Merry Christmas

It has been forever since I posted! Things have been crazy and I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to next week when our schedule around here with be finally back to "normal" (as if our lives are ever that now-a-days). Here is an update in pictures.

Here is the long awaited picture with Santa!

Caroline playing with here twin baby dolls she got from Santa...Joe actually 'loves' on them or should I say attacks them every morning...I think he thinks their his friends or something.

Jonathan and Joseph tearing up their gifts.

Jonathan, Daddy and Jonathan's new BIG dump truck.

Jonathan looking for Santa. When I told him Santa brought all these gifts, he ran to the front door wondering, "Where Santa go?" Too cute!

Caroline pushing Joe. It is usually the other way around...Caroline in her "chariot" being pushed by the boys and SCREAMING if they stop. She has her brothers wrapped around her little fingers already! Smart girl!

Ready to play in the snow...does this remind anyone of the movie THE CHRISTMAS STORY?

This did NOT occur on my watch. I was upstairs taking a shower. I came down and all the tissues were piled on the mantel. I asked what happened. Daddy said he was READING THE PAPER and it got very quiet...I won't say anything else..he he he.

How was your week?

Ours consisted of (in this order): 1) Starting a new daycare and getting sick, 2) Meeting Santa and getting sick, and 3) GETTING SICK!

Let's begin:

1) We decided that with the twins beginning to be so mobile and active, and Jonathan so active and "curious" about everything in this house, the safest and most stimulating daycare option would be OUT of our house. We chose a great Montessori Center here in Olathe. SO, the twins will go Tues, Thurs, and Friday and Jonathan will go Thursday and Friday and still go to his Kids Day Out program on Tuesday. Also, this allows me some alone time. I was in the house for the first time alone on Tuesday in more than a YEAR!!!! Anyway, Caroline lasted ONE HOUR at daycare on Tuesday....ruptured eardrum...not going into the whole story. Thursday, my main goal was to come home and catch up on WAY overdue work reports...got called that both were hysterical with fevers around 2:30...SO far so good, right! Friday no call, so all good.

2) Saturday our home association had Santa come to our neighborhood school. Jonathan said he wanted to "hug Santa." When we walked in and saw Santa he stopped dead in his tracks and shut down, much like he did last year. I was able to coax him close and sit on his lap, but he would NOT make eye contact. Then the twins had a turn...(I can't download pics right now, stay tuned for those). Later, as Jonathan and his father were decorating a cookie, he decided telling Santa ALL the toys he wanted would be a good idea, so he spent about 15 minutes tell the poor old sole every kind of truck he wanted.

We went home and I got ROCKED by the stomach flu.

3) Caroline woke up with a lovely present for us to clean out of her crib, poor girl (as did Joe Wednesday night) and then she and Joe have continued to fill their diapers and NOT eat a thing. Thomas got sick Sunday night and called in sick today (Monday). The only one that has NOT prayed to the porcelain god, or crib, has been Jonathan. We are praying that he stays in the clear (literally) and we have a better week! Hope you do too!

Oh how time flies....

...when you have an extra set of hands in this house! Sorry folks, we have been more than busy here. My parents have been in town for 3 weeks and things have been super crazy. SO, like many other blogging friends, I will use Jolyn's famous bullet point technique, and update with pictures and info! I will be back on track now that things have calmed down here.

• MY PARENTS VISIT: They mostly came to be here for the twins' first birthday, which falls right around THanksgiving, so they killed two birds with one stone. They flew in on Nov. 14th and left Dec. 6th. We can THANK THEM ENOUGH FOR ALL THAT THEY DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Food, meals made, holding babies, distracting a certain two-year old, and it goes on and on! Most of all, they got to spend TONS of time with the kids and boy are they missing them now. Jonathan is still asking "Where Gammie?" and every once in a while I find one of the babies sitting in front of the basement stairs. Here are a bunch of pics from their visit:

Dad and Joe

Mom and Jonathan getting the turkey ready.

