Ridin' in luxury!

I haven't been online as much this week as we finally bought our new van! We did get an '05 Honday Odyssey and we couldn't be happier. We've also been really busy with all the calls and paerwork associated with getting the accident stufff tied up. I also decided to take 2 more semester housrs through course offerings in my district, so I signed up for a few more classes. WHEW!

Jack and Summy are well. Jack's been talking up a storm: "I do it" "I pick up" and "pick up" "I drive" "I go" "I in back" and Miss M even heard him say "Jack" yesterday! (Only Summy usually says Jack.) He took 10 steps in a row ONCE so I don't know if I should count it as walking. Usually it's more like 4-5.

Summy has been kissing up a storm. Both of them have also been talking on everything as if it is a phone still. I am really really happy to be home with them and having a great time with them so far. I have a feeling the fall is going to be really hard.

I'mm attaching a pic to this post of Summy falling asleep in his lunch. We're still working on 1 nap a day which can be really hard for us.

My real favorite pictures from yesterday

Happy Father's Day!/16 months old today!

Well...this is what summer break does for you! I actually post the 16 month pictures on the day they are 16 months old! LOL! We've had some really sweet moments with the boys the last few days. I never knew how much being a music teacher would influence the boys, but we were amazed when Jack started singing the "clean up" song I made up for them. And today David caught Summy on video singing while he was reading a book in the nursery. Last night in the car Jack was crying and I told him we were almost there, and to sing a song so he wasn't sad. I almost stopped the car when he actually started singing! LOL! I've decided my goal this week is to get into some music classes for the summer.

Jack decided to cut his first molar yesterday. It is sloooowly coming through!

Here are some 16 month pictures. I almost need to give up on the group shot, it is so hard to take! The pictures totally degraded as they got madder and madder at me for making them sit, and Jack was totally tired and laid down for his. I tried to show the progression.



Sumner





both




Jack


And...in honor of father's day, my very favorite pic of my DH with the boys....from the NICU over 1 year ago. (Goodness how time flies!)

Walk and walk and walk...

On a whim I got out the boys' push toys today. Jack and Summy have pushed them a *little* bit if we propped them and encouraged, but today they both pushed with a fervor all over the living room! I got great video of it. They must have known our PT was headed over. She seemed to be thinking Jack would be walking well by the next visit! Summy was particularly dedicated and pushed his for almost an hour. We're napping hard right now! LOL!

Today Jack stood up all by himself from a sitting position in the middle of the room with nothing to hold on to or pull up on! Many times he took 3-4 steps on his own for the PT. She seems to feel he's slightly top heavy (big head) so if he gains another pound, it might help him walk more confidently. Hear that Jack? Eat! LOL!

Also, many have asked about my music choices. First, Unwritten was my theme song the IUI cycle I got pregnant with the boys. I'd listen to it on the way to the RE's to get blood drawn and u/s, and on the way home as I cried because I was so scared I'd get another BFN. I consider it "their" song.

The second, well, I just love. It's beautiful.

The third...Ben Folds...David chose this song for the video he made of the boys' time in the NICU. I plan to try and post the video this week. The song is beautiful, and reminds me what fighters my little guys are!

Growth Check

*taps into the microphone*

"check check heck....testing 1, 2, 3"

Today we had a growth checkup with Dr. K. She wanted to make sure the boys were gaining well now that we are on all table foods. (no more babyfood or fortification of solids.) And the verdict?

Sumner was 19 lbs 1.5 oz
Jack was 17 lbs 11 oz

The boys both lost almost a pound due to our recent stomach bug, so Dr. K was really pleased. Summy had gained it back and then some, and Jack hadn't quite gained it all back yet but was close. I'm guessing the wendy's french fries he ate for lunch today might help him, though.

Milestone woes

I feel like the boys babyhood has been thrown upside down in the last week. So far, since school has ended I have:

-moved them to one nap
-taken away their sippies with soft spouts and given hard plastic spout no handle cups
-not given them a bottle anymore b/c they are now only nursing
-been trying to get Jack to walk (he took 4 steps in a row last night!)

