Tahoe Bliss

Just to balance our week, here's a look at some of the fun we had before the stomach flu afflicted our house. More pictures can be seen by clicking here.

Sick

When a child gets sick, especially a little one, it is usually at least disruptive. Our recent ordeal with being sick, however, just absolutely sent the whole family in a tail-spin and through the wringer! It all started with a lovely vacation to the snow...

Along with my mom, Paul's sisters, and a cousin and their families, a total of about 20 people, we trekked up to a rented cabin near my sister's place in Tahoe. A weekend filled with the promise of bonding with family and frolicking in the snow - something Ava in particular had been requesting since mid-January. One slight concern: my sister had just recovered from the stomach flu. Our remedy was to just not visit her for 24-hours.

The weather was great! Snow flurries gave the kids the essence and excitement of magic while it was still too little to prove any inconvenience for driving or shoveling. Our cabin had snow up to the 2nd story balcony, so with just a quick hop out of the family room, kids and dads (bigger kids) were quickly enjoying making snowballs and sledding down little bunny hills. All was wonderful for the first 36-hours.

Then, in the middle of Saturday night, Ava woke up saying her tummy hurt and quickly started to get sick. "Must have been the chocolate you let her have," my husband tells me. "Must have been all the sledding with no nap," I think as we argue and pull off bedsheets, trying frantically to clean up. Fifteen minutes later, she's at it again. Ah! It's clearly neither. It's Aunt Ainsley's stomach flu!! Poor Ava is up every 40-minutes all night long. Finally, at around 6am, she sleeps. The upside to the night is that she's become an expert of where to put the "yuckies" when they come. This is good, especially considering that our rental didn't come with spare bed sheets. We've gone through all the bed sheets on the bed as well as all the spare towels from the bathroom. I had to do 2-loads of laundry during the night.

All seems well for the car ride home. However, for some strange reason, I'm getting all sorts of Braxton-Hicks contractions. They arrive every 3-5 minutes, so I call the on-call nurse. I'm instructed to lie down when we get home, drink lots of water, and count contractions for an hour. "Don't get up," she says. Paul busily unpacks while I lay down and count. About 45-minutes into my hour, Ava comes in. "My bee-boo hurts again, Mommy," Ava says. I call for Paul, hoping he can take her to the bathroom. He's not listening. I tell Ava to find Daddy. She goes halfway down the hall and comes back again to throw up all over me and the bed. Oh, man. So much for my hour. I strip the bed, myself and her and start another 2-loads of laundry, hoping that everything will be clean before we go to sleep. After a second hour of counting, the contractions get better, but aren't quiet enough for the nurse who instructs me to check into OB Emergency at the hospital for observation. They continue to lighten at the hospital and they release me, telling me to call my doctor in the morning for more instructions.

I go home, dog tired, and crawl into bed, praying that Ava is done with her sickness. Seems to be only a 6-8 hour thing. I call the doctor's office in the morning and they ask I come in tomorrow for a fetal Fibronetrin test (fFN). I switch gears and after unpacking from the trip, start lunch for the girls. Bettina is slow to the kitchen and is sort of mopily wandering around the table complaining that she's not hungry. She starts holding her tummy and whining and it's all the sudden very clear -- I pick her up, almost soon enough, and throw her over the kitchen sink. Round #2 starts with Bettina. She continues until just after Daddy gets home. No one eats much of a dinner and we all go to bed early.

Life seems calm until I wake up suddenly at 3am. If the last thing I wanted was to get the stomach flu being 8-months pregnant, well, too bad. I'm up all night and well into the morning. I call the doctor to see if they still want me to come in now that I'm sick and probably contagious. Yes, they answer - it's very important. Paul tries his best to stay at home more today and bounces in and out of the house and the office. He bounces in again in time to let his mother in to take care of the girls while I go to the doctor's. I'm glad he's there since, while brushing my teeth, I found I suddenly needed to spend more time next to the toilet.

Miserably, I make my way to the doctor's. Unfortunately, I find that my doctor has just been called to the hospital with not one, but three patients who need her. Who knows when she'll come back. The receptionist says she'll put me in with another doctor. Even though I remind her I'm sick and ask to be put at the top of the list, I watch 4 other people get called into exam rooms. It's been an hour. Finally, after threatening to leave to come back another day, I'm ushered in to meet a new doctor. She gives me the test but shows concern about my urine sample -- too much protein which means my kidneys are compromised. After ruling out pre-clampsia, she decides I might be really dehydrated and sends me down for more tests fearing I might have to be hospitalized over-night. She'll call me in a few hours with the results and to tell me whether or not I'm hospital-bound.

Well, I didn't get the call from her last night, so I stayed home. We all slept well. The new doctor did call this morning with the results. She said, "Well, the tests came back worse that I thought. Had I talked to you last night, we definitely would have admitted you to the hospital." She then wanted me to come in for an IV bag of fluids until I convinced her I hadn't been sick since and would likely come out normal very soon.

So, three and a half days later, we're starting to rebound. Now it's to attend to all the gorcery shopping, house cleaning and laundry that's been ignored throughout. A spring cleaning of sorts. Glad it's all in the rear-view mirror!!

Easter Games

Ava & Bettina que up for the Easter Egg Hunt with friends Dean, Francesca and Merrin.

March Madness - The Pre-School Game

It's March Madness time again....and it has nothing to do with basketball.

