What Would You Play?

"Put on my blue suede shoes and I boarded a train. Touched down in the middle of the delta blues, in the middle of the pouring rain. "

I discovered over drinks during Karaoke, that my sister would like this song, "Walking in Memphis" played at her funeral. Don't worry, I didn't receive any horrible news like she has cancer or something, but she had a flash that if you never tell anyone what you want played at your funeral, then no one will know. She's got a point.

My late grandmother picked out all the songs for her funeral, most of them church hymns, but at the end of her service, she brought down the house with Ave Maria, a classic probably quite overplayed at funerals, but I was silently cheering "you go girl" as mascara streamed down my cheeks.

My sister wanted to know what I would have played....just so someone would know. My first thought was Big Iz's version of Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World. A beautiful song, but now I've heard it too much on my kids lullaby cd. Then they went and used it in a Cheerios commercial, that kind of wrecked it for me. I'm not really sure what other songs I would choose, maybe some Gipsy Kings, or even Duran Duran from my highschool days (I loved them- note: past tense on the loved). A grand finale of Rideau. "Mood for Day" a classical guitar song by Steve Howe on the band Yes's Fragile album should be played. It's always been my goal to be able to play this one day, and maybe, by the time it plays at my funeral (hopefully assuming that's a long time from now) I'll know how to play it. Or rather, I knew how to play it?

And of course, Ave Maria.

Twin Baby Shower Gift Idea #1

The other day I happened to glance at the stack of books in my nightstand. These two titles were together and it struck me...maybe they should market these as a package!

Hello Again

Is it totally horrible to do a quickie post while my kids watch Dora? Just to say I'm still alive? Sorry if I dropped out for awhile. The day of that last post I felt the familiar scratchy throat (again), and how many weeks later(?), I still have the cough. To top it off, this week I got a wicked stomach flu that I was hoping was food poisoning so my kids wouldn't get it, but Bear just starting throwing up this afternoon and is white as a sheet. (Hence on the couch with Dora). Of course, it's a beautiful day and I had planned for us to go to the park, but that was before their nap, before the soiled sheets, soiled clothes... now in the dryer.

Oh and did I mention my parents are on their way over for the weekend?

P.S. Thanks for all the support on that last post! Hopefully, I'm back for awhile.

You Could Be Reading Better Blogs

Every time I recount the days event's to M. he always says, "that's a great blog entry!". As he laughs and I get much needed perspective, I realize that , yes, they would be great blog entries, but who has the time?

Great potential blog posts constantly run through my head when I have time to think--in the shower, drying my hair, or during the last few moments before sleep. But then I wake up or get to work and--"poof!" they're gone.

So, dear friends, you could be reading a much better blog than this one (and probably are) ...but I appreciate your patience in sticking with me. I can't promise more frequent entries, but I'll do my best to share with you when I can. I have always thought the hardest period of twin parenthood was the relentless, sleep deprived first six months. Ha! What did I know?! I get (a little) more sleep now, but this period of talking, independent two year olds, who want different things at the same time and can throw a tantrum better than Jon McEnroe, may take first place.

Still Reveling in Normal

Couldn't resist, I had to post another photo of them playing.

One thing I want to share with you, my friend posted about this time clock in her blog. In her post she calls it 'The Green Line of Moments', it's eery to see time zipping by.

Getting Back to Normal

Tonight the toys on the floor gave me a warm fuzzy. Evidence of healthy kids at play.

We've had two weeks of what my husband termed "hell". I don't know if I would go that far, but we've had some hellish moments. I think the top one was when I skillfully caught Bear's barf in my hands, M. and I were so relieved, then as we walked away to clean up, Boo threw up all over the floor. I actually forgot that it happened that way in my last post.

Bear continued to get sicker since my last post and ended up in the hospital on Friday the 29th with RSV. His blood oxygen levels were low, and he was dehydrated. Of course, they had to run many tests on the poor guy, multiple culture swabs up his nose (while I had to hold him wrapped up in a sheet.) Blood tests: the first time it was the finger prick, then they graduated to the needle in the arm. You haven't lived until you've had to lay on your screaming child and whisper soothing words in his ear while a man in a mask slaps a turniquet around his arm and pokes around for a vein. (Our local hospital isn't that child friendly.) As sick as Bear was, he had alot of fight in him. Luckily we were able to return home the next day, with oxygen & nebulizer treatments in tow.

Bear was better within days, and like clockwork, it was Boo's turn. She never had the breathing issues that Bear had, but she had coughing fits that would nearly always end in her throwing up.

It's so hard to convey the range of emotions that a parent can feel in a few easy-to-read blog paragraphs. Concern for your sick child, frustrated and tired getting up again in the night, guilty that you felt frustrated, pissed off that the sheets & the child you just changed are now covered in vomit, peace as you realize this is what you do. Yesterday, they both were crying and wanting to be held, but are getting so heavy now that all I could do was sit on the floor, hold them and give in to the tears myself. So much neediness-- it can be so rewarding, and sometimes so draining. But then you hold them, kiss their soft cheeks, smell their morning breath, talk to them, listen to them and whatever "hell" you've been through fades away. Isn't that what nostalgia is made of?

Where are those Mojitos when you REALLY need them?

A Mojito made with Coconut milk...way too delicious for it's own good.

A smore sundae, graham cracker ice cream, hot fudge and a flame torched, homemade marshmallow. I'm just lucky it wasn't my dessert, because I wouldn't have been so generous with the whole "would you like a bite?" thing.

I also had scallops with this incredible carrot mousse, (sounds a little weird, but it's not). Out of this world! I didn't even think of taking a picture until I finished. (It's on their website though if you care to see it)

I was doing pretty good there for awhile...right? I was posting every couple days, putting up photos and everything. But then life happened. Last weekend, I was eager to post about a wonderful dinner with friends in downtown Seattle at Boka, how fun it was to get out, and how expensive, when you add in the babysitter's cut.

and now onto life...

The week started with a well child doctor visit for Bear. Gone are the days when he cheerfully and curiously poked his way around the exam room, now he's wised up and wants "out!". He continously walks to the door, "out, out", and cries when he can't go. (and cries, and cries and then cries a little more) Books, games, toys, Teletubbies on the iphone, they're just distractions from what we all know is really around the corner...a big 'ol shot.

For the next couple days he's had a little fever, a cough and was definitely out of sorts. Moaning & crying throughout the night and even throwing up all over M. (who happened to be the lucky one holding him). I thought it was side effects from the vaccination until I started getting a cough too. And then Boo started coughing. And when there's alot of coughing, with our kids, things get exciting because they start gagging: two mornings in a row , we've had throwing up in stereo, and when it's curdled milk, it's not pretty. Sorry, I know that's probably too much information, but too bad, I've had to live it!

So that's where we are. Boo is asleep yet after another cough-upchuck spell and Bear is lying in my lap moaning and getting tired of my typing. Time to go.