6 months (almost)

Taylor getting geared up for Falcon's season. Yes, we might be a tad early, but you can never have too much falcon's gear!!

The past two weeks have been filled with many fun times. Our home computer has had problem after problem, thus we have not been able to post many updates. It is still not totally fixed, but is useable. Let's see if we can re-cap the past two weeks. Work, play, more work and more play.

Mommy is happy to report that she took a "personal day" and LOVED it! Actually, I was suppose to be in a class all day to complete my real estate continuing education credits for the term, but the class was canceled without notice. Huh, should I go home, put on my scrubs and go into work or spend the day with myself! I washed bottles, did laundry, made some casseroles, took the dogs on a walk, talked to my friends on the phone without interruption and pumped all alone! Every mom should spend some time alone in your own home. I have decided that I am going to do it quarterly as a form of therapy!!!

Mommy and daddy had a double date with Aunt Sabrina and her "new friend", Jeff. ( LOVE HIM!!! Cute, nice, has a stable job, loves dogs, has no baggage and best of all, adores Aunt Sabrina!!!) We went to this great new, totally hip Asian bistro and had a blast!! Having a babysitter never felt so good. Daddy was so excited for date night that he waited in the car and listened to some tunes while mommy showed the babysitter around the house. We had put the boys to bed, so all she had to do was "babysit" the dogs and be on the lookout for any wakeful boys.

We have had some fun visitors...and I forgot to bring out the camera. The girls came over on Thursday night for a pot luck feast! Mom enjoyed a beer (to help with her milk supply...that's my story and I am sticking with it!!), while the girls got tipsy on red wine. Today, one of mommy's old high school friend, Beth, came over. Mommy, Taylor and Beth had fun laughing about old times and catching up on our new lives!! Turner slept through the visit, but only after having some private 1:1 with daddy.

And the question of the day, is mommy still pumping? Yes!! I am 5 days shy of breast feeding 6 months, which was my goal. I actually feel very good about my decision and quite proud to have done it for this long. I am in a good routine during the work day and am fortunate to work at a place that supports women returning to work and breast feeding. The boy's school, which is owned by my hospital and just a 5 min. walk, has a "nursing room" and the hospital has hospital grade pumps for employees to use. During the work day, I see some patients and take my paperwork to the pump room, pump, return the paperwork, see more patients and repeat the process. So, yes, I am going to keep at it! I figured when it starts interrupting my life and the boys don't seem to be benefiting from it, then I will stop. Until then, on the pump, I will be!!! Plus, I figure it saves us at least $50 a week in formula!!!! I still have to supplement, but figured anything is better than nothing!!! Thank you to my sweet husband who has supported my decision through the moans, groans, clogged ducts and early am feedings!!


Taylor and Turner in their "big boy pants". No snaps, but real boy like pants. Make note of these cute shirts. My good friend, Dawn, gave us them. These shirts were our first piece of clothing for them. We smile when we think of how excited we were about the boys after getting these shirts. We had the shirts hung in our room during my pregnancy in excitement !! We could not believe that they would be so small, now we think they are so big!!!

As you can see, Taylor is holding tight to his brother. This is their new thing. Both of them are very curious and into each other. They have been holding hands, grabbing each other's ears and hair and just staring at each other. I can see their minds rolling, "hey, you look familiar" "hey, it's you again". "hey, why are you always around?"
Turner and Taylor playing in the boy cave. Both boys are rolling from back to stomach and stomach to back. They are reaching for things when they are on their tummy's and reaching for the bottles. Turner can scoot all around and loves to be on his tummy. Taylor still loves to be held, but is becoming more curious with his surroundings.
"Peek-A-Boo!!" We found Turner in his crib, playing with Taylor's blanket the other morning. It was draped on the back of the crib and he must have reached up, grabbed it and used it as a blanket!!!
Taylor can sleep anywhere and anytime. Wonder where he got that from??? (as mommy is up doing laundry, pumping, playing on the computer, daddy is sleeping...and yes, it is Saturday night at 9pm. We do live an exciting life!!) In this photo, I was feeding Turner and look over to find Taylor snoring! Poor Taylor still has his cold, but thanks to a humidifier and VICKS vapor rub, he can breathe more comfortably.

