That's Just How We Roll

The twins are finally big enough to use their jogging stroller that Grandma & Grandpa gave them. We took it out for a test drive last weekend when Nana & Papa were here. It is so much easier to drive over bumpy sidewalks than the regular stroller!
In other rolling news, we had about a week of very rough nights because the twins figured out how to roll over in their cribs. They sleep on their tummies but were rolling onto their backs & then either deciding it was play time or crying because they couldn't figure out how to get back onto their tummies. I think they're getting used to this new skill now, so the commotion has calmed down.

Mallory also rolled from her back to her tummy for the first time last Sunday & has been practicing all week. We've tried valiantly to get video footage of this, but she doesn't like to cooperate for the camera. Jake hasn't quite conquered rolling in that direction yet, but he is very close. He can't figure out how to free his arm once he rolls onto it.

Here are a few cute pics from recent days.
J had a little photo shoot with the babies to play with his camera, & he got some good ones. Jake was trying to get Mallory, & she was in a giggly mood.
Mal's expression isn't great in this one, but I love Jake's.
Again, what a handsome boy! Mal is practicing her shy look here.
Speaking of rolls, check out the ones on this cutie. He has been working on sitting up lately, & the curved changing table seemed to help him. Lately they seem so grown up to me all of a sudden. Where did my tiny babies go?
I just went to get a pedicure & narrowly missed the diaper blowout that Mal blessed J with. How lucky can a mommy get? Have a great rest of the weekend!

Meet Ranger

This is Jake & Mal's newest friend, Ranger Lee. He is only a week old! We got to go & visit him in the hospital last week. Here I am with him & his gorgeous mommy, Miranda.The twins didn't get to play with him yet, but we did manage to get a group shot. Ranger has the most beautiful black hair. I would pet him all day if he were mine!
Congratulations Chad & Miranda!

It Really Does Exist!

I had heard of it happening, but hadn't actually experienced it in a while. Somewhere in the back of my mind, there was a fuzzy recollection of it. What wonderful thing's existence did I confirm last night? A night with eight straight hours of undisturbed sleep!

The twins have been sleeping through the night since they were three & a half months old, but we still have to go in at least once or twice a night to soothe someone or replace a paci. Over the course of the last few weeks, Mal has transformed into an awful sleeper, as I mentioned in the last post. Sunday night was definitely one of the worst. She woke up around midnight & refused to sleep after that point unless she was being held. Each time we got her calmed down & back in bed, she waited about 30 seconds & then started screaming again.

Last night, we braced ourselves for a night of tough love. We put her to bed in the pack-n-play in the guest room so she wouldn't disturb Jake & had a plan worked out for how long we would let her cry between each interval of soothing her. I just knew it was going to be terrible, but then an amazing thing happened: she slept GREAT! I realize that this bliss may be fleeting, but I am going to bask in it anyway. Hopefully, things are clicking & she'll continue to do well.

The pictures in this post are a random assortment from our last week or so. Enjoy!

This is how we found Mal one day when we arrived home from church. She wasn't really upset, just very confused about why she couldn't see her toys.

Sweet kids tuckered out from playing. I think they look funny both leaning to the side.
Here are several of Mal with her newest fashion update. Mimi & Pops got her some Ugg boots for Christmas, & she looks so adorable in them! Having children is really just a grown up way to play dolls sometimes.


Mimi & Pops also made sure that Jake was stylin' with these Pumas.
The new favorite activity at our house: watching Baby Einstein. I army crawled into the room to get this shot of their faces so I wouldn't disrupt them.
Riley came to play on Thursday while his mommy went to work, & we had so much fun. Who wouldn't want to play with this sweet boy?
Reading them a story felt like having my own daycare class.
Sneaky Riley is putting the moves on Mal, but she isn't so sure that's a good idea.
Baby Einstein...greatness!
Sarah hosted our moms' prayer breakfast this month. We had lots of yummy food & good fellowship. Here's Jake with Miss Presley.Sarah & RileyTami & KateMitzi & ThatcherWe got a special treat last week. Pops stayed with us all week while he worked in Dallas, & then Mimi joined us for the weekend. This pic is random, but I just like Mal's hypnotized stare.
Mimi & Mal
Jake letting Mommy kiss on him
Mimi & Jake
Sweet kids killing time in Mommy & Daddy's bed before breakfast on Sunday
Mal's favorite spot to sleep: on Pops.
I got the kids dressed in their Valentine's Day gear to go to the grocery store yesterday. Mal's shirt says "All I need is Love" & Jake's says "hunk'a burnin' love." Mal didn't actually get to wear hers to the store since she had a diaper situation just as I was ready to leave, but at least we got a picture!
Here are a few videos to finish up our week. Jake has become such the big laugher lately, so this is just a cute one of his cackles.

