Stations of the city...

my church in collaboration with 4 other area churches does a very cool event on Good Friday called Stations of the city. Together we walk to various locations in our downtown area. The courthouse, the river, the bus station, a liquor store, a street corner were prostitution is prevalent, and we go through the stations of the cross and also offer prayers for the many people within our own city.

I know it sounds kind of bizarre but it really wasn't. I offered the prayer at the court house and later a woman who does victim advocacy worked asked for a copy of it because she like it so well. It's such a blessing when my words make a positive impact for someone else (and a nice surprise for me too). It's hard when writing things to be shared in a large public venue to know how they're going to be received.

Then because it's good friday I came home early and took a much needed 3 hour nap.

A more relaxed day than Maundy Thursday.

Maundy Thursday =

an 11 hour work day.

Good friday tomorrow

Easter on Sunday

I quit my tutoring job. I finished with my two previous students and told my boss I couldn't take anymore right now. I feel mostly good about that decision.

Emmy pretended to be asleep tonight in the car with a silly little smile on her face.

Eli loves birds. When they land where he can see them he shrieks with joy and excitement. Of course then he scares them away but he's so dang cute.

At church today they were mesmerized by the organist who was practicing. They both just stood quietly listening. Eli was even dancing (who knew depressing crucifixion hymns played on an organ could inspire dancing).  

I'm tired.

Good night.

They were so good today...

for whatever reason Eli & Emerson were just delightful today. Marcus had a dentist appointment this morning at 8:30 and I had a meeting at 10. Since we only had one car I decided just to be safe I better go into work before Marcus' appointment and I took the babies with me.

For the most part they played really well in my office and I actually got some work accomplished. The bad part was Marcus was having two teeth extracted and it ended up being far more complicated than any of us anticipated. So by the time my meeting rolled around at 10 Marcus still wasn't done. So I bravely decided they would just attend the meeting with me. Once again (For the most part) they did really well. They ate some snacks, asked for their "dada" by pointing to the door. The ran around but it was a controlled running around (well as controlled as two almost two year olds can be).

Marcus showed up a little after 11 looking awful. His mouth full of gauze and blood. Not good. He took the babies home and luckily they ate lunch and pretty much went down for a nap. I finished yet another meeting at work and then came home around 3:30. Marcus still looked awful he ran out of gauze and there was blood all over the bathroom.

Since Marcus clearly was in no condition to watch the kids I decided to take them to the store with me to fill Marcus' prescriptions. It took an hour and half to fill and that entire time we just roamed around the store. I think we covered every area several times and they were so good the entire time.

Then even at home they played and laughed with each other. It was a nice switch from recent days.

Marcus is feeling a little bit better after some pain meds, and we have the kindest most caring dentist ever. He called us three times (after work hours) to check on Marcus to make sure he was doing okay and the bleeding and pain was managed. He even gave us his home and cell phone numbers and told us to call if we had any concerns and he would see us. He's just a really good kind person.

An exhausting day (taking children to meetings is stressful) but they were just fun.

I try not to worry...

but I'm a mom and it's what I do. Tonight we went out to dinner with one of Marcus' best friends from high school. He brought his daughter who is one month younger than Eli & Emerson. Now I really do know better than to compare but consistently when Eli & Emerson are around other kids their age their delays are so much more apparent.

The other little girl could count to 20, knows the alphabet (give or take a few letters) can distinguish all her colors. She can string words together, and as an added bonus she didn't behave like a terror. She sat at the table and ate her food and a lot of it.

I just worry. Yes Eli & Emerson are making progress but they're still not where they should be. I never wrote about this but a couple of months ago they were seen by a developmental pediatrician through their Early intervention services. The doctor wrote the following in her report, "I explained to the parents that up to 60% of children with early speech delays can go onto have reading comprehension issues which typically present in the third grade... the family should be extra vigilant for this possibility."

