As Promised...

Okay, the babies (and Adam, for that matter) have had a pretty good last couple of days.  Here is a video I shot of all three kiddos yesterday.  You'll notice that Adam talks throughout the entire four minutes.  Yes, that is what he's like all the time.  He was particularly excited this day about some new stuff he had just gotten in the mail.  There's nothing that boy loves more than getting a package at the post office and this day he got two.  For once (probably the first time ever), Anaya is more vocal than Audie.  I mean, she's always louder...she just doesn't usually "talk" as much as him.  He and Adam are going to constantly compete for air time.  Alan and I will be lucky to ever get a word in.  I have a feeling Anaya will make sure everyone knows when she wants to speak.  Luckily, I got the video and a few pictures of her with her headband on.  She generally yanks it off within seconds of me putting it on, and begins to chew on it.  She was in a good mood and was quite funny.  She's precious.  And Audie has an infectious smile.  You can't help but smile back when you see it, right?  He had been a little under the weather and this was really the first day he was feeling better, so he's still a little off, but adorable nonetheless.

Happy 63rd, Air Force!

Last Saturday was the 63rd birthday of the United States Air Force, so we threw a party!  Although I have attended the Marine Corps Birthday Ball (stag, since Alan was deployed), this was my first Air Force Ball.  Without a doubt, it will not be my last.  I loved the opportunity to get dressed up and have a night out.  Here are some pictures of us all before the Ball:

I took a lot of pictures at the Ball, but there's really no need to post them.  You wouldn't know the people or what was going on...the important thing is that you see how great we looked! 

It was fun, despite the food being less-than-stellar.  Our table was right next to the bar, which was handy.  President Bush sent a special birthday message to us here on Kadena, since our Wing Commander's wife used to work for him, which is way cool.  A Japanese band played music during the cocktail hour - including "Country Road," by John Denver, and "Auld Lang Syne"...random, but standard for Okinawa.  Also, Dan Clark (danclarkspeak.com) spoke to us and he was funny sometimes.  He's an author (supposedly, but I don't see his name on my Chicken Soup books), singer/songwriter, ex-football player...and, according to his website, "one of the most fascinating people on the planet."  After hearing him speak a second time at a spouses forum on Monday, I'm convinced that Dan Clark loves to talk...about Dan Clark.  He's great at making you think he's talking about you and thanking you, but he's really talking about himself.  He's a walking resume.  I would be alright not hearing him next year, frankly.  Enough about that...

I promise a baby update soon, but right now they are having a lot of bad days and I'm just beat.  I think they are teething, but who knows.  What I do know is it's not good.  I'm praying daily that it's some sort of phase.  I need sleep.

Have a good weekend!      

Do it Like the Germans Do

Who would have thought that the tiny Japanese island of Okinawa could throw one awesome beer fest?  Well, they do!  And the timing was perfect, because no one needed to cut loose more than us last week.  Orion Beer Fest 2010 was last weekend and we decided to check it out.  Orion is a beer brewed here on the island and is damn good - this coming from a picky beer-drinker.  The best part of all?  The festival was just outside Gate 2, which is walking distance from our house.  We got a little exercise on the way there because we followed a bunch of people who ended up going the long way (someone in our group may or may not have "mooed" along the way), but it's all good.

When we first arrived, it looked more like a carnival than a beer festival.  There were games and food and just a tiny, little keg of beer that was way too expensive to have been at a beer festival.  But since everything was written in Japanese and the great majority of the people there were Japanese, we just had to go with it.  We figured we'd spend the yen we brought and make the best of it.  Here we are shortly after arriving, with our expensive beer:

We wandered around for a while, looking at the food and games and Eisa drummers doing their thing.  Here is a picture of one of the food booths.  I'm pretty sure it says something like, "Fried Rice, Yakisoba, Mystery Meat...Cheaper if you can read this - we gouge Americans - don't tell them"

We had yakisoba noodles:

Shortly after the noodles, we ran in to some people we knew, who pointed us toward the Beer Fest (As we previously suspected, we were not there, but at an Eisa Festival that coincides with it).  Here is Alan, excited to have found it:

Now, we knew we were in the right place because the ground was all dirt - no grass, there was a Japanese band playing rock music, and there were beer booths surrounding the perimeter.  Here we are, upon finding out the beer in here was cheaper.  We appear really happy.  We might have enough yen to last all night, after all!

