Camping: Take One

We decided to go on our first camping trip.  But to play it smart we decided to go someplace close to home.  So we went a few miles down the road to Baldwin Oaks.  It had many trees to make for plenty of shade.  There were several Sassafras trees as well as Oak trees as the name of the campground indicates.  I liked that there is not a lake at this campground so I won't have to worry about the boys running into the water when I'm not looking.

So Friday (June 9th) we set out for the campground with boys in tow.  Grandma and I had set up the tent the night before while Grandpa watched the boys so we wouldn't need to worry about them getting in the way or running off.  Once we got to the campground we just had to set up inside the tent.  Then the boys were set free to investigate their new home.  They did fairly well staying around our site and not wandering off.  They recognized the tent right away.  We had set it up in the house the week before to make sure there was no problems with it.  At that time they had a chance to play in it and thought it was the coolest thing ever.  They cried and hollered something fierce when I took it back down.  But it made it nice to have something familiar there when they started to look around.

They wore shorts when we arrived but it didn't take long for me to realize that plain ole diapers was a better choice for camping attire.  Especially since I brought the kiddie pool for them to play in.  I don't put too much water in the pool in case they slip they won't drown.  They did more than just play in the pool.  Because it was so much more fun pushing the pool.  Mostly it was William pushing.  He is going to be Mr. Universe someday.  He thrives on lifting or pushing large and very heavy objects.  Grandma referred to him as Atlas (as in Greek mythology). 

I think they enjoyed eating their lunch outdoors.  At first we thought we could let them walk around us and we would feed them from our chairs.  There were way too many distractions to keep them focused on food so I conceded and pulled out their feeding chairs.  We finished our lunch at the picnic table.  That was our first learning curve to camping with lil' ones.  

After lunch they took a nap in the tent and woke up rearing to go again.  More playing and discovering to do until dinner.  Grandma made dinner on the grill.  We decided not to do any campfires because I was too worried about them having an accident.  I didn't want to experience the nightmare of one of them falling into the fire.  She made one pot spaghetti and green beans.  Then she roasted some red peppers for the next day.  The boys like it.  And they shared some with the critters.  Well, what fell under their seats anyway.

It was getting close to bedtime when we drove home to check on the cats and grab a couple things we forgot about.  The boys were so worn out that they fell asleep in the car.  It thought this was great because then I could just put them to bed for the night back at camp.  Nope.  They woke up and wouldn't go back down.  They cried and cried and cried.  We even tried laying down with them but that just made them want to crawl around the tent and play.  So I put them in the pack-n-plays and left the tent.  More crying.  Part of the problem I think was they were so tired that they couldn't calm down. The other part was probably where we were situated.  The pool was on one side of us and the playground on the other.  So we had a lot of noise coming at us and it would be hard to go to sleep with so many other kids playing loudly.  I tried until 10 pm to get them down before I gave up.  We packed it in and went home for the night.  They quieted down in the car immediately and were out in just a few minutes.  Once we got home and laid them in the cribs we didn't hear one peep out of them until morning.  

Day 1

Overseeing the campsite set-up.

Levi is sitting in the camping chair and William is climbing the stroller.

Captain America  a.k.a. Levi

How 'bout that.  It's a tree.

Investigating the table.

I love those chipmunky cheeks

My dynamic duo.

Ooooooo, a stick!

Levi guarding the tent.

Both boys thought the water faucet was quite nifty.  Sometimes we would turn it on to a little dribble and they would try catching the water.  It looked like a string to them but they couldn't grab onto it.

Plumb wore out from playing all day.  Just a short snooze please.

We came back after lunch the second day.  My little men were dressed in t-shirts and bathing suits over their diapers.  Just so they didn't look so uncivilized.  The boys recognized where they were and set off for more adventures.  One of the things they decided they really liked about the campsite was running in and out of the tent.  They could go on and on with that game.  It was good for me because it gave me a break and kept them from running onto the "road."  

At times they did try traveling further.  There was a couple of dogs at a nearby site and William locked onto them.  He kept wanting to go over there.  I got some exercise chasing him down.  

I was pleased that we made it through the camping trip without their tender skin getting burned.  That in itself should make the whole trip a success.  Of course there was a lot of shade which helped.  But occasionally they would play where there was some sun so I made sure to keep the lotion flowing.  One time William walked out of the shade into the sun.  The ground must have felt really hot to his little feet because he started doing a little panic dance and then started crying.  He didn't know what to do but knew he hurt.  Grandma ran over to him and picked him up.  She walked him to the kiddie pool and put his feet in the water.  Instant relief.  Poor kid.  Such tender little feet.

