Rainy Day Babies

Ballerina Evie

2012-01-24T12:55:00.001-08:00

Prima Ballerina Evie

For the longest time, Evie has been saying, "when I start dance class..." Or she pretends she is going to dance class by getting into all her ballerina wear and telling me what they are learning in her class. Evie doesn't have to pretend any more! For Christmas she was given dance lessons by her Grandma Bev, Grandpa Wayne, Aunt Megan, and Uncle Chris. She goes twice a week to Beginner Ballet at the Y. She loves it! After every class, she shows us what she is learning (how to spin without getting dizzy, how to curtsy, how to skip properly). In the information for the class, they stated what the kids were expected to wear. A skirt was not on the list, so we didn't worry about it. But we got there and every girl had one! Evidently the girls like having something to spin and who can blame them? So, Evie had to raid her closet for something appropriate (thus the summer skirt you see above). She is having a great time and the activity is so good for this 5 year old jumping bean.

A proper curtsy

New Years Evie, 5 year edition

2012-01-23T10:15:00.000-08:00

Evie hoping for a strike!

For Evie's 5th birthday, Grandma Bev had the great idea to go bowling and out for pizza. Evie had a blast, and we all had a lot of fun, too. She loved getting her own ball, using the ramp, and letting her ball go. We even gave Zevon and Guthrie a try at bowling. Pizza afterward was yummy. Right after we sang her happy birthday in the restaurant, the table next to us started in another round of 'happy birthday.' They were celebrating someone's birthday, too! Evie met another person who has grown up thinking all the fuss of New Years Eve was all for her, too.

Evie celebrates knocking down a bunch of pins

Guthrie and Will watch excitedly to see how many pins they got

Zevon takes his turn on the lane with some help from Will

Evie and her Great-grandma enjoying watching everyone bowl

Aunt Megan and Guthrie take a time out from bowling

When we got home, it was time for presents and cake. Evie requested an angel food cake and we topped it with icing and candles.

Silly Ambush! This present is for me!

Barbies that can ride bike? What will they think of next?

Happy birthday Evie!

It seems like just yesterday I was holding my daughter for the first time. She has gone from a laid back baby who loved to eat to a high energy preschooler who is particular about what she eats. She knows her ABCs, writes and illustrates her own books, counts to well over 30 (and more with some help), plays with her brothers, loves playing outside in sun or snow, and has a wild imagination. It is hard for me to imagine that she will be starting kindergarden next school year! When she was born, I would look at her and wonder what she would be like as a 5 year old. Now I know! It has been a lovely surprise. Keep up the good work Evie! You are doing great!

Christmas in Minnesota

2012-01-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

Grandma Bev and Evie read a book

A few days after Christmas, we made the long drive east to see my side of the family. I was excited to see my family, but I was not excited for the drive. I am happy to say it was one of the smoothest travels I've ever had with my young family. There were a few rough spots, but for the most part the kids were very good and the roads and weather cooperated.

Just like at home, there was very little snow in Minnesota. We did get a few snowy days and Evie was very happy about that. We enjoyed time with Aunt Kaitlin, Aunt Megan and Uncle Chris, Great-Grandma, and of course Grandma Bev and Grandpa Wayne. Of course, there were more presents to open and more good food to eat.

Looking back on the pictures from this time, I think what the kids enjoyed most was having more adults to read them stories. I have more pictures of them being read to than opening gifts! (That could also be because 3 kids opening gifts is a little crazy and taking pictures was a little difficult.)

Guthrie and Great-grandma enjoy a book

Zevon gets a turn with his great-grandma

Yay! Batman!

Guthrie tries out his new monkey hat

First Christmas in Montana

2012-01-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

Evie, Zevon, and Guthrie on Christmas Eve

This Christmas felt a little odd for 2 reasons. First, married to a pastor, I have gotten used to Christmas Eve being hectic and running late into the night with many many services. Second, I've been used to Christmas either being rainy (Seattle) or white (Minnesota and occasionally Seattle). This year, our Christmas was pretty laid back, if you don't count the fact we have 3 kids to get dressed and I played with the bell choir before both services. Since we only had two services and we live only blocks from the church, I wasn't rushing to get on the road or waiting for Will to get home after midnight. Also, this was not a white Christmas, much to my dismay. But, it was a lovely walk to church for services. It may have felt different than Christmases in the past, but it was still wonderful.

