Spawn of Mike And Mike

Aunty Moses

2012-02-16T12:38:00.003-05:00

Aunty found out this morning that when you yell "potty training!" while making a beeline to the doors in a crowded grocery store, people part out of your way as if Moses himself were parting the Red Sea...

I Had a Dream

2012-01-29T21:50:00.001-05:00

Yes, I had a dream. it was not as poignant and moving as Dr. Martin Luther King. Nor did this dream carry with it the passion and tenor Martin Luther imbued into his being as he spoke that famous speech. But, it was just as awe inspiring.

This morning, just before I woke up, I dreamt I woke up. It was quiet. I could hear my husbands deep breathing as he continued his slumber. Light was streaming into the windows, the white noise of the fan we always turn on before bed hummed comfortingly. It was quiet.

I was refreshed. I stopped and listened very hard…nothing. The girls were still asleep. I looked over to my left at my clock…it read…10:00AM!

I balked…could it be? Did I actually get to sleep until 10 am in the morning? No little girls screaming for attention? Had we just passed a momentous milestone and I didn't even know it until now? 10 AM! It was QUIET!

Alas, it was just a dream…"baba……Baba…..BABA!" I woke up. I blearily glance over to my left at my clock….it was 6:30am. Sigh…crap.

SPAM Begone

2012-01-14T20:54:00.002-05:00

So we're getting Spammed again by less than reputable persons. To our regular readers, we have turned on comment moderation. You can leave a comment, you just won't get the instant gratification of seeing your words/name up in cyber lights right away...sorry if it's a buzz-kill.

On the flip side, I'm now letting anyone comment as I can control the nasties and hit delete with unfettered glee! Ooooohhhh...my finger is just a tingle! My attitude is simple when it comes to comments, hateful...DELETE...Spam...DELETE...difference of opinion...PUBLISH. You may or may not agree with some of the posts and opinions we have, that's cool. A robust dialog, even perhaps tense or adversarial, is part of life. We do not, however, tolerate spam or just downright spiteful, hateful, or mean-spirited comments. In my experience, the people that leave these types of comments are in need of therapy...and I'm not a therapist.

I don't expect everyone to hold hands, grow their armpit hair long, build a bonfire, don a guitar and sing cumbaya...I do expect respect. Simple.

AAAAAAAAARRRRRSE?

2011-12-30T20:51:00.000-05:00

When you are grossly overweight, that's your business.

When you are grossly overweight, chasing your 1 year old up the large wooden pirate ship at the indoor playground...hey, at least you're moving.

When you are grossly overweight, and then slide down after your 1 year-old little boy on the plastic slide sticking out of the large wooden pirate ship…you're really pushing the weight limit of that slide as it's not meant for 300+ lbs adults.

Now…when you are grossly overweight, slide down the slide, then stop, lean forward to pick up your one-year-old and don't notice my pint sized 2-3/4 year old little girl sliding down after you only to be smacked in the face by your extremely large derriere that seemed to double up as a large car airbag…GET OFF THE FUCKING SLIDE!

Thankfully, no harm was done and Rose was no worse for the wear. It seems that much fat is soft and bouncy. Rose looked a little dazed, but once she recovered, and the very large woman finally moved (she barely registered that Rose even smacked into her!), she hopped off the slide and zoomed around to the ramp up the pirate ship to have another go.

I have become very good at dodging zooming children in these venues, running, crawling, riding little cars, etc. I have also become good at rescuing little kids, mine, and others from spills, trips, conflicts, etc. Too many times in these venues you get parents who either just zone out and let their kids run wild many times to the determent of others, or those parents who hover over their child with blinders on. While I may not always be successful, I do try to balance my hovering and my zoning (zoning usually comes in the form of checking work e-mails on my phone because I have a type A personality).

Note to parents and parents to be: When in a playground full of kids, while obviously your attention is on your kids and their safety, don't forget that you and your kids are NOT THE ONLY CHILDREN THERE! It's a playground...remember that. Conversely, the playground is not a babysitter. You should not "check-out" once you let loose your child/children.

2011-12-20T21:30:00.003-05:00

As I was getting ready to post our obligatory Santa photo, I came across a gem I forgot about.

Christmas 2009 - Our First Christmas Photo Shoot

This was Christmas 2009, our first Christmas with the girls. This was one of many photos I had taken when we were doing our own Christmas photo shoot for our first Christmas card. This one didn't make it, but it's got to be one of my favorites. I showed Mike B. and it is now his screen saver for his work computer.

It is amazing what a difference 2 plus years make. Time really does just fly by. And while I don't miss the sleepless nights that came with them at such a young age, this photo reminds me just how blessed we are to have two happy, healthy, and highly energetic girls whom I just wanna hug and kiss and never let go...well okay, not fully true...there are those times!

So now, without further ado, I present our truly fashionable duo and the jolly fat guy that came with a $26 price tag!

Santa and the girls 2011

Eva is SUCH A HAM! Rose we had to bribe with a peppermint candy cane....which both promptly got all over their hands and face once we departed with my wallet $26 lighter.

This evening, Mike B. is making Pizzellis for an office shindig, in the day he wrapped all the presents, and I put together their Schwinn tricycles. Unlike poor Edward and Paul, these things were put together in three main components with nary a cuss word uttered...

The down side, these things are solid and metal...these have to go outside as I don't relish the idea of patching up drywall. Hope we get a few decent days before winter fully sets in.

So we're as ready as we can be. I sadly, still didn't finish my Christmas shopping. With the girls being sick over the past two weeks with a cold, then strep, then another cold, and the insanity of work as we all try to get things done before everyone goes on vacation, shopping is the last thing on my mind. I barely got Christmas cards out in time and still have a box of goodies sitting on my counter that needs to be shipped off to Germany...turns out my twin can't find any Black bean sauce in Germany,

So to all, happy holidays and here's looking to a new year. 2012 will bring more adventure to our family as we begin down the path of starting them in daycare one day a week. And then, as Spring finally lifts our winter doldrums, we celebrate their birthdays and we will be the proud parents of 3 year-olds...it seems that it is at this age that most parents I have talked to recall with a shudder. Ah well, it's what we signed up for..so BRING IT ON!

Mele kalikimaka e hau'oli makahiki hou!

The Light Fairy Returns

2011-12-08T21:32:00.001-05:00

I am a light fairy, I own up to it, I embrace it, I am an SPT1 18 gauge cord, zip plug, twinkle light toting fairy. If I could get away with it all year around, my house would be decorated with lanterns, lights, and anything outside that glows, sparkles, or twinkles. This is of course the perfect compliment to my husband who is most definitely a decorating and chotchkie fairy.

For the past two years, however, I have not done lights on the house over Christmas. Mostly because the girls were too young and took up too much time. Time I needed to spread my...or plug in...my light fairy magic. This year, however, the light fairy in me could be held back any longer. And as the first real Christmas the girls can really comprehend, I was super excited. So I was on a mission to funnel two years of suppressed light fairy magic into a twinkly wonderland for the girls.

I wanted something different and dramatic this year. I found 21" indoor/outdoor Moravian lit stars from Sam's club. Different, interesting, I bought 12 of them, my husband thinks I'm insane...this coming from a man who every year orders me up to the attic to bring down his Christmas stash so he can explode in a giant puff of Christmas fairy dust. At least when the dust settles, it's always to a lovely aftermath...despite the foul language spewing from my less than fairy like mouth as I smack my head and stub my toe in the attic.

So the day after T-day, the plans floating around my noggin, which included my new 12 very lovely and large Moravian stars, began its magical journey to the front of our house. There were many obstacles involved. Dead lights, lights that didn't connect, having to make my own extension cord, multiple trips to the likes of Target and Home Depot, climbing on the roof and scaring the neighbors and my husband (who were convinced I was going to fall)...oh...and the Squirrel that got in the house Friday night (the day after T-Day) when I was out and about putting light hooks on the house. But that's another post.

Finally, after 3 days, and much to the approval of two little girls, the house was lit, the squirrel had been chased away, and my magic was done for the year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T20:56:00.001-05:00

It’s hard to believe it’s Thanksgiving again here in theStates. It’s hard to believe yet another Winter is upon us. It’s hard tobelieve in 4 months, a little over 4 for Eva, our girls will be THREE! I havenever been one for saccharin sweetness or the type that immediately launchesinto a litany of what I am thankful for. Others, such are far better at thatthan I and a heck of a lot more sincere. For me, well, it just makes my skincrawl.

However, I recently, I read through a powerful post of oneof our fellow bloggers that made me stop and realize just how thankful andlucky Mike and I are. His post was a touching, incredibly well written, anddeeply moving expression of the love and richness his children have broughtinto he and his husband’s life along with their gratitude and thankfulness totheir children’s birth mothers. It was titled Dear BirthMother from Mark over at Our SimpleLives. Warning, if you are even the faintest bit emotional, grab a tissuebefore you read it.

The circumstances and the adventure that brought our girlsinto our lives seem so far away and yet as vivid as if it happened yesterday. Sotomorrow, as we awake to Thanksgiving day, Daddy will be running around cookingand preparing the house. Baba will be keeping the girls out of the way andassisting where he can…which may mean getting out of the house to theplayground with the girls. Eventually, Granny, Aunty, and our Niece Hannah willbe over to share Thanksgiving dinner with us this year. This year will bereally special as now the girls are at an age where they begin to fullycomprehend and enjoy these special events.

This was very evident over Halloween which was just a hoot.The quickly caught on to the whole trick-or-treat shtick and managed to conall the houses we visited into gobs of candy by their sheer cuteness. Thankfullythey are also still at the age of short-attention-span which allowed us to HIDEthe gobs of tooth rotting, hyper inducing sugar treats and only dole them outon special occasions…you know, like a distraction so they won’t have a meltdownin the store.

So before the start of T-day, let me wish everyone whohonors the holiday a happy Thanksgiving! For us, we are thankful for ourdaughters, our new positions in the company that hired us, Aunty who takes careof our girls with so much love and A LOT OF PATIENCE, for the people whosupported and helped us through our surrogacy journey, and most of all…we arethankful to now have our own family.

Some photos, it's been a while since I've posted any.

October at the Apple Picking Farm

Rose is an Apple Fiend. She LOVES apples. So you can imagine her delight on this day. It was marked by wide grins and a trail of nibbled and chomped on apples as she went from one apple to the next. This isn't to say Eva didn't enjoy herself, she also had a blast...but Rose was just in Heaven.

The aftermath of it all? Daddy made an absolutely delicious Apple pie from the apples we picked which was promptly gobbled up by all.

LOOK BABA...AN APPLE!

Victory...slurp, chomp, slurp...is mine!

I picked it!

Daddy's Little Helper

Who needs a ladder
One of my favorite photos. The light filtered by the trees was just beautiful.

So cute

Done being cute, eating apple now...

Our intrepid apple picker knows no fear!

YUM!

Uhm hello? Can't you see I have an apple to eat here?

Halloween

Sadly, I did not get many Halloween photos. Trying to chorale them and take pictures while they were so excited about trick-or-treating proved to be challenging to say the least.

Pumpkin Carving at Granny's with a Bumble Bee

Daddy's one-eyed Ogre head.
When I met Mike B., I had learned how to make large puppets for special events in college and I showed him how to make them. He created this for Halloween last year.

Candy Corn Witch Eva!

Bumble Bee with a Bear...give me a lollipop or the bear gets it!

Daddy and the girls
Daddy had to lift the mask off to assure the girls it was him.

Our Indian Princesses

These are not the greatest photos, I'll need to get better ones. Our friends Tricia and Rob in Singapore sent us these dresses. They used the same clinic we did and trailed behind us by several months. We began communicating before our girls are born and Tricia even scoped out hotels for us in Mumbai when she and her husband were out their for a business trip.

Their twins, a boy and a girls, had recently celebrated Diwali at their preschool/daycare and Tricia sent me photos. I commented on how lovely the traditional Indian outfits they were wearing were. She went out and got us two. A big thanks to them. We'll be showing up at Christmas Eve with our Indian Princesses!

Tried to get one just of Eva, Rose was not about to be left out of the picture!

Princesses with a cookie.

Cookies good...

Obey me peasant

Graduation Day

2011-11-16T23:27:00.001-05:00

For the past few months, Eva has been getting out of her crib regularly. First it was of the aid of the toy chest next to her crib. Then, she got so good at climbing, she could climb in and out WITHOUT the toy chest.

The first few times she did this, we went through two weeks where she had to learn that getting out DOESN'T mean you can get out at midnight and crawl into Baba and Daddy's bed. That had a few tearful tantrum throwing episodes, but she learned real quick. Within a week, it turned into her waiting until she heard me in the kitchen in the morning before getting out.

So now, the routine is Baba gets up, showers, makes his way to the kitchen. The minute she hears pots banging or even footsteps, she is out and poking her head in for a kiss, a hug, and her orange juice and gummy bear multivitamin. She "helps" me make breakfast, and by help I mean she opens the fridge door for me and hands me things I don't generally need, and then we go get Rose up.

Rose…well, she's just plain cranky in the morning. And sometimes I mean CRANKY!

So this past Sunday, November 13, 2011, Baba promised, and was reminded by Miss Eva, to convert her bed. With the turn of a few hex nuts, a screwdriver, and several curse words aimed at Ikea, I converted her crib to a toddler bed. She was just SO EXCITED! So much so that I anticipated a rough night the first night.

She woke up twice. It was new, different, a little scary. I rocked her the first time, and cuddled with her in her new toddler bed the second time. At 5'6" I can do that without too much discomfort. When Aunty came Monday morning, Eva was just so excited to show Aunty her new bed, she practically yanked her arm off. Since that first night, no problems at all. She is growing up too fast! Stop it!

As for Miss Rose, she can climb in, but still can't climb out. Plus, we don't think she's ready yet. Eva wants to be a big person in a hurry. Rose…no so much.

So in congratulations to our big little girl graduating into a toddler bed, an outtake from our Photo session at JC Penneys.

We love you Eva, but please don't grow up too fast.

Cognitive Leap

2011-11-03T20:57:00.000-04:00

As any parent knows, from the time your child is born, he/she goes through many cognitive leaps. Especially in the formative years of their lives from newborn to infant to toddler. We often watch in amazement and awe when we discover our little one(s) have almost miraculously made a giant cognitive leap. From their first words to standing up, we are just giddy with pride and happiness.

Our girls have, once again, made a huge cognitive leap. Astounding, astonishing, and completely inappropriate outside of our immediate family and home.

They now giggle hysterically after passing gas.

Snow...BOOOOO

2011-10-29T22:24:00.003-04:00

This morning, our girls got up at 6am sharp and we had a daughter and Daddy/Baba fest in bed. Rose demanded we turn on the lights, Eva demanded we turn on the TV, and Daddy and Baba tried to get them to cuddle so we could steal a bit more sleep...NOT GOING TO HAPPEN...was their response.

So out of bed reluctantly goes Daddy. Weekends are generally his time to feed the kiddos. Baba stole a bit more sleep. But not too long. I got up, donned my thermals, a long sleeve shirt, jeans, my wool socks, boots, made a bagel egg sandwich for breakfast, sucked down some caffeine, and made my way outside for clean-up.

You see, Mother nature has decided to F*** with us and dump snow on us. This meant I had to winterize a month early and in a hurry. All I have to say is @#_Q@*)&#^%@#%^$#!#^!^&@!!!!!

So as I sit hear and type this, getting ready to go to bed, it's snowing. A transformer blew on the street across from us rendering them in the dark. I have heard a few other transformer blowing in the distance. I truly hope Mother Nature is enjoying the mayhem she is causing...and as I type this, BOOM! A VERY LARGE tree limb just crashed down in the middle of the street in front of our house.

I shall repeat... #*(@#*)@(&^@#^%$#!!!

20 Years and He's Still Here!

2011-10-01T21:32:00.002-04:00

20 years ago yesterday, I met a young man that, unbeknownst to him, would become my soul mate, my business partner, my best friend, my confidant, my rock, my balance, and father to two beautiful little girls. 20 Years ago yesterday, I saw this young man in a local bar, the FIRST gay bar he'd ever walked into at the tender age of 21 and bought him a beer and a cup of coffee.

Since that fateful night, my life has grown and has been only enriched by him at my side. I am the eternal optimist, he tempers my sometime head-in-the-sky optimism with his pragmatism. I push him take risks he would otherwise never try. He keeps me from taking too many risks.

Through our years together, like any couple, we have had fights. Some small, some huge. We have made up with a simple apology to an passionate embrace. He has cried on my shoulder and I his. And although corny to say, he completes me.

I wanted to write this earlier and have it posted on the blog the day of our Anniversary along with photos of his present which was still on a truck making it's way to Boston. But life and work got in the way. So I am a day late.

As I sit here typing, he is upstairs watching his favorite shows he's recorded with the DVR. It's the only time he gets to watch what he wants rather than the cavorting of the likes of the Wiggles, Barney, The Fresh Beat Band, Ni Hao Kai Lan…you get the picture.

I, on the other hand, never really a big TV person, tend to catch up on work, read, or design things. For our anniversary, I designed a Dresser and Wardrobe and had it made in Idaho and shipped here. And since I didn't get to the post in time, I sent him an e-mail with the photos the shop took for me before sending it out. Romantic huh?

That's okay, for our anniversary, we got a night off. Granny and our Niece Hannah came and stayed over night to babysit the girls while I booked ourselves into a Hotel in Back Bay, Boston. We worked a half day, then just drove into Boston and prayed we wouldn't get a frantic phone call from Granny or Hannah asking for us to come home and rescue them.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be in Boston yesterday. The temperature was just right, the sun was shining, we walked to the Commons, window shopped in Hoity-Toity designer stores, bought the girls some FABULOUS fall boots, and just relaxed.

