Puzzled

I pulled out some puzzles this week and the kids took a whole lot of interest in them -especially Ava, who really seemed to know what she was doing.

Spoons

Ava and Alex have been starting to 'grasp' the use of utensils with their meals. We're still practicing, but they are starting to come along.
Of course this doesn't mean that mealtime has become any cleaner - in fact, I think things are getting even messier!

How we 'lock' our cabinets

When we moved into our home in 2006, we were unable to find locks that worked with our custom cabinets. We tried many types, all to no avail.
Finally, we found a method that worked for us:

Rubberbands! Sure, it may look silly, but they seem to do the trick and are just enough to deter the little ones from getting into the Tupperware and the chemicals under the sink. (but sometimes tupperware play is okay!) And thanks to our weekly subscription to the Morning Call, we have an endless supply - and best of all, this method is FREE!

Alarm clocks

A few nights ago, Alex was running a low grade fever - and well, you know how that goes. We gave him Tylenol before bed and decided to set the alarm for 12:45am to check and re-dose him if necessary.
It had come to my attention, just then, that I had not used an alarm clock in a few years. I had no idea how to use the dual alarm clock in our bedroom - not that it is complicated in any way, but half asleep, I'm bound to ruin the settings and- that could be a problem. Not to mention the problems that would follow - like my husband oversleeping and missing the van-pool for work.

Bobby gave me a crash course and we were good to go.

Just another example of how mommy-hood has changed my life. I no longer need an electronic alarm clock. I've birthed 3 of my own personal time bombs.

Growing Tree

This tree is planted in our front yard. It was a gift for Ava and Alex from Uncle Rob and Aunt Germaine (my brother and sister in law) for their Christening in May 2007.
Each year in May, I plan to take their picture in front of their tree. Here is the 2008 shot:

Too much TV

When I taught preschool many years ago, there was a little boy in my class named Brandon. Cute kid with the biggest brown eyes - much like my Robert.
Brandon was not the brightest of all the kids in the class, but man did he know his tv shows. He would bring movies to school a few times a week, knowing he'd have to keep then in his cubby all day. He knew every character of every tv show on Nickelodeon and I just knew that his parents let him sit in front of the tv all day long when he was under their supervision. It was a good thing he was in daycare 8+ hours/day. I always said "I'll never let my kids watch that much tv!"
Fast Forward... I am so so so embarrassed about this: Robert is becoming my very own Brandon! The tv is usually always on in our house - a habit that must stop. A&A don't care either way - in fact Alex doesn't care much for tv at all. Summer is here and we need to spend more time outside and less time in front of the boob tube. I have removed the tv from the guest room (where Robert has been sleeping for the past few months) and relocated it to the basement so I can have something to look at while I am on the treadmill. No more falling asleep to Nicktoons. Mark my words, "My children will not have televisions in the bedrooms!"

New habits forming -- TODAY!

All you need is Love

The theme of the day is LOVE:

Today is my and Bobby's 4th wedding anniversary. We celebrated this evening with a nice dinner at MELT. Melt is the kind of restaurant that needs reservations - even on a Wednesday night. I can't remember the last time we ate at a place the required reservations! We are so used to high turnover places that it was almost strange to sit back and relax and enjoy the atmosphere and food - and each other!

On to other news...
Ava and Alex gave each other a hug today. It was the cutest thing ever and I will try to capture it next time it happens - just so I can remind them when they are older that they did, at some point in their innocences, actually love one another.
Last night while giving them baths, I found 3 bite marks on Alex. Ava has been really holding her ground and wants these boys to know she is not to be messed with! I better hurry up with that hug pic!

A day at the pool leads to a surprise!

Today we visited Gram and Pape for a Memorial Day picnic. The big pool was still a bit cold for the kids to enjoy, but we filled up the kiddie pool with water from the hot tub for the kids to splash around in. Ava and Alex did not seem to like it nearly as much as their big brother.

Now, to the surprise part... Guess what was sitting on Grams counter top when we arrived? A pink binky! That means both pink binkies are found! We must have left it behind a few weeks ago when we visited. phew.
I apologize my dear dear Alex for blaming you for throwing them in the garbage.

lost and found

Found: 1 pink binky - in the dryer! hooray!

Where have all the Binkies gone???

We used to have 7 binkies. Two green, two blue and two pink and one yellow. A few months ago, Alex chewed up a green one and we had to toss it. So that makes six - 6 binkies. (sing it with me "If one of those binkies should happen to fall...what would we do with no binkies AT ALL?") I digress.

Right now, we are down to 3. The missing binkies are the 2 pink ones and one yellow one. I have torn this house apart -Checked inside every shoe, every drawer, and even inside the vents (the kids recently figured out they can pull up the grates and throw stuff down there) OH and of course I checked the subwoofer - are you kidding? That was the first place I looked!

I can not find the binkies anywhere and I am going out of my mind. Ultimately, I am going to have to accept the fact that Alex probably threw them in the garbage and they are gone forever.

Meanwhile, we are not replacing said binkies. I suppose it was about time they started to disappear anyway.

A sign of things to come?

We saw these rainbows (two of them) yesterday afternoon- the most beautiful and vivid I have ever seen!

