Happy Birthday B Boys

Our very good buddies Jackson and Brody celebrated their 3rd birthday on Saturday.  Amy and Tom did an awesome job and had us all meet at Pump It Up in Kirkland.  Emma had the time of her life, she was scaling inflatable walls and sliding down enormous slides.  Madi on the other hand had fun bouncing but only when she was on my arms and I was bouncing.  There was a little coup car that Madi found to be the highlight of her day.  The birthday boys with their awesome pirate cakes.

I love this group shot.  Emma was in the back of the obstacle course and as the picture was being taken she came sliding down the slide. Madi didn’t want to be in it. 

Happy in mommy’s arms.

Or happy in the car.

Emma loving every second of jumping around.

Growing up so fast.

Today I realized we are now officially closer to having two THREE year olds than we are to two two year olds. Today is the 18th and marks the girls' official 2.5 birthday. In the last few weeks they seem to be growing up right in front of our eyes. Not physically of course, they are still peanuts but intellectually and emotionally. They have an attitude that matches that of a sixteen year old at moments and I try my hardest not to laugh. Especially Madi. She walks around bossing everyone including me. "Come on mom, let's go" (picture one hand on her hip and the other one beckoning me). "Let's play puzzles, okay" again with an almost valley girl attitude. The funniest was when Chad said "seriously goo" and Madi replied " yeah, seriously daddy". Emma is an amazing pretend chef. She loves throwing on her apron and hat and making a meal for me or her baby. They are constantly taking their babies on strolls around the house saying "good bye" to one another and hugging before going on their walk around the living room. Emma picks up a gift bag or shopping bag and loads it with diapers and wipes. Then says good bye to me and that she will see me in a week. She also likes to tell me that she is going to work, walks around the corner and then says she is home. Today, Chad was off and sat down to have lunch bringing his laptop to the table to do some reading too. Both girls grabbed their laptops as well and sat down at the table with their sandwiches. It was so funny, just typing away and telling me what they were doing, then stopping to take a bite. The role playing is constant.

I also recently purchased an ipod touch. I am able to download applications for them that are quite entertaining and educational. Their two favorites are a puzzle on where they have to match a piece with a black or white outline and one where they spell words by matching the letters. Of course I only have one (for now) and they are amazing at taking turns and sharing with out getting upset. They take their turn and willingly pass it along. As they pass it along they say "my turn in a minute", or speak in third person; Emma saying "Emma's turn in a minute" and Madi stating, "Madi's turn in a minute". They could play with it all day long, but don't put up much of a fight when I tell them it is time to put it away. I think the plus to having twins is that they learn how to take turns as soon as they learn how to walk. They fully understand that they will get it back if they give it away.

They are also kind of working on potty training. It is all on their terms right now, I am not pushing it too hard. Madi is doing really well and gets very excited and proud of herself. Emma is a little more laid back about it. She is Madi's biggest fan though.

Emma providing moral support.

I don't know what I like better, Emma being so excited for her sister or Madi's socks and boots with her onsie.

Here's Emma whipping me up a meal.

Working lunch date with daddy.

Santa Pictures

Monday, December 21st we headed downtown to meet Nana, Kiersten, Caroline, Nicholas, and Molly to do Santa pictures at Nordstroms. We got there just before 9am and found out place in line.  The plan was to get pictures done, take the girls home and leave them with BB and daddy while I went back downtown to the dentist.  Well, our plan didn’t quite work out.  The line was longer than we thought and wasn’t moving very fast.  Next thing we knew, it was time for my dentist appointment.  Thankfully my dentist is one block from Nordstroms.  I put the girls in the stroller and Nana and I took them for a walk down the block where I slyly handed the stroller off to Nana and snuck away.  So while I was sitting in a dentist chair BB and Nana were in charge.  Auntie Katie showed up just as I was leaving so they had reinforcements.  I was hoping to be done before it was time to take pictures but I missed it.  When I met up with everyone they just kept telling me the girls did great.  “Madi sat in the chair and Emma sat on the rocking horse.”  When they said Madi sat, I of course assumed she sat ON Santa. But thinking back, no one ever said “sat ON Santa”.  They also said I would just have to wait to see the pictures every time I asked about the girls crying or freaking out.  All I got was “they did great”.  So for the last two weeks I have been walking around talking about how great my girls did with Santa because I wasn’t there.  They always seem to do better when I’m not around; no mommy to hang on so they step it up.  Well, today I got the pictures in the mail and the truth came out.

You will have to excuse the quality, I scanned this on Chad’s B & W scanner, printer thing.  Not the best, but you can see the picture of “Madi sitting in the chair and Emma on the rocking horse”.  It will be a fun Santa picture to look back on as the girls grow up. 

Merry Christmas to all…

We woke up Thursday morning and headed home to get the house ready to host Christmas Eve.  We have hosted the last few years and it has become one of my favorite nights of the year.  We had a house full of friends and family.  Kiersten, Joe and the kids were here this year and the girls loved having their cousins around.  Madi was beyond bouncing off the walls.  It turns out she was quite the instigator. 

The kid table.  Can’t believe I have a “kid table”.  It is too fun having all the kids around for the holidays. 

Madi and Nicholas racing down the stairs.  Madi had so much fun with Nicholas.  This morning (12/31) she asked to “see Nicholas”. 

  All the kids racing down the stairs.

Opening the traditional present of pj’s Christmas Eve. 

