Crazy Week!

To say this past week was crazy would be an understatement. I spent all day at the school last Sunday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we had parent/teacher conferences at the school, so I didn't get home until around 7:00 both nights. Thursday was eventful. To make a long story short, a parent was making a scene in the hallway by cussing out the Principal and Pastor. The kids heard it and were scared. Needless to say, she is no longer allowed on the property (which covers about 10 acres of land.) Tomorrow, we're having an International Food Fest. Each class was given a country or two and a table to decorate for them. We were given Puerto Rico and Cuba. We won't get out of there until around 7:00 tomorrow, too. I will be glad when we have Thanksgiving. I need a break.

We went to church today and K2 was screaming during the service. We tried moving to the area where the families with young kids are and she got worse. She was too wound up so we had to leave early. :(

B and K are now 14 months old. Here's what is new:

• Both kiddos are still in size 3 diapers.
• B still fits into 3-6 month and 6/9 month pants and shorts, but the pants are not long enough.
• The weather here is getting cooler so they are starting to wear sweats and long sleeves. We bought their first snow outfits and mittens this week. I can't wait for the first snow to hit so they can play in it.
• K2 is starting to walk better and for longer distances. She is getting a lot better at getting herself back up when she falls. B is starting to run.
• Both LOVE stairs. They do really well crawling up them. They struggle getting down, but they at least try. K2 has a fascination with stairs at the babysitter's house.
• B is interested in toy trains. When we visited our principal's house the other day, he wouldn't stop playing with their son's train set. I guess we should start saving up to get him a train table. He might end up being an engineer like his daddy, but it might be a train engineer instead of electrical. :)
• B can pull the lever on the little spinning barn toy (I'm not sure what that thing is called.) It said "cat" today and he said it also. So far, he has said "stop", "cat", and "back."
• B and K can both take the cap off the milk jug and put it back on. They are very good at opening cabinets and drawers. They love kitchen utensils, pots, and pans.
• They both love other kids. Anytime we're around someone with kids, they always walk over there to say hi.
• B loves to give hugs and kisses. K isn't much of a hugger, but she loves to give kisses.
• Both are in the biting phase now. I haven't been majorly bitten, but B drew blood on K1 a couple of weeks ago. He tries to bite my toes and his sister, though.
• Both are learning to brush their teeth. We can usually give them a toothbrush and they will brush their own teeth (not well, but they try.)

It amazes me everyday how much they grow and learn from just watching us. I am loving being a mother.

Copy Cat

I started getting sick on Monday and I originally thought it was a simple cold. I took a day off work and I came home and slept. I started feeling worse so I went to the doctor yesterday, only to find out that I had the start of pneumonia. I hope it gets better over the weekend. I'm staying home tomorrow to get more sleep.

B has learned that he can say what we say and do what we do. When I started getting sick, the kids were being noisy so I put both hands on my head and said, "stop". We looked over and B had both hands on his head and was saying, "top". A while back, he was mimicking my hand motions because I normally talk with my hands. He was walking around the house blabbing about something with both arms out going up and down. Apparently, this is the point where our words and actions start making an impression on the kids. We will have to be cautious about what we say and do.

Since we moved up here, we have all been stressed out. Normally, K1 is more laid back and calm but since he has been at home with the kids for the past month without a job, his stress level has gone up. He seems more short-tempered than normal. I think part of it is the stress of being without a job and not knowing if/when he is going to get hired. We got a phone call yesterday with a job offer and he accepted today. I have already seen a change in him. I know that I mentioned in another blog that a man's status is based on his job, while a woman's is based on her family. It is stressful on men when they don't have a job, one that pays enough to take care of his family, or even one that overworks him to where he never sees his family. He has talked about this job almost non-stop since they started interviewing him (they spent 4 days interviewing him.)

K2 took her own pants off tonight. She is following B's lead. She loves to give me kisses. B is a big hugger, though. They both love baths and taking toys away from each other. They love the wooden spoons from the kitchen. They'll put them in any bowl they have handy and start stirring it. They love the "fart machine" that my dad gave to them. It does make for a good laugh when we hear these "noises" at random times. K2 loves the slides on the playground. We went to a fun fair on Sunday and when I put her at the top of the slide and let go, she pushed herself forward and slid down. She laughed all the way to the bottom.

