1st Snow Day

Today was the first real snow of the season...we got about 2 inches overnight, which isn't a lot...but it was enough to coat the ground and wake up with the powdery white stuff everywhere. The high was only 21 degrees, so when I took the babies outside, we could only stay out for a few minutes...but enough to have them bundled in their snow suits, and definitely enough to call it their very first snow day. It was cute, and I loved taking pictures (however rudimentary) of our abominable snowbabies :)

Play time with Daddy

A few weeks ago, we took advantage of one of the last warm-ish days of the year and had some playtime outside in the backyard. Steve was home and everyone was enjoying the sunshine. Of course, I was the photographer in residence ;)

"Card Carrying" Member of...Shutterfly

So, every year, I harass Steve mercilessly because I insist on sending out family Christmas cards. I can't help it; I love sending and receiving them every December. I love reading about what all of our friends and family are up to and saying 'hi' in return. This year, Shutterfly is promoting their new 2010 holiday card line with a promotion for all of us bloggers. So, if you're late in the game this year (like I am), it's worth paying attentin.

Shutterfly is offering a special promotion to people with blogs….. I can earn 50 free cards for this post! Not only do they have great deals they also have an amazing selection of fun, fresh, hip holiday cards! I already have our Christmas card picked out for this year...all I have to do is decide on the photos. What I love most about these cards is that you have the ability to include more than one picture on many of them……it's too hard to choose just one! Shutterfly makes it so easy to upload your pictures and create a beautiful holiday cards you will be proud to share with all your family and friends! Check out all their great holiday cards at:
http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

While you are perusing their wonderful cards be sure to check out all their other great gift ideas like photo calendars http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars which would make the perfect gift for a Dad or Grandparent! You can even find the perfect invitation for your holiday party http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations! They have everything you could want and more! Their photo books are absolutely fantastic gift ideas as well!!!

The holiday cards are all 30% off right now too! Have fun picking out your holiday photo card; I can't wait to see it soon in my mailbox!

Tree Hugger

This year, we opted not to go upstate to cut down our own Christmas tree as we have since we moved to New York. Steve and I just couldn't bring ourselves to make the trek, babies in tow, on only three hours of sleep. So, instead, Daddy went to the firehouse a block away, picked out a tree on his own and carried it back to the house...yes, he has some serious muscles ;) What a guy

Thanks and Giving...

This year, we are thankful that the babies didn't decide to "re"share their meal with us on Turkey Day...
We spent the day, just the four of us (and Maxx of course), at home listening to Christmas songs and making a yummy dinner. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry-jalapeno relish, sauteed artichokes, and yummy pumpkin pie. And, I decided the babies needed festive hats so I made them each a little Indian headdress. Granted, my original option was a pilgrim hat but they became way too long and involved so this is what we ended up with :) Gobble Gobble

A very merry birthday to...Daddy!

This was the first year we celebrated Steve's birthday with the babies...Not that we're wild party animals, but we have made a point to go out and make the day special for him in the past. This year, we kept it a little more low-key. Lunch with daddy at his favorite restaurant/bar during the day, then birthday dinner and cupcakes at home at night. It was a fun day. Happy 39th birthday to the most rockin' daddy!

A Summer to....Forget

Admittedly, I have been remiss in keeping our family blog updated in the past months. In short, May thru August were just absolutely brutal. There were times (more than I'd like to admit) when I questioned not only my sanity, but our original decision to take that long, arduous road to parenthood. Ours has been a journey riddled with obstacles since the beginning and once the babies arrived, boy did things get...louder...busier...
A friend pointed out in her blog that it is national preemie awareness day, and while our little preemies were much much luckier than so many others to be born no earlier than they were, it still makes me recall the emotional upheaval of this past spring and the months following it.
When the nurse told us that the night of May 3rd seemed like a good night for a birthday, I admit I had not yet prepared myself for the eventuality that I wouldn't be released from the hospital that evening. It had become so routine in the two and half months leading up to it. Too many contractions. Go into the hospital. Get hooked up to an IV. Talk of steroids to slow them down. Monitoring of the preeclampsia. Get sent home. However, I did make sure to remove my icky nail polish before going to the hospital that evening on the seriously off chance that they would be born...I didn't want my first pictures with them to be taken with chipping nail polish. Hey, every girl's got her thing ;)
But, that night Steve and I were hurled into the swirl of parenthood rather rudely. Molly was wheeled out of the OR before I could even see her and Wyatt was rolled into the nursery...Daddy followed close behind to make sure both babies were okay, while I waited rather impatiently to be sewn up and cleaned up.
What nobody told us that first week was all of the potential complications that come with having a preemie...even ones born relatively late by comparison. I admit to crying in the NICU when the neonatologist told us that Molly wouldn't be coming home with us. It was an eventuality I hadn't even thought about...never considered that there would be something to prevent both our twinkies from coming home with us. But, there you have it...one of life's little curveballs.
Once everyone was home, the first 4.5 months of their lives were colored by a kind of frantic desperation I have never known. Pumping six-eight hours a day...4 hours of sleep each night...babies screaming in pain...bottles that didn't work...you name it; it got piled on. Our preemie presents were unfortunately experiencing their own bouts of preemie problems...
So, imagine my surprise when, after all is said and done, we have happy little people at the end of the newborn road. In August, Molly's tummy troubles seemed to finally be under control...and thank goodness, because the only other option was a feeding tube. Wyatt continued to be exceptionally pukey - our living room rug is like a Superfund Site. But, it was like my fairy godmother (or whomever) finally took pity on me, and suddenly our babies started to resemble happier little people...We got to see them smile for the very first time.
This week, Wyatt finally found his giggle...and he hasn't stopped. Molly is perpetually entertained by her brother - can actually be found laughing hysterically at him for minutes on end. And, they both have an obvious love for music. It's so awesome, in the truest sense of the word, to watch them develop into these little people (who aren't so little anymore).
So, in the interest of sharing the love, I will do my best to stay better abreast of the blog...
Happy November!