A Trip To The Farm

For the New Year's Holiday we took the boys to visit Grandma and Grandpa Egger down on the farm in Oregon. This was the first time Drew and Evan had been south of Babies R Us in Lynnwood and Isaac south of Children's Hospital in Seattle. Needless to say an 8 hour car drive was a daunting task but WELL worth it! We drove at night while the boys slept and it worked like a charm! Casey drove straight through making record time (7 hours). Poor Grandma and Grandpa waited up until 2am to greet us!

The boys did great while on vacation! They slept good, they ate good, and they tried really hard to be good! We had such a good time visiting Casey's family and the boys really enjoyed hanging out with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Tina, Aunt Kortni, and cousin Kayli (who was nice enough to share her old toys). We have been practicing identifying animals and their sounds with the boys so it sure was fun to show them some real live cows up close.

Our visit just happened to coincide with the Fiesta Bowl which the University of Oregon was playing in so we got "Ducked". We were all outfitted with yellow and green duck gear which greatly pained Casey to wear as he is a paid WSU Cougar! You should have seen his face! We had a wonderful time at the farm and can't wait to go back!!!

Tina and Evan

Isaac, Casey, Drew, & Grandma checking out the mommy cow and baby cows.

Grandpa and Drew just hanging out.

Kortni and Kayli

They boys spent endless hours playing with these large blocks. They especially loved playing peek-a-boo with Grandma!

Lights of Christmas

We ventured out and took the boys to the Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach. We typically don't go many places other than Costco and Target as a family so this was a pretty big outing for us, especially in the cold! We took the boys in our wagon and they all took turns riding and being carried. Although we lost a few mittens along the way they boys really seemed to enjoy sightseeing and people watching. Maybe next year we won't be doing an Indy 500 lap around the lights and will be able to stop for hot chocolate and doughnuts!

Christmas 2009

Christmas was a lot of fun for our family this year. The boys enjoyed looking at Christmas decorations and lights and would have really liked to touch it all. Although the boys received many gifts, the wrapping paper and boxes proved to be their favorite toys. Not only did new "big boy" toys come at the perfect time (as the boys were getting very bored with their baby toys) but Santa also brought them a big slide to help get out some of their endless energy. They love sliding but have found it more fun to climb to the platform and dance which inevitably creates a baby traffic jam and biting and pushing ensues. Close supervision is required:)

A rare family picture with everyone looking in the same direction!

The boys were able to visit with Santa this year to share all of their wants and wishes for Christmas. I had "heard" of Santa's Den in Marysville that people really liked so I decided to check it out. My mom and I dressed the boys in their Christmas sweaters, packed them in the car and headed out for Santa pictures. I arrived at Santa's Den to find the actual Den curtained off but the desk where you purchased your package had really nice sample photos with a nice looking Santa in front of a decorated tree or fireplace. So we purchased our package and waited our turn. Finally, Santa was ready for us...or so he thought. The Egger hurricane entered the den and I quickly began grabbing boys and trying to get them sitting with Santa. By the time I took a real good look around at the "Den" it was too late. The "Den" consisted of the ugliest, cheapest looking backdrops and a stuffed reindeer. So I went with the dollar store den and figured it wouldn't look that bad in the pictures. Wrong! Oh well, we will laugh about it next year!! Despite the surroundings the boys did ok. There were a few tears but no major meltdowns. Mom and I were sweating and exhausted by the time we were done but it was worth it...kind of:)

Surprisingly, Evan who has recently been the most shy around strangers did the best with Santa. Must have been the candy canes!

Isaac didn't like Santa very much and never once looked at the camera.

Drew is frozen with fear in a running position.

Yes Evan, you are sitting on a dead, stuffed Rudolf and Santa has a death grip on the back of your sweater.

Can't wait for next year!!!!

