11 months

I know its nuts to blog two days in a row but I'm doing it!!! Elliott and Aaron are 11 months old today so that means its time for a sappy "they've grown so much" blog. As I was rocking the boys before a nap today I began to think about how much room they take on my lap now. They were so very little...even when they were home...even in March!!! I could hold both of them so easy. I remember being so worried about them being held too much and wanting them to sleep in the bassinet and not have people hold them when they were asleep. If I could do it over again I would be holding a baby every second I could. I remember Grandma Bock saying things like "I would have to hold them all day long" and I would think...are you kidding me. I need some ME time. I was the crazy one. They only get bigger...they don't get smaller. Oh how I would love to cuddle my 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 pound babies again!!! I think if we only had one baby I would be telling Andrew it was time for another!!! When we have our identical twin girls I will hold them all the time...I will carry them in sings...I will never put them down!!!

Andrew just informed me that he gets the first week of November off for a vacation!!! He hasn't had time off since the first week of January. He is stressed out, burnt out...in need of some time off. I know we are going to be expected to be in Henry and Indy alot but I think we need this time to relax and for Andrew to regroup. Please forgive us if you don't see us at all. The boys will be so happy to see their dad so much!!! They think he is awesome. I feel like crap when he is around. They hold their arms out to him and choose him over me = ( He doesn't prepare their food and clean their poop and wash their clothes and give them millions of hugs and kisses everyday...most of the time he just lays on the floor and hopes they don't hurt him!!! Really, he's a great dad. I give him a hard time in the morning because he is such a butt. He wants to see them but doesn't try real hard to wake up and make the best of being up at 7 when he doesn't work until 11:30. Anyway....WOOT WOOT...Andrew gets a vacation!!!

I forgot to mention that we took a day trip on Tuesday to Bolingbrook to meet with our friends Ashlee and Dustin from Elkhart. I was planning on leaving no later than 3 so we could be home to do the regular dinner and bedtime routine. That didn't happen. I fed the babies jarred baby food in the car for dinner and Andrew stopped so we could give them bottles and burp them. It was kind of nuts. They had been in carseats or highchairs or the stroller all day so they didn't want to go to sleep when we got home around 7. They didn't go to sleep until after 9. Andrew thought they would sleep until 9 the next morning...he was so wrong...they were up at 6:30 as usual. It was really good to see Ashlee and Dustin. Ashlee is pregnant. She is due just a couple weeks before our babies were due. I wish this year was last year so we were pregnant at the same time. That was what we wanted...who doesn't want to be pregnant at the same time as someone they are super close to??? Anyway...I don't want to do that again until the boys are older and not on such a tight napping and eating schedules. Enjoy the pictures. Sorry no videos today. I tried to download 2 from the delivery room but after 20 minutes one was still not on so I gave up. Maybe on the blog I write on their birthday. I did get good video of them today but it was on our video camera and I don't know how to use it with the computer yet. I haven't tried. I bet it's super easy. I hope we don't run out of room on the video camera...we don't have a computer that can burn our home videos to cd...we are so poor = ( But what we don't have in money we have in love (PUKE!!!)

Jen




Elliott 11 months old


It is VERY hard to get a good picture of both of them.


Elliott just wanted to eat the pumpkin stem


Aaron is too interested in the bench arm and I guess Elliott wanted to get down


This is Elliott standing and not holding on to anything


His feet look huge!!! I assure you they are not. What an awesome smile!!!


just playing


Aaron kept making that face today and screaming "DA DA DA DA DA DA"


Here he is again...he makes the best faces

we finally got to go!!!

Well, we finally got to go to Tanner's. It was cold and yucky and we probably should have stayed home. I am sad that we didn't get pictures of the boys feeding the goats or playing on the playground or even sitting in a pumpkin patch but I guess we have next year. I took some pictures of them in their stroller holding two little pumpkins I picked off of a table...not out of a patch. Andrew stayed inside with the boys and I picked out two pumpkins for us. I really am disappointed..this is their first fall, first Halloween, and first Thanksgiving and I just wanted to be able to do stuff. I wanted everything perfect but I guess nobody really gets that right?

