Big Boy Bed, Bunk Bed!

 The twins were just 2 when we bought their big boy beds...we chose them because we hoped that one day we could bunk them.  Little did we know then that we'd be downsizing and glad for the option, but the boys just weren't ready when we moved in last year.  I needed both boys to be overnight potty trained and able to NOT fall out of bed before I attempted to bunk them.  When both of those requirements were finally met in the late fall....we didn't have all the pieces!  Whether the guy from Craigslist who sold them to us never gave us all the parts (which is what I think) or we simply lost them or left them behind in the move (still a possibility) is anyone's guess. 

Thanks, Papa!

SO...we convinced Papa K to make us the missing pieces and paid him with a French dip sandwich lunch.  Thank you dad, and happy birthday today!

C also got his big boy bed assembled the same day, so Grandma K and I were working on that while all the boys worked on the bunks.

It only took a couple of hours and all 3 boys have brand new beds!

Proud as a peacock in his big boy bed

Many many moons ago, the twins decided amongst themselves that M would be on top.  I don't know how or why they decided that, but I'm glad they did because it's exactly what I would have chosen.  They fight over just about everything, but this is one area that they have not.  That's nothing short of a miracle!

C is adjusting slowly to the big boy bed.  He's taken a couple of naps in there but won't even consider it at bedtime.  I don't mind - I just wanted the big boy bed ready to go for the day he decided to jump out of the crib (the way his brothers did and threw me into a tailspin for months). He has about two months to make the adjustment before that crib goes out in May's garage sale!

Tympanostomy Day

Or, ear tubes.

I'm glad it's over so the pressure on little C's ear's is relieved and that his ear infections should be finished.

Poor little buddy has been struggling with them since November.  He had one that didn't clear for two months this winter, and when it did, he still had fluid on both ears.

So he got a referral to an ENT, who turned out to be a Christian doctor who set my brother-in-law's nose when it was broken as a child.

Praise God for small blessings.  He's been very kind and gentle and just wonderful. Which is a beautiful fabulous relief.

Everything went well and smoothly, praise God, and he was in and out just as they said would happen.  C cried for awhile in the recovery room - I'm sure he was confused and uncomfortable, but once he woke up fully and ate his snack and juice, he was almost back to normal, just a little tired and dazed.

in my arms, groggy and sleepy

Feeling better, snacking on cereal before discharge

Those are the the only two surgery photos I got - it was just me and C, as Hubs is caring for the big boys today. They are at gymnastics now, and I'm home with napping C and the washing machine, breathing a huge sigh of relief and thanking God for all of his blessings. 

He's answered a lot of prayers this week, C's succesful surgery being just one.

Two, our townhouse in MN closed yesterday- the 2 year ordeal is over and we are very happily NOT homeowners anymore. 

Three, Hubs returned safely from a 4 day trip to Moscow last week. He said it went well and he never felt unsafe, but our family was on pins and needles as, if you've been following world news in the past week, it seems risky to be a) an American in Russia and b) just flying on planes at all.

So yes, I'm relieved it's finally over.  For the next few weeks we have no plans to have surgery, work internationally, or sell a house.  Praise God!

Heisman the Snowman

He didn't last long but he sure was fun!

Come on, spring!

Heavenly Questions

My boys have been curious about heaven lately, and I've been answering their questions to the best of my knowledge and as Biblically as I can.  In fact, N and M and I had quite an interesting conversation about a book I read recently, titled "To Heaven and Back," about a doctor who, as the title suggests, died, saw heaven,and came back.  When we talked about the book, I thought my kids asked intelligent questions and were getting the concept.

Imagine how pleased I was to learn they were also talking about heaven in their Sunday School class yesterday!  I thought, how wonderful that our church and our family are instilling the same values and that our kids are really beginning to understand such abstract concepts as faith.

Then Hubs showed me the picture he snapped of the kids' questions their teacher listed, the questions their class has about heaven. 

N's question was "Are there frogs in heaven?"

Other children asked, "Are there toys in heaven?"
 "How big is heaven?"
"Can you bounce on the moon?"
"Can you swim in heaven?"

M's was "Why did the pig cross the road?"

Boom goes the dynamite. 

