I only have a couple of minutes before the twoddlers start screaming for their supper (breakfast actually, but no time for worrying about semantics). It's been awhile since I last posted, so I'm hoping to hop back on later today to talk about my monkeys. They've been quite the hams lately, and I have this mental list of adorable things they've done that I don't want to forget. I'm notoriously bad at record-taking (i.e., baby books), but there are certain events that I NEED to remember.

Things are going well here.......had my surgery yesterday, the old ute' looks lovely. I should know, they were kind enough to show me pictures of it afterwards. Really not necessary, but hey, whateva. No polyps or fibroids, but we won't have the biopsy results until Friday. My ob was nice enough to call me personally last night just to see how I was feeling. I'm telling you, I've had the best luck w/ob's over the past couple of years. My doc in Cincy rocked, and my doc here is so amazing........

And, boom, like clockwork, I hear the call of the loves of my life...hope to be back later!

Heart hug!

Yesterday was lovely, just lovely. I have found a wonderful babysitter for the girls--she's a third-grade teacher and she's recently given her notice so she can stay home full-time with her son. I'm always perusing the ads on Craig's List for sitters, and it had never dawned on me that it would be okay to find a sitter who watches kids out of her house. Well, I happened to answer her ad, after all, she lives in the same town I do. This woman is amazing--she's so good with the girls, and she has the ultimate setup in her basement. Seriously, she has more toys than FAO Schwarz and it truly is a toddler's paradise.

I've decided that Friday mornings are mommy mornings--the girls go to the sitter's, and I get to run my errands (or sit on my duff) sans children. Yesterday was only the second time we've used Michelle, but it was so fab. There was some whining on Kate's part when I left, but apparently she calmed down pretty fast. So much so, that upon my return, neither one of the girls wanted to give me the time of day. Kate was kind enough to briefly walk over to me and say "bzlkci, xliue, lisht, bahhhhh", and then it was back to playing. Julia gave me a quick glance, but really wanted nothing to do with me. It took a longgggg time to get the girls out of there, and Kate started crying in the car when we left. I don't think I'm cutting it anymore--their interest in mommy as an entertainment source is dwindling. Rapidly.

But--things are definitely looking up here. We have another playdate Monday with Diann and her adorable twins, Tuesday we have music, and Wednesday we're going to go to our church's playgroup. Hello, social butterflies! Who woulda thunk?

The girls continue to amaze me--their language skills really seem to be taking off and it's so freaking cool. Kate's always been more of a talker, but lil' Julia has just been picking up words and sounds left and right the past couple of days. Her new favorite thing to say is "mama", which just melts my heart. The best is when she and Kate both start chanting my name. Warm fuzzies, for sure.

A special shout-out of heartfelt congratulations to Kari & Brian who just discovered that they are expecting #2!!! Yay! Jackson's going to be a big brother :)! So happy for you guys and we wish you an uneventful and healthy nine months.

My monkeys should be waking up soon, so motherly duty calls (in the form of making sippy-cups).

Heart hug--hope everyone's loving this cool weather as much as I am!

After talking to my sister this morning, I realized I needed to be a bit clearer (is that a word?) on something I wrote yesterday. You know, something regarding me having another baby? Yeah.....um, for those who thought I was serious, no. NO. I'm currently going through a "I DON'T want another baby" phase, and I was just kidding when I said that. There are a multitude of reasons that I won't bore you with regarding my current stance on this issue. Plus, I reserve the right to change my mind without a moment's notice and I wouldn't want anything held against me :) !

Anyway.......

I.must.clean. NOW. I don't want to so I keep allowing myself to be distracted by the internet.

Until later, heart hug.

18-Month Stats Are In......

