A Weekend Update

We spent the past weekend at my parent's house. Unfortunately, we are rarely there for more than 36 hours. So, it's relatively a quick trip. But, since my parent's live in nowhere Iowa, we like to find things that we can do with the kids. This weekend's project was coloring Easter Eggs - and a birthday party (my sister-in-law is getting married their birthday weekend, so we won't be able to celebrate then & this was our only weekend to either go to Iowa or have Grandma & Grandpa come here).

I didn't realize that Easter Eggs would be so much fun with the kids this year. Here is a picture of us getting all set up - please note the clean work surfaces.



The kids dug right in. Tanner loved scooping the eggs out of the dye and making all different colored eggs.



Morgan, on the other hand, would only make PINK eggs.



Both grandma & I were surprised at how quickly the eggs disappeared. But, it was somewhat exabberated by the fact that once Morgan realized our supply was limited, she would dunk the eggs and put them in her pile as quickly as could be.

Thankfully, we figured out Tanner could redye the pink eggs and make a cool purple. Morgan even agreed to share some of her eggs in this endeavor.



And then, it was time to clean up. The kids were very good about helping wipe up the tables - notice how messy Tanner got in this process.



That night, we had the twins' and cousin Katelynn's belated birthday parties. I don't think that any of the three of them minded celebrating early (or late in Katelynn's case). Here they are with their (egg-free) cupcakes.






And, enjoying the goods...

Driven

As we approach the three-year-old mark, Randy & I are getting more desperate to see the end of diaper & pull-up days (because really, what is a pull-up other than an expensive diaper). We've tried lots of different methods to push gently nudge the kids along in their efforts.

Tonight, we tried the old faithful: bribery. To whomever poops on the potty - TWO bags of M&Ms. Yes, not just one bag - two bags.

Morgan hopped on the potty and started grunting...to no avail. But, my daugher is driven by chocolate (after all, she is my daughter). Finally, after she had tried and pushed and tried, she turned to her father:

"Daddy, can you help me?"

Anatomy chez Morgan

We're learning so much as the twins grow older. Since we have boy/girl twins, we sometimes struggle with explaining gender differences to them. It usually goes something like this: girls wear barrettes, girls wear dresses, etc. Ironically, there isn't much that a boy does that a girl can't do. But, barrettes and dresses, daddy draws the line there.

The other day, Morgan was going through our list of family & friends: Morgan is girl, Tanner is a boy, Mommy is a girl, Daddy is a boy, Grandma is a girl, etc...

Randy looked over at her and said "Morgan, what's the difference between a girl and a boy?"

Morgan looked at him, grinned slyly, lowered her voice and ducked her head:

"Daddy, boys have penises."

Calling All Drives

We need some feedback!

About a year and a half ago, we purchased a Chevy Venture minivan. While it has met our needs, we haven't been that enthusiastic about it. And, lately, we've been downright irritated with the wind noise that the dealership can never replicate - and thus never repair. It's one of those nails-on-chalkboard-make-you-gouge-your-eyes-out sounds.

Last weekend, Randy made a comment about it wouldn't break his heart when we got rid of this vehicle - and I had been thinking the same thing for awhile. We've recently come to grips with the fact that this will be a 4-person family. While we occasionally need to haul an additional person (maybe 2 - 3 times/year) - it really doesn't justify keeping a vehicle that we don't like.

So, this time, we're trying to do a little more research. We've been researching at Edmund's & Consumer Reports, checked insurance rates on different vehicles - and we've kind of decided what we like. But, no one we know has a similar vehicle - so we don't have any in-person folks we can ask.

So, to our internet friends - any input?

Two of our finalists (and we are definitely open to test driving some more):

Toyota RAV4



Nissan Murano


I personally think the Murano is a bit sportier looking, but the RAV4 has some better safety features. As far as price - they aren't that different and with special Nissan incentives, the Murano may be a bit cheaper overall.

Please - give us some feedback!

Community

The internet has changed our world. Yes, I know, not a huge revelation, huh? But really, when I think back 15 years ago when I graduated high school - the internet was hardly in existence then. I didn't start to explore it until college, and even during most of my college career, it was fairly limited and mostly text.

Then, slowly it started to change. In 1999, I met my husband on online. Boy, was that difficult to explain...then. Now, it's fairly common. We don't get the comments now, that we used to back then.

When my son had biliary atresia, I found a support group online. What started as a group to ask questions of - and glean some hope from - became friends. Good friends. People you go to the beach with and spend a weekend. People whose children have the same issues as yours.

And, it grew from there. Blogging is similar to that. Even if you don't have a blog yourself, you read blogs. And, I think that most of us tend to gravitate towards blogs that we have something in common with. I enjoy twin blogs - especially boy/girl twin blogs - and it's even better if the kids are close to mine in age.

So, when I started following a new blog written by a father who was expecting boy/girl twins - it was fun. To relive the excitement that we went through. To root them on, give some advice. His wife carried their twins to 37 weeks - as a preemie mom, this is the goldens standard. At 37 weeks, everything is supposed to be just fine. But, something horrible went wrong, and after only 11 days, their son passed away Saturday night.

I'm grieving for this family - maybe in part because I know how close we were to the same fate, and I remember those horrible emotions. Maybe in part because that's really just the way this whole internet thing has grown - that even though I may not have known these people, I knew them.

To Rob and his entire family, I am so sorry.

A Grandmother's Love

Tomorrow marks the two year anniversary of the day that my son received 24% of his paternal grandmother's liver. It's hard to believe that two years ago, we had a very sick, very yellow little boy. This was taken on 02/14 of that year - 2 weeks prior to his transplant. He was so yellow, puny looking, and had the biggest ol' belly.



On February 23rd, our transplant coordinator called and said "Stacy, if Grandma's a match, we'll do the transplant on Monday the 28th". Well, please remember, February has 28 days - so March dates coincide perfectly with February. So, I calmly replied, "Oh Penny, that's great - March 28th will be perfect. It still gives us about a month to wait, and it will give us time to get ready if we do have to do living donor."

