Weekly Recap #21

Another busy week for the books! Some great things happened this week - some I can mention now, and some things I'll save for another post. The next couple of weeks are jam-packed for me... probably a prelude to my schedule this summer. Oy!

Monday

This was the final Cubbies before the big Awards Night next week. Then it's the final Cubbies till next year. Already! This year flew by. So happy that my boy will be a Sparkie next year. Takes me back to my own childhood with Awana clubs, such a fun time for me when I was little.

While the kids were at Cubbies, I enjoyed a fire pit meeting with my Community Group. It was our last meeting until next year too!

Tuesday

I did have my Stork meeting at the Irish pub in Geneva but didn't take any pics. I did get the cuties though.

Peek a Boo!!!

Sleeping Beauty

Wednesday

Wednesday started off as a normal day. I was taking my pics of the kids like any other morning.

Boss lady

He would be so much cuter if not for that nasty cradle cap that just won't go away!

I noticed Peytie was breathing heavily and he had a barking, seal-like cough. I figured let me just give the doc a call to check. Then we quickly ended up...

At the ER with Peytie. They monitored his oxygen levels, tested his (lack of) mucus for RSV, and x-rayed his chest to check for fluid. We learned, after a few hours, all those tests and LOTS OF TEARS, that he has croup and there's basically nothing we can do about it. It's supposed to clear up on its own so we'll see. He was the cutest little Godfather in the ER though!

Thursday

Lauryn met Sophie the Giraffe on Thursday! I think she's a fan.

 

Friday

It was Earth Day on Friday! The Hawthorne Hill Nature Center in Elgin had a cute family-friendly event to celebrate the day. We made super-cute crafts, listened to some live music, took a walk on the trail, and learned some ways that we can better take care of our planet. Such a fun activity with Brayden.

Making a bird feeder.

Weaving a web.

Making an owl craft.

Saturday

Saturday was virtually a perfect day. I took Brayden to the Randall Oaks Petting Zoo in West Dundee where they were having their Spring at the Zoo event. We had a great time feeding the animals, having a picnic lunch, and then running around at the playground. My heart was so full. I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Sunday

First thing on Sunday there were some snaps of the babies!

Straight chillin'!

Then, Sunday marked the end of a very Brayden-centric weekend. His little cousin, Ethan, had a birthday party at the Jump Zone in Schaumburg! It is located deep into an industrial park and for a second I thought we got lost! Thank goodness we didn't because Brayden wouldn't have wanted to miss the 7 giant inflatables! Such a fun time spent with family.

This is one of the sweetest moments I have ever witnessed at a birthday party. Big bro certainly loves little bro.

Weekly Goals:

• Goal #1: Log calories everyday this week. 
• Goal #2: Work out 3 times this week. 
• Goal #3: Drink at least 6 cups of water every day. 

Depression, Deschmession

When I first had the twins, my awesome church community group leader visited me at home and came to visit with the babies. While she was here, she asked a question that I hadn't been asked since having my twins. I had to stop and think about my answer for a second, but when I did, I got all the warm fuzzies inside. 

She asked if I experienced any depression since my twins were born.

Depression???

I honestly hadn't thought about it throughout my whole pregnancy and post-partum. But you know what...I haven't been depressed AT ALL!

Definitely a difference from my other two pregnancies. I distinctly remember being miserable both those times. So I know what depression is like, both while you are pregnant, and for months and months after.

When my daughter was born, her father and I didn't have the best relationship, so there was that to be depressed about. And then I was also very possessive of her and didn't want anyone else to be around her. I felt like people would try to take her away from me. It was a really weird feeling, and it made me really unhappy and depressed. Not to mention exhausted. Since I was the only one who could be around her, of course I was the only one I wanted to take care of her. Who can keep up with that?!?! Of course I realize now how unrealistic and unfounded those fears were, but at the time, they were all too real.

I was really depressed with Brayden too, but for totally different reasons. I wanted another girl. It really was as simple as that. Jazz was 11 at the time, and I lovingly remembered all the dress-up sessions we had and daily cuddle sessions we shared. Oh how I missed those times. So when I was pregnant six years ago, it was all I could think about. When I found out I was having a boy at my 20 week ultrasound, it took me into a depression so bad, I get chills thinking about it now.

I hate sports.

How will I relate to a boy?

