Back on Track

Now that we've home from our SLC trip for almost a week I feel back to normal. The suitcases have been unpacked (but not put away!) The van got washed and vacuumed (the first time in a long time too!) The laundry has been done with clothes folded (but will need to be done again soon... one of those never ending jobs).  The babies are getting regular naps again.  And I feel almost rested again.  With kids you never go on vacation to get rest.  

Vacations are still fun but certainly not relaxing.  It requires far more planning, packing, preparing, and organizing ahead of time.  I don't even know why I bothered taking a book to read because it stayed in my bag the entire time.  We did fun things such as:

Walked around Temple Square-

Aaron (L) & Andrew (R)

We were only able to get one at a time to look at the camera

Aaron (L) & Andrew (R)

Tired, worn out, and thirsty

Aaron (L) & Andrew (R)

Visited the Hogel Zoo-

Almost asleep as we left the zoo.  Another long day.

Andrew (L), Aaron (R)

We don't have pictures to document these activities but we also did the following:

• Had a very nice visit with my aunt (and stayed with her 1 night) in SLC
  
• Saw friends in SLC that used to live here in Vegas
  
• I went to water aerobics with my (step) sister, Julie
  
• Bought two buckets of wheat
  
• Lost my really nice watch (not exactly fun)
  
• Stopped at my parents in St. George for about 1 1/2 hrs on our way home
  
• Listened to two babies cry/scream/whine almost the entire way home, from St. George to home.  It was about 7:30 pm, our time, when we left St. G and they had reached their limit. (They hadn't had a nap at all since taking a short one that morning.  They are not good car sleepers.) Finally, about half an hour before our arrival they both finally fell asleep.  We have never been sooooo happy to get home.  
  
  

Happy Birthday Aaron & Andrew!

Normally Aaron and Andrew wake up between 6:30 and 7 a.m.  However this morning we first heard a baby awake at 5:45 a.m.  Way too early for us!  But I think it's because Aaron was so excited it was his birthday.  Kind of like when I was a child and couldn't sleep Christmas Eve because I was full of anticipation to see what Santa brought.  (We soon learned it was due to a poopy diaper but I'd like to think he knew it was his special day.)

This afternoon we had a party with our neighbors, friends, and some of Steve's family.  We planned to keep the party simple with just cake and ice cream.  By the time the celebration began, however, our counter was full of delicious food, lots of friends, and presents everywhere. It's hard to keep a party simple for the first birthday of special babies like Aaron and Andrew! They had a great time playing with the tissue paper, boxes, wrapping paper, and of course all their new gifts.  Aaron and Andrew wish to say thank you for coming to their party and for all the fun toys.  Happy Birthday Aaron and Andrew!

A&A's birthday cake

Blowing out the candles

Aaron is better at smiling for the camera than eating cake

Andrew thinks cake tastes pretty good

Opening presents

Aaron with Mommy

Andrew with our friend Lexi

Aaron & Andrew with our good friend, Barbara Moffit

Aaron and Andrew with Grandma Ross

We can't wait to play with all our new toys!

Child Proofing

I am so sorry Andrew and Andrew but it's time to get out the child proofing equipment.  This is especially true for Andrew.  For about a week now Andrew's favorite thing to do is open kitchen cupboards.  This morning before I could blink my eyes and right in front of my face, Andrew pulled out a glass pie pan, dropped it on the floor and it shattered into a million pieces with Aaron only a couple of feet away. As quick as I could I picked them both up, carefully walked around the mess, and placed them in the jumper or Exersaucer and began sweeping. Childproofing isn't something I've looked forward to because opening cupboards or through a stair gate can be pain. Sort of.  I guess in the long run it can prevent, or at least decrease, trips to the hospital for cuts, poisoning, or bone breaks. 

