Good times

Christmas was magical. I have always loved Christmas. As a kid my sister and I would stay up as late as we could to listen for Santa and his reindeer on the roof. We would always wake the next morning so sure that we had heard him. It was validated when we came downstairs and he had left all the the things we had asked for on the hearth. As an adult a little of that magic goes away. Until you have kids. This year, I had butterflies in my stomach as we were setting the hearth with gifts and filling stockings. Having my parents here to share all this with was amazing too. It was so much fun to talk about a time when they were doing this for us.

I wasn't sure what to expect on Christmas morning. It was clear the boys didn't know who Santa was and that he was going to be coming down our chimney with a sac of gifts, but it was also clear that our downstairs playroom was now filled with tricycles, toy cars, and wrapped gifts.



The boys came downstairs on Christmas morning and Braden caught a glimpse of the tricycles before he actually made it down the stairs. He quickly made his way to the doorway and ran to them yelling (squealing really) "Bicycles"!!


Buzz ended up causing such a scene we had to go out the next morning and buy another.



It was awesome. They day only got better. Filled with family, laughter, fun and Bavarian creme pie!

And now, Christmas is over and just like that another year is gone. 2010 was a great one!

We got our first haircuts




We spent many afternoons swimming in Sharon and Ron's pool.


We had a great vacation on Cape Cod.



Went for ice cream with Grandma.


In 2011 I am going to focus on living in the moment. I tend to always be thinking about the next moment, the next milestone. Like when we were reminiscing with my parents about Christmas' from my childhood I couldn't help but think about a time when the boys will be all grown up and doing this with their children. Dude, they're 2, pull it together. Despite several pep talks from my better half I still worry and think ahead and worry about thinking ahead. I am a planner by nature and so it will be about finding balance. Oh, and birthday cards. I am going to be better about Birthday cards.

Happy New Year!

Thankful.

This year, Thanksgiving was about new traditions. For years Brian and I traveled for the holidays; to the Cape, to Princeton, to Cheshire... And we always said once we had kids we would start traditions of celebrating at home. Some of my very best childhood memories are of holidays spent in my parents home. Of course, I now know how much work that was for my mother, but it was so worth it!

Brian cooked a wonderful meal and only had to call to his mother into the kitchen when it was time to make the gravy.




Jack loved laying on the ottoman with Hailey to watch Toy Story 3! Hailey wanted us all to be quiet, but she will learn that we just can't. We don't have it in us.







DESSERT!



mmmmmm Pumpkin Pie!



At the end of the day though, I think Brian's mom was disappointed to hear that our new tradition wasn't going to be an annual one. Back to the kitchen Margaret!

Happy Birthday!

Another year has gone by. Much faster than the first I'm afraid.

We had a very small birthday party for the boys last night. All week they had been singing happy birthday to each other, but I'm not sure they knew what was in store for them. There were balloons, presents, birthday t-shirts, and cake; oh, was there cake.

They have come so far in a year. And, Brian and I have come equally as far. Being a mom is hard. Finding balance with work and home is hard. But, I know it is all worth is on Saturday morning when I am up before the sun with the boys and we are all snuggled together under our favorite quilt watching Buzz & Woody.

This morning I find myself reflecting on all the great memories, thinking about all the good times to come, but most importantly remembering to enjoy the moment I am in. Because it's a good one.

Jack & Braden, you make me so proud to be a mommy. You both are so sweet, and kind and loving. I promise to never take a single moment of this for granted.

Fall Photobook

Click here to view this photo book larger

babies? what babies?

I'm coming to grips with the fact that I no longer have babies. Instead, I have these two little boys that love to play, and color, and run outside, and laugh, but above all, they love Buzz and Woody. We have watched Toy Story so often in the last few days that the only way to get the boys to watch anything else is to tell them that Buzz and Woody are sleeping.

When they aren't watching their favorite movie they love to color...



