3 years old

Last week the twins turned 3, and we celebrated their birthday last Sunday.

I went with their love of balls and threw a baseball themed party for them.

We had snacks you'd find at a ballgame (popcorn, peanuts, crackerjacks, licorice). For dinner we served hot dogs (with a variety of toppings), chips, and potato salad.  And for dessert we had baseball cupcakes with ice cream sandwiches and drumsticks.  And please take note of my pennant banner I whipped up the night before and will put on my mantle if I ever decorate for the fourth.

I had also planned to play several different ball games (knockout on the basketball court, croquet, carry the wiffle golf ball on a spoon, and a variety of relay races), but all the adults were happy to just sit and visit (I sure do love my family) and the kids were busy playing with the twins new birthday present:

This was Dan's idea, and it has been a total hit!  The twins have been driving it as much as the battery will let them.  We brought it out with their other presents filled in the back.  Now they have a truck like dad and couldn't be more happy.

So we watched the kids play on the truck,

opened presents,

and tried to blow out candles, but it was just a little too windy.

And of course, on each birthday I am reminded just how miraculous it is to have these precious boys in our family.  I've told the whole adoption story a couple of times before, but it just amazes me how perfectly it all worked out in the end to bring our family together.

Disney

My, another little break in my blogging.  Nothing new, right?  Well, at least this time I have a good excuse.  We were at Disneyland.

Now, if you know me, you know I am one of the least spontaneous people out there.  I like to have a plan, and I stress out if my plan goes awry.  But we threw out the idea of Disneyland and 24 hours later were on the road.

Last Sunday morning, Dan found out he needed to do some work in St. George Monday morning.  He said we should make a trip out of it.  And my reaction was no.  (It wasn't in the plans!)  Then he threw out the option, since St. George is almost half-way to Disneyland, why don't we go there.  Again, I thought no, but then I thought, well, it is the last week we have where we wouldn't have to pay for the twins.  And the idea was set in motion.  Dan found a hotel, we enlisted the help of my niece Jenica, and set off.  We drove all day Monday, went to the parks Tuesday and Wednesday, and drove home Thursday.  We had a few horrible hours, but overall it was so fun and I'm glad we did it.

My favorite things:

• My absolute favorite memory was riding Small World with Carter.  He was so excited about it.  I loved seeing the wonder he had for it.
• Funny story: we climbed up Tarzan's tree, but on the way down Carter had to check every stair to see if it was open or not, if there was a riser or open air.  Jenica and I couldn't stop laughing at him.
• I was the winner at Toy Story Mania, and I even had a baby on my lap!
• Brady and Carter waving to the characters on The Little Mermaid ride.
• Trying a Tigger Tail and a Dole Whip for the first time.  Both were so yummy!
• Watching Brady and Carter meet Winnie the Pooh and friends and Mickey Mouse.  I wish we would have met the Toy Story characters.
• Jackson was again an angel baby.  Slept, had bottles, went on the rides he could.
• Getting Tyler to go on Tower of Terror with me (which he didn't really like.)
• Going on some of my favorite rides: Soarin', Tower of Terror, Pirates, Peter Pan.
• I just love Disney--it feels magical there. 

And let's keep it real, the horrible moments:

• The drive.  On the way down, we got caught in traffic leaving some music festival in Vegas.  It added almost 2 hours to our trip.  And then on the way home, we got caught behind a semi that caught fire.  We were only about 15 cars away from it.  That took an hour and a half to get help there and the fire out.  
• Trying to keep kids quiet in a hotel is hard!
• Disneyland doesn't rent double strollers.  I really wish we brought ours, but instead we had to rent two singles for the twins.
• Dan was so stressed about leaving work suddenly, he about gave himself a panic attack a few times.  That man needs to learn to relax!
• Pictures.  I have no point and shoot, and so that leaves me with my phone or dslr.  There was no way I could balance a big camera along with wearing a baby and holding the hand of an almost three year old, so that left me with my phone.  I missed being able to get some good shots.  Then again, I was so worried about not losing anyone, I rarely had the thought or time to even grab my phone.  So alas, hardly any pictures to document our spontaneous vacation.
• Tantrums.  I knew the twins could have a meltdown or two since they were going to get tired and over-stimulated, but Brady threw an epic one.  It was our last hour and Dan was taking Jenica and Tyler on one last ride.  Brady screamed for that entire last hour.  Yes, we were that family.  Crowds literally parted as we walked and when we were stopped, we had a nice big open area around us.

