I find it interesting that after my last entry "Never a dull moment" Georgia went into the hospital the very next night with breathing difficulties and the next day Tommy was supposed to leave for a three day work trip. Luckily she came home the next morning and Tommy left, but then the other two got sick. Thursday I spent most of the day giving breathing treatments and worrying about how I was going to get three two year olds to the ER by myself if I had to, even if it meant waking them up. I could have made it happen if needed but it would not have been easy. Mickey's breathing continued to get worse then better, worse and better and I was just waiting for the sure signal from him it was time to go. That night Mickey and Jo slept in bed with me so I could keep an eye on them. I didn't sleep. The next morning I woke and Tommy said he was coming back early so I scheduled an appointment for Mickey at 11am. Mickey and I were at the doctors all day. We did leave for lunch. The doctors were trying to see if his breathing would improve after the steroid so that he would not have to go the hospital. Finally after the last test at 4:30pm, and his sats were still 92ish they said he would have to be admitted so Tommy drove him to the hospital where they tested him again and the sats were 98ish. That happened to Georgia earlier in the week as well, which makes me believe there might be something wrong with their machine at the doctors. The mystery behind Mickey is that he no longer had any retractions, his respiratory rate was good and his lugs sounded clear so why did he keep getting low numbers at the doctors. Anyway, they decided to let him go home and the hospital was kind enough to say they would not even charge us for the few hours he was there. How nice is that? In my opinion, these are the kinds of things that set Charlottesville apart. The hospitals is Arizona are great, but I doubt they would have done that for us.
What a long week it was. I knew when I went to the gym on Monday that would likely be the only day I get to go because Georgia's nose started running that day and I knew she was going to get sick. I just didn't know we going to go through another hospital stay. I thought maybe since it had been over a year, their lungs had grown and we were past that point. I was wrong. I admit I have been feeling very challenged since we got here. Its been very hard to get into a routine because something is always happening. Its really prevented me from getting any results physically or mentally from my workouts because they are so few and far between. I have not been able to start volunteering at the hospital because I keep having to reschedule my health screenings that are required. I am going to try and get them done again this week. I also had to reschedule the Early Intervention evaluation for the kids that was supposed to happen last Friday. Its taken over a month to get that going. I think I speak for Tommy and myself when I say it seems we have had this cloud hanging over us since day 1 in Virginia starting with the movers not delivering our things. Tommy and I are ready for the cloud to move on. We are trying so hard to make positive choices for our family, our kids and for each other and every time we feel like we are taking a step forward to making this our home, another ball drops. We want so much to love it here but need something to go right.
Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been all bad, we are on our way to owning a beautiful home, and we love this area. The people here so awesome and friendly and there is tons of stuff to do with the kids and great restaurants to eat at. But it hasn't exactly been the fresh start we were planning on so far. And I don't mean to be a downer because I have no regrets about this move and I do like it here but it has been a huge change for us and a major adjustment for me not working. Those things alone have been taking some getting used to without all the things that have gone wrong. Not having a nanny has been hard. Tommy and I were lucky with Kaela we could take care of stuff together, go to lunch, etc. Now we do everything opposite each other because someone has to watch the kiddos. We are still trying to find the easiest way to get stuff done and still spend time with each other. He has also been traveling a lot which we were not really planning on so that has been tough as well. I miss my work family greatly. I didn't see my friends in AZ that often because life was so busy for all of us. It was the friends I had at work I think that kept me sane some days. Being able to talk about our families and lives and share stories and laugh throughout the day. Adult conversations that I don't have now that made not seeing my friends outside of work a little easier. Now I am missing both my work friends and my girlfriends. I realize a lot of moms have been doing this for a long time but it is new to me.
I know we will get there, but were off to a rocky start. We had a fabulous road trip here and then, wham, test after test. Luckily, we had a beautiful Easter as a family. It was gorgeous outside. The kids got to hunt for eggs, we even drove by our soon to be house and its was so nice seeing how everything was blooming all around. We cant wait to be there. We do have so much to be grateful for, and every time something challenging happens, I start again the next day as I will this time. I am hoping that from now on things will go a bit smoother and the clouds will move on. I don't expect life to be easy all the time. Lord knows I have had my fair share of difficult moments in my 35 years but sometimes we just need a break so we can refresh and be ready for the next challenge, so just a break for a bit would be so appreciated. We are so ready for Spring, the new beginning we were hoping for in February, we are ready for warmth and sunshine and flowers, healthy kiddos and healthy mom and dad.
Monday, April 21, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
Never a dull moment!
Its been awhile since I written anything. Here I thought I would have all this free time to update my blog regularly. Ha Ha Ha. There are so many little things to take care of when you move out of state, I am learning. I joined a gym which I am really excited about. Although its been hard to go on a regular basis because life keeps happening. I am able to take the babies with me and they go to child care. This is great because it gives them an opportunity to interact with other kids. I am hoping it will also help with their speech. The negative is that they are exposed to new germs and that is what happened after our first visit. They got sick and so did I. We had our first experience with stomach flu. Now I know what its like to clean vomit up from, well, everywhere, including the car. The stomach flu morphed into some kind of cold virus and we were all down for two whole weeks almost. So, no working out for me. Since then I have been able to try several classes including Yoga, Barre, and Zumba. Not which I like the most but its nice to have the variety and keeps me from getting bored.
