We have 8 month olds...

Boy oh boy, I can't even blink anymore because time is flying too quickly! I simply cannot believe Hudson and Harper are 8 months old! Seriously???
Soon we'll be planning their first birthday party, they'll be taking those first steps and we'll chasing around 2 extremely busy 1 year olds. But for now, I've got two rolly 8 month olds! Crazy!

Hudson will be crawling soon, he's spending lots of time on the belly lately trying to maneuver himself around to get at what he wants. He's rolling from wall to wall, but I can tell that isn't going to cut it for long.

Harper wants to stand. She makes her body stiff as a board and makes it difficult for you to sit her down because she wants to stand...ALL THE TIME! I don't know if she'll be much of a crawler. Something tells me she'll be a walker. Though her feet are so teeny, tiny (just like her great great grandma Fran and great grandma Tootie) that I'm not sure HOW those little feet will hold her up?

This weekend is their dedication/baptism....we're very excited! I've been preparing a menu of food, shopping, getting their outfits picked out, cleaning....on top of MOUNDS of work lately which leaves very little free time. But it's fun, and it will be an extremely special weekend!

I'm signing off because my to do list is longer than my grocery list....and our fridge is BARE! If that tells ya anything!

How precious are these 6 month pics taken by their amazingly talented nanny, Steph!!! We love her!

Month 6 Recap

And here we are again......my peanuts are 7.5 months old and I'm just getting around to this.
Well well......I've got two very busy little twins and Christmas and work and yadda yadda....so life's been a bit on the busy side.
But......better late than never and I'm SO excited to write their 6 month post because this has been such a fun month.

Hudson

Poor little guy, you're a teething fool. You just cut 1 tooth (Jan 8th) but your Grandma says your daddy got 4 teeth at once and I think you're going to follow in his tracks. This has caused you to be a bit more grumpy than normal.....but I don't blame you!
You sit on your own, you can stand on your own when leaning your hands on something. You cut back to 2 long naps a day vs. 3 shorter one's.
You love squash, pears, apples and bananas. You like carrots and peas. NO WAY to the green beans.
You love biter bisquits which we also discovered Kingston does too. Thankfully, you laugh/giggle when he gently takes it from your chubby little hands.
You're still wearing size 3 diapers which are getting a little tight on you.
You have 5 bottles a day, each 6-8oz.
You love to be tickled....up your side, bottoms of your feet are two favorite spots.
You love to look at us, put your hands on each side of our faces and come in for a big open mouth smooch.
You love books, you love your bathtub book, you love baths, you LOVE the dogs, and you love to sit in your high chair and play with just about anything.
When you get excited, you put your hands straight out in front of you and twist your wrists while squeeling....it's so cute baby boy!
Life gets better every single day. I pray that this teething process is over soon because I know it means you're in pain and that breaks mama's heart. Can't believe you're already a half of a year old. Slow down baby boy!

Harper

You've got those two adorable pearly whites, which you are SO proud of. We've recently discovered you love to have your teeth brushed. I mean LOVE! You get all giggly and open up wide so I can brush those two little teeth....and it makes you laugh and smile so hard. I love it!

You still love bathtime. It's so fun to get you undressed at night because you know it's coming and you just jabber so loud, laugh and kick away knowing your fave time of the day is here!

You are great at sitting on your own, and even standing on your own for a short bit when leaning on something.

You have started to do the sweetest thing....when sitting in anyone's lap you constantly crane your neck around to look at the person holding you. You do it a lot when you're being read to. It's so sweet!

You love ANY food we give you. Honestly baby girl.....anything on a spoon is your favorite thing. I think you just really like being fed like a big girl and so whatever it is we offer....you gobble up.

You're in size 3 diapers which fit you great still.

You take 3 smaller naps a day and have been sleeping like a rock star at night. 12 plus hours of uninterrupted slumber. Getting all that beauty sleep!

You have 5 bottles a day, around 6-7oz each.

You are finally growing hair!

You love to blow bubbles with your mouth, swing your hands around and love it when we play patty cake or help you clap your hands.

You became a bit more mobile and stronger this month which I believe made you SO much happier and content. You're a smiley, happy little girl and as I said for Hudson....not a day goes by that doesn't get better than the first. I love you sweetheart and can not believe how much you have changed in the past 6 months.

We hope our 6 month photo shoot pics are almost done and ready to share here soon......soo I'll post them as soon as I'm able to!

Good times!

We've been playing with all kinds of new toys from Christmas.....but as we've learned in the last few weeks.....

Hudson and Harper love their high chairs (I think they love being in the kitchen/dining room for a new perspective and because they like to watch the action in the kitchen while I cook up something)

They also love their high chairs because it means they get to EAT!

