Hershey 2012

We seem to make it an annual tradition to spend the night in Hershey during the holidays.  This year was priceless.  We joined our good friends for the night and Grammy and Papa stayed as well.  We are always concerned about the cold and how the girls will hold up but that wasn't an issue this year.

We bundled everyone up, with the exception of Grammy, and headed out to the amusement park.  Never once did anyone mention being cold, tired or hungry.  The girls closed the park!  Everyone got along so well and had smiles on their faces all night.  It was magical. . . probably my favorite night of the holiday season.  It was one of those nights where you fall in love with your family all over again.  I am so thankful when everyone is easy and happy on outings like these.

Here are some pictures as well as some pics from chocolate world the next day.

It is hard to imagine a trip better than this one.  It is also hard to imagine how a baby is going to fit into the picture next year!

Lila Grace

Classic Duck-Loving Lila

 This girl has been filling my heart with love these days.  I can't get enough of her.  For the first many years of her life she was my exercise in patience!  Times have changed.  There are so many things to celebrate when it comes to Lila and so many parts of her I don't want to forget.

First, this girl is the most loving child you will ever meet.  Every night she wonders down the hall to our bedroom and spends half the night sleeping in our bed.  She is our early riser so when we wake up she is ready to get up to.  Every morning I hear, "I love you Mommy, you are the best Mommy," as I struggle to pull myself out of bed.  Lila has figured out how to get some one on one Mommy and Daddy time by hanging out with us in our bathroom each morning while her sisters sleep.  I love it.  I love waking up to her sweet face (not that other sweet faces don't often make it into our bed too!).

Lila has grown up so much over the past year.  She is turning into a strong and independent girl.  I just enrolled her in dance class and the difference between last year and now is amazing.  Sometimes she is the only one who can answer the teacher's question!  She also took her first piano lesson this week.  She was so proud of herself and so composed during the lesson.  Upon leaving, Lila wouldn't let me hold her piano books, she wanted to keep them on her lap the entire ride home. 

Miss Lila has taken off with swimming. She doesn't like it but sucks it up and goes each week. A year ago it would have been a crying battle each week but now she knows she has to go and just does it. She is very scared of heights and diving boards but has overcome her fears and dives off the block. The video clearly demonstrates her trepidation when it comes to heights.


Another area where she has blossomed is school.  This year she just gets it.  I remember when Savannah would disappear and then return with a book that she had written.  Now that is Lila.  I think she has written two books this week all on her own.  I love that she is using her skills to her own enjoyment.  She never fights us on going to school and is well behaved when there.  I couldn't ask for more.

Just recently Lila did something that I wanted to document.  My dress wearing girl picked out jeans for the first time.  Alex and I were shocked.  She looked so tall and grown up in them.  She is definitely a dress girl at heart but this was a nice change of pace.  Typically, it is the fancier the better when it comes to Miss Grace.

I can't wait to watch Lila grow into the role of big sister.  I think she is going to be amazing to the new baby.  I can't put into words how helpful and caring this girl is.  Just while writing this post, Lila sat down and made me these two surprises and brought me a snack on a plate (her own idea, not mine.)

  

This girl is always good for a snuggle and never misses the mark when it comes to making me feel loved.  Each night she falls asleep (in her record less than 5 minute time frame) in my lap or Alex's arms.   She is my first smile of the day and one of my last snuggles.  I am so lucky to be her Mom.  I wish I could freeze her!!  Six is such a good age.

 A "not so uncommon" scene around bedtime!

Christmas 2012

Christmas seems like such a long time ago.  It is amazing how quickly we get back into our routines and lose some of the magic.  Each year I like to document favorite gifts and other tidbits that shed a light on the girls and where they are in life.

First, all the girls were very excited to see Santa.  They all believe!  Perpetuating this is a mixed bag for me because it all seems to defeat the real purpose of the season and focus kids on gifts but I can't deny that there are magical moments with the guy in the red suit.  Seeing Santa was one of them.  The line was long and I gladly stood in it for 1.5 hours while the girls played on the playground.  Pregnant and with tired feet I was happy to be a part of this moment in their lives.  There are only so many more years of this and who doesn't love seeing the magic in their children's eyes.  There are certain traditions that go along with seeing Santa.  We enter through his special house that have elves chatting on the phone.  The girls remember this and can't wait to get their hands on the phone.

 I try try to get a good picture of all three before they sit on his lap and sometimes I am more successful than others.  

Finally, after two hours the girls are up.  We were surrounded by Christmas magic so the time went fast.  Santa spent a lot of time with each girl while they gave him lists that include pictures of what they want.   Lila was our skeptic this year and asked this Santa if he was the REAL Santa.  Sadly, I didn't get it on video but his reply was, "Give my beard a tug and that will let you know."  Sure enough, my brave girl gave it a tug and to her delight, the beard was real.  She was all smiles. 

