Our Weekend

I thought I would do a recap. Grandma and Grandpa had us over Friday night and it was a perfect beginning to our weekend. We grilled and the boys were showered with lots of fun toys. I think Grandma and Grandpa were gearing up for Christmas or something ;) The boys thoroughly enjoyed playing in the pool nakey. This was a first for them and in typical "guy" fashion they loved it. They also got one of the coolest toys. It is a bubble maker and it makes the hugest bubbles you've ever seen. Jared and I definitely love it more than the boys although they too loved it.

Saturday was Amy and Tim's shower and it went beautifully. We are so looking forward to seeing that sweet baby boy in August (or July). It was such a blessing to hear that they were pregnant and this baby's birth is eagerly anticipated by all of their friends and family. God is so good to us and we do not take this miracle of life for granted. The boys came for a bit and loved all of the attention, of course. After the shower Jared and I decided to try out our new bike trailer. We are very excited about biking as a family and plunked down the cash for a nice bike trailer thinking that it is an investment for our health and will help us reach our goals of losing weight and getting in shape. Having said that.....the ride was an absolute nightmare that involved no less that 4 stops while biking 2 miles tops. The boys are right next to each other and didn't enjoy this. They screamed and cried so sincerely that we were convinced they were hurt. We would stop readjust their safety belts and begin again to no avail. I would add pictures of the biking but there are none. A small part of me was tempted to take one after the biking trip but the thought of Jared's head exploding came to mind and I decided that a photo op was NOT worth it. :0 We are not giving up we are just hoping that they will get used to it.

Sunday we went to church and then napped, as usual. We also hit the backyard for some weeding (woo hoo, good times) and cleaned out the shed all while the boys played in their baby prison (Super Play Yard) and loved it. I know that this all sounds quite mundane but I think when I look back on these memories that I am recording I will want to remember the small details since that is what helps comprise what is currently our lives. I mean it's not all fireworks (Actually in our neighborhood it is from June to August. Seriously, what is up with that???).

Baby Signs

Baby sign language is a big thing right now. For those of you without young children this is for hearing parents and children and it is to help them communicate before they are able to speak words. Jared and I chose not to go this route although I have heard of numerous benefits. My brilliant son Eli, however, seems to have taught himself with no direction from us. I was just snuggling with him in the nursery and pulled him tightly to me and said "I love you, Eli" and he looked at me with love in his eyes and lifted his chubby little hand, pointed his itty bitty finger towards me and shoved it right up my nose. This little gesture obviously meant "I love you more than I can express in words, Mommy". Just moments later, while still holding him, his brother pulled up to me and Eli slapped him across the face with his foot. This, not that you need a translation, simply said "This is my quiet time with Mommy touch her again and it will be a kangaroo chop!" Ha, and most kids can only sign the word "more". Geniuses, my sons, geniuses! :)

Back from the Doctors

Why? You may ask... no reason just had some time to kill. Seriously though there is nothing wrong with them. They have been kind of grouchy and demanding lately and Jared and I thought something MUST be wrong. I called him this morning near tears (o.k. who am I kidding? I was crying like a newborn baby) and we decided to take them to the pediatrician out of sheer desperation. They are throwing fits and Eli is doing his "flipper" impersonation and they both want to be held until you actually pick them up and then they are repulsed by you. On a side note the flipper thing is actually hilarious to watch because he truly looks like a dolphin when he rears back and forth throwing a fit. I guess if the Dr. could have come up with ANYTHING to diagnose them with it would have been toddlerhood. I wonder if the pediatricians are all sitting around at lunch having a good laugh about another first time parent being convinced their child MUST have an ear infection or something....anything! Oh well, I posted these pics to remind me of when things were REALLY hard. This is a challenge but it is not twin infants and I can handle it :)

I cannot get over the size of Alex's cheeks in that picture! So sweet! I miss those tiny babies but not the sleepless nights, constant bottle washing, endless Dr. appt.'s (I could go on an on).

