Halloween came and went. Our double Cinderellas had a blast trick or treating in the rain though..
My sweet Stephen's birthday came and went. The girls and I made him a "CheepCheep cake" - aka Squirrel that Stephen tells the girls stories about cake. I carefully sculpted three little squirrels out of caramel.. chilled them in the fridge and then added them to the cake and put the cake back in the fridge.. and they still melted into puddles by the time Stephen came home. Oh well. You can sort of see the Frankie squirrel's shape in the middle there.. it was really cute. The girls did all the rest of the decorating. Yes, those are gumdrop acorns, thankyouverymuch.
Latest drama involves our sweet pup. Oliver apparently ate some of the ONE TOY he is allowed to have (on account of it being "INDESTRUCTIBLE"). He has been very sick since Monday. He has been to the vet twice and they were able to get him to throw up enough that finally this gigantic piece made it's appearance. There may still be more in there.. there were a few that came before this one.. sigh. Surely this is the largest one.. right?!??! He slept through the night at last night at least. He is still just sort of laying around.
I am tired. I am tired. I am tired. There are many reasons for this fatigue but I don't feel like naming them now. So I will simply say that I am tired.. but I am also being graced with an abundance of patience and have had one of the best weeks of mothering that I can remember. My house is a wreck and I don't care. The conversations I have had with my girls this week have been just incredible. Maybe later I will actually be able to sit down and transcribe them from memory..now I am being dragged upstairs to check out the "vet's office" that "Dr. Margot" is treating "Flipper" in. LOVE that Netflix has those TV shows from the 60s on streaming. Love that my girls are obsessed with them even more.
10 points if you can find the baby in this picture! The migraines are back. Sigh. So I am living without ice cream and butter and still getting the blasted things. This falls under the category of unfair in my world. Life is unfair right? Right.
So life the last two weeks, between my fight with depression and my fight with recurring migraines that I don't want to acknowledge, has been a bit dim. The blinds have been closed more than I like to keep out the beautiful bright sunshine.. and help me keep the nausea at bay. The girls have decided that they love to wear their nightgowns now instead of just panties. This is an improvement because at least they are covered. Too bad they won't wear them at night! They are so proud of themselves for putting them on on their own, and they tell me how beautiful they look in their "princess ballerina dresses" that I can't resist letting them have this little luxury. I am thankful they understand that they aren't allowed to wear them out of the house so that is a fight that we don't have to wage.
Margot is a hoarder. Can you guess which crayon cup is hers? I find little stashes of toys in every cabinet and bag that she can get access too. I am sure I am over thinking this issue but of course I wonder... does she get enough individual attention? Does she have enough things that are just hers? Or is she just a selfish sinner like the rest of us? My heart has been really burdened for her lately.. praying for ways to get into that little heart of hers. Mostly the answer has been to just shower her with love and affection.
And now.. I have to go pack up for our trip tomorrow. We are going to New York. Yes at long last we are going back to the city. We will only be there for a couple of days and we are leaving the big girls here with mom and dad.. but I am excited and nervous. Can't decide if I am more excited or more nervous but either way.. I can't wait.
You can just make them out but yes, those are Frankie's first pig tails. Oh my goodness having a girl with straight hair is going to be just as fun as having girls with curls!
Precious right? I know!!!
Ada and her baby sister. These two have a special bond brewing.
Sweet Larry finally got to meet our newest munchkin. I heard the first thing she did when she saw her grampapa was to grin from ear to ear. Pretty sweet.
Grammy and Grampapa came with us to the State Fair again this year. They were here for the fair last year too. Can you even believe how much they have changed in a year?
Just barely two last year.. You can just see my tummy starting to show a little Frankie growing in there.
Ada was just as fascinated with the animals as last year.
Margot loved the food just as much as last year..
..and finished every bite.
Sort of crazy seeing the pictures of me pregnant with Frankie last year and there she is.. riding on the outside this year.
Stephen and I didn't go alone this year. Maybe next year. Maybe not.
