Brother Love

I meant to post this on Monday, then Tuesday, etc. Making sure I get the memory down before a week has passed.

Yesterday we went to lunch after church. This normal for us. What was out of the norm was where the twins sat. The hostess put a highchair at either head of the table. Since we were eating with friends this meant that there were four chairs in between each highchair. There was talk of rearranging and I'm not certain why it didn't happen, but the boys seemed fine with it and we didn't think it would be a big deal to have them separated. Husband sat with G and I sat with J. Lunch proceeded as it normally does. There was good food, way to many fries consumed (Red Robin's bottomless fries), some normal post-food/pre-nap meltdowns, and then J noticed G across the table. He pointed him out to me and I asked if he missed his brother. He said, "uh-huh." As the adults were talking, J leaned over and started waving and saying, "Hi, G" over and over. I got Husband's attention and he had G wave and say hi. That pacified J, somewhat. When it was time to go we got everyone out of the highchairs and seats and made sure each boy had one of our hands. J was being difficult. I thought that he might want Husband's hand, so I let him go. He went to G, held his hand, and then was willing to hold mine. 

So often it seems that G is the one seeking out J. It was interesting to see J missing him and wanting to be with him. I love to watch them interact and see their connection to one another grow and change. This little display of brother love, wanting to hold his hand after being "apart" for an hour and a half or so made me smile.

Life is Random

I had it in mind to do several posts, but they haven't happened yet, so this is a combo of all those little ones.

1. H is hilarious. After we returned from the marathon, we picked him up from our friends' house. He had about 30 minutes with just us before his aunt and uncle arrived with is brothers. During that time he showed us his "inja skills" (ninja skills), which are done with really awesome sound effects. He told us that his other parents (he made them up a while back and sometimes I'm not sure if I should be offended or not) were ninjas and they were teaching him to be a ninja also. This was the only picture I could get of him, and he wouldn't cooperate so I could get a video.

2. Dinner - I made dinner last night. That isn't completely out of the ordinary, but I tried a new recipe. I made Parmesan chicken. It was yummy. I used fresh grated Parmesan instead of Kraft and then pulsed it in the food processor to make it smaller. If I did this again, using the same type of cheese, I'd leave out the salt. Husband thought it was a little too salty. Still, the boys liked it. We also had Cesar salad and bread. It was a good dinner, especially when my boys ate their salad and asked for seconds.

2nd piece of advice, use foil - what was I thinking?

 3. I love my husband. I was exhausted last night (not much different from every night). He put the boys to bed to help me out. We then sat on the couch together. I didn't do much while he worked on his computer. I did snap this picture of him, though he still doesn't know about it. I like it, and I love him!

4. Baby Four (Husband is still holding out for triplets) - Today's appointment went well. Dr. said I'm 13 weeks (hello, second trimester) and everything looks like a typical pregnancy. He had a student on rounds with him today and both were unable to find the baby's heartbeat with the dopler, but he had the sonogram machine and used that instead. As soon as he positioned the wand, there was baby moving around. We could see it move, we could see the heart beat, and it looked so much bigger than I expected. Using his hands he showed me the approximate size, about the size of a small potato. It was so nice to watch it moving around. And since H told me to (as if I wouldn't have anyway), I asked for a picture. He was super excited to see that when I picked him up from preschool.

Head on left, arrow pointing to spine, hands in front of face, and feet on right

2012 LA Marathon

No, I did not run the LA Marathon. Pregnant or not, it would take A LOT to get me to that point. However, my wonderful husband did. He did great! It was his first marathon, and I highly doubt it will be his last. As a non-participant, I'd totally do it again.

We rented a motel room in Santa Monica (by the finish line), the boys stayed with friends and family, and my sister-friend came down to keep me company while my husband slept and ran. It was fun to have time as me sans children; time to not worry whether or not everyone was eating/sleeping/keeping up/being kind/etc. We left Saturday afternoon and went to Dodger Stadium to pick up Husband's bib and info packet.

