Wordless Wednesday

Santa

Santa came to visit the neighborhood kids last weekend. Robert was so excited to see him - he gave him a big hug when he walked through the door!

ps is that not the best looking Santa? I found him at the grocery store in October. He was in the produce dept - NOT the bakery as some might think. He even smelled pretty nasty like a good Santa should!

Christmas Portraits from Hell

Just a glimpse of what our portrait session was like this year:



It was NOT fun. And for those of you who get cards from us, please know how embarrassed I am that I am sending such awful picture cards this year!
And the worst part of all: I actually purchased $150 of these god awful photos!

Christmas Spirit

This year, I am unable to hang garland from the staircase, stockings from the fireplace or put candles in the windows. I am also unable to display my Nativity.

No, we have not converted.

We have toddlers. 2 of them. and they have already decapitated a wise man, broke the ear of a sheep and yanked the candles off the window sills.

The Christmas Tree is quarantined in the Living Room. We can't see it. We can't enjoy it. It really doesn't look much like Christmas here at all.

Bah Humbug.

Oh Christmas Tree!

We bundled up he kids on Saturday and trekked into the wilderness (okay, not really) to find the perfect Christmas Tree. I love this tree. The size is perfect and it fits perfectly in the corner in the Living Room. And it smells so good, too!

Unlike last year's tree... it was HUGE and took up the entire Living room. (see below) The kids had a blast running around the forest (again, not really) and being freezing - runny, snotty noses and all.
After the tree cutting, we went out to eat. This was a first for us... Bobby and me, alone with all three kids in a restaurant (it was really a diner). It was great! The kids were so well behaved and ate so well. It helped that the diner was full of old people who were just enamored by the kids, not to mention the ladies who worked there. Bobby and I high-fived each other as we concluded our mission. And all three kids passed out on the way home.

Eye Candy

Alex is talking up a storm... this week he started with colors - Blue, Red, Green, Yellow and Purple. We are working on recognition since he thinks everything is 'Bwoo." He has also added "Thank you", "please", "excuse me", "Touchdown" (with arms up), "football" and "not nice" to his vocabulary.
His fascination with the toilet has returned. He feels it is his duty to flush every time anyone uses the potty. He is very pleased with himself when he does 'his job.' Perhaps this could lead to some easier potty training?
Alex loves the bread drawer and I have (more than once) gone to make lunch and found a slice with a bite taken from it. (Must start using twistie ties)



Ava has been gracing everyone with her kisses and hugs. She is obsessed with shoes and tries on whoever's shoes are left by the door. She can put on her own shoes as well. She puts her dishes in the sink when she is finished eating (and boy does she love to eat!) Ava also loves to draw and color. She is not as vocal as her brother, but she uses sign language more than he does.

Did you know....

You know the footsie sleepers that most kids wear to bed until they are about 3? The ones that zip from the foot all the way to the neck?

Well did you know that on boy's sleepers the zipper starts on the Left foot and on the girls it starts on the Right foot?

Betcha didn't know that... Another amazing discovery from a mom of boy/girl twins.

Something about Ava...

You've seen "Something About Mary"

Well, today, There's just Something About Ava, too...

A Lesson in Genetics

There are some things in a marriage that need to be overlooked. I've learned to pick and chose my battles.

That said, two things in particular frustrate me: when Bobby 'forgets' to put a trash bag in the kitchen trash can (which is every time he takes the trash out) and when he leaves an empty toilet paper roll hanging in the bathroom (which is often, and usually I am the one who gets 'stuck on the potty.)

This weekend, however, I discovered that these 'trademarks' are actually no fault of his own and I can no longer blame him for his ignorance. Read on...

Bobby's mother came on Saturday to watch the kids while we went to a friend's wedding. We were gone for most of the day and returned late at night.
Early Sunday morning, I went to throw something away. There was no bag in the trashcan. The bag of garbage that Bobby's mom had taken out was double bagged in the garage, so maybe that second bag was supposed to go in the can?
Later that day, I was summoned to the bathroom upstairs by Robert to help him (aka 'wipe his hiney'), and Alas, there hung the toilet paper roll - as empty as can be.

My apologies, dear husband. We all know I come down on you pretty hard too many times. But this time, we can place the blame on your own genetics. I can only hope this defect did not get inherited by our own children. And remind me to ask at Thanksgiving which side of the family Mom got this trait from. Something tells me it wasn't Grandmom.

(disclaimer: Mom, if you are reading this, it is really meant to be funny. Please don't be offended and know that we appreciate everything you do for us and for our kids. This was nothing but an observation turned good blog topic.)

