Silver Lining: State of the Union

Every so often, I like to blog a good old fashioned family update. Just a regular listing of each person in the Emery family union, and how we're all doing. The good, the bad, and the ridiculous amount of diapers we go through with three kids under three. (So. Many. Diapers.) So here we go!

SAM:
There's a reason Sam's not in any of these pictures. He's never home these days! His last year of grad school started, and, because he's a crazy person who added a second masters degree when he had newborn twins, he's in class until 10:30pm some nights. (Classes that late shouldn't even be legal!) But he is a rockstar who still takes the twins for the early shift when he's home so I can sleep. And he's still loving his program. And he still has awesome facial hair. Two thumbs up all around.

ME:
I'm in survival mode over here! My hair hasn't been washed in days, and there's a huge pile of laundry in my bedroom right now that will probably never get folded. We'll just take the clean clothes from the pile until it's gone, because given the choice between a nap and folding laundry, nap always wins. I have grand plans to, you know, wash my hair one of these days, so look out world! ;)

(In all honesty, we have been in high alert for signs of postpartum depression, because we are determined to nip this thing in the bud before it gets bad like last time. I'm so happy to say I haven't had a single symptom yet. It's the biggest relief. As it turns out, having babies is much happier when the chemicals in your brain are balanced the way they should be.)

CLAIRE:
Claire is the cutest toddler around. She's a talker - it's hard to get a word in edgewise! She likes to read entire books to herself out loud, and she's memorized a few verbatim. She's also an occasional tantrum thrower, a tricycle rider, a bedtime stall tactics expert, and a big sister who likes to pry the twins' eyes open when she feels they should be awake. ;) We sure like her!

(You guys, it's weird that I have three kids now. This post just keeps on going!)

LINCOLN:
I swear Link gets more chunky and cute every time I look at him. We call him Baby Bear because the way he curls up and sleeps on your chest reminds us of the baby pandas at the zoo. He's definitely more high-maintenance and fussy than his twin (he seems permanently stressed out?) but he also started cooing and smiling at us this week, and a little baby smile goes a loooong way!

ADDISON:
Addie is our tiny, calm, darling baby. She settled comfortably in the fourth percentile on the growth charts, and judging by her chicken legs and the newborn-size clothing that hangs off her, has no plans to thicken up any time soon. She has the cutest doll face, and we love her calm, delicate, happy spirit. I was giving her a bath last week and - just like that - all the hair on top of her head rubbed off. But hey, she makes male pattern baldness look good. ;)