Ten years ago this past summer.. I went to Great Outdoor Provision Company in Greensboro and bought a pair of Lowa hiking boots for my trip to Montana. These shoes were on my feet when we arrived at the KOA in the June snow and I realized that we would be living next to a cesspool with a fountain in the middle of it. Tears fell on the laces when we were lost and exhausted in the grizzly recovery area later that summer. They were splashed by the streams flowing in and around Yellowstone as Stephen and I explored that summer. And they were trembling on the sandy ground when Stephen asked me to marry him by that lake in Idaho. I wore them with pride on camping trips in the Blue Ridge. I tied them on tight when we packed the trailer for New Jersey and I wore them with pride while we unpacked. I started to notice that not many folks in Bloomfield went tromping around in hiking shoes. These loyal shoes made way for high heeled boots and more trendy ballet flats in the closet in Brooklyn. They were always there, peaking out from under my shoe rack. Waiting for me to return to my roots.
Then we were in NC again. Pretty sure I have worn them at least once since we moved here.. but not much more than that. That was more than three years ago. I don't even have a plausible excuse for not going on more hikes since we have been here. It breaks my heart when I think of the mountains just sitting there.. waiting. My shoes.. sitting there.. waiting. Waiting for me. What have I been waiting for? More gas money to get there.. more time to drive there.. more energy to get the five of us up there.. there is always something I seem to need more of.
Last weekend I dug these old shoes out of my closet and decided to wear them to the State Fair. They would be good sturdy shoes to tromp around the Fair in. They weren't. Within minutes of getting through the front gates they began to fall apart. The soles were coming off and they flapped like a big tongue catching on the sidewalk when I tried to walk. I begged some duck tape off some good ol' boys in the Heritage Village. Patched them up. Walked on. An hour or so later the soles were so far gone that I could no longer continue and had to sit, laughing, on a bench while Stephen went to find another duck tape donation. This time I went for broke. I wrapped that tape every which way around those shoes.. willing them to become duck tape moccasins. Ignoring the looks I got plunking around in these pathetic things. Laughing at my predicament. They stayed on my feet and once I took them off in the car I was ready to throw them right in the trash can. But I just couldn't do it. They have sat in my kitchen for a week now. I actually felt a pang of regret when I tossed them just now. Why was it so hard for me to let go of this part of my past..? I feel sort of lost without them and I don't know why. All sorts of metaphors could be drawn from this story. Not in the mood for metaphors. Just sad about losing my shoes. Sad, and missing my old friends.
Well.. here we are. Cut off from the interweb at large. I must say I feel less exhilarated about posting here now. At least at this moment I do. I think I kind of liked that strangers might happen upon this little corner of the world. But since not one single person commented about my taking it private.. and I only got emails from my friends who wanted to keep reading... I guess I was mistaken about all the strangers reading.. or at least interested enough in reading to want to keep reading. Feel so good about keep my girls pictures among friends though. So good. Not saying that I will be sharing any bath pictures or anything... but if I did.. I think it would be ok. Love you guys!
I am taking this blog private. I have decided that I don't want the public at large viewing pictures of my kids and as much as I like to think I know everyone who reads this little blog, the truth is I don't. The internet is a big scary place and I am no longer ok with having my girls' pictures out in this big scary place. That being said, I love each and every one of you folks who have stuck with me through posting and not posting and I would love to have you continue reading and keeping up with us.. if you want too! So I am going to leave this post up until Tuesday, and if you would like to be included in those who will be able to read the blog once it is private.. please email me. For those who don't already have a way to contact me, you can find my email address by going to the right hand side of this page, clicking "VIEW MY COMPLETE PROFILE" and then clicking "Email" under the "Contact" heading. Thanks everyone.
You were right, Great Grammy Elsie! She does look just like a little baby doll in this sweet outfit you sent us.
And Great Grandmother Angie, this "honey bee dress" is Margot's absolute favorite.
