Watch out World...Another Mayer Arrives!

Convo with Lily

2012-02-01T17:48:00.002-05:00

(All being yelled from upstairs)
Lily: Mom, can I wear short sleeved PJ's?
Me: No, it will be cold tonight.
Lily: But did you go outside? It's warm.
Me: I know, but it will get cold tonight because it's winter.
Lily: Did it get cold at night last winter?
Me: Yes, it did.
Lily: Fine! I'm not talking to you!!!

Oh, the rationale of a sassy 4-year-old!

Jumperoos, Skittles, and Undies, Oh My!

2012-01-22T15:51:00.002-05:00

1. The Jumperoo
I had Thomas in the Jumperoo on Friday. He loves the thing!! He jumps like a little mad man and has a huge smile doing it. I put Lucy on the floor with some toys. She was also happy. I went into the kitchen to do whatever needed to be done. I came back and Lucy had rolled under Thomas and he was jumperooing on her stomach. You may think this would have brought crying or screaming from Lucy, but she was happy as can be, just chewing away on some toy. Thomas was ticked, though. He couldn't jump as high as he wanted to. I got a picture on my phone and will post soon.
2. Skittles
Thomas ate his first Skittle. The girls has Skittles and one must have fallen on the floor. I'm not actually 100% sure he ate it, but I saw skittle juice on his clothes and his hands were sticky. At first I was horrified that my 7 month old had a Skittle, but he didn't choke and is fine! So I guess no worries, right?
3. Undies
I have been pushing the potty training thing. Two in diapers seems heavenly. I kept asking Bridget if she wanted to sit on the potty and she was showing ZERO interest. I even thought I would bribe her with candy, thinking that would surely move the process along. She thought about it and very sweetly replied, "Uh, no candy." So I was pretty sure I was going to be sending her to college in diapers. I just bought two packs for her on Friday. And wouldn't you believe it, but on Saturday she wanted to wear undies and went on the potty!!!!!!!! Most of this was Lily's doing. She "read" Bridgey a book and let her hold her favorite mermaid. And that's all it really took. Now, we've definitely had accidents, but I feel like we might be on our way! Horray! I'll keep you posted.

I'm also SUPER excited because Uncle Hunter gave us a camera. He actually won it and wasn't using it! So hopefully, I will have some pictures posted soon! Thanks, Uncle Hunter! You're the best!!!!!

Oh, Bridgey

2012-01-13T08:32:00.002-05:00

The other night I was preparing for dinner. I had put out baby food, rice cereal, and spoons for the twins. They were hanging out in their high chairs and eating puffs. Along came Bridget! She decided to pour rice cereal in the baby food. She made a little mess, but no big deal. She then asked me, "Feed twins?" I thought, "Well, sure. What the worst that can happen, a big mess?" I figured it would keep her and the twins occupied while I finished up dinner. While I'm in the kitchen I hear, "Beard on! Beard on!" I was confused and decided I should go investigate. I found out what "beard on" meant. Bridget had made a beard on Lucy's face with baby food. Could I really do anything but laugh? This house is nuts!

Camera is still broken and I found out it's pretty expensive to get fixed. Still figuring out plan B. Hopefully, I will have pictures soon!

Welcome to the Mayer House

2012-01-06T18:41:00.002-05:00

I just found Bridget. She had ribbon, scissors, and a glue stick. Bet you don't know what she was doing with the ribbon, scissors, and glue stick?!?! She was cutting up the ribbon in small pieces and gluing them to Lucy. Yes, this is what happens in a house of 4, 4 and under! And Thomas has already been highlighted, yes with a highlighter! Guess I need to keep a better eye on all these crazies!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T15:03:00.002-05:00

We had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I tried to soak up every moment of it! It's such a fun time of the year with 4 little ones...lots of magic, lots of get togethers, and lots of activities. We did so much and I haven't posted in so long I am going to recap some of my top favorites.
1. The big light reveal-Fr. Meyer bought us LED's this year! Andy and Maureen were here when when turned on the lights and the neighbors even came out to see us. They look great! Bridget says bye to the reindeer every time we leave the house.
2. I made Tyler a coffee mug for Christmas. Lily saw the packaged and wanted to know what was in it. I hesitantly told her and made her swear to not tell Tyler. The next morning when Tyler was pouring his coffee Lily says, "Dad! Mom did NOT get you a coffee mug for Christmas." Then she runs over to me and "whispers" that she did not tell Dad about the coffee mug. Lily...you are soooo sneaky!
3. Tyler surprised me with a night out to see "A Christmas Carol" and dinner. Those don't come often, so it was great to spend time with just Tyler!
4. Lily's best reaction to presents this year was when she got princess underwear. She was so excited! Who knew that's all it took!
5. Bridget came down on Christmas morning, saw the presents, and insisted we do our same morning routine of having chocolate milk and watching a show. She eventually warmed up to the idea of presents.
6. Alacazam Snuffelufagus was our Elf on the Shelf! One night he helped himself to beer! I was quite surprised to see that. Can you guess who hides our Elf?
7. The twins had the cutest matching Christmas outfits. It was so crazy I'm not sure I even got a picture of them.
8. We went and saw the zoo lights with the Reilly's and went to the Spaghetti Factory after. The O'Bryans watched the twins!
9. We went and saw The Muppets...Bridget's first movie!
10. Loved seeing how excited the girls were to go to Bamma and Papa's house!
11. The Reynolds Company sets up a HUGE scene of lights. It takes literally 15 minutes to drive around and see them all. It's about a 25 minute drive from our house. We packed everyone up all the kids in the car (about a 30 minutes process) and by the time we got there, everyone was asleep. Tyler and I were the only ones who saw the lights.
12. Thomas LOVED the Christmas tree. He would roll over to and and yank things off. There were many times I would change his diaper and find lots of pine needles.
13. We went to see Santa and the only kids who would sit on his lap were Thomas and Lucy!

That's our Christmas in a very small nutshell. It was crazy, but AMAZING! There are no pictures at the moment, because Bridget broke our camera on Christmas. :) I still haven't even posted the twins 6 month pictures. They are 7 months TODAY! They are rolling all over the place and loving the exersaucer and jumperoo. They eat baby food and like it!

Recently I laid Lucy and Thomas next to each other. Lucy would take Thomas' binky out of his mouth and put it in her mouth. He would get so mad, but it sure was funny to see. Twins are so fun to see interact!

Have a fabulous 2012!

5 Months Old

2011-11-11T07:39:00.000-05:00

Yes, they are growing so fast! Thomas loves to play with his feet and Lucy could spend hours in the Exersaucer. They are both very ticklish! Thomas has the cutest chubby cheeks and Lucy's chubby legs are just adorable!

Thomas is a fantastic little sleeper. I remember reading books when I had Lily. They always said to put your baby to bed when they were "drowsy" and not to feed them until they fully fell alseep, so that they could learn to fall asleep themselves. I remember thinking "ha! yeah, right! That will NEVER work with our Lily!" The second I would set her down slightly awake, she would go into a full blown scream. Well, you can put Thomas down fully awake. Just turn on his mobile and give him his binky and he will put himself to sleep. Little Lucy Lu needs a little more coaxing. I think she just loves to cuddle. Next on the list....solid food! This should be interesting!

While having twins brings more chaos, it definitely brings more sweetness, too!

My Little Box of Crayons

2011-11-10T07:20:00.000-05:00

All four of my little crayons! Pictures with four are interesting. There's bound to be one crying, one not looking, one not smiling, etc. I've pondered what I will do for Christmas...get a cute individual shot of each child or take a shot of all four. It will surely be a comical scene.

Halloween was too fun. I love the way their costumes turned out. Lily got to trick or treat around the classrooms at Chatard. So fun! We all went to Nana's and Grandad's for dinner and then trick or treating. Bridget was just starting to "get it" by the end. She would run from house to house!

I entered the twins in 3 costume contests. They won 2 already and voting for the 3rd one starts today or tomorrow. I think people just love seeing two little ones together.

