Ringing in the New Year
T and I have booked a sitter and will be going out tonight! Yes, it’s only from 4-7pm, and yes, we’ll probably be in bed long before the ball drops in Times Square, but I’m thrilled that we’ve created a little New Year’s Eve date night for ourselves.
I can probably count on one hand the number of times T and I have gone out together without children since our kids were born: 1 twin sale trip just after the kids were born and 3 anniversary lunch dates. That’s it. But it never bothered me that we didn’t go out for date nights. Financially, it’s not easy to do- to pay a sitter, to pay for a meal or activity. And it never seemed necessary. Until recently…
T and I have been so busy with the business of raising twins for the last 2 years and 9 months that there really hasn’t been much time for us to connect or even just talk as a married couple. I miss having uninterrupted conversations with T and talking with him about things that have nothing to do with our children. While tonight’s date has been made possible because of a kind friend loaning us her high school aged daughter (altering their own plans to make ours a reality) and a generous restaurant gift card from one of T’s students, I’m really hoping we can find a way to make T and me time more of a semi-regular thing.
Happy New Year to you all! Here’s wishing you a healthy and happy 2011!
Healthier Me: 500 miles, Getting Derailed, New Motivation
It’s been over six months since my last post mentioning anything related to my Healthier Me goals. Here’s where things currently stand…
500 miles: You may recall that I’d set out to run 500 miles in 2010. Well, I did it! I actually hit the 500 mile mark back on September 28th, but never got around to blogging about it. At the start of this pledge, I had estimated that it might take me until October or November to complete my goal, but I was able to achieve it faster by running/jogging 20-27 miles a week over the summer months. I was proud of myself for making it to the 500 mile mark in nine months, but it wasn’t actually all good news. While I was doing all of that running, I was not doing any strength training. And I was not eating all that well either (think summer… cookouts… ice cream…). I actually gained six pounds over the summer (that I still haven’t been able to shake), and while bad food habits were (and probably still are) to blame, I think a lot also had to do with being stuck in a routine. The running got easier, and I stopped pushing myself to really feel the burn of a good, strong workout. I decided that in October I would get back into my old routine of alternating cardio and strength training workouts, as well as making sure I was in the gym 4-5 nights a week.
Getting Derailed: But for the first two weeks of October, we were dealing with crib climbers. It was exhausting, and as a result, I was doing more relaxing at the end of each day, and not so much working out. In mid-October I tried getting back into a good routine of going to the gym after bedtime, but then we had more issues with night wakings and sick kids that, again, resulted in disrupted sleep and no energy to hit the gym at the end of a tiring day. I was able to consistently get to the gym on weekends during nap times (when T could be home with the kids), but night workouts during the work week just weren’t happening all that often.
New Motivation: In May I will participate as a bridesmaid in a dear college friend’s wedding. I will need to wear this dress (in kiwi), and I would prefer not to appear three months pregnant (I am not and will not be pregnant at the time of the wedding, but if I don’t get my butt in gear, one might logically make that assumption). So, I need to get back into the eat healthy, exercise often routine if I’m going to get myself to a point where I won’t feel self-conscious about how I look in that dress. I know that it’s entirely possible that the kids will be sick a few more times this winter, and we never know when night wakings may become an issue again, but I’m hoping that I can stick to a healthy diet and push myself to make it to the gym at least four times a week to get myself back into shape by mid-May. I think I can… I think I can….
celebrations Family Time mostly photos Tiny & Buba: Christmas Day Christmas Eve
by reanbean
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The Christmas Report (2010)
This year was the first year that Tiny and Buba really started to get the idea of Christmas. They knew all about Santa watching them and how he would deliver presents: “If you’re good-yes! If you’re naughty- no!” It was so much fun to watch their excitement grow as we got closer and closer to the big day.
But then the Tuesday before Christmas, Buba got sick. By Thursday, Tiny was sick too. Then T became sick Friday morning, and spent the better part of Christmas Eve Day in bed. We had to cancel our plans to attend the family Christmas Eve service and dinner with the in-laws (an annual tradition), and instead had yet another “resting day” at home.
But it wasn’t a typical resting day where we read books and lounged about. The kids had a good number of gifts shipped from relatives in Iowa, and they spent the entire day opening and enjoying those gifts. (T and I knew there would be plenty more the following day from his family and agreed that this would help to space things out a tiny bit more.)
