Guess what I get to do today!

I get to strip the covers off all the couch cushions and launder them! Oh, and I have the privilege of attempting to get pee out of the actual cushions! Yippee!

Ronan was in my bed last night because I wanted to make sure the fever he has had for the last few days didn't get too high. And Twyla's always there, so Scott was on the couch when Marley decided she was too scared to sleep alone upstairs. She joined him on the couch, and at some point, peed on it.

After removing the cushions, I cleaned up the "trail mix" with a broom and dustpan followed by the dustbuster. And with the cushions off, the couch is just the right height for Twyla to climb onto. From there she realizes it isn't much further to the top of the endtable. It's promising to be an interesting day!

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Twyla's First Birthday

On this day, one year ago, I had just given birth two days prior. We were staying at my grandparents' house because our furnace had given up the ghost the day after Twyla was born. I had felt heartbroken by having to put such a tiny baby into a big plastic carseat and being separated from her for the duration of the 35 minute car ride. With all the worry, we had forgotten that it was Valentine's Day. She has gone from a five and a half pound peanut to a one year old monster with a few teeth and a lot of sass. Here she is eating her birthday cupcake:

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It's Been Awhile!

I really suck at keeping up with this blog.

But here's what's going on. I had my first migraine on Thursday, backed into a parked car on Saturday, noticed that an ice dam had ripped down gutters and eaves on Sunday, and caught Twyla dropping Scott's cell in the bathtub this morning. And Scott has been working a lot less, so the money that will be needed to rectify some of these issues is scarce.

So what about the good stuff? Hmm. Ronan and Marley are enjoying Ninjutsu. Let's hope we can afford to keep up with that, because they'd be devastated if we had to drop it. Twyla is cruising around like mad and about to turn one! Holy crap, that went fast! She's also saying some really cute things, like, "awww" when she hugs us. She waves backwards and says "hi" to people in the grocery store. She's just too freakin' cute! Ronan is reading better every day, and Marley has graduated from scribbling to coloring inside the lines. Ah, milestones.

I'm okay. Despite the fact that things are rocky, I'm not totally freaking out. I'm feeling capable and composed most of the time, which is a big change from where I was a few months ago. Scott is really stressed about the security of his job, like many people are these days. But we're all healthy, and we have enough food to eat, so I guess that's something to be thankful for. So that's that, and I can now go back to forgetting that I have blog for awhile. Heh.

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Oh, Baby!

Twyla has decided that crawling isn't enough anymore. Now she thinks she needs to start walking! EEK! Ronan calls her Walking Bear because when she takes steps she holds her arms up over her head with her hands curled like claws. So cute!

She has also, apparently, become sick of mashing her food up with her gums, and seems to think that teeth would be helpful. She's ten months old and just getting her first tooth! Better late than never, I guess.

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Life is Pretty Good.

It really is, isn't it? I'm feeling better these days. Still not what most people would call good, but better is good enough for me! I've been taking cod liver oil and some adrenal glandular supplements (you don't want to know what's in those!) religiously, and I am seeing some definite improvements. I have more patience with the kids. I'm not even feeling depressed! I haven't had as many headaches, and my back stopped cracking a hundred times when I get out of the shower and flip my head over to dry my hair. That was a surprise! I bent over to fling a towel over my head, and was like, "Whoa! Something's different here!" I wonder what is causing that improvement?

And really, even with all of the health related shit I've had going on for the last however long, my life is still pretty great compared to many people. And since the holidays are coming up, I wanted to think of a way to pass along my good fortune. I am asking anyone who would normally buy me a gift for the holidays to instead donate to Africare. I'm specifically very concerned with the situation in Darfur. I truly hope that people will honor this request. Every year people ask what I want, and I actually have to think really hard to come up with ideas. So I obviously don't need anything too badly! What I really WANT is to feel good about being less of a consumer, and helping families that are in a really dire situation. I can't imagine what they must be going through. I am very lucky, indeed. I have a home, healthy children, access to clean water, enough food, and relatively good health myself. Hell, I even have a pretty awesome husband! What more could I ask for?

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Marley's Four!

Marley had her birthday on Sunday. She's getting so big- I can't believe it! On the day she was born, I got to cut in line at the last presidential election because I was in labor. Luckily I had her to keep my mind off of the outcome of that one!

Here she is with her big bro after her first Ninjutsu class. Awwww!

And this was her cake. We went to a Day of the Dead party, so I decided to make a Mexican sugar skull inspired cake. I was pretty pleased with how it turned out.

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Hurrah!

It must be the outcome of the election- I feel AWESOME today! I'm happy, energetic, motivated- all the things I have NOT been recently. The weather is going to be spectacular again, so we're going to spend the day at the park. Seventy degrees in November! Even the weather is celebrating Obama's victory!

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