Saturday, November 26, 2011

Thankful for Jim


10 years ago this month I went on my first date with Jim!  I won't stand here and tell you that it's been perfect the whole time.  We've had some ups and downs over the years, but mostly ups.  I'm glad I said yes for that first date and glad that I kept going on every date after that.  Here are ten reasons why I am most thankful for our life together!

10. I'm thankful that he said yes when my sister told us about the perfect kitten at her work that we just had to adopt (and then to the 2 more that we later brought home), even though he never had a cat in his life prior!

9.  I'm thankful that he doesn't expect me to be the "perfect housewife", because let's face it... I'm NOT!

8.  I'm thankful that he has a wonderful family that took me right in and accepted me as their own.  His mom even hung a Christmas stocking for me after we had been dating for a year!

7.  I'm thankful for his sense of humor... because sometimes you just need to laugh!

6.  I'm thankful that he is a very hard and competive worker and takes very good care of our family.

5.  I'm thankful that he is extremely supportive of me being very involved with my local twins club, because I have made some great friends, have received great advice from other moms of multiples and have attended some great events through this group.

4.  I'm thankful that he took me on my very first trip to Disney World and that it is a place that we both really enjoy going and plan to continue taking our kids.  It is our special place. 

3.  I'm thankful that he asked me to marry him in front of Cinderella castle and then married me on a beautiful August day in 2004.

2.  I'm thankful that he loves being a dad and while no one is perfect he strives to be great at it! 

1.  I'm thankful that he loved and supported me through all of our fertility treatments that were especially difficult for me to deal with and in the end made me the mother to our beautful twins!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Thankful for my Summie Lou...

My baby girl (again... only by a minute), Summer Louise or as she asks me to write on everything... Summer Woo (how she pronounces Lou) Hazlett.  My bossy but delicate pink princess. 

I love that she needs 3 kisses and 3 hugs every night at bedtime and when I leave for work in the morning

I love that she believes that she is Cole's mother (even though I'm pretty sure he is not too happy about this) and how she mommies her baby doll who she recently named "Summer"

I love that she is a strong willed, determined little girl that already wants to do everything for herself, because I think this will be very important for her later in life (even though she can become a bit violent when her friends when they don't comply... but we are working on this and she is doing much better)

I love that she are beginning to accept other colors into her wardrobe because it is not as easy as you would think to stock a closet with only pink dresses! (currently pink, purple and orange are allowed)

I love that she already wants to be a teacher at the age of 3 (and already knows just how to be one) and will pull a chair to the center of the room to review your colors with you or read you a book

I love how she would much rather play with cups and bowls and spoons then actual toys.  She is constantly asking "whatchu want Mommy?" and then serving me pretend coffee and food after she rings it up on my big calculator.

I love how she can already give me driving directions and can actually accurately navigate me to certain places like school and Mom-mom's house. 

I love reliving my childhood through watching her grow up (it is just amazing to me that by mixing mine & Jim's DNA together we got an exact replica of me!)

I hope you remain Mommy's big helper and best girlfriend forever!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Thankful for Cole

My first born child (by a minute anyway!), Cole James or "Superman" as he prefers.  He's literally my little bull in a china shop and I love him to pieces!

I love that he loves to kiss and snuggle with me (I wish that this could last forever)

I love that he wears his heart on his sleeve, but hopes that he will loosen up a bit (Let me tell you how he refuses to talk to his previous teacher that he LOVED because he moved to the next classroom and is mad at her)

I love that his favorite activity is to run laps (and hope that his newly diagosed asthma will never prevent him from being able to be athletic)

I love that although just a little over a year ago he could only say 2 words and through the help of early intervention (which after 6 months of service he had improved so much that he no longer qualified for services) and beginning daycare you would now see no signs of that.  He is even able to SPELL his first name!

I love that he has an awesome relationship with his doctor and is such a good boy when he needs his breathing treatments.

I love that he has such a passion for animals, especially those that live in the zoo (he was even the cutest little zoo keeper for Halloween).

I love that he has been potty trained for over 6 months (except at night) and was able to move up to the big boy 3 year old room and is learning new things every day!

I love that you made me a Mommy and that we have been bonding since the moment you were placed inside me... my little pumpkin!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Sick again!

