Life with "Action Jackson and the Twincesses"!

He's Just NOT that into me...

2010-06-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

I have been absent for a while, from blog-ville, I mean. One would expect that I'd be posting about the girls "Fabulous First Birthday Party"... and I will. Today though, it's another 1 year old cutie-pie that's gracing the pages of my blog!

My best friend Heidi had a beautiful baby boy Rocco, just 4 weeks before the twincesses were born. We weren't best friends when he was born, but we've grown very close over the past year. Heidi and I, NOT Rocco and I. I was working in OB for a Boston hospital and Heidi was a patient (she's given me permission to disclose that). Heidi and I share a few mutual friends and her husband and I went to school together, so we weren't complete strangers when she became pregnant and started to come in for regular visits. One day she invited me to lunch. We went to Cheesecake factory and I almost canceled on her. I had an ultrasound and OB appt that morning and was supposed to meet her after. That was the day I found out that Ava wasn't growing as expected and I was hesitant to meet her for lunch as I was feeling very nervous and unsure. But I was hungry. And it was Cheesecake factory and she'd be waiting for me, so I went. It was instant friendship. We were both pregnant, both part of big Italian families, mine by birth and hers by marriage. She was honest and funny and she loved eating and shopping... it was a match made in pregnant/mom friendship heaven! Just a few days later she invited me to go walking... I was so nervous. It was like a second date with a great guy. You know, you don't want to mess up and ruin your chances for a future date! The thing is, I am far from physically fit and I was pregnant with twins. Heidi was just starting to limit her daily jog/walks to one lap around the local pond rather than 2 and was a 3 time marathoner. I forgot my water and I swear I almost went into labor trying to keep up with her. But, she was patient and we walked and talked and talked. The cherry on top of my new found friendship was the fact that Heidi loved Jackson. You mom's out there know what I am talking about, right? Some friends ooh and aah at your kids, tell you your kids are cute and bring little trinkets when they come to visit. But nothing compares to a friend that genuinely LOVES your kids. And Heidi did. An Jackson LOVES her too.

So it seemed only natural that when Heidi gave birth to Rocco, that I would love him too. And I do. Problem is, he doesn't feel the same way about me. I am not sure when it started. I visited him in the hospital just days after he was born and I held him and kissed his sweet little auburn head. I helped him latch on, when he was having trouble nursing. I bought him cute clothes, sang sweet songs and did all of the "right" things. Kids love me, really they do! Maybe it's the fact that he had his first real hunger fit while visiting Ava and Emma at the hospital the day they were born. Maybe it's because I tried to give him a bottle when Heidi was at her wits end with his refusal to take a bottle and was exhausted from the round the clock nursing. I am not sure?

It's no secret though. Heidi tried to brush it off at first, she'd kind of jokingly deny it... "no, he loves you, he's just fussy" or "don't worry, he's like that with everyone". But even she could not deny it any longer. So about a month ago she dropped him off for the afternoon, to go to a meeting and when I tell you he cried for almost an hour, I mean he sobbed and hyperventilated and crawled to the door and tried to escape for almost an HOUR!! That's a very long time in 12 month old land! Well, it's not going to last forever right? I had this picture in my head of the two of us, with our babies, always there for each other and of-course we are always there for each other. I would never turn down a request to babysit Rocco, regardless of how upset he may be at the mere sight of me. And Heidi has bravely watched all 3 of my kids, fed them and put them all to sleep, and she had with Rocco with her as well... seriously, that is a true friend! Oh and I should note that the girls LOVE Heidi and are all smiles when they're with her.

Today Heidi had an ultrasound appointment and would be finding out the gender of her second baby! She mentioned not feeling comfortable bringing Rocco, since her husband may have to leave to keep Rocco quiet and happy and would really like to be there for the whole appointment. I of-course offered to watch Rocco. I was eager to see if he'd warm up to me and she's always looking for the chance to acclimate Rocco to being with others. Rocco is very attached to his mommy and daddy, and with a new baby on the way, no time is better then the present! It stared out OK. I woke up early and prepped... it was like getting to know Heidi all over again. I was nervous, afraid I'd mess up. I made him waffles, since I know he likes carbs. I put on Curious George (his favorite). I made sure all of his favorite toys were out. I smiled and appeared calm when Heidi and Rocco arrived (truly I was sweating like a pig and my heart was pounding). Hedi placed Rocco on the carpet in front of the TV, kissed him on the forehead and left. He was fine. For the first 3 minutes. Once he realized she was gone, he started to cry. Although not as hysterically as last time. He would calm down for a few seconds, distracted by the TV or a toy and then cry again for a bit. It seemed liked forever, but when I looked at the clock, it was only about 10 minutes. My mom came over to say good morning and I knew Rocco would be much happier if I could get him outside, so she sat with my kids for a few minutes, while I took Rocco for a walk in the wagon. Walking down our cul-de-sac with Rocco in the wagon, I found myself in tears. It's silly, I know. He's just a baby and I shouldn't take it personally. But I do. I want him to love me, like I love him. Like Jackson and the girls love Heidi. I decided I would relax and stop thinking about it. I know kids sense things and I was a mess.

It was actually a much better visit then we had anticipated. We came back inside and Rocco was happy playing with Jackson and crawling around. I also discovered that he is much happier when he isn't confined. I opened up a panel to the play yard so he could crawl in an out and he was happier sitting inside the play area, just knowing he could get out. I even got a few smiles out of him and when his Daddy came inside to pick him up, he didn't crawl to him in tears, like I had envisioned.

One day we'll look back and laugh at these memories. I hope. I imagine our kids will always be close and I hope they know how lucky they are to have friends that they have known their whole life. One day Rocco will laugh at my silly faces. Maybe he'll even jump into my lap for a bedtime story. For now though, I just have to accept that he's just NOT that into me.

Let's hope his baby brother feels differently! Congrats Heidi, Chris and Rocco, we can't wait to meet baby boy #2!!

Tanya

Ava + Emma + Cake = LOVE!!

2010-06-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

I am too tired to do a long and detailed post and the hundreds of pictures that I took today still need some editing! I will say that it was a GREAT day, Ava and Emma were smiling from start to finish and of-course they LOVE cake!!

Happy Birthday my loves!!

Stay tuned for a full 1st Birthday recap and more deliciously adorable pictures!!

Tanya

ONE last post...

2010-06-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

... before the Twincesses are ONE!! Ava and Emma will be 1 in just under an hour! I am not going to lie, I have been a bit of a wreck all day. I just can't believe how quickly this past year has flown bye and I am missing the days where my babies were tiny and sleeping swaddled in their co-sleeper. I truly look forward to each and every moment and milestone with my kids. I can't wait to see Jackson get on the school bus one day. I eagerly await the girls taking their first steps, saying "Jackson" for the first time, and so much more! But it all happens way too fast for me. And maybe a part of it, is that Ava and Emma are most likely the last babies I will have? I was emotional when Jackson turned 1 also, but not like this. I was in line at the party store tonight and I found myself holding back tears while looking up at the balloons I was picking up. When I got home, the kids were in bed and Rick was in the kitchen, I handed him the balloons and started to cry. He looked at me confused and said "Tanya, you do realize that we are keeping them, right... I mean you're acting like we have to give them back or something".

I decorated their high chairs tonight, I am sure they will be very excited to see the balloons. Jackson made the girls each a birthday card, with some help from Rick and they came out really cute! I need to get some sleep, we have a big day planned tomorrow and I want to get up early and make a big breakfast for my BIRTHDAY girls!

Tanya

Memorial Day

2010-05-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

We have had such beautiful weather here in Boston! I hope all of you are enjoying your families and friends and the long holiday weekend!

I am also hoping that everyone finds a minute in between all of the BBQs, swimming, boating, spring cleaning, or whatever it is that you're up to this weekend, to stop think about all of the brave men and women who have served our country and have sacrificed their lives doing so. For without them, we wouldn't have the freedom to do so many of the things we often take for granted.

Thanks to my grandfather, my father-in-law, my husband and our dear friends still serving us. Special thanks to those who have made the greatest sacrifice and to their families. May you have peace this Memorial Day.

