Napping...grrrrrrrrrr...

Yeah, so not sure what the deal is but the kids didn't nap on Friday (the day after a loaded day w/ family & friends) & then 2 of them (Gabi & Ian) didn't nap today. It wouldn't be an issue if they would just hang out & play but, NOOOOOO. They have to be w/ Mommy. Mommy had a lot to do today. Too much to do today. So, needless to say, not much got done.

But as it were, Gabi accepted Daddy as a substitute, only until Mommy got in her line of sight & then it was a no go.


Ok, that's a lie. Lots got done but it was accompanied by crying & Daddy coming to the rescue. It was a join effort. Thank God. Now, if I only knew the reason for the short naps. I know Ian woke up b/c of Gabi today. Most likely all 3 woke up b/c of Sofi on Friday. I think Sofi is getting a 2 year molar (yes, that would be 4 months early but she started w/ her 1 year molars at 10 months so I wouldn't be surprised).

Another suggestion is a growth spurt. I would believe that but they aren't eating any more than before. Hmmm...I'm stumped but either way, will love my babies & cherish this time. No matter how difficult.

Happy Turkey Day!

I hope everyone stuffed their bellies w/ good food today. If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, then I hope you had a wonderful day all the same. The reason I say that is since I am from a different country, my family had NO IDEA what Thanksgiving was until they moved here. We have never really celebrated it. We did family stuff but never turkey & stuffing & all the fixins.

This was our 1st REAL Thanksgiving w/ the kids. Yeah, they were around last year & 8 months old but they didn't really sit at the table w/ us or eat w/ us. They just got a taste of turkey & then off to bed.

So, this year we had the shirts made, had family & friends visit throughout the day AND...

Drum roll please...

We went to Grandma & Papap's for dinner! Yeah. You read right. We left the house. Not only did we leave the house BUT we ate dinner. As a family. Somewhere besides our house. Yes, we did.

Gotta admit, I was a bit stressed about the whole thing. Ok, overwhelmed. Yes. Me. Edgy is a nice adjective rather than the other one I was thinking about & since this is a Thanksgiving blog, I will refrain from using profanity.

Now comes the sappy part. Yep, me...being sappy. I want to thank my inlaws for giving us a wonderful opportunity to have a delicious meal (none of which I had to cook) & being able to sit down as a "family". I want to thank God for my 3 beautiful, well behaved children (they were angels today, ok...minus Ian's 30 minute temper tantrum this morning). I am most thankful for my husband, Todd. He is the man of my dreams. My parents, Ian & Jessie, Jeff, & Julie for being part of our lives. I wake up every morning a very happy woman.

Now for some pics!

Hey Dad, I want what you're drinking (uh, no).


Sofi & Papap!


Turkey, turkey, turkey!


Turkey w/ some milk to wash it down.


Playing in a toy. Ok, reading in a toy! Doesn't get better than that when your at Grandma's house!


From our family to yours, thank you for your unconditional support whether it has been through following this blog, saying a prayer in our darkest of moments, leaving a comment or even purchasing something from my growing little business. You are all in our thoughts daily. Thank you!

Cute shirts & Scarf Along project!

Yep, this is the exception to the rule. I know. Not suppose to talk about my business on here but I HAVE to share these really cute turkey shirts that we made for Thanksgiving Day. Too bad it is too late to order one now BUT we are going to have some killer Christmas shirt designs instead so keep a lookout on my other blog SIGnature Creations. These are the 3 shirts together for the kids.

And the shirts seperately.



I've actually been doing quite a bit of sewing now that my machine is out of the closet. I've been keeping dibs on my progress on the other blog. I've got to share my favorite one though. It is called Scarf Along & was recommended to me by a friend, Adrienne. There are a handful of us doing it together (A, Amy, Angie, & Andrea). Ok, is it just me or do we all have A names? HA! Now that is friggin' hilarious!


