Fall Fun!!!

So today was the PERFECT fall day in Wisconsin! Gorgeous sunshine, amazing colors, 65 degrees...and a Packer win!! Love it! The girls woke up to BIG piles of leaves and boy did they have a BLAST! :)

Addison, Hailey, Emily

Addy
Hailey

Hailey, Emily, and Addy lining up to race to the leaves....and they're off!

2 year pics and personalities

Emily, Addy, Hailey
Hailey
Emily
Addy
Emily, Addison, Hailey

Emily
Addy
Hailey

Emily, Addy, Hailey

Lots of pics....and I have TONS more bloopers but thought I'd share these with you. I stare at these pics and am amazed that my BABIES seriously look like little GIRLS now! Where has the time gone? And they have such personalities now! It is SO fun watching them grow up. I'll give you a little run down on what they are like so I can remember and so you can know more about them! :)

Addy - She is definitely our first child (by 1 minute -yay!) :) She is the most conscientious, a people-pleaser, my big servant. She (almost) always wants to help me do anything. Sometimes, I'll see her picking things up or doing motherly things when I didn't even ask her too! Addy used to have the fewest words...but lately, she is talking like crazy! She HAS to tell me the color of anything...and she'll KEEP telling me until I assure her she's right. :) So I say lots of "uh huh's and yup's" all day long. :) Addy is our biggest giggler. She can get hyper and has the cutest little run. She's a big time mama's girl - although if I'm not around, she'll choose one person to be close to. She's takes her time to warm up to people...but once she does, she'll be your BEST friend all day! :)

Emily - Em Em Em. For some reason, Emily is just funny. :) Something about her just makes people laugh. She is animated, yet serious and so focused at times. She can be very detailed...and then also very laid back and easy going. She is very outgoing...and will be the first to go to a stranger with open arms. Emily also talks a lot....and she's pretty independent. Although she's always concerned where her sisters are. I feel like Emily is a connector. She cares a lot for her sisters...and always looks to make sure both are included (or at least in the same room as she is). :) Lately, Emily has opinions on what outfit she wants to wear or which shoes. She is VERY good at walking in high heels! Emily is SUCH a sweetheart!

Hailey - Hailey Grace. Hailey is my little princess. She truly acts like the youngest child and she is! :) Hailey likes to get her way...or she'll give you this funny fake looking pout/cry. :) She loves to play with her sisters...although so far, she isn't as competitive when it comes to racing. Hailey is still the big tease and likes to test the boundaries. She gets a little smirk on her face when she takes something from one of her sisters and then gets to be chased by them. Hailey loves reading books but loves to be the one to pick OUT which book to read. :) I love it that sometimes, Hailey just feels like being held...for no particular reason. Hailey is also a big talker and probably has the clearest pronunciations of words as well as the most words. Ryan loves hearing the girls say "chicken" because they say it so clear but words like "scarecrow" sound like "co co." :)

I am always amazed that 3 girls, raised in the SAME household, experiencing the very SAME activities and the very SAME parenting, at the very SAME time of life, still end up so unique and different. I LOVE how unique and special they all are....and they will always amaze me! :)

Psalm 139: 13-17

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

So much going on!

We've had a busy couple of weeks over here. This past week, my friend Heather came to visit so that was GREAT and I miss her like crazy! Here we are on our way to a wedding....she is expecting a baby boy in December! I love him already!

The girls found out the joy of "pockets" the other day....so here they are with their hands in their pockets - they wouldn't take their hands out forever!!! :) (HAE)
Hailey strolling around.. :)
Emily and Hailey
This is how we read books a million times a day. :) The hard part now is that they all have opinions as to which book they want to read and in what order!

The girls were fascinated with Heather's tummy and the "baby boooyyeeee" in her tummy. I couldn't believe they actually understood to rub it gently and everything? So sweet! I'm not gonna lie, seeing the girls act so nurturing and concerned made me want to give them a baby brother or sister!! Not yet, folks..not yet. :)

Just another fashionista kinda day... :) Packer jerseys, fuzzy hats, and high heels. :)
This is the only way we could get all 3 of them together for a pic. They
Trying to get another group photo....Addy wasn't cooperating..
And now Hailey's not cooperating... :)
This past week, the girls also had their 2 year Dr. appointment! They continue to do so well!!! Addy weighed in at 30.5 lbs. and 36 inches tall!

Emily weighed 27 lbs. and 33 3/4 inches tall

Hailey weighed 26.5 lbs. and was 33 3/4 inches tall.

Emily and Hailey are in the 50th percentile for weight and height and Addy is in the 95% for height and 75-90 for weight! Taking after her Daddy! :)

Overall, the Dr. was so impressed with how the girls continue to do. Developmentally, they are amazing! :) The Dr. could NOT believe that the girls know all of their colors already since I guess kids don't usually know colors til they are 3?? I had no idea...but I am so proud! :)

This weekend, I was at a church Women's Retreat that I have helped plan for over a year. It was so great to finally see everything come together! I loved it! Ryan was in charge of the girls...and he had so much fun having daddy time. They made forts, played in the leaves, watched baseball, etc. AND....the girls have been begging to sit on the potty lately...so we usually go through the whole routine, take off the diapers, sit there for a few minutes, sometimes someone will pee, but usually we just put all the diapers back on and it's quite the ordeal every time. :) I have to get the energy to let them sit on the potty! Anyways, so they were begging Ryan to sit on the potty so he let them all sit there for like 5 minutes...then he takes Addy and changes her...then he grabs Emily and puts her diaper back on. Meanwhile, Addy roams back into the bathroom where Hailey is still sitting and then all of the sudden, Addy starts jumping and pointing and screaming and saying "YAY! YAY!" with her hands raised in the air. She was pointing at Emily's potty! So Ry goes in there and sure enough, Emily had POOPED in her potty!!!! And Addy knew it and was SO ecstatic for her!!!! Isn't that SO cute? I love it how my girls are already learning how to encourage each other and celebrate with each other - even IF it's about a poop in the potty! So funny! I was bummed I got to miss the big ordeal but I'm glad Ryan could witness another one of their "firsts." So congrats to Emmy and hopefully this will continue! I'm still in no rush to potty train....but we'll see if the girls are ready before I am! :)

