Mr. Entertainer

The kids are starting to interact. Today Patrick was outside cleaning out the gutters and I was working on the basement stairwell just around the corner. Ethan seems to have found the magic touch to entertain Elaine.

Our Future's So Bright

Tonight we went for a walk. The twins couldn't have looked more cool!

New Toys Emerge

Ethan is starting to enjoy his exersaucer. He is a little short, so I had to put a phone book on the bottom to help stabilize him! Elaine is still perfectly content relaxing back in her bouncy chair.....oh what a perfect Blair! I think Patrick is looking forward to getting the two swings out of the tv room, little does he know that other toys will just fill in the space.

A New View

Ethan is doing really well with trying to sit up. He currently can balance himself from falling left or right, but he cannot sit completely upright yet.

What A Day

Mark and the kids came down for the night. After an afternoon pool party and evening with Jake and Morgan, the twins were tired! They both took their 8:30 bottles and passed out immediately.

Pool Party

Today Elaine and Ethan went to their first pool party. Elaine was in desperate need of a nap, so she was not too happy. We did get her on video camera in the pool, but she was quickly unhappy. I took her out and cuddled her and got her to take a nap.

Ethan was ALL about the water and the ladies! He loved being passed between all of the girls. Patrick had to drag him off because it was time to go. I think he will be interested in a summer job as a life guard later in life!

Fan Club

The twins love to come to my softball games. They even have team tshirts! This week was REALLY hot, but neither complained a bit. They mostly stayed in their seats because the new field has almost no shade.

I don't think I'll ever win Mother-of-the-Year Award with these pictures. Elaine loves the tv. We have to turn it off when they eat because she tries to turn her body to watch it. When I make dinner, she loves sitting in her Bumbo and watching whatever is on Noggin.

The Twins Meet Tanner

Today, the twins met Tanner. He is Angie and Chris' son. They live in Jacksonville, FL. They were up visiting family for a week, so we got to hangout and go for lunch.

We are looking forward to going down there for a visit next year. The babies are only 2 months apart, so they we be able to play with each other by then!

A Family Treat

Poppy was enjoying a special treat that we brought back from SC....Cheerwine! It's a soda that is only sold in 7 southern states. We LOVE it! Patrick picked up a 2Liter for me and one for my Dad. While Poppy was enjoying it Elaine was leaning towards it like she wanted some. Poppy let her smell it, but it's too early for soda. Maybe next time we go to SC!

A Special Day at the Zoo!

Today we took Morgan to a special tour at the zoo. We learned a little bit about bears, made a bear magnet, and took a tour of the bears before the zoo opened.

After the tour, we walked around the other parts of the zoo. The twins took their first trip down a slide!

The zoo used to have a wooden life size polar bear. It was standing on it's hind legs and had a measuring stick next to it. We always had the kids stand next to it every year to see how they were growing. Last year they took it down so this time we just had Morgan stand next to the real thing!

Elaine Has a First!

Elaine is the first to hold her bottle! She can only do it for about 10 seconds at a time, but it is a wonderful sign for the future! :)

My First Dress Up!

Ethan loves the USA so much, he had to dress up like the first president! Not to worry, it's not a baby wig! It is the backside of his snuggle blanket. We were playing with it and it landed on his head like that and I just started giggling. With the USA outfit, I couldn't resist!

What Is That Other Thing Next To Me?

The twins are finally noticing each other. Sometimes they fight over space, sometimes they look at each other in their Bumbo chairs and laugh or smile, and sometimes they like to explore each other. It's like a scene from the Helen Keller story. They rub the other's face and poke until the other gets annoyed and cries.

Last Day in SC

Today was our last full day visiting Charleston with the Coles. We just relaxed all day! It was wonderful. We talked about going to the pool, but then it started to thunder and became overcast. It cleared up by dinner.

Since we were in relax mode all day, nobody felt like getting ready to go out to dinner. So the boys made another run to the Piggly Wiggly. They got tuna steaks, swordfish, asparagus, fresh tomatoes, corn, and some chicken for Katie! (not a seafood lover) They also got some oysters and scallops for appetizers. The boys got the grill going and had a blast getting dinner ready. It was a wonderful long weekend!

Thanks to Bob and Katie for all of your hospitality, patience, and acceptance of our new role as parents! We miss you guys!

They Clean Up Well

Once we got back we all took showers and got dressed. We went on an adventure to find a restaurant that was open. We finally found a great place and had a great dinner! We headed home, gave the kids their final bottles and relaxed for an hour or two. We talked about seeing some fireworks, but nobody wanted to deal with the crowds and we were afraid that Elaine would cry....she doesn't like loud noises. I don't think anyone cared though, we were completely excited to just see each other and hang out. There were a few fireworks in their neighborhood that we caught a glimpse of when we got home.

A Day of First's....on the Fourth!

Today the twins had their first dip in the ocean! From the first picture it looks like Ethan was all about it and Elaine was a little hesistant. It was totally opposite! Once we got them waist deep, Ethan was not interested at all. He hated the waves. Elaine seemed fine. Maybe it was Patrick's safe, strong arms!....mine look a little scrawny next to his.
















Ethan did love just chillin under the umbrella on the beach. The cool wind and soft sounds from the waves kept him relaxed.




Elaine wanted the action of the ocean over the relaxation of the beach. We stayed a little over an hour and then they started getting fussy. It took a bit to get there because of the traffic and they weren't pleased with their bottles because they weren't as warm as they like them. So after an hour they were ready for a bath and comfortable clothes. Thanks to Bob and Katie for being the most understanding people we know! They weren't a bit upset that we could only stay a hour or so.

We finally made it! Here's Bob and Katie enjoying some time with the twins while we graciously slug back a drink to ease the travel jitters! Patrick and Bob then trotted off to the store and got some great steak, chicken, and potatoes to grill. Notice the Scout in the garage....Bob's so cool! :) I think he was a little disappointed we didn't get a chance to take it out, but it's not too kid friendly.

You Deserve a Break Tonight

We've learned that traveling will NEVER be the same! Even though we were only 1 hour away from our destination, we stopped for a much needed break. The kids needed to stretch out and we figured 15 minutes more was worth it if there was no screaming later.....it WORKED! Overall the kids were great. The only problem was in the mountains. There was some minor fussiness that I believe was due to ears popping.

Half Way There!

Our plan was to stop for the night in Knoxville, but we were making such great time and the kids were asleep. We kept on going and made it a little farther. We stopped in Newport, TN. Once feed and put into PJ's, the kids were wiped out! Amazingly we are still all smiles.

And We're Off

We are finally packed up and ready to hit the road! Wish us luck.

A Visit From Sonya

My friend Sonya, who lives in Florida, came today. We had a wonderful lunch together and then hung out with the kids. It was disappointing that i couldn't hang out with her longer. She had a busy itinery and I had to finish packing for our trip before Patrick got home from work.







Sonj brought the kids these awesome new toys to help pass the time on our trip. They love them!

Swapping Cars

The twins and I were up in Urbana last night and today. We came up to drop of Charlie and swap cars for our upcoming trip to South Carolina. My mom graciously lent us her car (it's a crossover Chevy Uplander). While we were up there the twins got to meet Rhonda, Joey, and Megan. They were visiting my parents that week.