Train potty

..was quite possibly better than the first.  on a whim i asked my mom to help me pull together this shower hosted at my house over the weekend.  I needed help with all the last minute details and just didnt feel like I could do it alone.  I was SO thankful when she immediately replied yes without even thinking about what I had just asked her to do. so they arrived early on Friday morning and while my mom and I ran our errands, Jordan and my dad had baby duty:)  after the last minute errands on Friday we called it quits to grab a bite to eat.  it was perfect weather so a patio somewhere was in order.  Baker sat in my dad's lap and pigged out on enchiladas and guacamole and tortilla and cheese..  didn't move a muscle or fight to the death to get down and run like a banshee.

my dad has found a little friend.

watching him with her and the twins was so bizarre. so gentle and sweet and SO HAPPY.  which in turn made my stomach do flip flops in joy. he kept thanking me for allowing them to visit again and sharing our family with them.  it was easy to allow the entire 32 years of life behind me fizzle to a blur when my dad, the man I wanted nothing more than to please my entire life, says things like that.  it took me a long time to teach myself and learn not to seek my identity in him. 

my mom did her best to love as sweet as she could with them.  when Baker finally gave up her favorite seat in my dad's lap, she swooped in to get her hands on the baby. 

after we satisfied my pregnancy craving with eight tons of chips and the equivalent in fresh salsa I also requested a stop at bahama bucks for a cotton candy sno cone before we headed home for more party prep.  my mama did the food, I handed the decor.. while my dad read every single book we own to the big girls. we knocked it out in just a couple hours. and when they finally headed back to their hotel it was almost 11pm.  I would have been up ALL NIGHT if it wasn't for her help. 

but thats my mother.  always with the servant's heart.

and finally.  finally she was there.  ALL THERE for me- there when I needed a mom.

saturday morning came SO SOON.  Jolie came down with a stomach bug early saturday morning, so from about 1am to 5:30am she threw up every 15 minutes.  I finally crawled into bed with her after she had kept water down for longer than a half hour, but was up by 7am to get myself ready for the day.  my mama treated me to my most favorite form of pampering- drybar.  someone to wash and dry AND FIX my hair is literally priceless to me:) she had never had anything like that done before, so we sat together drinking coffee while someone played with our hair for an hour.  

after last minute details were completed for the baby shower- the time had finally arrived for the guests to start showing up.  Jordan and my dad took Baker and Parker to hang out for a couple hours- while sweet Jolie was still under the weather and posted up in my bed watching PJ Masks and eating saltines- but NOT PUKING thank goodness.  my mom was dressed and ready for the party (I invited her myself- since she did so much of the prep work!) and mingled here and there but ultimately landed herself in my bed with Jolie to be with her/keep her company while she got some much needed sleep and her mama finished hosting all the guests.

after everyone left and my mom helped me get my house back into some form of order, we all sat around and watched college football.  skipped dinner and ate leftover cake instead:)

such an easy going time.  much different than anything we've ever done before.

I always felt so stressed out when I was around my parents- in their space or mine.  didnt matter.  I never felt comfortable.  but feeling comfortable is SO much more important right now especially when I'm trying to make my kids comfortable, you know?

my parents left early on Sunday to make the drive back to Austin and we skipped church to sleep in and then set out to run some errands before we started the week- but definitely stayed close to home because Jolie was still running fever and feeling blah.  I hated to see her like that! 

sams + costco for cereal and fruit in bulk.. that lasts less than 3 days around these parts, anyway.

home in time for the cowboy's game

..and more leftover cake.

such a good weekend and a great visit with my parents. we have a visit planned for the first week in November and I've been pumping up the girls for the trip to see Nana + Duke and I think we are all excited.  I actually have no idea where my parent's live or what their house looks like.  they moved from downtown Austin (literally 7th street) to a little suburb outside of Austin when my dad retired shortly after I removed myself, so it will be new to all of us.

until then I'll enjoy daily check-in's from my dad with random articles about baby products and name suggestions for baby boy.. cat pictures from my mother and answering random questions and curiosities she has, like what time do the girls go to bed or what their favorite foods are.. I forget this is all new territory for them as well.