Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Not so talkless Tuesday, after all.

LOL! I can't believe I'm going to admit this, and you guys will probably roll your eyes and think I'm insane, but I'm thinking about buying tickets to Monster Jam. Ahhhhh! Ethan is obsessed - OBSESSED - with monster trucks (along with planes, trains and his toy cars). My mom was switching channels one night while watching the kids and zipped past a channel that had a monster truck rally on. He caught a glimpse as he looked up and ever since then, we have to show him every night that it's not on tv. When it happens to be on, like Christmas day? We watched the marathon. Ugh.

Anyway, I guess this is where we make these sacrifices for our kids, right? LOL! I think he'd love to go and see the trucks up close. I'm already looking at Disney on Ice tickets as my husband's work purchases large chunks and offers them to the employees at discount rates. We can get good seats for $80 (for all four of us) for the DoI tour and pretty good seats for Monster Jam.

What's a mom to do? :p

Talkless Tuesday...


Saturday, December 27, 2008

61 degees in Washington D.C.

What on earth is with this weather!?!? Seattle and Portland are getting OUR snow, darn it! My aunt sent me a card from Portland asking if I was making a surprise visit because it never snows there unless I'm visiting. :)

We took the kids downtown tonight to see the National Christmas Tree. It seems everyone else in Maryland, Virginia and the surrounding areas decided it was a great idea, too, because it was much more congested than usual down there. For those who have never been, it's pretty neat. The tree sits in the center of 56 surrounding (much smaller trees) from the states and territories. In addition to the trees, they have a yule log, reindeer, Santa's workshop, various entertainment during the evening and a manger scene. Surrounding the large tree in the center is an entire scene of miniature trains (Ethan's favorite part of the evening!). Each of the small trees is decorated by a different group in their state each year.

Elizabeth was pretty miserable this evening, so there aren't too many pictures to share. But, we caught a very cute moment (terrible picture, though) between the two of them as we were walking from the car to the tree.



And then, as soon as Elizabeth realized mommy wasn't holding her other hand anymore...

And, finally, the National Christmas Tree...

Thursday, December 25, 2008

A very peaceful, content Christmas 2008.

As the day draws to a close and the kids are fast asleep, I am feeling tremendously blessed today. This week started off bumpy and full of anxiety, but everything fell into place and worked out just as it should. There was no anxiety surrounding having to spend Christmas Eve with people who don't like me (and vice versa) and was spent, instead, with my mom and the twins at home. We grabbed Outback takeout and rented two movies for the kids (Thomas the Tank and Kung Fu Panda - more for the big kids today) and had a quiet evening here. It was beautiful and peaceful and I didn't have to spend it running around and keeping them from touching anything they shouldn't. Jason did end up going to visit his folks and extended family, but it worked out just fine. His folks held onto the kids' gifts with the intention of visiting us soon. Needless to say, I won't be holding my breath as we all know how good they are with scheduling visits with their grandkids.

We woke up this morning and I was able to sleep for another hour before getting up and showering. When I came downstairs, we opened gifts from Jason's extended family, my aunt in Oregon, and the few gifts we got for the kids. It was all very overwhelming for them and they didn't understand the deal with tearing the paper and keeping what was inside. Maybe next year? But, they did have a grand time! :) I put the turkey and ham in the oven around 1:00 and we laid around being lazy for the day. My brother and sister-in-law came early and we just hung out and watched movies while waiting for dinner to finish. Once that was over, we opened gifts in a windstorm of activity and confusion and Elizabeth ended up having a major meltdown. Ethan became so overwhelmed that he took his cars to the corner of the living room where it was quiet, lined them up and sat quietly playing with them. Once all was quiet again and the family had left, we packed the kids up in the car and drove around town looking at Christmas lights. It was a beautiful Christmas. My husband even surprised me for the third time in our relationship and had me in tears with his gift. You see, he is usually a very predictable person and never really is able to surprise me. This year, he held onto a conversation that we had a month or two ago and ran with it. He got me tickets to see Fleetwood Mac when they come to DC in March! I was so excited. My tears were not necessarily for the tickets, but because he actually listened and came up with an idea out of the blue like this. It touched my heart more than any gift he could ever have given me.

Just when I think I have him figured out! LOL!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

It's here...

We have been hit by the virus. I called the ped this morning and they told me they didn't want Figgy anywhere near the office. *laughs* They are down to 1/2 staff because so many kids have presented with the virus and it's so wickedly contagious. So, they asked that I kindly refrain from bringing her in and thanked me for calling, first. What they did say was that just from the sounds of it, she definitely has it. She was up most of the night but finally up at 5:30. She's burning up, but nothing is bringing the temp down (read: motrin/tylenol/motrin/tylenol alternating). She has thrown up several times and can't keep anything in her tummy. She did ask me for a banana this morning and then proceeded to drink 5 ounces of water with 2 Tbsp. of juice mixed in. The problem, as I quickly found out? With this virus and children, you can't allow them free reign with the liquids as you would normally do. It came right back up. So, I've been offering her liquids by the 1 ounce. Ethan went back to bed this morning and slept until 9:00, so she and I snuggled on the couch until then. She wants to be on top of me at all times, which is fine. I told Jason I have no issues with not doing anything today and can run errands and shop for Christmas dinner tonight at some point. Poor Ethan, though. He just wants to get up on the couch with us and snuggle, too. He spent a good part of the morning climbing up and patting Ellie on the head, reaching in to kiss her, and then trying to wrap his arm around her. She wanted nothing to do with any of it, of course. There were a few cat naps on her part and each time I would slide out from underneath of her to crawl onto the floor with Ethan, she'd wake up and cry. If I went to the kitchen to get more juice or toast, she'd cry. Finally, sometime around 11:00, she was sound enough asleep that I was able to get some playtime in with Ethan. She did wake up around 11:30 and crawled off of the couch and over to us and sat for a few minutes before laying her head on my lap. She's just a rag doll and that makes me so sad. She lays there, lifeless, obviously not feeling well.

Ethan started with terrible diarrhea about 10:30, so I'm preparing myself for the worst.

I hate it when they're sick like this. :( I feel so helpless.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Norovirus

Norovirus.

Sometime around 5:00 this evening, I received two phone calls. The first was from my hospice coordinator. The second was from one of the hospice facilities that I have a patient in. Both wanted to let me know that I was exposed to the Norovirus yesterday, unknowingly. Two of my patients have it. The facility put up its sign late last night.

Not more than 10 minutes later, I was sitting on the couch talking with my mom and Figgy curled up in my lap (which is very out of character for her...unless she is sick). She got very, very quiet and snuggled in close. All of a sudden, she sat up and looked at me. She was white as a ghost and pointed to her lips. As I stood up with her in my arms to head to the kitchen, I asked her if she was going to throw up. She let out a very pitiful "uh huh" and the flood gates opened. She has been throwing up ever since.

Coincidence, or has the Norovirus invaded our home?

*groans*

Lion cake?!?!

Okay, here's the deal. We've decided not to do a birthday party this year for the kids. We're going to be doing way too much in the next few weeks and I'm afraid Ethan will be overstimulated. So, between a lack of finances and no desire to repeat last year's debacle (read: the in-laws), we've decided to keep it quiet and lay low. But, I do want to do something special. So, this is what I'm thinking...

I want to make them a lion cake. Or an elephant cake. But, how on earth does a complete non-baker do something like this? I tried a few years ago to make my niece a Barbie birthday cake and it turned out to be a disaster. Part of it was because our oven in the apartment didn't work and it took 2.5 hours to bake the dang thing. The other part? My lack of skills! LOL! Do any of you creative mommas have any idea? I am getting desperate, so desperate that I've thought of purchasing an edible cake picture of a lion off of the internet and just baking a sheet cake. Bah!