I am having a hard time getting good pictures and video of the boys because as soon as any kind of camera is out they come attack me. I hope this phase ends soon =)

I really don't have much to write about Elliott and Aaron. They are pretty much doing the same things. Elliott can stand without holding on for longer periods of time and he pushes up from a toy on the floor or from my legs if I am sitting on the floor. He is getting braver but I don't think he will be walking by next Friday. I haven't seen Aaron let go and stand yet but I think it will be soon. He might have even done it tonight because he managed to open two cabinet doors and pull out a pot. Elliott has been sort of opening cabinets for a while but started to really get them open and get stuff out today. Aaron watched and followed =) Also, when I went to see Jordan in the hospital and Carrie was watching the boys she reported that Aaron climbed on a box (I keep lots of boxes around because they are their favorite toys) in order to reach stuff behind the super gate.

My sisters Julie and Annie and our friend Jamee took Julie's 4 children to Disney World last week. Each of Julie's younger kids had a fever for a day and a cough and it went away. Jordan (the oldest, he's 13) got a fever on Monday of last week. It was thought that it would go away like the other kids. He didn't feel well enough to go with them to Disney a few days and stayed at the resort. Julie called to check on him all the time and he sounded better. He wanted to go with them and ended up going back because he wasn't feeling well. Anyway...I might have some of these facts wrong but I think I have the jest of it. I think Julie called the doctor and they told her to just give him meds to keep the fever down. They got home last Friday night. Joe (brother-in-law, or bother-in-law if you have read past posts) took Jordan to a prompt care place where they thought he was having a bad asthma attack. They did a breathing treatment but said that if it didn't get into his lungs he would need to go to the ER. Well, he ended up at the ER and was then admitted to the hospital. He had super bad pneumonia...one lung was pretty full. He was released Tuesday. I think he went to school Thursday but they told him not to come the next day because they wanted him to rest and get better. He can't finish football this season and is not able to play basketball this year. Julie reminded me ( I don't remember this at all) that Jordan had RSV when he was about 4 months old I think. She took him to the ER a billion times and they always sent her home. I think he was diagnosed after he was better. Anyway, they told her that he would have a greater chance of getting asthma and pneumonia. Jordan really scared all of us. He lost a ton of weight and was just SOOO sick. This RSV things has me even more scared for Elliott and Aaron. I have been saying that we will not be leaving the house after October 31st. I know that is crazy but I don't want them hooked up to machines again. Oh...I just got a text from Carrie. They are on their way to the ER with Jordan. So so so so scary. Okay...it's official. We are not going anywhere after the 31st until March. Now I need to go and worry about my Jordan.

Jen

These pictures are all out of order but I am not changing them. It has taken this computer 32 minutes to move the pictures from our cards and put them in Kodak. GRRRR







Elliott with his little pumpkin


Aaron with his little pumpkin...I think I added a better one of Aaron...





Elliott sporting two different babylegs.


Elliott watching Wonder Pets


This is a little better...he was cold and grumpy...even inside


They reached through the gate and grabbed Carrie's purse and continued to pull on it thinking it would come through...when that didn't work they just reached through and tried to get into her purse...








Look how fast Aaron is moving!!!




In the first video Elliott had opened the door. I put everything back and closed it and two seconds later Aaron's opened both and took out a pot =)

walking soon =)

Andrew is rocking Aaron and Aaron loves it...Andrew looks kind of scary!

Elliott wouldn't turn around...you can see how his hair has grown though!!!

I guess this really isn't a good picture...

Aaron with Aunt Sandy's sunglasses at the family reunion

Elliott with Aunt Jean in Aunt Sandy's glasses at the family reunion

Aaron "driving" with Andrew. They just backed the van out the garage.

A few days later Elliott got to back the van out =)

He was squinting before the flash...he knew it was coming...

Aaron doesn't mind the flash =)

Again with the flash!!! I would count to three and he would close them on 2 even when I didn't have the camera out!!!

The boys seems to be better. They cough sometimes but not like they were. We did end up having to use the nebulizer again and they hated it more this time, but they got better!!!

