BRIAN & SUE PLUS TWO

three.

2011-11-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

Jack & Braden, I always knew I would teach you but never imagined how much you would teach me. The unconditional way in which you love dad and I - but especially each other - takes my breath away.

Jack you are such a musician. You will strum anything, you are constantly singing a tune and dance? Oh boy can you dance. You are so, so sensitive and dare I say - dramatic. Your heart is so big, you care about other people's pain as much as your own.

Braden you love to laugh and it is so contagious. You know what you want and are determined to get it. You play so rough but you hug so tight and you love so deep.

I hope you both will always embrace your individuality but remain bonded by the fact that you knew each other first. Before any of us had the chance to meet you, you knew each other.

Happy, happy birthday my little boys.

Here are some pictures from their birthday celebrations.

We had a small party on their birthday where they got birthday cupcakes

and a couple of presents.

I kind of forgot how loud Hungry Hungry Hippos was

But the real party was on Sunday! When the boys woke up from their nap the party was underway.

They opened presents

and blew out the candles,

but all they really wanted to do was play with our new toys!!

To everyone who took the time out of your day to make the trip to our new house we are sincerely grateful. Hearing everyone sing Happy Birthday to the boys in our dining room brought tears to my eyes. My heart was so full of love, thank you.

Our new home

2011-10-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

To say a lot has happened since my last post would be an understatement.

In the middle of June we said goodbye to our old home. While the transition wasn't smooth, we are here and we are getting settled. The boys started at their new daycare just two days after we moved. I cried the first day and they cried the second but each day since has been a new adventure for them. They have made so many new friends and they adore their new teachers. We worried a lot about how the boys would handle this transition. They loved their daycare, they were comfortable in our house and they knew what to expect. This summer, on average, we stayed in a place a week for eleven weeks. And you know what? They didn't even flinch. As long as Brian and I were there they slept great.

We have made a couple of trips back to Cheshire. On one of those trips we went with Grandma to pick out pumpkins and go for a hay ride!

We miss a lot of things about Cheshire - and we knew we would. But, we love a lot of things about our new home. We have moved in the middle of an established community that has welcomed us in a way we couldn't have expected. I remember talking to someone about making this move and they said "living on a school campus is like having your kids grow up with a community of people loving them". In just the few months that we have been here I can already see that happening.

Here are some pictures of our new house:

Life is different here. Not better -or worse- just different. Some say it's country living, I think it is just quiet living. But, it won't be quiet for long - we've got a third birthday to plan!

Easter

2011-04-26T04:58:00.000-07:00

It isn't until I sit down to update the blog that I realize how much I enjoy it. It's just too bad it takes a holiday (and harrassing e-mails from a cousin who shall remain nameless)...
Either way, here we go...

This year Easter was more than chocolate and bunnies. It was a chance to get away from our crazy life in CT and hang out with my parents for the weekend. I am fairly certain my mom had the boys' bed made for at least 2 weeks in anticipation of their visit. I think we all needed the down time that the weekend gave us. We sat at the island in the kitchen and talked about life's big decisions, reminiced about Grammy Henry's brownies and ate - a lot. And because there are no rules at Grammy's the boys got Peeps for breakfast and got to sleep in a big boy bed together.

On Easter morning we waited for everyone to get up and then Brian distracted the boys so I could hide some eggs and set out their baskets.

The hunt was on...

They found all sorts of treasures...

but they didn't understand the concept of putting it in the basket to be rationed out at our discretion. They wanted to eat it as they found it. So we let them...

and 20 minutes later things were quiet.

Once rested, Daddy took the boys for a walk...

and to test out those new bubbles.

Jack made sure his new bunny had enough to eat too.

This one's for you Grandma...

2011-02-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

When Grandma and Grandpa left for Florida, I promised to be better about updating the blog... oops!

A lot to share...

On one of the many snow days I have had this month I made some homemade playdough. The boys had a great time with it!

The snow days have also provided some great outdoor fun with, well, SNOW!
Jack was really ready to get out there and jump into all this snow! While Braden was a little more reserved and decided the garage was a good place to hang out!

Eating snow is pretty good too!

