Soccer Mom?

We have been so busy around here that I forgot to mention my latest title- Soccer Mom!   Ha!  I actually don't know how soccer is going to go.  Dustin really wanted the kids to play because he played and loved it.  The kids have been asking to play for 2 years, ever since they started watching my nephew play when he was 3.  They were super-excited for me to sign them up, we made a big deal of buying the shorts, new tennis shoes (just cheapies from Walmart), and shin guards.  Their first practice was last week and Emilynn went at it with lots of enthusiasm.  Carson was not as quick to run out there, but once he got more comfortable he eased out there and participated.  I guess given their personalities, it went just as I anticipated.  I guess I keep hoping Carson will find his "niche" and something will click and he'll be as enthusiastic as Emilynn, but his personality is not really like that, so I don't know why I have those expectations of him.  As a Momma, it hurts my heart a little bit when he's on the sidelines and anxious about stuff.  I want him to enjoy stuff like his sister, but he's not his sister.  He's Carson and he's shy and he may never want to do extracurricular activities like his sister.  He loves working on the farm and tractors, so maybe that will be his thing.  I just don't know yet.  He is only 3 after all!  :-)  Enough of my rambling!  I will have to share that once he finally eased over to get in line to kick the ball, he stood by Emilynn and she slipped her arm around his shoulder.  It was so, so sweet.  It was one of those twin moments that just reminds me that no matter how different their personalities, they have an amazing bond.  Emilynn has such a tender heart and is so sweet and loving.  She really loves everyone and is very compassionate.  It is sweet to see her reach out to not just her brothers, but lots of other children and adults too.  We passed a lady in a wheelchair in Walmart one day, and she reached out and patted the lady's hand.  It was so precious.  The lady's daughter pushing her explained that the lady couldn't see, but I hope it helped her to feel loved to feel that little fat hand pat hers.  :-)   We are also making a lot of friends at the Y, both young and old.  There are lots of people there for therapy in the pool, and many be-friend the kids.  Henry has one older lady that plays peek-a-boo with him every time we are there.  People are always saying that kids need to be in school for the socialization, but honestly I feel like my kids are getting more socialization now by being exposed to all types of people of all ages.  That's another rant for another day I guess!   Anyway, our first soccer game is on the 7th.  It should be interesting to say the least!  I hope they at least participate a little! 
Oh, and while we were at practice I heard Dustin say, "Emilynn, don't be rude."  When I inquired as to what was going on, I found out the coach had said, "Emilynn, are you staring at my nose ring?"  To which my very honest daughter said, "Yes!".  The coach was very nice about it and said it happens all the time.  She wasn't offended at all.  I don't know what made her even stare at it because my sister Abbey has a nose ring.  Emilynn actually pulled hers out once.  I don't think we ever found that ring!  Anyway, the coach is super-nice and thankfully used to three year olds!!!!  God bless her for taking on a team of them!!!  :-)  I have multiples and I wouldn't even do that! 

18 Months & Counting! :-)

Henry had his 18 month check-up yesterday.  When did my sweet little newborn turn into an 18 month old?   How did I miss this?  It seems like just yesterday.  I have been laughing to myself lately at Henry because he gets into everything now, and he is almost the exact age the twins were when we found out we were expecting him.  I have quickly forgotten how toddlers get into everything and also I have forgotten how much TWO of them used to get into!  No wonder Dustin was a bit scared when we found out we were adding a newborn to the mix!  :-)  I'll have to be honest here-Henry is THE best surprise EVER!  I don't know when/if we would have added to our little four-some family if it was up to us.  Thank goodness the Lord is in charge and we are not!  My little blonde boy has brought so much joy to our lives and is still truly the happiest little man. 

Enough of my mommy-gushing.  I know you really just want his stats! Ha!  Before I get to that, I will add that I took all 3 children to his appointment by myself and it went great!  On days like that, I feel like Super-Mom, I really do.  Mainly because they aren't so frequent!  Usually there is a meltdown of some type or something happens where I leave a bit embarrassed or am sweating profusely, but nothing this time!  I had 3 angels all day! 
Why on Earth would I ever consider taking 3 children to an appointment alone you may wonder?  Well, I didn't plan it that way! 
My mom was supposed to go with me.  She called me at the time we were supposed to be pulling out my driveway and said, "I just woke up.  You just go on without me."  Uh...WHAT?  I'm thinking, what do you mean, go on without you?  Err....I have 3 small kids and I don't go to appointments with everyone.  alone. period!  It was nothing to do but give it a shot because what else was I to do at the last minute?  I quickly ushered everyone to the car and off we went.  I got ten million questions about where was Boo-Boo, why were we going alone, was Henry the only one getting shots, etc. etc.  I have taken two kids to a dr.'s appointment alone, but never three.  I gave them several talks in the car and hoped for the best.  They FAR exceeded my expectations and were awesome!  I could not have asked for anything better.  They each sat in a chair and were pleasant and polite and interacted with the Nurse Practitioner that we saw.  They helped answer questions and were so well behaved.  It made me so proud!  It also made me hopeful that we WILL get through these toddler times and they are moving into "bigger kids" who can control their behavior and emotions so much better as they grow. 
As for Henry, he got two immunizations and we are starting him on Children's Zyrtec to see if that helps with his constant runny noses.  He gets stopped up so easily and has had more ear infections than my twins put together.  I really think it is from so much fluid all the time.  The twins never got colds and such like Henry, which makes allergies seem more likely.  He has eczema as well, and I know allergies go right along with it.  His eczema is worse than the twins' as well, so it just stands to reason.  We are hoping to clear up his fluid to help with his balance as well.  He falls a LOT.  Again, more than the twins did.  I'm glad I have other young children to compare him too.  We think it's possible that he is losing his balance from being used to his helmet from his plagiocephaly.  He had his helmet on as he learned to walk.  He also got used to falling and not having it hurt with his helmet on.  Another idea was that maybe the fluid he seems to keep in his nose and ears is affecting his equilibrium a bit.  I'll have to update as to how this plays out.  If he continues to fall, I will continue to push the pediatrician's office and try to get to the bottom of it.  I am definitely THAT parent, but if we aren't our children's biggest advocate, who will be?  I certainly know them better than anyone else, even their Daddy because I am the one with them 24/7.  They did watch him walking to make sure there was nothing obvious that seemed amiss with his stride.  I haven't searched online, but I will have to see if anyone else's child with plagiocephaly and helmet therapy has had this problem. 

