Monday, April 14, 2008

Another Life Cut Short

Only a year ago I wrote this post: A Mother's Tears, and now I find the words more true than ever as another senior on the brink of life, with her future stretched out before her, died in a car accident over the weekend. And her passenger is still not clear of death's unfair clutches...

Instead of a graduation party, her parents are planning her funeral. Sometimes life is so unfair.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Just Like Little Adults Sometimes

You that fascination with photocopying one's own buttocks? I don't get it, either. But apparently my 3 year old son does...

He brings me his digital camera (the one I bought him so he'd just poop on the potty already) and is flipping through his pics, and he laughs as he shows me one he took with his pants off. What made him decide to put the camera back there and flash away, I have no idea. But it proves I understand the male mind of a boy just as much as that of his father....

Anyway, my 5 year old meanwhile acts as if she's ARRIVED. The same night I got to view Rugger's derrier, I was about to turn on Survivor, and Pumpkin cocks her head and notes, "Survivor...I used to love that show when I was four" in a voice that says that's SO behind her now...

Birdie, meanwhile, has learned to crawl almost as well as her brother and is realizing that wherever he goes, there's usually something more fun (translated: off limits) to be seen, so you'll often catch her trailing behind him. It's very cute, and I'm really loving this stage right now, despite the still sleepless nights.

Well, I splurged and got a quad stroller so I can walk again. It's been almost a year. Well, basically I stopped walking when the twins were born, so a few more months. But it FEELS like forever. My friend who is pregnant and due in June asked me how I possibly walked during my pregnancy as much as I did (almsot 2 miles almost daily) and especially with twins, since she felt wore out with just one and not walking that much. I told her I honestly didn't know, that perhaps part of me instinctly knew I was going to need to build up my strength for taking care of twins I didn't know were there, yet.

But I DO know it was very difficult. Every day it was a challenge, and every step was a battle. By the time the twins DID come, my lower body was skinnier than it is now. Though I weigh less due to the birth, technically I was skinnier then if you take off the belly.

So I'm ready to get back out there and walk again. I liked the time to think, and the kids love the ride, too. We went two weekends ago when it first got warm out, with the two strollers, and I loved walking that stretch again. The two older ones can only go about a block before they're wore out, so I kept trying to think of a way to walk without depending on someone else, which would be difficult for so many reasons.

And I kept looking for quad strollers within our budget. Most I saw cost over $1,000 and there was no way I was paying that. So when I found one on ebay for less than half, including shipping (which was over a forth of the cost), I just HAD to get it.

It should come early next week, and I can't wait. With these nice days, we've been out on the front porch (so it's like a giant playpen for the babies, as the backyard would be impossible with them eating everything in sight!) and the only thing missing is that walk. I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!

Let alone the nice weather means I eat less sweets. I just don't crave them as much when I'm happy outside. And the walk...oh, it just cleanses you, you know what I mean?

So, here's to Spring and all the good changes it will bring (school being out soon so Boom can be home, a trip to Pittsburgh - our stomping grounds as a family - including the zoo there, the babies turning a year old, and no more bundling to go outside.)

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Six Word Memoir

I was tagged by Thicket Dweller, so here it is:

I'm sandwiched between memories, dreams.

Not exactly Nobel worthy, but there ya go. My attempt on few hours of sleep and very little sanity.

I don't know who to tag because no one reads this blog! But thank you, Thicket, for tagging me just the same! It made my day to think you cared :)

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

On the Move!

Stray paper, pencils, crayons and kleenexes, beware! The girl has learned to crawl!

Booger (new nickname for the boy, and Birdie for the girl) has been crawling for over a month now, but his jealous sister had only mastered the backward's push and would cry in frustration as everyone around her moved with ease.

But no more. Today she actually crossed the entire room. By herself. And clapped for herself with pride!

It's so cute how these two are so their own person that many times I forget that they are considered twins. Of course, physically speaking they only share the dame DNA that their siblings share, and are only twins by the fact they shared a womb, so it should be no surprise that they are individuals. But at the same time, it's neat to see it so starkly when they are side-by-side.

Booger likes to move and is always smiling. My flirt. His tongue hangs out in mischief and glee. His brown eyes melt your heart and his smile warms it up. Birdie loves to smile big and yet is shy around strangers, hiding her face in my shirt. She loves to clap and put blankets over her head to hide her face. She is loud and her tears can drive you crazy, but her blue eyes light up the room when she's happy.

Rugger meanwhile is still as helpful as ever, and is the world's best big brother. He and Pumpkin can't wait for the twins to "grow up" and play, and frankly I can't either. Spring is calling, but for now we'll be limited on our outdoor excursions due to the babies insane desire to eat everything in site, be it ladybugs or rotting leaves, or possible dog poop if they find it. So we'll stick to the porch for this year, with walks inbetween.

I think the light is finally shining on this whole twins thing. At first it was SO very hard for me to process the shock and the reality of having TWO babies when we weren't totally prepared for even ONE baby. But now that they are here they both add they're own charm and love to our world, and I look forward to each moment with them. It's still tough, as it will be, but it's also more of a pleasure now that they are becoming a little more independent.

Even as I type this, they are racing each other on their chubby hands and knees, and I know this is the part of babyhood I'll miss the most. 8 months (9 in a few days!) is that turning point for me, and they become...I don't know how to explain it...more? More understanding of their world. More able to communicate. More fun to play with. More of a person that you can get to know.

Booger has figured out how to make a whistle sound when blowing air through a recorder, and Birdie will buzz away on the kazoo. Booger opens and closes doors just to see them swing on their hinges, and Birdie will tear a Kleenex to shreds for the sheer pleasure of ripping something.

Pumpkin has begun asking me why she won't be going to school, and I'm trying the best I can to explain it to her. She must have heard me explain un-schooling a few too many times, though, because she's determined to learn to read "on her own," which means I can't tell her what any words say. Of course, I tried explaining that SOMEONE has to tell her the word, she can't just make it up in her mind, but she insists that she'll learn on her own.

Oh, well. I hope she eventually starts to ask me, or I might start prodding a little more.

****************

On a separate note, though I'm not doing as much as I like, I have been reading the books for our monthly book club, and one that I LOVED was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's set in World War II in Molching, Germany and is narrated by Death himself. A very captivating book which had me in tears long before the story ended. I don't buy every book I like (I'd own the library!) but I bought this one. So if you haven't read it, do.

And now I must go for the day.