Day 1... Year 5!

So, as many of you may know...  4 years ago today... was the first day of the rest of my life.  According to my ring, 2/10/07 is the date that will live on forever!

What a great trip it has been!

Here are some stats:

• We've lived in 2 states, 3 counties and 3 cities.
• We've bought and owned 2 houses.
• We've renovated both of them
• We've sold one of them
• We've bought 2 cars.
• We almost bought the Leaf (that was my idea, but the Twizzles happened)
• We've travelled to (and stayed in) Long Boat Key, Orlando, San Francisco, Houston, Austin, Bunkie, New Orleans, New York City, Boone, and Atlanta.
• We've travelled to 4 countries.
• Internationally, we've visited Niagra Falls, London, Paris, Normandy, Pau, Serlat, Pamplona, Madrid, Yarnoz (yes!), and San Sebastian.
• We've had car troubles in a foreign land (that is also if you include the fact that we couldn't start the rental car for two hours in the Paris garage... had to read the manual... in French!)
• We've been on the London Eye.
• We've walked the Normandy beaches...
• We've Run with the Bulls... (ok, maybe we just watched...)
• We've eaten more cheese, jamon, beans and chorizo that you can shake a stick at.  (But some could try)
• We've drank more wine then possible. 
• We've been to Pizza Hut in France
• and McDonald's in Madrid!
• We've been to famous museums and churches!
• and come back alive!
• We've worked in 8 separate hospitals and each held 3 jobs.
• We've gotten a MPH degree, and passed two boards. (The last one was absolutely mind boggling!)
• One is a Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiologist
• The other is a Master of Public Health.
• One has been to Haiti, and one almost went...(it counts for something!)
• One likes Justin Beiber... (it's not who you think!)
• We both like Glee.
• We've watched our friends get married...
• We've seen our cousins get married...
• We've been back to Duke to watch some basketball.
• We've won another National Championship (although it had to be watched in separate rooms!)
• We've had our names in lights (granted we had to pay for that!)
• We've watched some broadway and off-broadway plays.
• We've been to the movies like 5 times... (it is tough to agree on ones to watch... she can only stand so many SciFi movies, and I can only vomit through so many love comedies!)
• We watched every episode of the new Battlestar Galactica.  (Now, to my defense, I never wanted to start watching this, for fear of getting sucked in.  This one was all Maine)
• We've seen the Saints win a Super Bowl.
• We've had our luggage lost a couple of times... (leading to interesting stories of makeup buying and carseat renting)
• We've been to 10 beaches... (I think)
• We have one dog
• who's killed 2 cats... (er... 1 confirmed)
• We've locked in to Apple
• We've been pregnant 3 times... (ok, I am stretching the we part)
• with one calamity
• and one huge Cuteness
• and now the Twizzles on the way
• We've started a blog, and kept it going.  With an international flavor (Hoff, eat your heart out!)
• We've published the blog twice.
• We've taught our Cuteness to sign.
• and are struggling with the potty training
• We've invented AA, Goodnight Kemper, a Kemper lullaby, the Protectors of the Feet and the CleanCutenessArena.
• We're reading books
• We're using Green/cloth diapers... and Bum Genious'  (seriously, I don't ever think I would have typed that one)
• We've got the Pizz to sign "potty" when she... um... you know...
• We've cut the Pizzle's hair, like a ga-gillion times!
• We've eaten at Moe's about 250 times. 
• We've gotten the Pizz to love burritos too!
• We've experienced the Pizz post-burrito!  (pee-you!)
• We've gone solar hot water and geothermal!
• We've gone induction and low flow.
• We've rolled bamboo and Flor tiles.
• We've actually cut down trees too (yes, aghast!  how can that be green?!?)
• We've painted many walls, pregnant and not pregnant.
• We've re-done windows and put in skylights (one that is automatic!)
• We've bought a mini-van (yes, I might have mentioned this earlier.  But this shear fact alone is mind-boggling)
• We've crammed 3 carseats in the 2nd row of the minivan.
• We decorated walls with vinyl stickers
• We've put together two cribs.
• We have 2 nurseries.

Whew!  I am all tapped out.  My mind is racing.  Heart is pounding.  I cannot believe where the last four years have taken us.  But I can say that there is no other person I would have done it with.

rre

34 weeks down!

Now you see it (or, more appropriately, "them").....

Now you don't....

Yay! We're almost there!

