stuffy noses, stinky diapers and sneaking popcorn!

thats the best way to sum up today...

the twins are getting new teeth, again...they started the day having a hard time pooping, but then had prune juice with their lunch and whole milk in their naptime bottles...so that situation was quickly reversed, thank God!??
and tonight while i was playing mario cart on gamecube with tuscan, cenzo was caught sneaking popcorn off the christmas tree!! he is such a little chunk! apparently it didnt taste very good though because once i said something to him he was quick to start spitting it out...silly boy!

and yes, i did say playing mario cart with tuscan. this weekend he decided that video games were a ton of fun, so we play as a team...i'm the driver and he is the guy on the back seat who throws the banana peels and turtle shells at the people behind us!! and he does really good, its so cute. he gets super excited when we win and even more excited when we get a new box and he has something to throw! what can i say, he is his fathers son! on a more intelligent note, we did end our night with the tv off and a game a memory spread out on the livingroom floor. we currently have our own set of directions for playing, until he gets a better understanding of the game. but its super fun. i love seeing his face light up when he realizes he can make a match and he is getting really good about remembering where certain cards are so he can match them up when he finds the second one. (mandy how nice to know, when you are here in july, we might actually be able to sit some of the kids down to play a game for a few minutes!! - a sigh of relief!!)

i think i can actually say i got a lot done today, or at least in the early part of my day...right now i feel like the house is trashed, but on days i work, by about 4pm i am feeling done for the day, so thats where the housework ends and the mom/kid time is beginning. i am happy to report that recently i have spent much more time playing with my kids and less worrying about my house (well i still worry, but i dont do as much about it) this past year has flown by and i feel like i wasnt even here to live it because i was always feeling to busy...so sometimes the house can wait because the kids never will. but i did get the christmas letters mailed and the christmas dinnerware (paper plates, etc...) purchased for christmas day, 3 loads of laundry put away and i had a inspirational/comforting and reassuring conversation with kelly about breastfeeding/pumping struggles. it is nice to be able to share my baby experiences with someone else finally! i learned so much these last 2 years (3 babies) and its nice to be able to offer the info to someone else who might be able to use it!

our weekend was nice. we went to our parents right from church yesterday and made cookies all day. beth and i got a lot done. i have a double batch of cutouts to frost, but they have to wait till the weekend so i dont eat them all before christmas! (they are my weakness) and i might make oatmeal raisin so the babies have something "healthier" to eat...but we'll see, im starting to run out of time.

and with that, i am off to bed - another 420am wake up and out the door in the morning, followed by a trip to target and a run into kohls...and then home for a day with my boys!!

God Bless the season...

wordle of the week...

i loved my wordle today because it picked up on all 3 of the boys names...and the word diapers...just to appropriate for me!

steps and answers...

today was a big day in our house!! vincenzo took his first 3 steps!!! yeah cenzo! and frank and i were actually both home to witness it....it was so cute and cenzo was so proud of himself! after he landed on his butt we all started clapping for him and then he and matteo were clapping for him too! my little boys are starting to grow up so fast - they have been blowing kisses and waving so well lately, when we feed cenzo he says "ah-yummm" as the spoon is going into his mouth. matteo has a new tooth on the bottom (the first thing he has ever done before cenzo other than be born!) they have been crawling over to hug and kiss us and each other lately. they are just amazing! i love them so much and i am amazed everyday at the bond the two of them share...

we also finally got answers wednesday as to why the babies have had such horrible diaper rash the last two weeks... when frank took them to the doctor he asked about it and the doctor wondered if we had recently started using different diapers....and we had. the twins got a package of target diapers for their birthday (we only ever use huggies or pampers) and the diapers apparently caused the terrible breakout that we had unsuccessfully been trying to treat. so we have since stopped using the diapers, we have been treating it with hydrocortizone several times a day, and just two days later they already look so much better! my poor boys...

so as nice as the idea of using less expensive diapers may seem, they unfortunately dont work well for my boys - so until they are wearing undies i guess huggies and pampers will always be the choice around here!

(note to other moms - if you have never tried target diapers, you may want to avoid them, i have since heard from several other moms this week that they have had the same experience after trying those diapers! weird i know, but really not worth it!) they also arent very absorbant, in comparison, so i guess for me its just worth the few extra cents per diaper... but anyway

its been a long week, and its not over yet - im heading to bed very early tonight so that maybe tomorrow i will have enough energy to finish my christmas letter!

cutout cookie day!

i made a double batch of dough on monday in hopes that at some point this week i would find the time to roll it out and cut it up, preferrably with tuscan - he loves making cookies! and today was the perfect opportunity.

the twins had their one year dr. appt today and frank took them so i could stay home with tuscan and get a few things done - laundry, scrub the carpet and start the cookies...and we did all of that and even made lunch! but only because the dr. appt took longer than expected! but all in all, the boys are in good health, they have been given the clear to start drinking whole milk - which we will only offer in a sippy cup, in hopes that by the time our formula supply is gone, so will be the baby bottles and midnight feedings! vincenzo weighs 21lb 9oz, matteo weighs 21lb 4oz but they are both 30 1/4 inches long. they got 4 shots each today, one being their flu shot and as a result, neither one of them is feeling so good.

