Grammy & Grumple - Are those the words you use in Utah?

My mom was able to come stay with us for SIX WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Jake and I are still trying to figure out how to survive without her here.  We miss you Grammy!!!  

The fun began on our way home from the airport and didn't stop til she left!  Here we are eating Potbellys at the park.

My mom took the girls outside to play a lot.  She said that she thought it was crazy when I would tell her we were outside for 3 hours - but when she was here she experienced it first hand.  Those girls LOVE being in the back yard!  My mom said when they were playing with sidewalk chalk Jaide took the yellow chalk and started coloring on her arms, then she looked up and exclaimed "I'm Siena!  Ha Ha Ha!"

(they love this bubble mower)

I wire tied some plastic mesh to the bottom of this box for all the bubble toys.  I like being able to rinse them with the hose but I hate how the little wands fall through the holes in the bottom.  Problem solved!

One morning Scarlett told me "I think I had a potty accident last night." I asked her "Did you tell Grammy?" To which she responded "I didn't think it would be appropriate to tell someone from Utah." hahahahaha!!!!

These girls loved all the attention from Grammy. They loved having someone play with them all day.

My mom told me that she thought the twirls language improved while she was here, but then she realized she just caught on to their dialect.

When I was huge and pregnant we took several trips out in public.  We took the girls to the grocery store one day (one of the few trips they have had there cause I just can't go with them).  They were so good and didn't touch anything they weren't supposed to - until we got to the cookie aisle.  They walked over to the Oreos, each grabbed a package, put it in the cart, and moved on.  They just owned it.  haha!!!  I couldn't say no to that!

One night Jake and I went on a date so my mom put the girls to bed.  We got home right when she was about to leave their room.  So we went upstairs to kiss them goodnight.  Jake walked into their room right when my mom turned to leave, she jumped a mile and screamed out loud from the surprise!  The girls thought it was hilarious!  They loved when Grammy would rock them to sleep, one by one in the red rocking chair.  A luxury that we have been forced to continue in her absence. (thanks mom)

Grammy was so kind and gave them lots of treats.  To the point that they were over-spoiled.  By the end Jaide would lay down, arch her back, and just yell "snoooooock!" [snack] at the top of her lungs.  Silly little girls.

I like Jaide's chopstick technique (bet her wrists didn't hurt after!)

My dad had a few business trips scheduled out here: Indiana, Canada, etc.  So he would be here, then be gone for a day or two, then come back.  One day Scarlett told us "Sometimes boys who are named Grumple leave in the middle of the night to Canada."  haha!  Then my parents spent a weekend in NYC for my cousin's wedding.  Apparently Siena was having a birthday party in their hotel - too bad we weren't there to celebrate!

My parents were chatting in the kitchen by themselves, Scarlett walked in at the very end of their conversation and overheard Grammy call Grumple a "butt".  Scarlett asked my mom "Are those the words you use in Utah?"  haha!  My mom was thinking "no, these are the toned-down Michigan words!"  

My mom was standing by the balloon and Skye snagged it with her hands (I don't think it was intentional, but it was cute).

Before my dad arrived, my mom had this conversation:

   Grammy to Jaide: When Grumple comes we'll go to the park.

   Jaide sits up with a start and says: Grumple's here?

   Grammy: No

   Jaide all dejected: Ohh 

   Scarlett: Grumple really is the funniest one of all!

Yes he is.  Grumple knows how to play hard and to be silly.

Duck duck goose:

My dad really likes that giant stuffed dog pillow!

Totally random, but have you heard about the Flint Water Crisis?  It's been called the largest preventable man-made crisis in American history.  It's so sad!  And about an hour north of us.  Well when my dad was at Costco he said there were more cases of water bottles than he's ever seen.  They were piled everywhere.  I think it's cause of all those people who need clean lead-free drinking water.  Side note: don't send Grumple to Costco unsupervised!  haha!  And a photo of a clean and organized toy room - it lasted all of 20 minutes.  My house would be so clean if the girls weren't allowed to play here!  

Water fun with Grammy!

Cleaning all our chairs (years of spills!)

Jaide learning some baby techniques from Grammy - she really loves that baby doll.

One night after baths Grumple called Jaide "Siena", Scarlett then said "Awkward!"  haha!  I don't think the twirls know that they look identical.  They probably think we're all idiots for not being able to tell them apart.

Grumple invented this towel-swing game.

After the girls sat on Grumple, he was covered in glitter!

Family evening in the backyward (with the neighbor boys) while I hid inside with Skye (and A/C).

Grumple always doing a project (he mowed our lawn several times too).  Mom and I went to get our nails done - Skye was a champ.  

Grumple puts the girls down for a nap...

And sometimes the girls put Grumple down for a nap...

Grammy snuggles.  Siena thought she was hilarious for wearing those yellow circles!

The twirls watched the episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood where they sing Grown Ups Come Back.  Jaide really sang it a lot.  I think it helps them feel less stress when we leave.  Anyways, they sang it a lot to Grammy before she left.  Just laying on the guilt that she was going back to Utah.  Here's a little clip of Jaide singing just to remind my mom that we want her back ASAP!

We are really missing Grammy.  Jaide even called me Grammy a few times.  After 6 weeks, the girls were used to all the extra attention.  And I was used to all the naps!  I feel like all that extra sleep really helped my c-section though, cause it feels better than the other 2 times.  I only have to take Tylenol occasionally.  The night she left our basement had a water leak* (everything's ok), our garage door spring broke, and I found mouse droppings.  It's like our house didn't want her to leave either!  The night before my first day alone with all 4 girls Jake turned to me totally serious and said "I'm really worried for you tomorrow."  He should have been!  It's been hard to keep everyone happy.  I'm not doing a great job of it.  We are all struggling to find our new normal.  The twirls are potty training which makes it harder.  Many days I feel like we're doing literally the bare minimum.  Scarlett has asked me several times "Mom, why are you so mad?"  "Are you grumpy?"  Even when I'm trying to mask my emotions.  It's just going to take time.  But it's hard when every day seems to drag on forever.  I'm trying.  We're all just doing our best.  But we're really looking forward to Aunt Carolyn's trip here in a few days!!!

* Even after Jake cleaned up all the water and we ran the fans to dry everything out, our basement still smelled musty.  So I bought these Zeolite rocks.  I got 2 of them for our basement and within a few days the smell was gone!  I like that they don't mask the odor with perfume and you can use them over and over!  LOVE!!!!