Double the Illness

B got sick when we were trying to move up here. On Friday evening, we noticed that K was warmer than usual and her eyes didn't seem quite right. Her temperature was 103.5. We gave her Motrin and ran her up to the hospital here in Milwaukee. Her temp went down while we were there and the doc looked in her throat and ears, but didn't see anything wrong. His diagnosis was "fever", which I was not happy about. A fever is a symptom, not a diagnosis. We went there to find out what was causing her fever. I know that it is a natural process to kill off infection, but I wanted to know what the infection was. I left an unhappy mother. All weekend, she slept in bed with us so we could keep an eye on her. By Sunday night, she sweated it out and since, she hasn't had a fever.

B was dancing on a box last night and cut the upper frenulum in his mouth when he fell onto the box. His mouth was full of blood but after a while, he acted like it didn't bother him. Seeing all of the blood that came from him definitely made my heart skip a few beats, though.

B has this habit of taking his pants and diaper off. He sure is a funny kid. He has six teeth now and he loves to eat anything we eat. He loves fruit, rice, bread, yogurt, pasta, chicken, peas, carrots, and almost anything else that he can chew. He is still in size 3 diapers, 3-6 or 6-9 month pants (depending on the manufacturer). The 12 month clothes are still a little long and too wide for his waist unless we roll them up. K is a bit more picky when she eats. She likes bread, rice, yogurt, chicken, some fruit, and peas. She will at least try food, but then she'll wrinkle up her nose if she doesn't care for it. She is in size 3 diapers, 6-9 month or 12 month clothes. 12 month pants are a little big in the waist, though. Both like Bakers Square, Rosas Cafe, and Olive Garden. (Rosas Cafe is one of the places I miss most being up here in Wisconsin. Apparently, it is only a Texas thing. :( I guess I should invest in a franchise. Mexican food up here is nothing like it is in Texas. I still haven't found a Mexican restaurant we like.)

Both kiddos have discovered toilet paper and the ease in which it rolls. :) They love playing with pots, pans, and wooden kitchen utensils. Shoes, diapers, buttons that have lights, and anything that other people have in their hands are fascinating. They have outgrown the swing, baby bathtub, bouncy seat, and jumperoo. :( My babies are growing up so fast.

With the passing of everyday, I enjoy parenthood even more.

So far, we are loving the Wisconsin life. The temperatures are nice...the high humidity levels make it more tolerable. Rain, trees, and animals a lot more abundant. Teaching two grade levels in one room is challenging, especially when I am teaching every subject. I am definitely learning some tricks to make things easier on myself. I hate seeing teachers take their work home every night and grade or plan for four or five hours at a time. I do not think it is healthy to spend that much time away from the family every single night. On occasion, it is necessary, but every single night? You're asking to get sick. If I have learned one thing teaching, it is to take care of yourself and your family first. Teaching is a ministry, but your first ministry is to your spouse and children. I never understood that more than I do now. Because of this, I have become a big advocate of grading in the classroom and decreasing the complexity of how the assignment is graded. My husband told me one thing, "Teachers control how much work they end up grading. If you don't have time to grade a 10 page paper, then don't assign a 10 page paper. If you can get the concept across by doing an assignment that is quicker to grade, then do it." He is not saying to avoid challening the kids. He is saying that not every assignment needs to be so complicated that grading takes forever for each one. Challenging assignments can be easy to grade if you pick the right assignment. :) This is still a work in progress for me.

Back in Wisconsin

We have had probably the toughest week ever. While I was at the airport, I got a call from K saying that the project at his job had been funded for another year. He had been told for the past couple of months that he was being laid off. When we decided to move up here to Wisconsin, we had a pretty clear getting laid off sign by his boss when he started telling K to take all of his personal items home, so I quit my job in Texas.

We planned on leaving Texas on Saturday, September 3rd, but B ended up with a 102 degree temperature. He's never had one before, so we called the doctor's office. The nurse said she thought that it was caused by his MMR vaccine and that they usually recommend going to the hospital if it's 104 or higher. We gave him some Tylenol and two hours later, his temperature was 103. Instead of waiting until it got to 104, we went to the ER. Luckily, his temperature started going down when they gave him Motrin. A look at his throat showed pus pockets on his tonsils. The strep culture turned up negative. Since there wasn't a bacteria found, we can't do antibiotics.

