Let's go wagon riding... it is March after all!

Just like the previous post – our two boys are so different in so many ways! It’s so funny to me that people still ask if they’re identical. Seriously? Do they look anything alike? Really. I understand that not everyone gets to know them like we do, but seriously, do they look anything alike?

Anyway my parents got them a wagon for Christmas. At the time we actually opened a really cute picture frame shaped like a wagon, figuring we (I, they are my parents after all, they know me pretty well) might have something in mind. I did some looking and found a great price on Amazon (go figure, I’d be willing to bet the FedEx guy knows our address by heart) and ordered the Radio Flyer Pathfinder Wagon.

The Amazon frustration free packaging was out of stock, it was such a great price. That only meant we’d have to put it together, no big deal. Turned out the wagon, with no wheels, was the best thing for the inside before it’s warm enough to use it outside!

At first I thought maybe we'd just play on the box...

It didn't take me long to open the box though. Simon thinks this is really neat, as long as it's still!

Here's a prime example of my different boys (I figured I'd get back around eventually) - I moving it around now and S isn't quite so sure, but look at that pure joy in E's face, I couldn't make it go fast enough!

Simon certainly didn't give up on it, he's normally right in the thick of things, but Elliott wears his excitement on his face a little more

They were very excited to show Daddy their new toy when he got home!

I'm not entirely sure, and I'm hoping it isn't so, but I'm afraid my mom may be right when she said the ER docs at the local hospital will get to know Elliott by name, he has no fear.

Simon on the other hand feels a little bit safer with mom, which is more than fine with me! I love that he's cautious!

While they both have different senses of adventure, they are both lovers. Right now about half the time I ask for a kiss from either of them they give one up gladly. Elliott is 'wide mouth, hold onto the back of your head giant' kiss. Simon is 'leans in ever so sweetly and gives a nice gentle' kiss. I don't have a favorite, although Simon's is a little "dryer" ;)

Elliott LOVES to give hugs, he tries to give Simon hugs, which a lot of the time turn into tackles so you can't really blame Simon for not wanting to reciprocate most of the time. He tries his hardest to give the cats hugs and he's partly successful some of the time with Franklin. Stanley still high-tails it out of there when they get closer than a foot away, regardless of his need for attention. He hasn't been turned down yet though from any adults, he lays his head on your shoulder and pats you on the back, it's the sweetest.

Simon is into making faces, and he gets lots of reaction! He scrunches up his nose, he pouts, I think my favorite right now is when he puts his chin down and furrows his brow, then will lifts it up and grins in the same instant. They said he had them laughing all day yesterday at daycare with his multitude of faces.

They're both into giving stuffed animals "hugs". They'll put just about anything in the crook of their neck and rest their head on it so that we all say "Aww!" They grin and throw it on the floor and run the other way ;) The latest is playing chase though. They don't quite get it but they love it! They started way back when Simon was first crawling even. Elliott would crawl under the dining room table and wait for Simon, then when Simon saw he'd take off as fast as he could hoping Simon would follow. Now they have circle they can travel, from the living room, to the foyer, to the parlor and back to the living room. They chase each other, but are getting more and more excited when they can "taunt" you enough to chase them.

They are so much fun. So far there have been milestones we've come to, passed and they've all been amazing. People will tell you, "wait until they do this...", or "next thing you know they'll be doing this..." And yes, it's as special and exciting as everyone tells you it will be, more so because it's yours, but nothing has been quite as fun, nor could I explain the joy in being able to interact with them like we're just getting into now. They copy us, they do things to make us laugh (to make us say "ow", or "no", or "STOP" - that's a favorite - they do it back), they're exploring boundaries and the world... and their family and it's indescribable how impossible it seems sometimes that they're mine.

So over winter!

I owe SO many updates (they have the BEST personalities and they come out more and more each day), but I wanted to share our little break in monotony from being cooped up inside this winter with so many sicknesses - while it's still fresh in my mind! Grammy brought over a climber/slide that they boys could not get enough of. We had to turn on Signing Time just to be able to put it away. And for as much fun as they had, putting it away was a must, they still need a couple months to figure out how to go up the climber, sit down and go down the slide. Not to mention turn taking.