Weekend in Review

Here are some recent pics. Eli decided yesterday (while Mommy wasn't home) to pull up to stand for the first time in the bath tub of all places. Grandma and Grandpa and Daddy were here to witness it and they were thrilled. He also says Duck which is adorable. Sometimes it is du-(he then pauses for dramatic affect)-CK and other times it is du(pause)T but either way it is precious to Mommy and Daddy. We had a play date today with Stephanie who has 5 kids of her own and that was lots of fun. It is really nice to get together with other Mom friends and "talk". I use that word loosely because we speak broken sentences in the midst of crying children (mine, of course) and telling them to stop this or that and yet it still so worth it just to have some adult conversation and change the scenery a bit.

Eli took advantage of his 4 teeth yesterday and enjoyed Daddy's apple!

Alex is so proud of himself that he can sit on the couch like a big boy and on this particular day he was the first one up from nap (which is why he looks a bit sleepy) so I could let him sit there without being distracted. Eli found a great play spot under the table.

Bath Time

Creative title, I know. I'm tired and Jared worked a forever shift today so here are some pics from today. I gave them their first together bath by myself. Since they've been able to sit well I've been considering this because my dear, sweet, Alex can be a tad demanding (see previous post) and gets a bit impatient when his bath time is over. My fear has always been what do you do with the 2nd child once you get the first out and are dressing him. I am wise enough to know NOT in the bath tub with all of the water.

So here's how I did it as I am sure everyone is DYING to know. (I hope you can "hear" the sarcasm there).

1. Prepare for bath-Grab wash cloths, towels, diaper, fill tub.


2. Strip both children down to their diaper and make sure they don't have any "surprises" in there.


3. Place baby A in tub after removing diaper. Quickly remove baby B's diaper and plop him in.


4. Ok here's the beautiful part.....let them play and entertain one another until they are pruney or their lips are blue whichever comes first. :) This is wonderful compared to let baby A scream at the top of his lungs behind his baby gate while you try and let baby B have fun so that he will not resent his brother and you for not allowing him the exact same amount of play time in the tub thereby ruining his entire childhood. :) (Sadly enough I have to fight back these type of thoughts. I have to constantly tell myself that it is impossible to make everything completely equal and fair.)


5. After washing them, begin draining tub, remove baby B (the one who doesn't pull up on the toilet and begin to stir with his hand).


6. Dry baby B while eyes are also on baby A and then diaper him with lightning speed while still in the bathroom.


7. Remove baby A throw him in a towel.


8. Get both babies out of the bathroom and shut the door.


9. AND......Dress them! Your finished.

Some of you may be laughing at my little accomplishment but hey I gotta blog about something! It was this or the poo story from yesterday so you can thank me now :)

What's that on your head???

"You look so funny!!!!"

"Here let me help you with that. Hold still!"

"Sorry, you're on your own."

Last Summer

Happy Father's Day Honey!

Jared you know that I think you are an amazing father and I am forever telling people how I could not do this parenthood thing without you but I wanted to take a minute and list all of the things that make you the Daddy that you are:)

• You were the only parent who could see and touch our babies for 2 days and I never doubted that you were capable.
• You loved them and were so great about being around them even when it hurt. I didn't even want to look at them sometimes and see how they were struggling. I remember I was nervous to be by their isolette without you. You stood next to me and encouraged me to talk to them and touch them. For that I will forever be grateful.
• You also took a lot of pictures of them (see it was you in the beginning) in the NICU those first few weeks and showed them to anyone and everyone who would look. I hated to see the pictures at first but you never felt that you were just proud of your boys.
• You called and checked in on them as much and sometimes more than I did. I remember being at the NICU with them and the nurse calling out "Dad's on the phone."
• You taught me how to read each machine in my drug induced fog post-birth so that I could relay ALL the information back to you when you went back to work. Some of the nurses would even make me write it down because they knew you wanted specifics. They were always on your side :)
• You forced me to open up two swings, two bouncers, two quilts, when I was afraid to because Eli was so sick.
• You kiss the boys and tell them you love them all the time.
• You endure the silly shows that they like.
• You survived the first 6 months when you worked and then came home and worked harder :)
• Last week you asked me if I had read the article in "Parenting Magazine" about raising a confident child.
• You didn't gloat (too much) when their first words were da da and now that Eli says Dad-dee as clear as a bell.
• You can make them let out huge belly laughs that are infectious.
• You wouldn't let me order the pictures where the photographer had Alex sit on Eli's back because you said it was demeaning :) I am still laughing about that one!
• You are an awesome example of what a husband and Daddy should be to Alex and Eli and they are so blessed to have you for a father!

