Early risers may not make it another year!!!

Okay, your own kids can only be so cute. And there is nothing cute about a boy who wakes up around 4:30 AM and fusses for the next 2 hours. I do not know how my wife continues to do it. Quinn just keeps fussing, he really wants to be up and moving. Anyway, today, after Mom handled him for a while and Dad got in a quick shower, the boys hung out. He of course played as if it were the middle of the day. He roamed all over, played with toys, watched traffic from the window (one of his favorites) and then ventured into his sisters room. Undeterred, he started whacking her in the dupah but she kept sleeping. He howled and she just snuggled in deeper. Man, how I wish I could have been her. Finally, the Krakken awoke under a twisted thatch of blonde hair. she was in a good mood though as she smiled at her brother.
When oh, when will they both sleep soundly?? I know in time for me to be old enough that I can no longer sleep at night.

Siblings will always be siblings

In an "awe" moment, I looked over to see my two kids playing so sweetly together as dusk ended. I scrambled for the camera as they quietly sat next to each other playing like angels. I got the camera aimed at them and then through the lens of the camera I saw it, yep, this was not quite as innocent as I had thought. The oldest was very quietly and methodically wrapping the younger with string. Listen closely as you hear when I ask her to refrain from tying him up completely.

A round of applause please

Quinn has decided that climbing onto his sisters bed is not only easy but the center of his life. He climbs right up, grunting the whole way, only to turn around and drop his feet back to the ground and then right back up. He keeps this up until he wears himself out.

Mom found him standing on the bed yesterday, bouncing away. Of course, he shot her that "I am sooooo cute," smile so that he could keep going. Despite of her better judgement she let him keep going for a while.

This morning he decided to combine his new climbing and bouncing skills with the ability to clap. He climbed right up, and clapped like a mad man. He kept it going all morning but we are thinking he may be trying to use his signing and is doing more!?!?!? The video shows off his newest skills all in on clip.

Even one is tough when they don't sleep

Well, we shipped Paige off to Bartlett for a sleep over with the Medendorp's and had just one to get through the night. This is gonna be great, or so we thought. never a wronger word was spoken, is wronger even a word? Sleep will help my English skills, oooh a nap would be great. Anyway, while Paige attempted to keep my sister awake for the night, Quinn kept both his parents awake, well, dad less than Mom but still awake. We still don't know the problem, but he screamed, yes, screamed from 12:30am to after, 1:30am. I will have to ask Mom since I passed out sometime just before 1:30am. He was not a happy camper. Orajel and Tylenol, no effect. Bouncing, nope. Putting him in his bed and standing close sort of worked but it did not last. Mom took him out in the living room to toddle around and dad assaulted his pillow. Sorry Mom.
The report from the Medendorp's is about the same, Paige also spent the middle of night awake. She woke to find herself in a crib and was not too happy. She also went to the bathroom a few times. I guess it's a good thing that my sister has four kids worth of experience, you are the best Auntie Lisa. Anyway, she made it through with Auntie Lisa's help and is having great time playing with her cousin, and did not want to talk to dear old dad on the phone.

The logic of the three year old

Marsha was talking with Paige about saying good bye to GiGi and Paige asked "Mommy, why are you so sad?" Marsha said, "Remember how you were sad when Grandma was going away to Washington, I am missing GiGi the same way." After a little more questioning, we call it the three year old interrogation without the bright light in the eyes, she said to Marsha, "Why are you so sad if GiGi feels better now that she is up in Heaven? Shouldn't you be happy that she isn't sick anymore and she can always see us?" Well said Paige.

Saying goodbye

It was a touching moment as Marsha explain to Paige, who at three and a half hardly showed her understanding, that GiGi had passed and gone to heaven. My wife did an amazing job and it was hard to witness her own sadness, but in Paige's own way she understands. The video clip is about seven hours later, like a scene out of the movies with a Beatles track playing in the background, Paige started a conversation by telling us she had said goodbye to her mommies grandma. This is a moment I will always remember and cherish.