The Santa Maria is Loaded Up!!!

The Pizz looking none too happy to be sitting next to two more carseats...

Living with the GC2.0

So, I am sure that you all are dying to know what its it like to live with the glorious incubator that is the 2.0!


Let me first preface this post (which was to be entirely composed on my new iPad) by saying that there is no way on this earth that I could do it. Nope. Not even for one day. Too big... Too uncomfortable... Too painful. (I can't even survive a simple tetanus shot...)

So, with that in mind, here are my observations:

1. The GC 2.0 has been genetically engineered for this moment!  I mean she is absolutely amazing.  She looks great and truly does not appear to be incubating twins.  Those little suckers are growing exponentially now, and she is physically none the worse!  (I am sure that when she was growing up, she thought about this moment to herself!)

2. But, as she is getting bigger, she gets more and more uncomfortable with herself.  (But you could never tell).  She physically can't do what she used to, but she still tries!  This leads her to start huffing and puffing... almost as if she had COPD. 

3. With the twizzles, the action in the GC2.0's cargo area is quite amazing.  One starts kicking, and then the other.  Soon, you have two separate areas of kicking and punching.  I cannot imagine how this feels internally!  It looks fairly impressive from afar...

4.  The larger size of the GC2.0 makes sleeping a huge problem.  She cannot stay in one position too long, due to either shortness of breath, backpain, sternal numbness, GERD or having to pee.  It is amazing.  I almost can't fall asleep at night with her moving... (almost!)  She also now utilizes about 10 pillows to sleep.  Seriously.  She has 3 pillows arranged to form a graded slope for her head.  She has a throw pillow on each side for lateral padding.  Then she has the pillow on the side so that when she rolls over her head is still high enough... Ok, so maybe I exaggerated some on the pillow quantity.  But it is still impressive. 

5. Speaking of the GERD and the peeing...  there is only so much real estate inside the GC2.0.  Since the Twizzles are taking up loads of it, other things have to go.  This means mainly the more accommodating organs, like the stomach and bladder.  Now, the GC had her share of GERD and urine frequency, but the 2.0 takes it to a whole other level.  It is unbelievable.  She cannot eat normally, for fear of early satiety or, even worse, GERD and burping.  This also means, that we have to eat by 6pm, because any later.... uh oh!  Also, she now is popping Tums like they are breathmints.  She had to relent to actually carrying the large Tums container around with her 24/7.  Yup!  In her purse!  The Pee thing is even worse.  Now it is to the point where, when she finishes in the bathroom and gets up, she has to pee again!  Wow!!!  (I actually just had her review my post, and this paragraph made her have to pee!!!)

6. "The Mind is Willing But The Body is Weak!"  So, essentially, this means, that the GC2.0 is the same as Charmaine, but with watermelon strapped to her abdomen.  This, unfortunately for myself, means that she physically cannot do what she wants to.  This means that someone else has to do the dirty work...  Since Hamilton is not able, that leaves the Editor to do the heavy lifting.  Man, she really likes to nest!  I think having 3 brains is making her want to work overtime!  It is tiring... and the Twizz haven't even arrived yet!

7. KP has no idea.  We're trying to keep her informed, by pointing to the GC2.0's belly and saying "babies".  But that doesn't seem to stick.  She does notice, however, that mommy's lap is not as accommodating as it once was.  This doesn't stop her from sitting it, but really makes her uncomfortable.  Once, while sitting her GC2.0's lap, she turned and pushed the belly, like she was fluffing some pillows.  Nice.
 
8. The GC2.0 seems to need lots of recharging.  Especially now, as she hits the home stretch.  Seems that the battery needs recharging quite frequently.  There is her morning nap, which occurs between 7-8 am.  There is the afternoon nap, which occurs between 3-5pm.  There is the post-lunch nap.  And then bedtime occurs around 9.  Whew! 
 
That is all!  (For now!)

And Down the Stretch We Come!!!

So, as of yesterday, the GC 2.0 has graduated from her MFM doctor. 

She is now officially on "cruise control".  (That is if the GC2.0 can cruise....)

And that means the Twizzles are around the corner....  oh Gosh!!!

So we're streamlined the BY Universe here a little, and hope add more posts soon.  (We've been busy, tired with work, tired with the continued renovation and stressed over everything...)

But I am sure there is humor to be found somewhere!!!   And I will find it!

My GI Tract has been Pizz-erated!!

