Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The Sensory Bin....










Teddy had his first session today with his teacher from Theraplay. She was really nice, and very helpful. One of her suggestions for play was to fill our baby pool up with elbow macaroni, and let the kids play in it. It struck me as strange to do this but any who, I did it! The kids just love it! They have been playing in it all afternoon like a sand box...a much cleaner, neater sand box that can stay inside! They have been putting dump trucks, and all kinds of toys in there to play with! It is really cool! This is supposed to help him release some of his frustrations. Dan has been having fun with it too!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Tomorrow is Another Day...Right?!?!


There must be a target on my body with a BIG red bulls eye in the middle of it that says okay crap on me today. As of last week Teddy has been sleeping in a toddler bed, and has done very well, not once has he tried to let himself out of his bedroom. Well, you had to guess my luck of with that was going to change! Today Teddy let himself out of his bedroom, and began to get into trouble, while slept. I had taken some medicine last night for my cold, so I didn't hear him get up! Teddy preceded to break my glasses, yep that is right, he snapped the one of the arms right of them! When Emma came into my room this morning to tell me she was ready for breakfast like she always does, and my glasses were not on my nightstand like they always are I'll guess you could say it was like a crap your pants kind of morning, especially since I am about as blind as a bat without them, you know like seeing eye dog bad! I start to hear laughter coming from the hallway, and I peek (more like a squinting kind of peek). And begin to feel my way down the hallway (yeah, this was hilarious to the kids who thought Mommy was playing a game.) Teddy had snapped one of the arms off of my glasses, I tape it, no big deal, I decide that I will take them to be fixed this morning on our way to the playground for Emma's play date. It comes as no surprise to me when I am told they have to order a new arm for my glasses, it could have been worse. Well, it gets worse! As I am putting Teddy in his car seat, he grabs for my glasses and snaps the other arm off them! Now, I am feeling raindrops falling on my head! I want to cry, maybe a nervous breakdown, something! Now, both arms of my glasses are taped together, can you say Revenge of the Nerds? Because that is what I look like.In the meantime we are running late to go to the playground, so I am driving down the road with one hand on the wheel, and you guessed it, the other hand was holding my glasses to my face! Feeling like smashed dog do-do ( for lack of a better phrase) we make it to the park, in one piece I may add, Rock on ! I figure my day can't get any worse, yeah right! I eventually find out that they can't get the pieces for my glass, and that I have to buy a new pair. Wonderful! Oh yeah, and did I mention the my 2 year old and her friend were kissing on the sliding board today! Let's just say that after the day that has been thrusted upon me today, that I am so looking forward to tomorrow! I am going to quote Gone with the Wind here when I say "After all tomorrow is another day!"

Monday, July 28, 2008

He was Simply the Best......


On August 2nd 2006 I lost the someone who was a true inspiration to me, my father-in-law. I had a very special relationship with him. However, when I first met him, I thought I can't believe this is Dan's dad!




Ted was a very unique man, he didn't care how he looked, or how people thought he looked. He did things his own way, and that was good for him. Ted loved to collect things, (it looked like junk to the rest of us), but to him he it was always a good find, because as he would say and I quote " You never know when you are going to need it". Most times he was right!




As time went on I learned little things about him. Ted was a veteran of World War II he served in Japan and Korea during and after the conflicts. He also lost both parents at a young age, and raised all of his brothers and sister. He was only 23 when doing this, and his youngest brother was 8! During this time he also put himself through college, and started his own business. He was a hard worker. Ted always felt that family came first no matter what anyone else thought.


Ted never let anything embarrass him, and to Dan he was the best, because he had a car(Ted was known for some of his cars) that looked just like the Ghost Busters station wagon. Ted would take Dan out in the car, and they put the Ghost Busters logo on the car, and they would drive around town in the wagon playing the Ghost Busters theme song! What a Dad!



Ted loved cars...Used Cars!...We used to tease Lois (my mother-in-law) every time Ted would bring another car home...If you could see some of the things he bought you would have teased her too! My favorite car that Ted owned was painted red, white, and blue.....The hood was red, the doors were white, and the trunk was blue....we called it the patriotic car. We had nicknames for every junk car that he bought...the cars were literally junk! He never cared what anyone thought about his cars....they were all treasures to him!




Ted was a very kind and caring man, who would do anything for anybody, and this gave him great joy! When I was pregnant with Emma, and on bed rest, he took me to the doctors office because it was a snowy day, and he didn't want me to miss my appointment. The one thing I remember about this appointment was when I was done, and went back into the waiting room to go home, poor Ted (who was shy, and by nature moved about as fast as a turtle) was sitting between two pregnant women, I never saw that man get up so fast in my entire life to go home. Ted also did his younger brother's grocery shopping every week, and made sure he was taken care of, because his brother was unable to care for himself. He never once complained, or bragged about what he did. He just did it, and never once wanted credit for anything.




