Spoke Too Soon

We are headed to Grandma's house tomorrow and Brock is not the best traveler. We have had to find a pediatrician to see him on July 4th in Colorado, on a Sunday in Dallas, and on Thanksgiving in Oklahoma City. I wanted to avoid that this trip so I took him to our pediatrician's partner today since she was having office hours. I really only suspected that he might have an ear infection, so I wanted to rule it out, or get him on the antibiotic if he had one. Well, he not only had one, but two and he also had strep. And so did his brother whom I didn't even suspect was sick. The only reason he was even there was because Tony was operating and couldn't stay at home with him. Normally we avoid taking more than one child to the doctor at all costs, so we don't expose any of the others to the germs in the office. Today it was unavoidable. And, as it turns out, a very good thing he was there. They both got a shot of Rocephin and one of Bicillin which are both very thick, painful injections. Poor, little guys. I am going to take Brock to see our pediatrician tomorrow morning and see what he about his ears. I had tubes as a child and I think Brock probably needs them, as well. I think Braden should be fine because this is only his third minor ear infection and it is Brock's seventh major one in three months. Tony asked me if I was okay with my baby going in for thinks surgery, and I am absolutely am. If it will help my baby not feel miserable, I am willing to allow him to go into an operating room without me. It will be difficult, but I can do it. I think.

Babies' First Christmas!

After an extended hiatus... I am back!

Brock and Braden and big sister Sydney have been keeping me very, very busy since I last posted during our headlong dive into sick season. Which was not influenza A, by the way, but a very nasty run-in with the dreaded swine flu. We survived without a visit to the hospital, but Brock got pretty close with fevers over 105 for six days straight and borderline dehydration. We have been relatively well since then, only minor stuff, ear infections, colds, viruses, etc.

Brock and Braden both started crawling around Thanksgiving. Braden has perfect technique and Brock, well, he doesn't. He CAN crawl, he chooses not to. He prefers to army crawl using his left arm to propel himself across the floor. Have I mentioned he is left-handed? He started sucking his left thumb about a week after Braden started sucking his right thumb around five months old. They are both starting to pull up to their knees now, so I know that cruising the furniture will not be long now. We have not had much trouble with stranger anxiety until this week. Most of the time they are simply happy to have someone hold them, not really caring who it is as long as they are not left behind while the brother gets picked up. They are extremely jealous of each other. They cannot, or will not, tolerate not being picked up first. Or fed first. Or given a toy first. Or whatever. They do not get that we will get them next. Right away. Immediately. When do they learn that? Ahhhhh! The worst is when I am getting them in the car and I have to pick one to put in first. I have to listen to the other one scream until I get the first one in the car before I can come back in and get him. I had no idea this whole other world of twins existed before I had twins. I knew they were out there and all, but I just never considered all the nuances involved with having twins.

This time last year I was on bed-rest, making twice weekly trips to L&D to stop labor, just praying to make it to 34 weeks. I never would have guessed I would only make it another two weeks after Christmas before the boys made their debut. I was so grateful that they made it to 34 weeks, but so scared that they were still so very early. After a few weeks in the NICU, and a long winter at home, they really started taking off and now they are actually bigger than their sister was at this age. When they were born six weeks early I felt so much guilt about not being able to carry them inside me any longer and protect them and keep them safe like I was supposed to. I felt like I had failed at my most important job. I couldn't even imagine ever being glad they were born when they were because of the guilt I felt. Boy was I wrong! This Christmas was so much better than it would have been if they were full term babies because they would have been only ten months old and not doing all the cool stuff they're doing now. They can clap and dance and laugh and play. They know how toys work and get excited when they see new ones. They steal toys from each other and make the other one cry. They can play peek-a-boo with each other and you hear them belly-laughing from the other room. They eat suckers and pull hair. They are way done with baby food and scream at you if you don't put food in front of them faster than they can eat it. And with two of them, this can be quite a challenge, let me tell you! I think I have actually lost about three pounds in the last two weeks (during Christmas, no less!) because they are eating more of my food than I am. They love the Christmas tree and the singing stuffed toys from Hallmark. They are on the fence about Santa this year, but I think they both lean towards liking him. They didn't care much for unwrapping their gifts, which was fine, since Sydney was more than willing to step in for them on that one. They don't really like snow because it is cold and wet. And they will both eat any Christmas treat that comes their way.