For the actual day of their birthday, since my husband will be at work and it will just be the kids and I, I want to take them to one of the local indoor soft playgrounds. And, when they wake up in the morning, I plan on having hundreds of (okay, so maybe just a few dozen) balloons on the floor downstairs. I want to make some safari animal hand puppets, too. I have the thing that I made a while back that is up in their bedroom, but I'm thinking something funner. Michaels must have something. I know I've seen stuff at Walmart in their craft area. (Ugh. I hate the Walmarts in this state. I don't shop there. The one's in Oregon and Colorado are MUCH nicer.)

C'mon, mommas. I need some baking help, here. Is there some easy way for a hopelessly blond non-baker to make a cool cake for her kids?

Saturday, December 20, 2008

I've been tagged!

Amy tagged me! Yay! I was reading your blog and thinking, "This is really fun, I'd love to answer these questions." :D


1.How long have you been together? Gosh, "together, together"? We have known each other for 7 years but didn't start dating until November 1, 2003.

2.How long did we date? 2 years before our wedding.

3. How old is he? 31 (I like 'em young! LOL!)

4. Who eats more? He does.

5. Who said, "I love you," first? Jason did. I was scared of saying those three words.

6. Who is taller? He is, by about an inch and a half/two inches.

7. Who does the laundry? He does! I hate doing the laundry in this house because I'm afraid of the basement.

8. Who does the dishes? It really depends. I do the breakfast and lunch dishes, obviously. We tend to sort of split the dinner dishes, but he probably does them more than I do since I cook.

9. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me! But, it's not set in stone because it depends on where the bed is positioned in the room.

10. Who pays the bills? I pay the bills, but Jason earns the money.

11. Who mows the lawn? The landscaping company! LOL!

12. Who cooks dinner? I do. I'm the one that stays at home, so that's part of my job description.

13. Who is more stubborn? Oh, totally me. It's disturbing, really.

14. Who kissed who first? blushes I did. We went to hug and as his cheek brushed mine, I thought he was going to kiss me, so I leaned in and planted a big one. I remember every moment, much like Amy said. It made me weak in the knees.

15. Who asked who out? Man, this is a hard one. I will say, we owe it all to a very dear friend of ours who was throwing a huge bonfire up in Marshall. I think it was really one of those, "Hey, you wanna go to the party?" sort of things. I'm not sure who did the asking.

16. Who proposed? Jason did. It was very sweet and very romantic, close to Christmas, at a Festival of Lights.

17. Who is more sensitive? I think I'm more overly sensitive about stuff and personalize everything. But, he is definitely one of the most sensitive men I have ever known (next to my brother).

18. Who has more siblings? We have the same number (2).

19. What were you doing ten years ago? That was, when, 1997? Gosh...ten years ago in December, I had come home from San Diego to mend a broken heart. The guy stole $1500 from me and went AWOL from the Navy. My grand plan was to move to Seattle and start over, but I ended up going back to San Diego and partying way too hard.

20. Five things on my to-do list: Christmas cards, hospice in the morning, cut Ellie's hair, get another gift for Jason and plan dinner.

21.Things I would do if I was suddenly made a billionaire. Oh, I love dreaming. I would pay off my student loans, pay off our smaller debt, buy a new vehicle, buy a home, pay back my stepmom and mom, invest some money, have more babies...

22. Three of my bad habits: swearing when I drive (I'm working really hard on this one), impatience, spending money.

23. Five places I have lived: Guam, Okinawa Japan, San Diego California, Monterey California, Jacksonville North Carolina.

24. Five jobs I have had: Selling Christmas trees in Carlsbad, Ca. Cashier at Giant Food Store. Barista and supervisor at Starbucks. Nanny. Loan officer.

25. Things people don't know about me: I had a good laugh at Amy's! :) Let's see... I was a professional clown. I "died" in a car accident the night before my 20th birthday and lost 6 months of memory of that time. I can still close my eyes on a rainy night and hear the sounds of the firetruck and rescue guys around me and feel the warmth of someone's hand holding mine. And, I distinctly remember the warmth of the light that surrounded me.

Look closely...this is really us! LOL! It was taken at one of those picture places on the boardwalk where they take your pic and superimpose it into a cartoon.


Can I tag two of you? Catherine and Amber.

Christmas rush

In the midst of all the Christmas rush today, an amazing thing happened. I let three people in front of me while driving! LOL! May not sound like much, but if you know me, it's a Christmas miracle! Even my husband said something to me tonight.

We were intending on an early start this morning but, as we've come to learn, the kids rule the start. Of all days, they slept in until 8:45! Normally, we're talking between 7:00 and 7:30 on the weekends, so this was huge. I rolled over in bed and went, "WHAT!?!?" So, once showers were taken, clothes were changed, the dog was walked and breakfast was eaten, we were on the road closer to 11:00. Now, if you live in the DC metro area and are planning any sort of shopping at the mall this close to Christmas, you're taking your life into your own hands. But, we set out with the best of intentions and I kept reminding myself, "the kids are watching, the kids are watching..." The inside of the mall was really not bad, at all. We made all of our stops and grabbed lunch. It was leaving the mall that was insane. Take 15,000 people trying to leave a mall with only two ways in and out, and you've got serious problems. I think it took us 30 minutes? We drove down the road to...*gasp*...Toys-R-Us. The shopping center that the store is in is a joke this time of year and I should have remembered that. In hindsight, I should have chosen to make that stop during the week, at some point. The problem is, Jason's family just got back to us on Thursday about the wish list for the kids. Otherwise, we were all done with our shopping. Surprisingly, the line at TRU zipped along and we were in and out in minutes. It was the leaving, again, that took us nearly 45 minutes just to go 2 miles. By the time we got home, it was nearly 4:00 and the kids had not had naps. Miraculously, they were amazing children all day long and very patient with us. We laid them down for naps and they hit the sack hard. I did wake them up at 5:30, though, because I knew they'd never go to bed tonight. They were so confused! LOL!

Earlier this morning, I popped a new recipe in the slow-cooker and it had been cooking all day while we were out. So, for dinner, we had a delicious beef stroganoff that a friend passed on to us. It was a hit!

After dinner, we changed the kids into their jammies (at this point, it's nearly 7:00) and took them for a surprise car ride out to Bull Run Park. This time of year is my favorite for drives because of the lights. Bull Run hosts a Festival of Lights that is known to be the best in the entire metro DC area. We've never been, so we figured it was a great way to get out for a while and entertain the kids. Five years ago, we went to something similar in Gaithersburg, MD...which is where Jason proposed to me. He wrote a beautiful poem and stopped the car under the arbor of lights at the end of the trail to read it to me and pulled out the ring. *sniff* So, that's the last time we'd been to anything like this. The kids loved it. Lots of "wows" coming from the back made it all worthwhile (even though it was nearly 2 hours past bedtime!).

We were talking on the way home and it has really struck me this year just what Christmas is all about. I mean, I've always known what it's about, of course, but something in me changed this year. For the first time in my life, it's not about me. It's about the children, of course. I want nothing more than to teach them the true meaning of Christmas, to share the joy I feel everytime I look into their eyes, and to make it a special time for them. They are, after all, our Christmas miracles. I'll never be able to quite put it into words, but there has been a profound change in me this Christmas.

I love my family.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

So excited!

You'd think I was the kid this Christmas! LOL! Everyone in the family was asking what the kids wanted, so earlier in the year I started their wish list. Things have been disappearing off of the list, but I didn't realize it until this evening, when the UPS man came to our door. Unfortunately, what was in the box was clearly marked, so I know what they got...I'm just not sure which of you got it for them. But! I'm so excited! The kids are obsessed with safari animals, a theme which was started by their great uncle Steve and great aunt Jeannie. For their first Christmas, they purchased the kids several huge stuffed animals (giant panda, elephant, zebra...) and Figgy sleeps with the panda while The Professor sleeps with the zebra. I found the perfect bedroom set for them that will take them into young childhood and it is a safari theme. Someone we love got them their book displays for Christmas! Yay!

