Moving, again.

Sometimes change isn’t always a good thing. I have had lots of complaints that people cannot comment on this new blog. I’ve tweeked it and researched it and just cannot figure out why it keeps erasing most everyone’s comments. So, I’ve decided to move back to www.livinwithtwins.blogspot.com and change the name to Rays of Sunshine. Hope you all can move back with us and leave your comments as I have desperately missed reading them! Getting people’s feedback definitely gives me an extra pep in my step during the day and I could really use it some days. As lame as that may sound, it’s the truth!

Time, please stand still

Lately, when I look at Olivia, my chest feels a little tight and I feel my eyes starting to tear up. Especially when I am busy with James and Audrey or trying desperately to get some housework done and I look over at her and see her plump little face taking everything in around her. Sometimes she is chattering away with the sweetest sounds in the world or sometimes she isn’t making a sound. Just sitting there. Being sweet. We should of named her Sugar!

It’s a stinging revelation every time I think about it that no matter how hard I try to freeze moments and make every second count with her, she’s growing up before my very eyes. Just like her brother and sister are. Olivia is the most precious thing. She’s always so happy and pleasant and so stinkin cute!

To me, the hardest thing about having 3 children (or having 1 that is so much younger than the other 2) is that I feel like I don’t get to spend enough time with her just being. Just being together looking at each other and talking to each other and smiling at each other with out being interrupted. With James and Audrey I was busier than a one armed paper hanger at this age but I could stop and just be with them and not get interrupted. So, I worry sometimes that Olivia is not getting enough love and attention from me on a daily basis. I know, that’s ridiculous because I love that munchkin more than I ever dreamed possible and I take every chance I get to just “be” with her, ususally at night time before she goes down for the night. I also feel bad for hauling her around so much; feel like she’s gonna be scarred or something from all her grocery shopping and church going and state hopping and ballet lessons and swim lessons. I know, ridiculous. I think this is a mild version of a similar “guilty mama” about 4 years ago titled “Why are my children crying” A much milder version!!

Motherhood is one of the most precious gifts ever but, it’s also one of the most painful. There’s nothing like the love of a mother for her child and there’s nothing like the longing we always will have for the innocent, most precious sweetness of our infant children.

And then they were 4

My babies turned the big # 4 today! Can you believe it? I can’t. But then of course Jon said last night we will be saying that every time they turn another year older. I reckon he’s right.

We had their par-tay yesterday at Chick-Fil-A, their most favorite place to eat in the whole wide world. But then again, I think it’s pretty much every kids most favorite place to eat. And is probably us parents most favorite place to eat, with our kids that is!

I let the kids pick out what kind of invitations they wanted to send their little friends and we went from there. Audrey picked out Princesses, of course, and James picked out Spider man, of course. James had Spider Man cupcakes, plates and cups and Audrey had Ariel and Cinderella cupcakes with Rapunzel plates and cups. Chick-Fil-A did the rest. So basically all I had to do was show up and give them my money and you just can’t beat that! And the price was extremely reasonable as well. May do Chick-Fil-A every year, haha!!

Epic fail. Epic save.

Back in the Spring when we decided to not send the twins to preschool, I decided to get them involved in an outside activity for a little “socialization.” I made the BIG mistake of telling them that instead of going to a preschool mommy was going to teach them at home and sign Audrey up for ballet and James up for karate. Why was that a mistake, you ask? Well, I learned the lesson of “Always check and make sure your child is old enough for said activity before you tell said child that he can do said activity and get him all pumped for it.” He was not old enough for karate, must be 6 years old. Poor James did not comprehend that. He broke down into heartbroken sobs when his sister came back with all her ballet goodies and he had nothing. Epic fail.

While we were at the beach we noticed how quickly he took to the water this time and a light bulb went off in my head and I heard a little voice say “Swimming Lessons, dude!” So when we got home, I checked at the YMCA in Thomasville and they had a class starting September 27.

We went on Tuesday for his first class and it was a little sketchy to begin with. He was all pumped about it before hand but once it was time to get in the water, he clung to me like white on rice bawling his eyes out. The aquatics director had told me earlier that this might happen and if it did we would have to step out to where he couldn’t see us. So we did and he eventually got a hold of himself and started enjoying it. There was one time when he was swimming back across the pool on a noodle and the proud smile on his face was worth a million dollars. Epic Save.

Today was a totally different story. He didn’t shed a tear when it was time to get in. His teacher, Ms. Katelyn, came and got him and he gave me a quick hug, took her hand and proudly marched over to the pool and got it. He will be taking them twice a week for a month for his first session. Not sure about the next.