We met this guy, who pulled a Hangover move.

After the Hangover guy, M and I recognized a Japanese woman we knew!  One of the girls that works at Cocok's, our pedicure place.  Yay!  It's a great feeling to recognize a local out in public.  We didn't get a picture with her, though.  Drat.  We did, however, see these Japanese women in their summer kimonos and ask to take a picture with them...then three of them handed cameras to the guys because they also wanted pictures with us!

The crowd seemed to love the band, and went really crazy when one particular song came on.  I decided to join in a little.  When in Rome...

Here, Michelle and I found "Japanese wine coolers," which were really tasty.  That's what the sign said - "Japanese wine cooler."  However, we have since found out that it is not wine at all, but a "cocktail," with something "like vodka" in it.  No wonder it had some bite!

Here we are, still happy from our "wine coolers"

Orion Beer Fest is a must-do for anyone on Okinawa.  If you plan to visit, do it around Labor Day and go to the festival, take it all in - the food, the music, the people...what an experience.  It really made me step back and take a minute to wonder how I got here?  I'm sure several of the Japanese people were wondering how I got here, too.  Not M, though.  She fits right in ;-)  It was our little version of Oktoberfest, and it was pretty stinkin' fun.  You gotta love you some Orion.  After all, it is "for your happy time"

*Special thanks to TD and MD for their (possibly nonconsensual, but I doubt they'll raise charges) photo contributions

Crisco

I know, I know...you checked the blog yesterday and it's still the same one from two weeks ago.  Sorry!  Listen, people, I'm busy.  Twins, Bunco, Officer Spouses' Club, twins, sewing, pedicures, twins, Air Force Birthday Ball, meeting with Adam's school (all parents - not because he's a trouble-maker), twins, the list goes on...  Plus, I'm reading The Help, by Kathryn Stockett.  I cannot put it down!  Reading that book trumps writing a new blog - sorry!  It is such a great book and, especially since I have been utilizing someone very much in a "nanny" role, it has made me very aware of my actions lately, as far as parenting and housework go.  I find myself wondering how she views me.  I mean, I think I'm doing my best, but I wonder what she thinks...  Anyway, it's a great book and you should read it if you haven't yet.  Then you can check out page five and see where the title of the blog came from.  One of my favorite parts of the book - I'll be using the term "Crisco" when necessary ;)

I promise soon to write about our fun night last weekend at the Orion Beer Fest and the Air Force Birthday Ball, which is coming up this weekend.  And, of course, there will be kid pictures.  Have a great weekend! 

The thing about twins is...

... there are two of them.  You never know what you're going to get.  And just like anyone, they each have good days and bad days.  I almost don't know what to wish for, though.  If they have their bad days on the same day, it's a complete nightmare.  But if they have their bad days on separate days, then my bad days never end.  Plus, since there are two of them, you have to factor in the sympathy actions.  If Audie is having a bad day and crying a lot (because, maybe, he's teething), then Anaya might decide to cry too, just to show some support.  That's what happened yesterday...all day.  I'm not sure I've ever been happier to see the sun set.

Today, the babies are seven months old.  I think things are getting easier, but maybe I'm just wishing it so hard that I'm delusional.  Because lately it's been tough.  Really tough.  There is nothing I can count on, except that it's going to be a busy day.  It's always going to be a busy day.  I'm not sure if it's them or me or the fact that Adam is home from school, wreaking havoc, preventing them from ever having a proper nap, but things are extremely chaotic.  I probably shouldn't even be writing this blog because I'm feeling very negative about our life right now.  I'm tired.  But, I'll do my best to give you a neutral update!    

