Summer

Yikes! I am falling behind again. I guess we have been a little busy since the beginning of July when the girls turned one so I will try to remember everything that has happened. We went on a weekend camping trip with my parents, had a surprise 30th birthday party for Kevin, and went on an international trip....to Canada! Not to mention lots and lots of walks, wagon rides, and park visits.

Our trip went really well. The girls traveled well and minus a few small meltdowns we arrived in one piece. It was so nice to see Kevin's parents, our siblings, and nieces and nephews....and the 13 bears were an added bonus. :) After just a couple of days the girls adjusted and started napping and sleeping through the night like they do at home. We had lots of relaxing time which included many floats down the river (just us, not the girls), got to see Grandpa and Grandma Vanderwal and some aunts and uncles, ate lots of good food, and a good time was had by all.

The first week back after vacation is always hard, but I feel like this week was a doozy. The girls and I both were a bit under the weather when we returned and I ended up having to miss work on Monday, something I would have preferred not to do coming off of vacation. I'm not sure if I wrote about this before but the girls also had to start a new daycare on Monday. Our regular provider, Sharla, had a baby on July 7 (the girls birthday - how cool is that!) so she is out for several weeks. We needed to find someone that was willing to watch the girls for about a month. Kevin and I have determined that searching for daycare is one of our least favorite activities. We found a very nice woman...the only problem is that she lives way on the eastside of town...we work on the west side. Just means lots of extra time on the road. The girls have done well there, once we leave that is. However, for the first five minutes or so they SCREAM. By the time evening rolls around, they have been pretty tired and feisty. Anyway, we are ready for Sharla to come back and get into our normal routine. School and volleyball start Monday so here we go!

Other than that the girls have been well. Quinn is getting two more teeth--some molars for a total of 8. Amelia is still toothless. Both girls love to play in our basement, watch their daddy to anything, and eat Cheerios and watermelon. Here are some of the latest pictures.

Amelia sitting with Grandpa while camping

Grandpa and Quinn having their morning Cheerios

When I asked the girls where their belly buttons were, Amelia showed me where Quinn's is. 

On our way to the airport...4:30 am.

Hanging out in the Calgary Airport

Taking a bath in Bep's sink.

The girls sleeping arrangements in our trailer. They loved it!

Swinging!

Quinn going for a bike ride with dad.

Amelia's turn for a bike ride.

Brother Bear

Amelia checking out the cows with Auntie Kristen

Beach time...Quinn was not a fan.

Amelia liked the water once she got used to it. 

Our view for 10 days...and from the river during our floats.

Amelia snuggling with Bep

Quinn and Amelia having some Cheerios with their cousin Sydney.

Quinn got into our lazy Susan and pulled out the spaghetti box. 

Hard to tell who this is from the back eh? Its Quinn. Her new thing is to carry around my lunch bag like a purse wherever she goes. 

Have a good weekend everyone!

Amelia & Quinn Turn One!

On July 7 Amelia and Quinn celebrated their 1st Birthday. They say time flies when you are having fun and I couldn't agree more. What a year! We went from a family of two to a family of four in one day. I found myself being really reflective of what we did every day last year leading up to the day the girls were born. The Fourth of July was a Wednesday last year and we went to a couple from church's house who had triplets the year before to get their best "multiples" advice. The following day (Thursday) would be my last day of work for 12 weeks. That Friday I went in for my appointment/centering group just like I normally would. However before I left I had a little meeting with my doctor and she told me to go home and get my bags and my husband and come back. So exciting! I remember it all so well and said so many times over the last couple weeks "last year at this time we were doing this or that."

This was a picture taken before we left for the hospital...37 weeks and 1 day. Pardon my puffiness.

And these are the girls just a few minutes old (Q on the left, Amelia on the right)

And here are the girls today...playing in a swimming pool in the backyard.

We had a great little party with some family and friends. The girls got to have cake for the first time. They didn't really know what to think of it but I think they liked it! Here are some birthday party pictures.

Thought I would give everyone a quick update on each of the girls. Amelia is a little sweetheart, gives great hugs, and loves to cuddle with her bears or animals. Her latest thing to do when they are all lined up is to stand in front of them with a giddy smile on her face and contemplate which one she wants to choose. She chooses very carefully and then gives that animal a big hug....plays with it for a few minutes and then chooses another. Amelia is such a good eater, there isn't anything we have found yet that she doesn't like, but she still doesn't have any teeth! For being a little more laid back than her sister, she is definitely not timid to try to new things...such as the tunnel they got for their birthday from Grandpa and Grandma VV. She will cruise back and forth in that thing while Quinn is scared to death of it. Amelia likes to be held so we are working on that--its so hard not to always pick her up! She is really taking off with her walking too.

Quinn is a little go getter and loves to play. She wants to play with whatever Amelia is playing with and will usually just take it from her (again, something we are working on :)) She is also starting to take more steps but usually ends up deciding that she is faster with crawling. For as much of a go getter that she is, she really is a sweetie too and quite sensitive. Sometimes if we tell her "no" she will just burst out into tears and pout her lip...and that lip gets us every time...and like I said, she tries to act so brave but yet she won't go in the tunnel. Quinn is also a really good eater, maybe just a little more picky than her sister. She has 5 teeth which makes eating a little easier and her smiles are adorable and she is almost always smiling. She also likes to cuddle with her dolls and animals and will "talk" to us all day long.

