Merry Christmas!! ?

My girls weren't so sure about ol' Santa Claus this year....

A Merry Sick Christmas!

My babies are sick!  Ugh! Poor girls.  Just days before Christmas, Savannah came down with a pretty harsh fever which turned into herpetic gingivostomatitis, or rather a very bad, bad case of fever blisters...all around and inside her little sweet mouth. I have never in my life hurt as badly as I hurt for her and the pain she was in.  I had a dentist tell me that this is one of the most painful acute infections a baby can have.  Awful.  Just awful.

But now, Savannah is beginning to come out of the woods...thank the Lord!  And now, Madeline is in the middle of it...but no where close to as bad as Sav had it thanks to proactive medications knowing immediately what was striking her.  However, the sweetest, sweetest thing happened today.  Madeline was standing by the window, just crying "ooww...oooowww..." in pain from a blister on her lip when Savannah bee-lined it straight across the room to Madeline and gently kissed her on the cheek.  Can there be anything more precious?  Anything sweeter?  

More to come on our Christmas adventures....I have the most resilient, strong, precious baby girls in the whole wide world and I am so thankful to God for the gift they are to Chris and I.

Birthday Parties for Two

This December we have been constantly on the road...from vacation in California to our extended Roberts' family Christmas in the Smokies to Garth Brooks in Nashville tonight (woo hoo!), we were completely on the road for the girls' 2nd birthday.  So, instead of having a big party at home, we took the party(ies) with us! 

First up was birthday with Nana and Papa in Napa.

Followed by a birthday celebration in the Smokies with Mimi and Papaw, Aunt Lynsey and  Aunt Robin and Caitlin (and all of the Roberts' family aunts, uncles and cousins!):

Followed by the grand finale birthday party with Grammy (GaGa) and Papa Bob, Caitlin and her twin sisters that were also born on the same day as our girls!

These are two blessed little girls with LOTS of family who care so very much about them and want to help us celebrate their special day!  We love all of you...thank you for making their 2nd birthday so sweet!!

I'm 2!

Happy 2nd Birthday

Dear Madeline and Savannah,

Today you turn 2.  Today I officially have two toddlers whom I absolutely now will not refer  your ages to in terms of months. Today, you are my two year old twins.  You are growing up on me so very fast, yet I feel no sadness or heartache for time to slow down.  Instead, I thank God for your health and for the gift of giving you two to me for the past two years!  With each new day I am truly awed at the blessing I have received of being your mother.  What an honor, what a blessing.  I think often about your birth - being born early and sent off to the NICU for your first 6 days of life.  THOSE were the longest 6 days of my life.  Those are the days that lasted forever.  Why would I ever want these days I have with you now to feel like that?  I don't! I treasure the blessing of time flying by - it only does that when you are having a great time, and filling each day with more joy than you could ever imagine!  I don't want time to slow.  I don't want time to stop!  I want to treasure each moment and savor in its flying by! I thank God for the blessed life He has given you two girls, and I thank Him for the privilege of seeing my two tiny angels become 2 years old, and pray that time will fly by with joy and happiness.

Madeline, you are my thumb sucker.  Savannah, you are my paci taker.  This is how I often refer to you two!  You both take such comfort from your favorite pink bunnies.  Somehow, SOMEHOW, you know the difference between the two and can't go to sleep without YOUR bunny.  I guess this is a funny way at getting back at anyone who wonders how we can tell the difference between the two of you!  I know your faces...I know your voices....I know your laughs....I know your personalities.  You are my heart and soul, day in and day out.  Oh, I know the difference. Somehow you know something about those two bunnies that we don't!

You girls L O V E to pray.  You love to pray!  You get down on your knees, fold your hands, close your eyes, and pray.  You're both even beginning to say "Dear Jesus"...it sounds more like "De Je sas" but we hear it!  Where ever we are, whomever we're with, you have to call everyone into the room, point at them to get down on their knees, and all pray together with you.  Madeline, you squint those little eyes, scrunch up that nose with your head tilted upwards, and pray.  Savannah, you fold those sweet hands, sometimes close your eyes, but more often look around to make sure everyone else is closing their eyes!  You girls.  At the young age of 2, you are already a shining example of faith - faith in a heavenly Father who is looking down with pure love on you.  You are an example of what we should all be - a people who gets on our knees and thanks our God each day for His blessings and His gifts.  That's what you do, before every meal, before bedtime.  How preciously wondrous HE has made you, and how preciously amazing that you already know to thank Him for that.

