I talked to my brother, David, today and he had lots of interesting things to say. First and foremost was that the restaurant he has run in Rochester for the past five or so years has closed. They lost their liquor license in May due to gang problems and they've been running it on a shoestring ever since, hoping to find a buyer. They finally gave up, but do have an interested party.
He has been job hunting but it's tough. Restaurants aren't hiring much and when they do, they want someone cheap (in other words, straight out of college).
The other interesting thing he had to say was that he found a box of items from my parents house that he had forgotten about. The box is filled with my clothes from when I was a baby. He said they are still in pretty good condition and he wants to bring them for Maddie. Wouldn't that be so much fun!? If nothing else, I'll dress her in one of the outfits and take a picture just to say she was wearing Momma's clothes. How fun.
Apparently he doesn't have any of his own clothes because we have younger cousins who probably got them as hand-me-downs. And all the cousins are boys. I was the only girl.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Babis' first wedding
Yesterday we took Ben & Maddie to a wedding on Jamey's side of the family. It was at a park about 5 minutes from our house, so it worked well to take them for just a part of the reception. (The ceremony was in the middle of nap time) Of course, they got almost more attention than the bride. Everyone thought they were the cutest babies ever. And they did us proud by being super well behaved. Not a single wimper the whole time.
And here are some pictures from last weekend when Jamey's grandparents were staying with us.
And here's a picture from this morning. As usual they seem to gravitate to each other and end up with legs and arms all over each other.
 |
| From Sept09 |
 |
| From Sept09 |
And here are some pictures from last weekend when Jamey's grandparents were staying with us.
 |
| From Sept09 |
 |
| From Sept09 |
 |
| From Sept09 |
And here's a picture from this morning. As usual they seem to gravitate to each other and end up with legs and arms all over each other.
 |
| From Sept09 |
Friday, September 25, 2009
Another Hecker story
I've got another piece in the Hecker saga in the paper today. There's still much more to come....
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Maddie is crawling
She's doing the "military style" -- down on her belly, pulling herself forward with her arms as if she's crawling under barbed wire in an obstacle course -- but she moves fast. Jamey got a video of her this morning on his iphone. You have to watch for awhile before she actually gets moving....
Maddie Crawling Video
Maddie Crawling Video
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Weekend update
We haven't taken too many pics of the babes lately, but here's one from last week. They were fighting over a book! Gotta love that.
Yesterday was Jamey's birthday, so we had a nice steak dinner and (at his request) the cheesecake we had at our wedding. He considers him a cheesecake connoisseur and he thinks the cheesecake from McHattie's (in Woodbury) is the best ever. And I'd have to concur after eating the piece I had last night. Yum.
Jamey's grandparents are staying with us for a few days. They arrived on Friday and are staying until Tuesday.
The babies have woken up the last couple of nights at 3 a.m. and it's been tough for me to go back to sleep after that. So I'm feeling a bit tired. Last night I think the problem was teeth. Night before I think it was hunger. UGH.
Our nanny is going to be on vacation starting Tuesday until Sept 30th so Jamey's going to have less time on the duplex for awhile.
We've decided to take Ben in for a CT scan to find out what the hard lump is on his chin. We had a follow-up with the doctor on Friday and he concurred with our assessment that it hasn't gotten bigger or smaller or changed in any way. So he left it up to us as us -- either continue to monitor or have the CT. The downside of the CT is that he has to be sedated, which means he can't have food or liquids within a few hours of the scan. Luckily we got a 7:30 a.m. appointment (have to be there at 6:30 a.m.) so hopefully it won't be too tough for him to go without food.
I think that's about all that's going on. Work is crazy busy for me. I could easily put in 10 hours a day if I had that many hours to give. But I don't, so I leave after my 8 hours and just do what I can during the hours I'm there.
 |
| From Sept09 |
Yesterday was Jamey's birthday, so we had a nice steak dinner and (at his request) the cheesecake we had at our wedding. He considers him a cheesecake connoisseur and he thinks the cheesecake from McHattie's (in Woodbury) is the best ever. And I'd have to concur after eating the piece I had last night. Yum.
Jamey's grandparents are staying with us for a few days. They arrived on Friday and are staying until Tuesday.
