Celebrate Kate!

It's no secret that our family likes to celebrate... Every single holiday, life event, anniversary and birthday like it is the last celebration we'll ever have. I always appreciate this because it makes you feel like life is so full of fun. This year was no exception for Kate's birthday. Since they are visiting from Cinci we decided to kick off Summer and Kate's 32nd year of life with a sizzling Saturday night party!


To see all the party pics, click here!

Today, Kate's actual birthday, we ate our way through the day with breakfast in the morning and dinner at night!


Then Kate, Mom and I whisked away to see Sex and the City 2 while the guys tended to the tots... Except for Dylann, who came to the movies too!


She snored and snoozed all the way until (SPOILER ALERT!) Samantha got arrested for bad girl behavior, so Dylann and I missed 15 mins while she squeaked and cried out in the hall, but we regrouped just in time to see the end. What fun to have our first Girls Night Out!

Havana Nights!

Sure I've been to Walmart and a baby shower without the kids, but to be out after dark at an all-adult party? Woo hoo! My parents watched all FOUR grandkids tonight while we double-dated with the Franklins to Annika's Havana Nights birthday. We sipped mojitos, swayed to the music and got our groove on! Thank you for having us Annika - By the time I got home I was feelin' like a Cuban ;)

Goooooo Tritons!

Simply put, Tim and Davis need to get their wiggles out. When they are cooped up too long, they get a crazy, wild look in their eyeballs, so Dylann and I let these ponies loose at the San Clemente High School fields... And they ran.... And ran and ran and ran and ran! I got a funny feeling sitting there on that field... I just can't believe one day (if all goes to plan) our kids will be Tritons at SCHS and Tim and I will be sitting in the bleachers cheering them on, interrogating their teachers at back-to-school night (hee hee) and spying in the gym when picking them up at school dances ;) WOAH. Slow down clock, slow down! Now I am immediately going downstairs to hold my tiny baby before she grows too quickly :(

Announcing Dylann Jane

When snapping pics for Dylann's baby announcement, I had panicked laughter the entire shoot. It was the first time Davis held Dylann on his own and while it made me happy he was so cute and gentle, I was also beyond nervous because all of a sudden he'd try to lift her or move her or just stand up! Some pics from our shoot that did not make the final cut...

Uncle Adam

Uncle Adam flew in from Cinci last night and today Dylann got to meet him. He was so complimentary of her, and tonight at dinner would look over out of the blue and say "She is really pretty" - He said it at least 3 times! Adam truly is the dad of girls. We are too darn lucky to have such fun and fantastic Franklins in our fan club ;)

Two Weeks

Two weeks ago, we woke up as a family of three. Two weeks ago, Tim and I packed our bags and headed to the hospital. Two weeks ago, Dylann was born and our lives changed! Tim and I became parents again and Davis became a brother, and now today, just two tiny weeks later, I can't imagine our family any other way...

Story Time!

The Cacklers have 2 rules when it comes to babies. 1. When a daughter becomes a mom, she gets a baby shower! 2. When a mom becomes a grandma, she gets a storybook shower! Today we showered Judy to stock her shelves for some heavy reading! In the next month she will become a grandma times TWO! First with Becky's baby boy (due any day) and second with Nicole and Andy's baby girl due 2 weeks later - It's evident her library will be put to good use! Thank you Cherisse for hosting such a beautiful book shower!

A Good Day

You know it's a good day when 1. You got to play with your cousins all day long and 2. You got to pig fight and wrestle with your Pop...


and 3. You ended the day by climbing into bed with your Snappy and listening to her read and read and read...


This kid definitely feels the love.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie...

Kate and I took a picnic to Liberty Park today and surprise surprise! My kids fell asleep in broad daylight! This is the norm lately... and I think Davis and Dylann are already ganging up on me with a brother/sister pact: Let's sleep when the sun is bright and shining so we can party all night with the moon and stars!

I decided to let my sleeping dogs lie while I enjoyed the sunshine and a sandwich ;)

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Constantly surrounded by the ladies, Davis told me it was time to become the suave man he truly is... So FIVE females (Kate, Kyle, Emmi, Dylann and myself) escorted him to the barber for some spiffing up! He was hesitant at first, but Kyle held his hand and we ended up with a new and improved handsome lil Davis 'do ;)

Check out the before and after...

Monday Music and Lots of Little Men

La la la! Dylann attended her second Music Together class today, tagging along with Davis and his all-boy buddies Brooks, Wiley and Cole. She was the perfect student, even though she stole the boy's attention and got showered in kisses throughout class. What sweet guys!

In need of a change of scenery, Katie and Cole had us over for post-class snacks and silliness.


