Daddy's Birthday

I'm sure I won't win the mom of the year award for feeding Ben chocolate cake the day after his visit to the Emergency Room. But, some things are sacred in our house, and birthdays are one of those things. Plus, the doctors did tell me to keep Ben happy for the next several days since crying can bring on more respiratory distress. I can't think of a better way to keep someone happy than a big helping of chocolate cake!

We've had a good day, despite being cooped up in the house while we wait for Ben's croup to pass. Steve opened his birthday presents this morning, while the buddies ate breakfast. We spent the rest of the day moving from room to room in our house and from the front yard to the back yard to play. The buddies barely seemed to notice that we never left the house since they saw a lot of variety.

Tonight, we'll have cake after dinner, but since the buddies will be in bed, I let them lick the icing from the beaters (a first for them!) and eat the scraps that I cut away to level the cake. Ummm, they thought it was good!

Sad, Sad, Sad

Today is a day I hope not to relive any time soon. Ben woke this morning, struggling to breathe. He'd been coughing since yesterday afternoon and we thought he was coming down with a cold. So, we scheduled an early appointment with our pediatrician and the buddies and I raced out the door.

Our pediatrician quickly diagnosed Ben with croup, a respiratory virus that affects infants and small children. They gave him an oral steroid in the office and then attempted to give him a cool mist treatment. Ben became agitated by the treatment, and when he cried, his breathing problems worsened, so they ran a few more tests and then sent us on to the Children's ER downtown. Steve met me in the parking lot and picked up Ace and took him home.

Ben and I spent the next 5 hours in the ER. After having his chest x-rayed (an awful procedure!) we met a very nice respiratory therapist who got us started on another cool mist treatment. It was naptime, so Ben slept in my arms while I held the mist under his nose and mouth for almost 2 hours. When he hadn't improved after several hours of observation, he was given an epinephrine breathing treatment, which seemed to help tremendously. We are home now, with our prescription medicines, and Ben is sleeping. I'll probably check on him all night long. And although I really hope not to repeat this day, croup is highly contagious so there's a good chance I'll be back with Ace. I'm praying that he doesn't catch it.

Happy, Happy, Happy

Ben has a new word - happy. He wanders around the house singing, "happy, happy, happy." It melts my heart. Of course, minutes later, he'll whack his brother on the head or bang a big toy on the window. I just savor the sweet little moments when I can.

Today, the buddies played at their favorite mall play area and then ate Chinese food with us at the Dragonfly. They love sweet and sour chicken and are becoming very proficient dippers. Of course, they were covered from head to toe in the sauce by the time we left. Ben had it streaked down his left leg and Ace had some in his hair.

First Dental Exam

The buddies had their first experience at the dentist's office today. It is pretty safe to say that they both HATED it. They enjoyed meeting Bugsy, a big, fluffy stuffed animal with a very nice set of teeth. The dentist's helper was very sweet and let both boys pull on Bugsy's tongue and brush his teeth while we waited for the dentist.

The dentist noticed a few spots on Ace's front teeth that are missing enamel. I was pretty ticked when she accused me of giving him milk at bedtime (which we don't!) or giving him a lot of juice (never, really!). I don't think she believed me because she asked if I thought his teeth just came in without enamel. Heck if I know, lady! You're the dentist. Do teeth just come in without enamel?? Anyway, she recommended a calcium-fortified paste, which was outrageously expensive, so we bought it and were on our way.

A Relaxing Afternoon by the Pool

This is how I envisioned my life when I first decided to become a stay-at- home mom: I thought I'd hang by the pool (although I imagined a bigger one) with my kids all day and enjoy a nice cold beer when the mood struck. Then came the buddies and reality sunk in. I am way too busy most days to relax and have a beer.

This afternoon, we went to our favorite play area at the mall where I became frustrated at one of the big kids who hogged the slide. His mom chatted away on her cell phone, oblivious to the other children waiting in line as her son camped out at the top of the slide. Ace and Ben were so good and just stood behind waiting for their turn. Not wanting to deal with it, we packed up and headed home for our own swim party and I did crack open that beer. Ahhhh, it was good!

