Family Trip up North

We have not been up north in 3 years.  Since the challenge of having Twins happened...ha!   We hem and hawed about it.  Would it be fun or would it be a nightmare?  We decided to give it a try.  The kids did great.  The 3 1/2 hour drive was great.   The DVD player is a godsend!!    We went on my parents speedboat, went to a beach, fished, went to a fair and park.  Alex slept in a pack and play, I was most nervous about how he would sleep.   I needn't worry...the first night he slept 12 hours straight.  The next day was 11 hours and the following was straight thru but he did wake at 5:15.   I will take it.   It was a great time.

Stomach Flu in July

My worst fear....stomach flu.   I was curious what the first time would be like.  I did better than expected handling it.  Emily woke up at 1:00 in the morning crying.   She felt hot but I didn't think much of it.  She went back to sleep and all was well.   Morning rolls around.   I carry her downstairs and she is still hot.   I went to change her and put my hand to her chest, I could feel her heart racing.   At the point she retched, I picked her up and raced to the bathroom where she vomited.   After that she seemed better but an hour later vomited again.   Vomit down my shirt, my neck...I think some got in my ear.   (Cringe!!!!!)   The rest of the day she layed on the couch and the next day all was well.   She had a fever so I though she got sick because of that.

First Victim

The next day rolls around.   Emily is bright eyed and bushy tailed.  Mandy is whiny and fussy....nothing new with her.   I was loosing my patience with how whiny she was.  She then told me she wanted to go to bed.  As I picked her up she vomited all over the table and carpet.  I cleaned her up and layed her on the couch.  Not 10 min later she got sick again.  It was violent.  I held the bucket but she was in a panic and was trying to "get away"   She nearly knocked the bucket from my hands.  The poor girl.   She was then on the couch the rest of the day.   The day went on, Alex took a nap, woke and all was ok.   Suddenly he wanted to be held.  No crying.  Just laid his head on my shoulder and proceeded to projectile vomit in the kitchen.   I just stood there like a deer in headlights.   He ended up throwing up again after that as did Mandy.   I may have been close to tears at one point.  Thankfully Matt, Cassie and I did not get sick!!!  That is an amazing thing for having been soaked in puke.  

The Twins are 3 years old!

Survived another year!   I can say it is getting easier.   They are playing so well independently.   I can sit outside while they play on the swing set and actually read a book.   I never thought I would see the day.   Seriously those first few years were tough.   Not fun.  The hardest part now is the fighting.  Once in a while we still have whining and temper tantrums but hopefully those will dwindle away more.  

We had a Hello Kitty Birthday Party.  (same theme we had for Cassie at age 3)

Birthday Girls!

It is strange to think that they are now the age Cassie was when we started the IVF process to have them.     Time did go fast when I stop and look back at how old they are now, but in the midst of their baby and toddler hood it was never ending.  The saying "the days are long but the years are short is very true."

Once they turned 3 it was time for hard core potty training.   Pretty much took 1 day for them to get the idea.  Mandy is pretty much 100% trained.  She even remained dry the past 2 nights.  Emily has a bit more work but overall she is doing great.

We have done more with the kids the past few weeks since we had the twins.  Like I said... its getting easier.  I have also been taking all 4 of the kids to the grocery store, library even swimming at the YMCA by myself.   That was a little touch and go but it worked.   Life Vests were my best friend.

All ready for Mom to take them swimming

 

Uncle Lee got married!!

Earlier in May we took Cassie, left the 3 younger kids with Grandma, hopped on an airplane and flew to San Diego for my brothers wedding.    Since having kids I realized I am not a fan of flying any longer.    It was a beautiful wedding and a nice get away with Cassie.   Cassie was one of the flower girls in the wedding.

Walking along the Pacific Ocean...with a Starbucks in hand.  Perfect!

Getting Ready to Fly!!

Dinner, it was FREEZING! 59 degrees in Sunny CA!

Flower Girl!