3 Months

Olivia,
Again I am a few days late but it’s been a little hectic around here lately. We’ve all been crazed, overly tired and grumpy. Except for you my love. We hauled you to Birmingham for the first time last week and then to Danville for another hardshellin weekend and you didn’t skip a beat.

You did great on the trip to Alabama and acted like you had no idea you weren’t at home! You slept well each night and while we were there you started to bat at your toys on the bouncy seat. Your hand movements may still be erratic but you are definitely trying to touch them. And you are turning your head over so far and pushing so hard with your little legs, you will be rolling over in no time!! You also started being very verbal on your own whilest there which is to die for cute. So much of the time we would stop what ever we were doing to talk back to you. You also have fallen in love with your reflection in the mirror. I hold you up to one and you just grin so big! It’s hilarious.

You were an absolute angel at church all weekend too. We hauled you up there early Friday morning and stayed in church all day long and went back the next morning for some more! The only time you protested was when you were sleepy and all I’d have to do was gently rock back and forth and out you went. You were such a friendly little thing and smiled BIG at everybody that talked to you!! It was very exciting for me to take you “back home” at this age. Everybody had an absolute fit over you and kept saying how much you look like me. A few people said they didn’t even have to ask who’s baby it was because you look so much like me! Bless your heart.

On Saturday morning cousin Tammy was holding you and with out a peep or a poot you had the biggest blowout ever. I mean biggest ever. It came straight up your back (how these things happen.....) and got all over Tammy and your beautiful pink and white dress from Aunt Mary Lou. Not to mention your back, legs and even a little on your face. Gross. Thankfully Sis. Cathy Malone was in the bathroom at the time and she helped us so much. Tammy had her own mess to clean and there was no way I could do anything with you by myself!! Lets try not to do that again, Tookie!

I can’t believe 3 months has already passed and I look forward to the next 3 months, my sweet Livi Ray.

Of Being Thankful

We are back from Birmingham and the whirl wind trip to Danville for the meeting and even though both trips were simply marvelous, we are 100% tuckered out. Seriously. Yesterday didn’t pan out to well around here, it was just one of those Mondays I guess so today I am on strike. We are taking it easy and leaving a mess behind and I don’t care!!!!  I will leave you with this exchange that took place during a breakfast stop at MacDonald's on our trip home:

James: What did grandaddy get me to drink?
Me: Water.
James: (in his most annoying whiny voice) But I want apple juice, not water!!!!!!
Me: Son, you need to be thankful for what you have.
James: (in his very emphatic voice) I am thankful for the sausage biscuit just not the water.

Not much

Not to much has been happening around here so I’ll just go with the basics. I started a little preschool curriculum with the twins about 3 weeks ago and it’s been a wonderful addition to our daily routine. Well, it actually has given us a daily routine, a structured routine, and it’s great. Back in the Spring I made the decision not to send the kids to the Methodist Church 3 day a week preschool program I had previously enrolled them in and I’ve not regretted that decision in the least. When I pulled their names of the roll, I knew it would be up to me then to give them the structured learning atmosphere that they need at this age so I started researching and asking friends that home school and decided on the Little Hands To Heaven curriculum. Very pleased with it so far and I highly recommend it to any one looking for home schooling materials.

One thing that I added to our school time is computer time. Man o man do they love it! And I am so proud at how fast they have learned how to operate the computer. James especially, he even was clicking and dragging yesterday! Audrey tends to get frustrated to fast! And just an FYI, PBS Kids has great games for preschoolers. Clifford and Curious George are the twins’ favorites.

Another thing that I have discovered lately is Pinterest. If you are not pinteresting already, well, you should! I have found some wonderful recipes and ideas on there. I love it because of the way it saves all of your favorites; makes them look so pretty and it’s so easy to find everything. Love, love, love it!

        Would like to make this. So easy!

Pumkin Spice Latte, my FAVorite from 

Starbucks. Making TOday!

We have a busy week coming up. Hopefully all of us will be heading out for Birmingham tomorrow afternoon and hopefully the kids and I will be staying for a few days next week. Looking forward to that, let me assure you! We also hope to go up to the Ebeneezer Fellowship in Danville next weekend and I hope, hope, hope those plans follow through. It’s the weekend Jon and I got married, ya know. I can hardly believe we will soon be celebrating our 8th anniversary. Time flies when you are having fun!

Speaking of time flying, can you believe that in just 2 weeks we will be celebrating James and Audrey’s 4th birthday? I cannot. It doesn’t seem possible that I have 4 year old twins. Man I’m getting old, HA!

AND our precious little angel baby will be 3 months old in a week. If you count by weeks, she already is 12 weeks but I’m going by the date so we have a week still to go. Have I mentioned that she’s precious, perfect and an absolute doll baby that just goes with the flow?