only 2

Yesterday Jacob started a 48 hour shift, which usually means that I am worn out before the first night, but yesterday my friend Keri called and asked Levi to visit her son, Levi's best buddy R. So I was down to just on kiddo. Benjamin is so funny, he was sooo very tired, but was not going to stop moving until I had the laundry done. He has been such a bear lately he is cutting 2 molars! Oh yes, so fun, there is no amount of oral gel, ty*nol, ibu*profen to ease his tender gums, which results in gross poop and a tender butt. Yes, the fun of TWO. I got laundry done and he and I sat he napped and I watched TV, wow there was not much on...Then we went to Keri's for supper. She has FOUR children--6,5,3,1--all I can say is WOW. I sat and entertained Benjamin and the 3 year old and 1 year old. Her youngest probably weighs more than Benjamin and he is only one! But Benjamin is still cute and amazing. Yeah, I am so glad that I have only two. As I sat there being mulled by 3 kiddos I noticed that Keri was just cooking away, completely unbothered, she offered to have me over every night to entertain so she can cook. The diner was fabulous with good company, and good conversation!

HEY- FOUR EYES!

Levi needs glasses. He is getting them as I write. The new requirement that all kids entering kindergarden must get their vision checked. I guess this is the reason.
As I understand it he had been complaining about his eyes hurting and that he could not see the board at school to his dad not to me, so I did not know that he was having any issues until Jacob told me. Levi has been requesting Tyl*nol almost every school night for a headache, I just figured he was tired-let's face it I was kind of right--his eyes were tired. Anyway I had to pick up my contacts and made him an eye appointment and helped him pick out some frames, just in case he really needed glasses it would make Jacob's life a little easier. I picked out 2 different pair-one cheap, on not so cheap-both cool, both blue, both square. I figured Jacob would guide Levi to the cheap ones--HE IS FIVE! Well, no such luck both Jacob and Levi liked the not so cheap ones they are Conv*rse, they are blue, they are square, and they have black flames on the sides (yes, that is the only difference between the two pair). Good thing open enrollment is coming up, I guess we will be signing up for family vision coverage!
I will probably be taking Benjamin to have his vision tested also we might as well get all of us in glasses! After all he's the one who had retinopathy!
When Levi gets his glasses (yeah, it will take a week, we live in hicksville) I will post pictures!

this morning

I just remembered something that I wanted to post...As most of you know I'm not too sappy, nor do I think that every thing that my kiddos do is the cutest thing...BUT this morning (must have been early) Levi came in and went to sleep in my bed (Jacob was working and I slept through it), then Benjamin came in about 5:30AM. I got up at 6:30AM and left them sleeping. I had just gotten out of my shower and I hear Levi singing "Good morning to you, good morning to you, no need to be blue 'cause Levi loves you, he loves you". My heart swelled, that is the song I most generally sing (although I say Mommy loves you) to Levi to wake up-Benjamin only gets sung to occasionally, because he usually just wakes up. Levi sang that a couple of times after each verse I would hear Benjamin either laugh or say "vi" (pronounced vigh for Levi). I wished at that moment I had a video camera in my room that could have videoed that interaction. I would have loved to see the body language.
Wow, my little boy is growing up and will be in college soon, I better not blink...

on the chart

Benjamin is on the charts, finally! He is on 33 inches tall that puts him in the 10-20 percentile for a "normal" (no adjusted age) 25 month old! His weight is still below the chart at 23 pounds! They had to weigh and measure him twice because he had such a big growth! He is still "needing" to potty every time he goes into the bathroom, some success. He tells us every time he poops in his diaper and he will go and get the diaper and wipes when he feels he needs to be changed. He thinks that is is the funest thing to watch Levi go to the bathroom, so at least he is interested. I've been through this before, so I'm really not overly excited and making plans to stop buying diapers. All the literature says he'll be a bit slow in that department, and since he seems to be meeting milestones earlier and earlier I suspect he'll be done sometime around 3, just like his brother...
Thought I'd keep you all updated.
Levi is loving kindergarten even with the nightly homework-imagine that homework...

just another day

Well, my dad's surgery went well as I expected. It was a bit shorter than I was told...I went for a walk after the 1st hour of waiting. I was enjoying the time by myself looking around University of Iowa (from which I graduated) and noticing the changes. It was the first day of class for students. Wow how things have changed and stayed the same. The same ages of people, the same buildings, the same bars. Wow, they took out the fountain affectionately known as "3 women pissing"-wait I think they did that a long time ago... I so rarely get the chance to go to Iowa City and just look around, I have always loved when the students come back, the hussle and bussle-it's like Christmas time! One thing I noticed that even that really old student had on low rise jeans and a skin tight t-shirt with the back pack straps on BOTH shoulders. Wow, what a risky life I lead I only used one strap! I could tell that the night before had been a really GOOD night for 2 reasons-1) when I was walking in the ped mall by all of the "hot spots" (yes the same ones I frequented) my shoes stuck to the ground and 2) there were several people (mostly females) that were less than perfectly groomed for class-hair kind of up in a quick ponytail, in pajama looking attire-we've all wished we could literally get out of bed and go... They have poured new sidewalks and put in little quotes in the sidewalks, kind of neat, but I did not stop often, because the students would have run me over. I was at the old capital area when I got the call that dad was done, so I had to haul ass to the hospital to hear what the doc had to say. I did make it not horribly out of breath. The report was all thumbs up! As a matter of fact dad did great and went home on Wednesday (they had expected 4-5 days-knowing healthcare as I do I knew it would be 3-4 days).