......and the girls are FINALLY at the 20-lb. mark. Stats are as follows:

Kate: 22.2 lbs, 32" tall
Julia: 20.3 lbs, 31.5" tall

So, both girls are still on the small side for their age, but that's fine with me. You all know I don't want them to be freakishly tall! They cried a lot, no suprise there, and the crying started long before the shots began (of which they each received 4--ouch!). But, Dr. B was very encouraging and complimentary, as he always is, and it was a really good visit. I'm praying that United gets their act together--they are currently in negotiations with our pediatric practice, and I will be so devastated if we have to switch practices.

I decided to just carry the girls into the office today, sans stroller. I held Julia, and Kate held my hand and walked. How is my precious girl old enough to WALK while holding my hand??? It was weird--one of those disconcerting moments that makes one all too aware of just how fast time is passing. I almost started to cry as my mental fast-forward button was involuntarily pushed......visions of the poohberty blues and teenagers telling me they hate me started dancing around my head. *sigh* It's going too fast. I know I say that too much, but it is.

Maybe I need to have another baby.

Don't really have any other news to report. Signing off for now.

Heart hug.

Happy of Happiest Birthdays, Scott!!!

In honor of your 33rd, I thought it would be apropos to let you know a few things. Ahem, drum roll please........

In no particular order, here are 33 Things I Love About YOU:

33. Your sense of humor--so goofy and over the top at times, but truly one of your best
qualities.
32. The way you know, when I'm crying, to "dab, not wipe" my tears away.
31. Your intense loyalty to your family and friends.
30. Your inherent sense of right and wrong, and your willingness to stand up and fight for
what you believe in.
29. You clean and do chores without me having to even ask. Heck, you think of things that need
to be done around the house that I would never dream of, and you get them done.
28. The way you smell when you leave for work in the morning--yum!!!
27. All the inside jokes that we've shared over the past seven years ("a little or a lot, a little or
medium?").
26. Our musical repertoire--the girls have no idea that they are the offspring of such lyrical
geniuses!
25. Your various pecadilloes, which although, annoying--are still endearing.....I certainly don't
comprehend how one person can leave such a watery mess around the sink in the morning,
but it never fails to make me smile.
24. Your total devotion to and adoration of our girls--they couldn't have hoped for a better dad.
23. The little things you do to make my life special (i.e.: you knew how upset I was about not
being able to decorate for Xmas when we moved out here, and you had the NYC apartment
all decked out for me when I arrived!).
22. The sound of your laugh, especially when you're having a good belly laugh--I love how your
whole body shakes with glee when you're particularly amused by something and the tears
start to sneak out of the corners of your eyes.
21. You cook. And you do it as well as somebody whose had high-end, formal training. Your
culinary creativity is amazing, and I've had some of the best meals of my life because of
your talents.
20. The way you look in jeans--umm, hello delicious!
19. Your appreciation of the simple things.
18. Your faith, and the way you've never faltered in your beliefs. I've learned a lot from you,
and my faith is stronger as a result of the example you've set..
17. Your work ethic--admirable, impressive, and inspiring. You work harder than anyone I
know, and I'm so proud of all that you've accomplished, especially lately--WOW.
16. Your modesty....again, it floors me at times that anytime you are rewarded for your efforts,
you act as if it's no big deal--you appreciate being recognized, but remain humble at all
times.
15. Your hugs.
14. Your persistence, and patience--you certainly need more than your share of both, living
with me.
13. You know the proper way to take my socks off.
12. Your dimples and the way your smile lights up your whole face (Julia gets that from you).
11. The way you keep turning all of our white linens pink because it's just too hard to remember
that the red throw rug cannot be washed with whites.
10. The perma-grin you have when it comes to all things Kate & Julia--you never tire of talking
about them, just as you never tire of being with them.
9. Our Friday night routine, love it.
8. Your willingness to give me the day off from Mommy-duty--you never make me feel like
I'm asking too much of you.
7. The way you have to be enveloped in a cocoon of pillows when you sleep.
6. Your uncanny ability to know what I'm thinking and put my thoughts into words before I
can even open my mouth.
5. You NEVER forget my birthday or our anniversary.
4. You write the best love letters.
3. Your committment to giving all three of "your girls" the best life possible.
2. The way you claim to hate cheese, but yet, you're always eating it, in various forms.
1. You're mine, not in a "Fatal Attraction" kind of way, more of a "you had me at hello" kind of
thing. I'm so lucky to be loved by you, and to have you to love. We have a beautiful life
together, and I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Happy Birthday, my love--I'm counting down the hours until you come home tonight.