Tanya

Saturday Snapshot: Sneakers

2010-05-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of all of our sneakers lined up, it reminds me that we are a family of FIVE!!

Tanya

Way Back Wednesday: Soccer

2010-05-12T14:37:00.000-07:00

Jackson's been begging to play soccer lately! We are signing him up at the Local YMCA, since it seems he's genuinely tortured by the idea of waiting for the 1 week clinic in August that's offered by our town recreation dept.

These pics were taken in July of 2008, also at the YMCA. As you can sort of tell, Jackson didn't really get into it. He was always looking the wrong way, or running in the oppoite direction and his favorite part was the water breaks. To be honest, the 45 minute session was more like a long water break with a couple 5 minute soccer ball chasing sessions sprinkled in for good measure!

Below are some pictures taken last week at my sister, Allison's house and as you can see, he has definitely improved! Jackson's cousins, Orlando, 11 and Justin, 9 are super athletes and especially good at Soccer! Of-course they are also the coolest kids on the planet, so Jackson is all the more excited to improve his skills and "play with the big boys"!!

Tanya

Makes My Monday: We have a walker!!

2010-05-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

Gotcha! I'll bet you thought one of the Twincesses had taken her first steps. Nope. Not even close actually, but they are both crawling now. Well technically they are army crawling, but they look more like little inch-worms.

One of my twin mom friends gave us a walker and Ava and Emma LOVE it. It's super cute and has a nice tray that can be used for a snack or some toys. We don't have much space, so the plan was to keep it at my mom's house and bring it to my sister's house next door, when we have a family get together there, which is quite often lately! Well they are just so damn cute cruising around, so we decided to move some of the other toys and gear into the kids room so they could use the walker at home too.

I know everyone has their own thoughts on walkers and whether they are safe and developmentally appropriate, blah, blah, blah. Our EI specialist thinks it's just fine and I am not planning on leaving the girls in it for ours on end, so I am not worried about it. Oh, and we have no stairs.

So now my only issue is debating getting a second one, since whichever baby is not in the walker is in serious danger of getting run over by a crazy baby in a walker!!

Tanya

Happy Mothers Day Mom!

2010-05-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Mom,

Happy Mother's day! You are the kindest and most patient person I know. You always know just what to say, even when I don't want to hear it. You are smart and you are strong, inside and out. You are funny... the kind of funny where the jokes are the funniest when they aren't really funny at all. You are nurturing and you are always thinking of others. You are so many things. You are a baby whisperer, an amazing cook and one of my best friends. I am proud to have you for a mother and Jackson, Ava and Emma are blessed to have you for a grandmother We love you, with all of our hearts.

Tanya

Crazy Lady.

2010-05-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

OK, so I hate to be the snobby twin-mom who gets annoyed when people ask questions and/or make comments, but there is no way around it sometimes. I am usually very happy to answer people's questions, as crazy and inconceivable as some of them are. I think it's sweet that every old lady in the mall wants to "just take take a peek" at Ava and Emma and ask a few questions. My mother is a an angel and a very ~~obsessed~~ proud grandmother, so she's more than happy to parade the girls down the streets of town and answer questions... hell she'd probably do a Q&A session with photos at the local library or the Mall food court, if I let her!

Rick and I took Ava and Emma to Panera for dinner a few days ago and while waiting in line, we noticed a woman and her grown son (I am guessing 17yo) were checking us out. This woman, who for the rest of this post will be referred to as Crazy Lady was just itching to say something. I could tell. I smiled at her and that was all she needed, she walked over and said to her son while pointing at Ava and Emma, as if Rick and I weren't there and the girls were in some sore of aquarium or glass encased exhibit "look honey it's the kind that look exactly alike". Then she asked me "what are they called". Me - "Twins", I said, "they are Identical twins". Crazy Lady - "Oh, that's right, those are the kind that skip a generation, right?". Me - "Ummm, not sure about that, but you're thinking of fraternal twins, Identical twins are not hereditary". Crazy Lady - "Oh, I see, because my grandfather had the other kind, the kind that look different" (I assume she meant that he fathered twins, not had them, but I didn't dare question her). It takes a lot to keep me quiet, but I had no response to that. Crazy Lady then looks at her son and says "see honey, everyone thought that I would have twins, because my grandfather did, and he had the kind that come every other generation, but thank god I didn't"... Crazy lady then looks at me and says "no-offense though".

None taken Crazy Lady. None Taken.

Tanya

Baby Picture Sundays!

2010-05-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Jackson's first trip to the beach!!

Late July 2006, he was almost 11 months (the same age as the girls now).

Sisters!

2010-04-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, when I found out I was expecting twins, I hoped for girls! Mostly becuase I knew they were identical from the start. I LOVED having a son, it was so new to me after growing up with 5 sisters and dozens of female cousins. But becuase I knew they were the same gender, I thought it would be nice to have 2 girls. Sisters. Of-course I would have been ~~terrified~~ thrilled to have 3 boys, but I wanted a daughter. I wanted share that bond that a mother and daughter have. I'm pretty sure we are done with babies. Rick wanted 2 kids and I wanted 3, so I got lucky! Most parents would agree with me when I say, I can't imagine things any other way. I love that the girls have an older brother to protect them and they can't get enough of Jackson's silly faces and funny dance moves. Jackson is a total momma's boy and always has been. I can already see that the attachment Ava and Emma have to Rick is just amazing, and sadly much stronger than any attachment they seem to have to me. They love me of-course, but they don't look at me like they look at their father and they don't cry when I leave the room, the way they do when he does.

I can't imagine my life without any of my sisters. We are all so different and although we drive each other crazy, we have a bond that is unbreakable and we truly love each other unconditionally. Ava and Emma have such a remarkable connection and I am so happy that they have each other. I do sometimes worry that Jackson will feel like the odd man out. He loves them so much though and he is a great big brother. Even on his freshest day, he's ~~almost~~ always kind to his sisters.

It's just amazing how close the girls are. I am not sure if it's because they are twins, or becuase they are identical, but hey really love each other. They play together. They hold hands. They are so alike in so many ways and in others they couldn't be more different. They are not just sisters, they are best friends!

Tanya

Makes My Monday: Crawling!

2010-04-26T16:11:00.000-07:00

It's official, we have a crawler!! Ava started crawling today, commando style! Her timing could not have been more perfect, since her first Army style maneuvering was done right in front of our Early Intervention specialist! Emma is almost there, starting to get up on her knees and rock back and forth, just as Ava started a couple weeks ago. They are really on the move and it's only going to get ~~worse~~ better!!

Of course, I don't have any pictures yet, but I have some super cute shots of Jackson crawling at about 9 months. He was an Army crawler also, for the first 2 months and then crawled up on his knees for just a few weeks before he started walking.

Ava is not the only baby that's making my Monday with new found mobility... check out another extra cute little girl, who's just started walking at This Crazy Life! And tell me... what's making your Monday?

Tanya

Ava and Emma on a bookcover!!

2010-04-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember a few months back, Ava and Emma were booked by Harlequin Novels to be on a book-cover. I think the book is about twin boys, who are left on the doorstep of an attractive man... come on, that's totally realistic! Anyways, the book is for sale at Amazon, for $4.50 and I can't wait to read it! It's not my type of novel, but in this case, I am judging the book by it's cover and it's pretty damn cute!!

From the mouths of babes...

2010-04-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

... Or in this case, Jackson! I truly wish I had the time to write down everything that he says, because he's such a comedian and his vocabulary is very extensive. I am sure that those of you who know me personally aren't shocked to learn that I have a child who likes to talk! Loves to talk is more accurate, and of-course I find myself saying to Jackson those same dreaded words that my mother used to say to me... "do you ever stop talking" and "I think sometimes your just talking to hear yourself talk".

Here are just some of Action Jackson's most recent blog-worthy quotes...

"Mommy, don't be silly... I don't just want to be a cement worker, I also want to be a gas pumper at night"

"I know I can't marry Vittoria, because she is my cousin, but when I am older, and I am I college, then can I marry her?"