This happened to me last year and I thought that, even though I missed the boat for last time, I was set up pretty well for this go-around. Last March, knowing nothing about the process, I decided to start looking around for a pre-school for the girls, just in case. Well, by mid-March, everyone is full for the September-June school year. Apparently, pre-school sign up are usually sometime in early February. So, I ended up putting myself - or the girls, rather - on the waiting lists of two different schools that I liked. Each time you put yourself on a waiting list, it costs money, too. To increase my odds, I even joined a new church in the hopes that it would elevate my status enough to be guaranteed a spot for the '08-09 year. Not wanting to "lose" a spot or waste the registration fee I had to put down, I met with our #1 choice a couple of times, trying my best to schmooze while simultaneously not seeming over-bearing. It dawned on me last week that I was supposed to have heard from them over two-weeks ago whether or not our spots on the waiting list would be elevated to guaranteed positions. Humm... better check into this... Phone call in hasn't yet returned and throws me into a panic. "What if we don't get in??"

After a few days, I start calling our second choice. "You're in luck! Today was the deadline for registration for priority members (ie, church members). There's still room before we open it up to the general public, but you need to come in now." And it's not entirely ideal as their Fridays are full. I was hoping to have the girls start 3-days a week. Number 2 choice is more economic, but it's a also commute. Not sure I want to commit to commuting the girls knowing that I'll also have a new baby who's schedule will change dramatically during that time. As his needs change, it will complicate things profoundly. So, now I'm stuck. Do I spend the money to register at our #2 choice or wait to hear from #1? I call #1, my message a little panicked, and don't get a returned call, again.

On top of all of this, I hear from my mother-in-law that a school I'd originally been interested in has moved from it's previously undesirable location to just a few blocks away from our house. It's an Italian-immersion school which would be great for the girls and nurturing their Italian heritage. So, all the sudden the old #2 is demoted to #3. I call, anxious to hear if they have space. Although we're considered "priority" students since we're Italian and can reinforce the language at home, they're also full. However, we would be #2 and #3 on their waiting list. Yet another school to pay a non-refundable registration fee just to wait on a list.

Well, we need to make a decision. Do I calmly wait to see if school #1 calls us back with the good news that we're guaranteed? Or, do I pay the enrollment for #2, hoping that #1 lets us in - then we just have to eat the $80 enrollment fees? Or, has the #3 school now become our #1 meaning that even if we get into and enroll in #1, we'd still like to wait and enroll at the Italian school. This means that we'd not only eat the waiting list registration fees for all three schools, but would likely eat the enrollment fees for two of them as well. Confused? Mama, mia! And you thought that the basketball brackets were complicated!

Our Baby-Moon on the "Monarch of the Seas"

It's nice to get away, reconnect, and enjoy one last "hurrah" before the added chaos of another newborn. With some encouragement from Grandpa, Paul and I decided to "run away" to Mexico on a short cruise. You certainly can't beat the price - about $100/day all meals and activities included! The food was good, the room very nice and the company, exceptionally balanced. Our dinner mates, a nice couple, Keith & Tracy, from St. Louis and another couple of newlyweds, Vince & Jenny, from San Diego, were great people and the dinner conversation was never slow or boring.
We, of course, called home twice a day to chat with the girls who were whooping it up with Grandpa and Sherry. They would ask, "You still on da' boat?" and then say only, "Oh," when we answered yes. Their schedules and heads were filled with visits to the zoo with their cousin Braxton, other extended family, trips to the park, all-and-all having a great time without us.

Our Own Ice Capades

So, even though Disney's Princesses on Ice is coming to town, we've got something better...

Ever since we went to the zoo in December and saw the ice skating rink, the girls have been asking to go ice skating. A difficult task to do when you're pregnant and have 2 kids to hold up. We needed Daddy's help and finally found the opportunity last week. Yerba Buena Gardens has an ice skating rink we re-discovered and, with cell phone in hand, we called Daddy and asked him if he could get off work early. The begging was intense, especially since their new favorite movie has them laughing hysterically when Bambi tries to walk on the ice with Thumper. How could Daddy resist?

Initially, Daddy wasn't so sure the kids could even walk in their skates, much less stand on the ice. Within 15-minutes, however, the wobbling eased off and their confidence boosted. They leaned heavily on the glass waiting for their turn to go around the ice. So, for an hour and a half, Daddy took turns escorting the girls around and around. They continue to ask when they can go back. This may become another fun family favorite activity!

Week 21

A tummy photo of Baby #3....we're at 21 weeks now. I've dropped a couple of pounds since my last OB appt last month, but that still puts me at +15. Perhaps OK considering I'm a little more than half-way through the pregnancy... Also OK since it's about a fifth of what I put on with the girls!!

Feeling OK, but some days are hard with dizzy spells throughout. Holding kids is tougher as I have to hike them up to sit on the growing ledge. I can still shave my legs, though, so all's well!

God Bless the Bunnies....Especially the Black One

At the barn this week, Lolly showed us a brand new batch of bunnies, which fascinated the girls. So, before our little ride on Misty, we spent a good 45 minutes holding, petting and watching 4 new bunnies, no bigger than the palm of their hand.

The day was full -- after our little pony ride on Misty, and a visit with the vet and the vet's little dog, the girls played in the farm fields (and the mud in the irrigation ditches) before we wrapped it up and headed home for lunch, needed baths, and naps.

That night, as we were saying our prayers, the girls were recounting everything they were thankful for as well as sending prayers for those who may need them. After praying that Grandma has a nice airplane trip, sending hugs to Nonno and Grandma Dent and thanking God for Hayden and Misty, Ava adds, "And, God bless the bunnies," meaning the new ones down at the barn. "God bless the bunnies," I repeated, thinking this was pretty cute....at least until she topped it by added, "And, especially the black one!" Note which one she holds in her lap....the same one she has in all the pictures I took that day!

Every Mermaid Gets Her Hair Washed

It's getting harder for me and my growing tummy to do many things and I'm having to give up some things. One of which is giving the girls their bath. I'm just not able to reach into the tub as my tummy bounces off my knees or the rim of the tub. So, this little chore, which is something I have done 99% of the time for the last 2.5 years, is something Paul has begun to own.

