4:36...1...dos...8 and a half...

4:36.  In the am!  That's when we left Albuquerque yesterday.

1.  The number of adults in the car.

dos.  The number of babes in the car.  (in Spanish)

8 and a half.  The number of hours we were in the car until we got to Dodie and Pop's.

It was my maiden voyage cross country (not really) with the babes all by my lonesome.  They did GREAT!!  My biggest fear was potty time for Momma...turns out this once-upon-a-time-semi-sorta-not-really farm girl can still pee in the weeds.  We unloaded into the back of the car a couple of times to stretch out and have a snack and change diapers; it was one of those times that when no one stopped to see if we were ok stranded on the side of the road...I was grateful.  Keep right on movin' down the road, farmer, sir...nothin' to see here!  They were nice and not so loud and took naps and sang and played and didn't make me regret my decision.  Thank you, B's!

I, of course, forgot to take pictures.  I was slightly anxious the whole time.  Documentation never crossed my mind.  Here's one washin' the stink off after our day in the car:

The Driver.

Wordless Wednesday

Love, The Momma.

Best Babies Ever

We survived!!!!  The babes are fliers, I tell you!  They were happy and made friends and ate semi-politely.  I am grateful.

I wish I had a picture of our crew headed into the airport.  We turn heads most places we go...our stroller is big.  But this was a whole new class of spectacle!  Picture it with me, 'cause Momma forgot the camera.  Dan - wearing Kate, wearing a backpack, carrying a giant bag that held both car seats (thanks Daisy!).  Erin - wearing Lauren, diaper bag over one shoulder, pulling giant rolly bag that I packed EVERYTHING into.  Spectacle.  But, the kind of spectacle that most people smile at...nice.

The girls didn't act like their ears bothered them...maybe because they nursed 14 times a piece, but still, I was very glad of that.  We really only had 2 issues the whole travel portion of our trip.  One: pacifier patrol.  They LOVE their pacifiers, but they also really love to throw their pacifiers.  Far.  This presents 2 issues: 1) reaching under plane seats with no room with a baby on your lap.  Ugh.  2) the whole germ factor.  This is not an issue for me in that I worry about the germs.  I only worry about what others think about my total okay-ness with putting dropped pacifiers in my babies mouths.  For some, this is a real issue.  I saw a few people almost pass out as I popped that nasty, dropped pacifier into my mouth to "clean" it and then shoved it in babe's mouth.  One flight attendant actually brought Dan a cup of steaming hot water after she was us do this about 45 times.  Sorry folks...we're hippy like that.  Germs don't scare me none. 

The other issue that came up was the oxygen mask rule on airplanes.  Now, I have flown quite a bit.  I have never had those oxygen masks drop down for use.  BUT, I suppose if we needed them, we'd want to have played by the rules.  The rule is this - there is one extra mask per side of the aisle.  Example: if the plane is three seats, aisle, three seats there are 4 oxygen masks on either side of the aisle.  Well, if it's a packed plane and you and your hubs are sitting next to each other in seat A and B and you're each holding a baby on your lap...problem.  It was a packed flight, we were ready to take off when the flight attendant realized the problem...there was about to be a LOT of moving and rearranging, etc.  I didn't want to move.  We had just gotten settled in (toys out and in the seat back pocket, seat belts on, stuff shoved under the seat in front of us.  Also, I couldn't move.  I wore a skirt.  The seat was pleather.  My legs were sweaty.  Glue.  So, when the lady behind us piped up and said "I'll hold a baby for take off and landing", I (maybe a little TOO quickly) passed Kate right back to her!  It worked out great.  Kate was happy, I was happy, I got my baby back as soon as we took off, and they found our 3rd seat mate another place to sit for the landing.  I'm sure he was happy, but so were we!

Our trip home last night had a few kinks in it.  It took about three and a half hours longer than it was supposed to.  The girls were still so sweet.  We had many people come up to us after we landed in ABQ and commented that they were such good travelers.  We agree.  But, it really is nice to hear it from someone else!

Home, safe and sound,
Momma

Fear

We are traveling tomorrow with the babes.  By air.  With other people.  Lots of other people.  I'm scared.

