I usually write these blogs on Saturday night, but this past Saturday night I didn't feel well so the blog had to wait. And, that is totally o.k. because the idea for this blog occurred to me on Tuesday morning. I call my Mom on the way to work EVERY morning. If I don't call her it is because I am too tired and I just spaced and totally forgot. EVERY morning she asks about the kiddos and if they have done something funny the night before and she asks how they slept.
On Tuesday morning, she asked how they had been on Monday night and how they slept. I told her fine and nothing really out of the ordinary. Then, I said, "I told you what Gigi did in Church, right?" She said, "no, what?". So, I started telling her what had happened on Sunday morning in Church, just like I am about to tell you now. Right before Children's time in our Church the kids walk around and collect change for a fund we call "Pennies for Missions". My kids LOVE to do this, it was a BIG deal when they got old enough to do this! After they collect their change, they are suppose to take their little bags full of change to the offering plate, drop their bags in the offering plate, then go to the front of the Church for Children's time. On Sunday all seemed well. Both Gigi and HD were collecting their change and then came back down to the front of the Church to drop their bags in the offering plate. Please keep in mind, I was sitting on the FRONT PEW of the Church. H.D. dropped his bag and then went to the front of the Church. Gigi dropped her bag and then came back to the pew. I said "honey, go up for Children's time". She then said to me (AS SHE IS REACHING DOWN THE FRONT OF HER TURTLE NECK) "Mommy, look what someone gave me" and she pulls out a dollar bill. I said, "Gigi, you have to put that dollar in the offering plate". She said, "no, mom, they gave it to me". To which I said, "no, they gave it to GOD. Now, put it in the offering plate or we will leave right now". She turned around and put it in the plate.
Now, one other time a few months back, she took money off of the Communion rail that folks leave for the homeless ministry. This also happened during Children's time. That time she yelled "look Mom, MONEY".
You may ask, I wonder why they sit on the front pew? Well, we sit on the front pew because I know that she could take someone's hair out of a french twist (she did this once on a plane when she was 18 mths old). So, I just take as many distractions as possible out of the equation.
Anyway, back to my Mom...I am telling her this story and I say I just don't know sometimes what I am going to do with Gigi. And, my Mom is cracking up and telling me I will survive it, just like she did. I said, she can be so prissy, and so cute and then turn around and belch and be so crude and then I said Oh my..that's me. My Mom said, uh you are just now figuring that out?!? And, I will say that all those things belching, being crude, being able to spit, I am thankful that my Brother taught me how to do them. I am not ashamed. I am, however, proud, that I did EVENTUALLY learn the appropriate time to do these things.
It took Gigi forever to take a regular bottle when she was a baby. She had to be a on a special bottle because she had an extremely high palate. When she finally got that special bottle it was on like Donkey Kong. I remember, very clearly, saying to Doug-she is going to be a huge hit at College Parties. She watching her take a bottle was like watching somebody shotgun a beer. She still drinks like that when she is really thirsty. When she started on baby food, we called her Messy Marvina. She is still one of the messiest eaters I have ever laid eyes on; however, between the two of us, we wear more food than actually lands in our mouths!
H.D. is just the opposite, drinks slow, eats slow. H.D. never makes a mess eating. H.D. is more like his Daddy more laid back and easy going. I love both the kids dearly and she can drive me absolutely batty, but I think it is because we are so much alike! And, because we are so much alike I understand that no only is she controlling but she is also as stubburn as a mule!
Until next time...
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Saturday, September 8, 2012
What will you do for a Klondike?
Remember that commerical? What will you do for a Klondike bar? I loved Klondike bars. I mean who didn't, they were and are delicious-even though I haven't had one in probably twenty years. My kids remind me of a Klondike bar and that question. Some people might find that comparison strange, I find it right on target.
My kids are the thing in life I wanted MOST since before I can remember. The name that Gigi has (Georgianna Marie) is my Great Grandmother's name (Marie Georgianna) and I had it picked out since I think I was 12 or something. I wanted these kids more than I wanted anything and Doug and I waited a VERY long time to have them and went through a LOT to conceive them and then get them here. Including my 8 weeks on hospital bedrest and quite a few procedures prior to getting pregnant. To find out I was pregnant was wonderful. Did I enjoy it? No. I was terrified something was going to happen. So, did I want them more than a Klondike? Yes, most definitely.