Brown County Wedding

2011-11-09T06:56:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, Tyler and I travelled to Brown County for a wedding. The wedding was absolutely beautiful. We brought the twins and Aunt Katie and Uncle G watched the girls! Thanks!! The leaves were stunning and Tyler and I were able to take a little hike with the twins!

Pumpkin Patch

2011-11-08T06:25:00.000-05:00

Just before Halloween we visited the Pumpkin Patch. It is THE cutest pumpkin patch.

The perfect pumpkin!

They have this little pumpking train. Lily, of course, loved to go on it. Bridget, of course, loved to stay in mom's arms and watch Lily ride it!

All six of us (do you see Lucy and Thomas on our backs?) on the hay ride to the pumpkin patch.

Have you heard of...

2011-11-07T07:49:00.002-05:00

Endorse. It's an app on Facebook and if you're a Facebook user, it's well worth it. I read about it in The Indy Star and checked it out. I think I've written about trying to save a dime here and there. Hey, with four kids, you have to, right? Especially, when Catholic education is quickly approaching. And I know some of you who read my blog love a good deal, too! It looks like this is something relatively new, so I hope it sticks around.

Here are the basics:
1. Download the App
2. Invite Friends
3. Endorse products and stores (They have tons and I will list a few of my favs below)
4. Have friends join your endorsements (Don't forget to add me as a friend, I don't have any yet)
5. Send in your receipts from products or stores you endorsed (in a mailer they will send you) and get 10% back
6. They'll send you a check once you hit $25
7. You can even get products for free once you have friends endorse it!

Find out more here: http://apps.facebook.com/endorse/?ref=bookmarks&fb_source=bookmarks_apps&fb_bmpos=1_

Here are my favorites:
Target- https://www.endorse.com/love/Target/7241
Diet Coke- https://www.endorse.com/love/Diet_Coke/7241
Walmart- https://www.endorse.com/love/Walmart/7241
Blue Moon- https://www.endorse.com/love/Blue_Moon_Belgian_White/7241
Bed Bath and Beyond- https://www.endorse.com/love/Bed_Bath_and_Beyond/7241
Chipotle- https://www.endorse.com/love/Chipotle_Mexican_Grill/7241
Shell- https://www.endorse.com/love/Shell/7241

Now I just have to make sure Tyler saves his receipts. Can't wait to get my first check! woo hoo!

Soccer

2011-11-07T06:01:00.002-05:00

Soccer is officially over! Lily had a great time running up and down the field and giving a thumbs-up. She even got a little trophy with her name on it! Can't wait for next year!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-25T14:53:00.002-04:00

We went to Zoo Boo this weekend. The Mayers are a box of crayons this year...almost a full one! Check out those eyelashes! Enough to make any woman jealous!

Hanging with Dad!

Oooh scary spider!

Random of playing in the rain!

Before Zoo Boo!

The girls also went to a Haunted House at Chatard. Lily was not scared at all...totally like her. By the end Bridget was saying, "Mommy hold me!" Tyler was holding her and she had enough of the haunted house!

Check back and hopefully I will have pics of all four of the crayons together!

Costume Contest

2011-10-25T06:28:00.001-04:00

I entered the twins in a photo costume contest. If you are a facebook user click on this link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10100828222896608&set=o.15180106636&type=3&theater

Then "like" the photo. The most "likes" wins!

THE 4th Birthday!

2011-10-24T14:43:00.003-04:00

This birthday was so fun! Lily was soooo excited for it. Her birthday fell on a day she had school and she had a soccer game after. When she woke up we had all her presents ready for her downstairs, including her new scooter. Tyler had also gotten her 4 pink dunkin donuts. After school we went to her soccer game and then came back for pizza, cake, and presents. The theme was of course "Princess," complete with an Ariel birthday. It was so fun because she was even able to write some of her invitations!

Thanks Aunt Katie and Uncle G for the Princess PJ's. They wear them every time they are clean!

Blowing out the cake! The second she got home from soccer, she asked to change into a dress. Of course!

Here comes the cake!

Four!...with some pizza sauce on her face!

The morning of her birthday!

Lil....we love you babe! Your strong sense of independence, your love of cuddling, and your compassion for others is awesome! Keep being inquisitive and playful and PLEASE stop growing. I can't stand it!

Big Girl Bed

2011-10-18T17:26:00.000-04:00

Bridget has officially moved to the bottom bunk and Lily is on top. The first morning I heard something in their room around 6AM. Lily was rubbing back because Bridget had woken up sad. So cute! Bridget does like to venture from her bed and Lil never did that.

The first night after I put her in bed, I definitely came down in tears. She's growing up WAY too fast!

4 Months Old!

2011-10-17T15:34:00.000-04:00

I don't think I will ever get a pic of both of them smiling! ha! They do make sure funny faces! Lucy has actually passed Thomas up in weight. She weighs 14 lbs. 10 oz and he's 14 lbs. 2 oz. He is longer and his head is bigger! Thomas has also began to growl lately. It's hilarious! Thomas loves playing with his toes and Lucy loves to roll. Such sweet, easy-going babies!

Mom! I'm scared!

They were actually holding hands!

ha! I think the flash scares the poor kid!

Love that Lucy smile!

Bridget turns 2!

2011-10-16T14:59:00.000-04:00

Bridget is 2! We had a Woody party. She has a special love for Woody and mermaids. Bridgey was more interested in the cards than the presents and wasn't too excited forthe cake either.

Bridget has gotten such a little sense of humor lately. She makes the funniest faces and her voice is THE cutest! And she's is finally seeking a little revenge on her older sister...aka biting and pulling hair. Oh my!

She loves wearing her Trojan Tots and Dayton tshirts and wants to wear nothing that is "tiiiiight"!

Happy Brithday my sweet Bridgey Bean! Love you more than anything!

Thomas and Lucy

2011-10-15T14:08:00.000-04:00

Just a couple of my favorites lately!

First Swim

2011-10-14T16:53:00.004-04:00

Yes, we are in our swimming suits for the first time!

Lucy's first dip in Nana and Grandad's pool.

Bridg loves to swim!

Our first swim!

Daddy and the two big girls!

Happy 5 Year Anniversary!

2011-10-14T14:18:00.002-04:00

Almost excactly five years ago to the minute I was walking down the aisle. And now 4 kids later...here we are!! Thanks for being my main squeeze, Tyler! You are THE best husband (and father!) ever! Can't wait to see what the next 60 years bring. Glad to get to share everyday with you...even if they are CRAZY days!

Happenings!

2011-10-14T13:39:00.002-04:00

T-Man and Lucy hanging out!

Cuddling with Aunt Annie! She came to help my mom. I don't think I posted that my mom DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE CHEMO!!!!!! YEAH!!!!

Lily after the St. Luke Jubilee Jam. Can you tell she had a blast!

Soccer

2011-09-25T07:50:00.001-04:00

Lily recently join a soccer league at the YMCA. She was placed on Team Crush. Seriously...soccer for 3-4 year olds is the BEST. Yes, it great for Lily to learn about sportsmanship, being on a team, and improving her coordination skills. But it is HILARIOUS for adults. After about 5 minutes of corralling all the kids in, they are just about ready to begin the game. The coach asks, "Now, does anyone know which goal is ours?" Not one kid knew. They just stared blankly. The games mostly consists of kids running in no real direction or just standing and staring. There's always one kid running off the field to give his/her mom a hug. One kid was running around with a cone on his face. Another was just tackling other kids. I was laughing most of the time.
Here's our star soccer player!

Visit to Chicago

2011-09-24T07:40:00.001-04:00

We went to Chicago over Labor Day weekend. We had a blast! Lily loved hanging out with GG on the back porch and talking. I can't imagine what they talked about! ha! Tyler went to Walmart there and came back with Bears clothes for everyone! Thanks for a fun weekend Bamma and Papa!

