30 Days

Seems to be a magic number. Morgan Spurlock made a whole series that places people in new and challenging situations (think homophobe living with a gay couple) for 30 days. One of J's piano teachers just challenged his class to practice every day without fail for 30 days. I like challenges. On December 1 I will start a 30 day challenge of my own. I think it will be multifaceted and have some more and less important parts. What can you try to do for a month? So far I am thinking daily flossing, downward dogs, no yelling at children. Any ideas?

Life Is Good

After some bumpy times and lots of stress, I have taken a chill pill and I can say that life is good. Sometimes shutting the fuck up and not listening to your own litany of complaints and anxieties is good.Told a tutoring mother to go f*&*^&% herself.  F is away, back tomorrow. F is gone all of next week. Kids are all well. MoJo is behaving well. AleVit is crazy funny. Reports are half way done. I am very behind with both blogs. Looking forward to December. Traditions. Family. Lots of piano practice.

On the what are the babies doing now front...
V does not EVER stop talking. He is constantly mimicking everyone, repeating, scolding, and narrating what he does. "No toques" as he touches. "Baby crying" when anyone cries. "Close it." "Saca." He is exhaustingly funny. A is also talking a lot more but her verbal skills are eclipsed by V's chatterbox mania. Más mañana.

In Cahoots!

J's mouth looks like he is missing teeth because his baby teeth are so small and moving around in there. His top row looks awful. I found a note under his pillow (M's handwriting bien sur) asking the tooth fairy to knock out his top two teeth.  Should I punch them out while he sleeps? I know they want to share the fairy loot!

Mikisa!

Is what V calls música. He likes to point out "canta! baila!" whenever he sees someone (animated or not) doing any of the above. Not only is J loving Mannes and adoring his drumming lessons (I am basically working to pay for music lessons) but M is starting piano lessons today too (not at Mannes). Tío G lent us his huge keyboard (because the living room felt too empty) and now we can practice away. Hurray for music!

A The Brainiac

Every time you ask V if he has pooped he give s short funny "no" that means exactly the opposite. A, being his total opposite, has been telling me that she has caca when she's got nada. She has actually been taking her clothes off and she wanted my help to take her diaper off. A was excited to sit on the potty several times today but has never (neither has V) put anything in the potty. After running around naked for a while, A went to my underwear drawer, grabbed two pairs, and tried to put one on! I offered her some training underwear and she was thrilled. When F took them off and put her diaper on, A was pissed! The underwear over the diapers appeased her and she proudly wore both for the rest of the day!

Back Banter

M watching Moby Dick: There is never nothing to do on a whaling ship!

M to me: How long do you want to live?

Me to J: I don't want to punish you but I will.
J to me: Well, I don't want to be rude but I will.

M watching a dog show on tv: That's a shit-zoo.
Me; Shitsu.
M: Shit-zoo!

J to M touching the digital piano on loan: Get off my piano!
Me: That is not yours.
J: Get off my and (tío) G's piano!

J to grandpa: If you go to a party you will never get a girlfriend because you have little hair.

M to me: You have the given up voice.

J: It is great to be a kid like me. I can get whatever I want when I kiss you.

Learning about careers on Sesame Street J commented: Like karate, that is a career.

M to J: You have a horrible habit of being clumsy on purpose.

Bye Bye Bottles!

While some may say I am almost a year behind, I never listen to the hype about when you HAVE to do something with babies, especially because the advice is constantly changing. My babies loved their bottles and really only used them for morning leche and traveling. So I let them keep them. As with most changes a mother can fret about, they did not care at all when I told them it was bye bye bottles. I proceeded to throw dozens of bottle parts in the garbage (they were all pretty nasty since they are the same ones from birth- I also do not follow the prescription to change the nipples every five minutes). While they could not care less, I felt a twinge of sadness. Chupetes and diapers, both on their way out as well, are all that is left of my babies. I am left with hardly a vestige of babyhood. I hate saying "the twins" so now I am trying "the toddlers" but it may just be AleVit from now on. I think these were the last babies I ever had. In fact, I am pretty sure of it. While having real small babies is a LOT of work, it is also a special special time and I mourn its permanent absence from my life. For those of you with no kids, one kid, two kids, or grown up kids. you probably think I am nuts. I may be. Hence the original blog name 4321crazymamma.Off to teach!

And We're Back!

