Andy and Mindy Sauer

And the Baby Belly Keeps Growing

2011-12-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

Baby belly at 23 weeks, 4 days (taken December 11th.)

It's hard to believe that we are more than half-way through this pregnancy. We'll be six months along this Wednesday. Phew, how did that happen?

With the holidays quickly approaching, it's been a lot easier to say, "I'll think about the baby more after Christmas." That's when we'll think about getting another crib - because the boys still prefer their crib to their new twin beds - as well as situating the room. For now, I'm using it for Christmas gifts, projects and wrapping. At the last MOPS meeting, one of the other moms gave me a bunch of little girl clothes, something for which I have none, and it's starting to feel a little more real. That, and the fact that Baby Girl is an active little one, reminding me often that she's enjoying all of the space her big brothers stretched out for her.

Baby Sauer is on His/Her Way!

2011-10-07T21:37:00.000-04:00

Ben and Jack are PROUD to announce that they are going to be big brothers come April 5, 2012! That's right... we're having a baby! Just one this time. And yes, I'm positive.

Here's my baby belly at 13 weeks and 4 days. (I'm going to keep my tradition of posting belly shots every Sunday.) But the toughest part about your second pregnancy is not knowing how much of your belly is "baby" and how much is... well, not.

Baby Sauer #3! We couldn't be more thrilled that there is just ONE healthy baby in there! I made the sonographer check multiple times, just to be sure. The first sonogram was very difficult and uncomfortable, but the second trimester seems to have brought much more energy and a bigger appetite. For this, I am extremely grateful.

So excited to share more news as we discover it!

May 5th, a Day of Celebration!

2011-05-06T15:39:00.000-04:00

May 5th has become a very special day in our house. Not just because it's Cinco de Mayo or even the National Day of Prayer. There's even MORE! In 2007, I married my best friend. In 2009, we welcomed our blessings, Jonathan and Benjamin. Here we are in 2011 and the best is yet to come!

Me and my boys: Andy, Jack (brown) and Ben (blue)

Jack and Ben ready to blow out their candles!

Jack and Ben are very serious when it comes to cake. And eating. They did great!

Smitten

2011-03-23T13:48:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while, you happen to snap a picture that captures the beautiful nature of little boys. The wonder. The admiration. The love.

My little men. So active, so curious, so adventurous. Taking a quiet moment to appreciate life's finer details. A crumb on the floor. The inviting nature of their twin brother's knee. The presence of mommy's camera and an opportunity to smile.

As much as I drive myself crazy thinking about all of the things I'm doing wrong or not well enough, moments like this make me pause and think, "Well, at least there's one thing I'm doing right."

Gosh, I am so smitten with these two.

Me Lads

2011-03-17T16:04:00.000-04:00

Jack and Ben think that when mommy says, "Say cheeeeeese!" it means to tilt your head towards your brother. Why correct them when it is so unbelievably adorable?

And here's the hug. When the heads start tilting, Ben starts itching... for a hug from Jack. (Jack's in the foreground and Ben's in the back.) You can always tell who's a little more into the hug than the other.

This pose made me laugh. It's as if they're illustrating the post-hug pose and saying, "Uh, sorry about that..." "Yeah, got caught up in the moment." Too funny. (Jack's on the left, Ben's on the right.)

Ben and Jack, take two (after our trip to the zoo!) At 22 months, I'm not sure I could love them any more.

I couldn't decide which one I liked better. So I posted them both. We're used to doing everything in twos around here anyway ;)

Happy St. Patrick's Day, from my wee lads!

Rays of Sunshine

2011-02-28T13:49:00.000-05:00

On days like this, I remind myself of all of the adorable things the boys do (to keep my mind off of all the mischief they're finding!) http://minuteformom.blogspot.com/2011/02/rays-of-sunshine.html

Smells of the Season

2010-12-23T22:27:00.000-05:00

I tried to get away with not making cutout cookies this year.

Tried.

I had plans to make other cookies, but not those. I mean, gosh, they’re so time-consuming. And messy. You roll out the dough onto a flour-covered mat, press, unveil, scoop, repeat. Plus, with counter-space being a rare commodity these days, I justified we’d go without. Instead, I’d fill our cookie trays with other favorites. Even with two busy 19-month olds, I’ve been able to use their sleep time to create three other kinds!

But when I asked my husband which cookies he’d like, those were the only ones he mentioned. So guess what’s in the oven right now?

You know what, though? I’m so glad I did!

Rolling out the dough brought back so many memories of Christmases past. My two sisters and I would roll up our pajama sleeves and sit at the kitchen table where my mom had prepped a great spread of flour, cookie cutters and dough. We’d play with the chilled dough, adding flour like a pro, and prepped our trays, picking out our favorite cookie cutters and puzzling them together so there was little waste. When we finished a tray, we’d proudly parade our masterpiece to the oven and Mom would excitedly lift the oven door open after admiring our work. We’d go back to our station and continue the process, each time becoming better and better at lifting the frail dough without it falling into a million pieces.

As we’d bake, we’d sample our work, laugh, tell stories and talk about how excited we were for Christmas. We peeked into the oven to see if each batch was ready, getting hints from our mom to know when they’re just perfect. We decorated each cookie with painstaking effort (and sometimes, put a few aside to save for ourselves.) It was the only time we could throw flour into our sister’s hair without getting in trouble! Looking back, I know why so many of my friends wanted to come to my house, especially around the holidays. “Maybe your mom would let us make cookies!” Gee, whose friend are you anyway? But those were memories specific to my house. My kitchen. My mom.

So Mom, as I pull my first tray of cutouts out of the oven – with a touch of brown on the bottom, just how they’re supposed to be – this one’s for you. (Well, you and Andy :) Thanks for teaching me how to create the smells and magic of home.

It is going to be a very Merry Christmas.

Perspective in a Photo

2010-12-16T20:10:00.000-05:00

And suddenly, nothing else seemed too important.

Jonathan and Benjamin, 19 months old

Terragnoli Twins

2010-12-16T13:07:00.000-05:00

My cousin Amy brought her kids to the city for a photo shoot. Frankie and Gianna just turned four years old - aren't they adorable? It was cute to see them with MY twins. When Frankie got to the house, he asked his mom where the girl was. "Oh no," she answered. "Mindy has two boys." He looked puzzled and then asked, "Did she get rid of her girl?" ;) You may not be able to tell from the pictures, but it was FREEZING outside!

One Year Ago

2010-11-26T15:26:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving 2010

Andy, Ben, me and Jack

Thanksgiving 2009

Jack, Andy, me and Ben

Oh, my word. How much changes in a year!

The boys are walking. They're saying a few words. They're sleeping through the night and soothing themselves to sleep (for naps, too!) They're climbing on couches, running through hallways and building towers with blocks.

Yes, so much learning for one year.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2010-11-23T14:27:00.001-05:00

I have been so wrapped up in life that I haven't updated my blog! Here are some snapshots of some of our most recent exploits in the past month or so.

Jack and Ben are now 18 months old and are learning like crazy! They say a few words (including more, uh oh, all done, this, ball, leaf and trees) and can make just about every animal sound imaginable. They are such a joy and I am so grateful that I am able to stay home with them.

Ben and Dad play with their new cell phones. Except Andy's is a Droid and Ben's is a calculator :)

Ben and Jack scroll through the photos on Daddy's new Droid.

Jack's got some pretty big shoes to fill.

Jack and Ben play in the sink while Mommy makes dinner. Those boys LOVE to play in the water!

Jack and Ben's newest favorite activity is playing with blocks. And of course, if one boy wants to go in the playpen, so does his brother. I got rid of the second playpen because they always seem to want to be in the same one!

Playful Jonathan

Ben enjoys finding the sticky side of his sticker (another favorite activity.)

Ben demonstrates how to blow his nose (except the sound you hear is coming from his mouth!)

Jack and Ben play with the water bowls while (again) Mommy makes dinner. They LOVE pouring the water from one container to another. Whenever they see a Tupperware cup now, they run to the sink and fuss until I fill it with water.

Ben made this tower all by himself! Love that face.

Jack (below) and Ben (in highchair) play peek-a-boo.

Ben and Jack do somersaults off the side of the couch. At least it's onto the cushions, right? They've just begun rolling onto the floor now. Yikes! That gives Mommy gray hairs!

Me and Andy with Jack (L) and Ben (R) on Halloween. Our little monkeys: "Monkey See" and "Monkey Do." We go bananas for our monkeys!

