9.11.10: Fifteen months old

(left to right: fiona, daphne, stella)

After a full day of traveling back home (it is best that we not discuss the flights), we decided to take the monthly photo one day late.

The girls have had a wonderful month. They were able to see a majority of their relatives, adventure to a new state and attend their first wedding. They have all said at least one understandable word (besides dada and mama). They love giving hugs and have begun blowing kisses and even giving real kisses (although very wet ones). They have started following commands (go get the ball, where is your head, etc) and are really beginning to show their personalities and preferences.

9.10.10: Great Nana

(left to right: fiona, stella, daphne)

We spent some more time with the family the day after the wedding. The girls decided to squish Great Nana while posing for this picture. I am amazed that she was still able to smile.

During the remainder of our visit we adventured to the children's museum, zoo, mall, played in nana's pool and playhouse, and went for several walks around the neighborhood - I would call the trip a huge success. We left having accomplished everything on our to-do list including spending a ton of time with family.

9.5.10: First wedding

Saturday, we were lucky enough to participate in a wonderful rehearsal dinner where the girls made sure to greet each attendee while wandering throughout the room. Good thing we have waving down :)


(left to right: fiona, stella, daphne)

Today was the big day, the girls got a new aunt while Brant and I got a new sister-in-law. We couldn't be happier. The wedding was beautiful and everything went really well. The girls were exhausted after finding their way to the dance floor. We snuck away for a family picture just before calling it a night.

9.3.10: What noise?

And so the real adventure begins...our first hotel stay

Ever thought your neighbor at a hotel was noisy, well be glad you didn't have us next door. Thankfully we knew the people staying in the rooms around us so they were much more understanding than random people would have been. Creativity (and lots of help) was the key to our 'success' at the hotel. We found the biggest struggle to be feeding the girls. Apparently the hotel only had ONE highchair and several boosters (without a strap). It wasn't the prettiest feeding situation. Let's just say that we had to use Brant's belt to hold someone to the chair.

Tonight we went out to our first real restaurant with the girls...a restaurant with a waiter, reservations, and thankfully three highchairs. I can't think of the last time we did that (definitely never with the kids). The girls did great. Of course, we loaded them up with processed snacks (puffs, wagon wheels, etc) and even ordered a grilled cheese for them to share. It was not the well balanced meal that we usually give them, but once in a while it seems okay. Tonight we were celebrating Christina getting her PhD, a huge accomplishment many years in the making!


(left to right: evan, dr. christina priest, ragan, daphne, brant, bonnie, stella, kari, fiona, melissa)

9.2.10: Outnumbered

Well it finally happened. There were twice as many adults as babies at Nana's house! I'm not sure the girls knew what to do, I definitely didn't. Daphne took a quick liking to Ragan and found herself relaxing on him. This is one of my favorite pictures of this 15+ minute lounging. She was 100% content sitting on Ragan and when he started to laugh, she gave him this look. The caption that seems appropriate is 'Hey, why is my seat moving, stop it, I am relaxing here!'


Fiona was quick to point at Cammie. Everyone seemed pretty comfortable with their first real dog interaction. Of course, I'm not sure how Cammie felt about all the little people running around her house.


We did our very best to keep the girls on their west coast schedule, mainly so they could participate in all the wedding activities. This meant that our nightly walks took place pretty late in the evening. Luckily there was a Target nearby so the girls felt right at home cruising the familiar red aisles. The twist was the addition of a single stroller, meaning no one needed to be carried. Stella was definitely enjoying 'the singleton life' escorted by Evan.

9.1.10: 2000+ miles

After ten hours, two thousand+ miles, two car rides, two airplanes, six bottles of milk, four snack traps, five changes in clothing, two incidents of peeing on me due to leaking diapers, one incident of spitting up on me, and some mild squirminess, we arrived safely in Indianapolis to the welcoming faces of Nana and Uncle Evan. I must say, the trip went much better than we expected. The gate agent in Burbank took pity on us and offered to let us board the plane before everyone else. Of course, we did look pretty spectacular while boarding. I was carrying three kids up a flight of stairs to the plane while Brant collapsed the stroller carrying three bags and a car seat. This allowed us to get the bulkhead row and row behind it (only one lap infant per row due to oxygen masks). I believe this was the key to our successful day. We arrived exhausted but very thankfully to see friendly faces.

8.31.10: The Amazing Civic

Our amazing little car will be holding all the of the following:

- One large suitcase
- One small suitcase
- Diaper bag
- Carry-on
- Double stroller
- Bjorn
- Car seats x3
- Fiona
- Daphne
- Stella
- Brant
- Kari

Now the only question is, can we get it all to the terminal?

8.29.10: Venice beach

Today we adventured to Venice Beach. A crazy place with crazy people....it was wonderful. The girls did great and seemed to enjoy the people watching. Daphne (for the second time) got car sick, but was in a great mood once cleaned up. Today marks the girls' first kids meal. Brant and I needed to get some food and stopped in at a Baja Fresh. Well it happened to be free kids meal day, so I got the girls a quesadilla (which we have eaten before when homemade). They loved it! It was a big mom moment for me. Ordering a meal for my babies....I can't believe they are so grownup!

8.25.10: Helpers

My little girls have become very good helpers.

Frequently, we wipe up spilled milk (from tipped over bottles) with a cloth diaper. The past couple days, Daphne has started cleaning up for us! She will see some milk on the carpet, walk over to a cloth and bring it back to the milk spots. Then she brushes the ground with the cloth. Brant and I were both in disbelief when this happened the first time, but she has done it several days now.

Fiona has begun identifying tiny pieces of lint, hair, and string on the ground. Once located, she picks it up and walks over to me very proudly. I take it from her and thank her. She seems to be on a personal mission to make our blankets/floor lint-free.

This morning, for the first time, I got significant help cleaning up the toys. Every morning before reading time, we put all the toys into the toybox and slide it under the crib. Today, Stella starting putting the toys into the toybox (about five minutes before reading time and before I said it was time to clean up the toys). She put away 3/4 of the toys which is a challenge given that her sisters like to take the toys out of the toybox as they are being put away.

Soon enough, I will be out of a job....well I suppose they will still need me to change their diapers.

8.22.10: WALKING to the park

(fiona/pink, stella/green, daphne/orange)

Today the girls WALKED to the park. That's right, they walked all the way to the park. Okay, in all fairness Daphne held Brant's hand while Fiona held mine (Stella was in a carrier). The handholding was mainly for safety since there are a fair amount of cars on our street. The girls made it all the way to the park, just over .10 miles! Then on the way home, Stella walked holding my hand while Daphne and Fiona were carried. All that walking must have worn them out, they napped very well in the afternoon.


(front to back: stella, daphne, fiona)

This weekend we also upgraded our stroller to the new 'bike seats' instead of the infant carriers that they had seriously outgrown. Stella who rides in front was totally digging 'driving' the stroller. Brant was very creative fitting the sunshades to the new stroller seats using a rolled up magazine. You would never know about our ghetto headrest fix unless I told you.