Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Bear

On Wednesday we packed up right after breakfast and headed to Grandma and Grandpa Bear's house. Like last year, the cubs were treated to their own live tree, which Grandpa Bear will plant outside. Emily's was decorated in pink and Zach's in blue.

After lunch we took the cubs to see their Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma. Emily was sharing hugs left and right. It was so sweet to watch her hug everyone. Very unlike Thanksgiving where she didn't want anyone to hold her but Mommy or Daddy. Zach was too busy exploring to give hugs. Zach is literally running in the only picture I have of him with his Great-grandparents. That cub is a bundle of energy.

We returned to Grandma Bear's house for dinner and the tree lighting. I love the tree lighting...it is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. It's even more fun with double the trees. Dinner is always yummy...this time we were treated to T-Bone Steaks. I could get very spoiled here, I don't get to eat these often at Cub Central. The cubs went to bed pretty easily, but Zach was very unhappy during the middle of the night and kept Mom and Dad up for hours. Not fun. Good thing Santa came before Zach woke up. Otherwise Zach's crying may have scared him off.

Christmas morning was tons of fun with tons of presents. Santa was very generous this year. We definitely have spoiled cubs. Almost the entire day was spent opening presents, which Emily loved! She is a present opening pro. It didn't matter whose name was on it, Emily was there to open it. So helpful! Zach could barely sit still. Emily had fun opening his presents too.

Present opening must be exhausting because both cubs went to bed on time and slept very well. Steve and Grandpa Bear got up super early on Friday to do the after Christmas shopping. Grandma Bear and I met them later in the morning with cubs in tow. After Christmas shopping was pretty dismal, especially when you consider our prior after-Christmas shopping experiences. I guess it saved us some money. We left later that afternoon to return home. I always hate leaving. It seems like we never get to spend enough time there but Steve had to work on Saturday, and we go where Steve goes.

We can't thank everyone enough for thinking of us this year. We received amazing gifts and loving cards and notes from our family and friends. We are a very blessed bunch of bears!

I haven't downloaded the pictures yet, but that is on my "to do" list. Maybe I'll get that done next year. Right after I get my Christmas cards mailed out. **sigh**

Just because they are cute!

I sure hope Zach plans on unpacking that box while he's up there.


Emily raiding the pantry:


Emily sporting her new hair clippy (she wouldn't let me put a bow in her hair, so the clippy will have to do):


Playing together:

Christmas came early. Check out our cool new chairs!

Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John sent these cool chairs for the cubs! Thank you so much! Here are some photos of the cubs checking them out.

LCMOM Christmas Party

After Matt made me feel guilty about not getting the cubs' picture taken with Santa, I debated whether to take the cubs to the LCMOM Christmas party without their Dad. Emily is getting much better about standing next to Mom. Zach, on the other hand, is a runner. If I don't have a firm grip on his paw, he is off and running. What a challenge it is to take the cubs anywhere without their Dad unless they are contained and strapped down into their stroller. I knew Santa would be at the party for just an hour, so I thought since this would probably be our last chance (I refuse to go to the mall with a double stroller) I loaded the cubs up and off we went to see Santa. Emily did a great job at staying put. Zach was a different story. Two of the other moms had to help me corral that little stinker. Huge thanks to Chris and Dana for helping me keep an eye on him. He is quick. Amazingly so. He's not the only one. While manning the door, I caught a few other escapees myself. All boys. What does that tell you? Boys are a handful!

The cubs weren't a big fan of Santa. Poor Santa. What a patient man he is. I threw the cubs in his lap and tried to stand back quickly enough to snap a photo. Screaming ensued. Just great. I rescued Santa and took the cubs to sit down on a couch across from him. After 15 minutes or so Emily and Zach started taking things to Santa. At first Zach would stand a few feet away and throw his goody bag at Santa, and eventually he would walk all the way to him and hand over his goody bag. Progress. So again, I threw the cubs in Santa's lap and again, screaming ensued. So thanks Matt! I owe you one. I had a great time taking the cubs to get their picture taken with Santa. I can't wait to do it again next year.

Here are the only pictures from our Santa visit (I never did get one with them together with Santa):

Random things

Most of this week was spent emptying the "old" house and scheduling the house cleaner and the carpet cleaners. Plus trying to arrange for the Salvation Army to pick up some large donation items, I think I was at the house every day, sometimes even twice a day. What a pain trying to get everything scheduled but it is finally over, except for moving out what is left in the garage and the attic. All we have to do now is wait for the house to sell.

