Sunday, December 16, 2012

All Things Baby

 
Who doesn't love a good baby update!  (If you follow me on instagram or face book you have probably seen a lot of these picture.)
 
 
About a month ago I asked our PT if she thought the babies might be sitting by Christmas.  She wasn't convinced they we would be independently sitting and would not say yes or no......well....
 
 


There is Jonathan, in what looks like a sitting position.   Now I do have to clarify and little.  He is not exactly sitting, but rather strategically balanced in a sitting position and the picture taken moments before he face planted...but we are so close...so close.....

 


The boys are modeling their outfits that Noni and Nono bought them in China town.  Are they not absolutely adorable? The red on the coats are dragons.  Appropriate since they were born in the year of the dragon.    But my absolute favorite of the entire outfits:


 
 The ponytails.  OMG...does it get better then that?  I think not.



The other new active we discovered and L.O.V.E  is swinging.



When you have twins (or two infants relatively the same age) you can smash them both in the park's baby swing and they act as natural backrest/cushion.  And well Jonathan thought this rocked.  The child never stopped laughing. 

 
This is what David thought about swinging. 

 
 And lastly both the boys giggling.  Hilarious. My sensory seeking boys, loving the swing!

In other news the babies haven't been sick since before Thanksgiving yeah!!  They are now 10 months (6months adjusted age).  We still don't like to sleep through the night, boo.  Solid foods are a no go right now.  They pretty much hate it with a passion but will chew on an empty spoon for hours.  And finally...drum roll....David has 2 front teeth!!  That was all he wanted for Christmas...haha.


Lastly, since we are on the subject of All Things Baby, have you donated to Yana's adoption fund yet?  Did you spread the word for the awesome giveway?  And after my last blog Jeanette came up with a new giveway for bloggers, check it out.  Did you see the new news on Life RearrangedYana has a family.  A family stepped forward to adopt her.  So now is the time to bless this family with your donations because soon she will be home with them, being pushed in swings, and dressed up in pretty dresses.  There will be so many joyous moments for them and their will be the stress of doctor appointments and possibly surgeries.  You can help by donating, large or small, lowing their financial burden making their journey just a little less stressful.

Merry Christmas all!!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Advent Candles Lit Without Incident

The entire Regusci clan with AJ at the forefront lit the two Advent candles at Grace SLO church this morning without incident, reported the SLO Fire Department who were on high alert through the scheduled candle lighting time. The service was allowed to continue without further concern.

 
All the photos: http://JF2.com/121209/
 
 

Lynn and Jamie's Christmas Letter

OK, see we do one, too. You're under no obligation to read it, but there will be an oral exam when next we meet. Click here to get the 2-page PDF.

Touching Youtube Holiday Event

This video is so moving, impressive, and truly beautiful. May this bring holiday joy to everyone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDBSpuPhdE4

God Bless!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Make Christmas Count

My dear sweet friend Jeannett with a heart bigger then anyone can imagine has four kids and blog.  But not just any kids and not just any blog.  One child had heart issues and another child has CP and seizure disorder, all of which is a full time job in itself.  Her blog, Life Rearrange, she uses to do good, lots of good.  To help others in need, to encourage all of us to help even if it is just a little, and all to the glory of God, another full-time job.  She is amazing, and I don't know how she manages to get it all done.  
 
So why a I mention it here? Well she is a talented writer, hilarious and real but mainly because every year at Christmas time she holds a fundraiser for one very special little child. 
 
 A little guy in another country. 
 
 A little guy with Downs Syndrome. 
 
A little guy who will be spending the holidays not in his/her moms arms but in an orphanage.  Alone in their crib, who's cries will go unheard.  This year it's Yana: 

 
 
life rearranged
 

Is she not the cutest thing in world.  The money raised goes into her adoption fund, so that when a family steps up to adopt her their cost will be that much lower.   This means a lot.  This could mean the difference between a family saying yes to Yana or no. 

