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.

"Um...excuse me Gavin but this is my Daddy time..."

Bumbo seats

They've been doing well with holding their heads up so we tried the bumbo seats today. They did pretty well. Evan (blue chair) absolutely loved it! He was smiling and talking to us. Gavin was ok with it but will need a little more practice at it. They did seem to really enjoy looking at the world from a different view. It was adorable watching them look around the room.

Evan lovin life with his Daddy

Snugglin

Yesterday was a long day with fevers and crankiness from their shots the night before. We finally got them to bed after baths and some crying spells. I snuck in the room before I went to bed and saw this priceless site.

4 month Dr. appt

Last night the boys had their 4 month Dr. appt. They are both 13 lbs and 24 1/4 inches tall. Isn't it crazy that they are that identical? It's just too funny to me. The only difference is that Evan's head is slightly larger. They had 2 shots and one oral immunization. They screamed their little heads off and it took Brian and I quite a bit of time to calm them down. Other than that the Dr. was very pleased with their growth and development. He is amazed that they are both sleeping 11 hours a night. He said that we can try cereal once they start showing signs that they are more hungry during the day. Today I'm dealing with some low grade fevers for both of them....an a tad of crankiness. But we'll get through it....only 2 1/2 hours until bed time. :)

Babies 1st Halloween

Saturday night we went to Johnny & Jeanna's Halloween party. Evan and Gavin had a great time. They looked adorable in their costumes and everyone commented how good they were. The party was fun and the costumes were great. Some people really put thought into it. We didn't stay too long because we had to get the boys home and into bed. Gee...how things (& life) changes...before the boys we would've stayed there until the end. But we wouldn't trade this new life for anything.

For the boys first Halloween we spent it at Corinne & Ryan's house. Corinne made it such a festive event with mummy hot dogs, homemade pumpkin bread, and pumpkin carving. After we ate we all bundled up and walked around the block. Their neighborhood is great! So many kids walking around and everyone was outside on their driveways to give out candy. It is an awesome place to trick-or-treat. The boys fell asleep in their stroller but many people peeked in to check out their costumes. We had a ball watching Livi & Char fill up their Halloween buckets. They were so excited...it was too cute. Brian and I had so much fun.

Guess who sleeps through the night?

Yup! Evan and Gavin are sleeping through the night now! Well, at least they did for the past two nights. Yesterday they slept until 7am and today until 6:30am. So exciting! I'm just praying it stays that way since I go back to work in 3 weeks. I'm so happy that I was able to stay home with them this long so that I could go back to work with them on a decent schedule. I can't imagine how I'd get through the work day if I had to wake up in the middle of the night to feed them. Ahh....our boys are the best.