ETA: Please, please, PLEASE - do not get them stuffed animals! Those things are dust magnets and I'll be darned if I end up with boxes of stuffed animals in two years. We've got 6 of them, now, and I'd like to keep it that way. :) I'm looking for bean bag sacks right now so that we can take all of MY stuffed animals from childhood that are in boxes and make use of them. Let's not start something we can't control...that's my new motto!

Monday, December 15, 2008

Our real estate reality.

So, the cost of living in the Washington D.C. area and surrounding suburbs is ridiculous. We live in a small "town" just 20 minutes outside of the city in Virginia. I have been watching my dream home being built down the street and just noticed the sign go up in the front yard. Mind you, the homes around it are the typical "cracker box" style homes...all one level, box-like, surrounded by 100 year old maple and oak trees. It's small town America and I do love it here, but this is proof of why we'll never be able to stay.


The cost of this beautiful home? $1,250,000.00 A home like this in, let's say, Cary, NC where we're looking would cost a fraction of this house. And, to top it all off? This house has really no land associated with it. The entire lot size is 0.24 acres.

Just to give you more of an idea, we live in a four bedroom townhome that is 1800 sq. ft. They are enormous for this area and we're exactly one mile from a metro station. The home in the next court that is comparable to ours (not nearly as nice, curb appeal-wise) is selling for $389,000.00. For a townhome!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Bake, bake, bake!

Today was an unusually productive day in our home. We arose before the sun thanks to a (still) sick little girl, hopped in the shower, ate breakfast, and went grocery shopping. Then, when we came home, I had two loaves of Amish friendship bread to bake, which got me in the mood for more baking. When all was said and done, I made two loaves of the bread, four dozen sugar cookies (with homemade frosting!) and homemade spaghetti sauce for dinner. In the middle of all of that, I managed to sneak an hour nap on the couch while my husband watched the debacle of a football game (Skins) and the kids napped. As I've mentioned before, Figgy is sick. She came down with a URI last Saturday and the cough has gotten worse. Last night, she could not stop coughing and today she was just miserable with a fever (later in the evening). After dinner, I laid down on the couch with Figgy and she fell asleep (drool and snot all over mommy's shirt, thank you very much). I told Jason to go ahead and take Ethan up for bath since she was sound asleep and snoring. Do you know that as soon as Jason said, "Ethan. Bath, let's go!", that Ellie sat straight up and said, "Ready!" She wobbled as she got down, still half asleep but determined that she was not going to miss a bath! LOL!

After bath, she climbed up on my tummy and Ethan decided he needed to be up there with us...so this is the picture that resulted...(I am cut out because it was a TERRIBLE picture!).


This is Ethan's eye, day two.


It seems that today was the day for baking in our neighborhood because our favorite neighbor knocked on our door with a tray full of homemade goodies. She made chocolate peppermint bark, chocolate matzo (Greek thing), coconut macaroons (I'm allergic, but Jason loves them), homemade biscotti and some Chex thing where you dip them in chocolate-peanut butter and drench them in powdered sugar. I am so not at that level of baking, yet! LOL!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Our first real emergency.

Well, I suppose the age of (almost) 2 is as good a time as any, right? I'm still second guessing myself for not rushing to urgent care, though.

We had a party at our neighbor's house this evening for her daughter. It was a birthday party/get-together/haven't seen our neighbors since the weather got cold sort of thing. We're very close with our little set of neighbors. There are six houses in the corner lot here with kids under the age of 4. In the summer, we all sit outside and let the kids run around and just generally have a good time. I enjoy their company, immensely, and look to the moms for advice in child rearing. Anyway, we walked next door a little after 4:00 and were chatting away. As the house started to fill, kids starting running around and pretty soon I heard Heather (our neighbor) calling because Ethan was hurt, pretty badly. My husband got to him before I could because I ran around the opposite side of the house with the kids' plate of food to put in the kitchen (because I couldn't leave it sitting where it would get spilled). As I got to them, there were plenty of, "Oh my goshes" and "that's going to swell." Jason walked back into the living room with me following and Ethan screaming and reaching for me. At first glance, it appeared as though nothing was terribly wrong and it was just a head bump. Then, my husband's face whitened and he said, "Oh, honey." I grabbed Ethan and was in shock at what I saw. I kicked into mommy drive and scooped him up and headed for the kitchen for ice. My neighbor was frantic, I feel so badly because I think she felt just terrible about Ethan. I took Ethan upstairs to the bedroom and sat with him in the rocking chair, trying to soothe him. Ice is a terrible thing, but a necessary evil. I put the ice pack under my shirt and laid his head against my shoulder, singing to him. He was screaming much like you would expect a child in pain and having ice held to his head would scream. Thankfully, our other neighbor got there shortly after this happened and came up to check on us. I just love Kristy. She's a smart cookie with several years of biology and other training under her belt. (Plus, she has two rambuncious boys.) Everyone felt the injury didn't warrant a trip to the emergency room, so I agreed to sit for a few minutes with Ethan and see what happened. The swelling seemed to decrease and it didn't seem to have any effect on his eyesight. He did, however, cling to me for the next hour and a half and didn't have much to say to anyone. This is what his eye looked like after an hour and a half...



The pictures don't really do it justice, but you can get an idea of what it looks like. The red spot is not an open wound, so stitches would not have been necessary. My only concern was that the swelling seemed to be causing an issue with his vision, but there is nothing that they could have done for that. Concussion-wise, he maintained full consciousness for three and a half hours before bedtime and didn't seem to have any lasting effects. He was playing normally by the end of the evening.

Still, I find myself second guessing the decision to stay home. Everyone around me was convinced I shouldn't waste our time at the urgent care clinic or emergency room and that it was your everyday, run of the mill, boys will be boys accident.

*sigh*

This mom thing is hard, sometimes.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Seems appropriate.

I received this in my e-mail this morning from a friend. It's funny how things like this come when we least expect it. My life has felt so out of control these past few months and it's important to hear things like this.

Fully Committed to Now
Why We Are Not Shown the Big Picture
Sometimes, we may find ourselves wishing we knew what our lives are going to look like or what gifts and challenges are going to be presented to us in the coming months or years. We may want to know if the relationship we’re in now will go the distance or if our goals will be realized. Perhaps we feel like we need help making a decision and we want to know which choice will work out best. We may consult psychics, tarot cards, our dreams, and many other sources in the hopes of finding out what the future holds. Usually, at most, we may catch glimpses. And even though we think we would like to know the whole story in all its details, the truth is that we would probably be overwhelmed and exhausted if we knew everything that is going to happen to us.

Just think of your life as you’ve lived it up to this point. If you are like most of us, you have probably done more and faced more than you could have ever imagined. If someone had told you as a child of all the jobs and relationships you would experience, along with each one’s inherent ups and downs, you would have become overwhelmed. With your head full of information about the future, you would have had a very hard time experiencing your life in the present moment, which is where everything actually happens.

In many ways, not knowing what the future has in store brings out in us the qualities we need to grow. For example, it would have been difficult to commit yourself to certain people or projects if you knew they wouldn’t ultimately work out. Yet, it was through your commitment to see them through that you experienced the lessons you needed to grow. Looking back on your life, you would likely be hard pressed to say that anything in your past should not have happened. In fact, your most challenging experiences with their inevitable lessons may have ultimately brought you the greatest rewards. Not knowing the future keeps us just where we need to be—fully committed and in the present moment.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

A post sure to cause raised eyebrows.

I'm having one of those days. They don't happen often...maybe twice since I became a mom?

