Alice and Jackson

We haven't seen Alice in a few months and her mom said that she's been seeing Madison and Jackson's picture and saying their name over and over. So she was very excited to visit last Tuesday afternoon so her mom could go to work for a little while. Well, she was happy until 5 minutes after mom left and she very lightly bumped her head. The poor little thing wailed for her mommy over and over and did not want any part of me comforting her.

Is this not the saddest most heart breaking face you've ever seen?

Jackson gave her a ball and that seemed to help.

Then a kiss.

And all was right with the world :-)

Twin cousins

With Sophia and Alyssa being only 6 days apart it's like Chris's
parents got another set of twin grandchildren. They are so cute
together.

Sledding

Last weekend we took the kids sledding at the Colonial. It's the
same place we went last year after an ice storm so it was impossible
to get back up the hill. This year was much better and the kids
absolutely loved it and were even able to go down all alone. The
hill was really big and steep so they went really fast. We were
there for over an hour and even after walking up the hill all that
time Madison and Jackson were still heartbroken to leave. They
wanted to go again and again. Jackson cried the entire way home.
Uncle Mike, Auntie Kristen, Raffe, Alyssa and Nana were there too.

random pictures

Madison and Jackson absolutely love to jump on our bed. I know I probably shouldn't let them but they laugh so hard and they get a good workout.

This is them holding hands and jumping off the bench

These are some other images from the 34 month shoot yesterday.

This look of hers cracks me up. She makes it a lot.

They really don't like wearing overalls. They always tug and pull on them until I finally take them off. Once they were off they ran around the house while holding hands.

Gigi's house

For the last few months I've been doing a daycare swap with my friend Michelle. One day a week I take the kids to her house and the three of them play like crazy in the basement for 2-3 hours while Michelle goes to the gym or runs errands. Then another day she comes to my house, picks up my kids and takes them back to her house so that I can get work done here. It's been such an amazing help and the kids have such a great time.

Last week the girls wore their tutus. Maddie and Gianna basically just parallel play so they stay out of each other's way and all is well.

Jackson and Gigi play together and they are very good to each other.

The only trouble I have is with my two fighting although they behave much better there than they do at home!

33 and 34 Months

Dear Madison and Jackson,

33 months

34 months

If I continue to keep up these monthly letters I have a feeling that December will get skipped every year. With the 17th being right before Christmas I am knee deep in card designs and print orders.

I'm waiting any day now for you to get out of your terrible two's. I'm all done with it. I've heard so many times that 3 is worse than 2 and I pray ever night that isn't true. I've also heard that with twins 2 is worse than 3 so that's what is keeping me going.

You are playing so much more together and it's so cute to hear Jackson say "Maee, c'mon!" You have so much fun playing in your room and throwing your stuffed animals around. Running around the house after each other is always fun too.

You are also extremely polite to each other. If one of you wants something the other one wants to be the one to give it to them. Then the recipient will say "thank you, maee/jachan" and the giver will say "you're welcome". Anytime some one coughs you will both ask if that person is ok and when someone sneezes you always say "bless you daee/mommy".

But then there are the times I have to play referee to the toy stealing game.

You both peeled your first clementine all on your own yesterday.

Dear Jackson,

33 months

34 months

Your stubbornness is beyond exhausting. You continue to just scream "NOOOO!" while Daddy or I try to correct your behavior, which is followed by another scream of "NOOOO!" when we tell you you'll get a time out if you don't stop, which is followed by yet another scream of "NOOOO!" while we carry you to a time out, which is followed by screaming the whole time you're in time out. Then, 10 minutes later you're doing the same naughty thing you were doing that led to the time out. This just isn't working and I have no idea how to deal with it. It's like you turn off your ears, you won't look at us and you just struggle to continue doing what you're not supposed to be doing. This happens at least once a day. *Update* I wrote that a month ago and you have been better in that it doesn't happen every day anymore.

Once again though, your sweetness is as awesome as your naughtiness is unenjoyable. You are such a cuddle bug and love to sit with me. I absolutely adore how you kiss me for no reason or you feed me your food when I haven't asked or when we're taking a nap together you put your arm around me. Mommy = puddle.
You are talking in complete sentences and conversing with all of us. Your little voice is so adorable and some of your words are pronounced so adorably. You say "cifers" instead of covers and "sifen" instead of seven. You get very excited when you see things. You'll come running into the room yelling "MOMMY! I saw a fire truck!"

Sometimes if I'm looking at you and you don't want me to you'll say "Mama, stop seeing you!!" which means "mama, stop looking at me."

You can count to ten by yourself although sometimes you skip 5. You have no knowledge of colors no matter how much we work on it with you. You also aren't recognizing any letters or numbers yet. Basically anytime you see any number or letter you say "sifen"

You are wearing all size 3t, size 5 diapers, and size 8 shoes.

Dear Maddie,

33 months

34 months

You are such a precious little girl. I'm still amazed at how beautiful you are and say every day how lucky I am that you are mine. I love our nap time together in my bed. We talk and goof around before closing our eyes. Yesterday we were talking about all the things we had done that morning. It was so cute to see you so excited over simple things like playing with a balloon. Then I told you that you were my daughter and Jackson was my son. Then I realized that you probably didn't know that I have a mommy and daddy too so I asked you who mommy's mommy was. You didn't know so I told you it was Gramma. Then I asked you who mommy's daddy was and you said "Grampa"!!! I was amazed that you made the connection to the right answer. Anyway, then we move along to the "lay on mommy" phase of nap time. You lay right on top of me with your head on my chest and I hug you and tell you over and over how much I love you. Then you say "lay on pillow" and then we both go to sleep.

We were at Gianna's house last week and you brought a realistic toy cow over to me, pointed at the udder and exclaimed, "Look Mommy, cow's peeing!"

One day while we were laying in bed for nap you out of nowhere said "pbs kids dot org" Does that mean I let you watch too much TV?

Lately your alphabet song consists of abcdefghikklmnopqrstuv now I know my abc's..."

If you are off in your own little world singing (which is a lot of the time) you will slap your hands over your face if you see me looking at you.

You are wearing size 24 month pants although the waist is still too big, 2t shirts, size 5 diapers, and size 7 shoes.

Alyssa and Raphael's Christening

Today was the Christening. This is the same church Mike and Kristen
got married in a little over a year ago. Luckily Madison and Jackson
were FAR better behaved today than they were at the wedding. Eileen
and Chris's Aunt Judy took care of them during the ceremony and
mass. They didn't even cry when they saw Chris and I go up on the
alter for the baptism.

Here is the clan before the ceremony.

Raf got to pour the holy water into the bowl. It was funny because he was pouring it really slowly. I could see that the pitcher was FULL. The congregation was starting to snicker that it was taking so long. Finally Mike told him to dump it out.

Alyssa with Godfather Chris and Godmother Melissa (Kristen's cousin)

Raphael with Godmother (Me!) and Godfather Joe (Mike's best friend)

Fist bumps for the Reverend.

Back at Bruce and Eileen's house we had lots of yummy food and cake.

Alyssa and Grandpa fell asleep in the chair.

Raf was sneaking up on Jackson.

On a side note I wanted to say how happy I am that Kristen and Mike picked me to be Raffi's Godmother. Since I don't have any siblings I never thought I would get the opportunity and this meant even more to me since they chose me based on the relationship he and I have.