More than 60 people at a party for twins reaching the milestone age of three! Yeah, sounds a little crazy but it was a really great party. Mom rented a big 'bouncy' for the kids and they all had a ball. I had met enough of the guests in the past that socializing was easy and the mood of the party was easy and fun.
The kids raked in a ton of loot. More than any two kids need really, but "They soooo wanted them."
And that's a good reason for anything to do with kids. (Note the sarcasm?)
I'm not sure about the reason for the big parties. Does it prove that your kids are popular? Does it prove that you are more popular? Does it prove that you love your kids more? Maybe none of the above. Maybe you just like throwing parties. Not sure - but, you know, after going to the twin's birthday party I think I'd like to have a party for Alex and Rachel and rent a Bouncy - the kids just LOVE it and it was great fun. I think I'd still nix the gift giving aspect. Hey, wait, maybe I'll set up a way to give $$$ to the IRC (International Rescue Commitee) instead of buying gifts. HMMM. Not sure - it sounds very 'Mommy Dearest.'
New idea - an annual party not tied to birthdays. One party for both girls - they'll invite their friends and no gifts will be required and we'll have just the one party for both girls. That would be fun. Now - we will still have the small family birthday parties for the girls. Just not a HUGE community party that delivers a deluge of battery operated plastic crap.
Sunday, June 25
Friday, June 23
The Awe of it....,
This morning I surprised the girls with a trip to see Sesame Street Live - a performance of grand scale created just for kids.
Sesame Street is their favorite show and of course Elmo tops the list.
Grover, of course, is a close second.
The girls sat, munching on popcorn, transfixed...
...for the entire show as the bigger than life characters from Sesame Street came alive.
They were in awe of it. Mesmerized by the magic. And I was mesmerized by them. The sweet innocence of two little girls, sisters, experiencing this grand spectacle created just for them. No squirming, no impatience - just a look of wonder in their eyes and on their faces that was so honest. I hope they'll have many, many more experiences like this throughout their lives and that they get to experience that kind of wonderment even into adulthood. Maybe they will and if they have kids of their own I'm they will.
The chance to be a kid again and to see the world through a child's eyes is one of the greatest gifts of being a parent.
Sesame Street is their favorite show and of course Elmo tops the list.
Grover, of course, is a close second.
The girls sat, munching on popcorn, transfixed...
...for the entire show as the bigger than life characters from Sesame Street came alive.
They were in awe of it. Mesmerized by the magic. And I was mesmerized by them. The sweet innocence of two little girls, sisters, experiencing this grand spectacle created just for them. No squirming, no impatience - just a look of wonder in their eyes and on their faces that was so honest. I hope they'll have many, many more experiences like this throughout their lives and that they get to experience that kind of wonderment even into adulthood. Maybe they will and if they have kids of their own I'm they will.
The chance to be a kid again and to see the world through a child's eyes is one of the greatest gifts of being a parent.
Wednesday, June 21
The Irony of my reproductive system...,
I spent years on birth control in my 20s and 30s - acting as a responsible serial monagomist prior to marriage. Then we struggled with infertility for two years we gave birth to beautiful little Alex. After five months of breastfeeding my menstrual cycle returned. UGH!! Most women don't menstruate while breastfeeding and what good was my cycle to me - an infertile woman.
Or so I thought! Six months later we were speachless to find that I was pregnant!! Wow! Another miracle
After the birth of Rachel, we decided that we had the perfect family and Dave had a vasectomy.
And just 4 months later the doc puts me on Depo (birth control) to control migraine headaches!! So now the partially infertile 41 woman with a 'snipped' husband is on birth control!!!
hmmm. What's up with that?!?!
Or so I thought! Six months later we were speachless to find that I was pregnant!! Wow! Another miracle
After the birth of Rachel, we decided that we had the perfect family and Dave had a vasectomy.
And just 4 months later the doc puts me on Depo (birth control) to control migraine headaches!! So now the partially infertile 41 woman with a 'snipped' husband is on birth control!!!
hmmm. What's up with that?!?!
Craziness Reigns!!
As I pull up to Marshall Elementary for my weekly volunteer position I find a closed gate.
"That's weird," I say out loud.
I honk at two women that I see walking across campus. They turn to look at me, wave and keep going. Not in any apparent rush - but too far away to clarify anything. So I get out of my car, pull back the gate and drive onto campus. The next gate, into the parking lot is also pulled shut. I get out, again, and pull open the gate. At this point, no one is in sight and I pull into the parking lot.