Apartment living still stinks. I can't stand that my kitchen is 1/16 the size of my last one. I have decided that I am living in a glorified hotel room with a minimal kitchenette. UGH! At least it's only temporary. My mantra for the next six months. Poor Zach must not like the apartment even more than I do. Every time we come home (and yes, I mean EVERY time) he barely makes it in the door before he starts crying. Have we scarred him for life?? He never used to do this at the old house. Poor baby! When I tell the cubs that we are going 'bye bye' they both run to the door. The guilt is horrible. Hopefully that is just temporary too.

Zach has started throwing up again. We were doing so well and I am just convinced that I jinx it every time. Giving him this new medicine is harder than wrestling with an alligator. He hates it, I hate it. Period.

On Wednesday, I went out to dinner with a friend to La Playa Maya. I love my monthly Wednesday night dinners because we always go some place new. It was really yummy. I think I could eat Mexican food every day.

Steve had an appointment on Thursday with the stereo/sound techs to mark the wiring for the computers, phones, TVs and surround sound systems at the new house. We didn't take any pictures because the exterior hasn't changed since the last post. All the good things are happening on the interior. The electricians are working their magic now.

Zach had an orthopedic appointment on Friday. It is always a challenge to take both cubs to the Doctor's office without their Dad. The rooms are always small, the wait is always long, and their attention span is always short. At least we had good news. The Doctor was very happy with Zach's progress and has determined that we don't need to go back unless we are concerned. The curving near his knees has corrected itself and he feels that the curving near his ankles will straighten out on its own. So no braces, thank goodness!

Friday night I was all set to take the cubs to an hourly childcare service so that Steve and I could join Beth Ann in celebrating her birthday. My friend referred the service so I really had no concerns about dropping off the cubs for two hours while Steve and I went to dinner. However, they squashed my plans! Little Emily Bear had been experiencing some diarrhea because of all her major teething, and they wouldn't take her. UGH! So Steve stayed home with the cubs while I went to dinner with Beth Ann, Matt and their friends for the big celebration. I had a lot of fun, the food was good, the margarita was great, and their friends are just hilarious. I really wish Steve could have gone with me, but I am really thankful to him that he was willing to cubsit so I could still go.

The week ahead will be just as busy. We will load the cubs and all their equipment and travel over the hills and through the woods to Grandma Bear's house. I am excited to visit my parents and grandparents and even more excited that Steve will have three days off to spend with us.

We hope that everyone has a safe and happy holiday! Merry Christmas!!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

December 16th was my Grandma's birthday. Sadly we were not able to celebrate with her but we were certainly thinking of her. I called to wish her a Happy Birthday and I am really looking forward to visiting with her over the Christmas holiday. We love you Grandma and hope you had the happiest of birthdays!

They do like each other

We didn't even have to pose these pictures...they sat together all by themselves. It's nice to think that sometimes they like each other.

Construction is progressing very quickly

Too tired to think of a title.

How sad is that? I can usually think of something but sheer exhaustion has taken over.

The house is now on the market. While we still have some minor things to finish up, the sign is now posted and we are officially listed. Steve and I have been incredibly busy trying to get everything moved out of the house and into the apartment or into storage. We have been taking alternate turns, one staying to cubsit, and the other going to the house. The process has gone much slower than we would have liked, but at least we are making some progress. The housekeeper should be coming this week and the carpet cleaners are scheduled for Wednesday.

The cubs have been handling everything pretty well. With the exception of Emily's molars coming in. She has been a real handful lately. At the last tooth check, she has three molars coming in. They haven't yet broken through but they must be causing some extreme pain for her because we are all feeling it. Too bad she isn't following Zach's example. He has a molar that has already come through and he didn't fuss a bit. He is such a trooper. Emily is not. She wakes up screaming in the middle of the night and won't calm down unless one of us is in there with her. So Steve and I have been taking turns sleeping on the floor in their room because we are afraid that her screaming will alert the neighbors, who will in turn alert CPS. It has been miserable. If I ever needed a back massage, it is now. I seriously doubt that there is any carpet padding installed in this apartment. I feel like Wilma Flintstone sleeping on a rock slab. Yabba Dabba Do. It will sure make me appreciate the upgraded carpet padding we are having installed in the new house.

