Triple the Fun

2009-07-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

The day has finally come! Their first day of Kindergarten!

Malena in the car waiting to be on our way.

Here's Joshua giving me one last kiss before Daddy takes them to their school.
Jacob can't wait for the first day!
Mommy stops on the way to school for a special first day of school treat!

Malena meets her teacher and settles in nicely :)
They all had a GREAT first day of school and Mommy only shed one small tear as I walked away from dropping off Malena. :(

My Big KINDERGARTENERS!

2009-07-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July FUN!

2009-03-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time at David and Katja's wedding. I was so worried, because it started at 7pm and the kids usually go to bed at 8, but we ended up staying until 12:30 am! And they were all awake! Malena did have a little incident where she threw up all over her pretty new dress Bubbie got her, and she didn't like the loud music, but she was fine once I cleaned her up. The boys had a BLAST on the dance floor, and I think Jacob stole the show with his moves. He says, "I got cool moves." Too funny. Here are some pics of my handsome little men and my little lady.

2008-12-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday To My Gorgeous BABIES!!! I LOVE You!!!

2008-11-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'm back..again. I'm really going to try to keep up. No promises. hehe :) Here's some pics from a beautiful California day at the park. The kids had a blast. The boys especially liked watching the "skaters" and bikes in the skate park adjacent to the play park.

2008-11-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

Caught these of the boys as they were running around like wild monkeys in my studio while I was trying to set up for a session. Managed to get a couple of them looking "angelic" LOL

2008-11-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm still here! Barely.... LOL Here are some pics of Halloween. It was a LONG day!

2008-05-26T22:12:00.000-07:00

Today, Jacob was calling me to come talk to him. He was on the potty and I was in my office. I said I'd be right there, and he kept saying, "I want to talk to you." So I finished up what I was doing and went down, thinking he needed help in the potty. When I asked him what he needed, he said he wanted to talk to me. He said, "How about I will clap, Mommy."

"Clap? what for?"

"I will clap, and whenever I clap, you come and get me what I want."

After my hysterical laughter, I explained to him that I will come when he needs my help, but it is inappropriate for me to come when he claps. "Why not?" After some discussion, he agreed that he will call for me when he needs help. Next, he'll probably be asking for a bell to ring!

2008-05-19T11:47:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Alicia! My sister graduated from California State University, Fullerton yesterday with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies. My old Alma Mater. We are all so proud of you Shaw!

2008-05-18T22:08:00.000-07:00

My Sweet, Silly, Little Faces

Here are the faces I am blessed to see EVERY day. I'm the luckiest Mommy in the world!

2008-05-18T21:59:00.001-07:00

Houston, We Have A Problem!

I don't know where the boys got this idea, but they are LITERALLY climbing the walls! You can guess it. Their game was to see how high they could go. As they grow, I don't even WANT to know what other things they will discover they can do to destroy my house! :)

2008-05-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've updated, and I really need to go back and add some pics and some really funny video (Jacob getting stuck in a chair). But I just wanted to quickly add their stats from their recent annual check up (only five months late, hehe).

Jacob
42 1/2 " 42#8oz

Joshua
41" 37#

Malena
38 1/2" 38#

As you can see, they're all growing very well, and the doctor was very happy with their development. We got our shots, and now Malena has a fever and Jacob threw up. :( I thought they'd be over that, but I guess they're pretty sensitive to these things. Poor babies. I will update more later. I promise!

2008-03-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

We've hit 10,000!

Well, I'm back! Yipeee. And I see my counter has hit 10,000. What a great welcome back. My surgery went well, though the recovery did not. I don't react well to anesthesia. After sleeping on the couch and not driving for two months, I finally got the okay to "ween" off my walking boot last Friday. Well, I have to admit, I took it off that day and haven't really put it back on. A Mom's gotta do what a Mom's gotta do. I did learn my lesson when my foot got VERY sore during the very busy weekend, so I try to "rest" it as much as possible. I will post a pic of my new bionic foot soon. :)

The kids have to be whipped back into shape after learning very quickly that Mommy couldn't get up and chase them down when they needed to be disciplined. Well Mommy's on her feet now! LOL

2008-02-05T13:20:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it!!!! I remember when the kids were little and crawling all around. I fell over them so many times, I was so afraid I was going to break something and be out commission. I was sooooo glad when they all started walking and they were more mobile. Well, wouldn't you know it, NOW is when I break my foot! I was rushing around getting Malena ready for the bus and as I turned around, my right foot (toe) got caught in my left pant leg. I fell, and heard a pop, but my pant leg ripped, so I figured that was what that sound was, because my foot really didn't hurt that bad. Not until I got up and put pressure on it. I knew I was in trouble, and below is the result:

And to really blow my mind into disbelief, I need surgery to correct the break. With pins and plates in my foot and everything! So now, I'm layed up on the couch, unable to do anything, and just feeling really stupid. Oh, and btw, of course, this happened 2 days before Alex is due to go on a business trip for 3 days! I should've known!

2008-01-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

No GIRL Friends

I just had a discussion with Jacob where he was telling me about his friends at school. He was talking about one of his friends who happens to be a girl. Then he caught himself and said, "But I don't like girls. Girls are not my friends." I told him that one day he'd change his mind. He said, "No, I'll never change my mind." Then I reminded him about his cousin Emily who's a girl (whom he talks about constantly and always want to play with, though we don't see her much anymore) and he said, "Yes, Emily. But just Emily and you.... and Daddy." ;)

2008-01-07T21:17:00.000-08:00

No Way to Start the New Year

I was so excited to get the kids back in school today, but wouldn't you know it, they're all sick. So instead of my precious 2 1/2 hours of freedom, I got to take all three (with Alex) to the dr.'s. With them sick, they weren't able to get their annual check up and shots, but here are their numbers:

Malena
36 1/2 lbs
38"

Joshua
32 1/2 lbs
40 1/4"

Jacob
35 1/2 lbs
41 1/4"

I'm really not too sure about Malena's height, as we measured her at home last month, and she wasn't even 36" when we went to Disneyland, but the weight is right. I think I'll measure her height again.

So, that puts Malena in the 62nd percentile for weight and 14th percentile for height. That's actually not that bad. First of all, she's ON the typical growth chart (not the Down syndrome chart where she'd be 95th percentile weight and height). If I remember correctly, last year, she was in the 95th percentile weight and 10th percentile height. But, as I said, I'm not too sure about the height measurement. She is growing well, though. :)

Our little Joshua is then in the 19th percentile for weight, and 47th percentile for height. He has really been growing since his heart surgery almost two years ago, and also from his testicular surgery this past year (though I don't know why that would matter). He's our little guy, but catching up. Remember, he's "tiny, but mighty."

Big Jake is 46th percentile for weight, and 70th percentile for height. He's our big guy, and I'm sure with his attitude about eating fruits and veggies, will surely be as tall as Daddy. :)

Who'd have guessed my little premie four pounders would grow to be such big little men and little lady? :) LOL

BTW, the boys had slight ear infections and have been on antibiotics and all are recovering. THEY WILL BE BACK TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY (I can hope, can't I?)

2008-01-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

Malena Speaks!

Ok, well, she's said a few words consistently before. Mostly, "No!". She has also said, "Ma" for me (Mommy), and has also said "bah" for ball. So she has finally spoken her first two syllable word! "Ora" for Dora! No, not Mommy, not Daddy, but Dora. Then the other day, she said, "Ahee, Ora." and pointed to the tv. "Aheee." Yeah! She has FINALLY said Mommy! I have waited sooooooooooooo long to hear my beautiful princess call me Mommy. You better believe that tv went straight to Dora! Now she calls me Ahee when she's nice and "Ma" pretty much when she's mad and wants something NOW. LOL. Oh, how I love to hear her call me "Ahee". Even if I am second, I'm proud to be her second two syllable word! :) I guess I can play second fiddle to a cartoon character for now.

2007-12-12T12:09:00.001-08:00

Joshua LOVES Santa, but I guess spending an hour in line in the freezing cold and waking him up from a nap minutes before seeing the jolly old guy didn't make for a great visit. He wouldn't stop crying, then just refused to be in the pics completely. :( At least I got him in one and I got some really cute pics of Jacob and Malena. Maybe I'll photoshop him in later.

2007-12-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

MALENA POOPED IN THE POTTY!

LOL, okay, so that's not the nicest title, but one I didn't think I'd be writing for a long time. This morning, after a VERY long night of croupe, I took Malena downstairs. I took off her pajamas and diaper to get her dressed for the day. After I took off her diaper, she immediately went to the bathroom. I didn't tell her. In fact, I was so exhausted, I just wanted to put her clothes on and lay down on the couch. Well, I let her go, and a few minutes later, I hear Alex screaming, "Malena went poop in the potty!" I ran over, and sure enough, she was sitting on the big potty and had gone poop. We started cheering, and she got embarassed and covered her face, but then I gave her a high five, and she was happy. Later in the day, I was clearing out her backpack and found a note from her teacher and learned that she had actually gone poop in the potty at school the morning before! Two days in a row! Unfortunately, now she's off track for six weeks, so it's all on me to keep up this trend.

Go Malena! You've come a long way, Baby!

2007-11-13T11:39:00.001-08:00

Last night I made a sandwich for the kids for dinner. I noticed Jacob sitting on the couch watching tv a few minutes after dinner.

Me: Did like your sandwich?

