Weekend Fun and Mommy's Big Head

We had another busy weekend here. On Friday some of our dear family friends had their first baby...a sweet little girl named Emma Grace. We weren't expecting her to arrive for another three weeks, but she is healthy, happy, and from what we can tell a complete joy! On Saturday Mimi, Kelli, all the girls, and I loaded up and headed down to the hospital so that we could meet her. We didn't have a great plan, other than we adults would take turns going in and the babies could play outside. Ella and I took the first turn leaving Kelli and Mimi with the little gals. They played hide and seek, climbed lots of stairs, and played in the grass. Just before Ella and I came back out, Maggie got wind of the fact that we had been to see a baby. Babies and animals (mostly dogs) happen to be Maggie's favorite things right now. So by the time I got to her, Maggie was signing and saying, to the best of her ability, "baby, please" over and over again. She was so cute that I just couldn't deny her the opportunity to go in and get a quick peek. I entertained Sarah and Kate while they all trooped back in to see the little, tiny 5 lb 14 oz Emma. They say Maggie was delighted! I told Kim that I couldn't believe she weighs only a few ounces more than Sarah... and there were two other four and a half pound babies in my belly to boot!! Kim mentioned that when the lactation nurse asked if she had attended a class she told her instead she had learned from a pro.... me. I'm certainly not a pro, but I think it is sweet that she thinks so. I certainly look forward to being able to help in any way with this new little one! Big huge congratulations to Dusty and Kim, and welcome to the world baby Emma... the girls can't wait to play with you one of these days!!!

After we left the hospital, we went to Chick-fil-a for lunch. As Ella says, "We like it there because they are kid friendly!" While we were having lunch, a lady walked up and asked if the girls were triplets. I said yes. Then she asked if I was their mother. Again, yes. Next, she wanted to know their birthday... I'm beginning to think this is weird, but I told her. Then she shocked me and said, "You are legendary." I'm beginning to get a big head... a pro and a legend all in one day?!? Mimi said I'd better record those comments on the blog so that when all four of my gals are driving me nuts I can look back and think happy thoughts. Sorry, I digress..... So, I'm thinking, what in the world is this lady talking about, but she explained, and actually I think she meant legendary in HER mind. While I was wasting away in the hospital on bed rest, she was a few doors down from me for the last couple of weeks. She was trying to postpone delivery of her twins. The whole time she was hanging out she said if she was down and ready to give up she would think to herself that there was a lady 2 doors down who had been there for weeks already with not two, but three babies in her belly. I had been the inspiration she used to keep holding on, she said. She also said that if she was in a particularly foul mood her doctors would remind her that I had been there for several more weeks than her, and I was still hanging in there. Our babies were ultimately delivered in the same 24 hour period by the same doc who also delivered one other set of twins that day. Now, I ask you... How weird is it that we never met in the hospital when we could certainly have used the company/distraction and yet fate would have it that 15.5 months later we meet in a fast food joint? So strange!! After lunch was over we made a quick trip through Old Navy and headed home.

Today was our extended family Christmas lunch. I decided to run a little test with the girls napping schedule and see what would happen. Because lunch was to be at one, I kept them up and played hard with them until about 10am. At that time we had a little snack and then got dressed for the party. I put them down very tired at 10:30am and they slept beautifully until right around 12:30pm... time to go to lunch. Because of the great nap, they all had a fun time running around the place, hanging out with RyleeAnn ( another cousin born on Tuesday before they were born on Sunday), and just generally being goofy. Hopefully Anna will send me some pictures from lunch because in my excitement over my plan coming together, I totally forgot to pack my camera!

Finally, this evening after we had exhausted ourselves outside on the swing set and sandbox, we went to Nanny and Pop C.'s to get us through to bedtime... remember they only slept for 2 hours today, and we really needed a diversion. One of Pop Dickie's friends kindly offered to come over with his Santa suit on. As expected, not one of the silly girls would sit in Santa's lap, but they eventually warmed up to him enough to take a candy cane. They were so funny, and oh so messy eating them. Not surprisingly, Maggie enjoyed the sweet treat most of all. A very, happy Monday is on the way because "Da-dee" as Maggie calls him, is on his way home tonight!!