I'm a little late to the party, and other ramblings

Some of you may laugh at me for this because I am so lame, but for others of you I want to share some wisdom that has never been shared with me.

On my Christmas list this year was a food processor. A nice medium sized one. I've owned the small two cup type and recently (last 3 years) used it often for grinding up chicken, or sweet potatoes, one breast or potato at a time...tedious, yes. So I thought hm, what thing do I sort of need, but would never go out an buy for myself because well, do I really need a new kitchen gadget? (I would always answer yes to that question, but Scott feels differently, he tends to go on cleaning binges and I find out when I go to use my jar opener that he has decided that it is unnecessary and absolutely needs to be thrown away, now.) Plus I've got pretty decent knife skills so until recently, (now that I cook in bulk and freeze multiple meals,) it's been easy enough to chop, dice and slice by hand. Any way, I was really happy to get my food processor and even more excited to use it.

So the other day I was at Costco and we needed cheese, as we always do in this dairy loving family. I normally buy the brand name version that comes in cute little 2 pound blocks, however, I'm feeling frugal ($400 in swim lessons will do that to me)so I decided to try the Kirkland cheese. The one that comes in the gigantic 5 pound block of cheese, which automatically makes me thing of the West Wing episode where they have the "big block of cheese day" Which was a great episode on a great TV show. If you ever have a few hours months to spare, I highly recommend the first few seasons of the West Wing. I personally watched every single episode, because I am like that, but some people tired of the series around season 4 or 5. I LOVE Aaron Sorkin, and I have watched all episodes of all his series even if I was the only one. He's doing the Facebook Movie by the way and I am really interested in what he comes up with.

Like I said in the title of this post...ramblings.

Okay, so what to do with a big block of cheese? Well, grate it and freeze it of course. I happen to be the proud owner of 3 deep freezers so there is never usually room in one of them for extra staples. I buy milk on sale (organic 1/2 gallons buy one get one free for $4) and freeze it. Anything else we might use in bulk, chicken, etc. if it's on sale, I stock up. (rambling)

So normally I would have had to grate all of that cheese by hand or freeze it in chunks for grating later (which is okay too). But with my handy new food processor, I grated 5 pounds of cheese in like 10 minutes. The hardest part was getting it into the baggies. Why didn't someone tell me how cool these things are?

I also shredded lettuce and made guacamole, all with a swift push of a button. Wow.

I can't wait to make some vegetarian lasagna, all that shredding of veggies, it will be so fast! So simple, so quick. This thing is AWESOME!

So I need to know what else can I do with this thing?


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Out of the mouths of:

Evan: Evan was SHOCKED to see a blue door (pause for effect) on the BOUNCY.

Ryan: Wait, I have an idea. (runs off)

*****
Evan: All of a sudden Evan woke up and there was a monster.
Me: A Monster?
Evan: A Ryan Monster, and he said "Wake UP!"

*****

Ryan: Mom, ... (yes Ryan has gone from calling me Mommy, all the time to Mom. sigh. they grow up too fast. Thank goodness when he is upset he still calls me Mommy.)

*****

Ryan: (The few mornings and afternoons before Christmas) Wake Up. It's Christmas time!!!!

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I've got so much rumbling around in my brain to write about, but never enough quiet time, energy, etc. to get it out of my brain through my fingers.

I HAVE to write about Evan's EATING!!! New Year's Eve, and a couple of other things, but for now, I HAVE to go to bed.

Christmas Past...and so is New Year's and at this rate this post will be finished around Valentine's Day.

We had a very busy holiday week. Our 500 mile car trip was, let's just say, not pleasant. In the past we have made the trek in the evening and late into the night. The boys have their snack and are off to dream land. The transfer from car to bed has been made with varying levels of success, however the trip is usually filled with lots of sleep and peaceful time for the adults to read, listen to music, or gasp have adult conversations.

The last few trips have seen a sharp decrease in effectiveness, leading up to this year's disaster. Okay, I exaggerate, not really a disaster, but a trip, leaving me shaking my head, covering my eyes, and begging for children to fall asleep.

