The Girls and Graham

Graham's New Ride

2012-02-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

We decided it was time to move Graham to his bigger seat, and we had to bring it in to get it all adjusted right.

The girls thought it was hilarious that we had a car seat in the house and that Graham was looking so big! They were very willing to pose with him.

So far, Graham seems to like his new ride!

Nine Months

2012-01-28T09:17:00.000-08:00

could

eat

him

up!

Happy Nine Months, Graham!!!

A New 'Do

2012-01-25T07:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Pinterest, my girls are donning a new hair do!

The hair knot!

I love it. Their hair looks cute, is out of their face, but is still "down," like they like it.

Everyone has had a go with it lately.

It has been fun adding a new style to our repetoire!

Deja Vu

2012-01-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

I love hand-me-down clothes!

Jane and Sydney are reaping the benefit of all of Clare's old clothes.

Clare, November 2008

Sydney, January 2012

It's funny that Clare had enough clothes to dress both twins. Hmm, perhaps we over-bought???

Clare, January 2009

Jane, January 2012

I love getting so much wear out of these clothes. And I think these three wear them well!

Let's Just Say....

2012-01-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

...the trampoline

no friend

to HAIR!

But I don't think they care!

Best Buds

2012-01-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

It warms my heart that Clare has made sweet friends in kindergarten this year.

An answered prayer for sure!

Girls, Girls, Girls

2012-01-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

I know that girls can be dramatic. And, I know that in their teenage years, they can sport some serious attitudes. I didn't know that it would start at the early ages of four and five.

Clare has picked up some lovely behaviors, I am assuming at school. The eye roll, the back talk, and basically arguing with every direction given to her. These behaviors are exacerbated when she is tired. Take for instance, Friday night. Clare gets upset for some reason. She then starts saying, "No one in this family likes me." Maybe this is where I need some parenting work, but I find this behavior totally annoying. I just want to say, "buck up and get over it." I think this antic is all for attention, and I don't really believe that she thinks no one likes her. But, on Friday, I dug deep, and tried to lend a sympathetic ear.

In Clare's defense, she has done excellent at school. She is a "pleasure to have in class" according to her latest report card. Her teacher is always telling me how compassionate she is. I am so thankful that she is doing so well at school. I just think she must bottle up all of the nasty behavior for the benefit of those of us at home!

Then, we have Miss Sydney. Half of the sentences out of Sydney's mouth (and that is a lot) begin with the phrase "I am not going to (fill in the blank!)" "I am not going to sleep in my bed." "I am not going to wear that." "I am not having that for dinner." It is so negative and exhausting. We have been working on putting a positive spin on things, and she seems to be doing better.

Jane hasn't really succumbed to the teenage-like attitude yet. Her most trying behavior is the whining. Oh man, the girl can whine! This, too, gets worse when she is tired. She is typically a very kind, caring kid.

All this to say, they are sweet, wonderful little girls whom I wouldn't trade for the world. I feel very lucky to be raising them, and I am so glad that I get to stay home with them.

But little girls turn into teenage girls. Heaven help us.

Blink of an Eye

2012-01-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been struck by how fast this is all going. This raising children thing. I feel like if I blink my kids will be grown and gone.

I watched Clare, my oldest, walk into school yesterday for the second half of Kindergarten. She walked in confidently with a smile on her face like she owned the place, looking so grown up. She is a couple months away from being six years old. SIX YEARS OLD. Where did these past years go?

And then I look at these two, growing and changing into two independent, very different little girls. I was making a calendar for 2012 and on their birthday I had to write "Jane and Sydney are 5!" What?! How is that possible? I remember finding out I was having twins like it was yesterday.

Graham is changing daily. My baby. If it weren't for pictures and such, I wouldn't remember what he looked like two months ago, much less what he was doing. He will be running around here in no time, and crawling even before that. The next thing I know HE will be starting kindergarten (and then I will probably really lose it!!!)

And that's all of them. Not that I want more children. No, I have my hands full with the four that I have. Just some days I want it to slow down. Truth be told, there are days that I want everything to speed up and just get to bedtime, but when I look back at the big picture, those days seems to fade into the background. I want to remember Clare as a sweet little newborn baby, Jane and Sydney sleeping together in the same crib. But now those moments are just distant memories.

It's not that I want to start over. No, I wouldn't go back to the infant twin stage for anything. I just can't believe how fast this is going. This, the most important thing I will ever do, is flying by. Everyone tells us to savor every moment because it goes so fast. Man, they aren't lying.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

....from our littlest black-eyed pea eater!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-29T12:26:00.000-08:00

Sit down, put your feet up, and make yourself comfortable....this is gonna be a long one!

As we do every year, we began our Christmas celebration at Deedee and Papaw's house on Christmas Eve night. We were joined by Emme, Grandad, Bryan, Morgan, Heather, and Chris.

Deedee and Papaw surprised the girls with a trampoline in their back yard, which of course, was a big hit. The weather prevented them from jumping a ton, but they gave it a test run.

The girls were super excited and could hardly contain themselves. They did manage to sit still to capture this picture though.

Then it was go time!!!

Clare was thrilled to get the much desired American Girl Doll from Emme and Grandad. It is so fun to watch the kids get super excited over their gifts.

When we were done there, we loaded up our kids and all of our gifts and headed home. We had to get ready for Santa!

We did the usual stuff...cookies and reindeer food and then headed to bed so the big man could come.

And he did not disappoint!

Santa brought Sydney a big princess tent a a hula hoop,

a bike for Jane,

and knowing Jane's inexplicable love for Wendy's, she also got a gift card to Wendy's in her stocking,

a scooter for Clare (and a scooter for her new doll),

and a little push toy for Graham!

Clare told us that she heard the reindeer on the roof during the night. It sounded like "clippity-clop!"

After we had gone through all of Santa's gifts and stockings, we opened our presents to each other. Emme and Deedee had taken the girls shopping, so that they could each buy Casey and I a gift. They were so excited to give them to us. It was fun to watch them learn that it can be fun to give a gift, as well as receive one.

Casey scored a new lunchbox from Jane! :-)

Since Christmas fell on a Sunday, we got dressed and went to church. There we met up with my parents, my grandmother, Nathan, Megan and Brody. When church was over, we headed to Mom and Dad's house for brunch and more presents!

Graham and Mamma got to be big buds.

The kids were super excited to see these remote control flying balloons from Nathan and Megan. How fun!

We took our time opening presents, and the kids did really well.

Brody and Sydney are quite a pair. They have a great time together!

Jane, Sydney and Brody got Leapster Explorers and Clare got LeapPad, and the kids played with those things all day!

Watch out because Sydney also got a pogo stick!!!

