The kids' actual birthday days!

I'm only like, two months behind here, but since it's my blog and I can do what I want, I'm going to! ;)  I felt like all of the kids' birthdays were extra, extra special this year and since this is my journal, I wanted to be able to have memories of what we did.  And, this is probably going to be long.  So here we go...

JENNA - MARCH 14TH - 8 is great!

Blake was in the hospital for Jenna's birthday.  I knew at the beginning of the week it wasn't looking good for us to be home.  I was about ready to have a meltdown about it to be honest with you.  Our friend, Jay, called and asked if he could do anything.  I asked if he would be willing to bring Jenna to Iowa City and then hang out with Blake while we went out for lunch.  He agreed!

After some Child Life activity in the morning, we headed out for lunch.  Lunch was Steak 'n Shake, Jenna's choice.  Burgers, fries and shakes...need I say more?  After that we hit up the mall for a new birthday outfit and got some stuff for the root beer floats she was having for her class treat on the following Monday (since she skipped school to hang out with mom!).  What was nice was that I could just talk to Jenna with no interruptions.  After the crazy months prior, we didn't get a lot of quality time together.  On her birthday, we did.

 When we got back to the hospital, the art therapist stopped by, so Blake and Jenna made this monster together.  I love the bond these two share!

 I made Jenna pose for pictures before she left me.  I can't believe how grown-up she is.  I can't believe my first born is eight.  Eight!  Happy Birthday Jenna, you are one-of-a-kind!

 

BRODY - MARCH 28TH - Super 6!

Brody was very concerned about whether or not I was going to be home for his birthday.  One night when we were talking on the phone while at the hospital he asked me.  Broke my heart.  I hate that my kids should even have to worry about this.  It turns out we weren't in the hospital - yay!

Friday was Brody's big day and I surprised him by having lunch with him at school.  He saw me and said, "Mom, what are you doing here?!" *biggest smile ever*

 On Saturday, I thought it was only fair that Brody get a special few hours with mom, just like Jenna did.  My plan was to go to Sky Zone in Des Moines and then to lunch.  Well, Sky Zone was sold out for like three hours! Ugh...fail. 

It's always good to have a plan B!  I asked Brody if he wanted to go to Perfect Games (bowling, arcade games) in Ames or to Bass Pro Shop.  He picked Bass Pro Shop. I mean, that place is pretty awesome... :)

 We literally were there for an hour and a half.  Looking at fish and animals, checking out some Duck Dynasty stuff, picking out which 4-wheeler and boat we wanted :) and playing some hunting games.  We played hunting games forever and I'm sure we could have stayed there longer. 

 Did I mention we tried on hats?  Yes, I would pick the dorkiest one I could find... ha!  We then headed to Ames to eat at Brody's favorite - Texas Roadhouse.  After way too much food, we headed home to bring the leftovers to the rest of the gang.
Happy Birthday Brody!  I love the way your mind is always working and you have, hands-down, the best smile ever!! :)

BLAKE AND BOWEN- APRIL 8TH - TERRIFIC 3 (times 2!)

For the second Burdorf Birthday in a row, we were blessed to be home!!  HOME. One of my favorite words ever.  With everybody at school all day, it was just Blake and Bowen and me hanging out at home. 

 

They got this gator for their birthday and they are smitten with it.  They can think of nothing else when going outside except this gator. This looks like trouble...!

 

 This picture, it's so them.  I love how they are alike, but so different.  How they function so well together, but can make it a part.  I guess it's a twin thing.

 I cannot have a birthday pass without getting teary-eyed.  Especially this year.  I thought about, briefly, on their birthday, about the scary day and what might have been.  I had so many prayers of thanks April 8th, I just can't even tell you. 

This is a crazy, hard, emotional, but oh-so-worth it, journey we are on.  I wouldn't trade it.  I wouldn't trade these twins for anything in the whole wide world.  They are who they are and that's what makes them great. 

 

I say it every year and I'll say it again...Blake and Bowen, you are the best things I never knew I wanted!  I love you both, you are the best!

