me and my boys

piano fun

2009-09-04T08:44:00.004-04:00

dance party

2009-08-20T09:59:00.003-04:00

gabriel working on a new dance move

the boys had a dance party last night in the living room

as promised

2009-08-17T10:53:00.003-04:00

too hot for clothes

the boys love nathan

i think he loves them too

proud of his construction hat

thinks mama is funny

still here

2009-08-13T12:41:00.002-04:00

it's been awhile since my last update - i guess the world of blogging is the first thing to go when my world gets busy. well, that and i just finally recharged the camera batteries, which is my usual method of posting.

pictures to come soon.

the boys are 15 months-old today. i enjoy watching them grow and learn. just the other day nap time had rolled around and i said, "ok boys it's nap time" and they both grabbed their nuks and headed for the gate at the bottom of the stairs. i followed them, opened the gate and watched them climb to the top of the stairs. "head to your room", i instructed and sure enough they rounded the corner into their room. i stood amazed watching them both walk over to the sound machine and turn the volume on. i picked them up, placed them in their cribs, gave them a kiss and that was that. we've continued that routine ever since. i think they feel like big boys putting themselves to bed.

addison, in particular, loves to read. he'll bring me books and climb into my lap to flip through pages and point at things. gabriel loves to play peek-a-boo around large pieces of furniture. they chase each other around the coffe table. they LOVE to dance. they climb on top of each other and laugh hysterically - it looks like they're wrestling but i think they're just tickling each other. did i mention that when they dance their cheeks jiggle?

that's all for now, but hopefully pictures will follow soon.

turning 29

2009-07-19T09:30:00.003-04:00

i've never actually felt the shift in years before but this year something is different...

1. my body is sore (from multiple games of mud volleyball at the cox's) and i'm choosing to believe it's due to the passing of the year's and not a sign that i'm horrificly out of shape.

2. i can't sleep. this morning i was awake at 3:30. i tossed and i turned and decided i must be awake for a reason so i spent the time praying for my family.

3. i'm hearing things that don't exist. while i lay awake in bed in the wee hours of this morning i was convinced i heard a knock on our front door followed shortly after by some other sound. then, through the monitor i could hear one of the babies stir so i decided we needed to investigate. it was 4am when i gave kevin a gentle nudge and whispered the words, "i heard something". with cell phones in hand we quietly walked through each room of the house starting on the top floor and working our way down. there was nothing, thankfully!

so with the start of this 29th year all i can say is something is different... my body hurts, i can't sleep, and i'm hearing things... but i'm embracing it. get ready lor and d - it's your turn :)

more pictures

2009-06-23T11:22:00.002-04:00

so i realize that these baseball caps are seriously conflicting, but look how cute they are!

before and after

2009-06-17T09:17:00.001-04:00

one year ago

yesterday

elephant

2009-06-06T15:00:00.004-04:00

addison

gabriel

disclaimer: no babies were harmed in the making of this short film

daddy time

a true story

2009-06-05T08:57:00.002-04:00

i was on a mission. i'd spent the boys' morning nap scrubbing the front porch (including the railing) to remove the grime and surface mold that had been accumulating. since i'm goal oriented and slightly OCD i couldn't stop there - the back porch had to be done as well. the boys had woken just as i finished the front porch project so we had some lunch and then off to the back yard we went. addison sat in the activity center and gabriel sat in the walker, both watching their crazy mama with a hose, a mop, and a scrub brush. i knew it wouldn't be long before they got bored to tears (literally) so i kicked myself into high gear as a lean mean porch cleaning machine. there i was.... spray, scrub scrub scrub, spray, scrub scrub scrub (boys started to fuss), run inside, wash hands, get a handful of cheerios, give cheerios to the boys, spray, scrub scrub scrub, spray, scrub scrub scrub, spray.... AHHHHHH.... laugh at myself cause somehow the hose got turned around in my hand and that last spray was aimed at the right side of my head! i was drenched! i was cleaning the porch so it's not like the hose was set for a gentle mist. i had been switching the settings between cone-jet spray and flood. so, what was i going to do? nothing but laugh. i had a limited window of time before those cheerios were gone. in the end, all turned out well. the porches look greatly improved, the boys got some cheerios, and i had a good laugh.

resemblance

2009-05-28T09:33:00.007-04:00

so i know that my boys look like their daddy, but i know i'm in there somewhere! ha ha! anybody else see the resemblance or am i crazy?

the following pictures are comparison pictures. Libby and Guy are the children of my 1st cousin, David. people often commented that David and i looked a lot alike - do you think our offspring will carry that torch? cast your vote!

Libby Allen

Addison

Guy Allen

Gabriel and Addison (just comparing fuzzy blonde heads and chunky cheeks)

Libby Allen

Gabriel

picnic table fun

2009-05-26T09:12:00.002-04:00

the boys are exploring their new birthday gift from family

this is his vogue face

Gabe: "ok so i'll go to the right and you go to the left and we'll see who mom chases after first, ok?" Addison: "ok, on three..."

1st Birthday

2009-05-13T20:30:00.005-04:00

i can't believe my boys are one year old already! more thoughts to come on that but for now some pictures and videos of our celebration. this was the boys first cake (and overall sweet) experience - a sugar explosion, really. gabriel thoroughly enjoyed every moment. addison enjoyed the cake but was a bit overwhelmed by the people and the laughing... you'll see in the video.

busy days

2009-05-05T11:02:00.004-04:00

this is some of what we've been doing with our time. it's coming, a little at a time.

new sandstone path to back porch. iris' growing on the left. spiria growing on the right. you can see we still have some work to do on the right of the path - we need to get some green grass growing.

newly turned garden. two new diablo ninebark flowering shrubs growing. can't wait to see the fruit of this in a few years!

front garden bed. new weeping pea tree in the middle. pink peony on the left. white peony on the right. some lupin. some black-eyed susans. some orange tiger lily's.

pics and videos

2009-04-21T17:00:00.005-04:00

update

2009-04-07T18:30:00.002-04:00

it's not that i haven't thought about you, dear readers... it's just that we've been busy. and when i do find a free moment to pull out my laptop and write to you, it's really only a matter of seconds before two little people come racing over to touch the lighted apple on the back of the monitor.

so, quickly...

the boys love each other. they love to chase each other. they laugh with each other. they're starting to take steps on their own.

and now i have to go. :)

JMB

2009-03-25T09:32:00.004-04:00

these boys love music and they seem to have a particular fondness for the JMB. maybe it has something to do with this...

maybe, maybe not. all i know is that every morning the boys say, "mama it's time for julia!" and that's my cue to pull out the laptop and hit play. ok, ok... so those aren't their exact words, but they grunt and i know what they mean and so we listen and we dance dance and we shake it shake it and we clap clap.

