Rice Cereal ?!?!?!?!?!?

I decided the other day, that it's time for the boys to start on rice cereal once a day. They've been getting a little cereal in their bottles to thicken it up because of their reflux, but they haven't had it in actual cereal form. I stripped them down to their diapers and put bibs and them, not knowing what to expect. Overall, they did really well with it. Brandon kept more of it in his mouth than Connor did! They aren't quite strong enough to sit up, so I just fed them in their bouncy seats. I know I don't have room for two high chairs, but I haven't decided what kind of booster seats I want to get for them just yet. I classify their first attempt a SUCCESS.




I loved this picture! Perfect "Connor" face!



That pesky tongue


Brandon wasn't very happy while I was trying to feed him. I think he was STARVING and didn't much care for me sticking a spoon in his mouth. Instead, he shoved his fingers in there which made a bigger mess!

Doesn't Brandon have the "I've just eaten myself into a comma, loosen my diaper" look??? He starting laughing right after I snapped this!

Falling asleep

Someone learned to SPLASH

Update...

Not too much to report. Brandon and Connor both moved up a clothing size this past week. B is now in 3-6 month clothes and Connor (aka Chunky Monkey) is in 6-9 month clothes. I'm heading to Raleigh on Thursday to pick up Rylan from the airport, and we're going to hit the Once Upon a Child store on the way back. My big baby needs clothes! I haven't had to purchase much clothes at all. The boys received plenty of clothes as baby shower gifts to get them through the first 5-6 months. I just bought my first set of wipes too!!! I received a TON of wipes from my showers.

It seems like everything decided to break once Eric left. The garbage disposal broke, dishwasher died, vacuum stopped working, lost a lugnut off my car that had to be specially ordered since it's one that doesn't allow thieves to steal our chrome rims, shower nozzle broke, and NOW I noticed we have another mouse living in the house with us...and I think he's hanging out in the boys' room. I had my friend's boyfriend, Greg, replace my disposal, fix my shower nozzle, and replace my lug nut. THANKS GREG!!! I owe you a batch of homemade cookies!!! I purchased a new dishwasher from Sears and they were supposed to call me today and set up a time to install it...come to think of it, they didn't call. The only thing left, is to catch the little rascal of a mouse that's leaving his mark in the nursery. Anyone have an outside cat I can put in my backyard to keep the mice away???? Rena takes care of the squirrels, but they don't try to come in the house! I took the vacuum apart and fixed it myself. It just needed to be cleaned out really well. There was 5 years of dog fur, human hair, dust, and cardboard stuck in the vacuum. I'm not sure where the cardboard came from, but at least the machine is working again.

As I said above, my friend Rylan is coming in town on Thursday and staying through Tuesday. She hasn't met the boys yet and is really excited to come help out and spoil them. I'm ready for her to come as well. My good friend, Lori, is moving to NY on Wednesday, so Rylan will help me keep my mind off that.

The month of July is wide open for me and the boys. They have 3 drs appointments through out the month, but that's it. SO...if anyone else would like to come out and visit..COME ON DOWN!

Oh yeah..Eric has arrived at the location where he'll be for the next 15 months and starts working tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who has kept him in your thoughts over the last month. I can't believe he's been gone a month already...1 down...14 to go! I've been researching the destination for our very first family vacation we're going to take when he comes home this winter for his R & R. It looks like JAMAICA!!! The beach looks so inviting and they have nannies on staff from 9-6 every day of our stay. That way, Eric and I can spend some time alone and can spend time as a whole family. The boys will be 1 by then, so I think we could handle a plane ride and a 5 day vacation. I'm definitely going to need it by then.

Just a few pictures

When Auntie Bridget was here, we let the boys take their morning nap in bed with us. It was a special occasion. The picture below shows the HARDEST sleeping babies EVER!!! I mean look at them!


Here's Connor just chillin' on the couch with me...in his cute hat!
Me and my babies! Yes...Brandon was asleep, but he was screaming before this picture was taken. I'll take the sleeping baby over the screaming baby! Darn colic!

Brandon

This is a video of Brandon from the other day. If you listen, it sounds like he's saying AIRBORNE!!!

Pottery Pieces

The boys and I went out for a drive today just to get out of the house. It's too hot to spend any time outside, but I hate being locked inside all day. As we were out driving, I stopped by Sonic for an ice cold diet coke, and then the pottery place called to say their tiles were ready. What a perfect time to call! We ran over and picked them up, and I'm very happy with the way they turned out. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these yet, but I'll probably hang them in their room.

Both boys are doing well. Connor is helping me type this posting while Brandon finishes his little cat nap in his car seat. We took Brandon for a weight check on Tuesday and he is 12 lbs 5 oz now. He gained 14 oz in 2 and a half weeks so I'm officially done worrying about his eating. He just doesn't need to eat as much as Connor. The dr said as long as he seems happy and continues to gain weight, I should just drop the issue. I guess I was being a little overprotective!!! If I didn't have Connor to compare Brandon to, I probably wouldn't think twice about how much he eats. This just goes to show you that parents of multiples cannot compare their kids to each other. They both have very different needs and wants. They definitely keep me on my toes!!!!

