What A Christmas!

So just a quick post this time to catch up....
Christmas Eve we awoke to a very sick little boy. Poor Max was the sickest ANY of our kids has ever been and after running a high fever for the better part of two days (which we were unable to bring down with over the counter meds) ended up in the ER on Christmas Day. Luckily they were able to bring his fever under control as well as stop the vomiting but we then moved on to a couple more DR visits over the next few days which confirmed a severe ear and throat (sinus) infection. Our poor little Max was in so much pain and on so much medication that he alternated between screaming and then sleeping for what seemed like the whole week. Happily he seems to be making the corner today and we pray that it's the end of this TERRIBLE bug for our family. Needless to say it wasn't the Christmas we envisioned but it was still wonderful to spend time with family that we don't see everyday. (THANKS MOM AND DAD.. WE COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT THROUGH THE WEEK WITHOUT YOU!!!)

Here's the picture we used on our Christmas cards this year.


The Familia on Christmas Day (sick baby and all!)

Little Cookie

Big Thanks to Kurt and Amy for having us over at their Christmas Cookie Party! Sophia had so much sugar  fun decorating her  very own little cookies and loved tagging around behind Amber and all the other kids. Thanks guys!

The boys try and  make a grab for dem' yummy cookies!

Her technique was a combination of mixing colors and globbing as much frosting onto one cookies as possible. Looks like she succeeded! 

Makes My Monday: Siblings At Play

First Alex and Sophia took a turn pushing Max on the little pink car. 

Then Max took a turn pushing Sophia.

 

He actually had way more fun being able to push "big sis".  Life with three little ones is so much fun when they are old enough to play together!

.

Thanks to Cheryl at Twinfatuation for hosting "Makes My Monday!"

Way Back When-esday

Dateline: Sept 25th 2006 (The date counter is right!)

Age: 10 Months

Thought I'd play along again with everyone at Twinfatuation and dug through some of our "aged" pictures to find this one of Sophia at 10 months (same age as boys now). I love looking at past pics of her, specifically at this age, because it is a great reminder that she was, and is now, also our baby. As the older sibling I often have higher expectations of her and want her to act like "big sister", perhaps unfairly at times. It's important for me to take a step back and see her not just as the oldest but as our baby still.

Makes My Monday: Good Friends

As part of the "Makes My Monday" Theme over at Twinfatuation I thought I'd play along with this pic of the kids and our good friends Ali and Tyler. Having them as friends over the last year has been such a blessing. Sophia loves to spend time with them and we will all miss them as they move on to their next adventure in Colorado!

Christmas: Round 1

This weekend we kicked off the first round of Christmas parties with a family dinner party and gift opening extravaganza at Aunt Irene's  (yes, of the legendary Chocolate Cake and other tasty treats.) Unfortunately the baby boys were under the weather (Again! It seems those two are on a mission to beef up their immune systems and fast!) so we called it an early night and had everyone in bed and asleep (parents included) by 8pm. Who says we don't know how to party!! 

Alex and Max thought Sophia was the most interesting thing in the room.  We told her to say "Cheese" but she kept shouting out other strange things instead like "squirrel!". The boys loved it! 

 



Anyone else notice Alex's precarious position? Yea.. Nelson was definitely in trouble when I saw my baby hanging upside down in the playback.  Only a Daddy!

From Bethlehem to The North Pole

The Christmas tree is up, the stockings are decorated and hung, and the first Christmas card has arrived (thanks Shannon!). We've even had a little eggnog (sans the rum) and watched more than one primetime TV Christmas show

[On a side note, the 70s were seriously a very strange time for cartoons. Check out Santa Claus is Coming to Town to see what I mean. The warlock and Burgermiester Miesterburger  were a much needed addition to Sophia's fright arsenal. She didn't want to sleep that night for fear the regime would burst through the door and confiscate all her beloved toys. Nice.]

 Despite that little hiccup this is the first year lil' Miss is old enough to really understand and participate in Christmas. She wakes up every morning proclaiming "Today is Christmas Day, YAY, YAY, YAY!!", which while exciting for her, is not as fun for the person who must always play the part of the grinch.  

GRINCHIE MOM: "Actually Love we still have a couple more weeks to go".

The Lil' Miss : "Oh... (sad down turned little face) So tommorrow then????"

GRINCHIE MOM:  Sigh "Yes, tomorrow."

When you're 3 everything in the future i.e. not happening on that very day is "tomorrow" , likewise anything that happened in the past is "yesterday". Makes life easier in some ways.

Anyhow the one thing I have been bumping up against is conveying to her the true meaning behind Christmas. We've read the Nativity Story and talked about it as much complexity as you can with a three year old.  She seems to understand that we're celebrating  the birth of Jesus but beyond that it gets way confusing. 

