M on Packing

I told both kids (who behaved HORRIBLY today) to pack their toys/books for Mystic. We are off tomorrow am. Before going to bed M inquired in a worried fashion, "Wait, did you pack clothes for me because I only packed books and toys?"

M on Communication

Maybe I should get a phone in my room so I can call people whenever I want.

In An Hour or So

F is back. Day from hello. J has an ear infection. Waited forever at the dr. Why can't the pharmacy give you the damn antibiotics right away? Lots of crying and very little sleeping so far from bebés. Need to pack. Need to finish the damn catalog. AAHHHH

M's Comments

I feel like I turned 20 yesterday.
Why?
I just feel so old.
____
When I am a teenager can I teenage speak?
___
(about a book she had not read in a while) I took my mind right off it. I have to finish it by April 5. I better hurry.

Today Was

the day that I realized that I can do it on my own (with help). Of course this is due in part to the "light at the end of the tunnel" as F will be back in 40 hours. Morning yoga was welcome after a tumultuous am with J. He really misses his father and is behaving like shit. Only two other mothers showed up to yoga and my babies were quite calm and even hung out awake so that I did some yoga. MoJo spent am with a sitter at the museum and lunch and J continued to act up with her. M commented on (S, the sitter): First I thought I liked her but then I realized that she is bossy like you so I do not like her. Too many bosses. When I told her that she was an adult and had to listen to her M said: Only you and papi can be bossy to me. Oh well. The afternoon was full of tv and music and for bed/bath time we had J's favorite BT teacher come over to help. Now they are all 4 down (not sure how last babies will last). I could and should work on the perennial catalog but I will not. I will bravely attempt bedtime at 10:41 and hope that AleVit agrees that it is time to sleeeep.

J's Lingo

Today he asked his baby brother, once he set up a "tent" of pillows : you cuntable?  I guess i will leave you alone because you are cuntable.
He asked me to play "strong rock" and we rocked out a LOT (amazing how many lyrics are in his little head)
He also commented as we watched rock videos: I do not want a beard or smushtash.
Not in his lingo but on his agenda today was inserting a minuscule action figure sword into A's mouth as she slept&#%@$!

M's Bedtime Performance

Can you see my pimples?  She asks. She has a few red marks on her face so I say "Oh, it is a rash not pimples."
Silly me. She is holding a towel over her torso and she is asking me about her nipples. I say no and she proceeds to do a crazy dance.
She explains.. I am practicing a dance.  This makes people dying to have a sleepover with me; they are pleading to have a play date or a sleepover with me. People like Caroline are a non-exclusive.
What?
It means that you are almost in the club but you are not getting the thing in the club yet.

Aids Walk New York Time!

As I train for walking #$@&^% the NYC marathon in just over 200 days.. I thought I would throw in the Aids Walk, which I have done almost religiously since the 8th grade. Click here to sponsor me. I set a modest goal of $1,000 because the real whammy will be when I start fundraising this summer for Team For Kids. You really should. Do it now. If you want to join me for the walk that would be great too. But an easier way to help and to feel good is to sponsor me AHORA- do not delay. Danke, Spasiva, arigato..

The Rhythm, The Flow, The Je Ne Sais Qua

All of the above was missing yesterday where every moment seemed like an emergency. Today babies napped abundantly, children behaved, time went by fast. Aaahh. I wonder if the day sleeping will bite me in the ass tonight. I do not think so as usually when my kids sleep a lot, the more they sleep. Could be a growth spurt. M is out getting her hair cut with her tía S. Babies are downstairs with P, the trusty babysitter. J is in the tub. Had a long phone meeting about the auction, feel better about that. Would like to be done with the catalog by Friday. My only negative thought is.. why is it that EVERY time I leave a baby with anyone there is wasted milk (melted bag, wrong top, defrosted too much). It makes me CRAZY! I HATE PUMPING in case you did not know. But I have to let it go. Baby steps of accepting that I am a maniac and everything cannot be done precisely as I want always. Anyway, off to EAT something else even though I inhaled a croissant (good pm snack). The pounds keep slowly melting. I am going to be shocked when I can no longer eat this way...

J's Insights

When I told him that Z loved babysitting him...
Because we are good behaviors.

When M threw a tantrum and a phone at me...
I am not saying she is just cuckoo. She is also rude too.

Shower Genius

F always says that whoever invented the shower (and the mattress) is a genius and I never really thought much of it until just now. Hottest best shower in recent history for me. I may not look great today, but I now feel much better. Was trying to be super productive and pump post shower but the jig is up. A is crying. The circus continues.