Connor's Laugh!

I took the boys to the mother's day out program at the church this morning and they did really well! The volunteers were really excited to have some babies to cuddle. Both of them were very tired when I picked them up and they slept until the next feeding. So far, I like the program and plan on using it more often. It only cost me 9 dollars for both of them to be there for 3 hours...NOT BAD! They are going back on Friday and I've booked them for the second week of July as well. After they napped and ate, Connor was in a funny mood....

First time in the sand

My friend, Heather, lives in a gated community called Carolina Lakes. It's in a town about 20 minutes outside of Fayetteville on a golf course. They have 7 lakes in their neighborhood and one has a man-made beach on it. I like to call it the mini-beach. It's a heck of a lot closer to go to than driving to Wilmington or Myrtle Beach...especially with 2 babies.

Here's our little setup. Under the rain umbrella in the car seats!
Here's Connor getting stripped down and getting another layer of sunscreen on...can't have too much!
Here's his face when we put his little feet in the water for the first time. He didn't seem to care much about it.
Me and my chunky monkey
Brandon, on the other hand, was TICKED OFF at the cold water.
He settled down though!

We spent about an hour and a half outside. Heather's finance, Chris, grilled up some burgers for us along with some fresh watermelon. Thanks so much to both of them! We had a great time, and I think the boys did too. When we got home, this is what they looked like...
Connor passed out...
and Brandon tired too. I'm pretty sure he started screaming after I took this picture!!!

We bathed them to get the sand and sunscreen off, fed them and they went down for an early evening nap. They were both back in bed before 1030 even though they had that late nap. Being outside really wore them out. I know it wore me out...and Auntie Bridget!

Hope all the dads out there had a wonderful Father's Day!

Aunt Bri comes to visit

Aunt Bri came into town on Thursday to spend a week with me and the boys. It's been nice having help with them and just having someone else in the house. It gets lonely here all by myself. I feel like I talk my friend's heads off when they call because I don't get much adult conversation throughout the day. Eric managed to get some time online today so we could chat, so Bri watched the boys.

Here is Aunt Bri holding them both and telling them stories
Brandon was making faces at Connor...
and Connor was making faces back.

After Eric and I chatted, we took the boys for their daily 2 mile walk, came home and showered, fed the boys and headed to the pottery place. Check out the post below for pictures from the pottery store.

It's pottery time

There's a little pottery place in town called Just Clayin' Around that I LOVE LOVE LOVE to go to! I went a lot in Lexington and was SO excited when I found one here in Fayetteville. It's one of the things I love to do alone on a rainy day, but now that the boys are here...I though I'd take them and introduce them to it! Stephanie owns the little shop and was very helpful today.

Here's Connor getting paint on his foot...

and now we're pushing his foot down on the tile to make the footprint. We repeated it on his other foot as well.


We painted his hand blue, and once we got him to stop making a fist, we put his hand print on another tile. He didn't seem to mind it at all.
Brandon slept through the painting...
and the impressions! You can see the two little footprints on Connor's tile. I turned them into penquins!
Brandon did not like the hand painting at all...he started screaming after that!

I meant to take pictures of the tiles before we left, but absentminded me forgot! I'll be sure to post pictures of them once they are glazed and fired.

Stephanie has taken pictures of a few other designs I've done and put them in her "idea" book! I made Ann and Bridget plates back in December with a quote on them that read "A sister is a piece of childhood that can never be forgotten." Once she glazed the plates, she realized the glaze had either dirt or some kind of small particles in it. Needless to say, the plates were ruined and I had to redo them. They weren't totally ruined, so she kept the old ones and put one on display in the store. She has had multiple people ask to purchase it, but I had personalized it on the back. Can't sell it to someone unless they have a sister named ANN! HAHAHA! I love going to this store and always have a great time. She even gives a military discount on Saturdays....WOO HOO!!! Stay tuned for pictures of the finished products.

Brandon lifting his head

Connor lifting his head

How do you....

How do you hold 2 babies and still have your hands free to fold laundry, answer the phone, or maybe pull out your hair???? This is how!

Connor's turn

Talking to Daddy

Eric and I managed to catch each other on instant messenger this morning! The boys were playing on their floor gym next to me, which gave me time to chat. Once Brandon started to fuss, I just picked him up and let him help me type...he LOVED the computer screen. Wireless keyboards are awesome!!!!


Last night was a rough one with the boys. Brandon screamed as soon as we got back from our walk with my friend Lori. He stopped long enough to take a bath, and started right back up again. I managed to get him to eat a couple ounces and had to just put him in his crib...screaming! He was clean, dry, and fed. He instantly fell asleep. So, I think he's trying to tell me he wants to go to bed earlier...FINE WITH ME! Connor, on the other hand was up until about 1. They are on a good schedule during the day, but night time is a little different. At least I can get Brandon down, and then spend some quality time with Connor. Thankfully, Lori was here to help out last night.

Before, During and After

It amazes me how much the boys move while they sleep. Here's proof!!!

