hubs was wide awake with Jane cradled in his arms in the "big girl bed".  I carried her out, promising Hershey at least 2 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Here is my point:

I have an amazing husband.  He has put up with my quirks, insecurities, psychotic episodes, and OCD and has never complained.  He has supported me and been my backbone through some of the happiest and saddest moments in my life.  Together we have built this amazing, shocking, hilarious life that I wouldn't trade for the world.


It is so important to look at your significant other once your duo becomes a trio (or more) when the babe has gone to sleep and thank him for being there.  It is so important to remember to connect as husband and wife in order to maintain your partnership, because that's what your little ones need the most!  Say thank you, go on "dates", eat dinner together.  Give each other breaks, take time to do something for yourself to keep your own sanity in check.  I remember how scared I was that it wouldn't be "Hershey and me" anymore once the babies arrived, and that tiny little voice in my head is what keeps me coming back to him.



Is it going to be easy every day?  Absolutely not.  Will you hate each other sometimes, disagree, argue, forget to say "I love you" some days?  Absolutely.  Exhaustion does crazy things to people, and you are trying to adapt to a completely different identity.  You went from girlfriend, to wife, to mom -- those are all huge leaps to make within yourself.  Find ways to find your way back to each other despite how difficult raising a family can be.  LAUGH.  And ALWAYS act as a team.  Even if you don't agree, agree to disagree and present a united front, because at the end of the day, that's all you have.  Remember, for as much as you have sacrificed to become a mommy, he has made the ultimate sacrifice:  YOU.  As soon as you found out you were pregnant, he took a backseat to that baby. But it's just as important to pay attention to him, too! 


I'm no expert, but this is what I've observed, and it's how I try to live our life.


And when all else fails, there's always WINE!



Happy twinning!




Because you are now spending so much more time at home...

baby center
...here's something to do with your time.

READ. 

I'm biased because I am an avid reader, but I devoured all things baby-related while I was preggers. Here is a collection of my must-reads, from books, to websites, to blogs, to apps. 

Jenny McCarthy.  Period.  Here are the books she wrote:

  • Belly Laughs.  A practical guide to pregnancy told with a biting humor that you don't want to miss.
  • Baby Laughs.  Same as above, with a view on Mommyhood.
  • Life Laughs.  All about Mommyhood and Marriage.
Baby Whisperer.  This book is a lifesaver.  From talking about breastfeeding to her E.A.S.Y. method, Tracy Hogg offers great insight into the first few weeks with baby.  You just have to get past all of the "mum" talk!

What to Expect When You're Expecting. I consider this book a STAPLE.  Track your baby's development throughout your pregnancy with this classic book all about your baby bump.  Watch the movie, too, while you're pregnant.  It's a little cutesy, but you'll definitely find that you can relate!

When You're Expecting Twins.  I took this book out of the library hoping that it would be the twin version of What to Expect (see above).  It was better!  If you're expecting multiples, GET THIS BOOK!  It comes complete with a postpartum diet and exercise regimen to follow to help you shrink that giant baby bump that you proudly carried your little team of love around in for many months.

How to Rock Your Baby.  This book offers a compilation of advice tidbits from experienced mommies, which is my favorite part.  There are anecdotes and bullet points, and you will find advice that your mother would give on everything from what to pack in your hospital bag (I'll be blogging more about this later) to how to burp your baby.

Little Baby Garvin.  This blog was not only my inspiration, but a lifeline for me while I was pregnant, and still is!  Plus she has a great name (Jessica).  She blogs about everything from recipes to adorable pictures of her daughter.  A MUST READ!
  
The Bump.  If you don't know what this website is, then go back under your rock!  The sister site to TheKnot.com, sign up for a free account and watch as your baby meets milestones, find checklists for everything from your baby registry to how to be nice to yourself during pregnancy, and tips on how to keep the romance in your marriage when all you talk about is baby.  You can also create a baby website to share updates with loved ones (here's ours).  There's also a free app!

Baby Center App (My Pregnancy Today).  Use this free app to track your pregnancy day-by-day.  I visited this app daily, and the message boards saved my life (and stole my sleep) many, many times!

What to Expect App.  The companion app to the amazing book and movie, this app will help you to know what to expect, and to find foods that you can and cannot eat, and track the growth of your baby.  Not as personalized as the Baby Center app, but still a good read.