Would I give anything these two kids of mine and our little family? Absolutely. For years, I watched my Mom struggle to provide for my brother and I and she was a great role model of what a parent should be to their child. I also had a great brother who, unfortunately, at times had to be more like a father. He was also a great role model and in a pinch, if I cried, would give me his lunch money for the week to buy me a silly watch at a gas station. He is the best brother I could have had and the best Dad to his kids. He gets it. They are more than a Klondike to him. We also had awesome Grandparents who were ALWAYS there for us, for everything. I miss them everyday and wish that they could see my kids and my niece and nephew. We were more than Klondikes to them, they always made us feel really special. I am so glad that our kids are close to all of their grandparents. I feel like that relationship is so, so special.
Now, are these kids perfect? No. Do I give into them way to often? Yes. I should be more discipline minded, but I am not. In fact, there are days that they run over me like a freight train. But, most days we have fun. I won't lie, sometimes they frustrate me and I get upset. But, my saddest times are when I am not with them. I can't imagine my life without them and I can't remember my life before them.
This week at preschool Gigi's teacher gave her a certificate for keeping her "Green Frog" for the entire month of August. The Green Frog is for good behavior. They can get Green, Yellow, or Red. A year ago, a month of green frogs for Gigi would have NEVER happened. When I saw this certificate, I could have cried. I was SO proud of her. She has worked really hard. Being "good" for her is not easy, she is too much like me. So, Gigi keeps her green frogs and now... H.D. is starting to struggle a bit. This is usually what happens. This happened once before when they were little. All of a sudden, their personalities flipped. This is what seems to be happening right now. Gigi is calming down a bit and H.D. is gearing up and getting a little more rowdy.
Everyday, every week is an experience. I was off work this week and we really didn't do much at all, but my kiddos were so excited that I was home everyday. That was worth every minute of missing work and staying up late after the kids were in bed to do work emails.
Until Next time...
My kids are the thing in life I wanted MOST since before I can remember. The name that Gigi has (Georgianna Marie) is my Great Grandmother's name (Marie Georgianna) and I had it picked out since I think I was 12 or something. I wanted these kids more than I wanted anything and Doug and I waited a VERY long time to have them and went through a LOT to conceive them and then get them here. Including my 8 weeks on hospital bedrest and quite a few procedures prior to getting pregnant. To find out I was pregnant was wonderful. Did I enjoy it? No. I was terrified something was going to happen. So, did I want them more than a Klondike? Yes, most definitely.
Would I give anything these two kids of mine and our little family? Absolutely. For years, I watched my Mom struggle to provide for my brother and I and she was a great role model of what a parent should be to their child. I also had a great brother who, unfortunately, at times had to be more like a father. He was also a great role model and in a pinch, if I cried, would give me his lunch money for the week to buy me a silly watch at a gas station. He is the best brother I could have had and the best Dad to his kids. He gets it. They are more than a Klondike to him. We also had awesome Grandparents who were ALWAYS there for us, for everything. I miss them everyday and wish that they could see my kids and my niece and nephew. We were more than Klondikes to them, they always made us feel really special. I am so glad that our kids are close to all of their grandparents. I feel like that relationship is so, so special.
Now, are these kids perfect? No. Do I give into them way to often? Yes. I should be more discipline minded, but I am not. In fact, there are days that they run over me like a freight train. But, most days we have fun. I won't lie, sometimes they frustrate me and I get upset. But, my saddest times are when I am not with them. I can't imagine my life without them and I can't remember my life before them.
This week at preschool Gigi's teacher gave her a certificate for keeping her "Green Frog" for the entire month of August. The Green Frog is for good behavior. They can get Green, Yellow, or Red. A year ago, a month of green frogs for Gigi would have NEVER happened. When I saw this certificate, I could have cried. I was SO proud of her. She has worked really hard. Being "good" for her is not easy, she is too much like me. So, Gigi keeps her green frogs and now... H.D. is starting to struggle a bit. This is usually what happens. This happened once before when they were little. All of a sudden, their personalities flipped. This is what seems to be happening right now. Gigi is calming down a bit and H.D. is gearing up and getting a little more rowdy.
