Merry Christmas!

Santa came to our house despite Ali's worries that he might do a "fly by" because she was not asleep yet. I could see the relief on her face when I caught her sneaking through the presents and taking it all in at 6am while the rest of the house (except Mom) was asleep!

The holiday went by in a flash and now I'm enjoying the mess and the happiness of the girls. Here's our Christmas in pictures.

Mia enrolled in preschool right before Christmas Break. She's getting too big.

Ali had a Winter Party at her Kindergarten. Mom got to attend and help her with some crafts.

One of the girls' favorite people... my cousin Angie. She drove from New Orleans where she is in Graduate School to spend Christmas with us.

After Mass on Christmas Eve.

Ali can really belt out Jingle Bells.

Christmas morning!

The "Toy Zone"!!

Grandma's house for more presents and dinner.

It looks like Leslie got just what she wanted for Christmas!

Our Tom

Santa didn't get her roller skates... because he knew that Auntie already got them!

And a Baby Alive for Mia.. finally a baby that actually wets her diapers!

The Dads and Tom

Another baby to mother

As they say in Texas, "Merry Christmas Y'all!"

A Very Lucky Mom

It is getting increasingly difficult to get up off the floor, bend over, and tie my shoes

because of this....So I requested the assistance of my darling munchkins to paint my toenails. They were only too happy to help me out!

Don't you love it? They are so proud of their work.

Such a lucky mom to have such enthusiastic helpers!

Orphans?

The girls played outside this evening until I made them come in. It was dark. They had been running and playing and obviously involved in some elaborate make-believe. When they came in, Mia said "I have new Mommy and Daddy." I was a little confused.. and asked what was wrong with her old Mommy and Daddy - Ali explained, "We were playing that we were orphans. You and Daddy took us to Audrey's (a friend) house on your way to New York and we were orphans there." Mia says, "Drop me off please. I get my coat."

All I Need For Christmas

A Student. Again.

Well, it's official. I just attended a four day orientation at the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in Kentucky. I am a student. Again. I don't really know if I have a firm grasp on what I'm doing.... it's a little surreal. I didn't exactly think, "I know! I'm going to start graduate school during my last trimester with baby #3, take care of 2 little kids, work nights on the weekends and it will all be great!" I'm beginning to wonder... But besides the self-doubt (which I hear is normal) I'm very excited to be beginning a great program at a great school and while I know it's going to be a crazy, often stressful, 3 years - I know I can do it. Pray for me, will ya??

The school was founded by Mary Breckinridge in the 40's. It is the first school of midwifery in the country and also the first to offer distance education. This is the historical dormitory I stayed in.

My little room. Cute, eh?

The school is in a very rural part of the Kentucky Appalachians about 2 hours from Lexington. We drove there in a school bus from the airport during an ice storm. Quite an adventure.

My new friends and classmates. It was so affirming and inspirational to be surrounded by like-minded people as passionate about birth and committed to the education and empowerment of women as I am. My class is actually about 30 people, but we split into more manageable groups. There are 30 or more students enrolled in the Family Nurse Practioner program as well.

Turkey Day

This is a little late but I've been very busy... as you will see.

We had a great Thanksgiving. I helped out with Ali's Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast. She was an indian.

On Thanksgiving Day we joined all the local family as well as my Aunt Sandi and cousin Angela from Washington and had a big, traditional dinner with football on ALL day. Good times.

Mia's New Baby Doll

Or so she seems to think...

I've said before that Mia is my "little mommy". The novelty of baby Pierce has not worn off and she still wants to do everything for him. I'm trying not to discourage her helpful, nurturing spirit, but it's a little scary when you turn your back and then find Mia has dragged the baby from his carseat, wrapped him head to toe in three blankets and is trying to feed him tap water she got from the sink in the bathroom....

Good Night

I love my rocking chair. It's not much to look at, but I love rocking and watching my babies go to sleep. And once the sisterly giggling, chatting and arguing has ceased...

This is what I look forward to. Sure, it's just sparkling cider and the girl's bath toys fall in the tub every time I move - but it's quiet and relaxing just the same. Good night!

