Monday to Monday

After a busy week of travel and followed by a week of recovery, I'm finally putting together the highlight reel.

Monday (6-29-09)
Uncle Mike was in town for work. But, he had to eat sometime. So glad we got to see him!

Tuesday
Rainy day. We met up with new friends at an indoor playscape.
The highlight, for the RGs, were the 'rainbow cookies'.

Wednesday
Appointments for Roo. Working from home for Daddy. Laundry. Laundry. Packing. Exciting.

Thursday
Library storytime in the morning with new friends.
Road trip to Lubbock in the afternoon/evening/night. Really long.

Friday
Got a new dog.
And took a bath. That's right. No baths on Thursday.
I've got lots of fond memories of the bathtub at Nana's house.
Wonder where those Pillsbury dough boy toys are. Becky, Joy, Kak, Tracie? Do y'all remember those?

Saturday
Low key Independence Day with family. Good times.
Mostly.

Sunday
Apple picking attempt in the morning. Thwarted by a late freeze and a hail storm.

Still fun thanks to good friends.

Then, calzones from One Guy.
More sweet friends that evening. We had such a great time!

Monday
A few final hours with Nana.
And the awesome toys she saved from Grandpa's and Aunt Tracie's childhood.
And then the slightly less long drive home.

Fireworks Fail

We celebrated the 4th of July with Nana this year. Daddy picked up some sparklers and some other little thing that went 'pop pop pop' and we envisioned a fun filled evening of heavily supervised fireworks.

Not so much.

They wouldn't get near the sparklers.
However, as soon as one would fizzle out, they'd ask for another to be lit.
Then, they'd scream and and say they were going inside.
And inside was an option at any given moment. We certainly didn't force them to stay on the porch and endure the torture that is an Independence Day celebration.

The poppers were an unmitigated disaster. In no way did we intend to replay that drama soaked scenario.
But, Em pulled some more out of the bag, asked sweetly, assured us that she knew they went 'pop pop', and asked again to set them off.
So, stupid us, we did. J and I are kind of slow.
It's the part I didn't put on the video clip. Because, that just ended the festivities right then and there.
Total.Fireworks.Fail.

Birthday Bounce-back

This blog was born after the RG's first birthday. So, travel back in time with me to document their first birthday party.

It was a Ladybug Picnic Party at the McGrandparents' house. All the great-grandparents were able to attend, as well as Mammaw, Aunt Gail, cousins Charlie and Clint, and great aunt and uncle, Tracie and Ross with their children.


Our family really got into the theme of the party and gifted the girls with loads of adorable ladybug books, tents and toys. Plus, our friend, Miss Blythe, saved the day, and found these adorable ladybug halter dresses for the RGs to wear.


They looked like little Marilyn Monroes in them! (except for the nose picking).

Em and Roo were all about the birthday song singing, the candles and the cupcakes.
With perfect hindsight, perhaps red and black frosting was not the way to go.

Oh. Yeah.

Instead of party hats, I painted up the little bopper headbands.
The girls were hilarious wearing them.

So, were the great grandparents.


The party was everything J and I hoped for.

Family gathered together to celebrate surviving and thriving during the first 12 months of Em's and Roo's life. The prayers our family prayed, the food they made, the many miles driven, the bedside NICU vigils, the many hours of sleep sacrificed, the bottles held, the songs sung, the unconditonal love and support... They were in it with us. All the way.

It was a perfect celebration of the miracle of Em and Roo.

grandNana's

Em's and Roo's final gift exchange took place the day after Christmas at their great-grandNana's house. It's been far too long since the RGs were able to see their Nana. And they made up for it double time.

Roo was right in Nana's lap, having stories read.

And Em sang and danced and kissed and basically performed herself silly.
The day after the day after, we went back for a much needed follow up visit.
And the girls played with Nana's little recorder. Endlessly.

Roo was really really happy. Because, if you'll remember, Grover (her newest addition) plays the flute. So, that, of course, made the "flute" hers.
Em disagreed. Battles were fought. Hugs and kisses to make up were enforced.
And a little Sesame Street friends book, read by Nana, made it a whole lot better.

Since returing home, Em and Roo keep talking about Nana. And flutes.
And saying, "toot toot toot".

Hoping they last

The girls have two items that they've slept with since day 1.

Their beloved Nannie blankets. Made by great-grandmother Nannie.

And a tiny stuffed animal, a black and white puppy, from their great-grandmother Nana.

Both the blankets and the puppies awaited the girls' birth and joined them in the tiny NICU bassinets for the first four weeks of their lives.

Then, blessedly, the babies, blankets and puppies arrived home and have slumbered together ever since.

I don't worry about the Nannie blankets holding out. After all, mine is still rocking along (we'll not mention an actual number here).

But the puppies. I just don't know. They're doing fine so far. Maybe I should start searching eBay. Just in case.