The Maiden Voyage...

A bit dark- but they are sleeping in there!

Of my double jogging stroller!  I yapped and yapped about this stroller for months on end before we got it- I had a million and one reasons why this was the stroller for us and why I NEEDED it so much.  It's a bit pricey in the world of strollers but we made it work out by selling another one of our single strollers on Craigslist and hitting up an awesome Labor Day sale at REI.  After that we basically broke even which was great.  So anyways, after I got it I found another million reasons why I wasn't ready to jog with it ("I need to jog on my own first to get back into shape before pushing a heavy stroller" and "the boys heads are still too wobbly to go on a jog- it could mess up their necks").  Well, now that we are back from our 16 day trip to the east coast and the boys are 5 1/2 months old (much better neck control) I've decided it's time to get my rear in gear.  Sixteen days of no exercise and a lot of meals out = not helping me get rid of my "bed-rest flab".  So yesterday while Chloë was in preschool the boys, the dog and I headed out to see where the pavement would take us.  Of course the minute I got everyone buckled in and out the door it started to rain!  Not a downpour, more of a spit, so I decided to go anyways.  It wasn't too bad- I tracked my pace and distance on my phone and we did about 2.5 miles running and then finished up with a 1/2 mile walk.  It's a start...

I had all sorts of things I felt like blogging/typing/venting about over the past week but I just don't have the time these days so, instead, I'm posting a bunch of photos.  A photo essay of sorts.  Quick captions of the goings-ons here at Casa Hines instead of the long, drawn out rambling that I tend to do.  Don't be too disappointed!  

The new dryer

I feel like the laundry is running non-stop in our house since the boys were born.  They amount of burp cloths they go through on a daily basis is amazing.  Especially since Eli has reflux.  Every time he eats it's not a matter of if, but a matter of WHEN he will throw up on himself, me, or anyone in his general vicinity.  It doesn't bother him at all, which is good, so he is not a candidate for medication.  The pediatrician calls him a "happy hurler".  He should just "grow out of it" as his system matures.  Anyways, so we were running load after load of laundry last weekend when suddenly our dryer bit the dust.  It just started making a very odd and very loud noise and the clothes didn't seem to be getting dry.  Myke took it all apart but it was non fixable.  Hence...new washer and dryer (cuz they have to match--duh!).  I felt like the demise of the dryer just days before our big east coast trip was almost as bad timing as me suddenly needing a ROOT CANAL less than 48 HOURS BEFORE I was due to have my baby boys (and on a Saturday of all days when no dentists were in their offices!)!  Talk about HORRIBLE TIMING!!  Anyways, new dryer...and the cycle of laundry continues.  Myke had it installed so fast it was nothing but a minor hiccup overall.  Did I just ramble here?  I think I did.  So much for my quick "photo essay".  I really do need to go to sleep though--the boys aren't sleeping through the night yet so I'll be up feeding them before I know it.  Waaa!  

muffin & coffee date with my Chlo-bear

Myke and I going out WITHOUT KIDS!!  

Eli and Owen

Had their 4 month Dr. appt last Friday. Diagnosis: perfection!

:)

Eli weighs 15lbs 13oz and is 25 1/2 inches long (50th percentile for height AND weight).  Owen is 14lb 15oz and 26 inches long (50th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height.  So Owen is tall and thin...and I guess Eli is short and fat.  Both have HUGE heads.  Schneider head strikes again.  Their heads are both over the 98th percentile.  

Tummy time

Spider man underwear!

Yes, they are technically BOYS undies... because, in case you weren't aware, they don't make underwear for little girls with "Cars" or "Spiderman" on them.  My little girl doesn't want princess underwear.  She doesn't want Dora underwear (though she does like Dora)...she picked these and I wasn't about to say no.  I guess one day Owen & Eli can use them.  Is that gross?  

On another note, what if Owen and Eli want to wear princess underwear or Dora underwear in a couple years?   I'll have to let them.  Though I don't think the princess underwear comes with a little front flap for boy parts like the "Spiderman" undies that Chloë wears does.  

Do I really have to eat this crap??

(trying rice cereal)

happy Owen

Serious Eli 

In 48 hours from now we'll be in Richmond, VA!  So excited for our trip east!  A little anxious about the cross country flight with 3 small kids..but we'll manage!  "Cocktail, please!"  Kidding.  Really...Sort of. 

Pumpkin Patch!

My three little pumpkins

On Sunday after naps we headed over to a pumpkin patch in our neighborhood (it actually was bales of hay and pumpkins set up in the parking lot of an abandoned car dealership--but don't get me started on that one!).  There was a coupon on Groupon.com for this new pumpkin "patch" that I had bought that got you 1 medium pumpkin and two activity tickets for 8 bucks.  It was definitely worth it though as we were basically the only people there so Chloë got to run the show for the most part.  

We had a blast going down this giant inflatable slide! 

Their first trip to a pumpkin patch!

Chloë found her pumpkin!

Lounging at the park afterwards