If you walked into our house and didn't see the obvious signs (scattered toys everywhere) that young children live here, you'd figure it out really soon. Our coffee table has nothing on it or under it except maybe a small toy Aaron left there from his last time playing.  Instead of the ottoman placed by the chair for a relaxing reading it's in front of the television.  All the plugs have plastic covers over them and rubber stoppers are no longer placed at the end of door stoppers.  Gradually more proofing has been added as the need has presented itself (such as broken pie pans or learning to climb stairs. Probably the next item to go up is the stair gate. Today I think Andrew fell down a step or two when I heard him crying (which only happens when he REALLY hurts himself) and I found him at the bottom of the stairs.  Normally he hasn't climbed the stairs unless Steve or I am around.  That's very smart, Andrew.  And we didn't even teach him that!  So far Aaron hasn't been in a hurry to try opening cupboards, climbing stairs, or standing.  He's happy to drop everything and anything to see how much noise it makes.  He could do that ALL day.  It's been so much fun to watch their personalities emerge and how different and unique each of them are.

 

And here's a few photos from recent days:

Andrew is trying to figure out how to get around or over this ottoman.  

The buttons on the TV and DVD are so enticing.

Aaron: Leave me alone!  I'm trying to play.

Andrew:  I just want to join  the fun.

Aaron is such a droolaholic.  He seemed to like swinging.

Aaron and Andrew swinging at the park for the first time.  Yes, they are still in their P.J's in the late afternoon.  Aren't we supposed to stay in pajamas on Conference Sunday?

Andrew playing Mozart.  And Aaron is in the corner reading the paper (upside down)

Aaron loved playing the piano because it makes noise.  Aaron is all about making as much noise as possible.

Playing a duet.

Five Years

April 2, 2004

Over the years I've made some dumb choices and some smart ones too.  I have to say that marrying Steve was the best choice I ever made.  Ever.  We met online but soon learned that we lived only five minutes from each other.  Less than seven months later we got married in the Las Vegas Temple.  That day (along with Aaron & Andrew's birth) was the happiest day of my life.  Steve is a wonderful father, my best friend, and a loving husband.  I love you Steve!  Happy Anniversary. 

Signing Time

Aaron and Andrew's eyes are glued to Signing Time...

even while drinking their bottles.  (I'm usually on the couch between them.) 

Aaron and Andrew LOVE Signing Time and that's no exaggeration.  It's a series of videos that teaches infants and young children basic sign language.  The songs are rather catchy and I even find myself singing them around the house all day.  I think it was a little over a week ago when I first put it in and now we watch it at least once every day, usually before their first nap. It mesmerizes them and Aaron usually drinks more of his bottle if he's watching it. There's one scene that Aaron is especially fond of- it never fails to put a smile or a giggle on his face. 

We have yet to see them do a sign but I'm sure it will eventually pay off.  My brother has twin boys that are two years older than Aaron and Andrew who had their own language.  They could understand each other but no one else had a clue what they were saying. Learning basic sign language helped them communicate with the rest of the family.  There's a lot of benefits to young children learning basic signs which a won't go into right now but I hope it comes to fruition.  And if it doesn't- well, at least they're watching something educational.

We have another sign language video which I put in today for the first time and it'll probably be the last.  The boys liked it okay but I think it's pretty lame.  I don't remember the name of it nor do it really care.  When I put in Signing Time while they're totally involved in playing with their toys, they'll STOP immediately to watch and listen.  It's pretty funny.  This afternoon I was in the kitchen emptying the dishwasher while they were playing with the door stopper and making noises near the front door.  Then Aaron started crying.  I ran to see what was the matter and Andrew was sitting next to him trying to gouge his eyeballs out.  I quickly grabbed Aaron who was hysterical by now and said, "Andrew, Andrew."  I think my quick movement scared Andrew because now he started crying.  Being hungry and tired didn't help.  But when I put in Signing Time they immediately stopped, began smiling, and were instantly happy!  I love this video.  I think I'm purchasing the entire series! 

