Favorite Moments

This post is about 6 months overdue, but I just thought I'd document it on our blog. Back in March, the twins were about 5 months old and Collin was 2 and a half. Our lives were busy and crazy, but we were just trying to soak in all the sweetness of our boys being so little. Rob and I made a goal to choose our favorite moment of the day, write it down, and we would tell each other about it at night. Some days it was hard to think of one, and some days it was hard to choose between many. Though most days were a little chaotic, it was nice to focus on the happy moments.
Rob made it all the way through the month, I didn't. I made mental notes each day but forgot to write them down... So he wins. It definitely makes me want to better document my life in every stage, since our children change so quickly! Anyway, here are some of our favorite moments from March!

Rob
1- holding Truman, acting like he was galloping on a horse, and Tru laughed a lot.
2- when I kept scaring the twins and they would both startle, and then laugh, in unison.
3- When Tru liked the Stake President (Truman kept laughing while we were talking to him)
4- when Collin sang his daily "daddy song" as soon as I got home. ("I'm so glad when Daddy comes Home", with a big kiss at the end)
5- treated first pediatric patient in the clinic
6- when my patient told me I'm better at adjusting than his previous intern, who is the top straight-A student in my quarter .
7- had friends schedule their kids at the clinic to help me reach transition on time.
8- transitioned just in time to be eligible for offsite shifts in the clinic
9- fixed the car and went to Costco with Collin.
10- presented a training at stake priesthood conference.
11- passed OSCE'S, and the clinical phase series at school.
12- set a new 5k record at a 7:18 pace.
13- treated a good friend's wife today in clinic and it went well.
14- got off sited to the Gresham Integrated Care Clinic.
15- Collin and I poured cups of juice and took turns drinking and saying, "Ahhh..." Afterward.
16- sat with my 3 boys and played a video game, while they watched. Now Collin keeps saying, "Daddy took care bad guy!"
17- celebrated Saint Patricks Day with green jello salad and ate lots of junk food.
18- ran an 8:50 pace 6 miler. It felt awesome and I made it up the 162nd hill without stopping.
19- used Collin as my weights for my workout. He thought it was really fun and kept saying, "Again!"
20- Rachel gave Collin and I haircuts today. We both look really good!
21- Got an A on my Bone Pathology III Final!
22- finished Split III in school!
23- had a delicious pudding, chocolate cookie thing at the Dana's Farewell Party.
24- set up Collin's very own toddler bed. He really really loved it and only fell out once.
25- Rachel found a really good deal on Wreck It Ralph at Target and we went to the Fairview park.
26- had lunch at Imagination Station with Rachel and the boys and the Ottos.
27- got a couple last minute visits in the campus health center (CHC) before I'm done there for good.
28- completed all my paperwork at the CHC for forever!
29- Collin got surprised with Wreck It Ralph for our drive to Utah. The boys were all very good on the drive
30- stood around the counter with Lindsey, Katie and Justin eating candy and laughing at stupid jokes. Katie made a sound like a turkey when she ate the sour jellybean.


Rachel
March
1- After a busy morning, the twins were down for their first nap of the day (usually around 30 minutes) and I was ready to squeeze in my workout. I took a second to sit down first and asked Collin if he wanted to come give me a quick snuggle. He picked up a blanket and brought it to me, then sat in my lap with the blanket over both of us. I postponed my workout, the babies took a longer nap, and we snuggled for a full hour while watching "Daniel Tiger" and "Sid."
2- Rob was holding Truman and Elliott and they were both fussing. As soon as I looked at them and started talking, they both stopped fussing and gave me big smiles.
3- When Truman laughed at the stake president.
4- Rob had a late night lab and I was  alone for bedtime. I was especially worried about how I would give Truman his bath while Elliott would probably be crying and I wouldn't be able to protect him from Collin's affection. I called my friend Sam next door and she happily took Elliott while I bathed and lotioned Tru.
5- Rob didn't start til 1:30, so we had time to run. Also, the twins took two 2-hour naps at perfect times.
6- When Sarah out of the blue scheduled her kids, allowing Rob to transition in time. Also, late at night when Collin was crying because "daddy cleaned up all books" and wanted a pile of books in his crib.
7-walking around outside with friends in the sun
8-dinner with the ottos
9- trip to Carter's to spend the reward card I got last time
10- reading the Jesus book to each of the twins during stake conference
11- the relief when Rob passed OSCEs, and accomplishing a grocery shopping trip alone with the 3 boys. (it was a big deal).
12- walking with friends outside, going to Kari's and putting all 3 babies together for tummy time
13-taking videos on my phone of Collin saying hi to people or singing songs and texting them to people, and the twins laughing while I recited the Mr. Brown book.
14- new post-twins 5k record. Also, getting G5 at the clinic (huge industrial massager).
15- at night time when we heard Collin laughing in his sleep
16-shopping alone, and a get together with friends
17- Making it to church on time with all the boys, without Rob (a really big deal!).
18- watching the Biggest Loser finale
19- making a fort for Collin in the living room
20- lifting each other for our workout
21- coming home from a run to a nice note from a friend

