Caleb and his sisters

Caleb really is turning out to be one awesome big brother to his baby sisters! I really rely on his help - getting diapers/wipes, checking to see if they are crying, holding the pacifier in their mouths when they are fussy, holding one while I am taking care of the other one, and helping me with Luke. When the boys wake up in the morning one of the first things they do is find the girls to kiss them and say good morning. It is quite a sweet moment. That moment is usually interrupted by them arguing over which one is their baby.

Daddy Duty

The girls got their first formula feeding a couple of weeks ago and I am just now posting the pictures. They ate like champs and I think everyone had fun taking turns feeding them. It is nice now to feel like I can have a break occasionally and we can supplement with formula if we want a date night or if I want to leave the girls for more than a couple of hours.


I love how the girls make eye contact while they are feeding. And I'm glad that Joseph gets to experience it occasionally.

Caleb wanted to get in on the feeding action as well. He thought it was so cool to feed the girls and even commented, "Now you don't have to feed the girls anymore." Actually Buddy, I do. I asked a fellow mother-of-twins today how much they spend in formula for the twins monthly...yeah, it was more than we can spend! So for now we will continue nursing!!

Here is Mr. Big Shot feeding both girls at the same time...and who says men can't multi-task! (I do!!)

"'Need' is an interesting word"

One of Luke's favorite words is "need". Here is a sample of some of the phrases he uses it in:

• "I need that car, Caleb." The one specific one that Caleb happens to be holding and Luke wants.
• "I need some M&M's."
• "I need some soda. Not water, I need soda."
• "I need Mc Donalds."

My reply is either "Need is an interesting word Luke" or "That is an interesting way to use the word 'need' Luke". So today I hear Luke say, "Caleb I need the shot gun" to which I hear Caleb say, "Need is an interesting word Luke". I guess they do listen to me sometimes!

This is going by WAY too fast!

Three months old! The girlfriends are 3 months old today and every time I think about it I want to cry! I'm not ready for this to go by so fast. I never really considered myself a "baby person" but there is something so special about these two that they make me want another one. (Which is quite unfortunate since I just gave away all my maternity clothes today!) These two may be the last babies that I ever have and I want to hold on to and remember every moment. Actually, I'm not too fond of remembering the days when they were up most of the night, but even those don't seem so bad to me now. While I was reading to Caleb today (I was reading about wolverines and female wolverines are actually quite disgusting) I was remembering when he was so little and it has flown by. Even little Bear will be 3 at the end of the month. *sigh* Just when I start to fall in love with the ages/stages that the kids are - they are over... and then they start new ones. I feel like the "Circle fo Life" from the Lion King should start playing in the backgroud. LOL! Okay, gotta go, these girls that I'm gushing about should probably be fed...

Proud Papa

The Girlfriend's Church Pictures

Lily Kate on the left and Ella Grace on the right.

Looking at Daddy who is trying desperately to make them smile!

Lily Kate is starting to wiggle around...

and she's done with this photo shoot.

Lily Kate

Isn't she a little doll!

Hurry, look it's Ella and she's not fussing!

And here is the sweet Ella we are used to!

Blogging

Well, there really isn't much to report here. Lots happens, but nothing that I think that anyone would be interested in. Joseph is back at work today. He took a big test yesterday (8 hours long!) and that is the last big one for the rest of med school (I hear heavenly applause)! He told me last night that he will only study for an hour a day for the rest of med school and residency. I'll believe that when I see it. For the past 5 years, everywhere we go that man has a book out studying. Or at least he brings it everywhere with hopes that when I turn my back, or if there is 1 free minute, he can open it and get some studying in. I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have to compete with a medical book!

I went on a girls night out last night. Mucho fun, lots of laughter and great conversation.

A friend of mine found out that she has been picked by a birth mother to adopt. She is so excited, but kinda nervous because it has fallen through in the past. I have no idea the kind of wait that she has endured. She has way more faith, patience and trust than I do. I am much more into a "Burger King God" - my way right away. I would like God to change that in me, but am terrified to ask because I tendency to have to learn things the hard way and I am afraid of how that may have to be taught to me.Back to my friend, she is a great mama and I am excited for her to get that chance again.