Now, for the stats: 
Mr. Henry Paul is 2 foot, 4 inches tall (he's a shorty!)
He weighs 27 pounds, 10 ounces.  This surprised me, I thought he was over 30 pounds for sure! 
His head circumference is 19 1/2 inches. 

I can't remember a thing about his percentiles except he was 75th in one, and I think 50th in the other maybe.  I'm not even sure about that because I was trying to make sure 3 children did not tear up the room and also listen intently as the lady went through the "checklist" with me.  Does anyone else get that as well- I got reminded to check my smoke detector batteries (important, but it's on my twice yearly to-do list), pool safety, and all kinds of things that I consider myself to be fairly versed on already.  Anyway, I know it's important so I won't judge. 

Since the kids did so good, we went shopping afterwards!  And yes, I am nuts!  My sister will tell you that anytime you ask!  :-)  Ha!  We went in the consignment shop and found a few fall things for the kiddos to fill in some gaps I think we'll have in the clothes we've been given.  Clothes are hard for Emilynn right now because she is a 6, but only 3 and so much of the size 6 things are not age-appropriate for her.  I still like her to look little and toddler-ish. 
We also went into Target to get the Zyrtec, and Walmart since they were doing so good.  I wanted to find a Puddle Jumper for Henry, but they were all mostly gone for the season.  We had a McDonald's lunch and headed home.  It was a great day!  Maybe I'll just go by myself every time!  Kidding!  I'm just kidding!  :-) 

Monday Musings (on Tuesday again!)

• My mom and I took the twins for their 6 month dental check-ups yesterday.  It went well, except Carson cried.  He did a lot better than the past times though, so I think we are slowly making progress.  Henry had his very first dental check-up!  I figured since we were going anyway, we'd go ahead and schedule him too.  He didn't like it much, but he didn't scream as bad as his brother.  I guess he's somewhere between Carson and Emmy!  All the kids were in the no-cavity club, so that was good news.  Their teeth are all coming in like they should.  We got their treats and headed out.  I really like their dentist's office.  I just found an ad for them at the dr.'s office and decided to try them out a couple years ago.  It is totally geared to kids.  They have some big stuffed animals with teeth you can brush with this huge toothbrush.  They have kids' sunglasses they can wear so the light won't bother their eyes.  They get a little coin to get a treat out of a treat machine as they leave, along with stickers, a plastic cup, and of course all the standard stuff-toothbrushes, flossers, paste, etc.  They like all the bells and whistles, and I like the care they get.  I know a lot of dr.'s recommend 3 years old for the start of dental check-ups.  I started them early because I had noticed some discoloration on Carson's teeth a couple of years ago.  I took them in and the dentist checked him out (wearing those microscope-looking glasses they wear) and said, "I'm sorry m'am, I just don't see what you're talking about.  He looks great."  Yes, I guess I pick my kids to death sometimes!  I did worry about Carson at that time because brushing his teeth was a nightmare.  He lets us brush them with no trouble now (thank goodness!).  I worry about childhood decay that you always hear about.  I worry about everything!  Isn't that what moms do?  Dustin and I both agreed their teeth are super-important and we will do everything we can to take care of them.  Insurance or not.  Luckily we have excellent dental insurance right now! 
• After the dental visit, I had planned a special surprise for the kids.  We took them to the Children's Museum that was recently built, that's a bit closer to our house than the old one.  My mom and I took the twins to the old one about 2 years ago, and we were not impressed to be honest.  I wasn't sure about the new one, but it looked nicer so I thought we'd try it.  The kids were thrilled with it!  I was thrilled with it!  It was well worth the money and I hope to join next year so we can go as much as we want.  It would be silly to join now since the year is over halfway over.  When we went in, the first thing the kids noticed was the fire truck.  There is real fire truck in there.  I mean, full sized!  The kids had a ball checking out all the buttons and gauges, and wearing little fire jackets and hats.  My mom and I both ended up driving the fire truck at one point or another!  There was also a full-sized bus the city apparently donated, which I was a passenger on, not the driver.  :-)  They also had the cutest little grocery store ever.  My kids loved that and the fire truck best.  They had little metal shopping carts, and they "bought" groceries over and over and over!  No one wanted to run the register (which really worked), so I ran the register for a good hour, ringing up kids' purchases!  Yes, I honestly had as much fun as the kids and got right in there and played with them.  I kept thinking how much my sister and I would have loved going there as kids.  She asked for and got a real cash register for Christmas one year (which she still has!).  There was a restaurant we were also waited on at- Carson was the chef, Emmy the waitress (complete with a waitress dress like the ones waitresses wear in diners-so cute!).  My mom and I sat at these teeny booths while they brought us menus, food, and the check!  Other less popular exhibits (at least with my kids) were a bank with drive-thru, a bait/tackle shop, and a veterinary center.  There was also a slide, sand box area with that rubber "fake" sand, a stage, a water area, art area, train (we rode this too), and an area for 2 & under for Henry.  I can't say enough about how much fun we all had there- we stayed for 3 hours and Carson bawled when we had to leave.  Emmy told me once, "I like when you play with me."  She was beaming when she said it.  I need to make sure I am distracted less during the day and play more, for sure! 
• One thing I noticed while at the museum was how many parents were "checked-out" while their kids played.  It was sad.  One lady was on the phone the entire time.  Others were busy texting or on Facebook I assume, and one read a book the whole time.  Really?  It was sad to me to see that.  I see it so much when we eat out too.  We don't take much of anything for the kids to do when we eat out, and maybe that's a mistake.  Most of the time they are good though, and participate in the conversation/experience.  Mexican is the best because you get chips/salsa right away and Henry even loves to dip chips in the salsa.  I hope we never "check-out" as a family.  I will have to make sure we don't! 
• Some have asked how to comment on the blog.  It does seem complicated, but I think what you do is click on where it says "no comments" and then a page will pop up where you can leave a comment if you wish.  I hope that's how it works anyway!  I will keep trying to figure this out!

