tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26898090896580115072012-01-18T06:59:14.368-06:00Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.comBlogger2881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-71037907031208100462011-10-20T13:56:00.000-05:002011-10-20T13:56:38.302-05:00

It is great having inquisitive children... Most times. I was driving Rylee and Reagan to school this morning when the following conversation occurred: "Dad?" Rylee asked, to get my attention. "Yeah?" I replied. "Cannon says that there are two kids in his class that have two moms." She said. Cannon is my nephew who is a year older than Rylee and, I think, enjoys telling the girls any and

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-25221517376419011882011-10-14T16:33:00.001-05:002011-10-14T16:34:17.847-05:00

Pilots are notorious for being cheap. The old joke - How do you get copper wire? Answer: Two captains fighting over a penny. It holds some truth. However, in my case I like to think that I am merely frugal. Frugal out of necessity. Four kids can be hard on the wallet. Heading out to a Paris restaurant, even an inexpensive one, can cost you 20 to 30 Euro. If you eat that way twice a day on a 6

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-4885759103758356132011-09-19T20:54:00.001-05:002011-09-19T20:56:04.214-05:00

My beautiful wife spent the majority of the day cleaning up the devastation that our spawn have wreaked on our home. Her mood was justifiably off kilter. We literally could no see the floor in the game room upstairs and their rooms were not much better. They can create a mess faster than you can clean it up and we have had a very difficult time convincing them that toys should be put away after

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-76971774772095265952011-04-11T10:20:00.001-05:002011-04-11T10:21:09.974-05:00

We had an absolutely amazing day yesterday. We ignored all the laundry and cleaning that needed to be done and headed out on the boat with my brother, Chad, and his family. We motored down to Midnight pass. Or what used to be Midnight pass, since there is no longer a pass to the Gulf. We set up the chairs and towels around the cooler and turned the kids loose to play in the sand and surf. I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-52060302414397286252011-04-09T20:05:00.000-05:002011-04-09T20:05:28.808-05:00

I was sitting out back this evening enjoying a refreshing adult beverage with my beautiful wife. We were discussing the days events when Reagan, our four year old, came out through the sliding glass door. She skipped around for a few minutes and then noticed a dead dragon fly on the ground. "Oh! Is he dead?" She asked, looking rather hurt. "Yes, honey, he is dead" I said. She squatted down and

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-17156871919064351092011-03-16T11:01:00.000-05:002011-03-16T11:01:24.182-05:00

My mind was wandering a bit as I drove Rylee to school this morning. We were discussing the odds of her catching a leprechaun with the shoe box that she was bringing to school strictly for that purpose, when two squirrels raced in front of my truck. They were having a serious disagreement about something and it almost got them run over. I spent the next several minutes pondering what in the world

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-33830499092562977382011-03-03T20:18:00.003-06:002011-03-03T20:39:04.010-06:00

I am going to have to give my girls some insturction on identifying different types of rocks and minerals.Recently my job took me to Athens, Greece. I walked up to the Akropolis and thought it would be neat if I brought some rocks back for the girls. I didn't steal any marble slabs or anything, just some stray stones from the walkways. Ever since I gave those to the girls they have been obsessed

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-69809215118288474942011-03-01T20:10:00.002-06:002011-03-01T20:23:56.828-06:00

It occurred to me that I don't really spend that much time doing things with the kids. When I am not flying I spend most of the time at home trying to get the kids to leave me alone and stop whining long enough for me to get some dishes washed or food prepared or a wall painted. I was starting to feel a little guilty that I had not spend any "quality" time with them. And so today I took Reagan

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-20691486983233820542011-02-03T07:08:00.003-06:002011-02-03T07:30:58.530-06:00

Not sure what I ate, but I was recently about as sick as I have ever been. I hadn't eaten anything unusual, but a three a.m. on Monday my body violently disagreed with something. It lasted almost two days and I learned a few things:1. You don't really appreciate having a squeaky clean toilet until you have your head stuck in there for several hours. I will buy more toilet bowl cleaner next time I

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-91738630688796824652011-01-22T19:50:00.002-06:002011-01-22T21:43:43.571-06:00

Yesterday was the first time that I was not excited to get home to see my girls. The reason that I was less than enthusiastic about my homecoming was that I was coming home to be the enforcer. The admistering agent of righteous retribution. We don't spank much. However, on this occasion we wanted to make a big impression. She, Rylee, was told that I would give her a spanking when I got home. Us

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-19997752714590737182010-11-10T10:38:00.000-06:002010-11-10T10:38:31.664-06:00

"Dad, can I go with you when you take Rylee to school?" Asked Reagan this morning over breakfast. While it is really a hassle to get all of the kids dressed if you don't have to, her sweet little smile and the tilt of her head penetrated my defenses and I heard myself reply "Yeah, I guess that would be okay." I knew what was coming next. "Can I come too?" Pipped Madison. "Me too?" Jordan chirped.

