For our Syracuse Family....

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

You know something is up when they are quiet....this is just the beginning...

A few other snaps from our fun afternoon today....

Peek-a-boo

Proud Aunt

And more cousins! We were so excited this weekend to learn from Emily that JD & Cole will be getting a new baby cousin in April 2008!

Thank goodness for wooden spoons....

For they can provide for hours of entertainment...it's the simple things in life that are the most amusing for babies.

(JD on the left, Cole on the right)

For fellow NICU parents...

This article was sent to me by a friend out in Denver. It appeared a few weeks ago in the Denver Post. It's a great article - a bit sad but very telling for the preemie community. I hope you find it as interesting as I did.

Preemies: Tiny Survivors

Weekend

What a fun weekend! Mommy solo with the boys - we had a great time. We spent lots of time outdoors, went to Cousin Emily's 2nd Birthday party, had a sleep over at Grammy's and then watched football on Sunday when Daddy got home. BAD Redskins game BTW. We're pooped!

Here is one highlight from the weekend - the boys loved riding in Emily's car (nevermind that it's pink)...and they enjoyed hanging out with all of the kids at the party. I can't wait until they can walk so that they can run and play. *Note: Cole is in the backpack carrier in order to free my other hand for an adult beverage...

We had another fun first this weekend. For years, as a child, my brother was called "Froot Loop" by a family friend. It's been a running joke for years - but who doesn't love froot loops?

He loved the cereal Froot Loops and could always be found eating them on our family weekend raft ups (on the boat). Same holds true for his daughter Emily, and apparently for his nephews too. The boys had their first froot loops this weekend and thoroughly enjoyed them. A special treat only at Grammy & Grampy's house!

Updates...

Well, I think we've come through round #2 of HFMD. It would appear that we may have relapsed...it's been a week of no sleep, intermittent fevers and trying to force feed my not hungry babies. The boys finally woke up with smiles on their faces this morning for the first time in a few days so I think we've turned the corner. Now C. and I just have to hope that we don't get it!

The fall weather is here - it snuck up on me! When Monday rolled around and it was cold, I was flailing in the crawl space to find some warmer clothes for the kids. Needless to say, we were forced to the closet swap so now we're ready. I'm a sucker for a cute little boy in jeans and a sweatshirt!

Here's Cole getting geared up for his big breakfast...



And I took a video this morning of the kids before breakfast...Kathy, this ones for you!



Here's hoping for a full nights sleep tonight!

Goodbye NICU

I've been meaning to post about this for a couple of weeks now and I just haven't had time to sit down and do it. You may remember that we took the boys back to NICU for a visit a couple of Saturday's ago (right around their birthday).

I don't really know why we did it - I guess just to show them off to the docs & nurses and to let them know again how much we appreciate everything that they did for our family. Plus, our little friend Jack who shared our room for so many weeks in NICU, was going back too. This was the first time we have seen Jack & his family since we left there last November.

It was awesome to see Jack & his parents - we bonded a lot during our long stay there. And it was so good to see their family flourishing and what proud parents they are. And we did see a couple of our favorite nurses who we didn't get to see the last time we were there. Dr. L was there who cared for the boys, as well as our favorite nurse practitioner.

But aside from seeing those people, the trip to the hospital was not good. I felt sick as I was driving in there. We got the kids unloaded and as we walked into the hospital, the smell took me back immediately to "those" days. This didn't happen the last time I was there....maybe because we were together as a family this time and it was a special anniversary of our return? As we waited to go into the NICU unit, I had butterflies in my tummy and the kids started to fuss. We were welcomed with open arms by everyone there that knew us, which was awesome. But it still didn't feel good.

As we stood there talking for 15-20 minutes to everyone, there were new parents coming in and out of the unit. I wanted the floor to swallow us up and make us disappear every time a family came in or out. I wanted to reach out and hug these Moms who had that sad, discouraged look on their face as they walked by our little pod of laughter and hugs. It's just not usually a happy place and to be there with such happiness didn't feel right. Although I do realize it could be a symbol of hope for the families that are now there with their small babies, it can also be rather painful for them to see. Especially for those whose babies might not have such a good prognosis and are hanging on to life by a thread.

I did notice that when we first walked in, it was eerily quiet. And slowly, nurses started coming out of their assigned rooms to see us. It was somber. On our way out, we ran into another nurse coming off of break and she mentioned that it had been a hard day that day - they had just lost a 24 weeker. It's been a tough month there - sadly they have lost several babies; I know of 2 over the last couple of months, and there are more that we don't even know about. My heart hurts for those families.

As if we weren't feeling heavy hearted already, hearing that made us realize again how fragile life is. And how fortunate we are. C & I looked at each other on our way out of the hospital and we didn't even have to say words to each other to understand what we both were thinking. That was officially our last visit to NICU. Once we got in the car, we both agreed (me, through tears) that we need close this chapter of our lives and continue moving forward. Looking back to those days is so painful. In a way that is really indescribable.