If only my entire day were going to be as peaceful and precious as these few moments were!!! We spent upwards of 2 1/2 hours "putting the girls to bed" last night. Sigh. We absolutely REFUSE to let these girls beat us. More importantly we absolutely refuse to let the girls' grow up without knowing their limits. It's so difficult setting limits. You get so tired of enforcing them. You feel like a super hero when they are honored without a reminder from you. The girls eat their food at each meal.. our bathrooms have gone from having "Froggy Potties" and potty seats to just having potty seats with stools to having just stools for the big potty to just being regular old bathrooms again.. with stools for washing hands. The seasons have changed from fighting over food and crying at night about potty training frustrations to enjoyable meals (most of the time) to being able to feed them whatever we want and go anywhere and everywhere in our big girl panties. We have been fighting this bedtime battle since we started potty training in December of last year.. our resolve has been strong and weak. This week and last it has been strong.. just please pray for us if you think of us around 7pm in the evening. It is un-stinkin' believable how stubborn these two are. Last night we just had to laugh.. for the first hour at least.. then fatigue and heart break got to us a little. It's not easy listening to your children scream for you over and over.. and take advantage of your kindnesses. As in, you feel sorry for them as you are putting them back in bed for the 67th time and take a few extra moments to tickle their backs or snuggle them close before leaving the room.. only to have them act like they have fallen asleep in comfort.. then jump right back out of bed screaming the moment they lose sight of you. I believe this will pass.. just like all our other struggles .. it has too right?! I keep saying that to myself and this week at least, I believe it. I shudder to think what sort of battles await us in the future. I did have a flash of the Lord's comfort last night though. A picture of Ada (who was the last holdout last night) being an absolute crusader for Christ in an oppressed country, refusing to budge as naysayers tried to chase her away from a group of people she was trying to help.. a group of people who needed her. Who wanted her there. Who were afraid of the people trying to make her leave. Ada was not afraid. Ada was sure. Steadfast. Stubborn.
As a Christian parent it is my greatest fear that my children would turn from the faith that has been so central in my life. At the same time, I know I don't want them to accept my faith just because they are my children.. I want them to find it and experience it for themselves. So I pray that these stubborn little hearts would come to know Jesus in a personal way some day, and be stubbornly for Him. And right now.. I pray that Jesus would help them sleep!!!!
This post was more random that I meant it to be. Oh well.
This morning as I was downstairs putting our coverlet into the washer, Ada called for me to come back upstairs. When I reached the top step she was standing in the doorway to our bedroom. "I have a surprise for you, Mom!" she said stepping to the side, "I made your bed for you!" Tears people (it doesn't take much these days).
She was so proud of herself. Look what a good job she did.
Yes, she is pretty much the cutest baby in the whole wide world. She is growing up far too quickly. She is already digging her feet and knees into the carpet trying to travel around the living room floor. I think we may have a 6 month crawler on our hands folks.
Fall is my favorite time of year. I love getting to wear snuggly clothes .. and getting the girls dressed for cold weather.. such a joy. Here we are yesterday getting ready for a beautiful fall day.
Here we are this morning.. day two of chilly weather. Preciousness.
This is about 30 minutes later...
.. and five minutes after that.
Lest you think it was all pink lollipops and peonies from there on out I am currently listening to Ada screaming on the floor. Fall.. that wonderful time of year when you truly understand why some animals eat their young.
Think you have a stubborn kid.. Ha! I laugh at your stubborn kid. Come to my house, where the children have wills forged in titanium.
No, that is not a nod at the ever annoying Charlie Sheen. It is the sum total of my day today as SAHM (Stat At Home Mom for the uninitiated). Ah hmm! (clears throat)
Frankie wakes up screaming this morning and won't eat for several hours = losing
Stephen stays a little late so I can pump = winning
Frankie won't even touch the bottle of pumped milk = losing
No shower for the last two days = losing
Girls won't FREAKIN' stay in their beds at bedtime resulting in various form of punishment as well as emotionally and physically draining Stephen and I of our remaining energy from any given day = losing
Ada figures out she can get up and down from the potty all by herself without the help of her step stool = winning
Margot wants us to count items on the counting page of her Richard Scary Word Book during lunch time and makes it all the way to the acorns = winning
Mary calls me at lunch time and gives me a mini-pep talk while I sit in tears in the bathroom hiding from the girls for a few moments = winning
Currently listening to Stephen wage WWIII with Ada to keep her in her bed = losing
Finding dairy, soy, chocolate free cookies last night and almost consuming the entire bag = winning/losing (can a person qualify as a repressed individual from lack of sweets?)
