Issue 18 — 86+ members & GROWING! July/August 2009

JULY 1st: 6:30pm, MMM Dinner Meeting Spaghetti Warehouse

4th: Independence Day

11th: 10am, MMM Play Date Rosamond Gifford Zoo

17th: 10:30am, MMM Play Date

Green Lakes

19th: 10am, MMM Play Date MOST Playhouse

21st: 5:30pm MMM Goes to Sunset Safari Rosamond Gifford Zoo

July 26th- Aug 1st: NOMOTC Convention,

Las Vegas

AUGUST

1st: 10am, MMM Play Date Kidz Club, Phoenix

5th: 6:30pm, MMM Dinner Meetng Spaghetti Warehouse

14th: 10:30am, MMM Play Date Gym Connections 2

16th: 10am, Summer Family Picnic Santaro Park

21st: 10:30am, MMM Play Date Flamingo Bowl, Liverpool

TWINS: Kaylin and Lucy, born on May 8, 2009 to Karla and John Murphy and big sister Emma.

TRIPLETS: Erin Elizabeth, 6lbs 9oz, Molly Ann, 6lbs, and Riley Marie, 5lbs 15oz born on May 20, 2009 to MaryAnne & Donald Abernethy and big brother Nathan.

TWINS: Emma Grace, 3 lbs. 3 oz.., and Tyler Ronald, 2 lbs. 6 oz. born June 6, 2009 to Carrie and John Fuller.

TWINS: Layne, 5 lbs. 6 oz., and Logan, 6 lbs. 1 oz. born June 9, 2009 to Crystal and Richard Arnold and big brother Ethan.

TWINS: Haleigh Josephine, 5 lbs. 2 oz. and Madelyn Rose, 5 lbs. 3 oz., born on June 10, 2009 to Kayla Sawyer and Jason Tinsley.

TWINS: Christopher, 1 lb. 12 oz. and Emma 1 lb 5 oz born on June 29, 2009 to Jaime and Louis Petrocci and proud siblings Kaitlin, Taylor, and Louie. ^Angel baby Addison Grace^, born June 6, 2009, is watching over mom and dad and her brothers and sisters from heaven.

Stats from paid members only, as of July 2009.

We asked our members..

At what age were your multiples

completely daytime potty

trained?.

Of those responding:

11 % said by 2 or shortly after

16% said by 3 or shortly after

22% said...we are still working on it

and 50% have not yet started trying

Lions and Tigers and Multiples … Oh My!

Rosamond Gifford Zoo | July 11th

Mixing it Up with Multiple Moms Mingle

Purchase a club cookbook today $10!

150 family friendly recipes within a

padded three-ring binder.

www.multiplemomsmingle.com/cookbook.html

2 MULTITUDES, July/August 2009

Executive Board PRESIDENT Kelly Carter kcssunshines@aol.com (315) 492-8453

VICE PRESIDENT Mary Wood

TREASURER Tracy Blumer

RECORDING SECRETARY Leslie Petty

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Cyndi Rizzo

Committees LIBRARIAN Amanda Fosberg

CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN Susan Hayes

MEMBERSHIP Mary Wood

BIG SISTERS Meghan Leonardis

NEWSLETTER Tracy Blumer Jen Harte Penny Meskos Leslie Petty

PUBLICITY Cyndi Rizzo Sharon Bush

MEETING PROGRAMS Maureen Bennett Lisa Vona

PLAYGROUPS Krista Selig

PREEMIE CLOSET Krista Selig

HISTORIAN Leslie Petty

STATE REPRESENTATIVE Kelly Carter

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE Mercedes Genei

Pass the Passion Kelly Carter, MMM founder and president

“There are few feelings in the world

that surpass that of knowing you’ve helped

someone…” (Dr. Roizen) Many people have asked me how I

manage to be so involved with the Multiple Moms Mingle organiza-tion, while working, and caring for my family and home. The truth is I

have been privileged to be able to do something to help others and my-

self. I am honored to donate my time and my passion to this organiza-tion. It is not “work” for me. I enjoy supporting others, and I don’t

know how I would cope without my fellow multiple moms (somehow I did for my twins first year of life, but it wasn’t always pretty). They

make me feel “normal”. They validate all of the feelings of excite-

ment, uncertainty, and on some days sheer exhaustion. They lend an ear, and offer advice and encouragement. They celebrate the mile-

stones and successes. They let me know that I am not the only one dealing with stares, questions and comments as I venture out in public

with my bright eyed, fraternal (“Are you sure they are not identical?”)

