The Callisters

We Need Privacy

2012-01-22T19:04:00.000-05:00

Hey friends and family,

We decided it is time for our blog to become private so if you want to be able to still read it, please send us your email.

15 months and the days keep flying...

2011-12-27T23:41:00.000-05:00

We love our little girly trwirlies so very much. They've gotten to such a fun stage and keep us on our toes. Everyday is an adventure with two 15 month old pixies scampering around. Can you believe they're 15 months?!!!

Ivy at 15 months:

Talks with a sweet, breathy voice. She says "hi," "eye," "mama," "bye," "nigh-night," and a whole collection of other unidentifiable words that only those who speak Ivy-ese can understand.
Loves having us play This Little Piggy with her toes. She'll even continue to play it by herself once we've finished.
She knows the hand actions to "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and asks me, using her sweet little sounds and wiggling fingers, to sing it to her.
Cries out for us to come get her in the morning. Meanwhile, Sophie waits quietly in the corner of her bed letting Ivy do all the work to alert us that they're awake. When I arrive to pick Ivy up, she hastily grabs her blanket and clutches it to her chest to bring with her. I can't help but giggle a little to myself when she does it.
Wants to wear her winter coat whenever she sees it, as well as any of her fleece jackets (sometimes layered one on top of another). Her pink and white polka dot jacket is clearly her favorite. She finds it instantly every time she gets into the laundry basket or the piles of freshly folded clothes. She'll carry anything soft and cozy all over the house with her.
Pats her chest and smiles when we ask, "Where's Ivy?"
Runs over when one of us sitting on the floor and crouches on her haunches to look us right in the face and I'm talking inches away with her cute, inquisitive little eyes searching ours. It becomes a staring contest that I always lose, especially when one of her breathy sweet babbling questions erupts from her lips.
She pauses before doing something naughty to see if I'm looking and if I'm going to stop her. Then she hurries to do it anyway. That turkey.
Looks so proud of herself when she pulls what she considers a daredevil move like standing on our ride toy or climbing to the top of the kitchen table.
She's been loving on stuffed animals lately.
She loves baths.
She likes trying to use utensils to feed herself.

Sophie at 15 months:

Giggles hysterically when daddy comes home and rushes to greet him shrieking "Da da da da!" When he picks her up, she nuzzles in and gives him a light peck on his cheek. Makes Bryce feel like a million bucks!
Finds excitement in the simplest things. Books get her giggling. Setting up a play tent brings out her hysterical giggle shriek. Songs bring her scampering into the room and leaping onto my lap.
She can't get enough of Isaac. She wants to be with him, playing with his toys. She loves chasing him and being chased.
She's gotten pretty good at communicating her wants.
She's a little jungle monkey climbing up anything and everything, paving the way for Ivy to follow. Her latest accomplishment has been scaling the high chairs, up and over the food trays, and wiggling herself into the seats.
Says, "da da," "ma ma," "bap ba" (grandpa), "nigh night," "bye," "hi," "yeah," "dis," and "baby." She's also pretty good at imitating words we tell her to say. She loves bringing toys and other objects to us for us to tell her what they are called and then she tries to repeat the word we said.
Has a sixth sense for dishes left on the table within her reach. Her favorite finds are Isaac's leftover cereal and yogurt dishes. I often find her covered in milk or yogurt, happily licking away at the spoon.
She's become my little helper. When I'm changing Ivy's diaper, Sophie usually brings me about 5 new diapers, the wipes, and the Desitin. After baths, when I'm drying Ivy off, Sophie hands me the lotions, clean diapers, and new clothes.
Watches how things are done, how toys are played with, etc. and is a perfect imitator.
Loves books and songs.
Makes everyone feel like they're her favorite person.

Christmas Photos

2011-12-25T23:45:00.000-05:00

Christmas Suprises

2011-12-25T23:08:00.000-05:00

Christmas Morning...

...we woke up and ate breakfast, completely surprised that Isaac wasn't bouncing off the walls, begging to go downstairs to see what Santa had brought him. I began to think he'd forgotten all about Christmas and simply thought it was another normal morning. Once everyone else in the family had gotten up for the day, we started asking Isaac whether or not he thought Santa came during the night. We sent him downstairs to investigate, knowing that the Batcave he'd been dreaming of for weeks was strategically placed so as not to be missed. After a few minutes, Isaac came running up the stairs, bursting to tell us what he'd found. To our surprise, he had a toothbrush in his hand and announced like it was the most amazing and exciting thing ever, "SANTA BROUGHT ME A TOOTHBRUSH!!!"

WHAT???!!! Who IS this kid?! Seriously, was a TOOTHBRUSH all we needed to get to make his hopes and dreams come true? I sure wish we'd known he was so easy to please when we were shopping this year! Hilarious.

We sent him back downstairs with strict instructions to look ALL AROUND the room. This time he didn't return and when we finally made our way to the Christmas tree, we found him deep in play with Batman and Robin and his super cool Batcave. I guess Santa did alright after all.

Ice Skating on Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T22:30:00.000-05:00

Home Sweet Cabin

2011-12-24T08:33:00.000-05:00

We spent the days leading up to, and Christmas day itself, at the family cabin in Twain Harte (in the Sierra Nevadas). It was lovely to be in the mountains. I've always loved mountains! The evergreens smelled amazing and the weather was beautiful. Although, we HAD been hoping for lots of fluffy white snow. We packed all of our snow gear from Pittsburgh to California, planning to spend time skiing, tubing, and frolicking in the winter wonderland the mountains were sure to offer!! No problem though, we still enjoyed ourselves immensely and it's always fun to be with Bryce's family no matter what we are doing.

In short, here's what life was like for us at the cabin:

We cut our own Christmas tree and decorated it with "treasure" from the box of booty dug up at Yosemite Lake a few days earlier.
The girls were in heaven with so many rooms to explore, the bathroom topping their list of favorite places to get into all kinds of mischief. I can't even tell you how many rolls of toilet paper those two dismantled. Talk about double trouble!! I tried to use up the ever expanding mound of unraveled paper on their drippy noses.
Bryce and I jogged around the lake every day to burn off those extra holiday calories.
We indulged in, not one, but two breakfasts every morning. I felt a little like a hobbit having second breakfast but honestly, who can turn down french toast with syrup that tastes exactly like Magleby Fresh's whipped maple? Yum yum!
We shared Disney Classics like The Little Mermaid, The Jungle Book, and The Emperor's New Groove with Isaac.
We shared Christmas classics like White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life with Aunt Allie.
Bryce cooked us all a delicious Filipino dinner with lumpia and adobo on the menu. He decided an annual Filipino dinner would make a good holiday tradition.
We decorated gingerbread houses. Brad and Jordan could have won a decorating contest!
Of course, it wouldn't be a Callister gathering if there wasn't all kinds of tomfoolery. Nobody can get us laughing to tears like Uncle Brad!
Isaac underwent intense pirate training, directed by grandpa and Uncle Jordan. I didn't see exactly what they did, but I do know it involved a zip line, a rope swing, and play equipment. Isaac was in heaven.
Uncle Brad, Uncle Jordan, and Isaac climbed up a hollowed out tree.
We took walks.
We went bowling. Uncle Jordan's skills were unmatched and I believe he broke a personal record. Isaac bowled a better score than I did! It looks like we should have kept the bumpers up for me!! Hahaha! The girls kept us so busy between our turns. Both were dead set on running down the bowling lane and nothing, so it seemed, would distract them. After lots off tantrums and walking them all throughout the bowling ally, a nice woman working at the food counter took pity on us and brought each of them a chocolate chip cookie (their first cookie ever). The cookies worked like a charm and we bowled the rest of our game in peace. I wish we'd thought of bringing chocolate chip cookies on the airplane!
We went ice skating (more on that in another post).
We laughed hard. We ate hard. We played hard.

Adventure to Treasure Island

2011-12-21T21:11:00.000-05:00

Here be the tale of the grandest of all hunts for treasure to be told:

Grandpa came home one fine evening to tell us all that he had caught wind of an old legend of a map leading to fortunes beyond our wildest dreams. To all of our astonishment this map was thought to be hidden amongst the aged (age-ed) trees in the Forest of Cobble Creek (Grandpa's property). Despite our fearful hearts, we girded up our loins and headed on a search for this fabled map. Our journey to the Forest of Cobble Creek was fairly uneventful compared to the strenuous search through the heavy wood. But alas, it led us directly to the place of the tallest tree that seemed to glow as the fearsome Capn' Isaac Sparrow approached. He had to call upon his monkey like companion, Jordan to scale this beast of a tree and claim the prize sought by so many, yet never quite reached. Lest ye feel that this be the end of this fine tale, fear not- tis only the beginning. After obtaining this map of wonders, Capn' Isaac hid the map close to his breast and we carefully made our way home to chart our course for the morrow.

Although he would not divulge, Capn' could hardly hold his bladder for his excitement come mornin'. We were able to procure a motorized vehicle to hoist and transport our sea faring vessel to the treacherous waters of Lake Yosemite. The Capn' gave us our heading and we made berth upon the shore where fisherman from the Orient dotted the coast line to wish us "fair journey." The launch went beautifully, however, as the depths of the sea lengthened we became painfully aware of mermaids in the distance (the fearsome ones from Pirates of the Caribbean, On Stranger Tides). The Capn' spotted them clearly and called for his musket and began plucking them off like grapes. King Triton must have smiled upon as as we found ourselves landing upon the shore of Treasure Island with ner a scratch.

Upon our landing, we did find that the mermaids began to swarm, but to our fortune, Capn' Isaac is master of musket and beasts and they soon found that they were no match for his grandeur. The Capn' consulted his chart and pointed directly to the spot where lay the X. Yes the X! With the voice of thunder, the Capn' ordered his treasure dug up as he kept watch for those who would do us harm. The chest was found and its contents were beyond that of the city of gold. We all exclaimed, "We're rich, we're rich" and did a little jig. Our hearts soared as Capn' Isaac's generosity was shown in his sharing of a piece of silver each. After we feasted upon sandwiches made from the finest peanut butter and jelly of the land and sleeking our thirst with "pirate juice."

A calm as never known before came upon the waters and we set off to return to the kingdom with our treasure. We were able to collect the fair maiden, princess Jessica Buttercup on our journey back to shore and made sure to pay homage to the mysterious white lady of the sea. She let us pass and we were greeted with the warmest and fondest of welcomes. The young girls squealed with delight upon seeing our return. Twas a journey that will never be forgotten...

Contentment Realized

2011-12-20T23:43:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have times when you feel all is right in the world? Times when you feel absolutely and utterly content? Bryce and I had one of those moments during our Christmas vacation. We were staying with Bryce's dad (Grandpa Calvin) and relaxing for the first time in weeks. It felt great to be outside again, enjoying the weather, the sunset, the wide open spaces, and big broad roads free from pot holes and traffic. We rode bikes. We walked to the property to feed the horses. We held hands. We had some serious silly time and made fools of ourselves without caring. We danced. The kids went to bed and Bryce and I talked about how great our life is and how much we love our family. I love moments like that where life seems to come together and you get to step outside the chaos and see how truly blessed you are.

Visit to Santa & Jaime (both exciting events)

2011-12-17T22:36:00.000-05:00

Isaac has really caught onto the idea of Santa this year. At the beginning of the month we got a Toys-R-Us ad in the mail and one toy in particular really caught Isaac's eye. The picture of Batman and his Batcave captivated Isaac's attention for days until one of our little girls found the paper and destroyed it. By that point, however, Isaac had every feature of this super cool Batcave etched into his mind and his heart was set on Santa bringing it to him for Christmas. Isaac had been wanting to discuss the matter with Santa for a couple of weeks when an opportunity finally presented itself.

We flew to California for Christmas vacation and stayed the first night in the Bay Area with my sister, Jaime. The next day we took it easy (trying to recover from our arduous journey!) and spent time enjoying Jaime and her cute family. Isaac was delighted to find out that Santa was visiting the fire station down the street from my sister's house. He and his cousin, Preston, sat on an old time fire engine with Santa, got their picture taken, and Isaac got his chance to relay his hopes and dreams to the big man.

Isaac wished he could have had more time to hang with the jolly old elf. I wish we could have spent more time with my sister!!!

Family Photos

2011-12-04T16:48:00.000-05:00

Remember my photo shoot flop a few posts back? Well, I was telling (okay, complaining to) my super skilled photographer friend, Jess Thomas, about how impossible it is for me to take a decent picture of all three of my kids. She listened sympathetically, encouraged me not to give up, and then best of all, kindly offered to do a family photo shoot for us so I could get started on our Christmas cards!!! Happy day!

Since it was the end of November, my biggest concern was that we wouldn't be able to find a day with good enough weather conditions. We picked a Sunday that was forecasted to be fairly mild and partly cloudy. Well, Sunday came and so did an unexpected change in the weather. Of course, rain should NEVER be a surprise in Pittsburgh...we were just hoping weather.com had it right this time. By the end of church, the clouds were looking ominous, but we thought we'd try and outrun Mother Nature. We got home and frantically began feeding the kids, picking coordinating outfits (a bigger task than planned, since the clothes I had in mind ended up looking funky together) ironing clothes, and fixing messed up hair-dos. Halfway through getting ready, the sky unleashed its fury and my heart sank. I decided to keep on working to get the family ready, hoping there would be a break in the weather by the time we met up with Jess.

Well, guess what?! It rained up until the moment we stopped by Jess' house to pick her up and the rain didn't start up again until we were on our last few shots. How's that for a Sunday afternoon miracle?!!

Jess did a fantastic job and we're so grateful that we have these awesome pictures of our family. Thanks Jess!!! We owe you one.

Hooray

2011-12-03T18:32:00.000-05:00

It's always fun when grandpa comes, when grandpa comes, hooray!

Grandpa Blaine stopped by Pittsburgh to visit us for a few days on his way home from a business trip and we are sooooo glad he did!!! We loved having him with us.