Feels like I was in a time warp in Philly. I have about a dozen posts in mind but I will keep it snappy and continue to perpetually fall behind with my postings. Philly was perfect. A combination of professional development (for the three cool ice), sport (just the "I do not train but run annual marathons one), and family (we even got to see tía A!!). Kids were well behaved for the most part. MoJo stayed with tía C and AleVit with us. Saturday night they all went to bed late and AleVit was singing!! and laughing like crazy in the car and then in the side by side pack and plays. It was very funny. V can count (or it was a fluke). Looking out the window he said "un carro, otro carro, tres carro." He also said "wakala!" when I changed his diaper and I laughed and explained to F that L, says that for "yuck"- it is a Puerto Rican expression. A day later he said "wakala" again followed by "L dice wakala"- this kid can talk! V projectile vomited on the way there and F and tío G had to deal with that. M groaned and whined liked a maniac for the last 20 minutes of the trip back (V whined almost the entire time- he has a damn whining siren as of late) and later projectile vomited the Naked green machine juice (what could be better?) that she had drunk in the car. Hoping it is just MoVi car sickness and not some other crap (btw M has an ear infection that she self diagnosed last Thursday on the way to the pediatrician). Off to my 2.5 days of school pre Turkey day. Here comes December. Wild!!

Philly

here for a conference. lots to write but oh so tired. this week was hell. happy to be doing something different this weekend. excited to see the famiglia tomorrow. pediatrician yesterday confirmed what we know. v is heavier and shorter (25% for height) than a who is 1.5 inches taller and 1.5 lbs lighter (75% for height). more tomorrow or sunday.

Oh What A Day!

Tuesdays are not that bad. I teach at school. Practice a little piano with J after school and then come home with MoJo. I have a chunk of the afternoon alone with the four kids and then does not happen on any other day. When F comes home on Tuesdays, it's tag, he's it and I am off to tutor. But today was full of glitches and snafus and I wondered if I was on candid camera. During my first period class I went to the computer to turn music on. My email was open and there was a message from the head of school's assistant. The message was in the subject line: WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU IN VC's OFFICE. Apparently there was a meeting to discuss the distribution of the 30K we raised for Hurricane Sandy victims. I am the head of community service but I was not told about it. I was teaching anyway, but looked and felt like an asshole. A little while later the same woman wrote to me to ask if I had/could send the information about the Thanksgiving food chain to the communications woman. This woman started work a few days ago as a maternity sub and I know the real woman in charge left all of the info ready. Why didn't this person contact me directly? Once again, I was doing/had done my job but looked like a dingbat. I decided to do some manual labor. We collected thousands (no joke) of articles of clothing for the hurricane victims that nobody wanted. I thought I would continue my schlep of human size garbage bags to the church up the street. For good measure I took a bag with a million coins as well so I could stop at the bank to make our penultimate deposit for City Harvest. I am already tired just writing this. Well, let's just day that it began to rain, I dropped many coins in a putrid corner and the day only got worse.
Today: finished school 2:30pm, 3-4 tutor on 73 St. back to school to get MoJo. 5pm piano lesson Mannes (85St.). home. bye L. double dinner (babies had eaten), quadruple bath. f home. Tag, he was it. Off to 87 St East to tutor. Need to fold laundry. Need to pack for Philly. Need to sleep. More tomorrow.

Today

M on her earrings: I look totally different now.

J on a sheet entitled: Happiness is (for H week)

swimming, learning new things like science, movie night, driving to Philadelphia!

V's Skills

He is currently serenading himself in the crib with "happy birthday to you." L taught it to him while we took M out for her birthday on Sunday. He counts to three in Spanish, sings "CDE" no matter what part of the ABC's song you are on, and can make about eight different animal noises. He is very funny. And fat. And blonde. You gotta love this guy.

Today's Banter

M on her party: I was feeling very nervous and tense because everyone wanted to sit next to me.

J, as I rinsed him in the shower: I can tell when you are angry because you do things very fast when you are. There is still soap all over me.

J: Does conchita start with a '"c" or a "k"?

M looking at an ad for some crap show entitled "Beauty & The Beast": Why do they take a really good kids movie and turn it into a horror movie?

Me to J: Let's get your swimming teacher a gift. He is so nice to you.
J: No, we get him a gift when it is his birthday.

Me to M: My stomach hurts (I had had Indian)
M: Maybe you are having another baby.
Me: No, but thanks for thinking that. I think the next baby you have will be a cousin.
M: Tía C is too young to have babies. You have to be in your thirties.

And Then She Was Eight...

Today was a whirlwind! We left Alevit at home at 9:30am and headed to the movie theater. 9 wild children, 4 chaperones, 150 lbs of popcorn and a cute flick (Wreck it Ralph - check skipripoplay later for a review). More family and way too long a wait at Brother Jimmy's. 1.5 hours of waiting (no joke) at Claire's to get M's ears pierced (still not sure how I feel about that). Mora family, friends, pizza, chocolate cake. Too many presents. One happy eight year old. Two tired parents.

