Jun 17, 2013

Don't Blink!

 I feel like our life is going in fast forward right now.  I really lose track of time, and then suddenly months have gone by.  I went to write in the boys' journals thinking I hadn't done it in a month or so...hmmm, it was actually 5 months.  Then I realized they are boys and most likely they won't care if I kept a journal for them or not.  I think I do it more for me than for them.  Anyway, that was a weird tangent.

Back to the blog.  Jack started Blastball in April.  Basically it is T-Ball, but way more simple.  Everyone bats, everyone runs to first, then they switch to the outfield.  That is the whole game.  Jack was so cute playing.  He was the oldest one on his team and sometimes I think he got a little bored.  Luckily next year, he will be old enough for T-Ball.


During games, Jay either helped coach, or chased Luke around.  This is pretty much what I do wherever we go.  Home...Blastball...church...the mall....I feed babies.  


 Jack carries his trophy everywhere.  He won't let anyone but the babies hold it.  Haha!


Mother's Day was fantastic!  Jay made me creme brulee pancakes, the kids made me cards, I got to sleep in.....It was fabulous.  We took our annual Mother's Day picture where I realized that I have passed my "Chandler smile" on to each of my boys.  We are a photogenic bunch! Ha!


Jack turned 5!  I can't believe how fast that went.  I know parents always say that, but it really is true.  We got him a fish tank with 3 fish.  He named them Grow, Mick (as in Mouse, not Jagger), and Stinkin' Linkin'.  Sadly, Mick and Grow have passed on.  Jack wasn't even sad.  I'm a little worried by how little their deaths affected him. 


Jay took the boys to the zoo for Jack's birthday.  I stayed home with the babies so that they could actually have fun and not have to stop and feed babies.  :)  They had a great time, and I enjoyed my peaceful day at home with only 2 kids.



 

 The babies are growing like weeds and really starting to move around.  Our physical therapist comes three times a month and shows me how to make the most of their movements so that they can catch up with their peers.  They are rolling and doing push-ups, they are starting to discover their feet, and they can hold and suck on toys.  I know it doesn't seem like too much, but for them, we are very proud :)

Tripp proved to me that I do have to strap them into their chairs.


Charlie finally has enough core strength to do Jay's favorite trick.  Tripp is still working on his abs...


 For Memorial Day, we dressed everyone up in red, white, and blue. (Tripp was obviously way more excited than the rest of us about his clothes.) We planned on going down to the cemetery at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, but then we pictured Jack and Luke running around on all of the graves and jumping off of headstones, and the babies screaming, and then we decided we might try that another year.


So, we got ice cream from the ice cream truck instead.  (Jack dresses himself.  Yes, people look at him like he is an orphan.)


The big boys continue to be entertained by the babies.  I am really excited for how much fun they will be having together in a few years.  I really can't wait for that!

 

This past weekend, friends of ours invited us to their lake.  It was so fun!  The water was warm, the weather was perfect, the cicadas were mostly dead.  


The babies enjoyed being beach bums and sleeping under the umbrella.  I don't think I've seen anything cuter than two naked babies sleeping on the sand :)


Luke had a really bad attitude about everything that day, until we forced him into the lake.  Then he decided it was his best day ever.  If only his pants stayed on...


 Lastly, we celebrated Father's Day.  (Mush alert) Jay is an incredible father.  He does so much behind the scenes for us.  He dutifully goes to work every day and comes home happy and ready to wrestle.  He makes sure to have one on one time with each child and with me each day.  He folds laundry, he washes bottles, he rubs my neck, he goes on chocolate runs when I run out, he teaches our children, he wakes up every night with me to feed the babies, and he is just so dang handsome.  We love our dad!


Whew!  That took forever.  See you in 6 months when I get around to this again.

Ocean City

 We were so excited to have my parents come visit in May!  The last few visits we have had from our parents were during our stressful time in the NICU and right after the babies came home, so we were really looking forward to actually having fun with visitors.

We decided to head to Ocean City, MD.  I had been dying for some beach time, and there was a huge classic car show for my dad and the boys to enjoy.  We stayed right on the boardwalk which was so fun.  The cars revved loudly cruising the streets and I'm pretty sure my dad was in heaven.  Funny that I didn't get any pictures of all the cars.

 Jay felt this thing brush by him while he was in the ocean, so he reached down and caught it and dragged it to shore.  I don't know about you, but when I feel something brush by me in the ocean,  the last thing I would do is think about catching it! Ha!  It tried to spear him with his tail, but luckily Jay is quick and dodged the point. 


After catching the huge Horseshoe crab, the boys decided to dig for harmless sand crabs.  They found tons of them and had the time of their lives. 


Luke loves anything creepy crawly. 


My parents were wonderful and helped entertain our very hot and grumpy babies.  The babies did not really enjoy their first beach trip.  Party poopers.  And my dad may be the only person I know to wear jeans and wool socks to the beach :)


The boys had a sand throwing war.  I don't think I got all the sand off of them for 3 baths. 


We walked the boardwalk for a while, but the babies needed a bottle break.  Vacationing is going to be so much more fun when we can just hand them a juice box.  


We had a great time with my parents.  They enjoyed spoiling our kids (and us!) and we love every time they come to visit :)