Three's Company!: March 2011

Week 48.5

Kohlden 19 lbs 6 oz

Madelyn 18 lbs 10 oz

Well, well, well. We are so close to hitting the 20 lb mark and 1 year of age! That means...drumroll please...we'll soon be using forward facing car seats for the babies! Crazy we're here at this stage already.

After last week's birthday bonanza for Braelyn, we celebrated with the rest of the Irish by wearing green for St. Patrick's day on March 17. Braelyn's class was going to have a "green" party, with green food and drinks, and we thought it would be fun to have the twins dress up in green as well. The photos say it all.

Her tiara says "Irish Princess". Let's see how many people think she's Irish. Maybe part Irish. But mostly Filipino.

Sabbath was a GORGEOUS day and we had a picnic lunch at Chapin Station Park in Ocoee with the Z's, Deininger's, and Cochrans. Different kinds of sandwiches aplenty, we enjoyed fellowship and catching up, watching the children play, and just soaked in the weather, under the shade, of course! Can you believe 85 degrees in March already? That's Florida for you!

Sunday was the big birthday bash for Braelyn in our home. About 45 parents and kids had RSVP'd so we knew we were going to have a big group! Sabbath evening Lolo and Lala arrived to help take care of the twins, along with my young cousin Lyka to help play with Braelyn, whilst Tangie and I ran about getting things ready for the following day.

Tangie had made it an Arts & Crafts Extravaganza, and I had planned some sack and 3 legged races, along with a balloon tent and random yard games. Unfortunately the worst part of the day was just before the party I had discovered that our huge inflatable ball that the kids so enjoy crawling into and rolling around in the grass had blown out of our yard by the wind and ended up into the hands of some rowdy neighborhood boys, who ended up destroying it by poking holes into the compartments with sticks. Yes, boys will be boys, but seriously? You would think they would at least just play with it rather than destroy something that wasn't theirs, right? And so the question has to be asked: Where are the parents? It looks like a fence for the backyard is just around the corner.

Anyway, the party started and everyone had a great time. The weather was fantastic with lots of sun and the breeze/wind made it tolerable. The kids enjoyed the crafts although we only had time to do 3 of them, so Tangie gave them 2 to take home as party favors. Everyone demolished the 11 pizzas ordered along with chicken nuggets and fruit. Braelyn had her Little Mermaid cupcake birthday cake, which is so much easier to distribute, and ice cream cones for dessert. The highlight of the party was the dads participating in a 3-legged race, to the delight of their children, and humor to their wives.

Tables all set up with butcher paper to prevent messes.

Our very creative friend Jennifer Bergherm designed the birthday sign using paint color swatches from Home Depot. Amazing!

She really enjoyed making her crafts with her friends around her.

Tangie was busy running around making sure everyone had the right supplies.

Brae shows neighbor Sarah Vandervort her Beta fish "Chloe", who is actually male.

The cupcake cake.

Singing to the birthday girl.

How many kids can you get on the hammock? One, two, three...*crash!* A three!

The Mommy Club: the ladies enjoy catching up and soaking the sun's rays.

Opening up her birthday gifts didn't help her get ready for bed, although she was very exhausted.

Black tongue disease? No, just colored ice pop to end the day!

Thanks to the grandparents for taking care of the children while we hosted the party! We couldn't have done it without you! They definately had their fill by the time they left for home Sunday evening. We gave them this weekend off!

Thanks to all who came in support for Braelyn on her birthday. A special thanks to our friends the Grodacks, first to arrive and last to leave, as they helped tear down the decorations and put the tents away. Duncan, we are totally going camping when the kids are a little older!

We will celebrate the twins' 1 year birthday in a few weeks. Until then, have a great weekend!

Week 47.5

So as I stated previous, we were headed to Denver to celebrate Deeda's 80th birthday. A couple months ago, when asked what she wanted for her birthday, she said that she wanted her "Florida Family" to come to Denver and to spend it with her, and that she was willing to help pay an undisclosed sum for airfare. A free trip to spend time with family? We accept!

So Thursday we sent the kids to school and Tangie worked a half day while I busily packed and [somewhat] cleaned the house prior to us leaving for the airport. Our flight was at 6 so we wanted to make sure we had enough time to go through security and check bags in/stroller at the gate. I was a little pre-occupied the past couple of days trying to figure out the logistics of this process: who was going to hold which baby, what items to take out for screening, who will make sure the stroller is dismantled properly at the gate, etc etc. It seemed a bit daunting, as the last time we had flown we had 4 other willing adults that had helped make sure we were okay. But this time, we were on our own...DUN DUN DUN! <--- like the intro to a scary theme, okay?

So, we got to the airport and checked bags curbside. Note to self: make sure you have babies' birth certificates or immunization forms for proof of ownership! Luckily Southwest gave us a break, as they could see we had our hands full. Tangie took the twins into the terminal while Brae and I parked the car in the garage. Normally we would park off site or in their parking lots to save a few dollars, but knowing our flight back would land close to midnight, we agreed that the time to get the car wasn't worth the money, especially with 3 sleepy, if not cranky, children. So into the garage we went. I looked at the rate: $21/day. Fine, I'll eat it.