Laundry rant

The following is a long overdue rant on laundry. If you are the type who really enjoys washing, drying and folding laundry (only to watch it pile up again before your eyes) you may not want to read any further.

Rant #1 My husband has a habit of taking off the clothes he wears and draping them over the hamper. I call this Laundry Purgatory. What is the deal? Is it clean or is it dirty? You left the belt on your pants, do you plan on wearing them again? Or are you just too lazy to put your clothes all the way into the hamper? Please let me know. I don't like smelling the armpits of your shirts and inspecting your pants for dirty spots.

Rant #2 WHY do you insist on taking off your clothes inside out? New rule: if it goes into the laundry pile inside out, you will get it back inside out. The same goes for the kids' clothing. I am always careful to make sure their clothes are right side out. (Hubby is not so good at this) I have spent too many hours turning clothes right side out again. That ship has sailed.

Rant #3 Is it just me or am I doing laundry more often as the kids get older? My kids (usually) only wear one outfit each day- unlike the infancy days when they'd dirty multiple outfits/bibs throughout a single day. My guess is that their clothes are getting bigger and so I am able to 'fill the washer' easier than before. Lord knows I am not washing bibs and blankets the way I used to, and that brings me to my next rant...

Rant #4 Socks and Onesies. Yes, they are back. You may remember my post from earlier this year about the evil socks and onesies. Well, we had a break over the summer. The kids hardly wore onesies OR socks throughout the summer, but now that fall is here, I have started to hate 'doing whites' again. Matching socks and folding onesies is tedious work, and I have already had to send Bobby to the laundry basket in search of clean undershirts - more than once.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

When Ava and Alex nap, I put their 'sleeptime music' on repeat. When they wake up, I tend to turn it off with my big toe since I usually have a child clinging to my hip. (The radio is close to the floor).
Yesterday, I told Alex to "turn off the music." He swung his foot up and turned it off with his chubby little Barney Rubble toes - just like Mommy!

Unfit Mother

Two weeks ago, Robert swallowed my wedding ring. It was my fault. I left it on the counter. He swallowed it, and I had to do the Heimlich on him until he threw it up. True Story.

Yesterday I looked into the family room and there was Alex, with a gallon sized plastic bag over his head. He must have thought it made a good hat (it was a perfect fit) and he was just ready to pull it over his nose. I got it away from him before he suffocated himself.
How he got a gallon size plastic bag, I don't even know.

This morning, A&A were playing in my room as I got dressed. They pulled out my 'little glass jars' - one filled with safety pins and one with buttons. Alex got them both open and even though I was right there, he still managed to swallow a button while I cleaned them up. He bit me pretty hard when I tried to fish it out of his mouth.
Today my MIL had to pry a fully wrapped hershey kiss from his mouth.

I never said my kids were good eaters.

Robert's Class Trip

Today, Robert's preschool class at Holy Family took a trip to Graver Farms. They rode on a tractor out into the pumpkin patch and picked their own pumpkins. Robert had a blast. He totally loves his friends from school and I learned that they love him back just as much.
It was quite interesting to see him 'in action' with his friends and just so cute when he realized his teachers were there too and he threw his arms around Mrs. Fulmer waist to give her hug. (Mrs. Fulmer is a twin mom too!) He even interacted with the "Farmer" as he explained how pumpkins grow.
I learned who Robert's best buddies are (TJ, Mikey and Matthew) and witnessed that Robert is a born leader and the kids just seem to want to be around him. It was really a neat experience and it makes me so proud to know how independent and social he can be- Such a dramatic change from the library incident this past summer!
I guess we are doing okay at this parent thing after all.

Who's your Daddy?

Alex (left) and Bobby (right) both at 19 months old.

Do you see a resemblance?

Little Minds

My kids are creative.

Ava has very few 'girl toys.' She improvises the best she can - she'll put a hair tie on her wrist and pretend it's a bracelet. She loves to make anything into a hat and she will carry around any thing she can that may resemble a purse.
But this... this may send me to the toy store much earlier than anticipated (we were waiting for Santa)Ava pushes her favorite doll around in this dump truck (backwards) pretending it's a stroller. How sad is that? We need to get her some girly toys asap.

This is Alex's new favorite toy of choice:

To him, it's a phone. He carries it around and repeatedly yells "Hawoah."
In real life... it's an old powder compact that he found in my bathroom.


Robert is very much into Time lately. He asks me many times a day "What time is it? What day is it? and How much longer? (To which I respond "until what?") Of course, it means nothing to him when I reply with the time and day, but it's interesting that he even cares.

How does your meat loaf?