Today is also my 30th birthday! WHAT?!?! Yes, I know I look waaaay too young to be thirty. I really can't believe it. I really don't mind being 30, I just can't believe how quickly it came. I feel like I was just turning 20 and living in my sorority house and I had never even heard of this Tyler Mayer character. I can't believe that was TEN WHOLE YEARS AGO!!! So much has changed in those 10 years! Cheers to another exciting decade! Can't wait to begin it with Tyler and my 4 kids!

3 Months Old

2011-09-23T07:33:00.000-04:00

Time flies! Three months already. Thomas was our first to smile and Lucy just recently rolled over! I love seeing them hit their milestones together. They are still sleeping in our room. We have to make the big transition. First, we need to move Bridget into Lily's room. There's a bunk bed in there, but I think I'm going to have them both sleep on the double bed on the bottom. This should be interesting! Bridget loves to go to sleep early and Lily late. Once the dust settles on that, we will move the twins into their room. Wish us luck!

Thomas and Lucy are the sweetest babies and honestly, pretty easy, too. They must have known they were #3 and #4. I think Thomas must have seen a spider in this pic! ha!

Love that Lucy smile. I don't think I will every get a pic of both of them smiling!

Huh!?!? Watcha say mom?!?!

Other activities

2011-09-22T07:24:00.000-04:00

I feel like we've been crazy busy, but with lots of fun stuff. We've...
1. Fed the ducks in Broad Ripple and then walked and got lunch
2. Went to 2 birthday parties
3. Attended 2 Bishop Chatard Football games (Lily got to be a cheerleader!)
4. Went to Irish Fest with the Reilly's and Uncle Nick
5. Went to Chicago and the twins met GG for the first time
6. Bamma visited for a couple of days and attended Grandparents day with Lily
7. Gone to Snapperz

Below are pictures of the girls at Snapperz. Thanks Uncle Bubba for coming with us. For those of you who live in Indy...this place is great. Some little rides, jump houses, slides, climbing area. It's super clean and pretty cheap. Great for a rainy day! When we went on a weekday afternoon it wasn't crowded.
It took Bridgey a long time to warm up to these rides! Poor thing is afraid of everything. But by the end she was going down the HUGE slides!

Lily going down one of the slides.

Lately...

2011-09-21T07:10:00.001-04:00

There's been lots of feeding babies and changing diapers. I talked with another mother of twins. She has 4 kids, except all of her kids are almost exactly a year older than all of ours. She said that first year is VERY blurry for her. I can definitely see how that happens. I'm just trying to enjoy all the little moments I have with my four kids, even if the days begin to blur together.

Hanging out with Nana and Grandad. We went to the park one Sunday afternoon and had a blast!

As most of you know, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her sugery was the 9th. She recently got the results back and it's Stage 1. Horray! She will meet with her oncologist soon, but most likely will not have chemo. She is a warrior for sure!!! I can't believe what a strong woman she is. Actually...I can...she has ALWAYS been absolutely amazing. But please keep praying for her. The recovery is long and difficult.

One last picture....Lucy enjoying the Bumbo. If anyone out there has a Bumbo they aren't using, we would love to borrow it. I think Lucy and Thomas would love to hang out together in their Bumbos together!

First Day of School

2011-09-20T07:01:00.003-04:00

Did you think I forgot about you? The minutes have definitely been busy. Lily started preschool at the beginning of August. She is a Trojan Tot "senior" and the Bishop Chatard Preschool. Tyler takes her to and from school, which is absolutely AMAZING for me! I had to take her to school once this year and it took us an hour and a half to get out of the house! Lily also loves that Daddy takes her, because they go to McDonald's every Friday. Oh, I wish I could be a fly on a wall to watch those two. She will go to preschool one more year and then off to Kindergarten. WHAT?!?!?! I can't even stand how old she is getting. Her preschool teacher is absolutely amazing. Lily came home the other day talking about gravity. She could explain it a lot better than I could.

Bridget has also enjoyed Lily going to preschool. She gets more "mommy time."

The first day!!

Christmas Came Early

2011-08-12T13:39:00.002-04:00

My grocery shopping trips have evolved since I've been married. When Tyler and I were first married I would go to Walmart once a week to grocery shop. Then on my way home, I would stop at our local grocer to pick up produce and meat. Sometimes I would even stop at the Farmer's Market.

I continued to do this even after Lily was born. The trip began to get a little too long to keep Lily busy, so I decided I would go to Walmart one day and the grocery on a different day and that worked out pretty well.

Then our dear Bridget came along. Toting two was definitely more difficult. I came up with a plan! I figured out our dinner menu for two weeks and then only went to Walmart once every two weeks. I still went to our local grocery every week for meat, produce, and anything we may have run out of. This new plan worked out wonderful for our growing family.

This was working great until I got pregnant with the twins. The pregnancy was definitely more difficult and many times I was too tired and too big to bring the girls, so I began going on the weekends or even before Tyler left for work. This seemed to work out pretty well. But then I began thinking...how the heck do I grocery shop with four?
How will I fit two carseats in the cart?
Will I push one cart and pull the other?
How will I keep Lily and Bridget close, busy, and away from the candy aisle?
Will I have to pack snacks, buckle the girls in then load up the twins, drive, get there, unload the twins, unload the girls, and then load everyone into the carts? (Seemed exhausting!)
How many people will stop, stare, and want to talk about the twins?

This last question I hadn't thought about until I actually had the twins and went out in public with them. EVERYONE wants to come talk and see the twins. Now this is usually ok, but sometimes I'm in sort of a hurry. It's twice as likely that someone will puke on themselves, poop through their clothes, become fussy, want to be held, or want to eat. So I try to keep it to a brisk pace. Not to mention, when I have the girls too, I'm juggling quite a bit. People will stop and say, "Wow! You're busy," and want to chat and look at the babies. And I'm thinking, "Yes, I am busy and I need to keep moving or someone is going to get grumpy, throw a fit, or (heaven forbit) walk away and I won't know where she is." So while I'm trying not to be rude, I gotta keep moving people!

I did think about only going to the grocery with three, because Lily would be at school sometimes, but even that didn't seem feasible. Two carseats and and almost two-year-old still seemed too crazy for me.

Then I discovered PEAPOD! They deliver groceries to your home. Well, if you know me, you may say I'm on the frugal side. So my first thought was that Peapod would be too expensive for me! I don't like to spend an extra dime if I don't have to. I looked online and their prices were higher, but really not that much higher. I could use my coupons and I found lots of coupon codes online.

So again I refigured my grocery shopping game plan. I will continue to do my big Walmart shop on Saturday morning (most likely) every two weeks with either one or two kids in tow. But then I will use Peapod!

So last night as I was paying bills and listening to Wheel of Fortune in the background, the doorbell rang. It was "SANTA!" He brought in all the groceries I had ordered online and put them on my counter. I didn't have to load any kids, maneuver through any crowded aisles, say no to buying candy in the check out lane....my groceries were just there! Amazing!!!!! The slight increase in price and delivery fee are well worth my sanity! A special thanks to Jennifer Rea who gave us a gift card to try it out. Now I must go cut up some cucumbers (that I didn't have to shop for) for dinner!

2 Months Old

2011-08-08T14:36:00.000-04:00

BOILER UP! Thanks Brandy, for the adorable onesies. It says "Boiler Up" on their tushies. ha! They are giving lots of coos and lots of smiles! They love being in the swing and both love their baths. Thomas is quite our eater and gets up more than Lucy during the night. Both of their eyelashes are getting really long. I can't imagine life without these two. But holy cow, do we go through a lot of diapers and wipes! :)

Lucy will eventually kill me for putting this pictures up, but the crossed eyes make me laugh!

Baptism!

2011-08-07T14:25:00.001-04:00

Below are the proud Godparents. Thomas-Fr. Steve and Aunt CeCe and Lucy-Aunt Katie and Uncle G!

Lucy and Thomas were baptized on July 30th! They were lucky enough to have 3 priests present...Fr. Steve, Fr. Hollowell, and Fr. Meyer!

Thomas and his Godmother, Aunt CeCe.

Happy Baptism Day!

There we are!

Getting baptized!

It was a perfect day. We had a little brunch at our house afterward. I just love the smell of the oil they put on their heads.

