The Trifs

The laundry doesn't lie...

2010-08-05T23:34:00.003-04:00

When Mommy is away for 3 days she knows she can trust Daddy to make sure the kids are fed, clean and well cared-for.

But when Mommy returns and goes to do 5 days worth of kids' laundry and finds there is only 2 pairs of underwear per child in said laundry, well, the truth is in the dryer...

At least they were fed, and cared for. Two out of three's not bad.

(promise to get you up to date in my next post... I know it's been awhile!)

Happy Easter from The Trifs!

2010-04-05T21:33:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday, Robert!

2010-03-27T21:19:00.002-04:00

Well, It's the 28th again... March 28th this time. It's Robert's Birthday. He's FIVE today!

I can hardly believe my first little baby is growing into such an independent young boy. He amazes me every day. He asks questions all day long: "What does ____ mean?" (as I rack my brain for synonyms to words I know he already knows) He blows my mind with his math skills and comforts me with his toothless smiles.

Five years ago today it was cold and rainy. We didn't know if he was a boy or a girl. As we drove to the hospital, John Mayer's "Daughter" played on the radio. I was convinced he was a girl. But somehow in my heart knew he'd be a boy. A perfect and charming little boy, just as I have dreamed. And he was. He is.

We're friends now. Best friends. He's taught me more than I ever thought I'd learn - about myself and about being a mom.

Happy birthday to my BIG boy, Robert. Mommy loves you more than you know. Thank you for letting me love you! I'll always be proud of you.

Here is a link to his birth story.

Pennies from Heaven

2010-03-12T16:44:00.002-05:00

I always heard the phrase "Pennies from Heaven" but I never really thought about what it meant. After my dad died, almost immediately, I started to find pennies.... everywhere.

The first pennies I found were in a group of 3. They lay in a pile on the family room floor of my childhood home. Mom was in the process of moving out and very little was left in that particular room. But 3 pennies in a corner. I picked them up and shoved them in my pocket.
A few days later I found a penny sticking out of an air return duct in my own family room. Just sticking out, as if someone had placed it there. I grabbed it and put it with the others. Still not even thinking where these pennies had come from. Then I started to think...
That very day, I emailed my sister-in-law to tell her about the pennies I had been finding. She immediately emailed me back and told me to take the pennies seriously. She and my brother had met with a spiritual adviser the night before. My dad had "come through" in their meeting and something was said about coins. I never got the exact story there, but I understood it to mean that when I randomly find coins, Dad is around.

At his funeral, my siblings and I eulogized my father telling a story of our days as kids at the beach. Dad used to take us out early in the morning to get "the best seashells" that were washed up on the beach with the night time tide (true story!) Little did we know, those early mornings at the beach, that dad was walking ahead of us, dropping beautiful "Made in China" shells for us to find.

I now keep my pennies from heaven in a "Made in China" seashell that was delivered to me at Christmas time in box that said "From Santa." I have quite a collection.

And now I will share a few places where some of these pennies have been found:

~On the front seat of the car while Christmas Shopping at Toys R Us. (I hate that place! But Dad loved to Christmas shop for us there)

~In Chicago's Midway Airport in the bathroom, under the paper towel dispenser. I was between flights on my way to San Diego. I traveled with a picture of me and Dad. When I saw this penny, I knew he was letting me know he was there.

~At the grocery store just last week. Robert was asking is Pape was "here" because the clock read 2:33. I told him No, and that Pape is around when all the numbers on the clock are the same. (another 'sign' we have from Dad) Ava cried and insisted Pape was there. I ignored her and as I went to pull out a shopping cart, I heard a penny hit the floor. I stopped dead in my tracks to find it. It was almost as if Dad had thrown it at me.

~Outside my front door. Ava opened the door to go out and there sat 2 pennies. I had been in and out of the house a few times that day and would have noticed them.

~At my doctor's office. Outside the room that I was waiting in, I heard an elderly couple chatting about some quarters that they saw outside on the pavement. The woman sent her husband outside to pick them up. I thought myself "Hey, those are probably MY quarters... i bet dad left them for me." Then, the nurse came to get me to take me to a different room. As I sat down, there was a penny sitting right on the tray in front of me.

We've found other coins... nickels, dimes, a single quarter. But none so prominent as pennies. I'm hoping he'll start to send some hundred dollar bills my way soon! In the mean time, I'm content with pennies.

Pennies from Heaven
Bing Crosby
If you want the things you love
You must have showers.
So when you hear it thunder
Don't run under a tree.
There'll be pennies from heaven for you and me

You say Tomato....

2010-03-08T15:35:00.004-05:00

To you, this may just be an Avocado. We eat them often in our house. Alex, especially has a special place for this fruit in his tummy.

Alex calls them A-Doe-Ca-Does. I love hearing him say it over and over. Just another way he continues to make me laugh.

Happy Birthday, Ava and Alex!

2010-02-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

THREE years ago today my life was forever changed. My 'babies' came into this world making me a proud Twin Momma! And now, they are THREE! No longer are they babies. I have molded them into little independent people with tiny, vibrant personalities and big big lives ahead of them. I'm never in a rush to see them grow, but I often have visions of my Ava running a race with me as a teen and calling me daily from her busy grown up life. I imagine Alex will come home from college on the weekends and raid the fridge and make me laugh... much like he already does... just in different ways. I see Ava as student council president and Alex as the class clown. I have so many visions for my babies. They are so different from each other yet they share the bond of twins - Best friends and birthday buddies.
These past 3 years have flown by so quickly. I'm so proud of who they are and who they have become. At three they are everything I hoped they would be and I am one proud mom!

Happy Birthday Ava Lou!
Happy Birthday Alex, too!

Mommy loves you very much!

Beauty at the Beach

2010-02-26T22:57:00.004-05:00

I am a lucky woman. As part of my Christmas gift this year, my dear dear hubby bought me a plane ticket to San Diego so I could visit my best friend. The trip has come and gone. It was hard for me to leave my kiddies. I missed them so much and actually spent a few hours in the very early morning of my first day in tears - just missing them so much it hurt. I knew they were fine. I knew their daddy was taking perfect care of them. The days went on and the more wine I drank, the easier it was to deal. :)
My visit actually passed rather quickly. I had the most amazing time with my friends. We laughed and shed tears. And drank wine. Lots of wine. (which may have accounted for some of the tears)
During the trip, I saw so many beautiful things... beaches, sunsets, vineyards. I couldn't help but think my dad was with me. I found a penny on the bathroom floor at the airport in Chicago. Dad sends me coins. And maybe I'll blog about that next week.
On the way home, our luggage missed the transfer to our second plane in Chicago. Thirty-six hours later, it appeared on my doorstep with the remnants of a snow storm. I opened it almost immediately and there was a quarter was sitting right on top of my nicely folded (but dirty) pjs. Dad was there. He is here. Can you just see him in the picture?

Going Extra Curricular

2010-01-17T09:18:00.005-05:00

Robert has been showing an interest in Karate for a few weeks. I finally signed him up at Action Karate and he had his first class yesterday. He will take classes on Wed evenings and Saturday mornings as an "Asah Shark" and when he is ready he'll move up to "Little Ninjas." His teacher said it should only be 3-4 weeks.
We are hoping this is a good decision since Robert has recently been showing anger/frustration over insignificant things. Martial Arts is supposed to be a great outlet for helping to tame those distractions and frustrations. Here's hoping. He really is loving it already!

I got some paper work in the mail from the school district yesterday... It's Kindergarten Registration time! Robert will be attending FULL DAY kindergarten in September! I am excited and sad at the same time. He'll have to be at the bus stop by 7:30am. (That is what I am most sad about! lol)

Soon Ava will be wanting to try gymnastics and Alex.... who knows. Right now he is most interested in airplanes and rockets. Mayhe he'll take up Karate too?
And there goes my "simple little life." From here on out it's Karate, gymnastics, soccer, ccd, dance class... and the list goes on. I guess I've earned my upgrade from Mommy to chauffeur.

Dad's Last Days

2009-12-03T15:26:00.002-05:00

Below is my own account of the events leading up to my father's death. please do not feel obligated to read it. I put it here more for me than for any of you. My apologies if you find it inappropriate, but it's something that I just had to do.