Things have been stressful, to say the least. We are still living out of boxes, I can't find my work shoes, and we have no pots and pans to cook with because they are spread out throughout the house. We didn't have enough room in the truck to put all of our furniture, so we left some behind. We were blessed enough to have a friend of ours offer to stay in our house and pay rent until we found a buyer. He is also keeping two of the cats since we didn't have room here.

Since we've been up here, we've seen a deer in the backyard and a chipmunk in the front. :) The temperature tomorrow should be in the 50's so winter is starting early! We are all excited to have our first "real" winter. On Sunday, we had to call the police because K saw three men in the backyard with rifles. Silly me...I went to chase them down. I was in protection mode I guess. Come to find out, they were teenagers playing with air rifles.

Signing off for now.

Calming of the Storm

As the day gets closer when I get to see and hold my two little ones, I busy myself to take my mind off of being without the kids. I know that everything that we do, we do it for all of us. We want the kids to have the opportunity to explore nature and snow. There are parks galore up here and knowing that B and K will be able to go hike on a Sabbath afternoon without blistering heat makes me smile. The vision of them making snow angels on the lawn makes me giggle. I can't wait. They will have the opportunity to go to the private school where I teach and be right across the hall from me. I look forward to being able to be in the same building with them for 11 years. (The junior academy goes from K-10th grade.) I am excited that they will be learning in a Christian environment.

I got my Wisconsin plates (for my car) yesterday. I am still waiting on a few documents to get my license. Once I get that, I will be an official Wisconsiner (or Wisconsinite...the term "Texan" was so much easier.)

I am thankful for technology and the ability to travel long distances in order to see family. It does make things a little easier. As difficult as all of this has been, I have never seen anything fall in to place quite like this. I know that He has a plan and I know that we are doing His work. When He calls, we must answer.

Happy Sabbath

New School

School started on Monday and I really enjoy having 14 kids all day. It is nice to get to know the same kiddos. I still have moments where I wish I could stay at home with B and K, though. I often wonder if I will regret the decision to work. I haven't seen my babies in a little over a week and I miss them more than anything. I skyped with them the other day and K tried to reach for the computer screen to hug me. I felt awful. Since then, I have been wondering if we made the right decision to move. It breaks my heart to think that the kids will not be with their grandparents on a regular basis.

I am busier and more tired than I ever expected. Some days, I want to just crawl into a corner and read to get my mind off of everything going on around me. I have lesson plans for seven different subjects to prepare for on a weekly basis, plus I have paperwork to fill out (for employment) with the conference, I still need to finish my room and order books for the English II class, get prepared for the kids' baby dedication coming up, and help Kevin get everything he needs to move up here. My "to do" list gets longer everyday. Oh, I also have to get a driver's license and new plates for my car.

Anyway, on the baby front...K's 3rd tooth (on the top) popped through today and she stood for a while today when my grandmother went to visit them at my mom's house. Bryce isn't walking like Frankenstein anymore. He's walking like a toddler now. Oh, I miss them so much that I can barely stand it. One more week before I see them. I can do it.

One Year Ago and Teaching

One year ago today, God blessed us with two bundles of joy! It is hard to believe it has gone by this fast. The first four months were a blur because we were so exhausted.

Originally, I had their birthday party planned out. It was going to be perfect with cute decorations and little party favors. With the whole moving thing, I didn't have time so the party wasn't quite what I expected it to be. We didn't end up with the gorgeous decorations or party favors and I am fine with that. I have never been a decorating guru / Martha Stewart-type woman anyway. The kids got to open presents and spend time with the family before we move and that is all that I really wanted. 

So, we made it to Milwaukee last night and K1 flew back to Texas this afternoon. I really wanted to see the kids and spend time with them on their birthday, but things didn't work out that way. Before we left, we bought a webcam for our computer at home and I was able to Skype with K1 and the kids. This next week and a half will be the toughest for me yet. Not only am I alone in a new city, but I miss my babies like crazy. The only thing I can do is try to keep busy to pass the time. Of course, I keep torturing myself by watching the movie that I made to reflect on their first year. I'll try to get it posted later.

I have accepted a position teaching 5-6 Grade in a Christian School here in Wisconsin. I will also be the 9-10 Grade English Teacher. School starts Monday!

Who Moved My Cheese?

I got the title of this blog from a book that I read while working at an insurance company back while I was going to college. The book basically talked about being flexible and willing to change. In general, most people find it hard to accept change because we fear the unknown. It is hard to go into a situation blindly, without having an exact plan. I am certainly guilty of this. I typically have to plan most things out. On occasion, I can "wing it", but it isn't often that I feel okay doing that.

