SHEER PANIC!

I just need to relax and take a deep breath. Citigroup is buying out Wachovia. I am scared beyond belief. Will our stock be worthless. Is our 401K worthless? What about my pension? Is it gone too? And the two most important questions: Will Alex still have a job? Will we have to move?

I don't do well with uncertainty. Alex, being the sweet calm man that he is, told me not to worry. We'll sit down tonight and come up with our contingency plan. I know I am getting way ahead of myself, but isn't that what panic is? He was listing items we could sell, and telling me if he were to lose his job, about his severance package. None of this is calming me down!

I have turned all the lights off in the house and am making a list on everything I can do to save money in the mean time. It's crunch time Baby! Alex, of course, said I'm over-reacting. But again, I ask you, isn't that what panic is all about?

Ok, let me find a bright side of this....um...uh...let me think...Oh I got one! When I get stressed, I can't eat. So maybe I'll finally lose the 50 pounds I keep meaning to getting around to. I'll be so stressed I won't be able to eat, so I can buy less food and then save us more money! Alright! Now, where did I put that valium?

Life is spooky sometimes!

So I have been reading some new blogs, you'll find them in my blog list if you are interested. One of them in particular I'm Living Proof that God has a Sense of Humor, is a Mom to 2 sets of twins! Yes 2 sets. All of a sudden my hands don't feel so full anymore. As I was reading her profile, what really struck me was her reply to the "Your hands are full" comment. She said, "yes, better to have hands full than empty arms and a broken heart." I love it!

Sometimes, I'll answer back as a smarty-pants. "No, they are pretty empty at the moment." I left her a comment on her blog that I may be "borrowing" her reply. It hasn't been that long since I went through all the fertility treatments, and I think what bothers me when people tell me I have my hands full is that I don't feel like I do. I am perfectly happy with my life, and have been begging Alex for just one more. He has agreed to the point of not pursuing fertility treatments, but if it happens naturally....Well, then, okay.

So now I just need the economy to level out so I'll stop stressing about it and relax. Isn't that what they always say? Relax and it'll happen? Well I always thought it was the noogie that led to it, but what do I know; I needed a doctor to help me get pregnant!

I just thought it is amazing that I blogged about having my hands full and then came across a couple of blogs with the same thing in it. Surprise, they all have twins too! Bet you didn't see that one coming...

Ok. Olivia told me a joke tonight that had me laughing so hard I was in tears. Here it is:

A termite walks into a bar and asks, "Is the bartender here?"

It took me a minute to get it, but I may have snorted when I did. I told you I'm a dork!

You have your hands full!

Let me preface this blog with: I am actually in a very good mood, I love my children and I am thankful for them every day. But...

When I am out and about with Cole, Katie and Sean, I must hear "You have your hands full!" probably about every other person. So if I walk past 30 people in the grocery store while shopping, I hear that phrase about 15 times. I am NOT exaggerating! The other 15 that don't say it, stop to talk about the twins. I feel like a walking circus sometimes. I have told my husband about all the attention, but he is not usually with me so he doesn't experience it firsthand. It doesn't help that I have completely beautiful and charming children! (No Mama bias here.)

Alex will tell me it's not that bad. Yeah, because when he is with me not as many people talk to us, since they don't want to interrupt our conversation. I love having someone with me! Not for the extra pair of hands, I have my routine so I'm good handling all 3 alone. But I've noticed, when I am talking to someone, I don't get stopped as often.

When Alex gets home from work he will ask, "So what did you do today?" He means, "So how was your day. Were the kids good, do you have any funny stories to share? I love you and the kids and just really want to know."

But because it can take so long to get anything accomplished, I hear, "This house is a mess, the kids are fussing, need to be fed and diapers changed, the place looks worse than when I left this morning and you need a stiff drink. Are you making dinner, because I am hungry now that I bring my lunch in and I don't smell anything cooking." I know that is just my inner crazy, but I have my hands full!

So if you see a crazy looking lady with twins and a three year old in tow, please do not tell me her she has her hands full. She already knows.

It IS all about me, right?

As you noted in my previous blog, I just turned the big 3-5. Yep, Thirty-Five. 35. During the celebration of my birthday and watching the Panthers have their butts handed to them, I made an off-handed remark, "It's all about me! Right?" I have never said those words before, but have heard them jokingly by other people. It got me to thinking about the phrase.

