More Fun With the Babes

They are just so cute and fun that I couldn't resist snapping some photos and posting them. (Disclaimer: I know that the photo quality isn't that great, so I apologize.)

It's another, "who me?" moment. In addition to dumping out the diaper bin multiple times a day, my little rascally Caroline likes to play her daddy's bass.



Abbey loves this rocking horse in the church nursery. I have literally had to pry her hands from it on occasion.



My sweet, helpful Molly is willing to help feed Caroline if it means that it will free me to feed a screaming Abbey. This is partly due to her desire to hear the cartoons she watches in the morning. Whatever the motivation, it brings peace to our home.



We haven't been able to resist the beautiful, fall weather. The other day we got outside to swing. Both girls loved it. The belly laughs they made when Molly pushed them high were just priceless. Abbey is the little Gamecock below.

The Joys of Having a Daughter, Part 2

Who me?

The Joys of Having a Daughter

Maybe, it is not that she is a girl. Maybe, it is her unique personality. Or, maybe, it is just a stage. Regardless, I am loving Molly's desire to be helpful and to organize. Here is her "surprise" for me and Jack:

Cutie Pies

I thought it had been awhile since I'd posted photos of the two cuties. They are growing so fast and learning so much. Ann Louise and Dave were here last weekend. They were amazed at all that Abbey and Caroline had learned in the month between visits. When they came in August, the babies were still immobile. Now they are sitting, crawling, pulling up, and cruising.

The other morning I left them in the den to go into my bathroom for something. The next thing I knew, Caroline was crawling across my room. One afternoon I was bringing Caroline in from the car, after having brought Abbey in first. Instead of sitting in the den where I'd left her, Abbey had crawled to the front door, where she met me.

They are just beginning to get the hang of getting the Cheerios into their mouths now. The quicker they master that, the better. Then I can stop being the momma bird putting each little piece of cereal into the open (sometimes, crying) mouth.

Here are pictures of them. Abbey is first:

They are so precious and so fun. Their first birthday will be here in the blink of an eye. It is so hard to believe that we didn't know them this time last year. I really do love them so very much and I enjoy them immensely.

I Should've Stayed Home

We've been sick all week. So, when the Memphis Mom's of Multiples Club planned a playdate to check out the new children's garden at the Memphis Botanic Gardens, we thought that would be the perfect cure for our cabin fever. Jack has the day off from school, and we are all well enough to go. Granted, I'd have to time the babies' feeding so that we could enjoy the gardens long enough before we had to break for their lunch, and they would have to sleep in their carseats or forgo their morning naps. It was going to take a lot of effort, but it would be worth it.

The forecast said partly cloudy with scattered showers possible (10% chance). It started sprinkling here, so I called the club president to see if they were rescheduling. "Oh, the radar shows that the rain will be gone before we get there. Plus, it is just sprinkles." So, we loaded up and headed out. Jack and Molly were fighting and like a good mom, I promised to "turn the car around and go home if they didn't start to obey." More and more cars headed towards me had their lights on. Then the rain picked up. Still, we were thirty minutes away, and we really needed this outing. The radio announcer said that it was officially raining in Memphis. Then it started lightning.

So, onto plan B--Chick-fil-A play place with a coupon for free fries. But, was it really worth getting both babies out of car, into the stroller and then into the store in the rain? Sure, what the heck? But, before we could get very far towards the store, one of the children didn't heed a second warning against disobedience. So, I followed through on my warning and turned the car around.

Not one to want to waste all of the effort of getting everyone ready for an outing, I decided we would stop by Amy's Country Clippers to get Jack his much needed haircut. Alas, it was all dark inside. Amy decided to close up shop early for the Labor Day weekend.

I guess I should've stayed home.

Consignment Sale Success

I went in saying I'd be happy if we spent less than $200. I ended up writing my check for $192.50. Then, during my shift as a worker, I found $10 more worth of stuff. So, I went over my goal, but I racked up. I got 66 items total, so that is only $3.06 for each item. It is funny that my sister prices all of her stuff at $3.00. I guess she is on target. So, here is the breakdown:

Winter/next size up school uniform clothes for Jack: 12 pieces totaling $36
Non-school clothes for Jack: 12 pieces totaling $37.50
Clothing for Abbey and Caroline: 4 pieces totaling $9
Clothing for Molly: 18 pieces totaling $57.50
Baby/Kid "gear": 11 pieces totaling $29.50
Christmas/Birthday toys/gifts: 8 items totaling $22.50
Huge bag of Lincoln Logs for Ed's study at church: $10

Best/Favorite Finds:
A sweater with four dogs on it for Jack--He has been wearing it all morning.
Tinkerbell pajamas and two cute dresses for Molly--She wanted to wear one today, but I said, "Not yet."
New pack of disposable colored spoons for the babies for 50 cents. It is going in the diaper bag to use as toys and/or for feeding.
A pea pod costume for Caroline--Poor Abbey will be traveling back from her surgery in Chicago on Halloween, so I doubt she will feel like trick-or-treating.
A bag of Power Rangers and Superheroes for Jack's birthday for $3.00

So, although I hate spending $200, I think I did pretty good. It is really good when you consider that I hope to make at least that much on the stuff I sell. Last spring I thought I'd made about $80, but ended up getting a check for $250. So, it may be that all of that stuff is really free.

Truth

This has been a hard several days. The brokenness of the world and in my own heart have been pressing down hard on me. This morning I was encouraged by the songs of Bebo Norman. He sings songs of truth; songs about hard things and beautiful things. He sings about the power of Jesus in the darkness of our lives and this world and the hope of a new day. I am thankful for Bebo and his reminders of the Truth.