Damn that daycare!!!

(on a brighter note, maybe I'll lose some of my pregnancy sympathy weight!)

Editor-Vision!!!

Welcome to Advanced Maternal Age!!!!

Well, ladies and gentlemen of the loyal BY Universe, on this day 35 years ago...

The GC2.0 was born.... ( well maybe she wasn't called that back then)

What a long, strange trip she has undertaken to reach this stage of her life. And we're so thankful that she's done it.

So wherever you are viewing this wonderful, amazingly humorous and insightful blog from, take a moment to realize that this humor...this creation...this baby signing time...this family...this swagger wagon...this wonderful, amazing life...would be nothing without her.

So Happy Birthday my wife, you're the bees knees!

RRE

Who's Got the Biggest Belly?

So two days ago, while staring at a naked Pizz run around her room, I got to wondering: 'man that Pizzle's belly is pretty big!!!'

But in the BY Universe, who has the biggest belly??? I mean, I have put on some of my own baby weight, but really???

I needed a scientific method for my approach. Surely it wouldn't be fair to just measure bellies.... the poor GC2.0 would win by a landslide. I went all the way back to my Duke Engineering days (my parents would be soo proud). I brought in some higher level math. I needed a way to 'even the playing field'... I found it.

I would take the belly circumference at the widest point, and divide it by the total height. This would be a standardized ratio...

The results (oh, and for some reason i used the metric system... Dunno why):

The Editor: 96/183 = 52.5%

Hamilton: 74/142 = 52.1%

The Pizz: 53/76 = 69.7%

The GC2.0: 110/163 = 67.5%

So, the winner, by the hair of her little cuteness head...

Is The Pizz!!!!

We are so proud!!!

One Small Sign for the Pizz

One Giant Leap for Parenthood...

So, as many of you may know, we here in BY Universe have been practicing with the Pizz the American Sign Language. We were hoping to expand her abilities, and to tone down some fussiness.

After some intial skepticism, I realized that she really has picked up some "words.". This has been fun and fascinating for the GC2.0 and myself. She has expanded her vocab with signs for food and animals. Her favorites are definitely dog, bird, and eat. So we have ramped up our training, trying to incorporate more "useful" signs.

Today, we learned of the fruits of our toils.

So, we are finishing up our dinner tonight... Yummy burgers and fries. Very tasty. The Pizz agrees, making the belly rub (aka "yummy to my tummy"). But she starts getting squrimy, so we let her down. Then she rummages around the kitchen, while the GC2.0 and I finish our dinner.

Then we see it... The Pizz, over in the corner, squatting down with her P-p-p-purple face. At the exact same instant that she sees us staring at her, she lifts up her left hand in a fist and shakes it... Effectively making the sign for "poop".

I looked over at the GC2.0, who was smiling. I too was smiling... I was never more proud of my daughter or, frankly, myself. I am the Father of the Year!!!

(now if we can only figure out how to translate this into potty training...)

The Editor's Maiden Voyage on the Santa Maria!!!

So, we knew this day would come some time!!!

This AM, as we are dutifully getting the Pizz ready for daycare, the GC2.0 says to me, "Why don't you take the van today?"  **twinkle, twinkle**

Oh, come on!  I mean, you've already taken away my manhood by convincing me to drive the civic, because it was "more economical", but now?!?!?

"Um... er... um.. I feel better with you in the van.  It is much safer than the Civic!"  "Nope!  Silly, you can drive the van today!"

And, there you go!

So the Pizz and I are all bundled up as we exit the GM and enter the carport!  There she was... the Santa Maria!...  I look at the Pizz, she looks back... we're ready!  I press the button to open the side door.... whoosh!!!  The Pizz is impressed!  I plop her in the carseat and lock her in...  Press the button to close the door... whoosh!!!  That was easy!

I get in the driver's side and survey the dash.  I adjust the mirrors, slide the seat... Oh and the heater... and away we go...

So, here were the highlights of the voyage:

1.  Backup camera:  a nice plus.  Really disorienting at first.  I focused entirely on the camera, and forgot about everything else.  Probably not a good idea.

2. XM radio: ooh I forgot how cool this is.... ahhh rocking to Pearl Jam station...  The Pizz likes it!  We can switch to Top 40 at the drop of a hat.

