As I have jokingly complained before, the twins are wild and busy and TODDLERS. They make me tired, they make me laugh, and they make me cry.
On Wednesday we went in to see Dr. Silverberg, the twins opthamologist. You may remember that he was featured during the Childrens Miracle Network telethon we were in. Our main concern during this visit was Derby’s vision. As always, when it comes to medical issues, he seems to be the one we worry about more. We had our IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) meeting last week to discuss what will happen with therapy once the twins turn 3. Loen will no longer be eligible as she has caught up to most of her peers. But Derby will need help for a while longer. One of the recurring concerns his therapists bring up is his vision. What does he see, what doesn’t he see and how is he processing these images. It is all a guessing game until he can tell us what is going on. Tadd and I were ready with a barrage of questions regarding our little man. What we weren’t ready for was that Derby’s eyes, anatomically speaking are fine, but his sister’s that have gotten progressively worse. She went from minor nearsightedness (common in babies) to a prescription of -7 & -9 in 2009. Anything over -6 is considered severely nearsighted. On this visit they measured her to be -12 and -14. A huge jump. They tested her a couple of times to be sure. Without her glasses Loen is legally blind, sigh….. She is fine and will have to see the eye doctor every 6 months to be sure her vision is not worsening. We asked if there was a chance she could lose her vision. It is very rare but that would be the outcome if the retina was to detach.
I really shouldn’t get worked up but it is times like this that make we wonder what could we have done to prevent all this. If we would have hired movers when I was pregnant instead of doing it ourselves would they have gone to term? If I rested more? I know it is ridiculous to rehash this but it just comes to mind when yet another thing comes up. Again I feel bad because it is nothing life threatening just a bump in the road. But when I check on them in their cribs sleeping so soundly with their little pouty mouths hanging open, I want everything for them. I want the best. I fear for the day when some kid will make fun of their glasses or the way they walk. How am I going to protect them from everything yet let them live freely? This is motherhood huh?
On the upside she will be able to try out for Professor Trelawney in her high school production of Harry Potter.
I swear my son’s internal compass points to DANGER and DESTRUCTION. Just when I think he is playing so quietly I find he is up to no good.
On Friday we went to the park then to Trader Joe’s to pick a few things for dinner. They recently introduced kiddie karts at our branch and the twins were excited to use them. My mini shoppers were picking up necessities left and right (though the roast chicken had to go back. I don’t know how Loen got her hands on THAT). We are quite familiar with the sample station so we had to make a stop there. It was yummy peanut butter cookie day. Derby knew that cookies must be in his dominate hand. Waste not, want not…you know all that. So he is holding the cookie with his right hand and attempting to steer the cart with his left. I was excited because he was using his LEFT HAND to steer, a true testament to his wonderful therapists. Then his hand slips off the handle and he whacked his head on the cart. Commence screaming and food throwing then add in some shocked looks of fellow customers. He had a lovely bruise on his ear and head.
That night we had “the girls” and their parents over for dinner. You don’t know fun till you have 2 sets of toddler twins together! All the kids were in the living room watching Yo Gabba Gabba while we cleaned up. It was then that Derby fell off the couch and whacked his head (again) on the coffee table. The cut was just big and deep enough that I questioned taking him to E.D. He showed no signs of a concussion (unlike the LAST time he fell off the couch) but his head was oozing blood. After speaking to the on call Pediatrician we took him to the E.D. Turns out we were the 4th kid in a 2 hour period that had hit their head. The nurse asked if we were all together. “Yes, we were at a huge toddler rave and there was insane bed jumping…..”. Anyways Derby was a super trooper. One staple and he didn’t cry. In fact they stapled his head and it was loose so they removed it and re-stapled his head. He raised his eyebrows in concern but that was it. He is such a boy. The nurse called the staple “so cute”. Tadd said it was his first stitch, I had to remind him that Derby has had many stitches (from surgeries). I guess his first stitch from being dangerboy. Why do I have the feeling this wont be his last? Did I mention the E.D. doctor recognized Derby as the kid that puked in his cast over Thanksgiving weekend? Yeah, we have a rep like that….
