Verizon Babies....

What seems like a life time ago I met two very nice "new" girls at work well now those two "new" girls I met at work have become two of my closest friends of mine, Kathleen & Kimberly. I have been lucky enough to have their friendship and support over the past five years from planning weddings, getting pregnant, dealing with death, raising children, dealing with husbands, and just the basic day in and day out bs that comes. Well now the three of us our raising babies!!!!

Kimberly's daughter Emma is only a few months older than Elijah and they have been playmates since they were babies. Kimberly and I were on maternity leave at the same time when we had Emma and Elijah and we spent many an afternoon sitting on the sofa nursing and chatting away. Now the three of us are home with babies!!! As you know I had Samuel May 28th, Kathleen then gave birth to her beautiful baby girl Kate on June 21st, and Kimberly then welcomed Colin on July 29th. Little do these babies know that they already have friends whether they like it or not!

Today Kathleen and I loaded the children into the minivan and headed up to Rockport to spend the afternoon with Kimberly. Kimberly is one of the few reasons that I EVER go north of the city! We had a really nice day but it was not as relaxing as it once was with just two (Emma & Elijah). Emma, Elijah, & Ethan (Kimberly's middle child who is only 18 months) all played so well together for the most part and had a blast! The babies seemed to enjoy themselves also Colin slept most of the day away, Kate is just too cute and happy doing whatever & Samuel was in his usual good mood!

It was wonderful to spend the day with my girlfriend!!!

Thank You Cookie...

Thank You Cookie!!!! I don't think I tell my husband thank you enough so I just wanted to share with everyone a few things that he has done in the past week that I am thankful for. First, thank you for working TWO jobs 7 days a week to provide for our family financially so that I am able to stay at home with the boys and do what I love. Thank you for being my personal mechanic and fixing my breaks and changing my oil this week. I will have everyone know that my husband actually replaced my brakes and tuned up my car all before going to work one morning last week & then on his only day off (Sunday) he changed my oil & fixed something that he showed me but I don't remember the name of it. Thank you for being our landscaper & pulling weeds last night until 11:30. Thank you for being our exterminator and determined to find where the heck the ants are coming from and seeing that they DIE! Thank you for being our dog walker and seeing that Pugsley the fat & lazy dog that he is gets at least one walk a day. Thank you for being Elijah's playmate and making sure he gets at least sometime outside everyday. Thank you for changing Samuel's first diaper of the day so that I can have a few more minutes to sleep. Thank you for being my greatest supporter and friend! Finally, and most of THANK YOU for giving me the 2 best things that have ever happened in my life Elijah & Samuel!

I LOVE YOU & I AM THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO!!!!!!!!!!

A Great Start to the Week

Today the boys and I met Sue, Cameron, Carla, Ava, and Michael at the park. Once again we were lucky and the rain never came and the kids were able to have a great time running, climbing, swinging, and simply just being kids. Lucky enough for me it also gives me some time to chat with my girlfriends, which I love! We were at the park for over two hours and then it was time to head home for lunch and a nap. On our way back to the car Elijah was running across the field and spotted a dandelion flower and picked it, "Mom I pick a flower for you!" he shouted to me and continued to run. Well, by the time we got to the car there was only a stem the fuzzy white dandelion had blown away, Elijah was so upset that his flower for Mom was broken. He finally calmed down and informed me that his Daddy will fix it and insisted on taking it with him. The rest of the day was as good as the morning and I cross my fingers the remainder of the week is just as good!

A Sunday Visit

Today was a great family day! We started our day with a visit from The Kerr Family (Rob, Marybeth, Emma, & Julia). Marybeth and I have know each other a better part of our lives now and have been blessed enough to have our children within months of each other both times and now they will grow up together! Here are some pictures of the kids it is so sad that they live in CT and can not get together to play more often....








Later on after Elijah's nap he was able to show off his swimming skills to Daddy. However, Elijah's time did not last too long in the pool as he stood at the stairs shivering with blue lips he informed me that its not warm like Grammie's pool!

Today was a wonderful, relaxing, enjoyable Sunday & I am sad that my husband has to work tomorrow!

