It has been a while...

since I have written on here...I thought life was busy before- now it is busier than ever. Being a working mother of 3 is crazy...I am so grateful that I do not have to get the kids ready in the morning. Chris does a great job with the kids and we are blessed to each have our own time with our children.

Lilly started fall storytime (yes, Chris takes all three to the library once a week at 10 am) and she loves to tell me the story they read that day. She also started Sunday school a few weeks ago and loves it. Chris and I are so worried about what she is going to do or say. The first class she told us she was naughty because she sang too loud?!? This past Sunday I went to get her because I wanted to ask the teacher if she is good...well when I walked in the room she was the only one up on the "stage" and the other kids were sitting down coloring. I asked the teacher if she listens and she said that "she is full of personality". So you can decide what that means :). The teacher then said she got hurt so she let her do what she wanted because she was really upset. (I knew that was a bad choice because Lilly will try to do what she wants everytime...we'll see tomorrow.) Chris and I have been talking to her about listening and taking turns because she loves to entertain and to talk! So, yes, I agree she is full of personality but she needs to learn to listen! Anyway...

Lilly is the best big sister ever. Eli cries and will not calm down when he is hungry- tonight as I am making his bottle Lilly stands in front of him and says "it's okay E. calm down, calm down" in a very calming way (so cute!) and then she dances around trying to get him to laugh or smile. Now that Eli and Ella are watching every move she makes she will perform! She absolutely adores her "little babies" (as she calls them).

Ella and Eli are 6 months old today! I can NOT believe it...half a year old. Where does the time go? I am always asking myself that- one minute I look at the clock and it's lunch time, the next time I look it is supper time, then baths, books, and bed! And that is on the weekend!! Now imagine what it's like during the work week...I know you know what it is like! :)

At 6 months, Ella loves to hang on to our fingers and stand up. She stands up so proud and looks all around. She will make a loud screaming/growling noise...it is so funny! She tries to suck her thumb at night when I put her in her crib, but I quickly replace it with her paci.

Eli, at 6 months, is rolling all over the place. If he can't get to something by rolling he will try to scoot. Whatever he gets a hold of goes straight to his mouth. He talks up a storm and makes gurgling noises all the time, with a very serious look on his face...it is the cutest little face ever!

Eli and Ella tried baby food last weekend. Their first veggie was peas. At first they did not know what to think...but the next day they liked them. The next veggie they tried was carrots. Ella loved them from the very first bite that she kept her mouth open wide while I gave Eli his bite. Eli wasn't sure at first, but again like the peas started to enjoy the carrots. I can't wait to try the fruits with them!

Like Lilly, the babes love music...so we all sing all the time and we enjoy the time we get to have with one another!! We are truly blessed and grateful for our family!

Photos of our 3 Kids...

Reality...

Well... I am back to work. It hasn't been too difficult because I have had a flexible schedule getting my classrooom all situated and I have been able to eat lunch at home and see the kiddos...it is a good way to ease into work. On Wednesday school officially starts so I won't be able to go home for lunch...so we'll see how it goes.

Ella and Eli are 4 months old already and it seems that life with twins seems to be getting easier, of course when I have to go back to work...we'll see how life as a working mom of 3 goes. We put Ella and Eli in their own cribs which was hard for me, I don't know why...maybe I felt like I was taking away some of their security. They have done very well...they also share their room with Lilly, which she loves by the way. We are so lucky and very blessed to have children that sleep really well.

Look for pictures soon!

Baptism of Ella and Eli

Ella and Eli were baptized on Sunday, July 12, 2009. Lilly was so honored to help with the baptism of her brother and sister. We had our families over for brunch and conversation.

4th of July

Lilly was so excited for the 4th of July! She was ready to stay up late and watch the fireworks! I wondered if she would make it...and she did!! It is so fun to experience holidays with children, it brings back so many memories of when I was a child. I think that feeling gets lost somehow as you grow up, but now with children I get just as excited as they do!

Father's Day

Proud Daddy

Lilly posing on Father's Day!

Eli posing on Father's Day.

Ella posing on Father's Day! :)

Photo Fun!

We were trying to take pictures of the kiddos for some thank you cards I wanted to make. It was so fun watching Lilly pose...she was trying to make "scary" faces, I thought they were adorable "scary" faces. Ella kept sticking her tongue out and Eli was trying to figure out what I was laughing about.

Lilly has been enjoying fun activities at the library on Tuesday mornings and story time on Thursday mornings. She has also been on a few picnics and played at the splash pad at Oleson Park.

Ella smiles ALL the time and she giggled for the first time this week.

Eli smiles too, but he talks ALL the time. His face will look real serious and it is like he is telling us a serious story.



I am trying to enjoy every moment of this summer. I know it will continue to fly by.

Lilly is 3!

I can hardly believe it...Lilly is 3 years old. Where does the time go?? It seems like yesterday when we were so thrilled to be expecting our first child...she was well worth the wait of 4 years!!

Lilly is most the amazing little girl!

