Play time with the girls!

So we had our friends up last night - Brooke & Malana (and Libby & Michelle) to play and have some pizza. The first 10 minutes were pretty quiet - but then... things got crazy.

My son, by the end of the night - ends up pimping. He was giving everyone hugs and kisses and making sure everyone was ok. He wanted to take the girls up stairs for binky time in bed (he and Melana were caught last time up there jumping and switching binkies!) Here he is taking advantage of poor Brooke! Who am I kidding - she was all about it (you know it Libby!)

I pulled down the entire attic - which 1/2 of it housed Christmas decorations. In addition to the decorations I also pulled down a bunch of boxes that haven't been gone through since we moved from college! Now I am going through a bunch of books and stuff from back then and starting to actually read the ones I had in college that I skimmed. "Who Wrote the Bible" is my current target.

We have successfully put up our Christmas tree - which was decorated and designed by Caleb. The colored LED lights are obscenely bright - but they save money! (Hella expensive to start!) Next year I may upgrade the outside to LED too - if one goes out they don't all go out!

Caleb really enjoyed decorating, and it has been fun trying to keep his hands off of stuff. He also hid a tiny pickle in the tree somewhere for me to find for a special present ... who knows. I thought I had it narrowed down to the bottom half - but mommy said she helped out too!

I've also got all the lights up on the outside of the house - and Leah and her mom need to do the porches and then we can get rid of the most of the other decorations that we are no longer going to keep or use. All the while going through the rest of the stuff we have to make some more storage space! Of course, this time next year we will be getting rid of a TON of stuff! No more baby junk!

Turkey Day + Old Photo

So we had lots of people to our house on Thursday, missing from the picture is myself, Leah's mom Suzan, and our twins who were ACTUALLY SLEEPING! 4 generations in one household! Missing from the event are Chad, Jess and Bryce... Ryan, Bethany, Gabe and Addie... and Darren. That means, if everyone comes next year we will have:

15 Adults, 1 x 10 yr old, 1 x 7 yr old, 3 x 3 yr old, 2 x 2 yr old, and 2 x 1 yr old. 15 adults and 9 kids. I LOVE IT. The crazy times that are about to ensue makes me very happy!

This is Caleb and Leland (Maggie, Leah's middle sister's son). Caleb is 2 and Leland is 1 - and the trouble that these guys are going to get into is just going to be disastrous!

Here is a photo of all the kids in the family so far. Emmie and Dylan, Maggie and Leland, Leah and Cheslea, myself and Caleb. Going to be fun times in the future! More to come!

THANKSGIVING!

BUT FIRST.... BOWS!!!!

So Leah loves them and thinks they are adorable -which I must agree - they are pretty cute.

We went to State College on Saturday with all 3. The twins slept nearly the whole time and Caleb was amazingly patient in line to see Santa. He was so excited to see him, sit on his lap, and tell him what he wanted. Until he got there! Leah had to sit with him and sneak a picture from the side! (I forgot to scan it yet but yeah, soon enough.)

Monday I took Sue to get all of her things from Phoenixville to move home for good! We also picked up Emmie - off for Thanksgiving break then back to school until Christmas. Everything went smoothly then, and when we came home. Yesterday was a rough patch for Chelsea - she still has her screaming fits that we have to work through.

Strange though - then she goes 4-5 hours without eating and sleeping like a peach. Such a range of emotions she shows - sometimes she is so happy and restful and her face is like a porcelain doll - just perfect. Then the stress and pain she shows in a fit just destroys that perfectness.

I can't wait until we get through this next month or so and hopefully she grows out of it. We think Dylan may be slowing his bottomless pit eating down - from draining 5-6 oz every 4 hours to perhaps just a little less. He is OVER 10 POUNDS! 10lbs 6oz in fact, Chelsea is tipping the scales at 8lbs 3oz. Hopefully she can catch up - however the doctor thinks she might just be a smaller baby - good for a girl I guess?

