Give her a double scoop too please!

And maybe her too:

I guess I'll go there...

...because when have I ever said "no" to sharing my opinion. LOL! And, yes, I am referring to the Jon & Kate saga. Not that anyone should care but just because I do. As a mother of multiples, on a much smaller scale, I can certainly understand the up's and down's a marriage will face with the birth of an 'instant family' of more than a single child. Its my belief that ANY child is a change in a marriage and a relationship but when your blessing is multiplied, the issues that arise are raised exponentially.

If you watch Jon & Kate at all, then you will know what I am talking about. The other night they announced their plans to seperate and later an addition from the production team scrolled onto screen that they had filed for a legal divorce. Now, I am not 'pro-divorce' but I am pro-peace. If they cannot or will not get help or reconcile PEACEFULLY or cannot keep peace in their household for their children, then how is staying married and being completely dysfunctional helping those 8 darling kids? How is fighting and arguing in front of you children showing them a better family model than two happily seperated parents?

I think Jon & Kate have both been receiving a lot of flack for seperating and continuing thes how from some 'holier than thou' critics- most of whom have never had multiples and have never been through the amount of major life changes that these two have...and in such a short period of time, I might add. Think about it- in their 10 years of marriage they have had 2 sets of multiples (that's 8 children in 10 years), 2 high risk pregnancies, 2 sets of preemie babies, fertility treatments and infertility struggles, loss of jobs, high medical bills and financial worries, moved homes twice, been on television, wrote or co-wrote books, started a HUGE national enterprise company branding themselves as international icons...NO ONE can go through that many life changes and remain the same person they once were.

I dont try to defend Kate or her behavior but I can certainly understand how it gets to where it was. I can understand how you snap at someone when the safety of your children is at stake (out in public and you cannot take care of all your children yourself like a normal mother can). I can see how she could lose her cool. Its not always right but its a normal reaction to a HUGE life changing event. I can understand her using her fame to make an income for her family and children. I can understand that. Wouldn't we all be cashing those checks? I think we would! Preach what you may, critics, but I can almost guarantee that any person with 8 children to support and raise would have LOVED to have the income Kate has brought in with her show and books. Jon certainly had no problem spending the money.

In my opinion Jon seems to have totally cashed out. He is wearing earrings. He bought an OCC chopper bike, he was totally vacant for the little kids birthday except to zip in driving a SPORTS CAR. He is on vacation alone a lot. In his interview the other night he said he was "excited" about the seperation and "only 32" and "ready to take things one day at a time". Can we say MID-LIFE CRISIS, Jon? I dont mean to vilianize him at all. Not my intention but my bottom line with Jon is that if he really had issues with Kate and they way she treated him, he should have confronted her years ago and handled it appropriately. By putting up with it to the snapping point, he is just as guilty in my mind. Enabling a poor behavior is just as bad to me as doing the behavior.

Now, having re-read what I wrote, it sounds very one sided and 'anti-Jon Gosselin' but I really dont see things so black and white. I am sure there have been some misgivings on both parts...I can only base my opinion what I see and hear from their interviews. To that end, I leave you with this...my REAL and honest to Goodness belief on this situtation and all marriages for that matter: YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT GOES ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

I have been so busy...

that my blog has gone totally neglected.

Ok, updates...Parker's leg x-rays were totally normal and she sees Shriner's in August. She is currently doing 6 weeks of Physical Therapy because she has some weak muscle issues we are working to resolve. Little peanut! She is only in the 3rd percentile for growth and at almost 20 months old is 22 lbs. LOL! :) Tiny munchkin!

We started swimming lessons today and just as we suspected, they are not afraid of ANYTHING. They are going under water all the time, blowing bubbles and 'kicking' on a kickboard. Little fishies!

I have totally not started potty training at all. They know where their potties are and know to flush, etc. We do a lot of mock potty time and sitting on them before bath time, but mostly, they just play pretend potty. I have not had the energy to pursue it 100% yet and with swim lessons, I want to be consistent and I dont know logistically how to do that when we are gone 4 days a week over the next couple of weeks. Maybe after the 4th of July, I will get brave. :) They do love their potty books and can point to the poop. HA HA HA!!! They are almost ready...Im just not pushing it.

Business is VERY good right now and is taking up most of my summer days. Speaking of which...I was going to lay outside in the sunshine during naps today and not be on the computer...what am I doing?!

Jason is gone to work a lot lately since I am 'off' for the summer from the school district. I think he is working lots of OT to try and make up for my 'off time' even though I am working more now with the photography business.

Jason's sister just finished her Master's in Accounting and will be walking the stage in December. We all went out to celebrate the other night and then took the girls to the park to play. Auntie wanted to celebrate with her two favorite party girls!

We did some family photos at my family's ranch. They were my ideas but I had a very talented photographer/friend do the work for me...I need photos with my babies too, right? ;) I will get them up asap but one of them is the header for the blog now...do you love it? :) I could just squish those buns!

Updates galore

Ok, maybe not too many, but a few.

The girls went to the eye doctor to make sure they do not have any issues from their prematurity and because their apgar scores were so low at birth. They dilated their eyes and the doctor was so wonderful with them. Their eyes are fine and after stumbling around a bit at home, they took a long nap and woke up back to their normal selves.

Parker went to the doc on Friday because she is doing some strange turning in on her right foot and has an odd gait every now and then. After some x-rays and observation, the doc is sending her to Shriner's for an evaluation. She said that since Parker was a preemie, she would rather be on the side of 'early intervention' instead of 'observation'. And that's why we love her.

I am out of work (with the county) on the 11th and ready to start some potty training basics. Addisen HATES the feeling of being soiled but if you don't catch it immediately, she paints it all over. Duct tape and all. =( So, I plan to work on potty training a bit this summer and if they get it, great. If not, we have lots of time to work on it.

Swim lessons start on the 22nd and we are so excited about that. The girls are little fishies in their pools in the yard. They go down their slide into their pool like wild banchees and lay in the pool and 'kick kick kick'. They are SO ready for swim lessons.

I recently joined a Mother's Book Club here and am really excited to go to my first meeting tonight (total bonus is that its at a BAR!). HA HA!!! They seem like a good group of gals and hopefully it will give me a much needed break every month.