Davis and Cole played like champs. When we left Cole was so polite, saying baby and touching Dylann goodbye. Katie, I think he wants a baby in the house! ;) It makes me laugh to imagine Dylann and Davis' little men friends growing up together - This girl already has bodyguards in the making... Or at least a few mother-approved date options for prom ;)


P.S. Tori has had a crash course in MOMology since she's been staying with us... She's endured vocally challenged moms singing and dancing at 9am, playdates, poopy diapers and picking up popcorn pieces, toys and tots over and over and over 85 times a day. Tori is sure to be one heck of a mother when her time comes!

And Then There Were 4!

Four little monkeys jumping on the bed!


I can't get enough of these 4 cuzzies. HOW CUTE ARE THEY!!! They are such perky playmates - Davis is the slightly mischievous one in the bunch and likes to tease and torture the girls, ha! For example.... Last night he'd quickly grab their toy when they weren't looking, then run away with it laughing like a madman trying to get them to chase him. Kyle is so patient and responsible and told me each and every time Davis ate a crayon (yum...) or when he was wrestling Emmi she reported "they are very close to falling off the bed Colleen." HA.


When we drove up to the house, Davis screamed EMMI and could not get out of the car fast enough. He loves this girl and must basically be up in her business at all times ;)



I could watch these kids for hours - It is pure entertainment.

Feeding the Troops!

Tim's mom came up today with her buddy Estela and brought enough food to feed an army! Seriously, we might invite Camp Pendleton over to help us eat! "Nona" had not seen Davis since his 1st birthday when he obviously was not saying much, so today was super funny when he learned her name... "No! No!" is a fav saying of his so it made "NoNA" extra easy to pronounce! Thanks for the visit ladies!

Fan-Franklin-Tastic!

MY SISTER IS HERE!!! I am over the moon!


She and the girls flew in from Cinci tonight and came straight over to meet Dylann. Kate held Dylann for 2 hrs and 27 mins (Total visit time: 2 hrs and 33 mins) - I guess she really meant it when she said she was going to snuggle her for 18 days straight!


Kyle and Emmi each held their cuzzie right when they walked through our door. Girls club is in session!



TT (Tori) hosted dinner for the whole fam, simmering up an Italian feast. Honestly, is this girl for real? I just might forget to take her to the airport in a week...


Cheers to baby Dylann and cheers to the Franklin's arrival! So much fun to come! And just wait till Davis sees Kyle and Emmi! Poor guy was fast asleep when they got here. Can't wait! Can't wait! Can't wait for tomorrow!

Grandpa Ho Ho

Tim's Dad, Curt, or as Davis calls him, "Grandpa Ho Ho" (thanks to a fuzzy white beard) sent us some light reading material today. Davis and I read the books 4 times through, the main message in both being "I am a big brother, baby can't do much, but I can help make the baby COZY." So we now have a new word in the house - COZY! It's pretty cute to hear, especially when it goes with "bee bee" and "suckie" and is followed by a kiss on the forehead.

Mr. Fix It

Davis definitely has "fix-it" skills in his blood so today we ventured over to my parent's house to check in on their remodel... And man, this is a new house from top to bottom and we cannot wait to see the final reveal!




Dylann was already so comfy in her grandparent's casa that she ate, pooped and slept, all in our 35 min tour. Whew!

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are open! This morning the Cacklers came by bearing gifts and food and friends for Davis!


Annika and her boys were welcome with open arms and when the doorbell rang, Davis knew this was a special treat... Anyone who fits inside his cardboard toddler condo has an open invitation to play at our house, any time, any day!


Thank you Jan, Cherisse and Annika for making our morning. Happy faces are always welcome during visiting hours!

VicTORIous

My cousin Tori is in town to meet Dylann and offered to be a helper around my house - Yippee! Mom taxied her over this morning and Davis quickly rememberd his bunkmate from April. We spent the day running errands and ended up at Panera, Snappy's treat to celebrate my first outting with 2 kidlets in tow! Not gonna lie... Things were MUCH easier with 6 adult hands to tote our gear and 2 sleeping children - Honestly, a sleeping child at lunch? Did this EVER happen when I had just one kid? NEVER.

P.S. Just for kicks we got Dylann all dressed up in an over the top girly outfit for her big day out... What a little bloom!

TINY

I remember staring at Davis' hands those first weeks after we brought him home... And they were TINY. Now they are giant mitts on the go, always full of toys and dirt and snacks and stickers - Exploring, pointing, touching everything! I still love those hands, even more today than then, but what sweetness to have another set of teeny TINY hands in the house again...

The Story Teller

Davis has quickly learned that he has a captive audience in Dylann. He can babble his brains out about trains and trucks and she will sit and listen without a single interruption. It's amazing how a newborn makes Davis seem like such a big guy - His words are exploding, he's a perfect mommy's helper taking Dylann's dirty clothes to the laundry room and putting her diapers in the trash! Things seem to be clicking that he is the Big Brother... Wow! What a title he has earned!