Congratulations Emily & Chris!

My little bother is married. In an absolutely stunning setting, he married his soulmate. They are simply perfect for one another. I am so happy for both of you, and hope you are having the time of your lives in Costa Rica for the next 10 days.

We had a wonderful, uneventful drive both on the way up and on the way home. They slept a lot and the DVD player was a good source of entertainment when needed. Ella and Aidan were remarkable for having traveled so many miles and for repeatedly being kept up way past their bedtime (their usual bedtime is 7 PM). It occurred to me on the way home that they had never been in the car in darkness before.

Both Ella and Aidan were fabulous in all restaurants - Aidan loved to "give" pieces of food to everyone and Ella waved and said "Bye-Bye" to everyone.

Unloading everything into the various hotel rooms was no small feat. It was the first time in all of our travels that we had used one of those luggage carts!! Two pack-n-plays, a basket of toys, a container of miscellaneous baby related items (food, hooded towels, bath toys, nightlight, sound machine, the infamous sleepy bunnies, etc), and suitcases for all four of us - and it all fit on one cart!

The location for the wedding (Ash Mill Farm) was simply stunning - and there were sheep and goats everywhere. Aidan ended up getting nibbled on by a goat! It was so wonderful to see Chris and Emily and to spend time with my family. It was also fantastic to finally get to meet Emily's wonderful family!

The wedding itself was remarkable. Absolutely gorgeous....many tears were shed. I cried the entire way through the reading I did during the ceremony. Actually, I think everyone was crying - the wedding was just so meaningful and special.

Emily was a stunning bride, and Chris was equally handsome. They are a perfect couple in every sense of the word.

What makes me sad is that I didnt get to take a single picture of the wedding day. Mike and I were so busy juggling babies that we never had a spare moment or spare hand to be able to grab the camera.

So, in an effort to at least have one good picture of the happy couple, I shamelessly pilfered one off of their wedding website.

Welcome to the family Emily!

I am so proud to call you my sister...and for Ella and Aidan to have a new Aunt!

A Very Happy Birthday!

Well, I am another year older today.

As I thought about the passing years this morning, it occurred to me that this is the first truly happy birthday that I have had in a long time. So many of the past years were marked with the sadness of turning yet another year older with no children.

At my very first OB appointment with Ella and Aidan I was labeled "advanced maternal age" because I was 34. I remember telling them that I certainly wasn't of advanced maternal age when we started trying for these babies! Heck, if it had worked back then we would already have a three year old!

The twins were born last year just under the wire of my turning the dreaded 35. I had an excellent birthday that sadly got lost in the haze of the sleep deprivation that accompanies one month old twins. This year, I got to enjoy my babies with a clear, well-rested head.

We are off on the road tomorrow for the 12+ hour drive to Pennsylvania. Wish us luck! Last time we had this long of a road trip they were seven months old and slept the entire way. I do not think we will be that lucky this go-round!

I won't be be able to post again until we return next week...so in the meantime...an early congratulations to Chris and Emily as they begin their life together!!

Things I Love About Being Ella & Aidan's Mom

Being pregnant. Simply stated, I loved it. Every single moment of it. Even the morning sickness that required medication (and was in full force all day long until I was well past six months along).

Feeling them move around and kick. It was something only I could feel. A secret between just the three of us. Aidan had all of the room - poor Ella put up a fight though, and danced on my bladder with all of her might!

Hearing them cry for the first time. I will never ever forget how it sounded or the feeling that washed over me in that instant.

The first kiss. I remember how their fresh new skin felt. Warm, soft and so sweet smelling.

The first time I held them.

The day that we came home. They were asleep the whole way. So small in the carseat, we had to pad it with towels and blankets.

Watching them sleep and dying for them to wake up just so I could hold them.

Just holding them both. Period.

Sleeping with them.

Never being alone.

Their honest and unconditional love.

Making them laugh.

Saying "boo" at them, only to see a huge smile!

When they reach for me to hold them.

Teaching them to say mama and dada.

Kisses – big, sloppy, open mouthed (often with tongue!) kisses!!

Hugs.

Having not one, but TWO reasons to be proud.

Watching them grow and become more independent, but then turn around to make sure that I am still there.

They believe in me.

The future.

To My Husband

Dear Mike,

From the minute Ella and Aidan entered this world, you have been the most amazing Father. Many Fathers are very hands off when it comes to raising the children, but you are the opposite.

I recall sitting in the recovery room just minutes after my C-Section with the babies. My parents were in the room with us and my Dad was holding Aidan. Neither Ella nor Aidan had a diaper on yet, they were just wrapped in blankets. Sweet little Aidan decided at that moment to give us his first little baby poop….but it wasn’t little!! It was the black tar-like stuff…and it went everywhere!! You simply swooped him up, cleaned him up and put on his very first diaper. I don’t recall, but I am sure that you did Ella’s first diaper as well.