The girls are sweet babies.  They are generally happy and social and semi-quiet and snuggly.  There are also always two of them.  They require lots of stuff.  They want what they want when they want it.  And...drum roll please...they hate to be covered up to nurse.  Like fight with the blanket the whole time, hate it.  Like if everyone doesn't see my private bits they've not done their job, hate it.  Yikes.

So.  If you're flying from ABQ tomorrow and see my boob, sorry.  If you are a praying person and could pray for us from 8:00am Mountain time til 1:30pm Central time, much obliged.  If you are a scary stalker person and use this information to do something not nice to our house, stuff, or my family...I'll hurt you.

Yikes,
Momma

No.

It has begun.  I say "no" 400 times a day.  Poor Lu (the Prince formerly know as Lauren). 

This weekend my friend Dana came to visit.  The girls performed well...smiling, playing, being sweet to the babysitter so that we could all go out for dinner...it was a fun weekend!  But, I learned for the first time that not only does Lauren know what 'no' means, she also knows how to throw a tantrum!!  Eight months, people!!

Scenario:  Dana and I were looking at some websites on my laptop together, sitting on the living room floor.  The girls were feet away playing with their toys.  Before long, Lu snuck over and sat and watched us for a while.  Then, her little hands were on the computer...then pushing lots of buttons...then she was slobbering all over the keys.  I said, "No, Lu", and moved her hands off and set her a few feet away.  Instantly, she was back!  This time, trying to be sneaky!!!  She would look right at me and stretch her little hand over to the keys.  I would say "no", she would stop.  She would try again, I would say "no"...you get it.  It was fun for about 30 seconds, then she started getting mad.  She would wait for the word "no" and then stick out her little lip and bark at me.  Eventually, full blown meltdown.  As wrong as it is, I love a meltdown (when it's in the privacy of my own home)!  Picture it (and you have to, because Grandma Terry refuses to let me post any more pictures of crying!!).  Little tiny baby, sitting up with both legs out in front of her.  Gets mad.  Starts to cry, then folds at the waist and puts her little face right into the carpet.  Poor baby.

I knew it would happen.  I knew there would be a season of my life when "no" was on every breath.  I had no idea it would start at 8 months!!

Kate can definitely hold her own!

Love.

Momma

CanYouEvenStandIt.Com

We had pictures taken of the babes a few weeks ago.  What is it about real deal photographers??  I can look at my sweet babies all day, any day.  I can hear the noises that go with the smiles.  I can squeeze those sweet, little cheeks.  BUT, I would almost rather look at this all day:

I can take zillions of pictures of my babes for free.  But I'll pay someone too much money to get to look at this:

Or this...

Then there's this:

And, can.you.even.stand.it!, my favorites:

Gotta go, the real life models need me.
Momma.



DIY

If my grandmas and mom and aunts and other people who would spank me if I cursed on the www didn't read this here blog, I would definitely add an expletive after DIY...

Also, I think whoever encourages people to take on DIY (do it yourself) projects probably really makes their money from a kick back from marital counselors.  It's just not fun, peeps.  There will, however, be an end.  And Dan and I will not physically harm each other or change our minds about our 'forever' status.  But, the end won't be today, and I'll probably have to apologize to Dan AGAIN for mouthy frustration talk.  :-(

So, here's the story.  Remember when our bathroom looked like this:

Well, it doesn't anymore.  It now looks like this!:

(taken from the exact same angles!)

It has awesome potential!  We're tiling around the tub, doing hardwood flooring, and the vanities and furniture are picked out and perfect for the space.  Dad and Mom came to help this past weekend.  Dad is a sheetrocker of hire-able proportions...and Dan is very handy all on his own.  Mom and I just mostly "foreman-ed" and stayed out of the way!  I'm thrilled at how much they got done in one weekend!!

While Mom and I were staying out of the way, we took on our own DIY project.  Remember how the babes never have anything to wear??  (If ever a need for a "sarcastic" font!)



Well, we decided we'd clothe those poor babes.

We MADE these!!  Like really!!  And I helped!!!!

Finally, I'll leave you with a tale of some carpet.  Carpet is gross.  Like mega-gross.  We had new carpet installed in the living room and on the stairs.  BUT, our DIY portion was that we opted to move all the furniture and haul off all the old carpet ourselves.  GROSS.  Like piles of sand under it all that said "these people vacation at the beach weekly", when in reality it was "we live in the desert and sometimes the wind blows and the carpet was 15 years old".  Boo.  But it's in, and my house is put back together and it's the cleanest the floors have been, maybe EVER. 

