Great Wolf Lodge '12

 This is our second year going to Great Wolf with the Huffs. It is always fun but an exhausting endeavor! 6 kids under 6 and it can be crazy but... a good crazy!! The first day at the water park Lyla was terrified of the giant bucket of water and Grace fell and scraped her knee so we had 2 out of 3 crying. Jillian, on the other hand, thought it was the best thing ever. Money well spent, lol. Well Grace got a band aid and a stuffed animal (the staff is so awesome there) and Lyla got used to the giant bucket and all were happy.

Day 2-3 everyone had a ball. The twins thought they could swim, no fear those 2. Everybody went down the kiddie slides and Grace LOVED the lilly pads.

 The first night, story time. 

Walking to the water park. Doesn't get cuter than this

splash pad was a hit

Bathing beauty

Jilli was in heaven

After our big dinner "out". Loved the restaurant there! Such a cute theme and they cater to kids. Everybody got wolf ears. All 6 of our kiddos were so good!

Gracie wearing her wolf ears

family vaca :) time to go home :(

Count on ME

Grace started reading small words since this fall. She can now, with nana's help, read 1st reader books. Its amazing to watch her just power through a book and I find myself forgetting she is just 4. Maybe its a first born thing but my Miss G is an old soul. She is such a good kid. I know I have said it before but the child just really is. Sometimes I have to take a step back and remember she is only 4. Still a baby really. I count on her a lot. More than most four year olds probably. I worry that I put too much on her little people shoulders. I count on her to be patient. I count on her to help me with her little sisters. I count on her to be well behaved when out in public. I count on her to be brave and good at school. I count on her to understand mommy and daddy have a life too. And she does all these things no questions asked. I love this kid so much,  I hope she knows she can count on me too.

One Little Word

Ali Edwards has something she does every year called one little word. You choose a word that encompasses something you would like to be more intentional about. Something to keep in the back of your mind as you go about your daily life. I like the idea of this and this year I am choosing REACH.

I would like to do some things out of my comfort zone this year. Things that by stepping out of the box have the propencity to make be a better human being.

1. Running. I am not a runner. I am so not built for speed. I have spent much of the last 10 years since I have been done with gymnastics shunning excersise. This needs to change. I am 31 and I have very little cardiovascular health. I know I am not going to the gym and I dont have a lot of free time. So running it is. Its somewhat embarassing how slow I am and how I cant run more that 2 minutes but I will get there. I want to set a good example for my kids and show them being fit is important and a lifelong endeavor. Its gonna be hard and uncomfortable but my short term goal is to run a 5K in March and my long term goal is to be able to run a half hour without stopping. REACH

2. Photography. I am not a professional photographer. I am a momtographer. But I love taking pictures. It speaks to my soul. I have had the opportunity to photograph some others besides my family over the years and it is an amazing experience to give people the gift of a moment captured in time. I have found my style and I have learned enough over the last 4.5 years that I feel good about my photography. Taking pictures is not out of my comfort zone but turing my hobby into a business is. I am going to work on building my portfolio this year and consider being a "professional". I don't know if I have the time or the market but I do know if makes me happy and its something I am passionate about. REACH

In addition to these things my overall goal (I dont do resolutions) for 2012 is to listen to my gut.
"Don't let the noise of others opinions drown out your own inner voice"--Steve Jobs.

The time is now. If I have learned anything over the last year its life is short. My former gymnastics coach (US World team coach and coach of the current world champion) shared this on his facebook wall and it rang so true for me:

You may think you are postponing the longing of your soul until life aligns itself with your vision, until elements conspire to be more favorable...but as it happens, life just lolls along at the same remarkable consistent and disinterested cadence. Life is impartial. YOUR personal, subjective life (dreams, satisfactions, contentment, achievements, vision, fullness, passion, aspirations) begins when YOU begin.

Updating the blog

Here is the thing. I am going to annoy you. I have many many maaaannnnnnyyyyy drafts saved here in the 'ol blog. I will be slowly updating them, adding pictures, and publishing. So I am sorry if old posts show up in your reader and you are confused. I am *trying* to use this blog as a memory keeper for my family. So please excuse the interruptions in your regularly scheduled blog reading. I'll catch up someday. Maybe when the twins are 18.

