"Howdy, Bushwars!"

…to the State Fair of Texas, that is. Jon and I had a half-day of school on Thursday, so we rounded up the family and heading out to Fair Park to gorge ourselves on fried foods, navigate two strollers (one of them being double, thankyouverymuch)through an ocean of people, and reassure a frightened two-year-old that Big Tex meant him no harm. And it was fun. The weather was perfect, the food was greasy yummy, the entertainment was good, and the midway was exciting. Jon set the grease-bar pretty high in the first fifteen minutes of arrival by ordering chicken friend bacon. I think just writing that added a couple of pounds to my waistline.  Then we had corn dogs, cotton candy, saltwater taffy, hot dogs, and a funnel cake. Liam was initiated into the midway this year, and really liked riding on the alligators. He also had a great time (and earned a little spare cash, I might add) at the Little Hands on the Farm exhibit. We ended our visit by discovering the greenhouse in the midway that had a neat train exhibit circling through the foliage. The girls catnapped most of the time we were there, but Liam made it until we were on our way home to crash—complete with pink cotton candy smile on his face.


ADDITIONAL NOTE:

Two peculiar happenings of the day:

Not one, but two…TWO individuals approached us on separate occasions and gave us extra tickets ($6 worth) that they apparently weren’t going to use. No one has ever randomly given us extra tickets before. People love twins.

A group came up to Jon and asked if they could take a picture with him. He was wearing a Baylor t-shirt, and they needed to get a picture with him for a scavenger hunt, so be on the lookout, it may be floating around somewhere out there.

Color Coded

One thing we’ve found that’s essential to success in keeping life somewhat organized with the twins is the power of color.  It didn’t take long—the day the girls were born, actually—to realize that things were much more complicated with two babies than they ever were with one.   The girls end up sharing practically everything than can be communal, and for the rest of the bits and pieces, we color code.  Ellery’s things are yellow (she was jaundice) or purple.  Marin’s things are pink or green.  When we see a purple binky, we know it belongs to Ellery.  Spot a pink bottle sitting on the table?  It’s Marin’s.   Color coding is just a little thing that’s proving to be significantly helpful in our daily life with the girls.



Purple Baby Ellery and Pink Baby Marin--only a week or two old in this picture.



Cuddles



Isn't it nice when you're sitting on the couch and you feel somebody slowly leaning into you?



And pretty soon, they've got their head on your shoulder.



Even if you're not exactly feeling in the mood for a snuggle...



Who really can resist a good cuddle?

Urban Street Bazaar

I had the pleasure of attending a make-up staff development workshop this morning, so when I got home, I was ready for some fun.  It was a beautiful day today in North Texas, so we decided to hit the streets and take in a local art festival.  We headed to the Bishop Arts District in Dallas to check out the Urban Street Bazaar.  We ended up buying some pretty cute trimmings for the girls and perhaps an item for Liam that Santa will deliver.  One of Jon's favorite stops was The Soda Gallery.  He and Liam picked out a six-pack of semi-unique bottles of pop...one of which Jon is currently enjoying as I type.  It was good to get out, soak in the lovely weather, and admire the craftiness of some pretty talented folks.

Liam and Owen Visit the Museum

The Daultons let Liam tag along with them to Museum of Science and History in Fort Worth on Saturday morning, and the boys had a blast! Owen like the drums the best, and Liam's favorite thing was the dinosaur.  We're definitely going to have to take them back soon...it looks like a fun place for little boys to burn a lot of extra energy!

At the Old Ball Game

Jon and Liam before the game.

Tonight the boys met Papa, Uncle Jeremy, Keaton, and Gavin at the Ball Park.  When Liam got home, I'd have to say he seemed more excited about the dot race than the actual Ranger game. Jon said that as they were leaving, Liam started crying and repeatedly said, "Don't wanna go home.  Wanna see dots!"  Most people go to baseball games because they love baseball.  Some people go for the hot dogs (wink, wink).  Liam goes for the dot race.
 

Liam and Papa at the game.

Liam loves his cousins--Gavin and Keaton.

Uncle Jeremy and the boys.



Go Rangers!



Even the girls support the home team.