The babies have woken up the last couple of nights at 3 a.m. and it's been tough for me to go back to sleep after that. So I'm feeling a bit tired. Last night I think the problem was teeth. Night before I think it was hunger. UGH.
Our nanny is going to be on vacation starting Tuesday until Sept 30th so Jamey's going to have less time on the duplex for awhile.
We've decided to take Ben in for a CT scan to find out what the hard lump is on his chin. We had a follow-up with the doctor on Friday and he concurred with our assessment that it hasn't gotten bigger or smaller or changed in any way. So he left it up to us as us -- either continue to monitor or have the CT. The downside of the CT is that he has to be sedated, which means he can't have food or liquids within a few hours of the scan. Luckily we got a 7:30 a.m. appointment (have to be there at 6:30 a.m.) so hopefully it won't be too tough for him to go without food.
I think that's about all that's going on. Work is crazy busy for me. I could easily put in 10 hours a day if I had that many hours to give. But I don't, so I leave after my 8 hours and just do what I can during the hours I'm there.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Mama
I'm positive that Maddie said "Mama" for the first time tonight. Such a glorious word to this overworked Mama! Unfortunately I was the only adult in the room, and my opinion is a bit biased. But I'm sure she'll prove me right in a day or two.
She has been babbling like crazy the past week. Most of it sounds like "bah, bah". So I've been saying "Mama" or "Dada" and you can tell she is absorbing what I say and then starts to work her mouth to try to mimic. So I think tonight she was trying to mimic me because I had just said "Mama" over and over a few times.
Ben mostly just likes to scream in joy. No babbling yet. He's definitely all boy. Tonight he discovered the fun of splashing in the bathtub by banging him hands down on the water.
The other fun thing -- that I want to get on video and post to YouTube -- is that Ben and Maddie have been "talking" to each other. If you put the two of them facing each other, they will take turns screaming at each other. It's an excited kind of scream and it is so hilarious. Maybe this weekend we can get a video. Will post if I do.
She has been babbling like crazy the past week. Most of it sounds like "bah, bah". So I've been saying "Mama" or "Dada" and you can tell she is absorbing what I say and then starts to work her mouth to try to mimic. So I think tonight she was trying to mimic me because I had just said "Mama" over and over a few times.
Ben mostly just likes to scream in joy. No babbling yet. He's definitely all boy. Tonight he discovered the fun of splashing in the bathtub by banging him hands down on the water.
The other fun thing -- that I want to get on video and post to YouTube -- is that Ben and Maddie have been "talking" to each other. If you put the two of them facing each other, they will take turns screaming at each other. It's an excited kind of scream and it is so hilarious. Maybe this weekend we can get a video. Will post if I do.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Anything is a toy
Anything is a toy to me, including my sister's feet!
Ben and Maddie are mostly feeling better. Maddie seems to have a lot of chest congestion that makes her cough a lot at night. We were up with her for a good long while again last night and we couldn't quite figure out what was wrong. But ibuprofen eventually seemed to help, so our guess was teething pain (she's got two teeth on top that are slowing coming through).
 |
| From Sept09 |
Ben and Maddie are mostly feeling better. Maddie seems to have a lot of chest congestion that makes her cough a lot at night. We were up with her for a good long while again last night and we couldn't quite figure out what was wrong. But ibuprofen eventually seemed to help, so our guess was teething pain (she's got two teeth on top that are slowing coming through).
 |
| From Sept09 |
 |
| From Sept09 |
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Doing a bit better today
Here's a pic of the twins from a few days ago...
They seem to be feeling a bit better today. They had a nice long nap this afternoon and have not had fevers at all. Their appetites aren't so great yet, though.
Last night we were up three times -- twice with Maddie, once with Ben. It felt a bit like the newborn phase again, only getting two or three hours of sleep at a time.
 |
| From Sept09 |
They seem to be feeling a bit better today. They had a nice long nap this afternoon and have not had fevers at all. Their appetites aren't so great yet, though.
Last night we were up three times -- twice with Maddie, once with Ben. It felt a bit like the newborn phase again, only getting two or three hours of sleep at a time.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
H1N1
So we all seem to have H1N1 flu. We took the babies to the emergency room last night (urgent cares were already closed) cause Maddie had a fever of 103 and it had been going up all day despite Tylenol.
