Some things.....

Never cease to amaze me. I had a really crappy day at work. I was out yesterday due to the snow and the fact that I had no sitter for the boys. I only got one call at home so that wasn't horrible. Today it seemed like the whole office fell apart. It's never fun when you walk in, go to your desk, find a note turned upside down on your chair and you read it and what you really want to do it walk back out the door. Instead I marched in my managers office and asked him WTF? Not those exact words but man I was ticked. It seems, somebody decided to leave me a note because they thought a travel policy wasn't followed. When in fact, I had nothing to do with it. And the darn person never even apologized for writing what they did. So that just spiraled my morning/day all in the wrong direction. All I heard today on different levels was how we need to watch money/save money/spend less/ the bad economy/etc..... While I agree I am sick of hearing it! It's funny though because the same person that couldn't say she was "sorry".....needed my help later and you would of thought she was my best friend! Whatever!

My 3 little boys seem to be coming down with some type of cold/cough. All our coughing up a storm and I really hope to just keep them healthy. The boys have a birthday party to go to this weekend and with Sunday being the super bowl we are going to a co-workers house for a party. Looking forward to that.

My brother called this morning with some bad news. Kristie grandfather passed away. Totally un-expected, a very unfortunate heart attack. I feel so bad for her and really hope she knows that we are all wrapping our arms around her during this time. I hope Jack can bring some peace to them all this weekend while they are going through a tough time. Please say a prayer for her and her family.

Tomorrow I get to go on a date - on a date with my husband. We are going to use an xmas gift and go out to dinner. I am really looking forward to it.

Birthday Party

Singing Happy Birthday to Cody!

Singing Happy Birthday to Dylan! Waiting in line for the bounce house. Dylan's SpongeBob Cake! Cody's Pokemon Cake! All the kids sitting to watch the movie! Group Shot! We ended up with 18! The birthday boys with SpongeBob! We had an absolute fantastic party. It was great to see so many of the boys school friends come out to celebrate their day with them. We ended up with 18 kids and they keep me on my toes. We had a small bounce house so that was tough. Had to limit it to 4 kids at a time. Kids HATE to wait in line. But they did do pretty good waiting. It was nice too as we could put it up and take it down as we wanted to. We watched 2 episodes of spongebob and I was shocked as all the kids sat down and actually watched the movie. It was funny too as one person laughed - they all laughed. It was very cute to watch actually. Then I got away with embarrising the boys. I showed the video of them (that I posted earlier) and they all laughed to at certain spots. The moms mostly cried. We sang happy birthday to Dylan first and then to Cody. We had yummy food. The kids lost interest really quick while the boys were opening presents. It just isn't much fun when they aren't the ones getting the presents. The boys had a great 5th birthday for sure!

Family Birthday Night

Tonight we celebrated with just the family. The boys had a great evening. They got lots of great gifts and seemed so very excited over everything. I actually think they were more excited over Birthday stuff than Xmas. Dylan cracked me up because everything he got was something he has "always wanted". To funny! Tyler gave them each a gift this year and the boys were so excited to get it and Tyler was so excited to "give" it. Then they both hugged him and that was adorable. Tyler had a little hard time understanding why he didn't get a present. But he did! :)

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures!

Singing "Happy Birthday"Eating their cupcakes and ice cream!My jammie boys! Everybody is holding a "new" toy!
Cody got a Bakugan Tiger. He was so excited.
Dylan on his new skateboard. Tanya thought she should help me reach my insurance deductible! :) Summer should be lots of fun.

6:45 - 6:46 pm......

5 years ago this morning...I woke up around noon time and my water broke. Although I didn't know it was my water (first time cluelessness). So I went back to sleep, woke up, ate breakfast and called my sister for our morning chat. She always asked "how are you today" and I said "fine.....well". I told her what I thought happen and she told me to hang up and call the hospital. So I did - and they said to come right in. I was feeling fine. I called Brett at work - he quickly came home. Just to find me standing in the bedroom closet trying to find something to wear. I had just had my shower and did my makeup.

