My Fabulous Husband!

As you know, I recently changed my blog to a green background. I really wanted another background, but couldn't get the XML code to work. Well last night, my dear hubby helped me get it working plus make a few little tweaks to the code (without much prodding!). He works with computers all day long so I hate to bug him about doing stuff here too much. Anyway, just wanted to tell all about my Fabulous Husband.

Our Little Drummers

Yesterday, the kids found some sticks (parts to their dirty clothes hamper) while I was doing their laundry. They quickly found a way to entertain themselves by beating the sticks on the baby gate to make some great music. Looks like the musical gene is traveling through the family! There's no extra music background for this video. The kids make the great music and if you listen closely, you can hear Abby laughing hysterically in the background. Her little face was so red from laughing. She throws her head back every now and then in laughter as you'll see in the video (I'm so addicted to her laugh!!!). After beating on the gate for a bit, they then proceeded to see what musical sounds other items in the house would make. Their chairs, the floor, their toys, and eventually the china cabinet (as talked about in my post "John's Home"). Luckily they didn't try to see what sounds would be made by hitting each other on the head.
Enjoy!

John's Back Home Safe & Sound

Yeah!!! John made it back from Singapore late yesterday afternoon. He rolled in the door around 5:30, just as the kids were being put in time out. So, everyone had to wait a minute while they did their time. At this stage, I couldn't just let them get off without any time out. They had decided to up the ante with the china cabinet and they both hit the glass with sticks! Yes sticks! They were having fun with them earlier in the day and I knew it would progress to the china cabinet eventually, but I didn't take them away soon enough. (I'll post some video of the kids and their sticks later today)
Anyway, when the kids got out of time out they ran into the kitchen and then slowly proceeded to the den where daddy was waiting for them. They both ran to him and of course he had to juggle both at the same time. They are very impatient at this age. They loved on daddy all night and Jake even had a tough time going to bed. He really wanted to hang out with daddy I think.
When the kids let John get up for a bit, he showered and tried to relax. This time the flight was only 19 hours vs. 23. The jet stream worked with them on the way home. It's going to take him a couple of days to get his days and nights back on track (Singapore is 13 hours ahead of us), but hopefully he'll be well rested soon.
We're so glad to have you back daddy!!!

What's in a sign?

I thought this was neat. Don't really believe in astrology, but some of the things match up and it always provides some entertainment. Enjoy!

Mom - Cancer / The Crab

Relax -- you were born to be a mama. Cancer moms are intuitive protectors of children and the most fertile sign in the Zodiac. Mothering likely comes easily to you -- sweet, sensitive, and caring, you have no problem providing the ample love and affection your child needs to thrive. You may find others marvel at your affinity for this new undertaking, and it's unlikely that others will feel inclined to offer up unsolicited parenting advice (thankfully!).
One important thing to remember, though, is that your baby bird will need to fly out of the nest on her own someday -- Cancer moms run the risk of being overprotective and preventing their little ones from learning the valuable life lessons available to them by making mistakes every once in a while. Remember to give your child room to explore the world independently. Don't be afraid to let her run on her own a little at the playground or park -- you can stay a few safe steps behind (I GUESS I GOT A LITTLE TOO RELAXED YESTERDAY, ABBY DID A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER ON HER KNEE RUNNING AROUND). And trust that she'll be just fine on that playdate or first day of nursery school. Take comfort in the fact that you've created a reassuring, safe haven for baby at home -- and knowing you and your ability to nurture, it's likely that there's delicious food cooking on the stove and that the rooms are beautifully decorated to boot.

Jake & Abby - Pisces / The Fish

Sensitive and emotional, Pisces babies feel the nuances of their environment very deeply. To blossom, your little one needs a secure, warm, nurturing home. Keep him close to your heart by carrying him in a sling as you run errands or tidy up around the house. Comfort him with classical music, soft lullabies, and soothing massages. Avoid loud, disturbing noises. He loves games like pat-a-cake and peekaboo (RIGHT ON!). Your little Fish will adore baths too, so make sure you've got plenty of water toys on hand (ABBY'S FAVORITE, BEWARE IF YOU TRY TO TAKE HER OUT BEFORE SHE'S READY TO GET OUT).

