Where did this year go??

I haven't written much in a long time.  It seems life has been extremely busy around here but I decided that all the things I thin I won't forget will be forgotten if I don't record them and this blog is just that-a way to document and share the events of life that I hope to remember forever but know that as life happens they will be pushed to the back of my mind.

Last blog I recorded was Roman crawling and now he is a master at not only walking but climbing as well!!  Renly hasn't really shown a lot of interest in the walking yet but give her time and I am sure she will be chasing her brother around the house on those two cute little feet of hers. 

These two spend the majority of their day climbing on anything that is over three inches high.  Since it is Christmas and I ordered ninety percent of my gifts on line, we have a lot of boxes of various shapes and sizes and they have provided the twins with a much enjoyed indoor playground.  They laugh, they clap, they turn around to see if anyone noticed how successful they were at climbing that last "hill" and they throughly enjoy the boxes.  A few nights ago I was in the bathroom getting ready to give the twins a bath and Roman stepped up onto the scale.  He looked at me and started clapping, like he had just accomplished somethin so amazing.  I have to say these two littles hold me in awe of life itself.  Just every little milestone and every things we do I try to think about how they are seeing things for the first time. 

They love to read, Renly much more than Roman.  Renley will sit and listen to you read book after book while Roman has patience for one possibly two books before he is off to discover some hidden toy.  Renley loves to just sit and look at books, also.  Her favorite is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear."  If you start reciting the book, yes, I do have it memorized, she will go to the book case and get the book for you. 

Our days are filled with fun and laughter as well as a few tears but this is what life is about-family!!

A little bit of life......

Roman and Renley love to play in the water!!

Well, the time is almost here!!! Time to head back to work....its only two days a week but it hard to think about leaving the twins twice a week.  I love filling my day with their smiles and being the first to see their new milestones!! 

This week has I have witnessed Roman standing for long periods of time and he is climbing on anything he can hike his little legs upon.  I think this little boy is going to keep his momma busy for quite some time!!

Renley has a very different personality than Roman.  She love the details of things. She can spend long period of time looking at the leaves blowing or playing with a toy that moves.  She is fascinated by how she can make the toys make sounds or move.  This was her week for firsts! While we were eating at Maggie Mae's Tea Room with Mom she learned to blink!  It was so cute and she was so proud of herself!  She also learned to wave bye...sort of!  She is intrigued by the movement of her thumb and has sat for long periods of time watching her thumb bend at the knuckle.  When my mom and dad were here Sunday, Grandma was trying to get her to wave bye and she started moving her thumb like she does and them moved her hand a long with it to say bye to Grandma and Papa!! 
I am also glad to report that nap time and bed time are back on track for the most part.  Roman loves his two to three hour afternoon nap and gets up in a great mood.  He usually takes a short morning nap as well.  Renley isn't much of a napper but I think it is because Roman is so much more active that her and he wears himself out playing.  She usually takes an hour morning nap and then another hour afternoon nap.  They both usually wake up between seven and eight and go to sleep at night between eight and eight-thirty.  I am happy with this schedule.  Renley goes to bed before Roman giving us some one on one time and Roman sleeps at nap time longer than Renley so I get one on one time with her, also.  

A few of the girls and I ventured to Sam's Club and Wal Mart to stock up on much needed supplies and enjoyed a day out.  The girls decided it was time for Roman and Renley to expirence the rides at Wal Mart.  If you take a look at the pictured you will see they enjoyed these rides way more than the ones at Silver Dollar City last weekend! 

It really is fun having older children as well as the babies. The older ones enjoy seeing the babies do things for the first time and really play with them a lot. Needless to say I am sure we will all feel the pain of not having them home once school begins!

I am so excited to be able to say that I am finally to my pre-pregnancy weight!! Nine months to gain it and nine months to loose it!! I still haven't gotten that pre-pregnancy tummy back but I think it will get there. It is really nice to be able to fit into all my clothes once again!!!

School shopping ......

Roman looking out the window at Target

Emma and Abby waiting for food. 

Mom and Jessi entertaining Renley and Roman at the mall.

Orange Leaf!!!

Peek-a-boo!!!

