A Few Things I Forgot...

(aka "Part 2 of Charlotte and Jensen's 8-Month Post")

(aka "I'm Slowly But Surely Losing My Mind")

Okay, I'm not sure where my brain was when I hit "publish" on C & J's 8-month post. Yesterday I was uploading pictures from Month 8 onto Snapfish and I kept seeing pictures that I completely forgot about but are totally blog-worthy. So this is not going to be a very interesting post; just some pics/stories that I want to record for Charlotte and Jensen.

First up, Charlotte and Jensen's first time at Campo Verde!

"Um, Mom? Our brains are about to explode from Christmas decoration overload."

My parents used to take Todd and me there every year at Christmastime, and in recent years my mom and I would always have a Christmas lunch there with Renee (home from NYC) and Tammy...and I may or may not have made Brian take me there a few times for sopapillas when I was pregnant (the babies were really craving them!). This year was a bit different since Renee just had a baby and was unable to come home, so my mom, Tammy and I took the babies to lunch so they could take in the many, many sights and sounds. I think they liked it...obviously there was quite a bit to see! It is also worth noting that, although Charlotte usually appears to be a mini-Brian, she looks exactly like my baby pictures in the above photo!

Next, we have a few pictures of Charlotte and Jensen playing in their peas. Remember how I gave them peas and Charlotte made all kinds of funny faces and Jensen looked just plain depressed? I decided to try to let them play around with the peas in the hopes that continuing to expose them to the smell, texture, taste, etc. will lead them to enjoy peas a bit more...no success with that just yet, but they had fun playing. I love these pictures because they are such perfect examples of Charlotte and Jensen: Jensen dove right in and made a huge mess, while Charlotte examined the peas, talked to them, and finally explored them with her little pointer finger. I love how different these two are!

Next we have teething fun. Charlotte has three teeth and, while Jensen is still The Toothless Wonder, they both obviously had some discomfort from teething this month. They were constantly chewing on their hands:

 

And at one point my mom decided to give Charlotte a carrot to chew on. I told her that I don't know if it's advisable to give babies carrots. She insisted that she used to give me carrots to chew on all the time, and I turned out fine. (Can't argue with that!) So if it turns out that it's not okay to give babies carrots these days, please don't call CPS on me.

 And next up, Jensen has recently begun "helping" me with laundry (making it impossible to do when the babies are awake!). Here are some of his most helpful moves...

 

 And finally, a picture of Charlotte and Jensen together and happy in their 8-Month gear.

 

I can't believe I forgot to post that one! Before I got pregnant, I was never a believer in "pregnancy brain"...I always felt like it was a cop-out for doing dumb things. Even when pregnant, I don't feel like I really got any more absentminded than I already was (but then again, I have always been the type to lose my keys only to find them in the refrigerator). However, I seem to have some kind of "post-pregnancy brain" going on. I keep finding myself in random rooms of my house, and I'll just know I went in there for a reason but I'll have NO idea why. And it seems like every time I get in the car and start driving somewhere, I will look up a few minutes (or miles) later and will be headed nowhere near where I'm supposed to be going. I am not kidding, my mother-in-law has been in the car with me at least three times when this has happened...I'm kind of surprised she still trusts me to take care of her grandkids. I seriously feel like I'm getting dumber every day. I can joke about it, but it really is a bit disorienting...hey, kinda like when I find myself in a random room of my house with no idea how I got there!

So...happy 8 month birthday, Charlotte and Jensen (again)!

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas (Parts 3 & 4)

After spending last weekend with Brian's family, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were spent celebrating with my immediate and extended family. On Christmas Eve, we met my parents and my brother for a (very) early dinner at Mac's. I realized afterward that this was Charlotte and Jensen's first time having dinner in a restaurant...we eat out for lunch often, but we'd never attempted dinner (mostly due to the fact that we start our bedtime routine at 6:00). It went...okay. Charlotte decided she was not a fan of the high chair about 15 minutes after we were seated, so she spent the rest of the meal with my mom (who, if given the choice between holding Charlotte and eating, would choose holding Charlotte any day)...

And yes, I forgot my camera so the pics were taken with my phone.

