Where's Marlin now?!

The boy loves to see what he can climb into!!!

And, just like that...The babies are ONE!

OUR BABIES ARE ONE!!!

Seriously, fastest year EVER.  Our sweet babies are an entire year old.  I can't even take it.

At their 1 year (not so) well check, Marlin weighed in at 21 lbs, 6 ounces and Madeline weighed in at 19 lbs 5 ounces.  Additional stats:

diaper size – 3 – 4s or 5s at night

clothes - size 12 months for Madeline, 12 – 18 for Marlin

shoes - size 3 for Madeline, 4 – 5 for Marlin

teeth – 4 on top and 2 on bottom for Mad, 2 on bottom for Marlin

sleeping – eh…we stay in the bed for about 12 hours at night…but, we certainly are still waking up – Marlin usually only once and Madeline usually twice (and the Pixie thinks she should get up at dawn and then sleep with Momma until a more reasonable wake time)…they both still nurse during one of those times because I just can’t stand to let them cry.

nursing – these kids will nurse until they go to college if we let them (especially Madeline!)…However, they are totally DIGGING almond milk right now.  Perhaps they are weaning themselves from nursing, and, that makes me a little sad.  I've been pregnant or nursing since June of 2009.  What am I going to do if this body is all mine?

eating - OH YES!  Everything.  However, we still eat a lot of baby food.  At this time with Moo, we were not eating baby food, but, they are getting to where they will eat whatever we offer them.   Baby food is just so easy...

crawling – oh yes – and pushing toys, and couch surfing, and maybe taking a step here and there (Madeline for sure has taken about 4 single steps in the past week, Marlin has taken a few consecutive steps, but, my boy is timid...)  Madeline likes to stand and do squats J

climbing - everything -  we have re-entered baby gate heaven

We had the babies first birthday party on December 1st.  It was a great time...and, I'm so thankful for my sister and mother in law for helping pull it off.  The sandwiches wouldn't have been finished and the food wouldn't have made it to the table without them!

We had a snowman/snowflake themed party...but, thankfully, the weather outside was NOT frightful!  We were blessed with a GORGEOUS day and lots of friends to celebrate these sweet angels.   Below are pictures from their special day and from a "smash cake" session with our favorite photographer Katie Daniels.  What you can't tell from the pictures too well is that Marlin wasn't a huge fan of the cake and Madeline wanted more :).  My meat and potatoes boy and sugary sweet girl.

Good-bye, Bertha Jean.

This past Thursday there was a meteor shower.  I can't say I ever really participate in those types of events.  I do admire the moon regularly, but, the last time I saw a shooting star would have been middle school.  Thursday night I saw seven.  SEVEN.  And, that was only in about a 30 minute time frame.  They were gorgeous.  Also on Thursday night, my grandmother's sister, my great Aunt Jean met the Lord.  I'd like to think those 7 shooting stars were Heaven's way of greeting Jean and letting me know that she was safe and in her Father's arms.  A Heavenly celebration, if you will.

She was 83.  She had a long life and was able to raise her children and even know her grandchildren as adults.  I'd be happy to live that long.  I wish I'd had my Granny until she was 83.  She died when I was 14...this coming May she will have been gone 20 years.  TWENTY YEARS.  If only my Granny had been here the last 20 years.  She'd have met her 2 grandsons and SEVEN great-grandchildren.  She'd have been at her son's wedding and her 3 grand daughters weddings.  She'd have met and loved her three grand-son in laws.  She'd have held her daughter's hand through breast cancer...twice...and celebrated her survival.  She could have taught me how to make her sweet tea (I really think she used 3 cups of suger in ONE pitcher...).  Her life was cut short.  Jean had an awesome run...and, she was healthy for most of it, which is important.  Who wants to live till you're 200 if you spent 150 of it sick in a hospital?

