Jaydon (&Amy) come to visit

The second week of intensives started off a little rough around here with an overflowing toilet that I had to get up in the night to bail water out of, water seeping into our basement from all the melting snow, and Karys falling off a treadmill! Things definitely started looking up though after Monday! The weather was nice and on Wednesday Amy and Jaydon came to visit and help out watching the girls while I had lab. It was so great for the same reasonn we lovved having Grandma Sally come--It gave the girls something so fun to look forward too and provided the distraction and entertainment that made the week go by that much faster! They were able to stay through Friday morning so the girls got some good time playing with Amy and just having that time to reconnect and also getting to know baby J a little better! He is such a good tempered baby who was so FUn and easy to havve around! And I got to have Amy for a bed buddy for two nights so she could be close to Jaydon's crib;)The girls got toys out right away for Jaydon to play with...they were excited to have a use for their "baby" toys.Karys was convinced that Jay should know how and be able to play with this toy by himself if she just could show him one time...you can see the eager look on his face to do what she had told him!Friday morning, Karys was up a little earlier and she and i were able to get Jaydon up and give Amy a couple extra minutes of sleep. She wanted to hold him right away and cuddle with him. I don't think he was so sure at first but did end up sitting there for quite some time! She sang songs to him...Jesus loves me and ABCs...it was SO cute!Looking comfortable on Karys' lap...almost got a smile!Karys loved sitting in Jay's carseat...was so intrigued by most of the baby stuff that he had around and needed.Tried to get some good pictures of Jaydon! He is getting so big and just changing so much, but I could not get him to smile for me...He thought about it here...he really did...I think Maggie started barking right here, but I just love this expression!Jaydon and Amy had to take off on Friday morning, as did the girls and I. I was bringing them over to my sister's house for the weekend so Rob and I could head off for a rejuvenating weekend just the two of us! This is how I found Karys and Maggie while I was getting our stuff ready and packing the car!
She loves cuddling with Maggie and petting her. I really do think Maggie loves her for all of the attention that Karys gives her. Probably makes it easier for Maggie to go back time and time again despite Karys picking her up by her head of sitting on her. Tough dog, tough dog ;)

Weekend Break b/t Intensives

It was so nice to have Rob be home for the weekend in between intensives! For a while we thought that we would load up and head up there for the weekend just to have a change of scenery, one I thought I would need more than the girls ;) But all in all I am so glad we chose to stay put and let hime come to us. He made it home just in time for supper and we headed to the Ranch that evening to eat. We played games and read books that evening and when the girls were in bed just looked at each other and both decided we would go to bed too. He was exhausted from school and I was exhausted from chasing the girls throughout the week ;) Which went really well ;)Saturday I think was project day to a certain extent...He and the girls put the wagon together because it was a BEAUTIFUL day outside and we wanted to walk with it to church.Gracie wanted to know what she could hammer ;) There wasn't a whole lot of that to be done, but the girls had fun looking at the tools and remembering their names from the Handy Manny TV show they sometimes watch! Maggie even found something to entertain herself with by chewing and chasing chunks of cardboard around.Karys loved the screwdriver and finding different holes to stick it in and say "twist, twist, twist"As soon as it was somewhat assembled both girls were on board ready for a ride!Daddy only had the handle left to fit on and they would be on their way!...as you can tell it was also laundry day at our house so sorry about all the CLEAN clothes in the pictures!Yay! It was done and all three girls loaded on to be pulled around the "circle" that goes through the kitchen and livving room!Daddy even jumped on the dog pile and asked the girls to pull him around...the girls quickly told him he was too big and it turned into a tickle fight insteadWe finally did walk to church, and the girls decided to to even ride in the wagon but walk instead. We headed over to church so Daddy could get copies made for Sunday school and the girls had fun spinning in Lila's chair and being big helpers.This was only Maggie's 2nd walk since the traumatic day with Grandma. She was definitely not so sure about walking with ppl and cars...she is quite the little baby. But she survived with quite a bit of whining!Karys was picking up snow along the way and kept eating it...we kept telling her not to do it and taking it away but finally she got a really gravely chunk in her mouth and kept rubbing her tongue saying "bahky". It was a slow walk home to say the least ;)
Had to throw this picture on there too...Gracie dressed herself today and wanted to wear this skirt and t-shirt b/c we said it would be sunny. Well then she went on to picked a long sleeved shirt and these striped pants to fit. When I first suggested these pants though, they are gray and white striped, and Gracie said to me, "Mom! I cannot wear these! These colors are not even in the rainbow!" Oh man...I just wanted to die laughing! Love my little girl with independence!

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!