Living like the other half live

And I am not talking about the rich! I am talking about those parents who work normal hours, have weekends off with the family and are able to share activities TOGETHER!

This was not a normal weekend for us. Mike usually gets one day off a week and works until 8-9p most nights. This weekend he worked until 2pm on Sat and had Sun and Mon off. Amazing! We planted flowers, we did yard work, we cleaned, we went to the park, we had a picnic, we (I should say Janie and Mike) went put-putting, we had dinner together three nights in a row, and I grocery shopped alone! Doesn't the song go something like..."Please don't let this feeling end.." When I say it was great, I mean it was great! I guess it is a good beginning into my sleepless- chaotic-work-missing-my-kids-next-4-weeks!

Happy Belated Birthday Janie!

For my sweet Janie who makes sacrafices every day and loves her family more than ever! You blink and the time passes.

What I Learned this week about 2 year olds

I feel like every week I learn a few more things about kids or parenting. I am however always learning something new about 2 year old twin boys. Here are a few things from this week.

1. Don't try to put one twin boy in jammies with balls on them unless you have a second pair of jammies with balls also.

2. They have no problem seeing how their hand fits in the others' "crack" while in the bath.

3. The word "share" really means "I want what you have and I am not giving it back"

4. If you think they are ready to begin potty training, maybe they are?

Janie was potty trained easily in one day (except for nights) at 2 years and 4mths. I was not ready but someone told me I better run with it if she is showing signs. Both Kyle and Owen say "Poooopoooo" in a stressful voice everytime the duty calls. So tonight I brought up the little potty. As bath time started I stripped Kyle down, sat him on the potty and told him to go pee pee. And, he did. Just like that. Owen, not so much. But really, could this be time? I am not used to this whole tallywacker thing that boys have or how it works. I have always heard that boys take longer but who knows. Here is Kyle on the pot enjoying the parts that he finds down there.

Seasons End

Today was the last of this years gymnastics meets for Janie. Notice I say this years! Unlike other sports, we do not get a season off or the summer. She will continue to go all summer, 2-3 days a week for 3 hours a day. A lot for a 7 year old? Yes, and for a 7 year olds mom. I guess as long as she is still liking it, I will stay committed but my goal is to also introduce other, cheaper and less risky sports along the way. Really the outcome of gymnastics is scary. It is the highest injury sport, it is extremely expensive and the time commitment is crazy. It is however the coolest sport to watch if I do say so myself. Here are a couple of pics from today. I had trouble getting anything good because flashes are not allowed during competition.

A 7 year olds dream

I am a few days late with this post (shock, I know Billie) but wanted to share a few pics of Janie's 7th birthday party. She turned 7 last Friday. Yes, my baby is 7! We went to Libby Lu for the b-day party. For those of you who don't know what Libby Lu is...it is a spa for 7 year olds. Really! Well not just 7 year olds but young girls. They get there hair done up, nails done, make up done and get to pick out several prizes. They also do some singing and dancing. Anyway, good or bad, it is everything a 7 year dreams of for a birthday party. Well, at least Janie.

More about her turning 7 soon but for now, here are some fun pics!

Mothers Day

I just finished reading my post about mothers day from last year. I have decided that I still have the same outlook. Mothers day has never been an extra special-my husband goes above and beyond-sleep in as late as I want-get big gifts day. I am okay with that. But it is simple, or so it seems to me, to make someone feel just a little special. I love to do this. I love to think of that little thing that could brighten someones' day. I think I can generalize with exception (my bro and father being the exception) that most men don't think this way! I asked my mom on Saturday night if there were things about her father that my Dad could never compare with. The reason for my question is that although my husband is a great father, a good partner and very supportive, he is missing the "spontaneous, above and beyond, make someone feel like a million bucks - gene". I am okay with this but this is not how my dad was. My dad brought flowers to my mom all the time. My father put together care packages when I was in college just from him. My father was just like that!

And so, I spent a wonderful Mother's day at my sister's house in Columbus with my kids and my mom while Mike stayed in Detroit and worked. I did get a nice card and a plant for the yard. I enjoyed my kids and got huge hugs from my hubby last night.

This post is not supposed to be about what Mothers Day is not. Instead, I want to say what it is. It is a day for me to celebrate being a mom and honoring my incredible mother.

My mother has been incredibly unselfish throughout her tenure as a mother and a grandmother. She has provided, taught some of life's best lessons and always loved unconditionally. I feel very strongly that because of the way my mother was/is, I am the person that I am today. She has taught me to be a caring, kind and anappreciative person. I can only hope that one day, I can feel that I have raised my children as well as she raised us. I hope that one day, my kids feel the same way about me as I feel about my mother! I love you mom and thank you for being the best mommy that a child could ever dream of!