Sample Questions:  So when is Jesus arriving for his big birthday party? Does he tell Santa to bring me the gifts or does Santa tell Jesus what I want and somehow they work together on Christmas Eve? Does Rudolph help the star lead the three kings to the baby Jesus?  When did Jesus become a baby?

I'm thinking we'll do a reading of the Nativity Story on Christmas Day and have some cake and ice scream along with a "Happy Birthday To Jesus" carol or two. We're also planning to attend a "Live Christmas Tree" performance tomorrow so that may help. Any other thoughts on how to bring the meaning of Christmas back to basics?

While you ponder that question, here's a glimpse of our lovely tree.

Foodie Friday

I finally found a food that is easy to make, healthy and pleasing to even my hardest critic (yes you, Sophia!) The clean up wasn't as fun (think crumbly chocolate muffins) but it was well worth seeing all three kids inhaling every last crumb!  Here's the recipe and pics of my chocolate covered babies.

Make a Smilebox recipe

You know you live in NM when...

rather than winter snow to shovel, you get a monster sized tumbleweed in your driveway!

Way Back When-esday

A few blogs I visit do a fun weekly posting on Wed to revisit old pics. Thought I'd play along with a pic of Sophia in 2005 (at just seven weeks old) v. today.

Shenanigans!!!

Pancho Villa Santa

This weekend was NMSU's annual Noche De Luminarias. We enjoyed a ride in a trolley car around campus viewing the beautiful luminarias, Christmas cookies, hot cocoa and other goodies and the kids were able to sit for awhile with Santa. This was also the first year Sophia was not terrified at the prospect of going near a real "live" Santa. She even waited in line multiple times so she could sit with him again. Maybe it had something to do with Santa looking so similiar to other family members or maybe it was the candy canes he was handing out, hmmm ......

And Finally Just For Fun Our Pic From Last Year's Noche!

Reason #126 to Get Out of Work

People make up all kinds of excuses to get out of work.  Illness, death of second cousins best friend cat, court summons, religious restrictions from working past 2pm on a Friday. The list could go on. But not many  people get to use the "My daughter is stuck in a chair and I must go home to help extract her "excuse but a few weeks ago Patrick was lucky enough to have just that opportunity. 

During lunch that day Sophia somehow managed to wedge her leg backwards into a chair and very quickly discovered that she was stuck into position. Despite thirty minutes and my best efforts (including holding her upside down in the air and trying to shake the chair in the opposite direction) I was not able to pull her from the chair or it from her. It was at this point that it became evident to us both that it was either her knee cap or the chair  but one was not going to walk away intact. This was the point at which she became hysterical and left me with no other option than to call Patrick  at work and plead for his assistance. I can only imagine the looks from his boss and coworkers as he explained the reason he was rushing home.

*Despite being pretty wedged in there she was still able to hobble around and take toys away from the boys while waiting for Daddy to arrive and rescue her.

*Just as a quick note: Sophia is now free from the chair, an effort that did not require a trip to the ER or a chain saw. It took Patrick all of a couple minutes to maneuver her out of it.  He said it was all about the angles. I KNEW I should have paid more attention in Geometry!!!

Still here

It's been some time since our last post. Between a long visit from our good friend the flu (who made sure that every member of the family felt it's wrath) and trying to continuously keep up with everything (and everyone! We officially have a 'walker' but more on that later) computer time has been sadly neglected. So a quick recap:

Thankgiving Day: Patrick and I spent the day (and majority of the weekend) on clean up duty. One child after another, after another, alternatively vomiting is not the way we envisioned the holiday but we got through it and as of two days ago everyone is back to feeling great. Big thanks to Grandma Nelson, Tia Irene and Tia Sonia for all the yummy leftovers! It got us through a otherwise unpleasant few days.

In honor of "National Day of Listening" we interviewed Sophia on our DVD Cam.  We hope to continue the tradition and interview all the kids each year the day after Thanksgiving to document the changes through the years. It'll be interesting to see if next year she's as excited about The Backyardigans andWOW! WOW! WUBBZY as she is this year.  The boys even managed a few "MA MA MAs" and "DA DA DAs" on camera.  

Christmas Project: Through all the muck of last weekend we did attempt our Christmas pic and decorating for the holidays around the house. Sophia was very proud to help with the tree this year  and although it turned out beautiful we've had to enclose it behind a fortress of baby gates to prevent the boys from bringing it down or eating the ornaments.  Despite our best efforts they have managed to work as a team a couple of times to bring down the gates and grab a few goodies of the tree before being caught. Luckily they haven't managed to knock the whole thing down but it's only been up a few days. I give them till the end of the week.  