Our Summer Happenings

2011-08-06T14:09:00.004-04:00

What an amazing summer this has been! Tyler has been home so much, so we've really been able to enjoy each (HOT!) summer day. Tyler officially starts back on Monday. Lily will go to school with him 3 days a week. She is so excited to go back to Trojan Tots. Even though our family doubled, we still tried to do as many activities possible. We had lots of people saying, "Are you crazy?" But hey, this is our life. We have 4 under 4 and we still want to do fun stuff with the girls. It just takes planning, organization, and lots of energy. I'm definitely sad that our summer is coming to close, but I'm ready for the challenge of being home by myself with 4. I know I can do it...even if it does involve a glass of wine at 5PM! Below are some pictures of our summer happenings.

Hanging out with Uncle Bubba.

Playing at the water park!

Holding babies.

Being naked!

And of course swimming at Nana's...or Nina's as Bridget tells us.

We also took the twins to their first Indians game and we joined the YMCA. I think it may be my savior. They had a "Child Watch." I can drop off all 4 kids off for TWO WHOLE HOURS and workout and actually shower without anyone screaming. They will feed the babies and have little art activities for the girls. My first time I was paged over the loud speaker to come and get Bridget (she was so sad), but surely it will get better!

Happy 4th!

2011-07-08T07:17:00.005-04:00

We travelled to Glen Ellyn for the 4th again this year. We started off the weekend with a Mayer wedding, where the twins got to make their debut. We went to the parade this year and Lily was lucky enough to be in the parade! Thanks Aunt CC! She was more than thrilled!

Tyler, Papa, and Lily went to go see fireworks that night. I guess by the end of the fireworks Lily was holding her eyelids open to see them, she was so tired! ha! She eventually just passed out. She is definitely a party animal! Throwing candy from the float!

Bridget waiting to see her sister in the parade.

Hi Bamma!

Bridget is holding her twins!

You know there will be many more photos of matching outfits!

1 Month Old

2011-07-08T07:11:00.003-04:00

Wow! It has gone fast! Lucy and Thomas are doing great. Thomas is 7 lbs. 1 oz. and Lucy is 5 lbs. 15 oz. and growing everyday. They both love to snuggle and get kisses from their sisters. I love the way Bridget says their names...Nomis and Oo-cee!

Lucy chillin and Thomas wide-eyed.

THE WEDDING

2011-07-07T17:21:00.003-04:00

The wedding finally arrived and the day was absolutely gorgeous! I can't believe my little brother is married! We are more than excited to have Katie as a part of our family.

The day went very well from our end. The Mayers came to help with the girls and the twins. I fit in my dress. The girls BOTH walked down the aisle. There were two other flower girls. Half way down the aisle Lily stopped one of the flower girls and sternly told her she was walking too fast!

Lily danced the night away! She was on the last bus home and outlasted Tyler and I.

Favorite pictures from the wedding!

The beautiful bride and I! She was stunning!!! That's the veil I wore at my wedding.

Hey Uncle G!

The girls and Bubba

Our family-minus the twins of course.

All ready to be flower girls!

We're Home!

2011-06-12T16:24:00.004-04:00

We got home last Sunday night and are adjusting well. My mom took the girls the first couple of days, so we could focus on the twins. I was anxious to get Lily and Bridget back to our house. Aunt Sarah came to help and it was so wonderful to have her. Bamma and Papa then came this weekend. All the extra hands have been such a blessing. Plus, teachers at Chatard have been bringing by meals. We are so grateful!!!!! Papa with his two grandbabies!

Bridget and her little sister Lucy.

Aunt Sarah, Thomas and Lucy!

The twins taking their first ride. It took us about 25 minutes to get all the kids ready for the walk!

Lily snuggling with Lucy.

Grandad and tiny Lucy.

Lily and Lucy...such a proud big sister.

Thomas is on the left and Lucy is on the right. Thomas is about 1 lb. bigger than Lucy. Lucy has really dark hair and Thomas' is light. They are both great eaters and I can usually feed them at the same time. The nights haven't even been that horrible! I was actually expecting worse. They went for their one week check-up and everything seems great.

There were many questions about the two deliveries. Lucy was delivered first and everything went great! I delivered in the operating room, since it was considered a high risk pregnancy and there were more doctors and nurses in the room...just in case. Tyler was taking pictures of Lucy and the nurses were telling me how great she looked. I was resting, preparing to deliver Thomas when I glanced at my doctor's face and could tell something was definitely not right. At the same time there was a fluster in the room and I saw that lots of doctors and nurses starting running in the room. There was tons of commotion and some yelling. They put the oxygen mask on my face and to my surprise I was staying very calm. The nurse explained to me that Thomas' umbilical cord had slipped down and if I delivered, Thomas would not get any oxygen. I was going to have to have a c-section. Then a man (not sure who he was) told me they were taking good care of me and everything was going to be ok. The next thing I knew...I woke up. Thomas and Lucy were both healthy and getting their baths. So happy to have my family all home and healthy. Now I just have to get back on my feet before the BIG wedding!

Twin Pictures

2011-06-03T11:14:00.006-04:00

Everyone is healthy and doing well. Lucille Elizabeth Mayer (5lbs 13 oz) was born first right before 8pm naturally. Thomas Vincent Mayer (6lbs 15oz) was born around 8:10 by c-section. Everyone is tired but doing well. Enjoy the pictures below:

Off to the Hospital

2011-06-02T06:55:00.002-04:00

Let's have these babies! Can't wait to meet them and be the Mayer Six! Keep us in your prayers.

Family Pictures

2011-05-30T04:26:00.002-04:00

My sorority sister, Kara, is just starting her photography business. She asked if she could do some maternity pictures of our family. Didn't they turn out awesome? She's very talented. She will also take pics of the twins after they are FINALLY born! Can't wait for those.

I've had quite a few contractions lately, but they always seem to stop. I am officially scheduled to be induced on Thursday, June 2nd at 7:30 AM. Not too long before we meet them!

Home Alone

2011-05-26T14:22:00.002-04:00

I'm home alone today. My last day at BCHS was on Tuesday. The girls have their last day of Trojan Tots today. Lily will continue to go next year, but Bridget will stay home with me. Yes, I will officially be a stay-at-home mom. Lil is thrilled because she gets to go 3 days a week and Daddy is taking her to school. Bridget always liked school and they did so many fun things with the kids. But she's the kind of kid who will be happy to be at home everyday. Lily would scale the walls if she had to stay home everyday, so it will be a perfect mix.

It's so quiet here. I'm NEVER here by myself. It was nice in the morning to relax and not have to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I've also been able to keep my feet up, so the swelling has been kept to a minimum. My feet have been swelling a lot with this warm weather.

It's nice to know that in a couple hours it will be chaos again. I love the energy and fun that Lily and Bridget (and even Tyler :) ) bring. And I think I'm ready for even more chaos, energy, and fun from the twins.

Four under four...four before we're 30! It still blows my mind. I also can't believe these little ones haven't come yet either. It's pretty unusual for twins not to have come yet. I went to the doctor on Monday and go again on Friday. My doctor has delivered MANY babies and he said he has very rarely had to induce twins. But he said if they don't come soon he will most likely induce June 2nd. I've been having some contractions, but nothing painful. I'm ready to have these babies out! I didn't know I could be this uncomfortable! Walking from room to room is even a challenge. Plus, I'm so ready to meet them and begin the adventure of a family of six with a set of twins!

We've been doing lots of activities where I can sit and watch the girls play.

Here they are playing with shaving cream. Have I mentioned Bridget hates clothes lately. It may be a naked summer for her.

Here's Lil at her gymnastics performance. Nana had been taking her to this class and she loved it!

We will keep you updated on the blog and let you know when we head to the hospital. We will get pics up as soon as we can, too!

