Thrown Together

Truly, that is how I feel: thrown together. I think that description applies to most everything right now. It is not how I prefer to operate at all, but it is our reality right now. Meals are thrown together at lightning speed when I get a rare few minutes to use both hands. Half-folded laundry is basically thrown into drawers. Mail/bills/paperwork are thrown into a semi-neat pile on the counter, rather than filed away appropriately. I race to shower at night, rarely taking time to shave my legs or enjoy being completely alone as I hear Adrienne fussing  in her crib, or Jillian kicking against her bedroom door in bedtime protest. It is a scramble to throw some pathetic looking puke-stained mommy clothes on in the morning, whisk my disheveled hair back in a ponytail, and brush my teeth. By the time we leave the house for whatever activity is on the books, I feel as though I've run a marathon as we take our thrown together selves and pile in the car. The disorganization is enough to drive me batty, and occasionally to tears (I think a good emotional release is necessary now and then to reset). God is surely trying to remind me, through motherhood and its challenges, that I am not really in control so I might as well find joy in our chaos. Our home flows much more smoothly when I am able to do so. I digress.....
So, here I am, simply "throwing together" a blog post that will bring you up to date on the lives of our little ladies. If nothing else, at least I am consistent!

Adrienne is so interactive. She smiles readily, and has really ramped up the cooing. It is absolutely precious, and I love how she flares her nostrils as she works to "talk". I have some great videos of her doing so, but it seems the videos that I take on my new camera are too high def to be uploaded in a timely fashion. I need to figure out how to compress them so that I can share, but that is a project for another day. You'll just have to take my word for it and enjoy this shot of the girls smiling at each other.

 I caught Adrienne mid-coo here...or perhaps she is just trying to tell her big sister off??

We had a playdate at Isaac's house early last week to catch up with our friends Lauren and Katie, who moved to Nebraska last summer. Jillian had fun playing with Isaac, Malea, and Lauren while the moms enjoyed catching up, too. Jillian, Malea, and Isaac all have younger siblings now who are close in age as well. I experienced a bit of deja vu as I snapped this pic of Adrienne, Luke, and Emmy "playing" just as their older siblings did as infants.

 In preparation for the beginning of preschool (and let's be honest: to give me a break), Jillian has been going to Mayo Back-Up Daycare this month one time per week. Mayo Back-Up is a lovely little benefit for all Mayo employees, who can use up to 20 days/year of childcare for a very minimal fee. Now that Jillian has reached the ripe old age of 33 months, she can attend the preschool room which provides more structure and education within the activities. Yesterday, she came home telling me about a taste testing activity in which the kids tasted/compared a pretzel, lemon slice, and a Hershey's kiss. I'm sure you can imagine which one Jillian preferred. Last week she was very proud of the picture she created that was intended to be a representation of what she wants to be when she grows up. I was definitely not surprised by her choice.

 As we were driving home, she started shaking a paper she was holding at me and soon commanded, "Mom, take this paper, look at it, and say wow!" She was very proud of her drawing that depicted "grapes and stripes" apparently. I cannot wait for all the projects she will bring home from preschool. Her wheels are always turning, so there's bound to be some entertaining creations coming our way.

 The big event of last weekend was a visit from Aunt Mal and Uncle John. They came from Kansas City to meet Adrienne and get a Jilly fix. Aunt Mal spoiled A by holding her non-stop. This has led to Adrienne being a rather unhappy camper this week unless held. (I cannot wait for Aunt Mal to have a baby so I can return that "favor").

 While Daddy and Uncle John went to Minneapolis to compete in a triathlon, we had a leisurely girls morning that included breakfast at Panera,a trip to Target, and pedicures at home. Jillian was very excited about the sparkle nail polish she selected at Target and sat relatively still for the process

Aunt Mal and her nieces

Jillian is a big fan of Uncle John. The two really get along great, and John is fantastic at entertaining her. It is true that I'd love to hire him as my "manny". Just before they left on Monday morning, Jillian listened intently as Uncle John told her the story of the boy who cried wolf in an attempt to get her to understand that she doesn't have to be so dramatic about everything. Unfortunately, the lesson didn't stick, and the drama continues!

You wouldn't know it by this picture, but the girls truly enjoyed their visit. Thanks for coming, Aunt Mal and Uncle John!

And there you have it--the most random and thrown together post in the history of this blog. The End.