My Deadly Sin

Greed:	Very Low
Gluttony:	Low
Wrath:	Low
Sloth:	Low
Envy:	Very Low
Lust:	Medium
Pride:	Very Low

Discover Your Sins - Click Here

Tree

The Christmas tree went down for its year-long nap last night. Spencer will miss his friend. He was constantly hugging and kissing it. Maybe he'll be a tree-hugger when he grows up? I can hope!

My Little Tenor

Alex is pretending that the soap dish is a keyboard. What song he is singing is anybody's guess (probably something from the Wiggles).

Christmas

I'm not feeling very inspired to post about Christmas this year. I wish we could do it over again without the stomach virus. Spencer came down with it the day before Christmas Eve. I succumbed to it late Christmas night. Unfortunately we didn't know it was a virus until too late, so my mother and friend came down with it, too. Merry freakin' Christmas!

I planned our Christmas schedule so that we could be at home together for a quiet Christmas day. I thought that I would see my sister and her children on Christmas Eve and could exchange gifts then. That didn't happen. We still haven't exchanged our gifts. We're getting together tomorrow at Mom's. I guess I should look at it as though our celebration has been extended. I'm sure all the children will enjoy being together tomorrow, and I'll finally get to see what's in my stocking!

I had to drag Spencer out of bed at 9:30 on Christmas morning. I'm surprised he's actually smiling in some of the pictures. My neighbor snapped him a little later, falling asleep, half his body on the couch, the other half on the coffee table. Poor guy. He's feeling a lot better now and enjoying all of his new toys. His big gift was a learning laptop. Alex would like to steal it from him. He was playing with it on Christmas day and Spencer was trying to take it from him. Alex kept saying "Alex....Alex." He was trying to tell Spencer that it was his toy! Alex also tried to steal his cousin's new Thomas the Tank Engine book. He's hardly put down his new Gordon train that came with his big gift, the Take-Along Thomas Tidmoth Sheds. That boy loves his trains!

I snapped a few pictures while the boys were emptying their stockings. That's about all I had the time and energy for. I think we're due for a better Christmas next year. You hear that, universe?!!?

Beth's Babies

I first heard about Beth, single mother of quads, when I was pregnant with the boys. She was featured on 'Oprah'. Her story continues to be an inspiration to me. If she could raise quads on her own, surely I could raise twins on my own! Beth recently updated her website. Her quads are 3 1/2 years old now. She talks honestly about her joys and struggles as a mother, bread-winner, and a "self." This is a beautiful slide-show of the quads as they've grown. I especially appreciated Beth's choice of music for the slide-show. I've listened to these Jack Johnson songs countless times, but never realized how much I relate to them as a single mother of multiples. Thank you, Beth, for your example!

Our Family Has Grown

We adopted a stray kitty that showed up on a fellow Freecycler's doorstep. She is beautiful, sweet, and gentle...a special Christmas gift for Alex, Spencer, and me. I have named her Tevy (teh-vee), which means angel in Cambodian. Her name fits her personality and will remind us that she was a Christmas surprise for us.

Tevy spent no more than 10 minutes under the coffee table after arriving at her new home. She moved to the arm of the couch, where she laid down to survey the room and intermittently nap. Spencer petted, hugged, and kissed her. Alex lifted her legs to inspect her (checking for screws like he does with all of his toys, I think). Later when she was on the floor Alex sat on her! All of this Tevy took with patience and gentleness.

Letting The Curves Take You

This was sent to me by a friend. I do not know who the author is, only that it is true about so many aspects of my life.

Trying to maintain control in this life is a bit like trying to maintain control on a roller coaster. The ride has its own logic and is going to go its own way, regardless of how tightly you grip the bar. There is a thrill and a power in simply surrendering to the ride and fully feeling the ups and downs of it, letting the curves take you rather than fighting them. When you fight the ride, resisting what's happening at every turn, your whole being becomes tense and anxiety is your close companion. When you go with the ride, accepting what you cannot control, freedom and joy will inevitably arise.

Dear God

Please teach me how to ignore the booming bass of my new next-door neighbor's stereo, which makes my windows rattle and gets under my skin even more than Spencer's whining. Either that, or please make me deaf!

My Funny Madelaine

My sister shared an anecdote about her children that I just had to pass along. My nephew Cole, like Spencer, has GERD and is sensitive about certain foods.

Noah was in the kitchen having a snack last night when I heard Maddie telling Cole, "Don't go in the kitchen. Noah's eating cottage cheese. You'll throw up." And then she popped into the room to advise me, "Don't worry Mom. I gave Cole a global warning!"

Spencer Looking Sharp

Taken at Grandma's on Thanksgiving Eve.

One Of Those Days

I'm tired. I don't want to be a mommy today. I want the day off.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

These guys have the joy we're supposed to have this time of year. Sure brings back college memories of Chamber Singers and madrigal dinners.

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days of Christmas

Ally's Play

I just observed something about Ally's play that I've never noticed before. He often plays by himself. We (his therapists and I) have always thought the he perseverates on cars and trains because he likes the wheels and mechanics. What we haven't noticed is that he is engaging in pretend play with the vehicles. They are always facing each other or him (yes, the toys have actual faces), and he makes them "talk" to each other! I thought he was just babbling gibberish to himself, but today I heard them tell each other "Come on!" and call each other by name (Toby and James). I think he was even trying to make them kiss after I kissed him! He also says "choo choo" and makes the whooshing steam sound.

I know I'm always talking down the boob tube, but I think the Thomas the Tank Engine video actually helped teach Alex this kind of play (watching "Cars" at his Aunt Chappy's last weekend probably didn't hurt either). That doesn't mean I'm going to let him watch more television, it just means I won't feel so guilty when I do.

Potty News

Spencer went pee-pee on the potty! Spencer went pee-pee on the potty!!! I sat him on it after bath (I've done this once or twice before). I told him to push out his pee-pee. First he pushed out some gas and tooted, then I told him to push again (and made a hissing sound) and he did it! He actually understood what I meant and he did it! He's also been telling me when he's poopy, and when he toots he says "poopy." I guess it's time to start reading up on potty training. Woo hoo!