Elliott has been standing on his own lots. He isn't standing up on his own...just letting go and just standing there playing with a shoe or whatever it is that has his attention at the time. I haven't seen Aaron do it but I supposed that doesn't mean that he hasn't. A few days ago Elliott pushed the blue peek-a-block hippo...he walked with it. Today Aaron used a box to stand up and pushed it to walk. They seem too short to walk and actually I think that they won't walk for several months but I am hoping they will. I feel bad for their little knees and I really don't know how them walking will make things worse. They already crawl every where and pull up on everything...I don't know how walking will make my life more difficult. Crawling has been super helpful. I don't have to carry them everywhere. Watching them crawl from their bedroom to the bathroom every night for their bath is the cutest thing ever!!!

I am trying to think of other stories to tell or news....ummm....Andrew and I were going to take the boys to Tanners Orchard last Wednesday but it rained. We walked around Tuesday Morning instead. We had hoodies on the boys but I think the misty rain was getting on Elliott's face as I walked with him into the store. He giggled all the way into the store and lauged almost the entire time we were in the store. He found it really funny to drop toys and me pick them up. I don't think I have ever heard him laugh like he was. Julie found a little tikes blue rocking horse for free and give it to us. Aaron LOVES it. He will sit on it and bang his head to get it to rock. He doesn't even mind when he bumps his head on the horse after banging it a little too hard!!! He is so cute and smiles ALL the time. He still won't even try to hold his bottle and was to cuddle when he wakes up from naps. Aaron is now eating pasta and whole green beans. He was doing really really well with his reflux issues. I emailed the Dr. and asked if we could start weaning him off of Zantac. She said to give him the same dose every other day. If he did well then to give it to him every two days for a week...if he did well to stop. Well he did well every other day but every two days he didn't do so well. I thought maybe it was because he was sick and he was spitting up because of all the snot that was going into his tummy. He isn't sick any more and the spitting up is getting worse. We started Zantac again. Hopefully it will start working soon. I don't think that the puking really bothers him but I am sure he doesn't love doing it. The yuckiest part is that both boys will start to play in the puke puddle if I don't see that Aaron has puked right away...YUCK!!! Oh...Elliott can get the plug cover things out of the outlets in their bedroom...awesome...

Well...thats it. If you read this blog you are invited to the boys first birthday party. It is November 22 at our house from 2:30-4:30. Presents are not necessary. We just want everyone to join us in celebrating their amazing first year of life!!!

Jen...I think I might have uploaded a video of Aaron!!! I hope it works...it was taken on my phone.

chiropractor

They are a little to big to fit through things together but they still try


Elliott made it out...looks like Aaron is going to but...


he decided to stay


They love to try to drink from these big cups...but just chew on
sippie cups


Aaron is either using Elliott to stand or pulling Elliott down


Aaron crawled under and got stuck


poor kid...and we took pictures while he cried


and the foot rest putter outer was in his sweet little back. He did
that three times that day.


again trying to get through the same little place at the same time




We took a family trip to the chiropractor today. Everyother time we have gone the boys have loved it. Today they both cried...hard. It was sad. I want them to love Dr. Denise!!! I do!!!

Elliott's eye is doing very very well. His tear duct has been clogged off and on since December....it's been pretty bad for the past at least 6 months. Sometimes it is glued shut after he naps. I have been praying for it to heal for the past week or so and I think it's working. I started to get very worried because the eye doctor said if it's not fixed by the time he is 11 months they have to stick in needle in there to unclog it..and they put him to sleep to do it. It looks like he won't be having surgery because God is fixing it...YAY!!!

I don't know if anyone watches "How I Met Your Mother". It's kind of dumb but last weeks episode was SOOOO funny. Marshall was on a quest to find the best hamburger. It made Andrew and I want hamburgers super bad so we have been having them alot. Not all too healthy but oh so delicious!!!

In other news..Elliott pulled himself up today and then stood for a few seconds without holding on. He didn't fall either...he just put his hand back on the activity table thing. I don't think he knew that he did anything awesome. I am wanting them to walk (I know thats crazy!!!) by Halloween so Tigger (Elliott), Pooh (Aaron), and Roo (Jackson) can walk together at Henry's costume contest. I know they will win...what could be better?!?!? I don't really think they will be walking though. That would be like they started walking at 9 months (adjusted age). I don't think babies really do that.