I'm not sure how many times she had to tell me, no, it was February 28th she was referring to - only 5 days away! I remember calling Randy, who called his parents. They were already headed to Kansas City so that we could travel on Thursday to St. Louis for Grandma's donor evaluation.

The next few days are a blur - I remember getting a call on Friday night at 5 p.m. saying "Grandma's a match!". We spent the weekend locating an apartment to rent for a month, getting food, and getting everyone settled in. My dad, Grandpa Elmer, our nanny, Ashley, and Morgan all drove over on Sunday. Aunt Sherry flew in - and Great Uncle Alfred and Aunt Mary Lou traveled in as well.

The transplant itself went well with very few complications. Tanner was inpatient for 10 days - Grandma for 5 days. And, the amazing thing was how much better Tanner felt after the transplant. When we came "home" to the rented apartment, it was Grandma and I. But, Grandma was post-op, too. I was exhausted feeding the little boy who's food intake more than doubled and who wanted to play ALL DAY LONG.



We were blessed by beautiful March weather. Tanner, Grandma, and I would venture to the little downtown of Kirkwood on days that we didn't have appointments at clinic. The little downtown area was full of stores that we would browse and enjoy for a few hours at a time.

It seemed like forever before we were "released" to go home to Kansas City, but in reality, it was only a little over 3-1/2 weeks after his transplant. It was Good Friday, and I couldn't think of a better holiday to be sent home considering Tanner's recent "rebirth".




Last year at this time, we held a huge Mardi Gras party to say thank you to everyone and to celebrate a year of wonderful health.



This year, we are celebrating quietly. Grandma was here last week to celebrate and watch the kids while mommy was away. Tomorrow, Tanner & Morgan are taking Oreo cookies to daycare (egg free - God Bless the Oreo Cookie Man) & we'll go out to dinner.



And, the neatest part about it all - is that when we go out tomorrow, it's our secret why. When Tanner was so sick, it was painfully obvious that the boy needed help. Today, I have a "healthy" little boy. No one can tell by looking at him how sick he is - and for that, we are truly grateful.

Thank you, Grandma.

Blue Jay

Tanner is feeling much better. So much better, that we've had a hard time getting him to go to sleep at night. We'll put him to bed at normal bedtime, and he will lay there talking and singing for up to 3 - 4 hours.

Last night was the same old story. But, around 10:00 (3 hours after his bedtime), he started to cry and scream. I ran downstairs and into his room. I was not expecting what I saw.

Tanner sitting in the middle of his bed - butt naked. Not a stitch of clothing, diaper, or anything.

Turns out he was crying because he had peed in his diaper (we've been working on potty-training) and he desperately wanted to get it off. So, he had shimmied out of his pajamas - THROUGH THE NECKHOLE - and at some point lost his diaper in the whole process. We're still not exactly sure how long it took him to shimmy out the neck hole of his zip-up front pajamas - but needless to say, we were duly impressed.

Update

Well, I did end up making my meeting in Baltimore, I was just a day late. Amazing what Pepto will do for you.

Tanner is feeling better. Maybe too much better. He won't sleep now. We put him to bed at 7 p.m. - and hours later, he is still awake (last night it was 11 p.m.). Not sure if he's just very well rested right now, or what the scoop is. Any suggestions?

I was evicted last week. So, we spent this weekend repainting the former nursery and turning it into my office. I'll literally be working from home now. It's a mixed bag. It will be nice to be so closely located to home, but I invariably work too much. See, the office has been here one day, and already I've spent 2 hours working tonight.

Jeopardy

Q: What will cause you to spend 48 hours in a hospital while your son receives IV fluids for severe dehydration caused by 4 days of continuous vomiting and diaherra?

A: Rotovirus.

Extra Credit: Yes, it snagged me, too, and I had to cancel my flight to Baltimore for a work meeting.

Four Dozen

The problem with putting your twins in separate classes - you have to take treats for two classes instead of one.

The problem with having a kid with an egg allergy - you volunteer to make the (egg-free) cookies instead of buying the soda.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Tanner & Morgan were singing Old MacDonald today - but today, it had a bit of a twist.

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O
And on that farm he had a daddy, E-I-E-I-O
With a No No here, and a No No there,
Here a No, There a No, Everywhere a No No...

Work....

Besides chasing after two rugrats and trying to maintain at least part of our household, most of my days are focused on my job.

My career has been an intersting one to say the least. It's definitely NOT the career I had pictured for myself when I was in high school, but boy, I sure didn't know much then. Back in those days, I dreamed of working for a large corporation and helping start-up their international business units - primarily in Russia (this was back when communism was falling). I even took Russian lessons - although don't ask me to say anything.

When I went off to college, I started at a very prestigious school on the East Coast, and then found that it wasn't to my liking. It was fiercely competitive in a huge city - something that a young girl from Iowa really wasn't ready for. Combine that with the fact that I already spent my last high school semester on the Iowa State campus, and I felt like "home" was calling me. I returned to Iowa State after only one semester at the other college.

I think it was then that I realized I would have a more "normal" career - not one that would change the way that we do things in this society or have some huge impact on life. A piece of me has always felt like I let my former self down.

I'm now in my mid-30s, and I feel even more like my career has been train-wrecked. Pre-kids, I had started my MBA. In fact, I was accepted to MBA school a few days before I found out I was pregnant, and registered for my first classes a week before I found out it was twins.

After the kids were born prematurely and Tanner had major health problems, I completely gave up hopes of getting my MBA any time soon. I even quit the job I had (not necessarily a bad thing), and returned to a former employer that would give me job flexibility. It's flexibility I desperately needed as Tanner was facing a transplant.