Can you see the teeny tiny staple?
They wrapped a cotton ball with numbing agent on his head before the staple, which he enjoyed. When the doctor unwrapped his head he said “More hat, I want more hat”
Yesterday we took the twins to the park. Fauxbro John came along so we were 3 big people against 2 little ones, we were covered! Except for the fact a dog came out of no where and plowed Derby over. The dog was merely playful and the owner kept apologizing but I could see by Derby’s face he was traumatized. He doesn’t cry often and his bottom lip kept quivering. Usually he loves dogs, but he was quiet for awhile. Then he looks up at me and says “doggy owie”. My poor guy, he had a rough weekend. On the upside he was determined to climb this ladder arch thing at the park. He must have went up it like 10 times, you could tell he was so proud of himself.
I always put the twins in their crib before I take a shower. It cuts down on any unsupervised mayhem. Today when I got out I went into their room to release the hounds. One little girl was running around her room saying “I play a minute”. I had to hide my face so she wouldn’t see me laughing. I put her back into her crib to see what she would do, she climbed right out. A third time and I taped it. I will say she is quite graceful until the very end.
I thought it would be a nice break after tax season (which seemed to drag on FOREVER this year) to take the twins to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Naturally we would spend the night because no one wanted to drive 8 hours round trip in one day. I spent days looking at hotels and special deals. Originally I checked the Clement. Tadd said to call versus just looking online because they usually give better deals. Not so with that place, online a room was $170 and when I called I was told rooms started at $300. I explained the room was cheaper on Orbitz and after a pause the man says “I could give you a special locked in rate of $170″. Where is this special room, in the basement next to the laundry facility? In the end I chose a hotel that was to be family friendly and had really good reviews on tripadvisor.com. When we saw both places we wished we had went with our first choice. Oh well.
We left after breakfast on Sunday. The drive wasn’t bad but the twins refused to nap in the car even though they looked exhausted. Derby kept telling me he wanted “nigh night”. The good news was the hotel said we could have an early check in. I thought they could nap for a bit, go to the aquarium then dinner. Once at the hotel the ground floor with king bed & courtyard seating I originally booked became a 2nd floor with 2 double beds and a window seat. After explaining that we needed an area to hide out when the twins would inevitably be crying it out for the night they switched our room. Now we were on the third floor with a 4′ wide balcony. I was over switching rooms and by then the twins were raring to go.
A word to the wise, try to avoid the Monterey Bay Aquarium on a weekend afternoon. It was PACKED! To no ones surprise they wanted out of the stroller and were running in opposite directions. I packed the child leashes but forgot to bring them. No one was impressed with the HUGE outer bay viewing window or the amazing seahorses. They wanted to play on the escalator or touch the elevator buttons. Derby just wanted to run through the legs of fellow visitors with his mother in hot pursuit. There were a few picture perfect moments. I should say we deleted a couple of hundred shots that were NOT picture perfect.
Somehow the turtles held their attention….for mere seconds
I realize Derby has a gift as a turtle whisperer
Seahorse
Sea Dragon
Sharks trying to get my daughter
After we stopped at a pizza place to feed the twins we went to Dennis the Menace park. Tadd and I took the faux bros Matt, Andrew & John to this park back in 2004. I was excited to see how the twins would like it. When we walked up I was amazed because the whole park had been remodeled. There was so much to see and play on. The twins were excited and I had a thought of I could never do this park alone. The twins favorite was the slides. They definitely were worn out by the time we left.
Fooling around at dinner.