Unfortunately, my grandmother go very sick about a month ago. My mom was supposed to come visit in March but had to cancel her trip. We lost my grandmother on April 1st. She was 94. I will miss her a lot and enjoyed living close by for the last 15 years or so. It gave me the opportunity to get to know her better than any of my other grandparents which I am grateful for. She set such a good example of what a woman should be, strong, independent and loving. I know she has not been happy for a long time though and wanted to be with her husband, my grandfather who passed in 1992. So, the next day I traveled to Dallas to meet my mom and Aunt and we drove to Tulsa for the funeral. It was good to see my mom and the rest of my family although it is so sad it is always to say goodbye to someone we love. As we were driving away from the cemetery that day I left I realized I had been to four funerals there in the last 5 years; my dad, my grandfather, my uncle and now my grandmother. I hope I don't have to go back for a long time. Although I realize as I get older more and more people I know and love will go, I think my family could use a break.
It was good to get back to Virginia with Tommy and the babies and I even felt like I was home. We have been able to find a beautiful house by Lake Monticello up on the mountain. It is 3 and a half acres, close to the lake and absolutely beautiful. I will write a blog on the house another time but feel its important to mention. Tommy and I cant wait to be there and make it our own and we are sure the kids will love it.
On top of all this I am in the process of getting ready to start volunteering at the hospital in the NICU and bedside in Acute Pediatrics. I have done my first health screening, which includes a TB test and my next one is Wednesday. Then I go back one more time on Friday and I am hoping to get the "all clear" so I can start training. I am so excited to hopefully make a difference for some of these babies and their families. Having my own babies in the NICU for so long was such a difficult thing to go through. Not knowing what was going to happen, if they would survive, if they would have long term health issues. Wanting so badly for them to be home with us and having to leave them every night. It was all the people that worked in the hospital that helped us through that time and I want to give back in some way. The plan is to start next week if we are able to find a babysitter by then.
Georgia, Jolynne and Mickey are doing really well here. They have much more space to run around in, are saying so many new words every day and getting better at expressing themselves. They are definitely two year olds though and some days can be challenging with all their fighting and temper tantrums. They are also turning into quite the escape artists. They will be 2 and half years old at the end of this month and I will post a more detailed update on how their doing. I want to wait until I have the results from their speech and developmental evaluation that is taking place on Friday. In the meantime, we have been trying to get them out of the house on the weekend and take them to new places. We went to a winery and flew kites a couple weeks ago, we took them to the home and garden show where they got their faces painted, and last week we took them to a carnival where they rode on their first rides all by themselves. Although they all 3 had a great time, the girls did especially. Mickey was afraid of a lot of stuff there which I am sure is just a phase. Its really awesome getting to see them experience these new things and watch their faces. I cant wait to do more new stuff, starting with Easter this coming weekend. We will be dying Easter eggs and doing an egg hunt! We will even attempt to take them to Church.
Look out for my updates on the new house and the babies health. I will continue to try and post more updates than I have been. Its been a crazy couple of months and the next few months will probably be even crazier. My best friend and her family are coming to visit memorial weekend, we will be taking a trip to Richmond to the zoo for Mothers Day, moving into our new home (hopefully) mid-June and then my mom and nephew should be here. Never a dull moment for us! Loving every moment! Here are some pictures to enjoy of our new adventures in Virginia!
Friday, February 28, 2014
Roadtrip from Phoenix to Charlottesville
My mom and dad always told us about our various trips as a family over the years. Some of which I remember and some of which I don't. I thought it would be good to document here our move to Virginia so the kids can read it some day.
On February 1, 2014 we made our trek from Phoenix, AZ to Charlottesville, VA, our new home. The kiddos did so good. We left at 6am in the morning from my moms house. Both my mom and I cried when we said our goodbyes. So bittersweet as I knew it would be. We stopped in Payson for some breakfast and its a good thing we did because the second we stopped Georgia got car sick and threw up. Must have been from not having any food in her stomach. After she ate, she was fine the rest of the way. We stopped again in Gallup, New Mexico for some lunch only making one potty break in between. We had New Mexican food for lunch and it was actually pretty decent. The only annoying thing was the vendors walking up to our table trying to sell us jewelry. It started to lightly snow as we were leaving Gallup. We stopped once or twice more but it was freezing cold and hard to let the babies out for long (or us). It was cold. We somehow made it to Amarillo that night around 8pm and found a place to stay at the Staybridge Suites. It took approx. 2 hours to get the car unpacked and something for dinner which means we didn't get to eat until about 10pm. OK for us, babies were hungry though.
Day 1: 739.2 miles and 12.75 hours with three 2 year olds (who did so good!).
