Summer Goals

Its almost time for our summer goals, here they are:

1. Potty train Sara - once school is out I'm quitting the diapers, I think I'm going to bribe with nail polish, she loves to have her nails done and I keep telling her only big girls have them done.
2. Good bye pacifer this is my mid summer goal for her.  She only uses it to fall asleep but I am not letting this go until next summer.
3. Evan needs to learn to write his name.  He can do the E, but hates to color and write.  I purchased a new Lego to give him when he masters his name.  There will be a Lego/bribe theme this summer!
4. We are ditching the baby potty for Evan, he prefers to go #2 on the baby potty.
5. Goodbye sippy cup!
6. Evan and Sara need some sleep training.  Evan likes me in his bed when he falls asleep which turns into an hour plus some nights, and Sara falls asleep on  the couch each night.  We have some major work to do with this.
7. Clean.... organize... and purge, I'm starting this with a garage sale at our cottage today.  I'm getting rid of all the things that are not nice enough for the consignment sale.  I'm selling all of my maternity clothes, some are from 2004... its time to kiss them goodbye.
8. Exercise!! I bought some new dvd's and its time to get my butt moving.  No more excuses, as I sat on the couch alone at 6am and started to watch a Pilates program on TV and still wasn't motivated to join in. 
9. Clean the kitchen each night before bed..my counters are not always empty/cleared off due to falling asleep with Ev.

3 more weeks of school to go.  On another note I received my proctor schedule for Exam week and I have 6 duties.  I checked a half dozen other teachers and they have 3-4, I debated emailing the Assistant Principal and decided to.  I told him I didn't mean to complain but it seems awfully unequitable.  I asked if there was any rhyme or reason to it.  So far no response.... hope it was a mistake!

Two and a half

The princess and the prince were married tonight

The sealed there vows with a kiss

1.     This weekend Sara turns 2 and a half.  She is such a little princess. 
2. Sara is very easy going and can skip a nap and still not be miserable
3. She still uses a pacifier to sleep and I plan on getting rid of it this summer
4. Sara will not fall asleep at nighttime on her own, but will for naps.  At night she lays on the couch and falls asleep or lays in our bed to fall asleep and we move her to her crib.
5. She is a fantastic eater and will ask to try something new.
6. Each time I take her grocery shopping and we walk through the produce she asks for new cauliflower.  She loves to dip cauliflower.
7. Last week she was eating raw beans and peas.
8. Her favorite foods are any fruit, she has been know to eat 3 oranges in a sitting, fruit snacks, pretzels, popsicles, chicken, triscuits, cheese, and apple juice.
9. She rarely drinks milk and that is probably my fault I rarely offer it since I never drink it.  She will have it in cereal, which Evan will not. But Evan will drink it.
10. When Sara doesn't know what to say when talking to Daddy on the phone she tells him, Daddy come home, Daddy have big bummy (butt, far from true, Mommy's is bigger than Daddys :-( , Daddy have pick up, and me have polly wogs.
11. Sara loves Dogs and calls Max the dog across the street, my dog Max, she also loves Max's owner Kim and will tell us when Miss Kim is home or gone based on when the minvan is there.
12. We still haven't mastered colors, for some reason she knows pink, yellow, and purple, but confuses red, green, and blue.  I'm not sure if she really confuses them or just doesn't want to be bothered.  Shen seems to know them when its time to choose a freezy pop.
13. Tylenol is not our friend.  Sara is a very healthy little girl.  Antibiotics have only been needed once in her life so far.  Other than a cold and a recent virus, she has been healthy.  Last week a virus struck and she gags each time I give her Tylenol.  I even attempted the chewable and she told me not tasty Momma, after two violent puking episodes after trying to force it down, my mom, a pharmacist, recommended the suppositories.  The first few doses were fine until she told me no touch my butt.  Poor baby, luckily we recovered but I'll keep some very expensive $8/6 doses, on hand. 
14. We are beginning to learn letters and Sara loves to point out S's, she found some in a novel I'm reading and was proud to show me.
15. Sara has mastered a few 24 piece puzzles.
16. Each day we play with the loving family dollhouse for a few minutes.  She doesn't have a favorite toy.  At this age Evan was obsessed with Gordon a Thomas train. 
17. Today Sara was happy to play in a baby pool with a tea set.  She set everything up as if she was setting the table.
18. Blocks and legos are very popular and Sara loves to set things in rows.  The other morning she matched and filled the doorway with our shoes.
19. Dance skills and agility are very strong skills for Sara, she can watch a movement and follow it very quickly.  On our trip home from Charleston I was making up arm movements to keep her occupied and she could always mimic them. 
20. Potty training is still a work in process, as soon as school ends diapers are disappearing.  Most mornings Sara wakes up dry and will go on the potty with a little encouragment.
21. School ended Wednesday and Sara will really miss is, althought the kids at that age don't interact a great deal.  Sara loved her teacher and the activities.  She was always very proud of the projects she brought home.  Next year as long as she is potty trained she will go two mornings a week.
22. Cinderella is our favorite movie.  She loves her Cinderella pj's and t shirts.  We have a barbie and some small dolls but there is no obsession yet!
23. We love to read books, she doesn't have a favorite, but that is my fault, because she often falls asleep on the couch we don't always read before bed.  My parents have the kids 3 days a week and they read to Sara each day.
24. Evan and Sara play very well together at times, Evan creates the activity and Sara usually follows along.  They have been playing hide and seek on their own while I fix dinner.  Sara's idea of countingis one, two.... and she is off!
25. Shopping is a favorite activity.  Sara was very upset with my Mom last week.  They usually run errands while Evan is at school and my mom stayed home instead.  Sara is very well behaved in the cart or stroller.  We traveled to the outlet in Niagara Falls on mothers day together, and had a girls morning of shopping.  When we are finished shopping she asks me more shop??
26. Sara's memory amazes me.  She remembers things from months ago that I wouldn't expect her too, of course while I'm racking my brains for an example none are coming to mind!
27. Picking flowers is a popular spring activity each time we go outside.  One day she filled an entire bucket with dandelion heads.  There must have been hundreds in the bucket.  Marc said it kept her busy while he cleaned up outside.  Wish I would have had my camera out for that.
28. Sara is very brave and attempts many things Evan wouldn't dream of.  We have a open foyer and a hallway with a railing on one side in our upstairs.  I caught Sara attempting to walk accross it on the wrong side.  I almost had a heartattack, as she was about 6 spindles out on the ledge with a 14 stair drop to hardwood! 
29. Vocabulary is not an issue she knows so much more and surprises us each day.  At the cottage she told us go on boat - no turn power on.  Clarity still needs work,  little is yittle, and many words sound similar. 
30. Sara's memory is amazing, we picked up flowers last week at a nursery and when we drove by it again she told me buy flowers there.  Sometimes it is things that happened last fall