Believe it or not, we went through security without any issues. It all came together seamlessly, rather, we had no trouble getting our stuff screened with both babies in arms and Braelyn in tow. Looked like we were getting the hang of it! So we went to the gate, checked our stroller, and got some food for supper (Sbarro's pizza). We then went to change the twins into their night clothes before boarding when they announced the last section of the plane. Shoot! We missed the family boarding! And the plane looked packed; The worker at the gate had to turn away someone who was on standby. How would we make this work?

We made it all the way to the back of the plane, where we had originally wanted to be anyway, but no 3 seats together anywhere. That was okay, since with babies in arms, they require you to sit in separate rows, since there's only 4 oxygen masks per row in the event of an emergency. Well, a nice mom volunteered to sit separate from her kids so Brae and Mommy could sit together, although she sat between me and the girls. But she didn't mind being the middle man and passing things back and forth between Tangie and me.

We took off 15 minutes late for the 4 1/2 hour flight to Denver. The babies started off fine, with all the action and people for distraction, until they started getting tired and restless. Leave it to Daddy with the magic touch! I took each twin one at a time to the back galley and just rocked them to sleep, first Kohlden, then Maddy. Braelyn was busy watching her DVD player. Early in the flight I had made nice with a kind lady who actually worked for the airline as a customer service rep that was travelling to Denver with her husband and 3 children. She kept saying she loved babies and that she wouldn't mind holding one if we needed any help or assistance. So, I took her up on her offer and she ended holding one or the other twin THE ENTIRE FLIGHT! She held Kohlden the most since I had put him to sleep first, Mommy held Maddy after she fell asleep, and then big sister decided she was tired and climbed onto my lap. The rest of the flight was smooth sailing, although my arms were cramping in the end from holding Braelyn in such a tight position for so long.

Braelyn is already an expert traveler!

Sarah Robert's daughter holds Maddy. She said she wanted a sister of her own! Sarah said no.

Sarah held Kohlden a good 2 hours while he slept! She was so nice!

Nana and cousin Callen met us at the terminal, while Papa and Uncle Tadd circled the airport, waiting for us and our bags. They had to bring in 2 vehicles to load up all the people and our luggage! Talk about a huge planned undertaking! They were so excited to have us, especially seeing the grandchildren. This would be the first time all 5 grandchildren on the Campbell side would be together. Little did they know how exhausted they would be by the time we left back for Orlando!

After picking us up and unloading back at their house, it was almost 11 pm...Mountain Time. That meant it was 1 AM our time! We were all so tired but more so hungry, so we all ate a midnight meal and just caught up a bit before retiring for the night, err, morning. We were hoping the twins would sleep in a little and not wake up with their normal time, which would've been 4:30 AM Denver. Sheesh. Time change always messes with you!

Friday we spent with Papa2 and Deeda at their house. It was a nice time to catch up and have the great grandparents spend time with the kids. The weather was fantastic and we spent quite a bit of time playing in their backyard. While the children went down for their naps, Tangie and I stole away for a couple of hours so she could work for a bit in Panera while I got my bearings and drove around town, swinging by Target to get some baby food and supplies. That evening we joined the rest of the family at Nana's house for Deeda's birthday celebration and supper, a delicious chicken & rice casserole that Nana had made and I contributing with steamed asparagus wrapped in pastrami. The birthday girls blew out their candles and opened their gifts as we enjoyed a homemade ice cream cake made by our good family friend Diane.

Papa enjoys reconnecting with his grandkids during breakfast Friday morning.

The twins hang out with Deeda and Mommy on their great-grandmother's back porch. The weather was 57 and sunny.

Maddy meets cousin Caylee for the first time. These two were born just 2 days apart.

Caylee is like a tank. And no wonder! That bowl was full just 30 seconds ago!

Deeda's birthday celebration at Nana's house Friday evening.

The birthday girl!

Deeda was nice to share her cake with Braelyn. Amazing there's 76 years between the two.

Birthday presents already? The fun begins...

Two peas in a pod, separated by 2 generations!

What birthday would be complete without a new princess outfit?

Cousin Callen stayed for a sleep over.

Sabbath morning we had a quick breakfast and then it was time to get everyone ready for church. Callen had stayed the night so we included him in the process of bathing and dressing. We had all 4 kids in the bath tub together at one point, although the twins didn't seem to enjoy it as much as the older cousins. Tangie mentioned that it felt as if we had 2 sets of twins! Can you imagine? Yikes!

We attended church and the kids' Sabbath school with everyone in attendance. The grandparents enjoyed showing their friends the grandkids from Florida. We all went to the Olive Garden for lunch and then made our way back home for naps. The twins had fallen asleep on the ride back so instead of risking them waking up when we try to get them out of their car seats, I instead took them on an hour and a half drive through the mountain sides, the twists and turns of the road added to the rocking of their dreaming. This also offered a chance for Tangie and Brae to take a nap in relative peace back at the house.