As everyone knows, if you've done a chore 99%+ of the time, you tend to have a strong opinion about how it should be done - you have created the order and reason of all the componets, tried and trained by effeciency or past mistakes/learning experiences. So, it's a little difficult to watch someone else, not nearly as experienced, step in a do things entirely differently.

However, if we hold our tongues, we may end up learning a few new pointers. Case in point: Ordinarily, I use logic when wetting and washing the girls' hair. I shield their face as they tip their head back and count to ten so they know when it's done. Daddy didn't do this and was having a tough time convincing the girls to get wet. So, when the girls refused to get their hair wet,Daddy used reverse psychology explaining that every mermaid gets their hair wet and washes their hair to boot. This hit a big chord as "The Little Mermaid" is one of their stable videos to watch at night. "Do you want to be a mermaid, too?"

It, of course, worked like a charm and the girls got their hair washed while ramping up for their current favorite show - a tailgate party of sorts (no pun intended!!).

It's a Boy!

Well, we found out that, come around June 24th, Ava and Bettina will both be big sisters to a...
BABY BROTHER!

We shared the news with the girls. Ava said she didn't want a little brother. When we mentioned that the news comes with an ice cream sundae, she quickly changed her mind: "I like my baby brother!" she chimed! Here's one of those hard-to-read sonograms of Baby #3's chubby face. I didn't see it at first, but a week later, I finally got it, so don't feel bad if you don't get it either!

Zoo Again

Eenie-Meenie-Minie-Moe, Catch a Tiger by the Toe...

We haven't been to the zoo since Tatiana the tiger killed and injured those stupid boys who were teasing her on Christmas Day. Not because we're worried about other animals or our own security, but mostly because of weather and over-programming in general.

Here are a couple of photos from our last trip with their friend Dean.

7 Ways to Create Magic for Toddlers, and Parents, at Christmastime

Christmas with 2-year olds is a blessing! They might be difficult to keep out of trouble, but they find every way to wring the most out of the magic of the season. Here are some things we found that brought Christmas to the forefront for us while it created magic for the girls:

Let it Snow - Christmas in Half Moon Bay

• Take the family to the Half Moon Bay's Night of Lights - They have a parade of kids aglow with lights, carolers, horse and carriage rides, sponsored kiosks of roasted chestnuts, a place to roast marshmallows, live bands, Santa with candy canes and a foam machine mounted above that makes it seem like it's snowing. The girls just loved this event. The snow machine was a real hit!
• Make a pot of hot chocolate one evening, dip candy canes in it and then bundle the kids from head to toe so you can all go outside, hold hands and admire the neighborhood's Christmas lights. We did this a number of times this year.
• Pack everyone up and drive to Ghiradelli Square for the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. Introduce the kids to Santa Claus and get a piece of Ghiradelli chocolate. After watching the lights and the big tree, stop at the Ghiradelli ice cream parlor for a one-scoop sundae, complete with fudge, whipped cream and cherry. Watch your kids inhale everything.
• Go to the Reindeer Romp at the SF Zoo - The kids can meet Santa again as well as his reindeer. There are also crafts, like making your own set of antlers, as well as an ice skating rink. Rent skates or, if you don't have enough arms to guide all kids, watch the ice skaters glide past. Santa, sponsored by the SF Fire Dept., also gives toys and candy canes to the brave little ones who sit on his lap for a quick Polaroid photo (donation of $5 is suggested).
• Play Santa - usually, we sign up through church to sponsor a family at Christmastime and buy the family some necessities. This year, however, we decided to be the delivery people of these gifts that other families purchased and wrapped. The girls and I donned Santa hats and a cell phone, and converted our minivan into a sleigh. I told the kids to pay special attention to the smiles that came from the kids' faces. The girls loved it, meeting new families and spreading cheer. After the first house, a very thankful and appreciative family of 7, Ava asked, "Can we do that again?" We did - 2 more times!
• Ask the kids to write a letter to Santa telling him everything they want. Be astounded when the only things they want are candy canes and a pet fish. (This makes it very easy to give them everything on their list at least once in their lives!) Tell them to leave cookies and milk for the "Big Man" and carrots for his reindeer. Watch their expressions in the morning when all the treats are eaten.
• To round out the season, take the kids to the Epiphany services on Twelfth Night (the 12th day of Christmas or 3 Kings Day). Our church has a live enactment of of the kings' arrival to the nativity. The "kings" are children of the congregation chosen at dinner just beforehand (via a token prize in the dessert) and "baby Jesus" is one of the youngest members of the congregation, this year, 6-week Andrew. "Mary" is played by the mother of the baby that plays Jesus, and "Joseph" is played by the keeper of the real live donkey that comes to church and walks through the chapel!! The kids just loved seeing the real donkey and adding their own gifts (3 coloring crayons and a toy compass) to those left by the kings on the alter for Jesus.

Belles of the Ball

Ava & Bettina with cousins Antonio and Elio

Every year, we go to the Christmas dinner at the Italian social club of which both Paul and his dad are/were members. We take up a table of 12 and enjoy 5-course meal of antipasto, salad, ravioli, meat and veggies and dessert all enjoyed in conjunction with a craft of table wine (although we usually supplement with our own). The 30-35 or so tables are set up on a platform that covers the bocce ball courts. Old pictures of Italy, specifically anywhere near Genoa, as well as photos, plaques and trophies from bocce ball tournaments cover the walls. A new addition is a wall of photos that include women taken during the club's 100th anniversary, which was celebrated last year.