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-83063780644887532402010-06-22T21:11:00.002-05:002010-06-22T21:28:59.554-05:00

The kids are more and more entertaining every day. The latest conversation with Reagan, now four, went something like this:"Dad, what is this?""What?" I replied."This...What is this?" she said holding up her right hand with her index finger and thumb extended, like she was making a gun. There was something on the tip of her finger. It looked like part of a squashed pea or some other abused food

Mnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-24336786342056759592010-04-23T21:17:00.000-05:002010-04-23T21:17:50.862-05:00

Conversation between Reagan, Madison, and Kari. Reagan to Madison: Baby! Baby! Here! Baby! Kari to Reagan: Is she a baby? Reagan: No Kari: Does she drink out of a bottle? Reagan: No Kari: Does she sleep in a crib? Reagan: Yes! Kari: Nooo she doesn't, she sleeps in a big girl bed. Reagan: Oh. Kari: Does she wear diapers? Reagan:No Kari: See she is a big girl you should call her Madison, Okay?

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-57935937875585042732010-03-11T13:14:00.002-06:002010-03-11T13:33:21.056-06:00

I got done with ground school yesterday. The plan is to pack enough clothes for two weeks and drive the whole crew down to Florida. We are not exactly ready to go, but are hoping to get out of here tonight.We need to get a leash for the cat and figure a way to fit his litter box in the car. Not really looking forward to a road trip with the little fur ball. When we moved across town it was only a

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-23959617939527206442010-02-24T09:50:00.003-06:002010-02-24T22:21:23.564-06:00

The latest goings on...We are on our third week of everyone being sick. Everyone seems to be getting over it now except Madison and I. We take turns coughing on eachother. It's getting pretty old.As most of you know we are still preparing to move. It has caused the whole family a lot of stress. We don't have an exact closing date, but have been sure that it would be "soon" for several weeks. Due

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-39090781223387645852010-02-08T22:16:00.002-06:002010-02-08T22:16:33.043-06:00

I guess I will start with current events and work backwards.The latest misadventures in parenting:This morning as I was preparing to leave Newark and come home to Houston, Rylee and Reagan were up early and up to no good. It is hard to believe, even for me, that they got into so much trouble in such a short amount of time.Kari got out of bed to find Rylee in the kitchen and caught a glimpse of

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-10339792977260258822010-01-22T20:08:00.003-06:002010-01-22T22:29:24.917-06:00

So I made Rylee a promise the other night that I would take all of the girls on a walk to the park. Yesterday she reminded me of that promise, she never forgets things like that. This is the tale of the walk to the park, an event that will not be repeated anytime in the near future. At least not with only one adult.Immediately after breakfast Rylee, for the third time that day, reminded me that I

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-2695391613562447762010-01-04T20:07:00.002-06:002010-01-04T20:45:21.424-06:00

I spent the day un-decorating, vacuuming the upstairs, and spraying more than a gallon of urine remover on all the spots that the kids and dogs have desecrated. Anyone who has pets or kids should pick up "Natures Miracle" at the local pet store. It is expensive, but it really works great on those spots that the dogs have claimed as their own and does a fine job on your kid's "Uh ohs."The kids

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-15126066218738905752010-01-02T07:20:00.002-06:002010-01-02T09:44:37.447-06:00

Its been busy and we are hoping that 2010 goes more smoothly than 2009.First of all I feel compelled to complain that my "12 cup" coffee maker only holds 8 cups of water and for some reason that kind of irks me every time I fill it up.I started out my morning today by beating my dog for AGAIN sneaking upstairs to urinate on things. He is a little thick skulled I think and while I don't relish

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-77765345926875543622009-11-17T21:46:00.003-06:002009-11-17T23:06:43.681-06:00

Here are a couple of things that I thought I should write down before I forgot them:While I was away on my last trip the big girls got up very early one morning. Normally Kari will get them some milk, turn on the cartoons for them, and go back to bed for a little while longer. However, on this day they let the twins out of their room. It isn't such a good idea to sleep while the twins are loose

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-23313035738091069572009-11-11T19:37:00.004-06:002009-11-11T21:02:46.458-06:00

It was a long day today, even though Kari let me sleep in. For some reason the twins, check that, the twins and Reagan all seemed to be more whiny than usual. For three hours I started to time how long the silence lasted between crying fits. Guess how long. Don't know? Don't care? Can't say that I blame you. Eight minutes. Eight minutes is about all the time you have to do anything uninterrupted.

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-47448557448831847152009-11-10T15:35:00.003-06:002009-11-10T16:05:47.328-06:00

It is still hard to believe what a medical mystery my wife has been lately. The doctors have not been much help till now.Kari's right leg began to swell up two days ago, while I was at work. I was very concerned when she told me about it and encouraged her to call someone to watch the kids and have it checked out, but she thought it was improving and decided to wait until I got home. She thought

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-3150874122738661632009-11-02T21:21:00.007-06:002009-11-02T22:45:29.525-06:00

I really hope that Kari starts to feel better soon. She is on her fifth week of feeling really miserable. I won't go into details, but she is up all night running to the bathroom. So much so that the dogs have started sleeping on my side of the bed to avoid being trampled in the middle of the night. She has lost over 14 pounds and has very little energy. So little energy, in fact, that all she

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-7244439040280776172009-11-01T20:37:00.002-06:002009-11-01T21:18:48.940-06:00

Despite a complete and utter lack of planning we have provided our spawn with a reasonably amusing Halloween experience. Kari had at least been thinking about it and got some decorations and I give my self a little credit for purchasing and carving the pumpkins. However, we dropped the ball in the costume department. With whatever cold/flu we have been fighting off just keeping the kids fed and

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-61117902976915359132009-10-24T20:49:00.003-05:002009-10-24T22:04:34.337-05:00