I remember it being windy that day when dad died. I remember looking out his window in hospice, over his lifeless body and seeing the tree branches sway, wondering if that was his sign to us that he was okay. Little did I know he’d be sending us signs – real signs that he really was alright.
It was Columbus Day, October 12th. My youngest brother called me in the morning to tell me dad was in the hospital again. He’d been in and out of the hospital over the past year or so and the most recent time he was sent to the ER by his family doctor because according to a recent chest xray he had “spots” on his lungs. He had a lung biopsy (non invasive) which was a terrible experience for him. After inconclusive results, he was sent home with oxygen and told to come back at a later date. On the evening of October 11th, he drove himself back to the ER because he felt like something wasn’t right. Mom says she remembers him getting out of bed that night. She helped him get dressed and he went downstairs to watch the end of the Phillies game in his special chair (they were in the playoffs and the game was on the west coast – it went late into the night) He’d never come home again.
I spoke with Dad on Monday morning. We were on our way to the pumpkin patch. I had a hair appointment that afternoon. Dad sounded awful when I spoke to him. I told him I was going to call Julie (she was vacationing in Italy) and he insisted that it wasn’t necessary to call her. I got off the phone with him that morning and turned to Bobby who was driving the mini van. I said “He is going to die.” Bobby left for England that night for work.
Monday evening we found out that Dad would be having another lung biopsy on Tuesday afternoon. This time they’d have to go in through his rib cage and get some lung tissue. We worried he wouldn’t make it through surgery. I emailed Julie that afternoon. She didn’t reply. I emailed again later in the day… still no reply. I started to get worried that something happened to her. I didn’t sleep that night at all. She finally got back to me around 5am. We emailed a few times and she promised she’d call later in the day.
I remember talking to Rob on Tuesday morning and finding out that Dad was taken for surgery early. Germaine had spoken to the nurse who said Dad was apprehensive. The nurse had his wedding ring (which Dad fought to keep on his finger – he hadn’t had it off in 39 years) Mom didn’t know he was going into surgery early and I know that scared him too. He wanted her there.
I called in a sitter and by noon I was on my way to the hospital to be with mom. I got there just as dad was being brought out of recovery. Mom was there and so was Crip. The nurses (named Rob and Michelle) explained that dad would be in a pressurized room in the ICU and we needed to wear masks while we were there, for his protection. The masks were so uncomfortable and hard to breathe through. We made our way in to see Dad. He looked great! He was chatty and relieved. Mom and Dad had a “ceremony” as Mom placed his wedding ring back on his finger. Dad told me that while he was ‘under’ he dreamt he ran a marathon with me. Mom and I went to get some dinner at the cafeteria. When we came back, I commented to mom about his urine bag – that it didn’t look full. Mom assured me that they must have emptied it while we were gone. Dad was asking for food but he wasn’t allowed to have anything. I fed him some ice chips – just like he did for me after my c-section. I distinctly remember Dad asking the nurse “How did my Liver hold up in surgery?” The nurses response was positive but she went on to say something about his kidneys and how they were working okay, and she wanted to keep it that way. Mom and I left the hospital around 6pm. Mom wanted me to come back to their house, but I insisted I go straight home. Bobby had left for England the night before and his mom was staying with the kids until I returned. I went home to my kids.
On Wednesday morning, I called Dad’s nurse. She told me he did okay through the night. I went about my day, went to the gym, did some work and then mom called sometime that afternoon. She told me that Dad’s kidneys were failing. She assured me that it was okay. We can just put him on dialysis and kidney failure wouldn’t kill him. I googled acute kidney failure and learned that it is a common occurrence after surgery. I called Bobby’s mom that night and asked if she’d be willing to take a half day from work the next day. She said she could get to our house by noon so I could get to the hospital. I sent an email out asking for prayers and my brother in law Eddie suggested that I call Bobby home from England. I didn’t sleep again that night.
Thursday morning I texted my good friend Marci and asked if she could please bring me a coffee on her way home from taking her kids to daycare and she did. I told her I’d be going to the hospital later in the day and she offered to watch the kids if I needed to go earlier.
At 10:30, Mom called. Her voice was cracking. I kept saying “MOM, what’s wrong?” She said “When are you coming?” The doctor called. They think it’s cancer that spread from his liver to his lungs.” My mom never cries. She was crying hard. I told her I was on my way. I called Marci and threw some stuff in a bag. I had no idea how long I’d be gone or when I’d be home again. I called Bobby’s mom and she was on her way. Marci came immediately and would stay until Bobby’s mom arrived. I was sick to my stomach. I wanted to throw up. My dad was going to die.
I made some phone calls on my drive to the hospital. I called Bobby and asked him to come home. I called my dad’s sisters and my own brother who was also on his way from Pittsburgh. Sometime along the way Mom called. She had just gotten to the hospital and she said Dad was sitting is a chair eating breakfast. And then he threw it up – without warning. I felt a bit better as I was expecting to arrive to a lifeless body in bed.
I pulled into the hospital garage at 12:37. I remember finding that parking ticket in my car weeks later and noting the time. By the time I got to Dad’s room, the doctors were just starting to come in. The first doctor had a good outlook. I was busy writing down almost everything he said and not really comprehending what he was saying. It was definitely cancer in the lungs and they needed to find where it came from. He told us many types of cancer are treatable and we’d have more answers later. The next doctor that came in had a smug look on his face – almost like he was getting pleasure in telling us that Dad was going to die. He used big words and long sentences. He spoke to us like we were his colleagues. He asked Dad how he was doing and Dad said he felt like someone punched him in the stomach. He couldn’t believe he had cancer. Jim and Donna Weldon had arrived by this time. They stood in the hallway for a long time and waited. Dad was happy to see them. I followed the doctor out of the room and asked him how long he thought Dad had. He said he couldn’t give us an answer. The nurse explained that we would meet with a team of Palliative doctors in the morning. They would answer our questions. At that point we didn’t understand that Palliative care meant Dad was going to die and it was going to be sooner than later. We still talked about Dialysis and were grasping to that as an option. As the afternoon went on, dad continued to fail. His eyes and skin grew more jaundiced and his reflexes were shutting down. They brought him lunch on a tray and he was unable to lift the fork to his mouth. He kept dropping his water cup. He was failing before our eyes. I left the room to call Rob and Julie with an update. I tried to get them on a conference call, but I was only able to hear Rob once connected. Julie could hear us, but we couldn’t hear her. They were both devastated when I told them the news. They both told me I remained strong as I told them. I remember being strong that whole day and I remember being amazed at how strong I was!
Dad had some visitors that night. He was really sleepy. I think he may have been pretending to sleep so he didn’t have to deal with them. He was a gracious host, and tried to greet those that he saw, but even that was a struggle for him. He always hated having visitors in the hospital. I think this may have scared him too.
Rob arrived late in the evening and Crip was there too. We met with a female doctor (she was the one who called mom at home to tell her about the cancer) She was very thorough. She explained that dialysis was not an option as it was too risky for dad. We had questions and she answered them. Our questions were stupid and they didn’t matter at that point. She was patient. She told us that Dad’s cancer was called Hapaticellular carcinoma. He had a nodule on his liver that was never investigated. They could only assume that was where the cancer originated. We stayed at the hospital until about 9:30 and then I left with my brothers to get something to eat. Mom stayed at the hospital that night with dad. Rob and I stayed at mom and Dad’s and Crip went home. The house was a disaster. It looked like a flea market. The neighbors had been helping Mom get ready for her moving sale that weekend. It was cold and empty inside, not full of life like it usually was. I hated it. I slept in mom and dad’s bed that night – on dad’s side, only I hardly slept at all.