The Moms

There are few times in life that you meet people that you can truly call your friends, I was lucky enough 2 years ago to meet 4 other new moms and their babies (Keri & Landon, Sue & Cameron, Tanya & Lucy, & Carla & Ava) and we just clicked! We are an interesting group of women all from different backgrounds and family and what we had in common at first was our "babies" and our newness as first times mothers. When I look back now I don't really know where I would be without these women I am very proud to call my friends. They have been a source an endless support, guidance, laughter, outlet, a play group over then past two years and for that I can not thank them enough! You ladies really ROCK & are some of the best mothers that I know!

Life has changes since our first meeting....we are now all on to baby #2. Carla had a son Micheal the day before Samuel was born, Sue is next up at bat & her greatly awaited daughter will be arriving early September, Tanya will be getting to experience the joys of a son come late October, & Keri's baby #2 will be here late January (she hopes) and what is great is we now get to figure out and work out the kinks together of being moms of 2 children!

My point here is to just say thanks girls, I love ya & would not be the mom I am without you guys!!!!!

Finally they meet....

Finally, after a summer of several misses, Elijah got to meet the ice cream truck yesterday afternoon. We were on our way out to do some errands and I already had Elijah strapped into his car seat when in the distance I heard that all to familiar jingle. So being the good mother I try to be we delayed our departure time and flagged down the ice cream truck. He stopped, we walked over and Elijah introduced himself and I told him to pick something. At this point he was very confused....he thought he was getting a ride on the truck so he continued to ask if the ice cream man if he could come on and for a ride. Eventually Elijah did pick an ice cream. Out of everything he picked a baseball glove chocolate ice cream with a gum ball as a baseball, this kid is obsessed with baseball. I treated myself to a red, white, & blue bomb pop since I still am on a dairy free diet thanks to smiling Samuel!







Earlier that day Elijah had his 2 1/2yr check up which I had not been looking forward to at all since he hates the doctors office. Once, again he surprised me and was on his best behavior! Dr. Chung is very pleased with his growth he is 38 1/2 inches tall and 28 pounds which translates into he is built like his daddy tall & lean, thank GOD!!! Dr. Chung also commented that he is speaking extremely well for his age and to keep up whatever we are doing!

Let's Paint!

I woke up today and decided I was going to keep Elijah busy all day (I hoped) without the aid and assistance of Dora & Diego. I set up a painting table in the kitchen so that I could get something done while he painted. We already had brushes from a past project that I put out and I also cut up a sponge into different shapes. I figure we can learn and be crafty! He picked all the colors he wanted by name and we worked on the shape names as well. He amazes me everyday with how much he knows! What amazed me even more is he painted for 2 hours straight! He really enjoyed it and Samuel really enjoyed just sitting there watching him smiling, he loves to watch his big brother do anything. Eventually Samuel fell asleep in the bouncer but was startled awake by a hug from Elijah who when I told him Elijah he's sleeping please leave him alone he told me "Mom I HAD to hug & kiss my Brother!" who can argue with that! We painted until it was time for lunch it was a great morning!

A Great Hair Cut

Finally, after a year and a half & a dozen hair cuts I did not have to physically restrain Elijah in the chair. I have taken a new approach with Elijah and just telling him exactly what I expect and what is going to happen, no beating around the bush with this son of mine & it seems to be working. So, on our what to get his hair cut I told him no crying, no screaming, no yelling, no kicking, I do not want to have to hold you down he replied "OK Mom" (yes he is calling me Mom now not Mommy). We get to Snip It's & lucky for us there is no wait & they take him right in. Elijah climbs up in the chair the women says hello he says hi & she turns on the clippers and tells him she is going to start at the back it might tickle, Elijah so kindly responds and informs her "Elijah, no gonna kick you, OK OK". I could not help but laugh out loud at least I know he is listening and does actually hear most of what I am telling him. She was able to give him a great hair cut because he sat perfectly still the entire time.....another proud Mommy moment

An Afternoon Out

THANK YOU Julie mother of 5, who was willing to take both boys so that Cookie and I could attend a wedding! I was very anxious about leaving Samuel since he has not been taking the bottle willingly or with much success but even after fully disclosing this to Jules she still wanted to take them. So about 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon we dropped the boys off. Everyone had a great day Elijah played with the boys train set for 3 hours straight, Samuel actually took some of the bottle, & I got an afternoon out with my husband!

We had such a beautiful time at the wedding. We set at a fun table, won the centerpiece of beautiful flowers, ate a great meal, and danced most of the afternoon and evening away. Thank you Cookie for making me go and assuring me that the boys would be ok!

