Where Have My Babies Gone?

As I checked on the boys before I went to bed, I looked in their cribs and couldn't find my babies. I have no idea where they have gone. In their beds, I saw two boys trying to take the place of my babies. It just hit me that I no longer have babies. Their once chubby faces and short legs have now thinned out and are long. Instead of cute Mommy and Daddy t-shirts, they want to wear Cars and Jake t-shirts. Instead of wanting me to do everything, they want to try it all by themselves. Instead of playing with Mommy, they'd rather run with the big kids. When did these boys take the place of my babies? Where are my babies? I don't think I'm ready for them to grow up so fast.

This is from August. They look even less like toddlers now.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

A friend of mine took pictures of the boys. She actually managed to get a few good shots of them. Sitting or standing still is just not their forte:)

Poor Peter had bruises on his head, and Titus had bruises up both legs which is why they wore pants instead of shorts. There wasn't anything I could do to hide the bruises on Peter's head: a paper bag or makeup just were not options:)

I haven't blogged much because I've spent most of my time learning how to coupon. I think I'm addicted to tracking down coupons and then matching them with sales. My best trip was $99 spent & $156 saved. I was so excited:) Daniel's enjoying the savings but has gotten a crazy wife in return. Right now, I'm so excited about my next Publix trip that I can't sleep. I planned it out earlier today; and now, I'm thinking about all my savings. Who knew that couponing could be so much fun? Maybe I should look into a Couponer's Anonymous group:)

My green cleaning is coming along quite well. I haven't bought any chemicals since I first blogged about it. I just made my second batch of laundry detergent and am loving it. I spent a total of $10 (that includes a one time cost of a 5 gallon bucket) and have made 9 gallons with each batch plus have enough for one more batch. I made it the beginning of June, gave away 5 gallons, used 4 gallons myself, and just started using the second batch this week. I was going through a 96 load bottle of detergent every 3 weeks or less (around $8 a bottle). My family will not be going back to store bought laundry detergent.

My next step in going green is getting rid of the processed foods. This will be harder simply because I don't like cooking. It's weird because I love cleaning which is why the green cleaning was easy to do. Cooking has always been a chore for me. I can do it; I just don't enjoy it (unless it's cupcakes). So, clean eating is definitely going to be a challenge. Maybe I can use my grocery savings and pay for a cook. Hmmm...I should check into that:)

Well, hopefully, I can stop thinking about Publix and get some sleep soon:)

2 Years Old!!

I certainly don't know where the last two years have gone and especially the last two weeks. I'm two weeks behind on getting the boys birthday post up. Yes, they made it to two years; and more importantly, I survived two years:) It has definitely been a whirlwind.

We had a small family party for them again this year. Maybe next year, we'll have a big party for all the family and friends. I know everyone at church really wanted a party for them, but I just couldn't spend the money for something they won't remember. But next year, I have a feeling that they're going to know it's their birthday. This year, they were like, "Oh, I see Car decorations. That's kinda cool." They had fun and enjoyed all the attention from Nana, Grandma, Pa, Aunt Lee-Ann, Uncle Stephen and Aunt Karissa - side note: since I'm southern, it's pronounced ant;)

I just can't believe that it's already been two years. My babies look like boys!! They want to be independent and do things without my help. It's sad:( However, if they weren't trying to be independent, I'd be worried about their development. It's a catch-22.

Peter is still my little one. He's just barely 26 pounds and is a few inches shorter than Titus. Last week, he started jabbering like I've never heard him jabber. Some of it is even turning to sentences. His favorite sentences begin with "I don't want to..." He now has a favorite stuffed animal called "Bug." His ladybug does everything at the house with him. If I'd let him, he'd carry it everywhere too. A couple of weeks ago, I threw Bug in the washer; and its leg got caught and ripped it open. I had to perform emergency surgery on it before nap time. Even though he didn't see the tragedy, Peter knew something was wrong. When I gave him Bug at nap time, he grabbed it with a sigh of relief and looked relieved that Bug was there. His favorite book is "The Grouchy Ladybug" because Bug is on the front cover. (Bug was sold at Kohls along with the book; so, it is the ladybug from the book.) I certainly hope nothing happens to Bug because I don't know what we'll do. I was frantic when I realized it was damaged in the washer and that was an easy fix.

