Let the Childproofing Begin

Coop is on the move, I mean the child just doesn't stay still. Crawling EVERYWHERE and pulling up on EVERYTHING. He is quite the little mobile booger. Problem is, well, main problem is, he is attracted, really drawn to danerous objects, usually chargers and other electronics. I know I should remove things and make our house more user friendly for him but I don't even know where to begin. Ok, gates and outlet covers obviously, but from there where do I go?

We have lots of steps ups and step downs and stair cases and DVDs and Books, and blah, blah, blah. So I am asking, begging, pleading with you experienced parents out there, what do I do? I move him away from something and he heads straight back. Can he really be at this stage already? Really?

Bailey on the other hand is still crawling backwards two inches for every inch forward.

-june

We Miss You, Haley and Jaidyn, Brandon and Ella-Bo-Bella!

For over a week we had family with us. On Thursday before last my Dad and Grandmother came in for my younger brother's graduation from high school. My Grandmother, at 90 years old, was a huge help with the babies. Wanting to hold them and feed them as often as we would let her. My Dad didn't do much holding but is almost at the point of being able to tell them apart.

On Saturday before last we left at 5:13 am (only 13 minutes behind schedule) to embark on a 5-day adventure through Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia with my brother-in-law and his family. We met them around noon in Philadelphia and immediately Jon's girls wanted to hold the twins, and they did, until they left this Sunday to go home.

The older girls were great with the babies. Taking it upon themselves to change them and feed them and they wanted to hold them ALL the time. In fact, by the time they left I was looking forward to seeing my children again. The younger children were as sweet as they could be. At Union Station in DC I found my 5 year old niece Ella and her 7 year old brother Brandon singing lullabies to Bailey to lull her asleep in her stroller. It was the sweetest thing. Brandon and Ella also wanted to hold the babies. It was a sight to see Ella holding Cooper.

On Sunday, Ward and I were both home and we spent a good part of the day hanging with the babies and taking them to the pool for the first time with Lucy and Ricky.

On Monday, everyone went back to work. And Coop and Bailey have not been very happy about being left alone here with their mom who has only two arms. Not very happy at all! I have resorted to just giving in. Spending the day with them, holding them both as long as I can. I know this won't always be the case, that my children will far too quickly grow and sooner rather than later want to get down on the floor and crawl away from me and that trend will continue for the next 18 years when the week after graduating from high school they will leave the nest forever (yeah right, I know).

Last night Ward told me that I had some splaining to do about why the house was in shambles. And this morning he told me that adults our age only need 6.5 hours of sleep a night or we get lazy. I think a day home alone with the twins after twelve days of help might serve him well.

I wish we had our nieces and nephews closer. Nearing the end of this trip we started planning our next visit. This time on the coast closest to them. Five to seven days (give or take a few days) in Disneyland. I am thinking of making some bright ridiculous shirts with everyone's names on them and the dates of our trip. Yes, I really am!

I already miss our extended family. They were a lot of help and they spoiled us. At the same time having them here solidified a growing urge in my mind.

I want those eleven children.

-june

It's Simple: I love to Complain

There are things I love, many many things, but with these things come many things I rather dislike. Let's take a look at this time of year.

I love spring and summer but I am not Shirley Manson and the rain makes me unhappy and grumpy. I love the sun, I am happy when it shines.

I love cookouts. I love making food and having people over and then sitting on the deck socializing and over filling myself. But I rather dislike the flys that seem to have flown in over the weekend and are taking up shop. I have always disliked flys but now that we have children I am even more annoyed and I can't really even explain it. I love to make foods for cookouts but I have never been a big fan of leftovers and the ten pounds of potato salad on the top shelf taunts me every time I open our fridge.

I love fruit, especially bananas, strawberries and grapes. But I hate that as soon as I get home with a pint of strawberries and get ready to rinse them, they have mold on them. The grocery store should invest in some high tech fruit saving methods. In the past two weeks I have thrown away countless strawberries and grapes because they have gone bad before consumption, making bananas my favorite fruit. I mean they are pretty tasty, go well with peanut butter and can be mashed and thrown in a 9x5 pan with a few other pantry essentials to make great tasting bread. And bananas are quite cheaper than strawberries and grapes and can be frozen with out altering their future use in breads and other fine desserts.

I love going on vacation. I love road trips. I love visiting with family. I hate packing and unpacking, trying to decide what is essential and what can be left behind and trying to load the car like I am playing tetris. I hate that gas is rising, but I seriosly doubt I am alone there. And I hate that our family lives so far away.

I love going to the beach, I love early morning and late night walks on the ocean, visiting the piers, reading a good book while listening to the waves crash on the shore, and spending time playing oodles and oodles of games with our family. BUT, I hate sand. I hate how it gets everywhere, in your car, your cooler, your hair, your swimsuit. For weeks after we return I continue to clean sand out of bags and cars but I still love the beach.

It is raining, my strawberries are molding, and I have to leave in two days on a family road trip.

-june

More Suggestions! Everyone, Everyone!

In a little over a week we are headed to Pennsylvania to meet up with my brother and sister in-law and their four children. I am looking forward to seeing them and introducing the twins. We have a busy week planned that includes Hershey Park, Gettysburg, Our Nations Capitol and possibly a visit to where our Nation Reunited that is only down the road from here. You all do know where we 'reunited' right? Bonus points and a kiss if you can tell me who received the surrender and what he did when he received the surrender and how that same person was significant in Gettysburg (this person if my favorite historical individual from the Civil War and I don't feel that enough people know about him).

But I digress, that is not at all what this post is really about. My point is that I am looking forward to the trip even though it may be a little stress inducing and costly. One thing I am looking forward to is the driving.

I LOVE to drive. I really do and with the exception of gas getting so gosh darn expensive I would love to go on more road trips. I love driving and encountering new places, I love listening to music that I haven't gotten to listen to in a while on long drives and I love the conversations that Ward and I get to have when we have hours alone in the car. I know the dynamics of conversation will change over the next few years but I still look forward to future car trips.

I tend to be the 'captain' on our car trips because I really enjoy the driving and I think that the time goes by faster in the drivers seat.

So I am beginning to think about what music to bring along on our trip and I thought I would ask you, my four (or is it five?) loyal readers to tell me your favorite albums. Now you must tell me at least one, but more would be great. You must tell me your favorite album no matter what you think I might think of the artist. If you think it is a really good album I want to give it a shot and road trips are the best for this sort of thing. I need to know soon so I can search good used or sale prices and talk Ward into lifting the moratorium a few days early.

You can leave your favorite album anonymously without signing up with blogger, so let me know. And if I hate it, I won't make fun of you, I promise. I just want to have some new things to listen to.

I expect to hear from all of you. Wesley's mom, James, Chris AND Erin, People who live in Indiana, and Falcon_81 as well as anyone else who want to contribute.

I am excited. Don't let me down by not suggesting something.

Here I will go first.

I absolutely love Simon's 'Graceland', GBV 'Bee Thousand', The Smiths 'The Queen is Dead' and R.E.M. 'Green' just to name a few but I could go on forever and ever.

-june

Not having internet access until June is no excuse by the way to not answer.