Checking his bib number

Me and B

Bib pick-up

There was an expo going on and we wandered around the booths for a little bit before heading out to check into the Hotel Carmel. After a few trips around the block and deciding to park in city parking we checked in, had the car valet parked with the hotel (it was that or city parking, no parking lot), and we went to dinner. B and I may not have run the LA Marathon, but we did walk around Santa Monica. After dinner, Husband went back to the hotel to sleep and get ready for the next morning. B and I went to Old Navy and then walked down the pier. I was hoping to ride the ferris wheel, but it was closed due to weather. We had fun hanging out and taking silly pictures. Then we walked back to our hotel, which was centrally located between everything (if I ever went back this would definitely be an option, not the most amazing hotel, but nice and awesome location).

Third Street Promenade

A wall I liked, attached to a building I also liked

The pier, and the blue/yellow tents is Cirque du Soleil

The city and beach

Green for St. Patrick's Day

After some hangout time spent whispering, we went to bed. Husband had to wake up at 3:30 to get ready and be at the shuttle pick-up at 4:30. I was so afraid he'd miss his alarm that I woke myself up at 12 and 2 to check and make sure I hadn't missed the alarm as well. He got up at 3 and I did my best to help him get ready. He was out the door by 4ish, about which time B and I ate a piece of fruit. After he left we laid back down and tried to sleep. We both decided we were hungry and went down to the continental breakfast where we obtained a few pastries. That was enough to fill us up and we tried to get some sleep. At 7:45ish we were up and moving and getting ready for the day, Husband was standing in a massive crowd of people waiting to move to the start line and begin the marathon.

We left the hotel to get some breakfast (second breakfast) and then came back, packed up, and checked out.

Much healthier this time around

Because of the marathon the hotel was kind enough to store our bags and hold our car until our runner was done with the race, one less stress for us. We then began scouting the finish line and a place to get a good shot of Husband crossing the finish line (we got updates throughout the marathon as he passed each 10km, or 6.2mile, marker). We stood around a lot, but we had fun talking. Once he crossed the finish line we walked "with" him (separated by a fence barrier). I tried to take pictures along the way, but I'm shorter than those fences; some turned out and others didn't.

Crossing the finish line

He sees us

Waiting for his medal

Got the medal

Almost to the end

4.58.46 - amazing!

I can't even begin to explain how proud I was to see him cross that finish line. After he got his medal, his finisher warming blanket, his bag of checked items, and made it through the crowd we walked back to the hotel, got our things and car, and I drove home. It was a long two days, a break without a break, and I loved the whole experience (except the part where I was waiting  for him to finish and didn't know the B-tag clock and the other clock were different). In the future I still wouldn't take my boys, not for many more years, there are just too many people (tens of thousands), but I'd love to do it again.

Husband and I

Crazy Hormones

This pregnancy has been different than the last two. These hormones have me feeling sick sometimes, always cold, and somewhat crazy. I have many people who tell me they think we'll have a girl because it's so different. No idea about that one, but time will tell. All I know is I'm excited for this baby, even if I often am too busy to think about that. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with the boys and life at home, but I find I'm less consumed with thoughts about being pregnant (I think about it, I just don't think I focus on it like I did the last two times). Then, the hormones kick in and I can't not think about it. I feel like I'm not making any sense. I suppose the point is this has been a different first trimester, and I only have one week left. I don't know what to expect in the next several months. I'd like for everything to even out, to feel a little less crazy and cold. I'd like to feel like I look pregnant instead of big. All that will come with time. I know in a few months I'll probably wish I could go back to feeling cool instead of having my third trimester during the hottest part of summer. When I think about it I try to focus on just being excited. Ten more days until my next appointment. That's exciting. Here's hoping we can confirm the number (one by me, three by Husband), glimpse the precious little cargo I'm caring, and hear a heartbeat.

And when I'm not thinking about it or focused on it, I hope I can be excited about and focused on the three little ones I already have. We're working on getting H into a dual-immersion program (Spanish/English) for kindergarten next year (seems hard to believe he'll be 5 in Aug.) and he's loving the new training wheels on his bike. G and J are growing and talking more and doing everything they see H do, with a little extra added in. I love these boys!

J

H

G