Mickey and Minnie and my babies 2nd birthday!

Better late than never....

We had a Mickey and Minnie Mouse birthday party for our little babies the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  We had a 2nd birthday party in December and had AWESOME weather for the SECOND year in a row!  I think God likes smiling on these two.

The day was filled with great family, good friends and decent food :).  For once, I had enough food at a birthday party for our kids.  Molly's first birthday, my sweet friend and then neighbor, Jennifer, spent the entire party making more sandwiches.  Her second birthday was similar in fate, and her third was maybe a bit better...and the babies first birthday Rob was somewhat annoyed with me that he didn't get anything to eat.  Hey, gotta get it while the gettin's good, right?  Maybe I'm learning how to determine how much food to have...it helps to keep a list of who is actually coming :).  Who says you can't teach a old dog girl new tricks??

Anyway, for my memories sake, here are pictures galore.  I love you Marlin and Madeline.  I absolutely cannot imagine this crazy life without you two.  Live out loud, babies.  Dance like no one is watching.  Never be afraid to fail...reach for the stars...Daddy and I love you and will always be here for you.

Happy 2014!!

Holy smokes, it's FEBRUARY 2014.  (I actually started this post in January).  Do you remember Y2K?  Seems so long ago...and just like yesterday!  We've been super busy with birthdays and the holidays.  I lost my camera at the Christmas tree farm for two weeks and when I finally found it there were over 500 pictures that needed downloading.  I am soooo sooo grateful for the honest person who turned it in and for the honest people that held if for me until I called to see if they had it!!  The pictures I thought I lost were of the babies 2nd birthday party, their actual birthday-day at school, Molly's Christmas show at school and the Christmas tree farm (which is now our tradition since this was year 2!).  Can't begin to express how grateful I was when I called them and they had it.  So, yeah, my babies are two.  And talking in sentences.  And running.  And being toddlers.  And talking about using the potty.  And started sleeping in toddler beds last Monday (1/27/14).  I can't hardly remember our family before diapers.  It's crazy.  Time passes us by so quickly.  I used to think that was so cliche until I had kids and could literally SEE them growing right before my eyes.

I don't know how to write a post without bullets...honestly, I don't think I even speak or think in anything other than bullets...