Another First - Child Care

Steve and I are taking a 5-week Love and Logic course called "Early Childhood Parenting Made Fun". Our first class was this evening so the buddies had their first experience with childcare. We arrived 15 minutes early, prepared for teary, panicked goodbyes when we dropped them with their new caregivers. But, 30 seconds later, Steve and I were in the classroom next door with our emergency beeper and the buddies were happily scooting cars around in their room. Two hours after that, we picked up two happy but very tired boys (it was over an hour past their bedtime) and headed home. One of the childcare providers said they stuck together the whole time and were happy as clams.

Mommy's Day Out

I didn't get to relax, but the work I did this morning will save me loads of time over the next few weeks. This morning, the buddies stayed at home with their dad while I joined 6 fellow twin moms in a commercial kitchen downtown for cooking club. Everyone prepared 2 entrees for each family and walked away with 14 ready-made meals! Although I'm not one that loves to cook, I really had a fantastic time chatting with the other moms while we chopped, baked, and sipped mimosas. Over the next few weeks, we'll be dining on pork chops stuffed with cherries, ginger and pine nuts; spice rubbed baby back ribs; turkey florentine meatloaf; chicken cutlets stuffed with olives, feta and red peppers; chicken and mango curry; beef with broccoli; fajitas; and many more tasty dishes! And the work will be minimal - jealous anyone?

And best of all, I came home to a quiet house that had been freshly vacuumed by Steve - and I didn't even ask! He also mowed the lawn during the buddies' nap so I have to say I feel a little outdone. I never get THAT much work done during naptime.

More Texoma Pictures

Click here to see Grandma's pictures!

Our 15 Month Stats

We were 6 weeks late for our 15 month well check today. It was a good visit and everyone is healthy and happy. Here are our stats:

Ace
height: 34" (this is really tall - he's not even on the growth chart!)
weight: 27 pounds (80th percentile, but slender for his height)
head circumference: 48.7 cm

Ben
height: 31 1/2 inches (55th percentile - also tall!)
weight: 23 pounds (30th percentile, also slender for his height)
head circumference: 48 inches

We just had two shots today, but boy they were mad about them. Both boys took off their band aids in the car and chewed on them. I was driving on the highway shouting, "No eat! Yucky! No eat!". It was really tempting to reach back and yank them away but that wouldn't have been safe at 60 mph so they both ate a little band aid. Next time they're wearing long pants. Boys are gross.

More Pictures from the Weekend

If this has you wanting to see more, click here for the rest of our pictures!

The First Annual Festival of the Testicle

The first annual Festival of the Testicle at Lake Texoma was quite the event. My dad and his neighbor cooked up loads of calf fries, lamb fries, and sissy fries (chicken nuggets) and pleased crowds of people. Yes, the buddies ate calf fries and lamb fries, as did Steve, who also went back for seconds. I ate a tiny bite after I was told I couldn't buy a t-shirt next year otherwise, but mostly loaded up on the delicious pot-luck sides and desserts that the neighbors brought.

There were lots of cow-themed games for the kids - pin the tail on the bull, bull ring toss, a cow pinata, and a bull bean bag toss. The buddies played all the games right alongside the big kids and thought it was just great.

You can be sure we'll be back next year for the second annual - for the good company rather than another helping of fries.

More Festival pics

The Buddies at School

Ace and Ben spent the afternoon at Grandma's school yesterday. They arrived just in time for Grandma to show them off to all her teacher friends. Then, it was time for snack and the buddies sat around the table just like all the big kids. They thought they were so grown up. The school day ended with songs. Grandma's class danced to the chicken dance, the abc song, and a few others. It was great fun.

We are at Grandma and Grandpa's house today. Great Granny and Great Gramps are here so the buddies are getting lots of love and attention. They are swimming, chasing dogs, running around, playing with Suzi and Sally, and eating Grandma's good cooking. Ace and Ben wish this vacation would last forever.

Our Dallas Trip

The buddies and I are visiting friends in Dallas. Steve had to stay home in Austin, but don't feel sorry for him. He's going on a booze cruise with his office this afternoon.

We are staying with good friends, Mike, Mitzi, and baby Caroline. Caroline is not sure about having her old boyfriends back in her house. Yesterday, she looked at them several times and said, "bye bye". Sorry Caroline, we're here for one more night.

This morning, I took the buddies to see Leigh Ann, who lived across the street from my family growing up. Me-Ma, as the buddies know her, took us to "my' park and we let them roam. The park has been upgraded since I was a kid and there is a great toddler area with tunnels. The buddies loved crawling through them.















