• New post: This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-22 http://t.co/78QX3ebR #
• This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-22 http://t.co/9w8ssbp8 #
• I made Nutella oatmeal for breakfast. Lord have mercy. #
• I'm going to try the @KrogerCo version of Nutella. Hopefully it won't disappoint. #
• NeNe on Glee! She is hilarious. I still don't like her new nose. #
• Oh, Will Schuester. Will, Will, Will Schuester. #iwouldclimbyoulikeatree #
• Are my children ever going to wake up this afternoon? #
• Cole has gotten out of bed three times already tonight. Very unlike him. He typically just lays down and goes to sleep. #
• "No, Pirate Cole, do not hook your baby brother." #boymom #
• New post: Back in the saddle http://t.co/k333PBNb #
• Post Edited: Back in the saddle http://t.co/k333PBNb #
• Back in the saddle http://t.co/xLFuYm3K #
• It's a chicken parm kind of night. #
• Super sleepy, you guys. #
• It still trips me out that there are actual pirates in the world. #
• People who smoke in the parking deck at work annoy the piss out of me. #
• Patty melts and green beans. A random and delicious dinner. #
• I have five books going right now: one on the iPad, one on the NOOK, and three in paperback. Is that weird? #
• Is it weird that I always tell Siri "thank you" when she does something for me? My iPhone is not a person. Or is it....? #
• Curse you, Nutella. You are an evil temptress and I wish I'd never laid eyes on you. #
• I love the new Burks Morning Dance Party tradition. #
• So far, the biggest drain on my iPhone's battery has been Temple Run. #
• BOMBSHELL! Blake Lively is Chris Crocker! RUMOR. #
• Cole fell asleep during his story. I've been laying in his bed with him for a half hour, just snuggling him. So blessed to be his mommy. #
• We are home and have a ton of stuff to put together for the playroom. And we decided on a dining room table. I think. Mostly. #
• Sodastream is a success! The root beer tastes like root beer. It's really good! #

*************

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Or back in my pumping room. Yep, I'm back at work and back to my routine. Which includes spending 20 minutes three times a day in an unused office attached to a human milker. It's not the way I'd like to spend my lunch hour, but it's what I consider to be a necessary evil for the next nine months.

My baby has joined his big brother at Primrose. Zachary and I both went today to drop them off. I did okay, not tearing up until I got in the car. I know he is in good hands. The teachers are the same ones who took care of Cole. But it never really gets easier to leave a tiny helpless baby with someone new. Still, I know it will be good for Cannon. Cole has thrived there and I have every reason to expect that Cannon will as well.

But I miss him.

But the days go by fast, and we give them both plenty of love and playtime when we get home. Now that Zachary is no longer working for the Evil Empire, he has been able to enjoy Cannon's babyness much more than he did with Cole.

Back to the pumping.  It isn't so bad.  And the way work is nowadays, it is the only guaranteed down time I get.  It helps break up my day a little, too.  Especially in the afternoons.  Instead of thinking, "okay, I just ate lunch so I have FOUR MORE HOURS until I go home," I only have two hours until I pump at 3:00, and then another hour and a half before quittin' time.  I remember how long the afternoons were when I stopped pumping last time.  It definitely took some getting used to.

Continuing to breastfeed exclusively when you are back at work is difficult, I won't lie.  There are the actual pumping times at work, and then when you get home there is milk to freeze, bottles to wash and dry, pump parts to sterilize, milk to thaw, bottles to prepare for the next day, a pump to be packed and schlepped all over.  It would be easier in some respects to formula feed.  But I think about the convenience of breastfeeding (after you get over the initial shyness about nursing in public).  No bottles to pack, no formula powder to measure out, don't have to find a place to warm it up, and you don't have to carry around dirty bottles when you're done.  I just nurse the baby, no preparation, no clean-up, and the milk is always the right temperature.

And breastfeeding is free, after the initial cost of the breast pump.  Have you guys seen the prices of formula these days??  For that reason and that reason alone, I will HAPPILY strap myself to that milker three times a day and sing all the way to the freezer in our garage.