Daddy's HOME!!!!!

We couldn't be happier to have Scott back with us--he returned from Poland Thursday night. Life is good. The girls were on cloud nine all weekend, and I know it's because their number one guy is back home where he belongs. Scott and I went and looked in on the girls the night he returned. Julia had zero interest in waking up to see her dad, but man, I wish you could have seen the smile on Kate's face when she sat up and saw her daddy in her room--it was absolutely beatific (and heart-melting, of course). As soon as she Scott, she reached for him and smiled a smile that could melt icecaps. Another one of those moments I wish I could have captured on film.

We had a great weekend with them--there were numerous trips to playgrounds and parks, although we were disappointed to see that the playground on our street is currently closed for construction. We took the girls to lunch on Saturday, and they behaved like perfect little ladies. Scott was one proud papa, and it was surprising to see how well-mannered they were--no tantrums, and minimal incidents of throwing their food on the floor.

Julia's language acquisition seems to really be taking off--she found some new words this weekend, including "row row". Bamma, aka, Scott's mom, taught the girls one of their favorite games--which involves hand-holding while sitting, and singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." while moving back and forth. We hadn't played that one in a while, and Scott asked the girls if they wanted to do "Row, Row" this weekend. Both girls went nuts, and Scott was trying to do it with both of them at the same time. Julia did NOT want to share Daddy's hands with her sister, and repeatedly pushed Kate's hands away.

We have a playdate this morning--with another set of twin girls, Haley and Taylor. Their mom, Diann, and I met via our twins' club, and then again at pre-preschool. I'm really excited about it--I'll be back later to let everyone know how it goes!

Heart hug!

Some not-so-great pictures taken outside today. It was a gorgeous day, but the twoddlers were not down with posing for the camera.

They did have a lot of fun yelling "WOW" at the top of their lungs every time an airplane flew overhead. That's why their mouths are wide open in some of the pics--lots of planes equals lots of twoddler yelling.

P.S. Um yeah, I clearly am failing in the housekeeping department, as evidenced by the disgusting layer of grime and muck on the back of the deck chair. Gross. Sorry.

HOUSTON, WE'VE BEEN EXPELLED!!!

And I am fuming!!! Expelled from what, you ask? Oh, yeah, that would be pre-preschool, of which we attended one whole class. Yesterday. To try and make a long story short, here's the litany of reasons Ms. Shittypants (the teacher) provided as she gave us our oral pink slip via telephone.

*The class started 3 wks. ago, and it wasn't fair to the other moms who had been attending the entire time for me & the girls to "just waltz in" (Nevermind that Ms. Shittypants said it wouldn't be a problem last week on the phone, even when I repeatedly wondered aloud if I should wait until the next session.)

*The girls are too young for the class, even though the title of the class is "Mommy & Me Time for 18-24 Month Olds" (Again, thank you Ms. Shittypants, I told you last week they just turned 18 mos. You need to change the title of the class to "Mommy and Me for Whatever Ages Ms. Shittypants Wants.")

*The girls, though "beautiful" (Thank you Ms. Shittypants, I KNOW they're beautiful. You, however, are not. Your bangs are entirely too high, and could be categorized as a weapon of mass destruction.), couldn't sit still for the painting activity and they don't know how to paint. (Doesn't matter that neither of the girls bothered anyone during this period, they played quietly even though 2 other children weren't sitting still and were being disruptive to others who were painting)

*There is an 8-child limit per class. Ms. Shittypants claimed not to know, during our phone call last week, that there were already 7 children in the class, and the addition of my girls would push the class over the limit. Now, my father will be the first to tell you that my math skills are on par with those of a six-month old. But even I know that 7+2=9. I counted the number of kids there yesterday--there were 8 total, INCLUDING the girls. Ms. Shittypants refused to acknowledge that it is part of her job description, to know at all times, how many children are enrolled in her class. (It must be beyond challenging to remember how many students you have when you're only teaching ONE class, eh, Miss Shittypants.)

