Meeting My Monkeys

I have 2 AMAZING little monkeys! They are monkeys because since they have been able to move they have been climbing up and onto everything they possibly can! They are the lights that guide me through life, my shining stars so to speak. Let me introduce you to my babies!

Kaida.



It means “little dragon” in Japanese. I wanted my kids to have their own, original names, ones that weren’t very common. And she is a little dragon! Fire-breathing and all!
I dreamt of this girl since I was 15! Sounds crazy, huh? So many ways of her coming into the world, holding her, loving her. But no dream could have prepared me for the reality that was my Kaida. She was a whopping 10 pounds 13 ounces and split mommy’s pelvis. Ouch! My wonderful doctor didn’t waste any time though. After 4 hours of simple labor, 4 hours of hard labor, and several various failed attempts, he took her via emergency c-section.
I remember being tied down to the surgery table, numb from the ribs down and completely incapable of moving when I heard her first and only cry. An amazing RN cleaned her, brought her over to me, let me take a long look, then rushed her out to the maternity ward where Daddy took over watch while they took her vitals and fed her. THIS was the point where he’d be forever wrapped around her fingers! LOL!
Now, her and Daddy will start playing, Daddy pinches at her nose and tells her he has her nose, and then walks away. Kaida starts crying hysterically, “That’s MY NOSE!” and chases after him to retrieve it. She also growls frequently, and runs up to Daddy, strikes her ninja pose and yells, “HIYYAAAAA!”
She is almost three now and is quite bossy. She tells me, “Mommy, I want cookie, NNOWWWW!!!!” as she growls at me, grabbing my finger, and forcefully yanking me towards the kitchen. But she is also one of the sweetest things I know. A perfect stranger comes to the door and she greets them, EVERY one of them, with a hug! And will not let ANYONE leave without a hug or kiss! In fact, she will stand there at the door and cry if she didn’t get a hug! She loves her brother, the other monkey! She loves showing him everything she isn’t supposed to be doing. She gets mad at Mommy for disciplining her little brother, apparently, SHE is the only one allowed to smack him! When I pop him on the hand and tell him to get out of stuff she yells and me and says, “Mommy, be nice!”
That’s my girl!

Draven.



I got his name from my favorite movie, The Crow, the one with Brandon Lee.
He came along barely a year after Kaida. I hadn’t quite had time to heal… yes I know the saying, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” Thankfully I didn’t gain as much with him, and he was much smaller than she, only 8 pounds 1 ounce. He was a planned c-section. 40 weeks is still a long time it seems! I really hated being pregnant! I was so miserable. The only enjoyable part was feeling them moving. That was pretty awesome.
Draven is my little light. He has my Dad’s eyes, which is truly amazing! He tests me constantly. He is addicted to electronics and DVD cases, you know, all the things a one-year-old shouldn’t touch! When he is doing something he knows he shouldn’t, I will give him a glare and point my finger at him, so he will give me the same glare and point his finger right back at me! And that just makes me laugh! So I have to quickly leave the room before I burst out laughing and ruin my seriousness, which almost always fails! He loves being mean to other kids. He has the most persistent cry I have ever heard from a baby with some amazingly powerful lungs. He is a very happy boy, until sister takes everything away from him, which she can be counted on to do frequently! He is a hugger also, loves to give everyone loves! He is already learning great manipulation skills, and has both his Grandmas fooled. But Grandmas are there to do the spoiling. Mommy sees through his little games, but he’s so flipping cute it’s hard to resist!
He is too smart for his own good, just like his sister! They are both too friendly for their own good, too! They are both learning sign language at an amazing rate! Draven loves books, Kaida loves taking them away from him. Draven loves music, Kaida loves to sing and dance. They make one great team!


I never thought I’d ever have kids. I never really imagined myself a Mommy. But it truly is my favorite job. Their tiny hands, their tiny toes, and their voices of sugar and honey make Mommy melt. I can just sit and watch them be themselves for hours. They are my perfect little monkeys!