Today, all is well. The sun is shining, the boys are napping, and I am showered, dressed and in my right mind.
I guess I'd have to back up a little bit to explain that one. The best analogy that comes to mind is that Bible story about the demon-possessed man whom Jesus healed - he sent the demons into the pigs who then jumped off the cliff and drowned. Remember that one? Mark 5:15 says, "When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind" (emphasis mine).
Okay, maybe I wasn't QUITE as crazed as the Madman possessed by demons (gosh I hope not), but today I am definitely feeling like I've been healed, dressed and in my right mind! My husband will testify that he's never quite come upon the scene that greeted him at 5:30 last night:
N sobbing, sitting on his white potty, M crying in his room, afraid of me, who was yelling, hollering, and overall just being EXTREMELY unpleasant about the 7th potty accident of the day...in underpants...with sticky tar poop...and urine all over the carpet. So much so that I had to change MY clothes and scrub out the laundry sink. That's all I'll tell you about that.
I will tell you that my Hubs is an angel, sent by God to be the yin to my yang (if that can even make sense.) He took over for the rest of the night while I decompressed, showered, and basically went to bed early.
I'm going to blame it on pregnancy hormones. But I will also do as Jesus told the man: "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has shown mercy on you." Mark 5:19.
Thank you God that your mercies are new every morning. Great is they faithfulness. Lamentations 3: 22-23.
Showing posts with label crazy train. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crazy train. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Special Kind of Crazy
When it happened 3 years ago I thought I was losing my mind. People warn you of kankles and fat, swelling and discomfort. But they don't read you the fine print: side effect may include INSOMNIA!
It's not like I don't have sleep problems to begin with, but in normal life, once I fall asleep, I don't wake until the alarm, and then, barely. Nowadays my alarm isn't set of twin toddlers, born to make me crazy all day.
Now I have a pre-born infant making me crazy at night. For the second time this week, I am awake at the wrong time. It went like this:
I was dreaming (they don't tell you about vivid weird dreams either) about M and N playing with a 17 foot python at my sister P's house. Apparently it was friendly, but wouldn't you know, they broke it into 4 large pieces. Of course I yelled at them for hurting their uncle's snake, and they put the carcass pieces onto the coffee table and crawled into a large chair together, pouting. As my sister and I were discussing what to do with the mess and how to tell her husband, I woke up (for real woke up)
To the sound of M crying in his room. I sat up listening to determine whether to go in there, but he stopped a few seconds later and fell asleep.
Begin insomnia. I tossed and turned trying not to wake Hubs for a half hour. I feel totally caffeinated, like I just had a Big Gulp of Diet Coke. All I can think about is turning Chicken in a Pot into Best Chicken salad for lunch, so rather than "waste" time tossing or wake Gibs eating crackers like I did 3 nights ago, I move stealthily (haha, right?) to the kitchen.
Quickly abondoning the chicken salad idea (too noisy, must chop things) I see 3 spoiling nana nas, perfect for bread. Mmmmm, I love banana bread and I even have walnuts in the cupboard...no, even noisier, must use Kitchenaid. Hi, Kithenaid, how are you? Haven't mixed anything lately, huh? Don't worry well make something tomorrow. (sigh)
Finger jello! The boys were mysteriously well behaved last night and each had just one no 2 accident yesterday so I decide to boil water and fix it for them. They can have it after they eat chicken salad for lunch.
Anyone want to guess what size my post pregnancy body will be this summer? The Lands End Overstock catalog arrived yesterday, which I browsed as I whisked with my quiet rubber whisk. There are some great sales and I love the LE suit from 2 summers ago.
"were you in the kitchen?" mumbles Hubs as I slip not so stealthily into bed.
"shh, yes, just insomnia, go back to sleep," I whispered. Fortunately, he did, and he's probably dreaming about cherry finger jello, which the house now smells of.
Seriously it's a special kind of crazy.
PS Happy 32nd Birthday, P! Love you sis! Quite obviously, I was thinking of you on your special day today. And I PRAY J does NOT get you a python. Pretty sure that came from our zoo visit Mon, not because I'm telepathic :)
It's not like I don't have sleep problems to begin with, but in normal life, once I fall asleep, I don't wake until the alarm, and then, barely. Nowadays my alarm isn't set of twin toddlers, born to make me crazy all day.
Now I have a pre-born infant making me crazy at night. For the second time this week, I am awake at the wrong time. It went like this:
I was dreaming (they don't tell you about vivid weird dreams either) about M and N playing with a 17 foot python at my sister P's house. Apparently it was friendly, but wouldn't you know, they broke it into 4 large pieces. Of course I yelled at them for hurting their uncle's snake, and they put the carcass pieces onto the coffee table and crawled into a large chair together, pouting. As my sister and I were discussing what to do with the mess and how to tell her husband, I woke up (for real woke up)
To the sound of M crying in his room. I sat up listening to determine whether to go in there, but he stopped a few seconds later and fell asleep.
Begin insomnia. I tossed and turned trying not to wake Hubs for a half hour. I feel totally caffeinated, like I just had a Big Gulp of Diet Coke. All I can think about is turning Chicken in a Pot into Best Chicken salad for lunch, so rather than "waste" time tossing or wake Gibs eating crackers like I did 3 nights ago, I move stealthily (haha, right?) to the kitchen.
Quickly abondoning the chicken salad idea (too noisy, must chop things) I see 3 spoiling nana nas, perfect for bread. Mmmmm, I love banana bread and I even have walnuts in the cupboard...no, even noisier, must use Kitchenaid. Hi, Kithenaid, how are you? Haven't mixed anything lately, huh? Don't worry well make something tomorrow. (sigh)
Finger jello! The boys were mysteriously well behaved last night and each had just one no 2 accident yesterday so I decide to boil water and fix it for them. They can have it after they eat chicken salad for lunch.
