Seven Cereal Spoons

I cannot help but be a slave to a sick kid. All my parenting "rules" go out the window: watching very little TV (nonstop since Tuesday), eating healthy food (got loads of compliments - for the ice cream dinner last night & lunch today), eating while watching TV, and not giving in to every whim or change of mind (see below).

With Thomas's illness, he hasn't been too interested in food. He's been drinking well - thank goodness. This morning both of them asked for cereal. Thomas decided he wanted "different cereal." Of course that required a different bowl. Of course that required a different spoon. Of course that meant Veronica needed the same. Of course that meant we start over with a completely different cereal. Somehow I ended up with a stray bowl on the table, so we ended up with an uneven number or cereals and bowls between the two of them... seven bowls later.





For a soothing, sore-throat snack, we had popsicles for a snack. Veronica calls them, "Paulasicles." I assume that's a compliment to Aunt Paula.

Thomas has not been satisfied with anything for days. "Help me, help me." So cute when he's not sick. Very sweet when he's sick that he can sometimes as for help instead of scream about it. Then there are complaints (yesterday's script)...

I want a watch puppets. (put Muppets in the DVD player).

Different puppet! (fast forward)

(me: Thomas, this is the only one we have. )

OK. Different puppet! (fast forward).

Forward. (this repeats until the DVD is over)

Steve! (Blue's Clues put in player)

Different Steve! (Different Blue's Clues put in player)

Mary Poppins! (Mary Poppins in the player)

Steve! (and on and on)

Again, I'm a sucker for this sick kid. I try to keep up, but finally let myself understand he's never going to be happy because he feels so miserable. Makes me sad.

Fortunately, today he's getting better. I can still tell he's uncomfortable, but he can smile and ask me questions. So nice to know he's on the mend. It refills the patience pitcher that was running dry!

Judson came home in time to rescue us all from ourselves! The three of us hermits needed some time outside the walls of our home. So we headed to the local, family-owned Chinese establishment. V&T enjoyed the pasta (lo mein) and really perked up and had a great time. We played (the TV was not even requested!). Veronica focused on the people while Thomas started laying out two objects. He would ask himself, "Which one?" He'd answer himself and say "Oh, yeah! That's it!" and proceed to move the object to the other side of the room and start over. The evening ended with Veronica's rousing game of "Let's run." Everyone participated.

Snow Strolling

Thomas is still sick today. Veronica is trying to help. She has assisted in Thomas's diaper changes today. She has also started putting please at the end of all her requests without being prompted!

Thomas's fever was down (with the help of Tylenol). I could feel us all getting a little stir-crazy. I asked if they wanted to go out in the snow. They were both interested. However, as I got T bundled first, he had time to rethink his gloves as I got V ready. This started the tears. He didn't want to stay inside though. So, I got them to the porch and realized Thomas wanted to be held outside. Well, if Thomas wants to be held, who else do you think wants to be held? I didn't think I could carry them both with all their padding (snowsuits) and snow just below my knees. (I've dropped them enough for goodness sake!)

To make matters worse, I had told Thomas that we could try to build Frosty (the Snowman). The snow wouldn't pack AND Thomas assumed we would SEE Frosty. "I want a see Frosty," through icicle tears.

Veronica was willing to let me pull her on the sled about 4 feet while Thomas watched. They both wanted to "walk." I was about to find out this translation: you walk, Mommy, while you carry us. Both of them were screaming, so I took them to the porch where they screamed louder because they didn't want to go inside... but they still didn't want to walk on their own. By the time I had Veronica's coat off, she decided she needed to ride in the stroller. Thomas agreed. I ran to the car and got out the stroller. Thomas still made it known that this was not as good as me carrying him, but it seemed to foot the bill. I walked about three times on the sidewalk in front of the three houses my neighbor had so kindly snow blown. Then, Thomas wanted to be held again.

Realizing I couldn't make them happy, I gave up and took them inside. Thomas then told me he wanted to sled with sissy. I was spent. So much for the snow.



By lunchtime T's temp was just registering and I could tell from his temperament that he still didn't feel well. I took him to the doctor in the afternoon. Judson was so kind as to take the afternoon off so that I could take Thomas alone. Thomas just kept telling me he wanted to see Sissy. The doc told me it was the worst throat he'd seen all week. We went home and saw Daddy and Veronica waiting in the window for Thomas. Such a beautiful sight! We had a lot of waving interaction between the house and the car before we went in. Judson said Veronica was concerned as to when Thomas would come back soon.

I finally reheated the lasagna I'd made earlier in the week. Veronica was pretty pleased with it, but yet again, Thomas wasn't feelin' it. I decided to pull out ice cream for dinner. It was a hit! "Dewishes, Mommy!"