I truly believe that when one door closes, another opens. A lot around here has fallen apart lately, but many things have come together. To make a long story short, K1 was told at work last week that he is getting laid off. Doors opened up for us in Wisconsin, so we will be moving up there shortly. Actually, we will be going up there tomorrow and I will stay to get things ready for our final move. We are leaving my entire family to go where we don't know anyone. We are also leaving a place with 108 degree temperatures and going to a place that is covered in snow most of the time.

I can honestly say that this is the first time in my life that I have made a decision this big. On top of that, I am not bothered by the lack of definite plan because I know that God has a plan for us. Finally, I am learning to let go of the reigns and let Him guide me in the direction that I was intended to go.

Forgiveness

I have had a lot of time this summer to reflect on my life. I always thought that I would marry a fellow Christian, someone who believed in and loved God as much as I did. That didn't happen. Instead, I married a man who disagrees with everything written in the Bible and questions God's existence. It definitely makes our relationship more challenging. When I met him, he had been abandoned by every Christian that he met because he wasn't a believer. I said to myself that I would not do the same because I knew that he needed someone to guide him, not abandon him. When we met, I was working in a church and struggling with my own relationship with God. I felt like I had been betrayed by those who worked in a church and I felt it difficult to continue being a part of that church. So I quit going. Then, I had accepted the idea that it wasn't necessary to go to church to believe in God. True. It isn't. However, it does make it easier as long as you find the right church. Looking back on it, I have been betrayed by at least one person at every church I have gone to. Churches are made by people and people sin. We need to not let it interfere with our own growth and forgive them. This smacked me in the face last week when there was a discussion of baptism and homosexuality. I won't get into details, but it woke me up to forgiveness.

K and I moved in together about a year before we got married. I wasn't working at the time because I was going back to school. I kept turning towards teaching, so I went that direction. I quickly got a job as a Para at a middle school in 2006. We got married in Vegas just a few months later. Three months later, I wrote a letter to our local newspaper about the problems in our development, which led to us getting sued by the HOA and the builder of our house. We are still in the lawsuit with the builder but we won against the HOA. The next year, I stepped in as a science teacher and I've been there since. Teaching is not the direction I had intended to go. The Lord had his own plans.

Exactly three years after our wedding, we got pregnant. I always had the feeling that I would have twins, and one of each. That is exactly what we got. My plan lined up with His. Wow! Since their birth, K1 and I have been through some major ups and downs; many of them we thought would send us to the courthouse. Since B and K were born, I realized how important family was. I started praying and reading the Bible to the kids. I felt the need to get back into church and take the kids along with me. Although this has been the root of most of our arguments, he has still gone to church with me and the kids a few times (and then he comes home and watches his shows about aliens.)

I wasn't raised going to church. The times that I did go as a child were my choice. Occasionally, my parents went along. We did spend a little time going as a family, but it didn't last. My parents felt betrayed by the people in the church, as well, and stopped going. I want to do things differently for B and K. I want them to grow up knowing and loving Jesus. I want us all to have a church family to guide us along the way. I want my children to know how to forgive others, even when it is tough to forget the mean ways they have treated us. Sometimes, a church congregation can get so caught up with doing right that they start judging others. This is where the "holier-than-thou" attitude comes along. Sadly, they don't realize it until they have pushed good people away.

Despite having an alien-believer husband, I love him. He does whatever he can to make the kids and I happy and puts himself last in order to do so. This is what a Christian marriage should look like. You put your spouse first and both needs are met. He behaves like a Christian, but doesn't call himself so. I pray that one day he will.

Can We Slow Down Time Please?

I can't believe today is the last day that my babies will spend as 10 month olds. This time has gone by so fast. Sometimes, I wish that I could just slow down time.

B, aka little monkey, has figured out how to get on the fireplace by himself. He has also found out that he can get to the couch from there too. This is where I found him on Thursday morning while I was getting stuff taken out to the car.

K didn't like it when I was out of the room so I put her in the high chair so she could watch me in the kitchen. She was having a lot of fun playing with her Cheerios. She has been really clingy this week, so I took her into the doctor to rule out an ear infection (she had been pulling on her ears.) He said she was in perfect health and didn't find an infection. He did say that her gums were swollen around four teeth buds and it looks like she'll sprout four teeth here in the next couple of weeks. No wonder she's been fussy. Poor baby! Her weight at the doctor was 18 lbs., 8 oz. with diaper and clothes on. She's right on track.