Moments as a Mother

2011-05-21T15:08:00.002-04:00

It was one of those mornings. Moms out there...you know what I'm talking about. It's taken twice as long to get out of the house, tantrums have been thrown, things have been spilled, items have been forgotten at home. You name it, it happened that morning. We FINALLY got in the car and I was ABSOLUTELY exhausted. The thought even crossed my mind, "Should I even go to work today?" I'm sure people would understand a 36 week pregnant woman of twins, not coming to work. But we were on our way and we were going to make it. About 5 minutes into the car ride, I hear Bridget say, "Wet!" Bridget spilled her juice all over herself. I said to myself, "I'm not going to make it!!!" Then I hear Lily respond, "Well, you are going to have to try, Mother." Thanks for the tip Lil. How could I not laugh...the morning seemed much more tolerable after that comment. ha!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-11T05:05:00.002-04:00

I had an amazing Mother's Day. Bridget brought home this adorable frame with her hand print in it. Seriously, precious! Lily had made a book for me. One question in the book was, "What do you like about preschool?" Part of her answer was, "Being funny and making people laugh." Now if that doesn't have Tyler Mayer written all over it...

Sunday morning I was greeted with Dunkin Donuts. I proceeded to get these ready all day...

That's a lot of car seats! I wonder how long it will take to load everyone up in them.

Tyler and the girls got me a Mary garden. Lil and Ty are planting the flowers in this picture. Of course, our dear Bridg, is taking a nap.

Isn't it beautiful? What a thoughtful present.

That night we went to my mom's house and ordered take-out. It was perfect and very relaxing.

I went to the doctor yesterday. Everything looks great! The girl is just under 5 lbs. and the boy is just over 5 lbs. They are both head down. I will officially NOT be put a bed rest. If contractions begin, they will let me go into labor. I feel like that is quite an accomplishment. Not everyone carrying twins makes it to 35 weeks with no bed rest. They are still hoping I carry to 37-38 weeks. Can't wait to meet the little ones!

Conversation with Lily

2011-05-03T10:51:00.000-04:00

Lily: Mom, you can't have beer, right?
Me: (slightly confused) Yes, that's right.
Lily: But after the twins come, then you can have beer, right?
Me: Yes, that's correct.

I guess Tyler and I need to be a little more careful with our conversations. Those little ears hear everything.

I will be 34 weeks on Wednesday. I went to the doctor last week and everything is looking great! My blood pressure is still great and I'm having no swelling. I go again next week and have an ultrasound. No bed rest and no contractions! Yeah! I haven't really been sleeping either and they gave me a couple remedies that will hopefully out. I know these babies need to stay in a little longer, but holy cow, are they making me uncomfortable.

Some friends threw a diaper shower this weekend! We are so grateful!!!! Now we have quite a stash!!!!! I read in my twins book that we should expect to go through 400 diapers in the first month!!! WHAT?!?! That doesn't even count Bridget. Oh my! So if you're feeling bored in June, come to the Mayer house and we can put you to work!

Happy Easter

2011-05-02T10:41:00.002-04:00

We spent Easter in Indy this year. Bamma, Papa, and Auntie Emily came down to celebrate with us.
Bridget doing stickers, while Lily dyed Easter eggs.

Dying eggs with one of our favorite babysitters, Schafe!

Chatard has an Easter Egg Hunt every year. Here's Lil with her friend Abby Funk.

Lily and I with the Easter bunny. She still wasn't quite sure about him.

That's it....I have no picture with grandparents or our hunt at our house.

While doing our Easter egg hunt this year, Auntie Emily was still asleep. As Lily was hunting for the eggs filled with candy and money and getting more and more excited she said, "Auntie Emily is NOT going to believe this!" Bridget was just happy to eat candy at 8AM.

Prom n' Such

2011-04-18T06:45:00.002-04:00

Below are the girls baking cookies! It was Bridget's first time and she was definitely interested in licking the spoon. We went to Prom again this year. All the nuns remembered Lily and Bridget. Lil danced the night away, but Bridget mostly like the safety of Mom and Dad's lap.

Sad these turned out so dark!

I will be 32 weeks on Wednesday. My last doctor's appointment went really well. I'm just not sure there's anymore room for theses babes to keep growing. I can't believe how much they are moving.

Bridget's newest words are "No, no" and "Mine!" She's really more of a toddler and less of a baby. I can hardly believe it. But I guess that's a good thing, since two more babies are on their way.

Lily took a sibling prep class at the hospital. She's excited for the twins to come. After the class she says, "Mommy, remember when I came and saw Bridget here and wore my froggy pj's?" She actually remember what pj's she was wearing when she came to the hospital. I'm still blown away by how much little minds can soak in. I can barely remember to switch the clothes from the washer to the dryer!

Spring Break

2011-04-04T07:14:00.002-04:00

Tyler was home for spring break this year! Every other year since he has lived here, he has gone on a mission trip. So where might you ask, did the Mayer family go? Some place warm and tropical? Maybe just a weekend getaway? Or some outings around Indianapolis? None of these! As boring as it may sound, we mostly stayed home. We did kick the week off by celebrating Tyler's 29th birthday! Do you believe we will have 4 kids before we are even 30? If you would have told me that when I was 20, I would have NEVER believed you!!!

We played lots of hide and go seek. Here is another one of Lily's genius hiding spots. It was pretty cold and rainy/snowy, so we didn't even go outside very much. Tyler helped me complete a lot of my to-do list before the babies come. He put up crib #2 and the bunk beds for the girls. The mattresses come tomorrow, so I will post some pictures of the new rooms.

Bridget coloring! We did lots of coloring and painting this week.

Lily and Bridget also discovered a new game. Bridget fits in the baby stroller and Lily pushes her. They really played a lot together this week. I love hearing their little giggles when they play together.

We did get a little taste of some tropical weather. Nana and Grandad went to Hawaii and brought back these leis and skirts. Sounds like they had an amazing trip. They saw tons of hump-back whales.

I did attend my first Northside Twins and Multiples meeting. I learned lots of good information about twins. Every mom of twins told me that if one twin woke up screaming, it never woke up the other twin. Interesting, huh? This is one of my biggest fears. I kept picturing one screaming, waking up the other, and then Lily and Bridget waking up. That's a recipe for a disastrous night. I did sit next to a woman who had a 3 1/2 year old and 19 month old, when her twins were born. She was alive, healthy, and put together, so I'm glad to see that there is some hope. Also, many moms mentioned that while the first year and half is really difficult, twins end up eventually being easier, because they always have someone to play with.

I'm almost 30 weeks. My last check up went really well and I'm so thankful that I'm not on bed rest. I have been taking it easy, while Tyler's been taking care of the house. The doctor's have told me to rest as much as I can and to keep off my feet. The doctor said that twins typically arrive around 36 weeks. Wow...only 6 weeks away. I hope to keep these little buns in the oven as long as I can.

Bridget's First Haircut

2011-03-16T20:46:00.000-04:00

Bridget's hair grew much faster than Lily's! Lately, she's totally been sporting the mullet, so I decided it was time for the trim. Lily went first, so she could see what it was like. I knew she would freak out! Finally, I just put her in my lap and she was totally fine! She just likes to be close to her Mama!

Way too busy to pose for a pic! This is all I could get of my big girl.

This is taken from my lap! She liked getting her hair dried the best.

Bridget has grown up so much lately. She has become a VERY fast walker and I feel like she has just begun to understand what is going on in the world around her. She knows what is going on. I am amazed daily about all the words she can say. She still like to follow her sister! There have been a few more tiffs lately. She even tells me when her diapers are wet. I still think I will have 3 in diapers, though.

Hibernation

2011-03-15T20:38:00.000-04:00

Winter has definitely gotten the best of me. We've had more snow and ice than usual, so it's made it difficult to get out. Plus, these 2 babes have definitely slowed me down. Tyler took a group of students to El Salvador in February. Bamma and Papa came to visit while he was gone. Other than that, we haven't been doing too much. We did throw a wedding shower for Gregory and Katie! Can't wait for June! And one of my very good friends, Jamie, got engaged! Yeah!

At the Children's Museum!

Just dancing!

Can't wait for the spring weather.

Godfather of the Year!

