HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!!!

OMG Owen and Ethan are 1! How did that happen? Yesterday they were babies and today not so much. Every day they are closer and closer to little men. Ethan is walking more than crawling now. He also has 3 teeth. Owen decided that he was not to be outdone by Ethan in the walking department and he RUNS (video coming soon). He has 2 teeth. They are completely off bottles and we are now trying milk (at least til the GI says otherwise).

Today the immediate family came for a little gathering. Grandpa and Uncle live far away and wouldn't be able to attend the big party in Jan. We had lunch then opened gifts. The boys are getting good at opening gifts as long as they are interested. Once again they were spoiled rotten. From there we sand to the boys. Each of them got sang to on their own. We tried to get them to blow out the candle. I had been working on it with them for weeks. The cake was just way too tempting and they didn't care about the candle. By the time Owen was done with his cake you couldn't tell it was Owen and you really couldn't tell it started as a cake. Ethan on the other hand was very clean and ate the cake in order from left to right. He only got about 1/3 through the cake before he sat back finished. After a quick bath it was play time while the adults talked.

It was a wonderful day for my wonderful boys. Happy Birthday my beautiful little men. You cannot imagine the joy you bring to my life on a daily basis. You mean the world to me.

Christmas

Whew!!! Now that was busy. Our Christmas this year was 4 parts. It was crazy. We were everywhere and the boys were so good all things considered.

Part 1
Christmas Eve I cooked and my family (my moms side) came to the house. When all was said and done there were 14 people here. I cooked a huge meal which was a feat because the kitchen sink stopped draining while I was doing prep. The boys got the first real taste of Christmas and opened lots of gifts.

Part 2
Christmas morning was a lot slower, calmer, and in my opinion yummier. My mom (nana) came back over for a breakfast of coffee and cinnamon rolls (homemade by me, sink still plugged). The boys opened more gifts. These gifts needed a little more help from mom and dad once the boys realized there were goodies inside and decided they wanted to play.

Part 3
When it was time to put the boys down for a nap Nana left and we got in the car to head to Erick's grandmas. This was perfect timing as the boys napped the whole 2 hr drive. Before we could actually head to our destination we had to stop at Erick's mom's to pick up his brother. Once again more gifts. Finally getting to G.Grandma's and we eat and open more gifts. After chatting we head to our last stop.

Part 4
Christmas dinner was hosted at Erick's aunt's house. This was another hour drive from G.Grandma's. When we got close we called to find out if they had whole milk for the boys. They didn't so we stopped at the store. Once at Erick's aunts we had to try to get the boys to drink. This was near impossible because things were bustling. After more gifts we sat down to a nice dinner. When things got late we loaded the boys back in the car and headed the hour drive home.

Christmas was GREAT. Our boys are SPOILED. Happy Holidays everyone.

(pictures will be added when I get the gifts put away and can find the cord)

Lights

Tonight we took the boys to Christmas Tree Lane. It is about 3 square blocks where EVERY house decorates. We dressed them warmly, tucked them into the stroller with tons of blankets, and took off walking. The boys LOVED looking at the lights. There were 2 houses set to music and we sat there for a long time. The boys didnt make a sound. It was so much fun and I can see it is only going to get better. I love this time of year.

Movin' on up

With us all sitting in the room and the camera out look who decided to put on a show.



Ethan had only taken 2 steps before today. All day today he was taking little steps. Then this video. After that he crossed the room another time. The space between the couch and where I am sitting with the camera is about 5-6 feet. We are so proud. We were convinced Owen would be first. GO ETHAN!!!

Brotherly love

I had all these cute videos of the boys playing together but the quality sucks. They play tag together. They give kisses. They even look for each other when they go down for naps or we are getting in the car. They also tease each other.

Owen learned to climb in the toy boxes so that Ethan cant get anything out.



There is also something else Owen loves. He loves being naked.



If you look at the pictures he was not naked when he went down for his nap. LOL

Tis the season

I took a little break from the world this last week. The 10th was my birthday. Erick took me out to dinner and to the casino. It was one of only 2 meals we have had together without the boys sense they were born. Neither of us won at the casino. He got me a few gifts, one of which was Twilight (the book not the movie). I got engrossed in it. I spent every free moment reading. In 6 days I read the whole set of books.

In addition to my birthday we have been planning the boys birthday and party. We have Christmas and all the goes with that. A few other birthdays thrown in for good measure. It has been a crazy busy time.