Jack has decided that he doesn't like sleeping alone anymore. As soon as we tuck each of the boys into their own bed Jack grabs his blanket and runs into Braden's bed. Each night before Brian and I go to bed, I go in and kiss the boys. Friday night, I went in and found this:

Last night, this:

That is Braden squished in the corner and it's his bed!

And just to prove that even though I haven't kept my promise of updating the blog, we really do miss you Grandma! (Grandpa too)

Good times

2010-12-31T04:23:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-11-27T04:46:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-11-07T17:43:00.001-08:00

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

2010-11-04T18:42:00.001-07:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

babies? what babies?

2010-10-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-07-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-06-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-06-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

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.

Scrub-a-dub dub

2010-05-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

Further proof (not that we need it) that Jack loves his brother so much!

Sleepover!

2010-05-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

When we first separated the boys into their own cribs I promised they could have sleepovers every now and then. Brian didn't like the idea, but you know what? Brian is out tonight. So, I followed through on my promise!

This is what I found when I just went to check on them:

Also, thanks for sending the beach pictures Auntie.

So, it's been a while...

2010-05-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

Easter weekend kicked off the month of April. I had so much planned. There was going to be and Easter Egg hunt in the living room. I purchased all these plastic eggs and some goodies to go inside. I had the camera charged. I was all ready to wake up Sunday morning to the pitter patter of the boys feet running around looking for the next egg. Then, the night before, just after enjoying a wonderful dinner party with friends it became clear things weren't going to go exactly as planned. Jack was up all night, screaming. It wasn't until much later we realized that he had his first ear infection. He recovered wonderfully and things have gone up hill from there.

We just got back from a great weekend at the Cape. We went down for a Derby Day bridal shower. It was beautiful and the bride-to-be was glowing. Before the festivities began we took a quick trip to the beach. It was the first time Jack and Braden had stepped in the sand. I'm not sure how, but I forgot the camera. Luckily, Auntie had hers. I haven't gotten the pictures from her yet, so these will have to do for now. (Take with Brian's cell phone)

Jack

Everyday, it seems, the boys are learning something new. Just tonight when I was taking Braden's picture he looked at me with this silly grin and said "Cheeese". He is also saying Daddy, Hieeeee, Byeeeee, Shoeeeee, and knows a lot of animal noises. Jack runs around waving his pointer finger at Braden and says "no, no, no". It is probably one of the funniest things ever. Jack looks out for his brother, cheers and claps when he does something great and grabs him by the collar when he is getting into trouble. He is very sweet. But, the sweetest part is Braden listens to him.

Tonight, we kicked off a week of great weather by going out for some ice cream with Grandma.

CHEEEEEESE!

Happy Easter

2010-03-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

The boys went to their first Easter egg hunt this weekend. They had such a great time - thanks Scott and Holly!
We are experiencing some technical difficulties with our camera so had to take these pictures from our cell phones.

The liked it so much in fact, that we are going to do it all over again on Easter morning!

Just a little off the top...

2010-03-08T10:21:00.001-08:00

Well, we did it. We got their hair cut. I'm not sure why, for me, this was the moment they went from babies to big boys, but it was. I cried. But, I was not the only one.
Jack went first and did a great job. He was distracted by some animal crackers. I'm not even sure he realized what was happening until the woman broke out the clippers. He got a little squirmy and started to get upset, but she was finished before he had the chance.

Next up is Braden. He started out ok, but then at some point realized that he was buckled in and just wasn't having it. He screamed. Everyone stared. Not one of our finer moments.

In other news, we have been trying to break the boys of their morning nap. Our first attempt on Saturday resulted in an interesting lunch hour. (and yes, they are still in their pajamas for lunch, so what?)

Later Saturday afternoon, I experienced first hand this double trouble phenomenon that everyone has warned me about since we announced we were having twins. Perhaps the funniest part about this is that I was in the bathroom when this happened. I must have been daydreaming, because when I looked down I was all wrapped in toilet paper and there were giggles coming from the hallway.

And finally, we got a new stroller. A side-by-side, so that both boys get a great view!

Moooooooooo...

2010-02-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

This is what Valentine's Day looks like in this house:

This is what every other day looks like:

Snow Day!