Visit with Family

2010-08-08T21:25:00.000-04:00

My cousin Cristin came with her beautiful family to visit us this past weekend! I was thrilled they were able to make time in their busy schedule to visit. Harrison is two years old and little Gianna is five months old. Aren't they adorable? We had such a great time catching up!

Gianna - such a doll!

I loved the four of them in this shot: Cristin with Gianna and Harrison with Mary, his grandma :)

Most of our clan! Andy with our nephew, Matthew, Mom with Ben and Jack, Great-Grandpa Dave with Evan, me, Cristin and Gianna and Mary with Harrison (Joey was taking this photo for us!)

Matthew enjoyed playing with his cousins, too!

Harrison and Jack, almost exactly one year apart :)

Jack with his Nana

Cristin and Joey <3

Harrison loves his daddy! Can you tell?

Gianna and her grandma

Aunt Linda and Uncle Ian came to visit with us as well!

My dad had told Ian he looked like James Taylor, so he decided to ham it up to Matthew, singing, "How Sweet it is to Be Loved by You"

Cristin and I with our boys! It's just amazing how fast time goes. Seems like just yesterday we were little, having sleepovers and people thinking we were sisters! Love you, Cristin!

On a Hot Day

2010-07-07T12:02:00.000-04:00

Andy had the day off on Monday, so we took advantage of the heat to set up the pool in the backyard! Poor Andy was the one to manually blow up our kiddie pool... thank God he still had breath to spare!

Ben seemed to really enjoy playing in the water!

Don't let this warm photo of Andy and Ben fool you - that water was cooooold!

Jack preferred to run around in the grass. Can't blame him there - I put my feet in the water and that was good enough for me!

Benjamin

The photo above was taken right after Ben fell back-first into the freezing water. Here, he giving the water a good stare-down.

Jack enjoyed playing with the hose more than he did playing in the water. All that power!

Benjamin

Daddy and Ben watching Jack from inside the pool. What a good daddy!

Two Handed Clapper

2010-07-05T21:54:00.000-04:00

Andy and I were playing with the boys tonight when I had one of those I've-got-to-get-the-camera moments. The boys were playing with two little flashlights we had gotten for free at a convention a few weeks ago (talk about the simple pleasures!) They would run around the room, swaying their lights around their hands and occasionally, they would fall to the floor. Seizing the opportunity, the boy who had managed to hold onto his flashlight would immediately run to steal his brothers'. Human nature can be an ugly thing sometimes. But Andy and I got so excited when the boys would run to pick up the fallen toy and hand it to his brother! "Yaaaaaaaay!" we would yell, much to the boys' delight. Then we started clapping. This was definintely something we wanted to reinforce.

Ben got so excited about the fact that Mommy and Daddy were clapping, he would join in, too. The only thing was that he couldn't clap very well clutching a flashlight in one of his hands. So we watched him gently set the flashlight on the floor and rise to continue clapping. It was so cute I had to catch it on video! Of course, in the video we're chanting to get him to clap again, not necessarily to encourage the behavior. Still, I had to do it! :)

Fourth of July

2010-07-05T12:10:00.000-04:00

We went to my sister's and my mom's house to celebrate Independence Day!

Jack (L) and Ben (R) take a break from playing to drink their bottle. They usually hold their own unless they're either too lazy or too tired. Here, both applied :)

Jack and Ben during an (admittedly rare) moment, playing together.

Benjamin especially liked this cube and the toys that fit inside.

Marissa layed down on the floor and Matthew came over and kissed her on the cheek. So sweet!

Matthew put the hat on his head by himself. Can you tell? :)

And then he tried putting it on Jack.

Nana and Grandpa with their grandchildren! Ben (red shorts,) Jack (white shorts,) Matthew and Evan - all born within ONE calendar year!

Can you believe this beautiful baby (Evan) is only four months old?

Grandpa with two of his grandboys... Matthew and Evan

Marissa and Dan with their nephews! (Ben, Jack, Matthew and Evan)

There were four... and then there were four MORE! :) Dan seems pretty happy with this sharp increase in testosterone. He was pretty lonely there for a while. heehee. We just LOVE our boys!

Creamsicle Heaven

2010-07-04T12:21:00.000-04:00

Benjamin enjoys his first creamsicle on mommy's lap. He started on the floor, but by the second taste, he needed to be muuuch closer to the goodness!

Jack is thinking, "Mom, when's MY turn!?"

Jack enjoys the creamsicle, too. Looks like I'm going to have to stock up on icecream this summer!

Good Friends

2010-07-03T12:12:00.000-04:00

Friday, July 2nd, two of my good college friends (Alicia and Amy) came to visit. We gathered at my mom's house - the most central location for all of us - and let our kids play! We had such a great time! We missed our other good friend, Robyn, and her family, though, who make their home in California now.

Alicia with Marissa (2 years old,) Amy with Grace (8 months old,) and me with Ben and Jack (15 months old)

Marissa loves the piano, just like her mommy!

Me and my boys, Ben and Jack

Jack and Ben take a turn on the piano.

Grandpa, Jack and Ben admire Evan in his swing while Matthew gets a runaway toy from behind!

Chief and his littlest grandchild

Amy and Grace - just soooo adorable!

Ellie and Evan, just 4 months old

Amy and little Grace

Ellie and me with our boys: Evan, Matthew, Ben and Jack - so many blessings in just one year!

Leah's Bridal Shower

2010-06-14T00:05:00.000-04:00

My Babies

2010-06-10T16:37:00.000-04:00

My babies, Jonathan (L) and Benjamin (R) enjoy eachother's company while looking out of the window this afternoon.

How did I ever get so blessed?

On My Toes

2010-06-04T11:26:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I've written on this blog. Whatever time I do have, I've been updating my Minute for Mom blog, though quiet time for mommy doesn't seem as plentiful anymore. Ever since the boys started walking... and running... and climbing... these boys keep me on my toes!

Want to know what Jack and Ben have been up to?

Ben learned to do a somersault. Well, not really. I still have to push him into it. But he waits for me to do it!

Ben and Jack love playing in my cupboard, the one place they're allowed to play in in the kitchen that I've fully stocked just for them. The other ones are locked. I just couldn't stand to let them pinch their fingers (or their brother's fingers) in trying to get each of them open!

They discovered another use for the toy basket. (Ben and Jack)

We got a bigger toy box. They learned how to climb into that, too. (Ben and Jack)

Here's how Ben did it.

Ben and Jack enjoy a quiet moment in front of the window, still one of their favorite pasttimes (if they're not trying to take a nose-dive off the couch!)

Ben got on the walker all by himself and can even push himself forward or backward.

Jack and Ben look to see if there's anything good in the fridge.

Ben can climb the stairs at the playground (at Mississippi Mudds in Tonawanda, NY)

Jack climbed up using his feet, not his hands!

But they're just so cute. Adorable, adventureous, laughable, playful, courageous little boys. (Ben and Jack) I can only imagine what excitement awaits us in Year Two!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-13T22:29:00.000-04:00

Man. Whoever said motherhood was a breeze was LYING!

Wait a minute. I don't think anyone has ever said that. And for good reason, too! This whole parenting thing is HARD WORK!

The past few weeks have been pretty tough. Jack and Ben are now walking (!) which presents a whole new adventure for this mommy. They love exploring their new world and can now access it all in record speeds and in two opposite directions. They're also teething, battling colds, ear infections, a rash on their faces, not sleeping and we are now the (proud?) owners of a nebulizer, a tool to give breathing treatments to the boys when they wheeze. I've spent more nights on the couch with one - or both - boys in the past month than I have in my own bed. My husband has been a huge help, doing even more around the house than he always has, taken the boys for rides in the van or the stroller so I could get work done around the house and even taking the night shift so I could rest even when he had to work the next day. (I know. I'm blessed!)

Still, it's been tough.

My mind has wandered - more than once - to my life as a public school teacher. If I had a few days like this in the classroom, I wouldn't hesitate to organize a personal day. After all, I was granted three a year! A whole day to relax, gather my thoughts, and get work done, all while knowing my students were being cared for by someone qualified, patient and as organized as I'd like them to be.

Okay, that last sentence about the qualified substitute was completely false. By my sixth year teaching, I wouldn't have minded if my teacher juggled and did magic tricks the entire day... as long as the kids were still alive! It didn't even matter if I had more work to do when I returned (which I almost inevitably did.) It was about the time away that made me feel like a better teacher. A more sane human being.

Then I had kids.

Moms don't get holidays. We don't get paid vacations or even weekends. We don't get progress reports or little notes on Christmas from parents telling us we're doing a good job. Moms don't get personal days or sick days. Heck, we don't even get a paycheck. Motherhood is a full-time job. Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty five days a year.