It has taken me a while to do this post (so sorry) I've been busy.

My friend Jasmine's son A turned 4 and what a party. I think that she should pack her kiddos to CR every birthday!!! I saw some of my friends from High School and saw their children. It was fun!

The fair started last night and it had rained then stopped just in time for the parade, which they cancelled just as the sun was coming out. We went and looked around-big news there is a new carnival company providing rides, some new and good rides. I wanted to post that we walked by a frazzled mom pushing a 3-seater stroller, babies in each seat. I knew that they were triplets--THE triplets that everyone has talked about, since they have been born. I immediately thought of my cousin G and wife K (especially K) and resisted the "are they triplets?" or the "are they all yours?" or the "wow, you must be busy with three" all of the things that would point out the 3 baby show. Anyway I did not say anything, I even just glanced at them, but smiled at the mom, who smiled back. I thought that I must have been the only one not to say anything... Although this family has been in the paper and now has personalized plates--"3-babys" and "all 3", I mean that does draw a little attention to the whole triplet thing. She had worked at Wal Mart, which is kind of the "breakroom" of Bethany--if you want to know something just ask a Wal Mart associate. Anyway I'm sure that K is pleased that I did not stop to look and ooh and ahh over the babies. People still do that with Benjamin, although it is always "wow, he's gotten so big, to think he started so small". No one ever says that about me-I started out small and I can gain more than 20 pounds in 2 years!!!, but that is never a good thing. Twins, Triplets, and preemies are not freaks, not fun (at first), and not for everyone! I can only imagine the "ordeal" that people who have multiples go through.
I started with my CPAP. Yeah, not so much fun...I sleep ok, I guess, I don't snore at all, according to Jacob, but I really have not woke up feeling refreshed. I guess that will come...
I have got to quit, I will post pictures next week...

a little of this and a little of that

After peach picking wow were they quiet! It did not take long after we dropped off Amber for it to be snozzville in the Element!




Fun in the sun! My work rents this HUGE slip n slide this is Levi going "down" it. Unfortunately he is not heavy enough to slide the whole way.









Benjamin LOVES Darci (the Recreational Therapist at work). He comes in wanting "Darci" he really does say it very clear. He spends a good part of the day with her and the department, I am so thankful that she really like him, otherwise bringing kiddos would be even harder.










Benjamin turned two and we did football, partly because I had this cool cake pan, and partly because he likes balls, and we did the round ball theme already when Levi was one. We had a good time everyone who is dear to Benjamin (except Darci) was there and he had a great time!










The first day of school! I so badly wanted Jacob to take Levi, but Levi wanted to take the bus (I am so thankful that he has a mind of his own).







We are off to CR this weekend, there was a time when we first lived in MO that I loved to go back, CR was still home. Now, I think that MO is home and most of my friends have moved away or lost touch. So it seems so hard to get geared up to go. At least this time Jasmine will be there and I will get to see her and her family, I really do wish she and I lived closer-even though she and I live just off of I-35...

Happy Birthday, YES to me!

Today is my birthday, so I thought I'd put down some words. My birthday has always been very special to me. I usually start August 1st with my birthday month, then the week of my birthday is my birthday week, and a birthday weekend (depending on what day of the week my birthday falls on-I LOVE it when the 21st is on a Wednesday--you guessed it 2 birthday weekends). This is the first time I have actually worked as a professional on my birthday (I usually take the day off), but Jacob is working today at Liberty (yes he asked if I wanted him to take it off), Levi has school, and I thought my family of work friends deserved a little birthday joy. My big family birthday celebration was last night-Jacob made supper and got me a cake, gave me exactly what I wanted a Wii Fit. I had an appointment this morning and I had to go to Wal Mart (yeah the Wal Mart trip not so good and I was afraid that the rest of my day would go south-I mean really why would someone want to upset the birthday girl?) so I got to work around noon, wearing my super cool "BIRTHDAY GIRL" button that Jacob and kiddos got for me and with the attitude that I would have a good day! My boss and friend Amber took me out to lunch. I brought a peach swirl cake and my buds sang happy birthday, and got me flowers and a balloon. I love my Birthday!!!!!

This weekend I think that we are going to CR and visiting my parents and my friend Jasmine. Her big boy is having a birthday party so we are going to the party, then probably whatever my parents have planned for us. Then Jacob and the kiddos go home on Sunday I will stay my dad is having surgery on Monday. So I will stay Monday for that assuming he does well I will be home Monday night.

Here are some pictures Oh how we love Sadie! and Peaches! and Helping!

Oh how cute am I?