The kids (and the adults) were thoroughly exhausted after all of the festivities, so we headed home after an early dinner.

The magic of Christmas was alive and well at our house this year. Of course, we had our "I want more presents" and "Why didn't Santa bring me more?" moments. But most of all, we had a great time spending the holiday together with our family...both our ~~little~~ big immediate family and our extended families.

Thank you, thank you to all of you who made our Christmas so much fun!

Graham at Eight Months

2011-12-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

Full Christmas recap coming soon, but first...

Graham is eight months old today! He is growing so fast! He continues to be the happiest, most content little guy. He enjoyed his first Christmas, and received lots of "boy" toys....cars, tools, balls, etc.

Graham has two bottom teeth, and he isn't showing signs of any new ones. The only time Graham is at all disagreeable is when he is eating his baby food. He practically yells at you the whole time, wanting more, more, MORE! Casey likens him to a foghorn during mealtime!

Graham goes to bed about 7:00 each night and sleeps until about 6:00 or 7:00. He takes two-three naps every day , depending on our schedule. His naps have improved so much in the last month, and for that, I am thankful.

Graham loves his bath. He splashes his little heart out!

Still no crawling for our little man, but he is pretty mobile with his rolling around. I am thinking it won't be too long, but who knows?

Graham gives us tons of smiles, "talks" to us, and makes us laugh every day!

What a sweet boy!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

Remember December, Part 3

2011-12-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

Where does December go? It seems to fly by! Here is part three of what we have been up to!

We had our annual Christmas Cookie Day! This year we were joined by Brody and Morgan in addition to the usual suspects.

It is a fun,

messy,

filling day!

I remember last year during cookie day wondering what this year would be like with a little one around. All I can only say is that he makes it even sweeter!

This past week we have made a million Christmas crafts, played with friends we don't get to see all that often during the school year, hung out with Mamma, and today we went bowling with family.

Tonight, we ended the day with a family movie night!

Tomorrow the festivities begin, and let me tell you...

WE ARE EXCITED!

Merry Christmas!

Remember December, Part 2

2011-12-17T20:07:00.000-08:00

We've partied at school,

programmed at church,

shopped for the toy drive at Target,

played with Christmas toys at home,

wore pajamas to breakfast at church,

looked at Christmas lights from the car,

which concluded with four sleeping kids!

One week till Christmas and the fun continues!

These Boots are Made for Walkin'

2011-12-15T19:04:00.000-08:00

The other day at Emme and Grandad's house, Sydney randomly said, "I am wishing for a pair of cowboy boots." To which Granddad answered, "I have some cowboy boots for you."

He had saved Casey's boots from when he was a little boy. They fit Sydney perfectly! She has worn them several times since then, and I think they are adorable!

If only all of our wishes came true that easily!

Graham meets Santa!

2011-12-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Remember December, Part 1

2011-12-08T19:23:00.000-08:00

December is such a busy month with so many fun activities. I am going to do my best to document them here.

We celebrated Jane and Sydney's birthday at school.

They got to go up on stage and everyone sang to them. This picture is funny to me because you can tell Jane is not loving the spotlight. Sydney doesn't look overly comfortable either, but she was really enjoying it. Jane wasn't too sure!

Deedee, Clare, and I went to see Madeline's Christmas.

And this little dude is just taking it all in!

We have also written letters to Santa, shopped for the toy drive, watched Elf on the Shelf movie, and had lots of surprises from Frank, our elf.

Such a fun time of year with many more memorable moments coming!

Pancakes and Pajamas

2011-12-03T19:14:00.000-08:00

Today we celebrated Jane and Sydney's fourth birthday!

I won't even go into how impossible it is that they will be four tomorrow....I will just stick with party pictures!

We decided to celebrate by having a pancake and pajama party this morning. When I had been asked "when are my friends going to be here?" 3,000 times by 8:30 this morning, I was very glad the party was scheduled at 9:30!

We started the party off by making cereal necklaces!

Next up it was time for pancakes...plain or M & M!

We had a very official chef!

Next up it was time to decorate pillowcases.

Then presents,

cake (blowing out candles two times!),

and party favors!

We had a fun day with Jane and Sydney!
I love raising these girls everyday, but birthday days are some of the best!

Many thanks to all of our friends and family who helped us celebrate these two birthday girls!

Frank is Back!

2011-11-30T19:59:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday morning, the kids awoke to a big surprise!

Frank, our elf, had returned....and he brought breakfast!

He brought each kid a Christmas plate, cup, a note, and "snow-covered" donuts from the North Pole!

The girls had been asking when our elf would return, so it was fun to watch them see Frank again!

The first thing the girls do every morning is check and see where Frank is. I love this time of year, and I love this tradition!

Turkey Day

2011-11-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving was spent at my parents' house this year. We were joined by Nathan, Megan, and Brody. The day was full of food, fun, and family.

There were lots of Legos,

a little wrestling,

lots of smiles,

a few games,

and, of course, lots of delicious food. We left the house tired, full, and very thankful.

Speaking of giving thanks, huge kudos to my dad for keeping all three girls on Friday so my mom and I could hit the stores for some Black Friday deals! I love to be out there with the masses, and Casey had to work. So, Dad offered to help out! Mom, (Graham), and I got to do some shopping, and the girls had a fun morning with Pop. Win-win! (Well, come to think of it, I am not sure how Pop won......)

Sydney is....

2011-11-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

...funny.

...currently sporting a fat lip.

...ALWAYS moving.

...a firecracker.

...my only freckle-faced child!

...fearless.

Sydney is a million things that make her a perfect part of our family!

T-H-A-N-K-F-U-L

2011-11-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

T-Thankful Turkey

H-Having a preschool feast with my two favorite three-year-olds!

A- A week off of school!

N- Nice treat to have Daddy at both school events!

K-Kindergarten Thanksgiving Program

F- Feathers!

U- Unassisted Sitting!

L- Little more than two weeks until these two are FOUR!

Teething Times Two

2011-11-11T18:37:00.000-08:00

After Jane and Sydney finished teething, I never thought I would have to deal with two kids teething again. WRONG!

Graham is cutting his first tooth. It isn't bothering him too much, but he is chewing on EVERYTHING! I am not ready for him to have teeth. He is growing up too fast!

And, the bigger surprise is that Clare is cutting some new molars, and they are giving her a hard time. She is running a fever, and her poor little mouth is hurting quite a bit. I had no idea that kids even get molars at this age, so I am learning along with Clare.

I am really hoping that Clare perks up for her final soccer game tomorrow, but if tonight is any measure, it's not looking good.

A New Look

2011-11-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

Jane and Sydney got haircuts. Jane just got a little trim, but Sydney got a full chop!

