busy girls and solids ...

We have had quite a busy few weeks. I have tried to finish up this blog post now for about two weeks. Life is getting tough with one kid on a sleep schedule of bed at 7PM and up at 5:30 or 6AM and the others of bed at 9PM or 9:30PM (because they still need a nap.) It doesn't leave very much time for things other than kids and house cleaning. I do get an occasional simultaneous nap which is great. The twins are pretty good about playing nicely together and that is a big help, too. We have been busy with Alan's family in town a few weeks ago for a week and then my family in town for the fourth. It is so great to be back in SC and close to family so the girls can see everyone more often. The twins have really taken to their grandparents since the birth of Caroline (and Mommy not always being available) and have finally gotten pretty happy to be around any family whereas in the past they were really, really shy around aunts, uncles & cousins. We are lucky to have such great and loving families. I actually have several more pictures that I would love to post since I began this post but in the spirit of trying to finish this thought before making it more complex ... I will save them for the next post! Mostly they are of Caroline rolling and LOVING Cooper ... she thinks he is hysterical!

I was really hesitant to start Caroline on solid foods since she is likely to be my last baby ... I wanted to "baby" her as long as possible. However, there was never a kid more ready to be a big girl than Caroline. The day I decided to start her was the day that I was pouring milk for the twins and Caroline grabbed the cup out of my hands and tried to drink it. I think she wants to be like her sisters sooooo badly and seems to love to sit in her highchair and eat lunch at the same time as the "big girls." So now she is on cereal and she has tried several baby foods. She loves bananas and squash just like the twins did at her age. She does well with her baby food but still loves to nurse so all is well.

Cousins!! Meredith, Hannah, Kate, Jackson & Nick ...

... and Aunt Tricia and Caroline ...

My little Picassos

They love to paint ... it is the only time they will let me put piggytails in!

Meredith ...

Hannah ...

They also love to help me cook ... here they were helping by putting frozen fishsticks on a baking sheet ... gourmet, eh?! My friend Stephanie gave them these sweet little outfits! Too cute!

long time, no post!

I have now decided that this 3 kids under 3 years old was maybe not the best laid plan. Not that I would change it but it certainly does not leave much time for anything else! I told myself I would do this tonight though even though I will regret it at 6AM when little miss Caroline decides to grace me with her awake and happy squealing presence. The twins have been such nap stallers that it was pushing bedtime waaaaay too late. Therefore, I have started putting them for naps only every other day and only sometimes does this nap correlate with one of Caroline's. So, needless to say, sometimes I feel like my head may pop off ... but for the most part, I remain in one piece. Caroline continues to be the sweetest baby ever ... she smiles all the time and giggles when something strikes her as funny ... she was still 50th% for weight and height at 13 pounds 4 oz and 24 inches tall at her last appointment. Her MD fears she may have a little torticollis so I have to do the same neck stretching exercises I had to do with Meredith ... kills me to hold her down and make her cry ... and she always looks at me like "WHY did you DO that??" after I am done ... kills me. The twins are ... well, they are them ... and as the ones who know them know that means they are wonderful and terrible all at the same time!!! They want what they want and they want it five minutes ago and heaven forbid if you don't give them what they want ... but they are also so sweet, loving, and funny! I could go on and on with the conversations we have ... but I will get on with pictures instead ... as they can say 1000 words, right!

They generally really love having a baby sister and say "she's so cute" all the time! Here, Caroline is getting double "bee bee" kisses!

Three tooshies. Speaking of, my Mom and I tried potty training last weekend and I have decided they aren't ready ... they can do all the "cues" ... like can pull their own pants up and down and etc ... but they have no interest. When I was trying to talk them into it, I asked Hannah ... "isn't it so much more comfortable to wear big girl panties instead of smooshy diapers ... do you WANT to wear icky, stinky, smooshy diapers?" and she said "no, I want to wear dry diapers" ... well, I guess she got me there. It was just too much of a battle of wills ... so I am going to wait a little longer ... until I have more patience or they have more desire!
Hi Caroline!

I just can't resists taking pics! she loves to eat her clothes and hands ... if I have her in a dress, the whole front of her dress gets chewed on all day.

She is starting to try and roll over. She can go tummy to back but now tries the other way ... she isn't quite there but it is so cute to watch her try.

Who? Me?? I wasn't drooling!

She likes the jumper pretty well ...

Not the best idea ... I thought, Oh, I have this box of packing peanuts ... why don't I let the twins play in them while I put Caroline for nap ... made them promise to keep the peanuts in the pool ... yes Mommy ... we will keep the peanuts in the pool ... Well, the peanuts were all over the house in a matter of the 5 minutes it took me to put Caroline down ... turns out that 2.5 year olds have no self control ... who knew?!

Just another cute one of the kiddos in the same bed ... if they were awake Meredith would have been freaking out at the mere thought of having Hannah's foot on her but I guess all is fair in love and sleeping ... this is when Hannah's rash from the Amoxcycillin was still bad ... it took it about a month to go away. Also, gotta love the outfits! Unless they look cute, just always assume they dressed themselves!

My parents were down for Memorial Day and we took the 3 to the beach ... it was a madhouse on the beach ... lots of people ... but it was still fun!

Hannah

MeredithCaroline and my Dad I have learned never to get rid of baby toys ... that they can always be re-purposed (did I just make that word up? Seems like I have heard it before but it doesn't look right) ... Anyway, this is the blow up infant tub ... and now the most fought over "toy" in my house right now ...The twins did this themselves and called it their "ark" ... as in Noah's Ark ... and I thought ... well, how bright ... they have two of every animal ... too cute!My Dad planned a surprise 60th birthday party for my Mom and we all had a fun weekend together ... doesn't happen nearly often enough! But it is hard with 7 kids 7 and under! Here is my Dad, two of my girls, and two of my sister's boys

Sorry, Alan, had to do it ... I guess this is what happens when you have girls ... you start wearing Hula Skirts and doing ballet moves ... My Dad and my kids at the catered bday dinner

The whole Wright/Whitaker/Finley Family ...

Mama, I loved this picture of you ... Happy Birthday ... what an amazing woman to learn how to be a mother from ... how did we get so lucky ...Meredith reading a book to CarolineHere are some pics of Caroline's room for those (like Granny ;) who can't travel but want to see where she spends most of her time ...