In the end, it's never enough.  We all want more.  One more year, to perhaps meet a great grandchild, one more Christmas, one more birthday with your family and friends.  Her funeral is tomorrow.  I'm not going, and I really don't have a great excuse.  I've missed a lot of work lately with sick children, the holidays are coming up and I have lots to accomplish before then.  Nursing twins makes it difficult to be away for many hours.  The list of excuses is long and not half way decent.  You know why I'm really not going?  Because I just can't face it.  The finality of her passing is so heart breaking to me.  That ENTIRE GENERATION from my Mom's side of our family is gone.  An entire generation.  There's no one left to ask questions like, "What was it like being a child during the Depression?  What do you remember about WWII?"  There is no one left to answer questions about names of past generations.  Mom said today that she never knew her Great-Grandmother's name - she just knew her as "Nanny" - there is no one left to tell her.  It terrifies me that my parents are now the oldest generation.  TERRIFIES.

On Friday, one of the most horrific tragedies that has happened during my lifetime occurred at an elementary school in Connecticut.  20 children and 7 adults lost their lives.  20 children younger than 10 years old.  I haven't watched too much of the news, because I just cannot go there.

I needed a healthy dose of perspective lately... minuscule things have been driving me crazy....like silverware loaded in the dishwasher prongs up (only spatulas should face up)...pants being folded with a pleat in the pant leg (if they don't have a pleat in the legs, don't force one!)...the sippy cups being put away without fist having been put together (but, I never put the bottles together before putting them away - I know, it doesn't make sense)...hardly ever making it to school before carpool ends (seriously, don't shut down carpool at 8:59:59...school starts at 9!)...2 year olds that think they know more than you  (only time will cure this one :)).  Yes, I admit, I needed a healthy dosing of "get-over-youself-your life is wonderful - now shut the hell up".  I got it.  Load the dishwasher however you like, fold pants whichever way suits you, I'll walk my kid into school in my jammies with my head held high.  I got the message.  My perspective cup runneth over.  Please, Lord, I don't need anymore perspective checks...possibly EVER.

My prayer tonight...
Lord, please bless us with a healthy family, please bless us with many, many, many more years with our parents, please bless our children with happiness always.  Please do not let them ever witness the horror of an event such as that in Connecticut on Friday.  Please bless them with a long relationship with their grandparents.  Please bless those families in Connecticut who are experiencing a pain I pray to never know.  Please bless Aunt Sarah as she buries her Momma and hold her lovingly in Your comfort.

Rest in peace, Aunt Jean.  You are loved and will be missed.  We will see you again one day.

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What I've learned in 34 years...

Here we are...34 years old.  I still think I'm at least 23...and most of the time I act like I'm 18...and some days, it totally chaps my hide that I'm supposed to be a responsible adult and contributing citizen.  33 was a wonderful year...full of crying babies, giggling toddlers, poopy diapers, card board boxes, moving trucks, paperwork...and most of all, LOVE.  So here you go...here's what I've learned...

• God has a greater plan for your life than you could ever dream up...so, give it to him and just LIVE.  Enjoy your days and let the big man upstairs do the worrying.
• Sometimes its OK to let a crying baby cry.  
• In order to be a good parent, you need to put your own oxygen mask on first...if you don't, you won't be able to help anyone else.
• Sometimes it's OK to ask for help.
• Sometimes it's OK to accept help.
• Most things are temporary...so, even if you are uncomfortable and have 20 fingers and 20 toes taking over your body...soon, they will come out.  Enjoy your pregnancy(ies), ladies.  One day you will miss that big belly.
• A full night of sleep can cure most anything.
• If the kids are going nuts and it's above freezing...take them outside and prepare yourself to be amazed at their attitude's transformation.
• My children's laugh will cure any unpleasant mood of mine.
• They are only little once...take a few extra minutes when you can snag them and cuddle.
• Sleeping past 6:30 AM really isn't all that great, anyway.  Get up and enjoy your family.
• Speak kindly.  (Note to self...REMEMBER THIS)
• Most of the time, people have the right intentions...they just may be unable to communicate them in a way that makes you feel it.
• Real friends are still there even if you can't have more than a 3 minute conversation without being interrupted...even if your short conversations span years :).
• Sisters are the best friends you can ever have.
• Cousins are a close 2nd.
• Families can't be replaced.  Love yours...even on days you just want to hide under a rock.
• It's OK to turn off the cell phone...and, sometimes, you SHOULD.
• The seasons of life change much faster the older you get.  Take time to enjoy the craziness that surrounds you...all too soon these babies will be off to college and the house will be quiet once more.