Bug post surgery:(

Titus...well...I don't know where to begin with him. He's over 30 pounds now and towers over Peter. No one thinks that he's the same age as Peter. (And yes, people do argue with me about it.) More of his jabbering has become understandable words. We're working on using words first instead of "Ahhhh." He doesn't have a favorite stuffed animal, but he does have his blanket. He must have his blanket to sleep, and he must have the tag of the blanket in his mouth or under his nose. I'm not sure why, but he started that about two months ago. Also, he can now count to five; and if I've really got his attention, he'll count to ten. Peter thinks counting to three is good enough right now. Titus can also say a few of his ABC's. My problem is getting them both to sit down long enough to listen; but fortunately, some of their toys have counting and ABC songs. Since Titus loves to sing, he likes to try to sing along. He's so cute:)

Both boys absolutely love music. They go over to the piano and say, "Pease?" They "play" and "sing" with great enthusiasm. I'm sure soon I'll be teaching them all about the piano and music. I need to change the batteries in their keyboards though. It's easier on the ears for them to play the keyboard instead of the piano.

Their Facebook birthday post

Beautiful Poem

Someone posted the link to this poem in a comment for my previous post. I know that many will find this poem beautiful and truthful. Thank you Julie:)

Nobody Knew You

Nobody knew you
” Sorry about the miscarriage dear, but you couldn’t have been very far along.”
…existed.

Nobody knew you
” It’s not as though you lost an actual person.”
…were real

Nobody knew you
” Well it probably wasn’t a viable fetus.
It’s all for the best.”
…were perfect.

Nobody knew you
” You can always have another!”
…were unique.

Nobody knew you
” You already have a beautiful child. Be happy!”
…were loved for yourself.

Nobody knew you
…but us.

And we will always remember
…You.

By Jan Cosby

*http://namingthechild.com/archives/nobody-knew-you/

A Heavy Heart

Pregnancy loss is a topic few people think about much less speak of, and it has laid very heavy on my heart lately. July 6th was the one year mark for my first miscarriage, and July 5th was the two month mark for my second miscarriage. So, this has been on my mind a great deal lately.

I often wonder why is miscarriage such a hush-hush topic. Why don't women feel comfortable discussing it? Why do we feel as though we need to hide it and not mourn over our loss? I lost two precious children: one at six weeks and one at eight weeks. Some argue that my baby was just a clump of cells and not yet a "real" human. Others argue that my baby was not a baby until there was a heartbeat. However, I believe that my baby was a fearfully and wonderfully made baby growing in my womb. God just had different plans for him or her; and now, they're enjoying heaven while I must wait to get there.

In broaching the subject of miscarriage, I must first answer the question: "What is a miscarriage?" A miscarriage is often defined as the loss of a baby before twenty weeks (American Pregnancy Association). According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), 10%-25% of doctor confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage, and most miscarriages occur during the first trimester. Right now, 66% of my pregnancies have ended in miscarriage and have ended during the first trimester.

During these first thirteen weeks, the baby goes from being unrecognizable as a human to having every outward feature that you and I have. What happens during the first trimester?*

Weeks 1-4: These are the fertilization and implantation weeks. Many miscarriages happen during this time because the fertilized egg fails to attach to the uterine wall. If the egg does not attach to the wall, the placenta cannot form, and nutrients cannot pass from you to the baby.

Week 5: Even though the baby is no bigger than the tip of a pen, he's already developing skin, his heart, a primitive circulatory system, and the beginnings of muscles, bones, kidneys, and his reproductive system. He's beginning to look like you and I...a tiny human gaining nourishment from his mother and being fashioned by his Creator.

Week 6: The heart begins to beat this week. While I believe in life at conception, it becomes more real to you once you see the heart beating. You can't usually hear the heartbeat over the ultrasound just yet, but you can see the flickering of the heart over the ultrasound. Little nubs that will become arms and legs can be seen protruding from his c-shaped body.

Week 7: The baby is now as big as a pencil eraser. His brain and facial features are also starting to develop. His tiny nostrils begin to take shape this week, and the arm buds that were formed last week begin to look like paddles.

Week 8: Your baby truly is becoming recognizable as a human. Fingers are taking shape while the ears are forming too. You can see the eyes and the formed upper lip and nose. At around 1/2 inch, he begins to straighten his back and have less of a c-shape. Also, you can usually start hearing the heartbeat during your ultrasounds now.