Adrenaline is better than coffee to really get the blood moving in the morning.All six of us have been a little under the weather. I don't think it is the flu, but it has not been much fun. Kari and I have not been getting much sleep. I was up most of the night coughing and shivering and when I wasn't shivering I was sweating.Rylee climbed in bed with us around 4 a.m. and around 6 a.m. I got up

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-68108994267429693732009-10-21T20:26:00.002-05:002009-10-21T20:35:52.756-05:00

Kari's CT scan didn't show anything. The doctor is out of ideas other than exploratory surgery. At least he believes her which is better than the last doctor. We are thinking that she must have a spigelian hernia which is difficult to see on a CT scan. When Kari asked the doctor if there were anything else that would cause her abdomen to pop out like that he said that he couldn't think of

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-28020073651424878842009-10-21T09:17:00.004-05:002009-10-21T10:45:15.886-05:00

Every time that I come home from a trip Kari has a slew of amusing stories. Mostly about the kids and they are funny mostly because I can relate to the frustration. I am trying to be better about writing them down, because my memory is really slipping in this whirlwind that we call life and there is no telling how many stories have been lost. Kari was asleep. (Most of the really good stories

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-55590173159466767452009-10-13T12:59:00.004-05:002009-10-13T22:55:57.437-05:00

At some point after purchasing their cabin in Allenspark, CO. My Mother's parents started a journal. More of a notebook that anyone who visited the cabin could jot down their thoughts. It has been fun to go back and read what we all were doing while we were up there years ago.These are my cabin log entries for our recent vacation. If you are not family you will likely be bored to tears, my

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-82287509382704289022009-08-28T01:02:00.002-05:002009-08-28T02:59:27.846-05:00

They call it the terrible twos for a reason. However, I don't recall Rylee and Reagan being so obnoxious. Madison and Jordan have found that "louder" gets results. Their tantrums even start bothering their siblings, who up to this point, I was sure were immune. Rylee will put her hands over her ears and inform them that they are being too loud. I was thinking tonight that it would be great if

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-20157644996288587542009-08-21T12:10:00.002-05:002009-08-21T13:42:21.277-05:00

The latest difficulty has been Rylee's mastery of passive aggression. Example:All four girls are seated at the kitchen table. I use the term seated very loosely. Rylee sits with her feet up on the chair in a cannonball position. Reagan leans on the table with her elbows supporting most of her weight, and her favorite plush toys snuggled under her chin. Madison is standing, while Jordan kneels.

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-43220216620166107862009-08-11T00:11:00.002-05:002009-08-11T01:36:54.383-05:00

Sorry to anyone who might still be following this blog. I have been in a funk. I couldn't think of anything to write that was interesting and not sound like I was whining. However, this has kind of been my journal and I realize that if I don't write some of this down it will be lost forever. So...here are a few more things that I didn't want to forget.Kari has a lot on her plate, to say the least

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-25899400286854740862009-06-21T00:49:00.005-05:002009-06-27T21:43:40.095-05:00

I haven't posted much lately because I have been just a little to overwhelmed. I figured that once the twins habit of not breathing on occasion was behind us the stress level would go down. But it hasn't. All these girls that I live with are keeping me on my toes. Here is the latest.Rylee, who has been having fevers up to 105 degrees for almost two months, has been to see a infectious disease

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-85433872769703811762009-05-19T00:53:00.003-05:002009-05-19T01:24:33.856-05:00

Rylee has had a fever on an off for the last three weeks. Sometimes getting over 105 degrees. We are hoping that she just has a virus, but it seems odd for a couple of reasons:1. She had a fever for a week, was better for almost two weeks, got the fever again for several days, went almost 48 hours with no fever, and now she has a fever again (104.6 degrees this morning.)2. She has been out in

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-22213201579792871942009-05-12T22:35:00.003-05:002009-05-13T00:38:40.151-05:00

Those of you with siblings can probably relate. Didn't it always seem that whatever it was that your brother or sister had, or was playing with, at any given moment was better than whatever you had? Apparently this is the way the twins feel.I wasn't home so this is story has been reconstructed from interviews with the actual parties involved. I tried to interview the twins, but they just kept

Mnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-25363815589123169062009-05-04T16:00:00.003-05:002009-05-05T12:06:22.490-05:00

They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Apparently I am a little thick headed or partially insane, because it seemed like a good idea to take the kids to the park by myself...again.I got home at 6:30 this morning, after a red eye flight from Portland. I wasn't feeling too bad, so when Reagan crept out of her room I decided

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-9711878975719526702009-04-29T09:58:00.003-05:002009-04-29T10:28:38.652-05:00

The speech therapist that has been working with Reagan has been encouraging us to take her to an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. So we finally did. I had imagined that they would find nothing unusual and we would work with her more on pronouncing those tricky B and P sounds. I was a little shocked to find that she does have a physical problem. A Bifid Uvula and Velopharyngeal insufficiency. "

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-8126756303740429472009-04-26T22:01:00.005-05:002009-04-27T00:40:05.151-05:00

I am posting right now because I don't know what else to do with myself. Kari has taken Rylee to the ER with a 105 degree fever and I am holding down the fort. Just waiting and not being able to do anything else is kind of tough for me. So once again I am just typing in my own form of self therapy. I know that 105 is pretty high and I am concerned, but I really have no idea how bad that is and

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-58765202165690433872009-04-19T11:27:00.002-05:002009-04-19T13:12:38.967-05:00

I honestly can't recall if I have written a blog about this before. It may be another symptom of the child induced insanity from which I suffer. And I am too lazy to go back and read all my posts to see if I have. So I apologize if I am repeating myself, but I had to be certain that this was included in my journal.I had always heard that identical twins have a special connection to each other.