Belly Laugh

Jillian & Lyla 18 months

My sweet baby girls are getting big. The twins had their 18 month check up this morning. Thank goodness Grace was there, she was really a big help with mama doing it all on her own. I joked I facebook that I deserve a medal doing it on my own. Doctors appointments with twins are brutal. Its a lot with 2 crazy toddlers by yourself. It goes something like this: one baby is up on the table screaming like the doctor is trying to kill her. As I am trying to comfort her, the other child is crawling around the floor getting who knows what diseases and eating the board book she found God knows where while the doctor asks me questions about each of their development that I can barely hear because everyone is crying. I must look like a daff crazy woman as I stare blankly at him trying to remember which twin is doing what when. Good times. I am going to start wearing a tank top into that place because I come outta there a sweaty mess. I also would like to bathe my children in hand sanitizer but I digress.

Back to my original point. 18 month check up. My healthy girls are in the 35-40th % for weight and the 70th for height. Good growing for my baby beans that started off so tiny. No surprise with the way they eat. Holy moly these babies can eat. I swear I don't know where they put it but they can put it away. They eat more than their four yar old sister by far. One of my questions to the doctor was actually if I should cut them off at some point. Aunt Nicki jokes that they are like dogs and if given the chance would eat themselves to death. Dr. Tim assured me children at their age eat out of hunger not for any of the other silly reasons us adults do. So we will just keep feeding the crazies and hope we don't run out food.

My other question/concern is about their speech. They really aren't saying many actual words. They can say four words: hi, mama, dada, uh-oh. I know its not a matter of hearing or lack of comprehension because they respond appropriately and can follow directions. They know exactly what we are saying, now if we could only figure out their "twin speak". In talking to my friend Kristin who went through the same thing with her twins there isn't a whole lot we can do. Jillian knows exactly what Lyla's grunt means and responds in turn with her own grunt which just reinforces this language. Dr. Tim said if they don't add any more words in the next 3 months to let him know. He doesn't get real concerned until 2 or 2.5 and then we could look into speech therapy.

Its funny how different each child is. Grace was speaking in full sentences at 18 months. The twins sound like little cave men in comparison. Its so hard not to compare but I am also ot really worried. Grace's strengths were fine motor and language while the twins are big muscle and coordination. Give them a chair, stool, kitchen drawers and no mountain is too high. They are so curious and and so very active.

Everyday is an adventure. They amaze and astound me on a daily basis. This is Jillian and Lyla at 18 months.

1st Day of {Pre}School

Another first in the life of a child. First day of preschool!! Orientation was last Thursday and Grace was less than thrilled with us leaving her alone in the classroom while we went to the gym. This is a child whom I have been blessed enough to never have left with a stranger in her 4 years here on earth. Was it time? Yep. Was I still anxious and close to tears the last couple of days? Absolutely. Is she so ready and I know she will do great? For sure :)

Let me digress for some bragging. Grace has been reading for about a month or so now. Not War and Peace or anything but just shy of her fourth birthday she not only recognized every letter but knew what sound they made and could sound out 3-4 letter words. I don't attribute this to anything I did, I credit it to Nana and Leap Frog. Hahaha. No, but really she was just really interested and wanted to read. So my concern for her is not academically but social. She is my shy guy and thats okay. The fact that the shirt she chose to wear on her first day says "social butterfly" makes me chuckle a little bit. The interaction and social aspect of preschool will be so good for her. When I initially told her she was going to go to school she said, "I GONNA BE SHY!!". I said thats okay your daddy was shy until he was 14 and he turned out okay :)

Speaking of my biggest shy guy, this is the note he left for Grace. Cue round 1 of tears for mommy.

Grace woke up happy and ready to go. We got her dressed and brushed her hair and teeth first thing which is different than a Nana day. I told her she was wearing Ally's hand-me-down t-shirt and that it made her brave at her new school and would make her brave too. Big 'ol smile. We talked about what her day would be like while she was on the potty. She was looking forward to doing the weather board, playing with the kitchen, and finding out what circle time was all about. She was exited and calm and ready to go.

We got in the car and she was fine until we puled into the line for drop-off. When the tears started falling I asked her if she was going to be a big girl and she nodded yes. I told her I was proud of her, I loved her, and that Nana would pick her up after circle time. Mrs. Tippens opened the door and ended up having to carry her in crying. She remembered Grace from orientation "having a hard time" so I am sure she took extra special care of her. I pulled away with tears in my eyes too but I knew she was in good hands.

Mommy: How was your day?

Grace: good

M: What did you do?

G: Circle time and played on the playground.

M: Do you want to go back?

G: Yeah but I might have tears because I am shy.

M: Did you make any new friends?

G: No. {pause} I was happy when I played with Noah on the playground.

M: What is your teachers name again, I forget?

G: Mrs. Tippens mommy

M: Did you learn anything?

G: How to go out on the playground.

:)