Anyway, Elliott absolutely, literally squealed with delight when he went down and was beside himself when he wasn't instantly back on top of it for more. He bound up the climber like he'd been climbing it all winter, and danced around on the top until he remembered he could glide down that slide of utter satisfaction.

The first time Simon went down he gave his Grammy the biggest pout lip and glare - so close to tears, as if to say, "that was really scary and I'm blaming you for it", laid his head on my shoulder for a moment of comfort and then in the next instant stood up and did his excited dance, eyebrows raised and couldn't wait for more. Looked at Grammy, pouted again and then gave her a great big smile and immediately tried to climb up the slide. I think he had more fun playing king of the mountain :)

Before we put it away they had so much fun hanging on to the sides and "marching" around on the top of the 2x2 platform (nudging each other, vying for the "best" spot). 3 adults around a slide 2 feet off the ground was still not quite enough to calm Mom's nerves. I may be rethinking my grandiose ideas for the biggest play-set our yard can hold when we shop for their birthday present from our friends and family ;)

Lately

The boys are curious about EVERYTHING, surprise! They both continue to love books and finding out about everything you tell them is in there... regardless of whether or not it actually is, right Barry? ;)

Their OT, Brenda, was here today. You can tell when a person is good. They boys hadn't been able to see her and "play" for well over a month with the holiday's and us being sick and her being sick and you would have thought Christmas was here all over again. They both went to her right away with great big hugs and oh, the stories they had to tell her! It was a cuddle fest, yes, cuddle fest, for the first 15 minutes she was here. Anyway, we went through their progress since we've been working together and they are doing all of the things (with one small exception) that they expect a 10-13 month old to be doing. Their chronological age is 13 months... but their adjusted age is only 11. Their such great babi... uh, toddlers! And I'm such a proud mom!

Anyway, the even bigger news around here though, is Simon taking steps!

He started last week with Grammy, he looked a little like he was keeping his feet under him while he was falling forward, but still keeping his feet under him! He practiced some during the week but I think being moved up to the Toddler 1 room wore him out quite a bit and by Friday neither of them were in any mood to anything but whine... oh my whine and whine... oh, I digress (they only get one nap, scheduled meal times, organized structured play - which will all be great for them... some day!)

Anyway, by Saturday and Sunday he was going back and forth between mom and dad, taking real steps!

He'd get to one person and then hurry to get back to the other. He was so proud! We all were, after he'd reach one of us we'd hoot and holler and clap... Elliott included! It was so cute, Elliott would look at Simon with that great big grin and clap for his brother. Aw.

And Elliott is still finding all kinds of ways to move so that we find yet another thing that has to be put away. He's always looking to entertain and loves the camera. So much so that he sometimes doesn't even realize the cat he's always chasing is actually chasing him ;)

We're having more fun than we knew we could and they continue to surprise us every day. Watching the world through their eyes really is a wondrous thing.

Christmas in Pictures!

(Christmas Eve 2009)

Last year everyone came to us so that we could spend the majority of our time at the hospital with the two most important people in our lives.

(from 1st bday photo shoot)


Christmas card picture 2010 :)

This year we traveled... and I think the boys fared a bit better than their parents! ;) We had Christmas with the McKay's on the 12th in New Baltimore, near St. Clair Shores. Went to Peacock to visit Santa the next weekend. Went to Grammy and Grampa's Christmas Eve, celebrated with the Main's Christmas morning. Went to Grandma and Papa's for Christmas afternoon and evening. Then went to Troy Sunday for the Maier Christmas! Got all that? ;) I can't wait to stay home for the New Year weekend!

Anyway, here's a few pictures to tide you over


Tree picture with the McKay cousins


Conner and Somer playing with Simon


Ahh, Christmas present chaos


Grammy helping Simon open his present


New "just our size" radio flyer wagons from GG!


Elliott and Grammy being silly


Simon, wiped out with Aunt Erin


Elliott and Aunt Sandy checking out Grammy's tree


Papa and the boys! :)


Uncle Brudder's new shirt!


Grandma's "I love Grandma frame"!


Break time on our new... pillows? Cute anyway!


Smothering Auntie Julie with kisses!


Daddy and Simon reading their new book


Adorable Jake and Auntie having fun... of course!

