Let the countdown begin!

To summer vacation that is!

I am so excited that this once-in-a-life-time trip has come together! – Not that Brad, the kids and I won’t ever go back to Greece, but it will probably be many, many years from now to get EVERYONE there at the same time. That includes:

George, Steph, Allison, Evan, Jonathon, Beequee, Emma, Aubrey, Dad AND my mom! Include Brad, Elijah, Athena and myself – wow, we are asking for some crazy times.

It’s also going to be a ‘farewell’ trip for myself before I come home and start looking for a job. See, I will be gone with the kids for about 2 months (Brad, unfortunately will only be able to come for a few weeks during our stay) and then when I get home it’s time to utilize my overpriced education.

We’re also still planning that ‘mini trip” I’ve mentioned earlier. Well my dad has offered to watch the kids while Brad and I go alone. Alone….what does that word even mean when you have kids?!?

My first reaction is NO WAY. I don’t want to be without them. But my rational side starts taking over and when could Brad and I go to Rome alone for a few days?  Probably not any time soon. Initially we were planning on taking the kids and making it a 4 day trip, but I’m sure we could see in 2 days alone what we could in 4 days with the babies. Not to mention the prices are very reasonable so we could splurge on ourselves a little….which is almost as unheard of as “alone” – being able to splurge that is.

Seriously though….even a few days I would miss them. Wouldn’t you?!

He likes to fake laugh now…what a goof!!!

This is the look she gives Elijah most of the time.

He got his second hair cut last week…he looks so handsome doesn’t he?!

She has entered the phase of wanting to stand all the time, and apparently it cracks her up to do so. What a sweet smile!!

Lucky for Elijah and Brad we will be set up with skype over there so they can see each other. Elijah loooooovvves his daddy. I know he’s going to miss him a lot. And I know Brad will binge on PS3 for a few days and then miss his babies like crazy. I really appreciate his sacrifice so I can spend as much time there as I can. He loves me :) and I love him :)

I can’t take my eyes off the pic I just uploaded of Athena. What a cute baby!! And let me tell you, her personality is out of this world! The happiest, smiliest little thing. oooo….makes me wanna get her and snuggle her right now.  I’m not that crazy to disturb a sleeping baby though.

Which by the way, I found out her needs. My family may laugh at me, but she needs to be super swaddled. Elijah had to be swaddled so tight for the first 5 months it was such a challenge to get any sleep – ever – with him. Athena however hates to be swaddled when she’s awake. She gets furious! But if I tuck her little hands away after she’s fallen asleep I will get up once or twice with her. Typically she falls asleep around 9:00 wakes up around 2:00 or 3:00, then maybe at 5:00 and then she’s up for the day around 8:00. So sometimes in an 11 hour stretch I may get up only once.

So, I’m finally getting on a birth control! That may sound crazy, because as some of you may know I am anti-birth control. For a few reasons. Firstly, it makes me insanely bitchy and emotional - really I would only feel normal a few days a month. Secondly, I disapprove of the idea that birth control can preempt a pregnancy because it causes my uterus to shed regardless if there is a fertilized egg or not.

So my prayers were answered when insurance said they’d pay 100% for the IUD Paragard. It is 100% hormone free and is effective by killing sperm before they have a chance to fertilize an egg. Apparently sperm do not like the copper wire  that is wrapped around the funky looking thing….either way, I get it on Tuesday and it is supposed to be 99.9% effective and can stay implanted up to 10 years! Wow! – It also can be removed if we ever decide to try for a 3rd. (HA! that thought is SOO ridiculous right now! 2 is plenty, for now…I guess)

So now I have more free time I will be better at blogging. I mean, that since the kids are a little more regulated in the evening with bedtime I have the luxury of being on the computer without balls or toy trucks flying at mine or Athena’s head :)

So let the Rome planning begin!….