lately

Sam and the "move-along" - helping daddy mow the lawn in his PJs.

So much to capture, so little time... so this is a quick and dirty compilation of some gems around our house lately:

Sam "I'm not bacon. I'm Sammy." Yes, yes, that's correct son.

August: A show got stuck on pause too long, and she screamed, outraged, "This is NOT a great show! I want to watch a different show!"

Claire finished playing soccer, and defended 8+ goals in one of her soccer games. She is actually a pretty good little goalie! However, I don't know if she loves soccer that much. Her heart still belongs to art, horses, skiing, and recently kayaking. Maybe she'll be our little outdoors-woman.

Kayaking solo around Redfish Lake! Big girl!!!!!!!

Claire LOVES animals... especially Teddy. He is very patient getting dressed up as a princess.

Claire won an art contest at school that illustrates the school rules. So proud of her!

Matt to Sam "You're drumming like a mad man!" "No! I wasn't drumming like a mad man! I was drumming like a happy man."

The first time Sam dressed himself completely. He even picked out the outfit!

August has a funny little language that is indecipherable to most people. It's like something you would hear from a lost people on a deserted island and includes a lot of clicking and tongue flicking. She usually thinks she is a cat when she's doing it. Her ancient tribal language is a fabulous juxtaposition to her robust vocabulary.

August and her beloved Mama Kitty.

She is still OBSESSED with her cat, otherwise known as "Mama Kitty" (and to us, affectionately, booger cat.")  She brings it with her everywhere, and holds it every moment she can, sleeping or awake. She tenderly pets its lower back above its tail, over and over. For months, I assumed she was doing it to comfort the cat like she thought she was taking care of it. However, the other day, I was putting her hair in pigtails, and she was screaming because she hates having her hair done (she's very tender headed.) She was holding the cat, and even through her tantrum and screaming fits, she was gently petting its back. It was then that I realized, she is petting it to comfort herself. I thought that was adorable. She's like a little cartoon character that drags around a favorite lovey, stuffed animal or blanket. Claire was never incredibly attached to any possessions as a young child, but the twins absolutely are. Interesting difference.

Great picture captured by Grandma Tam... A little girl wanting to play on the computer with her big sister, dressed in muscles and a superhero mask. She's serious about the task at hand, and darling Claire is stifling a giggle.

August is very independent, but one area she really likes help in still, is walking down the stairs. She holds her cat in one arm and begs to be taken by the hand and escorted gently down the stairs. It's adorable to watch her slow down (a rare occurrence in her world...) and glide down the staircase each morning and after naps. It's like she's being presented down a staircase to a gentleman caller waiting at the bottom. I have visions of "Gone with the Wind" or "Meet Me In St. Louis" when she does it.

August - ready to work, with an apron and a toolbelt (which she stole from Sam.)

Sam and August always want to be included with Claire and her friends when they are playing in her room. Claire and her friend Bella were playing in her room, and I explained to Sammy that we needed to just let the big girls have some time to play. He threw himself on the floor, bawling, and said "I want to be a big girl!"

The twins continue to be obsessed with the Minions movie, however they call it "Minioms" and I will not correct it. For their third birthday, we had a small family gathering that was Minioms --- er.... "twinons" -- themed. They are also obsessed with the tv show PJ Masks and always dress up like superheroes.

My little superheroes!

August LOVES chapstick and lipstick. She insists on applying it before every nap and bedtime. We actually have to count to three so she has a limit or she will get as greasy as a prize hog at a county fair. One time she put on so much, she screamed out "Help! I have a problem!" We looked over at her and she literally had a layer of thick greasy balm on her face at least 1/8" thick. 

The fabulous chapstick overindulgence.

After a huge, crying tantrum, August announced with desperation: "I'm having a problem - my eyes are so wet." Well duh! Yes, these are called tears, my sweet. 

Claire got first big girl haircut and it's fabulous.  I really didn't want to cut off her "little girl" long hair, but she begged for it, and my mom had the good sense to help me realize it wasn't a big deal and I needed to let her do what she wanted. She is so happy about it. She cut off just under 10 inches and is going to donate it.

