harmony...

boyz are both feeling better...not sure if it was antman/syl medicine or just the way things roll...tonight cam was dancing, a lot...he was telling grammy love you too...so different from last night's high fever and chills...tonight the boyz were following each other in their ride on's upstairs and downstairs...cam yelling ewie, come on...they were in ewie's crib for a full 15 minutes...and no one cried...rolling around with the pillow barrier and kicking their legs, side by side, one after the other...when I took cam to bed...ewie said night night baby, like he used to...complete harmony...no pictures to prove it...my camera was not around my neck : )

sick days...

not much sleep last night in the gall household...cam woke at 11p and 5a...ewie awake from 3a to 5a...cam had a temp of 101 in the morning so we went to the doctor today...luckily grandma and grandpa sprung into quick action so ewie, the 'roided up boy, did not have to join us...cam's tonsils are "huge," so now we are on the tonsillectomy watch...throat swab came back viral, so we will watch and wait...poor little huge tonsil fever boy...good news is ewie sees the allergist in just a few weeks and we actually saw signs of our happy ewie...we were all about comfort today...popsicles and ice cream help swollen tonsils, as well as, low blood sugar steroid moments!

lots...

lots going on this weekend...saturday morning started out with ewie at the doctor again...after making a medication list with doses and times for the next 5 days, I felt a little less overwhelmed heading out to celebrate mine and heidi's birthdays...although, walking into the site of cam wearing ewie's hat with a superhero cape just coloring by himself made the corners of my mouth turn up...luckily grammy arrived shortly after to visit with the boyz and babysit...keena popped over and helped...as I headed to easton, taking deep breaths and clearing my mind so I could enjoy this day...
so worth it...the long late lunch at bon vie with heidi and keena...the many stores of shopping...the laughing and such...we stopped by home to pick up our husbands and head out to eat sushi...such a good time...so thankful borucki could joined us, although we missed tim...the desserts at spagio were worth every calorie...
the boyz were excited we had our sleepover guests...cam was attached to uncle fritz all weekend, begging him to bring out the rc car...grammy brought the boyz their easter baskets and they were PUMPED!!
all in all GREAT weekend...as I told grammy, so much happens here, the moment is over when I get back with the camera...she said, the only way to be quick enough is to wear the camera around my neck...
as the final goodbyes were said, I thought the overwhelmed feeling would wander back...but it didn't...being with such good friends and family is like medicine for me...making changes to ewie's medication plan reminds me he will feel better soon...waiting for his allergist appointment reminds me their is hope to get to the bottom of this problem...even knowing this past year has been almost as many days sick as healthy for him reminds me he is still better off than so many other children... though there has been lots this weekend and lots this year, we have ALL made it through and now there is light at the end of the tunnel...

goodbyes...

goodbyes in our house are almost always entertaining...every day I am home with the boyz, Andrew heads off to work in the morning...each day, ewan stands by the back door on his stool waving goodbye, saying "bye dad dee", blowing kisses and watching every move of his daddy until he drives down the street...hardly ever with one frog boot and the spiderman mask on his head, but this morning this was what he brought to the party...as cute as it is, he can get in the way, actually blockade the door...keeping his father from leaving...on a rare occasion, cam will join him...lately, ewan has been applying this practice to when grandma and grandpa leave and today cam joined him...I know one day they will not even notice when people leave...or it will be like pulling teeth to get them to say goodbye...so we will just enjoy this little production for as long as it lasts : )

superhero basketball...

So after going to the Cleveland Children's Museum on Saturday per Nathan's request and having a BLAST...we headed to Panini's right down the street from Jacob's Field...essentially a bar, but served food and we sat at a booth looking out the window, which provided 45 full minutes of entertainment for the boyz, although Panini's probably had to call the window washer immediately after we left!

We headed back to Akron and had a visit from Aunt Heather!!  This morning at Aunt Pam's, the boyz have started organizing their piano playing...Grammy hopes they might be a famous duet one day...MPM offered her Margaux love...with no feet on the carpet, impressive!!!

After heading home packed with perfect dress up hand-me-downs...the boyz broke into the box and pulled out Superman and Spiderman costumes...Cameron had added a different belt but ditched that and the cape...E had the Spiderman mask on for a moment...I threw the boyz outside while Andrew was grilling...in their costumes, after Andrew asked, "can we just put their clothes back on"...but everyone had fun playing basketball in costume...a good sign for my Buckeyes who can use this superhero luck in this crazed March Madness!

Accomplishments...