Sick Season Begins With a Vengeance

If any of you out there were wondering if you should get a flu shot yet, the answer is a resounding "yes." Brock has the worst case of Influenza A I have ever seen. I am not sure if Sydney has ever even had this, but there will be no chance I will forget that poor little Brock had it. Ever. His fever has been as high as 104.1 since Sunday. Not continually, thank God, but on and off since Sunday it has been that high. We are keeping him on a very strict regimen of Motrin and Tylenol every three hours around the clock and it seems to help a little. I don't want to think how high it would be without it. He also has his very first ear infection and it's a NASTY one. He just fingers his ear and swipes at it constantly while giving this pathetic little moan and wail. He is just pathetic. He has slept in bed with me the last three nights and that has seemed to help him some. In almost four years of having kids, this is the first time we have ever had a child sleep in bed with us. Thankfully, they have never been this sick before. Braden has it, too, I think, but no where near as bad as Brock. He didn't test positive for it, but I have been treating him like he has it, too.

The reason Brock has it so bad, I think, is because last week he had hand, foot, and mouth disease. Just a light case to be sure, but his immune system was already compromised from that so it didn't take much to knock him down completely. He seems to be getting better, but we will keep him in for the next four to five days just to make sure.

Tony is going to his 20 year high school reunion this weekend, so if anyone wants to come help me with three children- be my guest. I am simply dreading being stuck in the house for two full days without any other human contact or any hope of any since we have the "sickness." Anyone get their flu shot yet?

Two Babies, One Three Year Old, and a Broken Leg Are Not Easy

People tell me all the time, "I don't know how you do it! And with a broken leg, too!" I tell them, "I don't know how I do it either." The number one thing that helps me get through, (after my dear sweet hubby, of course!) is our nanny, Rena. To refer to her as "a nanny" is the understatement of the year. She is pretty much just like having another mom at our house. She does all the same things I do, well, except nurse the babies! She makes our lives run SO much smoother and, in fact, possible at times. I have needed to go to Walmart all week, but Brock stayed home from school on Weds. (sick), too much other stuff on Tuesday and Monday, and I couldn't take all three kids with me, so I had to wait until this morning to go. Sydney can go with me in stores since she can walk, but I can't push the boys in the stroller because I have to use my crutches. Syd isn't able to push the stroller yet (the behemoth that it is) so we can't go anywhere right now unless someone comes with us.

A trip to Sam's with my dad last week looked like this: me on crutches in the store, my dad headed for the scooters, I took Syd to the bathroom, Dad met us outside the potty, I hopped on the scooter, he pushed a cart with Sydney in it while we went around the store collecting our purchases. We didn't even have the babies with us! Rena kept them at home with her.

My mom and I went to Target last weekend (Tony was on call so she flew out to help us, God bless her!) We parked at the door, got everyone out, babies in the stroller, Mom went in to get the scooter (of which they only have two! Walmart has an entire fleet!), I hopped on the scooter, Sydney sat in front of me, I pulled the stroller along side us, and Mom went to park the car! Good grief! I will be SOOO glad when this stupid stress fracture finally heals. No more running for me!

The Princess and The Pea(s)

We took the kiddos to the studio today to get their pictures made in their Halloween costumes. I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story today.

Brock

Braden

Tink Twirling

So sweet...

So mischievous...

We had a lot of fun at our "shoot" today. Hope you all enjoy these pictures as much as we do!

Running Can be Hazardous to Your Health

Everything was going a little better, getting a little easier, so I decided I was ready to start getting back into shape. I didn't really want to join a gym because I don't care for the idea of paying someone a lot of money to drive to their place, put my stuff in a locker, my kids in childcare, get on a machine used by dozens of other sweaty people, try to act as though I really enjoy being there, and then getting everything together and going back home. Not appealing at all.

So I decided it would be a great idea to start running in our neighborhood. Now mind you, I haven't "run" for exercise in almost twenty years. I think, I'll start slowly and build up my endurance; it will be great. My loving hubby got me a Nike Plus for my IPod and I loved it! It keeps track of how far you've run, how long, how many calories, etc. It is extremely encouraging to someone who really wants to improve her physical conditioning through running.

I had been running for about two weeks and my knees were really starting to hurt. Hubby encouraged saying, "I hurt, too. You just run through it and it will get better." I wanted to believe him, so I kept running for another week. By this time my body is screaming at me to stop this nonsense and get my knees checked out. So, wanting to be responsible, I scheduled an appointment with the orthopedic clinic in town. They couldn't get me in until two days later so I waited. My knees were getting progressively worse, and the left one kept giving out on me. Day of appointment, guy takes x-rays and says, "Don't see anything on the x-ray, we'll put you in a brace and in PT three times a week for three weeks to build up your weaker muscles because your patella is tracking wrong." Okay. PT the next day goes alright, but doesn't seem to help any. I do my at home exercises wanting to obey the therapist.

Saturday night, while at Chuck E. Cheese (where a kid can be a kid), I was pushing the boys in the stroller and it ran into something that didn't move and my leg kept going. Huge mistake. I screamed very loudly, no one came to my rescue (T and S were spending her tickets) and I hobbled out to the car trying not to cry. I know something is very wrong at this point.

