Because I have nothing BETTER to do with my time...

I dressed the kids all up, and took them to play "picture taking" on Friday....I am on the hunt for the ever elusive "Good-picture-of-all-three-of-my-kids" photo.  I have heard it is possible, but for now it remains un-achieved.
For some reason, the two big ones have a fascination with staring at the GROUND while I am taking their picture, rather than the lens of my camera.  The baby one makes adorable faces, but without a "clapper" standing behind me to get her attention, she only looks at me for four tenths of a second before she crawls off to put a stick or an acorn in her mouth.
This shoot was pure torture.  My right foot got eaten alive by fire ants in a field, the two big ones wouldn't cooperate, and Livi was mad that I didn't let her crawl off onto the main road.  I was SURE I didn't get one single cute picture, but what do you know?  Taking a ton of pictures pays off!  There were actually a few cute ones in the bunch....

This morning, we received the best gift ever....news that our sweet baby was perfectly healthy.  For those of you who are just hearing about this ordeal, let me explain.  Here is the really, really short version:  pediatrician heard a murmur, referred to a pediatric cardiologist, cardiologist ordered an MRI because they could hear the murmur through her fontanelle, which sometimes indicates something called an AVM (basically an aneurysm)  They scheduled us yesterday for the MRI, which went well.  Watching her be sedated was the most horrible thing I have ever seen, but she dealt very well with anesthesia.  We didn't expect to hear any news for two or three days, but a friend who is a radiologist called and had the results read to him so that he could tell us quickly.  (Thank you again, Adam!!)

My heart is so full this evening.....of gratitude....of happiness that she will be healthy, live a long life, be able to carry her own babies some day.  I am grateful that she will be able to do anything and be anything she wants to be.....In the past few weeks, I have been plagued with some dark thoughts, and I am relieved that they are gone for good.  I am OVERWHELMED at the love and kindness offered to us by our amazing group of family and friends.....the support we felt was so palpable....
This whole thing is a testament to God's sovereignty, and to the fact that He wants us to come to Him in times of need....nothing has made me pray harder!!  
Yesterday, after I watched three grown adults hold my tiny girl down and smash a mask onto her face to put her to sleep, I broke down in the hall....it was the most scared and helpless I have ever felt in my entire life....Shawn and I headed to the elevator to make our way to the waiting room.  As the elevator doors opened up on the second floor, my phone was suddenly "in area" for a moment and I got some reception.  For about four straight minutes, my phone pinged out of control as all the texts from my precious friends started coming in.....I don't think for one minute that THAT was an accident.....God knew that I needed love and support at JUST that moment, and he delivered it.  It was supernatural.
Again, thank you to all of you for your texts, emails, phone calls, prayers, meals, etc.  It isn't until times like this when you REALLY realize the strength of your friendships.....
We are praising God tonight in this house....and eating some yummy Chinese food that Courtney brought over.  :)

Kiddie Park

We have been wanting to take the babies to visit Kiddie Park for awhile....ever since the temperature went below 100, but especially since they fixed it up and it doesn't look like you need a tetanus shot just to drive by it.  It's actually pretty cute!  Shawn and I remember it differently from our childhood....actually, let me rephrase that.  Shawn can't remember any of the rides at all, only that there used to be a roller coaster.  I remember it being Disney World, so both of our recollections are a little skewed.
We hesitated at paying for the "unlimited" wrist bands for them, because we weren't sure if they would actually ride all the rides or just stand in front of them screaming.  We decided to just go for it, and hope for the best, and it worked!  They LOVED it, and had to ride everything twice.  Their favorite were the "space ships" that go around in a circle (fast) and rise up and down.  On this one, you can have a parent ride with you, so I rode twice with Cale and twice with Hayden.  Neither kid really understands why Daddy won't ride....Cale kept trying to coax him with things we say to try to make HIM do things.  "Daddy, you will like it, I promise!"  and "Trust me, you won't be scared of it."  Three year olds are too little to understand "inner ear problem" and the ensuing vomiting that would surely occur at Kiddie Park if Daddy were to go in a circle more than once.
Even baby Livi got in on a ride.  We thought she was too little, but right before closing, one of the ride operators asked if we wanted to give Livi a ride....she didn't have a wristband, but they let her on anyway.  Daddy strapped her into a little airplane, and she smiled so big everytime she went past us.  Next time we go, Livi will definitely get a wrist band, too!  She had a great time.

Our first "school year" has begun.....