That night we bathed the twins and got them ready for bed. Tadd went to pick up some dinner while I hid out by the closet so the twins wouldn’t see me as they were screaming about going to bed. Loen conked out first then finally Derby was silent, of course that is when Tadd opened the door with dinner and the screaming started all over again. We grabbed our jackets and dinner then went to the teeny tiny balcony to eat/wait. The food smelled SO good, I was ready to eat. Tadd pulled out one container of chicken kabobs then the container of beef. The restaurant switched to the new eco friendly cardboard containers, turns out they get limp when holding hot steamy food. Limp container decided to break open all over the balcony. Tadd was ready to pack up and drive home. After a few moments to calm down and clean up the food that was all over (not to mention drink a much needed beer) he called the restaurant again. They were kind enough to make him a whole new order free of charge. Tadd went to pick it up which woke Derby up as he tried to sneak out the door. Woke Derby up again when he returned. We sat out in the cold eating the most delicious kabob and chutney I have ever had while listening to the wails of my son. You know the guests in the next room hated us.
The twins favorite part of the hotel was the luggage cart. Tadd said maybe we should buy one for home.
The next morning we were ready to start anew. We got to the aquarium right when it opened (I also brought a leash for Derby which helped). We raced ahead of the field trips and crammed in as much fishy goodness as the twins could handle.
This is where Derby, who was attached to my wrist, had to go on a little ride as that dumb shark appeared out of nowhere and the mommy screamed and left the general vicinity. We were much happier playing in the sharkless toddler land.
When asked what they wanted to do the answer was “PARK”. we ate lunch first then back to Dennis the Menace park. They had so much fun and ran up the hill to the roller slide more times than I can count.
They napped for 2 hours on the ride home. When Derby walked through the front door he sighed “home”. I know how you feel buddy.
All in all when asked of our trip I hear “More park, more slide!” I’m so glad we drove 4 hours for a park. No really we had a good time
Awhile back Tadd wrote a letter to Cascade, the company that made Derby’s DAFO (Dynamic Ankle Foot Orthotic). He told me after the fact and when I saw the letter it made me choke up a bit. Below is the correspondence between Tadd and Cascade DAFO.
From: Tadd To: Dafo; Technical support; Customer Service Subject:Our DAFO Experience
I just wanted to pass on our experience with a DAFO.
My twins were born 16 weeks early, at just 24 weeks and 2 days gestation weighing only 1 pound 6 ounces each. They both were in the NICU for nearly 4 months and came home in February 2008. We were pleased with our NICU outcome, especially considering some of the hurdles that they both overcame. Fast forward for about 1 year – February 2009. The twins adjusted age is now around 1 year. My daughter starts to walk and is pretty much on pace with her adjusted age. My son, on the other hand, is clearly not going to be walking in the near future. We received a cerebral palsy diagnosis for him sometime in the middle of August, 2009 and the doctor prescribed him a DAFO. At this point, I was hoping that he would be walking on his own by Christmas. Then, he received his DAFO on Monday, August 31, 2009 and proceeded to amaze us by taking his first steps only 2 days later. You can only imagine the elation that his mother and I shared that day. Here is a link to the video so that you can experience his first steps yourself: http://vimeo.com/6421447
There was no stopping him after that. For a month or two later, he didn’t want to play, he only wanted to walk.
So, while it is a little bit late, I would like to thank you for helping my son. His mobility really means the world to him and also to us.
Thank you,
Tadd
Hi Tadd,
Greetings from Cascade Dafo!
Thank you so much for sharing your story about Derby and Loen, they are absolutely adorable. My three co-workers and I just watched the video clip of Derby’s first steps and we’re all in tears (of joy of course). The body language you and your wife display is all-telling. The moment Derby starts walking is so exciting!
We appreciate you taking time to send a message with the video – it means a lot to all of us here at Cascade Dafo. With your permission, we would like to share your video with the entire company, which is 225+ employees. This group of people includes many that have personally touched Derby’s brace. Roughly 400 braces leave our facility every day, so it’s inspiring to learn about the children who benefit from DAFOs.
