Stroke, stroke, stroke

My dad had a little stroke on Monday night and went to the hospital Tuesday. Get this: he drove himself over to his dr's office (he doesn't understand that whole call the dr. first thing) and the doctor wasn't there so the person he spoke to at the dr's office TOLD HIM TO DRIVE HIMSELF 10 MILES TO THE HOSPITAL while potentially HAVING A STROKE. What??!! So of course, he did. He got all settled and started getting tested then left my mother a voicemail at work "yeah, hey I'm at the hospital...". She freaked out a little bit when she finally picked up her voicemail. So they did tests and can't find any damage, but still this was very scary. Thankfully Dana, my sister, called me and let me know what was going on. Sheesh. No one called forever. This miffs me because even if they think, no big deal, because I can't be there in person I need to know. I need to have an opportunity to call at least. What if everyone thought it wasn't a huge deal and put off calling me and something major happened? What if I missed an opportunity to talk to my dad one last time?
I'm hoping that this time he'll take a hint and finally quit smoking (including all tobacco products) for good. My kids need him to be their grandfather and I need him to be my dad. Preferably until I'm like oh say 75 or so.
So what else is going on? Laney is talking so much more, but we are starting to have a lot of conversations where she just doesn't have a word yet for what she's trying to say. She gets frustrated as I try to guess what she's trying to tell me about. I can relate to the problem because half the time anymore I can't get the right word out that I'm trying to say either.
K and G are spending more and more time on their tummies voluntarily. They are definitely at the glacier stage of babyhood. They move great distances but you can never actually see it happen. I need to buy another highchair since we all have dinner except Kenna who sits over in the family room. Griffin loves to be in the highchair since he can watch everything and be involved. I might even start feeding him in it soon. I'm still slacking on that cereal thing. Just another chore to add to my day.

Vomit

This morning started with an 8:30 eye appt. What is the deal with these drs anyway? They tell you to be there 1/2 hour early and don't take you back for the appt until 15 minutes after your appt. Seriously, what's the hold up. Then they have the nerve to charge all sorts of extra fees on top of the copay for doing things like a contact lense exam or writing a prescription. Irritating. I'm still sick even while taking the z pack antibiotics. I was awash in sweat the whole time--literally soaking. Gross, I know. But wait, it gets better.
When I got home, the house was slightly more disturbed than I left it but all the kids were still in pajamas. So I quickly fed everyone and got them dressed so that I could take them over to Diane's. I needed to run errands for Laney's birthday, but I had limited time since D had to leave by 1. So I ran but I didn't get much done before I had to pick up the kids. I wanted to find hats for Laney's party for each kid, but I just can't find them at this time of year. Anyway, I got the kids and got home and then the fun really started.
Kenna started to vomit around 2:30, totally covering me in vomit. And she kept puking. Poor baby, I felt so helpless to do anything for her. Meanwhile, Griffin was crying and then Laney woke up and finally Charles came home from the eye doctor. I was up all night with Kenna. I guess that's just part of the joy of motherhood.

Disgruntled

My house looks like a bomb went off and I'm too tired to do anything about it. We went to visit Olive today--she's going in for surgery on Monday. We didn't get much done in the morning. Charles attempted to play his video game downstairs but got mad when Laney kept messing with him. I wasn't managing much but the basics. After lunch at McDonalds we went up to Olive and Don's. There is another big dispute between Olive and Don regarding her IRA. The whole family blows up over the issue on a periodic basis. We came home to go to our playgroup Halloween party. I felt bad that I didn't bring any food to share. I definitely will next time. I need more options on potluck food.
It sucked getting the kids ready to go. We had to wake Laney up from a nap and she really wasn't prepared to put on her Tinkerbell outfit. By the time we were nearly ready to go, we had everyone crying. The party was nice, Mary does such a great job with that sort of thing, but I just wasn't feeling up to it. Laney didn't wear her costume at all. The twins looked cute in theirs but I took them mostly off since they were hot. We came home and I cooked dinner and fed babies. After the kids went to bed, Charles played his game and I tried to go to bed early.