Anyone want to guess what size my post pregnancy body will be this summer? The Lands End Overstock catalog arrived yesterday, which I browsed as I whisked with my quiet rubber whisk. There are some great sales and I love the LE suit from 2 summers ago.
"were you in the kitchen?" mumbles Hubs as I slip not so stealthily into bed.
"shh, yes, just insomnia, go back to sleep," I whispered. Fortunately, he did, and he's probably dreaming about cherry finger jello, which the house now smells of.
Seriously it's a special kind of crazy.
PS Happy 32nd Birthday, P! Love you sis! Quite obviously, I was thinking of you on your special day today. And I PRAY J does NOT get you a python. Pretty sure that came from our zoo visit Mon, not because I'm telepathic :)
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
For the Record
For the record, I do not have it all together. In case there is anyone out there under that impression. (Like I heard recently from a very sweet person.)
Sunday went great - it was the kind of day that made me think I could have a dozen kids if every day was like that. But it's only the second day in my two and half years of parenting that I've said that, so I'm pretty sure that falls under the "once in a blue moon" category.
Monday went fairly well- fun playdate with twin buddies, but no nap, so everything went downhill around 5pm. And when I say downhill, I mean, like this:
What you don't see is that the curtain and its pole were long ago removed by my sons. One firm tug and down it all came. You also can't tell that the beautiful wooden blinds are lowered because the pulley is broken and can no longer be lifted. What you DO see is the handiwork my sons did around 7:30 last night when I heard some awful racket coming from the vicinity of their window. Yeah, two 33" kids weilding three 40" blind panels in the semi-dark, playing Star Wars, if they only knew what that was.
I'll spare you the details, but they got a pretty decent reminder to never touch the blinds again, and I listened to their howling feeling like worst mom in the world. However, need I remind you we don't actually own this house or these blinds? (Because never in a million years would I have chosen such beautiful and lovely window treatments for my sons' room.) Need I remind you that I have so many of these wooden blinds in the house I can't even tell you how many there are?.....(Minutes later)......11. I don't know what they cost, but I know they are not cheap. Someday I'll learn because someday I'll have to replace one...or more.
I took that photo this morning in order to show you how NOT together I have it. Then I took these just in case you were still doubting:
This is the second peace lily I've received from my wonderful in-laws as an anniversary gift. Second because the first is no longer with us. She knows I'm no green thumb, so I receive plants that require very little care, as in, it will still live even if you don't water it. Wouldn't you know, it was drooping on Monday night. It's in my dining room, so I watered it while the boys and were dining on mac n cheese and turkey sandwiches. I told them it would be feeling better in the morning. The first thing M said today at breakfast was, "It's awake! The plant is awake!" It was as if I'd raised Lazarus from the dead! Can't wait to show him that trick again...next month.
If you know me, you know I HATE cleaning bathrooms. I LOVE my new house, but having as many bathrooms as I do is...uh...well...a challenge. So let's just say it's a good thing I have guests as often as I do so that the bathrooms get a swipe every once in awhile. This one's in need today. I just can't get those kids to clean up their bathroom.
So now that my house is all put in order (snort, snort!) it's time for me to finish the laundry so I can start packing for our annual Christmas trek to Michigan! Christmas! AAAGGGHHH! I can't believe it's already here!
It's a good thing I have it all together (snort, snort!)!
Sunday went great - it was the kind of day that made me think I could have a dozen kids if every day was like that. But it's only the second day in my two and half years of parenting that I've said that, so I'm pretty sure that falls under the "once in a blue moon" category.
Monday went fairly well- fun playdate with twin buddies, but no nap, so everything went downhill around 5pm. And when I say downhill, I mean, like this:
I'll spare you the details, but they got a pretty decent reminder to never touch the blinds again, and I listened to their howling feeling like worst mom in the world. However, need I remind you we don't actually own this house or these blinds? (Because never in a million years would I have chosen such beautiful and lovely window treatments for my sons' room.) Need I remind you that I have so many of these wooden blinds in the house I can't even tell you how many there are?.....(Minutes later)......11. I don't know what they cost, but I know they are not cheap. Someday I'll learn because someday I'll have to replace one...or more.
I took that photo this morning in order to show you how NOT together I have it. Then I took these just in case you were still doubting:
If you know me, you know I HATE cleaning bathrooms. I LOVE my new house, but having as many bathrooms as I do is...uh...well...a challenge. So let's just say it's a good thing I have guests as often as I do so that the bathrooms get a swipe every once in awhile. This one's in need today. I just can't get those kids to clean up their bathroom.
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It's a good thing I have it all together (snort, snort!)!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
We Did It!
Miraculously, we were able to accomplish yesterday's impossible task of Operation Bedroom. It took 4 hours, 2 adults, 2 "helpers," 1 trip to Ace Hardware, and 1 delivery truck with the mattresses. I had in my mind that I would take lots of photos to give you the virtual experience of such a momentous event, but alas, I could not. Sorry, readers, but I wasn't thinking of you between 3:30-7:30 last night. I was thinking: MUST FINISH PROJECT!
Which is no easy task when you're pregnant, your "help" is running off with parts, the dust bunnies are forming an army, and there are three essential bolts missing even though Mr. Nice-Guy-from-Craigslist assured us all the parts were there - oh, and there are no directions, not even the useless IKEA directions.