It was a great weekend for camping.  The weather was even kind.  No rain or wind.  It was in the 80's but it felt really nice at the campground.  Between the shade and gentle breeze it felt perfect.  Sometimes we would pull our chairs up to the kiddie pool and stick our feet in.  There were a couple of times that William slipped and fell in the water.  It was an unpleasant surprise  for him but I was right there to grab him and then hold him.  I of course got soaked when I would hold him but it felt good and kept me cool.  William liked the snuggling and I soaked it up too, literally.

After dinner I slowly started packing up the site and putting what could in the car.  We decided to make it our last day and not come back on Sunday.  I knew we were all going to need a day to sleep a lot.  Okay, Mom and Grandma needed to sleep a lot.  Those boys sure kept us on our toes.  Having to be so vigilant can wear a person out.  At least at home they have boundaries so you don't have to watch them every second.  Once we were home we unloaded the car and I left Grandma to giving the boys their baths and getting ready for bed.  I went back to finish packing up the site.  When I came home I could hear crying before I got in the door.  They had just had their baths and were upset that they couldn't play in the water longer.  I guess I got there in time.  Off to bed they went and they slept good all night long.  They even slept in late the next morning.  How nice.

So in conclusion....we have decided that they are too young for overnight camping.  This year we will stick to day-camping at some local parks.  There are is no lack for parks in our area so we could pick a new one every week and it would take a year to get to them all.  Next year we will try it again and hopefully they will be able to understand what is going on and be able to sleep in the tent at night.

Day 2

Playing the "in & out" game.

So that was our trip.  Not too eventful and mostly enjoyable.  :)

Progress. Finally!

William has a sensitive spirit.  He cries or fusses about things a little too quickly.  He has a difficult time handling change.  And he needs a physical connection with someone often.  So it isn't a shock that he has been challenging for me to get him to sleep on his own.  He has slept with me for the most part since he was born.  Before he could roll over he would nap in the crib but since then I haven't had much success.  It has been exhausting for me because it wakes me up so often when he is moving around.  I love snuggling with him but he needs to learn to sleep without physical contact.  

Now that he is over the ear infections and Roseola I felt I could finally tackle this problem.  So the past week has been all about Operation: "GO TO SLEEP!"

I started out with putting him in the pack'n'play for naps but he would scream and never go to sleep.  Fail. I decided I wasn't going to force it or fight it.  Instead I let him stay awake and play.  Even though he would rub his eyes and was tired I wasn't going to rock him to sleep.  He would try climbing into my lap and laying his head on my shoulder but I wouldn't let him get comfortable.  So for two days he didn't have a morning nap.  By the time Levi was ready for his afternoon nap so was William.  I put him in the pack'n'play and after a couple minutes of fussing he was so tired he laid down and slept.  

Success!

While I was working on naps I didn't want to work on nighttime.  I didn't want to stress him out too much so I stuck to our normal nighttime routine.  In a way it was nice because it made sure I went to bed at a decent time.

William is doing better at going down for a nap.  He doesn't fuss so much.  So I started working on bedtime with him.  The first night I let him cry for an hour before I got him out of bed.  My heart just couldn't let him go on crying any longer.  He fell asleep in my arms very quickly.  The second night I sat on my bed while he cried.  I thought that being nearby might make him feel not so abandoned.  He cried for close to an hour before he wore himself out.  Once he fell to his knees he laid down and fell asleep very quickly.  Whew! What an ordeal.  

I felt pretty good about it.  This was the first time he had fallen asleep in his crib.  He slept there until about four am when he started crying and then I scooped him up and laid him in bed by me.  At least I got a couple hours of snuggling in.

The third night he cried for fifteen minutes or so and sounded pretty panicky.  I went and got him and held him for another fifteen minutes before putting him back to bed.  He wasn't crying constantly anymore.  He would have a minute or two of resting before resuming the crying.  But he fell asleep sooner than the night before.  And I did not sit in the room with him.  Add to this the fact that he slept in his crib the entire night.  This was a big deal for me and I was so proud of him.  My sweet little man.

Tonight he cried but was out within a half hour.  I think it is getting better for him which means it is getting better for me.  Well, sort of.  I will get more rest but I sure will miss holding him while he sleeps.