Just before dessert ends, there is a raffle for things like log of salami, jumbo pack of uncooked pasta, or a gift certificate somewhere local. Typically, this is also when Santa Claus comes in and gives plastic candy canes filled with chocolate kisses to all the little kids. Parents step in to get a photo of their kids with the jolly 'ole man.

After dinner, most people go upstairs where a good old-fashioned 3-piece polka band plays music for dancing in the "ball room." A second bar is also up there so people wander from it to the sides of the dance hall, intermittently taking turns dancing as well. This is all very old fashioned with ballroom dancing; some even literally bring their dancing shoes and don outfits just made to twirl. They are very good.

This is where the simple 2-story building turned into a magical castle for Ava and Bettina. The second their eyes set on these couples dancing to a real drum, trumpet and accordion, they wore tiaras and everyone was royalty. Their eyes lit up as they watched people circle the dance floor. Seeing this moment, I told Paul he'd better ask one of his daughters to dance. Ava instantly said Yes! Bettina wanted in too. A complete stranger, captivated by toddler party-dressed "cuteness" asked her to dance. Without even answering, Tina took the hand and walked out into the circling splendor of dancers. This was a riot watching how much they were enjoying dancing. (Click here to see a video of Paul and Uncle Dave dancing with the girls)

They didn't sit one dance out. Strangers came over all the time and they would dance with them all. They learned to twirl and soon, Tina's "frankensteps" were getting a little bit lighter and bounced with the beat. I figured it had to be around 9:30pm or later and went to the coat closet to fetch the little ballerinas' jackets for the short walk home. When I got there, I realized the clock read 11:15pm -- way, way past their bed time!! They saw me coming with their coats and ran away screaming, "No!" A group of a dozen or more older people, who'd been admiring the girls, started complaining as well: "Let them dance!" OK - one more dance.

At 11:30pm, we walked home, the girls chatting excitedly about their dancing, the band and the Christmas lights that decorated the houses all the way home. They didn't notice their exhaustion until their heads hit their beds. Clearly, this event was a highlight in their Christmas season, and we were still more than 2-weeks until the "big" night.

Our Little Pear - 14 Weeks

Pregnancy with toddlers is certainly different. For one, I don't have my dog-eared copy of "Your Pregnancy Week by Week" at the side of my bed nor am I guaranteed that I can get 20-minutes to lay down during the day to rest anymore. Bettina is now skipping naps, even if I wait until 3pm to start them (this used to work like a charm, but only half the time now). Often, I forget completely what week we're in with Baby #3; there are just too many other important things going on at the same time. Usually, I have to wait until Sundays, when I get my email reminder from babycenter.com that tells me how many weeks the little life is. It tells me that, despite my big tummy, about the size of a large cantaloupe, our baby is about the size of a pear and about 3-inches long. S/He is complete with fingerprints now. Somehow, that seemed to sneak up fast.

This week, I had my monthly visit with my OB/GYN and got to hear the heartbeat. I had one complaint: how come I'm so big so fast this time when there's only one? I seem to be as big as I was this time with two! Normal, she responds. Good ole' pregnancy hormones send out a message to let all my tummy and stomach muscles to relax and the big tummy just falls out. I don't need maternity pants (but am on the verge), but the tops are essential. Regular tops are just too short in lenght. I still have morning sickness - something I suffered with until week 18 with the girls. I've asked for meds to help as I'm snappy and my parenting skills are compromised. They have given me something strong enough to use with cancer patients' nausea. It helps a lot - I didn't actually realize how sick I was feeling until the pills made me remember what "normal" is like.

The girls are getting ready to start pre-school next month. It is suggested that they start so that, when the baby comes, they are already comfortable in their routine and don't see school as a punishment or another change that the baby has brought. Along with all the Christmas cards we got in the mail yesterday, a postcard from their teacher, Andrea, came. It had her picture on it. The girls recognized her right away and got excited to hear from her at home. We decided on a Reggio Emilia school, and I'm really pleased to have found 2-spots in the middle of the year. Another of their friends, Nathan, will be taking the last spot in their group of 6 kids. Nathan has identical twin sisters who are 5 years old. I have been buddying up with their mom, Julie, since she has a lot of insight to kids after twins. The spacing between her twins and Nathan is the same as what ours will be. She's been a great resource for questions such as car configurations and the like. We look forward to maintaining this friendship at school as well.

We All Love Baby Braxton...

Isn't this just the cutest picture? Talk about kissing cousins.... One to cherish!

Ava Joins the Ranks - The Cat Walk at GAP

Sometimes you've got the right size, but not the right attitude. That's what we've always had when it came to Ava's fit-modeling career. However, we got a call from our manager last week asking if Ava was still wearing a size 7 shoe. "Yeah, she is," I answer. "Now, which one has the better temperment?" Michelle asks. I know what she means -- Bettina doesn't really have a "better" temperment, per-say, but has more curiousity and willingness to try on new things in front of a room of complete strangers. "Bettina," I answer. "Does she wear a size 7?" she asks hopefully. "No. She's an 8." "Well, how do you think Ava will do?" I can't promise anything other than we could practice at home beforehand.

So, in the morning, just before our appointment with Baby GAP, Ava and I practice putting on different types of shoes: some too big, some too small, and some in colors I know she hates. Every time she does what is asked without complaining, she gets a Skittle and gets to choose the color as well. I'm still a bit nervous since the last time we went to a shoe gig, she absolutely refused; we got black-listed from that client.

With fingers crossed, we walk in to meet our contact at Baby GAP. The fitting goes great - she tries on the shoes and walks the "cat walk" observed by a team of designers, returning to ask for "a yellow one". We have found Ava's current currency. We're called back again before the week's done, and again, she gets her pick of colored candies. Good job, Ava!!