One of those moments

Today was one of the moments that struck me as the entire journey to this point has been worth it.  Over the years I've had envy of those who have easy pregnancies, easy conception, sleeping babies, etc.  After the struggle to conceive, losing Rachel, and then our twin sons, being on bedrest, having abdominal surgery during pregnancy, followed by two c-sections, life was never a walk in the park.  Today as I sat with Evan at his Mothers day tea, it was worth every tear, scar, sleepless night, and struggle. 

He was so proud to have me next to him.  We shared our snack of sundaes, and then his class sang for us.  It was adorable!  He was so proud to have everyone clap after each song.  Priceless!  They answered questions about their mom, well Evan told them his mom is 83... well 38 is more accurate.  Evan has always been Mommy's boy and I love it!!  I had to leave school and then return after lunch.  I felt like I floated in I was so happy today.  I'm so proud and happy to be a Mom.

So glad we persevered and tried every available option for parenthood.  What a fantastic day.  While we were trying to start a family and after our losses, I always loved the word Believe, for so many reasons.  I had a bracelet with a Believe charm, and we have a wooden cut out of the word on our dresser.  Through my losses and grief that word meant so much, belive in God, belive it will happen, believe in afterlife, believe we will see our babies again, and believe we will be parents some day, believe my babies will be delivered safetly, believe in the abdominal cerclage, believe in my intuition.  Such a simple word and such peace it has brought to me.  Today it really felt like that belief has brought me such joy!

Talking up a storm!

Sara has turned into a chatterbox.  I was a bit concerned in February her preschool teacher suggested we have her speech evaluated.  I hesitated but said I would make the call.  The more I spoke to neighbors, our sitter, and friends, they all thought it was a complete waste of time to call.  Sara talks non-stop its not always clear but she has 7-8 word sentances at times.  Yesterday she asked my Mom after shopping at Wegmans, "Why that boy take our cart?"  Yesterday she asked for a dink(drink) and I asked he what she wanted, I had a hard time making out lemonade.  She has a very broad vocabulary and can usually get across her point.

