thetadpoles.com

Hair

Hava — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:20:59 +0000

I have been trying (begging, pleading) to get Loen to leave barrettes, hair ties or hats on her head. She is fine for about 10-15 minutes then she pulls it out. She will come up to you with the rubber band and say “Mama fix it”. I will and she will pull whatever is in her hair out again, repeat…repeat…

I wouldn’t normally mind but as her hair has gotten longer I find food, snot, etc stuck in her hair. I explain that it keeps her hair clean. I don’t want to wash avocado out of her hair….again. Doesn’t matter, she has her own agenda. She had a runny nose for almost two weeks and I would find her hair stuck in the snot that she swipes across her face. D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G. I tried again to pull her hair back. It was then that I had a flashback of being a little girl and my Grandma Rose saying “Doesn’t your mom ever put barrettes in your hair?!” as she would attempt to bobby pin my long bangs back.

Perhaps it is genetic?

Fakers

Hava — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:33:28 +0000

This morning the twins requested waffles for breakfast (again) and I thought that is a relatively mess free meal to try out at their new table. I don’t put anything on the waffle so we should be good.
With plates and sippy cups in front of them they sat quietly munching their food. They looked like such big kids. I took a picture then turned my back to get coffee. They reverted back to 2 year olds. Derby threw his waffle on the floor and was wearing the plate like a hat. Loen was walking around with waffle leaving a trail of crumbs. How do you make so many crumbs that a vacuum is required for their removal?? Just ask Loen.

This story of faking goes nicely with an incident yesterday morning. I was folding laundry in the guest room with Loen hanging on my legs. She was being ornery and whiny. Finally she flopped herself down on the floor because she wasn’t getting ALL of my attention. Derby picked that moment to walk by, I watched as she kicked him and knocked him over. Derby looked a little stunned and I asked if he was all right. That must have ruffled Loen’s feathers that I gave Derby some attention because she rolled over and banged her head against the leg of the bed. Then she starts fake crying.

Loen you banged your own head, stop the whining.

Derby hit head

No you hit your head on purpose Derby didn’t hit you

Derby hit waaaaaaaaaa

This leads me to wonder about all the times she has told me that Derby has hit or pushed her. Was she faking??

ETOH

Hava — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:38:27 +0000

Remember back when you were younger and certain alcoholic beverages were held in higher esteem then they are now? I’m fairly certain in my younger years I could have muttered the following:

What is this fine and refreshing beverage? So crisp and sparkling, yet only $2.19. It is joy in a solo cup!

Ummm Boones Farm Strawberry Hill

Now that we are older our taste has become more refined. We had a $10 cap at Costco or Trader Joes when it came to purchasing wine. There are definitely deals out there and some of the $10 wines were great. But we were slowly becoming aware of the wine that Santa Barbara had to offer. Our previous choices weren’t bad for everyday but we realized there were occasions when you would want to celebrate with a nice bottle of vino from our Golden coast or the French countryside.

Then we came across Kunin Pape Star (a California take on Châteauneuf-du-Pape), Consilience or when we were introduced to Curtis wines (which we were able to purchase two cases at a special deal of $6 a bottle versus $25.) Now we’re screwed. I went to an event that had cheap wine and I almost spit mine back into the glass but realized how awful that would look. Gone are the days when Mickeys big mouth was a hit.

Damn you Curtis, DAMN YOU!

(Dont even get me started on the fabu wines that Papa Andy serves at his house….)

Smooth Sailing

Hava — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:54:28 +0000

Smooth sailing my foot. We don’t do no stinkin smooth sailing in this family! Today is Derby’s 2 year anniversary of coming home from the NICU.

Quick recap: here we are 2 years ago. Lord they were tiny!

The night before Loen was running a temp of 102. Then this morning they both were feverish and had runny noses. My kids know how to celebrate milestones! I don’t know if it was the fevers or what but they were super cuddly with each other and me this morning.

We were trying to start a tradition of recreating the day we brought them home. Since that is impossible we opted for whatever meal we had that first day. Loen = pizza = done. Derby = breakfast = well since it is tax season Tadd cant really skip out of work to go to breakfast. Then you throw into the mix the twins are sick. We made do with going to the bagel/donut place across from his office. Believe me the twins didn’t mind because they got a donut (yes it is looking like we load the twins up with sugar to celebrate. True, but it is a rare treat)

I realized later that Derby is checking out the college girl

As the day wore on they were being grouchy, yet still had lots of energy. I moved the art table that Oma handed down to us into the kid area. I busted out with all of the stuff we never do in the house: crayons, stickers and play doh. That kept them busy for about 10 minutes.

Derby was more excited that I gave him a knife rather than play with the dough

Loen continued to play while Derby crawled through the table

Then everything changed. Derby started crying and his fever spiked to 104 F. He just wanted to lay on my lap. After he got motrin he tried to climb back into his crib and was crying “nigh-night”. It was very pathetic. He took 3 naps and was my sad little guy. Loen thought Derby was getting extra attention so whenever I was trying to rock him she would climb on top of us and laugh. I could see why Derby wanted the sanctity of his crib.