When I was growing up, my mom made meatloaf into a, well, 'loaf.' She'd make it into the shape of a football and bake it in the same black roasting pan everytime. Her meatloaf was always good no matter how she made it. She'd sometimes put rice or stewed tomatoes in it, and she's always use canned tomato soup on top. My dad always enjoyed an 'end piece' and would rave to my mom that "This is the best meatloaf you've ever made" - every time.

As I grew older, I learned there were other recipes for meatloaf. I learned a recipe from a family for whom I used nanny. Theirs called for milk and dry onion soup mix - a recipe I adapted as my own.

When Bobby and I got together, he hated my meatloaf. He hates onion soup mix. He wanted his meatloaf dry and flavorless - just meat in a pan. A pan? Yes, a pan.

Bobby grew up eating meatloaf pressed into a flat pan and then cut into squares like brownies. This was odd to me. But I sometimes make it this way for him - for nostalgia's sake. No onion soup mix - just salt, pepper, bread crumb, Locatelli cheese, and egg and occasionally some ketchup or dry onion flakes. He seems to like it.

So, now when meatloaf comes up in conversation, I ask people "How do you make your meatloaf? In a 'loaf' or in a 'pan'?" The answer is almost always 'in a loaf'. See, I knew the pan thing was odd.
But it all tastes the same no matter how you shape it, I guess.

More tidbits

Alex says uh huh when you ask him a question. It's more like 'uh huh' (his voice goes up on the huh part) - not just uh huh. Hmm, you probably have to hear that one to get it, huh? It's very cute nonetheless.

Today I took the kids to the Halloween Store. Robert tried on a few hats. He said "Mommy, how do I look?" Before I had a chance to answer, he told me "I look very distinguished." I almost peed my pants. That darn Max and Ruby got him again! (I mean, I am guessing that's where he got it from anyway!)

Tonight Bobby and I were sitting on the couch. I leaned in to give him a kiss and Ava caught us. She ran over and climbed onto Bobby's lap. She pushed outr faces together and made a kissing sound. It really made us laugh, so of course she did it over and over. Too cute.

Sorry, wrong number...

When Bobby is away, I sometimes let Robert 'give him a call.' I supervise as he dials the digits to Bobby's cell phone - saying each number and watching him find and press each number with such precision. Then he gets to push "the green button" to turn the phone on and 'make the call.'

Tonight I watched him until the very end. Well, almost. I walked away as I announced the last digit - 7. I looked back and saw the he did in fact push the green button to connect the call and I reached over and pressed speaker phone. This is what I heard:

Man: "Hello?"
Robert: (very enthusiastically) Hi Daddy!
Man: Hi! How are you? (Me: hmm, that doesn't sound like Bobby.)
Robert: I miss you. When are you coming home?
Man: Who is this? (Me: its kind of sounds like our BIL Eddie. Bobby was out to dinner with him tonight - it must be Eddie)
Robert: It's me Daddy - Robert.
Man: Who? (Me: hmm, maybe we dialed the wrong number)
Robert: (proudly) Robert Trifiletti!
Silence.
Robert: Daddy? Why aren't you talking, Daddy? (me: okay we definitely dialed wrong)
Silence.

I took the phone and turned it off and looked back at the last number dialed. Sure enough, he had dialed a 4 instead of a 7.

Oops.

Trif Kids update

Alex says shoes, juice, cheese, fishy, upstairs, go, down and outside. He is always talking, but we never know what he is saying, He loves to turn off the television while Robert and Ava are watching. And he is always looking for trouble. My mom says he has 'mischievous eyes.'

Ava says Stop and cheese fishy among other things. She will point to her body parts if asked. She knows, hair, ears, eyes, mouth, teeth, tongue, and belly button. She uses anything she can find to use as a necklace, bracelet or purse. She is very maternal and loves her baby dolls. She is in desperate need of 'girly toys' but Santa will deliver this year, no doubt. She just started giving real kisses and there is a little boy in particular at the gym that she loves to kiss.

Both kids have a crazy appetite and will eat anything you give to them. Alex especially loves fruit of any kind. He will take whatever he is chewing out of his mouth when fruit is placed in front of him. Ava once ate a 4oz steak. Need I say more?

Robert knocked his front tooth loose a few weeks ago. He had compromised this same tooth last year and the dentist didn't seem concerned at that time. Now, it's very loose and discolored and I fear it won't 'hang around' much longer. We have an annual appointment with the dentist in a few weeks. She said she'll check it then, but if it falls out, there is not much that can be done.

Robert knows all of his upper case letters and most lower case, but he gets confused with b,p,q and d. He can spell his name with ease and is loving his new school already. He knows all of his colors and can count to 20. Is it too early to be counting on that Penn State scholarship?

