We SURVIVED!!!

Well, for Grandma being gone for almost three weeks and daddy going out of town three times within those weeks, this momma was near her end. I am still recovering. Yes, I know many people have it a lot worse off then me-but maybe I am just spoiled. Thankfullly, her house is still being painted so she is staying here-how nice is that- I have live in help for a couple of days. We might not let her move back into her own house even thought she probably needs a well deserved brake from all of her grandchildren.

Let me take a moment here to welcome my newest little niece Ainsley Gray to this world. Abby had her smallest yet at 8 pounds and 11 ounces. Congrats Sophie, Grace, and Georgia on your new little sister! Thank you Abby for sending mom home ready to work!

Today we made cookies, became citizens, and decorated cookies all within about 8 hours. What did you do today, can you top that? Really, I say we but I made the girls and Grandma do it all and I just ate them. Actually, Meg did more eating then cutting or decorating. But Hannah was WAY into this. I see a new tradition starting!

A HUGE thank you to Beth, Summer and Shelby for saving me the last two nights on my own without mom or Charlie. The girls had so much fun and I couldn't believe how easy it was with three extra sets of hands. Really...THANK YOU!!!

Kate started smiling this past week in response to us. I got a couple cute pics today, so here is one of Kate too.

Lindsey's Terrible, Horrible...

No Good, Very Bad Day started out like any other. However, this day both my mom and my husband were out of town and most of the night before I had stayed up with a dog vomiting for three hours. (The dogs always seem to do this when charlie is out of town). So, like I said, it began like any other, breakfast then playing, then lunch, clean up and naps. The UPS guy showed up a half hour before naps were suppose to be done which caused the dogs to bark, waking the kids, not that big of a deal. But Meg woke up unusually weepy. I had to drive 45 minutes north to pick up some Make it Take it Meals that I ordered. I put the kids in the car and handed them their snacks. To which Meg didn't eat, very unusual. I found out why when about ten minutes later Meg threw up all over herself in her car seat. I made the decision to keep driving because it was only about 10 more minutes according to Mapquest. Mapquest is never wrong, right? WRONG, after driving ten minutes both directions off the exit, I was about to just turn around and go home without the food. However, I finally found an Animal Control Man to get correct directions from. I finally find the place, I clean Meg up and am carrying her around the back of the car to get Hannah out when I slip on some ice. I fall to my knees, no big deal, and then drop Meg who smacks her head on the pavement, BIG DEAL! As we both cry sitting in the parking lot a woman approaches to see if we are ok. I go in, pay for the food and come back out to deal with a screaming Kate who is due to eat(b/c we were forty five minutes later then I thought due to incorrect directions) and a very unhappy and sick Megan. I turn a video on in the car and fed Kate a quick snack to tide her over until we can get home. On the way home Meg throws up again and continues to whine because she feels horrible and probably has a terrible headache.

The bright side of the day came when I blew by a state trooper going over the speed limit and he didn't pull me over when I clearly should have been. Maybe he knew I would have a great story and that I would ask him to clean up the vomit while I dealt with the other crying child in the car.

It got a lot better when Charlie's aunt Cindy met me at home to help me get my life back in order. She was able to feed Hannah while I dealt with Meg, hold Kate while I bathed the girls and just listen to my sob story.

I was so glad when the day ended at midnight and my husband walked in the door at 12am this morning. Thanks for listening and probably laughing. I can look back and laugh now too, as long as it doesn't happen any time soon!

Oh, and by the way, no pictures from yesterday either. It wouldn't have been pretty!

New typing posture

I can now type in the reclined position with a child sleeping on my chest. If that isn't multitasking, I don't know what is. I'd have charlie take a picture but he is reading stories.

We had sunshine here today and the temps weren't too bad, high 20's I think, so Charlie took the girls outside to sled on our side hill. They had a blast! They quickly figured out which of the two sleds they liked best. One had a rope and daddy pulled the rider up the hill while the other was a saucer and that rider had to hike up the hill. Hard stuff when your legs are pretty short and your snow boots come up over your knees!

Also some pictures of the girls with Great Grandma Carol (charlie's mom's mom) at Thanksgiving.

Survival Mode....

That's what we are in with Grandma out of town. Today we didn't even leave the house. Well, Hannah, Meg and I bundled up and walked over to get Grandma's mail once Charlie got home. Little Miss Kate has decided she doesn't like to sleep anywhere but in your arms. Not so easy when other people depend on those arms for food, laundry, love and other stuff.

Speaking of Miss Kate, she had her one month check up last week. She is a whopping 9#3 oz (50th %) and 21 3/4 inches long (75th %). While her body hasn't outgrown her clothing, her arms and legs have. She is more awake every day, still sleeping at night for the most part too. She has had a couple 7 hour stretches, which I LOVE!!! I don't have many pictures of her because you can only shoot so many of a child who sleeps all the time. I am falling into the typical third child parent mode and won't have any pictures of her.

I know I often go on and on about my husband but once again tonight I am reminded of how blessed I am to have him. I am listening to him sing "Silent Night" to the girls and it melts my heart. While he doesn't sound quite like Josh Groban, the girls are in awe of him when he sings to them. He explained to me the other night how when he reads them stories before bed they are often fidgety but as soon as he starts singing, they are instantly still. He is such a great daddy. He's even mastered the art of sleeping with a sleeping child on his chest while the Bears are loosing.

Hannah and Megan are way into having a Christmas tree with lights and ornaments in their living room. They amaze me with their comprehension, vocabulary and memories. The other day I said something to them and their Uncle Wes said, "Lindsey, do you really think they understood that?" But they really do understand. Meg tells me several times a day that "Grandma at Abby's." Then Hannah pipes in with, "Grandma, come home."

Last Saturday we braved the 24 degree temps with freezing rain/sleet/hail to attend the local "Jingle Bell Parade" downtown. The girls loved seeing all of the lights, horses, fire trucks and people. Not to mention all the candy they received. Even Kate went with us and was probably the warmest of all. She slept in her covered car seat the whole time and woke up on the way home to tell us she was too warm. Everything is a new adventure for us through the eyes of two almost two year olds. Christmas will be a blast this year. This is the first time in three years that I have decorated and that we will be home for Christmas. We now get to start our very own traditions. Maybe they could start with mom sleeping in and breakfast in bed?!

Enough ramblings from an over paid, under worked mother of three. Maybe some pictures tomorrow?