You're wearing 18 month clothes, still in diapers (although very very close to potty training), not sure yet of your official weight, have already had your first haircut, are putting words together and understanding colors and people's names and many other amazing smart things. My goodness do I love you two.  I hope you feel that every day.  Happy Birthday my angels.  Thank you for making your birthday one of the happiest days of my life.

Love,
Mommy

The Christmas Journey to Cali - Part 1

This year we opted to have Christmas with Chris' family out in Napa Valley, California at the Vino Bello Resort.  A perfect way for us all to getaway to a beautiful place for the holidays - a tradition Chris had already been doing with his family when we started dating and carried through with them into our first few years of marriage.  However, with the major events of the last few years around Christmas time, we hadn't been able to carry on the tradition with them lately, but this year, we did!  This meant the girls had to fly...their very first flying experience, and our very first as caretakers of two same-aged toddlers on an airplane. I wasn't sure how this would go.....

 

After days planning out their airplane toy-filled diaper bag, I discovered I had left it at home when we arrived to the airport.  Great.  There went to the toys, the empty milk sippy cups, their favorite spoons, the travel wipes, travel diapers, special paci's we bought just to ensure they'd chew on them on the take-off and landing for the sake of their little ears, and the list could go on.

The second surprise came upon arrival to the airport - you can't travel with two toddlers on your lap in one aisle because of their only being one extra oxygen mask per row. This blew our plans to watch Barney on Chris' laptop with the girls sitting next to each other.  We had to split up.

Thankfully, Nana and Papa saved the day!  At the last minute, Nana and Papa were able to change their connecting flight schedule to join us on ours.  Nana had already brought two zipper bags full of stickers and fun things to keep them entertained on the airplane, and I had some extra necessities in the second diaper bag I did remember to bring along.  Also, we switched seats with people once we boarded, and were all able to sit in close proximity and just pass the girls around throughout the flight.  Forget sharing Barney on the laptop!  They had more entertainment than I could have ever dreamed.  Crisis averted.

 Bunnies made it.

Major crisis averted on that one.

Just a few lessons that were learned on our first flying experience.  1.)  Don't forget the diaper bag.  Hey, that's a new one!  2.) Always carry a second change of clothes no matter their age.  Milk spilled all over Savannah on the plane and she had to actually sit most of the flight shirtless.  That was nice.  3.)  Don't forget to check the diapers....the 3 hour time change thing really threw me off my regular "time to change them" schedule.  Wow!  This also leads back to #2 in my case. 

We finally arrived in Napa and are enjoying a beautiful place with daily maid service, two incredibly happy little girls, and no sleep.....oh, guess I could leave that one out in an attempt to make things sound magical, but, the girls 4 AM Pacific Time wake up has not changed since we arrived.  Other than that, magical! 

My new favorite part....

Not that this is exactly anything new...but my favorite part of Christmas was my night out with my husband last night.  We had a date night and left the girls with a sweet babysitter and headed out to dinner, followed by a little stress-free Christmas shopping.  As we were leaving Olive Garden, I was waiting on Chris by the front door and noticed their tree - the angel tree.  Joey kept jumping out at me.  

We hadn't planned on picking up a little boy to buy gifts for right now, but little Joey's name was jumping off that tree at me.  And thankfully, my husband completely agreed with me and we grabbed the tag and walked out the door.  For the rest of the evening, we spent our night going from store to store to find the perfect little gifts for this little boy.  What a way to put Christmas in a most humbling perspective.  How hard is it to grab a tag off the tree? And all he wanted was a pull toy? He is getting a brand new pull toy - one that has been tested very long and hard on two little toddlers (they love theirs), as well as some nice warm clothes and some other little toys for this little guy he'll be sure to like.  Every year.  We will do this every year and have the girls pick two tags and let them buy for little ones in much  more need than we'll ever be.  What a humbling, humbling way to bring  one of the  precious meanings of the Christmas holiday home.

Merry Christmas, Joey!!