Week 9: With a 50% increase in size, your baby is now 3/4 inch. Can you fathom how quickly this baby is growing? It's so hard for me to comprehend how quickly everything is formed. In 4 weeks, your baby has gone from the size of a tip of a pen to 3/4 inch. How amazing is that!! At this time, bones in the arms start developing as does the bend in the arm for the elbow, and his cute little toes have taken shape.

Week 10: The baby's head is now becoming round instead of alien shaped:) His neck is developing while the eyelids close to protect the developing eyes.

Week 11: Your baby is a whopping 2 inches!! That's over double the size he was at week 9. This week, the external genitalia is formed. While you may not be able to see it for another four weeks or so, your baby is now distinctively male or female.

Week 12: This is usually considered the last week of the first trimester. Your baby has fingernails, and his face has a human profile now. When you look at an ultrasound, you know see a recognizable tiny baby.

*Information gathered from Mayo Clinic.

After the first trimester, chances for miscarriage greatly decrease, but the chance is still there. After twenty weeks, pregnancy loss is no longer considered miscarriage but rather falls into the category of stillbirth. Stillbirth means exactly what you would think it means. Unfortunately, the baby is born but has already passed away.

Losing your baby during pregnancy is a loss. Don't try to brush it under the rug so to speak. Allow yourself time to mourn your loss. You have lost a baby and need to heal, physically and emotionally. Too many women don't allow themselves the time to mourn because they're afraid to. They're afraid people will think they're crazy since they never actually held the baby. However, you need to remember that the baby was apart of you. He was a tiny life growing inside you, and God chose you to be his mother for the short time that he was here.

5 Wonderful Years

*I'm really a week behind on this post, but I wanted to make sure that it was just right before posting.

On Saturday, June 23, Daniel and I celebrated five years of wedded bliss. As I look back, the two people that stood at the altar before God and witnesses in 2007 are so much different than the two people who stand before you today. Five years ago, I could not have imagined the life that we now have. Fortunately, God is much better at molding my future than my imagination is. Each new year brings us closer to God and to each other.

Our first year of marriage was definitely an eye opener. Up until marriage, the only man I had lived with was my dad; and dad isn't your typical man. He can clean better than most women:) So, I had to learn quickly that he was not dad and that he did not pick up after himself. I learned that nagging does not make him pick up his clothes. A few months after we married, I lost my job; and we lost a good chunk of our income. Finances were tight, but it was amazing to watch God provide for us. He provided all our needs and most of our wants.

Our second year of marriage marked the start of Daniel's last year of college. During this time, God saw fit for me to return to my old job just as Daniel had to quit his job. Since he had to do his internship during the Spring of 2009, he had to quit his full time job and begin a part time job. The church was able to hire him as maintenance while he completed his pastoral internship. I watched Daniel grow in the Lord, and he was truly happy being in the ministry.

Our third year of marriage started off with Daniel graduating and going on staff at the church. We didn't expect much excitement that year, but that quickly changed. In December, we found out that we were expecting our first child. We were both excited and ready to be parents. A week or so after the positive pregnancy test, our ultrasound revealed that we would not be having one child, but two! And the adventure began! At 28 weeks, on May 26, my doctor told me that I needed to be on bedrest. So, once again, we would be without my pay check. This also placed a lot of responsibility on Daniel's shoulders. Not only did he have to work his job, but he also had to take care of things at home. He cooked, cleaned, and took care of me.

We started our fourth year of marriage; and almost exactly a month later, we welcomed into this world Peter and Titus. Shortly after their arrival, things drastically changed at church. The only thing that kept us going was our boys. Daniel had to take a second job at Rivertown Ford in order to pay bills. God has blessed Daniel with an uncanny ability to retain car facts, and he has become a wonderful, honest car salesman. Just a month before our fourth anniversary, we found out that we would be expecting our third child. I was pleasantly surprised and was ready for the challenge of three under two.

We celebrated our fourth year of marriage and began our fifth year of marriage with much anticipation for the new baby. However, our world stopped on July 6. God saw fit to take our precious baby home to be with Him. Our hearts broke as we learned the news, but God was faithful and brought us through that hard time. Unfortunately, this year of marriage was marked with several losses of family and close friends. Daniel lost his grandpa, and we lost two very dear friends this past year. Our bright spot was in March when we found out that once again we were expecting. We were a little scared and waited to tell the church till we thought it was safe. However, we learned a very important lesson that life is fragile even when you think it's safe. On May 5, we said good bye to our fourth child. We thought that this would be our "take home baby," but God remained faithful to us as we mourned another loss. God's love, grace and mercy carried us through this year of marriage.