I have a new pastime. After I put the boys to bed, before I begin my psycho put-the-house-together-at-the-end-of-the-day routine (only for it to get trashed the following day), I have started surfing blogs. There are some really good ones out there. It really is better than people watching at the airport because you get a glimpse into their heads! You can hear their thoughts or walk in their shoes...it's pretty fun! We have been blogging for a couple of years now and up until recently (VERY recently) I never even knew that there was a huge blogging community out there. Ours is just to unabashedly post picture after picture of my delicious kids so that the grandparents can keep up with the happenings around here. Joseph loves it because he's gone so much that he still feels connected with life here. (Sometimes reading our blog is how he finds things out...maybe that leaves much to be said about our communication!) Anyway we have a few faithful followers that read and send me email to let me know what they think, but as I read other peoples blogs I am becoming more curious who reads ours. So for fun - leave me a comment and let me know that you are "in my head or trying on my shoes". Don't be shy...this could be fun.

Okay enough ramblings for one morning. We are having a play group today and there is much to get ready for!
And don't worry to those of you that don't want to read, but only want to see pictures. I will have some very yummy ones of the girls in their church clothes for tomorrow!

Legacy

I get so caught up in things... clean house, organized pantry, tidy closets, losing weight, floors you could eat off, schedules, hosting the most amazing bible studies and most fun playgroups, being organized...basically being seen as someone who "has it all together". And I don't. I'm chasing this illusion and there are times where I feel it's so close, I can almost touch it. And it's those times that I am the farthest from God, being the worst example to my children and the most demanding on my husband. I am so Martha and caught up in the earthly things that don't matter, instead of being Mary and absorbed in the heavenly things that last eternally. So there is this song that comes on the radio that I absolutely love and it really reminds me to be mindful of the legacy that I want to leave behind... Mary or Martha? What do I want to be known for - a clean house or house full of love and grace? Because I'm chasing one far faster than the other.

Legacy

by Nichole Nordeman

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me

And I enjoy an accolade like the rest

And you can take my picture and hang it in a gallery

Of all the Who's Who's and So-and-So's

That used to be the best at such and such

It wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights

We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'

But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides

The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace

Who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile

To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy

It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile

Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace

Who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

Not well-traveled, not well-read

Not well-to-do, or well-bred

Just want to hear instead

Well done, good and faithful one

I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to You enough

To make a mark on things

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace

Who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me

Check out my Slide Show!

The boys and their wheels!

Luke the bear has acquired a new skill...the scooter! I got Caleb a scooter at a garage sale last year and neither of the boys really cared for it much until a couple of weeks ago. Caleb got really good at it first and was even flying down some of the hills in our subdivision. He was going fast enough that Joseph is requiring him to wear a bike helmet on his scooter. Luke saw his big brother riding the scooter, so he decided to give it a try. Initially he wasn't very good at it, but Luke is quite persistent when he wants to do something, and after some practice has gotten good. It's pretty impressive considering the scooter is way to big for him! I think the big motivator for him is he doesn't ride a bike so, he had no way of keeping up with Caleb and the neighborhood kids until now. Luke doesn't like to be left behind that's for sure!



JB - Do you remember when the boys were so little that they just rode in the back wagon together?! It seemed like Caleb would never reach the pedals and look at him now! How time flies...

One of their favorite times to ride their bikes is in the rain!! I love this picture because it is such a great portrayal of how my kids are... playing together, outside and Luke following his big brother.

"Do you hear that noise?"

That was the question that Joseph asked me last night when we got out of the car on our date! Yep, you heard correctly I said date! We left all the kids with Angela and her hubby (they are amazing!) and went to the theme park in our area to ride roller coasters. Earlier this week we gave the girls their first bottle (and it was formula!) and they gobbled it up as though they have been drinking formula their entire lives. I have been saying that I am going to do this for months now, but for some reason I just couldn't do it and I have no idea why. "It's not crack, it's formula - just do it!" That's what I kept telling myself. Well, when Joseph got back home he kept strongly encouraging me to give the girls a bottle so that we could go on a date and I could get a break. (Nursing 2 kids without supplementing is exhausting although I must saying that they are getting more efficient so it is getting much better!) I finally worked up the courage and Joseph and Caleb fed the girls their first bottles! With no problems. So we scheduled a date night. I was nervous (bedtime is CRAZY around here), but I know how important it is for Lovey and I to have time by ourselves without our delicious children. And we do love to go on dates!!