Here they are before:

And here is Sydney after:

And Janie:

Shorter hair means fewer tangle....and that makes everyone happy!

Six Months Old

2011-11-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Half-Birthday to Graham!

At six months, Graham is still my easiest baby....by far! He goes with the flow, gives the best smiles, and is almost always happy. He weighs 17 lbs., 12 oz. and is 27 inches long.

We have introduced food! He has had rice cereal, squash and green beans. He does fine with the food, but I wouldn't say he loves it.

He is sitting up! He will still topple over every now and then, but he is doing so well. I love the age where babies can sit up....but not move!

I have a big box of "baby toys" in the attic, and today we got some of them out. Graham had a big time. He seemed to really enjoy playing with them.

Graham is the perfect final piece to our family puzzle!

A Super Halloween!

2011-11-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

We had a great Halloween!
The girls had numerous chances to show off their costumes...Trunk or Treat, preschool, a birthday party, and trick or treating!

Clare, Jane and Sydney really got into character this year. It was so fun to watch.

Supergirl led the pack! She took the lead marching up to each house to collect her loot.

Batgirl was game for all of the fun...except for wearing her mask. When one neighbor said, "It's Batman!" Jane quickly retorted, "I'm BatGUWL!"

Wonder Woman could have covered our entire city. She booked it to each house and could've kept going for hours. Too bad for her...the school night prevented us from staying out too late.

And Superman was his usual laid back, happy (very cute) self.

Superman with a super dad.

This year I noticed how much easier trick or treating is....the girls can walk up to each house by themselves, knock and the door, and say the appropriate thing BY THEMSELVES. Casey and I were able to hang out by the curb and observe. What a nice change!

It was a super Halloween, and we have a tremendous amount of candy to prove it!

Halloween Sneak Peak

2011-10-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

Any guesses?

Full reveal coming soon!

Happy Halloween!

Worth A Thousand Words

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

A Pumpkin Patch Kind of Day

2011-10-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

Friday was Pumpkin Patch Day!

I went with Clare and her class on her first field trip to a pumpkin farm.

She experienced her first bus ride, and I got to spend some time with all of the kindergarteners.

Meanwhile, Jane, Sydney, and Graham went with Emme and Deedee to a different pumpkin patch...complete with bounce houses, rides, and horses!

It looks like big fun was had by all!

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

2011-10-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

Last night at dinner Clare says, "I forgot to tell you what John did at school today during circle time."

"What did John do?"

"He tooted."

Everyone starts laughing.

Casey asks, "What did everyone do?"

Clare answers, "Mike said, 'Who farted?"

Casey and I both mistakenly start laughing, which prompts Clare to say that about ten more times. So then we tell Clare that we don't use that word and we don't want to hear it anymore. It takes a few reminders for her to understand that we are serious. But, by the end of dinner, she understands that she isn't supposed to say that.

Fast forward to bed time.....I am putting Clare to bed, and she looks up at me with her sweet, innocent eyes and says, "I really want to say the 'f-word'."

Mixed Results

2011-10-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

Today we did a little shaving cream painting!

Sydney loved it!

She embraced the slimy activity, and took advantage of the opportunity to make a mess!

Jane started off curious. She gave it a try and faked a smile for the picture, but she didn't enjoy the activity. Part of it may have been that she was pretty tired, but she claimed she didn't like the way it felt.

So, while Sydney continued to paint and create, Jane sulked on the floor wanting to do "a different craft."

Fair Play

2011-10-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

Monday was Fair Day, and we took advantage! The girls, Deedee, and I headed south to ride rides, eat corny dogs, and enjoy the State Fair of Texas.

Our first stop was the little farm where the girls got to milk cows, plant food, and earn money...a crowd favorite from last year.

Next up...RIDES!

Clare was in a tough spot this year. She was too tall for some of the kiddie rides and too short for some of the big rides.

We found a few that were just right though!

She and I rode on a few of the bigger rides together. During the rides she was scared to death, but after she was done, she loved them!

And of course, we indulged in some fair food!

It was a fun day with great weather. Thanks to Deedee for the fun outing and for all of the pictures!

So Long To An Old Friend

2011-10-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

Clare's lovie, a pink blanket/bunny, has been with her since birth. I think we actually had it at the hosptial with us when she was born.

It has seen her though good times and bad. It comforted her when she gave up her pacifier and during almost every sad or scary moment of her short life...like getting her picture made with Santa. Until recently, Lovie was next to her in bed every night. For awhile, I thought Lovie might go with her to college and walk her down the aisle.

Well, the day has come where Lovie is no longer needed. Clare hasn't slept with it in quite a while, and today when she went to spend the night with her grandparents, she purposefully didn't pack it. Another sign of my oldest girl growing up.

Now Lovie will remain in her drawer until it makes it's final move into a keepsake box. Lovie, you have served your purpose quite well. Thank you for providing my sweet girl an immeasurable amount of comfort!

Good thing there are three more proud lovie-toters under my roof! No sign of the younger three getting rid of theirs anytime soon....and that is fine by me!

Music to My Ears

2011-10-06T08:43:00.000-07:00

Graham thinks Sydney is hilarious, and so do I!

School Quotes from Clare

2011-10-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

Clare: A fireman came to school today.

Me: Really? What did he say?

Clare: 911 is only for emergencies. You shouldn't call just to see who answers.

********

Clare: We had an assembly today. Everyone was there...even the grades.

(Referring to first through sixth grades)

********

Me: Who sits at your table?

Clare: Michelle. She speaks China.

FaceLook

2011-10-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

The girls have had fun decorating their faces lately....

...with face paint

and with ice cream!

Us, In Numbers

2011-09-26T19:34:00.000-07:00

5....How many months Graham will be on Wednesday

7:30...Time we got to school last week to honor Clare for being named "Student of the Week" in her class! (She's on the bottom, left)

3...Number of Halloween costumes recently purchased!

2...Goofballs running around in our drive-way the other morning after walking Clare to school.

10...Hours per week where I only have Graham with me. It's amazing how much I can get done without the older three around!

3...Number of girls that fell asleep during The Lion King last week. Maybe going after school wasn't such a good idea???

2...Silly faces in this picture.

1...Number of Christmas presents I have bought! Are you impressed?!?

Adjustments

2011-09-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

We are all adjusting to our new school schedule.

Clare continues to love kindergarten. I am amazed at how much she has already learned. Everyday she comes home talking about something new that she learned that day. She has recently gotten a couple of letters in the mail...and she was able to read both of them by herself!

She, of course, has her "I don't want to go" moments. The school schedule is exhausting for her, and by the end of the week, she is wiped out. I am hoping that as we continue along, she will get more and more used to it.