It tears my heart to hear him cry and not respond to him.  Everything within me wants to go and scoop him up and cradle him in my arms.  Then kiss on him and tell him everything will be fine.  

That is the challenge to being a good parent isn't it?  Wanting to give into the child's desire but knowing you have to stay strong for the good of the child.  And to think the challenges will only get harder the older they are.  Five years from know I will look back on this and probably think of how easy that was compared to whatever I will be going through.   

Sometimes I ponder over the moments I have with these boys.  I compare it to what God must feel about us.  Having a child gives me so much insight into the love God has for us.  It makes me realize how selfish I have been.  Who am I kidding...how selfish I am.  I don't want to be selfish and I don't want to teach my children to be selfish.  I am grateful that God is so forgiving and His love is never-ending.  God give me the tools to be a good mom and raise them to be upright men, knowing what is good and noble.

Houston, we have a tooth!

Tonight my Mom was giving William a drink of water from a glass and we could hear a tiny little clink.  I stuck my finger in his mouth but I couldn't feel anything sharp.  She felt in there and she found it.  I felt again and sure enough I felt a tooth.  I have been waiting for one to break through for the last few weeks.  He has had several signs that there was a tooth trying to break through.  Below his lower lip was red and chapped and his tongue has been exploring his lower gums like a ship in a storm.  The faces he makes when he does this just makes me laugh.  He has been ornery the last couple of days and slept a lot today.  He had a three hour nap and I was actually worried about him so I kept checking to make sure he was still breathing and then an hour or so after he awoke from that nap he fell asleep again.  That soooo not like him.  Well I am relieved to know it has finally broke through.  And yet I am a little saddened to know his days as a toothless wonder are over.

It has begun.

It has officially begun.  Levi wanted the toy William was playing with.  He rolled over to William and took it out of Williams hands and William began to cry.  Levi is now pounding the toy into the ground.  Happy Tuesday!

The boys are growing right before my eyes.  The other day I was looking at their toes and realized they were three times larger than when they were born.  Now when I hold them their heads will rest on my shoulder and their feet are touching my lap.  How does this growth happen so fast? sigh.

Well the boys are rolling a lot.  William finally rolled from back to his tummy on October 11 and I missed it.  He was on the floor laying on the activity pad and I was about to walk out of the room for a minute when he suddenly rolled to his side like he does often.  But he just seemed so close this time to rolling so I stopped to watch but he didn't.  He rolled to his back again and kept on playing.  I felt like he could have done it but he just needed to figure out to lift his head up and then he would just finish rolling the rest of the way.  So later in the evening he was laying on the floor and my mom and I were watching tv.  She looked down at William and exclaimed that he had rolled over.  I looked down and sure enough he was on his tummy.  He was right in front of me and I missed seeing it!  I was so disappointed and yet so excited.  But he has been rolling easily since then.

Levi is so quick about rolling from one end of the room to the other.  Although I have noticed that he rolls to his left the majority of the time.  He sure thinks he is hot stuff because he can get places.

William has a couple of tricks.  He likes to make himself cough.  I call him my little faker.  His other thing is to arch his back while he is laying face up.  He balances himself on the very back of his head and either his butt or sometimes his feet.  He looks like a bridge.  He can stay in that position for quite a while too.  He likes to spit or try whistling while he does this.  That child makes me laugh at his silly antics.  He really is quite a character.

A few weeks ago Levi was sitting on the potty and surprised me by pooping.  Yay.  But the celebration has been short lived.  He actually has regressed and will not go on the potty for me anymore.  He hasn't for at least a couple of weeks.  I have given up on him and have concentrated on William.  William will sometimes pee on the potty.  He still hasn't given any signs to say he needs to go but he definitely has signs to say that he is dirty and does not like it.  This is a good thing.  I see it as progress and when he figures out that he can avoid dirty pants all together I think it will be a fairly easy transition for him.  I hope.

I see the failure with Levi as my own fault.  My wrists are so weak that it is hard for me to consistent from day to day.  One day I can be on top of it but then the next day my wrists hurt and are so weak that I can barely hold onto them.  I end up taking two or three days off to let my wrists recover.  It doesn't help that they are so big and heavy now and Levi is so wiggly and strong that it makes it even more challenging for me to hold onto him with such weak wrists.  I guess he prefers peeing in his diaper for now.  I'm kicking myself for not starting them when they were only a few weeks old.  But it is what it is.

