These pictures are from about a month ago, but it was so much fun I wanted to be sure to post it.  The boys like helping me in the kitchen and with this meal they knew what was inside and ate it better than they would have otherwise.

I used to make these as a kid on this same snackster machine I think!

Here's Carter:  He demanded he be first.  I think just so he could see what was going on and then direct his brothers on what do to.  He's such a bossy little thing!

Taylor:  He and Brayden couldn't wait to cook it before eating some.

Parents of multiples often get asked if their multiples have special ways of communicating together, or a special language only they know.  I can't speak for all multiples, but here's my thoughts on my boys.

At two and a half years old they have the vocabulary to pretty much convey to me anything they want.  Their birth order is Carter first, Brayden second, and Tucker third.  In that same order their dictation and pronunciation of words goes from best to worst.  I can understand MOST of what Carter is saying, if not, I can ask him questions until I figure out the mystery word.  I can understand MOST of what Brayden is saying, if not, I ask him questions until he takes me and shows me or until Carter clears up the misunderstanding by saying it clearer or in a different way.  I can understand A LOT of what Tucker says.  However, if I don't understand him he gets frustrated and can't or won't try to work with me in answering questions he just starts saying the mystery word over and over and sometimes whining or crying or throwing something etc.  Tuck's very laid back and sweet, but boy does he ever have a temper.  That's where his brothers come in.  Should the notion strike them and they decide to help ole momma bear out, they'll tell sometimes successfully get me to understand what he's saying.  A secret code language?  They understand each other, but I don't...  But I don't know.  I think maybe it's less of their own language and just a baby dialect variation that they are lucky enough to have 2 others around at all times that know their broken English dialect well enough to carry on conversations with one another with ease.  Whatever it is, it is definitely special.

As they laugh and play together it seems they can predict the others thoughts and movements and feelings before they're apparent to others.  There is no doubt they are close brothers and close friends.  They look after each other and always know where their counterparts are at.  When one's in time out, the others anxiously await and often ask for the jailed party to come out.  They love one another and there is a special bond between them all, including their older brother who likes to mimic the pronunciation short falls they sometimes have. 

Today, Aiken, SC has officially closed down.  The schools, daycares, municipal offices, pediatric clinics, you name it, closed!  We woke up this morning to a wonderful winter storm and the boys were SO excited!  It snowed the day after Christmas, but it was a wet, short lived snow that the little boys didn't even play in because it was so mushy and wet.  Not this snow!  It snowed for a few hours then came the freezing rain which encapsulated the snow with a hard candy like shell.  The boys had a blast!  Here are a few pics of  their snowy winter fun!

I feel the need to add the disclosure, I didn't take Livi Grace (my camera) out to play in the snow.  There was way too much snow and ice flying in my direction to take her out, so these are all with my cybershot point and shoot.

 

 

 

 

As the week starts drawing to an end, I start running out of things to cook.  I start making things from left overs and throwing meals together.  This week is no exception.  I was missing an ingredient or two from every meal I could think of to cook.  So, I decided to put a new spin on a meal and make something a little different and it was so good I'm sharing!

 

I can't believe today is the first day of 2011!  Time flies.

This blog has been such a great way for me to capture and remember the past couple of years.  I look back over the old posts sometimes and I love being taken back to how I felt, what life was like, and what my boys looked like, and maybe even what our struggles were at that time.  I love it and can't wait to do the blog to book thing at some point.

I love it; yet finding time to update it has gotten harder.   The reason, the culprit - facebook.  It's so easy to throw an album out there and be done with it.  Your loved ones and friends see it instantly and it's done.  The blog on the other hand takes a little more time.  But for me, I know I really need to update out here more.  Maybe in the new year I can focus on it more...  ahemmmm. 

With all that being said, the boys are doing incredibly well.  All of them..  We are so blessed.  We are thrilled that I am staying home with them again after working fulltime for 4 months.  I don't think any of us were ready for it.  The boys stayed sick and weak, I stayed tired and on the go, the boys stayed 12 hours a day at a daycare, and we all missed them, my evening stress of trying to help with homework and do dinner and keep up with laundry and cleaning left NO time for me to enjoy my babies.  They're only little for a short time, so I'm perfectly content to stay home with them.   ..most days.  ;)

For Christmas this year we went home for 4 days.  We didn't have near enough time there and even had to cut our trip short a day due to SNOW moving through the area.  Taylor was thrilled and played in it til his fingers were blue and had several snowball fights with his friends. The littles never got out in it because it was so wet and mushy.   ...maybe we'll have another chance to let them play in some soon.

Ok, so once again I'm going to post a link to my pictures on fb - When I do print the blog, they won't print, so I will start adding more out here.  Just not tonight... ;)

 Soooooooo. for now:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=81024&id=1577670409&l=7adf290160 or click here.