8.25.2013

Campin' Out with Daddy..

Best daddy in the whole wide world award goes to this one!!!! While mommy was out of town getting baby Ashton Kate checked out at the doctor, daddy made a quick trip home to Clayton to spend the night. Not wanting to miss a fun opportunity to make some memories with his oldest daughters, he set up camp right there in the living room of Nana & G-Dad's house and made a night of it! SO stinkin' cute! The girls haven't stopped talking about watching a "movie" in the tent and their flashlights (baby lanterns) they had. Such a special time for our girls to have daddy's undivided attention and to store away such sweet memories with him. Of course I'm sure that means mommy won't quite measure up to that kind of fun! :) Our girls don't know the fullness to which they are blessed to have the daddy they do quite yet, but one day they will! And...I think they all managed to get a tad bit of shut eye as well...or at least as much as they get on a "normal" night in our humble abode. =)

Helping daddy set up "camp..."
Getting the sleeping pads blown up...=)
Showing G-Dad where they will be sleeping for the night!
Daddy and his tent mates!
Exploring the tent, testing out lanterns and settling in for a Dora episode...life is grand as a two year old! =)

8.22.2013

Discovering Summer Fun in Auburn

 
 
We've had to get a little creative this summer in finding ways to get out of the apartment here in Auburn. Heaven knows this mommy does much better not cooped up all day long in a two-bedroom apartment! =) We have managed to get out most days thankfully! Whether meeting friends at the pool, hitting up the splash park, making our weekly run to Dunkin Donuts for "blueberry munchins" or Bruster's for some ice cream, we've almost survived the heat! Daddy has also been super intentional about getting us out at night to change up our scenery as well! We have gone to feed the ducks and turtles, taken several walks along the golf course, and enjoyed several meals downtown & walking around campus! We also thoroughly enjoyed the three concerts at Monkey Park, complete with snow cones, train rides, and fun on the playground on Tuesday nights! Every event these days is a memory as our time with just the four of us is dwindling. We are trying to make the most of the time with Kendall not busy at work and before this next little one arrives! And while Auburn doesn't have quite as many options to entertain the little ones as Birmingham does, we have enjoyed making new friends and exploring new places!
 
 
 
 

8.20.2013

1st Weekend Getaway with Two Sets of Twins in the Family =)

 We had been looking forward to this moment/day/trip ever since we laid eyes on these precious nieces of ours! The time where we would all be under roof with 2 sets of twins, living life together! The time had finally come, Praise the Lord! What a fun and blessed weekend we had with the whole Currie family in Destin! We were able to enjoy an extra day off from work and make it a long weekend and despite the rain, we had such a good time! Our expectations were rather low, not knowing what to expect with four toddlers with definite opinions, picky appetites, and poor sleeping habits, ha!! but all in all, they surprised us all and got along great and had such a fun time together! We were able to hit up all of our favorite spots in Destin: Donut Hole, Back Porch, Tommy Bahama, Kilwin's & of course the beach for the kiddos! We also now have a favorite rainy day spot: Bass Pro Shop & Barnes & Noble! You do what you gotta do! =)
It really was such a special trip to all be together and we praise God that they are now in Uncle Nathan & Aunt Kim's care. The many, many nights of the girls helping us pray for Abbie and Evie's adoption were finally answered and fulfilled. And our girls LOVE them so much! They ask to pray for them almost nightly and ask where they are all the time! We look forward to many more memories together as family and pray for the salvation of these four precious ones regularly! Precious gifts from God that have been entrusted to us & we praise Him for that blessing!
 
 

8.02.2013

2 Years & 4 Months-Getting Nostalgic Over their "Littleness"

 
2 YEARS 4 MONTHS
Weight: Mak-26.4 lbs; MG-29.6lbs
Height: Mak-33in   MG-34in
Diapers: Mak-Size 4; MG- Size 5
Clothes: Mostly 24 months or 2T for both to make it easy
Shoes: Mak: size 5; MG: size 6
Teeth count: Mak: 14 with 2 on the way; MG: 16