Ada and Margot now sit in bed and read books on their own before crawling under their covers and falling asleep for nap.. such big girls = winning
Frances and Margot wake up from nap just as I am dozing off = losing
Margot snuggles up and watches movie while Frances giggles for the first time = winning
Ada has a little pee-pee accident during nap = losing
I have my very own washer dryer in the house to wash the dirty sheets right away = winning
Stephen coming home a little early = a nice long hot shower for me = winning
Cooking dinner for a new friend and being able to actually deliver it on time = winning
Frances recovers from her bad day and eats a huge dinner tonight = winning
In the space of time that it has taken me to type this, Stephen has managed to get the girls to stay in bed.. and it's only 8:16 = winning
My day today has been incredible. Not incredibly good or incredibly bad.. just incredible. I have comforted the sweetest, cutest, most adorable baby on the planet while she screamed in agony and gurgled from her refluxing. I have dressed my girls, helped them brush their hair and teeth, only to have them discard their clothing and run around in their panties all day. I myself stayed in my PJs all day.. and that sounds too cute for what it was.. I stayed in what I slept in all day. Are you picturing a frumpy housewife type with saggy boobs in a nursing top and slept-in hair..? Good. This afternoon, when a friend called to vent about the troubles that life sometimes hands us, I felt like I was running a marathon. No, that term is used too much I think. When I hung up the phone to go and comfort Frankie and get the girls ready for their nap, I honestly had the fleeting thought that I was in battle. Speaking to my friend felt like a call from another general to discuss battle tactics. I walked through the living room answering two sets of the same rapid fire questions that I answer every day ("Why do we have to go night night?" "Can I have another sip of water?" "Can you hop me up the stairs?" etc.). I weathered their barrage of pre-school logic with an ease that only comes from practice, all the while jostling their baby sister to help her get the air out of her tummy. It's hard to explain but it's almost like a runner's high, the moment you realize you are in control of the situation. The dog is barking and you are answering a billion questions while bouncing a baby and making a pot roast (lets not kid ourselves, that was in the Crock Pot but still!), the phone rings and your daughter clings to your thigh as you switch loads of laundry and your mind is spinning and you almost want to scream and then.. you don't. Your baby gives a huge belch and a happy grin, the laundry whirs it's way to cleanliness, the house warms with the aroma of comfort food, and you realize you are glad your Ollie barks at you when he needs to pee instead of squatting on the floor and you know the answers to most of Ada's questions and when you don't you are able to make her giggle instead of cry, and Margot just needs some lovin'. You've got this. Even though the house looks like a tornado came through and you look like you swore you never would.. you are in control and things are going the way you need them to go... and you feel so grateful. Grateful to God, grateful to every person who has whispered a prayer for you today, grateful for.. well.. Prozac! In the end, it isn't about winning or losing.. it's about how you played the day.
I have been waiting to say this aloud for fear of backsliding but.. we are officially 100% potty trained and have been for a good few weeks now. I am talking about Ada of course but it's nice to use the we isn't it? They are both in their big girl undies all day and all night. No more pull-ups.. they have been keeping these dry for awhile but I was just too nervous to leave them off while they were sleeping. They are so used to wearing the regular panties now that if you try to put a pull up on them it's very uncomfortable so.. what the heck right? Feels nice to have two out of disposable underthings.. finally. Just a shade under a year.. well done Ms. Ada :)
The dairy free thing really isn't that bad.. but the no chocolate no coffee thing is about to kill me. I don't need the coffee anymore.. I just WANT the coffee.. and the chocolate.. the dark chocolate from Trader Joe's .. just a bite.. I thought carob was going to be a good substitute but I think it still bothers her since every time I try to eat some she gets fussy a few hours later when she is feeding. Le sigh. Oh well.. I will eat chocolate again.. some day. I can't believe she is almost 4 months already. The girls were ready to eat solids by this point... I don't think she is.. I might even wait until 6 months this time. She seems pretty happy right now so .. we will go with it until that changes.
I recently read "The Help" and I was so hooked I finished it in 2 days. Loved the book.. but then... kinda hated the way it ended. Predictable and sort of dullish considering how spicy the rest of the book had been.. parts of it anyway. Anyway I was even more disappointed in the tiny bit of the movie that Stephen found online. I kind of hate it when I read a junk food book and really like it then.. it ends with some bland ho-hum cliche.. like Skeeter getting a job in NYC..? Really? Was I the only one that was bored with this? I dunno.. the last book that I was that attached too was "The Time Traveler's Wife" and I bawled on the subway when I finished it. I was so hoping for a few tears and that feeling of homesickness for the characters that have become a part of your thoughts. I almost felt a little embarrassed for being so attached that I couldn't put it down.. since when I did it was in mild disgust. Am I the only one that felt this way about this book? Anyone have any good suggestions for something that won't disappoint the way this one did?
This morning they begged me to cut their hair to look like mine.. really! I hesitated for a bit.. then thought.. what the heck! They were so excited.. maybe a little more excited than I was.. but not much.
