The Five Things I Never Thought I'd Say

I was thinking today about how silly one sounds as a mother of toddlers. You find yourself saying the strangest things - they seem so normal to you during the moment, but if you stop and listen to yourself it's pretty hilarious!

• Hey! Don't put your eggies on the doggy.


• Please don't lick the cat.


• Oh thank you...I've always wanted a chewed up french fry.


• Please stop eating your shoe.


• Is that dog poop Reaghan's carrying? No, just a rock. Oh great...it is poop.

So what's next?

Nostalgia

Ugh. I really didn't want summer to end. Looking back I'd have to say that it was a good one...I remember laying in bed last spring and saying to Bill "I have a feeling that its gonna be a good summer."

B - "Whaddya mean?"

C - "I don't know...I guess maybe since last summer was so crummy since the babes were so little. I just think that now that they are older and more interactive that it will turn out to be a great summer."

And it was.

Bon Appetite

Gerber makes these little meat sticks that Nixon and Reaghan absolutely adore...and I abhor. Imagine a those mini cocktail wieners...only made completely with canned cat food. It is so hard to believe that these things are actually nutritious, I can't ever bear touching them with my own hands. In fact, there is a definite process to how I serve these "tasty" morsels.

1. Open jar and try not to gag as I dump out the horrid smelling, somewhat thickened juice in which the wieners are stored.
2. Obtain lobster fork from the drawer. Momentarily reminisce about the days before children when we could actually afford lobster.
3. Use lobster fork to spear the oddly squishy wiener.
4. Remind demanding toddler that wieners do not appear on demand and it takes mommy a second to procure them for their enjoyment.
5. Give demanding toddler number one the wiener whilst deftly using hip to keep other demanding toddler from attacking their sibling for said wiener.
6. Spear yet another strangely squishy morsel and give to demanding toddler number two before all H E Double Hockey Sticks breaks out.
7. Wonder why my children turn down ice cream yet happily cram stinky, squishy, room temperatured meat products into their mouth while squealing with joy.
8. Blissfully remind myself that soon I will be in Mexico drinking a margharita.
9. Repeat steps 5-7 until wieners are gone.

I just don't get how they can like wieners that stink like canned cat food, but then again they eat the dry dog food whenever they can so I guess it makes some sense.

Hmmm...I wonder what food group dry dog food falls into...

A weekend with Daddy!

I was called in to work on Saturday and Sunday, which was nice because I truly miss my job and the people I work with. Thankfully my symptoms subsided on Friday, mostly due to my wonderful hubby leaving work early to let me catch some much needed rest. It must have helped, because I had a nice evening with my good friend...Kendall Jackson.

So Saturday I was only at the hospital for about two hours...there was a mix up in some paperwork so my case was cancelled. I got home just as the babes were heading to nap - tired from a morning with daddy. After their naptime, we went to Cost Plus World Market where the babes each got a silly new toy and momma got a wonderful Bordeaux. We had dinner at the local Red Robin, which of coarse the kids LOVE for all of the "flair" on the walls and ceilings. After dinner they each got a balloon...a high point for the weekend!! We left RR and headed to downtown Plymouth to hang out in the park and let the kiddos wander. The fountain has been revamped and is much more grand, much to the delight of the babes (and momma). Nixon and Reaghan mostly cruised around with their balloons and checked out the sights. There were some other people out enjoying the nice evening, and a few doggies as well (which makes for very happy babes). I am always reminded when we spend time in downtown Plymouth how wonderful it is to live in this area - how very lucky we are to have found such a diverse yet somewhat "hometowny" little nook to raise our children.

By the way, the Penn Theatre has reopened!! I was so happy to see people heading in to catch the evening matinee...great to have a local landmark back in action!!

Sunday I was called in again, to do the case that was cancelled Saturday. I was there most of the day and returned just as Nix and Rea woke from nap. It was a pretty lazy Sunday; we watched some Nascar, played with the babes, and then went to the store to pick up a nice dinner for Bill and I. Yummy steak and salmon with a veggi blend I made including fresh zucchini I picked from the garden...YUM!

So all in all a great weekend...I'll have some new pics up soon!

Typhoid Mary

Reaghan's feeling much better today, practically right as rain except for the ugly vesicles on her hands, feet, and mouth. Unfortunately, she is the only one who is feeling fine.