Boot Camp 101

Until yesterday I didn't realize just how out of shape I am.  After an hour long workout Saturday morning EVERY muscles in my body aches--really bad. I can't move without SOMEthing hurting.  Each Saturday morning a friend in my ward, who is a certified trainer, does a "Boot Camp" (hard core circuit training) at a neighborhood park from 7-8a.m.  And it really fits its name.  There were six of us there yesterday doing jumping jacks, sit ups, running, bench push-ups, jump rope, push ups, lunges,and more-many with weights.  I'm not sure why I haven't gone before because I'm almost always awake by 6 a.m. come rain or shine.  But I should've been a little smarter the first time. My muscles will just begin to feel better when Saturday rolls around again and it's time to make a fool of myself by going to the extreme.  Maybe this should tell me I need to exercise more than once a week.  (My twice weekly evening walks with a friend are awesome but don't get me nearly this sore.)

Tonight  Andrew pulled himself up to a standing position for the first time.  I know, this has nothing to do with aches and pains other than maybe this 'exercise' caused his muscles to ache 

too. :) Earlier today we'd taken the bumper pads off his crib because he'd bent them up so much and ripped off one of the ties holding a corner.  He'd learned to pull on them in order to help him get up on his knees.  Anyway, we were watching Andrew on our video monitor as he stood up for the first time.  Our next question was "How is he going to get down?".  As we watched we got our answer- he fell straight back and banged his head on the other side of the crib. Before that first success he'd done a couple of face plants into the side of the crib as he attempted to stand up.  Maybe it was too soon to take those bumper pads off!

Aaron still has a ways before he's up on his knees or feet.  Funny thing is, it was Andrew that started physical therapy, not Aaron.  I'll have to explain more about that later and why Andrew's still going-even though he doesn't really need to- another time.  But right now I'm tired, sore and aching.

Eleven months!

I keep telling Aaron and Andrew to stop growing but they don't listen- especially Andrew.  It's hard to believe they're now 11 months old and in a matter of four short weeks they'll turn ONE! Everyone has told me how fast the first year goes by but I didn't think it would go THIS fast!

Everyday they get cuter and cuter and more and more fun.  Andrew has now learned to pull books off the bottom shelf and pulls himself onto his knees in his crib.  He is so proud of himself because he can sit himself up that before falling asleep he has to play for up to an hour. Gone are the days where I can lay them down and they simply close their eyes and go to sleep. That actually ended a while ago but now they're more active before falling asleep.  I don't get it: if I had the chance to take two naps each day and sleep about 12 hours each night I wouldn't waste my time playing around.

Last week at Andrew's therapy appointment I fed them their bottle while they were in the stroller.  When the therapist (who happens to have two sets of twins- age 5 and 7 months) saw me holding the bottles she exclaimed to the babies, "Your mother is spoiling you!"  So at their next feeding they had to begin working for their food.  Aaron has caught on quick but Andrew prefers to play with his bottle after drinking a couple of ounces.

Aaron has now learned to go from a sitting position to a crawling position but he's in no hurry to crawl on his hands and knees.  Anytime I start working with him on crawling he gets mad and begins to scream.  When Aaron is upset he lets us know by crying or screaming.  This usually happens because Andrew has taken a toy he's playing with or starts charging toward him to come take it away.  I only hope this isn't the beginning of sibling rivalry.  Aaron has a very fun personality- always happy, giggly, and very responsive.  He is VERY ticklish (while it's impossible to get Andrew to even flinch when we try tickling him.)

Bath time is one of their favorite activities.  You can really see how pudgy Andrew is and how skinny Aaron is.

I try to go to the library a couple of times each month.  They love looking at books- and sucking on them too.

A thoughtful neighbor brought this by for us that another neighbor was giving away.  They LOVE this car (and so do I- trips to the mailbox or to visit the neighbors are much easier.  Yeah, going to the mailbox is a big deal.  That's how much I don't get out). 

Andrew can be found all over the place and under chairs, tables, the Exersaucer, and anything else he fits under.  He's on the go constantly.  But this is only the beginning...