Lilly loves to talk, talk , talk!! She also loves to play outside, dance, sing, read books, kiss her brother and sister, cook with mom, wash dishes, take baths and showers, paint, color, cut, paste, problem solve, play instruments, shop, and many other things. She pretty much likes to do anything.

Lilly understands and does things that keep us thinking she is a genius! :) She speaks clearly and uses complete sentences. She recites parts of movies, books, and songs. She can recognize all the uppercase letters except Q, she knows her colors, shapes, counting, and can recognize a few numbers. Tonight we learned that she knows what a question mark is...she made one with her spaghetti noodle.

Lilly gets frustrated easily but is getting better at managing her frustration. She uses great manners like please, thank you, your welcome, excuse me (although she says it over and over when interrupting conversation...so funny.)

Lilly is so excited to attend her first "storytime" at the public library, play in her sandbox, do Little Nemos swimming lessons, swim in the backyard, blow bubbles, ride her bike, and run through her sprinkler this summer.

I just can't imagine all the things she will be doing in another year...we are so proud of our little girl!

7 weeks old!!

When I started this blog Ella and Eli were 7 weeks old, now they will be 8 weeks old this coming Friday...where does the time go??

Our lil twinnies are starting to smile and stay awake for longer periods of time. I just love their sweet little smiles.

Last week Eli slept for a nine hour period- it was really nice, but he hasn't done it since. They both eat/sleep for a period of 4-6 hours, mostly the 4! We are truly blessed to have such good babies!

Tomorrow, May 27th, Lilly is going to be 3!! It is so hard to believe that she has been a part of our life for 3 years! She, too, is a true blessing. I am not going to say angel though- she is definitely a busy bee...she keeps us hopping and listening. She TALKS all the time, and tries to make sense of everything we say or things around her. Yesterday we walked to the park with Jill, Bryce, JayLee (cousins), and Jeff (uncle) and Lilly was the slowest thing ever! She was being so observant and talking to Jeff about everything, she would stop to pick a dandelion so she could blow and make a wish! She loved the attention that Jeff was giving her.

Well...I will post 3rd birthday pictures soon!

1 Month Old!

Can you believe that Ella and Eli are already a month old? Time flies when you are having fun! Chris and I are so excited that they both slept for a five hour stretch last night, not that it will happen tonight, but you never know!

We have been trying to enjoy the nice weather. We went to the park as a family of five and Lilly thought it was so funny that "the baby twins were going to the park"- she was so excited to "show them everything at the lion park". While we were at the park we had a nice little picnic.

Ella and Eli are growing, they are both starting to move their head around a lot, they try to focus in on faces and respond to our voices, especially Lilly's!

Eli has the biggest eyes, and when he is awake he tries to look all over the place. He loves to turn his head toward the lights in the living room.

Ella loves being held, especially while lying on the chest, she has also been smiling (I don't think it is gas either!). She is still a lil peanut but she moves around a lot!

We have tried putting them in the swing and bouncy chair and they LOVE them both!

This past week Jamie was here everyday helping out, which was GREAT, we miss her already. She also spent the night a couple nights. Ella became her little buddy!

Lilly, Ella, and Eli were hanging out yesterday. Lilly thought her baby twins would enjoy a Thomas movie so she put in the DVD and they all "watched" TV! When we were getting the babies ready for bed Lilly decided she wanted to try out the crib and get a picture! The last photos are of Easter. Ella and Eli looked so cute in their "dress-up" outfits. Lilly looked adorable in her Easter dress too.

We had a 2 week check up yesterday and both babies are growing and doing very well. Ella now weighs 5 lbs. 2 oz., so she can be in a "real" car seat...we had to take her home in a car bed (I will put a picture of it on here next time). Eli weighs 7 lbs. 2 oz. They are really good babies and I think we are adjusting well to having 3 kids...we are trying really hard to feed Ella and Eli at the same time other wise it feels like all you do is feed and change diapers.

Those of you who heard I was readmitted to the hospital this week should know that I am doing good and my blood pressure is staying normal instead of jumping all over the place. Today I actually felt like I had energy and could do more stuff...but I also need to not over do it (as Chris keeps saying). I go back to see the dr. on Tuesday.

Newest Additions to Our Family

Well, I thought I would try out blogging.

Ella Jean and Eli Christopher were born on Friday, April 3, 2009. We were all able to come home on Monday, April 6, 2009. I think it is so amazing and a definite miracle that they are finally here and doing so well...Those of you that I have talked to within the last week know that Chris and I are running on very little sleep. Although on Easter Sunday my parents did the late night feedings...which was WONDERFUL, Chris, Lilly, and I slept in the basement like 3 angels!! Chris and I are very confident that it will get better...it actually as gotten better since we have discovered these swaddler blankets (thanks to Amy and Ann- Chris says we owe you BIG time) Ever since we started putting the "swaddlers" on them at night they have been sleeping much better at night...

Big Sister Lilly is fighting a bad cold right now but she is loving the time we all get to spend at home with each other...she is in love with her new little siblings but is very anxious for them to play. Every once in a while she will stop whatever she is doing and say "I need to check on my baby twins!"