3. Heated seats:  ***OMIGOD***  I really have no earthly idea how I drove for 35 years without these things.  Wow!  I mean, it should be against the law to overate heavy machinery without this feature.  Toasty buns are the way to go!  I mean wow!!  The downside is that I used to be able to gauge how hot the car was for the Pizz, now I have no idea... She could be a Pizz-sicle back there...  This is definitely Swaggerific!

4. Turning radius: surprisingly sharp.  I almost forgot about the big ol' backside of this behemoth! 

5. Swagger-ific: See #2.  Probably not cool to be see rocking out to Pearl Jam while driving a minivan.  Really takes away the manhood a little bit...  Chicks (those that were out in the early freezing AM hours...) didn't dig it.

6.  Ride:  definitely Swagger baby!  Cruises like a dream.  Man I can drive for hours with this thing... If only the Pizz wouldn't scream!  Oh, wait!  I have a drop down DVD!!!  It's Baby Signing Time!!!

7.  Parking:  definitely the big negative her.  This barge needs a wide wide berth to park.  Maybe even a tug boat for assistance.  I pull into the daycare, and have to pull off the road to park...  Whew!  Then when I got to the hospital, I parked and backed up like 4 times to get the thing lined up in the space.  Eh!

8.  Drop off: man those sliding doors are great.  I pick up the Pizz, her stuff, my keys, and then push a button... Whoosh!!!  Door closes...  Swagger baby!!

9. Cup holders:  Man there are like a 1000!!!  The Pizz now has one too, just for her cup.  At one point, I had 3 diet pepsi cans, my cell phone, my cell phone holster, and my pager in individual cup holders...  Swagger baby!

10. Manly quotient: definite zero.  No chickies would give the time all day!  I think I even saw one point and laugh.  Oh well.  What are you going to do?  I got the twizzles coming soon.  I imagine in about 2 years these sliding doors are going to open and kids will come pouring out!  How can that not be cool?

So after the Editor's maiden voyage on the Santa Maria, he thinks that he will be taking her out again real, real soon.... with toasty, toasty buns!

The Hoff, eat your heart out!!!

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Adding to the BY Fleet

Well, followers of the BY Universe, we have finally purchased the new family truckster for ultimate transport!!!!

Well, actually the GC2.0 did the purchasing all while I was at work. They kept her in the dealership for 3.5 hours!!!! I am hoping that she will blog about the ordeal. (I think it could be another BY classic; she 'accidentally' turned into a gentleman's club parking lot)

But now the BY fleet has a new sister ship to her armada.

The Niña = the Honda Civic hybridstyle

The Pinta = the 4Runner

The Santa Maria = the Toyota Sienna



Oh how my life is over!!!!!!!

More Work from the GC 2.0

Holiday Week, Part Duex!

So, there were more events during the holiday week that was...

Oh much more... 

Somehow, the GC 2.0 was sneaky enough to lure La-La to our humble abode.  Little did she know what she was setting herself into.

Seems the GC 2.0 has this all planned out.  Lure La-La to the GM, have her fix tasty food, and then use her to rearrange/organize the whole GM...  Oh yes...  The Editor and La-La were not going to have a relaxing weekend.

So we moved and organized the whole GM.  The second guest room was moved down to the bonus room (aka Scarface room).  This was moved and arranged, and should make a nice little live-in suit for the new au pair.

Oh, but we're not done.  Next, the Ocean guest room was moved to the smaller room.  This is now the "Master Guest Room", replete with it's own bathroom and own thermostat! 

Then the Ocean bedroom is now the Nursery 2.0.  This, as you will see later, was painted and decorated all splendid for the Twizzler's impending arrival.  We even moved dressers around.  Rugs are pending.

Whew!

But, as you saw earlier, we did have time to give out gifts..

Outside of the Pizz, the Editor again racked up some serious swag!

Seems we are going to have some new sponsors to the BY Universe.  Welcome Apple and iFlip to the cache of supporters of the blog. 

More to blog about those later.... 

Highlights from the 2nd Annual Pizz-mas!

Well, yes I know.  I haven't posted anything from this past Christmas, recounting our follies and frolicking.  In fact, I've been so lame in this regard, I got yelled at by the GC 2.0, for falling asleep at my duties.  I have become a victim of my own success.  I only have myself to blame.

So, anyway, this Pizz-mas was very low key and laid back.  La-la was our only visitor... (eh hem!  Mo?  I'm calling you out!!!) 