In April of 2006 he was diagnosed with bladder cancer, which was corrected with surgery, and he was fine for awhile. Then he became very ill with another cancer, but Ted was not letting the cancer beat him down. He maintained all of his usual activities, and worked up until the month before he died. He lost his battle with cancer in August of 2006.




Why am I sharing this story? I started thinking everyone in this world has someone they admire for something they did, whether it is a celebrity, politician, or whoever. Ted is my inspiration because he never let the bad things in his life get him down, he rolled with the punches, and never once complained about the roller coaster we call life. This why he was simply the best, and my inspiration in life. Ted will never be truly gone for me, two little pieces of him are always here....Emma and Teddy! He will always be Simply the Best!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Dutch Wonderland






Yesterday we took the kids to Dutch Wonderland..in the heat and humidity...YUCK to the heat!
Emma was so excited...she couldn't wait, and I was excited because it was Teddy's first time, he could actually ride the rides this year, YAY! When we get there, the first thing we decide to put the kids on is the carousel, thinking it might be an okay ride to start the day with, and to ease them into things. Teddy gets on the horse, he is so excited, he is smiling his usual smile, and then the ride starts, and my kid literally jumps off the stinking horse! I am saying it is okay Teddy it is just a ride, and ease him back onto the horse, as I am stumbling backwards! Finally, the ride stops, what a relief! This sets the course for our day with Theodore! Then Dan says lets get on the log flume! We get on the log flume, no problem, Teddy is loving riding in the little boat, we go up the first hill, not a problem, loves it. He is fascinated with the water, and is having a great time thus far. But then...yes there is a but then....We get stopped going down the big hill mid plunge! That was it, Teddy wanted out of that thing. He cried hysterically! All I could do was laugh, and Dan is looking back at me and saying " You do realize that you're cracking up, and your kid really scared don't you?" Call me a bad mother, but the whole scenario cracked me up! Emma is laughing hysterically, and saying what great fun this ride was and Teddy and totally is totally freaking out!


The highlight of the day was when both kids got to drive the car on the Turnpike! Teddy was in absolute glory! He didn't want to get off! By the end of the day Teddy was warming up to the rides, and we even managed to get him on the kidde Whip! He had so much fun! Both kids really enjoyed themselves! Emma was my little rebel! She LOVED every ride that she got on! Even the log flume when got stopped, was pretty cool to her!


This will definetly be my favorite summer memory!




Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Six Quirky Things About Me!


  1. Asolutely terrified of bridges...I shake terrible when going over them!

  2. I can burp the whole entire alphabet! Not kidding!

  3. Low flying birds scare the pants off me...You never know what they are going to do-do!

  4. If I laugh to hard at something I have a tendency to snort!

  5. I have a thing for Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street...They are so gosh darn cute!

  6. I theme my car music depending on where we are traveling! Don't ask why, I can't even explain that one myself!
Thanks to Heidi tagging me I am tagging Jen K, Yvonne, Dawn, Julie,and Nancy!

Saturday, July 19, 2008

MAN or JUST A BABY IN DISGUISE?!?!

Dan has been sick for the last 3 days now...and to be honest I had sympathy for him for about 5 minutes! It all started Wednesday evening, he kept complaining about a soar throat, the part that is annoying is how he then begins to tell me every few bazillion seconds that his throat hurts, added by another symptom. Then he lays around the house and moans "UH UH UHHH" to get the point across....I get it Dan you don't feel good!


By the time bed time has rolled around he moves on to thermometer taking his temperature 20 zillion times, because he is convinced that the first time he took his temp the thermometer gave a wrong reading.....Why is it women can go through hours and hours of agonizing labor and childbirth, and a 29 year old man gets a cold and the whole civilized world comes to a dramatic end? If someone has an answer to that I will give you a cookie!




To make matters even better he has been laying in bed everyday after work.....without fail moaning and taking his temperature! I want to scream at the top of my lungs "Your temperature has not changed since you took it 5 seconds ago"!


I have not slept since my third child got his cold....due to the moaning. I feel like I am cracking up! I hear moaning everywhere I go!


I finally got up the nerve today to ask Dan why he moans when he is sick, and he told me that it makes him feel better....so in the process of making yourself feel better you are driving everyone, even the cats crazy!

I hope the kids and I can make it the weekend!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Dentist......

