He-man

He juggles two fussy babies at once,

he makes reading tents

and libraries.

Yup, my husband is a total babe.

ABCs

Jonas started to get interested in letters a couple months ago. He calls them abcs.

To encourage him in a non-pushy, take-it-at-your-own-pace kind of way we drive cars over the letters of his name and sing the alphabet song. We talk about the shape of the letters in his name while we build with letter blocks and Jonas "writes" abcs on his clipboard while I make a grocery list on mine.

Then yesterday he told me he made abcs. I came over to his easel and he had made "j"s, "s"s, and "o"s!


So of course I said," High five!"

And then Jonas, so matter of factly, stuck the crayon up his nose to free up his left hand for a high five.

Clever boy.

Oh Harley Bear

As in a many things, Rhett and Harland's hair differs quite a lot from each others.

Rhett's double crown pushes his hair towards the middle of his head in a sort of natural mohawk.
Harland's (less abundant) hair is silky and lies flat to his head.

So Matt and I had to laugh when Harland woke up from his nap yesterday with some of his thin, wispy hair styled in a mini imitation of Rhett's mohawk.

Matt says Rhett did it.

Indoor Exercise 101

Wildly careen around obstacles in the kitchen/dining/living room on your bike.

Use the couch as a diving board or trampoline.

Seriously. What would I do without a house Jonas can pedal a bike around like a small gymnasium?

Sifting

This talk, "Prepare for the Days of Tribulation", given by President Ezra Taft Benson in 1980 instills more urgency to change in me than any other talk (I love a good talk that cuts to my core and makes me clearly see I need to be better). I came across it in my scripture journal today and it really reminded (along with several other talks actually) of the general theme running through the last general conference session talks that members need to re-dedicate themselves as disciples of Christ.

Here's a taste:

"There is a real sifting going on in the Church, and it is going to become more pronounced with the passing of time. It will sift the wheat from the tares, because we face some difficult days, the like of which we have never experienced in our lives. And those days are going to require faith and testimony and family unity, the like of which we have never had. We must prepare for the great day of the Lord. This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the Church. We must be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so that we will not be deceived".

Literally, this talk makes me so uncomfortable that it makes my insides squirm. I have a lot of preparing, physically and spiritually I need to do.

Game Face

Seeing Harland with his crawling game face on today made Rhettles worried.

He thinks it's his birthright as first twin to crawl first.

But Harland's feeling pretty confident.

This Wonderful Auntie...

has single-handedly saved two of her nephews from the convenient clutches of canned baby food. Karen is my hero. She sets the best example of healthy, moderate eating I have ever witnessed. And she insists that my babies deserve nothing but the freshest, healthiest and yummiest food. She has already made two months worth of baby food for two babies. That is dedication.

And the babies are feeling really happy about it.

Now I'm trying to get Jonas to eat better like Eva, who thrives on vegetables.

Today we drank water like elephants (straws) and had a puppy picnic of roasted butternut squash dipped in syrup, which Jonas made with me.

This would have been so much easier if I'd been less laissez-faire about Jonas trying new foods when he started to get picky about food after his first birthday.

Favorite One-liner

Matty got to whip out his favorite one-liner today at the cleft palate clinic today:

Matt is juggling a crying Harland, a finicky bottle and half a dozen scattered toys with ease for over an hour.

Receptionist: Wow, you should get an award for world's most multi-tasking-iest Dad.
(Okay, I doubt she said that exact thing, but she was impressed).

Matt (nonchalantly): Three under three.

You Know Things Are Desperate...

around here when I willingly put a movie on for my babies.

Rhett: Hey Harls, isn't this great! Mom's letting us watch a movie.

Harland: I just want to feel good again.

Rhett: Still, the Pedialyte and rice crackers are pretty good.

Harland: Whoa! Where'd that wheel go?

Rhett: Wait, does a movie mean the pictures move? AWESOME!

Harland: Yeah, that's pretty cool.

Yup, it's the flu.

Saving the awkwardest picture parcel for last!

What a couple of awkward posers!

La Familia

The photographer described us as a family who sing, laugh and love a LOT! 

And I guess that's true.

"Da Bruddas"

as Matt and his brothers would say.

Harland Neil

As much as Rhettles loved the camera, Harland did not so we didn't get many Harland pictures (opposite twins).

But at the end in the second last shot you can see a shy smile as he started to warm up.

Little Harland loves to be a baby. He loves to nestle down in my arms for a bottle and to observe new things from the safety of my arms. He is very thoughtful and calm like Matty. 

And look at that jove-like brow. This boy is going to be an intellectual (there's a little inside joke for Beddy and Karen)!

He has a patience, gentleness and a mildness about him that reminds me a bit of how I imagine baby Jesus. 

Rhett Roy

As Karen aptly put it the "Camera loves Rhett" and he in turn loves the camera.

Our joyful Rhett.

I couldn't have believed a little body could contain so much charisma and passion for living.

So charming, he charms the pants off himself in the mirror and so engaging even self-professed "non-baby people" can't wait to get their hands on that delightfully rounded little body for snuggles and smiles.

Jonas Matthew

When Jonas went to the doctor as a young baby the older woman with a british accent doing the check-up declared in surprise "What a vigorous boy!" as this three-monther with ripped abs and pronounced deltoids swatted and kicked forcefully at her cold examining hands.

And that has become one of the words at the forefront of my mind to describe Jonas. 

He is strong and vigorous physically of course (also dare I add incredibly handsome) but he is a strong and vigorous boy inside as well. Perhaps that strength is what made Heavenly Father want to send him to our family first to be an example to his younger brothers.

He is so warm-hearted and loyal. It has been so special to watch him transform as he grows into his role of older brother.

I think Leah captured all those traits wonderfully in his photos!