So tomorrow we are going to have 15 or so people at our house for Thanksgiving. We've made the apologies many times - but with 2 month old twins and a 2 year old - and having to go to everyone's if we go to anyone's - we are making people come to us if they want. We have offered to host everything for everyone - but only Leah's mom's family has accepted.

Most of mine will be away, and the Creighton side is having it at MB's house. Not a biggie - there is only time for one in a day anyway! But as for Christmas - people still have to understand that at that point it is our house or we are going to miss it. The Norton Christmas eve is at our house - yay! As for what everyone else is doing we don't know yet - but we do know that we are not going out.

Packing up 2 kids and bottles and diapers and naps and a 2 year old and presents and doing it repeatedly over a few days is just too much. Period. If they were all Caleb's age it would be easy! He is so low maintenance now - just throw him in the car with a few diapers and as long as he doesn't miss nap he is great!

Anyway, more to come after the Holidays.

Week Haitus.

So - I have been out a week dealing with some family medical issues. We took Chelsea to the emergency room last Tuesday as she was presenting with the same symptoms Dylan had before his surgery 3 weeks ago now. (By the way - he is a freaking bottomless pit now - eating us out of house and home.)

We were in the ER for what, 3 hours and they did an ultrasound and sent us to Danville. We got to Danville around 6, and were scheduled for surgery @ 8AM the next day. Instead - thankfully - they decided to do their own ultrasound in the AM and realized that Lewistown had, basically, measured the wrong things and there was no need for surgery.

So we got transferred to the Peed's service instead of the surgical team. We got to see a lot of different nurses and it was fun and relaxing to only have to worry about one kid that slept all the time but I much rather would have been at home. Chelsea started eating again - and they think she has some issues with her intestines as well as colic. Awesome.

Now that we are home things are back to normal? We had a terrible Friday (or was it Saturday?) with lots of crying and fussing and little sleep. We now have to give Chelsea some meds morning and night and gas drops before each feeding to try and make her less gassy. It seems to be working - kind of.

We also got all our Christmas stuff out over the weekend - now both cars have to be parked outside because of the amount of stuff in it! We also put up a round of garland with lights in Caleb's room - yes - I had to put nails all through the top 1 inch of wall. I must love Leah a lot. Lots of trees and decorations and pictures to come, by the day after Thanksgiving.

Meema had a spell - but she is getting better now. Now I am back to work - but only for a bit. I have a lot to get done but getting in and out trying to get things done for lots of people in lots of places. Being torn all over the place is a little rough, but I have lots of hats to wear and a strong back to carry as much of the load as possible. Perhaps I am finally growing up a bit huh?

First Tubby!

So we had our first real tubby last night (well, mini-tubby). And they were peaceful and happy even though they were starving! Now we know what to do if they are screaming uncontrollably!

Dylan is eating us out of house and home. It is pretty amazing that after his surgery we really can't keep him full. He is quite alert and mobile to the point that if we had a bike on him he would pedal miles his legs go so fast!

Chelsea - well - still screaming a bit after eating, so we decided to change formulas to the expensive kind again (like with Caleb). Hopefully this will help her belly out a bit so that she doesn't have the same screaming anymore! Her gas has just been terrible and 45 minutes after she eats she has been throwing fits like crazy.

We had a great weekend though. And let's just say it is nice to have Leah's mom home. She has been very helpful at home and keeping Leah from going nuts. I had a great time with Caleb on Saturday, we went to Lowe's to get some project materials, and then hung out at home doing stuff together. Leah was able to go to a jewelry party at her cousin's place in Huntingdon and that side of the family got to see the twins for the first time.

We then proceeded to watch PSU get whooped (in the second half). Was some great football this weekend though - but the Steelers lost too - so that sucked. Another thing that sucked, Leah's sister Emmie had a car accident this weekend - well she was parked, in the house, and someone hit her. So - nobody was hurt - but she is going to have to deal with a bunch of B.S. to get it fixed! Not a big deal, everyone had insurance and is covered, just annoying!

Last but not least, I'm to the point that I am losing my filter with some family members. So help me, if I hear one more thing in person I just might lose it and tell someone off. Period.

