Happy Thanksgiving!!

This year we put up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving Day! Yes, it's early...but we wanted to get the tree up before we leave for FLORIDA!! We leave tomorrow for two weeks, and this way we'll be ready to trim the tree as soon as we get back!

Potty Time!!

Lizie and Joey's first attempt on their new potties!
Lizie - 0 #1s, 0 #2s
Joey - 1 #1, 1 #2 (YAY! Go Joey!)

Preschool Daddy/Daughter Day

SO excited to have Daddy join her at preschool today!

Happy Halloween!

Cutest cowgirl there ever was...

Happy 2nd Birthday, Joey and Lizie!!

Wow! It's hard to believe my sweet Eliza Ann and Joseph Henry are 2 years old. It seems like just yesterday they were still in my belly, kicking me (and each other) like crazy.

I look at the above photo and I remember how scared I was before I delivered the twins. I was so afraid of disrupting the comfortable, secure world we'd created for Linnea, and I was worried about how chaotic our household would become. We hadn't planned on having another baby so soon after we had Linnea (she was only 14 months when I found out I was pregnant again). I definitely wasn't "ready" to go through another pregnancy, and when I found out I was having twins, a big part of me was devastated. Mostly, though, I was just terrified. In fact, when it was time to head to the hospital for my scheduled c-section, I cried...the entire car ride and pretty much right into the operating room. I remember kissing Linnea goodbye, and literally running (well, waddling as fast as I could...I was 38 weeks pregnant with twins) out the door, so she wouldn't see the tears already streaming down my face.

Fast forward a couple hours, and here's what we held in our hands. Eliza Ann and Joseph Henry. Wow. It's hard to believe they were ever this small. It's amazing to look at them now and be so awed by the little people they've become.

Sweet Joey,
At 2 years old, you are a bundle of yummy-ness. You were born with the face of an angel and you still have the same face. You are sweet and kind, and you love snuggles. You love the outdoors and exploring nature. You are starting to play more with Linnea...you love running around after her and copying everything she does...and she loves it too. Oh, the noise you two make! You are such a joy. It suits you that you're the "middle" child. You are always patient enough to "take one for the team," so to speak. You "go with the flow" more than your sisters, and we thank you SO much for that. You are similar to your big sister in that at age 2, you also have a "wise beyond your years" understanding that acting out will only make a situation worse. You just sit quietly and make the best out of life. You are truly a gift from God.

Dearest Lizie,
My doll-baby...so petite and feminine. I love your big blue eyes, tiny nose, and little lips. You are such a smart beauty, and you are a barrel of fun! You have your daddy wrapped around your long, skinny finger. You have become such a silly girl, and you love to laugh. You are still very particular, though, and we feel like you need to be around people who know you best. That's where you seem to be the most comfortable. You always carry a little stuffed animal around with you (right now it's Pablo), but you're also into Thomas Trains. You love playing with your new trains, and you do a very "intense face" when you're watching anything mechanical. You are obsessed with the ipad. You must have equal parts mommy and daddy in you!  You have been, and we think will continue to be, our biggest surprise. We never know exactly what we're going to get with you...and we love it.

 

So, there you have it...we've made it 2 years. It seemed to go by slow and fast at the same time. I'm a lot less terrified these days, and I have accepted life with twins doesn't get any "easier" it just gets "different." Having the twins completed our family. Joseph and Eliza, we all love you SO very much! Happy Happy Birthday, my lovies!!

For Posterity...

Go Meemee Go!

Today we went to St. Paul to watch the runners in the Twin Cities Marathon.

 Even though it was a little chilly out, it was super cool to watch so many people run. We got to ring bells, wave and shout to cheer on the runners. We could totally run like that 'cause we're super fast. Maybe someday.

Our cousins even came with us to cheer on the runners.

It's always fun to run around and shout with our cousins. We may or may not have gotten a little distracted from our cheering duties...

The coolest part was when we finally spotted our Meemee and she ran by and high-fived us!!

We were so proud of our Meemee for running the 10-mile. What a remarkable accomplishment!

Indian Summer

It's September 9th, 2011 and it is 90 degrees...

iPad Addict...

WE LOVE UNCLE MIKEY!!

It's SO great when he comes from California to visit us at home...

Mommy and Joey Outing

When I woke up this morning, Mommy said she was taking me on a one-on-one outing to the Arboretum! I was super excited...even though I had no idea what the Arboretum was. She said there were trees and flowers to look at, and since trees and flowers are basically my favorite, I figured she had made the right one-on-one outing choice.

It was weird, though, because once we got there, Mommy was all "Joejoe, we're going to meet Abby and Gracie!" I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't "Abby" and "Gracie" girls names? At that point, I was a little skeptical of our so called "one-on-one." I have two sisters at home, and I wasn't about to be harassed by more girls.

So Mom introduced me to Abby and Gracie, and I must admit I've never seen a more amazing shade of blond hair than I saw on Abby. And Gracie's hair was like strawberry sunshine. I had to face it...these girls were beautiful, and they were totally into me. I decide to give them a chance and roll with it.

Abby was super nice. She warned me not to touch the flowers, because there were stinging bees flying around, and she didn't want me to get stung. So, she grabbed some petals and shared them with me.

