It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Thanks to my mom and dad I have a rich life full of many traditions. One of those traditions is to decorate for Christmas. I love it! I *HEART* the Christmas season. I start listening to Christmas music in October and I love it when the California weather starts to get cold.

Our temp. reader said it was in the 40's tonight! Buuuurrrrrr, that's cold for us So. Cal. people. I remember "helping" my mom each year put out the Christmas decorations. It would take us a whole day and I just loved the house when it was done. There are things that I know are going to be up each year when I go back home for Christmas. The nativity set we got to help paint or the sucker tree that was so popular in the 80's. There are so many. I've started to make our home a Christmas Wonderland too. I am loving getting to put garland on the miles of railing I have.

I now for the first time have a mantle to hang stockings on, wahoo!

I'm not sure what we are going to do for a tree this year. The girls may undress it daily, but we will figure out something. With our tall two story living room we could get a really tall tree this year. Too bad they charge by the foot though. A really tall one would cost me about 200$

Womb mates

In the womb, and even now, they were and are intertwined. It's funny to me that they still gravitate to each other when they are near. This happens almost every time they are drinking bottles. It's almost like a security blanket for them.

Picasso

Audrey, Audrey, Audrey. She wants to feed herself. It's a battle we fight quite often. She wants to put the food in her mouth by herself and suck it down, but she often just pulls the bag from me and squeezes and this is what happens. She covered her whole face with food while we were at the mall a few weeks ago. I thought it was really funny, she was just stunned. She still wouldn't let me help her, by the way. She is as stubborn as I am. I thought she looked like a crazy colorful Picasso painting.

Shop monkeys

Last week Bjorn had to change the oil in the cars. Myles ever wanting to "help"got his little Fred Flintstone car out and did just as daddy did. It was one of the most precious things I have seen him do. I loved it! He's growing in so many ways and when he does things like this I know it's going by too fast. His speach is still a little rough sometimes, but this is what he told me. "I need my witch(wrench) just like daddy's." Then he would make all these grunting noises just like he was working really hard to get off the bolts to the oil filter and such. Cute little guy!

Housework?!

I think this picture says a thousand words. You might ask how long it's been since I dusted last. Well, hmmmm...if you can't remember what does that say? Okay, okay, I'm trying harder.

Hector the collector

Who couldn't love a face like that! It's the little things in life that makes Myles so happy. For example driving bumper cars at California Adventure, or hoarding _________(you fill in the blank), or getting to feed little bits of crackers to his sisters. He is so animated and smilie all the time. He really is a great kid. We just visited the Dr. for his three year check up. He's officially the size of an average 5 year old. He weighed in at 43 lbs. and 43 1/4 inches tall. He wears a size 11.5 shoe and 4T pants are becoming floods, time to dig out the 5's. I can't believe how big my bubba is getting. He's such a good boy and since he has started to talk more he's become much more of a ham. He's always saying things like "that's good mommy", or "remember" when he recalls something from long ago, which he does all the time. He loves to car seat dance when the music is loud, and he loves it when he can get the girls to "dance" too. He's a caring boy who is usually very polite. He tries hard to say "please" and "thank you", and he's gotten really good at saying "sorry" too. I guess when you are three it's hard to always be nice to your sisters. He must feel out numbered at times. The only guy in the house until 5:30 pm each night. Myles loves watching movies, and has the Johnson knack for repeating lines from the shows. Although he's a giant I have to remind myself that he's still a little guy and he's only 3. I expect a lot of him, and he generally delivers. I love, love, love my little bubba!

From the same pod

I'm not sure why I'm feeling so nostalgic today, but I am. These are just a few thoughts I want to share of Audrey and Lydia. They are growing WAY to FAST.

This is how she spent her first day at the beach. She loved the dirt and digging in it.

This is Lydia Keiko Dodd. She is half of my beautiful pair of girls. She has a fire in her. She is somewhat devious. She is a love. She loves toy cars, being outside and tickles. She will sit in her car seat and tickle her own toes, then laugh hysterically. She will tickle Audrey and Myles and laugh. She has always been first at her milestones. I guess she is trying to make up for being born second! She is her daddy. I love, love, love her to pieces.

This is how Audrey spent her first day at the beach. She never got off the blanket, nor did she have any interest in getting her hands and feet into the sand.

This is Audrey Amiko Dodd. She is the other half of my beautiful pair. She is the first born and yet she is the one who will sit and watch very carefully. She is a snuggler. She is all girl. She talks, yet refuses to walk at 17 1/2 months old. She loves shoes, sunglasses, and her blankie. She loves to be outside and kicks and screams when you make her go inside. She is a drama queen. She is precious. I love, love, love her to pieces.

These two beautiful girls are such a joy to me. I'm so blessed to have them and to be their mother. I can't believe how much love I have for them, and Myles. I can't imagine my life without them. I'm so glad they have each other. Forever "womb mates"... no matter what else they do or the different directions they may go. I hope they will always be close.