We have been adding foods to the diet the last few weeks and this week the boys have been doing very well with eating their pureed foods.  So far they have had oatmeal, apples, peas, carrots and sweet potatoes.  Levi loves peas and isn't so sure about the apples.  He scrunches up his nose and wiggles like he just got the chills.  William loves the apples and is not a fan of the peas.  Next week I think we will try adding barley and chicken to the menu.

There is a consequence to changing their diet however.  Yes, you guessed it.  The diaper changing experience has gotten a lot more interesting.  Stinkier and more colorful.  :-)  In spite of the dirty chores I still call this the best job I have ever had.

Rolling Sniffles

Levi rolled from back to front today.  And then kept on doing it.   Way to go my little man!  I'm so excited that he gets it.  It will be fun to watch him when he realizes that he can keep on rolling to get where he wants to go.

When he rolled the first time today I almost missed it.  He was laying on the activity pad and I was about to walk into the other room for a minute and then I noticed he was on his side with his hips way over nearly flat to the ground.  So I stopped and waited and sure enough he pulled his shoulder out from under himself and he was tummy to the ground.  I was so happy that I cheered him and he turned his head toward me and gave me a big smile.

I forgot to mention in my last post that we have also started learning some sign language.  Hopefully it will help communicate their needs for food or the potty.  I am using American Sign Language so it can be useful for them even when they are older.  Hopefully we can keep up with it and we will become fluent enough to communicate with the deaf in needed. :)

William seems to be coming down with a cold or at the very least some congestion and a bit of a cough.  He HATES it when I have to clear his nose out.  Talk about screaming bloody murder.  I feel bad for him though.  Aside from those moments he has been such a good boy today.  Smiles and snuggles.  He's been the little boy that I have been missing for the last couple of weeks.  Love him so.  I have a nest in my bed made up with an incline so that hopefully it will help him with the nasal congestion and to get some good rest tonight.  I hope.

It's potty time!

So back when I was pregnant with Arawynn I went to a class called Pee Speak and it is about potty training your infant.  The woman started training her daughter at 3 weeks of age.  Incredible huh?  Anyway, my goal was to start potty training with her right away.  But we all know things didn't go the way we all expected it to and I never got the chance to try.  So when the boys arrived I decided to try it when they turned  three months.  If I wasn't having twins I would have made an earlier goal but realistically I just knew I would be to exhausted to start any earlier.  Unfortunately my life has been in chaos with trying to get moved out of my house and I have kept putting it off week after week.  I kept saying I would start once I finished moving out.  Well I'm still not done moving and I'm sick of delaying this process.

Early this week a friend of mine commented on how her grandson is five months and is doing well with potty training.  I guess it sparked a fire in me to stop waiting and just get started already.  So I did...that same day.  Levi peed on the potty three times and the next day William did it twice and Levi once.  It has been going well so far.  I admit I am going through more diapers right now just because I change them so frequently but in the long run it will save me lots of laundry.  So September 25 the boys officially started potty training and they are just shy of five months.  I hope I can have them fully trained before they turn one.  Can it be done?  We shall all see.  (p.s. thanks Roxanne!)

William using the potty.

Both boys have been starting to notice each other over the last two weeks and in the past week they have been smiling and staring at each other a lot.  I have even gotten them face to face and they try to eat each other, sorta.  Sometimes they get downright excited to see each other.  If I lay them down next to each other they grab each others hands, face, clothes or whatever they can manage to get a hold of.  I can't let them get to close if I lay them on my bed for a nap because then they just reach for each other instead of napping.

The other big excitement of the week is that Levi has discovered his feet and loves to grab his toes or pull his socks off.  Today Levi rolled from his tummy to his back four times!  This was his first time and he keeps on rolling.  I think Levi is really close to being able to roll from back to his tummy.  William still hasn't rolled over since the 14th.  Maybe he decided it was overrated.

The boys can now start eating some solids.  They had carrots earlier this week and I know that they swallowed some of it because I saw it come out the other end.  Then today they had sweet potatoes.  Levi did okay eating.  He pushed a lot of the food back out but he ate some of it.  He didn't get any funny expressions on his face but William sure did.  He lips and nose would curl up and you could tell he was thinking he didn't like it very well.  But he sure ended up eating quite a bit.  I bet Levi got down a teaspoon and William probably 1.5 teaspoons.  William also drank some apple cider with his meal.  They are both getting really good about drinking from a cup and they are really starting to get the sipping and swallowing idea down.  The boys certainly know what a cup is for and they are ready for it when it starts coming towards their mouths.