By the time we got there, Ben's fever had also gone up to 101. So they gave them Tylenol and ibuprofen at the same time and they improved radically very quickly. In fact, they went from being lethargic to being a little hyperactive! Maddie in particular was absolutely hilarious. She wouldn't sit still!
The doctor checked them over to make sure there weren't signs of some other bacterial infection and didn't find anything. So basically we just need to manage their fevers with ibuprofen and tylenol and try to keep their noses clear and keep them eating/sleeping/peeing/pooping -- the usual routine.
They slept pretty well last night and when they woke at 5:30 a.m., I fed them and gave them ibuprofen and put them back to sleep and they slept another two hours, giving them a total of 10 hours of sleep which is what they usually do. So our schedule is out of kilter today but that's ok.
Jamey was the first to get sick on Wednesday or Thursday and he's starting to feel better now. I'm now starting to get congested, but no fever, so it's possible I've got it too. I'm staying home from work today and might just work from home tomorrow so I don't risk getting my co-workers sick too. Then we'll just have to play it by ear the rest of the week.
This is our first real illness for the babies and it sure isn't much fun when two of them are sick at the same time. It's just so hard to see them unhappy and uncomfortable and there's not a whole lot you can do.
By the time we got there, Ben's fever had also gone up to 101. So they gave them Tylenol and ibuprofen at the same time and they improved radically very quickly. In fact, they went from being lethargic to being a little hyperactive! Maddie in particular was absolutely hilarious. She wouldn't sit still!
The doctor checked them over to make sure there weren't signs of some other bacterial infection and didn't find anything. So basically we just need to manage their fevers with ibuprofen and tylenol and try to keep their noses clear and keep them eating/sleeping/peeing/pooping -- the usual routine.
They slept pretty well last night and when they woke at 5:30 a.m., I fed them and gave them ibuprofen and put them back to sleep and they slept another two hours, giving them a total of 10 hours of sleep which is what they usually do. So our schedule is out of kilter today but that's ok.
Jamey was the first to get sick on Wednesday or Thursday and he's starting to feel better now. I'm now starting to get congested, but no fever, so it's possible I've got it too. I'm staying home from work today and might just work from home tomorrow so I don't risk getting my co-workers sick too. Then we'll just have to play it by ear the rest of the week.
This is our first real illness for the babies and it sure isn't much fun when two of them are sick at the same time. It's just so hard to see them unhappy and uncomfortable and there's not a whole lot you can do.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Cabin weekend ruined
Well, my hopes for a nice three-day mini "vacation" at the cabin were dashed very quickly. Jamey got sick with the flu late Thursday and the babies were sick by Saturday night. Needless to say I'm not feeling so hot either, primarily because I haven't gotten much sleep the last three nights.
We went to the cabin Friday night hoping that things would be okay. We put the babies to bed and then put them in the car almost two hours later. They slept most of the way, but when we got there Maddie went crazy. She was turning her head from side to side, eyes wide open. Clearly she was puzzled by her new location and had to look at everything. She screamed and screamed when we tried to put her to bed. In hindsight, it's possible she was already getting sick.
They were mostly okay on Saturday --except tired from losing some sleep -- but then when we put them to bed that night, they both woke up a little while later and we could hear the congestion. Luckily, we had a humidifier up there so we got that going and they slept, but woke up pretty regularly.
Sunday we took care of a couple projects we needed to do and packed them up late in the afternoon and headed for home.
Last night, Maddie woke up about 3 a.m. coughing really badly. So we took her in the steam shower and that seemed to help a little. Other than that, they both slept pretty much all night.
So far I don't think I'm sick. My throat is sore but I'm fairly certain that's from my allergies. I'm allergic to dust mites and the carpet at the cabin is more than 25 years old. We really need to get that out of there. My allergies flare up every time we are there, especially at times like this weekend when I spend almost the whole time in the house. If my sore throat doesn't go away with some home remedies today, it might mean it turned into a sinus infection -- or that I have the flu, too.
Either way I think I'll be home on sick time tomorrow taking care of everybody else.
So much for a vacation.