Well, gotta go-sorry this is a shorter Monday post.    I'm being beckoned at the swings.  I will be so glad when we get our new swing set to play on! 

Our Vacation-Part 3

Wednesday of our trip brought on a whole new adventure.  We rode in this: 

 

I've always wanted to ride in a helicopter.  I hadn't thought much about it when I was planning vacation.  I knew Papa Blake wanted to go parasailing, which I wasn't interested in at all.  When we were browsing brochures to schedule his parasailing, my mom saw a helicopter ad and mentioned it.  I casually said, "I've always wanted to ride in a helicopter."  I really have.  I don't know why, but I've always wanted that experience.  Papa Blake said he had too, and he would rather do that than parasailing.  He said he'd rather ride the helicopter with someone else than parasail alone.  We called the captain and booked it!  Since three people could go, we talked to the kids about it and Carson really wanted to go.  I knew he would want to, and I knew he would love it.  I also knew Emilynn would NOT want to go, so I figured it was a safe thing to throw out there. 

 

I will say, I was not nervous AT ALL about the ride, I was really looking forward to it. 

All loaded up- Papa Blake up front, Carson & me in the back.  Carson was SO CUTE in his headset and talking on it!

Here we go!!! 

Here we come back. 

 

Dustin said he was SO thankful when we landed back safely!  I was too, but I wasn't scared.  Carson wasn't scared either, he loved it.  You can see so well out of the helicopter!  I really enjoyed it and would ride again in a heartbeat. 

Carson said he would ride again too.  I figured he'd love it.  He loves when we see helicopters flying around at home.  We went to the fire department one night to watch one land for training purposes, and were peppered with debris flying!  He still liked it though!  Maybe I will have an adventurous kid yet!  

As for the ride, it was only 10 minutes.  Next time we may do the longer 30 minute ride.  The lady said after we landed that a 10 minute ride is best for kids because you don't know how they'll do.  I hadn't even thought of that!!  I never dawned on me that he wouldn't like it!  We just chose the 10 minute ride for our first one because of the price and because none of us had ever ridden.  We didn't want to spend TOO much money on this outing, especially since it was only part of the group going!  

 

We also went to see the lighthouse, but I don't even remember what day that was.  I think the kids thought it was neat to see a big lighthouse. 

I don't remember how many steps it was to the top, because I wasn't going to attempt it with 3 little ones!  Maybe next time. 

 

More tomorrow.  I can only handle so much uploading at a time! 

 

 

 

Our Beach Vacation-Part 2

We were blessed to be able to do a lot of fun things while we were at the beach.  We spent a lot of time on the beach, and again, it was so nice to stay on the beach.  We could go out to the ocean for an hour or two, then go back in.  It made things so much more relaxed to have quick access to the house and the ocean at the same time!  Henry (and my Mom) could get an after-lunch nap, while whoever else wanted to could swim, or just sit on the porch watching the ocean.  I spent a lot of time on the porch reading, while the twins played under the porch in the sand.  There was nice sand right under the porch so I could sit there while they played in the sand and it was shaded for them.  I enjoyed relaxing so much, I read 4 books on vacation! 

As for some of our other activities we did, we went to the aquarium one day.  The kids loved that. 

These guys were very popular!  Our kids loved them.  Doesn't he look cute just floating there?  Makes you kinda want to pet him or something, doesn't it?  :-)  Kidding..

Yep, the kiddos were mesmerized. 

 

Checking out some fish. 

Trying to pet stingrays.  I tried but my timing was apparently off.  The kids were a bit leery of it. 

 

Another highlight-seeing someone swimming with the sharks.  It's not my idea of fun, but it was cool to watch.  The kids thought it was neat, and the person would write messages on a little magna-doodle looking thing and turn them for the crowd to see. 

 

Overall, the aquarium was a lot of fun!  

 

We also went to a little amusement park one of the first days of our trip.  Emilynn was scared of most every ride, but Carson loved them all!  He laughed so hysterically, we were all laughing hysterically at him laughing.  I forgot my camera that night, but I wish so badly I had caught his belly-laughs.  It is so unlike him to "allow" himself to have fun like that!  My mom also rode in a teeny weeny little race car with Emilynn and she and I both drove go-carts with the kids.  I would have loved pics of those too!  :-) 

 

Anyway, more tomorrow.  I've been interrupted at least fourteen times while trying to get this uploaded and done. 