Mal getting in some giggles with Daddy

This was from last night. J cleared his throat & it was apparently very funny to Jake. So then, of course, he kept doing it to see if he would laugh again. I have never heard him laugh this hard before.

Have a great week!

Five Months Old!

Wow - five months! I can't believe how fast they're growing up! Here are my little entertainers with Mr. Bear. These adorable panda outfits are courtesy of Nana. You can't see it, but the jeans have pandas on the bottom of one leg, & they also have panda socks. Miss Mal now weighs 12 lb 13 oz. She has really developed a big personality lately, & it is so much fun to watch. She is constantly laughing & smiling, & she almost never stops "talking!" Her highs are very high, but her lows are also VERY low, & she can turn on the tears in an instant. She is having a little trouble right now with the early morning hours. Around 4:30 or 5:00, she cries out for her paci & isn't easily consoled. She will only go back to sleep, after much crying, with one of us holding her. If anyone has any magic tricks, I'm all ears. I've considered letting her cry it out for at least a few minutes, but I'm always worried about her waking Jake up. All in all, she is a very spunky, fun little girl, & we love her very much!

Her favorite trick: scooting out of the chair when you try to get her to pose.
Jake weighs 13 lb 13 oz at five months old. He is a DROOL MACHINE & loves to blow bubbles. Jake has become our star sleeper & usually doesn't need much if any attention between bedtime & morning. He is quite a stout little fellow, & we think he'll probably walk before his sister because he is just so sturdy. He doesn't talk quite as much as Mal, but that could be because it's hard to get a word in edgewise. I get sweet grins from him all day long, & he loves to shriek with joy as he plays. Lately, he is cracking me up with funny new faces each day, & we love him so much.

Here are some recent pics: Dressed up for church a couple of Sundays ago. I just love these pants on Jake!
J propped them up in their cribs to get these shots. I had trouble just picking one of Jake because he was displaying lots of funny expressions. Here's his best fish face.
Excited girl!
Daddy dressed Mal the other day, & it took me a minute to figure out why her outfit looked funny. If you look closely, you'll see that it's on backward.
These decorative buttons go in the front, Daddy! J noticed that the feet seemed to fit awkwardly, but he didn't inspect it long enough to figure out why.
Blowing bubbles in his bumbo
This was before heading to the grocery store last week. Babies in hoods crack me up!
Sweet boy enjoying his activity gym
Mal has figured out how to bounce in the Jumperoo & thinks it is very exciting!
Here's a sampling of Jake's talking, complete with bubble blowing & spitting sounds. Such a boy!

After taking this video, I think I might have a career in stand up comedy. All of my audiences would have to be under one year old, but oh well.

Have a wonderful week!

Random

I just realized, 10 days late, that my cousin Amy tagged me on her blog. Sorry Amy!

Q. five names you go by:
Alli
Allison
Fat Al (only to D'Lynn)
Chachi (J's choice of nickname for me...just because it makes no sense)
Mommy

Q. three things you are wearing right now:
my favorite jeans
a shirt with no spit up or drool on it (the kids are asleep & I just changed)
the earrings J gave me for my 19th birthday

Q. two things you want very badly at the moment:
a cleaning fairy
a cookie....got it

Q. two things you did last night:
bathed Mallory (don't worry, J bathed Jake)
watched the second National Treasure movie

Q. two things you ate today:
Grandma's orange rolls for breakfast
a snickerdoodle (the aforementioned cookie)


Q. two people you last talked to on the phone:
Mom
J

Q. two things you are going to do tomorrow:
shopping with Hattie
clean my bathroom

Q. two longest car rides:
My family drove to Montana in a motorhome when I was 16 for a family reunion.
We often went to northern California where my mom is from to see family.

Q. two of your favorite beverages:
sweet tea
Dr. Pepper

Q. the people you’d like to tag for their very own
Hattie
Sharon
Sarah