What? A Victoria book I don't have? Does anyone reading my blog own this one and can give a review? I have At Home with White, Blue and White in your Home, Decorating with Roses, Intimate Home, Baking, Christmas with Victoria (three volumes), Bedrooms, The Heart of Christmas, At Table, and The Charms of Tea.

I had Romantic Country Style and gave it away... the only one I didn't like. My favorite is "Intimate Home" and "The Heart of Christmas" which were both published early on.

Thanks for asking about me after my fall. My pride is the most bruised- and I have a check up tomorrow just to be sure everythings ok with the "little twins".

I will try and participate in Inspiration Friday tomorrow!

Ugh

Today I fell.

I was carrying Lucas out of the play yard and I guess I am just not used to how awkward my stomach is at almost 6 months pregnant with the "little twins". Fortunately, I already had Matilda in her high chair. I crumbled with Lucas and shielded him as I fell, the entire play yard folded like an accordion ontop of us and while he was fine (thank goodness!) I am now sporting a huge scrape from my knee to my ankle and initially thought I broke a toe. I was so startled I almost was sick. I shook all over for an hour. That I could of hurt Lucas, or lost this pregnancy. I fell on pillows that we have in the play yard and not on the ceramic tile flooring just outside of it. The play yard was what scraped my leg.

Apparently the play yard is supposed to be opened and closed the same way it was assembled. This makes it very awkward to get in and out of, especially when I have the "big twins" in it. I called the company to ask if they might make a better and easier to use gate for it, and they don't. Thats crazy considering this is THE play gate system every mom of multiples owns.

Duane said tonight he will try and see if he can fashion something better. A friend suggested I buy a play gate and link it into the play yard with cable ties. It just has to be sturdy.

Ugh, ugh, ugh.

I am an enneagram type 4, and my husband is an enneagram type 9:

This can be, paradoxically, both a very comfortable—and yet exciting—relationship pair. Enneagram Fours and Nines are both withdrawn and private, sensitive to the feelings and needs of the other and, empathetic to the suffering of others. Both can be tender-hearted and highly sympathetic to the suffering that they find in the world and in each other. Both want to find a deep connection with the other, and yet, both also want a certain degree of autonomy and insist on a very real degree of privacy. Both Fours and Nines can be highly creative, and as a pair they enthusiastically support the other's creativity and give the other a good deal of space in which to develop their talents. Both are idealistic and want to connect deeply with someone, feeling that they are on a search for their soul mate, the one person in the world with whom they can completely connect and be themselves.

Both Fours and Nines also bring a sensuality and love of comfort that is noteworthy; this may express itself in their lifestyle, traveling habits, and in their sexual and other intimate activities. This is a couple that likes to stay in bed all Sunday morning, reading the papers and talking. Each brings passion and an appreciation of the other coupled with a desire to be comfortable and build a life with the other. Fours can make Nines become more intense and expressive about how they feel, while Nines can allow Fours to feel understood and accepted for who they are. Fours are good at naming feelings and pinpointing emotional states; Nines are good at creating an atmosphere of nonjudgmental acceptance, Nines may even enjoy the emotional storms and dramas that Fours occasionally get into, feeling that it adds spice to their life together. A lot of the pleasure and passion of this couple is nonverbal in the depth of the understanding that each has for the other.

The first time we read this, we were shocked at the accuracy- right down to the relationship problem areas. My husband had told me when we were dating that I would eventually leave him because I would find him "dull"- the enneagram pairing for us says thats a potential problem for 4's romantically involved with the peaceful 9. And, I was worried he would tire of my emotional storms and shut me out.

But, the thing that really stuck with us is that we can never get out of the house on weekends because we will spend the entire day in bed talking- never leaving our pj's. We even go get breakfast and bring it back to bed. Then we had the twinkies, and guess what? We go get them, and they have their bottles in bed with us. We bought our king size bed just for this purpose! Hee. They like to watch a little t.v., cuddle, and we play with them. Its a nice morning ritual.



I can't believe how well they are sitting up! Its very strange to peek into their cribs after naptime and see them sitting upright, playing with a toy. I swear, it is happening soooooo fast. I keep telling Duane "and next month they graduate high school!" as a joke about how quickly this is all moving.

The other interesting thing is that we purposefully bought the extension to the playyard so they babies could have their own sense of space. They have a 36 square foot area with mats. Well, those silly twinkies are never more than a foot apart, and are usually either lying half way on top of eachother, or are back to back as you see here. Too cute!

Lucas felt bad yesterday and he is clingy when he feels sick. Neither of my twins are especially cuddley unless they feel bad, or want reassurance after a topple. I am warped- I actually enjoyed that he wanted to snuggle, even though it was because he had a tiny fever!!! Tilly only wants hugs and snuggles after she has a temper tantrum. I guess she just needs to know that in spite of how she behaves, my feelings for her remain unchanged. Forever.