 

 

 

Our beach vacation

We spent a week at the beach at the end of June.  It was so nice and relaxing to just be away.  It  might take a few posts to get all the details in, so bear with me!  First of all, it was Henry's first trip to the beach!  The twins had not been since they were 9 months old, so they did not remember ever seeing the ocean.  We planned our trip for almost a year!  We decided last summer we wanted to go to the beach this year, and started planning accordingly.  I am glad we were so ahead of the game, it helped us find an affordable place to stay and have plenty of time to plan everything.  We had pitched the idea to our whole family about going, but no one got back to us for sure except my mom and step-dad.  So, we went on planning with our family and my mom & step-dad.  We had a few requirements for a house.  First and foremost, we wanted something right on the beach.  We wanted to be able to walk out our door and be at the ocean.  This was important to me because I have stayed where I had to drive to the beach.  I'm not a big fan of that with little ones.  It takes SO much to get them ready to go.  I have also stayed on the beach in a hotel/condo, which also took a lot to get ready and go.  Just picture hauling a diaper bag, toys of sand toys, umbrella, beach bag with towels, cooler or cooler bag with drinks/snacks, and probably a kid or two who's screaming the sand's too hot.  Yep, not my idea of a vacation AT ALL!  I also did not want a pool because Emilynn and Henry have NO FEAR of pools, and I figured I wouldn't sleep at night a wink with a pool!  We have access to plenty of pools at home, so that wasn't a huge deal at all.  The ocean was our main focus!   My mom's requirement was an old-style beach house, like she went to growing up.  I spent a couple of weeks searching online and finally found something I thought was what she meant.  I called them to come over and she said, "Yep, that's it!".   So we booked it!  We were so excited from that point on!  We planned and packed and got everything ready.  Our house was a Sunday to Sunday rental, which turned out nice because we didn't hit any traffic going down.  We decided to leave at 9 am to give us plenty of time to get there.  Everyone questioned us leaving so early, but we did it that way for a couple of reasons.  (check in wasn't until 4 pm and it was only a 4 hour drive).  First of all, bathroom breaks.  My kids are potty trained except Henry, so we knew we'd need to stop a bunch of times for pottying.  We carry a potty in the car, but you still have to pull over and unbuckle, then re-buckle everyone.  Second of all, if you know us at all, leaving at 9 am really means 10 am.  It just does.  We also planned to stop for lunch and let the kids stretch their legs a bit.  Honestly, I really just prefer taking my time going somewhere.  I think part of the vacation is in the going and the road trip. 
We were mostly packed the night before, but loaded the car the morning of the trip.  The kids were super-excited!!  We finally got loaded and were on the road by 9:30 or so, headed to my grandma's, our first stop!  Haha!  She called and wanted us to stop by and get a "piece of money" for the kids. She used to always give us spending money for vacation, so I thought it was sweet she was keeping the tradition going.  I was also given a lecture strict instructions to make sure the kids were allowed to spend their spending money on whatever they chose, whether it be food, toys, candy, or anything silly they wanted with NO input from me.  We then pulled out and left at 10 am, as I predicted! 
The kids did great on the ride down, but we did have to stop several times for bathroom breaks along the way.

 Travel tip- carry a kids' potty with you!  Make sure you get one with a lid- this is super-important!  It is nice to be able to pull over and let the kids potty on a clean potty without unloading everyone and heading into a store or somewhere that may not be clean.  It just makes life so much easier, ESPECIALLY during potty training.  You can also take it out the car and sit it under the car while you are in a store/restaurant.  We've done this and don't worry, no one will steal a potty! 

Back to the trip- we even pulled over on the interstate for the kids to potty- scary!  They were happy riding though, and I had packed plenty of snacks (tip #2).  I felt like the whole morning I was doling out snacks. I took apples, graham crackers, peanut butter crackers, applesauce "squeezies", Organic fruit leathers, Organic cereal bars, and plenty of drinks.  I was honestly constantly having to unbuckle my belt and lean in the back to give a snack to someone, or even to Dustin!  It got us through to lunch, which was at a McDonald's or Arby's (we gave a choice!).  We ate but actually ended up eating in the car to get back on the road.  The kids were good on stretching because of above-mentioned potty breaks.  We didn't have as many potty breaks after lunch, which surprised me.  We had already planned to stop along the way at the Monster Truck headquarters.  We knew Carson would have a fit if we drove by and didn't stop, so we just planned to take that in on the way down.  He loves Monster Trucks and was thrilled at this stop! 

 

"Grave Digger"- I have no idea who this lady is and didn't realize she was in my pic till I uploaded them.  It was the best pic I got- with a new friend in it!  Haha!  What do they call it- she "photo-bombed" me?  Cracked me up!

 

Dustin, Carson, Papa Blake, and I paid $5 and rode this Monster Truck.  Carson was super-excited to ride in a real Monster Truck!  It was fun!

 

This stop was a fun way to start our vacation! 

 

We then loaded back up and headed on to the beach.  We arrived a short while later and headed into our rental office.  They were super-nice and gave the kids Frisbees and cookies.  We headed off in search of our house.  We found it and began settling in.  Actually, we dropped everything and headed to the ocean!  :-) 

 Here is our quaint little cottage: 

 

Our house was right on the beach- we walked right along this porch and right down the steps to the ocean.  It was awesome.  The steps to the right in the pic are beach access for the house behind us.  The people staying there were super-nice.  The ocean is right behind me in the picture. 

 

Our house was not a luxury house, but it was nice and suited our needs.  It had 5 bedrooms, some of which were small.  It had a nice kitchen and we loved sitting on the porch looking at the ocean.  The front porch had a beautiful view of the huge sand dune across the road, so you could watch people climbing that which was also nice.  My only house complaint was my mattress wasn't comfortable.  Oh well, I guess I can't have my mattress from home on vacation!