Anyway, we had a great weekend with the brewing new familia Yarnoz and Lala.  I had to work Pizz-mas day, and the GC 2.0 went back to work on Sunday, so it was very smooth.  The Pizz got to enjoy it all, with us and La-la.

Due to my working on Saturday, we did most of our Pizz-mas activities Pizz-mas Eve.  We went to church for the vigil mass, which the Pizz tolerated well.  Then we came back for a nice Pizz-mas dinner... of thick juicy filets!  (This is quickly becoming a Pizz-mas tradition!!! yum yum!!!)  Even the GC 2.0 dined on the red meat!!!  Seems that the 2 Yarnoz' in her belly/backseat dig the stuff!!!  Who would have though that one!

Then, it was time to open presents!!!! 

At first, the Pizz was apprehensive.  She didn't understand what was a-happening!  But then, she tore in to the goodness! 

And got gifts galore.  She got books, phones, clothes, more books, a buggie and so much more.  Even stuff that we had to save for later... (wink wink!)

She had so many new things in front of her, that she actually was taken aback.  She was paralyzed with the novelty and couldn't play with anything!!! 

Fortunately for us, this wore off quickly... very quickly.

What have we created!



Merry Pizz-mas!!!

To the Loyal BY Universe!

MERRY PIZZ-MAS

From the Pizz

The GC 2.0

and the Twizzles!!!!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Pizz-mas

Another example of Pizzeration

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

BY's first artwork

Six months in Pictures: GC version 2.0

July 2010: The "Oh S*%#" moment

August 2010: I guess it's really happening!

September 2010: "What is the diagnosis and how do I treat this condition?"

October 2010: "It's a boy! And and girl!"

November 2010: "Sibling rivalry. A is kicking B in the head"

December 2010: 3D snapshot of B(Boy)Y, and "Two heads are better than one!"

BY's first school picture

More Desperate Acts of Pizzeration!!!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Pizz Meets Another Member of the BY Family

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Jinx

After this past travel weekend, there are certain phrases that I, or the GC 2.0, can never utter when travelling again. 

The reason is that as soon as they were uttered, the Evil Jinx heard it and caused the exact opposite to happen!!!


Some examples of the Evil Jinx heard this past weekend:


1. "Look, Maine, the carseat is free. There is noooo way the airline can lose it!"


2. "Man, this flight has been a breeze!!!"


3. "I feel good. I think I'll have another Shipley Donut!"


4. "The Pizz usually doesn't make a mess in the tub"


5. "She can't hurt herself. It's just carpet" 

6. "The Pizz is a great sleeper. Never cries at night!"


7. "Woo hoo! I made it a whole trip without clogging Laura's toilet!!!!"


Never again, Jinx!  Never again!!!

In da hood!!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Blood, Sweat, Tears. Eyes, Throat and Ears!

This title pretty much summarizes how the last BY Vacation (in a long time) went.  It can be basically be summed up in 6 little snippets from the first 6 hours of travel!!!


1.  "Throat"- Well, the GC 2.0 has been dealing with a URI for about a week now.  Turns out that she decided to "lose" her voice the day of travel.  Oh, gee Mike, you're going to have to say and do everything.  Great!  Some parts were sort of interesting, especially when she got out a good, husky sentence.  She pretty much figured that we'd be on auto pilot the whole trip.  Well, the first decision of the trip came at the Check In counter in Wilmington.  "Would you be checking your carseat?"  Well, I was already in my 'airport mode' (Editor's note: not sure if I mentioned my OCD with airports before.  Basically I am afraid of being late/getting stuck in security/missing my flight/getting abandoned...).  Sure I said, let's check it.  The GC 2.0 sent me a horrified look: "You know ", she husked, "they're going to lose the thing, and then we're screwed."  "Naw babe, trust me.  Easy breezy, Japonesey.  We don't want to be lugging this thing around ATL airport do we?  Plus, it's free"  I gave her the wink...  She harumpfed off with the Pizz...  So we're off!!!