They opened their gifts slowly, trying on each piece of clothing (and bath towels too!) and taking time to play with each new toy…
It was just before dinner when the last presents were opened…
And in spite of not feeling 100%, it was still a pretty great day.
By Christmas morning, everyone was feeling pretty well again. Buba and Tiny opened the two gifts from Mommy and Daddy…
And then dug into their stockings to see what Santa had brought them…
We spent the rest of the morning at Grammy and Grandpa’s house, opening another set of stockings and presents from Santa and playing with the California cousins. We returned home for nap time (just a 10 minute drive) to be sure the kids would have a good nap (and continue to recover from their latest illnesses), but went back again in the late afternoon to open even more presents (from the grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins) before having a delicious roast beef dinner that both Buba and Tiny devoured.
It was truly a magical Christmas for Tiny and Buba. And one that I hope to remember for a long, long time.
Blustery Snowy Day
In case you hadn’t heard, it’s been snowing in the northeast. We got a robocall from a local police officer yesterday afternoon letting us know that a blizzard warning was in effect and that we were to sit tight at home until the roads were cleared (estimated by 6pm the following day). Although it started snowing yesterday evening, the bulk of the snow came over night. Tiny and Buba were excited to see “a lota lota snow!” when they woke up this morning and couldn’t wait to get outside.
I’m not exactly sure how much snow we ended up getting (the weather forecast had predicted 12 to 20 inches), but the kids were roughly knee deep when we plopped them into the snow in our front yard.
Last year, it took Buba a while to feel comfortable in the snow. But he was pretty much okay with it this time around…
Tiny was pretty happy too…
except when the wind picked up and blew snow into her face (which, unfortunately, was pretty often)…
Still, I’d say we lasted a good 30 to 40 minutes playing outside in Tiny and Buba’s first blizzard. And it looks like the snow will be around for us to enjoy again and again while T is home on winter break.
celebrations Conversations Tiny & Buba: baking with toddlers Christmas cookies
by reanbean
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Christmas Cookies
Earlier this month, I mentioned that I wanted to try having Buba and Tiny help me with some holiday baking. We made our first attempt about a week ago, but I never mentioned it here, because, well, it didn’t very well at all. While they were good at dumping the pre-measured ingredients into the big mixing bowl and assisting me with the electric mixer, my visions of having them help any further were just disastrous.
But, on Thursday, I decided that we would try again with this very simple butter cookie recipe. Tiny and Buba helped a bit in preparing the dough, but the part they enjoyed the most was when the time came to smush the balls of dough with the bottom of a glass (we did not have a cookie stamp). Oh, and tasting time too. They probably enjoyed that part even more.
We decided to add a little Christmas touch to ours and made some with red and green sugar crystals mixed in with the plain white sugar.
While I planned to have some for us to enjoy as well, the bulk of these cookies were to go to our neighbors. This was not easy for Tiny to understand:
Tiny: Can I have sprinkle cookies?
Me: You can have one.
Tiny: I want to eat them all up.
Me: Well, they’re supposed to be for our friends.
Tiny (with a cheeky little grin): No, they’re supposed to be for me.
Still, both Buba and Tiny were extremely excited to each choose one cookie to leave by our tree for Santa. And I had no trouble making those cookies disappear before morning. Those things are tasty!
Tiny & Buba: exhausted illness Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer screen time
by reanbean
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Yo Mama’s Callin’ Ya
Today, I am exhausted.
Last night, just as T and I were about to go to bed, I heard a sound, which I instantly knew was the sound of a child vomiting, followed by a cry that let me know it was Buba. T and I rushed in and instantly began operation clean-up. Once the bedding and child were all changed and clean, we re-said our good-nights and hoped for the best. Not five minutes later, I heard the sound again. Do-over. And over and over and over and over.