William eating carrots.

Levi eating his carrots.  Actually spitting it out.

On a mommy note, I could use some prayers about my wrists.  All of the repetitious movements of changing diapers, feeding, holding, burping, potty training and washing bottles has worn the ligaments in my wrists.  They have been so worn out from overuse that I have lost a lot of strength in them, especially my left one.  I have a lot of discomfort and some pain with them.  I have been trying to put as much use and weight onto my forearms when I can so that my wrists get a break but it only helps so much.  I guess I am concerned that this may lead to carpal tunnel and quite frankly I just don't want it.  I am of the stubborn opinion that I have been through enough stuff that I don't need to add that to my list of problems.  Unfortunately the pain and achiness makes it hard to ignore.   Is this what getting old is like?  It sucks.

lil' Levi

Just as the shirt suggests, "This is what handsome looks like"

William is sweetest when he is asleep.

"my walker is pretty cool"

Weights, Whinery and Wiley William

So it's been exciting here the last couple of days.  Monday the boys went in for their four month check.  Levi weighed in at 15 lbs and William at 14.  Levi may have William beat by a whole pound but William is still longer by a quarter inch (23.5 and 23.75 inches).  Doc said they were doing great and he gave mommy an A+.  He paid me a compliment too.  He said he can tell I was going to be a great mother because I was laid back, calm and didn't get worked up about little things.  I said that once you lose one child everything else seems trivial and he quite agreed.

So while we were waiting in the room waiting for the doctor to come in I had laid William on the table and Levi was sitting in his cars eat.  The second William touched the table his legs and arms started going like a tap dancer.  I think he loved the crinkly sound of the paper because he just went on and on dancing.  After a couple of minutes watching and laughing at him I looked over at Levi and that kid was trying to squirm, or should I say escape his way out of the car seat.  It just made me laugh even harder.  He was in his orange diaper and that chubby little tummy of his was wiggling all over the place.  He was so far down in the seat that his legs were sticking way out and kicking the other car seat that was setting opposite of him.  They have come a long ways from being newborns.

So the boys had a series of shots and Levi was not a happy camper about it.  He thought the world was ending.  I was expecting William to act the same but surprisingly he did much better.  He cried when he got poked but once the nurse picked him up and held him he was completely fine.  I was still trying to calm Levi down and he didn't settle until I put him the car.  It was not a pleasant evening.  Levi was very agitated and crabby all evening.  I finally gave him some tylenol when he felt warm and feverish and he finally went to bed about ten.  William was somewhat cranky too and he wouldn't go down until 10:30 and that was after a lot of coaxing.  I finally had to lay in my bed with him and hold onto him while he squirmed and completely wore himself out.  He was still whining as he drifted off.  I let him lay there until midnight and then moved him to his crib.  In the morning Levi was back to his old happy self but William was a super cranky baby all day long.  He was a constant barrage of whinery, and not the tasty kind.  Thankfully he crashed early last night and was in bed about 7:30.

So this morning Doug got Levi up and dressed him in a Michigan onesie.  So of course when I got William up and dressed I put him in the Michigan State onesie.  Doug did not approve.  Anyway, Doug fed Levi in the dinning room and I sat with William in the living room.  William was playing with the bottle and since he wasn't interested in food I laid him on his tummy on the floor.  He looked around for a minute or two and then, ploop, he rolled over with what seemed no effort.  I screamed just as Doug walked into the room with Levi.  He missed seeing it by 1 second.  I rolled William back onto his tummy and hoped he would do it again but he didn't.  Maybe later today.  It was a fabulous first anyway.  The irony in this is that I was imagining him rolling over and that I should go get my camera to record some video.  Who knows I might catch his first roll over on video....so much for that happening.  Now that William has beat Levi in the "who will roll over first" contest, will this be a prediction as to who is going to win the Michigan vs. Michigan State game?

And while William was rolling over I missed taking a call from my dad but I called him back right away.  Apparently two ducks had just flown through his front, two-paned picture window.  So I walked over there with my camera so he could take pictures for his insurance.  There was glass everywhere and he shooed them outside before he saw the blood on his couch.  So there is an injured duck out there somewhere.  I hope he ends up being okay.

happy birthday mommy

Well today is my birthday and I feel older than my 32 years suggests.  Regardless of how old I feel I wouldn't change anything about my life right now.  My boys are what make my day each morning and fill me up with so much love.

