Musings

The babies are walking more and more now, all over the place! It's incredible.
At one point, they would bumble a little bit between adults, and only when prompted, but now, they'll just walk from place to place, toy to toy, or get up in the middle of the room and meander over to the couch or the front door or the kitchen, like ...well, like toddlers!

I can't get over it. These are the same babies who were JUST born, like two seconds ago!

They still have a ways to go before I'd say they are walking full-time; they still prefer crawling, and fall a LOT. But I know my days are numbered. Wow -- the time really does go fast.

I promise to get video soon. They are so funny: Cary with his Frankenstein-zombie walk (hands held in the air for balance) and Dean with his George Jefferson shuffle (walk, walk, dip, walk, walk, dip) they keep Lester and me cracking up. I love how much laughter these babies have sparked.

In other news, Cary and Dean also can make me wanna cry sometimes. Lordie.

Sunday, I had an Unbalanced Mommies group meeting over brunch (YES!) and Lester took the boys to the mall, because he needed some shirts. Poor Lester barely made it two feet into the mall before Cary started acting a FOOL, and would not quit, despite all Lester's attempts to placate him with Cheerios, yogurt or fun rides through the aisles of stores going, "Wheeee!"

And then, that night, Cary woke up at 12:30 a.m. I went in, resituated him in the bed, handed him Lovey the Monkey and covered him with a blanket. At 1:15, he was was awake again. I went in, patted him on his back for a few minutes until he quieted, and then stumbled back in the bed. At 1:30 he was up again, wailing. At 2 a.m., I caved and gave him a bottle. He guzzled that like a wino, threw the empty bottle out of the crib and commenced with wailing again. Unable to even pretend like I was going to get any sleep, I retreated to the guest room, with a book and read while he screamed. I was determined not to give in to his terrorism.

But at 2:40, Lester could take no more. So he rescued Cary, and put him ............ in OUR BED. Major, major no-no! But I didn't stop him. I was sick of the screaming, too, and I had no idea what else to offer.

At 3:30, I crawled back in our bed, next to the tiny, sleeping tyrant. But I could not sleep. I was so tense, imagining all the mayhem this breech in protocol could cause down the road. Will Cary think he can get in our bed every night if he just cries long enough? Will my child be scarred for life because I let him wail for hours while I read "A Visit from the Goon Squad?"

Finally, at 4:30, I heaved his little sleeping body onto my shoulder and carried him back to his bed. I was not, under any circumstances, going to have that baby wake up in our bed. After that, he slept until 7:30 a.m. and woke up happy and smiling like nothing ever happened.

Stinker!!

Last night, I had to handle the boys by myself during the nighttime routine because Lester had to work late. I was proud of myself because there was minimal tantrum-throwing during dinner and the bath time was going swimmingly, until one baby -- who will remain nameless -- pooped in the tub. I had to remove the babies and the poop, drain the tub, clean the tub and the tub toys, and then get them back in the tub, washed and dried, which I did, without breaking a sweat!

But when Cary started crying in his bed not 20 minutes after I put him down, I almost had a mini panic-attack. He wants to get in our bed, I thought. He is ruined for life! When Dean started chiming in with his own complaining, I really thought about sticking my head in the oven.

Thank God Lester came home and thought to get the Orajel, which he rubbed generously on Cary's and Dean's gums. Five minutes later, literally, total silence. They were knocked out. And they both slept the whole night.

So here is the moral of this very long post. I am a very good Mom, yes I know. But many times, I am made a much more awesome Mom when paired up with my partner, friend and co-parent.

Thanks, honey, for all you do for the boys, for me, and for our family. I am truly blessed.