Christmas morning brought gifts from Santa, Christmas morning church with Grandma Rhonda and Uncle Jody and Aunt Leanne, and Christmas day dinner. In the evening, we went to Aunt Becky's house for more good food and presents.

Evie plays with her Polly Pockets from Santa while eating her Christmas orange

Zevon and Guthrie try out their new scooters (twins on wheels...what were we thinking?)

Evie and Aunt Leanne working on a Dora workbook

The boys help their daddy try out his new toy: a lap steel guitar

One of the perks of the almost 50 degree weather is getting to try out your new scooter. Uncle Jody and Evie made several trips up and down the street while Evie got the hang of it.

Evie's little snowman

2012-01-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

New oven = TV

2012-01-17T13:17:00.000-08:00

They are each calling dibs on the first cookie

Our oven inconveniently died the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, leaving us to cook a turkey as well as bake a cake and rolls at our church (thankfully only a few blocks away), as well as make creative use of crock pots. We picked out a new oven using the after Thanksgiving sales. We have twins so we picked out the one with duel ovens, of course. The new one wasn't delivered until a little before Christmas, just in time for some cookie baking. Evie and I made up some sugar cookies and I put in a test cookie to see how our oven would do. By the way my kids reacted, you would think I put a new cartoon on the TV. They were mesmerized by that one cookie baking! Our old oven had survived since the 50s or 60s. Here's to our new oven lasting at least that long and keeping my kids entertained.

Push, pull, get into trouble...

2012-01-16T10:35:00.000-08:00

...these are the three things my children try to do every day. Here is the evidence:

Zevon: Find magazines and rip them up.

Evie: Tie a rope to the toy bin, help Guthrie jump in, and get Zevon to help you pull.

Guthrie: Find your sister's old mittens and ask her to put them on your feet.

Guthrie and Zevon: Empty out the drawer to your toy box, climb in, and look cute.

O Christmas Tree!

2012-01-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

My three little Christmas elves: Evie, Zevon and Guthrie

It was our first Christmas in our new house and we needed a real tree to top it off. We picked out a white pine, hoping that its long flexible needles would be soft in case the boys ran into the tree or pulled it down. I didn't have high hopes for this tree staying up through the holiday season, but it didn't suffer too much. Will requested blue lights and I picked out the wood, metal, and cloth ornaments (ie, not breakable) to decorate the tree with. It was a rather haphazard affair, since the boys took off every ornament that they could reach, as fast as we could put them on. As a result, our tree was bare on the bottom 1/3 for most of the Christmas season.

Reindeer are so funny!

What a goof! Zevon showing off his sillier side with his dad.

Guthrie picking out an angel to chew, I mean, put on the tree.

Evie is the star of the show!

Gus got bored with the tree and settled into the toy bin.

Guthrie and Zevon playing with the Fisher Price nativity set (or, as Evie calls it, an "activity set" - I guess it does keep them busy).

Pre-K Christmas Concert

2012-01-12T10:34:00.000-08:00

Evie (in the wig) as a kissing grandma

Evie was very excited for her preschool Christmas concert. She was going to be a grandma, and she got to wear a wig she told me. I was curious, and on the day of the concert, the wig did not disappoint. I think her grandmas would have been very proud of her performance as a grandma. She stepped up and acted the line, "The grandma at the door says *kiss kiss kiss* (pucker up and go mwa several times), on Christmas day." Her outfit was complete with pink glasses, gloves, and of course a wig. She was pretty cute.

Look how cute and sweet she is!

Many of you think my daughter is all sweetness and light. I present Exhibit A (photo above) to prove the existence of Evil Evie. All I wanted was a picture of her in her cute dress after the Christmas program. I was presented with this child. Excitement of the Christmas program + cookies and lemonade + need of a nap = one cranky Evie

Snow day!

