another list, bc i really, really like lists.

update on the sleep situation-- it's teeth... low fever, lots of drool, chewing. definetly teeth. they just haven't popped thru yet & i don't see the tell-tale white bumps under his gums, but i'm pretty sure it's lurking teeth. poor little dude!

we're opening 529 accounts for the boys (& hopefully #3), which makes me happy. i've really wanted to start college funds for them for a long time, & we finally have some funds to get going with. yay us! :)

a private blog i read is currently waiting to see if they just got "the call'-- they recently finished the adoption paper work etc, after almost 3 yrs of waiting & unsuccesssul IVF attempts, & i am sooooo hoping this is their baby. i know you all pry don't know who i'm takling about, (& if you do, out of respect for their privacy, please don't give away any idenitfying names, etc here), but they're an amazing family & will give any baby lucky enough to end up with them a wonderful home... if you're the praying sort, please spare a thought for them tonight. i'm on pins & needles waiting to hear.

i took our birds in for a nail trim today at our vet. (they have a bird-guy who comes in to do grooming. bc our birds hold grudges, & hate to get their nails done, we don't clip them ourselves.) usually i go back into a private room with them while they get trimmed, but i had to run next door to get their pellets today & didn't want them in the cold any longer than they had to be, so i sent them in back without me. when i got back, they guy brought them out followed by a bunch of vet techs, all oooing & aaahing over how beautiful they are, & how well behaved. they're pretty uncommon parrots (we live in a pretty populated area & go to an avian vet, but we're still their only white-bellied caique patients), & while they're pretty good birds, I would NOT classify them as incredibly well-behaved. of course, i loved the compliments, but it was kind of like hearing how good your kids have been for some one else, after they spent the day being holy terrors for you.

odd kitty news: my cat digger has decided he loooves banana chips (unsweetened- they are super gross. we buy them for the birds, & they birds throw them at the cats.), & cheerios (which the babies throw at the cats). & felon the cat loooves yogurt melts. rafter, however, is a true conneisuere, & helped himself to leftover bacon grease N left out overnight. you'd think we were starving them, but i swear they eat better than we do!

i am super excited for the boys' first christmas. i know they're really young, but it is so fun to have kids at christmas time! N is a total grinch & i am the exact opposite-- christmas music since thanksgiving, loads of decorations, i even like holiday shopping. :) & having the boys around make it all that much more fun... even N is getting into the spirit a little!

Beets, Buds & Birds

Beets are delicious. No, really-- they are. I roasted beets for the first time a few days ago (drizzled with olive oil & sprinkled with thyme & a little salt & pepper) & sauteed up the greens (i love "greens" of any kind. i know i'm a yankee girl & i'm not supposed to be into that, but i LOVE them.) anyways, i've been craving beets in the worst way ever since.

:)

My other best friend (K) came up from charlotte to visit this past week to visit her newest niece, & i got to spend the afternoon with her on friday. she only visits a couple times a year, & they're always whirlwind trips bc her family makes a lot of demands on her when she's here (big part of reason why she moved away), & this is the first time since the dudes were born that i actually got to go out with her & M. it reminded me how much i miss K. she's one of those people who seem to carry around their own personal sunshine. Even though she's going through some hard times with her husband right now & is feeling sort of down & confused, she still manages to make everyone around her smile. its not an act she puts on, she just genuinely manages to find the light in any situation. it's rare quality & i miss her lots.

in critter news, we're working on breaking the birds of a bad screaming habit. parrots are by nature noisy, & i don't mind normal racket (the boys don't even notice it), but lately they've developed a screaming game. we keep them in separate cages that face each other, so even when they aren't sharing a cage, they can interact. (they don't share a cage 100% of the time, bc they like to have bird sex. i would love for them to be able to have all the bird sex they want, but we really don't want eggs. scout is not maternal & cooper is the most jealous bird in the world. so no eggs. plus, i think its irresponsible to breed birds without having good homes for them.) anyways... scout has developed a habit of screaming to coop when they're separated, who then screams back & this continues for a while, & then they laugh like crazy. i'm trying to keep them in the same cage, but without all their hidey-holes, so they can't sneak off & get it on. wish me luck!

Annoying Pregnant People & Other Random Thoughts

• Most of the girls I know here are from the webmd TTCAL & PAL boards (although I do lurk on PAIF occasionally). After some removed posts today I finally figured out that we aren't allowed to talk sh** about other boards, no matter how well deserved. The posts in question dealt with the very annoying 1st tri board. (well, very annoying to anyone who is not a total novice or a total idiot when it comes to getting KU.) I think I'm beginning to see why Kim left for cafemom!! Although I don't think I can abandon webmd, as most of my favorite ladies are still there...
• My apologies to anyone offended by this next rant, but it's a topic that's been driving me nuts lately. I get that once you pass a certain point in pregnancy, you are miserable. You are uncomfortable at the best & in pain at the worst. You're sick of being huge & swollen & grumpy, & ready to meet your kid already. I also understand that even women who struggled to get & stay pregnant need to complain. Even when you're incredibly grateful to be miserable, you're still miserable & it helps to vent. That said, I am fed up with whining about being 36 weeks pregnant (I'm picking an arbitrary date. really I mean anytime from 35 weeks on) & still pregnant. I just don't' get it-- why rush the kid? Pregnancy lasts 40 weeks for a reason. The babies need the time to bake, so let them have it dammit. I am 29 weeks with twins who are large for their age. I am measuring 40 weeks. I am in pain all the time. I have been on bedrest since November. I absolutely understand how miserable it is to be this huge & pregnant & immobile. That said, I wouldn't trade this for anything. I am beyond grateful to still be pregnant & hope to get even more pregnant & more miserable over the next 6 weeks. Why on earth after working so d***n hard to be pregnant would you want to put your little one at risk by pushing for an induction before your doctor recommends one? (I will further qualify this by saying I do not include in this category medically necessary inductions or multiples, or any other high risk category that might require a more supervised & structured birth.) I just wish these women who seem to spend all their energy in their last few weeks of pregnancy b*****ing with all they're worth take a moment to put things in perspective. Is a NICU stay for your child worth your physical comfort? Take a minute to remember how badly you wanted this pregnancy in the first place. I don't ask for zero b****ing, but for Pete's sake-- in moderation please! There are so many women who would give their right arm to be as miserable as you are right now, & so many more (like me) who are desperate to stay pregnant as long as you have, so before launching into yet another rant about how much your life sucks, look for some perspective. (or at least a different audience.)
• I am super addicted to Top Chef, but I have to admit, I am a bit disappointed in the food this season. It's getting better, & I think the final 4 are pretty decent, but I think the show hit its high point during the season with Hung & Casey. Although Fabio & Stefan crack me up, so I can't complain too much. N is getting very annoyed with all the Top Chef knock-offs (a la Chopped, etc), but I secretly don't mind them... I just really like Iron Chef-style cooking shows.
• My birds have spent the last hour in the hidey-tube in Cooper's house. (It's this big, plush, green tube hanging from the ceiling.) They're laying on their sides & preening & chewing on each other's toes, & generally having a fabulous time. Scout is even blowing kisses to her Coopy. Sometimes I am a little jealous of the charmed life they lead. As I typed this, Coop peeked out just long enough to peek at me & whistle to make sure I'm still here, then ducked back in. It's a bird's life! :)