*************

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• New post: This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-15 http://t.co/KOiIAKwD #
• This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-15 http://t.co/dW2JRMIS #
• Ahh, just woke up. Thanks to @zburks for handling the boys all morning so I could sleep in! I am a very happy, very lucky wifey. #
• Who is Lana del Ray?? #outoftheloop #
• Cole, waiting on a Pez pack to be opened, comes into the kitchen and says: "Are you guys forgetting something?" #
• Hubby made an awesome spaghetti bake. This weekend has been full of win. #
• Alone. Gloriously alone. #
• Well, guess I'd better get out of bed. Downton Abbey isn't going to watch itself, after all. #
• My Nook Tablet is basically a mobile Pinterest machine and e-crossword book. And I'm fine with that. #
• My new favorite picture of Cole. http://t.co/s0EmwKhr #
• Happy 4-month day to my sweet baby Cannon! I can't believe he is 4 months old already. Can time please slow down a little?! #
• Ugh, with the third row folded up it sounds like a herd of wild gerbils in this thing. Do not like. #
• Getting my butt kicked at work today, you guys. #
• I don't mind pumping at work because it helps break up my day. And the whole free food for my baby thing. That's pretty awesome. #
• Yawn. The 4-month wakeful plus teething is no fun. I am sleeeeeepy. #
• My sweet hubby packed me a lunch. Love him. #keeper #
• Just found the seat warmer button in this Tahoe. #toastybuns #
• My great aunt Kay lost her battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease last night. She was a wonderful lady and will be missed very much. Please say... #
• I've been sucked into the world of bad fashion blogs. #
• So, um, the Bammer Teabagger's wife went to Montevallo. She lived upstairs from me at Oak Park. Right? I am pretty sure I'm right on this. #
• Cole just came into our room and said, "Do the Stanky Leg, Mommy!" #
• Nasty day. And I will be driving for 9 hours. Hooray. #
• Back on the road... #
• I think I'm going to bake today. I'm going through withdrawals since the holiday baking season is over. To Pinterest I go! #
• Morning nap. http://t.co/zll8Bge2 #
• The little one just woke up from a 3-hour nap. #
• Who would have thought that Stephen Coletti would actually be the one with a legitimate job? #
• This is going to be the worst episode of Hoarders I've ever seen. Cat hoarder and a house full of roaches. Kill me now. #
• "Bye, kids"?!? ANIMALS ARE NOT CHILDREN. I have animals and I love them, but they are not and never have been my kids. #
• This woman had to be taken out of her house from her bedroom window. OMG. #
• More tweeting going on at @RachelBurks, you guys. Follow me there! #
• Just marked all the items in my Reader as read. I got behind. Fresh start! #

*************

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• An iPhone, a Nook Tablet, and a Keurig all in one week. That totally outweighs the whole hitting a deer thing. I must've been a good girl. #
• New post: This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-08 http://t.co/dB9UIOeE #
• This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-08 http://t.co/B2iXXaz0 #
• It's bad when you have to roll your pants up to use the bathroom at the gas station. Never use the ones that are at the back of the building #
• One year ago today we found out we were expecting our sweet boy Cannon! It was an exciting day, and we are so blessed to be his family! #
• There is no such thing as a quick trip to Walmart. #
• Cole came in our room when the storm woke him up last night. I just noticed that he brought his Charlie Brown with him. He is so cute. #
• My rental is a 2012 Durango. It is AWESOME. I want to keep it. #
• Boo, I have to trade in the Durango for a '12 Tahoe. I was enjoying the Durango. #firstworldproblems #
• I think I prefer the Durango. My legs are too long for a Tahoe. Same issue in Zac's vehicle. I don't want to sit up, I need to lean back. #
• Meanwhile, driving a $50,000 vehicle that does not belong to me in Atlanta traffic is terrifying. I want my car back. #
• Tonight at dinner we listened to a dad berate his 10-year old son for not scoring enough points in a basketball game. He got my Death Glare. #
• Boo, my phone case broke. #
• I really want to go to Worlds Delight tonight, but we're going out that way tomorrow so I guess I can wait for frozen hot chocolate. #
• Why in the world is our power out? There is not a cloud in the sky. #
• Glory be, the power is back on. Three hours later. #
• Also, my not quite 4-month old is wearing 6-9 month clothing. We grow 'em big. #
• Yay for teenage boys who walk by my car while I'm feeding my baby! DID YOU GET A GOOD ENOUGH LOOK, PUNK?? #
• "Three apple juices! Three apple juices! Which one I want?!" Cole, with his juice box and applesauce pack. #fuzzymath #
• Just folderized all of my iPhone apps. Well, everything except for Facebook, Hootsuite, and Instagram. Because I use those most. #
• I'm sad that I can't get an iBook from the iPad to go onto my Nook Tablet. I have to read it on my iPhone. It's small. #firstworldproblems #

*************

Please vote for me. I'll love you forever.

