Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet....

Oh wait, this is for my toddlers.... Well, we have been vomit free for over 24 hours, so we ventured out for Halloween! We dressed up our little dragons, and hit the neighborhood! However, before we left, we tried to get a couple of photos of the kids in their costumes. Preston wants nothing to do with sitting still, now that he is walking well, and almost running!

We started off going to Steve's parent's house. Bennett loaded up on candy there, stuffing a ton of it into her plastic pumpkin. They both got to sample a little of it there too, and wanted MORE! We had to bribe them that they could get even more if we left.

So we drove over to some friends who were having a party and enjoyed some delish chili and much needed socialization. After awhile we loaded up the kiddos in the wagon, and hit West Glenwood. It is a crazy fun street on Halloween. All of the homes get into it, and the police shut down the street since there are over a thousand people on it at once (we went there last year too). Bennett hit a couple of houses, but then found the people watching more interesting, and opted to look around instead. Preston kept trying to climb out of the wagon, so we ended up strapping him into a stroller (which he did NOT like)! Not much later, in the midst of the chaos, Bennett became a little scared so we turned around and headed for home.

We got home just in time to pass out some candy to other children, and Bennett loved handing each of the kids a few pieces. We felt guilty for not being there again this year, so we left a bowl full with a note to help themselves. So you can imagine my amazement when we returned home 3 hrs later to a bowl that still had candy in it! Who would have thought? I figured for sure some high school kids (who are too old to be trick or treating) would dump the whole bowl in their pillowcase.

I am happy that I was wrong, and even more happy that the kids were well enough to enjoy this fun holiday. I hope all of you enjoyed your Halloween!

Halloween Parade at School

This morning I sent the kids off to school in their matching dinosaur costumes for their Halloween parade. Though both kids had a rough night and I felt they were on the verge of something, they still went to school. I asked Bennett over and over again if she wanted to stay at home with me, but she insisted on going. I should have followed my gut and made her stay at home, because I got a call around 11:30 that Bennett was asleep at the lunch table and Preston had diarrhea.

As I picked a sleeping Bennett up and carried her out of her classroom, she awoke and puked all over me and the floor of the nursery (and it stunk)! Thankfully I didn't have to clean it up. Both kids took long naps (a sign that something is definitely up), but awoke happy. I tried to feed them, but neither were interested. So I headed to my in-laws (who thankfully agreed to babysit them while Steve and I went to church for a class). They said both acted fine, but just before we left, Preston threw up all over the floor!

I swear, we a have had someone in our house sick for 5 weeks now! I keep thinking that we are rounding the corner, but then something like this happens. If you can, please pray that we get well. Sick kids are NO fun!!

Bedtime Routine

SURPRISE!

Today Myra pulled off a great SURPRISE party for Big Lou! I think he was genuinely surprised, and all of the guests enjoyed visiting with him and everyone else. Myra hosted all of the extended family and friends, more than a 100 of them, for a delicious lunch and even yummier cake!

Sorry for my lack of photos...I was too busy chasing my kiddos around.

After 50 years of marriage....still smiling and happy!

Happy 80th Birthday Papa!

Happy 80th Birthday Papa! This milestone birthday doesn't happen every day, and I certainly hope it is a memorable one! Though I haven't been apart of the Mizerany family all that long, I certainly feel blessed to have such a loving and supportive family.

Grandparents are such an important part of a child's life, and my kids are lucky to have such wonderful ones! Having Steve's parents here in town, allows my kids to spend a lot of time with them, and they love their Mimi and Papa.

Every time I drop off the kids there, Papa comes outside to meet me at the car and Bennett just runs to him so he can carry her. Then they go inside and rock together in his lazyboy...they have their routine. Something else that both kids have in common with their Papa is napping....boy do they like to nap in his arms while he rocks (and sometimes rests his own eyes).

We love you Papa....HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY!

Horsin Around

The past week it has rained EVERY single day, which is the worst thing for a mother of two ACTIVE children with a husband out of town. To top it off, I have been sick! So, let's just say this has been a horrible week.

My saving grace comes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday when I take my kids to mother's day out. However, with Columbus Day this past Monday, there was no "school." I did utilize my in-laws (thank you Papa and Mimi), but for the point of the story I am still going to complain. Then on Wednesday I got a call from the director of the program telling me to come pick up my children because Preston had a fever and Bennett coughed so much she threw up (which really isn't anything out of the usual since she has been doing that since she was a baby, can we say melodramatic).