Living room

Yesterday Duane and I worked on getting the china display case anchored to the wall, and then we put the shelves in and added my tea things. Here is a view of the case from the kids play pin.



I took a few pictures of our living room this morning- we have only lived in this house for three weeks now, and it doesn't quite look "full" yet. I have boxes of china (most in a West Virginia barn!) and a closet full of pictures (here) to attest to this. However, here is atleast a view. The living room is 20 by 20- but, again, I ma pinned in by the... ahem... baby play yard. This is the best I could get without looking like I was in the play yard!




I love this sofa. We shopped for a "tight back" sofa that had 30's styling for months looking for something just like this one. It reminds me of the sofa in the lounge of the movie "Holiday" with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. I think the 30's- 40's are my favorite period of movies for decor. Just on the edge of glamour, but lots of cottage charm. For instance, the "play room" of Katherine Hepburns in Holiday is so english cottage and I love that room! I also love the entire set of another Grant-Hepburn teaming: "Bringing up Baby". The dutch doors off the kitchen are exactly what I would have in my dream kitchen. The buffet behind the sofa is part of the set that includes my dining room table. Doesn't look "full" at all.





This is another view of the living room, Showing the corner where my over stuffed rocker is, and both china hutches.




Here is the last corner of the living room- its also the last bit of Victoriana in my home, left over from our downsizing venture last year. Before having the twins, we owned two homes- a victorian in West Virginia, and then our primary residence here in Georgia. However, we couldn't devote time to the upkeep of a large Victorian home once we had the twins, and the loss of my income certainly didn't help, either! We sold both homes and bought one house- the one I am sharing pictures of. This also explains why so many of my things are in my parents barn! They live in WV.

I do like this small scaled settee, and it matches my colors, so for now it has found a cozy corner. I have more pictures to hang around it, and also want a different area rug here.

Thats the visit to my home this morning.

Now my vent:

Why do people want me to separate my twins? Lucas and Matilda are going to share a room until they are 7, and the next set (if the same gender as I predict) will share a room *always*. Every like gender twins I know share a room, and are happy about it. But, any time someone visits our home, they inquire about when we will separate the twins (even the like gender set). My sister and I shared a room until we were 8, and its a very fond memory of my childhood that I would not part with. Sure, we argued and bickered, but, we also told stories at bedtime, giggled, and had pillow fights. Since we aren't close as adults, I treasure those memories now. I also believe if we had continued to share a room we may have remained closer. When we each had our own room we stopped the pillow fights, the late night chats and grew apart as we developed more independence and our own interests apart from the other. The one thing these babies will have is they are close- close in utero, close in age. And we want to cultivate that.

I am off my soap box now!

Thou who didst hang upon a barren tree,
My God, for me;
Though I till now be barren, now at length
Lord, give me strength
To bring forth fruit to Thee.

from Christina Rossetti "Long Barren"

I think this poem has both spiritual and feminine significance. I won't get into that right now...

I just wanted to remark that on this day honoring Mothers, I take time to remember those who have lost their Mothers, and those who are only mothers in their dreams and hearts, having empty arms where others are full.

Take time to mother oneself, be gentle to yourself, and be at peace.


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Just a couple pictures I took of the twinkies this morning. Its difficult to get a good picture of Tilly. She wants to play "ham" and acts goofy in all her pictures. Case in point:





As soon as she saw the camera, she started squealing at the top of her lungs. Then she flashes me a big smile, and squeals again.

Her brother, on the other hand, looks very serious in his closeups:




He likes to consider the camera, and think about how he is going to take it from me and *taste* it.

I know I can hardly expect them to have similar personalities, seeing that they are fraternal twins, but, sheesh, they are NOTHING alike.

This is what Lucas looks like during naptime:



He goes right to sleep, never fusses, and likes to face toward his sisters crib (as he is doing here) so when he wakes up, he can look in on her (we joke that he considers her antics the next best thing to reality t.v.!)






This picture was taken of Matilda within ten seconds of the picture of Lucas. She fights naps, she fights sleep... we usually end up having to pick her up and tell her she needs to sleep, and rubbing her back for about two minutes, then laying her down again.

Many moms are advocates of "CIO" ("Crying it out") to train babies to "self soothe" and be able to put themselves down for the night. I never wanted to do CIO, and we haven't had to. Though it takes Miss Tilly a good twenty minutes to calm down and go to sleep, she sleeps a straight twelve hours once shes managed to settle in for the evening. And, shes a good napper, too. Besides, on the rare occasion we haven't heard her crying, by the time we went into her room she was hyperventilating and having hysterics. Thats not teaching her to self soothe, its teaching her that her parents ignore her when shes upset. I realize this technique works for some children, but, knowing my children it wouldn't have worked for them.