red headed twins. Being blessed with multiples is a rare and special event, and

having a group of multiple moms who are eager to share the trials and joys along the way is a real treat.

For all of the moms that have sent an encouraging email or post

to a mom in need of a lift, made a phone call to give advice, paid a visit

to a mom in need, sent a card to celebrate a milestone, or offer sympa-

thy, I thank you. It sure feels good, doesn’t it? And it is good. We are

priming the pump for a chain reaction that will help many more people

than just the one person that was originally targeted. Pass the passion.

Multiple Moms Splash

at

Skaneateles Pool!!!

MULTITUDES, July/August 2009 3

BIG SISTERS

Contact: Megan Leonardis We offer a "Big Sister" to paid MMM members that are pregnant and/or are new moms of multiples during the first 3 months after giving birth. We pair you up with a member that has multiples like you have (or will have). The idea is for the big sister to check in with her little sister often— to offer support, advice, help, etc. as needed. Then she reports to the group at each meeting on how her "little sister" is doing. The little sister can also contact her big sister as needed. Please contact Megan to get hooked up with a "big sister" today! If your multiples are over a year old and are interested in becoming a “big sister” contact Megan today!

CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN

Contact: Susan Hayes

We are now collecting books for our children’s lending library. We are looking for books that are gently used or new, and pertain to useful or enriching topics like potty training, multiples, multiculturalism, special needs or growing families, to name a few!

COOKBOOK FUNDRAISER

Contact: Mary Wood, Heather Hayes, Leslie Petty,

Christine Coomes, Lori McIntyre & Donna Refici As a club fundraiser we have published a cookbook with our own 150 recipes. We ask that each member sell or buy two; they make great gifts. For more ordering information please go to www.multiplemomsmingle.com/cookbook.html

HISTORIAN

Contact: Leslie Petty Leslie is gathering photos for the clubs scrapbook. If you have a photo to share, please give it to Leslie. Any "old" club photos or group photos would be great.

LIBRARIAN

Contact: Amanda Fosberg Please contact Amanda if you are interested in donating or checking out any books, videos or magazines from our library. We have many things to choose from that may be helpful to you.

MEMBERSHIP/DIRECTORY

Contact: Mary Wood If you are a new member, please download and complete a registration form under the files section of the member’s only site or under membership on our website multiplemomsmingle.com. You can send Mary a photo of your kids or family if you'd like one included in the MMM directory that gets updated every other month.

NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE

Contact: Mercedes Genei

National Convention is in Las Vegas from 7/26-8/1.

PLAYGROUPS

Contact: Krista Selig Playgroups are being formed throughout the year. Please contact Krista if you'd like to schedule a play date at your home or even a park.

PUBLICITY

Contact: Cyndi Rizzo & Sharon Bush Publicity sends copies of our newsletter and brochure to various pediatricians and OB/GYN offices. We have ads for our meetings in the Pennysaver and Family Times. Special events are advertised too.

(Continued on page 4)

Enjoying Stress-free Summer Activities

It’s summertime, school is out, and many families are at their

wit’s end about how to fill 3 months of their children’s free time. Images of

summertime are usually cast in a light of hot, lazy, relaxing days by a lake,

but the reality for most working families is the struggle to balance the de-

mands of adult work schedules with providing safe activities for children.

