Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers

Saturday, April 28

(Sigh)

I think I have blogger writer's block. I can't muster up the motivation to sit down and compose a post! I've started writing a couple different times, became frustrated because I couldn't write more than 2 sentences before I ran out of things to say. I would start and then decide no one really wanted to read that, this isn't my personal venting venue. So I'm sorry that it's been a while; I was on such a hot streak of posting 2-3 times a week! But I must have used up all of my inspiration. So I'll just throw some pics at you...


Kelsey loving that kitty will let her get that close! (It gets SO sunny here
that the cat tries to catch a nap before the kids notice)


I put these overalls on her, then realized they came with a hat!
It didn't stay on very long:)



So proud that she climbed up by the kitty - kitty not so happy.


They LOVE the ball pit and play in it EVERY day.


Sunday, April 22

Remember When...

...it was spring outside? What happened? It has been downright chilly these last couple days. I was looking through our camera's memory and found some photos of the kids playing in their sandbox. And that feels like it happened MONTHS ago! Of course the days are flying by for us. I have been working different shifts and filling in for people on vacation, so by the time I get home it's late or I'm exhausted (why the blog's been quiet this week).

Oh, and I think the kids recovered from all of their shots. The only side effects I noticed were sad little bruises on the arm that received 2 shots and that they have been taking 2 naps EVERY DAY. Some day do you think they will develop way to deliver vaccinations WITHOUT injections? I asked the pediatrician - with how extreme advances in technology are, there must be something in the works.






(I wanted to add more pictures but the computer is acting strange...ahhh...technology)




Sunday, April 15

Nurses Call the Shots

1 year check-up on Wednesday - I know it is weeks after their actual birthday but the office always claims to never have a double appointment time that works. A common response from them, "what is your child's name? (Kelsey and Drew) Oh, you have twins; I forgot." Thanks for making me feel special! I get it, you see a zillion kids a week, month, year - why would you remember mine - but fake like you care.

So the kids ended up being *smaller* than I thought. Although they scored in the 75th and 90th percentile for height (clearly NOT taking after their parents), they were 20th and 30th for weight. D is 19.75 and K 19.1. They just feel heavier, especially Drew. Poor dudes had to get 3!! shots in their arm and a finger prick (which wouldn't stop bleeding so I have little spots all over my shirt) for an iron/anemia check.

The funniest thing we heard at the appt is when the pediatrician asked if we cut the kids hair yet. We told her only Drew's and then she said Kelsey's hair looks like it's styled - oh sweet doctor lady,that's au natural; her hair does what it wants (sorry Kels, I think you got mom's unruly hair gene!).

To redeem his "Super Dad" title, Craig has gotten the kids to nap in their cribs. Usually we would just put them on the floor with a blanket or recently with their new nap mats (I don't know if it was easier/lazier to not put them in their crib or safety leaving one behind while you put the first one to bed). They have been showing more obvious signs of being sleepy so he quickly trucked them upstairs and put them to bed. It's been working out nicely, except when one kid doesn't want to nap at that time - and just sits in their crib and cries or talks and eventually falls asleep. But then the other kid wakes up while the other is still sleeping, then what? We're still trying to figure it all out but hope that it continues to be the napping trend!


There are no OSHA regulations here, therefore Kelsey doesn't
need pants to work "construction":)


The "tie-shirt" says I'm formal, but I like to be able to bust a move.
 (He has 3 others that our crafty sitter made for his birthday present)


Thursday, April 12

"I'm Elmo and I Know it"

First, I hope some of you have seen this music video parody, especially if you have little kids. It is a spoof of LMFAO's "I'm Sexy and I Know it" (the video isn't kid-appropriate). Our kids LOVE any song by LMFAO and their little bodies just start grooving to the songs anytime they hear it. So when someone at school told Craig about the Elmo version, we had to show them. And they just go CRAZY! Sometimes Drew gets so excited he lays on the floor and shakes his head like he's possessed.

(Kelsey gets her little hips swaying during the song - any song really)

Monday, April 9

Hoppy Easter

We were able to visit most of our family this holiday weekend. The kids received more candy/treats than they will ever be able to consume (i.e. mom and dad will be eating it). Kelsey is becoming less clingy around groups of people she isn't totally familiar with. I think it was bothering Craig, but she certainly is at a "stranger-danger" age, so I didn't lose any sleep over it. She's always been our Miss Independent and she's quick to let us know what she's comfortable with.  They had fun "rearranging" grandma's decor that was placed at optimal baby level.