Adoption is expensive and adopting a child with special needs is just that much more expensive.

We know.  When we said yes to our boys we needed to have $13,000 to our adoption agency with-in months, in all honesty they needed the money right then and there but were willing to work with us.  We wiped out savings, we sold a car and through the generous adoption fund at our Church manage to get the money.

But with a special needs child the financial drain doesn't end there.  Insurance premiums went through the roof, the sheer amount of doctor visits and co-pay after co-pay has nickled and dimed there way to a whole lot.  Oh and a helicopter ride and 3 day stay in the PICU,  yeah financial drain.  We don't know what the future holds for our boys.   Right now it looks like the worst is behind us and we won't be looking at an huge medical expenses but they are still young and the odds are stacked against them so we will see.  This is the truth with any special needs..you don't know.

So I write this as an adopted parent of special needs children, please this Christmas think about donating to Yana's account.  She needs it and her forever family needs it.  They will be eternally grateful for it. 

We are all called to care for the orphan. That can be adoption or it can be helping and supporting those who do adopt.

Will you help support this Christmas? 

If anything please click over to Life Rearranged and read Jeannett's words about Yana and her fundraiser.  And if that is not enough Jeannett is also doing a.m.a.z.i.n.g giveaway

Make Christmas Count this year. 

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Always a Handful Here

A handful of pure, unadulterated, yummy goodness, that is. Here's the image for Nana and Papa's Christmas card...

 
Sometimes nutty, always sweet...
 
L-R: Sam, David, Hannah, AJ (orange), William (yellow), Serafina, Jonathan, Matteo.
 
Here's our Christmas Letter.
 
 

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Parenting in a Fish Bowl

Part of compound living is the feeling of living in a fish bowl or as I see it parenting in a fish bowl.
 

You know that statement that goes something like no one knows what happens behind closed doors.  Well here at the compound we don't have doors that close:

We have revolving ones.

And as much as I love it, and I do love it, I wouldn't change it for the world because those week that Matt is gone all week long on business it means having conversation with an adult and well just seeing someone over four feet.  Priceless.  But it also means that someone is always watching.

And because I am neurotic and want to be perfect..all the time...it makes for an interesting conversation in my head.

Take this week for example, at the beginning of the week I was under the weather and Matt was out of town all I wanted to do was crawl in my bed and watch Christmas movies. All day long with or with out my children their choice.  Forget about dishes, clutter, laundry, they will wait.   But then I realize if I choose this everyone will come in the house and see me being lazy (weather they think that or not my brain goes there).  Plus my parents will come home and ask what I did all day, especially when I offer up toaster waffles for dinner.  And I feel like I have to do something productive.

Then there are the moments that your kids leave you totally dumbfounded and you have no idea how to parent them or you want to implement a new house policy. So you read up on the latest techniques, internet search until your eyes bug out, pin ideas, and come up with a new plan.  You executed said plan and it fails miserably and if you didn't feel like a major fail you then realize that everyone and their brother was watching you and have a suggestion on how to do better next time. Fish bowl

Enter in self imposed need to be perfect, and I can totally stress myself out.  But then I think:  Do fish have these types of debate is their head. "I don't think I am swimming right perhaps that human would prefer if I swam my circles 3/4 of an inch from the top of the water instead of 1 inch.  Do they think my fins look fat when I eat that extra food they put in my water?" 

So I have had to adjust my need to show the world how perfect I am and embrace my life in the fish bowl.  Realize that the world is going to see me parent well and parent horribly not-so-well.  And everyone is going to give me ideas and critic but no one is judging,  just helping.

 And my kids, no mater what will always be loud, crazy and wild, constantly splashing water out of the bowl. 

In the end even though their are lots of opinions that go around, I love our life in the fish bowl because my kids get so many people support them, so many new and different ideas, and so so so much love it is crazy!!! 

And lastly with so many people watching we might just cut down on ER trips.