Another Norwegian boards the ship to Valhalla

Mrs. Jane O'Trembiak left us today. We feel sad yet are happy that she was able to go peacefully and without pain. It seems at this point a joke would be more appropriate then sentiment but that damn lady took all the jokes with her. A mother of two, grandmother to two and a GiGi(great grandmother) to five, she will be missed dearly.
What I, as her adopted irish grandson, will remember most is how she absolutely lighted up at the sight of her family(and in-laws as well). She loved her family and relished in the stories of their lives both present and past.
Jane lived. Moreso for others as she required very little for herself. Generous to a fault, opinionated to the max and funnier than anyone else I have ever met. Her laugh was infectious and usually came due to her encyclopedia of jokes stored in her norwegian head. Normally this point Iwould have pointed out that this would be all she had in her head and she would have forgiven me again for being irish. I will miss our banter, he caring regard for my wife ansd kids and her laugh, it meant the world to me to have that in my life.

Soccer kicks butt!!

Daddy and the kids spent the day in Bartlett with the Medendorp clan. Connor was too sick to go to soccer, either Riley's game or his won, but Riley Guy was there and played hard. Team Italy put up a good fight versus a tough team, yes these are Kindergartners, but it's a rough and tumble world out there in the suburban youth soccer leagues!!
Paige was completely entertained by Macy as they played on chairs, chased each other and shared many fruit snacks. Spencer was kinda of a loner for the game, Riley platooned in and out of the game and little Quinn is happy anywhere there is a large supply of balls. Someone just needs to teach him that they all do not belong to him.
We played at the prk afterwards and Quinn managed to not eat any wood chips while Paige consistently found ways to hang upside down to show the word her Hanes!
We went back to Auntie Lisa's and played inside, outside, inside, outside and so on. The best was when they got out the rocket launcher, they eat took turns launching them way into the air. Pretty cool, once again, we grew up with nothing!!
Quick lunch with Uncle Dan and the kids, mmmm quesadillas, yum!!!

Being a bad Dad though it was later learned that I had failed to sunscreen the fair haired children and now Quinn is pink. Oops, hope Mom forgives me for that one.

We took a walk around the block, Paige on a scooter, Macy on a training wheeled bike, Riley on a Razor, Spencer also on a training wheeled bike and Quinn the jogging stroller. Lisa spent the time pushing Macy, the boys rode ahead way too far, I carried a scooter and Paige ran back and forth from boys to us, man that kid has some stamina!!!
Called Mom and confessed the burning of the babe, ate some dinner, played some more and then headed home. Both fell asleep which always makes for a fun Firehouse unloading. Two asleep, Mom out boozing with the girls and I am writing upthe events and then crashing my burned head as well.

2 Bd, 1 Ba meat eating bird

Paige loves to share the knowledge she gleans from cartoons. Although, it is TV, it definitely is not the TV we grew up with. I never got the understanding of how a caterpillar turns to a butterfly much less the vocabulary word, chrysalis, but Paige sure has. Tom just could not catch Jerry, Woody Woodpecker laughed a lot, the Laff-Olympics always were won by the good guys and Underdog was a mild manner paperboy.
Marsha told me just the other day, Paige was watching Diego and was very excited to find that it was the episode about saving the Condors. Well, after watching she shared with her Mommy that she liked the saving of the Condors as it was the same as where we live. Chuckles, not necessary, but certainly understood.

Sioux hits the road

Grandma Sioux is on the road to Bethesda, Maryland for her research study on her melenomas. She got off to a frantic start after having the first flight of the day which meant a 4:30am wake-up. In her exchange at Detroit, there was some confusion as to the connecting flight gate and she did a round trip run through the airport before returning to the same area to get going again. Nothing like a little exercise to keep you awake on a flight.
On arriving to her destination she was abble to jump on the shuttle, albeit an hour long ride, it sure beat driving or a taxi ride. She planned ahead and got a hotel room on the shuttle route to facilitate her arrival and departure better. Her room was not ready when she arrived so she ate lunch to give them time to get it ready. She of course was wiped out from the travel and took a long siesta at the hotel before calling her very concerned Granddaughter, who was unavailable to speak with her. One day done and now for the fun part . . .