This is how I put them down for a nap after our morning exercise on the back deck.
Sweet little Brandon and his pacie
My sweet Connor...look at those eye lashes!!!
After! Connor turned completely around and Brandon just scooted over a little. My hands will definitely be full once these two start crawling. But...I'm loving every minute of it!

New "do" for mommy!

Having a baby can really put a strain on a woman's appearance...weight gain, tiredness, and the lack of time to spend "primping." I saw a picture of myself and couldn't believe how awful my hair looked. It hadn't been cut in a long time and was making me look old. I'm 27...too young to be looking old!!! So, the boys and I went to visit my hair dresser, Debra and chopped off about 5 inches. It's been super hot here too so I thought a shorter hair-do was very appropriate for the summer. I can still get in a pony tail for the "there's no way I'm going to get a shower today" days!

Pictures from Eric

I've been able to take to Eric a few times since he left. Thank goodness for the internet! We email more often than we talk because the line for the phone is hours long sometimes. He wanted me to post these pictures he took when they were out and about the other day.

Camels!!!
Eric in all of his gear...sweating I'm sure! It's been well into the 100's since he's been there
More camels!

Enough said....

Well, I think the boys and I have adjusted pretty well since Eric left. We all still miss him very much though! The night time is the only time that's a little stressful for me. Brandon is colicky and Connor tries to fight sleep. The last 2 nights have been a little better, so I think we're getting into a good evening grove. We eat at 6, have play time until 745, walk outside from about 745 until whenever it gets dark, inside for baths, then eat one last time before bed. My life is entirely run by the clock! I'm very much looking forward to Bridget coming for 5 days! She should be in town either Wednesday or Thursday sometime. I'm going to try to put the boys in a mother's day out thing at the church on Friday morning from 9-12. Hopefully, they'll do ok because it would be nice to have 3 hours twice a week to myself to get my errands done. I don't mind taking the boys with me, but everything takes twice as much time. Plus, it got up to 99 degrees today and they really don't need to be outside in that kind of heat. I have to call the church this week to get some more information about the program and to see if they have any openings for this Friday! Who knows how long it will take me to get them ready and out the door...that's why I'm going to wait for Bri to come so I can have some help.

Thanks to everyone who continue to call and check on us. I really appreciate it. Sometimes I just need an adult conversation...even if we talk about nonsense! I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Brandon talking...and hiccuping!!!!

Big Boy Stroller

I wanted to take the boys for a walk tonight, but they had been in their car seats a lot today! We ran to Target and to the Commissary. So, I decided to just put the in the stroller without the car seats for the very first time! They both did really well and liked being able to see the neighborhood as we walked.

"Multiples" playdate

The boys and I went to our friend Lori's house for a playdate yesterday, along with our other friends Trish and Lucas. Lori is the proud mommy to a set of 3 year old triplets, Garrett, Ethan & Victoria. Since there were 3 older kids and 3 babies...everyone could have a baby! You would think that a set of triplets, set of twins, and a singleton would result in chaos, but nope! We all had a great time...thanks Lori for letting us bombard your house!

Here is the whole gang!
Don't worry Brandon...Ethan won't let you fall!
My boys...just chillin'!
Small, Medium, and Large!!! Connor is actually holding onto Lucas's shirt!

Trish and Lucas will be moving to Illinois next week so her husband, John, can start dental school this fall. Lori and the triplets will be moving to Ft. Drum (in New York), at the end of the month, where her husband Eric will be an Endodontist. I'm very sad to be losing my two best friends, but that's part of being in the military. You have to say goodbye a lot. This month alone, I had to say goodbye to Eric, will have to say goodbye to Trish, and finally Lori. Since our spouses are all in then dental field, we hope to cross paths in the future. These two girls will be missed very very much!

Pictures for Grandma Karen

Grandma Karen made Christening outfits for the boys and has been asking me to take a picture of each boy wearing the outfit before they get too big to wear them! It amazing how much they've both grown since Easter!

Here's Brandon smiling away!!!

And Connor...not quite sure about the camera flash!

Daddy is off to serve his country...PROUDLY

Eric recently left for Iraq with the 82nd Airborne unit!

Here he is cuddling with the boys one last time.
Connor is actually sucking on Brandon's head...TOO FUNNY!!!
He's scheduled to be gone for the next 15 months with a 2 week break in maybe January or February.


This is the "C"harlie Company in a short briefing.
Look at all the duffel bags!!!
And all of the backpacks
Connor saying "BYE DADDY!!! I'll probably be walking when I see you next"
Brandon saying "BYE BYE DADDY..I'm going to try not to cry too much for mommy! See you on my first birthday...hopefully"

The boys and I are making the adjustment pretty well. A few issues here and there with bed time, but nothing I can't handle. I have some wonderful friends who are "on call" should I need help, and I really appreciate that! We're just sticking to our schedule and looking forward to visits from Auntie Bri, my best friend Rylan from KY, and then our trip to KY during the month of August. We hope to see Auntie Annie, and the whole Trame family while we are there. Watch out...WE'RE HEADING YOUR WAY!!!