It's all about me. Right?

I realize in this time of my life, it is really hard not to lose "Stacy." I play so many roles to so many: Mother, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Cousin, Friend, chauffeur, housekeeper (yes I had the gall to list it!), dog-walker, cook, Dr Mommy. Just all of it. It's easy to forget who I am at my core. I find sometimes it's easy to get wrapped up in my roles, that I neglect myself. I feel this blog is helping me hold onto my identity. That Stacyness that makes me, me! "I love me some me!" (Thanks TO for that phrase!)

I constantly crack myself up. Just the other day, Alex and I had taken the kids to the park. We ran into an old friend. Old as in we've known her forever; I'm not calling her old. Wait, I'm old, so she must be too....I digress...I noticed though as we were talking, I kept telling her the prices I paid for stuff. Like I found this bottled water at Sam's club for $3.88 for 30 bottles. Yeah! I know! Great deal. But then I had to tell her about something else I got a good deal on at Sam's as well. I started asking myself "why in the world do I feel I need to tell the price?" I'm guessing I was excited about saving money and wanting to share where the deals are at. I don't know.

But now I've noticed how much I do that! I even tell Alex the prices of stuff. He doesn't care. He is always sweet and listens to me, but why do I feel the need to do that? I'm just writing it off as the Quirkiness of Stacy.

Footnote: AC is working intermittently. I was able to take a shower, so I no longer smell like a monkey. We found a Wii Fit and I love it, even if the damn thing told me I am obese! I know it, I don't need a machine to tell me that! Still have the lines on the TV and my breasts, but I will just learn to live with those. *Sigh*

Happy 35th Birthday Stacy!

Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me,
I broke my TV-ee,
And I have no AC!

Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me,
I look like a monkey,
And I smell like one too!

Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me,
I have wrinkles on my tit,
And I can't find the Wii Fit!

I just need to keep my chin up. (Then you can't see my jowls!) See I can always find the bright side of everything. In all seriousness, on my way home after picking up Olivia from school today, we saw a terrible wreck. It had affected both directions of traffic. It looked like a 3 car wreck and an SUV spun out across the median and completely wiped out a tree. There were 2 fire trucks, an ambulance and a couple of officers there. It wasn't there when I passed it to pick up Olivia, so we figured it must've just happened after I passed there originally. So although my TV may be broke, the AC on the house went out, and we weren't able to find a Wii Fit. I still think someone was watching over me today. Thank you Mama! I received your Birthday Gift!

I'm a Soccer Mom!

Cole is in a Soccer League. The idea of it cracks me up. He can barely say the word soccer, yet he is learning to play! Alex played soccer as a kid and loved it, so we asked Cole if he wanted to play and here we are. I love the idea of them out there early Saturday mornings running drills, getting fresh air and exercise, and spending time together. It just makes my heart swell. At this age, they don't actually play games or compete, it's just about learning how to handle and control the ball.

Today is picture day, so he is all dressed up in his jersey, shin guards and cleats. So cute! Alex called me from the field to get the information Mama keeps stored in her head. How tall is he? How much does he weigh? What is his name? No, not the last one. He better know our child's name! But that got me thinking. Cole is a 32. He is 3 years 2 months old. He weighs 32 pounds and he is 3 feet 2 inches high. I just love when numbers come together like that. I know, I'm a dork. Oh! One more, his jersey number is 6! 3x2=6. Ok. Now I am certifiable. Maybe I shouldn't have been so obsessed with numbers as a kid.

On another note, Katie and Sean are holding yelling conversations! I've tried to catch it on video but as soon as I bring the camera out, they forget what they were doing. One of them will yell, "Maaa!" and the other will return it, "Maaa!" and they keep doing it back and forth cracking themselves up until I get the camera out. It's the kiss of death I tell you. I've thought about just having a camera set up at all times, but I know nothing cute will ever happen again.

All 3? No can't be!

Cole, Katie and Sean are all cutting teeth right now! Cole is finally cutting his 2 year old molars, Katie I think I have already mentioned has cut her first tooth and is working on the second one, and Sean is working on his first. Seriously now, what are the odds of the 3 cutting teeth at the exact same time? The twins I can understand, but Cole too? Come on! Are you kidding me?