Nixon woke around 1:00 last night with a weak cry - he was burning up. I tried to give him a drink...nothing doing. I managed to get some Tylanol into him and rocked him for a bit. I put him back down and he settled for a bit. Round 1:45 he woke again - still burning up. I took him to bed with me and partially undressed him to help cool him off. He snuggled in with Bill and I and fell into a fitfull sleep. About an hour later ehan he finally felt cool I zipped him back into his PJs and brought him back to bed.

He woke feverish again...but no blisters. He spiked fevers up to 102 most of the day, but so far (cross your fingers) no blisters. His appetite is down and he's a bit whiny, but overall so far so good. I'm doing about the same...fevers, sore throat, not much appetite. I know that the virus that causes HFN also causes Strep, but to this day I have never had it and I fully intend NOT to get it. So there.

Bill has no symptoms, but he hurt his back lifting weights the other day - between the four of us we make a pretty picture.

Speaking of pictures...here's a few lovlies.





Various pics of Reaghan's hands and a nice pic of the tired out looking boy.

By the way...you should all bow down to my camera abilities...do you know how hard it is to get a clear pic of a toddlers hands?? I took about fifteen and only got three!

Chat later when we are well!

The Saga Continues

Just when things are going great...

Reaghan spiked a fever Monday night, and by yesterday she started getting this rash across her lower abdomen and diaper area. I assumed it was just heat rash from her fever, but lo and behold last night I noticed the sores.

They started as a few "canker" looking sores in her mouth, and what looked like tiny blisters on her toes when she went to bed last night. This morning they turned into ugly painful looking sores in her mouth, but the ones on her hands and feet still look the same. Nothing you can do for this other than Tylanol and fluids...just a virus. From what I understand, every toddler gets Hand, Foot, and Mouth before the age of three, but it doesn't make you feel any better when she is sobbing in your arms first thing in the morning before the Tylanol kicks in. I can't believe Nixon isn't sick...yet...

The Moo Heard Round the World

In honor of the Plymouth Orchard's opening this week, some gal pals and I took our kids to see their petting farm and have cider and doughnuts. It was a beautiful morning, and despite my desire to nurse the slight hangover I had from our anniversary night out, I took my friend Kristen's advice and got my bootie off of the sofa. At first all was well, the kids were fine...petting the goats and goofing off. I had just dug my camera out to take darling cute kiddo pics when we first heard it....Moooooooo. A cute little "cowling" (my own word for bigger than a calf but not quite full blown cow) came out from the barn and ambled toward where Nixon was petting a goat. Moooooooo. Again and again, and VERY loud for a cowling I must say.
At first I was so excited, "Look Nixon, Look Reaghan! It's a cow saying moo!" and then the screaming started. Nixon flung himself against my legs pushing me backwards from the fence with all of his might while screaming in terror. "Aww..he wants to save mommy from the cow! Cute." Well, not so cute considering that the evil cow just would not quit. It came all the way up to the fence mooing the entire way. With each moo my son's screams gained momentum until he was beside himself. Of coarse, this was the moment Reaghan's face crumbled into tears as she threw herself on the ground sobbing. Great. Two babies both utterly (udderly?) freaked out. Thank God I had friends there. Marla scooped Reaghan up and got her preoccupied with some other wonderful orchard attractions while I took Nixon over by the chickens to try to cheer him up. A few minutes later it seemed the crisis had been handled and everyone was happy again.
After a bit we went inside for cider and doughnuts. Let me just say one thing - I have no clue why places designed for you to bring your children always seem to place plenty of stuff in their reach that shouldn't be. While I was busy hauling Nixon away from the cookbooks he wanted to "read", Reaghan was grabbing at other items in the store. It was one of those moments where you seriously consider one of those leash thingys. After 20 minutes of chasing them around I decided to just pack up and leave. I was exhausted, but overall not a bad morning for a twin muma.

Slacker Mom

Eight Years and Counting!

Ok, Ok...I know already! I havn't posted in a bit, but we had a really nice holiday weekend and I want to tell you all about it! I'm not going to right this sec, though. You see...it's our eighth anniversary today and Bill is upstairs with the sitter getting the babes into bed so that we can head out for a yummy dinner (jealous, aren't you!). So I promise to post tomorrow - until then heres some pics!

Reaghan in the shower.

Yes, I know she has her clothes on...

But wadda ya gonna do?

The boy and his kitty.