I believe that covers it, but I feel like I'm leaving something out. Will be back to edit if my memory decides to return.

The thing that really stinks about it is that Kate & Julia really enjoyed themselves, as did I. The other moms were so nice and down-to-earth, which seems to be a true rarity here in Joisey. I was so incredibly proud of them, even with Kate being a bit clingy. Julia was on a mission to have fun, and she did--I wish I had video of her dancing during circle singing time, it was adorable!

Okay, off to try and take some pics of my monkeys so I can post them here!

Heart hug!

It's going to be a long week. I hope I'm wrong, but, I have a sinking feeling I'm right. The husband is in Poland, and Kate is NOT happy about it. He hasn't even been gone for 24 hours yet, and she woke up today with Daddy on her mind. As soon as I lifted her out of her crib, the "da DAH" anthem began. The chanting got faster and faster (and louder and louder), and by the time I was finished changing her diaper, she was crying hysterically for her daddy. How on earth do you explain to an 18-month old that Daddy won't be home for a week???? It's heartbreaking to watch her run from room to room, pointing her little finger as she looks for her number one guy, and then crying as she realizes Daddy isn't in any of the rooms. We may not survive this, and I'm really wishing I could push the fast-forward button so Friday could just get here already.

Despite the drama, the girls did give me one of those sweet-heartwarming-I d0n't want to forget this kind of moments this morning. We were in the basement, hanging out (more specifically, I was on the computer and they were jumping around like little spazzes). Things got a bit quiet and I looked up from my typing to see the girls sitting on our ugly Ikea chair together--Julia had her thumb in her mouth as she clutched Lovey, and Kate had both arms around her lil' sis. It was truly a sight to behold, they both looked so content (rare these days!). Of course, I went to take a pic, and my camera battery had no juice! I hope that's a sign that they will be BFF, just as I want them to.

I already miss Scott, and did something so incredibly stupid last night.......yeah, I do stupid things all the time, but this one really took the cake. I thought it would be a good idea to indulge myself with a pay-per-view and watch some sappy kind of chick flick. I ended up renting Premonition, starring Sandy Bullock and her tinylittletank*. For those of you who haven't seen this very lame movie, Sandy's hubby is killed in a car accident and she time travels to try and stop it. It doesn't work and he dies anyway. These are not the kind of things you want to think about when your honey is traveling internationally, especially on the night that he will be in a big, scary plane flying across an even bigger and scarier ocean. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well last night, and am anxiously waiting for the hubby's phone call to let me know he's made it to solid ground safely.

Which reminds me of a funny Scott story.......most of you know that Scott has a bit of the Polish blood in his ancestry. Before he left yesterday, we were talking about his upcoming trip--neither of us have ever been to Poland. I spoke w/a girlfriend yesterday, and it turns out she was recently in Poland for a business trip. As I was relaying her impressions of Poland to Scott, he looks at me and says the following:

"Well, Poland's a lot like Ohio, it's not impressive but it's where I'm from." (Insert laughter spewing forth from me old belly).

Me: "What do you mean, it's where your from? You grew up in Cleveland. In OHIO."

S: "Well, I may have grown up in Cleveland, but Poland is my home. Just like Cleveland."

He really seemed to believe he was returning to his native land, like he was some Polish refugee that had been uprooted and trapped, forced to live in a place that he didn't really belong.

Aww, Scottie, if you're out there reading this, that logic of yours, as convoluted as it may be, is one of the things I love the most about you. You say such bizarre things, but you say them with such conviction that they *almost* make sense.

