ELI'S FIRST HAIRCUT

Elijah had his first haircut today...at 19 months old! He didn't necessarily need a "real" haircut, but it did need to be trimmed in the back and around his ears. His hair is so fine that when it fell to the floor from being cut, it separated so quickly that we could barely find any hair to keep for his baby book!

He started out screaming, but calmed down fast.

Way to go, big boy Eli!

All done! You are such a handsome little boy.

NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK

It’s National Infertility Awareness Week! As many of us know, difficulty conceiving a child is not uncommon. In fact, 1 in 8 women and men are diagnosed with infertility. (www.resolve.org)

If you know our story, you know that Nick and I are one of those eight. After almost exactly four years from when we started trying to have a baby, we were blessed with our two miracle babies by IVF, fraternal twin boys, Elijah and Will, who were born in September of 2010.

Infertility shouldn’t be a taboo subject. Be aware, be informed, and be supportive.

This is an amazing video, which gives a little insight into how someone with infertility may feel. Click to watch!

Empty Arms Video

Here's another wonderful video. It is the song, "I Would Die for That" by Kelley Coffey. It is very touching - have a tissue close by!




Want to learn more about infertility?
Here are a few of my favorite infertility links.


www.bethany.org/step/
www.infertilityeducation.org/brochure.html
www.dancinguponbarrenland.com
www.resolve.org
http://www.hannah.org

CRAZY TODDLER TWINS

I had this video uploaded, but forgot to post it. I just had to share it as it is HILARIOUS! It's from about 3 weeks ago while the boys were 18 months old.

There is never a dull moment around here, I tell ya!

Do all toddler boys act like this or was I just super blessed? HA!

Seriously...these kids are NUTS! I love it!

They actually act like this quite often. Especially when we strip them down to their diapers. Whenever the boys seem super fussy, we take off their clothes and they get in a good mood immediately, running around like little maniacs. Works every time! I guess they like being naked. :)

Also note that you can see red marks on both of their foreheads. A few minutes before this video, they ran smack into each other and both flew over backwards. It was hilarious!

Here's the funny video, taken 30 minutes before bedtime.

It's a little over 5 minutes long, but totally worth it. Trust me!

19 MONTHS OLD

Hi everyone!

This is Will! Mommy said it's my turn to do a blog post. Yippee! Eli and I turned 19 months old today on Friday, the 13th. Pretty cool, huh? There are actually 3 Friday the 13th's this year! January, April, and July...all 13 weeks apart. Is anyone freaked out yet? It doesn't scare us at all! We're tough little guys.

Mommy wanted me to tell you that she's so sorry she hasn't been blogging much. Life has been super busy...even more busy than usual. She started a part time job at McKinley Elementary School. Then we went on vacation to Sanibel Island for 9 days. We had such an amazing time! It's so beautiful there. We swam in the pool and went to the beach every day. Mommy said she'll do some blog posts on our trip sometime soon and post some pics. She took about 1600 photos though. So, I'm not sure how she's going to narrow down which few to post! Whew!! That makes me tired just thinking about it all.

So mommy now works in the mornings and only on school days. That means she has the entire summer off. Eli and I go to daycare at our friend, Lisa's house, Monday through Thursday. She is so fun. We just love her so much. She always has so many fun and educational things planned for us each day. We've learned a lot there! Then on Friday's, daddy takes care of us in the mornings! It's been a good fit for all of us. And mommy is glad to have a little break from us and get some adult interaction again. We are happy for her! And since we don't nap long in the afternoons, we still get to spend plenty of time with her everyday.

We got back from Florida at 11pm the night before Easter morning. The Easter Bunny was so good to us. We were excited to find balls in our baskets.




One of my favorite things is when daddy lifts me up in the air like this. I just laugh and laugh and laugh.


A close-up of me in the air!


Here's Elijah in the bath tub tonight. He's squeaky clean.


And here I am. Such a handsome fellow, don't ya think?


Here we are on Monday. Mommy said we were so smiley that she had to take our pic before we went to daycare! Our shirts say "double trouble" but it's not true at all!


We love to color. Looks like we are concentrating pretty hard! Grandma Cox sent us beach coloring sheets. She said it reminded her of Sanibel. We all miss it there and want to go back again someday!


Well, that's about it for now. Mommy said I can do some more blog posts again soon. But she said it's Elijah's turn next. Oh, the life of being a twin...always having to share and take turns. :)

Bye-bye,
Will

18 MONTH CHECK-UP

Waiting for "Dr. Bob" with daddy!



E & W's 18 month well baby check this week was wonderful. They are as healthy as can be. We are so grateful for our healthy miracles. It's crazy to think we don't take them back in for another 6 months and that will be their 2 year check-up! 2 YEARS OLD!!! WHAT?!?!?! What happened to my little babies?

Chugging juice so they will weigh more before the big weigh in. :)



The boys had two shots today. Elijah didn't cry at all and Will only cried for a minute. Wonderful! These were their last immunizations until they are 5 years old. WOO HOO! (Well, except flu shots, that is.)

Here's Will running laps around the examination bed.



Eli ponders, "I wonder what happens when I pull on this cord?"



Eli sporting his "cheesy grin" while the twins cause a ruckus in the exam room.



Will
23 pounds 15 ounces - 23%
32 inches tall - 38%
46 cm head circumference - 8% (teeny tiny head!)


Elijah
24 pounds 4 ounces - 27%
32 inches tall - 38%
47.5 cm head circumference - 40%


Showing off their new onesies...