Trendy mom

The recent confirmation that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are expecting twins this summer made me think about this new Hollywood 'twin trend.' Within the past year and a half Patrick Dempsey, Marcia Cross, and Jennifer Lopez have welcomed twins into the world. (find a complete list of celebrity twin parents here - i was surprised at some of the names on the list!) I must be a trendy mom after all! Cool.

A diagnosis!

On Friday night, Alex's temp started to rise again, but we got it under control. We continued giving him motrin, throughout the day on Saturday but did not wake him last night. Today, he seems to be fever free. BUT he has started to break out in a rash all over his torso and back. After some research on Google, I found that he has the classic symptoms of Roseola. A virus that starts with high fever for about 3 days and ends in a rash once the fever breaks. He also had some of the other symptoms... runny nose, cough, ear pain, and diarrhea. And because it is a virus, we just have to wait it out.
The incubation period is about 10 days, so we suspect that Ava may start to show signs at some point this week.
We are relieved that we have found the source of the problem.
Robert has his 3 year check up with Doctor Novak tomorrow, and we can discuss it further with him then. I am sure he will be relieved as well since he was just as baffled as we were when it came to this illness.

Alex update Friday 5/16

Last night was sleepless for me. Alex camped out in mom and dad's room and I pretty much just watched him sleep for most of the night. His breathing was rapid and shallow and that scared me. I gave him his own place on the bed, and let the AC vent cool him off. His temp was all over the charts until about 1am, when he fell into a deep sleep and it was down to 101.5. We had to wake him every 3 hours to medicate him.
By 6am, he had woken up with a normal temp. After some juice and his meds, he went back to sleep for about 2 hours. We continued the Motrin and Tylenol regimen all day which helped keep his temp close to or just above normal for most of the day. He napped a whole lot and he managed to eat a bit as well.
We went for bloodwork this afternoon. We are still waiting for the results from the blood culture, but Dr Novak called this evening with the CBC results and said that his white cells had gone up by about 1000. While the level is still very low, the rise indicates that he is getting better. He advised that we keep Alex home and lay low for a few days because he is very susceptible to infection and illness right now.
Tonight Alex is sleeping in his own crib. We will wake him only to give him motrin. He has had 3 doses of the antibiotic and we hope to have our old Alex back within the next few days.

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers. They're working!

Alex update 5/15/08

Alex seemed okay this morning. I continued a tylenol/motrin regimen with him and his temp stayed low most of the morning. We had an appointment with the pediatrician at 11:15. Dr. Novak was unable to pin point the cause of the fever. He took a urine sample and sent us to the hospital for blood work. He said he'd call later when he had the results. In the meantime, Alex's fever rose to over 104 and he had 2 small seizures.
Dr. Novak called at about 5pm. He said Alex did not have a urinary tract infection but that his white blood cell count is very very low. (Normal is 5,000 to 20,000 - Alex's are 1870.) Based on the numbers and the rest of the blood work, he suspected that this is, in fact, a virus. And he is using his white blood cells to fight the virus germ. He wants us to return to the hospital in the morning for another set of blood tests. If his white blood cells go down again, we will need to re-evaluate. Dr. Novak ordered called in an antibiotic just to be on the safe side and Alex has had one dose so far.
Alex hasn't had any desire to eat, but we are giving him straight juice and pedalite as much as possible. We had a terrible time getting his temp to stabilize tonight, (up to 104.5, down to 101)but after a few cool baths he finally went to sleep with his temp at an even 102.
I am still so scared for what tomorrow brings. Please keep us in your prayers.

Another Seizure

Yesterday afternoon I found Alex seizing in his crib during his afternoon nap. His temp spiked to 105.3 even after motrin and 30 minutes in a cool bath. We spent the evening in the ER with an uncomfirmed diagnoses. I am going to call the pediatrician first thing this morning to see if we can get some answers.

Ava Lou and Alex Too!

We call her Ava Loo Hoo (As we've been told she resembles Cindy Loo Hoo from the Grinch who Stole Christmas) Sporting her new do - fraggle style.

Alex on a chilly May day getting down and dirty in the grass! Such a ham!

a few tidbits

Alex will shake his head 'No' when you ask him a question. Funny, that his sister learned to nod 'Yes' first, and he learns 'No' first.

While walking down the hall at the Y, Ava looked at an adolescent boy and said "HI." The boy looked confused, but proceeded to say "hi" back to her. She also calls Bobbby "Daddy" and will often say what sounds like 'sh!t.' quite often during any given day.

Alex now has 2 molars on top. He'd been miserable until they appeared.

Alex has been walking for about 3 weeks now. He's doing great and he's got his first pair of Velcro shoes - which are actually quite cute and will give me an additional 2 minutes each day.

Ava can run. I am addicted to buying her shoes. Grandmom got her the cutest little maryjane crocs. love them.

Alex's favorite foods: Tacos, cheese and oranges.
Ava's favorite foods: anything! But especially anything that is meat based. She once ate a 4 oz steak.(Pape should be so proud!)

When Bobby comes home from work (or from anywhere) Robert tells him "We were so worried about you, Dad."

All of the children have adjusted to the child care center at the YMCA. What a relief. We try to go in the late afternoon/early evening. I'm really happy with the arrangement.