As I open the door to my car a woman comes running at us, shrieking, "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. YOU CAN'T BE IN HERE. YOU CAN'T DRIVE THROUGH THE GATE. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN, GET INTO A CLASS ROOM - NOW. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE."
My pulse began to race as I imagined a crazed, teenage gunman or two loose on the campus and coming fast in our direction. I rushed to get the girls out of the car. They were now panicking as the woman kept shrieking, "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY!"
The commotion outside caused three teachers to open their doors (a grave error during a lockdown, apparently) to offer assistance to a mom wrestling to get her kids to safety.
"SHUT THE DOORS!!" This crazy woman shrieked. "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET BACK INTO THOSE CLASSROOMS!!" She then turned back to me and resumed, "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE."
Finally - after she had succeeded in initiating panic in all of us, I responded with, "LADY! SHUT-UP!! I HAVE TWO KIDS HERE AND I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN SO BAAACK OOOFFF!!"
She then seemed to realize that she was a bit out of control and came to offer a little help - but by then I had my two girls in my arms and was running across the parking lot toward the preschool room as I imagined gun-toting crazies closing in.
Once I got into the room everyone was shaking - including the people already there. She had freaked everyone out with all of her incessant yelling. But the ladies in the room knew something that I didn't. The lock-down was not to protect us all from some crazy loons but from a stray family of coyotes that had been spotted on campus. Animal control was on their way to trap the animals and all would be well soon.
Apparently the only loon on campus was the screeching woman instilling needless panic. Where is the Department of People Control??
"That's weird," I say out loud.
I honk at two women that I see walking across campus. They turn to look at me, wave and keep going. Not in any apparent rush - but too far away to clarify anything. So I get out of my car, pull back the gate and drive onto campus. The next gate, into the parking lot is also pulled shut. I get out, again, and pull open the gate. At this point, no one is in sight and I pull into the parking lot.
As I open the door to my car a woman comes running at us, shrieking, "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. YOU CAN'T BE IN HERE. YOU CAN'T DRIVE THROUGH THE GATE. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN, GET INTO A CLASS ROOM - NOW. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE."
My pulse began to race as I imagined a crazed, teenage gunman or two loose on the campus and coming fast in our direction. I rushed to get the girls out of the car. They were now panicking as the woman kept shrieking, "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY!"
The commotion outside caused three teachers to open their doors (a grave error during a lockdown, apparently) to offer assistance to a mom wrestling to get her kids to safety.
"SHUT THE DOORS!!" This crazy woman shrieked. "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET BACK INTO THOSE CLASSROOMS!!" She then turned back to me and resumed, "THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE. THIS IS A LOCK-DOWN. GET INTO A CLASS ROOM NOW!! HURRY! THIS IS SERIOUS - YOU CAN'T BE HERE."
Finally - after she had succeeded in initiating panic in all of us, I responded with, "LADY! SHUT-UP!! I HAVE TWO KIDS HERE AND I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN SO BAAACK OOOFFF!!"
She then seemed to realize that she was a bit out of control and came to offer a little help - but by then I had my two girls in my arms and was running across the parking lot toward the preschool room as I imagined gun-toting crazies closing in.
Once I got into the room everyone was shaking - including the people already there. She had freaked everyone out with all of her incessant yelling. But the ladies in the room knew something that I didn't. The lock-down was not to protect us all from some crazy loons but from a stray family of coyotes that had been spotted on campus. Animal control was on their way to trap the animals and all would be well soon.
Apparently the only loon on campus was the screeching woman instilling needless panic. Where is the Department of People Control??
Multi-tasking
Sleeping and eating simultaneously. Wow - what a time saver! That little Rachel - Just 21 months old and already so efficient ;-)
Wednesday, June 7
In an instant....,
It all happened so fast. In an instant. I was driving and my girls were sleeping in the back seat - I was driving. It was a clear day - stressful because Rachel had developed a UTI and had been hurting most of the day. But finally, on the way back from the Doctor's office, she had fallen asleep. Alex, too, was sleeping. I decided not to wake them - just to let them sleep as a drove around town a bit. I turned off HWY 67 on to Archie Moore Road in Ramona. I looked off to my left and saw an interesting housing development and decided to turn left, into the development to check it out. I looked ahead for traffic and then back to the left - I tried to look beyond the initial gate structure, which was open to see if there was another gate beyond that but couldn't see anything so I began my turn.....