Mom called Friday morning and told us that dad was really scared and we should get there soon. Rob and I rushed to the hospital to be at Dad’s side. We assured him that Julie was on her way from Italy. Dad asked a few times what time it was, but as the day went on he spoke less and less and slept more and more. At priest named Fr Rossi came by to give Dad the “sacrament of the sick” which I thought was Last Rites. I cried the whole time. When he left, I asked him if that was Last Rites and he said no, but he would come back and administer that sacrament later if we’d like. The Palliative team that we were supposed to meet with at 10am said they’d wait until Julie arrived. It was a long day. The visitors trickled in to say good bye. I know Dad hated that. Mr. Andrews came by. Then the Watts, and Uncle Fran and Aunt Pat came in from TN. I stayed strong through all of those visitors. I had a few moments of breaking down, but tried to hard to stay strong. Daddy was getting the hiccups very frequently and continued to vomit blood, and black stuff and bile. He was uncomfortable. I hated that.
Most of the rest of Friday was a blur. Julie arrived around 5 and Bobby came in shortly after that. When Daddy saw Julie he opened his eyes and welcomed her with a big “Hey Baby.” It was great –he hadn’t spoken for hours before that. We met with the Palliative team, which I thought was a great team of doctors. I later found out that Julie didn’t like them. They were so patient and answered all of our questions. Their goal was to keep Dad as comfortable as possible. They explained the machines/monitors would be shut off and we could possibly be moved to hospice care in a different location. We hoped he’d be able to make the transfer. We hoped he’d make it through the night. Julie and Mom stayed with Dad that night. I slept at Crip’s with Rob and Germaine.
On Saturday morning we all assembled in the waiting room until dad was cleaned up and we were able to see him. The whole family was there together and Uncle Fran and Aunt Pat too. A doctor came out to tell us there was some sort of delay with the transfer to hospice. We protested a bit and within a half hour we had a plan in action. We spent a few hours by dad’s side with his iPod. We cried when we heard songs like “Beautiful Boy” and “Baby Mine.” And just as they arrived to take him to the ambulance to hospice “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” began to play. We knew Dad’s sister, Aunt Loretta was there. She died 3 years ago. That was her song. We cried more.
We caravanned to hospice and once Dad was settled Uncle Bud came to visit. Dad knew he was there. Uncle Bud was so so sad. He is dad’s favorite uncle – an incredible man. Later that night Bobby came by with the kids. I was so happy to see them! I hadn’t seen them since Thursday. He brought me a few more changes of clothes and some other stuff. I took the kids aside and explained that Pape was sick that they doctors couldn’t make him better so he was going to grow wings and be an angel in heaven with God. They seemed to understand. Robert had a few questions, but he ‘got it.’ And I am so glad because I really stressed about how I was going to explain everything. I prayed hard about it and God gave me the right words. I took the kids in one by one. Ava was scared. Alex and Robert were fine. Pape especially responded to having Alex in the room. He tried to nuzzle with him when he kissed him. I encouraged the kids to say “See you later” instead of “Good Bye” –more for Dad then for them. I already knew dad was scared. Uncle Jim and Aunt Mickey came by. They spent some time with Dad. Uncle Jim was so compassionate – a side of him I’d never seen. When they left, Uncle Jim said “Go Phillies” and Dad grumbled and reached out to reply.
We stayed up late looking at photos and listening to music. Rob left sometime after midnight. Mom and Julie took showers. We tried to sleep in those uncomfy chair/beds. We might have slept for 45 minutes. The nurses came in around 3am to clean dad up. He moaned a whole lot. He was very uncomfy. I remember being very cold…. Like uncontrollably shivering. Mom and Julie and I went to make some tea and chat in the kitchen. There was a single yellow rose on the table. I pointed it out and said “Aunt Loretta is here.” I forgot until that exact moment when I saw the rose that yellow roses were her favorite. I was still freezing when we went back to the room. We were pretty much awake now. Mom wanted to sleep more and Julie and I sat awake and talked to Daddy. And he was responding to us! We’d ask him questions and he’d reply with an “uh huh” or “uh uh.” At one point he sounded ‘conversational.’ I asked him who he was chatting with and he said “idunno.” I asked if someone was there and he said “uh huh.” Julie and I spent hours with him singing and playing his iPod. At one point “Michelle, my belle” played-twice. I knew Dad was telling me he was going to be okay. We had nothing unfinished between us. I thanked Dad for letting us bring him to hospice – a final opportunity for us all to be together – he loved when we were all together and over the years those opportunities were happening less. His body was getting cold. The nurse explained that the blood was pulling to the core as his organs shut down. I kept looking at his fingers. I read that his finger nails may turn blue towards the end. Dad’s didn’t. I thought that meant we had more time.
Around 7am, Dad moaned for Rob. We called Rob to come and he was able to have his last moments with dad. When Rob was finished he said dad was really moaning and we requested more morphine. Sometime after 8, I saw a very tall and very handsome doctor roaming the halls. I approached him and told him he was very tall. He commented on my sweatshirt (Mom’s Penn State Mom sweatshirt) and said I was much to young to be a Penn State Mom. He told me about the Penn State game the day before – State College had gotten a foot of snow and there were parking issues! I was so out of reality – I had no idea what was going on in the world.
The tall doctor came in and chatted with the family in dad’s room for a few minutes. He told us he could tell we were awesome – he really used the word awesome. He asked if Daddy had a strong heart. We told him yes and he told us he might hang on longer than we think. Dad’s breathing was shallower but we thought it was the morphine that made it that way.
A little bit later we all ended up in the kitchen. I remember getting my clothes out to take a shower, but deciding to go eat breakfast instead. It was just before 10am. Howard brought bagels so I made my way to the kitchen. We sat and chatted and ate for maybe 10 minutes or so – it was Rob and Julie, me and Crip and Howard. Mom was there for a minute or two to scraf down a bagel. I remember her mentioning that Daddy’s face was changing –looking relaxed. Uncle Fran and Aunt Pat were in the room with Daddy. Mom disappeared, but came back within a few minutes and made a funny motion for us with her fingers. She said “I think you should come.” I marched down the hall to his room where Aunt Pat was waving a tissue over daddy’s cold face, looking for breath. Uncle Fran was crying on the phone. Dad was gone. Everyone was crying…. Bawling. I looked at them and said “What’s wrong with me? I’m not crying.” Someone said “That’s okay” I think it was Howard. I looked up to the ceiling and said “You guys… he’s right up there.” I don’t think anyone heard me, but I knew he was right above us – just like in the movies. And he was probably saying “this is pretty cool!”
Brenda and my cousin Jimmy arrived very soon after daddy passed. Aunt Lorraine and Aunt Joan arrived with Richie and Uncle Rich. Uncle Charlie came too. We sat and talked. I can’t believe how comfortable I was with daddy’s lifeless body. I remember him smelling so good - right along his hairline. His face was so relaxed. He actually had a smile on his face! He looked so handsome. The undertaker didn’t arrive until after 2. We were in hospice for less than 24 hours. It felt like days.
The days that followed were stressful, to say the least. We were all devastated. We missed our dad. We still miss him.
His funeral was beautiful. What can I say, we throw good ‘parties.’ Dad looked nice laid out – very handsome. So many visitors came to see him. At once point, the undertaker told us the line was wrapped around the building outside! I stood in line next to mom and thanked the friends, and family that had come. We filled the room with photos of Dad with his friends and family and grandkids, which everyone really enjoyed. One man came through the line and told me that he had only met my father once, but he thought he was such a great guy that he needed to be there. Dad was like that… he really made an impression on people – even strangers.
We eulogized my father with the very eulogy that he wrote for his own father twenty-five years ago. It was so appropriate. Mom said that as she sat alone and watched her children read, there was a glow around us. She couldn’t bring herself to cry. She was so proud. His funeral mass and burial were beautiful. Dad must have been so proud. He would have especially loved the police escort to the cemetery – that was really cool.
And now Mom is moved into her new place, but still surrounded by memories of Dad. We all are. We know he is ‘around’. But we still miss him so much. I hear that as the days and weeks pass it will become easier. I am so scared I’ll forget him. I hate that I’ll never get to sit and talk with him again. I hate more than anything that my kids won’t grow up to know him. I miss him with every fiber of my being- every hour of every day. My dad was the most amazing man I’ll ever know. And I’ll cling to memories for the rest of my existence.

Catching up

2009-12-03T14:31:00.003-05:00

Been awhile, eh? If you are a 'fan' or at least a regular reader of this blog, I don't blame you for un-fanning yourself due to my lack of updates. The honest truth is that this blog lost one of it's biggest fans already.

My dad passed away suddenly on October 18th. It was a shock to the family. He was diagnosed with cancer on a Thursday and died on a Sunday. Really. That fast. Dad was 62.

It was truly the worst experience of my life and the aftermath is pretty much unbearable. But we are muddling through each day missing my dad but cherishing the memories he gave us. And his death taught me a few things... it taught me that I am much stronger than I imagined I was. It taught me that I don't need to fear death and it reminded me that you never know when your earthly time will end and we need to trust God's plan.

