I feel like there is so much I should be updating on. So this one may be random (and LONG) . . .
- B&K are ALL about loving each other lately. Like this morning, for example -- Kendyll woke up first and I brought her to our room. Shortly after Bennett woke. While Tim was going to get him Kendy leaned over to me and said "I love Bennett. He is funny and super cute" (we let them watch TV in our bed while we get ready for work since 5:30 - 6:30 seems to be the "in" time to wake up). Then when B landed in our bed she gave him the BIGGEST hug ever and said "I love you, Bennett". {of course, 3 seconds later they were fighting over what to watch on TV, but you gotta live in the moments when they happen. This 3 yr old thing may be the death of me. Have I mentioned that lately???}.
- Along those lines, they are very into tattling on each other and telling you when they get their "feelwings hurt". Typical example: Bennett: "Hi Kendyll" {we're working on saying KENdyll, not TENdall, these days} Kendyll: silence Bennett: "I said HI KENDyll" Kendyll: silence Bennett: "Moooooom, Kendyll won't say Hi to me" {you can also insert "I love you" and "Good Morning" for "Hi"}
- B&K just wrapped up "spring break". Well, we didn't go anywhere, obviously, so really all it meant was extra work for Ashley. Ha! Speaking of school, we've decided to take the plunge and send them to the REAL school next year. Our wicked awesome (one of the best in the state) school district has a dedicated preschool and B&K nabbed the last 2 spots in the program. More to come on that, I'm sure.
- Kendyll is obsessed with saying her prayers before bedtime (and has been for quiet a while). They go a little something like this: "Bless Mommy & Daddy, Grandma & Grandpa, Santa, Nana & Papa, Basco and Archie, Santa, and Bennett!". Looks like someone has made quiet an impression on her.
- B&K are obsessed with asking "what's next?". (yes, a la Dora. Ugh, Dora). They know we are planning a trip to Disney, but of course their sense of time is still a bit off. So we've started a list of holidays / special occasions that will happen before we go see Mickey. We started this a few weeks ago and it went a little something like this: first St. Patrick's Day, then Easter, then Nana's birthday, then Mother's Day, then Mommy's birthday, then Daddy's birthday THEN we'll go see Mickey (yes, folks, the next 2 months are a little bit nuts. Nevermind the fact that I also have the March of Dimes walk and Race for the Cure in there as well as cheering on two of my BFFs as they run their first half marathon. Oh and the twins sale, funny bone show AND a mini-girls trip with 8 other ladies. Whew!). Anyhoo, we're hyping up Mickey here big time. Little do they know we're going to see him for a day! Bwahahaha!
Ok, enough words for one post! Now those party pictures I promised a while back. First up, we celebrated Anna, Ava & Alexis' birthday:
Then we giddy-uped for Louden & Keegan's birthday:
{see, this is why we have to talk about 'what's next' -- B&K got quite accustomed to parties!!}
Lastly, if you click into the blog you'll notice that I've finally landed on a new design. This one will probably around a while. We'll see . . .
A weekend ago {yeah, I know I'm behind!} I was able to get away. All.by.myself. Besides a quick work trip last summer, this was the first time I can remember getting away. Alone. For a girls trip. {there have been quite a few "MoMs night out" - and once it was even an overnight - and of course Tim & I get away all the time. But this was my first girls trip since B&K. And now I think I've beyond made my point}. :)
My roommates from college and I traveled to St. Louis (a somewhat "central" location) to talk and eat for a weekend. I say that because those were our main activities. Oh and we drank a bit, too. I lived with same group of awesome ladies for almost all 4 of my years at UD. I can't wait to tell B&K how 6 chicks shared a house with ONE bathroom (yes, just one. No half bath or anything) and ONE phone line (back in the day before cell phones. Crazy, I know).
We spent some time checking out the sights.
And posed for some pictures (me, Jenn, Kelli, Mindy -- who is due May 10th with baby #2!!! She looks AWESOME!! -- and Carrie):
I call this one "swap out Sara(h)s" {my roomie Sarah - took the pic above and I took the one below}
We went on a hunt for a cupcake place and BONUS -- they had Irish Car bomb cupcakes!!
And of course we started off every day the right way:
It was so wonderful to see everyone! It had been over 4 years since our last get together (that was a trip to Chicago just before I found out I was pregnant). We've vowed not to wait so long between visits and I hope to see a few of them over some of our upcoming trips this Spring & Summer.
We hope everyone has a fabulous St. Patrick's Day (mommy & daddy's favorite day!!). Mama's heading out of town tonight for her girls trip (Beer me, ladies!!) so you may not see an update for a few days! We hope everyone has a great day and fabulous weekend!
