The Owens-Peters Family New Year's Letter: The Better Late than Never Edition
Mike and Suzie continue to follow their wanderlust all over the U.S. and (slightly) abroad. Their most memorable trip this past year was to Arizona. The tingling sensation Mike awoke to halfway through was not a sunburn nor a result of sleeping the wrong way: he had suffered a minor stroke! He wanted to just go to church but Uncle Bob and Aunt Paulette wisely shuffled the Leaning Tower of Piety to the emergency room instead. On the third day, he did not rise but Suzie did finally decide to call Kim and Keri and slowly release the details of what happened. Within 72 hours, Kim was on a plane to Arizona to assist in getting them back home safely. Look for the forthcoming memoir called Stroke of Luck adventures from this trip.
Keri and family are doing well despite living in Fox News country. Keri is now a gym teacher, thus out-lesbianing Kim this year. Dan continues to work as a PTA and was very helpful when Mike got home, so I won't rag on him...this year. Noah is a sophomore and excels both academically AND athletically, leading to further suspicions that he was indeed switched at birth. He is taller than all of us now! Natalie started at the middle school this year and also excels in both areas. She has gone from Swiss Miss to Rapunzel; at this rate, she'll simply need a fancy do for her prom and it can double as her dress.
Sue and Kim got married in a very brief, last minute, Sue-needed-bifocals-and-Kim-has-better-vision-insurance ceremony. Andrew and Cooper started pre-school and continue to be the cosmic payback Kim deserves. A mere snippet of what daily life is like:
Kim: "How about we go to Target this morning?"
Andrew: "How about you get me a babysitter?"
Cooper, after a big drift of snow lands on us at the Farmer's Market:
"SON OF A NUTCRACKER!"
Their biggest adventure in 2015 was a trip to Disney with Nana, PopPops, Natalie and moms. Andrew got to meet many of the princesses and they LOVED him, especially Ariel since he was sporting her tennis shoes. Cooper rode a roller coaster and loved it, which means we'll have to hire an au pere for our next visit because I am getting too old for that shit. I have to admit, it truly was a magical experience....and I only choked a little when I wrote that.
2016 will be huge for our family: Noah turns 16 (stay off the roads, Michigan peeps!), Mom and Dad turn 70, the boys turn 5 and start kindergarten....does anyone else hear "Cats and the Cradle" playing in the background? We hope you're recovering nicely from the holiday season and that 2016 has lots of love, laughter and joy in store for you. If Trump wins, feel free to visit us in Canada! HAPPY 2016!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, January 1, 2016
Sunday, December 23, 2012
The Owens-Peters Family Christmas Letter
'Twas two days before Christmas/And in every room/The scent of Lysol/Hinted at past doom....
Um....Lysol?
Yep. The stomach bug knocked the Owens-Peters family for a loop mere days before Christmas. The ONE thing Andrew and Cooper picked to do at the same time? Get sick at 4:00 am on Wednesday morning, the day Sue had taken off to finish all the Christmas stuff and Kim's last day of class/final push for grading.
After 16 months (yes, the boys are 16 months!), you'd think we'd have the hang of this parenting thing. But no, the learning curve is steep and our new lesson this month: baby germs can knock adults on their ass. Sue got hit driving home from Lansing on Thursday afternoon - I'll spare you the details but let's just say a hefty dry cleaning bill was the end result. Kim got hit later that night. Again, no graphic details but it looks like she won't be eating again until 2013.
And fear not for the boys: they were fine by Wednesday night.
Grammy and Pop-Pops came to our rescue. Again. When they aren't off globe trotting, they are here helping us. Grammy cooks, cleans and plays with the boys. Pop-Pops usually holds one of them until they both fall asleep. Clearly, each one plays to their individual strengths. I can't tell you who is happier when they are together, the boys or Grammy and Pop-Pops. The boys actually cry when they leave sometimes, and though she will never admit it, this pleases Grammy to no end.
Aunt Keri works hard to make sure she is one of their favorite people and it is paying off. Kim and Sue have even left the boys with Aunt Keri on a few rare occasions without going into full blown panic attacks once they walked out the door. (To be fair, this is a bigger issue with Kim than Sue.) But their true love, especially Andrew, is Natalie, the girl with the hair made of sunlight. Andrew smiles ALL THE TIME when cousin Natalie is near. And she is far more helpful than one would expect an 8 year old to be, which is why we think she's really 16. Noah, who will be13(!) in a few weeks, intrigues them. He doesn't venture away from his X-Box very often but when he does, the boys want to be with him. He will surely be teaching them some mad soccer skills next summer. Uncle Dan helps keep the boys fit now that he is a certified PTA. He passed his exam in October. We are expecting free exercise regimens and regular adjustments in the near future.
As we reflect on this past year, we are constantly reminded of a few "truths":
- We are awesome parents simply for surviving. We are not perfect - any hope of that went out the window a LONG time ago - but we do the best we can and we always put the boys first.
- We are the parents we are because of the boys we have. They ARE perfect in every way, even when they won't sleep (and again, this is more on Kim than anyone else). The happiness they bring to all of us cannot be described.