I made a sad hard choice today (no I dont want to get into it) but it should free up some time to be a better blogger.

Sometimes it's a shitty job

Yesterday I told you about Ethan's little brown tub sharks. Today it it Owen's turn for a poop story I guess.

We are cut bottles cold turkey yesterday. Owen is not liking it. Ethan will drink til Owen is screaming then he stops to watch. Well Today I put the boys down for a nap. They were in nothing but a diaper because as soon as they were up we needed to get ready to leave the house. I just got out of the shower and was getting dressed what Erick headed into the boys room.

"Hun, we have an issue"

I tell him he can change it if someone is stinky. Then I hear it.

"Owen where is your diaper"

CRAP yes that is right. I dont know if it is in protest or what but Owen took off his diaper and rubbed poop on everything he could touch. Including but not limited to: his blanket, the clean sheet I put on just before nap and his teeth. mmmmmm

gag

Little brown tub shark

We took the boys to the great park near us for the first time the other day. All three of my boys had a great time.







Please disregard my annoying voice in the video!





They had so much fun. Now if only the weather were nicer so we could go more.

Sleeping babes


We check on the boys a few times a night before we head to bed ourselves. So the other night I walked in and found the boys above. They were so cute I had to take a pic. Then I had to cover Owen and uncover Ethan.

Now before we put the boys to bed on any given night we give them a bath. I strip the boys, Erick gets the water ready and we take them into the bathroom. Erick always asks if I checked for presents before handing the boys to him. Well tonight I didn't. Erick tried to hand Ethan back to me when he was found dirty. I refused and brought him wipes. We got Ethan cleaned and in the tub. As I was sitting down to clean Owen's helmet I hear Erick yell. I rush in the bathroom just to see Erick yanking Owen out of the tub.
"HE POOPED!" he yelled.
"who pooped?" I asked
"who do you think pooped!"
Just then I look down and Ethan is doing the model pose with a long, brown tub shark hanging off his butt. I laughed and helped Erick take the boys to our shower. He got them cleaned. I got the tub cleaned and the boys still got a story before bed. LOL it was a fun bath.

Tomorrow we have a lot going on that should make for an interesting blog. Dont let me forget to tell you about it.

11 months and need your help

Another month has come and gone. The boys are getting so big. I want to do something for the boys and I need your help. I know the monthly posts are usually full of what the boys are doing and all that but not this month. I need your help. I want stories about Erick, myself or the boys. I want you to write down things that you want the boys to know later in life. Funny, sappy, happy or sad. Write your stories in response to this post and I will have them made into a book for the boys. Please one story per comment but you can comment as many times as you like. Be sure to include your name so I can give you credit in the book. This is really important to me and I know you will come through and the boys will love it.

Christmas is comming!

I have been waiting to show you these pictures out of respect for the turkey. Now that Thanksgiving is over I can post.

Last week the news showed this AWESOME set up for Santa. I was really impressed. Check it out.



See isnt that great. Well as I was watching the news they said where this great set up was. It was in the mall less then 2 blocks from me. Oh this is great I was thinking. Then it got even better. A group was giving out FREE pics with Santa at an opening day party if you signed up online. So I did. The thing started at 10am, check in was at 9, we got there at 8:15. When we got in line we wernt even there 5 min when another family was behind us. We were first in line for Santa.
The boys waiting for Santa



Santa arrived and we are waiting for him to get comfy

Santa pics daddy snuck



Today was not a day of rest for me either. While the boys napped I put the Thanksgiving stuff away and got the Christmas stuff out. I got most of the gifts wrapped and under the tree. Then we got the boys up. We totally expected the boys to go straight for the tree. We were surprised when they went for the ball hanging on the door.

Then the boys noticed that they can get in the window (normally there is a couch in front of it). That is when they noticed the tree. Below is a great pic because it looks like Owen is on the Santa lookout and Ethan is scoping out the names on the gifts.

Here is the tree now with all the gifts under it.


I have to admit I know today was only day one but it has not been that difficult to keep the boys out of the tree or the packages. I am excited because I was worried we were going to need a gate or something for the tree.

Our first Thanksgiving

My mom came for dinner and it was good even if we didnt get turkey because it wasnt cooking. The boys were so excited to get to eat the special dinner.


No we didnt expect the boys to eat all that but we wanted them to have enough to make a mess and get a taste.