So was it worth it?  Yes.  Was it crazy at times? You bet.  Am I glad we did it?  Absolutely.  Will we do it again?  Of course.

Mischief Managed

I swear, some nights the twins go to bed, and just look at each other and rub their hands together with a maniacal laugh.  Then they talk to each other in their twin speak: "We sure got mom good today.  What should we do tomorrow to drive her crazy?"

Let me give you some examples of things that have happened over the past few months.

Just yesterday, I came out of the bathroom and heard Brady's voice, something about grandma at work.  Then I heard a female voice on the phone.  I thought maybe he had somehow dialed my sister.  So I chased him down, he was hiding, took the phone from him (where I noticed he'd been talking for over 2 minutes).  "hello?" "Yes, this is 911."  How on earth did he manage to call 911??  I had to give her my name and assure her that there was no emergency.

Here's another Brady one.  I needed to run into Target to buy a baby present.  I figured it was going to be in and out so I could take all three littles in.  I put Jackson's seat in the cart and let the twins sit in that giant part behind the cart.  Well, as soon as I stopped on an aisle, they hopped off and took off in two different directions.  That was a first.  I caught up to Carter, got him back in the cart, but by then had no idea where Brady was.  Yes, I totally lost my child in Target.  I found him, but it required two employees, walkie talkies, and a description of what he was wearing.

They absolutely love to empty things.  Everything.  Like a tube of toothpaste into the sink.  Or a bottle of shampoo into the bathtub.  My makeup bag onto the closet floor, and my loose powder on said floor.  I have walked into the kitchen many times and found them on the floor surrounded by crackers or dry cereal just munching away.  More than once I have found that they have emptied the toy bins all over the playroom.  I got so sick of cleaning up their room each morning.  I finally took everything out of their dresser, put it all in the closet, and tie their closet shut when we aren't using it.  That is how bad they were at emptying their dresser and closet every day.

But the worst time of emptying things?  I keep my daily meds in my bathroom, so I can take them right when I get up or right when I go to bed.  When the twins started this emptying phase, and I saw them open a child-proof lid, I put them on a high shelf in my closet.  Well, one day after I finished feeding Jackson, I went into my closet and saw my pill bottles on the floor, open, and I could tell that Carter had bitten into one of my prenatal vitamins.  Freak out moment!  I called poison control.  She assured me that it is rare for a kids to bite into one, not like it, and then bite again.  But just to be sure, we ought to get his iron levels checked by his pediatrician.  I tried to teach Carter that by eating mommy's medicine he had bad consequence of a needle prick.  And I did move my pills up to an even higher shelf that they can't climb to.  (Please do not make me eat those words!)

And I haven't even mentioned all the fights I break up, the screams and screeches, and the hanging on my leg.  Oh does that one drive me crazy.

But I wouldn't change it.  Even though I am exhausted every night, and want to pull my hair out many days, and feel like I am losing my mind--I love them.  I love all my boys and wouldn't change things for the world.

Two weeks?

Two weeks is a pretty long time to go without any sort of blogging. 

It was a weird two weeks. 

First, Dan was out of town a lot.  There was a 10 day stretch where he was gone for 9 days.  That was a long time to go without my back up. 

Then I had a cold, not a bad one, but still a cold. 

On top of that I started getting severe tooth pain, and I self-diagnosed my dying tooth and correctly guessed that I would need a root canal.  Yay for pain medication!

Next, Tyler finished up the school year.  He had a great year, but the end of the year is so crazy with dance festival, teacher gifts, activities, shortened schedules, etc.

And finally, I think I still have some hormonal imbalance.  I don't know if it's postpartum issues, or the fact that we are still trying to get my thyroid medicine back to a correct dose since the pregnancy, but I have had a few days of feeling so off, a few days of extra tears, and even a few days where I didn't even want to get out of bed.

I think the best way to describe what I've been feeling is overwhelmed.

But the last few days have been such an improvement.  My health is back, I've been working out again, Dan is around and being extra helpful.  My kids are still crazy, but when everything else is better, I can deal with their craziness.  So here's to better days.