Questions in my head

When you ask Paige why she continually asks questions, sometimes even the same on repeatedly, her patented response is, "My brain just keeps thinking them up."
Now that just kills me!
And then last night while picking her up from G&G's she was very upset. She was all but distraught to find out Grandma would be leaving the state of Illinois for a few days. She did not understand why Grandma would leave her. On the way home, she again got upset so we called Grandma and asked her to call us from Washington so that we would miss her less.
When we got home, see was thrilled to see Mom had raided the chocolate bunny aisle at Target!!
She greedily smiled and said, "We could eat thousands of these!!" I bet she could! She has also decided that Easter is her favorite holiday, so far! Let's see what see gets as far as loot at the next holiday!

Quinn prefers to do stairs for daily exercise

Perhaps it is due to the complete lack of stairs for Quinn to use at our condo, but the little man would not leave the stairs at Grandma and Grandpa's for almost thirty minutes!! I helped him turn around and go down feet first, since he has never really had the opportunity to go down stairs before. He handled that like a champ. A little fear as he kept a watchful eye out over his left shoulder. His green corduroy overall were probably the worst pants for him to be in as he barely had feet poking out of them. He got down fairly easily but would not take the turn to get all the way to the basement, he instead reversed ground and went back up. Left the stairs but only momentarily and then went back down. We did this repeatedly. He did venture down to the basement one time but before he got to solid ground he again went back up. He really enjoys climbing and stairs were no match for him on this Easter day!

Easter egg hunt chaos!!

Do you think that Jesus left the cave because the relatives were coming over for Easter dinner??
We all went to Grandma and Grandpa's for Easter. The weather cooperated so the Easter egg hunt in the yard was great, four blondes traipsing everywhere under the direction of the adults! Cayden was the big winner finding an egg leftover from the Keller's hunt the day before, it contained quite a few dollars worth of coins!!! The video is a bit jumpy but it gives you a great idea of the frenzy that was the hunt.

No, no to yes, yes

The best game I play with Quinn is asking him silly questions where I know that he will answer correctly because he only shakes his head NO. Quinn is Paige a serious kid? No, no, no. Quinn is Paige a quite kid? No, no, no. We could go on for days, but the game has now changed. I thought I saw him do it last night, but this morning he clearly shook his head up and down. Yes, is the new No. What out the game has just got interesting?? Ask the question but be prepared for the answer, even he doesn't know what it will be!!!

gimme that spoon!

No school today because of Good Friday, Mommy came down with a terrible head cold so it's me and the little ones fending for ourselves at breakfast. Paige has gone zombie with the cartoons on Noggin and Quinn and I sit down to a man to man breakfast. I mix up some great carrot juice and mixed grains cereal, umm yummy! While attempting to give him the first spoonful of the delicious fare, when the little man reaches out and tries to take the spoon from me. I avoided the grasp and got the food in without incident. The next spoonful was when I decided to allow him to take over, went straight to his right cheek, smutzed!!! When he released his grip i swiped him clean and then loaded up the spoon again, and this time he hit the mark! We finished the bowl with him taking the spoon from me and putting it in his own mouth. Not bad for a beginner! check out the video clip of him getting it done. I apologize for the camera work.

Aaahhhhhh sleeeep!

That's right, a parent of a 10 month old talking about sleep! He has done it ladies and gentlemen, Quinn has made it two nights in a row, sleeping from 9ish to 6ish!!! That represents quite a feat and has made his parents very proud and rested, for the most part.

Is it private or public???

I just love that my kids can always make me laugh. Paige informed me tonight that underwear is "kind of private thing." I certainly cannot argue with the logic of a three year old. While we prepped her for bed, the little man was eating some late night grub with Mom, listening to some Sam I Am soundtrack. Now use your imagination as I tell you that during Strawberry Fields the little dude listened intently and when the refrain came a rockin, he started bobbing in his chair to the beat. I think I got a little video of it, so check it out. Looks like he is a Beatles fan!!!
And once again book time with Paige is a trip as she likes to point out to me that she does not understand how a flightly fairy can fall off the cliff when she has wings?!?!? Why doesn't she fly, she asks? How am I supposed to know, I am just an adult!

