14 Months 1 Week - Who is "Bob" Anyway?

Mt. Shasta on the drive up to Oregon

This week, we started our overland tour of the Pacific Northwest. Paul and I left for the Upper Klammath Lake, Oregon, a 6 and a half-hour drive, last week. The girls did well, with a couple stops at vista points and rest stops. All the while, we giggled at their entertaining noises: gibberish, what we call "speaking Hawaiian (lots of vowels in their language) punctuated with thoughts and stories about some friend of theirs named "Bob" (example: "Duhba, duhba yeah deka munna Bob.") We arrived at our destination, still wondering about who was "Bob," at Rocky Pointe Resort, in time to unpack and give the girls a little walking tour before our 6pm dinner reservation.

Dinner was fine, but not served quickly enough for the girls who were tired. Squirmy and then finally in melt-down mode, we left the restaurant with the rest of our dinner in doggie bags and tried to put the girls down for the night. We played cards outside the motel room in the hopes that they would fall asleep and then we could again re-enter and sleep ourselves without disturbing them. However, the mosquitoes chased us back inside. We attempted to hide in the nook of the bathroom to avoid being seen, but Tina decided that it was more fun to try to seduce us into playing with her than to sleep. A sleepless night for us and our neighbors (we made our apologies in the morning), but they proved to be much better sleepers during the rest of our week at the Family Reunion in Sunriver.

Now we're up at Grandpa's house in Washington, after dropping Daddy at the airport so he can go back to work. It's overcast and cloudy, and not ideal boating weather, but we hope that, as the sun creeps out sometime tomorrow, we will make our way out into the islands for a week aboard Kairos, my dad's troller, with Grandpa and Aunt Ainsley.

13 Months 3 Weeks - Teething, Sleep or Sibling Rivalry?

OK - I don't know what happened the last week, but my kids are totally off. Sleeping's an issue, food is issue, Tina's been dealing with a fever and they've begun a shoving match when it comes to who gets to be closer to Mommy.

The sleeping issues: Tina's started to protest her naps, especially with the nanny, and Ava has started using bed-time as a 3rd nap, awaking an hour later and shrieking to get out. Twice, we've relented and she's stayed up an additional 4 hours until she gets tired again. Is teething pain causing this?

The food issues: They will usually eat whatever's on their plate, but take excessive joy in fruits and zucchini. For some reason - heat or overstimulation - they are not as accepting. Nearly half of their food ends up being chucked unappreciatively to the ground (which reminds me, we need to either move their highchairs so they are directly above a composting pile, or start allowing our dog into the kitchen! I'm even getting tired of cleaning the splat mats I bought just for this "issue"). Especially soft, squishy things are flung first, so, again, I think... perhaps they're teething?

This is the kicker (no pun intended): They have both started pushing the other if they get "too close" to Mommy. This leads the pushed one to shriek. When I pick up the one in tears, the other one bursts into tears as well, melting into the floor like the Wicked Witch of the West. So, now I have them both on my lap, both in tears, and both continue to try to push the other off so they can get "the Mommy." I've spent 30 minutes trying to resolve their issues, proving that Mommy loves them both. However, I've found that the only solution is to leave them both in their huddled melt-down and get the stroller ready amid their screams. Getting out of the house and distracted by a play ground or a busy street is my best fix so far.

Lo and behold: the SFMOM's next group meeting (last night) is focused on sleep issues with the Bay Area's reknown expert, Noelle Cochran, presenting. Another great time for review and ask her opinion about these changes (nothing like free advice, right?). Just to share, here are some notes I took from the presentation:

• at 3-4 months kids can self-soothe - start "teaching them to sleep" and establish good sleeping patterns
• the body produces melotonin (muscle relaxer) during sleep and cortisol, a stress hormone, when they need sleep. Cortisol makes people wired, giddy and clumsy - need to put babies down before the cortisol hits their bodies or it's a struggle
• Babies should have a consistent bedtime (within a 1/2 hour everyday) between 6-8pm.
• 7-11pm non-REM sleep then they transition into REM, which is necessary for life
• kids 0-6mo should sleep every 2 hours after their last waking (not according to a clock, but their last waking)
• kids 6mo or older should sleep on a schedule according to clock
• first 2 years, babies need at least 11 hours at night (not including naps)
• 12-18 mos. Separation anxiety changes their sleep habits
• play hide-and-seek to help/practice with separation anxiety
• it takes 1-2 weeks for a sleep issues to become a bad/good habit
• The need to suck (non-nutritional like with a pacifier) ends at 6mo. You should take away pacifiers by then or it can become a sleep issue
• Night terrors - babies still asleep even if standing up with eyes open - don't interfere or wake them

Of course, there is so much more than this, but, this is my 3rd time seeing her speak and some of it I don't need to take down anymore. It seems that Noelle thinks that separation anxiety is playing into this and she's not convinced that Ava is actually awake at her 10-11pm protest. It may be night terrors - I'll have to be a better observer to confirm. It is something I never considered before!