Jacob: (not turning away from the tv) No. I didn't like the bread so much.

Me: What was wrong with the bread?

Jacob: (still not looking at me) It had mustard on it.

Me: I thought you liked mustard.

Jacob: Yeah, not so much. The mustard was sweet. (It is not sweet mustard)

Me: Oh, maybe I put too much. You think it had too much mustard?

Jacob: (Yep, eyes still hooked on the tv) Yeah. I didn't like the bread so much.

My question in my head: When did he turn into a teenager? :)

2007-10-31T15:56:00.000-07:00

Halloween is always such a busy day, and this year was no exception. Of course the boys wanted to be pirates AGAIN, so we went and got them their pirates suits, and all of a sudden, they want to be Spidermand and Batman. Too bad. I wasn't going to subject Malena to be a pirate again and watch all the princesses run around, so she was my beautiful Princess Snow White (quite the look alike, don't ya think?). Malena and Jake had big Halloween parties at their schools and, luckily Alex was able to attend Jakes as I went to Malena's.

It was so much fun to see her in her class with all her friends.

After that, the annual Ontario City Entertainment show and trick or treating and costume contests, then rush back home for trick or treating at home, where the kids went to so many houses, they made me hold all their bags. Though Malena looked like the adorable little Snow White, by this time, she acted like the Wicked Witch of the West and through hissy fits at every house. Okay, time for home and bed, right? Nope, we got home and they piled their candy on the floor to look through their loot. They all had a great time, and so did we. Now I'm pooped. At least I have all their candy to keep me company. LOL

2007-10-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Today Daddy took Joshua and Jacob to the park to play while I took Malena to ST. Though it was a hot day, there were other children there, and they were the boys age, so my friendly little boys made instant friends. Until, another little boy allegedly hit Jacob. Jacob, the little baby that he is, started crying to Daddy, though it was just a slight hit, possibly even just a little accidental shove. The boy's mother brought him over to apologize and as DH puts it, Joshua got in the little boys face with his fist in the air, yelling, "You dont' hit my brother!" Though a little more aggressive than I'd like, it's still nice to know they stand up for each other. :)

2007-09-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

Today was school day for everyone (Mon. and Wed.). I was a bit rushed, as usual, getting everyone ready. Figuring they are almost four (wow already!), I thought they should start getting themselves dressed, so I gave the boys their clothes and told them to put them on while I got Malena dressed. Before I knew it it was time to leave, so we all ran out the door. Then it was Jacob dropped off at 8, run to drop Josh off by 8:15, and Malena off by 8:25 (this never happens, and Malena is ALWAYS late because they all go to different schools) Anyway, then it was time to pick them up (already?). First Josh at 10:55, then Malena at 11:45, then Jake at 12ish. We all got home and I started making lunch. As I was making lunch, I noticed Jacob running around. He looked funny, but it took me a second to figure out why. Then I realized. His pants were on backwards! OMG! I didn't even notice, but I can bet the teachers did at his school! How am I going to show my face next week. I can't even take my kids to school with their clothes on right? Uggghhhhh.

2007-09-23T00:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, here's the long awaited (well I've been waiting, anyway) video of the kids dance recital back in June. Watch how Malena steals the show! Jake's on the far left and Josh is next to Malena, who's having a blast. I was also surprised that Jake did so well. For months he was saying he didn't want to go in front of people, but as you can see, he really enjoyed it! I think Josh LOVED being on stage and getting all that attention. :) Oh, and I'm sure Alex would like everyone to know that he did NOT do this video, as I'm sure his video would have been done MUCH better. :) And I didn't do the pics either (they're really dark and off color)

BTW, I think she's saying "help" when she drops her headpiece.

2007-09-21T23:32:00.001-07:00

Heads up. I'm starting to catch up. I've got a lot to make up for as August and September have been very busy (hence the delay in the posts) Scroll down or click here for the new post from August.

Thanks!

2007-09-21T19:44:00.001-07:00

Before he broke them again (actually he did, but didn't lose them) I decided to snap a few quick shots of Jacob in his new glasses. Joshua's new PURPLE glasses will be in shortly. This whole color coded kids thing might be biting me in the butt. :)

My two boys in glasses. sniff. And Malena soon to follow. (pardon Joshua, STILL potty training and wet all his clothes. Yes, even his shirt. Oh, and also pardon my messy studio. In between photo shoots).

2007-09-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

I've added a new post below. HOORY FOR HOLLYWOOD I'm playing catchup now, so keep checking, because I plan to fill in more of August and September. :)

2007-09-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

OUR HERO(es)

Hooray for Aunt Julie (a.k.a. Titi Julie)! She came over my house from a long day at work and tore my house apart (then put it back together again) and actually found Jacob's glasses! Wooohooo! Thank you, thank you , thank you Juju! First she found the glasses in the couch, (like I didn't look already) but one lens was missing. We couldn't find it, and I was fine with that, I was so happy to have everything else, but she wouldn't give up, and found the missing lens at the opposite end of the couch, under the couch. Okay, I want to know what happened now! Joshua's were in the trash, and Jacob's were in two ends of the couch. What were they up to!? And of course a big Thank You to Daddy who found Joshua's glasses in the GARBAGE!

2007-09-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a LONG time since I've updated. I plan on catching up soon, but I wanted to add this. Unfortunately, we recently discovered that not only Joshua needs glasses, but so do Jacob and Malena. Malena would not sit still long enough to measure her eye, so we will be getting her glasses in the next few months. We received Jacobs last week. At first, he LOVED them. When I say at first, I mean for the first five minutes. After that, he constantly took them off, which made Josh want to take his off. A day after Jacob got his glasses, I went upstairs for something. When I came back down, neither of the boys had their glasses on. I asked them what happened, and at first they said, "they're on the tv". Nope. We searched and searched. Nowhere to be found. Finally, after 3 days of searching, Alex decides to go look in the garbage (which is by now thrown out in the dumpsters). No way they're in there. Well, 15 minutes later, he comes in with Joshua's glasses! Now Joshua is getting new glasses (discovered before these were lost) due to new prescription. So Jacob's glasses are still missing. Alex decides to give it another try, and goes piece by piece through three trash bins that have been out in 90 degree weather. Poor guy. What he won't do for his kids. :) No luck. So now, I have to go buy Jacob ANOTHER pair of glasses to replace these BRAND NEW glasses that I didn't even have a chance to take a picture of him in! AAAAgggghhhhhh! I just can't wait until Malena gets hers too, and I have to make three kids keep their glasses on! Oh, btw, Malena is the one who has a habit of throwing things in the trash. Especially if she's trying to take something from the boys (and remember the boys have some and she doesn't) We have no proof, but she is the current suspect!

2007-08-27T20:07:00.000-07:00

The top of this castle toy box used to be Malena's favorite perch until I took it away in fear of her falling about a year ago. I brought it into the "new" toyroom (aka, their old bedroom) and this time I found her AND the boys getting a view from the top.

Later, after a day of swimming, I came upstairs to find Malena, still in her bathing suit taking her nap ON TOP of the castle. Yes, she is asleep. And yes, she must be comfortable, because usually, she squirms all around her bed, and actually ends up sleeping of the floor even though it has a bedrail. Maybe I'll get her a bunk bed when she gets a bit older. :)

2007-08-11T21:57:00.000-07:00

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

Yes, that is the infamous HOLLYWOOD sign in the background. Look. See it. Past the palm trees and smog. Yeah, there it is. Well, we decided to go see the Go Diego Go Show playing in Hollywood with my sister's family. I rarely go out to L.A. anymore. I worked there for 6 years and had a 2 hour commute (each way), so I'm pretty done with the place, but once in a while, my kids will get a small glimpse of the freak show. :) (I say that lovingly).

But before the show, we decided to have some lunch, so we waited about an hour at Cheesecake factory and finally decided to go for quick pizza before we missed the show altogether. Here are the kids in front of Cheesecake factory on the "Casting Couch" and later at the pizza place. They are sitting at the "bar" looking out at the passers by and guess who sits right outside the window? PIRATES! My boys were in LOVE. They LOVVVVVVVE pirates! They were so excited. The pizza pieces were HUGE, and I couldn't believe it when Jacob ate the WHOLE thing! Pirates have big appetites. :)

Here they are before the Diego show began. It's blurry, because it was dark, and before I could get a better pic, an usher came over and told me no pictures, even though there were hundreds of flashes going off, but oh well. I almost decided not to bring Malena along. I usually leave her with a sitter with things like this, like movies, or baseball games. Things she has to sit still for and pay attention for a long time, but I decided she has matured a bit, and we'd try it. To my surprise, the boys sat there during the whole thing like they were just too good for all of it (though they started to show they enjoyed it a bit at the end), but Malena was dancing in the aisle NONSTOP! She absolutely loved it. I am sooooo glad I brought her. I should have known.

After the show, we decided to stroll down to Grauman's Chinese Theatre where all the stars have their prints and sigs. Here are the boys trying some on for size.

For those of you who have never been, on Hollywood Blvd., there are a bunch of actors who dress as characters and available for pics for tips. So we pretty much stopped at most of them. My how The "Little" Mermaid" has matured. Uhhmmm....

The kids really got a kick out of meeting all the celebrities ;} But look at their faces when we come across the PIRATES again! They were sooo happy. Jacob got to tell them that he wanted to be a pirate when he grew up. The pirate's answer? "Ay, that'll be good in the business world, Matey." Never thought of it like that. Hmmm. Maybe pirates are getting a bad wrap after all.