And finally, not to toot my own horn, but I've lost 14 lbs. I am feeling fantastic -strong and healthy.

thanks for stopping by!

underwear nightmares

I have been encouraging Robert to dress himself. He pretty much has the idea of it, but is still working on the coordination part. I need to watch him put his pants on since he often puts both legs in one pant leg.
This morning I let him dress himself before school. I wasn't paying attention and he started to get silly. We were running late, so I completed the task for him.
Fast forward....
We get to school and I drop him off in his classroom. He randomly lifts up his shirt and he has a pair of underwear around his waist - both feet in one hole, and pulled up as far as they will go!
ugh.
Meanwhile, he already had a pair of underwear on his body. Only my kid...

Yes, ma'am

Ava nods her head when you ask her a question. It's very diliberate and very controlled. OH, and very cute! She makes me laugh all the time.

Velcro

I never much cared for Velcro. I always thought it was dorky, and would opt for shoes that tied when shopping for kid's shoes.

Now I have 3 kids. Three kids who wear shoes daily. I've already spent hours of my life TYING tiny little laces into tiny little double knots -Too long when you are already running late - as we always are.

I promise you that starting with the next pair, they will all be wearing velcro sneakers - at least until Robert learns to tie his own shoes! I'll just have to search for the least dorkiest pair, I guess.

On Ava

My only girl. And what a girl she is. She is very attached to her 'dolly' and carries her around most of the day. She is sassy and independent, vocal and 'the boss.' She loves to chase Robert around the house, and squeals with delight at his very presence. She can eat more than any toddler I've ever seen. She'll eat steak, or brocolli - and just about anything you put in front of her - including paper. She won't keep a barret in her hair or her socks on her feet. She takes her time with most things (eating dinner and climbing the stairs) and she loves to watch tv. She loves to sleep just as much as she loves to play. And she brings you joy by just looking at her always smiling face. She's a social butterfly and the leader of the pack. Even Robert knows not to mess with her.
She's always pretty in pink my only girl. I can't wait unil we're 'girlfriends.'

Fatherly Duties...

...yes I believe its my job to shape and guide the interest of my kids. Below is one of my first attempts: Robert + iPod!

On Alex

A momma's boy in every sense - Alex is my buddy. He hates going to the playroom at the gym, and cries the whole time! He loves to snuggle - I love to watch him rest his head on his daddy's shoulder. He can talk - it's usually jibberish, but he certainly has alot to say, and sometimes it actually sounds like real words!
He LOVES to get into the bathroom - more specifically - the toilet. If I catch him going towards the bathroom, I rush to get to him, and he rushes even faster to stick his hand in the toilet. It's a contest. He usually wins - he's fast. He has radar when the gate at the bottom of the steps is open. He's a climber and will climb on anything he possibly can. He loves the swings at the park, but he must wear a hat because he is the fairest of us all. He'll blow you kisses and wave bye bye (at himself.)
He's sweet and loving and the middle child. As a middle child myself, I can relate. And maybe that's why he's a momma's boy. My Alex.

On Robert

Robert is becoming a big boy right before our eyes. And it makes me so sad. What happened to my little baby?
He has big boy fits and big boy fights. He even pees on the toilet seat... a real man. He has started calling me 'Mom' instead of Mommy. He calls Bobby "Dad." (sniff, sniff, tears) He loves to dig in the dirt and has practically uprooted the tree in our front yard. He wants to be outside all the time. He can eat an entire bag of pretzel rods in 2 days and he'll politely tell you "No eating in the family room." Yesterday he said "Mom? Am I making you bonkers again?" And later he put his arms around my neck and said "you're the best, mom." He kissed my forehead and ran off to play. I only hope he's still telling me I'm the best when he leaves for college.

Bye Bye high chairs...

This moment couldn't come soon enough. If You've read my recent posts about my high chair cleaning frenzy, you'll know that this is a momentous occasion! I decided to move the Ikea table and chairs - yes the very table that Alex likes to stand on - into the kitchen and give it a whirl. The kids loved it! I sat with them and we all 'chatted' as we ate. It was a meal to remember.
Alex prefers to stand while he eats (one of the reasons I needed to get them out of the high chairs) so we have to consider some kind of belt around these chairs until they figure out that they need to remain seated.

Swingset

We bit the bullet and bought a swing set for the kiddies. I took them to the park a few days ago and Alex and Ava loved the swings so I decided that we should make the purchase sooner than later. I can't wait to get them outside to play!

Alex walks!

getting skinny again

I have created a weightloss blog separate from this one so that I don't clutter it up with too much info on me (Come on, I know you don't all come here to read about me!)I still need to tweak the site a bit - it's nothing fancy. You can follow my weightloss here. I was inspired by this site. Come cheer me on as I journey to a healthier way of life.

At last...

We have canceled and rescheduled our portraits 4 times, and finally, yesterday, they came to be.






And... at last, we are all healthy again. Ava spiked a fever of 104 on Sunday and off to the pediatrician we went on Monday. She had an ear infection as well. Everyone is responding well to the meds and we are on the mend.

Phew.

Robert is THREE!