After I asked him to clean up his toys, he replied "no that's OK mommy, your a big girl, you can do it" (that one earned a time-out, but Rick and I had to leave the room, so Jackson wouldn't hear us giggling).

My Favorite quote needs a little back-story. A couple of weeks ago I took Jackson to the pediatrician for a throat culture (which was negative, but that's not the point). While we were there Dr. A told Jackson that he was very "impressed" with his mature behavior and good manners. On the way home Jackson asked "mommy, what does in press mean?" I explained that the "word is impressed, not in press" and that it means that "Dr. A is proud of you". He then asked me "are you impressed with me too mommy?" I replied "yes Jackson, of-course I am". "Even when you're upset with me are you impressed, mommy" he then asked. "Yes Jackson, even when I am upset, I am always proud of you", I said. He then asked "Mommy, sometimes are you outpressed?" I thought that was very insightful and super cute!

After a long explanation about how "outpressed" isn't a word, we moved on to the next million questions, but he's all about being "impressive" now and wants to make sure everyone is "impressed" with everything he does!

What are your kids saying?

Tanya

OK, so I am a day late!

2010-04-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

I know it's not Wednesday, but since I haven't posted 2 days in a row since the week I started blogging, I figured better late than never... right?! I have been sitting here for about 15 minutes trying to think of some clever Thursday catch phrase post title similar to "Way-Back Wednesday", but I couldn't come up with anything.

So here's my "Way-back Wednesday" photo, on Thursday...

This picture was taken during April Vacation 2007. I can't believe how small Jackson was, he is much BIGGER than that truck now!

Tanya

Ava's Special Day!

2010-04-21T07:52:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I have posted anything and I am starting to feel guilty. We have been busy, but who isn't? I know lots of mom's who have 3, 4, even 5 kids, some that work full time and still find time to blog weekly, even daily! No excuses, I just haven't been into it, I guess. I have had plenty to blog about. We've been having lots of fun lately, the kids are really enjoying all the Spring activities and warmer weather.

Last week I decided to take one of the girls out for a special day and Rick was off work on Friday, which ~~never~~ rarely happens, so it worked out perfectly. Rick stayed home with Jackson and Emma and I took Ava with me to go shopping with Heidi (one of my best friends), her parents, who are visiting from San Diego and her son, Rocco, who is just a month older than Ava and Emma. How did I choose who to take with me? Well, obviously I am planning to take Emma for a special mommy day very soon, so it was just a matter of who was in a better mood. To be honest, they were both happy and smiling, so I asked Jackson to choose for me. Emma happened to be sitting next to him on the floor at the time, so he said he wanted her to "stay home and play". According to Rick and Jackson, Emma had a great day and seemed to enjoy all the special attention!!

Ava was like a little baby pageant queen at the Mall. She was just in her glory, waving to everyone, clapping her hands and smiling. I had bought some tiny elastics for babies, so she had her first "pony-tail" in... well more like a little sprout! I swear she knew she looked cute. Ava and Emma LOVE going shopping with me. There is so much to see and they love going out in the stroller and since they are right next each other, they can play and share toys. Rocco hung out with Ava in the stroller, so she did have a play-mate. He's with us so much, that he's learned to share and socialize with other babies very well, for an only child. Of-course, everyone wanted to know if Ava and Rocco were twins. What's really funny, is how excited people were to see "a boy and a girl"! People just love a set of boy/girl twins and seemed disappointed to learn that they weren't twins, but that Ava did have a twin sister. I guess since they look nothing alike and I am so used to having twin girls, I wasn't expecting even more attention then I when I am out with Ava and Emma! The babies were both fantastic all day. They both napped in the stroller, Ava for 30 minutes and Rocco for well over an hour! We had lunch in the food court, where we discovered Ava's love of fried rice (probably not the best choice, I know) and then we let then crawl around, since this mall had a big carpeted area... OK, Rocco crawled and Ava sat and watched ;)

It was such a great day and I am so glad we did it. It was hard leaving the house with just Ava. I felt a little guilty, but more so it just felt odd. Packing the baby bag for one, bringing one bottle, one container of baby food and one spoon and buckling one baby in her car seat. It was great though. I really got to enjoy Ava and she truly seemed to enjoy having all of my attention. But I did really missed Emma. Jackson and I have lots of alone time, but I usually have all three kids, or I have just Jackson, or just the girls. I had never been with just Ava or Emma, except for when they were in the hospital with RSV. After hearing about how much Emma enjoyed her time at home with her brother and her Daddy, I felt better and now I can't wait to take her out for her special day!

Tanya

Poll: Please vote for your favorite here!!!!!!!!!

2010-02-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

Poll: Please vote for your favorite here!!!!!!!!!

Vote for Rocco... #21!!

Lots of new happenings!

2010-02-11T08:43:00.000-08:00

So first let me say that I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I am not the best blogger. It isn't that I don't enjoy blogging, I really do! And it's not like we don't have TONS of new and exciting news to share. I just don't take the time to do it very often and that's OK, right? So, I am going to break this post down into a few parts.

1. My weight loss progress! Lots of people have been asking and I love all of the comments and support, so keep em' coming! I am down 13lbs and I have lost every week since I started. I am not loosing big numbers weekly, like I have in the past, but I am OK with that. I'm more likely to have success in keeping the pounds off, if they come off slowly and let's face it... I am getting older! Of-course I know that turning 31 last month doesn't mean I should get on a wait-list for an assisted living home, but the older you are the harder it is to get back into shape. I am working hard, but I could work harder, for sure. I have been going to the gym 3-4 times a week and eating smaller portions, making healthier choices. I need to work on drinking more water, eating more fruits and veggies and not eating after 7pm. I am not a mid-night snacker, but I have been eating dinner after the gym in the evenings and then having a light dessert/snack after 8pm, which isn't a great habit. I weigh in on Monday mornings and that keeps me in check over the weekend. I used to (after I had Jackson) weigh in on Friday's, so I often splurged on the weekends and then made up for it all week. I was still successful, but I think it's important to make healthier choices every day. I am also going to start going to WW meetings after my 3 month WW online subscription runs out, since I liked the meetings before (also after I had Jackson) and I miss that support.

2. All about Action Jackson! Jackson has been so much fun lately, he is a true comedian. The things that he says are just so hilarious, but can also be inappropriate sometimes. Some favorites...

"mom, when I am five, then can I go live with Auntie Allison and change my name to Pepe"

"mom, how come Vittoria's Barbie Dolls don't have those things on their breast so they can feed babies"

Me: "Jackson show me how you say your prayers"

Jackson: "prayers"

Oh, I could go on and on, but I will leave you with that! Jackson has been testing boundaries a lot lately, talking back and throwing 2yo-like tantrums. We have been more persistent with discipline, time-outs and following through and it seems to be working. He's so sweet and affectionate, but also VERY sensitive and VERY dramatic! He loves to be the center of attention, so when he learned that this week at preschool was going to be "All About Jackson", he couldn't have been more thrilled. We put together a big poster, with lots of pictures, artwork and all of Jackson favorite things to hang on the bulletin board in his classroom. We also made 4 small posters with different themes... "My Birthday", "When I grow up", " My Cousins" and "I love being a Big Brother" to pass around the class. Jackson and I had a lot of fun picking out favorite pictures to include, cutting his favorite things from magazines, using glitter glue and Jackson especially loved drawing his first "self-portrait". I will take photos of our posters when they come home from school and post them!

3. The Twincesses take NYC! The little ladies are getting so BIG and they are just so sweet! They just love playing with each-other and they have lots of new toys from Christmas that they are just starting to really enjoy. My sister gave me her "jumperoo" and they really love it! Ava bounces like crazy and crosses her little feet like a ballerina, it's just precious! I need to have Rick show me how to post video on here, I have some super cute videos of Ava jumping. Emma likes it too, but just hasn't completely got the hang of it yet. We had Early Intervention here yesterday for the girls first evaluation and they both qualified for services. Mostly for gross motor skills, neither of them are sitting and they aren't very mobile, but both girls are rolling over (Emma finally did it!) and Ava is starting to pivot and reach while on her belly. They also qualified for "expressive language", but neither of them made any consonant sounds while being evaluated and both of them do. I am not super concerned, but I am happy that they are going to get some help and I am looking forward to the extra set of hands once a week. I have also heard phenomenal things about the EI playgroups.

