Best Lights

Dear Bubbas,

The Christmas season is almost over. We have just a few days left until all the major festivities begin. This year has been a little different for us since Mommy has been so sick. We haven't baked as much and we haven't had any holiday parties with our friends. However, there was one tradition we started last year that we really wanted to continue- The Best Lights Award!

This year we bought big candy canes filled with M&M's and we made tags that said Best Lights. The three of you colored the tags and put stickers all over them. Mommy attached the tag with a ribbon and we were ready to roll. We had a lot of awards to give out this year because you wanted more than Mommy and Daddy were going to buy. We were going to give you 3 candy canes each. Since you didn't think that was enough Daddy said you could give us a quarter for each additional candy cane you wanted. Connor and Kaylee bought 9 additional candy canes and Hunter bought 5!

You had so much fun getting them ready. You were so excited to go light seeing when Daddy came home that you barely took a nap. In fact, Hunter didn't sleep at all! When Daddy got home we loaded up and left right away.

You had a blast! You loved picking the houses and handing people their awards. I love seeing their reactions. Some people just can't get over how adorable you are, some are shocked that they won an award, some are proud and follow us out to the car talking about the lights they chose and why they chose them, and some are just plain tickled by the whole thing.

The funniest thing that happened all night....We stopped at this house that Kaylee picked out. All night she had done such a good job of handing the people the candy cane and saying "Happy Christmas!" This time, when they answered the door it was a big black man standing there. Kaylee, having never seen a big black man before, set the candy cane at his feet and turned around to head back to the car. She had this look on her face that said, "Nope... not going there."  I made small talk with the man and explained that we were giving out awards for the best lights. He was thrilled and thought Kaylee was adorable. When I got to the car I was giggling so hard.

We had to stop half way through for hamburgers and at the 2 hour mark when it started raining pretty steadily we called it quits even though Connor and Kaylee were not out of candy canes.

It was a really fun night. I'm so glad this is becoming our family tradition. I love you guys! I can't wait for the next few days. We're going to have so much fun!

Love,
Mommy

Talking, talking, talking!

Dear Kaylee,

You have had a lot to say lately. Earlier today all three of you were in your room having a camp out nap on the floor. You wouldn't stop talking so I warned you that if I heard your voice again you'd have to come sleep in my room for nap time. It took a whole 30 seconds before you started talking and I yanked you into my room. We were laying there on my bed for another good minute before you said....

"Mommy."

"Kaylee, go to sleep."

"Mom... I want to tell you something."

"You can tell me after naps."

"I want to tell you something."

"What?!"

"Next time, I'm not going to talk, I'm going to be very quiet so that I can have the fan and stay in my room."

"Ok, go to sleep."

"Mom..."

"Kaylee, I mean it."

"Mom, I have to tell you something."

"What?!"

"Winnie the Pooh has two pots. One on top and one on bottom. The one on bottom is blue and the one on top is spilling out because it doesn't have a lid."

"That's fascinating, please go to sleep now. "

"Mom."

"Kaylee Jean"

"I have to tell you something."

"No. It's time to go to sleep."

"I have to tell you!"

"What?!!!"

"Last year (meaning yesterday), I heard with one ear that you were throwing up, so I came into the bathroom and I saw it. I flushed the toilet because you're Mommy."

"That was very nice of you. And you're my Kaylee."

"Yup!"

"good night Kaylee."

"Good night!"


You make me laugh so much. Sometimes not in the moment, but definitely after. Mommy has been pretty sick lately. The first trimester is always really rough on Mommy. You have had lots to say about that as well. One day when I was dry heaving you yelled, "MOM! I can't hear the MOVIE!"

This morning I was dry heaving in the bathroom in the sink. You came in and said, "Mom, can you please do that upstairs. I have to go potty." As best I could I muttered... just go!

Clearly, I have become an inconvenience for you. I just can't imagine the inconvenience you are going to feel when the baby actually gets here!

I love hearing your little voice. I love your laugh. I love you.
Mommy

I'm not a honey!

