Grandma Sally visits and Daddy comes home!!!

It was so nice b/c for both of the weeks that Rob was gone we had help come to us on Wed. the first week my mom came to stay and help watch the girls while I had lab. She of course came bearing gifts ;) Valentines day treats for both girls!!! They loved the little light up wands that say "Be Mine" on them and still haven't eaten all the candy! I think we have started a good trend of instilling helathy eating habits in them! Grandma Sally was trying to show Karys how the new wand worked! She was so excited to watch a video Megan posted and see that Megan got one of these too!

Gracie waving hers around...Mom, this is so cool!

I don't have all the pictures from the visit, but the girls kept very busy with Grandma. They took Maggie for her first walk...a HILARIOUS and almost traumatic story within itself, they baked cupcakes for Daddy, colored pictures, visited Gracie's preschool, played with the dollhouse and read lots of books! Thanks so much, mom for coming to my aid while Rob was gone!!! I appreciated it tons! The night Grandma left we were all so tired. I thought the girls were sound asleep, little did I know that Karys was packing her bag to go with Grandma home. She came out of her room and was all ready to be on her way!Took a little bit for me to convince her that we couldn't go to grandma's and that she could have a little drink, hang her backpack by her bed, and go to sleep...we could call Grandma in the morning. She must have been convinced b/c she took off for the kitchen, got her drink, got in bed and didn't come out again. Praise Jesus b/c I was really tired too!She made up for it the next day though, we went over to the Fernstum's to play and to pass the time until Daddy was going to come home. As soon as we got home from their house, Karys laid down on the couch, Gracie and I ran downstairs quick to check something on the internet, and by the time we came back up we found Karys like this...asleep on the couch at 12:30-Wow ;) How a little girl can nap so easily and get out of bed so much at night is a mystery to me!Finally the time arrived when Daddy made it home for the week. The girls were so excited to see him (all three of his girls ;) And Gracie launched into the story right away of the events of Maggie's first walk. It was so fun to hear the events that occurred from her perspective.

She was so animated...I love Rob's face and emotions too when he comes home. Sometimes I think I get in my head just getting through the week and I dno't give enough credit to how hard it is to be away from us as it is us from him! I am so blessed!

Our First Monday w/o Daddy

We started off our Monday pretty well...both girls slept in, which was so good for me after an emotional send off @ 345. It is impossible to control your emotions that early in the morning when you wake up out of a deep sleep ;) And I couldn't fall back asleep right away either...guess just didn't really think the day would actually come. But the girls were in great moods and we positioned ourselves for a very busy/productive day! They entertained themselves for a good chunk of the morning with the dollhouse...go figure Karys is missing her clothes ;)Maggie hid/slept under the bed and waited for them to drop dollies to chew onKarys was ready to cuddle and watch HSM after playing so hard...Gracie and I headed out to conquer the trampoline...the snow/ice that had accumulated on it was really making it sag and with nice weather in the forecast I wanted to get it off of there b4 it melted into quite the ice chunk!Gracie loved picking up the big chunks and throwing them asideWe tried to work pretty steadily b/c while it was still really nice out, the air did have a chill to it. Karys only lasted 5 minutes before heading back inside and I knew Gracie would get cold. And 2nd I didn't want anyone driving by or the neighbors thinking, "What is that crazy pregnant woman doing!" It was kind of hard work and there really was a lot of snow, but I just really wanted to do something that Rob wouldn't guess I would do! The smile of satisfaction and accomplishment!

Gracie and I headed in for some yummy hot chocolate to get ourselves warmed back up! You can't have hot chocolate without marshmallows!

And this is how we found Karys when we came in from outside...she had taken off all her winter stuff and left a trail from the door to the couch. The TV was on but she couldn't get the movie on so she must have just laid down and went to sleep! So funny!