And Jensen, while content to stay in his designated seat, was pretty bored. We had ordered them a plain baked potato and were feeding them little bites, but we finally just gave in and let Jensen have the entire potato to play with:

This was at the end of the meal...can you tell that he's just about had it? He was covered in potato, but I really did make an effort to make sure that most of it was on us as opposed to the floor. I really do try not to be a jerk who lets her children run amok in restaurants.

Christmas morning Brian and I got Bailey out of bed before Charlotte and Jensen were up so we could give her her stocking. Although one could definitely make a strong argument for Bailey's name appearing on Santa's "naughty" list this year, we really wanted to continue our tradition of letting her open a stocking filled with delicious treats and fun toys:

Every year, she looks suspiciously at her stocking before tearing into it.

We got Charlotte and Jensen out of bed, fed them their bottles, and hurriedly threw them into the car (still in their PJs) and took them to Grandma and Grandpa's house so we would have time to open gifts before they got grumpy and ready for naps. My parents had already given them their big gifts (the car seats) but they still had stockings full of all kinds of fun stuff to open. I was a terrible, terrible mom and forgot to even get my camera out of my bag until the very end of the gift-opening. I only got one picture of Charlotte and zero of poor Jensen!

Sitting in Grandma's lap...shocking, huh?

Mr. Bear (the world's largest lap dog) had a good time as well.

When the babies got sleepy, we put them down for a nap in my parents' bedroom and enjoyed a little time just hanging out with my parents and my brother. Todd received a deep fryer for Christmas, so he disappeared into the freezing cold garage and reappeared every so often with samplings of fried fare (pickles, fish and cheese!) for us to try. After the babies awoke, we took them home and had a few hours to regroup before packing up and going back to my parents house for dinner with 15 or so members of my dad's side of the family. Charlotte and Jensen got to spend time with their Great-Aunt Nancy and meet some of their second- and third-cousins for the first time. When the fun was over, we put two exhausted, screaming babies in the car and called it a day.

Whew. In the spirit of honesty, I'll go ahead and say it: Christmas with the babies was not quite as magical as I thought it'd be. It was, however, far more exhausting than I thought it would be. Charlotte and Jensen are still too young to do the fun stuff, like count down the days 'til Christmas, put cookies out for Santa and tear into their gifts with excitement (or open their gifts at all, for that matter). It kind of just felt like we were hauling the poor things all over town from event to event and they were clueless as to why. Plus, Brian and I both felt like the family get-togethers came and went without us really getting the chance to actually spend any quality time with anyone, because we were too busy wrangling babies the entire time! Plus, someone gave Charlotte a gift she didn't ask for...a cold. So I guess we're still kinda dealing with the aftermath of all the fun.

All that said, I was thinking back to last Christmas, four months before the babies were born...we had just found out that we were having a boy and a girl, and that both were healthy. We felt so blessed and excited, and we were having the best time sharing the news with our family and friends. It felt surreal that next year at that time, we would be spending Christmas with our two eight-month-olds. Fast-forward a year, and here we are...our family is complete. Even though I would not call Christmas with two infants relaxing, I wouldn't trade our craziness with Charlotte and Jensen for a lifetime of silent nights...and as cliched as it sounds, they are definitely the best gifts we will ever receive.

This is Me Swallowing My Pride

(Yes, this is also me quoting Taylor Swift!)

So...I needed a new car. I'd been driving the Acura since college, and while it was a great car (despite the Great Illegal Immigrant Wreck of Memorial Day Weekend 2006), it was getting up there in miles and it was a tad smaller than I'd like. Brian and I tossed around ideas for awhile but weren't really sure which direction we wanted to go. We talked about SUVs, sedans, and even station wagons. But somewhere along the way, one of us threw it out there...the 'm' word. Minivan.

A minivan. The dreaded mom-mobile. The vehicle that immediately brings to mind images of frazzled, sweatpants-wearing, coffee-guzzling, unshowered women who have basically given up on having a life outside of the carpool lane. The vehicle that we all said we'd never drive. Well, as of yesterday, there's one in my garage.