We got to the hospital and confirmed it was my water that broke. My parents were in the car and on there way out. We did a quick ultrasound and Baby A was breach - Baby B was head down. So the doctor order a c-section. However, because I had had breakfast I had to wait 6 hours.

My parents arrived. Just towards the end of 6 hours my contractions had really picked up. I was wheeled down to the OR and we were on our way. Baby A - Cody was born first 6:45 pm. I remember him not crying much. He was quickly whisked out of the room and was being looked at by the NICU staff. The babies were 5 weeks early. Baby B - Dylan, was born just one minute later at 6:46 pm and he came out crying. He too was taken out of the room. Each baby had their own NICU team to look after them.

Brett quickly left my side and went to meet his sons. He was confronted in the hall by the Chief of the NICU and was told some news. Baby A was born with a cleft lip and palate. He stayed with the boys and came with them so I could see them for the first time. Cody was in the front and Dylan snugged right behind him - in one bassinet. All I saw was Cody's face and asked "what is wrong with his lip". Brett then told me he had a cleft lip and palate. To be honest - it was all greek because I had never heard of that.

I went to recovery, the boys went to the nursery to be weighed and such. I cried a lot in recovery. I knew my family was in the waiting room and they had to be told the news. Cody weighed 5lb 12oz....Dylan weighed 5lb 8oz and both were 20" long. They never did spend a night in the NICU. Both came right to my room where I took Dylan and fed him and thankfully, thankfully we had a great nurse that night that knew what to do with Cody. She got him his special bottle called a haberman and showed him how to eat. He tired easily so we would have to rub his jaw to get him to start chewing again. He couldn't suck - the room of his mouth was completely open.

We left the hospital 3 days later and that's when the real emotions of having two babies took over. We had no warning that Cody would have a cleft. I look back now and realize how lucky we were that he did so well with feedings. So many kids have troubles. I had to get on the internet to start doing my research on what we were up for. We did leave with an appointment to a plastic surgeon and looked very forward to that first meeting.

I had so many emotions as I had to focus on Cody. I had to feed him and make sure I understood it before I could trust anybody else too. My mom and Brett took over with Dylan. I cried because I couldn't feed Dylan as much and sometimes feel we didn't get that connection right away.

The first year with a baby is always a roller coaster. Having 2 babies was like a never ending ride. We are still on the right - 5 years going strong!

Video

If you scroll all the way to the very bottom of the page - you will find a very special video.

"5 years of Cody and Dylan"

Enjoy!

Happy 5th Birthday Cody & Dylan

My little boys are 5 today. How it seems like yesterday that you came crying into my world. Who knew what was in store for us. It certainly hasn't been easy raising 2 babies at once but it has been filled with so much joy. Watching you accomplish all of your first, watching your different personalities emerge, seeing you become two separate individuals with the same birth day/year. Loving it when you say to each other "Hug me Brother"........loving it even more when you tell each other that you can't come to my birthday party. I love both of your personalities as they are so different.

Tash did this for Alli's birthday and I thought it was such a great idea that I am stealing it! :)

5 things I love about you!

Cody:

1. Your big brown eyes and the way you wink at me!

2. Your Smile!

3. Your love of "junk food"

4. When you tell me everynight before bed "mom, I love you"

5. Your very grown up attitude about all that you have had to endure in 5 years!

Dylan:

1. You are my teddy bear. And I love when I tell you that and you just giggle!

2. When you play with my hair. (Ok, really this sometimes annoys me but I would be lost if you didn't do it. You will always be my "hair boy"

3. Your quest to do something challenging

4. Your very wet, sloppy kisses!

5. You have a comment for everything and you are so very matter of factly.

I looked like this....

5 years ago today!

I give myself credit for even posting this picture. I don't exactly look "pretty". I noticed now that my smile is so FAKE. Standing up was a complete chore for me. The pressure was un-bearable. Clothes were non-existent. My pj's were my best friend. But this picture was taken exactly 5 years ago today - on a Thursday afternoon. I had told Brett he should take my picture as we were getting close. We had no idea this was my last pregnancy shot and that my water would break in the morning.