BBBBAAAAMMMM
A silver car - a volkswagon GTI - was there. ON my left front fender! Bouncing off again. In an instant.
My girls, strapped safely into their car seats, began to cry. They were terrified - but without a scratch. THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD!
I got out to check on the other driver. She was also pretty shaken up - but otherwise seemed OK. She was also seemed VERY pleasant. She offered to help me with my girls once she realized that I had kids in my car.
When I think of what could have happened my stomach flips and I feel literally SICK.
"Hello, Mr. Hart? We're calling to let you know that there has been an accident...."
"Hello, Mr. Navarro? We're calling to let you know that Maria has been in an accident....,"
In an instant....,
And the instant has passed and logistics and after affects must be considered and dealt with.
$1000 deductable dollars and a few headaches later and our car will be fixed. $400 more a year in insurance & that's about it as for our family's repricusions. That a new realization about my responsibilities to my kids and my husband as the driver of our children.
But what about Maria? What about her family? She was driving a 1992 Volkswagon GTI. It looked like it was in pretty good shape - will she get enough money to replace the car? I'm assuming that she was working for one of the wealthy area families as nanny or house keeper - will she be able to keep her job? She lives all the way down in Tacate, Mexico!! That's over an hour's drive with out traffic!!
This accident was my fault - so I'm responsible for her loss. I should help make this right somehow....., Somehow.
BBBBAAAAMMMM
A silver car - a volkswagon GTI - was there. ON my left front fender! Bouncing off again. In an instant.
My girls, strapped safely into their car seats, began to cry. They were terrified - but without a scratch. THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD! THANK YOU GOD!
I got out to check on the other driver. She was also pretty shaken up - but otherwise seemed OK. She was also seemed VERY pleasant. She offered to help me with my girls once she realized that I had kids in my car.
When I think of what could have happened my stomach flips and I feel literally SICK.
"Hello, Mr. Hart? We're calling to let you know that there has been an accident...."
"Hello, Mr. Navarro? We're calling to let you know that Maria has been in an accident....,"
In an instant....,
And the instant has passed and logistics and after affects must be considered and dealt with.
$1000 deductable dollars and a few headaches later and our car will be fixed. $400 more a year in insurance & that's about it as for our family's repricusions. That a new realization about my responsibilities to my kids and my husband as the driver of our children.
But what about Maria? What about her family? She was driving a 1992 Volkswagon GTI. It looked like it was in pretty good shape - will she get enough money to replace the car? I'm assuming that she was working for one of the wealthy area families as nanny or house keeper - will she be able to keep her job? She lives all the way down in Tacate, Mexico!! That's over an hour's drive with out traffic!!
This accident was my fault - so I'm responsible for her loss. I should help make this right somehow....., Somehow.
Sunday, June 4
A Parenting Survey Question....,
Please list the three most stressful/traumatic events that occurred in your life in the past year, and rate each on the following scales.
well, 18 months ago we moved across country with a 6 wk old and a 2 year old. Adjusting to that took a lot of time - I'd say we had really adjusted by about Christmas of this past year. Then my youngest went on a sleep strike about a year ago - she REFUSED to sleep unless she was being held and rock or walked. My husband and I took shifts until it became unbarable for the whole house. We then had to let her 'cry it out' -- OH - that was hard. And in between all of that was the fear that our youngest had a severe congenital birth defect or syndrome (turns out its VERY minor). Add to that fevers, colds, bumps and bruises - oh yeah and TWO - not one but TWO trips to the emergancy room on poison scares (both false alarms). OK - so maybe we've just been living in a state of stress for months and months. But in the past 8 weeks - all has been calm and happy. I think our girls have reached a more manageable age (20 months & 3 years) and life is just easier now.
well, 18 months ago we moved across country with a 6 wk old and a 2 year old. Adjusting to that took a lot of time - I'd say we had really adjusted by about Christmas of this past year. Then my youngest went on a sleep strike about a year ago - she REFUSED to sleep unless she was being held and rock or walked. My husband and I took shifts until it became unbarable for the whole house. We then had to let her 'cry it out' -- OH - that was hard. And in between all of that was the fear that our youngest had a severe congenital birth defect or syndrome (turns out its VERY minor). Add to that fevers, colds, bumps and bruises - oh yeah and TWO - not one but TWO trips to the emergancy room on poison scares (both false alarms). OK - so maybe we've just been living in a state of stress for months and months. But in the past 8 weeks - all has been calm and happy. I think our girls have reached a more manageable age (20 months & 3 years) and life is just easier now.
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