We are Living Lawge: March 2009

Sunday, March 29, 2009

The Oram Hand Cart

During the Oakland Zoo excursion there came a time to determine and/or test the functional capacity of the Valco Stroller we have. Officially the stroller will hold 2 children between the ages of 2 and 5 in its current configuration. This just will not do since we have 5. We had previously determined that with Addison on one side and Nathan on the other, we could have Emma sit above Addison on the top of a seat and alleviate the complaints emanating from her. (see the "super dad" pictures below).

After lunch at the Zoo, Emma became insufferably audacious and Nathan contacted his inner cheetah and exhibited an incurable desire to run and hide.

It must be noted that Kaci is not one to disregard manufacturers recommendations to quickly, but after some light "persuasion" and appropriately manipulated insolence from Emma, I convinced her that Emma, Nathan, Cake and Ahdi all needed to fit on or in the stroller if we were to enjoy the rest of the day. After thorough investigation of the cargo compartment underneath the stroller, I determined that Kate, as the smaller of the two, would fit quite nicely under there. I lined the tray with a blanket, stuffed (read: gently placed) her underneath, popped in a pacifier, and the OramTrain rolled out. We moved all the gear that was underneath into bags hanging on the handle bar and effectively mounted four children on our "double" jogger.

What an awesome piece of equipment and the perfect tool for our family!

Let's try that again....

I posted the information about our trip last night with these pictures, but realized later I must have been super tired because it came out very odd when I actually posted it. So I am not going to try to do any fancy picture placement, just straight down. And I will be more coherent now as I am not tired:)

We surprised the kids with a trip to the Bay Area on Friday after school. We stayed in a hotel with an indoor swimming pool, and then went to the Oakland Zoo the next day. Here are the oldest three in the fold out bed. We had to graduate to the Embassy Suites with so many of us. Ben and I had our own room, and the five kids were in the living room. Honestly, we only told the hotel that we had two children as they make you get a second room past four people. Yeah, not happening! So we were a little sneaky, but I think they noticed anyway and didn't really care. It's hard to hide a family of 7!

At the zoo. You can see Nathan's monkey backpack here. What a lifesaver! He likes to run, run run, and without this he would have been lost in the crowd multiple times. We did get quite the attention, not only having twins but having a child on a "leash." Most parents looked at it longingly as they chased down their own two year olds. With five kids, we have to be creative. Which Ben will post later about:)

The girls did so well. They slept almost the whole time, ate, and were content in the stroller. We got the regular oohhs and aaahs that come with sporting two of a kind. But we have mostly started to tune them out or all you do all day is stop and let people gawk. Our Valco stroller is officially the best Craigslist find ever. It saved us on this trip!

Kids looking at more animals. Nathan LOVES looking, and constantly wanted to climb into the fenced areas. Thank goodness it's not possible. He especially wanted to romp with the honey bear. No fear, that kid!

In the reptile house. Emma and her face! Classic Emma lately. But she did have fun, promise.

Mr. "Cheeeeeeessssse!!!!" He looks so grown up here.

Bailey and Emma posing.

Addison and Nathan in the stroller. We had to eventually pull Kate out and strap Nathan in. He can only handle so much:) Where is Kate? hee hee, you'll see later.

Play area at the zoo. The kids loved this probably more than anything. We could have gone to just a park and they would have been happy. But we did get in to the Oakland Zoo for free since we are Sacramento Zoo members (thanks, Mom!) So, they got some educational stuff in their brains as well.

It was a great trip that we really needed. It was nice to get away and just have some fun, despite the enormous amount of work it takes for only 24 hours! We do make quite the site out and about, which for other people, we were the highlight of their trip!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Twins with Twins

I've become somewhat cheesy as a mother to twins. I thought it would be cute to get a picture of Aunt Nancy's twins with ours. Now, I am a horrible relative and cannot tell you which one is Paul and which one is David. But they were sweet enough to humor me and smile for the camera even while their friends were over and they had much cooler things to do!