Thank goodness Hubs arrived shortly after 5, when I was literally under the first of the bunkbeds, attempting to screw the thing together with those pointless alan wrenches. Are we not smart enough to use real tools, furniture companies? We figured out together, because he really is my better half, and smarter, too, when it's 5:30 on a Tuesday night, which parts go where, and which 3 important bolts were missing. The fellas watched a record number of Handy Manny episodes on demand last night, but I didn't care - the beds were being assembled!
I arrived with the substitute parts from Ace (because of course they didn't have exactly what we needed, so we have 3 Frankenstein bolts instead of pretty brass ones but oh, well) just as the delivery truck was backing in and the wet babies were streaking to get a look out the window at the "Sheep Truck." I couldn't make this stuff up.
Much chaos and hilarity ensued as we finished assembly, dressed the boys, made the beds and attempted bedtime. And silly me, in my haste to score a great deal on sheets, bought TWO FULL SIZE sets of airplane sheets. Anyone need adorable full size sheets, used once, for just $12? I'm your girl. Needless to say, it was a very loooooooooooong bedtime, with much explaining of the New Big Boy Bed Rules.
Don't
I was folding laundry, Hubs was finding new homes for two cribs and their assorted parts, when we heard more noise.
Silly me! I forgot the "No taking stuffing out of the chair" rule. Out goes the chair, to N's cries of protest.
So I amended our rules, changes are in red, above.
About 9pm, we noticed all was quiet and upon closer inspection, both boys were asleep in their own beds.
PRAISE THE LORD!
Here's what they looked like this morning:
Which is no easy task when you're pregnant, your "help" is running off with parts, the dust bunnies are forming an army, and there are three essential bolts missing even though Mr. Nice-Guy-from-Craigslist assured us all the parts were there - oh, and there are no directions, not even the useless IKEA directions.
Thank goodness Hubs arrived shortly after 5, when I was literally under the first of the bunkbeds, attempting to screw the thing together with those pointless alan wrenches. Are we not smart enough to use real tools, furniture companies? We figured out together, because he really is my better half, and smarter, too, when it's 5:30 on a Tuesday night, which parts go where, and which 3 important bolts were missing. The fellas watched a record number of Handy Manny episodes on demand last night, but I didn't care - the beds were being assembled!
I arrived with the substitute parts from Ace (because of course they didn't have exactly what we needed, so we have 3 Frankenstein bolts instead of pretty brass ones but oh, well) just as the delivery truck was backing in and the wet babies were streaking to get a look out the window at the "Sheep Truck." I couldn't make this stuff up.
Much chaos and hilarity ensued as we finished assembly, dressed the boys, made the beds and attempted bedtime. And silly me, in my haste to score a great deal on sheets, bought TWO FULL SIZE sets of airplane sheets. Anyone need adorable full size sheets, used once, for just $12? I'm your girl. Needless to say, it was a very loooooooooooong bedtime, with much explaining of the New Big Boy Bed Rules.
Don't
- Jump or Kick
- Get Out
- remove stuffing from the chair
- play with the blinds or the lights
- Read
- Talk
- Sing
- Snuggle
- Sleep
I was folding laundry, Hubs was finding new homes for two cribs and their assorted parts, when we heard more noise.
Silly me! I forgot the "No taking stuffing out of the chair" rule. Out goes the chair, to N's cries of protest.
So I amended our rules, changes are in red, above.
About 9pm, we noticed all was quiet and upon closer inspection, both boys were asleep in their own beds.
PRAISE THE LORD!
Here's what they looked like this morning:
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| "Cheese!" |
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| Cheese! |
Monday, October 3, 2011
3rd Annual Fall Family Photo Shoot
How many college educated adults does it take to shoot a family photo? Answer: more than three! We took the fellas to nearby Nerstrand Big Woods State Park because Daddy had the day off, we had our amateur photographer auntie, and it was a beautiful sunny 75 degree stunner today. Could it get any better? You decide.
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| I ain't lookin at that camera, Dad. This is just the beginning. |
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| Man down! |
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| Overexposed underbelly shot |
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| I hate family photos, Daddy! Don't make me take another one! |
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| Cutie little N is happy to play Boy Scouts, as long as we're not trying to photograph him |
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| All I need is a flint to make a spark... |
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| What a lovely family...meltdown |
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| Huh? Camera? Whassat? |
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| Two mountain goats make a crazy mommy |
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| One, two, three...RUN! |
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| So organic. |
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Need For Speed
Do Boy Moms die sooner than Girl Moms? I found myself wondering as I drove home from the most nerve-racking playdate I've attended yet. A twin mom friend oraganized a playdate for us moms of twin two year olds at a park, so I went, based on my boys' recent good behavior at our neighborhood playground.
I almost turned around when I saw the Valleyfair/Cedar Point/Six Flags/Disneyland playground. Had I not given my word I'd be there and driven a half hour to see my friends, I would have. The few snapshots I was able to take will not do this park justice. There were HUNDREDS of kids RUNNING at BREAKNECK speed, DOZENS of (very calm) moms milling about, water fountains spraying water onto the acre-sized playset in the the stiff wind that nearly blew us away.
What had I gotten myself into?
The boys googled the playground like it really was Disneyland because it could have been - it was the biggest park they'd ever seen - as I packed up the stroller with our diaper backpack, bag o' water clothes, and lunch. It took a few minutes to find my friends, amongst what was obviously another mom's group gathering (based on the giant sign that said APPLE VALLEY MOM'S GROUP, of which none of us 7 moms and 15 kids belonged).
They couldn't get out of the stroller fast enough to join the throng of children in the labyrinth. I tried greeting my friends while surveying the land for the best lifeguard position, so as to scan the area for my (thankfully) red-clad children. My boys chose to divide and conquer, each darting a different direction, climbing heights I'm afraid to mention, lest you think I'm a careless mom. My heart was racing as giant 8 year olds tore about, leaping over the 14 two year olds scrambling beneath them. I moved to the center of the play system when the fellas chose to climb its opposite side, so I could betterwatch my children tumble down the dark side of the moon keep an eye on them. I'm sure my blood pressure would have been sky high had you taken it between 10:30-11:30 this morning.
