So - the twins are sleeping a little bit better these days. It could be a growing spurt. It could be the introduction of rice cereal into their diet. It could be that they are just tired and going to cut me a break by being "easy" babies. (Please oh Please!) Whatever the case, they are going to sleep around 10:30/11:00 pm. They then wake up some time in between 3:00 and 6:00 am for a bottle...then they sleep until almost 11:00 am. I kid you not - I got them out of the crib about 25 minutes ago. It's wonderful.

All that being said, their big sister and big brother aren't on that schedule. If they were I would be guaranteed 4 more hours of sleep...but they aren't. See, after the 6:00 am bottle I snuggle the boys back into their crib and sneak back into my room. I slide into bed and stick my freezing cold feet on Jerry's leg to warm them up a bit. I close my eyes and hear a creek...and then pattering on the floor as one of the two "big kids" appears at my bedside. Usually (and thankfully) Nate is first. I can pull him up into bed and plop him in between Jerry and I and he will fall asleep. I may get another hour of sleep before I hear pittering and then see Danika at my bedside. If it is a dreary day I may convince her to fall back asleep for another hour...but if the sun is shining, forget about it. If I do get her to crawl into bed with me and Nate isn't fast asleep they begin fighting over who has prime real estate over my "neck picker". (neck picker = skin tag I've had on my neck for as long as I can remember that Nate has always picked at...ALWAYS...it's gotten better, but he still does it when he is tired or upset.) Danika likes to snuggle right up against me when she crawls into bed and if I can keep her from noticing Nate's arm around my neck I can get a little more sleep...but most of the time it ends up with me getting whacked in the nose as she tries to push his hand off of me and he reacts by swinging at her. Good morning to mama.

If the sun is shining when Danika makes her way to my room I am greeted with, "It's MORNING, mama. It's MOoRrNnING! Wake up! Wake up!" And that's it - I get no say in the matter. There is no extra 10/15 minutes. Danika does NOT have a snooze button.

That is usually how I end up rolling out of bed. I make it downstairs and get chocolate milk. Turn on the coffee pot (if I forgot to set it the night before - which I probably did) and turn on the TV for the kiddos. Make the formula...wash the bottles...get "big kids" snack (because they don't eat BREAKFAST right away...but something small to keep them from being too cranky. Then I spend probably 40 minutes on the computer. Mainly facebook and Google Reader - some email and then Twitter if I have time. Then it's breakfast...then they turn off the TV and play. Usually the babies are about ready to wake up, get changed and have a bottle...so that's next. It's also one of the best parts of my morning (most of the time)because my babies usually wake up happy. I hear them cooing and go up to find them both awake...and as soon as they see me...they SMILE. Not any smile but a smile that has nothing behind it but love. I get 2 huge toothless grins and sometimes even a giggle. It makes the fact that I'm 3 cups of coffee in and still exhausted just melt away. It makes the fact that I know I probably won't get to close my eyes again for at least 12 hours (after being awake for 4 already) not that big a deal. It makes me remember why I wanted another baby...it makes me a little sad that these are my last babies...and it makes me want to NEVER forget them at this age.