Happy Birthday Jake!

Holy Tartar Sauce!

Spongebob's famous words sum up how we cannot believe Jacob turned five and he's not our baby anymore. He has such a old soul about him and sometimes I feel like I'm talking to an adult. However, there are those days where the five year old kicks in and tantrums ensue only with more throwing and hitting. Days that you wish he was only one again.

We had a wonderful bowling birthday party for him with 10 of his "guy" friends from pre-school. They had a great time and bowled they're little arms off! Around the fifth or sixth frame, we started to lose them and the floor looked more appealing than throwing a heavy ball.






After that, we had pizza and drinks followed with cake and ice cream. Spongebob was the theme and the cake was no exception - very cute! Lots of gifts and laughs with the boys that hopefully they will remember for years to come. I had some of the parents stick around and help me which was a godsend. Eleven little boys like spinning tops is more than I could handle! Thank you Moms & Dad's!

The 5 years have zipped by and since it's Jake's GOLDEN birthday - this party was a celebration that will only pass once. Dad and the twins hung out at home because that is an insanity we wanted to completely avoid. Chasing toddlers down bowling alleys is not my idea of fun.

Happy Birthday Nick & Abby!

Nick & Abby turned one and we had a nice birthday party with our friends. It's hard to believe that it's been a year (seeing that the first 6 months we're a blur) but we made it through and they are wonderful little babies. The pictures of them in their car seats puts it into perspective how small they we're when we brought them home and how chunky they are now. Time just flew by too quickly!

Mom toasted some wine for making it through and Dad had some beers - yippee! Now the real work begins. Nick was very clean when eating his cake - Abby, not so much. They are so different and I love seeing how they tackle things separately. John & I are very happy to have such a wonderful group of neighbors/friends and to have such wonderful people in our life to support us through a very busy year. Thank you!

Hello Santa!

We went to see Santa and tell him everything we wanted for Christmas. I knew Jake would do great on Santa's lap - the twins - pretty sure that they would cry. Well, they proved me wrong - they did great too and Abby just stared at the guy in red with amazement. It was fun to see their reactions to the whole process. Next year will be interesting to see if the try to run for it. For now, we got some good pictures.

I like it!

Well, we had a very busy month after Thanksgiving and it's only going to get busier.
We put up a tree over that weekend and decorated the house for Christmas. John put up the lights outside on the last remaining warm day before the snow flew and flew and flew. Is it just me or has it been a lot of snow for December in a long time?

The kids love the tree and when the gates are down - the twins take off running. Now you may ask "did they put a tree up with all those tiny hands grabbing ornaments in the family room?" The answer is "ARE YOU CRAZY?" We set up in the living rooom/dining room which is blocked from anyone (Abby) tackling the tree, stealing ornaments (Nicky) and grabbing ribbon (Abby). Nick has had a rough go with teeth the last couple of months - he already has 8 and his molars are just popping through - so he really hasn't talked much until the last two weeks. He's been fun to listen to and his gestures crack us up. Abby still only has the bottom two but her tops have come through and we can see more on the way. Thank GOD for Ibuprofen! In the video I ask Nicky if he likes the tree - and if you listen - he repeats me. I swear! I swear!
The rest of the video is a constant trying to keep up! Jake is hopped up on sugar...

Maybe I need some ibuprofen?

So this was our crazy weekend:
Friday: work Christmas party for John,
Saturday afternoon: 13th annual Cookie exchange at Mary Ellen's house in Delafield
(took 2 days to make 8 dozen cookies - ugh!),
Saturday evening: Our 10th annual neighborhood round robin,
Sunday afternoon: PACKER GAME on TV (yeah! they clinched the NFC north division title) then drove to Janesville to see Santa, grandparents, aunt & cousins.

Whew...
Christmas is 2 weeks away...
I'm beat.

Getting ready

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is approaching and there is so much to do with Christmas creeping in. Is it just me or is there NEVER enough time in the day to get what I need to get done? I create a list and mysteriously, things just keep getting added to it. I blame El Nino. :)

So, they other day Jake and I had 2 WHOLE HOURS FREE while the babies napped. That has never happened to this day. I asked Jake if we should write a letter to Santa and tell him what he wants for Christmas. He couldn't stop jumping up and down with happiness - so away we wrote.
It was a short letter but decorated beautifully with Jake's great artwork. Crooked tree and all. Santa would be very pleased to hear from him and get his ideas. We looked up Santa's address on the internet for the North Pole and dropped it into a RED envelope. "Can't have anything else but red" Jake said. A couple of holiday stickers for a final touch and whallah! - the video will fill you in on the rest of the process.

Now we wait to hear back from Santa - he always sends a letter to let Jake know that he's watching and that he hopes to bring what he wants for Christmas. Ahh, to be a child and dream of Christmas morning - good times - good times. It's definitely one that brings a smile to my face remembering many as a young girl. I hope the sound is okay on the video - you might have to turn up the volume a bit to hear.

Boo...

A couple requests of pictures from this past Hallowed eve and what costumes we're worn by the kids. We had a superhero, a pumpkin & a happy witch who all went trick or treating. Jake went with the older neighbor kids while the little ones hung out at home by the fire and smiled for everyone. We always enjoy hanging out with our neighbors and a firepit while the kids go gather candy - LOTS of candy. Does anyone need candy? Anyway, Jake came back around 7:30 and asked to go to bed. WHAT!?! He was so pooped from swim lessons in the morning, a swim birthday party in the afternoon then walking the block for trick or treating. The 4 year old was wiped. He hardly EVER asks to go to bed. In fact, he's the master of stalling which is why we call him "Captain Staller." Too bad they don't have a super hero costume for that - he fits that stereotype better. But Superman was pretty cute too! The babies we're in bed by 7:30 and mom & dad had some fun just sitting and chatting with our friends. Hard to believe that Christmas is only a month away - yikes! I have got to get that list together for shopping. I hate all of you who have their shopping done already - not fair.

Going in two directions

I guess it isn't a surprise that the twins would both take off together - they've done everything together from the beginning. I just didn't think that I would truly love what a chair feels like since I don't sit too much these days chasing after them. Not that the chair moments don't happen - but holy man - they are fast.

Jake is always covering me with one of the babies when I can't be in both places. He has mastered the under the arm carry with both of them to bring them back to the "safe zone." Sometimes I still have that feeling of "yikes" when he picks them up but he is a strong little guy. Nick & Abby have mastered carrying objects with them which means that if they fall - the outcome may not be so nice. We often have fat lips, cuts in the mouth and a couple of forehead bruises but they seem to just get up and keep going. Thank goodness they are so squishy and soft! Nicky needs a bit more meat on his bones compared to Abby but he endures the hard floor with his boney diaper butt! The chase begins!