Soup's On!

When Mama gets lost in conversation with Auntie there's bound to be an experiment going on!

From Teeny Tiny to Tall Tall Tales

Auggie Jan. '10

Three years ago we worried everyday that our monoamniotic twins would not survive in utero. After a safe delivery at 32 weeks +1 day, a long NICU stay with surgeries and scares, we have very healthy and happy almost 3 year olds! They have gone from teeny tiny (3.8 & 4.3) to 30+ lbs. And let me tell you....they are something else!

This morning August has been carrying around one of my piano books and telling stories from it. Here is a story he shared with me:

Once up a time there was a bear. A real bear with a penis. (yes, there is a lot of penis talk these days) And he was big, big, big....like this. And he said, "ROAR!" And he climbed and tried to eat me on the floor and I said, "NO Bear, you can't eat me!" and he ran away. He went up to his house and was sound asleep. What's happening next, Mom? (MOM? since when is that what they call me? Big britches.)

Me: I don't know, but I can't wait to find out. Tell me more!

Then there was a ghost! (he then closed the book) I don't want the ghost to see me. The end.

I just love their stories! I miss being able to carry them both around in one arm, but I'm so enjoying their growth and their tall tales!

Sun Day

It's really hard to leave all you know and are comfortable with behind. At least for me. You would think I just moved away from my comfort zone, but I took that leap of faith over nine years ago. I've been to several hair stylists and have settled on one, although I still swear she never gets it quite like the guy I always went to before. I've been blessed with good doctors. Shopping, groceries, restaurants, that's all easy to find when you pick up and leave your comfort zone. The most difficult for me has been church. Why is it so hard for me to find a church?

I was raised Lutheran, but was attending a different church when I lived in KC. I loved that church. It was a fine blend of traditional/contemporary, had a wide range of ages, and a lot of opportunity for involvement. At that point in my life though I just wanted to be a marble.....rolling in and out of church on a Sunday morning. Now, being a mother of young children, I am looking for that church and haven't found it.

Did I say that I've been here for 9 years? Yes, I have. In all fairness though I've only been in this home for 5-6! Still. 5 years and I haven't found a church. I've done a lot of hopping around, a lot of throwing my hands in the air and not going, a lot of computer "searching", some asking around, and finally some praying about it. I've attended 2 wks at a local church that I just don't think is the best fit for us. Nothing bad about it at all - it's just not the right one. I've searched out several more to try in the coming weeks, although I'll have to drive longer to get there.

What are your thoughts? What do you look for in a church?

A post from The Zoo Review is long overdue! Months have flown by and it is just as hectic and crazy now as then, except in a few areas. When I began this blog in '07 my home was literally a ZOO, thus the name of the blog. See here if you are just reading this or to refresh your memory if you've always visited. Our home was a living zoo with all of the fish, birds, dogs, and the cat. It was a standing joke when friends visited that we should charge admission!

Although I still think the children act like little monkeys or often times WILD animals, the home has changed in the last few months regarding our pets. My husband realized that he had too much going on, and was not able to dedicate the large amount of time that the birds and fish not only required but desired and needed. He has rehomed the three larger birds. We were lucky to find three dedicated and loving families who were looking for a bird to love, and we receive pictures and communications of the birds to keep us updated. The African Grey just left yesterday. She is one he did not intend to rehome, but in fairness to her we eventually decided to look for a loving person to take her in. She was a baby when my husband got her. We handfed/formula to that bird! I am NOT a bird person. I had never been around them until they came to live with me! SO....I did not handle them much. I tried, but was just too scared :) The Grey recently bit me b/c she was being moody and was probably just mad that we hadn't handled her for awhile, so that was it for me! I would talk and sing to her, but as much as she wanted me to hold her I wouldn't! We talked to the man who took her today.....she is very very happy in her new home. He had just lost a Grey which he had for 24 years, so they will be wonderful for each other.

As much as I complained about the birds, it was still very hard and sad to see them leave. Our basement is now quiet...weird. And, I guess I don't have an excuse not to run on the treadmill - no more dander to aggrevate my allergies!

We are keeping the Quaker parrot. She's a little thing. A little bossy thing. But, she doesn't scare me! We also will always have the dogs (although sometimes I threaten them b/c one eats poop and the other is just a huge barking horse )and our fat cat (the cat who showed up on our doorstep 3 yrs ago and is the BEST cat I've ever been around).

Fishtanks are gone. Birds - downsized. Not so much a zoo anymore. I'm sure there are days I can still qualify for a grumpy Mama Bear, Daddy always thinks he's King of the Jungle, and the monkeys.....well, they are still monkeys!

Sharpie Meets Hardwood

For months now, there has always been a daily "mess," major misbehavior, some sort of absolute naughtiness, that usually brings a laugh or good jawdrop from people hearing of my stories. Today, I take full blame......sort of.

This is what happens when two little guys wake up way TOO early, crawl in bed with Mama to watch cartoons, Mama accidentally crashes for no more than 20 minutes and finds that her little sweeties have escaped the bedroom. Jumbo Sharpie marker meets hardwood floor. I don't care about the pictures they drew on themselves......would you LOOK at that FLOOR! I thought I was going to die. Thank you, Thank you Magic Eraser.

In addition to the Sharpie mess, they were in the fridge/freezer getting out drinks and frozen shrimp. They had also visited the basement and poured cups and cups of birdfood all over the place. Busy little boys....and like I said, I take MOST of the blame today :) Little boogers should have still been asleep!

On a positive note, both boys have gone pee pee on the toilet! They have been showing some interest for the last month, so we started encouraging them to sit on the toilet before bathtime and before bedtime. We have celebrated with the pee pee on the potty dance, but are certainly not pressing the issue. We have enough change to get ready for....their big boy bed comes this weekend!

*note to self: Move Sharpie Marker to a higher shelf

Double, Double, Toil and

TROUBLE? Here? Never! Yeah right, that's my explanation for my four month blog absence! The little guys are a fine blend of absolute sweetness and a good dose of P & V! They have been keeping me on my toes (to say the least), but more so on my knees (cleaning up their horrible messes and PRAYING to make it through the day)!

Today, I leave you with an example of two, terribly terrific, two year olds, who together have their mama tearing her hair out!

A full bottle of soap pumped onto the toilet and floor = lots of giggles, slips, bubbles, and another MESS to clean!

Please Return Things Where You Find Them!

Could someone please remind my husband to return things where they belong? I sound like a broken record. There is a reason for having a spot for everything - multiple reasons actually. For one, you always know where to find the items. For another, with twin two year olds everything can become a weapon, and accident waiting to happen, or something in the wrong hands!

Scissors, for example. Easily becomes a weapon? Yep. An accident waiting to happen? Uh huh. Something in the wrong hands? Absolutely.....I turned my head just in time to save my own hair from a missing chunk. I suppose Angus thought he should cut my hair, since I had just given them both a haircut. What he doesn't know is that Mommy just paid my stylist to do that job!

Again, an act that happened in a flash....all while I was sitting right there interacting with the three of them. Do you suppose Auggie was his aid? Maybe he was distracting me so I wouldn't notice. Thankfully, I did!