Handsome Robert

About a month ago I taught Robert that "Boys are handsome" and "Girls are pretty." He caught on rather quickly.

Today over lunch, I explained that Grown up boys are called 'men' and Grown up girls are called 'women.'

After I explained, he said "Yes Mommy. And me and Alex are hamsters."

Where's that Lion Pride???

We are so proud of 'our' Nittany Lions here at the Trif house. The season has started off looking good so far and JoePa is still going.

During the excitement of this weekend's game, we chanted "We Are..."

Robert replied: "No, We Aren't!"

Take Two:

Me: "WE ARE..."
Robert: "No! We Didn't"

Guess this kid has a lot to learn in the next 15 years.

Ava said "TouchDown" and "Football" during the game. She'll be the one that only takes 4 years to graduate.

Alex didn't have to do much but look cute. He's gonna be a Penn State line backer some day!

House for sale

My mom and dad have put their house on the market. They have lived here for 30 years. It's the only 'home home' I have ever known.
My dad's health is not good and the house has become too much to upkeep. No one is happy about this decision. It's a very emotional time for us all. But we are all in agreement that it is going to be a hard experience whether done now or done 5 years from now.

I went to realtor.com last night and searched for the listing. When it popped up, my heart almost skipped a beat. My mom said she had the same feeling when she walked outside yesterday and saw the 'For Sale' sign on the front lawn.

I'm sad just typing this. I know they don't want to move. They love that house. It's filled with so many memories and so much love. I hope some day my kids will say the same about our home.

School Days

Robert is starting school on Tuesday. He will be attending the preschool program at our church on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. One of the neighbor's kids is in his class - it's so nice to see familiar faces.

This morning there was an open house - a chance for him to re-meet his teachers and get orientated. He seems very comfy there. We scoped out the cubby area and the coat hooks - He looked very carefully for his name, and was so excited when he saw it. We checked out the potty and played with the very popular train table. He didn't want to leave.

I am hoping this is a good decision. I was really happy with the school he attended last year and I was sad to pull him out. But the fact that this school is affiliated with our church is very important to us. We want the morals and values we are teaching at home to be reinforced at school.

Will post pics on Tuesday...

Robert and Mommy

2006

2008

Mommy in the same bathing suit... lol

Peach Pickin'

I took the kids to Strawberry Acres this morning to pick some peaches. In addition to our 10 lbs of beautiful peaches, we also picked up some fresh local squash, cantaloupe and eggplant.

We'll go back in a couple of weeks for raspberries and then in early October for apples and pumpkins. We love it there!

Wall Art

There's not a wall in our house that isn't a mess. I try not to leave crayons, pens or other writing utensils out for the kids to get, but the somehow find other items to display their creativity on my walls. They use colored blocks (a birthday gift from Aunt Julie - Thanks, Jule!) or chunky puzzle pieces. Yogurt works well, as does an ice pop wrapper or chocolate milk. We've got it all.
My kids are probably the most creative kids I know. And my house? Well, it's very well decorated, as you can see.

Stung

Robert had his first bee sting last weekend. He didn't cry, but boy did his hand swell up! (the sting was on his ring finger)


(and ever since, I haven't been able to get that good old silly summer camp song out of my head - sing along if you know it...)

B
B-E
B-E-E
Bee sting
Kumalata Kumalata Kumalata Bee sting
Oh no no no not the beesting
Eeny Meeney Esamene oh wa a wanna meene
Esamene Salamene oo wa oo wa
A be billy oaten goaten bo bo ba deetin dahtin....
Shhhhh

snagged

Ava managed to get past the gate at the bottom of the stairs, but the gate did its job and prevented her from making it upstairs anyway.

The Noise of Toys

Behind the walls of the home of any child rearing family lurk toys... toys that make noise.

Ah, but do your toys make noise when the house is still - when all little children are tucked snug in their beds?

Ours do.

I was awoken at 3am to "Come on Baseball Fans" in my kitchen. I stumbled down the steps and found the toy wedged under the kiddie table and turned it off. As a trudged back up the stairs Elmo called from the playroom "That tickles."
Too tired to think, I let it all go.

The next morning, I realized we have several toys speak when not spoken to.

How does this happen? Bad batteries? (maybe) Spilled milk? (probably) Or could Disney's Toy Story be more real that we ever thought?

Tonight, as I cleaned up the family room, The Fisher Price car said (in her happy, chirpy voice) "Let's go for a ride!"
I was almost ready to respond, but Elmo interrupted (yet again) "Phew, that was fun." Boy he has a lot to say!

Tomorrow he might take a vacation to the basement.

