Pre-Christmas 2009

You didn't think I'd get a picture of all three kids together....

....did you??

More, or so much more, to come! We're talkin' traditions, presents, SNOW!....just give me a day or 30 to get caught up!

For the love of legwarmers, and because I like these memories

and also, I like the chub-a-nub nibbly legs!~

Audrey

Big Brother's room has all kinds of fun!

Ethan is so gracious to his little sisters! He's always helping and playing with them. He often tells me, "Mom, you want me to watch the babies for you? They can come in my room. I checked the floor for chokers."
Seriously.
He's the best.

Everyone loves when we migrate to Ethan's room for some fun, even sweet Sadie, who has got to be part of the party at all times.

Norah


Audrey

See those Christmas lights on Ethan's bed? Those lights would be the source of my first for-real electrocution experience. I have two things to say: "Ouch." and "Those lights are in the trash."

See the gate at Ethan's door? We are SO thankful for that gate!! Ethan thinks it is SO cool to have his own little "entrance", if you will. Audrey and Norah safely stand on the outside, rattle it, and try to fish for toys, but all in all, they are protected from all those chokers. Ethan can still leave his door open and play when friends are over and not worry about the girls coming in and crashing his fun. Ethan tells me, "My gate is pretty awesome." Yes. Yes it is.And, because I'm in a random mood, here's one more picture......LOVE CHRISTMAS!! I have to giggle at the stash of presents growing on the fireplace. Could anyone imagine why we must stack presents up off the floor this year?!

A visit from Rosie

....Roseola, that is :(

And let me tell ya, the last 5 days at our house have been a BLAST (to be read with sarcasm).

As scary as it looks and sounds, this rash is actually the upswing of the illness and Audrey is on her way to feeling better, Praise God!

Roseola is a very common infant virus, which starts with a high fever for a few days, then once the fever breaks, this tell-tale rash appears. Audrey has it all over her trunk and face, as well as a bit on her arms and legs.

Now, I love my daughter. But, holding her for 5 straight days and sleeping with her on the couch for naps and bedtime is getting a little old. I miss my old Audrey who made us laugh and got into everything! We ALL miss our silly Audrey-girl! I think she'll be back soon. The rash only lasts a couple days and she's not contagious....just really, really, really grouchy!

Lean on Me

I'm going to update the blog...I'm going to update the blog...I'm going to update the blog...


In the meantime, here's a cutie-pie video of Audrey leaning on Norah while watching Baby Einstein. Audrey has roseola (more on this in the next post. maybe.) and on this day, her fever freaked me out when it hit 102.5 under her arm while resting (that would be the equivalent of 103.5 orally). Anyway, the fever is gone and now she's just covered in a horrific rash and still an irritable little bunny :(

And.....

....we are ready to ring in the joyous season!!

Rhyming Revisited

Remember a while back when I wrote about Ethan's rhyming phase? We had pretty much laid low and I hadn't thought much of it, but then yesterday in the crowded mall, he rhymed ITCH with the B word nice and loud. My response..."Yes, Itch-Ditch DO rhyme!" .... giggles to self ....

Christmas Cards...

With this level of enthusiasm and cooperation, I'm sure to get my perfect-wish photo....

in my dreams!

I take it back...I've gotten some pretty good pictures (like, 1 good for every 100 taken), but I'm still hoping everyone will find it within themselves to have patience with my photo apprenticy (I know, but "apprenticeship" sounds like I have an actual mentor/teacher...which I wish I did!) to get one fantastic picture of everyone together!

Hair Compare

For Mom

I wish you were here to see it for yourself! Can't wait until Christmas!!!!

No-Hair-Norah, with the softest fuzzy head in all of the world. We actually don't want her to grow hair because we love how powdery soft her head is!

Audrey-girl

See my tooth--bottom right!

Ten Months Already!

(edit...for my photog ladies, which pic comes off better? The first one is 'sharpened for web', the second isn't . What does that even MEAN?!)

These little ladies are growing so quickly! Since I have been a horrible mom at keeping up stats for these girls, I'll document what I can think of now...

Audrey wins the tooth race! She cut her first tooth during her 9th month...Norah is still waiting for a tooth to show, but I think we might be close since she seems to be running a muck with the drool.

