What's My Name Again?

Seriously, I feel like I can't remember my own name these days....I'm still majorly struggling to balance everything. As you can see, I'm on the "once a month" blog schedule....so much for once a week! It's been so long that I actually forgot how to begin a new blog for a couple frustrating minutes.

Both babies are in bed after a full three-day weekend. I thank you, Columbus, for giving me the day off...not sure if you did anything else worth celebrating, but to me, a day off is glorious.

Joey is sleeping much better these days. Well...I should say, the past, eh...5 days?? He still ends up in bed with us at around 4am but at least he doesn't scream bloody murder every night as we try to get him down. Bedtime is peaceful now. We tried something new and it worked....bathtime BEFORE crankiness (we try at least), then straight to his bedroom, pajamas, bottle and rocking. He usually goes right down. Thank GOD!! Last week we slept straight through from 7:00 until 4:30. I say "we" but let's be honest...I woke up and looked at the monitor about 80 times between 7 and 4:30. I think he's starting to like sleep...

Oh, and...OF COURSE...my little Colin has decided that he would like to protest his nap and whine and cry before bedtime. One of these days it'll get easier around here.

Joey now has 2 sweet little teeth. You can see them perfectly when he smiles (or cries). He still crawls around everywhere...bumping his head, taking nose dives...the usual. He desperately wants to be doing everything Colin does, including eating everything Colin does. Colin is actually very patient and gentle with him. They've only duked it out twice (and that Joey is a scrapper!!!) Joey's new thing? STANDING UP!!! While holding on, of course but WHAAAAAAAAAAT!?!?!?!? He's only 6 months old! Who does he think he is!?!?

I still worry terribly about my little Colin. His speech therapy continues to go really well. He has learned so much in just a short amount of time. Today the speech therapist talked with us about him possibly being on "the spectrum." Yikes....two words no parent ever wants to hear. My stomach has been in knots. Our speech therapist is WONDERFUL and she is just trying to keep our minds open. Her exact words: "Is he showing some signs of possible PDD? Yes. Does this mean that he is definitely on the spectrum? No. Could they be signs of just two-year old quirky behavior? Absolutely." But, the teacher in me is fearing the worst...Granted, the therapist only sees him for 30 minutes twice a week. And she never sees him interact with other children (other than his baby brother). When the neighborhood kids are out he runs up to them, greets them, plays with them. Just yesterday he was chasing/being chased by two little girls in our neighborhood. He squealed with delight when they came after him and "ROOOOARED" at them when he was chasing them. So sweet. And when the little 2 year old from across the street comes over to play, he runs down the driveway, says "Hi Dom!" and the two run back to the garage to see what they can roll down the driveway. He makes EXCELLENT eye contact and responds well to, "Now it's Dom's turn." The therapist is concerned that he becomes fixated on certain toys (especially his trains) but she says that typically, kids "on the spectrum" wouldn't let you interrupt that fixation but Colin does. She says that he gives great eye contact now but she'd like to see better. She said that his tantrums have gotten much better (in other words, when he tantrums he recovers quickly). I don't know...I'm kind of a wreck about it. I know that there is worse things but I have two little boys in my class who just break my heart. Maybe my job isn't the best for me right now. My mom says that when she worked on the cancer floor she was always convinced that she had cancer. Maybe that's how this is....except that it's someone else saying it...

I'm so glad that Brian was there for the conversation because we heard it in two totally different ways. I guess I listened with a negative ear (seeing as I was the one who initiated the conversastion) and everything she said, I heard, "He IS on the spectrum." Brian says that she was basically saying that it's difficult to tell with a 2 year old because a lot of typical 2 year old behavior is the same as autism indicators. It's only when they get older, and these behaviors don't change, that you should become concerned. I mean, the therapist didn't recommend getting him evaluated further.

I was hesitant to write this all out, but this is what my blog is for. Sometimes I feel like when I write things down that they are more "real." I cannot believe how much these little boys make me worry. It really makes me wonder whether having another baby in the future is a smart idea...

I guess this story it To Be Continued...

The Small Stuff:

AH! So many! :)

We took the boys apple picking a few weekends ago. It was Joey's first time. He loves being outside so he was perfectly content the entire time. Colin rode in the wagon (and pushed it) and kept saying, "Come on, come on, come on!" He ate an entire apple like a champ too! We even let Joey suck on an apple too. :)

Brian and I took the boys to get their flu shots today. Both of them were so brave (though today was Daddy's first time being present for shots...no fun, huh Daddy?) Afterwards we took them to get an ice cream (yes...Joey had some ice cream on his tee tee. I don't care if I'm the worst mother ever in anyone's eyes because of this...he deserved it!) Then we took them to the playground.

Colin has found out what "Time Out" is. He will actually sit there for 2 minutes! I never in a million years thought that he would. He was naughty for Grandma the other day. He threw a fit when they were outside and quite a ways from the house. She dragged him in and sat him in the chair. A while later, he took her hand and brought her to the front door. He was babbling a "story" and pointed down the street. Then he took her into the dining room and pointed at the Time Out Chair. Ha ha...he was reliving what had happened and telling Grandma all about it! the other day Brian and I had him in the chair and, with about ten seconds left, he FLEW off the chair and you could hear the pitter patter of his little feet as he ran away from the chair. Took everything in us not to crack up laughing (in front of him)....

I almost killed my husband over a sneeze last night. Joey woke up at 4:15. I was feeding him a bottle in bed and my husband sneezed out of nowhere. You see...he is the LOUDEST sneezer and, the worst part is, there is NO warning. No "Ah Ah Ah" before the "CHOO." Scares the living daylight out of me. Last night, it made Joey's sleepy eyes POP right open. He began smiling and cooing (damn smiles and coos :) Joey thought it was time to start the day. I glared at Brian and he said he was sorry...for sneezing. Ha ha! Man, oh man....sleepy Annette is no fun at all...

Today Colin was refusing to nap (AGAIN). I went in there for the MILLIONTH time and I tried to put my "mean face" on. As I got closer to his crib, he layed on his back, pointed his little finger at me, wagged his finger and said, "No no no no no no no!" WITH A HUGE GRIN ON HIS FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha ha...too funny!

I need to document how Colin counts:

One, Two, Free, Fo, Bive, Six, Seckie, Nine, Ten!! (ha ha ha!)

Oh...and ask him what his name is....he says, "CaCa"...hope that doesn't last!

An extra thought: I knew that by giving birth to boys that I was only helping the house get stinkier. I keep trying to make my house smell pretty but the boys sabotage it! ESPECIALLY my youngest....Joey is the gassiest little guy ever. In fact, if you closed your eyes and listened, you would think that a large man was in my living room rather than a 20 pound baby. Can't wait to share this with him someday....

Videos (not of gassy Joey....but that would be somethin')