Bronchitis and birthday parties

Saturday was a little wild. Charles told me that he wanted to go out to breakfast, so I got up and got cracking. As I'm getting the kids ready, Charles says go ahead and leave Kenna in the crib and then starts being really weird. Needless to say, I was getting irritated because I had to go to breakfast, finish wrapping a birthday gift and go to a birthday party by 10. Finally, after I started getting snippy because he was feeding Laney breakfast, he told me that my sorority sisters were coming to get me for a kidnap breakfast. It was fun, but it could have been a better day. Charles finished dressing the kids and came to get me. He was all grouchy because he had to go the party (2 hours, how awful). I just felt crappy. After we got home I went to urgent care while Charles played his video game. I had a fever over 100 and a lung infection. Yeah for me. I came home thinking maybe I could get some rest, but it just wasn't to be. I fed babies and then came back downstairs to cook dinner.

Catch Up

Ok, skipped a few days due to illness etc. Charles came home from his trip Thursday night. The kids and I went to the mall to run errands and ran into Richelle and Ella. Laney had a minor altercation with another little girl over the Thomas the Tank Engine train table at Barnes and Noble. It was a tiring day. I've been sick all week so not my most energetic self.
Friday Charles was watching the kids, so I ran a few errands. I went and got a massage and then got my hair done. The lady that does my hair is so incredibly slow. My appointment was at 5 and I didn't leave until 10. Seriously. I thought I'd never get home (so did Charles).

Monsters Emerge

Laney learned about things that are "scary". We've reached a milestone. This might explain why she was acting weird at the park when playing last week (she suddenly came over and sat next to me. She has never, ever done that before) Tonight she read the Fry's ad and pointed out the scary Halloween mask. I hate to see her be scared of anything. I wish I could keep her from knowing about any of the bad stuff in the world. Last night she woke up at around 1 and I had to go in and get her comforted and back to sleep. I think that's one of the first times I've done that.
On an upside, all the kids went to Diane's for a few hours while I went to the dentist today (no, that's not the upside) and while there Kenna scooted her way across the blanket. That child has a will to move like no one else. They played pretty hard with Di and Leah. I guess Laney had a tantrum while there. Griffin and Kenna took their bottles well and only Kenna slept even though Griffin needed to. He isn't a day time sleeper as much and likes to be entertained.
Griffin is something of a momma's boy. He gets a little scared by strangers and loud or sudden things. It's funny that my two girls are so oblivious and my little boy is the sensitive one. I guess they just process the world in different ways. A part of me has never been able to relate to Laney's fearlessness and outgoing personality, but I understand sensitive quite well. Of course, Griffin is just slightly subdued in comparison to his sisters. Compared to the rest of the world he's still pegging the happy baby scale.
I bought Laney a Princess Aurora (aka sleeping beauty) nightie while I was out today and she was super thrilled to put it on tonight. I let her keep the light on tonight so that she could lay in bed and admire it. Her first nightgown. I'm a sellout to Disney commercialism, but it makes my daughter happy so what the hell.
I'm not feeling well tonight, I have a weird chest pain. So keeping it short.

Wild Life

We went to the zoo today with our play group and then to lunch at Claimjumper. I should have known that it was going to be a hard day when I got to the zoo (after a few wrong turns) and discovered that I didn't bring my wallet. I had emergency cash though, so on to the elephants it was. I can't say it was the best zoo visit that we've had, but it was ok. A kind docent lady held Griffin while I fed Kenna. I nursed my children next to the cave cockroaches. Tasty.
I feel sorry for Laney sometimes because her life is harder than it is for the other kids . I only have two stroller spots and three kids--she gets to walk everywhere. (though I can't say I'm against that anyway. Kids can walk and it's good for them. Maybe that is the beginning of the childhood obesity epidemic--getting pushed around while eating goldfish and raisins to keep you quiet) I didn't bring the leash with me either or the baby carrier. So it was hard to manage the running toddler and the fussy babies. C'est la vie.
I should have called it quits and gone to McDonalds for lunch with the kids, but decided to go with everyone to Claimjumpers. Laney and the twins were fairly good, but it was still stressful and I was more than ready to leave by the time we were through. They all screamed in the car for the first 20 minutes of the car ride home and Laney didn't fall asleep until we were nearly home then skipped her nap. I made her stay in bed until 4 anyway because I needed some downtime. I'm mean, what can I say. She has plenty of entertainment in there and if she would stop screaming she might enjoy the quiet time too.
Griffin tried cereal tonight for the first time and seemed to like it quite a bit. He didn't eat much, but it was a good first effort. That boy likes his chow. Kenna rolls at will now and spent a good part of the afternoon checking out the playmat. She doesn't sit up quite as well though. The dr gave the ok for cereal last week, but I have to admit I'm being a little lazy. I need to buy another highchair and am not as enthused about adding another chore to an already full day. Sigh. But the upside might be better sleeping. They seem to be sleeping less at night than they were before, so they might need a little more in the tummy. Or less incentive to come have a cuddle with mommy. I don't put them back as promptly as I should because I usually fall back asleep.
Our evening bedtime ritual kicked up a notch tonight. Kenna had a major diaper blowout today and Griffin was covered in cereal so there was just no ignoring the fact that they needed baths. So we tried something new. Previously, I've left the babies downstairs while bathing Laney, but they always get mad. Tonight, everyone went upstairs together. I got all the stuff together and bathed Kenna, wrapped her in a towel, bathed Griffin, wrapped him in a towel, put Laney in the bathtub to get on with her important water playtime and diapered and dressed both babies there on the bathroom floor. It was a little crazy: Laney helped me by trying to steal the soap, dipping a wet wipe in water and squeezing it out on my back, and turning on the faucet. Griffin peed and nearly got me. But all in all, it worked out. God knows what I'm going to do when they can all get around. though maybe I can bathe them together then. Getting them dressed afterwards will be another story.
All were in bed by 8 and mommy had a glass of wine. I need to hit the hay now too.