Here's how it happened: We started talking about what we needed in a car, what we wanted in a car, and what we wanted to pay for a car. We looked at a few options...everything was too small, too expensive, didn't have all the options we wanted, or I just plain didn't like driving it (like the Suburban). We revisited the minivan discussions, but this time a bit more seriously. We talked to other parents about the pros and cons of the vehicles they drove. I was beginning to see the merits of the minivan, but I still just didn't know if I was ready to become a minivan mama. Then, during a conversation with Brian's sister (who drives an SUV and has two kids, ages 5 and 2), she mentioned how much her kids love it when they get to ride in a minivan. Then her husband said something about how driving a minivan required you to swallow your pride.

That was my lightbulb moment...here was a car that had everything we needed in a vehicle, everything we wanted in a vehicle, and the price was right. It would make my life a whole lot easier...because it was designed to do just that for people just like me. So what was holding me back from getting one? Not looking cool when I pull up to play dates? Not looking hip when I go to Target to do my shopping? Not looking stylish when I unload the kids at the library for story time? All of a sudden, getting anything but a minivan just seemed kind of silly.

So I looked at a few online, watched the swagger wagon video on YouTube to psych myself up, and told people I was in the market for a minivan. Most people either laughed, thought I was joking, or tried (unsuccessfully) to talk me out of it (shout-out to Kim, Lisa and Whitney...the only people who did none of the above!). Brian did his research and decided a Honda Odyssey was the way to go, so we went and had a look. I halfway expected to hate driving a minivan, but I actually didn't. I was shocked at how roomy it is on the inside without feeling like you're driving a bus (which is how driving the Suburban feels to me). Plus, it has a lot of cool stuff on the inside. Navigation, satellite radio, tons of storage space, bluetooth, a DVD player in the back for when the kiddos are old enough, and so much room for people to ride (even with two huge convertible car seats) it's ridiculous.

We decided to take the plunge and trade in my Acura for the Odyssey. Brian (who told me the dealership was ordering one for me and it wouldn't be here until February or March) surprised me with my new ride on Thursday. I loooooove it. Will I always drive a minivan? Who knows. But for now, it is definitely the right choice for us. So now I suppose all that's left to do is slap one of those stick-figure family stickers on the back window and head to the mall to look for some "mom jeans" to complete my transformation!

The Shelton Swagger Wagon!

I would have taken a picture of myself in front of it, but, well, I was wearing sweatpants. And I was unshowered...kind of like the typical minivan-driving mom I described above! Hey, if the shoe fits...

I was pretty much the only person left on Earth without satellite radio, so I am pretty pumped.

Seriously, there is so much room. And Bailey can now actually ride in the car with us comfortably. She has the entire third row to herself now, whereas she could hardly even get in the Acura with the huge car seats installed, let alone get comfy. 

Hands-down the best part: The sliding doors that open/close with the push of a button. So handy when you have an armful of babies and their gear. There's an open/close button right inside both passenger doors...

and an open/close button right by the steering wheel, so I can start opening the doors before I even get out of the car...

...and an open/close button for each door on the key. So handy!

Eight Months!

Oh my goodness. Eight months. That sounds really old, doesn't it? Lots of memories were made this month: Charlotte and Jensen's first meeting with Santa, Jensen beginning to crawl, our first time sending out a Christmas card with pictures of our family of five (yes, five...don't forget Bailey!). But this month will always hold one memory that stands out above the rest: As we know, Jensen has loved his sister Charlotte for quite some time. But his love was pretty much unrequited. However, Charlotte has recently come to a wonderful conclusion:

She loves her brother!

Take a look...

Smiling as he tackles her!

She has decided that he's hilarious and she laughs at him all the time!

"Okay, you can join me in my chair."

Sharing a laugh over their silly Christmas outfits.

Look at the look on her face! I love it!

She has started messing with him and giving him a taste of his own medicine. He usually loves it.

Of course, it's not all sunshine and roses around here...

We've still got hair-pulling...

And sometimes, he's still too much for little Peanut. Can't really blame her.

And the other day, we actually had our first case of Charlotte picking on Jensen...as he crawled by her, she grabbed his face and bit him in the leg. He seemed shocked, then started crying. It seems he can dish it out, but he can't take it!

Let's see...another first this month was Charlotte and Jensen's first time visiting the park and going on the swings! Jensen thought it was just fine, and little Peanut loved it...the higher, the better! Charlotte is a little daredevil! Who knew?