Little Parasite

'Tis the season to be thankful for all the little things... There are many obvious things: cute little girls who insist on doing things themselves, who delight in seeing Christmas lights, get shy around Santa, and relish in hot chocolate and ice cream. However, I must admit that I'm feeling a bit annoyed with a little parasite which has been silently leaching off my body, sucking all my energy as well as any appetite or satisfaction from food. And, with the holiday season, what a time to be turned off by food!

And, poor Paul! Since I'm not turned on by food, I'm certainly not excited about shopping for or preparing it for him. He usually gets the short-end of that stick. I am thankful he's understanding and not pouty about that. And, the poor girls! They want to play and jump on my tummy and be launched into the air on Mommy's feet like an airplane. Sorry - not in the mood. I'm grouchy that I have to tell them "no" and "that gives Mommy an owie."

Since we are to practice being thankful, I only have to do two things to set myself straight again: look at the refrigerator where a picture of the grape-sized parasite resides, proving it's little heartbeat, fingers and toes exist and, remember back 3-years ago when I was so sick, I spent nearly all day for 13-weeks in bed. So, it has been worse. It's just different now that more little beings, no longer legitimate parasites, but dependants none-the-less, vie for my energy and attention.

That's right - my parasite isn't something I picked up during some exotic travels, but is something Paul and I hoped to create. We're having Baby #3!!! Are we excited? Absolutely!! And I will be a lot more thankful in a couple more weeks once I'm able to regain my stomach and energy level.

Watching Ainsley and Patrick these last couple of days with their new baby is inspiring -- sort of a look at what's to come. And, spending the holidays with the girls, who "get" Christmas and all the magic that it encompasses for them, #3, who should arrive late-June, will be another treat and a true blessing! We are thankful - even for a parasite!

Baby Braxton is Here!

Braxton Raymond was born at 7:12 pm today, Wednesday Nov. 21st. He is 6 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches (if memory serves) and has a loud set of lungs!! Ainsley is doing great and did it all al natural!!

Patrick describes little Braxton as having "10 fingers, 10 toes, no tail and looks like a chicken with no hair."

We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

This Is How It Should Be

They decided not to force her to take the medication once they figured out that she didn't want to take it anymore. Phone calls went out: "Grandma's coming home. Come when you can - she's not expected to make it past the weekend."

So, family began to gather, filling up her and my Aunt's bedrooms as well as the neigboring hotel. Food was brought over from members of the church congregation. We took turns holding her hand, reading to her from the Bible, checking her meds and comfort level. Three or four of us would help turn her every couple of hours to help her skin stay intact. We learned how to bath her, style her hair, and move her, strategically propping her pillows to avoid pressure points. We journaled anything pertainant so we could all participate in her care. Grandma was surrounded by familiar things, smells and noises. Calming recordings of her church choir ran softly from a CD player in her room as well as the filtered noise of the televised football games the guys were watching. Things are relaxed and "normal." The visiting nurse came to check on her. After watching us, she looked approvingly at us and said, "This is how it should be." Everyone participating, loving and protecting Grandma's dignity. Her comment made me cry as I realize just how beautiful this all is.
Saturday afternoon, there was a marked progression, so we gathered in the family room where she was placed and sung hymns for nearly 2-hours. We whispered in her ear and allowed others to say last words via a cell phone to her ear. She'd acknowledge with a slight lift of the hand or facial twitch. Her breathing was much labored now.

We were assisted in the evening by Anita, a nursing assistant I liken to a doula for death. Extremely compassionate and educational, she'd prepare us for and teach us to recognize the next stage. When Grandma's last moments came, she awakened those not already with her. It wasn't 15 minutes after she woke me up that Grandma passed. Surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and filled with the hope and promise of joining God and her high school sweetheart and husband of over 63 years, she made a peaceful and graceful transition into the Kingdom of Heaven. Grandma passed this morning at 4:55am. That nurse was right: This is how it should be. If only everyone had the same blessed opportunity.

Ainsley's Shower

Ainsley and Patrick had a flurry of baby-readiness activities this week. Two showers (pictures can be seen here) and a giant baby furniture warehouse sale. They should have everything they need, for Baby Braxton. It's just the waiting game now.

Halloween - a Bit Remiss

The Halloween pictures, the Halloween pictures... I'm finally getting around to posting the Halloween pictures.


A few days before Halloween, we tried to spread cheer through the neighborhood as we meet with a couple other kids from church to do a costume parade at a retirement house. The girls were shy at first, but then quickly visited people around the circle handing out little gifts of oranges and flowers. In hindsight, apples may be a better choice to give as most of the residents did not have the dexterity to peel the oranges. But after some help, they enjoyed them with us.


Our Ladybug and Butterfly enjoyed a nice time trick-or-treating. Here with Grandma, we hit up the retail shopping center during their hosted event. We later dined with friends casually then headed down the hill at nightfall for some trick-or-treating candy. The girls loved process, although they have yet to remember to say "trick or treat" for their treats.

Ava was scared of one costume: Jack the Pumpkin, who she called The Baseball Monster since the stitches on his head reminded her of a baseball. She's still talks about the Baseball Monster with fear and even started screaming one time as I was listening to the radio. I realized it was the "sports minute" and they were talking about Barry Bonds, the baseball player. She doesn't even like to hear about baseball in general; it's all too closely related to Jack the Pumpkin.

Jack the Pumpkin didn't bother Bettina at all. As Ava screamed and refused to approach the door where the "monster" was receiving his candy, Bettina passed us all and boldly asked for two candies! There's Bettina. We should have dressed her as a bull rather than a dainty butterfly!

Momma says, "Pimp My Ride!"

What's it like to be me? Watch this little movie, and you'll have some insight...

And Paul asks me why it's necessary to take my car to the car wash once every 6-weeks....