We went to church today; baby Sabbath School first and then worship. I made the decision to transfer my membership over to this church from the one I was baptized in because this one is closer to home and I have friends here. We will probably do a baby dedication, too.

Online Shopping, Diapers, and Great Tortillas!

As we gear up for the kids' first birthday gathering, I've been searching for deals online and in the stores for party supplies and gifts for the kids. I found a really cool website: www. zulily.com. They have some really cute and inexpensive clothes. They send me emails with new daily deals. I got an email last week and it peaked my interest because some of the clothes were Mary Engelbreit baby clothes. I had remembered that my grandmother loves ME stuff so I called her and we both ordered some cute ladybug outfits for K2. B got some things as well. Today, I ssaw the most adorable outfit so I added it to my cart and continued shopping. When I clicked to check out, it said the item was "unavailable". How does that work? Not so happy with that right now. :(

This morning, I was on the phone with Grams when I looked down and saw B holding a diaper. I thought, "Where did he get that?" I realized that he was naked. The child took his own diaper off. Yesterday, he got a Cheerio stuck to his nose. *sigh* (I love my camera phone!)

On a different note, I've been craving Rosa's Cafe lately. Not sure why. Great tortillas, maybe? Although, I am afraid of going there with the kids now. The only three times we've been, I have left covered with some kind of food, drink, or baby fluids...usually because of K2. Maybe she doesn't like Rosa's or maybe I just need to take along a pancho.

Allergies

Since B has been through quite a few coughing spells and ear infections, I took him to the allergy doctor today. He recommended nasal spray once a day for a couple of weeks, then every other day, and then a maintenance dose every 3-4 days after that. Hopefully this helps with the drainage. If it doesn't work, we'll go from there.

He was about 27 inches long (I say about because the nurse didn't get an exact measurement because he wouldn't stand.) He was 18 pounds (their scale didn't do ounces.)

No Blender for B

Between here and facebook, I'm sure I have offended a few people, so let's change the subject and talk babies, shall we?
I thought, surely, that I would have to send B to college with a blender in hand...until today. His first tooth (#25) started coming in today. Hooray! He has been crankier and sleeping a lot more, so this explains why.

We had our first excursion at Benbrook Lake on July 4th. The kids liked it, but since taking Microbiology in college, I don't care much for lakes. It freaked me out, but I wanted to go swimming on July 4th. We left after about an hour...just long enough for the drunks to utterly get on my nerves.

Our first trip to Burgers Lake was on Friday, July 8th. The kids had a ton of fun. They played around in their floaties for a while. K2 liked being closer to the edge so that she could stand and splash around. K and my cousin, A watched them for a while so I could go down the slides and diving with KN. We brought a tent that we purchased at Ikea so they napped in there for a while. Eating solids was completely out of the question while we were out there. Neither of them were having it.

I got a picture of B and KN laying cheek to cheek.

K is watching on the sidelines.

B knows how to entertain aunt A.

So much swimming makes you tired!

Good night :)

Deep Thoughts: Careers, Family, Health, and Money

I've been thinking about this for a while and I needed to get it written down because it was driving me nuts.

Since I had kids, I've been drawn to family, career, and health stories here in the U.S. A lot of people here suffer from major health conditions: heart disease, cancer, obesity...and the list goes on. I find it no coincidence that the people in the Mediterranean and European cultures live longer and have less stress. If you take a look at their daily routine, they walk more, work less, take more naps throughout the day, and spend more time with family and friends. Many of us here in the States forego time with our families and taking care of ourselves because we spend more time working so that we can pay our bills. We're rushing to get to work on time so we stop off at the nearest fast food place to get something to eat. We work late to meet the needs of our job, which means less time with our spouses and kids.

I am on a quest to lead a more simplified life. The most important parts of my life are quality time with my family/friends and our health. Notice that money and things are not anywhere on that list. We have the tendency to get wrapped up in money and things. In the end, is working late to have extra things really worth it? I am the first to admit that I cannot decorate a home to save my life and I hate clutter. My new self-quiz when I am considering a purchase at the store is, "What is its purpose? Do I really need it?" If I answer no, then I don't buy it. I have finally realized that if it serves no purpose, then it goes back on the shelf. In general, decorations serve no purpose; we should be spending time with family and friends rather than looking at things on the wall or shelf.