Sammy got his hair cut in the fancy salon the same day, and just laid back in the chair like he owned the place- so soothed by the feeling of having his hair combed. He is such an affectionate, tender boy.

Early this summer, Matt was traveling, and I had to run upstairs to take a shower. I thought the twins were distracted enough not to cause trouble while I was gone for five minutes. I was terribly wrong. Sammy decided to help clean out the fireplace (which was still completely full of ash and logs from winter). I came down from the shower to find ash everywhere. So, I went and got the shopvac, and turned it on and the exhaust was pointed at the fireplace (I've never used a shopvac myself...) and it blew the ashes EVERYWHERE. We had our own special little Pompeii in our living room.

August calls Matt "Dad-O". We adore it... 

Sam has had an obsession with baby dolls for several months, and has commandeered most of August's and Claire's. His brood seems to grow every day, so much that he cannot carry all of them at once. He has named all of them "goo-goo-ga-ga" which is weird because we never even say that. Maybe he heard it on some TV show. He tenderly puts them all to bed before his naps and bedtime, in a slew of miniature pack and plays, cribs, bouncers and a lucky few get to sleep with him. In the morning when he wakes up, we hear high pitched little fake baby cries coming from his room. It certainly gets our attention, but the first time we heard it we were confused because it took us back a couple of years. Sam actually makes the babies "cry" and they wake HIM up, and being the ever responsible father he is, he wakes up to care for them. It is beyond precious.

Sam and his ever-growing brood of children.

Taking baby for a ride on the motorcycle.

August can't say any "L's" so her new preschool teacher for fall is "Miss Wiz" (Miss Liz). She recently fell off of a chair and hurt her "weg" (leg) pretty badly and was quite distressed.

Another current favorite of all three kids is Michael Jackson. However, they only think he wrote "Black or White" and "Om Fat" (Bad -- Matt played the Weird Al version for them and they refuse to adopt the correct lyrics.)  They are so obsessed with him and his music that they've gotten a little confused lately, and their favorite cereal, Apple Jacks, is referred to as "Michael Jacks" by the twins. 

Sam in his constant attempt at politeness utters the phrase "May I please will you help me?" He also starts every sentence with the word "because" even if it is not in response to a question.

Claire got an awesome new loft bed with a built in desk and bookcase underneath it, so August got Claire's old twin bed, and we transitioned Sammy's crib to his big boy toddler bed on May 29. Both twins slept wonderfully in their beds, and they literally never get out. We only told them once that they had to stay in their beds because we remembered when Claire was little how hard it was to get her to stay in the bed without all four walls. The twins actually sleep better, and longer, and have returned to their naps ---- a true miracle for mommy.

Matt just celebrated his 35th birthday. I had the kids write in his cards. As Sam was "writing" in his card, he narrated his inscription out loud and I couldn't be more grateful: "Happy Birthday, and A, B, C and GO UTES and..... W, X, Y Z." What better birthday greeting could you ask for?

Happy Birthday to Matty! We celebrated at his cabin.

Little family walk around Silver Lake for Matt's birthday weekend.

Walking behind the twins around Silver Lake. I will NEVER forget this moment.

We celebrated Matt's birthday with a weekend at his family cabin... which the twins insist is a cavin (they only say their "b's" about half of the time.) Sam says "Daddy's house is our house, and my house is the cavin." We saw moose and deer, fished a little and explored nature, and tried to roast marshmallows over the fire, but the twins' incredibly short arms prevented effective roasting.

I served tortellini for dinner recently. As Sam was eating, he panicked and said, "My tortellini is BROKEN! Can you get the tape and tape it back together?" After we finished laughing we explained to him that it wouldn't work, and...well, you can't eat tape.

As the twins' 3rd birthday was approaching, I asked August and Sam how old they would be, and August held up two fingers and replied without pausing "52". Sam, of course, immediately agreed. They say they grow up so fast...but this must be a world record.