The Yak is Coming!

Totally off-topic and a throw-back to my "old life."

OK - if there were keywords for this entry, they would be "philanthropy lover," "ex-corporate worlder," "education-lover," "consumer of books," and "follower of Allison's old philanthropy drum."

Seems my old grassroots literacy group, Room to Read, is growing by leaps and bounds (is it a coincidence that it happened as I left to start a family?). The idea started in Nepal with one vacationing book-lover and a school in need. The yak makes an appearance a few trips later filled on both sides with books coming from all over the world; the result of one plea and one email. John Wood, who started the whole fire by being an interested traveler who penned the email, is coming out with a book. I haven't read it either, but I followed his directions to get a "free" exert and a strike at trying to create a wave of interest from the outside world. John, always aiming high, hopes to create a best-seller. We will help bring the world, right??

Here's the deal straight from my friend John Wood, the founder of the Non-Profit:

"We are hoping to enlist an army of over 5,000 "buzz agents" who will spread the word about the book and book-related events during my 20-city, 3-month tour. There are 500 of you on this mailing list, so we're 10% there! I'm asking for your help in getting the other 4,500 ... ideally by the end of next week!
Here's how it works. I'm asking each of you to email or talk live with 10 friends whom you think might be impressed with Room to Read's mission and who might enjoy hearing more about our story. All they have to agree to do is to receive a FREE electronic copy of Chapter 1, which chronicles my first visit to a rural Nepali school that had 450 students, but less than 20 books. It was here that the vision of Room to Read was born.
To receive a copy, all you, or they, have to do us reply to this email with the words "Chapter 1" in the Subject line. (Or email book@roomtoread.org). We'll then email you and each of your friends Chapter 1, along with a request that they become "buzz agents" themselves.The power to create a best-seller, and to raise millions for Room to Read, is in our hands. It's no longer the major media who turn books into best sellers - it's the average person, and the power of their networks.

Go ahead...get a free copy! It's really a phenominal story when you hear him tell it - and his writing is probably pretty good, too!

One True Media - What a Beautiful Thing!

Create your own video at One True Media

This is amazing! I saw one that one of my fellow twin-mom bloggers did in honor of her husband on Father's Day and had to do one of my own. No special reason, just a test and a tribute to the last 13 months....warning: give yourself about 10 mins to see the whole thing...I got a little carried away.

Parenting Book Club - "The Early Birds" by Jenny Minton

Sometimes I'm stunned (and flattered) to realize that others besides my family and friends read this blog with some interest. I was recently contacted by a media PR publicists who's representing a book. She represents author Jenny Minton who writes of her first years as a new twin mom. And, since her baby boys came early (as they usually do), she's named her book "The Early Birds."

This PR rep sent me a complimentary copy to read and it arrived by UPS today. I'm actually really excited to read it. I'm tempted to put my "regular" book club book (currently "The Time Traveler's Wife") back in the book shelf - especially since I'll be out of town when we meet to discuss it - so I can start earlier on "The Early Birds." What I'll probably end up doing is keeping one at home and the other in the car for when the kids fall asleep in route to "wherever" so I can have something to do while I wait for them to awaken from their slumber.

I'm flattered to be sent a copy and was excited to hear that the author herself would like to chat so that I could better understand it and pass on my opinions and thoughts (not hard to give) of her book. I'm so excited about that opportunity and will keep you all updated when significant thoughts are formed (I know there are a few twin moms who read with regularity). Additionally, if anyone wants to join me in my new book-club-of-one, please do. I'll be happy to collect questions to field to the author as we explore. The book can be purchased here at the Amazon website.

Walk A Mile In Their Shoes and Help Their Child To Walk

Taylor Frederiksen

Old friends sometimes have the funniest way of reappearing. It's always wonderful to reconnect with people who used to be a regular part of your life and see what they've accomplished or how they've grown since the "time before."