Staying Cool

Today we ventured out to a splash park to try and stay cool. We met a friend for a little picnic and then turned the kids loose. They had fun, but their attention span is still short. So after about 30 minutes they were ready to try something else. We kept chasing them back into the spray ground (luckily 3 sides were fenced, so we just had one side to worry about). After everyone got tired of the water, we walked over to the playgrounds. Abby and Jake love swings so we tried to keep them in those (otherwise they'd eat the wood chips!!). Garhett loved pushing the twins and they loved it just as much. I wish I had a video camera to capture the twins laughing with every push!

Jake tackles a spray.


Abby and Rylee hang out in the mist.


Larissa helps Abby ride the pony.


Garhett pushes the twins.

Peekaboo!

Peekaboo is one of the kids' favorite games. Actually we play "Where's Jake/Abby?" - a slight variation of Peekaboo. Jake can play this game forever and he's so funny. He'll actually "hide" for a while before revealing himself. Last Saturday my parents took me and the kids out to dinner for my birthday and the kids discovered the table cloth made a great hiding blanket (luckily it was after we ate). The kids were having such a blast, laughing and carrying on. A few onlookers even got in on the action.


Where's Jake?


Here I am!


Yeah!!!!


By the end of the night, Abby was getting a little tired of Peekaboo.

Hangin' out with the Cousins

Okay, this post is a little delayed. Last Saturday (the 21st), we went down to my SIL's for a play date. Abby & Jake had a blast playing with Ethan. Paige didn't feel well and slept most of the time we were there. Jake was also still going through his growth spurt and continued to eat non-stop while we were there. If he didn't have food in his hands or mouth he was upset and letting everyone know it. Lisa and Dallas also got to see one of Abby's little temper tantrums. They of course thought it was hilarious when Abby dropped to the ground crying; she even stood on her head throwing a fit. Of course, it's only funny when it's not your kid. At one point, Ethan came over and laid on the ground next to Abby and just looked at her. He really didn't understand what all the fuss was about. Abby is very cute and loving, but she also gets VERY upset when the smallest thing doesn't go her way.


The cars were a big hit that day!


Dallas pushed the kids around for a bit. Jake was sitting back and taking it all in. Abby was riding in the back, but then decided to get out and help D push.


This was the only shot I got of miss Paige. Poor thing!


Typical boy...Jake wanted to go out the window vs. using the door. Ethan was just chillin'.


Abby's a little unsure of her crazy uncle.

Changing Colors

Well, I'm working on redesigning my blog so look for it to change over the next few days quite a bit. I'm not totally sure what design I want. So far, I've changed it 3x tonight, but I'm going to stop for now and work on it again tomorrow. Although it's going to be a busy day so I'm not sure when I'll be able to work on it again. Stay tuned!

No, No, No!

Well, we (I) officially started "discipline" this weekend. The pedi said they were ready for time outs now (although he only wanted them in time out for 20 secs at a time right now). I'm half way through Love & Logic and trying to practice that. I'm sure I'll read the book over and over, that's what I did with Babywise when the babies were born. I loved that book and the regiment/schedule they suggested with babies. It just worked well for us.
I knew I was going to have to do something about discipline as John and I are opposites on this with the dogs. Really he disciplines and I don't. I also tend to think he's a bit harsh at times so I would compensate for that and be super easy on the dogs.
I'm not a 100% sold on the concept of Love & Logic, but I am willing to give it a go as I know it's worked well for several of my friends with older children and the school district up here trains their teachers in it. It's going to take a bit of practice on my part though to get it down; the way you respond to things isn't really a natural first response. I'm sure the kids will try to take advantage of this "practice" period and see if they can push the boundaries. It might surprise you though to know Jake has actually spent more time in time out than Abby. Even though she has the bigger attitude and temper at the moment. I think she actually lets him do things first to see what my reaction will be first. I also don't punish temper tantrums - just ignore them. That works pretty well with her. If you leave Abby and go to another room while she's in a fit, she'll stop and follow you around. Oh what fun times are ahead.

15 months old!