As 6PM rolled around, our normal time for getting home and then being mobbed by the girls, it was a strange feeling. We sat in the Hotel room on our bed watching a movie…a real adult movie (and no, not THAT kind of adult movie) and were able to enjoy it without begin interrupted but little girls jumping on us, screaming at us, screaming at each other, bombing up and down the hall way, asking for juice, etc. The constant turbulence that is children wasn't there. It was refreshing, relaxing, and just down right WEIRD.

You begin to appreciate the ability, as human beings, we all have for adapting so quickly to a situation. You begin to have a much more appreciative understanding of why we are at the top of the food chain.

That evening, we were meeting Eva's Godfather, Jon, with his friend and another friend of ours for dinner in a little Chinese Restaurant in Cambridge. Jon was a good friend of the owner of the restaurant. We got there a little late, but what a wonderful meal. Otto, the owner was most gracious and reminded me of my father. The meal was just delicious, everything was fresh. Including the special fish soup and platter he made just for our party. One of the cooks even brought out the live fish for our inspection before it met it's delicious demise.

Afterward, we got Ice Cream at Toscano's, a staple to the locals, sat out in the open air parkway and just enjoyed the energy of the city, the beautiful weather, and the ability to have a conversation that did not consist of phrases such as…"Did you poop? Where's your sister? Don't play with your food, eat it! COME BACK HERE AND GET SOME CLOTHES ON!" We finished the evening off by sleeping until nearly 8am…Now that is a luxury!

Our return home, after we stopped in at Ihop for breakfast, was welcomed by our daughters clinging to us for the rest of the day. There schedule was off do to the change. It makes them uneasy and they were very vocal in their displeasure about this change. But, they survived. More importantly, Granny and Hannah survived. Mike and I decided we need to do this again, maybe in another six months just to refresh.

As much as we both adore and love our girls, they are exhausting. They are high-maintenance, high-energy little toddlers that require an exhaustive amount of patience and energy on our part. It seems the quieter models with the bluetooth MUTE remote came along after we got ours. Dang.

To my husband, you're still with me. Wow. We have children. Holy crap how'd that happen?! But more importantly, thank you for still being here and completing my life. I love you with all my heart.

Baba

Its Not A Piggy Bank!

2011-09-07T22:40:00.000-04:00

Our girls have reached that age in life where they begin to explore the possibilities of what various orifices can hold...such as a penny. One emergency room visit later, which thankfully yielded no need for any form of withdrawal, has resulted in the realization that Eva is very creative when seeking attention.

GODAMMIT!

2011-08-26T21:08:00.003-04:00

I think the title speaks for itself. While I have curtailed my use of foul language, unless it's during commute time in which case my verbal expletives tend to put hairline fractures in my windshield, "dammit" and "God Dammit" are too loose to my lips. Subsequently, as would be expected, our daughters have learned their first swear words. Although I find them to be the lesser of evils when it comes to swear words.

Now normally it would just be embarrassing that a child would repeat such a word(s) in polite company. But in the case of Miss Eva, it's down right hysterical. Not only does she use the word(s), but, she uses them in proper context! If she drops her ice cube on the floor, she'll look down and say.."Dammit!" If I drop something or slam something down, on purpose or by accident, she says "Goddammit Baba!" She has also said "dammit Daddy!" to a couple of his accidental drops of items.

Regardless, to my beautiful daughters...please refrain from using such objectionable language in polite company. And for God's sake, DON'T repeat anything Daddy says! Then we'll really be f*****!

Luau Lunacy

2011-07-30T21:04:00.003-04:00

Stylin!

This past Wednesday, Mike and I had a hand in helping plan and attend our company Summer cookout/event. They asked for suggestions and I said...of course being from Hawaii...LUAU. Hey, who knew they'd take me seriously. It was a lot of fun and I got to fly in some Hawaii foods, Pork Lau Lau, Chicken Lau Lau, Kalua Pork, Poi, and Char Siu. Granted Char Siu is Chinese, but on the mainland you have the ice cream truck, in Hilo we had the Manapua truck and Char Siu was what we always bugged our parents for. I also made Lomi Lomi Salmon, the Head of HR who coordinated the menu did a fabulous Ahi Poke, and I had a nice Hawaiian playlist on my iPod get everyone in the mood.

It was held at the Maynard Rod and Gun pavillion. Nice relaxed venue, albeit a tad unnerving to hear gun shots in the background as I was helping to prep the venue. I had to do a lot of cooking at the event as the foods we ordered had to be heated up and steamed, but I enjoyed it. Although I did wonder about a kevlar vest being more appropriate than an Aloha shirt.

Also a big thanks to Doug of Looking for Baby, he hooked me up with a lei shop that shipped us two Maile leis and two tuber rose/orchid leis. He was on his way to DC for another try and we wish him and his partner the best of luck.

The luau, while in the middle of an insanely crazy week, was a nice respite. The weather was perfect, and I had a great deal of fun. People had so much fun, we have instituted Aloha Fridays for Spring and Summer at work...cause long sleeve Aloha shirts are just wrong unless you're singing in a hotel.

In Other News

On a completely other topic...Eva continues to potty train and has started wearing "big girl" underwear. Rose...I think she's getting close...but right now she just wants to help clean Eva. Which is a bit weird. But then again, this girl does the "Nakey dance" in the window given the chance...Please God, I'd prefer a Doctor or a Lawer over a pole dance if you would.

A Closing and a Beginning

And finally, I received my father's jade ring 3 weeks ago. All the sons got one, mine was to be my father's. I joked with my father that I was in no rush to get the ring...but watch those stairs! Surprisingly, it fit. I thought I was going to have to get it enlarged a little. Putting it on was a little emotional for me and brought tears to my eyes. Didn't realize it was going to affect me at all. Rose immediately was fascinated with the Ring and I told her it was Kung Kung's ring. I also said the same to Eva. Now, Rose always point's to my father's ring and says..."kunkun rin."

While my father is no longer here to see his grand daughters grow-up, just wearing his ring has brought back many happy memories and now becomes a part of the girls memories. Small, insignificant perhaps. I would much rather have my father than his ring. For now, it comforts me and makes me smile every time Rose or Eva point it out and say "kunkun rin."

Push Eva...PUSH!

2011-07-17T22:26:00.002-04:00

This evening, at approximately 6:15PM, right after tubby, Eva pooped in the potty! She was determined, she was driven, she grunted like a champion weightlifter and I encouraged her with "PUSH EVA...PUSH!" She did it! And not the small potty, NO, she used the big potty with the potty seat. She is determined to grow-up fast this one. But that's okay, I can live without diapers and she was just so proud of herself too!

So with great fanfare, and making Daddy stop the dishes so he could properly praise and admire Eva's triumphant deed, we celebrated Eva's proud moment with a roaring flush. So now, we must keep up the encouragement and hope miss Rose follows her sisters lead toute suite.

All-in-all, a good weekend! From our beach visit Saturday to the triumph of Eva this evening, a good week. Who new pooping in the potty would be such a momentous event! Binkies gone...CHECK. Diapers gone...we're getting there!

Binky Begone!

2011-07-09T22:56:00.003-04:00

This Friday, Aunty had the girls throw away their binkies. YAY! So far, so good. While they occasionally ask for their binkies, we remind them that they threw it in the trash and they we have no more. Generally they stop. Sometime they whine, but for the most part, they are doing well.

I think Eva maybe having "withdrawals" from her binky as she has been extra cranky, but then again, that just maybe another Tantrauma...Which, while not as bad since the 4th of July weekend, still make our ears bleed and grind our teeth.

But, the big news is the Binkies Begone! Now, we next need to work on Eva's security blanket. Visions of Linus dance through my head.

Tantrauma

2011-07-03T22:51:00.003-04:00

You read the title and you wonder...Yoga position? Pilate's class? Exotic Indian Recipe? Brainwashing enlightenment Cult for Drama Queens? But NO! just 2 year-olds.

The "Terrible Twos," we've heard the horror stories, we've quaked in fear as we eeked up closer to that number. Yet many of my friends and acquaintances that have kids say..."two? Naw, wait until they hit three, that's when you'll really need the Valium." If that's the case, Let's start the Prozac now and add in the Valium as a supplement shall we?

In reality, the "Terrible Twos" have not been that bad...until this weekend. Eva has been slowly pushing boundaries as she has gotten older. But she is so stubborn in general, we kind of figured this would just continue. It has, and has gotten, at times, extremely testing. Rose, on the other hand, has just decided to "blossom" into a champion Tantrum thrower.

OMG

now let me repeat just for effect

OMG!

Rose, normally, would throw a mini tantrum, get distracted, then forget about the tantrum she was throwing. This weekend and this past week, she has been turning up that dial to the point where she earned herself 3 time outs! I mean she just blew a friggin gasket! She doesn't get a doughnut at the grocery store...TANTRUM...she doesn't get to bring her blankie into the kitchen (cause that's the rule)...TANTRUM...She doesn't get her breakfast served to her fast enough...TANTRUM...She doesn't get to wear her shiny black shoes to bed...TANTRAUMA!

So while Rose is having her meltdowns, Eva is pushing buttons every chance she gets. You tell her not to climb on the coffee table, she keeps going after it until you pull her away firmly and scold her...TANTRUM. You tell her "NO" to trying to get at the questionable looking dog (PUPPY! all dogs are puppies in Eva's eyes) across the park but she keeps heading that direction until you have to strap her back into the wagon... TANTRUM. You tell her not to steal her sister's binky but she keeps doing it until Rose has a tantrum which is followed by Eva getting yelled at, which is followed by Eva having a tantrum, which then completes the full experience in Dolby Surround sound TANTRAUMA!

I wrote, many posts back, keep telling yourself it's just a phase...Please God, let it be just a phase!

On the flip side, Eva has also entered into a Separation Anxiety Phase. Specifically, it seems, with me. If she sees me leaving without her, she yells out to me "DON'T LEAVE ME BABA!" Who knew 4 little words could just crack open your heart and turn you into a puddle of goo. Not sure how to deal with this yet. I think if it were just her crying, it would be easier. But when they verbalize the fear, eyes big, lips quivering, tears beginning to well-up, just rip my heart out and stomp on it why don't you.

There is one solution that does seem to work. It requires keeping them VERY active throughout the day. What this does is exhaust them. This means they have good naps giving you a small respite. It also means they go to bed with little objection. The caveat to this solution is that Baba and Daddy are completely exhausted by the end of the day as well and have no energy for anything other than sitting, just shy of comatose, on the couch. Poor Auntie, she is in for a rough summer.

It's a phase Auntie...the Prozac's on the counter...next to the Valium.

Happy 4th

2011-07-01T17:08:00.006-04:00

Happy 4th of July to all our American readers. Or as a friend of mine once said, he was Australian, "Happy Tax-Evasion Day!" Of course I did have to mention He came from a country founded by a batch of convicts...hmmm...crickets singing on that one. No offense to our Aussie readers. To celebrate, a few photos and videos to enjoy.

So remember the party where I told you about the Doggie cage?

And here's the jiggly Doggie toy Rose was having a blast with. Sorry for the crummy video, iPhone doesn't do well in dark interiors.

This is outside the New England Aquarium. Eva was having fun chasing pigeons. Screw the penguins, or the seals, or the jelly fish, or the cool tank...GIVE ME THAT PIGEON!

Nahant Beach...Eva LOVES the beach.

Easter Egg Hunt at Granny's.

Easter Morning, they both got a spinning Glowing, egg thingy along with a big Easter Basket full of goodies made by Daddy.

Uhm...eating now, do you mind?

Their new thing is to lay in the kitchen while I make breakfast in the morning. It can be a challenging obstacle course at times.

And finally, my favorite, DUCKS! We went to the lake off our town square, beautiful day. There was a nice wind, the day was not to hot, sunny, and the girls just had a lot of fun as did Baba and Daddy.

Each day our little ones grow. They are not so little anymore. Sometimes I miss when they were tiny, but we both love this stage where their personalities are really shining through. We watch as their language and cognitive development grows and are always amazed, tickled, and annoyed by the many things they say and do. Our girls are a handful. They are feisty, high energy, and man are we gonna have a lot of fights when they begin down the path of teendom. But were looking forward to it.

Again, happy 4th and hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend.

Farewell to a Much Loved Friend

2011-06-25T19:58:00.004-04:00

Mike B. Holding up an annoyed Fric about 5 years ago.

Today we had to put down a part of our family for 15 years. Fric, our cat, sister to Frac who had to be put down 2 years after we moved to MA. We received both cats as a house warming present in '95 while still in Hawaii. They traveled from Hawaii to Texas with us, put up with us adopting the next door neighbor's dog June, and moved with us and the dog to our final destination here on the North Shore of Boston.

Fric outlived her sister who had to be put down on account of diabetes. She outlived June. She spent a month without us while we picked up our girls. She learned to deal and love the girls, and the girls, especially Eva, loves "KITTY!" But now, the time has come.

It is never easy to put down a pet. Especially a pet that has gone through so much with you. We knew this day was coming. Yet still, even knowing this was coming, as I held her for the last time, I could not stop my tears. The lump in my throat, and the strangle hold on my heart was excruciating. I kept thinking of how I will no longer hear her mewing at the bedroom door to be fed. I will no longer hear her soft pitter patter paws running down the hall as she hears the opening of her dinner. I will no longer feel the weight in Winter of her sleeping on me. Or, when it got really cold, her fur and the hum of her purr as she crawled under the covers between Mike and I.

Fric was almost 16 years old, 76 in human years. She had slowly been losing weight, she moved slower and slower, and she was having trouble eating and controlling her bladder. We had adjusted as best we could for her, but there comes a time when you cannot go any further and it just sucks. We are most worried about Eva. At 2, she does not understand death yet. So we intend to be quite about it. We have no plans to get another pet for a while, so we will just have to visit friends who have them.

With Fric gone, it feels like the end of a great big chapter in our old lives. Sort of like we finally closed the book on our past and put it on the shelf to come back to every now and then to remember the times we had. Our new lives are our girls. And while we will miss Fric greatly, she lived a very long, very loved, and happy life. As she and her sister were stray kittens when we got them, life could have turned out very differently for them. They were lucky, and we were lucky.

Dear Fric,

I know you cannot really understand us, but you know that the home we gave you was full of love. Yes, we yelled at you when you threw up on the bed, the floor, the couch, us. But a purr was quick to follow after we forgave you and cuddled you. You have been a brave kitty. You took on June when you first met her. You flew across the Pacific Ocean stoned out of your mind on tranqus when we moved to Texas. You endured a 2 day drive from California to San Antonio. You endured a 3 day car ride from San Antonio to Boston with your sister and the dog. You came to terms with the loss of your sister, then June, and then the addition of the scary screaming babies. You put up with Eva nearly strangling you just cause she wanted to show you her love. You put up with Rose pulling you off the couch while yelling "KITTY DOWN...DOWN KITTY!"

Thank you Fric for being such a brave kitty, a loving kitty, a funny kitty. When you're up in Kitty and Doggie Heaven, tell your sister we still miss her. Tell June we still miss her. And we will miss you greatly. Thank you for being our kitty.

Baba, Daddy, Eva, and Rose

Deer Caught in the Headlights

2011-06-18T20:57:00.004-04:00

Today we went on a trip. We weren't sure we were gonna make the trip on account of Rose's little episode with a high fever. Not too mention, Eva joined in that night and decided to throw up on me...funny how before kids I would have completely freaked out about that. We think it might have been food poisoning from something they ate. Needless to say, Thursday night was a challenging night. The girls have bounced back, but we have been on watch. I digress.

So we went on a trip to Providence. We were invited to a pre-gay pride BBQ at an old friend and his husband's place. This was a good test for a roadtrip as it takes a little over an hour to get to their house. Eva was excited as they have 4 dogs and a puppy and we told her Friday we might go to a place so she can play with a puppy. Rose...eh...whatever. But Eva..."puppy? puppy? puppy?"

Now this is the first "gay" outing we have had since we've had kids. Heck, even before that, we were very domesticated and don't have many gay friends as we rarely go out. We were looking forward to the trip, but also a bit unsure. Gay male couples having kids is still an oddity in the queer world.

So kids packed up, Tinkerbell loaded in the DVD player, snacks ready...we were off! Eva conkled out, no surprise, she didn't go down for her nap. Rose happily watched Tinkerbell until about 10 minutes to our destination...she was getting ansy. All-in-all, no real drama on the trip, which was good. We got caught in a HUGE sudden downpour that slowed traffic to a crawl, but that was it. We arrived in good time.

It was a beautiful day in Providence. We parked, unloaded kids, and made our way to the house. We walked 2 houses down the street, up the driveway to the backyard, unlatched the gate, and walked in with two little ones in tow. Heads turned to see the new arrivals, and then WHAM! Caught in the headlights! I could have gone up to a couple of them and poked them with my finger...they would have fallen over. This crowd thought we were obviously at the wrong party.

20+ gay men definitely slanted towards the "bear" crowd looked at us surprised and perplexed. Thankfully our friend Marc was front and center cooking on the grill. So, I marched up to him and greeted him as I usually do..."hey fag." So then, the perplexed looks turned to Marc, who could care less. Marc and Mike and I have been friends as longs as Mike and I have been together. We used to party in our very younger years and had quite a bit of fun back then.

As the shock wore off, the girls got to meet the doggies...which were a bit too exuberant for them. But the Golden Retriever Puppy was just their speed. Eventually, we made it into the house as it was getting too crowded and warm for us and the girls. Here they charmed the lesbians, but were more interested in all the toys...even if they were doggie toys. This post will be followed up by photos of Rose crawling in the puppies doggie cage...she quite liked it in there.

Eventually, we had to leave as it was getting close to bedtime and we knew we had an hour trip back. We bid our farewells to our hosts, who were surprised we were leaving so soon (those who have no kids always give the same reaction) and made our way home. Once safely packed up, Tinkerbell turned back on, and rubber moving along nicely, Mike and I sighed. We're officially not hip anymore. When we left, the crowd had grown, to 30+ people. Aside from the two sole lesbians, our hosts, and two additional guests, not one person their engaged us in conversation.