Buba continued to be sick from roughly 11pm to 3am. After the third time, T and I devised a plan. He took Buba to the couch in the living room and I stayed in the kids’ room to soothe Tiny back to sleep. She did not want me to leave her alone, so I set up the sleeping bag on the love seat (yeah, not the best sleeping arrangement, but better then trying to sleep on the floor propped up against’ Tiny’s crib) and spent the night in there. Although T was on sick-child duty with Buba so Tiny and I could sleep, Tiny and I could hear every sound coming from the living room (just outside the kids’ bedroom) and remained awake until about 3am. And even then, a nice 3 hours of sleep was out of the question. Buba was still uncomfortable and would cry and moan at least once an hour, often rousing Tiny, which required me to comfort her and remind her that Daddy was taking good care of Buba. I have no idea how much sleep I ended up getting. But I can’t imagine I had much more than a few half hour chunks.
So, to give myself an 8 minute, 40 second break this morning, I plopped Tiny and Buba down in front of my lap top and let them watch this very brief Rudolph cartoon from 1952 streamed from Netflix (it’s the first of several Christmas themed shows for kids, but we haven’t seen any of the others). It was not the first time they’d seen it. We’d watched it several time the last time they were sick. They were excited to have the opportunity to see it again, and I was happy to have the 8 minutes and 40 seconds to lay on the couch.
Things have been going relatively well today in spite of last night’s events. But it was their lunch time banter that let me know that Buba really is feeling pretty well. They kept calling the same words back and forth to each other with a lot of giggles in between, so it was hard, at first, for me to make out what they were saying. But once I really stopped and listened, I could hear it pretty clearly:
“Go on home, Red Nose. Yo Mama’s Callin’ Ya!”
Yep, that’s the price I paid for my 8 minute, 40 second break. And while I don’t love that they find the insult so hilarious, I’m still pretty sure it was worth it.
The Chicken Did Bite Me
If you ask Buba about his recent trip to a local farm in our town he will tell you this…
Buba: The chicken did bite me. But he did not mean to. I was feedin’ the lettuce. And the chicken did bit me. But he did not mean to.
It surprises me that this is the story he likes to tell most. I was particularly freaked out when one of the larger goats mistook his tasseled hat for some sort of goat food and I had to wrestle it out of his mouth. Fortunately, the hat was not ruined. It was, however covered in goat slobber.
We love to visit this farm and have had many, many positive experiences there. But next time, I suppose we’ll be a bit more careful when approaching the animals.
First Snow (winter 2010)
T still has three days of teaching before the winter break begins, so I was on my own for the first snowy day of winter. Our street is pretty quiet, but Grammy and Grandmpa’s street is even better, so we headed over to spend the morning with Grandpa, Aunt D, and the California cousins. Tiny and Buba (but mostly Tiny) were beyond excited to get to play out in the snow. We’ve been reading The Snowy Day for weeks, and they were so happy to finally be able to play outside, “Just like Peter.”
Ready to sled down the driveway…
Shoveling “like Daddy”…
Making tracks…
Building with the California cousins…
Tiny’s first snow angel…
When I asked the kids what their favorite part of the morning was, Tiny said it was making snow angels (she made about 15 of them and was very insistent that nobody step on any of them). Buba also said it was making snow angels, but then quickly changed his mind to sledding. Both agreed that they had a ton of fun and and can’t wait to get “a lota lota snow” (we only have an inch or so) so they can build their own Frosty.
16 reanbean things
Mandy over at My Life as Described by Twin Trials and Triuphs has been posting little bits of information about herself on the 23rd of each month because her birthday is the 23rd of February. I always love reading those random little bits, so today (my birthday!) I’ve decided to share 16 little things you might not know about me. The short list is just the brief facts. Skip to the longer version if you prefer more details.
The short version…
1. I LOVE grilled cheese sandwiches!
2. During my childhood, I had bit parts in a local TV commercial and movie.
3. I don’t like soda or frosting.
4. I attended Eddie Murphy’s wedding (to now ex-wife Nicole) in 1993.
5. I’ve had my stomach pumped three times (all during childhood).
6. I am not athletic, though I have participated on five sports teams.
7. I like to read memoirs.
8. I have crooked pinkies.
9. I am 5 feet 2 inches tall.
10. I have a huge weakness for popcorn.
11. For most of my life, I wanted to be a teacher, but in high school, I wanted to be a journalist.
12. I can remember the names of all of my elementary school teachers but only a handful of my junior high and high school teachers.
13. I am tongue tied and can’t stick my tongue straight out or up towards my nose.
14. I am a terrible housekeeper.
15. I learned to play five instruments (six if you count the recorder) between the ages of 7 and 22.
16. In college, I once dressed like Mimi from Rent and performed Out Tonight for my sorority sisters as part of a lip-sync competition.