Looking at the big picture, yes, dad's death was traumatic for all of us. But the way he went was peaceful, and couldn't have been better planned. See, he and my mom had just sold their house of 32 years and were ready to move into a 55+ community. They were supposed to move on the day we buried him. He would have hated the new condo. He loved their house and everything about it. But now my mom is moved and dad's belongings have been donated. Leaving that house was almost as traumatic as saying goodbye to my father... so many memories.
And in hindsight, we wonder if Dad knew he was as sick as he was.

I could fill pages with what a wonderful man my dad was. But this poem sums it up:

That man is a Success
Who has lived well
laughed often and loved much;
Who has gained the respect
of intelligent men
and the love of children;

Who has filled his niche
and accomplished his task;

Who leaves the world better
than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy
or a perfect poem
or a rescued soul;

Who never lacked appreciation
of earth's beauty
or failed to express it;

Who looked for the best in others
and gave the best he had.

My next post will be my "story" of the events leading up to my father's death. It really deserves it's own post, and if you care not to read it, that's okay too.

apology

2009-09-15T22:11:00.004-04:00

picture credit: Aunt Stef
I owe you all an apology. I can't believe it's been 6 weeks since I last posted!

Life has been crazy and hectic. I am working now - part time from home, but it's more than I bargained for, and is taking up so much of my time - time I used to spend blogging!

August included some pool time and some much needed family time. We didn't take our second trip to the beach, after all.

My mom and dad sold their house and found a great 55+ community to move to. I have been spending weekends at their house helping pack and de-clutter.

My little brother got married a few weeks ago in a lovely outdoor ceremony. The week was busy as the kids enjoyed their cousins. Hannah even came to spend a few days at our house last week.

School has started and Robert is in his second year at Holy Family Preschool. He has almost all the same classmates from last year plus a few new friends. He is excited about school and eager to learn. We are (slowly) getting into a new routine.

The upcoming weeks/month will continue to be busy... Bobby is traveling most weeks and I am training for upcoming running events. (My first half Marathon this weekend!)
We'll try to check in often and post more.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-08-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

My leg. decorated by Alex. Beats any tattoo... ever.

The Land of misfit Toys

2009-07-30T15:13:00.004-04:00

We have a container that used to be for wipes. We put toys in this container. These toys may fall into the following categories:

~Toys that are broken/need repair
~Part of a game/toy that is already cleaned up/put away (and I am too lazy to put it back with it's family - ie puzzle pieces)
~Toys/parts that are too small
~Toys that I find on the floor before the vacuum cleaner/Vroom gets them

We call the Box "The Land of Misfit Toys."

The box lives in the kitchen cabinet and every now and then (not very often), I'll go through the box, toss some of the stuff in there or put it back where it belongs.

You should also know that we have a similar box for Christmas ornaments. Some day, Bobby will fix the ornaments in the "broken box." For each year, the box gets more full...

rear ends, butts and behinds

2009-07-30T14:49:00.006-04:00

Last week, Alex approached me from behind with a toy stethoscope. He gently placed it on my rear end and said "I hear your butt." When I asked his what it sounds like he answered (matter of factly): "Cock a doodle Doo."

And while we're on the subject of Alex and my rear end...

A few weeks ago, after stepping out of the shower Alex placed his hands on my butt and announced "BIG BUTT." Thanks for the confidence boost, son. Of course, in relation to his own tiny hiney, I guess my butt would be big.

The best part of all is what he went on to say:

"you got any poops in dare."

My son.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-07-22T09:00:00.000-04:00

Stef and Eddie's Wedding: "The Evidence"

2009-07-20T10:00:00.008-04:00

While this blog is Michelle's domain this Post will be the central home for all Guest Photos from Stef and Eddie's Wedding. Below is a list of links as I've collected.

Michelle and Bobby's Photos 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=138346&id=655821223&ref=nf
Michelle and Bobby's Photos 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=138347&id=655821223&ref=nf
Full Quality/Orderable Mich and Bobby: http://trifster.smugmug.com/
Jessica Cemelli: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=130327&id=733469988&ref=nf
Leslie Frisbie: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23418&id=1552776321&ref=nf
Christy Kurtz Hempstead: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=75518&id=1059893699&ref=nf
UPDATED 21 July: http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=10644047&albumId=2922134
UPDATED Sara Nolan: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=1y5y4a4y.6nzmgqxa&x=0&y=-fwhda7&localeid=en_US&cm_mmc=site_email-_-site_share-_-core-_-view_photos_button
UPDATED Mrs. Felins: http://www2.snapfish.com/share/p=861211248192661575/l=3090113009/g=21547513/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB

--Bobby

Alkix and Yay-yay

2009-07-12T13:52:00.002-04:00

Alkix and YayYay are what Ava and Alex call each other. They CAN say each other's names correctly, but prefer to call each other by their nicknames.

They also are developing a language between themselves. I am slowly learning some of these new words. For example: "A-Neese" means "let's run back and forth."

Yesterday Bobby and I both witnessed an entire conversation between them:

Alkix: I poopied in the potty, YayYay.
YayYay: Good Job, Alkix.
Alkix: Thank you, YayYay.

And then they hugged. It was precious.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

tearing it down...

2009-06-11T22:00:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time there were newborn twins who came home to this.

And now their once beautiful nursery looks like this:

And this:

And this:

Are they trying to tell me it's time for new rooms? Or at least new decor? And if they are this great at ripping down border, why does it take them so long to open Christmas presents???

Wordless Wednesday

2009-06-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Little feet can be deceiving.

No standing - anytime.

2009-06-08T23:15:00.005-04:00

That sign says "No Standing." Look closely and you'll see all the letters there... maybe not in exact order. The sign hangs on Robert's bedroom door (which now remains locked-like other doors in the house) because of one of newest big purchases:

We now have bunk beds in Robert's room. Since we set it up last month, Robert has 'graduated' to the top bunk (which, by the way, is a big pain in the butt to make) and Alex will soon move in and take over the bottom bunk.
Ava and Alex are not quite ready to make the transition, and will remain in their cribs until the timing is right (or they start to climb out... whichever comes first)

So, the sign that Robert made states that there shall be "NO STANDING on the top bunk."
or "boo-beds" as Ava calls them. And who do you think is the expert climber on this new "playground?" Click here to find out, if you don't already know!

Robert's 4yr check up

2009-06-01T22:34:00.004-04:00

Robert visited Dr. Novak for his 4 yr check up last week. He was very cooperative for the entire visit. He now weighs 40.5 lbs (80th percentile) and is 42.5 inches tall (90th percentile). Dr. Novak asked Robert if he could count to 10 or 20, and the show off that he is, Robert proceeded to count to 29. He would have kept going if he knew what came next! He also spelled and wrote his name and showed the doctor that he knows his left and right. The doctor asked him questions about safety and hygiene and then Robert had to have two shots. I was fully aware and was prepped by the nurse to NOT tell him about the shots. I have to say, i am SO glad I refrained from telling him! He had no idea it was coming and it was over before he had time to even realize that it happened. He let out a squeal, but had no time to really react.
In the end, Robert is still a healthy, growing 4 year old. (but I still sometimes threaten to give him away!)

Robert is very interested in signs. Be they street signs, warning signs, any type of sign - he always asks "What does that mean?" Some days it gets annoying, but I know he's just learning. And even Alex is in on it. He will also say "What dat mean?"

I'll post more on signs in my next post...

2009-05-29T12:06:00.000-04:00

Today in the dryer, I found the following items:
~an outlet cover (slightly bent out of shape)
~a water bottle cap
~my watch! (I was looking for that! It still works, but the leather band is destroyed)
~the remote to the Bose speakers (oops!)

Note to self - check pockets before doing laundry. I should have learned this lesson last year when I washed (and dried) a roller ball pen.

5 years

2009-05-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Bobby,
Today we celebrate five years of marriage. Five years ago, we had no idea what life had in store for us. I wouldn't have wanted it to turn out any other way.
Thank you for loving me and thanks for all you do. I hope the next five years are just as fun and the first five.

ilu,
me

Growing Tree

2009-05-27T20:46:00.004-04:00

Every year in May,Ava and Alex have their picture taken under the tree that their Godparents, Aunt Germaine and Uncle Rob gave to them for their Christening in May 2007.
We call this the Growing Tree.

Here they are last May:

popsicle season

2009-05-22T10:15:00.001-04:00

I recently got an email with 100 uses for coffee filters. It mentioned using a coffee filter to prevent drips when eating a Popsicle.
We decided to give it a try. It worked - But I still consider popsicles to be an outside treat!