2012-01-12T10:20:00.001-08:00

When October rolled around, I knew I needed to find snow pants, boots, hats, mittens, etc for all my kids. We are in Montana, and I thought that meant snow. Instead, we have been enjoying a very mild winter. We are now in January and I think there have been maybe 4 snow days. So, when I title this post "snow day", it actually narrows down the days considerably. This is from beginning of December and we were greeted with a few inches of snow just right for playing in.

The minute breakfast was done, Evie begged to go outside. So, we suited everyone up and headed outside.

Our cute snow bunny

Guthrie finds slides are hard to climb up when all slippery with snow

It may look like Zevon is practicing his Billy Idol sneer but he is actually annoyed at his hat that keeps on slipping down his forehead

Evie doing some snow angels (and showing the green grass underneath)

Guthrie kept on losing his mittens, Zevon's hat kept on giving him trouble, and, come to think of it, Evie was the only one who had a blast. Thank goodness for hot chocolate and graham cracker snacks inside.

Church Christmas Program!

2011-12-19T08:41:00.000-08:00

Where have we been? Life has been a circus for our family over the last couple of months. I can't believe we are nearly to Christmas, but all the evidence points to that being the case.

Evie was in two Christmas programs this last week. She had one for her school and one for the church. We'll get the school program pictures up next, but here is our angel Evie Lu in the church program.

I think I see my mom!

Along with being an angel, Evie was the champion triangle player. She played more of a jazz triangle with some interesting syncopation.

You have to keep an eye on your director.

Remarkably the boys sat quietly in the front row for the entire performance. I think they like seeing their sister on stage.

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

Howdy, partners!

Evie wanted to be a cowgirl for Halloween this year, and she was very clear she was to be a cowGIRL and not a cowboy. We left that for her brothers. I decided to pull out the sewing machine for costume making this year, since these were easy enough to put together. Jean skirt and vest for Evie with a little suede fringe and faux suede vests for the boys. Add a couple of hats and some boots and we have some pretty cute cowboys (and cowGIRL).

Evie, the sweetest and the meanest cowgirl in these parts

Introducing, Cowboy Zevon! Don't let his smile fool you. He'll steal your toys in no time.

Cowboy Guthrie, the littlest and most vicious of them all!

One of these twins is excited to be here. Here's a hint: it's the guy who looks like he should be dressed up like a hockey player instead of a cowboy.

We joined some friends the night before Halloween for a celebration at their church. Evie loved looking for candy with her friend Olivia. The boys were a little scared of all the activity and costumes. But after a bit they toddled around like they owned the place.

Cowgirl Evie and Bumblebee Princess Olivia

Evie had a Halloween full of fun yesterday. She went to preschool in her costume and they had a party there (complete with jack-o-lantern pizzas). In the afternoon, we went back out to trick or treat in the neighborhood. It is our first Halloween here, and we didn't know what to expect for handing out candy. You can count on 1 hand how many trick or treaters we had. Oh, well. More candy for Will and I! Will took Evie around and she came back with a lot of candy.

We also made a few pumpkins for our doorstep. Evie designed hers with pointy teeth and oval eyes (she said those were the scariest kind). I kept the boys out of the carving this year, only because I couldn't handle the mess as it was and I wanted it to be a special thing for Evie and I. Next year, we'll let the pumpkin fly with all three!

My three little pumpkins with 2 not so little pumpkins

Gus picking the one he wants

I'm pretty sure Gus is trying to bite the pumpkin here. He should have been a vampire.

Sweet Evie

The Minnesota grandmas come to visit

2011-10-31T09:12:00.001-07:00

The grandmas!