True, I could get a babysitter. I could hire a nanny. I could ask the girl down the street to play with the boys while I laid down in the other room. Trust me, I do find ways to get out of the house (thanks to my husband and my mom!) But that's not my point.

Being a mom is so much more difficult. You can't pass the buck to someone else or blame someone else for your circumstances. It all starts and ends with you. It is a huge burden, but a great blessing. There is no greater job on Earth than that of being a mother.

So even though I missed the official day we celebrate mothers, I'd like to take this opportunity to honor those of you that have been nodding your head in agreement.

You are not alone.

You are not the first to brave this world of parenting, nor will you be the last.

Thank you for the sacrifices you have made for those you love.

You may not always be recognized, but you are well-known.

The investments you are making now will reap a huge return in the future.

You are raising the next generation.

So take care. Smile. Breathe. You are doing a very good thing. A great thing.

A God thing.

Happy Mother's Day!

In Retrospect

2010-05-12T12:41:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day 2010

Ben, Andy, me and Jack

Mother's Day 2009

Ben, Andy, me and Jack

The boys were only 5 days old when I celebrated my very first Mother's Day!

Lauren Turns Six!

2010-04-25T13:58:00.000-04:00

My niece, Lauren, celebrated her sixth birthday yesterday! We went yo their house for dinner and desserts and of course, presents! Lauren had requested that I make Fruit Loops Treats as her dessert, so I (obviously) obliged.

Lauren drew a picture and then Lisa took it to the bakers at Wegmans to duplicate. Isn't that sweet?

Lauren and her daddy

She already lost a tooth!

Lauren and Grandma Sauer

The Sauer women (well, a few of us)

Lisa with her two youngest, Lauren and Tommy

Ben saw a little dolly and wasn't quite sure what to make of it

He played with her eyes and then pushed her away. I think it freaked him out that she wasn't moving like a real baby!

My family - Ben (L) and Jack (R)

Sunshine and Celery Sticks

2010-04-21T21:55:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, the boys and I joined Andy in Clarence Center for the day! While he worked, the boys hung out with me, my mom and my sister (their Aunt Sissa.) It was such a beautiful day - a perfect day for a visit to the country!

Jack experiments with the grass from the safety of mommy's lap

Benjamin got pretty comfortable with the grass...

... until he realized he was sitting in it all alone! :)

"Here Aunt Marissa," Ben says, "smell this grass."

Ben with his Nana

My nephew Matthew, 14 months old

Benjamin enjoys the celery stalk Chief gave him (to keep them from eating the grass!)

Ben is such a ham

Matthew

The only thing better than one celery stalk? THREE of them, of course! According to Ben at least.

Jonathan with his celery

Jonathan Andrew

Jonathan, my serious thinker

Ben was so excited about that celery!

Ben and Jack look at Aunt Marissa

Jack and Ben with Aunt Sissa

Mommy and Jack

Ben the Food Inspector

2010-04-21T12:28:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure how Benjamin felt about the grilled cheese I made for him the other night, but judging by this video, he wasn't too impressed.

And by the way, this is BY FAR my newest favorite video. I just love these boys!

One Calendar Year

2010-04-15T13:12:00.004-04:00

The boys are turning a year old in less than three weeks! Wow. It's true what they say... the days go by slow, but the weeks go by fast.

Me and the boys in utero exactly one year ago today. God was the only one that knew they'd be coming out in less than three weeks at 38 weeks gestation on Tuesday, May 5th. Then the REAL adventure began!
In the beginning, you struggle to get through each day. You question everything you're doing and doing feel like you're not getting a thing right. Showers are a luxury and going to the bathroom just doesn't seem all that private anymore. Your conversations turn into musings about diapers and milk consumption. Cooking a homecooked meal is the furthest thing from your mind and 75% of your cell phone contacts are now for take-out. You count down the hours until bedtime, which really only meant that it was dark outside. Highlights of the day were Facebook and your new love of midnight blog readings. You feel like your life merely consists of feeding, pumping and changing diapers. It's exhausting work. Draining. And you wonder if it will ever get easier.

Then the boys started sleeping a little longer through the night. Thank God! Giggling, then laughing. Hooray! Then they started rolling over. We couldn't believe it. We moved their cribs down and put their swings away. They started sitting up. Eating solids. My God, our boys are amazing. They began crawling. And now, walking. Then you're looking back thinking, "It really wasn't all that hard, was it?" My, how soon we forget! :)

Jonathan wrestles on top of Benjamin, who welcomes the brotherly game

And now a year has passed. Well, almost a year. I still remember those days that were not that long ago, but it doesn't seem possible that these are the same little boys. Those babies were such little helpless creatures. They couldn't even hold up their head. And now, they're walking across my dining room. Unbelievable. All in one calendar year.

And what a wonderful year it's been!!!!

A Few Videos

2010-04-13T22:41:00.001-04:00

It is amazing to realize just how fast these boys are developing! They just started rolling over last week, didn't they? Now they're walking! Or at least attempting to. Here are some videos that post their progress to date; they were all taken today.

Boys Dancing
The boys dance to a new CD from my friend, Katy. Jack's on the left and Ben's on the right.

Jack Takes Some Steps
Jack takes a few steps tonight. He's really getting confident now!

Jack Gives Ben a Ride
Jack pushes Ben on the walker. Too funny! Again, sorry it's so dark. We took one of Ben pushing Jack too, but the quality was even worse. They're growing up so fast!

Easter 2010

2010-04-08T11:17:00.000-04:00

11 Months Old

2010-04-05T14:24:00.000-04:00

Jonathan Andrew

Benjamin David

Jonathan and Benjamin

Where I Come From

2010-04-05T11:33:00.002-04:00

I grew up in the country. Well, I suppose now it would be called the suburbs. But when I was growing up, it was the country.

We have roads, not streets. Evergreen trees are our quiet neighbors. On a windy day, you can smell the horses three houses down (which is actually a quarter mile away.) Our road wasn't paved until I was in second grade. Cable television wouldn't even reach our house until I was in high school. Taking a walk around the block meant you'd be back in an hour. We played in the woods and touched slugs. We only came back to the house when we were hungry or had to use the bathroom. We were encouraged to only watch movies and we didn't get Internet access until my uncle convinced my mom of its educational possibilities. (I remember when one of the boys in my 10th grade biology class brought in "something from the Internet" for my teacher and I was sure it was pornography! :)

My dad grew up in the house next door and there is a big, red barn between our two properties. Bigger houses are popping up all over the place as well as little cul de sacs, so maybe it is the suburbs. But I don't know. When the directions to your house growing up included the instructions "the house next to the big, red barn," even if animals haven't inhabited it for more than thirty years, I think that's a pretty convincing definition of the country.

I moved from my childhood home when I married my best friend. He was a charming Conservative from the city who loved talking to his next door neighbor while grilling on the porch and socializing with friends on his front stoop. It was a process for me, one that took some getting used to. But because I knew this was the man I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, I knew that I would grow to love it as much as he did. The houses here are a lot closer together, driveways are a novelty and attached garages are almost unheard of. The first time I pulled in the driveway of our apartment by myself, I opened my car door and it touched the house next to ours. I cried. But I quickly fell in love with the convenience, wonder and excitement of living in the city. Especially when I was pregnant. It's pretty nice having an Anderson's Roast Beef & Custard within a two-mile radius when those last-night cravings came rolling around! When I forgot an ingredient for dinner, Andy's back within seven minutes. And it truly is the City of Good Neighbors (except for our neighbors on the left - the worst ones on the block - but that's a story for another time.)

We drove to the country on Good Friday and enjoyed a day with Nana, soaking up the unseasonably warm weather. I took my City Boys outside so they could enjoy the unique texture of grass for the first time. As you can see, they preferred the comfort of mommy's lap more than anything. But it was cute to see them interested in exploring their surroundings.

Jack seemed interested in touch the grass for a few short moments, though Ben preferred to keep his feet on my lap.

Jonathan (grey) and Benjamin (blue) are close to naptime!

Benjamin is definitely a cuddle bug

Even though I've been enjoying the comforts of living in the city - plethora of restaurants within walking distance, the park, the zoo, and the theatre within a ten minute drive - it's still nice for this Country Girl to make the 25-minute trek back to the country (or at least what feels like the country for me) to enjoy the simple pleasures again. How lucky for my boys, to have the best of both worlds!

Matthew & Evan's Dedication

2010-03-15T23:43:00.001-04:00

Mommy's First Walk

2010-03-11T21:02:00.000-05:00

For the first time EVER, I took the boys out by myself! It was such a beautiful day, we took a walk to Grandma Sauer's house down the street. I was exhausted, but so glad we were able to enjoy the day!