July-August

July started out with a trip to the coast. We first stopped by Tillamook- touring the cheese factory has been on our to-do list since we've lived here. Collin enjoyed watching the cheese being packaged, and we all enjoyed the samples and the ice cream!

Handsome farmer and cow.

We then headed to the nearby beach. It was windy as always, but the twins enjoyed being outside and Collin had a blast playing in the water a little bit. Rob took him out to get his feet in the water, and he loved being chased by the waves and jumping over them!

(E, T)

We then headed up the coast to Seaside. It actually worked out great to have a little scenic drive while all the boys napped. We really like Seaside. Probably the main reason is the big candy store with every flavor of taffy imaginable! I remember going there as a kid. Collin loved helping us pick out taffy.

Family picture in Seaside. Trips like these require a lot of planning and preparation, but we're so glad we're figuring out how to do fun things with our three little ones. (T, E)

Digging in the sand!

Another of our favorite Portland summer activities is the Oaks Park Preschool rides program. We went with the Ottos again, and Collin was really into the rides this year- the faster the better! And of course, this huge slide was a big hit again.

He loved spinning fast on the Tilt-A-Whirl!

These boys were angels the whole time! (T, E)

The dads and the big boys

Moms and babies

On the 4th of July, we went to our stake breakfast in the morning. At night time, Rob took Collin to a friend's house to watch fireworks. We figured Truman and Elliott sleeping at night was more important than for all of us to go out late at night to watch fireworks, so I'm glad that Collin and Rob were at least able to watch them!

Collin and Elliott

Brothers (T,C,E)

And a few pictures of fun times at the park!

Swinging babies! Tru on the left

Another creation from Build and Grow

We've discovered the cuteness of putting both babies in these little double sided baby swings. (E,T) 

Collin mastered these wobbly things.

One of my favorite moments of each day is when the babies wake up from their nap and I go to get them. (T,E) They have the biggest smiles and bounce up and down with their knees, so happy to see me. I love how they get close to each other and seem to entertain each other! Their cribs each have chips in the paint on the connecting edges from where they chew on them while looking into the other's crib. I just can't get enough of these adorable happy boys!

Another double swinging moment. (T,E)

Handsome big bro on his bike

Rob's mom and grandma came to visit! We got to take a 4 generation picture with them. (T,E)

Reading time (T, E) Tru and Elliott definitely look more identical when they have the same expression!

Truman and Elliott got their first haircuts! I was hesitant to cut their hair, even though it was reaching their eyes in the front, because I knew it would change their appearance so much and make them look older! I was right. It was amazing how different they looked! Their light brown hair came off to show their little towheads underneath. It's so weird to have your babies replaced by much older looking ones, but they are obviously adorable with their haircuts!

Before. (T, E)

Elliott After

Truman After

My handsome little guys! (T, E)

Some of the cooler nights in August called for us to bring out the matching pajamas we have for all our boys. I just love it! Collin loves matching his brothers too- the first thing the next morning, he saw his brothers and said, "Look at mine pajamas!" He was even willing to smile for a picture with his matching brothers. The babies, however, needed a bribe of remotes in order to sit still.