I'm going down to Shipshewana with Doug and my parents.  You know you are getting old when a trip to Amish land for lunch and grocery shopping gets you excited.  Oh well, that's my kind of fun and I don't care who knows it. :)

I will admit though that I am feeling on the verge of panic and trying to keep the tears at bay today.  I'm leaving my boys with some friends for the day and I know they will be great with the kids.  My fear has nothing to do with their undoubtable ability to care for my boys.  It has to do with the fact that Doug and I still have not decided what to do with the boys if something should happen to us.  All I can think of is that we will get in a car crash on the way down and die.  What then would happen to my boys?  We would be leaving a great big legal mess behind us.  All I have running through my mind since 4 am is what if...what if...what if.  This really stinks.

I know we don't lack for people in our lives who love our little boys but I worry just the same.  So prayers today that nothing happens to us and that we make it back safe to our precious cargo!

Wily William

William learned a new trick yesterday.  He can purse his lips together, stick the lower lip out some and then he makes spurting sounds.  He's practically spraying slobber everywhere when he does it too.  Then today he improved on that trick while we were all sitting at the dinner table.  He can suck his upper lip in and hold it there for a while.  We were all cracking up over it.  Who needs tv when you have children.  They are way more entertaining.

William has been so vocal the last couple of days prior to going to bed.  He gets so loud and moves around so much that it is hard to hold onto him.  He practically yells in your face like an angry referee.  I have to let him get it all out before he finally crashes and then he will sleep for several hours into the night.  Silly little boy.

Great Grandma Hickey bought the boys a couple of light blue, super soft and fuzzy bunny rattles when we found out we were having boys.  The last few weeks they have been able to really enjoy them.  But I think William likes them the most.  When he sees one coming at him he gets excited.  His limbs starting moving and he gets an open mouthed grin.  When I lay it on his chest or legs he grabs onto it right away and pulls it up to his mouth and starts going to town.  He loves the feel of it on his face.  I can see the wheels cranking in his brain when he is grabbing at it.  The only other thing he gets as much joy playing with is a burp cloth.

One great thing about William is that he does really well sleeping at night.  He typically gets up only once to eat and then occasionally he sleeps through the night.  Unfortunately he makes up for lost time during the day.  Naps are something he tries to deny being a part of his vocabulary.  His little naps are five to twenty minutes long.  He will sleep longer but only if, and I repeat ONLY if someone is holding him.  If you lay him down so you can get some work done he will only sleep a few minutes because then he will realize that he is not being held and then the yelling begins.  Oiy!  I love that kid but man I can't get much done.  What saves me from getting upset with him is that he is so stinkin' funny.

2 months and counting

We are having some fun this weekend because Grandma Deborah and Grandpa Joseph are in town visiting.  The boys are getting and giving all kinds of loving.  Today we went to the Fulton Street farmers market and picked up some amazing fruits and veggies.  Yum yum yummy in my tum tum tummy.

Wednesday was their two month check at the doctors office.  William weighed in at 10 lbs 4 oz.  He is 22.5 inches long.  Levi weighed in at 11 lbs and is 22 inches long.  The doctor gave Mama and Papa an A+ on caring for these boys.  They go back in two months.

They had to get some shots that day.  I was leaning over William as he laid on the table and then the nurse walked in.  She asked me if I was nervous.  I said no but I can imagine there are a lot of parents who get anxious about the shots.  I was thinking after all we went through with Arawynn this would be cake.  I pinned their arms down while she gave the shots and Papa got to soothe them afterwards.  I don't think I will forget the look on their faces when they got their first poke.  Silence, surprise and then wailing.  Poor babes.

Levi is becoming more aware of his hands.  He grabs for the bottle and tries to pull it to his mouth.  Today I put the pacifier in his hand and he pulled it to his mouth and almost got it in by himself.  I was amazed by how well he is doing.  His motor skills are farther along than William but William has him beat on strength.  William can practically stand up by himself.  He stands up on my lap and stiffens up real tight and I hold him loosely but enough that he doesn't tip over.  I love these boys.

Happy Independence Day!

What a busy weekend it's been.  I'm glad tomorrow is back to "normal" but so thankful for the wonderful time we have had over the last few days.