Whining all morning. Couldn't figure out the cause, so I couldn't correct it. Nap lasted less than an hour. We are now in full meltdown mode and I have had to remove myself from the living room and come upstairs before I lose my mind. I can hear toys being thrown down the stairs to the basement. I can hear napkins being ripped apart as they dig through the china cabinet hutch. Ethan stood in the hallway for 33 minutes, screaming as he has taken to doing as of late, for no reason that I could determine. Ellie is, literally, grabbing everything in her reach out of sheer frustration and I can't determine what she's frustrated about...my drink...the tissues...the remote control....she turns the tv on and then turns it all the way up. They are being abnormally destructive today. The tree has tipped twice, been turned all the way around, cords are everywhere and the walls have been scratched to holy hell. I am within minutes of spanking both kids and sending them to bed for the night. And the best is yet to come. I still have to fight with them to put on their coats and shoes, load them into the car, and go get Jason from work. Ethan will scream all the way there, as he has been for the last week. The minute we get in the car, the pointing and screaming begins.

Today, I hate being a mother. I am ready to ship my kids off to boarding school in Switzerland.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Shhhh....

If you mute the hockey game that's currently playing on our television (GOOO CAPS!), you can hear the soft sounds of a buzz saw coming from the next room. That would be my son.

*chuckles*

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

So, when I was trying to come up with something for my little profile blurb, I tried to give some of you an idea of the person I am. It's not a great glimpse, but I keep going back to something I wrote. "My kids are the first thing I've done right in my life, but I still feel like I never seem to do anything good enough." I've been thinking a lot about this lately. I do feel like that most of the time...that I never seem to do anything good enough. But, I think I'm selling myself a little short because as I look at the kids, I am snapped into the reality that I am (excuse my ego) doing a damn fine job with them. We are. Of course, Jason is my partner in life and in parenting. But, as a SAHM, I am responsible for so much of their raising, schedules, and morals. I can't help but feel a bit of pride when I'm out with the kids and they say hello and wave to everyone they see. As we were leaving Target the other day, they were waving goodbye to the cashier and Elizabeth hollered, "bye-bye, love you!" Yes, folks, we are Target regulars. They constantly surprise me with moments of pure love between the two of them. They sneak a hug here and there, hold hands when they think no one is looking, and are the first ones to comfort each other when it is needed. If I'm disciplining Elizabeth because she took my water bottle and hid it, Ethan will stop what he is doing and go find it without me knowing it. He will bring it to me and then put his arm around his sister, as if to say, "I got your back." They are learning manners. They are helping to put away their toys before naps and bedtime. They are extraordinarily affectionate with me.

I am a success with my children. If nothing else in my life, at least I have that. (Let's talk in 14 years when they're 16 and hate me.)

In all of this, however, I am accutely aware that I never would have made it this far without the help and support of my on-line twin momma friends. I've met one of you, only talked to a few of you, but hope that you know that I gather strength and purpose from each of you as you walk before me.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

A few fun shares....

I found this in a magazine and will be purchasing it for the kids' second birthday. It's the Twilight Sea Turtle from The Twilight Collection and cloud*b. There are three options (the ladybug, turtle and sea turtle) and I chose this one because it teaches children about endangered animals (a passion in our family). We've had some issues with Ethan and bedtime as of late, and I'm hopeful that this will give him (and Elizabeth) something to draw their attention to.


Another magazine find this weekend took me to crazy8 children's clothing. I'm sure you moms know all about this site...but I couldn't help but share it, just in case. They're having a 60% off sale and I found jammies for $7.99 (originally $16.99).

I recently started trying to organize various areas in the house. It's a huge undertaking and I'm quite certain that I will never be done. But, one area that has undergone a huge transformation is our linen closet. When I fold the sheets, I now put them inside one of the matching pillowcases. Instant organization and no more digging for matching pillowcases! It looks neat, too. If you're anything like us, you have things piled high. Our top shelf is reserved for the sheets because it goes all the way up to the ceiling (about three feet). So, I'd reach for the sheets and everything else would fall out. No more! Yay!

Another closet that is undergoing a transformation of sorts is our tupperware closet. The lids were giving me such a hassle that I got a basket and all of them fit in it! Now, I just reach in the basket and find the coordinating lid. Voila!

In more personal news, I chopped off my hair. My husband is devastated. I'm relieved. But, my neck is cold! :)

Doctors offices and waiting.

Why is it doctors office waits can be so miserably long? I mean, if we (as patients) show up late, we're shown the door (only happened to me once, though). I've seen it happen a number of times. But, I've NEVER been seen on-time for an appointment - even if I've got the first appointment of the morning. Today I called to get a sick appointment for Elizabeth and was told to be there at 12:20. We arrived at 12:15 (because I always try to be places early) and do you know we waited until 1:50 to be seen? We were the last appointment of the day. 1:50!?!?!? An hour and a half past our appointment time. You better believe I didn't apologize or try to make Elizabeth stop fussing and screaming. I just sat there and let her do it. I would have joined along, if I thought it would make a difference.

Turns out she has a severe upper respiratory infection and gastroenteritis (fancy speak for diarrhea.) The URI came on so suddenly; literally within less than 6 hours. Very weird stuff!

Sleep

Ethan. Again. Up twice, screamed for 38 minutes the first time and 45 minutes the second time until Jason couldn't take it anymore and went to get him. By the 45th minute, he was hysterical and gasping for breath. Then, Elizabeth chimed in. They were in our bed the second time for about 35 minutes and we took them back to bed.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Update on us.

Not much to report here from cold, expensive Virginia. I had my ultrasound today and, just to put my husband's mind at ease, the tech did a thorough check and was able to tell him with 100% certainty that there was only one (very healthy, big) baby in there. (As if we didn't already know this!) The problem is this little bugger wouldn't sit still or cooperate. We were in the room for an hour and she spent a good 20 minutes just trying to get a picture. She even brought another tech into the room because she couldn't get certain angles. The one sure piece of information is that they definitely know what the sex is. Thankfully, they didn't share that info with us. The doctor didn't realize that we didn't want to know, so he never warned us that he was entering that territory when he was scanning (the doc scans after the tech, just to double check). So, I have a feeling I know what I'm having. But, I can't be 100% positive. :) The tech did tease us on our way out and wanted us to know that she knows... LOL! In the early stages of this pregnancy, the ob had one date set for a due date. The specialist felt it was a week later. They've argued back and forth about this and today we discovered that the baby is actually measuring closer to the original doctor's due date. But, the specialist won't change the date he has put down. My uterus is large (duh!) and the baby weighs nearly a pound. All throughout the sonogram, I was having to switch places from back to side and doing a lot of wiggling of the belly. In the beginning, the baby just wouldn't stay put and kept kicking and punching towards the wand. At one point, he/she gave the thumbs up sign before turning over and away from the wand. My placenta is anterior, just as I suspected it was, which is the reason I can't feel such a defined amount of movement. If the baby wasn't turned over and away from the camera, he/she was covering his/her face with his/her arm. Quite amusing, but frustrating, as we were hoping to have some good pictures. I'm sure we'll end up with a few more as the pregnancy comes to an end. I have to be seen every 4 weeks from this point on, then every 2 after we hit a certain point. I guess I'll never *not* be considered high risk. Either way, it doesn't matter. The baby is healthy!

I want to take this opportunity to express, out loud, my hopes for a natural childbirth. LOL! I know, insane. But, as this will be our last baby, I want to experience it all. The c-section was easy as punch, if I were to be honest, and I really lucked out in that regard. I hear a lot of really negative stuff about c-sections. The experience wasn't at all what I had hoped, because I didn't get to see them as they were yanked from my belly, but the recovery was a breeze. I honestly think that has to do with me having all of the tubes and such removed within 20 hours and was up and walking with a shower taken. But, I simply cannot handle not having control of my body for that long. The feeling (or lack thereof) from the epidural was incredibly uncomfortable and I don't want to experience that again. I may very well change my mind as the pain comes on, but I'm hoping I can get through it. My level of pain tolerance is unusually high.