While grandpa was here:

We decorated the Christmas Tree.
We listened to Christmas music.
We put together a gingerbread house.
We went shopping at Target and grandpa spoiled the grand kids.
Sophie learned that a lamb says, "baaa." She loved bringing the pieces of our nativity to my dad. He'd tell her the names of each person or animal and she'd try to repeat what he said. The best was the lamb. My dad taught her the sound a lamb makes. She couldn't figure out how to make the vibrating "baaa" noise in her throat and so her version was to shake her head back and forth while saying, "baaa" to create the effect.
Ivy found someone to humor her love for dressing up in blankets, coats, sunglasses, and repeatedly putting on her shoes.
Isaac talked his ear off. Isaac has a lot to say these days.
We enjoyed lunch at Kaya (a tasty little joint serving island inspired cuisine).
We took the kids on a walk around the neighborhood.
We made our yearly pilgrimage to the Christmas lights at Hartwood Acres.
We had a mini Christmas and opened presents from him and grandma as we video chatted with said grandma and Aunt Jenn.
We hated to say goodbye. Good thing he comes back for another visit in January!! I guess he had as much fun as we did. Isn't family the best?!

Hartwood Acres

2011-12-02T15:45:00.000-05:00

Isaac (in his pj's) riding in the front seat of the car, cinnamon sugar kettle corn, and Tim Tam Slams can only mean one thing. It's that time of year again...christmas lights at Hartwood Acres! Hartwood Acres has become one of our favorite Christmas time traditions here in the 'Burgh. It just so happens that my dad has been in town for our annual trip two years in a row. Lucky him!! Or should I say, lucky us.

Gingerbread House

2011-12-01T23:46:00.000-05:00

Isaac and I assembled a gingerbread house one afternoon during the girls' nap. Isaac kept a sharp look out for broken candies. He made sure to take immediate action on those candies that didn't pass his cosmetic standards. His mouth also made quick work of ALL the candies that hit the floor.

By the end of our activity, Isaac had probably enjoyed too many jaw breakers, gum drops, and sprees AND I probably licked the icing off my fingers a few too many times. Sounds like successful gingerbread house-making to me!

Our colorful and tasty-looking house enchanted Sophie so much that she snuck into the kitchen when no one was looking, climbed up the chair and onto the kitchen table to get a closer look and maybe, with some luck, a quick nibble. My dad happened to walk in the kitchen just as she was ready to pounce on our gingerbread masterpiece. She startled and scurried to get off the table as fast as she could move her tiny body. That little turkey knew she was doing something naughty!!!!

Gobble Gobble

2011-11-27T23:17:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving 2011:

We rented a vacation house in Deep Creek, Maryland with our cousins, Matt and Amy, and their families. Thanksgiving with family is the best.
We stayed up until all hours of the night (after the kids were tucked away) talking, laughing, and trying to outdo each other in fast-paced games of "Nurtz."
Ivy & Sophie perfected their climbing skills on the stairs (their fave place to kick it at the house). We only have one tumble to report (Ivy). I for one, was thrilled they had decent stairs to practice on. The stairs at our house in Pittsburgh are dangerously steep. Since our trip, I feel a lot better about letting the girls roam freely around our house.
Isaac found a kindred lover of all things pirate in our cousin's son, Gavin. The two argued over who would pretend to be Captain Jack Sparrow, finally settling on one being Capt. Jack from The Black Pearl and the other being Capt. Jack from Dead Man's Chest. Pirate jokes were also exchanged.
Isaac "played" foosball with all the kids. When they weren't playing foosball, they were chasing each other around the house.
The kids "hot tubbed" in a barely lukewarm hot tub. Brrrrrrrrr!!!!!!
Bryce took Isaac on a mountain coaster. Bryce reported that Isaac laughed his way down the mountain. Isaac reported that he almost flew out of the seat as they whipped around the bends in the track.
We made turkey head bands and played Thanksgiving Bingo. We also made turkey goodies out of Oreos and Candy Corns.
We took walks and explored. All the boys collected sticks and threw rocks. We couldn't have asked for better weather.
We feasted on turkey, gourmet stuffing, candied yams, mashed potatoes, tangy beans, jello with pudding, strawberry spinach salad, orange rolls, and a plethora of delectable pies (not to mention a pumpkin cheesecake that was to die for!) Isaac, it turns out, is a big fan of turkey.
We feasted a few more times ;).
We visited the state park where we played kick ball, practiced batting skills, romped around, and tried a little fishing (...or so all the kids thought. We didn't actually tie on a hook and bait.).
We remembered the blessings we have.
We savored every minute of our Thanksgiving break. It was hard to come back to every day life!

Turkey Bowl

2011-11-19T22:50:00.000-05:00

Byrce's program director hosts a turkey bowl (residents vs. attendings) at his estate every November.

The weather turned out to be fantastic so I decided to try to get some pictures for Christmas cards. Well, the photo shoot turned out to be a flop but I still captured some cute moments with the kids.

See if you can find the one where they're eating rocks! Yep, eating rocks...one of the many challenges I encountered while trying to take the "perfect picture."

And the outcome of the turkey bowl? Another flop, for the residents that is. At least we were able to salvage our day with grilled hot dogs and a campfire with s'mores.

Just Because

2011-11-10T16:37:00.000-05:00

a Chicken, a Monster, & a Pirate

2011-10-31T17:24:00.000-04:00

Halloween at the Callister's this year:

We carved pumpkins. Isaac drew the triangle eyes and nose for us to cut out.
We played Halloween Bingo and gobbled up the candy from our game boards as fast as we could after someone got BINGO.
We ate taco soup and corn bread.
Our kids dressed up. We had a chicken, a monster, and a pirate. They were pretty darn cute. In fact, Isaac and Ivy actually won the costume contest at our ward's Halloween Party on Saturday. It looks like everyone else thought our kids were adorable too! (Thanks Grandma Gwen, Grandma Mo, and Grandma Cindy!!!)
We trick-or-treated until Isaac dropped (literally--he fell head first down someone's stairs).
We came home to some delicious hot apple cider. It was perfect after being out in the drizzling rain.
Isaac didn't waste anytime digging into his loot. Neither did Sophie. She got her first taste of candy and she's been desperate to get her hands on it ever since.
We made witches hats and ate them.
Bryce and I finished off a satisfying Halloween listening to Harry Potter (And yes, we snuggled! AND enjoyed some of Isaac's Halloween candy. SHHH don't tell.).

Carving Pumpkins

2011-10-30T22:10:00.000-04:00

Four Fingers

2011-10-24T22:21:00.000-04:00

Guess who gets to hold up four fingers now when people ask, "And, how old are YOU?"
Yes, indeed, our little Isaac man is a big FOUR year old now! I can hardly believe it myself.

We celebrated his birthday with an awesome pirate party a few days before and a cozy family dinner on the big day. Isaac chose his own menu and I must say, his taste is impeccable . We ate Teriyaki Steak (similar to P.F. Chang's Mongolian Beef...yummy) and an Asian Cucumber and Tomato Salad (my mouth is watering all over again!!). It looks like Isaac is developing a taste for the exotic like his parents.

Since we already had an ice cream cake at Isaac's birthday party, we made Pazookies instead, for the customary singing and candle blowing. What's a Pazookie, you ask? Do yourself a favor and make yourself one. Put cookie dough in a custard dish and bake it until it's half done. Pull it out of the oven, top immediately with vanilla ice cream, and dig in. Delightful.

We ended Isaac's birthday by opening presents and video chatting with grandparents.

I also interviewed Isaac and found out his "Favorites at Four." Here's the list of his answers:

Favorite Color: Green
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Treat: Lolly Pops
Favorite Song: Here We Go Loopty Loo
Favorite Primary Song: Praise to the Man
Favorite Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
Favorite Cartoon Movie: The Lion King
Favorite TV Show: Dinosaur Train
Favorite Toy: Geo Trax trains
Favorite Game: Busytown
Favorite Book: Robin Hood
Favorite Thing to do Outside: Riding his bike
Favorite Thing to do at School: Free play
Favorite Family Activity: Playing with daddy
Favorite Animal: Lion
If you could have a pet, what would you get? A dog
What do you want to be when you grow up? A missionary or Captain Jack Sparrow

Now it's my turn to write down some things I want to remember about...

ISAAC AT 4 YEARS:

He's a confident little guy. He never seems overly anxious or shy when meeting someone new or talking to an adult. For example, I took him to the dentist the other day and he went alone to the back to get his teeth worked on while I stayed with the babies in the waiting room. Later, when he was finished, the dentist came out to tell me how impressed he was with Isaac. He said that Isaac cooperated perfectly and answered all their questions. He thought Isaac was very mature.
He has a gift for making people happy. He's easy going and generally very content and that radiates to all who are around him.
He's very social and likes to be with friends. He has a hard time saying goodbye when it's time to leave or come inside the house.
He knows how to treat the ladies. He has a few girl friends in the neighborhood who like to dress up as princesses. Isaac plays right along and pretends to be their prince (or sometimes their knight).
He's got one incredible imagination. He pretends all day long. He likes dressing up. His favorite prop is his sword.
He is incredibly helpful to me. He hold the door open for me wherever we go so I can get our double wide jogger through (I don't even need to ask him. He sees a door and just knows what to do). He runs errands around the house for me and seems happy to do it.
He's protective of his sisters. When we're upstairs, he guards the top of the stairs and tries to block off the area so the girls won't fall. He alerts me when he spies something in their mouths.
He loves his sisters so much. He always wants to be a part of putting them down for their naps or for bedtime. He reminds me to brush their teeth and he usually want to sing "Praise to the Man" to them before we leave their bedroom.
Daddy is without a doubt his most favorite person in the whole wide world. He bounces off the walls when dad comes home from work and is on a happy high all the way until bedtime. The two of them sword fight and wrestle and Isaac does a lot of laughing.
He likes to assist in the kitchen. When Bryce or I cook, he likes to be on a chair, right next to us, dumping measured ingredients, stirring, and watching things boil.

I know there's more I could say. There's so many wonderful things that endear Isaac to us. We're so blessed to have him in our lives and love him more than words can describe!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUG!

The Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-23T13:08:00.000-04:00

We went on a Joy School field trip to the pumpkin patch at Simmons Orchards. Admission included a hayride, various fun activities around the patch (i.e. slides, tire swings, pedal carts), a couple of corn mazes, a pumpkin from the patch, an apple for each kid, and apple cider (absolute deliciousness by the way).

Luckily, the weather cooperated and the rain didn't start until we were safely at our cars ready to pack up and drive home!

Isaac had the time of his life. I think so anyway. I was pretty busy with the babies. I didn't take my stroller on the hayride, not really realizing that I wouldn't be able to come back for it very easily. I also figured the girls were walking now anyway. It turns out that the farm is VERY hilly (actually really pretty with the rolling hills but a challenging obstacle for our little squirts). The girls tumbled every which way! There were lots of face plants but (amazingly) not a whole lot of crying. I didn't feel too bad about it until I was putting Sophie in her car seat at the end of our trip and noticed a grass stain across her forehead!

Pirate Paaarrrrrty

2011-10-22T22:48:00.000-04:00

Isaac had his buccaneers over for his epic 4th birthday party. They crossed blades, they sailed the treacherous waters of our backyard, they dared the plank, they searched out the coveted booty, they heartily devoured the pizza and sucked back on some IBC brews, they attacked the Jolly Roger ice cream cake, and they graciously supplemented Captain Isaac's toy and costume selections. Fun!

The Aviary

2011-10-22T22:38:00.005-04:00

So the Aviary was free last Friday.
Luckily Bryce didn't have to go into work until later.
I took Isaac.
I think all of Pittsburgh decided to take their kids to the free day at the Aviary.
Parking was hard to come by.
Why don't I learn to carry quarters in the car?
I canvassed the street looking for people to trade their quarters for a dollar.
We found a nice lady.
The Aviary was a mad house!
So many people that we could only take tiny shuffling steps to get around.
Stroller traffic jams around every turn.
Madness I tell you!
Did I mention it was lucky Bryce didn't have to work until later?
If I had brought the girls with me...
I don't think I would have lived to blog this.
MADNESS!

Gold

2011-10-22T22:24:00.002-04:00

"Gold?" Bryce asked me, a little perplexed when he saw the title of my post.

"Uh, Yeah," I said, "Haven't you ever heard the phrase Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other GOLD?

Obscure saying? Maybe.

Cheesy? Definitely.

True? Without a doubt!

One of my "oldy goldy" friends came to visit me earlier this month and we had an awesome weekend catching up and watching our kids play with each other.

Joelle is most certainly high quality gold (24 K ;)), as friends go. Our friendship began over a decade ago when we moved into the same BYU ward. Spending an entire winter skiing our hearts out on the white powdery slopes of The Canyons resort fortified it. Then we were roommates. Suffice it to say, we've made a lot of really fun memories together.

She's a great friend and it's been way to long since we've hung out! I'm so glad she and her kids made the drive (from D.C.) to see us. The weather cooperated too and we were able to get out and enjoy the zoo and the river trail.

Miss Scarlet with the wrench...

2011-10-16T21:29:00.002-04:00

...in the CONSERVATORY!

That's what I kept thinking anyway, when we visited Phipps Conservatory a few Friday's ago when Bryce had work off. How could anyone not think that whilst "taking a turn" around a charming Victorian Era greenhouse? Also, you'll find it's impossible to say the word "conservatory" without a snooty, turn of the century, high society accent. Try it. It's like the word "Grey Poupon." You have to say it a certain way.

Here's what the Phipps website has to say about themselves:

Awaken your senses. Immerse yourself in 17 distinct botanical experiences. Encounter something of the secret life of plants. And glimpse one of the world's greenest public gardens.

Doesn't that sound lovely? Bryce was skeptical but I think he ended up liking the conservatory. Isaac had a grand time running through the winding paths and seeing what was coming next. It was a great place for him explore on a rainy day.