Hope this list helps to keep you busy for a while!  See you again soon!

Happy twinning!

Pregnancy swag, at 27 weeks, for your viewing pleasure. 


Takes a LOT of Stuff to Welcome a New Human Home

baby registry
When I first started to consider what I needed to bring home my twins, I didn't realize what a huge undertaking it would be.  It takes a LOT of stuff to bring home a new human being!  It's nothing like registering for china or linens.

When you register for your wedding, all you have to think about is what YOU and your significant other like.  It's all based on your taste in home goods.  When considering what you need for a baby, you have to do the research.  I mean, pretty much everything you are going to buy in preparation for your little one's homecoming is going to have 9,382 warnings about choking hazards and ways that your baby can die once you purchase this product and begin to build it.  

What I also did not realize is that what you want to register for to bring home ONE baby is DIFFERENT from from you would register for to bring home TWO OR MORE.  And the store clerks don't know.  Their sage advice is "Just register for two of everything."  Sure, and just buy a second house for all of the sh*t that you're now going to be bringing home while you're at it.  

So here is my list of ABSOLUTELY must haves for your baby registry.  I tried to include accommodations for multiples where applicable.  

1.  Onesies, onesies, onesies.  Your newborn will LIVE in these for the first few months, and you will be happy to have just 2-3 snaps to undo for those frequent diaper changes.  If you're having multiples, multiply what the registry guide says is normal for one by however many higher order multiples you are expecting.

2.  Footie pajamas.  If you are expecting multiples, get at least 5 pairs of footie pajamas per baby.  If you deliver prematurely, chances are good that babies are not going to be able to regulate their own body temperature, so the NICU will be asking you for footies to help keep them warm once they take them out of the incubator and introduce them to a crib.  And if you're having a singleton, get yourself 2-3 pairs.  They're great for nighttime sleeping.  Zippers are better, unless you have a baby on a monitor.  Then get jammies with snaps to let the cords out.

3.  Dr. Brown's bottles.  Great for reducing gas.  WARNING.  There are SIX parts per bottle for washing.  SIX.  The biggest pain in the a$$ ever, but so worth every moment you spend assembling and disassembling them.  Which leads me to my next must have.

4.  Dishwasher Basket.  Get a couple of these.  Dr. Brown's bottles are fully dishwasher safe, and you will be thankful for these little baskets after you have washed 457 parts in 2 days.

5.  A swing.  ANY swing.  We went with the ones that matched our nursery bedding, but you can choose whichever one you think is prettiest, or most handsome, or matches your living room.  Just get one.  If you're having multiples, get two.  

6.  Fisher Price Rock N' Play.  If you have a baby with reflux, this will take the place of the beautiful bassinet that has been passed down through generations of you or your hubby's family.  Our babies both have bad reflux, and they sleep in these perfectly.  We had to prop up the bassinets, and the babies would slowly make their ways into the bottoms of the bassinets after a while, and I would find them in a ball in a puddle of puke after 2 hours.  The Rock N' Play keeps them at a 45 degree angle.  It's not a fix, but it certainly helps them to sleep better!

7.  Medela nursing bras.  They were so comfy, and even though my milk dried up weeks ago, I am still wearing these nursing bras at night.

8.  Diapers.  You are probably looking at me thinking, "Seriously?"  YES!  After my shower, where I got a LOT of wonderful gifts, I realized that I had NO diapers.  And when I went into labor 8 weeks early, one of the first calls I made was to my best friend to beg her for newborn diapers.  She ordered some off of Amazon Mom (by the way, sign up for an Amazon Mom account!) and brought me a case to the hospital.

9.  Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets.  These beautiful blankies are made of muslin (a very light and breathable material) and are HUGE.  If you fold them over a few times, they keep babies very warm, and if it's a hot day and you're just looking for a light layer, they are great.  They also double as car seat covers for when you're out in the sun.

10.  Baby Jogger City Select Stroller.  We haven't gotten MUCH use out of ours yet (since we've been in a heat wave), but when we have used it, it has been super easy and lightweight.  It folds down to be easily stored, and you can buy different adapters for all types of seats and seat configurations.  Great for singletons OR twins.  We plopped our Graco car seats right on there, and it was like pushing a feather.  Well worth every penny.