2. "Blood" - Landed in ATL no problemo.  Got off without a hitch.  We then had a 2 hour layover, before our flight out.  So we had to eat...  Well, to our glorious surprise, we found a Moe's in the ATL terminal.  Ahhhh, nothing says flying then a large bean burrito, a gallon of cheese and the Pizz.  Too bad there was very little seating.  We wedged ourselves in between a family of 4.5 (their dog) and a business man.  "See, Maine, we couldn't do this with the carseat!"  I felt very proud of myself.  She harumpfed off to the gate.  We got their with 45min to spare.  We tried to get the Pizz to go sleepy time, since this was starting to be way past her bedtime.  She didn't want to.  Next thing I know, I'm chasing her around the terminal.  I follow her to a carpeted corner area.  She's happy, giggling, being chased/chasing her daddy.  I turn away for a second, and then I hear an "Uh!".  I look back and see the Pizz face down in the carpet.  Uh oh.  Maybe she'll just bounce up like she always does.  Well, she picked her head up and started screaming.  Top of the lungs in the middle of ATL!  Great.  I'm going to get arrested for parental abuse!  I pick her up and she lays her head in my shoulder.  "Ok Pizz... ssshhhh!"  Trying to sooth her.  She picks her head off my shoulder and blood is everywhere!  Dripping out of her mouth, on my shoulder, shirt.  Oh crappo!  I'm really heading to the pokey now.  But, cool and calm I was as I took out my daddy daycare handkerchief!  I tried to dab and hold pressure, thinking that this would be a simple cut.  Oh no!  I think she lost like a gallon of blood!  Now, I was internally starting to worry, as I made my way back to the GC 2.0.  We sit her down and try to get her calm.  Ice?  No!  Stick? No!  Pacy? Ok, but I'm still pissed!!!  Finally she started calming down.  The bleeding subsided for us to get a look at things.  Busted upper lip, that was now starting to swell pretty good.  Nice Pizz, now you've got Angelina Jolie lips!  She didn't laugh.  Man, are we there yet!

3.  "Eyes"-  We finally make it on the plane and take off.  Man, my left eye is starting to water.  Hmmm...  that's strange.  Why would it do that?  I've never had that happen.  I look over at the GC 2.0.  "Hey, is there something wrong with my eye?"  She squints over in my direction... "uh oh"  "What?  WHAT!?!?!  Is it falling out?"  "I think you're getting Pink Eye!!!"  For real?!?!?  I mean the Pizz had it like last week and I'm getting this now!?!?!?  I instantly began feeling my eye itch!  Crap!  Now this is going to go real well on vacation!  "Did we bring Pizz' eye drops?"  "No, we left them at home, remember."  Yes.. yes yes... long story about how her eyes got better and then worse and then better, and how the Ped thinks that she might have had a chemical conjunctivitis too...  (this after dropping llike $80 on 2 sets of eyedrops!!!).  Seems that was money well spent!!!

4.  "Tears"- So we finally get the Pizz down and asleep on this last flight.  Whew!  We're home free!!!  "GC 2.0, this baby is a flying machine!!!"  Then we land.  As soon as we hit the ground and the cabin lights turn on, the Pizz wakes up.  And she is not a happy camper!  Oh boy.  She started screaming bloody murder.  Nothing we could do would make her happy.  We just had to ride this out.  Unfortunately, we were at the back of the plane.  So, there we were... "those people" who couldn't get their baby to be quiet.  We were stuck.  That cabin door seemed to take hours to open.  Everybody took there sweet time getting their crappy bags, while we were stuck with an exhausted, screaming baby.  As we finally deplaned, we slunked out of the plane, eyes and heads down... not making any eye contact with anyone!  Once we finally we got out of the plane, the Pizz stopped!  Thanks!!!

5.  "Sweat" - We all deplaned and headed down to baggage claim.  I had the Pizz attached to me, and the GC 2.0, well, she had the Twizzles in tow.  We get to the conveyor belt and wait.  We were pretty frazzled and exhaused by now.  Daddy needed a drink.  There were about 30 other people.  Finally the belt starts....  The gosh damned thing was the slowest moving conveyor ever.  I think a snail could move faster then this God-forsaken thing.  I give the Pizz to the GC 2.0, and walk over to the belt.  (I didn't want to miss the bags!).  Our suitcase comes off without a hitch.  Yay!!!  I wait...  and wait...  Other people are grabbing their bags, and walking off...  Uh oh!!!!  The brow becomes a little moist!  Crap!  Surely this cannot be happening.  Then the belt stops.  I look around, there is only the GC, the Pizz and I.  Neither females looked very happy.  I'm dead!  Now the sweat starts pouring!