So, the pirates are favorites of the boys, but did I mention Darth Vader (a.k.a. Darth Mader as in the Tow truck from CARS)? Pirates are cool, but Darth Mader is the coolest guy around! You should have seen the boys when we saw him IN PERSON! Just look at their faces. Funny thing is, later inthe month, we took them all to my friend's b-day party. A HUGE Star Wars fan. The biggest fan I know. For entertainment, one of his friends came dressed as Darth Vader and performed (with Star Wars Music) a whole Happy Birthday Joseph, speaking to Joseph, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BOYS! It was awesome! Best thing is, after that, he took off his mask, and sat down at our table for dinner. The boys were flipping out, asking him questions about his light saber, how they have some at home, what color they were. Where are the storm troopers! It was HILARIOUS! So now, the boys think they have met, in person, and had dinner with the REAL Darth Vader (and think they know what he really looks like). I had to move them to the other side of the table to let the poor guy eat. I couldn't stop laughing, and I don't think the boys will ever forget it. Thanks Joseph for inviting us to your birthday, and Ed for a night my boys will remember forever!

2007-08-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

One for the Blog

You're not going to believe this one. I didn't. Recently, we have let the dogs back in the house. Ahhhhh. It was mostly for Joshua, as he has been unhappy lately, and the dogs (all animals, actually) make him happier than anything in the world. So the dogs have been in the house for about a week, with NO accidents! Better trained than Joshua, actually! LOL The day we let them in, we took Joshua (the other two were at school) to the store to get a new crate to put in the boys room to sleep with them. He was so happy, and everything was going great until tonight... Josh has not been going to sleep very well and whines for the first hour or two. He was doing the same tonight as usual, and i thought nothing of it until I heard, "Mommy, help." Still nothing out of the ordinary, he says that to coax me in there all the time. Then he said, "Get me out of here." Ok, that was weird. I went in and went to his bed (in the dark) and he wasn't there. Then I heard the little voice again, "Get me out of here," coming from the dog crate! Yep, he went in there with the dogs, zipped the door behind him, and couldn't get out! Okay, I knew he liked animals, but this is getting ridiculous! And yes, I got him out. :)

2007-07-24T22:31:00.000-07:00

A SHINER FOR JOSH?!

Okay, a few days after Joshua got his glasses, he fell at the store and got a cut. Now it seems he seems to break the noseguards about every two weeks. So much so that I got an extra pair last time so I don't have to go back to get them repaired. Now, in the last month, he has gotten hurt (either by his own rough play or Malena tearing them off him) with them three times. The other day was the worste. The boys are in a very "deaf" phase. You know the one. Where they don't hear a word you're saying and continue playing on the stairs when you're standing right in front of them yelling at them not to. Well, you guessed it. Joshua decided he wouldn't listen to Daddy's warnings and fell down the stairs. The result, a cut on his eye (and possible black eye) and a broken pair of very expensive glasses. Luckily, they are not as expensive to fix as to replace. Josh has enough scares on him, I was hoping none would be on his face, but it looks like he's joining his Mommy on this one (I have a scare in my eyebrow as well). Hopefully it will not be noticable.

2007-07-04T13:27:00.000-07:00

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
We had a great 4th of July. This was our first time in the pool this year, and it was a good day for it. It was around 100 degrees! I was truly amazed by all three of the kids. Malena was actually JUMPING into my arms in the pool. Forget about the pool, just jumping is the best accomplishment! She just wouldn't stop. My arms are sore from catching her all day. :)

Jacob was so proud of himself for "swimming".

Totally independent, he swam from one end of the pool to the other. Well, of course he had his floaties and a noodle to help out.

Josh did the same as Jake, although he was a little hesitant at first. Daddy just made sure he stayed right next to him.

At night, we roasted marshmallows (I know totally cheezy) and watched fireworks from the back of the car out front, where we could see the local park's fireworks show. There are no fireworks allowed in our area, but I didn't miss them. Nor did I miss the constant fear with the kids being too close to them. We all had a great time!

2007-07-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAMMA!

I love you and miss you always. You will be in
my heart forever, and I pass on your beautiful
life with my children. Thank you for your love,
and I thank God every day for giving you to me.

If Tears Could Build A Stairway

If tears could build a stairway
And memories a lane
I would walk right up to Heaven
And bring you back again

No farewell words were spoken
No time to say goodbye
You were gone before I knew it
And only God knows why

My heart still aches in sadness
And secret tears still flow
What it meant to lose you
No one will ever know

But now I know you want me
To mourn for you no more
To remember all the happy times
Life still has much in store

Since you’ll never be forgotten
I pledge to you today
A hallowed place within my heart
Is where you’ll always stay

Author Unknown

2007-06-23T11:09:00.001-07:00

How to get three preschoolers to play with their new swing set in the hot sun? Make it a waterslide!

2007-06-20T10:50:00.000-07:00

Another Joshy Moment

Another normal day at the dinner table. Why is he sulking and upset? I have no idea. All he would say is, "It's no fair." Yes, poor thing, we were MAKING him eat pizza!

2007-06-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Father's Day Dinnertime
I finally bought a table that all five (mine and my sister's girls) kids can sit out and eat dinner in "peace". They really enjoyed sitting together and actually let us eat our dinner (for five minutes). :) Bonus is my fireplace hearth works as the perfect bench!

2007-06-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

CAR WASH

Daddy decided to give the car a wash (finally), but was caught by the kiddos, so he handed them all a brush and a sponge, and let them go for it. They had lots of fun until they all wanted the same sponge (of which Daddy only had one, he'll never learn).

2007-06-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

Last Day of School for Malena

Today was Malena's last day of school. Next school year (beginning in July) she will be going to a new school (her home school). Mrs. Hamlett and her staff have been wonderful to and for Malena. I know she LOVES school and I'm sure it's because of the wonderful environment they make in the classroom. They will be missed.

2007-06-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

Our new (used) 5 minutes worth of entertainment. Glad I bought it used, because they played on it for five minutes and went back inside to play video games. Uggghh!

2007-06-11T22:17:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Just wanted to share my Down Syndrome association spotlights a child every so often. This time was Malena's turn. I wrote a little paragraph about us and made a short picture montage.

http://www.dsarcw.org/ourkids.htm

Thanks for looking!

2007-06-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

My Little Tool Men

Daddy has never been the handiest man around, but he can get some things done when he wants to (and has time). Today was the boys first lesson in tools from Daddy. I think he's trying to hand down the title of the house ToolMan already. ;)

2007-06-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

This morning, Daddy left for and overnight business trip early in the morning, before anyone got up. Soon after he left (of course), Malena started crying. since it was only 5 a.m., I brought her to my bed, thinking she'd fall back asleep. No luck, she kept trying to crawl out of bed. Then she got out of bed and went straight for the door. Finally, wanting to get some rest, I locked my door and put on cartoons for her to watch or play in my room. I could hear her playing with her tub toys from my bathroom. I think I slept for about 5 minutes and woke up to silence. I got worried and started looking around the room. I found Malena sound asleep in the cold, hard (yes dry!) bathtub! I know my old mattress is starting to get a little lumpy, but I sure think it's more comfortable than the bathtub! Rascal. :)

2007-06-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well Joshua finally went in for surgery for his undescended testicle and penile adhesion. Although a fairly "simple" surgery, it's always heartwrenching watching them take your child away for surgery. But before that there were a couple of hiccups. We were told to be there at 12, and when we got there, we found out his surgery wouldn't be until 4! Lots of waiting, but he did good. Then we went in and got him ready, more waiting, then they took him in. After two hours (it was only supposed to be an hour and a half) we were getting worried. Then the nurse came out and asked for "Kwiat". She said the doctor has been trying to reach us, so we got scared, and went in. She got the doctor on the phone (Josh was nowhere in recovery), and then she said the doctor will be right here. We asked her if everything went okay, and she just said the doctor will be here to talk to you, so I was starting to freak out. Longest five minutes ever for the doctor to get there, but as it turns out, everything went very well, the doctor just wanted to take him to the Adult Recovery room because she thought he'd get more individualized care there. (she really took care of us). Then she said that she was able to bring his testicle down, but it is smaller, but it should be fine. She was VERY happy that she corrected the penile adhesion, because she said that was going to cause some real issues later on if it was not fixed, and the only way to fix it because it was so bad was through surgery. Then she told us that she wanted him to spend the night as a precaution due to his heart. The doctor said she would discharge him if we wanted, and I said no, let him stay. So we stayed. Alex went home with the other two and I stayed. Josh didn't recover right away. The anesthesia made him sick. He was very upset most of the night, and the nurses were concerned because he wouldn't pee. The nurse finally brought in an ultrasound to see his bladder, and there was a lot of pee in his bladder, but his diaper was barely damp. She said she'd give him another hour, and if not, they would have to catheterize him. I fell asleep, and apparently he peed, because they didn't cathetarize him. When he woke up in the morning, he was same old Josh. He said, "Hi Mommy, I love you." So cute. Then he ate enough breakfast for two grown men! We went home Saturday morning around 11 and I haven't been able to keep him down since. All is well, just gotta keep him settled, the little crazy, wild boy! :) Unfortunately, no bikes, bars, or sports for up to a month. Good thing he likes those video games. This is the first time I'm thankful for that! LOL

Here's Josh on his way to the hospital.