A word about car seats.  All car seats are the same safety-wise.  They all have to pass federal standards for safety in order to be sold, so it's really all about your preference.  When you install your car seat(s), call your local police department to find out who their car seat safety officer is, and if he can inspect your car seat installation.  I learned so much from my safety inspector.  He fastened my seats in beyond anything that my husband or I had done.  My kids are going NO WHERE if we are in an accident.  I also learned that if you purchase those handy back seat mirrors, if you get into an accident and they fly off and hit your baby, it's the equivalent of 60 lbs of pressure hitting your baby in the face.  I returned mine, but it's up to you.  Also, you don't want to buy any snugglers or anything to go in the car seat with the baby, because it could cause your baby to fly out of the seat if you are in an accident, and most hospitals will not let you leave with your baby if you have one of those in the seat with him/her.  So put that extra money towards a nicer bathtub, or for a knee-saver for bath time, or for a nice bottle drying rack!

Hope that this helps!  If anyone is interested, I can break this list down further into top 10 for each category.  Just leave me a comment and I'll be happy to create another post.  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy twinning!

Being Pregnant is For the Birds!

morning sickness
I had a rough pregnancy, to say the least.  I was sick from the beginning.

Me and the twins at 12 weeks

I'm not talking about wake-up-and-throw-up-morning-sickness sick.  I'm talking ALL DAY SICK TO MY STOMACH.  I couldn't even cook a meal because I didn't want to taste test anything for fear of my stomach turning over and knocking me off of my feet.

Here is a list of my TOP 10 MUST HAVES that got me through a very tough 8 months.  Luckily I have a very patient husband who comforted me and told me that I was beautiful and that it was ok to order in 6 times a week (and that he wasn't hungry the one day that I didn't want to order anything at all).



1.  B-Nexa.  My OB-GYN gave me a free sample of this little wonder herbal supplement, and it changed my life. I was nauseous 24/7 until I met B-Nexa.  It was a prescription, so I ordered it through my prescription benefits program and my insurance covered it.

2.  Water.  Water.  Water.

3.  Bagel Bites.  Something about the mixture of salt and carbs made me feel whole again.

4.  Motherhood Maternity Undies.  Because my regular undies stopped fitting at week 11 (hey, I was having TWINS!).

5.  Preggie Pops.  I didn't discover these until towards the end of my pregnancy, but I'm sure glad I did.  When the B-Nexa just wasn't enough, these worked WONDERS, even at 3 a.m.

6.  Pregnancy Boppy (the body pillow AND the wedge pillow).  I used the body pillow at the beginning, until I was too big to fit me, the body pillow AND my husband all in one bed.  Then I used the wedge, which I searched high and low for (finally found it at Babies R Us).  It held my belly up just enough so that I was never squishing a kid, and could sleep comfortably on my side.

7.  Old Navy Maternity clothes.  They always run sales and have coupons, so I was able to really stock up on staples like corduroys and cozy cotton tops without breaking the bank, and the tops and dresses I can still wear!

8.  Lemonade.  Seriously.  It helped the nausea.  I was really nauseous.  Really.

9.  Belly Band.  Once I was about 6 months pregnant, I could no longer hold up my belly and waddle down the hallways of school without some extra support.

10.  Gas-X and Tylenol.  I had frequent headaches throughout my pregnancy, and my pelvis always felt like it had been cracked.  The Tylenol helped these aches and pains tremendously.  As for the Gas-X, well, that's self-explanatory.  I was never a big Tums person, but Gas-X worked wonders (and it helped a lot after my C-Section, too!).

That's my top 10 pregnancy must-haves.  Please let me know if you think I left anything out, or if you have questions about ANY of my other must-haves that didn't make the top 10.

Happy twinning!

Sh*t Just Got Real

announcing a pregnancy
On November 2, 2012, I took a pregnancy test on a whim.  My husband and I had been trying to get pregnant for about a month, and I was pretty sure that our efforts had been in vain.

Hershey (yes, my husband's name is Hershey) was helping his grandfather with a Hurricane Sandy clean up job in Ridgefield Park, and I was home alone.  Our electricity had just been restored, and I ran to the store to pick up some staples.  While I was there, I bought a pregnancy test thinking, 'Can't hurt!'  When I got home, I unwrapped the package and got busy peeing.  I figured that I could go put my groceries away while I waited for the answer.

