Me You and Boo

Stories of a 2-year-old

2009-09-15T19:39:00.000-07:00

My girls love watching sports on TV with papi. As the season (sports) change, they learn the new type of ball game. So now of course it's football. We were watching a game the other night and Mila was SO intensely into it. She would hold up her hand (like "stop") and say "be careful! be careful!" with so much passion. It was as if she was a mom watching her son playing and wanting him to be safe. Then she's day "He fell down."

There is also this boy Jay at their school who plays with Areli a lot, but is also protective of Mila. Their teacher told me today that she is having to watch him cuz he is trying to kiss all the girls (but when I asked about my girls licking everything lately she said he may be licking instead of kissing. weird). So anyway, I was telling T about this at dinner and he was playing Tough Father. He asked Mila if Jay kissed her. She said "Yes". He asked if Jay was a problem. Mila says "Yeah". Then he says "Do I need to get rid of Jay?" Mila said "yes". About the time I give T a face about not saying that, Mila says very clearly "Papi get rid of Jay."

Girls weekend!

2009-08-10T11:23:00.001-07:00

I took the girls to visit friends at their lakehouse outside of Dallas. Here are some pics from my cell phone.

We arrived at Pinnicle Country Club Thursday night just in time for dinner. Kirsty grilled hotdogs!! Then, the nightly tradition, take a ride on the golf cart to take the trash to the dumpster. The girls loved it! We saw lots of deer - Bambi and ALL his friends. One night we saw 30 deer at one time and several others in different places!

Friday we played in the pool on the back porch.

After that Lauren ("Lollie") drove the jet ski ("little boat") and let me and Areli ride on the back. Then Mila wanted a turn, so she got to ride. Then Kennady wanted a turn, so all the little girls got to ride the jet ski! (pic of that later.)

We did spend a little time playing inside...

Mila having a snack after nap.

Friday night we made pizza. You know everyone loves that! Saturday we had leftovers. I asked Areli if she wanted a sandwich, hot dog, or pizza. She enthusiastically answered, "hot dog AND pizza!!" Sunday for lunch she wanted the same thing!! That girl ATE!!

Sunday morning, we didn't let the girls play in the water, cuz we had to pack the swimsuits. Now, spending more time inside, Areli discovered the closet under the stairwell. The became her new play room! Good thing she didn't find it until the last day or we may not have seen her all weekend.

And finally, Areli, Mila, and Kennady dance debut!!!

Lauren, thanks so much for inviting us to stay with you for the weekend. We had a great time!

Tidbits of life

2009-07-24T22:25:00.001-07:00

Just a few things to jot down before crazy life erases them from my memory.

Today I took the girls to the park to play with their friends Abby, Audry, & Maddie. They played so good on the big kid playground. Its scary how much Areli can do. She must be part monkey! Mila was a little hesitant of some of the obstacles, but she did really well with a little help from Maddie. Maddie, the oldest, stayed by Mila's side to give her confidence and a hand to hold when she needed it. Areli and Abby played side by side nearly the entire morning. Mila took a big fall! Surprisingly, it didn't involve any of the playground equipment, just regular dirt! She did a drop & roll. She ran to me crying at first, then wanted down again, even though she was still crying. She ran across the playground to cry in Maddie's arms. It was so sweet.

Yesterday I took the girls to mom's new condo now that the new floors have been installed. Mila stepped into the bedroom, saw the carpet and said, "Wow!" Then they both took off their shoes and ran all over the condo. They were excited to do this because the previous times, there were tack strips exposed and they had to keep shoes on.

Areli & Mila, I love you girls so much! I am so blessed to be your mom.

Yes, he's in good spirits!