Signing off for now.....heart hug.

*For those of you who don't celebrate the entire collection of Sandra Bullock, start watching her movies. If you can find one where she isn't wearing a teeny tiny tank top, I will give you a million dollars. Seriously, I think she makes it a contractual clause that if she's going to accept a role, she'll only do it if she can appear in the majority of scenes in her ttt's (teensy tiny tanks). It's weird.

Wow, I almost can't believe that I'm actually (read: FINALLY) typing my first blog entry. Not that I'm a procrastinator or anything (decopuage, anyone?). I've only had this account set up for about six months now. So, in Karen time, it's pretty amazing that I'm already getting around to this. Of course, now that I am typing, I realize just how little I have to say. Um, yeah, right.

I guess I should say something about the girls, that would be the logical thing to do since this is their blog, or rather, that was the reason behind me wanting to start a blog.

Well, since we've been back from Ohio (thank you again to my beloved Sara and her incredibly tolerant husband, Dan, for the hospitality), Kate has been on a huge "daddy kick." Every single night at 7:30, which is usually when the husband gets home from work, Kate starts screaming in her crib "Da-dah, Da-dah, Da-DAHHHHHHH." It's kind of cute and funny, but with the husband's schedule this past week, it's become a bit exhausting. For the first time, I am not able to placate my child with my loving motherly touch, or my lame attempts at singing/dancing/babble-talk. I've actually kept the girls up late a couple of times, just so Kate could get her Daddy fix. Scott, of course, loves it (he'd be a fool not to), but I dread next week--he jets off to Poland tomorrow, and I'm not quite sure how Kate is going to survive. Is it wrong of me to have visions of doping up my baby dancing around in my head? I'm kidding, kind of.....

Julia is, well, Julia--she's full of smiles, giggles, and kisses. Of course, she has no interest in kissing me, or the husband, or even Lovey......she prefers to just walk around kissing the air. She has been much more of a cuddler the past two weeks, and I've loved every minute of it. She's so fiercely independent sometimes, that I feel like she forgets she has a mom--quite a change from her baby-twaby days when she couldn't leave my side. She's still obsessed with kitchen utensils--she has "her" drawer in the kitchen that is emptied every single morning (and multiple times throughout the day)........she actually managed to sneak a spatula into her crib yesterday. I went to get her from her nap, and there the spatula was, all nestled in right next to Lovey--that spatula doesn't even know what an honor it is to be positioned next to the almighty Lovey--wow!

Both girls have finally, thanks to my goddess of a sister, mastered the art of climbing down the stairs. This has made my life a bit easier, or at least it's made my back ache a bit less. Prior to our Ohio trip, they were pros at climbing up the stairs (annoying), but could not figure out how to successfully navigate their way down. Sara, and darling Miss Olivia (who is such an adorable "mother hen" at only 4 years old), really worked with the girls to show them how to scoot down the stairs without injuring themselves. While I love that they have mastered this task, it's another one of those things that makes me realize my twabies aren't twabies anymore.

Those of you who are actually reading this know that this week has been rough--one of our dear friends Kasey was brutally attacked last weekend in the very town where I grew up. Most of you know that Kasey is a true gem of a guy--witty, creative, hilarious and deeply loved by many. To say that I hope his attackers burn in hell is an understatement, but I will save my vengeful thoughts for another time. Kasey's skull was fractured during the attack, and he's going to be in the hospital for quite some time. The important thing is that Kasey is no longer in a coma, and we are hoping and praying that he will continue down the road to recovery without any major glitches. Sara has been able to see him twice now, and she is keeping me updated on his progress. I ask all of you to keep your prayers coming his way--Kasey is one of a kind, and the world needs more people like him.

So, that's it for now......I need to play around with all the cool templates, etc. so I can truly Karenize ("mah colahs are blush and bashful") this thing.

Heart hug.