Tired of Watching Videos

Although we're still feeling awful, I am tired of being stuck sick at home watching videos. The girls don't feel like playing with their toys so much and to prevent agitating my own headache, I've allowed the videos to roll.

However, the weather is so nice, that despite feeling "poopy," we pack everyone up for a quick visit to the pumpkin patch. Couldn't get too many large smiles - or even a grin, but there was lots to see and it probably improved our mood.

We brought Hayden for a picture, too!

Happy Birthday, Daddy

The girls had so much fun making cupcakes for Daddy's birthday! It was our first attempt at baking....it went well enough, I think we could try something else soon.

We then got dressed up, in what Ava refers to as "ballerinas" (aka skirts) and took Dad to our favorite family restaurant: Fresh Choice (or aka "ice cream" ever since Daddy shared the secrets of the dessert bar with the girls).

After presents and singing, it wrapped up to be a beautiful day!

Pile of Tissues by the Bed

We've been sick. Bettina got it first, about a week ago. Her fever started Wednesday night, perhaps early Thursday morning. It finally broke on Friday. I'm glad, however, that she got it first. Bettina is a needy, whiney barnicle when she's not herself and demands to be carried everywhere. So, since Tuesday last week, I've been using my Chinese sling like a regular pack horse.

Saturday, Paul and I got away to have an anniversary dinner at The Ritz in Half Moon Bay. Nonna, who watched the kids for us, had a hard time getting the girls down. That night, Ava's fever came and I was up all night with not just one, but two whiney kids. Paul and I soon realized that it was divide and conquer night: Ava sleeps with me in our bed and Daddy with Bettina in their room, since 4 in a bed is ridiculous and Tina wouldn't sleep with so much "freedom" anyhow. By Sunday, I knew exactly that the moaning came from body aches rather than the sore throat I suspected - I had it, too. And, since then, we've had to keep the same sleep arrangments, gratis a Ava.

Ava, too congested to breathe, wakes up every 45-minutes to an hour crying, "Mommy, I's sick!" or "Mommy, I's need to blow my nose." She and I shared a box of Kleenex and I bottle of water to combat the cotton-mouth.

This morning, as Daddy came into the room to get ready for work, Ava defensively stretched out on her newly claimed turf: "Ava's bed! Go away! Daddy cuddle Tina!" Poor Daddy! However, my sympathy is short-lived as I know that Bettina, who's on the upswing, is now able to sleep through the night and Daddy got a full-night's sleep. As I swing my feet down to the floor, I find a pile of Kleenexes scattered all about evidencing our long, miserable night. Then I think, "He probably wouldn't want to spend the night with us anyway!"

Finally Home with Baby

Now here are a group of pictures that tell the whole story...

Emily called Jon in Bahrain, half-way across the world, and says, "Honey, I think it's time." He's able to coach her through her delivery while waiting to board his flight home. He even gets this clever sign made up just before boarding.



Someone lets the cabin crew know that another soldier is coming home to yet another new baby and they bake him up a little surprise. Their cake reads, "Congrats, Dad."


Meanwhile, Emily and Ella cuddle with Baby Rudy, knowing that Daddy's coming home soon.


And, finally, Jon walks into the hospital the following afternoon, ready to take his son, bride and little Ella back home - as one proud family (along with his mother, my aunt MaryAnn, who's out to help).

Makes you get all choked up and teary, doesn't it?

Still Coming Home to Baby

Well, word came today: Jon's on his way home from Iraq, expected to land at home tomorrow afternoon. Both he and his wife, Emily, were hoping he'd be there to see his baby, due the following day, come into to world. However, Rudy James, born this morning at 9:30am at 8lbs. 6 oz. and 19 3/4 long, and God had other plans.

Ironically, I was emailing Emily asking how she was last night after one of the girls woke up requiring a diaper change and I couldn't sleep right away. She emailed back that she was up with back pain that wouldn't let her sleep either. After she signed off, it must have progressed quite rapidly!!

The good news is that they were able to hail Jonathan somehow in Navy-land and, via telephone, he coached Emily through her pushing. I'm sure that I'll have some photos to share soon, but in the meantime, welcome to the world, Rudy James and welcome home, Jonathan!!

First Carousel Ride

Just look at the glee in those little eyes! Could we just bottle up some of this happiness and save it for a rainy day? The label on the outside would read "The Feeling Of My First Carousel Ride."

Dr. Snoopy Gives Out Teeth

Bettina gets comfortable while waiting for Dr. Snoopy

Bettina opens wide and shows Dr. Snoopy her broken teeth

We don't know how it happened or even when. Little Bettina is so stoic and tough, that she just appeared one evening with two broken teeth.

Of course, I was on the internet all night asking other moms for "emergency" pediatric dentist referrals and panicked about how quickly I could call Dr. Snoopy's (who received his nickname from the decor of his office and was referred by 80% of the mom's who responded) office. Two-minutes after his office opened, I was assured that Bettina's teeth were not an emergency, but that the doctor would like to see her anyhow, just to make sure. At least the sense of urgency was placated.

The visit was very much like the rest of my week: manic and out-of-control. Both girls (I had to take Ava with me) were "in a mood" (partially my fault since I took an appointment near their nap time) and weren't listening to me in the waiting room (partially their fault since they only have one toy in the entire waiting room!!!). Somehow, I don't have a copy of the insurance card and my cell phone was also forgotten at home so I can't even call Paul to get the information from him. Then I watch Ava sneek into a corner and get very quiet. This means one thing: poop-time. I pulled out all my supplies and realize that Paul had taken out the wipes the night before to deal with something and forgot to put them back. No wipes!!