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-71820740070910000822009-04-17T13:36:00.004-05:002009-04-18T13:18:01.260-05:00

Reagan was sitting on the couch the other night, just watching a little TV. Madison was amusing herself by by vaulting over the arm of the couch, landing on her face, and then swinging her feet back to the ground to do it again. I am not sure if Reagan got kicked, but something rubbed her the wrong way. She caught Madison at the top of the armrest on her next circuit and with an angry look on

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-54115552293077746082009-03-20T11:31:00.003-05:002009-03-20T21:27:38.833-05:00

When I wake up these days I find that I am having to immediately play detective. Super sleuth, gum shoe, P.I., a dick. All I need is a trench coat and well worn Fedora. I go in search of clues, evidence of crime. Sometimes they are glaringly obvious and sometimes they are subtle. I also get to be judge, jury and executioner (well punishment dispenser, anyway) when I inevitably find evidence of

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-37739923034248921552009-03-10T15:21:00.002-05:002009-03-10T17:43:00.061-05:00

For some reason Kari and I are kind of "backside of the clock" kind of people. We are night owls. I get a second wind at about 8 p.m. and can easily stay up till the wee hours of the morning. I have to force myself to go to bed before one in the morning. It is, however, still the only time that we have to ourselves and thus don't feel too guilty about it. I recall reading the "Those who hoot with

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-40881559428818136572009-03-05T12:58:00.002-06:002009-03-05T13:05:28.847-06:00

This morning Rylee and Reagan got into the freezer and absconded with my low carb ice cream bars and a pair of scissors. They retreated to their sanctuary upstairs to open and devour them. Kari found them some time later looking inocent, except for the chocolate on their mugs.I am very curious to know who instigated that caper.Madison and Jordan now bow their heads and fold their hands when we

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-69244088253978411202009-02-18T10:19:00.004-06:002009-02-18T12:20:26.272-06:00

There a couple of new developments in the recent weeks.First we have converted the twin's cribs into day beds, as I mentioned in the last post. The result is that their schedules have been thrown off kilter. They don't really nap anymore and they get up much earlier. Unless both of them are on the verge of passing out, one will inevitably get out of bed and wake the other one up. They also get

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-14393588846033722912009-02-09T17:00:00.003-06:002009-02-09T19:56:30.992-06:00

I am fascinated by the inconsistencies in children's behavior. I was delighted to look outside and see my oldest, Rylee, pushing her younger sister, Reagan, on the swing. That seemed like a very big sisterly thing to do. I decided not to interrupt. About ten minutes later I heard Reagan wailing at the top of her lungs and figured I should investigate. I peeked out the window and glimpsed Rylee

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-57938725360230811152009-01-21T22:47:00.004-06:002009-01-22T08:22:26.731-06:00

This post is really just for me. Just some moments that could get lost in the shuffle of events that occupy my gray matter.First a quick update:I took the twins in for their 18 month check up today. I suspected that Kari asked me to take them because there was going to be shots involved and she doesn't like to be the bad guy. She said that she just wanted to get some cleaning done while we were

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-4950190473283562512009-01-08T10:43:00.003-06:002009-01-08T11:40:14.433-06:00

I was having a very vivid dream this morning. I was dreaming that Reagan was talking to me. I was not sure exactly what she was saying, but I rarely am. It is usually more of a "best guess" approach to deciphering her speech. You repeat back whatever it was you thought you heard and she will then let you know if you are correct or not. It is kind of like a game show, because when you guess

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-4104538185933654942009-01-04T09:48:00.003-06:002009-01-04T12:52:18.627-06:00

I was wondering this morning how to write this latest post and it occurred to me that I usually write about the bad events more than the good. I guess I am inspired by events that cause me anxiety or emotion and most of those, but not all, are unpleasant. I can see why bad new sells stories. They are the ones that elicit a reaction from the reader or viewer. Fortunately, I can look back shortly

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-56159095950669689742008-12-24T21:09:00.003-06:002008-12-24T22:10:29.600-06:00

I can't recall the last time I posted this much in such a short time, but the holidays seen fitting for jotting down fond memories.We actually got out as a whole family. We took the kids to see Santa at the mall. It went better than I imagined it would. I was ready to give up on the idea, but I am glad that Kari insisted on going. I figured that we would stand in line for hours (we did) and the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-84522300375661014992008-12-24T10:49:00.002-06:002008-12-24T11:33:23.278-06:00

Even though I was feeling exhausted, as usual, when I got out of bed, I decided this is going to be a great day. I am still smiling even though it has not been going really smooth.I got up with the girls to give Kari some much needed rest. Rylee asked for French toast, so I started clearing a space on the counter and getting out the eggs. Reagan needed some help going potty, so I paused to give

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-9492256697660627082008-12-22T01:19:00.005-06:002008-12-22T13:31:22.550-06:00