March of Dimes Walk - A Success!

This was one of my favorite days. The weather was beautiful, the company amazing and the cause priceless. Wow, that almost sound like a commercial. The O.K. Twins team raised over $1400 with a goal of $750. I was so touched by the genuine support I recieved from family and friends through donations and walking with us.

The walk itself is a short 3 miles. The great thing is that there are many activities along the way for the kids, tons of food and fun give-aways. We were able to hook up with many of my friends from the NICU Board that I am on as well as walk with some people dear to my heart - Team Holland and Eden (I would love to link them here but forgot how. You can click on their site under other fav blogs). Watching Holland and Eden (24 weekers) cross the finish line was truly what this whole thing is about!

Anyway, here are lots of pics including the sign that was posted for our team with a pic of last year and a quote I wrote.


O.K. Twins with Team Holland and Eden

O.K. Twins team minus Krissy, our nanny and fam who came a bit later

Owen having a good time!

Kyle showing off the back of his shirt with a pic of him in the NICU

Proud big sis

My cousins daughter Caroline, not sure about this!

The guys feeling cool in their light blue shirts - Cousin John, Mike, Bro John, and Uncle Steve

Our sign

Bugs

Since it was finally nice today, we went outside. Mike showed the kids how to search for bugs. Fun, fun, fun...

A few new pics

We enjoyed our time at the Castaway Cafe last weekend.

The All Clear

This is a post I did several days ago and just finally got back to.

I took Owen to the Pediatric Cardiologist today for a check up at Children's Hospital. It had been a year since our last visit. Fortunately, last year after an EKG, Eccocardiogram and 24 halter monitor, the Dr. told us we were in pretty good shape. He had been off of meds for 6 months and although there was still some premature jumping of beats, things were much improved and we were to ride it out. So, a year gone by and we got great news today - Owen's EKG was completely normal! There did not appear to be any acceleration or irregular beats. Yeh! He did say that we are not completely out of the woods and that this could come back (most likely in the early teen years) but for now, we look good. The best words were - "see you in 3 years". The days seem long ago that we were listening to his heart 6 times a day and giving doses of albuterol every 4 hours. Praise the Lord!

On a different note, there is something that I want to share. There is this boy (young man) whom is a student at Cranbrook. I have only met him a few times. I first found out about him when I went to give blood at a blood drive at work. There was a sign that read "If you are of O blood type and willing to donate blood for Miles Levin, please contact ..." And so I did and then I proceed to give blood at a bank especially for this boy. I knew he had some type of cancer but that was it. Now he is not doing so well. He is in NY getting basically a last chance chemo treatment. If this treatment does not do some major work, he will not be strong enough to recover from it. I was told that he has a carepage, similar to a blog and so I began reading. I now am consumed by it. I read or look for updates on this amazing boys life many times a day. He has courage that I have never seen in my life time, an indescribable ability to write and the guts to discuss anything about death. I am copying a page from his site that truly moved me and sums up his take on life. Please read...

75 April 17, 2007 at 09:39 PM EDT
The Disappointment Essay
I'm only going to say this once.

Part of the power of Carepages, I've been told, is that it resonates a certain authenticity, free from pretense. But I'm sure many of you must wonder sometimes, "Wait, how could he not be upset about what's happening to him?" So free from pretense and sugar coating, I will say, no, this not what I had planned.

First I should address the anger issue. That's the easy one because, as I've said, I really don't have much anger. I don't. I have moments, but for the most part I accept this. I have done everything I can to try and survive. If it is to be, it is to be. As for "Why me?"... I don't know, and I've given up wondering. If I have a divine purpose, it is to show the world how to deal with adversity head on, with courage and grace. If I am here by science and chance, I still showed the world how to deal with adversity head on, with courage and grace.

I come back to the analogy of the baby drowning in the river and getting angry at the H20 molecules. I'm not angry because there's nothing to be angry at. Anger requires a target. You have to be angry AT something. There is no target, there are only abnormal cellular processes.

So I'm not angry. This is how it is. But I am so terribly sorry that this is how it has to be. I so badly want to live. I have great enthusiasm for life; that probably shows. This is the first carepage update I've ever written through tears. I just want to live. NPR Columnist and cancer patient Leroy Sievers says it for me best: "I'm not scared to die, I'm just not ready."