Have Stroller, Will Sleep

2009-05-19T21:00:00.001-04:00

comments, please.

2009-05-18T21:39:00.001-04:00

I changed the settings on our blog. Now anyone can comment. You do not need to have a gmail account or be a registered user.

Now, go on and leave us some love!

Robert the Artist

2009-05-18T10:00:00.001-04:00

Below you will see Robert's interpretation of BroBee from Yo Gabba Gabba on Nick. I'm wondering where he got these skills.

And while we're on the subject... have you ever really watched Yo Gabba Gabba? I used to think it was crazy and just plain stupid. But over the last year or so, I have grown to like it. I especially like the music that is incorporated into the program. My favorite episode is when Jack Black makes a special appearance. As if Jack isn't funny enough on his own, when he is put with the Yo Gabba Gabba creatures, he is even more hysterical!

Bon Apetite

2009-05-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

So, I have been meaning to blog this for a very long time. Too long, in fact. Ava and Alex are different eaters. No matter what I put in front of them, Ava eats one thing, Alex eats the other. These breakfast bowls are an example. This was not staged, people!
Alex drank the milk and left the cereal while Ava ate the cereal and left the milk. When given a banana, only one or the other will eat it - never both. strange.

And it doesn't stop at breakfast. At lunch, Alex will scarf down his pb&j while Ava will pull it apart, often take a lick and leave it on her plate. Alex loves peaches and pineapple while Ava prefers pears and kiwi. She drinks milk, and he wants water.

At dinner, Ava always digs right into the meat and Alex much prefers carbs. More often then not, I find myself switching their plates mid meal so everyone can have a fair share of seconds and nothing goes to waste.
Alex loves his sweets... chocolate pudding, ice cream, lollipops and candy. Ava can take it or leave it.

And there is one thing they both agree to love. You'd won't believe it: Broccoli. No lie.

Mom Mom

2009-05-16T09:00:00.002-04:00

This is me with my Mom Mom. She is 92 years old. She can't tell you what day of the week it is or what she ate for breakfast, but she is full of stories from her childhood and she'll tell you the same story 3-5 times in one hour. We laugh, but it's sad. She has her health, but not her mind. She calls me "Mishy". We love her very much.
She traveled all the way to my house for Mother's Day. It meant so much to me. And she told me twice about when she was 9 and knew a girl who came from Bethlehem - she thought the girl was from where Jesus was born. She was in awe that I had twins and within minutes forgot and asked about them again.
I am so blessed to still have Mom Mom in my life. Even if she thought I was my sister for the first 2 hours she was visiting.

Vroom your Room

2009-05-15T09:08:00.000-04:00

I was recently given the opportunity to try and review a new HP Vacuum product which is now on the market.

Vroom has saved my life. I can vacuum crumbs from my kitchen floor with ease. I can suck crumbs from the drawer under my oven and from inside my microwave. I was even able to clean up the spilled salt in my cabinet that had been there - well, lets just say, way too long. And when this happened last week (Thank you, Alex):

I didn't even fret - I knew Vroom would help me out.
Vroom's retractable hose extends 24 feet and can reach most areas of my kitchen.

It sits quietly under my kitchen sink when not in use - unlike my upright vacuum, which usually resides in the upstairs hallway since I don't feel like lugging it down the steps. (honestly, I swear I'll bring it down during one of my 50 trips up and down each day but I usually have 2 arms full of toddlers instead!)

Not only does Vroom do an awesome job, but I was able to install it myself! Okay, I didn't even attempt the part where drilling was involved (putting up the brackets to hold it in place) I left that for my hubby. But, ME a stay at home mom with a degree in journalism was able to hook up Vroom myself! Go me! (Go Vroom, for making it so easy!)

If you want to see Vroom in action, check out www.vroomyourroom.com. And be sure to enter in the monthly giveaway!

Vroom is available where other HP and Dirt Devil products are sold. It retails for about $300. Enter your zip code on the site to find a retailer near you.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-05-13T07:27:00.002-04:00

Diaper bag, be gone.

2009-05-12T07:19:00.002-04:00

Tonight when I put the trash at the curb, I will also be disposing of an item that has been part of our family for 4 years.

Our diaper bag has worn out it's welcome.

I never had a fancy or trendy diaper bag. I was quite content with the cheap plastic one that I received from the formula company at the hospital when Robert was born. It served it's purpose and worked for us. And when A&A were born, I got two more!

I kept one bag fully stocked in the ~~car~~ mini-van and somehow managed to fill up the other with a bunch of crap. Then, of course, the last was a back-up. A few months ago, a sippy cup of OJ leaked in one of the bag and it smelled so bad we had to toss it. Enter the back up bag.

As the months and years went by, we needed fewer belongings whenever we left the house and now a short trip to the store or the gym requires nothing. How nice.

Thank you Enfamil for my free diaper bags, and Thank you, diaper bags, for your years of service. But don't think for a minute that you'll be missed.

husbands...

2009-05-08T09:14:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, I attended a Mother's Day celebration at Robert's school. He made me a paper flower corsage and finger print poem. We painted a flower pot together and he sang "We Love Mothers" to me. It brought tears to my eyes. It was a fun day.

While I was at preschool, my darling husband cleaned the house. He dusted the shelves and vacuumed the floors. I was very happy. However, I will never let him dust again, and this is why...

...the same reason I don't let him fold and put away laundry - esp towels.
*note the picture on the right (top photo)... it's not even orientated properly* Not to mention the addition of his laptop on the shelf.

This is what it looked like before:

Alas, he tried, But still something tells me he does these things on purpose so he won't even have to do them again.
And I am suddenly reminded of Bobby's favorite advice to give when a friend is getting married: "Just screw up whatever she {the bride} asks you to do and she won't ask you to do anything else related to the wedding."

I always knew I married a smart guy. Thank you for trying, honey. I love you!

more on socks...

2009-05-07T17:51:00.003-04:00

Note the holes:

Like Father...

Like son...

No more onesies, No more socks...

2009-05-01T07:00:00.001-04:00

Now that Ava is (almost) potty trained, and Alex is not far behind, they will no longer wear onesies as they tend to get in the way. They have graduated to undershirts. Tear.

For me this is a God-send. I have been waiting for this day for 2 years. Do you remember this post? Or also related: This one. Without onesies, my laundry folding time will be cut in half! This is almost as exciting as the day I washed my last bottle. With warmer weather ahead, Croc season is in and sock season is out! Hooray!

No more writing on the couch!

2009-04-28T15:04:00.000-04:00

This month, we splurged. I had the guys that normally cleans our carpets come out and clean our nasty upholstery on the sofa and ottoman. Never mind the fact that I started to potty train Ava on the very day that I had the sofa cleaned. No points for mommy there... duh.
Goodbye pen marks, Goodbye sippy cup spillage, Goodbye lollipop goo from Easter. Goodbye snot from some kid's cold last fall.

HELLO.... Blankets on the couch!

Seriously, these kids are lucky I even let them near the couch! They are filthy, dirty creatures - my children are- and they will not ruin my sofa again!

Please be sure to check out my related post on Buying distressed furniture.

They grow up so fast...

2009-04-27T22:45:00.007-04:00

Ava started to potty train last week. The first day was rough. We had our fair share of accidents. But by dinner time, she was in her groove and had it all figured out. By day 2 she had pulled her potty into the family room and took up residency for more than a few long stretches of time. By the end of day 2, she had pooped on the potty - that sealed the deal.
We've had very few accidents since then. We even made a road trip to a mall over an hour away and she stayed dry. While there, we visited the ladies room at Macy's 3 times in less than 2 hours. Which only proves she's mastered the concept... I know some adults who fear public restrooms.

Over the weekend, Grandmom (Bobby's mom) came to stay with us. She slept over for 2 nights.While she was here, she taught Ava something new:

Makeup. Thanks, Grandmom. (aka Nam mom)
And Ava will tell you "Titty" (translation: PRETTY and not in any way related to the picture below -- I don't think.)

On Sunday Ava came downstairs looking like this:

We weren't quite sure what to think when we saw her. Who knew Potty training would make her mature so quickly. Next, she'll be asking me for the keys to the min-van. Gulp.

ADVICE

2009-04-16T14:50:00.000-04:00

The best piece of advice I can give to anyone who is ever considering having children:

BUY DISTRESSED FURNITURE!

You'll be glad you did!

