Diaper free....

We are diaper free and not turning back...pray for my sanity!

Friends....

I'm fortunate to have a few really, good girlfriends. I hope this for Addy & Lilly, because it's one of the best relationships in the world. Some of my girlfriends live local, others live at a distance. The ones I appreciate the most are those who may visit sporadically, but each time you get together, it is like no time has passed at all. They're the kind of friends who you can sit around and talk for hours or not talk at all and we know what the other is thinking. Jenny--you are that friend to me and I thank you! And thanks to Grandma & Grandpa Ash for letting us escape for a weekend and catch up with a few of these friends of ours!

Trip to the Movies = Failure

It feels more like monsoon season in Indiana than the peak of summer, so after it rained EVERY bit of the night last night, I knew our outdoor activities were limited for the day. That coupled with the fact that Lilly has some weird summer cold, I was looking for entertainment. There are only so many puddles to jump in before this mom gets tired. I decided it was a perfect day to try one of the local $1 movie matinees for kids (and a tub of buttery, artery clogging popcorn for me). I checked online and the nearest theater was playing "Alvin & the Chipmunks" so we put on our rainboots and headed out. Arriving at the theater, we learned that the movie was "Kung Fu Panda" instead and I knew the outcome wouldn't be good. Addy's never been to the movies before and Lilly has only gone once, so I worried this wasn't a good starter movie for them, but we were there, so we bought our popcorn and settled in....

Then a mere 28 minutes after the movie began, we headed home....not quite ready for Kung-Fu Panda just yet.

Back to the Grind...

Well, if "Back to the grind" you mean splash parks, blow-up pools in the backyard, sprinklers and A LOT of popsicles. It's tough being 2, right??? The important thing is that Addy has had no ill effects from the fall last week and only remembers it as the "boo-boo that made me go to the regergency doctor", so we are thankful! We've been dodging thunderstorms and having summertime fun. Knowing I can't put my baby in a bubble, I've done my best to just let things go. We went to our annual twins club summer picnic and the girls LOVED every minute of it. Enjoy the pictures below, most of them courtesy of the uber-talented Jennifer--so thanks!

Lilly giggles as she pours water over everyone's feet and thinks it's hilarious!
Mastering the "big kid" playground at a very young age....
Fill it up...dump it out....repeat...
Addy, just hanging out with her "twwwwiiiiiiinnnnnnn friends"
Lilly looking as cute as ever....

I told you it was a tough life!

Pretty in Pink & Addy's ER Visit

The cutest patient in the ER that day!

Addy's sick and I get a chocolate doughnut--life is good for Lilly!

Jeremy left for a mancation/bachelor party weekend (more like half a week) on Thursday morning for a really good friend, John, who is getting married in July. I was happy he was going, he needs to get away every once in a while and a trip into the mountains, white-water-rafting and golfing was perfect for him. That said, I need to plan a solo get-away STAT. Anyone with me?

During the 4 days he's been gone, it has gotten progressively and uncomfortably hot in Indiana, so we've been spending a lot of time in water. Thursday was no exception, we met a friend at the Splash Park mid-day and had a blast. Addy took a spill, backwards, when she ran into another kid, but recovered quickly and I didn't think much of it. Later that day, she seemed fine even though I knew she'd have a nasty goose-egg (nothing new for her). She went down for bed fine that night, but woke up in agony on Friday. She was hysterical, the egg on her head had grown and she was refusing to walk, move her neck or do much besides cry in pain. If she laid perfectly still on my chest, she was fine, but if I tried to move her, she screamed. It was terrifying for us all. After Lilly got dropped off at Grandma Jody's and a panicky chat with my peds office, we were off to the ER. They did a CAT scan to rule out all the things my mind went to (brain bleed, spinal injury, etc, etc) and about 4 hours after she had woken up, she took her first steps of the morning. My active, crazy, run-around girlfriend was not herself and I was carrying a lot of guilt for blowing off the fall the day prior. However, the doctor reassured me that it was probably just muscular. He compared it to an adult car accident--always worse the day after. He said if she was having muscle spasms coupled with a monster headache from the swelling, it was just pain she was unfamiliar with and was more scared than anything. Thankfully, Uncle Jon was able to join us at the hospital to keep A entertained and besides a bit of a stiff neck, she seems great now!