There you have it, folks.  My words of wisdom for today.  My goal for this year is to enjoy my chaotic life and to just simmer down about the little stuff.  So, my floors are dirty and the sink is full of dishes.  So, the kids don't go to bed right on time.  When I'm gone, my kids aren't going to remember that our house was spotless 24/7 or that their clothes were always ironed...they are going to remember baking cookies, jumping in rain puddles, making mud pies, running and being crazy with their cousins.  Savor each moment.

When a title just won't come to mind...

I've been running a little ragged lately.  As in, it's 9:15 and I really need to be working because I had to take a nap from 4:30 to 5:30 in order to face the rest of my evening, thus, am behind on a deadline.  Moving has been such a blessing....we are sooo much closer to both sets of our parents, Molly had FLOURISHED at school, the twins are wonderful, Athens rocks, we just feel like we are home.  However...(there's always a but, isn't there?)...having a new house is awesome...but...it's a blank slate.  There is a basement that needs to be finished (momma needs somewhere to work), there are 50 million walls that are the same color (ever met me?  do you think I can live with every wall being the same color??), pictures need to be hung, Thanksgiving shirts need to be made, the list goes on.  You know, these things really are important...(dripping with sarcasm).  However, they are important to me.  I am feeling overwhelmed, stressed, frankly...a bit blue.  I need to snap out of it.  Someone slap me.  Tell me to get over myself.

In other news, my babies are 11 MONTHS OLD.  SHUT.THE.FRONT.DOOR.  How did that happen?  I honestly, can hardly remember life before them.  Life before Molly is such a distant, faint memory that some days I wonder if there ever really was life before we had kids?    I frequently remember an Easter Egg hunt I took Molly to during the season of her 2nd Easter.  I was very early pregnant...I don't even know if we knew it was twins yet...and she was so bald...and walking but, the kind of walking where a new parent chases after them and worries about their every step.  And she looked so cute in her jeans (that were Emma's once upon a time) and white shirt (from Melissa Sibold...funny how you remember who gave your kid what clothes) and hot pink hair bow - on a head band because like I said...chick was bald (hairbow from Aunt Lori and Uncle Marlin).  I don't know why that day stands out so much for me.  But, I remember walking home with my girl and our friends (Flo and Jojo) and Flo telling me that I was too thin for the maternity jeans I was trying to hold up.  I guess it's one of those memories that keeps coming back because I knew it was the last Easter with just one baby...and that by the next Easter we'd have another of God's miracles in our midst.  Madeline wore those jeans last week.  How did my baby get big enough to wear her sister's jeans?  (Yes, Emma, Molly and Brooke have worn them before her...they are GAP...and still look new :)).  It kind of makes my uterus hurt it feels so empty.  PS...we did IVF with the twins when Molly was 13 months.  DON'T FREAK OUT GRANDMAS....Rob is adamant that we are finished.  I'm certain that we are done...for now.  But, in my blue moments the past few weeks...I desperately have missed the big belly and knowing that I have a PERSON who's life LITERALLY depends on me.  Feeling that baby kick and knowing that it's all mine...err...ours.  But, really, when you are pregnant, no one on this earth can know that baby as intimately as you can.  You don't have to share that baby.  That baby goes EVERYWHERE with you.  For the record...I suck at being pregnant.  I grow amazing babies that are super healthy (knock on wood should I ever grow another one).  But, I suck at everything else in life while I'm pregnant.  I don't cook...I don't clean...I'm a total bitch.  You think I have a low mind to mouth filter now?  Ha.  Talk to me when I'm 6 months pregnant.

