Action Clapping Rehab

Clap, Clap, Clap Hello, Clap Hello to Everleigh! Yuppers, baby girl is now a clapping machine! She can also wave bye-bye too!!
 

Everleigh eats everything. Yes, she eats lots of big people food now (and prefers it), but she also eats anything else that's laying near by. Toothbrush, socks, tights, her own feet...whatevs.

If Ever isn't eating something...she's now yelling. I mean, you've got to make sure you're heard in this house! If you're a Berg child, the louder the better. If you're a Berg parent, ugh.....

Saturday, Craig was off!! Whoo hoo! We went to Action City! It has been almost two years since we've been there to play, so we were all excited! I will say that we are (or I am) getting more brave about taking all four kids places...but by the end of our two and a half hour adventure, I was more than ready to head home. The twins ran in separate directions the whole time!! Madden had total disregard for anyone else. He'd walk up and bowl in someone else's lane, stick his hand in their game of air hockey, or just budge right up to an arcade game.

The best quote of the day came from some random......she walks up to me and says, "Are you sure they aren't twins?!" I said, "Well, I'm sure that they are twins." and she responds, "Oh, are they nocturnal?" --- "ummm, do you mean FRATERNAL?? Because yes, they are fraternal." --- really, lady?? I mean, I guess for the first few months they kind of were nocturnal, but seriously?!

If anyone ever questioned who Madden looks like... here is proof. They have the same expression and everything!

I know that I've shared with you the obsession Madden has with Elmo....

...but the child is about to enter Elmo rehab. He literally begs all day long for "Elmo Bell"....which is an Elmo dvd about musical instruments, and there is a bell on the cover. Today, I let him watch it one time. When I said no more TV after the movie was done, he cried, and cried and cried! He was a different child-- he walked up to Hudson and pushed him for no reason- he was totally crabby! He continued to beg for Elmo for the next 4 hours until nap time. Sooo...NO more Elmo movies. None. Not right now anyway. Just like a real addiction-- he doesn't care about his family, or who he hurts....he tells us he's done eating right away so he can watch Elmo.....he's a total and compete addict. It's going to hurt, Madden....but welcome to treatment.


If you're keeping up on my 365, I cannot wait for the February challenge to be over! What was I thinking? It's hard enough to take one photo a day, but to then have to take a specific picture. Ugh! I welcome March to get here as quickly as possible. For a multitude of reasons.

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said...

Hudson and Madden went to their two year check up. Hudson screamed "Go bub-bye!" the entire time. He went limp, he cried, he kicked, he opened the exam room door and made a break away, he yelled "NO" every time our doctor even looked at him. It was a really fun time. I'm hoping and praying that Hudders doesn't get sick soon, and that their three year check up will go a little more smoothly. Madden jumped around on the couch and did whatever the doctor asked of him. And just as I finished telling the doctor that I am a bit concerned about Madden's speech...he began saying "eh, eh, eh, eh" to the tune of the ABC's. It was like he was saying to me, "I'll get it mom, no worries!"

So, how big are the twins? Heh, not very. Hudson weighed in at 25 pounds (15th percentile) and is 2' 9" tall ( 12th percentile). Madden weighs 23 pounds 9 ounces (5th percentile) and is 2' 8" tall (4th percentile)

Reading books before bed has always been part of our bedtime routine, but it got a little more difficult when Everleigh and Miss P started sharing a room. So now, our routine includes snuggling up in mom and dad's bed and reading books-- yep, it's the only place big enough to fit us all! :)

But sometimes, when the books are done, the little monkeys jump on the bed!

...check out Madden, he jumped right out of his jammies...

Paisley started a new short session of dance this week! She was VERY excited!

The parents sit outside of the studio...so I snapped a few pictures from outside the window. But it's clear why they don't want us inside the room...because of kids like Paisley. :) (HI, MOM!)

Our Everleigh Calla turned 8 months old this weekend. I just don't want her to be this big!! She's super fast at crawling, super close to pulling herself up to a stand, and look at her...she doesn't even really need baby food anymore!

