Birthday Dinner

As many of you already know, Alex and I were born on the same day. One of much much (many years) earlier than the other... Here's some pictures from our trip to Red Robin to celebrate with the girls the day afterwards. On our actual birthday, the girls hung out with their favorite babysitter, and we had a day date flitting about town without any real agenda. It was lovely!

Stella has started the mimicking phase of babyhood. Here at the restaurant she saw Alex wipe his face with a napkin. She immediately picked one up and started wiping her face, then she'd put it down a have a big giggle and crack huge grin at us! What a character! : )

These two are becoming inseparable and it is really quite sweet. It has to be one of the best things about having twins. They play together all day long and come up with such games! Mina is usually the director, "Everybody over here, let's ...". Addie is usually the unruly pupil, "No! I wanna..." and off they go.

This is a picture of our table right before we left...

Stella's First Birthday

Here's a picture Stella showing you that it is her 1st birthday! We had a very low-key celebration after dinner one night at my parent's house. After having 40+ people for the girls 1st birthday and them crying and hiding in their room, we decided something smaller would be better the second time around! Plus, we were days away from moving and the house was in boxes!!!

Little girl meets cake, feels suspicious, feeds to sister to insure its edible, and then mostly paints with the frosting! : )

Cousins

With my brother and his family in town, we've been spending a lot of time at Nana and Papa's house together. It is action packed with six little bodies underfoot! I can't begin to imagine what it will be like when all six are mobile and running around.

We got to celebrate Stella's first birthday with her cousins and aunt and uncle. Here is her before picture. She always has such a bright smile ready for the camera!

It is funny how even in photos the girls personalities are apparent. Addie - "I'm really not into this, you're lucky you caught me sitting in this chair for 10 seconds, this is the only smile you're going to get so take it or leave it." Mina - "Do I look cuter posed here against the window, or would you like me over by the couch? Go ahead and take it again - that way you have a couple to pick from to ensure you caught my best side."

At one point, Addie and Sawyer were having some pre-dinner chips. If you can't read the bag, they are "Spicy Thai". They both would grimace and then have another one, both determined to show that they could eat spicy chips like the adults. Unfortunately, Sawyer was banned from further "Spicy Thai" demonstrations because although mentally he had the stamina, physically he broke out into red welts! : )

Jordan Valley

My brother and sister-in-law have been on a whirlwind summer vacation. First they came to Springfield (11 hr. trip with two 6-month olds and a 2 year old), then off to Minnesota (another 10-11 hr. drive), then back down to St. Louis, and now back in Springfield before they return home to Texas. This picture is from their first stopover in Springfield. We took the kids to the zoo and then the next day to Jordan Valley park. The fountains are always a hit with the kids. They are nice and shallow and thankfully chlorinated. Here's Sarah with all three babies while we eat a picnic lunch.

Nana and Papa joined us at the fountains and it was a big hit with the kids. They especially LOVE to spray/squirt/and otherwise dampen Papa.

The girls are SO sweet to Stella. It's hard to believe Addie was biting Stella out a jealousy when we first brought her home. Now Stella's biggest worry is the girls fighting over her and incurring a casualty in the process!

Stella loved kicking her feet in the water, but wasn't thrilled with the idea with being completely submerged. Papa kept sneaking an extra spray or two in her direction. That Papa always causing a ruckus!

Catch-Up

It appears I am playing catch-up again! The summer seems destine for busyness! The last few weeks we've had family rotating turns being in town, but before I get to any of that here are some cute pictures of our kids hanging around looking cute.

The above photos are a common sight (esp. lately with the move into the new house). The kids are waiting on dad to reinstall the car seats. They were of course removed to transport yet another craigslist steal, or stuff from the old rental, or stuff to the dumpster, or...you get the idea. Alex loves to discover that the car seats have been remove only once we gotten everything ready to leave the house, are running 5 minutes late, and it's hot and sweaty in the garage. : ) But, the good news is he's the golden boy and get those seats in lickety split and is still smiling!!!

Stella has discovered and the girls have rediscovered the joy of pulling things out of the lower cabinets. Mom has rediscovered what a pain it is to put it all away again and again and again.

Sleepy Stellie - who was fast asleep with her legs wedged out the crib bars. She only woke up as we took this picture!