On the First Day of Fall

On the first day of fall, it’s time to recap the summer—

June: Started out on bed rest and ended with almost zero rest in bed. We celebrated as a new niece was born. Jon, Liam and I squeezed in lots of fun family-of-three activities before the ladies came right in the middle. After that, it was a house full of family, crying babies, lots of fast food runs, an adjusting two-year-old, more visitors, feeding ducks, dirty diapers, doctor visits, Funshine in the Park for Liam, commemorating four years of marriage, midnight feedings, and lots of new hugs and cuddles.

July: Began with the bang of fireworks that sent our little guy into an excited frenzy. In the middle, there was lots of swimming, TV watching, venturing out as a party of five to petting zoos, more doctor visits, more feedings, more diaper changes, zoo outings, weekly trips to Sam’s Club, and daily trips to Sonic. It ended with Grandma coming to visit, momentarily remembering we have to report back to work soon, and avoiding the back-to-school aisle at stores.

August: Commenced with more hot days of finding air conditioned fun. It included baseball games, staff development, lots of baby smiles, two Wiggles concerts, starting and stopping potty training, pink and purple onesies, running through the sprinkler, Saturday morning jaunts to Dunkin’ Donuts, two-month well-checks, beginning a new daycare, splitting morning duties, separation anxiety, and the onset of a new school year.

September: Kicked off with fantasy football and followed with a excursion to Houston, visits from relatives, sleepy early mornings, sweet girlie coos, lots of dirty bottles, big brother kisses, trips to doctors (and one ER) with three sick little ones, Chuck E. Cheese initiation, mountains of laundry, one ear infection, pony rides, train rides, being entertained at malls, and counting the days until Friday.

So, now fall is here and with it the promise of cooler temperatures, festivals, pumpkin patches, little ghosts and goblins, spicy candles, apple crisp, and perhaps a Ranger trip to the World Series. Right, Jon?

Barneys or Bust

Well, here’s a second post about Saturday night’s adventures at North Park Mall because not retelling it for posterity would really be a disservice to Liam when he gets old enough to be embarrassed by his parents. It works both ways, dear boy.

When Jon and I go to malls, we seem to have certain areas were we always park. Instead of entering the mall through Neiman Marcus like we usually do, I had Jon park a little further down to be closer to my, as previously mentioned, favorite kids’ clothing store. Unfortunately, the doors to the mall were locked at that entrance, and the next available opening was Barneys. Jon and I both know that Barneys New York is not the kind of store that caters to kids, so we were just going to walk on by to the next doorway. However, as we approached the entrance, a cheerful valet, swung open the door and said, “Welcome to Barneys!” And with that, we ventured in. All fiv

e of us. Somehow, Jon squeezed the double stroller through the gold-rimmed doors as I dragged Liam from behind.

Earlier that day, we talked about going to the Galleria, but at the last minute decided on North Park instead, and Liam apparently didn’t get the memo. We were halfway through the store when he started animatedly screaming, “Galleria, Galleria,” only it didn’t sound like Galleria. It sounded exactly like diarrhea. And, despite frantic shushing and desperate ploys for redirection, he didn’t stop until we were out into the mall. Nice.

After eating dinner, buying cute baby clothes, seeing Laura Bush, and visiting the ducks and turtles, it was time to go home. Fearlessly, Jon led the pack back through the high-end store, as the sale people greeted us once again. This time, Liam decided it was time to start being cooperative…in the potty training process, that is. “Mama, I have to poopy! Have to POOP and pee!!!” And that could be the reason why Barneys New York doesn’t have a clothing line for kids.

Celebrities

Tonight Jon and I decided to head over to NorthPark Mall to have dinner and do a little shopping.  Really the only store I really cared about going in was Peek…Aren’t You Curious—which, by the way, is my favorite kids’ clothing store of all time.  And, although it practically kills me and goes against everything I hold sacred and true, I did happen to pay full price for two adorable little girls dresses and leggings tonight…but, I digress from the point of this post.