I tried to small talk with my twin mom friends, whose obedient girl-girl and boy-girl twins played together, buddy-style, even posing for adorable pictures through the bars. Only one other mom there had boy-boy twins, and I know she understands what I'm saying - one of hers went MIA, she parked the known boy with our gaggle during snack/lunch time, and found the missing one wandering the parking lot!
We kept up a frantic pace for about a half hour, ate a picnic lunch (kind of) and dove back into the playground with a Need for Speed. They found the fastest, steepest slide on the system - nearly straight down, and slick with the spray from the water fountains nearby. (M was a bit unhappy with me that I wouldn't let him in the sprinklers, so I think that's why he chose this one - so he could still get wet and I would, too, standing nearby.) They couldn't get up the stairs, across the bridge, and down the slide fast enough. Over and over and over again. I told myself that at least they're working together on the same side of the structure, which was better to keep an eye on them than their previous tactic, Disappear Into The Tube Slides With Lots Of Big Kids.
A little before noon, there were signs of slowing down, and I knew I had to make a hasty retreat before the puppet wagon arrived (for which the Well Behaved Twins got to stay) and I missed my window of opportunity to beat it home and get them in bed before they fell asleep. Because if they fell asleep on the ride home, just 30 minutes, I'd have two grouchy two year olds by 5 pm because they didn't get a "real" nap, a risk I'm not willing to take today.
I also wanted to get out of there before Anything happened. Anything being, well, anything. When the fellas get tired, Anything can happen, which is usually Something Not Good.
So we left, and as I listed to the Veggie Tales DVD entertaining my very exhausted boys to keep them awake, I wondered if Boy Moms die sooner than Girl Moms. If I were to reflect on the life expectancy of the women in my family, who primarily have birthed girls for the last 100 years, I'd say, yes, Girl Moms live longer. Because none of my Girl Mom friends looked like they were about to have a heart attack today. Just me and the other twin boy mom.
I almost turned around when I saw the Valleyfair/Cedar Point/Six Flags/Disneyland playground. Had I not given my word I'd be there and driven a half hour to see my friends, I would have. The few snapshots I was able to take will not do this park justice. There were HUNDREDS of kids RUNNING at BREAKNECK speed, DOZENS of (very calm) moms milling about, water fountains spraying water onto the acre-sized playset in the the stiff wind that nearly blew us away.
What had I gotten myself into?
The boys googled the playground like it really was Disneyland because it could have been - it was the biggest park they'd ever seen - as I packed up the stroller with our diaper backpack, bag o' water clothes, and lunch. It took a few minutes to find my friends, amongst what was obviously another mom's group gathering (based on the giant sign that said APPLE VALLEY MOM'S GROUP, of which none of us 7 moms and 15 kids belonged).
They couldn't get out of the stroller fast enough to join the throng of children in the labyrinth. I tried greeting my friends while surveying the land for the best lifeguard position, so as to scan the area for my (thankfully) red-clad children. My boys chose to divide and conquer, each darting a different direction, climbing heights I'm afraid to mention, lest you think I'm a careless mom. My heart was racing as giant 8 year olds tore about, leaping over the 14 two year olds scrambling beneath them. I moved to the center of the play system when the fellas chose to climb its opposite side, so I could better
I tried to small talk with my twin mom friends, whose obedient girl-girl and boy-girl twins played together, buddy-style, even posing for adorable pictures through the bars. Only one other mom there had boy-boy twins, and I know she understands what I'm saying - one of hers went MIA, she parked the known boy with our gaggle during snack/lunch time, and found the missing one wandering the parking lot!
 |
| N attempting escape in the bottom left |
We kept up a frantic pace for about a half hour, ate a picnic lunch (kind of) and dove back into the playground with a Need for Speed. They found the fastest, steepest slide on the system - nearly straight down, and slick with the spray from the water fountains nearby. (M was a bit unhappy with me that I wouldn't let him in the sprinklers, so I think that's why he chose this one - so he could still get wet and I would, too, standing nearby.) They couldn't get up the stairs, across the bridge, and down the slide fast enough. Over and over and over again. I told myself that at least they're working together on the same side of the structure, which was better to keep an eye on them than their previous tactic, Disappear Into The Tube Slides With Lots Of Big Kids.
A little before noon, there were signs of slowing down, and I knew I had to make a hasty retreat before the puppet wagon arrived (for which the Well Behaved Twins got to stay) and I missed my window of opportunity to beat it home and get them in bed before they fell asleep. Because if they fell asleep on the ride home, just 30 minutes, I'd have two grouchy two year olds by 5 pm because they didn't get a "real" nap, a risk I'm not willing to take today.
I also wanted to get out of there before Anything happened. Anything being, well, anything. When the fellas get tired, Anything can happen, which is usually Something Not Good.
So we left, and as I listed to the Veggie Tales DVD entertaining my very exhausted boys to keep them awake, I wondered if Boy Moms die sooner than Girl Moms. If I were to reflect on the life expectancy of the women in my family, who primarily have birthed girls for the last 100 years, I'd say, yes, Girl Moms live longer. Because none of my Girl Mom friends looked like they were about to have a heart attack today. Just me and the other twin boy mom.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Who Fed My Son Catnip Today?
