More Memory Updates for ME

Seeing as how my memory is truly fading with age (and children)...here are a few more important milestones for me to remember.

This past Easter, the Easter Bunny made his annual appearance at our house. Just as he did for my daughter Brittney (at 2 1/2 years of age), he managed to successfully take away Cade's binky. Cade has been addicted to this thing since he was two days old. The nurses at the hospital noticed that he tended to get a little fussy and restless in between feedings so they tried this binky on day two. I don't remember the hospital offering this for Brittney but I was at a different hospital with her.


Cade had gradually eased into only having his binky at night and if he was severely upset about something. He was known to even camp out in his bed for a little while longer just to get "a fix". He would usually have more than one also...one for his mouth and one for each hand. Jace never cared for one, but would feel left out at bedtime. So we usually gave him one to naw on. He would usually put holes in them, but Cade the binky detective would always find the holes and promptly throw them away. This led to me placing a desperate online order when we were down to only 2-3 binkies one time.

The timing was not good, but the Easter Bunny had to do his job. For Brittney, I explained to her that the Easter Bunny was taking her binkies to the babies that were crying. She liked the fact that she was going to help the babies (she was obsessed with babies). She was all for it and never again asked for it. Of course the huge basket that was left next to her bed filled with chocolate, other candy and toys didn't hurt the matter.

Cade on the other hand insisted that he didn't care about the crying babies, he needed his binkies. But we went through with it anyway... he cried for a couple of nights. I almost caved on the second night, but realized that it was more of a crutch for ME and not HIM. Ever since that night, he simply announces that he gave his binkies to the crying babies and he didn't need it, he was a BIG boy!

That he is! What happened to my baby in that picture!

Potty training is COMPLETE and has been for several months now. This feat just seemed to happen. We did not push the matter and just waited for them to show interest. School helped them realize that everybody pee pees and it's okay. We put pull-ups on them at night for a while but then realized that they were waking up dry and then peeing once they were up and moving. So, I nixed that a few months ago. We have BIG BOYS all the time now...always in underwear. They are quite regular too, let me tell you.

Jace ended up qualifing for speech therapy through the school district for next year. I'm excited that we are catching it early and also that my tax dollars are going to be put to good use. My medical insurance doesn't cover any speech therapy, so it would have cost me a lot of money to go through the private route. Now, I'm going to get Cade screened. He has a lot of issues too. He's clearer than Jace, but still hard for others to understand. Jace barely squeezed by with the school district's standards, so I wonder if Cade will qualify. Of course, since it's the end of the school year, it's too late and his screening will have to wait until August. Jace's therapy doesn't start until August...and will include a 30 minute session once a week at the elementary school that Brittney attends.

We've skipped the past few Sundays, but we've tried to get the kids back to Sunday School. Jace and Cade absolutely love it now. They are sooo cute when it's music time for all of the children. All of the classes get together and sing different bible songs. It just warms my heart to hear them catching on to the songs and singing them throughout the week. It's such an good influence.

But let me move back in time to the first trip to Sunday School. I was rushing everyone to get out the door. Cade didn't want to put his shoes on, or was it Jace? One of them was crying...then when we finally got in the car, the other was crying about something. Brittney had an attitude because it was early and she wouldn't know anyone in her sunday school class...at one point on the FIFTEEN minute trip to church ALL THREE of them were crying. I was wondering if it was worth it. I was about to lose it. BUT, now they talk about Sunday school all the time. So I guess the torture was worth it. I compromised with Brittney and let her be an assistant in the Kindergarten class. She always has funny stories about how prissy and bossy the little girls are in the class. I hate to tell her that she was one of them when she was that age too!

This is a random thought to end on...but the other night after a brief walk, it started to drizzle a little bit. After it finished, we walked into our backyard and saw a beautiful rainbow. Jace and Cade were so excited and could name almost every color. It's fun to see things through their eyes! This was their 2nd rainbow, but they were still ecstatic. Too cute!

ELMO

This past weekend we (me, Cade and Jace) attended a birthday party for a coworker of mine. Her daughter, Peytan, was turning TWO. She is absolutely adorable - it was the first time I officially met her. Her chubby cheeks reminded me so much of Ms. Brittney when she was turning two. Brittney chose not to go to the party b/c she got a better offer to go swimming with her friend...imagine that?

Anyway, Natalie (my friend and coworker) decided against a moonwalk for the party, because Peytan does not like them. She instead got a train for an hour and an appearance by Elmo for an hour. Let me tell you, this is one birthday party that we made sure to be on-time to.

Once the train arrived, the boys could have cared less about anything else. Cade was mesmerized by the hum of the motor and leaning over the train car to see the ground move!

Toward the end of the train trip, Elmo showed up. He attempted to get in the train with the birthday girl...but it wasn't well received. They tried to get Elmo to sit in our train car, but that didn't go over too well either. So the train riding came to a end very suddenly. Jace and Cade were not very sure of him and neither was the birthday girl. (At the time that's all of the kids that were there.)

But once Elmo started to interact and play with the kids, he was a big hit for my boys. Jace especially would not LEAVE.ELMO.ALONE!

Imagine how fun it would be though if you were three and you got to play ring around the rosey with Elmo....

bounce around on balls with Elmo....

and pretty much have Elmo all to yourself...

It would be pretty much the best day ever!

We had a great time. I'm glad we were able to get Natalie's money worth. Although toward the very end, Peytan give in and sat on Elmo's lap.