Everyday, every week is an experience. I was off work this week and we really didn't do much at all, but my kiddos were so excited that I was home everyday. That was worth every minute of missing work and staying up late after the kids were in bed to do work emails.
Until Next time...
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Got it, Mom!
We have had a interesting few weeks. The kids have been allergy tested, they've had flu shots, H.D. had to have his hearing checked and Doug and I have had doctors appointments too. It seems that it is constantly something. I cannot belive that today is the first day of September and that this is Labor Day weekend.
During this few weeks the kids started new activities as well. H.D. started gymnastics, at his request. They had taken before, and he had asked for about 6 months to go back. I started him at a new gym and he is really doing well. The coach/owner is Romanian and she is amazing. I am in constant amazement of how much confidence he has after a class. Gigi chose to start dance. She had also been asking for about 6 months and I had admittedly TOTALLY been putting her off. We had tried dance before with Gigi, although at too young of an age. This class is a ballet, tap, jazz, tumbling class. The first couple of weeks were a little questionable for Gigi, but this last week she did really well. I think she will do well. Gigi is a lot like me-if we can't do it perfect we just automatically want to quit. That is a blessing an a curse. It is a blessing because we are perfectionists and want things just right; however, in sports and activities-it makes you not want to keep working towards a goal. Thank God for Doug. He won't let the kids quit. I think the MOST exciting part of them both doing an activity separate from each other is that they come home and show us and each other what they have learned. It is pretty cool.
We did, however, totally let Gigi quit soccer. All her friends from the spring league moved upt to U6 and she was to stay in U5. We asked her 3 times if she wanted to play soccer. She said she did. H.D. on the other hand said "I don't want to play, Mom, get your money back" and I did get my money back. So, we kept Gigi signed up. We took her to the first practice and she said..."who is that coach and those kids?", we explained that there are new coaches and new kids. She said "I am not playing, take me home". We asked her several times if she was sure and she was sure. Doug and I were fuming. We took her to teh car and told her that because we spent quite a bit of money signing her up for soccer, that the next 8 times that H.D. goes to Wal-Mart to get a small toy for getting "green" all week at preschool, she will not get one. She responded by saying "do I get to go to Wal-Mart just not get to get a toy?". We said, "yes" and she said "I'm o.k. with that" ahhh I thought well, that's my child.
I am on vacation from work this next week (Labor Day week). Therefore, this week at work was SO long and I was tired, like, on Monday. Monday morning, my alarm went off and I hit the snooze button as I always do. Gigi had come into our bed and crawled in beside me. The next time the alarm went off she said, "it's o.k., got it, Mom" and she hit snooze. I though, that is pretty bad.
We also started working on "sight words" this week in the evenings after I got home from work. This was at the suggestion of my very smart friend Mary who is also a teacher. This was a successful adventure. We learned the words "is, my, we, up, to". Gigi is really into it (no surprise there). H.D. has to be bribed with a kit-kat to sit down and work on this words. BUT, he will do it and that is a HUGE step from where we were just a few weeks ago. I will not lie, this is pretty exhausting after a long day at work, but it is also something that I think we need to do and something that I feel will pay off. We are less than a year away from kindergarten!
The kids do not have allergies. The allergy testing was hellish. I should have NEVER taken them together. That was not the smartest move I have ever made. The allergiest was awesome, though. My Peds never lead me astray when it comes to referrals. H.D. volunteered to go first. He has been through so much, he usually takes things very well and the nurse did a great job of explaining the process. But, this did hurt and he cried. Gigi was standing there and didn't really help. She said, "Bub, you are bleeding, you have bleeding, oh my goodness". Which, in turn, made him cry harder. Then it was her time, yeah right. The nurse and I basically had to hold her down to get it done. I HATE having to do that, I will do it, but I hate it. I hated it when I worked at the Hosptial with other peoples kids and I hate doing it to mine. After all of this was over, the kids were totally fine to go back to school like nothing had happened, but I had to go back to work and I just really wanted to go home! The kids are able to come off of their Zyrtec. H.D. is able to go on an inhaler starting the beginning of September through March. This will helpfully ward off wheezing this winter and help us avoid those LONG breathing treatments. The doctor said that since his skin testing was negative that he will not become asthmatic. So, that was an awesome finding!