Today, due to a mis-communication, Molly wasn't picked up from school.  They called me at 12:25.  School ends at 12:00.  I thought Rob was getting her...he thought I was.  It's just one of those things.  It happens to the best of us, I assume.  I drove an average speed of 75 mph to get her.  The average speed limit is about 45 on the way to her school.  I probably would have been arrested if I had gotten pulled over.  I was totally PANICKING that my sweet girl would be upset and think she had been forgotten.  Rob called and was on his way, too.  Mama Bear that I am, I told him ABSOLUTELY DO NOT leave that school with her.  I would be there and I wanted her.  Needless to say, Molly was thrilled to have gotten to go to "Lunch Bunch" and play with her buddies for an extra 45 minutes.  I was devastated.  Not because she was fine...but, because what if she hadn't have been fine?  What if she'd been old enough to realize that she had been picked up late because of a mis-communication?  What if there hadn't been a lunch bunch?

I'm a freak about who keeps my kids.  I like to know every.single.detail.  I like to be over-communicated to about my children's day.  When they sleep and what times, what they eat, how much they poop, how much they cry and about what, which toys they prefer, what songs they like.  Even though I KNOW that I need my time at work (I don't think I'm cut out to stay at home full time) and they need their time learning about other people, I would prefer to be a fly on the wall 24/7.

This post is really just my rant for today.  It was a sucky day, that ended with all of my chickens asleep in my basket with a happy face.  Some days are just like that, I guess.  In true Scarlet fashion, tomorrow is another day.  Thank God.

Wednesday's Quick Words

It's 10:18 on Wednesday, and all day I've been thinking about blogging.  I need a day just to post/edit/print pictures...and more walls than this house has to hang said pictures.  These moments are fleeting...and I keep saying, oh, tomorrow I'll blog about this...or document that.  So, instead, I'm going to just roll with my bullets and learn to love it.

• We hit the pumpkin patch Sunday.  It rocked.  It was HOT...but, awesome.  We went for the 2nd year with Mike, Corey and Miller.  Last year I was pregnant with the babies...can't believe the difference a year makes.

• The babies are both saying Mama and Dada.  Sometimes just babbling, sometimes it seems like they are really saying our names.  
• They are both pulling up and couch surfing...both are starting to get brave and stand more on their own.
• Molly is speaking in PARAGRAPHS.  Tonight, she said, "Daddy, don't take my book from me."  She is so articulate...and has such a broad vocabulary.  Clearly, she's a genius.  I wonder who she takes after? :)
• She loves to sing...about everything...all.the.time.  It's awesome...and exhausting.
• Living in Athens...err..Bogart...rocks.  We love our house...our neighborhood...our town.  There was a greater plan for us, and it is very clear that this was the plan.
• I have a new obsession for Kettle Chips Buffalo Blue chips.  It's terrible for the diet.  
• We have 2 months until we leave for Key West.  The chip obsession is bad in so many ways.
• The kids are going to be pumpkins for Halloween.  A pumpkin patch, if you will.  Best $60 I've spent all year.  It's gonna be adorable :).  
• I'm not biased at all.
• The new nanny ROCKS.  The children are all so happy with her...and she is AMAZE-BALLS with the house - helping me with laundry, dishes, changing the kids beds, the dogs, kitty...you name it...she helps with it.  
• We have pictures this weekend...first family pictures as a party of five.  Pumped.  We are also having pictures this weekend with bulldog puppies.  O.M.G.  I have such high aspirations for these.
• I have a new found love for TV.  Holy relaxation.
• My babies are almost 1.  Like, so close to 1 that we have invitations ordered and are planning their party.  Father Time...PLEASE SLOW DOWN.
• I'm totally freaking out about my babies turning 1.  What am I going to do without any babies in my house?  
• Molly is THRIVING at school.  THRIVING.  I was worried about sending her 5 days/week (9-12), but, she LOVES it and asks to go on Saturday and Sunday, too.  

Needless to say, we are loving this season of life.  The days can be long and challenging, but, are much more rewarding than challenging.  I lose my patience often, but, every single day I stand in awe and amazement and in constant gratitude that I'm blessed with these 3 crazy kids.  BBB.

Waffle house!!!

We went to the bulldawg waffle house this morning - everyone had a blast!! It was a first for the babies and they loved their biscuit, waffle and raisin toast!