The cost of working for the former employer has been two fold. I actually took a salary decrease to go there - and I work remotely. The company is headquartered in Denver with offices in Knoxville and Baltimore. I have managed to work myself into a pretty key role, but that requires me to travel some. That isn't easy when you have two young children.

Now, as the children's health is less of an issue, I find myself yearning for a career track - something that will allow me to be more than just an employee. Something that will give me more power - more money - something that will grow my current resume. There have been stirrings in the company that if I am willing to move, I can move up the ladder into upper management. And, I'm not sure what I would do if I stay with this company (which has been very good to me), if I don't move.

And to complicate matters more, if I want a similar position doing similar stuff, a former co-worker of mine is now part-owner of a similar company. He's looking for someone to do the stuff that I do - and make 50% more.

It's been weighing heavily on my mind. I feel an obligation to my current employer - they stood by me durng my time of need - and they have been very flexible with my schedule. However, I feel the need to do more at this company if it is going to grow and survive in a tight economic market. And, yet, my heart is really torn. I love the home that Randy & I have built with our two hands. We designed it - it fits us and our family very well. Moving up means moving on, and I just don't know if I'm ready to make that move.

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog

I'm so excited, we're headed to Disney. Not for a few more months...but we've made reservations.

We've talked about it a bit - but thought we would wait until the kids were older. I then got a chance to go for work, and we started looking at staying a few extra day with the kids. Turns out that my work trip was during the peak season - and we could go for almost a full week if we waited until mid-Spring.

Initially, we had thought about waiting because we knew the kids wouldn't remember this trip. But, we've been surprised at how much they remember our zoo trip from last fall - and how frequently they talk about it. We loved our break last fall, and yes, it was a "vacation", but it was also a follow-up appointment for Tanner. I think it will be nice to do something that has nothing to do with his medical follow-up appointments.

So, I opted to not go for work - and we'll go for almost a full week in April. I'm sure we'll take the kids again when they're older..and it's even possible that Tanner will chose that for his Make-A-Wish trip (yes, he qualifies - MAW is for kids who have a life-altering illness - his Biliary Atresia & liver transplant qualifies him - we're waiting until he's older to do his wish trip).

But for now, the preparations begin. Any advice on what to see & do with two toddlers is greatly appreciated. We're staying at the Animal Kingdom Resort - and we're hoping to avoid renting a car. If there is something to see or do inside of the park - please pass it along!

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog...

Two extremes

My last post was about the snow we had just been blanketed with. And, it's been cold this past week...highs struggling to make it above 30. We've just started to melt some of the snow with our balmy 40 F weather the last two days. That's good - because the high is supposed to be 12 F on Sunday. That's right 12 F - that's the high.

But, yet, my friend, she's gloating about her damn tulips. Hmph...

Winter Wonderland

We were blanketed with snow last night. It's slowly continuing to fall, but should be finished up soon.

A view from the front door...



Our lonely willow in the backyard...



The snow fort...

How do you fold socks?

Randy & I came from similar - yet very different - backgrounds. No where has the difference in our backgrounds varied so much as how we do laundry.

When we first started dating, I offered to do his laundry for him (I worked at home during the day). That night, I proudly took his laundry to his apartment - and could tell that something wasn't right. You see, I hadn't made it so all of the shirts faced the same direction. Now, I've learned to make sure that all of the shirts face to the right when on the hanger.

Now, the other half of our laundry debate has been over how socks should be properly folded. Now is your chance to weigh in:

Option 1: Match socks, put them together nicely, fold in half - stack in draw.

Option 2: Match socks, fold the tops together, toss in any drawer / basket

How do you fold socks?

When you realize how profoundly your life has changed...

Last night, I was in the bathroom, when I was joined by Tanner & Morgan. We are in the midst of potty training right now, and while Morgan has the pee thing figured out - not so much with the poop. Tanner likes to sit - but hasn't had much success on either avenue. Although we work with her on this a lot (maybe too much).

Morgan: "Mommy trying to push a poopy out?"

And, a few minutes later - not only do they flush for me - but they cheer, too.

It must be hereditary

I swear, he dances just like his father...







Whom someone once referred to as the Dancing Gopher.


Thanks to Moreena, who introduced my kids to YouTube. My kids love these videos she listed...who would have guessed it.

I cheated....and it feels good.

Randy & I finally bit the bullet. We went out on a limb and tried something we said we'd never do. We even shelled out big bucks to venture into this arena. And, it was better than I ever could have imagined.

No, not that....

We hired a housecleaner.

Randy & I talked about doing this when it was just the two of us in our house. And, we said "if we have too much house that we can't clean it, we need to get a smaller house". But, ever since the kids have been born, we haven't been able to keep up with the house, the kids, and work. And, with two kids, it's really not "too big" anymore. So, something had to give.

We gave in and hired a housecleaner to come in. Yesterday was her first day, and I was nervous. I let her in our house, and then left. A stranger - in my house! I came home about 5 hours later, and not only was the house clean, but she had swept the garage! The house smelled of Pinesol - and dare I say, it sparkled.

Last night when I got home, instead of cleaning and doing all of the "normal" things that I always feel like I'm behind on - I got down on the floor and played animals with my kids. After supper and putting the kids down, Randy sat in the chair and watched TV.

It was blissful - it was wonderful. I'm even excited at the prospect of doing it again...

2006 Reflections

I was just going back through some of our photo archives and I'm shocked at how much the kids have changed in a year.

Morgan - One year ago & then today

Tanner - 1 year ago & today

It amazes me where they are today vs. where they were a year ago. We have hair now! I couldn't have imagined a year ago that our daily routine would include picking out which barettes Morgan wants to wear - but it's the biggest obstacle in getting dressed each day.

The growth chart shows that they are both around the 36" mark. Tanner has had a recent growth spurt and is nearly the same height has Morgan. Weight wise, they are yo-yoing around the 26 pound mark. They'll get sick and drop down to 25 (Tanner hit 24#10 oz a week ago with his bad congestion) - and then bounce quickly back up to the 26 pound mark. This puts Tanner at 10% for weight & 25% for height - for his REAL age. (May not sound like much - but he's just recently hit the growth chart - my preemie friends will understand). Morgan is at about 15% for weight & 40% for height.