2010-02-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

A surprise, mid-week day with my little guys was just what I needed! I just wish Brian could have been home to play with us too!
I brought up a few boxes of new toys. When the boys woke up from their morning nap it was like Christmas in the living room. I had all the new toys set up and let them have at it!

This one's for you Grandma...

2010-02-06T04:06:00.000-08:00

While you are away, we are practicing our Patty-Cake.

E-I-E-I-O

2010-01-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

um, Merry Christmas?!

2010-01-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

I was reminded this weekend that it has been over a month since I updated the blog. Plus, I am feeling the added pressure that getting scituated has been updated twice since our last update (competitive much?)

I promise to try and better over the coming months so that my mother-in-law can check in on her grandchildren while she is in Florida.

See that bow in his hand? Christmas Eve was all about pulling the bows off of the presents.

Yes, that is a Jumbone. Braden got into Bella's stocking.

Then he got into Papa's stocking...

Then he found his own stocking.

Bad Blogger!

2009-12-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

I have been a very bad blogger. So much has happened since the last post. We had an official 1st birthday party for the boys, Jack and Braden celebrated their first Thanksgiving at home with us, Jack is walking and probably most importantly - Jack got great news from his cardiologist. He wore a holter monitor over Thanksgiving and it showed no SVT episodes. This is such a positive step for him. Because he still has abnormal EKG's we know the pathway is still there, but because he can go 24 hours (at least) with no SVT episodes it appears his body is learning how to work around it. We will go back to the cardiologist in a year.

In the meantime, we have two little boys walking around the house. Braden is far more steady on his feet than Jack. If he thinks you are chasing him, he will almost run! Jack is just getting steady enough to walk across the room, if he thinks you are chasing him he breaks into this crawl that is as fast as any "run" Braden can do.

The birthday party was a huge success! Brian and I spent the night before making the cake. Brian spent a lot more than just the night before preparing for this party though. He cooked meatballs, sausage, sauce, lasagna, eggplant parmesean, salad and garlic bread. He went to the boat club early the day of the party to set up and finish cooking (thanks to Bill & Deb for helping with the decorations). Brian worked hard and it payed off, everyone had a lot of fun, especially the boys!

We also had a wonderful photographer, Christina Houser, come to the house and take pictures of the boys for their birthday. We were so thrilled with the pictures. Christina is such a wonderful photographer and she was so patient with the boys. Her website is www.christinahouserphotography.com.

Here are some photos Deb took at the party.

Mrs. J - We love our birthday present! We are a little too scared to crawl through it, but we will keep trying!

Happy Birthday!

2009-11-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

It is so hard to believe that an entire year has gone by. Despite everyone warning how quickly this day would come I just can't believe it is here.

When this journey began a year ago it was rocky. Leaving the boys in the hospital was the single hardest day of my life. It would have been impossible to know then how much joy these two little boys would bring to our life. It is amazing how time seemed to stand still those five weeks they were away from us. But, on December 15th both boys were home and it is then the days started to drift together. I guess we have proved the adage true; time truly does fly when you are having fun.

Happy, happy birthday my sweet boys! Your mommy and daddy love you so much.

A video from Jack & Braden's first year

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-03T17:12:00.000-08:00

The Super Mario Brothers!

We went trick-or-treating at Grandma's and ran into a princess and a police man!

Then we went trick-or-treating at Mrs. J's house!

We ended the night at Ron & Sharon's!

Pumpkin Picking!

2009-10-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Grandma, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Robyn, Hailey and Matthew went pumpkin picking with us yesterday afternoon. We had a great time! Matthew wasn't there 3 minutes when he spotted a John Deere tractor with the hay ride attached.

In other news, Braden is officially walking. He will be standing at one toy and decide he wants to go somewhere else and for the first time earlier this week he turned and walked to it! Brian and I were lucky enough to be sitting close by.

Here is a quick video

While everyone went on the ride we took some pictures of the boys!
Jack is in the grey sweatshirt and Braden in blue

Play Date!