The next morning we packed up the car and headed toward Tulsa. We knew the roads may be a bit dangerous once we got there so we tried to get going as soon as possible. We stopped for lunch in Weatherford, OK at someplace called Jerry's. The babies were a big hit there. So many people at our table it was tough to eat. They only had two high chairs there so we used one of our own. The selection of restaurants was not great obviously so we couldn't be picky and luckily we were prepared. We made it to Tulsa and just as we thought, the roads were especially bad once we got off the freeway. We saw many cars on the side of the road. We decided to head to the cemetery first where my dad is buried before it got too late. I spent a few minutes talking to him and took some pictures for my mom. I left an Arizona Diamondbacks lanyard wrapped around the vase. I wish I could have stayed longer or visited my uncle and grandfather too but the cemetery was covered with snow, the babies were fussy wanting out of the car and if the weather would have been better, I would have gone back alone. At least I got to go at all I guess. We thought the weather might prevent us from even getting to Tulsa. After we checked into the hotel we met my Uncle Arnold (one of my dads 3 brothers) and Aunt Linda for dinner at Texas Roadhouse and they got to meet the babies. It was so good to see them! Loved that we were able to make that happen and hope we can get back there in the near future to see more of my family. I so wish we all could see each other more but such is life I guess. We will be back though with the kiddos at some point. I want them to know all of their family.
Day 2: 7 hours driving time. Halfway there.
The next morning was an early one. Another 12 hour drive ahead of us into Tennessee. I know the roads may be bad but they were terrible leaving Tulsa. We had to take a toll road to get back to the 40 and there was hardly a road. We drove very slowly. I just kept telling myself as soon we get off this toll road, I am sure they will have cleared some of this and we will be back in business. After about an hour of driving on this I took the exit for the 40 and as the exit curved around, we turned, and suddenly everything disappeared. And I mean everything. I could not see anything in front of me due to the fog, no cars and no road, so I pulled to the side but I couldn't pull too far over or we might get stuck in the snow. Tommy got out of the car to clean the windshield. Suddenly out of the fog a huge semi sped past us. How he saw us, I don't know, but we couldn't stay on the side of the road or we would likely get hit the next time, so I pulled out onto what I thought was a road and continued to drive. Luckily that fog did not last long and I could see again. Still no road though, just a big fat sheet of ice.
As we got closer to Arkansas, the ice was gone and I relaxed a little. The trees in Arkansas were so pretty. The branches were all shiny and crystallized from the ice. They were gleaming trees all around us.I told Tommy the trees looked like glazed donuts. LOL. We stopped just outside of Little Rock for some lunch. We had good ol' southern food. Fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried catfish. Yum. The babies liked the tomatoes and I know not too healthy but its rare we eat like that. I should also mention that for the 2nd or 3rd time this trip when stopped there are no changing tables in the restrooms, which means we were changing their diapers in the front seat of the car and it is freezing outside. Poor babies. Freezing their bums off.
We kept driving into Tennessee and into Nashville where I happened to be born. We continued to Franklin, TN to stay with a dear friend of mine, Mel, who offered us a place to stay. I actually lived in Franklin as a little girl for a short time. I have fond childhood memories there. Mel had dinner ready when we got there and her family was so sweet and welcoming. The kiddos got to play and enjoyed not being stuck in a hotel room with no toys. Tommy and I got to visit with Mel and her husband and we both really enjoyed our time with them. Once again, I found myself wishing we could have had more time but hopefully we will be back in that area again sometime. I would love to go back to Nashville and Franklin and explore a little.
Day 3: 11 hours driving time. The trio had their best travel day.
The next day we stopped by my old house that I lived in on our way out of town. It was pretty neat to see it again. We always thought it was haunted when we lived there and I would have dreams about it occasionally as I grew up. It seemed to take forever to get out of Tennessee. The longest state ever. The roads were windy and there were more trucks than any part of the trip. This was the last day of our trip though. When we laid our heads down at the end of the day, we were in Charlottesville. Driving through Virginia was beautiful and I cant wait to learn more about the state and find our place here. That night we stayed at the Doubletree hotel. I wish I could say we moved into our house the next day, but that is where the challenging part of this move began, and its a story I don't wish to re hash, so I won't. We had a great road trip and cherish the time we had together as a family, seeing our friends and loved ones, visiting my dad, and seeing new parts of the country.
Day 4: 11 hours drive time.
Total trip miles - 2330. Total drive time - 41.75 hours.
See pictures from our trip here...
http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow/d8816893kP147066172o4/from-arizona-to-virginia
On February 1, 2014 we made our trek from Phoenix, AZ to Charlottesville, VA, our new home. The kiddos did so good. We left at 6am in the morning from my moms house. Both my mom and I cried when we said our goodbyes. So bittersweet as I knew it would be. We stopped in Payson for some breakfast and its a good thing we did because the second we stopped Georgia got car sick and threw up. Must have been from not having any food in her stomach. After she ate, she was fine the rest of the way. We stopped again in Gallup, New Mexico for some lunch only making one potty break in between. We had New Mexican food for lunch and it was actually pretty decent. The only annoying thing was the vendors walking up to our table trying to sell us jewelry. It started to lightly snow as we were leaving Gallup. We stopped once or twice more but it was freezing cold and hard to let the babies out for long (or us). It was cold. We somehow made it to Amarillo that night around 8pm and found a place to stay at the Staybridge Suites. It took approx. 2 hours to get the car unpacked and something for dinner which means we didn't get to eat until about 10pm. OK for us, babies were hungry though.
Day 1: 739.2 miles and 12.75 hours with three 2 year olds (who did so good!).