Charlotte Anne at 8 Months:

(Height? Weight?)

Yes, this is seriously the best picture I got of her yesterday. Between the teething and not napping well, she was not a happy camper on her 8-month birthday.

Another reason for her displeasure was that I decided to try a bow on her head. I have nothing against bows on baby girls, but I have decided that the big ones just don't fit her personality. To me, she doesn't look like herself with them on. She's smiling in this pic, but if you look closely you can see a tear under her left eye.

Bow-less, and definitely looking more like herself!

Little Peanut has had a great month! She has her two bottom front teeth and is working on getting her first tooth on top (ouch!). She is sitting up well on her own, and although she's not quite crawling yet, she's definitely working hard at it (she has the back-and-forth rocking thing going on). Peanut has been sleeping fairly well (knock on wood) and loves, loves, loves going to bed every night. At bedtime, Brian makes a big production out of getting out Charlotte's pajamas and holding them up to show her...she squeals with delight every time she sees her PJs. It's hilarious! She also loves to wake up in the morning and always greets us with big smiles...she is definitely a morning person. Charlotte continues to study everything and everybody...she can be a serious little thing, and it definitely takes some effort to get a laugh out of her. She still loves to read and has started pointing at things in her books with her little pointer finger...so cute! Charlotte continues to become more and more mellow and happy. The other day, someone asked us if Charlotte "was always so happy." I never would have thought, back in Peanut's first few weeks of life, that anyone would be asking that question about her!

This is the "I'm studying this very closely" face. And note the pointer finger.

So studious!

Loves her books! Just like her mom!

Even though she can sit up, she still prefers to lie on her tummy most of the time.

In her "studying" mode again.

Happy girl who loves to be outside.

Jensen Todd at 8 Months:

Height? Weight?

Mr. Jensen. Where do I start? He is wild and crazy and loud and rough-and-tumble and messy and constantly looking for trouble. But he is also sweet. And his laughter and smiles totally melt my heart. In short, he's everything you think of when you think of a little boy. Jensen has been crawling pretty much since he turned seven months old, so he's got almost a month of crawling under his belt. But he is also now pulling up on everything (and often letting go with one or both hands). He has also recently begun trying to climb up onto things...no success yet, fortunately for me. He is pretty impressed with all his moves, which has led to him not napping all that well (because who has time to nap when you can pull yourself up in your crib and squeal at your sister?). So he's had a few grumpy evenings (and so has Charlotte...because it's hard to nap when a certain someone is leaned over the edge of his crib squealing at you!). I have been climbing into bed every night just exhausted from keeping up with him all day. Jensen still has no teeth, but I figure they can't be too far away. He has gotten a lot more verbal in the past week or so and loves to say "dada." The other day when Brian got home, he crawled over to him and said, "Hiiiii, Dad." Now I realize he is only eight months old and it was just the way he happened to string his sounds together that sounded exactly like "Hi, Dad", but it was so cool nonetheless.

Here are a few pics of my wild man in action...

Seeing him standing up is seriously the cutest thing ever. He looks like a little man.

Sweet cheeks.

Comin' through, Sis!

His hair is usually in some state of disarray.

Not the proper way to sit in the chair, dude.

He is obsessed with electronics (like daddy).

And a few pics of the big eight-month-olds together...

A rare double smile.

I love this one.

Playing together.  I have no idea where his pants went, but would you look at those legs? Greatness! 

This was cracking me up. I never have the TV on when they're awake, but I've recently started putting the music stations on. They were enthralled!

One of his new favorite things to do is hang onto the jumperoo as Charlotte jumps. He thinks it's great fun to be tossed around.

Eight months down! So, I will be honest here...having twins had been getting easier and easier every month...until this one. Things have gotten a bit crazy around here with Jensen's new-found mobility. It is hard to try to follow him around and make sure he doesn't kill himself while simultaneously paying attention to Charlotte and making sure she's happy and content (and I can imagine it will only get harder once Charlotte gets the crawling down). It's honestly pretty exhausting, but still so much fun. And watching them laugh together, well, it's absolutely priceless. I am really looking forward to them continuing to develop their relationship and become little buddies.