Show and Tell

I have some great things to share!

Check out this photograph taken on Monday by our wonderful and artistic friend, Melissa. What an awesome photo! And she's a pro at baby-raisin' cause taking three babies under the age of 2 for a walk takes some mad skills, not to mention a little creativity!  One twin is in the stroller, one twin is in the Moby wrap, and Vi is holding onto Mommy's hand.

And tonight I got to participate in a mom's discussion group hosted by the people who make Dr. Brown's bottles (the bottles we use).  We talked about general impressions of baby-related consumer products.  I was able to take another opportunity to brag about the wonders of the Moby wrap.  There were 7 other moms there, one of whom is 20 weeks pregnant with twins - her 2nd and 3rd babies!  The highlight of the night was, of course, when they let us go around the perimeter of the room, which was pretty much set up with store displays, and we each got to take our pick of products!!   Here's my loot:

And then!  I got to come home to these little cuties!!!  :)

You're the run that I want

It's a 4 mile underground race! One Question: Do you think your ankles would be covered in leeches at the end of it? Because that's a deal-breaker.

This year's run is Saturday, February 25. Lucas, what do you say?

New Header, 5K, Crying Babies

Welcome back!  You probably noticed the new header?  I hope you like it!  It was fun to make!  I used Paint.net... a free photoshop of sorts.  You can download it here. 

Last night we did the 5K at Our Lady of the Snows.  It was an awesome night, at about 45°, and the course wound through the holiday lights at the shrine.  I've only been running twice since the girls were born, and ran 1 1/2 each time.  So I didn't have high expectations to run the whole 5K.  But thanks to Lucas' encouragement along the way, I did it!!  And it was a VERY hilly course, so I'm proud of myself.  :)  ...It's all practice for the Shook Relay Marathon Smack-Down that's happening in April.  That's going to be about 6 or 7 miles per person, and it's Bloods vs Out-laws (the in-laws).  Go Out-Laws!

Well, nothing much else is new, so I'll end with some photos of two precious, gorgeous, sweet, huggable, kissable, irresistible babies.  I just love their little faces when they are really worked up, so one night I snapped these really quickly before calming them down.

3 Months Old

How can these girls have changed so much in the last 13 weeks, and yet, also stayed just the same? Margaret was always a sweet and sleepy girl in the NICU. And now, she continues to sleep a lot... or play possum, one of the two. Especially when she's in new environments and with new people - something that we've had a lot of over Christmas. Nora is still that inquisitive little professor that she was in the NICU. She doesn't miss a thing. Always looking around, Nosy Nora. And their cries, while more pronounced now, are the same cries that they each had when they were born. Beet red Nora with a loud and active cry and Margaret with a gentle, sad wimper and a quivering bottom lip.

Melissa gave us these hats and flower clips as a shower gift.  Aren't they precious?  ...I don't know why, but these pictures remind me of Daisy from The Great Gatsby???

Here are our fav tights from Nana :)  Remember this?

We had an awesome Christmas, full of good times with family, lots of good food, so many presents, and even a nap or two. It was very special for the four of us to go to church on Christmas morning. (Church, by the way, is the one place that Margaret won't sleep.) Pastor Scott made a special visit to our pew during the sermon and called attention to "the newest members". I felt a little guilty ... all those songs about the newborn Savior... all I could think about was our girls. Wouldn't they be cute in swaddling clothes? in a manger? But really, that's what Christmas is about. God's gift to mankind. And these girls are His gift to us. What a perfect Christmas.

And here, Nolie's got a hold of both babies.  Remember this?  They're sure a lot bigger now!!!

Well, not quite sure why this is sideways...  but I'm awefully happy about this picture.  We tried to get pics with Santa on THREE separate occasions and it never worked out.  So I was delighted with Santa's visit to Freeburg on Christmas Eve. Nolan suited up for his granddaughters and it was one of the sweetest moments of the holiday. I never really thought I'd see him in a Santa suit, but he loves those girls so I'm sure it was no big deal to him at all. 

This is so sweet. <3

Daddy and Lucas Jr, aka Lucy, on New Years Eve.

New Years Eve with Violet!  We went to Nathan and Melissa's, had homemade soft pretzels, worked on putting Theresa into labor, and the ball dropped at 11!  It was perfect!

Vi loves her babies so much.  And see that little smile that Margaret has??