Papa and Nana enjoyed seeing the older cousins catch up and interact together.

This would be the only time I approve of her taking a bath with a boy.

Kohlden sits on his great-grandfather's lap during church on Sabbath. Papa Harold (Papa 2) got a kick out of it, as this was the first time he had ever met the twins.

Tangie's Uncle Jay helps Maddy try to "walk the walk" during the sermon.

The entire family for lunch at the Olive Garden.

Obviously someone said something very funny.

Saturday night the grandparents gave us a chance to go on a double date with Tangie's brother Tadd and his wife Courtney. We hadn't seen each other in over a year so it was nice to go and eat and hang out and catch up, although most of the conversations ended up being about the children. What's new, right? Anyway, we had wings at Buffalo Wild Wings (note to self: very hot sauce will make Tangie's eyes water like she's crying) and then went to see the movie "The Adjustment Bureau" which ended up being different than what we thought from the previews. Very intiguing and a little thought provoking drama. By the time we arrived to pick the kids back up at Deeda's the twins were asleep and the 2 older cousins were on their 3rd movie. It was midnight, after all!

Sunday we celebrated Braelyn's birthday by taking the whole clan out to Fun City, a huge indoor recreation center, complete with bowling, miniature golf, go cart racing, and Brae's favorite, a foam ball center that had all these devices to shoot all these foam balls. It was a lot of fun; even the twins enjoyed themselves a bit. I started feeling funny that morning and knew something was coming down. So I quickly went to the drug store to get Zycam and meds to counterract the symptoms. No way was I going to miss my 10 AM tee time the following morning!

The party moved back to Nana and Papa's house, where, after a struggle to get the twins down for a much needed nap, we ordered in Mexican food and caught up on the news with Japan's earthquake and terrible tsunami. Awful can't even describe it. I ended up turning in early for the night to try to fight this cold.

The birthday girl poses with one of many contraptions designed to make playing with balls so much fun.

Rock star!

Just hanging out with Daddy.

Kohl enjoyed covering up his big sistser.

It had a mini metropolis, perfect for kids!

The hardwood floors are so much easier to slide in than carpet!

I was hitting a couple of shots in the fairway behind their house when all of a sudden 9 deer decided they were going to eat there. I'm literally 30 feet away from them in this picture. Amazing!

Looks like they're ready for piano lessons!

Monday morning Papa, Tadd, and I braved a chilly 39 degrees and teed off for a round of 18. It was supposed to be sunny and high of 68, but that wasn't until noonish. We had lost an hour due to daylight savings over the weekend and our 10 AM was really 9 AM so it was still very cold. Not until the sun burned the cloud cover after 6 holes we started feeling our hands and then the layers started to peel off. It was a nice round and although I wish I could've shot better, let's just say I did break 100, which is still not a very good score.

Nana took the older twins out to a local playground to spend some energy while the great grandparents babysat the twins. Thank goodness for all the hands that helped! Tangie managed to get a couple hours of work done before her laptop battery died on her. After golf I started a couple loads of laundry to start the packing process back to Florida before we all joined together again for dinner, this time at Tadd and Courtney's house. Pizza and s'mores were on the menu and we managed to take a picture of the entire family, although there was always a kid not looking or something. Oh well. At least we have photoshop.

They seemed to enjoy hanging out with each other the entire weekend, for the most part.

Kohlden looks like he's a natural behind the wheel. Just a few more years buddy!

Every house we went had their stock of toys.

Our most successful try in getting all 5 grandkids together in one picture.

Can you tell which ones are ours?

Papa enjoys playing with the babies...

and they enjoy laughing at him!

Potential Christmas card photo?

Our very own GAPKids model!

A nice bonfire to cap the evening and trip.

We packed the majority of Tuesday morning, as we had to leave for the airport by 2:30 PM. Papa and Nana took us there in both cars, and they were sad to see us go, although Nana will be coming to Florida in 2 weeks to spend some time with us to celebrate the twins' first birthday, so she wasn't too sad! We enjoyed ourselves spending time with the family and look forward to seeing them again very soon!

So, how was the flight back going to be, we wondered. Would it be just as nice as the flight there? Would we have some help from some good Samaritan like Sarah Roberts? We were able to load up during family boarding but this time we were surrounded by an all men's college lacrosse team. Would one of them have an affinity for babies? No dice. That's okay, we'll manage, thank you.

Again, we were able to put the babies down after a small period of restlessness, and I managed to keep Braelyn awake and entertained the whole trip back, so she could walk out of the airplane while we had the twins. After getting our bags and the car, we arrived back safe and sound, and very tired, almost 1 AM. Tangie went straight to work the following morning to Port Canaveral, and I let the kids sleep in until 9 before they woke up, and took them to school. It was Braelyn's birthday and they were having a birthday party at school so she didn't want to miss it!