As we end our fifth year of marriage and begin our sixth year of marriage, our hearts are still heavy, but we know that God is in control. He has great things planned for the Slavy family, and we will remain faithful to Him. He promises us in Psalm 37:3-5: "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." We will trust in Him, we will delight in Him, and we will commit our way unto Him.

Changing the Norm

I've started on a quest to change the norm in my house. Unfortunately, at 6 months old, Titus contracted RSV and was hospitalized for 4 days in January of 2011. Ever since then, he has a reoccurring cough that will not completely go away. A couple of weeks ago, I began looking at what was under my kitchen sink: Scrub Free with bleach, Spic & Span, Lysol Kitchen cleaner, and several other harsh chemicals. I've always been one who has to smell the bleach in order to believe it's truly clean. As I was pondering on my cleaning supplies, I heard Titus coughing again. At that moment, it struck me that maybe, just maybe, the chemicals in our house could be aggravating his respiratory system.

Since then, I have begun my journey to chemical free living. I've already made my own stain remover, anti-itch gel, and vinegar/baking soda cleaners. I'm waiting on my essential oils to come from Amazon.com to complete my laundry detergent, my homemade deodorant, shampoo, and conditioner. I plan to be completely chemical free in a month. I bought a natural baby wash because I didn't like any of the recipes that I found online and am going to try to find a natural wash for Dan and I (hopefully, something that doesn't break the bank).

If my grandparents and great-grandparents were able to keep clean houses and families without the chemicals, I should be able to also. It just takes a little extra time to make everything. Of course, the added blessing is that making my own cleaners saves me money. That means...a new pair of shoes:)

On another note...I finally pulled out the boys pool and cleaned it up. They had so much fun playing in the water. I wish I had a big pool for them; but alas, we have no back yard for it. In fact, the small kiddie pool was on the sidewalk leading up to the front stoop. It was loads of fun nonetheless:)

Life

To be honest, I really haven't felt much like writing which is why I haven't posted in a month. Do you ever just have some of those days that you feel like you're walking around in a haze? Well, that's been me lately. I guess it's just girly hormones taking over. The past month has been full of milestones, but I'm not sure that I'm ready for all of them.

Milestone #1 - The one month mark of my 2nd miscarriage: While I know God is in control through everything, an empty womb still hurts. This week, I should be 14 weeks, and I'm nearing the 1 year anniversary of my 1st miscarriage. I've given God control and am trying not to take it back. However, relinquishing control is not easy for me, just ask my husband! God has a wonderful plan for Daniel and me, and I just have to let Him set it in motion and keep it in motion.

Milestone #2 - Turning 30: I'm now half way to 60:( I remember thinking that at 30 I would be a sophisticated adult. However, I still don't feel like an adult, and I certainly don't feel sophisticated except on Sunday. On Sunday, I wear my sophisticated high heels even though it's hard to carry the boys while wearing them. It's my one "me" thing during the week:) My family and friends did throw my a wonderful surprise party. It made my day to know that they care:) And so far, 30 hasn't been too bad. I've got a few aches and pains, but I think those are due to carrying 2 almost 30 pound toddlers.

Milestone #3 - The boys speaking in complete sentences: In the last week, they have both started speaking in sentences. Now, I'm the only one that really understands what they're saying, but they're getting it. Their developing speech is exciting, but it is also a reminder that they're growing up. They are now insistent on doing things all by themselves, and I have to let them even though I really want to keep doing it for them. Who knew that I'd be sad over their independence?!?! Titus has even started climbing out of his crib; so, I guess we'll be switching to twin beds soon. On a side note...do you realize how expensive bedding is for kids? And I don't want cartoon bedding, just something that definitely looks like it should be in a boy's room.

Milestone #4 - 5 years of marriage: June 23 will be 5 years of marriage, and it just doesn't feel like it's been that long. We're starting the kindergarten year of marriage:) He truly has provided so much love and security over the past 5 years, and I can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else. He's my rock!! And I think he's almost fully Southern. I've just got to get him to start drinking sweet tea.