Both girls continue to be great sleepers. They still do a morning and afternoon nap for about 2 hours each. They go to bed about 7:30 and will sleep until 6 am on the dot...like clockwork. 

The girls have also become quite the little teasers. They will hold something out to us like they want to give it to us, and then quick pull it back and smile. Or they will pretend to pick something up off the ground and put it in their mouth and when we look to see what it is, there is nothing. And then they smile and do it like 5 more times. 

The girls received a wagon for their birthday from Aunt Lori so we go on wagon rides at least once a day...quite often times more. Thanks Auntie Lori!!

Happy Birthday Amelia and Happy Birthday Quinn! You have blessed us more than you will ever know this past year. XOXO

Also wanted to shout out birthday wishes to my dad (July 10) and Kevin (July 12). Kevin had a special birthday--his 30th! Can't wait to see what this decade holds for us.

Many, Lord my God,

    are the wonders you have done,

    the things you planned for us.

None can compare with you;

    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,

    they would be too many to declare.

Psalm 40:5

11 Months

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to quick update the blog with some new pictures. Kinda dropped the ball again on getting their 11 month pictures up so thought I should do that before they are ONE!!

Miss Quinn-

Miss Amelia

BFF's:

We had a busy weekend in West Point, NE celebrating Aunt Lori and John's wedding. When we got home we thought it would be fun to take the girls to the park that is just a block or two away from our house. The girls absolutely loved the swings. I have a feeling we will be doing this more often.

I hope to get a copy of some of the candid pictures of the wedding soon, so I will post those once I do. 

 Here is a good one of the bride and groom at the reception. So happy for you two! Congratulations again!

And here's a sneak peak at the girls in their fancy dresses...stay tuned for the adorable ones of them riding into the sanctuary in a wagon :)

Happy Fathers Day!

Well its been a while since I've written so here I am back, yep its Kevin on here.  School is all finished for the year, we were out May 22 this year, thanks to an ice storm that gave us 3 snow days.  Since we have been out I've been doing construction, myself and 2 other teachers started a construction company.  We've named ourselves "Character Builders" which we thought was appropriate for our line of work during the school year.  Anyways I've been busy with that learning how to build houses and its been a steep learning curve but its a nice break from landscaping which I've done the past 7 years.

With today being fathers day, Happy Fathers day to my dad and to Amber's dad. Thanks for being such  great fathers and for being an example of what a dad/father should be.  You've taught me a lot of what a man should be.  We heard a nice message this morning and he said "Any man can be a father of a child, but it takes character to be a dad."

We were able to head to Rock Rapids today and hang out with Amber's family.  This was the towns Heritage Days weekend so we had church on the courthouse lawn this morning.  After we headed back to Amber's parents place were we ate and hung out for the day.  To top it all off we swung by urgent care to see a Dr. since Quinn had been running a temp the past two days and hasn't been herself.  After that event and getting her drugs we headed home.  Since it was Amber's morning with the girls I was able to sleep in since it was Father's day.  Sleeping in now means getting up at 6:30 when the girls start squealing when they eat or are playing.  It's a nice sound to wake up to.  Yes we still take turns each night with the girls but they usually sleep through the night.  We laugh now that we used to have our monitor as loud as it could, now we have it just low enough to hear them in the night.

The girls are doing well and they keep surprising us each day.  Today Amelia took 4 steps to us which may seem like a small thing to you but to us its HUGE.  We've also started to figure out that Quinn may be right handed and Amelia is left.  We figured this all out during church today.  They copy little mannerisms that we do with our hands and the tones we use.  If I lay by the couch they have figured out how to climb up me and onto the coach.  We have also finished our basement and while down there Quinn all of a sudden started climbing up the stairs.  We looked at each other and were like "when did she learn that?" 

Quinn has stared to learn how to throw a ball to me, her form is terrible which we will work on but she giggles the whole time.  She is VERY sensitive, if we tell her "no" she cries and wants a hug.  She is also VERY rough as she tumbles and bumps into numerous things.  She is also vocal and lets her voice be heard. She still has a small fear of males which I don't mind if it carries on a few more years.

Amelia is our sweetheart.  She has a soft laugh and loves to see people have a good time.  If Quinn is laughing she will laugh along with her.  Amelia we will also probably be our girly girl as whenever Amber has a purse out she finds it and plays with it.  Amelia is also started to become more assertive, whenever she doesn't get something she been throwing small fits.  Its amusing but I know its not the end.

All in all there is never a dull moment here. All the parents we have talked to with twins said get through the year and we are half a month from 1 year!!!  Its crazy to think but we are excited not relieved because we know there will be more milestones that will keep us laughing and entertained.

Anyways hope all is well with everyone have a good week, if anyone knows a good hockey coach send him to the Canucks.

Amber uploaded some pictures too for your enjoyment....

Reading with daddy! lmnoPEAS!

Sign language for "mom"

Amelia loved riding on this cabbage patch kids toy.

Grandma and Quinn

Quinn playing in the Tupperware drawer...naughty smile and quite the pose eh?

And Amelia cant be left out. They love to pull everything out. Pretty sure we put it back in at least 3 times a day.

Helping mom fold clothes. Where'd Quinn go?

New wipes are so exciting!!

An afternoon at the zoo.

Just cause they are my fav.

Memorial Day BBQ at Uncle Elliots and Aunt Heather's new house. Patriotic babes.

They love to "roughhouse" with Kevin on the floor.

And Quinn now thinks its hilarious to go up on the couch and  down again. Pretty sure she would leap over the edge if we didn't hold on.