Well we made it through Halloween remotely healthy.  Then at about 11pm on Halloween night (after trick-or-treating and dressing up were finished), Cole awoke with a fever!  I was immediately in a panic because in just a little over a day was the appointment with the allergy/asthma specialist that I had made over a month ago and didn't want to have to miss it.  Since starting daycare last September, it has been a constant struggle to stay healthy.  We did have a rather long stretch of wellness over the summer and were hopefully that it would continue, but no such luck.  Now we are looking for a better answer then the common answer of last winter, that it is normal for this to happen when daycare is started. 
Cole has had pneumonia 4 times in the last 10 months (most recently in the beginning of October) and Summer has chronic sinus infections that do not respond to antibiotics.  Last winter she was also having ear infections, but had surgery in February to put tubes in her ears and remove her adenoids (which I will add was supposed to STOP the sinus infections).  Come the beginning of September though and she has had a sinus infection ever since.  Despite 3 rounds of antibiotics!  Ugh!  We have a major invasion of the boogie monster and I was desperate to find out how this could be.
Wednesday Jim and I took both Summer & Cole to the allergy/asthma doctor and he is WONDERFUL.  Unfortunately, Cole has been diagnosed with asthma and allergies.  Summer has also been diagnosed with allergies.  We do not know their exact allergies as they are too young to skin test accurately.  For now, we have been given a very rigid medicine schedule including daily nebulizer treatments for Cole, nasal sprays for Summer & oral allergy meds for both children.  We have also been advised to replace carpets especially in the kids' bedroom and main living areas with hardwood flooring so we are looking into that.  I also need to change my laundry detergent to the free & clear variety and stop using fabric softener and dryer sheets.  It has been a little overwhelming to take in, but we are hoping that if we follow the doctors instructions that we have a less sick winter this year. 
The saddest part of the process so far was that we were told to rid our house of all stuffed animals and that each child could choose just 3 to keep.  I sought out some advice from the moms of my multiples club and on Thursday when i came home from work we did the job.  I told them on the way home that the doctor said our animals were making us sick and that we would need to pick just 3 and we would give the rest to children who didn't have any toys.  As soon as we walked in the house they wanted to go immediately upstairs to get started.  We piled all of the stuffed animals on the floor and they were each allowed to put 3 on their beds to keep.  Then we said goodbye to each other friend as it was tucked into a big trash bag to be donated.  They were amazingly brave and didn't shed one single tear.  You could really see the decision process happening and every once and awhile they would swap one in their hand for one on their bed. 
Cole decided to keep: Odie (the dog that his last teacher Miss Paula gave him), Black Cat (given by Aunt Denise, Uncle Jimmie & Emilie) and Lotso from Toy Story 3 (purchased after returning from our most recent trip to Disney World since he was sold out there).  He also kept his dog pillow pet, since he uses it as a pillow he wasn't considering it a stuffed animal.  Since they were so good with the whole process I let this slide.  He received 2 for Christmas, one from Grandma & Grandpa & one from Aunt Judy & Uncle Bob so this way I can keep one constantly clean.  Anything stuffed animals that remain need to be washed, dried and placed in a ziploc bag in the freezer overnight to kill dust mites.
Summer decided to keep: Pink Bear (received at my Baby Shower from Aunt Judy), Baby Tinkerbelle (received on our most recent trip to Disney from Daddy), and Baby Minnie (received with flowers on our Disney trip while expecting the twins).  She also kept her Tinkerbelle pillow which isn't the same material as a stuffed animal so I think we'll be ok. 
I was so proud of Summer & Cole for not fighting with me on this and for being so grown-up and willing to give away their toys!  As a reward when we were finished, I took them to the book fair at school the next morning and let them each pick out a little book. 
With the holidays coming up, I need to ask that no additional stuffed animals are given to the kids.  Thanks for understanding!  I don't want to have to take any new friends away from them :)

Never dreamed of a white Halloween!

I have sung the words, "I'm dreaming of a white Chistmas" many, many times through the years.  Wishing for much more as a child then I do now of course.  However, never in a million years did I ever think that I would see snow on Halloween weekend! But we did this year!

On Saturday, my multiples group had a Halloween Parade (which luckily had an indoor option because of the weather).  The kids had a great time doing crafts and playing with their twinnie friends before the got to parade around and trick-or-treat!

With our 6 year old twin friends Joseph & Bella


Then on Sunday, we went around trick-or-treating to some of our close family so they could see our costumes.

Aunt Sis

Nonna



Mom-mom & Pop-pop's (note snow on railing)

With Mommy & Daddy

Grandma & Grandpa
On Monday, the kids had a Halloween parade & party at school.  I was happy to be able to go see it before heading to work for a half day.  Then I was able to leave a bit early to come home and take them trick-or-treating.  I don't know if I have ever had so much fun trick-or-treating.  Summer & Cole quickly got into the routine of walking up the doors that were open (a lot of people aren't home in our development so the people who are have the big door open with just the screen door shut), ringing the door bell and waiting for our neighbor to come to the door.  When the person came to the door, they would say trick-or-treat and then thank you very much after receiving said treat.  Then the best part was as they turned to me to walk down the stairs they would hold open their bag and say, "Mommy, look we got treats!" will these huge smiles and glowing eyes filled with such excitement and appreciation.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching them have all of this fun!