So today was the day...the day we braved the mall to visit Santa!

Thankfully, my mom got there early and waited in line (I know, I know...probably not the right thing to do) and my dad rode with me and helped get the kids out of the car and into the mall. My sweet QUIET Lane who hardly ever cries must have gotten spooked as we were walking into the mall because she started crying uncontrollably. It took us probably 15 minutes to get her settled...poor thing...I've probably only seen real tears from her several times so it was just pitiful. Max, as usual, got really quite around Mr. Claus and you could barely hear him talk. But, Santa now knows what he wants so his elves must get to work!

Just for fun, I thought I would show you our visits to Santa from years past. Take a walk down memory lane with me...

2003
Sadly, no picture with Santa. My sweet Max was almost 2 months old and was still in the NICU.

2004
Max had just turned 1 year old and was obviously having a ball sitting in Santa's lap!2005
Max was two and was obviously NOT having a ball sitting in Santa's lap!2006
Max was three and this is my favorite Santa picture because he was holding his beloved Thomas train. I wish I could have kept Max at this age forever!2007
Max was four and you can tell he was a little nervous. I loved his Christmas shirt that year...it said "Santa is my homeboy."2008
Max was five and had the Santa thing down pat. I'm sad though because my picture got stuck to the glass frame it's been in and it tore hence the big white spot on Max's shirt.2009
And here it is! Poor Max looks like he was pushed to the side, doesn't he? I think that's where he wanted to be though. And Lane and Abe were NOT going to smile...nope, just not going to do it. Don't you think this angle really accentuates Abe's multiple chins? And poor Lane was still recovering from her breakdown. All in all, I'm pleased with the picture and can't imagine what it's going to be like next year with two 1 1/2 year olds!
P.S. Click HERE to see video from last year's visit to Santa! By the way, you'll have to turn Neil Diamond down at the bottom of my blog so you can hear the video.

P.S.S. My babies are 6 months old today!!! I can't believe 6 months from now we'll be celebrating their 1st birthday. Ok, this is when time needs to slow down a little bit.

Here are the twins tonight after their tummies are full of sweet potatoes...chillin' with their fingers of choice!


And Abe's two new teeth!

I seriously think this is the longest I've ever gone without posting...YIKES!!! I'm so behind and one day soon I'll need to post pictures of Halloween, Max's birthday party, the twins 5 month pictures, and who knows what else I can't remember because half my brain left when the twins were born. But until then, I'm just going to cover the last week and a half. And I also just realized that the last time I posted pictures of Lane and Abe was October 16...bad mom.

My niece, Alyssa, came into town last weekend for a volleyball tournament so we met her for dinner and then went to her game. Alyssa is a sophomore at Pensacola Christian College and is majoring in nursing. In fact, she just had her capping ceremony yesterday. She's seriously thinking about coming to Greenville this summer and working. Any Greenville peeps out there needing some good summer help??? She's a keeper!The girl can play some volleyball too!So Alyssa left on Saturday morning and her mom (my sister Kim) and her sister (my niece Abby) flew in Saturday night. Kim had never seen the twins so it was fun to have her here. And Abby just turned 16 this week. Let me tell you, that Abby was one funny girl when she was a baby and toddler. She is still very funny and such a sweet girl.How about these cute matching outfits Aunt Rea got them? So cute!Max had his Thanksgiving play on Tuesday morning and boy was it cute! He was a pilgrim and his part in the play was to say "BANG, BANG" and pretend to be shooting a gun. That's right people...we're all about the NRA at TFBC! He did a great job and we were some proud parents!Just a few random pics I took yesterday. They really are growing up so fast (although some days drag on and on) and I can't believe they're already 5 1/2 months. Abe was 18 lbs as of last week and Lane was 16. Abe's head is still off the charts and we have an appointment with a neurosurgeon to have him look at the results of the x-ray and ultrasound we had done. Our pediatrician still thinks things are fine, but just wants to make sure. Abe got his first tooth a few days ago and it looks like another one may very well be on its way too. Lane is still quiet as a mouse and is such a good baby. When I was pregnant with them I thought for sure Lane would be the rowdy one because she moved so much. Well, that is definitely not the case...Mr. Abe is my rambunctious little guy but still so sweet.I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Don's dad was in town and we also had some friends over for lunch. And before you start being impressed that I cooked for everyone I only made one thing - a pecan pie. We had a Honey Baked ham and turkey and then I bought some sides from a great "home cookin" restaurant and my friend, Jana, brought some good food too. But, it was just as good if not better than anything I could have ever cooked. And as you can see, I completely forgot to get out the camera so no Thanksgiving 2009 pictures.