Switching glasses with Zeide while waiting for surgery.

Here he is prepping for surgery, wondering why his finger is glowing.

Here he is after surgery, not feeling very good, sleeping in Mommy's arms.

Josh eats up a storm after a rough night.

Happy to be going home!

Daddy welcomes Josh home in front of the Welcome sign Daddy, Malena and Jacob made for him.

2007-05-26T13:53:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize that there was no dance class today, so we got up got dressed, rushed out the door, and there was nobody there. So, instead of just going home, we took them to the park. There was a "triplet" slide, just for them. :) I don't think they missed dance class one bit!

2007-05-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

T-Ball Comes to an End

Well, this was the last day of t-ball. It didn't last very long because we started late into the "season", but the kids liked it and Jacob has really perfected his swing. Hehe. And Joshua has learned a little bit how not to hit others, :}, and Malena has learned how to be patient and work as a team (and that we play t-ball before we run for the playground). We had a blast and thought Coach Mike was the best! I really loved seeing the kids learn how to get along and socialize with all the other little kids, and not just them as a unit, but as individuals. It was very interesting. It was also very satisfying to see my boys aren't the only wrestlers. :) They really made friends and I hope we can see some of these kids in future events.

2007-05-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

Today was Joshua's one year appointment with the Cardiologist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and the good news is, his VSD is completely closed! Yeah! He does still have a small "innocent" murmur from the pulmonary stenosis procedure. The doctor said the valves that didn't open all the way now do not close all the way, however, it is a very minimal issue and only needs to be checked every 2-3 years. So we won't need to go back for two years now! Yippee!

Funny thing happened. Joshua and Jacob were rough housing the day before and Joshua got a bloody nose. Real bad, but he was okay after ten minutes or so. Well, just as the cardiologist walks in and asks, "So how is he doing?" and I say, "He's doing great!" only to turn to Josh and see blood pouring out of his nose! I scream, "He's bleeding" and the doctor gets a nurse to bring a towel and we get him to lay down to stop it. It stops, and the doctor checks to make sure it's all okay, but I felt like a dummy saying he's great when he's sitting right next to me pouring blood from his nose. I guess Joshua got a kick out of us all rushing around trying to stop it, because afterward he says, "I bleeding. That punny, Mommy. " :)

Oh, and my little guy weighed in at 32.6 pounds and was 38 inches tall! He's still small, but he's gained quite a bit in the last year. :)

2007-05-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

I had a great Mother's Day! I don't remember me ever taking a picture of just me with all three of the kids (Alex has many), as I am usually the photographer, so I made sure I got a pic of me and my little munchkins. :)

2007-05-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

T-Ball Anyone?

We finally found a place for three year olds to play a sport. (I guess we need to even out the Ballet/Jazz we have the boys joining Malena in). Jacob really wants to play soccer, but we couldn't find anything, so t-ball it is. No problem, he loves all sports. He's been throwing balls across the rooms since he was 6 months old (really), and he has been hitting a pitch(underhanded) for about a year now. Joshua always loves to throw and hit anything! LOL

The first day went great for Jacob and Malena. Joshua started saying he wanted to go home halfway through. Then they were able to play on the playground, so he was happy. I think Malena shocked everyone with her abilities that day. When the coach was going down the row to field grounders, he got to her and said, "here it comes, Sweetie." She crouched down and held out her hands just like everyone else had before her, and Coach Mike was really impressed. "She did it!" Well, of course she did. The second practice, she didn't do so well. It was after Daddy's birthday lunch and she didn't get her nap, so she through a few fits. But after a while, she saw everyone hitting the ball and running bases, she decided to give it a try. It took a few tries, but she hit the ball off the "T" and all the parents cheered. I was soooo proud of my beautiful girl! :)

I also got to see how well she will be protected in years to come. The coach threw a ball to her, and it went behind her. Another little boy grabbed it and was going to throw it back to the coach, though it was Malena's turn. Well, Joshua knew it was Malena's turn, and grabbed it from the little boy and said, "No, it Lena's turn!" and gave it to Malena. I have to work on his approach with this, but I was so proud that he stood up for his sister. He's MY hero, as well as Malena's!

So now we have pre-school, dance, and t-ball, and hope to add swimming and soccer in June, when t-ball ends. Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into?

2007-05-09T21:35:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Daddy!

Alex celebrated his 35th birthday today. As tradition (for the past two years), we took the kids to Benihana to celebrate. As their third trip there, they are now seasoned veterans. Their first trip, at one year old, Jacob threw the menu on the grill and it melted and smelled up the entire restaraunt. Last year, they did better, but this year they all did great. Joshua was in awe of the chef and his talents, and Jacob just loved sitting next to Daddy on his b-day. Malena loved making a mess! LOL

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2007-05-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Ever since Joshua got his glasses, Malena has wanted them. So much so that she regularly rips them off her face and puts them on hers. Well the other day, she went overboard. I heard Josh crying and when I came in, I saw his face, with blood around his eyes. When I asked what happened, both him and Jacob told me Malena took Joshua's glasses. When I looked, they were laying in the middle of the floor and she was already on her way with her little baby in it's stroller. I've tried giving her own sunglasses, and that works, until she sees Joshua's. Just can't resist that shiny blue metal, I guess. Poor Josh. :( When I asked to get a closer look, he smiled and said, "It okay, Mommy. I alright."

2007-05-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

Fun at the Zoo

Alex has been wanting to take the kids to the zoo FOREVER, so, when my niece's school was taking a field trip, and my sister asked if we wanted to tag along, we jumped at it. This is the kid's FIRST time at the zoo, and they just LOVED it.

2007-04-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

Easter 2007

The kids have been looking forward to Easter this year (their baskets mostly), and they weren't disappointed. They each had a FULL basket of goodies from dear old Easter bunny this year. They absolutely LOVED the egg hunt, too!

2007-04-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

Easter Egg Coloring

Here are some pictures of our Easer Egg coloring this year. The kids really enjoyed it! I'd like to say it was not messy, but... well, let's just say I've always called Malena "lil' pumpkin", and now she is! :)

2007-04-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

Joshua...

Yep, his arms are crossed and he's standing in the middle of the mall refusing to move because he wanted to be the LAST one to push the button on the elevator. Not that he didn't push it twice already. Don't ya just love these moments?

2007-04-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

SUCCESS!

....finally. Jacob has been in big boy underwear for two days now, with NO accidents! He even asked if he could wear his big boy underwear to bed last night instead of a diaper. I wasn't ready to try that one yet, but how great is that? I can't believe now how easy it was once I just focused on Jacob, and decided Joshua needed a little bit more time. We have even gone out each day doing different errands for most of the day, and he's had NO accidents! I am soooo proud of my little guy... uh, big guy now! He knows that now that he's potty trained he gets to go see Shamu (Shampoo) the whale at Sea world, and that trip is already scheduled for next week! Yeah Jake! New pre-school here we come!

2007-04-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

Time for Easter Bunny Pictures! The kids did amazingly well. I thought for sure, Jacob was going to start crying since he's been so, uh... emotional lately. But he did pretty good. Malena and Joshua ran up to the bunny and gave him a great big hug! I'm so proud of all of them!

My Beautiful Angels!

2007-03-31T15:13:00.000-07:00

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

My cousin was in from Vegas and asked if we could all go to the Dodger vs. Angels game at the Angel Stadium. The boys are big into sports, but I still wasn't sure how they would sit through a game. But we decided to go, anyway. Malena stayed home with cousin Erin and Grandma and Papa. She would definitely not sit through a game.

All week before the game, Jacob kept asking me if he'll get to play, too. I told him, he can only watch. "I don't get to play?" He couldn't understand it. Why go? LOL

Here we all are before the game with our little tailgate party under the "Big A", as the boys said. The boys loved this, as my cousin brought her kids' scooters. Even though they had a fall or two, they loved trying, and when it was time for the game, they cried when we had to put them away.

When we got inside for the game, the boys were amazed at all the people. When the game started, they were a little confused, but when the crowd started cheering, they had fun. The noise did get to be a little bit for Jacob, who covered his ears after every cheer and asked to go home. but then he'd get back into it. Joshua was hilarious, as he shook his arms at the refs and imitated everybody else. I heard him yell, "Go Dodgers!" all night long with Daddy.

We all had a great time, even though our team (the Dodgers) lost. The boys will never remember their team lost. They'll just remember the fun they had and that they like the "blue team. We like the Dodgers".

2007-03-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

SCHOOL SAGA Continued...

Jacob is still having trouble with school. He will cry any time we mention him going to school and when we drop him off. The only reason he's not still screaming his lungs out when I drop him off, is because I tell him I will tell the teacher he won't have to go out to the playground. He has found a small computer-like toy that he sits on a chair with right at the door, so the teachers can keep an eye on him during playground time.

Tonight, he even made me call the teacher to tell her that he does not want to go out on the playground tomorrow. (Of course I pretended only, as it is 8 at night). I've spoken with the school, and they continue to feel it is just an attatchment issue. I disagree. I know he is going through something, and I know it has to do with the playground. I have a feeling he is either being bullied, or he mistakenly got hurt by another child (ALL 50 something kids are out on the playground at this time, ranging to 1 year old to 5 years old). Now when we go to the gym and I drop him off at the daycare there, which he used to love, he first looks for "bigger kids" before he enters and gets happy when there aren't any. He also used to be such an outgoing little boy, and now he is VERY shy. I miss my confident, little, outgoing boy. :(

Well, Joshua is off track starting the end of this week, and I've decided to pull Jacob at that time as well. I'm going to potty train them "cold turkey", and then by the time Joshua goes back in May, hopefully, Jacob will be potty trained and ready for a new school. Wish us luck.