Jane and Sydney love school. Every night they say, "Do we go to school tomorrow?" I love to pick them up from school and listen to them fight to give me the stories of the day. It is nice to have two kids to get details from. They keep each other honest!!!

Graham has had to make his own adjustments. His poor nap schedule stinks. When all of the girls have school, we have to get Clare there by 7:55, come home for about 45 minutes, and then take the little girls at 9. There is hardly time for a morning nap. Then, we repeat the whole deal again with pick-ups at 2:00 and 2:55. Thankfully, he is so laid back, and is happy most of the time.

Graham is also adjusting to sleeping unswaddled! Last night was his first night, and he did great. 7:30-7:00! I love it! He had started waking up a few times in the night, so maybe this will be the change that gets him back on track!

The school schedule is a busy one, but we are all adjusting well. Everyone seems to be enjoying their activities, and that makes it easier to keep everyone on the move!

Mind The Gap

2011-09-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

Clare has lost four teeth...

...all in a row!

It's a Good Thing They're Cute

2011-09-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, Jane and Sydney fell asleep in the car on our way home. When the girls fall asleep in the car, it ruins their nap. We had about an hour and half before we needed to get Clare from school, so I let them lay down on my bed to rest and watch Tangled.

Little did I know, there was very little watching going on. Instead they were wreaking havoc on my bedroom.

They had taken she sheets off of the bed,

gotten into my make-up drawer,

and had a hay day with the toothpaste!

Needless to say, the rest of the afternoon was not as fun for them.

Go Angels!

2011-09-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today, we officially entered the world of organized sports.

Clare had her first soccer game!

I am fairly certain she had no idea what to expect. She has had several practices, but today was the first "real" game. We were so proud of her...she was right in the thick of things.

Of course, there is plenty of room for improvement, but for her fist game, she did pretty darn good.

Casey looks very serious watching from the sidelines. Let me assure you, the game wasn't very serious.

The peanut gallery was more interested in the actual peanuts than the soccer game.

Graham was taking mental notes...before I know it, he will be out on the field.

Clare's team was not victorious, but I don't think she even realized it.

She had a great time playing, and we had a great time watching her!

Graham's New Toy

2011-09-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

Graham's favorite new things to play with are his TOES!

Whenever I lay him down, he bends himself in half to get a grasp on his feet.

The best part about his new toys is that there are ten of them and they are always with him!

F.D.O.S, Round Two

2011-09-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

Guess who started preschool today???

Jane and Sydney were so excited to start school today. There has been a lot of "kindergarten talk" around here, so it was nice to have a day to focus on Jane and Sydney!

The girls are in the same class, and they did great today. Marched in like they owned the place! It makes it so much easier to leave them when they are smiling and happy!

The girls' backpacks are almost as big as they are!

A big "before your first day of preschool hug" from our favorite preschool alum!

Jane and Sydney both had a great day. Their teacher said they had fun, and they both came out of the door smiling! We are looking forward to a fun year of preschool with these two!

Graham at Four Months

2011-08-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

Graham is a delightful baby. He is so sweet, so snuggly, and continues to be so easy! He is just a happy, low-maintenance little guy.

He is sleeping like a champ at night...goes down around 7:00 and sleeps until 6:30 or 7:00. His naps are hit or miss, but mainly because of the hustle and bustle around our house. He is still swaddled to sleep, and I am dreading the day that that needs to change.

He is rolling over and laughing. He is just starting to sit in the exersaucer and jumperoo, and he is slowly starting to like those places. Graham is going to outgrow the bouncy seat before too much longer...he is a big boy.

Graham gives the best smiles, and his laugh will melt your heart.
He is the best little boy around!

These Two

2011-08-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

These two are so fun to have around!

These two are slowly adjusting to big sister being gone all day.

(They actually seem to get along better!)

These two are headed to preschool in one week!

These two just started taking gymnastics.

These two are almost as exhausted by the start of the school schedule as their big sister is. Almost.

These two could not be more different.

I can't imagine life without these two!

Kindergarten F.D.O.S.

2011-08-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

Clare had a great first day of kindergarten.

As soon as she got in the car, I was ready for her to give me all of the details about the day. However, Clare just slowly let the details trickle out through the afternoon. I guess she just wanted to tell us in her own time.

She was excited to go back today, and I think that is the true test!

'Twas The Night Before Kindergarten

2011-08-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

'Twas the night before kindergarten, and all through the house

the anticipation was building, in large amounts!

The backpack was hung by the back door with care,

with lunchbox and snack and clothes to spare.

The student was nestled all snug in her bed,

while visions of crayons danced in her head.

With Mama a bit nervous, but excited as well

Hopeful the first day will really go swell.

Haircuts, new shoes, all checked off the list.

First day outfit is picked out and pressed!

P.E. and music, computers and art

And Clare so excited for the big day to start!

All day I will wonder about my little sidekick,

How is she doing? Which friends will she pick?

My girl is quite ready, for a while I've known,

It's just hard to think how fast she has grown!

Miss Jane

2011-08-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

This week I was able to spend some good one-on-one time with Jane!

Jane loves to play games, work puzzles, and play baby dolls. She likes to color and loves her baby brother. She is always so excited to hear about his latest tricks!

At 3 1/2, Jane is such a sweet girl! It was fun to have her without her sisters for a little while and really give her some good attention. She is a smart, funny girl who enjoyed having the spotlight all to herself.

When it was time for bed, Jane was slightly disturbed by having to sleep in a room by herself. She is so used to sharing a room with Sydney. I think she enjoyed her "alone" time (Graham was here, but he doesn't really steal anyone's thunder yet), but I know she missed her sisters.

I think Jane is going to love preschool, and I am excited to see what the year brings for her!

Teamwork

2011-08-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

Casey and his main man are working together to get ready for the fantasy football draft tomorrow.

Maybe Graham will be his lucky charm?!?!

Kinder Clare

2011-08-10T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I asked Clare to write or draw how she was feeling about starting kindergarten. With my help on the spelling, this is what she wrote:

It says, "I'm a little bit scared. I'm going to have so much fun."

I hope she doesn't know that I'm a little bit scared too!!!

Colorado 2011

2011-08-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

Our annual trip to Colorado is a week I look forward to every year, and this year was no exception.

We packed our bags, loaded the car, and drove all night to reach our destination. We arrived early in the morning, and I was thrilled to feel the cooler temperatures!

The week was filled with fun activity.
We danced,

we ate,

we climbed,

and mid-week we were joined by our favorite cowboy cousin!