I decided it would be okay to hold Abby and Gracie's hands, because they seemed to know their flowers. They were really good at showing me stuff.

I wanted to make sure I put in my share of knowledge, so I winged it and somehow led them to an awesome fountain. Score!

So, it ended up being a great outing with Mommy AND Abby and Gracie (and Auntie Kath too). What can I say? I love my girls. ;-)

North Shore Adventures

It had been a while since I took the kids up to the North Shore, so I decided to brave the drive again by myself. It didn't go as smoothly as the previous trip, but we made it, and that's what matters. We had a wonderful weekend...

We went on hikes...

We played at some playgrounds...

Our good friends, Jen and Beckett joined us for a couple days too! We had a blast picking raspberries on our "Raspberry Lane" hike, and also made it to Gooseberry Falls.

  

We had a VERY special outing in Duluth and got to meet Thomas!!

We even got to ride Thomas on the Scenic Railroad. The kids loved it! Who said there isn't such a thing as fun for the whole family?!

The weather was nice and warm, and since we're true Minnesotans, we decided to brave a dip in Lake Superior. It was an impromptu trip to the beach, and it was a big hit with the kids. Again...fun for the whole family! Don't believe me? Here's proof:

One of my favorite parts of the day up at the North Shore is after we put the kids to bed. I sit out on the deck and enjoy the peace of the shore...

Overall the weekend was a success. Next time, we hope Daddy can join us!!

Worst Haircut EVER!!

Boy and his Dog...

Stories with Daddy

Reading bedtime stories with Daddy is great...but sometimes it gets a little crowded.

Pirate Ship Sandbox

Summer is super fun. Playing outside is the best. Daddy got us really cool pirate ship sandbox, and we really love it. We especially love tasting the sand...

Yep, wet sand is the yummiest.

Little Ballerina

Check this out, Peeps: I am a ballerina! Mommy signed me up for ballet lessons at the Academy of Russian ballet, and I'm already a pro after 4 weeks. I know all the moves and everything! Mommy isn't allowed in the classroom to watch me, because ballet is very serious business. It requires utmost focus. I really have to pay attention to my mind and body. Mommy would be a major distraction. I also have to be on my best behavior in class. All professional ballerinas are very polite and polished. A couple girls in my class got a case of the sillies, and got sent right out. That never happens to me. I'm a good little ballerina. I get a sticker at the end of every class. Some kids don't (if you know what I mean).

Well, at our "parent preview" class, Mommy and Daddy, and Meemee got to watch me perform. It was super cool. Here I am in all my ballerina glory:

First position is super easy. I've got it down...

And here I am perfecting my passe and retire...

 

 I'm also a team-player...

The best part of "parent preview" night was that I got to be the STAR of the show! I just love performing.  :-)

Let the Wild Rumpus Begin!!

Mommy and Kathryn took us to a super cool bookstore this morning. It's called Wild Rumpus, and it's totally wild. There are chickens running around, kitties sleeping on stacks of books, birds, ferrets, chinchillas, and even a tarantula (in a cage). We discovered all kinds of animals in nooks and crannies. It was totally fun.

Here we are meeting a 10-year old chicken. Apparently she was only supposed to live about 4-5 years, but she's still kickin'!

We also had to stop and pet the kitty we found napping near the window.

Yep, Wild Rumpus was cool. Maybe next time we'll actually look at some books too.

Buddies taking a break...

Watching the Bird Show at the MN Zoo...

Another rare morning that Daddy was able to join us on an outing. We had so much fun at the zoo!

Overcoming the car ride hurdle...

It is Monday and I already feel a great sense of accomplishment this week. I conquered the 3-hour roundtrip drive to our North Shore lakehome by MYSELF with all three kids. This is a big deal in my world. We love our family lakehome, but our trips have been sadly limited due the complicated scheduling dance it takes to secure another adult passenger for the drive up and back. Well, this past weekend, I decided we were ready. We were ready to it on our own. I timed everything perfectly, stocked up on snacks, gathered up some Baby Einsteins and the kids' current fav, Toy Story 3, packed the car, loaded up the kids, and hit the road...with all my fingers crossed.

The car ride wasn't too bad. It wasn't relaxing by any means, but it wasn't so bad that I wouldn't do it again. The kids weren't able to sleep, because they kept waking each other. That was a big bummer. But, I have become a semi-pro at throwing objects to the third row seat, so whoever sits in the way back doesn't go neglected. That is a plus. I was 5 for 5 on the way up: one binky, one blanky, one snack trap, one sucker, and one apple...right into Joey's lap. Nice. The kids get a kick out of it too, so it's kind of a win-win (except for when I miss). I also did a lot of explaining (why some trees are short and some are tall, why the road is bumpy, why bugs splat on the windshield, why construction causes traffic jams), changed the DVD a couple times, and lead a few sing-a-longs. Needless to say, it was still a busy 3 hours, even though we were in the car.

So, we all survived. We all had a great time up north with Meemee and Poppa. I LOVE that another door has opened for me, and we will be back up to our wonderful North Shore lakehome soon!! :-)

Oh, and this is the only pic I have to post of our wonderful weekend. That's how busy we were...not able to take ONE photo until the babes were asleep. Hahaha

Classic Eliza...