I was pleasantly surprised at how amazing & interesting looking at plants can be. There are some crazy cool looking plants out there! And, did you know there is a plant that smells like chocolate? True Story.

Joy School

2011-10-04T17:32:00.002-04:00

Isaac started joy school (a co-op preschool where the moms take turns teaching) almost a month ago! It's kind of a big deal. He's been asking to go to school for the last year and his dreams are finally being fulfilled! Even better, he gets to go to school with four of his buddies! If he could have it his way, he'd go to school everyday. Sadly, for him though, our school only meets twice a week. Every morning he asks me, "Am I going to school on THIS day?" (The word "today" hasn't made it into his vocabulary yet, despite Bryce's and my best efforts). He gets so excited when I tell him, "Yes, you have school today!

Okay, I admit I get excited too. It's nice to have a small break in the day a few times a week. The girls still take a morning nap and so I have some time to myself...and it is completely guilt free (compared to throwing on a movie) because I know Isaac is learning, socializing, gaining new skills, using his imagination, and doing way more interesting things than we would be doing here at home!

Isaac has been LOVING everything about school. I get a full report at the end of each school day as we eat our lunch. He sings me the songs. He tells me about the funny things the other kids said or did. He wants me to play pretend the same things he pretended with his friends that day. He lists off everything they ate for snack. He always picks one or two parts of the day that were his favorite and tells me about those. So far his favorites have been:

Snack (typical kid)
Pretending to pick apples
Singing It's Time to Say Hello To All Our Friends and dancing
Playing dress-up and being a knight
Acting out what to do if you catch on fire--STOP, DROP, & ROLL!
Digging for "dinosaur bones"
Making swords out of wood (?)

We hosted the first week of school at our house. I loved planning for it. The curriculum we purchased had soooo many fun ideas (Thanks Kristen for your recommendation!). It was hard to choose what to do and what to leave out. I also loved being the teacher! I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed teaching. However, I think I like teaching much better in smaller doses (twice a week, every five weeks, only three hours...AND no HUGE stacks of work waiting to be graded). I can't wait for my turn to come around again--I'm the fourth week of this month--so many GREAT Halloweeny themes and activities!

THE FIRST DAY OF JOY SCHOOL: Sept. 13, 2011

(we're missing one kid)

12 mo. For the Record

2011-09-29T19:32:00.001-04:00

Little Miss Ivy at 1 Year:

Your recent accomplishment is walking. You began taking your first steps a few weeks ago and approached the new skill with great persistence. From the moment you discovered you could take steps without holding onto something, that's all you've wanted to practice. Each time you fell, you would jump right back up to try again. You're walk is super cute...and a little crooked (that's the cute part). You lead with your left leg. With each passing day you get bolder and quicker. Soon you'll be chasing Isaac all around the house!

You have a roving, adventuring spirit about you. You've always been curious and on the move. That hasn't changed one bit as you've gotten bigger. In fact, we took you to the spray park not too long ago and chased you around the entire time! We put you down when we arrived and you took off like you'd been waiting your whole life to escape into the great wide world. The water splashed you but you didn't even pause. You just kept right on crawling until you had explored every inch of the park.

You are a gal that likes your space. You like to be footloose and fancy-free. That's not to say you don't like loves. You give out plenty of those but you don't linger long and are off on your way in flash.

You've got a signature move when you've decided you want a love. You walk over and back your cute little tooshy up until it plops right down in our laps. Then you fling your head back and nuzzle right in. It happens so fast. It's over so fast. Sigh.

Lately, you've decided to shower those loves on your big brother. I wish you could see his face when you snuggle him. He beams. I know he loves it and feels so special.

Peek-a-boo never gets old with you. It's been your favorite game for several months now. You've gotten really good at covering up your own face so you can "boo" me.

When you get excited, you flap your hands up and down exactly the same way Isaac does. You get really excited when Isaac hides from you and you find him.

You are a scavenger. After mealtime is over, you make a beeline straight back into the kitchen to search for all the "snacks" remaining on the floor. You come back out chomping away on whatever goody you found during your raid.

You LOVE blankets. Every night I check on you before heading to bed and you're always curled up on a mound of blanket in your crib (so cute). Whenever you find a blanket on the floor, you get so excited (hand flapping and hyperventilating ensues)! You grab the blanket and try to wrap it around your body like a bath towel. Then you drop to the floor and roll around giggling in the wad of soft material. You love it when Isaac hides under the blanket and tries to grab you. You tackle him over and over again. Sometimes you sit on one of the corners and let him drag you with him as he tries to walk around like a ghost with the blanket over his head. He doesn't think that's as funny as you do though.

You are a mama's girl. I love it. When you're sad you want me. When you're hurt you want me. When you're scared you want me. In fact, you seem to have some stranger anxiety and I get some seriously great snuggles when you're unsure of whoever is around us.

You have an affinity for your brother's footwear. One of Isaac's shoes is usually in your hand. Okay, it's usually in your mouth too.

Lately, you've been perching yourself on top of your piano table. You sit there for sooooo long! You're afraid that if you move, Sophie will come swooping in on your turf. Your fears are not unfounded. Sophie usually steals your spot the minute you get down. Sometimes she doesn't even wait for you to get down. She just shimmies herself on up, pushing you to a corner. Then the two of you sit there awkwardly, crammed into that nest of plastic, the legs of the toy table straining under the weight of two babies...an accident just waiting to happen. Sophie flashes big smiles around the room. You make sure we all know that you're not a big fan of her little stunt.

You're a stinker when it comes to drinking your bottle. I guess it ties you down too much. You'd rather be up and moving. I turn my back for one second and you toss your bottle and are out of there! The only way to keep you focused is to dangle toys over your face as you drink.

You bounce when you hear music or when we sing songs.

You've recently begun doing the actions to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. You're so proud of yourself. We are too ;).

You like having books read to you. That's another technique we use to keep you interested in your milk!

You love getting "horsey rides" and you love it when Isaac or Sophie push you around on Mater (our ride toy).

You are an important part of our family and we love you so much Ivy-girl!

Little Miss Sophie at 1 Year:

You just figured out walking a little over a week ago. You watched Ivy carefully as she would toddle around. You wanted so badly to keep up. You'd try stepping away from the couch but would get nervous every time. You took your first steps for Grandma Jacobson. Both of you got so excited!! You knew you'd done something special. You were so proud of yourself and couldn't wait to show the rest of us your new skills. You ate up all the attention. For a few days you had a hard time controlling your excitement each time you'd try walking and your boisterous enthusiasm would always trip you up. Since then, you've learned to bridle your passion and concentrate. You're improving every day and choosing to walk even when no one is watching.

You are a performer. You thrive on attention. If we're not watching you, you find a way to make us take notice. You have a way of laughing and sucking back the air so that you create a rumbly, gaspy noise in your throat. You'll repeat the sound until we look your way, then reward us with happy cackles.

You have a talent for making people feel loved. You give out your loves generously and smile easily. You squeal with delight when someone new walks into the room and crawl over quickly to climb up onto their lap. You had no problem warming up to both your grandmas when they visited recently.

You've got a cute "concentrating" face. When you're focused on something, your pointy little tongue can be seen wriggling back and forth on your lips. It's pretty dang adorable.

You are a climber. When you're standing in front of the couch, you've always got one leg lifted, toe pointed, searching out something to step on to get you up. If one of us is sitting on the couch, you're grabbing and clambering up our pant legs, working so hard to make it onto the couch. You've even been known to use Ivy as a step stool. Lately, you've gotten really smart and figured out that you can push objects (like the wipes container) over to the side of the couch to climb up on. You love climbing up our stairs. You do it so quickly. Sometimes before I even know you've gotten out the baby gate that blocks that part of the house (scary! since you don't know how to go back down the stairs).

You are grabby. You are always taking things away from your sister. When the two of you are sitting in your highchairs, you like to grab Ivy's tray and pull her closer. You've tipped her highchair over a couple of times and luckily daddy or I have been there both instances to catch her!

You are a good problem solver. When you are playing with our push toy, Mater, and he gets stuck in a tight space between the furniture, you think the problem through and maneuver him back out. It's so interesting to watch you and see the wheels in your head turning.

You whisper sweet nothings to us all the time! I need to record the sweet sounds you make. I'd describe it as a cross between an "s" and "th" (sometimes a soft "d") sound that you repeat over and over again. It is loveable.

You are incredible at pivoting on your bottom! You do it with such impressive speed and agility. Especially when you steal a toy from Ivy and you don't want her to get it back.

You still love toys. You're good at pushing toy cars around on the ground. You like putting toys in containers and then emptying the container. You like trying to stack blocks.

You like playing in the garbage, much to my dismay. You and Ivy can empty the bags of recycling in no time flat. The two of you sit laughing, in the middle of the mess, with handfuls of ads shaking in your fists. Oh boy, double trouble.

You like sitting in the laundry basket and the diaper basket.

You are very observant. You watch EVERYTHING and imitate what you see. You know the actions to songs like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and The Itsy Bitsy Spider. You fold your arms when it is time to say prayers. You try to count food on your tray after you see Isaac counting his grapes. You've learned to hold up your pointer finger (the way we do) when we tell you that you are "1" now.

You call me "mama." You learned the word from Ivy. I'm pretty sure Ivy knows it's my name but she says it more often and randomly. You say it only when you come over to me.

You love getting "horsey rides" and know when it's time to get dropped between my legs. I have to hold onto you tight so your premature "rearing" doesn't fly you off my lap.

You love your pacifier at bedtime.

You are such a little stinker when it comes to feeding you solids! Baby food stays tucked away in your cheeks for an insanely long period of time. Meanwhile the spoon can't possibly make it past the clamped gates of your mouth without some forceful moves from your frustrated parents. And, don't even get me started on table food! You sure like to taste things but you don't swallow the food that goes into your mouth. Instead it ends up in sticky clumps along the bottom of your seat, stuck to your thighs and rear, and littered along the floor (part of Ivy's after dinner snack). I hope you start eating better soon! We've got to get some meat on those bones!!

You like having books read to you.

You are an important part of our family and we love you so much Sophie-girl!

The Girls' 1st Birthday

2011-09-27T22:43:00.000-04:00

We celebrated the girls' 1st birthday with a special family dinner, cupcakes, present opening, and video conferencing with grandparents. Isaac loved helping me prepare everything for our little celebration. He helped mix the cupcakes and fruit punch. We spent a fun evening together!

ONE YEAR PHOTOS

2011-09-27T22:02:00.001-04:00

I understand that posting a deluge of pictures, not presented as a slide show or collage, may border on committing some kind of blogging fopaux. However, in my defense, I do have TWO babies after all. AND, let's not forget that they're absolutely adorable (if I do say so myself). AND AND, most importantly, I had two great friends with mad picture-taking skills snapping shots right along with me. I had triple (even quadruple, no thanks to another spontaneous photo op on Sunday) the amount of heart-melting images to choose from! What's an indecisive mom to do??!

(Hayley and Bethany, I LOOOOVE the moments you were able to capture. You guys did such a great job, it brought tears to my eyes!)

My sweet one-year old girls by, my talented friend, Hayley:

A few shots by yours truly:

More pictures of my darling girls by, my talented friend, Bethany:

AND...yet another. Photos by me, myslef, and I...

Grandma's Visit

2011-09-21T15:01:00.000-04:00

Grandma came to our house for a week. We all loved having her with us. We shopped, we picnicked at "Blue Slide Park" (a fun place nicknamed for it's blue slides and long concrete slide you go down on with cardboard), we went on walks (we tried to take a nice stroll along the river trail but I messed up and took her to the wrong side of the river--we saw where the homeless stash their goods), we enjoyed some "Dutch Blitz," we shared laughs, and explored Washington County's Covered Bridge Festival. Ivy enjoyed performing for grandma. She flapped her arms and laughed and lunged into deep squats to get grandma's attention. Sophie took her first steps for grandma and felt so proud of herself. Isaac, not wanting to miss a moment, followed grandma all over the house, talking her ear off. He was so excited when she gave him a knight's costume one day after Joy School. He refused to wear anything else for the next three days. I finally put my foot down and told him we needed to keep the costume nice for Halloween. The week flew by way to fast. I wish we didn't have to live so far away from family.

Covered Bridge Festival

2011-09-17T15:19:00.000-04:00

Historic covered bridge (think Legend of Sleepy Hollow without the headless horseman...much more peaceful). Small town charm. Crafts for sale. Hay rides. Fresh picked apples (mcintosh...apple perfection). BBQ pulled pork sandwiches. Pirate ship. Climbing wall. Teepee. Friendly llamas. Friendly folks. Fabulous family outing. And, did I mention my mom is in town?! Loved everything about our Saturday!

Simple Pleasures

2011-09-15T16:15:00.000-04:00

Who needs a pricey playhouse when you've got cardboard boxes lying around?

These two boxes were filled with tumbling bodies and giggles all afternoon!

Don't you wish your girlfriend (wife) was hot like mine...

2011-09-11T14:33:00.000-04:00

So thanks... or no thanks... to our friend Amanda, Jess got it into her head that she wanted to go after another 1/2 Marathon about 3 months ago. And go after it she did. She found a training schedule and stuck to it, turning her into the hard body you see below. She even recruited some of her other friends and they all crushed the race. I was so proud to see my bodacious bride sprint the last 75 yards are so to slide in under 2 hours (killin her goal of 2.10.00). For some reason my allergies acted up at just the moment I saw her approach, wasn't really expecting that. I was so proud of her and all that she had accomplished in 10 short weeks. I was also so proud of her friends: Cheryl who ran the bloody thing like a gazelle, Jess T. who clocked in her best time ever, and Amanda who I'm still in complete awe of for finishing the race after a gnarly injury in the first 1/4 of the race, and not a shabby time either given the noxious set-back.
Isaac was so proud of his mom too as he wanted to run with her when she finished. Ivy and Sophie just soaked in the festivities as content as I think I have ever seen them. So go ahead and peruse the pics below to see why I'm the luckiest man alive... hands off gents, she's all mine.