AI

2009-03-10T21:55:00.001-04:00

all i have to say is DANNY GOKEY!!!

true confession

2009-02-24T21:43:00.002-05:00

a little history: i was the first one from my family to be born in the united states. my mother and father are from england. all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins still live in the UK.

knowing the above information you would think that if i didn't have an english accent myself than at the very least i would be able to do a decent impression of one. the truth is that i cannot. my imitation of a british accent is horrendous. at best i can imitate the accent one word at a time. my efforts to speak full sentences result in embarrassment and laughter. i sound like a mixture of a brit, an irish man, an american, an african, and occasionally a pakastani. what's even funnier... sometimes when i'm reading stories aloud to my sons and no one is around, i try to practice my english accent.

just thought you'd want to know.

music men

2009-02-24T13:39:00.000-05:00

projects

2009-02-23T13:05:00.003-05:00

so i promised some pictures of our new bedroom wall color, and here they are with some added bonus pictures of our 12-hour day project on saturday. we decided to paint our upstairs hallway and stairwell. the color is called sensual silver - it's supposed to be a pale gray color but you can definitely see the blue in it, which in this case i don't mind. we also decided to paint the trim on the stairwell an espresso color.

with no further ado:

the coat area at the bottom of the stairs

the stairway

upstairs hallway

upstairs hallway heading towards bathroom and nursery

master bedroom

master bedroom - the next project involves painting that built-in dresser the espresso color

just because they're so cute. these boys are best friends - they love to play together.

a lasting impression

2009-02-23T11:14:00.004-05:00

i read this today: "if i love worship and the presence of the Lord, it's because such is my spiritual heritage." it didn't come from a book. these are sincere words written with a heart of thanksgiving by a friend nearly 5 years-ago. anyone else feel freshly challenged in parenthood?! i hope and trust in the Lord that these same words will be spoken by my children.

home

2009-02-18T14:47:00.003-05:00

we're home and it's nice. i like our home. a couple of friends came over last night because they missed us, and so we sat and watched american idol together while sipping hot cocoa and throwing in our two cents about each contestant. side note: i think norman gentle is hi-larious, tatiana whatever-her-name-is makes my skin crawl, and danny gokey is currently my fav. so, where was i? uh, oh yes... love home, miss florida, had a total blast.

ok, so bad news first: it's cold, wet, snowy, and i'm pretty sure my tan started to fade as soon as we reached new york state. good news: my husband had a surprise waiting for me when we got home! we had nate here removing the popcorn ceiling in the kitchen and dining area while we were away, which i knew about. what i didn't know is that he also had nate remove the popcorn ceiling from the upstairs hallway and master bedroom and repaint the walls in the master bedroom to a color i had chosen out of a pottery barn catalog! i had been less than loving the color of our bedroom walls pretty much since the day they were painted and now i love them! what a wonderful surprise. it looks and feels so fresh.

pictures coming soon. also coming soon, a short tale from the trip.

the last day

2009-02-16T18:49:00.002-05:00

today is the last day of our vacation. here are a few photos to mark the day.

outside of the house before our last leisurely stroll of the trip.

main road inside of the club. these are my favorite palm trees because they're bushy.

standing outside of one of the club entrances

view from behind the main pool looking out towards the golf course.

me and the boys

Boca Raton, Fl

2009-02-15T20:57:00.002-05:00

we've been in boca raton, fl for a week now and it has been lovely. the weather has consistently been 80* with clear blue sunny skies. this vacation has been refreshing. i've enjoyed every minute of our time together as a family. we've taken many walks with the boys - often two a day. we've been swimming and soaking in the warmth of the sun daily. we've watched our boys grow in size and personality. we've shared laughs, good meals, and memories with my family. we've seen a ferrari, two aston martin's, a maybach, two mazarati's, multiple bentley's and porsche's. we were yelled at by a lady golfer. we lost a nuk to the tire of a golf cart. we've sipped mocha frappuccino's. my 101 year-old grandmother mistook the words "ethel's poodle" for "apple streudel". i have loved this vacation. here are a few photos:

laughter and babble

2009-02-08T23:20:00.004-05:00

gabriel

addison

morning in st. pete

2009-02-07T09:34:00.003-05:00

my little federal agents

2009-02-07T08:55:00.001-05:00

thanks ryan and abby! these boys couldn't wait to be big enough to wear these outfits.

brothers

2009-02-06T19:22:00.002-05:00

st.pete's - day 2

2009-02-06T19:13:00.002-05:00

st.petersburgh

2009-02-05T10:40:00.003-05:00

addison and great-grandpa

gabriel and great-grandpa

a series of events

2009-01-27T10:24:00.003-05:00

it's been a while, dear readers. perhaps because when my eyes are elsewhere the following will happen.

a series of unfortunate events...

