Thankfulness, Day 21

Today I am thankful for little reminders of how important and special you are in your child's life. When life with toddlers (and two of them!) gets hectic or crazy with their newly learned skills (hello kicking/tantrums and 3-year-old attitude!), you must try and be patient and not yell or get angry.

Yesterday we had a long day with my mom. We weren't traveling with my other half of my family to the funeral in Utah. But the other half was together. We needed it.

Anyways, we had a long day and Emma was extremely tired. Falling asleep on the couch at 6 p.m. (no way Miss Little Emma Lou!) and not staying awake as propped her up in the chair at the dinner table. I got her to eat after giving her two candy corns (bad mom, I know- but I wasn't going to be up all night!), and the sugar rush got her to stay awake until we took the car ride home.

She was so upset when we got home and I put her to bed. She wouldn't stop crying or fussing. I tried Tylenol and warm milk. Back rubs. Everything.

I finally went to the old days and the old tricks to get a baby/child to sleep. I rocked her in the glider chair and whispered lullabies in her ear. That did it. And I sat there for at least 15 minutes after because I knew these times would be less and less as they get older.

It was kind of magical. That's what I'm thankful for. I have the energy/patience (sometimes) to look at the little toddler/baby things and breathe it all in. Before you know it, it's gone.

Sharing is caring

Sharing in our household has come a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry lonnnnnnnnnnngggg way.

As you can imagine, they had to learn sharing early on. Well at least Ava did; at one-year-old. And today, I can say, she is the best sharer I know. In ballet class today, they had a Halloween party. One of the little girls' moms prepared a bunch of Halloween goodie bags for the ballerinas. Well Emma is not a ballerina anymore due to her shyness/age and did not receive a bag.

Ava was so willing to share with Emma today. I asked her to share with her and she did it... like above and beyond. She gave Emma the only chocolate candy (M&Ms) and shared the 2-pack Starburst candies with her too! I was so proud and smiling from ear-to-ear.

She is the perfect big sister and the perfect sister for Emma. Because if all of that sharing didn't happen, Emma would of been rolling on the ground whining, crying for candy with snotty, red eyes.

'Where's the Love?' Wednesday ... a NICU graduation

This past weekend I attended a NICU graduation event at the hospital that Ava was born at and spent most of the first five weeks (minus a week and a half that was spent at another hospital in the same network) of her life. This event is one of the most wonderful events I've attended and has been our second time. The first event we attended, Emma was just two and a half months old, making Ava just14 and a half months old. So we didn't get to play the games, get our hair braided, etc.

Dirt and sunlight

The last night before the rain started to fall (for a day) in sunny CA, the girls and I headed outside to the backyard to catch some rays and burn off some steam.

We will never forget.

We will never forget what happened on 9/11. Thank you to all that protect our freedoms and those that appear to protect us after we call 911. And prayers and thoughts to those that have to relive those horrific events that happened 10 years ago.

Memories of childbirth

Call me crazy-- but does anyone recall every year, the night their children were born? What happened? What time? How you felt? The day after? The moment after? (At least the positive happy things- not the night sweats or awful latching on while breastfeeding new baby.)

'Because there had never been anyone like you...ever in the world'

"On the night you were born,
the moon shone with such wonder
that the stars peeked in
to see you
and the night wind whispered,
'Life will never be the same.'

Because there had never been
anyone like you...
ever in the world."

-Nancy Tillman

I have just discovered this book, On The Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman.  It will know be in every gift bag I present at every future baby shower I go to. 

Source: http://www.nancytillman.com/books/night/

Man, do I cry every single time I read this book to my girls. And seriously, I do do it twice a night. Since both girls want me to read to them over their beds as they sip their milk before night-night time. Excuse me since I'm all sentimental right now because it's almost my babies' (plural!!!) birthdays. And as I read the words, I am reminded about how traumatic and special each of those nights were.

I used to read to them Goodnight Moon and another good-night book before bed (can't find them in the mess of the playroom at this moment). Now we know Goodnight Moon by heart and repeat it sometimes before bed.

What books do you read to get the kids to chill out and relax drift off soundly to sleep?

Meet our kitty, Sabby

This is our cat, Sabath. Named after Black Sabbath (obviously) from my husband. :)

He is the girl's cat too. Although he isn't as warm and friendly as I would like him to be. He's a boy cat which I believe makes him that way.

Since we've moved, he has become a lot nicer to the girls and doesn't bite me as much when he wants to express his love (love bites-- what is that???!!). He has taken a lot since we adopted him 9 years ago.