2011-03-14T20:05:00.004-04:00

I have the BEST godfather in the world! For my birthday he told me he would re-do one room in our house. Seriously, what godfather offers to do that. We had always wanted to update the kids bathroom, but wasn't quite sure if that project would be too big. It was ugly and it had no shower head, just a tub. Check out the before....

Cool wallpaper, right?

Did he not do the most amazing job ever?!?! Love the tile and the lighting is amazing! Of course...monkey themed! The new vanity actually has drawers! The new toilet is tucked behind the shower wall.

Check out that tub and shower! All these pictures don't even do it full justice. The plumbing is totally different, too.

Love my new storage cabinet above the toilet! He did this all in a week! I still can't believe it! Thanks UB! We're ready for four kids to use this bathroom. :)

In honor of Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T16:11:00.003-05:00

Lily and Bridget are sitting in a laundry basket right now eating goldfish. Lily put one in Bridget's mouth like it was communion and said, "Christ the King, thanks for God." More posts to come since I've taken quite the break. Who knew growing twins was so exhausting?

Michael's Solemn Vows

2011-01-17T13:08:00.001-05:00

Last weekend we travelled to St. Louis. My cousin Michael took his solemn vows to be a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of St. Louis. There ceremony was 1 hr 45 min (sans Lily and Bridget :)) and was absolutely gorgeous. There was lots of Latin and chanting...definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Michael (Brother John now) will be continuting his studies in Washington D.C. this fall, so keep him in your prayers. Below is a picture he painted...absolutely amazing and definitely a talent I didn't know about him!!!!!

Recent Randoms

2011-01-16T13:03:00.000-05:00

At the museum with her Buddy Norah.

Riding the motorcycle from Maureen.

ha! She rides is all by herself.

Showing off her Mickey towel from Santa!

Bridget Update: She finally just got her second tooth. So now she has one on top and one on bottom. She can most definitely walk, but she's not fast enough to keep up with her sister. Therefore, she usually crawls. Our petite little lady is 15 months and still under 20 pounds.

Winter Wonderland

2011-01-15T12:58:00.000-05:00

All you Chicago people...Winter Wonderland at Navy Pier is a must. It is decorated so cute and they have tons of stuff to do. Lily had a blast! Riding rides with Daddy...hands up of course!

Lily also took her first skating lessons from Bamma and Auntie Emily. She was getting the hang of it by the end.

Bridget hanging out while everyone is skating.

Lacing up!

Christmas Morning in Chicago

2011-01-14T12:54:00.000-05:00

After we played with our presents for a while, we headed up to Chicago. After about 3 1/2 minutes of being in the car Lily asked, "Are we there yet?"

Opening presents with Auntie Em!

Laughing with Aunt CC!

ha!

Christmas was amazing this year! I was also finally starting to get my appetite back. Bamma's meals were delicious. The next morning I even snuck some leftovers while everyone was still sleeping...shhh!

Christmas Morning

2011-01-13T12:45:00.000-05:00

Believe it or not, Bridget was awake before Lily. I think Lily was worn out from all the festivities. Lily could not believe Santa had left a half eaten cookie in her room.

Modeling some princess clothes from Santa.

Bridget opening one of her presents.

Bridget playing with the doll house before Lil was awake.

Opening presents! Lily couldn't believe it when we told her Christmas will come again next year. She thought it was a one time thing! ha! Seriously, three-year-olds are the best!

Christmas Eve

2011-01-12T12:40:00.002-05:00

We were with my family for Christmas Eve. We went to church at St. Monica and had dinner and presents at our house. We had a blast! I almost forgot one of my favorite Christmas stories. Every morning, Bridget would want to go around to all the Santa decorations in the house and say "hi" and wave.

Bridg excited about opening gifts.

Thanking Uncle Bubba for his awesome presents!

All dressed up!

Bridgey in her dress.

Love this!

2011-01-10T07:14:00.000-05:00

So it's off-center and Lil's face is a mess, but for some reason I just love this picture!

Breakfast with Santa

2011-01-09T07:11:00.000-05:00

No one actually wanted to sit on Santa's lap. But Lily got close enough to tell him what she wanted.

Giving her detailed list to Santa and Bridg just chillin.

I love the look on Lil's face...

eh...best one we could get of the four of us.

It's the most wonderful time of the year....

2011-01-08T06:54:00.000-05:00

Christmas was magic this year! Partly, because Tyler adds a little magic every year. His enthusiasm for Christmas makes it exciting. He loves the lights (he puts up about a million on the house and the tree), the music (it's constantly playing), the movies (Christmas Vacation, Elf, and It's a Wonderful Life are our favorites), and gift giving (amazing gift giver). He puts me in the spirit every year. The other party is definitely the girls. Lily was so into everything this year. Some of my favorite moments...
1. When Lily thought no one was listening I hear her singing, "It's the most wonderful time of the year!"
2. One night Lily woke up crying, so I went in her room. She fell back asleep and I fell asleep next to her. In her sleep she says, "It's the North Pole! Let's see the reindeer!" ha!
3. Bridget really enjoyed opening presents. It was so cute to see her crawling around on all the boxes and paper.
4. Christmas shopping for the girls with Tyler. You would have thought he was the 3 year old girls at Target. He wanted to get everything for the girls!

We went to Christmas on the Farm! Do you see that tiny little Bridget face?

Lily looks a little skeptical of the big guy!

But then he said the word "princess" and she knew everything was ok.

Taking a sleigh ride!

Hide and Seek

2011-01-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

Tyler and Lily were playing Hide and Go Seek one night. This was one of Lily's hiding spots. Smooth Lil...NO ONE will find you. Tyler was laughing so hard!

It's a Boy and a Girl!!!!

2011-01-07T06:39:00.002-05:00

We are thrilled! The little boy was pretty obvious, but our little girl was moving around a lot, so the ultrasound lady was having a little bit of trouble. Honestly, I'm only about 80% sure she's a girl. I get lots of other ultrasounds since they are twins, so I'm sure I will eventually be 100% sure. They both look healthy!

Trimming the tree

2011-01-06T08:16:00.000-05:00

Bridget was getting the beads ready and Lily was twirling in the tree skirt, but I have no actual pics of the tree.

Ballet and First Snow

2011-01-05T07:54:00.002-05:00

Lily took her first ballet lessons! Below are a few pictures of her ballet recital. I couldn't believe how much she learned! Her teacher does a really great job. It was funny to see ten little bodies running around in their leotards.

The first snow! We had our first snow in the beginning of December. Yes, I'm catching up on my postings again. Lil loved being outside and Bridget loved cuddling inside with me.

Tomorrow we go for our ultrasound. If the twins cooperate, we will find out if they are boys are girls! I can't believe how anxious I am. Take the poll on our blog and make a guess at what they are. Tyler swears it will be two girls and I change my mind about every hour. Lily thinks it's a boy and a girl, but also comments that "Boys have stinky feet."

South Carolina!

2010-12-04T05:51:00.000-05:00

Somone gave us a week stay in South Carolina, so my mom and I took the girls!

They both LOVED the beach. The trip was very "interesting." If you want details, call me!

Happy Halloween!

2010-12-03T05:48:00.000-05:00

We were in South Carolina for Halloween. Here is Lily as Tinkerbell. Bridget was a ladybug, but her costume was a little too warm to wear, so no pics. I can't believe I don't have one in her costume!

Cinderella Dances with Daddy

2010-12-02T05:46:00.000-05:00

I just couldn't not post this!

The Big 3!

2010-12-01T05:40:00.002-05:00

While I was away from the blogging world we had some significant events in the Mayer house. I turned 29. Tyler and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary. Bridget finally popped her first tooth around November 1. It's still the only one! Bridget also lots to stand and smile at everyone. No walking yet, but I feel like that's any day. And finally Lily turned 3!!

Standing next to Dorothy's house with the ruby slippers still on the witch.

Showing off her new boots!

Happy Birthday, Lil! We love you! P.S. Stop growing, it's all happening too fast!