School shopping with twins proved ..well.. entertaining!!! 
My mom joined us as the "Nanny" for our school shopping adventure!  Jessi, Ashton, Abby, Emma, Mom, Roman, Renley and I set off Wednesday for a school shopping experience!!  (Madison and Moriah will be another adventurous day since they weren't able to go on Wednesday).
I typically give the each child a certian amount of money and they are allowed to purchase items they need/want for school.  I have to say I am very proud of all the girls.  They are so good at knowing what they want and really looking for bargains and finding just the right things so that they have some really cute outfits as well as the things they will need.  Their purchases always include at least one pair of jeans and a pair of shoes as well as a couple of cute tops.  Two of the girls found some really cute dresses which will look adorable!  I love to see the items they choose.  While each daughter has good taste, they also have their own unique style!  I often look at something and know immedialtey which daughter will choose that item!  It is so fun having such diverse personailites in our home!
We began our shopping at Target and found some really cute items... for the older kids as well as for the twins.  Target is one of my favorite places to buy the twins items.  They have some really trendy items that can be mixed with other things to make for cute outfits.
We decided to have lunch at Olive Garden before we ambushed the mall.  GOOD CHOICE GIRLS!!! We had a fantastic meal and emjoyed some Shirley Temples as well!  The babies loved the minestrone soup! 
After lunch we were off to the mall for some fun shopping and stroller ride for the twins!  I am so thankful my mom was with us because after spending an hour in Forever 21 I was worn out!! Roman and Renley liked riding in the stroller but shopping just doesn't provide enough movement for them and they continually wanted to be roaming on all fours around the stores which I wouldn't let them do!!! So the stoller ended up being used to haul all the purchase and we carried the twins!!
We ended the day with a trip to Orange Leaf!!  I love ther wedding cake frozen yogurt....and so do the twins!!!
It was a great day full of laughter and great memories with the girls, twins and my mom!! I love this family so much!!!

Adventurous days.......

NEW TOOTH AT OUR HOUSE!!  Okay....so maybe that isn't big news to many people but it is so funny how it is the small things as a mom that sure put a smile on your face! 
Roman and Renly also love to give full on open mouth kisses!  Might seem yucky to many people but to this Momma it is the sweetest way to start my day!
When you tell Renley "No, No, No,!" She will shake her head no as if she is trying to convince herself that it really is a no,no.
Roman is pulling up to everything and since Renley started crawling this past week she has really made progress as well.  Roman can stand on his own for a few seconds and seems fearless. 
Renley crawled up on the shelf of the sofa table and plopped her little butt down as if she had done something miraculous.
Roman loves music.  When the TV is on and music begins to play he will stop what he is doing and "dance" (bounce) to the beat.  He is so darn cute!!
The twins are starting to interact with each other which has to be one of the cutest things I have witnessed.  Today Renley fell and hit her head while trying to pull up on one of the kitchen chairs and was crying.  I scooped her up and started rocking her in the chair and Roman crawled as fast as he could to the chair and looked at Renley and started patting her leg then he attempted to crawl into the chair (I helped him up) and he leaned over and tried kissing her.  They also like to "talk" to each other and will take turn making random noises at one another.
My house looks like a prison in lock down....gates over every door that leads out of th living/kitchen area, locks on the toilets, and safety latches on the cabintes.  With these two I think its much needed!!

My Oh My....

My Oh My...my grandmother's expression of choice!  But that is exactly what I think of when I look at these to little babies.  It is hard to believe in one week they will be nine months old.  It seems like yesterday I was in the hospital awaiting their arrival.  
Some days are good and like all families some days are just so chaotic that I can't wait for bedtime!  This past week has been one of those weeks.  But it seems like the more I need the twins to go to bed on time the more they think Mommy needs company.  The first part of the week they took turns staying up late.  Roman voluntered for first duty staying up till 9:30 Monday and Renley took Tuesday evening and Roman again on Wednesday.  I thought I was at the end of my rope until Thursday night came and they proved to me that things could be worse...they both chose to bless me with the smiling faces and active little hands until 10 PM!!!  I was worn out and was just praying for one of them to sleep...cause honestly they weren't smiling and all they wanted was to be held and played with.  But tonight...they made of for it.....both babies were in bed by seven!!  I was able to take a leisure bath and then watch "Mirror, Mirror" with Emma and Jessica! 
Now to see what tomorrow brings in this adventure!