The biggest news is that the girls were featured on a book cover for Harlequin Novels and we got to go to NYC for the photo shoot! It was lots of fun and the girls were so great. They slept the whole way there and back (we drove) and they got the star treatment! My mom, who has never been to NYC came with me and it was so much fun to see her relax and enjoy herself. We stayed right in Times Square, which was so much fun and the girls loved walking around and seeing all of the lights. The girls were actually cast as boys, so they were in overalls and posed with a "Ricky Martin" look a like who was their "dad". The book comes out in early summer and I will be sure to post the cover, once we get our copies!!

The girls are really growing their own adorable little personalities. Ava is feisty and silly and a sweet little goof-ball and Emma is more mellow, more serious and just melts your heart with her shy smile!

This winter has been just great! We are all having a lot of fun and truly enjoying every minute of being together!

Tanya

My New Years Resolution...

2010-01-18T08:28:00.000-08:00

... Sort of. I don't really love the idea of a New Years Resolution. To me, it just seems kind of temporary and I think we all need to examine our lives, habits and relationships and commit to make changes for the better... regardless of the time of year. It just so happens that this year, I was ready to start changing my eating habits, get more exercise and loose some of this "baby weight". Truly it's not really fair to call it that, since most of it was here pre-pregnancy. It's just shifted. The timing was right, so on January 1st I (like millions of others), logged onto Weight Watchers online and had my first weigh-in. It's not a good number, not even a poor number... it's BAD. It's not going to be easy, but I can do it. I ave lost weight before on weight watchers, 37lbs actually! I know the plan works (for me) and I need the structure, the freedom to eat the foods I love and the accountability that WW provides. I am scared and excited, disappointed and anxious. I am dreading passing up Cheesecake on my Birthday, but I am also looking forward to seeing the number on the scale go down. I am looking forward to feeling good, feeling healthy, going for walks with my kids, getting back to the gym, discovering new healthy foods, and fitting into the designer jeans (from Marshall's of course) that my mom bought me for Christmas 2 years ago that are hanging in my closet with the tags still on them.

So far I am down 5.5lbs, I lost 3 the first week and 2.5 the second. Weigh-in is Monday morning and I promise to try my best to continue to post my progress. I was a little bummed to see that I only lost a few lbs the first 2 weeks. Of-course any loss it great and I am happy that I have been successful so far. I just remember that last time I started WW and I think I lost like 7lbs my first week and 5 my second! I was also working out then and this time around I started with the healthy eating and counting points first and have yet to join a new gym. I LOVE the gym I was going to, but simply can not afford it and, I have not been very good at getting out for walks with the kids this winter. I just don't feel like getting them all bundled up and getting my beast of a stroller out. There is no excuse though, If I want to loose weight, I need to MOVE. So I am going to join a cheaper gym that has a nice sitting room. My super-fit sister and Marathoner girlfriend both belong to the same gym, so that will be both helpful and miserable at the same time!

My friends Mamma Joss and Goddess in Progress have been so inspiring and super successful, because of their dedication to their weight loss/get fit goals! I need all of the help I can get, so I am hoping you will all support me. Share your success stories, recipes, thoughts and tips. Please don't be shy, lord knows I am not!

Tanya

Lots of new happenings!

2010-01-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

I have been so bad about blogging lately and I have no excuse really! We have had PLENTY going on and lots of blog worthy stuff too! I am going to break it all down into a few different posts, so that I don't have to write (and you don't have to read) a 5 page post. Also, this way I am sort of forced to follow up and post more often!

The holidays were amazing, Santa was good to all of us and Jackson is at such a great age for all of the parties, lights and presents of-course! The Twincesses got tons of adorable new clothes, their very 1st dolls, lots of great little rattles and teethers and their first Tea Set!! Santa brought Jackson a rocket space station and a fire engine that he can take apart and put back together with a working drill! The kids also got a hand-made book shelf from Dad and some great new books!!

New Years Eve was low-key, but lots of fun and Jackson made it to mid-night, which I NEVER thought would happen! We celebrated with family and a few good friends, next door at my sister's house. The girls were asleep upstairs in the pack n' play by 6:30, so not much action for them! We had lots of great food, Champagne and plenty of sweets. We all played Wii Karaoke and watched the ball drop, it was so cute to watch the excitement (mixed with exhaustion) on Jackson's face when we all screamed Happy New Year and blew our noisemakers. I will always remember that moment, a perfect start to the new year!!

Happy Belated 2010!! Here are some pics form the Holidays. Stay tuned to hear about the big milestones the Twincesses are reaching (and not reaching), plus hear all about Jackson's new preschool and my newest Weight-loss endeavors!!

Tanya

2009-12-25T07:56:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to ALL.....

Tanya, Rick, Jackson Ava & Emma!!

Oh wait, I almost forgot...

2009-12-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

... I have a BLOG! I have been so bad lately and to be honest, I don't have a good excuse for not posting anything in the past few weeks. Oh well, you forgive me right? Good, then now for some updates!

Action Jackson is doing great, we are spending lots of time working on recognizing letters and writing his name. Rick is also working on teaching him to tie his shoes. There is always some sort of construction going on here and Jackson can't get enough of all of the trucks and tools. He loves to "go to work" with his dad and Nonno (my dad) and since they are building homes just outside our front door, it's perfect! Jackson is also really into everything Christmas... especially Holiday movies, Nemo (our "Elf on the Shelf" pictured in the first pic below, sitting above the cabinet) and making anything gingerbread!

The Twincesses are getting so BIG and they are so much fun! We started solids just a few weeks ago and it's going well. They really didn't love any of it at first, but after some time they adjusted just fine. Funny... Ava seems to prefers fruits, like apples and pears and Emma prefers veggies like zucchini, squash and carrots! They have also been spending a lot of time "playing". They love their exersaucers and have started reaching for the attached toys, they love Sesame Street and mostly they LOVE each other! They sleep close to one another, they hold hands and rub each others heads, they blow raspberries and laugh together! They are just so sweet!

Oh and I can't forget about Lucy! NO, we haven't adopted a 4th child... we are dog sitting! Lucy is a sweet Beagle and she's staying with us while her mom and dad (our friends Heidi and Chris) are visiting family and doing some deer hunting. Jackson and Lucy spent all morning outside enjoying our first true snow-fall of the year! She's really a great dog and I am not a big dog person. I do love animals, but I am just not in love with idea of caring for one full-time. Rick, on the other hand very much wants a dog. Lucy is quiet, especially for a Beagle. She's well behaved, great with kids and Jackson is over-the-moon that we're watching her. Still, having a dog is a lot of work and I think we'll wait a few years before we re-visit the idea of bringing one into our home permanently!

That's pretty much it for new and exciting news with us. We've got lot's of Birthdays threw out the Holiday Season and we're looking forward to celebrating with family and friends and enjoying the Twincesses First Christmas!

Join in and share some pics of your little ones enjoying the Holiday season and the snow (if you have snow of-course) and check out Mamma Joss's adorable little munchkins enjoying their first "snow-day" too!

Tanya

Fight For Preemies

2009-11-17T15:45:00.000-08:00

Today is National Prematurity Awareness Day and all over the blogosphere, you're sure to find lots of mom's and dad's posting about their story, all in an effort to help raise awareness.

We are so blessed to have benefited from the decades of work done by organizations like March Of Dimes. For us... knowing that we were expecting multiples, also meant that we were a bit more prepared for welcoming premature babies and life in the NICU and at home!

Luckily our girls were born healthy at just past 35 weeks. Ava was diagnosed with IUGR at almost 18 weeks and we were followed closely with Ultrasounds, dopplers to check their cords and cord flow and fluid checks. They took them a week before my scheduled C-Section, due to Ava's slow growth... she was in the 2nd%. Emma spent just a few short hours (seemed like forever) in the NICU for rapid breathing and both girls had some issues with body temperature, and feeding. Overall, they were just fine and we came home with them just 5 days after I delivered.