I asked the front desk for some Kleenex and they could only give me 3 sheets for some reason. So I take out my changing pad, have Ava lay down, and pull down her pants. Stuff OOZES ALL OVER - total diaper failure!!! It's all over her pants and during her wiggle-fest, gets onto her shirt. The recpetion finally sees I'm needing a whole lot more that 3-sheets and rescues me with a garbage bag and some wet paper towels. Needless to say, Ava went the rest of the visit naked wearing only shoes and a diaper. Bettina did great for the doctor (who gave her and me a compliment for being so obliging), and he reassured me that the teeth are fine. Nothing's loose or seemingly cracked (an x-ray during their regular cleaning with confirm it) and when she's older - 3 years or so - and can sit still for half an hour, he can bond them so they look whole again. Whew! I thought I'd have to deal with the guilt of seeing all her pictures until she's 8-years old be with her showing off her two-front broken teeth!!

Getting out the door was an ordeal again. Reception took about 7-9 minutes to even get to me to schedule their regular appointments. Meanwhile, both girls were a handful wandering in and out of the exam areas, laying on the floor whining like crankypots and for their balloons - which they continue to release, and keep trading their toys from Snoopy's doghouse which all seem to be those plastic vampire teeth, (I guess we are close to Halloween) but they think is candy and become frustrated when they can't eat them. I was a little miffed at how long it took them to get me my appointments, but definatley relieved that Bettina's broken teeth will eventually get better. I hope for the strenght to get through such a manic day and hope that their impending baths (thanks to Ava's failed diaper) will wash away much of the chaos.

My Kid's Got FOMO!

I was enjoying a lovely cup of coffee out with a friend of mine when we ran into another mom, who just had her second child. We were chatting and I was asking about how the second one was doing. "Well, she's got FOMO. My first one was so easy, I guess I had it easy." She went on and on, ending with, "I'm just exhausted dealing with all this FOMO syndrome stuff!"

Gosh! What is this awful thing called FOMO. I'll have to ask my doctor about it. I'd never heard of it, but it sounded devastating and horribly exhausting for both baby and mommy. "What's FOMO?" my girlfriend asked. "It sounds like another one of your well-known acronyms."

"Oh, it is," answered the new mom..."FOMO is 'Fear Of Missing Out' syndrome. The new one just never wants to miss out on anything. If she hears a noise of any kind or sees something unsual, she won't nap or sleep and fights the urge off so she becomes a sleep-depraved crankypot!"

Well, I love a mom with a sense of humor. Not only did I had to admit it was kind of funny, but I quickly empathized, "I've got one with FOMO as well!" It frustrates me to no end! She can't sleep in the car, has a tough time in new places, can't handle her freedom should she not be locked in with a sleep-sack and a crib-tent, and has never once transitioned from sleeping one place to another. If she wakes slightly, she jolts herself awake just in case there's something she should know about.

The nasty thing about FOMO is that it doesn't seem to be something they just grow out of. So, good luck to all of you moms of FOMO kids. It's nice to acknowledge and share empathy with each other, and, the best thing is to have a sense of humor about it. It just adds more depth to the wrinkles we're suppossed to get!

Coming Home to Baby

Jon's C2-Greyhound

We got word that my cousin Jonathon will be coming home from Iraq to see his baby a day before he is due. He is set to come home next week and his very pregnant wife is very anxious (as is the rest of the family). Hurray!!

Along with this news came more photos from him. There were also some interesting photos from the air of the bland, sand-colored countryside - the buildings the same color as the land and everything else. A couple more of some sand storms and of them on the base with masks over their mouths to assist in keeping the sand out of lungs, I suppose.

Although it took him a month or more to get there, he's coming home in 2-days along with 2 other men of his squadron. All three men are coming home, early perhaps, to their very pregnant wives and/or brand new kidlets. Should make for a wonderful reunion!

Mommy, I Want a Pony....

Ava and little Sparky

She couldn't have said anything closer to my heart. Bettina likes ponies -- she likes to get on and then get off....get on, get off, etc. She likes to ride because we're at the barn. Ava, on the other hand, asks for a pony or to ride a pony even when there's not one around to be seen. It's on her mind all the time, like Peter Pan or the Kitty-Cat Movie (Aristocats). The only reason she came down from the saddle on this day was that Dean was at the barn also and he was playing with the goats and the piggies. Ava's got a thing for Dean and it's almost stronger than her thing for ponies. I'm not sure that Daddy is comforted by that for long....

Too bad that my camera ran out of batteries before Bettina's ride. Dean was more interested in the goat, bunnies and pigs too take time to ride the pony.

Oh, What a Night!

At the football game with many Class of 87'ers - we got whooped by the rivals, btw.
Thank goodness these things only come once every ten-years!

Our high school reunion - our 20th - was this last weekend. We had all sorts of activities to choose from: a football game, a bar, a golf tourney, a dinner, and a picnic, with other impromptu sideshows and specticles.

Somehow, I found myself on the planning committee. I swore I'd never do it again after the 10th-year, but eventually agreed assured that the financial responsibility was elsewhere. I'm really glad I did it. And, I think that planning now-a-days - with the help of cyberspace - really assisted 1) financially, 2) in tracking people down and 3) in promoting the hype and the inersia to get the party started with lots of icebreakers and opportunities to see what's in store.

The weekend was more than I could have imagined and still, over the course of 3-days, I didn't seem to catch up properly with everyone I hoped to. But, we had a lot of fun, sometimes acting as we did 20-years ago (but, isn't that part of the fun?). Boarders on cliques and pigeon-holes melted away and everyone had a smile on their face. It was a great opportunity to see people and I wish we could do it again -- just as soon as I can recover from this weekend!

Welcome, Mason David!

Two down, two to go....

