3 Going on 13...

It is official. I no longer am the mother of babies (insert sad face here). I am the mother of two "Big Girls" who are 3...going on 13. However, if asked, Jenna will usually tell you that she is 3 (sometimes she says 4) and that Jillian is 2. And while 3 doesn't sound that old, all I can think about is where, oh where have my little babies gone? 

Jillian enjoying herself to the fullest at the park!

Jenna loving her new swing set. :)

As I write, the answer comes to me almost as quickly as my tears (which spring up a LOT more easily now that I am a mom- even commercials "make my eyes leak" dang it!)...they aren't gone; they are just... different. They don't need me every second of the day. They don't look to me first when wanting to play. They don't want me to tell them how beautiful they look in their dress up clothes ("No Mommy, don't tell me!!"). They don't want me to sing them songs as much as I used to (come to think of it maybe they just don't like my singing).

But I know what they DO love. They love to be with me in my bed early in the morning. In fact, they were coming into our bed so early (4:45 once!!) that we had to set a rule: You can't come into Mommy and Daddy's bed until the sun starts to peek out. I know that Jillian loves to know exactly where I am in the house, even if she doesn't necessarily want me for anything. I know that Jenna loves me to hold her like a baby when she has an owie. Jillian loves to help me in the kitchen with the cooking (or even cleaning...boy I hope that lasts!!). Jenna loves to cuddle while we watch movies.

Jillian (L) and Jenna (R) are my sweet bluebonnet babies big girls :)

I guess all of it lumps into this statement: I am the mother of 3 year old twins who also happen to be my best friends, and I am theirs. Instead of constantly caring (which still happens by the way...just more subtly) for them as babies, I am now developing relationships that I hope will last a lifetime.

In other news....drum roll please....both girls are now FULLY potty trained. Looking at the last post....OH MY GOSH, that seems like years ago!...Jillian (and Jenna) are no longer afraid to go #2 in the potty. It took about a week of the Poo Plan (3 doses of laxatives) for Jillian to figure things out for herself. Now that she isn't afraid and is regular she no longer complains of pain and has less accidents during the day and night. We still do rewards for #2s, but honestly as long as she is going I am fine with it. The rewards will fade out eventually so I'm not worried.

Jenna blowing bubbles

Jillian playing with play-dough

I will leave this post with a smattering (if you will) of fun things the girls say lately:

1. Me: Jilly!! Come here please, we need to _______ (insert here the activity....teeth...wash hands...pick up toys, etc.)

    Jilly: I comin' Momma. I comin' Momma. I comin' Momma (repeated several times over the next few seconds while she continues playing and makes ABSOLUTELY no effort to come see me.  

2. Jenna: Momma, it is so very windy outside...so very windy.

3. Jilly about Shelby: Shelby loves you momma, she just loves you. (She must think this because Shelby is part of the trio of shadows that follows me wherever I go).

4. I had an empty bowl in my hand in the car the other day. I planned to put together a salad I was bringing to an Easter dinner but was keeping my salad cold in a baggie in the cooler.

    Jenna: Momma, you sick? You have a bucket Momma?

5. Jilly: Momma, I just love you. I just wanna be with you Momma.

Words to make any Momma's heart soar....

PS: Here are all the latest pictures: http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4303063012/a=98102858_98102858/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/