Tanner is finally outgrowing our 18 - 24 month clothes. Yes, the kids are almost 3, and they can still wear some of the 18 - 24 month pants, but for the most part, they are in 2T or even 3T tops. This will be the last wearing for Tanner's "Safari" outfit (he dearly loves it because of the animals) as it's become flood-water wear.

Developmentally - I think the kids are doing ok. Tanner is still delayed some on fine motor & gross motor skills (has a hard time walking up stairs or curbs and can't catch a ball yet), but definitely progressing. He's making big progress in speech. Morgan seems to be caught up in all areas. They are getting full developmental assessments at preschool this month - and we should have a full report at the end of the month.

Tanner still currently has PT/OT & Speech Therapy through the Infant-Toddler program. That will move over to the school district at Age 3 - and we'll begin that transfer process in mid-February. I had hoped by that time he'd be caught up, but I really doubt it. I'm anxious to see what the school district will do - and how that will interact with his current preschool. It is possible that he may have to go to the school district's "preschool"/therapy program.

Overall - it has been a good year. Neither child has been hospitalized, and Tanner's liver continues to do well. He'll have a full-blown follow-up appointment in mid-February. Ironically, we really aren't anxious about the appointment, but excited to go to St. Louis, see all of the doctors and nurses, and enjoy a mini-vacation. I hope all of our future appointments are so anticipated.

We are hoping for an uneventul 2007. We like to keep it simple in our household.

Something Special

While Randy & I have spent the majority of this week accomplishing projects around the house, we wanted to make sure we took time to do something special with the kids, too. We don't get a lot of time off, and it's difficult to make the time to do that "something special" during the regular week when errands like grocery shopping and cleaning up fill all of the hours not occupied by work, sleeping, and meal times.

So, this afternoon, we took the kids out of school after their nap time and headed to downtown Kansas City. We went to Crown Center to see somethings that we had missed out in our previous trips.

Our trip actually started with a very unique run-in. We ran into a couple (and their twins) that we were in a mutliples birthing class with - about 3 years ago. We haven't seen them since, and it was so neat to be able to see their kids and catch up.

We started out by touring the Hallmark Visitor's Center. This was really cool - and the kids enjoyed it some, but it would be a great thing to do without 2-1/2 year olds tugging at your pant legs. We made a whirlwind trip of it - and they were rewarded with a new (free) book at the end.

We were disappointed that Kaleidescope was already closed - here they help you do art projects with your kids and leftover items from the Hallmark manufacturing process. How cool is that? We'll put it on the list for next time.

Then, we headed back inside for our real mission - to see Santa's Crayola land. Yes, Santa was gone, but it didn't seem to deter our kids one bit. In fact, the big guy in the red suit probably would have only terrified them. And, when we tried to go the last two weekends, the wait was HOURS long.

So, while Santa is gone, the elves will slide....



Crawl through tunnels...



Play in your Crayola House...







And do silly things in the funny mirrors...




I'm not kidding when I say we drug them out of there kicking & screaming. But, it was all for a good cause, because we went to eat at Fritz's. Now, I've heard of this place before and that it was a great place to eat at with kids. And now I know, Fritz's is made for kids.

At Fritz's, you order your food by telephone, and then this little train



hauls your food from the kitchen out to your table. When it reaches your table, there is a little arm that drops down and holds that white tray of food onto a little lift:



The lift then lowers the white tray of food down to your table. Causing little children's faces to light up like this:



And this:



The food - well, it pretty much stunk. But, really, a place like this doesn't rely on good food for repeat customers. On our way out, we checked out the Gingerbread House / train set, too.





We had a near repeat of the McDonald's incident, but Mommy bribed the girl with some candy, so no accidents to report this time around. We ended our stay at Crown Center with a ride up two sets of escalators.

Finally, on the way home, we made a small detour. If you'll remember our visit to the see Santa's train a few weeks ago



- we always thought it would look neat all lit up, but had no idea it would be this neat. This is just the engine - there were five other cars, too!



These are the days we enjoy ~ and I guess they are so enjoyable because they are exactly that ~ something special.

Help...

I'm not sure if this is a twin thing...or just a girl/boy thing...or a toddler thing...or what. But, it's driving me nuts.

Morgan is our vocal child. She started talking earlier and has always been much clearer and more outspoken than Tanner. For the longest time, Tanner would let her talk for him.

We finally cleared that hurdle - although Tanner is still in pretty extensive speech therapy. He understands but is not very intelligible when he speaks.

He's getting better - and now we have a problem. He is constantly provoking his sister. Whenever we drive anywhere - he will say something to annoy her. Today, he kept saying "Geek", "Geek", "Geek". (We can only assume he picked up this word from daycare.)

While that is annoying, worse is Morgan sitting there saying "Tanner called me a geek" or "Tanner said no" or "Tanner did __________". We've tried to tell her that she didn't need to tell us what Tanner does, and she came home last week saying "I'm not a tattletale" (again, the daycare).

Is this reporting phase something all toddlers go through? Is it unique for twins to fight like this (I always picture it so rosy)? Do other twins face this battle where one child is so much more vocal than the other - and then the other gets left behind?

Any input / advice is welcomed!

Update on the week: Morgan threw us a curveball and was home sick yesterday. She had a raging ear infection - it go so bad that she actually had blood oozing from her left ear (eww....). Poor thing is on ear drops, another antibiotic, and tyleonol for pain.

1. Tax review is done
2. Santa havoc clean-up is nearly complete
3. Kids' room cleaning is done
4. Christmas decorations - the outside lights are down, the trees are undecorated, but we still need to take them and some miscellaneous lights down
5. Errands are run
6. Um....no and that may be postponed
7. Volunteering - done
8. Working out - slowly getting back into the swing of it
9. Still on target for this weekend.