PICTURES!

Finally, I have Halloween pictures up. For those of you on my Facebook (probably all of you) there are more there, but for those of you who aren't - here is some eye candy!

The twins in their outfit that mommy made

Mommy and Caleb in his M&M outfit she made (not quite closed up yet):

And Dylan's hospital trip - what fun that was for mommy.

Sorry about my rant yesterday. I just run into some people sometimes that drive me nuts. Or do certain things like invite me to follow their blog and not care to follow mine? Random spam blogger ... wtf really?

So Chelsea seems to be calming down a bit, eating more, and still sleeping only 4 hours at a clip. We are going to try some rice in the formula with different nipples - hoping to achieve a longer sleeping time (please!). It was easy when they slept 22 hours a day but now Leah is having some issues that they want to be awake A LOT!

Steve and I put in a new door last night at home, but it isn't right. I'm going to have to re-do it today because there is a rather large gap at the bottom - even though both sides are plum inside and out and the top and bottom is level - I think we just drew in the side a bit to much and pulled the frame out. Remove screw, insert shim, win.

Hodge Podge

So today I felt like writing about a few things today. One is the fact that Chelsea - while not showing signs of a pyloric stenosis - has shown signs of (and confirmation on Friday) acid reflux and is now on Zantac. It seems to be helping, but it takes a few days to have a true effect (Affect? I'm terrible with grammar!) on her system.

So now when she feeds - she either sucks it down like a beer bong or screams the whole way through it. Either way she always fusses afterward. If she doesn't show a change by Thursday (7 days of medicine) we will be switching formula to try something different.

Dylan on the other hand we can't keep full now. He must be making up for his 5 days of not getting much, because man, on the dot if not before the 4 hour mark he is like an alarm! FEED ME SEYMOUR! They are being awake more, which makes for a more stressful time for both Leah and Caleb. I feel terrible because Caleb isn't getting the attention he deserves or had for the past two years.

I feel that he may actually fall behind his amazingly accelerated educational schedule due to this, and that bothers me. Are we bad parents because we can't give him that attention? However, at the age of two he can count to 10 (and if he is paying attention count items to the right number) and knows his letters and some things that start with them up to F (in order... like A apple, B baby, C CALEB!, D Daddy, E Elephant, F Frank (who knows why Frank!?). He also knows a few random others too.

He knows all his colors, shapes, and has very good problem solving, negotiation, and reasoning skills, but still has breakdowns even though he agreed to "5 more minutes then tubby." He's two, I guess I can't expect the world right?

So things at home are settling in to a nice routine, and we decided to go out on Saturday - we went to Joe's OIP and Lowe's. Joe's was great - the twins were sleeping. Then in Lowe's we had a big poop by Chelsea (I think) and then Dylan started crying too. So, while trying to keep those 2 satisfied and calm we turn around for a second and Caleb is climbing a mountain of rock salt boxes - at the top of a heap 4 high he is so proud of himself!

Other things... I tried to upload pictures. However we switched cameras for Halloween because the flash on our Nikon is busted. Now the Nikon doesn't recognize the card so I have to upload them from the old camera but I couldn't find the cord for that (it is somewhere, just have to locate it). So I owe you pictures I know.

At work we moved some stuff around to keep it warmer - has to stay above 55, and the warehouse will hit the 50's over night. I am having a guy come in this week to see if we have a better option for heating than space heaters (rather, more efficient.). Also, ADT is coming by to talk security system options because we have had minimal vandalism and I'd like to get something up, and we are talking about framing out and insulating another 2,000 sq feet for our shop to make things a little more habitable there for us. Right now I am about to go out and drill out some bull rings from a scrap trailer so we can use them in a good trailer to deliver about $250k of product value more securely next week.

