Where Have We Been??

Well, I have been all over really.  I will get back to writing this blog about our very specail group of kiddos as soon as possible!  I am still down a computer at home, and have no idea when I will get it back! :(  I have realized just how much this means to me and to many others, so thank you for the inquiries as to where our blog has gone.  I use this as a way for me to vent, brag, and relate info about our family to many who are not always nearby.  It is a nice way for me to keep everyone in the know.  We are about to wrap up soccer season for the fall.  Addy and Alexys had great seasons, in various ways.  Unfortuantely, I don't think we will see either of them in the olympics for track.  They have been given their mothers running abilities, which are not many, if any!!  We did discover however, that Alexys is quite the aggressive palyer, while Addysen likes to make certain she LOOKS great in her "outfit"!  Apryl, is now in 7th grade, in the Gifted and Talented group, she is in the school play and is becoming quite the nice young lady!  Our two boys, Garhett and Brenen and being spoiled by mom since we three are alone together during the day!  They love our time at the library, plays at the Arvada Center, trips to the park, classes at the nature center, and the especially love to go to Target.  Oh and King Soopers is also a favorite!  I do hope so much to be back soon, with pictures again as well. Hope you all are well!!
~Nikki~

Good Choices

In the past month or so our youngest daughter has become quite the perfectionist. She is constantly talking to her brothers about making the "good choices". According to Addy they more often than not make bad choices! She is particularly infuriated while the three of them are playing together. Addysen sees EVERYTHING differently than her brothers and this usually incites a mini riot. You know what they say about the road to hell, it's paved with the best intentions, I think this also applies when Addy is trying to "help" the boys put a puzzle together or build a Lego house! She does have an abundant amount of patience which her brothers should be thankful for. If she wasn't so patient she probably would have locked them in a closet by now or at least taught them how to play with the electrical outlets! Addysen also loves to play house or any game that gives her the opportunity to change her name to Vanessa! When the boys stray from her plans and tell her she has to be a boy, I eventually see them being chased down the hallway with Addy closing in on them and a look of extreme anger on her face. "Mom, tell them I am NOT a boy!!!", "the boys want me to be Peter Pan" or they will want her to be Batman, you know male characters. I guess that is payback for all the times she made them be princesses. It is hard to watch her get so upset for the littlest things (I think they are little anyway). Coloring a tad outside the lines, not remembering all the words to her favorite song, getting jelly on her hands, all examples of things that drive her crazy! She is super smart, and like Apryl, the feeling of having to be perfect at everything is something she has to learn to handle. Apryl did it, Addy can too.

We're Not Babies!!

I am having to come to terms with our littlest people becoming not so little people any longer. There are a few things a mother can count on when she has children, an unlimited amount of hugs (no matter what age), a lot of noise--laughter included, an unbelievable amount of questions, and a little growing up! Although many of us forget our kiddos are going to be getting bigger, myself included. I guess it's not that I forgot human beings grow, I just got caught up in the time I have spent with them as my little ones. I have many nick names for each of our kiddos. I called my boys "baby" until I was recently chastised by Garhett for daring to refer to him as anything but a big boy!! He made certain that I knew he was not only a boy, but a big one! Then he proceeded to tell me he would no longer be using his hooded towel. "Those are for babies!" were his exact words. I was a little crushed I have to admit. I love the little hooded towel with the cute little ears, which is probably the same reason he refused to use it any more! We are now officially done with all "baby" gear. We quit using the booster seats at the table, our baby gate has moved onto greener pastures (my brothers house), the cribs have been gone for over a year, diapers are a thing of the past---big YAY for that, there is nothing left other than a few mementos I want to keep FOREVER!! I guess our family is entering a new stage in our journey together. I do appreciate not having to wake four or five times a night to feed a baby, and the diaper thing, well that goes without saying, our level of communication is much better as well---for mom anyway, and I also love the ease of getting them in the car for an outing--no more packing the entire house to go to the park!! In the end, I just wonder where does the time go?

Wish Lists...