The Date: Monday, January 26, 2009.
The Time: Morning-ish
The place: The Nursery
On the phone with AT&T, because the voice mail option on my phone mysteriously disappeared. The boys wake up from their naps mid-phone call and so while on hold I run up the stairs to get them. Awkwardly balancing the phone between my ear and shoulder I pick up both boys and head to the glider chair. Now sitting, I reach for the boppy pillow (because I just want to see how many things I can hold at one time) and I position the pillow and the boys for a nursing session. First, get Addison lying down and comfortable. Then, eyes and hands turn to get Gabriel lying down and comfortable. Glance back to Addison and panic because he's not there! [Now you say, "WHAT?!"] In the excitement of the moment he squirmed himself off the arm of the chair landing feet first, then down to his knees, at which point I caught him so that it didn't get any worse. I get him nursing right away to help calm him down, and he instantly is happy. *phew* Ok, eyes turn to Gabriel again and I got him nursing. Eyes turn back to Addison, words of love and compassion flow in abundance, hands gently touching his legs to make sure that all is okay. A deep breath brings relief. And then this sound in my ear, "Mam thanks for holding. We think we've figured out what the problem was..."

The Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2009.
The Time: Morning-ish
The Place: The Living Room
In the kitchen emptying the garbage when a heart piercing cry comes from the living room. The kind of cry that will make you drop everything and run. A quick scan of the room shows Gabriel happily lying on his back playing with a toy and Addison unhappily lying on his stomach with a green lego to his left and a blue plastic stackable cup in front of him. I pick him up and embrace him. I gently bounce and do the "shh shh shh - you're ok - mama's here." He's in hysterics and I'm quickly examining him to see what's wrong. Head looks good, body and limbs look good, face looks goo... wait... no, his mouth... I see a little blood. It's his lip. His upper lip is split. Looking closer, thinking to myself - there's more blood than what would come from a lip. Hurrying to the bathroom now where Kevin is in the shower. I open the door, he can hear the baby crying. I say, "Kevin, Addison is hurt and there's some blood. I know he split his lip but I can't see if there's more." While he quickly rinses off I sit on the toilet seat and start to nurse the baby to see if he will calm down and if he's able to nurse. He does. Once Kevin finished drying off I passed him the baby so that I could wash my hands and do an intra-oral exam. My findings showed some trauma around the unerupted upper left lateral incisor. The area is bruised and was slightly cut by whatever object he fell on. At this point Addison had calmed down and was even smiling at us. I called my boss (a dentist) knowing that there was probably nothing that could be done and no reason to be seen, but just wanted to hear him say it. He did. So, some tylenol and a cold washcloth to suck on. My guess as to what happened while I was in the kitchen - he was playing and chewing on the lego and fell over.

The Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2009.
The Time: Immediately following Addison's lego incident.
The place: The Living Room
After giving Addison his dose of Tylenol my mind begins thinking, "hmm what's Gabriel up to - he's been awfully quiet." (Now, just to clarify, during this process with Addison I had checked on Gabriel a few times to make sure he was happily and safely playing with his toys.) I walk into the living room quickly scanning the ground for my little boy only to find him in the corner with the PLANT! He was very contentedly sucking on a leaf, satisfying his craving for chlorophyll. I pick him up, do a quick sweep of his mouth, match the piece of leaf he was sucking on to the larger leaf still in the plant to make sure it creates a whole leaf - indicating that he didn't ingest any leaf, and then proceed to tell him for the 10,000th time that we are carnivores NOT herbivores.

so, where are they now, you're wondering? asleep in their cribs. [deep breath] it's starting to get interesting! :)

pictures

2009-01-12T13:20:00.003-05:00

so i'm definitely overdue in updating this blog. would you please accept these pictures as a sufficient post?

the first picture turned out pretty good - i feel bad for the girls in the next two pictures. take note of the hair pulling and ear pinching. what is it that they always say? in grade school you pick on the ones you like?

best buds

a sweet boy. when i put gabriel in the swing he kept leaning forward as if he was enjoying a roller coaster ride... and then he fell asleep that way.

addison on the move.

addison opening a present from his christmas stocking.

gabriel eating a present from his christmas stocking.

so excited for their first christmas.

dance moves

2008-12-27T10:00:00.003-05:00

shake shake. break it down.

bath time

2008-12-26T11:47:00.002-05:00

1st big boy bath time

2008-12-24T16:08:00.001-05:00

video to come soon.

dinosaur boys

2008-12-18T11:28:00.003-05:00

dinosaur pajamas and a big dinosaur toy!

take note of addison's feet in the top right corner of the first picture - gabriel threw the balls out of the dinosaur and addison chased them. what team work!

clap on

2008-12-14T15:29:00.004-05:00

addison clapping

update

2008-12-09T20:01:00.002-05:00

addison

weight: 18lbs 3oz

height: 27.5"

gabriel

weight: 17lbs 8oz

height: 27"

i only wish that i had measured my biceps after the boys were first born so that i could give you a regular report on whether my muscles are growing with the boys.

picture post

2008-12-09T17:32:00.003-05:00

family time

brother bonding - i didn't even have to pose them for this

christmas stockings

our tree - it's fun to watch the presents grow with each visit from the ups and fedex elves

one of my favorite ornaments

another favorite

some decor

a tradition in the making

picture post

2008-12-04T11:42:00.001-05:00

who needs fancy toys?

silliness x2

thanksgiving craft fun

Guy Taylor Allen

2008-12-02T16:35:00.003-05:00

a new favorite little boy entered the world today. Guy Taylor Allen 8lbs 4oz born at 9:33am, son of my cousin David and his wife Natalie.

6 months

2008-11-13T12:14:00.004-05:00

six months ago today was a tuesday. it was a warm and sunny day. kevin had been encouraging me to have things in order (afterall, i had a scheduled c-section coming up that thursday) so i spent that morning completing the last few tasks: camera batteries charged - check. camera and batteries packed - check. copies of birthing plan packed - check. i had spoken with my mom over the phone at least two or three times that morning, assuring her that i felt great and that i was certain the babies weren't on their way that day. i poured myself a cold glass of milk, toasted some left over hamburger buns, and made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. it tasted so good and since there were two babies in there, i decided to have another. i had finished my lunch and was completing my random tasks. i got up from the computer desk to clear my lunch plate and that's when i felt it - this feeling that made me think: 1. that's different. 2. that kind of hurt a lot. 3. i should sit. 4. i should call the doctor - he told me he wanted to know. 5. how long till that happens again?! and that was it. off to the hospital for a non-stress test, and a visit from my doctor telling me things were underway and this would be the day (that rhymed). from there things went fast... papers signed, IV's in, disconcerting visit from scary anesthesiologist man (he wasn't pleased that i'd had lunch and never seemed to hear me say that i went into labor AFTER i ate lunch), phone calls made (my poor mom - i had her so convinced that the babies weren't coming that day that she decided to do some gardening down by the lake away from all phones), donned ugly pink hospital gown, kissed my husband, wheeled to the OR, spinal tap, lights, camera, action... and then there they were. Addison Cole Daniels and Gabriel James Daniels - the most precious baby boys and they are all mine to keep.

