Ok, its almost the last day of January 2012 and one of my New Years Resolutions is to post AT LEAST every month AND to stay updated on my blog for journaling purposes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that I can print out my blog and make a book out of it. Such a fantastic keepsake!
Well, I have been out of town for just over 1 month. I got back yesterday and I am OVERWHELMED!!! I can't imagine how my parents must be feeling... and I will explain:
Our little family went out west to spend Christmas with the Perrero's. We decided to stay out there and spend time with family until my parents came back from their 18 month mission in Africa at the end of January. So, just before Jan 20th, we drove down to Vegas to be with the Gublers and see my long lost parents. Tyson, of course, had to get back to work and was lonely for a LONG TIME. It's been a good month, but a very tough one too (in different ways). Lets just say.... We won't be doing that again. I never want to be apart from Tyson that long ever again! Nor do the kids :)
So, just being gone for 1 month, I am back in Louisville Kentucky and have loads of laundry to do, unpacking in each room (even toys galore), just went grocery shopping, and got to get back into daily life: Taylor in school, gymnastics, make dinners, do the dishes, FHE, deal with jet-lag, cranky boys that won't sleep in their cribs, more adjustments with beds/bedrooms, new Ward calling (Relief Society Enrichment Board... its a great calling, nothing to complain about), help with school party coming up, Visiting Teaching, entertain the twins, go on drives when their cranky and clinging to mom's legs crying hysterically, somehow get rest, facebook, Valentines gifts for Tyson's staff, feed the twins 5 meals a day (no joke), change 6-9 poopy diapers a day (no joke), read to the kids, try not to fall asleep, wish I could sit and watch my TV show 'the Bachelor' Monday nights but I don't have time. You get the idea. I'm just rambling...
I think the one thing I am going to miss the most is all the help I got while I was with family. The twins are at a REALLY tough age (honestly, I don't think we've had an easy age yet). They are very clingy, the cry a lot, and have a lot of highs and low low's. When they are happy and playing with each other... I am estatic. I usually let them do whatever they want. I don't care if they tear my house up. It is rare and I thoroughly enjoy every second of it. I do hope that as they get older, we'll have more moments like those. Many people have told me that the first year with having twins is the hardest. Others have said it doesn't get any easier until after age 3. I'm thinking that is more like it. I am not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel. BUT, I look at my little girl, Taylor, and I have hope. Taylor use to be so whiny and needy when we were home (just me and her). She would wake up from naps and just cry for 45 minutes unless I held her until she "fully woke up". But, when that girl turned 3, she started blossoming. She always was my little angel, but boy has she bloomed into a wonderful little girl. She will be turning 4 in April. It sure does go by fast. The one thing I have guilt for is that my boys take SOOOOO MUCH out of me, that Taylor is always put on the back burner. They are pretty overwhelming, there's no doubt about it, but boy do I LOVE THEM! I'm blessed to have them. I try really hard to savor the good moments because I get that advice ALL THE TIME. Its hard not to wish away the years, so I really try not to; although tempted :)
So here we are taking off for Utah. The flight is about 4 hours long. It wasn't too bad because we were prepared and brought some liquid Melatonin to give to the boys when the got cranky. That knocked them out for about an hour. It was the last 45 minutes of the flight that got difficult. The boys were restless and didn't care to walk the isles anymore either :-) We made it and will soon forget it :)
The main thing I wanted to do while we were in Utah, was put my boys in private swim lessons for 3 straight weeks. Trevor was our little swimmer. That boy loves to swim. He caught on very fast and both boys could float the second day. They did really well. However, I knew there was a possibility that they might have some ear issues. The boys have always struggled with slight ear infections (not true ear infections), but they get fluid in the ear and it doesn't drain. Its something they have to grow out of, otherwise we'll end up doing surgery. It was so obvious how miserable they were the 3rd day. Triston got a fever, threw up (cause his temp got up high) and we immediately put the boys on a 10-day dose of amoxicillin. It was so interesting because after they finished, you could tell things were starting to slip back into that "fluid in the ears' phase and I didn't want to go through that again, so we pulled them out. For 2, 1/2 weeks of private difficult lessons, they did fantastic, and the main thing is that they can float and know what to do when they fall into water (hopefully). We just need to do refresher swimming back in Kentucky.
The face of a very sick boy, Triston
So, when Daddy had to leave to go back to work (after Christmas), things went downhill pretty fast. Trevor became an absolute nightmare! He didn't sleep at night anymore. He was such a daddy's boy. Grandpa Jon saved my life (and Trevor's). Trevor would only go to Grandpa Jon and Uncle Jeff. They were the only 2 that could comfort him. Trevor would always wake up in the night at like 1am and wouldn't go back to bed till like 4am. He would cry and cry if you tried to sit down on the couch with him, or lay down with him in bed. YOU HAD TO BE STANDING (while holding him) for him to NOT cry. It was so frustrating to me because I would get to a point where I wanted to let him just cry, but I couldn't because we would wake up the whole house. Sometimes I just let him whine and wimper on the floor. He would try to hide and bury his face cause he was so mad at me. I wanted to kill the boy. I couldn't understand him and why he was not sleeping. This became a domino affect. Because he didn't sleep well at night, he didn't sleep well for naps. He was always so overly exhausted. He would always fall asleep in the car, but as soon as you tried to get him out of the car, he was awake! A lot of the times, Jon just took him and Trevor actually started to sleep snuggling Grandpa Jon (in bed).
