Another February birthday

It is so hard to believe that my boys are growing up so fast. Today my baby turns 2! I have come to the conclusion that I must give him another name as the baby just won't work anymore. So he will now be called Tee.

I remember having had a hard time sleeping the night before I gave birth. There was nothing in particular that was wrong, I couldn't sleep and was uncomfortable. I got up and immediately determined I did not feel well. I postponed taking my boys to preschool and opted to wait it out. And then it happened, the contraction came on lightning fast. I called my husband whose car was in the shop but he was at work. He decided to get to the car shop (in the middle of rush hour) to get his car to come home. (side note: my husband was out of the country the week before I gave birth. He is very lucky the baby waited for him to come home) I called my Dr. and they told me to come in. At this point I still wasn't positive I was in labor. You always hear about false labor. So I had some time in which I could shower and shave my legs. I couldn't fathom the thought of going to the hospital without shaving. As I used the bathroom before getting in the shower I lost my mucus plug.

Let me back up here a minute. I did not go into labor with the twins. I was induced, then had my water broken and then started having contractions. I ended up with an epidural fairly early in the process to end up with a C-section. So all of this going into labor on my own was not something I had experienced.

I finally get to the Dr.'s office and they do a check. As soon as he opened me up my water broke and went everywhere. I was 1 centimeter dilated. A little part of me thought I should try for a vaginal delivery but I quickly came to my senses and decided that it would be best to do the c-section as I had been planning since the beginning of this pregnancy. I remember being so concerned because I didn't feel any movement of the baby, but they checked and he was doing ok.

I get whisked off to the Labor and Delivery floor that is attached to the Dr.'s office. Very convenient! We had to wait a while but they finally got us in and I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who weighed a mere 5 pounds 4 ounces. He was smaller than either twin. He was 4 weeks early. I had a planned c-section scheduled for March 15th. I was not completely ready for him yet, but he was ready to make his appearance.

My little guy on his birthday!

His brothers were very excited to meet him.

There ended up being some complications and he was taken to the NICU the night after he was born. If I remember correctly, the charge (positive/negative) in his blood platelets was the opposite of mine. This had nothing to do with blood type. So his count was dangerously low. He would have blood drawn every day and little by little the count was coming up, but was still very low. He was in the NICU for a few days and then he got jaundice and was put under lights. I ended up having to leave him at the hospital for 2 days.

His blood platelet count eventually started to rise and reach normal. I can't tell you how scared we were that something terrible could be wrong with him.

Today he is a very active 2 year old. Always ready to go.


He has Daddy's jacket and Mommy's purse and he is ready to go "bye bye".

We are having a few friends over to celebrate his big day tomorrow. I will post pictures after tomorrow.

Crazy Hair Day

I remember last year walking to the bus with the boys and having EE look at me and tell me that it was crazy hair day at school. The look in his eyes was so disappointing. That is when I purchased a dry erase board calendar and keep it in my kitchen. Important days like this must not be forgotten.

The boys told me last week that Thursday February 26th was crazy hair day again. EE said immediately that he wanted to participate. The weekend errands included going to purchase hair color chosen by EE himself. This is what I concocted Thursday morning. Believe me it took a lot of product to get his hair to stand up like this.

EE sporting his Mohawk. The Mohawk is blue and the remainder of his hair is red.

I tried and tried to get Jay to do something with his hair but my attempts were fruitless. I know he does not have much hair, but I thought I could write something on his head. I told him he was way too young to be fuddy duddy. Of course, he asked me what that meant.

The three boys.

Noncommittal

You know the type. They have a hard time committing to an invitation and typically wait until last minute to tell you yes or no. We all know people like this. I have known several in my life and honestly I have probably been noncommittal in my life at times. Can I just say it drives me crazy?

I had a friend a while ago who had a hard time committing. She would talk about getting the kids together to play and then we would not hear from her until the next day. There was always an excuse as to why she didn't call ie. something better came up. I liked her a lot (the kids were a different story) so we remained flexible and got together when it worked out.

