Easter-ish, belt exams, and more

Copper loves to dress herself.  Backwards, inside out, summer, winter, mixed, matching, doesn't matter.  Sometimes she looks like a first class dork; usually it's pretty cute.  I've tricked her into trying pineapple, mandarin oranges, and peaches.  She liked them all.  Except for the peaches, which she chewed up and spit back into the full container.  Last week she finger-painted the kitchen with peanut butter, for the second time. She doesn't usually make messes other than her toys; I guess peanut butter is pretty enticing.  I can't tell if she knows the twins a part by name because she gets it right about half the time.  But she LOVES her sisters and they are still in awe over her.  Copper is one of the very few people who can really make Micah laugh.

The babies tried yogurt for the first time tonight.  Kota made faces the entire time but ate an entire bowl full.  Micah loved it and ate double what Kota did.  We visited the doctor today after day two of fevers with Kota.  Sure enough, she's been sick for 10 days and it led to an ear infection.  She's pretty miserable except when drugged up.  Exciting news, though- Kota hit 16 pounds even and Micah at 15.  Growing!  Kota is wanting to be on the move; she's climbing and one of these days, as soon as she tolerates her stomach more, will be moving all over a lot faster.  Micah's getting there.  When I'm home, I'm usually holding Micah.  She cries when I'm not, cries when I leave the room, whines when we aren't snuggling.  She likes to take a hand of hair on both sides of my face and pull it close until we're touching.  She falls asleep best when cuddled and just loves to be held close.  Kota's a bit the opposite.  She loves hugs and to be close, but when she's tired, she likes to be put down and left alone.  She'd be a champ sleeper at night if it weren't for the other two.  Some nights there have been all five of us in bed.  The kids sleep fine but it's a long night for Tim and I.  The babies have started "fighting" over toys and being held.  They sure get jealous of each other.  Can't wait until they're friends.  Right now it's just competition over who is fed first, held the longest, given the best toy, etc.  

Such funny girls, all three of them.  I've realized the hardest part of parenting for me, which is the disillusion of thinking what parenting is/should be like and how life really is.  It's been a rough couple of weeks at our home, maybe some of the hardest.  The kids are the very best and the most challenging parts.  Glad they're super cute.