2007-03-24T22:45:00.000-07:00

Malena's Open House

Tonight was Malena's turn. Her school, River View Elementary, had their open house. This time, everyone was well, so we all went. Malena was happy to show her brothers around her classroom, and they were so happy to see where she gets to play with her friends! Especially the swings! :) Her teacher, Mrs. Hamlett, says she's doing very well, and will be working on her speech and language, as well as her initiating conversations by saying words or signing. Great job Malena!

2007-03-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

Anniversary of a Broken Heart

I didn't want to admit it, but I have been a bit emotional lately. It is because today is the one year anniversary of Joshua's heart surgery. For those of you who do not know, Joshua was born with a congenital heart defect called Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). From birth, if you listened to his heart, it sounded like what the doctors said, a "washing machine." I thought it sounded more like water going through a hose. You could even feel it if you put you hand on his chest. When he was about 6 months old, we discovered he also had another defect called Pulmonary Valve Stenosis. That was a scary time, as I went in thinking that the doctor would do the echo and say his VSD (hole) had closed. Instead, he had me wait in another small room, and came in to tell me that his hole was bigger than he thought and he had another problem. I was alone, and I almost started crying.

Fast forward two years, and with some research, we took Joshua to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles where we felt very confident with the doctors and surgeons.

March 20, 2006, we decided that Joshua wouldn't be going anywhere for a while, so we took the kids to John's Incredible Pizza Kitchen. Which is basically like an overdone Chuck E. Cheese. They had sooo much fun. Then it was time to separate. My mom took Jacob and Malena back home and Alex and I went on to a hotel in LA with Joshua for an early morning surgery check up. When we got to the car, we gave Joshua his gift. A Care Bear that had "ouies" on his heart and all over. He loved it. We also made sure we took his yellow blanket that he does not go without.

He actually had a great time with just him and Mommy and Daddy. He loved it! All about Josh, day! After his tests at the hospital, the next day, we met my Mom and Dad with Jacob and Malena at Olvera St. for some sandwiches at Phillipe's (best roast beef sandwiches) and sight seeing.

My family then checked into our hotel, and we quickly learned we needed to get the kids (my trio and my two neices) out of the rooms before they kicked us out. So, since the subway was just across the street, we decided to take it to City Walk for dinner. MISTAKE. We took the wrong subway, the wrong way. Then we FINALLY got to City Walk, and waited for an hour for a table that we finally just left and ate at Carl's Jr. back by the hotel. It was frustrating, but we al had a good laugh afterwards. Memorable to say the least, and I'm actually glad there was something distracting me from thinking of the next morning.

Next morning, I think it was 5a.m., we showed up at the hospital. Alex and I took Joshua in to get ready for surgery. That was the hardest, scariest, worste moment of my life. As they took Joshua out of our arms, we watched as they carried him into surgery. I wanted to scream, "No, bring him back," but all I could do was hold Alex as we both could no longer hold back the tears.

After three very long hours, the surgeon came out to say everything went great and Joshua was doing wonderful. I know there must have been the biggest smile on my face. In another hour, we were by his bedside. He was very "out of it" that whole day, and when he first woke up, he was, understandably, in a lot of pain. He mostly slept that first day, and half the next day.

By the next evening, he was taken off the drugs and was doing awesome!

That night we had him walking all around the PICU. He was wobbly, but he was all over the place.

They moved him to another room, and we couldn't keep him in his "crib". By the next day, we were on our way home!

It was so wonderful to have him home and finally try to get back to normal, and just BREATHE a sigh of relief. Since then, it hasn't even phased him, and now, one year later, he barely even remembers anything at all. Sometimes he even forgets he has a scare (ouie) on his chest.

I love you Josh! My BIG, STRONG BOY!

Click on picture for a larger view

Some helpful sites:

http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/001099.htm

http://www.congenitalheartdefects.com/advice.html#whatilearned -this one is written by another mother.

http://www.cardioaccess.com/diag02.html -this one has pictures of the patch

http://www.congenitalheartdefects.com/surgeonquestions.html -this one is excellent set of questions for before, during and after written by another mother.

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/vsd/vsd_treatments.html

http://www.goremedical.com/English/Products/Helex/Index.htm -one of the sites for the septal occluder

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/mda/docs/p000039.html -another spetal occluder site.

2007-03-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

Happy World Down Syndrome Day!

Down Syndrome International (DSI) has officially earmarked 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD). The date was chosen to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome.

This year the theme for 21 March 2007 is "Celebrating Diversity", to continue creating awareness about Down syndrome and promote acceptance of diversity.

Please join us as we CELEBRATE the lives of those with Down Syndrome and the light they bring into our lives.

2007-03-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

MORE SURGERY FOR JOSH

Well, I finally took Joshua to the urologist today for his undescended testicle and penile adhesion (I'm sure when he gets older, he's going to love this post to the world). He does need surgery to correct the problems, as I had suspected. I have not taken him because he had surgery last year for his heart, and the cardiologist had told me no surgery for a year. Well, the year is up (on Friday), and so I made the appointment. We still need a surgical release from the cardiologist, but they are going to go ahead and schedule the surgery for probably a couple months from now or so. Poor baby. I'm glad it's not as serious as his heart surgery, but I don't know if my emotions can take all this. And he is a year older now, so he's going to understand more, and that is going to be more difficult on us, as well. My poor little man. :(

2007-03-18T18:24:00.001-07:00

Notice the end of this, Malena does a funny little "my foot is stuck" move. :) She's watching herself in the mirror and got distracted. Silly little girl!

2007-03-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

OPEN HOUSE

Today was open house at Joshua's school. We had planned on going as a family, but Jacob came down with a fever at the last minute, so it was just Mommy and Josh. He had a lot of fun showing me around. Here he is in his class with his teacher, Ms. Patty.

He really loves his playground, and knows the way back to class. The teacher and ST, both say he's very smart and doing very well. I know he loves school, and we are very happy for him. My little man, growing up. sniff

2007-03-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

As promised, some pics from dance class with a real camera. Not that they're all great pics, just fun!

Here's Daddy helping his little Cinderella with her slipper. Perfect fit.

All three had a blast all alone in the classroom before class started.

2007-03-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

OUCH!

Today, after Malena got off of school, we decided to go get tap shoes for everyone for their dance class. While we were out, we thought we'd make a little day of it. We went to eat at Fudruckers, then as a big treat went to Coldstones for ice cream. The kids had a great time, and were very good. While they were waiting for Mommy to finish up, they started playing in the ice cream store. I didn't think it would be a problem, because we were the only ones there. Well, sure enough, they were playing chase, and Jacob fell down. I guess Joshua was going too fast, because he didn't stop and fell right over Jake and onto his face. :( Alex and I heard his glasses hit the tile floor. Ouch! His glasses created a small cut above his eyebrow. And now the glasses are slightly warped. After getting some frozen strawberries to keep the swelling down (they didn't have ice at the ice cream store), he seems to be fine. His glasses, however, will need some adjusting. Well, at least he's okay, and the glasses aren't entirely broken.

2007-03-03T12:29:00.000-08:00

MALENA JUMPS!

Remember on the post below that we began dance class last week? Well, this week in dance class, the teacher was trying to get the kids to go toes, then heel. Toes-heel, toes-heel. Malena was trying so hard to do it. In fact, I think she thought she was, but she was just bending her knees. So, I stepped in and put her on her little toes, then back onto her heels. Then she started to do it. Toes-heel, toes-heel. She got so excited, she started doing it faster, and faster, and before you know it- SHE JUMPED! Those with Down syndrome kids know what a milestone this is! I was so excited, I yelled out, "She jumped!" The other mothers looked at me like, "uh, yeah, and.." It was just a little jump, but she actually got air. I was so excited I almost started crying. This week, her wandering was giving the teacher a bit of a run for her money, but I know I made the right decision in putting her into dance now, and she is there to stay!

2007-02-24T12:23:00.000-08:00

DANCE FEVER

The boys have been bugging to be in soccer for a year now. Unfortunately, I can't find any soccer, baseball, football leagues for under 4. Last year I tried gymnastics, but Jacob got hurt, and they just weren't ready. But today, we decided Malena was ready for dance classes. She LOVES to dance to songs in the car and on t.v. So we figured we'd throw the boys in for company. Both the boys were against it, until they saw their tap shoes. (It's tap and ballet. Real masculine, huh?) Once they got in there, they had a blast, and actually all three did very well. And Malena only wandered off twice. Of course it's enclosed, and I'm on the other side of the door, so she's not getting away! But I was impressed at how well she took directions and was able to do almost all of the dance steps! She is a born dancer!

When we got there, the class only had one other student. A cute little girl named Natalie, who's birthday was today! So the whole class is my three and Natalie. Two boys and two girls. I can't wait til the recital in June!

(please excuse the picture quality. They were taken with my picture phone. DH videographer, and Mommy photographer forgot our equipment at home!)