Almost 2 weeks ago, my mom and Grandma came out to visit for the long MEA weekend. It was a long drive for them, and I'm sure our kids didn't provide any rest and recovery once they got here, but we sure had a lot of fun. Great-grandma slept in Evie's room, so Will and I added a roommate. Even though Evie was kicked out of her room, she got a pretty good deal with a new sleeping bag and an indoor tent (so that Will and I wouldn't wake her when we got ready for bed later). Then, Evie would sneak into her Grandma Bev's room every morning to snuggle. The boys were up to their usual antics, climbing and crawling and running all over the place. It took them a little bit of time to warm up to Grandma Bev and Great-grandma, but they were snuggling with them in no time. The highlight was our day shopping and having lunch in Red Lodge. We loved the opportunity to show off our house, especially since we had shown Great-grandma pictures of the house when we were deciding if we wanted to buy it. We feel very blessed that they were able to make the trip and can't wait until we can see them again.

Grandma Bev has her hands full

I know we are reading books, but I'm wearing a football shirt. Touchdown!

Zevon looking for some cuddle time

Rocking out

2011-10-05T09:30:00.001-07:00

Such sweet children...now what did they do with my kids?

My grandparents gave all of their grandchildren rocking chairs for their 1st birthdays and my parents have kept up the tradition with their grandkids. It is a lovely idea and these chairs are to become treasured pieces of their childhoods. But in actual practice, they have become toddler launching devices. Evie will now sit and calmly read a book in hers, but the boys are much more squirrely. Guthrie, with his great climbing ability, has figured out how to get in and out of the rocking chairs. Unfortunately, he also has figured out how to stand in them. Zevon isn't as graceful and needs a little help into his chair. More often, Zevon just tries to prevent Gus from getting into his chair and this causes a toddler fight. One day, Evie lined all the chairs up so that "all the kids could rock" and she showed them the proper use of their rocking chairs. Perhaps there is hope for peace in our household yet! They look so angelic. If only it lasted.

Evie, chair of this rock band

Zevon, second in command

Guthrie, who thinks he is the real rocker

First day at Pre-K

2011-09-29T09:40:00.001-07:00

So excited for the first day of school!

Evie started pre-K a few weeks ago and she loves it. It was hard at first. New teachers, new classmates, new building, everything new. But each day she branches out a little more and now has all kinds of stories to tell. Her favorite thing at preschool is read books, nothing new for this budding bookworm. She also likes playing at the bean table, which is a cleaner version of a sandbox, I guess. To add to her excitement at school, our friend Terry is the secretary at the church where the preschool is held. She loves to visit the office and 'help' Terry type.

New home

2011-09-28T09:47:00.000-07:00

Checking out their new backyard

I wish we had taken more pictures of the chaos surrounding the move to Montana. But it was just that: chaos. Our arms were always filled with boxes, paint supplies, babies, cleaning products, etc, and there were very few pictures taken. So a short commentary will have to do.

When we left Bellevue, Will stuck around to help the movers while Grandma Bev and I took the kids in the van and Grandpa Wayne drove behind. It was an epic drive. Beautiful weather and scenery matched with winding roads and squirrely kids and van funkiness. Thankfully we arrived in Missoula for the night and everyone (yeah!) slept. The second part of the drive to Billings was less eventful. We were a little worse for wear. Poor Grandma Bev had been doing constant yoga poses in the back of the van keeping kids happy and Will and I were exhausted from driving. But we arrived at our new house that we had just closed on that day. It was a little overwhelming.

The next few days were filled with painting the laundry room (white) and Evie's room (sky blue, and will soon have clouds and stars to fill in), completing fix-it projects around the house, shopping for up-to-date appliances, and finding where all our stuff went. Taking care of 3 kids is a full time job. Cooking and cleaning makes it a more than full time job. Add to that unpacking a house, and it just gets to be too much. Thankfully we had Grandma Bev and Grandpa Wayne to keep us on task with projects, juggling kids, and providing us with much needed breaks. I seriously don't know how we could have done this move without them! I have a really cute photo of Evie painting her bookshelf with her Grandma Bev, but I can't find the cord that goes to that camera (oh, the joys of moving), so it'll be saved for another time.

