Oh where, oh where have I gone?

I know not many of you have noticed, but I haven't blogged in over two weeks. "Why is this?", I've asked myself, and you may ask too.

One answer is that as usual I've been very busy. The twins always keep me busy, and during this stretch I also had the birth of little Murrita now known as Valerie, and multiple other little things not worth mentioning.

The bigger answer is that I just haven't been motivated to log on, and take the time to write about the mundane things occurring in my life, and the not so mundane things that are just too big to put into words (like the birth of Valerie.) I will try to rectify this situation by giving small blurbs on what's happened which I guarantee will not do justice to the actual events.

Nearly two weeks ago Liz was induced, and while this is her and Andreas story (and now little Val's) I feel the need to give a small impression of the events. Liz was a trooper throughout the induction, her blog does not do justice to the amount of pain she went through before getting the epidural, and I assure you it was more than the average labor. After many hours the doctor informed her and Andrea that a C-section was needed so they whisked her off, got Andrea garbed up, and off she went to join Liz. I could only sit outside the OR anxiously waiting, pacing, bouncing, pacing some more until finally I heard Valerie cry. It was the best sound I've ever heard outside of my own childrens' births. Shortly thereafter they wheeled little Val out to take her to the nursery and she was so beautiful, right from the start. I admit I cried, and it would not be the first time Val induced this response in me. I have got that under control now however. I couldn't wait to hold her, but I had to since obviously I was not the parent. Once Liz had been in recovery a while, and Val had warmed up sufficiently, they brought her in. Seeing the three of them together was such a beautiful sight. I wish I could put it into words for you. And finally I got to hold her, and yes I cried. (I swear that's under control now.) The rest of the story is that they are living happily ever after and I can't wait to see her again.

My girls, as per their usual, amuse me and make me laugh all the time. Riley's response to the new baby was, "My baby." That said it all for her. Both of them love giving her kisses, and are fascinated by Liz nursing Val. It seems to have cured them of trying to get me to nurse them - I think that they are thinking it's just for babies now.

Sam did the most amazing thing the other day - she actually performed simple addition. Since just before they turned two we started trying to teach them how to show two with their fingers so when people ask how old they are they could say, "Two" and hold up the appropriate fingers. Sam would hold up two fingers on each hand, and I kept telling her, "That's four. See, two and two is four. One, two, three, four." I never thought this was sinking in, and had no illusions that it would at this young age. Boy was I wrong. When we went to see Liz, Andrea, and Val we were talking about their 4 dogs. Sam pops up with her two fingers on each hand and says, "Two and two is four." I thought it was a fluke, and that she didn't really get it, and I thought no one would ever believe it, but then she repeated it later that day with her Dad. I am so proud. My little mathematician.

I have found out that I don't have just one math genious, but two. Riley has already learned to count to 5 both verbally and using her fingers. Three and four are difficult for her to do, but she loves five. It's so fun to put your whole hand up at the end of counting.

Well this post is long enough, and the rest of the stuff is just not as exciting, so I will let you all move on to other more exciting blogs.