We had a penguin theme going on with the Christmas pj’s this year.  Emma and Molly look exhausted, Madi is still screaming and laughing and ready to go.  She did not want to stop. 

Everyone in the kitchen getting dinner ready. 

Christmas Morning…

The girls were so tired, they didn’t get up until almost 9. 

Once they saw all the gifts, they were pretty excited about breaking into them.  The only problem is that they want to run off and play with everything as soon as they open it.  It was hard to get them to stay focused and open everything.  I think it was a sign that Santa went a little overboard. 

After a little breakfast, we got dressed and headed to Nana and Papas to open more presents and spend the day with everyone.  Thankfully BB took a few pictures.  I was way too exhausted to take pictures.  I know Papa has some too, so I will need to get them from him also.  Bad mommy, this is the second year I have dropped the ball on taking pictures on Christmas. 

Leavenworth

Wednesday morning we decided to take BB and the girls over the mountains and through the woods to Leavenworth.  We made a quick stop to see Snoqualmie falls and made our way to our beautiful Bavarian themed hotel in Leavenworth.  After getting settled we walked through town and had some lunch.  We strolled through some of the shops and picked up a sled to go sledding on the little hill in the middle of town.  After a while we headed back to the hotel to try to get the girls to rest.  Resting was not happening so we headed back out to dinner after a couple hours.  After dinner we went back to the hotel where they had a pianist and Christmas carols in the lobby by the fire.  The girls had so much fun running around the hotel hallways.  Emma ran up and down the main stairs like a maniac.  They wanted nothing to do with going to bed.  Snoqualmie Falls

Emma wouldn’t let daddy get too close to the railing.  She was holding on for dear life. 

My little shopper.  We picked up some goodies at the gift shop at the Falls.  They had some super cute Christmas ornaments so we had to have a couple to remember the trip by. 

Heading to lunch, I love the mountain in the background.

Daddy hit the sledding hill in the center of town.  The goal was to get the girls to go but after daddy slipped on the ice with Emma in his arms, they didn’t want anything to do with it. 

Madi wanted to play the piano with the pianist.  She kept creeping closer and closer and reaching for the keys.

Emma and Daddy singing Christmas carols by the fire.

The hotel had a great big sleigh in the lobby. The girls had a blast climbing all over it. 

Love my cute little family.  

December Continued…

On Wednesday, December 16th BB flew in from Duxbury.  As she was landing so was Kiersten and the kids.  We headed down to Gig Harbor Friday morning to see all the cousins and let BB and Nana spend some time together before the chaos of the holidays. It is so fun to see the girls play with their cousins and to see how they react to Molly who is only 11 days younger.  I think it was a little confusing because Molly’s room at Nana’s is also Madi and Emma’s room at Nana’s.  Molly was running around saying “My room”, and the girls just had the most confused look on their faces.  Not sure how you are supposed to explain it to 2 year olds. Papa got a new train this year so now there are two running under the tree.  All the kids loved them and Nicholas taught the girls how to run them. Emma running the train.

Molly and Madi making some music. 

All five grandbabies suggled up in Nana’s bed. 

Saturday morning we got up, piled in the car and drove down to Rochester, WA.  Chad had signed up for a half marathon.  We dropped him off in the cold misty rain then the four of us went to Chehalis to do a little shopping at the outlets.  After a while we went back and waited for daddy to cross the finish line.  We are proud of him, he beat Autie Katie’s and my time.  Looking for daddy.

Waiting inside the community center, trying to stay warm and dry. 

Good job daddy. 

Sunday night I busted out an early Christmas present so that the girls would have lots of time to play with BB.  I love this picture, Madi has her glasses on upside down and her tongue out as she concentrates.  If you look closely, Emma has her tongue out too with her shaggy hair hanging out under her hat which is too small.  Love me crazy kids! 

  Taking a break to roll around on the floor. 

Crazy December….

December wasn’t unusually crazy but for some reason I just couldn’t get my act together and share all of our wonderful adventures. 

On Thursday, December 10th we received a package in the mail from Grampy and Grammy in Mass that said OPEN on it.  Emma woke up early from her nap so she and I had some fun opening the present alone.  Grammy and Grampy sent us a new friend.  The girls love it. 

Bear is inflatable with a running fan that needs to be plugged in.  When we unplug it at night, Madi wakes up and says “uh oh, bear?” She doesn’t like him on the floor in a heap.  Bear is also supposed to go outside, but we thought he was way more fun in the living room.

On Saturday, December 12 we had a long overdue Capozzi-Richards family reunion at Kate and Josh’s.  The girls had so much fun running around with Jake, Reese and Makenzie.  Kendra and baby Ben Reese and Emma

Jake and Madi enjoying dinner.

The girls destroyed Jake’s room.  I guess that is what happens with two sets of twins running around. 

The next morning we went over to the Boyer’s for a Santa brunch.  The girls love playing at the Boyer’s and had a great time until Santa showed up.  They wanted nothing to do with him.  I thought it would go much smoother being in a familiar environment.  Boy was I wrong.  All the other kids did great and they all took turns sitting with Santa and telling him what they wanted for Christmas.  It was a great morning even with all the tears though.

Love the look on Emma’s face.  I love this picture of Brody, casually chatting with Santa. Jackson was very comfortable on Santa’s lap.

 

Madi didn’t want me taking any more pictures.