Mom and Jonathan carving the turkey...he was Grammie's helper:-)

Mom and Jonathan...By the look on both of their faces, I think they were about to butt heads...I have seen that stare numerous times from my mother and it usually is in response to me not making "good choice."

Jonathan and my Dad hanging out watching TV.

• JOSEPH AND CAROLINE TURN 1: SO, on the 29th of Nov., the twins turned 1. Here are some pics from the party. My camera's memory card was full before the candles came out but my mother got a few great shots of the kids "blowing" their candles out I will post later...whenever I get those (HA!). Joseph LOVED and ate the ENTIRE cupcake. Caroline took a nibble and then ate a banana (not sure she is my daughter).
  

• FIRST HAIR CUT:. Oddly enough, I got teary. I didn't with Jonathan, but for some reason after she cut his bangs and he turned and looked at me, I lost it.





• MONKEY SEE MONKEY DO: I have found myself saying this multiple times a day. They think it is funny to scamper up the stairs like I am chasing them...I love the giggles I hear I can't get mad.
  

Lots going on!

There have been a lot of great photo opts and experiences I have caught lately and since I have such limited computer time, I am going to pack them all into a large post with little details...ENJOY!

VISIT WITH GRANDPA PATNODE

Caroline and Grandpa bonded quite a bit. She LOVED playing with his gold watch...smart girl! Jonathan was so happy to see his Grandpa and his big truck! We missed seeing Grandma Sandra who was busy, busy working!!!

JUST JOE

Finally, I was able to capture Joe at his best! MOVING AROUND!!!!I heard banging, laughing, and yelling from the stairs the other day.... these are the images I saw from around the corner. Joseph scrambling up the stairs to get to his brother.

Joseph is SO close to walking! He scurries around with this walker and has started to take a few steps. I don't think he'll start real soon because he just wants to move so fast and he needs to practice his balance a little more, but by the new year???

VETERANS DAY AT SPRINT WITH DADDY

Sometimes I think I get more excited FOR JOnathan to see the things he is intersted in than he does, but not today. As we were making our way down 119th Street to the campus, out of no where this chopper decended on us...I almost went off the rode pointing it out and opening the window for Jonathan to see! I just LOVE seeing him walk and see cool things with his father! I, by the way, was pushing the triple stroller with the twins back and forth across the field!

Jonathan was in awe!

Checking out the BIG FIRE TRUCK!

Watching the Bomb Squad robot!

Week in Review

Ok, so I haven't had much time to get on the computer lately. It seems as if the minute I walk into the "office" (our old dining room), the kids have sensors and drop what they are doing/playing with and follow me. Jonathan ususally asks to watch on of his DVDs, then Caroline and Joseph crawl underneath the desk, pull up, bang their heads or pull on my legs crying. Needless to say, I just avoid the situation and don't really spend much time on the computer except to check emails.

So, we have been pretty status quo here. Playing out side when the weather has been warm...

...and finding new ways to stay quiet (when others are sleeping) and entertained now that it is starting to get cold. Spinning on the office chair is lots of fun and lollipops and pacifiers (mute buttons as our new sitter calls them) keeps kids queit when their brother is asleep....notice Joseph is missing from both sets of pics...he's sleeping...thank god for my one good napper!

Ladybug Invasion

Every year around this time if it is warm, the "ladybugs" come to our house. I actually think they are Japanese beetles but they sure look like ladybugs to me ! Last year, my parents were here and my mother got Jonathan a little bit obsessed with them. I'm not going to share what she did since that would royally embarass her, but let's just say she was "silly."

Well, they came back and Wednesday, Jonathan, Caroline and I (Joe was sleeping- yes, I have one kid that likes to sleep), went on our front porch and "played" with the ladybugs!

Thank you Aunt Kate and cousin Erin for the ladybug shoes!

Week in Review

I DID IT! I finally got a pretty decent picture of all the kids...just note, poor Joe has tears and one shoe on!

HALLOWEEN PARADE at Kids Day Out
I don't think I have to say much except look at Jonathan's face...not a huge fan of costumes!