The next morning we packed up the car and headed toward Tulsa. We knew the roads may be a bit dangerous once we got there so we tried to get going as soon as possible. We stopped for lunch in Weatherford, OK at someplace called Jerry's. The babies were a big hit there. So many people at our table it was tough to eat. They only had two high chairs there so we used one of our own. The selection of restaurants was not great obviously so we couldn't be picky and luckily we were prepared. We made it to Tulsa and just as we thought, the roads were especially bad once we got off the freeway. We saw many cars on the side of the road. We decided to head to the cemetery first where my dad is buried before it got too late. I spent a few minutes talking to him and took some pictures for my mom. I left an Arizona Diamondbacks lanyard wrapped around the vase. I wish I could have stayed longer or visited my uncle and grandfather too but the cemetery was covered with snow, the babies were fussy wanting out of the car and if the weather would have been better, I would have gone back alone. At least I got to go at all I guess. We thought the weather might prevent us from even getting to Tulsa. After we checked into the hotel we met my Uncle Arnold (one of my dads 3 brothers) and Aunt Linda for dinner at Texas Roadhouse and they got to meet the babies. It was so good to see them! Loved that we were able to make that happen and hope we can get back there in the near future to see more of my family. I so wish we all could see each other more but such is life I guess. We will be back though with the kiddos at some point. I want them to know all of their family.
Day 2: 7 hours driving time. Halfway there.
The next morning was an early one. Another 12 hour drive ahead of us into Tennessee. I know the roads may be bad but they were terrible leaving Tulsa. We had to take a toll road to get back to the 40 and there was hardly a road. We drove very slowly. I just kept telling myself as soon we get off this toll road, I am sure they will have cleared some of this and we will be back in business. After about an hour of driving on this I took the exit for the 40 and as the exit curved around, we turned, and suddenly everything disappeared. And I mean everything. I could not see anything in front of me due to the fog, no cars and no road, so I pulled to the side but I couldn't pull too far over or we might get stuck in the snow. Tommy got out of the car to clean the windshield. Suddenly out of the fog a huge semi sped past us. How he saw us, I don't know, but we couldn't stay on the side of the road or we would likely get hit the next time, so I pulled out onto what I thought was a road and continued to drive. Luckily that fog did not last long and I could see again. Still no road though, just a big fat sheet of ice.
As we got closer to Arkansas, the ice was gone and I relaxed a little. The trees in Arkansas were so pretty. The branches were all shiny and crystallized from the ice. They were gleaming trees all around us.I told Tommy the trees looked like glazed donuts. LOL. We stopped just outside of Little Rock for some lunch. We had good ol' southern food. Fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried catfish. Yum. The babies liked the tomatoes and I know not too healthy but its rare we eat like that. I should also mention that for the 2nd or 3rd time this trip when stopped there are no changing tables in the restrooms, which means we were changing their diapers in the front seat of the car and it is freezing outside. Poor babies. Freezing their bums off.
We kept driving into Tennessee and into Nashville where I happened to be born. We continued to Franklin, TN to stay with a dear friend of mine, Mel, who offered us a place to stay. I actually lived in Franklin as a little girl for a short time. I have fond childhood memories there. Mel had dinner ready when we got there and her family was so sweet and welcoming. The kiddos got to play and enjoyed not being stuck in a hotel room with no toys. Tommy and I got to visit with Mel and her husband and we both really enjoyed our time with them. Once again, I found myself wishing we could have had more time but hopefully we will be back in that area again sometime. I would love to go back to Nashville and Franklin and explore a little.
Day 3: 11 hours driving time. The trio had their best travel day.
The next day we stopped by my old house that I lived in on our way out of town. It was pretty neat to see it again. We always thought it was haunted when we lived there and I would have dreams about it occasionally as I grew up. It seemed to take forever to get out of Tennessee. The longest state ever. The roads were windy and there were more trucks than any part of the trip. This was the last day of our trip though. When we laid our heads down at the end of the day, we were in Charlottesville. Driving through Virginia was beautiful and I cant wait to learn more about the state and find our place here. That night we stayed at the Doubletree hotel. I wish I could say we moved into our house the next day, but that is where the challenging part of this move began, and its a story I don't wish to re hash, so I won't. We had a great road trip and cherish the time we had together as a family, seeing our friends and loved ones, visiting my dad, and seeing new parts of the country.
Day 4: 11 hours drive time.
Total trip miles - 2330. Total drive time - 41.75 hours.
See pictures from our trip here...
http://www.kizoa.com/slideshow/d8816893kP147066172o4/from-arizona-to-virginia
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Reflections before the big move...
As we are only days away from our road trip and move to Virgina, I have been reflecting on many things. As with all major life changes, you pause to think about where you are going but also about where you have been. The other night as I was getting ready to go out with two of my closest friends for the last time in awhile, I was listening to familiar old songs that took me back to many different times and places in my life and with many different people. They reminded me of the big life changes I have already made, and when I gazed into the mirror I could see all my faces across the years, all the happiness and sadness, all the fear and life surprises, all the lessons and all the love I have been blessed with. I remember the parts of me I said goodbye to for good, lessons learned, and can still see other parts that will always be a part of who I am.