That's the only logical explanation for M's behavior. He was seriously bonkers today! He would NOT sit still for even one minute to eat his breakfast, lunch, or dinner. He was talking a hundred miles an hour:
I want pancakes! I want coffee! I want milk! Help you, Dada! Read da book, Dada! Bwow on da pancakes Dada! Phooo! Phooo! Bruder's pancakes! Bruder's milk! Where da truck book? Read da truck book, Dada! Meow! Meow! Meow! Drive da Jepp, Dada? DRIVE DA JEEP! DRIVE DA JEEP! I WANT DRIVE JEEP!..........Mama's van? Mama's van? Drive Mama's van? Wissen to KTIS! Go get da keys! Go downstairs, Dada, play trains! Go downstairs! Go downstairs! GO! DOWN! STAIRS!
He's crazy about his Dada, who, bless his heart, took the both of them to get haircuts today. So for about an hour, N was an only (perfect) child, who sat obediently in the NORMAL cart while I strolled the aisles at Target, even shopping for things not on my list (gasp!). I seriously think having one kid is a joke. It was unbelievably easy to run an errand.
I hear M was a good boy at the salon, and both my fellas look very handsome today, but he kicked it into high gear again tonight. I'm pretty sure the nursery workers at church tonight fed him catnip-laced-Mt. Dew because the entire 30 minute ride home was:
Tractor book, mama? Wilson? Brewster? Thomas? Percy? (He was asking for the random train-part toys strewn about the van, which were reached after becoming a contortionist from the passenger seat.)
Cookie?
Whatssat?
Cornfields
Whassat?
Cows.
Whassat?
A car.
Whassat?
Another car.
Whassat?
What are you looking at? The sky? The trees? It's book-reading time. Here.
oooooo...look...a chicken. Kiss da chicken! Mwooah! oooo...a bear. Kiss da bear! Mwoooah!
Cookie? Cookie? I want cookie!
Pizza? Pizza? I want pizza! I want pizza! I want pizza! I WANT PIZZA! Meow! Meow! Meow!
I was ordering pizza for dinner - did you guess that already?
He didn't stop until 9:00. I'm going to pass out now.
Meow.
I want pancakes! I want coffee! I want milk! Help you, Dada! Read da book, Dada! Bwow on da pancakes Dada! Phooo! Phooo! Bruder's pancakes! Bruder's milk! Where da truck book? Read da truck book, Dada! Meow! Meow! Meow! Drive da Jepp, Dada? DRIVE DA JEEP! DRIVE DA JEEP! I WANT DRIVE JEEP!..........Mama's van? Mama's van? Drive Mama's van? Wissen to KTIS! Go get da keys! Go downstairs, Dada, play trains! Go downstairs! Go downstairs! GO! DOWN! STAIRS!
He's crazy about his Dada, who, bless his heart, took the both of them to get haircuts today. So for about an hour, N was an only (perfect) child, who sat obediently in the NORMAL cart while I strolled the aisles at Target, even shopping for things not on my list (gasp!). I seriously think having one kid is a joke. It was unbelievably easy to run an errand.
I hear M was a good boy at the salon, and both my fellas look very handsome today, but he kicked it into high gear again tonight. I'm pretty sure the nursery workers at church tonight fed him catnip-laced-Mt. Dew because the entire 30 minute ride home was:
Tractor book, mama? Wilson? Brewster? Thomas? Percy? (He was asking for the random train-part toys strewn about the van, which were reached after becoming a contortionist from the passenger seat.)
Cookie?
Whatssat?
Cornfields
Whassat?
Cows.
Whassat?
A car.
Whassat?
Another car.
Whassat?
What are you looking at? The sky? The trees? It's book-reading time. Here.
oooooo...look...a chicken. Kiss da chicken! Mwooah! oooo...a bear. Kiss da bear! Mwoooah!
Cookie? Cookie? I want cookie!
Pizza? Pizza? I want pizza! I want pizza! I want pizza! I WANT PIZZA! Meow! Meow! Meow!
I was ordering pizza for dinner - did you guess that already?
He didn't stop until 9:00. I'm going to pass out now.
Meow.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Big Boy Bed Update
I was going to tell you all about the fun time we had last week at the pool and show you the cute pics. And I still will. But I can't think about that right now. Because I'm home with the munchies by myself and it's naptime. NEWS FLASH: NAPS AREN'T GOING WELL IN BIG BOY BEDS.
Yeah. Today is day 5. They've taken a "nap" two of the four previous Big Boy Bed days. I am still clinging to a shred of hope that Big Boy Beds does not mean than the afternoon nap is over - that they are just temporarily derailed due to the absolute funness off Big Beds. Because I just don't think I can handle that. I NEED naptime. My family needs me to HAVE naptime! Or they won't eat or have clean clothes. EVER.
I put them down at 1:30 today, about 30 minutes late, but I have my reasons. (Like an airport run, impromptu visit and Sam's Club.) I figure that it wouldn't matter because they just mess around the first hour or two of nap anyhow.
I hear a lot of talking, giggling, then squealing and jumping. Things are escalating in there, not winding down. So I check on them around 30 minutes. They are both in their beds, but they both have their pants off! The room reeks of poo, too. Immediately, my mind floods with stories told of kids who "decorate" their bedrooms with poo during naptime, like my mother-in-law, who LOVES to tell me this! (It wasn't hubby, but one of his sibs.) N's diaper is hanging like a plumber's pants and I know he's been trying to take it off. And I don't blame him. It's nasty stuff he's got in there. As I approach, I see it. On his sheets, his comforter, his legs, and the rug. The RUG! That can only mean one thing - he's been escaping! Which is confirmed by the presence of the Children's Bible in his bed. Maybe he was praying and interceding that I would arrive to change him?
