Family Vacation

We started our camping trip last Monday morning. We drove for about 2 hours before we made our first stop for lunch, then continued on during the usual naptime finally getting to Drumheller about 4 hours later. The babies travelled really quite well - there were a few times that Casey got a little ancy but no major problems. The longest we've driven with them before this is 2 hours so considering that they did great. My need for bathroom breaks and construction slowed us down more than anything.

The campsite that we were at the first night had over 100 bunnies that the kids thought were pretty cool. They also had a great time playing in the dirt with their shovels and pails. They kept repeating 3 different things the first day we were there: "filthy", "more big dirt" and "big step" (there were lots of big steps built into the ground). They had a bit of trouble getting to sleep in trailer the first night, especially Maggie. Daniel and I were sitting outside at the picnic table after we put them to bed and a few minutes later guess who's head we saw peeking at us through the trailer window. We went in and her and Mitchell were out of their tents. I had to go back in another time a little later and Maggie was again out of her tent laying on the fold out bed. They did eventually crash that night and then slept soundly until after 7:00 the next morning.




There was a really nice gated in playground that the kids really enjoyed.


We went to see some of the dinosaur statues that Drumheller is famous for before leaving.


We drove on to Calgary where we spent the next 4 nights. We camped right at Calaway Park (which is an amusement park) and were able to just walk over there the day that we went. Unfortunately it was a cold and rainy day so we just spent a few hours there in the morning and didn't go back in the afternoon like we had planned. And being that it was the last day they were open during the week for the summer we couldn't go back. But we did have a lot of fun and went on a bunch of rides even in the cool weather. The transition from ride to ride didn't go well at first but once Mitchell figured out that we actually were going to find another ride after we strapped him back in the stroller (and were't just saying that), he was fine. We'll definitely go back again someday.



We had a great morning at the Children's Museum. There was a floor with different shapes that lit up and made sounds or played music when you stepped on them. This was a big hit with the kids.

Casey and Maggie really liked the guitars and were trying to play along to the music. When I peaked in on them Daniel had them doing air guitar to Gun's N Roses - a very proud moment for him. It was so cute!



Mitchell settled into the Legos. I think he could have spent the whole day there putting pieces together and taking them apart.



There were a bunch of other things that they liked exploring too.





On our way out we stopped at the Lego car and the bed of nails.



Another day we went to the Calgary Zoo. Out of all neat animals there, the highlight was probably either feeding the ducks or playing at the playground.




Meals and naps were pretty hit and miss for the week that we were gone so that, along with being in a tiny trailer made for some rough patches, but overall everybody did really well.





From Calgary we went out to Fairmont where my parents have a timeshare. We had a great time there and celebrated the big 2nd birthday, then drove all the way home on Monday. The kids did great - we travelled for over 13 hours with only 2 stops. It was a great trip and gave us lots of great memories!

The BIG 2!

I can't believe our munchkins are 2 years old, it just doesn't seem possible! They are doing so many new, funny and sometimes frustrating things that keep us always entertained. I have become a much more patient person in these last 2 years as I've learned that you really don't have much of a choice raising multiples.

Casey loves saying Maggie and Mitchell's names and telling us that he's pooped and he's all done (even when he hasn't). When you ask him something he says, "Noooooooo". He will say anything you ask him to. He doesn't do any one thing for too long, he likes to be around us and warms up the easiest to new people. He can go from happy to heart broken in a second, but then can also go right back. He is definitely the one of the bunch who gets into the most things that he shouldn't. His favorites right now are the dishwasher and one drawer that we can't put a lock on. And the little stinker usually only does this when I am either changing Maggie and Mitchell or taking one of them outside to load them in the van...when he knows I can't get to him right away. It's a pretty common thing now when I'm changing Mitchell for him to say, "No, Casey, out!" because I've said it so many times. Casey is very particular about how he likes things - everything needs to be in it's proper place, every door closed, and god forbid if you try giving Maggie or Mitchell his bib/fork/spoon/plate, etc. He is the first one to dance and pick up on a tune. Casey loves milk and any kind of fruit. He is known in the group as CeeCee.

Mitchell talks a lot too, actually probably the most and the most clear. If you ask him to do something he'll usually respond with, "No Casey (or Maggie).......". He says words perfectly that you would think should be tough for him. Mitchell loves to eat pretty much anything and everything. This boy can pack away food like nobody's business. Sometimes when he's saying please and thank you (with some prompting) to get more food, it falls out of his mouth because he's stuffed it so full. You'd never guess by his appetite that he still weighs 5 lbs less than Casey, he definitely gets his metabolism from his father. Mitchell may be smaller than Casey but he is the most feisty of the group. If he wants something you have he'll do whatever he has to to get it. And if anyone steals something from him he'll chase them down and fight until he gets it back. However at the same time, Mitchell can also be the best at sharing or giving a toy he has to Casey or Maggie - everything just has to be done on his terms. All of these traits will serve him well someday. He still loves blocks or anything else that he can build or try and fix. He has a favorite corner on his blanket that he always rubs under his nose or chews on. He will fish through his blankie saying "Corner! Corner!" in a troubled and frantic tone, then once he finds it, he says, "Corner!" in a happy and calm tone. Mitchell does things just to get a reaction out of someone - like stealing Maggie's soothie, puppy or blanket or pulling Casey's hair.

Maggie - this girl loves to run, or rather sprint. She starts the drill of running from one end of the house to the other crashing into the walls and saying "Crash!". She is fast! She loves to jump, hop, twirl or anything like that. She just started doing somersaults out of the blue. Maggie likes to wear dresses and get her hair done but is also right in there with the boys playing with cars, trucks and tractors. She says a fair bit but also just jabbers a lot almost like she's having a conversation with herself, not in a language any of us can understand. Her word for tractor is "shawshy", I'm not sure where that came from. She is still more laid back and mild tempered compared to the boys but the days of her just giving up without a fight are long gone. Now when she is upset with them she will stomp her feet, throw her arms up, jump up and down, or fall to the floor - the drama queen routine is starting. Maggie is a collector, or I guess it could also be looked at as being a hoarder. She picks something to gather and then has to find everything like it in the house, like the hotdogs or canned toy food or red blocks. If the boys try and take any of the 6 cans she has strategically piled into her arms and under her chin, she'll start the jumping up and down. It's really quite funny.

We still have 3 soothie addicts. For the most part they only get them at nap, bedtime or when they get up but some days when I just need a few minutes of quiet they get them too. I'm not in any rush to get rid of the soothies, maybe we'll all go into rehab at the same time...them for their soothies and me for my Diet Pepsi addiction.

We spent their birthday, September 5th, in Fairmont with my parents at their time share. We all had a great time but the day and a half there went way too quickly. Grandma and Grandpa Reiter with the birthday kids.

They had a lot of fun outside playing on the deck, collecting rocks with Grandpa and running on the grass.



Casey being unusually serious.

There was a lot of kissing going on outside.




Grandma made a great cake that the kids really enjoyed and actually didn't very messy at all. The candles and sparklers were a bit hit!







Maggie going for her after supper run and Casey lining up all of them balloons just the way he wanted them.


Happy Birthday Casey, Mitchell & Maggie!!!