We did drive by the house this weekend. Things are progressing very quickly there. It now looks like a house. I'm a little overwhelmed by how fast this is happening. It is exciting, but ulcer inducing as well, at least until the house sells. Steve's friend Brian has helped us move some of our really heavy furniture and we are very thankful to him. We have really great friends and family who have helped us with this huge transition. Many many thanks to all of you!!

Emily and Zach have been trying some new foods lately. Emily had some pineapple. She also had fruit cocktail which the first time she ate the whole serving while the next time she totally refused it. Fussy monkey. Zach has tried scrambled egg. I don't think he liked it very much but at least he tried it. That was huge for him. He also ate #3 Gerber spaghetti. This is the first time he has eaten a #3 food and been able to keep it down, so we are very proud of him. It's been slow going but at least we are seeing some progress. He has even started drinking some of his Pediasure from his sippy cup. I'm starting to feel a little less discouraged and a little more optimistic that he will be eating something other than pureed foods before he enters preschool.

The weather has taken a major downturn. Yesterday the temperature was in the 70s and today the high was only in the low 30s. It is sleeting and the overpasses and bridges are icy and dangerous. They said the temperature last night dropped 30 degrees in 30 minutes. I believe it. I had made a grocery run and stopped to fill up the car and the change was unreal. CRAZY weather. By Thursday the temperature is supposed to be back up near 70. No wonder everyone is always sick here.

Hi to baby Travis!

My best friend Leigh and her husband Scott welcomed a new addition on December 9. Travis De Ferreire Rothermel was born at 10:26 pm weighing 8lbs. 11oz. and measuring 21-1/2" long. Welcome to the world little guy!

Contraband

Surveillance photo of Emily slipping Zach some contraband while he was in time out. Obviously we need better security screeners during visiting hours.


Look at her trying to be sneaky and 'incognito'.

All about Emily

The other day I blogged excessively about Zach, so I thought it was only fair to blog excessively about Emily Bear.

She is a bright little girl. She notices right away when something isn't where it should be. She doesn't like wearing shoes and hates socks even more. She is very helpful and brings me things even though I don't want or need them. This morning she discovered the toilet paper roll. The joy!

She has tried several different new foods lately. The other night I was eating some pumpkin pie that we brought home from Grandma Bear's. I gave her a bite and she instantly spit it out. She kept standing next to me as if she were begging for food so I gave her another bite. I guess her opinion changed because she kept asking for more. She has also eaten beefaroni, mandarin oranges, fettuccini alfredo and her father keeps giving her Stove Top stuffing...yuck. Today I let her take a few bites of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Right now she is going through her clingy, woe-is-me stage. If I even look at her wrong she bursts into big crocodile tears. I know it's coming because I can see her working on it. It takes a lot of work to get those tears on demand. Unfortunately she is not a cute crier. Her face turns all red and blotchy. Some girls can pull off the woe-is-me tears and still look beautiful doing it. Emily will never be that girl.

She loves taking baths but don't get her face wet. She can't sleep without her Husky dog. She loves all things electronic. Buttons are meant to be pushed. She has also figured out if I take her hand and she doesn't want to go with me she'll just sit down. Stubborn monkey.

It never fails that she knows exactly when Mom's head hits the pillow at night. The minute I lay down is the same minute she starts crying.

Lately she has been resisting sleeping in her crib, especially at night. Daddy always manages to get her back to bed. Today I was met with a very loud resistance to her nap time. It was so loud that I thought the neighbors might call CPS on me. I finally gave up and brought her out to the living room while Zach finished his nap. I guess the bed wasn't good enough for her so she settled for the floor instead. Weird!

She is very protective of her little brother. Especially when he is in time-out. She'll sit with him and share her toys with him --- only in time-out. Toy sharing is off limits any other time. If Zach cries she is usually the first one there to see what is going on.

She has the best laugh in the world. She giggles too! When she laughs the sun is brighter, the sky is bluer, and the flowers smell prettier. Her laughter makes it all worth it.

Is it a little premature to join the High School Booster Club??

Apparently daddy doesn't think so....we are now members of the Boy's and Girl's Golf and Boy's and Girl's Soccer Booster Clubs for Byron Nelson High School, which hasn't even opened yet.

http://byronnelsonhighschool.ning.com/video/885902:Video:342

We don't waste any time around here!