Normally children, especially young ones, break the ice. Here, we were marked as outcasts, oddities, unfamiliar and thus unapproachable. There is a sense of irony in this, being a gay man now a minority within his own minority. Yet, we expected this. Mike B. commented that now he knew why gay parents groups formed. Fellow bloggers 2 baby daddies commented on this somewhat when they "came out" on their decision to have children.

As much as I sometimes pine for my youth, those carefree days, my 29" waist, I look at my little girls, and I know their are worth it and then some. So life goes on...our family is happy, safe, full of love, and that's all I can ask. We're still the life of the party to our girls and that's all that really counts.

Finally, an aside, happy father's day to Daddy, and all the daddies, soon to be daddies, and trying to be daddies out there.

The Three Hour Tour

2011-06-15T23:04:00.006-04:00

So who in the room immediately started humming the theme song from Gilligan's Island the minute you read the title? And if you didn't, you're either from a foreign country or so young you went..."Who?" Sadly, this post is not about the shenanigans of a skinny clumsy first mate nor a DIY moment where I tell you how to make a radio out of coconuts. The professor could make a radio from coconuts but couldn't get his marooned butt off the island?

Nope, this about the fact that I would really like to go to bed right now, but, I have to wake Rose in an hour and a half and giver her a dose of Motrin. Then in another 3 hours, a does of Tylenol, now repeat until Friday.We had to rush home from work when we got a call from Auntie that Miss Rose cut a fever of 106 and it didn't seem to be going down!

It's times like this that working in an actual office where we have to commute sucks. We left work immediately and met Auntie at the doctor's office to an ecstatic Eva for seeing Baba and Daddy early, and a very unhappy Rose. Thankfully, we got there just when Rose was seeing the doctor and I took over from Auntie. More importantly, the Doctor did not see anything serious, she felt it was a virus and we caught it very early. So, she prescribed the three hour tour until Friday.

The last time we did this, Rose was cutting her top two and one bottom Incisors. I'm thinking teeth, but the Doc still thinks the fever is too high for teeth. So, we just wait an monitor and get not so much sleep. Edward over at Faith to Vishwas had on his Facebook that "parenting is like being perpetually jet-lagged but without ever going anywhere." Or, for that matter, getting any frequent Flyer mile points!

Well if this is her last incisor...would you just cut the damn thing already...SHEEESH! Eva, popped her teeth in quick and without too much fanfare or discomfort. Rose, she has been making up for her sister's lack of Drama. And now I read that Edward and his brood are entering the teething stage...God speed Edward and Paul, Godspeed...

All that stuff aside, Rose and Eva are coming along quite well. Rose has been stringing sentences together, her sister has been catching up verbally, and both girls are very healthy. We are concerned with how tiny Rose is, she weighed in at 21.6 pounds today at the docs. office. The docs thinks she is just going to be a peanut. However, to assuage any fears and be thorough, we're supposed to take her into Children's for testing.

Eva is pushing boundaries. They both push boundaries, but Eva especially has learned the meaning of a "time-out" a lot faster than her sister. This is what they do, this is part of being a parent, just wish there was a manual sometimes. Not that there aren't a lack of opinions...heck, there's a whole industry dedicated to telling you how to raise your kids! But I bet none of them could make a radio from a coconut!

Mesmorized OR Why You Should Never Let Your Neighbor Buy Stuffed Singing, Dancing, Eye-Rolling, Racoons

She kept pressing the paw to make it sing and dance for a good 10 minutes!

A Day at the Park on the Swings

Eva...COOOL GIRL!

The Itsy Bitsy Spider Never Had a Chance.

2011-06-03T21:48:00.006-04:00

As Spring came and Summer began to creep in, so did the creepy crawlies, e.g., the bugs. This year, on account of all the rain we have been getting, they are just all over the place. It seems they like the rain as much as the plants.

Early on, Eva began to develop a fear of bugs. We're not sure why, as neither Mike or I promoted such a fear. Rather, we always called them out and talked to them about how cool they were. When her fear began to get a little too alarming, to the point if she saw a bug she ran back in the house, we had to step in and pressure Auntie to promote a better understanding of bugs. Well...not sure if that worked out exactly as we had planned.

Mike B., while on the deck with Eva and filling up the Kiddie pool, saw a spider in the water. He gently rescued the spider and put it on the deck where he said to Eva, who was behind him, "Hey Eva, look, it's a spider, isn't it cool?"

WHOMP!

Out of nowhere, a two-year-old foot shot out and stomped the spider, startling Daddy and incurring our daughters Karma. Eva is no longer afraid of bugs. They should now be afraid of her.

The Trip to Nowhere

2011-05-24T21:41:00.004-04:00

On May 19th, we finally received our car seats from Continental Airlines...almost exactly one week after they had left on our ill-fated attempt to get to my father's memorial service/funeral. Now, with all our luggage accounted for, I begin the process of telling Continental just what I think of them, and it won't be very pretty.

Per my last post, Mike B. and the girls and I never made it to Grand Island, NE to my father's memorial. The plan was simple, fly to Newark, NJ, have a two hour layover in Newark, fly to Omaha, NE, pick up rental car, drive 2.5 hours to Grand Island, NE, check in hotel, wake up next morning and say goodbye to my father with my siblings and mother. Obviously, things didn't go according to plan.

May 13, Friday the 13th (although it didn't click until we were back home), we were promptly up at 5:00am. We had packed Thursday and gotten all arrangements, documents, maps, etc. ready and set so that we could wake up, get dressed, wake the girls, feed them, then head out to the airport. Aunty was meeting us and driving the van. All went well and we hit Logan at around 7:30am. Checked in, breezed through security, and headed to the President's lounge to kill time before our 10AM flight to Newark.

We were all in a good place. The girls were having fun, the President's club employees were in love with our girls, we met another parent returning to Georgia with her new 2 year-old son adopted from Korea. We met a lovely grandmother who was going to visit her daughter in Houston who was just having a blast with the girls, all was well. Even with Rose leaving a trail of Apple bits behind her as she ran around the Presidents' club chasing or running from her sister or us.

As this was their first plane ride where they would be cognitively "aware" of what was going on, we didn't know what to expect. They were very excited and Eva just got the biggest kick out of the take-off and the landing! Rose was too busy being a scooch to care. We made sure to get window seats...and even then that was a pain in the arse. I had to cajole Continental into just getting us assigned next to each other!

The first leg of the journey to Newark...no real problems. Landed...Eva squealed and giggled with delight...Rose...eh. Got off the plane, and had to leave to go to Terminal A, we had landed in Terminal C...the nice terminal. Although we didn't realize it was the nice terminal until we had to go to terminal A.

The Descent to H E Double Hockey Stick

Switching terminals began the descent into Hell. First, we had to take a shuttle to get to Terminal A. The room to wait for the shuttle was small and there were a lot of people who had close connections that were irritable and already frothing at the mouth ready to bite anyone who strayed too near them. Then, you had to either take the elevator or go down stairs. With two two-year-olds, we took the elevator...but not before having to wait 20 minutes for a shuttle and having people WHO DON'T NEED to take the elevator try and shove past us.

Once in and off the elevator, we're all CRAMMED into this little bus. I had a backpack, a shoulder bag, a stroller with a child in it. Mike B. had a shoulder bag and the other stroller with the other child in it. We barely fit. At this stage, the girls were beginning to get fidgety and we knew we needed to get them real food as soon as we hit the terminal. We should have fed them in Terminal C where they had everything. One we got in Terminal A, we discovered Terminal A had CRAP! $31 dollars worth of CRAP the girls DID NOT want to eat what we bought, and we don't blame them as the sandwiches we bought were DISGUSTING. So, we had t try and give them more crackers and snack we had packed.

At this point, after trying to wrestle some food in the girls, I look up at our gate and see a big CANCELLED lit up in the info placard?!!! WHAT?!!! I tell Mike B. to watch the girls as I need to go check with the customer service rep (here on out referred to as UEA for Uncaring Evil Asshole) behind the counter. She tells me, "Yes, it's been cancelled and you need to go to the UEA desk to make arrangements." I trot back to Mike, a bit distressed, and tell him what I have to do. He's getting peeved as the girls are approaching Melt-down stage on account of no real food and too much stimulation.

So I rush over the UEA desk and ask what the deal is only to find out they had cancelled the flight, no explanation, and that we were re-booked for the next morning at 7AM to Omaha and that Continental would take care of our overnight hotel. The last part I only found out because I had to ask the UEA, she offered no such information. I explained to her that that was unacceptable and explained why we had to get to Omaha that day. "Well there is nothing I can do." was repeated several times. Despite the fact that I explained to her I was giving the Eulogy and that leaving in the morning would prevent me from getting to the service on time, she kept saying she couldn't help, and I began to raise my voice and get very testy. At this point, the Uncaring Evil Asshole said "Don't you get mad at me sir!" in a very testy voice.

This is when I had had enough and snapped back, "Did your father just die mamm? Cause if he didn't, you don't get to be mad at me. Now find a solution and get me to Omaha today!" It WAS ONLY at this point that she began to search for a means to put me on another airline. The other airline was United. HOWEVER, as United is merging with Continental, I don't think that counts as "another airline." Regardless, tired, frustrated, and at this point I had to take Rose and had been trying to entertain and occupy her to relieve Mike B, of watching two, I said whatever. Then, when I asked about our luggage, she said we'd have to file a claim...Hunh?! Mike B. had to take Rose so I could finish up.

Tired, frustrated and ready to snap the bitch's head off, I got the arrangements and Mike B., the Girls, and I, headed back to Terminal C. Mike B. didn't really know what was going on and was about to lose it himself. So once again, we crammed into the bus with rude people, hit Terminal C, and began to make our way to the departing gate...

"STOP!" Mike B. yelled. "Just stop and tell me what the fuck is going on!"

So we stopped. I calmed myself and shook the fog of frustration from my head and explained to Mike B. the plan...which as I told him, I realized was a piss poor and unacceptable alternative. This was the UEA's alternative plan:

Go back to terminal C and take a flight at 3pm to Chicago.
Once in Chicago, change terminals and go to the United Terminal to get new boarding passes to get to Omaha.
Return to the Continental terminal to take flight to Omaha (I'm still not clear as to WHY we had to return to the Continental Terminal, I may have heard wrong).
Wait 5 hours to board our flight going to Omaha and get into Omaha at around 10PM

From here, we would then still have to drive 2.5 hours and may not be able to get our luggage. We'd finally get into Grand Island, IF we were lucky, by around 1am. Mike B.'s comment was, and rightly so, "and you agreed to this? Are you crazy?"

From Whence We Came

It was then and there I said, "NO, we're not doing that, we're going home." We both agreed that it was just not feasible with two two-year-olds. Not to mention, by the time we got in, had no sleep, were completely stressed, we'd be no good to anyone including our daughters. Thankfully, I knew my father would have done the same thing. Mike B. was appalled and disgusted at the situation and wanted to make sure I was sure about my decision. He knew how hurt I was feeling at the moment. But I knew our girls came first over any hurt I was feeling. It's part of being a parent.

We found the next UEA counter and I explained to the soulless UEA our dilemma and told her we want to go home and to get us on the next flight back to Boston.

The keyboard begins to rat-a-tat-tat as her claws search for a flight back home. The monitor throws back a green glow upon her polyester uniform making me wonder what ring of Dante's Hell includes demonic minions in cheap poorly designed polyester uniforms. A flicker of triumph crosses her face before resuming it's near permanent grimace, she has found the portal out of Hell and can get us on a plane at 3pm which gets us into Boston about 3:42pm. She spits out boarding passes, but must fill out a ticket by claw. I believe at this point I had to prick my finger and sign in blood. Contract handed over to me, we make our way to the departing gate to wait 20 minutes to board.

At this stage, the girls have been having mini-meltdowns. I have been on and off the phone with my brothers who are incredulous, trying to get a hold of my sister-in-law to come pick-us up, then Granny to find my sister-in-law, and Mike B. is doing his best not to kill the next rude asshole that tries to push past us. The girls are exhausted, I am exhausted, Mike B. is exhausted, we just want to go home. And...to top it all off, they screwed up the seats again and the UEA behind the desk had the misfortune of trying to be jocular with me about rearranging seats. Too bad too, he at least seemed to have had a soul. At least I think it was a soul that escaped after I ripped his head off.

We finally got to Boston, Granny showed up with our Van, we had to put in a claim for our luggage and get two substandard loaner car seats from Continental so we could get home. We would not have gotten the car seats had I not been a bitch about the whole thing, I don't know how they expected us to get home otherwise.

Once we got home, the girls were much happier. They were happy to see Granny. And when bedtime came around, they were both out like a light and I then began to try and get our luggage back from the Final ring of Hell that was Continental Airlines.

AND BREATHE

The luggage and car seat saga was another debacle. They racked up more frequent flyer miles than we did. It wasn't until I finally lost my temper and the Baggage UEA hung up on me that I decided to go another route. Needless to say we got our luggage and car seats back. Not, however, before they sheared off one of the wheels on the big suitcase (they sheared through a steal post!). Thankfully, there was no damage to the car seats which is what I was really worried about.

A formal complaint has been put in with their customer service, not that I think it will produce anything. I am writing up a letter which will be sent to the CEO via certified mail and to the head of customer service at Continental. To what purpose does this serve? Don't know. Do I think I will get any compensation? Not really and nor do I particularly care at this time. Unless Continental has invented a time machine that can send our family back so I can say goodbye to my father, the damage has been irrevocably done. We can only plan, when the girls are old enough, to fly to Hilo, HI so I can at least visit my father's grave and say my official goodbye then.

I am no longer angry and fuming. It serves no purpose. And after reading about Crystal's horror story with Continental, I can only assume it will be a matter of time before Continental AND United airlines face a very large lawsuit. I do encourage our readers to avoid Continental and United if you can.

It should be noted that while I was trying to sort things out in Newark, I witnessed customer after customer losing their shit with the UEAs because of cancelled flights, poor customer service, incompetence, etc. Once home, and researching numbers to call to resolve our baggage issue, I also noticed a spike in posts, complaints, and comments about the insufferable poor service people were experiencing since Continental's merger with United.

The silver lining? I had been telling Mike B. we needed to start taking the girls on longer trips so we could do more. We were thinking of the Cape where the girl's God Parents have Summer homes. After this debacle, the Cape will be a fucking walk in the park with time to smell the roses.

4/25/11

CLARIFICATION TO THE NASTY ANON COMMENTER

Got an Anon comment that was rude. No surprise, most anons are rude as they are too cowardly to even post their names. The comment is as follows:

"If you weren't so mean and nasty to the attendants they may have accommodated you. Why do you blame your airline, they did try to reroute you? Sorry mate but I don't buy your whiny story of woe."

First off, their were only 3 times I actually got "nasty." The first was when I spent 30 minutes getting nowhere with the attendant who could only repeat she couldn't do anything. And gee what a surprise...it was when I got "nasty" that she actually rerouted us. Otherwise, she was intending to do NOTHING. The second time was at the guy on our way back to Logan. I then apologized to him saying that any other time, his humor might have been appreciated. And finally, the last time was with the baggage guy on the phone after 5 days of no car seats, no solution, resolution, or explanation.

I am acutely aware these people have to deal with complaints and angry people on a regular basis. Subsequently, I am always as polite as I can be as you get better results. However, when faced with an impasse and hostility directed at me despite being as polite, reasonable, and accommodating as possible, I snap as do most people.

As for a "whiny story of woe," If you read closely, I merely express what happened. There is no story to "buy."

It should be noted that it wasn't until I contacted a Continental Customer Service Manager (CSM) that we got any explanation as to the cancellation. She also apologized profusely for the attitude and hostility we experienced in Newark...and it was ONLY in Newark. The Boston Logan employees have always been fantastic. There were weather conditions that caused the cancellation, and I expressed to the CSM that had we been given that explanation, or even ANY explanation, our experience would have been more palatable.

The only thing I blame the airline for is their utter incompetence for their inability to return our luggage (and even the CSM helping me was disgusted by Continental's baggage department), and the piss poor customer service help in Newark and in their Baggage call center. Whether Anon wishes to acknowledge this or not, they are the face/voice/representative of the company and are therefore obligated to follow the "Continental Airlines Customer First Commitment" guidelines and policy. I don't believe there is anything in the document that says an employee can act like an asshole to the customer in ANY circumstance.

So to Anon, when a loved one of your's dies, let's hope you don't ever have to go through what we did. Cause if you do, I don't want to hear about it. Karma's a funny thing that way.

Finally, for Madge, and so you can all see it's not JUST Continental, Traveling With Little People by Heather Somaini

In Memory of my Father (Kung Kung)

2011-05-14T19:39:00.004-04:00

Today Mike B. and I and our daughters were to be in Grand Island, Nebraska for my father's Memorial Service. My mother asked that I give the Eulogy. Today, we were home here in Boston and my twin brother who flew in from Germany with his wife and youngest daughter had to write and give the eulogy in my absence. Today, my little brother, and his family, my twin brother and most of his family (one son was unable to attend), my mother, my Aunty Amy with her son (my cousin Heeny), and many residents of the assisted living home my parents were living in, came together to honor and remember my father.

So today, because I could not be there, I spent the day with our girls. We went to the grocery store where they discovered the scrumptiosness of a creme filled doughnut. We fed them noodles with Shrimp Sumai for lunch. We put them down for their nap, and when they got up, Eva helped Daddy make a cake for my birthday tomorrow. Then I took them out for some errands and spent time with them in the park.

