For Baby Book Purposes Only...

Yesterday BOTH Matthew and John really and truly laughed out loud for the very first time.  They have been giving us little shrills and squeals here and there, but not yet quite what could be called a true laugh.  Sweet music to my ears, hearing these little guys' giggles :)  Also, they both got their first rice cereal spoon feeding yesterday.  They did pretty much what Kate did and what I guess all other babies do the first time they are spoon fed.  Made funny faces and spit it out everywhere...cuteness.

And We Gave Thanks...

 

Thanksgiving was so special this year.  It has always been one of my very favorite holidays.  One of the few times of the year actually set aside for nothing other than giving thanks to the Lord for all He has done for us.  Although I do love Christmas, Thanksgiving is so wonderful because it's just so simple.  Friends and family gathering together for a meal and to offer praises and gratitude to God for all we have to be thankful for during the year.  No gifts to buy.  No real holiday 'hustle and bustle' just yet.  Just pure and simple thanksgiving and fellowship.  And we have a lot to be thankful for this year.  Joe and I were talking the other night about how much life has changed in just 10 months or so.  This time last year these two little boys weren't so much as a twinkle in our eyes.  So grateful that we serve a sovereign God who "knows the plans He has for us."  There are still so many uncertainties for us but I rest assured in His promises for me.  

We started the day off getting in the car and heading over to Bartow for our usual gathering at Patsy and Smokey's.  It was such a beautiful day.  I think the boys particularly enjoyed being passed around, and Kate had fun riding the golf cart, checking out the museum, and swinging on the swing set.  

  

This was how our morning started off.  Kate didn't make this pic in her turkey shirt because she was still in the bed.  

Grammy & Grandpa with their 'grands'

Matthew had a slight melt-down during our photo session

Grandpa, John, & Kate

Stacy was kind enough to hold babies while Joe & I ate...looks like she's done this a time or two before :)

Magnolia Mornings decorated for Christmas...beautiful!

Anna and Terry on baby duty :)

Kate & Grandpa on the train outside the museum

Beautiful day

When we left Bartow we headed straight for Grandmama and Grandaddy's for dinner.  The kids were still hanging in there with us...

 One of the best cooks I know hard at work...love her!!!

Didn't get many pics but did manage to get this group shot...only one missing is Maggie

When we left Bartow headed for Grandmama's we were praying the kids would sleep in the car.  Unfortunately they did not comply.  Matthew and John were pretty well exhausted, but they only slept about 20 or 30 minutes.  Nice.  Kate decided she did not want to nap either.  Notice above where I said the kids were "still hanging in there with us."  By the time we left Grandmama's at about 7:30 or 8ish,  they had all three had their fill.  Matthew and John were totally breaking down in the backseat.  Kate, who is not accustomed to missing her nap but did manage to do unusually well all day, had also had enough.  At one point when all 3 were crying in the backseat Joe and I just looked at each other and started laughing...hysterically.  Yep, this is our life.  

  

Hope everyone had a most joyous Thanksgiving!  And hopefully your backseat wasn't quite this rowdy :)

4-Month Stats...& Adventures in Baby-Food-Making

We went for our 4-month checkup today with the boys.  How are they 4 months already??  The appointment was particularly l-o-n-g and rather painful...literally.  The office was super slow today and both boys received a whopping 4 shots (one for each month?) and an oral vaccine.  N.O. F.U.N.  Feeding time came and went by the time I got back home with them.  They didn't seem so much hungry as they were sleepy and just exhausted from all that "fun" at the doctor's office.  Today John weighed 14.0 lbs (35th percentile), 23"long (3rd percentile), and his head measured 50th percentile.  Matthew weighed 14 lbs 2oz (40th percentile), 23 1/8" long (3rd percentile), and head 45th percentile.  Crazy how well they have grown from being so tiny at birth.  They are really doing well.  We plan to begin solid foods soon...oh boy.  No pun intended.
Speaking of solids, while I was in the hospital I did a little reading up on homemade baby foods.  I have already been experimenting with it a little.  I remember what we spent on Gerber each week with just Kate...I can't even imagine what it will be for two babies at one time.  I figured this would be a cheaper, healthier option for the boys.  I just cook the veggies, puree them in a food processor or blender, pour them into ice cube trays, and freeze.  Each cube is about 1oz of food.  Really pretty easy.  I just hope the boys like my cookin'.