I thought about my move to Arizona from California at only 19 years old, not a move I really wanted to make but ended up being the best thing for me in the end. I thought about how insecure I was back then and how little I trusted anyone with my thoughts, feelings or my heart, and here I am today sharing them on a blog for the world to see, confidant, and unafraid of what people might think. Moving to Arizona, and the lifelong friends I have made here and even the friends I have lost touch with have definitely encouraged and changed me for the better. Even last Saturday night with Christie and Wendy, I continued to learn about myself from my friends as they shared some very personal insights with me that I so appreciate and love.
I thought about my move to Texas in 2007. I was single and had just been laid off from my job. I was ready for a change and to venture out of my comfort zone again. Even though I was only in Texas for a year that is where I met Tommy so it wasn't all for nothing. That move changed my life forever. I have a husband and three beautiful children to prove it.
Moving back to Phoenix in 2008. Little did I know my dad was getting very sick. Moving back put me in the right place at the right time. How much I would have regretted not being here for his last few months. even though that was some of the hardest months of my life, I cherish that time I got to have with him. All this being said, I am confidant that moving to Virginia will only bring good things. every move I have made in the past has always put me where I needed to be, even though it was scary at first.
Other than all these crazy moves, I have made so many other changes, from the people I keep close to those I let go, to jobs I have had and the professional experiences I have gained and how that also has shaped me as a person. The biggest changes of all of course, becoming a wife and a mother. Starting my own family. How differently I see the world now that I am a mom and how much more I appreciate mine.
This is our last night in this house that has been our home for the the last 4 plus years. The longest I have stayed in one place. We got married while living in this house, Tommy's friends got married here, we brought our babies home to this house. We had many celebrations and many parties. But mostly, we had a lot of normal family nights, loving, laughing, playing, and just being together. So many firsts for our three angels. This home will always hold a special place in my heart.
Starting tomorrow we will be staying with my mom until we leave on Saturday. The hardest part is yet to come. Saying good bye to my mom and to my family. Even though it is not goodbye, it is "see you later", it will be very tough. Once we are on the road I will be looking forward, while trying to enjoy seeing new parts of the country, but for now, I am here a couple more days and am going to try and focus on that and the time I have left in Arizona.
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I thought about my move to Arizona from California at only 19 years old, not a move I really wanted to make but ended up being the best thing for me in the end. I thought about how insecure I was back then and how little I trusted anyone with my thoughts, feelings or my heart, and here I am today sharing them on a blog for the world to see, confidant, and unafraid of what people might think. Moving to Arizona, and the lifelong friends I have made here and even the friends I have lost touch with have definitely encouraged and changed me for the better. Even last Saturday night with Christie and Wendy, I continued to learn about myself from my friends as they shared some very personal insights with me that I so appreciate and love.
I thought about my move to Texas in 2007. I was single and had just been laid off from my job. I was ready for a change and to venture out of my comfort zone again. Even though I was only in Texas for a year that is where I met Tommy so it wasn't all for nothing. That move changed my life forever. I have a husband and three beautiful children to prove it.
Moving back to Phoenix in 2008. Little did I know my dad was getting very sick. Moving back put me in the right place at the right time. How much I would have regretted not being here for his last few months. even though that was some of the hardest months of my life, I cherish that time I got to have with him. All this being said, I am confidant that moving to Virginia will only bring good things. every move I have made in the past has always put me where I needed to be, even though it was scary at first.
Other than all these crazy moves, I have made so many other changes, from the people I keep close to those I let go, to jobs I have had and the professional experiences I have gained and how that also has shaped me as a person. The biggest changes of all of course, becoming a wife and a mother. Starting my own family. How differently I see the world now that I am a mom and how much more I appreciate mine.
This is our last night in this house that has been our home for the the last 4 plus years. The longest I have stayed in one place. We got married while living in this house, Tommy's friends got married here, we brought our babies home to this house. We had many celebrations and many parties. But mostly, we had a lot of normal family nights, loving, laughing, playing, and just being together. So many firsts for our three angels. This home will always hold a special place in my heart.
Starting tomorrow we will be staying with my mom until we leave on Saturday. The hardest part is yet to come. Saying good bye to my mom and to my family. Even though it is not goodbye, it is "see you later", it will be very tough. Once we are on the road I will be looking forward, while trying to enjoy seeing new parts of the country, but for now, I am here a couple more days and am going to try and focus on that and the time I have left in Arizona.
A gift from my work family - thank you! I will miss you guys!
A night I will cherish with my beautiful girlfriends...
One of the last pictures of the babies in this house...
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Saying goodbye to 2013 and hello to new opportunities!
As 2013 comes to an end, I thought it would be a good time to give an update on the babies and our upcoming move. Everything has been so busy with all the holiday festivities. As much fun as they are, I will have a lot less to do now that they are over. I am sure the move will keep us plenty busy though. Its very surreal, this whole move, and honestly I have gone from being scared to being very excited! I know it is a huge change but I'm really looking forward to continuing our journey in Virgina.
2013 has been another amazing year for our family. We started off a little rocky with both Georgia and Mickey spending some time in the hospital with RSV and Pneumonia, but they are little fighters like always and beat it. Now they are better than ever.