...and while we're on the subject, don't ever consider white carpet as an option either.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-01T13:47:00.001-04:00

We are Irish (kinda)

2009-03-17T13:48:00.002-04:00

On this day last year, things were different.

This year we're having corned beef and cabbage for dinner. We're ALL dressed in green (at least Alex was - the first two times I got him dressed.)

We even have a green shamrock (painted by Robert) hanging on the fridge!

This year we ARE Irish.

Ironically, I really did have steak and potatoes on the menu again tonight... before I decided that we'll be Irish instead.

New recipes

2009-03-12T21:59:00.004-04:00

I have fallen behind on my new year's resolution of trying 2 new recipes each month... I'm 2 months behind, but catching up slowly.
We tried THREE new recipes just this week. Okay, so one wasn't really a recipe, but more of a concoction.

On Sunday, Bobby made Stuffed Chicken Parmesan. It was fantastic! I got the recipe from a booklet that I got in the mail with coupons in it. I was leafing through it and realized I had all the the ingredients that it listed. We made some elbow noodles on the side and it was a hit!

On Wednesday I planned to have pork. I went online and found this recipe that called for ingredients that I already had. I was excited because I had an apple that had been in my fridge forever and some cheddar cheese that would have been on its way out too.
I needed to improvise a bit because when I looked at the pork chops after defrosting them, I realized they were bone-in. oops. No problem. They were thin enough that I was able to stuff them 'taco style' and they came out great!

Tonight, I decided to make baked mac and cheese. I have childhood memories of baked mac and cheese - visiting my dad's deli when they would make it for a lunch special. They'd use up all the cheese ends from the deli and it would be so gooey and delicious. I had a bunch of different types of cheese in the fridge, so I mixed them with some half and half and some milk and butter. I used up 2 types of pasta and crushed some ritz crackers to put on top. It was just like I had remembered. Not such a big hit with the kids - of course they had just eaten their weight in gold fish crackers an hour before.

I'm not a chef, nor do I play one on this blog, but I was impressed with our break from the norm. I am also so happy that I was able ti use up some stuff that would have otherwise been thrown away!

The writing is on the couch.

2009-03-12T15:29:00.005-04:00

A few weeks ago, Robert got hold of a pen and decided to scribble on the sofa. Yes, Robert. Not Alex.
That day, he was punished by losing his computer privileges. Later, Mommy realized she was only punishing herself because the computer is Robert's baby sitter while she runs on the treadmill and A&A nap.

I never cleaned the scribbles off of the sofa. It's only on one cushion and frankly, I don't have the desire to clean something that is only going to get more filthy. eh, whatever.

So today, while I was re-assembling the sofa -something I do several dozen times each day since Robert is into making forts these days, I decided that I am going to leave the scribbles there. The cushions are an odd shape since our sofa is 'theater style' and putting the cushions back on is almost like putting a puzzle together.
Now, at least I know that the cushion with the scribbles belongs in the middle, on the right. (right next to the one with dried snot) See how that works. (kidding)

I feel bad for punishing him. He told me he was 'only trying to help.'

And he did!

Good Boy. Now, go pick up your toys.

Park it!

2009-03-09T14:16:00.003-04:00

I have to vent. It's been awhile since I have done that, right?

This very scenario has happened more than twice which makes it worth blogging about.

This morning, I packed up the kids and we headed to Walmart. I was running later that I would have liked due to the time change, so we got there around 10am. I found a decent parking spot, packed A&A in the stroller and headed in. We didn't buy anything on this trip - it was purely to price check a few things.
When we finished and headed back to the car, there was an SUV already waiting for me to leave so he could have my parking spot. I hadn't even unlocked the doors yet!

Dude! I have THREE KIDS to strap safely their into car seats and a double stroller to collapse and get back into my trunk before I can even think about leaving my spot. It's going to take a minimum of 3-5 minutes for me to do so.

The guy was clearly annoyed with me as he made hand gestures and was inaudibly yelling through his windshield. My cell phone rang and it was my parents calling from Florida, where they were vacationing. I had to take the call. Mr. SUV was even more pissed. He got tired of waiting and he sped away.
Right behind him was Mr. and Mrs. MiniVan. They were next in line for my spot. I still had not collapsed the stroller and I needed to climb in the back to belt in Robert. Mrs. MiniVan huffed at me. I rolled my eyes at her and began to vent to my dad on the phone about the ordeal. The couple waited until I was finished and then took my spot as soon as I vacated.

It's not like the parking lot was full. It was 11am on a Monday morning and there were a TON of empty spots. The Walmart parking lot is enormous and I have never seen it filled - not even during the holidays.
But that would mean Mr. SUV and Ms. MiniVan would have to park further away and (gasp) WALK an extra 20 feet. I suppose they'd rather spend that extra 2-5 minutes (and then some) sitting in their vehicle waiting for me to leave - and rushing me in the mean time.

Come on people, don't be lazy. Really, my spot was not exactly the best spot in the entire lot, anyway.

thats all. vent over.

2 year stats and a blip about Robert

2009-03-07T13:32:00.004-05:00

Ava and Alex had their 2 year well check with Dr. Novak last week. Both are growing great and everything checked out okay. They were just getting over colds and still had snotty noses, but they were okay to get their last immunization in the Hepatitis series. Now, they will not need any more shots until they are 4. They were champs for the shots - hardly crying at all. I'm so proud of them.
Ava weighed in at 24lbs 12 oz and Alex was an even 24lbs. Ave is an entire 2 inches taller than Alex. She remains in the upper half of the percetiles, while Alex is staying steady between the 10th and 25th. (Alex is wearing clothes that Robert was wearing when he had just turned ONE!)

Doctor Novak was impressed by Alex's 50+ word vocabulary. Ava isn't far behind and has really started to say more words over the past few weeks. Now on the list are "boots, moon, sock, tea, baby among others. She likes to call her daddy "Bobby" instead of Daddy.

*********

Robert will be losing his first tooth very very soon. Last summer, he banged his front teeth while playing outside. They loosened up, but stayed put. When he saw the dentist a few months later, she took x-rays that determined that the roots of both front teeth were damaged. She said it is likely they will fall out sooner than they should - usually 5 1/2 - 6 for boys. I've encouraged him not to play with it and even tried to tell him "the toothfairy doesn't visit until you are 5 years old." I want that tooth to stay put as long as possible.
Over the past week, one of Robert's front teeth has become considerbly looser and has changed in color. It won't be long before it's gone.
As a mom, this is my little boy growing up before my eyes.

The truth:
Ugh, I hate that 'new tooth coming in stage... kids look so awkward!

Happy Birthday to my babies!

2009-02-28T10:51:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to my babies.

Two years ago, on this day,
my life was changed forever.
I became the mother of Twins.

Ava and Alex are such blessings.
And proof that I can handle anything!

God Bless you both on your 2nd Birthday.

Hugs and Kisses,
Mommy, Daddy and Robert

Backwards: the new black.

2009-02-23T08:36:00.005-05:00

Robert has been doing a great job dressing himself. Sometimes backwards and sometimes inside out, as long as it's on, it's all good. It's all all about independence here.

Last week when I dropped him off at child care at the gym, I removed his coat and noticed his shirt was on backwards. I mentioned it out loud and then looked down to see that his pants were backwards too. Anxious to play, he ran away from me and I shrugged my shoulders at the women who worked there with a 'Whatever."
When I picked him up, his clothes had been turned around. I suddenly felt like "That bad Mom." But only for a second. You see, once you have 3 kids (and 2 at once!), you just don't care about things the way you used to.

On Saturday, I took Robert to a birthday party at ChuckECheese, aka Hell. (deserves a separate blog post) As we were getting acquainted, I took notice of one of Robert's friends standing next to his dad. His corduroys were not only backwards, but unzipped and unbuttoned! I cant be positive, but I think his shoes might have been on the wrong feet, too!

Phew. Glad to know we're normal. Well, maybe not, but at least we've come a long way from this.

Bad kid or Bad mom?

2009-02-22T08:32:00.005-05:00

Every family has a 'bad kid,' right? Please tell me it's true. Alex is my 'bad one' and I am already filled with excitement for the days when he's grown and I get to tell him just how bad he was.
Alex will be two on Saturday. I know boys can be curious and tend to look for trouble at this age, but really, this kid gives new meaning to the phrase "Terrible Twos." Let me explain:

We must now keep ALL doors locked - both upstairs and downstairs, bedrooms and bathrooms. This is because once Alex enters a room, there is no way of knowing what he will destroy.