No, I was not involved in the incident involving a Continental 737 that departed the runway at the Denver international airport. Thanks for all the calls and texts inquiring about my safety. I don't have any information regarding that mishap that isn't pure speculation or what I have heard on the news, which I find quite vexing.I just got home from a trip. I had a long layover in Fort Myers and

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-81453342174191055822008-12-19T13:52:00.001-06:002008-12-19T13:52:43.420-06:00

People are always on the lookout for a new diet. The trouble with most diets is that you don't get enough to eat (the starvation diet), you don't get enough variation (the liquid diet) or you go broke (the all-meat diet). Consequently, people tend to cheat on their diets, or quit after 3 days. Well, now there's the new Toddler Miracle Diet.Over the years you may have noticed that most two year

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-27967119863000075522008-12-17T21:59:00.002-06:002008-12-17T23:04:50.532-06:00

Today I gagged. I pondered whether to include this in the blog due to the grossness of it all, but I figure I should chronicle this as well. So read on at your own risk. Having said that, I know most of you will be unable to tear yourself away now.I was on the phone with my father. We were discussing the most recent family photos that Chad took while we were on a forced vacation, due to

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-50668989533178204312008-12-16T23:54:00.002-06:002008-12-17T01:17:45.727-06:00

I am really impressed with how fast Reagan has caught on to the potty training, once we got around to working with her full time. We had been dragging our feet on that. The thought of taking her to sit on the potty every 20 minutes, while three other kids get into who knows what, and the inevitable messes seemed just too much to deal with at the time. We started the training in earnest the day

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-24608093456462035282008-12-12T00:54:00.002-06:002008-12-12T02:08:23.485-06:00

We are well into the second potty training cycle and are seeing promising results. One perk of waiting till the parents are ready seems to be that the child is very ready. Reagan's potty training, while there have still been a few accidents, is going much smoother than Rylee's. M&Ms are the driving force for our brand of potty training and it seems to be working well. The were a couple of "Oh

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-2301641090976828932008-12-07T14:02:00.002-06:002008-12-07T14:52:41.293-06:00

I suspect Jordan sampled some cat vomit this morning. I don't know for sure, but as I changed her diaper first, then Madi's diaper, and then found Jordan standing over a semi disturbed pile of, partially digested, cat chow... Yuck!For the last week the whole family has been battling a nasty cold. Rylee and Reagan seem to have bounced back fairly quickly, the twins seem to be on the mend, but Kari

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-164607223151954812008-11-25T21:57:00.007-06:002008-11-26T00:02:22.232-06:00

I called Kari from Denver the other day. The conversation went something like this:Kari: "Hello?" Sounded like she could really use a cup of coffee. Kids crying in the background.Mark: "Hi. How's things?"Kari: (Sigh) the sound of kids screaming creeps into the microphone a little more.Mark: "What's going on?"Kari: "Madison took her diaper off..." We have gotten in the habit of putting pants on

Mnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-40267983578393410072008-11-08T23:27:00.002-06:002008-11-09T00:53:33.486-06:00

It has been fun and frustrating at times with these four girls. My only real regret is that I don't feel like I have enough time to devote to each one of them individualy. They all need a little one on one Dad time. It is very difficult to give individual attention unless you leave the house with that child. If I sit on the floor I am swarmed by all of them which, without exception, leads to some

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-83450919185025578052008-11-03T23:48:00.002-06:002008-11-04T02:19:06.824-06:00

Lets see, whats new...I just got yesterday from a fairly uneventful trip. Take offs equaled landings. Although, there was one landing in SAN that was "interesting". The Captain was making the landing. The approach was normal till the last two hundred feet.The approach to runway 27 takes you right over the city and right over some fairly good sized buildings right off the end of the runway, so

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-74367193411079988462008-10-28T00:00:00.002-05:002008-10-28T00:27:55.261-05:00

I am very pleased the Rylee's vocabulary is expanding. She has no problem speaking at all. Now the problem is she won't stop talking...ever. And that isn't the worst part. You are required to participate no matter what you are doing. We are working on the "don't interrupt when Mom and Dad are talking" but when you stop to tell her that, you have just rewarded the behavior that you were trying to

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-23242928442478016632008-10-27T23:16:00.002-05:002008-10-28T00:00:03.451-05:00

Well we made it another year and that makes five. I figure with all Kari and I have been through in the last two years we can make it through pretty much anything. Due to our renters not paying up, we kept the evening low key. That and June and Wayne came over to see us and the grand babies. I found a great deal on filet mignon and we had ourselves a feast. We had a great time. Not the most

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-41731768786615547152008-10-20T14:35:00.005-05:002008-10-20T16:39:29.897-05:00

Last night was the first night in a long time that Kari and I actually took time for just the two of us together. We learned how to play Backgammon and she beat me 4 out of 5 games. It is easy to get caught up with all the day to day things that need to be done with four kids and miss out on your spouse.Here are some more random events that I thought that I should commit to digital paper before I

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-49624428670600275412008-10-16T12:18:00.002-05:002008-10-16T12:56:36.968-05:00

Not much new to report. We are pretty much settled back into our routine.The twins are getting bigger and we relish every new behavior. We are still keenly aware of their struggles early on and every small accomplishment seems like a huge milestone to us.Both Madison and Jordan have begun to say a few words other than Mama and Daddy. "Oh oh" is my favorite, at least until that phrase is linked to