Clarification

• In regard to my Friday post: the term "Crentist" is from the sitcom "The Office," not "Seinfeld." There have been only two sitcom series in my life that I followed regularly, so I sometimes get random quotes mixed up.  My Hubs and his brothers, however, have these brains that can remember every quote from every movie or sitcom they ever see! It's sometimes helpful; for example, had Uncle D. been here while I was typing on Friday, I could have asked, "who said Crentist?" and he would have told me the correct sitcom of course, and the season and the episode and then the script as well!  So thank you for the clarification, Uncle D!
• Secondly, we LOVE our dentist, Dr. M!  As it happens, his MOM reads my blog so I want to tell Mrs. M, we love him very much!  If I write about you in a blog, it is because I love you.  It's how I express my love.  By writing about you.  Strange but true.
• Also, I'm over the whole, woe is me-my kids have a half dozen cavities and I suck at tooth brushing education.  I had a ton of cavities as a kid and so did Hubs.  They're gentically predisposed to a lot of things that are going to cost us a lot of money.  I'm holding out hope that they all get my eyesight and we can skip the eye doctor so that they can just fend for themselves when they find out at age 36 they need lenses.  I'll be 67 years old then and no longer responsible for their eyesight.  
• I'm over the tooth thing because I've moved on bigger badder concerns, like C needs tubes in his ears and where the heck should we enroll the twins for kindergarten?!  I feel like their entire future rests on choosing the right kindergarten.  I know this can't be true, however.  I remember very little about kindergarten besides the fact that I got in big trouble for flashing the class my new big girl underpants at show and tell time!  I'm sure they were awesome, whatever they were.  Probably Care Bares or Smurfs, who knows, but I was proud! 
• As for C's ears, I'm vacillating between denial and acceptance.  Mostly I don't want to see him go under general anesthesia.  It freaked me out when N went limp in my arms for his dacryoplasty surgery at the same age.....  After re-reading that blog post, I suppose I shouldn't be so worried.  But still..tubes!  Swimming!  Hair washing!  (sigh) I suppose it's just more parenting education for me.



My cuties

• That's the news in Busytown.

Cold Here!

C and I reporting that today's weather is COLD! 

Stay warm where you are and hold tight...spring is just 20 days away!

My Dentist's Name is Crentist

Any Seinfeld fans remember that one?  I really felt like telling M and N their new destist's name is Crentist, but I refrained.

Because they would think it's hilarious and call him Crentist.

For the rest. of. his. life.

So we call him Dr. M., his name.

I prepped the kids for a week or so, reading library books about going to the dentist, focusing on brushing twice a day (as opposed to at only bedtime) and talking about mommy and daddy's visits.

M seemed okay with it and ready to go.

N was worried about the shots.  Because of course the dentist library book showed a kid getting a Novocaine shot before his filling.  And he badgered us about getting our own shots before fillings.  He was fascinated with my "fake tooth," my crown, and questioned me relentlessy.

I took the kids by myself while Hubs worked from home and C napped.  But I got a nice surprise when we walked in, Great Grandpa and Great Grandma S were in the waiting room!

Surprise!  Great Grandma S has the same dentist!

So while Grandma S went to get a filling with Dr. M., Great Grandpa S came with us - the two hygienists each took a twin using the divide and conquer mode.  I went with N and Grandpa sat with M, which worked out really well.  (I wasn't made aware of the change of plans, since we were going to have M go first and N watch).   The rooms were next door to one another, but N was so wiggly, and the lines of view obstructed, I only got a few shots.

N tests Mr. Thirsty

I ran over to snap a pic of M but he was already engrossed in his cleaning, and Grandpa was watching carefully on:

I ran back to N where I knew he was okay because the hygeinist gave him teeth to clean:

Then wouldn't you know it, the fellas were rounded up for x rays, the camera and stuff got left behind while I was left trying to gently coach N to sit still from behind the half wall while the X rays floated about M. It was a whirlwind, but the boys were more excited and curious than worried and scared, the appointment itself went well and the kids are excited about their new toothbrushes.

Dr. M. then showed me the x rays, where he discovered several cavities and referred us to a pediatric dentist for filling them.  Needless to say, another disappointing end to an otherwise pleasant visit - remember, this is the guy who made my crown last month!  But it's not his fault.  It's likely mine and my blase attitude toward brushing at the end of  long days of parenting many small, challenging children by myself.  Boo me, right?

The bright side is that Great Grandpa and Grandma were still there to wrangle the fellas in the waiting room and ooh and ahh over their "goodie bags," wherein they discovered their first ever flossers (oh, my gosh, do you know how much I hate flossing my OWN teeth?  NOW I have to floss 40 more!) while I made pediatric dentist consultation appointments and 6 month cleaning appointments.

Maybe I will call him Crentist, after all.