Anaya

At her six-month check-up, Anaya was not yet rolling over or sitting up and, therefore "failed" the gross motor skills portion of her assessment.  Within days of the appointment, she started doing both.  The truth is, she probably could have been sitting up sooner, but that's my fault.  It's hard to work on those things with two babies.  It's tough to sit them both up and hold them and play with them simultaneously.  You can't work with them separately - if you're doing it with one, you bet your ass you've got to be doing it with the other.  Jealousy is rampant around here.  Anyway, Anaya is an old pro at sitting up now and she loves to sit and play.  She "talks" some, but not as much as Audie.  She more squeals than anything - like, with delight.  She wakes up early - like 5:30 - and is not a baby I can put back to sleep or put in bed with me to snuggle a bit.  She's just not snuggly.  She is already learning how to push Audie's buttons and I can't help but laugh.  If I put the babies together to play, it's like she waits to see what Audie's going to go for, then she goes for it, too.  Don't worry, though, that door swings both ways, as Audie is no saint.  She loves to splash BIG in the bath and she still loves to watch Adam do anything.  Anaya eats well, but hates anything green.  I'm having some success mixing green stuff in with orange or yellow stuff, but she knows something is up.  She eats much neater than Audie most of the time, but has been known to end up with sweet potatoes in her hair.  She doesn't seem to be trying to scoot yet on her belly, but on her back she scoots at a record-breaking pace.  The thing about Anaya is this: When it's good, it's great, but when it's bad, you want to get the hell out of dodge.

Audie

Anaya has some sweet moments, but Audie is definitely the sweetheart of the two, although lately he is working on his little temper.  It usually flares up when he's hungry, or when it's Anaya's turn to take a bite, but he thinks I should only be feeding him.  I'm convinced that Audie, in an attempt to make up for being born second, is going to accomplish all of the big milestones first.  He's determined.  He's been rolling over for a few months now, with no problem.  He's sitting up, too- this one we'll call a "tie."  This week, he also started creeping - scooting on his belly.  All he needs is a little more muscle development and he'll be crawling.  He eats well, but is messy.  He's still more snuggly than Anaya, and likes to wake up early from his naps to get a little one-on-one time with Mommy.  He talks a lot and loves to bang on the computer.  He sleeps on his belly, a lot of times with his butt sticking up in the air - the epitome of the sleeping baby.  The other day, he grabbed Anaya's pacifier out of her mouth and put it in his.  Another favorite way to pick on her is to grab her bib while I'm feeding them, and pull it as hard as he can.  The bibs have snaps, so instead of coming undone, it forces her to lean towards him.  And he won't let go!  She gets so mad...it's hilarious.  He loves baths and being tickled, and he loves his sister and brother.  He especially watches Anaya with such awe - smiling when he sees her and trying to interact with her.  He can't help but migrate towards her when they're playing separately.  He usually ends up rolling/creeping over and sucking on her hand or foot.  He loves her :)  I think he's always going to have her back.  It's a twin thing.

All in all, we're surviving - some days barely, and I might have chunks of hair missing, but still...  Right now is just an adjustment period, for some reason, which makes it a tough time for all of us.  The babies are more fun now, and Adam is finally beginning to reap the rewards a little of having two playmates.  We do count our blessings each and every day and we still feel honored that God has such confidence in us, giving us two babies at once - blessing us doubly.  Somehow, we appeared competent to him, although I am quite sure the babies would give him feedback that indicated the opposite, if he asked them.  There will always be ups and downs - such is life. The trick is to ride the ups as far as you can, so that you don't even notice the downs.  Here are a few more ups:      

Here, Audie had just scooted over to Adam, reaching for Adam's Doo Doo, forcing Adam to move it (you can see him hiding it behind his back).  Anaya's mad, for some reason:

Here, Adam is reading to them:

The End (Sorry, couldn't resist!)