Until next time...
During this few weeks the kids started new activities as well. H.D. started gymnastics, at his request. They had taken before, and he had asked for about 6 months to go back. I started him at a new gym and he is really doing well. The coach/owner is Romanian and she is amazing. I am in constant amazement of how much confidence he has after a class. Gigi chose to start dance. She had also been asking for about 6 months and I had admittedly TOTALLY been putting her off. We had tried dance before with Gigi, although at too young of an age. This class is a ballet, tap, jazz, tumbling class. The first couple of weeks were a little questionable for Gigi, but this last week she did really well. I think she will do well. Gigi is a lot like me-if we can't do it perfect we just automatically want to quit. That is a blessing an a curse. It is a blessing because we are perfectionists and want things just right; however, in sports and activities-it makes you not want to keep working towards a goal. Thank God for Doug. He won't let the kids quit. I think the MOST exciting part of them both doing an activity separate from each other is that they come home and show us and each other what they have learned. It is pretty cool.
We did, however, totally let Gigi quit soccer. All her friends from the spring league moved upt to U6 and she was to stay in U5. We asked her 3 times if she wanted to play soccer. She said she did. H.D. on the other hand said "I don't want to play, Mom, get your money back" and I did get my money back. So, we kept Gigi signed up. We took her to the first practice and she said..."who is that coach and those kids?", we explained that there are new coaches and new kids. She said "I am not playing, take me home". We asked her several times if she was sure and she was sure. Doug and I were fuming. We took her to teh car and told her that because we spent quite a bit of money signing her up for soccer, that the next 8 times that H.D. goes to Wal-Mart to get a small toy for getting "green" all week at preschool, she will not get one. She responded by saying "do I get to go to Wal-Mart just not get to get a toy?". We said, "yes" and she said "I'm o.k. with that" ahhh I thought well, that's my child.
I am on vacation from work this next week (Labor Day week). Therefore, this week at work was SO long and I was tired, like, on Monday. Monday morning, my alarm went off and I hit the snooze button as I always do. Gigi had come into our bed and crawled in beside me. The next time the alarm went off she said, "it's o.k., got it, Mom" and she hit snooze. I though, that is pretty bad.
We also started working on "sight words" this week in the evenings after I got home from work. This was at the suggestion of my very smart friend Mary who is also a teacher. This was a successful adventure. We learned the words "is, my, we, up, to". Gigi is really into it (no surprise there). H.D. has to be bribed with a kit-kat to sit down and work on this words. BUT, he will do it and that is a HUGE step from where we were just a few weeks ago. I will not lie, this is pretty exhausting after a long day at work, but it is also something that I think we need to do and something that I feel will pay off. We are less than a year away from kindergarten!
The kids do not have allergies. The allergy testing was hellish. I should have NEVER taken them together. That was not the smartest move I have ever made. The allergiest was awesome, though. My Peds never lead me astray when it comes to referrals. H.D. volunteered to go first. He has been through so much, he usually takes things very well and the nurse did a great job of explaining the process. But, this did hurt and he cried. Gigi was standing there and didn't really help. She said, "Bub, you are bleeding, you have bleeding, oh my goodness". Which, in turn, made him cry harder. Then it was her time, yeah right. The nurse and I basically had to hold her down to get it done. I HATE having to do that, I will do it, but I hate it. I hated it when I worked at the Hosptial with other peoples kids and I hate doing it to mine. After all of this was over, the kids were totally fine to go back to school like nothing had happened, but I had to go back to work and I just really wanted to go home! The kids are able to come off of their Zyrtec. H.D. is able to go on an inhaler starting the beginning of September through March. This will helpfully ward off wheezing this winter and help us avoid those LONG breathing treatments. The doctor said that since his skin testing was negative that he will not become asthmatic. So, that was an awesome finding!
Until next time...
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