Jun 02
Everyone,
After a super late night last night (thanks Momster for the fun time!) and a very busy night with Butterfly and Professor, we decided to stay in and just have a down day.
Apparently, Butterfly is not allowed to watch Scooby Do. Every time she does, she has bad dreams. Last night’s dream was about a skeleton that no one could kill and it was in Nana’s house. Scary stuff! Professor woke up at least 2 times before she did, each time needing a binkie find and a back rubbing. Butterfly complained about the nightmare only about half an hour later. I snuggled in bed with her for about an hour, and then went back to my own bed and a huge crick in my neck. She got up to use the restroom. I kicked Juice out of bed (much to his annoyance) to go snuggle with her some more.
And once he was back in bed, Professor needed a binkie find. Then early this morning he cried again but found his binkie himself. Unfortunately, he woke me up. 6am baby. Thanks a lot kid!
The rest of the day has been filled with little fun tidbits. Like I went running (I know!) and left the kids, including Cappy, with Juice for 20 minutes. Not once, but twice did I see one of the brood in the middle of the street chasing after me.
I went to my annual girl lunch with my BFF Mink, sans kids. It was so nice to just sit and chat and be a friend and not a mom. We went to our usual place, which is a very old house converted into a small cafe. We both had caramelized pear and gorgonzola salads and half sandwiches (me: veggie with hummus, her: chicken). Mostly we talked about cars. I know, it’s a weird subject for a girl lunch but she just bought one so we discussed having the ones we have and getting new ones.
My mom and I spent nap time doing our annual cousin camp picture book for the kids. We are almost done! Now if only we can do last year’s book, we’ll be set.
We surprised my grandparents by going to see them this evening. My dad is taking pictures of all that side of the family and wanted to pick out the right spots and get his super cool lights set to the right setting. The kids charmed my grandparents and my aunt (who lives next door to my grandparents) and my dad got his pictures set up.
Everyone is in bed horribly late (yet again). We expect another fun filled day tomorrow!
Safire
Safirecousins, exercising, grandparents, kids in trouble, Mink and Spider cousins, Great Grands, Mink, nightmares
May 05
Everyone,
Today I was able to go visit a good friend without Butterfly. I took the boys along and it was SO easy. Who knew that I would say that having twins out of the house was easy. But one less kid seems to be a lot less work. Lala and I went running errands after, and even had a very nice lunch with the 3 babies (remember, her baby Mimi is about 6 weeks older than my boys) and just enjoyed some time without the older two.
Butterfly and Vinny had a grand old time with Vinny’s dad (who works second shift and is nice enough to watch the older kids during the day for us if we want to go out) and Butterfly cried when we had to leave. Poor kid.
Pirate is doing MUCH better. He actually ate something today, kept it down, and asked for more! Tonight after dinner his stomach was so tight and round it was so full. I swear, I get the most stress from these boys and their eating than anything else.
I took Butterfly out before dinner once Juice got home from work so we could pick out some fun things for her birthday party on Friday. This is my very first time hosting any kind of friend birthday party for my kids and I’m a little nervous. I’m hoping the weather will be okay enough for some play time outside but I think it’s going to rain. Again. We’ll have to see what we can do inside. I have a few games in mind and a treasure hunt to do so hopefully it will go okay.
After dinner, we put the kids down and I went back over to Lala’s and exercised with her tonight. We end up laughing too hard to do the moves sometimes. I don’t know how much we actual exercise happens, but we are at least trying. And I can tell my endurance is up. I’m hoping to be able to do some serious hiking in Moab when we go with my parents. Well, about as serious as you can get with a 4 year old and a huge stroller with babies (I guess they are toddlers now huh?!) inside. Either way, I don’t want to feel horribly out of shape so I go and laugh and try to get the “drop, deep drop” thing down.
Now that I’m finally home for the evening (10 pm or so) I’m off to bed. I think I’ll sleep well tonight!
Safire
Safireexercising, Lala and Vinny
Mar 19
Everyone,
My friend Lala (not to be confused with Lolli, or maybe you do…either way, different people) came over today to exercise. We typically get together twice a week, once at her house and once at mine. She has a fascination with Belly dancing for fitness so that is what we have been doing. It’s been a lot of fun.
Today she mentioned she wanted to do some deep stretching so I convinced her we should do my post-natal yoga tape. Well, she consented to watch it, I did the yoga. She made funny comments about the ladies and their babies, I worked on stretching out my back and shoulders. She left feeling a little better, and I ended feeling A TON better. I do so love to do my yoga.
Also today, we went to the resource center with Lolli and AJ. And although we didn’t have the chance to talk a ton, the kids all had a great time. My 3 even took a 2 hour nap when we got home! Yay! (That was when I did my yoga.)
