Guess who's here?

It's Grands (aka my Mom!)

Complete with 4 foot tall sock monkeys and bubbles after breakfast. I think it may be a fun weekend.

Libby playing in our makeshift bubble blower.

Waiting for Maddy and Libby to wake up. I think we need to choose names.

Random Thursday Ramblings

Maybe that's what I should rename by blog, since it's all pretty random, isn't it?

* A little update on Mom ... some of her blood work levels were off last week so they didn't give her a chemo treatment, but she did have a treatment yesterday. 4 down, 8 to go! She is also on a blood pressure medicine that lowers her sodium levels. Even though low sodium sounds good, it's not when it comes to chemo. So her Dr. is trying to manage this so she can still take her meds, but also receive chemo. Mom said that she is starting to lose her hair and when it was windy on Tuesday, she said it was actually blowing away in the wind. A sweet friend gave me scarves that her Mom had used and I mailed them off to my Mom yesterday. It was great to be able to recycle these, and my Mom hopes that she can do the same.

* We almost had a pink eye episode yesterday. One of Libby's teachers noticed that her eye looked a little red and swollen. It looked better after her nap, but I called the nurse anyway. She didn't think it was pink eye based on what I told her, but just to keep an eye on it and flush her eye with warm water in case she had gotten dirt lodged in her eye. With as much pollen as we've had lately, I wouldn't be surprised if if it was just a reaction to all that's blooming.

* To run or not to run. A girl from my running group sent an email about a Friday morning 5:30 run. Ugh. I ran today at 6AM and am trying to decide if I want to do a long run tomorrow and get it out of the way before the weekend.

Pros: It's going to be in the 90's over the weekend and I would have it over with before it's hot.
Cons: I would have to get up at the crack of dawn to leave my house by 5:15.
Decisions, decisions.

* I haven't technically started training for the 3-Day. I actually start a half marathon training program on Monday, so I need to ask my Coach how to include some walking and transition to all walking before the 3-Day. I know one thing I'll need are at least 2 pairs of shoes to do the walk in that I can break in before the event. I've heard different theories about how to do this, but most have said that they trained in one pair, but had 1-2 other pairs that they wore that weekend. I love Brooks for my running shoes, but used to wear New Balance for walking. Look at these awesome Lace Up For the Cure shoes and clothing that they carry! They even have personalized ones so you can let everyone know who you're walking for.

Documenting

No, this isn't like my documentation posts of 2008!

I'm wondering what others do to document the lives of their children and family. I read a lot of blogs, so of course that is one way that I do help document. But, this blog isn't all about Maddy and Libby so while it will serve as a way for me to remember the daily happenings, it will also include a mix of running, the dogs, and whatever nonsense was on my mind that particular day.

I do have a baby book for each of my daughters and a slew of photos, but most are still on the computer, besides a few small photo albums. I keep a notebook on my nightstand that I try to write in every few days, or every few weeks with updates, funny stories, or new developments. I also started a blog just for them, but I realized that it's been over a year since I've updated it.

I'm not a scrapbooker, so I don't really think I'll get started on a new hobby.

I am considering doing photo books for each year of their life so I can include photos and some text to capture the highlights. I just don't want to look back in 5 years and realize that I can't remember when they crawled, or when they cut their 1st tooth, or that I can't find my favorite photos of them when they were two months old. As any Mom knows, it's hard enough to remember the happenings of one child, but when you throw two into the mix, it's easy to get the specifics confused.

Any good recommendations on websites for photo books, or any other neat services out there that you are using? Any other neat ways that you document?

Full circle

It's amazing how life takes you full circle.

My parents have owned by Grandmother's house since she passed away over ten years ago. It sat empty for a while, then they decided to rent it. It has housed several wonderful families and a couple of not so wonderful families.

My parents decided that it is time to sell and they officially listed it earlier this week. They have worked tirelessly on painting, sanding, and updating. They refinished the very cool metal kitchen cabinets, stripped the old lady textured wallpaper in the dining room, and have really done a great job on the house.

It is still amazing to me to see the photos of my Meme's tiny kitchen and remember that she hosted family Thanksgiving dinners for 20+ people in that kitchen. Even more amazing is that she had no dishwasher. I also remember hand washing a lot of pieces of china in that tiny kitchen with my Mom, Aunt, and cousins.

She had a baby grand piano for a while, so I would go to her house every afternoon so I could practice. I remember having one of my birthday parties at her house, going next door to see her neighbor's beautiful garden, riding my bike up and down her street, and sitting on her sofa reading my Mom's high school annuals, and looking at my Grandmother's scrapbooks. She often hosted her bridge club on Sunday afternoons, and she liked to sit in the front room and keep an eye on the happenings of the neighborhood. She always kept her cosmetics in the bathroom, so I would often leave smelling like Mary Kay or wearing bright red lipstick.

My Mom and her two sisters grew up in this house so I know it's hard on my Mom as well. I think my Mom and I just hope that Meme's not looking down on us throwing a fit that her house has a for sale sign in it!

