DAY TWO AND STILL GOING...

Yes, somehow -- magically -- the Pedialyte popsicles manage to stay down.


Ugh, poor baby. I don't know how she does it. She's such a trooper, though. She makes it to the bathroom almost every time. She holds her hair back with one hand and grips the potty with the other. She asks for a sip of water to rinse first and then drink. She's a pro, I tell ya.

Or is this just a sign of things to come? [cut to Saia, 16 years old, hovered over the potty after a "slumber party"]

Ugh...why can't they just stay two forever?

PROJECTILE VOMITTING IS VERY UNDERRATED

Not nearly enough has been written about this phenomenon, if you ask me. I mean, even poo has thousands of books and websites and blogs dedicated to the finer points and meanings of its various colors, odors, and consistencies.

But try to find a little well-researched info on spewing, puking, hurling...and zippo, baby. Nada.

WARNING:

THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS CONTAIN CONTENT THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED GRAPHIC IN NATURE. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Today, we're homebound. Saia started our little adventure at around 5am with a small, well-contained spray of catfish and veggies -- I think. Mommy was able to coax her back to sleep, but first thing this morning she was complaining that she "just doesn't feel well today."

Less than an hour later, she scored a 6.0 on the pukarama scale when she shot her newly injested milk across the bathroom floor while she was going potty. It was very impressive, let me tell you. There wasn't a square foot that went untouched. She must've been Linda Blairing it, head spinning round and all that because, for the life of me, I still can't figure out how she got chunks BEHIND the toilet!!!

So, we changed her outfit for the second time in less than 2 hours and got ready to head out for school. She insisted she felt better, although she's never really been one to even fully let go of the "I don't feel well" card because of the guaranteed amount of attention it garners. So, I vascillated -- is she really done and better or is she just revving up? Is it just a little bug that we can stabilize or am I gonna be standing over the washing machine all day?

Well, we chanced it...and almost made it across the bridge when I see in my rearview mirror the sudden contorting of her normally really cute nose and mouth into this hideous vessel of a vomit launcher. And two seconds later...BLECH!!!...and she was covered chest to toes in orange juice and bagel. Lovely. Really. And the car seat, oh, the car seat was utterly drenched and actually dripping, thank you very much.

So, I took the first exit, called Amy, the school, my work, and came home. "Clean me up, Mama," she whined. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I promise I'll get you all nice and clean as soon as we get home."

"Are we going to school?"

"No, baby, we're staying home today."

"You, too?"

"Yes, honey, I'm gonna stay home and take care of you."

"Because I throwed up a little?"

"Yes, babe, because you threw up Thanksgiving."

I'M SUCH A HEEL!!!

When I picked them up from school yesterday, Saia went running to a shelf to collect "her magnets".

"What magnets, sweetheart? We didn't bring any magnets. Those need to stay here," I explain.

"No, Mama, these are MY magnets. I will take them home with me," she says as she wraps her chubby little fingers around 4 blue letter magnets and shoves her hands behind her back.

"No, Saia, those belong to the school. We need to leave them here. You know we don't take things home with us from school. Your letter magnets are on the fridge at home, remember?"

But she was adamant and then furious and then crying, and I just couldn't understand where all this was coming from. She was upset all the way home. She'd stopped crying but was visibly not pleased with the outcome -- and definitely not pleased with me.

When we got home, she ran to the fridge to play with her magnets. I felt a little comforted by that and the evening went on as usual. But when Mommy got home from a business dinner later that evening, she casually mentioned that she'd seen Saia stuffing magnetic letters into her pockets this morning and did I make sure to take them out before we left for school?

Ugh...I felt like such a shit.

I had a really restless night waiting for her to wake up this morning. I climbed into the the big bed next to her and apologized for not listening and asked her to be a little more patient with me when she was explaining things because sometimes Mama was a little hard-headed.

Chago leaned over and patted my head, "It's okay, Mama. Your head is softer today."

Ain't that the truth?

A PICTURE'S WORTH 1000 WORDS

And that was never so true as this one.

"Give each other big Christmas hugs," was my order.

But look at those eyes of hers. She's an ultimate fighting champion in the making. Ten more seconds and he'd be tapping out or passing out for sure.

THEY CAN'T BE THIS OLD ALREADY, CAN THEY?

