“Best Fair EVER!”

I love the fair. I always have. It’s something I look forward to every year. The last few years though, I haven’t been able to enjoy the rides. It seems like I was either pregnant or Collin was too small to ride so we didn’t ride. This year however, I was really looking forward to taking Collin. He’s always showed an interest in rides, and swings, etc. The carnival rides always show up in the mall parking lot before the fair, each year. The last couple weeks Collin has commented that he wanted to ride every time we drove by. I kept promising that I would take him on the rides. And I made good on that promise last night.

He was so excited as we walked up to the gate, though the parking lot. He was too cute. I was excited to see him so excited. He was jumping up and down and saying “look at this Mommy!” “Look at that Daddy!” He was so good though, he never let go of my hand to run off. He had been asking to go on the Ferris Wheel for days and days, so naturally, the first thing we did (after we made sure he was tall enough to do other rides (he is exactly 36” according to the fair charts)) was go to the “biggest ferris wheel ever!” Part of me thought he was going to be all excited and then freak out the second it came time to get on the ride or right after it started. I was more than thrilled when he was so happy the entire time. There really aren’t even words to describe how I felt watching him. He waved at Devin every time we passed him, looked all around and saw all the other rides, pointed out the cars. He just thought it was the coolest thing that we were on this ride together. When we got off he ran to Devin and asked “What’s next?! What’s next!?”

Patiently waiting his turn in line

Amazed he actually on the “biggest ferris wheel ever!”

My Whole World (well, part of it anyway…)

We both took him on a bunch of rides for the next hour plus. I can’t remember ever seeing that kid so excited about anything. It seriously was fantastic.

Every week when we go to Mom to Mom at FBC Jax, we park in the parking garage on either the 8th or 10th floor. I may have taken a turn a little quick one day and he said “whoa! bizzy Mommy!” (bizzy = dizzy in Collinese, by the way) So ever since then he says “want to get bizzy” when we are in there. He also loves spinning on the office chair we have and “getting really bizzy.” When I saw that the fair ahs a kids tea cup ride, I knew I had to get him on there. Several months ago some friends took their daughter to Disney for the first time. When they took her on the tea cups he put his phone on video and got the coolest video of them on the ride. So I took a page from Danny’s book and captured Collin’s first ride on the tea cups. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this video. It’s priceless. So, enjoy the next two minutes ;) (And no, he did not get sick. In fact, he asked if we could “do it again, Mommy?! Get bizzy again Mommy!?” as soon as we got off)

 

Finally got him to slow down enough to eat dinner… after 8 PM

We told him not to touch the animals, so he put his hand down by his sides and held his pockets. It was super cute and made him look so big :(

To say that he enjoyed himself, might be an understatement

 

 

 

***Yes, the twins were with us, they actually did REALLY well too. They didn’t melt down until we were about to leave after 9:00. I have ONE picture of them, that is pretty cute. However, I can’t seem to get the picture to load properly. ;(

SEVEN Months!?

Seven. Seven months I have been the mother of twins. I tell Devin it still baffles me that we have two babies. There are two of them. One. Two. And they are growing up to be such cute little people.

These two little stinkers are wearing anything from 6 month to 12 month clothes; mostly 9 months though. Although, I did pull out 12 month clothes, just for giggles one day and thought that some stuff looked small. I’m glad I did, because they are wearing some of the shirts and shorts.

They sit up on their own and (mostly) decide when they want to lay down. There is till the occasional unplanned topple over that causes emotional distress

Eating 3 solid meals a day

• Oatmeal in the morning
• Fruits for lunch
• Veggies for dinner

They really enjoyed peas the first time around, recently though, it’s hit or miss and they seem to be on the fence about it. For the most part they do really well with all of their foods.

Mobility is a huge thing going on in our house now!

Justin used to spin in circles then roll there he wanted to go. Now he’s got the army crawl down, and within the next couple weeks will most likely figure out the hand/knee coordination thing. He’s done a lot of jumping and lunging today.

I really thought Lana would be the first to take off. She was up rocking on her hands and knees first. But Justin started it first. Poor baby girl, ends up moving herself backwards rather than forward and gets pretty frustrated.