He became the brother of a puppy named Lucy just seven months shy of becoming a member of our household. Suffered many moves. Became big brother to two babies not even a year apart!!!!

But I know he loves us (well he loves me most since I feed him and make sure his water is changed hourly-this guy is picky!), and he loves the girls.

Since we've moved he allows the girls to 'pet' him on the side and say "HI BUDDY!!!" right in his face.

We love you Sabby, and I wanted you to be a memory for the girls to have.

Do you know the 'ice cream man?!'

You know the song.. or did I just make it up??!! ;)

"Do you know the ice cream man,
the ice cream man,
the ice cream man?


Do you know the ice cream man?
He goes down our street everyday!"

The girls have been exposed! They've been exposed to the ice cream man! AHHHH!!!

For YEARS, my mom would tell us kids that it's just a nice man that drives up and down the street playing music for everyone. Well, my husband, bless his heart, exposed the girls to what he really does. HE HAS ICE CREAM IN HIS TRUCK!!!!

So on my husband's days off, he treats them to ice cream. On my days off, I tell them that I don't have any money. :)

Zoooooooo....

We scored free passes to the Oakland Zoo so we went on the hottest day possible in May! But it was okay that we left early, because, we got in free! :) Enjoy my lazy photo essay post.

Ava sayings

My husband takes the girls to Super Franks which is an indoor-child's dream world. Bounce houses, slides, bikes, play kitchen, balls, circle times, crayons, etc.

Well, a bully little girl was bugging Emma and wouldn't leave her alone. She went to pick Emma up and this is how Ava proves her big sister status:

"Put down my sister Emma!"
(pushes little girl and divides Emma away from the girl)
"NOW!"
(with her hand palmed faced out)
"STOP! Leave my Emma alone!!!"

No exaggeration here. Seriously. This is a perk of having kids so close together. The oldest one that is not even two yet, is sticking up for her almost two-year-old sister.

'Best friend for me'

Mommy: Who's your best friend? Ayla? Abi? Leah?
Ava: Mommys my best friend for me.
Mommy: Awww.. I'm your best friend??!!
Ava: Yes! And my Emma is best friend for me.

This my friends is my most favorite sentence ever in the history of time (so far)!

'TOO much'

Ava is talking up a storm and I love it. Well she has been and I've been loving it.

Lately, she'll respond with this:

Mommy: I love you, Ava!

Ava: I love you, Mommy! I love you TOO much!!!

Reminders

My girls are the best. Especially when they start talking and remind me about what we need at the grocery store.

We were on our way this afternoon to Safeway to pick up dinner and milk, and Ava says "Mommy, I need my vinnamins. We need MORE!"

Thanks Ava!!! I would of forgotten that, as well as the cat food, wipes and paper towels. :)

Cake

Cake! Birthday cake in particular. Is the reason why you go to a party right? The food is always nice, but the cake. The cake is the best!

We went to a birthday party last weekend and due to car issues, had to leave early to get them checked out. Well we missed the cake and Ava noticed. She's my daughter-- completely!

So the last two nights they have enjoyed sharing a slice of white cake with multi-colored sprinkles from Raley's. Just to make up for it. Because I know how important birthday cake is. :)

Music babies.

My dad's side of the family is very musical. He plays the drums and played the trumpet in high school. Each one of my brother and sister and I played an instrument in middle school. My girls have that. They have the musical ear and they have the beat down for groovin'.

Better late than never

My Christmas pagent, Christmas Eve and Day have been on my memory disk... until now! And I shall share what a magical holiday season we had this year! Having an almost two-and-a-half and one-and-a-half year old made this past season exciting, memorable and amazing!!! It made me realize that I get to start my own traditions ... ones I grew up with.. ones Martin grew up with.. and new ones that I always wanted to do.

How one smell can trigger a memory

One scent-memory I have is very bizarre, but one that is my favorite. It's hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer?!

Well, when I go to Kaiser to pick-up a prescription or to take one of the girls for a check-up, I always make sure I use their hand sanitizer. Who likes the smell of that stuff? Well, I do.

That smell instantly reminds me of Ava when she was a tiny baby. That one smell brings me back to a very scary time, but a sweet time in our lives. It's weird because once I smell that smell, feelings come over me and I start to cry because that scent reminds me of her. That's Ava's smell. It's her baby smell to me. It was the only connection I had to her at night when she wasn't home with us.

I always wonder if I should ask if I can buy a bottle of that stuff, or if I should secretly take one. But I think I need to save that smell-memory for it would not be the same as it is now if I was able to smell it whenever I wanted.