2009-10-05T15:46:00.000-07:00

The boys had a play date the weekend before last with Auntie Brooke, Uncle Jamie and her kiddos. They had such a great time. Catherine, Brooke's oldest daughter, made the boys the most adorable envelopes to hold their toys. I don't think she like the idea of just throwing them in a bag. Brian and I played in the Italian Open, we had a lot of fun. Thanks again Auntie Brooke and Uncle Jamie!!
Here are some pictures Brooke took.

Brooke's kids waited for the boys to arrive before eating breakfast so that they could all eat together.

Cara took the boys for a wagon ride!

I think (I hope ) everyone had a great day!

Vacation!

2009-09-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

We were off over Labor Day and went to Cape Cod for the week. The boys were so excited to make the trip! (L -Braden R- Jack)

When we got there, Grammy had a special treat for the boys - teething cookies! They thought the cookies were so good! (Top - Braden Bottom - Jack)

I thought they were messy!

We did tubbies in the pool in the front yard!

The boys thought Grammy's laundry baskets were the BEST!

We went for a walk on the board walk in Sandwich. It was a little chilly, but a lot of fun!

I got to enjoy a nice "girls" lunch at Tina's with my mom and Kate while the boys took a nap!

Thanks for making the trip Auntie Kate (and Uncle Doug!) It was great to see you guys!

When we were at the Cape for Fourth of July Braden learned to crawl and we joked that when were down for Labor Day he would learn to walk - HE DID! He took a couple steps toward me! I can't believe how close we are to having two little boys running around. In the meantime, it's time to go shoe shopping! i can't have these boys walking with no shoes on their feet.

I forgot!

2009-08-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

I forgot to add these two pictures to my last post and they are too cute not to share. Jack loves to zerbert. I caught him in action.

Happy Days!

2009-08-30T05:36:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been two weeks since the last update! They boys are doing great! Jack is getting another tooth, his fourth on the bottom - that makes EIGHT! Both boys are now standing on anything and everything. Braden can move from object to object. I'm sure it is only a matter of time before he is off and running - literally.

As you can see, feeding both boys at the same time has gotten a LOT easier.

Braden can even take a sip in between bites of pancake!

Yesterday we had some great playtime while Dad took a nap.

Braden even read a book to his big brother.

All that playing and the boys were hungry!

They love to play together!

Also, I changed some things around on the blog. If anyone is having trouble viewing pictures or something looks funny, leave me a comment!

The Ohio Andersens

2009-08-14T17:14:00.000-07:00

Pete, Charlotte, Austin and Connor came to visit! We had a great week with them and we were sad to see them head out early this morning. We couldn't all get together and not take pictures!

Enjoy every minute, it goes by so fast...

2009-08-10T16:59:00.001-07:00

That was by far the most common piece of advice we got when we had the babies. I think I can honestly say that we have - Well, almost every minute. These days, there is so much to enjoy. In the last week Braden has pulled himself up to stand on anything and everything, Jack is crawling all over the place, they both have tried thicker baby food and yogurt and tonight they took tubbies in the BIG tub! They are so happy an we are so proud. I am not convinced anyone actually reads the text I write, so I will get right to it.

Yum!

Braden is so proud of himself

Braden picking out his own toy!

Jack's favorite new pose

All these new tricks make us sleepy

Here is a video of the boys taking their first tubbie in the big tub. Jack is on the left and Braden on the right.

We went swimming!!

2009-07-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

Sharon was nice enough to let us invade her beautiful oasis, otherwise known as her backyard! They boys went swimming for the first time - So much fun!

Here is a cute picture I took of Jack and Braden showing off his new trick! He can hold his bottle for about the first half of his feeding. He doesn't quite get that you have to lift it up the more you drink.
Grammy and Grandpa are coming today for a visit - the boys are so excited they won't even take a morning nap!

!

Rice Puffs!

2009-07-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of the boys trying rice puffs for the first time.
A few disclaimers:
- It is really hard to feed puffs to your kids and video, so sorry if anyone gets a little motion sick.
- I lied to my children in this video when I said "they're good", there are so far from good.
- I probably got a little more excited than necessary when Jack ate his first puff.

I also took two videos of each of the boys taking a bath!

First 4th of July!

