Misplaced

Work is busy.  One of our clients is a government agency that picks up any claims when their insurer goes insolvent.  After about 6 years, maybe 7, of no insolvencies, there were two within a month of each other. So, my case load went from a humble 9-10 cases, to double that number in two weeks. It sure makes the work day go by fast, but also means less downtime to even think about updating the blog. I enjoy it though, I don't like being slow. And it is nice having the surety of job security. ;) 

Josie trying on her bathing suit. And her sister's bathing suit.

They are both desperately independent. Trying to do everything themselves but not yet skilled enough to succeed. Everyone is frustrated but its ok, we just let them test their limits and we're there for them with a helping hand when its needed. 

I've also been reading. I may have mentioned in a prior post that it occurred to me that while I am keeping watch, I can do more than just scroll through my Facebook feed on my phone or stare blankly into the sky. Reading is bringing back some meaning to my time that checking social media updates was lacking. In fact I think it is helping me find myself again, if that's possible. Between the fulfillment of work, diving back into reading, and finally losing this baby weight, I am definitely feeling more myself again. Confident, fun, and interesting. Its amazing how having to care for a new human life (lives) can cause you to completely forget how to be human yourself. 

The girls were very excited to attend a "Frozen" themed birthday party WITH a bounce house and water slide and cake and mac and cheese. It was like everything they love all in one. 

Outfit change for the water slide!

Very sleepy heavy eyes, getting one last 

activity in before heading home for an epic nap!

We've been having a lot of fun with the girls now that they are getting bigger and have little personalities, likes, and dislikes of their own. They actually ask us to go do stuff, so we have spent a few beautiful Saturday afternoons heading to the "dragon slide" at the indoor park despite the gorgeous weather. They were really taken by strawberry picking and ask to go all of the time, so we may have to head back for another round before the season is over. 

Who doesn't love a trip to Toys r Us followed by some Burger King?

If you aren't aware, Alex's "Guy" is a Giraffe. So this was "Other Guy"

We are getting ready for a few vacations, one quick weekend trip to Vegas to celebrate James and my 8th anniversary and have the girls meet our friends' twins and spend some time in the pool. Then of course my sister's wedding in August. Sadly we can no longer lap sit the girls, and had to buy 4 plane tickets, its the kind of ouch that makes you appreciate that it wasn't triplets. 

I forget how wonderful it was to just run freely in big fields as a child. 

Running as an adult feels awkward and like work. 

The girls just love open space, and we found some at 

the Elementary School they will be attending in a few years. 

Speaking of, three years ago we found out we were going to be parents. Three years is not that long, yet it seems like an eternity. So much has changed since then and we have lived a lot in these last three years. 

Getting some running in at dusk in our front yard.

More Performance

Josie wanted in on the action. Love her "quiet" singing, and Alex really seems confused about her song performance being usurped.

Let It Go!

Frozen was the theme of the week. Our nanny called in sick and I had to work from home, so the girls got to watch a lot of movies. Thankfully aunt Becky came and played outside with the girls, too, so they weren't totally TV bound, but it was more than they are used to. They love the movie Frozen and I actually don't mind it as background noise, so we played that one a few times (unlike Caillou, or Finding Nemo, both irritating. Also Sesame Street can be surprisingly annoying, too.) We then went to a Frozen themed birthday party on Saturday (the girls had a BLAST in the bounce house!). Well on the way home, Alex decided to belt out Let It Go! I have never heard her sing along to the song, and surely never thought she had watched the movie enough to know the song so well, but here it is! She is ON POINT! Enjoy!

Goats and Tractors

We went to the zoo one morning, just as something to do (and since it is 5 minutes away, AND we have a membership) and found it very busy. So we decided to head to the petting zoo area which is a bit off the main "zoo drag" and away from the big attractions like the Elephants and Giraffes. Having seen the girls run from dogs and terrified to pet them, I was totally floored to see them fall in love with the goats, and really get into brushing and feeding them. They were gentle and friendly to the goats, which was also a surprise. It was like a nurturing instinct. And we loved it because it occupied the girls for almost 45 minutes! 

We joined some friends at a truck and vehicle show. The girls like playing with cars, and their dump trucks, so we thought this would be fun. The kids get to climb all over the tractors and fire trucks and other service vehicles. Nope. The girls hated it. I think partly because the event allowed the kids to honk the horns, and some of the emergency trucks were running sirens every so often. It was kind of a bust. We did get to see old friends there, and catch up a bit, but the girls were not interested in staying. 

I just love watching Jamey be a dad. He is so good at it. We really satisfy two prongs of parenting and fit together like a perfect puzzle piece. Its not often I get to take photos of him with the girls so I will take any opportunity I can to do it! 

Alex, not having any of it.

We did get to have our picture taken with some Star Wars characters. Sadly Darth Vader 

had just taken a break, so we missed him. But this was fun! And surprisingly the girls were into it.

I finally convinced Alex to sit on a tractor. 

So we got 10 seconds worth for admission lol

We treated the girls to cheeseburgers at Johnny Rockets afterwards and they LOVED that. Random side note: A very nice thing about having toddler twins is that they generally can always share a kids meal. Its so great not having to buy one that goes half uneaten. Even sharing they leave a ton of leftovers. Second side note: the couple next to us had fraternal twin girls, and like Josie and Alex, they had different colored hair and eyes. We got to talking and they were born January 3! A day older than these two. What are the odds?!

Josie and her little tongue. 

Hugging after lunch - they were having a blast running around the mall.

And...passed out instantly on the way home.

The goats being such a success, we decided to go visit them again the next weekend.

This time, Alex was more interested in playing in the dirt than the goats, so we moved along. 

Visiting her spirit animal - the Meerkats!

And their most favorite place in the world, the carousel.

April Dew

What happened to the rest of April? Two weeks went by really fast. In good news, I am way ahead at work, and we are really busy with some new cases, and did a ton of cooking, finished two books, discovered a new TV show that I love and watched a full season of it, and we did a ton of fun activities with the girls. Unfortunately, that meant the blog was sacrificed a bit. 

New things: the girls have learned to open doors. So we had to get those door knob baby proof things that now keep all visiting adults from being able to open any doors, either. They are very effective. The girls' imagination play continues to strengthen - they are so fun. Alex made me hold some imaginary balloons one entire evening! Great arm exercise. Josie is very much enjoying singing (though she is NOT so good at it) perhaps some singing lessons are in order. And they still very much enjoy peek a boo, hide and go seek, riding on daddy's back ("Neigh!") and playing the "a choo" "bless you" "thank you" fake sneeze/politeness game. 

Enjoying the warmer weather and the green grass in our backyard.

Captain Josie!

The girls went with our nanny, Brittany, to see a movie at the library!

They really enjoyed it!

(though Alex does talk through all movies)

Trying on some sunglasses with Brittany and mommy!

I've been cooking from scratch more, and the girls love to pull up chairs 

and help! I give them ingredients to touch and smell and taste, mostly

trying to distract them from knives and flame!

The girls at the library enjoying some Sesame Street computer programs!

This made me remember that I didn't even touch a computer until at 

least 2nd or 3rd grade, and our task was to move a triangle on the screen

using computer language commands. Meanwhile, 30 years later....

I love this picture of Alex being SO loving to Pink Bear. 

She is just too sweet. 

Enjoying some apple sauce outside. 

Speaking of being caring - here the girls were "tucking us in" for a nap.

After a long day of work, errands, and other demands, we took them up on this. 

I actually think Jamey fell asleep for a good 30 minutes!

Getting tucked in!