We took Robert to the Strasburg Railroad on Friday for his birthday. He just loved seeing all the 'real life' trains and was thrilled to actually take a ride on one! We bought tickets for the dining car and enjoyed lunch
while we traveled 9 miles through Pennsylvania Amish hillsides on an actual historic traincar. It was such a nice day!

Scary day for the Trifs

The kids were supposed to have their portraits done at noon today. I planned out their morning so they would nap and eat lunch before we left and we'd have a pleasant photo session.
A&A woke from their naps at 11 and I sat them down for lunch. Alex was a bit grumpy, as he sometimes is upon waking up. He wasn't eating much, so I took him out of his chair and noticed he was warm. I took his temp and it was 103.7. I called the pedi immediately but they were closed. I figured it was just another ear infection and I gave him some tylenol. I debated on whether or not to do the portraits (I had already canceled and resceduled this appt 3 times) so I decided to go. (I know, I am such a bad mom) I packed the kids in the car and ran back inside to get my purse and diaperbag. When I got back to the car, I noticed that Alex was in a daze - starring, almost like he was going to fall asleep. I got in the car and called my mom as I pulled out of the driveway. I told her about Alex and she told me to get him in a cold bath. Alex was in the carseat right behind my driver's seat, so I couldn't see him, but I could hear him and he sounded like he was hiccuping. I swung my head around and saw his eyes rolling in the back of his head as he convulsed. I screamed in panic (my mom said she could hear the fear in my voice) and I pulled over and called 911. I grabbed him out of his carseat and held him across my chest. He seized for about 4 minutes in my arms before the ambulance arrived. (They had trouble finding me - how's that for emergency service?) The operator stayed on the line with me until they arrived and tried to calm me down. When he stopped seizing, I freaked out even more because his whoe body went limp and he was gasping for air. I thought I was losing him.
The paramedics took him from me and the police arrived. They assured me he'd be okay and told me to follow them to the hospital. They told me that they would not use their lights or sirens unless they needed to get through a red light. I followed and after about 3 miles, they put on their sirens and lights and sped ahead. Within 10 seconds, they were out of sight. I freaked out like you wouldn't believe!!! I didn't get to the ER until about 15 minutes later. (they told me they sped up because he was screaming and crying)
A social worker greeted me and took Robert and Ava so I could be with Alex. A team of doctors and nurses were taking care of him - drawing blood, and monitoring him (his heart rate was really high) His temp was still pretty high, so they gave him more tylenol (apparently I didn't give him enough). He was miserable and he looked very dazed. The doctor assured me that was normal. I was worried he couldn't see, because his eyes looked lost. I layed on the guernie with him and sang to him until he fell asleep. Once he was stable, they took him for a chest x-ray to check for pnemonia. His heart rate began to return to normal and he was able to drink some pedialyte. My mom and dad and Bobby's mom arrived and Bobby came in a bit later.
We were discharged later in the afternoon and sent home with a script for an antibiotic (it was an ear infection after all) Alex sufferered from a Febrile Seizure -very commone in children when they experience a sudden change in body temperature. It is not life threatening, but I can attest that it is very scary. There is not any kind of brain damage associated with this type of seizure.
His fever has been wacky since we've been home. Even with Tylenol, it's been up to 102.6 and down to 100.5. So we have started alternating Tylenol and Motrin in hopes that his body temperature will stabilize. I have had to give him a cold bath once, and he has been sleeping a whole lot too. His little body must be exhausted from all the commotion. Needless to say, we will keep a close eye on him all night.
Ava seems to be well aware that something is just not right with her brother. She seems lost and sad.

Today was the scariest day of my life. I just thank God that it wasn't worse that it was, and that we are all home together again.

Go and kiss your babies. Thank God for them daily.

The hole in my jeans

The other day I discovered a hole in my favorite jeans. These aren't my most favorite jeans, but they are my most favorite fat jeans - I only have 2 pairs of those. I have about 8 pairs of skinny jeans, and those are all my favorites, because they are, well, single digit sizes if we must be technical.
Anyway, this hole in my jeans in not in crotch and not in the butt - which are the typical places I'd expect to split my pants when I need to be reminded it's time to start dieting again. The hole is in the left knee, and it's actually kind of cool looking. But, let's face it, I'm not young and I'm not as cool as I used to be. BUT there is still hope... maybe, just maybe, I can be skinny again. Then it won't matter if there is a hole in my knee - cuz my ass (did I just type that!?) will look fantastic.

And so I have finally decided that I will be making the necessary lifestyle changes to turn me into the skinny person I was before there was Ava and Alex. My plan includes using Fitday to track and analyze my dietary needs. I have used this program in the past and it works for me. I love it. I'll also be starting to get some much needed exercise. I don't think I'll be able to run (which has been a major contribution to my past weight loss success) due to my back injuries, but I will start with walking, and maybe I can work up to jogging at some point.

My best friend Kate is getting married in July. I am flying to Hawaii (by myself!) for her wedding. I'd like to lose just 15 lbs in the next three months. I can do it, and now that I've let you in on it, you bet your ass (oops, I said it again!) I'll do it.

The only problem is.... everytime I get skinny, I get pregnant. Hmm, maybe I need to re-think my plan.