The kids are doing well. Ethan has been having some serious meltdowns as of late and I'm not sure what that's all about. He will, literally, scream as though his fingernails are being ripped out one by one...and I have no idea what he wants. It's frustrating. Elizabeth has become super cuddly and will climb into my lap and wrap her little arms around my neck and snuggle for 20 minutes at a time. VERY unusual for her! They are really talking up a storm now and it gives me great hope. They are also spending a lot of time talking to each other in jibberish. They did this as babies, too, but this seems to be more deliberate and well defined. And, it's definite conversations instead of a few words here and there. As long as the English continues expanding, I'm not going to worry myself about it. :)

Monday, December 1, 2008

Ethan

Saturday started with another unknown fever of 102. Saturday night he was projectile vomiting. Sunday morning, fever still present. Better in the afternoon, evening with another fever. Fever broke before bedtime. Spent several hours waking up screaming.

Jason called in sick today so that I can go back to bed. I'm calling the doc later and asking to have a repeat VCUG done to rule out the return of the hydronephrosis. I have no other ideas, but there has to be something to this high fever every month to month and a half.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a beautiful day this turned out to be. I had the turkey in the oven by 9:51 and everything was finished at the same time and on the table in time! We even were able to eat before the kids woke up from their extended naps! Bonus! Everything was fantastic, if I do say so myself, and the turkey was the most tender it has ever been. The kids woke up around 3:40-ish and came down to eat. Not a lot was consumed, but Figgy did devour my turkey. Not bad for a self-imposed vegetarian who was eating tofu this time last year. :) I even managed to clean as I was cooking, so there wasn't much to do after dinner. Of course, I didn't have to do any of the post-dinner cleaning. That's the best part of doing all that cooking. I did, however, curl up on the couch and curse myself for eating too much. I seem to have forgotten (momentary lapse in judgement) that I can't eat as much anymore. Something about a baby in your belly that does that to ya...

I have to tell you, I had a small knot in my tummy all day because I knew we'd be venturing up to have dessert at the in-laws. I'm always on edge when it comes to them because we really don't get along, but they took care of it for me. We were supposed to be there around 5:00...these people are NEVER on-time for anything, remember that? So, they call to see if we're still coming and we tell them we are. They ask if we can come at 5:30, instead. No problem; it just means they spend 30 minutes less with their grandkids. It's a 35-40 minute drive (maybe longer on a holiday), so we figure we'll head out at 5:00. As we're getting ready to walk out the door, I check the phone and see that they called us. Excuses, excuses, excuses galore...and they want to know if we'll come closer to 6:00. Of course, we both look at each other and know that there is no way in hell they'll be done with their dinner by 6:00. They never are; the one Thanksgiving they've hosted since Jason and I have been together, they were almost an hour and a half late with dinner. So, the decision was made that we were not going to waste our time, putting the kids in the car only to drive 40 minutes and spend 45 minutes with them. It's just not worth it to either of us. Talk about relief! I'm so glad that they messed up again and it wasn't me being the bad guy and bailing out on them. So, since we were all ready to go outside anyway, we loaded the kids into the stroller, grabbed the dog, and went for a nice long walk. It was a wonderful way to spend the evening! When we got home, we unloaded and got the kids their milk, settled down to watch tv and in walks my brother and his family. It was such a great way to end the day and the kids were rubbing their eyes and ready for bed by 7:45.

Once everyone was in bed, I curled up on the couch with Jason and fell asleep as he rubbed my back. It was warm in the house, my tummy was full, the baby was kicking, kids were asleep and I was safe and sound in my husband's arms. What more could a girl ask for, really? I let the dog out just a few minutes ago and walked the trash up the driveway. I looked up and the sky was clear, the stars were shining, and I swear I saw a shooting star.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

I'm sure I'll have more tonight, but I wanted to express my disappointment...

So, normally I don't watch this but decided to join my husband and the kids to see what all the hype was about. I'm not a big parade sort of person, but it's really the only thing on tv, it's important to Jason, and I'm busy with the turkey. (Taking a break to shower and check e-mail!) Now, I should also start this off by saying I am normally NOT like this. I'm one of those sorts of people that says, "If you don't like it, turn it off...don't read it...blah, blah, blah." That said, I do feel like there is way too much leeway in television programming these days. I didn't get the big deal about Janet Jackson's wardrobe "malfunction" during the Super Bowl.

But, when I'm sitting down to watch a HOLIDAY parade that everyone knows is going to be watched by young families around the country, I expect it to be tasteful. I expect the songs to be geared towards the holiday or children. I do not expect to hear the only black recording artist talking about slipping out of her lingerie and into nothing but her boyfriend's t-shirt. I do not expect to watch her sliding her hand down her leg, near her private area. What in the hell is that all about?!?! Is that all the black recording artists today can sing about? All of those artists that I grew up listening to (Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin...) never resorted to that. It disgusts me. It's inappropriate on a program such as this one and I'm extremely disappointed in the parade organizers.

And, did anyone else notice that the ONLY singer on the floats that sang live was none other than my favorite? James Taylor... The rest of 'em can't sing a live song to save their stinkin' lives. Ugh. What happened to the decent music I grew up listening to?

Monday, November 24, 2008

Monday, Monday...

What a crazy day! Figgy was out of her mind this afternoon and had all of us laughing at dinner. She has decided that she likes to have one arm out of her shirt so that it sits at an angle across her shoulders. On top of that, she found one of her old infant headbands that was stretchy and put it around her neck. It has a bow on it. She looked like a little exotic dancer. And to top it all off? She climbed up on the dining room table and started dancing.

I nearly spit out my soup.

Jason and I got out of the house tonight for a few hours and it was heaven. We've decided to take a proactive approach to our marriage and started counseling tonight. We did a few sessions a few months ago, but decided it was time to find someone we both felt comfortable with. The last lady told us, after two sessions, that she didn't feel we needed counseling and that we were one of the more healthy couples that she had seen in ages. Well, we sort of disagree, so I found a new guy. Our insurance page states that he has an office here in town, so I called and made an appointment last week. Turns out he closed that office and opened one up in his home, which is about 20 minutes away, near the University. We LOVED him. My husband isn't one to just open up and start talking, but this guy made him feel comfortable and he just wouldn't stop talking. The one thing we really liked about him was that he got what we were trying to say to him - that we feel as though our marriage is #1 priority. While our kids are absolutely important to us, we're both pretty set on the idea that without us, there is no family. We want to be healthy for them and to give them a healthy example of what a family and a marriage is about. Neither of us had that example growing up. I mean, let's face it, his mom came right out and told us two months ago that she wouldn't marry his dad if she had it to do over again. So, you can only imagine the example that they set. My husband, unfortunately, is one that believes you stay together for the sake of the kids, no matter what. I, on the other hand, feel like the very best thing my parents ever did for us was to divorce. What I do know, though, is that I want my marriage to work out and sometimes I think you need a little help to get back on track and refocus. So, that's what we're doing. I think we've lost that sense of priority and we need some help getting it back. No, we're not on the verge of divorce. No, we're not on the verge of separation. No, we don't hate each other. As a matter of fact, we love each other very much and still spend each night cuddling and chatting. It's just a simple refresher course, so to speak.

Anyway, we love this guy, like I said. He gives good feedback and he's honest. He had us both pegged by the end of the evening - my husband is the fixer and needs to resolve everything immediately. I, on the other hand, can hold a grudge like the best of 'em and need to learn to let some things go. Who knew?!?! LOL!

Mom tells me that the kids were famously good for her (of course!). She gave them ice cream (only grandma does that) and, by the end of the evening, they would get a spoonful and go, "Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!" Thanks, mom! LOL!

My gratitude for the day:

I'm so thankful that I have the ability to see that my marriage needs a refresher and that I'm not running for the hills, ready to give up. That's always been my m.o. and I thank God that he put someone in my life that I feel like fighting for and spending the rest of my life loving.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday...

I need to be reassured, here, because I'm beginning to feel like the only parent in the world who is experiencing this.