Hanging out at home

January was a breath of fresh air in so many ways in that we were able to have a lot of open weekends and evenings where we just hung out at home together as a family. The girls and I spent a lot of days in our jammies getting "Christmas" cleaned up, put away, and organized. They just got comfortable too, so on the days we did have places to go it was hard to get them dressed and out the door. Gracie transitioned well back into preschool though again and I feel like she has grown even more in these past two months than the first half of the school year! Can't believe how big my little girl is seeming to be!

Karys is growing and changing as well. It is crazy to see her in clothes Gracie is hardly all the way out of and to watch her interact and converse with Gracie in such a new way. Listening to them play dolls together you sometimes have to stop and listen close to see who is talking and who is the one coming up with the make believe activities and world for the dolls! She is hilarious and says the darnedest things, but she is also very two...very independent and very adamant and sure of what she wants and when she wants it. Rob and I try to continually remind ourselves that she is just that...two! So instead we find ourselves taking a lot of deep breaths and for me at least muttering a lot of whisper prayers throughout the day!

January also brought some struggles....it was hard for me to get back into the swing of things after Christmas vacation. I liked having everyone at home, I liked having no where to be, I just liked not having schedule. And although it proved to be good for us to have that routine, I think I just was trying to savor the time we had as a family before intensives. Things were strained b/t Rob and I, something we really hadn't dealt with in a while...things had just been so good b/t us for quite some time, and that was hard to communicate through and process, esp with all my emotions getting in the way and him withdrawing ;) So anyway....we worked through it, and all before he left ;) Just put a little twist into our down month...
Karys and Gracie taking care of their babies...they have both been in the habit of naming their babies-more than likely a result of all the baby names floating around for our new little lady. Gracie has been especially particular about having first name, a middle name and an after name. Her favorite ones have been Maddie Grace Roe and Emily Kate Vande Lune....they can't all have the same last name she says ;)

Gracie and Maggie cuddling....neither of the girls let our little puppy get much sleep around here.

"Maggie, say cheese to Mommy!"

"Ok, Karys let's see if we can get her in here to take her to the park. Watch me do this!"

Poor Maggie! The girls were successful and she took several spins around the kitchen in this luxury mobile. She was not thrilled to say the least but tolerated it really well!

Ultrasound in jammies

I had my 20/21 week appointment pretty early in the morning on 1/26 so we loaded up the car with the girls still in their jammies. Because we got out the door a little late, what's new ;), they still weren't dressed by the time we headed back for the ultrasound and the appt. It was pretty cute, until of course you started to be able to tell that we woke them up a little early and the fatigue showed through! However, there were still the cute moments where they adamantly had to tell daddy that the baby was a sister, they watched intently at the TV as sister so doing her thing, yawning and covering her face with her hands, and when they giggled at the sound of the heartbeat..."Sounds like a horsey." All in all it was a good day! Got them changed before we left and headed downstairs for lunch with Grandma Sally and Auntie Sarah (who was working). Then everyone napped on the way home! Thanks for driving Daddy! and yes it is still a sister! The girls waiting patiently for the ultrasound tech to come in...gotta love 2nd day hair!Looking at the pictures of our little sister...Karys wasn't quite into the camera this early in the am!Proud big sister and daddy showing off the pictures of our baby girl! Little miss silly face in her piggies....oh Karys, you melt my heart, make me smile, and put me on my knees all in the same breath!

Alli Rogers concert

On the 25th of january...yeah thats how far behind I am in updating this thing ;)...we headed over to First Reformed Church in Sioux Center for a FREE Alli Rogers concert! Wow! Alli in concert and FREE! Yes! We had such a good time just listening to Alli sing and watching the girls respond to their first concert. At one point, Gracie leaned over to me and said "Mommy, I love you...and I love this concert!" It was so fun just to relax with the music and rock my "big" baby to one of our favorite songs "Praise the Lamb". Karys wasn't so eager to sit still...she danced for a while and then wanted to go scope out the hallway for the ice cream that was available afterward ;)
Check out the latest on Alli at her blog... http://allirogers.blogspot.com/ It is kind of fun to read...she is pregnant too and due just a short time b4 I am! Let me know what you think of her music if it is new to you!