Part two (followup from yesterday's post)

Unless you are up for a challenge, I would highly recommend against serving rice to your toddler. I should have learned my lesson after last night's dinner disaster, but tonight they just couldn't hold off for the pizza daddy was bringing home, and I had to give them something... and leftovers it was. I thought I was being smart by putting the rice in a bowl when I served it. wrong! They examined it, and then preceeded to dump it (mostly on the tray) before they attempted to eat it. The result? Cheesy rice.... everywhere. I spent more time cleaning up the high chairs and the floor than they actually spent eating. And even tho I stripped them down to their onesies before removing them from their chairs, I still found little 'rice trails' leading to wherever the little grubs decided to wander. I even managed to come across some of the dried up rice from last night - much easier to clean than the 'fresh stuff.' Gross. Safe to say we won't be having rice again for awhile.

it never ends....

I remember the days (not so long ago) when I longed for no more bottles - no more bottles to prepare and more importantly, no more bottles to WASH. I thought for sure I'd have so much time on my hands when the bottle washing days were behind me. I could start a new hobby - or maybe catch an extra hour or so of sleep. HAH. Now my bottle washing time has been replaced... by HIGH CHAIR clean up time. What's worse? I have to clean the highchairs (or at least the trays) EVERY TIME they eat - not to mention 4 hands, 10 fingers, 2 mouths and other occasional body parts - depending on what the meal was. (It's actually quite amazing to discover where a toddler can hide a a morsel! Isn't anatomy fun?) I spend endless hours (okay, minutes) on my hands and knees pushing crumbs into a pile once they are finished 'eating' only to discover that the floor has actually been fed more than the children. And we don't want them to eat those floor casualities (hah, if you think this doesn't happen in my house, you don't know me at all!) because that's just gross. And why is it that even after the 400th cheerio, they still need to eat the ones that feel on the floor? Perhaps we need to think about getting a dog.
After meal clean up is very important, but lately I'd give anything for a day of just bottles - the good ole days.

Not Irish today

Ava is dressed in red. Alex has on a blue/green plaid shirt- certainly not on purpose. I didn't remember it was actually St. Patrick's Day until after everyone was bathed and dressed this morning. Ever since I have been married, (the day I "became" Italian) this holiday has meant nothing to me. Let me rethink that... ever since I have been out of college and binge drinking was no longer a festive activity, this holiday has meant nothing to me. In fact, I never even considered myself Irish - yet my paternal grandmother's maiden name was Lavin. Shame on me.
I have memories of my mom making Irish potatoes, and corned beef and cabbage each year on this day when I was growing up. Yum! I guess when you 'become' Italian (or graduate college and have 3 kids) it just doesn't matter anymore.
So tonight, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, we will be having (Steak and) Potatoes for dinner. And maybe a side of pasta.

The abyss of the subwoofer

Some toys had gone missing. No big deal. I knew they were somewhere in this house - in between the sofa cousions, under my bed, in a laundry basket - who knows? But they always (usually) turn up somewhere. One day last week I caught Alex 'hiding' some toys in the subwoffer that sits next to our tv. That led to a new discovery... (some of) the missing toys! (in addition to some tissues and some other junk) My arm was barely skinny enough to fit inside to dig it all out. (note to self, eat more salad)
Now that I think of it, this may have been the same day Alex decided to show off his climbing abilities. Smarty Pants.

The Amazing Alex

This table and chair set from Ikea sits in the foyer in our house...

How did he get up there? kid must have been a monkey in his past life. He loves to climb.

Socks and onesies, onesies and socks

If you have ever seen Max and Ruby on Noggin (Robert's favorite show these days) you can sing the title of this post to the tune of the theme song. Is anyone getting it? Anyone?
Anyway... I don't have a 'laundry schedule' I just kind of do it whenever it piles up enough. Today it was whites and it consisted of (you guessed it) mostly socks and onesies. My guess is that I hadn't done whites in 6 days - based solely on the fact that there were 12 onesies in this particular load.
And this is why I dread folding laundry...

FIghts and Water, not waterfights

Alex very much enjoys climbing the steps and seems to have radar that whenever the gate is open, he can climb. And boy is he fast! He'll crawl into the bathroom and entertain himself with a roll of toilet paper or he'll crawl into Robert's room and play with his toys. When I realize where he is, he thinks its a game, and lets out a squeal and will crawl away as fast as he can. I have noticed him 'talking' a whole lot more in the past couple of weeks and his appetite seems to be changing. He used to eat pretty much anything, but lately he has become more picky - just like his big brother - ugh.
Ava is practically running these days. She still boasts her 'in charge' attitude. Today I asked her where her baby was. She walked over to her doll and looked at her, then looked at me. I told her to hug the baby. She picked her up and snuggled with her - actually she kind of clenched the doll between her neck, but I knew what she meant. I was impressed. Today, she bit Alex's finger. I was surprised since Alex has been the 'biter' lately. They already fight like a brother and sister should. She wants what he has, He wants what she has. I give her the exact same thing that he has, and she still wants what he has. She eats off of his tray, he takes her sippycup, they pull eachother's hair. Then I pull my own hair! It's a wonderful life.
And then there is Robert. Roobert has a new fascination with water. Kid won't drink it, heck, he won't even take a bath these days. But for some reason he will take any recepticle he can find, run to the bathroom, fill it with water and find somewhere to dump it. Let's see, so far he has dumped it in a toy traincar, (which had holes in it and made for a mess on my kitchen floor) in his toy ball popper, and lastly, on the TV and cablebox in his playroom. That was an interesting evening. He claims he was trying to 'clean it.' Is this the same kid who pretends not to hear me when I sing the clean up song? how about picking up those trains, buddy? Leave the 'big cleaning' to mommy!

