Merry Christmas from Addy & Lilly - guest blogger Aunt Cat visits!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Addy & Lilly! Seeing my nieces has been such a wonderful experience, they are so excited about the holidays. They woke up very early on Christmas, probably to see if they could catch Santa - but 4:30 AM is a little early for most people, Addy & Lilly, however; are not most people. There was some screaming and yelling and finally around 5:45 AM some blessed peace;) They got a ton of really fun presents, not the least of which is a fully functioning kitchen - which took Jeremy and me two hours to put together one night. Swearing at tiny pieces of plastic and drilling and un-drilling because we had done something wrong was a fun way to start the holidays! The following day I tried to put together their new car by myself but could not finish without my trusty assistant, Jeremy! All these cracked out toys that say minimal adult assembly required are liars. Maybe if you had a small team of electricians and mechanics they could whip these toys out but not so much for regular people.

Earlier in the week we took the babies to the children's museum, which they adored. They love the playscape - we of course got there before the museum even opened (Joanna and Lili - you really need to hang out with Addy & Lilly because they love the morning as much as you two do!). So we were the first people in the playscape - Addy and Lilly went fishing, climbed the explorer wall, partied in the sandbox, and rocked out to all the Christmas music.

On Christmas Eve Aimee, Jeremy, Grandma Linda, Grandpa Ian, Addy, Lilly and I went to a church service at the church Addy & Lilly were baptized in. Addy & Lilly thought the Christmas carols were a great reason to shake their bootys, which was the beginning of the inappropriatness. By the end of the service, Lilly was actually front and center on the alter and Addy was heading for the manger. They both ended up in the manger, which is not at all ironic considering we all think they have a lot in common with another baby born on Christmas Day;)

Addy and Lilly have really made Christmas dresses work. They have rocked out a couple of really cute outfits so far. All in all, Addy & Lilly have made this visit memorable - they are so filled with utter joy that it really does melt your heart. I would close by saying they are perfect, but I would be afraid I was underselling them;) Merry Christmas from Addy & Lilly!

We had 21 at our house on Christmas Day...I learned a quick come-back from someone in my local "multiples club". When a stranger gives you unsolicited comments about your family and says something similar to "I bet you have a full house" you can always answer..."I'd rather have it full, than empty!" That described our day!

Christmas Eve--Things To D0....wrap presents (check), leave out cookies for Santa (check), disrupt the church service (check), wake up early in the a.m. (check)....Gosh, we are SOOOOO busy!

Family photo....Christmas Eve...2008

We give out kisses regularly now...a trick that never gets old, similar to showing off our dance moves. Here's Lilly laying one on Aunt Cat.

Addy & Lilly have such wonderful family who get them such thoughtful gifts. They are spoiled to the core, but do display signs of appreciation and thankfulness. As soon as this wears off, Jeremy swears they will be playing with cardboard boxes (which they seem infinitely thrilled with as well). Here are some of their favorite gifts from Christmas 2008....

"Okay, Addy, you and your baby follow me and try and keep up this time going around the kitchen table, okay?"--Lilly (always needing things her way, with new dolls, a pram and stroller)

Our first coupe arrived here, but our mom quickly realized that sharing a toy as cool as this was only going to last so long, so here we are in our first parade! (so we are already good at follow-the-leader, eh?)

"A kitchen that's all our own...if only we could figure out how to make macaroni and cheese."

Our first potty! Mommy & Daddy decided this truly was the gift that keeps on giving (if it get us out of diapers!). Notice, Lilly is sitting on it while using her cell phone from the new kitchen. Who did she learn this from?

"Wait, Elmo doesn't live inside our TV?"