So that is pretty much all I have been dealing with or thinking about. Who is fussing the loudest and needs my immediate attention? Who needs medicine and when did they last eat something, anything? Have I eaten today?

Cole Alexander! Do NOT flush that whole roll of toilet paper! Ugh! (overflowing....gotta go clean up and whoop some tail!)

Where is my screwdriver and my plumber's helper?

My sweet little Katie has cut her first tooth! She and Sean have both been working their gums pretty good and Katie popped one through. Hooray! I tried to get a picture of it, but no go. She is a stubborn little booger let me tell you. I don't know where she gets it from!

Sean has been up all hours of the night. Which means. Ta-da! Here I am too. If that tooth doesn't cut through so help me, "Where's my screw driver and my plumber's helper? I'll open up his mouth and I'll shove it in!" Wait, that's not right. Well that's what I get for writing at 4:30 in the morning!

Spacey Stacy

Oh Spacey Stacy - living up to your nickname these days! I don't know if anyone knows this but I love to laugh. It just feels good. Sometimes I'm told I need to 'not pick' so much, but I just can't help myself. One of my favorite people to laugh at/with is myself. I am always cracking myself up! Alex will laugh sometimes and just shakes his head. He knows I'm crazy, but I am very entertaining (at least in my own head.) Sometimes I'll crack myself up so bad I am in tears and can barely catch my breath. He'll ask whats so funny and when I tell him, he is like, "oh, okay." Then he has this look like, I knew this when I married her. (Flash to the old 80's movies with the typical nerd and glasses snorting when they laugh. That's me!)

So last night Alex said to me, "Some guys at work and I are thinking about trying the new Hooters that is opening Uptown tomorrow for lunch. They are bringing in their A Team."

So I hear: "I really want to go out to lunch with the guys tomorrow and not bring my lunch in, are you cool with that? Oh, and The A-Team will be there."

I respond, "Sure, okay. Why do you want to see The A-Team?" He looks at me confused, then knowing me the way he does, he gets it.

"Not 'The A-Team', their A Team, the best team of Hooters Girls. The team that goes around opening up the new restaurants."

"Oh thank God! I couldn't figure out for the life of me why you'd want to go see Mr. T. That's much better. Yeah go, have a good time!" (I pity 'da fool! Ha ha ha!)

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So this morning I was feeding the twins their breakfast of yogurt and cereal. Sean is such a messy eater. He likes to get the food in his mouth and smoosh it out so it runs down his chin while smiling. He chews on his fingers and the food gets all over them and they wander all over his face. When I feed them, I feed them at the same time and alternate bites. So when I look back at him, he is smiling this bashful smile with his hair covered in goo. This morning was no different, but it was particularly covered and starting to dry. I took a wet paper towel and cleaned Katie first since she was less messy. Go on to Sean and clean his hands and his face. His hair is just a mess! So instead of going and rinsing the paper towel (Come'on that would mean walking across the kitchen and back!) I decide to just lick his head clean. It was really good too, kind of tasted like blueberry muffin mix before you bake it. Yum!

But some days we cry....

I can't help but feel the sorrow of the day. It's weighing heavily on me. Personally I was lucky, I did not loose anyone on that fateful day. But like the rest of America, I lost an innocence. An innocence that wasn't real, but it was lost none the less. I foolishly thought war, destruction, and loss were things that happened in far off countries with names I could barely pronounce. It's sad to realize that is a way of life for some people in parts of the world.

Today is a day of remembrance. Remember those who lost their lives, their families who will always grieve, and remember we are all Americans. Republican or Democrat; Conservative or Liberal; Straight or Gay; Black or White; we all just need to come together on this anniversary and keep ourselves safe and not let this happen to us again.

Now He Got Game!

Let me tell you, Cole has got game! He loves the ladies and the ladies love him! If there is a pretty girl around, you'll find him right next to her. He likes to 'get hurt' and have her kiss his boo-boo. If I say anything he'll give me this warning look like "Don't you mess this up for me Mom!" I think my days of kissing his boo-boos have passed. He now uses it as a pick-up line and all the girls fall for it. Girls of all ages.

So he has a girlfriend at his Preschool - Rory. They have been best buds since he started there at 10 weeks. To say that they adore each other would be an understatement. For the longest time, he was a one woman man, Rory and that was it. The world revolved around Rory and still does for the most part. That is how I got him potty trained - telling him he'll get to go to Rory's class if he pee-pees in the potty. But now, he is noticing there are other fish in the sea, and he has plenty of tartar. Rory is a few weeks older than him, and I've noticed he tends to like the older girls.

