My Last Post

This will be my last post of 2010.  I can't believe it's been almost 2 years since I started this blog.  Blogging is so relaxing and enjoyable for me and I just hope one day my boys will appreciate reading back over EVERY LITTLE DETAIL of their lives :)  I can't wait to send this year's blog posts off to get printed into a hard cover book like I did last year.  I still can't decide if I should get one book made or two.  Now that we have Adam I am not sure if I should have a book for Owen and Adam or if they will be able to share.  Decisions, decisions.

Anyway, a few days ago I got to try out my new sewing machine that I got for Christmas.  My first mission was to make Owen a cowboy vest just like Woody's.  He's been wearing his cowboy hat, boots, vest, and sheriff badge every day and everywhere we go.  My mom helped me with the vest and did most of it while I watched and learned.  I LOVE the age/stage of pretend play and dressing up!  Next, I am going to make Adam and T-shirt to wear for his first birthday and a cape for "Super Owen!"

Mike and I were talking about the fact that we have sooooo many embarrassing pictures of Owen to show his girlfriend one day.  This would be one of those pictures...

Notice the pants are on backwards.  I asked him if I could fix them and he said, "No fanks".  The boots were also on the wrong feet, but he let me fix them before I took this picture :)

In other exciting news...

Adam has really started walking.  He took about two or three unassisted steps last month (9 months old), but this week he has gained more confidence and started to take off!  He will walk all the way across the room by himself, although he looks like a drunkin' sailor!  We clap and cheer and make a big deal of it and he gets so excited and claps for himself.  I love the adorable waddle of babies when they begin walking.  Our lives just got even more interesting... Pretty soon Owen will have someone to chase him around the house and I will get even less accomplished than I already do! :)

I had to post this picture because I thought it was cute of the boys sitting on Lala's lap.  Owen is such a good big brother most of the time!

Happy New Year!  Don't forget to eat pork and sauerkraut tomorrow for good luck in the upcoming year!  I was wondering... is that just a Pennsylvania Dutch thing or do people in other places have that tradition too?

Wordless Wednesday

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our Very Merry Christmas- Part 2

On Sunday, the day after Christmas, we got together with my mom's side of the family.  Aunt Judy and Uncle Boo had everyone over for a yummy brunch.

Aunt Beth and "Woody"

 

After brunch, we put the boys down for naps and my sister and cousins came over to our house for a gift exchange.  Anna suggested we do a "Dirty Santa" exchange and it was a lot of fun!

We also planned when everyone is going to be married and have kids.  ha!  We played some darts out in the shed too :)  It's too bad we could not have continued the party into the evening, however, almost everyone had to get back home for work the following day.  Jesse and Anna were driving back to Florida.  Kate and Beau had to get back to Philly and Beth and Eric were driving to Baltimore.  I was very anxious about everyone driving in the snow, but thankfully they all made it back home safely.

Our plan.  haha!

The boys hanging out in the shed.

Sunday night Mike's good friends from college came over.  They were supposed to come over for the Eagles game, but it was postponed due to the snow.  So we had fun hanging out and shooting some more darts in the shed.  Mike also had a fire going outside.  Owen loved hanging out with daddy's friends.  He got them all to play instruments in his "band".  It was hilarious and I video taped it. I will post it tomorrow.

Shaggy and his girlfriend, Maureen were visiting from Colorado so they had their 15 week old Swiss Mountain puppy along.  I was very apprehensive about having a puppy in our house, however this was not like most puppies.  I thought he would be full of energy, jumping up on us, and chewing furniture and toys, but he did not do any of that.  He was the most gentle, mellow, sweet puppy!  He was so well behaved and great with Owen and Adam.  I could not believe how big he was!  His paws were the size of my feet.  He is going to be one big dog some day!

Porter

Mike's friends spent the night which made Owen super excited.  Once everyone was up they all went to breakfast while I stayed back so Adam could nap.

Then, I took Owen over to Paige's parent's house so he, Ella and Samantha could exchange gifts.  They talked Aunt Sally into playing Play-Doh and making necklaces and bracelets out of Play-Doh.

That night we took Finny and Papa out to dinner for Finny's birthday.  We went to the Franklin House and the food was delicious!!  Owen insisted on wearing his cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and the sheriff badge that Shaggy brought for him from Colorado.  After we were finished eating the waitress asked Owen if he had enough to eat and he lifted his shirt all the way up to show her his full belly!

So we've been going non-stop since Thursday and while we are having a great time, I hope things slow down a little bit or this week is going to be over before we know it!

We are so thankful for all the gifts we received.  Owen and Adam are enjoying playing with all their new toys!

Our Very Merry Christmas

I haven't blogged since Thursday.  I don't think I've gone this long without blogging for a while!  We've been going non-stop since last Thursday morning and I have not had any time to download all the Christmas pictures I took or blog. Get ready for a verrrrry long post and many, many pictures.

 Thursday we took the boys to see Santa.  I posted the one picture, but here is another one I thought was cute. Owen was also staring at Santa for his first Santa picture. 

 

That afternoon, Owen and I made snowman cookies!

 Friday (Christmas Eve), Paige, the girls, Barry, my mom, Beth and Eric came over in the morning.  We had a great time and were very entertained by Ella and Owen.

Owen playing the "B-tar"

Ella got a beautiful princess dress and an wide assortment of heels for Christmas.  She was in heaven.

