1st annual PJ's day after Christmas

Christmas Day

Christmas morning was our dream come true! We woke up and were very excited to share it with the boys. Of course they had no clue that it was Christmas or what it all means but we had fun nontheless. They are learning so much and getting big so fast. We love to watch them when they grab for the toys or look at them in amazement. After we all opened gifts the boys took a nap and Brian and cleaned up the house before heading to Brigantine. We had a great dinner at Aunt Pinky & Uncle Charlie's. It was great to be with the family. After dinner we played some board games. We will never forget our most wonderful 1st Christmas with Evan and Gavin. They have made our lives happier than we will ever be able to explain to them.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve at MeMe and Gpop's was awesome, as it usually is, but extra special this year since Evan and Gavin are now here. Mom made an awesome lunch. Mom and Dad spoiled us all again this year with fantastic gifts. Livi, Char, and the boys had a ball with all their new toys. After we were done exchanging gifts we headed to Grandmom's house for more family fun. When we got home Brian and I put the boys to bed and then watched Christmas Vacation while drinking some wine. It was a beautiful day!

Interaction

The boys are really starting to interact now. It is SO much fun to watch. They are life long friends!

Evan

I was changing Gavin this morning and when I glanced over at Evan I saw that he had pretty much rolled over! I was so excited. He did this every time I laid him down on the floor today. Oh boy...it's only a matter of time before he's mobile. Yikes!

Gavin

Gavin is doing so much better with holding his head up! He seemed to want to do tummy time a lot today. He looks like a little turtle...how cute!

Christmas Cookies

Last Friday the boys and I baked cookies with Mom and Aunt Rita. It was a dream come true to have the boys there because we've always talked about baking cookies with babies there with us. 2 years ago we hoped to have them there with us the next year. Last year I had just found out I was pregnant so we imagined what this year would be like. We had no clue that we'd have 2 babies with us! The boys did well...they didn't fuss too much, which allowed us the ability to get the baking done. They did like to sit in their bouncie chairs and watch us in the kitchen. At one point I had Evan on my lap while I was decorating the cookies and Mom & Aunt Rita said he was totally watching me, as if he were the quality control expert making sure all the cookies were done properly. It was such a blessing to have Evan and Gavin with us! As always, I thoroughly enjoyed my special time with my Mom & Aunt Rita.

Smithville for Daddy's birthday

On Brian's birthday we took the boys to Smithville. We walked around the shops while we drank coffee, had dinner, and then watched the light show on the lake. The boys were all bundled up in the stroller so they really couldn't see too much but the fact that we had them with us this year was a gift in itself. Brian's Mom used to take him there every year and we have started this tradition with the boys. It was a beautiful night. It's hard to imagine that they will be walking around when we are there next year.

Happy boys

Gavin

Evan

Getting back to work....

....has been tough. During the day when I'm at work I'm fine. I do really like my job and I'm in a zone when I'm there. But once I leave the office and get to the boys it's like our life is on speed. We have to feed them dinner, eat dinner ourselves, play with them for about an hour, get them to bed, and then prepare everything for the next day. It hits me that I only see them for about 2 hours a day and it's rough. Not to mention the fact that since the night is so busy I feel like Brian and I don't even get to talk to one another until like 9pm. Ugh! Everyone tells us it gets easier....when??

Own bed

When we got home from the shore Thanksgiving weekend we decided to let the boys sleep in their own cribs. It's amazing how much they move around during the night. They are never in the same position twice. Our big boys are growing up so fast.

Update on food.

So....peas are still questionable but the boys love sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots. I love hearing all their cute sounds when they eat. They really enjoy their food!

Stone Harbor Christmas Parade

Thanksgiving at the shore

Five days at the shore with my family was exactly what I needed this weekend. Going back to work has been a little rough on me so I couldn't wait until Wed after work. We packed the car and headed to the shore. We spent the weekend relaxing and enjoying family time. It re-charged our batteries so that we are able to head back to work tmr. Hopefully this week will be better for me than last week.

Babies 1st Thanksgiving

Evan

Gavin

As we sat at Aunt Pinky & Uncle Charlie's Thanksgiving dinner table I couldn't help but remember what we were doing at last year's Thanksgiving table. We were praying that my eggs that were retrieved the day before were fertilizing. As it turned out they did and produced our beautiful sons a couple weeks later. They are our Thanksgiving miracles. Having them sit on our laps at this years table was an amazing feeling. Talk about being thankful for something! I think Brian and I will always treasure this holiday, as it has brought us great happiness.