Both love playing with toys now. Everything they touch goes straight into their mouths. Including but not limited to:

• toes – and it doesn’t have to be toes attached to them either
• computer cords
• wipes (they both have an obsession with the wipe box and love when they can open it an pull out a wipe for some reason)
• Fruit snack wrappers Collin didn’t throw away, or anything that makes a crinkly sound

No teeth. Yet. I thought Justin had one. But did I feel like an idiot when at his 6 month appointment the doctor said it was just a sty or something that would pop. I would have eventually figured it out, because there was no tooth that came thought, but she was right. It’s gone now. I think… I haven’t noticed it, but there wasn’t that “hey it’s gone” moment either. I suppose, that means it’s gone… Note to self: check Justin’s ‘non tooth thing’ tomorrow. Just because there are not physical teeth busting through those gums, doesn’t meant they aren’t working on them. Lana is a drooling factory just like Collin was his entire first year.

When I go out, they sit in the stroller as opposed to the carrier

They LOVE Collin. And he usually loves them. My favorite thing is to see Collin playing with them and making them laugh.

SLEEPING THOUGH THE NIGHT!!!!! I mean, going to bed at 8:00 and sleeping until 6:30 or 7:00! One day, I even got 8:00! I couldn’t believe it. I think I checked the monitor no less than 100 times in the hour Collin was up before them.

Naps have also gotten better. After breakfast they are ready to go down, usually between 9:00 and 10:00 and sleep anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. The afternoon nap varies based on what we are doing. I try really hard to get all three kids to go down at 2:00, 3:00 at the latest. Collin always usually sleeps a solid 2 hours, but the twins it’s anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. (Mommy no likey the 30 minute days)

 

Seriously, my world just keeps getting better and better and I couldn’t be happier.

 

 

Happy Half Birthday Justin and Lana!

Seriously, I’ve wished away the first half year of Justin and Lana’s life. I’m positive I’ll blink and they will be a year old and I’ll be posting (a moth late, I’m sure…) about their first birthday party.

Justin 15lb 6 oz (20%) 27" (50%)
Lana 17lb (50%) 26" (50%)

These little cutie-pa-tooties are getting so big.

• Eating 3 “solid” meals a day and nursing in between
• Wearing size 3 diapers

• Clothes are mostly 6-9 months
• Rolling over like crazy
• Justin finally started to roll over while he’s swaddled, so we’ve had to stop swaddling him
• Lana breaks out of the swaddler too, but won’t fall asleep unless she’s in it for some reason
• This lack of swaddle thing is proving to be difficult in the way of naps during the day
• Sleeping MUCH better at night, since we’ve started “dinner food”
• Usually in bed between 8:00 and 9:00, and up between 4:00 and 6:00 and again “for the day” at 8:00 or so.
• Ready for a morning nap by 9:30 or 10:00
• and an afternoon nap between 1:00 and 3:00. I try to get them to go down around 2:00, the same time Collin goes down. It works for the most part almost some days.

 

• Reach for toys
• Everything goes in their mouths. – toys, clothes, hands, puffs

• They have had oatmeal, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, applesauce, prunes, puffs, and chewed on French fries and pickles. 

• The sippy cup is more of a teething toy than an actual cup with water in it
• Just started to stand for a minute when holding onto something

We’ve reached the point that there is always something new and exciting going on. They both want to crawl, but don’t quite get they have to be up on their knees first. They have really taken to Collin in the last few weeks. They smile and laugh at him all the time and really want him to interact with them. He’s really good about including them and talking to them when he’s doing things. I’m excited to see how their relationships grow and change over the coming months and years.

 

 

 

 

Lana also got her ears pierced :)