Craig is on spring break and playing Mr. Mom (actually it started last Friday). He will have a little help later this week so that he can tend to our sad yard/landscaping. As you can imagine, we hardly touched our yard last summer.

Craig's first day off last Friday, I had given him the "Super Dad" title; and by 2 p.m. I had taken it back! He called me on my cell phone twice and then at work because Kelsey cut her thumb and wouldn't stop bleeding. We couldn't find anything sharp so the mystery stands as to "what" cut her. She had cried so hard that she fell asleep sitting up while Craig was applying pressure! I know it wasn't his fault but I have to raz him a little on his first day alone with both kids:)


I bandaged it up until bath time because she wouldn't let us touch it!


Playing with toys at grandma's


Kelsey opening one Easter basket


Drew hanging with cousins by great-grandma's Easter tree


She's a one-shoe kid, can't keep both of them on!


And today they went to the zoo because Auntie Cassandra came to visit!


Friday, April 6

Peek-a-boo

Truly one of the first "games" babies learn. We've played it with the kids but it's mostly us (the adults) hiding and the kids pulling the blanket down. The sitter has told me she plays with the kids and lately it shows! Kelsey will go into her tee pee, close the "door" and play peek-a-boo until...something else distracts her:) But so cute - here's a video of her:

Wednesday, April 4

And The Teacher Of The Year Is...

Mr. Bonin! I have to tell you all because Craig is too modest/humble to tell anyone but his family. He's been a teacher for 10 years and even though I might be bias, he could have EASILY won it each year. His students adore him and not because he's all gooey with them. Craig is fair and treats them all equal, doesn't have favorites (or at least doesn't show it in the classroom!). And the kids see his honest treatment and, for the most part, respect him for that. He isn't all "teacher-y" - he absolutely knows what it's like to be that kid in class that is bored or uninterested in the lesson, that is only thinking about getting outside to throw the ball around. He understands that every kid can't be "good" in every subject; and then finds a way to teach a less exciting subject so that the students are engaged to learn.

He has always taught in the Milwaukee Public School System - some years were better than others. Earlier in his career, he was working with less fortunate students in a not-so-nice part of the city. There were days he would have to take kids home; we also took a couple of them to Marquette or Bucks games. We would "adopt" a kid or two from that school to buy Christmas gifts for. In those years, it wasn't always about teaching the appropriate school subjects but teaching life. Alot of those students dealt with family members who had been shot/killed, living in shelters, single-parent homes, or the only time they ate was what the school provided that day. Those kids needed a stable, grounded adult in their life and Craig was it. They would call him at home if they were having problems, ask to go to the ball game with him, one kid in foster care even asked if Craig would adopt him.

The past 3 years Craig has been at what I consider a "better" school. This year he has 34 (!!) students. 10 or so are special needs or need "alternative" types of teaching. He spends a lot of his free time diversifying his lessons for the next week to accommodate all of the students; to make sure he his doing everything HE can to help each kid understand the material he is teaching. Being a teacher is SO MUCH more than just standing in front of the class, presenting the material to the students. (I realize you might know this but GOOD teachers spend time, their own time to prepare).

He reminisces about former students; how he saw that some of them graduated (which makes him feel OLD but I tell him that if you taught 4/5th grade and they were 8-9-10 years old and you've been teaching for 10 years, then some of them are in college even), or playing high school sports or just asking if I remember so-and-so and telling stories about those certain students. There is no doubt in my mind that these kids have left their mark on Craig. Up until recently, a student from his first or second year teaching would call just to talk and catch up.

Now I remember all of my teachers, even think about how certain ones impacted my life, learning, helped me in any fashion. But I never thought about CALLING one of them or emailing them in the summer. And I have stated loud and clear, to anyone who will listen, that I would not trade places with a teacher - their job can be mostly thankless, with hard work, and sometimes with no incentive. I don't have the patience or stamina to keep up with a class of kids. I have always admired Craig for being/wanting to be a teacher. There are days when I think he wishes he picked a different major in college but teaching is truly a calling for him. He makes it look effortless and makes me wish I had him as a teacher when I struggled through elementary math.

I think this sums it up: "It's so great to hear of people being recognized and acknowledged for what they do and for how well they do it."


(sorry this pic is umm..."off"; I tried to secretly scan it without Craig knowing)

Monday, April 2

Birthday Gifts

Here are some pics of the kids using some of the super birthday gifts they got!




Big kid chairs for morning drinks





I find her in her teepee, just sitting, hanging out


So snugly in their nap mats



Loving the "construction" toy - basically the noise buttons are her favorite!