Happy Birthday x 3

mmm....3 cakes!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Catherine! (one of my very favorite twin mommas)
Happy Birthday Gavin! (turning 4)
Happy Birthday Rachel! (turning 4, too)

Catherine is a friend of mine that I met through her parents. Her father was Lew's boss back in Buffalo, but they now live down where we live. He asked Gretchen to refer to him as "Handsome John" once and we still do! Catherine has a twin sister - so she has the edge on how to have twins because she knows the other side! Liz, you could see many of Caroline's outfits on Catherine's daughters... and they are in your neck of the woods. You just might spot them someday!

G&R are my friend Sarah's twins. (Both Sarah and Catherine have twins with a singleton baby 2 years younger - so each has 2 daughter and one son. They are both younger than I am with more energy!) I've known Sarah for many years - long before either of us got pregnant with twins. Kind of funny we managed to do that within 3 months of each other. Each giving birth at 36 weeks with boy/girl twins. Each with more common sense than most of those around us. Catherine falls into that last category, too.


Twin moms just seem to be a pretty down to earth group. It's a neat club to be in!

leprechauns are tricky

aka: the Gretchen update

1. Yesterday when we dropped her off at pre-school, upon entering the room we discovered the leprechauns had come to school and performed a little mischief the night before! They took all the name cards off the tables, the decorations off the door, hung green streamers all over the place and tossed toys all over the room! Luckily, Miss Diane was able to rally the kids together and they all helped clean up. However, Gretchen was not on board for the fun!!! She was not pleased when she entered the room, and the teacher said she cried at story time because "I miss Mommy & Carl". After picking her up, I learned the kids got the room all cleaned up. She helped in the housekeeping area and did a great job. Then, a few minutes later, she asked me, "Miss Diane said leprechauns are tricky. Why are they tricky?" She brought it up several times throughout the afternoon and evening. This morning, she asked me, "Does St Patrick's Day only come one time a year?" I'm sure she was worried about what the classroom was going to look like this morning! And - to our delight - it was clean - and there were new name tags! Gretchen was even the only ladybug!! She was happy!
The opposite reaction came from the son of Lew's boss. (He is in the 2s room, the twins are in the 3s room) His older sister had Miss Diane last year - so Sis kept telling him that the leprechauns were going to trash the classroom. Well, the Two's teacher didn't do it... and that little boy cried because his room was neat!

2. I took Miss Gretchy-Poo back to the doctor today because she kept telling me the inside of her ear hurt. She wouldn't let us touch it, so I figured I'd better take her in. Turns out - she has Swimmer's Ear. So, we needed drops. I had them call it in to Walmart for us. We get to Walmart and the pharmacy clerk tells me they are out of stock! She goes to ask the pharmacist something and comes back to tell me they will receive a shipment tomorrow afternoon after 2pm. Uh, no! That's 3 missed doses waiting for them to get me the medicine she needs. Pfft! So, we headed over to CVS... where the clerk recognized us! That is not a good sign!

'97 Volvo... symmetry

My camera club does a little online monthly theme just for fun. This month is "Symmetry" and I was excited to have this to put in the album!

Taken 3/16...

What do you think, Shelly??

fewer vampires for me in 2010!

I had an appt with my doctor today for my hemochromatosis. I go to him every 6 months. In the meantime, I was having phlebotomies every 3 months. Well, several of you know (firsthand) what your ferritin is. So, after having mine checked last week I am currently............... 6! Yes, SIX! With an iron saturation of 7%. My blood cells are also measuring smaller (yeah, they test for that in a CBC) which is a sign of anemia, too. Again, my doctor was pleased.

If you remember, 8 kicked my butter beans. Apparently, I am getting used to functioning as an anemic person because 6 isn't as bad as 8 was. Of course, that was before I knew it was 6. With that knowledge in hand (or in head) I am sure I'll be feeling tired much more easily now! I did nod off during Snow White on video yesterday. Don't worry, I'll have to watch it again tomorrow with her!

The good news is now we are going to play a 'wait and see' game. I got to cancel my upcoming April phlebotomy and schedule one for June. Then, go back to the doc in Sept (6 months) and we'll see what taking many months off does to my counts. He thinks we may be ready for only 2-3 phlebotomies per year! I sure am!!!



The funny thing is that since I had my appt early this morning, Lew & I switched cars and he dropped Carl off at school. Lew hugged Carl and left him before he washed his hands, so Carl didn't cry. Cool. But, the funny part was when I pulled up to pick him up. He took one look at me and scowled, "No Mommy! Daddy wants to drive your car!" and he was pissed! He grumbled loudly and even tried yelling a bit - something about needing Daddy to pick him up. The teachers and I couldn't help but laugh at him. They rarely, if ever, see him get mad. he sometimes gets mad with his speech therapist if she tries to make him do something he isn't on board with, but not all the teachers have witnessed that. (His therapist told me that even if he has a day where he protests the activities, when she goes to leave he says, "Bye Tracey. Thanks for playing!" She said it would be like if we left the gynecologist and said, "Thanks for the fun afternoon!")

