Quiet Week

We had a pretty quiet week. We started out with a nice afternoon in the yard. We filled up the baby pool and the kiddos took a little dip. It was nice to hang out with a drink and watch them play.

Tadhg had a follow up to check his double ear infection to be sure it was cleared up. Everything looked great. Wouldn't you know it, he spiked a fever the next day, though it just seems to be a little virus. A little virus that equals a lot of coughing!

After a day or so of no fever we needed a couple of things so I decided to try out the big fancy "car carts" at the Safeway. It wasn't so bad, except that Maura was pretty fussy every time the thing moved! I think it freaked her out to have so much space around her and the bumpy ride didn't help! I really need a double cart cover!

We got out to the library to switch out some books and Tadhg and I participated in the Severna Park Moms club's Spy Camp. Really cute to see the kiddos walking around the yard in huge sunglasses, using their magnifying glasses to look for clues. Lots of fun!

In the midst of this slow week I decided to start working out in the mornings. I have started to do a walk/jog every other morning for about 30 minutes. I'm getting out around 6:30 am, and am back and showered just in time for the monkeys to get up. I have to say it's tough getting out of bed, but I feel great and full of energy all day - which I really need!

With all my new found energy I managed to start packing for our vacation next week. I'm really looking forward to a week at the beach!

Alone, For the First Time

This week started with a photo shoot with Heather Owens for the girls birthday. We had great weather and were able to get a great family picture, a generational shot with my mom, and some individuals of the kiddos. I've only seen a few previews via Facebook but so far they look awesome as always. We need to start thinking about booking for the holidays! Since my mom stayed over on Friday night in anticipation of the shoot we took advantage of a babysitter and had our monthly date night. We tried out Bonefish Grill about which we'd heard great things. We had a yummy dinner and I had a glass of even yummier white sangria! Ahhhhhh!!!!

Sunday started with Tadhg's special one on one time. He decided to try mini golf with daddy which he really seemed to enjoy as he talked about it for several days and has been asking to do it again every morning! We headed to the pool for a bit which unfortunately was cut short because Maura was way too tired to hang so we could have dinner. She decided to play during nap time so she was a little cranky! Ciara tried out the spring float we have and was just cruising all over the baby pool on her tippy toes - loved it! We had margaritas with our fun neighbors and Tadhg got to play with their daughter Kasey. So, all in all not too bad for having to cut it short.

Monday marked my first day of my first week all alone with the kiddos. Ms. Ann left for her trip home to Ireland and my mom and dad were preparing for their Tuesday departure to Alaska with my father's siblings and their spouses. Surprisingly, I managed to get all the laundry done and put away. We got outside for a walk to enjoy some fresh air. I was feeling rather empowered to get it all done all by myself!

Tuesday we went to the library in the morning, and then I hosted a little ice cream party which I totally forgot about until a minivan pulled into my driveway and a few kids tumbled out! Luckily, I had ice cream in the freezer we forgot about at the girls' birthday and the moms brought toppings. A few scoops and sprinkles later the kids were in heaven! It was a nice break since we hung out at home all day.

Wednesday I decided to take the kids to Chik -fil-A for lunch. It was a little tough maneuvering the double stroller through the doors, but everything went well and we enjoyed some lunch before heading to the super Walmart to pick up a few groceries. This is the one thing I miss about not having help - getting a full grocery trip done. If I didn't have help I'd have to shop in the evenings or on the weekends. It really is nice to have the help!

Thursday I dropped Tadhg for a morning of "Nature Camp" with my Severna Park Mom's Club. I was really anxious to see how he would handle a drop off situation as we start to prepare him for nursery school this fall. I am thrilled to say he did great! He didn't bat an eyelash, gave me a quick kiss, then off I went. The report was that he did really well. Perhaps his starting nursery school will be harder on me then him!

Friday I decided to take the kids to Kohl's so I could exchange a birthday gift for the girls and try to find some running shoes for myself. Not too bad, except that shoe shopping didn't work so well with the double stroller and three year old removing shoe boxes from the shelves to see what was inside! That I will have to do alone!

All in all a pretty good week. I am happy to say that we survived, and I even managed to get a few things done! I will be ready to cut back to having help only two days in the fall. At least so Tadhg and I can do music classes and I can get errands done alone or with only one child!

Way, Way Too Long!

Okay, it's been like six months since I last posted. I have decided that my original plan to post every day (what was I thinking) is just too ambitious and overwhelming. Besides, I just don't do enough exciting stuff to keep up a blog day to day. So, I have decided to post weekly. With that being said, I will try to give an overview of the past six months - at least the major happenings.

March

Tadhg turned three on the 23rd and we had a Blue's Clues themed party with just family and a couple of neighbors. I do think he enjoyed the spotlight for a few days!

April

We had our first overnight at my parents for Easter. We proved it could be done, with tons of stuff, but it can be done! The girls did very well. They fell asleep better and took longer naps then at our house! Tadhg had fun with Pop Pop playing with the trains. All in all a great first overnight visit. The week after Easter Ciara ended up in the hospital with a serious UTI. Her fever shot up to 106.5 - scary to say the least! She has been diagnosed with urinary reflux and will have more tests and specialist visits in the months ahead. Right now she is on a nightly dose of antibiotics to prevent another UTI. Mommy was overnight and daddy manned the the rest of the troops with lots of help from one of out angels, Ms. Ann, as well as Grammy. Thank God for our helpers!