I will surely miss seeing our NICU nurses - they were like family to us. They held us up, cried with us and comforted us every single day. I wish there was a way to stay connected to them without having to visit the hospital. They left footprints on my heart that will never fade - each in their own way. There is a special place in heaven for those that care for preemies. You can see it in their eyes when they see my kids grown up now - they are like proud parents in a way - it must be so rewarding for them to know that they were so instrumental in bringing life into the world and allowing our little fledglings to flourish. My kids will always know how amazing their first nurses were...but sadly, they will never get to know them like we did. Thank you will never be enough. Closure is important with life events that are painful. For me, this is it.

Sneak Peek

We had the boys one year photos taken - here are a few of them. I was not sure how they turned out since that was the day that the kids had their shots and they had NO naps...not bad afterall.

College Conspiracy lives on...

(This ones for you Mineo)

We have an old conspiracy going with my college friends. And it reared it’s head again this week. Let’s call the culprit “Mineo”.

There are 9 of us Roanoke girls who for lack of better word, call ourselves the JUNIORS. This was a term someone used a while back and it stuck. In any case, here’s how it all started.

Anyone who has ever been to Roanoke College in podunk Salem, VA knows about Mac-n-Bobs. It’s one of very few restaurants/bars in town which caters to the college students. We LIVED there in college. If mac-n-bobs walls could talk, we’d all be in trouble. Among the famous electric lemonades, chicken phillies and bobs wings, they had these calzones like none other. If you haven’t had one at Bobs before, I think you’re missing a life experience. Anyway, it was a favorite and they were so big, you could never eat the whole thing in one sitting. One of the hundred times that I had a calzone for a meal there (who knows, could have been breakfast, lunch or dinner), I brought the leftovers home and put them in our dorm room refrigerator. By the way, that frig is still serving today – if THAT thing could talk, I would really be in trouble. Suffice to say that one late night or early morning I came back to my room so psyched to eat the leftover calzone to curb the late night munchies (which I’m sure had nothing to do with me being shnockered out of my gourd). IT WAS GONE! We investigated very thoroughly and nobody fessed up.

Now, I lived in my sorority quad with all 8 of my JUNIORS; so there was no question that one of “US” had eaten the calzone. Nobody owned up to it. Not even by the time we graduated did anyone fess up. We knew it was someone in our living area – and one of our best friends at that! But nobody had the guts to admit it. It was a running joke between us for years. It wasn’t until many years later, at one of our weddings, that the calzone thief revealed herself. AH, what a relief it was! And would you know, it was the one we least suspected – she must have had a weak moment and caved to the late night munchies. We still razz her to this day – she’ll never live it down. Right Mineo?

So, today another mystery surfaced. A few years ago, I started a journal for our crew of 9 – I got a blank book, put a list of our addresses in the front and started in around via mail (snail mail, that is). The object is to keep mailing it around to each other, to the person below you on the list, while each person updates on their latest news. At the rate it goes (the more kids that are born, the slower it gets), each of us usually get it once during the year, if that. It’s so much fun to receive in the mail – we get to read back to the last time we wrote and see what everyone has been up to. We include pictures and funny stories too so it’s a hoot to get. We’ve all been through lots of ups and downs and it’s a precious memory of our ever changing lives. Even though we are spread across the nation, it keeps us together in spirit.

I realized today that I haven’t seen it in quite a while. I immediately emailed everyone to see if anyone had it. My first thought was that it was lost in the mail. One of our girls is in Australia so I worried that it got lost in the ocean somewhere. At first, nobody knew where it was. I started to panic, thinking it was gone. A few others started to worry too, franticly trying to remember when they last had it. Nobody wanted it to be lost. When low and behold, the sneaky CALZONE THIEF STRUCK AGAIN!

Her words exactly “oh my god....this is soooo funny. I HAVE IT!!! when i read the e-mails i remembered that i got it right before we left for vacation. i put it in my desk and forgot all about it. so, when i read the e-mail i thought about quickly dropping it in the mail and calling it a day....the calzone thief returns!!!!

Phew, at least we know it’s not lost, right Mineo? You have a good excuse my friend – 3 kids, a crazy ass dog named Shane and summer vacation; you’re off the hook. But you still owe me a Calzone! On goes the journal, to it’s next stop…

In the spirit of September 11

Although many of you have already seen this, it's worth seeing again. It was only aired once because Budweiser did not want to make any profit from it.

9-11

It's hard to believe that it was 6 years ago today that such a memorable tradgedy hit our nation. I'm sure that all of us remember exactly where we were that day when we heard the news about the twin tower attacks. Anyone unlucky enough to have known someone in NYC that day or worse, to have lost someone that day certainly have this day etched forever in their minds.

I woke up this morning thinking about 9/11 and haven't been able to shake it all day. This video is a good one - don't know who the author was but they captured the memory very well.



It's certainly a day of reflection and remembrance.

On a lighter note

My little Redskins were happy to see me when I got home - and they appeared to have had a great time with Daddy!

Sometimes things don't go as planned....