...DON'TCHYA?

-Bryce

Whisked Away

2011-09-04T15:12:00.009-04:00

I'd like to officially nominate this man...

...for a Husband of the Year award.

(I'm getting ready to brag shamelessly about this man of mine so be forewarned!)

Bryce has always been an exceptionally thoughtful husband. Anyone who knows him would agree with me. Here are just a few snippets from his "Husbanding" Resume:

He volunteers to cook dinner almost every night and usually makes a big deal about making something I'm in the mood to eat (even if it takes a lot of effort).
He listens patiently to me when I wake him up in the middle of the night to tell him I can't sleep and is always so emotionally supportive and helpful when I have episodes of insomnia.
He insisted on staying up with the twins the first half of the night (which usually ended up being most of the night so I could sleep first) when they were tiny. This is especially amazing when you consider he reported into work early and worked long demanding hours at the hospital.
He's encourages me to take time for myself. He never complains or acts bothered over having to watch the kids so I can get out. In fact, if I don't take him up on his offer, he's been known to take matters into his own hands and call one or two of my girlfriends up to let them know I need to have a girl's night.
He gets all the kids ready for church on Sunday morning so I can focus on getting myself ready (I'm a little embarrassed writing this down!).

I really could go on and on. So, if those things aren't enough to earn him such a distinguished title as Husband of the Year, I think you all would agree that planning a surprise trip for the two of us more than makes up the difference.

Bryce spent months planning and working extra shifts at the hospital so he could surprise me. He flew his mom out to watch our kids, took a Thursday & Friday off of work, and whisked me away on an adventure!

The whole trip was magical. We toured Fallingwater. We went to the mountains in Maryland. We dined at a nice restaurant. We stayed in a cozy cabin with a hot tub. We went canoeing. We rode on a mountain coaster. We listened to Harry Potter. Bryce made me delicious breakfasts. We forgot we had kids for awhile. We felt like newlyweds.

Thank you Bryce for giving me exactly what I needed! Thank you Gwen for taking care of our kids!

Every wife needs to be whisked away every now and then.

The Power of Leather

2011-08-21T16:08:00.005-04:00

Both Sophie and Ivy go berserk when we put them up on the couch. Could it be the cool leather? Could it be the change of view (The feeling of being on top of the world?)? Or, maybe, the springy-ness? We like our couch too, but to see the way these two react, you'd think that being on our leather couch is the greatest thrill ever. They giggle. They bounce. They scramble over each other. They giggle some more. They look over the edge. They look at me. They laugh their heads off. They tumble in different directions. You try making sure two wriggly babies don't bounce right off the couch! It's a busy job. Generally, we don't let Isaac jump on the couch but it's hard to stop him when all three kids are having so much fun together. I love seeing my kids enjoy each other.

Summer Musings & Miscelleny

2011-08-14T16:16:00.011-04:00

I wish I had time to document every little experience I share with my kids. I want to remember the things we do together and all the details that make each day special (and the things that aren't so special but sum up life at the Callister house at each point in time). I want to capture in pictures and writing their personalities so I can always remember the funny things they say or do. I want to remember the things that sparked their imaginations. I want to remember the sweet simple things too. I want to be able to share with them years down the road the things that made them special to me and to our family. I want a record of Bryce's and my life together. I want AMAZING pictures that tell a story even if I don't take the time to write it all out.

That's a dang lot of wants! And, when I look at other people's blogs it gets me down. I feel like so many other people excel where I feel like I am failing. I know. I know. Blogs never tell the full story. We all get distorted views of each other and the lives we are all living. I'm just saying. This is why I love and hate blogging all at the same time. Heck, I'm guilty of only telling the good things on our blog. Those are the things I want to remember forever and always anyway.

The truth of the matter is, I can't record everything without throwing our life and our time together out of balance. I'm always debating over whether or not to pull out my camera. Do I spend the time trying to snap the perfect picture (which, since I lack the proper know-how, seriously takes me at least 20 shots before I get one I deem acceptable) or do I live in the moment, relishing the experience without the limitations of something in my hands and my eye pressed to a view finder? Not to mention, the amount of time I spend ignoring my kids so I can upload photos, sort and photoshop them, and finally add them to blogger with some sort of "journal entry" (I do try to do it when they're in bed but then it cuts into Bryce's and my time together). Therein lies the dichotomy. I have to keep asking myself, am I making memories with my family or making it look like I have memories with my family? Where am I spending my time? I, for one would rather error on the side of spending my time ENJOYING our time rather than documenting. I just sometimes wish I could "have my cake and eat it too."

So, you'll have to pardon my lengthy rant about blogging. I sat down to post a few random pictures of things Isaac and I have done together this summer. I didn't even realize when I started writing that I had all that bottled up in me. Sorry for the purging! I almost erased all this but decided I want to keep it as a reminder to me of why I'm not an amazing blogger and why I can be OKAY with that. Anyway, here's a small glimpse into our ever day.

Death Cab for (& with my) Cutie

2011-08-08T15:40:00.006-04:00

Perfect. That about sums up our date to the Death Cab concert last Saturday night. No kids. Just the two of us. A band we both love. A nice medium-smallish outdoor venue by the river. Good conversation, waiting for the band to come on stage. Taking goofy pictures with Bryce's iphone. Flirting (between him and me of course ;)). People watching. Remembering how good it feels to be around each other. Sharing excitement over the songs the band decides to play. Singing along. "I need you so much closer..." Sigh. Why must all good things come to an end? We need to do this more often.

Our Neighborhood Bazaar

2011-08-07T15:23:00.005-04:00

I don't think I've ever written much about our small neighborhood. It's just a teeny tiny rectangle shaped area on the eastern side of a Pittsburgh map. It's got a charming name. Morningside. Many folks in our neighborhood grew up here and decided to stay. We've got a lot of Italians who seem to feel a strong sense of pride in their heritage. Everyone is very friendly and neighborly and nebby (a Pittsburgh term for nosy--not in a bad way, at least in my experience). We have a local pizzaria that the neighbors can't say enough good things about. We order from there occassionally. It's nothing special to us. Just your basic pepperoni pizza (Don't tell the people on our street we said that!). As much as we love living here in Morningside, we will probably never have the same overzealous pride in our neighborhood, AND in ALL things related, as our born and bred compatriots. You're not going to see us joining the throngs of Morningsiders as they cheer on our neighborhood football team every Saturday at the park. The Bulldogs may be the pride and glory of our community but we could care less if they win or lose. That said, however, there ARE a few events we wouldn't miss for the world and the yearly Bazaar is one of them! Our local Catholic Parish runs the Bazaar during one weekend in August. This last time marked our family's 3rd year in attendance. Only 2 more bazaars left until residency is over! Bryce and our friend, Paul, better get their acts together if they plan on leaving here in a blaze of glory. They make big plans every year to put together a band to headline the event. If I buy Bryce a pair of sexy leather pants maybe that will motivate him. Maybe next year. I'll keep you posted. Anyway, between the giant slide, bouncy house obstacle course, and electric train ride, Isaac certainly enjoyed himself.

A Pirate's Life for...

2011-08-04T15:04:00.002-04:00

...Isaac! No joke. This boy is part kid, part pirate. Remember when we went to Disneyland and took Isaac on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride? That was the beginning of his love affair with all things pirate. Not long after that trip, we were at the library and a book called A is for Arrr! A Pirate Alphabet, caught Isaac's eye. We had that book checked out for at least 3 months, he loved it so much! Isaac learned just about everything there is to know about pirates and had the book memorized by the time I finally convinced him the library needed it back. Just ask him to tell you all about booty, gold doubloons, quartermasters, and walking the plank! He's a an expert in pirate-ology.

So as I said, Isaac's library book taught him ALMOST all their was to know about pirates, at least the nuts and bolts and basic vocabulary related to the subject. Bryce decided his son's pirate education wasn't complete though, until he'd shown him Pirates of the Caribbean (Curse of the Black Pearl or "the pirate movie with the yucky skeletons on it" as Isaac refers to it). The movie has certainly taken Isaac's imagination to a whole new level. Everything in our house has become a sword. He's begun wearing crocheted beanies around the house in the heat of summer, pretending the braided tassels are the "lines on his head" (translation: Jack Sparrow's dread locks). Couches and beds are ships. His plastic golf club holder is a telescope. He also started asking me if pirates brush their teeth (Ummmm...do I have to answer that??!). I held my breath and told him, "Not very often." Luckily, he still wants to brush his teeth (phew).

When Isaac watches Pirates he acts out every scene...you know, fighting when there's fighting, looking through his telescope when they do, and so on and so forth. My favorite part that he acts out is at the beginning when Jack comes "sailing" into Port Royale on his sinking boat. Isaac jumps up from his sitting position on the couch and stands tall and proud, imitating Jack's commanding pose. Seriously, I can't even describe it right, but it makes me smile every time. It's dang cute.

Well, now that you know all about Isaac and his obsession, you can begin to understand my excitement when I saw advertisements for Dora's Pirate Adventure at our Children's Museum. I knew we had to go. No way we could miss this one. And go we did. With some fun friends.

We really lucked out in the Dora room. None of us had any idea that we were arriving jut in time for a fun (and free) sing-a-long program. We were all surprised when a man dressed up like a pirate came bouncing out and began asking for kids to come up to the "ship" to help him sing some songs. Isaac didn't hesitate to get in on the action. After the first song, the man began asking the kids what their names were. He went down the line of kids getting answers like, "Michael, Sara, Carter..." and then he got to Isaac. There was a short pause and then Isaac leaned towards the microphone and said with certainty, " My name is Cap'n Jack Sparrow." HAHAHAHA! Love it. That moment made whole trip worth it!!!!!

Double Digits & such

2011-07-28T16:12:00.017-04:00

Our sweet babies hit the ten month mark yesterday. Only two more months until they turn a year old! Holy Macaroni!!! I look at them and think, really??? They seem too little still to be that old.
Sometimes I think about how Isaac was already walking around by now and I can't even picture these miniature ladies pitter-pattering freely across the floor. It shouldn't seem so weird since they're already pros at cruising around the furniture, the walls, the cupboards, up and over obstacles, etc. They've gotten really aggressive and adventurous lately! Naturally, the next step would be walking. Still, it's crazy to imagine. They are so petite! It would be a pretty darn cute sight to see them romping around our house (well, cute until they start emptying the cupboards and climbing up our rickety IKEA chairs). Actually (side note), we were at a BBQ last weekend and didn't notice that Sophie had climbed onto a plastic kid's chair. Our friend spotted her standing on the armrest (yes, that flimsy piece of plastic!!), poised and ready to lunge onto the kiddie table. Yikes! I dare say busier days are just around the corner. Anyway (back to the walking milestone), who knows. All kids are different and it could very well be months still before they brave those first unsupported steps into the unknown. I just can't believe how old they are getting!

Last winter, when we were stuck indoors for days on end or when I'd have long nights tending the babies, I'd take vacations in my mind (always to somewhere warm since winters in a drafty house are anything but cozy here). Sometimes, I'd picture things close to home, like the upcoming summer. I imagined the babies strong and healthy. I imagined how nice it would be to leave the house without layering everyone with a BAjillion different things and collecting an armload of blankets to take with us. I imagined porch sitting with friends, playing in the yard with our kids, taking walks around the neighborhood, Isaac cruising on his bike, and taking all three kids for a spin in our little red wagon. I imagined the sun wrapping its arms around me. I even imagined basking in the humidity. HA! (Last week we had the worst heat wave Pittsburgh's seen in almost a decade! Still, I'll be grateful I'm not freezing and nursing anymore). Well, I'm happy to report that the summer has not been a disappointment. We've been able to do all those things I dreamed about and just the other day I FINALLY felt the girls were big enough to try out ALL 3 kids in our wagon. I loved seeing their three little heads bouncing along together. I got lots of comments from people we passed telling me how cute they were. And I got one weird comment...one person at the park asked if they were triplets(??). Seriously? I've got a baby in the 3rd percentile, one in the 8th percentile, and one in the...let me see...thousandth millionth percentile? People are funny.

Alright, time for the picture overload.

Big Butler Fair

2011-07-13T16:40:00.001-04:00

Bryce took Isaac to the "Big Butler County Fair." Since the drive to get to Butler takes at least an hour, we decided this wasn't the year to take the whole family. I stayed home with the babies and the two boys took off for a fun filled evening. And, by all accounts it was indeed, a very exciting night! The boys didn't even get home until nearly midnight!!! Usually, Isaac falls asleep in the car when we've kept him up late. Not this time. He bounced out of the car and into the house, so excited to tell me all he saw and did at the big fair.

I so wish I had written down everything he said right then and there while it was still fresh and alive in his mind. Instead, I interviewed him a week later when I decided I wasn't very qualified to do a blog post on the fair since I wasn't there.

Here's what our little man had to say (written exactly as he said it) about his adventure:

"I go'ed on a lot of rides at the fair. It was really nice. I did like the dragon ride. I go'ed on the dragon ride with my daddy. I go'ed on a horsey ride at the fair, but there was no seat belt on the horsey I was on at the fair. I wasn't going to fall off because I hold onto something with my hand."

"I saw some tractors that were on "Cars" (tractors like the ones he saw on the movie). They just crashed and the trucks lift the cars up because trucks are really strong to lift cars up. The cars and the trucks bonked each other." (Describing the demolition derby)

"I saw a sea lion show. And one was Sparky. They just swim in the water. After the sea lions show we went on the dragon ride. It was a snake dragon!"

"I saw animals at the fair. There was big bunnies and goats and horsies and cows. There were no pigs. They were trapped and we have to stick our hand in to pet them."

"I go'ed to the fair with Paisley and Andrew and Aspen and my dad. But Andrew wasn't in our car. He was in his car."