Reflecting Back: My Pregnancy with Twins

Getting pregnant wasn't exactly easy. Brett and I tried for over a year to do it naturally but it just wasn't going our way. So we went and saw a fertility specialist and after many test, many procedures we found out we were expecting just after my birthday in 2003.

We were on vacation when the doctor's office called us and wanted me to come in for additional blood work. I thought it was a little odd but whatever. Brett started to joke that we were having triplets. He is very glad he was wrong! After additional blood work we found out we were having TWINS!

I started going to the doctor every 2 weeks. The babies were referred to as Baby A and Baby B. It wasn't long before I started to show. I quickly out grew my bed as there just wasn't room for 2 people in it. My step slowed a little. But I loved being pregnant. Sure it was tough work but so worth it all. I had all the normal test, lots and lots of ultrasounds. One little scare when the test came back showing Baby A could have spina bifida. I got the news at work and just cried. I went back to the doctor for an ultrasound and we double checked the spine and all was well. I relaxed some! :) Around 20 weeks we had the ultrasound to find out the sex. Baby A cooperated first - It's a boy! It was another couple weeks before Baby B also showed - It's a boy! 2 boys! I stopped working at the beginning of December. I had had enough and couldn't take the pressure to get up. That first week off I ended up in the hospital with severe back labor. They kept me over night. Gave me drugs to stop the contractions. I met with the NICU staff as the babies would of been very little. They gave them each a shot to speed up their lung development. By the next morning I was sent home on bedrest. I spent the next several weeks on the couch, which had become my new bed as well because lying down was impossible. I did nothing...only going out for the weekly doctor appointments. We just waited...and waited...and waited.....

Tyler Update

Before I beginning reflect on child 1 and 2....I must share some good news on child 3. Tyler had a check up with his ENT today. We haven't seen him since his surgery in Sept. 07 so it was time. Well we did see him quick for post-op but not a major check up. I was going to cancel this appointment but we are in the process of discharging him from speech so I wanted to be sure his ears were good. I figured they were and they are. He did fantastic today. Actually cooperated with the doctor and let him look in his ears, up his nose and down his throat....without crying! Great news for being 3. His tubes are in place still and open and doing there job. The doctor said his adenoids were "massive" and he said that is the largest word he uses when describing how big something is. Since his tonsils and adenoids have been removed Tyler sleeps great, eats with no problem, has come 50 miles in speech and hears fine (well as good as can be for being 3)....so we go back in 6 months for a hearing test. We are to watch for the tubes to fall out. The doctor said he normally gets 6 months to a year and a half on a set of tubes and we are knocking on the door....so we will wait.

However, as of Friday he will be finished with speech. A huge accomplishment! Tyler worked with Tish so well and they got him talking where we could all understand him. He still has some errors but not enough to keep him getting services. I have no doubt he will continue to do well.

Tyler at the ball game! Some of the faces he can make cracks me up!

These are the "blankie boys" as we have classified them. They love their "b's" and go no-where without them. Tyler's travels everyday to school in his back pack. Being attached to their "blankies" reminds me of my little brother.

The countdown is on....

Well if you are a visitor of the blog you have noticed the background change to 'Happy Birthday'. That is because we are on the countdown to Cody and Dylan's 5th birthday on Friday. So stayed tuned as I will be reflecting through out the week on our journey to 5 years ago, the many exciting moments of raising 2 babies at once, the many, many emotions of seeing your baby for the first time and learning that your life will NOT be what you thought it was going to be, watching them accomplish so many 1st and then as the years pass sending them through the doors of pre-school..........

My "babies" are turning 5!!!!

Self Given Haircut

I am slowly beginning to realize I can't be in more than one place at a time. Tonight was no different. I was cooking dinner and Cody apparently had to go to the bathroom (which is upstairs). He didn't tell me and that is fine. They are supposed to know to just go up and go pee and come back down. Well, tonight he got side tracked. Brett had shaved before he went to work tonight and left his clippers (that are new) on the counter, charging. Well, Cody decided to use them.