I knew at that very moment that you were a natural Father.

Despite going back to work early on, you never hesitated to get up for all of the overnight feedings. You were exhausted and sleep deprived, but you never complained. Heck, I think you went to work to relax!!!

I love nothing more than watching you with the babies – that alone is worth every minute of stress and work that it takes to raise twin toddlers.

The sound of children in our home – the laughter, the baby babble, the tears, even the whining – are sounds I feared for so long that I would never hear. I treasure every minute of it – and look forward to the sounds of the future.

You are an amazing husband, and an even more amazing Father.

We love you!

To My Father

Father’s Day for you and I started at birth.

I was born on Father’s Day.

And for all of my life, my birthday and Father’s Day have been entwined – much like our relationship. We have the most amazing “connection” – I really cannot put it into words. But you know what I mean.

Throughout my life, you have always been there for me. You have been the perfect role model and one of the most influential people in my life. Our father/daughter relationship is so very special.

So Dad, my message to you on this Father’s Day is Thank You. You have made me a better person with the love and support you have given me over the years. Being your daughter is an honor. You are without a doubt, my hero and my first love!

Happy Father’s Day!!

Scatterbrain

Once upon a time, I had a brain that could multi-task. Or so I thought.

That was before years of hormone injections, a twin pregnancy and sleep deprivation. Now, my brain is mush. Absolute mush.

I'll get up to do something - say refill my water glass. And then I'll notice that the washing machine has stopped. So I'll put the glass down in some random place, and transfer the clothes to the dryer. Then I'll notice the dog hair on the floor, so I'll try to clean that up while keeping an eye on the babies in the other room. Then I'll remember I need to defrost something for dinner. Thirty minutes later, I'll still be thirsty and have no idea where my glass has gone. Worse yet, I won't even remember what it was I was doing in the first place. By the end of the day, there will be six partially consumed glasses of water spread throughout every room of the house.

When I write these days, it's scary. I commit errors that are my own pet peeves. Substituting "they're" for "there". Or I'll spell something wrong.

Forget having a conversation with me. I'm half-listening, I promise. And should a random, seemingly important thought pop into my head, I'll forget everything you've just told me.

I've even gotten in the car and turned the wrong direction because I forgot where I was going. Fortunately, I have managed to fasten the kids into their car seats each time.

The grocery store is a joke. Distracted by trying to keep two little ones from pitching a fit, I'll forget all the essentials (even if they are written down!), but manage to walk out with some completely irrelevant item that I never knew I needed.

I started this very sentence yesterday. I have no idea what I had intended to say.

Just a little scatterbrained.

Wordless Wednesday

We Miss Ocean Isle!!

We loved Ocean Isle so much that Mom and Dad bought us our own t-shirts!



We were so sad to leave - when can we go back?

Our Trip to Ocean Isle Beach - Part 3 (Coming Home)

Day three began with exhausted parents. Both Ella and Aidan decided that since they were on vacation, anything goes. So, they conspired to both wake up at 1 AM...and "play" until about 4 AM. They came into bed with us (thankfully, we had a king size bed), and took turns climbing, laughing, rolling, poking and pacifier stealing for nearly three hours until Aidan finally crashed.

Ella decided that sleeping on me was the only acceptable location, so I propped myself up and let her sleep on my chest....with her bunny. She has this pink bunny that one of my Dad's clients gave her when she was born (Aidan has a blue one). Both of them adore these bunnies....but Ella has developed a particular attachment to hers. She has a certain spot on the bunny's ear that she rubs between her fingers as she falls asleep.

It was another early start to the day, but this was the day we were going home, so we knew that we would be "saved" by their cribs in their own rooms that evening!

We made one last trip down to the beach, went to lunch, and headed home.











The drive home was great...Aidan slept the entire four hours, and Ella woke up for about the last 45 minutes or so, but was happy entertaining herself with car toys.



All in all it was a wonderful little getaway, and we are so glad that we had the opportunity to take them to the beach this summer. We would have loved to go last year, but they were still so young, and we were still adjusting to life at home with two little ones. Taking the show in the road would have been a bit too much to handle.

They are only this little once, and the memories we now carry in our hearts are priceless!

Next trip - Pennsylvania for my little brother's wedding on June 21!!

Our Trip to Ocean Isle Beach - Part 2

Day two started out with well rested parents and well rested babies! Both Ella and Aidan slept the entire night in their own "beds" (i.e. pack-n-plays). Ella was the first one up at 6:30 AM - which is not like her....she will typically sleep until at least 7:30.

At any rate, we had breakfast and then let the babies play for a while in the room until it was time for their morning nap.





After their nap, we went and had a nice long lunch...

What do you suppose Ella is saying? Aidan did have his own table topper, but he insisted in ripping it to pieces:



By the time we got back to the hotel it was time for their afternoon nap.