Momma, no, Dadda, no, Momma, no, Dadda

The little guys just cannot decide. Is he a momma's boy or daddy's sidekick. Yesterday he was a total daddy's dude, crying when I left the room and screaming when I entered. After, a trip to the gym for a home volleyball match, Mom fed him some bananas just before she got him cackling!! Dad read him his requisite 20 or so books and he drifted off to sleep until . . . wait for it . . . almost 5:30am!!! Mom is thinking about a banana before bed from now on!!!

GiGi Jane of the jungle

Grandma and Grandpa took Paige with on their latest visit to GiGi and the Sophie room. They took Easter eggs for all. GiGi was feeling quite nauseous all day and was not doing so well. There was talk of an enema and that is were I lost track of any other updates.

Recently, Sue's cousin Keith has added some footage from film to youtube and added some voice over and music. It is quite a unique peek into life as a member of the Michaels clan, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/RobertNelsonMichaels

Long blonde hair

On Saturday, the princess received her thrid haircut in her short life. We could not pinpoint the last day but we know it was before Marsha was even pregnant with Quinn and we know it was warm out because of the photo Marsha took of her haircut and the dress she is sporting.

Peeking at peekaboo

Quinn loves to have books read to him just like Paige. He is pretty picky about which books but his favorites are the peekaboo books. He is so involved that even before you can open the flap, he leans to peek around the flap to see what is coming! No sneaking up a peekaboo on this kid!
He also loves the Baby Faces book. You can see his eyes travel from the left page to the right and then back to the left page, he watches each of the faces and then when you get to the crying and laughing faces his gets excited and grins ear to ear at the laughing baby face. It is so cute and he does it every time, even if you repeated do the baby faces book.

GiGi Jane

Yesterday she went to physical therapy and "walked" between 2 parallel bars. No shoes though, although she has them. She met some people from the previous time she was there.

She's eating better. Sue even brought her an ice cream bar for a treat.

Her bladder continues to give her pain and the nurse was going to test her urine. She was tired last night because she couldn't sleep because of her bladder, but she was alert and dressed.

Assume the position!

Quinn new move is when he is tired or doesn,t want to be put down, he goes right into downward dog!! Note to self, speak to grandma about teaching yoga to the little man. For those of you unfamiliar with yoga, the position calls for you to place your feet and hands on the floor with your hips at the highest point towards the sky, elbows and knees lockewd straight. Picture the 10 month old holding that position!

To nap is human . . . or something like that.

We have been having to forego naps for Paige, because of Marsha having to be at OPRF for vball practice. Paige falls in that category of naps are necessary type of person. So today, after battles over her sassy tone, hitting and refusing to anything she is asked, we finally got her fed and dressed so we could get her to the mall for a hair cut, only her thrid ever. Sure enough, within three minutes, "Can I take a nap, I'm tired."And almost before the response could be give, out like a light.
Change of plans! Daddy now gets to drive around until Quinn goes down for the countn while Mommy runs into the store. Call to move her haircut back and wait with a LARGE coffee for the naps and shopping to end. Boy is Daddy glad her went for the blackberry!

Precious Moments

In the ride from dinner to grandma and grandpas Paige was talking to her brother Quinn when she said, "Quinn your my bestest buddy, bud, bud, buddy." Let's all say it together . . .aaawwwwwww!

Sweet dreams!?!?

While Mommy read a Dora book that plays music the sleeping Quinn was doing hip thrusts to the tunes! He loves to bop up and down whenever music plays but while he sleeps?! Can you imagine the dreams?

A long visit with GiGi

After a awful bus ride I drove to HH to join Marsha and little man on a trip to see GiGi. We took grandpa with us since grandma had taken Paige to her tennis match. We arrived to see GiGi as she shares a room with two ladies named Sophie. GiGi and I both thought the same thing, see is rooming in Sophie's Choice, sorry about the bad humor. She looked weak but her eyes tell you that she was very to see her family. She had been visited by her former next door neighbor Jack, just before we arrived.
We talked, Dad futzed with everything, constantly arranging things. I had to sit because was asleep and is such a lug. GiGi introduced us to her nurses. She is still hard to hear but was able to tell us a dirty joke; what is the difference between an oral and anal thermometer? THE TASTE, ewwww!
We got sometime to talk seriously, she did her best to make us cry. Marsha was able to remove her rings as she gave directions as to how we were to melt them down and make rings and such for the kids.
She left us with teary eyes as we said goodbye, Mom and Dad stayed to help her eat her dinner. Paige gave her a "Bye, Charlie Tuna.". Paige rally loves her GiGi and loves to watch the youtube clip of her and Grandpa Martin.