2009-07-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

We packed up the boys and headed to the Cape for a week over the 4th of July. It was great break for all of us. Grammy and Grandpa were so excited to see the boys and spend lots of time with them.
When we first arrived on Cape Cod there was some discussion about Braden crawling. It was immediately apparent he was this.close and that he would likely be "crawling" before the week was out. Sure enough, he started doing a military type "crawl" on Friday. He was (and is ever increasingly) quick, he gets his eye on something and just takes off. Little Jack is taking it all in and preparing to take off soon too. As we learn more about their individual personalities it is clear that Jack is more cautious. I suspect he will begin to crawl the way Sarah and I define crawling - the traditional, on all fours- hand, knee, hand, knee motion crawl.
I will say, it took a little more planning that usual to pull off vacation this year. Brian and I found ourselves passing like ships in the night, I went off to the beach with Kim, DeA, and my mom one day while Brian stayed home with the boys. The next morning he went golfing with dad and I was with the boys. We were able to get some "us" time, thanks to my parents and Auntie Tina. We went out for an uninterrupted dinner while they babysat. They were practically begging us to leave so they could hang out with the boys before they had to go to bed. A good time was had by all.

I would be remiss if I didn't say the Cape over the fourth of July just wasn't the same without Richie. Brian and I think about him everyday. We laugh. We cry. We love him. We miss him.

A week full of firsts for sure...

4th of July 2006 - The year we discovered fireworks right in our own back yard.

Sitting up is a funny thing...

2009-06-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

So, I have been so good about documenting each "first" the boys have; first doctor's appointment, first smile, first spoon of food. Margaret's good friend Mrs. J even gave us this great calendar with stickers for each of these events. Sitting up has been a little tougher than the rest to pin down. For a few weeks both boys have been "sitting up", now sure, there has been a pillow behind them or one of us has been sitting right there, but they can stay up right for at least 7 seconds. Last night we tried to push the envelope a bit and see what they could really do. Based on the results, I think we will call last night their official first episodes of sitting up. They did great! As you can see, Jack looks a little like he is sitting on a tight rope 10 stories up, but I am so proud of him! He will certainly be a little more cautious than his brother. Mark my words: Braden will have the first broken bone.

In other news, we are getting ready to pack up for the Cape over the 4th of July. We are leaving late Wednesday night when the boys would normally go to bed for the night so that they can sleep for the ride. I am hoping it will be a trip filled with "firsts".

Braden
Jack
L-Jack R-Braden
Some out-takes:

Braden has been trying to sit up all by himself and gets here... it sort of looks like he is a diaper model!

So close!

2009-06-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

So, I was waiting to update the blog because I was sure the boys would be crawling by now. Alas, they are not, but that's ok. Both get up on all fours and rock back and forth, but no purposeful forward (or backward) motion yet. They are also getting much more proficient at sitting up. I'm not sure I would walk away from them in a sitting position just yet, but they are close. Their pediatrician tells me that once they gain control of their hips they will be sitting with no problem and be crawling in no time. Everyone is telling me not to push it, but I can't help but be excited.

We have been feeding them two meals a day of fruits and vegetables, they love it! It took some getting used to, but starting today breakfast, lunch and dinner are real meals, not bottles!

Here are some pictures of the boys watching a little movie! They LOVE the Baby Einstein movies!

Abnormal EKG...

2009-06-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

Once again Jack has an abnormal EKG. I found myself on the verge of tears in the doctor's office, but upon further reflection I am feeling better and I know things could be a whole lot worse. Going back to Yale has a way of reminding you of that. Hoping that Jack will outgrow his WPW at the point is probably unrealistic. Going forward we will hope that his medication continues to work while we wait for him to get big enough to undergo the cardiac ablation that will close off the extra pathway. We will go back to Dr. Fishburger when Jack turns one, unless of course we detect any SVT episodes.

Jack was such a good boy! He even got a visit from one of the nurses that cared for him while he was in the NICU. She heard he was in and wanted to say hi. I can't imagine how different he must look to people who last saw him when he was 5 weeks old! She was so sweet to stop by. Those people have a special place in our hearts, forever.

We had a little play time while we waited for the doctor.

I know, I know...