There are truly more reasons than I can list Jared but today on your 2nd Father's Day (1st one with Eli home) please KNOW that you are respected, treasured, loved and adored by Becky, Alex and Eli! We love you!

Blog Slacker!

That's me. You know you are neglecting your computer when your Google Reader account has over 50 unread posts and your hotmail account's inbox is over 100 (VERY over) but I have been enjoying the break. Sometimes I get a bit sucked into the computer thing. Had a great morning walking with the boys, Mindy and Allie. We had a nice long walk that has left me with sore arms and legs. It's always a perfect morning when it involves talking with my sisters or friends, Starbucks and shopping. Ahhhhh thank God for these moments to unwind in this crazy life. I do have some pics of the boys refusing my homemade food from Tuesday that I will have to share. That is what I get for attempting to be thrifty. Sometimes I just don't think it is in my blood. On second thought it must be because my sister Molly can shop the clearance racks like nobody's business and Missy knows where chicken is on sale in the entire tri-city area. Hmm I will have to try and find my inner bargain shopper. Jared and I did enjoy the chocolate exhibit at The Henry Ford this past weekend. OK I enjoyed it while he kept the boys happy and kept walking. The rest of the museum had a great section where they separated the different decades and explained what was popular in each. They had and MTV section where you dance in a Cindi Lauper video that was pretty funny and NO we didn't. They also had a Rubik's Cube and Simon along with every other thing from our generation. Monday I got together with my family and grilled and just enjoyed being around them. Amanda turned 14 and we had a party on Sunday. (Happy Birthday AMANDA!) That's all that is going on here.

Memories that I am afraid will get lost in the corners of my mind (aka "mommy brain")

Alex 2 months old and now. I just wanted an excuse to revisit their sweet tiny baby pictures.

Eli 2 months old and still in NICU and now. (It was so hard to leave him there. God gives you the grace when you need it though b/c now I think "I could NEVER do that".)

Speaking of "mommy brain".....back to the point :) I wanted to jot down a few of the things the boys are doing and have done lately before I forget.

*Alex can be a bit difficult at night with his bottle. He is not ready to slow down and relax therefore when I am alone I will finish with Eli and then hold Alex and attempt to get him to finish his bottle. Last Saturday this is what was taking place but Eli wanted to be held also. While I had both in my lap Eli discovered Alex's belly button. He just kept poking at it and trying to grab it while Alex giggled away because it tickled. It was really sweet and I definitely don't want to forget Eli's pure wonder at his brother's tummy :)

*They've begun to chase each other down the hallway and laugh harder than I have ever heard them laugh. Half of the time Eli giggles and slithers (still prefers this method to crawling) across the floor and has to stop and keep checking to see if Alex is still coming because typically Alex will lose interest part way through the chase.

*They are starting (VERY slowly) to take food with more texture BUT there are still times when they look at me and make a face as if I just put gravel into their mouths.

*Alex is not a morning person but Eli is which means Alex spends his morning kind of crabby lately. He prefers to be held while I make bottles which is working now that I just pour milk from the gallon into a bottle and heat it. When I had to shake up the formula he would wail because I finally realized it was easier to set him down and listen to the scream rather than juggle two bottles, a baby, keep an eye on Eli and attempt to mix the formula. Did I mention how great it is just to pour the milk?? OK sorry but these little changes make my life so much easier.