"Hold my shoulder like you love me Ada."
Yes, I am glad I did it. Yes, I saved every ringlet. Yes, I cried just a little bit.
There was a tense moment there before I actually cut Ada's hair when Margot decided she wanted to keep hers long. I thought that would actually be cool, since they would finally look different. As soon as Ada was finished and bouncing down the stairs to show Oliver her new hair cut.. Margot changed her mind and they are doppelgangers once more. Pretty sure this is the first time they haven't been identical for any length of time.. even if it was only 5 minutes.
Life around here with 3, 3 and under has been just about like life with 2. Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Anyone with more than 2 knows that just isn't the case :) Honestly though, now that Frances is a little older and past most of her drama, she is such an easy baby. She loves to just sit in her seat or on her blanket and watch our world go by those baby blues. She still has significant issues with reflux (no spitting up just a lot of pain) so I have stopped dairy, soy and caffeine (which includes chocolate..) and that seems to help. It has been a challenge but one nice side effect is that I have become a much more disciplined person.. and .. drum roll please.. my migraines have all but stopped. Could it have been dairy consumption all the time? If so I may never eat another bowl of ice cream.. and be ok with that. It has been a new experience to try and find the protein needed to nurse the baby and not have any come from milk and cheese .. or soy products. I have made peace with Trader Joe's canned tuna. A can of tuna mixed with relish for lunch with crackers and carrots... smells like cat food but it is a super protein boost. I am also eating lots of boiled egg whites.. yeah .. don't invite me over for lunch... you could smell my food a mile away. BUT if it helps her eat and not be in pain.. I will do it as long as I need to. Since I now have to be so conscious of my food intake, I have started treating myself to a few more treats that I usually buy. Like kale, lots of avocados and dairy free treats from Whole Foods. Yes, I like to snack on kale.. snack on it.. tell me you aren't jealous. I have also started swimming again. At least 18 laps (1/2 mile) each time.. my buddy T is my new pool partner and our sweet husbands watch the kids so we can go. Heaven. So far it's twice a week.. starting to want to make it a nightly event.
The truth? Life with 3 is about as crazy as you might imagine it to be. We have longs stretches of sanity followed by storms of insanity. Right now the girls are sitting next to Frances reading her books and being little angels. Yesterday this time I was dragging them both upstairs to get dressed, kicking and screaming, while calling out "Girls!!! We are not going to make it through this day... without Jesus!!!!" Roar. Today I am still fresh from showering at the gym late last night.. a long luxurious QUIET shower. Yesterday I hadn't showered since my last trip to the gym (Monday) and I was avoiding my own reflection. Meanwhile all 3 of my children were clean and dressed adorably. Isn't it funny how you do that? Can't take the time to get yourself together but you can spend time putting your children's hair in pigtails.
... and now Frankie is crying for a nap and Margot needs me to help her find her caterpillar.. life marches on.
Today is your birthday!!! You are 3 years old. This is my favorite recent picture of you. When I asked you why you liked to stand with your hands on your hips you told me "puz (because) that's the way mommies stand". You are my little mommy. You take such good care of your baby sister. You are so gentle and patient with her. You have lots and lots of babies. Today your favorite baby is your new puppy from Uncle Page and Aunt Jenny. Yesterday you took your puppy to Marbles in your backpack. I had a conversation with you yesterday about your favorite things. You told me that your favorite color is black and yellow, your favorite animals are cows and turtles, your favorite food is spaghetti, your favorite person is Ada and your favorite house is our house. Your hugs and snuggles are filled to the brim with love. Your excitement about life is contagious. Every day you grow more patient with yourself and others. You love to paint and draw with anything that makes a mark. You can already use the mouse to navigate Netflix and Youtube and you like it put back in a very specific place after you are finished with it. You are always busy doing something and whatever that something is you take very seriously. You love to jump. You jump over toys on the floor, off the bottom step, over the thresholds in the house, off your bed.. you sometimes just jump to get around! You love to read books. You like to do everything "by a self!". When you think you need help you don't hesitate to ask for it. You sleep so hard at nap that you wake up with wet curls plastered to your forehead. You are completely potty trained and have been since we did that first two weeks of bootcamp back at Christmas time. You are a great helper. You always put your dishes in the sink after meals and clean up any spills you make all by yourself. When I think of you I remember that little shy baby in my tummy, who never showed her face to the ultrasound. That little baby who I was worried about and decided to have a C-section to make sure you arrived as easily as your sister. I think of the serious little baby in her bouncy seat, contentedly playing with toys while I tried to soothe your fussy sister. I think of you setting your mind to a task.. like learning to put yourself to sleep.. and working at it until you have it mastered. You are still that way and pray you never change. You are a joy. You are a joker. You are my precious daughter and I couldn't imagine a better life than being your mother.
