Duluth is a Cool City

This weekend is the opener for bird hunting, so of course my husband had to provide for his family and bring us home some healthy meat! I went along for the ride to Duluth to hang out even though my parents and Dan's parents are all out of the country (mine in England, Dan's in Canada). Lara and her boys were around in the morning so all of the cousins got to play. This afternoon I brought the girls to the Lakewalk and Canal Park- touristy but wonderful! The girls squealed just looking at the huge lake..then they were even more excited with all the seagulls. Seagulls are no longer annoying when you see them through the eyes of a toddler! Oh, and we saw trains twice, and a huge ship go through the canal (from afar), complete with the ship and bridge horns. SO Duluth! Makes me miss the city so much.

Josie and Madeline right by the Aerial Lift Bridge in Canal Park

Sofia and Mama!!

Mama and her girls (thanks, kind stranger for taking the pic).

Madeline on the rocky pebble beach. It's even colder than it looks!

Josie with Lake Superior in the background. LOVE this lake (and look at the ship!)

What do you see, Sofia?

I also wanted to share some new tidbits...
 *Of course, Dan and I shower the girls with kisses all the time, and finally they are kissing back! Sofia and Josie lean with a closed mouth (not puckered or anything), but Madeline leans in with her mouth WIDE open and her tongue hanging out!! No thank you!!!
* They learned how to wave a long time ago, but weren't interested in doing it much until. It started when one time a truck came down the street and I announced it, and when it was out of view, I said "byebye truck. All gone." Sofia would wave and look at me. Now, she waves byebye at the most random times, like when we see a squirrel and then it becomes out of view, she'll wave. She'll wave bye or hi to trucks/cars a lot too. It is so darn cute!
*Josie has become a lot more aggressive lately and stealing almost more than Sofia! Madeline has been pretty permissive and less likely to fight for an object. I still have to say that Maddie is still the "easiest".
*The girls are in FULL BLOWN getting names for things. Plus, they bring me books to read constantly. They used to just page through by themselves and refuse to let me read aloud to them, but now they sit and listen to stories! Or they just have me name everything in books or in real life. Their word for when they point and wait for a response is  "dit". I'm excited, for when they tell ME what things are! Let's get talking (more)!

The best they could do for a group photo today. Way too busy for the camera! (J, S, M)

Well, Dan will be home any minute with some greasy Vietnamese food including the best egg rolls ever. We'll save the healthy game food for later. All for now!

FIrst Haircut!

The girls' hair lately was pretty much a mullet and I knew something had to be done about THAT... I bought the scissors a couple weeks ago but I finally bit the bullet and did the girls' first haircut! I have absolutely NO experience, but I could have done a worse job, right? The girls did really good sitting still... I found a nice long Elmo clip on YouTube. Here are some pics of their new hairdo. They look a little older!

Before... (J, M, S)

Back view before

Josephine modeling her new 'do

Josie!

Madeline!

Madeline's back. I could touch it up a little....

Sofia!

 

 

 

Sofia's back of head

21 Months!

In a couple days the girls will be 21 months, 18 adjusted! When strangers ask how old they are I have to stop telling them in months at this point!   Things have been really busy with trips and illnesses so I didn't get to the blog until now. I don't like getting behind! A couple weekends ago we brought the girls to my parents' cabin close to Ely (waaay up north, 5 hour plus drive from here with the freeway construction). Our friends Marie and Adam came with their two kids too (Luke, 4-almost 5 and Eva, 2 1/2). We missed some of the warm days they had been getting there, but at least it didn't rain during the day. I stayed an extra day because my parents and brother Ben were arriving the cabin. Ben lives in Portland right now so I don't get to see him much!

Sofia on left, Maddie on right. The background is my parent's cabin.

Josie on the dock

Madeline (and Sofia's profile). What a pretty lake!!

Mom, we found some flowers! (Josie on left, Sofia on right)

The girls have been doing well besides the sicknesses (fevers and bad cold/cough).

Sofia is obsessed with shoes. She'll try to get in the mud room where we keep shoes and she'll muster all her concentration to say "shoes". So, I'll put some sandals on her... but that won't keep her satisfied for long. She'll want to put a different pair on. Sometimes she'll go through 3 or 4 shoes in an hour (only outside because some are too dirty for inside). She still babbles a bunch- working on real words!

Miss Sofia!

Madeline was the sickest with her cough. Every time she gets a cold, her cough sounds like croup, but the doctors agree that the specific sound of her cough is from the surgery way back in the NICU (she had a gap between the esaphogus and trachea, and a gap between the esophagus and the stomach that they fixed). She must have scar tissue or abnormal structures still but it's supposed to get better with time. 