Having five children inevitably comes with many demands, most of which are expected. Lately it seems the older they all get, the more they demand. I guess it is partly because our little ones can communicate much better now. Every commercial they see always has something in it they absolutely need or they might just die!! I hear their little feet running down the hallway to tell me about the newest and hottest toy. Out of breath they are trying to convey to me how much a new La La Loopsey would mean to them or a new Cars 2 race car set!! This is one of the many reasons they have a limited amount of t.v. time. Of course they are not handed everything they want at the moment they want it, it is reality after all. Demands are not just specified to toys however. These little ones demand food, and lunch had better be ON TIME I tell ya!! If they happen to be served something they don't care for, it feels like WWIII is taking place in my kitchen! I think to myself, "do they not know who I am??", because this mother in no way shape or form stands for that behavior! Since our boys have come along, our "time-out" chair has more action than ever! That chair probably wishes it could have earplugs also, since it has been the scene of many a melt down! When they said patience is a virtue they weren't kidding! Whomever they are? (Probably someone who never had children!) The list of demands grows with each passing day: drinks, what underwear they are going to put on, what book we will read, who gets to play with what superhero (dudes), where they sit at dinner. To some this may seem like these little guys are simply particular and know what they want, but to their mother, it feels like a constant argument...not to mention exhausting! Why all the negotiating?? I am so sick of hearing myself talk, I can only imagine how my kiddos feel?!? Having older children as well, I have found that the negotiating continues, but better listening skills on their part does help a ton! We are in the middle of negotiations as we speak, with Apryl, she wants a phone. And I quote, "I am the only one in my grade with out a phone, so I should have one!". Last time I checked, Matt and I parented by our rules, not her friends' parents rules. So, she will get a phone when WE find it necessary, that goes over like a lead balloon! Her list continues, that girl wants everything under the sun! Another thing about the older ones is that their wishes are much more expensive and name brands are the only options available! Their demands also include going places now. So, being so burnt out from going and going, we have a four day weekend this week and I already let them know we are NOT doing anything!! I need to relax and hang out. I think I will write a list of demands for them to fulfill over the extended weekend, and if they are done they will get to continue having a roof over their heads, dinner on the table, water to shower with and electricity to watch their favorite shows!

Did I Really Just Do That..

Okay, so if we as mothers are really honest with ourselves and others, there are many things we do throughout our days that seem perfectly normal to us, but may be a tad weird to others. I started to think of all the odd behavior I exhibit after walking past a few unattended chicken nuggets and thinking how much I wanted to inhale them! WHY on Earth would any adult want to take a dinosaur shaped piece of chicken away from their sweet child?? I can't say for sure, but I was able to talk my son into giving mommy just a little bite! It led to me remembering that I actually do have somewhat of a more sophisticated palate as far as some things are concerned. The chicken nuggets gave to way to my thinking about other things that moms (and some dads) do when in the throws of child rearing. The past two weeks have brought runny noses off and on, and a tissue is not always on hand. While you are reading this go ahead and raise your hand if you also have used your shirt or coat or even your fingers to wipe a little nose! I mean seriously, how long can you let it run down their faces, or watch them try and lick their faces before you go to such an extreme? In my experience...not very long! We are usually stacked with tissues all over the house and in the car, but every once in a while you gotta do what you gotta do. I have found myself "helping" with school projects to the point where I have sat and completed the project before my oldest two have even gotten home from school. I wish I could have done that with my own school projects! I have let my boys pee in or on countless parking lots, driveways (don't worry, not yours!), trees at the park...ect.ect. They don't seem to be able to hold it as well as the girls. I think the worst thing is when I catch myself singing, and happily singing a song from Yo Gabba Gabba or Dora the Explorer. While doing the dishes or folding laundry, I can find myself getting down to "Don't Bite Your Friends"! Hmmm...good advice at any age!!

Checking Up

This past Tuesday the boys had their three year check ups. In the elevator I said to Matt how unbelievable it was that our little men were already three! These past few years have seem go by in a hurry and incredibly slow at the same time. I guess the perception of the speed comes with each given day, whether it has been great or not so great! Upon entering the doctor office, both boys immediately drop the toys they "had to have" and head directly for the office loot! Mom is then given two packets, both five pages front and back to fill out letting them know all about our guys. I quickly decided only to fill out one. If there were some significant differences between our boys other than personality wise, I would most definitely fill out both. Turns out, both boys are 36 1/2" in height and weigh 33 lbs....hence why I chose to only go with one packet. The battery of tests that ensued during their visits were mostly routine, blood pressure, heart rate, hearing and vision screening. Let's take a moment to talk about the vision and hearing screenings, while I do find them necessary and very important, it was very fun to watch the young nurse try and get them to cooperate. She was probably very fresh out of school and they immediately threw her to the wolves, i.e. our twin boys! I am imagining one of her senior co-workers saying, "why don't you go and give these three year old boys a vision and hearing screening?". Then laughing as she happily walked toward our room! She started with the eye test. Garhett was liking the attention he was getting from her, but not too interested in telling what shapes he could see. She then decided to try the letter side of the chart, which should be fine since he does know his letters, but he only gave her one answer--H, the rest came from Addy which the nurse thought was Garhett! Matt and I exchanged glances and smiled! With that test done we moved on to the hearing portion of the event! Brenden was given cart blanche to hit his dad every time he heard a beep. This rapidly turned into a game of let's smack the hell out of daddy, who cares if I hear a beep or not!! Also, I think it is helpful if the other people in the room are QUIET!! Garhett had by this time moved a chair under the window and was shouting out every single thing he saw outside! This of course was more attention grabbing for Brenden than the hearing test and the now annoying nurse! She really tried very hard, but they may want to rethink the age at which they try to administer certain tests, or at least take them to separate rooms during said tests! In the end, Matt and I did the eye tests ourselves for the boys and both had no trouble seeing the chart. As far as their hearing is concerned, like our other children, I am still not sure they could ever hear that well and their hearing seems to be getting worse with each passing day!