Andrew had the day off so he was here for bedtime. The babies have a new nightlite that makes big shadows on the wall Elliott's crib is on so when I was sitting on the ottoman with Aaron we were a huge shadow on the wall. Andrew being the silly dad he is gave Aaron shadow bunny ears. Then he did the funniest thing I think I have ever seen him do. He made his fingers look like a claw machine game and shadow grabbed Aaron's head. We lauged and laughed and laughed. Then he said lift him up like claw game is picking him up. So we did that a few time and laughed and laughed some more. Aaron had no idea what was going on...and then it took him forever to get to sleep...it was worth it!!! Andrew's next day off is Friday...stay tuned for more silly Andrew stories.

sick again

The boys are sick again. It sucks. It is not as bad as last time but I somehow feel like it's my fault. Is my house too dusty? Do I need to vacuum more? Maybe I am not washing my hands enough...I don't know. I feel terrible, the boys feel terrible. Aaron couldn't sleep last night. At about 11pm I told Andrew that I didn't know what to do for him. We ended up putting him in our bed...but he still didn't sleep and neither did we. He tossed and turned...and whimpered. It was sad. I think his throat hurts. He has yuck running down his throat and making him cough. Elliott is a snot factory as well. Both are sneezing very often and coughing. Aaron is coughing more. Its not scary like last time...their noses aren't stuffy and Elliott is not wheezing. Enough of me whining.

Andrew wanted me to blog this story:
Last night Andrew was home for the boys bath and bedtime. He was rocking Elliott and I was rocking Aaron. When we both are here for bedtime, one of us sits with a baby in the rocking chair and the other on the rocking chairs ottoman. Anyway, I always sing the same three songs to the babies for their naps and bedtime. Andrew is tired of these songs and wants new ones but I can't think of any to sing to them...so..that being said...sometimes Andrew tries to change this a little. Last night he decided to try to harmonize during the last song which was so funny! We both started laughing and woke our babies right up. We had to sing more songs to get them calm again but I couldn't stop thinking about him harmonizing and I kept laughing. That's the story...
hope you liked it.

Well...I have some pictures I would love to post but I can't find the card reader so you will just have to imagine how cute they are or just stop by and hang out for a while. Oh...Elliott had Aaron's lovie again today after a nap. I wonder if Elliott steals it from him when he is sleeping to get Aaron back from stealing stuff from him and pulling his hair and using him to stand up during the day....

crazy babies

I think lots has happened maybe but I can't think of everything. I have just been lazy and not blogging. I really should so I can remember this time when I go back and read this blog. Looks like this one might be short...the babies have runny noses again and having a difficult time sleeping. I don't like to rock them to sleep but have already rocked Elliott to sleep twice. I hear a baby now...I think it's Aaron. Anyway...

The boys are funny. They are working on cruising...Elliott does a little better than Aaron but Aaron seems to want to push the hippo so that seems a little better than just cruising. Aaron just wants to be an over achiever!!! He is not satisfied with just cruising around the furniture. They are crawling everywhere and pulling up on everything. They are pulling things over less often and that is nice...less bumps on their heads.

Yesterday after their nap I went in to get them to find that Elliott had Aaron's lovie...I like to think that Aaron passed it over to Elliott rather than Elliott taking it out of Aaron's crib. Today I put the boys down for a nap but they didn't want to sleep so I went to get them. Elliott wasn't wearing pants (no suprise) but I couldn't find them in his crib....Aaron had them in his crib!!! I wish I could see it happen. I bet it is funny. Mom thinks we need a nanny cam in their room so we can see what they do when we think they are sleeping.

Oh...Aaron is still toothless but Elliott has another tooth...so he is up to 2!!! The second popped through on the 26th. They still love pancakes. Elliott loves pasta, Aaron hates it. He is a picky kid....

I think I am going to brush my teeth before I don't have the chance anymore. Please pray that the boys don't get sick like last time...
Jen