At Grandma's house, the boys enjoyed playing with the grass and all of the tiniest plants they found on the sidewalk. Jonathan, true to form, was very inquisitive and curious. Ben preferred to stay close by mommy or walk around when you let him.

Benjamin is one determined little walker! He stands for seconds at a time and loves to walk when you hold his hands. I'm hoping he doesn't get the whole walking thing for quite a while, though, since I'm still learning to manage two CRAWLERS!

Grandma Sauer with Benjamin and Jonathan

How Jonathan ended the afternoon, asleep on the couch. Mommy was feeling pretty exhausted after all of that work, too! So Andy, when can we get a single family house? Those stairs are a killer! ;)

Meeting Evan

2010-03-11T20:57:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday, 3/10, Jack, Ben and I went with Nana to visit my nephew for the first time! Well, Nana had seen him a lot, but it was OUR first visit! We had soo much fun!

The David Mandich family

Matthew was so excited to see his cousins!

"Ben, are you gonna play with me all day?" What a cutie he is. He'll be a year old on Saturday, 3/13, and has been walking for almost two months!

Ben drinks from a sippy cup, folding his legs as if he was doing it all his life.

Ben and Jack drink from their sippy cups in a position I can't imagine would make that task too easy.

No more bottles for Matthew!

Nana holds Evan, 10 days old and SUPER long! He was born almost 23" long!

What a beautiful baby.

Grandchild #4, and still as excited as if he were her first.

Nana with her boys: Benjamin, Jonathan, Evan Matthew

Aunt Mindy gets to hold baby Evan! I tried to remember when my babies were that little, but it seems so long ago!

Nana and Matthew along with his favorite toy lately, a spatula. Can find that in a toy store!

Me and my boys (Jack and Ben) as well as Ellie and her boys (Evan and Matthew,) all born within one calendar year. Wow. That's a lotta babies!

Ellie with her two littlest boys

She's such a good mommy.

And beautiful, too!

And so gentle.

Matthew has been a really good big brother!

"Well, he's not very playful right now, is he?"

"Can we keep 'im, mom?"

10 Months Old

2010-03-05T20:07:00.001-05:00

Jonathan and Benjamin, 10 months old

Lord of the Rings

2010-03-05T13:23:00.003-05:00

My boys love playing with their Fisher Price ring stackers (thank God, we have one for each of them!) It's been difficult to catch them doing it, though, since they absolutle LOVE my camera! Here's a little video of Ben from this afternoon. He doesn't get all of the rings on in the correct order, but that's not too shabby for a little boy who just turned 10 months old today!

Benjamin, the Lord of the Rings

Jack can do it too, but that little man attacks me whenever he sees my camera, so if I wanted to catch HIM doing it, I'd have to hide my camera somewhere ahead of time :)

A Day with Matthew

2010-03-02T20:56:00.000-05:00

The boys and I drove with Andy to work today so I could join my mom at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers.) Afterward, we played at my mom's house. We had soo much fun! Matthew, my nephew, was still there, waiting for his mommy to come home with his new baby brother, so we all got to play! It is really much fun watching the three of these boys together - I can't even imAGine what it's going to be like when there are FOUR of them crawling, running and wrestling around!

Okay. Seriously. How cute are these caps? My mom bought them for the boys to match their daddy! Ben shows off his two chompers (and the third one just poked its head out today!)

There is no denying it. Ben is Andy's son.

It is so cute how much Jack loves the Chief. He'd pull on his pantleg and raise his arms whenever he was close, even (gasp) preferring him to mommy! Wow. Good taste, Jack. I always liked that man, too.

Jack uses the bar stool as a support to stand up.

Matthew settles for grandpa's hand as Jack has his arm otherwise occupied.

"Chief," I heard Matthew say, "I can't believe you're two-timing me for this little pipsqueak."

I find that to feed to busy little boys, you have to be pretty resourceful (and flexible... literally!)

Matthew is walking... and running... and getting into everything! He's really curious. It really is fun to watch him explore.

Matthew would make ma bee-line for me whenever he saw me with my camera. I wasn't expecting him to go head-to-head with me like he was gonna give me a kiss!

Jack listening to some tunes on his iPod. Just kidding. He's trying to pull off the cap that mommy keeps putting on. But it looks like he has earphones on, doesn't it?

Benjamin, you are just so adorable.

Ben plays peek-a-boo

Matthew saw Nana with the boys. "Uh," he sighed. "You too, Nana?" :)

Matthew ran up to my dad to give him a HUGE hug! I guess that sealed any confusion about him being the First Grandson :)

Boy of many faces

Matthew will be a year old in less than two weeks! March 13th!

My best attempt at getting a picture of both boys with their velour track suits as well as their caps. Jack's in grey and Ben's in blue, crunching some numbers on his calculator.

Ben

Jack

Great-Grandpa Sid, 93 years old, with three of his great-grandsons. We're still waiting for him to meet baby Evan, who's just two days old!

Matthew inspects Ben's mouth. "Hmm, you've got some o' those teef, too, huh?"

Nana and three of her boys: Jonathan, Benjamin and Matthew

I was sweating, trying to get this picture! Nana was ambitious in hoping we'd get a photo of the boys with their caps on... but this one's not too bad. I just hope no one was videotaping me making a fool of myself to get them all to laugh and look in the same direction. :)

We are blessed with family!

My Newest Nephew

2010-03-01T14:32:00.000-05:00

My sister had her baby yesterday afternoon: Evan Joseph

She woke up with hard contractions around 5am and David helped her time them. Four minutes apart. They called the doctor, then called my mom. She left right away. Aunt Lisa was already at the house to watch Matthew; Ellie wanted Mom with her in the room.

Since it was the weekend, she didn't have any of her regular doctors, but the staff was all very friendly and helpful. She had to get TWO epidurals since the first one didn't take (ouch!) but after they broke her water, mini Mandich would soon make his entrance! She pushed once... his head came out. She pushed again... his whole body emerged! What a trooper!

Evan Joseph Mandich

born February 28, 2010

at 3:33pm

9 lbs, 2 oz

22 and 7/8"

Daddy, mommy and Evan with their first (partial) family photo.

Big brother meets baby Evan for the first time! He couldn't stop touching and staring at him!

God bless you, David and Ellie! We are so excited for your newest miracle! Aunt Mindy can't wait to meet him (and neither can Jack and Ben!)

Happy Birthday, Andy!

2010-02-22T11:00:00.001-05:00

I had been planning on having Andy's birthday celebration at our house this past Sunday, but with us being sick, I decided a restaurant was a better choice. Added to the fact that one of our favorites, Swiss Chalet, will be closing next week, we knew exactly where we wanted to go!

My boys: Jack, Andy and Ben. Bet you can't tell they're related, huh? Uh, love these men.

My mom and dad, still looking good

My mother-in-law and my mom

Uncle Matty with Sarah (7) and Lauren (5)

Uncle Peter with Anna, the nine year old who spent the entire afternoon texting on my cell phone :)

Daddy lets Jonathan choose his own snack while cousin Sarah looks on

Our family! Jack, Andy, me and Ben - don't they look so grown up in those little polos? Thanks, Grandma Sauer!

Jonathan looks up at daddy while choosing his lil crunchies, their faaaavorite snack!

My sister, Ellie with her family, David and Matthew (plus Mini Mandich in her tummy!) Can you believe this girl is more than 39 weeks pregnant? Doesn't she look amazing? Plus, she made the trek from Rochester to Buffalo to help us celebrate. Thanks, El! We can't wait to meet Baby Boy #2!

Matthew David, 11 months old and has been walking for a few weeks now! Geez, where does the time go? (Nana Donna took this picture, though I'd love to take credit for it!)

Aunt Lisa with Tommy (4) and Lauren (5)

I wish that I would have gotten pictures of Marissa as well as my brother, Dan, and his girlfriend, Lydia, who came from Houghton to celebrate, but I could only get what I could from my limited vantage point and with one hand! Sorry, guys. Thanks for celebrating with us!

Happy Birthday, Andy! I love you sooo much!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T22:46:00.000-05:00

Roses are red, a beautiful flower.

We may be sweet, but we're also Sauer!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love, Jack and Ben (with colds)

Super Bowl Party

2010-02-08T14:02:00.000-05:00

I'm not much of a football fan... well, that's a huge understatement... I'm not a football fan at all! But I do like getting together with friends! We joined Andy's friends for the (first half) of the Super Bowl last night and got to hang out with their kids, too. It was a happenin' place!