 

Here were some beach pics from the kids' seeing the ocean for the first time(well, Henry's first time/twins' first time they will remember).  Emilynn promptly laid down and made "sand angels".  They were so excited and not all that scared of the ocean.  It surprised me. 

 

Twins heading down to see the ocean.

 

Henry, checking out the beach for the very first time! 

Twins heading to the water with my mom. 

 

I wonder what they are thinking.... love this pic!

It didn't take long to get adjusted!  I caught Emilynn mid-jump.  She LOVED the water.  All the kids ended up loving the ocean! 

All the kids ended up soaking wet!!!! 

 

 

The aftermath of us- footprints in the sand!  My mom loves this picture. 

 

We spent the rest of our first night unpacking, getting a few groceries, and walking on the beach.  The kids got in the water and got soaked a second time!  Oh, and we also saw and ocean rescue on the very first night- with lifeguards running out to save two boys who fell out of a paddle boat and were tired.  It was crazy- I've never seen an actual "real" rescue before. 

It was an action-packed day, for sure and we were tired at the end of it! 

More details and pics tomorrow!  :-) 

 

 

Monday Musings (on Tuesday)

• I'm late with my Monday post again this week.  I had jury duty yesterday (yuck) and they kept me (double yuck!).  I have to say, I forgot how boring sitting through court could be in certain cases!  When I used to work at the courthouse, I at least could be on the computer during court!  I never thought they'd keep me in a million years, I'm never lucky with anything, so of course I wouldn't be picked.  Wrong.  Oh well, I hope it's my first and last gig doing that!  On another note, I really feel compelled to pray for the parties I saw yesterday.  I already have and will for however long I feel led.  That's all I can and will say about that. 
• We had another accident that required KidMed on Sunday.  I woke up to a rainy day and debated whether to try to take the kids to church by myself.  We were playing in the living room that morning and Henry was on his Little Tikes rocker thing my grandparents gave him for Christmas.  It looks like this:  He loves the thing.  He was rocking really hard and flipped over backwards.  It landed on top of him.  When I ran to grab him up, blood was everywhere.  I calmed him down and took a look, his lip looked like hamburger.  It was gross and appeared to be really deep.  I got Dustin up and he agreed I should take him somewhere.  I called my Mom to meet me on the way to KidMed.  I had to run by Dustin's Dad's church and alert him to what was going on and ask him to be on standby for the twins because Dustin was on call for work.  I was so embarrassed because I had thrown on some shorts I wore the day before, had blood on my shirt, and had not showered.  I know God said to "come as you are"- so I went on in.  Papa's church is more conservative than ours, so you still find men in suits and few in jeans.  Oh well.  It was an emergency.  I luckily grabbed the sound lady in the back and was able to get him without disrupting the whole service.  She is a nurse and agreed Henry probably needed to be seen.  My mom and I headed to KidMed, which doesn't open till 12.  We had to wait an hour, but decided that was better than going to the E.R. because it takes FOREVER there.   We were second in line and seen right away.  Henry did take a fairly big chunk out of his lip, but the nurse practitioner we saw recommended not stitching it up because she felt like he would just pull the stitches out.  It also was not in a spot to scar and should heal quickly.  A false alarm.  Again.  I have to be honest, I felt silly but I am not a physician so I would rather be safe than sorry.  His lip is already healing a bit, it's a huge white spot on the bottom lip, which is normal.  Apparently that's new cells being generated.  The funny things is I JUST paid KidMed off last week!  Oh well, such is life!
• My mom and I decided to go in Kroger because she needed some groceries and we were already out.  It was so nice to be out with just Henry-I think he had a great time being the only one vying for my attention!  He got an apple and goldfish while we were shopping!  :-)  I love grocery shopping for some reason-I just like seeing what's out there since I like to cook.  Before we had kids we went grocery shopping with our friends a lot and always had a great time!  Maybe we all need to get out more, but you can make anything fun!  :-) 
• I got a rain barrel from Kroger.  They had them forever for $100, but finally marked them down to $50.  Dustin and I decided we couldn't make one for that price, so we got it!  I was so excited!  Yep, I'd rather have a rain barrel than jewelry at this stage in my life!  It's just where I am right now!  The kids were excited too, we promptly set it up and hope for rain! 
• I hope to plant some pumpkins soon.  I know it's a bit later than recommended, but let's be honest.  The kids will pick them before they are full size anyway, so it doesn't much matter.  If they grow the size of a softball they'll be thrilled. 
• We have a hummingbird who keeps coming to our porch wanting food, so I think the kids and I are going to go buy him a feeder and food today.  I think they will love it and I always like opportunities like that for them to learn about stuff and take care of things.  They love nature and animals. 
• I am so glad to be at home today and back to my laundry, dishes, refereeing fights, changing diapers, etc. etc.!  Yesterday was like a day at work and I could not hang!  I went to bed at 8:30 because I was pooped and we had a random dinner of bagel bites & hot boneless wings (adults), Organic spaghetti o's (kids), carrots and ranch, apples, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.  Again- my hat is off to all working moms!  I can't even imagine it!  It exhausts my brain to think about it!
• My sister, Abbey, leaves for college Saturday.  I remember when she was born.  I remember BEFORE she was born.  I got my learner's permit right around when she was born.  I am so OLD!  It reminds me of when I left for college and I bawled like a baby as I watched the most important people in my life driving away, knowing it was a long three hour drive to be able to see them.  As a mother now, I can't imagine leaving one of my children.  I'd be crazy!  I went to school back before all this technology when you couldn't text someone or call them on a cell phone and talk instantly.  I can't imagine how my Mom, Dad, and grandparents felt driving away.  It makes me sick to my stomach to think about it as a parent!  I will just worry about that in 15 years or so!  Oh, and my sister thinks its HILARIOUS that I had a landline phone in my dorm room, she thought I was kidding.  Sigh.  Yep, I'm old!  :-) 
• Our chicken project has been on the back burner as of late.  Once we get my sister off to college, we can hopefully get the coop and get going on it again.
• We are ordering our kids' swingset soon.  As soon as I make the final decision and pay.  It's a big decision because they are expensive!  The one I like suggests it takes 14 hours to put together, after a parts inventory.  I was talking to my Dad and Dustin about this and my Dad says, "No way, it only takes about 2 hours."  Hmmm....now I love my Dad and hubby to death, but I just don't believe they can do such a daunting task in 2 hours.  If they do-I'll gladly eat my words!  Ha!  This is the set we are thinking of: 