Sometimes you have to identify your accomplishments...the never ending sea of toys, dishes and dropped food seems overwhelming everyday...then the snow melts and sun is shining, but it uncovers the never ending sea of yard work needed...and we have neglected this yard for almost 3 years now...doing yard work is a lot easier with two almost two year old boyz, than it was with two one year old boyz...and now it is necessary since they are EVERYWHERE...my mind goes back to when we moved into this house over 9 years ago...a neighbor asked me if I was a gardner...I said, "no, not really," she told me, "you have to be a gardner, since you live on Garden Road" ...see I had never thought about being a gardner till then, my mother and grandmother were gardner's...I really only ever assisted...but I took the responsibility of living on Garden Road seriously...it also made me feel closer to the memory of my mother and grandmother to tear away brush, dig in the dirt and make it look pretty...then it became 2007...we were so busy planning for these boyz, the yard became easy to ignore...I could not take it last fall, and one day I hacked out all of the overgrown bushes and left it in a pile in the middle of the back yard...then we got busy, it got cold, snow came early...and much to Andrew's dismay, the pile remained...after Christmas, we had been out of town, then visiting with friends, then my father-in-law got sick, Andrew had started a new job and the boyz were about to start a new daycare...in a moment of my sheer panic of being overwhelmed, my sister came over while everyone else was at the hospital, we cleaned the house, took down the Christmas tree and I had Anthony drag the tree back to the pile I had already created (much to Andrew's dismay)...so today I cleaned up half of the pile and the Christmas tree...it is not completely gone, but it feels like an accomplishment...cam started out trying to assist me for while, but then moved on...ewie had no problem occupying himself...he was outside...I felt a little closer to my idol gardner's and got a little excited about being a gardner myself again!

a trip...

There is no way to describe a day like today...but call it a trip! We went outside at 930 this morning...we started off on the back deck playing in the neat and tidy cottage and cars...headed to the yard, cars came down...exploring began...yelling in the back yard like the birds...hanging in our favorite lilac bush, which is more like a tree...plopped in the ivy, because they can...pulled the hand me down, still have not gotten a battery "jeep" out of the garage...ewan had first claim...but cam laid down the law and in cam fashion took complete control of the "jeep"...a few protests from ewan but not many, he was just so happy to be outside...grandma and grandpa came over bearing delicious irish soda bread...ewan was pushing cam in the "jeep" across the yard...and this was just 1130 : )

I take a moment to think about how it is so hard to pick just one moment to describe...I feel like I am in a dream on bright and sunny days like this...or a little tired from working 13 hours on Monday! They change so much every day...ewan was sitting on top of the sandbox by himself today talking and laughing, it was so cam-like...cam showed up in my kitchen, while the tv was on...it was so ewan-like...the afternoon was just as great...before bed, they had the popcorn popper (you push) and the alternative version from IKEA, running around the circle of the kitchen, playroom, family room, dining room...first following each other...looking for each other, then changing directions...it was a moment when I wish my eyes were the video camera...stopping to watch classical baby...side by side...shoulder to shoulder...brother to brother...a trip, which is the GREATEST trip I have ever taken!!

Defense...

We broke out of the house this morning for some much needed outdoor play...after raining ALL day long yesterday, our yard has very small ponds everywhere and one very large one!! Luckily the boyz were dressed for puddle/mud jumping because it is all Cameron wanted to do! Once he sets his mind to something, there is no stopping him...then Ewan follows! Andrew and I ended up defending the very large pond from the boyz...they busted through a couple of times when we were playing zone vs. man to man...but it was just harmless wading vs. complete saturation!!

mother of twins+analytical mind=driving myself crazy

So I am starting to come to terms that I drive myself crazy...my sister pointed out a few months after the boyz were born that I completely overanalyze each of them and this confuses me. We talked about the differences between the two of us and our professions. She, as a teacher, always has plans a, b and c...when plan c fails, they bring in the team for a discussion of different approaches and options...I, as an OR nurse, always have plans a through g...if plan g fails, someone dies, sad but true. My profession also does not allow for the patience you need as a mother to let a plan unfold, we have different kinds of "patients" (my cheesy funny for the day!) I feel so comfortable having plans a through g, which I can apply to situations but not children...as much as I love being a mother, it puts me so far out of my comfort zone...

for example, ewan wanted the mr. potato head suitcase of accessories opened, I opened it and then went to grab our two potato heads, since cam was circling the suitcase as well...there was only one...my mind sprung into action as I began searching for the second potato head...where could it be? did the boys take it out of the assigned bin to another play area, did andrew put it away in another bin? was it under some table? what can I pull out as a distraction if they fight over the only potato head? grab camera to take pictures today...I return to recheck the assigned area and was reminded to stop overanalyzing...they were sharing the only potato head : )

p.s. I found the second potato head, under the chair, in the assigned area...while sitting on the floor with the boyz!