And just because everyone needs a little Super Hero action on St. Patrick's Day, too. Wonder-twin powers activate!!
A couple of weeks ago there was a VIP night at B&K's school. Each child was invited to bring a "VIP" to tour the school and such one evening. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right for us (long story), so we opted to do a family thing instead. Today I dropped B&K off at school (a treat for them -- I love bribing them with a "mommy will take you to school if you are good" every once & a while. Plus it gives Ashley a much deserved break!). As I was leaving, their teacher handed me these art projects B&K completed for VIP night -- the teachers asked them these questions and captured B&K's responses:
Super cute. I love that Tim is so "Goodie". Bwahahahaha!
Let's see, what else . . . birthday season around here is officially over (well, until May when it is Nana's, Aunt Leslie's, mine & Tim's in the span of 3 weeks). If I can get my act together (read: edit & upload pictures) I'll try to put a little slide show up here. We had a super fun time celebrating the Thornhill girls' & Murray boys' birthdays. Good times!
Next up is St. Patrick's day! (our FAVORITE holiday as evident here and here and here). Then mama is heading out of town for a MUCH NEEDED girls trip (college roomie reunion - woo-hoo!!). We're starting to head into that season of "something-going-on-every-weekend" again . . . our May has been overfull for a while now and April is starting to book up fast. Tim started a new job this week and we're so excited to make plans and have him around TONS more!! Can I get a woo-fricken-hoo on that one?
Lastly, I'd like to send some love out to my dear friend Rebecca -- today is her birthday and I know she reads the blog. Here are B&K doing jazz hands and happy birthday to her (if I were a *good* friend they'd be wearing Dayton shirts instead of ND, but they don't have any at the moment. So let's pretend the "ND" says "UD" instead, mmmmkay? And Mwah!).
Oh and I almost forgot . . . if you are really, really, really bored you can check out my profile on the Columbus Mother of Twins Club blog . . . I'm in the "spotlight". Fun times!
{edited to add: the ND shirts were actually made by a fellow twin mommy & CMOTC member Kelly. She has adorable & awesome stuff! Check out her site here.
Today marks the three year anniversary of Bennett's homecoming from the NICU (after 27 days. Kendyll's was on 3/4 -- she hung out there for 21 days). I don't remember much about that time except for the fact that we had a major blizzard the weekend they wanted to discharge him and we weren't able to go get him!!
As I was uploading the videos from the past couple of posts I went back and found a couple of videos from B&K's breakout of the NICU. And I also happened to capture a bit of my child prodigies singing their ABCs over the weekend. Kinda awesome to see how far they've come in 3 short (but veeeeery long) years.
Enjoy!
{I promise this will probably be the last video for a while. And I also apologize for any silly adult voices you hear in the background . . . I think for Kendyll's NICU video that is Papa's voice because he came down to help me out when she was released -- super suddenly -- and Tim was away for a work trip across the country. Tim's voice is in the background of B-man's video and you probably hear me encouraging them to sing their ABCs.}
B&K LOVED their Birthday Cards (especially the Mickey Mouse one).
Funny side note . . . B&K have just recently become really interested in "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse". Like within the past few months. Bennett received some new undies for his birthday that have Mickey Mouse on them and now every time he puts them on he sings the theme song . . . "come inside, it's fun inside". Cute, but also a little disturbing. ;-)
I'm actually supposed to be uploading a video thank you for Tim's aunt & uncle (and I promise you will see it here later this week!), but while I was uploading videos I came across this one from a couple of weeks ago that I TOTALLY forgot about (actually, it was the week after the Superbowl and I only know that because you can see the strings from the Steelers balloons we had in the background).
Backstory:I'm sorry. I find this HILARIOUS!! We're not super big church people, but we *do* go to church on occasion, B&K love to say prayers at night and technically their preschool this year is part of a church. But I promise we don't go around talking about religious things {though I will admit to saying "sweet baby jesus" under my breath on a few occasions. I'm thinking it is probably better than blurting out the major F bomb I really want to say}. On this particular day -- out of the clear effing blue -- I walk into the kitchen to find B&K laying on the floor on their bellies with their heads pointing down the stairs to the basement screaming to find Baby Jesus. They both had their "flashlights" out and were trying to find him. By the time I stopped peeing in my pants from laughter and grabbed the camera, only Bennett was continuing the search. (and I have no idea what he is doing at the end of the video. Again, I was trying to stifle my laughter).
So stay tuned for a couple more videos this week. I promise.