Friday the boys and I went to visit the Lang family near Flint.  It was about a two hour drive and I admit I was a little nervous about making that trek.  Doug was on the last day of his trip and so we planned that he would fly into the Flint airport and I would pick him up there which then meant I was driving with the boys by myself.  It is so hard to drive when you can't see your child and know whether they are awake or asleep.  I get anxious that the car seat straps will cut their necks or hurt them in some way.  I can't reach around to touch and reassure them if they start crying.  I hate it that the seats have to be rear facing.  But, you do what you have to and we made it all in one piece to our destination.

Grandma Heidi couldn't wait to get her hands on the boys when I drove up to the house.  She even stayed up that night to watch the boys and I went to bed early and slept great.  She can be the night shift anytime. :)

Saturday we took the boys over to their Great Grandparents and much of the aunts, uncles and cousins came to see the new addition to the family before heading back home.  It was a wonderful time seeing everyone.  They will be having a party in August and so the boys will be making another trip out there to see their family.

Sunday we took the boys to a pool party to visit with a bunch of our friends.  I feel like it had been ages since I had seen all of them.  It was really a great afternoon.  And just in case you are wondering, no, I did not put the boys in the pool.  We stayed in the shade for a little while and then spent most of the day in the house keeping cool.

And this afternoon we went to a park in the afternoon to meet some old friends that we haven't seen in several years.  It was great to reconnect with them and meet their beautiful daughters.  They were sweet girls and the oldest just adored the boys.  She couldn't get enough of holding them.  And a side note here, the boys are two months old today!  Gosh, they grow so fast.

So, after such a busy weekend we are ready for some rest time.  We have to get rested because this coming weekend will be filled with more excitement since Grandma Deborah is coming out to see the boys.  She will be blown away by how much they are growing.

Our boys have been so celebrated by family and friends.  It makes everything feel right when I see the happiness on everyones faces when they see the boys.  I love all of you for your love and encouragement you have shown to us.

Another week in paradise.

A couple of days ago Doug was holding William so that he was sitting up.  My brother walked up to them from the side and said, "there's my little nephew," as he touched Williams arm.  William turned his head to the side and looked up at his uncle James.  He then smiled the biggest best smile I have seen him give yet.  It was so amazing to me to see how deliberate and intentional his motions were.  It wasn't accidental or coincidental in any way.

I love how when he smiles his eyes smile too.  His eyelids curve almost as much as his mouth does.  And those eyes are so blue.  Sigh, I melt when I look at either one of them.

Levi has been cooing for the last couple weeks but yesterday William finally started to find his voice.  There were a few instances were he had a short little coo escape from his cute little body.  So sweet.  I look forward to hearing it more frequently.  He has been smiling a bit more too.  He is also becoming somewhat aware of his hands.

They have been growing like weeds.  I don't know how much they weigh or what there length is but I bet they are close to 9 pounds.  They've already outgrown some clothes.  William is starting to have longer stretches of sleep on some nights.  I can't wait for that to be a regular occurrence :)  Levi needs to catch up on that idea.

Since we have been staying at my Mom's house I have been getting another set of hands to help out.  My Dad has been coming over nearly every day to hold one of the boys.  Usually he is holding William.  William has been somewhat of a fussy boy and my Dad has enjoyed the challenge of getting him calm and sleepy.  It's nice to have the extra help so I can get some normal things done like laundry and eating. It is especially helpful on the days when both Doug and my Mom are working.  I get a little panicky when I have two screaming boys and only one set of hands.

Monday night I introduced the boys to the people in my Mom's courtyard.  Each month the residents in her courtyard of the condo association get together for dinner.  They do potlucks in the summer.  It's a nice way for everyone to stay in touch.  The boys were the hit of the evening.  There were so many grandmas out there wanting a chance to hold them so I got to enjoy a break from holding them while I had dinner.  We were outside for a little more than an hour and I could tell the heat was starting to get to them.  Once we got back inside I fed them but it was not a happy evening.  They were crying and not feeling well from the heat.  They eventually got baths in and I think it helped them to get tired out a bit.  I feel so bad when they get overheated.  We have been keeping the air conditioning on every day even when it seems like a "nice" day outside.  Even though it may feel nice to us at 75 degrees I know it is too much for them.  The humidity can be way to much for them.  So I sit in the house with my sweater and socks on and I'm okay with that as long as they are comfortable.