Christmas +1

Phew...we made it through the holidays. It's been a big weekend. Grandma Red & Grandpa Elmer came out early to beat the blizzard. So, they were hear from Wednesday night through Monday night. That's five whole days. And, folks, that is a long time.

The kids were spoiled, and they were really sad when they figured out the grandparents were gone for good. We're having a hard time getting the kids adjusted back to "normal" life. Especially when this isn't a normal week. Randy & I took off the week, and we're getting things accomplished.

This include:

1. Doing a quick assessment of year-end taxes ~ I absolutely hate owing the goverment anything or having them owe me anything. So, each year, I cut it pretty close, and when we get to year end, I do a quick check to figure out where we are at - and what needs to be done to not owe any taxes (make an extra house payment or pay the second half of our property taxes). It's a game to me, in a sick, sad way.

2. Cleaning up after the havoc that Santa (and the grandparents) wrought. The kids did well this year ~ a play kitchen, play tool bench, a railroad table, matchbox cars & rug, animals galore, large cars / tractors/ semis. And, all of this stuff takes room. We're purging, and headed to Good Will later this week.

3. Cleaning - while purging the kids' bedroom and toy room (both kids sleep in one bedroom, and we use what would be Tanner's bedroom for a toy room), we do a pretty deep cleaning. We clean the windows, the basebooard, wipe off everything on the wall, the baseboards, fan, light fixture, doors, etc. We even went through clothes and got rid of some items that don't fit, or aren't practical now (potty training makes onesies obsolete).

4. Taking down the Christmas decorations. I put them up early, and I take them down early. If it were up to me, I'd probably leave them up for a few more weeks, but realistically, when mid-January hits, we're busy and we've got time now.

5. Things you just can't seem to get done with a full-time job. The cars are going in for oil changes & tire rotations this time around. Some shopping and general errand run sans kids.

6. Getting ready for next year. We do a thorough update at the end of each year. New file folders, back-up of comptuer data, scanning in of tax receipts, creating new files for next year.

7. Volunteering. Randy & I don't get an opportunity to give back often. So, we get to spend 1/2 a day on Thursday helping out an organization that we are really excited about. I'm not sure what they have in-store for us, but we are looking forward to giving back some.

8. Working out. We're getting a jump on our New Year's resolution. We've been members of a fitness center for awhile, but we haven't gotten in the groove like we would like to. So, we're focused on getting to the gym each morning this week, and really enjoying things - without worrying about getting called to the kid's gym for a diaper change.

9. Catching up with old friends. We get to go to Wichita this weekend and celebrate New Year's with some good friends of ours.

I'm exhausted - and the week has just begun. I'll be looking forward to work next week!

Our Christmas Letter

Dear Santa The Claus,

Hello Santa, it’s MoMo. Mommy and Daddy have asked me to write the Christmas letter, again, this year. Daddy said that I either write the Christmas letter or I could go to timeout for 3 minutes, since I was hitting Tuffy. Santa, do you know how long 3 minutes is? Forever, believe me.

In February, we celebrated Tanner’s 1 year happy liver operation anniversary. We had a big party and everyone dressed up with these big beads ‘round their necks and wore funny looking hats. Daddy explained to T and I that the beads came from Louisiana. Daddy started to explain how one gets the beads in Louisiana, but Mommy yelled at him to not say anything else and sent Daddy to timeout. Now, Santa, 30 minutes is a LOOONG time out.

This summer, we started attending “school". Poor Mommy and Daddy. Tanner and I had never been out of the home environment before. We were in daycare 3 days the first 2 weeks of daycare. One day Daddy had to pick T and me up at daycare ‘cause I had vomited. As Daddy was putting me into the car, I not only vomited on him again, but I produced this nasty smelling stuff out of my other end. Later that night when Daddy was preparing to bath T and me, T decided to warm up Daddy’s side by peeing on him. Now, Santa, you know that Daddy has a bad temper, but that day, Daddy never lost his cool. I think that Daddy felt sorry for us.

School is very good for us. There are kids in our classroom from our age all the way through five years old. Man, those kids are ANCIENT. We learn our ABCs and get to color and paint. We get to have recess outside, and we have lots of friends there. Tanner is in a different classroom than I am. Mommy says that Tanner is more vocal & independent now – I think he’s gotten a little sassy being in that other room.

Mommy & Daddy take us to school everyday so that they can go to work. Daddy is still working as a Design Engineer at GB. Mommy is still at Q, although her job has shifted some. She travels occasionally, but that’s ok. When she travels, Grandpa Three Hairs or Grandma Red come down to help Daddy out. And then, we get spoiled ferociously.

On Father’s Day, Daddy took me out to the mailbox. Daddy looked at all of the letters, but he kept saying bad words at one, thin envelope. After looking at Daddy’s face, I’m not about to repeat them. When we got back into the house, Daddy started yelling as loud as I have ever heard him before. I thought that I was heading to timeout, again. Daddy than ran down the stairs with me in toe to tell Mommy that he “passed”, he “passed.” Daddy had finally passed his professional engineers exam after trying 4 times.

In September, we went on our first family vacation to St. Louis. We made six trips to parks, two trips to the zoo to see the tigers, elephants, rhinos, monkeys, and penguins, and one trip to the doctor. We also went to Grant’s Farm where we fed camels, watched another elephant, saw these big ponies that Daddy told us pull the beer carts, and spotted some buffaloes. Are there any buffaloes at the North Pole, Santa? The last day, we went back to the Build-a-Bear at the zoo. We got to make our very own stuffed aminal. T made an elephant named “Ross” in honor of his liver doctor, and I named my tiger “Tigger.” They are our best friends now.

This fall we also joined a local health club. Mommy and Daddy say it’s fancy. All I know is that they have a great play area with slides, half a gymnasium and they will let me color whenever I want – and no parents are allowed. We kick Mommy & Daddy out for two full hours. It’s good for Tanner & I to have some time without Mommy & Daddy.

