Super Stuff on a Saturday

It's been a truly fantastic week, kicked off by a great trip to North Carolina, and finished out with a few fun days at home.  Here are just a few things -- outside of all our adventures -- that made our week fabulous...

1)  The girls asked me to teach them a new song.  "Clementine" came to mind.  I told them it was about a horse that ran away (???).  They caught on very quickly and have been singing it off and on.  I finally realized, though, instead of singing, "Clementine", they were saying, "Oh my darling Crimson Tide..."  HA!

2)  At one point on our trip, B piped up, "We're traveling folks!"  I don't know where she got that, but it sure cracked me up!

3)  This actually happened on our trip to Alabama a couple of weeks ago, and then again en route to North Carolina.  The girls were napping in the car, and B woke up during Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are".  I heard her stirring, and then she joined right into the chorus.

4)  The girls traveled so very well.  I was downright amazed -- with only a couple of minor exceptions -- how content they were to sing songs, count, point out things along the road...I could not have asked for them to behave any better.

5)  While we were traveling, the girls kept talking about how much they missed their baby dolls.  The very first thing they did when we got home was grab them up and start caring for them.  It just warms my heart to see them so attached to their babies.

6)  And in general, the girls have played so well since we got home.  I know they missed playing with all their toys, and they've been so busy making up for it!

7)  The girls ate relatively well while we traveled.  On average, I'd say they ate one really excellent meal, one average, and a third meal of the day they might just pick at.  It's been so sweet to see them devour every morsel of my cooking since we got home.  I haven't made anything very fancy, but they've been thrilled with the likes of cucumber salad, baked pork chops, and cream of wheat.

8)  One morning, Baby A loaded both baby dolls (hers and B's) into one Bumbo seat.  She said, "Look at my double stroller, Mommy!"  I thought it was so cute...and it really reminded me of seeing their tiny heads together when they were infants.  Sniff, sniff.

9)  The girls have made a couple of thank-you cards this week.  They have really worked hard, doing more than just scribbles.  They were actually drawing things for their friends.  :)

10)  On Thursday afternoon we met our twin friends M&C, who are 9 months the girls' junior, at the bounce house.  The girls were excited to learn we were going to jump, and downright ecstatic when I told them we were meeting M&C.  They were over the moon when they learned we'd all be going to dinner together.

11)  We enjoyed a relaxed dinner with M&C and their mom -- my friend Demara -- and their dad.  I told Demara how amazing to me it was that the eight of us were (mostly) able to relax and actually talk during the meal.  I never would have imagined this could be done this time a year ago!

12)  At the bounce house, we met a little girl who was about 10.  She was shooting baskets, and the girls were watching her intently.  After a few minutes, she started playing with them, bouncing the ball back and forth.  She was so sweet to take time with them, and Baby A, in particular, was absolutely taken with trying to bounce and shoot like she did.  :)

13)  At the children's museum in Charlotte, they had a "Critter Cam" exhibit.  Via cameras strapped to the backs of different animals, you could watch videos from the animals' perspective. The exhibit didn't seem very interactive to me, and I didn't know if the girls really got anything from it.  I was so surprised when Baby A strapped the blood pressure cuff from her doctor kit around her dolphin.  "It's his camera so we can see where he goes!" she explained.  It was a sweet little reminder, never to underestimate what kiddos see and hear!

14)  Once upon a time, I noted each new word the girls used.  Of course that was years ago (wow!), but I still try to take note now and then.  B is the master of explanations.  One example from this week: "We need to use a bookmark, otherwise, the next time we open the book, we won't know where we stopped."  I love her use of "otherwise"...HA!

15)  Sometimes when the girls surprise me, I'll ask, "How did you get to be so smart?"  B's standard response is, "Well....I was just born that way!"  Hope I'm not creating little monsters!

16)  The girls have been calling each other "Sis" lately.  As in, "Hey, Sis, come over here!"  It makes me fast-forward twenty years...I can just imagine them making plans to meet for coffee.  :)


And there you have it.  Our fabulous week.  :)  :)