Butternut squash

Yummy...butternut squash

Hungry yet?  Frozen pea cubes

Joe and I are headed to the UGA-KY game tomorrow...our 1st UGA game in about 3 years probably?!  Guess that's what happens once you have kids :)  I look forward to the days when we can load them all up and ALL go to the game together.

My Boys

Kathryn took Kate to "Build-a-Bear" last week for her birthday present.  This is Kate with "Maggie," her new bear. :)  Think she had fun?

Columbia County Fair 2011

Last week we got a wild hair and decided we would load up the entire crew and head across the street to the fair.  The temp was just right outside and we figured how much trouble could we possibly get into with it being just across the street.  If someone had a meltdown, all we had to do was load him up and we could be home in literally minutes.  We got some interesting looks pushing our double stroller carrying two 4-month-olds around the fair, and toting a 2-year old.  But they did so well.  We completely underestimated them.  They fell asleep for part of the time and the rest of the time they just looked around at all the lights, taking it all in.  Such good little boys.  They were probably thinking, "Thank the Lord!  They are finally getting us out of that house!"  Kelly, Billy, Will, and Joshua all came with us.  Think I have said this before, but Kelly and I decided that there is strength in numbers when it comes to infants in public.  If your baby has a meltdown and you have a friend with you it makes it all ok for some reason.  Happy to report all three babies did fabulous.
Kate and Will really enjoyed the fair.  Kate was funny.  She would get so excited about the rides and couldn't wait to get on.  She'd let us put her on the ride, buckle her in, and wait patiently for it to start with this huge smile on her face.  Then, when the ride would start, she would have little mini-meltdowns.  Then she would just get off and move on to the next one.  Funny.

Kate on the Carousel before it started moving...

... and jumping into Mommy's arms after we started going round & round.  Notice how much fun Nana & Will are having.

Kate on the back of the motorcycle w/ Will before it started moving...

...and after.  Will is such a boy.  Notice how much fun he is having and how bad Kate wants to get off.

Kate couldn't wait to ride the helicopters, while Will was a little more apprehensive this time...

...until after the ride started.  Will decided it was fun, while Kate couldn't wait to get off :(

Nana & Papa on stroller duty

The brubbers had a good time at the fair

Riding down the slide with Daddy...this one was actually fun because we could sit in Daddy's lap

Riding the pony before he started moving...and I don't have an after pic because she didn't stay on him long enough :(

She couldn't wait to ride the puppy dogs!  This was Kate before the ride started...

...and definitely not so sure after it started moving.

Hope I'm not a horrible parent for taking these pics of her when she was less than thrilled!  Hopefully we can laugh at them together one day :)  Fair should be really fun next year! :)  I'll probably have to get some of those kiddie leashes for the boys.  

Celebrate US Home

This only took me 4 months to finish.  Please excuse my appearance in these photos.  They are only being included for the sake of being complete. :)

Potty Training Attempt #1: Fail

This past weekend I decided to try and attempt the "3-day" potty training boot camp with Kate that I've been hearing about.  Supposedly at the end of the 3 days your child is completely potty trained and there is no further need for diapers.  Supposedly.  It didn't go so well.  She is really resisting and seemed extremely upset with a wet bed.  We started having trouble getting her to go down for naps and even going to bed at night...a problem we have NEVER had with Kate.  So sad, I think she was really and truly scared she was going to wet the bed.  She kept saying, "Bed not get wet?"  She wanted diapers on her when she went to bed.  We had lots of accidents, and not even ONCE did she come to us and let us know she needed to use the potty...in 3 whole days.  The tough thing is that having Kate in underwear and no diaper running around requires full and constant supervision.  I have to be right on her heels every single second.  Kind of hard to do being mom to 3-month old twins.  Since things are pretty busy here right now, and after getting some good advice from some mom friends who've "been there, done that," we've decided to put it on hold for now.  What's tough for me is that I do believe that she is ready.  Apparently I am the one who is not ready.  I hate feeling like I just don't have the time right now to potty train her, but I also hated feeling like she was upset because she wasn't getting it.  Think I'll give it a rest for a few weeks and try it again a little further down the road.

In other news, the Lord has really been working on me lately.  Not really sure what is going to come of this new stirring in me, but excited about what God has in store. 

My beautiful girl

Trouble

John sportin' his...well, what do you call these kinds of hats?