Butterfly insists lately on playing surprise. She makes up these elaborate “sets” full of her toys she has hidden underneath blankets and buckets. We are then to say, word for word, her script and she acts totally surprised. It’s very cute and fun the first 3 or 4 times. After that, I get bored and tell her to either change the toys or change the words. She opts for neither and changes the people involved. In other words, she lets me go do something else while she acts out all the parts, word for word.
Today she insisted on playing surprise at the resource center and I had to flat out tell her to play something else. We probably spent a good half hour playing surprise with the lamb, pig, chicken nesting toy. Pirate spent most of his visit slack jawed and having a great time. And Professor got himself stuck in the play house while trying to go through the door. What a fun family I have!
Book club tonight! I’m going to be tired tomorrow.
Safire
Safirebook club, Butterfly, exercising, Lala and Vinny, Lolli, P and P, resource center
Mar 11
Everyone,
I think I go in cycles of being all okay with everything, and then I can’t seem to get ANYTHING done. I feel like my days are so full but I also feel like I never do anything. Like today. I didn’t get a shower until 5pm.
But looking back at the day I don’t have anything to show for my time. It’s not like I was busy baking or scrapbooking or anything. I did take a nap this morning while the boys were napping and Butterfly was watching her show. I don’t think I’ve napped in months. I could use another one.
I did exersise with my friend this afternoon while the boys took their second nap and Butterfly had quiet time in her room. And when the kids are all up, I spend time playing with them and feeding them (a huge chore lately, another post for another time) and cleaning them.
Needless to say I did NOT get all the birthday stuff ironed out and will have to work on it some more in a few days. I also did NOT get any laundry done, or even planned for my good friend Karen’s visit tomorrow. Planned as in printed out directions and packed the diaper bag. I have some time in the morning that I will be able to do that but still. I wanted at least a list of things to gather up in the morning done tonight. (Yes, I am one of those people who makes lists of things I should do.)
I think we’re going to have a great time tomorrow. I am either very brave or very foolish but Karen is coming to spend the day with me in Baltimore and then we’ll meet up with another good friend Deanna in Annapolis later. This is the first time I am taking all 3 kids out doing something touristy by myself. Karen will be there so she can help me keep an eye on Butterfly but she also has a baby of her own so we shall see how it goes. We may end up spending a lot of time in the car because everyone will be contained there.
Wish me luck!
Safire
Safireblog meetings, daily stuff, exercising, Karen, Lala and Vinny
Dec 09
Everyone,
Want a Wii Fit? So do I. Magpie Musings is giving one away. (Don’t forget about my own giveaway here!) The rule is you are supposed to post an exercise story on your blog and then how a Wii Fit would change your life. So here is my story:
I have a very vibrant (read willful) 3 year old and almost 8 month old twin boys. I do not go to the gym because of the sheer magnitude of getting out of the house. When I do get out, it’s an hour long preparation on my part to be anywhere near on time for anything. And that prep has to start after I get myself all ready. And if the boys are awake during that prep, forget it! I will be late and flustered and sweaty. Except now it’s cold here and so I’m more icy than sweaty.
My timeline:
1 hour before: start packing diaper bag. Experts say to just keep the bag stocked and ready to go or stock it when you get home. I can never do that. I use stuff out of the bag during the day. So I have to wander around the house picking up things like my slings, toys, wipes, diapers, and snacks for the 3 year old. Most of the time she tries to help pack the bag and I get places and realize I’ve “forgotten” some of it. (She likes to be helpful and take them back out and put them away.) This step takes anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 depending on how helpful she is and how much stuff I need on any particular outing.
30 minutes before: decide on stroller. This can be tricky. Am I going to be doing a lot of quick in and out of the car? The car seat stroller would be better. Am I going to be doing a lot of walking? BOB might be best. Is it a small space? Then I better take the car seat stroller. Once I’ve decided on the stroller, I have to switch them out of the back of the van. Because I never seem to need one stroller over and over. I seem to flip flop between the two. So in heading out the door to the van (which is hopefully parked in the closest parking spot in our lot, still a good 20 feet away) my 3 year old decides she wants to come and help too! So I have to find her socks, fight with her to get them on (no I want to do it…tries…will you help me?…I help…no I want to do it myself…tries…will you help me? maddening!) She decides she wants to wear her boots after she has one shoe on and will not let me help her along. She can get her coat on but can’t start the zipper. I have to start only the first 2 or 3 teeth so she can zip the rest up. Crying and pouting will ensue if you zip more than you’re allowed. I throw shoes and my coat on and lug BOB out to the van. BOB weights around 23 lbs so it’s quite a load. This takes at least 15 minutes.
15 minutes before: get the boys ready. In the summer, it was easy to snap them into their car seats in minutes and go. Now that it’s freezing cold here, they have to have coats on. Someone always needs a diaper change. Sometimes they need a whole outfit change. They both need to be stuffed into their coats. I put Pirate’s hat on at least 3 times between now and walking out the door because he has learned to take it off and thinks it’s funny. Coats on, in car seats, all set. Whew. I might be on time. I look around for the three year old and find that she has taken off every article of clothing from the waist down and her coat because she had to go potty and it’s hot. Round up her scattered clothes, fight with her to put them on, and get yelled at for forgetting her mittens.
