A Great Day

Yesterday Kathryn and I were splitting carpool like we usually do running Will and Kate to and from MDO.  Usually Billy or Papa or someone is around to keep an eye on little Josh while Kathryn runs at lunchtime to go pick up Will and Kate.  This week no one was able to watch him so I just had her bring him to me while I waited on her to bring Kate home.  So yes, that made THREE babies for a short period of time yesterday.  Sweet little Joshy, he is so easy and good.  He is perfectly content to just sit in his little bouncer and laugh and smile away.  Good thing because his cousins were in rare form about this time yesterday!

Josh

We have had a rough few days around here with the little guys.  Kate brought home a little cold from MDO the other day and it's got the boys down in the dumps, and teething is certainly not helping the situation.  Praying they start to feel better soon...not sure how much more Mama and Daddy can take!  

On a MUCH brighter note, Kathryn came by to watch the boys for me this morning for a bit while Kate and I ran out to run some errands.  It felt so good to be among the living today!  We were even able to go meet Joe for lunch.  I'm working on getting some window treatments made for Kate's room so we went around to a few fabric stores to check out some ideas.  Can I just say I had so much fun running around town with this little girl today?!  We ended our outing with a trip to Neapolitan for a pink cupcake :)

Gettin' after some pink cupcake

Diaper Loser

I was in the nursery changing a poopie diaper today when I looked down at the Diaper Champ and noticed there were about 2 or 3 dirty diapers that needed to be "flushed" into the can still.  When I leaned down to attempt to "flush" the dirty ones so I could add the newest poopie diaper to the pail I was met with that all-too-annoying resistance you get when the can is full and it's time to change the bag.  Now Joe had been with the boys this morning for a bit while I ran Will and Kate to school and back...and I knew he had changed diapers before putting babies down for naps because he had told me he did.  Guess who didn't see the need to empty the pail.  I reached down to lift off the lid to change out the bags when I noticed there was NO BAG in it.  The pail was full of dirty diapers (probably about a day and a half's worth here at our house) but whoever had emptied it last (Joe) had neglected to place a new bag inside.  I had a great time grabbing up all the dirty diapers by hand and scooping them into what should have been the bag they were already in.  I texted Joe and let him know the couch should be really comfortable tonight :)

All jokes aside, if you happen to own a diaper pail of some sort and have noticed that after the first several months of use the smell is just unbearable, these Arm & Hammer discs are a pretty good remedy to the problem.  Don't get me wrong, it still smells, but every time we empty the bag out I don't feel the need to set the pail outside to let it "air out" as I've done in the past.  I picked ours up at Target in the baby aisle where the diaper pail items are.  I think there were about 5 in a pack...I put about 3 into the bottom of the pail.  Happy diapering! :)

All Things Pink

Kate is talking incessantly these days.  Some of her most common phrases/sentences are:

  1) "What did you say?"

  2) "What are you doing?" (many variations of this one, "What's he/she doing?" etc)

  3) "Want to watch Beauty and the Beast??"

  4) "Where are you going?"

  5) "I want TWO teddy grahams!"  (this actually means, "I want many teddy grahams in a snack cup")

  6) "Watch this trick, Mommy!"

  7) "I don't like that" / "I like that"

  8) "I want applesauce!"

  9) "Daddy / Mommy hold you."

  10) "Kate do it by herself." 

Oh my goodness and many, many more, but these are the ones that are coming to mind tonight.  

  

Kate and I were upstairs playing in her room while the boys were napping the other day and I started getting that feeling of needing to dress up a little girl.  These pics were the result:

Loves to read

This pink bear has slept with Kate since she was a tiny newborn in her crib...still has to have the bear at night and for naps  

Joe had a dinner to attend tonight for work so I was gearing up for a night alone with the kiddos when my dad surprised me at the front door just as the boys' bath time was about to begin.  So sweet of Papa to swing by and help.  I bathed John first.  When I brought him out to swap babies w/ Dad I walked up on a funny picture.  Papa, Kate, and Matthew were all lying on the blanket on the floor with Kate's fisher price doctor kit.  She had the stethoscope around her neck and had the otoscope looking in Matthew's ears as he laid on the floor laughing and kicking.  She assured me that he checked out ok before I scooped him up to go give him a bath.  "He looks good."  Then I laid John down on the blanket for his "check-up."  Good thing we have a doctor in the family! ;)

Six Months Later

Woo...a lot to catch up on.  Been falling behind.  Since the New Year began we have been busy.  The boys have started baby food...F.U.N.  They are good little eaters but I must say it is quite a task trying to feed solids to two at one time.  We're still waiting on our 2nd high chair to get here, and to be honest they haven't really been quite ready for their high chairs anyway until just the last couple of days.  So we're feeding them in their bouncer seats...can we say MESSY??  They are doing good w/ the homemade baby food, we'll just see if / how long I'll be able to keep up with them.  It is crazy busy around here during the day...I feel like I'm doing good getting our dinner on the table, much less getting their baby food made.

Kate is back at school.  She had a really tough time her first day back after the holidays as I was dropping her off :(  She's been doing a little better the past 2 weeks with it.  We still haven't tackled potty training...praying that comes soon because Lord help me, I am getting so sick of diapers.  But Kate is doing really good.  She has turned out to be a great little helper with her brothers.  They love to watch her and find her very entertaining, much to my delight.  Who would have thought I would have such a "little helper" in my sweet 2-yr old? :)  

Sweet Kate

Still loves riding in her umbrella stroller...

