three's company

Monday, December 19, 2011

lanie's christmas program

a week ago we headed to watch our little lanie in her christmas program...

after all, we're her 3 biggest cheerleaders...

we got her all pumped up...

and we're off to her school christmas program...

video of lanie's program...

lanie waiting for her big debut...

she was all nervous before we went, but as soon as we got here she was fine...

ahhh....preschoolers....

they did all the preschool classes together and it was too much. much prefer how they used to do them seperate.

but of course she still shined...

besides us, she had all 4 grandparents and 3 great-grandparents there cheering her on...

so sweet...

i love these milestones we get to share...

"This is the message of Christmas: We are never alone." ~Taylor Caldwell

Thursday, December 15, 2011

what the helk? christmas is a whopping 10 days away and i'm sooooo not ready. as usual. every year i say it's going to be different, but it never fails. i'm behind and stressed about it. but still cheery and feeling the season. i did have a good start....the tree's been up since a week before thanksgiving...with one present even wrapped under it and lots more unwrapped in the closet (that are still sitting there). i thought i was so on top of things. ha. but it does at least look like christmas around here....except we're missing snow. what's up with that?

our advent calendar with one christmas activity written for each day...

our advent list:
1. say what you love most about everyone in our family
2. rent a christmas movie
3. visit santa
4. decorate the girls' christmas tree and talk about baby jesus
5. eat a gingerbread man
6. do a christmas craft
7. sing a christmas song
8. get christmas books from library
9. stay up late for a movie night
10. go christmas shopping, see a movie at the movie theatre (happy feet 2), then drive around looking at christmas lights and talk about giving
11. make a gingerbread house
12. write a letter to santa
13. go to elena's christmas program
14. have a special treat
15. read a book about baby jesus
16. watch "the grinch"
17. make christmas cookies
18. build a snowman and make snow angels (might be hard this year with no snow!)
19. eat a christmas cookie
20. eat in front of the christmas tree and say something you love about each of your family
21. make an ice cream snowman and eat it
22. make chistmas cards for family and neighbors
23. unwrap one present early
24. make snack plate for santa and his reindeer and say something you love about each of your family

we've been working on some christmas drawings...

i was particularly impressed with elena's snowmen, especially the scarves...

i have a few lists floating around...s l o w l y getting checked off

and of course our elf, "lotlo", has been hanging around for weeks now...

and even getting the scoop from the ones that know if the girls have been naughty or nice year 'round...he's on top of it, let me tell ya...

lots more christmas posts to come...

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." ~Norman Vincent Peale

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

wordless wednesday

"More than Santa Claus, your sister knows when you've been bad and good." ~Linda Sunshine

Friday, December 9, 2011

last weekend kicked off wrestling season. and we made it to the uncle's meet...

and of course we practiced our take-downs on uncle t-bone...

of course he tried to get away, but we didn't let him...

we showed him who's boss...

'tis the season of wrestling...

"It is not how big you are, it's how big you play." ~Author Unknown

Thursday, December 8, 2011

santa visit

still a firm NO from adelyn...but elena did great!

"Next to a circus there ain't nothing that packs up and tears out faster than the Christmas spirit." ~Kin Hubbard

Monday, December 5, 2011

waiting...

little elena and little adelyn have spent a lot of time in the hospital waiting room lately....

waiting and waiting...

and taking pictures of each other...

we were of course there to help uncle e and aunty steph welcome their new baby...

but the girls waited and waited...

while we all went in and got to meet and love on baby sienna...they waited some more...

and watched football that was on the waiting room tv... (men!)

the girls were so happy with the news of their baby cousin...

and finally - at 8 days old....the girls got to see sweet sienna....thru the nicu window...

it was a very special moment...

and my super advanced niece waved back to her cousins.... "what up cuzzzz!"

they're going to be the best of friends....

sweet sienna....

rooty tooty....my uterus might as well slap me with this one...

with her momma...

sienna is safe and sound at HOME now! woot woot!

"A baby is an angel whose wings decrease as his legs increase." ~Author Unknown

Friday, December 2, 2011

more sisterly love

have i mentioned how much i adore their relationship???

oh, i have?!!! ok well, i just wanted to make sure. :)

and yes, they're totally asleep here.