2009-05-27T18:06:00.001-07:00

It has been too long. Jack & Braden are doing so great.
We decided to stick around here for the long weekend. It was nice not to be traveling and to spend some quality time with the boys. On Saturday we decided to begin substituting two of the boys bottles with Sweet Potatoes. It has taken a little bit for them to get used to the idea of a spoon, but they are doing great.
Braden is cutting another tooth (central incisor) and it is a bit more painful that the last two. Thank goodness he has those thumbs to chew on!
Jack goes to the cardiologist next week. I am trying not to to get too anxious about the visit, but we are getting to a point where we will have to be making some decisions about a course of action soon if he still hasn't outgrown his WPW.

Here are some recent pictures:

Braden eating sweet potatoes for the first time:

Jack:

I bought one of those bouncy seats that you hang in the doorway. They both love it! Here are some pictures of Jack bouncing:

Braden and I were laying on the floor just before bedtime... look at those eyes.

It's been a while...

2009-05-07T17:23:00.000-07:00

but we have been busy!
Jack tried cereal with a spoon for the first time last Saturday. I don't really think he knew what to do with it, but he had fun and for now that's all that matters. Braden wasn't really in the mood to try, but we will give it another shot this weekend.

Tuesday night we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house for Brian's birthday dinner. It was the boys first time there, I think they had a great time! They are interacting more and more with one another, it is just adorable. Sometimes they make each other laugh and sometimes they cry. Here are some pictures!

Braden
Jack

For your viewing pleasure...

2009-04-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

These videos are from Saturday, but it took me a bit to edit and upload them.
Recently the boys have been playing with each other, laughing and staring. I was able to sneak up on them and take this video. Although it appears Braden is sitting up on his own, my hand is on his back. He's close...

Later that day, Braden was sleeping on the floor and starting making these noises... pretty funny.

A beautiful, busy weekend

2009-04-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend!
On Saturday, morning the boys wanted to try out their high chairs.

Jack
Braden

In the afternoon we went to Matthew's 5th birthday party. I can't believe it has been 5 years!! Matthew asked that everyone come in their John Deere outfits, so the boys did just that.

Sunday, we had a mexican fiesta with Jay, Jennie, Rich & Georgi. The boys took a long afternoon nap and then joined the party outside on the deck.

Teeth and Colds, oh my!

2009-04-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

The boys were a little fussy this weekend. Jack's second tooth cut through last night, so now both boys have their two bottom teeth. Braden is showing signs of having his first cold. We're not really sure what to expect, but if his willingness to let us wipe his nose is any indication, it won't be good.
Kim and De came to visit on Saturday. We had a blast. As you can see, Jack really likes De.

Sunday the boys resisted their afternoon nap until finally they found a comfy spot and gave in!

Our little "Things"

2009-04-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist taking a picture of "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" this morning... anyone care to guess which "Thing" is which?

Our first Easter

2009-04-15T16:11:00.000-07:00

First a quick tooth update - Braden has his two botton teeth and Jack just the one bottom. We are certain Jack will catch up by the weekend.

We celebrated our first Easter together on Cape Cod with Grammy and Grandpa. We left CT on Thursday night after 8:00p so the boys would sleep through the ride. They did great! Jack & Braden met Uncle Doug and Aunt Kate for the first time and spent some time with Tina and Richie. Good times...
Here are some pictures from Sunday.

We dressed the boys just before we left for Uncle Walt and Nancy's.

Once we arrived we quickly took over and set up the "nap zone"...

and took advantage of it.

When we got home, Brian & I had a photo shoot. I won't mention any names, but some did better than others.

In the end, we got a great shot!

Or two!

One tooth down...

2009-04-08T18:09:00.001-07:00

Braden has his first tooth!! Ironically enough, I was at an event for the Dental School today when I got the call from Brian. We knew it was coming, all the signs were there. Brian says Jack has one on the way. Both boys were sleeping when I got home so I still haven't seen it, but I will try and get some pictures up soon!

We have a new trick!

2009-04-05T15:24:00.000-07:00

BOTH boys are now rolling from their backs to their bellies!! Braden did it for the first time on Thursday night and Jack just today. Brian and I are really excited, but nervous at the same time because we know it will be only a matter a time before they are off and running! I will try and get some video soon.
In the meantime, this is what I saw when I looked out the window this afternoon.

Road Trip!