This dilemma often results in hectic, stress-filled days comparable to those

during the school year. While summer camp is an option for some, the

cost of day and overnight camps can be too expensive for many families

budgets. Structured activities are beneficial, but parents and caregivers

should also keep in mind the advantages of unstructured time for children.

So what do we do to keep young children busy, yet also allow

them to enjoy the summer months? Whether your child is a preschooler or

school-age, a wealth of opportunities for fun, educational, and even relax-

ing activities are possible. Here are some tips that may be useful for fami-

lies and caregivers:

Visit the Library –Until recently libraries offered little or nothing

for children below the age of 3, but in the past few years, many have intro-

duced programs for toddlers. Children and adults can participate in activi-

ties that may include reading aloud, storytelling, fingerplays, rhymes and

songs. Pre-schoolers usually enjoy the group activities offered by librar-

ies, where they can participate in puppet shows and arts and crafts activi-

ties. For elementary school children, there are variations of the read-

alouds and storytelling hours that often include discussions and presenta-

tions by the children themselves, as well as summer reading programs.

Many public libraries also offer training courses for children in using differ-

ent software or educational programs.

Discover Geography-What makes a place special? What are

the physical characteristics of your hometown? Take children for a walk

around your neighborhood and look at what makes it unique. Point out

how it is similar to other places you have been and how it is different. If

you live near a park, a lake, a river, a stream or a creek, take your children

there and spend time talking about its uses. Read stories about distant

places with chi ldren or sing songs to teach geography, for example “Home

On the Range or “California, Here I Come.” Make a wish list of places you

would like to visit with your child. Look them up on a map and plan a trip

there-real or pretend.

View and Create Collections-Go to a chi ldren’s museum to

view hands on exhibits or suggest that your children start a collection and

build their own museum. They can collect natural materials, such as

acorns and leaves from a local park or sea shells from the beach.

Nature’s Best– Older children can learn about weather by using

a map to look up the temperature of cities around the world and discover

how hot each gets in the summer. Watch cloud formations and imagine.

Do the shapes look like horses, ducks or other animals? At night, children

can collect fireflies in jars, or depending on their age, camp out in a tent in

the back yard. Create a treasure map for children to find hidden treats in

the yard. Read about your state bird and state flower, and if possible,

bicycle ride to a nearby park to find them.

Rainy Day Activities-Summertime often brings thunderclouds.

On days when outdoor activities are not possible, you can share family

history and photos with your children. Pull out the old videotapes of past

family gatherings and events. Prepare an indoor picnic with your child or

cook dinner together.

Whatever the activity, children can enjoy and appreciate the

summer months in ways that are both educational and stress-reducing for

all involved.

Credit: National Association for the Education of Young Children

Web: http://www.naeyc.org

4 MULTITUDES, July/August 2009

STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Contact: Kelly Carter

SUMMER FAMILY PICNIC

Contact: Kelly Carter & Krista Selig

Save the date, this year’s picnic will be on Sunday, August 16th 10am-1pm at Santaro Park. Volunteers needed to help organize!

Help Wanted: ● Big Sisters ● Clothing & Equipment Sale Fall '09 ● Adult Holiday Party 2010 Please email Christine Coomes to volunteer. Consider your own talents and interests, as well as how much time you will be able to invest.

(Continued from page 3)

Multiple Moms To Be…...

Ola El-Zammar, Expecting Triplets, Sept '09

• Karla Murphy

• YOUR NAME HERE!

Welcome NEW moms to

Multiple Moms Mingle!

86 New

Members &

Growing!

Polar Express Ticket Information Polar Express Ticket Information Polar Express Ticket Information Polar Express Ticket Information

It may only be July...but we are always

thinking ahead!! If you are interested in taking

the Polar Express train ride with your children

this November/December, then you should look

into getting your tickets NOW!!