Thank you again for your message. We look forward to hearing about Derby and Loen’s next steps.
Sincerely,
Annie (and all of us at Cascade Dafo)
Business Development Manager
Cascade Dafo, Inc.
From: Tadd To: Annie Subject: RE: Our DAFO Experience
Hi Annie,
Thanks for your response. We obviously had tears of joy as well. Of course you have our permission to share our video with all of your employees (or anybody else for that matter).
Tadd
From: Jenny To: Tadd Subject: RE: Our DAFO Experience
Hi Tadd,
My name is Jenny and I work with Annie here at Cascade Dafo. We were all so excited about your video that it sparked an idea to add a success story video section to our website. We feel it would be beneficial for others if we share the stories we receive. Your video in particular is very powerful and we love to kick off the new section with your story. Our idea is to post links to already existing videos that families post on the web (Vimeo, YouTube, etc) with their permission.
Would you feel comfortable with us posting a link to your video on our website, www.cascadedafo.com? There could potentially be a lot of traffic to the video so we completely understand if you’d prefer not to.
If you could please let me know your thoughts when you have a chance, that’d be great.
Thanks again for sharing, Tadd.
Sincerely
Jenny
Business Development Assistant
Cascade Dafo, Inc.
From: Tadd To: Jenny Subject: RE: Our DAFO Experience
Hi Jenny,
I think that a success story video area on your website is a great idea.
One of the major questions I had when the twins were born was what to expect in the future. Our medical professionals wouldn’t really tell us, so I had to find the information myself. While nobody’s situation is exactly the same, it was relieving for me to see that we in fact did have some hope. That is one of the reasons that we have continued to maintain our website. So, based on that, feel free to use our video as the first success link on your website.
Let me know when/if you put the new page up so that we can check it out
Tadd
Today the new Success Story link is up. (he was also to be in the spring newsletter but I haven’t seen that yet) I’m so proud of my little man. For all that he gets dealt with he rises to the challenge. From the Cerebral Palsy diagnosis to the recent revelation that he is dealing with microstrabismus (which causes him to see double ALL THE TIME), he doesn’t let it stop him. He just wants to play with his sister, cause havoc, create laughter and be my little boy. I love you Derby (and my Loen too)
This year we took the twins to an Easter Egg hunt merely for the fact that I was the one running it (I am a co-social chair for the SB Parents of Multiples, Easter was my bag). I think they are still a little young and there will be YEARS of hunts to come but it would have been bad if I didn’t bring my own kids! Of course when I signed up for that project I wasnt thinking of the daddy working ridiculous hours and me having to do this alone. Thank heavens it worked out that Mima T was going to be in town. Laurie (another social chair who has twin girls that Loen merely calls “the girls”) helped me set everything up. I found it humerous that me (an ex-Jehovahs Wittness) and Laurie (who is Jewish) were setting up the Easter picnic and neither of us have had any previous experience.
I barely got to spend time with Lo & Derby and Tadd missed their first egg hunt. He did stop by for about 20 minutes for the picnic part. Grandpa Jim came to watch as well and followed Derby as he ran off in every direction.
Loen playing with one of “the girls” Samantha before the hunt.
Loen got her face painted with a butterfly. Derby wasnt interested in such things
Loen quickly picked up on the idea of grabing prizes to put into her basket. Mima T was helping her.
Derby on the other hand would put a few eggs in his basket then take them out and hurl them. How do you explain to a kid you get to be greedy and collect all these prizes before another kids gets them. It is confusing I tell you.
Afterwards Loen was kind enough to relieve her brother of his basket.
Derby was wiped out after the hunt
Here they are post Easter egg hunt nap Skyping their father to tell him of their adventures. At least they are both together and looking up at the same time, albeit a little groggy.
Did I get many wonderful shots in their adorable outfits from Oma and Papa Andy? No. Did I get a least one family shot on Easter? No. Did the Daddy even make it to Easter services?? No. Life has just been hectic and crazy lately! I mutter the countdown to April 15th every morning…..