*I've begun putting each of them to bed with a book which almost immediately stops them if they are fussing. It is cute because they just settle in and look as if they are about to enjoy an old favorite. Meanwhile they are "reading" it upside down and backwards.

*Eli is pulling up to his knees and Alex decided to crawl a whole flight of stairs at Aunt Mindy's. He may have known how to do this for a while but we live in a ranch where the only stairs lead to the black hole.....I mean, basement.

I will probably add to these as I think of more but that's it for now.

Don't forget to take my poll! Thanks!

I wanted to add parent of singletons but it wouldn't let me change it. Sorry!

Feels Like Summer to Me

I know it is not officially summer yet but it felt like it yesterday. It was such a nice day. The boys enjoyed their swings and we hit the pool (the blow up one of course). I am going to miss their pot bellies and chub rolls so much. It made me think that the day will come when they will want to turn that cuteness into 6-pack abs for some girl (ugh, I can't even stand it). Days like these definitely make me want to slow time down. I had a great birthday. I woke to a sweet card from Jared and roses. My mother-in-law made me a delicious dinner and birthday cake. I also got lots of calls from dear friends and family. Thanks to all who made my day feel special :)

As I look at these pictures and as we enjoy the summer I can't help but think of last year. The boys were both still in the NICU despite being almost 8 wks old. Most of the summer was spent inside because they were fragile little guys. It is amazing that a year later they are a bit chubby, swinging on swings, anxiously waiting at the gate to get outside and get in that pool. It is truly miraculous.

32

Yes, I am 32. I cannot believe it. I have to say that I have enjoyed the first two years of my 30's quite a bit. Jared took me out for my b-day on Friday because that's when Kim and Amanda were available (thanks for the help guys). We had a great time but had to laugh at ourselves when we returned home by 8:15. Life is ironic...we don't have curfews anymore, yet we are home before the street lights are on. Yesterday we had a nice day. Jared put our new swing set together and the boys absolutely loved it. They cackled as we pushed them. Last night we planted some annuals after the boys went to bed which was fun until the dreaded mosquitoes came out. Again, I have to laugh at myself because I don't see my self as an overly girly girl. In fact, I enjoy reading this blog called "The Adventures of Carrie, Brook, Reid and Finn". Their family lives in Alaska and they have twin boys just like me. They are always hiking and biking and are super outdoorsy and I think it sounds great. Jared has also been into the Alaska Experiment lately and again I find myself thinking it might be kind of cool. Tonight, however plopped me back to reality. As I swatted mammoth, Michigan, mosquitoes and told them how much I hated them I asked Jared to bust out the citronella candle buckets because I just couldn't take it anymore. I carried one around with me as I debated where to plant the flowers. I am guessing on a hike in Alaska there is not a big enough candle to ward off all of the creepy crawly things and Jared informed me that carrying it around didn't really help. I guess my Alaskan dream is over. My sweet husband lit 3 more candles and as I moved around planting he moved the candles to where I was in the yard. Uhhh true love :) He puts up with so much. My sisters that I love dearly would have rolled their eyes and laughed at my drama but not Jared. He gets me. Although, he did laugh when I asked him to hose my dirty feet off and I screamed because the water was freezing. He said "You've given birth to twins and scream about this". I do take credit for the birthing my boys BUT the truth of the matter is that although I did deliver them via emergency c-section it wasn't that bad. Even though American Express hasn't coined this one yet "Epidurals are priceless" and I truly didn't feel a thing. I refuse to admit this when they are teenagers and I tell my heroic story of birthing twins and how they should appreciate me blah, blah, blah. Anyways, enough rambling I am just posting to say that on my birthday I am thankful for the burbs and all that they have to offer (2 Targets within 10 minutes), my husband and my dear children. What I like about my 30's is I think I am beginning to fully appreciate who God made me, where he placed me and how much He loves me for me. I am at times a walking contradiction but that's me. Now I am ready to settle in to accepting that as I enjoy this decade of my life.