When he is awake, Taylor has gotten nosy!!! He is all into what everyone else is doing. There are times that mommy is feeding him and he stops taking his bottle to see what fun things daddy and Turner are doing. I know, I know, he must have gotten his social spirit from his mommy!! If there are visitors, he is too nosy to sleep!!!
Turner is checking out his mommy. Actually, one second later, he had reached up, grabbed my hair and was dragging me down with him. Turner is one darn strong (and handsome) boy!!!

Taylor and Turner playing with each other. As you can see, Taylor really looks up to his big brother.

As you can see, Ben and I continue to love our boys!! We can't imagine life without them!! There are times like this, that we think a big family with many more babies would be fabulous. Then reality returns with the piercing screams or the $250 "Babies R Us" visit, and we know that these two are 99% plenty!!!

Favorite Coats

** Ok, I know this is not a coat, but this sweater deserves a special mention. This sweater was Ben's sweater when he was a baby. See the BS (Ben Slade) on the right side...now Ben Turner Slade V is enjoying it. Hope Granny has a photo of Ben IV in it.

Being a girl and a mommy, I am super obsessed with making sure that my boys are dressed cute. It hit me that I am doing a good job, only after the school teachers made a comment that "the twins are the best dressed children here." One told me that she had not seen the same outfit twice. Sad to say, she is correct. We were fortunate to have been given so many barely worn twin and non-twin clothes and have a grandma who is a great bargain shopper that the boy's closet is stocked full to 9 months! Keep those boy clothes coming, friends! Mommy did panic when she saw the few one year outfits for the fall...only one box full!

Here are some of our favorite 5 1/2 month outfits.

Taylor smiling! He is our COL...."Chunk of Love". Gotta love the "buzz cut". We still call him "Buzz" too.
Taylor and Turner showing off "their ears".
Turner and daddy.... Thanks to Boo for our cute pea coats and matching hats. They were bought for our baptism, but the weather was so nice, we did not need them.
Taylor is seen here testing out his coat and hat for sleep. Yes, they work great as sleepwear too!

Boy's Baptism

This weekend, we had the boy's christened at Christ Church in St. Simons Island, GA. What a special weekend....a lot too short, but very special! The boys loved their many companions....Boo, Gan, Nanny Y, Aunts (and godmothers) Beth, Sabrina and Ellen and Uncles (and godfathers) Ray and Dave.

What a grand day to be christened. The sun was high, the temperature warm and our loved ones were all near! The boys did great during the service. Turner slept through most of it, but was awoken to the water over his head. After a short wail, he smiled and enjoyed the lights and attention. Taylor fussed a little, but as the choir sang, he feel asleep. What angels! There were no "blow outs" to ruin their precious outfits...more photos with their hats to come!

We are thankful for those who traveled near and far....your presence meant so much! Even our old friend, Denise came up from Florida...Thank you, Denise and Bob for making the trip! And a special thanks to Aunt Eliza and Uncle John for hosting a weekend party at their house for the boys and their guests. And thank you to Boo, who came to the rescue (like she always does) by showing up with the boy's outfits, mommy's outfits and special "dog-dog" blankets to entertain the boys during the service! Mommy would have never gotten everything together without Boo!! Boo, we love you and thank you!!! We missed spending more time with Granny and Poppy, as we stayed at the Websters as promised during our last visit.

The BLOG entry would not be complete without some favorite sayings from the weekend. Those who know our precious niece Sunny (3) would laugh outloud as we do as we think about her saying.... " I am getting this for the one with the big head (Taylor)". Another Sunny remark that makes Ben and i chuckle: "I left it in the pumping room." (referring to the guest bedroom where I usually go to pump. Funny thing, at our last visit, I was told that I could use John Ferguson's bedroom to milk my boobies. John is a frequent guest at the Websters and usually stays in this guest room. Now, the room is known as "the pumping room".

Aunt Beth and daddy trying to get Turner dressed...how many people does it take? Aunt Sabrina got Taylor dressed in a flash!

Daddy, Mommy, Turner, Nanny Y, Gan, Taylor and Boo.