Jamie and her six-month old son, Dominic

Andy's friend, Josh, his son JJ with Dominic

Jonathan would have jumped into the television if we let 'im!

Benjamin preferred to stay close to mommy. Attached to mommy. Clinging to mommy. The.whole.time. Can we say attached? :)

Dominic plays with his toes

Dominic Dennis Cinelli - what a CUTIE!

Da Boys

These guys have been Andy's friends since 8th grade (though we were missing a few of them because of distance.) Josh and his boys Nick and JJ, Brian and his son Dominic, Thom, and then Andy with our boys Ben and Jack. It made for quite an evening!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

2010-02-06T22:52:00.000-05:00

Rub-a-dub-dub, two boys in a tub

Jack and Ben enjoy tandum bathtimes at the SAME time, thanks to our new laundry basket! I got the idea from a girl's blog who also has twins, but just a little younger than the boys. I wish I had stolen the idea sooner. It was great!

Jonathan Andrew, 9 months old

Benjamin David, 9 months old

Jack, true to form, stands up and tries to make his escape. Thankfully, daddy was right there to thwart his efforts (allowing mommy to keep playing with pictures!)

Ben enjoys the bath toys!

Daddy makes bathtime so much fun!

The other perk to having a laundry basket (for as long as they'll fit?) An extended sleeping night! They slept 11 hours because of a nice, long bath! Looks like that'll be a staple around our house for some time.

Jack Has His Day!

2010-02-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

True to form, the other boy is never far behind his brother!

Jack pulled himself up to his feet using the ottoman in their bedroom this morning. He was so pleased with himself!

Jack and Ben inspect the new teethers I found cleaning their room this morning. They had so much fun playing with the packaging that I haven't even taken them out yet.

Jack and Ben say, "Ah, yes. This feels much better, mommy!"

Now that I know that they're teething, I'm trying to be a bit more proactive about things, especially after gaining some wisdom from my friends who've 'been there' and survived! It is nice to know why the boys just haven't been themselves the last few days. Now, I have teethers and apple slices freezing, teething biscuits for lunch, washclothes ready to be douced in cold water and Hurricane Gel at an arm's length.

Bring it on.

A Big Day for Ben

2010-02-03T13:17:00.001-05:00

They told me it would happen fast, but I didn't think it would be this fast!

Last night I noticed Ben had acquired a new tooth... it's a little tooth, but it's pokin' it's little head out! Looks like we'll be using a lot of Hurricane Gel in the next few weeks. Err, months.

And today, he pulled himself up to his feet on the fence! Unbelievable. All in one day.

Ben looks so big, yet so small.

I wish that I would hadn't put the camera away before he starting slipping into a split! He grasped his little hands tightly on the spokes of the fence and wouldn't let go! It was too cute. I could have grabbed the camera again, but sometimes, not even good photography can come before helping out your little one.

But don't think I wouldn't try next time! :)

Like Father, Like Son

2010-02-01T22:50:00.002-05:00

Jack helps daddy open the mail

Way Back When

2010-01-31T21:42:00.000-05:00

My younger sister, Marissa, posted this picture of my husband and I at my older sister, Ellie's wedding, two and a half years ago. In August 2007 (when this was taken,) Andy and I had been married for three months. We were - and still are - in that Honeymoon Phase.

Gosh, I hope that never ends.

I love you, Andy.

So Much Love

2010-01-26T15:12:00.000-05:00

Time really goes go by so fast. It seems like just last week that we brought the boys home and struggled with knowing how much food they were getting, how much sleep WE were getting and if we were doing anything right.

Now they're almost nine months old. They're crawling. Pushing themselves up to a sitting position from their bellies. Trying to pull themselves to stand. Eating with their fingers. It's unbelievable.

Jack and Ben playing in Jack's crib after their afternoon nap

I never knew just how much MORE I could love someone since the boys were born. Looking at their eyes, wide smile and dimples, I feel an overwhelming sense of joy. Pride. Love.

They are our blessing.

God has entrusted these two lives to me and Andy... and we will be forever grateful.

We Have TWO Crawlers!

2010-01-14T21:58:00.000-05:00

Yup, that's right. Jack had a 2-week lead, but now Ben is right behind him... literally!

Ben and Jack slide across our hardwood floor

Ben sips his (empty) sippy cup. I'm thinking I'll have to put some liquid in there so they don't think it's just a teething toy!

Ben

Jack

Jack on all fours

Jonathan LOVES looking out the window. I probably take a gazillion pictures of him looking outside every day. His face is priceless!

You may be older than me," Ben said, "but it's only by ONE MINUTE!" Hmm. He does have a point there.

Jack points out where Ben's eyes are, but Ben is not so easily amused. "

The Wonder of it All

2010-01-11T22:05:00.001-05:00

My boys love windows. And light. Especially the light that comes through our front window. Now they are able to stand up to see it, on the couch where I have fed them for the past eight months. This has become their new favorite activity!

Ben and Jack

Benjamin, 8 months old

They watch the cars go by, watch our neighbor shovel his driveway and the people walking their dogs. I never realized just how entertaining it really is... to an 8-month-old, of course.

Ben

Jack

Jonathan

(You can't tell from the photo, but Jack is casually tapping his right hand against the window sill, just as you would do if you were waiting for someone. Oh, so cute!)

So Much JOY

2009-12-29T12:03:00.000-05:00

It has been such a joy having Jonathan and Benjamin in our lives. They are full of so much personality, so much laughter, so much JOY. They're only 7.5 months old, but if this is a hint of what is to come... bring it on!!!

Jonathan

Benjamin

Jack and Ben

Jonathan

Benjamin

Jack heads for the diaper bag while I play pat-a-cake with Ben

Ben and his nana

Jack - do you hear what I hear?

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T16:21:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed a wonderful Christmas season with my family. I've had some pretty amazing Christmases in the past, but this one was definitely the best.

Andy with Jack and Ben

Ben amidst all of our presents at Grandma Sauer's house

"C'mon, Ben," Jack is saying. "Quit smiling for the camera abd help me open these gifts!"

Grandma Sauer and Uncle Matty bought us a flat-screen tv! Wow! How exciting!

Stealing a kiss from my boyfriend under the mistletoe.

Ben and Jack: my BEST presents EVER!

My nephew, Matthew, is 9 months old and getting bigger everyday! Ellie, his mom, is about 7 months pregnant and due at the end of February!

My Jonathan, 7.5 months

My Benjamin, 7.5 months

Jack with his Aunt Ellie

I never realized that all of my siblings (including me) have a hitch-hiker's thumb! Too funny!

Jonathan and his daddy. Gosh, I love these men.

Jack, Andy, me and Ben - a wonderful Christmas!!

Ben's Turn

2009-12-20T17:34:00.000-05:00

Ben's not even a week behind his brother in lifting himself up on all fours! Neither one is crawling, but they're doing everything else... rolling, pushing, pulling and reaching to get where they want to go. They're growing up so fast!

Enjoying the Moment

2009-12-17T09:59:00.002-05:00

Sometimes no words are necessary.

Progress in a Picture

2009-12-14T21:03:00.000-05:00

It's true when they say babies grow up really fast.

Last night was the first time that Jonathan got up on all fours. I didn't see him - I was in the kitchen - but Andy witnessed it. It wasn't until later this afternoon that I peaked into his playpen and saw him on all fours, falling down and then getting up again. I couldn't believe it! I put him on the floor to see if I could get a better shot (to view AND to take a picture!) He was not only getting up on all fours, but he was also teetering his body back and forth, like he was getting ready to crawl!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a crawler-in-training!

This piece of information sends me into a whirlwind of emotions. On one hand, I am OVERJOYED for my little one who is perfecting this skill. How talented is he? He's growing up so well! On the other hand, I'm petrified. Having a crawler in the house means I have to baby-proof the house for a crawler for like the ten millionth time since they've been born. We have a small apartment. Where is he gonna go? What is he gonna get into? And I'm so afraid of him falling and getting hurt! I know he has to fall, but I feel so bad when it's time to nurse cuts and bruises.

But today is a day for celebration. (And preparation.) Hooray for Jonathan!

Playin' Around

2009-12-14T11:19:00.000-05:00

Ben and Jack play around together on the floor...

Benjamin rolls around

Jack is Super Baby!

Loads of Fun

2009-12-13T11:06:00.002-05:00

The boys are really getting to be a lot of fun. They're a lot more interactive now, making things both more exciting and more challenging!