Low-Key Easter

We had a Happy Easter at the Burdorfs!  It was the first holiday we've been out of the hospital and all together since Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving.  Crazy, right?!  To say we were happy to be at home and together is probably the biggest understatement ever.

A few days before Easter we planted some jelly beans along our fence in the front yard.  Do you know what grows when you plant jelly beans?  The kids didn't either, so we had to find out.

Yes, they were trying to dig a hole with a plastic snow shovel - ha!

After seeing what the Easter Bunny brought us, we headed to church and I was able to snap a few pics of my favorite four.  I got these two cute ones after Bowen decided he was going to quit throwing his fit. ;)

 They were saying, "Easter!!!"

 Jenna and I had to get a picture together since we had kind of dressed a like for church. 

 

 And this is what the jelly beans grew!  Suckers.  The kids were trying to figure out how this happened and in the end determined it was the work of the Easter Bunny.

 We are still in "we can't go far from Iowa City at this point in time mode" for anything, so we headed to my dad's in Knoxville for lunch.  It was such a nice day we played outside pretty much the entire time. 

 The Easter Bunny brought the two oldest new gloves, so we had to try them out with some batting practice and a little catch. 

 Concentrating.

Peas in a pod, Bowen and Brody.

 We tried fish-tailing Jenna's hair for the first time ever for church.  It looked pretty cute and better than this picture shows after church and playing outside.

Grandpa Larry has a cement circle in his backyard and the kids loved riding their two tractors and tricycle around and around and around...

 Hanging out in the cool basement with Grandpa. 

 I wanted to try to find my copy of, "Charlotte's Web," I had as a kid for Jenna and I to read together.  When ended up also finding all of my Baby-sitter's Club Books!  Apparently, I had a few of them...;)  They were the BEST books.  Jenna and I took home an entire box of the BSC books - regular books, mysteries, super specials.  I'd say we have enough to keep her busy reading for awhile.

 When we got home, we couldn't just sit inside you know.  We had to play outside some more!  The twins got these little dirt bikes for their birthdays, so they kept riding up and down the driveway. 

 These two. :)

 

Overall, it was a great weekend together.  I love that word!  Lots of time together.  Playing outside together.  Quality time together.  Woo-hoo for being all TOGETHER!!!

Outside at last!

Last weekend was so nice!  We were all home and we all decided to spend some quality time outside.  Brody's birthday was the 28th and he got this T-bolt rocket blaster thing.  It is supposed to shoot 150 feet into the air. 

 The kids were dying to try it, so we headed up to the practice football field to give it a go.  We had some technical difficulties at first and couldn't get it to launch. 

Finally, we got it!!  Brody was one excited kid!

 Jenna and Brody kept trying to catch it when it was close to landing.  They didn't seem to care that right on the box it said not to! ;)

 Everybody wanted a turn trying to launch the rocket.  Blakers waited patiently.

 Bowen was funny.  On the outskirts of the grassy airy was a culvert and he was convinced that their were alligators in there.  I mean, if big sister tells him that it must be true, right?!

 Bowen and Brody are my rough and tumble boys.  Always wanting to tackle and wrestle with you. Mama under attack!

 Blake and his bow legs.  They are just so him.  There's a nursing assistant who met us the day before transplant and she fell in love with his legs. They are now buddies.  He's legs and she's sassy!

 Such a beautiful day!  All four kids were able to burn off some pent up energy from the LONG winter.  The winter that doesn't seem to want to end.  My sympathies to you NW Iowans and Minnesotans reading this.  Yuck!

 Anyway, Brody is convinced he is the fastest person in the family.  Him and Jenna split races.  I will say, he is getting faster!

 The kids thought it would be fun for me and Aaron to race.  Real cool kiddos.  Guess what?  I lost.  I'm still slow and that was ridiculously unfair. ;) 

News from the day:  Blake had labs in Ames and we didn't have to go to Iowa City!  His WBC is still a little high out of normal range, but it did go down since the last time they checked.  I had a tiring day with my two monkeys at home today, so I'd say Blake is feeling just fine!!