I currently have a friend who has a hard time committing to invitations. I can't describe how crazy it makes me. In October, we had a cookout. She was unable to make it but last minute she told me she would send her husband and kids up. She kindly asked what she could send with him and we agreed on juice boxes. I ended up not buying more juice boxes because he was bringing some. He ended up taking the kids somewhere and sent the message through my neighbor that they would not be attending. Hey dude....I bought extra food for you. I let this go, can you tell?

The next invite was to our New Years Eve/birthday party for my husband. Again she had to work until 7pm but she would send the husband and kids up. I stated my plan firmly about when the kids and the adults would eat. Her husband shows up about 1 1/2 hours late. She showed up about 1/2 hour after he did. When she arrived I told her that they had just gotten there, I had been getting the baby ready for bed and did not know if their kids had eaten. Just as we sit down to eat one of her kids comes up looking for dinner. I had no kids' dinner left but told her she could give her a piece of lasagna. I won't even get started on how this stirred the other kids up. I find out at the end of the meal that the husband had gone to subway prior to arriving at our house which is why he did not eat the lasagna. Are you kidding me?

So now I am having a dinner party on Saturday. And you guessed it once again she is working but will check with her husband to see if he would like to bring the girls up. Really now...that has worked so well in the past. I debated before I did the invite as to whether I should invite them or not. My husband thought I should. I am not the only one she does this to. She does it to my neighbor as well. My neighbor has in a round about way told her that she needs to give an answer one way or the other. She does not entertain much so I don't think she understands the planning involved for the events.

I have made it a priority to kindly respond to all invitation I receive in a timely manner. I (we) can't always make it to everything but make our intentions known. Yes, sometimes I have had to cancel last minute for one reason or another and I do feel terrible. And I make a sincere apology to the host. How to get this across to her.......

My toddler

My baby is growing up. He is talking so much and saying pretty much anything you say. He is also stringing two words together and they actually mean something. It seems amazing that he has grown up so quickly. His favorite word is now "what" which he says to everything. And when you ask him a yes/no question the answer it typically "no". He can also say his name although you would probably have a hard time figuring out what he is saying. It is a hard name to say.

He is not wanting to nap much anymore. In the last week he has probably only slept at nap time once. This makes for a very tired Mom. It works out well if I can get him into bed early but some days that is just not possible.

I do think it is important for him to have downtime. I put him in his room for at least 1 hour a day. I heard him up in his room talking today like I do on most days. Then all of the sudden it became very quiet. I started to think that he may have fallen asleep. But no such luck. A little while later I hear him talking again. I knew something didn't seem right so I went upstairs to see what was going on. I find him in his crib NAKED with his pillow, blankets and clothes thrown on the floor. He was a happy little fellow running around in his crib. When I looked at him and asked him what he was doing his response to me was "what". It took all I had to not break down laughing. It is a good thing he is such a cutie.

The run around

Do you ever feel like you get the run around from everyone these days? Yesterday was one of those days for me. I have been busy working on a school family night the last couple of weeks. Families are playing bingo and I hear it has been a lot of fun in the past.

After volunteering in one of my boy's classes yesterday, my cohort and I spent some time trying to plan how we would set everything up. We have limited time to get everything together as we have to wait until 6pm when the after school program clears out of our space. Then I had to go out and purchase the food and drink for tonight.

I got home (I was tired) and looked at some charges that hit my credit cards. One was for a renewal on the newspaper that I never authorized. I has subscribed to the paper but decided I would cancel when our 26 weeks were up. I immediately called the paper and the representative told me that when I subscribed (which I did on the Internet) I enrolled in the EZ pay. I probably had no choice once on the Internet than to do EZ pay. I take every opportunity to by-pass a phone call if I can do it on the Internet. Honestly, I feel that these companies have a responsibility to email the customers so they can be aware of the charge. My subscription to People is on EZ pay but they email me in advance so that I can cancel if I choose to.....but why would I ever do that.