Hasitly, I change him, change his sheets, digging out new sheets and blankets to the chorus of M saying, "Poo too! Poo too!" because he, of course, was also poopy. Thank goodness it was...uh, firmer, and did not necessitate and entire change of bedding. Still, the whole twins-pooping-simultaneously isn't so cute anymore. Not that it ever was, but it's...getting old.
(Sigh) It could have been worse. Nothing was truly "decorated," although I think it could have happened if I hadn't arrived when I did.
Now we're well into the second hour of "nap," headed toward the point of no return, since I can still hear the monkeys chattering and kitties meowing (that's M's new thing) and generally still NOT settling down. See, the point of no return is the moment when I give up on nap and resign myself to a cranky CRABBY night with the munchies, which is exacerbated by the fact that Hubs is out of town and I'm solo tonight.
There is a silver lining, however: no-nap days end peacefully and quickly with a relatively easy and early bedtime.
I often wonder how our parents survived toddlerhood?
Yeah. Today is day 5. They've taken a "nap" two of the four previous Big Boy Bed days. I am still clinging to a shred of hope that Big Boy Beds does not mean than the afternoon nap is over - that they are just temporarily derailed due to the absolute funness off Big Beds. Because I just don't think I can handle that. I NEED naptime. My family needs me to HAVE naptime! Or they won't eat or have clean clothes. EVER.
I put them down at 1:30 today, about 30 minutes late, but I have my reasons. (Like an airport run, impromptu visit and Sam's Club.) I figure that it wouldn't matter because they just mess around the first hour or two of nap anyhow.
I hear a lot of talking, giggling, then squealing and jumping. Things are escalating in there, not winding down. So I check on them around 30 minutes. They are both in their beds, but they both have their pants off! The room reeks of poo, too. Immediately, my mind floods with stories told of kids who "decorate" their bedrooms with poo during naptime, like my mother-in-law, who LOVES to tell me this! (It wasn't hubby, but one of his sibs.) N's diaper is hanging like a plumber's pants and I know he's been trying to take it off. And I don't blame him. It's nasty stuff he's got in there. As I approach, I see it. On his sheets, his comforter, his legs, and the rug. The RUG! That can only mean one thing - he's been escaping! Which is confirmed by the presence of the Children's Bible in his bed. Maybe he was praying and interceding that I would arrive to change him?
Hasitly, I change him, change his sheets, digging out new sheets and blankets to the chorus of M saying, "Poo too! Poo too!" because he, of course, was also poopy. Thank goodness it was...uh, firmer, and did not necessitate and entire change of bedding. Still, the whole twins-pooping-simultaneously isn't so cute anymore. Not that it ever was, but it's...getting old.
(Sigh) It could have been worse. Nothing was truly "decorated," although I think it could have happened if I hadn't arrived when I did.
Now we're well into the second hour of "nap," headed toward the point of no return, since I can still hear the monkeys chattering and kitties meowing (that's M's new thing) and generally still NOT settling down. See, the point of no return is the moment when I give up on nap and resign myself to a cranky CRABBY night with the munchies, which is exacerbated by the fact that Hubs is out of town and I'm solo tonight.
There is a silver lining, however: no-nap days end peacefully and quickly with a relatively easy and early bedtime.
I often wonder how our parents survived toddlerhood?
Monday, June 27, 2011
Inception Flight
I recently saw the mind-boggling movie "Inception." Thanks to Netflix, I am only a few months behind on recent releases, rather than years. Normally I choose romantic comedies, because they are harmless and brainless and I don't lie awake thinking about who did what or killed whom or have nightmares that someone's after me, but Hubs convinced me that I would like this one, so I put it in the queue.
He was right! I won't spoil the ending if you haven't seen it, but you have to understand the concept a bit to understand how yesterday I was living in "Inception." You see, in the movie, Leonardo DeCaprio's character is hired to plant an idea into someone's brain during his sleep through a dream. But in order to do it, he must create a dream-within-a-dream, which is dangerous, but this is SUCH a difficult case, he must create a THIRD level, a dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream, and if things don't go exactly right, (and when do they ever?), he could fall into this dream (which is bad, of course, with people trying to kill him) and NEVER GET OUT but also NEVER DIE. Sounds awful, right?
That was us with two toddlers trying to fly standby out of Charlotte, NC yesterday. We had a fantastic time at the wedding (which I'll write about later) and kissed everyone goodbye Sunday morning. The boys ate the cheese out of the bagel sandwich I gave them for breakfast in the backseat, and tore up the bagels, throwing the shards all over the back of the car. N didn't want to play with any of the 7 toys we had with us for the whole weekend, so we had to pull off on a ramp and take the DVD player out of the trunk. Thank goodness for "Finding Nemo!" They still like Baby Einstien but those only last 24 minutes! The ride just from the cabin to the airport was 2 hours! Then we had to make a rest stop, then fill up the car and clean out the bagel shards, then return the car, ride the shuttle to the airport, stand in line to check our bags (oh, MSP, how we love your skycap service!!!), go through security (thank God for small miracles like the "family with strollers" line) wait at our gate, miss the first flight because there was only ONE open seat on it, eat overpriced Wendy's for lunch, watch "The Wiggles," re-read all of the children's books packed in our diaper bag, re-pack the diaper bag and Thomas the Train backbacks in preparation for being separated on the next flight (as in, he takes one boy to MSP and I wait in NC for the next flight with the other), only to miss the second flight because there was again only ONE seat (see, the second level of the dream within a dream-it's getting dangerous now!). We pause the movie here to re-evaluate our options and use the restrooms and do a diaper change. Someone's in the "family" restroom, so we have to take turns. Instead of one trip to the family restroom, it takes 4 trips.