He has recently become obsessed with water and will do anything to get some. This includes scooping it from the toilet. So, the bathroom doors will remain locked until further notice.(which has birthed a new problem - Robert, who often waits too long until he decides he has to go potty, now has to wait an extra minute until the door is unlocked.)

Along the line of water and locking things, Alex watches us when we use the water dispenser on the refrigerator in hopes that we might forget to lock it and he'll have an opportunity to score more of the wet stuff. Even better, he can get it in ice form, which he considers the perfect snack.

Last week, both Alex and Ava were stricken with a terrible stomach virus. Ava had it first. Alex was enamored by Ava's "spitting" in a bucket, and decided it would be fun to take a swig and then spit the contents of his sippy cup into any vessel he could find. We found juice in many places last week, including the kitchen sink of the play kitchen, which he managed to fill completely. That must have been hard work!

All dishes must now be washed by hand. Alex has learned to unlock and remove all dishes from the dishwasher. He uses said dishes to collect water. He also favors silverware and tupperware.

All remote controls and toys which contain batteries must be out of reach. Alex likes to open the backs, remove the batteries and then break the clips that allow the back to stay on. Most of our remotes are taped up now.

Last week, Alex unplugged a laptop computer that sat on the kitchen island. He tried to plug it back in, and electrocuted himself in the process. All outlets are covered (they usually are anyway, but we have to take special care to make sure we re-cover any that we remove) Also, this is another good reason to wash all silverware by hand.

Alex has always been a climber. He pushes chairs across the room to get stuff from the cabinets or to climb on to the counters (to reach the high cabinets) He will stack toy bins or other toys to reach whatever it is that he wants.
He used the "Grabby Grab Game" to reach Robert's flashlight which sat high on a bookshelf in his room. He then disassembled the flashlight and ate the light bulb. I am still frightened about it. He will eat anything that is small enough to fit in his mouth and will bite you - hard - when you try to scoop it out.
If you remember, he tends to pass things rather easily, so I'm not sure why I am so bothered by this.

I'm not sure what else he will manage to get himself into, as everyday is a new surprise for us. But I've learned that he is capable of anything... and we probably should sign him up to be a tester for child safety products.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-02-11T15:09:00.001-05:00

Robert

2009-02-09T14:03:00.004-05:00

Robert is a tiny version of his dad.
He has just discovered the computer and the magic that is noggin.com. He taught himself how to navigate the site (with the mouse-r) and it keeps him entertained for hours.
Robert can dress himself - often inside out and backwards, but that's okay.

At least 50 times each day he says "Mommy, I love you." I want to save them all up for when he is a teenager and tells me that hates me.

Robert eats 4 things. Cereal (Life or Rice Krispies), Peanut Butter and Jelly, Grilled Cheese and chicken nuggets. He will eat pasta, but it must have just the right amount of red gravy. Spaghetti is not pasta, it's spaghetti. And Pasta must be straight lines (Penne) PB&J must be cut in Square or rectangles (no crust) and Grilled Cheese is cut in triangles.
His most favorite drink is Orange Juice. He drinks it all day long. He never gets sick.

Robert's best friends at school at Mikey and TJ. His teachers call them the 3 musketeers. To me, the three of them together are trouble.
Most school days, Robert brings home drawings on green construction paper. One day, he brought home a drawing on yellow paper - they ran out of green. For months, I thought his school only provided green paper for the children to draw on. I was wrong. Robert loves all things green. And the number 3 - "because I'm 3 years old."

For Christmas, Santa brought Robert a bike, but he hasn't figured out how to pedal yet. We're working on it.
He just figured out how to work the remote control, which has been a time saver for us!

Robert loves his brother and sister. He corrects you if you call them "the babies" and politely says "they're toddlers." He and Ava are always hugging and the three of them play together so nicely.

He's the big brother that any kids would want.
And I couldn't have asked for a better kid either.

Ava

2009-02-06T16:49:00.004-05:00

Ava is sassy these days. I find myself not knowing which Ava will wake up from nap - the sassy diva or the sweet innocent little girl. I love them both.
She is tough with her brothers. She totally stands her ground and will always get what she wants. (hmm, wonder where she gets that from) Still, she is, and always will be, Daddy's girl.

Ava is saying more words, but mostly she just points and says "Eh." She knows the color purple and thinks every color is purple. She plays nicely alone - loves her kitchen set and her baby dolls - oh and her dress ups, too. She has been known to wear 2 tu-tus at once, while sporting her pink barbie high heels. She loves shoes and wears her pink mammoth crocs to bed whenever she can get away with it. Last night at Grandmom's she saw all the shoeboxes in her closet and simply said "Wow." She's way more girly than I ever was. But she can still beat up her brothers.

She loves Blues Clues and Little Bear. She likes to eat salad and drink chocolate milk. She will claim to be finished eating and upon leaving the table, she'll grab a fist full of food 'for the road.'

She gives the best hugs - and taps her fingers on my neck as she pulls me close. She'll blow you away with the kisses she throws. She does it to me every night.

She is a monster outside of the house - hates the shopping cart and loves to make a scene. She absolutely hates when anyone sings and will scream at the top of her lungs until it ceases. Happy Birthday will be fun this year.

A Sasssy Diva indeed - no matter how much I deny it.

Alex

2009-02-04T14:58:00.004-05:00

Alex has a word he uses when he doesn't know what something is called. The word is "CatPee." Yes, Catpee.

He is talking more and more. He can make a few sentences and says "Robert" as clear as day. He even says "I'm a mess." which is very appropriate about 90% of the time.

Alex goes through an average of 3 outfits each day. He always managing to spill something, sit on something or step on something. He really should just wear a smock. Or better yet, just a diaper. Although when he does not have a onesie on, he has been known to strip down completely.

Alex has started a new habit. He puts the silverware back in the drawer when he is finished eating. For days I have been finding dirty silverware thrown randomly into the drawer. He is shorter than the drawer so he must toss it over his head.
The reason I haven't been able to prevent this from happening? Alex is ALWAYS the last one left at the table at dinner. He finishes off what is on everyone else's plate while the rest of us have moved on, playing, or in my case cleaning up the dinner mess. I suppose putting the silverware "away" is his contribution to cleaning the kitchen.

He is my domestic boy. He loves the vacuum cleaner and once took a nap with a few of the attachments. He likes to use the swiffer and the dust buster too. And if he gets his hands on some wipes, hell start cleaning anything he can find.

He is still my Momma's Boy. I love to take him out - just me and him. I can let him walk and he won't stray too far. He says "hi" to anyone who walks by and he is such a pleasure to be around.

Meanwhile, at home he is a different creature...

New found space...

2009-01-28T13:04:00.002-05:00

We bit the bullet and bought a new TV. We had talked about hanging a TV on the wall of our family room long before this house was even built. We even deviated from the builder's position of the windows in the family room to accommodate our plan.
For years Bobby has scoured the sales each week to find the best price for a 46-50 inch 1080p HDTV. We finally got a deal at BJs last weekend.

This meant we got to move our old bulky rear projection TV to the basement (in front of my treadmill!) thus creating tons of extra space on the family room floor.
But don't be fooled... its just more space for toys breed. (I swear they multiply overnight!)

Bobby knows how much I hate wires, and he did an awesome job of hiding them...

Doesn't it look sexy?

I don't know what Bobby will do with all his free time now that he doesn't have to scour the ads anymore.

This day in history...

2009-01-28T09:36:00.004-05:00

Today is January 28th, 2009. Ava and Alex are 23 months old today.

Ava and Alex were born on Robert's 23 month birthday - February 28th, 2006.

Robert at 23 months (his last day as the only child)

I never thought I'd say it, but I love that my kids are 23 months apart!

Holiday Treats

2009-01-18T21:39:00.002-05:00

To most, this is a Rice Krispies Treat.

To Robert, it is an "Ice Christmas Tree."

Delish.

knock knock...

2009-01-11T15:30:00.003-05:00

Lately, Robert has been very into telling jokes. The jokes, themselves, are old hat to us, but the funniest part of all is listening to him butcher them:

The real Joke:
Why was 6 afraid of 7?
A: Because 7 ate 9 and 10.

Roberts version:
Why was six afraid of eight?
A: Because one and two and ten weren't there anymore.

