Mr. Fix It

Some of you may not know, but Thomas is a pretty handy guy! It makes me more than nervous and anxious that he has taken our washing machine apart (see below) and is fixing it by himself. I grew up with a father who could not fix a thing....he could make the most AMAZING Gourmet meal, but no hammers or nails for my dad. SO, you 'd think after almost 10 years with Thomas I'd be at ease with him say, "I'll do it myself." Truthfully, I get sick to my stomach, but when he proves me wrong (which he does a lot), I am so stinking Proud of him!!!!

This is what the machine looks like as I type. THANK GOD I got all the kids and my wash done last weekend...yes, I "broke" it by putting our quilt in it, but look below...it was already on it's way to broken-ville! That is a part (not sure what) that Thomas said was busted off and on the floor.
I will let you know how long it takes to put it back together and if it is "officially" fixed...to be continued.....

Update

I am not sure where or what we have been doing but we have been extremely busy here in the Patnode House. I haven't even been taking pictures. SO, here are a few from today and a little update on the kids:

Book time before Bath time (my favorite part of the day)!

Caroline In her favorite place...the wagon. She use to want to be pushed all the time, now all she wants to do is walk and push it.
Sweet, Sweet Caroline

Caroline is a love bug. She is very attached to her mommy but absolutely is in love with her father. Just the mention of Daddy sets her off in a tangent of , "Dada, Dada, Dada, Dada" until she finds him. Her world is complete when her brothers are with her, especially Joe. HOWEVER, she is a girl and is definately showing us that she is going to be a little on the emotional side. She is almost walking without any assistance...she is very cautious and is definatley not a risk taker in the motor department. She says, "Mama," "Dada," "Da (For dog)," "ma" for more, and signs please, help, out and more.

Joseph

Joe versus a fruit/cereal bar...this is what I clean up basically after each meal from him.

Sneaky, fast kid. I tried to get more shots of him crawling in and around the end table but he is so darn FAST!

Joe has been walking non-stop since he started. He likes to take laps around our main floor with toys in his had. He has started have some "lovely" tantrums and goes from 0-60 instantaneously. He loves books and dogs. He can say, "dog," "more," signs please, "dada" and has said "help" once.

JonathanHis pose when you say, "Say Cheese!"

He is just the funniest kids. He is talking in 5-7 word sentences (which the speech therapist in me is LOVING); is really into his independent play which gets interupted by his siblings to often; loves to color and play with playdough and has just started 'reading' books to himself and his brother and sister...very entertaining!

Joseph Walking

I finally did it! I got a video and downloaded it! This is of Joseph walking, "talking" and drinking his bottle. He's been walking for a couple weeks but I haven't had a chance to "catch" him.

We all have been sick again and hoping that we will get over this winter illness SOON... and hope that all of you stay well too!!!!

The Park in December?

Who would have thought we could go to the park at the end of December???

My mother made the hats for Caroline and Joseph! THanks Grammie!

Jonathan playing with some sort of acorn thing...

Just a side note. About 30 seconds after these pictures were taken, Joseph decided to crawl up the jungle gym and keep going HEAD FIRST down the slide laughing his belly off. That made his sister AND brother join in. At one point I had all three heading down the slides head first and me scrambling to catch them all...such a fun sight to have seen. There were three teenage boys playing basketball and I noticed at one pointed they had stopped and were staring at me...

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.