2009-07-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

OK, so i'm not up to date on my posting. The short story is that dad had a stroke about 3 weeks ago. It was aparantly fairly mild. He experienced weakness on the left side of his body, spent a few days in the hospital, then just under two weeks in rehab. The most difficult part was that it was the same rehab that mom was in for 3 weeks after she broke her back. Thankfully dad's room was on the opposite side of the building. Dad recovered really quickly and is back home. He is using his daddy's cane since his left leg is still a little weak. He's spirits have remained high through all of this. He kept making fun of being a stroke victim. Even though we know it shouldn't be funny, we couldn't help but laugh.

This is a video of dad while still in rehab. We asked him what he had for dinner. He said, "green beans, mashed potatoes, and ground porkchop." When we asked about ground porkchop, he gave us this imitation of a stroke victim (see video) and said that he told the nurses that he just had a stroke and couldn't cut his meat. Since then all his meat has been ground up for him! I don't know how ture this is - like I said, dad's stayed in good spirits the whole time!

I love you dad!!

Not so recent photos

2009-05-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

I could sugar coat it and title this entry "a glimpse into the past year", but lets be real here. I haven't taken pics off my camera since the last time Kirsty came to visit, which was... December?? So here's some fun pics from the past several months.

Breakfast at the Cabin on the White River in March

A&M like spinning in their new dresses from Tia Brooke.

But the sticker with the size on it is just as much fun!

Areli finally has just enough hair for ponytails!

Mila has much longer pig tails!

Posing as a models

This is A&M using the Magnadoodle to file Papi's finger nails!

I think we're back to december now. Here I noticed Areli had put the dolls in the chairs and was having her first guests for a tea party.

OK, that's the summary in pictures! Chao!

Wye Mt Dafadils

2009-04-05T20:04:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pics from our quick trip to Wye Mt. We were a bit late this year, so there weren't near as many flowers in bloom. but it was a fun outing!

I can see clearly now...

2009-03-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

I can see clearly now, the contacts are gone!!
I had LASIK on Thursday! Terry did it 5 years ago, and I've wanted to have it done since then, but was too chicken. I finally decided, if I can carry and deliver twins, I can have a laser shined in my eye! OK, so the laser was the easy part, but I won't go into details about the rest of the surgery (the scary part!). Everyone told me I wouldn't be scared once I took the valium, but they were wrong, I was still quite nervous. But I sucked it up and did it! At my post-op the next day, I was seeing 20/25!!!!!! Areli was up Friday night with a fever due to teething and it was SO nice not to mess with glasses all night long! If anyone is interested, see Dr. Brown (at TLC). He is a Christian man who has been doing this for years. He did both mine and Terry's. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to have this done and for being the Master Physician who cares for us all.

Here I am walking out of the doctor's office wearing my super cool I-just-had-lasik glasses!

Hiking trip!

2009-02-25T19:42:00.000-08:00

I meant to post these pics a few weeks ago. They are from an impromptu day at Petite Jean State Park. Mom invited me and the girls to go with her and my sister's kiddos.

Areli saw the boys climbing up the rock and she had to do it also. She's quite good... and quick. Scary! She also loved to play in the dirt! We think fast pitch softball is in her future!

My little Mila, scared of everything. Areli followed the big kids into the cave, but Mila sets her limits. Eh, I don't blame her - it's dark and scary!

In the big "Bear Cave" we were able to let go of thier leashes - oh I mean "harness," and let them play.

Areli climed onto this rock, sat down, and said with a big smile "Picture!"

It was a good and FULL day. I didn't mention that we missed our exit and didn't notice for several miles, Areli threw up in the car, and Caitlin saved mom from falling off the mountain. All this with no nap! We got in the car to go home around 5:30 and the girls stayed awake the ENTIRE way home! Overall, I think everyone enjoyed the outing. I'm so blessed to have TWO little girls to share the experience with!

Nap Time!!

2009-02-25T19:36:00.000-08:00

Agh!! Nap time is peaceful again! Sleepy Areli is napping in her bed. Mila now takes her naps in "my big bed". Translation? In the futon in the extra bedroom. Separate rooms seems to work! the girls are happy again (mostly). They still have their moments, but that's what two-year-olds do!

