The Sounds of Silence

I have been waiting for a quiet moment to post, which explains why I haven't posted anything in three days. Did anyone miss me? Lots of exciting things in my mini-world going on!

Victoria ate food that wasn't white!!!

Francesca keeps on eating - everything!

Victoria is really starting to enjoy putting things in her mouth! This was a child who freaked out about having anything near her lips just a month ago.

She really enjoyed the lollipop!! As my kids like to tell everyone, normally I am kind of a weirdo about letting the kids have red food dye, but Victoria gets a waiver!

Victoria does this cute little happy dance with her arms when I get her out of the carseat.

Francesca and Victoria both discovered the dog's water dish. Like I have done with all my kids, I pretty much just let them play in the water bowl until they get tired of it. Otherwise it's just an unending battle of me moving the water dish and them trying to get it. I just don't have that long of an attention span and I know they will win anyway. Does this make me a lazy mom or a practical one?

Finally, a picture of Francesca smiling!

We had some interesting doctors appointments last week. First, we went to the ENT. I brought Anastasia along to "help". Mostly she spilled her water bottle and played on my phone.

Both Francesca and Victoria failed two hearing tests because of fluid in their ears. Apparently, the cleft palate is to blame for this. The muscles of the ear attach to the palate, but since their palates have big valleys in them, the fluid gets stuck in their ears. So, they both need ear tubes. Francesca had so much wax in her ear, the doctor had to suction it out with a mini-vacumn. It took four people to hold her down! The doctor called her a "stinker". They had to close the door so as not to alarm the other children. Of course, as soon as I gave her a cracker, she perked right up.

Then we had an appointment with the hand surgeon. Thank God my wonderful friend, Theresa, took the other kids so I didn't have to trek everyone to the doctors! She actually met me in the parking lot of the doctors and whisked the kids away.Thank you, thank you Theresa!

Memories of Ukraine. I am kind of a slow learner, but maybe someday I will get it together when I go out with the kids.

There was good news and bad news at the hand surgeon. The good news is they think that with splints, Victoria's hands will be very functional. Not so much with Francesca. The doctor said she would need about seven hand surgeries. I had no idea it was so complicated. She will need one surgery just to fix her thumbs. The can only do one side of a finger at a time, otherwise her fingers would have nerve damage. Victoria will also need a surgery on her thumbs, so I will probably have both girls with double casts at the same time. I am trying not to hyperveniliate at the thought of it!

On Sunday, we decided to go to a science museum. There was lots to learn about, but mostly I memorized every detail in all the bathrooms in the vicinity.

Anastasia fell into the mud before we even got into the museum, so she had to wash and blow dry her shoes. And her feet. And her legs. And her shorts.

Francesca was just happy to sit back and eat!

I tried to wash that gray right out of my hair, but instead, I managed to achieve a rather skunk-like stripe, which I had plenty of time to ponder while I waited for everyone in the bathroom.

Catherine panned for gems for about a minute before she threw sand at Francesca, thus ending her turn.

One thing I learned over the weekend is never, ever try to eat Taco Bell while driving a Suburban full of kids. There just aren't enough napkins in the world.


As we were driving home, Catherine pointed out her window and yelled, "Look Mom, I saw Heaven back there!" Well, darn, I wish I would have seen it!!