Surprise Telephone Calls

Jared here. So this morning I got the sweetest call from home. Stacey called and said that Matney wanted to speak to her Daddy. Such a phone call usually means that Matney has been showing her defiant attitude and has been less than absolutely adorable. However, this morning, Matney actually wanted to speak to me. She said "good morning", "love you, Daddy", and "bye-bye Daddy". Needless to say, my heart melted in those 15 seconds. Stacey got on the phone and told me all about how Matney was looking for me this morning when she woke-up and how, after Matney reasoned out that I was at work, Matney essentially asked for Stacey to call me on the phone. What a smart and sweet little girl I have. I am blessed. I love you Matney. I also love you Stacey and Halle. I miss all of you.

I cry. There I admitted it.

If you've known me for a while you know that I tend to not show my emotions very often. There is no doubt that I am a much more emotional person since I had these girls. In fact, I don't even know what to type for this post because I am not sure that I can express what I'm trying to say in a way that will make sense.
Today, we ran to the grocery store just before lunch and I stuck the girls in their high chairs when we got home so that they could start to eat (ok, really so they'd be semi contained) and I could get the food put up. If Halle Kate can see Matney she normally spends much of her time laughing. In return Matney laughs at HK and they just keep giggling. It probably won't be cute in a few years when it is way past bedtime but for now...Anyway, I stuck my head out of the pantry when they were really laughing today and this is what I saw.

I know to you this is just a cute picture of cute girls (and a messy kitchen table). But for me, I was instantly brought to tears and grabbed the camera so that I could always remember this moment. There was nothing special about today. This morning was horrible actually! But these two cuties just laughing at each other... sniff, I've never been part of something so special.








It has been a wild 8 months. Heck, it has been a wild 21 months! But every lost hour of sleep, every frustrating moment with two tiny, needing, deserving baby girls crying at my feet, every single pile of laundry (and there have been more than you can imagine!), every missed event, every frustration, every tear, every tense moment from the past months was gone from my memory as I watched them laugh.
We have several friends getting ready to have baby number two and they've asked about what it is like with two. What I know is this...even though it is crazy in the beginning, seeing your first child (who you've adored for years) laughing with your second (who will quickly become just as precious to you as the first) is something that can make even a "no emotions!" girl like me stop, cry and grab a camera. I can't describe it other than to say it will take your breath away and you'll wonder how you could feel love so strong.
What an incredible opportunity I have each day to wake up and be their mom.

Matney vs. Daddy

Matney wanted her Daddy to read to her tonight. It was his idea actually. She went and picked out her Disney board books. Her daddy didn't want to read the Disney board books. Here are pictures of their evening...Daddy reading Fancy Nancy and M giving up and reading her Disney books to herself. They are both silly.

"Play Letters?"

Matney got this Magnadoodle (however you spell it) for Christmas and her favorite thing to do is "play letters". She and her daddy invented this game and she'll walk around the room carrying it asking everyone, "play letters?". All you have to do is write a letter or number, she tells you what it is and then she gets to erase it. Oh my,she drives me crazy with that thing! I tell her that Daddy is much better than Mommy at playing letters and she should wait until he gets home. Is that nice?

Punk Rock

This post is two fold...one Halle Kate went punk rock today. Check her out playing with her stage and rocking a mohawk! Two, the reason she was punk rock with that mohawk was because we had our first successful bath. WAAA HOOO!!! Since she was born HK has HATED the bath. HATED. I am not exaggerating even a little. As soon as a toe hits the water she starts screaming and turns several shades of red and purple. She doesn't begin to calm down until she's out of the tub and dressed again. She normally just gets sponged down because several people have tried to bathe her and we've all given up. Anyway, now that she's sitting up I've gotten her in the tub with Matney...and myself. I put on a swimsuit and we all play. Until today HK has cried/whined/kept a death grip around me and I wash her quick and get her out. But today...we all splashed and played and the girls got clean with no crying. Thank goodness, it is about time! She played outside the tub while I got M's hair washed and her hair dryed standing up like this. Cutie!









And my play group moms...I know you all can hardly stand to see this toy back out of the attic and singing at my house! No worries, I know you've missed it and you're welcome to come over anytime. Agh! It is so obnoxious!

The Pink Tree is still standing

I am still trying to sort through the Christmas pictures so we're taking a little trip back in time. Actually, if you were to come to our house today this tree is still in Matney's room because she loves it so much. All of our Christmas decorations were down by nightfall Dec 26th, except Matney's pink tree. I just don't have the heart to box it up when she wakes up every morning wanting it plugged in. Here she is teaching Halle Kate not to eat the ornaments. It didn't work. Halle Kate thinks fake snowballs are yummy!

Sister Play Time

So sweet, right? This is what I am pretty sure Matney would type if she knew how to spell!

Hi, Girls! Everyone having a good time?

Um, Halle Kate...get your hand OFF my puppy dog.

I'm still watching you, Halle.

Maybe I should find another toy to give to Halle Kate so that she won't take mine.


Here, have a frog.

Shew, all this sharing is really making me tired!


Take our picture Mom. We are so cute!

I love my sister!