*Edit - I want to make sure to say that I wouldn't have changed a thing about our Christmas. I loved being able to see most of our family. Yes, it was ragged, yes it was exhausting, and yes it was tons of fun! I'm not one of those keep Christ in CHRISTmas... I'm just not. I do know that where the holiday stemmed from, but we've always celebrated Santa Claus and Rudolph and presents, oh glorious presents! ;) But I think the thing that stays constant no matter who you celebrate - the biggest celebration in all of it being together with friends and family. So yes I am looking forward to staying home this weekend, but I'd travel across the state three more times for Christmas with my boys!

Parental Privilege

I realize that all of my blog posts lately (as few as there have been) are about my boys, but I can’t help myself. I know every mom knows this feeling, and it’s totally indescribable – the way that you love your child. I constantly remind myself that they are mine. Those angels are something that Barry and I made and achieved perfection – in ways only a mother can see (or seems fathers and grandparents too!)



Last night I had the opportunity to lie on the floor and watch them play. I thought for a minute about getting the camera and thankfully realized that it wasn’t anything I could capture on camera so I just lied there and soaked up every second I could. They played independently and then Simon would watch, and smile at Elliott crawl to a new toy and discover it like brand new. Simon would watch from the gate that he had just successfully walked the entire length of, hanging on, studying and having no idea how his mom was marveling at a little boy that only learned to crawl a few weeks earlier. At one point they were both playing with the same musical book – we have two, they each had their own – and they would both steel both from the other, back and forth, back and forth. When I did follow them and start to play a game of chase I was amazed that as soon as Elliott even thought that I might be chasing him he crawled as fast as he could behind the swing were I think he was sure I couldn’t “get him” :)

STOP! Stop time now!

I can’t believe that my BABY boys turned 10 months old this weekend. They’re still babies (very much so in my head), and yet every day they do things to the contrary. I’m sure I’ve said it before but you can’t know how fast it goes until they’re your own. My heart almost aches to think I’ll have two one year olds in less than 2 months. LESS THAN 2 MONTHS? How did that happen? I started thinking about their birthday party, feeling a little silly, like I was jumping the gun but they reality is that it'll be here before I know it.

We’ve had busy days, they attended their first tailgate. Mommy went on her first overnight trip away on her own, girl’s weekend if you will. We had a fairly big Labor Day party, where the boys hung with the best of ‘em. Just yesterday they had their first trip to the cider mill so we could have dessert to celebrate Grammy’s bday a bit early. Of course to them it was just another place to bang on a table, but for me it was another instance where they’re gaining their independence in leaps and bounds. They’re eating all kinds of foods, lots they don’t like and some they love. They thought they were such hot shots when we gave them sweet potato “fries”, eating “real people food”! And they have lots of teeth!! Elliott has his four front teeth and just this morning I could finally feel Simon’s bottom left poking through. They’re both mobile. Elliott a bit more than Simon, but he won’t be far behind, I’m sure. Simon is holding his own bottle! Just this morning he looked so big when I was leaving – Grammy had him laying in the boppy feeding himself. Elliott prefers if you do it for him… sigh ;) We just went through all their clothes again (thanks Mom!), and actually put them away… I put sleepers in their drawers that I was sure would be a little loose… Simon’s legs were too long to “wear” the feet!

And on Wednesday Barry and I will celebrate our 3rd year of marriage. Talk about time flying by! But in some ways it seems like a lifetime already. And I don’t mean that in the funny, cliché sort of way either. I did marry the guy so of course I feel about him like I never have another, but we just seem to fit. I feel so completely open and free with him, that I don’t even think of it as such. With some people you keep yourself guarded, and you’re aware that you do… with my husband I don’t keep anything from him and I don’t worry about telling him too much, or seeing too much, or anything really. Our life is not a fairy tale, but some days I have to remind myself of that, it really is that good. I believe it’s because we’re happy. I will admit that sometimes with the bab, er, I mean boys L I get distracted from being a wife. It used to be that I would dilly dally going home so that I didn’t have to be there long without Barry. Now, I can’t get home fast enough because I know I have two (most of the time) smiling boys waiting for me. But I also know that’s because their dad isn’t far behind and he’s made a home for his family, where we all want to be, one full of love, generosity, compromise, caring and fun.