Anyway, back to the question. Joseph asked me, "Do you hear that noise?" So I stopped and was listening and didn't hear anything so I replied, "What noise?" And that was just his point. There were no kids (belonging to us) that were fussing, asking a million questions, laughing, fighting, running in the street, asking for a drink, having to go to the bathroom, needing to eat, screaming...it was just us - by ourselves - on a date! And we had so much fun!! We rode roller coasters, ate junk (not on the diet plan) and watched a show. We talked without being interrupted and got to ride all the rides we wanted to where you have to be at least 48 inches tall. It was refreshing!

And then when we got home all was quiet at the Mad house. The kids were all in bed and Dan & Angela were watching TV on the couch. They said it got crazy for a while (it always does at bedtime) but they had no major problems with anyone. (Angela did ask for another swaddling lesson.) Frosting on our wonderful cake!

To keep with the cake analogy, the girls put little snickers bars on our frosted cake by sleeping 9 hours last night!! 9 1/2 hours of totally uninterrupted sleep!! I awoke at 7:15 am, feeling panicked (and MORE than ready to dump some milk) so I went to the living room where Joseph was studying and asked him if he had checked on the girls. He said that he was worried when he woke up and realized we hadn't heard from them all night so he went in to check on them and they were sleeping peacefully! I have no idea how much longer they would have slept this morning, but I was in pain and needed to feed them so I had Lovey wake them up at 7:30 am.

"Oh what a night!"

**side note**
Lovey and I started Weight Watchers a week ago and it has been painful. I sabotaged Joseph off the plan. It's really annoying to hear a skinny person ask how many points are in an apple. I've already lost 5 1/2 pds. but the goal is 35 pds. Long way to go. So if there is a lot of talk about snickers bars and frosted cakes - bear with me.

**side note**
On our date we talked a lot about the kids (probably too much) and decided that we feel so blessed to have them. They have added so much joy, laughter & love to our lives. And we really appreciate them more when we get time alone together.

The Girlfriends!

Joseph and I took the kids to the doctors today (can you believe that they will be 11 weeks old tomorrow?!). The girls needed their 2 month shots and since the boys were in school we figured that it was a good time to take them. They drew lots of attention in the hospital, but taking them to the commissary was crazy. We were literally blocking the aisles with people gathered around us to see the twins. And of course people can't just look at them. They also had to touch their heads (warding off evil, good luck - who knows!) and stop to chat. People are fascinated with twins. Joseph and I kid that we should charge a fee to look at the girls and a bigger fee to touch them. That could be their college money since they are currently spending it on diapers!

Ella has a very flirty smile that she likes to use on us to get our attention. She's funny...she doesn't like to be ignored and will fuss to get attention then after she has your attention she smiles and flirts to keep it!

And here is Lily Kate smiling adorably!

Firsts...

I think that this is the first picture that we have of all the kids together. I have no idea why I haven't tried before. I guess that I thought I wouldn't be able to get them to all look at the camera at the same time...guess I was wrong. Pretty cute kids if I do say so myself.

The girls got some new chairs! We've actually had these for a while, but hadn't put them together until the other day. The girls really like them. They have attachments with toys that go on them, but I think that at this point it is still too overwhelming for the girls.

The Great Camp Out!

Caleb got a tent from his Great-grandparents for his birthday and boy was he excited! He got it while his Daddy was gone and couldn't wait for his Daddy to com home so that they could have a camp out! We have had to wait a while to find a day when it wasn't raining which was hard since we have had so much rain here lately!

Here are the kids after they got the tent set up. Caleb's little girl friend from across the street came to help out (notice all the camo!) I have no idea why it is 1000 degrees out and Caleb insists on wearing his Batman costume all over town?





Batman and Peter Pan...you gotta love it!





And here are my handsome men doing some bedtime reading in the tent.