Christmas Eve

 Matching Jammies!  I'm not sure if Rob realized we got Makayla Minnie Mouse Jammies when he chose mine, but she was soo excited that we matched.

 We started a new Christmas Eve tradition.  We made gourmet hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream.  Mmmm

 We finally put the presents out.  We only put out 5 or so presents before Christmas Eve, then hid them in my room again because the twins kept trying to open them.  This was hard for me, cuz I feel like presents under the tree are part of the decorations.  But it was better than being the present polic 24/7

 Trying to get a pic of the twins during the nativity act-out.

 makayla was mary of course.

 Michael dressed up.  He had the idea to be "the other guys that ride the donkey"  oh, you mean the wisemen riding camels?  So Rob was a donkey and a camel.

Christopher was joseph and daddy was the donkey.

Rob's achilles tendon

 On Monday, December 14th, 2 of Rob's coworkers drove him (and his car) home just after lunch.  Rob was playing basketball at work with them and tore his achilles tendon.  He said it felt like someone took a hatchet to his leg and turned around to see who kicked him.  No one was there, so he realized what happened.  He was in alot of pain the first 24 hours.  Tuesday he saw a orthopedic surgeon, who scheduled surgery for the next day, after a MRI confirmed what we all knew.  The pain was better Tuesday and he got a walking boot, which made walking possible.  Surgery went well.  His tendon was so badly shredded, it took a long time to stitch back together.  A friend watched the kids for a couple hours while I picked him up (loopy coming out of anesthesia), and my visiting teachers brought us dinner.  It took a long time for his leg to be no longer numb...several days.  He was worried that there was nerve damage.  Once he had feeling, it hurt sooo bad for 24 hrs.  He didn't take his pain meds for very many days.  And he stressed me out by trying to do more than just lay there, reading to the kids.

I was excited for the hard cast 2 weeks later.  He had already slipped on the ice once or twice in the splint (he wasn't suppose to be outside), so I knew this would protect him more.  A co-worker that lived a couple miles away picked him up & took him to work.  (He took all of Christmas break off, then went back when he had his cast.)  Rob hopped down stairs while I carried his crutches & got some funny remarks from some freshmen girls at a BYU basketball game.  A few weeks later he got his cast off & was in a walking boot.  He started physical therapy & got the walking boot off 2 months earlier than we thought!  These days he's walking almost at a normal speed, with only a hint of a limp.  It'll be another 6-9 months before he can run and jump again though.  This was hard for us to go through, but the timing was perfect.  Christmas break, he was planning on taking off anyways.  I was feeling my best pregnancy wise (morning sickness was done & I wasn't having 3rd trimester bigness/pains yet).  The only bad thing was the twins decided their favorite game was to destroy the house...dump out every toy and book multiple times a day.

Getting ready for Christmas

The twins helping to decorate the tree.  There weren't very many ornaments on the bottom, and those got moved around.  I didn't put some of my special ones on, in case the tree tipped over.  Last year (or the year before?) it did while we were setting it up, but we got a new one after Christmas last year (or the year before?) and this is nice and sturdy.

Joseph's looking at the camera, but Matthew is too busy focusing on the ornament.

There we go!  both looking and smiling!  If only more of Joseph was showing and Matthew wasn't cut off it would be perfect.  Oh well. They are cuties.

Looking at the snow globe (that plays music) with Daddy.

Daddy getting the garland ready...with lots of helpers.

He's so good with involving the kids.  I need a chill pill or something in order to do so.

Silly candid shot

I think a couple more strands of lights were added after this, but here's an idea of our Christmas light decorations.

Why are you so uncomfortable Joseph? Is it because you see Santa & you do NOT want to get any closer?

Matthew also refuses to look.

 I forced them anyways.  Haha. Classic crying Santa picture.

Matthew's like "get me out of here"

Michael was very excited to see Santa.  Christopher had no interest, perhaps because of the discussion he and Rob had after Christmas.  Christopher was excited and grateful after the discussion, but not interested in seeing Santa this year.  Makayla was SOOO excited to see Santa, until we were 10 feet away.  Then she started shouting that she was NOT going to be near Santa.  We didn't even try for a picture of all the kids with Santa when only 1 would willingly be near him.

More decorating the tree pictures.

They played a fun reindeer game a speech class.

This was as close as I got to a "Christmas clothes by the Christmas tree" picture this year.

 Joseph saying "tee" and pointing to the tree.  Thanks to the season they learned a new word.  Soon 2 more that sounded the same came about....tee also meant "treat" or "trade" (as in, trade that toy with your brother).  Context is very important with toddlers.  Also, Joseph LOVED the Christmas tree.  He gave it hugs often.  It was too funny and too cute.

 My mom sent a box of activities to do.  Makayla and Michael especially enjoyed this one.  Christopher loved the mad-libs books.  The 3 older kids loved the coloring stuff and puzzles.  The twins loved the cars.  I think there were more activities, and there were treats, but I can't remember everything right now.  It was perfect timing because Rob was immobile (more on that in a different post)& the kids were used to him taking them on excursions or playing outside.

Aww...Michael by the Christmas tree.

Middle of December, but not Christmas stuff

 These guys are so cute during bath time. Matthew left, Joseph right.

 They aren't just trying to be modest, they each have a rubber duck hiding under their legs.  They thought peek-a-boo was so funny.

 Sitting in the car container is fun...everyone wants to do it....well, at least Makayla and Joseph

 Christopher made a snow angel in the neighbor's yard.

 Joseph wanted to try too.

 My friend, Pam Schow, who has been reading with Makayla and practicing speech with her (and I've posted pictures of them together before), gave Makayla this bird house to paint and hang up.  (and I liked Makayla's hair)

 Cheese

 Silly girl.

Beginning of December

 Christopher and I went to a BYU basketball game.

 Christmas time means lots of big boxes arriving.  This one fit 3 kids!  Makayla is trying to pull the flaps closed.

 wrapping up the twins

 "you'll be ok Matthew, just keep your head down"

 The tree at speech class was decorated for Christmas

I looked over the ledge & saw them sharing one of their favorite books.  (balloons and a dog, of course)

 Close up.  This is how twins read books ;)

 makayla's purse became a hat.

 "take a picture of my blue baby"

 Christopher's webelo's leader is amazing and make these 2 cars for a pack meeting.  Then she gave them to us to play with.

 Joseph and Makayla loved taking pictures in the ambulance.

 He liked looking at himself.

 Then thought it was funny.

 Can't forget a picture of cute Matthew!

Joseph has this twin thing figured out.