Then, we were off to meet Judy, my old VP from VarTec, for lunch. It was great to catch up with her. Ben and Ace chowed down on hotdogs and french fries and batted their eyelashes at Miss Judy. We are raising a couple of flirts.

Livin' the Good Life

The buddies think they are pretty lucky boys after this morning. We've found our new favorite place to play in Austin. Radijazz is a huge indoor playground with tons of fun things for toddlers. There is a riverscape with pretend canoes, turtles, swans, alligators, waterfalls, and islands for the kids to climb. The best part was the huge volcano, filled with red foam "lava" cubes. We met several of their twin friends there and everyone had a fantastic time.




<-- Check out Ben, climbing an island. He was one busy guy this morning. They loved opening and closing the windows to the castle... until Ace's fingers got pinched. --->

Pre-Festical Activities

Next week, we're attending the first annual Festival of the Testicle (or Festical for short). My dad and a couple of his crazy neighbors hatched this idea in order to get a group together on Labor Day to eat calf fries, a true Texas delicacy. We thought it would be wise to familiarize the buddies with cows before this event so we took them to see this famous Austin landmark.
The Arboretum Cows are just one of many items on our list of things to see in Austin. The cows are in a beautiful area of Austin with lots of trees, fountains, and great shopping. While we were there, we also discovered a great duck pond so we'll be back this fall to feed them.

Another Busy Morning

We've had a busy morning. First, the buddies met their friends at the park. They had a great time climbing on the jungle gym and swinging. Ace ran in front of Ben's swing and before I could get to him he got smashed. He should have a nice shiner tomorrow but he's okay.

After the park, we went to the mall and had lunch in the foodcourt with my friend Carol and her twins, Drew and Amelia. Ace and Ben love mongolian chicken with chow mein noodles. Afterwards, all four kids got to play at the mall play area. Drew escaped and was banging his head on the bookstore window before Carol or I noticed. He's a fast one!

When everyone was done playing we went to Stride Rite where Carol and I were shocked at the prices. $46 for a pair of toddler shoes!! Not to mention that we each would have to buy two pair. I had the saleslady measure everyone's feet and we'll try to find a better deal somewhere else. Ben was a size 6 extrawide and Ace was a 6 1/2 extrawide.

Duck Wrestling

I think the pictures speak for themselves. I just wish everyone else could hear the fits of hysterical giggles.

Daddy's Barber Shop

It was that time again. The buddies had their third haircut today. Since they hate it, we made sure they had a great day swimming at our neighborhood pool first. Then, after dinner, we plopped them in booster seats and Steve went after them with the clippers. Poor buddies!




They recovered pretty quickly and were back to their normal selves. They even invented a new game, all on their own. Stay tuned...

My Mother's Daughter

Anyone that has ever met my mom knows that she is a bargain shopper. She finds treasures at garage sales, auctions, thrift stores, and even the side of the road sometimes. I remember when I was in the sixth grade, she found an antique desk chair that was falling apart and badly in need of refinishing in front of someone's house with the garbage. She brought it home and my dad refinished it into a beautiful chair. The next year, I started 7th grade and met my good friend, Tracey. The first time Tracey came over to our house and saw the chair she said, "We used to have a chair just like this, but it wasn't nearly this nice. We threw it out in the trash." My parents still have Tracey's chair in their house, and it's still beautiful. Since we've had the buddies, Grandma has brought them loads of toys for a fraction of what they'd cost retail and we love it.

My point to this story is that I've basically inherited this trait (or sickness) from my mom. A friend mentioned that she was having a garage sale with a lot of her 4 year-old twins' things and I was at her house the second it began. Look at all the cool stuff I bought!! The buddies love their castle slide ($3 - retails for $79.99) and their teeter totter ($2- retails for $39.99). I also brought home some board books and a big pile of clothes - lots of pjs and some nice fall / winter outfits. Grandma will be so proud!

Another Trip to the Park

Ace has had several diaper mal- functions this week so we haven't been out much. His tummy must be bothering him, but I'll spare everyone the gory details. Luckily, he seems fine in every other way and is still a happy, chattering toddler.

We did get out of the house for a quick trip to the park. We're all three looking forward to cooler weather so more of their neighborhood friends will be out. Our park has a large covered play area, so at least we can play in the shade when it's 100 degrees outside.

Check out our new double jogging stroller! The buddies like sitting next to each other.