It was hard for me at school when all my friends got worked up about the colleges they had not yet heard back from. So much talk about colllege. It was hard to hear. Firstly, all that stressing about which Ivy League they'd be going to while I'm stressing about whether those suspicious scans meant cancer and The End or not; and secondly, that everyone would be moving on to the next stage of life...the whole College Experience...onwards to young rising professionals and newly weds and fathers and mothers and grandfathers and grandmothers and retirees...but my life ends here; this is my stop, a couple months short of graduating high school. The truncation is so harsh. That's what hurts the most. There's so much more I want to do. And I know I have more to give. I got the short end of the stick, and while I'm not angry (at a stick?), I'm painfully saddened and disappointed. My own life is the most tragic thing I have ever known. How many people can say that free of melodrama?

I try to hold in mind that all you can do is work with what you're given, and I pretty much made the most of it. I'm proud of that. Whether you live to be 18 or 81, your tenure on this earth is still fleeting. For the happy and healthy, it will always be too short. Given this, all you can do is do some good, I suppose, and find a couple things to laugh at in between. I've done that.

Most of the time I'm not sad. When I feel well, I'm happy. But when I'm feeling happy and well is when I realize how much I enjoy this whole thing, how much I'll miss it (although I don't think I will be capable of missing it once I'm gone)--and that's when I have the hardest time letting go.

This is, as I titled it, The Disappointment Essay. I've always appreciated a quote on the way things are by Hunter S. Thompson. "It's a strange world," he wrote, "Some people get rich, others eat shit and die. Who knows?" That seems about it. And who knows?

Who knows. I believe through cancer I was able to rise, coming respectably close to self-actualization. Maybe I never would have gotten my act together otherwise. Into adulthood, I might have been scattered, eternally five minutes late to life. Maybe this has put my good where it will do the most. I can only hope so.

No pics

So I got this new camera and a new computer but I don't know how they all work together and therefore all recent pics continue to be stored on the camera.

All is well with the Mitchells. Mike has been away at a conference for 3 days but has finally arrived back in the state, I think. Of course at 8:30pm he is still at work so as far as I know, he could still be at the conference.

The kids are good. Janie is on spring break and fortunately has done a few fun things with friends. Last night I took the kids to Castaway Cafe in Howell and we had an absolute blast! It was so perfect for all the kids and something to do outside of the house.

The good news is that we have reach, actually exceeded our goal for the March of Dimes walk. Thanks to many generous friends and family, we have raised almost $1300. If you still want do donate look at the last post for the link (since I don't remember it now)

One final thing - I have a friend that I have gotten to know through the NICU at St. Joe. She has amazing twin girls (born at 24 weeks)who have overcome the impossible time and time again. Holland is back in the hospital for the second time in a week with pneumonia. They are great people but have definitely had their share of life obstacles. They need all of our prayers to once again find the strength to get through this one too! Holland Edens blog is linked to mine if you want to read.

Playing outside

So it was all a tease but we had some fun for a few days anyway! It is so great to get outside with the boys now that they don't dart for the road.

March of Dimes

We will be walking again this year in the March of Dimes Walk as the family team OK Twins. This is such a great time and an awesome opportunity to support prematurity in honor of our boys. Our fund raising goal of $750 has yet to be achieved. Thank you to those of you who have donated and I hope that many more will find a small gift to give us towards this journey.

Here is the link if you would like to donate!

http://www.walkamerica.org/alioct74


Some pics from last year...

Oh the Dream...

That is exactly what it was, a dream. I had the most amazing vacation to Mexico that I could have ever asked for. It was exactly what I wanted and more. Really I had just wanted to relax, enjoy my hubby, bask in the sun and eat good food. That all happened! We did do a few other things during our short 4 days! We enjoyed Isla Muejes, went snorkling, had a boat ride, checked out several beaches, ate some serious good grub in downtown Cancun, shopped a bit, road a lot of city busses and had a blast talking in Spanish.
I have made a list of things that I did not know about Cancun before I visited:

-You can go and not have to be part of the spring break partyfest
-Apparently if you are into the "bar scene", the more wrist bands you have, the cooler you are
-The city busses are cheap, take you anywhere on the main road, a good people watching tool and like a visit to Cedar Point!
-There is some seriously poor housing in Cancun but once you arrive back to the resorts, it is like being in an entire different world
-Real Mexican food is nothing like Chi chi's
-15sp sun screen is like wearing baby oil in MI
-Happy hour starts at 2pm
-Mexican's are so nice, friendly and hard working (I kind of already knew this) and therefore I offered about 5 jobs while I was there
-You can really use the Spanish that you learned in High School 15 years later
-Cancun airport is much more efficient than Detroit
-This is a place that I would definetly take my children

Also on this trip I discovered a few personal things -

-I love spending time with my husband
-I can have an adult conversation with my husband about something other than bills, kids and jobs
-I can read! I can read something other than childrens books
-I don't just sit around well. As much as I wanted to be lazy, if I was not reading or sleeping, I enjoyed being active.
-My kids were okay without us for 4 days
-I want to take a trip with Mike every year. Is this possible?