Role reversal

My Mom is starting chemo today, and I am flying in the opposite direction of the country to attend a conference. I know she doesn't technically need me to be there, but I can't help feeling like I should be there. Have I reached the point in my adult life that I'm the caregiver and not the care-receiver? Probably not, but it just feels like it today.

She was happy to receive a little care package that I put together for her. Nothing too exciting because my Mom is extremely practical, but I sent her some good hand lotions, chapstick, a book about cancer that a friend of mine gave me, some anti-cancer recipes, and of course, two pictures of the lambs, AKA Maddy and Libby, and a homemade card from them.

So, now we wait. She's ready to get started and ready to get it over with. Twelve weeks of chemo to hopefully fight this thing and win. I usually hate to wish a summer away, but this will be three months that I think we will all be glad when it's over.

Before she's done with chemo, I'll start training for the Komen 3-Day. I really feel like it's the least I can do along with support and prayers. What would be better than to see that a cure is found?

So, happy thoughts all around tomorrow and I'll update you next week.

Whine.

Thanks to everyone for the prayers for my Mom. I really do appreciate it and she seems to be doing well. When I talked to her yesterday, she sounded great and her only real complaint was that her throat hurt from having a tube in during surgery.

She will go back in March to find out the stage of the cancer, and also learn more about her treatment plan. So far, so good and she is extremely positive. I also loved hearing about the treats that my Sister-in-Law and one of her friends had brought. Everything from steps so she can get into their (very high) bed easier, hand sanitizer, mints, bubble bath, Cheez-Its, button front shirts, etc.

Yesterday, after Maddy and Libby woke up from their nap, I was taking a few photos so I could send some to my Mom. New photos always make her happy and she had reminded me that she was looking at photos from Thanksgiving and didn't have that many from 2010. Subtle hint, huh?

I noticed that Maddy looked flushed, so I took her temperature ... 103! Yikes! It's never been that high, so I called the Pediatrician and spoke to one of the nurses. Just a virus and not much else to do other than Tylenol/Motrin, lukewarm baths, humidifier, etc. Poor girl. She did OK last night, but was pretty needy this morning. We read lots of books and pointed out all of the dogs. Sweet girl. She and Libby are now at the coffee table eating Ritz crackers and seem to be having a good time. The Motrin is helping, but they said the fever could potentially hang around for 3 days. She's not pulling at her ear or having any breathing issues, so that is good news, but I still hate that she's not feeling 100%. At least she's eating something, because she didn't have much to eat at breakfast.

Of course by the evening, I also noticed that I didn't feel great. Sore throat, etc. Lovely. So, I've been taking my Emergen-C, drinking hot tea, and digging into my bag of throat lozenges. Great. Like everyone, I just don't have time to be sick and of course, it's coming up for when we have plans. 1st haircuts for Maddy & Libby today, Bounce House with the Moms of Multiples group tomorrow, 1st birthday party on Saturday, 10 mile run on Sunday.

So who knows what will actually happen this weekend ... Libby may be playing solo daughter while the sick girls stay home.

I feel like

I'm writing about anything, everything, and nothing simply because I don't want to have to write what I need to write about.

My Mom has breast cancer.

It's all happened so fast that all of us are still spinning.

Back in early January, my Mom had a rash on her hand so she called her Doctor to get a prescription filled. He wouldn't fill it without seeing her, so off she went. Thank you, Dr. Sussman.

While she was being examined, he noticed a lump in her underarm and sent her in for a mammogram.

My Mom has always been healthy, but has also been one to not go to her appointments like she should.

So she went and while they determined that the lump was just fatty tissue, they did find find some abnormalities during the mammogram. So, she had a biopsy, and they found cancer in her left breast.

This was at the point when she finally told me and she was very nonchalant about the whole thing. She was just glad to know what it was and that it was treatable, that there was a solution.

So, the solution is a lumpectomy to remove the cancer and lymph nodes, followed with radiation and chemotherapy.

It sucks and it's scary, and we all still can't believe that it's happened. To my Mom. I know that is how every other person who finds out that their parent has a serious illness feels.

She honestly sounds OK. She's more concerned with finding a good front closure sports bra to wear after surgery, wondering whether or not my Dad is going to overcook her chicken for dinner, or if she can find a wig that won't make her look like Dolly Parton.

I'm not going for the actual surgery, which is tomorrow and I am feeling guilty about that. Luckily my Dad and the rest of my family are there. I'm planning to go in a couple of weeks so I can help out and do whatever they need.

It's scary and while we've always said that she's tough, it's just not what you want to see your Mom go through.
To my friends in real life, I'm sorry I couldn't say anything ... I just didn't know where to start or what to say. It honestly hasn't felt real and still doesn't. The surgery is tomorrow and she should be home by 5pm. She'll find out more about radiation and chemotherapy tomorrow and we're all just hoping and praying for her Dr.'s and that the cancer is truly in an early stage.