Family Visits

Addison with Ben's grandma, Mooma. We have this picture with her and all of our kids.

Kate with Mooma.

Sorry, Aunt Bonnie, you said to not put the picture of you on the internet, but the blog in private so I'm hoping you forgive me:) We are having the blog printed as a family journal, so I couldn't leave you out!

We took the kids to see some of Ben's extended family down in the Bay Area as part of our mini trip. Here is Addison with his Aunt Bonnie and Kate with Uncle Sonny. This was their first time meeting the latest additions to our family. I didn't get one with his Aunt Nancy, but the girls gave her some pretty good smiles and the rest of our crew always enjoys her toys. We don't hear a peep out of them, and they played to their hearts content.

Bat Man...dunna nunna nunna nunna dunna BAT MAN!

At work last week, Ben "saved" the office from two bats that got in somehow. At one point, he even swooped in as one was about to run right into one of the legal secretaries. So, now he is fondly referred to as Batman at his office. We couldn't resist taking a picture of him and the bats at the zoo... Have him tell you the story in real life instead of my lame blog version:)

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Not Da Mama!

When I was younger there was a TV show called "Dinosaurs." The only thing about the oddly stupid show was the lame little pink baby, dinosaur, "Baby Sinclair," would smash his dad, Earl Sinclair, on the head with a pan or a club and yell, "Not da mama, not da mama, not da mama," and the dad would throw the baby dinosaur across the room. Well... that was tonights ordeal, only without the throwing. Kaci posted "superdad" pictures. Yah right, more like "not da mama." It all started so well too. Once the Oram Family Train arrived at the building for the Youth Fundraiser the looks of pity began immediately and smiling guardian angel Sisters saved the twins from a seemingly incompetent father, but only after Addison spewed forth a large portion of the wonderfully fragrant formula-mamas milk concoction. Gotta love that. We made it through the dinner and service auction an

d ended at home where all three girls (don't forget Emma, whom I am glad did not have a pan or a club) melted down into a puddle of self-pity and crocodile tears, thus reinforcing the fact that I am "not da mama!" - Ben

Super Dad!

So, I have about two minutes to post this before my ride gets here to the baby shower. That is where I will be---Ben will be with all five kids at a fundraiser dinner for our ward youth. That's right, spaghetti, a lot of people and flying solo. I told him he is attempting something even I wouldn't do, and I've been known to be a little nuts. They walked to the Church in our contraption of a stroller that we have adapted for Emma to sit on as well. So, hats off to Ben! I am off to enjoy my girl's night :)

P.S. In the bottom picture it looks like Emma is flipping off the camera. For posterity, she is not. She is eating an animal cracker and her finger just came up that way. Or that's what we are telling ourselves...

And she's gaining...

Kate is obviously trying to catch up with Addison. When you put them next to each other lately, there is less of a noticeable difference in weight. We'll see for sure at the 4 month check up in April, but if Kate keeps packing away the six ounce bottles, watch out!

Another set of braces...

Kate has decided that she likes thumb sucking. We thought it was cute when Nathan did it, and now we don't know how we are going to break him of the habit. With Emma, we just took away the pacifier at a year old. You can't take away a thumb. So we keep taking it out of her mouth and putting in the pacifier, but it's not working. Well, hopefully Ben's employer has good dental insurance:)

The Invention Convention is coming....

Bailey's drawing for his invention, the "Super Shoe 10,000." He's excited to make this for his class project. More details to come as the shoe is unveiled!

Morning cartoons

I tried to get a good picture of their two little matching heads from the back. When you walk down the hall to the living room, this is all you see. It's a little reminiscent of Forrest Gump with these two brothers. The same little head, just one bigger than the other, next to each other in the same position. Bailey and Nathan's favorite thing to do is get up before everyone and cuddle together on the couch to watch cartoons. They've been doing it for a long time now. Bailey used to get Nathan out of his crib every morning. Now, Nathan gets himself out of bed since graduating to the big bed. But Bailey still helps him get his blanket and get situated on the couch. It's a brother thing:)

Friday, March 20, 2009

Oh, the drama!

