Family Pictures Take 1...

We finally decieded it was time to go take our first set of family pictures!  Weeks of planning went into this trip...finding a location, picking out outfits, returning outfits, strageticaly planning our schedule so the boys would sleep on the way there and be in good moods when we arrived, and hunting for a photographer that didn't charge an arm and a leg.  None of that matteres when you get there and the babies start crying before you even try to take the first picture.  I can always rely on Bennett to give me a smile, but he just couldn't turn his frown upside down.  Blake for the most part was great, he loves being outside!  He slept for an hour and a half in his stroller...that is unheard of at home!

My friend Lindsey, who was my neighbor in the hospital, took our pictures for us and she brought along her adorable twin girls, Addison and Elle, and the cutest toddler ever, Luke!  We had a great time with all of the kids and it's always fun to get out and do things with another mom of twins!  She is an inspiration to me and is Super Mom in my eyes (this girl can do it all, and without help)!

We started with family pictures first incase the boys didn't last so at least we would have one of the 4 of us together!  Good thing we did, because it went down hill after this!

Bennett tolerating us...

Blake tolerating us...

...then came the sad face!

Luke, Addison and Elle (don't ask me which one is which!)

Bennett during our picnic lunch

Lindsey, Luke, Addison and Elle

Silly Luke :-)

My future daughter-in-laws!  How sweet are they!

I love this smile that Blake gives us!

We had to take what we could get at this point!

Bennett found his smile for a minute!

So I like to consider this our practice run for Family Pictures Take 2!  While at the Dallas Arboretum Lindsey and I bought a season pass to take the kids back and take more pictures.  I am determined to take the boys back and put them in the pumpkins in redicilous outfits until they smile!

Adventures at 6 Months Old!

It's hard for me to believe that the boys are already 6 1/2 months old!  I was just thinking the other day that I will need to start planning their 1st birthday in a few months!  Where did the time go?

Blake's Stats:                                            Bennett's Stats:
Weight:  17 pounds 3 ounces (38%)         Weight:  17pounds 2 ounces (37%)
Height:  27.75 inches (85%)                      Height:  26 inches (28%)
Head Circumference:  46 cm (94%!)         Head Circumference:  43.5cm (37%)

Blake's 6 Favorite Things at 6 Months:
1.  One on one interaction...He would be happy as a clam to have undivided attention all day.  He is going to be our social butterfly!
2.  Being outside...It's amazing how Mother Nature can calm a baby so quickly.
3.  His Swing...inside or outside and the faster the better.  He is our dare devil!
4.  Bounce-a-roo seat
5.  Bath time!  No matter how tired he is he always finds the energy to play in the tub!
6.  Going for walks in his stroller...we try to go every day!

Bennett's 6 Favorite Things at 6 Months:
1.  His hands.  They have replaced his pacifier except when he is going to sleep.  He is becoming a proficient thumb sucker too.
2.  Tummy time mat...he could lay there forever and play
3.  Waking up...he is the happiest little guy first thing in the morning.  He gives me the biggest smile every time he sees me look over his crib rail!
4.  Baby food.  I am so thankful for this one!  He laughs and talks the whole time we eat and if I'm lucky I get a shower of baby food when he blows me raspberries!
5.  Making faces at mom...he has learned how to stick his bottom lip out to get attention and when you look at him he just smiles and laughs. 
6.  TV...I set him in his bouncy seat while he finishes his tube feed at least once a day and he watches The Mickey Mouse Club...he loves all of the colors an the music!

Mom's Favorite Things at 6 Months:
1.  Listening to the boys talk to each other.  They really take turns going back and forth!
2.  Watching the boys hold hands when I put them on the play mat next to each other.  It's so sweet and just reinforces my theory that they will only love each other and never fight!
3.  Seeing the boys experience new things for the first time.  It's so great to see someone discover the world and all of the great things it holds!
4.  Giving the boys a bath...and getting one at the same time!  You almost need a rain coat if you don't want to get wet!
5.  Rocking my boys to sleep!  There is nothing sweeter than holding a sleeping baby.  They will never be too old for this in my book!
6.  Looking forward to the things I will get to do with them.  I'm currently looking forward to taking them swimming for the first time next summer the most...with how much they love bath time I can't wait to see what they think of a pool :-)

Here are some pictures of our advenures at 6 months old!