Flickr is on my list

Hava — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:07:33 +0000

I am seriously hating Flickr at the moment. I have had numerous problems with uploading, syncing, embedding, you name it. I believe I am done with that site. While going back over the web site I found numerous posts where the pictures were gone, mysteriously unlinked from Flickr. Im debating wether to try and fix the 100’s of photos that are missing from posts.

I’ve decided to try something new. While the pictures may look small on the website you may now click them and it will open the photo up full size. Let me know what you think. In the meantime I’m going to go kick a kitty I’m so frustrated. (Oh calm down you animal rights activists, it’s stuffed!)

Due Date Celebration take 2

Hava — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:55:20 +0000

I’m sure it seems silly to celebrate all these little milestones, but they are so dear to our heart. The day Loen came home (2/11/08), their original due date (2/12/08 which they were NO WHERE close to making) and Derby’s homecoming (2/17/08).

This year we went back to the beginning and ordered pizza and watched Lost to commemorate Loen’s homecoming. Though we most definitely didn’t do that with the twins awake because there would be no eating or watching of the tv if they had their way. It would play out where they would climb all over us, climb on the coffee table, request to watch “veggies”, etc. So we put them to bed and celebrated the peacefulness!

For their due date we weren’t terribly prepared and I never got to Crushcakes to pick up cupcakes. The twins had some friends over and were having too much fun playing to make a pitstop, even if it did involve their favorite carb. So we gave them their prize instead, new metal harmonicas like the daddy’s. Loud times to be had by all. While Derby LOVES the harmonica he refuses to have his picture taken with one. Go figure.

The next day we were downtown and right by the bakery so we picked up some cupcakes for after lunch. Last year Derby didn’t eat a cupcake and Loen was tentative with her first bites. This year there was no hesitation when it came to inhaling a chocolate cupcake.

They are best buddies. I love to hear all of the laughs and giggles as they chase each other around the house. Keeping each other up by talking instead of napping. I found them playing peek-a-boo in the bouncer and trying to kiss each other through the mesh sides. They were laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world. Of course 2 minutes later there was hair pulling and screaming over a drumstick. That’s life when you’re two.

2 years for Lo

Hava — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:03:42 +0000

Today marks Loens 2 year anniversary of leaving the NICU and coming home. It went by so fast!

For the love of animals

Hava — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:24:57 +0000

We don’t have any animals but we try to expose them to wildlife when possible. We go to the zoo and look at animal books. Derby loves their Little People Ark and will make the animal sounds then shout “ANIMALS!” It is all or nothing with that boy.

Loen is fearless when it comes to animals, which worries me. Derby is definitely more cautious but Loen will charge after a furry friend. She doesn’t understand that they are not always friendly. While at Mima’s house Loen kept going after their cat Pounce. She finally got a hold of his tail and he flipped around and swatted at her. 1: I was glad the cat was declawed. 2: The last thing I need is a child freaked out by cats. I told her the cat was trying to give her five (not knock her block her off). That was all the reassurance she needed to go after Pounce again. Derby kept calling the cat “doggy” then halfway through our trip in Michigan he was saying “kitty”. I’ve had people tell me that we should really get the twins a dog. Perhaps I should lock those people up in the house with the twins and a puppy for 24 hours and see how they feel about that idea then. For now we are content visiting other peoples pets.

Loen and a horse

Family with the horse. I love Derby’s expression

Restraining Loen before she charged after 2 baby alpacas. I’d hate to be an episode of When Animals Attack

At the SB Zoo

Splish Splash

Hava — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:13:41 +0000

The twins got rain gear from Oma and Papa Andy for Christmas. They really, really like playing in the rain. To the point where you have to drag them back inside or you find yourself arguing with a screaming 2 year old about why you can’t have an open wet umbrella in the house.

Because being in the rain wasn’t enough they wanted to splash in the fountain

I have found that Loen thinks you can pair Hello Kitty rain boots with ANYTHING.

Vote for Gwendolyn

Hava — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:18:23 +0000

I have mentioned Gwendolyn Strong in our blog before. She was also born in October 2007, but unlike the twins she was not a micropreemie and did not spend months in the NICU. Gwendolyn was a full term, healthy baby. Not until she was 9 weeks old did they realize something was wrong, then at 6 months Gwendolyn was diagnosed with SMA. A horrible genetic disease that is fatal. Most children with SMA don’t live to see their 2nd birthday, so it goes with out saying that Gwendolyn is extra special. Tadd and I have seen this family at therapy, around town and at Snow Day at the Zoo. Time and time again we comment on how they carry themselves with such strength and poise. They are upbeat and friendly. I have had people tell us they don’t know how we survived the NICU, twins, etc. but I couldn’t imagine a diagnosis such as SMA. You rise up and face challenges the best way you know how, yet I am floored at how they manage. I’m sure they have their bad days but they are truly an amazing family.

Im posting today because The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation is in the running to receive a million dollars from Chase Giving. What they need is help. Please take a moment and vote for this foundation through Facebook.