The kids are officially 15 months old and doing well. They had their check up yesterday and for the first time, I took both kids by myself since John's traveling. He's always wanted to be there for their check ups and I suspect he would have been there this time if he could have. But that's okay. We did okay by ourselves. They were a handful though. They always have me with two nurses when we go (one nurse for each kid), so they helped me strip the kids down to weigh and measure them. Then they left me in the room with two very curious and mobile kids until the doctor came in. I'm very shocked the office didn't have cabinet locks since it's a pediatric office. I was chacing those kids out of cabinets the entire time. They loved the rolls of paper that cover the table too. Our pedi even had to help get Jake out once. I love our pedi. He's so calm about everything, but also takes time to reassure you when you need it too. I had the last appointment of the day so he chatted for a bit...I actually got him going on a hot topic. Vaccinations. Do you vaccinate or not, spread the shots out or not? This has been a HUGE topic in my mom's group the past several weeks. Anyway, I guess a lot of people have been asking the doc these same questions the past few weeks and it's really starting to concern him. He strongly believes you should vaccinate and it doesn't effect the child to get all the shots at once or spread out. All spreading them out does is put your child at a higher risk of catching things until he's vaccinated. He's such a calm guy that it was funny to see him so hot about this.
Anyway, the kids are doing well. He wants Jake to get evaluated by ECI though for a speech/communication delay. He's only about 2 months behind right now and if you figure in the fact he was a month early, he's really only a month behind. But the doc wants to work on that now, vs. later as it will be much harder for him to catch up. He also hit the 20 lbs mark. Right on the dot! He's taller than Abby now by 1/4". 30-1/2". Abby was 20 lbs 4 oz and 30-1/4". When John gets back, we'll finally flip our car seats around so they're both facing forward. Yippee!

Sittin' Pretty

Abby & Jake have always LOVED playing with their cousins' couch when we visit their house. And I've done really good to not get one...until now. I finally broke down and bought one. It features the Backyardigans, which I actually like. They were so excited when I brought it home today. They both sat in it right away and Jake actually put one arm on the back of the couch with the other on the arm...just like daddy! When I opened it up Abby started jumping all over the couch and they eventually tried to fold it up with Jake still on the couch. That's okay, they thought that made a pretty good game. Such cuties!

I'm Raising Heathens!

Like every mom, I sometimes feed my kids on the floor (admit it, you've done it once or twice!). The food ends up on the floor anyway so it's just as easy to give them a snack sometimes this way. The kids also know what snacks are theirs in the pantry and I guess I feed them on the floor a little more than some. When you pull their snacks out of the pantry, they immediately sit on the floor and look up at you, waiting patiently for you to pour crackers, puffs, etc. on the floor for them to eat. My MIL brought this up today and thought it was funny, so I thought since others are now noticing this bad habit, I'd at least try to put the snacks in plates for them on the floor. Well, that didn't go over very well. They dumped everything out of the plates, stole each others plates, and even wore them as hats!

TV or No TV?

Well, there's been a lot of debate on kids and TV. I've always tried to limit how much TV the kids watch and used to only let them watch a 30 minute movie 1x week. Then at 11 months that moved to 1x a day when we gave up our 3rd nap. I used to cook dinner during that nap and when we gave it up, they were super cranky so I put on an Einstein and they'd sit calmly and watch it. That has now progressed to watching TV after lunch plus a movie in the evening. The rest of the time we listen to the radio, which they LOVE! That's how Abby gets so much practice time in for her cool dance moves. But we had a speaker this past Tuesday at PAMOM that finally convinced me to cut out the TV all together (that includes what I watch too). Well mostly. They'll still probably get one 30 minute movie at night, but it's a DVD so there's no commercials. We'll start there and then if I can muster up the strength to cut that out too we will, but right now, I still need that time so I can get dinner cooked. Otherwise, I won't eat until 8:30 or 9! And I just can't eat that late; I'm too hungry by then. John and I talked about it last night and he was fine with it, as he's usually not here with them, but it'll be tough for him on the weekends I think. I don't think he realized he couldn't watch his programs with the kids in the room either. Oh well. Save the dendrites!!

Happy Father's Day!

We're celebrating Father's Day early since John leaves in the morning for Singapore. We hope everyone has a great day today and tomorrow!

Like Father, Like Son

Jake is fascinated with computers, okay, more like obsessed. He can't get enough of them. I mentioned to John that he should bring an old keyboard home from work that he could play with and yesterday he brought home an old laptop for the boy. He pulled it out and gave it to him this afternoon for the first time and he was SO excited. This is one thing though that he WILL NOT allow Abby to play with. She can only play with it if he's out of the room. He kicks, screams, and cries to no end if she tries to touch it. He was so cute this afternoon playing with his very own laptop.

Water Works!