Still there are thousands of babies born too early and born sick every year. In Massachusetts we get a passing grade, but many states do not! To find out more about what you can do to raise awareness and support the organizations that are fighting for our babies, click here.

Tanya

Halloween Part #2... Dino-Boy

2009-11-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

This is embarrassing, it's been almost a week since Halloween and I still haven't posted any pics of Dino-Boy! Jax really had fun with Halloween this year, last year he was too afraid to really enjoy any of the festivities. This year, I was able to coax him into my sister's annual haunted house, which was NOT easy, but he was fine once we were in. It's actually pretty scary, so I was surprised that we didn't have any tears. He loved Trick-or Treating too. We did have to explain that there was not time to start up a Q&A session with every person that answered the door! He asked people where their costumes were, why they didn't have any Halloween decorations up, told them he didn't like their candy selection, explained that he wasn't allowed to have gum, etc, etc, etc. It was cute at first and then it was just bad manners and we had to have a little talk with him. "Just say Trick-or Treat, thank you and move along Jackson". It (half-way) worked.

Anyways, here are some pictures of Dino-Boy in action!

Tanya

Halloween Part #1... The Twincesses First Halloween!!

2009-11-01T11:34:00.000-08:00

Ava and Emma seemed to really enjoy their first Halloween... as much as 5 month can! They were quiet for the most part, taking in all the sights and sounds. They HATE the wind, so things got a little "scary" for a little bit! We went Trick-or-Treating with Allison and Junior (older sister and brother -in-law, aka Batman and Elvira) and their kids. I am embarrassed to admit that for some reason I failed to get pictures of my nephews Orlando and Justin, but I did manage to get a few of my niece, Vittoria and our little friend Rocco, who was also celebrating his 1st Halloween! The babies were all in bed by 7pm (late for them) and slept late this morning even with the time change!

Check out my little flowers and some of our fellow Trick-or-Treaters and be sure to stay tuned for Part #2 featuring Dino-Boy...

Tanya

Goodbye Savannah...

2009-10-26T16:18:00.000-07:00

My family's dog was put to sleep today. Savannah, a beautiful and sweet Golden Retriever was really "Miranda's Dog". Miranda prayed and begged for her and after having major surgery to correct her hip sockets at 7 years old, my parents gave in. I must admit, I asked my parents not to get a Golden, to get anything but a Golden. Everyone had one and I wanted something more unique. Still, I fell in love with her when I came home from school and saw the adorable puppy sitting in Miranda's arms. We all loved her, but no one loved her like Miranda did. She loved and cared for Savannah, as if she was her own child and I know that Savannah felt that same love for Miranda.

Miranda, Alex (17 yo sister) and my mother took Savannah to the beach yesterday, it was her first time with her feet in the sand and the ocean! It was a wonderful end to her journey and I wish I could have been there. This morning she was simply to weak to get up. My mom called me from the Vet's office and said it was time to let her go, so we all went and said our good-byes. Always by her side, Miranda stayed with Savannah as she went to sleep, my did mother as well.

Please keep Miranda in your prayers and feel free to leave a comment, as she follows my blog and I am sure could use any kind words offered.

RIP Savannah, we LOVE you!

Persistence is FINALLY paying off... Part #2

2009-10-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

You may have already read Part #1 of this post, if not you can check it out here. I am happy to announce that "action Jackson" had another successful bedtime last night and slept until 7am this morning! Now for the "Twincesses"...

I gave some background info for Part #1, so I'll do the same here: Ava and Emma were born just over 35 weeks and both came home with me from the hospital. Emma spent her first day in the NICU, Ava (the smaller baby) was diagnosed with IUGR, but went straight to the regular nursery! I have to admit, I do sometimes treat the girls differently because of their size and prematurity. Certain milestones have been met at the appropriate age and some were a little late, but perfect for their "adjusted age". I guess it's silly, since they don't have any problems related to their early arrival. I had started to be a little more lax about things at one point, then both girls were hospitalized with RSV and I think I regressed a bit.

The girls have been sleeping soundly and ALL night long for several weeks! They have truly been good sleepers from the start. Like most newborns, they spent much of the day swaddled like little burritos. I think we expected that at some point they'd "let us know" when they were done being strapped into their "straight-jackets" as my family calls them! I know all of you twin moms out their can sympathize with me here, as we have had many discussions and even posted illustrated tutorials on our beloved swaddling techniques! I am sure a lot of singleton moms are with me too. I mean really, they are sleeping 12 hours at night and napping the day away... obviously I am doing something right. So now that they truly are out-growing their

swaddle blanket/sleep-sack combo, we were faced with a decision... buy new ones or see how they do without them. The following letter from "Ava and Emma" aka my mother, which I received at work last week was the last straw:

Dear Mom,
I know you don't' want us to grow up, but you gotta face it. We are getting to damn big for those bleeping pink swaddles! Our toes are getting numb from them being to short for our growing bodies. Yes we are comfy and cozy for the most part, but get us something longer or we are going on STRIKE!!!.
Your Loving Daughters,
Ava and Emma

This is not a joke. So what choice did I have, really? Anyways, it's inevitable... eventually they will need to learn to sleep without the swaddles, so this week we decided to "wean" them. With advise from another MOT (thanks Heather!) we got some long sleeve sleep-sacks (again, thanks Heather!) and turned the sleeves inside out, so that they girls could move around, but still were somewhat confined and cozy. Like any transition, there was an adjustment period. The first few naps were shorter and they didn't sleep as soundly that first night, but it wasn't bad at all. We did this for 3 days. Yesterday, we put them in the sleep sacs, with their arms in the sleeves... yes it's true... full freedom! They were sooo funny, laughing, swatting each other, rolling around and sucking on their hands. They didn't know what to with themselves, with all of this new found freedom of motion! That first morning nap, it took about an hour for them to fall asleep, then they woke up a couple times, fussed a little and would go back to sleep for 15-20 minute intervals. This lasted for 2-3 hours, which is how long these usually nap. Their afternoon nap was much better. Last night they went down at 6:30pm and didn't fall asleep until after 7:30, but they slept until 7am and this morning they went right down for their morning nap with no problem!

I am still not convinced that they really needed to be "set free", but I digress. It was going to happen eventually and now we are a step closer to putting them down for the night in their crib. That of course, will only happen when Jackson is consistently going to bed without melt-downs and not waking up at 4am!

Stay tuned... and for now some photos of the "Twincesses", sleeping soundly and swaddle free!

Tanya

Persistence is FINALLY paying off... Part #1

2009-10-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

I have been a bad blogger lately, but I have a good excuse... actually I have 3! Most of you that follow are personal friends or family members. For those who aren't... a little background info:

We live in a small, but sweet and CHEAP 2 bedroom appt. Jackson has always had his own room and has always been a phenomenal sleeper. When we learned we expecting twins, we decided to switch rooms with Jackson as ours was much bigger and we knew that eventually the kids would all be in one room. Jackson moved into his "new" room in March. We did it then, so that the transition would seem less like he was loosing his beloved bedroom, because of the girls. He's never really loved it. It's bigger and better in every way and he even got a new bed, Airplane bedding and cute new shelving for all of his books and toys! Still, he insists that his old room was "just perfect" for him, "small like me" and would prefer we "switch back and take the girls" with us. He loves the girls and has no issues with them napping in their crib in "his" room. He just refuses to also nap or sleep while they are in there!

Another issue... he has been waking up at un-godly hours lately. Usually somewhere between 4 and 5:30am. He comes into our room, asks if he can get up and when we tell him it's the middle of the night and he needs to go back to bed, he hits the floor screaming. Now all 3 kids are up, Rick and I are up and the battle begins! Some mornings he goes back to bed until 6:30-7am. Some he goes back for 15 minutes, only to start the whole cycle over again and others he just screams for 2+ hours. Lovely. So of-course we need to nip that in the bud, before we start putting the girls in their crib for the night. Luckily they sleep like angels in the co-sleeper in our room. Honestly though, some days I feel like they'll be crawling (literally) into our bed, before Jackson get's over this.