• Molly will be 4 next week.  She's such a grown little person lately and still such a baby at the same time.  I signed her up for Pre-K today.  Wow...if the milestones want to slow down, I'm good with that.
• Christmas this year was a tiny bit over the top.  Every year since we've had the honor of helping Santa, I always get to Christmas Eve and look at Rob and we lament that I didn't get enough.  This year, we held several gifts back and have enough for Valentine's Day and Easter, too.  OOPs.  
• American Express loved me in December.  (See above)
• Thank goodness we were quickly back to the budget in January...
• Best gift from Santa....the roller coaster.  I totally thought it would be an ER trip in the making, but, have decided otherwise since we've had it.  It's not nearly as crazy as I'd imagined...but, it is as big of a hit with them as I'd imagined.  
• However, we no longer have a dining room...but who needs one anyway, right?
• I'm so incredibly thankful for this crazy life, even though I bitch constantly about my lack of sleep.  Who knew that you'd figure out how selfish you are once you had kids?  Man, I do love to sleep.  Any tips on becoming a morning person when you are a TOTAL night owl are appreciated.
• I have a new found love of yoga.  Hopefully, by spring, my stomach will reflect this in my (one-piece) bathing suit.  
• New Molly words - Flesto star= disco ball, wash car = car wash.  Love.
• Does anyone get as excited as I do to complete their taxes?  Seriously...I love it.
• I'm so lucky to have my Momma.  She does things that I would never think to do for someone.  For example, we needed swim diapers and she got online within hours of our need, ordered, and had them to me within the week in time for our second swim lesson.  (Thankful for awesome neighbors who got us through the first lesson).  She also brought me time release vitamin C today for my teeth and gums - her dentist recommended this and has seen an improvement...my dentist didn't offer that suggestion, but, did say that the ol' mouth is not looking so awesome lately.  It's just so nice that someone thinks of me often enough and wants to help me...when she knows that I'd have time release vitamin C on my shopping list for months and keep complaining about my bleeding gums.  She's amazing...and selfless...and I'm lucky.  It's the little things in life that really do make a difference.
• Sidda has a suspicious tumor on her leg and is having surgery on Valentine's Day.  To say that I'm scared would be an understatement.  As much as I complain about our furry friends, I can't imagine life without them.  We've had Sid since the summer we were engaged.  She's really one of my best friends.  
• Buffett is still super crazy, but I love him, too.  I'd be just as scared about surgery for him...even though it's him that I bitch about the most!  Ha.  
• So, the babies...TODDLER BEDS.  What a disaster.  They started climbing out of their cribs all.the.time.  Mad-Mad (as she calls herself) came down the stairs two nights in a row and then patiently called for me to come get her.  Holy hell, I almost had a heart attack.  Then, one Sunday, Rob was in the basement, came upstairs thinking they were still asleep...nope.  Sitting in the chair together playing the iPad.  He didn't even see them and heard them start giggling.  Clearly, we had to bite the bullet.  Molly was in her CRIB until after her third birthday.  She's still in a toddler bed.  I can't even take it that the twins are in toddler beds...and nap times are just ridiculous, if they even happen.  It pretty much goes like this - 
• Take them upstairs, tuck them in their bed.
• Very sternly tell them NOT TO GET OUT OF BED to GO TO SLEEP.
• Run downstairs and grab the monitor to watch the dance party that ensues.
• Go back upstairs after a few minutes of this insanity, repeat steps 1 - 3.
• Pray they will go to sleep.
• Pray some more.  
• Give up after 2 hours when they are still playing, albeit quietly, and go release the hounds.
• Or, on days where you are really lucky - enjoy the nap time and the much smoother evening that follows.
• Today, they refused nap and Marlin literally passed out in Mom's lap about 4:00.  Literally.  Like, she couldn't get him to wake up.  The kid was beat.  
• This nap time ridiculousness has helped with the crazy early mornings, though.  Mar-Mar (as he calls himself) will now typically sleep until 7.  Much more acceptable to his Momma, who does not function well before 8.  
• It's awesome that they are my 2nd and 3rd children, because if this had happened with Molly, I'd have laid down and just died.  I would have lost so much sleep over it.  You definitely parent different after the first.  It's so funny to watch them and infuriating at the same time. 
• What am I going to do next year when Molly  has to be at school by 8??  Yikes.  Again, becoming a morning person advice is appreciated :)
• On Christmas Eve a high school friend's husband lost his battle with Melanoma.  He deserves more than a bullet on my blog, but I haven't yet found the right words.  Until then, hug your babies tight.  Life is precious and it could be gone in the blink of an eye.  And, please pray for my friend Rachel and their 2 young children (4 years and 3 years) as they face a very difficult path ahead of them.  

I really want to post pictures from the birthdays and holidays, but, I couldn't go to sleep tonight without at least getting down some of my thoughts as of late.  I'm writing it down now to hold myself accountable - my (February) New Year's Resolution - keep my blog up to date because one day these babies will be too busy for their tired old momma and our memories will be more special than I could possibly realize now.  

Happy Birthday, my babies!!

I cannot believe that our babies are 2 (TWO!!!) today!!!  How did that happen??  These have been the most chaotic, crazy, fun, loud, sleepless, blessed years of my life.  Those first 22 months of having one child were awesome...but the past two years of having three has been more than I could have ever dreamed of.  It's not all unicorns and rainbows...we yell, we cry, we have our days...but, we also laugh, and giggle, and smile and have the best days.  It's true what they say...the longest days and shortest years of your life.

Funny things that are happening now and stats...

Bru-Bra's - any kind of large truck or tractor or piece of landscape equipment...it's spelled phonetically.  Although, Marlin recently learned the word tractor, so, we use both now.  It's so cute driving down the road to hear in the back seat, "Look Mar, there's a bru-bra" and seconds later to hear a cacophony of "BRU-BRA" "Bru-Bra"  hahaha.

Diapers - size 4, size 5 at night, for both of you

Clothes - Marlin is 18-24 months and Madeline is closer to plain 18 months.  Size 24 month pants essentially hit the floor with both of you.  But, Mad, I do believe that booty of yours will eventually start to hold them up :).  I love that booty (and you didn't get it from your Dad or I...).

Marlin, son, you'd drink your calories all.day.long.  Some days you will eat better for me than others.  Most days, you will scream until we give in and refill your chocolate milk.

Madeline - You LOVE fruit....and, you also love your chocolate milk like Brubby.  You are my best eater, probably, out of the three of you.  (Big sister has decided that some things are "disgusting"....ahhh...toddler-hood).