With Brody added to the mix, the fun continued.
The kids had so much fun together in the hammock,

by the creek,

at the horse stables,

and of course, with LoLo and Pop!

I have been going to the same spot in Colorado since I was a little girl. I have such great memories of these summer vacations...finding rocks that Nathan and I had hidden the previous year, learning to fish, camping (one time for a week!), and celebrating many birthdays. All of the kids (minus Graham) slept downstairs in the basement. It was a week long slumber party, and I couldn't help but think what great memories the kids will have from these trips to Colorado....the same trips I made as a kid. This is the stuff memories are made of!

Boys in Plaid

2011-08-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

Graham makes his first visit to Colorado!

Jane and Sydney's Memory Verse

2011-07-26T19:57:00.001-07:00

"Trust the Lord with all your heart." Proverbs 3:5

This Little Girl....

2011-07-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

This little girl loves to talk to her baby brother.

This little girl practices her cartwheels a million times a day.

And this little girl starts kindergarten in a mere four weeks.

2011-07-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

"Um Mom, what is thing I am sitting in????"

Graham is little skeptical about his new seat in the house!

Butterflies!

2011-07-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

One of the presents Clare was given for her birthday back in March was a butterfly "cage," along with a coupon to send off for caterpillars. Clare repeatedly asked when we could get the caterpillars. Due to my very pregnant state at the time, the butterfly activity got put on the back burner.

Fast forward a couple of months and few thousand more requests, we finally sent off for caterpillars! The girls were so excited when we received six caterpillars in the mail. They arrived in a small jar with instructions to watch them grow and form chrysalises on this special filter paper. So, watch we did.

After several days, all six caterpillars had formed their chrysalises and were ready for transfer. Following the instructions carefully, we moved the chrysalises to the cage and anxiously awaited our new butterflies.

The girls checked the cage multiple times a day. They were so intrigued by the whole process and excitedly reported back to me any change that had occurred. The even got so into it, that they started "playing" butterfly with their fairy wings.

About seven days after the transfer, we had our first butterfly! Oh the excitement! Over the next few days, five out of the six chrysalises became butterflies. The girls even named some of them...Sweet Pea Wendy, Flutterfly Sparkle, and Sweetie Pie Butterfly.

Finally, it was time for the release. We took the butterflies outside and opened the cage. After a little bit of coaxing, the butterflies flew the coop.

This is the best picture I could get of the actual exit. Surprisingly enough, several of the butterflies hung out in our backyard for several minutes.

This picture cracks me up. Clare and Jane are standing just like Casey! They are all watching one of the butterflies explore the backyard.

Admittedly, I am not a lover of creepy, crawly things. However, this activity was so fun! The girls loved it, and I never had to even touch the actual caterpillars! And an added bonus...I think they learned something in the process!

Twinkle Toes

2011-07-10T20:44:00.000-07:00

This summer the girls are taking a 4 session dance class. They have completed two sessions, and so far, they are loving it!

This is Jane and Sydney's first real "class" to take. They are thrilled that they get to participate in the action instead of just watching from the sidelines.

Sydney is a little performer, and she is loving this class. I often see her talking to her "friends" or telling the teachers who knows what!!!

Is there anything cuter than little girls in leotards?

This little ballerina is doing great. She loves learning new moves to practice at home.

Clare is in a class for five to seven year olds.

The first week she was the only student there! I was worried that she would be intimidated, but she hung in there and loved the "private lesson!"

Summer dance has been a nice (indoor) activity for the girls to look forward to each week!

Fourth of July Alliteration

2011-07-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

Flag

Fireworks

Fashion

Flying

Flipping

Floaties

Focus

Fourth

FUN!

Two Months

2011-06-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

Graham is two months old today!

He continues to be a very sweet, very easy baby, and I continue to be very thankful!

He is sleeping through the night most nights. He goes down around 9:30 and sleeps until about 6:30!

We did a very informal weighing the other day, and I think he weighs around 14 lbs. He is a big boy!

He is smiling, cooing, and he has even rolled over a few times.

Happy two month birthday to Graham Charles!

Tooth or Dare

2011-06-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Clare lost her first tooth tonight!

It had been loose for a couple of months, and Casey pulled it this evening!

She went to bed very excited about the tooth fairy's impending visit! Here she is in bed with her special little tooth pillow next to her. Seems like yesterday we were waiting on a visit from the Bink Fairy.

Seems as though Jane and Sydney wanted in on the action!

I am sure their turn will be here before I know it!

Say Cheese!

2011-06-23T12:52:00.000-07:00

Graham has started smiling at us, and we are loving it!

It makes us think he might actually like it here!

What a sweet eight-week-old boy!

Here Fishy, Fishy!

2011-06-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

These three minnows have completed two weeks of swim lessons, and they all did excellent. Each girl was in a different group, and they all made big progress.

Sydney was nervous the first day, but after that she really took to the water. Her lessons, combined with many trips to the pool with her Daddy, have transformed her into quite the little fish.

Clare is really taken with our most frequent summer activity! She can swim across the pool and is enjoying her freedom in the water. Yet another sign of this little girl growing up!

Jane is still fairly cautious in the water, but her skills are really coming along. She learned a lot during the last couple weeks, and I know she will continue to get more and more comfortable as the summer goes on.

I have to give lots of credit to Casey for taking the girls to the pool whenever they ask which has really helped them improve.

All three girls got glowing reports from their teachers and had a great time during swim lessons!

Not to leave anyone out....this is how Graham spent most of our swim lesson time!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-17T23:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to Casey from four very lucky little ones!

Little Dipper

2011-06-14T05:06:00.000-07:00

Guess who went swimming for the first time?

Casey, Jane, Sydney, Graham and I went to the pool on Sunday afternoon, and Graham got to take a dip!

He seemed to enjoy it, but probably not as much as Jane and Sydney enjoyed watching him "swim!"

Graham even managed to catch a few Z's while in the pool. What a life!

Tiny Dancer

2011-06-11T19:01:00.000-07:00

Clare had her first dance recital yesterday afternoon!

It was quite an event...one that Clare was very excited about. She was in two dances, tap and ballet.

She had quite the cheering section!

LoLo and Pop came home from Colorado and brought Mamma with them!

When I asked Clare what her favorite part of the day was, she answered, 'When I got my trophy and flowers."

Doesn't she look so pretty?

This picture proves that even all gussied up, she is still a nut!

While I am quite certain that Clare won't remember her dance steps in the years to come, I am hopeful that she will remember how many people came to see her first dance recital and how special we all think she is! Many thanks to our families for making the effort to be there!

You Knew It Was Coming

2011-06-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

Poor Graham.

Sitting in a pink bean bag accompanied by a Care Bear.
Such is life with three older sisters.

