Getting a hug from Addison at the park!
Playing at Homewood Park during the Chili cookoff- first nice day all winter!
2 sets of twins!
My first pony tail!
Opening our Valentines from NeNe!
Wearing her pretty Vday skirt from Nana!
First time playing in snow! Kiley ate it the whole time! They loved the snow!
Postcard!

Jan/Feb

I keep trying to update this blog every week and it just hasn't happened! The babies are only 6 weeks away from turning 2, I can't believe it. They are growing up so very fast and their personalities are different and fun to watch!
Cason is still the sensitive one, only have to look at him and say no in a stern voice and his lower lip starts quivering and he wants to make up with you right away! He hates getting in trouble and thinking someone is upset/mad at him, just like me! He is the leader, and plays very well with others; he does not fuss if someone (mainly Kiley!) takes his toys, he just goes on to the next toy! He is such a sweet little guy and loves to be rocked and cuddled on. Has to have his "lol" which is what he calls his lovie. Not as in to TV but will watch for a few minutes. He has a very short attention span and likes to be by me at all times if possible! If I walk out of the room, he come to find me within a few minutes! He does not like to be by himself at all! Just like me too! He likes to help us with everything we do, and comes running if he hears Paul open the back door to take the trash out! He HAS to go and help and also loves to push the trashcan up and down the driveway with Paul. If he is fussy, it is usually b/c he is very hungry or tired. He loves 1 on 1 time!

Funny things he has done lately- he puts things on top of his head and pretends he is sneezing, with the "thing" falling off his head when he pretend sneezes. He saw this done at story time and it is so funny to watch him do this! Yesterday in the mall, I was shopping and he was standing beside me in the store doing this to a little baby sitting in a stroller, trying to make her laugh. It was so cute to watch! He loves his baths and swimming in the tube and blowing bubbles. He makes a funny face furrowing his eyebrows which we call "casting spells." Loves to give hugs to other kids, run around naked with us trying to chase him, and saying "mama or dada" all day long! If we are trying to get him to say something he can't, he will just go back to saying "mama" or dada. Favorite toy right now is all the riding toys and pushing things around the house. Also he has started putting on socks and shoes by himself! Learned to open doors a few days ago and is so proud to open and shut all the doors in the house! Last night I was rubbing his back and singing to him while he was laying in his bed and he looked up and said "mama bye bye" and started waving, I guess he was tired of me singing!!! It is so neat to watch them learn new things everyday! Such a joy to be able to stay home with them!!

Kiley is still are independent, strong willed one! If she does not get her way or is told no, she throws a complete tantrum, on the floor, kicking and screaming! DRAMA QUEEN!! The other night we were with my mom, who witnessed several tantrums and I said "mom what I am going to do with her?" and the only thing mom said was "good luck"... She loves to play with her friends and still calls Cason either "B"or "D" can't figure out where that one came from...she is good at playing by herself and will sit and look at her books for hours. She loves TV, just like her dad and rotates through different favorite shows. Right now she if very into Dora, princess stuff, Sesame Street, and doggies. She has her lovie and blanket she has to sleep with and her hair is long enough for pig tails and pony tails!! I have to let her play with my makeup though to be able to do her hair! She likes to be rocked at night and climbed out of her crib the other night in protest of going to bed! I was so scared/mad at her at the same time! The bumper pads came out right away and she has not done it again. Very sad to have to take the cute bumper pad out, moving on to the next stage:( I am NOT ready to put her in a big girl bed so hopefully this will work! Besides the tantrums, she is a very good girl and easy to entertain. She already wants to be doing girlie things that I do like putting on makeup, necklaces, high heels, dress-up, ect... She loves to hold hands with her girl friends and will REFUSE to hold my hand if they are around! She loves to try and boss Cason around but usually ends up following him. Favorite toy for her right now is also her riding toys, strollers and grocery carts. Funny things she has done lately- she pointed at Cason's (privates) in the bath and says "pee pee" very loudly in which Paul replies by saying you are not allowed to see one of those until you are married! She likes to copy Cason

Here they are pushing their carts around, her trying to tell him something!


Trying to get all 4 grand kids in a picture with NeNe- impossible!

Running into wake daddy up when they realized he was sleeping on the couch! He must of been bad the night before..ha!


This is the "casting the spells" look!

Kiley does not know the meaning of personal space and Nana recently taught her how to Eskimo kiss!
Snuggled up to daddy after a nice bath...guess this picture answers the question about her still having a pacie at night! Goal if before 2! Every day I think tonight I am not going to give her the pacie, but I am so tired by bedtime it is just easier to give it to her!!

Hugging on Clayton, not sure he likes it!

Good friends over, this is one of her best girl friends Addison, the other is Whitney who has a twin brother!

Video of them dancing, which they love to do and have their own little moves! A nightly routine when daddy gets home is to turn on the music and dance!

Feb 5th

We had a small memorial service for Kelsey on Friday, Feb 5th. After raining the last several days, I prayed all am that the rain would end so we could have the service. An hour before, God answered my prayer! It was windy and chilly, but no rain! We all gathered at her grave site and listened to pastor's sermon about how after loosing a loved one, life can still be good. It was a great message and we all had tears in our eyes to follow trying to get through a few other poems followed by a balloon launch. The kids tied messages to the balloons, and Hadden got very upset when his balloon got stuck in the tree, thinking Kelsey would not get his message. We all headed to Jay Alexander's to eat an early dinner, Kelsey's favorite spot, and enjoyed more story telling and lots of wine drinking! It was so good to have Kesley's two best friends Rachel and Tiffany join us, and I know they will always be a special part of our family. We hope to do this every year.