Fun Friday

What started as a rainy day turned out to be full of sunshine. We had plans to meet Elijah's friends at the park which were almost cancelled by a morning rain storm, however lucky for mom the sun decided to shine. I was doing my own personal sun dance in the shower praying for the sun to shine because Elijah really needed to run around and be with his friends and I needed some time out to chat with the moms. Thank God it worked! But just as we were about to head out the door and I went over to get always smiling Samuel and noticed that he had puked and it was all over him from his eyes to his toes and all over the tray of the swing. He is a puker and it never ever phases him at all he just pukes, laughs, and smiles! So after a quick wipe down and wardrobe change we head out the door to the park.

The park was great the kids loved it and they are too cute to watch together. So Elijah climbed everything there was to climb went down all the slides and even got a few rounds on the swing....it was a good day! Samuel so nicely pooped all over himself and me as well as puked but after a quick change it was time to head home. So back to the house where Elijah and I indulged in a chicken nugget & bbq sauce lunch and then everyone went down for a nap (including mom).

Today was a good day & I am happy the sun came out!

The latest and greatest on Samuel

A little late since we were on vacation but we had Samuel's 2 month check up yesterday and he weighed 13lbs 11.5oz and he is 25 1/2inches long! This puts him in the 75% for weight and 99% for height, thank God it seems that both the boys have gotten the height gene from Cookie. We have also concluded that Samuel does currently have an allergy to milk (again from Cookie) and as a result I can not have any dairy. Yup no dairy for mom since we are breastfeeding. Which brings us to another topic, the bottle Samuel does not want to take the bottle at all we have been trying and trying to get him to take it since he was 4 weeks and it just is not working. The doctor suggested someone besides me giving him a bottle 4x's a day for the 2 weeks straight and he eventually will take it. Not really sure how that can happen since my husband works and is gone all day and is not even home for 4 feeds a day so if anyone wants to sign up for Samuel's bottle boot camp let me know. The milk allergy is the only downfall to Samuel. His blue eyes are getting to be a brighter blue everyday and his hair is getting curler it seems, one thing that is not happening is his color still hasn't come in, I guess he is going to be light just like Elijah.

Samuel is very interactive and loves for anyone to talk to him. He is smiling all the time and is laughing out loud and thinks that I am very funny. One of his most favorite things to do is bounce especially on Grammie's knee. He also really likes to sleep and is sleeping from 10 at night till 6 in the morning and then going back down till almost 9, I love it and hope it keeps up! He has also found his fingers and is a finger sucker just like his brother, it amazes me how something they are exactly a like with and others not so much!

SHOUT OUT TO MY SISTER

I know I already posted today but I have to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to my sister Shannon, William started 1st grade today!!!! I am in awwww that he is already in 1st grade. I called her last night to see how she was handling the coming event of the morning (my sister is not the best with change). I shared with her how proud she should be of the little boy she is sending off to school. She has done an amazing job and it is now time for the world to see her work in action. I was impressed to hear from her that she was actually going to let him ride the bus this is a huge step for any mother never mind my sister who is sure that everyone is out to steal her children. She is such a great mother that she was starting his day with hot home made blueberry muffins and then walking him to the bus stop. I am anxious to hear how his day went and even more anxious to hear how hers went so I am off to call them now.

On a closing note, my sister is one of the most amazing mothers I know, she has put all of her energy, love, and life into her children since the day they were born and it shows. If I am half the mother she is then my boys won't turn out half bad!

I love you Shannie!!!!

No Place Like Home....

Well here we are 24 days away from home and now we are back. It is true what they say there is no place like home! The boys traveled amazing and made me very proud to be their mom on the return trip since they were just as good as the way down. It was so wonderful to see Cookie at the airport waiting for us. He is such a great dad and had a bright red balloon for Elijah. Elijah was jumping out of his skin to see him and just ran and jumped into his arms, I thought those things only happened in the movies it brought tears to my eyes. Cookie is amazed at how big the boys got over the time we were gone. After hugs and kisses all around from Cookie we got our bags and headed home. I am happy to say that everyone settled in well and slept all night!

Our vacation was fantastic! Sorry for not posting but with visiting, swimming, and computer issues are Grammie and Papa's it just did not happen. However check back in the next few days I hope to have an extra long post about our adventures!