Art Therapy

2011-06-06T06:28:00.000-07:00

The other night Clare kept telling me that her ear hurt and she needed medicine. I was fairly certain that she just wanted medicine and there was nothing wrong with her ear. (My kids love getting medicine....should I be concerned?!?!) She kept saying, "I need medicine. I need medicine." I was trying to cook dinner, and in an effort to distract her, I told her to draw a picture of how she was feeling.

This is what she came up with:

For some reason, this drawing cracked me up. Clare knew she wasn't sick, yet she drew this picture of a frowning face person laying in bed and the writing says "I feel sick." Oh, the drama!

The Case of the Wet Beds

2011-06-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

It is 4:30 a.m. I am asleep again after being up several times with Graham. I wake up to Sydney's crying. This is strange because Jane and Syd NEVER wake up in the middle of the night. Clare, yes, but Jane and Sydney, no.

Sydney comes into our bedroom and I see that Clare is trailing behind her.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"My diaper leaked. My bed is wet." sobbed Sydney.

"OK. We can fix that. Clare, why are you up?"

"Because Sydney came and woke me up to tell me that her bed was wet." Clare sleepily answers.

Lovely.
So, we head upstairs to remedy this early morning situation. I decide just to put Sydney in the pack 'n play that we have set up in another room. I sneak into Jane and Syd's room, thinking that Jane is still asleep, to get Syd some dry pajamas.

I hear a little voice.

"My bed is wet too."

"Your diaper leaked too?" I ask Jane incredulously.

"Yes."

I am suspicious. What are the odds that both girls' diapers leaked on the same night? I tell Jane to get out of bed and I see that SHE DOESN'T HAVE A DIAPER ON! I look around and see two dry diapers that have been removed laying on the floor. Apparently, these two thought it would be a good idea to take their diapers off before they fell asleep last night.

"Jane, did you take your diaper off before you fell asleep?

"Yes."

"Why would you do that?" I question.

"Because Sydney told me to." she answers confidently.

Oh dear.

If "because Sydney told me to" is reason enough to do something, we are in a world of hurt.

So to sum up the night, we had two wet beds, three alert children, and one sweet baby boy who would be awake again any minute.

The First Taste of Summer

2011-05-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

We ventured out for our first snow cones of the season today!

Jane tried bubble gum and grape. Clare got cherry and grape, and Sydney went with bubble gum and blueberry! Certainly made for some colorful mouths!

Four Weeks Already?!?

2011-05-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

How can it be that Graham is already four weeks old?

He is a good, snuggly baby. He is a pretty happy, content guy unless he is getting tired, and then he can get pretty unhappy, pretty quickly. He still sleeps A LOT. I remember being surprised with all of my children how much they sleep at first, and Graham is no exception. So far, he has been pretty easy to take along with us on our daily adventures because he is always snoozin'. His sleeping at night is a different story, but I won't bore you with those details......

He like his pacifier, likes to be swaddled, and is nursing well. As he is falling asleep, he gives the sweetest little (unintentional) smiles. He is sleeping in our room for now, and probably will continue to do so for a while. He weighs 10 lbs, 6 oz, and he seems bigger everyday.

The girls continue to love on him. They are very concerned with his daily activities. All day long, I hear things like "Graham spit his bink out," or "Graham looked at me," or "Did Graham poop?" Or the most frightening from Sydney, "I fixed Graham's head!"

We are loving our little man and can't wait to see what the next four weeks hold!

Oldest and Youngest

2011-05-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of my oldest and my youngest....

Here is Clare at 6 days old...

...and Graham at 7 days old. Not sure how much they actually look alike, but the pictures definitely remind me of each other.

The End of an Era

2011-05-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

Even though graduation was last week, today was Clare's last day of preschool. The big day was complete with a party, cupcakes, and early release.

Here is Clare on the first day of school this year:

And here she is (with Jane) this morning before her last day.

Just for fun, here is Clare on her first day of preschool ever...in the fall of 2008.

Now, it is officially summertime at our house!

Picture Post

2011-05-17T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from the last couple of weeks...

The girls love their Aunt Morgan, and they are super excited that she is home from college. They are totally fascinated by the fact that she "stays up really late and sleeps until lunch time."

Graham continues to do well. He is really sweet, and we love having him around!

These two are always ready to hit the pool...or sprinkler....or hose. Today was Clare's "Fun in the Sun Day" at school, and Jane and Sydney decided we needed to have our own Fun in the Sun Day at home. Running around in the sprinkler seemed to satisfy the request!

Clare is spending some quality time with Graham on the floor. Too bad he was probably snoozing!

In order to truly document our last couple of weeks, I have to put a picture of Graham in his car seat. With end of school stuff, doctor's appointments, and just regular "life", things have been a bit busy around here. Thankfully, Graham doesn't seem to mind napping in his car seat! Such is the life of the fourth child, right?

The Graduate

2011-05-13T19:51:00.000-07:00

Clare has officially graduated from preschool! Last night was the big event, and she was super excited.

We anxiously filled up two rows waiting for our soon-to- be kindergartener's name to be called!

The moment Clare had been waiting for...driving down the aisle in her cap and gown, sporting her shades, while Bad to the Bone plays loudly over the speakers!

Casey and I both are so proud of Miss Clare and how well she has done in preschool! As she sang in her program last night, "Kindergarten, kindergarten, kindergarten here I come!"

(And in case you are wondering, despite my raging postpartum hormones, I held it together pretty well...if I do say so myself.)

My Boy

2011-05-07T12:44:00.001-07:00

Graham is seven days old in these pictures. What a sweet boy!

Many thanks to Dale for taking these great pictures!

Welcome Home Graham!

2011-05-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Graham and I came home on Sunday around noon. He slept in the car...looking very cute all the way home!

We were warmly greeted by three excited girls!

Let the holding begin!

Graham has done great since we have been home. We went to the doctor today, and he is weighing in at 8 lbs. 13 oz. He is eating good, sleeping decently, and hopefully adjusting to life with three big sisters.

On the flip side, Clare, Jane and Sydney are adjusting well also. They love their little brother and seem relatively unphased by the addition of a new family member. Of course, each girl has her moments, but all in all I think they have done great. It is so nice to have Casey home this week to help us transition into life as a family of six. Next week the true chaos will begin!

The Meeting

2011-04-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

After I was settled in my room with Graham, the girls came up to meet their new little brother!

They were cautious at first, but have quickly warmed up to the little guy.

Clare gave Daddy a high five...."Good job, Daddy!"

Clare was the only one who wanted to hold him on his first day. She looks pleased as punch to be a big sister again. Her love of holding him has only grown from day one.

