Merry Christmas

For those of you visiting the blog for the first time (or for the first time in a long time), we’re glad to have you! Just so you know, our main audience is grandparents, aunts and uncles, so we have a lot of silly details about our kids and our lives that are probably not very interesting to anyone else! We hope you enjoy it anyway, and have a very Merry Christmas!

Don't I feed them enough?

Yummy Kleenex!

I found this nibbled orange under the dining room table. The poor baby that did this! I would think he would have stopped at one nibble. Orange peel is gross!

Joe got tired of his peas and passed his plate over to Patrick, who seemed pretty excited to be trying out a spoon for the first time.

The twins love to drink with flair – after taking a refreshing sip, they both exclaim “Ahhh!” They both also like to drop stuff and say “Uh, Oh!”

St. Nicholas came ... a few weeks ago

Click on the headline for a link to a St. Nicholas page for kids.

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Luke: “Wow! Check this out. Get out of my way, Patrick!”

We told Joe about how St. Nick comes and puts candy and treats in gool little boys’ shoes. He comes on a white horse, and it’s nice to leave the horse some carrots to eat. So, Joe ran to the fridge, got the carrots and dumped them into his shoe. I guess we didn’t explain as well as we thought.

.St. Nick was very generous to our good little boys.

While I was writing this post, Joe saw this picture and exclaimed: "Oh! Joe Joe has a racecar. I forgot! Oh, my gosh!" (The racecar has since been lost.)

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From the mouth of Joe:
* When I thanked him for getting something for me: “No problem!”
* “Hey, guys, what’s going on in here?”
* “Criff Miff Tree” When I tried to get him to pronounce the “S”, he said, very deliberately, “Chris Mus… Oh! Chris, David and Grammie!”
* After giving me a hug, “I love you. You’re alive”

While changing his diaper the other day, Luke snatched the powder, turned it over and started “powdering” his own bottom.

Notice any similarities?

Fun with Papa

Okay, I have no idea how this happened. The chair was pulled over without injury (or noise, apparently – the stuffed dolphin may have had something to do with that) and the twins got themselves into this mess without any squawking. Imagine my surprise!

Joe proves he's man enough to handle this glob of frozen custard

We had fun with my dad – or as the grandkids call him – Papa. He taught the twins how to touch their ears and we certainly enjoyed having the extra help. It allowed me to do things I don’t usually get to do – like shopping and eating out! Also, Luke said his first words. On the same day, he said ball, Papa and Doh. It was fun that my dad got to witness the big moment.

All of the kids playing their “bongo” drums on the table. They love to play the drums when they are in the bathtub, too. They scoot up to the side of the tub and whack it with their little palms. It makes a fun noise.

Meeting Santas

Yes, Luke, Santa's beard is real

The kids at Scott’s company Christmas party (Luke, Joe and Patrick). Santa was there just like last year. When Scott asked Joe what he was going to ask Santa for this Christmas, Joe said, “presents!” Duh, dad!

We went to a mall a few days ago (thanks to the triplet stroller and some fantastic temperatures) and saw Santa again. I explained who he was to Joe, about his red coat and white beard and how he brings presents to good little boys and girls. He seemed totally unimpressed, even though it was a real great looking Santa. Later, we were in the grocery store and an old man with a gray beard and wearing a red Jacket passed us in the aisle. Joe said, “Oh, Hi, Santa,” totally matter-of-factly. The man didn’t get it, but his wife thought it was pretty funny.

On that same mall outing, we passed a certain lingerie store and I jokingly told Joe to cover his eyes. A few stores later, I noticed that his fat little palms were still covering his eyes. I was a little embarrassed and hoped that no one witnessed that exchange.

At the Saturday night Mass, there is a set of identical twins that we always sit near. The cute part about it is that they are in their seventies! These old ladies get such a kick out of our kids, and we get a kick out of them. I can’t help but think of Patrick and Luke meeting for Mass as old men. Mary Jane and her sister are good buddies and companions now that their kids are grown and their husbands are gone. I hope that Patrick and Luke will be, too.

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Sorry I've been such a slacker updating the blog. We haven't taken many pictures lately, but we have a lot of stories and milestones.