So, did I mention that I'm the only cousin on my mother's side who ISN'T pregnant? Cousin Holly gave birth to Brody Roman this summer and yesterday afternoon, cousin Jenny gave birth to (formerly secretly named) Mason David (pictured here with my aunt and uncle, now grandparents for the 2nd time)!! I was beat out by half a day and 2-1/2 ounces in the baby pool!! Shucks!

Next month, cousin Jonathon should come home from Iraq to see his second, a son still unnamed, born. We get a month's rest before my sister Ainsley gives birth to baby Braxton. All boys - all this year. Five cousins - four pregnancies - four baby boys.

Congrats to the new parents, Jenny & Tim!! We can't wait to meet your new boy!

Happy Birthday, Emma & Chase

The girls really understand this birthday party thing now. When I told them that Emma and Chase, good playmate friends of theirs, were having a birthday party this week, they spent the rest of the day talking about birthday cake and ice cream. The next day, they sung the "happy birthday" song to them 8-different ways (sometimes to Emma & Chase, others to Chase & Emma, a couple just to Emma, etc., etc.). Then, they had to decide which dress to wear and took turns guarding the birthday presents (placed way out of reach on the mantle). How excited they were to jump out of the car, after seeing the balloons on Chase & Emma's house, and bring their presents to the front door. They have also learned to ring the doorbell and proceeded to ring it repeatedly until Mommy could catch up with them and usher them past the sign that said, "Door open, come on in!"
They get it: amid all the chaos of tons of toddlers (some pairs of twins and a set of triplet boys) climbing slides, pushing carts and strollers, going in and out of play houses and whining to parents about scratches, they question when is it time for cake? Is it time yet for ice cream? When the singing starts, they know just where to jump in and belt out their song enthusiastically. Four days later, they are still talking about the party and wondering when it's their turn for a party again. No wonder birthdays seem to come every 4-years when you're a kid!

Nice Day For Ducks

San Francisco is notorious for having cold, yucky weather in the summertime. Granted it wasn't raining, but it still made a nice day for ducks: cool, foggy, and our household had 3-loaves of leftover heels perfect for bringing to Stow Lake. The girls enjoyed watching the ducks and geese vie for their attention (and bread) and learned how to throw the bread crumbs into the water so their feathered friends could eat.

Change Orders

There's the Original Contract (the dinghy) and then the Change Order (the big yacht/speedboat).

Do you think that home improvement dreams can way out of control.... I girlfriend of mine sent me this photo to poke fun at Paul, who insists that without change orders, the construction industry just couldn't make any money.

You never realize how big the Change Order is while living in the dinghy until the two are side-by-side!

Jon's Deployment - A Traveling Soldier

Jon's been sending some photos home of where he's been since he was deployed 6-weeks ago. It seems that getting there really is half the fun!

He had a stop in France, Spain, Greece, Djibouti and Oman before he came to his "home" in Bahrain. There were some nice photos of Greece and it looks as if he spent some time in an Irish pub in Spain (weird). Djibouti looked very 3rd world and poor. The picture I've posted is of him in Omar. There are very few photos he can share online of the base/s, but promises that the curious can see the hard copies when he gets back. I guess with the internet, the photos could get in the wrong hands quite seemlessly.

He's got 7-more weeks left of his deployment and I'm looking forward to hearing more about his trip. Jon was really nice and sent us an email after hearing of Nonno's passing. Thanks, Jon!

Nonno Can Hear Us Singing Now

Along with the whole "twin speak" thing, my girls have created a few of their own rituals. Last winter, I realized that Ava kept singing the same tune with non-sense words. Pretty soon, Bettina caught on and then they both would sing this made up tune with made up words (since their vocabulary was quite small then, it made sense they just created these words). It seemed a lullaby of sorts that, typically, Ava would sing to her "Ee-aw", her favorite donkey-shaped lovie.

It was only natural that I'd want to participate in and recognize their unspoken world, so, soon, I also would start singing the song and learned to articulate their made up words as well as they did. They seemed pleased that I wanted to sing their song too, and allowed me sing with them about things that they valued: beloved Ee-aw and cherished Moo (Bettina's cow-shaped lovie).

Ah-la-lo-le (fill in the blank),
Ah-la-lo-le (fill in the blank),
Ah-la-lo-le (fill in the blank),
Ah-la-lo-le (fill in the blank).

That ritual morphed into an evening quiet-time song that marked the transition from bath/pajama time to bed time - a time when we would recount all that we'd done and all we'd seen during the day and acknowledge the blessings of having seen or done them:

Ah-la-lo-le swimming,
Ah-la-lo-le Daddy,
Ah-la-lo-le Ee-Aw,
Ah-la-lo-le Moo.

One by one, we'd recount all the loved things/ones and Mommy would pause between each stanza waiting for one of the girls to think of something/one for which to be thankful.

This week, we lost Daddy's daddy, Nonno, to cancer. We'd sung to Nonno in the past, almost nightly, but Tuesday night, I told the kids that this time, Nonno (who's been hard of hearing for a long time) could hear us singing; he was listening to us from heaven and for the first time, he could hear our nightly ritual and was smiling as he heard his name.

The girls did pretty well during the rosary and funeral, which were both, according the Italian Catholic tradition, open casket. During the rosary service, Ava walked over to him, climbed up on the kneeling chair and pointed to Nonno saying, "Nonno's sleeping in the bed." "Does he look cozy?" I asked. "Uh-huh,' she answered. Tina, clearly interested now, came over too. "Night, night, Nonno," she added and instantly started singing the Ah-la song: "Ah-la-lo-le Nonno...." I motioned to Paul who I think caught his breath and teared up as he looked lovingly to his little girls.

Night, night, Nonno. Love and memories last forever; we love you and will keep you in our memories.