I had to pick the kids up from preschool this week and I was able to speak with her teacher.  Sara barely talks in class, so she is just busy observing.  The funny thing is once she gets around us she never stops talking.  This morning at 4am, I heard "Mom", I ignored her and then I heard "Mom come to my room". 

Big Brother

My mom picks my kids up from preschool and told me Evan always runs out and hugs Sara, holds her hand and gives her a kiss.  I see them do this occassionally when they are playing.  Sometimes they play very well together.  Our basement is finished off and the two played an hour the other night without fighting.  Friday my Mom took them to a new playground.  The kids were playing chase with lots of other kids and one of the kids was hitting Evan.  My Mom thought he may have been autisitc.  Evan told the boy to stop that because your scaring my sister.  The boy continued and he told him to leave my sister Sara alone.  So proud of him.

Today we went to a birthday party at a childrens museaum.  He took her hand when it was time to transition to another activity.  It is so sweet to see him look out for her.  They have been playing on our playset in the backyard while I clean up after dinner.  Our slide is very fast and Evan catches Sara at the bottom. 
Evan has been suffering terribly with allergies.  He is actually excited when it rains because he knows he'll feel better.  This morning his eyes were almost swollen shut.  It was obvious he felt terrible during the birthday party.  He sat with his arms crossed and a miserable look on his face while his good friend was opening presents.  At first I thought it was jealousy but he told me the kids were so loud especially the little boy next to him and I think he felt awful.  He took a 2.5 hour nap and Sara took a 3 hour nap, it was a fantasitic afternoon. 

We survived our trip to Charleston to see Grandma.  Evan threw up in the first two hours and there was no way we could have traveled 10 more hours smelling his car seat.  We ended up stopping at Target when it opened and picking one up.  I'm so bad, I returned it when we arrived in Charleston.  He is so skinny and the seat was as hard as a rock.  We have the Britax Marathon carseats and they are so overly padded that the kids don't ever complain.  We stopped in Charlotte and I purposely chose a hotel with a indoor pool.  Well the pool was freezing and looked very cloudy, the kids in it were very loud. So we ended up skipping the pool.  The next morning we went to the outlet mall and hit the Lego store and Disney store as promised. 

Evan loved the Lego store although it was the same stuff I could have ordered on Amazon.  He sat in his carseat putting together Lego's for a good part of the trip.  I bought them both soft trays for their carseats and brought Evan some tupperware containers and he worked on Lego's.  Its not a cheap hobby but I bought all the $3-5 dollar sets I could find and then Grandma gave him a few sets so he was happy.  Sara was my big concern and she was fantastic.  She colored, did stickers, magantic paperdolls, and had candy buttons. 

We had a great trip the weather was a bit chilly but the kids were happy to be with Grandma all week.  The Easter bunny came to Grandma's, we went downtown a few times, the pool, playground, and just relaxed.  We ended up driving straight through on the way home.  Fifteen hours in the car and no tears! 

Our other Fisher Price Boxes

Thought I would include out other Fisher Price pictures, the first one is Evan in a Jumperoo. Next is all of us in a Japnese parenting magazine, and finally Sara in a swing. Wow those cheeks on Sara she looks like a different kid. We have probably had a dozen pictures that have never mde it to a box or the product never made it to the shelf.

Marc and I have a funeral on Friday so I want to stop by the FP store and pick up a few Easter gifts for the kids.

Marc is out of town tonight and Sara is lying on the couch next to me saying "make Daddy come home". She has designated her left cheek as Daddy's cheek and her right cheek at Mommy's cheek. When I kiss her she always reminds me whose cheek is whoses.

Fisher Price Surprises

The kids model a few times a year for Fisher Price and they love it because they get to pick out a toy afterwards. I think its fun and they need to follow someone elses directions, we get a $50 gift card each time, and the "chance" to be on a box. The downside is we never know if or when the toy will come out and we don't know where the pictures will be used, ads, displays, boxes, or magazines.

Tonight we went to the mall and browsed in Barnes and Noble and I just happened to see a toy I thouoght Evan may have modeled and to my surprise he was on the box. Of course I was excited and Evan could have cared less. He didn't like that there was another boy in the picture, and then he wanted to know if he was on the Cars box too. I'll call the FP store tomorrow to see if they have it, we certainly have a pile of gift cards to purchase it with. Sara was on a swing box when she was a baby, unfortunatly I could never find the box and couldn't spend $150 plus on a box.

Today I renewed Saras modeling permit, so we are good for another year. Hopefully we will get some calls over the summer.