In November, I got really sick and had to go see the doctor. I had pneumonia in my left lung. I was also told that I might be asthmatic, but we won’t know until I’m about 5, when I can blow into a big tube. For now, I take some medicines that help me breathe better. Mommy and Daddy are sad about this, but I gave them a kissy. It’s amazing Santa what a kissy and a tight squeeze will do for Mommy and Daddy when they are sad.

Daddy and Mommy are also saying how fast T and I are growing. When Daddy asks me if I am “his baby,” I keep reminding him I’m a big girl - I’m 2½ now and I even potty-trained myself. Tanner’s big, too – he actually has packed on a lot of weight lately and actually weighs more than me now.

Hmmm…I guess you could say that we’ve had a really big year. Thankfully, it is mostly good news and neither Tanner nor I have spent any nights away from Mommy or Daddy (although Daddy keeps mumbling something about he doesn’t think that is such good news).

Give Mrs. Santa Clause & Rudolph a big kissy and tight squeeze from us. And to everyone else that reads my letter to Santa Clause, remember to keep the Christmas spirit and have a safe, healthy, & happy holiday season.

Morgan & Tanner
(Randy & Stacy)

Singing Twins

Following the lead of Sarah, here is a video clip of my twins singing Jingle Bells - even complete with dancing!

Things to Remember Part III

Number 1:

Today, I looked over and noticed Morgan had one of her fleece winter hats on & pulled all the way down over her eyes. A quick scan of her face and body position, and I knew all was not well.

Morgan for some reason must have her head covered to poop. I'm not sure what the reasoning behind this is, but covering her head with a towel is one of the few ways that we've gotten her to calmly poop since beginning the potty training experience.

Sitting on the toilet with a stocking hat down over her eyes - just wish daddy had gotten a picture, because I'm sure it would be good bribery material in the future.

Number 2:

We're trying to introduce the concept of Christmas to the kids - which is not an easy task. It's hard to explain WHY we celebrate Christmas in the midst of all the commercialism we have. But, I'm proud to let you know that I feel like we've made progress.

Me: "Why do we celebrate Christmas?"

Tanner: "Because it's Baby Jesus' birthday."

Morgan: "And he's five years old."

Number 3:

I had to go out tonight before the kids went to bed. As I was getting in the car, I waved to Morgan and said "I love you!"

Her reply: "I love you twice!"

Challenges of traveling with a potty-training 2-1/2 year old

We're back from a quick trip to Iowa to make-up for the missed Thanksgiving trip. Traveling with a potty-training toddler - not fun!

On the way up, we picked the kids up from daycare right before nap time, and headed north. Our mistake - we gave them their sippy cups when we got in the car. Morgan downed most of the 10 ounces, and then fell asleep. She was asleep when we hit Cameron (our normal stopping place & about 1/2 way), so we decided to try to make it another 40 miles. 10 miles before that stop - she was awake & wet.

Ok - not a big deal, we knew this was a possibility, and we were prepared with a piddle pad (handy dandy little pad you put in their car seat to absorb the wet without having to change the whole car seat). We stopped at McDonald's, and I took Morgan to the Women's Bathroom.

Here is where I have to apologize to the poor soul that has to clean the bathrooms at the McDonald's in Bethany. You see, my daughter is MY child. She was terrified of this public bathroom, and besides writhing in pain, she kept proclaiming "I don't have to go to the bathroom".

So, I took off her shoes, her pants, and her soggy underwear. I turn around to grab her dry clothes, and notice she is starting to dribble pee on the floor. So, I pick her up and swoop her onto the toilet.

She is screaming, and with each scream, comes a stream - at a 90 degree angle. I had no idea girls could pee at that angle - let's just say I still have some speed & agility left in my old age & I managed to avoid being pegged.

At this point, we have urine in the corner from the undressing, underneath the wet clothes that I dropped when she started dribbling on the floor, and in front of the toilet from the 90 degree stream. I assume she's all done. And, she says she is, so I find the last remaining dry corner in the stall, and I put her in it.

And, she starts peeing down her leg AGAIN. I swoop her again onto the potty, precariously balancing and doing Twister-like maneuvers to keep myself, my purse, and the diaper bag dry. Finally, success without a riot.

It then takes me 10 minutes to unroll toilet paper and swab what I can off of the floor. Of course, it's one of those locations where they don't have papertowels.

So, floor cleaner at the Bethany McDonald's - I'm very sorry for the mess we left behind. I now truly understand why public restrooms look the way they do sometimes.

84 Hours and Counting

When I picked Morgan up from daycare last Friday, they anxiously asked if we were planning on switching Morgan to panties anytime soon. It seems that she was discarding her diaper and making frequent bathroom stops all day Friday.

I warned them that we thought she was close to ready, but she hadn't done #2 in the toilet before, and we were a little leary of this. Ms. K is back from maternity leave, and she assured me that this wasn't going to be a problem and to send her.

So, all weekend, we worked on potty training. And, we've had great success - even when we were "out & about" town for 4 hours, she remained dry, and we only had one set of 4 bathroom trips (we were at Rainforest cafe, I think part of it was to see all the different animals). And, she's been all day Monday & Tuesday at daycare without an accident yet.

The problem? Since we put here in panties around 11 a.m. on Saturday - she hasn't had a bowel movement. We thought some new ashtma meds might be the culprit, but their side effects are diaherra, not constipation. I can only guess that she is so focused on not messing up her pretty panties, that she is holding it in.

I'm a little fearful for the poor soul who is around when she erupts...

She's a Heart Breaker

I'm heading off to Las Vegas for work. Since the kids are starting to understand days of the week and "x" days, I decided to explain to them that Mommy was getting on a plane & she was going to be gone for 4 days. But, she would be home on Friday and would pick them up from school.