Don't Grow Anymore!!!

M is asleep in her bed. She put a teddy bear by her head to see if it moves by the time she wakes up (which would indicate that she has grown). She is turning eight and I remember her being born like it was a few months ago. The worst part about eight is that nine comes next and then the double digits. I know she cannot stay little forever but could she try? Could she slow down? Happy (early) birthday Morita Bonita, my first true love!

Recent Banter

M watching Grease: They do not make good movies like this anymore!

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J on the half naked lady in the ad in the cab (wtf with those??): Why is she showing her privates to all of New York City?

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M (still in taxi tv mode): That is the best store.

J: No, they have the best ads, it is not the best store.

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J: Sometimes you are "qué asco".

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M: It's actually upsetting that I have been to see Ms H (lower division director) five times already (in her life).

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J on whether AleVit would go to his school: It is our decision- they are going!

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J: Not (tío) D's age- a grown up!

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J when I asked him to STOP DRUMMINGQ!: I told you 100 times, I will tell you 101 times- I was born this way!

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M or J?: Do magicians tell other magicians their secrets?

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M: Food should be free (I agree).

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M on her party: I want it to be pleasant for everybody.

Wiped!

Wed: school. 73 & Broadway to tutor. Met L & MoJo in the SNOW at Mannes. Piano lesson. Back home (soaked) to see AleVit, make dinner and sauna for babies (so congested). F back, me back out to 87 St & Park to tutor. Walked through a blizzard! Crazy. Today: school, decorated sugar skulls (huge mess!), went to run errands, teach first Spanish class to toddlers at BT. Back up to school. Got farm share and MoJo. Cab home. Steamed babies. A has a fever again. Crap! Out to hurricane benefit at my school. Back home. Tired. Both midgets will stay home. Expensive week of child care. Poor A!

A oh A

Poor A! She had a fever and coxsackie or some shit on Sunday. Stayed home Monday. Could not really eat (sores in mouth). She seemed well (energy back, hitting her brother) and went back to BT today. She was apparently a droopy rag and came back with no voice. Her breathing is labored. I steamed her for 10 minutes, whacking her in the back, but it seems like she has a blob of phlegm in her chest, throat that is hindering her talking and breathing. Where is my feisty lady?

J's Super Taped Note

that he gave me. was for me to mail. to G-d. He told me it was about hurricane Sandy:
G-d. Help New York. J.
Oy. Collateral damage of going to a St. school. Letters to G-d. Then he said:
Add his son too.
His son?
Yeah, Jesus.
Mamma mia!

J Rockin' The Vote!

Election Day Jitters

Did not get to vote yet.
Harlem machines mostly broken. People voting on paper as an "emergency ballot."
What century are we in?
Nervous.
Voting after school.
4 more years!
Please.

J's Mani-Pedi

Me: Come here, your nails are disgusting.
J: Of course they are, I am a vampire.

J: Don't do the pinky (toe), I will not be relaxed.

J: Do not cut my toe nails if they are sharp.
Me: Of course I am going to cut them.
J: I promise I will not do anything with them at school.

You Can Cancel the Marathon But You Cannot Take It Away!

This is how we do it!
Amazing 2.5 hours cheering, giving out food and water and love with Mo, AleVit and tío G! Congratulations to all those who tenaciously ran for a charity, for any cause, for the love of running.

Marathon Nostalgia

If you are looking for some marathon action on this non-marathon Sunday, you can check this out. It was very special, despite the struggles, and I can say (notice the night around us) that we were among the LAST people to run this puppy. Looking forward to cheering next year!

NYC (Marathon)

Whoa. Who ever thought this would be canceled pre-Sandy? NYC history is now going to have another major separator, pre and post Sandy. While I am very sorry to see the marathon canceled, I understand the public's sentiment. I do feel sorry for the thousands of people who invested hundreds of hours training and for the thousands of people who traveled here to participate in this NYC gem. I know this comment makes some people (a friend almost strangled me over the phone) irate, but I do think you can be an empathetic New Yorker and still be sorry to see the race go. I commend Bloomberg for listening to the mounting opposition and for changing his mind, even if he insists (and I do not see why he would lie) that there was not going to be an issue of diverted personnel. After all, like one of my favorite people always says "only asses (donkeys) never change their minds." The greatest race ever will still be great a year from now. We all hope NYC will be fully recovered from the tragic events of the last week, but we all also know that it cannot ever fully be healed and fixed. We are, however, as New Yorkers, and the citizens of this nation in general, incredibly resourceful (both in means and creativity), generous, and most importantly, teeming with solidarity. This combination makes us stronger and better in times of crises than in regular times. May the power come back on for everyone this weekend, and let the recovery push forward.