Going on a date.

A night out on the town without kiddies in tow is a rare find. Ahhhh, but that is life. 

A few weeks ago we had a day "date" with children in tow (let's be honest that's not a real date, cackle, cackle.). Ah, but we will continue with it being called as such. We went to COSTCO! (whenever we say Costco, we say it very loud an enthusiastically to let Max know it is a super fun place, he follows with a loud enthusiastic yell of some sort trying to say the word and totally not). Going to Costco was what felt like a whole day excursion. It took about half the day but that in turn wore us out for the other half of the day.  We do love Costco. And actually on the drive there we got a solid hour talking time with no interruption! That totally counts as a date. And on the way back we listened to the recent worldwide devotional for young adults. Very spiritually uplifting, it's a long one but find the time to listen to it and you'll be so happy you did!

Our hot lunch date at Costco.

BUT THEN last weekend we went on a REAL DATE! Like no kids, date, it was AMAZING! I felt young and free again, actually only kind of young and free because I still worried abut the children…sound asleep in their beds for the evening. Ha, ya, we didn't leave until they were all asleep in the evening. It was as if the babies knew we were wanting to go out because they gave us a hard time going to sleep and they never had done that before for evening sleep, that was weird.

But we went ice skating downtown! It was really fun (if you forget about how awful the ice was, how uncomfortable the skates were, and how all our afterwards-dessert places didn't work out). It was fun to just be together and be us again. Oh how I love us, I miss that phrase.

Oh hey Max!

And we ended our hot date at the grocery store (for doughnuts for Kimber THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANYMORE).

Thanks, Katie, for sitting at our house with the sleeping children!

We've decided too make a bigger effort at finding one night a weekend for some kind of date time be that out and about or just a red box movie. I'm telling ya, we need that time together, and if we don't intentionally set time aside for us, we won't do it.

1 month baby faves

For the life of me, I can't figure out why the background is not showing up white on this collage. Ohs a wells. At least I have this cool collage for you, so enjoy!!!

The babies are now 3 months old and these are still my favorite things. I really don't think there's anything new I'd add at this point, so make this a 1-3 months baby faves collage

1. WubbaNub. Pacifiers don't get lost as easily, they stay put when the babies done and we can tell whose pacificer is who's.

2.SwaddleMe. Whambam the swaddle is done and for the most part inescapable. Strong velcro, just a super great design! You can get by with 2 small/mediums and 2 larges per baby. And only get the cotton variety, not fleece, too hot!

3. Sound Machine. This one has some great sounds with great volume controls, we hope it helps drown the babies out for us and them, I'd say it works great

4. Aquaphor . Any sign of a red bum and out comes this puppy! We love aquaphor and swear by it for the best moisturizer/skin protector

5. Baby wraps! My mom just bought a huge piece of fabric and it works great! (We actually bored my friends Moby wrap for a double carrier when we traveled and I did not like the material very much at all, mine is much more loose and soft and not hot. My dream wrap would be the solly baby one!

6. Nosefrida. This is an ABSOLUTE MUST on my baby list. You can legitimately clean it out every time and it works so much better at getting out all the yuckies from your poor babies nose!

7. Rock 'n Play Sleeper. I've raved about it before but I truly think it's this item that has helped my babies consistently sleep 8-10 hours a night since right before 3 months. At 2 months they were sleeping 6-7 solid hours. It folds up really compactly, it's super comforting for baby, you can slightly rock it after putting down baby when they wake up a little. This and number 6 are by far my 2 favorite products I think every parent must get.

Beyond these items specially for winter babies:

8. Zippered sleepers. Don't buy anything other than zippered sleepers for up to size 0-3 months (even for 3-6 months in my case! It's way easier laundry and the most comfortable thing they can wear since they sleep 2/3+ of the day. Be realistic here and save all the cutesy things for when they're a wee bit older, I PROMISE. I'd say if you had 8-10 to rotate through you'd be good to go.