What new things you girls have done this month!? (from 27-28mo)
-Biggest change this month was moving to BIG GIRL BEDS!- July 6th after both of you climbed out many, many times and it was becoming dangerous in the middle of the night =)
-You both are still so different and while you love each other dearly, you still fight like sisters =)
-Phrases we still hear a lot of lately: “Munny” (Mg’s version of bunny!) “that’s mine!” “water, water” each night after their milk is gone, “squeeze me” for excuse me, "funder and rain” (thunder & rain), “I’m busy right now,” “poo poo diaper” (so you have a reason to get out of your bed!), “I wake up, I woke up,” “I eat breakfast,” “I’m full mommy,” “I not tired, I not sleepy,” “Sip/bite of mommy’s,” “mommy, I change sissy’s diaper,” “Kenzie, come here or Maddie Gace, come here!” “Help me, sissy!” “I need help,” “I yove you too mommy/daddy,” “I not reach it, I not see it!” “I play game mommy!”
-Never let us miss part of our family worship routine and will remind us to “read our bible” if we try to shorten it on a late night & can currently recite almost 2 bible verses! =)
-Love going to visit “daddy’s office!” and definitely know where we are when we pull in and can recall what we did the last time we were there and where we ate!
-Really good memories-can remember what we did where and what we ate, blows mommy’s minds to hear what all you both can recall!
-Makenzie knows her shapes well but not her colors and Maddie Grace knows her colors much better than her shapes
-Both will sing a variety of songs including Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Jesus Loves Me, Father Abraham, ABC’s, This Little Light of Mine, Old McDonald and also will count when playing hide and seek or jumping in water at the pool
-Ways you are both still so DIFFERENTMaddie Grace is still our more “quiet” one unless she is having a meltdown whereas Makenzie is our talker and will talk all day long! Maddie Grace likes books but not even close to the same love that Makenzie has for them-Mak will sit in my lap as long as I’ll keep her there and read for quite a while. Maddie Grace loves covers at nap/bed and Makenzie usually doesn’t’ care for any; Maddie Grace LOVES to dress herself & usually gets everything on just right whereas Makenzie is totally uninterested in doing it herself; Maddie Grace still takes everything in and is so careful/cautious/deliberate/intentional/and puts a lot of time and effort into what she is working on whereas Makenzie is quick/hasty/in a hurry just to do it fast and move onto something new; Maddie Grace is still much more calm and reflective and pensive whereas Makenzie is still spunky/lively/wild/energetic and very full of energy most of the day; Maddie Grace does not like to cuddle or have you hold her very often unless she is sleepy or hurt whereas Makenzie is very very affectionate and loves to give hugs/kisses/be as close to you as possible as much as possible; Maddie Grace is still usually a fantastic sleeper and once asleep is out for 11-12 hours and Makenzie is still a very light sleeper, waking up at least once a night and usually only sleeps 10-11 hours at most lately. Maddie Grace is a little more feisty/aggressive and will hit or push her sissy whereas Makenzie usually does not do that but will instead aggravate or run off with something to get Maddie Grace worked up.
-Ways you are ALIKE: You both LOVE babies and will play all day with them and are still such great little mommies to them! You LOVE taking them in the bathtub with you or to the pool lately! You both can communicate usually exactly what you want and will keep saying it until we understand you. You both love to play “games” with mommy as you call them or do learning activities with me. You love having mommy play and interact with whatever you are doing. You also love lotion and using q-tips after bath time; You love when daddy gets home and will wrestle, do airplane, and rough house in ways that mommy cannot right now; Both still big mommy’s girls & want mommy to carry, brush teeth, change diapers, etc rather than daddy; still both obsessed with all things wipe related-Clorox, diaper wipes, Kleenex, toilet paper; Both love making big messes together and will work together to be “mischievous” little things! Both love treats (surprise surprise)-lollipops from bank, Bruster’s ice cream cones, gummies, etc; You both still despise (esp MG) having dirty feet or hands and immediately want a rag or something to wash them off with! You also love to help mommy cook in the kitchen and help make muffins, cookies, or pancakes!
-Find you almost daily taking off each other’s diapers and wiping each other or doing it yourself!
-LOVE going to the pool and have gotten so much braver over the course of the summer!
-Tastes in food are still very different-Mak requests waffles/pancakes for every meal! She loves her carbs and prefers toast, English muffins, pancakes, waffles, Raisin Bread, etc over eating fruit whereas Maddie Grace usually leaves the carbs behinds and scarfs down all of her fruit willingly. Mealtime is still not always a pleasant experience to say the least but some days are better than others-Lately, you both want to be big girls and eat at your little table or at the “big” table with mommy & daddy-haven’t used the high chairs much lately. 
-The minute music comes on, Makenzie gets on her princess tutu and goes to town dancing. She quickly asks Maddie Grace to dance with her and sometimes she complies and other times she just watches! Absolutely hysterical watching the two of you dance all over the place and bust out some moves!
-Makenzie is quite the copycat these days-watch out what you say because she will repeat just aobut everything you say, whether on the phone or just in person and thinks she’s quite funny doing it too. She also is relentless and will keep repeating herself until you acknowledge what she is saying and will say it over and over and over again!
-Maddie Grace is a little negotiator and is already set to make a great lawyer-cracks us up to see Little Kendall in her! She loves to go back and forth to get what she wants-if you say 1 cracker, she’ll say 2, if you say time for bed, she’ll ask for 2 more min to play, and so on.
-Really enjoy being outside, blowing bubbles, sidewalk chalk, watching movies with animals/babies, painting, coloring, their water table, tent, & toting around their baby dolls!
-You girls talk about baby Ashton Kate a lot (esp Mak!) and laugh hysterically when you put your hand on mommy’s tummy and think you feel her kick! You love to give her kisses and offer your bunny and paci to her J We hope you love her this much once she really arrives!