 The family Christmas pic was an adventure all on it's own.  We had honestly been avoiding it because of the work that we knew getting the kids into their "christmas outfits" and in front of the camera would be. Unfortunately getting three kids SICK with a stomach flu dressed and in front of the camera is much worse but we needed to get the cards ordered by early this week. Needless to say just minutes before we took the pic all three kids were crying and screaming and Patrick and I were not too far behind them. We managed one good shot with all five of us looking in the same direction and semi smiling.  When you get this year's card excuse the greenish tint of our skin. We were all nauseous that day.

Ten Month Birthday:

Alex and Max turn ten months today! Life is so much better than it was 9 1/2 months ago!! They are both such wonderful, fun little guys. Alex officially took his first couple of independent steps yesterday (Patrick joked that he wanted to go on the record as having walked at nine months) and Max is not far behind him. Max is the climber of the family and has now scaled much of the furniture in our house including the kitchen table.  I expect he'll be found on top of the refrigerator next. The both LOVE to chase after and tackle Sophia and have discovered it works much better when they team up to bring her down. Poor little girl doesn't stand a chance! 

Finally a pic! Patrick recently devised this makeshift train out of diaper boxes (something we have more than enough of at our house.)  Who needs battery operated toys when you have a talented Daddy?

Almost Time for the Holidays!

As I sit at my lunch break too lazy to head to the University Gym today, I am beyond excited for the Holiday Season to spend every possible moment with our ever expanding family. Not only are the boys (Alex & Max) 9-months old now and full of adventure and wonderment, but our precious honey girl Sophia (age 3) is old enough to appreciate and marvel at the excitement of it all.  Tie that up with my beautiful wife (who is like a kid a candy store about the Holidays) and the only thing left (for Thanksgiving anyway) is a stuffed Turkey.

Of course, yours truly can play a stuffed turkey pretty well (as well as Old Saint Nick in a couple of more weeks). I just hope we capture as much of it all as possible and that we are fortunate enough to have friends and family around to join us as well. 

It looks like this year we'll even get a Holiday card out to everyone, so wait by the mailbox!

Happy Holidays to All and to All a Good Stock Market

Daddio

Rewind: Halloween 2008

So this is just a few weeks late but I didn't want to miss posting a few pics from this year's Halloween fun. Sophia is just old enough to get really excited  about dressing up and shouting "TRICK-OR-TREAT" at everyone. We went to a carnival at NMSU, a Trunk-or-Treat party at our friend's church, toured our neighborhood for over an hour on Halloween night and then headed to Irene's house for a Halloween Party.  Between all the Halloween events and the three kids (people INSIST on giving the babies candy despite that fact that they have five teeth between them) we ended up with three BIG bags FULL of candy. It's like an early Christmas for Patrick.

Sophia's First Costume was a cheerleader. This was at the NMSU event so the outfit was pretty appropriate.  The boys were dressed as a tiger and a puppy on this day and HATED every minute of it.  If they had any idea of what their next costumes would be they wouldn't have complained.....

 

Can't tell what the boys are supposed to be?



Look harder. Still can't tell? The boys will one day be embarrassed to admit that they were a Banana and Corn for their first Halloween.  What can I say? I ran out of time and these were the only two outfits left on Halloween day at 3:30!!



Max was not the least bit amused.



If he could run away, he would!



One last one of the fairy princess...

 

I promise to start a little earlier next year boys!

The Next American President

 

We celebrate this moment in our history and are excited about the future ahead.

 

Taken from the poem at 1992 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony

Here, root yourselves beside me.

I am that Tree planted by the River,
Which will not be moved.

I, the Rock, I the River, I the Tree
I am yours -- your Passages have been paid.

Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need
For this bright morning dawning for you.

History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, but if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon
This day breaking for you.

Give birth again to the Dream.

Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.

Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts.
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.

Do not be wedded forever
To fear, yoked eternally
To brutishness.

The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out and upon me, the
Rock, the River, the Tree, your country.

No less to Midas than the mendicant.

No less to you now than the mastodon then.

Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, and into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

-Maya Angelou

Happy 3rd Birthday Sophia

Honey Sunshine Girl (as Daddy appropriately nicknamed you),

Today you are three! Our baby girl is THREE!

I wasn't sure how best to capture this moment in your life and have started and restarted this entry so many times I almost gave up. I started by writing about all the many milestones you accomplished over the year and became overwhelmed thinking about all the many ways you've grown. I wanted to describe  all the ways you've changed our lives and had a hard time thinking back to a time when you weren't with us. Celebrating the many things that make you special, wonderful little YOU is not the hard part. The hard part is finding a way to adequately describe how blessed we feel to have you with us for these past three years. 