2009-03-31T01:21:00.000-07:00

The boys took their second road trip to spent the weekend at Grammy and Grandpa's condo in Massachusetts. We left just after Brian and I got out of work on Friday and got up there around 8pm. The boys slept most of they way up, but were anxious to eat when we arrived. They had their own room and slept great, each in their own pack-and-play. It was great to spend some time with Grammy and Grandpa. The boys got to meet Auntie Brooke on Saturday. They love the books, thanks Brooke! Overall the weekend was full of celebration: Grammy's Birthday dinner on Saturday, Uncle Doug and Aunt Kate's offer was accepted on their first house, and Kathleen's beautiful, surprise bridal shower on Sunday! Special times for people we care a lot about.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

L- Jack R- Braden (above and below)

Jack napping with Grammy

Back on track

2009-03-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report there isn't much to report! Jack is doing very well. His incision is healing nicely and Brian brought him back to the surgeon this week to have the external sutures removed. He will go for one more follow up, but we expect that will go well.
Braden is doing great too. He is having some minor issues with his acid reflux, but nothing we can't handle.
They are both such happy babies! Just this week they have started to laugh without being prompted, and their faces light up when they see Brian or I.
As I write this from the couch, the boys are both laying on the floor on a play mat. They are grasping and pulling on the toys that hang down over their head. It looks as if Braden is even using them as leverage for a roll over.
Both boys have been rolling from their bellies to their back since January 21, but they are getting very close to rolling from back to their bellies.

Here is a video of Jack laughing from earlier this week. Enjoy!

All this room, just for me?

2009-03-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

I just put the boys to bed in their own cribs and thought I would share some pictures. I told them that they could do sleepovers every now and then!

Also, I just updated the fourth month picture on the right and thought I would note that I don't purposely put Braden on the left each month, I guess it just happens that way...

Here's hoping everyone sleeps through the night!

Jack

Braden

Relief

2009-03-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

The short story: The surgery was a success. Jack is home and, as we suspected, much happier.

The long story: We arrived at the hospital yesterday around 1:00. We went to the third floor to check in for the surgery and met with his nurses and the surgeon. They told us just before he went in that they thought it would be a good idea if Jack spent the night given his WPW, just to be safe. We signed the consent and he went into the operating room at just about 3:00p. Brian and I went to a waiting room and, well, waited. Just about an hour later the surgeon came out to tell us that Jack did great, the hemangioma was gone and he was just waking up. A few minutes after that we were able to go see him. He was awake and clearly uncomfortable, but somehow it didn't seem to be anywhere near the pain he was in just hours before. I got to feed him as soon as he was alert enough and then he was transported to his room. Because the decision to keep him overnight was a last minute one, things were pretty chaotic and unorganized. There was a lot of confusion about his meds and whether he needed a heart monitor (suprising that there was any confusion over this as the whole reason he was staying was to monitor his heart). I had to get a little tough with the nurses, but we finally got it all sorted out. He started to calm down and at about 8:00p we left to pick Braden up from Daycare.
You would think Brian and I would be used to leaving one or both of our children at the hospital, but maybe it is something we will never get used to. Brian and I tossed and turned most of the night. Braden on the other hand, once again completely unfazed by his brothers status slept through the night!!!

Needless to say, the boys will be sleeping in their own cribs tonight and we will hope this wasn't just a fluke.

Brian and I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for calling, e-mailing and offering to help us. It means so much to us to have such a great family and group of friends. A special thank you to Aunt Charlotte for walking us through what to expect moment by moment. It really helped knowing what was coming. Thanks for always being our on-call nurse!

Bye bye hemangioma, hello happy baby?

2009-03-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Braden has been so worried about Jack because he has been crying so much that he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Ok, maybe not...

We have, however, made significant progress with Jack and are getting closer to uncovering the happy baby we know is behind all these tears. After pushing his dermatologist a little, we arranged a consultation with a plastic surgeon on Monday. The doctor looked at the hemangioma and spent 15 minutes with Jack (he screamed for 13 of them). That was enough for him to determine that Jack could not even wait the 10 days until he had an opening and paged another doctor in his practice who has an opening tomorrow, Wednesday March 11.