SWEET READING TIME

Sometimes amongst the chaos, this happens.

My heart is melting....

SIDE BY SIDE

This morning I was doing dishes when suddenly I realized it was quiet.

Too quiet.

I figured those little rascals were up to something.



I looked over and here's what I saw.



Two sweet little boys sitting side by side watching the light rain fall outside.

I ADORE them. :)

THE TODDLER DIET

My messy and adorable WILL!



My messy and adorable ELIJAH!




Taken from: http://www.nanceestar.com/KidsToddlerDiet.html
Link: The Toddler Diet


THE TODDLER DIET
People are always on the lookout for a new diet. The trouble with most diets is that you don't get enough to eat (the starvation diet), you don't get enough variation (the liquid diet) or you go broke (the all-meat diet). Consequently, people tend to cheat on their diets, or quit after 3 days.

Well, now there's the new Toddler Miracle Diet.
Over the years you may have noticed that most two year olds are trim. Now the formula to their success is available to all in this new diet. You may want to consult your doctor before embarking on this diet, otherwise, you may be seeing him afterwards. Good Luck !!!

DAY ONE
Breakfast: One scrambled egg, one piece of toast with grape jelly. Eat two bites of egg, using your fingers; dump the rest on the floor. Take one bite of toast, then smear the jelly over your face and clothes.

Lunch: Four crayons (any color), a handful of potato chips, and a glass of milk (three sips only, then spill the rest).

Dinner: A dry stick, two pennies and a nickel, four sips of flat Sprite.
Bedtime snack: Throw a piece of toast on the kitchen floor.

DAY TWO
Breakfast: Pick up stale toast from kitchen floor and eat it. Drink half bottle of vanilla extract or one vial of vegetable dye.

Lunch: Half tube of "Pulsating Pink" lipstick and a handful of Purina DogChow (any flavor). One ice cube, if desired.

Afternoon snack: Lick an all-day sucker until sticky, take outside, drop in dirt. Retrieve and continue slurping until it is clean again. Then bring inside and drop on rug.

Dinner: A rock or an uncooked bean, which should be thrust up your left nostril. Pour Grape Kool-Aid over mashed potatoes; eat with spoon.

DAY THREE
Breakfast: Two pancakes with plenty of syrup, eat one with fingers, rub in hair. Glass of milk; drink half, stuff other pancake in glass. After breakfast, pick up yesterday's sucker from rug, lick off fuzz, put it on the cushion of best chair.

Lunch: Three matches, peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Spit several bites onto the floor. Pour glass of milk on table and slurp up.

Dinner: Dish of ice cream, handful of potato chips, some red punch. Try to laugh some punch through your nose, if possible.

FINAL DAY
Breakfast: A quarter tube of toothpaste (any flavor), bit of soap, an olive. Pour a glass of milk over bowl of cornflakes, add half a cup of sugar. Once cereal is soggy, drink milk and feed cereal to dog.

Lunch: Eat bread crumbs off kitchen floor and dining room carpet. Find that sucker and finish eating it.

Dinner: Drop pieces of spaghetti onto back of dog, insert meatball into ear. Dump pudding into Kool-Aid and suck up with a straw.

REPEAT DAYS AS NEEDED!






Will and Elijah will now demonstrate other ways to diet like a toddler:



Put food on top of head instead of into your mouth.



Make funny faces instead of eating.



Chew on spoon instead of food.



Make more funny faces.



Shove more food into your ear than into your mouth.



Continue to lick bowl even though nothing is left.



Play peek-a-boo instead of eating.



Try eating your hand instead of food.




And the best of all:


Fall asleep while you are supposed to be eating.

RANDOM PHOTOS

A few random photos from this past month to brighten your Monday morning.



A little leisurely reading.


"Stop blogging and let us come down, mommy!"


Elijah (who shouldn't be standing on the table!)
Notice the "BIG BRO" shirt!


Will (who also shouldn't be standing on the table!)
Notice the "LITTLE BRO" onesie!


It's a twin thing...


Dancing


All smiles


They love coloring!


Busy at work!

SPOON MASTERS

We are BIG boys!

And we love eating with spoons.

That also means we make a BIG mess!

But, WE LOVE IT!



Here we are eating soup with our awesome toddler spoons!



Will









Elijah

18 MONTHS OLD

Happy 18 Months, Elijah & Will!


What a beautiful March day here in Minnesota. It got up to 66 degrees. What an interesting winter we are having with hardly any snow and none right now!



We had an awesome afternoon playing outside in the backyard and going on a walk. They love walking and exploring the grass, patio, and deck!


The boys were beyond thrilled. They LOVE being outside. The problem is getting them back in the house!


They love their "Daddy's Caddie" caps from Uncle Marc.



And it's only going to get nicer. It's supposed to be in the 70's everyday all the way to next week. Feels like June around here!



I am celebrating that the boys are 18 months old today!

I am also celebrating that I have kept them alive and survived being a mother of multiples for that long. :)

I think I deserve a medal.
Or maybe some chocolate.
Or maybe a medal made out of chocolate!

A friend reminded me on facebook, "You kept them alive longer than 18 months...18 months + pregnancy!! PLUS however long they were alive in your heart, so according to my calculations...you deserve a million medals made of chocolate! AND DIAMONDS!"

That just melted my heart. She's right, they were alive in my heart for much, much longer than they were in the womb and now here on earth.

Dear sweet babies, thank you for making my dream of being a mommy come true. I praise God for the beautiful gift of you. I love you, you wild little toddler boys!