There are some side benefits to moving if you are a kid. Before the boxes came, the house was wide open for the boys to crawl around to their hearts' content. Evie had the chance to explore all the cubbies in her room, as well as make herself a box house outdoors.

Evie shows off her newly decorated home. Kitchen is to the right, Buttercup's bedroom is to the left, and Evie is standing in her room (which for some reason, she also called the basement).

The kids really took to their new home. We still have sleep battles with the boys, but they amazingly fell into a nap and bedtime routine. Evie loves her new room, complete with Tinkerbell curtains and surrounded with all her toys and books. It has been a challenge to get her to sleep at night because there is so much to do in her room.

Evie's room

After the initial rush to get as much done in the house as possible, we are now moving at a slower pace. We are picking our projects and knocking them off one by one. Home ownership is not for the faint of heart. I now look at home improvement shows like they are horror films. (Tree roots! Outdated wiring! What is in the basement?!) But we are enjoying making this house our own. Here are a few shots from inside the house:

Living room

Kitchen

Our house

Saying goodbye

2011-09-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Is this really all our stuff??

As some of you already know by this point, we have moved east to Montana (seems weird to say we are moving east to the Wild West). Will has accepted a call to a church where we are very excited about the possibilities and new adventures. But we are sad to say good bye to our friends and family we have in the Pacific NW. The last few weeks of our time in Washington was spent packing, doing some sightseeing, packing, spending time with family, packing, going to the beach, packing, and more packing. (If you are looking at moving with twins and a 4 year old, don't. But if you do, you will survive. I know this now since I have survived. Barely.) Here are some highlights of our last days in Washington.

Evie playing music with the multi-talented, visiting Aunt Megan

Making sand castles with Aunt Kaitlin on the one decent beach day we had this summer.

Eating spaghetti. Heaven help us.

Despite loosing a front tooth to a tumble, Zevon can still eat (throw) spaghetti just as well

'Helping' mommy with the packing

"Here mom. I'll close this box for you. Do you think my brother will fit?"

Reading books with Cheri

One last time petting the starfish at the aquarium

Saying good bye to the salmon

We moved out of the only home our boys have known and from the state of our childrens' births. We said good bye to a loving church family where Evie was baptized. We said good bye to way too many people and places that we love in Washington. But it also meant new beginnings and opportunities were ahead.

Fun at the park swings

2011-09-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Evie loves the park and loves the swings. But I think I have found something she loves more than the swings: pushing her brothers in the swings. They really crack me up! Zevon giggles and kicks his little feet the whole time. Guthrie, in a very uncharacteristic manner, is more wary of the swings. Or maybe his is just wary of his sister pushing him in the swings. See the video at the bottom of the page. Maybe you'll see what I mean.

Zevon loves to fly in the swing

Gus holding on for dear life

Evie giving Zevon a push

Guthrie starting to enjoy the swings

Evie showing that she is always on top of everything

Zevon and Guthrie's first birthday party

2011-09-14T09:18:00.001-07:00

We had a small party and lots of cake to celebrate the boys' birthday. I decided on a baseball theme for the cake and I'm pretty proud of my design.

Obviously, it isn't to scale. But it was delicious!

Cupcakes for the boys

After singing them happy birthday (which brings a problem with twin birthdays: do you sing 'Happy Birthday' twice or do you sing, somewhat awkwardly, 'Happy birthday, Zevon and Guthrie'?) we gave each boy a cupcake to try out. Despite some last minute efforts on my part to get them to blow out their own candle, they didn't even attempt making a wish. Will and Evie had to help them out. These guys have had very little for sweets in their short lives. So a whole cupcake to themselves was rather humorous to watch. Zevon did not enjoy the frosting and it made him shudder. But Guthrie would only eat the frosting and smoosh the cake. Not identical, indeed. Looking back on these pictures, I see that the boys look less than enthused for the festivities. I think they must have celebrated the day with an early morning and no nap. I'm sure the no sleep mixed well with the sugar by 7pm that evening.

Excitement for cake? Fear of fire? Either way, this appears to be a big thing for Z.

Zevon tries the bottoms first approach.