First Hair Cut!

Today we took Blake for his first hair cut!  It may seem a little early for a first hair cut at 6 months old, but he was born needing a hair cut.  Today was more of a trim to tame the wildness, but nonetheless still his first hair cut.

Things Are Changing!

It's been a few weeks since my last post and boy have things started changing fast with the boys...so many things in fact I'm not sure where to begin!

First we will start with the huge accomplishment that Blake now rolls over!  He use to hate tummy time, but now that he knows he can get himself out of it he is much more tolerant.  Bennett is still working on rolling over, but he is just so happy wherever you put him that he doesn't see the need to go anywhere.

Blake teaching Bennett how to roll over!

The boys are still doing great with eating baby food.  Blake is in LOVE with apples and Bennett just loves to have fun while he eats.  It's a blast!

A few weeks ago I attempted to take the boys out by myself for the first time to go see my friend Laura for lunch at the school I use to work at.  The venture started at 6:15am for a departure from the house at 10:00am.  I should have know I was in trouble when they didn't sleep in the car and Blake cried all the way down 820.  They were good for the first 5 minutes we were there and then 'Stranger Danger' set in and it was all over.  Both babies were screaming and after about 10 minutes I quickly exited the back door with a vow to never do that again!  It was a little overwhelming to say the least.  One baby crying at a time I can handle, but 2 is impossible.  It is especially difficult since they now have empathy for each other and when one cries the other soon will follow (when we are at home the dog chimes in too)...I just have to laugh!

This is the first time I really noticed the boys noticing each other...let the fun begin!  Bennett got Blake back today for all of the kicking in this video.  He got a hand full of Blake's lucious locks and gave them a good yank!  OUCH!

Both boys are starting to teethe!  You can see 2 of Blake's bottom teeth and one of Bennett's.  They are drooling machines and can't chew enough on anything in sight, including me!

We went to the pulmonologist for Bennett last week and he is officially done with oxygen and monitors!  She even took him off his diuretics!  It is a huge step in his little life!

That's all I can think of for now, but that's enough!  They are changing and growing so fast that I can't keep up and all I want to do is remember every moment.

Just Call Me Gerber!

Since the boys have starting trying baby food I decided that I wanted to try to make it instead of buying it.  Tonight was my first experiment.  It was a bit messy, but a success!

YUMMIE sweet potatoes!

First I tried the bullet...not my favorite.  The potatoes were too thick and just stayed in the top.

...then I tried this and it was much easier to get a smooth consistency

Freezer tray with a few weeks worth of baby food!

A week ago Friday we took Bennett off his oxygen to see how he would do and he has done GREAT!  He has not had to go back on his oxygen at all in a week and he is happier than ever.  I think he was just as ready to have all of his tubes gone as I was.

First day off oxygen!

For Labor Day we had family over for a BBQ and it was so nice to visit and have our family together!

Grandmother and Poppy with the boys

Poppy and Bennett

Poppy and Blake...everyday is a crazy hair day for Blake lately!

On Wednesday we had our first speech therapy appointment at Children's in Southlake for Bennett.  I wasn't expecting it, but she had him try sweet potatoes!  She pretty much just let him play with the spoon with some food on it and he had a blast!  He had sweet potatoes in his hair and eyelashes!  There are no words to describe how happy it makes me when I see him open his mouth and want another bite!

We had to share Bennett's sweet potato experience with Daddy later that night when he got home!

Blake got to try sweet potatoes for the first time too!

Just an extra bonus of one of my favorite things in the world...holding both my boys at the same time!



Solids!

Blake at his first meal of solids tonight...OATMEAL!  He did so well!  He wore half of it, but toward the end he was fussing because I wasn't feeding him fast enough.  I'm not sure who had more fun, me or him...I think I did :-)

So YUMMIE!

At times he preferred to shovel it in with his fist

Mia and Bennett watched Blake's first meal!

Boys in their matching jamies!