I can't get the picture bigger.  It's on Walmart.com and is the Atlantis one.  It had to meet several criteria- no monkey bars, and wooden treehouse-type thing on it instead of a plastic canopy were the main two.  We are also ordering a fireman's pole to attach because the kids LOVE those whenever we are at other playgrounds.  I will probably also get a few small things for Henry, like a steering wheel to attach to the bottom.  I am excited, we've needed this for some time!  I will have to time how long it takes to put together! 

 

Well, we are off to get our milk and run to the store for hummingbird food and a feeder.  More later......

Private Swimming Lessons and a bit about Carson

We had two sessions of our private swimming lessons this week.  The twins did awesome.  We initially joined the Y because I really, really wanted the kids to take swim lessons.  The cost was the same to join and pay for swim lessons at the members price, or pay for non-member lessons.  It just made sense to join and be able to take advantage of everything they have to offer.  Emilynn excelled at the swim lessons, but Carson retreated each week.  Some weeks he did not even join the class, he just sat with me and watched.  The teacher and I discussed him many times and she is so sweet.  She really never gave up asking him to join the class.  A few times he would ease over near them and join in, but most times he did not.  He is my child that I fear being in a traditional classroom setting.  He just tends to retreat when there's a group.  He would many times be off to the side of the swim class playing to himself.  He did the same thing at the lake. 
Anyway, we discussed trying private lessons for him.   They are much, much more expensive, but honestly, I wanted to give him every chance to excel at swimming like his sister.  That may sound crazy, but in my opinion, swimming is not a matter of being just another "activity" the kids are involved in.  I really believe swimming is a skill everyone should know for safety reasons. 
Dustin and I discussed it, and decided we would sign him up for private lessons.  It really wasn't even that big of an expense when you consider what we pay for Emilynn's dance lessons.  I talked with the teacher and she told me for the private lessons, they could actually both come for the same price.  I decided we'd try that, and so far it's been great!  She can work with one child, while the other takes a little break, and she just alternates between the two. Carson, who cannot stand water in his face at all-even for bathtime, put his head underwater twice yesterday at the second lesson!  I could not believe it!  I am SO PROUD of him!  He is really shining at the private lessons.  Don't get me wrong, he is still super-cautious and very reserved, but he is making huge strides I know he would not have made during the group class.  Emilynn is also doing excellent.  She swam really well on her back yesterday.  She sunk each time going forward-but backwards the girl is practically swimming.  I think I had this huge goofy smile on my face the whole class.  I was just so proud of my kiddos!  :-)  I couldn't have been happier if they were at the Summer Olympics winning the Gold in swimming.  I really couldn't have.  I am finding such joy in my kids, even at the littlest accomplishments!  I know everyone is tired of hearing me talk about how well they did this week during swimming lessons! 

Carson especially made me proud because he is like a different child with the one on one attention.  His shyness/reservations is always a topic of discussion at different times.  I have had people tell me I should push him and get him over it.  I have to say, I can't think of anything more traumatic.  I honestly don't plan to "force" him to do anything.  I would rather just encourage him as he goes along, but I won't force him into situations that I think give him true anxiety.  If he just needs a little push, I will encourage him and push a little.  I won't force him though for a couple of reasons.   For one thing, Dustin is very quiet and shy a lot of the time, so he gets it naturally.  Dustin is not a fan of crowds either, Carson is truly the spitting image of him.  As Carson nears school age, I can just see him in a class room retreating to the side and getting lost in the shuffle.  Emilynn is the opposite- she's GOING to make sure she's noticed.  I don't want him slipping through the cracks.  I will do what I can to make sure he has the best situation for HIM to excel.  I guess this week's just proven to me what I already know.  Carson CAN learn the exact same thing as Emilynn and excel just like her at things.  He just may need a different setting (private lessons vs. group), and he may need a little more time.  There is nothing wrong with it, as each child is so very different.  What I won't do is insist they both do things the same- as they are individuals even though they are twins.  I also don't think group activities are for everyone, and I don't think a traditional school setting is the "end all be all" for learning and being successful in life.  I guess my point in all this is basically what everyone already knows- different people learn best in different ways at different paces, and that's okay!  I will go forward with an open mind but I will do what I feel is best for my kids in each situation, as I know them best.  That was proven to me by Carson's HUGE smile at me from the pool and his little thumb's up he kept giving me during his class.  That's all I need to know I am making the right decisions for my kids and our family.  :-) 

Disney Planes- our first trip to the movies!