Evie helps Guthrie blow out his candle

Gus licked the cupcake clean. His hands and face, not so much.

One whole year!

2011-09-13T09:44:00.000-07:00

Will and his two big one-year-olds on their birthday

Actually, one whole year times two! On the day the boys turned one, I could hardly believe we had survived a whole year with twins. We went from two tiny babes who we struggled just to get eating and who slept all the time (if only that continued!) to two big little boys who have no trouble eating but sleep still is a struggle.

Oh, how peaceful they seemed! (Guthrie in print onesie, Zevon in blue)

They were individuals from the start and it amazes me how their personalities have stayed roughly the same. Zevon continues to be more laid back, but he has added a sensitive, dramatic side to his personality. He is still the more verbal of the two and he has won us over with his smile.

Zevon

Guthrie was, and will always be, the more fussy of the two. I am already starting to see signs of temper-tantrums. He is still the more active of the two as well. In the words of my mom, "He is just so busy!"

Guthrie

Guthrie tries and experiments. Zevon observes and studies. In the mind of this science nerd mom, I think I have some excellent scientists on my hands. At a year, both were crawling all over and making movements towards walking. Both are saying dadaa, mamama, and will call to each other in the next room ('aaaaaaa-aaaaaaa!' Translation: 'Bro! I'm over here!').

Along with seeing the obvious growth in my boys, I am also seeing a more mature big sister. I was so worried about Evie and how she would handle two new brothers. She has amazed me with her loving manner toward them and how she has adapted to the new situation. Yes, we still have our fights and her brothers still get into her stuff. But she has become the best big sister I could ever imagine for Zevon and Guthrie.

Evie

There are more wrinkles on my face and more gray hairs on Will's head, and our ideal day still revolves around sleep. We wondered how we would manage it all, and most days I still wonder how we do it. But somehow the kids are growing, perhaps even thriving, and I am still the lucky woman to be married to the most handsome guy and best dad ever. A huge thank you is sent to our wonderful family, neighbors, church members, and friends who have helped us in the last year. Your prayers, hot meals, loving arms, hard work, and long telephone chats have been our saving grace.

The next question is, can we make it to year two? Two terrible twos? I shudder to think...

More Minnesota fun

2011-09-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

After the wedding, we stayed at the farm to spend more time with family. It was not nearly long enough, but we did get a lot of Grandma, Grandpa, and Great-grandma time. Activities included: swimming time at a county park, playing with sparklers, watching the fireworks with Grandma and Grandpa, lots of cuddles and reading, and plenty of smiles.

Evie getting a sparkler from her dad.

Evie dancing with her sparkler (as for the Flavor-flave-style necklace, it is her own design)

Gus sharing his goofy smile with Great-grandma

Zevon practicing walking with Great-grandma

Evie reading with Great-Grandma

Evie driving the tractor (yes, she is steering) with Grandpa Wayne

"The wheel is bigger than me!"

Evie's souvenir from the field: a sugar beet

Evie making sand castles with her Mom

Aunt Kaitlin gets married!

2011-09-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the absence of posts. Our little family has been doing some big things lately, so it will take us a few days to get caught up.

In June, we traveled to Minnesota to see Kaitlin and Johny get married. Will and I helped set up, celebrate, take down, and relax after a busy wedding celebration. The kids mostly ran around, looked cute, and caused a ruckus. Kaitlin and Johny (and the rest of us) lucked out and had a gorgeous day for a wedding. Kaitlin, of course, was beautiful. I think Evie was vying for 2nd most beautiful in her flower girl dress.

Posing so pretty for the camera

The boys looked very handsome, too. But we were in a pattern of little sleep and lots of crying. Zevon and Guthrie had no patience for all this hoopla and didn't want to take part in the celebration. Thankfully, we had a 2 helpful babysitters that allowed Will and I to enjoy the day. We did get one family shot in before things took a turn for the worse.

We almost look like we have it all together! (You should have seen the other shots...)