Both girls are up and at it! They crawl quickly, pull up to stand on whatever they wish, and cruise along furniture. Like Big Brother, they love to play with the bath tub faucet, and Ethan predicts he and dad will have to fix it again before long (I would agree!). They also have a shopping cart, which Norah is getting pretty good at pushing around.

Both love to play "Patty Cake" and "Apple Pie Audrey" (that's one I made up...Apple Pie Audrey, Apple Pie Audrey! Put her in the oven; Bake, bake bake; Eat her all up!...It's silly and tickly and the girls love it). Norah is especially good at initiating the games by clapping her hands. I think she almost has the "roll" part down, too. I can see her thinking it over and trying it out.

They have super hearty appetites. There's not much they won't eat, including any little thing on the floor, from cheerios to leaves. I have to keep a very close eye on floor bits, especially with an Ethan around.

They go to sleep well most nights. They'll sleep from about 7:30/8:00 p.m. until 6:30/7:30 a.m. Audrey is almost always first to awaken, and usually crying for me. She'll stand in her crib and cry (it's more like a whine) until she sees me coming, then it turns to smiles. Norah will often wake up talking, cooing, or just laying quietly. Every now and then, both girls will wake up and be content to talk to each other for a good 1/2 hour before they start to fuss. I love mornings like that!

Ask them to give you High Five and they will.

At their 9 month check up, Audrey was about 15 lbs (10%) and Norah was about 16 lbs (50%).

What else??? OH! One of my favorite things they do...How can I describe it? They have a way of talking by making a sound with their voice, then rubbing the back on their fist against their mouth so it makes a "blub, blub, blub" (kind of like a modified Indian call). Norah started it, then Audrey caught on. Makes me laugh every time, but I've yet to catch it on video.

That'll have to do. It's waaay past my bed time and I'm trying to be intentional about setting my alarm before 6:00 a.m. so I can get up and have some Bible time with the Lord. It's been tough, but I really need to get back in the habit of setting aside the first part of my day for Him.

This is how I catch my z's, homie

Even in her sleep, our Norah is so silly!

TMI Giggle

"I need to go poops. But Mom, first I like to take off my socks before I go poops."

This sounds like such a guy thing.

Our little boy is growing up so quickly.

Two Randoms

Norah's silly tongue.
This is so reminiscent of Ethan when he was a baby.

The Collins girls look like they're up to no good!
This temporary solution to keep A&N out of the nursery is washed up...it lasted only a day before Norah figured out how to climb right on over the boxes!
That's fine, because I certainly don't want to be so tacky that I think it's OK to pile boxes in front of doors and leave them there ;)

Nothing says camping like....

Nothing says camping like.....

This little jewel, nestled behind our local
Wal-mart,

(You think I'm kidding, but I'm not)
Roasted hot dogs for dinner,

S'mores for dessert,

Happy Sticky Faces,

Campfire snuggles and "spooky" stories,

Multiple sleeping arrangements,
(this would be Sleeping Arrangement #1)

Missing babies (where's Norah?),
(This would be Sleeping Arrangement #4...no joke)

Sharing a tiny cot with child,
(there's Norah!)

Sharing a cot with a peanut who somehow managed to pee through two layers of fleece,
Finally getting some sleep in the wee morning hours,

Only to be woken up all too soon by Mr. Bright Eyes,

Roasted hot dogs for breakfast,

Chilly babies,
Babies ready to go home,

and dogs who feel sad to be left behind.
Poor Mrs. Sadie.
Additionally, nothing says camping like falling asleep to the soft sound of crickets, the smell of camp fire, morning dew, no TV or computers, interesting bugs, silly squirrels, family memories....
I can't wait to do it again........

NEXT YEAR ;)

It was a load of work taking care of two little non-walkers who wanted nothing to do with their playpen!

Getting our money's worth

See these cute little shirts on Norah and Audrey when they were 4 months old?They were gifts to the girls when they first came home from the hospital.




Here are the girls YESTERDAY, at 9.5 months old, wearing the same shirts ;) They fit differently, but still perfectly. We've definitely gotten good use out of these!