An eventful couple of days

Our good friends Josh and Kristina Rolph came to stay with us over the weekend. They live in Virginia, near DC and they made the 5 hour road trip down with their 17 month-old twin boys, Michael and Sam. So, we had five fun kiddos in our home. Caleb loved the boys and they loved him back. He definitely got a taste of what it's like to share all his stuff with busy little toddlers, which he'll be doing a lot of in the next year! We had a great time catching up with Josh and Kristina (after all the kids were in bed of course!)

Then on Monday afternoon Caleb was trying to tell me there was a hole in the carpet at the top of the stairs. I kept telling him there couldn't be a hole, and he kept insisting. It turned out the hole was the indentation in the carpet from the water drip that was coming from the ceiling. To make a long story a bit shorter, it turns out our water heater has caused a lot of damage. The ceiling and wall by the girls room and even the carpet was soaked. So some insurance restoration guys came this afternoon right after the girls had fallen asleep. I had to wake them so they could cut the wall, pull up carpet and install huge fans to dry everything out. So tonight I put them both to bed downstairs in the playnpacs in the guest room and we are still waiting for the water heater people to come and install a new one (they were supposed to be here 3 hours ago!). Who knows how long the fans and the mess and people coming to work on everything will be happening, so I guess my girls will learn to sleep together again...:)Anyway, we're a bit misplaced, but fine, and thankful for insurance and thankful that it didn't happen Saturday morning when our guests were arriving. We all would have had to go and get a hotel room together, ha ha.

I love this stage!

I've decided that my 6 1/2 month old girls are at an ideal stage that will disappear at any moment. They both love to sit up and play. Avery is the best at it, Presley still takes a dive once in a while. It's a perfect moment in their lives because they are happy and entertained easily while sitting there, and more importantly for mom, they SIT there and aren't moving all over the place yet. It is a fleeting moment...if Avery is on her stomach she is getting very good at rolling and turning and even scooting backward.

This was a very unlike-Caleb thing to do. He very rarely likes to get messy but I guess this banana split was just way too delicious. After he finished using his spoon, he gave it to his dad and picked up the bowl. We couldn't help but laugh out loud and of course that was all the encouragement he needed!

I have THREE kids!

Recently, I have become more ane more aware of the fact that I have three kids. I guess because I was pregnant just twice, or because two of my kids are the same age, my mindset has been skewed and it really hasn't hit me that I am a mother of three. Three is a lot! Three is a challenge! Three is fun! I am also starting to recognize how unique they each are.

Caleb got to hold a baby chick the other day and pet some other baby farm animals. And here he is in his fireman gear (he recently told us he wanted to be a fireman when he grows up and so for his "surprise for being good at bedtime for mom while dad was out of town", we got him some fireman gear.)

The girls have tried a few things to eat lately and Presley has very good manners compared to Avery. She's patient when it's her sister's turn to take a bite, she keeps most of it in her mouth, and she very rarely grabs the spoon.

However, unlike her sister, Avery has become a lot more mobile and independent. She is working on mastering the sit (with mom' s foot strategically placed) and loves to play play play on her tummy and stand up in the activity station.

Smiles

Caleb

Presley

Avery

These are the smiles I get to see every day - aren't they wonderful?

March moments

How did it get to be the last week in March? It seems like some days I'm looking at my watch every hour wondering if 6:00 pm will ever arrive, and yet at the same time, I marvel that my baby girls are already five months old! It seems like the moment I get them out of bed or finish feeding them, they are looking around for their brother. Caleb has gotten them both to laugh out loud - they adore him! Avery is very into things she can get her hands on - any toy (especially the toy Presley has next to her), water bottles, her bink, faces, etc. Presley lights up whenever she sees someone's face. She has become very social and her smiles are to die for.

Presley usually poops out before Avery when it comes to tummy time! But she is doing better every day...

Caleb hardly ever requests to hold one of the girls (yes, I'm secretly happy about that), so we jump at the chance of a photo moment when he does!

Grandma Jeanne spent some time with us...We all mourn for a few days when she has to say goodbye. She is a favorite!

Coloring Easter eggs was fun this year - Caleb is into letters right now, especially the ones in his name...

The tradition of Easter dresses begins...how fun!


An attempt at a family picture (minus the picture taking mom of course) on Sunday after church when everyone is tired, hungry and agitated. Oh, and after the dresses had been taken off too!

Yipeeeee! A double jogger stroller - I don't know who loves it more, the mom or the girls! Presley smiled every time I took a picture. Avery was a little tired, thus the bink. We've gone out a few times and they adore it - they don't make a peep the whole time!

Who's cuter?

Caleb got a kick out of the fact Presley was pulling his hair...