My silly boys:)

Trusting the Lord

When I was pregnant with the boys (my first pregnancy), I went into every appointment prepared to hear bad news. My mom had four miscarriages and two successfull pregnancies, and my grandma had seven miscarriages (that are in her medical records, maybe more) and one successful pregnancy. So, I was surprised that I not only had a successful first pregnancy, but it was a multiples pregnancy. I thought, "Praise the Lord! I don't have my mom's and grandma's problems." I delivered the boys at thirty-five weeks in July 2010 and have two handsome twenty-one month old boys.

I got pregnant May of 2011 and was a little overwhelmed because I would have three under two. But I was definitely up for the challenge not matter how daunting it looked. Since my last pregnancy was problem free, I really had no worries that this pregnancy would be worry free. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I began having complications on July 6, 2011; and the baby was gone shortly thereafter.

It took us nine months to get pregnant again which is the longest it has ever taken us to get pregnant. Again, I was a little overwhelmed because I would have three under three, but I was still up for it. I couldn't wait. I heard the heartbeat during my first ultrasound which never happens for me. I was overjoyed and definitely optimistic for a problem free pregnancy. Unfortunately, I began having complications again on Saturday around six pm. I knew that it was a miscarriage but tried to stay optimistic. I knew the baby was gone the next morning. This morning, I went in for an ultrasound, and there was nothing on the screen. I've never felt that disheartened. A blank screen...and a sympathetic look from Kristy our ultrasound tech...even though she couldn't tell me, I knew and went downstairs to make an appointment with my doctor.

I went this afternoon to see my OB. He told me that it's nothing to be worried about yet and told me that 35% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. So, I'm still well within the average. I got my rhogam shot and card which completed everything for this pregnancy except for paying the final bills.

It's been a long day...and one I hope to never repeat. I'm resting in the comfort of my God and praying for another opportunity to have a new baby in the family. God's Word holds true even through the loss of my child. Romans 8:28-29 states, "And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." I can rest assured that things happen for my good not only because I love Him, not only because I'm called to do His will, but also, and most importantly, because I am being conformed or shaped into the image of His Son. Because of these hard times in my life, God's shaping me to look more like His dear Son, my Savior. Yes, God could stop bad things from happening in my life, but I would miss out on the blessing of becoming more like my Savior. Oh how I dread becoming stagnant and never becoming more like my Savior!

Slavy baby #3 - we'll meet in Heaven!!

Life Just Isn't Easy

Sometimes, I wish I could hit a rewind button and get a do over. The past two weeks have definitely been do over weeks. April 10, I lost a dear friend. Many tears have been shed over his passing by family and many, many friends. While the family tries to hold onto the fact that he's with our Savior and they will see him again, losing a husband and dad is very hard. He left behind scores of people who remember his Christian example. He used to tell his real estate clients that he put in their contract that they had to visit his church after buying their house:) They laughed, and many did visit our church. His smile was contagious, and you couldn't help but smile when he was around. As I've watched his family cope, I've asked the same questions that they have. Why him? Why now? I don't know or understand why this happened, I do know that God has used his death to bring more souls to Him. At his funeral, over 25 people trusted Christ as their Savior. And while we still mourn his death, we can rejoice in those who will one day be in Heaven with Gary.

We miss you Gary Silva!! Every time I go to church, I still expect to see you there. I miss your fist bump while I'm playing the piano during hand shaking time. I'll see you again.

20 Months!!

I can't believe my babies are only 4 months from being 2 years old. Where have my little 35 weekers gone? They've been replaced with toddlers who are all boy. They love playing in dirt, puddles, fountains and sand and playing with sticks, cars and balls. Soon, I'm going to have to start checking pockets for bugs before putting them in the washer. Peter loves being dirty; Titus does not. The picture of Titus bending down with the water hose is showing him trying to clean himself off.

Their 1st time playing with the water hose.

Again!

Well...he has it again...Titus has bronchitis. This is the 3rd time that he's had it, and I just don't know what to do with him. Do they sell bubbles that he can live in? That would be the perfect solution. He's been running a fever and coughing since Thursday, but I wanted to try to treat it myself before going to the doctor. He got worse over the weekend; so, I made an appointment this morning. As soon as I made the appointment, he didn't run a fever all day! He's been between 100 & 102.5 all weekend and no fever for the doctor, a perfect 97.3. Go figure!! But anyway, he has meds in him now and is sleeping great. He hasn't even had a coughing fit tonight, YAY!