I brought out our Booty Shaker Santa last week to share with the boys. I thought they'd enjoy the dancing little man, but no! I think he frightened them! I wish that I could post the video here as I did on Facebook, but I can't figure out how to upload videos with this new format. :( The boys looked to eachother and to me for comfort after I turned the dancing Santa off. He was a lot more appealing to them after he had been silenced! Even now, two weeks later, they love playing with the doll, but only when there is no sound.

This picture illustrates one of our biggest challenges with twins: keeping them on the same schedule! Ben fell asleep playing while Jack is ready for more!

Who needs expensive toys when you have Tupperware? The boys love cups. They bring them up to their mouths, suck on the rims and make sounds to hear their echo. They're also big fans of spoons. They're easy to please!

They're officially eating now! They have been experimenting with food for more than 3 months, but have finally taken the plunge into swalling it. It is so much more fun now to experiment with different foods now that they've mastered the eating part of it! Their current favorites are peaches, avacado and apples, carrots and apples as well as green beans. Thanks to Andy buying me a fantastic food processor, I've been enjoying making my own food and freezing it in ice cube trays. With the way these boys have been eating, it's going to be a huge money-saver!

Ya see? Spoons? They love 'em. Here's Jack chomping on his spoon after a big helping of green beans.

Andy's Aunt Paula won these little hats for us at a silent auction before the boys were born. I think her great-aunt made them. They were so cute! Ben is wearing a little chicky hat and Jack is an apple. Such good babies.

It's so nice that the boys play so well together. I can stay out of the room longer when the other baby is with them, which is a huge help for getting a glass of water, going to the bathroom or running for my cell phone. Ben is using his empty water bottle as an airplane. :) This picture was taken a few weeks ago, though, before they started rolling around like crazy. We don't play on the couch anymore unless I'm sitting right there with them. They'd roll right off! Our choice area of play is now the floor.

Gratitude

2009-11-26T23:36:00.000-05:00

Jack, Andy, Mindy, and Ben

I love my family!

The Van Ride Trick

2009-11-23T13:30:00.000-05:00

I can't believe my boys are more than six months old before we used the van ride trick!!

My parents said they used this all the time with my oldest sister, Ellie, who was a difficult one to get to sleep. They'd dress her in pajamas and go for a ride in the van until she fell asleep. Worked every time! (Until they tried bringing her in the house, of course.)

The boys only slept for forty-five minutes yesterday afternoon and were obviously still tired when they woke up. But they didn't want to go down again. So Andy and I packed them up in their carseats and headed to the grocery store. The plan: I would shop for the Thanksgiving stuff I still needed and Andy would drive around, letting the boys sleep. It worked. Like a charm.

When we came home an hour later, the boys were happy because they slept, mommy was happy to get out and get what she needed (by herself,) and daddy was happy because mommy was happy.

Gee, why didn't we think of this sooner?

Six Months Old

2009-11-22T16:54:00.000-05:00

Jack and Ben, six months old

Jonathan Andrew

Benjamin David

Enjoying a Warm Afternoon

2009-11-14T17:40:00.000-05:00

Who would have thought that we could have enjoyed such a beautiful afternoon in Buffalo on November 14th?? I took the boys' excersaucers onto the front porch and we enjoyed the sunshine for more than an hour! What a nice treat!

Jack and Ben

Jack likes sticking out his tongue

Jack didn't want to keep his hat on after a while

Baby Ben

Ben laughs at his brother

Jack and Ben - hey, who putta mirror out here?

Uncle Matt's 30th Birthday

2009-11-13T04:32:00.000-05:00

We helped Matt, Andy's brother, celebrate his 30th birthday!

The Sauer men that came to celebrate: cousin Danny, Uncle Matt, Tommy, Ben, Uncle Peter, Andy and Jack

Tommy with the birthday boy (Can you see Uncle Matt's dimples? They run in the family!)

Happy Birthday, Uncle Matty!

Anna is 8, going on 18

I made these cookies for dessert... yummy!

http://www.oceanspray.com/recipes/Oatmeal_Cranberry_White_Chocolate_Chunk_Cookies.aspx?id=1143&nid=9

The cake as requested: chocolate on chocolate

The kids enjoyed watching the picture slideshow I made!

Ben's first taste of ice cream with Uncle Peter... a success!

Jack's taste with daddy... it's a winner!

Uncle Matt and Peter play with Jack

Ben and Grandma Sauer

And the Family Keeps Growing

2009-11-09T14:57:00.000-05:00

Cousins Ben, Matthew and Jack - just 7 weeks apart

Nana and her grandchilden so far until February 2010 when Ellie is due to have another boy!

Jonathan, Matthew and Benjamin

Six Months Old

2009-11-05T14:55:00.001-05:00

Jack and Ben are six months old!

Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T22:35:00.000-04:00

Answer to Prayer

2009-10-28T10:04:00.003-04:00

I had been excited about the 9+ hours of sleep my boys performed last week. And honestly, I was alright if that hadn't been repeated for a while (though I prayed they would!) Sleep is so much more a staple than a luxury. But, as the Lord would have it, they're doing well!

After that night, they slept their normal 6 hour routine. But last night, they slept 8 hours. And 8.5 hours the night before last. I still don't expect it each night, but man, I welcome it each time!

I'm sure the boys had a conversation like this:
Ben: "Hey Jack, did you notice how happy Mom is today?"
Jack: "Yeah. Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that we slept longer last night?"
Ben: "No, it can't be. Something that small?"
Jack: "Well, let's do it again a few more times. Just to see if that's it."
Ben: "Good idea. I'm game."

God really does answer prayer!

God's Amazing Grace

2009-10-27T07:12:00.001-04:00

Amy and Chris have been praying for a baby since they were married more than four years ago. On Saturday, God delivered. It was a beautiful baby girl, appropriately named Grace.

Grace Elizabeth was born at 8:57am on October 24, 2009. And even though she was a full month early, she weighed a perfect 5 lbs, 13 oz and was 19.75" long. Healthy, too!

The proud daddy holds his little girl

Good friends, now mommies! Not only was Amy a bridesmaid in our wedding that occured on her birthday, but Jack and Ben were born on our second wedding anniversary... very special!

Praise God for this perfect little gift, this long-awaited answer to prayer. Congratulations, Chris and Amy!

A Fluke? An Accident? No... JOY!

2009-10-21T09:36:00.006-04:00

Call it a fluke. Call it an accident. Call it luck. I don't care.

MY BOYS SLEPT FOR NINE HOURS STRAIGHT LAST NIGHT!

Daddy with his boys, Jack and Ben, last night before bedtime

Jonathan has, more recently, been the first one to wake up. And since I try and keep them (roughly) on the same schedule, I'd have to wake up Benjamin, too. I always felt guilty doing that, feeling like he would have slept for a few more hours. I had come to the conclusion that Jack just needed less sleep than Ben. If Jack woke up early from a nap during the day, I'd let Ben sleep a few more minutes before going in to wake him.

I woke up through the night... 3:30... 4:30... and each time, I'd think, "Wow, they haven't gotten up yet. Just a few more minutes..." and then I'd go back to sleep. When I woke up at 7:07, I stared at my alarm clock in disbelief. They still weren't awake! I shook Andy (twenty minutes past when I normally would have woken him up for work) and explained the situation. "They never got up through the night!" I exclaimed. He didn't seem as excited as I was, though. His face was concerned as he jumped out of bed to check their breathing and be sure their cribs were dry. Oops. Should I have been more concerned? I was so ecstatic about the extra sleep that I hadn't even thought they might have been in danger! He reappeared in our doorway after what seemed like an eternity and gave me a look that said, "Yeah. Wow. They're still asleep and I think they're alright."

As Andy turned the water on for his shower, I heard one of the boys stirring. And do you know what? It was Ben! As with most things lately, the moment I try and label one of them, they switch it up!

I don't even care if this was a fluke and if it doesn't happen again for another six months. They slept for more than nine hours last night and THAT is worth celebrating!