Meet the teacher was an event in itself.  Mommy got teary eyed upon walking in the classroom.  Bub and Sis ran straight for the toys and proceeded to make a mess.  Their teachers seem really sweet.  The twins have one of their best friends Davis in their class....all signs are pointing in a great direction....until Sissy got the message from Mommy that meet the teacher was almost over and we needed to pick up the toys.  That did NOT go over well.  She was upset....then Bubby wouldn't get out of the chair she wanted to sit in, so she started whaling on him.  I feel sorry for him, because she really wanted to whale on ME, but knew that was out of the question so he was the nearest target.  Mommy tried to stop the whaling and the wailing, but Sissy pulled out the old "detach-all-my-bones-and-turn-myself-into-a-human-jello-pile" trick.  Jello pile treated us all to high pitched screeching that can only be compared to that a pterodactyl might have make during it's death rattle.
With that fabulous introduction to school, it came as a pretty big surprise that the first day went so amazingly.  They both ran right in, and didn't want to even stop and pose at the door for nerdy picture taking mommy.  There was no prolonged goodbye....I think Sis might have hollered "Bye Pipkin!" at Livi, but I didn't even get a nod.  Oh well....I'll take that ANYDAY over separation anxiety.
They have now gone two days and they LOVE it.  I've been informed that they had popcorn and fruit for snack, Sis has two new friends Abby and Maggie, Bub plays with a little boy named Anton, and there was some drama on the playground today that involved a "big, mean girl" taking away an orange car.

On the way into "meet the teacher"...

So excited for Davis to be in our class!

Posing with new school tote bags.  Could they look more irritated with me?

First day of school!

Gymnastics: The Real Deal

Up to this point, our "gymnastics" experience has been open gym...you know, running amok all over the gym at our own discretion.  Last week, that all changed.  We started REAL gymnastics; having an actual coach and having to follow directions.
All things considered, I think we are doing well.  This is the first organized activity they have done, and they are loving it so far.  We are having a little issue with following the coach, but I blame their infantile attention spans.  They are good for the first 45 minutes of the 50 minute class, and then the last five minutes are like fun time at the insane asylum.  We have gone twice, and mommy is really hoping for them to settle into the routine at class number three.  I don't want to harp on them after class, because I want them to love it.  Then again, they have to listen and not run off whenever they get a whim either.  I'm trying to balance out the direction with the "good jobs!" and "wasn't that fun??"

Labor Day weekend

This holiday, we were some busy fools.  We started off the weekend with open house for the twins' school (more info on that later...you're going to want to stay tuned....this makes for a good story).  Friday night we tried to leave town to visit the Maziurs in Houston...."tried" being the operative word, considering it took us two hours to drop our dogs off at my mom and dad's and get out of town to Seguin.  TWO HOURS.  Really.  Where all these people are coming from eludes me.  Despite the fact that we didn't roll into Houston until 9:30 at night, our babies were surprisingly happy.  Everyone went to bed easily, even though they were in "new" beds for the night.
Saturday morning was spent at the Maziur's neighborhood pool, which gives a waterpark a run for it's money.  It was amazing!  Even more amazing was the fact that we basically had the whole pool to ourselves.  Cale loved the little splash park, and Sissy went down a GIANT twisty slide about forty times.  She has NO fear at all....a fact that has me quaking in my boots as far as high school is concerned.  Cale was helped down the slide (forced) by Shawn....I knew exactly what had happened when I heard the wailing get louder as he came down the slide to where I was waiting in the pool at the bottom.  The first thing he said?  "I am never EVER doing that again."  Later, Pamela asked if he wanted to slide again and he answered with an emphatic "No, thank you."  (At least he was polite)
After lunch at the pool, we had naptime/football watching time and then dinner at home.  We did lots of talking and laughing, and staying up too late.  Our kiddos are officially in love with each other, and got along SO well.  Cale kept referring to Matt as "my brother", which made me feel more than a little sad about shutting down my uterus for business.  Lots of love to the Maziurs for a FUN weekend!!!   To prove how much fun we had, here are some pictures I pilfered off their blog.

Sunday, we actually had enough energy in us to hit the Roberts' pool party in the afternoon.....the babies swam and swam, and we LOVED the company...some of my favorites!  It was actually relaxing, despite the fact that there might have been 45 kids there.  The Roberts set up a giant inflatable thing about thirty feet tall....the kids all had a blast, and even better, it was set up away from the "mommies-having-their-cocktails-area".  I proved once again what a lightweight I was, and how bad my tolerance level is since having babies.  Two drinks in I was laughing at everything and only marginally supervising my children.

The baby is already a little fish in training, and would crawl straight into the drink if you let her.  She is either fearless, clueless, or (most likely) a little bit of both.
The Roberts are always good for a great time.....we were pruney and tired when we left....and would have stayed later if it weren't for a tired baby.  Such a fun weekend!!

Lasagna night

This post is for no other reason than to post adorable pictures of my children with spaghetti sauce on their faces.

Yeah for family dinner, and double yeah for a meal that all five people in our house love to eat!