This takes the cake

The highlight of the birthday party...

I'm aging

I was just talking with a friend last night about how we feel as if our parents will forever be 35 year old. Now, as we are nearing the age that we still think our parents still are, there needs to be some kind of reality check. I suppose I have mini-checks every now and then. Today was one of them.
I was driving home from the chiropractor (my back often reminds me that I'm not a kid anymore) I was bored with FM radio- same songs, different day. I flipped to AM and found myself listening to - and very much enjoying- talk radio. I must be growing up after all. I guess all the gray hairs I've been sporting weren't enough to convince me of that.

A year in review

It's been a year since these twins entered the world. Our lives have been flipped upside down - in the best way ever! I can't even imagine life without them or life with just one baby - how weird is that?
I thought I'd take this opportunity to share some twin math as we reflect on their first year of life:
Approx # of diapers changed: 4380
Approx # of diapers that were poops: 2390
Approx # of bottles made/washed: 4160
Money spent on diapers: $1585.00
Money spent on formula: $7000.00
Kisses given daily: 67
Hours spent cuddling: 1480
Hours spent talking in baby talk: 2500
Hour lost in sleep: 1095

This has been the best and most rewarding years of my life and boy how it's flown by! I have 3 healthy and happy children that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world!
Happy Birthday Alex and Ava!

Robert is all boy!

I have been pretty impressed with his creativity lately. This morning he made these 'planes' all by himself. (He said the red one is for me) Impressive, if you ask me - he's not even 3 yet!

Alex's first haircut

Before...



After...still holding a grudge

whose legs are these anyway?

I realized that my kids have Cabbage Patch Doll legs! Have you ever seen anything cuter???




I had a hard time getting a pic of Alex. Whenever he sees the camera he tries to get it from me.

Allergy testing

Alex had his allergy tests done yesterday. They tested for indoor/outdoor allergens (cats, dogs, feathers, mold etc) and also for common food allergies (wheat, protein, peanuts, milk, eggs) The good news is that he tested negative for all of those things. (Hooray!) The bad news is that we still don't know what it is that is causing him to throw up dairy. The allergist wants Alex to have some bloodwork done. He said that often a skin test may come up negative but a blood test can be more accurate. I asked if it would be possible for him to just have a 'milk sensitivity' and he told me that it is very possible. It is called gastroenteritis and it is usually overcome by 1-2 years of age. My hunch as a mommy is that that may be what we are dealing with. But we'll know more after the bloodtest results. We would have gone for the blood work today, but I couldn't find the place and Bobby has my gps in his car.

Anyway, Alex was a trooper for the tests. Even the nurses were impressed! For now we need to stick with the soy, continue the trial and error with his diet and we'll return to the allergist for a 'milk challenge' in the summer.

knock knock...

who's there?

People are always telling me that they love to read my blog. I love hearing that, but I especially love hearing it from people that I didn't know were readers of our blog.
If you subscribe to our blog or keep tabs on us, please let me know who you are! I'd love to know what kind of fan club we have going out there! Leave me a comment or send me an email. Please? :)

Alex on the steps

New surprises everyday...

Life back to normal....

Julie and Howard returned from Mexico last night. Boy, did they look rejuvinated - tan and energized. I was so happy for them. The live such busy lives, and they needed a break. The boys were so happy to see them. Linus seemed a bit comfused at first, but it wasn't long before he was sticking his hands down his mommy's shirt. Julie pumped over 150 oz of breastmilk while they were away (she's unbelieveable) and only encountered a small bit of trouble trying to get it back into the country. We stayed up talking until about midnight and I got to sleep in this morning. We went out to lunch and then the Halls began their drive back to Boston.
We returned to a quiet (but messy) house, and I began to feel sad. I miss the boys. I miss the craziness and the noise that was everyday. Robert keeps saying "I mitt Ahvah" Translation: 'I miss Oliver.' And I tell him that I miss him too, but that he'll be back in 2 weeks for Ava and Alex's birthday party.
Before I jumped into this adventure, I said it could go one of two ways - I would say "It wasn't so bad" OR I would say "I am never doing that again!" Would I do it again? Certainly. The Hall boys really are good boys and I enjoyed every precious minute of them and I'll never get those moments back.
So, it looks like I have my life back - back to 3 under 3, but not for long for Robert will be 3 before we know it! Back to clipping coupons, folding laundry and changing diapers. It will just be a little less noisy and a few less diapers!
But first, just a little bit of letdown.

Five under 4 - day 4

4pm: Taking a few Tylenol - and perhaps a glass of wine later tonight... if I can stay awake.

