More Diamonds

Let it be known that I was going to take the girls to get their ears pierced without their Daddy... 

because he hated all that we had to go through with Brooklyn when she got hers done (and when they got infected).  

But HE wanted to go!  He wanted to be there for his girls, so he held them and then loved on them with their new, cute, little earrings!

They actually did great... each one only cried for a second.

And it's been MUCH easier taking care of them at this age than it was with an 18-month old!

Back to all smiles again!

Spring Break & Birthday Cake

Since it was our nieces and nephews Spring Break in TN, we had a bunch of fun visitors for a few days!

Jessie's birthday is coming up, so I made a cookie cake and left the decorating to the girls.  

We always have a great time when they come... too bad it can't happen more often.

taking this cake decorating thing seriously! 

and the finished masterpiece!
how did Sophie get into the frosting?!?

5 cute cousins!

how great would it be to have these two little helpers around all the time?!

Emma and Jessie

Nana Portia and Sophie

Twins ~ 7 Months

Sweet, SWEET girls!

They are at a good place right now... more consistency in their schedules, but still very flexible with whatever the day is like.  We don't hear a peep out of them from 7pm 'til 7am. And even then, they just lay in their cribs and entertain themselves until we go to get them.
They're wearing size 6-9m clothes and size 3 diapers.  And they're starting to move to eating every FOUR hours... that may not sound like a big deal, but having an extra hour between feeding, packing up, getting somewhere, and turning around to come home to eat again is SO NICE.  And they've loved every bit of baby food they've been given so far... as well as whatever Brooklyn has secretly fed them :)

Sophie is definitely our more social, interested in what's going on around her, come talk to me, come hold me, come play with me, kind of girl.  Emma is our active, determined, strong, but easy to please girl.  It's so much fun to see the similarities and differences in their personalities.

~~ SOPHIE ~~

• She's become so much more laid back!  She's still shows her feelings a bit more extremely than Emma does (be it happy or sad), but overall she's pretty easy-going.
• In fact, she's easier to put down to sleep... it doesn't get more simple... just about every time you lay her down, she turns her head into her blanky and drifts off.  No fussing, no crying.  Just sweet sleep.
• Sophie has TWO teeth!  Her bottom, middle teeth have poked through and they're so cute.  But they took the poor baby down for a few days... growing teeth is rough stuff.
• She babbles "words" quite a bit.  It's the beginnings of "da-da", "ma-ma", but definitely not distinctive yet.
• Still hasn't rolled over yet!  She acts like it, but just decides to stay put.  Jason and I are pretty sure she has the ability, just not the desire!
• Trying to sit.  Can hold it for about 5 seconds before toppling over.
• Such a pokey eater!  You really have to work to get a jar of baby food into her.

When she's done, she's done... she'll fall asleep anywhere!

~~ EMMA ~~

• She rocks, she rolls, she kicks, she jumps, she flips... you name it, the girl does it if she can.  And if she can't, she's trying!
• Right now, she does the cutest thing... when she's on her tummy, she kicks and pops her legs to get her moving.  It's definitely not crawling yet, but it's movement!
• She does pretty good at sitting up too for a few seconds.
• She fights the carseat and getting laid down to bed, but only for a minute, and then she's good.
• You can't eat near Emma... she will find a way to get whatever it is!
• Both girls LOVE being outside, the warm sunshine, and walks in the stroller.

It is hilarious to watch Emma get going in her jumpy seat!

"I Wear My Pony Panties" ... and Other Brooklyn Things

Check. Me. Out!

This little cutie-pie keeps us laughing and busy and on our toes from the second she wakes up til the time she closes her eyes at night.  She's as sweet as she can be, but pretty sassy too!  Occasionally a bit bossy.  Sometimes, well, a LOT of times, she's dramatic.  She can throw a good two-year-old toddler tantrum with the best of them.  But she can melt your heart more than you could ever imagine.  And she can make you laugh hysterically with her spunky-ness.  

So the picture may make you think that we've conquered the potty training thing.  Not so.  And that's not Brooklyn's fault.  It's Mommy's :)

I just can't quite bring myself to be committed to such a big task just yet.  Not with two other babies needing so much time and attention.  I think she's ready... and we'll get there VERY soon (I hope), but for now we "try" occasionally and play dress up in the cute My Little Pony panties Aunt Kristen got for Brooklyn.  They look nice with heels, huh?!