Monday morning, I went back to the clinic and sat in the waiting room until someone could see me. Luckily it was the other guy this time, the one who knows what he is doing. He ordered an MRI and gave me a Cortisone shot. Shot hurt like a mug, but didn't help at all. After the MRI, the tech told me she saw what looked like a deep bone bruise, a stress fracture, or a fracture on my tibial plateau. She couldn't say for sure though since she wasn't the radiologist. The next morning the doc calls and says I have stress fracture and the brace I was using was actually making it worse because it was pressing directly on the fracture. I say what does that mean for me? He says, "Stay off of it completely for four to six weeks." Doesn't he realize I have TWO BABIES?!!! How on earth could he possibly think I could do that? He says, "Come in and get a super duper fancy brace and crutches for when you have to walk." Seriously?

I tried that for a week and then I had to be honest with myself and realized I was not minding, so I wasn't mending. I called yesterday and told on myself. He made me come in and get a cast. From my groin to my TOES!!!!!!!! Unbelievable. So now I have this HUGE honkin' hot pink cast that won't allow me to put weight on my leg at all with the hope that it will start to heal now. I will have this for at least three weeks. So now, I have a wheelchair at home to help me move the babies about and try to maintain some independence and usefulness to my family in the meantime. My dad came out for a day last week to help me, and my mom is coming Friday night to help me while T is on call this weekend. I don't think I could survive if she wasn't coming. Thank you, Dad and Mommy, for coming to rescue me

Our Little Ballerina

Sydney didn't get mentioned last night, so today she gets her own post. She had quite a big summer. She had gymnastics with Miss Brandy again and she started ballet. Gymnastics is still her favorite and her donkey kicks are starting to get really great. She loves doing them. All the time. In the living room, the bedroom, on the ottoman, on the couch, at church. Really anywhere there happens to be a little extra room. Sometimes she performs the maneuver dangerously close to her brothers and gets in a little bit of trouble. Her cartwheels on the other hand, well, let's just say, sadly, I think she takes after her mother on those. Maybe someday she will do one, but it's not looking too good right now.

Her first experience with ballet did not go quite like I thought it would. She had a teacher that was a little, well, not fun. She is probably an excellent teacher for experienced dancers, but not so much for beginners. I understand that teaching ballet to three year olds is like trying to herd cats, as my dear hubby likened it to, but couldn't you at least try to make it fun and enjoyable? Sydney came home and said, "Ballet is kinda hard for me; I think I'll just do gymnastics." That just broke my heart because as you can see from the pictures below, she was extremely excited about ballet before it actually started. We switched to a different studio for the fall and based on the one class she has been to so far, I think it will be a much better experience for her. Her teacher is Miss Lugene and she seems to have the perfect disposition for teaching beginners. Sydney left her first class just bubbling with smiles and laughter.

Our Little Ballerina

She loves taking pictures on the stairs.

In her tap shoes. She loves them. Our floors do not.

She has become quite the expert on her tricycle.

We will get her a bike for her birthday. She can't wait!

She really loves our new house. I will let Sydney tell you in her own words, as dictated to me, what she loves so much about her new house.

"I really like my bunk beds the best cause Ardyn gets to sleep over. I think we will be best friends for ever and ever. And I love that Ardyn lives down my street so I can see her all the time. I love my sandbox in the backyard and my swing-set. I love having my room downstairs cause I get scared by myself. And I love the Woodlands playground and I am going to be a Woodlands Bear!"

We have really been blessed by the new house. Having everyone downstairs is more wonderful than I ever could have imagined. I was unsure about living on this side of town at one time, but I was so wrong! It is really great up here. No traffic, people actually play outside, it's incredibly beautiful- lots of hills and trees, the golf course is right down the street. It takes a little longer to get to church, but everywhere else we go is pretty much the same distance. And since we live in Amarillo, that distance is never more than fifteen minutes.

Our backyard has been just incredible this summer! We are out there every day and there is so much to do. It is fairly well protected from the fierce Amarillo winds, so it is quite pleasant. We have a great porch that wraps around the whole yard and it is a fun place to sit a spell and watch the kids play. The boys love being outdoors. If they are screaming out of control, we just take the bouncers outside and let them get some fresh air and watch Sydney's crazy antics. She loves entertaining them. She likes to "hold court" sitting on the fireplace with the boys in their saucers hanging on her every word. They all just adore each other. She has come a long way from crying on the floor in the sonographer's room when she learned they were brothers.

Preschool starts tomorrow and she is so excited. All her friends are in her class again and she asks me everyday if it's Tuesday yet. We have already coordinated her first day outfit with her little friend Saige. Pink playdress, pigtails with pink hairbows, pink socks, pink tennis shoes. Pink pink pink. Can you guess what her favorite color is?

Arydn and Sydney making cupcakes at their first sleepover.

Being silly in the tub.

Taking a bath after one of their many swim dates.