You are our treasure. You are our love. You are growing into an amazing, brave, strong little girl who takes on life, learning and loving with so much joy that it has, in turn, changed the way we approach life.  Each morning you enter our room filled with so much enthusiasm for the day ahead that we can't help but be excited with you. Even on the hard days, the days that your "enthusiasm" for testing limits has landed you in the corner countless times and us near the breaking point, we always go to bed thanking God for allowing us the priviledge of being your parents.

We love you Sophia, at three years old until forever.

Mommy and Daddy

The Pink and Brown One

Sophia has a favorite blankie... her lovey that she turns to for comfort and security each and every night.  

It's been around since she was a newborn. (Given to her by Thalia or Beth I think!) It was at one time an incredibly sweet, pink and purple, soft little thing complete with bright happy flowers. At some point  around her first birthday Sophia picked it out amoung the many, many other blankets she had as a baby and adopted it as "her blanket". The poor thing has since been subjected to more use (and abuse) than should befall one single item. In an effort to keep it presentable I've washed, bleached, and treated it more times than I want to admit to. Unfortunately it's clear that it's beyond my help.  One side has actually become coarse from all the washing but rather than find a softer, newer alternate Sophia simply makes sure the "soft side" touches her skin at night.

I wasn't sure that she noticed how dingy the thing had become until today. She was frantically looking for her blanket in preparation for her "nap" (although she never really naps anymore... with the rare exception of today... oh miracle of miracles thank you!). When I asked her which one so I could help her look (as if I needed to ask) she actually replied: 

"MY BLANKET, THE PINK AND BROWN ONE!!!"

Wow.. Maybe love isn't that blind after all.

Sophia and Her Blankie in Their Newer, Softer Days 

 

Sophia and Her Blankie Now- Both older, rougher but very well loved (notice that the coarse side facing up)

When Do Two Babies = A Break?

When you have a nearly three year old that = the determination, energy and noise volume of three kids.

Don't get me wrong. We love to spend time with Sophia. She's smart, funny, loving and full of energy. But the kid is also nonstop and seems to live for challenging authority! Some days I think she wakes up with the sole mission of breaking the record for time spent in a corner.  She's a little force of nature that we contend with 12+ hours a day. Sometimes it's great to pass that fun onto someone who isn't as weary.

This weekend Grandma Nelson volunteered to take her for the day.  She was excited, Grandma was excited, we were thrilled...fun for all! Upon dropping her off Patrick and I excitedly ran through the list of things we could do without contending with a combative three year old. Go out to eat, the movies, early shopping for Christmas gifts, quiet stroll outdoors? What freedom! The possibilities seemed endless!

Funny thing is we still had two kids with us. Two eight month old babies no less! Who would imagined that having only two babies with you could seem like a break.

Autumn in New Mexico

It's been a year since we moved back to New Mexico and while there are many great things about being home I was recently feeling "homesick" for the cool, crisp Autumn weather and seasonal  events I had grown to enjoy so much in Minnesota.  Although temps here are still lingering in the low 80s we did recently discover a local  place to enjoy some seasonal fun.  Our twins group held our monthly meet up at a local corn maze/pumpkin patch.  Sophia was really excited about the idea of picking pumpkins and looked over at least a few dozen before deciding on the perfect five to bring home. The boys, as always,  were their happy little selves and enjoyed sitting in the sun discovering dirt, plants and pumpkins.

Who Are These People?

Well Rested? Carefree? Able to travel without the aid of a minivan, stroller, diaper bag or even a purse filled to the brim with snacks, sippie cups, random toys or wipes. Notice how we're actually BOTH in the picture, together. What a novelty!

Hard to tell but this is the real us... The real us BEFORE kids that is!

I rarely ever use this PC but since Patrick is currently on the lap top I took this as a chance to look through some of the pics saved here. A ran across this one and was surprised by how much has changed for us in the short five years since it was taken. This particular day we were at a wedding for a friend of ours from grad school. Besides having a great time at the wedding  I distinctly remember driving an hour and a half home so that we'd have time to change and go out later that night. As in go out twice... in one day! In one weekend even! Imagine that... what a concept!

Times have definitely changed for us but I'm still holding out the hope that once the kids are old enough to be left with a babysitter (rather than a babysitting team) we'll get a chance to sneak away for a day or maybe even a weekend.

Whatdaya say Nelson? You up to going out TWICE in one day?

Tiny Pink Maraca

The Games We Play..... 

The Objective: Gain Control of Tiny Pink Maraca and Subsequently Place in Ones Mouth

The Contenders: Alex "The Swift" vs Max "The Chunk"

The Rules: Are you Kidding? There are No Rules!

Let the Games Begin!

The Outcome:

 Soon After This  Picture Was Taken A Wild Card to The Game

 AKA Sophia "The BOSS"

Entered into the Competition and Swiftly Ended Both Boys Chances of Winning By Swiping The Tiny Pink Maraca and Running to Hide It Away in Her Room.

Game Over!