I just read an article tonight that mentions that that the average work week for highly qualified professionals is 50-60 hours a week. The website here shows a drastic increase in work hours. Many companies are hiring more part-time employees instead of full-time because they think it will save them money. Sadly, this money-saving technique is at the expense of the employees, including the managers who have to pull extra shifts to pick up the slack. I am really saddened by this.

What is wrong with this picture? When did a father have to decide between working long hours in order to keep his job and spending time with his kids? When did a mother start having to debate whether to stay at home with her children after giving birth? In several European countries, new moms receive 6 months to a year or two full paid maternity leave. In the U.S., we receive 12 weeks, unpaid. Why is there such a difference? Are we that money-hungry that we care more about keeping money in our pockets than allowing a reasonable bonding period of a mother and child? 50 years ago, women did not have to work in order for the bills to get paid. Although, they could if they wanted to. All necessary bills could be paid off of one salary. When did it become the norm to need two salaries just to slide by?

Technology can be amazing, but it can also be detremental. I've seen some pretty explosive temper tantrums in public from children. Since I became a mother, I've started observing the reactions from the parents. What I've noticed is that the kids who had the biggest tantrums were the ones whose parents were basically ignoring them. One mother stood in the isle of a grocery store texting on her cell phone while asking her child if she was ready to go. She was not looking at her daughter, but her daughter was grabbing her mother's arm, trying to get her attention by screaming. I couldn't help but wonder if this could have been prevented by spending more quality time with and valuing what her daughter said.

We complain that we're obese and we complain that our cholesterol or blood pressure is high. Once again, the Mediterranean and several European countries walk...a lot! These countries also eat smaller portions and they have time to make their meals because they're not spending every waking hour stuck in a chair - either at home watching TV or at work. I'm sure the fact that some of these countries have afternoon naps helps too. My theory is: Based on research, working too much and meeting deadlines can cause sleep deprivation and stress. Both of these can lead to poor eating habits. When you're eating bad, not sleeping enough, and working too much, you probably don't have the energy or the time to work out. Thus, leading to obesity and health problems.

Our priorities have greatly shifted in this country, and sadly at the expense of many families' health and stability. Maybe these Mediterranean and European countries are on to something here. The U.S. companies could learn some things from them. More companies should allow more schedule flexibility so that people can spend more time with family and working on their own health. The happier and healthier a person is, the better their performance will be at work.

First Steps

B has stood a few times on his own over the past week. Tonight, as I took my hands from his, he held his own...and then took his first independent step towards me! Oh, how I cried. My baby is growing up way too fast!

Parents' Weekend

After having the kids 10 months ago, hubby and I decided to go to San Antonio for a weekend together sort of as a celebration for my birthday and for Father's Day. We got there around 8 p.m. on Friday and came back yesterday. We stayed in the Omni Hotel, which is supposed to be a 4 - star hotel. There wasn't anything spectacular about the place. In fact, I preferred the Holiday Inn Express, which is a 3 - star hotel. The Omni had "free" internet access, but it was only available in the lobby. That's not very convenient for people who are trying to get directions before they go somewhere. The internet connections in the rooms are $9.95 unless you are a part of their select guest program. They don't offer free breakfasts and the rooms are mediocre. We ended up with two double beds even thought I requested one king. Awesome.

Aside from the hotel, we made our way to the Alamo and the Riverwalk on Sabbath. We had lunch at Casa Rio, which was good. That night, we ate at Jacala's. A lot of people rave about their puffy tacos, which weren't too bad - on the greasy side, though. Their cheese enchiladas were terrible. The chicken enchiladas had no seasoning. We found Jim's Restaurants, which we really liked. On Sunday, we went to Sea World since I got a free pass for educators. Our first adventure was at the Shamu Stadium where we ended up in the front row or the "Soak Zone". That sign on the seat was no lie. We rode the boat ride that went into the water (I forgot its name), we watched the Azul show with the beluga whales and dolphins. Before we left, we fed the dolphins and I managed to touch under their mouth. Their skin has the texture of mushrooms...soft and velvety. I loved every minute of it!