The other charge really had me fired up. I had received 3 $20 gift cards for a promotion that this credit card offered over the holidays. We used them this past weekend at one store and then charged the remaining balance on that company credit card. I see that not only did I get charged the remaining balance but had 3 $20 charges. My first call to the credit card company was not productive. She told me I would have to contact the store to get the card numbers otherwise there was nothing they could do (meaning she could not believe me). As you probably can guess the store told me that they could not help me. They would not have access to the gift card numbers. So back to the credit card company where this nice man helped me. He had heard the conversation when I first called in. He took it to his manager and they decided to dispute the charges with the store. I will get credit back for the 3 $20 charges on my account and they will try to get paid from the store. Not sure why or how that could happen but I will ALWAYS keep my gift cards in the future. It probably took oever 1 hour of my time to get this resolved.

No that is not enough.....I gave a magazine gift subscription as a Christmas gift. The email stated that the first issue would arrive in 4 to 6 weeks. We are 9 weeks out and it has yet to be seen. I sent a note to customer service from the website. I get a response back saying they can't help me and I need to send an email to a different address. Then they provide a listing of all their magazines with email addresses. It is like this person did not want to take the time to help and maybe didn't even read the issue. So I forwarded the email I received to this "new" address and have yet to hear a thing. I like to have all the history on these type of issues. This is one case where I would love to have a number so that I can actually speak to a person and resolve what I feel should be a very simple issue.

Customer Service I think has really tanked these days. If you have ever called a help line today you must sit through 5 plus minutes of a menu and all you really want to do is to talk to a live body.

Neighborly

I consider myself a very nice person who is willing to help others when needed. I know a lot of our immediate neighbors and we all are neighborly. We borrow sugar or eggs and on occasion will look after each others little ones. This is what neighbors do right?

I have a neighbor who has 2 children, one in middle school (she is special needs) and one in elementary school. The husband worked from home until recently when he was assigned to another area. Meaning he travels a lot during the week. The Mom doesn't like to sit home so she accepts subbing jobs at the school. It is nice because she can work when she wants. The issue for her is that the middle school daughter's bus drops her off about 20 minutes before the elementary school bus arrives. So there is a lag time where she needs her older daughter cared for.

This is where it has become an issue for me. In the past month and a half, she has often asked me to get her daughter off the bus until she can get home. Like I mentioned I like to be neighborly and help when I can. But I did say it has become an “issue” for me.

I feel like it has gotten to the point where she thinks just because I am home that it should be no problem for me to stop what I am doing to get her daughter off the bus. Doesn’t she know that I have to write on a blog and read many??? But seriously my toddler usually goes down for a nap around 1:30 and I spend the next hour plus doing what I want to do (or in some cases what I NEED to do). Then if I haven’t showered yet I do that quickly to get my boys off the bus at 3:30. Having to cut 20 minutes out of my day (my precious time) has become annoying to me.

To make matters worse on many occasions she will wait until 2pm or after to call for the favor. So she accepts a job not really knowing if someone will be home to get her child off the bus. I honestly find this hard to believe. It has frustrated me beyond belief. And it is now time where I will have to say something….I am just not sure what.

Now the Mom is looking for a full time job (actually she interviewed and the company is checking her references). As you would have guessed she has not thought out what she will do with her older daughter until the Grandma can get home to watch both girls. Just so happens that the Grandma works at the elementary school. The lack of making a plan and thinking through all the specifics is beyond my comprehension.

I feel so fortunate that I am able to stay home with my boys. It is a decision that my husband and I made together. It was not easy for me to leave my job. But I knew that I wanted to be home with them, which isn’t always easy either.

Another neighbor has been involved in this issue also. She is a little more brutally honest with the other Mom which works in my favor. This situation has strained being neighborly with all of us. It is very unfortunate.

The saga continues

The stomach bug that has remained a visitor. It appears to have a 2 day lag from one person to the next. The baby started on Friday late night and both Jay and I started Monday very early morning. Last night the husband and I were talking and we thought if he could just make it one more day he would be in the clear. But it seems as though this nasty bug will make its way though another one of us. The husband woke up this am not feeling so well and at last is officially sick with the bug.