- We are beyond grateful for all of our family and friends who have helped us along the way and continue to do so.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2013!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Um....Lysol?
Yep. The stomach bug knocked the Owens-Peters family for a loop mere days before Christmas. The ONE thing Andrew and Cooper picked to do at the same time? Get sick at 4:00 am on Wednesday morning, the day Sue had taken off to finish all the Christmas stuff and Kim's last day of class/final push for grading.
After 16 months (yes, the boys are 16 months!), you'd think we'd have the hang of this parenting thing. But no, the learning curve is steep and our new lesson this month: baby germs can knock adults on their ass. Sue got hit driving home from Lansing on Thursday afternoon - I'll spare you the details but let's just say a hefty dry cleaning bill was the end result. Kim got hit later that night. Again, no graphic details but it looks like she won't be eating again until 2013.
And fear not for the boys: they were fine by Wednesday night.
Grammy and Pop-Pops came to our rescue. Again. When they aren't off globe trotting, they are here helping us. Grammy cooks, cleans and plays with the boys. Pop-Pops usually holds one of them until they both fall asleep. Clearly, each one plays to their individual strengths. I can't tell you who is happier when they are together, the boys or Grammy and Pop-Pops. The boys actually cry when they leave sometimes, and though she will never admit it, this pleases Grammy to no end.
Aunt Keri works hard to make sure she is one of their favorite people and it is paying off. Kim and Sue have even left the boys with Aunt Keri on a few rare occasions without going into full blown panic attacks once they walked out the door. (To be fair, this is a bigger issue with Kim than Sue.) But their true love, especially Andrew, is Natalie, the girl with the hair made of sunlight. Andrew smiles ALL THE TIME when cousin Natalie is near. And she is far more helpful than one would expect an 8 year old to be, which is why we think she's really 16. Noah, who will be13(!) in a few weeks, intrigues them. He doesn't venture away from his X-Box very often but when he does, the boys want to be with him. He will surely be teaching them some mad soccer skills next summer. Uncle Dan helps keep the boys fit now that he is a certified PTA. He passed his exam in October. We are expecting free exercise regimens and regular adjustments in the near future.
As we reflect on this past year, we are constantly reminded of a few "truths":
- We are awesome parents simply for surviving. We are not perfect - any hope of that went out the window a LONG time ago - but we do the best we can and we always put the boys first.
- We are the parents we are because of the boys we have. They ARE perfect in every way, even when they won't sleep (and again, this is more on Kim than anyone else). The happiness they bring to all of us cannot be described.
- We are beyond grateful for all of our family and friends who have helped us along the way and continue to do so.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2013!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, January 9, 2012
Joys and Challenges
Working a full-time job (professor) and an all-the-time job (MoM - mama of multiples) has turned out to be both exhilarating and difficult, which is why I have been away for so long. Here are a few examples:
Joy: About 6 weeks ago, the boys started sleeping for much longer stretches during the day and at night, often, at least partially, at the same time! This means more time to get stuff done (like catch up on all the tv shows we have missed) and more sleep!
Challenge: This turned out to be a temporary arrangement. We are discovering that as soon as we think we have figured this whole mom thing out, the boys switch it up on us. Frankly, I think they are toying with us. I am fairly certain they are in cahoots to see if we will crack under their ever-changing demands.
Joy: They notice when I am gone and welcome my return with much excitement and adulation. I feel like I have the two cutest groupies every time I walk through the door.
Challenge: They notice when The Saint is gone, and this can cause much grief and sorrow on some days. These are the days when they look upon me with their own version of contempt and disgust, mixed with a tinge of bitter disappointment that they are stuck with me for the day. I wasn't expecting this until they hit 12 or 13; it can be very unnerving when a 4-month old feels that you are beneath him.
Joy: They slowly started on solids!
Challenge: Those solids eventually work their way back out - YUCK!
Joy: They are making the transition to their own room.
Challenge: This is just the first of many steps they will take AWAY from us. I know that is what all children must do but it doesn't make it any less painful.
- The 2nd Mommy
Joy: About 6 weeks ago, the boys started sleeping for much longer stretches during the day and at night, often, at least partially, at the same time! This means more time to get stuff done (like catch up on all the tv shows we have missed) and more sleep!
Challenge: This turned out to be a temporary arrangement. We are discovering that as soon as we think we have figured this whole mom thing out, the boys switch it up on us. Frankly, I think they are toying with us. I am fairly certain they are in cahoots to see if we will crack under their ever-changing demands.
Joy: They notice when I am gone and welcome my return with much excitement and adulation. I feel like I have the two cutest groupies every time I walk through the door.
Challenge: They notice when The Saint is gone, and this can cause much grief and sorrow on some days. These are the days when they look upon me with their own version of contempt and disgust, mixed with a tinge of bitter disappointment that they are stuck with me for the day. I wasn't expecting this until they hit 12 or 13; it can be very unnerving when a 4-month old feels that you are beneath him.
Joy: They slowly started on solids!
Challenge: Those solids eventually work their way back out - YUCK!
Joy: They are making the transition to their own room.