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-58496622582821700692008-10-07T11:42:00.002-05:002008-10-07T14:48:07.747-05:00

We are back home in Houston now. I have not added up the receipts for fuel and food, but at $4.00 per gallon I am sure that it was not cheap. Not to mention the new tires and brakes that I felt compelled to replace in Sarasota. Thanks Papa for the help in that department. The drive home went much smoother that the trip to Florida. There was a little fussing from the twins between Sarasota and

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-64065074012798156782008-09-29T18:50:00.002-05:002008-09-29T19:08:18.001-05:00

The end is in sight for our latest adventure.I returned to Houston on the 26th. I had to be ready for work early on the 27th. The power was still off when I got there. So after trying to make friends with the cat again with a can of tuna I decided to get to work on cleaning up the outside of the house. I borrowed a chainsaw from a neighbor and removed the downed tree in the back yard. The pool

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-37747746072435284652008-09-18T11:12:00.002-05:002008-09-18T23:30:43.738-05:00

Where to start?Much has happened since I posted last. We lost power shortly after my last post. The day before the hurricane even got to us. I didn't expect that. I may have underestimated this storm a little. The damage in our area is about what I thought it would be. A few trees are down. We lost part of one tree in our back yard and a neighbor's tree fell on the fence surrounding our pool, but

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-45399296437933375662008-09-12T15:16:00.002-05:002008-09-12T16:27:32.089-05:00

So here. An update.We are currently battening down the hatches and watching the slow, but steady, progress of hurricane Ike as it is making a bee line for our little homestead. Kari tells me that winds over 90 mph are predicted in our zip code. Personally I think that it isn't going to be that bad. At least I hope it won't. I was wondering, as our neighbors were boarding up their windows, if they

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-27714330622026433502008-09-02T21:00:00.002-05:002008-09-02T21:07:06.160-05:00

The shoe thing aside, are girls predisposed to certain behaviors or is it all taught. Are they predisposed to spend hours in the bathroom? And what is the going in pairs about? I have always wondered. Maybe having four girls will give me some insight. Probably not, but maybe.The question is: when do girls start taking extraordinarily long in the bathroom? Because it is happening with Rylee, she

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-75726808348178329732008-09-02T09:53:00.002-05:002008-09-02T12:02:48.345-05:00

Kari called me on the verge of tears the other night. "I never ask for help. You were flying, I called my Mom, I called your Mom, I called Meesh, and no one is answering. Still nobody has called me back. I just need to vent. I need a sanity check."A few days ago Madison figured out how to climb onto the couch. Being that she has not even really figured out the walking thing yet, we thought that

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-64212783987929820412008-08-25T11:44:00.002-05:002008-08-25T12:36:20.915-05:00

That was a clue to a cross word puzzle that I attempted recently. Do you know what the answer was? "A soul. "I think that the answer should have been "your three year old." She doesn't get the concept of a secret yet. She also doesn't get the concept of a surprise, unless it is for her of course.I took Ry with me to shop for Kari's Birthday gift. She was an angel at the store and enjoyed adding

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-55691785358715448632008-08-19T22:11:00.002-05:002008-08-19T22:49:54.184-05:00

Reagan continues to be an imp, laughing maniacally when she is caught red handed doing anything she is not supposed to be doing. She got a swat on the behind the other day for pushing Jordan down twice. No remorse whatsoever.On the other hand I caught Rylee giving Madison a kiss on the head because she had fallen over and bumped her noggin.The twins are having more and more altercations in their

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-5336196131016808302008-08-11T22:08:00.002-05:002008-08-11T23:21:12.771-05:00

I don't recall when I became scared of the dark, but Rylee is there. Now, every night when we go upstairs to put her to bed she refuses to enter her room until the light is on. "Scary, Daddy. Scary, dark." She came down stairs a couple of nights ago and told Kari "I'm scared.""Why?" Kari asked."Monsters." she replied."Show Mommy what you are scared of." Kari said and scoped her up to go

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-13016745394175194192008-08-07T20:44:00.002-05:002008-08-07T20:50:32.567-05:00

Well Kari went over to the rental this evening and was assured that they would be over tomorrow to pay.I guess Kari and I are not cut out to be hard nosed landlords. There is always a sob story and tonight was another. I will refrain from airing our renter's dirty laundry here. I think that I am a naturally compassionate person and since you never know which of the sob stories are true, I may

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-35783388884161100472008-08-07T18:00:00.002-05:002008-08-07T19:47:19.305-05:00

After all this time it is still difficult to tell the twins apart on occasion.Kari got up the other morning, got the big girls breakfast, prepared the medicine for the babies, and made bottles. When the twins awoke, she was prepared. She brought them downstairs, one by one and changed their diapers. She then gave their medication and proceeded to feed them their first bottle of the day. She fed

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-22678076998829219972008-07-30T17:34:00.002-05:002008-07-30T21:41:11.335-05:00

The odd yet amusing things that go on around the home...conversations and events that really should be recorded before they are forgotten.Today I was laying on the floor of the bedroom playing with the girls, some of you got the videos. Jordan would not stay out of the laundry basket. She would fling her body over the rail and work herself into a sitting position atop the pile of clothes. Then

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-84394421587469320332008-07-25T19:05:00.002-05:002008-07-25T19:26:13.819-05:00

Not much new to report.Three of the four girls are cutting teeth and all the fussing has made the mood a little tense around the house. Reagan is finally getting her fang teeth (not sure what they are really called, but I am sure you know which ones I mean.) The twins are getting the front ones in. Madison seems to be the most upset about the whole thing, she is almost inconsolable.I can't recall

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-28484536346182493042008-07-18T11:58:00.002-05:002008-07-18T12:12:44.808-05:00

We finally got around to buying sand for the sand box. We told the girls on Reagan's birthday that they would get sand for the sandbox and they have been reminding us ever since. So yesterday I took Ry and Rea to Lowes to get sand.They were very excited about it and I was thinking that it would be great to have something else to occupy their minds for more than a couple of minutes, and it did.