Strong Leadership Skills

This is how we describe that part of Ali's personality that is intense, particular, bossy and slightly over-bearing. This is the part that made the "terrible twos" really terrible. Now that she's five, it's a little easier to deal with. Usually. Take, for example, this afternoon at the park... Ali manages to gather a group of about ten playmates ranging in age from three to seven and instruct every aspect of their play for about 45 minutes. She had them lining up along the see-saw, boys this side, girls this side - "Okay, okay, now you move and come over here. You sit here. This is what we're going to do." Then sitting along the play equipment - "Girls sit on the benches, boys sit on the floor. We're going to play the quiet game. I need everybody to sit very quietly, nobody talks." What astounds me is that they listen to her! For 45 minutes!! I finally had to call her off and ask her to just let the kids play whatever they want without instruction when I noticed the other parents looking around the playground like, "who does this child belong to??" Joe and I say that with the right guidance, she is going to be president of something.

And here's a Kindergarten update - Ali is doing fabulously. She finishes a week's worth of homework in 20 minutes and has no trouble staying focused. She is expected to finish five lists of "sight words" by the end of the year and she is on list three already! And tonight we began to read a couple little booklets her teacher sent home expecting Ali to take a couple weeks to learn them - and she read them without mistakes the first time! Not bad for the class's youngest student, eh?

What Is That?!

Yesterday while cuddling in Daddy's big chair, both girls felt "Baby Sister" kicking and moving about. Ali just smiled and giggled and said, "well, maybe she likes soccer too!". Mia cautiously peeked under my shirt to see what was moving around like that and then with her face right next to my belly she shouted, "Come out Baby Shishter, come out!!"

I understand her impatience. We'll give that instruction another try in about 15 weeks.

Autumn Leaves

Randomness

My friend Kelly writes a lovely little blog full of fabulous things to look at and think about. I don't know where she finds this stuff - but I love to drink a cup of tea and read up on her life when I'm at work. You know - after I've done the important stuff. Anyway, she "tagged" me, which in blogger world means that I'm "it" and I have to share 7 random things about myself. So, here goes...

1. I have a little OCD when it comes to making the bed. The comforter must be completely removed, sheets straightened and tucked into the foot of the bed, comforter replaced and turned down at the top and pillows fluffed and lined up. Drives Joe nuts.

2. When I get ahold of a good book I litterally can't put it down. Generally takes me three days to finish it and during that time, dishes pile up, emails go unanswered, bedtimes get later and later and the girls watch way too much Nick Jr.

3. I love Honeycrisp apples. With a slice of cheddar cheese.

4. I like to sew curtains and valances for my windows. Nothing else I attempt with the sewing machine turns out.

5. I took the girls to see Madagascar 2 last night with Joe and my mother-in-law. I was disapointed with the amount of violence and use of the word "butt".

6. I don't play any "traditional" sports. But I lettered in marching band in high school and will insist that marching band IS a sport. I still go to high school marching band competitions with my little sister. She gets it.

7. I'm slightly addicted to Ebay and consignment stores. Well, not really... I just love shopping for great deals.

But They're So Cute When They Match!

The Daddy

The Daddy takes his girls trick or treating when I have to work.

The Daddy does laundry compulsively while watching football.

The Daddy makes yummy barbeque chicken on Sunday night and then does the dishes.


The Daddy left this sign on the garage door for me when I came home this morning from work.
The Daddy does story time with his girls before bed. One story for each girl.

The Daddy shaves his face every day for Mia who dislikes facial stubble.

He prefers sticky kisses over his goatee anyway.

The Daddy brings me a drink of water before bed every night. I don't even ask.

I heard someone say recently,

"You cannot expect to recieve in a relationship that which you aren't willing to give."

It was probably on Oprah.

The Daddy deserves a lot of appreciation and I know I don't say it enough. Thanks.

Trick or Tweet!

So, Mommy missed the trick or treating and most of the fun - but I did get to dress up my "Enchanted Mermaid" and little Elmo and get some fun pictures before I left. Mia kept asking me, "Mom come too? Trick or Tweet?" And I had to tell her "No, Daddy will take you. Mommy has to work." So sad. Then she said, "No scary to babies at Mommy's work, okay? No say "Boo!" to babies! Babies say "WAHHHH, WAHHHH!"" Then I asked her what I should do if they do get scared and cry - she said, "Baby needs baby-milk and then Mommy "shhh, shhh" to baby." My sweet little Mia!
So while I feed babies and "shhh, shhh" them, my thoughts are with my sparkly Mermaid and sweet little Elmo and I hope they had a great time with Daddy and ate lots of candy.