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• New post: This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-01 http://t.co/qHb35V7x #
• This Week at the House of Burks 2012-01-01 http://t.co/CWEcGRLR #
• I need to use up the rest of my Christmas baking supplies. Guess I'm bringing cookies to the office on Tuesday. #
• I love New Girl. Love it. #
• The McDonalds commercial with the people wiping nasty burger grease off their faces grosses me out. #
• I think I'd like to consume my remaining 800 calories today in Nutella. #
• Christmas stuff is down and my house looks normal again. Now we can enjoy our day off tomorrow. #
• I'm glad Cole gets out of the bath on his own to pee, but the wet floor is a death trap for everyone. #
• I can stand the cold if it's sunny. I can stand the rain if it's warm. But if it's cold and rainy, what's the point of living? #
• I am iPhoned. #
• I think I've got all my apps installed now. Now I need an Invisishield and a good case. #
• Hey @Otterbox, I just got a new iPhone 4S and I need a case. Interested in a blog review/giveaway?? :) #
• The wind is crazy tonight. Our Adirondack chairs just went flying across the front porch. #
• Day 1 of iPhone: I am merely whelmed. Not horrible, but not crazy awesome. Something tells me it takes a few days to really get it. #
• So it's cold out there today. #
• And cue the tears. #
• The Monte Cristo at Food Big Apple: pretty good. #
• Really weird leaving work with a phone battery that is over half full. Most days I would kill the Vibrant before lunch. #
• In other news, Cannon did great at his first day of school today. I missed him so much! I was so happy to see him and Cole this evening. #
• MAN SICK. Ugh. #
• Bottles washed and made for tomorrow, pump packed, kids bathed and put to bed. Add in a full day at work, and you have one tired Rachel. #
• The best thing about @MyFitnessPal is it keeps me from drinking soda because I don't want to waste the calories. All I drink is water now. #
• @D_Unpolished it's rachelmburks. I'm hoping to get down to my pre-Cole weight, which is quite a task! #
• MAN SICK. There is nothing worse than man sick. #
• I seriously will never be able to kill this iPhone in a day. I'm only down to 40% and it's been off the charger since 7am. Amazing. #
• Every living thing in my house except for me is snoring right now. This makes me punchy. #
• Cannon has started rolling on his side to sleep. He gets that from me; I cannot sleep on my back at all. #
• Just watched a dude mess with his phone through his entire turn signal. #
• I think today calls for a visit to the restaurant downstairs instead of my Healthy Choice entree. Yep. #
• Last night I dreamt that Geraldine Farraro made an insensitive comment about cancer victims. We shunned her so bad she just got up and left. #
• Which begs the question: why was I in a meeting with Geraldine Farraro? And isn't she dead? #
• I JUST HIT A DEER. #
• We are okay. My car is drivable but really messed up. Deer is still alive but can't get up. I'm so upset that it is suffering. #
• The cop said they couldn't find the deer. Maybe it was just stunned. Or they didn't look in the right place. Guess I'll know tomorrow morn. #
• @TheLungos They do. I feel bad that I didn't kill it, though. I hate for it to suffer. :( #
• @lifeandspice @Healthymomminds He is STILL man sick. I am about to lose it. #
• The deer was gone. I feel a little better now. Now I'm just mad about my car and wish the deer dead anyway. #
• I have successfully killed this iPhone. Woohoo. #

*************

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• This is what happens when you use too much flour. http://t.co/LMwEJwJF #
• He wants those cookies so bad. http://t.co/TDKSGN1H #
• Cole is reciting the Pledge of Allegiance instead of sleeping. Hopefully a few more lines will put him to sleep. #
• New post: This Week at the House of Burks 2011-12-25 http://t.co/HUTKcYhq #
• This Week at the House of Burks 2011-12-25 http://t.co/4M5r6bIm #
• Dudes. You think Christmas is fun when you're a kid? Christmas is WAY more fun as a parent. Merry Christmas!! #
• Christmas was too much for my wild haired baby. http://t.co/oPQzYOD2 #
• Me: "Cole, was Santa Claus good to you?" Cole: "I ate his cookie." #
• Hello, ladies... http://t.co/YyzScvbk #
• Last day of maternity leave. Coincidentally, the reason for said maternity leave was made one year ago today. TMI, I know. #
• We are taking Cole to his first movie in a theatre. With a 3-month old in tow. In other news, the Burks Boys' parents have lost their minds. #
• Something tells me this will end badly. #
• Our first theatre experience was wildly successful. Except for Cole announcing "I wanna peed in the potty!" very loudly near the end. #
• Hey guys, guess what! I am getting ready for work! #
• MIDTOWN ATLANTA I AM IN YOU. #
• First pumping session at work. Man, I did not miss this. #
• I swear Jason Swartzman is in line behind me for lunch. #
• Anyone on Path? Wanna be friends? #
• Cole has a shirt with a muscular eagle on it. He calls it a strong penguin. #
• Cole keeps singing Moves Like Jagger. It's quite hilarious. #
• Yes, I made Zac pull over so I could take a picture of Giant Johnsons. http://t.co/4Spbsscy #
• Beautiful day, beautiful wedding. Thank you, Lord, for safe travels and time with family. #
• Really sad that I broke the garage door opener. Parking outside sucks. #
• Yay, off work early and a long weekend. #
• The sad thing about having giant narrow feet is that shoes are really expensive and frequently ugly. #

*************

Please vote for me. I'll love you forever.

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