November 7:


November 15:


November 25:


December 4:

Amazing Zach

Sometimes the little man amazes me. After our disastrous yesterday he decided to eat some brand new foods today. For lunch he tried some cottage cheese. I was amazed! I don't think he liked it, but he took three or four spoonfuls. He also had some deli-shaved chicken. Way to go Z-man!

After nap time the cubs and I went to the house to pack some more. I had the logistics all planned out on how I was going to get the cubs to and in the car safely without the use of the stroller. Zach is a runner. Perhaps I should say Zach is a sprinter. He is a quick little scamper. If you don't have a firm grip on his hand he will be off and running. VERY SCARY for mommy. So I decided the best way to accomplish getting this done was to put Zach in the car and let him stand in front of his car seat and shut the door before he can escape. Then I take Emily to the other side where I get her all strapped in. After Emily is safely secured, I go back to Zach's side and secure him in his car seat. Perfect plan! I must admit it worked rather well. The impressive part of this, and the reason I am sharing, is that while Zach was standing in front of his car seat all alone, he pulled himself up and crawled in and sat down in his seat all by himself! Mommy was so proud of him!

For dinner Zach tried another new food. A Gerber Graduate macaroni and vegetable something-or-other. It doesn't really matter what it was. What matters is that Zach ate several bites. Then he followed up with some applesauce. In case you weren't counting, that was four "table" foods in one day. Perhaps my 'swallow study scare tactic' is working after all.

Zach's swallow study

Zach's swallow study was yesterday. Obviously I misunderstood the purpose of this test. I thought that it would allow for us to see what happened as he swallowed food and it traveled down to his stomach. Apparently it only allows viewing of his swallowing function, which of course was perfectly normal. Sometimes I just want to scream to these people...why aren't they listening to me!? He doesn't have trouble swallowing the food....it's what happens in the following sixty seconds that is the problem. UGH!!!!! We ended up with the same therapist that performed Zach's oral/motor test back in May. She is still convinced that his whole problem is reflux. Funny how the Doctor keeps telling me it is not. What a colossal waste of time and money. Shame on me for putting Zach through yet another unnecessary test. I just started crying in the hospital parking lot. I am so frustrated that we don't have any answers. Not to mention that the test was scheduled right in the middle of his nap time so he was just miserable the entire time. Maybe I can use this as a scare tactic for little boys who throw up their food....another test with more barium. It must have worked because today he ate much better!!

Moving day....UGH!!

Cub Central relocated on Saturday. Yippee for apartment living...I was reminded the first night why I hate it. At least it is only temporary. At least it is only temporary. (Yes, I repeat that in my head all day long!) At least it is only temporary. You get the idea.

Matt and Beth Ann were a huge help! Matt helped Steve move some of the furniture while Beth Ann stayed with me to help corral the cubs. Emily still had the lingering effects from her illness/teething and was downright horrible. Unless there was a man in the house. It didn't really matter who...Matt or Daddy...as long as a man was holding her. Beth Ann and I tried as hard as we could to comfort her, but it was just one LONG temper tantrum. I'm just glad I didn't have to endure it by myself. Thanks to Beth Ann for spending the afternoon with us and to Matt for helping us with the move!! We owe you another one!!

Pictures from the great outdoors!

Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa Bear

I was really looking forward to Thanksgiving Dinner at my mom and dad's. I was really excited about all the new foods that Emily was going to be able to try out. I had a feeling Zach wouldn't be too interested given the past week, but I just knew that Emily would try everything. Even the cranberry sauce that I don't like myself. Of course Murphy's Law kicked in.

When we arrived home from the airport Tuesday night, I discovered that little Emily Bear had a small fever. I had heard that sometimes teething caused fever, so I gave her some Tylenol and put her to bed. Wednesday morning her fever had increased so we called our Pediatrician and was able to get right in. According to the Doctor, Emily had some chest congestion even though she wasn't coughing at all. We knew she didn't feel well because she was excessively clingy. We decided to still continue with our original plans for Thanksgiving, so with antibiotic in hand, we packed up the car and traveled to Grandma Bear's house. We left at naptime so thankfully the cubs slept most of the way. Once we arrived the cubs played outside and explored the huge yard (20 acres allows for plenty of playspace). We worked really hard at tiring them down so they would sleep that night. Once the cubs were in bed we were able to enjoy the New York Strips that Grandpa Bear grilled for us. YUM!! We knew sleeping would be a challenge because they weren't used to sleeping in pack and plays. Surprisingly Zach did pretty well, but Emily hated it. Poor Steve was up with her most of the night.

