Friends

It isn't a myth that there is a bond between twins. Perhaps every sibling has that bond, I know my sister and were very close growing up. But still, I think there is something special with siblings who are developmentally the same age; who have literally spent every moment of their lives with each other.

Max and Madeleine argue. They fight over toys, food, me, Michael, space, you name it. But they always turn to each other first for a laugh (seriously, they crack each other up!), a hug, a kiss, a snuggle, a game and a friend.

One of the sweetest things is the hand holding and hugging. If Madeleine is sad and Max is near she turns to him for a hug. I have a rule that while in a parking lot we all hold hands, usually the twins do this willingly.

The new thing is holding hands in the car. I finally got a picture of it....



aawwwww...

Christmas List

Since Madeleine and Max cannot read yet I'm making notes of Christmas gift possibilities here. Feel free to comment and let me know what you think.

1. wooden blocks: Madeleine has been building a tower with anything that will stack.
2. Caillou books (I found a bunch on Barnes and Noble dot com, who knew!? They don't have them in the stores!)
3. construction vehicles for Max. Poor kid bulldozes his oatmeal and anything else moveable.
4. twin bed sheets
5. twin comforter
6. water color paints
7. coloring books
8. The new Justin Roberts CD, "pop fly"
9. socks
10. gap sweat shirts
11. books
12. Madeleine needs a new babydoll. She is particularly drawn to the brown baby at Pottery Barn Kids- naturally, it is $50!!!
13. Fresh Play-doh and tools

Pumpkin Patch

Funny of the day

Everyday my kids crack me up. Seriously, I laugh so hard. The only other person that makes me laugh like that is my husband. I sure am one lucky lady to have so much funny in my life!

Max while I'm trying to sweep up all remnants of play-doh:
Mom, get that dirt right there. No, Mom, right there. Here... (pointing)
Good job, Mom.
Now mommy you get this here, don't forget that piece, there.
I hold the dust bin.
Don't forget to wash it. I help.

Madeleine while seeing a dog sitting in the front seat of a car:
Mommy, look at that doggie right there.
He is in the car, he is going to drive the car, mommy.
That dog is so funny, mommy! I want to see more doggies in cars.


Funny from yesterday:
After Madeleine pooped in her potty on her own volition Max said:
"I want to see Madeleine's poop. Oh Madeleine, it's a tiny one, good job.

You might think...

You might think that I live in a really crappy neighborhood because we were burgled. But we don't. Sure, Michael and I live within the city of Seattle's city limits. We live about 7 miles from the downtown business area. Yes, it is city but it is very suburban too. We live in a community that is surrounded by pleasant houses and gardens. We have parks nearby. The houses in our neighborhood are still listed at a half a million dollars.

We are getting over the robbery. I have to do the paperwork still. I have to go through everything. Michael has rigged the back door to be more secure than any alarm company could.The kids have mostly forgotten, except for my elephant daughter who can remember conversations from a year ago, almost.

The night after the break in she woke up to say this...
"Mommy, Max and Madeleine in car...
Mommy cry, Mommy said, with tears...
Man come and fix the door...
Now TV no works."

You might think that Michael and I did some terrible thing in a past life to deserve our luck. Believe me, we have thought this too. We have dealt with infertility. With failure. We have a child with a 'birth defect' a 'disability'. I had a hard pregnancy. We had prematurity. We had surgeries, medical issues, complications. We just moved. We were robbed.

When I think about this I turn it around.

What have we done to deserve a beautiful family? We have two of the most beautiful children I have ever seen. Michael and I have endured such shitty situations that we can weather just about anything. We have a very loving family. We have amazingly supportive, fun and awesome friends. My son is the smartest little boy I know. He is sweet, sensitive, clever and has the best little disposition. My daughter is the most incredible little girl. She teaches people wherever she goes. She breaks stereotypes and causes people to look twice. She is strong-willed, determined and demonstrates more fortitude than your average fifth grader. My husband is the funniest guy I know. He makes me laugh daily. He supports our home in so many ways. He works to pay for it. He cleans it, he decorates it and makes it our secure place.

I am the luckiest girl alive.

On Thursday, October 2nd

On Thursday, October 2nd I came home from the EEU, the kids' preschool, at 11:40-ish. We left a little late that morning at 8:45 or so. After they got out we went to the bank and then came home. It was a normal Thursday. Max fell asleep in the car as he had gotten up early that morning. Madeleine and I were chatting about watching a little Caillou (her favorite program) and what we would have for lunch. She noticed that Max was sleeping and we discussed that we would put him to bed and have some Mommy/Madeleine time before her nap. The babysitter was going to come and I would have two clients that afternoon. Everything was normal.

I pulled up to the driveway and took Max out of his car seat. I told Madeleine that I would put Maxy to bed and then come and get her out. She had taken her leg off.

I walked up to the back door, Max still half asleep in my arms, and I noticed the door was slightly ajar. I thought, that's weird... did I forget to close the door this morning? I looked in the mud-room (or laundry area) as I went up the first five stairs that lead to our kitchen and saw distinctly muddy shoe prints and debris. As if someone had been working in the garden and come in and not taken their shoes off.

I approached the kitchen and saw a full bottle of apple juice, still cold, sitting on top of the stove. I looked into the living room and noticed the TV and its stand was pulled away from the wall. the doors to the stand were pulled off. I quickly looked at the sofa and saw the cushions ruffled. My heart was beating quickly and my breath was short. I picked up the phone and went outside. I called Michael at work.

"Someone has broken into our house."

"Call 911 now," he told me.

"911. what is your emergency?"

"Someone broke into my house and I have two very small children with me."

"Are they there now?"

"I don't know."

"Go back to your car and lock the doors or drive somewhere safe, the police are on their way."

Hysterical, I sat in my car hugging my two kids. I cried and shook until the police came, entered my home with their hands on their guns.

Michael was home shortly after that and we went into the house to assess the damage.

The thieves ransacked our home. They pulled the mattress off of our bed. The took clothes off the shelves in the closets. They went through my drawers. Went through my refrigerator, my freezer, my cupboards. They saw pictures of my family. My kids.

They took various things of little value. Michael's shoes. Our computers. Our TV equipment. Some DVDs and perhaps some CD. They did not take our cameras or our video camera. They did not take our television (it is big and heavy).

While in my room they went through our drawers and emptied my jewelry box. Emptied. Gone.

I'm sick to think of this as it is only stuff. But, it is my stuff. My personal and sentimental things.
They took my Tiffany jewelry that Micheal has given to me.
They took my silver necklaces that were given to me on the day of my children's birth.
They took my believe.
They took the pearls I wore at my wedding.
They took the pearls my dad gave to me.
They took the black pearl and white gold ring my grandfather gave to me when I graduated from high school.
They took my watches. The one that my mom gave to me with the turquoise.
They took my rings my mother bought for me when we were in Montreal. When we shopped together and bought matching rings.
They took the silver wedding band I wore to Mexico and when I was pregnant and my wedding ring wouldn't fit on my swollen fingers.
They took the gold necklace Skip's mom gave to me before she died.
They took my ruby necklace Michael bought me in the early years.
They took my silver and peridot necklace Michael gave to me for my first mother's day.
They took the pretty flower necklace with the little diamond in it.
They took the pressed flower necklace Megan gave to me.

They took my wedding ring. My Grandmother's Diamond. The gold setting that held it originally. The old 3/4 karat diamond sat in a beautiful platinum setting Michael and I picked out. I didn't wear it a lot because it was big and pokey. Now it is gone.

Can you see the videos now?

Please let me know if you can view the videos. They weren't working for some of our fans.