Christmas Greetings!

As the holiday chaos is winding down I'm finally having a few moments of peace. We're home after most of our travels and everyone is in bed but me. I just finished up editing a magazine that I edit, and now I'm enjoying a cup of something warm and sweet that my hubby made for me before he hit the sack - perhaps it's a butterscotch or vanilla milk or something like that. Yum!

We've been mighty blessed with a great family and wonderful friends, so I really can't complain about much. I keep reminding myself that in the grand scheme, we are living in huge abundances. When I'm feeling stressed, though, I sometimes am tempted to let myself get into the "Why me?" syndrome that I so hate. Maybe if I just get it out there tonight, I can let it go and instead focus on how very blessed we are in so many bajillions of ways.

Amidst all the Christmas preparations, we learned that our twins didn't escape their TTTS and prematurity completely unscathed. After noticing some very beige molars as we brush their teeth with them each night, we took them into a pediatric dentist, who confirmed that that is not normal in 2 year olds who brush good every night and don't walk around sucking on sippy cups and lollipops.

They were diagnosed with hypoplastic teeth, which basically means that they did not form the top layer of enamel needed to protect teeth. Kids with this condition usually have big discolorations, very sensitive teeth, and extreme vulnerability to decay. Poor Lillian has it worse than Breanna, but both girls certainly have the condition. And wouldn't you know it, this is the first employer I've ever worked for who hasn't had a dental insurance option. Darn it anyway!

So, Miss Lillian is going in for surgery on January 8, where the doctors will give her at least one stainless steel crown, X-rays to find out how many cavities are there besides the four we can see with the naked eye, fill the cavities, and then seal every tooth surface of her mouth. I didn't get to be at Breanna's dentist visit and diagnosis due to a work thing, but it sounds like we will be able to get her mouth under control over the course of several dental visits, but no general anesthesia/surgery. Since their exams less than a month ago, I can see the visible difference in how much the discoloration is progressing on their back teeth. Thankfully, the front ones haven't been affected yet and we'll be able to stop it with the sealants.

I feel so bad for these kids. I just hope and pray they aren't uncomfortable or scarred for life. And I also really really hope that they aren't the in 60 percent of kids with the condition who have it in their permanent teeth, as well.

Luckily, they both loved their trips to the dentist, and often shine a flashlight into one another's mouth to count teeth and "tickle" them with floss. Cross your fingers it stays this way.

This all means that the next few weeks are going to be a flurry - medical checkups (all three kiddos go in to a new doctor whose name I can't even remember on the 5th), dental procedures, Lilllian's surgery, and my continued quest to find contacts that I can see in. (I found some finally that stay in my eyes while I'm on the computer, but I can't see so clearly in them. Grrr. I go back on Monday for another re-check.) DH and I are both overdue for our own dental exams/cleanings, but honestly, who has time?

I hope to have some more energy tomorrow so I can blog about some of our funnier phrases/pronounciations around our house. Like me-geek (music). Those can cheer me up in a snap. As expensive as they are, I just love living with a house full of kids.

Christmas Tree Hunting Photos

We went hunting for a Christmas tree on Thanksgiving weekend when Uncle Russ was visiting.

The girls each found their own tree to take home (Breanna's tumbleweed and Lillian's stick). What a fun way to kick off into holiday fun!

At Home At Last

As we're settling into having two parents back in one house again, I think we're all finally starting to feel at home. I've been able to fall in love with my dear husband again and again each day as I remember just how much I enjoy spending time with him. The girls are finally tall enough to turn the bathroom light on and off when they go in to potty, and Grant is creaping laps around the living room/kitchen like nobody's business.

Lillian is becoming more talkative, and her pronounciations are hilarious. Sometimes it takes us a while to figure her out, but she's the most patient little girl. When we take wild guesses, she calmly says no and then tries again. Like "loobooboo" = living room. "Ment tuck" is cement truck. And "ninnehbadbad" is gingerbread man. There are many more that I have jotted down in various notepads, hoping I never forget that squeeky little voice.

Breanna has not slowed her chattiness now that Lillian can keep pace. That makes for lots of nonstop noise in our house. But it's mighty fun. The other night in the tub, Breanna pointed at herself and declared, "I'm Lillian." DH then asked Lillian who she is and she smiled shyly and said, "Me Breanna." They clearly have their daddy's humor. Let the games begin.

And while these crazy girls are getting sillier, Grant continues to grow huger (more huge?) by the day. He's in 18-month onesies and size 4 snow boots. All boy, he grunts and growls and hollers (all in fun) and lets us know he's full of testosterone. He's so incredibly strong, I'm often afraid he'll leap right out of my arms. He's taking a few steps at a time now, so his forehead is looking mighty lumpy and purple. But as rough and tough boyish as he is, he's still the sweetest, funniest baby I've ever met.

