We're still going!

Wow... so... we are still dealing wit having someone sick pretty much all the time around here. The kids just aren't getting used to all the germs at daycare and it's really taking it's toll.

The latest was an ear infection in Katie that made her throw up all day long (poor thing - we had no idea ear infections could do that and she never once complained about anything not feeling right)

That's the other thing about our kids being sick - it's always SO HARD to tell because they aren't whiny, sad, grumpy or anything really when they are sick. Bronchitis, ear infections, coxsackie and each time we had to take them to the doctor because we had a feeling something was off - not because they were sad and miserable.

They are both getting insanely big and they are both so so smart. Katie continues to knock us off our feet with her quick wit and charm - Dinner conversation one night...

Me: Katie - This is cantaloupe, I want you to try some.

Katie:I don't like cantaloupe

Me: Do you know who loves cantaloupe? Mo Mo and B (we were going to see them the next day so I ingeniously thought this would be a good motivator to try it)

Katie: Well, maybe we can take this cantaloupe over to their house and they can eat it because they like it

No attitude - just matter of fact - makes total sense cause I'm not eating it  - Touche

Ben is alarmingly smart for a little boy who doesn't really talk. He understands almost everything we tell him and can answer simple yes or no questions - he can identify animals and characters in books and loves reading before bed.He follows instructions like take your shoes off, put this in the garbage, etc... and they are starting to interact with each other more which makes me SO happy!

He's a critic of his books too - if we pick the wrong one - he will stare at it- think for a second and then push it away while emphatically shaking his head - then you pick up another one and he thinks about it (like he's remembering what's in the story and if he wants to hear it) and then will sit back and nod and go UGH - which means - yes, you may read this book to me now.

Bedtime is becoming a bit of a challenge for us with Katie - she's stalling and arguing and crying and yelling if she doesn't get everything she wants. We kind of created that issue since we used to always give in so she wouldn't wake Ben and now we are paying the price for it and it's AWFUL.

Our new bootcamp plan includes waking her up earlier in the morning - telling her daycare she can't nap anymore and starting bedtime at 8 instead of 7:30 - which means she ends up going to be like, an hour before I do - which is CRAZY!!!! Fingers crossed this works because the past few weeks have been stressful! So far the putting her to bed later isn't really working in our favor as it's 8:50 and Dave is still up there arguing with her.... fingers crossed

What else, we haven't gone to Sesame in awhile because someone is always sick so we are planning on taking them this weekend which I am already regretting because end of summer is the WORST time of year for that place - the people get nasty - the park gets dirty and it's gonna be crowded - but - the kids won't recognize any of that so I am putting my big girl pants on and we are going to take them because they have been so good lately (except bedtime) and they deserve a little play time:)

Dave and Katie went to a Wiggles Concert a few weeks ago and we just had an amazing visit from our very good friends the Paynes from Mobile, Alabama. (that will be it's own post as there is WAY too much to write to include here)

Work is going AMAZING for me and we have all adjusted to having two parents working full time.
We have even figured out how to both get some time to get to the gym a few times a week which is great. ( I go in the mornings before work and Dave goes after the kids are sleeping at night)

Other than that we are just trying to survive every day. Who knew that by adding one little kid to the mix - you would literally lose all quiet time you ever had a chance of having and all ability to do ANYTHING that isn't about them.
Good thing they are SO Darn cute!!!!

So Overdue

Here's the real problem... I'm working ALL THE TIME and it's on a laptop that doesn't have my pictures so even when I have a free second at night and I think I should update the blog - I'm on the wrong computer and Dave is working on the MAC in the kitchen (it's busy season) and well, I just don't post.

Sorry...
Really Sorry.

We have been busy - ever since we came back from our AWESOME, albeit unseasonably cold, vacation to Maine - the kids have been sick again - so we were pent up in the house for ANOTHER FULL WEEK... There's nothing like paying for your kids to be in daycare the week you are on vacation for them not to be there - to return from vacation and pay for ANOTHER full week where they are not there:(

Plus, they were just pitiful. I need them to stop getting sick. Everyone says the first year is the toughest - so I am trying my hardest to make it to the full year because we REALLY Like this school/daycare and I think it's very clean - I think the problem is Mr. Mouth Monster who still tries to eat everything in sight - so he's bringing the germs home:(

So, at the tail end of what the doctor diagnosed as BRONCHITIS - and after a full 1 - 2 weeks of little sleep and lots of crankiness on everyone's part - I have decided to overdose them on vitamins!!