...and pushing her baby dolls in her umbrella stroller.

John 

We recently discovered the boys love these "stand up" toys.  John is in the Exersaucer in the front (this actually is on loan from Kelly).  When we realized how well they like these I ran out and bought another one...the one that Matthew is in toward the back.  They will hang out in these on their own for as long as 15-20 minutes sometimes...sounds crazy, but it was unheard of before this for them to do anything other than be held for that period of time without fussing.

Grammy bought us this new stroller.  

John really enjoys riding in the stroller.  Matthew, not so much.  It would be too easy if they both loved it, wouldn't it? :)

I took these shots on their 6-month birthday.  Sometimes you just get lucky and the littles ones and the camera cooperate ;)

Matthew, 6 mos

Matthew left, John right

Really Mom, more pictures??

Roly-polies; Matthew left, John right

Poor little Matthew and his dark circles!  I promise my baby sleeps but for some reason he always looks super tired.  While I was trying to get these shots on the floor, John kept rolling from his tummy to his back.  Every time I tried to re-position him he just rolled right onto his back.  So, I put him on the other side of Matthew and let Matthew be the barricade for me.

Now John right, Matthew left

Matthew, 6 mos

John, 6 mos

My fav!

Great Link

Not sure how many moms actually read my blog, but this is for you :)  A friend posted this on facebook and wanted to share.  This is a great read...Enjoy.

http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/

One-a Them Days...

Oh yes.  It's only 1pm but it's already been one of those days.  I think it was when I sat down and googled "double baby bjorn" that I realized that this is not a good day.  And yes, there is a product available that will carry two babies at once, though not made by Baby Bjorn.  We may have to invest.
The boys did not nap well this morning (neither one) so they were very fussy after their lunch.  Let me tell you, when they get cranked up, there is NO calming them down unless you pick them up.  Not an easy task to pick up 2 screaming potato sacks all whilst a wild 2-yr old runs circles around you.  And in the middle of all this, "Beauty and the Beast" is making me nuts.  It's simply not as enjoyable the 5,678th time you've seen it.
And Kate is in "talking" mode.  There is not a silent moment in this house during the day other than when she is napping.  I have answered every possible question about "Belle" in "Beauty and the Beast" one could possibly dream up.  "What's Belle doing?" "Where is Belle going?" "Is Belle sleeping?" "What is Belle's Daddy doing?" Oh, and did I mention, "What is Belle doing?" Yes, Belle and I have gotten to know one another very, very well the past few weeks.  There are other movies out there, aren't there?!
No, it's not a good day when I close the door to Kate's room after putting her down for her nap at 2pm, close my eyes and breathe a deep sigh of relief for the precious few, quiet moments (about 30 minutes, to be exact) I eagerly anticipate during this time every day, and, as if on cue, Matthew and John both begin screaming in their cribs.  Ahhhh...just livin' the dream. ;)

Saying Goodbye...

...to 2011 and hello to a brand new year.  Tonight as we take down our Christmas tree and put it away for another year, I can't help but reflect on 2011 and the many changes it has brought about for our little family.  Certainly, for us, a year to go down in the books.  Chock-full of blessings, but also some quite difficult times.  How awesome it is to be able to look back at the many things for which we have prayed this year, and to read through and see precisely where, when, and how the Lord responded to those requests.
This time last year we had just discovered we were expecting again.  We started 2011 off with a bang on January 5...our first doctor appointment where we discovered we would be having twins.  A day that I am sure to never forget...I still cannot recall ever being so shocked by anything in all my life.  In early March we learned we were expecting two little boys, we lost my Grandpa, and we also began construction on our new home.  Also in March Billy was hospitalized for burns and required surgery.  In late April our battle with pre-term labor began.  We were terrified...going into the hospital on a weekend at midnight, 23 weeks pregnant and in labor, and being told babies are not viable until 24 weeks.  We began praying for the boys and their health, along with many other friends and family, some of whom we had never even met.  In the blink of an eye I stopped working and moved into the hospital for what turned into a 7-week-long stay.  In late May Joe moved us into our new home.  June 13 I came home from the hospital, still on strict bed rest.  Exactly one month later on July 13, Matthew and John arrived, perfect and healthy.  In early September my second nephew, Joshua, was born...sooner than expected, but perfectly healthy nonetheless.  In the time since the twins were born in July I have been adjusting to being a full-time stay-at-home mom in addition to many other changes in our life as a family.
Yes, this was quite an eventful year.  But how blessed we are.  We are so much stronger as a family and have learned (and are still learning!) to rely solely on the Lord's strength and not our own, whether in good times or bad.  Excited about the new year and what God has in store.  Signing off 2011 with a great devotional I read for the day and a solid verse:

"I am preparing you for what is on the road ahead, just around the bend.  Take time to be still in My Presence so that I can strengthen you.  The busier you become, the more you need of this time apart with Me.  So many people think that time spent with Me is a luxury they cannot afford.  As a result, they live and work in their own strength--until that becomes depleted.  Then they either cry out to Me for help or turn away in bitterness.
How much better it is to walk close to Me, depending on My strength and trusting Me in every situation. If you live in this way, you will do less but accomplish far more.  Your unhurried pace of living will stand out in this rush-crazed age.  Some people may deem you lazy, but many more will be blessed by your peacefulness.  Walk in the Light with Me, and you will reflect Me to the watching world."
"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always."  Psalm 105:4