Sunday Sunday

Today was loooong. A real taste of what being a single mother of four would entail. We had a morning visit from abuela and an evening one from grandpa. In the pm I went out with the bebés to pound the pavement for auction donations. Even with the aforementioned "breaks" from me alone with four, it was long. Babies did not shut their eyes for more than two minutes until 1pm. Lots of juggling of eating, diapers, soothing. I am nervous that I am not treating my back well. I do not have time to go to the gym and I do not motivate to do exercises on my own. I will get on that. Calling for a PT appt tomorrow. I should consider washing my hair before it falls out as well. I hope J is all better tomorrow and that some of the over half a dozen establishments I visited or revisited today donate something, anything, tomorrow. I need to wrap up the catalog so I can work on the bid sheets and other details. I cannot wait for the weekend when we go to Mystic. A well deserved break that will be. Off to (maybe) shower and to (hopefully) film blog before hitting la camita. Oh, that is if A decides to fall asleep before my left foot (that I am rocking her with) falls off. Bonne nuit. 88 hours to go yo yo.

100 Hours To Go...

J still sick but no fever. Netflix streaming AND regular TV do not work. Neither twin will nap. Too cold for J to go out. Things could be better but they could be worse too.

J Today..

A sick boy cannot have a rock band (aw).
He said I love you at bedtime and I said: I love you more, to which he responded "I love you China."
When I asked him if he felt better he said " I am half normal and half sick."
I hope he is all well tomorrow so he can go out for some fun!

F's Latest Creation

F whipped this pear perfection up as a parting gift before leaving for Italia. Too bad most of it will end up on my derriere. F is offering a scrumptious donation to the auction- he will come to your house and make fresh pasta and one of his fruit tarts right before your eyes. Let the bidding begin!

Currently...

M is reading book 3 of the Judy Moody series to a captivated V in his rocking chair. He really is listening. I am ashamed to say that M has read more books this month (big print but novels all the same!) than I have in the last year. A is asleep in the sling (if she is not in the stroller on the streets with the wind in her hair she has to be on me to sleep) and poor J is sick as a dog asleep in his bed. He has a fever, diarrhea, a bad cough and cold. M left him the following note next to him for when he wakes up:
Page 1: cold (check mark with sad face)
            fever (same)
Page 2: Diarrhea cha cha cha. When you are sliding into first and you feel something burst. Diarrhea cha            cha cha.
Page 3: I am sorry you are sick. Feel better. Love, M
F is leaving for the airport in under 2 hours. Hmmm. I think we have a situation.

Heads

We Epsteins, at least my father and I, are known for our "important" sized heads. Recently we noticed that V takes after me and A has a modest sized (aka normal) head. M told me she can tell my sister and I apart in the dark from the size of our heads. J looked and C and I and concluded the same thing: You two look the same but my mother has a fat head. I like how M put it best: We do not have big heads, papi just has a small one. She also recently commented that she wished she had one more eye, one more arm, and one more leg "you get more stuff done." My sentiments exactly.

10!

Went to bed at 11pm. First monkey up at 6:05am !!!!!! second at 6:35am!!!!!! Both ate in 12 minutes and then back to sleep (I think the speed of the meal was directly related to the fire hydrant nature of the milk dispensing system- lots of flow from built up pressure!)Will probably not happen again but I can dream no? I am off to do my weekly walk in the park and to prepare myself psychologically for what lies ahead. F is leaving at 3 today until 3pm on Thurs. 24 hours times 5 days equals 120 hours. Almost like James Franco stuck on that mountain, but with food, water, and cuter kids.

Some Days..

This is my theme today. Hard to be productive when twins tag team for crying and sleeping to make sure there are nevermore than 90 seconds of peace. Unless of course you are trapped under two sleeping babies, one in a sling and the other on your breast. Then there is peace but no mobility so still tricky to fold laundry, pump milk for your evening outing or to work on the catalog. I am currently pumping, a favorite pass time while I blog, as T takes care of 3 out 4 monkeys downstairs. Thank you T & M for your brave endeavor this evening, which will either propel you towards or away from parenthood! Off to enjoy my second and last film at New Directors New Films. Hey, two films with 4 kids is not that bad. A dopo!

Milk Production Stats

I was doing the math and I realized... if each baby drinks an average of 20 oz per day (they do) and they have been alive for 44 days (they have). I have produced approximately 1,760 ounces of milk (also known as 52 liters or 110 lbs). It is no wonder that I am hungry as a horse and always attached to a baby. Will I be able to keep up? They keep increasing their appetite but I am lazy to pump at night now so.. I may fall behind. Especially with the stockpiling. Which I should be doing obsessively for when I go back to work. They will reach their peek milk consumption at about 4 months before they can start food. I am less than half way there. AAAHHHHH.