One thing I have been really upset by recently - religious zealots. People who try to convert everyone and believe that their position is the only right one. IE: most Christians. Note - Jesus was a Jew, and (if I am correct) never in the old testament did he call himself God nor refer to himself as the Son of God. All of the references to Jesus calling himself God / the son of / Christ are from the New Testament - which most people know was written / started primarily by Paul/Saul and his followers AFTER he was kicked out of / left the Essene Church / it was decimated by the Roman's and basically FOUNDED CHRISTIANITY by changing names, dates, and doctrine! So, as fro Christianity ok - but don't get me started on how the Catholics have destroyed a once semi-beautiful religion. Ok - that was my piece for the day. Your task: go read the Coptic scrolls, the Gospel of Thomas, the Vedas, Dead Sea, Essene Gospels, and more Esoteric teachings (if you want I have over 20GB of E-books, most of which I haven't read YET - but some I have).

(...End rant)

This Week...

So this week ha been rough for me, although I have no real reason why other than I'm tired.

Dylan has been eating better and not throwing up. Chelsea is eating better, but still screams while / after she eats a lot. Plus she is having bowel issues - or lack there of. We feel like we are on the same path with her and that fairly soon there will be another trip to Danville for us.

On a plus not, my wife is super woman. While she does have help on a daily basis (God bless her mom for basically moving home to help us... that's ok - Jersey is dirty anyway) she still manages to keep it together - something I know I couldn't do. In addition to her mom helping out with the babies we are going to be able to get so many more things done.

Halloween is already away, and new decorations are making the rounds. Our neighbor said our house looked so nice with the candles in the windows because it hasn't been lit up in 20+ years! Leah was able to go through the kids close in a timely manner, and hers, and get everything packed up / put away. (This is one thing she HATES to do!) Christmas decorations at our house will be amazing because Leah has great ideas - but no time and can't ever put them into action - Sue will do it with her!

However - I have become much better at dealing with crying children and unresponsive toddlers! Not that it makes me super man or super dad, but it is a step in the right direction for me. Over the past 2 years I think I have grown a lot - as a person and a father.

I am still failing to get the Halloween pictures up, and for that I apologize. It has been a long week and I just keep plum forgetting. I also forgot to pick up my watch yesterday. It seems like the more tired I get the more I forget, and I am sure there is a medical word for that.

I have a lot of things to get done at work next week. Some drainage issues, pot hole filling, framing estimates, motion lights, and general clean up, but at least it will keep me busy. Not to mention that things at home are getting more and more busy as the twins become more and more alert. Pictures to come soon, I hope!

Surgery?

So this was a pretty whirlwind weekend. While prepping to go to the PSU vs Mich game on Saturday we decided to take Dylan to the emergency room because he was projectile vomiting for the past 24 hours and not eating well.

Turns out - he had a pyloric stenosis. The muscle between his stomach and his intestines was enlarged and was not allowing any food to get through to his intestines - leads to the puking, then to malnutrition, dehydration, and eventually if not taken care of, death (long process).

So, off to Danville goes Leah with him and I stayed home with Caleb and Chelsea. Surgery on Sunday morning and then a long day of slow feedings and recovery. Now Dylan has his own little scar above his belly button. We also have to monitor Chelsea for the same possible problem.

Lets just say I had a long weekend, and Leah had an even longer one. The stress of this situation is not near that of Caleb's, but add 2 other children into the mix and it makes for an overly tense weekend. However - things are moving back into the realm of normal and we hope to get back on track ASAP at home.

I have always respected what my wife did at home, even more so with 3 kids. She does get some help on a daily basis - but with what she has now - absolutely incredible what she does and who she is. Add on that the fact that she has saved my life by marrying me, Caleb's by figuring out something was wrong, and now Dylan's ... she actually diagnosed him before the doctors.

So now everything at home is clearing up, and at work - my right hand man and only driver - Mr. Dave Jackson, a long time friend of the family, his mother died this morning. So please pass your prayers onto him and his family. She was 96 and the process has been in motion for awhile, but that doesn't make things any easier.

So I sent Dave home. He is going to let me know, but we have 2 runs this week and we have to build a wall in the storage space. Doesn't look like that is going to happen! However - his mother is more important than anything we are doing here.

Pictures of Halloween later!