6.  "Ears" - So now we're in full fledged panic mode.  We look around for the info desk.  Well, you see, in small town America, these little po-dunk airports don't keep people past 10pm.  Oh crap!!!  The GC 2.0 takes over.  We split up.  She's to track down the airline people, and I'm to see if we can rent a carseat!  Really!  She goes off and I got to the rental agent.  Seriously!!!  This cannot be happening!!!  Oh, but it is!!!  I find the only one open of the 3, and she was getting ready to go.  "Hey, I was wondering if I could rent a carseat?"  "Really?  Why?"  "Um, well, um... I'm dumb!"  I explain the situation, and she seems to understand.  She goes, "Well, I can't rent you a car seat, without the car?"  "Really?!?"  "Maybe you should see if it's not in the back somewhere?"   "Ok"  I go off to find the GC 2.0.  I find her coming down the escalators... steaming.  "Nobody up there"  she husks...  "Did you get a seat?"  "Um... uh... babe... well I have to rent a car to get one.  The lady said to try the back rooms first."

...  Then clear as a bell come the words " YOU BETTER GO BACK THERE AND GET A F&(^()@$!!! CAR SO WE CAN GET HOME!!!  IF THAT LADY LEAVES WITHOUT US GETTING A SEAT, I AM GOING TO F&(!)(@)!!! KILL YOU!!!"  There was no doubting what my ears just heard.  Nope.  Clear as a bell.  Point taken.  I'm dead!

So I go back to the lady... "Um... well... um... we can't find anyone... so um... I'm going to need to rent a car."  "Ok"  So we go through the machinations.  After some bogus discount, but that got inflated with "insurance premiums" I had to fork over $100 bucks.  That sure better be one pristine car seat.  She gives me the keys, and then drudges back to pick up the Platinum Edition BY Thanksgiving Carseat, and comes back!  The damned thing was a POS!!!  Looked like it was 15 years old and hadn't been cleaned once.  "Gee... thanks!!"

I grab my PEBYTC and slink off after my husky bride.  I find her at the ticket counter.  They don't know where the carseat is!  The GC 2.0 looks at me.  I hold up the PEBYTC with a mild smirk.  "We're good babe!"  She looks back at the lady.  "See we had to rent a car to get a carseat!  Are you guys going to pay for that?!?!?"  The lady was like "No, you had to rent a car anyway!"  Then the GC 2.0 sort of exploded (if not already!)  (Editors note: Later we realized why our MFM OB didn't want us to travel after 24 weeks... too stressful!!!)  Then the lady matter of factly said, "well, why did you do that?  We have seats in the back!...."

So there I was...  11pm....  Po-dunk America.  Sweating.  Ears ringing.  My hundred dollar POS carseat in tow.  Running back across small Po-dunk airport.  To get to the rental place.  Trying to get a refund!

At that point, I made a pact with myself...  this officially will end my family airplane travelling days.... for a long, long, long, long..... long time.  Unless we win the lottery and can charter a jet!

Pigtails and Airplanes

Pigtails and Cheesy Poofs!!!!

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Couscous!!!

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Guest Post from the GC2.0: About being blessed with fertility and carrying around a lot of little people

Everyone is asking me what it’s like to find out you are having twins.

Well, if you want to know exactly what passed through my mind when they said the word “TWINS,” it was actually quite literally blank, like I didn’t know what that word even meant.  Mike was sitting in the corner whispering: “Oh sh*%!”  My first real thought was: “Holy crap!  How many carseats are we going to have to have!??!”

After that thought, there was a lot of anxiety.  Our minds couldn’t grasp the fact that we wouldn’t just be squeezing in one more little Yarnoz in our family/cars/home.  We launched into planning ADHD - we need another car! and crib! and high chair! Oh my! Can we get three kids to daycare every morning? (The resounding answer was ‘no’ for that one.)  How much Xanax will Hamilton need?  Am I going to lose my job over this?  I can honestly say that there were days when I wanted to do nothing but cry.

Then there came the visit with the high risk obstetrician.  It seems his job is to warn about all the complications and disasters that can strike a 34-year-old woman with multiples brewing, then to gleefully tell you each time “But you are doing great!!”  Not necessarily a balm for the already anxious soul.

Meanwhile, the ‘fault’ for all this lies firmly in my genetic tree -- hyperovulation being a common occurrence in the Rabalais women.  (Not to mention there was an accidental perch on an ancient fertility chair in 2007 (see photo) and a fateful conversation about 2 years ago when I jokingly told Mike: “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could pull off a two-fer and squeeze out some twins?  This would cut way back on the amount of time I am restricted from traveling to Haiti.”)