Anyway, back to the project. The premise is that you can make 8 scarves for roughly $20. Now, I ended up spending a little more b/c I wanted to make more scarves. YAY! So far, I'm loving every minute of it, even the ironing.

Here are my fabric choices for the 1st set of scarves.


And these are the fabric choices for the 2nd set of scarves.


This has really gotten my creative juices flowing. I'm by no means an expert seamstress but this is fun & helps fill my time while making me feel like I am contributing to the family.

Ok, so 1 last plug for my business. I also have an Etsy store. We (Sheila & I) do custom orders as well so if you need something special for a birthday or for a baby shower, we can whip it up. I've got a couple of precious diaper cakes as well as diaper wreaths (perfect to hang on the hospital door & then at home). Too much to list here. Check out the store & my independent website. Remember, if we don't have it, we can make it!

SIGnature Creations Esty Store
SIGnature Creations Website

Thanks for letting me shamelessly plug my biz!

Tender Mommy Moments

You know, it is very rare that a mommy gets to be in the picture but last night proved to be the perfect moment for mommy to get included. Ian normally sits on the couch for his milk & the girls in their bouncy chairs (yes, the same ones we have had since they were born). Last night was special. All 3 wanted to sit on MY lap and, as mommies do, I accommodated all 3.



Don't hate. Yes, we still give the girls milk in a bottle. No, we aren't worried about their teeth. They get brushed every night. We also don't put them to bed w/ the bottle. They finish it at least 30 minutes before going to bed. Why am I even justifying it? Never mind.

Back to the point. This was definitely a moment to remember for this mommy. It is not common for all 3 to sit contently in my lap at one time w/o some shoving, pushing or arguing going on. So, yeah. This is mommy's tender moment <3.

T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

I don't think I really need to explain much w/ a picture like this. He may need braces to get him to walk better but hell if he can't climb!

Eating Utensils & Plates

What a big step to civilized eating! We are officially using eating utensils (or at least trying to) & plates. The plates are going better than the forks/spoons. They actually leave them on the table until they are empty. Once there is nothing left on the plate, it's fair game for throwing down on the ground.

Of the 3, Sofi has managed to eat a whole meal using her fork. She is also really good w/ her spoon. We use a spoon every morning to eat yogurt. I chose yogurt b/c the consistency is thick & tends to stay on the spoon.

Speaking of utensils, I had a difficult time trying to decide what to get. We got some Baby Einstein Eat & Discover Utensils b/c we had been given them as a present way back before the kids were born & these seem to be easy to handle & to pierce the food.

Gabi & Ian...hmmm. They can take it or leave it. Not too interested in the fork although if I help Ian, he will use it. Gabi, not so much. The girl just wants to get the food in her mouth the quickest way possible. I look forward to the day they are able to use them well b/c I'm tired of constantly wiping hands!

Here are the munchkins w/ their plates & forks!

Love/hate relationship...

I hate those damn braces. I'm not exactly sure why I have such a disdain for them but I do. I knew that Ian would have problems maneuvering in them as they are bulky. I don't care what all the therapists said, they are BULKY. They are big & put some significant weight on the bottom half of his legs making it difficult for him to move around.

I'm not saying he was agile & quick before but at least he could break his falls & didn't have huge bruises on the back of his legs from where the braces hit. I think the extra weight is making his feet slower than before & so when he tries to move, his upper body wants to go faster than his lower body. Hence, the falling. A lot of the time he trips over his own feet. Wonder why? Could it be the shoes that are THREE sizes too big?

His ECI coordinator seems to feel the same way about them after observing him today. The only problem is that he IS much more stable when walking than he was before. His left foot has also started to turn straight rather than to the side. I gotta love them for making a difference so quickly. Hence the love/hate relationship.

I knew he would have some physical setbacks b/c the braces are retraining him to walk w/ a new set of muscles. I just didn't expect so much falling. Poor guy. Sorry, no pics today. Momma hasn't had time to take or upload.

I think I needed to vent.