In additional to ALL of that, We have had our fair share of behavior issues lately. Not listening, out of control tantrums, talking back, refusing to nap, etc. Some days are great. Others, not so much. To be fair, we need to acknowledge that he's been through a lot of transition. He's been sick. The girls are getting more attention, oh and yes... he's realized now that we are "keeping them". A new teacher at preschool. I went back to work, so Rick's schedule changed as well. Just for fun, lets throw a little over-tired 4 year old into the mix and see what happens?! So, one of my co-workers (thanks D) suggested a chart and to be honest, I don't know why I didn't think of that.

So, I went on-line and made my own, one sleep chart and one behavior chart. Jackson earns stickers for things like "listening the 1st time", "cleaning up his toys" and "going back to sleep" after a middle-of-the-night wake up, without a tantrum. I printed them on photo paper and dug through my scrap-booking supplies for some stickers (need to hit the dollar-tree for come basic gold stars and smiley faces). I must say, I thought the first night was a coincidence, but he's been consistently better since we have been using the charts. We have had 2 days of difficult bedtime (he's never gone to bed well for Rick) and one morning that he woke at 5:30am , but went back into his room and read books quietly till after 6am. He's been napping better and when he doesn't nap, he has an hour of quiet time in his room. He's been a better listener, more cooperative and he's even getting himself dressed (this is HUGE)! All just for some stickers on a home-made chart! We had originally thought of having some sort of reward or prize after he earned so many stickers, but Rick felt that the stickers should be the reward and honestly I agree. He needs to understand that this is the behavior we always expect from him, so getting rewarded with toys and such, for doing things like getting himself dressed and not having melt-downs at 4am seems a little ridiculous. Right?

Regardless, it's working! Here are our charts... stay tuned for Part #2, to see how persistence is FINALLY paying of for the "Twincesses"...

Tanya

Things I Just CAN'T Live Without!

2009-10-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have lots to update everyone on! I just don't have the desire or the energy right now, emotionally we are all still pretty raw. But, I ~~will~~ must say THANK YOU all so, so much for the prayers and well wishes and you'll all be happy to hear that Jackson is perfectly fine! I promise to post all about that soon.

For now though, I am sort of copying Cheryl and having a little fun. So... here is a list of things I just can't live without.

1. Popcorn

2. My compact

3. Cell-phone

4. Soapnet

5. Digital Camera

6. Foot rubs

7. Chocolate

8. Girls night (drinks preferably, but not required)

9. Magazines (both trashy and parenting)

10. My Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

11. Coffee

12. Fuzzy socks

13. Scrap-booking, party planning and gift-wrapping

14. Butternut squash

15. Warehouse shopping (love my Costco and BJ's)

16. Everything Christmas, but specifically: Late-night Christmas Eve, wrapping gifts with my Mom, while sipping hot chocolate and listening to Christmas Carols. Watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation with my dad. Big FAT real Christmas Trees. The sweet surprised look on the kids faces.

17. Spell-Check

18. Talking!

So of-course my family is a given! Honestly though, when I read this... I am a little embarrassed. I mean I was honest, but yikes... I sound so tween-like! I am not that vein, I swear.

Now EVERYONE please, pretty, pretty please leave a comment! Anything on my list that makes yours? What can't you live without?

Tanya

Apple Picking for Alex's Birthday!

2009-10-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

My baby sister Alex is turning 18 in just a couple weeks and thank goodness she's (sometimes) a sweetheart and wanted to include the kids in the celebration! She chose apple picking and really what could be better? We had already been planning on going to Lookout Farm this year, as we did last and although it's pricey, there is lots of fruit for picking and lots to do for the kids. The day was extra special, since it isn't too often that all 6 of us sisters are in the same place! Also, Jackson's had a great weekend and OMG is that worth celebrating?! So I packed the kids up and brought along my "new" baby jogger double for the first time, although it didn't get much use, since Sam (my sister) and I had the "Twincesses" in the Baby Bjorns. The kids picked lots of Apples and had a blast running around the farm's huge play-area. There was so much to do, but for the most part they enjoyed a kids music and magic show. Fun was had by all and the weather could not have been more perfect!

Here are some of my favorite photos from today and be sure to stay tuned for this years photos of Rick and Jackson making apple pie (it's their tradition)!

Tanya

Way Back When-esday: My Favorite Time of Year

2009-10-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

I love the Fall, it's my favorite time of year! I love the foliage and the cool crisp air. I love apple picking, carving pumpkins, seeing all of the kids dressed up for Halloween and of course Thanksgiving... I LOVE all of it! This is definitely my season. Next week we will hit the (not really) Haunted Hayride at our local Farm, and enjoy an apple picking birthday party for my sister Alex, who's turning 18!! Jackson's preschool is going pumpkin picking for their field-trip this month and my local twin moms group is having it's annual Halloween party, which I have heard is always a blast. Oh, the fun-filled-Fall activities are endless!

I'd love to hear what fun everyone else has planned for the Fall and to see some of your favorite Fall photos, here are some of mine...

Tanya

Saturday Snapshots: Happy Birthday Ella, Not so Happy Day for Jackson.

2009-10-03T18:06:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have been having a tough time with "action Jackson" lately. He's not a bad kid. Really. He's actually a great kid, smart, funny and so loving. I am not just saying that because he's mine. For a while, I was actually feeling pretty blessed that he seemed to have adjusted to life with "the Twincesses" so well. Sure, he's had a few little bumps in the road since the girls arrived, but nothing major, nothing we weren't prepared for or expecting. It seems however, that the older they get, the worse he gets. It's tough. I can see that he is torn. He truly loves Ava and Emma and for the most part, he shows them only kindness and loves to help me with feedings, getting the girls dressed and is always trying to make them smile. At the same time, he is super difficult when I am busy caring for the girls and almost impossible when anyone else pays any attention to them. It's normal, I know. The thing is, with me going back to work, Rick being home more often, a new preschool classroom and now a new teacher, he's a total mess. Disaster. The majority of our days are a struggle, he's normally a sensitive kid, but these days he is incredibly emotional. He's not having great days at preschool, not even good days. To be honest, I am tears as I type this and not because I am upset with him, but because I am hurting for him. I am also feeling incredibly guilty. I am 100% head-over-heals in love with my girls, they are just too sweet for words. That being said, I miss being just Jackson's mom. I miss being able to spoil him with attention. Most of all, I miss him.

We went to a birthday party today for my sweet and adorable niece, Ella! She turned 2 and her mom threw her an amazing birthday party, complete with a ladybug Pinata, face painting and a pumpkin for all of the kids to take home. This, all despite the fact that it seems Mother Nature has it our for her!

Jackson was not himself at the party, he just seemed off today. I am not making excuses, those of you who know me, know that. Plus, there is no excuse for bad manners and just not being a good friend! I wont get into details. I have been making empty threats lately and today I had to follow through, which proved to be difficult. Strike 1 was a minor offense, Jackson and I had a quick talk on the porch and headed back in to enjoy the rest of the festivities. Strike 2 was not even 30 minutes later and with that I packed up the girls, loaded the kids into the car and we were off. This of course, was after I apologized to the other moms, my friend for having to leave the party so early and the little boy who Jackson was singling out "because he had curly hair". Enough said!

I am not sure where we go from here, I just know that I need to make sure I don't let my emotions get the best of me. I tend to have a hard time with that... he get's it from me. I just hate to see my sweet little boy struggling like this. I think for know I need to stay calm and let him now that I am here for him and that I love him no matter what, without accepting this behavior... right??

In the meantime, say a prayer for my little guy and enjoy the pics below of Ella's Big Day, my little man Rocco enjoying all the action, a sweet photo of Jackson passed out after lots of tears over having to leave the party, but notice his amazing Jaguar face (thanks Erin) is still perfect!

Tanya

Back on the Wagon...