Tubes

Author's Note: Just to show how minor this surgery was... I typed this up the day of Alex's surgery (last Wednesday - 8/3) and I completely forgot to post it! oops!

Alex had his tube put in his ears this morning. We had to be at the hospital by 7:40 am. We spent a whole lot of time just waiting and he finally went into surgery just after 9am. He was such a joy to spend one on one time with. Of all my children, he is the mellow and relaxed one. I can put him down and he'll stand close to me. He won't run off and get into anything forbidden. He plays hand games and sings songs. He is such a love and I so enjoyed our time together.
By 9:40, we were in recovery and Alex was miserable. As the anesthesia wore off he was confused and grumpy. This lasted for about an hour. He finally had some juice and animal crackers and life slowly got back to normal.

The best part of all was Alex's roommate - his name was Kyle. Kyle's big brother Colby was in my infant class when I worked at Hildebrandt back before I was even married! It was so great to see his mom and dad and chat with them. Colby is going to be starting kindergarten this fall! Man, I feel old!

We were discharged around 11:30 and Alex slept soundly on the car ride home.

The most important thing, the doctor says, is keeping his ears dry. The tubes should fall out by themselves within a year and we're hoping for no more ear infections.

Thanks for your prayers!

smile for the camera

Robert just brought me his Fisher Price camera and told me "you need to fix this mommy, it's not cheesing."

He makes me laugh.

pizza

Tonight Ava said "Pizza." It reminded me of a story my sister loves to tell:

I was about 10 years old and we were at our beach house. My sister went out to pick up pizza for dinner. I sat outside on the curb and waited. Upon her return, I stood up and shouted "PIZZA! PIZZA! THE PIZZA IS HERE!"

I was 10 and chubby. What else was there in life, but pizza? (and twinkies)

I never thought the story was particularly funny, but she loves to tell it. And now that I probably weigh less than I did then, I guess I can spare an extra chuckle.

Ava also says "MOO" when you ask her what a cow says.... I am sure my brothers could think of a good "hefer" story from my past to go with that.

One person's trash...

...was not really trash at all!

Yesterday was trash day. When I went to bring my trashcan and recycling bins back up to the house, I noticed that one of my recycling bins was missing. I looked all around and checked with the neighbors - it was gone.

I just called the hauling company and explained the situation. They will replace the bin - up to a $15 value - I just have to send them a receipt. Nice. You know what that means, right? We're going to have one big recycling bin! The one they took was about $4.

This means YOU!

Last night Robert told Bobby he needed crayons and paper because he need to make a Keep Out sign. Bobby obliged and Robert quickly got to work.

When he finished he held it up proudly and said "This Means YOU, Daddy! Now I need some tape."
Bobby asked why and Robert replied that he needed to hang it up on his playroom door. Bobby helped him hang it (high enough that it was out of reach for A&A)

I think the sign actually worked! Bobby hasn't been in the playroom all day!

Note to self...

Don't go away for the weekend and leave the clothes dryer going and the dishwasher running.

Folding laundry and emptying the dishwasher is never fun on a Sunday night.

A typical gym trip

This exact scenario happened TWICE this week:
3-4 times/week, we go to our local YMCA - a typical weekday afternoon activity for us. I get to workout and get a break from the kids while they play in the babysitting room - they love it. As we leave, I make sure each child is clean and presentable before loading them in the mini van one by one. This usually entails changing diapers, putting hair in pigtails and using the potty - also wiping noses and mouths. Once the kids are all in safe I take a look around, grab my ipod and a bottle of water and we're off. Robert screams that he wants to watch a dvd enroute. We live 3 miles from the gym. I explain to him for the 500th time that we only watch movies in the car when we travel far away.
5 minutes later:
We arrive at the gym, and get a decent parking spot - hooray! (I prefer a close one so I don't have to drag three kids through traffic. When I am alone, I park far away - I am gym rat, but not a lazy one.) I take Ava from her car seat and unbuckle Robert, who sits behind her. They both climb out. Ava has ripped out both of her pigtails. ugh. I quickly replace them and tuck her securely on my hip. We go to the other side of the van to gather Alex. Alex has pulled his shoes off. I find one on the floor but the other is no where in sight. I search all around and finally give up. At this point Ava and Alex are wandering around the inside of mini-van and Robert is at my hip, but wanting very badly to jump into traffic - just to hear me scream his name. I grab a twin and hold hands with the other. Robert tags along on my back and asks repeatedly "Are you going to get sweaty?" Alex goes into the gym without shoes. Ava is fighting to pull her (very sloppily re-done) pigtails out again. I let her win. Robert's butt crack is showing - he hasn't quite learned to pull his pants up properly after using the potty.
We make it inside and are greeted by the people behind the desk who claim to "love my kids." (I used to work in child care - I know how that translates.) I joke that I know that as soon as they see me coming they must call down to the babysitting room to let them know the crazy lady with 3 kids is on her way down - brace yourselves ladies.
I sign them in, say my goodbyes and a Thank You in advance before escaping. I jump on the treadmill. It's my favorite 45 minutes of the day.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Alex's other shoe was waiting for us at home, on the floor of the garage.