Five under Four - day 3

Gram came today! She arrived early this morning - the boys were so excited to see her! She brought wooded cars for them to play with and new books to read. Robert went to school this morning, and then it started to snow! It pretty much fell all day until it turned to sleet/freezing rain at about 7pm. Gram decided to stay over - what a treat! I was able to get to the grocery store while she was here. The day was productive and the extra hands were nice. I am so glad my mom was able to help out. The kids loved having her here, too. Of course, 5 o'clock was the witching hour and things got crazy but 7pm arrived quickly and I was relieved.

We were all in bed by 9pm - no naps for the boys today, so they were pooped. I am starting to think that my 3 kids will seem alot easier when these guys go home. I also had a quick thought - actually 2 - one was that I love the sound of happy kids in my house and the other was that maybe I should consider taking in some kids to make some extra cash. Need to discuss that platform later with Bobby. This week has been one of the most fulfilling weeks in my motherhood career. I love to be needed and I feel so accomplished. Just ask Robert, he'll tell you - "Mommy's the Boss!"

Life with FIVE under 4 - day 2 (part 2)

Tonight at 5:30pm, all heck broke loose in the Trif house. (This is always a hectic time for us, but when you throw 2 more kids into the mix, it gets worse!) I had just cooked dinner and called the boys over to eat. Oliver complained of a tummy ache and he didn't want to eat. he hasn't pooped since Friday, and I knew he needed to go. He's had tummy/constipation issues in the past so I was on to him. I saw this coming and all day long had been offering him foods that will make him go. I made him sit on the potty - but he was too afriad to go. I've tried every bribe in the book. We are making some progress, but he is scared because he knows it will hurt. Poor kid. Anyway, he was screaming and crying on the potty while I was trying to feed Ava and Alex and Linus had just woken up from a nap. I really wanted to spend time with Oliver on the potty, but the other kids needed me too. The twins and needed baths and bottles. They were so tired and miserable. Linus wanted to eat, and Robert just wanted to put his ziti in his milk and make a mess. (ugh)
By 7:15, Alex and Ava were in bed, Linus was having a bottle and Oliver was resting upstairs. Bobby walked in as I was cleaning up the disaster in the kitchen. I couldn't wait to eat - I was starving.

Now everyone is in bed. Robert and Oliver both napped today, so they are not as exhausted as they have been the past 2 nights. They are watching cartoons and hopefully will be asleep shortly. I fed Linus his cereal and wrapped him up like last night. He has been sleeping for almost 2 hours. Fingers crossed.
Robert has school tomorrow, and he will be going. Based on today, I think some time apart will be good for the boys. Robert has become really possessive and pretty much a brat when it comes to sharing. My mom is coming for the day tomorrow, and she can have some one on one time with Oliver. It will be nice.

I changed 14 poops today. Only three were from Linus - the rest were from my kids. That is a bit more excessive than usual. I don't think I even changed that many in one day back in my daycare days!
Must sleep... it's a new day tomorrow...

Life with FIVE under 4 - day 2 (part 1)

Much better night last night! Bobby swaddled Linus and he slept soundly in the pack and play from 8pm until 4am! I kept waking up to check on him - certain that something had to be wrong. I gave him cereal last night and I am wondering if that made a difference (I never believe those old wive's tales) Robert and Oliver slept in the guest bed again. They both woke up once in the night at about the same time. Robert came into our room to get us, and Oliver just cried a bit for him mom and dad but went right back to sleep.
It's just after 2pm and the house is quiet and still. Everyone is asleep! I've managed to amaze myself! Jon and Kate plus 8, you've got nothin' on me!
Other accomplishments today:
I've changed 8 poopie diapers, clipped some coupons, took a shower, bathed the boys and washed and changed the sheets on our bed and Alex and Ava's cribs. Thank goodness for naps! Coffee reheat count: 7. I'm wishing I had more coffee right now!
Bobby has class tonight after work, so he will be home late. I imagine I'll probably be ready to crash sometime after 7pm.
We tried a photo shoot this morning. How is it that the younger kids are the ones actually looking at the camera?

Allergist update

Just realized I forgot to update on last week's allergist appt...

I wasn't sure what to expect - I wasn't sure if they'd run tests right then and there or what. They gave me a questionairre loaded with tons of stuff from what kind of mattress does he sleep on to what kind of detergents we use. Then they took us back and asked a ton more questions. I think they were thrown off since he was stuffy and had a runny nose from his cold. They voiced some concern that he has had 3 ear infections and some respiratory issues, but I needed to keep reminding them that we were there because we suspected a milk allergy. But I guess it is standard procedure for them to explore everything...

Anyway, long story short, we had to schedule another visit to do two 'panels' of allery tests - one indoor/outdoor and one common foods. That will be on the 18th.
In the mean time, the doctor gave me a prescription for a lotion called Mimyx to use on his excema. The pedi had given me some samples of the same stuff a few weeks ago, but he never explained that it works with water and his face should be damp when I apply it. His face started to look better after just a few applications.
They also gave me a pamplet on Atopic Dermatitis (Excema) and a guide on how to include calcium in his diet without milk and a paper on common words for 'milk' that can be found on ingredient labels.
He told me to avoid dairy and supplement soy formula a few times a day so he is still getting fatty acids that he doesn't get from the soy milk. He should avoid eggs, fish and nuts until he is 5 years old. And we now have an epi-pen on hand - just in case.