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-70056676570221916132008-07-15T11:22:00.002-05:002008-07-15T12:27:44.873-05:00

I got back from a trip last night and made it home in time to see the girls for a few hours before bed time. My home comings, even if I have only been gone a few days, are magical times for me. I am greeted by lots of smiles and hugs. Rylee will jabber non-stop for several minutes about her day, listing everything that has happened, including food eaten, play activities, potty events, mischief

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-76288320104738074392008-07-07T21:18:00.004-05:002008-07-10T18:39:12.294-05:00

Sorry again that I haven't posted in awhile. I guess there are many reasons that I haven't been posting as much.1. It really was therapy for me and helped me get through a difficult situation. Now that we are over the roughest spot I don't feel the neeeed to post anymore to maintain my sanity.2. Even though we are past the roughest part and are no longer overly concerned about the health of the

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-45939100063953207652008-06-30T21:37:00.011-05:002008-06-30T22:19:33.912-05:00

The party came together much better than I thought. We had a pretty good turn out and another confidence builder is behind us. We may actually be able to maintain some sort of social life.I was so pleased that my folks could join us. The twins have changed so much since the last time that they saw them and photos just don't do it justice.Kari seems in much better spirits now that it is all over.

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-9598241624101844522008-06-26T01:35:00.002-05:002008-06-26T01:45:25.656-05:00

There are a couple of new pictures posted. I need to figure out how to make separate albums. The new pictures are in there somewhere.All is well, but I feel too beat to type a lengthy post at the moment.The twins went to see the GI specialist again. They have not gained the weight that he hoped they would and we were told to feed them as much high calorie food as possible. He said that we should

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-77299062833060275392008-06-18T23:39:00.002-05:002008-06-19T00:53:41.468-05:00

I have been feeling a little scatter brained lately. While the twins are doing excellent, the task of watching four little kids and taking care of the house is overwhelming for Kari and I. I find it particularity difficult to complete any household task without getting sidetracked onto at least one other task. For instance, I was just going to wash the dishes that were in the sink, but the drying

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-58451299684386778372008-06-15T14:55:00.002-05:002008-06-15T22:04:53.068-05:00

Lets see...Where to start...Lots has happened since I posted last.Rylee our oldest, accident prone, daughter injured herself again. Kari had just come home from the grocery store and set many of the bags on the kitchen floor. Among the items purchased was a case of toilet paper. That package of toilet paper was exactly the right size for Rylee to straddle and scoot around on the kitchen floor

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-86195608343037125142008-06-10T10:05:00.003-05:002008-06-10T11:42:34.170-05:00

Jordan is now standing unassisted for several seconds without holding onto anything and Madison has figured out how to clap her hands. Its not much, but these are big deals for us. I am sure many of you are tired of hearing it, but ever since we were told to expect to lose at least one of these babies that thought is never far from my mind. They really are our little miracles.We spent the last

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-60754402096069485912008-06-07T13:07:00.002-05:002008-06-08T14:38:21.830-05:00

I know that I am preaching to the choir, but...It cost me $185.22 to fill my truck with gas today. I can shake this sense of dread, our economy is going down the tubes. I am sure that many of you know that Continental is laying off 3000 workers. The price of fuel is killing us. Presently I am not afraid of losing my job, but something needs to change.The twins are doing well and we are in the

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-78533221671820778892008-06-06T22:54:00.002-05:002008-06-06T23:18:17.641-05:00

Our two oldest are quite destructive lately. They usually wait till one of us leaves to be sure that they heavily out number the parent before putting any of there devious plans into effect.Last week I called Kari from some hotel, somewhere, and learned that Rylee and Reagan had gotten into the bathroom, where they know they are not supposed to be, retrieved the fingernail polish, which they know

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-13860186301733169352008-05-31T17:05:00.003-05:002008-05-31T17:30:35.718-05:00

Sorry to those who have been expecting more posts. I guess that there is not really much to say now that we don't have a total crisis on our hands. I don't expect too much major drama from here on out. Now we just have four normal kids. I guess four under the age of four is enough drama in itself.The twins are really doing great. Both are about 16 pounds, which still amazes me, and the reflux

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-83933849996225679142008-05-26T19:19:00.006-05:002008-05-26T22:15:44.420-05:00

Now that our rug rats are moving more and more toward "solid" food. I say solid, but it is actually much closer to a liquid, more like a gel really. Anyway, now that they are eating solids I have observed more defenses that need to be added to the list of Postnatal Jujitsu techniques that every parent should be familiar with. And I will again discuss my own countermeasures for each of these

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-49782747767695533482008-05-26T15:33:00.004-05:002008-05-26T22:15:25.532-05:00