Marlin - you are a Chatty Cathy!!!  Especially, if you have one on one time.  You are starting to sing along with songs in the car and DVDs and TV shows.  And, yesterday, you sang Happy Birthday to your sister.  You love the movie "Cars" and you like Thomas the Train, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Dora, Diego, Paw Patrol.  You are super opinionated about what we watch, too, especially with your 6:00 am wake up call every morning.  I swear, I think you get up early just to have me and Dad to yourself for a little while.

All of you are OBSESSED with Bubble Guppies.  It's a cute show, so, I don't mind.  :)

Madeline - you like pretty much anything on the TV, it's Marlin and Molly that are the most opinionated in this area. However, you will occasionally DEMAND Bubble Guppies.  And, girlfriend, you will win a cat fight any day.  If you want it, you are getting it - come hell or high water.

Madeline - you are speaking some, but, not in paragraphs like your siblings.  I think you just can't seem to get a word in edgewise, and, really, it isn't worth that much effort.  They communicate for you.  I have no doubt that you will catch up soon enough :).  However, without fail, if I ask you, "Madeline, whose baby are you?"  You ALWAYS say, "Momma's!"  and it melts my heart...every.single.time.

Marlin sometimes calls you Man-in Weez (Madeline Louise).   It cracks us up.  He hasn't gotten Madeline right, yet, and I love Man-in.  I hope he still calls you that in high school when it annoys you...

You guys both LOVE school and LOVE mother's morning out.  You go running in and it's rare that you even look back for your poor old momma.  It's a blessing and a curse for me :).  Y'all are so loving to each other...it's so awesome to watch you two together.  You still share a room and seem to prefer it that way.  Some mornings (or nights or naps) y'all will stand up and talk to each other from your cribs.  You'd pass toys back and forth, except I made that impossible by spreading your cribs too far apart :).

Madeline - You LOVE your pillow pets, especially the black bear who is called "Burr".  Seriously, we take one everywhere we go.

Marlin - You have a Mickey Mouse that you sleep with - lovingly called "Mow-Mow".  You sleep on a pillow...Sissy doesn't need a pillow because she has 977 pillow pets in her bed.  And, don't try to take one from her either :).

You guys, Molly included, are the absolute lights of my life.  Aunt Lori said it perfectly today, "Isn't God amazing?  Out of sorrows and struggles comes the overwhelming appreciation for His abundant love and grace."  I am blessed to be your Momma.  I pray that you live a life of happiness and health.  That you enjoy more sunshine than rain.  That you endure struggles with grace.  And, when things get hard, that you know that your Mom and Dad will ALWAYS LOVE YOU, forgive you, take care of you and help you to be the best person you can be.  There will never be a day that you cannot come to us with a problem, with a fear, with a hope, with a dream.  Dream big, my babies.  Dance like no one is watching.  And, take your time growing up, there is no rush to be had in this life.

Happy 2nd Birthday!

8 days shy of 22 months...

That's how old Molly was the day we had the twins.  That is also how old the twins are today.  It's crazy talk that my babies are almost 2.  It's also crazy talk that we thought Molly was so grown back then.  In my mind, she was speaking in sentences and totally a big girl.  I have video and pictures to prove myself wrong.  My friends Flo and Marie Claude kept Molly that night we had the twins and sent us this video Sunday morning when the twins were just hours old...

  

I plan to take pictures tonight of the babies for a full on comparison.  I know this...Madeline and Marlin have a LOT more hair than Molly did :).  It's a weird feeling for me that they are the same age as Molly was at the time of their birth.  I cannot imagine bringing a baby home to these three today...I do know that.  I actually think Madeline would have the hardest time with it.  She isn't super clingy, but, when she wants her momma...girl wants her momma.

Here are some things I want to make sure I get down on "paper" before I forget them...