The Godparents: Ray, Ellen, Beth, Sabrina and Dave

A family photo! Here is daddy holding Turner and mommy holding Taylor. The neat thing is that Ben and i were married at this same church 1 1/2 years ago! We have a similiar photo in this exact location with us in our wedding attire. A matter of fact, i think the same swarm of "no see-ums" were attacking me on our wedding day. Darn bugs!!

Sanford and Son

Ok, we have all seen Sanford and Son, the old tv show. This was us today. Good thing Boo was sick because she would have died if she saw the "gear" strung out all over the porch!! (Whoops--she checks this BLOG too. Sorry, Boo!!)

The sun was high in the sky and we could not resist! While daddy washed the cars and worked in the yard, mommy and the boys played on the porch. As if there is not enough clutter on the porch, mommy pulled all of the boy's toys out there too! First, came the car seat swings, next the bouncy seats, then the Jumparoo horsie....then it was lunch time and their favorite past time... lap time/sing along with mommy!

" Buzz" is Taylor's nickname because his hair is spiked like a mohawk. This picture finally shows the fro!

Turner plays in the Jumparoo, which now plays "ole susannah" and Taylor naps in the swing....Of course, Ole Faithful Guinness stands guard.

Turner strengthens his arms playing with his toys, and next comes the screams..." I'm bored!!" Thankfully, daddy was done washing the cars so we took the boys on their second mini bus ride through the neighborhood for the day! (Thanks Aunt Sabrina for our bib--we love it!!)

Now, if Taylor is not going to break some hearts when he grows up, nobody will!! Thank you to Karen for the adorable outfits. Mommy loves them because they are easy on-easy off!!

Visitors From Near and Far

This week was good and bad for several reasons. It was a great week because the boys were blessed with visits from some of their favorite people...Boo, Gab, Aunt Sabrina, Aunt Beth, Aunt Heather. Thank you to all of you for loving the boys enough to visit. Now for the bad, mommy was sick for the latter part of the week!!

Mommy picked the boys up on Thursday afternoon and was told that half of their infant room class had the diarrhea/vomitting bug. Mommy said her prayers that her boys would be saved and the Lord answered her prayers. Unfortunately, mommy forgot to ask that she would remain healthy. Thursday night, I woke up with the bug. I will spare all of the bad details because they might make you cringe. It was bad. I could not keep fluids down, let alone solids. Poor Ben was fulltime mommy and daddy on Friday morning. He did a great job getting them both ready, out the door and to school. He didn't even complain as I ran between the toilet and barking orders on what needed to be done to the boys. No complaints that my illness made him an hour late for school. What a great daddy and saint!!! We did forget Taylor's pacifier which would have meant for one long day, but will be forever greatful to our neighbor and friend, Jenn, who drove it downtown to him.

As the day worsened, mommy feared the worse. What if daddy got sick too? Or both boys and there was a sick mommy and/or daddy? In a tearful mess, I called Boo and Gan who came to our rescue. They were at Sunset Beach for the weekend and canceled their plans to come to Charleston. Thank you, Boo and Gan! Sorry Sachiko and Dick...we know they had dinner plans with you for Friday night. They arrived around mid day with ginger ale, popsicles and their helping hands. Boo was great to help mommy do some needed chores and made no snide comments about the mess that we now call home! Weekends are our time to get the house in order, so by Friday, Tornado Slade is always present!!

The boys enjoyed their special time with daddy and Boo/Gan. Saturday was spent with mommy still weak, but keeping fluids down. Mommy was suppose to be co-hosting a baby shower for a dear friend on Saturday am. Good thing she had cooked well in advance and bought stuff the weekend before. (Aunt Sabrina picked everything up on Friday and had the pleasure to see mommy on the pump and hugging the toilet. Yep, sick or not, you have to pump the milk out!!! ) Special thanks to Aunt Beth who helped Aunt Sabrina in mommy's absence. You know mommy must have been sick for her to miss hanging out with all of her favorite girls on a beautiful, sunny day in Charleston!! Aunt Heather was in town from Atlanta and stopped by after the shower. What fun we had laughing about old times and visiting with the boys--last time she saw Mommy, the boys could only be felt over her shirt!!