Dear Ada,
Today is your birthday!!! You are 3 years old. This is my favorite recent picture of you. You are the tiny one at the front of the line in the purple shirt. Daddy told me you led the parade of kids down the stream. This wasn't your first time as leader either. You have been starting games and leading kids around a lot this summer. Ada you are my little outgoing lady. You love people and love to talk to people, whether they are listening or not! It takes you forever to finish your dinner because you are talking so much you don't take time to chew and swallow the food on your plate. You love to tell stories just like Margot. You love to describe everything that happened in a day or event. Every detail. You are an amazing big sister to Frankie. You never go to bed without kissing her good-night. You are so gentle with her and she loves to hear you sing. Ada you live life on fast forward. Always headed to the next big thing. You wake up in the morning asking to go "bye bye". If you could spend every day of your life going wherever our little red car is headed that day you would be in heaven. You love going to Daddy's school and doing painting and drawing in his classroom. I had a conversation with you this morning about your favorite things. You told me your favorite color is pink, your favorite animal is a pink horsey, your favorite food is pink ice cream with pink icing, your favorite house is a pink baby house.. you said you didn't like our house and that you needed a pink baby house to live in. You wear your pink Hello Kitty flip flops every day.. even when you are in your jammies or just in your undies before bed! You prefer to wear "baller-nina" dresses rather than shorts or anything else. Comfort is the key to your wardrobe.. comfort and color.. and twirl-ability. You can navigate the computer as well as Margot and are so patient with her requests for you to put the mouse in her special spot. You are a hugger! When you are sad, sometimes all you need is a big hug and snuggle to get your head back on straight. You are a good listener. You love to dance. You love to take care of your babies . You ask me "why" about 856 times a day and don't get upset when I give up with a "I don't know honey." and a sigh. You just respond "Oh Mama.. that's ok!" You can jump off of just about anything and are always up for a challenge. You are always kissing my face and touching my cheek with a soft little hand. You come and hold my hand when you think I am sad. When I think of you I think of my little baby, my first baby, the first baby that I saw. I think of you fussing and snuggling and struggling to get comfy when you were little. I think of the triumph I felt when I could get you to sleep. I think of you standing up in your crib for the first time. That day I had so looked forward too and there you were, standing all by yourself. I think of your first steps, the way I just put you down after a diaper change and you just started walking.. 6 steps before you plopped down. I love you more than I could ever express and being your mommy has been such a joy.
...grins when she sees or hears her mommy or daddy come into her field of vision.
...will sit for long periods of time (30-40 minutes) happily listening to her sisters sing to her or read her books.
...loves to snuggle.
...loves to be swaddled tight.
...goes to bed around 7:30.
...sleeps a 7 hour and a 3 hour stretch at night.
...falls asleep almost instantly if you snuggle her tight against your chest and breathe into her hair with your lips pressed against her forehead.
...is such a treat for her mommy.
Having one baby has been extraordinary. I feel like she is mine.. all mine. I can hold her as much as I want too. Put her down to nap when I want too. Feed her when I want too. Cuddle her when I want too. Rock her as long as I want too. Sing to her as much as I want too. I get to give her all my attention when I am focusing on her. She is so easy going it is pretty easy to balance taking care of her with taking care of her wild and crazy fun sisters. I always felt like the twins were a project when they were babies. I loved being with them and holding them, but we had to schedule them so carefully and be so strict to survive those first months that I felt like I missed getting all the snuggles and babying them. My only real snuggle time was when I helped them sleep at nap time and that was super sweet. Having one has just been.. so different in the best sense possible.
Today, Frances went to the pool with us for the first time in her short life. She didn't get into the water but she sported a cute little suit anyway. She is so girly. She is a quick smiler so this is about as good as it get for capturing that sweet little look.
The best picture of the day taken by our friend Kathy. That magnificent man slid down the water slide umpteen times and every time he managed to keep those little girls just enough out of the water to keep them from being scared. Such an amazing daddy.