As best as I can piece together, I would like to relay the events of yesterday afternoon....

Ben gets home early from work and goes with me to pick the kids up from school. As much as they love this, it upsets them because then they both have to sit in the back. Every day, they take turns sitting up front with me, and this is a HUGE deal. Yesterday was Emma's day, so when she saw Daddy she was excited and then immediately hung her head and became very upset. She was getting jipped in her eyes. So this started the Looooonnnnngggg ride home. I cannot even recall how it all went down, but at one point she told Ben he ruined her life and she wished he would have stayed at work. She even took back the pictures she had made him at school and ripped them up in the back seat. Yes, she is only five. Bailey even jumped in at one point when she started ripping up the pictures. He did not want Emma's behavior to keep Daddy from picking them up.

Bailey then explained to Emma that in a family, we all bother each other at some point. Nathan bothers her, she bothers him, etc... He told her that they still need us to take care of them. Then, when she tried to say her ripping up the picture was an "accident" he went on to explain to her that indeed it was not. This made her more upset.... We really need to bring the video camera one day and tape her antics. At one point, Ben asked her what being patient meant. She said she knew but was not going to tell him. Through most of this, we really are trying not to laugh as Emma's bark is worse than her bite. But, man can she bark.

Eventually she calmed down and had a lovely evening at home. We got some food in her and she went to bed early. She even asked for tape this morning to tape back the picture she ripped. And we have again survived Hurricane Emma...

Three Months Old!

It is fitting I am posting this while feeding Miss Piggy, Kate and Addison is next to us eyeing the bottle! The girls turned 3 months old yesterday. This video was taken accidentally the other day. I thought i was taking a picture and it was on video. But it turned out alright after all! Kate starts off with a cute smile, then Addison is sucking her hand in the background (something she does now even when she is not so hungry, so maybe we will have another thumbsucker in the family!). What I noticed about this video is it ends with a crazy look from Kate, which I find she does so often.

They are getting big, growing nice and round:) They are almost sleeping through the night. Some nights, they sleep 8, some 6 hours. But we are taking whatever we get! Addison's eyes are still goopy from blocked tear ducts. Kate burps like a man. Surely not the things they want to be remembered by, but this is who they are at three months!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Nathan and Addison

See how much they look alike (taking away the thumb!) I'll have to find a good one of Emma to compare to Kate

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Sibling Love

Nathan wanted to hold "Ahdi" He LOVES being a big brother

Emma LOVES having her picture taken

Don't these two look alike?!

This is the face Nathan made when we gave him both to hold

Priceless...

Everyone wanted in on the pictures. Nathan is concerned here that "Cake's" "fire" (pacifier) fell out. I really think these kids are just too cute.

Which is which?

OK, so when they are sleeping, they do look alike. But I can still tell, can you:)

Girls Rule!

Kate and Addison were wanting to be snuggled and I really needed to do dishes. Big sister Emma to the rescue.

From left to right, Kate, Emma and Addison

Emma cannot wait until the girls come and sleep in her room. It might be soon. They have been sleeping at least 8 hours most nights (yay!) It's usually 9 p.m.-5 a.m. We are getting there!

Friday, March 13, 2009

EughhUgghhthphftd......

Seriously, no title for this post that I am trying to get out quickly so as to record it down in history...

Well, today was like any other day really. Get up, take kids to school while getting twins fed, Nathan changed, make sure kids have a snack for their half day today(remember this part when you read later). We get in the car, get to school with minimal fighting, arguing, begging, pleading, please put your shoes on or I will tie you to the top of the car...you know how it goes.

Get home, Nathan watches his typical morning Elmo or Clifford while I feed, change the girls. Today, I thought-I am going to really push through the laundry, yes I am going to clean the bathrooms, yes I am going to unpack the remaining things that we don't know why we have if they haven't been unpacked in a month! So, this means forgoing a shower. Nathan is given a wonderful lunch of frozen gogurt, cheese and a granola bar which is one big mess that gets cleaned up in time to get him down for a nap at 11:3o.