The reception was at the American Legion, which brought back memories for Will and me and our wedding. The yummy cupcakes were the highlight of the meal, I believe. After the wedding and reception, my parents hosted everyone at the farm for more food, lawn games, visiting, and a bit of sparkler fun. What a blast! Thank you to Kaitlin and Johny for giving us a great reason to get together on such a beautiful day!

More pictures from the wedding:

Getting Kaitlin into her dress and keeping her smiling

Evie, Uncle Chris, and Buttercup take a spin

Guthrie, on the morning of the wedding, woke up much too early and fell asleep at the breakfast table.

From the rehearsal and dinner:

Evie (showing her dress spin) with her new friend, Bridget

Zevon with Kaitlin's college roommate Kelly (who I secretly wish was my 3rd sister!)

Grandma Bev and Guthrie share a bite

Zevon and Aunt Megan share a cuddle, and perhaps tips on being the middle child

What you've missed...

2011-08-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

Here's what we've been up to lately:

Mother-daughter outing to the Seattle Symphony and lunch at Pike Place

Zevon and Guthrie turned 11 months old

Story time!

Dress up and ukulele songs

Aunt Kaitlin getting married and being a flower girl

Oh, yeah. And the Gentlemen celebrated their 1st year! Time flies when you aren't blogging. We'll try to post on a few (and more!) events as we have time. Stay tuned!

Where Have We Been?

2011-07-18T06:45:00.001-07:00

There are two things that I cannot believe. I cannot believe our boys are a year old now and I cannot believe we haven't updated the blog in over a month. I promise we have great photos coming from Kaitlin's wedding, the boy's birthday party, and general Evie Lu awesomeness. For now I thought I would give my brief reflections on the first year of being the dad of twins.

July 15, 2010 - A great day to meet two gentlemen

Every parent of twins I spoke to prior to the boys birth told me how difficult the first year was going to be. They were right, and it was much harder than what they predicted. There were great joys and blessings, don't get me wrong, but the daily logistics of having two babies at the same time was sometimes more than Kaia and I knew how to deal with day by day. (When people tell me now, "Oh I always wished I had twins." I can confidently say, "No, no you don't.")

The trials have been sleeping, figuring out what two different little people want, stopping Guthrie from biting his brother, sleeping, discerning why Z is crying, sleeping, feeding two babies at the same time, sleeping, coordinating transporting three kids in a Honda Civic, sleeping, wiping two snotty noses, sleeping and sleeping. Having Guthrie at Children's Hospital for three days was terrifying and getting him home was an amazing gift.

The joys have been getting smiles from our boys, watching them crawl and cruise around, hearing them laugh at each other, cracking up at their tricks (they both fold their hands to pray now at the table), and watching how they love Evie and how Evie loves them is beyond description.

I wouldn't wish twins on anyone, but I wouldn't trade mine for anything. I cannot believe it has been a year. On to year two!

July 15, 2011 - How we've grown

And We're Crawling . . . Sort Of

2011-06-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

We have a winner in the race to mobility. Guthrie is now a crawling fool. Zevon has shown signs of making the move to crawling, but as you see in the video he mostly likes to grin and have people bring him things.

Bath time for twins

2011-06-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

The water is great! Jump in!

Up to this point, bath time for the boys has been a solo affair. Handling just one slippery, wiggly baby is stressful enough. But now that the boys are sitting up with no problem and like the water so much, I decided to give them a bath together. It was a success in that they both got clean and there were lots of giggles. It did not make the bath go faster. Zevon loves to pour water on his face, resulting in sputter and choking, and Guthrie loves to 'bob' for rubber duckies, meaning he dunks his face in the water with more sputtering and choking. Super cute. But hard on my nerves. I think I need to sprout an extra set of arms before I try this again any time soon.

Zevon sporting the shampoo mohawk

Guthrie's curly hair gives him more of a Bozo the clown hairdo

10 months old!

2011-06-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Handsome men

I have a backlog of posts, starting with marking the boys 10 month mark. As you can see, they are becoming two of the silliest and least identical twins out there. Zevon continues to be sweet yet demanding, and sensitive yet throws his weight around. Guthrie is goofy yet smart, fearless yet loves a good cuddle. They continue to keep us on our toes.