 

For Father's Day we took the family to see "Finding Dory". This was largely because of Claire's obsession with Nemo for the first years of her life, and it only seemed fitting to carry on the tradition. It was the twins' first movie theater experience... and what an experience it was. A few sound-bytes from our two-hour experience:

August (crawling around on the floor, under the seats) - "Oh LOOK! My old band-aid!" I kept telling her to stop talking in the movie, and she yelled out "Look mom! I'm not talking! I'm not talking!" She was generous enough to make sure I had plenty of movie snacks, and kept shoving them in my face without warning. A few of them were indescribable - certainly nothing we purchased or brought to the theater... a mystery floor snack. Gross. Thanks for making sure I'm well fed, August. Sam's favorite baby joined us and sat on his lap the whole time. Of course, August brought Mama Kitty, and Claire brought Princess Puppy. She also wore a tutu the size of a Cadillac and a headpiece she made out of pearls and a giant blue gemstone. Our family didn't stand out at all....

Every morning the kids wake up in the EXACT same order, without fail. First, Sammy (awakened by his 'babies' crying for his attention), then August (after her beauty slumber...), and shortly thereafter, Claire. Every. Single. Day. Their little routines fascinate me.

Claire has been dabbling in writing, and recently wrote lyrics to a song and a poem for me. It was one of those golden motherhood moments I'll treasure forever.

"You are the stars in my eyes,

you are light in my soul.

You're the best mom I've ever seen,

I love you so."

I love this person....

Another keeper:

This morning I got Sam out of bed, and he was devastated that he lost his "list" that he made. (Apple doesn't fall far from the tree...ahem.) He was so worried that it was gone, and I explained that we could make a new one.

Me: "Sammy, it's okay. We'll make another. What did your list say?"
Sam: "It says, 'My List' "

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA.

Building Birdhouses

On one of Matt's recent trips we were trying to keep ourselves busy, so we built birdhouses! Magically, I didn't crush a finger with a hammer. Also, magically, Claire is amazing with a nail and hammer. Her coordination blew me away! All of the kids decorated them to their taste and set them in the yard hoping for a feathery inhabitant to find a new home.

Our cousin Wendy gave the kids a subscription to National Geographic Kids magazine for Christmas. Claire is always sharing interesting facts with the family. At the dinner table she told us about the hexagonal hurricane that's been over Saturn for a long time. She kept talking about the hurricane and finally August yelled out "MY-i-cane?" She assumed we were talking about her, and her "her-icane."

The kids are always getting our attention to watch them do new tricks and things. They usually repeat "Mommy, look" or "Dad - LOOK!" or something similar. Now August says, "Mom, watch my skills!"

Sam remains ever particular about his clothing - usually insisting on wearing light up spider man snow boots at all times - regardless of the season. I let him, because it's adorable, and I learned from my mom to pick my battles... this is certainly not one worth picking. It's fun to watch him waddle around in snow boots.

Baby's first trip to the dentist. She was so good and let them do everything they needed.

The twins had their first dental visit on August 29 - and their individual experiences perfectly reflected the differences in their personalities. August was excited and ready to go - she chose the chocolate flavored toothpaste and pretty much wanted to do the exam herself. Sam started getting very nervous and really didn't want to take his turn. Matt had to hold him on his lap to keep him calm. The hygenist even cleaned Matt's mouth with the chocolate toothpaste (yum...) so Matt could show Sam that it was okay. The twins expressed that they were nervous and really wanted Claire there - and I honestly think if she had been there, she could have gotten Sammy to calm down and get all of his teeth cleaned. She is their queen and they are her loyal subjects -- but she is so tender and gentle with them. It is hands down one of the most beautiful things I get to watch in my daily life. 

Sam was more tentative at the dentist, and could only be calmed by Matt holding him during the procedure - but they didn't even get to finish it because he was so scared. Tender, tender, little creature.

Loving every one of these crazy moments, and I don't want to forget a single one.