Dacker? Dacker? Dacker?

This word has been our children's favorite word fro well over six months. The letter C has not been an easy letter for them to learn, and thus gave rise to "broden", "doat", and the ever famous "dacker". Its the first word they say when they get up, the last word they say when they lay down for nap, the first word after nap, and usually the last word at bed time. And of course, they don't just say the word, they actually want a cracker, morning; noon; and night...

Now before Friday, this was pretty frustrating for us because we would give each of them a cracker, and find bits of Taylor's all over the house. He would suck on them or lick the salt off, then abandon them where ever. Sometimes Livi would pick them up and eat them, but not always. And it never failed that Taylor would be back pulling your finger asking for another. So Friday, they were running around sucking on ritz crackers, when we looked up at Taylor who was shoving the last tiny bit of cracker into his mouth. He looks up at us and grins, and says "more dacker?!" Yes folks, he ATE the cracker. He ATE the WHOLE CRACKER. He bit off bits, chewed them up, and SWALLOWED them down!

Jon and I looked at him in complete amazement, and then, he ate another!!!! For those of you who maybe don't know Taylor, he has had a complete oral aversion since his discharge from the NICU in June 2006. We have sustained him on continuous and bolus tube feedings which until January of this year he was still vomiting out daily. Since January, he started eating more baby food, it started with one small number 2 jar, then two, then a big number 3, then two, then sometimes three... it is simply amazing.

Now we have a grinder that purees everything that we eat, so we mix it with a jar of baby food for him. In a typical day, we feed him by tube only one time. He is taking about 2/3rds of his required calories by mouth!!! This is so exciting that I can hardly contain myself!

Blogs and repitition, or Jonathan venting...

Anyone else notice how much some blogs tend to repeat the same thing over and over again, especially how-to blogs? I just watched a video on photography and the top 10 tips for portraits. For some reason I keep thinking there is going to be something new in these. There never is. Rule of thirds, be prepared, take lots of photos. Also, there is not enough info to go around so every blog about a specific topic covers the exact same thing. Is some ways it is important to be reminded of things, but not all the fricking time. I subscribe to learn new things, not be told the same thing over and over again.

Feels like I am looking at a magazine rack in the checkout aisle where Cosmo, Seventeen, or Women Weekly magazine always have the 10,000 hottest looks, 50,000 new ways to have sex, and the greatest diet in the world that is finally going to get you to lose that weight. Like the magazines, I read the title of the blog post and more often then not move on to the next one.

Some Pictures

Here is a sampling of pictures we have rcently taken.

First, from our trip to Minnesota, Sonja wanted some portraits.





We also took some images of Ruby, a baby with Down Syndrome, for our brochure for the Walk America fund raiser where we will be taking group photos.

The Color Purple

Everyday we marvel at the many things that our brilliant little children have picked up. Recently, we have been working on shapes, colors, and numbers with Alivya. Mostly because she seems to be interested in learning them. She also sings a very interesting version of the ABC's and the Monkey song... anyway, we have managed to teach her two colors... pink and purple... I suspect this is because they make up the majority of her wardrobe. Its so fun when she points at something and declares it to be "purple"? She looks at us for praise. Unfortunately though, now she points at EVERYTHING and declares "PURPLE!!!" She is cute enough that we could allow her to think colors change to her will, but then she'd end up like her father, arguing about what is red and what is green... sorry dear!

Taylor's chord obsession has gotten out of control. This afternoon he found the chord to the stereo, removed it and promptly plugged it into an outlet in the other room. So smart. He also finds great humor in unplugging our Mac, and plugging it back in. There is something super fun about these new magnetic Mac chords!!

I guess we'll end this post in Livi fasion...

Buh bye

Do you have a Wii-Man?

Hello,
My name is Julie, and I have a "Wii-Man". Previously known as a "Cube-Man", "64-Man", and always a "Gamer-Man". If for some reason you don't believe me, you should look back in the archives of this blog. You will find many, many reviews of games; pleas for games; oh and some drooling; over the Wii well before it came out! Yes, I have a "Wii-Man", my man belongs to Nintendo. He knows ages ahead of time what new games are coming out, his wish list is never ending, and even working 45 hours a week and having twins, not to mention our own business, he still finds many moments for gaming. To suggest that this will ever change is absurd, but I am continually amazed at his ability to fit it in.