As I chased them around and pushed them on the swings, I was saddened that my father would not be here to see my girls grow-up. I was saddened knowing that my father would have very much enjoyed watching our girls run around and scream in the park so full of life and joy like just about every two-year-old I know. I was saddened that my mother, after sharing 46 years with my father, must now face life without her rock. I was saddened I was not able to be with the rest of my family to say goodbye to my father. And, as I write this, the anger and outright rage at Continental Airlines for the untenable situation that lead to me missing my father's memorial service boiled up in me once more. But I shall address the reprehensible nature of the airlines in a follow-up post.

And so, as my girls came screaming into my arms with beaming happy faces, I gave them an extra big hug and kept telling them how much I loved them and tried not to cry again.

Yet, in the face of all my sadness, there is happiness and peace. I am glad that my father got to meet his newest grand daughters before he passed on. I am glad that I was able to speak to him last Sunday, May 8th, before he passed away so suddenly. I joked with him on the phone that we were all planning to fly out and see him at the end of May so he was not allowed to die until at least June. He laughed at me and said he would do his best. He made me smile and I will very much miss his humor, love, and gentle soul.

I am also very thankful. My husband lost his father when he was 9. So while we all knew this day was coming, I am thankful it took 81 years before he left us. I am thankful that may father immediately accepted my husband into our family. He taught Mike B. how to fish when we were in Hawaii. And when Mike caught his first little fish, my father made a big deal of it and cooked it just for Mike for dinner, leaving us with a memory we shall greatly cherish and smile by. I am thankful for the positive difference my father made in my life, the lives of my siblings, my mothers life, and the lives of so many people, friends, acquaintances, students, and even complete strangers. But I am most thankful he was my father.

After today, my twin and his family will take my father's ashes back to Hilo, Hawaii and another graveside memorial will be held as they inturn his ashes in the VA cemetary. In memory of my father, I leave you with the eulogy my twin wrote for my father's service. It speaks volumes to who my father was and the love we all felt for him.

April 30th, 1930 to May 8, 2011.

81 years, how do you begin about a man who, in his lifetime has seen so much? What do you say about a man who, in 81 years, has given so much of himself? History is rife with the stories of great men who have achieved phenomenal success in the world and given much to their countries and nations. Their achievements listed in a flurry of words designed to place these men on pedestals for us to look upon in hopes that we all will one day achieve success as great as they did.

But, who defines success or greatness? Historians? Etymologists? Society? Greatness I would argue is found in more than the achievements of people such as General George Patton, Ghandi or Albert Einstein. Greatness is found within ourselves and, within everyday people such as Alexander Lui Aki.

My father epitomized greatness, and enjoyed success beyond any historical figure for he was…The Mongoose. Lets face it, you have to be successful and a great man to get such a colorful nickname, more importantly, it is not one that he chose but one that was given to him by those who respected him, feared him and loved him. If you ask any student who went through Waiakea High School while my dad was the vice principal, they all remember the mongoose. He was the short and lanky oriental guy who was quiet, quick and always there to foil their evil plans for schoolyard domination!

He was a man of ultimate patience, with his wife, his siblings and his children. But then, he had to be, he was one of nine children and his son’s tested the limit of his patience on many an occasion. The fact that my brothers and I are still here despite our best efforts to enjoin the wrath of the Mongoose says volumes about his patience and greatness.

He lived his life with dignity, integrity and honor always there to lend a helping hand. His assumption of people was always positive and he consistently gave people the benefit of the doubt and would always gather the facts before making an assessment of a person’s character. He was always there when help was needed regardless of whether he knew you or not. I recall him picking up a hitchhiker when I was young who was in dire need of a bath and lessons on grooming, he didn’t judge this young man, all he saw was a person in need of help and so, he helped him.

He was always the one that his siblings called on for help in family matters or more practical matters such as minor home repair. This penchant for helping is probably why he wound up in the career he did. A consummate teacher and believer in people, he taught, coached and mentored many a young man and woman through his career as a professional educator. I’m still a bit miffed at the fact that he didn’t take over the family restaurant, I could have been a spoiled rich kid to a Chinese restaurateur living my life in luxury and Lo Mein noodles.

Alas, this was not to be and instead he inculcated into his children his strong beliefs and values that above all, stressed the importance of people’s worth. Although my father has passed on, he is not gone. He lives on in his children, his grandchildren and the many lives that he has touched throughout his 81 years on this earth. His beliefs and values transcend space, time and physical existence. His legacy will lie not within the tomes of historical literature but the hearts and minds of those who knew him and loved him.

Have I created my own pedestal for him to stand upon? Maybe, but I know that each of his children, grandchildren and his devoted wife have long been atop a pedestal that he placed us upon long ago. I only hope that I am worthy of being there as I stand in the shadow of a truly great man.

Alexander Lui Aki, a brother, husband, father and grandfather. You will be missed but never forgotten.

This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation and the United States Army as a token of appreciation for your husband’s and my father’s honorable and faithful service.

Dear dad, I love you.
Mike

Tina Fey Rocks!

2011-05-03T20:29:00.003-04:00

So a friend of ours sent us a funny little prayer extracted from Tina Fey's new 2011 book, Bossypants. It's hysterical and sooooo appropriate. It goes like this:

First, Lord: No tattoos. May neither Chinese symbol for truth nor Winnie-the-Pooh holding the FSU logo stain her tender haunches.
May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.
When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.
Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.
Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels.
What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.
May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.
Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short - a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day - And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.
O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.
And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.
And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.
“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.
Amen.

Tank you Tina Fey , you totally rock!

Stupid Damn Thing!

2011-04-22T21:52:00.008-04:00

Do you know what happens when you have a two-year-old that has begun to actually talk? They turn into a parrot and repeat everything you say. Daddy, while acknowledging he needs to curb his language, in the back of his head probably thought he could get away with the occasional sailor-like talk for at least another year. Uhm, yeah...maybe not.

While Daddy was downstairs waiting for Baba and entertaining the girls before we packed them up to go to the dealership to drop off the van for maintenance and then the park, he experienced first hand the exceptional parroting skills of our daughter Rose. It seems Rose picked up my computer mouse, and seeing no results from her waving or moving of the device (the computer was off), declared...

Stupid damn thing!

Daddy's jaw dropped and his cheeks reddened as the chagrin set-in cause he knew EXACTLY where she picked that up from! So when Baba finally made it downstairs, he said..."Do you know what our daughter just said?!" Upon my negative response, he shared the story. It was at this time that I said..."told you."

The parroting has begun full force and we must now be ever diligent as to what we say cause you never know when they are going to decide to let loose a phrase that was not meant for the general public, or in-laws for that matter, to be heard!

On a completely Different Topic - Please note we have removed ourselves from the Contest

I got an e-mail this evening that declared we are up for top 25 LGBT blogs on Circle of Moms. Hmmm...never heard of them so I went and investigated. Well I guess they're a real site, so what the heck, I have put their badge on our blog and encourage you all to vote for us.

I don't believe we get anything short of getting to parrot the infamous Oscar clip..."You like me...you really like me!" Although in this case, I guess "us." Hay, maybe we'll grow exponentially in popularity and we'll get a movie deal? Probably not, but it's a lovely Pink badge don't you think?

Before I sign-off, some videos.

Since we have gotten our new jobs, we also had to get smart phones, which of course for us meant iPhones. The thing takes great video and is so much easier than lugging around a video camera! The first vid is from our time visiting our good friends and Rose's Godparents in Somerville. The second video is hysterical as it shows Rose being mesmerized by a singing and eye-rolling stuffed toy Raccoon at our Neighbors house. She collects Raccoons and stuffed dancing toys. Enjoy and don't forget to vote for us!

Happy Birthday Eva

2011-04-17T21:46:00.004-04:00

Dear Eva,

Yesterday we celebrated your 2-year birthday. We of course also celebrated it on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 (the real date) by sticking a candle in a Whoopi Pie which you promptly blew out so you could eat the pie! That was our private time. Yesterday was with Aunty and Granny and Hannah and Rose and Eva and Baba.

Yesterday Baba put together the art Easel Granny got...oh boy what fun! Yesterday Daddy made a delicious Cheesecake with fresh berries which you promptly gobbled up and would have had more had we let you! He figured since you loved cream cheese so much, what better than cream cheese than a cheesecake for your birthday!

All this week you showed us what a beautiful and loving little girl you are to your daddies and to your sister. To your daddies, while you sometimes test our patience, you are always there with a big smile, a big hug, and a big kiss. To your sister, despite the fact that you can fight like cats and dogs, when she is sick, your genuine and heartfelt concern is evident when you hug her or stroke her hair to make her feel better or give Rose her binky or sippy cup. Your love and compassion is well beyond that of most two year olds.

And while you may not be as verbose as your sister, your intelligence and cognitive skills astound us almost every day. The fact that you learned how to unlock Daddy and Baba's iPhones and love to play Angry Birds is impressive and scary! And no, you know you're not to play with Baba's phone!

As you and your sister grow, Daddy and I will look forward to getting to know the bright intelligent young woman with a heart of gold that you will become. We know that you will make us proud and you will be there to protect your sister even in our absence. We love you so much dear Eva and we are thankful you came into our lives and completed our little family. Thank you Eva Sahana for being you and letting us love you and returning the love we give.

Love,
Daddy and Baba

____________________

happy birthday Eva.GOD bless you with every good thing in your life. two yrs back you were an Easter baby, born on Easter day and I still remember and miss that sweet little girl , have a grt day baby.

much love Tutu Asha

____________________

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSE!

2011-03-24T20:16:00.005-04:00

It's official, Rose is now two. TWO! Wow! In three weeks, she will be joined by her sister and we will officially have two two-year-olds. TWO TWO-YEAR-OLDS! Yeah, that's kind of accompanied by a brief moment of "What the Hell were we thinking?" Too late now...they didn't come with return receipts.

Well today Rose ushered in the "terrible twos" by a morning whinefest and tantrums and then another round of whines and tantrums at dinner. However, I think it's cause her eyeteeth are coming in. My comment to her was "Uhm hello little missy, this is what you do when you turn 40, not two." Oh well. So, to our little Rose...

Dear Rose,

Today you turn two. On this day two years ago, Daddy was getting out of surgery and ecstatic to learn he had a little baby girl whom we named Rose Avani. Baba was frantically calling airlines and preparing to leave to Mumbai to get you. That day was full of joy and pain-killers...for Daddy and his back, not because you were born I promise!

Two years ago, we never imagined where life would have taken us. Two years ago, your entry into the world and our lives will be vividly remembered by Daddy and Baba whether a year from now, 3 years from now or 30 years from now.

From a little baby to a crawling toddler, to a walking toddler, to walking, running, and babbling toddler and little girl has been an amazing adventure. You have made us laugh hysterically, worry greatly, get angry and frustrated at times, but mostly, you have made us love you more and more with every passing moment.

Thank you Rose for coming into our lives and opening our eyes to the beauty and precious nature of life and what it has to offer. We look forward to you blossoming into a young lady. Eventually, when you are ready, we hope you will experience the same enrichment and amazing love with your own children.

All our love,
Baba and Daddy

____________________

My Dear Gudia Rose, wish you a very happy birth day sweet heart. God bless you abundantly in all your coming yrs.God bless your Dads in your up bringing. Have a nice day baby. with lots of love and kisses.

tutu Asha

____________________

Spring

2011-03-18T21:56:00.004-04:00

It's Spring...HALLELUJAH! The ten foot snow bank that loomed ominously at the end of our drive has been dispatched by warmer days, rains, and the inevitable push of Spring. Although, the snow did a number on the pool and we'll be needing a new winter cover and need to check for leaks! A LOT OF SNOW!

More importantly, spring ushers in the running, screaming, giggling, babbling, hitting, temper tantrum throwing, hugging, soon to be two-year-old girls we call our daughters. On the one hand, we're excited, on the other...HOLY CRAP, WE HAVE TWO-YEAR-OLDS! I think I wrote that when they turned one as well.

Time has flown by and there have been many huge changes in our lives, the most recent being we are now gainfully employed by a company. Sadly, the economy and the sky-rocketing costs of health care said goodbye to our design studio. It has been bittersweet. We enjoyed being our own bosses for 15 years, but with two little ones and a niche market dead-in-the-water, it was time for a change. Luckily for us, change came at the right time and with a great company...and...I got them to hire us as a team.

The best thing, an immediate 23K raise! Our health insurance premium renewals came in and that was what we would have had to pay over the year to keep our family insured. I won't even get into the politics of it as that would just get ugly and force a plethora of unsightly words to fill the page.

So, new job, check, commuter car (Prius which got us 500 miles on a single tank of gas!), check, children provided for...definitely a check. Now all we need to do is figure out what we're getting the girls for their birthdays.

It's still hard to fathom the fact that we will soon have two-year-olds. I remember being in Mumbai with Rose and having Asha order room service for dinner like it was yesterday. The motorcycle ride with Parashar...fun, but not too bright being a new father and all. Mike B. finally arriving two weeks later, the birth of Eva, the hotel food, the hustle, the bustle, the pollution, the energy that is India and Mumbai, the memory of flying over the North Pole, all these things will probably pop-into my head with each subsequent birthday. The memories serve as a testament to our determination to have a family.

As for the girls, wow. They have gone from little babies to little people. The kind-hearted and immensely caring nature of Eva in contrast to the loving, but very (sometimes overly) spunky and feisty Rose. The smiles they share, the tears when they're hurt or mad at us, the silly antics that make us laugh and them giggle, the family we are and have become...I could ask for a better life, but I think it's pretty damn good just as it is now. Although, winning the lotto wouldn't be a bad thing.

Photos are coming...yeah, I know I said that last time. Funny thing, when you work full-time, you never seem to have any time left for much of anything else. I have a whole batch and need to follow fellow Blogger Mark's lead and just do a photo-dump. I was lucky to eek out this post...and I'm soon to bed or I'll fall asleep at the keyboard.

Before I go, a congratulations goes out to all the new parents and a heartfelt wish for ini-eventful pregnancies to those in the early, middle, or late stages of their pregnancies and success for those still trying. Don't worry, it will happen, no one ever said this was going to be easy.

Confessions of a Tinkerholic...

2011-02-10T14:48:00.003-05:00

Hello, My Name is Rose and I'm a Tinkerholic...

Ever since the first Tinkerbell movie came out, I've been hooked. "Pixie Pusher," "Dust Head," "Wing Nut," I've heard them all used to describe my peculiar addiction.

At first, it started slow...I mean, I was quite little and so really couldn't understand what was going on. But as the months went buy, I discovered a certain comfort and calmness whenever Baba and Daddy put on the Tinkerbell movie. Then, two more Tinkerbell movies came out. It was at this stage that I knew I was a Tinkerholic. Every morning, afternoon, and evening, from the time I learned how to utter more than one syllable, I ask Baba and Daddy for "Mooee?" Which in Baby speak means "movie." When asked what movie, the answer is always "TINKERELL!" or Tinkerbell, for those not familliar with my language. I don't know what it is, but I just can't get enough of the curvaceous, winged blonde, spreading Pixie dust everywhere. My sister "Aya" (Eva), also likes the "Tinkerell" movies, but sometimes she just wants to go to the back and play with Baba instead. That's okay, it just means more "mooee" for me.

The minute I hear the hum of the "Tinkerell" machine, something takes over. My eyes glaze, A calmness descends, and I snuggle up to Baba or Daddy...it depends on who's on Daddy's Chair at the time. And if you're not fast enough getting the "mooee" on...I will scream at you. The only thing I don't like is the very beginning...the music comes on very suddenly and rather loud and it always scares me. Baba and Daddy say that's because someone named "Disney" wants to sell you "crap." I don't know what that means or why it involves the stinky stuff I leave in my diaper, but Baba and Daddy always get an unhappy face when it comes on...hmmm...like when I leave the stinky stuff in my diaper!

This week Daddy has been getting really excited. He keeps saying there is a new "Tinkerell Mooee" coming out. He shows me on the 'puter...well, he tries but sometimes Aya just wants to push the buttons so I get mad and I try to hit her. This makes Daddy and Baba have an unhappy face again and I get scolded. But I can't help it...it's "TINKERELL!" I want my "TINKERELL!" I have to have my

"TINKERELL!" GIVE ME MY "TINKERELL!" MOOEEE...MOOEEE....MOOEEE...

Baba here...Miss Rose has once again succumbed to the power of Tinkerbell.

This is a warning to all you parents, especially those with little girls. Beware the Tinkerbell movies. They are highly addictive and having to watch them over, and over, and over, and over, to fulfill your child's "fix" may drive you a little mental. The Disney Corporation is completely aware of this issue and actually encourages the addiction. They know this addiction leads to bigger and more expensive purchases...like the set of Tinkerbell dolls for $50 in Target Rose was desperately trying to get at. Thankfully Eva has not developed this addiction. No, her drug is her binky, which she will ask you for non-stop until you give it to her. But that's another story.

So for all of you thinking of getting the Tinkerbell movies...you have been warned.

You Sure You Wanna Have Kids?

2011-01-14T19:11:00.004-05:00

As I haven't offloaded photos yet and am having a bit of a writer's block/stomach bug (girls who promptly passed on to everyone else)/snowstorm that dumped 2 feet of snow/no energy/"What do you mean you want to be fed again?", kind of month, I decided plagiarism is much easier.

I stole this from a friend who posted it on her Facebook page. I did have to edit it as it was a little unorganized, but the gist is the same. It's all very tongue-and-cheek, but, scarily accurate as well. Enjoy as I'm sure you'll get a chuckle, and for the record, despite the times our daughters drive myself and my husband crazy, it's all worth it. Although I do wish they had a 'mute' button on more than one occasion.

11 steps in preparation for having children.

Step 1

Go to the grocery store.
Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
Go home.
Pick up the paper.
Read it for the last time.

Step 2

Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...

Methods of discipline.
Lack of patience.
Appallingly low tolerance levels.
Allowing their children to run wild.
Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.

Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Step 3

A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...

Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
Set the alarm for 3AM.
As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
Go to bed at 2:45AM.
Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive cause children are expensive...VERY expensive)

Repeat steps 1-9 each night for 2 to 6 months. Then repeat intermittently (at least 2 to 3 times a week) for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Step 4

Can you stand the mess children make? T o find out...

Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
Then rub them on the clean walls.
Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons. How does that look?

Step 5

Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.

Buy an octopus (live, not dead or it defeats the purpose) and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.

Time allowed for this - all morning.

Step 6

Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.

Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Step 7

Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Step 8

Hollow out a melon.
Make a small hole in the side.
Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.

You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Step 9

Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Step 10

Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' or 'daddy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy/daddy'; occasional crescendo to the decibel level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Step 11

Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy/daddy' tape made from Lesson 10 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

I promise photos to come soon...cause I know y'all would rather look at cute picts of the kids rather than read blatantly plagiarized content from a Facebook page! But it was fun don't you think?

We have Twiblings

2010-12-31T22:27:00.002-05:00

Two friends of our sent us this recent article in the NY Times title Meet the Twiblings.

It is about a couple journey through gestational surrogacy in the USA. It is a long article, but I thought very well written. Obviously for us, aka, those in the Surrogacy India community, the experience is vastly different in regard to the relationships we have with the donors and surrogates. But that's okay.

What I think I really liked in the article was the honest approach the author, also the mother/IP, pursued. Being a gay man, I could never know, nor really ever relate, to the emotional and psychological aspects conflicts and anguish a woman feels towards infertility. This article expressed and explained many of these feelings and issues eloquently.

A thank you to Melanie and Michael, the parents in the article, for being brave enough to share their story. I must also thank Melanie for the term "Twiblings." Once you read the article you will understand. This also then means that Edward and Paul of Faith to Vishwas can say they have "Triblings!" Or does that conjure up images of Star Trek?

Anyway, just a short post before I retire for the evening...I will sleep through the new year...because I'm old and have twiblings. Oh, and fair warning, don't be surprised, if you read the comments to the article, your blood doesn't boil and your face turn red with seething anger. Although it shouldn't, I am always surprised and amazed at the ignorant and mean-spirited comments people make.

OMG...nuff said

2010-12-23T15:54:00.005-05:00

As many who read our blog may recall, our nurse in India (now nurse to many surro babies in Mumbai), was the ever-gracious Asha. This year Asha sent us a box of goodies for us and the girls. Along with some traditional Kameez tops and Churidor bottoms, were some Kurta tops for Mike and I, girlie knick-knacks, and two very interesting dresses. Aunty had to immediately put them on for the girls to model and I of course took photos to send to Asha which made her very happy.

The dresses are quite fascinating to be honest. The fronts are covered in these flowers that look like they were molded. I have no idea how it was done, nor frankly, do I have a clue as to exactly what the material is made out of. Regardless, the girls quite liked running around the house in the dresses. But rather than describe them, here are some quick photos I took.

Now of course, my overly creative husband upon hearing my mother and a friend thought the dresses looked like something you'd wear in one of those baby pageants, couldn't leave well enough alone. He had to take things just one step further...and well frankly...I had to change my underwear I was laughing so hard. For any of you who happen to watch the Bravo channel with it's slew of reality TV offerings...you'll get the joke.

OMG...nuff said.

Thank you Asha for the gifts. You made the girls very happy and Mike and I are forever in your debt for the care you gave to our girls while we were in India. We wish you a Merry Christmas and hope 2011 brings many more happy memories for you and all the lives you touch.

Mike, Mike, Eva & Rose

You Are Now Legally Obligated to Listen to Me

2010-12-17T16:37:00.006-05:00

That's right, our children are now legally obligated to listen to us. Neither one of our children may utter the phrase "You're not my real daddy!" Should they try, I shall pull out the court document and say..."According to the State of MA, yes I am...now you're grounded for two weeks and you'll be lucky if I let you date before age 35."

Today we finalized our second parent adoption. Mike B. adopting Rose and I, Mike A., adopting Eva. This took a while and longer than it should have. The attorney that did our contract with Planet Hospital could have done the adoption, but, they seemed unsure of how to handle the surrogacy aspect. This made us really pause as we wanted to make sure nothing would go wrong. Thankfully for us, we found a "family" attorney who specializes in second parent adoptions for same-sex couples, Chris Vaughn-Martel. I sent him an e-mail and explained what we did and he was very excited to handle the case. His experience had been mostly lesbian couples and regular adoptions, so this was new and very exciting for him. Not to mention he and his husband are now in the process of investigating which route to take for children and we presented a route/success story they had not really explored.

Once we committed to Chris, the process began. There is a lot of paperwork involved, background checks, and a whole lot of legal mumbo jumbo that has to be done to prove to the courts we are fit parents. Most of it is more formality for our case, but, you still have to cross your t's and dot your i's. And like many legal endeavors involving the State of MA (As with many states), the process moves like molasses. Combine that with us being so busy and not getting back to Chris in a timely fashion, and well, things were just slow. However, I was determined to have this done before year-end so we could take full advantage of all the tax credits. Since we can't return them, I have to figure someway to lessen the money siphon our beautiful children can be!

So this morning, Mike and I were up at 5:30am. I to the kitchen to prep for an early breakfast and Mike B. the the shower. At 6AM on the dot, I roused boogie no. 1 (Eva) from her crib. Normally she's up by 6:30am, so when I roused her at 6, she moved like a drunken sailor as she attempted to lift her arms so I could pick her up. It was cute and rather funny. Even in the semi dark of the room, you could see the glazed look in her eyes that said..."WTF?" With her in my arms, we made our way to Rose's room (Boogie No. 2) to begin the morning ritual...just earlier. Rose was also still asleep. She lay sideways in the crib, one foot poking through a bar, her shoulders and head buried under blankets and her two Pooh bears and Paddington bear. As I roused her, she was less the drunken sailor...more just tipsy.

Boogie No. 1/Drunken Sailor

Boogie No. 2/Tipsy Sailor

Diapers changed, children in their seats, binkies stashed and out of site, they happily chowed down on cereal, fruit, and toast while I made my breakfast. Daddy was out and as soon as the girls were done, began to dress them in their dresses we got for their special day. Auntie arrived early to help and we were all out the door by 7am to drive into Cambridge Family Probate Court. Rose was not happy with the break in the routine and complained, loudly, off and on throughout our trip the the court. Eva, surprisingly, was doing pretty good. More surprisingly, we found on-street parking! Yay! Anyone who's ever been to Cambridge or Boston knows parking can be a bear at the best of times. We arrived by about 7:45AM.

We met up with family (our entourage) at a little Cafe across the street from the courthouse and our daughters proceeded to charm all the patrons until it was time to go. To say that entering the courthouse is slow and ineffecient is putting it lightly. They have to X-ray the bags, you have to walk through a detector, and they only have one scanner and one detector. Thankfully, as we waited and Eva's and Rose's boiling point was starting to rise, we got through...first meltdown averted...thank God. People in the line were very good about letting us go ahead of them...I think it was because they saw the girls approaching meltdown phase and their hearts were struck with terror at the thought of being stuck in line, where it was cold, with two screaming 20 month old banshees doing their darndest to make their eardrums bleed.

Now here's where it get comical. We get in and I had completely forgotten that Chris sent an e-mail saying go to the second floor. So I ask the info guy for Judge Gibson. He says go to the end to Court 1. As Aunty and Rose start to make their way down that direction, one of the court officials comes up to me and say that if we're here for the adoption, we need to go to the second floor and check in. Oops...okay..."Michelle!...we gotta go upstairs." About-face...Rose begins to have meltdown...she was quite happy going in that direction. Auntie calms her down. But before we could go any further, we have to wait for the rest of our entourage which is still going through security. Problem is that Mike B's mother and Aunty Berta are all wearing too much jewelry and metallic things so they are getting wanded and holding up the works. Thankfully, the men, unless in the role of a pimp or a rapper, have minimal amounts of jewelry and thus the only thing that beeps are belt buckles. Glancing over at a somewhat disgruntled Aunty Bertie as she makes her way to us while donning all her accessories, I am glad I left my pimp gear at home. I believe I heard poor Auntie Berta mutttering something about being asked not to come back unless she murdered someone...lol.

We get up to the second floor, with full entourage, and a sign points to the right for the adoptions. So we walk across the middle atrium, down the hall, through the big doors and ask where we're supposed to sign in. "Oh no," says the elderly woman behind the desk, "You need to go across the hall to the other side for adoptions." Okay....about-face, head back across the atrium, down the other hall, through the other large set of doors to be met by a middle aged woman. "I was told we need to sign in here for adoptions." I say to the woman behind the desk. "Oh no," Says the woman, "you have to go back out, take a left, walk straight through, and then another left." Okay...first guy says Courtroom 1, but that was my fault as I didn't say adoption. Cleared up, on exit of elevator, the sign said go right but woman number 1 said no, you should have gone left. But then woman number 2 said, no, you should have gone straight, then left and left...and exactly what are my state taxes paying for? Obviously not directions or accurate signage in government buildings. Thankfully, Woman no. 2 was correct and they were waiting for us. More thankfully, we were instructed to wait in the atrium until the bailiff came to get us and usher us into the judges chambers.

The Atrium is very large with lots of tables and chairs. We all plop down and let the chilluns loose! YAY! Our daughters make sure to explore every part of the atrium from the tables, to the walls, to the pay phone (They actually had an old fashioned pay phone in the place!), to teh pay fax machine where Eva had a lovely time pushing buttons and we all wait. Chris our attorney shows up and is excited to finally meet the girls. As per usual, they charmed him like a snake charmer to a Cobra. And then we wait. And we wait. And we wait...Did I mention we wait?

Judge Gibson was an hour late. Or maybe she was on time and we were early? Don't really know. All I know is that our daughters were heading towards another meltdown. You can only amuse 20 month olds for so long in one place before they want to move on. Not to mention these old building are horrible in the winter as the heating systems are very ineffecient and we were all beginning to melt ourselves! We all kept going by the big drafty emergency doors (Formerly the main entrance to the courthouse) to cool down. In the knick of time, they come get us and we all usher in to the Judges chambers.

There isn't any real ceremony per se. The judge was very nice, made some chit-chat, which we would have enjoyed were it not for meltdowns being immenent. We signed the new birth certificate authorizations, the judge signed the proper papers, pictures were taken, and then we were off...meltdown averted! The judge, having had kids, fully understood the need for speed. She immediately recognized the warning signs in the faces of our daughters that if they don't get our of there soon, Linda Blair would look like a picnic in the park.

Kids loaded up, we all beat a hasty retreat to Granny's for food. We finally left the courthouse at 10am. The girls took a catnap on the way back, they were exhausted...heck, I'm still exhausted. At Granny's we had bagels, ham, Pizzellis Auntie Berta made, Coffee, and a chance to unwind. So now all that is left are some small legal things, new SS cards, revamp our Wills, new Passports, etc. Our daughters are legally protected, which is especially important for same-sex couples. There are several laws in place that protect the rights for heterosexual couples and adopted children, although for those couples using egg donors, technically you should have a second parent adoption. I digress. Same-sex couples are generally not afforded such benefits. Plus, being a same-sex couple, we are often subject to, or vulnerable to a lot more hostile actions by individuals and state governments when it comes to children. Subsequently, it is doubly important for us to make sure we and our family is properly protected.

I have more photos I want post, but I need to get a hold of Granny's camera and Aunty Berta's camera. We have some nice ones with us, the judge, and Chris. Until then, the Deed is done. As Granny put it, she is now "Legally" both children's granny...she is quite pleased and happy about that. Not that you could take Rose away from her...she'd come at you with a dull steak knife and a bat and then hide the evidence with a plastic bag and a tree chipper. Scary picture in your head of Granny chasing you down with a steak knife aside, for those of you in MA, specifically the greater Boston area in need of an attorney for this kind of thing, call on Chris Vaughn-Martel and tell him the Mikes sent you.

What's Your Christmas Story?

2010-12-14T12:15:00.002-05:00

Merry Little Meltdown

2010-12-14T09:26:00.002-05:00

To all our family, friends, and extended friends in the Surro and adoption community, we wish you all a very Merry Meltdown and Happy Hanukkah.

To all of you beginning, in the middle of, or near the end of your journey to have children, we give your our best wishes and as much baby dust as we can blow your way.

Now it should be noted, according to Aunty and Granny who took the girls for this year's Santa visit, Rose screamed intermittently between bites of Candy Cane. Eva was actually doing okay at first, but as all siblings tend to do, Rose just egged her on until she also entered meltdown mode.

The above photo is our attempt at a real photographer...aka...JC Penney. At this day, Rose was quite the ham and Eva went into meltdown mode. The above photo was the best we could get and it took cell. phones to even get that!

Finally, This Friday will be a very big day for us. Stay tuned...

The Mad Dash

2010-12-07T22:48:00.001-05:00

It is now Thursday Evening, 11/29/10, 10:16PM. My very tired butt is parked on a king sized bed in a Holiday Inn Express in Omaha, NE, 2 seconds from the airport where I will catch a flight back home at 7:20am to be reunited with my husband and daugthers by tomorrow afternoon. I will be very glad to be back as I miss my girls terribly. Not to mention I feel awful as the day before I Ieft, Eva came down with a cold and promptly passed it on to her sister. My Sister-in-law has been pulling 12hour shifts assisting my husband with two sick kids. From what I understand, both she and he are being used as large booger rags.

So why Omaha, NE you ask? Because it's the only place away from Grand Island, NE where I could catch a flight home that didn't take 15 hours and cost a small fortune. Oh, and it's where we just finished moving my parents.

This past week, and even the week of Thanksgiving has been one mad dash after another culminating in this trip and a completely exhausted and running on fumes Baba. I and my little brother (not really little as he's my husband age) relocated our parents from San Antonio, TX to an assisted living home in Grand Island, NE where my little borther lives. Due to the health of my father, and my mother, despite the fact she won't admit it, it was necessary to move them into and assisted living home. Grand Island, NE, happens to be where my little brother, his wife, and 3 kids live.

Although my mother really wanted to come to the East Coast, it was just not financially feasible as the facilities out here cost nearly double what they cost in Grand Island. While it would have been nice to have them nearer, we had to think of practicality and the fact that we know my father will not be around much longer. But then again, he could surprise us again and outlive everyone. He already beat the Pneumonia he came down with sometime prior or during his trip out East to see us in October. Considering his Pulmonologist had said if he got it, it would be tantamount to a death sentence, I'd say he's a stubborn old coot not ready to leave us yet. I'm good with that.

Anyway, we'll get into that a bit later. For now, I need to pass out and be up for my flight home in the morning.

Friday 12/3/10

To continue...here I sit in the Omaha airport waiting for my flight...no President's club...what's wrong with this place? Geez louise...OK, so I'm spoiled. Considering the size of the parking lot and the plethora of hotels surrounding the airport, I had expected a huge airport. The terminal I'm in is surprisingly small considering the security line I had to wait in. So fine, no club...so I get a $2 cup of coffee...ICK...I fear my opinion of this point of departure is going steadily downhill. I mean, I didn't even get one of those invasive pat-downs all over the news...it has been suggested I wear a Kilt and go commando. So let's move on shall we...

The first mad dash came during and right after T-day. It consisted of first, Mike B. cooking for T-day, then, after T-day, getting the house properly done up for Christmas. This is always fun and a huge chore. Chore, because Mike B. loves X-mas and so we have a butt-load of X-mas decorations in the attic. This means that I have to go up there and haul them all out. As we don't have a big gargantuan stand-up attic, every year I end up killing my back, bumping my head, contorting my body to get to wayward boxes, and swearing up a storm at inanimate objects that cross my path at a bad time and at my husband...aloud AND under my breathe.

Of course this year was no exception, but the time frame got moved up and put in high gear as my immenenent departure to TX was the next week. Mike B. wanted to get things up before I left. So that Friday after T-day, the girls went back to Granny's and I went up into the attic...my lips starting to quiver in anticipation of the potty mouth that would ensue from me.

Before anything happened, we had to rearrange and figure out how to do it so little girls, who are most certainly more mobile this year than last, will not destroy the tree, the ornaments, or get hurt. The sunroom/dining room was chosen as we have a gate up to prevent the girls from going into the kitchen when we need too. It worked out rather well. So next up...the dreaded ATTIC.

This year Mike decided for the white tree. We were going for a modern Christmas. Last year we did traditional. Wouldn't you know it...the white tree was BEHIND the traditional tree with several layers of decoractions strewn around and on top of both boxes. @(*!@&(^!@#^*%#$!!

Mike B. really wanted those old fashion silk spun ornaments for the tree, but trying to find them in good bright colors and not costing a ridiculous amount of money proved to be a no go. Who knew the dang things would cost so much...really? Wow. So we settled on the bright red spun ornaments we had and improvised with what we had...or I should clarify, Mike B. improvised with what we had. After all, Christmas is HIS season. I am merely the attic gnome that fetches stuff for my magical Christmas Elf husband to then throw his elf magic dust around and make the place pretty. I contribute a little, but he is the director on this one. Although I have contributed @#*(^@#!! and #$*(^@#!!!, and %(*^!@*%^$!! very loudly on several occasions throughout the present and past holiday season. Needless to say, everything got up and looks just great. When the girls got back to the house, they were just DYING to get at the tree and all the glittery things...mission accomplished.

Now I can't wait to take it all down...but wait...I still have the lights to put up. That's my schtick, if I have time. Last year there was just no time with the girls and what little time we had, I was just too damn tired to haul my butt out into the cold yard and do lights.

Gotta go, time to board...so long small crappy airport with icky $2 coffee and no President's club...maybe if I return less stressed and tired I'll see the place differently...probably not.