This was incredibly upsetting to me. I tutor high risk kids who can't read, or comprehend what they're reading. I see how much they dislike school and school work because it doesn't make sense. I don't want that for Eli & Emerson. I want them to love learning and love school. I want them to love books and reading mostly I just want them to be okay and for things not to be difficult for them.

I am so incredibly grateful that overall we have healthy babies and know that there are many who aren't so lucky. But that doesn't stop me from wondering and worrying.

Hosanna Hosanna (Palm Sunday) ...

My church has a tradition of getting together with all of the downtown churches in the area and having a combined palm sunday service (well for the 1st 15 minutes or so).  We had an Episcopal Church, Lutheran Church, and Methodist. We even had a donkey. It was slightly chaotic but I love ecumenical "stuff"

Eli & Marcus with their Palms

Petting Pancho the Lutheran Donkey that makes an appearance each Palm Sunday

Episcopal, Lutheran & Methodist 

Me & Emmy

Eli with his Gram

Emmy wanting the camera back. 

Where did my sweet babies go?

They've been replaced with two little monsters.  We just returned from the mall and I feel like I was at the gym for a workout. I can't get over how naughty they've started acting in just this last week. We put them into their stroller and they didn't really want to be there, so I had a great idea that Emerson could come with me and Eli could go with Marcus.

They would hold our hands and it would be fine... um... no I'm an idiot. As soon as they were out of the stroller they both took off running. So we of course caught them and put them back in the stroller which resulted in the most epic tantrum from both of them. Screaming at the top of their lungs, Eli even hit Marcus as he was putting him back in the stroller.

The looks we were getting from people were awesome by the way. So in not one of my proudest parenting moments I told Marcus to go find some suckers to shut them up. Which actually worked for a bit and we had 15 quiet minutes. (I totally bribed my kids so they would stop embarrassing me *hangs head in shame*)

Then the suckers got old (and super sticky) so we took them away. More screaming ensued. It was dinner time so we headed out to go find some food. Of course they didn't actually want to eat anything and Eli took a handful of rice and just threw it. Seriously, whose kids are these?

Then as we were leaving Eli wanted to go on a small ride they had and when we said no he started screaming at the top of his lungs again. Over and over. At this point we were more than over the whole experience so we were headed to the car but we had to walk across the whole freaking mall.

I think Emerson would be okay, but she just follows every single thing her brother does (one of the joys of twins?) When she's on her own for the most part she's just fine (except her new "no" habit).

I'm exhausted and humiliated. I don't know what we're going to do. I honestly have never thought there was any validity to the "terrible twos" but these kids really love to prove me wrong.

My babies are 23 months...

well they were a week ago but I was on a retreat (shocking I know). They are such silly little monsters. They crack my up but they are without a doubt testing the limits lately. Emerson learned the word "no" and Marcus said that was her favorite thing to say today during their EI appointment.

"Emerson do you want to do a puzzle?"

"No"

"Emerson can you go get a ball?"

"No"

"Do you want to read a book?"

No

Then Eli took something she wanted and that was met with, "No no no no no."

So that's super fun.

Eli on the other hand likes to play jokes. Which I find kind of amusing but it's also so naughty. He steals things from everyone and then hides them, and laughs hysterically. His throwing has gotten worse over the last several days, he also hits and pushes Emerson for no reasons.

 However, my sweet, crazy boy has learned to say thank. So even in the midst of throwing a tantrum, if I give him something through his tears he'll say, "tan tu."

He also gives the sweetest kisses. Before when he gave us a kiss it was a big lick across the face, but today he was giving tiny kisses on the lips (he insisted they be on the lips) and then making the kissing sound. So adorable and yet so mischievous.

Then today we looked over and discovered this...

He climbed all the way up on the ledge of the window. (Marcus ran outside to get a picture before we removed him from the situation) and you can see Emerson thinking, "Hey what a great idea." Luckily for us she's not such a great climber.

Crazy kids.