Precious Moments

Mary Louise and David have been teething for oh...about a month or more now. We had a break this week which lasted exactly 2 days. But now, as of today, Mary Louise has 2 bottom teeth trying their best to break through. This would bring her new tooth count up to 5. David has at least 5 new ones already - but he has taken to chomping my finger so I dare not explore his poor gums for awhile...his latest bought with "the beast" as I've come to affectionately refer to teething by seems to have come to an end...for now.

This morning, Mary Louise brought me some of David's clothing...that HAD been neatly folded and put away in their closet. I said, "Mary Louise? Where did that clothing come from and how did you get it?" Mary Louise looked at me, looked at the clothing in her hands, handed it to me, grinned and (I kid you not) said, "Ho Ho Ho!"

Uncle Damon and Claire sent a tunnel to Mary Louise and David for Christmas. They LOVE it! They are so excited to climb through and explore. Yesterday afternoon, Brent and I were "looking" for them. I would call out their names, and all we would hear were giggles as the tunnel wiggled back and forth. They would calm down, get quiet and I would call again. They would giggle, and so on. This went on for at least half and hour. So much fun.

David has taken to climbing up the back of the pews during church. I'll leave that comment at that.

The other day, Mary Louise said something which, by the look on her face, was very serious. I asked her to repeat her sounds. She repeated the sounds and rhythm exactly. Obviously, she is trying to say something - and I feel it's only a matter of time before I figure out what that something is.

Brent and I, after some discussion, have decided to publicly refer to Mary Louise and David as "surviving triplets". Until now, we have nodded most of the time when a stranger approaches and asks if the babies are twins. I've never been comfortable with really answering the question at all as, well, they are not twins, but I have been afraid, exhausted, too upset, or just didn't want that face - the sympathetic look. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Anyhow, we tried it the other day. I got "the look" and quickly changed the subject to point out how well Mary Louise and David were doing. It went over well, I felt sort of liberated. Brent smiled - it's what works for us now...in this moment.

Must run - Brent is keeping an eye on the sweet and very busy babes for a little longer so I can get a few minutes of rest. In the words of Mary Louise, "Ho Ho Ho!"

xo,
Heather

Then and Now...

Just for comparison...

Mary Louise in her bath tub at about 6 weeks old - during the first week of June 2009...



David in mid - June 2009 at about 3 pounds...this is his first bath given by us on Father's day!


and today...
Mary Louise in her first bath tub...


and David in his...


xo,
Heather

There's fun to be had...

Even with the simplest things...

Take an empty envelope and a piece of twine from the mail today for example...



I love that there is an unspoken "ending" to their game of chase when Mary Louise begins to "read" her envelope and David quietly sits to play with his truck!

I also uploaded our photos and videos from the past month...well, since October. I will get into a habit of uploading more frequently. This is just silly...

oct nov 2010

xo,
Heather

Sharing is Caring!

We have been working very hard on sharing with Mary Louise and David so I thought I'd post our progress...

As of this morning...

Mary Louise...


and David...


Shared a cracker!


I am so proud of my little ones! We have purposely stayed away from words like "mine" and instead of "no" always always say, "no thank you". So far, it's worked out very well.

Way to go guys!!!
xo,
Heather

Wonderful weekend!

We had a fabulous visit with Ma Mere and Pops this past weekend. On Friday, they got here and spent lots of time just playing with Mary Louise and David and helping with bath and bed time. As much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE rocking my dearies to sleep every night, it makes me smile to take a little step back every so often and let someone else ta ta and fuss over them a bit...

We had a really nice - rather impromptu dinner and a long chat and were off to bed!

Saturday morning, Brent's parents got here extra early as Brent and I planned to go to a local walk and auction benefiting pancreatic cancer. We had planned on a breakfast date afterward...

BUT...

Happened upon a great garage sale...I know - weird right? It was just around the corner from our house and the sellers were a local artist and her husband. Ma Mere and Pops were walking with the babies and saw an amazing armoire just begging to come home so they gave us a call. I honed in with my mad bargaining skills and got them to take WAY below their already fantastic asking price. We also picked up a few more odds and ends including antique sink fixtures, gas wall sconces, some stained glass, and some great old law book case glass doors that I've cleaned and am re-purposing as wall frames.

So we got our swag home and Ma Mere and I played with Mary Louise and David while Pops and Brent ran some errands. When we were all together again, we strolled down the street to the park by the lake so that Mary Louise and David could show off their mad sliding skills.