Learning Curve

2009-10-20T15:12:00.003-04:00

Since having the boys, I have to learn to do everything again. It's not that I didn't know how to do these things before, but with two babies at once - or even if I only had one - you just can't do things the same way. Here are some examples:

Taking a shower: This task is different depending on what time of day I'm able to do it. In the evening, it is a beautiful way to relax after the boys are asleep. I can take as long as I want (and I often do,) enjoying the warmth. In the morning, however, it is purely functional. Get in, get out, keep moving. I'm proud to say that I can be completely ready in exactly five minutes... showered, dressed, and out the door (but that's because Andy usually drives and I put my makeup on in the car.)
Doing my hair: I've never been one to spend a great deal of time with my hair, but I spent a lot more time than I do now! After I showered, I would blowdry it straight and then curl it with hot rollers. I almost always left it down. Now, that's something I only try to do on Sundays and special occasions. Now, I brush it and let it airdry. Then it's back into a ponytail for the day!
Getting ready to go out: I suppose this one goes without saying. I'm no longer concerned JUST with making sure we have our wallets, cell phones, and keys before going out the door. Now, I have to be sure I have at least three onesies, sleepers, outfits, socks, and hats as well as plenty of diapers and wipes. In the diaper bag, there should also be plenty of toys (including teething rings) to keep them occupied and an extra nail clipper, nose-sucker-outter-thing, and cotton swabs. I usually try and pack these things the night before we go anywhere to make the mornings a little easier. Obviously, that also includes getting the boys dressed and in their car seats, a task that Andy assists with, too. On Sundays, he usually showers first so he can get the boys dressed while I shower and do my hair (see above.)
Making dinner: I used to put food in the CrockPot the night before, or start dinner as soon as we got home from work. Sure, I tried to plan my menu so I'd have the groceries I needed, but it was also a lot easier to make a quick trip to the store if I forgot something. Now, it's a process that requires even more planning. I plan my menu by looking through the sale ads and more recently, Taste of Home, my favorite cooking magazine (I'm *trying* to try different recipes.) Then I make a complete grocery list, adding every little thing that pops into my head that I could get at the store. After all, my time away from the boys is limited - but thanks to my mom, does exist - so I have to try and make the most of my time. When I'm home, dinner preparation starts in the morning. I make sure the meat is defrosted and start chopping any vegetables or any other prep-work in the afternoon during the boys' nap or if I'm able to steal away. Then, when Andy comes home, he watches the boys while I finish putting everything together. It's ideal to eat by 6:30pm because the boys' nighttime schedule begins shortly after.
Doing laundry: I am SOOOO grateful Andy put in a front-loading washer and dryer on our floor. Living in a double and living on the top floor, this is quite a novelty. And I absolutely love it. I used to do about two loads a week. Now, it's more like two loads a DAY! I try and coordinate it so the washer is running while they're awake and then I fold everything on the dining room table while they're awake and where they can see me. I have found it to be demoralizing to try and clean while the boys are sleeping, so I try and do as much as I can when they're awake.
Washing the dishes: My husband is such a great support to me and a great help around the house. The dishes (including bottles) has become a job that he does with great joy... and much appreciation!!! After the boys are asleep, he unloads the dishwasher, loads it again and handwashes each of the boys' bottles. Uh. I am so grateful. This is such a blessing since I could spend a great deal of time with this each day. Other wives would understand, too, that this is an exhausting task especially after doing the work to create a nice meal! Thanks, Andy!

Having twins has literally changed my life. But five months later, I'm grateful to have found a sort of routine that works for us. It is a routine that is constantly changing as the boys grow, but I think we're getting the hang of the new flux our lives have begun. Next to meeting and marrying my best friend, having Jonathan and Benjamin has been one of the BIGGEST blessings of my life. True, I haven't slept more than six hours at a time since they've been born and I may not have a chance to do my hair anymore, but hearing the giggles of my little men when their daddy walks through the door gives me an enormous amount of joy. I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Great Pumpkin Farm

2009-10-19T07:31:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, 10/18, we decided to visit the Great Pumpkin Farm at the last minute because my uncle had some free tickets since they had been working there all week! So Mom, Ellie and Matthew, Marissa and I met Grandma and Aunt Lilly there! I only stayed 15 minutes because it was so cold, plus the boys couldn't really participate in everything they had to offer. But for the time we were there, it was great!

Jack and Ben stayed warm in their many layers

Benjamin, in his hat from Aunt Carol (who bought them in Peru!)

Jonathan

Sissa, Mom and Ellie

Grandma, me, Aunt Lilly

Jack and Ben playing in the pumpkin patch

Mommy and Jack

Mommy and Ben

Mommy with Ben and Jack

Scott & Leah

2009-10-17T21:51:00.000-04:00

Andy's cousin, Leah, is getting married to Scott in August 2010. We are so excited! So in preparation for their upcoming nuptuals, I took some engagement photos for them. Aunt Patti watched the boys and we spent a few hours around Orchard Park getting some neat shots! Congratulations, Scott and Leah!

A Great Connection

2009-10-15T13:00:00.001-04:00

I had done a search for “twins” on Craigslist a few weeks ago and came across a mother of twins. She also had two boys – hers will be two in November – and she was looking to sell the clothes they had outgrown. Here’s the thing: she lives right down the road from my parents!

Jack and Ben with one of their new-to-us outfits

My mom met with her a few days ago and came back with two bags of beautiful clothes, two of everything, and a lot of helpful advice! I am so grateful to have made such a great connection!

Mashed Potato Beef Casserole

2009-10-15T12:52:00.003-04:00

I made this for dinner last night and thought it was the ultimate comfort food. It's kinda like Shephard's Pie with meat on the bottom and mashed potatoes on top. It's great for those chilly autumn days or even when you have leftover mashed potatoes! My husband really enjoyed it! It's yet another recipe from the Taste of Home magazine.

Mashed Potato Beef Casserole

2 bacon strips, diced
1# ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped
¼# fresh mushrooms, diced
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
3 T. flour
1 c. beef broth
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried tarragon
¼ tsp. pepper
3 c. hot mashed potatoes (made to your liking)
¾ c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
paprika

In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Cook beef in drippings over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Toss onion, mushrooms, carrot and celery in flour; add to skillet with the broth, Worcestershire sauce, tarragon and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add bacon; transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Combine potatoes and ½ cup of cheese; spread over beef mixture. (Note: I put the following in my mashed potatoes: sour cream, milk, mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley.) Sprinkle with paprika and remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350˚ for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Broil 4” from the heat for 5 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 4-6 servings.

I Wish I Would Have Done This Sooner!

2009-10-09T04:33:00.002-04:00

Ever since the boys were about 10 weeks old, we started getting them used to a schedule. This encouraged us to put them down for short naps throughout the day so they would eventually sleep longer at night. They've really been doing well.

One of the things we've learned through this process is how to tell when they're sleepy. I wait for these signals to know they're tired so I can feel confident letting them fuss for a minute or two afterward. For my boys, those tired signs are red eyes, yawns, and digging their head into my chest. When I see those signs, I put them down (followed by their brother within 10 minutes) and thet fall asleep quite nicely. This is what I've been doing for the past few months... but only during the day.

At night, I have been sensitive to the amount I'd let them fuss because I wouldn't want Andy to wake up. He works hard for us during the day and I want him to be rested. Nighttime feedings usully took around 75-90 minutes... or longer. Here was my routine: I'd wait for one of them to wake up, then I'd wake up the other and then feed them at the same time. When they had had their fill, I'd change one diaper and then the other. After I'm confident they had had enough to eat, I'd hold them (one at a time,) waiting for them to fall asleep in my arms so I could put them down. This is the time-consuming and exhausting part since I'd want to fall asleep myself! After they were asleep, I'd get a snack and a big glass of water and pump or express more milk.

Do all of that twice or three times a night and you're exhausted!

Two nights ago, however, I added a twist. I put them down awake, just as I do during the day... and they did great! The night before that it took about two hours JUST to get them to fall asleep in my arms, so that when they woke up again, I had only been sleeping for a few minutes! Um, no thank you! So I figured I'd try my daytime routine at night. Last night they tossed and turned for about 8-10 minutes, making faint noises as they settled in again. But tonight they didn't even fuss at all! Now I'm kicking myself I hadn't done this sooner!

I still wait for those tired cues, but they come quickly at night. Our new routine (which I only do once at around 4-5am) takes me about an hour. And it would be even faster if I didn't spend 20 minutes of that pumping! Oh, well. I'll take whatever I can get!!

Helpin' a Brother Out

2009-10-07T15:45:00.003-04:00

I can already tell that my boys are going to be pals. They help eachother all the time! Just today, I captured two of those moments on camera!

Jonathan: "Hey, Ben. Check out my gums. See any teeth yet?"

Benjamin: "Nope. Keep tryin'!"

Benjamin scratches Jonathan's back - what a good 'little' brother!

5 Months Old

2009-10-06T22:39:00.002-04:00

Jonathan and Benjamin, 5 months old

I can't believe they're alreadt five months old! That's almost a half-year! Wow. Time flies!

They are now eating cereal and sleeping 7-8 hours a night. They are very aware of their surroundings and laughing a ton (especially when daddy is around!) Everything is going into their mouths as they try and cut some of those teeth and they can sit up with support.

Jack and Ben are a pure joy!