Sweet Aidan sound asleep:





Sweet Ella sound asleep:





Sidenote - in the world of newborns and toddlers, your life seems to become a series of about 2.5 - 3 hour increments of the daily grind....eat, play, sleep. There are many who do not adhere to any type of schedule for their little ones, but we do. I am a firm believer that they need routine and schedule....and I also firmly believe that we have two fantastic sleepers, fantastic eaters, and generally healthy, happy and well-balanced babies as a result of our own parental discipline).

After their nap, it was time to have some real fun.

We packed everything up and headed down to the beach...what a sight we were....we tried to assemble this tent / cabana type thing that we had brought, but that was a joke - it was just too windy. So, Mike went to take it back to the car, and left me alone on the beach with the babies.

All I will say is that I was laughed at by two ladies who were relaxing in the sun with their cooler full of drinks. Aidan and Ella were everywhere....apparently they had already conspired with each other to head off in two different directions in an attempt to wear us out completely! To top it off, I was carrying the camera desperately trying to capture all of these special moments!!

Lets both eat as much sand as we can!:

Aidan made a beeline for the ocean. Ella made a beeline for the "lounging ladies" before discovering that they were complete strangers - at which point she panicked in her search to find me. I had left her to save Aidan from heading face first into the ocean and was about 10 feet away. I had her in the corner of my eye, and watched her erupt as I scooped up Aidan and brought him back to our towel. By the time I made it to Ella, he was off again.

Sneaky boy:

Ha! I caught him being still for a moment:

Aidan still hates his hat:

This continued for the 15 minutes or so that Mike was gone. All the while, I listened to the ladies laughing at me dashing back and forth chasing these two little adventurers!

Despite the chaos, we had a fantastic time..Aidan absolutely loved the ocean and had not one ounce of fear. Ella shrieked and pulled her feet into the air the minute they hit the water. Mike took Aidan out into the ocean while I stayed back with Ella, who was clinging to me like a little monkey! I eventually got her to calm down and was able to put her into the wet sand.....she even allowed a few waves to trickle up to her.









He will be walking before we know it:

After the beach, it was back to the pool for some swimming. They both loved kicking and splashing...and once again pitched a fit when it was time to leave.

Our Trip to Ocean Isle Beach - Part 1

We just got home yesterday afternoon from our very first trip with the babies to our favorite place - Ocean Isle Beach! It was so nice to escape town for a few days and take our little miracles to Ocean Isle.....Mike and I have been there together at every important stage - we fell in love there, went there when engaged, for our one year anniversary, after the miscarriage, and now with our babies. We wanted to go when I was pregnant, but the Dr. had advised us not to travel.

Aidan sleeping on the ride there:



We made it!



Coming over the bridge onto the island:



Our hotel - the Ocean Isle Inn:




What a wonderful, magical two days. Both Ella and Aidan were so good...they napped good, ate good, and LOVED the pool! Aidan took to the beach immediately, Ella took a little bit of coaxing.

They were the main attraction in every restaurant (well, there are only two choices of places to eat!) - they talked and flirted with everyone around, and Ella showed off her waving skills coupled with her cute tiny little southern accented "Bye-Bye". Aidan laughed and made faces with people at neighboring tables.

Not to mention what good little eaters! We even discovered that Ella enjoys both grouper and mahi mahi! Aidan, of course, would not even take a bite (he is a bit of a picky eater). They also tried peanut butter and jelly for the first time (a big hit).

The day we arrived, Tuesday, we took them to the pool for their very first real swim!! They both loved it, and are naturals! They didnt last too long in their little baby floats (Ella's was a turtle and Aidan's was a crab), as they much preferred to be in our arms floating, splashing and kicking. Boy, it was fun....and they both pitched quite a fit when it was time to leave the pool!

Getting ready to swim! (I could not get them both to look at me and smile at the same time):



Aidan in his crab "floatie":



Ella in her turtle "floatie":



They are too cute for words:



After dinner we took them down on the beach for a short while just to sit for a few minutes.

Beachtime:









And he's off (this was a theme the whole time - keeping up with Aidan is a feat in itself!):



Ella was pretty unsure about the whole ocean thing...actually she screamed the minute water touched her!:



They both napped like champs in their pack-n-plays. The room obviously was not child proofed, so we made Aidan's pack-n-play the main play area and "stored" them both in there for safe keeping when we needed to shower, dress, etc.

Temporary playroom (i.e. baby jail):



After the beach, we took them inside and did their normal nightly routine of baths, books and bed. They both went to sleep like champs, and we sat out on the balcony and drank wine until we went to bed!

PS - In case anyone is wondering, or thinking we are bad parents - neither Ella nor Aidan would keep their hats on, and they also would not keep up the little shades that came with their floats. They were not in the sun too long, and were LOADED with sunscreen.