Tomorrow is Gretchen's day and St Patrick's Day, so both kids are going to be happy. Carl gets to come home with Mommy and Gretchen knows the leprechauns are coming. But, she's worried because she said she doesn't know if there is going to be a rainbow to follow. I tried to assure her that Ms Diane would know for sure tomorrow, but I don't think she was buying my explanation.

Did I tell you she was all upset a week or so ago because she didn't know what a leprechaun looked like? I pulled out a box of Lucky Charms and showed her and her immediate response was, "But I don't know what the back of a leprechaun looks like!" Well, Grammie came to the rescue - she just happened to bring the kids a couple of my old Smurf figurines and one was a leprechaun. Phew - we got to see his back! (and she is super excited to know about Smurfs, too! I hope more figurines make their way to us!!)

Happy St Pat's Day tomorrow. I'm not digging this background, but can't find one I like any better. But, once it isn't 3/17 anymore, I'll get rid of the St Patrick's Day page. ♣

oh no! she isn't going to post more swimming pictures, is she?

Uh, yes I am! It's just one of the kids favorite things to do. And you have to know that is true - I mean, really, I would not be posting any pictures of me in a bathing suit if it weren't for the kids' love of the water! See - they look oh-so-happy, don't they? This was like pulling teeth to get them to look at Grammie and the camera. This is how I suspect deer look when caught in the headlights while swimming.

My mom came along with us Saturday, but decided not to swim. (She did bring her suit down in that tiny carry-on bag) So, we took advantage of that and had her photograph the morning for us. She got a lot of cool shots of Carl jumping in... and even Gretchen posing and smiling! That's no small feat!!! I am even excited to use one of the family shots as our March Family Photo (possibly edging out this one from Molly & Angus' birthday party) for my self imposed challenge. If you are challenging yourself along with me - I hope you are liking your snapshots as much as I am liking mine. And if you are not taking monthly family photos - at least do one now. When was the last time your whole brood got in front of the lens? Not, Mom behind the camera and the rest of the crew in the shot! Do it... do it!!!!

Here's our March family photo!

She is so fast when she has 2 noodles and no swim vest on! (don't know if I am liking the tilt I put on the second shot...hmmm)

This boy is determined to dive! It would be easier to teach him without the vest, but if you notice - it's 8.5 feet deep!

I love this shot of Carl. Maybe one day you'll see it in a montage of his swimming history pictures after he wins an Olympic gold medal!

Now, what do I do as much as swimming pictures? That's right! You are good! Flashback photos!!!

October 2006, 11 months old

January 19, 2007 14 months old

contrary to popular opinion, I do not like to hear myself talk

I repeat everything approximately three times before anyone responds or acts. Nah, it is more like seventy-three times. Part of me knows this is normal for 4 year olds... or for the 3 year olds that they were when it was in full swing. You know, after saying something that many times, the idea that it is age appropriate goes out the window.

After asking 10x for the books to be put away (and by "away" I mean put back into the basket that was literally 6" from the pile of books), I bagged up the books and put them away for 4 days. It pretty much worked. I ought to remove the TAG reader books for a few days and see if that will keep them off the floor.

Oh - by the way, about 3 weeks ago, Carl's TAG reader stopped working. We replaced batteries and tried the hints they gave on the website. No luck. I pulled out the receipt and we were about 2 weeks beyond the 3 month warranty. But, with nothing to lose, we contacted Leap Frog. We received wonderful customer service - quick responses to our emails and even though we missed the warranty, they said they would honor it and are replacing our unit!

Anyway, back to the non listeners. I had one of those things Oprah probably has a cute name for today... something like an "Ah-Ha Moment" or a "Light Bulb Moment" or a "Duh, why didn't I come up with this earlier?" moment.....

Outside this afternoon, I asked Lew what time it was. He pulled out his cell phone and checked. He then put the phone back in his pocket and said nothing. Pause. "Well, what time is it?" Nothing. "Hey! Is it a secret? What time is it?" "5:35" Really???? I had to ask three times. And this is not the first time I have lived that scenario.

Duh - why didn't I come up with this earlier?????

Apparently, those big heads they inherited from their father have the same faulty listening ears. Or at least 'responding after listening' issues. Now, do you think this will fit on a tee shirt for when I am out in public and people think I can't control my kids because they don't listen to me?

photo Friday, GQ style

Oh! My! Peas! How freakin' cute is this kid? Seriously.

Here's the boy rocking a new hand-me-down blazer! (and not diggin' the photo shoot all that much):

I did catch a couple smiles...