The next day the girls wore their new big sister shirts. This picture proves that plans for a great picture don't always goes as planned!

At first Sydney seemed mostly uninterested. However, today she decided to hold him, and she did great!

Jane has been a little sad the past few days. She has had a lot of change thrown at her. She did enjoy holding Graham for a bit yesterday. I think she will be glad when everyone is under one roof again.

The first picture of me with my four kids!

Graham and I head home tomorrow....and the real adventure begins!

He's Here...

2011-04-28T19:44:00.000-07:00

...and he's awesome!

Graham Charles Eoff was born this morning at 7:53.
He weighed 9 lbs, 8 oz and was 21 inches long.

I am doing well and feeling very thankful for a healthy baby boy!

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T19:43:00.001-07:00

Our Easter festivities began at Deedee and Papaw's on Saturday. We were joined by Emme, Grandad, Bryan and Morgan. The girls were very excited about the egg hunt, and as soon as we got there, they grabbed their baskets and were ready to get started!

When it was go time, they took off running.

Calling in the reinforcements....

Success! They found all of the eggs!

The girls enjoyed all of the loot, and the adults enjoyed the good food and family!

Sunday morning, we woke up and went to church. Clare, Jane and Sydney looked really sweet in their white Easter dresses....

...but never fear, they were up to their usual shenanigans!

Next up, we headed to LoLo and Pop's for another egg hunt, lunch and time with Nathan, Megan and Brody!

Love this pic of all of the cousins!

The Easter bunny delivers again!

We ended the festivities with confetti filled eggs, which were a smashing success!

It was a fun-filled family weekend....our last as a family of five!

Sydney's Prayer

2011-04-21T12:28:00.001-07:00

"Dear God,

Thank you for the rain. Have a wonderful day. Amen."

She is so funny!

EGGED!

2011-04-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

Deedee came across the idea of "egging," and we were her first victims! The girls were so excited about finding the candy filled plastic eggs in our front yard, and still have no idea who did it.

Once you have been egged, you have to pay it forward! My three decided they wanted to egg Emme and Grandad! So last night, we loaded up with our dozen plastic eggs, egg carton, and sign to leave on their front porch.

The girls (and Daddy) quickly and quietly hid 12 eggs.

Clare was going to be the one who knocked and ran, but she "got afraid." So Sydney stepped up to the plate. She rang the doorbell, knocked on the door, and then Daddy scooped her up and ran back to the car.

The girls were beyond wired after the egging had been completed!

The Waiting Game

2011-04-11T13:55:00.001-07:00

I have officially entered the phase of pregnancy that I refer to as "I AM READY!" I don't mean that the house is clean or that the laundry is done, but I am ready to meet little Graham and begin our life as a family of six.

While we wait for the big day to arrive, we are staying busy.

The girls had a slumber party at Deedee's. I love this picture of all of them laughing.

It seems like Clare spends most of her time with a baby doll in her arms....especially since we got all of the baby stuff from the attic. The girls LOVE playing with the swing, carrier, bouncy seat, etc. Let's just hope all of these things are still fully functional when the real baby actually arrives!

We've been painting a lot.

Bunny masks and...

... the driveway!

I still have a little more than two weeks until Sir Kicks-A-Lot is scheduled to make his appearance. Surely, we can find more stuff to do to fill our days until then!

American Girl

2011-04-06T19:58:00.001-07:00

One of Clare's birthday gifts was a gift card to the American Girl store. She had never been to the store before, but had been told how amazing it was.

The day finally came today. Emme, Clare, Izzy (the Bitty Baby) and I set out for the store. Here is Clare with Izzy.

The whole American Girl phenomenon is new to me. Holy Cow....these people have thought of everything. There is every accessory, outfit, activity, you name it for these dolls. Clare was in Heaven looking at all of her choices, running from display to display.

Here she is posing with the newest doll's life-size snow cone stand.

We enjoyed a nice lunch in the American Girl Bistro. Of course, Izzy gets her own seat...

...and her own lemonade!

After looking through all of the choices, Clare actually made her decisions fairly quickly. She selected some new onesies and a diaper bag full of little diaper bag necessities!

Of course, half the fun is showing off your new stuff to your sisters! Clare would make Sydney and Jane close their eyes before she would pull out each item from her diaper bag. "Ta-da...baby wipes!"

It was such a fun outing for Clare, and she is already asking when she can go back!

De-Railed

2011-04-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

Jane and Sydney have been in big girl beds since they turned three, but in the past week, we have taken both safety rails off!

Sydney (below) initiated the removal, asking over and over if we could take it down. Jane was more hesitant, but finally decided it was time for hers to come off too.

They have both done great in a bona fide big girl bed. Sydney did report that she fell out of her bed twice, but only hit her head once. Casey and I had no clue this happened until she told us the next morning...guess it wasn't too serious.

Showing Her Stripes

2011-04-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

While I am very impressed that Jane was able to get tights on by herself, I am not sure this is the best look.

At least she wears it with pride!

Oh Happy Day!

2011-03-30T05:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Clare!

Five pictures of my five year old!

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

OK...six pictures of my five year old.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

I Scream, You Scream

2011-03-27T16:00:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Clare's 5th birthday on Saturday with an ice cream party!

Welcome to Clare's Ice Cream Shoppe!

We started by making ice cream sundaes.

We had the party late in the afternoon, but we surprised the girls with a bounce house earlier in the day. They loved it, and it gave Casey and I a chance to get some party prep done...

....and was a great way to let the kids bounce off a little sugar!

Then it was time for presents! Clare had been asking me for days if we could open presents FIRST! So, she was thrilled when it was finally time.

Jane and Sydney were right there to help her!

Then we enjoyed cake and more bouncing!

The party was fun, and Clare seemed to have a good time. I was very thankful for nice weather, so that all of the festivities could happen outside!

After the guests left, we let Clare open presents from family members.
She was super excited to get this double stroller. Can you tell?

She was also pumped to get her "ipod." :)

She spent the day going through all of her new stuff. Here she is getting the most bang for her buck....sporting a new soccer jersey, jamming to her "tunes", pushing her double stroller, donning a beautiful ring, rubbing in lip gloss and carrying her pillow pet on top!

What a fun day we all had celebrating with her!

33 Weeks, 6 Days

2011-03-22T06:14:00.000-07:00

Today marks 33 weeks and 6 days into this pregnancy. It was on this day in my last pregnancy that I delivered the twins. I will never forget laying on the couch, reaching over to grab some laundry to fold and feeling my water break. Although Jane and Sydney are healthy as can be now, I very much want to keep this little guy in as long as possible and try to avoid any and all complications due to prematurity.