Thankful Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving I am reminded of what I am truly thankful for. My family. This time last year we almost lost our Little Isaac The Great. It was the most difficult hurdle I have encountered as a new parent - knowing something is wrong with my child and not being able to do anything about it. I took Isaac to see a doctor 4 times during this week last year and each doctor (yes, 4 different doctors) said that there was nothing wrong with him, well, other than maybe some acid reflux. On the night of the 29th Casey and I determined that something definitely was not right and took Isaac to the ER. Just as we made it down the hallway to a nurse Isaac stopped breathing. We had arrived just in time for doctors and nurses to revive Isaac and save his life. Amazingly, on a night when something was so wrong, many things went right. We went to the right hospital at the right time. Isaac is a perfectly healthy, strong little boy today and I can't imagine life without him. Although we celebrate Isaac and our luck, the fragility and preciousness of life is not lost on me. I am still overcome with emotion when I have a quiet moment to myself and cherish the one on one time I have with Evan, Isaac, and Drew, especially in the middle of the night. I am so thankful for a family that is supportive and loving. I am thankful for friends who call even when they don't know what to say. I am thankful for doctors and nurses who treat children as if they were their own. And I am thankful for every minute I have with my family. I am especially thankful that my dad told me to take Isaac to Everett that night instead of Arlington and also for Casey who drove us fast enough!

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting

These babies are fast as lightening!
It has started. The boys have began fighting. They have been grabbing toys from one another for a while now but it has escalated into wrestling, smacking and biting. Yes, biting. They really enjoy stealing binkies from out of someone else's mouth even if they already have a binky and they like to smack each other with crazy arms. Evan especially likes to do this. This kid has little fists of fury that move so fast. It can get ugly when they use their sippy cups when hitting. It is really hard to mediate because half the time they are all laughing and having a good time. The biting is the worst and what is most disturbing about it is that they are trying to bite each other in the back of the head! They will all have big wet slobbery spots in the back of their hair by the end of play time! How am I supposed to stop this? I have this awful vision of my boys being the freaky kids on the playground who only speak in their own language and growl and bite at the other kids! How could my little angels be biters? It is just a phase right?

Just look at this chaos! I have to pick up their play room several times a day so they can tear it apart all over again.
Does this look like a biter?

Does this look like a fighter?

Does this look like a destructive spider monkey?

No. Not these angels!!!

The Force Is Strong In These Ones

One of the benefits of having multiples is dressing up for Halloween as a group. This year we decided to dress up in Star Wars gear. The boys were Ewoks, Casey was Obi Wan Kenobi, Brewster was Yoda, and I was Princess Leia.

On Friday we went to Granite and did some trick or treating in the office. They boys were distracted enough by all of the people and other kids that they stopped trying to tear their hoods off. Drew was let loose to walk and managed to find a Papa-ish looking old guy and went straight to him and asked to be picked up. He did this 3 times!!! I had to tell him it wasn't Papa and quickly get out of there:)

On Halloween we stopped by to see Uncle Eric, Grace, and Ella before heading over to Grandma and Papa's house. It is hard to believe that on Halloween a year ago Casey and I were bringing Drew and Isaac home from the hospital. Look how far we have come!!! We had a great time this year and are already thinking of ideas for next year!

Casey has some sweet light saber fighting moves!

Mommy and Evan.

Daddy and Drew.

Drew. I think he really likes being dressed up:)

Isaac. He is probably looking for fallen candy to eat.

Evan. He is a wild Ewok.

And you can't forget the Jedi Master, Brewster.

Look Who Is 1!

Casey and I are the proud parents of toddlers!! The boys turned 1 on October 18th and thoroughly enjoyed the festivities in their honor, although they may have just thought it was any other day with some cake.
I am so late in posting the pictures and updating about their birthday because, honestly, I am speechless. I don't know what to say about it. I just can't believe an entire year has gone by. An entire year that I have been responsible for keeping 3 tiny babies alive. It has been the hardest, most challenging, and most rewarding year of my existance and I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Evan

Isaac

Drew

Notice that Isaac is all done with his cake before Evan and Drew are even half way done. Also notice that Brewster has found a new spot at mealtime.

Drew

Isaac

Evan

Isaac shoveling cake into his tiny mouth!

Drew savoring every bite.

Evan building momentum for a sugar rush.

Party at Grandma and Papa's!

I'm such a lame mom. I bought their cake from Costco.