• Molly says some funny stuff and I don't want anyone to correct her...I'm sure she won't go to college with funny grammar...Here are some examples:
• "My head-fore hurts"...please no one tell her it's her forehead :)
• "Mommy, the sassy fairy took our sassies and we never not see them again!"  (While shaking her hands back and forth - ha!)  Never not.. I love it.  She also tells me sometimes to "Don't never not do that again!"  Bossy little thing :)  I'm sure she doesn't get that from me.
• She recently told her teachers that Rob and I were getting married...good thing we did that almost 10 years ago :).  We were actually going to the PGA tournament.  Which, by the way, was super awesome.  We had these sweet tickets from on of Rob's big clients and were wined and dined while watching the top 30 golf players in the world.  Hollywood, I tell ya :).
• On the same day she told people we were getting married, she also mistook her teacher's husband for the teacher's Daddy.  The entire school got a laugh out of that one.
• Marlin is talking all the time.  ALL THE TIME! It's so sweet and funny. He's putting together 3 and 4 words at a time.  Last night, I told him to tell Buffett (our dog) good night and he said, "Night-Night, dog" - it was super sweet.  He also likes to make his mouth a really defined O shape when he says "NO" and "GO".  He re-named Rob's mom from Annie to Ni-Ni....we will see what sticks, I guess!  
• Madeline probably says the fewest words right now, but, she doesn't have to talk...she can hardly get a word in edgewise!  She is OBSESSED with a bear pillow pet and she calls him "Burr" and he MUST go everywhere with us.  We did have to have a come to Jesus about taking him to school and she finally agreed that Burr could stay in the car those 6 hours a week.  Her first two word sentence was "Hey Nanny" one Tuesday morning when Mom came downstairs.  Melted Nanny's heart.  Don't let the Mighty Pixie fool you, though.  She CAN talk...she just chooses her words wisely, I guess :).  Maybe she will have a better mind to mouth filter than her Mom ;).
• Everyone is in school 9 - 12 - the twins twice a week and Molly 5 days.  They LOVE it.  LOVE.
• Rob taught the babies to "power" point - and it's HYSTERICAL!  I want to get it on video.  You can almost see the energy coming out of those fingers when they point with such force.  They are funny.
• Marlin has tee-tee'd in the urinal twice at the pool.  Seriously.  Rob held him up there and he peed.  Maybe he will be easy to potty train?  Mad has used the potty once.  They both LOVE to wear panties/underwear over their diapers.  Mom bought Marlin his first pairs of underwear.  It kind of broke my heart.  I can say it will be easier when we no longer have diapers, but, I can also say that I know it will make me a little bit sad when my babies are "big" kids.  I mean, come on...after three, you wouldn't really notice another baby, would you? ;)
• Madeline wants to do EVERYTHING that Molly does.  It's so sweet and at the same time kind of difficult.  We just do everything in triplicate these days.  Seriously.  Don't bring a gift unless you bring three identical ones...just kidding, not really :).  I had a talk with Santa and he's bringing three of a lot of things.  For me, it's just not worth the battle.  
• OH!  MAJOR!  The "Sassy Fairy" came this weekend.  Sassy = pacifier.  Madeline is the only one who never cared about them, but, that is also because she sucks her thumb.  Marlin was just getting CRAZY about it and calling it a YAA (say BAA like a sheep but with a Y) and basically having to have it 24/7.  Molly was only allowed her's in the bed, but, with Marlin having one all the time, it was making it quite difficult.  Saturday after nap, Marlin was just OBNOXIOUS about it and we decided that we'd had enough.  The Sassy Fairy came right then.  It was not too terrible at night for Marlin, but the first two mornings were not pleasant.  Molly did fine until last night and had a little melt down about it.  She was just soooo tired.  Once we got to bed, she was asleep within about 2 minutes and slept all night.  I think it's safe to say that if they find one that we missed, err...I mean the Sassy Fairy forgot...that we are gonna have a total meltdown, but, each day it's getting easier.  Let's face it - Molly only had hers because she was a baby when they were born and I was NOT taking it from her then.  And, honestly, we just haven't been ready to face the tantrums we thought would happen (read that we as 99.9% me - Rob has been ready to take them).  It's a milestone...and the Sassy Fairy is supposed to deliver a big prize tonight for Molly being such a big girl about it.  I hope she pulls through for us ;).

Father time, please feel free to slow down any day now.  

A post 2-ish years in the making...

This isn't some earth-shattering, tear jerking post.  Just something nerdy that I've kept saying I was going to document.  If you know me well, you know that I'm kind of an organization freak that is a total mess.  As in, I LOVE to organize things, but, I'm not the best at actually putting things where they belong on a daily basis.  Yes, it's totally counter-productive, I know.  So, almost TWO years ago...I was on maternity leave with the babies - all of them :).  Because, let's be honest...Molly was still a baby (still is)...looking back, I want to smack myself.  I thought she was so grown.  I hope I relished in her baby-dom like I have tried to relish in the twins.  I digress...

Anyway, so, one fine January day in 2012, I embarked on cleaning and organizing our pantry and cabinets.  Molly did this:

This was her first experience with the stamps that Aunt Kelly and Uncle Jeff gave her for her upcoming birthday.  I wasn't thrilled with the results...but, hey, I'd just let a 23 month old go CrAzY with stamps for almost two hours.  It was blissful...albeit messy.