Big thanks to our neighbors at the lake who volunteered to mow our lawn -- much needed since we hadn't been there for a month! -- and made us a nice "comfort meal" of scallaped potatoes and ham. Mmm.
We went to the cabin Friday night hoping that things would be okay. We put the babies to bed and then put them in the car almost two hours later. They slept most of the way, but when we got there Maddie went crazy. She was turning her head from side to side, eyes wide open. Clearly she was puzzled by her new location and had to look at everything. She screamed and screamed when we tried to put her to bed. In hindsight, it's possible she was already getting sick.
They were mostly okay on Saturday --except tired from losing some sleep -- but then when we put them to bed that night, they both woke up a little while later and we could hear the congestion. Luckily, we had a humidifier up there so we got that going and they slept, but woke up pretty regularly.
Sunday we took care of a couple projects we needed to do and packed them up late in the afternoon and headed for home.
Last night, Maddie woke up about 3 a.m. coughing really badly. So we took her in the steam shower and that seemed to help a little. Other than that, they both slept pretty much all night.
So far I don't think I'm sick. My throat is sore but I'm fairly certain that's from my allergies. I'm allergic to dust mites and the carpet at the cabin is more than 25 years old. We really need to get that out of there. My allergies flare up every time we are there, especially at times like this weekend when I spend almost the whole time in the house. If my sore throat doesn't go away with some home remedies today, it might mean it turned into a sinus infection -- or that I have the flu, too.
Either way I think I'll be home on sick time tomorrow taking care of everybody else.
So much for a vacation.
Big thanks to our neighbors at the lake who volunteered to mow our lawn -- much needed since we hadn't been there for a month! -- and made us a nice "comfort meal" of scallaped potatoes and ham. Mmm.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Busy week
Work has been crazy this week, as I'm deep in a big project. That's going to continue for at least the next couple of weeks, maybe more. It's fun, but a lot of work. It makes the day go by fast!
I got a kick out of a story from my cousin who said her daughters, ages 2 and 4, play baby dolls all the time and their latest thing is that they've decided two of them are twins named Ben and Maddie. Isn't that just so cute?!
Maddie is looking like she could start crawling at almost any time. She's rocking back and forth and kicking her legs a lot, then pulling her knee up a bit.
Ben is just plain moving. Jamey left him on the floor while he went to the bathroom the other day and Ben managed to roll about 5 feet to where Jamey had left a bucket of tools that he had been using. Ben tipped over the bucket and pulled out something called a "crimper" (I think it's used for electrical wires or something) and he had it in his hands when Jamey came back out. Luckily nothing happened! But it sure freaked Jamey out.
This weekend we're off to the cabin for the first time in a month. I think this is going to be only our fifth trip to the cabin all summer -- including a long stint in May. I'm sure the grass is way high and the yard a disaster. It was hardly worth putting the pontoon and dock in this summer. We thought we'd get there more, but with the rental property still needing work, Jamey and I have been exhausted pulling double duty all the time.
We don't have any big plans for the weekend. I'm sure we'll lay low and just enjoy the babies.
I got a kick out of a story from my cousin who said her daughters, ages 2 and 4, play baby dolls all the time and their latest thing is that they've decided two of them are twins named Ben and Maddie. Isn't that just so cute?!
Maddie is looking like she could start crawling at almost any time. She's rocking back and forth and kicking her legs a lot, then pulling her knee up a bit.
Ben is just plain moving. Jamey left him on the floor while he went to the bathroom the other day and Ben managed to roll about 5 feet to where Jamey had left a bucket of tools that he had been using. Ben tipped over the bucket and pulled out something called a "crimper" (I think it's used for electrical wires or something) and he had it in his hands when Jamey came back out. Luckily nothing happened! But it sure freaked Jamey out.
This weekend we're off to the cabin for the first time in a month. I think this is going to be only our fifth trip to the cabin all summer -- including a long stint in May. I'm sure the grass is way high and the yard a disaster. It was hardly worth putting the pontoon and dock in this summer. We thought we'd get there more, but with the rental property still needing work, Jamey and I have been exhausted pulling double duty all the time.
We don't have any big plans for the weekend. I'm sure we'll lay low and just enjoy the babies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)