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The longer version…
1. I LOVE grilled cheese sandwiches! I love them so much that we had them served as an appetizer at our wedding. The caterer made them all fancy with thin slices of pear and then set them on the sides of martini glasses filled with tomato soup. They were awesome!
2. During my childhood, I had bit parts in a local TV commercial and movie. I started taking drama classes when I was in first or second grade. Sometimes the teachers would tell us about tryouts for parts in commercials for local businesses and once someone made a kids film entirely in our community. I was in a commercial for News Channel 4 and played Girl at Nightclub in Hawk Jones.
3. I don’t like soda or frosting. This made birthday parties tough for me. My birthday cakes were always frosted with Cool Whip and we had Kool-Aid to drink.
4. I attended Eddie Murphy’s wedding (to now ex-wife Nicole) in 1993. One of my stepsisters is in the modeling industry and, I believe, had done some work with Nicole. In any case, they were good friends and my sister was the maid of honor in the wedding. She somehow got our entire family on the guest list.
5. I’ve had my stomach pumped three times (all during childhood). First for getting into my grandmothers diabetic pills as a baby (before childproof caps, I’m guessing). The second time was for eating what I thought were mushrooms in our yard (I think I was 3 or 4), and the third time was for drinking an entire bottle of grape Dimetapp (not sure how old, maybe 3 or 4 as well).
6. I am not athletic, though I have participated on five sports teams. In late elementary school, I played softball and basketball. In junior high, I played volleyball (back row only). In high school I played tennis and made it to the varsity team by senior year, but only because our team was terrible. And my freshman year in college, I was a coxswain on the novice crew team.
7. I like to read memoirs. I just find them really interesting. I may try writing my own someday.
8. I have crooked pinkies. Not much more to it then that. It’s genetic on my mother’s side. Both Tiny and Buba have crooked pinkies too.
9. I am 5 feet 2 inches tall. This means anyone over 5’5″ is tall in my book.
10. I have a huge weakness for popcorn. Whenever I’m trying to cut back on calories, this is the hardest thing to give up. And yes, I know there are low cal/low fat versions. But they’re just not the real thing and not good enough for my taste buds.
11. For most of my life, I wanted to be a teacher, but in high school, I wanted to be a journalist. I have always loved writing, and in high school, I was very involved on the newspaper and yearbook staffs. I went to journalism camp one summer and planned to go to the University of Iowa to study journalism. But then I got an amazing opportunity to attend a prestigious east coast school, and I took it. The school was full of kids who were all smarter than me (or who, at least, had way more confidence than me), and I was too intimidated to tryout for the writing program (which only accepted a limited number of students). I love being a teacher, and find it to be extremely rewarding work, but sometimes, I still think about wanting to be a journalist.
12. I can remember the names of all of my elementary school teachers but only a handful of my junior high and high school teachers. I was fortunate to have many caring, encouraging teachers during my elementary school years. This is, most likely, why I chose to teach at the elementary level.
13. I am tongue tied and can’t stick my tongue straight out or up towards my nose. Buba and Tiny also inherited this from me.
14. I am a terrible housekeeper. Most days it doesn’t bother me, but whenever we play at someone else’s immaculate house, it something I always wish I were better at.
15. I learned to play five instruments (six if you count the recorder) between the ages of 7 and 22. I started piano lessons in second grade and played through high school. In fourth grade I played the viola. In fifth grade, I dropped the viola (I wasn’t very good, and I didn’t like my teacher (who was the husband of my piano teacher!)) and took up the clarinet. The clarinet was just a starter instrument that I learned so I could move on to the oboe. But when the time came for me to get an oboe, the school didn’t have one to lend me, and I got a bassoon instead. I played it from sixth grade through my freshman year of college. I got a guitar as a college graduation present. I can play basic cords and songs, but I’m not a great player. Still, I think I should dust it off get some new strings. I’m sure Tiny and Buba would love to hear me play, and their songs are probably very doable for my skill level.
16. In college, I once dressed like Mimi from Rent and performed Out Tonight for my sorority sisters as part of a lip-sync competition. This was so out of character for me, and I totally rocked it! I believe I even won first place.