Why bother?

Today we gave Story Time at the library another try. Sure, Robert was a monster last month at our first attempt, so lets bring his one year old brother and sister this time and see how much worse it could possibly get. And worse it did get.
Story Time today was held in the township building (as it usually is on Tuesdays) I had never been to this building and the room where it was held was more like a closet - not at all conducive to our double stroller. We got it in, but there was no way any one was coming out. The room was crowded with little people sized chairs, but Robert chose to stand. Even when given a choice to sit on the floor or in a chair - he chose to stand... right in front of the story teller. He very obviously wasn't interested at all in the story being read. In between stories, the story teller sang songs. Robert interrupted her every time, insisting that he was singing it the wrong way. How many ways are there to sing "The wheels on the bus" anyway? Ava and Alex got antsy and wanted out of the stroller. I held them both for a few minutes and then they wiggled out of my arms. The girls next to us loved this. They pulled out their cell phones and started snapping pictures of my kids. WTF? If these girls have cell phones, doesn't that make them a bit old for Story Time? I guess it could be worse - but let's just hope we don't see my kids pictures in some obscure internet site or worse yet, on YouTube.
A neighbor friend was there. She helped by alternating the twins and taking them outside for a change of scenery. Of course, her grand daughter (who is just one week older than Robert) was a perfect angel. She listened to the story, stayed in her chair and interacted with the story teller. Robert had one hand down the back of his shorts and the other up his nose while he stared at the ceiling. I'm so proud.
Later, the neighbor friend proclaimed that "I need to start stepping up" and "start disciplining him or I am in for some trouble." Then she kindly added "and you better start working on these guys (the twins) too. Then she chuckled. UGH. So, my kids are a bit wild. They are 3 and 1 and there are 3 of them. I suppose I shouldn't bother leaving the house with them - ever.
Story time is for well behaved kids. Not mine - apparently.

Maybe its one of those twin things that some people just don't get.

ode to the twisty tie

My dear dear husband.... he love twisty ties. He cant throw them away. I find them in cabinets, in drawers and scattered around his computer. They don't just come from our weekly loaves of bread. They come from electronics and toys. He finds them and he keeps them because "you never know when you might need a twisty tie"

Me? I hate twisty ties. I throw them away immediately upon opening a new loaf of bread. I find them annoying and irritating and a waste of time. I throw them away when I find them growing in my cabinets and in my drawers.

Last week, however, I wished I hadn't tossed that twisty tie.
A&A got into the bread drawer and pulled scattered an entire loaf of bread all over my kitchen floor - just after I swiffered the floor.

Never had I wished I kept a twisty tie more than that day!

This leaves me two options: get a lock on the bread drawer or change the location of the bread all together.
What would you do?

Carnival

Our church holds a carnival every summer. We took the kids out tonight for pizza, ice cream and funnel cake and lots of fun...


I got to ride the slide... twice!
The kids had a blast! We were very smart to get there early and be on our way home before bed time.

All is well

A&A had a visit with Dr. Novak today. Here are the stats:

Ava is 21 lbs 12 oz and 31.75 inches tall (25th percentile for weight and 75th for height - obviously NOT her mother's daughter)

Alex is 20 lbs 13 oz and 30.5 inches tall (25th percentile all around - as he's always been. This kid gets the medal for consistency)

Both kids had shots in both arms. It was immediate torture, but they recovered quickly. Dr. Novak was pleased to hear that Alex will be getting tube in his ears. He agrees that it is the right thing to do.
The kids were loud, obnoxious and messy in the exam room. We always leave that place a disaster - cheerios all over the place and exam table paper in shreds blanketing the floor. Doctor Novak commented that "people understand when you have 3 small kids" to which I quickly shot back "YOU understand, since you yourself once had twins and a toddler. There are lots of people who don't understand" Then I told him about the nasty lady in Wegman's (I don't think I ever blogged about her) who told my kids to 'shut up' under her breath. Can you believe the nerve? Right there in the produce dept she mumbled "shut up." I politely said outloud "I guess people with children shouldn't be allowed to grocery shop."
I digress. (should have blogged that one)
********
Ava can now reach the water dispenser on the fridge. I must now get in the habit of locking it after I use it (which is constantly!) Some days this gets me my "get out of bathing a kid" free card. (yes, it's that bad!)
Ava also says "sit" (which sounds more like "sh!t") when she sits down. Her favorite place to sit is on the step stool in the bathroom. It's just her size.