but on a happy note, tuscan and i did get the cutouts cut and baked and my mom came over tonight to help us frost them!! it was so much fun...tuscan truly loves when "ma woo" comes over and i love just the simple fact of having my mom around again! so not only was she here to help us decorate the tree but now she has also helped in step 2 of holiday tradition!! she said she doesnt think she has frosted a cutout in over 10 years!! and as a result, she had a lot of pent up creativity to deal with!

cenzo was drooling in anticipation...

while matteo waited patiently!

it was a pretty good night, now i just have to pray that my little boys will fall asleep soundly and stay that way for a while, vincenzo has been pretty restless thus far...poor baby...

meeting baby riley!!

so today was the big day...frank and the kids and i packed up early this morning and headed up to syracuse for the day for the long awaited moment of meeting the newest addition to the rutherford family, baby riley! frank made an amazing lasagna and i put together a plate of cookies...being slightly experienced in the whole "new baby" thing, we sort of have an inkling as to what new parents really appreciate!! and because no one knew whether riley was going to be a girl or a boy, i had gone out shopping the day after she was born and bought a few (just a few) outfits...and her 1st christmas present - her very 1st cabbage patch doll!! considering the fact that kelly and i have known each other since kindergarten, it seemed only appropriate that i get her baby girl a toy from our generation, and this year is the 25th anniversary of cabbage patch!

this is what i would look like as the mom of 4!! my boys loved her, so maybe someday we'll get lucky and be blessed with a little girl to add to the mix!

cenzo couldnt get enough of her...he kept crawling over to me while i was holding her and petting her hair and kissing her on the head, he was overly concerned when she was crying during her diaper changes, he had to peek over kelly's shoulder to make sure the baby was ok!...it was the cutest thing!! but also crazy for me to think that tuscan was only 5 months older than they are right now when i brough matteo and vincenzo home! i dont know how i did it!

matteo enjoyed having someone else to play with him, there were a few times today that he got aunt kelly to "walk" with him and he had the biggest grin on his face everytime.

tuscan was the cutest about the whole thing though. in the car on the way there he kept reminding us that we had to be quiet because the baby was going to be sleeping. then when we got there he was all interested in her swing and wanted her to be in it. he also had a moment of regression and decided to relax in the popysan seat (kelly is borrowing ours, so i guess it looked familiar to him!) but that was only after kicking back on the couch with a bag of wavy lays and a movie! he is such a boy...

it was an awesome day though, it just felt so natural to unload my van full of family into kelly's house, just a week after her baby was born and spend the day with them. kelly and i have been through so much over the years and in the end we always land right where we started - thats what true friendship is all about. i am so grateful to have her in my life and so happy to be able to share in this special time with her. i love you kel, and i am so proud of you!! riley is beautiful and i know you are going to be an amazing mom, i can already see it!! congrats to you and kennie...and may god bless you in everyway!

my wordle of the week....

i think i want to try and remember to do this every monday, just to sum up in a few words all of the previous weeks events...we'll see if i actually do, but enjoy it when i do remember!!

if u click on the picture it will make it bigger and easier for you to read!

i am blessed...

i know thanksgiving was a few days ago already, but it was a slightly crazy weekend...as usual, but in a relaxing sort of way (if that makes any sense!)

thanksgiving was amazing...probably the best holiday we have ever had. it was totally laid back and relaxing, we didnt have an agenda all day, nothing was rushed and everyone truly seemed to enjoy themselves. and of course the meal was outstanding! not that i have ever doubted frank's cooking ability...but this was by far the best thanksgiving meal i have ever eaten! we were all ready to explode by the time we were done with dessert.

and we made sure to get a few traditional thanksgiving pics of the kids before the night was over. sadly i think this might be the last year for the platter pics, the kids just seem a little to big now!!

we also got our tree up thursday night, it looks beautiful!! and it was so nice to share that with my mom. i love having her back in my life again and its nice to be able to include her in the traditions i am starting with my family. i am so excited that she will be over bright and early on christmas morning to share in that time with us too!!

saturday i spent the day at my parents house with the kids. it was nice to go over there without a plan and just hang out. tuscan of course ended up spending the night...i was able to get a double batch of my famous cinnamon chip biscotti made (they turned out soooo good!)

last night i worked 415-815 but when i got home, frank and i spread out on the family room floor with all the kids christmas presents and got them all wrapped while watching one of the most amazing movies we have ever seen, facing the giants...it was made by a church for about $100,000 and has made millions so far. the message in the movie was so uplifting, frank and i cried during most of the movie...i highly recommend it to everyone, especially this time of year. its a great movie to remind us all of what this holiday season is really about!

today was a pretty good day too. tuscan has been a little out of control lately, so we have been trying really hard to tame that down quickly before it becomes to much a routine. he was even sent to his room for a little while today until he decided to stop with the temper tantrum over eating lunch! and it worked, he was only up there about 10-15 minutes before he was totally calmed down and ready to be a part of the family again...

