Learning

Addyson and Braden are busy learning lots of new things lately. Braden can go up and down stairs all by himself. Addyson is still working on the going down thing but she's slowly catching on. Addyson talks all the time. I can only understand a few words but she definitely has a lot to say. Some of their new words are no-no, uh-oh, bye-bye, snack, drink, milk, and shoes. People ask if they have a special language, being twins and all. I have to say no at this point. Braden looks just as confused as the rest of us trying to figure out just what Addyson is jabbering about! And they can follow more directions all the time. We have also learned to stomp and throw temper tantrums when we don't get our way so discipline is moving to a whole new level. Amazing all the naughty stuff they just learn all on their own without help!! Braden is reaching for our door handles and Addyson is trying but she's just not tall enough yet. Their favorite game is chase - they can run and giggle for a long, long time. Addyson is starting to get attached to a yellow blanket but it's definitely not replacing her thumbs. Braden is working on his molars. I think Addyson's are all the way through but she is still drooling a lot and sucking her thumbs all the time so maybe there are more teeth on the way for her too.

Here are a few of the other things we've been doing:

Playing with mommy's flip-flops Hanging out on the couch. It was really, really hot here for a few weeks. We did get to play outside some a few days ago when it cooled off which Braden LOVED!!!!! He can not get enough outside time. But now it's back to hot again so we'll be doing more hanging out inside!

We made a trip to Kansas City to visit Ryan's cousin and his family last weekend. I didn't do a very good job of taking many pictures. Here we are eating some good barbecue at Oklahoma Joe's. Addyson really likes anything barbecue and of course the very healthy french fries.Braden likes them too. And check out his super cute curls!And Joellen got to join us too. She got to be a big sister while we were there! Baby Josephina showed up a few weeks early, so we got to take care of the big sis for part of the time while the rest of her family was at the hospital. Isn't it crazy how God's plans are not the same as ours - so many things about the weekend could have gone much differently but this is obviously what God intended. We were glad we could be there to help. I guess that's what Ryan and I are learning . . and will continue to learn - that often God has bigger plans that we have no idea of! What a fun journey discovering what all He has in store for us.

And no, I didn't get any pictures of cute baby sis. I guess I was too busy keeping Braden away from those very exciting red outlets he found in the hospital room that just kept tempting him to put his fingers in. Yikes, the craziness of toddlers!!!

Watching Bonanza . . . on a rocking horse. If you didn't know this about Ryan, he is pretty into Bonanza. I got him the entire series for Christmas. If you have any trivia questions you need answered about the Cartwright's Ryan can most likely help you out. I have to admit it's a pretty great show. Braden has loved it too. This day he climbed on his rocking horse to enjoy the episode.

More eating - Addyson likes watermelon. And likes to make a big mess with it. Addyson weighs 17 pounds and Braden weighs 27!!

Bumps and Bruises

On Thursday evening as Ryan was heading off to do some more work (he has been working early and late long hours in this horrible heat - I am so thankful for all he does for us), I turned on the kitchen faucet and got only a small trickle of water - never a good sign. Ryan quickly checked a couple things and had to leave. He made a few phone calls trying to figure out our problem while I checked some of the obvious things. We both were finding no water leaks and no other problems. I headed outside thinking I'll never be able to find this problem. But look what I saw . . .

We had a huge "bump" of water near our well. Now my imagination usually goes to something horrible. So I envisioned huge water pipes (probably bigger than any nearby town even has and definitely way bigger than our personal well has) popping out of the ground and spewing streams of water sky high! I called Ryan wondering what in the world I could do to solve this problem! It was the weirdest thing. You could stand on top of it and it felt like standing on a waterbed. Our grass must have such good roots that it was holding all the water inside! I've never seen anything like it. After some help we determined that there was a leak on the main sprinkler system line which was fixed on Saturday and our bump went away. We eventually got the sprinkler system shut off and could turn the well back on and have normal water everywhere else. Didn't turn out to be all that huge of a deal. It definitely could have been much worse.

We have had several different unrelated water leaks lately and while we were standing outside in the dark trying to figure out just what was wrong, my mind went here. I am so glad that our mansions in heaven will not require any maintenance!! No water leaks to fix, no poopy diapers to clean up (we put the dogs in the garage overnight so they wouldn't dig up the "bump" and destroy the grass. Instead they, well most likely just Maddie, destroyed some bags of yucky diapers in diaper genie bags. They had a great time dragging poopy diapers all over the garage and eating them. Gross!), no clothes to wash, no dishes to clean, no weeds to pull, no nasty bugs to kill and clean up, no floors to mop. I could go on and on and I'm sure you all have a few things you could add. There are so many much greater things about heaven than this which I am definitely thankful for too, but some days I am glad for the smallest things. All the things that won't exist in heaven and all the things that will be different when we have no more tears or worries and get to spend our days glorifying and worshipping our Lord forever instead of trying to fix things and clean up. Oh how much we have to look forward to.

But until then I'll keep cleaning and fixing and trying to do what the Lord calls me to do. One of which is taking care of these two goofy kids I love so much!!

We have 2 busy, noisy little kids on our hands!! They are like little monkeys climbing on everything. They are starting to say words and repeat a lot of what we say. They both say night-night. Snack is one of Braden's favorite words. He goes and gets the blanket so we can have a picnic - he is such a helper. Addyson says please with her words now and signs it too. They say dog and ball. They are just understanding more and more all the time and can follow some instructions. Some days I am amazed at what all they understand and repeat!

They love books lately. They bring them to me and want to sit on my lap - of course both at the same time. Mommy seems to be the hardest thing to share, but sharing anything with each other is pretty tough these days. I have to laugh at some of the things I say to them. Braden, stop biting your sister. Love your sister!!! Don't hit. Addyson, don't eat that! Braden, stop tackling your sister! It seems that Addyson usually has a fat lip and Braden has a bruise on his head somewhere because he fell or walked into something!

Here's some reading with daddy. But what I love in this picture is Addyson's tummy. She has been so skinny but look at that big tummy! She is definitely growing!

They are also both working on teeth!

Addyson has her two bottom molars and is working on the top 2. Braden got 2 teeth on the bottom (#'s 7 & 8) and is now starting to work on molars. This should be fun!! Addyson is a lot tougher than her brother most days so his molars could be great fun! Maybe we'll have lots of snuggle time!

This picture is pretty blurry because of course Addyson is moving fast! But look at her first cute tiny ponytail! It didn't survive naptime very well but she was super cute! Her hair is getting pretty long!


And I told you they were noisy, but you can watch and see for yourselves! Big lungs for such little people!