Vacuuming in her undies, while eating a carmel apple

2010-11-30T12:15:00.000-05:00

Normal, right? ha!

Picking Pumpkins

2010-11-29T12:08:00.002-05:00

We went to the Pumpking Patch in the middle of October and is was about 90. Kinda weird weather for picking pumpkins, but Lily (notice I didn't mention Bridget) still loved it.

Seeking out the perfect one!

Mom! I hate the pumpkin patch!

ahh....safe id Dad's arms!

Lil lovin the pumpkin train!

The Lights Are Almost Up

2010-11-29T12:02:00.004-05:00

As I am typing, Tyler and Father Meyer are griswalding our house. Lily couldn't be more thrilled. She says, "Mommy, I'm soooooo excited for the lights." The excitement for Christmas is definitely here and it's going to make the whole holiday season so much fun. Pictures of the lights will hopefully be posted soon. If you live close, it worth a little drive by!

I'm feeling human again....I think. Walking from one side of the kitchen to the other doesn't sound absolutely exhausting and I'm not feeling nauseous. Hopefully, all that is beginning to pass. I do want to play catch up. The pictures I'm going to post are from October, but better late than never, right? I still want to be able to go back and remember.

Lily's Reaction

2010-11-14T15:40:00.001-05:00

Mommy: Did you know there are two babies in Mommy's tummy?
Lily: We're gonna to need another crib.

I love that my daughter is already so practical! ha!

From the Mayer Two....

2010-11-13T05:26:00.002-05:00

to the Mayer Four. Yes, the rumors are true. We are having twins!!!!!!! Shocked are you? Probably, not as shocked and thrilled as Tyler and I. We went to our first appointment and had an ultrasound to confirm how far along we are. Honestly, I kinda felt like a pro. Third time doing this...no big deal. I'm just comfortably laying down and Tyler had just finished messing with his blackberry. Usually, they don't show the mom screen right away. The ultrasound lady does some measurements and stuff and then they turn the screen so I can see it. Tyler can see the screen the whole time from his chair. The ultrasound lady says to Tyler, "Do you see what I see?" I think Tyler just fumbled some words. Then she says, "There are definitely two babies in there!." Tears and laughter were my immediate emotions from me. Honestly, I don't even remember Tyler's reaction because everything became a little hazy. She showed me the ultrasound it was clearly two little babes in there. One measured at 9 weeks and the other and 9 weeks and 1 day. There heart beats were great and we could even see the little guys or gals moving around. So we will have 4 under the age of 3 1/2. YIKES! We've had enough surprises in the Mayer house so sometime in January we will find out if they are girls, boys, or boy and girl. Tyler already has all the names figured out! We are due June 15th. Yes, 10 days before my brother's wedding! EEK!

Did you think I had left the blogging world forever? It had been so long because I have literally had zero energy. This time around I haven't been as sick, though! I can eat food, which was a struggle in the beginning with both Lily and Bridget. I already have a little stomach, too. We can't wait to meet them and are also thankful we bought a minivan. :)

Mary Poppins

2010-10-10T06:57:00.000-04:00

Nana got Lily Mary Poppin's tickets for her birthday. Lily was so excited to wear her fancy dress. We all went out to dinner and Lily loved sipping on her Shirley Temple. We had a little extra time to kill so we told Lily we were going to order dessert. She did NOT wanted to dessert and wanted to go see Mary Poppins! When the play finally started, she was literally sitting on the edge of her seat. She would clap really hard. It was an AMAZING play. Mary flew and Bert danced on the ceiling.

Twins!

2010-10-09T06:55:00.000-04:00

I love dressing the girls in the same outfit. Be certain that there will be many more pictures like this! They'll hate me when they're older! ha!

Bridget's Turns 1!

2010-10-08T06:41:00.003-04:00

Another 1st Birthday! I can barely believe it. Bridget had a blast at her party, just watching all the people. She wasn't quite too sure about the birthday cake.

She decides she doesn't like it at all.

Well, maybe it's ok!

We even had a pinata. Can you see the huge bounce house in the background?

Yes, Tyler rented a bounce house. The kids absolutely loved it. We had about 15 kids under the age of 7...yikes! Bridge would just giggled watching them all jump. From time to time the air would stop blowing, so it would start to deflate and kids would just start flying out of it. It was kinda funny to watch! I'm pretty sure Lily thought the party was for her.

The birthday girl!

Happy Birthday Bridget! We love you!

Oh Lily...

2010-09-15T12:19:00.002-04:00

Chatard has a group called SERV (Students Encouraging Religious Vocations). Yesterday, there was an all school Mass for priests, brothers, and sisters in our area. After Mass we held a small reception and I was in charge of the food. I picked up Dunkin Donuts on the way to school and let Lily nibble (or devour) one. She helped me bring them into the building and here is the conversation we had.

Lily: "Mom, why are you bringing in our donuts?"
Me: "Because they are for the priests."
Lily: "Mom, tell those priests NOT TO EAT ALL MY DONUTS."

ha! What a nut!

To Chicago We Go

2010-09-14T11:13:00.000-04:00

From South Bend we went to go see GG, Bamma, and Papa. We had a relaxing and fun weekend with them.

Bridge and GG.

Lily and GG swinging at the Park.

Bamma and Papa got the girls a playhouse for their birthday. They LOVE it. I'll get pics and post them soon.

Purdue Game

2010-09-13T11:09:00.000-04:00

We travelled up to South Bend last weekend for the Purdue/ND game. The outcome wasn't exactly how we hoped, but it was still a blast.

It is documented here. Tyler and I without children, drinking a beer. It doesn't happen often.

Lily, Maggie, (Mike and Lisa (my cousin) Fitzpatrick's daughter), Elisa (Patrick (my cousin) and Becky McCusker's daughter), hanging out at the tailgate. None of them seem too happy to be there, though.

11 Months Old

2010-09-12T11:04:00.000-04:00

Do you believe it's September already? I'm still confused where the summer went. Our little Bridgey Bridge turned 11 months old. She has no teeth yet, but is loving any kind of food we give her and likes the taste of whole milk. She is blowing kissing, giving kissing, and kissing herself in the mirror. She has just started to walk a couple of steps while pushing her toys.

This was actually the last picture I look. She was DONE sitting there.

Hey Birthday Bear's nose!

Bridge had her eyes closed in almost all of the pics.

Trojan Tailgate

2010-09-11T10:35:00.005-04:00

Lately, our Friday nights have been consumed by BCHS football. The weather has been beautiful and Lily has tons of friends to run around with. At one of the games Lily's preschool got to race across the football field during halftime.

Here they are getting ready to race.

All of the little Trojan Tots.

Bridget hanging out with Uncle Bubba because she isn't quite ready to race.

Hanging out with her friend Abby. Because Lily goes to school at Chatard, lots of the high school kids know her. After the race, Lily was returning to her seat via the track. Some of the girls in the stands were cheering for her and she elegantly waved to all of her fans. She thinks she is a hot shot!

At one of the games hanging out with one of her buddies Erin. Can you tell she adores Erin?

To the moon...

2010-08-29T17:03:00.003-04:00

Lily has a UTI, poor thing. She's so uncomfortable, but really isn't complaining. She had an accident last night, so I was up changing her bed. She insisted that she come downstairs with me to help start cleaning her sheets. As we were downstairs, she noticed the bright moon shining through one of our larger windows. She asked, "Can we go see it?" Even though it was past midnight, I decided to abide by her wishes. She really hadn't asked for anything since she has been sick. I held her and we walked outside and the bugs were chirping loudly. The moon really lit up the backyard, so it didn't really seem much past 9 pm. It was about three-quarters full and a really bright white. Then she asked, "Can we go get it?" and reached out her hand. She honestly thought she could reach out and touch it. The mind of my two-year-olds always makes me smile.

First Day of Preschool

2010-08-11T07:16:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was Lily's first day of preschool. When I picked her up she was so excited to tell me everything about the day, including a little mischief she got into. When I dropped her off she says, "Don't worry Mom, I'm going to take care of all the kids who are crying!" I was thinking, "Are you going to take care of me who is about to cry?" But really, I'm so glad she loves school so much.