2009-10-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

... The weight-loss wagon that is. It's time, actually it is long overdue! The girls are 4 months old now and I am NOT even close to where I want/need to be. I have never been thin and actually it's been a quite a while since I have even been average. I have never been so upset with myself before, at least not about my physical appearance. I know, I know, I just had twins. The thing is, this body wasn't much different before I got pregnant. I am struggling to find anything in my closet that fits and is not maternity! It's just not healthy and I am not happy, this is not the wife, mom or person I want to be. So since I had great success in the past with Weight Watchers, that is what I am doing now, along with our "biggest loser" challenge at work. A few of the other nurses, medical assistants and I started on Monday, but official weigh in was on Wednesday. So far I am doing well, I have actually lost almost 5lbs since Monday's unofficial weigh-in. To be honest, I think that is good and bad. I know what your thinking... how could such a quick loss be bad? The thing is I am SO overweight now that the lbs will melt off in the beginning. As long as I eat well and get some exercise, of course. My body doesn't need ALL of this extra weight. It's going to be more difficult to loose those last 10-20lbs. So the fact that it was that easy to loose almost 5lbs, is a bittersweet reminder of just how overweight I am!

I will post weekly updates on my goals, successes, failures and experiences. When I reach or become much closer to my goal, I will reveal what I started at. YIKES!

I'd love any advice, support, recipes, walking buddies, anything you think could help me. I am just going ask one thing of my friends and family that actually see me on a regular basis: Please DO NOT comment that "I look fine", am "not overweight", or say things like "you look great for just having twins". What does that one even mean? Would it be completely unacceptable for anyone who has not birthed more than one child at one time to look like I do? I know you're being sweet, but it's NOT true and it doesn't help me. It's a blatant lie and it isn't saving my feelings. I know exactly what I look like and you're not making me feel any better. Thanks!

Tanya

Way Back When-esday: Time for some baby pics...

2009-09-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

The girls are almost 4 months old and I really think this is a fun age. I love how smiley they are and all the "talking". The girls are starting to respond to Jackson much more and they love to watch him dance and make silly faces. He loves to make them laugh and it's so rewarding to see them interact.

As promised, I have some baby pics today! Lately, a few people have said that they see a resemblance between Jackson and the girls. Makes sense, since they are siblings, but I am not sure I see it? Have a look for yourself, these are some pics of Jackson around the same age as Ava and Emma are now.

Here are a few of Jackson...

And here are a few of Ava and Emma...

Emma

Ava

Tanya

From the Mouths of Babes!

2009-09-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

Jackson and I were having a little impromptu speech lesson tonight, while I was putting him to bed and he had me cracking up! It all started with me trying to teach him to say the word "mouth", which he pronounces "nouf". We got the 'm' sound down and he was having some trouble with the 'th', so I started having him say things like "the, this, that", etc. When he seemed to have it down, I started asking him questions like "what do you use to see, what does daddy use to hear, what do the babies use to smell, all to which he answered correctly... eyes, ears, nose. Finally, I asked him "What does mommy use to talk", to which he replied "a cell-phone"!!

That's all for now, stay tuned for some baby pics in tomorrows Way back When-esday post!

Tanya

It's been a while...

2009-09-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's been such a busy week and weekend (so far), that I haven't had much time to post anything. Typically I actually prefer to be busy! I seem to function better when I have more to do... it's like a "controlled chaos". This past week however was more of an unorganized frenzy of packing baby bags, driving here and there, preschool meetings, field-trips, missed doctors appts (oops) and some volunteer work with my local group of twin moms. Oh yes, I also went back work!!

I went back to work on Wednesday and although it was tough to leave the "twincesses" after being home with them for almost 4 months, it was also nice to see my co-workers, the patients and just to fall back into a bit of a routine.

Jackson goes to preschool on Wednesdays so I convinced myself that he would not be effected by my return to work, since he would not be home. Wrong. He had an awful day at school and has been pretty fresh all week. Jackson is a child that thrives on a schedule. I am not talking about minute by minute, but he NEEDS structure. Between me going back to work, the girls being sick and in and out of the hospital, a new preschool classroom and now a new preschool teacher, he has been a mess!! Ah, the guilt that inevitably comes along with motherhood.

Ava and Emma on the other hand were fine with my absence (sniffle sniffle). They were with my mom and they adore her so it was comforting to know that they'd be so well taken care of. They are feeling so much better. Ava is still a little congested, but still much, much better. They are starting to laugh, which is adorable and they "talk" to each other, which is amazing and so much fun to see.

In other news, the local twin mom's group that I belong to had our bi-annual tag sale on Saturday. I scored some major deals and stocked up on fall/winter clothes and pj's for the girls (thanks Heather!). I got a great baby jogger that's barely used, some cute little floor mat/baby gyms for the girls... just $5 each and some goodies for my nieces and nephews too! Oh and a great brand name winter coat for Jackson that was only $7... Ka-ching! I worked both Friday night and Saturday morning setting up for the sale and in exchange you get a preview shopping hour, which is well worth it. It's so nice to meet so many other MOTs (mom of twins) and the sense of camaraderie within this group of moms is so wonderful and refreshing.

So I am hoping this week is a little less hectic. I am only working Wednesday through Friday so I have a couple days to recover, get the kids back on schedule and spend some much needed time with "Action Jackson".

For now, check out some pics of the goodies I scored for my kids and my nieces and nephews too!

Two For Tuesday: Best Friends!

2009-09-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

This Two For Tuesday post may surprise you, as the Twincesses are not the "Two" I am talking about!

As most of you know, Jackson celebrated his 4th birthday just last week and when he blew out the candles he made one very special wish... to have a play-date with his best friend Mia (his cousin). These two have been the best of friends for the past 4 years, Mia is just 5 months younger than Jackson. Unfortunately, Mia and her adorable little sister Ella were not able to make it to Jackson's party, so we went over to their house last night to grant Jackson's Birthday wish. It went pretty well, although Jackson was upset that I forgot his pajamas (they always love to get into their PJs and watch movies). If you could have seen the look on our faces when after a long period of only silence coming from upstairs (never a good sign), Jackson walked downstairs in Mia's PJs (btw she weighs about 10lbs less than him)!!

Here is a photo of their very first meeting, and a couple black-mail shots of Jackson in Mia's PJs and a pink turtleneck that was on backwards!!

Tanya

Makes My Monday: Life is getting back to "normal"

2009-09-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a crazy few months here in the Powers house! Just as we were starting to get settled into life with our newest additions, things went a little haywire!

I am a planner, I get frustrated when my plans don't fall into place the way I'd hoped and with 3 little ones that's not always realistic. I had this picture in my head, just a few months back of how my summer would go, new babies sleeping the day away in their crib just feet away from their big brother, a beautiful Christening, Jackson's seamless transition into preschool 2, walking off these extra lbs left over from my pregnancy, throwing a fantastic party for Jackson's 4th birthday and FINALLY... going back to work!!

Little did I know that Jackson, my excellent sleeper, would loose all ability to reason when I mentioned the idea of his twin sisters sleeping in the same room. How did I not see that he would be devastated moving into a new class-room just feet away from his beloved Miss Stephanie's class. I suppose I did have some control over the whole weight loss thing, but no such luck with the extra poundage :( Oh and don't forget to throw in the hospital stays with both babies having RSV, which by the way were not so perfectly aligned with Jackson's 4th birthday! This was not what I had planned.

You know what though, we got through it. Life is good. Jackson is now happy in school. Girls are happily sleeping (in the co-sleeper in our room) through the night and on their way to a full recovery. The Christening was beautiful. Jackson's simple birthday party at home was just what HE wanted. Life is Good.

Things are finally getting back to "normal" around here and that is definitely making my Monday. Now if I could only fit into my scrubs for my first day back to work on Wednesday!!

Tanya

Saturday Snapshots: Jackson's working weekends and Ava and Emma are resting and recovering!

2009-09-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

Jackson was off to "work" bright and early this morning. Work-boots, check. Shovel, check. Hammer, check. "Coffee" (milk in one of Nonno's coffee cups), check.