i got a double batch of peanut butter chocolate chip with m&m cookies made...they are also amazing! and i have a double batch of cutout dough chilling in the fridge, hoping my mom will want to come over wednesday and bake them with me and the boys. frank got the lasagna made for tomorrow, we're heading up to syracuse to kelly and kennie's to see baby riley!! i cant wait, im super excited...and i have so many gifts to spoil her with...shopping for girls is so much fun!

and now im off to get things ready for tomorrow. i have to re-wrap riley's present because tuscan decided during his bad boy weekend to not only tear all the paper off, but he tore through the box too...i could have killed him, but oh well...it was kind of funny in the end!! boys will be boys i guess...so tomorrow i get to see what its like to have a girl!! yeah....!

oh yeah...and i have received an answer to a much repeated prayer this weekend...momma beth has offered to take the kids for us the whole day and over night the tuesday after christmas so that frank and i can spend the day together doing whatever!! i know for sure we are going to go see the movie marley and me (if you havent read the book, you should!) and im sure we will end up at mangia for a nice romantic (free) dinner and bottle of wine...but i dont know what else the day will entail, we havent had an opportunity like this in years and we are so looking forward to it!! thanks x's a million in advance momma beth...you're the best!!

i've been tagged (by megan)

this is a picture tag and here is how it works...

Go to your Pictures file

Go to the 5th folder

Open the 5th picture and post it

Tag 5 people when you're done

so here is mine...

and for whatever reason it rotated itself during upload and i can get it to go back straight...so this is what u get!! its cenzo, back in june...what a cutie!

riley addison...

kelly and baby are home safe and sound...what an amazing way to celebrate their first thanksgiving as parents!!

riley is nursing well, after 2 days of some stubborness...she was 20 1/2" at birth...

the new family will be celebrating their thanksgiving with a turkey on saturday and if all is going well me and my crew will be heading up there on tuesday to meet the newest addition...and to shower her in baby girl gifts!!

more on our thanksgiving tomorrow...i want to go spend the evening with my husband before the turkey really kicks in and i fall asleep!!

let it snow, let it snow...

today was one of the best snow falls we have had yet this year...although none of it stuck!! but it was those big fluffy, lake effect snowflakes that we all have grown to love. the ones that truly symbolize the beginning of the holiday season, and what better day than the day before thanksgiving! we were feeling festive today and decided to let tuscan put his little christmas tree up before frank left for work. he was so excited about it and it was such a good reminder as to what the season is really for. growing up christmas was a really big deal in our house, my mom always went totally overboard on gifts, we ended up with everything we ever wanted! and as much as i appreciated it, looking back now, i wish there was more family time and traditions to remember because i could barely tell you what any of the gifts ever were. so anyway, seeing the look on tuscan's face today reminded me why it is so important to start holiday traditions early on because those are the things that are going to grow with our children, the things they will remember and look forward to when they are all grown up.

tomorrow we are having my mom, my brother and his girlfriend over for dinner. as many of you can probably imagine, this is a huge deal for me. for many years my mom and i didnt have much of a relationship and its really only been since right before the twins were born that things truly and sincerely started getting better. in this past year my mom and i have grown closer than i ever imagined we could. i had been very close to her growing up but then decisions she was making really got in the way of that. so this thanksgiving i am more than grateful to have my mom back, a woman who most of my life shown me great strength and now continues to do so. she has over come so many challenges in the past few years and has now finally landed on top! and i am so proud of her. so tomorrow we celebrate her and we have invited her to help us put up and decorate our christmas tree, something she has not had an opportunity to do in quite a few years! this could possibly be one of the best thanksgivings of my life and i am really looking forward to it.

my one prayer for this holiday season is sort of personal, on a selfish level...but its the one thing i cant get off my mind. i am desperate for some time alone with my husband, a real moment to be a husband and wife - to go to a movie (something we havent done in over 3 years), to go out for coffee...to hold hands in the mall. i miss frank so much, more than words can even describe and i feel like i am so detached from him lately because there just isnt enough time for us. we devote so much time to the boys and so much of the remaining time trying to keep the house intact. by the end of the day there just isnt anything left, no time, no energy...we have been so on edge with each other and i hate it, but we just cant seem to figure out how to move past it and it keeps getting pushed aside. and what makes me feel even worse is the fact that he truly has been pretty amazing lately. he's been getting a lot done around the house so that during the day i have a little more time to devote to playing with the kids or reading to them...i know that this is just where our life is right now and that someday it will get easier, but every once in a while we just really need someone to knock on our door and say "hey, im here...ill watch the kids, you two need some time together" even just a chance to go to the grocery store together...anything, i just want some time to be with him, to talk without being interrupted by a crying baby or someone needing to go potty...etc...(bridget, i will for sure be calling you...kids haircuts is such a small price for me to pay in exchange for a night out with frank! you're the best!)

anyway, its jammie time...then bottle and bed, ill back the week up after that, there is lots to write about since last saturday!!