We seem to have hit a stage with the twins where it is impossible to take them to other peoples homes. First of all, unless we're going to a home with toddlers, I can't expect it to be childproof. The kids are into EVERYTHING now and can be destructive (normal, I'm thinking). After just an hour, they seem to be overwhelmed, overstimulated and exhausted. So, meltdowns occur and we excuse ourselves. On the way home, and for at least another 30 minutes, Ethan is in full force meltdown mode. I have found, thanks to my sleep journal for Ethan, that he ends up waking up several times in the middle of the night. Over stimulation, perhaps? I'm not sure... Is this just a phase? Is it solely my children? I'm bailing out of turkey day dessert with the in-laws because their home is nowhere near toddler friendly and I just can't handle it. We may even bail out of Christmas Eve festivities at my husband's aunt and uncle's home (an hour and a half away). Is this a normal thing?

I have to vent a little, too. We had that surprise party for a friend of mine this evening, who was turning 40. I checked ahead of time, before deciding to bring the kids, and made sure it was going to be a child friendly sort of thing. They were so excited that I was going to bring the kids and I was assured that it was kid friendly. Apparently my idea of child friendly and their idea of child friendly are two completely different things. We walked into a museum quality home. There were friggin knick-knacks everywhere. The hostess came into the living room, after we got there, and put a bunch of candles on the coffee table and began to light them. I promptly blew them out and explained that I didn't think it was such a good idea to have those lit at that level. Then, she brings out a big bowl of peanuts. I waited for her to leave the room and put them up higher, out of the line of sight. Then, she comes in with juice and hands it to the kids without asking me. I just handed them back and thanked her, to which she said, "Oh. You're one of those moms, huh?" I was like, "Excuse me? It's past 5:30 and we try not to give them any liquids after that." Obviously, I've never met this woman; she was a friend of the friend. So, then, she decides that the kids need toys and I was grateful for that because they were getting antsy. We had to put the harnesses on them early on because there was a large set of stairs within feet of this little living room that everyone was crammed into. She brings up little legos and Polly Pocket dolls. !?!?! I was like, "Um, thank you so much for the offer, but those really are too small for them to play with. We're just fine with what I have here." I mean, really? It was a disaster. She insisted, later, that I send the kids downstairs with her 8 year old so that she could keep an eye on them. So, we took that as our cue that it was probably time to leave. *sigh*

Ethan was miserable all the way home. We got home and he just screamed for 20 minutes. I put them in their jammies and brought them upstairs for bed, since it was 8:15 and well past bedtime. He screamed for 30 minutes. I'm quite certain that we'll be up at 2:00, as is usually the course.

I feel like, if a party is not going to be kid friendly, perhaps that should be revealed when the parent calls to check? I mean, when I called, I'd much rather be told that the house really isn't appropriate for little kids so that I could find alternative care for them. It would have been much more enjoyable for everyone involved if I left the kids at home.

This week is going to be a super busy one! Tomorrow I have to hang new curtains in the kitchen (we got cafe-style so that it's easier to see outside) and do some laundry. I really do have to get the second dresser built, but my rheumatoid arthritis has kicked in to full force and it's hard to do it. Tuesday evening, my 8-year old neice is coming to spend the night. We love having her here; the kids are just mad about her and she is just as mad about them. :) Plus, she wears them out! LOL! (I hear they do the same to her, though.) She's a great "big sister" to them and we're lucky to have her.

Gratitude:
My friends, both IRL and cyber. I couldn't have ever made it through these years with the twins without the ladies I've met on-line. Your support has been invaluable.

Long-sleeved shirts and yoga pants. LOL! Goodness, I'd live in my yoga pants if I could.

Toe socks.

Snuggle time with my husband.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

A fun weekend, so far.

On a spur of the moment sort of thing, we decided to hop in the car and head to Gravelly Point. This is my husband's favorite thing to do in DC, so he was eager and excited! :) We bundled the kids up and figured we'd run around the bike path and soccer field to keep them entertained. Luckily, there weren't too many planes taking off, so it wasn't too loud. The kids had a blast! Ethan, unfortunately, is just like me in some ways. We both have very poor circulation in our hands and feet, so it can become a miserable situation when it's bitter cold outside. Even with his little mittens on, his hands were raw and red by the time we got back in the car and he was just miserable. Part of that, of course, was because he was plumb tuckered out. Elizabeth, true to form, was raring to go and chattered all the way home. After about 30 minutes of sobbing, Ethan finally passed out. All of a sudden, out of the backseat, we heard him softly snoring away. Elizabeth said, "Nigh-nigh" as she pointed at Ethan and waved.


We lazed around most of the rest of the afternoon, after nap time. The kids are absolutely loving the Christmas decorations. I can't describe it, but this feels like it's going to be the best Christmas I can remember. I'm so excited to see their little faces every single time they come down from naps. They make such a big deal about snowmen (no-men, as Figgy says), Santa (ho-ho-ho, as Prof. says) and the lights. I can't wait for the neighborhood lights to start going up and we can drive around to see them. The neighborhood up the street (over 300 houses) all do luminaries from the entrance to their neighborhood, all the way through. The first time I saw that was when I was a little girl and we were in Albuquerque for Christmas. We were on our way to a new duty station and that's where we stopped for a few days. The hotel staff was fantastic with us and had a small, decorated tree waiting for us in our room (4-foot tree). It was probably the best Christmas I can remember as a child. Mom drove us around town on Christmas Eve to look at all the lights and luminaries along the roads. It was magical. :)

Tomorrow we have a busy day ahead of us. I have hospice duties in the morning and then shopping for turkey dinner. Every year, for the last five years, I've made the same few main dishes that are an absolute hit. Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter, Smoked Bacon and Cornbread stuffing. This year, I'm not making the cornbread stuffing. We'll do something different. Paula Deen's Green Bean Casserole. Yummy! And, Wayne's Cranberry Sauce. I substitute Sparkling Cider for the Grand Marnier.

Then, after naps, we've got a suprise party to go to in the early evening. None of these people have seen Figgy and The Professor since they were newborns, so it should be fun. :)

Oh...real quick. Last Sunday morning, before I headed out to see my patients, I got a call from my coordinator at hospice. She left a message for me because she wanted to warn me about what I'd find when I went to see my favorite patient. Well, nothing could have ever prepared me for what I found and I burst into tears when I saw her. She's a sweet little 96-year old Italian woman. Unfortunately, her family isn't very well off and they had to put her in the local state-run facility. It's a hell hole and I detest going to visit her there. The staff is horrible. It stinks, it's dirty and it's just...well, a hell hole. As I walked into the sunroom, where she was sitting in her wheelchair, I put my stuff down on the table like I normally do. I went to bend down in front of her to take her hands and tell her that I was here...her face was BLACK. She had a knot on her temple the size of a baseball (I kid you not!). Her eyes were swollen nearly shut. Someone had beaten her. I couldn't stop crying and had to remove myself from the room for a few minutes until I gathered my composure. When I went in, she was just not herself. Normally, I'll sit and chat with her for a few minutes and then she'll fall asleep holding my hand. I just sit there, quietly, and read while I hold her hand. This time, she wanted me to sit so close to her and hold both hands, with one arm around her for comfort. She kept saying, "She hates me. Help me." Nothing else made sense, which is not unusual for her. It was a very difficult visit for me and I called my coordinator in tears when I left the facility. We're in the process of an investigation and the family has contacted the state licensing board. We'll see what happens, but it just kills me that there are people in jobs like this that do these sorts of things.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Because I can't get enough of taking pictures! :)

If I could figure out how to post a video (I'll work on it), I'd share with you all a snippet of what our late afternoon was like. Remember, Ethan is operating on a minimum amount of sleep and took a 20 minute nap, followed by a bit of screaming, followed by a 15 minute nap. To say he is grumpy is an understatement. I caught a few seconds of him losing his temper with Elizabeth when she went over to play with him and their race track. Picture him screaming like a banshee and her running in the opposite direction, screaming and throwing herself on the floor. Funny!