Two Little Diva's

Have I mentioned these girls love - I mean LOVE to wear momma's shoes?  

Christmas 2010 Part 2

Today I was working on Christmas cards - I feel so on the ball!  We must get them out before I travel for business this week, head to California next week, then to the Smokies the weekend we return from Cali, then Christmas!  So, today was the day to get that done.

Red stamps.  I have a red stamp for my address stamp.  Savannah was crying to "caw caw!" which means "color".  She wanted to do what I was doing so badly!  So, Chris put her up in a chair at the dining room table to "help".  We decided it was ok if she got a stamp on her hand.....then Madeline wanted a stamp on her hand....then Savannah wanted a stamp on her other hand....then Madeline wanted a stamp on her other hand...then we saw it.  The pretty red address stamp had now rubbed off onto the sweet little ruffled long sleeved shirt they were both wearing that was yes, white.  The stamps were getting all smeared as they rubbed against those beautiful white sleeves...all four of them.  And thus began the panic of trying to take off the shirts without getting anymore red ink all over the white shirts...and getting them to the sink to wash off the stamps...and then stopping them from taking off their pants which would lead to the diapers off too....

We got it.  Just in time.  Now Savannah is running around with a new white long sleeved shirt - with no stamps on her hands - and Madeline is running around shirtless. Just a day in the life of twin toddler-hood at Christmas time.

Christmas 2010 Part 1

I have a feeling this will be an (x amount) Part series as this Christmas season progresses!

Last night we put the Christmas Tree up - so excited this year about that!  After the girls were down to sleep, we pulled out the tree and stockings and got everything set up.  Everything but the ornaments.  Thinking those might be on hold this year...but we'll see.

So, this morning, the girls woke up and I led them to the living room to see Christmas!  Savannah was the first to see it - eyes just lit up! Madeline was still laying on my shoulder and hadn't yet turned around.  When she did, she looked straight up at the tree, with eyes lit up as well, and in unison, the girls said "ight! ight!"  of course meaning "light!"  Then, the turned to see the stockings and said "Shoes? Shoes?"

It's gonna be a matter of time before those stockings are pulled down from the chimney and pulled right up onto 4 tiny little feet before I can say "nnnnooooooooooo!!"

October...Wait, It's November!

Seriously beginning to wonder who will invite the time machine first to slow the days down.  October was a blur.  It was a pure blur in the Massengill household. And be forewarned.  This is a long post because it's been overdo.  Way overdo.

First, lets get what's been going on with me out of the way.  My personal writing abilities have been blocked.  I kick myself on a weekly - ok, sometimes daily - basis for not blogging about the beautiful, sometimes crazy, most of the time hilarious moments filling my life right now with our two precious daughters.  But my writing abilities have been hindered by the simple fact that I have been devoting every ounce of my creative, deep thinking writing abilities to my consulting work.  Work has picked up big time which has meant a lot of juggling motherhood and career - completely unfamiliar and uncharted territory for me, and for Chris, but we're  feeling our way through it, one home office day w/ two loud toddlers, one multiple-day business trip away from home days at a time. But, the positive - the incredibly positive - part of that story is that I LOVE what I do....I  L-O-V-E it.  I am immersed so deeply in downtown development work and completely exhilarated by the opportunities I have been given to help communities find the tools they need to grow and rebuild and revitalize their downtowns.  

This is my passion in life, professionally speaking. 

Physically speaking, I have been completely immersed in issues of the body.  My new mantra is "The shape of your body is a by-product of the activity you do."  I came up with that one all on my own, I should copyright it. Ha! So, I figure if I want to be in the shape of a runner, I need to become a runner.  So becoming a runner I have done, and the shape part...well I still have a long way to go there!  BUT, so has my husband! (become a runner!)  The same guy that would not run with me a few years ago when I did my first half marathon, just completed his first FULL marathon a the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C.!! YAY for Chris!!

