Where's Chloe?

I find myself asking this a lot lately. Simply because wherever she may be, she is usually up to something. I love the little squirt, but man she can find trouble. Like last Sunday, we were all in the house, doing our own things when Michael comes in and asks, "Where's Chloe?" Hmmm...good question. We looked and looked...no Chloe. But then to our relief, our friendly neighbors drove up to deliver her. (Thanks Cindy & Jake) She thought she would go for a walk. Never occured to her to take her parents with her. Three things concerned me there. One...she got out of the house without us knowing. Two...she thought she could go for a walk without us even though I have told her dozens of times she can't go past the lamp post and three...she readily got in a car that wasn't her own. Guess we know what next family home evening will be about:)

Then just two nights ago I asked Laney (poor laney, my little runner when I am feeding Ava), "Where's Chloe?" "I don't know," was her reply. So I open the garage door and who do I find staring at me at eye level....Chloe. She had climbed up on the suburban and was just chillin'....enjoying the view I suppose. Again....one...HOW DID SHE GET UP THERE? and two WHY?!!! Some questions are just better off left alone.

Don't mind the hair do...after naps it gets a little CRAzY!

Small victories!

I am happy to report that Ava took two full naps in her crib today....without being held. (obviously because she was in her crib) That is one of those small victories. I was able to clean my floor, fold my laundry that has been building for WAY too long, play with the girls and exercise. I feel like a new woman! Thanks Ava...you are a champ. Hopefully she will sleep in her crib tonight. Cross your fingers.

They just don't fit anymore...

Here I thought I was the only one having issues with clothes. One morning Laney came in wearing some jeans that were slightly on the highwater side...so I suggested she go and change into some other jeans. So she came back all hurt and frustrated in some jeans that looked like tight capris. I couldn't remember buying them, so when she looked at me in distress and said, "Mom, all my clothes are TOO SMALL" I had to take a second look. She had grabed Chloe's new pair of jeans by accident and was putting them on. The thing is, she actually got them buttoned and on...amazing. I had to just laugh out loud which didn't make her happy because this was very traumatic. Then I explained to her that they were Chloe's and she still fit into all her clothes. She was very relieved.

How funny it is that even at a young age, it is still hard to adjust growing out of your clothes:) I myself have a VERY hard time with it.

Spring shots

Now that I have no hands I find it hard to take pictures as much as I use to. But when I get a chance... I JUST can't pass it up. These are some pics of the girls in their Easter dresses.

I love how their personality truly comes out in their pictures. These girls are the light of my life...

they make me HAPPY!

Easter hunts

The girls had a blast at all their easter egg hunts. It took the first hunt for Chloe to grasp what we were doing. She didn't quite get why we were picking up stuff from the grass and putting it in her basket, but when she saw all of sister's finds...she picked up quick. So on her next hunt, she was prepared.

The first hunt was at a park in Hooper. It was crazy, I don't think we will do that again. They just threw candy on the grass...well I could have done that with a lot less kids running around. But to their credit, they did have the easter bunny actually there, and that was fun.

Chloe a bit lost Laney doing her thing

The second was at Grandma and Grandpa's and that included breakfast so we were all happy. They had a blast at this one. Who wouldn't when you are surrounded by your cousins?

The fearsome crew...oh wait missing one..well two but one is Ava and she is snug in the house.

There's the missing one.

Working together...look at that.

Checking out the finds.

The third was at the church. I couldn't go to this one because I didn't want to take Ava out because it too included breakfast with a lot of people so I can't go into detail. But the girls came home proudo the their finds and Michael did a supurb job photographing it. Let's give him a thumbs up all around.

How cute is that? Setting off together.

So the girls were pretty happy with their finds. We kept the candy in the house for a couple of days then trashed it...very proud of myself. It was tempting let me tell you, but I overcame the candy call. You have to acknowledge the small triumphs in life. All in all, we had a blast with Easter, can't wait till next year!

Easter at the Rasbands

We had a pretty fun easter egg coloring session I must say. But considering that last year we had to forgo it because Chloe was in the hospital...we don't really have much to compare it to. But with a creative dad, eggs, dye and sparkles how can you go wrong?

Dad does love to get creative. Here the girls thought they had everything they needed with some dye and some sparkles but oh how their eyes were opened. They never imagined you might need electric tape, scissors and lots of time. They soon found out you don't just dump the egg in dye, you create. Here are some pics of their creations.

And here is a pic of Ava on her first easter egg coloring experience. She knows how to party:)

Adjusting to three...

You would think that after the initial shock of having one child, that it would get easier to accept when the doctor hands you number two or three. But I found that it doesn't. I still wonder why anyone would send me home with this little tiny infant. And now that I have three, I wonder to myself....ARE THEY CRAZY? And I was kind of scared...what am I kidding...I was really scared. Yes, I have some "helpers" that might make things easier but on the other hand, I have some "helpers" that try to help just a little too much. And here Ava is 4 weeks old and she has become just "one of the gang"as if it weren't any other way...now making the twosome and threesome.

But all in all, I think we are adjusting well. I don't have to tell Laney and Chloe quite so many times a day to keep their face out of Ava's. I am still afraid to take a shower if Michael is not here, but we have found ways around that. Today I thought Michael was here and was watching Ava. To my distress, Laney heard her crying and got her out of her bassinet and took her downstairs to watch tv while I was in the shower. Luckily Michael had to come back in to get something and realized my baby had been snatched :) I don't know what scares me more, her getting her out of the cradle by herself or taking her down the stairs....okay the stairs scare me most. They scare ME going down them. But the girls just love their little sister and I couldn't ask for anything more. And they take care of each other so life is going great. And they each have their duties. Chloe is on binky duty and takes it very seriously. She tries to know where it is at all times and that it is clipped to Ava. And if Ava should cry, she is the first on the scene to put the binky in the mouth. Maybe it is because she understands...I mean where would she be without her thumb? And Laney is the bouncer and music suplier. Again, if Ava should cry, she will sing to her and bounce her. That is one spoiled kid :) (I think she is praying she will live to her 1st birthday)
Watching some TV Wait, who is putting who to sleep?

What a good big sister

And it isn't as hard as I expected, maybe because Ava is really a good baby or maybe because I had myself prepped for something REALLY bad...I don't know but the adjustment has been relatively smooth (knock on wood). The hardest part is loosing my arms...but that will pass. I am just glad that I have the opportunity to hold my little one. They grow up so fast and my friend helped me put life into prospective from one of her blogs. There will only be a short amount of time that I am allowed to kiss them when I want, hold them all day long and hear about their crazy adventures. So I treasure the time and hope I can capture most of it in writing or film to come back to.

Crazy girls:)