Going to the doctor was a bit more traumatic this time. As soon as we walked through the doors to get to the scale, he started crying. He's starting to remember the doctor's visits now. I tried to tell him that there would be no shots today, but he never would believe me. You should have seen him run out the door as soon as I opened it. He was ready to go.

Mom kept Peter at the house while I took Titus to the doctor. Since we left while he was still napping, he didn't know we had gone anywhere. Mom said that when he woke up, he started playing with his toys and then looked around like he just realized Titus was missing. Then, he went to their bedroom and looked for him. Apparently, he thought that Titus might still be in bed; so, he pulled the blankets out of Titus's bed looking for him. He didn't fuss because Titus was gone; he was just a little confused. On the other hand, Titus didn't care that Peter wasn't with him. He was glad he didn't have to share mommy's lap:)

Wedding Pictures

As promised, I have pictures from the wedding. Even though the boys didn't make it down the aisle, they made adorable ring bearers for pictures.

Spring Is Here Unofficially!!

I can't believe that it's already spring weather down south. It just seems wrong to have the AC going full blast in the car and to wear shorts and t-shirts in March. The good part is that we've been able to play outside and have plenty of park time. Both the boys love playing outside especially when Pa or Uncle Stephen are there. Mom's just not as cool as they are: probably because I don't throw leaves in my hair:)

I'm officially boycotting the air show this weekend. If I could ring some people's necks, I would. This weekend is the air show, and today was the final practice. Unfortunately, their practice route is directly over my house. All afternoon, my entire house was shaking. This also means that there was no nap time for Peter and Titus. There was absolutely no way they could sleep through all the noise. I have a feeling that it's going to be just as bad Saturday and Sunday. Ugh!!

On the bright side, Daniel and I were able to enjoy a wonderful date night without the boys. Thank you Uncle Stephen and Aunt Karissa!! Apparently, they wore the boys out because they were in bed and knocked out cold when we got home at 9. They took the boys to Chuck E Cheese!! They had tons of fun; and of course, Aunt Karissa took tons of pictures. Here's a few.

I also have great news that we got a new dryer...well, a new to us dryer, but it works great!! Pa came over and "helped" me get it hooked up. Actually, there was no helping involved; he did it all. He had two sets of eyes watching his every move as he switched out the cord on the back of it. One day, he'll have two sets of eyes not only watching but also asking 100 why questions. But nonetheless, he was still one proud grandpa as he showing them what he was doing.

Daylight Savings!!

It's that time of year again...Daylight Savings!! I wish it didn't fall on Saturday night/Sunday morning. It makes for a very hard Sunday. We put the boys to bed at 8:30, and they talked to 9 and finally fell asleep. So, it didn't work out too well trying to get them to bed 30 minutes early. That morning at church went well, but you could tell that they were dead tired by the end. They went down for a nap at 2 and passed out immediately. Peter woke up in a great mood; Titus, on the other hand, was not in such a pleasant mood. I had to wake him up to get ready to go back to church, and he was not happy about that. Fortunately, we have wonderful nursery workers who didn't strangle my grumpy son. Thanks Mrs. Steward and Breauna!! You are both awesome!! Today hasn't been too bad, but Titus has been dragging a little.

Peter started trying to do flips today. He gets in the flip position, but he can't quite get his legs over his head in order to flip.

Titus has become such a little helper over the past few days. He loves to throw trash away and shut doors for me. I've also figured out how to keep him from getting distracted while walking to the door. As long as I give him something to carry for me, he'll go straight to the door. If he's empty handed, he can't remember to make it to the door. Ah, the attention spans of toddlers!

Twin Plans

The boys are getting way too smart for me. It's amazing how their critical thinking skills are developing. Yesterday, we were at church, and I had to leave them alone in the nursery while I was practicing with Bro. Bryan and Mrs. Barbara. Karissa hollered at me to come the nursery to come see what my genius sons were doing. I walked up to the door, and they had pushed chairs against the half door. Karissa said that when she walked up, Titus was trying to push Peter over the door to get out. He was almost all the way over the door. If their plan had worked, two things would have happened. First: There would have been lots of crying because Peter would have been hurt. Second: There would have been lots of crying because Titus would have realized that he was by himself without anyone to push him over. A line from Meet the Robinsons comes to mind, "I don't think this plan was very well thought out." I guess I won't be leaving them in the nursery by themselves any more.

