if a picture paints 1000 words, where was my camera?

Where was my camera?

When I locked my keys in the car before math class and didn't realize it until I returned to said locked car. (On the way to class I had thought my purse seemed much lighter than usual--doh!)

Where was my camera?

After math class (and rescue by Jr with Jack's car key) when Audrey and Ellie spent the night in the gardens with us, giving so many moments to remember--

Where was my camera?

How did I miss photos of Audrey and JoJo playing ball toss and Ellie and JoJo kissing on the lips (sorry about that Shi).

Where was my camera?

To capture Audrey's almost-three-year-old comments:

Regarding Ellie:

Put 'er down I want you now, gwamma, I no wanna wait for Eleanor I'n sit on your lap too

but also:

Oh, Bay-Elly so cute. (accompanied by much kissing on the head)

To Gramma:

While playing with the princesses and their house--Gwamma, you be this one in the howwwwwssss. I be this one who twick you and shut the door.

and then

We pway with 'ore markers, you dwaw me a snow bunny an a momma bunny an a daddy bunny an a JoJo dawgie an a Audrey bunny. An a house wit a gween dohr.

Where was my camera?

To memorialize when Audrey used the potty--her little potty and gramma's big potty--and to note that Audrey totally knows quantities and sizes of stickers that accompany her various pottying accomplishments.

Where was my camera?

When I foolishly suggested that Audrey could wear a pullup if she wanted to sleep in my bed, to which she replied: "Gwamma, I no weahr diapers anymoe."

Where was my camera?

When finally, Ellie was asleep in the playpen, Audrey was passed out across Jack's pillows and JoJo made her way to the part of the bed where Jack's bum usually rests--

and Jack, entering the bedroom, gazing on the chaos of two hours of girls in the room, looks at me, Audrey, and JoJo, all three of us, sprawled across the king-sized bed and said, "Maybe I'll move the new bunkbed mattress onto the livingroom floor and sleep on that."

Where was my camera?

During the long night--(seriously, do these girls sleep more than oh, 20 seconds at a time? How do Stu and Shi survive?)--when Ellie called out (or perhaps it was more a scream of "where am I" terror) every 30 minutes, clearly having no part of my attempts to replace her pacifier while under my cloak of invisibility, and after three failures, joined Audrey, JoJo, and me in the king-sized bed.

Where was my camera?

To capture a picture of the long, brown dog, ever on guard for the safety of the soft blond-haired toddler, the fuzzy blond-haired baby, and the arms of the concerned gramma wrapped around everyone in the king-sized bed?

Where was my camera?

To capture the nonstop waking of kids caused by the licking of kids by JoJo or the snuggling of kids by JoJo, which caused the crying of kids who are not used to kissing or snuggling with a live dog all through the night.

Where was my camera?

When Audrey announced that since Gwamma was too tired to get toys from the basement that even though it was dark down there, she would get them, and then returned shortly thereafter, almost in tears, asking "Where my mommy & daddy?" since she had assumed they were still down there playing rock band... followed closely by a drowsy, recently startled awake, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes because it was 4:30 a.m., Jr (in red boxers) asking, "Is everything okay?"

Where was my camera?

When I woke Jack, the drummer, and Jr, shortly before leaving to take my first math test of the semester (at 8-freakin' a.m. on a Saturday morning!), when I gave each his own instructions regarding the care and feeding of two little girls. How did I miss:

The drummer feeding a bowl of mush and a bottle to Ellie.
Grampa and Audrey, sitting on the bed, playing trains and drawing on the white board with the markers while Jr went out to pick up McMuffins and cinnamon rolls and chocolate milk for breakfast.

Where was my camera?

When I parked next to my professor still in his car in the teacher's lot, saw the first question on the test, immediately forgot everything, including basics like what numbers are for, regained my composure, freaked out a tiny bit when people began exiting the classroom after finishing their tests when I was still trying to figure out the second problem, again regained my composure when I realized there are always a few smarty-pants math know-it-alls in every math class, finished the test with fairly high spirits and returned home.

Where was my camera?

When I entered the house, the drummer announcing, "Dad's changing Ellie's diaper, a big, stinky one." And Jack agreeing that it would be a good idea if the girls, Ellie in particular, had a bath.

Where was my camera?

To get a shot of me sleeping it off--

Until the call around 6:30 pm--(two-weeks ahead of schedule)
The long wait in the uncomfortable chairs and the broken recliner--
Until 2:37 a.m. for one push

And the arrival of the newest redhead

Natalie Paige Kilger 18.5" 7 lb 15 oz

Precious life-affirming cry

Plump arms and legs (check out the nurse getting ready to torture, uh, massage her)

Cheeks and lips and a chin like her daddy

Sweet girl like her momma

Ready to face anything.