They are into the game of throwing toys off of the high chair tray and then insist I pick them up. Over and over and over....we play this game. FUN!

Because I'm in the kitchen and something "new" is always fun and entertaining, the babes have been playing with all kinds of things: measuring cups, tupperware, bowls, ice cream scooper....you name it!

Here are a few action shots!

2011 Say What?

Wait, I had all of these plans to write a post to close out 2010 with all of the wonderful things that have happened this year and all of a sudden it was New Years Eve and the my phone/planner read 2011!?

Sooo....still working on that post. Life has been wonderfully busy and so a little holiday recap is called for as well.

Right now, I'm up to my eyeballs in work so I've gotta get back to things.

Thank you SO MUCH to my dear friends and your emails and texts regarding my dad. His memorial service is this Friday in Duluth and I wouldn't say I'm looking forward to it by any means...but there has been this "looming" day approaching which has been with me daily so it will be nice to gather, mourn his loss and put his spirit and body to rest at peace.

Tomorrows...

I remember finding out I was pregnant the same weekend that Janice, Blake's bosses amazingly, strong and courageous wife lost her battle with cancer. It was odd.....to celebrate the beginnings of life and mourn a life that was remarkable, but too short.
Thanksgiving this year was memorable for several reasons. The twins first Thanksgiving, Izaak their big cousin turned 3, their mama turned 30 and they got to meet their Grandpa Charlie for the first time. Kim and I struggled with trying to squeeze everything in in the short time we had in Duluth. Drive up, Thanksgiving with my mom, lunch or coffee with our step-dad Tom, prepare for Izaak's birthday party, H & H's nap schedule, Izaak's pool party, etc, etc, etc. But we did find time and are so thankful we did, to go to my grandmothers so that the newest grandbabies, Hudson and Harper could see their great grandma Tootie and meet grandpa Charlie.
My parents seperated when I was around 2 years old and divorced when I was 8 or 9. I was a mommy's girl....thru and thru. We had a relationship with our dad and spent every other weekend with him for years.....but over the years we grew apart.
I think both my dad, Charlie and I wish that we could have been closer. Life is tough, however and for reasons I won't go into....we just didn't have an extremely close relationship. I think in the backs of our minds we (and I'm speaking for him) thought that sooner or later things would change and we'd be close. That he'd be a bigger part in my life, that he'd have a bigger role in Hudson, Harper, Izaak, Landon and new baby girls life. There was time to get that all sorted out.
But as life is completely unpredictable.....time ran out for my dad this weekend.
He went to sleep on Saturday night and passed away peacefully.

Lots of emotions come to surface as I deal with the loss of my dad. I'm angry, sad, shocked, scared, at peace, etc.
My amazing husband, family and friends have been there in a way I am so thankful for and dealing with those emotions is a daily ordeal.
However the purpose of this post is to remind myself and anyone reading that life is sacred and extremely precious. Christmas is just days away......families gather to exchange gifts, eat together, honor traditions, laugh and share memories and togetherness. For so many of my close friends, this year is extra special because it's their child's first Christmas....Hudson and Harper have no idea how excited Blake and I are to begin to share the magic of Christmas with them.
Hug those loved ones a little tighter, take time to chat with a relative that you normally don't.....because they are family. And as I am guilty of....I count on the tomorrows instead of celebrating and living the todays.

"You had better live your best and act your best and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow and all the other tomorrows that follow"
~ Harriet Martieau

He's Back!

Mr Huddy McStud is back in business!

This little guy kicked the flu bug to the curb and is his smiley, happy little self. We had 6 months pics taken (6 months???? GULP)on Thursday by our favorite and extremely talented photographer friend, Stephanie and she gave me a sneak peek which literally caused me to lose my breath.

This is my boy.....the little guy who will always be my baby boy, my breath, my everything and he is getting BIG!

Just look at him!!!!!!!

And because I simply can't believe it either...here is his newborn picture. He is exactly .5 year old and brings more joy to my life than words can express.

Miss Harpy Rae will get her own post too when we get a little sneak peek at her 6 month pics too. But because I want to be fair....take a look at this blue-eyed beauty from her Christmas photo shoot:

Pearly Whites...

My baby girl has 2 teeth popping through!!!
We've been noticing it getting a little "raw" looking on her bottom gums and poor Steph and Katie...she was a fussbucket last week. Then this morning we wake up to two SHARP little teething peeking through!
Awww!!!!
She was all gummy smiles today so it appears she is quite proud of her pearly whites!

Another milestone for today, but not a good one...my baby boy seems to be sick for the first time ever. He's had a little cold here and there but he's got a stomach bug and you wouldn't know it because he's still his loving, laid-back self....but YIKES the diapers and poor daddy was projectile vomited on tonight. Say a prayer for our Huds....poor baby!!