Can I just say that those babies LOVE the slide!! They climb, they swing on the bar above, the slide, they giggle, they fall on the ground, they climb, they slide, and they climb again. Brent and I take them to the park about 4 times per week now and to say that they have fun a SUCH and understatement. They are even sliding and climbing by themselves now!

We got to the park just time to play awhile before catching a Christmas parade. Funny how things sort of fell into place - we didn't even know a parade was happening until Brent and Pops caught a glimpse of the floats in preparation to run on their way home from the store!

It was nice - a relatively short and low key parade - perfect for Mary Louise and David's first experience of the kind. We watched and headed home for dinner, bath and bed time.

Sunday, we made it early church - a little late, but we were there just the same. We got to visit a little more with Ma Mere and Pops before they had to get on the road again for their trek home.

All in all, it was really a beautiful weekend with family - who could ask for anything more?

The SUPER exciting news of yesterday was little Miss Mary Louise looking at me, smiling, WAVING and saying, "bye bye!" She said it out of the blue - and so clearly! Then, yesterday afternoon, she saw her bottle on the counter, pointed and said, "ba ba". I'm so excited that they both seem to be making progress with their speech!

xo,
Heather

Could it be?!?!?!?!

An actual END to our insurance saga?!?! It's so hard to believe that it might just be happening! Today, David was officially signed to be picked up by our group insurance policy once more on January 1st.

This has been a LONG road to travel people. Seriously. I could have gone my whole life without knowing the state insurance commission employees, and having their numbers stored in my cell phone. I could have lived just fine without knowing how to get tax ID numbers from businesses, without knowing that you have to demand to talk to the "Rapid Resolutions" department every. single. week. when yet another bill comes in marked with a big fat DENIED stamp. Brent and I would have been ok without yet ANOTHER serious source of stress in our lives and marriage (I mean because having a wife in acute kidney failure, loosing and son, and having 2 surviving children barely hang on is quite enough at one time thank you - nevermind receiving the news that our ins. company wants to drop our INFANT son!) But enough about that - just a tiny digression...

David has been resigned. The (newest) law was supposed to take effect in September...6 months post initial signing into federal law. However, I phoned...all the people I could phone about it and got no where. Ok - not just no where...at one point, I'm pretty sure I was actually pedaling backwards. Apparently, 6 months is not quite enough time for the powers that be to "familiarize" themselves with said new law. Our insurance company tried to tell us that "there may be a possibility that David would not be picked up as he reached his life time maximum prior to the law changing. He, therefore, would be grandfathered in and the company would not be responsible for his health care policy...oh and could we just be patient while they explored this possibility?"

Anyhow, part of me is holding my breath until January 1st to see if they actually will send us our new family card and include baby David's name on it. We'll see...right now, I'm basking in the light of the idea that our little guy might be included on our policy after all!!!

xo,
Heather

My little prize fighter!

Poor David's gums look like they fought all night in a boxing match...and lost. He's got 5 molars (3 on top that have barely broken through and 2 on the bottom that, if they get any more swollen, I seriously think it will impede on his ability to keep his mouth closed!) He's had a nasty upset tummy for 3 days...which actually has worked out to our advantage because I don't have to worry about the occasional dose of Tylenol causing constipation. He's had a couple of low grade fevers...and my sweet boy wants to be held literally all.the.time.

He's been super extra crazy clingy with me lately. Brent tried to help out last night by watching them while I went for a very quick run and apparently, David cried the whole time. He cried for an hour at nap time the day before - and that was WHILE I was rocking him. He's been needy and clingy before, but surprisingly, it's possible for him to be even more so.

Despite all of that, he has been so exhausted from the days of grumpiness that he has really been able to sleep extra hard during the past few nights. Brent and I even got to sleep all night...in the same bed last night!!!! (until 4am when he left for work and the babies stirred). This is practically unheard of these days!

In other news, Mary Louise and David have mastered yet another skill - SCOOTING on their scoot toys!!!! I'm so proud of my little guys. David goes around the entire house, backwards, while Mary Louise stays neck and neck with him going forward. David even pushed his sister for a bit and walked backward while pulling her to get her out of a corner today. Way to go guys!!! Balance, coordination, cooperation, AND problem solving?! Amazing!

We have also been frequenting local playgrounds and parks to allow Mary Louise and David to blow off some of their amazing and endless energy stores. They LOVE LOVE LOVE the slide and have begun to go down the smaller slides all by themselves! They giggle, they run, and we are so lucky to have so many options of parks within walking distance.

Here's hoping that there's an end (or at least a break) in the teething soon...it seems, right now, that things have gotten worse, so maybe we're on the cusp of an upswing? (said with fingers crossed!)

xo,
Heather