 Full of joy after tugging on Santa's beard. 

Here are the lists from 2012

 Adeline is still shopping in the boy section of most stores. . .

Another tradition that I love is coming home from Christmas Eve service and baking cookies for Santa.  We roll the dough out in our dresses which is extra fun.  They the girls set out all their goodies for the big guy.  Savannah made a fantastic cardinal drawing this year.  

Finally, I like to document the favorite toys.  This year, Savannah entered into the American Girl Doll world.  I don't know how we avoided it for nine years but we did.  No longer.  Savannah's favorite gift by far was McKenna, the 2012 doll of the year.

 Lila loved all of her horses but still lugs this big guy around the house and enjoys a daily ride. 

Adeline has been begging for this Lego set for months and months. We went to the Lego store in NYC and they were sold out which sent terror through her veins. She assumed that it was sold out everywhere. I finally convinced her that it would be available come Christmas. Sure enough it was. 

 

I am going to include a picture of the my favorite gift.  It was a simple message written by my big girl on a Christmas card.  She definitely understood that this Christmas was pretty hard for me.  Being pregnant and keeping up with all the therapy and activities of the girls while trying to host Christmas was HARD!  I was tired, my legs ached and in the back of my mind I was reminded that an early birth is not out of the question for this baby.  There were three little girls counting on me to pull off a great Christmas and I felt "The Show Must Go On."  In hindsight, it wasn't the smartest move but I pushed through the achy legs and tired days and we had a great holiday.  Just when I was ready to eat Christmas dinner in a restaurant and book tickets for an "island vacation Christmas" next year, Savannah handed me this card.  It put things back into perspective.  It continues to remind me to focus on what is really important.

27 WEEKS!!!!

Today we are celebrating!!  I am 27 weeks, and at the exact same day I had the twins.  Today is the day where I say goodbye to my second trimester and enter the third. . . a trimester the twins never had.  People ask me if it is emotionally hard to approach this day of my pregnancy.  My answer is NO!  This day only helps to spotlight the remarkable outcome of the twins.  How did they both make it out of that NICU without being prepped with steroids before their birth?  How is it possible that they are thriving in Kindergarten, smart, sweet and infectiously happy?  These are questions I can't answer but take time to ask so I can feel the emotional journey of the last six years.  I am so very thankful and so very lucky!

Today, we are celebrating my health!  I went to the doctor today and am normal and healthy.  Only my history sets me apart from a typical pregnancy.  I was told today that my history is significant so while we continue to celebrate this uneventful pregnancy, it is important to recognize that things can change.  We know this and are fully prepared for what comes our way.  For now, Baby Girl #4 is doing well and we both look fantastically healthy on paper.  In fact, Baby Girl probably weighs what the twins did combined on this same day.  She is doing well.  We all are anxious to meet her but hope that she will wait to enter this world on her scheduled delivery date when she will be 38 weeks. 

Only time will tell. 

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas Eve

This Christmas Eve I headed to the gym in order to get my head on straight for a long day ahead.  This is what I came home to.  I absolutely fall in love with Lila Grace more and more each day.  I love the girl she is growing into.  So sweet!  She works very hard to fill my bucket with love each and every day.  Who wouldn't want this special lunch?

Phew, Christmas Eve is exhausting for a pregnant mama! We baked and cooked and then cooked some more. Luckily, I had very helpful girls. . . especially the big girl. Here Lila and Savannah are making pumpkin pie and cornbread.

We finally got our dresses on, dinner on the table and out the door to church. Before leaving we snapped a couple of pictures to document our last year as a family of 5!

Here are some more last pictures of just three girls!

When we walked out the door we found this!!

Here is my Christmas Miracle holding her candle during Silent Night.  This moment brings tears to my eyes each and every Christmas Eve as it takes me back to her homecoming on Christmas 6 years ago.  She is an amazing girl with an amazing journey under her belt.  I love her so. 

Recital

Savannah had her first piano recital.  She is under the direction of a new teacher which has taken her playing to new level.  Her Christmas songs were quite difficult this year and I can safely say, she plays better than I ever did now.  For her recital, she played a beautiful version of Carol of the Bells and two other Christmas songs.  

Savannah was nervous and didn't quite know what to expect being that she hasn't performed solo in front of an audience before.  I was nervous for her!  When it was her turn she walked up on stage and did all the things her teacher asked of her, including playing her songs almost flawlessly!  She was at her best that night and walked away feeling proud.  Of course, Alex and I were very impressed and proud too.