The girls comment that it feels soft on their knees and makes them even faster!

So, we'll just be finishing projects now...absolutely NO starting new ones.  Except for when the old ones cause new ones.  And cause fights.  And cause apologies.

That MAY be my kitchen ceiling.  The bathroom MAY be situated directly above the kitchen.  Plumbing MAY be best left to the professionals.

Smiling,

The Momma

Road Trips

I love two things about road trips with the girls.

1.) When we stop for gas/potty/let Roxie out/diaper changes/snacks/to switch drivers, etc. the girls look at each other and get face breaking smiles.  They proceed to "catch up"...jabbering and waving and laughing.  I just KNOW it's because when sitting in their car seats they can't see each other.  They probably never feel so alone.  Maybe they enjoy it for a while, but then, when they are reunited, they remember how cool that other girl is!  Sweet.

2.) When it's over.

Love.
The Co-Pilot

P.S. NO laws of the road were broken in the making of this blog...pictures included.

4th of July!

Oh, dear bloggie, I have neglected you.  Didn't mean to.  Have had blog dialogues floating around in my head so vividly and loudly I sometimes laugh out loud all by myself...yip, I think I'm pretty funny sometimes.  But I'm back...with hopes to catch up in a big way, so settle in.

The 4th of July in Laverne rocked our socks!  It's part family reunion, part high school reunion, part sweat fest, part eat 'til you puke, part perfect.  We took in church with Dodie and Pop, a birthday party for Dodie, the duck races, Lion's club pancake breakfast, the parade, the town BBQ, talent show, kids' races, and FIREWORKS!

One of the sad things about living far from home is that it feels that each trip is slightly rushed and full of a little catching up with a lot of people.  I wish there was time to hang out with each one for a whole afternoon, there's just not.  So, we talk fast and wave big when we see dear friends and cousins. 

Here's a few details:
Duck races:  H-I-larious.  They block off a few blocks of main street, a cement truck on one end, the finish line on the other.  For weeks they have been selling "ducks" for prizes and bragging rights.  The cement truck dumped a load of water and a LOAD of rubber duckies and they race down the gutter!!  The ducks are marked with numbers and the winners are announced.  The whole thing took about 15 minutes.  Love it!!!  Next year, I'm buyin' me a whole gaggle of ducks.

Parade:  Awesome.  Veterans as marshalls, Shiner's cars, horses, and lots of emergency vehicle sirens.  AND, they all throw candy!!!  This is where I get my Tootsie Roll fix every year!!  (Thanks Dakota and Makalyn for sharing!!!)

Fireworks!:  Best I've ever seen anywhere!!  The fire department shoots em off, we all lay in the grass around the school or on the football field, there are oooo's and aaaa's.  It's just my favorite part.

I've missed the 4th of July in Laverne before.  I don't know that it'll happen again.  We just love it...and I hope the girls do too!

Love.
E

Eight, 8, Ocho!!!!

Babies!!  You are EIGHT months old today!  I can hardly stand it!  Time is flying by...like they said it would, and you know I hate it when "they" are right!  You are my favorite people on this earth.  You make me laugh out loud daily.  You amaze me with your new tricks, and consistent personalities.  You bring a tear to my eye more often than I thought possible.

Kate, you are just the smiliest little person I have ever met.  I love that those two bottom teeth now decorate your smile.  You are so patient...when your sister needs me more, when she smooshes you and pulls your hair... You are such a studier.  You study our faces, your hands and feet, your surroundings, your sister.  You melt me, little girl.

Lauren, you are so active that I get tired just watching you!!  You are so fast and so strong and so adventurous.  You love Roxie, you love your daddy, you love paper.  I love that you still feel tiny in my arms.  I love that you let me snuggle you...if only for a second.  I love your tiny, tiny nose.  You make me so happy.

I wanted you, babies, more than I even knew.  If God would have given me a line-up of cuddly little girls, I would have picked you.  You are my Punks, my B's, my heart crawling around outside of my body.

I love you big time.
Momma

Stats:
K: 14 pounds, 15.5 ounces.  2 teeth.  Crawling, sitting, waving.
L: 14 pounds, 15.5. ounces.  Crawling, sitting, pulling up, waving.