With my Mom and Uncle

My brother and his new wife

Beautiful

Walking down the aisle

Wedding Party

The new Mr and Mrs

 

Everything for the wedding was outside but the downfall was it was cold!!!  It was warmer in WI than CA.   By the time we had dinner outside it was 59 degrees.   Seeing my brother get married was emotional.  I was so happy for him and to see him emotional as well just made me cry.  

 

During the other days we went to Coronado , hung out with family and went to Sea World.   I was ready to come back home to see my 3 other kids however, my sweet little boy wanted nothing to do with me.  He acted like I was a total stranger and wouldn't come near me.  I couldn't put him to bed that night, hold him, it was horrible.   Broke my heart.  Same thing the next morning.   When Matt went to work you would have thought he was being left with a complete stranger.   I kept my distance waiting for him to warm up to me which he never did.  I finally had to change his diaper.  He cried and screamed but them after that he was fine, realized I was his mommy and forgave me.   Thank Goodness!

Alex is one, Hair cuts and other updates

My baby is now a toddler.  I have 1 six year old, 2 two year olds and 1 one year old and I  homeschool.     I have no time to sit down and update my blog.  I want to but by the end of the night I just want to sit on the couch and read.  No TV, no noise.   I ususally check facebook, browse the net and read my kindle.   The brain needs to decompresse.

So yes.   1 year old.   He is walking (shortly after turning 1).  Very close to running to keep up with his sisters.  No bottles, all cup.   Currently his molars are coming in which is waking him at night.   Sometimes he goes right back down, others I'm up for 2 hours with him in the middle of the night.

He has had his first haircut.   Surprisngly traumatic to me.   I have never had a baby first haircut before....my girls hair I just keep growing and growing.  It kinda shocked me that I had the urge to cry getting that baby hair cut.

Little boy is now adding in his fair share of temper tantrums and joining in or starting fights over toys.  These 3 little ones really test my patience and wear me out by the end of the day.  Some days are really hard but I have to say the twins have improved their attitudes.   They play so well together now, If I was not chasing around Alex I would actually be able to sit on the couch and read a book.   When Alex is napping I take the girls outside to play and I can actually sit and just watch them play.   Its so much less work than the past few years.  

Cassie has lost 2 of her bottom teeth and the top 2 are now loose as well.

Homeschooling is going great.   This fall I file with the state for the first time so it will be official!!   We are a grade ahead of where she would be if enrolled in public school.  She is an easy kid for the most part.  The girls are going to be interesting when I start to teach them.   Currently we are working on colors and numbers.  They think everything is red and when they count it goes like this "1,2,6,8,3"  We have work to do!   Its so hard to NOT compare them to Cassie.  Cassie was reading by 3, totally potty trained by 2.....the twins are still in diapers.  I have tried potty training a couple of times but they are not ready.  After 3 I will try again.

So my life is so busy.   The days fly by.  Some days I think I may loose my mind but I wouldn't change it.  Well.....I'll be honest, twins are hard.  Having two 2 year olds is not an easy thing so if I could change things I may have Mandy and Emily spaced out by 2 years.  haha! Twins are a blessing but are a lot of work. (at least mine!!)

10 Months Old

Can't believe Alex is 10 months already!   He is a big boy.

22 lbs 7 oz which puts him in the 83%
30.5 Inches Long 96%

He is crawling everywhere, trying to keep up with his sisters.  He pulls up to stand constantly.  I caught him climbing the stairs...gave me a heart attack so the gate is up all the time now.    He eats table food, drinks from his sippy cup and has his bottles.  I weaned him from his night time bottles at 9 months the same way I did with the twins.... half water and half formula, slowly diluting till it was all water and then no bottle at all.  He has been sleeping all night, if he does wake up sometimes I need to pick him up and comfort him, sometimes this lasts an hour, or the other night at 1:30 he was sitting in bed crying, I pointed at his bed and told him to lay down which he did.  I rubbed his back for a few min and that was that, he slept till 7:00 am.  

So...I am happy that I am getting sleep. It makes so much difference and makes me feel human.

Can't believe I will be planning this little boys birthday soon!!