It has been the most wonderful six months of my whole life. My sons, what joy they bring. Happy 6 months, boys!

addison

gabriel

adopted a baby

2008-11-12T08:51:00.003-05:00

some exciting news from our home front... we've adopted a baby! she has come to us from north carolina but was born in boston. we've known for a time now that she was on her way, but were unsure of her arrival date. we welcomed her into our home late last night and she's beautiful.

from what i understand she has a love for jazz and she likes to be tickled. she's of chickering descent and she's quite grand.

this morning kevin introduced her to the boys...

babies

2008-10-31T12:15:00.003-04:00

i sat on the couch holding gabriel close against my chest while addison lay asleep in his crib upstairs. showing his strength and curious nature he snuggled close but kept his head up looking about all the while. i propped my feet up and closed my eyes, the previous night had been a long one. with my eyes closed i could sense gabriel looking about, turning his head slowly from one side to the other. moments passed and then he gently laid his head down on my chest. a rush of warmth filled me. the sweetness of my son snuggled up against me, there is nothing like it. i sank into the couch a bit more and my thoughts began to wander.

i'm sober. i can't find the words. i reach into the depths of myself to pull out something. something of impact. something that will make you understand. maybe a fact, a story, or a description of the thoughts racing in my mind, but all i find are three simple words that matter the most. vote pro life.

1st snow

2008-10-28T23:04:00.004-04:00

some first snow. it's beautiful, but i don't know if i'm ready to give up the crisp air, crunchy leaves, and dry pavement.

view from driveway side

view from back porch

for the grandma's

2008-10-28T21:00:00.004-04:00

addison talking.

2008-10-24T17:50:00.003-04:00

gabriel. love this face.

addison - our talker.

gabriel & daddy.

pre 5am contemplations

2008-10-23T04:52:00.003-04:00

my pre 5am contemplations....

i'm tired. don't idolize sleep. why are we up before the sun? don't idolize sleep. did i put them to bed too early? i'm so tired. oh, that's where i put kevin's piano books (looking at the top shelf of the built-in corner cabinet). i could use more sleep. where does the expression forty winks come from? i think i'll google it. i'm soo tired. wikipedia is great. i wonder if carol is on her way to work yet. must.get.more.sleep. oh yes, they're sleeping. good night.

more things

2008-10-22T10:28:00.002-04:00

things someone should've told me!

#1 johnny jumpers and walkers: love them. fun to watch your children play in. it will keep your children quite entertained. something about that new sitting/standing position combined with the bouncing motion encourages pooping!!

watch for the signs: if your baby went from having the time of his life to whining and complaining, there is an excellent chance that he is sitting in poop that has crept above the back of his diaper and is nearing the back of his neck, courtesy of the bouncing.

things

2008-10-20T13:08:00.003-04:00

things you've wanted to know but never dared ask...

question #1: liz, what do you do when you're at walmart in the middle of grocery shopping with your boys and suddenly you REALLY have to go to the bathroom?

answer #1: hmm... good question. glad you never asked. the answer is, you don't. you finish shopping, check out, load the vehicle, drive home, unload the vehicle, put away the groceries that need to be cold, wash hands, take the boys out of their carseats, feed them, burp them, put them on the ground to play, and THEN you go to the bathroom. and in extreme cases you do all of the above and add in prayer. a lot of prayer.

got talent?

2008-10-15T12:29:00.005-04:00

never before seen footage from that show "america's got talent".

the robot

the worm

crunchy leaves

2008-10-11T21:46:00.000-04:00

crawling?

2008-10-10T09:59:00.003-04:00

we went to the criscitello's yesterday (love that place) and gabriel started doing tricks i'd never seen before. when we came home i tried to get him to perform for the camera and this is what i got:

you really should've seen him at the criscitello's, though, he was totally moving with a mission.

side note: we've had a few sleepless nights around here - perhaps related to teething, perhaps not, i'll let you know when a tooth pops through - but after the boys spent the afternoon with libby and then the evening with sophia, they seemed to have caught the sleep anointing. gabriel only woke up once last night and addison twice. don't laugh when i tell you that sophia sprinkled her anointed sleepy dust on the boys heads as we slid our shoes on and headed out the door last night - it worked!

have i mentioned lately how much we love our boys?! oh, what joys - the joy of our home and the joy of our hearts. i can't quite find just the right words... just... they're MY BOYS and i adore them!

one more thing. this weather, i love. crunchy leaves. sweaters. corduroy. color. rosy cheeks. hot apple cider.

ralph

2008-10-09T22:45:00.002-04:00

he's worm food now. well, maybe not quite worm food - kevin sealed his mouse carcass in a ziplock bag before tossing him in the trash. we're now working on trapping his cousin, stuart. cousin stuart managed to escape the trap last night, but not without losing some of his mouse fur. he'll be back, they always come back!

rodent update

2008-10-07T18:33:00.002-04:00

pesky little rodent. ralph, as we've affectionately named him, is a daring little bugger. kevin promptly set the trap near the refrigerator upon arriving home last night - we checked it before going to bed only to find the cheese missing and no dead ralph. meaning, as we sat one room away watching tv, ralph was working a stealth operation. tonight we set the trap with peanut butter (cue sinister laugh).