For Thanksgiving, Grandma Bear and Steve spent most of the day preparing the "feast" while Grandpa Bear and I tried entertaining the cubs. Emily was still fussy and clingy and just not herself. She had a very small appetite and did not try a single thing. NOT A SINGLE THING! I was so disappointed because I was looking forward to her trying everything. Especially since we only have a big Thanksgiving dinner once per year. I guess we'll just hope for better luck next year. I must give a big Thank You to Steve and Grandma Bear for slaving away in the kitchen all day and preparing a really great meal for us. It was really wonderful!

On Friday we packed up the cubs and came home. Emily was still being a fussbucket and we had so much to do to prepare for our move into the apartment. We didn't even get to participate in the shopping madness. Again, maybe we'll have better luck next year.

Rare moments!

Some pics with both cubs in the same frame....this rarely happens!

Just a few pictures from Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John's visit

Never fear, Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John are here!

Steve's parents (Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John) arrived in town Friday evening. They arrived after the cubs were in bed Friday and Steve and I had debated whether to keep the cubs up to see them or wait until Saturday morning. After weighing the pros and cons we decided to wait until Saturday morning. If we kept the cubs up late on Friday, Saturday was sure to be a nightmare. They are used to their schedule and typically start the meltdown process around 6:30 at night. I'm sure we would have paid for it all weekend if we kept them up late on Friday.

On Saturday we took a ride up to the new house site to show them around the area. Grandma Shirley and Grandpa John offered to cubsit Saturday night and we quickly accepted before they could change their minds. They didn't know what they were in for. Steve and I took off to the hockey game (the Stars lost AGAIN...**sigh**) and we had a great time. When we got home we noticed that Grandma Shirley had washed a load of baby clothes. UH OH....BAD SIGN!! Sure enough, Zach had needed a little "special attention"...meaning he had thrown up in his crib. Poor Grandma Shirley! Thanks to this little mess, she may not offer her cubsitting services so quickly next time.

We also put Grandpa John to work while he was here. Our apartment became available for move-in on Saturday, and we enlisted his help in moving our sleeper sofa on Sunday. What would we have done without him?? Again, huge thanks to Grandpa for his help! I felt terrible making him work on his vacation.

Grandma Shirley and I enjoyed a chick flick (27 Dresses) on Sunday while the boys were moving the couch. Much to Steve and Grandpa's dismay, the movie was still on when they returned, and they weren't very impressed. It was Football Sunday afterall. Steve made a comment that he couldn't wait to move to the new house, because then we'll have the family room and the game room. The game room sure would have come in handy on Football Sunday and Grandma and I could have enjoyed our movie without all the unnecessary grumbles from the men in the house!

On Monday, Steve and I had our final design appointment. We can't thank Grandma and Grandpa enough for volunteering (again) to cubsit for the day. Especially with Zach having his most recent issues. There was no way we could have completed this task with the cubs in tow. I was not leaving there until the papers were signed and everything was selected. Basically we spent the entire day there. We arrived early so we had a little time to go over the options we had chosen at our last visit. I noticed our granite selection wasn't on the shelf but I figured someone else had selected it as well so it must have been on someone's desk. It was not unusual for the designers to have someone's selections in their office as the design was in progress. But, of course, for me this was not the case. Our granite selection has been discontinued. You have got to be kidding me! The one we selected was the only one I liked to match up with our flooring and cabinetry selections. I was a nervous wreck while they called the supplier to see if we could get our order in. We were told that there shouldn't be any problem. WHEW! There had better not be any problem, or we'll have to start over from scratch on our kitchen selections. UGH!!

The cub report from Grandma was all good! It was a relief to hear that Zach didn't have any problems keeping his food down and they spent most of the day playing, both inside and out. Naps reportedly went well which was also a pleasant surprise. It sounded like they had a good time and I'm glad that Grandma and Grandpa were able to have some one-on-one time with just the cubs.

On Tuesday we took the Grandparents around the Arlington area to see the Rangers Stadium and the progress on the new Cowboys Stadium. We did another drive through the new housing area where we were pleasantly surprised to see that the slab has been poured. We also took the cubs to the mall to play in the toddler play area before heading to the airport. They had a late afternoon flight and we were sad to see them go. We really enjoyed their visit and can't wait for them to come again.

Such a slacker!