Playing with our food

I quote, "Joe Wook (look)! Digger eat applesauce!"

A Dog's Life

Poor Jackie Dog tries to catch a snooze here and there. What is about to happen now is one of the kids will see her sleeping and go up to her and "pat" her as gently as they can..ha!!!

FIRE *#uck!!!

Ok, so the Speech therapist in me couldn't resist posting this. I have worked with HUNDREDS of kids that say and have funny speech issues. One little guy, I will never forget, LOVED fire trucks except he substituted the /tr/ in truck with an /f/. The mother was mortified and begged me to"fix it" because he would yell it out in public if he heard a siren.



Well, today the teenager down the street and her friend KINDLY came over after school to give me a hand. They were playing with the kids in our family room and I was on the computer answering work emails when I heard Jonathan say, "Sam, fire *uck, fire *uck!" I jumped up from the computer and went in the family room and he was holding his fire TRuck in front of Samatha's face. Samantha and her friend looked at me and one of them said, "Did he just say a bad word?" I died laughing and said he didn't mean too as he kept saying it over and over again! SO, the therapist in me jumped in and got him to subsitute the /f/ for a /t/ and all is well!



I have to admit that I am LOVING this stage of Jonathan's life due to the major explosion of his language. The funny and innocent comments that come out of him daily make me so happy! I can't wait to hear what Caroline and Joe have to say.

The week in review...

AHHHHH CCCHHHHHOOOO!!!!! cough cough cough.... sniffle sniffle.....wipe nose. AHHHHCHHHHHHHOOOOOO!!!! cough cough cough...sniffle sniffle...wipe nose....on and on times 3 kids and 2 adults. The noses keep on running!

Even though all were sick and Thomas and I are at the tail end of the fun, I got some cute pictures of a few things that kept us entertained while "stuck" at home:-)

Jonathan enjoyed "pulling" the twins around with a tape measure. The twins enjoyed grabbing the tape measure and being "knocked" over. By the way, I am officially a mom since I heard myself say, "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt!" and I don't think I said it in a really pretty tone!

Washing our hands....We've all been sick...funny how I leave the bathroom for two seconds and (below) is what I find.

This is what I heard him say, "WOOK (look) Mommy! Yots (lots) of bubbles! OOOHHH washing hair!" I'm not sure what my reply was:-)

OH NO here comes JOE!!

I'm not going to write much about this WILD CHILD except I fear where I am going to find him once he starts walking! I seriously invision finding him hanging from the "balcony" of our entry way. He is the loudest, funniest, most sensitive little man and boy does he keep us on our toes!

Look at the innocent bystander....she's just as much trouble!

Let's reflect

One year ago today, Oct. 10th, I went into the hospital and start two LONG months of bedrest! WOW, this year has flown and as hard/exhausting/stressful as it has been, I (we) are so greatful for the two little, healthy munchkins that we have been blessed with. Let's look at what I looked like a year ago and thank god that I don't look like that now:-)

Just for those that have never seen that picture before, that very "active" shirt really did hide how BIG I was!!!! You will NEVER see that picture again folks!

It's a Girl Thing!

From the moment I found out I was having a girl, I have been dying to put bows and barretts in my daughter's hair. Well, the day finally came! Saturday I bought a few clips and had the best moment alone with Caroline "doing" her hair! I know, I know, there is not much there to work with, but it brought me so much pleasure!!!

Jonathan and his food

I was making a smoothie Friday and his little fingers grabbed a frozen Strawberry. The twins were sleeping and this kept him quiet.

He kept saying, "BIG MOUTH, BIG MOUTH." Yes Jonathan, you do have a big mouth, but I love it!!!

PANCAKES

I thought I'd be a "fun" mommy this morning and put chocolate chips in his pancake. He was sleeping while I made them and when he woke up and came downstairs, this was waiting for him at this place. BEFORE.... AFTER.... those are old jammies, so I really don't mind:-)