Madeline!

Josephine is working on words, along with her sisters. Among the words they say/try to say: mama, daddy, baby, hello, dog, duck, quack, woof, shoes, Elmo, diaper... I know there are more but I can't remember them all! Oh, and of the three, she loves to give "sister hugs" the most when we ask her to! I have to show a video of that!

Josie managing the rough terrain!

Josephine and Sofia holding hands. *heart melts*

Lara, Charie and their boys Dane and Peter came to stay with us for almost a week since Charlie had to work in the cities. We had one busy but fun house! It's great having another adult around during the day too!

Awwww... Sofia and Dane (what a good big cousin!)

Awwww again! Dane, Sofia, Josie, Madeline

Pools are fun to play in even without water!

The cousins watching Sesame (Josephine, Dane, Madeline, Sofia, and Peter)

   We all went to the Minnesota State Fair when they were in town. What a zoo! It was so crowded and we still brought our triple stroller. You would NOT believe the looks and overheard comments! I don't know if I'll ever be fully used to it. I'm sure we'll be back next year, though. Fun times!

Little farmers at the Minnesota State Fair! (on top: Peter, Dane, bottom: Sofia, Josephine, Madeline)

They look thrilled... :)

Ok, I have to add this video of my nephew, Peter! Isn't he the best dancer?? (It's also on YouTube)

Happy Little Toddlers

The girls have been little characters lately. Usually very happy but also getting more stubborn. They are usually easily distracted though!

We've been going to Story Time at the library again. Last week, they sat like little angels (until towards the end when their attention span got the best of them). This week they wouldn't let me hold the book to read along and were up and about most of the time. Who knows! Good thing it's practically expected for this age group to act like that. It's really great talking with other moms though and the play time after is fun for them. 

If these pictures don't make you smile, I don't know what will....

Group photo....?

That's a little better! (J, S, M)

Josie just relaxing and smiling away!

LOVE this picture of Madeline!

Sofia looking more and more grown up. So pretty!

Just try to resist Josie's smile!

If I look away, it is not uncommon to find Madeline on the dining table! Look how happy she is!

My good friend, Marie, has been giving me hand-me-downs (really really cute I have to add). One item was this winter jacket. I had Sofia try it one and now whenever she sees it she wants it on! Doesn't she look proud?

Popcorn feast! The video is SOLELY of them eating popcorn, nothing too exciting. It's just cute to see how into it they all are!

The feast! (S, M, J)

It can't be all done, it just CAN'T!

Sofia signing more popcorn!

He's a good dog...

Dan and I at the latest wedding in Duluth. What breathtaking views of Lake Superior! Congrats to Blake and Joy!!!

Biting, Tantrums, and Climbing, Oh my!

We are hitting the terrible twos a little early! All three of them will get really steaming mad when things don't go their way. They will screech, roll around and fling out of my arms, bite, and hit! Usually, they will swat at the floor or an object, but sometimes it's me or a sister. This behavior isn't out of control or anything, I'm just surprised they are this old now! On the other hand, they still bring each other their blankies and they even blow kisses when I show them how.

Josie's arm with Sofia's bite marks.

Sofia probably has the hottest temper of all. When I tell her to stop hitting or biting she will listen to me. Sofia has used the potty (on purpose) a couple times. She will smile when she's done and you can tell she loves the praise. I know we are far away from potty training but it's good to know that she understands a little bit aleady.

How does this sweet face have such a hot temper?? (Sofia)

Madeline is doing well. She is our biggest climber of the three, and she is very determined about it! I have even caught her on the top of our computer desk (and taking her down provokes a tantrum, of course!) Also, I bet all the girls know this, but when I ask where Madeline is, she points to herself! Before the girls would just look around a little confused.

Mom, I need these shoes on! (Madeline)

Josephine is doing really well with open cups and utensils. I don't give them the utensils at every meal or anything, just once in awhile. She got the concept pretty quickly. Sofia and Maddie are working on it too and are getting better every time.

The boxes that toys come in are always more exciting than the toys themselves. (Josie)

Now that Lara and Charlie live in Minnesota, we see them a lot more often! Just last week, they stayed a couple nights since Charlie had to work in the cities. We took the kids to the zoo one of the mornings. (Oh, and apparently we are one of the exhibits. That triple stroller attracts more attention than the gorillas!) I had to include a picture of our car- we fit all the kids in! Nice!

All the cousins in the Yukon!

Dane and the gorilla!

We are not an exhibit!

Hey, Peter!

We will be in Duluth for another wedding (we had one last weekend too). Yay for Blake and Joy! Congrats! Hope everyone is doing well!