Meanwhile, the Twincesses are getting some much needed rest and have become quite attached to their new "lovies". These beautiful hand-knit green (Emma) and pink (Ava) blankets were given to them by the nurses at the hospital and are made by Project Linus.

Check out more Saturday Snapshots at The Zimmer Zoo!

Jackson's 4th Birthday

2009-09-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

So now that I am home from the hospital and have attacked the majority of the laundry and disinfecting that inevitably comes along with 2 sick babies, I can finally share some stories and pics from Jackson's birthday.

Jackson turned 4 on Sunday and although it was a pretty chaotic day, we were able to enjoy celebrating his big day with family and a few close friends. On Sunday morning Rick came to the hospital and sat with Emma, while I took Jackson to breakfast (our tradition). Mom was home with Ava. The nurses at the hospital wrapped up a box of new hot-wheels cars for Jackson too, so when he came in to visit and discovered his gift he was thrilled!! That afternoon my mom came in and sat with Emma while I came home for the party. Rick was great and had the house clean and ready, picked up the pizza and even made the Dino cupcake-cake I was planning on making. The kids searched outside for Dino-eggs, took turns hitting the dino-pinata and enjoyed the pizza, cupcakes and ice-cream. Jackson opened his gifts, work boots, a new forklift truck and a Dinosaur sweater were among his favorites! I was back at the hospital for 8pm rounds and Rick was left with clean-up (poor thing)! Jackson had a great time and was relieved to learn that his birthday would not be "canceled" due to his sister's being so sick!

Thanks to Rick, my mom, and all of my sisters for helping me to make Jackson's birthday so special and for all of the help with Emma and Ava. This would have been impossible with out you.

Tanya

Update:

2009-09-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Emma was discharged from the hospital yesterday morning, just as Ava was being admitted! Yes, that's right. Ava was literally being checked in right across the hall, while my mom was helping me to gather Emma's things and sign her discharge paperwork. Ava also has RSV, she also has an ear infection. Ava did not require any oxygen, like Emma did, so she was started on antibiotics for the ear infection, monitored overnight and discharged this morning. I was able to come home for a few hours so that we could celebrate Jackson's 4th birthday on Sunday (pics coming coon).

The girls are doing better, still lots of coughing and not taking full bottles, but overall they are doing well. They will see their pediatrician tomorrow and may need more chest x-rays to be sure they didn't develop pneumonia.

Thanks for all of the well wishes, now I need to go attack some of the laundry and disinfect my house!

Tanya

Emma is in the Hospital with RSV

2009-09-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

Quick Update: Emma was admitted to the Hospital Friday morning with RSV. She is being cared for by some amazing nurses and Doctors. I just came home to see Jax and Ava and get some things, while my Mom sits with her. It looks like she will be there at least until Monday. Rick has been great, taking care of the other two kiddos, sanitizing the house and attempting to make the Dinosaur cupcake-cake for Jackson's 4th Birthday TOMORROW!!

Please keep Emma in your prayers. Thanks,

Tanya

Boo for sick babies!

2009-09-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

It's official, Emma has Bronchitis! Jackson has been fine, so I don't think it's something he brought home from preschool. Not sure where/how she got it? Ava seems to be coming down with something, but not nearly as bad yet, hopefully it won't get worse. So far we are just keeping her comfortable, sleeping in her car seat, pedialite, humidifier, blah, blah, blah. I feel so badly, it sucks when kids get sick, especially babies. Hopefully she'll be better soon and we can avoid a nebulizer.

She's still smiling and sleeping peacefully, what a good girl!

Tanya

Way Back When-esday

2009-09-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

For my first Way Back When-esday post, it's only fitting that I post some photos from Birthdays past, as Jackson's 4th Birthday is just a few days away! It seems so cliche to say that "time flies", but it's so true. I so love seeing my first baby grow into a boy and I love hearing all of the funny things he has to say... he's a real comedian! I just wish I could slow it down. Just a little.

Stay tuned for pics of this years Dino-mite festivities!

Check out more GREAT birthday photos at TWINFATUATION! and other Way Back When-esday photo's at The Zimmer Zoo.

Tanya

Makes my Monday: Party Planning and a Sneak Peek into Ava and Emma's 1st photo shoot!

2009-09-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

Party planning is making my Monday as Jackson eagerly awaits his 4th birthday party. Party supplies are ordered and invitations have been delivered (by Jax himself!). I just need to get some candy to fill our Pinata and ingredients for the cake. I am going to attempt to make this dinosaur cupcake-cake. Wish me luck!

In other news... On Friday we had Diana Sechrist http://www.dianasechrist.com/#, a fantastic professional photographer come to our home to take some photos of Ava and Emma. She was so wonderful, patient and really made us feel relaxed. The shoot was lots of fun and she has posted some of the photos on her blog http://dspblogsite.wordpress.com/. I can't wait to see the rest of them!

Check out some other great family photos at twinfatuation

What's making your Monday?

Tanya

Jackson's first day of Preschool 2!

2009-09-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

Smiley babies!

2009-09-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

My First Blog!

2009-09-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Oh my, how can this... my first ever Blog entry be cause for such nerves. I suppose it's due to the fact that I have been so thoroughly impressed and even more so entertained by the blogs of my friends, Nicole, Joss, Liz and so many more!!

So here goes. I am Tanya, mom to a sweet and tenacious son Jackson who will be 4 in 1 week (9.13.05)! I am also a new member of the world of MOTs, otherwise known as "mom of twins". Ava and Emma aka the "Twincesses" were welcomed into our crazy brood on June 2nd after a relatively uneventful 35 week pregnancy.

Life thus far has been pretty good to us! A brief overview, for those of you who know me you know brief is NOT something I do well :)

I was born and raised here in Massachusetts, I have a big, loud, loving Italian family. My parents (Aldo and Judie) are pretty old-fashioned, married 31 years and have 6 daughters... yes 6 girls, NO boys! Allison 35, Samantha 27, Cassandra 23, Miranda 20 and Alexandra 17. I fall 2nd in line and I am mom to half of my parents grandchildren, with Allison claiming the other 3 kiddos, Orlando 10, Justin 8 and Vittoria 4. Since my life centers around these people, it is important that you know who they are... they will be mentioned quite often in my upcoming blogs... I think?

Rick is my DH and the silly fool who decided to marry into the craziness listed above! Born and raised in NH, he's as American as apple pie. He grew up in the Sunapee region, played Hockey and joined the USMC straight out of high-school. He works for my dad (poor thing) a contractor, but is an aircraft mechanic by trade. We met when he walked into UNO's, yes the pizza place and sat down at my table. I must have been some waitress, 3 weeks later he got a job at UNO's! We were engaged less than a year later in March, married 6 months later on 9.18.04 and by New Year, I was expecting Jackson!

Last summer we had our first family vacation with Jackson to Italy, with rest of my extended family, on the heels of my hospitalization for Giullian Barre' Syndrome, LONG story. When we returned my doctors cleared me to get pregnant, if I wanted to. I did! Unfortunately, Rick had just lost his job, so the timing was just not right. We decided to try and avoid getting pregnant (sorry if TMI). Oops, well aren't we clever, because come October I was pregnant!

After a quick scan at work (I work in OB) and then lunch-break spent in radiology for confirmation, I decided to take a half-day so that I could come home and tell Rick (still unemployed) that we were in fact expecting identical twins!! After several repetitions of "holy crap", "we need a new car", "we only have 2 bedrooms" and miles of driveway paced by Rick, we settled somewhat into the idea of being parents of 3!!!

On June 2nd Ava and Emma arrived! Weighing in at 4lb 11oz and 5lb 8oz respectively. They were both healthy and pink and came from the hospital with me after 5 days. 3 months later, they are sleeping through the night, smiling and were just Christened last week.

Jackson's 4th birthday is next on our list and should prove to be a Dino-mite party! Can you guess the theme?

So that's us. Not so brief I guess, but I did my best!

I'd love to hear some reviews on my 1st blog! What can I do differently, better, less of, more of etc...