At the park last week, there was a pretty blond haired girl who was probably 6 years old with really long legs and the cutest little girl outfit that she could twirl around in. There were also about 4 littles boys his age. He decided to follow and play with the pretty girl until she left and then he went to play with the boys.

Last Sunday we had some friends over during the Panther game, and again Cole 'hurt' his foot. So he came to show me and I asked if he wanted me to kiss it. "No, She fiss it!" He then let Abby, who is 4, lead him by the waist and elbow and had her play doctor! She checked it out and gave him instructions on how to care for it. She'll have a promising career later if she so chooses!

Today was the topper of it all! This morning I met up with some fellow Moms for coffee. One of them has the prettiest little 3 year old, Ella. So she and Cole are playing and Ella came up to me and said, 'He won't kiss me' or 'He want kiss me'. Knowing my son, it was probably the latter. I look over at Cole and he is standing there looking kind of sad. Ella walks back over to him and whispers something to him. They hug and kiss right on the lips! Well okay son! Then he 'hurt' his finger and Ella kissed it better. As we were leaving, they ran towards each other like a scene out of Chariots of Fire and hugged good-bye.

Yet still we went back to our normal park and with it being an overcast day today, there were not many children there. Just as I parked the van 2 other cars pulled up, and each had a 3 year old little girl in it.

We all made pretty quick friends. There was a pretty little blond that jumped right into the van as I was getting all the children out. Her name is Alex and her mom, Anna, was from Russia. They were both so beautiful, they could've been models. Alex just took Cole by the hand and led him right into the park. Well the other Mom, Sophia, is from Greece and she and Thalia are both beautiful as well. So here we have a little blond beauty and a greek beauty. Since Alex just jumped in our van, Sophia and Thalia thought we knew each other and Thalia was a little shy to join them. So I called the two over and introduced them all. Well at first the 2 little girls didn't want to share Cole's attention. They both were trying to pull him in different directions. So Cole, started pulling both of them and got them all playing together. It was just so incredible and hilarious at the same time. Now He Got Game!

So, there is another blog I love to follow. Sara Life in Words, and she does a blog every Wednesday called 'Wordless Wednesday'. Last week her Wednesday blog was about what happens when her 4 year old gets a hold of her digital camera and it cracked me up! Her daughter actually took the pictures herself.




So looking on my own camera, I noticed Olivia had taken some pictures as well. My mind flashed back to Sara's blog, and I decided I had to post what happens when a 16 year old girl gets a hold of my camera. All I have to say, is thank goodness she's pretty! Here you go:

Pictures, Pictures and More Pictures

This weekend I got a call from my Cousin Penny. It was so nice to talk to her a catch up a bit. I got nervous when I saw her name pop up on the Caller ID. I feel like this is the calm before the storm and I feel like a big storm is brewing. I just don't know what it'll be, but I can tell I am bracing myself. Amy called this morning, and asked if I'd talked to Aunt June, and my stomach did the same lurch. Everything is fine and normal, she was just calling Amy to say hello. Why do I always have to think the worst?

But during my conversation with Penny, she pointed out I don't have very many pictures of the twins on my blog. So I went back through and realized I don't! Hmmph! I have about 400 on my computer, at least. So I thought I would just keep it short and simple and post a bunch of my favorite pictures!

Nat King Cole

So today I am no longer just Mommy. I am 'Sincess Mommy' and Cole is King. I was playing his game along with him and he would give me directions and I would follow them. The King needed cheese and crackers for his snack time, so Sincess Mommy prepared it for his majesty. I served the snack and asked 'King Cole' if he would prefer milk or juice with his snack.

"I Nat King Cole!"
"What you're not King Cole?"
"No. I Nat King Cole!"
"Okay? So? sweetheart should I not call you King Cole?"
"No I say Nat!!"

Okay wait a minute, are we playing who's on first here? This feels awfully a lot like that! Where's the hidden camera on me?

"So, what should I call you?"
"Okay Mommy. Let's take deep breaffs." He breathes in and slowly blows the air out and then repeats the breathing some more. He then asks me patiently and slowly. "Now that's better right? Ok. I am Naaaa-aat King Cole and you are Sincess Mommy! You get it now?"