4th Festivities

2011-07-05T12:00:00.010-04:00

We celebrated more than our country's freedom this 4th of July. Bryce began his 3rd year of residency this month and the shackles of work appear to be loosening up a bit this year. Bryce is on outpatient psychiatry the ENTIRE year (translation: no weekends unless he wants to, basic 9-5 office hours, and no call)! Glory Hallelujah! Let Freedom Ring! woot woot!

We packed our day with all kinds of fun on Monday. In the morning, we took the kids over to Highland Park for a kids' bike parade. We helped Isaac pimp his ride with an assortment of red, white, and blue paraphernalia and then took pictures as he rode around the fountain with his buddies. A few hours later, Bryce and Isaac went to a Pirate's game with some of our friends.

Then later that evening, we had big plans to BBQ with friends at our neighborhood park with the culminating event being the ever popular Paul Johnson Fireworks Show (3rd year in the making!). It turns out that the weather had other plans for us. I'm not kidding, just as we finished unloading cars and setting out the chairs and food, the sky unleashed its fury. Thunder. Lightning. Torrential Downpour. Cats and Dogs. Everything, everyone got soaked! One family offered their house and we moved our soggy party to their place. The night surprised us but turned out to be a lot of fun AND we still got our fireworks show!

HIGHLAND PARK BIKE PARADE

PIRATES GAME

FIREWORKS!

High Adventure

2011-07-03T11:54:00.000-04:00

Since high adventure is an extreme camping experience for boy scouts, I thought it was a perfect title for a post about camping with the whole fam. Yep, we took the kids camping Friday night. That's right, ALL of them. The pediatrician double checked with me when Isaac was telling him about it. He couldn't believe we took the girls with us! He was impressed. We're just hard core like that (wink). Actually, Bryce told me on the way home that we're not going camping again until the girls can walk!

It really wasn't bad. We got to our campsite an hour before the girls' bedtime. Perfect timing! Just as they were getting sick of the jogging stroller, it was time to put them down and party!! We ate tin foil dinners (love them), roasted mallows, and enjoyed our friends who've really become our Pittsburgh family. Bryce took Isaac to a "haunted" cave in the dark. The next morning, we ate a pancake breakfast and then spent the afternoon at a lake.

9 months!

2011-06-27T21:38:00.000-04:00

I've honestly enjoyed having twins! Many days (and nights!!! oh those nights) were tough at the beginning but I've felt as though the last three months have been SO much easier. Yes, I'm sure there will still be some rough stages ahead. Just wait until they walk you say! I'm not saying life will be a breeze from here on out. I'm just saying there are many pleasant days to be had with two babies. Something I never realized possible when I imagined what life would be like for us. I'm loving life with twins right now.

Here are the two girls in all their 9 month glory. So busy these days and so much fun!

Ivy at 9 months:

Weighs 16 lbs. 8 oz. (10th percentile)
She's still our little adventurer, always taking her physical abilities to the next level. Lately, she's been pulling up on the furniture and cruising around. If something is in her way, she'll just climb right over it (sometimes it's Sophie in her path and Ivy will just mow her over trying to get to where she's going. Poor Soph!).
Her greatest aspiration is to get into the fridge before the door shuts! Nothing gets you perspiring and frantic to find yesterday's leftovers quite like the quick "pad pad" of this eager little girl.
She's discovered the blue-ray player (much to Isaac's frustration).
She puts anything and EVERYTHING into her mouth. I'm always amazed just how fast she ends up with a mouthful of grass whenever we're outside.
It melts my heart when she spots me across the room, smiles ear-to-ear, and hurries over to give me loves.
She gives kisses.
She waves (indiscriminately). I carried her around the zoo the other day in our baby backpack. She bounced up and down and waved her hand all around. So many people were delighted, thinking she was waving at them (I let them feel special). She really had the time of her life in that backpack though.
Bryce gave her a ride in the grocery cart yesterday and she kicked her legs with joy all the way through the store. She loved it!
She's a little mooch. She climbs up our legs when we're eating and begs for a taste of whatever we're having!
She's an early bird. Lately, we've been hearing her at 6 a.m.?!?! Sometimes a pacifier puts her back to sleep. I keep meaning to darken the window in the girls' room with something.

Sophie at 9 months:

Weighs 15 lbs. 8 oz. (3rd percentile)
She army crawls all over the place! Bryce thinks she looks like an alligator when she crawls. I'm beginning to realize just how dirty my floors are! Her outfits all end up with a dingy smear across the chest and stomach by the end of the day. Yuck!
She pulls herself to standing but doesn't know how to get herself back down. She just keeps pulling herself up anyway. It seems like most of the day she's stuck somewhere, whether it's the side of the couch, the ottoman, or, most often, the toy piano in the pictures. Either she really really loves that piano or she just can't figure out how to get down. She could spend hours there!
Her favorite game is "chase Isaac." Either Bryce or I will pick her up and fly her after her retreating brother saying, "get him...get him...get him." Both Isaac and Sophie laugh uncontrollably! It's definitely one of Isaac's favorite games too.
She loves climbing all over me when I'm laying on the ground. She seriously scrambles to get to me whenever I'm on her level! I love it...up until the moment she's got my hair in one fist, my nose in the other, and a slobbery mouth descends to chomp my face. Also, Sophie usually attracts the other kids over and then they all end up dog piling me. Good times at the Callister home.
She's a little chatter box and always has a lot to say. She's got a large repertoire of happy sounds these days! I'm trying to get her to say "mama." She's got "dadadada" down real well.
She has two teeth on the bottom.
She sleeps through Ivy's crying and complaining in the early morning and at nap time. I used to nap the girls in separate rooms but lately I've noticed it works out okay to put them together. Ivy resists naps but Sophie is good at blocking her out. She just rolls onto her side, shuts her eyes, and is asleep in minutes! What a talent.
She puts anything and EVERYTHING in her mouth. The other day I found her happily smacking away on some bacon she found under the kitchen table.
She's been a much happier baby these days!

Sisters

2011-06-12T18:03:00.007-04:00

Slacking! I guess there will be no official 8 month post for the girls seeing as they hit 9 months in um...4 days. C'est la vie! Looks like we've been having way too much fun this month to really blog!!!

One thing I have noticed over the past month is that these two are becoming friends. They explore the house together. Ivy is usually in the lead with Sophie not far behind. Sometimes they sit facing each other, laughing their heads off...laughing at the other's laugh. I love those moments. Two cute little sisters! I hope they are always good friends.

Wish they all could be California Girls...

2011-06-12T17:38:00.004-04:00

We're thinking of enrolling Sophie in modeling school. She's shown real promise...

HAHAHAHA! I guess some are just born with it. She pulls this one out of her repertoire ALL THE TIME to our amusement.

Birthday Boy

2011-06-12T15:59:00.007-04:00

We celebrated a very important person's birthday on Friday. Isaac helped me wrap presents and hang a few decorations. We made a fruit pizza instead of cake (Pretty sure Isaac was in heaven. He ate 2 pieces of fruit for every 1 he put on the pizza!). Isaac thought it would be a good idea to hide a present for his dad. We played "Hot and Cold" as we sang Happy Birthday to help Bryce find it. I made Dr. Pepper Ribs for dinner (a Bryce Eldon favorite). We put the girls to bed, left the baby monitor with our kind neighbors, and headed off to Point Park to bask in an evening of free live music and merriment at the Three Rivers Art Festival. I think it's safe to say that the man in our life had a very nice birthday.

Oh, and p.s. we saw our first firefly of the season. That's got to be a good omen!

The Bomb.com

2011-05-29T15:17:00.007-04:00

Bryce and I share a set of cousins. What's that you say?? We share a set of cousins! And no, we are not related. I promise. If you want, we can draw you a picture sometime illustrating our non-blood ties. Did we meet at a family reunion? No! I already said we're not related!!! Sheesh.

So, back to OUR cousin. Her name is Amy and she is the bomb (the bomb(dot)com as she's sometimes called)! Bryce grew up with her and I was roommates with her in Provo. Oh, and for the record, I'm her favorite cousin. Don't let Bryce tell you otherwise. Suffice it to say, we both LOVE Amy! I'm not even sure Bryce and I would be married if it wasn't for her.

Amy and her family live in Delaware and we've been meaning to pay her a visit ever since we moved out to Pittsburgh. Bryce took off work last week and we seized the opportunity go see her.

There's nothing like being with family and we enjoyed every moment of it! We even got to go to the beach. Bryce realized it was his first time swimming in the Atlantic ocean. I didn't swim so I can't say the same for me. I guess we'll have to go back (wink)!

Amy, how in the heck did we not get a picture of you?!

Bryce, Isaac, and Amy's Familia (Isaac had fun playing with Damon and Tommy)

Beach Babies

Beach BABES

Bryce and Isaac spent a lot of time in the water. Bryce is still suffering from the nasty burn he got!

Gettin' some sugar!

It makes me laugh that Isaac kept an iron grip on his stick (see it poking out of the sand?). He's never without a stick these days. How do you get little boys to stop running with sticks? I'd like to know.

Buried Treasure

Squaw Valley Park

2011-05-21T16:24:00.000-04:00

We met up with good friends.
We talked.
We laughed.
Daddy grilled steak and corn on the cob.
We sipped raspberry lemonade.
We ate chocolate cookies.
I layed on a blanket with the girls.
I took pictures.
Ivy and Sophie made friends with Sawyer.
Ivy and Sophie picked grass.
Ivy and Sophie ate grass.
Ivy and Sophie were content.
Mommy was content.
Mommy enjoyed the perfect weather.
Mommy enjoyed the lush green world.
Mommy enjoyed the grass between her bare toes.
Mommy thought, "I love nights like this."
Isaac played in the sand.
Isaac played with friends.
Isaac climbed on the chain link fence.
Isaac chased girls he called "ladies."
The "ladies" chased Isaac.
Isaac was in heaven.
Isaac watched someone catch a fish.
Isaac waved at some "soccer players."
They waved back.
Isaac felt important.
Daddy and Isaac played catch.
Daddy kicked the soccer ball around.
Daddy chilled with Sophie.
Daddy felt happy.
Daddy felt relaxed.
Daddy liked that he's done with work for a week.
We all liked that Daddy is done with work for a week!
We talked some more with friends.
We all said we should do this again.
We went home.

Rite of Passage

2011-05-21T14:59:00.000-04:00

My brother went with my dad...
Bryce want with his dad...
Our dad's went with their dads...
...and so on and so forth throughout all Mormon History.

It's an epic moment in a little boys life...the yearly FATHER AND SONS CAMP OUT!
Bryce couldn't wait to take Isaac. I couldn't wait for them to go. Only...we forgot all about it until I was at play group the day of the camp out talking with another mom and she asked if my boys were going! "It's TONIGHT?!" I asked in surprise, my heart sinking a little (Bryce really had been so excited when he first heard about the camp out and I didn't want Isaac to miss out on something I knew he would absolutely LOVE).

I called Bryce to find out if he still wanted to go, knowing that the rotation he's on right now keeps him late almost every night. Bryce had the same reaction as me, "It's TONIGHT?" Another heart sinking...

We both worked feverishly the rest of the day, trying to get them off on their adventure. At the end of the day, Bryce typed his patient notes at break-neck speed and literally sprinted to the car when finished. I dug up our tent and camping equipment from the basement, packed the bags, packed the snacks, printed the directions, and had dinner ready for Bryce to inhale the moment he ran in the door.

Isaac followed me around the house in confusion. I didn't have good answers to his questions and I didn't dare tell him he was going camping until Bryce was safely on his way home. (Being a doctor's wife keeps you on your toes like that. You can't really ever rely on a set schedule and you have to expect the unexpected to come up).

The stars aligned, the "Pager Gods" smiled kindly on our family, and the green lights were all in our favor. Bryce made it home in time to take our little man camping!!!

Did they have fun?
By all accounts, yes they did!

The next morning, Isaac ran in through the front door yelling, "Mommy, I slept in a tent!"

It did my heart good.

Shenanigans & Kissable Faces

2011-05-06T23:36:00.010-04:00

These are a few moments that have made me laugh lately.

Isaac as a "tasty burrito." He always wants us to wrap him up in a big blanket & pretend to eat him.

This isn't the first time I've found Sophie halfway under the sofa.

Downward Dog

It's no mystery why I can't keep my lips off these three sets of sweet cheeks.

If you couldn't tell, that blurry spot in the bottom right of Ivy's picture is her hand reaching out to touch the camera.

Workin' at the Carwash

2011-05-06T23:24:00.006-04:00

How is love spelled again? T-I-M-E! You've got to love a good father & son project.

7 Months

2011-04-27T20:55:00.013-04:00

Has it really been another month?! It feels like I was just writing the 6 month post. My babies are growing up too fast. Wait. Did I just write that? I guess I'm just having one of those moments where I want to savor the sweet chubby cheeks, the big smiles, and special looks that say, "I love you mommy." Obviously, we're not currently in the midst of a cry-off (you know...where they try to out cry one another) or I probably wouldn't be writing that. They're down for the night. Bryce and I have some time to do whatever we want right now. He's watching soccer and I'm sitting next to him on the couch looking at these pictures I took today of my beautiful babies. My heart is filled and I am so grateful Heavenly Father gave them to me.

Sophie & Ivy at 7 Months:

Are getting a little more variety in their diet. They eat rice cereal, bananas, apples, carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas.
Still enjoy the fatty goodness of mama's milk. Although, I'm working on weaning them. Thrush has been the decision maker for me.
Think it's entertaining to spit while eating. Before today, I was going to write this about Sophie only. But Ivy got in on the action tonight. I think they were egging each other on. Oh boy. It looks like I may need a bib myself just to feed them.