Owen wasnt sure (His bib says my first thanksgiving)

Ethan knew what to do (his bib says Im stuffed)

Both boys enjoyed the meal (their first time getting to use a fork on their own)





After the very filling meal the boys got a bath and put in jammies. Then my sister, brother in law and niece came over. We played wii. When everyone they left my mom, Erick and I watched a movie. Overall it was a fun, filling holiday.

heads above the rest

Look mom I can climb

And I can stand


look at that smile and those teeth


Owen had his first head check for the helmet yesterday and the good news is the helmet is working already. There is a 3mm change in his head. I know you think 3mm is nothing but his head only needs to adjust 13mm so 3 is great.

Owen's head just before getting the helmet on

The helmet

close up

Not what we were hoping for

Today the boys had a follow up with the GI. We were hoping to hear that Ethan could try dairy and soy now that was not the case. The boys are growing.

Owen: 19lb 13oz 29.5 in and a 47.7cm head
Ethan: 21lb 2oz 28.75 in and a 46.5cm head

BUT when they checked Ethan's poop there was still a trace of blood in it. So still no dairy or soy til this birthday. Then we get to try it and go back to the GI. If that appointment in Jan. still shows blood then he has to have a blood draw and an allergy panel done. BOO!

Full swing

I have got to admit I am having fun planning the boys first birthday. I have always loved party planning but this is just a blast. We have the date, theme, favors, cakes, location, and time all picked out. I have spent some time looking at things for the boys Wish List for those that have been asking me to update it so they know what to get for Christmas and birthday. I cant believe in 6 weeks my boys will be a year old.

This time last year I was a week into bed rest, still contracting, worried about going into full blown labor, bitching about not doing Thanksgiving and getting tired of sitting on my butt. Now I have 2 rug rats that are on the go and I dream of getting to sit on my butt.

Did you miss us?

Well we are home. The trip was long and hard. I couldn't go to the mine although my sister did. At the funeral they played a video of my cousin taken in the hour before her death. It was her dancing in the back of the truck before going into the mine. It was hard to watch and she will be missed. That is all I want to say on the matter.

While getting ready to leave something interesting happened. Owen took a step. A single step not holding onto anything. Then while in the hotel in front of everyone he took 2 steps all on his own. We are so proud. While we were in the hotel we had a bad night with the boys. OMG it was horrible. Well we now know why it was so horrible. There is a new tooth in the house. Owen decided he no longer wanted to be toothless. He also has his second tooth coming in.

Ethan is getting braver. He is still my careful child but he is starting to let go.

We also took our holiday photo.

It is so fun to watch them grow!

broken

That is how I feel right now. Broken. I have cried so long and hard that tears dont come anymore. My cousin died today. A tragic, painful, sudden death. I may be missing awhile as I spend the time with family. The boys, Erick and I are all fine.

RIP Linda

Things I could do without

I forgot to post The boys are now 10 months old. woo hooo. Things are getting really fun now. They respond to you and play really well but there are a few things I could do without.

* eating the paint off the cribs
* biting
* temper tantrums (I am talking full on through down on the floor kicking and screaming)
* climbing on everything
* arguing
*crying when I leave the room

Oh and my all time favorite

*looking at me when I tell them no and asking for dada

But like I said they are doing some really cute good things too.
* walking with toys
* baby kisses
* waving and saying by by
* the giggles at funny faces or being tickled
* making faces
* tub time
* feeding themselves
* playing in the mirror
* being held upside down
* clapping and saying yeah
* new words

As you can see the good list FAR outweighs the bad but ohhhh the tantrums. :(

Fall

All over my online community I was seeing these cute pictures of babies with pumpkins and fall pictures. I thought man I need pictures of the boys with pumpkins. So we went to the local farm here and put the boys in the pumpkins like we did Chloe last year. This is what I got....






And how can we forget this one....


So we move to the grass thinking maybe little pumpkins are better and we can get some good ones with the little pumpkins... We got these...




Then they figured out that they could pick and eat the grass or crawl away.




So in my mind I gave up on cute fall pictures. I mean you can see what I was dealing with. Erick and I decided that we were going to take a family trip up to Apple Hill. I hadnt been sense I was a kid and Erick had never been. Well we missed our chance to go with friends but when we did go we found a really good farm (#20) and got some GREAT shots. (oh and the boys love apple donuts)






I am so happy with these pictures and that fall is officially here!