We had short naps and then, at about 10:30 we woke up and were raring to go. Evan has become quite a motor mouth. Talking about everything, anything and all the time. He was quite the instigator in the mayhem that filled our Odyssey. We were treated to about 3 hours of the little drummer boy, sung at full voice my Evan, with harmonizing vocals from Ryan. We also had several hundred renditions of the ABC song, A few choruses of Jingle Bells, and the singing of every kind of truck that passed the windows.

About an hour from our destination, the debates started. It went a lot better than the Vice Presidential Debates of 2008, everyone stayed on point.

Evan: Evan First
Ryan: Ryan First
Evan: Evan First
Ryan: Ryan First
Evan: Evan First
Ryan: Ryan First
Evan: Evan First
Ryan: Ryan First
Evan: Evan First
Ryan: Ryan First
Evan: Evan First
Ryan: Ryan First
Evan: EVAN FIRST
Ryan: RYAN FIRST
Evan: EVAN FIRST
Ryan: RYAN FIRST
Evan: EVAN FIRST
Ryan: RYAN FIRST
Evan: EVAN FIRST
Ryan: RYAN FIRST
Evan: EVAN FIRST
Ryan: RYAN FIRST
Evan: EVAN FIRST
Ryan: RYAN FIRST

You get the idea...this went on with "Evan go with Daddy/Ryan go with Daddy" and several other phrases, for the rest of the trip. Now, had it not been 12:30 AM, a good 5 hours past their bed time, it would have been pretty funny. (Even so, it was pretty funny.) I was getting more and more concerned with the lack of sleeping. Knowing full well that Evan was sick, and Ryan was due to catch it any second, knowing that we had a lot of activities planned, and knowing that they would not sleep in at all the next morning, and knowing that I was already exhausted, I knew this was going to be a long, long week.

There were several activities that made the highlight reel for us. The first requires that I mention that we are now members of two train museums 500 miles apart. Yes, with our two trips in one week, and the trip we took over the summer, we've paid for the membership (0r would have had we purchased the membership over the summer)

The second exciting activity was the trampoline place. It was amazing. There were trampolines all over the floor and the walls. The boys and their cousin Madison had a blast. So much so I had to take Evan back for another visit. (He is still asking to go back to the trampoline place.)

Oh, and yes, I only took Evan back. That day the boys couldn't agree on one place to go. Ryan voted for the Train Museum, and Evan the trampoline place, so we split them up. It was really fun. Each boy got our undivided attention, and they got to do the thing THEY wanted to do. I love this and I think we will make an effort to do things with them separately more often. Plus it's a piece of cake with only one kid! ( I found myself trying to parent random children I had so much extra time on my hands.)

We also went to the Zoo, "World Famous" it is not, but it was great fun. There was a ride on train, that of course, we rode on, and it was a manageable place where the boys could walk the entire time. Next to the Zoo is Fairytale Town, a fantastic place for little ones. Slides, things to climb on, play on, all based on Fairytales and children's stories.

More important than the places we went, was all of the time we got to spend with family. The boys loved having time with their Aunts and Uncles, Grand Parents, Great Grand Mother, and Cousin. For us, it was really wonderful to "show off" our little guys. They constantly surprise and amaze us, and it's nice to see other people's reactions to all the things we see everyday.

This age is so amazing, everything is absorbed so quickly, remembered and stored in those sponges they call brains. I'm so glad we are storing some great memories in there.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The trip home wasn't as bad as the trip there. Except no one napped, and Evan talked the ENTIRE way home. I swear I don't remember what about, just that Scott and I laughed that he would be hoarse the next day. He wasn't.

It's a laugh riot over here

Evan and Ryan at dinner last night:

Evan: Go away Ryan monster
Ryan: Go away Evan monster
Both: giggles and laughter

(this goes back and forth until the volume reaches rock concert decibel levels)

******

Evan: I'm singing the ABC song while we do our errands, all by myself!

******

Evan: Where shall we go today?!?

******

Ryan: Mommy, Daddy, I'm ready to get up now and play with my new trucks.

******

Ryan: Over here hay ride, over there Sac-ra-mento. Let's go.