(T, C, E)

 Rob celebrated his 28th birthday! He was able to take a little time off in the morning to go get hot chocolate from Starbucks, and to do a little shopping for new clothes. We had steak for dinner and I made him a pumpkin cheesecake. We also had a birthday dinner the night before at Sweet Tomatoes with the Ottos!

Cute picture of my guys!

Just eating a salad in the park. 

Truman

Elliott

Three boys on a blanket

May-June

Once again, I'm so behind on the blog that I'm having trouble knowing where to begin. I'm just using my photos to remember. Just looking back at pictures from a couple months ago, I can see a big difference in each of our boys. They're changing so quickly! I'll start with a photo catch-up from May and June:

Collin became proficient at getting into everything! After making banana bread one day, I left the room for a minute and came back to this scene.

He came to me one day showing me that he had the "i" on his "eye."

He discovered that he loves chocolate. Whenever we give him the option for a treat, he always chooses "Choc-at!"

Elliott was the first to master sitting up (though Truman was the first to crawl!). They've hit all their milestones very close to the same time so far.

A picture with my big boy on Mother's Day, and the delicious trifle. I think a tradition is starting!

My Elliott

My Truman

Tru

Elliott

All my boys (and all smiling!) Collin, Elliott, Truman

Elliott, Truman

Rob took Collin on his first Father-Son campout! Collin had a blast and has since asked to go "cwamping" again. He was most excited about the Spiderman juice he got to bring on the trip. Rob said he didn't even have any trouble going to sleep.

We ran in the Starlight Run, a 5k in downtown Portland. The race took place right before a big parade, so the streets were lined with people watching and high-fiveing as we ran. It was a huge run, with lots of people running in costumes.

I love this picture of Collin and his friend Emma at the zoo. They were both most excited about seeing the giraffes. Although, this day at the zoo was exhausting! I went with a bunch of friends and their kids, without Rob. I'm definitely not going to attempt that again in the near future. Even with other people there helping hold on to Collin some of the time, I still had a baby strapped to my front, my diaper bag on my back, and I was either pushing the other two kids in the huge double stroller or pushing one and trying to keep track of Collin who didn't want to stay in the stroller. Did I mention the entire way out of the zoo is uphill? I needed a nap after that. 

Rob's Father's Day picture with the twins at church. He's wearing a Super Dad badge, and if you've ever tried carrying around two car seats at once, you would agree that he earns that badge.

Three boys in a tub (E,T,C)

This must have been right before we moved them to their own room, because it seems so long ago that I would get up in the morning to these two cuties looking at me in my bed. (T, E)

They were mesmerized by the fish in the baby area of OMSI. (T, E)

This little sneak is constantly helping himself to our fruit basket. Is it weird that he just eats entire tomatoes like this? 

TV watching babes. (Tru front) 

We took the babies swimming for the first time at our local community center. (T, E) They loved it and Collin had a blast going down the water slide over and over! This was another one of those exhausting outings- it seemed like half the time was spent in the changing rooms trying to get all of us dressed in and out of swimsuits- but it was definitely worth it! 

My three boys in their matching ties Aunt Lindsey made for them! (T, E) Collin especially loves his tie. The first few times he wore it to nursery on Sundays, he would go up to his leader, Sister Tobiasson, first thing and hold it up until she'd comment on it. :)

OMSI again- love these precious boys in the ball pit! (T, E)

This picture of Elliott cracks me up. He just looks so casual.

One of our favorite things this summer has been the Lowes Build and Grow workshops. Collin loves putting on his apron and goggles and making little crafts with his Daddy. I think it's so cute!

We made a trip to Auburn to visit Great Grandma. She moved away from her house shortly after, so we were glad to visit the house, which I used to visit as a kid, one more time. Collin was a charmer and truly enjoyed visiting his great grandma. He read her a story before bed time and had fun exploring in her house.

(E, T)

We also made a trip to Sunnyside to visit Rob's family. We spent some time at the Granger dinosaur park, and had a barbecue with family. 

Collin and his cousins climbing the dinosaur

Rob proved that he can still make it to the top of this big guy.

Collin found these two dolls and told me "yours have two babies, mine have two babies." He carried them around with him for a while and was so cute taking care of his two babies. I wonder if he will be confused someday or think all babies come in twos.

Family picture outside of church in Sunnyside (T, E)