We're sinking quickly into the third dream-within-dream which could keep us in pergatory forever. We decide to purchase zed fare tickets on US Airways to fly from NC to DTW and there try to catch a DTW to MSP flight. Hubs leaves the boys and I near near one of the 3 electrical outlets in the 10th largest airport in America so we can watch "Baby Einstein" and eat gummy bears while he leaves security to buy tickets at the gate where he decides to ditch our bags because otherwise it will take too long and we'll miss the flight before he retreives, re-checks, gets charged for them, and makes it back through security to get us. Thank God, again, for small miracles! N fell asleep watching Baby Einstein and M was content to eat 100 gummy bears during the movie.
N sleeps through walking to the gate, Hubs lifting him out of the umbrella stroller, carrying him, the carseat, and a backpack onto the plane, me holding him while hubs attaches the carseat, buckling him back into the carseat, then the rest of the flight to DTW!! This is a best miracle of the day, a sign that God IS with us and that we will one day awaken from this inception dream. M falls asleep before takeoff, and for the first flight since they were 8 months old, we have a peaceful flight.
Upon landing at DTW, we disembark, waiting in the jetbridge for a small eternity for our strollers because once we leave the jetbridge, we CANNOT come back for them, so I hold a screaming M's hand in a very hot jetbridge while passengers file past, staring at our little bedraggled family. Finally an employee asks if we're waiting for strollers. I smiled, but gave him the stink eye, while M cried and played "limp fish," trying to throw his body on the filthy jetway. He brought the stroller that belonged to the little sleeping infant's family first. I decided to let M keep crying. He was just vocalising what I could not say, and that employee could just listen to it since he decided to stand there staring at us for many many minutes. YOU contributed to this by delaying our strollers, my stink eye said, although I'm sure it was misinterpretd as something else.
We're not done. We are in the US Airways terminal, so we have to take a bus, which the guys loved and charmed the busdriver and tried pressing all her buttons while we loaded our lighter load of junk onto the bus. M tried talking to a fellow passenger who told him, "You're on the bus of doom," and I laughed - seriously threw my head back and guffawed right out loud! What else could we do at this point?
Then we have to wait in line because the self-check in kiosks are down (is anyone surprised here?) and go through security again. I'd complain, but the boys are champs when it comes to this. They are very obedient and like to watch all the activity. We have to check with the agent because there are just two flights left (it's 7pm by this time and literally the 11th hour of traveling) to MSP. The computer system says they're both full. We decided not to risk missing two more flights and shucking out more money to stay in a hotel and book ourselves on the flight to MBS (Michigan).
Mother-in-law doesn't quite understand what has transpired, since Hubs is again buckling the carseat into the airplane as he asks her to pick us up in hour, we're spending the night at your house, the door is closing goodbye, but she's happy she gets to see her grandsons.
I'll spare you the details of a less than helpful flight attendant who gave me the stink eye as I allowed N to tear out every page of Sky magazine since she took away all my bags full of treats and toys because we were in the bulkhead and they had to be stowed but there was no stowage overhead since we were the last ones on the plane and please keep the window open according to flight regulations, so No No, N, you can't play with the windows, only the Sky magazine.
I finally woke up from my dream within a dream around 8 am Eastern time, at my mother in law's house. I'm not home and I don't have any clean clothes for myself or my husband, but there is coffee brewing and one spare outfit for the boys in their bag.
At least our life isn't boring.
He was right! I won't spoil the ending if you haven't seen it, but you have to understand the concept a bit to understand how yesterday I was living in "Inception." You see, in the movie, Leonardo DeCaprio's character is hired to plant an idea into someone's brain during his sleep through a dream. But in order to do it, he must create a dream-within-a-dream, which is dangerous, but this is SUCH a difficult case, he must create a THIRD level, a dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream, and if things don't go exactly right, (and when do they ever?), he could fall into this dream (which is bad, of course, with people trying to kill him) and NEVER GET OUT but also NEVER DIE. Sounds awful, right?
We're sinking quickly into the third dream-within-dream which could keep us in pergatory forever. We decide to purchase zed fare tickets on US Airways to fly from NC to DTW and there try to catch a DTW to MSP flight. Hubs leaves the boys and I near near one of the 3 electrical outlets in the 10th largest airport in America so we can watch "Baby Einstein" and eat gummy bears while he leaves security to buy tickets at the gate where he decides to ditch our bags because otherwise it will take too long and we'll miss the flight before he retreives, re-checks, gets charged for them, and makes it back through security to get us. Thank God, again, for small miracles! N fell asleep watching Baby Einstein and M was content to eat 100 gummy bears during the movie.
N sleeps through walking to the gate, Hubs lifting him out of the umbrella stroller, carrying him, the carseat, and a backpack onto the plane, me holding him while hubs attaches the carseat, buckling him back into the carseat, then the rest of the flight to DTW!! This is a best miracle of the day, a sign that God IS with us and that we will one day awaken from this inception dream. M falls asleep before takeoff, and for the first flight since they were 8 months old, we have a peaceful flight.
Upon landing at DTW, we disembark, waiting in the jetbridge for a small eternity for our strollers because once we leave the jetbridge, we CANNOT come back for them, so I hold a screaming M's hand in a very hot jetbridge while passengers file past, staring at our little bedraggled family. Finally an employee asks if we're waiting for strollers. I smiled, but gave him the stink eye, while M cried and played "limp fish," trying to throw his body on the filthy jetway. He brought the stroller that belonged to the little sleeping infant's family first. I decided to let M keep crying. He was just vocalising what I could not say, and that employee could just listen to it since he decided to stand there staring at us for many many minutes. YOU contributed to this by delaying our strollers, my stink eye said, although I'm sure it was misinterpretd as something else.