Life according to my IPHONE........

Roman is ready to get in the pool!

I love my Daddy! I always have a smile for him!

Roman loves his Grandma Patsy!

Enjoying Kansas City!

"Come on Renley, play with me!"

Ashton and Renley

We love to help Mommy shop at Wal Mart!

Enjoying a day at  Silver Dollar City!

We love to play with the kitchen utensils more than our toys!  They make such neat noises when we throw them around the kitchen!

I am so excited I can crawl!!!

My Jessi!!! says Roman

Bath time for Roman

OHHH!!! This water feels so good!!

I want to crawl!!

Bubbles! Bubbles!! Bubbles!

I love the porch swing....it so relaxing!

I am so bored!

HAPPY 46th BIRTHDAY!!

July 3rd I celebrated my 46th birthday!  I have so many things to celebrate!  As I look back over this past year I realize how wonderful life has been.  Larry and I were blessed with twins that were born healthy and spent no time in NICU, which is a miracle given my previous pregnancies and the preterm labor and hospital stay with these two.  I have an amazing family that makes me smile everyday.
My wonderful Momma came over the morning of my birthday and made me a yummy blackberry cobbler from blackberries we purchased at the farmers market.  I spent the evening doing exactly what I wanted....enjoying good food with wonderful kids and I enjoyed watching them play with the babies and then we spent time talking and laughing and finished off with a movie!
It is true what they say...life just keeps getting better and better and the moments sweeter!
I can't wait to see what a wonderful year this next one will be!!
Last week Jessi, Ashton, Abby, Wade, Renley, Roman and I traveled to Kansas City to clean Wade's apartment.  It was extremely hot, but we still managed to walk to the Plaza and enjoy a little shopping and ate a yummy lunch at P.F.Chang's.  I love their lettuce wraps!

July has been a busy month.  Roman is getting around very well and loves to "chase" his large ball around the house!  Renley just started crawling this morning and going from laying down to sitting up on her own!!  It is fun to witness these milestones in their lives!
Having twins has been difficult at times.  It has forced me to do things I thought I would never do such as lay one of the babies down with a bottle propped up by a pillow while  I care for the other one, no worries...I am in the same room at all times! I also let them wear only a diaper way more than I ever thought imaginable....less laundry!   I let them cry far longer than I would any of my other babies while I fix a bottle or change the other twins diaper.  Sometimes it is just a necessity! I also don't get to spend as much time with them as I would like...so much to do and so little time to do it!! I hope they grow to be well adjusted children and adults who have empathy for others but believe in themselves without coming off as self centered and later become adults who know that their Mom and Dad believe in them and will always be there for them!!

Roman is crawling....

Yes, my life will NEVER be the same!!! Roman is now on the move!! Happy Birthday to Mommy!! This morning I was standing in the kitchen and Roman and Renley were playing in the living room on the floor about ten feet from me.  I was talking and soon I felt little hand on my leg....looking down I saw the cutest pair of chubby hands holding onto my ankle and the sweetest big brown eyes starring up at me!!  My Roman had made his way across the floor just to tell his Mommy hello and Happy Birthday.  I wasn't certain that he had actually crawled to me because he has found some ingenious was to maneuver his way to places he wants to go but moments later I witnessed him crawl to the DVD player and the blinking blue light of the direct TV box!!  Oh joy!!! two new toys!! NOT!!! So, I am thrilled that he has learned to crawl but I am also terrified as to the changes this will bring to my world.  No longer will he be safe playing on the floor and no longer will sister's  computer or books be safe in the living room.  Roman is mobile and loving it..... so WATCH OUT WORLD here he comes!!

I love hearing their little noises.....Renley's little MOMOMOMOMA ...well of course she is saying Momma.....not just some random noises I am sure!!

Watch me Renley....I will show you how to crawl...

Crawling is hard work......I need a rest and I time to suck my thumb!

Renley is trying to figure out how to crawl!

