This might be long .. :)

You can't say I didn't warn you :) I thought maybe I should update my blog on how my girls are doing since this blog is technically about them.

Katie

Wow. Katie has some personality. She's very strong willed, stubborn, extremely bright and funny .. well most of the time SHE thinks she's funny. She has started with the "I don't love you anymore .. " That's always awesome to hear. Her two favorite songs are "Moves like Jagger" and "Red Solo Cup" I know I know, I'm an awesome mother haha. She heard the Jagger song on tv and started dancing to it. It was so funny we just kept playing the song and now she can sing the chorus. It's so funny. I love "Red Solo Cup" so that's how she caught one. She walks around singing "Red solo cup, I lift you up, lets have a party... mommy what do we do at the party?" haha

She's also picked up on a few accidentally used words. One night I was in a particularly bad mood and Karly spilled her milk on the rug. I said "Are you F** kidding me?" under my breath and Katie heard it and repeated it. A few days later I was coming her hair before school and she saw the new bottle of soap on the sink and said "Mommy, why is the F** soap blue?" I was stuck between mortified and laughing my butt off. I don't think it's cute for kids to curse and after we had a talk, she hasn't used it again, thank goodness, but it's reminded me that my little sponges don't miss a thing.

She's learning Spanish and sign language. She's picking it up very quickly. Something new for us is when we say a word she tries to tell us what letters she hears in the word. She gets the first letter right 100% of the time and tries for the others. She has had no behavioral issues lately at school. No hitting, so that's good. I was worried that what was going on with me was going to have an effect on her. She's always been my little shadow. I can tell it has but it's not something we can't work through. She gets nervous when I'm around. Like she doesn't know if I'm in a good mood or not. Tonight I was laying in bed and she walked in. I asked her to come snuggle with me. She laid with me but then started licking me. I asked her to stop, she kept going. I moved her away from me and she just looked at me then she stopped and then we snuggled again for a minute then she left. I felt bad but that's yucky. She's also doing things for extra attention. Like when you ask her to do something or a question she'll give you the word that rhymes or some made up word as an answer. I asked her what she learned at school today she said "Red is Azul!" Nowhere near correct and she never told me even though she knows. I don't know.

She is really excited for Christmas. She can't wait to open presents.

Karly

My second one .. born 5 minutes later :) Karly is that child you see out in the field picking flowers and chasing butterflies. Never bothers you for anything. She's so bright, sweet and a bit shy. She is also very sensitive. She doesn't really play with anyone but she has "friends". She's not really a joiner but wants to be included in a little way. She has a good heart and it breaks easily. I don't know how many times I've seen "that look" lately. The one that says "You just hurt my feelings" and it's for everything. She's also been having a lot of accidents. She seems fine, happy. She is sleeping good. She has a bad cold. I just wonder if that has something to do with it.

I can't believe how sweet she is. She is always polite. Please, Thank You .. all of them. Tonight I sneezed she said "Bless you" and I replied "Thank You" and she replied "You're Welcome." That's just how she is. She gives the best hugs. At least I think so. I'm the only one she'll actually hug. It makes it all the more special. She has never repeated a bad word. It makes me wonder. The other day they were learning the letter F. She said "Forks" and the teachers thought she said .. well you know. The called me and I said she's saying forks. The agreed. Had it of been Katie, well I'd of though she actually said something else.

Karly just seems so grown up and still babyish at the same time. She still has her chubby cheeks, the soft curly hair, her little nose but her mannerisms are not baby. The way she sits, the way she eats, her speech, the way she looks at you. She's got a great heart. I love watching her with her babies. She is so gentle with them. She takes very good care of them.

She is also excited for Christmas as well. I think this one will be the best yet.

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Me

Tonight I did dinner and then went to lay down. My body is aching. I'm tired. Christmas is coming. I'm so conflicted about Christmas. I should be happy I get to spend it with my husband and my girls but I want my mom and my dad brothers, sisters nieces nephews grandparents ..

I have the song ".. Home is where i want to be on Christmas and home is so many miles away.." stuck in my head. It breaks my heart. I haven't seen my family on Christmas since Dec '99. I'm getting stuck in that instead of where I should be.

So tonight I went to bed and cried for a minute then got up. Gave them a shower, vitamins brushed teeth combed hair and then my girls and I sat next to the Christmas tree in the dark and looked at the lights. We talked about the star and the colors and what we would do Christmas morning and then we went up to bed. It was a very sweet moment. I'm where I need to be.

My Blessings .. (no particular order)

My kids
My husband
A roof
A car
A job (I love!)
My kids have food, clothes and good health
My huge family.. although they are spread out and not where I can see them, I know in my heart they think of me often and want me with them every bit as much as I want to be with them and that is enough for now.