2007-02-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

JACOB PRESCHOOL UPDATE

Well, today was the first day back at preschool after the long President's day weekend. I always tell the boys what we will be doing the following day when I put them to bed. I told them they would be going to school. This caused Jacob to go into a fit. He didn't want to go. I then had a long talk with him, and told him I would stay with him during the first part of school. So the next day, I stayed.

His day at school starts with the playground. On the playground, the entire school (ages 0-5, about 50 kids) are all on the playground. Even with me there, he began to cry and practically melt into my legs. He wanted to go back inside, so I decided that I would take him inside and try to find out what's going on. Though he was still VERY attached to me, he stopped crying. Another little boy was inside, too, and tried to play with Jacob, but Jacob would have nothing to do with him, and hid his face.

His teacher, Ms. Robin, arrived, and she suggested we go back outside, as class was going to begin soon. No sooner did we get outside, and Jacob was crying again. Ms. Robin tried, I tried, other children tried, but he was very upset. Then it was time to go in, and Ms. Robin assigned Jacob the "line leader." He still wasn't happy, but he stopped crying. Before they went in, I decided to go in and have a discussion about this with the direct, Ms. Cindy. After a very long conversation with Ms. Cindy, I went in to check on Jacob in his class, who were all coming into their class from "potty time". Jacob was in line going to class when he saw me. Oh darn, I thought. But he saw me, and he looked up and said, "Oh, that's my Mom. Hi Mom." No big deal! Back to the old, outgoing, happy, independent Jake I know and love. Then he said bye and went into his class with the other kids, as if he hadn't been freaking out for the past 45 minutes!

Obviously, this is a playground issue, though I can't get out of him, what. I'm not sure if it's a bully on the playground (I am thinking this may be part of it), or Jacob's Sensory issues (too overwhelming to have ALL those kids running around), or what. Ms. Cindy and I have decided that next school day, I will drop him off a little closer to class time, so he will have limited playground time. And it is just THIS playground, because he goes to the playground when I go to my gym, and he loves it! So I'm kind of leaning towards there being a bully amongst them. We'll figure this out for my poor baby. :(

2007-02-20T20:37:00.000-08:00

JOSHUA POINDEXTER

Well, today was the day. We took Joshua to get his glasses. Doesn't he look handsome? I admit, I almost cried when they told me he needed glasses, even though I was forewarned six months ago. And even though I figured all my kids would need glasses at some point, because I am practically blind. I just didn't think it would be so young. :( But here he is, three years old, needing glasses. Fortunately, it's a very mild prescription for farsightedness and asitgmatism.

He was very excited to get them, and so far we have been very lucky, in that he actually LIKES wearing them, and hasn't really tried to take them off. Before the woman at the store put them on, she told Joshua the rules, that only Mommy and Daddy can take off his glasses. He seems to be abiding to those rules. Keep your fingers crossed, that all continues.

Jacob was a very good boy, waiting for Joshua to try on his new glasses while he played with the toys at the store. Malena was at school, but when she saw Joshua's glasses she pointed to them right away. Later, when Malena tried to grab Joshua's glasses, Jacob told her, "No Malena. Only Mommy and Daddy can take off Joshua's glasses." Oh boy! At least we know he was listening.

2007-02-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

PROBLEM PRESCHOOL FOR JACOB

Jacob started pre-school off with a bang! He was so excited to have his very own school, and so happy to go every day. The first day, he could hardly wait to go inside. Well, he is now he opposite of that. He cries for days before he knows he will be going to school, and cries for an hour after I drop him off. He's turned from a very social, outgoing little boy, to very shy and withdrawn, not wanting to go anywhere, and not even wanting to go outside to play. It is so heartbreaking. I've asked him what is wrong, and I've gotten (by asking over and over) a couple things out of him. One is that another little friend hurt another little friend. Another one is that he doesn't like "the room with toys." and he wants to go to the other room with books and learning (he is currently in the 2 1/2 yr room, due to he is not yet potty trained), and also, he says he wants to be in with Miss Julie. His teacher is Miss Robin. Miss Julie does not have a class. I believe she is the director, but she did sub for Miss Robin once (actually, his first day). He also cries that he wants Joshua to stay with him. I'm not sure what's going on with him, but it's breaking my heart. I plan on talking with Miss Julie to try to get this sraightened out, and, perhaps, at least, get him in the 3 year old room. Perhaps, that would help.

2007-02-15T22:21:00.000-08:00

SILLY

Here's the kids (mostly the boys who are feeling better) being silly with Mommy and Daddy.

2007-02-15T21:55:00.000-08:00

'Tis the Season

No, not that season. The bad season. Sick season. I remember last year, the kids were pretty much sick from October through March, then came Joshua's surgery, then came Malena's surgery, and it wasn't until July/August 'til we were all well. Unfortunately, it seems this year is heading that way. I can't remember who was sick first, but we all got sick, then there was maybe a week of everyone starting to feel better. Then Josh got sick again, then Malena, then Jake, then Josh was well, then Jake was well. Now Malena's starting to get over it again, but now Josh is sick again! This is a big, never-ending circle. I clean, disinfect, but it's impossible with 3 constant runny noses (and other fluids) to keep up with.

Malena always seems to get it the worste (not surprising) and always seems to get weird breakouts on her face. This time she looks like she has two black eyes. And of course, her nose is raw from all the wiping. No medication stops this little girl's nose from running.

My poor little baby. I can't wait until summer so we can all be well!

2007-02-14T21:39:00.000-08:00

IT'S OFF!

Jacob finally got his "Big Bandaid" off today! Yeah. Doctor said his finger is healed and will cause no more problems. Of course when the doctor came in to ask Jake how he was feeling, he got shy and hid his face in my shoulder. At first, he didn't want to take it off, but once it was off, he was happy. Then he didn't want to bend it, afraid that it would hurt. But once the doctor showed him he could bend it, he was amazed.

And no sooner was it off, then both the boys were at it again (not like the splint stopped them anyway). Uggghhhhhh! What's a Mom to do?

2007-02-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

2007-02-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

My Little Angel

Check out Malena's picture on the Band of Angels Website Gallery! Okay, so it wasn't that hard to get on the site. I just submitted a picture, but I'm so proud to share my gorgeous girl!

2007-02-06T15:15:00.000-08:00

Somebody up there must not like me. Not a day after Alex left on his next business trip, and the kids are sick again! Ugggghhhh! This time it was Joshua who started it out with a fever, then Malena got croupe Sunday night with a slight fever. Now both Malena and Josh are fine, but Jake had a slight fever today. I swear, I don't think their schools even believe me anymore when I call in that they're sick again! Hopefully this won't wind up as bad as last time, and I don't get sick again, too!

2007-02-06T15:06:00.000-08:00

Help Support as I walk for those with Intellectual Disabilities

People with developmental and intellectual disabilities are often overlooked in today’s society. With the efforts of Best Buddies, we hope to change society's view on this population. Best Buddies provides friendship to these people and through our efforts we are changing the world, one friendship at a time.

I've decided to participate in the Run for the Buds to fundraise on behalf of Best Buddies California as I train for my next running event. I'm challenging myself to run as well as raise significant money along the way.

I'm asking you to assist me in my mission; and ultimately help those who need it most. Please visit my fundraising website by clicking the link below. Anything you can contribute is greatly appreciated!

Thank you for all your support!

Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Best Buddies International

2007-01-31T23:00:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to pop in and share the good news that Jacob's finger is NOT going to need surgery, or even a cast. The Orthopedic put on another splint, and said it should be healed in two weeks! Wow, these little guys heal fast. I think Jake may be more than a little shaken by the incident, as he had a hard time going back to school today. Screaming and crying and hanging onto my shirt for dear life, but I called a mere half hour later, and he was doing fine. And he was all smiles when we picke him up. Hopefully everything will start to get back to "normal" around here. Alex is due out again for another week on Saturday. Cross your fingers, this trip won't be as eventful as the last for me and the kids. :)

2007-01-31T20:09:00.000-08:00

Got this from a friend (you know who you are Wendi!) Add yourself to my map!

2007-01-25T20:18:00.000-08:00

WILL IT EVER END?!

Well, we are all finally getting over our strep, and Malena's horrible rash is starting to go away, and Daddy is due home tomorrow. Yeah! But no, wait. We need more drama, drama, drama.... so last night Jacob started screaming from the other room where he and Joshua were "playing". This scream sounded more than a "Mommy, he hit me scream." I could tell he meant it. I ran over and he was barely able to tell me he hurt his finger through the cries. I look at his finger and it is pink.

So I give him some Tylenol and cover it with an ice bag (frozen veggies), and calm down. He is so calmed down by bedtime (only 30 minutes later) I think the problems done with. But then I notice he won't let anyone touch it and he doesn't want to move it. I decided to wait the night to see how it looks. Mistake. He slept well (in my bed) until about elleven, then he would scream every time he moved, about every hour or so. So neither of us got any sleep. First thing in the morning, my sister watches the other two (thank you Julie! and Mom for watching them the day before so I could go to the doctor's for my strep) and we head to the ER. Well, turns out he DID BREAK IT! I was so shocked. He was such the little charmer. I didn't think I would get so much attention with just one kid. I'm used to it with all three there. Triplets gather so much attention, but even the tech had her friend come to meet the cute little boy! What a flirt!

So now he's all splinted up. He calls it his BIG bandaid, and he loves it. Did this make him any calmer? Did this make him careful and to play nicely? Heck no! The boys were at it all night long. We will be going into see the "advanced orthopedic" on Monday, and I'm thinking he may need a cast if it's going to make it through as long as he needs to have it on and not "get it dirty or wet" HA!