I watched them at my company Christmas party, interacting with other children, talking to adults, standing in line to wait for their turn to harass the poor balloon animal man, and I was just shocked at how grown up they've become -- seemingly overnight.

I mean, don't get me wrong, there were plenty of flying chicken nuggets and lots of pulling hair, but for the most part they were really really good. They just love being out and about -- a trait I'm certain we'll detest in 10 years. They love trying new food and talking to new people. They like to go new places and are always pretty much up for anything.

I love that. I just love that about them!!!

Next month, we'll brave Disneyland for their 3rd birthday, so stay tuned...

MORE FABULOUS ARTWORK!

"WORM WITH A CUPCAKE HAT IN THE WOODS"
-Santiago


SPONGE FLOWER
-Saia

SAN JOSE CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM

Had a great time at the museum this morning. The kids always have such a blast there, but it's truly like living in a tornado for 4 hours -- rushing here and there, pushing and pulling, look at this and look at that - and that's just getting out of the restrooms.

Took a whole bunch of new pics, which I've posted on Shutterfly (click here). And here's a little (soundless) clip of our little monsters in the art studio.



Video Sharing at DropShots.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIA RUBY!!!

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL WONDERFUL DAY!!!

ALWAYS WORTH IT

"MAMA!" screams the boy from his bed at the crack of dawn this morning.

"MAMA!" he yells again because I haven't yet registered that it's time to wake up.

Groggy and stuffy-headed from a week of the am-I-going-to-be-sick-or-not's, I stumbled into the hallway just as he's coming out of his room. His eyebrows are all crinkled. He looks very serious. Very concerned.

"What is it, baby boy?" I mumble. "Are you alright?"

"Mama, I just wanted to know if you were feeling better this morning." And he hugs my leg.

I could never feel this great again. :)

I GOT A BATMAN!! NO, I GOT A DINOSAUR!!

Ah, the joy of giving, or is it receiving, or is it just getting and getting and getting?

On our way home from school on Tuesday night, for the FULL half-hour drive, I got to hear each and every valentine they received, in intricate detail (and they had 20 -- EACH!!!).

"Mama, look, I got a Strawberry Shortcake," says Saia excitedly. "She has a hat and she's pink."

"Well, I got a Bob the Builder," taunts Chago. "He has a yellow hat and yellow pants."

"But I have a Winnie-the-Pooh," hails Saia. "He has no pants. Mommy doesn't like him."

"Oooh, but I have a Tigger!!!" yells Chago. "He bounces and bounces and bounces."

And they go on and on and on...

And I guess I just didn't realize how many commercial products they could actually identify without ever having owned one (okay, maybe one) or seen a commercial for one (definitely not). How is that possible? How, in the short 6 months that they've been in school could they possibly have tripled their vocabulary with brand names?

I'm both proud and disgusted all at once.

HAPPY VALENTINES, DAY!!!

STUD MUFFIN!

SUPERSTAR!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TIA SONIA!!!

WE MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU AND WISH YOU WOULD COME VISIT US SOON!!!

IT'S GONNA BE A LOOOOONG WEEK

Mama's off to Philly this week for work.

I don't know how I'm going to be away from them for 5 whole days. This morning was hard enough having to say goodbye at school and not cry so that they wouldn't be upset. Chago asked if he could come with me. Saia said she would see me tomorrow. Both of them blew me kisses and told me to have a good trip.

I'm a wreck and my flight isn't for another 2 1/2 hours!

I don't even know if I can breathe without them -- that my lungs won't be crushed beneath the weight of missing them -- that I won't go deaf without hearing their voices. I left them stickies of my kisses in their beds, but it's me who's going to starve without their affection. I'm overwhelmed with loss at the thought of not being able to hold them one more time before I go, but how would I ever let go again?

I love you, my little penguinos, and won't live again until I see my reflection in your eyes.

Be safe, my little ones, and be good for Mommy.

Para Siempre,
Mama

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA PATSY!!!

Okay, So They're Not EXACTLY Vegetarian

	Of course, I did all the work and they reaped the reward. I even melted a little unsalted butter in a small dipping cup for them (which Saia just LOVED!!!)
	But now, every weekend it seems, they're asking for crab or lobster or mussels!! Mussels -- can you believe that?!? Ugh...what have we done?