I don't know where he gets this stuff from!

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He has learned his alphabet song and can sing all 26 letters in the right order, but he can't count to 5.

One, Two, Three, Eight, Nine.

We have been working on counting to 5 for a long, long time. I just don't get it. So I thought maybe I need to be using more visuals. So instead of counting stairs or fingers, or candy even I have these flash card puzzles. They are really cool and he loves putting them together. So he recognized the 1, 2, and 3! Yes we are on the right track! He then grabs the 8 and puts it together and says "Ocho" then he grabs the 5 and puts it together and says "Cinco". WHAT?

"Where did you learn that honey?" I am thinking he heard it in the background while Daddy was watching football news: "Chad Johnson has officially changed his name to Ocho-Cinco and it will now be on his jersey...."

"Dora and Diego." Yeah right! Daddy!

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So now that Cole is peeing on the potty he finally wants to stand up and pee like Daddy. So he does it, he's excited and thrilled. Then he decides to really examine it and realizes there is a hole at the end of it!

"I have a BOO-BOO!!!"
"No honey, that is just where the pee-pee comes out," as I am trying not to smile. Boys really are obsessed with it!
"No, I have boo-boo!"
"Okay honey" and I walk away as fast as I can because my mind flashes to AFV, "Daddy I hurt my booty. Will you kiss it?" Oh dear son, please do not say that. I'll pee in my pants laughing and give you a complex for the rest of your life! Mercifully he didn't ask!

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Bandit ate the last few bites of Cole's breakfast. Cole said we need to put him in time-out. So I opened the gate and told Bandit to go downstairs, which he did, surprisingly! After about 2 minutes Bandit comes back up the stairs and sits at the gate whining. Cole says, "Mom, Bandit ready say sorry now."
"Oh, he is? Okay then lets go to talk to him." I open the gate and Bandit walks back in with his head hung low.
"Bandit, I sorry too. Don't do it again or Mama spank your tail!" then to me he says, " He's sorry! I forgive him. Can I have a cookie?"

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And just now he came up to me and said, "Mom, okay, deep breaffs." I go into panic mode at that. "Why? Why do I need to take deep breaths?"
"Bandit pooed on the floor. It's okay, I tell him to poo outside now on. Deep breaffs."

Who is this child?

Cole is finally.....

Potty Trained!!! (And the crowd goes WILD!!!!!)

I can't believe it myself! I have been afraid to blog about it because I didn't want to jinx it, but I think it is finally safe to say it now. He is staying dry overnight, and in the daytime. He is even going poo-poo IN the potty. Three times today! So he got a special toy; an MP3 player with songs like Ring Around The Rosy on it. He has been walking around with his little headphones on bopping his head up and down like he is listening to grunge or something. But then he sings the lyrics, "We all fall down!" and he falls to the floor in laughter. Earlier in the van we were headed over to pick up Olivia from school and I looked in the rear-view mirror. He had his headphones on and his sunglasses, just smiling this little smile that said, "Yeah I know I'm cool!" and bopping his head to the beat. I so wanted to stop and take a picture but the whole driving thing got in the way.

So now we only have 2 in diapers. I just can not tell you just how happy I am about that!

A 'new addition' to our family

I just want to give a quick shout-out to my niece Olivia. (See I'm already trying to pick-up the teen lingo! But I think I'm more of an old fuddy-dud) As you all know, my sister had 2 strokes in April, so as a family we have decided that Olivia stay with us for a little while so Amy can focus on healing. Before her strokes, none of us really knew much about strokes. So we all feel we are getting the crash course and trying to learn as we go. I think it was unrealistic of all of us to think Amy could be healed in just a few short months and able to return to her old self. Hopefully, with Olivia here, Amy will be able to give herself the time needed to heal properly. We all keep forgetting, she would've been in rehabilitation if she had better insurance. So how can we expect her to jump right back into her life and manage it all?

I have felt guilty like I have neglected my blog, so I promise, to get back to writing now that the dust is starting to settle again. Which just means I need to clean more, I guess.

Oh and as a side funny, I fell down the stairs this morning! I have a big goose egg on my knee, so I am sitting here with it up and ice on it. I wish someone could've at least seen it, I'm sure it was pretty hilarious. Oh well. Just picture it in your head.