Rainy Days and Mondays

It rained all day today. It wasn't the usual Southern California rain. Light sprinkles followed by sunshine and 70 degree weather. It rained ALL DAY today.

We had a play date planned with another set of twins. We met the parents at our birthing class and then again saw them in the NICU. Their little girl was in for a couple of weeks, it was a pretty uneventful stay but nonetheless it was a NICU stay and that is never fun. Oddly enough one day Elizabeth was walking her two babies and Scott was outside working on the yard and they ran into each other. It turns out that Elizabeth and Tamar live just up the street from us! We've been trying to get together for some time now, and we'd finally made plans. I was very excited. I'd set out some snacks, cleaned out the coffee pot, etc. Elizabeth and the kids were to come over around 9 and they'd leave around 11, in time to get home for their naps and our lunch. About 8:45 I got a call from Elizabeth, she and Coby had a cold...No play date.

Now normally this wouldn't be a big deal. I'd take the kids to the park, or to Borders Babies Story time...but remember it was RAINING!!!! We live in San Diego! We don't have RAIN gear! It was raining so hard that by the time I got the second baby out of the car, the first baby would be drenched, not to mention me! I kept waiting for a break in the storm, alas there was none.

So we were stuck inside ALL DAY!

One of the fun things about being stuck inside with two 19 month olds is that you get to stretch all of your parenting muscles. We played with playdough, rode around indoors in the wagon, played in our playhouse, and played all of our kids music. One of our CD's is called 20 songs every kid should know. One of those songs is "If You're Happy and You Know It". The boys clapped their hands, stomped their feet and blinked their eyes as prompted by the guy singing! I was so shocked that they could do all of these things without my help that I forgot to get the video camera!!! I know we have to get this on tape, but when Scott came home, he had the boys perform their new trick, and in addition, we played "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" I've learned most of the signs for this song from going to Borders Babies Story Time and so I use the signs with the boys as much as I can. Today it looks like it's paying off! During the line, "like a diamond in the sky" you touch your pointer finger to your ring finger, and tonight, RYAN did it!!!

I'm a little shocked because it's been Evan that has been signing up a storm, so the fact that Ryan is picking up different, not often used signs, makes me really happy that I've continued to give the boys this ability to use language.

It wasn't so bad being stuck inside all day, it could have been much, much worse. The babies had great naps and great dinners, and are now snuggly in thier beds. Let's hope they stay that way!

The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music

My sister-in-law suggested that we try Kindermusic with the boys. I checked into it, and there isn't really a place close to us, and close is really the key when trying to get out weekly with twins.

One of Scott's co-workers suggested Music for Kids, I did some research and this place is only about five minutes away from our house. PERFECT right? I thought so!

Today was our first class, and it was just one of those mornings. Class started at 9:15, so my plan was to start loading up the car at 8:45. That would give us plenty of time to get our shoes on, get into the car, get there, unload, get inside, pay for the classes, and get settled and acclimated before class.

To accomplish an 8:45 departure, the boys must start their bottles at 8:15 AM and everything must go smoothly. So rather than a long narrative, I'll just breakdown the time line of my morning.

5:50 AM Ryan wakes
6:00 AM Ryan wakes up Evan who has been sleeping on the living room floor since 4:30AM
6:15 AM Mommy starts making breakfast
6:20 AM Daddy starts feeding Evan
6:22 AM Mommy places Ryan's cooled scrambled egg on tray
6:23 AM Mommy makes Ryan's toast
6:24 AM Mommy unloads the dishwasher, makes the days bottles, cleans up breakfast dishes
6:40 AM Daddy heads for the shower, Mommy continues the above
6:41 AM Mommy lets the boys out of chairs, Mommy continues the above
7:00 AM Daddy leaves for work
7:01 AM Mommy changes Evan's poop filled diaper, disposes of diaper, and washes hands
7:06 AM Mommy changes Ryan's poop filled diaper, disposes of diaper, and washes hands
7:15 AM Mommy chases Ryan and Evan around the house, trying to dress them
7:30 AM Mommy gulps down a bagel, Mommy needs energy for Music class
7:45 AM Mommy gives Evan his meds
8:00 AM Mommy gets bottles and lets Ryan sit on couch to drink
8:02 AM Mommy catches Evan, Evan throws up on couch and floor and clothes
8:03 AM Mommy cleans up vomit. Realizes that Ryan is pouring milk all over himself and the couch
8:05 AM Mommy cleans up milk, Ryan and Evan's poop filled diapers, disposes of diapers and washes hands

Okay, you get the picture...crazy morning. Evan proceeded to throw up again, all over his new clothes, me and the spot on the floor that I just finished cleaning up.

So in our third outfit of the day, Evan finished his bottle, we got out the door, and made it to class, EARLY! Am I good or what?

Ah yes, MUSIC CLASS!

I spent 45 minutes singing and dancing while the boys stood in the middle of the room looking at me like I had two heads, Ryan sat in the lap of another lady and the boys commandeered the teachers keyboard. Can't wait until next week.

