shadows and routine

Hello friends and family,

Thank you for all the anniversary emails and phone calls. We were blessed to have our friends, Tam and David and their two kids, come over to watch our babies so we could go out for a night alone to celebrate. We went out for Kendra's quintessential idea of a "date". Great sushi, talking while reading magazines at the book store, and a movie (in the theater). I put my logical, financial nature aside and gladly paid for the movie tickets.

Here is how I think: Kendra already saw the movie once ($10) and we both went to see it together ($20) so we spent a total of $30 to go a see a movie that will be out on DVD to either rent for $4 or buy in on Blu-ray for $15... That's just weird to me. We paid twice as much to drive to a theater and watch the movie with a bunch of strangers instead of paying $15 to own the movie for life and watch it as often and whenever we please? How bizarre.

BUT (and here's the part that proves I'm learning about this whole marriage thing) I didn't say a word because Kendra doesn't think like me, nor should she. I don't have to understand her or convince her of anything. I know going to see a movie makes her happy and feel special. That's all I need to know. By the way, the comedy was ok and I had a few good laughs.

Spending an evening together was excellent and I'm so glad we were able to take time for ourselves.

I have one other observation based on our night out. Regarding men opening car doors for their lady, either the car is new or the lady is. Isn't that sad? My mid-west mentality says I want to open the car door for Kendra, but our routine of piling in kids and strollers and bags doesn't lend itself to being so chivalrous. I'll have to try and be more conscious of that when we are alone next time...

Anywho, here's our morning routine: babies still wake up at 7:00 AM (cock-a-doodle-do). We jump out of bed, go change diapers, and remove the shreds of torn-up books from their bed. They have a tendency to tear them apart occasionally. Then we go into the living room to give each baby a cracker and book. The cracker is to hold them off until breakfast is ready. The book is to satisfy their ever-increasing desire to read all the time.


Kendra cooks up some vittles and I keep the twins out of trouble. I lay on the floor to read with them and then Layla straddles my chest bouncing up and down. I make funny noises (eek, oof, ouch,ah,oh) until they get tired of laughing and bouncing.

Then we have breakfast which involves Kendra and I scarfing down food in between picking up crumbs off the floor and telling Easton to stop flinging eggs onto the floor. When the babies say, "all done" we do what all babies hate: wiping off their faces and hands. You'd think they get the idea that after every single meal we must wipe off the sticky syrup or cheese. However, they still put up a fight and fuss over it... and that's our morning routine.

Over the weekend we went to Target because A) they have toys to play with B) the store is air-conditioned C) the twins need a place to run around without their shoes melting to the pavement. Layla went straight for the noisy toys, of course.


Doesn't she look adorable in her new dress? We let the twins play with the toys and if one catches their attention we occasionally buy it. This wooden toy has 4 holes in the top and 4 wooden balls. The idea is to use the hammer to smash the balls down through the holes and then watch them cascade down through the labyrinth of slats inside. As you can see they do love this one.


I'm amazed no fingers or heads have been smashed so far (knock on wood).

Let me go back in time just a few days because I saved these pictures from our month with Oma and Opa for such a time as this. Every morning at their house when the sun comes up, it shines directly into the back window. One time while playing with Easton and Layla I spent a few minutes explaining the concept of a "shadow". It made for an interesting moment where they couldn't figure out how the shadow moved as they did, but I think they got it. Also it made for some darn good pictures, if you ask me.


Even though Easton closed his eyes just when the picture flashed it is still cute to see him touching his shadow.


And here are two random pics from our trip that I didn't have the chance to post yet. Opa has "his" chair in the living room where he normally sits. Layla knows "his" chair and would regularly climb up in it and sit like a big girl. I caught her one time lying down, resting on the comfy seat cushion. She looks like a little angel to me.


On another occasion Kendra and I walked up the street to the local breakfast joint so we could let Oma and Opa sleep in for once. Easton was pointing to my glasses so I let him try them on just for fun.


I would make a wise-crack about how nerdy he looks, but those are MY glasses he has so I would only be poking fun at myself.

Time for bed so i'll see you again in a couple of days!