I feel refreshed with a bit of the blues. I love my life here. I love my kids. But...I LOVED THIS VACATION!

We're leavin on a jet plane

As of Thurs. morning, Mike and I will be on our way to Cancun for some fun in the sun, hopefully! I am in the frantic prep stages right now. This is something that my husband just doesn't get! He asks - what do you have to do? Right...the grocery shopping, shopping for last minute items for us, packing, medical forms, planning the kids schedules, work, money exchange and on and on. It is nothing to complain about but he just doesn't get it! He thinks he can just wake up on Thurs. and leave for the airport. Truth be told, he probably can.

Every thing else is fine in our lives. Mike continues to work 24/7 and I continue to juggle! I am so in need of this vacation.

On a sad note - if you ever look at the links to my blog, you will see one that says "Pray for Dara". This is a good friend of our Nanny. Dara passed away on Friday after a hard battle with breast, liver and lung cancer. She was 37 (I think) with a 2 1/2 year old. So sad.

Kissing Brothers

Don't have time but wanted to post this cute pic!

Balance

I am not sure if I am not making time or if I have surrendered to my life of work, kids, running kids, maintaining a house and blah, blah, blah but what I do know that I never blog anymore. I think part of it is that I used to have some time in the evenings after the kiddies went to bed. Now, my hubby is just getting home then so I spend time with him.

There are not really any big updates in our lives. Mike has been at his new job a month now. It is challenging and very time consuming. He gets home from a 12-14 hour day at about 8-9p most nights. He follows this up with more paper work. Not to complain but it is sometimes hard working full time and doing everything at home. It is not that he isn't helpful, he just is never and I mean never available!
I am finding myself getting very busy at work, needing to make a lot of upcoming Dr. apts, keeping up with my NICU gig (which is highly neglected), running Janie to gymnastics, going to gymnastics meets, needing to plan an upcoming b-day party, and #1 on my list right now is preparing for our trip to Cancun at the end of this month. Can't wait! I do love my life and don't mean to complain but I wonder how I keep it straight some days.

I am in amazement of how our lives fly by us. The boys will be 2 in one month and Janie will be 7 the following month. Crazy, just crazy...

Time Away

Gosh, I haven't blogged in forever. Most because I was planning my trip away and now I am away. I am at an 8 day conference in Charlotte, NC where our corporate head quarters are.

So far, so good. We are 4 days in with 4 days to go. It was really hard to think of leaving the family. Janie was absolutely devistated even though we have been discussing this for a long time. I am not sure if this was a bad or good mommy thing to do but I wanted her to have something to look forward to every day while I am gone so I wrapped up a little gift and note each day for her. So far it seems to have helped. Everyone is doing fine. I have had an army of people to help me. MY mom came in for several day, my bro is covering one evening, and my aunt and uncle come in to finish off the week. Wow! My friend is transporting to and from gymnastics and on and on. Remember, this is only Mike's second week on the new job so the flexibility is not there yet.

The training has been intense, challenging, super time consuming and annoying at time. I am trying to keep an open mind and learn tons as this is truly to prepare me for my bosses job. The challenge is that we have new hires in our class! Stupid, stupid, stupid. Anyway, my days are consisting of training from 7:30a-6:30p and often followed by dinners and hours of homework. The good thing is that this craziness has made it easier not to miss my kids and hubby every hour of the day. Anyway, that is all for now from Charlotte...

The day has come

Five days before my birthday Mike left his job. It was a crappy day, a crappy week, a crappy month. I chose to try and be a supportive wife, knowing that this too would end at some point. He had been unhappy for a while and I knew that ultimately, it would be a good thing once he found a new job. So a month later he started working at a really great restaurant. He learned some new things and really found his enthusiasm for food again. The problem was that he was basically working as a line cook and certainly not making enough money to pay the bills. Once he started I would often not see him for 5 days in a row since I was working days and he nights. Somehow, we have maintained. We didn't create and enormous amount of debt,our kids haven't suffered and we still love each other. What else can you ask for?