now thatks a lexicon

Grandpa told a story of Paige's adventures in Hickory Hills: while playing with the tricycles, Paige lined up all the bikes and when grandpa asked what she was doing, she replied, "I am comparing them."
Once again, I'm scared!!

what to do on a Saturday

Dad is off to a volleyball tournament and Mom is shopping the resale circuit, so it's grandma and grandpa to the rescue. Grandma wathced some cartoons with the princess while Grandpa bellied up to the table for breakfast with little man.
Mom made it home to pack the kids and the grandparents up to go to the LaGrange Park easter egg hunt(details to follow) and then off to Hickory Hills to wait for Dad.

Alarm clocks, we don't need no stinkin' alarm clocks

What did we do to deserve early rising children? I kept them up past their bedtime, why does this not pay off in a sleeping in set of kids? First, Quinn awakes at 4:25. Why you ask? I WISH I KNEW!?!? Poor Marsha, a all too long night at the Dirty Sock and a crying baby two hours later. Then, Paige awakes before seven. She is easy being a cartoon/TV zombie first thing in the morning, but he wants to get moving. Marsha got him to sleep again but he was up by 7am and off he goes, all over the house, what a motor.
I hope their mother got a nap!

Finding your kid in the masses?!?!

Quinn has the most unique facial feature I think I have ever seen on a kid. On the right side of his little nose he gets a little pen point size divot when he breathes hard. It is there for just a bit and then it's gone. Strange but completely unique to thelittle man!

The Blonde has a remarkable brain.

Dinner with the family was great, both kids eat well and vegetables are no problem. I was telling Marsha that I am glad that temperature is not a roadblock either, it certainly saves us when we do those meals on the run.
Marsha told me that today while talking about the cousins returning on their airplane flight from florida that her and Paige had a discussion about airplanes and pilots when Paige asked, "Mommy, whose is that girls who lives next to Sarah and Marilyn?"
Marsha responded, "That is Bridie . . ." and before she could get any further, Paige say, "Her mommy and daddy are pilots." And wouldn't you know it, although we have not seen or spoken to Bridie and her mom in almost three months, Paige recalled the fact that Bridie's parents are pilots. not sneaking naything past this blonde!!!

It is sad, but we have to consider that Quinn Martin may never really remember his GiGi. She has recently been readmitted to Manor Care where she is under care to keep her comfortable but no heroic measures are to be taken on her behalf. She is no experiencing a problem with her kidneys and is refusing to take part in dialysis. Mom and Dad said she had a great day on Wed 4/1 as she arrived, but we know from the past weeks that is may only be temporary. She is constantly in our thoughts.

First Entry to the online baby books for Paige and Quinn

Well, Paige Rae is 3 years 5 months and Quinn Martin is now 7 days shy of his 10 month. I cannot believe how fast they are growing! Paige is a three yoear old going on twelve and Quinn is half monkey.
Paige likes rto listen very closely to the words and phrases everyone uses and then on a whim hits you with the likes of, "Mommy, you stinky breath has lots of bacteria." She blows us away as she whips out all sorts of questions. When we ask her why she has so many questions, she replies, "My brain just keeps thinking them up!"
Quinn is past the time when his sister started walking ( a week before her 9month), but has surpassed her int he scaling department. Just the other day he found that climbing up and over the arm of Paige's sofa was too easy so he proceeded to push his toy piano over to the leather armchair, climb up the piano and onto the armchair and then scaled the back of the armchair to get onto the top of the back, roughly three and a half feet of the ground, all so he could reach the thermostat. It must have been really interesting to look at!?!?!
We both hope that we will survive them, they keep us moving constantly as does work, volleyball and everything else.