"Bless you, my darling, and remember you are always in the heart - oh tucked so close there is no chance of escape - of your sister." ~Katherine Mansfield

Thursday, December 1, 2011

believe

for the last 17 years, december first is a day of sadness and confusion for me. i will never grasp how the world lost such a great person that day...my friend roxylanie. if only she would have believed. ironically, december first begins the season of believing.

a lot of who i am and how i've lived has to do with december first, nineteen ninety four. and i can now thank her for that. i hope that i can pass on to my girls how much i believe.

i miss you, rox.

"Friends are kisses blown to us by angels." ~Author Unknown

the molly mamma

i am a dreamer, a believer, a baby food maker, an extended breastfeeder, a former partier, an observer, a loud mouth, a soft hearted hard ass, and a defender. i love sweatpants, superheros and surprises. i really love anything pasta, good conversation and being right. i always make my bed, don't need much sleep and avoid housework as much as i can. i'm hit and miss - when i'm on, i'm so on - when i'm off, watch out. i welcome confrontation and cut you off completely if i feel disrespected. i hate shaving, cooking and liars. i don't deal well with change, cigarette smoke and fake people. i have a love/hate relationship with the outdoors, eating and getting ready. i take people watcher to the next level - people studier. and then sometimes i try to figure out what animal you most resemble. i'm extremely protective, make sure i laugh everyday and watch way too much tv. i have thee best family and amazing friends. i married an incredible person and my very best friend. i've dreamed of being a mom since i realized i could be one and sometimes i still can't believe my dream has come true. and everyday i am just trying to be a better person then i was the day before.

j and i have basically known each other since we were in diapers. we literally carpooled together for preschool. i had to start training him early. no seriously, i'm picky like that. we started dating our sophomore year at 15 yrs old. we were just kids, but the love was there. and it was real, even as kids. we grew up together and everything just made us stronger. he had my engagement ring made with 11 diamonds - one for each year we had been dating up to that point and we were married 3.11.06. we just match...our joy matches. our tears match. our laughs match. our sarcasm matches. our dreams match. our hope matches. we work together and try to make the best of everything. we're going through everyday so happy to have each other and our two beautiful girls. parenting together has made us stronger than ever. having elena and adelyn as our joint top priorities brings so much more to what we have together, what we want together. adding to our love has been the most unbelievable gift. we could not be luckier. jason and i might tease each other mercilessly, but we make an awesome team. and i can truly say i married my better half. jason is a wonderful husband and father, an extremely hard worker that works many extra hours to keep us comfortable, and is a much nicer person than i am. i can only hope that the years to come keep us laughing together and are as happy as they have been! i love my jason!

8 days late, 26 hrs of labor and 3 hrs of pushing, our first baby girl arrived via c-section. she was lodged in, sunny side up and the umbilical cord was wrapped. she screamed immediately, took to me and ate and ate and ate. she gained 13 oz's in 2 days, setting records for a newborn at the hospital. she's been a phenomenal eater and particularly stubborn since. it's really difficult to sum up my toddler's personality. how truly fiesty, funny, exhausting and inventive she really is. elena has always been fearful of others and takes a while to warm up. singing and dancing take up a good portion of her day. she's a climber and could live outside. she is sassy, impatient and demanding. she is independent, fun-loving and thoughtful. she says umprompted 'i love you's.' and rubs your back and gives a quick squeeze when she hugs. she's a little mother to anyone smaller. she LOVES her daddy and little sister. she is just an absolute joy, a big burst of energy and adds immeasurable amounts of laughter to our every day. my sweet elena...

4 days late, 9 hrs of labor and 2 hrs of pushing, our second baby girl arrived via successful VBAC (vaginal birth after cesearean). in no hurry, but cooperative and willing to go with the flow. she was as quiet and relaxed as could be...the nurses had to nudge her and nudge her to get her to cry. she went hours before she ate and got dressed for the first time. she just hung out, nakey baby, on my chest. she's been easy going and content since. she's always put herself to sleep and has to be reminded to eat. she's very tickelish and laughs a lot. her big gummy grin melts hearts and her slobbery hands reaching out for me brings so much peace. she's got one dimple and a blonde patch of hair. she's beautiful, tender...and cool. she loves watching her big sis and is mommy's girl. she is a true miracle growing fast full of expression and love. my sweet adelyn...