******

Evan: Pizza, let's make pizza.
Ryan: Pizza Port!
Me: What are you guys playing? (just to make sure I heard them right)
Both: We are playing Pizza Port!!!

******

Ryan: Barbecue
Evan: Barbecue goes in the oven
Ryan: Mommy come have Barbecue
Me: YUM that is good barbecue
Evan: It's ribs

******

Evan: Making Muffins!
Evan: Evan making letter muffins!
Evan: Yum

(yes there is a very popular theme here)

******

Ryan: TACKLE!
Evan: TACKLE!
(both boys roll around together on the floor laughing)

******

While running around the house chasing each other and giggling:
Both: PICKLE CAR, PICKLE CAR, PICKLE CAR

******

Ryan: No, no, no, puppy. No, no, no, puppy. TIME OUT!

******

While placing his puppy on a pillow, covering him with a blanket.
Ryan: Good night puppy, sleep tight, no peeps puppy. Sweet Dreams.

******

Also, be very careful what you all your kids. This week alone I have been called spontaneously.
Sweetie, love bug, punkin pie, sweet pea, and my favorite --baby cakes. (seriously, can anything make you laugh more than having your toddler call YOU Baby Cakes. I'm sitting here laughing all by myself just thinking about it.)

Rainy Days and Sick Kids

Evan has an upper respiratory thing. He's coughing and having a tough time sleeping at night. Other than that he's happy as usual.

Since Evan has been having trouble at night, he took a four and a half hour nap yesterday. yes, FOUR AND A HALF HOURS, and I had to go in and wake him up.

While he was napping, I decided to see what it was like to do an art project with a singleton. Gosh life is easier with one, maybe not as interesting, or fun, but a heck of a lot easier.

This is what salt dough ornaments look like with one...




See how neat and orderly. How clean? The concentration on Ryan's face?


This is what art projects are like with two...



It wasn't that bad, just a lot more paint on places like faces, chairs and tables.

(see how Evan's hair looks all wet and plastered to his head? Those pics were taken right after I woke him up, and he was a little sweaty. Call me weird, but I love a fresh out of bed sweaty little baby, there is something so sweet about sleeping so hard you are sweaty.)

32 Month Developmental Follow up Part One

Because the boys were born at 26 weeks, we have been closely followed by the Neuro-developmental follow up clinic. We are seen every 6 months to make sure the boys are on track in all the major groups--fine motor, gross motor, cognitive and language development. Preemies typically have delays in some or all of the major developmental areas and our boys were no exception. Most preemies are caught up by the time they are three.

Last Tuesday Ryan went in for his evaluation. His two hour evaluation. They warned us that this one would be long, so I scheduled the boys for separate appointments on separate days.

The test they use is a standardized test that measures the mental and motor skills of infants and toddlers. There are a number of specialized toys, puzzles and objects and the child is asked to perform various tasks.

Ryan did really well, really well. Not surprisingly, Ryan's language development jumped the scales. Six months ago Ryan was at the very bottom of the mean for his adjusted age, and today, he finds himself at the top for his actual age. Now WE knew his language has taken off in the last 6 months, but it is nice to see that some one else can see it too!

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Ryan has started waking up in the mornings dry. We've been putting him on the potty every morning and he is very happy to pee in the potty. He is also starting to tell me that he has to go pee. Sometimes that means he is going as we speak, or he has just gone, or usually once a day we make it to the potty and he goes. I guess that means we are making progress in this area? Oh dear...

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Yesterday I heard the boys talking about pepperoni and cheese. I asked them what they were doing, I was told quite emphatically, "we are playing Pizza Port". That's my boys!

Three days later and finally this post is finished.

This weekend we had a couple of adventures.

Friday night we went to December Nights in Balboa Park. Scott and I have never done this as a couple. I know, we've lived here for 20 plus years and never ventured out to this annual event.

