Mountain Momma

In August we road tripped to West Virginia to visit Marisa and her family. Marisa and I have been friends since we were 9 years old.

Our youth together was filled with many wacky performances, skits, made up songs, stunts, multi-family babysitting events, bike rides and many a summer night sitting on that hill across from the Dominick's at Lake Cook and Arlington Heights Road eating ice cream cones and watching the sunset.

By sheer coincidence, as adults, we are both moms to a set of fraternal twins.

The drive took us 11 hours and miraculously the kids did great. Once there we all had a blast and Marisa and I lived out our unspoken dream that one day our kids would all be friends.

Table and Chairs

Our dining room table and chairs set was an ovular hand-me-down from my mom's nursing home 10 years ago. Since then, 2 of the 4 chairs have split and the table permanently wobbles.

When we moved to our new house, we bought a smaller square table from IKEA in the hopes of creating an "eat in kitchen." Besides not having adequate space in the kitchen, ( more like an "eat in family room") the other problem is that we don't have chairs for the new table and haven't invested the time or money to get some more.

Depending on where we want to eat, (or which table is cleared), we end up moving the four mismatched chairs back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen. It is our tedious, ridiculous, and daily dance.

Untitled Part 3

Darin after reading the last post: You didn't mention my experience in the fat lady bathing suit section at Target.

(Yes, I sent Darin to Target in search of a suitable suit)

When sales lady said 'can I help you find something?' I had to ask if there was more selection or anything in the back...To which she replied, 'We've only got the gold and leopard-print in that size.'

Untitled Part 2

Something else about having a wierd post - pregnancy - 3-kids-in-three-years body... the dilema of fitting back into a bathing suit.

I had a few minutes to stop at the mall on my way home from work in search of a suitable suit. I came in with the following must have criteria:

1. Must have one of those skirt-like bottoms
2. Mustn't be too tight or accentuate my pregnant-like belly

What I realized pretty quickly when I entered the world of fat lady bathing suits (let's face it, that's the section I found myself in), is that, for the most part, the biggies are all hideous and are made for 90 year old fat ladies. Sorry to be so blunt.

A typical suit in this section might be navy blue with large lime green plants circling the torso. Leopard print may be involved. Also the skirt part would touch my knees.

As for the few big, but not quite 90 year old fat lady suits, I was left to decide BETWEEN the skirt and the flattering top. Meaning if I choose the skirt as my priority, I was forced to try the tight tankini top (NOT an option at this stage of the game). If I chose the flaring top as my priority, the bottoms were pretty skimpy (again, NOT an option).

After about an hour, I left the mall with nothing.

I'm still hanging on to a good deal of pregnancy weight. I haven't found any time to even address it as I'm either working all day or running home to take care of three kids. But it's really wierd to have this body that is stretched out and doesn't really feel like my own.

Gymnastics

We enrolled the girls in gymnastics on Saturday mornings. They've had 2 classes and absolutely loved them.

I returned home from Oregon last Friday night and greeted the girls Saturday morning. They put on their leotards and I loaded them in the van to go to class. It took me about 5 minutes of driving before I realized that it was the 4th of July. Then I had to explain what a national holiday is and why there would be no gymnastics today. Devastating.

Daniel and Erika's Wedding

I'm in Oregon with my mom and Shai for my cousin Daniel's wedding. In a tiny ceremony, he and Erika got married on Saturday evening right on the coast. It was beautiful.

Colorado 2005

Darin and I took a road trip to Colorado the summer just before I got pregnant with the girls. We camped out at Rocky Mountain National Park. At the time, we kind of thought it could be the last vacation before kids. Of course ,we really didn't know what that meant, in the practical sense.

I remember wanting so badly to be pregnant already. It was hard to imagine anything other than how fun it would be to take the trip with our children. We'd hike in the morning, head into town to get a little adventure golf in before settling back to the campsite to make dinner and roast marshmellows. Looking back it was an awesome trip. Maybe in another three years we'll do another one.