Sick, Snuggled, Snowed, & Spaghetti

We have plenty of snow outside (around a foot?), a sled waiting, but oh - we're sick! Or at least Thomas is, poor guy.

Thomas has had a fever of 101+ for over 2 days now. If it's still there tomorrow, I'll call the doc. Otherwise, I'm just doing my best. He needs to be held incessantly, which makes Veronica feel left out and with no playmate. When we can, the three of us snuggle together (V's actually very patient). Yesterday T was just lethargic - today it's cranky, so I'm hoping that's an improvement. He is having spurts where he wants to play a little today too, so I'm hopeful. When he's not playing though, I have to guess what DVD is needed (not always the one he asks for!).

Right now he's watching Bob the Builder and playing while Veronica pushes her babies around in their "stwower." She keeps putting a dishtowel over them and saying they are "cozy." Once I inquired, "Are you cozy?" "NO!" was the reply. "Amy cozy."

Well, this first and brief break sounds as if it were over. I hope we are well enough for our first sledding experience before the snow melts!

***
Strike that - They were just begging to play with Play-Doh! Oh, it's nice to see him turning the corner and her so happy about it!

A Sensational Saturday

This morning we had a great play date with Kasey and Dean and their mommies. The four of these toddlers are just months apart in age and all live in the neighborhood. They will all likely go to Little Flower together as well. There was just a little shyness in the beginning, but it was great fun. There was especially a lot of laughter at the lunch table.

Finally, an easy nap today which put them in a GREAT mood this afternoon. Loads of giggles and singing. They were especially happy to spend some quality time with Daddy, I could tell.

We went to Mass where they were super-well behaved. Just a few shout-outs to Bob (Fr. Bob, that is). Then, we went to Denny's for dinner. I happened to mention shopping (grocery) in the car and Veronica insisted we go shopping. So, we also had the smoothest grocery run in a long time too. We sang all the way home and then my family went to play while I prepared a snack for tomorrow's book club. It warmed my heart to hear all the laughter and excitement. Then I went to the living room to discover this:

Uh, oh... pasta?

We had a picnic lunch at the mall today with our friends Carolyn and Robert so we could play at the playground there. Carolyn had told me some friends and Robert's father were trying to teach him "Uh oh, Spaghetti-Os!" last month. One day she heard Robert in the living room saying, "Uh oh, pasta!" Today he passed that on to my kids.

What have we here?

Instead of waking to the monitor sounding off, "Mommy, Mommy!" or "Whaaaa!" or "I want OUT!" This morning was a Veronica pleasantly thinking out loud, "I want to watch Frosty." She said this a few times, and then Thomas broke out into his famous rendition of "Frosty the Snowman." It was too sweet and too fun - I had to start the day by turning on .... Frosty. We watched it together and then Thomas did something he has never done. He requested we sing a song together. Usually it's a marathon of requests for me to sing something (or a request for me not to sing at all). He sang the entire alphabet with me! We went onto a breakfast that demanded cheese - not just cheese - but three cheeses later we had the right cheese.

Mid-morning we met Mak at the Children's Museum. The only thing that took us so long to get there was that neither suddenly barefoot child would tell me where they'd put their socks. Despite that, we had a great day at the museum. We rode the carousel three times. Thomas even named his white horse Frosty. The second time we got in line, we were behind my old college friend, Brandi and her 3 kids. We were able to enjoy lunch with them.


Mak took the kids home while I went to an appointment. When I turned home, I cranked up the computer to show Grandma the latest pictures we'd taken. After looking at many photos of Isaac, Chloe and Robert, Thomas crossed his arms and asked with indignation, "Where Thomas?" We were soon to find enough pictures of him for his liking. The next time we came to a picture of Chloe, Thomas told us, "Chloe cute."

Just before bedtime, both twins were sitting with their own books on my lap. Veronica was reading me nursery rhymes while Thomas would open to each page of his book and ask, "Have here?" Then he would proceed ask what each person on the page was doing. This was pretty interesting to Veronica as well. Thomas took an affinity toward the doctor, while Veronica was smitten with the skier.

Pretty Little Pout

This morning, T & V were a little more shy around T & P. It didn't stop them from playing in the end, but the beginning of the morning was spent hanging on Mommy. Veronica was trying not to make too much eye-contact, when Paula asked, "Does she always hold her mouth like that?" Paula was talking about the infamous pout. The way I can answer this to the fullest is...

Veronica was born first, in the delivery room. I couldn't see anything because of the screen they had up for my c-section. However, I could get a mental picture from Judson's first words after seeing her, "She has your pout!"