I pulled up my blog this evening and was amazed that I have not updated it since November 16. What a slacker! How am I supposed to remember all the way back to last week when I'm lucky to remember what I ate for lunch today? I will reference my trusty little calendar and try to update the world on what has been going on with the residents of Cub Central.

Last Tuesday was my LCMOM meeting. I always enjoy getting out and mingling with friends. Kelli and I even went to Manny G's afterwards for some adult conversation over a glass of wine.

Wednesday was my monthly dinner with Jackey and Cathy. This month we chose to go to a Mediterranean restaurant, so we ended up at Hedary's, which serves mainly Lebanese food. I'm really glad we went because I like trying new things, but I'm not sure I would go again, at least not anytime soon. It was definitely different.

Steve and I took Zach back to the GI Doctor on Thursday. He is still having issues with keeping foods down. It is so frustrating because he is finally taking the initiative to put things in his mouth all by himself and then ends up throwing them back up. Over the last few days he has tried some shaved ham and sliced cheese. It is wonderful to watch him put solid foods in his little mouth....FINALLY! Now if we can just figure out a way for him to keep everything down.

We have more teeth

Emily is sprouting her ninth tooth. I guess that explains her most recent bout of crankiness! Tooth brushing is going quite well. The cubs get their teeth brushed twice daily and I don't even have to tie them down anymore to do it. Yay!

It must be a world record...

This past work week I cooked dinner every night. That has got to be some kind of record. I even made three new things...baked ziti, sloppy joes, and thai noodles. We also had roast beef (one of my favorites...and this time I used the crock pot) and homemade pizza. To top that off I even made breakfast this morning...french toast. Steve always makes Sunday morning breakfast but this morning I gave him the day off. Aren't I sweet?? No emergent runs to the hospital for food poisoning so I guess I did ok. Unfortunately Emily is going through a picky food eating stage (hard to believe I know) and she didn't really seem to like any of it. She turned her nose up at the ziti, and the carrots and potatoes from the roast. The thai noodles were way too spicy and I wasn't crazy about the pizza so I didn't subject her to it. The only thing she seemed to like was the sloppy joes. Zach clamped his mouth shut for everything. What a surprise! ***sigh*** Oh well, maybe the Cub Chef will have better luck next week.

P.S. On an unrelated topic, we saw gas for $1.83 today and milk for $2.50/gallon.

A Saturday spent with Dad

We had a very busy Saturday. Today we took the circus out of the house. Dad had a rare Saturday off and we planned a big shopping trip. We really weren't planning on buying anything, we were just all anxious to get out of the house and since it was way too cold to play outside we settled on the mall. So that is what we did today. We spent the entire day out of the house with Dad.

We started out before lunch and headed north. We stopped for lunch at Mom's favorite fast food place...Taco Bueno. We decided to try eating in. I was a little worried about how the cubs would behave but they did amazingly well. No fussing at all. I was so impressed. We didn't spend too much time there because I really was worried about pressing our luck. The cubs even had some refried beans. These ARE my cubs afterall.

We then went to check on the homesite. We now have pipes. Woo hoo. This is moving along a little faster than I expected. Right now I am perfectly happy for them to take their time because we still have a house to sell. As soon as this one sells I'll be urging them to hurry things along.

After we checked on the site, we traveled up to Grapevine Mills for a little window shopping. Zach took a nap while Emily did some mall walking. Then we loaded the cubs back in the car so Emily could take her nap. Why they can't take a nap at the same time is beyond me. We then went to Northeast Mall for a little more window shopping. They did play for a while at the indoor playground before we packed up and headed home.

I think the cubs really enjoyed hanging out with Dad and getting out of the house! I had fun hanging out with Dad and getting out of the house too!

Where are they now? Snack craving alert!

I have recently been having cravings for two things I can no longer find:

1. Black Pepper Jack Doritos. I haven't had these since our last trip to New York in 2006. I always look for them in every grocery store I go into but can never seem to find them anywhere. I know they are still made because I saw them in a grocery store advertisement. Seems like a cruel form of torture since they don't even stock them.

2. Mr. Salty stick pretzels. Remember these??? They used to come in a blue box. I loved the fact that they were so thin and crispy. I actually found a close second...Salty Stix made by Shultz Pretzels. I used to buy these in a 3 lb. bag from Garden Ridge. They no longer carry them at the two stores near our house. BOO....HISS!!!

If anyone in the D/FW area has located either the Black Pepper Jack Doritos or the Salty Stix please let me know! I am having a snack craving!!

