A place for everything

There are some special toys that are packed away when not played with. This is increasing since the play is more sophisticated and there are little pieces that I want to keep a handle on.  Jude and Petra got a horse stable Lego set for Christmas that we get out most days and play with on the kitchen table. I always have them help me pack it away when done to keep it "new and special," and also keep up with the little pieces.  Well, today on their THIRD birthday, Jude got a Lego fire station kit.  Of course he played with it all day and I just let it stay on the coffee table since I had so much party prep to do. We tucked him in kind of late, and an hour later he told Chris, "I can't sleep- need to put the fire truck away."  So Jude came down and helped pack it away, and "put it in the kitchen."

Night Singing

One of my favorite things about this age (turning 3 on Friday) is the way they sing themselves to sleep.  They are tucked in between 7:30 and 8pm and usually sing or talk to their "friends" in their rooms.  I'm especially proud of Petra lately.  She has been napping each day so when bedtime arrives she's probably not as tired as Jude.  Yet she rarely resists bedtime, and I hear her singing.  So precious.

A good older brother

Today Tristan's fever spiked to 105 after a nap so the pediatrician said come on in for a check.  They gave me an afternoon appt that I had to really hustle to get to on time.  Jude was already eating a snack but Petra was waking up slowly when I need to shove everyone in the truck to get to Dr. Hirsch's.  I gently explained where/why we had to get going to Petra but she decided to go into hissy mode over not getting milk and then being "rushed" into vehicle.  Right or wrong,  I decided to man-handle her into the car seat against her will so we could get going and just endure the hysterics. As I put the gear in reverse Jude said "she needs a kiss!"  I put in in park, climbed back there to kiss her. It wasn't well received as she was still in hissy mode, but a move in the right (calm) direction. He saw her distress and suggested the remedy.  Already looking out for his younger sister! You can bet that I looked him in the eye and deeply AFFIRMED that quality!!!  You're a wonderful sibling Jude, and Petra- you calmed down in only 5 minutes and that's a big positive change/growth I see in you.  Mom also calmed down immediately and that's called the Holy Spirit changing me.

NO- Mater

Tonight we attempted to watch the first ever movie with Jude and Petra. For over a year, Jude has absolutely loved his "Cars" book, a small paperback that tells the McQueen and Mater story in a few pages.  We even gave him toy 'Mater" and McQueen" cars for Christmas to his total delight. But he became upset during some intense scenes of the movie and really upset when a large scary tractor chased McQueen and Mater.  We turned it off and comforted ...we will wait another few months before trying to watch it again.  For some reason it disturbed him for his favorite little characters to be doing stuff in a movie.  Something similar happened at Christmas.  Uncle Jon gave him a big fire truck with a personality but for some reason that day we could not get it to turn on.  Jude even took it to bed Christmas night.  When I activated the toy the next day he seemed to be excited then said 'I don't like it!" and would not play with it.
Fortunately, after bedtime routine, everyone was back to singing again.  Jude was singing the "potty song" after we tucked him in and Petra was singing a "walking with the wise" song.  One of my absolute favorite things  about the past 12 months has been seeing them develop the habit of singing themselves to sleep. I love to walk by their door and hear them talking or singing to themselves. Precious!

Age 2 / 2011 Highlights

So funny that I had so many entries in 2009 when the twins were born, a fair amount in 2010, but almost nothing in 2011 - the year they were "2." 2011 was such a significant year for me and the whole family in so many ways.  In January we first laid eyes on our home-to-be in Ashton, Maryland.  Al Clark opened the door that cold day to a gutted and very white house. From top to bottom each room had been stripped of all window treatments, light fixtures, and spray painted with white primer.   Dirty paper taped down on the floors but lifted up revealed brand new redish hardwood floors. Totally spacious and room after room was available in the walk through.  I wheeled the twins in the house keeping them in stroller for some of it, and Tristan was a bean inside my belly.  I feel in love instantly with the 100 year old house and so did Christofer.  We submitted an offer a week later, closed in 30 days but did not move in until May due to the renovations needed.  We were able to unpack most everything before Tristan Arrow was born to us on the 4th of July!  After Tristan arrived, the second half of the year was an intense growing season in our souls.  The twins were totally unprepared in some ways to share mommy and daddy and mommy was totally unprepared to cope with the 2 year old "will," (x2). There were lots of tears from the faces of Jude, Petra, and mommy, but the year ended with emotional highs of Christmas, and with mommy's heart broken in new and beautiful ways and being even more completely given over the amazing tasks I must do each day.  My goal is to completely overflow the love cups of my kids every day and let love and intimacy flourish in the home.
Other Highlights:

*Going from practically being non-verbal in January when they turned 2, to talking and playing all day long.

* Enjoying many visits from Grandpa as he helped us get the house livable. 

*  A special life-changing visit from Uncle Chris Kelly in June along with Cindy and Mary.  A dream fulfilled to sit on my front porch with my brother and really talk.

* It was a total joy to see the twins go from playing "among" others to playing "with" others.  Observing them play/ talk to each other all day but also seeing them play with friends- especially Ethan, Taylor Jo, and Caleb.

* Transferring to twin beds- out of cribs!  Favorite toys:  Jude continues to love cars and trucks especially McQueen and Mater, and an assortment of matchbox cars.  Petra has enjoyed a variety of dolls and started to name them (with my help at first).  But one day we walked into Vovo's house and there was a blonde doll with pigtails waiting for her on a table.  Petra immediately walked over to the doll and claimed her.  About an hour later she was still holding doll, and told us this was her "daughter."  "daughter" has been her favorite and has a secondary name of "Peaches."