Cars, sticks and mud...

We had the MOST beautiful day! We ALL started off with a playdate! The boyz had Kendall and Kellan, I had Holly (Roommate & College of Nursing friend!) It was so nice seeing the kids play as well as just talking to Holly who has already been through what I am about to go through...Much needed friend time!
Playing outside was interesting with the bright, warm sun & patches of snow in the backyard! Today was the first day of the year we spent more awake time outside than inside...it felt so good!
We had an afternoon visit from Grandma & Grandpa who let me escape & brought sheer delight to the boyz!
I resorted to dressing the boyz in their snowpants & sweatshirts for outdoor time. All they need in the back yard is their cars, sticks & mud...Let's just say Cameron found the puddle first...as Ewan provided the distraction...by the end of the day, Ewie was in the puddle while Cam provided the distraction.
At one point Cam was in the front part of the yard & E was in the very back corner, I was not sure where to be...although I have never had so much fun or help raking the leaves from the pear tree, dropping way too late to catch in the fall! Ending our evening...Andrew has not had such grill help since Nate!!

Monkey See, Monkey Do...

We had a beautiful sunny weekend! Lots of outdoor time...the Cozy Coupe cars came out of the garage and provide hours of entertainment! What a difference a few months make at this age...they would both get into the car, they both would get out of the car...then they both would push their car...this would last for 30-45 minutes at a time, which shocks me! Ewan (with no boundary's) would get out of the car and try compare every feature of Cam's car with his car...but Cam (with very clear boundary's) would give a grunt and a hand whenever Ewan got close...and Ewan would run back to his car! They have discovered they have different models! Ewan's belonged to cousin's Margaux and Nate, Cam's belonged to cousin's Cody, Corey, Antmany, Cole and Syl. Eventually Ewan was able to compare horns, keys and gas caps! They ended today working together to fill the backs of the cars with sticks and leaves...watching the whole experience brought smiles, laughter and amazement!

Lazy days of Winter...

The lazy days of Winter are coming to an end...I am very excited for Spring, but today I realized I might miss these days...

We have spent most of our days off in our pajama's till after nap time or all day occasionally : ) When it has not been bitter cold we are outside at least once or twice...it takes about 15 minutes to put on two pairs of snow pants, four snow boots, 2 hats, 2 coats and 4 gloves on little hands who want opposable thumbs but just can not figure out how to put their hands in there! The long naps and restful sleeps are worth all of the effort to get fresh air!

I wish I had a picture of when we were outside early today...all bundled up, with snow still on the ground but magical because it was sunny and we could walk on the snow, instead of sinking...Cameron actually RAN outside in snow boots, along the shadow of the telephone pole! Ewan trekked the entire yard looking for security breaks...but we ALL ended up laying in the back yard, on the sparkly hard snow, enjoying the bright sun and blue skies!

The twin relationship..

The twin relationship makes me stop in my tracks...it keeps me from vacuuming or loading the dishwasher. The relationship they have together, reminds me of my youngest sister and I but they are so much closer AND they are BOYZ! This is a video of three different times in their short life together...but each time they are closer and a little more in sync...we are so blessed to have these amazing boyz in our life!

What DID I miss?

Well after having a WONDERFUL time in California with the girls, I woke up this morning to Ewan, just happy and giggly to see me. Cam cried a little, I think he forgot he missed me and then I have just gotten lots of hugs. My husband did an AWESOME job, I had no worries! I was curious to see how they would act, how they had changed and if I missed anything...

It was pretty normal this morning, except hugs lasted a little longer and I got lots of "pats!" Cameron STILL really likes to color while Ewan STILL really likes to eat non-stop. Ewan STILL showed up in my kitchen with his stool to explore and be closest to the food. And I found Cameron just pausing to take a moment and seeing life from another perspective...

I may have missed some moments but I had a few of my own...I felt a sense of calmness and relaxation, I have not felt in years...I had to laugh at the girls and I in the kitchen, all working together, each of us with our own task but with one purpose, to share each other's company with a little food and drink...Being in San Francisco caused a flood of memories when Andrew and I escaped there in 2005, it reminded me how far we have come together...By Saturday, I felt COMPLETELY renewed and we ended our perfect sunny California day, watching the sun set from Muir Beach...