So the economy sucks.....

....but I'm not complaining about the lower gas prices. On Sunday we saw the price of gas had dropped to $1.95 here. I can't remember the last time I saw that. We should have taken a picture before the prices start to go back up.

The blog is in demand....

Yikes! My reading public is starting to get a little restless, so I am FINALLY posting an update so my loyal readers will get their weekly dose of Cub Central happenings. Sorry it's been a while, things are always crazy here.

Last Wednesday, the cubs and I went to Kelli's for a play date. Thankfully the cubs behaved reasonably well and even took a short nap in their stroller so Kelli and I could enjoy a nice lunch. They had a lot of fun playing with Kelli's girls and hanging out in the back yard. The weather was absolutely beautiful. Our little Zach is quite the flirt. He even gave little Miss Isabelle a kiss. AAAWWWW....the sweetest thing ever, and not a camera in sight.

On Friday evening the dreaded runny nose made yet another appearance at Cub Central. UGH!! By Saturday morning it had already moved into Zach's chest and the coughing ensued. Poor baby. I was hoping it was just allergies, but Emily disproved that by coming down with it on Sunday. Since allergies aren't contagious, we're pretty sure Cub Central is being attacked by the rhino-virus. Just great. We are a hot bed of germs here. So no cute cub pics for this post, unless you want to see the dreaded dripping noses that mommy spends hours chasing around. Bless their little hearts, they don't sleep well because they can't breathe, they don't eat well, and the coughing and hacking is just dreadful, but hopefully this mess will clear up soon. We have a busy month ahead and need to be in top form.

Housing update

We drove by the site on Friday and found that something has actually changed. We have forms for the concrete pour. YIPPEE. We are moving forward. We're keeping an eye on the weather and praying that it cooperates. It's been beautiful up until yesterday when we had tons of rain and now we're expecting low temps near freezing next weekend. Just our luck.

On Saturday we met with the realtor that will be listing our house. Our apartment won't be available until November 22, so we are looking forward to putting the house on the market around the beginning of December. Things are going to get really crazy here at Cub Central.

Why time outs don't work in our house....

...at least for Zach.

I have only put Zach in time out twice. The first time Emily went over and sat with him.

Today I put Zach in time out and this time Emily took him some legos (one at a time) for him to play with.

You must be kidding me!!! While I totally adore her watching out for her little brother, it makes his time outs a little rewarding for him. What kind of time out is it when you get a friend to hang out with AND she brings toys to boot?? What kind of punishment is that?? Thanks Emily.

When do I get to be in time out???

Cub report

It's been a week since my last cub report and I am struggling to remember what happened over the past seven days. My memory just isn't what it used to be....I've been told that I have "Mom"nesia, a brain sucking occurrence that strikes most moms of multiples.

The most important event of the week was a visit from Grandma and Grandpa Bear. They arrived on Saturday to cubsit for us and we can't thank them enough for it (see next post). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

The time changed this weekend, which I guess I find noteworthy because it is affecting me so much. I always loved the fall time change because it meant that I could get an extra hour of sleep. Unfortunately someone forgot to inform the cubs of that little detail and I am paying for it. I want my extra hour! Yesterday everyone was grouchy, especially the cubs. Today was much better.

Zach's eating has been going pretty well. I'm sure that since I mentioned it, I have jinxed it entirely. Today he had real macaroni and cheese and some baked potato. He kept it all down and I am doing the happy dance. Don't you wish you could see it? I am SO excited that we are finally starting to make some progress.

Emily has been doing great. She eats everything under the sun and is becoming Mommy's little helper. She brings me things when I leave them within her reach (most notable is the TV remote). Today I told her to take something to Zach and she did it. Next week I'll have her unloading the dishwasher and folding clothes! Just kidding, but I am impressed with her ability to understand me even though she doesn't verbally respond to me in a language I can understand. She blabbers all day long and I have yet to understand any of it.

At their 18 month check up the Dr. noted that he thinks their little molars may be starting to work their way out. I am dreading that. I hear they are the most painful. Emily can't shove her little hands in her mouth far enough, and I have to mop up after her all day long. I have never seen so much drool. I have stocked up on teething rings and baby Tylenol because I know it is just around the corner.

On a sad note, my grandmother fell last week and was hospitalized, but we are now happy to report that she has been released and is at home. We are hoping that she is resting comfortably and that she is back up on her feet in no time. We miss her and we don't get to see her as often as we would like, but we are always thinking of her!