I was pulling up my pants when I saw it.

Oh sh*t...

Couldn't possibly have registered that fast!  I took it again.  Again, within seconds it was positive.  I started to sweat.

I picked up the phone and dialed Hershey's cell number.  Voicemail.  I dialed again.  Voicemail.

I grabbed my keys and downed another glass of water.  I ran to CVS, my thought process being, 'Maybe those tests are old, since I bought them at an A&P.  I mean, how many people buy pregnancy tests at A&P?  It probably has been sitting on the shelf forever.  They must be dysfunctional.'

While I was at CVS, I purchased a few other items, JUST IN CASE this was the real deal.  I bought a blank gift card, a rattle, and a gift bag, and ANOTHER pregnancy test.  I was now $40 in the hole.  This had better work.

When I got home, I ran to the bathroom, my hands shaking.  I peed again.  And again.  Both positive.  I was now looking at four positive pregnancy tests on my bathroom counter.  I called Hershey again.  Voicemail.

That was the longest five hours of my life.  When Hershey finally called, I urged him to hurry home.  I had been sitting on this news for five hours, and I was going to explode all over my living room soon. 

As soon as Hershey walked through the door, I thrust the gift bag into his hands.  

"What's this?"

"Just because you're a good husband."

"You didn't have to buy me-"

"JUST OPEN IT!"

I watched as a look of confusion crossed his face when he pulled out the rattle.  Then he read the card, and looked at me.  

Telling Hershey...

"Are you serious?"

I was crying.  That was all he needed to see.

We grabbed each other and hugged and kissed, and then he said, "I have to go take a shower."  He was covered in mold and asbestos from his clean up efforts.  I followed him into the bathroom and sat on the toilet, not wanting to be alone for another minute!

I excitedly made the appointment to go to the doctor the following week.  On Monday, November 5, 2012, my OB-GYN confirmed what 4 pregnancy tests had hinted ("Four?  You took four?  Why so many?") -- we had a little bun in the oven...

This was how we told our parents

One week later, during a lockdown drill at school, I felt something warm.  I knew I wasn't peeing myself, so I started to suspect the worst.  25 minutes later, I was on my way to my doctor's office, my mother in the passenger seat.  As the doctor found the sac that the baby was in, I saw a look of confusion cross her face.

DOCTOR:  Do twins run in your family?

ME:  No.

DOCTOR:  In your husband's?

ME:  WTF DO YOU SEE IN THERE???

As she turned the screen towards me, I was unsure of what I was looking at.  

DOCTOR:  Well, you're having TWINS!

The image that changed our life

ME:  HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!??!?!?!?!?!

DOCTOR:  Maybe I'll give you a few minutes to let this sink in.

ME:  WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M HAVING TWINS?  I LIVE IN A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT, WHERE AM I GOING TO PUT TWO BABIES??!!?!

That was the beginning of our journey.  I called Hershey at work to give him the news.  In front of a room full of 8th graders, he almost yelled out a myriad of obscenities.  It took a little while for the news to settle in.  Our family was about to DOUBLE.  

Jane & Emma sharing secrets

Fast forward to today.  We are both off from school for the summer, and caring for our beautiful twin girls, who were due July 6th but arrived May 13th.  This blog will be dedicated to Jane and Emma.  I plan to offer advice, commiserate with those of you who are going through where I have been, and hopefully help you laugh in the process.  Let's face it -- it's difficult to get through this life if you can't keep your sense of humor.  Our home is filled with love and laughter, and I hope to be able to share some of that with you.  

In addition to now being a mom, I'm also a wife and a teacher, so I'll not only be writing candidly about my adventures in parenthood, but about what it means for me to be a wife, and how I'm surviving marriage, as well as some of my forays in the classroom, because teaching is my next obsession in life (after my husband and daughters, of course)!

Me and the love of my life
Me doing what I love

Feel free to peruse my blog for anything that you are interested in.  If you're interested in teaching, tune out my mommyhood ramblings.  If you want nothing to do with teaching, focus on the parent-ville posts.  Hopefully everyone can find something on my blog that will help or entertain them, and hopefully you will want to come back frequently

Happy twinning!

Happy 2 Month Birthday, Emma (L) and Jane (R)!

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