Dear Kaylee,

I love hearing your voice. It is so sweet and you always have so much to say! You are very, very opinionated. I wanted to throw you a Minnie Mouse party because the decorations and ideas I found looked so adorable. You want a Strawberry Shortcake Party. I was going to try to convince you until one night I overheard a conversation when you were suppose to be sleeping.

You whispered, "What kind of party are you going to pick? I'm having Strawberry the Shortcake party. I'm so EXCITED!"

How can I try to change your mind after that? I conceded and began looking for the perfect Strawberry Shortcake cake. I found the one I really wanted to make. It was going to be difficult and I was going to need help on it which I found exciting because I could work with a friend and learn more. You came into the office and saw it on the computer monitor. You got excited and yelled," STRAWBERRY THE SHORTCAKE!"

I told you that I was looking at the cake I was going to make you. You looked at it for a few seconds and then said, "No."

What?! I backed up a page to all the Google images and said, "Well, what do you want?" You instantly found a cake that you wanted! You pointed at it and yelled... "That ONE! Strawberry Shortcake with all the pokey dots!"

The one you picked looks so simple to make. I should be grateful but really I just can't quit giggling over your personality.

You've had some exciting days the last few weeks. Halloween, our pumpkin party, Cowboy days at preschool. You were so excited about your Cowboy day because you got to wear your cowboy hat and you got to have a bacon snack! You've been enjoying things this year more than ever, fully immersing yourself in the activities and looking forward to them far in advance!

You like to be called Kaylee. Nothing else. Grandma Karen frustrated you the other day by calling you other names. We ran into her at Walmart and she said, "Hi sweetie pie!"

You instantly told her, "I'm not a PIE, I  KAYLEE!"

Then when she was leaving Grandma Karen said, "See you later Alligator."

To which you replied, very annoyed and frustrated, "I'm NOT A ALLIGATOR, I  KAYLEE!"

Grandma Karen apologized profusely and you got over it. Just a couple days later though we were having dinner at Grandma Karen's house and you fell over and hurt yourself. You were trying to be so tough and not cry. It scared me when you fell and I had said, "Oh Honey!"

The boys jumped all over that and began saying "Honey, Honey, Honey."
With tears welling in your eyes and sniffles in your nose you proclaimed, "NO! I NOT A HONEY! I KAYLEE!"

Probably the most precious sight ever, I had to sweep you up in a big hug. I'm so excited for the holidays this year. You are going to make them so fun and exciting! I love this age you're at. I love your snuggles. I love you!

Mommy

The cake that I wanted to make...

The cake that you want...

Drive In Movie Night

Dear Bubbas,

We had a drive In Movie night tonight with the Taylors. It was a lot of fun! I couldn't find brown boxes long enough for your legs so we ended up using storage bins. It worked out well. We decorated the outside of the boxes with lightning bolts, hearts, windows, wheels, and anything else you could come up with!

We even had a snack bar! We made a big poster that told you how much each snack would cost and you each got a bag full of poker chips to purchase your snacks with. You had so much fun purchasing your snacks! In fact, there was a constant stream of kids at the snack bar until I'm pretty sure your little bellies were so full they may have burst!

Kaylee was the most excited about the pizza, but she did try a few other snacks. Connor like the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Hunter was ecstatic about the....wait for it.....juice! As soon as he got his bag of chips he looked at the poster and yelled "TWO BLUE CHIPS FOR JUICE!" He then spent over half his money on juice. He ended up having four juice boxes!

The movie that was playing was Cinderella. It was somewhat entertaining for you but in all honesty you were so excited about sitting in your cars and having poker chips to spend on snacks we could have had the news on and you would have been just as entertained!

Eventually, you all got bored and one at a time went downstairs to play. Except for Hunter, who held out for one more juice box!

Overall, it was a super fun night! I'm glad we have such good friends to make these memories with!
I love you guys!
Mommy

Twins

Dear Hunter and Connor,

I don't talk about this a lot with you, being a twin. I want you to know that I see you as so much more than a twin. You are both your own sweet little person, growing and changing every day. However, I do want to tell you a few things.