This weekend, Craig was home with the children for a night while I was in the cities hosting a baby shower for my bestie. I'm seriously lucky to have a wonderful husband...and I'm seriously lucky to have the best friend anyone could ask for! It was a perfect weekend! If you want to see a pic of Amy and her baby belly, visit my 365 blog

That's all for this week!
xoxo,
B

The TWINS are TWO!

Where do I even start? I already know I'm going to cry through this whole post. Not because I'm sad, but just because I cannot believe my boys are two. With each milestone that comes and goes, time is just slipping away, and every single moment my love for each of my children grows stronger. Being a mom is the most amazing thing ever. Ever.

So let's start from the beginning. Look at these two. They already have a bond unlike anything most of us will ever know. I often think how I wish I knew just one ounce of how these two feel about each other. Look at Hudson sucking on Madden's fingers just moments after I had them...

Having twins has been amazing. It's also been amazingly hard. Here are the little guys, both crying away! 

And now, here we are, two years later. The house is louder than it was on the day the above picture was taken. I was positive the house couldn't get any louder with screaming twins and a two year old. Heh. I was wrong. So I'm not going to say that this current stage is the loudest our house will be, for fear of jinxing myself! But let me assure you, it's extremely loud!

In celebration of Hudson and Madden turning two, the theme was a no brainer. Elmo and Cookie Monster, a suedo Sesame Street theme. The two are obsessed...and actually, Madden is more than obsessed. Is there a word for that? If so, he's it. He talks about Elmo day and night. Bawls if I don't let him continuously watch an Elmo dvd. So they were pretty excited when they woke up this morning to a house with decorations, balloons, gifts and even cupcakes in their Elmo and Cookie theme! (Thanks Grandma Bonnie for frosting our cupcakes!!)

Hudson and Madden were blessed to have such amazing company at their party and wonderful gifts too! We are really lucky to have the family we do! The boys were excited about baseball stuff, Elmo and Cookie toys and clothes, trains, dinosaurs, bikes and more!

They weren't too sure about us singing to them. Although later in the night they sang to each other! :) And in normal H&M style...when they ate their cake....Hudson hardly touched his and was a really clean eater...and Madden devoured his and was messy as could be.

Miss P chose Cookie Monster...

...and obviously Makyah did too. Love the blue teeth on both girls!

The rest of the day we spent trying out all of the new toys! We got the boys a train table, so fun!


And although Everleigh is feeling under the weather, she crawled around and tried out her big brothers' new toys too!

Sometimes I struggle with the balance between "the twins" and Hudson & Madden has separate people. I don't always know when to have them do the same things, or when to buy the same things... but 99% of the time, at least right now...it's best for them to have the same exact things!!

Buying two of everything isn't practical. But it's a lot easier.

And we must not forget how these little stinkers are always, always, always up to no good.

What's really interesting about H&M is that in the second year of life, their personalities did a complete flip flop.

Hudson Koehler

Hudders laughs. He laughs a lot. He laughs at anything. He will not listen. He runs away the moment you ask him to come near you, or to clean something up. He tells me that getting his diaper changed hurts his eyes, even if it's dark in the room. Hudson loves to color, jump, run, dance, read books, do play-doh, rock with his brother, dress up and wear high heals. He is the leader. He is a talker and is really loud. He is shy around other people but at home he is really outgoing. Hudson is very mischievous. He is a quiet trouble maker. He's pretty smart about it, but is always getting into something. He hates getting his hair cut. He is obsessed with strawberries, cookie monster and hockey.

Madden Michael

Mad Mike is our snuggler. He gives hugs and kisses any time you ask. He rocks. He rocks and rocks and rocks. He watches Elmo movies. He watches Elmo movies and Elmo movies and Elmo movies. Madden is pretty laid back. He loves to sing songs, read books, jump, dance and eat snow. He loves baseball. He is a helper. He treats Everleigh really well. Madden loves getting his hair cut. He chooses not to use words much of the day. To get ones attention he hits. Our sweet Madden is obsessed with hot dogs, Elmo and rocking.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUDSON!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADDEN!