We met Santa today!

(Gavin on left and Evan on right)

Returning to work

My maternity leave has come to an end. After almost 5 five blissful months I have to return to work on Monday. On June 28th I left the office as a career-focused woman and I'll walk back in the building in 2 days as a Mother counting the minutes until I can hold my babies. They have completely changed my life and I can't seem to remember what life was like before them. I used to laugh at other parents when they'd say that but I can completely understand that feeling now. Evan and Gavin have brought so much happiness to Brian and I. They truly are the best parts of us both. We look at them and see Brian's face with my nose and forehead. We look at them as they sleep and they are their father when he sleeps. Evan is the more serious/cautious one like his Mother...he even has the "pissy Chrissy" aspect of him. Gavin is the more curious/observant one like his Father....he's always checking things out as if he's trying to see how they work or were designed. They are identical twins and do a lot of the same things but we have learned that they are their own individuals. Spending the past 5 months with them, almost every minute, has been the best 5 months of my life. Yes there were tears of tiredness and frustration but 99% of the time there were smiles, laughter, and an overall feeling of completeness. Brian and I were meant to be these boys parents. I feel confident that as I return to work they will transition well. They are happy boys and will be just fine. It's me that I'm worried about. Will I be able to focus at work? Will my clients suffer? Will I be looking at my client telling me about their employee problems but not listening to them at all? I'm sure those things will happen but when all is said and done I know myself. I know that I'm going to do it....do it because helping provide for my sons is the most important thing in my life now. So....as I walk through those office doors on Monday I will feel good. I will get my career brain back and I'll get the job done...and then run home to my sons.

1st full day at day-care

The boys had their 1st full day at day-care on Thursday. Melissa said they did well. Evan didn't nap too well but Gavin did take a 2 hour nap in the afternoon. Evan finished his bottles but Gavin, our little nosey-body, didn't because he was too interested in looking at the other kids than eating. Surprisingly I did well all day. In the morning I went clothes shopping for work and in the afternoon I sat on the couch, watched TV and surfed the net....I never get to do that when the boys are home. The next time they go to Melissa's I'll be going to work. :(

The jury is out....

....on peas. Some spoonfuls they took with no problem and then some spoonfuls they gagged and almost spit it out. So we shall see if they take after their MeMe and her dis-like of this green veggie.

Carrots

We tried carrots last night and it was a success! As a matter of fact Evan loved them so much that he cried when it was Gavin's turn. Tonight Gavin smiled when he saw the food jar and opened wide for each spoonful. A few more days of this and we will try peas next. It cracks me up that I'm this excited to watch them try new foods. Wow...has my life changed...but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Trial days at day-care

I go back to work in a week.....ARG!! Anyhow, I took the boys to their day-care last Thurs for a 1/2 day and today for a 1/2 day. They did well! Melissa says they ate and napped like normal. Evan was a tad fussy on Thurs but today he did better. I, on the other-hand, walked around Shop Rite on Thurs in a complete fog! I have no idea what I put into my cart and my heart ached when I saw another Mother pushing her infant around the store in the cart. This morning I was better. I went to Kohl's and Homegoods, to do some Christmas shopping, and wasn't too bad. I did think about them every 5 minutes or so...instead of every single minute like I did on Thurs. I'm taking them there later this week for a full day to see how they do....and more importantly how I do. Then it's back to work on Monday. Craziness! How did the past 5 months some slip right past me?

Evan cuddling with Gavin

New toy

Gavin

Evan

Check out our new toy. We still need practice at sitting up but we love sitting it in for a few minutes at a time.

Sweet potatoes

Evan

Gavin

Last night we tried our 1st veggie for dinner! Sweet potatoes. It was hysterical watching them try it for the first time. Their eyes opened wide and they shook their body in shock. It was the 1st time they had anything that didn't taste like formula. It was a success! They ate a full jar each last night and again tonight. We will continue sweet potatoes for another few days and then we will try carrots. Stay tuned..

Cereal

Evan

Gavin

We tried cereal for the 1st time last night. The boys loved it!! Of course the first spoonful was a little shocking to them but they warmed up to it very quickly. They had their mouths open and waiting for the next spoon. As I would feed one of them the other one was sucking his hand waiting patiently for his turn. Of course we took pics and recorded it...on our new video camera that we bought yesterday for this milestone event.