Alex has been screaming at the top of his lungs a whole lot. This noise is contageous and soon all three kids are screaming at each other in competition. When he is done, he puts his finger to his lips and says "Shhh." It's very cute.

I am anxious for Robert to go back to school. Isn't that awful? He needs some socialization and more importantly he needs routine. I've been taking him to the gym with me a few times a week, and he gets to interact with other kids there, but lately I have been getting bad reports from the girls that work there and this worries me. He is rough and tough and refuses to listen. Part of me is hoping it's because of my absence and now Bobby's absense, but I guess we'll have to see.

Underwear is optional

It is 11:30 am. I have already asked Robert to "Put his pants back on" 4 times. What is it with this kid?

Had to add this...

a few hours later... Robert is naked again. I tell him ti bring me his clothes and I say: "Robert, how many more times are we going to do this today?"
He looks up at me as he pulls on his underwear and says very coy "Um. How about 4."

i am woMAN

I have recently come to realize that I am not the woman I used to be. Four years and 3 kids later, my brain has become a big ball of mommy mush. Things that used to so easy for me - things that defined my independence - are no longer evident.
When I was 8, I rewired the electricity to my dollhouse. When I was 12, I connected the cable in my bedroom. When I was 16, I could drive myself to the city AND get myself back home without GPS or stopping to ask for directions. Now , I am nearly 30, and wouldn't dare drive into a city! I've been through 2 pregnancies - one of which was a multiples. You'd think I could conquer anything.

Somewhere between 18 and 29 I have lost my sense of independence. I find myself relying on my incredible husband way more than I should. Could it be that I'm just becoming lazier as I age? There are certain chores that I just wouldn't tackle - they just aren't my domain.

Until now.

Since Bobby is away this week, I am going to take it upon myself to do as much as I can without him. This means more than just taking out the trash and putting down the toilet seat.
It means swatting down bee hives, mowing the lawn and maybe having a beer. Heck, I already calibrated my Nike+ without his help.

I can do anything. Well, maybe.

Single Mom - WHY?

Bobby is going to be in England all week so I am single mommin' it again. And just in time for Robert to start asking "Why?" about everything!

R: Is everybody sleeping?
Me: yes, it is almost night time.
R: Why?
Me: Because the sun went to sleep.
R:Why did the sun go to sleep?
Me: Because it's time for the moon to come up.
R: Why is it time for the moon to come up?
Me: Argh
R: Why you said Argh, Mommy?
Me: Because I am frustrated.
R: Why you are fustated, Mommy?
Laughter
R: Why you are laughing, Mommy?
Me: Because you keep asking me why, Robert.
R: Why?
Me: no comment - Silence

Fat Toe

Just wanted to share a few 'not so nice' things that were a result of my 'mommy getaway' to Hawaii:
~My sunburn... which is now ugly and peeling and discolored. My back looks like I have leprosy.
~My ears are infected - from the cultured pearl earrings I bought. ugh. should have cleaned them first.
~I purchased a toe ring. I was fitted by a nice guy (or should I say 'gAy' - (s)he wore eyeshadow, nail polish, lip gloss and woman's clothing) I think I was fitted too small - (s)he crammed the ring on my second toe and I questioned it's size. A typical woman, (s)he insisted that the smaller size would fit. Now, my toe is three times it's normal size and the ring won't budge. I foresee a jeweler chiseling it off in the near future. I called the place I bought it from and they said they'd replace it for me if I had to have it removed. I should have insisted on the larger size. One more thing - the g(a)uy said he was runway model, but he was too short or something. Why, then, is (s)he fitting toe rings at a hut in Kona? Strange aspirations.
~My iPod Nano died while I was gone. Something to do with Hawaii humidity combined with my sweat getting inside from one of my runs.
~My cell phone SIM card died after day 2. Bad timing. Luckily, Bobby had my iPhone waiting for me when I got home. A great friend let me use her phone (thanks, Lean!) I was nervous traveling home without a phone, but it somehow all worked out.

And finally...
~I never realized that my job is actually HARD. I mean, I guess I never knew any better - I just always did what I had to do - without ever having a real break. I never thought it was really tough and laughed when people would say "I don't know how you do it."
After being away for 5 days, I came home having almost no desire to be a mom. I started to question "How DID I do it?" Don't get me wrong... I love my kids to death and missed them like crazy - I just didn't feel like 'working.'
I am pretty much over that now. But I never in a million years thought I'd feel like that! Maybe it's the fat toe that is changing my perspective.