And then Roman and his little buzzing lip noises he makes!!  What a cute pair of twins they make!! I am so blessed!

Today.......

Awww....I love days like today when it no matter what happens all seems right with the world!!
Renley has learned how to blow bubbles and it is simply the cutest thing ever!!!  She spends hours blowing bubbles!!
Roman is not crawling but he can get where he wants by getting on his hands and knees and then repositioning his body and sitting down then doing it all over again until he gets where he wants.  He also hops on his bottom to get to a different location.
He loves to bang on pots and pans while Renley sings along with him!  They are perfect!!!! (says the momma)

Today as I was feeding the twins I began to think about what being a mom of "advanced maternal age"  was to me.  I can honestly say that I enjoy the part of my life more than I can express in words. Children are one of the major sources of happiness for most women, but they also change life as we knew it before we had them, even if we had older children and are now starting over again.
Young kids are full of energy, demands and needs that require much attention but the "extra" wisdom that we moms have as forty-something moms comes in very helpful when handling these little ones.  I have taken things less seriously and enjoyed each moment more, I have learned what is important and what won't make a difference in ten years, I am more emotionally stable, more patient, and most of all I understand from experience how quickly this era in my life will pass!
I am not saying being a young mom isn't a good thing because I certainly enjoyed my motherhood raising my other children.  I sure know I had more energy!

 Occasionally, I look at these babies and think "surely you will never turn into those preteens that don't like having Momma around or the teens who would rather die than spend a Saturday night with Mom....but then I remember that "yes" they will go through these stages and it will be okay because with these stages also come the random advice seeking teen who out of the blue asks your opinion about a relationship or outfit (equal importance in a teens eyes I believe) or the one who comes in after a late date and can't wait to share what is going in their life with you at one in the morning or the hug you get for no reason at all and ever so often the text that says "Mom I love you so much and I am so glad you are my mom!"  Yes, these moments make everything else disappear.  So, today I am thankful for all the sleepless nights as well as the busy days that leave little time for me to exercise and I am thankful for the fleeting moments that I still have left with my teens and look forward to the adult relationships we will one day have!

Best Baby DaYS!

Best baby days!!
I haven't posted in a while because life is just B-U-S-Y!  The past weeks I have witnessded the babies learning to go from a sitting position to laying on the floor to sitting again and learning to pull themselves up to their toy basket or small furniture. Roman is always ahead of Renley in learning to do things.  I think it is because he is so rambunctious!  It is fun to see the difference in their personalities.   I am not certain this is due to their gender or just their personality.

 They have learned to play for an extended period of time on the floor with toys so I have actually been able to get a few things done...but most of all I love sitting on the floor and playing with them! They are so close to crawling.....watch out sisters!!

This morning I was loading laundry into the dryer when I hear Renley cry....you know the cry that tells you something is wrong.  I walk into the living room to see here lying on the floor and Roman has a large plastic toy hitting Renley over and over with it and laughing out loud.   Thinking this may just be a sgin of things to come!!

 I love it when I go to pick them up from their bed and they are sitting up "singing" me a song with those huge smiles and Renley's adorable dimples.  At that moment I know that all the hard work is worth it!

I have to share with you what I feel are the perfect shoes for the babies.  Roman has very large feet for his age.  They aren't just long but are really fat and Renley has very petitie feet; thin and tiny.  I purchased more shoes than I would like to admit to for the babies trying to locate the perfect pair that are comfortable, cute, and stay on.  I found them, finally......Pedipad!!!  They make several styles and the infant ones are sized by months which make it easier to choose a size and hopefully they will last longer.  I have purchased white ones for Renley in size 0-6 months and she has been wearing hers for two months and brown sandals for Roman in size 6-12 months which he wore for two months and I purchased the 12-18 months for him in the sandals and  brown "loafers."  I plan to continue with this brand as they grow older.  The price is right and they Velcro closed so the stay put and are easy to put on, but they aren't so tight that the are uncomfortable. I am not big on making the babies wear shoes at this age but there are just times when I feel it is more appropriate for them to have shoes on such as for church or going to eat at a nicer restaurant.  I posted pictures below.