sleeping with bees, walking with mice

2008-10-06T16:45:00.002-04:00

'twas two hours till sunday school, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, except me. my teeth were brushed, i styled my hair, i donned wool pants cause there was a chill in the air. the children were nestled all snug in our bed, while visions of nursing danced in their heads. i awoken my hubby with a gentle back rub-y and told him it was time to hop in the bath tub-y, when above our heads arose such a clatter, kevin sprang out of bed to see what was the matter. around our heads it flew like a flash, i reached for my shoes to give it a bash. it was a bee, you see, and not just one or two but multiply that by three. death, death to the bee!

then, just moments ago while sitting on my couch a mouse, A MOUSE, ran right through my house. i cried out to my spouse, there's a mouse, A MOUSE in our house. so off to the store to purchase a trap, oh how we wish to hear it SNAP.

calling all insects, rodents, and horrible pests you'll stay away from our home if you know what's best!

addison jump-up

2008-10-05T20:58:00.002-04:00

discoveries

2008-10-05T17:04:00.002-04:00

32 hours of driving time from eagle pass, mexas to potsdam, ny. i decided/discovered a few things along the way. first, i am pleased to do business with any establishment that supplies disposable paper toilet seat covers. second, arkansas smells funny. lastly, pflugerville is not just the sound i make when i sneeze - it is also the name of a city in texas.

lesson learned

2008-09-30T21:40:00.004-04:00

important bulletin: not all DC adapters are created equal. apparently the fine print on the adapter is indeed pertinent information. if one were to carefully inspect the label, one might find that DC adapters are not universal - they may vary in power allowances. in the event that one would follow the instructed power allowances, one would be able to avoid unfortunate events like frying baby video monitors (hypothetically speaking, of course).

family time

2008-09-29T11:30:00.004-04:00

we're back from texas, or as i like to call it, "mexas" because it's way more mexico then texas. we had such a great time that we didn't want to leave. driving through ft.drum yesterday i told kevin that i wouldn't even hesitate to turn the car around and drive right back.

more stories to come from our travels, but for now:

the grandkids

brothers

ready for the pool

first swim

swimming with daddy

uncle and nephew

family photo

exhausted after time in the pool

baby blues

my new do

2008-09-18T22:27:00.003-04:00

i have a new do. what can i say? i've been carina'd and i love it! go ahead, pick up your phones and start dialing - you know you want to be carina'd too.

tummy time

2008-08-28T20:10:00.004-04:00

the poor giraffe...

video

2008-08-18T21:12:00.003-04:00

Gabriel

Addison

big day

2008-08-06T16:07:00.002-04:00

as of 15 minutes ago, today became a big day. today was our first official trip to the grocery store, just the three of us. up until now it's been the four of us or just one of us. we strolled down to big m and i collected my groceries (4 bags worth) and placed them in the bottom of my stroller as i shopped. the biggest accomplishment was that i managed to not take out any displays with my cadillac-sized stroller. in fact, we only had the slightest of blunders - as we strolled into the driveway the bottom of the stroller decided it didn't want to support the weight of my groceries anymore - thank goodness we had already made it home!

i've got to tell you, i love having two babies. how can i describe the feeling? it's like the biggest crush i've ever had! it's like christmas morning everyday!

adored 2

2008-07-31T22:28:00.003-04:00

i can't help myself - i just love these faces!

adored

2008-07-31T09:49:00.003-04:00

baby fat

2008-07-24T21:58:00.002-04:00

the results from today's routine doctor's visit for the boys...

addison 12lbs 10oz

gabriel 12lbs 6oz

they are in the 75th percentile. i feel so blessed by their health and growth. i am especially pleased to know for certain that breast-feeding is providing them with all the nourishment they need and that there are no milk supply issues.

my favorite moment of today was setting the boys next to each other on a blanket, singing songs to them, and seeing their little faces look back at me and smile... at the same time.

opinion: the farmer in the dell is a really dumb song.

monkey talk

2008-07-24T13:31:00.003-04:00

so it was one thing to start making silly vocal responses on behalf of my sons when something was said or done, but today i caught myself speaking for the stuffed monkey that hangs over their play-mat...

UCO - unidentified cleaning object

2008-07-23T20:23:00.003-04:00

we have artificial intelligence in our home. (cue creepy music). today our irobot roomba arrived. i was a bit skeptical about this robotic vacuum cleaner - i thought for sure that there was no way this gadget could hold up to my standards of cleanliness, but i've been pleasantly surprised. we bought it thinking that we'd try it out and if it wasn't doing the job then we'd return it and get a non-alien vacuum cleaner. so far i'm totally impressed and slightly freaked out by this large robotic disc... it sleeps in our room...

still here. just not as frequently.

2008-07-22T11:00:00.005-04:00

i love my family.

what do you think about twin girls next time? maybe a gwen and a penelope?

so an update on the boys for those interested...

i won't find out how much they weigh until the end of this week, but if i had to guess i would say... perfectly chunky. they smile all the time these days and have even let out a few laughs. they've become quite playful - they especially love to pull on the legs of the monkey that hangs over their play mat.

one of our favorite family times of late is when the four of us sit on the couch and perform a rousing rendition of "do your ears hang low." perhaps i'll post a video clip of that some day soon. in the meantime, here are some more photos.