Morgan looked at me & said "But Mommy, I don't want you to go bye-bye."

Equality - Yeah Right

I'm getting ready to go off for another trip for work this week. I don't want to go, and Randy & I have talked several times about how taxing the travel schedule has been lately. However, there are a lot of perks with this job - including a lot of flexibility for doctor's & therapy appointments. So, for now, I travel.

But, from talking with my male counterparts, I notice there is a huge difference in how they get ready to travel, and how I get ready for a trip.

Male counterpart:

Pack his bags
Check his airline ticket
Remind his wife that Friday is garbage day
Kiss the kids goodbye


Female counterpart:

Four weeks ahead - find someone to come and "help" while gone
Do all laundry - for both yourself, the husband, & the kids
Pack bags
Lay out clothes for each kid for every single day of the week
Go grocery shopping to stock the house while being gone
Lay out a meal plan for every single day that you are gone
Check airline ticket
Remind husband about doctor's appointments, medicine schedules, daycare drop-off, and other "must dos" during the week
Kiss the kids goodbye

This is what the "equality" movement was all about? I think we've got a long ways yet to go.

Translations #1

Him: "I got the van unloaded."

Translation: "I brought all the stuff inside and piled it inside the door so that you can sort through it, do the laundry, and put it all away."

Where's the Beef?

My daughter has a way of keeping me on my toes. This week, she started out with pink eye - which kept her out of school on Monday. Then, she woke up with a fever on Tuesday morning - which drug out through the night. We even ended up in Urgent Care on Tuesday night because I was convinced she had a urinary tract infection.

We were slated to leave to go to my parent's house mid-day on Wednesday, and we debated what to do. With Tanner immunosuppresants, we've always asked others who are sick to stay away. And, the meal would not only include my cousin's three kids, it would include my very old and very frail grandparents.

But, when she woke up Wednesday morning, she seemed to be feeling better and the fever was gone - so we packed up the car & headed north to my parent's house.

But, she wasn't done. She started with a fever last night - and at 3 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, it was a little over 104 F. It got worse through the night - medication did little to help it. And, at 9 a.m. this morning, it was 104 F again. So, we threw everything in the van, and left before others began showing up. We were back at home only slightly more than 24 hours after we had originally left.

My Thanksgiving "feast" - a Wendy's single with a cup of chili.

What'd you have for Thanksgiving?

Giving Thanks

Taking the lead from Lisa and Laurie, a photo essay on the things I'm thankful for:

My husband, Randy - who has stood with me through thick & thin (quite literally), a lot of really tough times, but some pretty incredible times, too...



For these two women who have let down their hair and embraced childhood...





For these two men who have shown my children more love, patience, and compassion than I ever thought they could...





For this...the fact that he is healthy enough that I have to discipline him like I'd discipline any other child.



For this attitude...which has taugh time me patience and an appreciation for the terror I must have put my parents through...



For this smile...



And this smile...



For the fact that they always will have each other to lean on...





And, the fact that they have a built in best friend...






To all of our family & friends - both real & "online" - may you have a safe & happy Thanksgiving.

Success despite her parents

Last night, Randy & I were trying to catch up on some work stuff before the kid's bedtime routine (which meant we were both at our computers in the office). Morgan walked in (at least twice) and said "Daddy I have to potty". He finally said, "Honey, not tonight".

Now, keep in mind, usually the potty routine consists of stripping the kid, sitting for 5 second, and repeating that about 30 times in 5 minutes. Rarely did any "potty" make it in the potty.

A few mintues later, I walk into the living room - Morgan is sitting on her potty, pants around her ankles, and diaper flung onto the nearby couch. So, I sit down by her, and she stands up - SUCCESS!

Maybe she just doesn't like having someone watch her when she goes to the bathroom...

Too Many

I've tried not to make this blog about Tanner's liver disease; I already have a whole website dedicated to that. I've tried to maintain the focus of this site on my children, the funny & cute things they do, motherhood and all it's joys, and my own personal feelings. But, the reality of it is that his liver disease is a part of who I am now.

When Tanner was first diagnosed with Biliary Atresia (BA), I found a group of online people who were going through the same thing. After all, BA is rare and only effects about 1 in 16,000 children. It was so comforting to find a group of people who had to deal with the same things we do - and to look towards the future for Tanner. This is where I even met Lisa & Laurie that I met up with in Florida this past August.

But with all the benefits of the online support group, there is a price. That price is becoming attached to these children. Attached to children with a potentially fatal liver disease - kids who have to undergo big surgeries as infants and possibly even liver transplants just to survive.

But you see, sometimes, that liver doesn't come in time. And, it hasn't come in time three times in the last two months. We've lost little Rani in Australia, Dillon in Chicago, and last night we lost Jackson in New York. It is difficult to explain the sorrow I have felt for these parents and these children. It is difficult to imagine that in the last two years since I've been online with this group, we've also lost Jayli, Ava, Haley, Romina, Carter, and Gracie. And, those are only a few of the ones that I recall tonight.

Jackson was only 6 months old when he also became very sick and desperately needed his transplant. His mother gave Jackson a second chance at life by giving him a piece of her liver. But, he developed post-transplant complications including a fungal infection. He needed a second liver. He was Status 1A on the transplant list - meaning he had top priority on any available liver - and he waited there for 40 days before he passed away last night.

Tanner waited for 21 days on the National Transplant list. He was top in the region for a liver based on his medical condition, and no offers came. We were also fortunate to be at a center that believes in living donors, and Tanner received 24% of his grandmother's liver before he became too sick to benefit from it. The exceptional skill of the surgeon is a testament to the fact that Tanner didn't have complications post-transplant. We are, actually, one of the "lucky ones".

The future holds so many promises. New medications for post-transplant children - and possibily even the ability to grow a human liver from cord blood. What a miracle that would be. But, the problem is that children, babies are dying. And, they are dying today.