The Long Weekend Draws to a Close

One of the best things about Thanksgiving is (no not the Turkey) the four day weekend that accompanies the Holiday. Four days is like a mini-vacation. In the world of twins, having Dad home for four days straight is a little slice of heaven.

We made the most of our slice, we had a great Thanksgiving Day, with good food, and a trip to the park by our house.

Friday Daddy went surfing in Carlsbad in the morning, and we, (Grandma, Ryan, Evan and Mommy) met him and some of our kayaking friends at Pizza Port. (mmmm---Beer Buddies)

After posing for some pictures, and lots of hugs, Grandma left for home on Saturday morning, we were all sad to see her go. Fortunately, we will all be together again in a couple of weeks to celebrate our "special" Christmas with her! The boys really enjoyed having her here and she really enjoyed seeing how much they have grown in only a month or so!
After we said good-bye to Grandma, we met our friends, Philip, Meredith, and Tobin at the aquarium. I decided that since we had 4 adults, and 3 babies, one of which is not walking yet, we should go sans-stroller.

Now, I've been practicing this being out of the stroller in public thing in spurts, by myself, and it's really not that bad. (It's better than a root canal) The boys are great, the listen, (although they do not obey) hold my hands (in that using all of their body weight to extract their hand from mine way) and we all get a new view on things. (They on their feet and me on my backside with sweat dripping into my eyes)

The aquarium is a great place for this, we go out to the tide pool and touch a starfish or a sea cucumber. We can go inside and push levers, or look at fish. When I'm alone, the best place for looking at fish is the huge floor to ceiling aquarium. There is a little ledge where the boys can stand and screech as fish, sharks, and rays swim by. I just park the stroller and let the boys out and we spend a leisurely half hour or so staring at the fish. (Okay, leisurely might mean something different than what it means to you, but my perception is really all that matters right?) I then calmly (Read: someone is crying because they really don't want to get back in, and someone else is arching their back staying stiff as a board so as not to place his backside anywhere near the seat) secure both boys back into the stroller and we move on to another area where I let the wild animals loose again.

I digress...(more on the out of stroller escapades in another post)

We went to the aquarium Saturday, had a blast looking at fish and hanging out with our friends!
This is Tobin, he likes the fish too!

After the aquarium, we stuck to the day's theme and had fish tacos for lunch, is that a little sick? Obviously, Scott had a carne asada burrito. Ryan tried a little fish, but was happiest with his dino bites. Evan kept making attempts at salsa, if drenching everything in salsa gets him to eat and swallow, bring on the La Victoria!

Today we tried Christmas shopping. Tried is key word here, but I'll save that for another post.

Our First Haircut

Evan has been in the need of a haircut for a long time now. I have been vigorously fighting against touching a single hair on his 95th percentile head. Not because I want a long haired hippie baby, but because once you cut a baby's hair, there is just no going back. Gone forever is the wispy unkempt baby hair, and you are left with little boy hair. Evan has been brushing hair out of his eyes and blinking a lot, and with his eye troubles, I really don't want to be making things worse, so I relented. And of course, in twin world, what is good for one is good for another, even if your hair is still a good length and not causing you any trouble. If someone is going to do first haircuts, everyone is going to do first haircuts.




Evan and Ryan Before
















Well as you can see, Evan knew he needed it and sat patiently while Grandma snipped and trimmed his precious locks. Ryan on the other hand-- not so much. He twisted and turned, flung his arms to and fro and looked at me with "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!!!!" written all over his face.

It's not perfect, but the first one is over, we've had our photo op, and it should be a while before we have to do this again!

The after has my two babies looking very much like little boys. *sigh* It seems like only yesterday they were itty bitty babies in incubators. *sigh, sigh, sigh*

Happy Thanksgiving!

So, I've been trying to start a Blog for quite a while now. If you can call two years quite a while. I have no good excuse before the boys came home, but since they have been home I have tried no fewer than 8 or 9 times. It seems that every time I get a paragraph started, someone wakes up from a nap earlier than expected, someone wants the attention of BOTH his parents, all day. Whatever the excuse, I just haven't gotten to it. My Thanksgiving resolution is to post what I have even if it is not complete, or written just the way I want it to, or edited for content. So if you are reading, do so at your own risk, thoughts may just end and never pick up again, spelling may be off, grammar atrocious, and sentences may just go on, and on, and on...

All that being said,

THANKSGIVING--

We have so much to be thankful for.

We are Thankful that they are here, alive, happy and healthy.
We are Thankful that they were born in a hospital with an amazing Level III NICU.
We are Thankful that they had the most extraordinary Doctors and Nurses to care for them during their five month stay.
We are Thankful that after five months we were able to bring home two baby boys, and watch them grow and develop.
We are Thankful that our boys appear to be developing normally, slightly delayed, but on a normal trajectory.
We are Thankful that everyday our boys smile, laugh, run and play.
We are Thankful that with their tough start, these boys may bear physical scars, but we haven't seen any emotional ones.
We are SO Thankful that Ryan and Evan have filled our lives, completed our souls, and brighten each and every waking moment.

Ah yes, and We are Thankful that they are finally both in bed, so we can be too.