...and usually after the fact, you realize why it was meant to be that way. We left on schedule for our R&R weekend and it actually started out wonderfully - we spend the day Saturday at the pool,

had lunch, caught up on our "things to talk about list" and even got an ice cream cone. As I was finishing up my 90 minute massage, a loud knock on the door gave way to an emergency with my best friend and she was on her way to the hospital via ambulance. In a few short minutes, we went from the above solitude to Dorchester Hospital and later to Easton Hospital where we spent the night together.


By 1am, T was in emergency surgery for an ectopic/tubal pregnancy. It is beyond me how ironic this is, for so many reasons. It was one of the more sad times I've ever spent with my best friend - but one that I would never have wanted to be any place else for; for her sake. Having been down that road, I know how painful (physically and emotionally) this is and it was actually a blessing that it happened at such a time when we were together, without our kids.

It was certainly a pigeon moment (or night) I should say. I couldn't help but think of how glad I was to be there with her as she went through such a gamut of emotion - she was scared, sad, devastated, shocked, heart broken and over-ridden with pain, all at the same time. My only wish was that I could have been in her place so one more person didn't need to suffer through an ectopic loss, which I know all too well.

As we waited, hour by hour for a prognosis and then plan, we cried together, complained about the doctors and nurses, and marveled at how ironic this was. All the while, the hours ticked by. At 2:30am we were finally settled in to a room, post surgery - she in a bed and me on a cot.

The last time we did this girls getaway, it was just after my 2nd ectopic pregnancy. It was a "cheer me up" trip. And here we were, there again, only she was the patient this time. It was meant to be that way, obviously. Although it's never easy to go through something like that without your spouse, the next best thing has got to be a girlfriend - and one who has been there and knows the drill. Although our girls weekend was not as we intended for it to be, I would not have wanted to be anywhere else, considering the circumstances.

T, you were so strong. And as you said, we have been through a lot - but it always turns out ok. If we stop and look around at how much we have, we are so blessed. I sent a special request up to my little angel in heaven last night as you rolled into the OR and I know he embraced that little soul that you lost last night. What a night my friend - one we will never forget; yet one we would like to forget. Either way, you came through like a champ; every day from here on out, will give way to a bit more healing. This too shall pass, but not without another footprint on your heart...

**EDIT: Just to make this whole thing a little bit more ironic, when I checked my calendar this morning to get my week organized, it said my 2nd ectopic was on 9/9/05 - two years ago to the day of this same weekend.

12 Month Well Visit...

We had our 1 year well check today - my how far we've come!

Here are the latest stats:

JD - 20 lb, 12 oz - 29 3/4" long
(50% height, 20% weight)

Cole - 18 lb, 1 oz - 28" long
(4% height, not on the chart in weight yet)

Both boys are doing really well in all respects. They got their 1 year shots today and Cole didn't make a peep, while JD wailed. Cole is one tough cookie - must be all those procedures he had early on in life...a shot is a piece of cake for him considering all that he's been through!

JD's two top teeth poked through the skin today so he's now the proud owner of 4 teeth. No sign of Cole's top choppers so we have some more time to go before his smile starts to look toothy. Funny how Cole got the first teeth before JD and now is still waiting for the next batch.

We're starting to wean bottles and move to sippy cups now. It's a hard transition, particularly for that last bottle before bed. Whole milk is on the radar now so we're easing into the transition. Table food is more the norm now than baby food, thank goodness. Feeding time seems to be getting easier for Cole now - but he certainly has his favorites (yogurt) that he would eat every meal if I would let him. We're finally off of the reflux medicines; and aside from the occasional gag reflex from Cole, exploring new foods seems to be fun for them both. Especially when it involves things they can pick up themselves.

All in all, we're so happy with how far the boys have come in the last year. They have grown so much and for a couple of 9 month olds (corrected age), they are right where they need to be!

A Day with Twin Boys

Every morning when I rise
I look in the crib and see four eyes
Two precious babies looking at me
And two big smiles saying "Hi Mommy"

Two little boys drink their bottle
Then get in their walker and try to toddle
After they play they love to snuggle
So going to sleep is never a struggle

After they wake they want more food
Then it's off to the playcenter to brighten their mood
They laugh and play and look around
Then pretty soon after they're wearing a frown

They go on the floor and play with their toys
Then starts the hitting like most little boys
They roll around and try to crawl
Having two babies is always a ball

We feed them cereal from a spoon
And hope they learn to eat real soon
They spit their food everywhere
And yes it goes in mommy's hair

One by one we scrub them clean
They're the cutest boys you've ever seen
We wash their toes and their heads
Then get them dressed to go to bed

Once in bed they twist and wiggle
And sometimes you can hear them giggle
After a while they're fast asleep
Two little boys never looked so sweet

Being the parents of two little boys
Brings double the pleasure and double the joys
Seeing them grow is really the best
I thank God each day cause we're doubly blessed
Author: Rebecca Liebman © August 24, 1999

Destination: Relaxation

3 More days until we're headed off for 2 days of R&R. My best friend from college and I are going for some pampering this weekend! Looks luxurious doesn't it? The pool and spa will be just what the doctor ordered. A perfect ending to a fun summer. Wish Daddy some luck with the boys!