I think EE is thinking something is wrong with me. I am constantly asking him if he is feeling ok. And last night when he asked for seconds I questioned if that was really what he wanted to do. I expected him to be sick last night or not feel well this morning. So as he was eating his rather large breakfast I made casual conversation with him. I told him if he ever felt like he was going to get sick in class that he should run to the bathroom and make sure he does it in the toilet. I confirmed with him that it was ok in that instance to not ask the teacher. He looked at me and shook his head in agreement. I know he is thinking that I am crazy, which could be true on some days.

My husband does a great job with the kids when I am not around. I can't say he always does things the way I would do them but none the less they get done. On Monday, when I was sick he was left to get EE ready for school, take care of Jay who was also sick, care for the baby who was still feeling the effects of his sickness, care for me AND try to do some work (including answering the gazillion phone calls that were made to him). A few things that made me chuckle:

In my semi-conscious state I thought to ask my husband if he made EE a lunch for school. He never even thought about it. My poor child would probably have done without because he would not have mentioned it to anyone.

The baby naps everyday, except on the few occasions in which he can't. He forgot to put the baby down for his nap. The baby has been sick and had about 5 or 6 blowouts that day. He could have used some down time.

Jay spent the entire morning watching the cartoon channel. You know I don't like my kids watching TV, much less the cartoon channel ALL DAY. Well, I finally said something to the husband on a trip he made upstairs and I think he ended up changing it to the Disney channel, a little better.

EE comes home from school and sees the TV on and starts to watch. I happen to mention to my husband that EE needs to do his homework.

He really is a great Dad. I am just glad that I can be the one that stays home with them.

The birthday party

The boys' birthday party was held this weekend. My husband had to miss the party because of the sick baby. He was a little disappointed as he has not missed one of their parties. I was disappointed because I knew I was going to need help taming the wild crew.

The party was held at a Laser Tag place. The boys love this place.

Suited up and ready to go.

The cakes. The boys always have their own cake for their birthday. I insist on it every year. EE's was a basketball themed cake and Jay's was a football themed cake.

The party was a bit hectic for me. There were 17 kids (only 2 girls) who attended(including the birthday boys). Luckily, I took one of the Mom's up on her offer to stay and help. Another Mom stayed because her daughter was not ready to let her go.

The kids had two adventures that are broked up by eating lunch and then having cake. The adventures last about 15 minutes but you have to pad in time for getting into gear and listening to instructions.

After the first adventure everyone came into the party room for pizza. One of the little boys found a screw in his pizza. It had cheese baked around it. I showed it to the Laser Tag manager who immediately called the pizza company. The manager at the pizza company said there was no way a screw could fall into a pizza. The LT manager did not like that response and immediately called their corporate offices and they too denied such thing could happen. The proof was right in front of us. The LT manager was going to take a picture and send on to them. I think the entire situation from the screw being in the pizza to the company not believing us is unreal. Needless to say I did not pay for the pizzas.

After the party the boys came home and opened their presents. My boys' never open their gifts at the party. It would be way too hectic with all of the kids around and both of them trying to open gift while I write down what they got and from who.

I think the boys had a great time.

The not so fun visitor

The baby picked up a stomach virus this past weekend. It started on Friday night with him vomiting in his bed. Luckily, he only vomited once but of course it came out the other way. He has had loose stool up through today. I should say it is more explosive than anything and required an outfit change on most occasions. Jay and I ended getting sick early Monday morning. The husband stayed home to take care of us all while still trying to get some work completed. That was a large task by far.

The Dr. office said that the stomach flu has been going around. It seems like once it enters your home it runs through the entire family. And it can take about 2 days for it to show up. So we have to wait through tomorrow to see if EE and the husband will be spared.

7 years ago today

It is strange how I can not remember some memories and other memories seem so clear in my mind. Seven years ago today I gave birth to these two little angels. Everything is etched in my mind. I remember being so excited to not only get these little people out of my belly but to see them and kiss them and just love them. It had been a LONG and rough pregnancy for me.