Bridget also went back to school. She is one of the oldest now in her class. She did ok the first day. As most of you know, I work at the high school I went to. They have a little child care there. At one point the babies were going for a walk around the school. I happened to bump right into Bridget. She got a little upset, so I held her for a while. She helped me make some copies and then I brought her back to school. It's so great to have my kids so close all day.

So yes, I'm back to work, also...boo! I feel like those lazy days of summer FLEW by. I still only work 2 days a week though, so we can still have some fun before the summer ends.

10 Months Old

2010-08-04T11:23:00.000-04:00

Yep, 10 months old! Her hair is getting so thick. She may even need a little trim soon. She can pull herself up on tables and crawls FAST. I can't believe her first birthday is just around the corner.

The Wedding!!!!

2010-08-03T10:51:00.003-04:00

The big day finally arrived! It was absolutely gorgeous and a wonderful celebration. Maureen was absolutely STUNNING! Lily did a great job walking down the aisle with a big smile! And I of course cried the whole way down the aisle. Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Joyce!

Maggie Valley, NC

2010-07-29T13:47:00.000-04:00

Hiking in the moutains! We even got to see elk!

Giking with her walking stick and Uncle Bubba!

My parents rented a house in Maggie Valley, NC. This is very close to where my Uncle Hunter, Aunt Sarah, and Thomas live. We hiked, went pontooning, rafting, laughed, and ate lots of delicious food!

Hanging out with Aunt Annie and Tony!

Bridget loved meeting and playing with Jamin.

Hanging out with Grandad

Lily, Thomas, and Tyler going tubing!

Same dress!

2010-07-28T13:40:00.000-04:00

Bamma bought this dress for Lily for an O'Brien wedding when Lily was 9 months old. Bridget also wore it to Jackie's wedding this year. Can you tell which is Lily and which is Bridget?

To Cleveland!

2010-07-27T12:51:00.000-04:00

We attended Jackie (Tyler's cousin) and Nick's beautiful wedding in Cleveland. It was so fun to see the O'Brien side of the family. Lily loved it because there were so many girls to play with.

Posing with Bamma!

The Mayer Clan

We asked Lily to give her wedding smile and above is what we got!

Dancing with Monica

We went 2 days early and saw some of the Cleveland sights. Em, Fro, Nick and Chris came, too! Tyler and Bridget are enjoying a sno-cone at Geauga Lake water park.

We make a special visit to see GG. All of my pics came out dark. :(

Joey (Ty's godson) joined us at the Cleveland Science Center.

Enjoying the hotel pool!

The 4th

2010-07-26T12:45:00.000-04:00

We were in Glen Ellyn again for the 4th this year. Below is Bridget and Daddy at the parade. We brought Lil to the fireworks this year. She was more interested in her glowstick and than the actual fireworks...ha!

Bamma also got her her first rollerblades. When she started to head down the driveway I got a little tear...she's not a baby anymore. She looks so big in the skates!

9 months old!

2010-07-25T12:40:00.003-04:00

9 months old...well, actually almost 10 months! I'm a little late on my postings. Bridge learned how to crawl this month! ah! She has gotten really fast and is already pulling up on things! In the second picture you see that she has also learned to point. Her hair has gotten really thick. We've said good bye to baby food and she's onto table food. She likes it much better! She's still a snuggle bug and her sister is her fav!

Auntie Emily Visits

2010-06-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

Another great summer week! We saw the play "The Velveteen Rabbit". It was really cute and now Lily has been asking, "Can I see that big Easter bunny again?" This was the test run to see if she would be able to go see Mary Poppins and I think she will make it!

Auntie Emily (Lily's idol) is in town. We went to the Children's Museum with her and saw the Barbie exhibit.

This one is hard to see...:(

Engaged!

2010-06-26T08:24:00.001-04:00

Yeah! Gregory and Katie (finally :)) got engaged! So excited to have another sister-in-law and another Aunt for the girls! Congrats and can't wait for the wedding!!!

Touch-a-Truck

2010-06-23T12:50:00.000-04:00

Chillin in the limo!

Taking a drive!

Buddies!

Their favorite was the bathroom on the RV. ha!

Bridget...asleep of course!

At our local park they have a program called Touch-a-Truck. The kids can climb on any kind of truck you can think of....limo, school bus, police car, dump truck, ambulance, bomb squad truck, and even a HUGE monster truck! Lily went with her friend Norah and they loved it!

Lake Shafer

2010-06-22T11:47:00.001-04:00

Last weekend was the annual Mark Family Reunion at Lake Shafer. Lily was excited to eat junk food, and ride the cars and boats.

Motorcycle riding with her cousin Nathan!

Playing in the rain with her cousins Nathan and Mikey.

Lily and Jack getting soaked!

Bridget hanging out in the backpack and loving every second of it!

Riding in the pink car, of course!

The racecar!

Taking a nap!

Tyler and I anticpated many hours hanging out in Kiddieland. We did start out there as you can tell from the pictures above. But Lily quickly graduated to the "big kid rides"! She rode the scrambler, sleds, log flume and her favorite The Dragon. The Dragon is a pretty big ride. I didn't dare go on it until I was at least 10!!! But our dare devil Lily, went on with her hands up! She would giggle the whole time! We tried putting her down for a nap. When we went to go check on her, she was just staring out the window at the rides. We rode rides until about 9:45! Lily literally rode rides until she passed out in her stroller! ha!

It was such a fun year because there were 8 kids under the age of 2 1/2! Lily still has her ride bracelet on. She says she's wearing it just it case she can ride the rides!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-21T11:25:00.003-04:00

We were making breakfast for Dad and I told Lily to bring Tyler his present. I asked her to tell him not to open it yet. She questioned, "What is it?" I said, "It's a Sox shirt, but DON'T tell Daddy!" I gave her the box, she ran outside and yelled, "Daddy, it's a Sox shirt, but don't open it." Tyler laughed for about 5 minutes!

8 Months Old

2010-06-08T13:49:00.002-04:00

Yep, Bridget is 8 months old! She is soooo close to crawling. She takes baths with her big sister and loves to stick her tongue out. Bridgey is still so easy to take anywhere.

Busy, Busy

2010-06-07T16:20:00.000-04:00

May was CRAZY! The end of the school year is always nuts. I was trying to juggle all the work at school, plus all the work at home, plus the two girlies. School is officially out. I "technically" don't work in the summer and Ty's hours are way cut back. Tyler also will have a new title next year, Director of Campus Life and Ministry. Basically, he is in charge of everything outside of the classroom...retreats, sports, clubs, etc.

We did manage to squeeze in a BBQ at the park with the Funk's. The pictures are above.

We're Back!

2010-06-06T16:11:00.003-04:00

I am finally able to upload pictures again. Check back in the next couple days for some updates. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't download pics. Come to find out, the cord needs to be plugged in. Who knew?

Sisters!

2010-05-08T13:56:00.000-04:00

Being little hams!

First dip in the pool!

2010-05-08T13:51:00.000-04:00

7 Months Old

2010-05-07T17:37:00.002-04:00

Another month has flown by. Bridget is still the happiest little baby. She's not a huge fan of food yet, and despises the bottle. She is constantly giggling and Lily is her best bud. She becoming much more mobile. I think crawling is just around the corner. What do you do when you have two mobile? YIKES!

Moments I Live For

2010-04-28T07:39:00.002-04:00

It's 2 a.m. and I'm finally finished feeding Bridget and she has just dozed back off to sleep. I'm just beginning to doze off myself and hear a small voice call, "Mommy." My first thought, "Does it ever end?" I freeze in my bed, hoping Lily was just saying my name in her dreams. Then I hear her call me two more times. I crawl out of bed. It's cold. I should have turned the heat on last night. I slip into Lily's bed to see what's wrong. As I lay next to her, she wraps her arms around me and says, "I love you." She then rolls over and falls back to sleep. Totally worth being awake at 2 a.m.