I love my family and I'm so lucky to have them!

(Hoping to add some pictures a little later!)

My sweet baby boys

They’re 9 months old now. Wow. They couldn’t be more different. In a lot of ways (well more than one!) we’re lucky to be experiencing two babies, for the first time mind you, the same age. I keep thinking, wait, he’s doing that so he should be doing it too! No, they’re two different babies! Then I wonder how odd it must be when you have the second after you’ve had the first. I know I would go back to when so and so was 9 months old and compare everything the new baby is doing to what they were doing then… and worry, or wonder, or be sure I had a genius. But we get to watch them be completely separate and learn from each other at the same time.

Elliott is a spit fire. When he was almost two months old and still in the hospital one of the mom’s once told me “I feel sorry for you when you take him home…” after he’d had a screaming fit just before I got there. He’s not terribly temperamental, well ok, maybe he is. His mood changes with the wind, but 9 times out of 10 he has an irresistible grin… the other times he’s just mad you’re not entertaining him. When he’s sitting on your lap at night, when it’s time to go to bed he’ll sit and wait for the chance to catch someone’s eye and grin until he can’t anymore. He just likes to be… well, just to be! He’s (army) crawling everywhere! Especially if Simon has anything! It just seems to be that much more interesting if his brother has it and he makes a bee line for it. He never stops moving, or talking. He rarely takes naps and we’ve not been successful in putting him in the swing to sleep for quite some time. He figured out that’s what it does, puts him to sleep, so he fights it with all he has! He’s quite a charmer, in every sense. He knows he is but there’s something terribly innocent about it. He loves food. I can’t say he’s loved everything we’ve given him so far, but he eats it anyway! He’s got his first two teeth too, with hardly any complaints. When he was sick you’d barely know it. He still had to see everything that was going on, and be part of it too. He was still bouncing around, despite his terrible cough. One of his favorite things to do is watch cars drive by… he’ll be in the middle of something, hear a car and have to crane his neck around to see it whiz by!

My sweet Simon is just so sweet! He’s very much the observer. He’s content to watch and learn and take it all in. I think he’s got us all fooled. He’s willing to let us be cautious of Elliott and then once he’s got it all figured out… watch out! The other day my mom said he studied the tage on one of their toys for a good 15 or 20 minutes! When we brought him home he had some sensory issues, an immature nervous system that really was quite a big thing to overcome. And now that he has, he’s a totally different baby, my little courageous lion. Like Elliott, when he was sick he didn’t complain. He had an ear infection and other than the fever you never would have known. He was a little cuddlier than normal, which is quite a bit! He’s so laid back. I love when he just wants to sit on my lap and watch what’s going on and snuggle in… then I love those times when he wants to sit on my lap and jump around and sing and yell too! He’s so easy to go to sleep too. On a bad night he’ll whimper for a bit and then fall right asleep. Sometimes he’ll just lay his head down and before you know it almost, he’s asleep. He’s always been our eater, rarely leaving a drop leftover in the bottle. Food however has been a different challenge. Bananas, nope. Avocado, no way. So far sweet potatoes have been… OK. But he’ll sit in his chair and clamp his mouth shut before he’ll let you “put that glop in my mouth!” He’s not easily fooled either, it’ll take him 2 or 3 bites of cereal before he’ll give you a wide open mouth if you’ve just tried to sneak something else “yucky” in. He’s so funny. You never know what will make him laugh, and he has the best laugh! A great big belly laugh!

I could go on and on, and I’m sure I’ll edit this 10 times before the end of the weekend but I have to get this out there now, I don’t want to forget any of these special quirks or times with these amazing gifts! I'm also sure that they'll change ten times over the course of the weekend too and this does little justice to describe them. You have to know them and know them you have to spend time with them.

I take special solace in knowing that no one will ever know them like I do. Like their Mom does. The special way they look as if to say, it's OK Mom, or I need you Mom, or to know what cry is real and what cry is a test to see how far they can get. Of course I'm sure I won't know them the same way their Dad does, or their Grandma's. But then I suppose that's the miracle of having children.

For now, I’ll leave you with a couple pictures of them that kind of speak for themselves!