But, I did catch a few fun moments of peace and playfulness...

The sleep saga continues...

I am going to lose my mind. Ethan has continued to wake up every night. Yesterday, naps lasted all of 50 minutes. He was a nasty bear by 4:00. This morning it was 5:45 and he had no interest in going back to bed. Great. He was nasty to be around all day. Nap? 2o minutes. He proceeds to wake his sister up, who was sound asleep. He has now gone back to sleep after 30 minutes of screaming and left her awake and pissed off. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. I've tried putting my pillow case in with him and he throws it out because it's not blankie and that's all he wants in his crib. I haven't changed ANYTHING else, other than the sheet, and that gets changed all the time. I cannot continue down this path. I'm frustrated and ready to jump out the bedroom window right now.

Does it make me a mean, terrible mother if I leave them in there until 3:00, when they would normally get up? I can't find my sleep bible! Dr. Weissbluth, what would you say???

:(

Digging out the holiday decorations!

Okay, so I'm a dweeb (and a kid at heart). I had to start decorating the house for Christmas. It gives the kids something new to entertain them and it puts me in the festive spirit. Don't worry, I'm holding off as looooooong as I can to put the tree up. :) We'll do that, as we normally do, the weekend after turkey day. I'm having a blast watching their reactions to everything this year. Last year, they were only 11 months old, so it was much different. Now they squeal and ooh whenever I pull something out or turn on the lights.

Today, one of the boxes had our Winnie-the-Pooh Santa hat in it. Figgy is having a blast with that and likes to put it on and pull it down over her eyes and wander around bumping into things. She laughs hysterically, with The Professor following closely behind her. Of course, as it seems to be the case in my life, I was seconds too late with the camera. This is a picture of her in the process of playing peek-a-boo with me (pulling the hat down, then back up).



My gratitude...
Simplicity.
Cloudy days.
Nap time.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Where we spend a few hours once a week...

Now that the weather is cooler, I've been trying to keep the kids entertained while still getting out of the house. There are a few places I want to check out but, in the meantime, this is a great outing! At the end of the runway at Reagan National Airport, there is a park called Gravelly Point. It's nestled along the river and overlooks the entire skyline. Across the river is Bolling and the Navy base. We don't get out of the car because it's just way too loud for the kids right now, but I pack a bag of snacks and drinks and we hang out in the front seat watching the planes take off and land. It's a great time killer and the kids have so much fun! When they get older, we'll be able to take picnics and play soccer and such. :)

Anyway, this is our day, today and the views.



I so desperately need a new camera. :(

Monday, November 17, 2008

Bedtime anxiety

I don't know what to do. I'll admit it, right now, we've been extremely fortunate with our kids and bedtime. We have our nightly routine and that involves milk, jammies, and then the 5-minute warning. Depending on the status of naps, bedtime ranges from 7:30-8:00, but never later. When it is time for bed, we announce it and the kids jump up from whatever it is they're doing and head for the gate. They climb the stairs and go straight to their rooms and we don't normally hear from them until 7:30 the next morning.

Well, two days ago, we had some issues arise. Figgy wanted extra mommy time on Saturday night and I snuggled with her for a bit. The Professor has taken to screaming fits where he can, and will, make himself hysterical and start gagging. Both nights I have gone in to find him standing in the corner of his crib, closest to the bedroom door, clutching his blankie as tight as can be, reaching for me. His face is covered in baby snot (sorry, tmi!) and he has tears streaming down his face. Last night, I snuggled with him for about 30 minutes before bringing him back to his own bed, where he was fine. While in bed with me, he chatted about all of the words he knows.

He is at it, again, tonight. This time, however, we tried something new and snuggled for 10 minutes BEFORE bedtime. That didn't cut it, apparently. He has been near hysterics for 30 minutes, now, and I'm so torn about what to do. If I continue to go to him, I'm terrified that I will start a pattern of behavior that will be impossible to stop. If I don't go to him, I'm afraid he'll make himself sick or feel abandoned.

Wait...silence...shhhh....maybe he gave up???

Damn. Nope.

Any thoughts about what course of action I should take? Nothing new has changed. The bedroom is still the same. I did change the sheets on Saturday night...would that do this? No, it couldn't, could it?

You know, I think he stops every few minutes to listen. Is that even possible?

My gratitude for the day is for short, 5 minute cat naps on the couch when dinner is cooking and my husband is home.

Time and love.

You know, if I had a dime for every time I'm asked the same question, I'd be able to put a large dent in our student loans. "Do you think you'll have enough to give to another baby?" Of course, sometimes it's phrased differently, but you get the idea. I guess the people asking have never struggled with fertility and the idea that they'd never be able to have a family of their own because this thought has never entered my mind. I have more than enough love to go around. I'm also asked how I think the kids will respond and if it worries me. You know, I've never really even thought about it. Much like the dog issue, it's just not a concern. When I was pregnant with the twins, EVERYONE asked me when we were getting rid of our dog. ??? What, since we're now ready to add to our family, we have to get rid of another family member? How does that work, exactly? I adopted Bay (rather, she picked me out) and it was never a question of what we would do with her. I've always said, "The babies will learn to adjust to having a dog." Not the other way around. They have to learn to deal with her and be nice to her. And, at some point, they'll have to learn that she is in charge of them and, when she tells them that she's had enough playing, they'll have to learn to stop.

I'm confident that the kids will adjust to having a new sibling and I'll learn to adjust to splitting myself between the three. I've learned to adjust to life as a mom of twins, so I'm capable of anything.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

For Amber....

Here ya go! :)

This is the site that Angel referred me to; it has lots of info.

Here is Maryland's petition.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Virginia State Twin Legislation Bill

Please sign it! It should be our right, as parents, to decide whether to split our children up in school - not the state's right.

http://www.petitiononline.com/vatwins/petition.html

Making up...

I've got some making up to do on my gratitude list!

I'm grateful for my ability to hear. I was walking the dog this morning and realized what a neat sound the rain makes when it hits the maple leaves that are all over the sidewalks and grass. And, in the woods next to our house...the sounds that the rain makes as it hits all the trees and water. It's an amazing thing.

I'm grateful for rainbows. In the midst of the gloomy day, the sky opened up and an enormous rainbow appeared, making everything look beautiful.

I'm grateful for extra-strength, fast acting Tylenol. LOL!

Every night, when I collapse, I thank my husband for letting us get a new bed a few years ago. It's like sleeping on a cloud.

And, finally, my dog. I'm thankful that she picked me at that adoption fair four years ago.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Guinness Book of World Records!

I am going to enter my daughter into the GBoWR. I am convinced that she broke a world record today.

Figgy: (ALL. DAY. LONG.) MOM! Moooooooooom! Mom, mom, mom, mom, mooooom, mom, momma!

Me: (making breakfast in the kitchen) Yes, Figgy?

Figgy: *runs off, giggling*

*5 minutes later*

Figgy: MOOOOOOOOOM! Momma! Momma, come! Mom, mom, mom, mom, mom!

Me: (running out of the bathroom) What, honey? What's wrong?

Figgy: *giggles*

No complaints here, though. I waited my entire life to hear those words. (Check back with me in another week.)

Thursday, November 13, 2008

How do you deal with your in-laws?