 I have loved every minute of having twins. Watching you cuddle together as newborns. The way you would always turn in towards each other or wrap your legs around each other. The way Connor would get so hungry and suck on Hunters nose, and the way Hunter could not sleep without Connor in the bed. As you grew older watching the two of you interact and play together, not able to talk but clearly communicating. You would giggle at each other so much and Daddy and I would sit and laugh, wondering what on earth you two were talking about. Then in the next breath you would scream at each other over a sippy cup. How we bought you each your own full size bed only to have you two take turns in whose bed you were going to sleep in for the night, because you couldn't sleep apart.

Now, you're four and we know what you're talking about. You still think you are just as funny. Constantly giggling at the other one. Then in the next breath screaming at each other over a dirty room or a toy.

You are opposite in every way possible and I think that makes it all the more fun! I love the way you can be so annoyed with each other over something little and then jump to each others or Kaylee defense if I try to step in. 

You are best friends. Right now you don't realize how rare that is, to grow up with a best friend next to your side every day. But I do. I realize how lucky I am that God chose me to be your mom. I get to see your bond grow stronger every single day. I get to watch two best friends grow up together. I love it.

Booing

Dear Bubbas,

You are in full Holiday spirit around here! We bought our costumes this week and you have put them on for several hours out of every day ever since. Hunter is Spider man, Connor is Darth Vader, and Kaylee is a cupcake. The day after we bought the costumes Kaylee felt a little left out that her costume was different than her brothers so she decided to be a "super cupcake".

We end up making the entire month of October a holiday centered around pumpkins, costumes, and candy! You love making rice crispy pumpkins and going to Winco in your costumes. I love how simple the month is, and yet it seems to be the most fun. It's the last month before the real holiday madness sets in, and you three just make every day so much fun! 

This year I decided to let you guys go "booing." We bought Charlie Brown buckets at Target and filled them with candy. Then we made signs that said 'You've been Boo'd'. We drove to houses and set the treats on the doorstep, rang the bell, and RAN! It was super fun. Hunter though you all should wear your costumes in case someone saw you running away from their house they wouldn't recognize you. I laughed silently to myself at that because I'm pretty sure if anyone saw a cupcake running from their door they'd know who we were! Connor didn't feel too great so he didn't want to wear his costume, but he still had a good time.

First we Boo'd Uncle Wade. You snuck up to the house as quiet as you could, rand the bell, and then Hunter screamed "RUN!!!" I'm fairly certain the entire neighborhood heard you shrieking with glee and giggling as you ran away from the house. We're pretty sneaky!

We Boo'd Grammy's neighborhood next. That was really fun, because the neighborhood is a small cul-d-sac so as people were opening their doors, if they didn't hear you scream with delight and giggle down their drive way they certainly saw you across the street at the next house.

Grammy has a neighbor Joanne who has a dog Buster. Kaylee loves Buster. She doesn't understand fully that Buster is not Grammy's because Buster is constantly at Grammy's playing with the other dogs. One day when we were driving down the street Kaylee saw Buster at his house and said, "Mommy look! Buster's at that house!" She was shocked! I had to explain to her that he in fact lives there. Well, Buster decided to come Booing with us. You three were creeping to all the houses and Buster was right there with you. Apparently Buster was walking too loudly because Hunter turned to him and said, "BUSTER! SHHHHH!"
It made me laugh so hard. Buster's walking was too loud, but Hunter screaming for everyone to run wasn't. Poor Buster.

When we were done Booing, we went to visit Grammy like nothing had happened. Papa Steve and Grammy made a big deal about what had happened and asked if we knew who left them treats. Kaylee giggled, Hunter said 'I'm not going to tell you', and Connor said 'WE DID!"

It was a really fun night. I love hearing you three giggle that hard. Thanks for all the laughs and for making the simple things so much fun!

I love you! Happy October!
Mommy

I love how you want to be sneaky, but then you signed your name!

This is when we were driving up to Joanne's house. Daddy was going like 1 mile an hour and we were all being very sneaky. You couldn't quit giggling!

Kaylee's starting to run before they've even finished ringing the bell!

LOVE how Buster went to every house with them, even up to the door!

Who's running faster, the kids or Buster?!

We even got Daddy to run from a house!