Yeah, that's a margarita glass on the paper. So what?

play with their trains...




and build towers with their legos.


Usually we can play nice.


But, sometimes...


We went pumpkin picking over the weekend. The boys have recently learned the word "punkin" so imagine their surprise when there were punkins, big and small, everywhere they looked.

Vacation is...

making sure everyone has a comfortable ride.


spending the afternoon in the pool.


eating popsicles




and crying when the last bite of your popsicle falls into the pool.


playing at the Cape Cod Children's Museum!








visiting the animals at the zooquarium.




learning to shotgun beers with Uncle Dougie.


getting to eat Grammy's meatballs for lunch and dinner.


eating munchkins on the beach,


even though it took a little while to get used to the feeling of sand between our toes.


Vacation was great. Brian and I talked on the way down about last year's vacation and how we struggled to find a balance now that we had the boys. This year, it went off without a hitch! It was so much fun to see the look on the boys' face when they saw a lobster crawling in a tank, or a whole bunch of chickens in a coop. They couldn't stop smiling at the Cape Cod Children's Museum and they just ran from the submarine, to the puzzles, back to the submarine, over to the farm, back to the submarine, took a ride on the "choo choo" and we finally had to drag them out because it was lunch time. And waking up with Grammy and Papa to play with everyday, well nothing beats that!

Happy Father's Day!

They say everything changes when you become a parent. I think as mothers we grow up with some of those nurturing characteristics. For men though, often times, a transformation happens the day their wife looks them in the eye and says “I’m pregnant”. For us, that day was the day after Brian’s 34th birthday. I will never forget that evening when it was confirmed – Brian had tears in his eyes and we knew, at that moment everything changed.

Falling in love with Brian I knew that he was a sensitive, caring soul. Now, watching him love Jack and Braden from the depths of that soul is enough to make my heart burst.

Brian, you are everything to Jack and Braden. They cherish you. I am in awe sometimes of the patience and love you have for our two little monkeys. You are an amazing father. We were tested early – Those first few months of their lives were some of the hardest of mine, but you did it – you charged on, always positive. And in those days when I just couldn’t be positive, you quietly led me where I needed to be. We all got through that time because of you.


Happy Father’s Day!


And to my own dad… our Papa… thank you for everything you have been. And, thank you for everything you are to my own children. I love you so very much.

New Camera!

We are back up and running with a new camera thanks to some diligent saving and an extra special gift from the (soon-to-be) Taylors.

Braden is reading well beyond his years these days. He has traded Dr. Suess for the Nikon D5000 manual. We are so proud.



Tubbie time seemed like the perfect opportunity to test out the new camera. Jack will never miss an opportunity to give his brother a kiss...



or a hug.


When I brought the boys for their 18 month check up last week I was telling Dr. O'Connor that sometimes I wonder if I am going to find Jack going up to complete strangers and hugging and kissing them. Now, don't get me wrong, Braden is just as sweet. If you ask him for a hug or a kiss he will drop what he is doing and run clear across the room and give it to you. With Jack though, he will just climb up on your lap and pucker his lips and get right in your face and make the "mmmmm" noise, that means he would like a kiss. Often times followed by a swift head on your shoulder - his version of a "hug".

Tubbie time ended with daddy giving Braden a mohawk.


I bought the boys hats this week and to my surprise, they loved them.


Because we are in a mixed marriage there was equal representation from the Yankees and the Red Sox. These hats will come in handy when we go walking with their friend Colin.


Brian and I are so happy with our investment in the camera. Photography has always been a passion of Brian's and I am so sentimental - I never want to miss an opportunity to capture a moment. In honor of our recent wedding anniversary Brian and I looked through all of our wedding photos, to remember that moment. It is amazing that a single photo can bring you back - 3 years ago to a beautiful day when two people said "i do" or someday to a time when we won't believe the boys didn't have much of a vocabulary and shared hugs!

And so, while I should have been spending some time with this,


I was instead spending time with this...


and this.