Perfection...

I will start this off with a warning to you, the reader, I am going to complain off and on throughout this blog. I have come to the end of my rope with the boys' whining!! I am thinking that it seems so much more because there are two of them whining about twice as much. While I am very thankful they are potty trained and can entertain themselves quite a lot, the times when they are in a "mood" I either need earplugs or a screwdriver to shove in my ears! I am quite certain our girls went through this same stage, but my GOSH, the boys are sure dragging this out!!! They can whine about anything and everything! When they get started whining, sometimes there is nothing that can make them stop. I sometimes think about dog owners who have clipped the vocal cords of their dogs and I begin to understand why! (Please don't do that to your pet, just an analogy!!) Whoever coined the term "Terrible Twos" was totally wrong, it should be "Terrible Twos and Threes"!! These boys have mastered the art of whining, if you can call it an art. They both can whine about every little thing that is a part of their days. From who is playing with which toy, to what snack they are going to have, they even whine about which bathroom they are using. I have been trying to encourage them to speak like big boys, and telling them that whining is for babies...most of the time to no avail. I am not sure what they gain from all this whining because I do not give in to it! Because I stand my ground, they torture me with MORE whining! I can not parent effectively when I am covering my ears! I know that in reality they do not JUST whine, but it sure feels like it some days. They are especially good from 8:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.---um, yeah, they are sleeping! We have those days when neither of them seem to remember how to talk, and they spend the entire day following me around while whining. This whining thing has become one of my biggest pet peeves very quickly. It can drive me nuts. They seem to know when I am busiest (dinner time) and choose that time to intensify the whining. I could just scream!! Thankfully, things calm down when everyone starts eating, that is if they are not whining about what I made for dinner. There are days when bedtime couldn't come soon enough! Again, bedtime is their last opportunity of the day to whine their requests. "Water, I need my guys, turn the light on..." Ughh, I said to Matt, "when did we start running a hotel??" These little men think that they have nightly room service. They are in for a surprise because that is stopping TO-NIGHT!! I love my guys very much, I just want this stage of their growing up to be done with real soon!!

The Perfect Cheer!

Yeah, yeah, it kinda looks like my hubby may be a traitor to his favorite football team, but who cares! He is wearing my jersey, #47 John Lynch, the best safety...EVER. He wasn't too bad to look at either! Matt is just supporting the family members in his home who are Bronco fanatics, I would do the same if the Dolphins ever make it to the playoffs! I am super excited to send Tom Brady and the rest of his cheating team home crying this coming Saturday! Do I even have to mention the idiot they signed to "coach" once again?? We all know where us Bronco fans think he can go! Someplace fairly warm! Last Sunday, when we gave the rest of the season off to the Steelers, woohoo, was one of my most favorite days ever! I knew either way I was going to cry, I just couldn't believe they were tears of joy!! I think it was even sweeter for those of us who have had that last playoff loss to the Steelers burned in their memory for the past six years! My hubby and I were at that game, and I had never been more thrilled to be at a Bronco game! We had good people to watch the game with and were happily seated in our South Stand seats..the buzz in that stadium was unparalleled!! All of this was more than I could have imagined, and a win would have sent me over the edge! By the middle of the second quarter, there was a shift in the atmosphere, and I asked my hubby if we still had a chance. His answer was a very sad "no". I then spent halftime along with the third and fourth quarters crying in my beer!! That right there is exactly why I was happy to see all those yellow towels being used to wipe the tears of Steelers fans this year! This week it is time to focus on taking care of business in New England! I think we can win this one too! Ben Roethlisberger can show Tom Brady how to use a yellow towel to wipe away tears!!

The Joy of Toys!

It is true that toys make kiddos happy. It is even true that toys help them play together nicely for a period of time. I have however begun to see toys in a new light this past holiday season. I am appreciating the laugh factor that comes with watching my oldest girls play Just Dance 3. When they dance together, let's just say they really go all out! Twirling, sliding on the floor, jumping around the room...and then the dancing! I'm fairly certain they get the same satisfaction when watching their mother bust a move! But, I am really good! Then we have our little people cutting loose on the living room floor...too cute! Our boys only want to dance to one song, which they have nicknamed the "robot" song. As far as Addy is concerned, the "Jack" song is the only one she will dance to. So, for most of the time the kiddos are playing we hear two songs with a few others sprinkled in! My other favorite toys this Christmas has to be the Toy Story toys. Our guys have not put them down. Trust me when I say I have looked for more Woodys in the past week than I ever knew I would! I have had Woodys thrown at me, and been handed wet Woodys! Every time the boys say, "I can't find my Woody." or "I have a big Woody." I can't help but laugh! Their Woodys have been all over my house, including on my kitchen table, on my shelves, I even found a Woody in my dishwasher!! It's madness! One day this will make for some very funny stories!