So, we all now take Vitamin C every day (the gummy kind) and I got Ben chewable vitamins from the doc as he wasn't taking the liquid form - and we are all taking our multi-vitamin every day. (all except Dave who NEVER gets sick)

So... fingers crossed that we are on our way to a healthy, happy few months!

The kids are GREAT - Katie is ridiculously smart as always and is becoming very inventive with story telling and explaining things. Ben is also crazy smart, despite his BAM BAM appearance.
He knows where his hair, head, ears, nose, mouth, toes, belly, eyes are. He is starting to talk
Da Da, bubba (for Bubble Guppies - his Favorite TV show), MAAAH (more), he points to his mouth when he's sad and wants his Binky - he says please with sign language and apparently says thank you in sign language at school although he REFUSES to say it here hahaha.


He finally says Ma Ma but it's only at bedtime if he's crying cause he doesn't want to go to bed yet hahaha. That's ok - I'll take it!

He can follow directions - like bring this to Katie or throw that in the garbage. When we say it's time for bath - he heads for the stairs.

In an exciting turn of events, Katie has FINALLY started interacting her on her own. Talking to him, playing with him - giving him things. He's a little rough and still just wants to climb all over her - so we have to watch him and try to get him to be more gentle - but she handles it very well for her age and doesn't do anything even though sometimes he literally pounces on her!

Let's see... what else - Katie got a short summer hair cut cause her hair was a MESS! We got season passes to the Bronx Zoo and have already gone once and they LOVED IT.

so, we're still alive and doing MUCH better than we were the past 2 weeks since vacation.

Between our dryer being busted and having to hang clothes for 4 weeks, to packing and un packing for vacation - and having sick kids - mommy and daddy are beat! But, the kids are doing better and we are hoping to have some normalcy again:) Perhaps a visit to Sesame is needed - although - i really hate going during PEAK summer season - but the kids won't mind the crowds - so I just have to prepare myself mentally for it now and start deep breathing haha

I promise I will TRY to post more often - it's just been CRAZY!!!!!

Grammie and Grampie - we have to plan your next visit - maybe you could come to the Zoo with us in our SUPER COOL mini-van! OH YEAH!!! We bought a mini van and its AWESOME!!!!!! (except for when it runs out of Gas - but you'll have to ask Dave about that)

Happy Wednesday:)

Memorial day Weekend

 I'm going to need a second job to pay for haircuts.. I have to do it like every week and this morning I snipped his ear by accident and I'm mortified so now I'm scared to cut his hair myself :(

 Our little BIG guy

 The Leftovers of Katie's Coxsackie blisters on her feet:(

 Totally passed out on the way to the parade..

 We used Princess Pony as a pillow - mimi I figure you'd be proud!

 Katie let me do her hair

 I McGyvered her bathing suit so the straps would stop falling

Our little hippie princess.

Both kids are doing MUCH better. Ben still has some blisters though which concern me.
They go back to daycare tomorrow and fingers crossed we are DONE with viruses for awhile:)

He officially says MORE (about food of course) and tries to say BUZZ, and we think he said Big Bird today -  SO EXCITED that he's starting to vocalize:) We are exhausted from so much inside time. They have been playing together more which is AWESOME... Can't wait for our Beach vacation in Maine in a few weeks:)

Happy Memorial Day!

Dave went to pick the kids up from school and this is what greeted him.. There was a birthday party at school that day with a clown/face painter and Katie's came out AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She picked a blue tiger cause it was what she liked. (says Katie)

Apparently, we need to kick it up a notch for school, as I only sent cupcakes because I didn't know people had actual Birthday Parties - crappy mom award goes to me!

In other news, I finally sucked it up and bought a camcorder so that we can get videos of the kids without using our phones (where the lighting is AWFUL) so hopefully I will have fun videos to post soon:)

Happy Friday!

Ben likes Katie's trains too!!!!!