A very serious Buzz Lightyear

That afternoon, before going over to my parent's house, we stopped to visit Ollie.  It was Owen's idea to bring Ollie some cookies and some for her "fwends".  She was awake when we arrived and smiled and laughed at the boys.  Owen has always been so good with Ollie.  He sat on her bed and rubbed her arm and then gave her a hug before we left.  The nurses said they would give her a chocolate chip cookie after they fed her dinner.  We told the nurses they could have the rest of the cookies.  After visiting Ollie we went to my parent's house to open gifts and have dinner.  Owen and Adam got so many wonderful gifts.  I got a new sewing machine and I can't wait to use it!

After spending time at my parent's house we went to the Christmas Eve service at our church.  Despite being on a steroid for his cough and eating a BIG chocolate whoopie pie right before the service, Owen did pretty well.  We tried putting Adam in the nursery, but when Mike went to check on him he was very upset so he brought him back to sit with us.  He was so sleepy and just snuggled and laid his head on my shoulder.  So sweet.

After church we came home and got ready for Santa to visit our house!  All night long Owen was saying the most adorable things.  He was so excited and on his best behavior because he knew Santa was watching :)  Almost everything that came out of his mouth melted our hearts.  Mike and I tried to soak it all in and fully enjoy the moment as Owen got his cookies and water ready for Santa.  Then, he went to the freezer and put broccoli out for the reindeer.  We were out of carrots and he thought they'd like broccoli.

We wrote Santa a letter and then read "The Night Before Christmas" together before tucking Owen in for the night.  It was, by far, one of the best moments we've ever had with Owen.  It was so magical.  At one point, I said to Mike, "It doesn't get much better than this!"  Owen insisted on sleeping with his blinds up so that if he saw Santa he could yell out his window, "Sank" you Santa!  Happy holidays!"

Owen woke up around 7:30 Christmas morning.  Unfortunately Adam was up around 5 to eat and then fell back to sleep until 8:30am!  We couldn't make Owen wait to open his presents from Santa, so Adam just opened his when he woke up.  Looking back over the pictures of Owen opening his gifts I realized he looked very serious!  Not sure why.

 

Later that morning we headed over to Papa and Finny's house to open gifts and eat breakfast.  Owen got some more terrific gifts.  One of those gifts was a pair of Buzz and Woody cowboy boots which he wears everywhere!  They even light up.  

Adam enjoyed the paper as much as the presents!

The cowboy boots look great with the Christmas jammies! ha!

Around noonish we had to bring the boys home for naps to recharge because that afternoon we headed over to my grandpa's house to celebrate Christmas with my dad's side of the family.  We had a great time!  Papa Doc was very emotional and loved having everyone together in his house.  

Adam loved playing with Samantha, but he could be a little intense at times.

"Hey, I have one of those too!"

We tried to take a group shot, but the picture did not turn out that great.  I think it looks better in black and white.  It could be because I had too much light behind me.  Not sure.  

That takes us up to Christmas day.  Phew.  It's late and I am still not finished, but I am going to bed.  Tomorrow, I will post pictures and write about Sunday and today!

Merry Christmas!

 

Today we took the boys to sit on Santa's lap.  We got there before Santa was even there so we only waited in line for a few minutes.  Owen was so excited!  The minute he spotted Santa walking through the mall to his chair he started yelling, "Hi Santa!!" over and over and waving to him.  He lost some of his excitement when he saw a few of the kids before him crying and screaming when they were sitting on his lap.  I told him he could have an Auntie Anne's pretzel if he just sat on Santa's lap and daddy (regretfully) mentioned a new Wiggles movie, so there was definitely some bribing going on.  I just love how Owen is holding Adam's hand.  I only noticed it after we got the picture back, but it is so sweet.  He has such a kind heart and takes such good care of his brother.  He had LOADS of questions about Santa, like "Where are his reindeer?" and "Why is his hair yellow?"  ha!  He's a little too observant for his own good sometimes.

Merry Christmas!!

Date Night

Adam is officially over whatever he had and feeling much better, however this morning I noticed a rash on his belly and as the day went on it covered more and more of his belly and back.  I called the doctor, AGAIN, and was told to stop the antibiotic and they would check up on him tomorrow.  I guess he is allergic to this antibiotic as well.  I sure hope he's not allergic to ALL antibiotics!  Maybe I should look into some all-natural, homeopathic remedies...

After over a week of sickness, prying mouths open to give meds, cleaning poop, puke, snot, medicine, and germs out of clothes and bedding, Mike and I are going on a much needed date night tonight.  We took Maddie up on her offer to watch the boys.  Actually, Adam will  be fast asleep when she gets here so she will just have Owen.  He already has the "gurl wif the yellow hair" picked out for Maddie when they play Chutes and Ladders (the most dreaded game ever!).   I can't tell you how good it will feel to get out of sweatpants and a T-shirt, put on some normal clothes, and get out of the house for a little while without kids, even though almost every conversation we have when we go out is about them!  I think we'll go to dinner and then to see a movie.

If I didn't have anything to say today, I probably would have used this pictures as my "Wordless Wednesday".

Owen was not a fan of this shirt when Finny first got it for him, but now it is one of his favorites.

This is the outfit Owen picked out this morning.

Susie, a sweet and silly lady that works at Owen's daycare, thought I was hungover some mornings because the outfits he would wear would be so crazy and unmatching!  Then I told her that no, I was not hungover, he was just dressing himself.  He is getting to be such a big kid. He not only picks out his clothes, but he can fully dress himself too!  He is also now completely potty trained for nighttime sleep too.  No more diapers for this boy!  My mom told me that when she took him along to the grocery store, he made sure to let everyone in the bread aisle at Foodland know that he does not wear diapers to bed anymore!  It's funny because all my friends that have little girls around Owen's age tell me they have been day and night potty trained for a long time.  I guess boys are just a little slower in the potty training department :)