Alex is home tomorrow, so now I'm crossing my fingers they don't try to shove anymore drama into this week!

2007-01-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

SICK SICK SICK....... and SICK

Never fails... I should've known. Every time Alex leaves for an extended business trip, the kids always get sick. It started with Malena, who got a fever last week, the very day Alex left. Then she got a light pink rash. Then Jacob got a fever, and Joshua followed that night. After Malena's rash got worse, I took them all to the doctor to find they all have strep throat!

The good news, is everyone is starting to feel a lot better, and Malena's rash is starting to subside. Bad news, is I decided to check with my doctor, and it seems I may have it too! So, we're all on antibiotics and should be all well and NOT contagious when Alex gets home. Yippee for him...

2007-01-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

MY PRINCE CHARMING

Last night I tucked the boys in for bed, expecting the usual chaos of jumping around, wanting more stories, wanting water, every excuse in the book. Joshua wanted me to lay down with him, so I thought I would and ask him about his day. After a couple minutes of our little discussion, I said good night and he rolled over to sleep. Then he rolled back over and said, "Gunight Mom, I love you." and gave me a kiss and rolled back over. Too sweet. As if that wasn't enough to get my tears rolling, he then rolled over again as though he forgot something and added, "You my Best Friend." Ok, now I was in tears. He really knows how to turn on the charm sometimes. :)

2007-01-17T08:57:00.000-08:00

MALENA HOUDINI

I went to pick Malena up from school today, and first thing, her teacher gives me this frantic look and says, "She got out today." She went on to say that Malena somehow got out of the classroom, and was brought back by another parent passing by. Apparently she wasn't gone for long, and her teacher was VERY apologetic. She said, "this has never happened to me before. I'm so sorry." She said it happened during potty time, when other children were leaving with two aids to the potty. Also, I guess two aids were out today, and one was a substitute. I just looked at her shocked, and told her, "I told you." At Malena's IEP, I made a BIG deal about her getting away, and that she's very sneaky and very quiet. They gave her a one on one aid for the playground, but I guess they didn't think she'd escape from the classroom. They were wrong. Never underestimate my little Houdini! I think they're all going to be her classroom one on one aids now! LOL

2007-01-08T14:43:00.000-08:00

SCHOOL DAYS
Today was the first day of pre-school! Yeahhhh! So bittersweet. I am so happy they are growing up, but they are growing up! My babies!

Jacob and Joshua have been waiting for this day for a long time. They were so excited! They will all be going to their own school due to different needs. Malena and Joshua will each be going to schools in the school district. Malena will be going to the "4 day Rocket", and Joshua will be going to the "2 day Rocket" program. Malena will be going Monday through Thursday, and Joshua will be going Monday and Wednesday. Jacob is doing so well, and his sensory issues are not considered, so he was not elligible for the Rocket program. So he is attending a private pre-school on Monday and Wednesday.

Malena was the first one dropped off. I'm not sure she knew what was going on, but you wouldn't know it. She walked right in, put her backpack right in a cubby hole, and was off playing, without even looking back to tell Mommy bye. Sniff. Okay, that hurt my feelings a little bit, but I was so happy to see what a great job she did.

Jacob was next off, and he COULD NOT WAIT to get in to school. He was so excited when the teacher put his name on his own Cubby. When I walked him out to the playground, he turned to me and said, "Bye Mom, " as if he was thinking, "Okay, now you go Mom. Don't embarass me."..... more hurt feelings, but happy.

As I got back to the car with Joshua and Daddy, Joshua started getting upset, saying he wanted to stay at that school. Uh oh. Is he going to be my difficult one, I thought as we drove off to his school. As soon as he saw his very own school, he couldn't be happier. He happily met his teacher, and they were off. He does seem to need a little more direction than Jake, but he did great.

Josh was the last dropped off, but the first picked up. The teacher said he did great! He was so excited to show Mommy and Daddy his new fireman's hat he made, and tell us all about his day!

Next, we picked up Malena. Since the pickup times between the two is only 3 minutes, we were a few minutes late, so she was standing out front with the teacher. Her teacher, Mrs. Hamlet, said she had "one of the best first days I've ever seen." She was very attentive, and participated in circle time, and attempted every word they prompted. She was also attempting all the signs! Good girl! I'm so proud of you! Of course, as soon as she saw me, she said, "Ma!" and gave me a hug, then ran for the car. So I guess she had a good time, but was ready to go home!

Jake was last picked up (even though his school is closer to Joshua's). When I walked in, all the other little kids were asleep in their cots, but Jacob was on the floor reading books. He was so happy to see me, and ran right for me. His teacher said he did sooo great and was extremely friendly, and soo smart! I told her, he's quite a talker, and she said that even though he was new to the class, he was the only student who would answer all the questions. Every time she asked a question, she would just look at him to answer! :) Gosh, he's so much like Alex.

One by one, my three little ones ventured out of the nest on their own, and one by one, they all returned safely... So, I guess we all survived (especially Mommy :) ). In fact, it looks like they all did amazingly well, and I think it has so much to do with their previous school ICEC. I hope this all continues...

2007-01-02T22:46:00.000-08:00

Malena and her ABC's

I've been impressed with Jacob for quite some time. He has known his ABC's for months now. Soon Joshua, also knew them, and they've both been driving me crazy with the ABC song every five minutes. So, I broke down and got them an ABC video game for Christmas. Of course, they were bored with it in five minutes and went on to other games. Well, I thought I'd introduce it to Malena, just for fun. This game lists several letters, and tells you to select the correct letter. Well, right off the bat, Malena chose the correct letter. Wow, good guess. Then she consecutively chose the correct letter for about five to eight times! Me and my sister, Alicia, cheering each time. Finally, she became bored with it, and stopped paying attention and just started playing around. So I thought this must be some weird fluke. So, I tried again the next day, with letter cards. Of course, the boys saw I was playing alone with Malena, and they couldn't let that happen. So Malena's first three tries at selecting the correct letter, she was correct. Then the boys started selecting, then then cards were everywhere, then Malena stopped selecting the correct letters and it was a big throw the cards game. Could it be that she really can identify her letters, or has this just been a big, lucky guessing game? Is Mommy out of her mind? Hmmmm..... The mystery continues...

2006-12-20T23:40:00.000-08:00

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

Well the kids birthday ended up also being their last day of school. I can't believe it, but I actually made it through without crying. Although I did get a little choked up at the goodbye song at closing circle. Malena did have a bit of senioritis and decided to throw herself on the ground and throw a fit halfway through the day, so maybe dealing with that helped me keep my emotions under control.

At the end of the day, right before closing circle, the boys were brought from the sibling room, and all three were sung happy birthday. Towards the end of the song, Malena decided she had heard enough singing (in her honor) and walked around her teacher to get the gift behind her. Then she pushed it to the front, where she decided to open it. I guess she had seen the end to this song and wanted to rush things up a bit. All three received their "graduation" backpacks and were all soooo happy. Each had a tag that said "I am a proud graduate of ICEC."

Thank you ICEC family. You have helped to bring my babies sooooo far in the past year and a half and have benefited not only them, but me as well. We will never have such a wonderful group of people who believe in my kids and me as much as you have! We are going to miss all of you!

2006-12-20T23:26:00.000-08:00

BIG BIRTHDAY BASH!

Well, today was the big birthday bash. As usual, I was hoping it wouldn't rain, but this year, we weren't as lucky. It started raining, pretty hard about an hour or two into it. Good thing was, the kids were able to play on the slide/bouncer we had rented, and when the rain stopped for a little bit, they played on it again after we wiped it down. They loved it.

The rain also caused some problems with the pinata, so we ended up doing it under our patio. Well, this caused a dent or two in our posts, by some misdirected pinata hitters, but all was well, and there was plenty of excitement and candy and toys for everyone!

We also did some crafts (I usually don't do games due to the size of the party), that I think everyone really liked. Joshua's favorite color is green, so he decided he would steal all the green stickers and stick them all over his shirt and not let Lindsey (who was helping him, thank you Lindsey) take them off and put them on his pinata bag. Oh well, it's his party and he'll cry if he wants to.

When it was time for cake, Malena had this one down! Everytime Daddy lit the candles, she'd blow them out instantly. Seriously. She blew her candle out about four or five times. And every time, Daddy would light it again. I think she wanted to skip the singing and get right to the eating :), right Baby Girl? Well, she finally had it with Daddy lighting it over and over, and she reached over and extinguished the candle with her fingers! Ahhhh. Everyone screamed, but she seemed very pleased with herself. Rascal.

As usual, gift opening was fun, but chaotic. The kids finally were into it this year, and knew the wrapped boxes were for them. They were soooo excited, and it was soooo much fun watching them. THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Recovery usually takes a week, well really a year. Just in time for next year!

2006-12-20T22:28:00.000-08:00

THREE

A few words from Mommy as I look back on three years of life with triplets.

When we were told we were having triplets, in June of '03, the first word out of my mouth was, "No." Not an oh no, but a disbelieving, the doctor has to be out of his mind, "No." Leaving the doctor's office, I was literally unable to sign some papers, as my hands were shaking so badly. They continued to shake for an hour, then everything turned into a "dream mode". Leaving the doctor's office, Alex and I started discussing how this was going to be possible. Our whole lives had already changed, instantly. Our discussion was full of smiles and giggles, as if we were pretending what would happen if we were really to have three babies. Haha. Then we arrived at the car, a small Honda Civic, and I stopped and said, "We need a new car!" Suddenly, it was all so real, and we couldn't be happier.