I knew when I saw the Planes movie coming out, it would be perfect for my kids.  They LOVE Cars.  I can't tell you how many times I've watched that movie since my nephew was on a Cars kick for a LONG time, then my kids got on a Cars kick.  We haven't even seen the second one yet, maybe we'll get that for Christmas.  I wanted the twins to see Planes in 2D, not 3D.  I honestly didn't want to have to deal with the glasses and drama that could possibly ensue....you know...like me having to put them back on them a gazillion times.  Or someone crying when they won't stay on.  It just seemed like too much trouble and plus you pay so much more for 3D.  I originally thought we'd go as a family, but after Henry didn't enjoy the Disney Jr. show, I figured he wouldn't sit through a movie either.  I opted to have my mom stay with him during his nap time.  She got a nap too I think!  The twins and I headed to the 3:30 show yesterday.  I even decided to be a spur of the moment mom and just get them some popcorn when we got there.  Normally I probably would have smuggled in my own snacks.  If you know me at all, you already knew that!   Ha!  The whole experience was new for my kids, and they enjoyed every minute I think, right down to buying our tickets!  I was pleasantly surprised it was only $18 for all 3 of us to get in.  We hit the snack bar, then found some seats.  I don't think we were even sitting down when previews started.  I'm glad we timed it so well.  Waiting can be disastrous with 3 year olds!  There were 11 people total in the movie (counting us!), which made it nice because of course my kids made comments here and there about things in the movie.  It was a cute movie, a lot of the same storyline as Cars.  I think Carson enjoyed it more than Emilynn, but she said she liked it and liked the pink plane the best.  Go figure!  I thought it was the perfect length movie, and the perfect choice for my kids' first one!  When we left Carson said, "That was fun mom. I liked it!" 

Now, the one thing that did disappoint me was the snack bar.  I have to say, we are not movie people in our house.  We never know what's playing and go to the theatre maybe once every couple of years.  I don't know what I expected at the concession stand, but I was disappointed in it for sure.  I honestly wished I had just smuggled in the snacks.  The popcorn was fine, I knew it would be the standard movie popcorn.  I was disappointed that the drinks were ALL sodas.  We don't drink sodas.  Of course my kids asked for juice and tea, which they did not have.  (We think Emilynn is British, she talks with a British accent a lot of the time like "Peppa Pig" and LOVES hot tea).  After realizing the drinks were unfamiliar, my kids just started ordering by color.  Emmy got pink lemonade, Carson got orange drink.  I had figured on at least getting bottled water, but there was none of that to be found either.  Then the lady asked me if I wanted to get them the combos which included a small candy as well, and was cheaper.  Sure, I mean if we are going for the gusto anyway, why not?  My kids had already been google-eyed over the Skittle and M & M's in the case.  Well, the combo candy choice was a Snickers with Almonds, Hershey's with Almonds, or Caramello.  I had to have her repeat them, 'cause I was confused!  No Skittles, no M&M's.  I know what the dyes do to Emilynn, so that's probably a good thing really.   What's up with the almonds?  Don't they know a lot of kids are allergic to nuts?  With all that being said, I was just truly disappointed in our choices for snacks.  I mean, with so much hype over childhood obesity, or obesity in general, I just thought there would be at least water or a few healthy choices.  I could have asked for tap water I supposed, but I didn't have an extra hand to carry anything else.  A bottle would have fit right in my purse. 

I know you shouldn't complain about something without providing a solution, so I was trying to think last night of what WOULD be a good snack for the theatre.  Well, honestly, my kids were happy to get the popcorn.  They've just started eating popcorn.  Couldn't it be healthier though?  I think some of those little packs of apples or grapes would be good- like the ones at the grocery store that are pre-made and ready to go?  Before you laugh, my kids LOVE apples and most all fruits.  They have chosen fruit over other snacks before.  I'm sure they aren't the only ones.  In a Happy Meal, they really only eat the apples and fries.  The nuggets rarely get eaten.  If that's too much to worry about things rotting, maybe applesauce squeezie pouches, boxes of raisins or cranberries, or maybe even some goldfish or organic bunnies for kids Henry's size who can't really eat popcorn all that well yet.
 
I know most people probably think I'm crazy, but it's just food for thought!  Maybe without the unhealthy options, or with the healthy ones, we can make small changes one step at a time. 

And in case you're wondering....we got the Caramellos.  :-) 