The kids stayed with my parents for part of the time and then my cousin, A, (we call her aunt for the kids, though.) It was definitely nice to have some time to talk to each other and sleep, but we sure missed the kids while we were gone. Everytime I saw a baby about their age, I missed them even more.

10 Months!

B and K are 10 months old today.

B is wearing 6-9 month clothes and size 3 diapers. He is "walking" using the sides of tables and the walking toy we bought. He looks like he's been doing it forever. His favorite foods are sweet potatoes, squash, roasted turkey dinner out of the Plum packets, So Delicious Coconut Milk yogurt in vanilla, and apples. He prefers savory foods over sweet ones...like his Daddy. His favorite toys are the pots and pans that we got from Ikea, the toy table that my parents bought, and the little slide that the animals roll down. He can put the animals at the top and make them roll down on his own. He can undo his Daddy's watch and grab things from nearby tables or shelves. He lets me know when he wants to go to sleep because he'll go over to the swing and try to crawl in it.

K is wearing 6-9 month clothes and size 3 diapers. She is standing by holding onto whatever is near her. She tries to walk with the talking toy, but her stance is a little wide and her legs are shaky. Her favorite toys are the spatula from the Ikea dishes set, plastic rings, shapes and blocks, and the toy table that my parents bought Her favorite foods are banana, apple,  pear, sweet potato, roasted turkey dinner out of the Plum packets, and So Delicious Coconut Milk yogurt in vanilla. She will crawl over and climb up the chair to get us to hold her. We can tell when she's sleepy because she'll put her thumb in her mouth or her head on our shoulder.

They both play well together. They laugh at each other and crawl towards one another. Yesterday, B was pulling K's hair and of course, she was crying. I told him no and he let go. He did it again so I told him no. He didn't let go, so I had to undo his fingers from her hair. I said no again and he started crying. That was our first discipline encounter. I've noticed that B has temper tantrums. He arches his back and cries when we take a toy away from him or something that he's doing. K doesn't do that. She is much more laid back.

On another note, my aunt B passed away on Tuesday so we will be remembering her through a memorial on Tuesday, June 21st.

Medical Issues!

B has had some trouble sleeping the past couple of nights. He woke up coughing several times, so we did a few breathing treatments. I got my allergy shots today so I set up an appointment for him, too, since we're pretty sure his coughing is because of allergies. Yesterday, I noticed that he had some bumps on his toes. Originally, I thought he got bitten by ants or something because my parents sometimes take the kids outside. Today, I noticed bumps with blisters on the palm of both hands and more bumps with blisters on his feet. Again, I thought ant bites. I was scrolling through facebook and I saw that one of my friends' sons has hand, foot, and mouth disease that causes blisters on hands, feet, and mouth. I looked in B's mouth and sure enough...blisters and white patches. He's miserable, poor thing. I wish there was something that I could do for him, but unfortunately, it's caused by a virus and there isn't anything they can do other than to keep him comfortable. That is horrible to hear when you're the mother and your child is crying or screaming his head off. We're putting their toys in a vinegar bath tomorrow to clean them off and try to protect K.

I went to work on Monday to plan more for next year. Before I got there, I received news that my great aunt B was in the hospital. I chalked it up to being something minor until I got to my mom's house with the kids. My mom said that the night before, she passed out around midnight. My cousin C performed CPR on her for about 7 minutes until the ambulance got there and did it again for another 17 or so minutes. Her brain was deprived of oxygen for almost 30 minutes! She was sedated and intubated when she got to the hospital, and shortly after, they put her on a feeding tube. The brain scan showed that her frontal and temporal lobes were not functioning. This means that if she were to wake up, she wouldn't be able to talk again. Testing also revealed that she can only feel pain. The temporal lobe is linked mainly to memory and the frontal lobe is linked to speech, memory, problem-solving, language, judgement, and motor function, among others. My cousins and uncle are having to make a difficult decision this week so I pray that they be at peace with whatever decision they come to.

She's Catching Up

K2 stood up on Thursday with the help of her toy!

I have purchased a few things for their birthday party. Since we're going with a garden theme, I got some bamboo spoons and forks. We got some napkins, backpacks for them, toys, candy molds, a cake mold, and some butterflies for her hair. I'm so excited, but I can't believe they're growing up so fast!

She's Crawling

I saw K2 crawl on her knees today. She's moving pretty quick since she didn't start scooting until earlier this month. It took B several months to get the hang of crawling. He sure wanted to, though.