Family Picture

If I left any picture taking to my husband, we would literally have no pictures. Not a one. Since we went to a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday and were all dressed up, and more importantly all in the same place at the same time with a camera, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get our first all family picture.

In my attempts to get it, I was nearly hung by every member of my family. These are the two best I could get.

Ice Cream for Breakfast

Sleep, or the lack of sleep, has probably been the most defining family issue over the last three years.

With anywhere from 3-6 wakenings a night, we recently started to get really desperate. One night, I blurted out to the girls that if they slept the whole night they would get ice cream for breakfast.

It worked.

It was the best night sleep any of us had had in years.

The guilty mom in my needs to explain that the ice cream is DOVE bar "bite" - like an inch of icecream covered in dark chocolate. Really, pretty small.

It has been about a month and the girls have had one of those bites nearly every morning. And every morning I am beyond thrilled to open up that little wrapper for them.

Day Care

For the first 2 1/2 years of the girls' life we were able to keep them at home. My mother of course contributed significantly, changing up her work schedule and giving up virtually every free moment she had for us.

The girls started preschool/day care this past August of 2008. It was a tough transition, to be sure, but overall it has been a great experience for us all.

When Shai was born, my mom continued to work weekends so she could take him 3 days a week. For the first few months, I was able to figure out/piece together the other two days a week. By April that had all fallen apart and I needed a more permanent 2 day a week solution. That was when we started him at the J with the girls.

The girls love having him there and insist on going with me each time to drop him off and pick him up. (That adds about 12 -18 minutes to our morning).

And while everyone there has been nice and caring to him, I gotta say, its just not the same as keeping the babe at home. The days he is there he doesn't eat and sleep nearly as well as he does at home. And the nights following those days are always more turbulent. And he has a runny nose all the time.

My mom insists we have got to get the baby out of there. There is a saying in Polish that roughly translates to "We're ruining the child." While none of us really believe he is being ruined, I do think its time to get creative once again. Hopefully it won't have to involve my mom switching to working nights so she can have him all week. Although she has offered to do it.

Shai's teacher took this picture during one of our drop offs.

The girls, Darin and I all have our birthdays within 2 weeks of one another. We did a Princess Party for the girls' 3rd this year. Darin is still hoping to shop for the grill we promised him for his 35th. Today, I turn 32. I've always thought May 15 was the best day of the year.

Brandi went to the hospital this morning so I may get to share my day with my newest niece or nephew. That would make 5 Argentars born in 2 weeks.

Taxes

We started our taxes. It was only then that we realized that Shai doesn't have a social security number.

Darin: We shouldn't have kids. We're too irresponsible.

Party Time

With anywhere from 2-4 birthday parties a month, I'd say we're officially on the circuit. Here, the girls are coming off a huge inflatable slide at a Gymnastics Party.

Invitations for the girls' 3rd have already gone out. We're going to have a princess party.

Clean Plate Club

Growing up, my parents didn't really stress manners or discipline like a lot of American parents around me do. They didn't make us reiterate every request with "please" and "thank you" or make us call every friend of the family "Auntie So and So."

What was instilled in us, however, was the value of eating well. Meaning - eating everything.

As for myself as a parent, I can't help but feel successful when my girls can't get enough cauliflower or finish all of their pierogies. And I can't help but feel disppointed in myself when they pick at hummus or announce that they don't like beets.

One day last week I picked up the girls from school and their teacher, Ms. Michele, commented that my girls are the only ones in the class that eat everything that is given to them. I could tell she was impressed. And I was pretty damn proud of them myself.

Dress Up

Dress Up is the newest craze in our house these days. Old dresses, scarves, purses, hats are just the beginning. Ilana loves to pile on layer after layer of baby clothes. Orli loves to wear my shoes. Together, they like to go to the store, go in the van, go to the doctor's office and play princesses.