Some updates on the kiddos

Addie is a crack up, as usual.  Yesterday she told me "Mommy, when I burp I don't want to say 'excuse me' anymore."  I told her that was the polite thing to say and she was very clear that she was no longer interested in saying "excuse me." I told her she could say, "Pardon me, please" instead.  She liked that idea.  Ever since, she's proudly said "pardon me, please" at any chance she has.  Woot, woot, I outsmarted a 3 year old! :)

Ben has started singing the ABCs relatively clearly. 

We've booked our flights for our Disney trip in the fall!!  Jeremy, Amanda, Amanda's parents (and I think her sister, but am not sure) are definitely coming too!

Kim update

Very long story short (I've tried posting this 4 times now and it keeps bumping me out), Kim is way better off than we expected.  The NY docs were great, in so much as they know what they're talking about. Basically  the DE docs did as best they could, but totally missed the boat  and caused all kinds of unnecessary worry.  In the end, it's a huge relief. She's not gravely ill. She's not knocking on death's door.  She'll make a full recovery from her stroke.  Overall, the best possible news that could've come out of the whole situation. 

Thank you for all of your thought, prayers, energies, etc.  They apparently work!! 

Think good thoughts

We're off to Mount Sinai Institute on Cardiovascular Medicine in NYC for Kimberly's appointments with the specialists.  They called yesterday and moved her 4pm up to whenever we are done with the 11am appointment.  So it's 10am carotid ultrasound, 11am Dr. Olin and next Dr. Patel.

Here's hoping they have a solution and are willing to do it first thing next week.  No one can wait much longer than that.

She's a pistol!

Last night Brian "went up to put Addie to bed."  About 10 minutes later, she pops down the stairs and says "hi Mommy."  I said, "where's Daddy?"  "Asleep."  Of course.  I go into the kitchen to pour her a drink and she puts her hands on her hip and makes this inquisitive face.  She says:

"Mommy, is it hard being a parent?" 

Excuse me?! What? Are you serious?

"What?"

"Is it hard being a parent?"

"Yes it is, Addie."

"Why?"

"Because you have to make sure your kids are safe."

So turnabout is fair play and I ask, "Addie, is hard being a kid?"

"Yes it is."  "Why?" "Because I love my Mommy and I love my Daddy and I love..." Apparently all that lovin' causes a 3 year old some distress.  If all of the world's problems involved loving too many people, right?

At daycare this afternoon, she proudly showed me her "shadow."  They did outlines of their bodies and each kid got to decorate their own.  Addie's was the only one with clear things on it.  I *hope* they save them for parents to take home.  On Addie's outline was two eyes, a nose, and a mouth in just about the right places on her face.  In the middle of her body was a big circle, for a belly, which she told me was full of food.  And finally, I'm pretty sure she drew pubic hair on herself.  Lots of scribbles just where it would be.  Seriously, I don't think the teacher knew what to say. I just thought how "developed" she is. :) Every other kids' outline has random scribbles all over.  Not Addie's!  Is anyone surprised?

4th of July fun

Surfer girl Addie, ready to squirt someone!

I had to sneak a picture of MomMom. That's Aunt Kim and Graham too.  Even the waterslide looks big in Muddy and Guppy's backyard!

Ben decided to accessorize, with Addie's rain boots and bucket.

It wouldn't be a trip to Muddy and Guppy's for Ben without a ride on the tractor (Grahams on there too)

Addie dancing, just before going to the fireworks.

So the rain came about 3 minutes before the fireworks started.  And it came hard.  The entire show, which seemed like it went on for eternity.  Overall it was a great fireworks show.  Ben started out on my lap and as they started looked back and saw Guppy and said, "Buppy, Buppy." So he went back to him and ended up on Muddy's lap.  For me, that meant my once dry lap was now exposed to the elements, and holy crow did I get soaked.  Addie sat on Brian's lap the whole time.  When they were (finally) over, I tried to get Addie to sit back in her stroller, to which she replied, "I can't! It's wet!"  Um, apparently she didn't realize she was soaking wet too.  Eventually we got them both in strollers and walked back to our car, at which point the rain decided to stop completely. Yup, for real, our luck!

Addie got mail today from Onkteb.  It was a really cool card with fish on it.  Inside was really funny and I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here:

Hi Addie!

I saw this card and remembered how much you like fishies.  And then I remembered that you like mail.  And then I remembered that you like stickers. So this card with fish and stickers is for you. Love, Onkteb

 

The card is decorated with foam cutouts that he glued to the pages, and of course in typical Onkteb fashion, included the Greek translation for each word. In case you're wondering, flower is pronounced "anthea" and fishies is pronounced "ichthys."  I don't know how to change the language on here to give you the right spellings, please forgive me.   There are also cutouts of a beetle, that says "This is Benjamin Beetle" and a butterfly that says "This is Beauregard the Butterfly."    Thanks Onkteb for sending Addie mail.  Ben says, "thanks for sending Addie mail too, Onkteb.  No, really, thank you." 

Tomorrow I have a meeting at 8am, with the Medical Director of the hospital, who will eventually be my counterpart in this program.  So the kiddos will have to be up earlier than the are used to.  Ugh oh!

Two funny Addie stories

OK, here's two funny Addie things:

1) Yesterday morning while explaining to her that Muddy and Guppy would be bringing her and Ben to my work for lunch, I said, "there will be chicken and french fr..." and she cut me off to ask, "will there be autumns there?"  I said, "what?"  "Will there be autumns there?" "What do you mean?" "You know, autumns who carry the trays" as she gestured carrying a tray.  Autumn is the name of Ben's favorite waitress at Hollywood Grill where we have breakfast on Sundays!  She thought the role of food server was called autumn! Autumn will be in heaven when we tell her that story, too!

2) When I went to pick Addie and Ben up last night from Muddy and Guppy's house, Addie was performing (shocking, I know!).  She asked me to "gentleman" which means to introduce her.  So I said, "Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Adelaide Joan Nourie singing...." Well then she decided it was time for my debut as well  She said, "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Cory!"  OMG, I don't know where she got "give it up for" but it was soooo funny.  Maybe from So You Think You Can Dance?

Funniest shirt ever

Tough to get a good picture with him wearing it, but it says "These puppies are illegal in 47 states," with arrows pointing to his biceps.