Must Be Love

I've been meaning to post this one all week but haven't had a chance.  However, tonight the boys have all been in bed and sleeping great since they all, yes all, went swimming for the first time today.  You heard me correctly.  But you'll have to wait to hear about that one later.  Trust me, we have a full, fun weekend and I'll try to post everything early next week.

You might not all know that we have a dog.  His name is Tank.  He's a 70lb. lap dog with a heart of gold and he will be 9 years old at the end of the year.  He is such a good dog and has always been so good with the boys.  You can just see how much he wants to protect them when he's around them, and of course lick them to death!  And all of the boys seem to reciprocate that fondness for him as well, but Charlie seems to have a certain bond with Tank.  He loves him.  No, let me emphasize that for you.  Charlie LOVES Tank.  From the moment Charlie laid eyes on him you could tell he couldn't get enough of him.  Well, here's some proof:

Just hangin' with my dog

Good dog

I swear these two could just sit with each other all day

More kisses

Charlie is a bit obsessed with putting his fingers in Tank's mouth

And Tank doesn't mind a bit

Christian decided to try to pet him

Such a good dog :)

Fundraiser

As many of you know, I am very involved in a local organization, Our Miracle Babies.  Not only has this group been an anchor for Tyler and I in the last year, this past January I was elected to the Board of Directors.  This organization has become near and dear to my heart because of the immense help and support they have provided us after the early birth of Christian and Charlie.  Our Miracle Babies is holding their 2nd Annual Little Miracles 5k and Family Fest August 3rd, 2013.  To learn more about Our Miracle Babies please visit their website at www.ourmiraclebabies.com.

We ask that you consider supporting this great organization.  There are several ways to participate.  

1.  Join our team, Miracle Kings, and walk/run with us on August 3rd.  To register and join our team please visit:  

http://active.com/running/rochester-mn/2nd-annual-little-miracles-5k-and-family-fest-2013

2.  Come to the event on August 3rd and show your support even if you don't wish to walk or run! 

3.  If you cannot make it to the event please consider donating to this amazing organization to help support local families and babies and help us reach our goal.  You can donate under our fundraising team by visiting:

http://www.active.com/donate/ourmiraclebabies2013/miraclekings

We appreciate any help you can give.  Any amount helps, small or large!

Our little miracles, Christian & Charlie, thank you for your support!!

I Didn't Forget!

Anyone know what significance May 16th, 2012 held?  No?  That was Christian and Charlie's due date.  Since they were born early they have two birthdays....the day they were born (their birthday) and the day they were supposed to be born (their adjusted birthday).  So even though they celebrated their first birthday in February they also celebrated their adjusted birthday this week too!  No, I didn't forget. I'm just finally getting around to writing about it.  It's their adjusted age that doctors go by for their development.  Even though they are chronologically 15 months old, developmentally they are closer to a 12 month old.  Rest assured, both of them are doing great, right on track, if not slightly ahead of where they should be!  Rock starts I tell ya!

New developments? Uffda, so many new developments.  Both Christian and Charlie are standing on their own but have yet to take any unassisted steps.  They are so close!  They like to be outside but don't really like the grass.  They LOVE their big brother and can sit and laugh at him forever, even if Easton isn't doing anything funny....trust me, it's adorable.  And I know I have 3 boys, but it's becoming more and more evident every day.  Today I found them wrestling in the living room...Lord help me    :)

Our weekends are filling up quick as they do every year about this time.  We do plan to do some camping (Eeek!) but will probably only go a few times, ya know, try to ease into this.  Today we had a very fun filled day.  We took the boys to the Transportation fair in Rochester where they pull together all sorts of vehicles like tractors, garbage trucks, buses, trolleys, hummers, street sweepers, diggers....you get the idea.  It took Easton a little bit to get warmed up, but once he did we couldn't get him to leave!

Driving a snow plow

Digger!

Driving a digger!

Street sweeper

Need I say more? If you know Easton well you know he's a tractor boy! He was in Heaven!

Garbage Truck

Hey Christian, why don't you just kick back and relax a bit!

Our day was then complete with dinner and a play date with some friends who live down the street.  They have a little girl the same age as Easton and they get along pretty well!

Picture of the day:

Easton & Claire

Mondays

I'm not sure if most of you know that I work a 30 hour week....that's for my job job, not the mommy job.  So I have Mondays off that I get to spend with my little men as well as Friday afternoons.  Most Mondays we spend hanging around at home to save on gas and spending money.  Sometimes we have play-dates or spend time with family or friends.  Well, today was just that type of day.  A day with family.

After breakfast I loaded up the boys and went to Rochester and met my step-dad, Chris, and his parents, Hildegard and Richard (who are visiting for a few days from North Carolina), as well as my nephew Maddox and we went to Soldier's Field Park together.

And, knowing me, I took pictures.  But not quite as many as I would have if I hadn't left my camera in the truck for the first part of our time at the park :)

No keep in mind Christian and Charlie just started being outside within the last couple weeks since it's warmed up.  They aren't quite sure about the grass.

Hey look at me mom, I'm pretty cool, huh?

Milk break!

Charlie (right) is completely disgusted that I would even think to put him down in the grass

"oh my gosh, Christian, can you believe she put us in the grass?!"

"OH no! Does she expect us to sit in this grass?!  I'm not touching it!"

"Whoa, dude.  Are you sure you want to do that?"

It took them awhile, but they got used to it and eventually started exploring a bit.  So much that Christian loved the sand and yes, I'll admit, got a fist full in his mouth.  And Charlie loved the wood chips. 

Picture of the Day.......

"OH MAN! Mom won't let me eat sand!" (Charlie)

Happy Mother's Day

This time last year Christian had been home for a couple weeks and Charlie had just gotten home the week of Mother's Day.

2012

2013

Although I didn't get a Mother's Day picture with all my boys, here they are today...

What a difference a year makes!

Charlie

Christian

Easton

Couldn't have had a better Mother's Day.  I'm so blessed to have spent it with all of my boys again.  I remember back to the days that I longed to have these three little men in my life.  God is good.

The card Easton made for me :)