I am happy to report that it is Sunday night and I am feeling somewhat better. Not 100%, but 75%. Bad thing, poor Boo had an allergic reaction to some pasta she ate last night that had garlic (she is highly allergic) and has been in bed all day. Those who know Boo, know she must be really sick to stay in bed all day!! Boo has been ordering from Mustard Seed for years and the chef makes the pasta just for her--don't know how the slip up occurred, but think they have now lost their best clients!!

Now for the photos: make note--the Boys are now 5 months old. They just had their 4 month visit with the pediatrician, but officially turned 5 months last Thursday.

Aunt Heather and Turner-- Turner would not let go on his fingers for a second. Guess he is practicing getting the grease from that South Carolina fried chicken off his fingers!!

Aunt Heather and Taylor--Taylor was loving being held, as he still has a terrible cold with chest congestion, nasal congestion and a cough. He is not even finishing his bottles! You know he must not feel well if he is leaving momma's good ole milk in the bottle! Poor Tay-Tay!!

Taylor cracks a smile as Gan holds him. Poor Gan had so much work to do at Water Street that we did not see much of him!! (Maybe that will teach them a lesson---Don't be away for so long. We miss you!!!)

Boo and Turner playing on the floor. Now, what Mr. Serious is not showing you is the ball of a time he had planning with Boo. He loves how she plays 1-2-3 (supine to stand) with him!!

And of course, the week would not be complete without a visit from the godmothers. Aunts Sabrina and Beth arrived last Wednesday and with dinner!! Here is Aunt Beth loving on Turner. He loved laughing at Beth's funny faces and playing in the mirror. Poor Taylor was not in the mood for a photograph, but enjoyed laying naked with only a diaper on Aunt Sabrina's chest!

Here's to a healthy week!! : ) Everyone, wash your hands and sanitize your homes. That bug is a killer!!

4 month Pediatrician Visit

Today was the boy's 4 month pediatrician "well visit"....1 day shy of 5 months old!! Poor Dr. Zimlich got more than she bargained for, I feel certain. So, here we were (on-time may I add and I was alone) walking into the office in the mini bus. The clock struck 3pm...feeding time!!!

Both boys start wailing. Literally, like a choir and in tune, the screams begin. The nurse, Sharon (bless her heart) helped me undress them and get them ready to be weighed and measured. Taylor was not happy that lunchtime had been postponed, although Turner enjoyed the 1:1 with Sharon. He was looking around the room , flirting with the other nurses and giggling.

Here are their new numbers:
Turner- weight: 14 pounds, 10 oz. 50% length: 24 1/4 50%
Taylor- weight: 16 pounds, 11 oz. 75% length: 25 1/4 50%

As we wait for Dr. Zimlich, I decide we might has well enjoy our lunch. Nothing like multi-tasking!! I hold Taylor and feed him with my left hand and feed Turner who is propped up naked in his car seat with my right hand. Halfway through, Dr. Zimlich arrives and takes over with Turner and his bottle. The rest of the visit was pretty much a "sick visit" as both boys are teething, have colds with runny noses, chest congestion and off-on fevers. Thankfully the boys left without their 4 month shots...that would have only added fuel to the fire!! Bad thing, they sounded so congested today, Dr. Zimlich wants to re-check them on Thursday!!! (Great... that means I will have to leave work early. Sure my co-workers and boss will love that!)

Here are some photos from the week. Take note of the adorable, matching teddy bear outfits....Thank you to Boo!!! The best part is not shown, as the "toosh" has a tail on it!!!!

The boys arriving in the mini-bus. What you can't see, is poor Taylor's cheeks are as red as a tomato! When I picked him up from school, he was in this fleece outfit and had a blanket wrapped around him. I thought maybe he was just hot from that, but no, he had a rectal temp of 102! (Interestingly, he rolled over today during naptime and slept on his stomach for the first time.)

Turner was enjoying the taste of his blankie!

Turner flirting with the nurses.

Taylor and Turner chilling in their overalls after school on Monday.

"Buzz" was not happy about being bundled up to go on an afternoon stroll. He sure looks pitiful, but so darn cute !!