No More Pacifiers

This morning Evan helped me gather all the pacifiers. I had a talk with Noah the other day. I told him he could pick out a toy at Target in exchange for giving up his pacifiers.

First we went to the gym and then I took the boys to Target. The trip started out ok, but then it turned into a nightmare. We started out in the toy section and the boys each picked out a Batman toy. I let Evan pick out a toy too so he wouldn’t feel left out. Then we went to the Halloween section to get some good deals on costumes. While we were looking at costumes Evan started complaining that he didn’t want the Batman toy. He wanted something else. He was whining and whining. So, I took the boys back across the store to the toy section. They each spent a long time and finally decided on different toys. Evan debated between a Star Wars figure and a light saber (like Noah was getting). Evan decided on the light saber.

As we were checking out Evan told me he didn’t want the light saber anymore. He wanted the Star Wars figure. I told him it was too late. We were already checking out. He threw a major fit. There were people waiting in line behind us. I kept asking him if he wanted the light saber anyway. He wasn’t answering and then he said no. So I paid for everything, except the light saber. Evan had kicked his shoes off at this point right in front of the checkout counter. I had to get everything loaded in the cart and get Evan and Noah away from the checkout counter. Evan was throwing such a fit I couldn’t even get his shoes on. Somehow I got both boys outside the doors of the store and left the full cart there. There was no way I could push the cart, carry a kicking and screaming 4 year-old, and get a 2 year –old to the car. At this point Noah was throwing a fit for some reason too. A woman passing by saw me struggling to get both boys buckled and offered to get the cart and bring it to the car. I got Evan buckled (somehow) and loaded the car. I started the car and Evan says “Don’t go. I’m not buckled.” He had unbuckled his seatbelt. I had to buckle him back in and he screamed almost the whole way home. He wanted us to turn around and get his light saber. In the car he told me his heart hurt because I had hurt his feeling. The tantrum continued at home too. I had to put him in timeout in his room. He eventually calmed down.

By the time we got home it was 2something. I gave Noah lunch and then put him down for a nap. He didn’t sleep. After Evan had calmed down I got him some lunch and he ate really well.

I got dinner mostly ready so Morry could start it when he got home.

Gabby came at 4 and I tutored one student.

For dinner we had grilled chicken, quinoa, and bread with roasted garlic.

We just gave the boys baths and put them to bed. We’ll see how Noah does tonight without his pacifier.

Here's a video I forgot to put up yesterday.

Playing at the Park

This morning Noah woke up around 6am crying for a pacifier. I couldn’t find his in his room. I was able to give him another pacifier and he slept a little bit longer.

I took the boys for a 2 mile run in the neighborhood. We came home so that I could make a smoothie and then we went to the park for a little while. Evan and Noah both enjoyed swinging. Evan can do it all by himself now.

We came home for lunch. I made red eggs and ham, which they requested, but they didn’t eat much.

I put Noah down for a nap and he actually slept.

I made meatballs to have ready for dinner tonight.

Gabby came at 3:45pm and I left to tutor 2 students.

I came home around 7pm and we had pasta with the meatballs for dinner.

After dinner we took a few family pictures to include in the invitation for the party. Evan and Noah were very good for the pictures so they got dessert.

We just put the boys to bed. Let’s hope everyone sleeps well tonight.

Cousins

Morry’s cousins Jamie, Nate, and Olivia are in town this weekend. We met them and Matt and Rachael at the Oasis for lunch. It was a nice day and we had a great view of the lake. The kids were well pretty well behaved.

After lunch we decided to go to City Park, a park on the lake. As we turned on the street to get to the park a sign said the park was at capacity and they weren’t letting anyone else in. We decided to drive down there anyway and just see if they might let us in. It was very crowded at the entrance and were not allowed to drive into the park. Since it was getting close to nap time we all decided just to go home and meet up later.

While Noah was napping at home, I took Evan out with me to do some shopping. Old Navy was having a sale on t-shirts so Evan wanted to come with me to pick out more superhero shirts. Also, Evan has been wanting GeoTrax and a light saber toy for a while. We made a deal with him and said he could pick out one of those if he agreed to give up his pacifier. He was very excited by the idea and couldn’t wait to get to Target. We spent a long time in the toy section at Target, but Evan finally decided it was GeoTrax that he wanted.

For dinner Jamie, Nate. Olivia, Matt, and Rachael came over to our house. We ordered dinner from Blue Bamboo and made pasta for the kids. It was a fun evening. The kids enjoyed running around and playing together.

We just put Evan and Noah to bed. Evan told us he didn’t want his GeoTrax anymore, he wanted his pacifier back instead. He had a little bit of a hard time with the fact he wasn’t going to get his pacifier back. He said he was angry with both of us. A few minutes after putting Evan to bed he came out and said he needed something for his mouth. It seems quiet now, so hopefully he’s asleep or almost asleep.

Mini Vans

This morning Evan woke up about 8:30 (late for him). Noah and I dropped off Evan at school and then came home. Gabby came to the house at 10:45 so that I could meet Morry.