Bookworm

Today we picked up my mother-in-law, Olive aka Vovo, and went to the mall. It's been a while since we've seen her and it was good to catch up. Diane joined us for lunch at Chick fil A. Love me some of that Christian chicken.
Laney woke up really late today. She was so quiet that I did the stealth check to make sure she was alright. What is it about being a mom that gives you that chilling thought that something might be wrong if your child sleeps in? I hate that I think things like that, but I guess it is fairly normal. When I went to check on her a second time, she was quietly reading "Olivia" (she calls it her piggy book) to herself. She has about 10 books in her crib and loves to "read". Tonight I think I went through every book we own with her. She's also taken to wanting to leave the light on when I put her down at night so she can read to herself before she goes to sleep. I think that it's just a delay tactic, but it's so cute I can't say no. Unfortunately, after going back to find her half asleep tonight, I turned out the light and it caused a tantrum of major proportions. Sigh. On the up side, the babies were completely exhausted from their day at the mall (and no longer naps), so they zonked out early. That meant they didn't get baths though. So I have dirty well rested children.

Starting Somewhere

Ok, we've all got to start somewhere. This is my first post in what I hope will become a meaningful journal that gives those closest to me a way of staying in touch with my life and me a way to look back and remember how it really was.
I told my sister-in-law a story about Delaney today and she said that I should write it in her baby book. Um, what baby book? Laney will be 2 in two weeks and I never wrote down a thing. Now that the twins are 4 months already (!) I try to remember what I was doing and what Laney was doing at this age and I just can't. At the time, you think that the special memory will last forever, but in reality it fades away and you only have the impression of the moment. So Laney's first two years are largely undocumented, even though they have been incredibly wonderful. My memory of those years? I remember giving birth and feeling a profound, intense love like I've never felt and being really suprised by it. I remember a beautiful, easy child who was always amazing and only occasionally exasperating. That's the impression, but the truth is lost in the day to day chaos of life.
So what was it that I should write down from today? Laney and I were talking on the couch and I asked her if she had filled her pull-up. She said no with a twinkle in her eye, so I asked her if she was lyin'. She said yes. I laughed and she said "lion! rraaarrgh!". Then I laughed harder. Language acquisition is a riot.
Kenna is rolling and trying so hard to crawl. She rolls and her legs go crazy. If I give her something to brace against she can scoot across her playmat. So cute. Griffin is having a major mama moment this weekend. He wants to be held and loved by mommy and is somewhat fussy. He conned me into letting him spend half the night in my bed last night, until finally I put him in his crib at 2:30 to cry it out and go to sleep for the night. I swapped him out for Kenna, who has been eating reliably at 2:50 and 5:50 each night/morning. She managed to hang out in my bed until 4. She's very stealth. But if they are there I can never sleep well and get all stiff from trying not to move.
So this morning dawned with me tired, stiff, and very cranky. I did not win the motherhood award today. By noon all three were screaming and I was about to pull out my hair and run from the house like I was lit on fire. I feel bad that the patience well runs dry so often and that Laney receives the brunt of the anger/impatience. I vow to do better.