While in my mid- to late-20's, I used to spend a lot of time with a group of friends who included Poul Frederiksen (who also used to go by the nickname "T. P." or "Tall Poul"). I had since heard that he'd moved to Sacramento, was getting married and having a baby. I'd also heard that he was moving to Colorado, but didn't really know why or hear much more details than that.

Again through the grapevine, I heard that he was doing a fundraiser of some sorts and got the email chain-letter with the web-link to the site. I was amazed to find out the fundraiser was for his beautiful daughter, Taylor, the one I heard he was expecting, who is three years old now and has a form of Cerebral Palsy (CP). The CP has made it difficult for her to learn to walk and Poul and his wife, Andi, have been working hard and proactively to ensure her eventual success.

Taylor's Peak Climb is the fundraising event Poul and Andi have planned to help Taylor through her proactive, yet expensive, treatment (much of the treatment they have found effective is not covered by health insurance). They have invited people to come, participate, and hike along with them in an effort to participate in their challenges, see life through their eyes and support their hope for their child's mobility. Along with their supporters, they plan to tackle two of the local 14,000' high mountains, Gray's and Torrey's peaks, the following weekend beginning July 14th. Of course, I was personally touched by their story and their willingness to include and inspire people to challenge themselves with them during their climb. With my girls, I could not venture out on such an ambitious hike with them, but of course, sent what money I could. As I told Poul, it's not much, but I hope with other contributions, it will work to create dreams and miracles. If you're equally inspired, perhaps you will also contribute, which you can do here.

Before I met Poul, I used to live in Colorado and challenged some of their famous "14-ers" myself. I know how difficult and unpredictable, but beautiful and rewarding those climbs can be. I've also learned that the mountains of parenthood require much more stamina than Colorado's 14-ers, especially when your child has extra hurdles to negotiate and learn. Kudos to you, Poul and Andi, for tackling them both! We hope that Taylor lives her dreams and is able to hike with you on her own one day. God bless everyone this next weekend who will join you, willing to walk a couple miles with you and live as close as they can to "your shoes."
To read more about Taylor and/or CP, visit the Frederiksen's family website.

13 Months 2 weeks - Little Miss Independences

Ava & Bettina - Serene Lakes' Parade Queens

Well, we spent the last week up at my sister's house in Tahoe. It was a big week for them as Patrick (my brother-in-law) transitioned from being a Donner Summit fireman to Truckee. The merge has been an idea for years and means that Patrick (as well as the others absorbed) will have better benefits and pay. Patrick was elated to learn that he was reassigned to the "main" station in Truckee which means he'll have more "toys" to play with and a larger scale of call types. At Donner Summit, he got a lot of I-80 traffic accidents and ski calls from the 3 nearby ski resorts (Sugar Bowl, Donner, and Soda Springs). Now, he gets a ladder truck, a river rescue truck and boat and a Care Flight helicopter with whom he can work.

There was a grand pinning ceremony to mark the transition and firemen and representative came from miles and miles to attend. There must have been 40-something firetrucks out in the parking lot. Everyone from CDF (California Dept. of Fire), Reno, Truckee, Squaw Valley, Northstar, etc. were there. It was very touching and even Patrick got emotional.

That was followed by a giant celebration and reunion for all who ever worked for Donner Summit Fire before the station was retired and changed to Truckee Fire. Again, firemen both current and of yore gathered at Sugar Bowl Resort for a top-notch bar-b-que with memorabilia and toasts and stories that were told throughout the night.

Saturday was the big Serene Lakes neighborhood parade and the local firemen (Patrick and Dennis) brought up the fire trucks to make the scene all patriotic and complete. And, who but his only nieces, Ava and Bettina got to ride in the truck right up front with him!! They didn't seem to be bothered by the noise, which is actually much muted while inside the cab rather than standing out in front. They donned their most patriotic, star-studded dresses and leaned out the windows to watch all who were watching them. Definitely the queens of the parade.

Daddy came up on the train to visit over the weekend and joined us on the Homeowners' Beach and to do some more hiking. To see a whole mess of photos, click here. We had a lot of fun on our long trip and it gave me the practice of figuring out what to pack for our next long trip - a month up north in Oregon & Washington.

Posting to the blog may be difficult up there. I think most everyone I'm visiting is on dial up - not the easiest and I may just wait and save myself some frustration. We'll see...

Ava and Tina are teething again, I think. They are working on teeth numbers 7 and 8. Funny, they have the same number of teeth and they come in just about the same time. However, they aren't the same teeth. Ava's got more on top and Tina on the bottom! Funny...