9. Bear Suits. At least that's what we call them. One big suit that covers their whole body (with cute little ears on top). Keeps them toasty warm and you don't have to worry about blankets when out and about. The babies always fall super fast asleep when in their bear suit!

What did I miss? What are some of YOUR favorite baby items (that I need to go buy?) Share your knowledge!

Life in photos

Blergh, I'm exhausted.

I really am so spoiled in how much Casey is home and it is SO HELPFUL. Tender mercy I tell you. Really it's the biggest lift and burden off my shoulders with him around so much to help and he's grown into such the wonderful husband/father with 3 kids. He's been oh so helpful with housework and baby work and max work and life work. Seriously, he's great.

Now back to complaining, ahem.

My back hurts.

I'm tured.

I love being a mom but holy gosh dang would I like longer than a couple hour break. I already need like a WEEK break to rejuvenate me and keep me going (ok let's be honest, just 1 day?) I'd probably just end up missing my babies so much but still a break? a break? come on people.

Tonight Casey didn't get home from school until 6 (that's super late for him) and left at 6:30-9 for his bowling league he just began. I wanted to kick and scream and make him feel too guilty for going and was THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS close to doing it but instead just put a pouty face on him and didn't tell him good bye (real mature, right?). I really didn't want to be fighting Max on no TV, no iPad, no don't do that, no no no. So I pulled out the big guns and brought out the huge train set we hadn't yet given him. Magic. It literally kept his attention for a full 1 1/2 hours. HEAVEN sent I tell you. Yip, babies in the background with propped bottles. Sue me, it's only 2 oz.

Max has been asleep for an hour and the whole train set is still sitting here at my feet and I have zero intentions of putting it away tonight. Oh and there's a million dishes in my sink and dinner is not one bit put away BUTTTTTTTT I did declutter some of my household and began making big piles of stuff to sell/give away/ throw away earlier today. It already feels liberating and freeing get rid of so much stuff I thought I truly needed to keep. READ THIS BOOK. It will change your life!

Alright, let's get onto a random assortment of photos from the telefono and silly things Maxson is currently doing.

a. My breakfast companion one morning, hey Quinn!

b. Owning dadhood

 a. You know how the Sunday family selfie thing has become suddenly really popular on IG? How? Why? I don't know, but it has. Well this was ours because the babies were sick a few weeks ago. Bryson was very unhappy we were not at church, as thus seen.

 I put the tent on the couch while cleaning, Max thought it was a brilliant idea and insisted on playing in it only like that the next few days.

 Always playing with the old bottles at the sink.

 Don't eat Pete!!!!!! FHE

 Quinny

 BQ, I'm realizing I need to get more pictures of Bryson smiling, he does smile, it's adorable.

 Making dinner while entertaining my audience.

 When I see this in the morning is when I realize max was awake a lot longer than I realized, eh, at least I got more sleep and he didn't destroy the rest of the house!

Helping them meet each other. Their reaction: eh.

 QB. The perfectly classic twin photo. A few friends came up with the best captions to this on IG for me.

 Max served himself up some breakfast. Thanks for not making me do my job Max

 a. Casey yet again owning dad hood.

b. We're always trying to get the babies smiling on video or picture, a common scene at our house.

 Casey putting in the hardwork to get the priceless baby smiles.

 a. Someone often sabotages daily family nap time. Apparently it was Max this day. Sadly I couldn't sleep through his noise.

b. Church twins, but not the twins

 a. Napping by the door like the cool kids

b. A park day! We've had some oddly warm days recently and have ventured to the park a few times. For the first time ever I went out of the house (just to the park) with all 3 kids by myself. It was so much stinking work. There's a reason we don't go many places these days, especially by myself. We didn't stay long and Max was not happy about that which made the experience that much more fun.

 Quinn!

 3 of us neighbors all had babies within a few months of each other. 4 babies, 3 dads, such cute babies! 