IVYWILD

Her favorite Yoga position is "Downward Dog." If you got it, you gotta flaunt it.
She's gotten really efficient at propelling herself forward between hopping, lunging, and scooting. I was telling Bryce tonight that I don't think I can call it official crawling yet. She must have heard me though because she stepped up her game. We caught her coordinating the moves.
She's discovered Isaac's funny. Sophie's known for awhile now. It's fun to watch them both laugh at his silly antics.

BOPHIE

First, let me explain the nickname. Have you ever read There's a Wocket in My Pocket? Well there's a part in the book that talks about a "Bofa on the Sofa." For some reason Sophie's name makes me think of it and I call her "Bophie."
She loves to jump jump jump! Her being emanates sheer joy when she's bouncing, from the top of her head to the tips of her tiny toes.
Her new thing is to force air out between her lips like an elephant.
Likes to play with her tongue.
Is making cute squeaks and squeals like her sister. She's become a much happier baby these days.

The Older Brother

Strangely, I catch him with his toes in one of the babies' mouths throughout the day. Gross.
Loves to make his sisters laugh by roaring his best lion roar and jumping in front of them. He also has a pretty good fake laugh that get's them going.
When Isaac sees one of the girls playing with his toys he's thoughtful about getting a baby toy to give them in exchange for taking his toy away.
Isaac notices when one of his sisters drops their bottle. He'll put it back in their mouth and gently place their hands on the bottle so they hold it themselves.
He likes to put his face right up by his sisters' hands. Of course they grab at his nose, his glasses, and any other bit of skin they can get in their clutches. He always acts surprised by what happens and his reactions tell you a lot about his mood. Sometimes he giggles. Sometimes he tattles. Sometimes he whines. But every time, he turns around and goes back for more. Go figure.
One night Isaac was saying his bedtime prayer. He finished and then immediately exclaimed, "Oh MAN, I forgot to bless my baby sisters!!" He said another prayer so he could bless them.
He loves his sisters so so so MUCH!

Taking the Zoo to the Zoo

2011-04-25T21:55:00.006-04:00

I can't say it was easy... and I can't say it was REALLY worth it. That's not really the point. The point is...that I did it! I trekked through the zoo with ALL three kids. All by myself!! I pushed Isaac and Ivy in my double jogger and carried Sophie in the Bjorn. I don't want to let having three kids get in the way of enjoying the beautiful weather we're having! Man was it a workout! I almost counted it for my exercising yesterday, but since I was feeling extra ambitious and empowered, I went for a run when Bryce got home from work. Of course I ate more than enough Easter candy later to offset anything healthy I did (but don't I deserve it?!). He he.

Our Easterings

2011-04-25T20:28:00.005-04:00

Easter wasn't just one day for us this year. We had all kinds of Easter things going on throughout the week. The Monday before, we had a family home evening focusing on Christ. My mom sent me this great idea complete with scripture references and a list of objects symbolizing different parts of the Easter story. I filled up 12 plastic eggs with the scriptures and corresponding objects and hid them around the living room with a few candy-filled eggs (of course!). Isaac ate his candy as we opened each egg and learned about Christ's atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection. We also watched the end of the "Lamb of God." It's interesting how being a parent and trying to teach what Easter is really about, made me think about it more, and as a result made the holiday more meaningful to me. I loved Easter this year.

The girls participated in family home evening too (in their own way)...

Thursday brought Isaac an exciting Easter package in the mail from his Grandpa Calvin. I even found MYSELF screaming with excitement when I discovered the movie "Tangled" in the box!!! I've been wanting to see it for soooooooooo long! I LOVED it. We all did (Bryce included). If you haven't seen it yet, you need to stop reading blogs and get yourself to a REDBOX, stat!

On Saturday we enjoyed some delicious pancakes at the ward breakfast and Isaac hunted eggs with his friends. Later that night, we dyed some hard-boiled eggs. Bryce and Isaac created 10 pretty eggs and 1 seriously ugly one. They combined all the colors for the final egg. Isaac was fascinated with the whole process. Bryce and I laugh because he also found his bare belly just as fascinating. We kept catching him rubbing his Buddha.

Easter day we attended church and ate an amazing dinner at our friends, the Kilpatricks. Isaac was then spoiled with yet another Easter egg hunt! Oh! And lets not forget that the Easter Bunny made a stop at the Callister residence. Isaac bounced excitedly up and down the stairs showing us his loot: water guns, a giant bubble blower, a kite, candy, and "How to Train a Dragon."

First Primary Talk

2011-04-10T15:14:00.002-04:00

Isaac gave his first talk in primary today. Bryce and I practiced with him for two weeks and he was so ready to share with the rest of the kids the story of the war in heaven and how we chose Jesus to be our Savior. He did awesome and had so much confidence! In his prayers this last week, he's been thanking Heavenly Father that we could "come to earth and choose good or bad."

A new SPRING in our steps...

2011-04-10T14:43:00.004-04:00

It looks like spring has finally arrived here in Pittsburgh! We went on a family walk yesterday and Isaac eagerly pointed out all the signs of spring's arrival. He found "Robins with red tummies," saw flowers blooming, and noticed the buds ready to open on the trees. I loved breaking out of the house and having some quality family time!

Hump Day

2011-03-27T16:12:00.007-04:00

Well folks, we've survived the first six months of the first year with these two sweethearts! I feel like I should commemorate the accomplishment with some grand gesture. You know how missionaries burn their ties half way through their missions? Perhaps the burning of one of my nursing bras?! Or maybe the burning of some onsies? I'm open to suggestions.

People ask me all the time, "How do you do it?" My answer is always the same, "One day at a time." Most of the time I feel like having twins is manageable but not always fun. There times I have to run away to the bathroom and turn on the fan to drown out the crying. Sometimes I cry. There are also times when they melt my heart and I feel so much love for them that I think my heart will burst. Whether things are going really well or I can't wait to call it a day, my life would be incomplete without these girls.

Ivy the Daring Explorer

At 6 months she:

Pulls blankets or burp cloths over her face and waits with kicking feet and flapping arms for someone to pull them away and say "peek-a-boo." I swear she knows what she's doing.
Likes to move it move it! This girl wants to crawl so badly. Ivy gets up on her hands and knees and hops her legs up in the air but can't seem to coordinate moving forward yet. I give her another week.
Sleeps amazingly well. Ivy is skilled at putting herself to sleep and sleeps (most of the time) through Sophie's unearthly cries. She also takes long naps! I usually have to wake her up to feed her in the afternoon. I hate doing it. I wish I could just let her sleep but Sophie gets up and eats...and well, I keep them on the same eating schedule.
Sits independently (well, for at least a good five minutes anyway)
Likes to feel textures with her hand. She's always got her fingers going, scratching at the carpet, blankets, her dad's hairy arm, and anything else interesting.
Discovered she can make awesome smacking noises with her mouth.
Is such a chatter box! In the mornings, she makes the happiest sounds in her crib until I go in to get her. As soon as she see's me, all she can think about is eating.

Princess Fiona aka The Soph

At 6 months she:

Loves to be held and looks at us with such adoring eyes. She also likes to reach out and touch our faces...and pull at hair.
Is super observant. Nothing escapes her attention!
Feeds herself a bottle!
Rolls all around, but with purpose. This girl doesn't just roll for the heck of it. She's usually aiming for a toy or just trying to get closer to where I'm at (she's such a mama's girl).
Eats rice cereal really well and will actually grab for the spoon if I'm not feeding her fast enough.
Likes to be part of the action. Sophie wants to be in the same room as the rest of us. I suspect that's why her naps are often so short. When Bryce, Isaac, and I are eating dinner in the kitchen, she'll fuss until we bring her in with us. Even if we're not holding her, she just wants to be near.
Is called Princess Fiona by her dad. She may not be as grumpy as once infamous for, but her cry is still pretty "ogreish."

scriptures

2011-03-24T16:22:00.007-04:00

When you read scriptures with a three year old, you always wonder how much of it really "sticks" or even makes sense to a toddler. We decided to focus in on the stories found in the Book of Mormon, starting with Nephi going to get the brass plates from Laban. Yep, we started with a nice gruesome one. Each night we read two verses of the story with Isaac, having him repeat what we read phrase by phrase. He really loves the one on one time and never forgets to remind us to get the scriptures out (one more way to stay up just a little longer).

So, the other afternoon, Isaac surprised me when he pulled out my scriptures and told me he wanted to read to ME. He opened up the Book of Mormon, got real serious, and began:

"And now behold Laban of the rocks cut his head off."
"And it came to pass the Lord is the Christ."
"We're talking about a scripture of Nephi."

He then shut the scriptures and complimented himself, "Good job, you read a scripture!"

It looks like some of the scriptural language is rubbing off! He was totally cracking me up. I had to work hard to keep my laughter inside though so he wouldn't feel like I was laughing at him. It was just so dang adorable! At the same time, I felt happy to know that he's starting to learn and recognize the names of the key players in the scriptures. I hope he's just as enthusiastic to read from the Book of Mormon in another ten years!!!

Merced

2011-03-24T16:11:00.009-04:00

We spent our last few days in California visiting Bryce's dad in Merced. The time went by waaay too quickly!

We're sad Jordan had to get back to school and couldn't stay with us in Merced!

My sister Jaime and her son, Preston were able to come visit us while we were in Merced. I'm so happy she made the trip from the bay area to see us!! Preston is adorable and sure keeps her busy! I wish we'd gotten some pictures with you Jaime! Sniff Sniff

Preston the "Bruiser"

Grandpa Calvin sharing his passion with Isaac. Every kid needs a grandpa with open land and horses! Spending time at Calvin's property made me so nostalgic. We spent many a fun day at my own Grandpa's farm growing up. So many precious memories!

A little father and son time...

Isaac Day

2011-03-17T14:56:00.004-04:00

We've been wanting to take Isaac to Disneyland for a long time and our trip to California presented the perfect opportunity. Bryce's mom surprised us and offered to watch the twins the ENTIRE DAY at the hotel (doesn't sound fun at all to me, but then again, neither does a day of lugging them around Disneyland). So, thank you times a hundred Gwen!! You made our day wonderful and more importantly, you gave Isaac the best day of his life (and, from all reports, it sounds like the girls were well behaved and even charming)!

We hit up Disneyland with Bryce's dad (Calvin), Jordan, Natalie, and our friends from our days in Chino Hills, Mark and Andrea.

Isaac had it sooo good. After nearly six months of getting ignored (well, not completely but the twins do take up a lot of our time and attention) he got a whole day dedicated to making sure HE had fun!

Lets take a closer look at Isaac's Day at the Happiest Place on Earth:

1. The weather was perfectly mild and the sky overcast--you wouldn't want to spend a day at a theme park any other way!

2. 7 Adults to 1 toddler=Disneyland Efficiency! (a parent's dream come true) We were able to split up and save places in lines so Isaac got in twice as many rides!

3. Isaac was so popular! We all vied for places next to him on the rides and at the end of every ride, he had 7 people eager to hear him tell all about it.

4. There was always someone wanting to carry him when he got tired of walking, although he never really complained. He just walked around wide-eyed. You could tell Disneyland was a lot to take in and he was trying to make sense of the place.

5. Isaac met one of his heroes (Peter Pan) on the way to the Buzz Lightyear ride and has been talking about him ever since. As we walked away Isaac said, "Peter Pan was so very nice to me." and "Peter Pan told me to watch out for Zurg."

6. I took Isaac on Dumbo and he wanted me to fly Dumbo high the entire ride. I'd start to lower the lever and Isaac would say, "No, go up."

7. We taught Isaac to sing "Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me" as we waited in line for Pirate's of the Caribbean. He got really into it. We also taught him to say "ARGH!!!" He was really having a good time and seemed excited to go on the ride until we entered the building where you board your boat for the adventure. Poor kid. It makes sense. First of all, it's dark. Then...there's that pesky pirate skeleton. He began telling me, "Mommy, I don't want to go on this ride. I don't want to see a pirate. Pirates are scary." Well, I was mean and talked him into going anyway. I remember my parents doing the same thing with the Haunted Mansion when I was little (we steered clear of that one with our boy). I kept Isaac on my lap during the ride and tried to get him to laugh at the pirates with me. He shivered throughout and clutched me every time something startled him. At the end, he told us he liked Pirates of the Caribbean and he talks excitedly about it even now, whenever I ask him. So no harm done, right??...only, he's been afraid of the dark ever since we got home. Darn it! Bryce tells me every kid goes through that phase at some point in their young life.

Isaac the pirate saying "Argh" for the camera!

8. At the end of Michael Jackson's 3-D film Captain E-O, Isaac whipped off his glasses and declared, "That was AMAZING!"

9. After the Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters ride, Isaac said, "Daddy, I want to borrow (buy) a gun for the evil Zurg."

10. As we left the park, the fireworks started. Isaac, asleep in Natalie's arms, popped his head up wide-eyed and startled by the first boom, exclaiming, "YOWZERS!"

Grandpa Calvin, Nat, Isaac, and Jordan

Us and our good friends, Mark & Andrea (Ah, so good to be at Disneyland with these two again)

11. All in all a fantastic day!

B.Rad and Allie's Nuptual Day

2011-03-11T23:28:00.000-05:00

Waiting for the bride and groom to emerge (Bryce, Natalie, Jordan, Grandpa Kern, Gwen, Angie)

Me and Angie

Isaac and his new buddy Noah

The officiator said he'd never seen such a happy groom!

The Callister Crew (Welcome Allie!!!)

Stylin'

Angie and the Soph

Sweet Ivy

Familia Callister

Isaac and Grandma Gwen (All night Isaac kept saying, "I need my grandma.")

Why did we ever leave?!

2011-03-10T17:16:00.000-05:00

It's not that we hate Pittsburgh. We actually love it. Most of the time :). We've made great friends here and really enjoy the city and all of its unique character. I guess long bitter winters just get you thinking...or maybe it's the classic, "you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone."