 So, Molly stamped...and I did this...notice all of our food being stacked on the counter...

 The babies did this...BE STILL MY HEART...look how tiny they were!!

 Molly continued her masterpieces...

 Marlin chilled in the swing...check out those skinny legs!!!

 And, we ended up with these beautifully cleaned and organized storage areas!

 Fast forward almost two years.  We live in a new house, our kids look like this:

And, our pantry has looked like this for a year...

After one trip to the Container Store (with my girl, Emma...where we both got high on organizing ideas)....our pantry looked like this...

And, thanks to Amazon Prime, less than one week later, our pantry is this glorious disaster with shelves...that pull out for total convenience. 

This pantry could still go a long way with some serious Tupperware, but, oh, my...it's a gazillion times easier to find things now...and it just makes me smile when I open those doors (who are kiddie proofed with a pony tail holder :)).  That's right, people...I'm a complete nerd.  If you want any help organizing...you now know who to call :).

Panties...err...underwear

Marlin and Madeline have been obsessed with wearing panties over their diapers...when Pop saw this:

He sent Nanna to the store.  Now we have this:

And he's very proud of himself (Marlin, that is).  Ha!  

And, yes.  Marlin had his third haircut yesterday.  It's a little short for me, he looks too grown up.  He is so awesome sitting there, though!  She even used the clippers - I panicked and Marlin sat there cool as a cucumber.  My babies are growing up too fast.

Getting so Grown...

Alas, my babies are growing up too fast.  Everyone says that...and until you are a parent you think it's something cheesey that people who are getting old say.  And, then, BAM!  It's you that's getting old and it's your children who are racing through their days and growing right before your eyes.  Yowza.  I  remember my grandparents saying they wanted to put a brick on our heads to keep up from growing so quickly.  Granny, once again you are correct.

The babies have discovered dress up with Molly:

Poor Marlin...he wants to do what his sisters do...one day, he will figure it out :).

Madeline is the best sleeper.  Marlin is the most laid back.  Molly has personality that just won't quit.

"School" starts back on Monday.  The babies will go on Mondays and Wednesdays and Molly is going 5 days again.  It's only 9 - 12, but, I think (1) they need the interaction and (2) they need the time away from me to know they can survive this big bad world without being on my hip.

Molly has started this being scared to go to sleep stuff, and it's unchartered territory with us.  All of them are good sleepers and have always gone right to bed.  It could be because I'm a "Babywise" follower or just that they are pretty perfect...we will never know :).  It is frustrating, though, and tiring since she gets up in the middle of the night.  Hopegully, it's a stage that we are getting through quickly. Oh, and Molly calls her forehead her "head fore".  Please, no one correct her...it's so sweet and I love it.  If she still says things funny like that when she's leaving for college, well, maybe I'll bust out the correct words to her then :).

Madeline has decided that she wants to do EVERYTHING that Molly does.  Like, screaming at gymnastics for 20 minutes because she couldn't do it, too.  This fit was so bad that eventually my friend was all, "How about you give me Molly's carseat and I'll bring her on home and you can go ahead with the twins".  Ha.  Being the youngest, I remember the days of wanting to do everything Mandie did and being so upset when I wasn't old enough or tall enough or whatever enough.  Poor, poor Pixie.

Marlin is so funny and chill.  He is the first to wake up every morning.  We spend our time together laying in bed and watching a show (currently, he LOVES the movie CARS) and laughing and drinking milk.  I've said it a million times...but, man.  I never knew I could love a boy like I love him.  It's so funny to me how much of a boy he is when he's surrounded by his sisters and princesses and he finds the few boyish toys and goes about his business making car noises (where did he learn that?).  Clearly, he still gets involved in the princess activities, but, he really loves rocks and cars and trucks and everything you think of that boys love.  Luckily, our neighborhood is under construction and he can watch dump trucks and back hoe things a lot.

Our neighborhood pool recently opened (like, last week on Tuesday recent).  I never imagined how much we would enjoy it.  We go essentially every day except Wednesday because of gymnastics.  We went twice on Friday.  It's nothing extravagant - just a pool - but, wow..it's amazing!

Molly is a total fish and Marlin LOVES the water.  Madeline is the least sure of the lot, but, she's warming up...and, no doubt, by next summer she will have no fear like the rest.

We are obsessed with boo-boos and it's really pretty sweet (except when they are crying because they have a 5 day old scrape and need 77 bandaids for it :)).

Overall, life is pretty exhausting, but, we are abundantly blessed and I wouldn't trade it for the world.