At least I had my dignity

I admit. I haven't always handled this whole mother thing with grace. Little sleep, two very active babies, a demanding schedule. Admittedly, Todd probably was on the receiving end of more than a few snappy comments. But, at least I have my dignity. Or, should I say, had my dignity.

So one of H's favorite things lately is belly buttons. Heaven knows why but he takes great pleasure in lifting someone's shirt and sticking his finger in their belly button. E's, Todd's, Gma's, mine.

And so it was Saturday morning as we were relaxing on the floor. I was on my back and H crawled over, moved my shirt and started playing with my belly button. Then, he slapped his hand down on my belly and, well I'll be honest here, saw it jiggle. And then he started to giggle. Hysterically. So he hit my belly again and it jiggled, he giggled. Slap. Jiggle. Giggle. Slap. Jiggle. Giggle. And so it went.

I didn't know whether to laugh along, or cry. At least now I can say that those extra cookies I nibbled were ultimately serving a greater purpose -- endless hours of entertainment for H.

Part of us, anyway

As we're posing for Gma, H suddenly decides to exact revenge for that bite lo' those many weeks ago. Apparently he had been saving it up...

Going for a walk with their cousin

It was the boys first time meeting their cousin during a visit to Gma and Gpa's. They seemed to enjoy each other's company.

You Do What You Have To

Safety Dad looks disapprovingly in the background...

Well Hello There

A recent visit from Great Granny

Prior to our chicken pox, Great Granny came for a visit with Grandpa and Grandma. Here H gets a few words of encouragement as he tries his walking car (he hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet, but Grandpa was helping him try).

A Pox in the House of B

One pox, two pox, three pox, four. There's so many, we count them by the score.

Oh yes, the pox. Thankfully, the boys are too young to realize that one of those nasty little shots they got several months ago was supposed to prevent this. Alas, it was a futile effort.

And naturally, it happens on a day that A) Dad is out of town for business; B) Grandma B has pneumonia (we hope she feels very better soon!); C) Grampa and Grandma are a flood covered interstate away. Which left mom to care for two very uncomfortable little boys alone. Two very uncomfortable boys who wanted their mommy at the very same time. I finally got them to sleep by sitting on the floor with one straddling one leg, the other straddling the other leg and then contorting such that both had their heads resting on one of my shoulders. And I somehow managed to even rock them in that position. Thank goodness I'm still a might flexible in my advancing years...

For those keeping score, in the last five months both boys have had:
1) RSV
2) Four ear infections each
3) Far too many upper respiratory illnesses to count
3) One hospitalization for E
4) Hand, Foot and Mouth Virus
5) Chicken pox

What's probably the most troubling is that we're quickly becoming the pariahs of daycare. Already there's been warning signs posted saying "your child may have been exposed to..." and now a second set of signs will be going up tomorrow. Perhaps we should start collecting the signs for their baby books. Never mind the fact that the boys literally only go to daycare and then come home. No restaurants and the occassional jaunt to the grocery store or Target is either in our own stroller or our backpacks. Leaving us absolutely boggled where they're picking this stuff up. But, somehow they are.

I know the first year is the hardest, but really, this is just getting silly.