 I loved this picture my mom texted me of an Arizona sunset one night. Absolutely breath taking. One of their YSA took it. 

 It already feels like Max is getting on the "too big for this bed" size. 

 One of our favorite dinners: Asian lettuce wraps (search those words on 71toes.com for the recipe)

 We had 3 old outfits of Casey's for all 3 little boys that fit them all perfectly. What are the awesome chances of that?!Max was less than impressed once I brought out the camera. And as you can tell, the babies went cray cray over theirs. Such cute kids. Casey said they smelt like old granny clothes.

 Our new smoothie cup we found at the dollar store is bomb. If I were an infomercial I would sell you on the fact that a) it's a hard plastic straw that your child cannot bite and ruin b) the straw is the perfect diameter to drink from c) the lid screws on so little ones can't rip it off or dump out the contents d) the straw is a perfect match to the hole yet again not allowing any contents to be dumped out when tipped over e) the straw reaches the bottom f) it's insulated g) it's clear. SOLD

 a. Max be like "that's funny mom, I will show you in time that this cup is not Maxson proof, haha haha. Smile.

b. Max's other obsession these days: putting any and all socks on his hands and playing like thus.

 Beebeeeees! QB I love seeing their naked, rolly little bodies. I need a summer baby someday so I don't have to keep them clothed!

 Bottle washing: such a plague. It's stupid since it's just this tiny amount in each bottle constantly throughout the day.

 Look! I put the babies in real clothes other than jammies! Only out of obligation of not wasting all the onesies and pants we have. Seriously, why do I even own any of them smaller than a 6 month size? But  they were cute.

a.  Max. Socks. Case in point.

b. And somehow when I peeked in oh him during his nap, he was clothingless…again… it's a new trend I don't appreciate.

 a. Bryson just fell asleep in his bouncer one day. It was really weird and I oh so appreciated the kind gesture of not having to coax him to sleep. Go Bryson!

b. Quinn be like "hey man, just chillin with my milk machine"

 More unclothed, now undiapered Maxson. A battle. A BATTLE, I tell you, it is to keep clothes and now a diaper  on this child, it's wearing fighting this kid on clothes. I put them on and only minutes later they're off again. Get that diaper on dude!!

The end. I'm exhausted going through all those pictures.

How many times have I written exhausted in this post?

I think it's a theme of my life right now…ugh

All dressed up...and we went to church!

Our first Sunday to church with the whole family went smashing (the second not so much, but that's not what we're focusing on here). Bryson slept the whole 3 hours in his carseat, amazing right?!??! And Quinn only woke up the last 15 minutes to eat, it was a wonderful spiritual filled Sunday. Funny thing, I got all 4 boys to match! Khaki pants, white shirts, and the 3 little boys had matching bow ties (still trying to convince Casey that bow ties look good on men too!). Pretty much no one saw their outfits but I just thought they were so cute, I wanted to kiss them all day.

 The best picture of the 4 matching boys. It was probably hysterical watching us try to get a picture with Max in it, Casey is holding the twins following Max all around the background, Max just keeps running away, and I'm just standing a few feet away with my big huge camera hoping for a good enough picture. Silly I tell you. Max knew Casey wasn't going to be able to hold him still and totally took advantage of it.

 Quinners

 Bryson

 Our Sunday family!

 And the gorgeous sunset that evening. It makes my heart sing seeing this beauty!

 And rewind a couple weeks ago! Never got individual shots of the boys in their blessing outfits. Here's their cuteness. A couple people have asked where the clothing is from. Suspenders: ebay (search toddler suspenders, they were like $2 each shipped from China or something) and I made the bow ties.

 BQ

QQ 

 Bryson

 Bryson

Church is going to be hard with the twins: always worrying about feedings, naps, keeping them asleep, cleaning up spit up, etc. But during those 3 hours of the day, we are supposed to be at church and I know it will bless us!