15 minutes after we were supposed to leave: finally start to walk out the door. One or both of the boys have been crying because it’s hot in their coats in the house but outside they are fine. Haul both of them (over 17lbs now) and their car seats (which weigh around 5 lbs each), one in each hand, to the van. Consider doing a few arm curls with them to strengthen my arms and decide against it. Have you lifted those things? They are heavy!
Help all three kids into the car. Wrestle with the 3 year old’s straps and finally get her buckled in. Realize I’ve forgotten the diaper bag. Mad dash back to the house, pick up the bag and run back to the van. Realize both the boys have pulled their hats around so they can’t see and are screaming. Fix that. Give 3 year old a crayon or whatever toy she wants and take off her mittens. Put them back on because she is cold. She takes them off, and cries. I finally give up and we are headed out.
In the coarse of getting ready, I have lifted close to 75 lbs (total), walked at least half a mile, and have ice sweat running off my forehead. There is no way I am going to the gym to get all sweaty and tired and then have to do this again to get home.
How could a Wii Fit change my life? I wouldn’t have to do this to get to the gym. Which means I might actually exercise. And then my arms might actually be strong enough to start carrying the boys everywhere without the car seats. That is coming up soon.
Help me Magpie. I’m facing a long winter inside with 3 very small people. I need some yoga to help me deal with it.
Safire
PS- Want to know about my twins group? Go here and click on “Multiples Support Groups” on the right hand menu. It’s about 2 minutes long. I’m not in it, but it’s a glimpse into what my life is going to be like next year with twin toddlers.
PS- Want to hear my boys mentioned in a food podcast? Go here. We are mentioned about half way in. And honestly, their expert didn’t say anything I didn’t know before. So yay, things are going well! The boys now LOVE their solid food and I’m glad I stopped and started again when they were a little older.
Safireblog fun, daily stuff, exercising, MCPOM
Feb 02
Everyone,
I have started going to a yoga class on Thursdays at my new gym. It’s not just a regular yoga class, it’s a power yoga class. That really should have been my first clue. I have never done yoga before. And I want to do power yoga? Am I crazy?
The first time I think I was just ignorant as to what the yoga class would be like. Basically they use different yoga positions in rapid succession (for yoga) to raise your heart rate. I feel kind of silly doing things named downward dog and cobra. It also made me think of the Native Americans because a lot of the names were warrior-like or had eagles or what not in them. I actually had a pretty good time the first class. I felt very limber and figured I’d go again.
And then the day after came. My arms, my neck, my feet were so so sore. I could barely move. Juice made fun of me all day for going to power yoga.
I must have forgotten how much I was sore because I went back. Yesterday we did a lot of deep stretching in our legs and back. This morning, I can barely walk. Mostly it’s my lower back, my shoulders and backs of my legs.
But I go because I feel like I am very stiff and I’d like to be a little more limber. This will either limber me up or make me more stiff. I’d like to believe all the hype about yoga so I’ll try and continue to go. Now to shuffle off to the couch and nurse my back.
Safire
Safireexercising
Nov 16
Everyone,
Last January, like most people, I made a resolution to get in shape. I figured I was healed enough from giving birth to try and loose some of the baby fat. Okay, I really didn’t have any baby fat. I actually lost 30 pounds during my pregnancy. Yeah, 30. I was many pounds lighter at my 6 week post baby appointment than I was my first prenatal appointment. Hate me now? Sorry.
Anyway, I wanted to get a little more in shape. Especially since we were going to Hawaii and I wanted to look really good in a bathing suit. So I joined the local Y, and looked at their class schedules. One that kind of stuck out to me was spinning at 6am. I started taking it so Juice could be home with Butterfly and I could get back before he had to be into work.
My first class I thought I was going to die. Seriously, it was so hard! My heart was pounding, my legs were pounding, even my head was pounding. But I was determined. The second class was worse. I could barely make 10 minutes on the bike, let alone 1 hour. My butt was sore, my legs, my abs, everything. I was achy for days.
But then it started to get better. I started to actually be able to do what the teacher asked. I was starting to not be so sore for days. And I started to feel really good. I could tell when I missed a class because I had no energy that week. So I bumped it up to 2 classes a week. The teacher is hysterical, and has really good music. The other class members are a mix between old and young. I think I’m the only one with a small child at home.
Since I started babysitting, I haven’t been able to go to my spin class 2 days a week. I just go on Thursday morning. I went today and I am tired. I haven’t been for a few weeks, and I’m not going to be able to go for another 2 weeks (Thanksgiving and then Juice is out of town). But I’m so glad I went today. I feel like I can take on the world!
As long as I’m sitting down because we did a lot of dipping below the saddle today and I am SORE.
Safire
Safireexercising
