Ya Know?

This weekend we took a quick trip to K-town to take the boats out of the water. We had lots of fun, but the kids were also off their regular schedule for the weekend and that's always hard on them after a few days.

They were troopers, though. On Friday night they were up late visiting with Grandma & Grandpa and on Saturday night they were up until 11pm (!) putting on a show for Uncle Mike & Auntie Jenn. I actually couldn't believe they did so well on Saturday night, since they'd already had a late night and crappy naps. But by the time we were ready to leave yesterday afternoon, they'd both had it. We always plan to travel at nap time when possible so they sleep in the car. As we were strapping them in, they were both overdue for naps and were crying. Talia looked over at her little brother wailing away beside her and said pitifully "I know, Brutter. I know." before promptly falling asleep.

Well, even though they have unfit parents that keep them out until all hours of the night, at least they have each other.

Music Lessons and One Wet Dog

Here is Talia, happy as a clam and on her way to her very first music lesson:

However, in the 15 minutes it took us to get to music lessons, she fell asleep and turned into a grumpy bear. I think she actually has the cold her brother has had this past week. She was really timid and seemed scared of the 6 boys in her class - she's the only girl and they were WILD with excitement, but still. Talia has the wild boys at daycare wrapped around her little finger, I totally thought she would jump right on the crazy train. But no. She cried and stayed glued to me for almost the entire lesson. It was very odd, as Talia is typically the most independent 2 year old I've ever met and very rarely wants to be picked up or cuddled, especially when she's out at a program or with other kids.

THANK GOD Declan was happy to lounge in his bucket and watch the show. I almost didn't bring the carseat in - he's now gained enough weight that he's at that stage where he's too heavy to take any distance in the carseat, but when I don't bring it with us, I wish that I had. (And vice versa. You know that stage? Right. I hate it. But it was pouring rain and both kids were asleep when we got there, so it was just easier to pop the seat out of the car and run him into the house.) He even got to have his sucky for the entire 45 minutes - he's down to only having it for naps and bedtime - in an effort to plug up his gross cough, and it worked like a charm. Sick baby? What sick baby?

Anyway, as luke-warm as she was while we were there, she chattered away about the star she made all the way home (Look Mommy! See? See my star? Twinkle! Twinkle!) and when we got home she had to call Grammie, Daddy, and Uncle to tell them all about it. Plus she sang the songs (that she refused to sing at the lesson) and did all the actions (that she refused to do at the lesson) so I guess she picked it up anyway.

Then she had multiple phlegmy coughing fits, cried her way through lunch, and went down for her nap early. My apologies to the wild boys, although Talia was so scared of them she didn't let them come within 4 feet of her, so she probably didn't pass on round 2 of the Great Plague to any of them.

In other news, I made the dogs stay outside for about 1/2 an hour while I was waiting for my friend to drop by because I didn't want them to freak out at the door and wake up my light sleeper, Declan. I felt a little bad because it was still raining, but whatever, if they were smart they would know to wait under the picnic table, a dry spot about 2 feet away from where they usually hang out on the deck. One of them was smart enough to do that. The other one was not. So of course poor Bert smells like a wet dog, which makes me throw up. And bless his little heart, Bert always sticks to me like velcro when I'm sick and tries to lick me better, which just makes me throw up more. Sigh. I think I should crawl into bed with my 2 sick little Rainedrops.

Rub A Dub Dub

...... two big kids in the tub.

Look how delighted Declan is to be in the big boy tub! Look how less than thrilled Talia is! Talia's been begging for months "Brutter coming in bath?" When he finally made his big tub debut the other night, Talia grabbed the cloth and started to drown, I mean, bathe him. She thinks this bathtime duet is super lame since Daddy won't let her wash Declan.

Number Three

I asked Declan what he wanted for his birthday and he said "A baby brother or sister." And since our kids are spoiled, that's what he's getting.

Our third Rainedrop will be here sometime around the end of March. Date to be determined - I think we'll do another c-section, but since the last 2 babies both behaved like preemies at birth and narrowly escaped a stay in the NICU (despite Talia being born right on her due date and Declan only being 6 days early) we haven't decided when exactly that will be.

6 Months of Declan

Since Declan will actually be 7 months on Thursday, I guess I should get around to posting these 6ish month pics! Here are some pictures of Declan with his bear from Uncle Kent & Auntie Chantal.

Newborn Declan:

6 month (and a bit) Declan:

He's doing great and is packing on the weight, hard to believe that it was less than a month ago that we were busy with specialist appointments and researching ways to fatten up this boy. In fact, some old ladies gave me a tsk-tsk in a waiting room today because they thought he was too big and fat for his age!! I just can't win, yo.

Phew!

When I was pregnant with Talia, Rainer and I were plagued with anxiety. Not your regular first-time-parent anxiety, mind you. I mean, we were pretty sure we would figure out the feeding/bathing/changing. After all, as Rainer liked to remind everyone - "People waaaaaaaaay dumber than us have babies all the time."

Anywho. Back to our anxiety. Rainer and I would be hanging out, and suddenly I would be gripped by panic and blurt out to my husband "What are we going to do if the baby isn't funny?" He would look back at me with fear in his eyes and whisper "I don't know. I just don't know."

Fast-forward 2 years. Talia is a non-stop chatterbox who, to our great relief, keeps us in stitches ALL. DAY. LONG. She is actually difficult to discipline at times, because she is hilarious. It is so hard to swallow our grins and giggles and be stern!

The stinker knows she's funny, too. Yesterday as I was trying to get her organized to go out, she kept pretending to fall asleep. (Note to self: now you know just how annoying that always is to Rainer when you do that as soon as he starts talking accounting.) When I told her she needed to smarten up, she rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated with her out-of-touch mother, and said "Mommy, I funny!!!"

Yes, you are, Littlenose. Now, of course, when you're really funny, you don't need to tell people. But let's cut her some slack, she is only two, after all.

Surviving the Great Plague

We at the Raine Drop have just been hit by the Great Plague of 2010. It hasn't lasted terribly long - we're getting better already, actually - but it has knocked us on our collective arse.

Since today was the first day since the weekend that I didn't feel like death was imminent, I finally summoned up the energy to take the kids outside. (The weather is lousy here, so at least we haven't been missing much while we've been sick!)

We started off strong. I set Declan up with some toys to chew on, sitting on a blanky, while Talia amused herself by running all over the yard, looking for "Nernie poop!" Declan took in the backyard and vaguely remembered the great outdoors.

Declan, after trying to follow the puppies as they zoomed past him:

As I went to un-topple Declan, Talia decided that 15 degrees and a kiddie pool full of dirty water from days of wind & rain made for the perfect conditions for swimming.

My little waterbug.

I fished Talia out and told her to go play with her brother.

"Brother! I runnin'!!!"

"Brother! I sleepin'!!!"

At this point it started to rain a bit, but we aren't made of sugar, so it was hoods up and full steam ahead. How is it possible that 2 people that love hats like Rainer and myself have produced an offspring who HATES anything on his cute little head?

Trying to distract Declan from the fact his hood was up, I told Talia to show us her best moves.

"Brother! I readin'!!!"

"Brother! I wheeeeeeeeeeee!!!!"

Even Ernie wasn't impressed.

Then it started to pour, so we came in for reals. Sigh. The good thing is the kids are still sick, so that mere 20 minutes outside zonked them right out. They had an early lunch and were practically begging for naps. The bad thing is Mama is still sick, too, and that 20 minutes nearly killed me. I think I'll go join the McRainer Super Sleepers for a little shut-eye myself.