I have always believed that prayers are private and something that you can do by yourself any time of day or night, but it's been rare that I've had to ask for people to pray for me or my family. Now I'm asking if you do pray, please consider sending up good thoughts for my Mom.

How do you ...

throw a party for someone who doesn't want it?

My parents 50th wedding anniversary is this June. That's a huge accomplishment and something that most people would want to celebrate. Except, my parents ... or more specifically, my Mom. She doesn't like the fuss or expense of things like this.

So, my brothers and I have been talking about it and trying to decide what to do. I think we have decided to do something at my brother's house, keep it casual, and somewhat small. Just invite family and close friends.

Most of the invitations and supplies out there are soooo cheesy. Gold rimmed with wine glasses? Gag. What I need is an invitation shaped like a bulldog and baseball bat (their favorite things). Hmmm, where is that one? Our next task will be trying to tell them. I'm sure that will go over well. How do you get them to just relax and enjoy a little fuss being made over them?

The parents are coming, the parents are coming ...

Their EDT was 5AM CST today. Oh, that should put them here anywhere between 2PM EST and 6PM EST. Let's just say that my parents may be one of the last couples on earth who don't have a mobile phone and drive the speed limit. Oh, and stop at every rest stop for breaks. So, I wait all day and never really know when they'll arrive. The standard 8 hour drive can take anywhere from 8 hours to close to 12.

I'm looking forward to seeing them and let's face it, more importantly for them to see the girls. We looked back to see how much Maddy and Libby weighed when they left and they have doubled their weight since then. I'm sure they are going to look like little porkers to my parents.

So, on our agenda while they're here? Thanksgiving, a photo session for Christmas cards, hopefully a Christening for Maddy and Libby, planting peonies, and hopefully getting a few pictures hung around the house.

Mom is also bringing a collection of Hallmark ornaments that she's decided she no longer wants, so she thought I would be the perfect one to put them on Ebay for her. I can hardly wait for that one, but I think I'll be reminded that Hubby and I have built in babysitters of the free variety, so how can we say no. If you are looking for a particular ornament, send me a comment and we can talk, because she may have it. She was a little obsessed with them to say the least.

So, Hubby's not drinking yet, we don't know how long they are staying, but I'm sure there should be some interesting stories along the way.

Very sad

I know for most people, it may seem crazy to have your parents stay with you for over 6 weeks, but seeing my parents drive away this morning has brought me to tears. It already did last night, just thinking about it and I'm sure it will again later today.

I have never had an affectionate, lovey-dovey relationship with my parents. We joke that they aren't huggers, but I've always known that they love me and of course, would be there for me in any situation. After all, they are my parents. My dad is very stoic and quiet, where my mom is a little crazy and doesn't care what others think. I guess I'm grateful that I'm a little bit like both of them.

I think seeing my mom love those little grand babies so much also shows me how much she loves me. I know this sounds like some weird comment and I should probably be laying on a couch talking about this somewhere. While she's not affectionate with me, we laughed that she was going to kiss their cheeks off she gave them so many kisses. I'm sad because my parents live 8+ hours away and I'm not sure if they'll get to see the girls as often as they would or I would want. I'm sad, because my parents are 65 and 75 years old, and not to be morbid, but they won't be around forever.

I know that my parents have probably driven Hubby crazy (Thank you, Hubby for not losing it or leaving us.), but they have been such a huge help and it's been so great to see them with the girls. It's definitely been an emotional rollercoaster since our 1st days in the NICU, to the girls both coming home, to late night crying sessions, explosions of poop, and trying to be the first person to get the girls' smiles.

My mom never cries, and did this morning when they were leaving. I know that it's really time for Hubby and I to truly start life with just the four of us, or six of us ... can't forget Zeus and Zoe! It will be so good for us to establish our routines and get into the groove of parenthood on our own. I know I have to stop this sappiness, because someone will be up soon and ready to eat and to get my love and attention, and that is what's important.

Cake & such

After nearly two weeks of close quarters, we said goodbye to my parents this morning. They have done so much work that we could never begin to repay them. I should preface this by saying that my parents are 75 and 65, and are probably the hardest workers I have ever known. I wish I had their know-how and talent. They were at our current house, painting, cleaning, packing, sanding, giving Zeus and Zoe way more attention than they needed, and getting our house ready to go on the market. I hope we didn't guilt them, but now Hubby's dad is visiting on Tuesday to help us with a little landscaping and yard work. Hubby's dad owns several rental properties, so he's also a great guy to have around.

Since we were up early today, we made a 2nd pot of coffee and attacked our storage building in the back yard, emptied it, cleaned it, and reorganized it. Our plan is to call in three realtors this week and hopefully have it listed by the end of the week.

So, Hubby and I needed a little reward today, so we set off to our favorite bakery for a little yummy goodness. Red velvet cake for hubby and raspberry lady for me (vanilla cake with raspberry jam and cream cheese frosting). Yum. I couldn't even finish my piece, so I'm now debating if the rest can count as my dinner.