Here is a photo of Lo modeling her Easter dress (a good 2 weeks before the event). Also showing off her talent for “funny faces”.
Derby in his Easter outfit playing on his awesome drum set from Mima T and Papa Don.
The only shot with Mima T and Grandpa Jim on Easter.
What is it with becoming a parent that screws with our sense of normalcy? One day you wake up and your daily routine is a thing of the past only to be replaced with the crazy baby one.
6 hours of uninterrupted sleep is a prize. 8 hours is the jackpot. (Adult sleep not the twins)
I put my coffee in an insulated mug now for 2 reasons. 1: Someone tends to want to knock it over. 2: I rarely got a chance to drink a whole cup of coffee while it was hot. With the insulated mug I have a good 4 hours to finish that FIRST cup of joe.
My standards are slipping. If Derby eats a snap pea crisp or fried zucchini from Carls Jr I consider it a vegetable. I haven’t gone so far as to call ketchup a veggie serving, we’ll leave that to the public school lunch.
I wipe snot off their faces with my shirt if no kleenex is in site.
Before kids the thought of cleaning poop balls or puke out of the carpet was disgusting. These days it is just a fact of life.
Don’t remember the last movie we saw in the theatre. We keep saying we’ll go see one and we have people who offer to watch the twins, we just never seem to make it.
A trip to Costco may require naps for everyone after.
Speaking of Costco, we have fed the kids samples and called it a meal. (I cringe thinking of how bad that sounds)
I always seem to be 5 minutes late to everything
The backseat of our car is a disaster. Toys, books and crumbs are everywhere. Though when you are in traffic and they are both screaming I keep tossing snacks back there till they quiet down.
If I’m feeling sad I’ll grab a baby to snuggle in our bed. Sleep training be damned.
Every room in our house has some evidence of the twins. I’m not talking a photo or memento, I’m talking about toys, books, shredded tissue paper, socks and sippy cups. How do these things migrate everywhere? I found a board book in our bathtub. Loen was washing her baby with a used dryer sheet. I’m losing the battle.
The mundane things get me down. 15 minutes to make them a healthy breakfast, 15 minutes for them to eat & throw said breakfast, another 15 minutes to clean them up and their highchairs and the floor. Only to sigh and think I have to do it again in 3 hours.
Tadd thinks it is wrong but I will open a box of crackers to keep the kids quiet while I shop. The last time I took the twins to Trader Joes (I usually just take Loen while Derby is at therapy. One is SO much easier than two) I had Loen in the cart and Derby in a backpack. He decided to hold my hair like the reins of a horse, pulling and laughing. That got Loen going who wanted to stand in the cart and play with Derby all while I’m trying to buy some milk and freeze dried strawberries. We’re quite the circus attraction. And if I hear “You really have your hands full” paired with that look, you know the not nice look, the look of “your kids are out of control” I’m going to scream.
I love them more than anything, I really do but they are a LOT of work. More work than when I was PAID to work.
Yesterday I was catching up on emails while the twins were playing. All of a sudden windows started popping up and characters I did not type appeared in my email. I was trying to figure out what was going on. Virus? Poltergeist? Then I heard the familiar sound of beeps and keys tapping in the other room. Derby had climbed up the couch and was typing on the wireless keyboard. Obviously you can override the laptop that way. The computer was possessed…..by a 2 year old.
You may wonder how did Derby got into the living room, since downstairs is usually a fortress of gates. The past 2 weeks both my mom and Tadd’s mom have been visiting so we pulled the gates down so they wouldn’t have to constantly hurdle them as we do (not to mention my mom is like 5′ 2″ and Tadd’s mom has had a knee replacement not a good combo when it comes to scaling a 3′ gate). The twins have had an all access pass and making messes to prove it. Now that it is just me and the twins the gates are back. And with it a little piece of my sanity.