I took the boys down to Balboa Park (one of our favorite places these days, we go to the Park at least three times a month) by myself at about 4. It was crowded. Even on weekends it doesn't feel crowded. With 1200 acres of museums, paths and fountains, how could it feel crowded? Um, pack in 140,000 people, and try and keep a hold of twin two year old boys who feel like the park is their second home. By the time Scott arrived, I was frazzled, and the crowds were not even close to their peak. I have to credit the boys. The listened very well, and did a fantastic job staying with me even in their beloved Choo Choo Museum, which they both generally have the run of when Scott and I take them there on a normal day.

The boys had a great time with their friend Tobin. Evan is still talking about seeing the "Singing Guys" (which reminds me I have to find a choir performance to take him to) and Ryan loved seeing the cars.

But seriously, what were we thinking taking two toddlers through a sea of 140,000 people?

This weekend we also took the boys to their first musical. The Junior Theater group was putting on a production of Richard Scarry's Busy Town. Richard Scarry happens to be one of our all time favorite authors, so I jumped at the chance to take the boys.

Ryan spent the entire 50 minutes of the show with his mouth agape, staring at the action on the stage. He most enjoyed meeting Lowly after the show. Evan, well, he was a little unsure of the whole production. We had a tough first half of the show, both of us out in the wings. He eventually allowed me to sit down with him and in the end he seemed to have enjoyed it.

Now, four days later they are calling themselves Lowly and Huckle and running around the house in their pickle car.

It's taken me three days to write this post, and there is so much more to say. 99 percent of my Christmas wrapping is done now, so I hope I can spend an evening writing about all of it. (eating, potty training and more!)

I'll leave you with a funny quote from Evan.
"That is a windmill, Evan shouted." Evan shouted as we pulled up to the farmer's market. I guess he's taken to writing dialog, or he's so cool he's now referring to himself in third person. I've been giggling about this since Friday.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

I just realized it has been more than a year since I started this blog. Wow. Lots of changes since last year. In many ways life is easier. In many ways it is harder. In many ways it is the same.

Easier: Um...let me think for a minute. Okay, okay.

Communication--It is much easier to communicate with the boys. They are extremely verbal, and quite opinionated. I certainly know where I stand at all times.

Movement--It doesn't always require a stroller to go to the store. I can sometimes (if I only need one or two things seriously not more than 4 or 5 and it is best if there are two things that the boys can carry so they can "help" me and that makes sure their free hand is occupied so they can't pull everything off of every shelf we walk past.) walk in to the grocery store with the boys walking.

Harder: I'm just going to limit this to a couple.

Testing boundaries--I expected this. I knew it was coming. I know I have a couple of very strong willed kids. (I have NO idea where they get this, ) But I swear there are some days that I spend the entire day saying things like..."If you hit the glass with that clarinet again, I am going to take it away" which is quickly followed by the sound of a purple plastic recorder hitting the glass door while eyes are on me to see what I am going to do next. Which is then followed by me, taking the purple recorder away. Which is followed by screaming and crying. Which is followed by me saying "Why did you lose your clarinet?" Which is followed by "For hitting on glass" Which is followed by me saying something like "No hitting, we do not hit. Time out" (I guess on the positive side, we are understanding (0r else being able to repeat) what we are doing to get us into trouble, and eventually that will lead to what? compliance? complete understanding? impulse control? knowledge that Mommy means what she says?

Whining--Where does this come from??? If I'm not taking toys away I am saying things like "how do we ask for things nicely" or "please use a nice voice" or "I don't understand you when you use that voice"

I spend a lot of my days thinking about Albert Einstein's definition of insanity.
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” Unless you are raising children.

The Same:

Eating --Evan is still not eating. Every test in the book, OT twice a week, and in a last ditch effort another round of specialists in hopes of finding some miracle diagnosis.

The Love--I guess this isn't really the same, the love, it grows, and grows, and grows. How is it possible to love two creatures more every second of every day? Sometimes when they go to bed and want one more kiss or one more big hug, life doesn't get any better than that.

And on that note, who wouldn't love these two?

Our "Puppy" class at the Animal Center was a big hit, as were our puppy ears.

Airplanes and helicopters, talk about a boys dream.

Our turkey "art project" came out looking a little Picasso-esque, but the boys had a fantastic time and I gained some confidence in doing things like this by myself.