And so the interviews finally began. He has spent the last 3 weeks interviewing with 3 entirely different companies. The great news is...he recieved offers from all 3! Mike will start in a week at a Marriott property as the Executive Chef.

I have to believe that this whole journey happened the way it happened for a reason.
Five days before his birthday, the offer came...

My New Nephew

I was able to take a much too short trip to meet my new nephew this past Monday. I should say to meet the mini-brother-in-law. It was such a great time, just too short. My husband working nights certainly cramps my style sometimes and my ability to go anywhere.

Anyway, the new little family seems to be doing great. They have their good and hard days but overall this little dude, named Joey, is pretty scheduled and happy. I, of course snuck in a few of my secrets (like a little more food and a really tight swaddle). He is just over two weeks old and is sleeping a good 3-4 hours in a row (in his car seat, in his bed).

My Sissy is doing great! She is experiencing everything that first time and second time moms experience. She is learning her baby's need and loving him with everything she has. It is so fun to watch.

Until I get back there, I will continue to remind myself of this cute little dude that snuggles so well and that peed on me two times!

Hesitation

I am scared to say this but we are finally all healthy! Janie went through a horrible round of strep last weekend. Truly I think this is the sickest that I have ever seen her. By Saturday morning, when I finally took her in to the Dr., I had to carry her to the car and into the Dr.s office. I was bad! So, except for a black eye that Kyle got today from a fall off the sofa (no pic yet), we are all well.

This weekend plays out to be very busy. Tomorrow is Janie's first real gymnastics meet followed by a holiday party for my NICU board. Sunday I am departing for Columbus to meet my new nephew. I can't wait to hang with the little dude and give my Sissy some relief. I am sure I will also look forward to coming back home to my insanely structured household!

My exciting news is that I have officially booked a trip to Cancun for my hubby and me. I know that I can write this because he never looks at my blog. He turns 40 at the end of this month and since he is not one to throw a party for, I decided to plan a trip. I decided this a year ago and started saving my pennies in June. I had planned a long weekend to Florida but wanted to avoid and spring breakers because my only goals are good food, wine, relaxation, sun and a reconnection with my hubby. We have not spent a night away since Janie was born. So, after a lot of research and convos with a travel agent, we have decided that Cancun is the best for our money (I should say I decided). I think I may have to get it to him earlier than his b-day because he still needs to get a passport! Anyway, we go in March and I can't wait!

I thought I would include a picture of Kyle here. He hurt his head several months ago and we used to say "does you head hurt?". Now he just grabs his head everytime he wants attention. The scary thing is, now he hurt his head again. Check out that after bath hair - gotta love it...

Christmas

I haven't posted because I have been trying to get some better pics of our holiday. No such luck so far so I will just post what I have.

We had a great time! The boys enjoyed tearing paper and Janie loved her surprises. We traveled to my Sissy's house in Columbus on Christmas day to spend time with the rest of the family and prepare Sissy to give birth 5 days later. Yes, I am an Auntie for the first time! She gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Joey, on 12/30 (just in time for the tax deduction). It has been really hard not seeing him or being there for this amazing thing I now have called a nephew! I will post a pic once I visit which will hopefully be in the next two weeks.

So back to Christmas - We ate a bit, drank a bit and played with kids. Of course the trip would not be complete without sickness. The boys both started with fevers on Christmas Eve and vomited a few times over next few days. That all seemed very minimal compared to my tragic moment with Owen. I was holding my little guy upstairs in a large room in my sister's house. It was just the boys, me, the TV and some good running space. Owen was at about 102 fever so he was cuddled up to me. Kyle started playing with a half full pop can. I proceeded to get up to put the pop can on the other side of the gate before it was a huge mess. As I leaned over the gate, with Owen in arms, the gate collasped. We fell forward and his head slammed between the step and me on the landing (the back cement side of the step). He hit hard! I know I cried longer than him but it felt as if I had just picked him up and threw him down the steps. It was awful. So here the kid is sick as can be and then his mom crushes his head. He seemed fine through the night. The next morning I was checking him out and noticed that his entire inner ear was black and blue. Of course I thought he was now bleeding from the brain! We left early that day and stopped at our Peds in Ann Arbor on the way home. He is fine, no broken bones, no bleeding and no head trauma. I however am still not quite over it.

The boys are now healthy although I am hesitant to say that since I came down with strep this week and will be taking Janie in to the Dr. in the a.m. becasue she is feeling awful and has been at 102 for two days! Oh sickness...