December

Well, that was a doozie. As fun as December was, I'm glad it's over! This year we went to go see Santa earlier in the month, and earlier in the day (compared to last year). It still resulted in a one hour + wait time but we also added another child, a meltdown and a good poop story!

"Today we saw Santa. Waited an hour in line at lunch/naptime. Meltdown began and intensified as we approached Santa. As we walk our semi-traumatized kids back to the car Rusty tells me he smells poop. He explains it must be one of ours because the smell is following us. We get to the car and discover the guilty party (Madison). The ...poop exploded out of her diaper, is all over the inside of her dress and smeared all over the stroller. As rusty gags, his mom and I clean her up and strip her naked in the downtown Disney parking lot. Then I start feeding Elana so we can head home. Halfway thru I go to change her diaper only to discover IT is overflowing, all over the inside of HER dress and now, puddled up in my lap. {Insert more gagging} You know it's a true story bc there is no way I could have made that up. Moral of the story? When things go wrong, laugh. A lot. (And don't trust those disposables,ugh!)"

Towards the middle of the month my sister moved home from college (for good!) and Nolan came home on leave from the Army. He deploys to Afghanistan this month (January) so needless to say, we've had fun visiting with both of them!! The rest of the days leading up until Christmas were spent, well, getting ready for Christmas! Staying up late, wrapping gifts, making gifts, and a bit of online retail therapy (guilty!)

Speaking of Christmas. It was fun. I feel like it was the girls' first Christmas because last year, they didn't really realize it was a special day. This year I was actually giddy wondering what the girls' faces would look like Christmas morning. Paige came over to help me get all the gifts out so that it would all be ready for A&M. I'll have to admit I even enjoyed shopping for gifts for them. As much stuff as I knew they were going to be getting, I couldn't help but want that selfish satisfaction of seeing the happiness on their face as they saw their gifts. We actually had 3 days of Christmas. Eve day we went to mom's for brunch. We had a feast and it was delicious!!! Christmas day we opened gifts in the morning, Grandma and Grandpa came around lunch (more presents!) and then we went to Rusty's grandparents and then came home exhausted! The next morning we met Dad for brunch at Keke's....one of our favorite places to eat then watched MIB3 as the big girls napped.

Our 3 little ladies continue to blossom. Madison is starting to use more and more words everyday. Some of her favorite words this month are: poop, shoes, apples, outside, dirt, sissy and baby. Poop and baby are the 2 most frequently spoken words in this house! Baby because they just LOVE Elana. Madison is our little scout...whenever we go out to the backyard she immediately seeks out all of Layla's turds and stands there until you come pick them up with the scooper. She stands there the whole time saying "poop, poop, poop, poop" over and over again. I'm sure our neighbors get a kick out of our conversations. I'm usually saying "Madison, get off of there!" or "don't put that in your mouth! Yuck!" She took a pretty hard fall off her little slide today. I mean, I heard her hit the ground but it didn't even phase her...just up and off to her next adventure. She's always got some scratch, bruise or bug bite on her. She is one tough chick! Another one of Madison's favorite things to do is point out body parts, especially on the baby, especially her eyes. But she is obsessed with belly buttons, especially Tia's because it has a ring in it. She is always yanking up Paige's shirt and pointing at her belly button!!

 

Audrey is a chatty Kathy, OMG! Her favorite phrase lately is "I see you!" It's amazing what they pick up and you don't even realize you say things until they get repeated back to you. We actually call her our little parrot because she repeats EVERYTHING. When reading a story, she'll say the last word of each phrase. And they have all the books memorized, by the way. If the next page says something about toes, they are pointing to their toes before I even turn the page. She is also starting to grasp the concept of sharing. She will give Madison food off her plate and say "sissy, share." But when she has a toy she is playing with that Madison wants she'll start saying "share! share! share! share!" Meaning, I understand this is 'our' toy but right now it is MINE and YOU have to share with ME! We'll keep working on this one...Not to mention everything in our house is on repeat. She will repeat "shirt on" until you put on her shirt at which time she begins repeating "pants on." It drives you (me) a little batty when you are in the middle of dressing your other child but it's interesting to hear what's going on inside their head! Sometimes she says to me "daddy gone, work" hours after Rusty has left for work. Another thing she has just started doing is coming up to you saying "hug" or "kiss" and then giving you a hug or kiss. So, so sweet.

 

Elana is becoming a little more predictable everyday. She is starting to fall into a routine and we are both learning! She is awake more often during the day and is a very easy going baby MOST of the time. Now that I think about it, we kind of have stations for her. Her Bumbo is on the kitchen table (I know, bad mommy!) But that is where she sits while we eat our meals. She is in her bouncy seat if she's awake during big girl nap time and I'm cooking or cleaning in the kitchen. The rest of the time she is content to have tummy time (yes, she actually enjoys tummy time!) or lay on her back and watch the girls run back and forth. One thing we are still struggling with is getting her to take a bottle. She's taken every ounce of milk straight from the tap since birth...unless you count the milk that's dripped into her mouth while she's refusing the bottle! It's amazing how you forget all that the second she flashes that huge smile at you and starts cooing. She is SO smiley, I really am enjoying this stage!

Rusty is tired. He gets up everyday with the big girls and gets them breakfast. Then he does whatever I have planned for the morning...lol...and around 1pm heads off to work! He gets home late in the evening. He's like me, tired but happy. We reminisce often about the days of sleeping in. A distant memory...ha!

 

As for me, I'm returning to work this month! I have a huge to-do list to take care of before that happens but it's looking like the middle of the month. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it all at the same time. I think I'm a better mom when I can get out, talk to other adults and use the 'other' side of my brain. Other than that, I'm more tired than ever, I look like hell, an emotional roller coaster at times but I'm happier than I've ever been. My husband is kind and understanding, helpful, and an awesome dad; my kids are healthy (my kids! I have 3 kids!) and happy...most of the time. I'm a mom that gets to raise my kids, working one day a week. It's everything I've ever wanted in life and I am so very, very thankful.

In January we'll be staying at one of the Universal hotels as a little get away. We'll be taking the baby as she can't quite be away from her moo cow for that long yet but heck, having one kid is practically a vacation at this point! Hopefully we'll be getting to SeaWorld again soon as one of my Christmas gifts was an annual pass. Check in next month for more updates :)