In fact, I told my mom just this weekend about a thought that keeps coming to mind. I'll bet that when Jesus was a baby, he was just like Grant. Always happy. Always sweet. And with those big, friendly eyes that seem to look into your soul and smother you with yummy kisses. You just can't help but be drawn in and fall in love each time you catch his eyes.

I couldn't imagine a more fulfilling life.

I often think I'm married to a 14-year-old

The poop humor that comes from my dear hubby is ridiculous and I don't know how to deal with it besides rolling my eyes and shaking my head. His latest trick is to tell the twins that mommy's pooping stinky poop each time I leave the room - regardless of where I am or what I am doing. Each time I return, the girls ask me about my stinky poop.

Our daycare lady thinks it's hilarious. I would like to poop on my DH. The fun never ends in our household.

Feeling Blurry

There's no other way to describe it right now. I'm swamped at work, busy at home each night, and battling with trying to find some contacts that work for my eyes. Add in a little long-distance in-law drama and I'm blurry.

It's not helpful that since getting Bell's Palsy 2.5 years ago, my right eye is going down hill. It still doesn't fully close when I blink -only when I sleep in the dark. The eyeball is changing shape and so now I have some major astigmatism. As I'm experiementing with contacts to find some that I can see with, I'm blinking the right one out all over the place. And tackling headaches as the side effect of the changes.

I'm going to call tomorrow to see if Lasik might be an option to explore. I wonder if you need a good blink for it to work. We'll see. In the meantime, I'm switching out to glasses before I fold up these last two loads of laundry for the night.

Have a restful weekend ahead, my friends!

Too Cute Even Late

I just came across this photo of the twins on Halloween night. Even though technically we've entered the Christmas season, there's still no snow outside, so I'm justifying posting this pic in December.

All They Want for Christmas

Wow - what a rush of the past couple weeks! Thanksgiving morning we learned that DH's sister in Idaho is expecting a baby. She'd been told she was infertile and her fiance had had the big V during his first marriage years ago, so needless to say, everyone is quite shocked, especially the parents. I'm excited to become an auntie again!

After Thanksgiving dinner down in the cities with my mom's sisters and their families, we headed up to my folks' house on Friday for the annual Lighting of the Luminaries Festival in Nisswa. Our girls loved it. Grant slept through the first hour and a half of it - cozy warm in the stroller. He was oblivious to his first horse-drawn carriage ride, but oh well.

When the girls met Santa for the first time, there were sparkles in their eyes as they gazed longingly at his basket of candy canes. He asked what they'd like for Christmas and they said, "Potty treats." Santa said, "What?" My mom whispered to the girls to just tell him they wanted baby dolls. It's clear what stage we're in at our house. Thankfully, our girls are great with the potty training - we even went into porta potties in the dark and they pottied like true champs.

We topped the evening with a couple pizzas outside and then back to my folks' place. The fellas sat in the hot tub while my mom and I bonded once the kids were all asleep.

Saturday we took DH's cousin, Uncle Russ from up north, out on a Christmas tree hunt. DH found a Christmas Tree Farm & Holiday Destination just 15 minutes out of town. The tree selection was fantastic, although the sand pickers were not the most appealing. It was so warm out we didn't wear our mittens and the girls had a great time playing peek-a-boo in the woods. Breanna found a tumbleweed for her tree and Lillian found an old stick. Merry Christmas!

The rest of the place was a theme full of settlers in full costume - we learned how to make rope, climbed hay bales, watched the guys throw tomahawks, ate real kettle corn, and enjoyed a big bonfire. When we returned home, my sister and her family arrived to help us put up the tree and decorate it. Uncle Russ's parents got a hotel room nearby (hooray for pools), so everyone went swimming after supper while I laid Grant down to sleep early after the long day outside. I then prepped for his baptism luncheon the next day.

Sunday morning we raced nonstop until we reached the church. DH called his sister, who we'd asked to be Grant's godmother. She was up in Wahpeton and had assumed we'd changed the date because we had only invited her once and not confirmed the date after that. So, she and her family hopped in the car in their blue jeans and raced to our church (a near-3-hour drive), arriving about 10 minutes after the baptism ended. Oh well, it worked out fine anyway. Uncle Russ was there as godfather and the service was really informal. We even sang "This Little Light of Mine." We had a big lunch of homemade pizzas and a nice afternoon of visiting, and then finally the evening was quiet.

DH and I relaxed in the recliner, shared a glass of wine, and marveled at how busy everything is still. Exhausted, we threw in a load of laundry and hit the sack by 10. Ahh, we made it. And now we're already in the heart of Christmas season. Hooray! Our girls are becoming dancing fools as we enjoy the holiday music. What fun!