As I was going in the living room I could smell something, I figured it was the heater in the bathroom. So I went upstairs to turn it off. As I walked by the cart - I noticed hair all over. Didn't think much of it cause I thought maybe Brett didn't do a great job cleaning up. So I went back down stairs to eat my very yummy dinner (mac & cheese) and noticed something wasn't right on Cody's head. I was shocked and put all the pieces of the puzzle together and realized he used the clippers to cut his hair. I really don't think he knew what he was doing. Cause after I told him he was missing hair, and his brother's quickly jumped on the band wagon he FLIPPED OUT! He was crying and saying that he can't go to school because the kids will pick on him, and he doesn't know why his Dad didn't pick up his stuff (ok, maybe I said that and he repeated it but whatever).....I of course took pictures and sent it on the phone to everyone. I thought it was cute. The boys were going to be getting haircuts this weekend anyways.

So Brett called as he was going to lunch tonight and asked if Cody wanted him to come home and give him his haircut. Yeah! I really did hate the way it looked. So, Brett came home and did a quick haircut. The other two will get them tomorrow. While it isn't a 100% - it is as good as it's going to get till it grows back.

I'm thinking I deserve every gray hair I have - and yes, I do have a couple of them! BOYS!

Playing Dress Up

A week or so ago we were at my sister's and the kids were playing dress up. We now have a new member of the mafia.....Dylan:and a new member of the Red Hat's:

Priceless!!!

Some good news....

I got some good news today. Tyler will be discharged from speech. *Yeah* I am so proud of him and what he has accomplished. Just over a year ago we called upon Tish, who I have classified as our family ST to guide us with Tyler. She had done an amazing job with Cody and we loved her. She knew our family, how we clicked and had knows Tyler since he was born. Tish started with our family when Cody and Dylan were 8 weeks old - they are turning 5 next Friday. She said we are her longest running family. Tyler got his tubes and then had his tonsils and adenoids removed and we were off and running. So next Friday we have our meeting to be discharged and for the first time in 5 years we will be therapist free. Tish said Tyler has some errors but they are age appropriate. She said he should continue to improve with the help of school and his brothers. To be a 100% sure we are seeing his ENT next Monday to make sure his ears are clear and open.

Then as I was driving home tonight I was listening to the radio and the announcer said he was giving away a family 4 pack to the BU Bearcats b-ball game to caller 10. I drove a minute and thought - I will never win. But then I said, ah what the heck. Brett and I were just talking about going to a game with the boys so I thought I would call. It rang and he answered. Yeah - I won! We are going to the game on Saturday. Should be fun.

The luck has changed

Well it seems as if the luck of doctors, appointments, big fancy words, have changed. They have jumped from me, made a stop with Kristie and Jack and now has landed on Tanya's plate. Tanya called last night concerned saying she thought Connor had a hernia. I googled it and wasn't real sure. She called the doctor this morning and they got her right in. However, once the doctor saw it he didn't like the looks of it at all. A little blue in color, he was concerned that maybe the testicle had twisted. So they went to the hospital for an ultrasound. Not twisted but he has a hydrocele. Which is fluid leaking onto the testicle. So they must get in to see a pediatric urologist ASAP. Problem is there isn't one here. So they have to pick another hospital and go there. She should know where tomorrow. Surgery is probably in their future but time will tell for sure. I have to give my sister credit she seemed liked she was handling the news pretty well considering she was doing this solo as her husband came down with a major migraine as he was supposed to be getting ready to meet her at the hospital. Thankfully, I grabbed Karly from her at the doctor's office and brought her home with me. The boys were so happy to see her. Then my Mom went to be moral support.

As Tanya and I were talking last night about our upcoming week we said "wow, we have nothing going on". How quickly that changes! I'll keep you posted.

Snow Time

Today is about the first day all week that we have all felt well enough to actually do something. But of course the weather did not cooperate with us. It has snowed all day. We all got bundled and went out to "play" instead. I would of had a few pictures to share but apparently my battery is dead. (Sigh) The boys shoveled, went on the sled down the little tiny hill in the front yard, had a ton of fun throwing snow at their Dad. Dylan was the last one in. He loves to be outside. I really think he will be my nature kid. He just LOVES everything about the outdoors. I guess he takes after his Uncles in that aspect as his Dad is not an outside kind of guy.

