Countdown

Right now we are busy counting down a few things:

14 days until Spring officially begins! Even though in Michigan this doesn't mean a whole lot, it does still signify that warm weather is on the way. I am super excited to start playing outside with all three kiddos, going for walks, teaching Sydney how to ride her new pink bike (potty training award), and of course for some good ol' warm sunshine and new green plant growth!!!

22 days until Beppe arrives for a visit! We can't wait to take her to see the butterflies at FMG, spend some quality time hanging out together, maybe squeeze in a date night, and to celebrate the twins' first birthday!

Which bring me to....23 days until the twins turn ONE!  Somehow I lost track of them turning 11 months, probably because there is no day 30 in February, but 11+ months they are!  Still trying to figure out how to celebrate this milestone, since I'm sure Sydney will be the most disappointed if there's no cake, but we WILL celebrate!

And, in case you were wondering...YES, these two are always eating!

Cheerio bliss

Learning to play Hi-Ho Cherry-O

Why are 2-year-olds so cheesy?

Sydney on her "new new bike"

And one lovely photo of my hubby and his snowman

Irresistible Laughter

I just couldn't resist posting this video of Asher laughing at Sydney, even though the quality isn't that great since I took it with my iPhone.  I was feeling like junk all day yesterday but still had to take care of the 3 kiddos....I really (more than usual) wished my mom were closer yesterday!  But this provided me some comic relief, at least.  Anyway, you can tell that someone loves his sister....and that the other little someone may not be a thrill seeker yet at this point in her life!

10 Months

Birthday Celebrations

Along with a lot of snow, January and the first couple days in February have brought us another year older.  Dan turned 32 on January 25, I turned 31 on February 1st, and February 2nd brought us 16" of snow. Whew!  As the busy mom of three, I didn't even shower on my birthday, but I asked Dan to take a photo of me and the kids anyway.  This is about as good as it gets:

And of course my little kitchen assistant helped bake Daddy's birthday cake again this year.  And she helped him blow out the candles....and eat it too.  Sydney chose red cake for Daddy so we tried that out for the first time -- delicious, but what a mess!

And is it even possible that this was only one year ago?!?  My "big girl," as she likes to be referred to, has changed SO much in the past 12 months.  Lately I haven't noticed as many changes in her...I think because the twins are growing and changing at such a rapid pace...but she really did grow up in 2010.  And she's already talking about when she turns 3, "after the babies' birthday."  Slow down, girl....PLEASE!

More Winter News

Yay! We continue to have two healthy twins (and a quick listen to Syd's chest and a peek in her ears show a healthy toddler too)!  Asher is just over 18 lbs. and 29.5" now, with Geneva hot on his tails at 17 lbs. 12 oz. and 29" long...right on schedule for 20 lbs and two new car seats when they turn one. Asher just popped his first upper tooth with the second close behind, which will give him a total of four teeth, but Geneva's lack of teeth doesn't stop her from eating anything, that's for sure!  The two of them are full of babbles and SO busy these days! I can't keep them away from the shelves, furniture, or my computer any longer.  If you get a cryptically composed email from me, now you know why...

Sydney has been all about her craft box ever since we got home from Christmas break and all that time spent with her older cousins.  She has been using scissors and stickers to make cards, decorate chairs (and the floor) and make creations with tape, and usually manages to paint both the easel and her hands in the process of any painting project. Syd is busy too, but it is hard to even think of her as a toddler lately with all she can do....until she has a melt down over it and we're sent back to toddler reality!

Let it Snow

So I decided to skip the Christmas photos and just catch up to where we are today. Our Christmas travels were smooth, our time with family was wonderful, and now we have jumped head first into 2011! Everyone has been pretty healthy despite those pesky runny noses that don't seem to go away during the winter. The twins are getting teeth, so that doesn't help either, but more to come about them after tomorrow's doctor appointment. Sydney has loved being outside this year now that she can walk successfully in winter boots, keep her mitts on, and enjoy a sled ride all by herself (although I realize the photos below tell a different story)!

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!