Boys are messy.

Those thoughts, and so much other nonsense, flooded my brain back then that I was consumed by them...and didn't enjoy my pregnancy at all. To this day I feel bad about how I felt and of course realize how stupid I was.

Brayden is the best!

And, of course, now I have a 17-year-old girl so I can say from first-hand experience that I will take the messy, non-cuddling boy over the moody and dramatic teenager any day!

Judging by my past experience with depression, I'm surprised that it never even crossed my mind this time around. I truly believe that "last baby (or babies in my case) syndrome" has hit me hard and I find myself cherishing even the messiest of moments. Spit up in my hair - no problem! Awake every hour at night - pure bliss! Diaper explosions - YAY!

It's astonishing, really, how elated I have been this entire time. Moments that, years ago, would have had me sobbing in the corner of the darkest room in the house are now met with a hug and a smile.

Crazy, huh?

I want - no, need - to be fully present for the last "firsts" I'll ever get to witness in my children.

The last first cry.

The last first smile.

The last first tooth.

The last first step. 

Moments that, undoubtedly, will bring a tear to my eye when I think of them for as long as I live.

So depression, deschmession. I'm not having it. Not this time, anyway. I'm going to hold, and rock, and soothe these babies with a smile on my face and pure love in my heart every single day.

After all, it's the very last time.

Weekly Recap #20

This week in (mostly) pictures.

Monday

Tuesday

I made these Cherry Dream Bars for Book Club. They were ok.. but nothing "dreamy" about them.

I took one baby to book club. How to choose, right?!?! It was actually pretty easy since Lauryn is such a crank sometimes. Peytie got to hang out with little Nate (who is sure to be one of his best buds one day since his mommy is one of mine)!

We read The Dinner by Herman Koch. (We'll, my friends read the book, I went for the food.) This was only the second book since we started book club that I didn't get to. Consensus on this one was that it was slow-moving at first then gets crazy-weird at the end. I still have it at home. I'll try to get to it when I finish The Accidental Tourist. I'm really not crazy about that one and am starting to skim through just to finish.

Wednesday

Brayden is really into kicking the ball around in front of the house. Me thinks I should probably buy an actual soccer ball now.

Thursday

Lauryn got in her own Natey time on Thursday! She is such a little chunker but looks tiny compared to Nate (who is younger than her, by the way).

Friday

*Gasp* Could it be that my twins are finally starting to notice the other one???

Um, no. He just likes the flowers on her jammies. Lol

You know how I'm like a super-fan of resales now, right? Well, I decided to drive about 40 minutes away from home to visit the Bugaboo sale in Yorkville and I was...

Underwhelmed.

There was a line to get in, but the offerings inside were not very impressive. And I thought it would be WAY bigger than it was. Granted, the sale was held in two buildings - one for clothes and one for other items like toys/strollers/etc., but the quality of the items was disappointing and some of the prices were outrageous for the condition it was in. Let's put it this way, I only spent $20. The least amount of money I have ever spent at a resale.

Saturday

Did you know that Twin Conventions were a thing?

Yeah, me either. But they totally ARE!

I am a member of two twin clubs near me that fall under the umbrella of the Illinois Mothers of Twins Club (IMOTC) and there was a Spring Workshop on Sunday. I learned alot, but more importantly, met some GREAT people. I can't wait for the actual convention in October!

I even got this awesome t-shirt for donating to the state philanthropic - The Mighty Morenos!

And then I rushed home and made some Puerto Rican Soup. It was warm outside, but the soup still hit the spot!

I even got a nice car wash from my boy! Daddy helped, of course.

I loved having the twins out too!

Sunday

My family completed a feat that I didn't think was possible - we ALL fit inside our minivan! I knew we had the space, but feared it would be too tight in the backseat. No one complained, so I'm assuming it was all good.

We were headed to my niece's first birthday party at the rec center in West Chicago. Such a nice place! I'm thinking about having Brayden's party there too.

Not a fan of your Wello, huh? (Photobombed by Breanne! Doesn't look like she's a fan either.)

Forming a tight bond with her big cousin! Can't wait to witness all these kiddos growing up together.

Weekly Goals:

• Goal #1: Log calories everyday this week. 
• Goal #2: Work out 3 times this week. 
• Goal #3: Drink at least 6 cups of water every day.