Monday Musings

• We have had a busy past week!  It's hard to believe it's time for Monday Musings again, and I haven't posted a thing else!  I have so much planned to post, but I have more to do than hours in the day it seems!  This past weekend was especially busy. 
• We went to the Disney Jr. Pirate and Princess show.  It was a lot of fun.  Mom, Amanda, Hunter, Carson, Emilynn, Henry, and I all piled into Amanda's suburban and headed out early for the show.  The kids were pretty excited but I don't think they knew what to expect.  It was a daytime show, so it was actually really nice.  Not too crowded or chaotic.  The only chaotic part was just waiting to get out of the parking deck when it was over.  Oh, and my sister driving in the parking deck.  She has apparently never done that before- yikes!  :-)  The princess part of the show was first, then the pirate show.  The show unfortunately did not hold Henry's attention.  We were hoping he would love it as much as the circus, but he didn't.  My mom took him out after the princess half of the show.  I think she was probably glad to get out of there too!  I was pleasantly surprised that the souvenirs were fairly reasonably priced, my kids got something for only $31 total.  Much cheaper than the circus actually.  We got popcorn for them to eat, which also kept them occupied before the show and during intermission.  Doc McStuffins had a little pre-show.  My kids LOVE Doc, so they've been playing Doc McStuffins constantly since we got back.  Dustin and I have both been told we have a bad case of "itis".  :-) 
• I took Emilynn for a girls' day on Saturday.  It was nice to have just her out with me.  It's funny how much the kids talk when they are the only one with you.  She had my grandma and I cracking up the whole time.  We went to meet Bob and Larry from Veggie Tales.  She keeps saying she met the "big" Bob & Larry.  They were so cute!  We took our picture with them.  As in, me and Emilynn because she didn't like being beside them alone.  I was surprised it wasn't really crowded.  They gave out juice boxes or water, and popcorn and M & Ms.  You could have your face painted and also we got a Veggie Tales balloon.  To make the day complete, my grandma treated Emmy to a Veggie Tales princess dress and crown.  It is SO cute on her.  I got her a Princess Bible.  She is so proud of her new Bible!  I had planned to get her a new Veggie Tale movie, but she chose the Bible instead.  Good choice I think!  She's been "reading" it ever since.  I want to look for Carson one that's similar.  We also took her for an early supper at Red Lobster and then hit Sweet Frog for some yogurt after we got a few groceries at Kroger.  It was a simple, but fun day!  She really enjoyed being the only kid for a change I think.  I was so glad I had ran in the Christian bookstore Tuesday when I went shopping by myself.  I would not have known about Bob & Larry if I hadn't.  I don't think they advertised it all that well.  Emilynn is my child that LOVES Veggie Tales, so it was a perfect solo outing for her.  Daddy kept the boys and took them riding and for milkshakes.  Even Henry got a milkshake, which I'm told he quickly slurped down! 
• Today I decided we'd have a slow day at home.  I had planned to do our usual Y routine, but I was awoken at 3 am by the kids wanting me to sleep in their room, and I did not sleep well at all.  Their beds are not that comfy for adults.  I was tired this morning, so we just snuggled on the couch and watched some t.v. and then played trains all morning.  It was a nice change of pace from our crazy weekend.  I prefer weekends with no plans, at least nothing set in stone with times and such.  Henry is napping, so I 'm hoping to catch up on housework.  I always seem to have housework to do, it's never ending! 
• I spent the morning Saturday going through the twins' toys.  Emilynn was a big helper and chose many things we could give to other children.  I explained that some children don't have toys and we could share with them.  She had refused several times, but I have kept asking and finally Saturday she starting parting with some things.  I was actually shocked at stuff she was willing to get rid of.  Some things she just got for Christmas this past year.  Oh well, I'd rather get rid of things and declutter the house.  Poor girl already inherited my (and my dad's) hoarding gene.  Carson is not there yet, he said he didn't want to get rid of anything.  It was the first time I had asked him, so I feel like he'll come around once he gets used to the idea.  He doesn't have as much stuff as Emmy anyway.  She definitely hoards stuff, her side of the room had at least twice as much as his! 
• Swim lessons start this week, Wednesday and Friday.  I'm hoping Henry will stay in the
  Children's gym so I can focus more on the lessons, but I have my doubts.  We'll see.  I wish he could get past his separation anxiety.  It would make things SO much easier for me!  I honestly dread working out sometimes....because I don't even know if I'm gonna get to finish or do much of anything before they get tired of him crying.  I know it's a phase....let's hope it's a fast one!  Carson went through the same thing....I just have to keep reminding myself of that!  

Monday Musings (on Wednesday!)

• I'm behind blogging-no shocker there!  My sister Madison kindly reminded me I should blog more...like every day!  I will try to do better, but honestly, life can get so busy!  Especially now that I am trying to go exercise at least 3 times a week!  Those days can get crazy.  It's been really good to get back into a routine of working out though, and I do miss it when I don't.  It's a trade off, because in order to work out, I then have to take the kids swimming for about an hour afterwards.  Add in changing everyone, etc. and we are gone for several hours on Y days.  It's a good busy though.
• Speaking of the Y, the twins start back with swimming lessons next week.  We are doing private lessons this time, twice a week.  I am anxious to see how Carson does with these.  I hope he excels, but if he doesn't, that's okay too.  Emilynn will excel for sure, as she's my little fish.  Apparently Henry is following in her footsteps since he likes to practice floating and blowing bubbles already!
• I had a day to myself yesterday-Madison watched the kiddos for me.  It was really nice to get out and run some errands alone.  I enjoyed it very much-and got a lot done!  I booked the twins' birthday party for December.   I know that sounds crazy but places fill up fast for winter birthdays, I have learned. 
• Since we are talking December, I also found a few Christmas gifts while I was out and about.  I really enjoy just shopping as I go, and taking my time to find just the right thing for folks.  I am probably halfway done with our shopping.  It's nice not to have to spend a huge amount all at once as well. 
• We are going to see the Disney Jr. Pirate and Princess show this week.  I have to admit, I am excited!  I am excited for the kids.  They love Jake and the Neverland Pirates and of course Emilynn loves Princess Sofia the first.  I am excited to see what it will be like.  We got my mom a ticket to go with us, because we needed the help.  My sister called and told her we got her a ticket to something.  She got all excited at what it could be, then she told her what it was.  Ha!  I think she was a bit let down.  We will have to do something special another day for her helping us so much! 
• I think Emilynn and I may go out this weekend for some girl time.  She acts out a lot, and I feel like it's for attention.  Dustin and I have decided she needs more positive attention, because apparently she's vying for whatever attention she can get, even if it's negative.  She is just naturally less demanding than the boys, she's very independent.  The boys are much more needy and clingy, so they end up getting more attention for it.  I'm not saying either is right or wrong, it's just the way things seem to go at our house.  I went in our Christian bookstore yesterday and saw where Larry and Bob (from Veggie Tales) will be there this weekend.  Emilynn LOVES Veggie Tales, which she calls "Pop in Tatoes" for some reason.  I hope it's not a mad house! 
• We had a fun, low-key weekend.  We went to a sporting goods store with Daddy, went to church, and went to a Relay For Life dinner with my sisters Alyssa and Madison.  It was lots of family fun!  We rode Poppy's new golf cart a while and spent lots of time laughing and cutting up.  I love the more quiet weekends the best! 

All for now, the kids are getting rambunctious since I'm distracted!  More later, I'm working on uploading our beach pics for a vacation post!