So, we were walking toward our final destination, the duck and turtle fountain, as promised to Liam, when we had a completely chance encounter with the former First Lady, Laura Bush.  Here’s what happened:

Jon and I realize that it’s a pretty cool and somewhat unique thing to have twin babies.  What we really weren’t expecting was what a commotion that they cause whenever we go anywhere, but malls seem to be especially crazy.  We figure that probably about 30% of the people we pass make comments to each other, stop to ask us about them, point, etc.  Additionally, when you throw an active two-year-old into the mix, it causes even more of a ruckus.  Last week, my brother Patrick said he felt like he was out with celebrities when we went to the mall with him.  It’s pretty strange for us.  And tonight was no exception.  Jon and I had just been discussing how weird it is for us to spend so much time talking to random strangers and getting so many looks and attention in public places, when we saw her.

Three people were strolling toward us, two pretty, nicely dressed ladies and a gentleman following close behind.  One of the two in front was pointing at the girls who were riding in the stroller. She continued pointing and made a comment to the woman who was walking beside her.  Jon and I both smiled, like we usually do, when I realized who was pointing and, now, waving at the girls—Laura Bush!  As we passed them, she warmly met our eyes and said, “Congratulations.”  We smiled and said thanks, and I couldn’t help but look back.  And she was glancing back at us.  She had an expression on her face that made me feel like maybe she was thinking about her own twin baby girls.  Maybe how fast they grow up.  Maybe how it seems like yesterday that she and George were pushing them around a mall and getting lots of lingering glances and words of encouragement and inquiry from complete strangers.  Maybe how she missed those days when her twin girls were babies.

Anyway, Jon and I both agree that Laura Bush is much more beautiful in person and seems to have a kind and thoughtful aura about her.  She's more petite than I would have imagined, too.  Seeing her at NorthPark is something we'll never forget.  We only wished we would have asked her for some advice on raising twins...

...And Then My Water Broke

Our lovely little ladies are three months old today, and I thought I’d hit the rewind button, to capture the crazy, exciting, and absolutely breathtaking experience of the birth of our twins.

The Bushwar girls made their grand appearance during the wee hours of the morning of June 15th. And they came fast. The night before, I went out with some friends and co-workers for a Mexican feast at one of our local favorites, Via Real. If you live in the Irving area, you know they have great food. What you probably don’t know is that eating at Via Real when you’re 37 weeks pregnant may induce labor. After dinner, I did the usual things—watched a little TV, straightened up the house a bit, and went to bed feeling fine (not even heartburn) around 11.

The next thing I remember, I was awakened by a huge cramp. I looked at the clock, and it was a little after two in the morning. I nudged Jon and said, “I think I just had a real contraction.” With Jon still a little groggy, he asked if I was sure, and I honestly didn’t know. It came and went really quickly, so I told him that I was going to go to the bathroom, and I’d wait to see if another one came. As soon I walked in the room, I felt it. Instantly, I knew what had happened. My water broke.

Within 45 minutes, Jon’s parents were at our house to stay with a sleeping Liam, my Mom and brother, Patrick, were on their way to Dallas from Houston (where my sister had given birth eight days earlier), and Jon and I were settling into a labor and delivery room at Baylor Hospital.
When the nurse came in to check me, she said she didn’t think my water broke, and it didn’t appear as if I was dilated. I knew she was wrong, and I told her that I was 100% sure one of the twins was no longer swimming around in a sack of water, so she had her supervisor come in to examine me. The supervisor had other news—I was dilated to an eight, quickly approaching a nine. At that point, they laid me flat on my back and told me not to push. The nurse called the doctor and told him to get there as fast as he could. While we waited for him, the staff prepped me for surgery. (Liam had a c-section birth, and my regular ObGyn had already schedule me for a c-section the following Monday).

Everything happened so fast. I was wheeled into the operating room. A very nice man gave me a lovely epidural. Dr. O’Neal, a man who I had seen once or twice before at my regular doctor’s office, arrived. Looking over the curtain that was shielding me, he said he had just squeezed me with a surgical instrument that looked like a giant tweezers. “I didn’t feel anything.” A lady in blue scrubs brought Jon in and told him to sit next to me. Wearing a surgical mask, Jon held and nervously rubbed my hand. Feeling a little pressure but no pain, the room suddenly filled with the soprano of a newborn wail which quickly turned into a duet. Relief washed over me when I heard that they both looked healthy, were normal weights, and no NICU visit was required. Marin was the first one out, and Ellery quickly followed. Within two minutes we became a complete family of five, and the love grows deeper and stronger every day. Happy three months of life, baby girls!