Brian and I have mixed emotions. We are excited for this to be over for Jack, for him to be pain free and smile and laugh like his brother. At the same time we are nervous at the prospect of Jack undergoing surgery at just over 4 months and just under 12 pounds. Either way, tomorrow at 2:30p Jack will undergo surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital.

I just put Jack to bed. I wish he could understand that at this time tomorrow he will likely be much more comfortable.

As you can see Braden is completely unfazed by all of this.

We are four months old!

2009-03-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

Jack and Braden are four months old today! They don't look a day over two months.

Below is a video of Jack smiling, which sadly is a rare occasion these days. His hemangioma is causing him so much pain that he spends most of the day crying while he tries to get into a comfortable position. We are hoping that we can schedule his surgery in the next week or two.

Braden is doing well. Not much to report with him, which is just fine with us! He is a happy, healthy baby.

Stay tuned for their fourth month picture. We had plans to take some pictures this weekend, but we were with our friend Deb ( "The Deborazzi") this weekend and she got some great ones so we are going to wait for her to send them along.

I would like to clarify something about this, and any, video we post on the blog. The only video that ours is the first video that plays. The videos that show up after this video ends are suggestions from YouTube.

2009-03-05T18:23:00.000-08:00

Jack had a busy day today. We went to see Dr. Fishberger, his cardiologist, this morning. He was such a good boy. I am so proud of him. Before he was seen by the doctor they sent us for an EKG where they stick about 10 probes on his chest and belly and in 30 seconds the machine spits out a report. As it is printing, I can see "ABNORMAL EKG - ABNORMAL EKG - ABNORMAL EKG" printing across the top. That isn't the most comforting thing, especially when I now have to carry that report with no explanation back out to the waiting room. We finally got in to see Dr. Fishberger and the good news is, while his EKG was abnormal, it was no more abnormal than it has been since birth. He still shows signs of his Wolff-Parkinson-White, but it appears the Propranolol is keeping it at bay. Jack is home with a holter monitor for the next 24 hours.

All in all a good appointment. We will follow-up again in June.

4 month stats

2009-03-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

The boys went to the doctor this morning for their synergis shots which protects them during RSV season. They did great. A little Tylenol when we got home and they are napping quietly.

Here are their stats:

Jack
4 months - 11 lb 9 oz
3 months - 9 lb 5 oz
2 months - 8 lb 6 oz
1 month - 5 lb 4 oz
Birth - 3 lb 14 oz

Braden
4 months -12 lb
3 months - 9 lb 10 oz
2 months - 8 lb 7 oz
1 month - 5 lb 12 oz
Birth - 3 lb 15 oz

They boys wore their Red Sox hats to try and get on the doctor's good side.

Bring on the snow!

2009-03-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

Sorry Uncle Kevin, but the boys are really hoping for a snow day tomorrow!
They have their Pajamas on inside-out...

and backwards.

In other news, we have a thumb sucker! Jack was pretty fussy toward the end of the day today and was laying with me to calm down when I looked down and saw this. I snapped it with my cell phone.

Happy Friday!

2009-02-27T15:32:00.001-08:00

The boys are excited for the weekend! Brian took Jack to the dermatologist on Thursday to have his hemangioma looked at. They did a laser treatment which is supposed to stimulate the healing process, but it looks like he may have to have surgery to have it removed. It should be a fairly non-invasive procedure and will certainly make Jack more comfortable in the long run so we are confident it is the right course of action.

Auntie Saree is on her way, the boys can't wait to see her!!

Jack is resting up so he can play with Auntie Sarah.

Braden is happy the weekend is here

Jack (L) Braden (R)

We have a smile!

2009-02-22T16:36:00.000-08:00

Here is a video we took this weekend of Braden smiling. I removed the sound because Brian and I are cooing like only new parents can and I'm sure you all would have found it obnoxious. We are still getting used to our new video camera and have vowed to keep the cooing to a minimum going forward.

Started a Blog

2009-02-22T14:32:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has gotten an e-mail from me with pictures of the boys will be very happy to hear I have started a blog. It usually takes me about three e-mails to get it right. The obvious question is - If you can't send pictures through e-mail, how are you going to blog? I don't know, but I am going to try.