MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Now if only it were possible to spend it with every single one of our family members and friends....but we're off to Canada for a multitude of Christmas celebrations and a New Year's Eve wedding to top it off! And very much looking forward to it.  Merry Christmas to each of you and blessings for a happy new year!

Almost 9 months old!

Mom's Little Baking Assistant Loves Christmas Cookies

Keeping Busy

Well, first of all, these two little monsters are 8+ months old now. Not only are they crawling (well, Asher's version is more of the army-style but still fast), but Geneva is also standing up next to any piece of furniture she can find....make that furniture, person, or toy.  She isn't particular: if it's taller than her, she wants to know what's up there and she'll find her way over any obstacle without delay.  As for growth, they are eating food as fast as I can put it on their trays or spoon it into their mouths, and I estimate that they weigh approximately 16 and 17 lbs. at this point.  They are full of smiles, laughs, babbles, and happiness!

It's been hard trying to keep Sydney occupied now that it is cold outside....and I feel bad trying to keep the twins inside the stroller where they don't have body movement to keep their little bodies cuddly warm.  We are working on finding indoor activities that keep Sydney busy (ones that don't include watching Dora or PBS).  Any suggestions would be appreciated!  Here she is painting a Thanksgiving turkey:

And the best part about Christmas this year is that Syd is SO into it!  She oooh'ed and aaah'ed over every single ornament I pulled out of the box, and then helped me put each one on the tree.  Finally, some help decorating for Christmas!  The decorations are minimal and the tree may be up on a table (for twin-proofing purposes), but the Christmas music is playing and we're excited.  It has been a joy teaching Sydney about Jesus' birth and the reason for this season. She loves playing with her nativity set, learning the words to Christmas songs, and helping to choose gifts to buy (online, usually) for our family!

Santa Parade

After Syd's giddiness at attending the East GR homecoming parade back in October (maybe it was the candy?), we decided to venture out to the Santa Parade in downtown Grand Rapids on Saturday with Renee, Evelyn and OmaLinda. It was chilly but the girls had a great time. Somehow they even ended up dressed like twins! 

November Activities

November has been relatively uneventful, but the kids are still keeping us busy. We started the month with some unseasonably warm weather that we tried our best to appreciate. It has definitely made a turn for winter now though! All three kids love being around each other....Sydney is still smothering the twins with love, they think everything she does (short of sitting on them) is hilarious, and the babies are both obsessed with the exersaucer no matter if they're the one inside or underneath. Fun times we are having!

Halloween

The end of October brought the twins' 7-month milestone and, of course, Halloween. Asher & Geneva are everywhere and eating everything they can get their hands on, whether it be food or toys. It's no longer safe for Sydney to leave her toys on the floor or to eat with a utensil in front of them without getting the "I'm hungry" look. Asher has cut his first tooth this week.  Geneva is even officially crawling as of October 30th, with Asher scooting quickly in her wake. Put up the safety gate, folks, because the twins are mobile. Yikes.

I also had to throw in a couple photos of my cute bunny rabbits and my little garden fairy at Zoo Goes Boo!

October in California

I'm not sure where October went, but I'm sure its disappearance has something to do with our 2-week trip to visit some of our favorite people in one of our favorite places -- CALIFORNIA!

Beppe, Tante Marissa, Pake & the kids

"Other" Pake & the kids

"Auntie" Sue, myself & the kids

Tante Marissa, Geneva & Asher

Pake & Beppe & the kids on the dairy

Tante Jessie & the twins

Great Grandma & Sydney

Between visits with family and friends, we were able to just relax, reconnect with dairy life (it still smells like home!), throw a bridal shower for my sister Karinne, and even get in some playtime here and there too. For us, the time passed quickly....but for Dan, sans US, it crept by. We are happy to be home again though and living our chaos as a family of 5. Bring it on, November!

Baking cupcakes with Tante Jessie

Del Osso Farms

Morning playtime

Watering Beppe's flowers in the nude, of course

Mowing on Mum Mums

p.s. I have to also give a HUGE thank you to my sisters for helping us travel to and from California...you know I couldn't have done it without you! Whew!

Mmmmm...Good!

Happy Half-Birthday to Geneva & Asher!

So yesterday marks the one year anniversary of finding out we were having twins.  I still remember sitting in the doctor's office and the feeling of shock when she said there were two heartbeats....that feeling lasted for over a week, and now, as they turn 6 months old, I no longer feel shock but instead bliss.  I feel so blessed by my three kids and can't imagine life without them!

To remember that day with me, visit here, and now here our twins are at already 6 months old:

6-month stats:

Geneva -- 15 lbs. 1 oz. (40th percentile), 26.25" (75th)

Asher -- 15 lbs. 9 oz. (20th percentile), 28.5" (>95th)

Twinners