Four Cheese Vegetable Lasagna

2009-10-05T20:49:00.003-04:00

I made this for dinner last night and it was FANTASTIC! Even Andy, my big meat-eater, loved it!

Four Cheese Spinach Lasagna
from the Taste of Home “Winning Recipes” Cookbook

2 c. chopped fresh broccoli
1-½ c. julienne carrots
1 c. sliced green onions
½ c. chopped sweet red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. vegetable oil
½ c. flour
3 c. milk
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1-10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1-½ c. small-curd cottage cheese
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
½ c. shredded Swiss cheese
12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

In a large skillet, sauté the vegetables and garlic in oil until crisp-tender. Set aside. In a heavy saucepan, whisk flour and milk until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute longer or until cheese is melted. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Set 1 cup aside. In a bowl, combine the cottage cheese, mozzarella and Swiss. Spread ½ cup spinach mixture in greased 13x9x2” baking dish. Layer with four noodles, half of the cheese mixture and vegetables and ¾ cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, reserved spinach mixture and remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover and bake at 375 for 35 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

Dining for Two

2009-09-29T14:08:00.002-04:00

My Aunt Grace bought the boys their new high chairs before they were born. They are adorable! I still can't believe my babies are big enough to be using them! We started cereal at the beginning of the month and they've slowly been getting used to working with thee new texture. I don't know how much they're swallowing per se, but it is a lot better than when they first had it... progress is progress!

Jonathan and Benjamin, waiting for their turn

Jonathan Andrew

Benjamin David

Family Get-together

2009-09-29T10:42:00.002-04:00

We were so glad that my brother, Dan, could come into town (with his girlfriend, Lydia,) for a quick Sunday dinner this past weekend! The boys really love their uncle and I think Dan is glad for the extra testosterone!

Me, Ben, Jack, and Andy (the boys are 4.5 months old)

Ellie and her not-so-little baby, Matthew (6 months old)

Benjamin in da hood :)

Uncle Dan with the boys

Matthew plays around with his uncle

The whole gang (minus David, Ellie's husband, who was at home studying)

GREAT Grandpa Sid (my dad's dad) who is 93 years old and Lois with the boys

We are blessed with family!

Dan... What a Guy!

2009-09-22T22:47:00.002-04:00

Ben and Jack

My brother is the best! Not only is he the busiest and coolest junior at Houghton College, but he's also the most thoughtful uncle ever! When he learned that we only had one Houghton shirt, he went to the campus store and bought us another - we got it in the mail today. Isn't that sweet?

Now my boys don't have to fight over who gets to wear the shirt to homecoming in October! Thanks a lot, Dan!

Future Houghton Alum

2009-09-21T10:51:00.002-04:00

Jonathan and Benjamin, 4.5 months old

I am a very proud graduate of Houghton College. Actually, my sisters are too... and my brother is currently a junior. We certainly didn't plan on all of us attending, but it has become such a large part of our family through the years that it's difficult to imagine what it will be like when none of us are active students!

My college roommate, Robyn, passed on this adorable Houghton shirt to me after her boys outgrew it. I only wish I had TWO of them, one for each of my boys! I knew it would make a great picture for the Houghton Alumni magazine. Don't you think they would make great college students? They've already got the look down!

Amy's Baby Shower

2009-09-15T06:27:00.002-04:00

On Saturday, September 12th, we celebrated my good friend, Amy's, growing little girl! Amy is due at the beginning of November and we've had so much fun watching her growing belly!

Isn't she just so cute?

We have been so grateful for a smooth pregnancy - Amy waited a long time for this!

College friends (minus Robyn in California!)
Me, Amy, and Alicia

Chris and Amy, the proud parents-to-be

Opening presents

The bedding she chose for her little one was absolutely adorable!

Amy with all of her nieces... that's a lot of girls! :)

Already such a good mommy

Marissa, Alicia's 14-month old daughter - such a cutie!

Chris' mom, Chris and Amy

Discovering Cereal

2009-09-10T14:02:00.003-04:00

I took the boys to their 4-month doctor's visit yesterday and learned Jack is 16# and 24.75" long, and Ben is 16# 10oz and 24.5" long. Isn't that excellent? While I don't trust the height measurement, it is good to see them growing so well! They are in the 45th percentile for height and the 75th percentile for weight. This is encouraging, especilly because they were in danger the first two weeks of their life because they weren't gaining fast enough. Looks like my milk is good, even though it's Sauer! heehee

Nana and Benjamin

My sister-in-law, Lisa, suggested we start the tradition of having Nana be the first to feed them cereal, so we did! Our doctor said it was alright to begin rice cereal twice a day and they were able to try it for the first time yesterday. I don't know how much they liked it, but it was a good start!

Nana and Jonathan

"So my brother ate all of his cereal, huh?"

My babies are growing up so fast!

A Fresh Perspective

2009-09-05T12:34:00.006-04:00

I used to be a really neat person. I don't mean 'neat' meaning 'cool,' but ORGANIZED. Everything had its place and it was easy to find things. I liked when things in my cupboard were where they were supposed to be. I used to lay in bed, thinking about how to better position the clothes and shoes in my closet so they were easier to get to. I'd have trouble sleeping if I knew there were dirty dishes in the sink. It's not that I am a super neat freak or that I love to clean, by any means. I'd rather spend time with my husband, playing with pictures on the computer or scrapbooking. But I like to be efficient. And being organized means that I (and others) can find things much easier and much faster when they're needed.

Jack and Ben, 4 months old

The boys' room has a floor-to-ceiling organizer with totes labeled with their onesies, bed sheets, socks, etc. The attic has almost fifty bins, six of them organized with clothes for the boys from newborn to 24 months. But here's the thing: all of those things were done BEFORE the boys were here. Since bringing them home in May, I have not done one thing around my house. I'm barely keeping up with the organizational systems I had set up for myself! I feel like my house is in a constant state of disarray! But it doesn't bother me like I would have expected it to. Spending time with my boys is soooo much more important than organizing another shelf or making sure the dishwasher is empty. Time goes by so fast. Jack and Ben are four months old today and are more interactive than ever! They can stand and sit up with support, laugh, and drool like crazy! I don't want to miss a thing. True, there's a mound of junk sitting on my kitchen table that's been there for about six weeks. Papers are lining each side of the computer desk, giving me just enough space to set my arms on top to reach the keyboard. But do you know what? That junk isn't going anywhere. For today, my job is to care for my little men. I'll get to it all someday. But for right now, I have something much more important to do.

Boys' Photo Shoot

2009-08-29T12:05:00.007-04:00

Our good family friend and talented photographer, Jennifer Kitchen McGann, offered to take some pictures of the boys (including my boys and my nephew, Matthew.) They turned out SO cute! Thanks a lot, Jen, for sharing your gift with us!

See the complete gallery at http://photokitchen.zenfolio.com/p1043273481.

My nephew, Matthew, 5 months old

Jack and Ben, 3 months old

Jonathan

Benjamin

Jonathan, Matthew and Benjamin... cousins!

Ben and Jack

Ellie with her baby!

Meeting the Goodwin Twins

2009-08-27T15:31:00.003-04:00

My friend, Kim, came from California with her four kids to visit! Alexis is 4, Cole is 3, and her twins - Ava and Jake - just turned 1 last week! That's right: four kids under the age of four! We had a really nice time together and look forward to getting together again when our babies will remember it. :)

The twins: Ben, Jack, Jake, and Ava

Ava wants to share her ball with Jonathan

Jake plays with Jack

Kim and her twins, all the way from California!

Kim with all of her kids! Aren't they adorable?

Safe in Daddy's Arms

2009-08-19T08:47:00.000-04:00

Jonathan loves his daddy

Crystal Beach

2009-08-16T22:10:00.005-04:00

We joined my brother-in-law and his family for dinner at Crystal Beach last Thursday. What a beautiful place! Their beach house is a stone's throw from the pool and the lake is just a short walk, too! We had a great time visiting with the nieces and nephew... and the boys enjoyed their first visit to the beach!

Dominic Cinelli

2009-08-13T08:55:00.005-04:00

Our friends, Brian and Jamie Cinelli, gave birth to their first child on August 12, 2009. Dominic Dennis Cinelli was born at 9:36am, weighed 7 lbs, 1 oz and was 21 inches long. Both mommy and baby are beautiful and doing really well! These pictures were taken just ten hours after Dominic's arrival!

Jamie with her parents

Brian's mom and first-time grandmother

Brian's brother, Chris, and Andy

The proud papa

Brian with his mom and son

Congratulations, Brian and Jamie! We wish you ALL the best!