The real Joke:
Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To get to the other side

Robert's Version:
Why did the chicken go across the park?
A: Because... to get to the other side. Hah Hah Hah. I'm funny.

I'm gonna miss it when he's not this cute anymore.

Pass the oatmeal, please.

2009-01-10T13:47:00.007-05:00

Today, Alex stood at the pantry pointing to a box of oatmeal. He said "Pap-pe, Papp-pe."

Apparently, The Quaker man resembles Pape (my dad).

I think he's right.

Smarty Pants

2009-01-10T13:35:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, at nap time Robert asked/told me 4 things in a row.

"Mommy, What time is it? I'm hungry. Can I have a drink? I'm tired." (pause. he had to stop and think "did I just say that?")

I stopped what I was doing (dusting the blinds - not that anyone ever notices) and said to him "I think you are bored. B-O-R-E-D."

He said, "No, I'm R-O-B-E-R-T." (emphasis on the B.)

I hope some day he wins a spelling bee so I can tell him this story again.

New Recipe Tuesday

2009-01-07T12:39:00.003-05:00

Last night I made Dorito Chicken Casserole. It was the first recipe that appeared in my Google search at 4pm yesterday afternoon. It's a combination I have heard about for years and have always wanted to try. I had no ideas for dinner and happened to have some fresh chicken in the fridge, so I whipped it up.

The verdict: Not bad. Not terribly good either. Alex ate a decent amount. Ava picked at it. Bobby said it was 'a waste of his perfectly good doritos' and my thoughts were similar: a waste of perfectly good chicken.

On the positive side, it was pretty easy to make. If you like doritos, you can't miss their taste in this one. Of course, Bobby would much rather have them alongside his sandwich at lunch than in a casserole at dinner.
And that, my friends, is a perfect example of the kind of cook I am! (and probably why I hate to cook!)
THANK YOU to everyone who has sent me recipes to try. I trust that you have tried them so they must be reputable. I am anxious to plan for them! And you'll be reading about them - I promise!

new toys my kids have already broken/destroyed

2009-01-05T10:55:00.006-05:00

Am I the only mom out there who loves when I toy breaks? It gives me a reason to get rid of it without feeling guilty! Here is a list of new toys my kids have broken/destroyed since Christmas:

silverware from kitchen set
toy cardboard 'food boxes' (they were destined for the trash before we even opened them!)
race track
needle from doctor kit
baby bottle

here's a picture of some of the said broken objects:

This blog post has been brought to you by...

2009-01-05T08:35:00.003-05:00

I'm on a roll today... making up for lost time.

Two dumb things I have wanted to blog about:

/begin commercial #1/
Do you suffer from dry hands in the winter??? Every winter my hands (usually my right more than my left) get cracked and dry around my knuckles. It has gotten worse as I have gotten older. Since I can't stop washing dishes or changing diapers I have had to live with this condition.
I decided to try some of my face lotion, which is very mild, on my hands. Within days, my hands are back to normal - smooth and soft! I use Purpose lotion on my face (and now my hands) and I recommend you do too if you suffer from dry cracked hands in the winter.
/end commercial #1/

/begin commercial #2/
Do your kids hate the end piece on the loaf of bread? My kids (and my hubby) won't eat it. BUT I have discovered if I use if on a grilled cheese sandwich, crust side in, the kids can't tell the difference. And I feel great because I have saved those two pieces of bread from ending up in the trash!
/end commercial #2/

Thanks for reading, and have a super day! :)

new bathroom

2009-01-05T08:23:00.003-05:00

For months, I have been telling Bobby that I wanted him to paint the half bath while he was home over the holidays. Well, the holidays came and went. And yesterday - the last day of his vacation, he decided he wanted to paint. I was planning something 'Terra cotta' or 'rust' colored. Bobby disagreed. So I let him chose the color. He spent a long time (more than 10 minutes!) matching the cabinet and counter with 'the perfect color' from a ton of paint chips (thanks, Soniya!) He finally chose a color called 'Cafe Mocha.' Sounds cozy, right?

So, I present to you, Cafe Mocha:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it's Pink. PINK! We are in agreement that it's a nice color overall. It kind of reminds me of Grandma's house. It's livable. Not at all what we envisioned for the bathroom, but it will do until potty training takes it's toll and we'll need to repaint anyway.

We;; finish it off with crown moulding and some accessories next weekend. Can't say that I love it, but it will do. Anything is better that the embarrassingdirtygrossness that it was before!

resolutions

2009-01-05T07:52:00.003-05:00

I posted on this very same topic on my skinnyblog, but here I decided to create a new resolution post. This one involves the family so I thought it more appropriate to post here.

This year, I will try 2 new recipes every month. I thought about trying 1 new recipe every week, but if you know me, you know I am not much of a cook. Bobby, on the other hand loves to cook, but is short on time. He isn't crazy about veggies or new foods, so this will be a huge challenge for me. Robert is a terrible eater (got that from Dad) but the twins eat anything and everything.
Right now, I cook the same 6 things: grilled chicken, chicken parm, tacos, meatloaf, pork chops, and turkey burgers. Occasionally Ill make a lasagna or a roast. Friday night is always pizza night. I can follow a recipe pretty well, but I'm just not too creative.

So, now I ask for a favor of you. Can you share your favorite recipes with me? Please?

Sassy Diva

2009-01-02T21:56:00.004-05:00

At 22 months, Ava was finally in need of a haircut!

I took her today to Sweet and Sassy for her first ever hair cut. I already knew she wasn't going to cooperate. When I asked her if she wanted to go get a hair cut, her response was 'eh uh', as she shook her head 'no' emphatically. I'm convinced she had no idea when getting her hair cut entailed.

Walking into Sweet and Sassy was an experience. Think pink. Think girly. Think spoiled. The walls were decorated in 'all things frilly' - signs that read 'Spoiled (but not) Rotten', Frilly slippers, pink bathrobes, and hair bows and ribbons out the wazoo. Do people really buy this stuff for their daughters?
Off to the right were a few girls having pedicures. They must have been 7 or 8. While I was there a woman came in to book a party for her daughter's 10th birthday. Seriously? I digress...

Ava sat - reluctantly- on my lap while she had an inch cut off and some bangs created. She wore a cape that said "Sassy Diva." (very appropriate) When she was finished, the hairdresser sprayed glitter and some smelly stuff in her hair. I paid 15 bucks, left a tip and got the heck out of there.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-12-31T19:58:00.002-05:00

Santa

2008-12-18T23:17:00.002-05:00

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

2008-12-12T20:38:00.005-05:00

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

2008-12-09T15:43:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-12-08T10:49:00.008-05:00

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

2008-11-20T10:03:00.004-05:00

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....

2008-11-18T20:30:00.002-05:00

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...

2008-11-10T14:19:00.004-05:00

You've seen "Something About Mary"

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

A Lesson in Genetics

2008-11-10T13:38:00.003-05:00

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

2008-11-05T14:45:00.000-05:00

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

2008-11-05T12:43:00.002-05:00

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

2008-10-24T16:17:00.002-04:00

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

2008-10-16T14:49:00.007-04:00

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?

2008-10-04T08:19:00.006-04:00

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

Do you see a resemblance?

Little Minds

2008-10-03T15:03:00.005-04:00

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?

2008-09-27T16:22:00.001-04:00

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

2008-09-24T22:11:00.002-04:00

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...

2008-09-16T21:41:00.002-04:00

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

2008-09-12T16:56:00.000-04:00

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

2008-09-12T13:38:00.004-04:00

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???

2008-09-08T21:12:00.004-04:00

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

2008-09-06T13:53:00.002-04:00

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

2008-09-06T13:45:00.000-04:00

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

2008-09-02T17:35:00.001-04:00

2006

2008

Mommy in the same bathing suit... lol

Peach Pickin'

2008-08-18T15:43:00.007-04:00

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

2008-08-16T13:58:00.000-04:00

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

2008-08-15T22:08:00.006-04:00

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

2008-08-15T18:42:00.002-04:00

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

2008-08-14T21:28:00.002-04:00

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

2008-08-13T14:14:00.004-04:00

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

2008-08-13T14:13:00.001-04:00

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

2008-08-08T20:11:00.003-04:00

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...

2008-08-07T08:57:00.003-04:00

...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!

2008-08-04T22:38:00.002-04:00

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...

2008-08-03T22:09:00.002-04:00

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.