We used to live in California. We used to go on long walks and to the park all year long...whenever we felt like it. We used to be warm in our house (without the help of socks, sweatshirts, and blankets!). We used to own annual passes to Disneyland. We used to eat delicious Mexican food. We used to get in our car and drive 45 minutes and be in L.A. or at a beach or with Brad (Bryce's brother). We used to be in a place were family LOVED to come visit us AND had an easier time traveling to. Oh, and we never forgot what the sun looked like!

So...needless to say, when Brad decided to get married, we were beyond excited (on so many levels)! Not only were we thrilled for Brad and Allie and the prospect of seeing family, but we also couldn't wait to say "see ya" to the frigid cold and spend a week thawing in sunny California! The months leading up to our trip I kept catching myself humming "California Dreamin'."

Before we knew it, March arrived and it was time to leave on our California "vacation." Bryce keeps saying that traveling with three small children doesn't count as a vacation. I have to agree. Although, on the other hand, I got to have my husband around for a whole week!

A few notes about the flights:

Flying a family of 5 (two under the age of one) all the way across the U.S. is an epic journey. Neither flight was as disastrous as Bryce and I imagined they would be. Although, I think both of us are glad we don't have plans to travel anywhere else for awhile.

Isaac was perfect. Seriously.

Swaddling and pacifiers put our girls to sleep in minutes every time.

I thought it was really cute that Isaac would order his own apple juice from the stewardess without prompting from us.

Isaac lost his backpack on the shuttle between the car rental center and the Oakland airport. I think I'm more heart broken than he is.

I sat by a conservative looking woman in her fifties who talked my ear off, helped with the babies, and suggested I try smoking pot as a remedy to my occasional bouts of insomnia (??). I just said no to drugs.

Isaac asked a random lady at the airport for a granola bar and she rewarded him with a Twix. Ah, the things you can get away with as a three year old!

We arrived at the airport in Orange County and were greeted with sunshine, blue skies, and eighty degree weather! Gorgeous.

Our first few days in Southern California we:

Spent time with some of our friends in Chino Hills.
Ate In-N-Out (we stopped and got our cheeseburgers and Neapolitan shakes as soon as we could. In-N-Out, oh how we've missed you!)
Swam in the hotel pool.
Met Brad and Allie for some one-on-one time and deliciousness at Wahoos (just typing the name "Wahoos" brings back a flood of yummy memories and makes my mouth water!) We were so glad to have a chance to sit down and hang out with Brad and Allie before all the hustle and bustle of the wedding began.
Enjoyed the beach the day BEFORE the tsunami threat shut everything down.
Went "yachting" in Newport on Allie's family's boat.

At Wahoos with the bride and groom.

At the BEACH:

Isaac's eagerness to play in the ocean was quickly swept away as HE got SWEPT away by a strong wave. Good thing Uncle Jordan was close at hand to rescue our scared little boy! In this picture Isaac's really cold and would rather have a towel than mom's arm around him.

Our California Boy

Whenever we go to the beach, Bryce tells me that he feels his soul "healing." You can take the boy out of California but you can't take the California out of the boy. He's a Calfornia boy (okay, he's a man) all the way!

Isaac and Uncle Jordan checking out the sand.

Sophie's soaking up some rays and feeling fresh air on her bare arms and feet for the first time.

Ivy's face tells you what she thinks about the beach!

YACHTING:

Brad and Allie at the family dinner aboard the yacht.

Isaac took a turn driving the yacht for a little while, a major highlight in our little guy's life.

One more cute thing I want to remember: At the end of the evening, Isaac was with his grandma and aunt while Bryce and I were down below getting the babies ready to leave. Isaac looked around the nearly empty boat and asked, "Where's my family?" not "Where's my mommy?" or "Where's my daddy?" but "Where's my family?"

Serious Cuteness

2011-03-04T17:28:00.000-05:00

Prepare yourself. You will fall in love with these two beauties. We have.

5 Months

2011-02-27T23:00:00.000-05:00

Little Miss Ivy

At 5 months this pretty gal:

Loves to roll all across the floor. Bryce calls her our "Roly Poly." I put her down with a blanket under her and the next thing I know she's on the carpet. It looks like I'm going to need to vacuum a little more often!
Makes adorable gargling noises as she coos and "talks" with us.
Makes the cutest squeaks and squeals when she's really happy.
Loves to watch Sophie and hold her hand.
Likes to tip her head back and gaze into her mom and dad's faces. It's really adorable, except when we're trying to feed her and instead of focusing on eating, she breaks to smile at us (okay, maybe that's still adorable but really frustrating at the same time!!!).
Enjoys "Wheels on the Bus" with mom and Sophie, especially the part where "the horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep."
Is super ticklish in her ribs.

Little Miss Sophie

At 5 months this pretty gal:

Is such a momma's girl! She is super particular about me feeding her, even if she's drinking a bottle. If I'm in the same room, she wants ME to feed it to her (I have to admit it makes me feel pretty special).
Loves to play with her feet and suck on her toes.
Idolizes Isaac. Sophie gets the biggest smile on her face when he comes near and he can easily get her laughing.
Always wants to be held.
Loves to touch Ivy and hold her hand.
Enjoys "Wheels on the Bus" with mom and Ivy, especially the part where "the wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish."
Can roll front to back and back to front but is much more content to lay still and play with toys. She absolutely LOVES toys.
Has ticklish feet.

Ch Ch Ch Changes

2011-02-27T16:16:00.000-05:00

After a decade of highlighting my hair, I decided it was time to try out life as a brunette. Who says blonds have more fun?! I asked Bryce when he kissed me if he felt like he was cheating on his wife (HAHA). The color is semi-permanent and is supposed to fade as my roots grow in. I'm really interested to see what my natural color REALLY is, but for the time being I'm loving the rich darkness of my new tresses!

The next change our family has to report is WAY more exciting than my hair. Drum Roll please.............................................................................................................................................................................

..............ISAAC got GLASSES!!!!!!!

Over the summer I noticed Isaac squinting his right eye more and more frequently. The squinting eventually gave way to Isaac crossing his eyes when he was focusing on something. We finally got him to an eye doctor at the end of November and found out that he is far-sighted. Fast forward through two months of procrastination...then stopping in optical shops those rare times we are out only to discover they don't carry toddler sized frames...more procrastination...a few phone calls...a hurried trip to a hospital optical shop 10 minutes before closing...no luck...more procrastination...more phone calls...finally the stars align and we have success at an optical shop 10 minutes from our house (apparently the only place in Pittsburgh selling frames for toddlers).

So without further ado, here he is, our handsome boy:

(I hope no one is grossed out by the ring of food stain around his mouth. I think it's cute. But, of course I am his mom.)

Isaac also became the proud new owner of a tie. Between his glasses and his new tie, he felt like a pretty cool dude on Sunday.

A BeaUtiful DAY!!!

2011-02-18T15:05:00.000-05:00

Oh, how I love to be outside! We had some absolutely AmAzInG weather and I took advantage of every moment it lasted! I can't wait for spring to get here and stay!!!!! Can't you tell how excited I am by the exclamation marks at the end of EVERY sentence?!! (there's a few more for you)

(Thanks Bethany for such a great picture of Sophie!)

Only Isaac

2011-01-29T15:39:00.000-05:00

Isaac makes us laugh every day with the things that come out of his mouth! I wish with all my heart that I'd been more diligent at recording all of the cute and often hilarious things he's come up with over the last year. Darn it, procrastination has gotten the best of me again! But not today! Today I'm showing procrastination who's boss and jotting down some of Isaac's latest expressions. I never want to forget the moments in the day when Isaac makes me smile.

The other day Isaac was in the shower with Bryce and I could hear Bryce offering him some of his "Old Spice Body Wash." Bryce asked Isaac if he'd like to "smell like a man." A few minutes later, the water stopped and Isaac jumped out of the tub calling, "Mommy! Mommy!!" He looked at me and proudly announced, "Mommy, I'm a MAN!!!!!"

One afternoon around lunch time, Isaac came to me and said, "My body needs something to eat."

Isaac is always telling us that he needs to "get taller for soccer." He watches his dad leave to go play soccer and wants nothing more than to go too. He's got such a great imagination and comes up with his own soccer games. He packs his backpack, puts on his Manchester United shirt, grabs his ball, and comes to give me a love saying, "Bye mom. I'm going to my little kids' soccer game. You can't come. You're too big." When I ask him how he's planning on getting to soccer, he says he's driving his "little kid car." He then pats my back and says, "I'll miss you." Then he runs off to the kitchen and kicks his ball around, pretending his friends are playing with him.

When you ask Isaac why he's so smart, he answers, "Because I'm special."

Isaac insists on calling his space heater an "air mattress." (???) Don't even think about trying to correct him, he'll argue until the end of time over the official name of it.

In Isaac-speak a smoothie is a "smoodie," a tortilla is a "cortilla," bananas are "boe-nanas," our friend McCall is "Comcall," and love is "wuv."

Isaac loves the movie "Old Yeller" and every once in awhile he'll bust out the song "Old Yeller! Come back Yeller! Best doggone dog in the west...Old Yeller was a mongrel..." ONLY instead of singing the real words, he'll substitute something else like, "Old mommy! Come back mommy! Best doggone mommy in the west!"

Isaac thinks whispering secrets is a lot of fun. His favorite "secrets" to whisper in your ear are: "LION" (then he giggles), "TIGER" (another giggle), "COMODO DRAGON" (giggle giggle). You can whisper anything back like the word "chair" and he'll make you feel like the funniest person alive!

Four Months

2011-01-27T16:23:00.000-05:00

Wowee! Four months can really rush by when you have two new little babies and a toddler to care for. Isaac continues to be a helpful and loving big brother. I am in constant awe of his thoughtfulness towards the twins. I have never seen him act angry, annoyed, or resentful with them and that amazes me considering how much of my attention they get all day long. Every morning, he greets his sisters with hugs, nose nuzzles, and sweet words. I often hear him say things like:

"Hewo wittow girw!" (with the same inflections he hears his mommy use)
"Did you have nice dreams?"
"I wuv you so much."

He grabs their burp cloths and diapers, finds their pacifiers, sings them songs, entertains them (especially Sophie), shares toys with them, and tries to tip-toe down the hall when they are sleeping.

When it's nap time, Isaac begs to be chased by one of his sisters. He runs all the way up the stairs and down the hall giggling his head off. As Isaac becomes more and more resistant to taking naps it sure helps to make a game out of getting him to bed.

The twins are growing cuter and cuter every day. A few things I want to remember about them at 4 months:

Ivy

- This girl is a mini Houdini. She is a master at escaping from her blankets. She's always got a foot sticking out between the snaps of her sleepers. And socks...forget about it. They're off the minute you turn your back!!!

- She watches my every move with big, round curious eyes. I get busy doing my thing and I'll happen to catch her out of the corner of my eye and it surprises me and makes me laugh every time to see those eyes staring me down (so cute).

- She's a little lady with a huge appetite!

- Coos persistently with "oh's" until one of us looks at her and then breaks out into a HUGE smile.

- Arches her back when she wants to be picked up.

- Doesn't seem to take very long naps.

- Sleeps all night long in a tight swaddle.

- Content and pleasant most of the time.

Sophie

- Sophie refuses to lift head during tummy time. She'll fuss a bit, shut her eyes, and often times fall asleep.

- She LOVES having her hair brushed.

- Likes to reach out and touch Ivy when they are laying side-by-side.

- She wants to be held almost all the time and likes when my hair falls on her face.

- Moves her entire body when she smiles.

- Sleeps all night long swaddled tightly.

- Likes to roll side to side and play with her toes.

- She stares me down just like Ivy does and gets upset if I leave the room.

Once There Was a Snowman

2011-01-15T15:31:00.000-05:00

Bryce rescued Isaac from another day of being cooped up in the house. The two of them went into the backyard to have a little fun in the snow. They made snowballs and chucked them against the house. Isaac thought it was SOOOOO funny! He'd grab big handfuls of snow that would fall through his fingers as he tried to throw his snowball. They built a snowman as they sang one of Isaac's favorite songs, "Once There was a Snowman." Isaac knocked on the kitchen door and asked me for a carrot. He was following his dad's directions and seemed a little confused, especially since we usually have to beg Isaac to eat his carrots at dinner time. However, he sure got excited when he saw the carrot become a nose on his snowman!

Pictures

2010-11-17T15:57:00.000-05:00

So, I thought I'd post a random collection of pictures taken over the past 7 weeks.

This first set of pictures, my friend Hayley was so nice to take for me. Would you believe she just picked up photography this summer?!! I think she's great! Too bad the girls were so uncooperative. Still, she got some cute ones.

IVY

SOPHIE

SISTERS

These pictures crack me up because they show just how different these little ladies are from each other.

Different...in size...and looks...

Different in...personality...

The rest of these pics are taken by either me or Bryce-o. I'd sure like to try another photo shoot with Hayley again or any of the other ladies in our ward who dabble in photography. It's amazing how fast time is flying and how much our girls are changing.

Isaac has been AMAZING with his new sisters. He is so gentle and careful with them. He comforts them when they cry by bringing them their pacifier or turning on the vibrate on the bouncer. Today, as I was driving, I heard his little voice in the back of the car saying "It's okay little girl, Isaac's here."

I tried to set up my own photo shoot...not very successful. My cousin Amy sent us these cute hats for the girls. I love them! You ARE the bomb Amy.

SOPHIE

IVY

I took a few shots of the girls this afternoon when they were happy...

SOPHIE

IVY

And..this picture is to prove to Bryce that Sophie actually smiles. She is our fussy babe and by the time Bryce gets home from at the end of the day, she is a piece of work. Bryce calls her "the troll." It's amazing how one adorable smile can make up for hours of crying.

We were so lucky to have Bryce's dad come visit us last week! Isaac had the time of his life! Thanks Calvin for all you help!

(Isaac goes to the eye doctor in a few weeks. This squinty face is a regular look for our boy.)

Isaac at Halloween--He was "Woody" from Toy Story.