Hudson and Madden,

You had our heart the moment we saw it beating on that computer screen. You have challenged us, deprived us of sleep, introduced us to the fanciest locks for drawers and doors, and taught us that we may never rest again. But, the last two years, you have made us smile and laugh more than ever before. You have taught us that we are the two luckiest people in the entire world, and that really, nothing else matters besides you and your sisters.

Love you to the moon and back, twice.

Mommy and Daddy

winter shminter

Am I the only one who thinks that the more children you have, the more winter sucks? Wow am I anxious to be able to let the kids run around outside! We have five thousand toys, and we're sick of them all. So instead of playing, you can be sure that the twins are busy finding something to get in to. Last week they focused on vaseline and this week I'd say it was markers. In fact, now that Everleigh is really mobile, she makes her way to the dog food and water any chance she can get. OH, and for real...trying to keep small things away from Ever might be harder than nursing twins!! Well, a close second anyway. Wow she is fast, and wow do the kids leave a lot of crap laying around that she can get to. Today alone I pulled these items out her of mouth: (and these are the ones I saw!) a sticker, a bandaid (I'm not quite sure if it was used or not), one mac n cheese noodle, dog food, bead, rock (from one of Paisley's many rock "aclection's") and a magnet. Yep. I'm pretty proud of the fact that we diverted a potential disaster a few hundred times today. Whew! I wish they made stilts for babies. I would totally buy those. That way she could just crawl above the disaster that IS our house!

This week, the kiddos did get to play outside once, we went to the mall to play, and had a play date. We colored, played tag in the house and watched Elmo movies too many times! Paisley got her hearing re-checked (she failed twice at her 4 year old check up) and her tests came back just fine! I actually think she was scared of the nurse who administered the test...so we're glad she can hear. Now listening, that's a different story. :)
Paisley and I also attended Amy's family baby shower...and we cannot wait for baby Reiter to arrive!! 9 weeks, but who's counting?!

And...some photos from our week...

Madden is so gentile with Everleigh, and is always trying to help!

Paisley has been joining Craig in some jam sessions. If H&M begin to play soon, I may find myself in the basement...and that's where the exercise equipment is...which is saying a lot. ;)

Not only is Everleigh crawling everywhere, she is trying to stand up--she wants to so bad!

Paisley and friend, Avaya had a blast together. They started off with an intense game of air hockey and finished the night off with the best session of Just Dance you've ever seen. Picture a 4 year old, 3 year old and 3 almost two year olds trying to follow the moves...it was SO funny!

And there she goes. Poor Oscar isn't safe from anyone anymore.

Paisley and Amy at the shower...

Fact about me. I am not a breakfast eater. Nor am I a breakfast cooker. It's only a few times a year that Craig is home on the weekends with us, and when he is...he cooks. Good stuff like pancakes and bacon and hashbrowns and stuff. But today, I made pancakes for the kids...and even Everleigh ate them! She's so big! She's been eating little pieces of cheese, green beans, toast, bananas...and can dominate an entire graham cracker in no time. Time, please slow down now.

As I finish writing this blog, I just have to brag a little...Paisley said, "what are you writing? I wish I could type fast and I wish I could read." So I said, I'll write a word and we can practice reading it. Then I wrote "cat"-- and Paisley said, "that says CAT"...so I wrote "bat"...and she sounded that out too. And then did it with "sat" and "fat" too! She then asked for more!! To which I obviously said....I'm typing the blog hunny...I'll help you read in a bit. Does that make me a terrible mother? I think I just chose writing my blog over helping my just 4 year old learn to read. Hmmm. The truth is, she was just stalling bedtime, right?!

Thanks for checking in! Also, a little warning-- I am having a major itch to write a new blog. Stay tuned. :)

~Brook