Monday 12/6/10

So the big mad dash that took me away from my little girls was the relocation of my parents. This really all started in the Summer as my father's health began to really decline and we had to start talking long-term plan for my mother and father. The initial plan was for them to come up in October to get the lay of the land and look at apartments our here and for me to better assess my father's and mother's health. Needless to say, the October visit was bad as, unbeknownest to us, my father had contracted Pneumonia. I was very distressed and basically had to notify the family that he may not have long to live. My mother was a basket case, and I was stressed out of my gourd with the kids, the parents, a crappy economy, etc., etc., etc. On their trip back to San Antonio, Mom and Dad made a stop in Houston to the hospital for several days, then finally to San Antonio, then back to the hospital in San Antonio for just under a month.

My twin, wife and 5 year-old daughter flew in from Germany to say their goodbyes to my father and my little brother was getting ready to do the same. Well, Dad just wasn't ready to go yet and gave death the finger. Prior to Dad's release, my twin called and said they really need to go into an assisted living home. I called my little brother and he said why not just move them to NE as a road trip is doable, NE was cheaper than TX, and he and the grandkids were there. The plan was presented to my parents and they said go.

My twin and his Wife stayed two weeks in San Antonio and "culled" and organized as much stuff as possible. We thought moving them would happen mid December, with the Doctor's blessing for my father, we moved up the time frame so as to try and take advantage of the fairly decent weather while it lasted. My little brother arrived the 27th of Nov. and I the 29th, we were to leave for Grand Island, NE the 1st of Dec. and hopefully arrive no later than the 2nd as I needed to be in Omaha that night for my flight the next morning. We both hit the ground running. There was still a great deal to pack, and as they were moving into a one bedroom, a LOT of stuff to cull.

Situations like this are never easy. While both parent's had "buy-in," it was very difficult for my mother who felt she had lost control and independence. And to an extent, she did as we could not afford the luxury of time. That and her anxiety level for the move, made things very difficult. In the long run, this was the best for all parties. With the care both parents will now receive in the facility, I'm really hoping Dad will be able to keep giving death the finger for at least another year or two. As he has emphysema, is pretty much on a one lung capacity, and on constant oxygen, my father will leave us...we just don't know when.

One of my greatest fears about being a father myself at such a late age was that my children would not get to know their grandfather/Kung Kung. I did not know my Kung Kung or my Grandfather as one passed away when I was a baby and the other before I was born. Mike B. did not know his grandfathers and as his father passed away when he was 9, they will not know their grandfather on his side either. Nor will they ever know their biological grandfather from the egg donor's side. It seems somewhat ironic that our girls have two daddies but probably no grandfathers to remember. But like I said before, my dad could surprise us and really piss off death for a while. That's what I'm hoping for at least, keep giving him the finger dad...you rock!

With the move finally done, my poor brother had to drive me to Omaha that Thursday evening 4 hours after we had arrived in Grand Island and unloaded the essentials from the truck. Like 16hours of driving a 16 foot truck following us in the minivan wasn't enough. Sorry Bob...I did try to get a bus, but they didn't tun after 11am there. And let's not forget the pitstop in Wichita, KS at the Comfort inn that smelled of Urine in the hallway and whose rooms were falling apart in pieces...but...they did have a nice large LG hi-def LCD TV in the room. What can I say, they know their customer's priorities.

HOME!

So I landed Friday, got my bags, Mike B. picked me up from the bus station (express to and from airport, much easier) and I got in about 4ish. Drop my luggage off downstairs and I hear Eva yelling BABA, BABA, BABA!! They knew I was home as they had their little faces pressed up agains the picture window waving wildly at me when we pulled into the drive. To say that the girls were ecstatic I was home was an understatement. I was immediately mobbed by two beautiful booger dripping little girls as I too gladly took on the role of human Kleenex. My poor babies, they were still so stuffed up and sounded so pathetic, it was too funny, cute, and heart-wrenching. It was made even worse when I had to run out to get dinner, we ordered Chinese. Tthey went into a blind panic when I left. Eva especially was most upset I was gone. She has been on me like white on rice over the weekend and this morning. I missed them terribly, but I didn't know how much until I had them in my arms and I had to hold back tears.

Their stress is slowly dissipating as they see the routine is going back to normal. Their colds are also almost gone...now all that is left is some congestion and dry crusty evidence scattered around the house...oh...and three loads of laundry! My parents are slowly settling in to their new life and routine, Mike B. is grateful I am back and I still have to unpack. Soon the new year will be upon us and I hope it is less stressful than the last.

I am home with my girls and that's all that counts right now. My mother said to me once that there comes a time when the most important thing in life becomes your children over all else. I'm at that time and I never want to leave them like that again. At least not until they can understand that Baba is coming back.

And yes, I know, I owe photos...next post, I promise.

Let The Annual Turkey Coma Event Commence

2010-11-24T19:18:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving, a day to be thankful, a day remembered and taught by mainstream America as the time when the Indian came to the rescue of the starving Pilgrims. Such lovely propaganda (the Indians weren't too pleased with all the lovely diseases the Pilgrims, who were a batch of religious nut jobs, brought with them) entrenched within the American culture and co-opted by retailers across this great nation...although if you've been to the malls you'll notice the fat guy in the red suit has begun to muscle out the Turkey. For that matter, the fat guy has been muscling his way in on Halloween too! Bastard...love ya, but you try coming down my chimney early and I'll have a hot-poker and a roaring fire ready and waiting for you. While you're at it, throw down some of those greedy corporate CEO's that are aiding you in this endeavor would you? But I digress.

Since our move back to the East Coast, it has been the tradition to go to Mike B.'s mother's house for T-day. Last year was special as it was the girl's FIRST T-day. This year will be fun as their awareness is so much greater and it will be interesting to see if they recognize this as an "event." Regardless, we fully intend to imbibe, eat, and eventually enter into the obligatory Turkey Coma. Mike B. is making a yummy pear cheesecake, the man can make a cheesecake like no-ones business, and the stuffing. He made the stuffing once and has been asked to provide it ever since.

With any luck, we'll have the girls down for a nap early so we can go over early. Generally, with events like these, by the end, they are exhausted and go down like 25 pound turkeys themselves by bed time. Ahhhh...gotta love naturally occurring Tryptophan.

We have many things to be thankful for this year. But what tops the list, and will always top the list, at least until they reach puberty and then things may change, is our girls. At 20 months, they are walking, running, climbing, babbling, fighting, and doing all things nearly two year-olds do. It's hard to imagine in 4 months our little girls will enter the "terrible twos!" But it will be refreshing to say, they're 2 and not have to refer to their ages in months. Then 3, 4, 5, School, and we're free! Yeah, not really. Any parent will tell you it's a life sentence, albeit, if we're lucky, a very fulfilling and rewarding one.

So to all of you who help celebrate and uphold our propagandist tradition...be well, eat well, drink well, coma well!

Now For Something A Little Different

2010-11-16T16:00:00.007-05:00

Okay, yes, I know this all supposed to be about babies, baby pictures, and all things cute, but I wanted to take a break and post something a little different. However, there is still a connection to our journey.

India, as many of us know, is rich in its artistic heritage. I personally, am very partial to the decorative arts. India is a country that reeks of decorative artistry from their ancient architecture and statuary to their traditional textiles. Whether religious, political, or purely decorative, you cannot escape the all encompassing embrace of India's art and visual dialogue. It is riotous and calming, stunningly beautiful, and abstractly, as well as figuratively, scary. It is one of the things I just absolutely adore about India and wish we had more of a chance to experience and see.

As India rushes into the 21st Century, it's artistic roots and history can still be seen today through signage and commercial design that is uniquely Indian. Being in the creative industry, how a country's artistic heritage plays out over the decades and influences present day visual vernacular has always fascinated me. A good example can be seen in the below photo of a craft fair, Patiala Craft Mela. From what I understand, this is a very big fair with hundreds of artisans. The fairgrounds were designed by an indian company called Lotus Designs. You can see how this company chose distinctly and vibrantly Indian colors and incorporated them into a contemporary staging while overlooked by an ancient monument. This mix of old and new while maintaining a distinctly Indian flair is inspiring and beautiful. You can see more of the fairgrounds on the blog I found this on. This particular blog also has a lot other contemporary Indian art and design resources worth perusing.

To this end, while perusing the internet and looking for some inspiration, I remember seeing a print ad campaign for an Indian paper company called Conqueror paper. I was completely blown away by the concept and the sheer brilliance of the imagery. It is, in my opinion, an outstanding creative feat which bridges old India with new India communicating the companies proud cultural heritage. And I was not alone in this opinion as the campaign won several awards. Take a look at the images and guess how they are done. Once you figure it out, you'll probably have the same reaction I did..."WHOA...AWESOME!"

I am trying to hunt down some hi-resolution images so I can print some out and put them up in the office as inspiration. If they had done some good quality prints, I would have bought some of those! Regardless, I just really love these images.

Finally, while perusing for some Indian Art samples to put in this post, I came across the following from an Animator/Artist by the name of Sanjay Patel who happens to work for Pixar. Below you see a shot from one of the books he put out called "The Little Book of Hindu Deities" and the other images is from his other book, "Ramayana: Divine Loophole." Way cool. I fully intend to purchase both books, both for myself and eventually to teach the girls a little about where they came from...although the Ramayana book maybe a little too scary for them until they are much older.

So while this post isn't really about babies, it still relates as it's about the country of our daughter's origin and ethnic heritage. Our daughters are American. But half of their heritage is steeped in a wonderful and beautiful country and culture that I want to make sure they know about. This is something many of us who go through surrogacy in India, specifically those that opt for an Indian egg donor, may eventually need to address. For me, it is a no brainer. Beside which...with any luck I'll be abel to buy nice sparkly Indian Jewelry for them to wear. I LOVE Indian jewelry!

PICS

2010-11-04T13:18:00.017-04:00

Just a few pics of the little monsters…

Happy Halloween 2010!

WONDERTWIN POWERS ACTIVATE!!!!!!

Oh look a beautiful butterfly!

Be careful!…she's a savage beast.

Eva doesn't go anywhere without her trusty diaper, it's her unique take on a security blanket.

A peanut in a pumpkin patch.

Eva's new favorite activity…lifting heavy things.

The scene in our neighbors front yard a few weeks ago…yup Thanksgiving is coming…mmmmmm-turkey!

PARENT TIP! Don't call them cheap gloves from the Dollar Store, call them "Elmo-hands", a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

After a few days, convinced that the tub was not going to bite her, Rose finally starting to enjoy herself.

fun with jelly

Is it potty time already?

Eating the best thing God ever made……………………WATERMELON!

What Do The Boston Celtics and Our Daughters Have In Common?

2010-11-03T20:08:00.006-04:00

A VERY large towering African American man by the name of Shaquille O'Neal!

Aunty...who is this giant behind us?

Sports fans know that Shaquille O'neal just recently joined the Boston Celtics basketball team. Well last week, while dropping my sister-in-law off at the Stone Zoo to entertain the girls, the girls got their first brush with celebrity. As I unloaded the minivan and began buckling up the girls, there was a sudden suck in of air and suddenly Michelle became very exited..."is that who I think it is?" she said excitedly..."Oh my God it is! It's Shaq!"

"Uhm really?" I replied nonplussed

"You do know who Shaq is right?" She asked while giving me a somewhat incredulous look.

"yup" I replied and continued buckling.

Turns out Mr. Shaq was also visiting the zoo with his family. Needless to say my sister-in-law was VERY excited and swore to get a picture with him and the girls. She was practically chomping at the bit for me to finish so she could get to the entrance. As I finished, I told her I'd put the pict up on the blog if she got one, turned to close all the doors, turned back and all that was left of my sister-in-law and the stroller with the girls was a fading puff of smoke ala the Road Runner cartoons. Damn she moved fast!

It turns out Michelle and the girls actually got to hang out with him and his family as they were both headed in the same direction in the zoo. Most definitely made her day. And from what I understand from Michelle, Rose charmed him silly by learning his name and saying "bye Shaq" as they exited the zoo.

Sadly, I am not a big sports fan. The sports I like tend to be swimming, spring board diving, fencing, and gymnastics. Nowhere near the main stream, much less celebrity fandom. The closest I get to celebrity fandom is Michael Phelps and Greg Louganis. Now if it were someone like Whoopi Goldberg or Cathy Griffin, I'd be there jumping in the shot. Regardless of my lack of enthusiasm, it was the highlight of my sister-in-law's day and I'm glad she got to have so much fun. And, as she swore, she got the photo. You'll have to excuse the graininess of the photo, it's the best Michelle could do with the camera phone. As it was, she had to step nearly 15 feet back to get Shaq and the girls in the photo. He is just a giant of a man!

So next post, I'll put up more recent photos including Halloween. The girls went trick-or-treating this year and we promptly hid the candy...lol.

It's Not You, it's the Other Morons...

2010-10-18T10:14:00.004-04:00

Friday, Mike B. and I had a fight. It started with me on the phone having a terse conversation with our stroller company. So you can understand where this is going, here's the background info bulleted:

$659 Stroller Frame Breaks after 16 months
Send e-mail with photo asking what can be done and left voice mail
Received e-mail back from company implying we were misusing the stroller and entering it into demolition derbies and saying I need to spend $350 + Shipping and Handling to get a new frame
Sent back IRATE e-mail reading them the riot act for such baseless accusations and planned out how I was going to make sure no one bought their product through my use of social networking and blogs..cc'd to CEO of company
Get call back and Customer Care person gives me run around and I don't bite. Tell person I'm getting thing fixed and that welding shop immediately pointed out how frame could be better designed easily and also mention greater safety issue that should be addressed by company.
Customer Care person tells me she'll get back to me and has to authorize the repair...hunh?
Fight begins with Mike B.

I have a habit of giving out too much information. I'm learning to control that habit, but, I blab. It's also what makes me very good at networking. But here's the thing, when you have kids, it's a completely different ballgame and frankly, I despise it.

While I reluctantly agree with my husband, I also find it an extremely sad commentary on our society. In a nutshell, his argument is that you say NOTHING because people who think they are trying to help, or who might get a bug up their ass, can make life ridiculously difficult and stressful. His reasoning, goes like this with the stroller:

Of course they're gonna tell you they have to authorise it. They're thinking that if something goes wrong, and you get it fixed, and it breaks, you're going to turn around and blame them and try to sue them! And all you need is that woman thinking you're putting our kids in danger and calling child protective services. You shouldn't have said anything!

My response was this...

Are you f*****g kidding me?!

Hence the fight. But it also goes back to me being too tired to change out Eva's slightly stained onesie before going to the Doctors office for the 18 month check-up. My sister-in-law changed her out and said that "They look for that kind of stuff and will report you." My reaction to that was..."Hunh? Report me to who? I think you're being paranoid." To which my husband does agree, but she also has a point.

In today's world, we seem to live in a HYPERsensitive society where the politically correct police are armed to the gills with goodie-two-shoers ready to shoot off their mouth at the merest of infractions. You pat your kid on the behind...CHILD ABUSE, REPORT THEM! You take a picture of your kid in the bath tub naked and share with a friend....CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, CALL THE POLICE! Case and point, there was a story on one of the morning shows about a Pennsylvania woman that had her newborn baby taken away from her for 5 days by the hospital because she tested positive for drugs.

The hospital has a policy that newborn mothers are tested to try and avoid addict mother's or some such thing. The kicker, she was not positive. She ate a poppy seed bagel and the poppy seeds can sometimes make you test positive for opium. The hospital did not investigate properly and just took the baby away and caused a great deal of anguish and confusion for the mother. The baby was returned 5 days later when she was cleared with a cursory apology from the hospital.

While I understand the hospital is trying to protect the baby...really? And to then not investigate the case properly, cause such stress and anguish, and only offer a cursory apology is completely unacceptable in my opinion. The point is...POPPY SEEDS FROM A BAGEL!

I have to say that I have also noticed this hypersensitivity with mothers and their children directed at men. I have said "hi" to children in the grocery stores that smile at me. Their mother's grab them practically in a panic and rush them away from me while giving me a withering look. Mike B. witnessed one incident with a father and his children where one wandered off and he was trying to choral them when a woman intervened and began acting very suspicious of the father. This ended up with the father eventually saying to the woman...and I paraphrase..."Who the f**k are you and get the f**k away from my kid!" I have seen similar incidents in parks, playgrounds, stores, etc. I blame a portion of this on the media that sensationalizes male sex-offenders making it seem they're around every corner. I also blame it on a society that has, over the past 20 some odd years, decided the only feasible caregiver is a female. When I was growing up, yes my mother was cautious, but she didn't scream or shoot a man daggers for just talking to her kids!

Before children, none of this concerned me or even crossed my mind. I would NEVER have made the cognitive leap of equating fixing my stroller to potential law suit and or child endangerment charges. I mean why should I? As a responsible and highly protective parent, I would never put my children in ANY type of danger. Nor would I think I would ever act like some of the women who treat me like shit cause I said "hi" to their kid.

Now, with children, not only do I have to protect them as any parent does, but I also now have to beware of the dangers that don't exist yet, but may, if I say something or do something in front of, or on the phone with, the wrong person. Now, I have to become psychic and analyze every action because some moron might report me because they think they know better. Now I have to look warily at ANY stranger that suddenly says hello to my girls.

I DO NOT LIKE THIS NEW REALITY. While I realise we all have to censor ourselves, censoring ourselves while also having to play psychic to ward off the morons is just f*****g ridiculous. And while I am certainly more wary of strangers near my children, I am trying to refrain from the withering or dagger like looks. I completely despise this line of thought and new shift in thinking and acting, it is not who I am or who I grew up to be. But, it is unfortunately very valid. So now, I must learn to curb my natural self and adapt to the new reality. Fine...just f******g fabulous. I am now being forced to have to live in a very bland and vanilla world...mind you I love vanilla, but I do like some sprinkles or caramel or chocolate on top sometimes. As my husband said to me:

It's not you, it's the other morons.