Have a great week!

Our little mountain trip could probably be summed up into one sentence...my sister and her family probably won't invite us back again next year.

Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely gorgeous and the house was amazing, but unfortunately Abe wasn't impressed. Actually, I was coming off of 3 nights of little sleep, the twins were still a little sick as was I, and I had also set my expectations way too high. You know, I actually thought I was going to be able to relax...what was I smoking? So, I felt bad because I was super emotional and kind of crabby which I'm sure made it a blast for everyone else.

But, on the way there we saw something hilarious...check out these pictures!This was a minivan being driven by a normal looking young couple. On the side they had written "this minivan is rented" and "we are ashamed" and on the back (see below) it said "minivan=defeat :(" and "honk if you hate minivans." Seriously, is that not funny or what?How could I be so crabby with views like these?Max, Shari and I went on a hike and it was absolutely beautiful. We did this same hike last year and I can honestly say it's the first strenuous walk/anything I've done since that same hike last year. JFTB...get off the couch and start exercising!The below pic is of a little path that was made between two huge rocks. Let's just say that I never could have fit through it at 8 months pregnant.Oh yes, we made a friend on our hike. Isn't he lovely?My sweet boy who will be turning 6 next week!Watch out for the bears.....ROOOOAAAAAR!!!This is what we were hiking too...the little cabin in the woods. So fun for a little kid!I took this picture of Max last year. If we get asked back next year I'll take another one then too.My sister, Shari, and her friend, Sondra. Sondra was there last year and might as well be a Dunn...she's so funny and just fits right in with the rest of us crazies!Max hanging with the boys (Eric aka FBIL and Colton)And yes, it was my birthday while I was in the mountains and what a glorious day it was (sarcasm). I turned 39 and didn't realize I was growing sideburns...what's up with that little hair on the side of my face?My sister came back to Greenville with us because it was the weekend of her 30th high school reunion! Yes, you heard me right...30 years!!! No, they didn't ride horse and buggy to school and yes they did have electricity back then. But let's just say that Shari must have some secret lotion/potion that she uses because she looks like she hasn't aged a bit!Andrea, my mom and I also went to catch up with old friends from Southside Christian. We ran into Rene (below) who we've known forever. A little history on Rene...she and her husband moved to TX when I was in high school and I babysat for their two little girls (who are both now married...I'm old). I told her that I can vividly remember sitting in the living room in their tiny apartment watching Brian Boitano skate in the 1988 Olympics. Why is it that you can keep useless knowledge like that in your mind? Three of the 4 Dunn sisters...we missed you Kim!!!!!! :(
Again, I've been horrible at blogging so I've got to play catch-up so you may see several posts from me in the next few days. And hopefully I'll get back to being a good blogging friend and commenting a little more...I'm such a loser. In the meantime,

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Some of you may remember THIS post and then THIS post. Well, we are packing up and heading there tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited! Although, packing for four people is extremely tiring and I've about decided I need a U-Haul...for a 2 1/2 day trip. Unfortunately, Don has a business meeting in Atlanta and won't be able to make it this year, but my parents and my sister, Andrea, are driving up with me. We'll actually be staying in a house that my sister, Shari, and her husband, FBIL, have rented for the week so it's a mini family reunion (wish Kim and Paul could be there too). She just sent me this picture of the back porch where she's been reading and relaxing.I tell you what, it's a good thing my sisters and my mom have agreed to watch the kids 24/7 so that I can fully utilize this porch. Isn't that right ladies? Max is SO excited and I'm so excited too because we will be able to spend some good quality time together like hiking to the little cabin in the woods we went to last year...so fun.