Ada was more into taking deeper plunges than Margot but that is just the way she is.. Ada is a bit of a risk taker. She is our free spirit. She wouldn't make it without Margot to keep her on her toes. Today they got into a little yelling match because Margot was playing in their little kitchen and Ada came along and dumped a bunch of the fruits and veg on the floor and started kicking them around like tiny soccer balls. Margot yelled at her for "making a mess" and Ada just grinned and continued to push Margot's buttons. After asking Ada to find something else to play with ("Ok Mama! {big tight hug around my leg...love that girl}) Stephen made some comment about wanting to keep them in the same room as long as possible. I said I thought they would always share a room and he responded that Ada might drive Margot crazy not cleaning up after herself. I laughed imagining that fight being played out by our future hard headed teens. We decided by then they would be used to each other's habits and besides.. Ada will probably just let Margot clean up the room for her! Funny how when it is time to put away toys Ada is always the first to start while day dreaming Margot fiddles with something on the other end of the room.
My favorite Margot comment of the day came on our way home from the pool today. I heard Margot instructing Ada that she needed to sleep in her big girl bed(Ah-da! You need sleep in your big girl bed!!), over and over and over. Finally I turned around to see what was going on and there was Ada drifting off to sleep in her car seat as we raced home for nap time. I tickled Ada awake while Margot sang what she considered an appropriate wakeful song - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - to keep Ada awake until we got home. At one point I noticed the singing had died out and sure enough, Margot had put herself to sleep with her own singing! Ada and I giggled Margot back awake (she shot us both a sheepish grin when she opened her sleepy eyes). It has been a good day.
These are some of my favorite photos from the last few weeks. Weeks that saw us home instead of in the hospital. I am not even going to attempt to "catch up" from where I left off.. instead I will start from now. There.. I feel the self imposed blogger guilt lifting already.
Our recent days have been easy.. and hard.. full of fun and an extreme desire to get into the car and drive away at top speed without looking back. The ups and downs of parenting, postpartum recovery, and raising (almost) 3 year olds.
Frances has reflux issues so I have cut dairy, soy, and caffeine from my diet. No, almond milk is not as good as cold glass of skim, but a baby who eats a full feeding and doesn't arch her back and scream in agony sure is nice. It has made all the difference and I plan to keep it up as long as it helps.
And now for a few pictures..
A&M decorated a pony shaped birthday cake for they good buddy Tay-Tay.
Desperate for the great outdoors, Stephen took them camping in the living room.
We have played a lot of hide and seek. Margot believes that if any part of her is under something.. she is completely invisible. Yes, she is hiding under the door mat.
These girls absolutely adore.. and I mean adore with a capital A, their little Frankipot. That is her nick name at the moment. Frances Pauline - Franky P - Frank-i-potomus - Frankipot. These are the things Stephen and I did to keep our sanity during the long days in the hospital. Make up nonsensical names for our 3rd born.
Oliver turned 7 earlier this month. Can you believe it?! We can't either. I do sometimes long for the days when he was an only child.
Margot, artiste in residence.
Sweet Ada Grey who looooooooves her "Frank-e-pot". Yesterday she showed Franky how to bat at the toys dangling in front of her on her bouncy seat. Franky was eager to please, wrangling her tiny limbs into submission and actually hitting the butterfly a couple of times. Ada praised her efforts and she smiled a toothless grin.
The girls also gave up their "dat-dat"s about a week ago. Yes, their sleeping has been a nightmare ever since. We are having to retrain them entirely it seems. We are exhausted, sleep deprived, second guessing our parenting strategies and ideas.. the usual stuff right? I have a feeling since they were once amazing sleepers, that they will eventually return to being amazing sleepers. After all they were once incredible eaters.. then they were super duper picky.. now they will eat whatever we ask them too again. Sleeping has got to be the same cycle sort of thing right? Don't even tell me if you think I am wrong, I don't think I can handle it. Isn't it funny though, no matter how hard things get, or how frustrated you become.. there are still those moments of full on belly laughs. Like tonight when Margot was carrying her bowl of spaghetti to the sink after dinner and dropped in all right on the floor.. and Ada was right behind her and did the exact same thing just as Stephen bent down to clean up the first mess. It was like a paper towel commercial I swear! We both laughed so hard. It's true that being a parent is the hardest and the most rewarding job you will ever do. So cliche.. but so true.