On the professional side, I had new opportunities to learn and grow in my career with Club Med. It will be so hard for me to let go of that part of my life when we move, but so wonderful to focus on my most important job, being a mommy and focusing all my time and energy on my three miracles. I will truly miss so many people at work though and being a part of that team. On a personal side, this year I got to take a trip with Christina to Club Med in Florida, a much needed girls trip, and Tommy and I got to visit Cancun. We got to tour the Mayan ruins, learn about the people and the culture, swim in underground caves, zip line over crocodile infested lagoons and snorkel with the fishies. The margaritas and sunsets weren't bad either.
In May, Tommy finished his Doctorate degree earning himself the title Dr. Comer. I still cant believe I am married to a doctor. Hee Hee. I am so proud of him. In August I had to have another surgery but am feeling much better now and much more myself. No pain, no gain I guess. I hate that I had to go through it and how difficult it is on Tommy when I do, but am healthy now and that's all that matters.
This year the babies turned two years old and they have made the most progress of us all. This time last year, Georgia and Jo were still crawling. In fact Georgia didn't start walking until April but now she is a pro. They are running all over this house, climbing on the furniture, pushing each other and us out of the way. Just when we think the house is toddler proof they learn to get into something else. They have recently learned how to open doors! All three of them have become very good at expressing themselves. We know when they need something or want something and for the most part what that is. They have all started speech therapy and we can already tell a big difference. Georgia says the most words and puts the two words together a lot. Sometimes she speaks for the other two even though they are able to say the same things. Jolynne is quiet but you know she knows what to do, she just likes to be defiant and talk when she wants, not when we want her too. Mickey has full on conversations with us and himself but he still struggles with the words. He is getting better though and know someday, he will be the chatterbox. Their new favorite activity is having me read to them. They love books and sometimes could care less about all the other toys. Its a great way for them to learn. I am really excited to take them places in our new city, read to them and teach them new words, and watch them continue to learn and grow. They are amazing to me in every way possible. I am sure I am forgetting a lot here, which is why I need to start blogging more often so I don't forget to note all the new little things they do every day.
We are finally under contract on our house and the appraisal has gone through, which is a huge relief. The next step is the home inspection which is scheduled for Friday. We are hoping all goes well and nothing too major comes up. While the home inspection is taking place, Tommy and I will actually be on our way to Charlottesville to look at homes. We are so excited to have found a few we think look nice and cant wait to explore Charlottesville. It is supposed to be snowing when we get there. Eeeek. I have really tried to stock up on sweaters the last couple weeks. Its not something I have really needed in Arizona.
When we get back, I will still have two more weeks of work, but Tommy starts his new job on January 13, so he will be in Virginia that week and we will be here. It will likely be that way for two weeks. Our tentative plan is to actually leave together as a family for Charlottesville on February 1st. We plan to stop in Amarillo, Tulsa, and Nashville if the weather cooperates and are hoping to see a few friends and family along the way.
So, as I said, it is still kind of surreal and hard to believe we are actually moving. Lots of thoughts swimming in my head all day, every day. I think leaving my mom will be the hardest part of it all but am thankful for modern technology and things like face time. We also learned with the new SMART TVs, you can actually buy a camera for it and Skype on the TV. Even though we are excited about this next adventure on our lives, we will miss so many things about Arizona. It will always be home to us. So, as we say goodbye to 2013 and to Arizona, we will hold onto all the wonderful memories and people here in our hearts and visit often. We will spend January cherishing the time we have left here with our friends and family before we move, starting with our trip to Pinetop tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone that continues to follow this blog and our journey. The adventure will continue in 2014 with lots of new stories and updates to share. Until then, Happy New Year to all our friends and family near and far. Wishing each and everyone of you health, happiness, and love in 2014.
2013 has been another amazing year for our family. We started off a little rocky with both Georgia and Mickey spending some time in the hospital with RSV and Pneumonia, but they are little fighters like always and beat it. Now they are better than ever.
On the professional side, I had new opportunities to learn and grow in my career with Club Med. It will be so hard for me to let go of that part of my life when we move, but so wonderful to focus on my most important job, being a mommy and focusing all my time and energy on my three miracles. I will truly miss so many people at work though and being a part of that team. On a personal side, this year I got to take a trip with Christina to Club Med in Florida, a much needed girls trip, and Tommy and I got to visit Cancun. We got to tour the Mayan ruins, learn about the people and the culture, swim in underground caves, zip line over crocodile infested lagoons and snorkel with the fishies. The margaritas and sunsets weren't bad either.
In May, Tommy finished his Doctorate degree earning himself the title Dr. Comer. I still cant believe I am married to a doctor. Hee Hee. I am so proud of him. In August I had to have another surgery but am feeling much better now and much more myself. No pain, no gain I guess. I hate that I had to go through it and how difficult it is on Tommy when I do, but am healthy now and that's all that matters.
This year the babies turned two years old and they have made the most progress of us all. This time last year, Georgia and Jo were still crawling. In fact Georgia didn't start walking until April but now she is a pro. They are running all over this house, climbing on the furniture, pushing each other and us out of the way. Just when we think the house is toddler proof they learn to get into something else. They have recently learned how to open doors! All three of them have become very good at expressing themselves. We know when they need something or want something and for the most part what that is. They have all started speech therapy and we can already tell a big difference. Georgia says the most words and puts the two words together a lot. Sometimes she speaks for the other two even though they are able to say the same things. Jolynne is quiet but you know she knows what to do, she just likes to be defiant and talk when she wants, not when we want her too. Mickey has full on conversations with us and himself but he still struggles with the words. He is getting better though and know someday, he will be the chatterbox. Their new favorite activity is having me read to them. They love books and sometimes could care less about all the other toys. Its a great way for them to learn. I am really excited to take them places in our new city, read to them and teach them new words, and watch them continue to learn and grow. They are amazing to me in every way possible. I am sure I am forgetting a lot here, which is why I need to start blogging more often so I don't forget to note all the new little things they do every day.