I hope we are as patient to the "little twins" on the way. I have a feeling that if we have another Tilly personality, that she/he might feel a little less validated than Tilly has been solely from a lack of time. This worries me *alot*. Also, that I am able to keep reaffirming Tilly and Lucas of how special they are when their siblings arrive.

These aren't twin issues, they ar ejust sibling issues I think.

My generous sister in law

My SIL changes loves to change up her home decor and generously shares what she has "edited" out in the process. Isn't it great to have someone who loves to share as much as they love to decorate???

My dining room has benefited from one of her remodels- these are all three signed artist prints from a gallery she purchased them in. At first I wasn't sure they would work- I don't use much rich dark greens- but, the gilded frames and the burgundy is dark enough to look well with the more vintage fabrics in my living room.

I have come to really enjoy these pictures.



OK- the dining room isn't finished. I am not used to ceramic tile floors, and we need nice rugs in the dining room, living room, and a runner down the hallway. This room looks a little barren without a rug under the table. P.S.- she also gave me the centerpiece on the table. The dining room table, along with the china cabinet pictures below this thread and a buffet were all auction finds in West Virginia. Isn't this all beautiful? Yes, yes, the china cabinet or the buffet would fit on the opposite wall- but, thats actually where we store the high chairs, which for picture purposes, were pushed into the breakfast room. :-P




The above were parted with because of the chip in the frame on one of them. Until she saw it on my wall, I don't know that she realized it wasn't noticeable. I have two ovals with similar rose "library prints" and ornate frames that match these perfectly. We are just looking for a spot to hang them.



This is the prettiest lamp I have ever seen, and she decided it didn't go with her new tables at the new house. I was actually trying to find something close to it on our budget, when she pulled it out and gave it to me this past Christmas. I was so afraid she would change her mind that I nudged Duane to stick it in the trunk of our car that minute. Isn't that horrid??? He knew I had spent months trying to find that lamp! *edit- she replaced that lamp with one thats even prettier! Oh my goodness does she have good taste, its the prettiest lamp I have ever seen and its in her keeping room. Its dark with ceramic fruit on it in the most gorgeous shades of green and bright cranberry and the shade is this gorgeous pleated latte color. Now ITS my favorite lamp!




So, here my challenge. She visited me this week and brought me *these*. I don't really care for them (and they are larger than they appear here). She was very enthusiastic about how nice they would look in our home. I don't own anything mauve, and this is an odd shade of green. I might could make them look shabby if they were above a shelf with some vintage china, but I don't know... its probably the oldest pictures shes given me- they were at one of their offices (one they haven't used since 1999) and they have decided to sale the building this office was located in. So, she and her husband were prepping the building for sale and "thought of me". *edit- I have stared at the three prints for so long trying to figure out where to hang them that now I want to keep these. Hee, hee. Something about them is very sweet.

My mom begged me to one of them to my grandmothers home. She is 87, and has a bedspread with magnolias on it. I might would do that, if it weren't for driving seven hours with three pictures that would be taking up the space of a jumperoo for the babies!!! *edit- my grandmother did take one of the pictures and I know my sil would be thrilled with how happy this made her~ she put the picture of the victorian like lady with the purple background in her bedroom. My mom says grandma is very impressed with it.

If anyone has advice on how to make these look less "country victorian" let me know.

In sad news, my grandmothers dog died last night. "Precious" has been my grandnothers best friend for 13 years. She had a autoimmune blood disease and died in her sleep. Whats sad, to me, is that I believe my grandmother believes her health is too ailing and she won't "live long enough" to invest in another dog, and yet having Precious gave her so much joy and also Precious was a barker so no one could come in on my grandma without her knowing.

This also makes me feel a little sorry for myself because at the time grandma was given Precious, I was given "Mr. Smith"- my shihtzu. And my aunt found her dog "Kelsey". Smitty is 12, and Kelsey is also 12. Kelsey is on medication for her heart- she has too much fluid on it. Smitty, thus far, has been healthy, but he doesn't hear as well as he used to. He is my first pet as a "grown up". I am not prepared to have an adult lesson about losing him!!! Precious dying just hits a little too close to home.

Grandma does have two cats- "Pumpkin" and "Annie".

Speaking of ANNIE, and now I am just rambling... my grandmothers name is "Anna-Mae". She LOVES her name. She passed on "Anna" to my mother, "Ann" to her older sister, and "Mae" to her youngest daughter. Then, she gets this cat and names it "Annie". It kind of gives us all the giggles... how much she loves her own name! I only hope Matilda loves her name so much. :-)