I still want to try giving them whole milk to see if they will drink it, and get them to drink milk from a sippy. (They still won't take EBM or anything but water and juice from the sippy.) Also, I am on project walking kids. The daycare won't take them unless they are walking, and so I am completely fixated on their lack of walking.

And I am not ready to stop BFing. I think I am returning my hospital grade pump, but there really isn't a need to have a pump as I can nurse them anytime at home now that I am off for the summer. But I feel paranoid and like I need a pump just in case. I don't know what the "in case" is for, but I worry...so I am thinking about buying a PISA. David and I had a big talk about breastfeeding which led me to cry when he said "they eventually have to grow up." Maybe I am not ready for that? I feel like I will know when it is *right* to stop, and I just don't feel that way yet.

So I spend my days now consumed with the concept that my kids will never walk, and wondering when exactly the right time is to stop breastfeeding them. I am torn...I want them to grow up, but I don't. These milestones seem like big steps towards "growing up."

Lately, the boys seem so much older, more like toddlers than babies. Between Jack feeding Summy yesterday, both of them taking "phone calls" on every available object they can crook in their neck, and how awesome they have been doing the past 2 weeks with eating only solids, I feel so bittersweet.

So the moral of this post? Being home from work for the summer=worrying mom!

Mini Van People

That's right folks, we are about to become mini van people. We've been looking and looking since the untimely death of Neo in the car accident a little over a week ago. I loved our Matrix, so I am super sad it is now gone. We discussed buying another, but the plan had been to save Neo and trade in our corolla and buy a big car. So we figured we might as well do it now. Bite the bullet.

We looked at the Honda Pilot. We looked at the Toyota Highlander. But then we looked at minivans, and as much as I hate to say it, it's what we need. Eventually I'd love to have tader baby #3, so we're going to need something bigger. Trips to visit Nana and Papa 14 hours away are going to be more frequent, and we currently have no room other than for our double stroller.

Right now we are leaning towards the honda odessy. It gets fabulous gas milage...people have reported getting up to 28 mpg highway. It has a special fuel saving engine.

I just never thought I would be a mini van person, KWIM? It makes me feel reeealy old.

Today D and I stained a large portion of our deck. We have a HUGE fabulous deck that the prior owners built, and last year D stained the portion we walk on and the seating area. Today we did the whole fence front and back. It looks fabulous, but we were fairly miserable as it was mid nineties here today.

THESE are the reasons I love my kids...

Car Accident

Unfortunately, DH, the babies, and uncle J were in a car crash on Friday night in our Matrix.

They were stopped at a red light, and the man hit them full speed from behind at 50 mph. DH then hit the car in front of him as well. They had to shut the entire road down.

I had gone to see SATC in a rare mom's night out moment, and so I felt especially upset and guilty that I wasn't there to help, or do something. Anything.

Sumner had a laceration on his chin. Immediately following the accident the boys were hysterical, but seem OK. We're keeping an eye on them. Sumner panicked last night when we put him in the carseat.

We think the car is totalled. This is the car with the new engine too. I am so upset I feel sick thinking about it! The man only had state minimum coverage...nothing even close to being able to pay for the repairs.

We'll need all new carseats, we're not sure if the stroller is useable...and we have to wait till tomorrow to even get a rental or talk to anyone from our insurance agency.

The whole thing is frustrating and miserable. Thankfully, though, they are all OK. That is the important part.

I'll update more tomorrow with more info. To top it off, I broke my pinky toe on Friday night, and last weekend while working in the yard, I got a HORRIBLE case of poison ivy.

15 month pictures

Sorry to be MIA so long! I plan to post lots and lots of updates today as to why I have been gone so long.

Enjoy 15 month pictures, very late this time. (sorry!) As you can tell, they refused to sit still one minute!