We are finally under contract on our house and the appraisal has gone through, which is a huge relief. The next step is the home inspection which is scheduled for Friday. We are hoping all goes well and nothing too major comes up. While the home inspection is taking place, Tommy and I will actually be on our way to Charlottesville to look at homes. We are so excited to have found a few we think look nice and cant wait to explore Charlottesville. It is supposed to be snowing when we get there. Eeeek. I have really tried to stock up on sweaters the last couple weeks. Its not something I have really needed in Arizona.
When we get back, I will still have two more weeks of work, but Tommy starts his new job on January 13, so he will be in Virginia that week and we will be here. It will likely be that way for two weeks. Our tentative plan is to actually leave together as a family for Charlottesville on February 1st. We plan to stop in Amarillo, Tulsa, and Nashville if the weather cooperates and are hoping to see a few friends and family along the way.
So, as I said, it is still kind of surreal and hard to believe we are actually moving. Lots of thoughts swimming in my head all day, every day. I think leaving my mom will be the hardest part of it all but am thankful for modern technology and things like face time. We also learned with the new SMART TVs, you can actually buy a camera for it and Skype on the TV. Even though we are excited about this next adventure on our lives, we will miss so many things about Arizona. It will always be home to us. So, as we say goodbye to 2013 and to Arizona, we will hold onto all the wonderful memories and people here in our hearts and visit often. We will spend January cherishing the time we have left here with our friends and family before we move, starting with our trip to Pinetop tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone that continues to follow this blog and our journey. The adventure will continue in 2014 with lots of new stories and updates to share. Until then, Happy New Year to all our friends and family near and far. Wishing each and everyone of you health, happiness, and love in 2014.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
The Next Chapter Begins...
The last couple weeks have been very exciting and yet, so emotional. I am so proud of my husband, who last week accepted a new position of VP of Human Resources for a successful, growing organization in Charlottesville, Virginia. At 31 years old, he will be a VP, and it really is amazing how much he has accomplished at his age. Obtaining his doctorate earlier this year and now this. I know I have said it before, but I am a very lucky girl.
With his new job, that means we will be making the move to Virginia early next year to start a new chapter in our lives. I will have the opportunity to stay home with the babies for awhile and possibly go back to school, something I never imagined I would be able to do. Its such an important time in the babies lives and their development and I am so excited to be able to spend this time them before they start school in a couple years. As everyone always tells me, you will never get this time back. They will never be this age again and they are growing so fast. From what I read, Charlottesville offers a fairly laid back lifestyle. Its not a big city, but its not a small town either. I am looking forward to a slightly slower pace of life and even the chance to experience all 4 seasons again.
Of course, this change is very scary as well. My eyes well up with tears when I think of all the goodbyes ahead. We will be leaving our entire support system, my mom, my sister, my nephew, all our friends, our nanny, and my work family will all be tough for me to leave. So many people we love and so many friendships we treasure. We have built a good life here in Phoenix and even though this move is the best thing for our family, a part of us will always be here in Arizona.
My last day at Club Med is January 17th and Tommy starts his new job the week before. Between now and then we will be focused on getting this house sold, so we don't have to live apart for two long. The plan is hopefully to make the move in the start of February if all goes well. Tommy and I will be traveling to Charlottesville at some point to try and find a place to live.
You can expect many more blog entries in the weeks and months to come, and even more once we move. Something else I look forward to is catching up on my writing. Lots to share with the world. I am so grateful we have been given this new opportunity for our family and am so proud of my husband. Prayers for our family are always appreciated as we make this big, exciting but scary leap across the country.
Someone at work sent me this quote and I loved it! So true!
"You never know what life is going to throw at you so don't be afraid to take a chance, because it might just be the best thing to ever happen to you!" -Abhishek Tiwari
Someone at work sent me this quote and I loved it! So true!
"You never know what life is going to throw at you so don't be afraid to take a chance, because it might just be the best thing to ever happen to you!" -Abhishek Tiwari
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Two Year Old Triplets
Georgia Dawn
Born: 2lbs 9oz. and 15 inches long
2 yrs: 32lbs 2oz. and 31 inches long
Jolynne Marie
Born: 2lbs 6oz. and 14 inches long
2 yrs: 31lbs 2oz. and 31 inches long
Mickey Aaron
Born: 2lbs 11oz. and 15.5 inches long
2 yrs: 28lbs 8oz. and 32 inches long
Well, it happened. My babies are officially two years old. Everyone was right, they really do grow so fast. Their birthday was such a special day filled with love, laughter and chocolate! The day started with the annual walk to defeat ALS, in memory of their Papa. Then we ended the day with a costume birthday party. I don't think we have ever had that many people in this house. I was going non stop and I know I didn't get to visit with everyone the way I would have liked to but I felt like I was running in circles trying to remember everything. Even still, I forgot some things, like to hand out party favor bags to the kids. My husband and I joke that we are so bad at throwing kids birthday party's. Last year I took both sets of keys to their party in Queen Creek so guess who was without a ride to their own party? My babies. Someday we will figure it out though. I made all the food myself this time. Thank you Pinterest! There was a pumpkin cheese ball, pumpkin dip inside a carved pumpkin, and spooky spider taco dip. Yum. I'm glad I got a bite or two in before it was gone. I made smores cupcakes, chocolate peanut butter cupcakes and chocolate pumpkin kiss cookies. The babies (toddlers) did great. They were a little shy at first but warmed up after after a few minutes as usual. Opening presents was interesting. They were so overwhelmed. I could not keep their focus. Once the first toy was unwrapped they were obsessed with it. It was so much fun though!