I am about five weeks away from my scheduled C-section, and I think I will commemorate today by not doing any laundry!!!

Spring Has Sprung!

2011-03-19T19:05:00.000-07:00

The wind is blowing and the weather is warm, and we are taking advantage!

Casey surprised the girls with new kites the other day after work, and they were so excited. I am not sure that Jane and Sydney knew what to expect, but they quickly caught on.

Sydney got an Ariel kite, Clare got Barbie, and Jane got Madagascar (penguins!)!

I am fairly certain that ten years ago, Casey never would have predicted that he would run chasing after a Little Mermaid kite!

The girls had a lot of success flying kites and seemed to love the "new" activity!

Today, the temperatures warmed up quite a bit. We were outside playing, and the girls started playing with the hose. One thing led to the other, and the next thing I know, the girls are in swimsuits, running through the sprinkler!

They had so much fun. Casey got some outside jobs done, and I was able to sit back and watch. Can't argue with that!

Please Pardon the Blurry Pictures...

2011-03-16T13:42:00.001-07:00

...but this is what happens with your twin three year-old girls decide to help you sort through baby boy clothes!

(Jane)

(Sydney)

Baby Sprinkle!

2011-03-14T12:58:00.001-07:00

A friend of the family hosted a small Sprinkle for me on Saturday!

Lucky for me, my good friends from college were in town to help me celebrate!

Clare was there to help me open the gifts. She was quite the helper!

She looked so cute! Then, she took her first bite of shower food and a saucy meatball rolled right down the front of her dress! Such is life of a four year old!

Here is the cute diaper cake that Carolyn made. It is so cute...and will be so useful!

It was a small shower; just a few friends from church and a few other girl friends, but I received so many wonderful things!

Look at these cute favors....Sprinkles!

I had such a great time, and it was so nice to get a good stock of clothing for Graham. He is going to be one well-dressed little dude! Many thanks to Carolyn and everyone else who helped make this such a special event!

Silly Girl on Silly Sock Day

2011-03-10T10:35:00.000-08:00

Jane and Sydney

2011-03-07T19:18:00.001-08:00

It is so fun to watch these two grow up!

And it seems that they are growing at Mach speed!

I wish I could say that I remember this age (below) like it was yesterday, but honestly, it is all a blur! I just know that it certainly does go fast!

(Sydney and Jane at 5 months old)

Jane and Sydney are so different, but love each other so much. They require such different styles of parenting that, at times, it is a challenge, but one I wouldn't trade for the world.

With Jane, I feel like we have to nudge her toward independence. She is most comfortable with her Mommy and is slower to adjust to change.

With Sydney, I feel like we could give her the car keys and she would head to college and never look back. We have to reign in her independence! She wants to do EVERYTHING, and can talk her way into quite a bit!

They both are so funny. Jane is constantly asking, "Are you just joking?" if someone says something silly. She makes the cutest facial expressions and has a great little laugh!

Sydney knows what makes us laugh, and she is quite the performer! She still loves to snuggle up with Mom and Dad, and we still love that. She is constantly talking and narrating life for us. She makes up "beautiful songs," as she calls them, and sings them in the car all of the time. She is so full of energy and keeps me smiling!

It seems like everyday I am reminded of how big these two are getting. They are in big beds; they are potty trained; they can dress themselves; they will start preschool in the fall...what big girls!

And His Name Shall Be....

2011-03-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

Graham Charles Eoff!

We are excited to announce that we finally have a name! We picked Graham just because we like it, and Charles is after my Dad.

Here is the beginning of his nursery....

8 weeks to go!!!

Unbelievable

2011-02-28T07:35:00.000-08:00

It boggles my mind that it is time for this:

I know one little cowgirl who couldn't be more excited!

Fashion Statement

2011-02-23T12:42:00.001-08:00

I think the shirts say it all!
(Sister for Sale; $1.00 or best offer)

Special thanks to the girls' great aunt Jennifer for these perfectly appropriate shirts!

Dog Daze

2011-02-21T12:27:00.000-08:00

I have previously documented my girls' fear of dogs. Recently, Deedee and Papaw got a new puppy named Cash. The girls are SLOWLY warming up to this teeny, little dog.

Clare talks about Cash all of the time, and always wants to go play with him. However, whenever he is around, it takes her a little while to warm up him. She has made big progress though! She will give him a treat, pet him, run in the yard with him and just let him come up and play with her. These are huge steps for a girl who would start crying at the sight of a Chihuahua.

Sydney is also making good progress. The first time she met him, she wouldn't even let us put her down, and today she actually walked him for a bit! She will pet him and let him walk around with her. She still isn't 100% comfortable, but she has made big strides. She might even be the winner for making the most progress.

You'll notice there are no pictures of Jane playing happily with Cash. She is dragging her feet when it comes to being comfortable around the dog. She likes to pet him, but only if he is being held. If he is "loose", she wants no part of him. Eventually, she will warm up, but she is definitely taking her own sweet time. She doesn't ever have to love dogs; I just don't want her to have this crippling fear. ~~Baby~~ Puppy steps, I suppose.

Valentine Dates with Daddy

2011-02-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

As a special treat for Valentine's Day, Casey took each girl out for ice cream.

Clare got to go first on Sunday night. She was excited about the whole idea and excited that she got to go first. She has a couple of dollars that she carries around in her purse, and she asked if she could pay for the ice cream. I told her that boys are supposed to pay on dates!

Sydney went on Monday night, and asked me about 2000 times during the day when she was going to get to go. Apparently, in the car on the way there, she told Casey she didn't want to listen to music, she just wanted to talk! I am sure Casey was thrilled!

Jane got to go tonight! She got the blue, birthday cake ice cream...just like Sydney and Clare.

What a treat for the girls! I know they loved their special time with Daddy!

Funny Stuff

2011-02-13T18:41:00.000-08:00

Jane has several pairs of pants where the waistband folds over. The other day she was wearing a pair of black "yoga" pants that has one of these waistbands. She unfolded the waistband, pulled it up over her belly, and said, "Look, I am wearing Mommy pants."

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Sydney, who is terrified of most animals, told us the other day, she wants to get a cat and name it Judy.

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Today at church, I was trying to identify someone for Casey. He said, "Is that the guy with a ton of kids?" Yes, he has four...JUST LIKE WE WILL IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS!!!!!

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Clare came out of her Bible class with a bag of several Hershey kisses. In the car, she said, "I am supposed to give these to someone I love, but I am just going to eat them all." (In her defense, she did give one to her cousin, Brody.)

Working From Home

2011-02-09T19:35:00.001-08:00

Casey has worked from home a couple days in the last few snowy weeks. Thankfully, he has a trusty assistant.