So we vegged and it's felt really good. Tomorrow I'll have to make up for it as I will need to do more chores, go grocery shopping and get my house back in order. Tonight though we will go to sleep singing "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"

Credit to our 4 legged family member

It's been an interesting few days around our house. Started out Tuesday AM around 4 when Cody got sick. Yeah - it seems the flu bug has made his way back to our house. So no school for the boys and I went into work late. Then I started to not feel good. Decided that I shouldn't probably eat anything and only made it at work till 4:30. I spent the night on the couch and the boys were nice enough to let there mom just relax. So I stayed home on Wed. and felt better. But then this morning around 1am - it seems it was Dylan's turn. He got sick all over. So I had to change bed, clothes, you name it. Got settled back into bed and the real action started.

I'm sleeping but all of a sudden hear Molly bark. First bark not thinking much of it. She must of heard a noise. She barks again and I heard Brett get up. I was surprised. All of a sudden he comes flying into the bedroom and says "somebody is trying to break into the van". Whole sh#T. Are you kidding. So he is throwing on clothes, has already called 911 and is heading down the stairs. So I join him on the front porch as we wait for the cop to arrive. We are talking and looking up and down the street and low and behold - we see the guys down the street. Continuing to look into windows. So Brett calls 911 again as they were headed down the street to another. Just as he calls again the cop comes. So Brett tells him and off he goes. Stopping to talk with a guy but honestly I think the guy buffaloed the cop - I think he was part of it. So we are still outside and just watching around the neighborhood. Kind of in disbelief of what happened. Oh and let me back up a minute - we knew they were trying to get into the car because we got a nice fresh snow last night and the stupid idiots walked up to each window and wiped it off so they could look in. DUMB! So all of a sudden I look across the street to a neighbor of ours and see movement. At first I thought nothing of it as the guy is a paid fire man and I figured he has a scanner and heard what was up. Um NO - it is one of the kids. He walks out of their driveway, across the street (right in front of us) and it isn't until Brett yells and starts to run after him that he decided he should high tale it. As my citizen on patrol husband was running I quickly yelled at him to stop as that is just NOT a good idea to run after the jerk. Who only knows if he had a weapon of some sort on him. So we call the cops AGAIN and the original cop came back. However, there are now 2 other marked cars on the street and an un-marked van going around. The cop gets our information and Brett tells him he just saw the guy. So the cops drove around shinning the spotlight into back yards but only caught a glimpse of them. So we hope they don't come back. Kind of un-settling to know that they saw us but who knows if it really sunk into them or not. Frustrating that the cops didn't try and get "out of the car" and go look for them. I realize it was cold outside but these kids have been breaking into cars (maybe not them but probably) all around the neighborhood.

So kudos to Molly for alerting us to something amiss. We are calling her Tacko's little deputy. (Tacko is my brother's k9)

New Years Day Sledding

Happy 2009! Kind of weird that it's 09 already. Seems like yesterday that I just got used to writing 08. After sleeping in for a little bit, we went to my mom's for some outside fun in the snow and a great Turkey dinner. I think my mom is one of the best cooks around and her turkey dinner was wonderful!!!!! We got to go sledding - ok, the boys and Brett went sledding and I was taking the pictures. The driveway was our hill and it worked great.

Here they come down the hill...aka...driveway. They had "no clue" how to steer the sled.Cody thought he was an airplane. They all thought it was fun to ride on Brett's back.
Tyler's turn....

Next we tried the grass as there was a slight hill in the yard. It worked OK. Brett is lying down cause he fell. And of course I wasn't "taping" this one.

And this one....this isn't the best picture but if you look close you can see snow flying. That is because Dylan waiting at the bottom of the hill with a shovel full of snow. When Cody and Brett got close - he flung it at them. OMG - nobody was expecting it. Cody and Brett got it good! We laughed forever!!!Here is a great sledding video.....