So I am checking a voicemail on my cell phone when it buzzes reminding me of something on my calendar---OH YEAH! Half day. It's at noon, and guess what time it is now and guess how far away we live. Answer is it is 11:55 and we live 25 minutes away from school, and Addison has just decided she wants more bottle after that poop.

I call the school and try to get ahold of the after school care teacher to see if there is room for Bailey and Emma, then I called back to the receptionist to see if I could get a hold of someone to tell the kids I will not be there. By now I am picturing their two little faces staring up down the long line of cars, none of which are mine. I am never even, mind you, LATE to pick them up let alone forgetful! I got a hold of Bailey's teacher who found them and told them to go to after school care. Emma goes from 2-3 everyday on normal days, so for her it wasn't a big deal. Bailey was "nervous", (his words) about it.

I finally throw on some normal clothes, wake Nathan up and put him in the car, along with the girls. I looked a sight and my clothes in no way matched, but what the heck I'm crazy mom who forgets her kids anyway. AS we are finally pulling out, my gas light comes on. Well, I decide to chance it. Thankfully, I get there still with some gas in my tank. I pick up the kids and I immediately take them to Carl's Jr. since they have no lunch on half days and they last at at 9:30 snack time (it is now 1 p.m.) I get into the gas station with a little girl that has to pee so badly she is making the car shake while she squirms. I fill up, and thank goodness because I put 19.7 gallons in a 20 gallon tank!

We make it back home and I declare to day no t.v. day. Play outside! So after convincing a 2 year old that he doesn't need to color, change his lovely diaper, I get the kids outside. Of course, along with all of this Addison has pooped through one outfit, thrown up on another and Kate has gas so bad so is screaming. A few diapers, wipes, wet towels and some gripe water later, both girls are now sound asleep in their bouncy chairs. Kids are playing with every toy they have in their rooms now outside, but I don't care cause it's not in here. And the kitchen is clean, laundry is moving and shaking.....

And just think, next Monday I get to wake up and do it all over again:)

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Kate the Great and her magical heart

We made the trek down to the pediatric cardiologist today. And we were told never to come back again!.....

Well, that's not because Nathan was a little nuts, but because Kate's three heart issues have gone. No more hole, no more something else or something else (sorry, I'm not good at repeating doctor speak, that's Ben's job). So, Dr, Wright said good job little girl and you have a regular old heart now.

Also, Kate gained about a pound and a half in the last two weeks, most likely due to the heart issues resolving.

Monday, March 9, 2009

How to get Emma out of Bed

So this morning, AGAIN, Emma did not want to get out of bed for school. She was in bed for 20 minutes past when I told her to get up. Now, we have tried many different things with her. Things work here and there, but I had run out of ways to get her out of bed without physically dressing her. So this morning, I told her that when the rest of us were ready to leave, she would go to school exactly as she was at that moment. If she had no shoes and crazy hair and in her pjs, that is how she would have to walk into her classroom. So my very fashion conscious five year old hurried and got dressed and let me do her hair and we got to school 2 minutes before it started. Now, I'm wondering what I am going to do when she lets me take her that way?!

Kate rolled over!

Yes, she rolled over last night. From being on her tummy to on her back. She was trying to go back the other way as well, but is not quite there yet. I guess I'll need to keep an eye on Addison as well!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

When Nathan Strikes

This morning, I found Nathan coloring in a few of Ben's really old Church books (hopefully these weren't the ones worth a lot of money!) I took the crayon away and he got very upset that he was in trouble. I kept explaining to him that we only draw on paper. He understood right?

Well, apparently not because He decided Bailey's dresser needed some orange crayon as well.

And his own dresser needed to match...

So, after a Sunday of him being crazy, ending up in everyone else's row, giving me a heart attack in the parking lot...

I went into Bailey's room because it was quiet. I was expecting something terrible. Instead I see a little thing on Bailey's bed.

It was Nathan fast asleep... If only he were always this peaceful!