During this visit at church, they also came up with a new way to sit in the toddler chairs.

Everyday, I'm blown away by what they're picking up. They are no longer my babies that I have to do everything for.

Finally Happened!!

Peter's first ant bites!

I knew it would eventually happen because both boys absolutely love dirt. It's so much fun to throw it up in the air and have it land in your hair and down your shirt and shorts. However, it's not as fun when the dirt happens to be from an ant hill. We turned our backs for two seconds, and Peter was in a huge ant hill throwing dirt all over himself. He wasn't screaming yet; so, I didn't run to get him because I thought I was wrong about it being an ant hill. Well, when I got there, it was definitely an ant hill; they just waited to bite until they were all on him. Then...he started screaming. In the process of getting them off Peter, I wound up with them all over me too. I'm sure Peter won't be digging in dirt piles any time soon.

Stephen and Karissa got back from their honeymoon yesterday and were able to see the boys today. They brought the boys baseballs from Washington, D.C. They couldn't have picked out a better gift for them. As soon as they put the balls in the boys hands, they started throwing and kicking them. It was a good thirty minutes of pure happiness! Titus would even count 1-2-3 before throwing his ball which is good since it gives you time to get out of the way. He doesn't care what's in the way when he throws balls.

New words/phrases: Peter said thank you. Titus knows that you're supposed to say letters while singing the alphabet song, but it comes out sounding like o-oo-o-oo to the tune of the alphabet song.

Why Am I Awake?

Why am I awake? Because Titus is sick once again! His ear's draining which means ear infection, and he's coughing and congested again. I just don't know what to do with him, and he's certainly not the best patient either. When he doesn't feel good, I know about it at all hours of the night. Sometimes, he wakes up, cries for a few minutes and goes back to sleep. Other times, he wakes up, cries and doesn't go back to sleep. He finally went to bed around 11:30, but he's woken up crying several times since then. Fortunately, they've just been "I'm miserable" cries because he goes right back to sleep after those. And because he's sick, I hear every little extra noise that either boy makes since I'm worried and don't want to sleep through him crying if he needs me. Of course, if he's quiet, I'm worried too and have to check on him to make sure he's still breathing. Being a mom is a stressful job. If he's quiet, I worry; if he's too noisy, I worry; if he's awake, I worry; if he's asleep, I worry. Don't worry though....Daniel is sawing logs right now:) Hopefully, I'll be able to join him in dreamland soon.

Sickness, Wedding, and More!

The past 3 weeks have been a whirlwind and very tiring. We had their 18 month check up on February 8, and I haven't had time to post updates since them. This was the first time that recognized where we were and started crying as soon as they saw the nurses and doctor. Other than that, the appointment went very well, and Dr. Macleod is loving their progress. Peter is still small but is staying steady on his curve: 23 pounds, 31.5 inches, and 18.5 head circumference. Titus is still my brute: 26.3 pounds, 33.5 inches, and 19 head circumference. They also got their last shots until 5 years old.

The following Sunday, I put Titus to bed at 9; and he woke up at 10 congested and coughing. We cleaned out his nose, gave him some Tylenol, and put him in the swing to sleep slightly inclined. The next day, you could tell he was sick, but he's always sick and didn't act any worse than usual; and Peter acted like he always does. When Dan got home from work, I decided to take Titus to Pediatric After Hours because his breathing started getting worse around 5:30. I really hadn't checked Peter much during the day because I was trying to keep Titus away from him and didn't want Peter sick too. Dan picked him up and said he was burning up. We checked his fever, and it was 102. He didn't act sick; so, I didn't think to take his temperature. So, we packed both boys up and headed to After Hours instead of what was supposed to be our Valentine's Dinner at Longhorn.

Normally, when you get to Pediatric After Hours, they check the babies weight and temperature and send you back to the waiting room wait some more. By the time we got there, Peter's temperature spiked to 104 which meant that we didn't get sent back to wait. They sent us back to a room immediately and worked on getting Peter's fever down. Long story short...Peter had strep throat, and Titus had bronchitis. It all came out of no where because they were fine Sunday. It's amazing how little bodies can change so quickly.