Yesterday it was one year since Kari was diagnosed with twin to twin transfusion syndrome. We sat out in the back yard and enjoyed a glass of wine in celebration.It occurred to me that she never really told me about that trip to the doctor's office and I asked her to tell me about it.Dr. Reiter had always maintained a somewhat cold, clinical, attitude and had warned her from the begining that

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-48315313768384542402008-05-21T22:58:00.002-05:002008-05-21T23:14:15.892-05:00

A year ago today I was admitted to Northeast in Humble for premature labor. What I know today and actually had the intuition but didn't act on it then...I would have made different choices. We have success, but it is very emotional right now. It's hard not to think what if...! If I hadn't already had my specialist appointment on the 25th, when would I have been "required" to be looked at again? I

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-26771847219524907482008-05-17T09:21:00.003-05:002008-05-17T10:02:42.302-05:00

After yesterday I think maybe I was making it sound too easy in my last post.I was on my own for several hours with the kids and being my first day back I was trying to help get the house back in order. It is difficult to do much other than take care of the kids when you are alone.It was a long grumpy day with short tempers all around, but I did get six loads of laundry done, the floor vacuumed,

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-10604256593757316562008-05-15T23:18:00.002-05:002008-05-15T23:21:04.055-05:00

I started a post but didn't have time to finish it and it posted behind Kari's last post, so scroll down.

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-69938773652348348662008-05-13T16:32:00.003-05:002008-05-13T16:46:01.316-05:00

Four girls - diaper changed, dressed, reflux rx administered, loaded into car : 25 minutesWalgreens Pharmacy Drive Thru : $50.00Number of rows to find a double cart next to a parking space: 1Comments, smiles, stares: 23Whines, Screams, Cry's: 0Diapers, Baby Food, Wine: $110.00Pulling out of driveway back to home and unloaded: 57 minutesPride and Accomplishment: Priceless!

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-89105013838591921882008-05-13T13:43:00.006-05:002008-05-17T09:20:58.714-05:00

I can't tell you how many people ask me "How do you do it? Taking care of all of those kids. Your poor wife!" I can't attest for how Kari does it, but here is a typical day when I am home:Take into account it is much much much easier now that the twins are eating normally and sleeping (allowed to cry for awhile) through the night.6:55I am vaguely aware of a small person breathing on my face. I

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-84120693202458034772008-05-13T00:16:00.002-05:002008-05-13T00:31:13.613-05:00

Keep Kari in your prayers. This is the first 4 day trip that I have done since all the nannies have gone. She will be all on her own and she is going to need some patience.We didn't plan ahead very well. I meant to make sure that there were no major projects that needed to be done and that we had sufficient food and medicine on hand so that Kari would not have to go to the store with all four

Mnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-85462361381380560422008-05-10T11:41:00.008-05:002008-05-10T13:24:00.764-05:00

It has been a little while since I posted. We have been busy.It is a lot more work with out any help, but we are doing it and we are still married.The twins are doing really well. The feeding issues seem to be almost non existent at this point. They are doing very well on solid food. They are both pulling themselves into standing positions, but Jordan is still in the lead as far as development

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-68964593892131178162008-05-07T11:45:00.002-05:002008-05-07T11:54:23.912-05:00

The twin's dresser, a basket, carpet, doodlepad, stairs, a box, a few toys, and two toddlers from head to toe ... soft as a baby's bottom.I was feeding the twins, the toddlers playing nicely upstairs in the game room, silence.Vaseline is very hard to remove.Thirty minutes later I got locked out by the three and a half year old.Five minutes later the same child unlocked the door. A little

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-63908314710913038862008-05-01T16:10:00.002-05:002008-05-01T23:55:16.336-05:00

On my last trip I got to chatting with one of the flight attendants. The conversation ended up turning to kids, which it always does with me since I don't have any other sort of social life. It turns out that she had six children. When I showed her the pictures of the girls, some of which where taken in the Nicu, she told me about her first child that was born premature and it was difficult to

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-90085917542279569502008-05-01T15:51:00.002-05:002008-05-01T16:08:40.935-05:00

Well, it is final. We are done with the nannies. Yesterday both Kandy and Mary Ellen were at the house to watch all four kids while Kari was at the doctor.Good News and Bad News about that:Kari doesn't have polyps and she doesn't have Fibroids. That is good. The bad news is that they don't know why she is having pain and bleeding. They went ahead and took a biopsy of her uterine lining to check

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-32871531419420981532008-04-30T21:58:00.003-05:002008-05-01T15:50:54.323-05:00

There can't be a more pleasant way to wake up in the morning than to wake up to your beautiful young daughter gently stroking your face. The big girls have been coming down stairs and crawling into bed with Kari in the morning while I have been gone and letting her get an extra half hour of sleep.Yesterday, Kari woke up to Rylee stroking her cheek. My wife peeked one eye open and smiled at her

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2689809089658011507.post-76377183183556820422008-04-25T12:44:00.006-05:002008-04-25T15:00:13.762-05:00

The jungle gym seems to be having the desired effect. The big girls occupy themselves for hours on playing on it. The only drawback so far is that they have not figured out how to propel themselves on the swings yet and insist on being pushed. There have been a few meltdowns when we told them they were going to have to make due without us for a few minutes.I was feeling a little guilty about

Karihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02234206041612450338noreply@blogger.com0