So far, I really love the "terrible two's." The girls are playing together so much better lately...and they seriously talk SO MUCH more all of the sudden. They repeat everything I say and just LOVE talking to each other and to me! So far, being 2 is a lot better than 18 months - or at least it seems better since they can communicate more now and aren't fighting as much. Addison has shocked us in that she used to know half as many words as Emily and Hailey but now all of the sudden, I feel like she says MORE words than they do! It's great seeing their love for learning and watching their eyes light up when they "get" things. They are the BEST girls ever! :) They are however, developing a lot of opinions which I'm not used to! Now, if I buy them an outfit that doesn't match their sisters, oh my goodness, they ALLL fight over who gets to wear the "hearts" or who gets the "flower" pattern pajamas or whatever. Now I see why it is SO much easier dressing them alike!

Triple Terrible Two's

Ahhh! My babies are TWO!! Time is flying by way too fast. Addy, Em, and Hailey are like little GIRLS now! Can I still call them my babies? I think I have too or I will cry. :) Have I told you that I LOVE my girls? Seriously they are the best in the world. I never really knew that birthdays were such a big deal for moms. Usually, I think of birthdays as the day to celebrate whoever's birthday it is. But now that I'm a mom, I feel like Addison, Emily, and Hailey's birthday is such a special day for ME! I LOVE being able to celebrate who they are...and to thank God that He blessed us with them in our lives. I know that some days are hard and some days I have no idea what I'm doing as a mother of 3 two year olds...but every day has moments where they make me smile and get all mushy gushy inside. :) I know I get so sappy about them so I'm sorry - but for real, I LOVE Addy Lee, Emily Ann, and Hailey Grace!!!

But anyways, we had a wonderful weekend celebrating. My parents flew in Friday afternoon and then we went to Flabbergast (an indoor play area) to celebrate with my parents and the Dooyema side of the fam. The girls had a BLLAAST and needless to say, they slept VERY well that night. :) They were so brave. They went down so many slides that both Grandma's wouldn't even tackle! We were laughing so hard at the girls though. They had no fear. They'd go down these STEEP high slides, have their eyes WIDE open and hold their breath as they went down. We would expect them to get to the bottom and scream with fear..but instead they'd just say "AGAIN" without any hesitation. The adults were more exhausted then they were!

Then this morning, we had their "friend" dress up party at our house. Each kid could pick a hat, an outfit, shoes, accessories, etc. The girls had so much fun with all their little friends and Ryan and I are so thankful for the community of friends that our girls already have. We love you all and thanks so much for celebrating our little princesses with us!

Auntie Jody with Hailey, Grandma Kathy and Addy, Uncle Shane and Emily

Emily - so brave
Triple TuTu's :)
Adding the final touch..
Jody, Grandpa Joel, Addy - she looks so small! Or they look so big! :)
Hailey, Daddy, Emily

Hailey

Tyler
Isabelle
Hannah
The Home Depot Employees
Happy Birthday Hailey! So proud she blew out her candles..
Cheeeeeseeee!
Emily
Addison, Hailey, and Emily

Grandma Gwen and Grandpa Joel gave the girls this playhouse which they LOVE. Just have to make sure it's clean!! :)

Goosebumps

My hands are shaking a bit as I even write this. My mom called me this morning to tell me that my brother and sister had been in a bad car accident. My heart sank....she said they were okay...but that they left at 4 a.m. to head to Iowa from Colorado...and my sister must have dozed off like 3 hours from home. They think they rolled FIVE times....and they landed hanging upside down. I can't even imagine this. We LOVE you Kyle and Kara and it is KILLING me to not be with you right now! I am so incredibly grateful to God for protecting them. It really makes you stop and think about the importance of life...and why it should be celebrated. I couldn't think of a more perfect weekend to celebrate Cory's birthday...and Addy, Emily, and Hailey's birthday. Life is just too short and too precious. Such an incredible GIFT. Please praise God with my family today.... Kyle and Kara have cuts and scrapes and bruises...and they landed in a field of cacti...so they are STILL picking cactus out of their bodies. But, what a miracle...I still can't believe it. They didn't hit any other cars...they have no serious injuries...my parents are still in Denver to help pick them up (as my parents are coming here tomorrow!!) I just saw the car pictures too...and my heart literally stopped. It totally looks like their guardian angels were protecting the roof from crashing in on them. I am speechless and have had goose bumps all day!!!! Thank YOU Jesus for always being with us!!!!!

Exodus 9:16 "I have let you live for this reason - that you might see my power and that my fame might spread throughout the earth."

Psalm 40:2 "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."

The girls were so concerned when I hung up the phone with my mom and they saw me crying. I told them Uncle Kyle and Auntie Kara were in a car accident and that they got hurt. They kept saying "Kaawwaa oww-ies....Ky-ooo oww-ies." So we folded our hands and prayed for both of them cuz the girls know that Jesus helps. :) So sweet...