Me Time

• I like to clean organize. Mostly from the inside out (Starting in drawers and closets and ending with tabletops). But I’m not where near as organized as I would like to be, and my house is no where as clean as I want it to be. Ever.
• I’m a list maker. I like to mark things off when I’m done. It give me a sense of accomplishment when I can actually see that things are done.
• I don’t say “ya’ll,” I say “you guys.”
• I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, but customers always thought I was from New Jersey because of my “accent.”
• I never wanted to be a “Stay at Home Mom,” but it seriously is the Best. Job. Ever.
• I’m not one of those women who loves being pregnant. I hated it, I never felt “pretty.”
• I basically have no idea what my husband does to support us. When people ask what he does, I tell them “I don’t know.”
• I’m not a morning person. But can get more done by 10 AM than I could all day when I’m up and moving by 7:00.
• I love the smell of coffee. Hate the taste. For years all I would drink is a French Vanilla Cappuccino from a Hess gas station. Then Hess got rid of it and only carried Dunkin Donuts. I now will only drink a French Vanilla Cappuccino from a Gate gas station.
• I just recently started to enjoy cooking and making dinner.
• I tried the couponing thing. I stuck with it for maybe four or five months. I saved money. Not 99% or even 50%, but I saved a little. Then we had the twins, then our paper subscription ended.
• I graduated with an Communications degree in Advertising. Big Whoop.
• I like certain clothing trends. Some I’d even like to participate in, but never feel like I could “pull it off.”
• I neither love nor hate my minivan. It is a vehicle that serves it’s purpose. I hate that I drive a minivan. I’d rather drive my Accord or SUV. I love the three reasons why I drive a minivan.
• I can’t wait to pack up said minivan and take my kids to Disney World
• I love mint chocolate chip ice cream, cheddar and sour cream chips, Double Stuff Oreos, Welches Sparkling Grape juice, Milk, and an ice cold Coke. Not necessarily together. ;)
• I used to be a night owl. But in addition to not being a morning person, I often could fall asleep at 9:00 PM.
• I LOVE my church families and how much they have come to mean to me
• I don’t have 100 best friends. I have fabulous friends. But I can count on one hand the really good ones. They know who they are.
• I have three cats and a dog. They were my first children.
• If needed, I iron my jeans and sweaters.
• I kept a diary, I’ve never let anyone read, until I was in high school. Now, I blog and want people to read it.
• I’m cheap. But not extreme.
• I wish I was more creative and artistic.
• I love to plan. Showers, birthday parties, things for the house, etc.
• I need to learn better time management.
• I like to read. But don’t.
• I like to exercise. But don’t.

FIVE Stars for the Twins

Five months. I’ve We’ve survived five whole months with the twins and a two year old. Some Most days are good, some days not so much. But that is really no different from before we had the twins, it’s just amplified now.

I did something I said I was going to try not to do. I read Collin’s 5 month post and now I feel like there is something “wrong” and I’m a horrible mom. Collin was, apparently, sleeping though the night, eating pureed food, drinking water from a sippy cup, sitting up, and playing with a rubber duck in the bathtub. Hhmmm… Justin and Lana

• JUST had single grain oatmeal for the first time this week

yummy??

 

Yes, their bibs say “Star of Mommy’s Blog” I LOVE these bibs and have been anticipating this for a long time :) And yes, unfortunately I know these pictures came out blurry :( But I wanted the pictures the first time they ate, but they weren’t really having it.

They actually did really well. They seemed to enjoy it and managed to get the majority of it in their mouths. By the second or third sitting, they couldn’t get it fast enough. I did buy sweet potatoes and peas this week in hopes of making some more food for them. Guess my goal needs to be to get on that sooner rather than later.

• They are sleeping pretty good, still up once at night, and it’s still random between 2:00 and 6:00.
• The thought of a sippy cup with water hadn’t even entered my mind yet.
• We just put them in the exersaucers for the first time this week too

 

 

• Sitting up on their own, seems to still be at least a month off
• Bath time is, well,unfortunately for them, bath time, not play time
• They are rolling over like crazy now though. It makes changing them near impossible exciting. Neither seems to mind their tummy at all anymore. Unless they are just way beyond tired and/or hungry, then nothing makes them happy.

I suppose I should get my act together and start feeding my kids more, praying they sleep more, give them a sippy cup, hang out in the bumbos and exersaucers more so they can learn to sit up on their own, and hopefully that will make bath time more enjoyable, rather than a chore we have to do twice.

Those are some pretty healthy looking kids for only being on Mama’s Milk for five months ;)

In other news, my dad got to come down for a few days and meet the twins for the first time. To say the trip was a success, would be an understatement. Collin for days asked me, “When’s Poppy coming over?” We are already looking forward to the visit in the spring. And a bonus to the trip for him, we were able to have the Baby Dedication while he was here :) Although, I don’t have any pictures because it was at the very beginning of the church service as opposed to the very end, like Collin’s was. At any rate, I was very happy with how it went. All three kids were very well behaved and didn’t cry, fuss, or wiggle at all.