Tonight I have fed this monster. Yes, he is the proud owner of SmashBrothers for the Wii... when will the insanity end???

NEVER!!!

Anyone else need to join my gamers-aholic anonymous group?

Glasses

Its refreshing to know that there are at least three people alive out there, I will be sure to send Will Smith a note. (The movie, by the way, wasn't too bad. A bit confusing at times, but that maybe simply do to the fact that I live in a "hole". I never heard of the movie, so when we started watching it, I was like what are we watching? Sweet clueless Julie!) Anyway, I feel better babbling on here knowing that at least two other people will read it.

So yesterday Tanya says to me, "where are Alivya's glasses?" I say, "I would guess upstairs where ever Jon took them off last (Sunday) night." She says, "Cause I didn't find them in her case." I say, "yeah, Jon's never really found her case." So not thinking anything of it, she goes upstairs looking for them. She finally discovers them under their blankets on the bed, in four pieces. It seems my children thought they would work better for Livi if they had no ear pieces on them.

So Livi will be without glasses for a little while. She has a follow up eye appointment in April, so it really doesn't make sense for us to buy new glasses when the script could change in a month. I think she will be deeply saddened. She likes her glasses. And what will Taylor do without something to rip off his sister's face?

Anyone ALIVE out there?

Just thought we would ask... we thought a post of Taylor, yes I said Taylor, eating Chili was sure to get some feedback! Clearly, we were mistaken. Tay is a lean, mean, eating machine these days. Today he ate two jars of food for breakfast, two jars for lunch, plus two tablespoons of Livi's Chili and a tablespoon of Pediasure in a cup, and who knows what he'll eat for dinner! The kid is eating us out of house and home! While we are all very excited about his new comfort with everything pureed, we would like to see him drink more (anything) and learn to chew so that we can kill the puree. Baby steps they tell us. I am beginning to forget what that means.

In other Taylor news, he is a walking machine too. He started taking steps mid January, and has improved immensely in a very short period of time. We still have the walker and gait trainer to help him build stamina, but by all definitions, he walks. I can't really put into words how nice it is to see the two of them interacting together like two "normal" toddlers. They chase each other around, talk to each other and of course steal each other's toys and trinkets. I love to listen to the sound of their giggling off in the distance that is our house, and I simply can't wait for the warm weather to come around. We need freedom from the confines of this house!!!

Both kiddos are becoming very expressive. They learn dozens of new words everyday, and seem to be forming simple phrases on their own. Livi knows if she says please, that she is more likely to get something that she wants. She also is starting to imitate song and dance, which is incredibly adorable. This afternoon she sang her version of the ABCs while making the Twinkle Twinkle signs. Too cute. She loves to sit at the piano and sing too. She has very emotional conversations, most of which we don't understand, but the few words that we do get sometimes make us wonder. She is starting to understand colors and numbers too.

Their favorite toy right now is the blue vacuum that they got for Christmas. They spend hours just running it along the floors, I wish they were not so afraid of the real one...! Livi loves to read, all day long, and Taylor loves chords. He can spot a chord from a mile away, and he'll get it, just try to stop him. They both refer to the computer as "baby" I am not sure why. But they come up and look at the screen and squeal "baby!" Their favorite person is Daddy. And even thought everyone who walks through the front door is called "daddy" no one is a substitute for their poor Daddy. Who is feeling a bit under weather today, and even as he naps here on the couch can't get away. The kids have been running up to him going "Dada, dada,!!" and pushing spoonfuls of imaginary food into his lifeless face. A moment I really wished I had the camera sitting here with me.

So if anyone is actually ALIVE and reading this, maybe you could drop us a little note... we're not feeling the love these days.

Taylor Eating Chili

Part of our trip to Minnesota a couple of weeks ago.