While Grammie was with the kids when we were in Hawaii, she surprised them with an outdoor water spray mat thingy. Jake's been a little unsure about it, but this week he finally decided he liked it. Today, we pulled it out and decided to have a little fun in the water. If I don't have time to fill the pool up, this is the next best thing. Although I have to set the spray really low for Jake at first (spraying no more than 2 inches). Jake will actually sit in the middle and play in the water, but Abby loves crawling around it, drinking out of each spray like a water fountain. Today Jake decided he'd also try this to see if he was missing anything.

After playing in the sprinkler for a bit, they decided to take a break and play with the water hose. They love turning the water up high and watching the sprinkler. In the pictures though, you'll see Abby is tired of Jake hogging the faucet and actually decides to bite him! No worries, Jake just pushes her off. (If any of you know of a child proof mechanism for the outside faucet, let me know. I definitely need something!)

After turning the water up high, they both ran to see the sprinkler again. Jake actually played with it and wasn't scared. Yeah Jake! Abby still tried to drink the water.

Our little chatterbox

We'll Abby is our first official talker. Right now she has 5 or 6 words...
- eekaboo (peekaboo)
- uh oh (her favorite is to say this as she knocks her cup off her tray...on purpose of course)
- oeoeo (eieio from old MacDonald)
- voom ("vroom" sound when she pushes her train around)
- tickle tickle (she says this with her hands out, fingers wiggling, as she chases Jake to tickle him...Jake loves for me to chase him and try to get him, she picked this up from me and now chases Jake around)
- and possibly "that", she points to things and says this all the time, but I'm not certain she's really saying "that" or not
- they both have been saying "mommy" and "daddy" for a while now, but I'm still not certain they know what it means. I think it's really just part of their jabber as they say this all the time, not necessarily when they want us.
Right now, she still jabbers a lot, but maybe as she says her few little words, she'll start talking more. Jake is still one syllable sounds for the most part. It's funny to listen to them "talk" to each other. Abby is definitely the dominate voice in the house so far. I'll try to get some video of her talking, but you never know when she'll want to talk and she usually is too interested in the video camera to say anything.

They also crack me up when we sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider". This has always been Abby's favorite song, but now that they're learning the hand motions to this, Jake's jumped on board with this song. They both love for me to sing it and try to follow along with me. They really just wave their hands around, but if you know the right motions, you can kinda pick them out in their waving.

Little Surfer Boy & Hula Girl

When we were in Hawaii, John and I picked up outfits for the kids. So yesterday we put them in their new outfits and tried to get some pictures. I also got a ukulele for Jake since he's so fascinated with John's guitar. He loves the ukulele and gets really upset when Abby tries to play with it. He carried it around the house all day when we first brought it home.

The kids were so cute in their outfits, but trying to get them to cooperate for pictures is totally out of the question now that we are so mobile. I actually only got 1 picture with the two of them together and you only see the tops of their heads as they're standing up to run off (in different directions!).

Back to Reality

Well, we made it in from Hawaii yesterday. We took the kids a bit by surprise when we showed up at breakfast. They tried to conceal their smiles as they ate, but wouldn't stop looking at us. Once they were done with breakfast they were ready to play...really, ready to be held.
John and I had a great time in Hawaii although I wish we would of had more time. We went to 3 different places so it felt like we were traveling a lot between places.
Our first stop: Honolulu - the city was buzzing! Tons of tourists and sites to see. We took a tour and visited the whole island of Oahu in 11 hours! We stopped to see Pearl Harbor first then headed out across the island.
Our second stop: Hana - this is a small quaint town with only 1 restaurant, 2 hotels, 1 general store and 2 churches. Not even a stop light in this place. But the road to Hana is legendary. It's only about 30 miles between Hana and the next major city, but it takes about 3 hours without traffic. You average 15 miles an hour as you twist and turn up and down the mountains climbing to Hana. It was absolutely gorgeous. We saw rainforest's, beaches, even dessert! Once we made it to our sea side cottage, there was nothing to do. Which I liked! This was my favorite stop on our vacation.
Our third stop: Wailea - the famous beaches of Maui. This was actually a nice combo between our other stops. You could still relax (although you were secluded), but if you wanted to go out and enjoy the town, you could. I think this was probably John's favorite stop.

Pics are posted on the left side, or you can click here to view the entire album. It's not in order like the slideshow on the left, but you can read the labels better. Oh - I just found out if you click a photo in the slideshow on the left, it will bring it to full screen!!!!

http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh311/TxMommy_photos/Hawaii/