Emma had a dentist appointment today with Dr. Jeff....The very first time we were meeting him. My kids were HORRIBLE! I mean so bad like the kids from the movie Problem Child.
First, the hygenist asked Emma to get in the chair....she screamed at the top of her lungs "NO!" She was not having it, and instead Teddy decides he is going to get up in the chair, well then Emma was just really ticked at this point and she proceeds to push her brother out of the chair. Much to my horror the hygentist is watching with her jaw dropping 90 yards to the floor! I persuade Emma to share the chair with her brother until the dentist comes in, and she reluctantly agreed.

Finally, Dr. Jeff comes into the room, and asks Emma if he can look at her teeth. She then tells him no and covers her mouth with both hands! When I try to talk to her she just keeps shaking her head no. We finally get her to let him look at her teeth with me holding her on my lap.

Here comes the best part, I hope you all are sitting down because you are going to pass out! She has FOUR, yes that is right FOUR cavities! Now we because of how she has acted up until now we are trying to determine what to do......SO we take an x-ray...... They have to be filled 2 at time. I am floored.

Now I am worried as how she will react the next time......Stay tuned for more Dentist Drama to be Continued in August....When Emma gets her first two cavities filled.....This may not be suitiblel for children under the age of 13!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Swimming at Uncle Tom's




We went swimming yesterday at Dan's Aunt Barbara and Uncle Tom's house yesterday. The kids were so excited to go, especially Emma. All she talked about was going for a whole week because swimming is one of her favorite things. When we pulled up in front of Uncle Tom's we saw that he had bought the kids their very own pool to use. This made their whole day! Uncle Tom is a kid at heart and loved to play little jokes on the kids, and he loved it when the kids would kid him back.

Teddy absolutely loved his Uncle Tom...wherever Uncle Tom went Teddy would follow. He gave Teddy a little bike to bring home that used to be cousin Meg's. Teddy really loves his new bike, his legs aren't long enough to reach the peddles yet, so Teddy was using his tip toes to push it forward...he looked so cute....He had usual big bright Teddy smile!

Emma loved when Uncle Tom would lay in the baby pool, and would spill buckets out of it! She would walk up to it and say "Splash Emma, Uncle Tom." and of course he would! Then she would give out a huge belly laugh!

The kids had an awesome time! They absolutely loved the ice cream at the end! When it was time to go home, they both didn't want to leave! It was a very nice Sunday afternoon, and the kids slept the whole way home.

Saturday, July 12, 2008


Happy Birthday Aunt Laura!
We love you! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Love,
Emma and Teddy

A new "potty" achievment!

Emma weny Poo-poo in the potty for the very first time today! We are so excited! We did the happy dance and jumped around. We are so very proud of her, and I know she was very proud of herself. What a huge milestone for her. It is kind of funny after you are parent how poop and pee can be so exciting! Never in my life did I think that I would get so excited over....well you get the idea. Keep up the good work Emma , Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!

Teddy

Teddy had his 3 month surgery follow up appointment today, and we found out that he is still refluxing, but that his kidneys are not as swollen as they were. We were told that Teddy does not have to go back to see the Urologist unless he has another UTI! The Deflux treatment is working. We are on cloud 9! The doctor said today that Teddy won't be completely cured, but he should be fine from here out! We are going to keep our fingers and toes crossed that he will not have anymore UTI's, and that he doesn't have to go through anymore catheterizations. Teddy we love you so very much, and you are truly our little gift from God! Keep that amazing personality, and your winning smile, and you will be able to do anything!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Womanizing Early?

My family and I went to Cheeseburger in Paradise tonight for dinner. The kids were very well behaved tonight...especially Teddy. I noticed he was very entertained about something....and then finally I noticed what it was! Teddy was watching all the waitresses walk by our table and he would kind of check them out. My son is all an out Rico Suavez! At one point during the meal he pointed to one of the waitresses and said "ohhhhhhhhh" in his little tiny baby grunt that he does! When we left he waved bye-bye to our waitress, and blew her a little kiss! It was very cute and funny, and I guess you would have to be there to see it!

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Emma got her ears pierced......

Anyway I have been avoiding the whole ear piercing thing...until last week when Emma asked again...so we took her....she did really well. I was very nervous...I thought for sure that when she saw how they were going to pierce her ears that she would definetly "chicken out", but she didn't. She got up in the chair they got the "Big Guns" out and pierced her ears. She didn't cry , but Teddy did for her! She got out of the chair and looked at the ladies her pierced her ears and said "Thank You". I was so proud of her! Then she said come on Mom...I want to buy some more earrings! I was flabbergasted! She is doing very well with them, we have had no problem cleaning them or anything she is being a very big girl with everything! Way to go Emma we are so proud of you!