The most popular trains (Saturdays/

Sundays at 4:30 or 7:00) will sell out fast. This is

a very popular holiday time event!!! They do not

offer group discounts but if MMM members want

to sit together, just enter Multiple Moms Mingle

in the comments section when you buy your tick-

ets. For more information you can go to:

http://www.adirondackrr.com/polarex.html

Check this out!!! Be sure to try this

healthy recipe that Kelly, Cyndi and Tracy

sampled when they attended the New York

State Mother of Twins Convention in April.

Its sure sounds good to me!!!

Buffalo Chicken Chili

2 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil

2 lbs. raw chicken, chopped small

2 lg. carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1 lg. sweet onion and 1 green pepper, finely chopped

4 celery ribs, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbls. paprika and 1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups of chicken stock 1/4 cup Franks Hot Sauce

1 15 oz. can of each tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes

1 15 oz. can of great northern beans (or other favorite), drained and

rinsed

Garnish: handful of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley and 3/4 lb. of

crumbled blue cheese

Heat olive oil in lg. pot over med. high heat. Add chicken and

brown lightly, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Add chopped vegetables along with garlic, paprika and bay leaf.

Season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently for 7-8 min-

utes. Add chicken stock and stir to scrape up any brown bits on

bottom of pan. Add hot sauce, beans, tomato sauce and crushed

tomatoes. Bring chili up to a bubble.. Simmer for 8-10 minutes

more. Discard bay leaf before serving. Garnish with parsley and

blue cheese. Serves 6

MULTITUDES, July/August 2009 5

Big Sister/Little Sister Program

Among the many advantages of membership in Multiple Moms Mingle is our Big Sister/Little Sister

Program. Members who are currently expecting or are new mothers of multiples have the opportunity to

be paired with an “experienced” mom of multiples. We try to pair up moms with similar situations, twin

moms with twin moms, triplet moms with triplet moms, and moms who have other children in addition to

their multiples with those in the same boat. The big sister checks in on the little sister, offers advice and support and

often….becomes a great friend!! Cyndi Rizzo and Susan Hayes were paired up when Susan was expecting her boy/girl

twins and here is what they have to say about the experience.

I joined MMM while I was pregnant for my B/G twins,

Jack and Selina. I was so happy to be involved in the Big/Little

Sister Program so I could dialogue with a mom who had already

been down the road of carrying a twin pregnancy. I'm the type

of person who asks a lot of questions, and Cyndi is the type of

person who likes to talk, so we were actually a match made in

Heaven!

After we were matched up, Cyndi sent me an introductory

email and told me all about her pregnancy, her breastfeeding

experience and how she eventually went back to work. We had so

much to talk about! All through my pregnancy, I asked her about

things like fetal movement, OBGYN visits, the NICU and delivery

procedures.

We also talked at length about equipment like strollers and

swings. Cyndi was right-on about the Snap N Go and the Twin

Savvy LX strollers. They proved to be both lightweight and

convenient. Her advice on swings was a different story! She

once told me, "If I had sextuplets, I would buy six swings", so I

naturally bought two for my twins. Neither of them went for the

swing and I still have a brand new pink one in it's box in the

basement! Oh well, she has come through in many other ways:

When I was frustrated about giving in to "binkies" or letting my

babies sleep in my bed (occasionally!!!) Cyndi would assure me that

it was okay and that sometimes you have to make decisions in the

moment and not always think of the long-term effects. She

also let me borrow her Vera Bradley diaper bag, she picked me up

a double grocery cart cover for the store, and as everyone who

goes to the meetings knows, she always saves me a

spot because she knows I can't make it until 7:15 pm!

Cyndi and I have become very good friends over the time

I've been a member of the club. We have expanded our emails,

texts and phone conversations to talk about more than just c-

sections or complain about our husbands. But, when I am stuck in

the sippy cup aisle at Target, and can't make a decision on what

to buy, Cyndi is only a phone call away with her twin mom

advice, and I feel much more confident in my choice with her

voice of experience behind me! Thanks Cyndi, for being such a

great Big Sister!

Susan Hayes

Mom to Jack and Selina, 14 months old

(Big Sister to Sarah Yaw!)