On Monday we had their two year check ups. Overall everyone is doing fantastic. All my babies are a little on the short side though. Less than 3 percentile for their height. The doctor said it could be just them and they will grow later. She also said sometimes preemies just turn out shorter. Their weights are so good, otherwise she said it would be considered failure to thrive. They are chunky monkeys. 95th percentile for weights on the girls. We are going to take them back in 6 months to see if they have grown. If not, they can run some tests to see if there is something contributing to why they are not growing in length. We were also told to stop giving them juice because it is too much sugar and stay away from carbs. Its tough because we were giving them a lot of fish sticks and chicken nuggets, grilled cheese. You know the easy stuff to make after a long day at work but also not very healthy. The doctor told us to feed them whatever we eat and we did not think that would be a problem since they don't seem like picky eaters. We were wrong. Every night this week we have given them what we eat and they are not eating it. They are hiding it in the sides of their high chairs, throwing it on the floor for Pepper to eat. Even putting it in their mouths and spitting it out. She told us not to make special meals for them though so if they don't eat it, that's all they get. If they are really hungry, they will eat she says. And Georgia does, even though she doesn't like it, she will slowly eat all her food with a grimace on her face. That girl loves to eat.
Mickey is still sounding wheezy when he exerts himself, so we are using these breathing treatments twice a day to get through the flu season. Its preventative so that if he does get sick hopefully it won't be as bad. Of course two days after their check up he somehow got an ear infection but luckily that's all. Mickey and Georgia have to go back to the cardiologist to check their hearts as a follow up. I am confidant all will be ok there. We also have to follow up with Jolynne's surgeon to make sure she hasn't developed a hernia or anything where she had her surgery. I am confidant that will be fine as well.
Last but not least we need to have them evaluated for their speech. I am fairly certain they are delayed in this area, especially Mickey but all of them to some extent. The girls can say about twenty or so words and they repeat after us but they are not putting words together. I don't think Mickey has twenty words. They may just need a little help and I am ok with that.
These days they are really starting to show more and more of their personalities. Georgia is a bit of a drama queen. She is very sensitive and gets upset easily and pouts and wants to be held over the tiniest of things. I secretly love to hold her though and make it all better. Although we do not baby any of them. Sometimes they have to get over it without us. Mickey is a big goof ball. He is so silly and loves attention. He will do anything for applause. Jolynne is one tough cookie. She doesn't even seem phased when she gets hurt sometimes. She will hold back the tears. She also is an explorer. I will find her crawling underneath tables and finding the littlest piece of fuzz or random things on the floor. I don't know how she sees them. Someday I swear she is going to bring me a spider or a dead rat and I am going to scream!
We started potty training and Jolynne is doing really well with that. She goes every time. Mickey goes at least once a day and Georgia hardly at all. We are not rushing it though. Just getting them familiar with what it is at this point. I am guessing we will switch to toddler beds when we move. That makes sense to me. Another few months. It would be tough to do in their room now. The closet is open and only covered by curtains so i imagine myself walking in their room in the morning and finding all their clothes off the hangers and on the floors.
We are able to do more stuff with them now that it is not so hot. Mickey will still run off so we have to be careful. The wagon is getting so heavy to pull as you can imagine. I look forward to the day when they stick close by us and we don't have to worry about them running off and chasing them. Until then we will have to keep using the wagon.
Every day I think the babies say new words and learn new things. They are starting to recognize characters now, like when they see Elmo they say, "Melmo!" Or when Mickey Mouse Clubhouse comes on they say "toodle". It is so stinking cute.They understand everything we say too so we have to be so careful. I love cuddling with them at night before they go to bed and reading them stories. I love coming home from work to three little two year olds and watching them fight over me. Well, I don't like watching them fight but it is kinda cute when they all try to get on my lap at the same time. The girls are very possessive and very competitive with each other. Sometimes at night I sit back and just watch them and I still can't believe they are mine and this is happening to me. This beautiful family my husband and I have created. No, its not always easy, its really hard some days, but man I wouldn't change it for the world. There were so many times we didn't know if we would ever have all three home, if they would make it, and now they are so happy and healthy. Each of them so special and unique in their own ways. They may be triplets but they are not all the same. I can't imagine not having all three of them here and I realize it could have gone either way, especially for Jolynne. So, how fitting to move from their birthday month, and celebrating their life, into the month of Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for.
Georgia
Jolynne
Mickey
PS: The number of pictures of each child depicts the level of cooperation while taking pictures :-)
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