Nap time ??

2009-02-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

So the girls are enjoying the new beds a little too much. They do good most nights, but they wont' stay in them long enough in the afternoon to take a nap. We (me, mom & emily) have been battling with them for the last two weeks. Any tips on getting TWO kids to go to sleep??
HELP!!!!!!!

New Beds or Two Beds??

2009-01-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

As Mila peeked into the extra room, I can't tell if she says "new beds" or "two beds". Both are true! Two new toddler beds for Areli & Mila were being assembled!! Friday morning they woke up to the last morning in their cribs.

Buenos Dias! (That's "good morning" for you gringos!) You can tell Mila takes a minute longer to wake up.

But in no time they are up and silly!

"Look Mama, No Feet!!" I wonder how I've made it this long without either one climbing out of the crib.

Out with the old, in with the new...

And you'll never see their room this clean again.

I think they like them!

Free night #1: Not bad.

Naptime #1: Completley unsuccessful, no nap.

Free night #2: Very good.

Naptime #2: Much improvement, 1 hr.

Free night #3: Perfect!

Nap #3: disaster, crying, no sleep

Night #4: Not good, up at 12 & 1.

*Special thanks to Tia Brooke!

God always provides

2009-01-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

Terry has been working for Hewlett Packard for SEVEN days!! So far, he is very happy with the new job and is even carpooling with some coworkers already! He will be working in Little Rock for the rest of this year until the Conway office is completed. We are both so thrilled and thankful that it is going so well.

I got to take pictures for his ID badge. This was my personal favorite, but Terry, for some reason unknown to me, submitted a different picture.

The long story... Terry was laid off from Sperion/Acxiom in 2007. We were so stunned being that the company had previously been talking of promoting him. However God's plan was revealed to us when, after mom's accident, Terry was able to be home with both our kids and my sister's kids while we were all at the hospital for many weeks with mom. Well, a year later Terry was also let go from his fairly new job at Staffmark. Does God have a quirky sense of humor, or what? Terry wasn't happy with that job anyway and had actually already been looking for other jobs (which is part of why they let him go) and had interviewed with Hewlett Packard. Less than a week later, he was given an offer! We enjoyed the holidays, both being off work!

We are so grateful that God has provided this wonderful opportunity for Terry and for our family.

Christ filled Christmas!

2008-12-29T19:41:00.000-08:00

We had blessed Christmas in 2008!

Areli & Mila opened a few presents under our tree Christmas morning. And enjoyed looking in their "big socks" for treats.

A few days earlier we went to the Twins Club Breakfast with Santa. I was so proud of Mila for giving Santa five! They have both been so scared of him before (even this same day). But after opening her gift, she went up to him with no problems to get some help with her new earrings! The rest of the day she would say "Santa Five!"

What's better than a Jungle Gym? Papi of course!

2008-12-15T20:22:00.000-08:00

It's a cold, wintry night. The ground covered with tiny ice pellets. Areli and Mila have finished their bath and have their jammies on, but aren't quite tired yet. What to do?... Play with Papi!! And by "play with Papi," we mean "play ON Papi!"

Watch the video and you'll see exactly what I mean! The quality isn't great - it's from Terry's phone and the girls often move so fast it blurs. There's no sound. :( At the end of the video the girls each say "Thank You, Papi!"

I almost feel sorry for Terry, but they were doing the same thing to me, my bladder, and my ribs in a much more confined space 2 years ago!!

Testimonies From the Twin Trenches

2008-12-12T21:13:00.000-08:00

I can't say it any better, so here's a brief by Cheryl Lage (from twinstuff.com)

Invariably, when out and about with my two-year-old twins, a compassionate (and maybe just a wee bit nosey) stranger asks, “How in the world do you do it ?”

The fun part for me? Deciphering to which “ it ” of the perceived twin-raising challenges the curious bystander is referring.