Not having joined Multiple Moms Mingle until after my

twins were born, I had a lot to learn on my own. That is why I

took the opportunity to be a “big sister”.

When I first received Sue’s names and contact

information I sent her an email telling her about myself and my

twins. She wrote back and explained that she was a teacher.

Come to find out she taught at the same school as a friend of

mine.

I love talking, especially about my kids and having

twins. Lucky for me, Sue was also a talker. We had a lot in

common and I was happy to answer any questions that she had.

We talked about equipment, breast feeding, c-sections, doctors,

etc. We finally met at one of the dinner meetings and had a

great time. Once her babies were born our conversations

evolved to cover sleeping, supplementing, schedules and our

husbands!! We have met up a few times for a walk at the park

or a trip to the mall.

We continue to meet each month at our dinner

meeting, where I always save her a seat since she gets there

late. (I call her my invisible date when I order her food.) Even

though her kids are a year old now, she continues to call for

advice or information on the lastest stage. A Big Sister’s work

is never done!! (She wasn’t kidding about the calls from Target!)

I am glad to have met and befriended Sue. I look forward to

what the future holds for us and our families.

Cyndi Rizzo

Mom to Victor and Maddox, 2 2/1 years old

If you would like to

participate in this

great aspect of our

group either as a

Big or Little Sister,

don’t hesitate to

contact Meghan

Leonardis and she

will set you up!!!

6 MULTITUDES, July/August 2009

Multitudes, Multiple Moms Mingle newsletter, happily accepts suggestions, tips, articles and information for publication from members... although we do hold editorial rights. ;) We did our best to get all of the information correct and up-to-date. If you notice something that is incorrect or was left out, please let us know.

A special thank you to Dr. Robert Kiltz, CNYFC, for his kindness and generosity with the printing of the Multitudes newsletter.

Please submit information and materials to Leslie Petty or Penny Meskos by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

KIDS— JULY

1st Nicolas Cerimeli's 5th Birthday

2nd Audrey & Riley Blumer's 3rd Birthday

9th Cooper & Maxin Calvert-Minor's 2nd Birthday

11th Alexander Petty's 8th Birthday

13th Brady Graff's 3rd Birthday

14th Molly & Ian McIntyre's 4th Birthday

15th Jordan & Ashton Miller's 1st Birthday

Douglas & Catherine Rouselle's 2nd Birthday

16th Sara & Michael Godleski's 2nd Birthday

18th Ayla Genei's 7th Birthday

24th Owen & Cameron McQuiston's 1st Birthday

25th Nicholas & Michael Sheets' 2nd Birthday

28th Emma Murphy's 2nd Birthday

31st Darren & Brenden Genei's 3rd Birthday

AUGUST

10th Benjamin & Morgan Callaghan-Kirkland's 3rd B-day

13th Jacob & Elizabeth Soucia's 2nd Birthday

14th Jack Kaftan's 9th Birthday

16th Ruby Kaftan's 5th Birthday

17th Michael, Tyler & Sarah Coomes' 4th Birthday

21st Jenna LaVancha's 5th Birthday

31st Jeffrey Bush's 9th Birthday

MOMS— JULY

2nd Aimee Zeman's Birthday

6th Denise Harrington-Nicita's Birthday

8th Margaret Sheen's Birthday

10th Melody Bennett's Birthday

16th Alexia Conrad's Birthday

20th Meghan Leonardis' Birthday

21st Katie Caraher's Birthday

26th Jill St John's Birthday

AUGUST

4th Carrie Fuller's Birthday

5th Kelly Carter's Birthday

Kayla Sawyer's Birthday

11th Jennifer Gryzlo's Birthday

12th Lynne DiGennaro's Birthday

13th Kelly Somerlot's Birthday

17th Andrea Chiaramonte's Birthday

22nd Elizabeth Davis' Birthday

29th Karla Murphy's Birthday

30th Jaime Petrocci's Birthday

Stephanie Johnson's Birthday

31st Amanda Fosberg's Birthday