18 days

2008-05-31T13:24:00.003-04:00

what can i say? i love my boys. for 18 days i've snuggled, fed, burped, changed, bathed, kissed, sang to, read to, and adored these little guys. some days have presented their challenges - mostly sleep or recovery related - but it's worth it all.

a few photos for your viewing pleasure:

mom and addison

uncle ricky with gabriel and addison

addison

uncle jarrod and gabriel

my boys

2008-05-18T21:00:00.006-04:00

getting ready to leave the hospital on friday afternoon

daddy

aunty carol

playtime at home

grandma & grandpa

grandma & gabriel

grandma & addison

my boys

things

2008-05-07T14:43:00.004-04:00

things that grow...

eek! hippophantitis, as i like to call it.

peonies - i've been advised that i may be able to expect a bloom around june 1st. (please ignore the weeds... someday when i can bend over i'll pull them out.)

can't wait to find out what these are. anybody know and want to fill me in?

and some strange jungle-ish, bamboo stalk-like plant.

thing i miss...

things i love...

pregnancy mishap #107

2008-05-01T08:08:00.002-04:00

earlier in the day i had told my mom over the phone that we were having baked ziti for dinner - i went on and on about what a quick, simple, and tasty meal it was. if only i had known right then what i was in for...

let's take a moment to rewind. a week or two prior to last night's incident we were in need of another quick and easy meal and so we went for shells and sauce. for years i have been the master at draining my pasta and rinsing it in the pot it was cooked in - not needing to add in another dirty dish by using a strainer. well, i don't know what happened. i blame it on pregnancy brain. there i was draining the water from the shells when all of a sudden the lid slipped and the entire contents of the pot landed in the sink. my response... "oh no! i can't believe i just did that." fortunately the sink had been scrubbed clean that afternoon and so kevin encouraged me to pull out a colander, put all of the shells into it, and rinse them really well. so, i did. there they were (the shells) sitting nice and clean in the colander next to the sink - i had set them there while i reached for a plate. you know what happens next don't you? yup, i knocked over the colander and back into the sink they all went. i didn't cry - i just stared in disbelief. eventually we ate dinner that night and it was pretty tasty.

so, last night... i made baked ziti. i boiled the water. i cooked the ziti in the boiling water. i drained and rinsed the ziti successfully with the use of a colander. i put the ziti back into the pot it was cooked in. i added the sauce, the ricotta cheese, the pepperoni, some seasonings, and then mixed it all together. i poured it into a 9x13 and sprinkled the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. i covered the pan with foil and placed it in the oven to bake. home-free, right? totally in the clear? what could possibly turn this meal into a disaster? well, i'll tell you. taking it out of the oven could turn this meal into a disaster! i don't know what happened. i had pot holders on. i had a good grip on the pan, or so i thought. and there i was, staring at this full pan of baked ziti upside down against the oven door. my response... "oh no! what did i do?!" i couldn't just pick the pan up because all of the ziti would've fallen out. our only option was to slide it off of the oven door and catch it in another 9x13 pan and that's what we did. the ziti was saved, but you can imagine the mess on the inside of that oven door. eventually we ate dinner and it was pretty tasty.

my husband is so gracious!

soon

2008-04-30T07:35:00.003-04:00

things that make me think these boys are coming soon...

1. mild yet fairly regular contractions.

2. on average, i get up 3-4 times to use the bathroom between the hours of 12am-7am.

3. the other day i was lying on the bed and i asked kevin if he would help me get up, because getting up from a lying down position is very awkward and uncomfortable these days, and once he got me to a sitting position on the edge of the bed i burst into tears. the poor guy. he hugged me and comforted me - apologized over and over because he thought he'd hurt me. through tears, sniffles, and broken breaths i told him i was fine and that he hadn't hurt me - that it just always hurt to try to get out of bed. i tried to quickly get my tears under control and i succeeded, but it was the kind of crying that had i been alone i may have sobbed and sobbed until i fell asleep just because it would've felt good.

4. we finally sold our saab, which really is a huge blessing for us! so yesterday i went with kevin to drop off the vehicle to the new owner, and as we pulled out of the parking lot i looked back at my sport-luxury sedan and tears welled up in my eyes.

5. later that same day i went to the grocery store to do our weekly shopping. i wandered through the store with purpose, only going down the aisles that had items i needed. as i reached for the last item on my list, a 12oz can of frozen concentrate minute maid orange juice, tears once again pooled in my eyes... i was just so pleased knowing that i had gotten great deals with my wildcard savings, and that i was saving us money, and that kevin would be pleased.

6. last week kevin and i were driving home from somewhere - to be more specific, i was driving and he was riding along while talking with one of our tenants on the phone. we sat at a red light at the intersection in front of the police station. there are three lanes there - the farthest one to the right is a turn-right-only lane, the next lane goes straight, and the next lane goes straight to the next traffic light and then turns left. so we sat in the middle lane waiting patiently for our green light. kevin still on the phone and me in a bit of a daze, i see a green light and remove my foot from the brake and begin rolling into the intersection. out of the corner of my eye i catch kevin waving at me with a concerned look on his face. i think to myself, i wonder what's wrong, as i nonchalantly glance once more at the light. oh, that's what's wrong! the green light i saw was for the lane to the right of me. i moved my foot back to the break and continued to wait patiently while laughing my head off - kevin wasn't as amused. in actuality it all happened quite quickly - our vehicle never even made it under the traffic light, but it felt like slow motion.

7. earlier that same day i walked into a screen door.

please tell me that all of these things mean that they're coming soon!

my mom

2008-04-22T16:39:00.003-04:00

my mom is here! you know what that means, right? really good food, a really clean house, trips to the park with otis, various outings to different stores for things that i must have... a proper mop bucket, toys for otis, random grocery items, etc... did i mention all of the things she brings up with her? outfits for the boys, books for the boys, musical keepsakes for the boys, spaghetti sauce, whole wheat pasta, a sleeve of plastic cups, meat from allens bros, and tennis balls for otis. she's funny in different ways and all together wonderful - it's a real treat. she washed the leaves on one of my plants - apparently it's leaves are brown and dying because they can't breathe through the dust collecting on them. this visit is just a short one, but the next one will be really special!

saturday

2008-04-19T18:44:00.005-04:00

it started off as a bit of a moody-blues day - the sole reason being that once i was showered, i also had to get dressed. you see, i'm eight months pregnant, measuring more like eighteen months pregnant, and that means i've outgrown every article of clothing i own. not to mention that it's 75* and my maternity wardrobe consists of pants, sweaters, and long sleeve shirts. why don't i invest in more clothes, you ask. well, i'm just not sure it's worth it since these little guys will be here so soon. so in the mean time, i guess i'll just stick to my $2.99 men's undershirts and maternity pants that i can roll the cuffs on to look like capri's.