Should have guessed it might happen, but it honestly never crossed my mind.

Eventually, as I worked my way through double the nausea and fatigue, it started to sink in.  It was actually getting to be a little bit fun watching people’s expressions when I told them I was harboring twins inside.  One of my pulmonology colleagues looked absolutely horrified and screeched, “Was that expected?”  Or another one I love: "Did you take something? (Yes, I induced this on myself because I wanted to have 3 children under 18 months... what!?%$"  But most people looked shocked in a good way and would say things like, “Won’t that be fun?!” or “Oh, good luck! You’ll be very busy!”  And a few continue to light up and say things like: “I’m a twin!” (guy on the landscape team today) or “I had twin boys and it was wonderful” (GI attending who typically barely speaks to me).  In fact, when you have two it enters you in a tiny little elitist club of twin-bearing women, each one having her own special story to go along with it.

So, the second trimester has been all about less -- less nausea, less fatigue, and less anxiety -- as well as more -- more OB visits, scans, and freakish comments about my innards.  The kiddos are moving, frequently kicking each other in the head when scanned, and the abdomen is growing.  Mike likes to remind me that I have the genetic equivalent of a whole Yarnoz inside of me.  (I’m still holding out for a kid that might resemble me though, since I’ve totally lost with Kemper.)  

As we enter into the third trimester, we’ll probably relapse back into high-anxiety mode. (Can I make it to 38 weeks? What if I’m early? What if I have to have a c-section? How am I going to pick up Kemper anymore? Which car should we buy? Which au pair should we choose? etc etc...)  I mean, it’s hard to really feel like you are ever out of the woods -- there is only 44mm of a “gorgeous cervix” (by far, the weirdest compliment I’ve ever gotten from a man) between the world and my little Yarnozs -- I simultaneously want to keep them in there forever and want to see what our new little people will be like.  

Hopefully it really will be as fun as people try to tell me it will be... but maybe not too much fun, because Mike has already told me that he “can’t make it through another pregnancy.”  Plus, the obstetrician already warned us that we have an even higher chance for twins again next time.... 

Walking around

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In Search of the BY's Family Truckster

So, most of you BY Followers know by now that the BY Universe is going to get a whole lot more crowded in about 4 months now.. (whew!)

So one of the most controversial decisions the GC2.0 and The Editor have been racking their brains over is the addition of new transportation....

Yup.  Seems the brood just won't fit in the GC2.0's hybrid "mommy car".  Nope.  Not at all.  It would be like wedging sardines into a can...  Or stuffing 18 clowns into a mini-Cooper....  Just can't happen.

So we've been discussing/haggling/fighting with each other over which cochito to acquire.  This has been difficult.  We can't even decide on how to "acquire" said cochito!

We've even had the opportunity to go test drive certain candidates for the BY Family Truckster (... Thanks again, Ita and Wowo).

It has only clouded our minds.

The candidates: The Toyota Highlander (hybrid, of course), the Toyota Sienna, the Honda Odyssey, the Honda Pilot, and the Mazda 5 (making a late push with a snowball's chance...)

The votes:

• GC2.0 = Highlander... "Groovy, hybrid, 3rd row seating.  I don't want to drive a Minivan!"
• The Editor = Swagger Wagon ... er Sienna.  "Huge... accommodating... sliding doors.  Oh and I get an Xbox!!!"
• Hamilton = ruff ... "wherever I can be part of the action... but keep me away from these noise-makers!!!"
• The Pizz = uh-oh... "I like facing forward now"

And the debate is raging on....

Any votes on who will win???

Buy me!!

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Toys!!!

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Names, Names, Names...

So, I've been racking my brain to try to find some good name options for the Twizzles...  It has been tough, especially with the GM renovation, the job, and the Pizz...

But I've got some to share... So enjoy!


1. Black and Decker

2. Donnie and Marie

3. Daisy and Duke

4. Ozzie and Harriet

5. Ike and Tina (The Editor's personal favorite!)

6. Sampson and Delilah

7. Tarzan and Jane

8. Vegas and Reno (What happens in Vegas' diaper, stays in the diaper...)

9. Montana and Rice (The Editor's second favorite!)

10. Kirk and Uhura


I'll work on the voting booth!

GC2.0 at 20 weeks....

Learning how to sign...

Right before a Fussmaster Pizz explosion!

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Yay Black beans!!!!

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