Designs and dilemmas

We had our first design appointment on Saturday. Four hours and we're only 40% complete on our selections. What a long four hours it was. It wasn't that Steve and I couldn't agree on things. It was more like we didn't really like any of the choices. Nothing really jumped out to us that said "this is the one". Now we're second guessing everything we selected. Good thing is that nothing is set in stone yet, so we can go back and make changes. We are undecided on the flooring (wood floors vs. travertine), undecided on interior paint, and don't even mention the master bath (cabinets, granite and ceramic tile selections are all up in the air). We are definitely going to have to spend some time looking at the other houses to see what goes well together. I didn't even mention that practically everything is an upgrade. Ching ching. I can see the dollars evaporating. I am freaking out. For example, a silverware drawer for the kitchen cabinetry is $160. Steve said for that price the darn drawer better open up and hand him a fork. Thanks but no thanks.

We cannot thank Grandma and Grandpa Bear enough for driving all the way here to cubsit for us. We could not have possibly taken the cubs with us, so we are very grateful that they were able to come this weekend.

The cubs are 18 months old today!

It is hard to believe that the cubs are 18 months old today. Unfortunately that also means 18 month check-up and immunizations. What a way to celebrate.

Here are the stats:
Emily now weighs a whopping 25 lbs 13 oz. She is one heavy cub. She also tops the height chart at 34".

Zach now weighs 20 lbs 12 oz and is 32 3/4" tall.

Discipline is becoming a fun topic. Zach had his first taste of time out. He threw a bit of a fit until his big sister came over and sat with him. Thanks Emily. Is it really punishment when you have someone to hang out with? I guess she is already a bit overprotective. It's so hard to be serious when you're laughing on the inside. They are so stinking cute sometimes!

Scalped

Today has been a busy day. Steve finally had a Saturday off, and with that came a long list of things for him to do. He accomplished several things on his "to do" list, including mowing/edging, trimming the bushes, and giving Zach his very first fur trim. Below are pictures of the scalping. I think his new fur trim makes him look older and more grown up. I miss his little curls though.





If you think Daddy did a number on Zach's fur, you should see what he did to the bushes in the front yard. YIKES!! I barely recognize our house now.

Heads up!

Just giving everyone the "heads up" that Daddy is going to perform Zach's very first fur trim (hair cut) this weekend. Boo...hiss!!! Mommy loves little man's mop of blond curls but Dad says they have to go.

Look at these precious curls!!




Don't worry, Mom will be sure to post more pics after the scalping takes place.

Chasing Down the Sky

Grandma Shirley posted this as a comment on my blog about Eva and Nebbie. It was so perfectly fitting that I wanted to post it so everyone can read it.

Chasing Down The Sky

You were a member of my family and my very closest friend.
You loved me like few people can, exactly as I am.
You'd listen to me and comfort me when I was feeling down.
You'd play with me and sleep with me and follow me around.
No matter how my day went or how long you were left alone,
You always waited faithfully to welcome me back home.
If years could bring you back to me, you'd be right here today
But you are where you need to be and that is where you'll stay.
Because even though you are gone, it's really not goodbye
You simply ran ahead of me like chasing down the sky.
And when my own time comes and my own journey ends
I know that you will be there to welcome me home again.

Saturday -- What a busy day!

Today has been packed full of stuff!
I woke up bright and early and drove to Matt and Beth Ann's before the sun came up. They were participating in their community garage sale and I volunteered to help set up. It was the least I could do after everything they have done for us. Beth Ann and I hit some of the sales and I scored a few things for the cubs. Thanks to Beth Ann's negotiating skills I even bought a pack-and-play for an amount I was willing to spend, which was the one thing I was looking for.

I then rushed home so we could all go to the JSF Fall Festival. We had a good time. The cubs ran around and were exhausted by lunch time. I really enjoyed meeting some of the people that Steve works with. It's really nice to finally be able to put faces with all of the names.




After the festival, we had an appointment with the "sound guy" to discuss the phone, television, speaker drops and surround sound locations. Whew. The cubs were pretty impatient while we were doing this. I guess they were pretty tired of sitting in their stroller, and they weren't shy in telling us about it.

We then took the cubs to the park. They needed to burn off some more energy after spending much of the day in strollers and car seats. Zach LOVED the slide. Emily, well, not so much. We still got some cute pictures though.