Is “ it “ the dually-provoked sleep deprivation of the first few weeks? [She was lucky if it was only a FEW weeks!]
Is “ it “ the inevitable division of Mommy’s energy between two fully dependent infants/toddlers? Or is “ it “ simply the day-to-day, down and dirty rigors of juggling a double stroller, two carseats, a packed-to-the-gills diaper bag, and two sets of distinct needs?

The truth? “It” doesn’t get any dirtier or more rigorous than potty training twins.

Here are a few pics from "the Twin Trenches"!!! You can imagine the sound effects that go with each!

On the bright side, Mila has gone several days with no accidents!

I'll close with this, as I remind myself each day..."Better to have your hands full than empty!"

Looking for a unique Chirstmas gift??

2008-11-29T07:32:00.000-08:00

A very good friend of mine is the owner of Guitars and Cadillacs. It is a great place to buy gifts for that person who has everything. They sell Texas gift bags and all kind of gourmet foods, all packaged in a fun Texas theme. Everything from salsa & jelly to armadillo droppings! They also have fun Texas clothing for adults and kids. If you want to go check out the website, the address is http://www.guitarsandcadillacs.com

This is Mila last summer in her Texas Girl outfit!

TWINS! Excuse or actual cause?

2008-11-26T19:28:00.000-08:00

OK, so maybe i'm an idiot for actually admitting this on the internet, but here's to honesty and making my friends laugh (even if it as laughing AT me)!

I drug Terry (the girls came willingly) to Hobby Lobby last night to buy us all Christmas stockings. It took forever (according to Terry) because I wanted them all to coordinate. It turns out stockings only come in coordinating sets of 3, never 4. I finally decided on 2 sets of 2 and we checked out just as the store was closing. Today we went to Crackel Barrell for breakfast and I found more stockings I liked. So I bought 4 more there and decided I'd compare my two options and take back my least favorite. This afternoon I decided to look at all 8 of our new stockings. "Terry, where is the bag from Hobby Lobby?" I didn't see it in the house, so he checked in the car, but it was nowhere to be found. So I called the store and asked if anyone left a bag of stockings last night and the guy said "yes, at the last register." Exactly! So Terry got the lucky task of going to pick up my forgotten bag. Guess I paid, but never picked up the bag! whoops! (This is not surprising because a few months ago we went to Shorty Smalls Express and forgot to pay. The cashier eventually came to our table with the check saying "you can pay whenever you're ready.")

But the story gets worse... after a while T calls asking who I spoke with at the store cuz they can't find the bag. I didn't know, so they kept searching the store (although whoever I talked to knew exactly where it was, he was aparantly MIA). Meanwhile, I go change a diaper and notice this strange sack on the dresser. What's this? Our stockings!! uh oh! So I call T back and tell him they can call off the search cuz I had them at the house the whole time. oopsie! In my defense, I only stopped looking around the house because the employee on the phone said they had it there!

Happy Thanksgiving!! We have so much to be thankful for! My special thanks this year is for the group hug I get when Areli & Mila hug me at the same time! Blessings! (Even if they do make me lose my mind sometimes!)

We've got BUGS in our house!

2008-11-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we discovered we had a bug problem in the house. It's been taken over by a bumble bee and a lady bug!!

Happy Halloween!!

Murder mystery: there was a halloween murder in the house. See if you can find any evidence in the pictures.

Watch out for Areli's stinger!!

Did you solve the murder case? You can actually see the corpse in the picture of all four of us...

Look to the left of Terry's head... in the plactic bag on the counter... Agh, it's Elmo!! We've killed him!!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-11-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday Terry & I took Areli & Mila to Schafer's Pumpkin farm. Being thier first time to see real pumpkins, they quickly learned that they are too heavy to pick up!

WARNING: I'm blogging!

2008-11-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

OK, so enough of you told me I should do a blog, so here I am. Now if there are not any more postings until the girls start Kindergarten, I reserve the right to say "I told you so." Wish me luck!