Another sleepless night, so they are still sleeping in day light.
And then there were those nap times. Trevor WOULD NOT sleep in the portacrib. He got really good at climbing out of it. I tried putting him back in countless times (45 minutes worth), and finally gave in. I just let him fall asleep at the door (what he wanted).
Here is Triston. Triston loves grandma and I think he LOVED her drink the most! :) Triston became obsessed with diet coke and would want it every time he saw grandma Glenys' cup :)
For Christmas, Santa brought Averee, Libbee and Taylor a pet hamster. Taylor was IN LOVE with her "little mouse". It was really cute. I'm thinking it wouldn't have lasted at our house in Kentucky though cause if the boys ever got to it... YIKES!
Sawyer was such a good cousin to Taylor.
They made a leggo castle for their little hamsters, but no matter what, those hamsters found a way out. :) I thought they would have liked their new home, but I guess not.
Averee, Braelyn, and Taylor
One day, Mandi and I took the 3 girls to a matinee and watched the chipmunks "Chipwrecked"
It was a cute movie, and we brought caprisuns, fruit snacks and bought popcorn for them to share.
Glenys and Mandi taught me how to make a rag quilt and we did one on this soft soft blanket from Costco. I love my new blanket!
Libbee, Brylee and Presli are all wrapped up in it
After about 2, 1/2 weeks with the Perrero Family, I drove down to Vegas with Uncle Kelly to see the Gubler Family. Thank goodness the kiddo's slept some. My parents were getting off their 18 month mission from Africa mid January 2012.
Uncle Kelly drove, while I managed the kids and their needs.
While we were waiting for Grandma and Grandpa Gubler to get off their plane, the kids became restless and so Aunt Natalie led them in some fun games.
Here is a picture of all the grandkids spying under the barricade to see if they can spot Grandma and Grandpa Gubler coming.
It was a great, exciting reunion!
My parents were overly excited to see the grandkids. It was great.
The weather in LasVegas was generally GREAT! It was the middle of January/Winter and we enjoyed the sunny dry weather. We went to Sunset park about 3 times to feed the duck and geese hot dog buns. The kids loved it! However, it did make Triston a little nervous. :)
Trevor got really into it
Triston, not sure about this duck
We had a blast with all the Gubler cousins. It was always fun having the kiddo's all together to play.
Trevor
Taylor pulling Triston around
Every night Grandma Gubler read Taylor books while I put the boys to bed. She loved the story of John Smith and the Indian girl, "Pocahontas".
Tyson came out the last weekend to LasVegas to hang out with the Gubler family. It was a LONG LONG 4 weeks without him. We probably won't ever do that again. I never want to be away from him that long again!
We always try to read the boys books, but as you can see, we don't try anymore. It just becomes competitive and a fight :)
Triston and Taylor
Uncle Trent helping me out and holding Trevor (left) and Triston (right)
Trevor decided to get "really comfortable" while he ate and made a mess of his yogurt. :)
Don't ask about the story of the boys and taking a bath in Grandma and Grandpa Gubler's bathroom. I can look back and laugh about it now, but what happened about an hour after this picture was taken, I try to forget.
So, once we came back home to Kentucky, we had to figure out what to do with the sleeping arrangements. The boys kept climbing out of their cribs as well and would not stay in their beds. I was TIRED of going back and forth for 30-45 minutes and putting them back in. So, we decided to transfer their crib into a toddler bed. This way, I would be able to lock the door and they could get back in their beds BY THEMSELVES. The first week, they both just slept on the floor by the door. Sometimes they would wake up within 20 minutes of falling asleep, so I would try to put them in their beds and lay next to their bed to get them back asleep. It didn't take long for them to catch on. Naptime, I just locked the door and let them cry. But at night, it was dark and I just sat in their room and played on my phone and made sure they didn't get out of their beds. It seemed easier this way at night. They didn't cry and fell asleep comfortably. But, THEN they started to get out of their beds in the middle of the nights and open the door and come upstairs to Mommy and Daddy's room. That was frustrating. So, then we had to start locking the door, so they wouldn't walk out. Good thing the lock was on the outside.
FOR THE LOVE.... MY BOYS DON'T KNOW WHAT SLEEP IS! :-)
The routine at night was: change their diaper, put PJ's on, brush teeth, put in sleep sac, give Taylor Mom and Dad kisses and loves, sippy cup of a little water, turn on white noise fan, turn out lights, in bed, mommy or daddy sits in room till they fell asleep (10-15 minutes)
