Knit Around

We spent the morning at the Zoo today, me and three littles, and it was exactly what all three of us needed. It's funny how the Zoo becomes a little bit boring by late summer, when you've already walked the paths a dozen times and seen the animals doing all their fancy tricks enough times that they just don't seem that fancy anymore. Until of course the cold fall weather sets in and you find yourself feeling those first few pangs of cabin fever as you realize that another long winter will inevitably keep you inside more than you'd like to admit.

And then of course you realize that you'd give just about anything to walk those paths and see those fancy animals every single day, even if they are just sleeping, so that you can get out of the house and get some fresh air. Plus, it's even more fun if you have a brand new homemade hat to rock out in. Saoirse was very much obliging to wear her new creation for the entire morning. Look at how she's just grinning away at her big sister.

I made this hat with some super chunky yarn on size 13 needles in about an hour.

I forgot how great it feels to finish something, to actually cast off! As soon as we got home and tucked in for naps, I grabbed my needles and started another hat in shades of blue for Ruari.

Would you just look at how much BIGGER Nuala looks than everyone else with those legs dangling down. I used to get stopped all the time by people with twin questions, but those days are long gone.

Cats

As if cakes and dances and parties weren't enough excitement for one weekend....why don't we just go ahead and add a couple of cats into the mix, shall we?

Allow me to introduce Kiely and Brenna.

Just saw a bird....

We brought them home late Thursday evening and so the kids woke up to a lovely surprise Friday morning. Everyone was thrilled, you should have heard them! The girls are in heaven, even Miss Saoirse is down right ecstatic about it. As for the "new girls", they're adjusting well. Brenna is taking her time and prefers staying under the bed for the most part. She did come out during the party yesterday to see what all the fuss was about and she slept with us last night so we're making progress. Kiely keeps Brenna company but comes running out the second you call her and wants you to pet her ALL.THE.TIME. They are both extremely sweet and it is very clear that the family we adopted them from loved them very much and raised them well.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a couple of cats to go cuddle with.

Three

I'm not going to write a big gooey love letter this time. I'm not. How could I possibly put into words how I feel? I keep trying to start this, to write this birthday post and I keep winding up with tears in my eyes and that's not what I want for this. There is no sadness here, just light and laughter and incredible love. I still catch my breath and feel my chest tightening when I realize just how lucky I am to have them, to know them, to get to spend every day with them. To have been blessed with them, by them, for them. Damn these tears.

Who knew that this is where we'd be three years later? Three years in the blink of sometimes teary eyes and I wouldn't change one.single.thing. Thank you God, Great Spirit, Whoever You Are That Knew And Gave This To Me, Universe. Thank You.

Seems we have traveled so far together.

I am so glad we got a new camera.

Big thanks to Sydney for bringing over the coolest cake on the planet! Thanks for making their birthday so special.

Night And Day

Last night, in the midst of twin birthday chaos, Sidhe and Maija got ready to attend their first real dance at school. The Harvest Ball 2010 was a costume event, and these two decided to go as "light" and "dark". Fitting I suppose, given the fact that they are as different as night and day sometimes.

They really do compliment eachother in a graceful lovely way. They came home from the dance with so much energy and tons of gossip!

Two Turn Three

Happy Birthday my lovies. Miss Noodle and Mr. Otter. I can't believe that it's been three full years since I first cradled you in my arms. You are so incredibly wonderful and I am so grateful to be your mom.

More on this tomorrow, right now I'm going to cozy up in front of a roaring fire with your dad and reminisce about the day you were born. The day our hearts filled so much they practically overflowed. The day our arms stretched so wide they practically gave out. You have given us so much in three short years, more than you'll ever know.

Bunk Beds

We finally did it. We no longer have three cribs in the 'nursery'. About two weeks ago we moved the twins into a bunk bed and they love it. I was of course worried, but they have been doing an amazing job. There are some nap time shenanigans and our night time routine has changed a bit, but honestly I thought it was going to much more difficult than this and once again they have proved me wrong. It was a little bit hard though, taking apart those cribs and realizing once again that there is just no turning back. I feel as if those cribs represented the last little bit of their 'baby-hood' and while it's exciting to look forward at everything that awaits us in the future, it is bittersweet saying goodbye to those little bits. There is something great about big beds though and it's that I can now cuddle with them each night during our tuck in time, and it nearly makes up for any of the lasting taste left over from letting go.

Nuala is hilarious up in her 'nest' and her new thing is to take her pj's off every single night. Oscar loves the bottom bunk because it's sort of like crawling into a 'cave', at least that's what he's been calling it for the last two weeks. "I have to go in my cave now mom".....It's so dark in there I couldn't really get a decent shot of it, but here's Nuala's view from the top.

So, we're down to one crib. Saoirse still naps in our room during the day (we have a port-a-crib set up in there), but all three go to bed together in their room at night. Pretty soon Saoirse will have a trundle bed that tucks under the bunk and we will be crib-less for the first time in years!

Sylvi

Last winter I offered to help a friend out with a little knitting project. She really really REALLY wanted to make a Sylvi but was a bit intimidated. "Oh, why don't we just do it together? I'll make one with you" I blurted out enthusiastically.

There was only one problem, the Sylvi is a full blown trench jacket that is worked with a chart and I am a full blown beginner who has never used a chart to save her life! What do they mean "Purl the knits on the wrong side"????

Nevertheless, we ordered a yarn swatch, spent weeks selecting our colors and finally cast on last spring. I learned how to read the chart and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, it's a really fun project once you can look past all the seed stitch. I worked on it for a few weeks, grabbing a few minutes here and there to finish a row. And then summer came and I set down the needles and I never picked them back up. It was a nice long vacation.

I pulled Sylvi down from the shelf yesterday and wondered if I'd even be able to follow the chart again. Turns out it's sort of like riding a bike.

So there you have it, the first 31 rows of the back panel. At this rate I'll be done by fall of 2013.

Rockin' It

We did it, we rocked the vote. Do people say that anymore? Well, regardless, we went to vote yesterday, me and the three littles. There was an incredible bake sale that we hit after casting our ballot, and yum, the spring rolls were delicious. What? Spring rolls at a bake sale you say? Get out!

No, seriously, they were delicious and we were rockin' it.

The Teens

Miss Sidhe recently began her life as a teen. Thirteen to be exact. She had a slumber party with a few of her friends. There was an ice cream sundae bar, a game of Charades (can anyone say HILARIOUS?) and lots of late night whisperings that I don't get to know about, since I'm an old lady and they're not.

I wasn't sure if she would like these sunglasses, but then she didn't take them off for about 3 days, so I guess they were alright.

Happy birthday Sidhe, you are amazing.