As far as his diet goes, it's going to be trial and error since I am finding that some dairy is tolerable for him and some (most) is not. argh.

What I am bummed about most: He may not be able to have any of his first birthday cake! Hopefully we'll have the answers before then.

Life with five under 4 - day 1

Preface: This week, my sister and her husband are vacationing in Mexico. They had planned to leave their kids (Oliver 3, and Linus 6 months) with my parents, but I offered to take them since my parents have alot going on right now and since my house is already child-proofed and we knew Oliver and Robert would enjoy spending a whole week togther. (And because, hey, what's 2 more?) I've decided to blog this experience...
We got an earlier start than usual today. Linus did not want to sleep last night, and the best he gave me was a stretch from 12:45 - 2:30am. After that he was up about every 20-30 minutes. Somewhere in there Alex woke up and remained restless. I finally gave un around 5:30 and we went downstairs to start the day. I put Linus in his stroller (he likes to sleep in the Bugaboo) and he immediately fell asleep. Go figure. I emptied the dishwasher and started some coffee. It wasn't long before Alex and Ava were up for the day too. Bottles and Breakfast were had by 7:30 and the twins were dressed. Linus had a bath and Robert and Oliver woke up and started their day. I plopped them in our jacuzzi tub and I jumped in the shower while they played. Alex and Ava had their usual naps today and pretty much remained in their routine. Linus napped sporadically and drank his bottles. He also had some rice cereal and applesauce - which he loved! I pureed him some peaches and some mixed berries that he can try tomorrow. And I somehow managed to get 4 loads of laundry done - and folded - and put away! Of course it was wonderful to have Bobby home today (he is so happy to have to go to work tomorrow!) the day was pretty smooth, with just a few bumps - certainly harder than I imagined, but still nothing unmanageable for me.
So, I guess the worst part of the day happened before it even started (The sleeping (or lack of) part.) It really makes me appreciate what good sleepers my kids are!
Now, Linus is swaddled in the pack and play next to my bed, Ava and Alex have been asleep for hours and Robert and Oliver are tucked nicely together in the guest bed with heavy eyes and tired souls. For tomorrow is another day... with five under 4!

My week as a single mom

Bobby has been in Huntsville, Alabama (Alabammom - according to Robert) since Sunday, and I have succumbed to life as a single mommy once a again. As usual, I was dreading the thought of being alone all week, but I reminded myself that thing s DO indeed run smoothly in Bobby's absence and heck, it couldn't be nearly as bad as last time he was away - when the kids were sick and my back was in bad shape.
WRONG.
On Monday, all three kids had snotty noses. No big deal. I just got a deal on a bunch of Kleenex from CVS, we'll just eat our way through that. Monday night, Alex is coughing. Tuesday, Ava's snot is yellow, and the allergist tells me Alex has 'some' fluid in his ears, but 'he'll be okay.'
Wednesday afternoon, I'm playing on the floor with the kids and I'm suddenly paralyzed! I manage to stand up, but then I can't walk. I give myself a few minutes and I was able to get to the phone to call the chiropractor. He tells me to come in immediately. Luckily, it was not related to my disc injury - I just pulled my sacralilium, but he popped me back into place and sent me on my way. BUT I need to come back on Friday.
Thurday, we call Dr. Novak. Alex and Ava have more that just a cold. They are put on antibiotics (Alex has double ear infections - again! And Ava is treated for Sinusitis) Thank goodness their lungs are clear - I hate that dang nebulizer and I'm so glad we don't have to use it this time.
Friday, We're having company It's my birthday. My parents are coming for dinner. The Halls are coming for the weekend - And I am NOT cleaing the house - not on my birthday! It looks like a daycare threw up in here - and I hope they don't mind a little bit of dust. Julie and Howard are leaving the boys here for the week while they go to Mexico. Am I crazy?

All in all, this week was basically a repeat of the last time Bobby went away. Next week should be an adventure. The title of the next chapter in my book - "A week with FIVE under 4!"

Allergist

We have an appointment with the allergist tomorrow morning for Alex. Hopefully we'll have some answers sooner than later.
My neighbor suggested that he may be allergic to corn syrup, and I have a feeling he may be allergic to eggs. Yesterday, he threw up after almost everything he ate, and today his pants are really loose around the waste. I have a feeling he is losing weight since we started the soymilk, and I may put him on a soy formula instead. Will update tomorrow with whatever we find out...

A diaper full of surprises...

Today Alex had a really stinky (and runny) diaper. I opened it up, and to my surprise, there was a dum-dum wrapper -fully intact, just rolled up a bit (remember my post about Robert and his lollipops?) I saw this very wrapper on the floor last night, and I swore I threw it away. Apparently not - Alex got to it first.
He may throw up dairy, but at least we know paper passes. :)

We meet Levi!

The Trifs drove out to PIttsburgh on Thursday to meet the newest Gladu - Levi Xavier. We had a great time - it was so nice to relax with Rob and Germaine in their home (I really love their house!) The kids were well behaved - for the most part - and the car rides were pleasant and painless. And Levi - well, he's just perfect! A little love! We can't wait to see him again!