So, we've been trying to have a few boring days to follow-up on the craziness of Friday. We are anxious for daddy to return and will keep trying to beat the Indiana heat!

All dressed up for church with Grandma Linda

All smiles!

And a bit of mischief...

Interview with Lilly--34 months

Lilly continues to be our social butterfly, striking up conversations with everyone she meets and is rarely not talking. In fact, just a few minutes after this conversation took place, she befriended the Comcast repair man and began to ask him about his favorites. She has strong opinions about most things (color of the sippy cup she's given, cartoon figure on her diaper, the weather outside, the food on her plate, etc.) She currently sleeps in "her fort" that daddy assembled over her bed and most enjoys when he puts her to bed and sings Beatles tunes and other songs that "Mommy doesn't do right." She's a fish in the water right now and will quickly be swimming on her own. You can compare these answers to what she said in November here.

Lilly, how old are you? "Two"

When's your birthday? "August"

What's your favorite color? "Purrrrrrrrrple"

What's your favorite song? "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ now I know my ABC's next time won't you sing with me is my favorite"

What's your favorite thing to do inside? "Play games"

What's your favorite game? "Duck Duck Goose"

What's your favorite thing to do outside? "Ummmmmmmm, go to the pool"

What's your favorite food? "Everything" (not true)

What's your favorite thing to have for breakfast? "French Fries"

What's your favorite thing to have for lunch? "French Fries"

What's your favorite thing to have for dinner? "French Fries"

What's your favorite book to read? "Itsy Bitsy Spider"

What's your favorite store? "Target"

What do you like to buy there? "Ummmmm, strawberries, ice cream and polka dots"

Pool time!

A few freshly sprouted freckles across her beautiful nose...

Ready for the pool!

Interview with Addy--34 months

Yep, we are just 2 months shy of having 3 year olds! I'm hoping to kiss the terrible two's goodbye and for those of you that tell me 3 is worse, I'm praying you are wrong. Don't get me wrong, for the most part Addy is this wonderfully, engaged, polite, little person. She's the first to say "Thank-you for taking me to the park today, mommy" or "I had such a great fun time with my friend today, mommy". However, when she stresses out, she stresses out, she yells, throws tantrums & screams at the top of her lungs. She's as active as ever and runs FAST. She eats well and sleeps better than anyone else in our house (mostly because we separated her from her sister). She is also quick to tell me that she'll stop wearing diapers on her birthday. You can compare these answers to what she said in November here.

Addy, what's your favorite color? "Red"

What's your favorite song? "ummmmmm, Tinkle, Tinkle, Little Star and the ABC's"

What's your favorite book? "Elmo Loves Me"

What's your favorite food? "Watermelon"

What's your favorite thing to do inside? "Play with babies, blankets and water bottles" (THIS IS SO TRUE!)

What's your favorite thing to do outside? "Go to the park with my friends"

Who's your best friend? "Mallory"

What's your favorite thing to have for breakfast? "Pancakes and dip"

What's your favorite game? "Bug game"

"Hey mom, wanna play that game, right now?" Sure babe--let's go play...

Locks of Love

Before having twins, I used to volunteer regularly, donate blood every 60 days or so and mentor college kids in they ways they could best give back to their communities. Since having A & L, I got a job with a non-profit and I volunteer with a non-profit of amazing multiple moms, but I don't volunteer in the true sense of volunteerism. Jeremy and I are more often found writing a check than giving our time. Unfortunately, it just is the way it is right now. So, when I met a few people who had done Locks of Love, I thought "I can do that, someone would love to get my fiery red hair!". After my rounds of pre-natal steroid vitamins during my pregnancy, my hair grew faster than ever. 10 inches wasn't easy to get to and my hair was probably longer than it ever had been before and is now almost the shortest I've ever gone, but it was a fun process.

Icing on the cake was a brief conversation I had in the salon with a women who is a brain cancer survivor, 5 years treatment free after wearing wigs for 10 years. She expressed gratitude for what I was doing and was quite proud to show off her "new do" with the hair that has eventually grown back for her! Anyway, here is the before and after, perhaps motivating for anyone who reads this to think about how they can do their part!

BEFORE
AFTER