May

We started out this month with a weekend to Philly. We got to leave the state of Maryland with the clan, and I enjoyed some Mommy time at my future sister -in-law's bridal shower. We got to visit with some friends and family up there, since many were anxious to see the girls.

June

This was a huge month for us as the 30th marked the girls' first birthday! We survived the first year! We had a huge BBQ to celebrate and were thrilled to have so many family and friends here to help us toast their first year.

July

We started out with a July 4th celebration at my parents', and then the next weekend trekked up to the Jersey shore for a couple of nights. We were hosted by our soon to be sister -in- law, Erika, her father and step-mother. We had great weather, but unfortunately Tadhg had a double ear infection which made him a little moody. Hopefully, it was just this that made him want to stay as far away from the water as possible!

Now I can properly start my weekly posts now that everyone's pretty much up to speed!

We Remember

Today is the fourth anniversary of the loss of our twin girls, Kathleen and Ella. I am filled with many emotions this year. Our lives have come full circle as we have completed our family with another set of twin girls, Ciara and Maura. I can honestly say that since that day four years ago not a day goes by that I don't think of them. I don't always cry, nor do I dwell on the what ifs, or feel sorry for myself. Often I take pause and realize how lucky I am to have three healthy, beautiful children. I try to be a little more patient, and enjoy them even more than I already do. I remember how supportive my husband has always been, but especially during our darkest days after the loss. I remember how we came together and didn't let this tragedy tear us apart. We strengthened our marriage and came through stronger, knowing that we had survived the worst - together. I know others may not understand our need to remember. But, I feel that their short lives, though only inside me, should be acknowledged. We loved them the second we learned they were conceived. They were individual, little people to us. I feel very guilty this year because I completely forgot to schedule a Mass for them at our church. I feel most guilty because I am so busy with our new additions. I hope they know that they haven't been replaced in our hearts. They will always be remembered. When our living children are old enough to understand we will do something each year on their birthday to honor their memory. We hope that by doing this as a family our children will know how much they were wanted, and how much they are loved. We took such a risk with our hearts to try again, but we were blessed, and we know it.

We've Come So Far!

Wow! I can't believe I haven't updated my blog since October! (I actually can because it's just so busy here) The girls have settled into more of a routine which is nice. They still fuss/cry as they fall asleep. I've accepted that to be the way they fall asleep. They are smiling and laughing and getting ready to crawl! It has been so much fun to watch Tadhg develop a relationship with his sisters. He loves to make them laugh by jumping up and down, and blowing raspberries. They just crack up! You can just see how attached he is getting and it's so sweet. Today I had to take the "girlies" (as they are known around here, thanks to big brother) up for their nap. Tadhg was finishing his lunch. From upstairs I hear wailing and am thinking he had fallen out of his chair or something. After he was calm enough to explain he told me "he forgot to say good night to the girlies". I mean how stinkin' cute! He was so upset! So before he went in for his rest he stood outside their door (they were already asleep) and whispered "goodnight, Ciara, goodnight Maura, I love you". It brings tears to the eyes!

Crying It Out

Though there are many things difficult about parenting I think getting kids to sleep is at the top of the list. I am writin this as my baby girls "cry it out" upstairs for the fifth night in a row. UGH!! I absolutely HATE it! However, with two babies you can imagine how elusive sleep can be. Up until this week I hadn't really been able to talk to my husband unless a few stressed words over crying babies counts (it doesn't in my book). My DVR is at risk of not recording because it is so full since I have been running up and down the stairs pushing binkies into two crying mouths. It seemed once one baby was asleep the other would wake and around and around we'd go. That would be my night. I'd end up feeling a combination of resentment (if my husband had his turn downstairs) or guilt (that he was stuck up there). So, after we decided to consult a child sleep specialist (Kim West, author of Good Night Sleep Tight), and I read Dr. Marc Weisbluth's Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child; I decided to let them "cry it out". It doesn't seem to be progressing as well or as quickly as I thought. It took our son about a week of max thirty minute crying to get it. That was after he nursed himself to sleep for a year then suddenly decided that he wouldn't fall asleep that way anymore. That was a year of a bad habit. I am starting this early thinking that it can't possibly take that long! But you see, they get stubbornness from both sides of our families. Why couldn't we just have easy, lay you down and you look around and whammy you're asleep. Ahhhh, the challenges of parenting twins!! I guess there is one good thing - they will usually fall asleep for naps without the screaming. Thank God for small blessings!

Sweet Singing

Tadhg and I have been taking Music Together classes since he was nine months old. He always seemed to respond to music from birth, so naturally I thought he would enjoy music classes. He started out swaying and "dancing" to his music. He then moved on to playing instruments, to chanting or just speaking the words of songs, he would finish a line of a song if I started it. We had to take a brief hiatus from class while I was pregnant and I was anxious to get back. We started last week and the new music collection is lots of fun. It includes some classics like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean". Well, I was awakened by the sweetest sound this morning, my little guy singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider"! He was singing with great pitch and sang the words so clearly! It was so cool and exactly what I've been waiting for for the last year and a half. He gets very shy if you ask him to perform though, so I'll have to listen for those moments when he thinks no one is listening! Trying to catch that on tape should be interesting!