Morry and I thought we would just check out a few mini vans and see what our options are. We are happy with our Pilot, but at times it would be nice to have a mini van. We went to both Toyota and Honda. Morry liked the Toyota Sienna better and I preferred the Honda Odyssey. We aren’t ready to buy anything yet. It could even be a few more years. We just wanted to take a look. I’m not sure if I’m ready to be driving a mini-van.

I picked Evan up from school on the way home. Evan and Noah played with Gabby outside while I ate lunch. Gabby helped me put Noah down for his nap and then she left. Evan watched TV in the game room so that I could rest a little.

For dinner we had pasta.

After dinner we went to Target. We needed to get a few things including birthday presents for the boys. Evan was pretty bad there. He wanted everything on the shelf and wasn’t listening to us. It seemed like he was throwing a fit for no reason. He’s very tired.

We just put Evan and Noah to bed. Evan is crying in his room right now. I’m not sure what he wants.

I just went up to Evan’s room. He was crying that he wanted his pacifier, which was on the window sill where he threw it earlier. I got it for him, then he got upset because he wanted Daddy to get it for him.

Monday with Morry

This morning Rachael came over to watch the boys. I was able to sleep in. Morry did some stuff around the house. He fixed a few of the fence boards and painted a few spots in our house that needed to be touched up. I cleaned upstairs.

Rachael left around noon and we went out to run some errands. I had to mail some baby clothes I sold on ebay and then we went to HEB.

When we got home we had lunch and the put the boys down for naps. Evan did not nap. He couldn’t find his pacifier and once it was found he wouldn’t go to sleep.

Morry’s friend Katy bought us dinner from Suzy’s tonight. Morry took Noah to pick up the food while I got food ready for the boys at home.

After dinner Evan and I went over to Bernardo and Gabriela’s house. Bernardo has been making “green” juices and I wanted to see how he makes them. It was surprisingly good. There were a lot of vegetables in it, but also some fruit and carrots to give it a somewhat sweet taste too. Evan and Sebastian played upstairs while Bernardo made the juice.

We just put Evan and Noah to bed. Noah’s room is quiet and Evan is actually quiet too right now.

No Pacifier

Hello everyone, this is Morry.

Rachel is home. She got in at 1:40. In fact right now she's the one fighting with Evan to go to bed. It's good to have her back.

So last night I called Rachel before I went upstairs to bed. Evan was in my bed watching "The Incredibles". As I was talking with her I heard Evan making noises. It was as if he was talking to someone or wrestling with someone. So I snuck upstairs and peeked in the room. Evan was jumping on the bed pretending to fight some bad guys. On the TV was a fight scene. I wish I had videotaped it.

This morning Gabby came over to watch the boys. Evan came downstairs with me and I got him breakfast.

After lunch at work, I went and picked Rachel up from the airport. I stayed home and worked from home the rest of the day.

As I was finishing up work, Evan came downstairs from his nap. He made finishing my work difficult as he kept wanting to see things on the computer. When I finished up he handed his pacifier to me. He told me that he wanted to let Noah borrow it because he wanted to be a big boy and not use his pacifier any more. As of this moment he does not have his pacifier. We'll see if that lasts.

For dinner a mother from the Mom's Group brought us some Asian dish that she made. It was pretty good.

Noah was kind of cranky after his naps. He didn't eat very well but Blanca said he ate well at lunch. I'm wondering if he may be getting molars in and that's messing with both his appetite and his mood.

After dinner we gave the boys baths. Now Noah is sleeping and Evan is performing his nightly fighting ritual.

Until next time...

Pacifier in the Potty

This morning Gabby came to help with Noah. Jodie picked up Evan and brought him home from school. Blanca came over at 1:30.

At 12:00 Morry and I went to my oncologist appointment. This oncologist recommended a different treatment than the other one. She wants me to do Adriamycin and Cytoxan every 3 weeks for 4 cycles and then paclitaxel weekly for 12 weeks after that. We need to decide which regimen I will go with and see if this doctor in Austin would do either one. We were there for a while. I was scheduled for a bone scan, ovarian cancer screening, and heart scan for next week. They also drew some blood while I was there.

After the appointment I went to Kohls to get some shoes for Jonah’s wedding this weekend.

When I got home, I was on the phone the rest of the afternoon dealing with medical stuff.

Michael got here late afternoon. We all ate dinner together. We had crock pot corned beef, soup, and biscuits.

After dinner Morry, Evan, and Zayde went to the mall to pick up Evan’s tuxedo. Michael and I stayed at home with Noah.

Morry helped get the boys ready for bed and then he left to go to a concert.

Right after Morry left Evan told me he needed to go to the bathroom. After he had peed he was flushing the toilet. As the water started swirling, somehow his pacifier fell from his mouth and into the toilet. Both Evan and I quickly reached our hands in there and tried to fish out the pacifier before it went down the drain. Evan grabbed it and was cracking up. Yuck!

Both boys are still up laughing and playing.