I really need this BLOG!!!

I have put this blog as my last priority in life right now. But it's recently come to my attention that I NEED THIS BLOG. I will have absolutely NO recollection of my children's lives with out it.

I've always thought my life was somewhat organized. I guess that would be BEFORE Cade and Jace were born. Once they came into the picture, my photo albums came to a screeching halt, my somewhat-clean house became a not-so-clean house, what was left of my sanity started to slowly disappear, and really the last three years are just a blur EXCEPT FOR WHAT IS ON MY BLOG!

I came to this realization when I had to fill out some paperwork regarding Jace's speech. We're concerned that his speech isn't advancing as well as Cade's. I hate to compare the two, but since they are twins and the differences are right in our faces, it's hard NOT to. Anyway, Jace got screened through the school district a couple of weeks ago and they decided he needs further testing because he didn't meet the minimum requirements. So, then the huge packet of paperwork came to me in the mail last week. Wow, this is going to be a thorough evaluation...as it should be. But I was actually embarrassed that I can not find information on his first year of life. I have the journals that my mom and I kept of every feeding, wet diaper and poopy diaper for the first 5-6 months, but other than that....I'm a horrible mother. I can not tell you when Jace spoke his first word, what it was, or who it was to. I guess I was relying on my memory. Ha Ha...big joke. That's not going to happen.

So, blogger...I'm at your mercy. Just to update myself on my children. Here's a small summary of my childern and what's going on in their lives.

BRITTNEY, BRITTNEY, BRITTNEY

You are definitely our first child. Every moment of your first 7 years is documented, photographed or videotaped. I have records of every word or sound that you muttered.

I can not explain how hard is it for me to watch you grow up. You've always been so mature for your age! I have always been so proud of your ability to associate with people - adult or children. I will never worry about your "social" life because I know you will always be surrounded by friends. You have very good taste in the people that you hang out with too. There have only been a few that I disapprove of and deep down I know that you agree with me.

But yes, I want you to slow down the growing up. One day you will regret that you didn't take the time to just be a kid. You've told me from the age of 3 that you couldn't wait to be a grown up. It broke my heart then and still breaks my heart today! I guess that since cheerleading is your "thing" you're surrounded by older girls and exposed to many things that I would prefer you NOT know yet.

I'm trying to get you to put down the cell phone, stop texting, stop emailing and spend time with your family. I know you are a busy little lady, but we all love you and still enjoy your company. Even though there's a bit of attitude and eye rolling coming out of you these days. You'll always be my baby girl and you hold a special place in my heart. I know you will be great at whatever it is you chose to do. You are wonderful with kids and they really take to you. Your brothers adore you (in spurts) and wouldn't know what to do without you. Your dad and I wouldn't know what to do without you. You are an absolutely beautiful girl both inside and out.

CADE, CADE, CADE

You are just like your Uncle Mike. You not only look just like him as a child, but you are just as fascinated by motors as he is. You love trucks and tractors and cars...pretty much anything with wheels and a loud motor. You love to "growl" like a motor and you HAVE to figure out how things work.

You are talking up a storm lately. You have cracked me up with some of the things that come out of your mouth. You told Nana the other day that she had "snake" bruises on her legs...talking about her vericose veins. You told me that Jesus made you so cute when I asked you. I promise to start writing more of these down now.

The world is so new to you and I love seeing it again through your eyes. Speaking of your eyes, oh how beautiful they are. They are such a clear blue and you have such an angelic look about you. Now sometimes you wake up and your hair has "horns" and clearly aren't an angel, but let's not talk about that little stubborn streak.

You can eat ice cream like it's going out of style. Actually diet-coke floats are your preference. You can snack til the cows come home if we let you too! You really like to eat...you actually outweigh your brother by a pound now. 36 pounds to be exact.

You are the shy one when you're at school or around a big group of people. But lordy when you're just around us, you are an active, talkative, non-stop little boy.

You can melt my heart with a simple..."I Wuv you mama!" Oh what a sweetie you are.



JACE, JACE, JACE

You have a tough front that you put up, but deep down inside you are the softest little teddy bear. You absolutely LOVE dogs, babies and your friends. You are the outgoing one who is always telling me to tell someone HI or look at the baby or the dog. You will actually grab my face and turn it to LOOK at it. You have such a tender heart. We were watching Garfield the movie the other day and there's a scene where Odie runs away. You were so sad for him, I actually saw tears well up in your eyes. It just melted my heart.

You have such a soft side, but you're the first to start wrestling with friends and at the same time gritting those little teeth. That's when we know you're hyper...the teeth gritting. I hope your teeth make it.

I don't cook much, but when I do you are the first to tell me that it's "yummy for your tummy". You enjoy food yourself. Thank goodness that you have your dad's metabolism and body-type. You are long waisted and long and lean.

Right now you are mesmerized by the TV. It's the only time you sit absolutely still. Little Einsteins is your favorite thing. You are obsessed with your rocket from the series. It's a bath toy but you take it everywhere...the car, the doctor, to bed and even on walks.

Your speech is understood about 75% of the time to us, but about 50% of the time to everyone else. I just don't want you to develop self confidence problems if people can't understand you. You tend to get shy if people ask you to repeat yourself. I know you will grow out of this though because I notice progress on a daily basis. Now we are encouraging proper speech and trying to not use your "baby/toddler" words. It's hard though, because it's just so darn cute! And so are you!!