Trip down memory lane!

The other day Justin downloaded some pics off his cell phone and this was one of them. I had never seen it before and I just fell in love. I think this may be the first picture I had with Clara. I still have my hospital gown on so this must be before the girls went to the NICU? I can't believe how huge my hand looks compared to hers!

A day in the garden

Well, we've just pasted the 1 year mark that we've been living with my parents. So much has gone on during the last year, I don't think any post could ever do it justice. I never thought we'd still be here when the girls were crawling! Now it looks like we'll still be here into the toddler stages. We're still waiting for the FDIC to sign off on our lot so we can get started building. We actually contacted the local newspaper and they're going to come do a story on us--you know because we're soooo crowded living in this huge house waiting for the Federal government to allow us to buy a lot so we can put some construction workers in business. :)

Anyway, here are some pictures from yesterday. It was a rare sunny day in April so we made the most of it. Here are some pictures:

So symbolic, in so many ways. It was only last October that I actually went 6 days without leaving the house because I was so overwhelmed at the thought of taking all 3 kids out alone. When I say I didn't leave the house, I mean not even to the mail box!!!

James and Grandma Sarah redoing the garden. Again. Only those of you who know my mom and her garden will understand that comment. ;)
Mommy and Kate self portrait

Mommy and Clara self portrait

The girls in their cage.

Moments I’ll treasure/remember/need therapy for

So, there I am playing peek-a-boo with the girls while they chomp on pears and Vienna sausages, thinking to myself how life is moving along nicely. The girls are big enough to entertain each other, themselves, and their brother. James is progressing nicely in his developmental skills. He as learned the concept of ownership. I get to hear him demonstrate it often. NO Kate! (remember, both girls are Kate) That’s MINE. So I am thinking to myself how easy and fun life is getting. Does anyone see the huge, billboard size, glowing in neon, red flag coming?!?

Well, just then, James dumps the can of pears and pear juice he’s working on down his naked belly. Not on purpose, just an accident. So, I—the quick thinking and multi-tasking mom that I am, think, “easy” We’ll just put him in the kitchen sink and spray him down with the nozzle. All goes well, except I realize his diaper is now full of water. Ok, I take off the diaper. Towel-towel, where’s a towel? OH, YEAH, I decided to watch American Idol last night instead of folding the Himalayan size mountain of laundry down stairs. So, I dash down stairs to grab a towel. Hum, naked little boy in the kitchen with no diaper on. Can you see it coming?

Yep, I get back upstairs just in him to here him declare delightfully—“PEEEEE!” as he does precisely that all over the kitchen floor. So proud of himself, how do you stay angry? Mind, this is after he has already flooded the bathroom (I can’t get mad about that one, I was standing right there cutting my hair, not paying attention) and spilled powdered sugar all over the kitchen floor.

So a life lesson is learned . . . Don’t get to hard on yourself for not emptying out the floor cleaner the night before—you might just need it the next day to clean up pee and you’ll be so glad it’s already full of Lysol and ready to go!! Now on to more pertinent matters: Do I really have to go grocery shopping or is there a way to make dinner out of ketchup, relish, mayo, stale bread, and 8 salad dressings. I might even have some week old cheerios in the bottom of my diaper bag to throw in . . . hum, my creative wheels are churning.

A sunnier day

By the Salmon Creek with Dad and sis
Ahhh! The forbidden fruits! Or, a brother's forgotten PB&J. Either way, what a happy girl.