What can you do to help? I encourage you to be an Organ Donor. Make sure it's marked on your driver's license, register online, and most importantly - tell your family. It may seem strange, but in the event that something would ever happen that would make you an eligible donor, many states still allow the family to decide whether or not to donate a loved ones organs. Even if that person has indicated that they wanted to make that gift, it is the family's choice.

There are many misconceptions about organ donation - many of them brought to us by our media. If you have questions regarding organ donation, please go here.

In early September, a little girl by the name of Jada Rose received a liver transplant in Utah. She received a deceased donor transplant, but prior to that, her grandmother and namesake had tried to donate to her. The center had told her that she was too old and couldn't donate - that lady made sure everyone in her family knew she wanted to be an organ donor. Last week (less than 2 months after her granddaughter's transplant), she fell down the stairs and suffered irreversible brain injury. Her organs were donated - and in a strange twist of fate, the liver went to Jada Rose's pediatirican's secretary's husband (ok - I know, it's a bit tough to follow there). This woman had prayed for Jada - even while her own husband was on the liver transplant waiting list. Letting your loved ones know your wishes makes a difference.

To Rani, Dillon, and Jackson: While your time here on earth was short, you touched many lives. May you be at peace and healthy. Your memory will live on in our hearts.

To their families: I am so sorry for your loss. Please know that your little ones will not be forgotten and that you are in our prayers.

Stock Alert

Ok - I'm just going to give you all a hot stock tip now - buy some stock in M&Ms, because we're strating to go through them like water.

Not to be outdone, Morgan went potty at school today, too. (And she didn't miss.)

Pass the M&Ms

I got to school today & found this note in Tanner's cubbie:



The "he kind of missed" means that while he was standing there peeing, most of it actually hit the wall behind the toilet. But, he did tell them that he had to potty, and wait until his diaper was off. So, it counts, right?

And, I'm not above bribing my children, so when we got home, he got his reward:



We'll see if this lasts, but here's my dilemma. Tanner has no behind - so, his entire winter wardrobe is basically one piece longalls or overalls with shirts. Not really potty-training material. I was convinced he wouldn't attempt this until spring, and that this would be safe duds for winter. So, now I have to decide if I should re-outfit the kid for winter.

My new favorite number & other toddlerisms

Tanner & Morgan have been cracking us up this weekend. Recorded here for prosperity's sake:

My new favorite number:

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, fourteen, ELEVENTEEN

Snipe Hunting

This only goes to show how much Tanner & Morgan will resent their father in later years. Randy has convinced Morgan that this one ugly little animal she has, is a snipe. So, she'll continually come up to us and ask "where's my snipe?"

Never wanting to see someone down

Tanner is our sensitive child, and he never likes to see anyone sad or mad. So, this is his latest cureall.

He comes running at you, and pinches you three or four times, screaming "tickle, tickle, tickle, tickle"

Shhh

The time change is a bit confusing. Tonight, Morgan came up to us and said "shhh.....it's bedtime outside"

A Helping of Reality

Yesterday was a big day for us, well, for Tanner.

The last two month's labs have shown that Tanner's egg allergy had resolved. We were so excited - we've been battling the egg allergy since the kids were about 15 months old.

Now, food allergies are an interesting thing. I think they may actually be worse than the Tanner having a liver transplant. Yes, there are day-to-day things that people around Tanner need to do to help ensure his health & safety with a transplant. But, Randy & I are in control of most of those (medications) - and there is little that a person can do that will pose immediate harm on him (as far as his liver is concerned).

But, food allergies are a whole different beast. Someone can walk up & offer your kid a cookie. Think of all the times you've gone to your local grocery store or warehouse club and they hand out food samples. You send them to school - and parents bring in "special treats". You have no control over it - and at this point, Tanner isn't old enough to understand or know what contains eggs. And, it isn't easy to judge - many adults don't even know what contains eggs and what doesn't.

Breads - not typically
Marshmallows - sometimes
Cookies - usually "soft" cookies do (like chocolate chip ones)
Salad Dressing & Dipping Sauces - oftentimes
Pizza Hut Pizza Sauce - yes (but the crust doesn't!)

So, when the blood test came back that Tanner was negative to eggs. I was so hopeful. We scheduled a food challenge for Thursday. We got up yesterday, scrambled an egg, and then took Tanner in for the test. They started an IV (after two sticks) - and then we slowly started to feed him the egg. A crumb to begin with, then a nibble, a bite, a spoonful, until he had finally finished a whole egg. He had no reactions.

After waiting another 2 hours in the office to see if there would be any delayed reaction, we headed out. Tanner to preschool, and mommy to work.

My hope escalated. I started making plans in my head to bake cookies with the kids this weekend. To make pancakes with eggs instead of applesauce. At the extravagant birthday cake for next year.

Two hours later - daycare called. Tanner had hives from head to foot. Big, angry, red hives with blisters on the top of part of them. They came on within 5 minutes. Thankfully a dose of Benadryl helped to calm him until we could get to the doctor.

How much did I try to deny that it was the egg? I actually asked the doctor if it could be Hand Foot Mouth Disease - and it just *happened* to coincide with the allergy testing. We went away with a firm diagnosis of hives, a delayed reaction to egg, and a prescription for a hefty dose of Prednisone.

I wanted this burden to be lifted - I didn't want to have to check the label anymore or only go to restaraunts that I know are "safe" for allergic kids. I didn't want to have to worry about taking special food to school - or worrying about the list of birthdays on the wall. Would there be special treats in class? Would Tanner be happy with his oreos - and not whine when everyone else had cake?

I know it's "just an allergy" - and I am so lucky. Tanner's egg allergy is moderate - and he is not currently anaphylaxis to egg product. He is here, and he is really doing very well post-transplant. This is a minor thing to deal with - something that can be managed and dealt with. But, just for once, I wanted that normalcy. I wanted one less thing to differentiate Tanner from the rest of the kids. Something that would allow him to fully participate, and not exclude him.