By the way, this was the trip where I was sitting on the cold bathroom floor of our cabin at 6 in the morning freaking out because I had just taken a pregnancy test and it was positive! Don and Max were still asleep and I just sat in there on the bathroom floor and relished the moment. And now a year later, two babies...how cool is that.

So, wish me luck on my first trip away with the babies and you may want to say a prayer for the rest of my family. Nothing like spending your vacation with TWO four month olds...YIKES...sorry guys!

The photo session this morning didn't last long

See what I mean?

UPDATE:

Now we're REALLY ready for the chilly weather since mommy finally found coordinating hats and mittens for us at Walmart yesterday...you know she's kinda obsessed with that right now!

This is one of those random posts with a whole bunch of things that really don't go together but are too short to put in one post. Know what I mean?

First, please let me announce the winner of Goppy's new book...Teach a Donkey to Fish.Drum roll please....It's ANGELA!!! And no, I didn't ask Max to pick her name just because she just sent me an awesome fall swap package. Congratulations Angela...I'll be sending the book your way soon!!!

Guess who Max is dressing up as for Halloween this year?Remember when I told you about my new obsession of dressing the twins in coordinating outfits? Exhibit A.Now the next picture is mainly for my friend, Dolly. Dolly, I have found Michael's soul mate! Those fingers have now replaced her thumb and let me just tell you that this girl constantly has her hands in her mouth.Can you believe this is the only picture of Susan that I have? When she was helping us out at night she wouldn't get to our house until 10 and I was delirious by that point so taking pictures wasn't an option. But, she came to visit us last week and it was so nice to catch up on things. Oh, and you'll notice Exhibit B in this picture too.The twins have started using their Bumbo seats recently and they come in handy when I'm trying to do something in the kitchen. Max is really getting into playing with the babies lately and I love watching them interact. Exhibit C.We made our first big outing this past Friday night (with the help of my parents) and took the kids down to Fall for Greenville. It was so crowded but the babies did great...I couldn't believe it!There was a kid's area at the festival so Max took a few turns down the slide.My sister, Shari, had a major accomplishment (well, actually her second) this past Sunday...she ran the Chicago marathon! Seriously, can you imagine running 26.2 miles...in one day? Unbelievable. Oh, and I forgot to mention that my mom turned 60something this past Sunday too. We had dinner at my house to celebrate, but I forgot to take any pictures. What has gotten into me lately? Here's Shari (on the right) after she finished the big one.Now, some of you are familiar with FBIL. He didn't run the marathon but he did go to offer his support to Shari. He was also intent on making a good sign for the race. This was the runner-up:And this was the winning sign...pretty funny! He said he got people asking to take their picture next to him and the sign. Speaking of, President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize? Wow.Oh, and I was a good mom and made those Halloween cupcakes that Angela sent me. Here's Max putting the finishing touches on them.And sneaking in a few sprinkles for himself.Check out the digs I've set up for Abe...it's like his own little recliner. He was watching Baby Eisntein and his head was wobbly so I put a blanket and boppy behind him. He was chillin' big time!
Oh, and I saw this on a website. If you think your baby or kid is cute then go HERE and enter them into the Gap casting call. Some of y'all have got some cute kiddos, but it sure is going to be hard to beat out mine!

An update on Abe's head. We saw our pediatrician last week and he recommended that we get an x-ray and ultrasound done (scheduled for next Tuesday). He actually thinks Abe forehead looks better (I do too) but he just wants to make sure the sutures didn't close early or that there is any fluid buildup. Abe's head size is now officially off the charts so that was the main reason he wanted to take the next step. Don has a big noggin and so do I so I think Abe is just destined to have one too. Listen, we really didn't have a choice...our brains are just so large.

Ok, I think that's it for now. Max has been home sick all week. Several of his classmates have had the dreaded pig flu (oink, oink) so I'm sure that's what it is. Don and I both have not been feeling well either, but it definitely doesn't seem to be as bad as it's been hyped up to be. Keeping my fingers crossed the babies stay healthy!