Oh, and as for the stroller, they are replacing the frame and I received an apology from the CEO for the customer care debacle. So no more demolition derbies for the girls I guess...oh crap...is someone gonna call child services now that I said that?

It's Just a Phase...

2010-10-16T22:17:00.002-04:00

There comes a time as your children grow-up where they often learn pivotal things. This is what Rose learned...

When you swat and hit your sister, SHE WILL retaliate and try to bite your foot...

It's just a phase, that's what Million Rupee Baby said...it's just a phase...

What Was I Thinking?

2010-09-30T09:36:00.000-04:00

Exacty 19 years ago today, I bought my husband a beer at a local watering hole in Providence, RI. Little did I know that 19 years later I would still be with the same man and have 2 kids. Holy mother-of-God, what was I thinking?

What I was thinking back then was...

"Well, he's cute, I think I've seen him at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design, our Alma Matter). I think I'll buy him a drink and see if he'll talk to me."

What I was thinking several days later when I first saw one of his paintings...

"Damn he's talented, I think he's keeper...where are my chains?"

What I am thinking on this day...

"Happy anniversary honey, I love you...Rose pooped, go change her diaper while I smell Eva."

It's really hard to believe that Mike and I have been together for so long. Next year is the big one, 20 years! Now keep in mind that when it comes to relationships, gay years are like dog years are. One dog year equals about 7 human years. One gay year is equal to about 250 human years...which means I have been with the same man for 4,750 years. Damn...I look great for my age!

I had initially planned to surprise Mike with tickets to Wicked which was playing in Boston...sadly, the SOB vendor suddenly decided not to pony up. Since I had bought the tickets in April, I was VERY upset. I even had planned to have Aunty and Granny babysit overnight so we could sneak away to a hotel and have a real dinner together. I think we will have to suffice with Aunty babysitting while we go out to dinner. Not as grande a plan, but dinner...alone...with my husband...in a real restaurant that doesn't serve Chicken McNuggets...I'm okay with that.

The Anniversary present that never happened... :(

As our lives move forward, I look back over the years and mourn the loss of my waistline (I will get you back I promise), and smile or occassionally frown at the many memories. But all in all, I would have to say I smile a lot. Lord knows I am not perfect, yet Mike B. has still stuck with me. As for him getting rid of me, despite my occasional freak-outs, I'm pretty much on him like white of rice. I cannot imagine life without my husband and I cannot imagine life without our daughters.

Of the many memories in our past, our trip to Moloka'i was most certainly a high point. The photo at the beginning of this post was taken of us when we lived in Hawaii and had gone with a group of friends to visit the island of Moloka'i. One of our friends mother had a house there. She was away, so a group of 8 of us went for a mini weekend vacation. We crammed 8 men, plus the pilot, into a little prop puddle jumper for the 30 minute ride.

Molokai is 38 miles long by 10 miles wide and is tiny. It has, or at least at that time had, one stoplight. The population is about 7,400. I think one of the most memorable parts of the trip, aside from the tiny scorpion that sent 7 grown men into a tizzy (they all squealed like little girls save for moi who was used to them), or inadvertently leaving behind a boyfriend at the burger joint (not mine mind you), was going to the other side of the island where the resort was located. Because Molokai is so sparsely populated, when we went to walk on the beach that evening, the night sky was brilliant! With no densely populated city or suburban lights, it was just filled with stars and was quite breath-taking. Having grown up in Hawaii and gone on camping trips to remote areas, I took this sight for granted. Mike B., being a city boy, had never seen the sky like that and was just spell-bound.

Back to the photo. The photo was taken behind our friend's mother's house in the lava fields. For some reason, there was an abandoned and dessicated airline seat perched precariously on top of the rocks. So we all took turns climbing up and taking photos. On our way back to Honolulu, Mike B. held the airplane door open for AC until we got about 2,000 feet up in the air. He quite enjoyed it, I was quite terrified he was going to fall out! We had a blast.

Thank you Mike for 19 years. If we live long enough to make our 50th, I want a brass band, a medal, and all our grandkids gathered around so I can tell them for the thousandth time how you thought I was a stuck-up snot when you first met me....

The $150 Bug Bite

2010-09-24T12:32:00.003-04:00

Do you know what happens when your child develops a golf ball sized welt on one side of her forehead? You PANIC.

Last Friday, after Tubby and saying goodnight to Granny, Mike and I and the girls settled onto our respective positions to watch Thomas the Train and then usher the girls into their cribs and sleep land. As I sat down on the couch with Rose, Mike B. glanced over and suddenly said "What the Hell is that?!"

"Hunh? What?" I replied a bit startled.

"That, that on her forehead, can't you see it?!"

So turning Rose around, I felt on her forehead to find a golf-ball sized welt/bump on her forehead. WHOA MOMMA! I was rather shocked, but, not panicking. Mike, on the other hand, was very upset and nearing panic. We ran through our routine to see if there was anywhere we could pinpoint a time where Rose may have fell. Nada, Zip, Zilch...not to mention she would have cried considering the girl cries when she bumps air.

Mike B. mentioned bug bite, which I hadn't thought of, but hey, distinct possibility. I personally, was all for letting it go and seeing how she does in the next couple hours. Rose did not seem to be in any discomfort or distress. This to me said that it was probably nothing serious. My husband, on the other hand, was getting more and more agitated and anxious at my lack of concern. I can't say that I blame him...I mean GOLF BALL SIZE! Which on Rose, is rather large. I briefly contemplated pulling out a marker and drawing a smiley face on it. I doubt that would have gone over well with my husband.

Finally I asked if he wanted me to take her to the emergency room. The final answer..."Yes." So, packing up Rose, grabbing a diaper bag, throwing on shoes for her and me, off I went, much to the distress of Eva. She was not happy at having her routine interrupted, and watching as Rose and Baba left, and wondering why she wasn't going as well.

At this stage, both Mike and I were more distressed than Rose. Rose still showed no sign of distress or adverse reaction to whatever was causing the bump. Hmmmm...still not convinced she needed to go to the ER. But okay, probably a better call as neither of us knew what the heck it was and you just never know.

Rose was quite happy for the adventure and the ER had an area just for kids that she got all to herself. Of course she was not too keen on getting examined. She has entered the stage of knowing what a doctor's visit means...e.g. shots or other unhappy events...and so the minute she hears the crinkle of the paper they have on those tables or sees a nurse reaching for her, she has a fit. Eva is the opposite. She is actually very good as she knows the sooner they examine her the quicker she gets out of there.

So, 30 minutes in, we check in, nurse attempts to take blood pressure and pulse...not gonna happen. 15 more minutes, we check in again to verify all patient info and fork over $150 copay for the ER visit...OUCH. As the gal behind the desk is not a nurse, Rose is happy and is desperately trying to make my ER visit worth it by going after an exposed electrical outlet. One thing I was noticing was that the swelling seemed to be going down. More importantly, I can now see what looks to be a bug bite, but I'm not sure.

45 minutes later, Rose and I are finally seen. Crinkle crinkle, goes the paper...WHAAAAAA...screeches Rose. I attempt to calm and hold our 16, almost 17 month old daughter so the doc can examine her. No easy feat with four limbs a flailing. 5 minutes later, a verdict...

Yes, it's an allergic reaction to a bug bite.

I am told we are to keep an eye on her and contact our Pediatrician should the swelling not go away completely or if there are any adverse symptoms that develop. I am relieved, and annoyed...$150 annoyed. I'd say that's an adverse symptom. Nevertheless, I call my husband and give him the news and head back home. By this point, it is 2 hours past Rose's bedtime and she is cooked. However, save for the actual examinations that caused consternation, she was quite good. Thank goodness for that little children's area. It kept her very busy.

As we retold our adventure to my sister-in-law the next morning, she mentions it sounded like a spider bite which Hannah, our niece got occasionally. This prompts my husband to begin training our daughter on how to incur her karma.

"Rose," he says, "If you see a bug or a spider, do this!" At which time he whacks his hand down hard to demonstrate the ancient killing move specifically designed to part a bug/spider from their corporeal existence.

With a smile, our daughter mimics the move and masters this technique chillingly fast...remind me never to mention the life insurance policy we'll be taking out.

ONTO CONGRATULATIONS

Over the past several weeks, there has been a great deal of excitement as there seems to be another wave of babes being born. I have been so busy that I have been remiss in my congratulations to all these new parents. Flight of the Humble Bee, Christmas Eve Boys, Faith to Vishwas (THREE GIRLS..you're so screwed), and more just in the wings!

All these people are now officially parents and now embarking on their new adventure. To these newbies, a huge congratulations and get ready cause now the fun really start.

A special congratulations go out to Terry and Steve of Christmas Eve boys and Edward and Paul of Faith to Vishwas. While we have never officially met them in person, we have been communicating with them on a semi regular basis early on and have come to consider them friends. You guys are going to be SOOOOOOOO busy! Especially Edward and Paul. And to Terry...having a meltdown over the seemingly lackadaisical attitude in India is perfectly understandable and acceptable. It takes getting used to. But don't worry, you'll be home sooner than you think and it will seem so far away and inconsequential. That's because you will be too busy and tired to think of anything else!

To all you soon to be new parents...ready or not, here they come! And to all you just starting out or still trying, keep the faith, it will happen, it's just a matter of when.

Bugs, Bashes, and Boobies?

2010-09-06T14:38:00.011-04:00

Today, Monday, Labor Day, marks the official end of Eva's bug. Hallelujah! The past week and weekend was AWFUL! Eva kept us up Tuesday Night, Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday Night and Saturday night. I ended up couching her on Wednesday and Saturday. And of course Monday and Tuesday she was pulling a Linda Blair. The light at the end of the tunnel began to make an appearance on Thursday. Each successive night brought less throw-up and a pasting of the poop, which considering its prior liquid state was a blessing. Saturday night, brought no throw-up or diarrhea, but she woke up because she was starving. As poor Eva had been living on crackers and soup and we were instructed to give her small amounts through the day, by the time Saturday had rolled around, she was famished and didn't get enough to eat.

Finally, after waking up 5 times Saturday evening and being inconsolable, at one in the morning, after I had ordered my poor husband to put in earplugs and get some sleep cause one of us had to be able to function, I fed her a cookie and several more crackers. I was able to get her back into her crib by 1:35AM, kicking and screaming still (due to her exhaustion), but she went down. I stayed on the couch, just in case, and didn't really get to sleep until 2:30AM. By 6:20AM I was up, rousted Mike B. to take over, and went back to bed for another hour. Needless to say, I was a zombie most of Sunday.

Thankfully, Eva seemed to have made a full recovery and we had split up and met up at the lake. Rose was starving for my attention and instigating all kinds of riots and so we decided to divide and conquer. All was going well and according to plan, UNTIL...cue gasp and surprise music, Eva broke out in hives. We think the culprit was the blueberry muffin. Mike B. high-tailed it home and called the doctor and Benadryl was prescribed. Granny was also called to come over and help the situation, and I made it home an hour later as I was walking with Rose in stroller. My brain was too fuzzled and stupid because of lack of sleep to think I should have gone home with Mike. The Hives really alarmed him but I didn't pick-up on that. Long story short, she was fine. Once she got some Benadryl, whatever reaction she was having went away.

That night, Eva ate real food for the first time in a week...but we still stayed away from dairy. Mike B. suggested a modified "Loco Moco" for dinner which was good as I had no idea what to feed her. A "loco Moco" is a breakfast dish in Hawaii that consists of white rice, a hamburger pattie, brown gravy, and a fried egg. This is then doused in shoyu (soy sauce). YUMMY! He figured the rice was mild and filling. She ate it, along with veggies, and some of our chicken pot-pie.

That evening, I went to bed at 7:30pm. I slept. Woke up three times because Eva squeaked...but...she went back to sleep. HOORAY! So this morning, I went back to our regularly scheduled program and fed them eggs, waffles, and milk...Eva GOBBLED IT ALL UP! Now we have to get them back to their regular schedules AND behavior patterns, which is challenging as they have been coddled this past week and are showing signs of it! It will be another tough week on account of tantrums being thrown because we are no longer coddling them. At least we'll get sleep.

Stomach bugs are not fun. No way, no how, nowhere. ick.

Bashes

Before Eva got ill, as many readers know, we had a little Surro-India bash of sorts. Really what it amounted to was Stephanie from a "Baby Masala" blog with Micah and Husband in tow stopping in to meet and visit us. She asked about it a while back as she is originally from this end of the Earth. From there, it just kind of grew to include two of her friends, who live in MA and were just beginning the journey, Mike and Deenah, whose kids are 4 months older than Eva and Rose, and I invited Shannon and Geoff of a "Distant Miracle" blog. I had also invited another gay couple, but he and his partner could not make it. Another time guys.

Top Row: Mary, Stephanie, Shannon, Mike B.

Bottom Row: Deenah/Daniel, Mike/Sophie, Mike, Micah/Adam, Geoff

Top Row: Mike A., Mary, Stephanie, Mike B.

Bottom Row: Deenah/Daniel, Mike/Sophie, Mike, Micah/Adam, Geoff

I planned a BBQ with burgers and Kosher hot dogs and it was a pot-luck affair. Steph brought in some delicious blueberry pie from their favorite bakery up in Maine, Mike and Deenah brought beverages, Mike and Mary brought a delicious bean salad, and Shannon and Geoff brought a delicious pasta salad. We were all well fed and everyone had a great time.

Micah/Stepahnie, Mike and Mary, Adam's Shoulder.

Stephanie and Micah, aka, Rose's future husband.

Our girls took an early nap, but were up to meet everyone and play with Daniel and Sophie and Micah. There was an explosion of toys in the living room as the kids ransacked the toy bins. That's okay, that's what they were there for. But you can tell those who aren't parents yet...they lack the psychic ability developed with children to deftly navigate through a toy mine-field...don't worry, you'll learn quick enough.

Sophie, Micah, and Daniel demonstrating how to properly set-up a toy mine-field.

All the kids got along quite well. Micah is just absolutely adorable and Rose was smitten. I firmly told Rose that she must wait...until he's rich. It should be noted that we believe the attraction may be to the bottle Micah had in his mouth at the time...Rose and Eva are being weened off the bottle and Rose was eyeing Micah's bottle something fierce! We ended up giving her one because she kept going after Micah's! Daniel and Sophie were their normal sweet and mellow selves...Eva and Daniel are both daredevils though and need to be watched!

All the adults did quite well also. It was nice to be in an environment where we could all talk freely without a gazillian questions or curious or judgemental looks thrown at us. It was rather refreshing. The only thing missing...decent weather. Sadly, it rained, which sucked. But, it didn't dampen anyone's spirit.

All was wrapped up by 4pm...which is good as that's the begin of the bewitching hours for our two little angels until bed. Thank you all for coming, and leaving by 4...lol. It was a pleasure to meet everyone! And for the record...yes...there was a total of 4 Michaels present.

Boobies

Boobies...that's right folks, you heard right....BOOBIES! It would seem our intrepid adventurer and stomach bug survivor Eva had decided, with very little assistance from us, to further explore the effects of gravity...or old age...you be the judge.

These are your boobies...

These are your boobies on gravity...Nuff said.

To properly close this Labor Day post, some random photos of cuteness, cause you know you wanna see'em.

WATERMELON! OOOOOHHHH YUMMY!

These two can polish off a whole watermelon in one sitting if we let them

Mff, phbr, mff, mmm....

Take the photo quick! I still have watermelon left!

Waddaya mean there's no more watermelon?!

The Big Kahuna in search of her throne.

Aaahhhh...my throne, I will now speak to you peasant.

Do these sunglasses make Big Kahuna look fat?

What They Don't Tell You in Parenting 101

2010-08-31T21:01:00.002-04:00

My next post was to be about the lovely BBQ we had with the likes of Baby Masala, A Distant Miracle, and other Surro India buddies two weekends ago. However, we got derailed in a most unpleasant manner.

Eva has a stomach bug.

We think it came on over this past weekend as we noticed diarrhea which started to turn into liquid yellow goo as the weekend progressed followed by loss of appetite. It hit full force Monday morning when she proceeded to throw up her breakfast. This immediately got me on the phone to the doc to bring her in.

While at the doc's, she was fine in the waiting room, but once we got to the examining room, she was cooked and proceeded to have 4 meltdowns and a liquidy diaper blowout. Thankfully, I have the patience approaching that of Sainthood and was able to hold off from losing it...although her wailing spurred the docs and he nurses to try and get to her as soon as possible. Problem was that there was a little baby with a very high temperature that was taking most of the attention. I can understand that...patience of a saint I tell ya.

So, Monday was not a pleasant day, not just because of Eva, but also because of Rose. You see, it's like this. When you have multiples, and one gets sick, you obviously pay more attention to that one...guess what, the other one DOES NOT LIKE THAT! No one ever warned us of this in Parenting 101, much less had it as a topic for consideration!

Rose, once again, sprouted thorns tout suite and made it quite clear she was not happy with all the attention being paid to her sister. She whined, she cried, she crawled on you, she begged to be picked up, she tried to pull her sister off of you! It is bad enough that we are dealing with Eva who is losing liquids from both ends, but to then have to deal with Rose was enough to make us both a little mental.

Today, thankfully, Hannah our niece took Rose out for a stroller ride whilst Aunty tended Eva. This was good as Eva was still suffering from the stomach bug and promptly threw up all over me after breakfast prior to Aunty and Hannah's arrival. Not fun or pretty, I had to strip down to my skivvies and change her and me...in the meantime, Rose wanted a hug...sigh....MIKE WAKE UP AND GRAB ROSE! Thankfully he was already up as he had heard the commotion and sprung into action. Eva then proceeded to throw up several more times. It was horrible and we felt helpless. With stomach bugs, you can only let it run it's course...and run is the operative word here...ick.

After the Rose's stroller ride, Mike B. took Rose and Hannah out for some grocery shopping to give Eva and Aunty alone time. I went downstairs to do more laundry, it has been nonstop since Sunday, and start my day working. This was what Eva needed, alone and quiet time.