We're not done. We are in the US Airways terminal, so we have to take a bus, which the guys loved and charmed the busdriver and tried pressing all her buttons while we loaded our lighter load of junk onto the bus. M tried talking to a fellow passenger who told him, "You're on the bus of doom," and I laughed - seriously threw my head back and guffawed right out loud! What else could we do at this point?
Then we have to wait in line because the self-check in kiosks are down (is anyone surprised here?) and go through security again. I'd complain, but the boys are champs when it comes to this. They are very obedient and like to watch all the activity. We have to check with the agent because there are just two flights left (it's 7pm by this time and literally the 11th hour of traveling) to MSP. The computer system says they're both full. We decided not to risk missing two more flights and shucking out more money to stay in a hotel and book ourselves on the flight to MBS (Michigan).
Mother-in-law doesn't quite understand what has transpired, since Hubs is again buckling the carseat into the airplane as he asks her to pick us up in hour, we're spending the night at your house, the door is closing goodbye, but she's happy she gets to see her grandsons.
I'll spare you the details of a less than helpful flight attendant who gave me the stink eye as I allowed N to tear out every page of Sky magazine since she took away all my bags full of treats and toys because we were in the bulkhead and they had to be stowed but there was no stowage overhead since we were the last ones on the plane and please keep the window open according to flight regulations, so No No, N, you can't play with the windows, only the Sky magazine.
I finally woke up from my dream within a dream around 8 am Eastern time, at my mother in law's house. I'm not home and I don't have any clean clothes for myself or my husband, but there is coffee brewing and one spare outfit for the boys in their bag.
At least our life isn't boring.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
More Good Days Than Not
That's how I'm surviving this week. Unfortunately (for you, readers) I haven't had time to write on the good days, when my best writing (in my opinion) seems to be done. It's NOW that I have time, after two of the roughest days I've had with the fellas, on a single-mom-rain-all-day-Saturday-and-worst-of-all-my-son-figured-out-how-to-climb-out-of-his-crib-oh-my-gosh-I-need-a-glass-of-wine night that I have time to post. Since, of course, I'm having technical difficulties with the Nikon, which I've been slowly but surely teaching myself (okay, I can't find the stupid USB cord), I uploaded the Handycam photos, and I am reminded that yes, there are more good days than bad. It's just that the good days go so fast and the not-so-good-ones are so slow. So unendingly slow. Here's what I found on my Handycam tonight: a bunch of good days from the last two weeks. So bottoms up and praise the Lord if your good days outnumber the bad not so good!
(Sigh.) They're out of order and sideways to boot. At least they're uploaded. On Tuesday, a friend (good) exchanged the dead dino desktop (bad) for a new(ish-everything is relative!) tower (good!) and I'm still teaching myself how to use Picasa for my photo uploads (good?) See...a 3/1 ratio! Them's good odds! :)
So there ya have it. They say you remember 50% of what you hear, 90% of what you write down, and 100% of what you teach. That's why I try my darndest to write the good stuff. Because it's what I want to remember. Have a great weekend, my friend!
(Sigh.) They're out of order and sideways to boot. At least they're uploaded. On Tuesday, a friend (good) exchanged the dead dino desktop (bad) for a new(ish-everything is relative!) tower (good!) and I'm still teaching myself how to use Picasa for my photo uploads (good?) See...a 3/1 ratio! Them's good odds! :)
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| Me and Harmon Killebrew celebrate 9 years of marriage on Wednesday! I mean, Hubs and I saw a Twins game and posed with goofy statues at Target Field. |
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| The fellas meet T.C. bear, the Twins' mascot at MOA Toddler Tuesdays. N was NOT diggin' it! |
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| N cools off on a 100 degree day last week. |
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| The best my hat ever looked! On M |
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| They're diggin' hats so much, they wear flowerpots when I'm not looking! |
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| N and I try out a a digger at Central Park |
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| Aunt L and M sharing a picnic lunch last week |
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| More picnic pics, me and N |
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| Aunt L snaps a shot of me snapping her! |
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| Coolin' off by the shark pool with ice cream (and a dirty diaper, we'll soon learn!) |
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| Cheers to summer! N and Aunt L |
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| M likes to read his birthday cards on a string |
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| Pan Bagnet, the French tuna fish sandwich I made for the MVMOM gathering. So delicious! (It was a great party, but the pics are on the Nikon of course, for a different post.) |
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| Our first Target Field Twins game on our 9th anniversary. I tried to surprise him, but he found the tickets weeks ago! He was still happy, though! |
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| See? |
Monday, May 2, 2011
Good News! Bath Night!
I found my phone! It wasn't lost long, but I have a terrible habit of misplacing it when it's on vibrate, I'm alone, and it's nighttime.
I received my new bedding! I've never had a problem ordering anything from Amazon, but I didn't realize I was buying this item from a vendor selling through Amazon, so (dun-dun-dun) it took a MONTH for the right item to arrive, complicated of course by the fact that I MOVED during that period!
AND, I found my camera's charger! You, poor readers, have been paying the price all month because I've taken no new pictures. Once it was charged, I took pics of our first activity - bath night. My boys get a bath every other night whether they need it or not (they always do). Just eating they get dirty! If you look closely I think you can see guacamole under M's nose - or it could be a booger. Either way, they were really funny tonight in the tub. Here are my little hams:
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| N's curls rinsed out - look how long his hair is! |
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| N's curls, before the wash |
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| Cutie Patootie Peeking N |
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| Smiley M - I think he looks so big here! |
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| Blue, green, red, blue...choo! Choo! |
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| No, red, then, green, then blue |
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| Okay, N, but I'll make it two blues. |
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| Whatever. |
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