  

He actually inspired me to kick it up a notch with my running the day he signed up for his first marathon!  A friend told him it would change his family tree and those words resonated with him.  In turn, his being inspired to do this for himself and our girls inspired me!  So now, just about every morning, one of us  is out jogging, some days with the girls in their jogging stroller, some (most) days without....But regardless, it has become a sacred time for me.  It is my quiet time!! It is my "ME" time...my "Me and God" time....being out in nature, in the quiet still calmness, I listen to His still small voice while I run.  Since August I've completed 4 races with another one coming up in a couple of weeks.  Not only did Chris inspire me, but my older sister, my mom, my little sister and my dad have all run in at least one of these 4 races with me!! And I think more in our family are soon to be racing too...!! :-)  It is challenging to literally find the time with all of the work travel I've been doing, and with two little ones needing full attention, but we're making it!  And, the best part is that both me and my husband have found a hobby we are both deeply passionate about.  

This is my passion in life, personally/physically speaking. 

Chris spent the entire month of October leading a Revelation seminar at our church.  While I was traveling 3 out of the 4 weeks that month for work, he was home speaking 5 out of 7 nights.  Amazing miracles happened and it was neat to see God at work through him - Chris got an eye infection and almost couldn't see, but was able to see each night to read his notes and speak.  Chris got a bad cold and was sick as could be, but each night he had to speak, his sickness would subside long enough to speak!  Two of the 3 weeks I had to leave the girls with Chris and each time he needed help, we had great friends and family step in and help with the girls.  We never needed for anything. He promises to watch over us, and He always follows through.....What an amazing God we serve.  

I always say that when He is in control, you better hold on tight...it's quite a ride!  A life dedicated to service to Him is a life blessed.  Another quote I came up with....He has blessed us in so many ways each and every time we surrender to Him.  HE - and my husband and our ministry to Him - are my passions in life.

And OH our girls...yes, let's talk about our girls.  They turn TWO next month.  Wait...what?  TWO?  Yes, two.

These two little girls that were born almost 2 years ago, spent 1 week in the NICU, learning to eat, learning to breathe, learning to live,one was not even 4 pounds when we brought her home, the other just barely over 4 pounds....now are the most active, entertaining, lively, happy little girls in the whole wide world. 

 

They are also two of the most girly girls I've ever seen!  The house will be silent and I'll hear rattling in my closet, and then a few short minutes later, two little girls come prancing through the house with two pairs of my dress shoes.  And somehow, they match the outfit their wearing. Hee hee!!

Today Savannah was sitting in the rocking chair while Madeline BUSILY brought her every single toy in the living room, stacking them all around her.  And Savannah, well she just as BUSILY looked at each toy, picking each up, setting it down, picking the other up.  

They have their own play rhythm.  They have their own language (still).  They giggle together, they fight together, they love together.  

WOW...talk about another passion in life.  My children are my passion in life.  Words cannot express how much I love them.  

So, enough writing.  (Enough reading!  And thanks if you're still reading and stuck this post out with me!)  That was the month of October, in a nutshell.  Told you it was a blur.  Here's hoping I do a better job of blogging so the next one isn't quite a book like this again.

First Hair Cut

The time had come.  Oh had it ever arrived.  I love my girls' curls.  Love them!!  But, they were a bit out of control...the ends were definitely fine little baby hairs, which made for scraggly hair.  Well, you all have seen it...it's bad.  So, I was ready.  Today, we took the girls for their first professional cut by our friend Sharon from church.  Savannah had just woken from a 2 1/2 hour nap (yay!) and Madeline had totally missed her nap (boo!).  So I thought Madeline would have no part of it.  Wrong!  Madeline sat still the entire time in the special "Fire Engine" chair!  Savannah...well she wasn't so sure about this...we sat her in the Fire Truck and she screamed and screamed!  So she retreated to my lap where I proceeded to also wear a cape along with Savannah, while Madeline climbed back into the Fire Truck and sat while sissy got her hair cut. Savannah was not exactly happy....but she held it together, sweet girl.  It was really a pretty eventless first hair cut!  Proud of both of my girls.  Now, Daddy is who we need to work on.  He still hasn't come to grips with the fact that we cut their hair off!  But it had to be done for it to grow longer and faster now.  He'll see. :-)

Our girls are growing up oh too fast.

Growing Eaters

My little girls are becoming quite the independent eaters, big girl style.  This morning they ate 5 - yes 5 - bowls of Cheerios cereal, with milk.  They did it all themselves, with spoons.  They've been doing this a lot more lately, and finally this morning I captured the perfect picture of their growing eating style.  :-)