So as I was getting into the car, I called the pediatrician's office to make an appointment for both of them right then. I am sick of being SICK! Someone has been under the weather in our house for almost a month now, and it is getting real old. Though Steve is only here on the weekends lately, he managed to catch the "cough" Bennett caught from when Preston had croup. He has felt awful, yet has been forced to work 14+ hour days. Since he is so run down, he

will never get better! I always pride myself on never getting sick and having a strong immune system, but I guess after more than 100 coughs in my face, I was bound to catch something.

Both kids were tested for the flu (both were negative), and Bennett was tested for walking pneumonia (also negative), so I guess we are just going to have to suffer through this nasty bug some more. In the meantime, Bennett and I have been using the nebulizer to clear our lungs, and I must admit it is finally starting to work for Bennett (thank goodness)! So after dinner and baths, I let the kids jump on the bed to let out some of that pent up energy. They jumped and jumped until Bennett did a professional wrestling move and purposely jumped on top of Preston. He's a tough little boy, so there were no tears, but mommy can only take so much.

Anyway, Daddy is finally home, and now we are going to focus on hydrating ourselves and getting well. Thankfully the rain is supposed to be moving out tonight, so though the weather will be much cooler (in the 50s), it will be DRY! YIPPEE!!

Potty Training Update

I am happy to say that Bennett is pretty much potty trained! It has been so easy, and I couldn't be happier! I guess she was just ready. After that first tee-tee accident last Saturday at the park, she hasn't had anymore incidents with #1.

However, she had a little more difficulty with #2, and it was hard for us too. Since she doesn't have "regular bowel movements" we just had to wait for her to hide and try and catch it BEFORE she did something. She had accidents in her panties once daily for 4 days in a row, with the last day being yesterday. She was so upset that she poopied in her panties, she almost cried (even though I have never yelled at her during this past week for her accidents). She knew she needed to go in the potty, but we just didn't catch in time. So after that happened I bribed her with candy again, and said that if she went "poopie in the big potty, she would get 2 candies!" Well that was the ticket! She went off to school today and went in their potty all by herself, and then again tonight in our house!

I must say, we are so proud of her! She has been making it through her naptimes without diapers without any problem, and going all by herself during the day (without a lot of reminding from me). She takes off her own clothes, hops up on the potty, half wipes and flushes! She really has become a "big girl" right before our eyes this week! I am anxious for her to start waking up with dry diapers so we can get rid of that nighttime one, too but I am not upset about ONE diaper a day. I will take that any day!

Way to go Bennett!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Today is Steve's birthday, and I am thankful that he is home to spend it with us (he has been traveling quite a bit with work)! Steve, we all love you so much and appreciate all that you do for us everyday. I know you have been working so hard lately, and I hope that you can find some time in the very near future to relax. We look forward to celebrating with you tonight and all weekend!

"I'm a Big Girl Now!"

The past couple of weeks Bennett has been using the toilet regularly to go potty. She takes off her own diaper and hops up onto our tall toilets all by herself. She has been motivated to use the toilet rather than her diaper because I have been rewarding her with candy. It has been working great! I was all set to dedicate next weekend to potty training, but she is really doing well by herself.

This past week she even was asking to use the toilet at school, staying dry all day (unless she is napping). Things have been going so well, that Bennett and I went shopping for "big girl panties" today. She got to choose the panties, and the winners were Tinkerbell and 101 dalmatians. We have been telling her how proud we are of her for using the potty like a big girl, so now she is calling herself a "big girl," so cute.

We had one pair of panties already, so I had dressed her in them this morning for a quick trip to the park. I made her tinkle before we left and then we went on our way. After playing for about 30 minutes I noticed her legs were wet. I asked her if she had gone potty, and she said "yes, I went tee-tee on the rocks mommy." Darn...our first outing without a diaper, and she already had an accident. So we headed home, changed clothes and put on a diaper.

We went to Brian and Shannon's house afterward for Henley's 1st birthday party, and she did great there, asking to use the toilet (but she had the diaper on for back-up). Oh well, I guess we'll try again tomorrow.