They say most life changes happen gradually. And, although we still needed to go through pregnancy, delivery, NICU stays, etc. our lives changed the instant we knew there were three.

I am in awe that God has given me such blessings and has trusted me with such precious gifts. I love you all more than you'll ever know. Happy Birthday my beautiful babies!

Malena

You have always been and will always be my PRINCESS! My little Munchkin! I cannot believe how much you have accomplished and how much you have just wowed me in the last year. You've come a long way, Baby! Just a little over a year ago you began walking, and now you're almost running. You're so smart, and so beautiful. I don't know what I'd do without seeing those big brown eyes look up at me every day. Every new word you begin to speak is like angels singing in my ears. I know you're going to continue to amaze, astonish, and inspire me, and, though I'm sad to see my little baby girl grow so soon, I can't wait to see the big girl you are becoming. You make me proud. I love you Malena my Love.

Joshua

This year has been so difficult for you. I still think of that day in March when they took you from my arms for surgery. That moment was the scariest moment of my life. It the hardest thing I've done as a mother to let you go. But when you came out, you showed everyone how strong and brave you truly are, and in turn, you have taught me to be strong and brave as well. You touch everyone's heart who meets you. You're a little flirt, and you're a little troublemaker, but even through that, no one can resist your sweet little face. And when I put you to bed at night or just any time during the day, when you come to me and hug me, and say, "I lub you, Mommy," I hold back the tears of joy, and hold onto you a little longer, because I don't ever want to let you go again. Though you've had some difficulties this year, Joshua, you have made me proud. You're sweet, kind, and intelligent. I think you're actually too smart for your own good, sometimes. :) I see my little "sweetpea" is growing so fast, and becoming such a little boy. I know you will thrive in pre-school next year, and I can't wait to see your continued accomplishments. I love you my little "tiny but mighty."

Jacob

You were the one who always kicked me in my tummy when I was pregnant to let me know you were there. And though you were the last one born, you were the first one in my arms, and the first one home. You were the one who "broke us in" on your first night home, when you cried every three hours and exhausted me and Daddy. In fact, we've said that one night with just you was harder than the first night with all three home! You are such my silly little chatter box. I love the long conversations we have and dream of having them our whole lives. You are the kindest and most considerate little boy I have ever known and are always thinking of others. This year has been your year to flourish and just, generally show off! Whether it being knowing you ABC's, 123's, or colors, you generally have a thirst for knowledge that I can only admire. Even if I've heard you sing ABC's for the (literally) 20th time in a row, I smile with every ending of, "next time won't you let me sing with you." :) And with all this I see you growing and becoming more independent. So bittersweet. I love to see you happy, making new friends on your own, but breaks my heart that I may not always be there to see everything. But, boy, do I know you'll be telling me ALL about it. :) You may be the leader the three, but you are also my little baby, who still comes running to me when you are hurt. And for a while longer, I will also take comfort when I kiss the booboo and give a big hug to make it better. For a while longer, I'll hold onto my little baby. I know the next year will bring you more success, as you are like a shooting star, lighting up the sky. I feel just lucky to witness it. But I'll quickly make a wish that your next year should be as wonderful as this one has been for you. Happy Birthday, handsome. I love you, my little "peanut".

3 years ago, three angels came into our lives

2006-12-18T19:21:00.000-08:00

TAMALE TIME!

When my sisters and I were little, my Grandma Rose would make the BEST tamales every Christmas. She would make hundreds of them. Well, my sister Julie, being the sentimental and motherly type that she is, and I decided that it's about time to keep the tradition alive in the Garcia family. Last year, we had our cousin Lisa, who seems to be the only one with the secret recipe, to come show us how it's done. This year, we were on our own! I think we did pretty good (Julie does most of the work, hehe). Together with the batch we did together, and Julie (always having to out-do me) did by herself, we made over 15 dozen tamales! Yum.

Here is Julie and Emily making the masa.

I'm glad I didn't get my hands in there. Haha. JK

And here are Joshua and Malena getting in on the act. Jacob tried, but couldn't stand getting his hands that messy and decided he would watch with Mommy.

2006-12-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

Hanukkah
Today was the kids introduction to dreydl game (well, we tried last year, but they were too little). They loved it! Then when it was time to eat the gelt, boy they really loved it. Then Daddy gave an introduction to the menorah and explained the eight days. After that, we were told every night by the boys that we had to light the candles. They sure kept us on our toes. :)

2006-11-27T20:52:00.000-08:00

NAUGHTY OR NICE?
We actually had our annual visit to Santa early this year. It's a good thing, too, because December is looking to be pretty busy. Before their visit, the kids were so excited to meet the big guy.

Jacob couldn't stop talking about meeting Santa and tell him that he was a good boy. Well, we got there, and I guess he was "star struck", because he wouldn't speak a word (very unlike him) and had just a smidgen of a smile.

Joshua ran up to Santa and gave him a big hug and wouldn't stop smiling. :)

Malena wasn't in the best of moods and was very tired, so she pretty much had no expression, but she nicely waved bye when it was all over.

I had a word with Santa afterwards and he assured me, he knows they are all very Good and should look under the tree come Christmas morning!

2006-11-05T13:47:00.000-08:00

MALENA'S MUNCHKINS
BUDDY WALK 2006

Today was the annual Orange County Buddy Walk for the DSAOC. Though it was a very hot day, it was a BIG success, and our team, Malena's Munchkins, raised over $675! Thank you TEAM!

It was a very hot day. Record temp's at almost 100 degrees, in NOVEMBER! Malena was not happy. So after lunch, we all headed back to the house and had a GREAT time with all the kids and had a big THANK YOU BBQ! I can't express the gratitude I have for all of our team members who come out every year to show their support for our precious Malena. And it is such a wonderful time to visit and just have fun! Hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did. Keep your calendar's clear for next year! November 4th, 2007!

Thank you Team Malena's Munchkins! Those who walked, and those who donated, we love you!

2006-10-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

HALLOWEEN 2006

Halloween was exhausting, but the kids had soooo much fun. We went to our usual Halloween party/costume contest at the Ontario City community center, then back home for lots of trick-or-treating fun. We thought we'd have the kids walk this year, and we didn't take a stroller or wagon. Big mistake. Malena was tired and wanted me to hold her from the second house. But she did great. Every time people gave her a candy, she'd reach back into their bowl to grab a handful. I must've said, "I'm sorry" to every neighbor on the block, but of course, with that sweet face, she always got more. Smart cookie. The boys loved knocking on the doors and especially loved getting candy, but believe it or not, they actually got sick of all that candy and were ready to call it quits about half way down the block.

They each had two costumes because the first ones didnt last the four events we had. First, was the costume day at school, then our cousin's party.

then they were Pirates for the costume parade at the city and for trick-or-treating.

2006-10-24T00:09:00.000-07:00

The Pumpkin Patch

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2006-10-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

WHEN I GROW UP

The other day, just for fun, I asked the boys, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I was sure they wouldn't know what this meant. Joshua said, "I want to be a doctor." I was so proud. I told him that's very nice, and he would be a good doctor like the ones who fixed his heart. He was so happy and all smiles. Then I looked at Jacob. "What do you want to be when you grow up, Jacob?" He answered, "A clown."

2006-10-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

"What the Heck"

This is what Jacob exclaimed leaving pre-school today. In shock, I asked him what he said and he repeated it. I stopped right there on the sidewalk and told him those were bad words and not to use them again. I was not disciplining him, just correcting him, but he gave me the shy look and turned away like he does when I'm disciplining him. Hours later, at home, he said it again. Both were used in the correct context, so I know he knows what it means. Again I corrected him, and asked him to use nice words like, "excuse me". About half an hour later, he used it AGAIN and he had a time out. When I retrieved him from time out, I reminded him he was not to use bad words and he said, "excuse me." Not thinking, I said, "I said not to use bad words." Then realized he was telling me the words I told him to use. So I gave him a big hug, and told him yes and he was happy. Anybody have any suggestions to replace these "bad" words that have somehow become part of my son's vocabulary?

2006-10-09T21:44:00.000-07:00

Little Mommy

Malena has just grown so much in the past few months. Both physically and cognitively. The other day I was washing dishes while the kids were playing in various parts of the house. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Malena throwing away something in the trash (a big cognitive accomplishment in itself for her). When I went to see what it was, it was a diaper. It was clean, but it was all bundled up like I do when I clean their dirty diapers. Then I followed her back to the ottomon (our changing table since they were born) to find her with her doll all layed out on a blanket. then she grabbed some wipes and began "cleaning" the doll, then grabbed a diaper and tried to put it on by pulling the legs up. No, she didn't accomplish the entire task, but this entire step by step task is an incredibly big milestone for her. Just a few months ago, she didn't seem to even understand what a diaper was for.

Tonight, she took her little bear upstairs with her for bed. Before bed is time for brushing teeth. she set her little bed next to the sink and began to put the brush up to his mouth. Just soooo sweet. This from the little girl who would throw her head back and throw her arms around at me just trying to attempt to put the toothbrush in her mouth a few months ago. She loves her little babies, and oh, do I love mine!