That whole week was spent getting the boys well which always makes a tiring week. Friday night was the beginning of our mid-year mission's conference. Saturday was a funeral, and that night was mission's conference. Sunday was church. And now, I'm tired just thinking about that week. Monday started the countdown for Stephen and Karissa's wedding on Saturday. So, I not only was really busy, but I also had cranky boys because they're used to some sort of a regular schedule which went totally out the window. I think the week of the wedding was the shortest week ever; although, the groom would probably disagree:)

The wedding was beautiful and went really well. The bride and groom shared their first kiss at the altar and left around 4 to begin their life together. Even though they didn't make it down the aisle as ring bearers, Peter and Titus looked super cute in their suits and bow ties. I'll post pictures after the bride and groom have had a chance to post some of their own.

Peter update: He's starting to babble even more, and I can't wait till words are actually formed into something understandable. He loves to entertain and playing the piano while singing. It cracks me up listening to him because he tries so hard. He's so adorable:)

Titus update: He's starting to form actual words. We're working on identifying eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He has eye down perfect. When I ask where his nose is, he points to his nose and says, "N-eye!" He's also started "reading" books out loud. Unfortunately, he has a Phineas and Ferb addiction which means he keeps wanting to turn on the TV to see if it's playing.

I just realized a few days ago that my babies are now closer to 2 years old than they are a year. They turned 19 months on Monday. I just don't know where the time has gone!!

Playing Catch Up!!

It's been a while since I've updated everyone on the goings on of the Slavy household, and it's time to play "Catch Up." Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years were such a whirlwind, and I really don't know where the holidays went.

We spent Thanksgiving at Nana's house (Dan's mom). Last year, the boys just kind of tasted mashed potatoes and yams; but this year, they got to really eat their 1st Thanksgiving dinner. You should have seen them stuff the food in their mouths. Titus especially loved the food.

And yes, they're using big boy forks instead of toddler forks. They find it easier to use the big forks without accidentally throwing the food.

Christmas was a blast this year with the boys. They knew what presents were and absolutely loved opening them. Their favorite toys that they received was a drum that had a recorder, tambourine, maracas, and drum sticks inside it and also their keyboards. The boys love music and instruments. There's nothing more adorable than listening to them play and sing on their keyboards. I see piano lessons in their future:)

What blows me away is how much of an imagination they already have!! Well, they absolutely love the microphones at church; and since getting the maracas for Christmas, they've started pretending that the maracas are microphones. What 18 month old knows how to pretend that maracas are microphones?!?! I certainly didn't teach them. The other day, Peter was even singing and dancing while pretending that the maraca was a microphone. Go figure!! I can't wait to see what the future holds if their imaginations are already that good.

We did manage to get some Christmas photos taken; and now, I'm managing to upload some for you all:)

Peter has developed quite the personality and temper over the past 2 months. Who knew that my laid back Peter would have such a temper! While having a temper is a problem, the worst part is that you never know where the line is for his temper. He's easy going 80% of the time; but when you cross the 81% mark, a whole new Peter emerges. However, during his easy going mood, he'll lay on your shoulder for 15 minutes giving you a hug, or he'll randomly jump up on you and give you a hug and a kiss. He still sits back and watches what's going on; he doesn't want to get hurt doing something the wrong way when he can do it the right way on the first try. He's also started trying to talk. It's still jabbering, but he's trying now.

Titus is definitely a mama's boy, but that's okay with me. He'll eventually grow out of it, and I'll miss it. He's still either really happy or really sad, no easy going times for Titus. He's headstrong and just plows through obstacles not thinking about the outcome which is why he constantly has new bruises popping up. He's also my motor mouth, and it won't be long before he's forming actual words. He'll carry on a conversation with me all in jabber, but I know he's answering my questions and asking me questions. He just can't quite form the words correctly. Drum roll please for the best news.............................he tells me when he has dirty diapers!!!!!!! I really don't think it will be long before he's ready to potty train. YAY!! The other day, he looked at me, squated, and told me (in jabber) that he was pooping. Then, he stood up, came over to me, and jabbered while pointing to his diaper. He was informing me that he needed a new diaper.

Life is certainly going to be interesting over the next month since Stephen and Karissa's wedding is coming up. Peter and Titus are supposed to be ringbearers; so, we'll see how that goes. I've started taking them into the night services at church to try to get them used to being in there when it's time for the wedding. Pray it all goes well for Stephen and Karissa's sake.

Well, I think I've caught up on all the important things going on. I just really didn't think it had been that long since I last blogged until I looked at the date of my last post. Time really does fly!!