The pros outweigh the cons. Many of you know I was nervous about the trip. But I am SO GLAD I went. I have some of the best friends in the world, and this vacation was much needed and just, well, awesome!

Alex's visit with the ENT

Today Alex had a consultation with the ear, nose and throat doctor - Dr. Haytmanek - the same ENT who performed Ava's Frenectomy (snipped her tongue) last year. He said that it would be in our best interest to have tubes put in Alex's ears and that it should be done asap. He said that if Alex is experiencing seizures that surgery should not be questioned. We scheduled surgery for August 13th in the morning. In the mean time, Alex has been put on a daily antiboiotic to reduce his risk of having an ear infection between now and then. Dr. Haytmanek found fluid in both of his ears today and it's likely that he would develop an ear infection sooner than later.

Home

Hawaii was WONDERFUL! I had a fantastic time with my girlfriends - Kate was a gorgeous bride and it was so great to see her again. I always miss her so much!
I snorkeled, and saw manta rays. I had a massage outside with the ocean in front of me. I saw a man juggle fire and I now know how to open a coconut. I re-united with an old grade school chum, and even made a new friend.
The time was perfect for a get-away. I wish Bobby was there to experience the beauty and relaxation I had on my mommy-vaca. But he had an experience of his own - he bonded with the kids in a whole new way - I noticed it almost immediately when I got home. I didn't realize how much I missed the kids until I saw their little faces.
Maybe next time I'll take them with me....
then again, maybe not.

Day Two Fun Continues!

Today started off with a very tired gang. The kids slept well. This adult was greeted with an upset tummy at 0300h. None the less the morning was fun. The twins had oatmeal and bananas for breakfast with juice. Robert had a banana, juice and Noggin. A few hours later he followed that up with a cereal bar.

I ran some grocery and dry cleaning errands this morning. After lunch Nicole and Robert went to play on the swingset as the twins napped. They napped strong again sleeping from 12 - 3:45p. I ran to Sears for some trimmer line and started lawn work before dinner.

Dinner is where we all had some fun. Great-Grandmom Salerno (my Grandmom) made some pasta, meatballs and sausages. Her gravy is the best hands down no doubt about it. Robert, Ava and Alex each had 2 servings each. The twins had 2 meatballs and 2 sausages each!



Finally we capped the night off with me finishing by cutting the front and back lawn, Great Grandmom and Nicole took Robert and the Twins for a walk then some more swing time!

Dad on Duty! (With Grandmom and Great-Grandmom)

We are minutes away from Michelle's landing in Honolulu, HI. That means I (Bobby/Dad) am running the show at home. But who am I kidding, reinforcements have been called in full force. Great Grandmom Salerno arrived this evening around 4pm with arms full of goodies, food, snacks and treats for the kids. Not to mention a fabulous dinner of chicken scaloppine. Grandmom Trif (My mom) has been here since 9AM. Today was a smashing success nonetheless. The twins slept from 12:07 - 4:10p today. I got paperwork done, house cleaned and Robert entertained. Grandmom and Robert took a trip up to her house as she had someone coming over to look at something in the house.

Great-Grandmom cooked up a fabulous meal that the twins scrafed up. Since they slept so late dinner tonight was about 6PM. After dinner they housed watermelon, rasberries and grapes. We took a nice walk with the twins, great grandmom and cousin nicole (also here to have fun with the kids over the next few days) that took us to about 8pm. Grandmom and Robert met us in the driveway after our walk and we all wend in for some desert and bottles for the twins.

Checkin' out

I am leaving tomorrow for Hawaii - by myself! A 10.5 hour flight - by myself. I am dreading it. I am dreading leaving the kids. But I know once I get there I will be just fine. These past 2 days have been stressful for me - trying to get the house in order, catching up on laundry, squeezing in visits to the gym, and trying to cram my most valuable possessions (i.e. size small clothing) into a tiny suitcase so I don't have to check my luggage. Am I crazy? Don't answer.
My MacBook is preloaded with movies rented from iTunes for in flight viewing. I'll buy a few magazines (probably diet/exercise related) at a news stand. Maybe I'll even splurge and have a diet soda (kidding - I'll have a real drink) during the flight.
For 4 and a half days, I'll have no one to be responsible for but myself. No one crying at my ankles or screaming 'Mommy' from across the room. No diapers to change or noses to wipe, no laundry to fold or dishes to wash.

I'm checking' out now, but I already can't wait to come home. :)

Red, White and Blue Crew

Happy 4th of July... Love, the Trif kids