once i recovered from my little meltdown it was off to ives park for a picnic. a pesto wrap with turkey and provolone, pink lemonade, a loving husband, a couple of great friends, and a blanket made for a splendid afternoon. ooh, and after the picnic we went and got ice cream!

within a few short minutes of arriving home we decided to finish the last of our "things we'd like to have assembled before the babies arrive" projects. what do you think?

picture post

2008-04-17T09:04:00.007-04:00

and here it is... drum roll please. after hours of work and many many thanks to the foxes for their painting skills, we have a nursery that we love.

things i love...

and if you ever want to come for an overnight stay - this will be your room.

elephantitis

2008-04-16T09:41:00.004-04:00

anyone that really knows me knows that my favorite features of me are my ankles and feet and eyes. strange, but true. so you can imagine the horror i felt when i saw this...

where is my ankle bone? whose legs and toes are attached to my feet? and those things that look like tan lines across the tops of my feet are actually just from my flip flops being too tight - flip flops too tight - is that really possible?! it feels like i've had collagen injected into my ankles and feet - you know, because fat feet are all the rage. *sigh* i'm not really complaining - i actually think it's pretty funny. i have sausages for toes, and for the first time ever... i have cankles.

on a more serious note, it's all worth it and i feel great! and, tonight we're going to set up the nursery and i can't wait - hopefully that means i'll have pictures to post for you tomorrow!

photo essay

2008-04-12T15:03:00.009-04:00

dear readers,

i have not left you. i have not reverted to my old habits of starting a blog and ending the blog all in the same week because i ran out of things to say. please, travel back in time with me to monday where we will begin a 5-day journey in my flip-flops.

monday after my NST and regular check-up, i met a few neighbors while i was out doing some light yard work, which uncovered the following:

tuesday, kevin banned me from yard work (though he appreciated all that had been done) and instead i spent a bit of time recovering on the couch. i guess maybe i was a bit over-zealous with the rake and the pruning sheers and the bagging of the leaves... he he. in the late afternoon i did get to take a certain chubby puppy for a walk, though. this is a pre-walk photo:

wednesday was the day i most looked forward to because i got to see my boys. the one on the left has my nose! (please don't be alarmed by the top left corner of the first picture - the 3D thingy only focuses on a specific portion and anything outside of that zone gets cut out). in the evening kevin and i ate a delicious meal together and then we took otis for a walk, all the while day-dreaming of the warm summer evenings we'll soon share strolling the boys around town.

thursday is a bit fuzzy - perhaps because there are no pictures to document the day with. but i do remember having a couple of foxes over for omelets, brownies, and father of the bride - part 1.

friday and today you might say i've been in a bit of a nesting mode. on the left, you have baby clothes that are in the process of being washed, dried, folded, and sorted according to size and type. on the right, you have number one out of the two baby quilts i'm making. the one you see is very near the finishing stage, and isn't as girly as it appears in this picture. the second one i will start sometime this week, and i'll post a picture of them together once they're finished. this one below is greens and browns, the other is blues and browns, and the fabrics are different patterns.

and that concludes this weeks walk in my flip-flops. good-bye.

unemployed and loving it

2008-04-07T12:13:00.002-04:00

today marks my first official day of being a stay-at-home-mom, or at least a house wife until these two little guys arrive. *sigh* i'm gonna like this. such a joy wells up inside of me just thinking about the different tasks there are to do... some light yard work, laundry, preparing meals, cleaning, running errands, exercise, rest, time in the Word... all of which are things that i did before, but in more of a time crunch and with less gusto. i'm just so happy to be able to give all of my attention to serving my home and my husband - such a privilege, such a blessing. i hope i never lose sight of that. i'm putting into practice something i learned from the time i spent in the sinclair home - a time of great growth and rich investments poured into me both intentionally and through just getting to be a part of their family - it's the 15 minute timer rule. i think this rule may originally come from nancy campbell, but basically it involves setting a timer for 15 minute intervals and when it rings it's a reminder to stop and praise the Lord.

this morning i had my first non-stress test at the hospital and everything went well. as easy going as i think i am, i couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed by the methods used - based on the occasional thuds i could hear through the monitor and feel against my innards, my babies clearly didn't care for whatever transmissions were being sent off by the pads they placed on my belly. i asked the nurse if these pads were basically the same as using a doppler and she said yes. now if i remember correctly from prior articles i've read, the doppler should be used for very short periods of time. yet, the least amount of time that a NST can last for is 20 minutes. so, i don't know. the results were all good and i don't know that i have any real concerns with the test - should i?

following the NST i had a regular check up with my doc. everything looks terrific - my blood pressure, sugar levels, no labor pains, etc. according to his little tape measure thingy i'm measuring full term, but that didn't come as much of a surprise! i have my next ultrasound this wednesday and i'll now be having regular check ups on a weekly basis and weekly NST's. as per request from the specialist in syracuse, they won't let me go past 38 weeks so that means i've got 6 weeks or less before i get to snuggle my boys. how wonderful!!

home

2008-04-05T12:04:00.008-04:00

home. i love our home.

this morning we unpackaged these.

because we can't wait for the arrival of these.