I'm really at a loss, here. I think most of you that read this know the history with my in-laws. It was a year of pure hell, really, with a huge blow-up at the kid's first birthday party. My mother-in-law picked a fight with me in the cul-de-sac and I drew the line and cut off all contact. I pushed my husband to continue his relationship with them, but made it clear that, until they could respect our marriage and the fact that we are adults and make our own decisions - and until they could respect ME, then there would be no contact with myself or the kids. Several marriage counseling sessions later, my husband understood where I was coming from and we started working towards telling his parents what exactly we had issues with and working towards setting boundaries with them. In September, we agreed to meet them for dinner. At this point, it had been 9 months since we had spoken. As expected, the in-laws were defensive and immediately told us that they didn't do anything wrong and that we were blowing everything out of proportion. The only thing they admitted to being disrespectful was constantly being late. (We're not talking 15 minutes here and there, we're talking hours. On one occassion, they were 2.5 hours late for dinner.) My mother-in-law also made it very clear that I broke her heart, that she would never forgive me (touche) and that she never did and never will trust me. All of this, of course, I knew and had always told my husband. So, at the end of all of this, I agreed to give them another chance and to let them see the kids. That occurred about a month later and, true to form, they were 45 minutes late. They showed up carrying gifts for the kids and stayed about 2 hours. It was an incredibly uncomfortable situation, but I did my best. I made them come to us because I wanted it to be on our terms and to do what was best for the kids (their home, their comfort zone). It has been over a month and a half and we haven't heard from them. I should say, they live 35 minutes away. In all, my stepmom in Oregon has seen them more than they have.

To say that I am a stubborn woman is putting it mildly. When I am hurt like they hurt me, my first instinct is (and always has been) to close people off. I have no problems with shutting them out of our lives. I grew up with no contact with my grandparents and it didn't even dawn on me that other kids had regular contact with their grandparents. I grew up with an extended military family, so I have always felt like blood isn't necessarily thicker than water. My kids are surrounded by numerous people that love and support them, so I feel like they're going to be well adjusted.

With the holidays coming up, I have put my suit of armor on and readied myself. We were discluded from Easter celebrations at my husband's aunt and uncle's house because of the rift. I normally do Thanksgiving celebration at our place. This year, being pregnant and with money the way it is, I asked my husband if we could possibly just do a small Thanksgiving dinner here at the house and then, if he wanted to, we could go to his folks house for dessert. He was good with that, of course, until he spoke with his mom. Apparently, she wants us to come up for dinner so bad (not caring or having a clue how difficult it would be for us) that she told him she would cook dinner whenever we wanted her to. Now, I have been with my husband for just over five years. Not ONCE has his parents EVER been on-time with anything. A few years ago, the last time we went to there house for Thanksgiving dinner, they were (can you guess?) two hours late. I'm not about to count on them to be on-time. Not to mention the fact that there house is not at all child-proof. Hell, OUR house isn't even 100% child-proof (I can't even figure out how to do that). Add to that everything we'd have to take up there, it's insane. Baby gates, high chairs, our large diaper bag, a box of toys... She doesn't even realize how much child-proofing would need to be done just to get us through dinner time. She, of course, told my husband that they would do whatever we needed to get the house child-proofed. She's not thinking of all the things I am, obviously, because I know she'd not accept us gating off her kitchen, two sets of stairs, the dining room...then you have 10 of us in a 10x10 room? No thanks. I'm really making an effort, here, by saying we could go up for an hour or two for dessert. After everything that has happened over the course of 5 years, I need (and this was agreed to by the counselor and my husband) to make baby steps with them. Four hours over turkey dinner is NOT baby steps, in my opinion. Really, I'm feeling like I've been backed into a corner with this phone call and I'm ready to come out swinging. I don't like these people, they don't like me, and they have not made one single effort to have a relationship with our kids. THAT makes me feel like a momma bear that needs to protect her cubs. Do you know they showed up late for the birth of our twins? In the first year, they came to see them twice. It was always expected we'd come up there. With newborn twins. To their house. With all of our stuff. No phone calls to see what new milestones...and they're only 35 minutes away! No RSVP to their 1st birthday.

Ah. I have to stop. I'm making myself more upset, instead of the intended calming down. I think his parents are slowly driving a wedge between us. I think that's been his mom's intentions from day one. I've heard her negative remarks to my brother-in-law's girlfriend (one conversation AT MY BABY SHOWER was about his brother (B). She told his girlfriend, "B is a liar, he will lie to your face and you won't even know it..."). Who does that? What mother doesn't want her sons to be happy?

Bah. :(

Overheard at our house this morning.

Ethan: MOM!

Me: Yes, Ethan?

Ethan: *grunting*

Me: Ethan, are you pooping?

Ethan: Huh? *grunt*

Me: Are you pooping?

Ethan: Yes.

I love my kids. LOL!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Monday

Simple gratitude today...I'm grateful for any help I receive when dealing with the twins. My mom had off today so we headed to the mall (my LEAST favorite place in the world) for her to do some shopping. After a little bit of shopping, we headed down to the indoor play area. Normally, I hit this super early in the morning after a mall walking stint (before the mall opens) because there isn't anyone else there and I don't have to stress out about watching two little ones in a sea of children. Today, however, it was nearing lunch time and there must have been 50 little kids. Do you have any idea how easy it was with another set of eyes?!?! When the twins were first born, I was adamant about not accepting help because I wanted to do it all on my own and get myself into a routine. Now? Puh-lease! Help me! LOL! So, yeah. My gratitude for the day is the help I receive from family.

And a quick few pics of our leaf playing this weekend...

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Sunday

Is it really only 9:12?!?! It feels like midnight!

So, I have a pretty weird family layout. My folks divorced (thank you!) when I was in the 4th grade and, though it felt like the end of the world at the time, it turned out to be the best thing that could have ever happened to us. I rebelled against my mom, however, and ended up moving with my dad and his new wife for several years. Mom and I just didn't see eye to eye and had some serious issues between us. I was so blessed, however, that this wonderful woman that had been a part of my dad's life stepped up to the plate. I remember the conversation we had one evening where she sat across from me and said, "I am not here to replace your mom. We only have one mother in our lives and she loves you the best way she knows how. I am here to be whatever you want me to be and I hope that is your friend." I fought her tooth and nail for so many years. I was cruel to her. I hated her. But, you know what? She saved my life and taught me that it is possible to love someone even if they're not your biological child. Her family welcomed us with open arms, as well. It was the first time in my life that I can remember feeling unconditional love. As a matter of fact, it was one of her brothers that walked me down the aisle a few years ago (with my middle brother on the other side). She helped me to see that my own mother had made a lot of changes in her life. She forced me to open my eyes and look at her in a different light so that I was able to see that my mom had, in fact, changed. And, in return, I had to change. It took me a good 6 years to do that, but here I am. I am a better person because I have two mothers who loved me, nurtured me, and taught me the lessons of life.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Gratitude

What a wonderful day we had! Elizabeth woke up at the crack of dawn, which makes me feel like I'm incredibly old because there were the days when I could party until 6 am, come home, shower and head to work for the day and still function. I was in bed by 1:00, albeit with Ethan laying next to me chatting, but sound asleep by 1:30, I think. Elizabeth woke at 7:30 and I thought I was going to die. The sleep crusties were sealing my eyes shut and I think I walked around this morning with partially open eyes. By 10:30, I loaded Ethan up in the car and headed to BJ's for diapers. Daddy and Elizabeth stayed here and took a nice walk around the neighborhood. Can I just say, though, that toting one child around while running errands is a piece of CAKE! One child? Ha!

We had good naps that lasted from about 1:20 until 3:50 and, when we woke up, my brother and sister-in-law were here with my niece. They were on the front porch, waiting for us to wake up. My brother came in briefly to get the dog and take her outside to play. Thanks, Matt! We spent an hour with the kids out front, jumping in the leaves and having fun. The neighbors came outside and by the time we left, there were 6 kids under the age of 4 playing out front. At 5:00, we headed to dinner for my mom's birthday and, much to everyone's surprise, the kids behaved wonderfully! Yay! We were home by 7:30, got the kids in the bathtub, and had them in their jammies and in bed by 8:15. Thank you, honey, for bathing them!

My gratitude today is for the beautiful weather we've been having the last few days. The temperature has been cool, yet not too cool. It allowed for a beautiful night outside last night in Annapolis. I was able to run around today in long-sleeves and jeans with my flip-flops! :) I do adore this time of year, though, when I let the dog out at night and take in the crisp fall air mixed with the scent of fireplaces in the neighborhood.