A New Year Begins

Happy 2009! I hope you're rested and rejuvinated after the holiday breaks. We kind of are. As rested as you can be with three under three in the house.

We sent off my dear cousin, Billy, on his big trip to California this past weekend. I bawled after he pulled out of our cul-de-sac after a lovely little visit, but I know that he'll find great things on his journeys.

We also spent some time sledding and skating at home, getting to know our neighbors a bit better. We had an impromptu cocoa and pizza party here Saturday afternoon, and two families came over to join us. What a nice group of people to live near!

Our kids are hilarious and busy as ever, talking more and more. Grant included. The twins are really getting into pictures, and this weekend, we discovered that they can't tell themselves apart in photos. At all. Like, less than 2% accuracy.

And every big-eyed smiling baby, even in the magazines, are all Baby Grant to them. Their pronunciations are still kind of goofy, so we often raise our eyebrows, and then crack up once we realize what they're getting at.

This past weekend, they referred to Dan's shirtless top as his "chest," because as he's explained to them, daddies don't have boobs. The twins don't say "ch" or "s" the greatest, so it sounded like "tits." What???? After about 8 or 9 attempts, and many dirty looks between DH and me, wondering what kinds of terrible language the other has been using in front of the kiddos, we finally realized "chest."

Tomorrow, we take all three kiddos in to a new family doctor for checkups; they're all overdue. We practiced doctor exams tonight, and that's when the girls told us that when they get to the doctor, he'll tell them, "no more monkeys jumping on the bed," (per Lillian) and that he'll sing us the little teapot song (per Breanna). Sounds way more fun than when I go in.

And then Tuesday, the first of many dental procedures will begin for Breanna and on Thursday, Lillian has her surgery. What a crazy week ahead! Please keep us in your prayers - for pain-free, non-traumatic events.

May your first full week into the new year be much less chaotic than ours.