31 week blues

2008-04-03T14:24:00.002-04:00

never thought i'd say it, but i think i've gotta a case of the 31 weeks blues. i decided to wander off of the conference center's grounds today and skip on over to the mall - not that i have money to spend, but it was something to do and there were a few maternity related items that i was in need of. the mall here isn't as large as the Carousel Mall in Syracuse, but in many ways it's much nicer. i strolled up and down the mall looking for the stores that suited me, and took notice of the other stores that i would like to suit me. these other stores had their seasonally appropriate window displays perfectly decorated with quality garments in vibrant patterns and colors that were calling out to me, 'wait! come back! try us on - you know we're tailored precisely for your frame.' i hung my head slightly and whispered back, 'no you're not - not right now - not this season.'

i remember somewhere around my 26 week mark coming across a website for ladies expecting twins. i started reading comments that were left by these ladies about how they missed their body's and couldn't wait to get their figures back - blah, blah, blah. i remember being totally frustrated and thinking they just don't get it - they're selfish, etc. and now, here i am, ashamed to admit that i somewhat relate.

i walked into a children's store today to browse the infant sale items and one of the sales associates asked me when my baby was due. i said, 'actually we're having two and we think they'll arrive in May.' she commented that she thought i looked good for twins and that i wasn't very big. she was nice and it was a fun conversation, but i left the store thinking... not very big? i'm out-growing maternity clothes and all of my shoes are tight and.... well, let's just leave it at that.

so, all that to say, i think i'm having a bout of the 31 weeks blues. it'll pass, i know. in fact, i'm certain that as soon as i wake up from my nap it'll be like a whole new day.

sweet dreams.

ohio - day 3

2008-04-02T13:57:00.002-04:00

i woke up almost hourly last night thinking that i was in labor - not because i was in any discomfort or having contractions (i have yet to know what that feels like), but because i kept dreaming that i was in labor. the hard part about being in a hotel room when you're having trouble sleeping is that you're stuck. if i was at home i could quietly leave the room, so as not to wake up kevin, and i could go watch tv in the living room or read a book or clean something. so what did i do last night, you may be wondering. first, i went for the tossing and turning option, which at this stage in the pregnancy, i may as well have just started jumping up and down on the bed. i don't know if you can relate, but lying down makes me feel like a beached whale and with every toss or turn comes some strange grunting sound that i'm fairly certain sounds nothing like the noises a whale would make. on to option number two, i propped myself up in bed with pillows, placed my hands on my belly, and tried to determine if the bulges i was feeling were heads or butts, the same baby or two different babies. if you ask me, it's nearly impossible to come to a conclusion on that, which brought me to option number three. i peeled back the covers, slid myself out of bed, and sat myself down at the desk. next, i opened my laptop, hit the mute button, dimmed the screen, typed slowly and quietly, and i caught up on the news and played online crosswords puzzles. i eventually did climb back into bed and was able to sleep and sleep and sleep without having dreamt that i was in labor.

ok, so update/confessional on all things prego... i'm still waiting to have those cravings that makes me send kevin out in the middle of the night for a milkshake. i have yet to experience this full/thick head of hair that i'm supposed to get. my rings do come on and off as easily as they did the day i got married! i like the way my belly button looks (though i have a feeling that may change in another week or so - i think it's on it's way out). shaving legs and clipping toe nails are just ridunkulous undertakings - i can't even see my feet - what do you think that says about the east of those conquests?! don't panic, i still do it, it's just not my favorite activity.

and this concludes today's segment of... things you never wanted to know and then some...

ohio - day 2

2008-04-01T19:28:00.002-04:00

31 weeks

ohio - day 1

2008-03-31T10:47:00.001-04:00

we made it. weather-wise, it was the perfect day to travel. traffic flowed nicely, there were no vehicle troubles, there were no close-calls, conversation was fun, the music was good, the company was my favorite, the ride was fairly comfortable for me (31 wks pregnant with twins, and all). but there was something... my beloved was sick, and it broke my heart. everything started off just fine, and then somewhere before we hit the rochester area he started feeling some lower back pain and stomach cramping. at first we thought it was a flare-up from when he put his back out a week or so ago while moving some heavy boxes, but it wasn't long before that idea was thrown out. by the time we reached the ohio border the pain had gotten pretty intense. kevin started to lose some of his color and on a scale of 1 to 10 for pain, he had reached an 8. i began to consider stopping at the nearest hospital, but we decided (with a little sisterly help) to try some Advil. shortly after that (with some motherly help) we made another stop to find some charcoal caps, in case it was stomach/intestinal related. finally, he began to feel some relief - enough that he could lay his chair back and rest a bit. up until that point he had been either bent over or curled up on the chair, hugging his legs close to his chest. around 15 minutes from our destination he sat up, and we chatted a bit about where we were going. soon enough our GPS lady alerted us that we were 1 mile from our exit. feeling relieved and thankful to be so close to our final destination, i drove onto the exit ramp. kevin mentioned he was about a 4 on the pain scale now, but was feeling some pressure again. i looked at our GPS display and it read that we were 3 miles from the conference center, and suddenly the next thing i knew kev was vomiting into a p&c bag. i quickly pulled off to the side of the road and ran around to help him. tears welled up in my eyes and i rubbed his back as i prayed and told him how sorry i was that he was sick. we got back on the road, his eyes were puffy, but his color started to come back, and though he was sore it seemed that he was feeling better. we arrived at the conference center, got checked in, unpacked our things, and we rested. we have determined (based on symptoms and timing) that this may well have been a bout of food poisoning. we had prayed through the trip and i know that God was with us - with Kevin, because it could've been much worse. though he didn't get the most sound night of sleep, kevin was up and ready at 8am for his class. he called just a little while ago during his break and said that he ate breakfast and was feeling better!

my brain

2008-03-29T15:50:00.000-04:00

preg-nan-cy brain [preg-nuh n-see] [breyn]

a condition that affects expectant mothers, usually during the first and third trimesters. sometimes known as placenta brain or baby brain drain, the condition is usually characterized by short-term memory loss or forgetfullness.

i didn't believe them when they said it would happen. but there i stood, switching the damp dark load from the washer to the dryer. i opened the cabinet above the washing machine, reached for a bounce dyer sheet, threw it into the dryer, shut the door, and started the drying cycle. next, i began loading the unwashed white load into the washing machine. i closed the door to the washer and reached once more to the cabinet for laundry detergent, and that's when i realized... i had forgotten to put laundry detergent into the previous load. you know, the damp dark load that was now spinning around and around in the dryer. ugh. for a moment all i could think was, i can't believe i just let clothes spin around in water for 30-some-odd minutes... what a waste! and then i decided to just chalk it up to 'pregnancy brain' and laugh at myself instead. and yes, i did re-wash the un-soaped load.