Challenge: This is just the first of many steps they will take AWAY from us. I know that is what all children must do but it doesn't make it any less painful.
- The 2nd Mommy
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Do You See What I See?
How awesome would this be for a Christmas card? This is just one in a series I'd like to use....
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Giving Thanks: An Open Letter to My Boys
Note: Time is relative and I have relatively very little of it. Apologies for my long absence from this blog....
Dear Andrew and Cooper -
Tomorrow we will celebrate your first Thanksgiving, but it will not be the one you will eventually learn about in school. (THAT Thanksgiving is a gross misrepresentation of American history but more on that when you are 2 or 3.) Instead, we will celebrate all the things we are grateful for, a ritual I once thought somewhat trite and cheesy but I guess motherhood makes a bad ass like me soft.
If you were old enough to do so, you'd be giving thanks for the family you were born into. We will have members from both sides with us tomorrow and the only fighting will be to see who gets to hold you the longest. Someday, you might be told that your family is weird or wrong. This is again a gross misrepresentation of reality: your family is different only in that you are loved by so many people.
Mommy (aka The Saint) will be thankful for all the joy you have brought to the household. We were happy before you came, but now we are complete (only not in a treacly, Jerry Maguire way). You made us a family and that is something Mommy has yearned for. She is also grateful for the new tv we will soon purchase because the family room is actually full now...with a family and all the stuff that comes along with the nuclear(ish) unit.
As for me, I am grateful for you for so many reasons:
Dear Andrew and Cooper -
Tomorrow we will celebrate your first Thanksgiving, but it will not be the one you will eventually learn about in school. (THAT Thanksgiving is a gross misrepresentation of American history but more on that when you are 2 or 3.) Instead, we will celebrate all the things we are grateful for, a ritual I once thought somewhat trite and cheesy but I guess motherhood makes a bad ass like me soft.
If you were old enough to do so, you'd be giving thanks for the family you were born into. We will have members from both sides with us tomorrow and the only fighting will be to see who gets to hold you the longest. Someday, you might be told that your family is weird or wrong. This is again a gross misrepresentation of reality: your family is different only in that you are loved by so many people.
Mommy (aka The Saint) will be thankful for all the joy you have brought to the household. We were happy before you came, but now we are complete (only not in a treacly, Jerry Maguire way). You made us a family and that is something Mommy has yearned for. She is also grateful for the new tv we will soon purchase because the family room is actually full now...with a family and all the stuff that comes along with the nuclear(ish) unit.
As for me, I am grateful for you for so many reasons:
- Thank you for reminding me that time is a truly precious commodity. Now that I have so little of it, I have learned to maximize every moment, especially the ones where you are both awake and happy.
- Thank you for the gift of patience. Those 3:00 am feedings have become some of the most quiet and peaceful moments of my day when I can actually remember them. And I have learned to take your cries in stride, even when you both melt down at the same time, because I know they will eventually turn back into coos and smiles. Eventually.
- Thank you for peeing on Pop-Pops a few weeks ago: I am glad I am not the only one who has made that mistake.
- Thank you for sleeping a little longer through the night. I have learned to be grateful for 3 solid hours of sleep but 4 sure does feel nice.
- Thank you for smiling when I come home from work every night. It makes going to work a little easier the next day when I know I have that to look forward to.
- Thank you for letting us take endless pictures of you. We are grateful you were born AFTER film became somewhat obsolete.
- Thank you for reminding both Mommy and me what is really important in life. We have both learned that a spotless house and a pristine yard aren't nearly as fulfilling as baby laughs and snuggle time.
- Even though I agreed to let Mommy put your Green Bay Packer outfits on tomorrow, thank you for secretly being Lions fans with me.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Parenting: Theory vs. Practice - Part 1
As much as I LOVE television, the Saint and I both agreed that we would follow the latest research and not allow the twins to watch television before they were 2.
This promise lasted two months.
Actually, the first few months we were so busy being in loving awe of them, it never crossed our minds to park them in front of the tube. But The Saint went back to work on Wednesday and the promise came to a quick end.
Like three minutes after she left.
So, don't be surprised if you walk by and hear the faint but dreadfully annoying sounds of children's music streaming from our house.
The Backyardigans are our new best friends. They will always be followed by a healthy dose of '80's alternative.
- The 2nd Mommy
This promise lasted two months.
Actually, the first few months we were so busy being in loving awe of them, it never crossed our minds to park them in front of the tube. But The Saint went back to work on Wednesday and the promise came to a quick end.
Like three minutes after she left.
So, don't be surprised if you walk by and hear the faint but dreadfully annoying sounds of children's music streaming from our house.
The Backyardigans are our new best friends. They will always be followed by a healthy dose of '80's alternative.
- The 2nd Mommy
Monday, October 17, 2011
Dammit!
I can't find the blog post that was almost ready to go, so you only get the first line of it:
The house no longer smells of Desitin and despair.
You can fill in the rest for this week. Mama needs a break....
- The 2nd Mommy
The house no longer smells of Desitin and despair.
You can fill in the rest for this week. Mama needs a break....
- The 2nd Mommy
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