We worked with a Reproductive Specialist (RE) for almost 10 months and that is after 1 year of trying on our own. There was a lot of poking and prodding with no real answers as I am sure is the case for many people. On our 4th round of IUI we found out we were pregnant and were elated. Once you start working with a RE they monitor your progress very closely. This meant going in for daily blood tests. My initial blood test indicated a possibility of more than one. On my 3rd blood test I received a call regarding my blood test. My levels had actually dropped which meant that this would not be a sustainable pregnancy. The Dr. called us that evening to discuss the details. It was a wait and see but he wanted to track my levels regardless. I was so incredibly sad at this point. After my next blood test, I received a call from the office asking me to come in to get a scan. My levels had actually increased beyond significantly. We were both thinking that something was still wrong. Were we surprised when the Dr. told us that not only were we expecting and everything was ok, but we had "snake eyes".

I was very careful during the pregnancy. By the 6 month I was put on modified bed rest but very soon after I was put on full bed rest. I had been contracting too much and my cervix was a very thin. I spent all of December and January at home laying on the couch and not doing much of anything. I was also huge and had no energy to do anything. I cherished the days I was able to get out even if for a little while.

My Dr. took pity on me and decided to induce my labor at 38 weeks. The babies were big enough to be ok once of our their safe house. My labor didn't progress and when my Dr. suggested a C-section at 9pm I jumped on it. I had heard too many stories regarding one baby born vaginally and the other born by emergency c-section.


EE is on the left and Jay is on the right. Snuggling days after being delivered.

After they were born, I remember being very worried that I would not be able to tell them apart. Luckily, they looked so different that it was not an issue.

Our life changed forever on this day in 2002. It is something we will cherish for the rest of our lives.


At 7 years old. EE, Jay and Dad.

I am not sure how 7 years has passed so quickly. But the proof is in the picture.

Happy birthday! You are loved more than you can possibly understand at this point.

Anything bothering you?

It is hard to believe we have had two really nice days, temperatures in the upper 50's, and now we are expecting snow to start tonight. The baby and I took a little walk earlier today, gosh it is so nice out. I long for temperatures to start warming, but if you buy the hole groundhog thing we are looking at 6 more weeks of winter.

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Are there ever things that bother you? Certainly I am not alone. I don't understand a lot and would love explanation to some important topics and some not so important topics. For example:

• Why is it when you watch a tv show, right before the commercial starts it shows you what is "coming up" on the show. Doesn't that ruin actually watching the rest of the show? Why spend the time to tell me what is coming up? Can you not go to the commercial and then just come back to the show? This is why I love my DVR. I can watch a 2 hour show in about 1 1/2 hours. What a waste of time.

• I receive a host of magazines each month. I am not always good at keeping up with them, but they do get read eventually. In each magazine, there are about 5 or so loose post card to become a subscriber (or gift to someone else) of the magazine and there are another 3 or so attached in the magazine. I already subscribe to the magazine, so why? What usually ends up happening as I am on the StairMaster and turning the pages of my magazine they go falling onto the ground.

• Does anyone think it is weird that people have those phone ear pieces(I am not even sure what they are called) and they wear them like an accessory? Sometimes I have to look twice because I will see someone who I think is talking to themselves. Upon a closer look the person is actually have a phone conversation. Interesting or not, last week in my kickboxing class there was a lady who was wearing her phone earpiece while she was working out. The instructor seemed a little taken back and asked her if she was on the phone.

• This California Mom who gave birth to octuplets is a disturbing situation. She is not married and lives with her parents. She is only 33 years old. The Grandma keeps stating that the pregnancy was the result of IVF. I truly have a hard time buying that a "sane" reproductive specialist would transfer 8 embryos at one time. I know for a fact that all of the reproductive facilities keep track of all of their pregnancies and they try to keep their higher order pregnancies to a very low minimum.

I am sure there are a host of other things that I could rant about but I will just give you these to ponder about for now.