And the craziness has begun....

Yeah, I know, I'm a horrible blogger. I haven't posted in ages, but I have been busy. The twins are keeping me busy, and the week before Thanksgiving we had our first Pink eye outbreak. Both twins had it, and I think I might have had it as well (I took drops just to be on the safe side.) On Monday the 22nd, we started to figure out what we needed to pack for our upcoming trip to Arizona. That's right, I was to take 4 kids on an airplane the day before Thanksgiving, with all of the new TSA craziness. So on the 23rd, I had a horrible case of what I like to call the "F-its." Got lots to do? Forget it, do something else. Have a deadline you need to meet? Forget it, wait until the last minute and do it. I managed to pack the big boys, and Todd got his bag packed. I was so darn tired, all I wanted to do was make my list of things to do for the following day and go to bed. And that's just what I did-big mistake on my part. The next morning started early, and I began doing laundry that still needed to be done for packing the babies and myself and started laying out things that could be packed. I'm also one of those people who like to clean their house before going on vacation, so you can come home to a nice, clean home and it's one less thing to do when you get home. So, like a maniac, I began to vacuum, clean bathrooms, pick up toys...and I didn't eat (this part needs comes into play later.) I called and asked my mom to come over so I could shower and get packed, and my dad came by to take us to the airport, and my sister dropped by as well. I was ready by the time Todd got home, but I was also freaking out. My mom, dad, and sister watched a "Mommy Dearest" moment. Sure, I wasn't wearing red lipstick, no Bon Amie powder cleaner was being thrown, and nothing was mentioned about wire hangers, but I hadn't had anything to eat and I was yelling at the kids to get their backpacks and was so nervous about forgetting things. I was convinced to eat something, and then we were on our way to the airport.

As we were getting out of the Suburban, I ran into a patient from the office I used to work at, and she was so sweet. We checked in, went upstairs to go through security, and we high-fived afterward because it was SO easy! We couldn't have asked for things to go better. We made it up to our gate, and I had time to change the babies diapers before we were boarded. The big boys were so excited to get on the plane, and even though we expected the worst, we really got the best! They all did so well, and we weren't that annoying "crying baby" on the airplane. And it was actually kind of funny walking through the airport, because I've often said that having twins is like being a celebrity because we're always being stared at or talked about when we're right there. Walking around the airports and getting on the planes, I was actually taken aback by the people smiling and "ooohing" and "ahhhing." Even the most grizzly looking biker guys with scowls on their faces lit up with smiles when we strolled by. So we made it to the Phoenix airport without a hitch, and then this is where the "fun" begins.

The babies started having diarrhea diapers, and it only got worse...as did their horrible diaper rash. And they couldn't sleep, either because the pack-n-plays were too low and they felt like they were falling, or because we tried to sleep them apart for the first time, but we had to have them sleep in the bed with Todd and I, and I was already nervous, so this just added to my anxious attitude. Thanksgiving was fine, and the boys were having a great time with their cousins, but I was still anxious about the babies and I know was little "crazed" at times. I finally felt more comfortable with the sleeping situation when we went to Wal-Mart and got a crib. But their diarrhea wasn't getting better, and the diaper rashes were getting worse. On top of that, Chase was starting to get sick. So I called Dr. Gordon on Saturday morning, who called in some prescriptions for Chase and gave me some advice for the babies. And yes, meshed in with all of my worries and sick children, we had a lot of fun playing cards and eating delicious meals together as an entire family for the first time in 8 years. We also took family pictures, so when I get those I hope to post them on here!

We left for home on Sunday, and once again everyone was perfect for the flights. We arrived home around 7:30pm, ate, gave baths, and got the kids to bed. And the routine went back to normal the following week, except for one thing: the diarrhea and diaper rash hasn't gone away. So here it is, 2 weeks later, and it is finally getting better. We weren't sure if it's been a stomach virus or if it's just from teething, but every day it's getting better.

And this week has been kind of crazy for me, because I'm having surgery to remove my gallbladder on Friday, and I'll admit I'm scared. I've never been in the hospital unless it was related to pregnancy, let alone have an organ removed. I've been trying to get all of my Christmas shopping done (and it is DONE as of today! WHOOHOO! Thanks to Catherine and Kim!) and get things in order here at home. And I'm overwhelmed, and when I get overwhelmed, I shut down. So I have to clean up the house tomorrow, and Todd won't get home until late, and then I will go in for surgery at 6 am on Friday morning. I have no idea how the recovery will go, but I'm hoping for the best.

So that was my big update. Maybe I'll get a chance to post again before Christmas! Much love to you all!