What she's says a lot of:

"Come with me"

"Hold you"

"You hear/see it?"

"It'll be fun"

"I like ___, you like it?"

"What happened?" (over and over and over)

"I look"

"Cuddle me"

"Who's coming over?"

One thing I'm very grateful for is how much B adores her sisters.  She keeps a constant check on them and what they're doing.  She loves to make them laugh.  And she's very protective over them with people she doesn't know.

I can't hardly keep Brooklyn out of Sophie and Emma's room.  If she hears them make the slightest whimper, she's running to check on them.  And, believe it or not, she actually knows who's crying just by the sound!

 Some of my secret weapons for being able to get things done: books, movies, playing on the iPad, and coloring to her heart's content in the shower!

The highlight of her days right now:

going to Daddy's baseball games.

We usually go about an hour before the game so B can play with Daddy, run the field, and watch the boys warm up.  She'll say "run fast boys"!  She shys away when they try to talk to her, but she'll always tell me on the way to the game "I give those boys knuckles and hugs"... it hasn't happened yet.  But she LOVES being out in the middle of the action.

And when we have to leave it's never easy.  I'm usually the center of a lot of attention and "poor girl/bless her heart" conversations while I'm pushing out a double stroller and trying to wrangle a flailing, screaming, sad/mad-to-leave little girl.  It's a sight, I'm sure :)

She's lovin' her shades right now ... Getting ready for summer ... should be a fun one!

Daddy Time

 This time of year is crazy for us...

having a baseball coach for a Daddy means a lot of times Jason misses out on one of his favorite things ~ putting the girls to bed.  

It's his special time with each one.  They play a little, read books, talk, say their prayers, and then cuddle in the rocking chair and sing songs.

So when he knows he'll be home in time, Jason makes the most of every minute to spend "night-night time" with his girls.

I'm not sure who loves it more!

And can you see where he gets it from?...

Pa Jerry made sure to get her early enough for his visit last weekend to play with the girls before bedtime too!

Three Little Valentine Sweethearts

Two were feeling the Valentine's spirit...

and one just wasn't at the moment...

Twins ~ 6 Months

Oh my... just look how they've grown!

This past six months has gone by entirely too fast.  Our girls have grown so much, so quickly.  It has been challenging, and sometimes a bit overwhelming, but above all, it has been so much fun and absolute pure JOY.  In fact, just as I write this, I'm reminded of a verse the Lord spoke very strongly to me right after the twins were born:

"Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds..." James 1:2

I knew having three little girls would be tough, but I didn't know what that would look or feel like on a day-in, day-out basis... and I'm not always good at it, but I know that Jason and I both are determined to do our best to live our lives with an attitude of joy and gratefulness for how richly we are blessed... 

EVEN in the messy, busy, tiring, crazy moments!

The girls are such happy babies.  They're usually easy to please, but they definitely both like a lot of attention (and, as it's been since day 1, little Sophie requires just a tad bit quite a bit more!)  They love to be in the middle of the action.  If you walk away from them, they'll usually let you know they want you back.  They giggle all the time.  And they're just starting to make more "talking" noises.  They LOVE toys... anything they can get in their hands.  Emma will always go after what she wants.  Sophie would rather someone get it for her. Emma flips, rolls, and shimmies herself all over the place.  Sophie is content to stay where she is. They both know when you've got food in front of them and they'll do their best to get to it.  Emma sucks on her bottom lip at the sight of food!  Sophie is still a Mommy's girl... she needs to make sure I'm always nearby... if she had it her way, I'd be holding her 24 hours a day.  But all 3 girls light up the second their Daddy walks in the door!  

We've done better at having a more consistent schedule.  Although it's definitely not fool-proof.  I've learned that the best thing to do it roll with the punches (something else that I'm having to work on!).  They usually take a short morning nap, a long afternoon nap (at the same time as Brooklyn), and occasionally a quick evening cat-nap.  But they're great, all-night, 7pm-7am sleepers!  

~ SOPHIE ~

14.4 pounds

~ EMMA ~

16.4 pounds

How we eat

See my little get-away?!  She started out right next to Sophie!

How we ride