The next morning, Hadden wrote a note and read it all to us saying "I know Kelsey did die and I miss her everyday. I love her very much but life can still be good." Amazing!

New things

Kiley has finally started saying some words!! Cason has been saying certain words for about a month, but can really only say about 15-20 words clearly. Kiley has not said much except "Barney." We picked the kids up from my parents last night after we went to church, and Kiley could say "blue and green" and knew the colors! Amazing! She also had learned how to gallop like a horse! They also know every body part and love to sing "the wheels on the bus" song and act out all of the things- so cute! Still love to dance, and it is neat to watch their different dancing styles.

Had to put the door handles on yesterday, Cason loves to lock the doors and I went to put Kiley in the car, came back up to get him and the door was locked! Thanks goodness it wasn't the deadbolt since I didn't have my keys!! He also can now put on his socks and shoes himself...a lot of 3 yr old kids can't do this yet! Smart kid!

We went to the zoo today, first time in many months as it has been cold. We met are friends, 5 of the other kids were 3 and 4, so of course mine didn't want to ride in the stroller, they wanted to follow the big kids. The walked/ran next to them the whole time, including standing on the ledges to see the animals better. Made me a little sad, they are growing up too fast!!

Nana and Pops visit- after Christmas

Always have a great time with Nana and Pops visit, Pops doing projects around the house and Nana helping me lots with the kids! They sure love playing with her and want her constant attention! If Nana starts reading to one of them, the other wants right up on her lap too!

Taking them to an indoor playhouse to run out some energy

They love to play in the ball pit

Cason wondering what Pops has in his hand, with much interest after he realizes it is a flashlight with "light!"

Watching one of their favorite new singing and dancing videos, again both have to be right on Nana's lap!

Christmas Day

I think Paul took this picture after the picture below!

Frying another turkey...what's in the shot glasses, boys?!

Playing with NeNe, Kiley loves her curls!

Christmas morning was wonderful! Paul and I finally woke the babies up at 7:30 b/c we couldn't wait any longer! The look in their eyes when they saw all the toys by the tree was priceless! Both of us (well mostly me) had tears in our eyes watching the excitement and endless squeals! Dad came over to join us for a huge breakfast afterwards, and the kids got to show off all their new toys. We headed to the cemetery around lunch to wish my sister Merry Christmas in which more tears were shed. Now going through all these pictures for the first time since Christmas makes me realize again how much I miss her, the first Christmas without any pictures of her.
Our good family friends Tammy and Allen came by after lunch, and Greg and his family came in shortly after, in which more squeals and much wildness began! Overall it was a great Christmas with lots of memories made. Kiley spent most of the time on Hadden's lap wanting to open all her presents right by him! He didn't seem to mind, showing her how all the toys worked!

Bribery- the kids had to sit still for a picture before any presents could be opened. It worked!

Cason's newest thing-finding things to climb on to turn the lights off and on! He has tried stools, boxes, blocks, decorative trunks, riding cars, baskets, and about anything he things we can stand on to help him reach! It is so funny! Of course Kiley has to copy but it not near an interested in lights as Cason. We think we might be an electrician!

Waiting patiently for daddy to put her 2nd stroller together. The strollers were the biggest hit for sure! The both push them around the house constantly.

Showing off the toys to Papa after breakfast.

Notice he has 3 suckers open that were in his stocking...only on Christmas!

Kiley was really into feeding her baby dolls their bottles, until she noticed Cason had candy!

Opening their stockings, looking at each thing for about 1 sec before they tossed it aside and dug for more!

Her favorite gift- the pink stroller and baby dolls that came with it!

They also loved their new riding toys, which is one of the things Cason uses to reach the lights!

Giving big brother a Christmas hug! Love it when they hug, although usually the one receiving the hug gets mad!

It is funny how they both went for the right piles of toys- girls vs boys stuff!

The boy stuff- loves his taking brooms and trashcan of course!!

Christmas 2009

December flew by with all the Christmas activities and the kids being sick most of the month-colds then hand/foot/mouth again, then sinus infections after Christmas! We have to give Cason 5 different medicines at night before bed, including a 5 minute breathing treatment! Needless to say we are ready for spring already! Below are a few highlights from the month

We changed the routine of Christmas this year to try and make things a little different since we are missing Kelsey! We attended a friend's church for the Christmas Eve service, it was very contemporary and fun, followed by coming to our house (first time we haven't spent it at my parents!) for dinner and presents. Cason is surrounded by just a few of his presents!

Kiley was more into present opening than Cason, she loved everything! Here she is opening her princess purse filled with her first play rings, necklaces, and bracelets!

Attempting a family photo is never easy, closest we could get with everyone looking!

One of Cason's favorite gifts was a bunch of play dishes, which he opened first. For the rest of the night, he put the dishes in and out of different bags in the room! Kept him entertained for hours!

Kiley said her first sentence when she opened this present- " I got Barney!" All four of us heard it and were amazed! Of course we have not heard it again, but she was so excited! This was also the first present she opened too, we could have stopped there with both and they would have been very happy!

Papa keeping them busy with empty boxes, waiting to open presents, while the rest of us finished eating.

Zoolight safari, both of their favorite thing out of all the lights and activities was this!!

They loved running up to all the lighted blow-ups and trying to climb on them!

Loving on their twin gingerbread stuffed animals that NeNe gave them!

Playing with NeNe after baking cookies together all day! So glad we live close and can plan days like this at short notice!

First time decorating Christmas cookies, they kept wanting to eat them of course and the sprinkles went everywhere! We had so much fun!

First frosted sugar cookie, loved the frosting all over both of their faces!