She has since greatly improved. The Doc called and said her lab tests have turned up nothing serious and that for now, we have to watch for dehydration. Additionally, Eva is not allowed any dairy, e.g. milk, or juice. Only Pedialytye (which she loves in popsicle form), Gatorade and water. For foods, BLAND, BLAND, BLAND. Nothing oily or fried. So far, Chicken soup has not been thrown up along with lots of Saltine crackers.

Tomorrow brings a new day and I hope Eva continues to improve. Rose will be thorny until this stomach bout is over with, and, knock on wood, so far she has not shown any signs of it...please God let it stay that way!

To all you IP's out there expecting or who already have multiples and have not experienced this yet...be afraid, be very, very afraid.

Next post I will talk about our little Surro India gathering and post picts. For now, I need sleep. I'm not sure who has been more exhausting, sick icky Eva or "GIVE ME ATTENTION NOW" Rose.

Our Budding Scientists and the Painful Side of Gravity

2010-08-16T22:44:00.006-04:00

Everyone who has been to school is familiar with the story of Sir Isaac Newton and his inspirational moment of clarity upon getting bonked on the head with an apple whilst whittling away the time sitting under an apple tree. Our daughters have not yet had the advantage of academic schooling to learn this story, much less the concept of gravity. Yet, they have made multiple discoveries of the power of gravity through minor mishaps such as falling back on their bum, or dropping toys over the stairs, etc.

Yesterday and today, the spawn discovered the true measure and consequence of gravity.

Yesterday, Eva discovered the gravitational differences in regard to weight and size, e.g. her noggin versus her bum. She did this while at the playground with Granny and Mike B. As Mike B. was chasing after Rose, Eva decided that she would rather stop running around in circle pushing the umbrella stroller, and head off towards Daddy. Granny, ever watchful of this budding scientist, was not quick enough in intervening on this new experiment and Eva stumbled and fell and hit the left side of her forehead on the pavement...OUCH! The girl has a big ole noggin that most definitely outweighs her cute little bum, hence is favored by gravity. Granny rushed to comfort and inspect our budding scientist, but to no avail as Eva forced herself free seeking the comfort of Daddy whilst also testing her sonic abilities. Still dazed from the first fall, she stumbled and fell again hitting the opposite side of her forehead on the pavement much to Granny's distress and horror...DOUBLE OUCH!

Granny, while perhaps not as spry as she used to be, is still a veteran when it comes to kids, Grabbing hold of our wounded scientist, Granny whipped off her sock, doused it with the cold water from her water bottle, and gently held it to Eva's head...who was still engaging in her secondary experiment of the day.

Thankfully, Eva is fine. The only evidence, now quickly fading, were two golf ball sized red bumps on each side of her forehead. I couldn't make up my mind if she looked like she was sprouting horns or if she was trying to go as Hell Boy's baby sister (yes, I used to be a part-time comic book geek). Poor Granny was mortified at her grandchild discovering such a painful lesson in gravity on her watch. That's okay Granny...Christmas will be here before you know it.

Today, Rose, not to be outdone, decided it was time for a MUCH bolder experiment. This morning, whilst I was going about my daily morning routine getting breakfast ready for the girls, I heard a big BOOM. My parent instincts had kicked into high gear and I was halfway to her room, bedroom slippers flying off my feet in two different directions, before she implemented phase two of the experiment, testing her sonic abilities under duress. I knew, before I even got to her room, EXACTLY what had happened. To my horror and panic, my child lay on the floor, her bold experiment on gravity a resounding, wood floor knocking success. You think she would have at least aimed for the softer rug!

Not wasting a second, I scooped her up off the floor and made sure she was okay. Her resounding boom and cries upset Eva to no end who also immediately began to cry in her room. Subsequently, I had to pull Eva from her crib to comfort her whilst still comforting Rose. Thankfully, Rose is also alright save for the small bump that pushed up her hair a bit. Lumpy shall be her new nickname.

Just about any parent will tell you that this happens. Rose is no exception to the rule and had been jonezing to get out of her crib this morning as I heard her yelling at me to come get her while I was getting together their omelet. She has gotten more and more adept at climbing, just like Baba was when he was a child. I knew, in the back of my head, that I needed to lower the mattress again to the lowest position...but kept forgetting. This morning, after Aunty came, I lowered the mattress and hope that Rose's discovery of gravity will teach her that she cannot walk on air and perhaps she will be a bit less bold on future experiments.

Eva, thankfully, has not managed to go overboard on her crib. One of the advantages to the Ikea crib is that it s very low to the floor and so is nearly impossible for her to get out of. Eventually, they will both have to be transitioned to a toddler bed, but hopefully that won't happen anytime soon.

To all you current parents and hopeful IPs, let this be a lesson to you. The minute your lovely little baby begins to develop prehensile toes and the uncanny ability to scale walls like a gecko, or even shows a budding talent for it...LOWER THE CRIB MATTRESS! Gravity is inevitable, and so far the only thing able to resist it is generally filled with silicone and costs about 5K.

"Hi, my name is Michael and I'm a..."

2010-08-11T16:44:00.010-04:00

There comes a time in everyone's life where you eventually have to face the ugly truth and admit, in that 12-step program you just joined, "hello, My name is Michael, and I'm a soccer mom."

As I look around the room, my eyes lock with each person, compassion and sadness emmenate from them. You can see the traces of youth that used to vibrantly shine upon their faces, replaced now, by haunting looks of individuals who've signed their youth away at a dealership...not for that cute Mini-coupe, or the Testosterone overloaded Ferrari or Lambroghini, or even the modest convertible...no...the minivan.

These brave souls, once shining beacons of youth, vigor, and exuberance, now sit before/around me in our circle of forced support, resignation in their eyes. Occassionally, a spark is seen in a face, but quick grimaced glares, extinguish this spark deftly, coldly, brutally. Soon the conversation turns to..."What color did you get? Did it have automatic doors and child safety sensors? Yours came with a latch system right?" These questions are asked as a matter of rote, no real interest, no real compassion, all that was wiped away once the pen hit the paper and lifted off at the finish. So powerful, even a mid-life crisis was resigned to merely getting a cool steering wheel cover.

Yes folks, that's right, we have officially entered "soccer momdom." with the purchase of our Toyota Sienna Minivan.

That being said, we did make a last ditch attempt to hold onto what youth we had and got the SE model. It's the "Sports Edition." This basically means it's "sportier." The grill is different, it has larger wheels, sits an inch lower, and the dash is made to look like a sports car...it's all very cool, but, it's still...a minivan. Albeit, a very nice minivan. We had waffled between this and the Ford Flex. I LOVE the Ford Flex...but in the end, practicality won. Not to mention price for the amount of car.

As we lack the proper plumbing to actually be a soccer "mom," we are calling it, and I know it's trite, the Dad mobile. We've had the Dad mobile now for a little over a week. I have to admit, the Sienna is a VERY nice minivan. We love the automatic doors, the space, the back-up camera, and the TURNING RADIUS. Mike B. actually called me from the grocery store parking lot because he was so excited by the extremely tight turn he made with the van...something we could never do with our truck. The girls weren't sure about the new ride at first, but they adjusted quickly once they saw how much more room their fast growing legs had. Eva in particular enjoys the greater room. The bigger windows to look out of is great for them as well. Not to mention when they have a passenger in the 3rd row seat they get entertained.

Now, we have to clean up the truck, get it detailed, and put it on the market. Sniff...we love our truck. It has hauled tons of stuff including ourselves, two cats, a dog, a UHaul trailer from San Antonio, TX to the North Shore of Boston and two little girls for 15 months. By the way...when you have a big truck and a large trailer attached to it, you'd be amazed at how many people get out of your way on the New Jersey turnpike...lol.

As for the girls, they are just growing by leaps and bounds. Rose is saying Eye, Hi, Baba, Dadee, Aunty, Ta Da, and probably other words I haven't heard yet. Eva is a little behind in that department, but physcially, she struts round and climbs things with confidence and no fear...which of course causes a great deal of fear in us! Rose, while verbose, seems to think she can walk on air and needs to be watched like a hawk when on anything above the floor!

As they have gotten older, they have also gotten a lot more active. Weekends now consist of us trying to figure out what to do that will tire them out. So far, anything outdoors that allows them to run around is a good thing. The lake in our town is great, when they have cleaned up all the goose poop. We also took them to their first beach, Nahant beach, earl in the summer. They weren't too keen with the sand at first. Here's some pict of us at the playground.

Baba, Rose, and wicked cool dolphin thingy!

Rose giving Daddy and Eva "The Face"

Granny, Eva, and a very Cool Seahorse Thingy

(I have no idea what these things are actually called if you haven't noticed)

Daddy and Eva

There are also several parks around and, if it's too hot, the mall with the indoor playground. That's only really good early in the morning as later it fills up with other kids and parents who just let their kids run wild whilst they enter into a zombie like state.

Then nap...2 hours if we're lucky.

Then wake, snack, and try and figure out what we can do to exhaust them before dinner, tubby, and bed. YAY! Quite time!

Another development, that has been quite surprising, Eva has begun potty training! She actually will pee in the potty! She completely understands the concept and when you ask her if she want to go pee...she heads to the bathroom where the potty is. I doubt she'll be fully potty trained until she's at least 2, but hey...we'd be thrilled if it were sooner. Rose...ehh...not so much.

Uhm, excuse me...trying to read!

The not so good side of the girls? The green monster and learning to share. As they have gotten older and more and more cognitively aware, they have entered into a stage of strong jealousy. If Rose is on my lap, Eva wants to be on my lap. If Daddy has given Eva a toy, Rose wants the toy, and it doesn't matter that we might have two of the same toy! Over the past week, this has escalated where they are now actually "fighting" and occasionally, one will be put in a time out...aka the crib or playpen until they calm down.

Yet despite this new development, which we know will pass but not soon enough, they do have their many tender moments where they play together in peace and harmony and Barry Manillow fills the air with his dulcit calming sounds...oh CRAP...ROSE! DON'T HIT YOUR SISTER WITH THE SIPPY CUP!

This weekend, we are planning to visit M & D in their new house and we'll get to see Sophie and Daniel. We'll be interested to see how the girls get on with them and to see how big Sophie and Daniel have gotten. They are 3 months older than our girls. Then, next weekend, we will welcome Stephanie, her husband, and Micah to our home as they will be out here for a visit. We're planning to have a little Indian Surrogacy fete as we have also invited M & D, Another Couple just starting the journey, and yet another couple who is several weeks pregnant.

I'm excited about all this. I hope we have a pleasant weekend and I also hope we have cool enough weather so I can get some yard work done without fear of melting...the crab grass is eating wayward poodles again.

So to recap...Joined the Soccer Mom 12-Step program, girls are growing like weeds, Eva is peeing on the potty, visitng friends and having an Indian Surrogacy shindig (okay, more like throwing stuff on the barbie and enjoying a few brewskies). Oh and did I mentions I got a cool steering wheel cover for the minivan?

Now all that's left...PHOTOS!

This is what happens when it's hot out, you fall asleep in the stroller, and Aunty cools you down by rubbing wet hand towels on you...CRAZY HAIR!

Hula girl! E luna!

The Hula photos were taken when Aunty introduced the sprinkler to the girls as a means to cool things off and do something different. They weren't too thrilled, but it was funny to watch.

Eva has discovered the slide and LOVES it.

A Prayer to Benjamin

2010-08-05T20:28:00.002-04:00

As many who read our blog know, I, Mike A. am not a particularly religious man. I have faith, but I do not ascribe to any one religion. That aside, as I read Sam and Phil's blog and the heartbreak they are going through with the loss of their first child and now the possible loss of their second child, I ask that a prayer be sent out by all to them.

I cannot imagine the pain and grief they hae gone through. I cannot imagine the heart wrenching emotional roller coaster ride they are on. Reading their posts, and especially now being a parent, fills me with hope, and then brings me to the brink of tears.

To Sam, Phil, and Benjamin:

Hold on to what is good,
even if it's a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe,
Even if it's a tree that stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do,
Even if it's a long way from here.
Hold on to your life,
Even if it's easier to let go.
Hold on to my hand,
Even if I've gone away from you.

–Pueblo Indian Prayer

The Well of Life

2010-07-14T12:46:00.001-04:00

For those of us on the journey through surrogacy, and especially surrogacy in India, our goal has always been to create life in the form of a child whom we can love and pass on our love and wisdom (and occasionally our not so wise moments). And while we are pursuing this goal, sometimes we lose sight of the world around us and life around us and we need to be reminded to take off our blinders and open our eyes.

For those that have visited India, you know the abject poverty and less than clean conditions that plague that country. Here is your chance to help India and many other countries through an organization called charity: water. Specifically, Rose's God Father has embarked on a project, while in Grad Studies at Harvard, for he and his team to raise $5,000 for charity: water.

charity: water is an organization dedicated to bringing clean water to countries like India, Ethiopia, Uganda, etc. Many of us take our ability to access water for granted. This was especially made clear to Mike and I several months back when a water main break in Boston forced our town, and just about all of Boston and the Greater Boston area, to boil water or buy water. Thankfully, at the time, the girls were already off formula. Nevertheless, having to boil a giant pot of water that we had to then let cool down and use for cooking and cleaning was a major pain in the butt. However, we still had access to water and the means to sanitize it, if necessary, or buy it.

For many people and places, this is not the case. charity: water is trying to remedy this. Water is truly the well of life. Without water, all life, including human life, would not be possible on this planet.

I encourage and ask all our readers and followers to please visit the links provided, and if you can, donate. The links embedded in this post will take you to Rose's God Father's charity: water Website page. You can click the logo to learn more information. Every donation, even if it is not very big, is appreciated and will help Rose's Godfather towards meeting their goal of raising $5000 for charity: water

Many thanks to you all.

Thorny Rose

2010-07-07T21:25:00.003-04:00

Today Rose had her 15 month check-up. Today Rose decided she was going to grow thorns to make sure you suffered along with her. Today Rose decided to wake up at 5:30am and throw Paddington Bear and Pooh Bear overboard and have a mini melt-down until I finally dragged my butt out of bed and got her.

Today Rose decided she was not going to eat like a horse, as she normally does, but rather, she was going to throw her fruit on the floor causing a mine-field to navigate around and clean-up. Today, Rose decided, at the doctor's office, that all the toys in the waiting room were hers and picking her up and going to the examining room was completely unacceptable as there were no toys there...melt down...hey look! A plug!

Today Rose decided that rather than be her normal mellow self with the Doctor, she was going scream at the top of her lungs, piercing Baba's eardrums, when the Doc. came in and said "hi Rose." Today Rose decided to hasten Baba's inevitable journey towards hearing loss (My Dad is nearly deaf as a post now) by following up her piercing cries with the occasional sonic boom emphasis cry that clearly announced she was unhappy with the Doc. looking in her ears, her mouth, her nose, or even just looking at her.

Today Rose decided to incite a riot with her sister in protest of the fact that she had to get two shots and so wasn't feeling that well. This meant that Today, near the end of the day just before dinner, Baba and Daddy contemplated how much they would get for both Children on eBay.

Today is finally over and Baba is exhausted and going to bed and hopes that tomorrow will bring back a non-possessed by the devil, Rose.

Today Rose grew thorns...

We Gotta a New Attitude....

2010-07-03T19:24:00.002-04:00

Ah the memories of my youth come flooding in as the title of this post sings to my disco days...SCARY!

So, obnoxious rayon print shirts out of the way...and yes, Hawaii was always several years behind the curve, my darling husband felt it was time to change-up the look of our blog. So I logged in, after he told me he was changing things and VOILA!

Hope everyone enjoys the new look. Lets us all know what you think!

AMANI IS A MUMMY!

2010-06-29T14:45:00.002-04:00

A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS

go to Amani and her husband Bob on the birth of their son Tobias.

For those that have been following Mike and I form the beginning or even early on, many will know of Amani. She is a prime example of fierce, passionate determination, spunk, and attitude. Of all the people out there doing this journey, Amani's has been a long and often times scary roller coaster ride.

She has been a champion for all in the Surrogacy India world, and despite her sometimes bombastic nature and posts (which I may not always agree with but always find most entertaining), I deeply respect her and am in awe of the fortitude she has shown through some of the most difficult times.

To all out there in the Surrogacy India world...Amani and Bob are proof positive that it can happen. It may not be easy, but if you are determined, there is always a way.

Again...

CONGRATULATIONS!

Mike and Mike

DRUMROLL PLEASE!

2010-06-24T21:23:00.004-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen...if we can have your attention please...WE HAVE A WINNER!

Congratulations to Edward and his husband of Faith to Vishwas!

Now, just so you all know I didn't rig the results on account of the fact that Edward is going to have 3 babies and probably needs all the help he and his hubby can get, below are the results of the Random number generator I used at random.org.

There were a total of 13 comments, but, Amani is in Australia and I had to knock out my comment. So counting from the top down, starting with Coco, Edward is number 3! Now how freaky is that? He and Paul are going to have 3 babies, they can be counted as the third comment, and the random number chosen was 3! Y'all are SOOOOOO screwed! It's like the fates are hammering home the momentous and life changing event that will soon be upon you.

Well gentlemen, again, congratulations! I will be sending an e-mail to the CSN representative and cc you on the correspondence that you are the winner. You will then be contact by him directly via e-mail with your prize.

To all that participated, thank you and don't worry, we'll probably do this again. Now if I were Oprah, you would all get a prize...sadly, my fair complexion, slanty eyes, and lack of gobs of money prevent me from rewarding everyone that participated.

In the meantime, Baba needs sleep because our two little girls have a small cold picked up somewhere along their travels to the playground or the mall play area. This has made them miserable over the past few days (read; no sleep for Baba and Daddy)...poor babies...and it just kills you knowing there is nothing you can really do but wait it out.