Grandma Gwen

2010-10-19T13:55:00.000-04:00

Wow! We've made it through 3 weeks with 2 babies!!! There is NO way we could have done it on our own. My mom was able to come help before the babies made their grand entrance into the world and for a few days after we came home from the hospital. Thanks so much mom! I miss you. Bryce's mom (Grandma Gwen) also made the trip out from Utah so she could take care of us and spoil Isaac. We're so happy she came! Isaac hadn't seen his Grandma Gwen in over a year. Way too long!!! We talked to him about her arrival for weeks and he was brimming with excitement for her to come. He LOVED having her at our house and she spoiled him with fun books, yummy treats, and clothes. She spoiled us too and stayed up ALL NIGHT LONG with the babies! Sleep is the greatest gift anyone can give a mom fresh home from the hospital. I felt like a new woman!!! Thanks Gwen!

Isaac had his 3rd birthday a few days after Grandma Gwen left. She got him the perfect gift--a Pirate's baseball uniform. Isaac geeks out over all things sports related. He's been really into sports attire lately. He notices, when he watches TV or sees pictures in a magazine or on the back of a cereal box, what athletes wear and keeps me updated (daily) on what he "needs" to play each sport. Bryce recently bought Isaac some baseball cards and so Isaac's been wanting a uniform. He wore his uniform all day and would have gone to bed in it had we let him (hey, in my defense, his room gets chilly at night). He was really able to complete the look and act the part of a baseball hero after his friend brought him a bat for his birthday. Check out our little slugger!

Home

2010-10-03T16:34:00.000-04:00

Post Game

2010-10-03T16:29:00.000-04:00

The Arrival

2010-10-03T15:39:00.000-04:00

Jess asked me to attach the following from an email to family:
Welcome to the world the newest addition to the Callister Family. Everything went swimmingly and Jess tells me that she is ready to do it again. Yikes!

So here is the chronology from my perspective (approximate times aside from the birthing times):

7:00am- roll out of bed
8:00am- Started my new outpatient surgery rotation
11:00am- Jess calls me to tell me that she is having to wait for her ob to show up due to her being in a delivery.
11:30p- report to conference room to give my presentation.
12:44p- I finish the my portion of the presentation
12:45p- I get a page from jess.
12:46p- Call Jess and she very calmly explains that she is now going to be induced TODAY.
12:46:05- I panic a little
12:55p- I finally round someone up (my good friend Piper) to give me a ride home and then to the hospital
1:10p- I arrive home and I explained to Isaac that I was going to meet mommy at the hospital to bring him home some sisters.
1:30p- I arrive at the hospital to find my beautiful bride in her wedding gown in the form of a hospital gown. Dr. is in a c-section.
3:00p-Dr. comes in to see Jess. She is fantastic and warm, kind, and extremely helpful.
4:45p- decide to proceed with induction, but NOT BEFORE AN EPIDURAL HAS BEEN PLACED
4:50p- Epidural is the elixir of the Gods
5:00p- pitocin started for induction
5p-8:50p- Jess progresses perfectly with no pain until she has her water broken and then she progresses very quickly. She is taken to the OR for delivery.
8:55p- OR seems like a mad house and it takes Jess some time to get acclimated to her new environment.
8:55p-9:27p- Jess pushes perfectly for just a few short minutes and controls baby A out perfectly
9:27p (on 9/27/10)- Baby A is born into the world crying right away APGAR at 1min 9 5 min 9. She is beautiful.
9:27-9:42p- ultrasound is used and Dr. Devekar and resident (Devon) work on getting baby B into position. She is breech and worked out by the legs. Jessica once again pushes very controlled for a perfect delivery.
9:42p- Baby B is born into the world. She is equally as beautiful, but a little more gooey. APGAR 1min 6 5min 9.
9:42-10p- Clean up in the OR and back to recovery room
10p-1a- paperwork. Quality baby time. breast feeding (seems to be going pretty well, though not perfect as jess will tell you). Phone calls. Excitement, etc.
1a- Arrive to post-partum room

My wife is incredible. She looks incandescently, intoxicatingly beautiful (we just watched Emma last night so forgive my prose). It was a fantastic delivery and I couldn't be more proud of her. The babies are doing perfectly and have already begun weaving their web around me. They have cried together once thus far showing me the "journey" that we are about to embark on (I wanted to cry too). We'll try to keep everyone updated the best we can. Thanks for all the support and excitement.

Love,
Bryce, Jess, Baby A, Baby B

Soergel Farms- No babies yet

2010-10-03T15:37:00.000-04:00

Road Trip!

2010-08-05T14:40:00.000-04:00

***WARNING: Long winded travel log. Read at your own risk.

A month ago I went on a road trip with my family.

My amazing parents flew Isaac and me out to Chicago to meet them for a whirlwind tour of church history sights as we made our way to a family reunion in Palmyra. Bryce had to work :(. Happily, he did get time off to meet us for the reunion! I love love LOVE it when he gets a break from work!

So, as I said, Isaac and I flew off to Chicago. I've wanted to visit Chicago for as long as I can remember. It's the city of my birth! We left before I was old enough to remember it. As a little girl, I would pretend I lived in Chicago when I played with friends. It's a place that has always seemed special and exciting to me. I wonder if my kids will feel the same way about Pittsburgh. HaHa! That thought makes me laugh.

If I wasn't already obsessed with Chicago, I am now! I was totally charmed by it--the parks along the lake, the art museum, the series of bridges that lift up when barges come through the city, the streets underneath the city (like on Batman Begins), the AMAZING architecture, Navy Pier, the "El" train, deep dish pizza, and so many memories my parents related along the way. I'm so glad my first trip to Chicago was with them since it made my baby/toddler-hood and their school years come to life. I could appreciate their sacrifices even more since I feel like our experiences with med school and residency are similar in many ways to what they went through. Although, my parent's experience was a lot more hard core (Imagine living away from family in a big, strange city with NO cell phone, NO television, NO computer or internet or Skype, 1 car that my dad needed to get to school, and a new baby in the blizzardy dead of winter). I shudder to think of it and wonder if in the same situation I could be as strong and resilient. But, listening to my mom and dad talk about Chicago, it sounds like they have many happy memories and a fondness for the city despite those difficult post-grad years.

On our way out of town, my parents were good to show me the hospital where I made my entrance into the world and the apartments where we lived.

We left Chicago and drove all day to Carthage. I'd been there before but I can say this time was different. Having a busy toddler who just spent the last 5 hours in a car changes the spiritual level of the whole experience. I wish I could say I had this awesome spiritual experience there but in all honesty, I was a bit preoccupied. Still, it was neat to go and remember the things I'd seen and thought and felt the last time I'd visited.

The next day we spent in Nauvoo and met up with my sister and her family. They were doing a similar church history road trip but were spending more time at the stops along the way than we were. We saw several shows (Isaac's fav was "Anna Amanda"), took carriage and covered wagon rides, and stopped in a few of the stores. When we stopped for lunch I was surprised to run into my friend Bethany and her kids! How fun it was to see them! Isaac and Claire gave each other BIG hugs. It still makes me smile when I think about it.

Isaac and Claire playing at the children's activity area in Nauvoo.

The highlight for me in Nauvoo was seeing the temple in its proper place, standing in all its glory, overlooking the city. There weren't even any plans to rebuild the temple the last time I visited. My heart swelled and I may or may not have teared up when I saw it so real and so beautiful.

We capped off our day in Nauvoo with a pioneer fair and the Nauvoo pageant.

Our next day we spent driving back to Chicago for a little more sight seeing and a Cirque d' Shanghai show. Yes, we did A LOT of driving. This was without a doubt a true road trip and Isaac did FANTASTIC! Thank goodness he had such a fun aunt sitting next to him. She played fishing games with him, drew him pictures, and taught him different handshakes. Thank goodness for a grandma with an unlimited supply of mints and treats. Thank goodness for a grandpa who, even under a strict travel schedule, would still pull the car over frequently so that a little boy and his pregnant mommy could have potty breaks. AND, thank goodness there were lots of willing arms to hold and carry Isaac so I wouldn't chance going into pre-term labor.

From Chicago we hit up Kirtland and Niagra Falls. As we visited the Newel K. Whitney store in Kirtland, my dad shared a little known fact with us. After the church was able to buy the store (in the 70's), they needed someone to stay on the premises and look after it. So my dad and a roommate were invited to live there for a short while! What?! Why is this the first time I'm hearing this?!!! My dad lived in the same rooms that Joseph and Emma lived in. The very same rooms in which Joseph received many of the revelations found in the Doctrine and Covenants. My dad is full of surprises. Do you know he found a four leaf clover in Nauvoo??? It's um...only the seventh he's found in his lifetime. Can I just brag over how interesting and cool my dad is?

My mom, Isaac, my sister Jenn, and me at Niagra Falls.

You can probably tell from this picture, I didn't get much sleep on our trip. I'd do it all over again just to spend time with my family.

Bryce met us the next morning at the Sacred Grove. He got up at 3 a.m. to drive from Pittsburgh so he could get to Palmyra in time for a family temple trip. It made me so happy to have him there! Afterwards, the fun really got going as we met up with uncles, aunts, and cousins from my mom's side. I love family reunions and it's been far too long since I've been to one! Bryce even got to see his aunt, uncle, and cousins. Yep, same family reunion. Ask us about it sometime. It's fun to talk about AND I promise we're NOT related. Bryce has gotten really good at drawing a picture to illustrate the connection :).

Here we are at the Hill Cumorah Pageant in all our family reunion t-shirt glory. Don't ya wish your family was hot like mine? Don't ya?

A small group of Mark and Chloe Weed's descendants. We missed everyone who couldn't make the trip out!

My dad and his girls. What I don't have a picture of is Isaac, 15 min. earlier, stripping himself down to his birthday suit in front of a tour group probably having a spiritual moment. Apparently, our son had an accident and tried to take care of it himself. Thank goodness for husbands who immediately step in to fix the problem and take care of the mess. I love you Bryce.

Have I mentioned yet that I LOVE MY HUSBAND? Oh man, it was awesome to spend time with him. We had so much fun talking and laughing together as we drove back to Pittsburgh. Giggle Fun--that's what I like to call moments like that.

My family caravanned down to Pittsburgh with us. We hit some neat waterfalls along the way and then enjoyed a few days together at our house relaxing and recovering from our hectic week. I'm so happy my parents took Isaac and I on their adventure! I'm so happy everyone (minus Jason's family :( We missed them.) could come see where we live and spend a little time with us in Pittsburgh! Please come back! Please.

The Awesomest Brother and Dad Ever

2010-06-15T14:14:00.000-04:00

When we moved to Pittsburgh we knew it wouldn't be easy to make trips west to see family. We didn't realize just how complicated and unaffordable it would really turn out to be! We have spent almost the entire first year of Bryce's residency just hanging out in Pittsburgh. Although it hasn't been ideal, we've been just fine. We've made good friends and Bryce and I have really had to rely on each other. I think it's been good for us. That's not to say that I wouldn't love to visit my family or have them come see us. It just means that we've gotten through the year and been okay being our own little family without help from our extended family.

So with two babies on the way, I realized that travel west will be near impossible for the next couple of years. I've been so anxious to go visit my family since I began thinking about how much our own little family's life will be changing.

My brother surprised me about a month ago with an offer to use his airline miles to fly Isaac and me out to Idaho. I am still in awe of his generosity and can't imagine how to go about repaying his kindness. My dad also stepped in and helped make it possible for us to travel. I feel so grateful and so loved and so blessed!

Isaac and I left for Idaho the last week in May and got to spend two wonderful weeks with my parents and siblings! My brother and his family, as well as my sister and her family, came into town so that we could all be together (everyone except Bryce :( ...sad he couldn't come). We spent time hanging out, attending my little sister's volleyball games and choir concert, enjoying activities around Boise, sewing baby blankets, playing games, celebrating my nephew's birthday, and just enjoying each other's company. It had been a year and half since some of us had seen each other!

Here are a few pics from the trip:

TRAVELING: I bought Isaac his own backpack for the airplane and he felt so big and important wearing it around. In fact, he wanted to wear it all day long before our trip and kept pretending he was "going to work at the hospital." He was such a good little traveler and got lots of compliments from the people on our plane rides.

BOISE:

We walked around the capitol building and perused the nearby farmer's market one Saturday morning. Isaac and his cousins loved running up and down the stairs at the capitol.

At the farmer's market my dad bought us fresh-made doughnuts and some kind of Danish (?) cookie (Does anyone remember what it was called???). I also ran into the Matagi's (a couple Bryce and I were friends with in California who moved to Boise). They run a lemonade stand at the farmer's market.

This is my sister, her husband, and my brother (and part of Isaac--oops) at the farmer's market.

On Memorial Day, my parents took us on a Boise Trolley Tour and to the zoo (I felt awesome getting into the zoo for $.35 with my Pittsburgh zoo pass!!!).

It rained almost the entire 2 weeks we were in Boise and there was an afternoon tornado warning one day with funnel clouds that wreaked havoc on nearby neighborhoods but there were a few days when the rain let up and Isaac got to go outside to play. He's been really into balls lately and was stoked that Jenni had so many different kinds for him to play with.

Check out this kid's face! The other day he was sitting pensively and looked over at me with a serious look on his face and said, "I love balls."

Visitors Again!!!

2010-06-15T13:53:00.000-04:00

We were so excited that our good friends the Inskeeps could come see us in May! We met them when we moved to Chino Hills (CA) right after we got married. In fact, they had just gotten married a few weeks before us and moved to California so that Andrea could start P.A. school at the same school Bryce was beginning med school. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

They spent a few days with us here in Pittsburgh and Bryce took off work so that we could show them around the city and relive the "good old days ," watching Lost and playing games until the wee hours! We also got to go see one of Bryce's favorite bands (The Swell Season) perform. I had to keep Bryce form stalking the band's bus at the end of the show!

We had so much fun and miss spending time with our CA buddies!