So big!

Their favorite games are 'so big' which Zevon can do with flair (see the video from a few weeks ago). Guthrie has joined in, but he only raises one arm as if to say, "I'm so big, but not as big as Zevon". Gus continues to be the smaller twin, but is small only in comparison to our big lug Z. They can stand with support and will pull themselves up to standing when you hold their hands. Lately they are trying to pull up on furniture and can get to their knees. Zevon is mostly content to sit and stretch to reach what he wants. This includes the back of his brother's shirt, pulling them both to the ground. Guthrie hops on his butt, rolls, scoots from belly to sitting, and does just about everything except move like a normal baby. They are turning me into an anxious mother who is worried about their delay in crawling, much less walking. I'm trying to remain calm and tell myself they are hitting every other milestone (babbling, feeding themselves, making eye contact, laughing at goofy faces, playing peek-a-boo). I'll be chasing after them soon enough.

A Year of Preschool

2011-06-04T16:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I have a giant head.

Evangeline just finished her first year of preschool and Kaia and I are amazed that we have a four year old who has learned so much. In this last year she has matured so much that there are times I'm not certain whether we have a little girl or a young woman who is going to be asking for the car keys next week.
Evie Lu's teachers told us they saw a big difference between the three year old who started in September and our girl now. She still isn't the most comfortable in big group settings, Evie definitely has her mom's introvert tendencies, but she made some great friends. One of her best friends was a little boy who didn't speak much English. (Leave it to my daughter to find a friend where she can dominate the conversation.) I am excited to see how our big girl continues to grow and find out who she is as a person.
This morning Kaia and Evie headed out to a concert at the local symphony and it amazed me to see the love of my life and my first born dressed up going out on the town. Where did the time go?

Do The Guthrie!

2011-06-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

Guthrie is our goofy boy. He is fussier than Zevon, but he also cracks us up with random looks and actions. Why is he doing this? I have no idea.

So Big

2011-06-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

It seems everyone else's children are crawling or walking by ten months, but our boys are content to stay mostly in one place and entertain us. (Maybe they are afraid we won't follow them if they crawl away.) Zevon is such a ham. We love our big guy.

We May Skip Crawling

2011-05-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

The day when our boys are mobile is coming sooner than we might like. Although in typical Zevon and Guthrie fashion, they are going about it in non-traditional ways. Here's how Gus is getting around.

Tiptoe through the tulips...and mud

2011-05-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

Flowers and mud. Evie couldn't be happier!

Despite rain in the forecast, our family decided to travel north to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival on Easter Monday. The fields didn't disappoint, though the weather did. The tulips and daffodils were beautiful. Fields and fields of color filled the countryside. Unfortunately, mud filled our boots and shoes. It was a scene perfect for our princess tomboy Evie. This is the girl who will be digging in the dirt with the boys one moment at preschool and dancing in a tutu and tiara the next. So it was no surprise that she loved the mud. In fact, she made up a song titled "I love mud". She ended up running too fast down the lane and the mud sucked her boots while she kept on going. Thankfully I had brought her a second pair of socks and pants for her. I was hoping that I could take a super cute picture of all my children sitting among the tulips, but I'm afraid the mud puddles would have drown the boys. I can't imagine what this trip will be like next year when the boys will not be in front pack carriers. I'll need to follow the lead from another large family we saw at the fields: the mom led all her children up to the van, and one by one they removed their boots and she put all the boots in a bag and put the bag in the trunk. That's thinking. I think Will and I will also invest in our own rain boots. How we have lived in the Pacific NW for this long without owning rain boots is beyond me.

Tulips, tulips, and more tulips

Needless to say, the boys were not happy in the rain.

Easter

2011-05-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

My little Easter bunnies

The night before Easter, I was nervous about how I was going to: a. dress 3 kids in cute Easter outfits that would survive through church, b. get to church with enough time to find a parking spot and a good place to park my brood in the sanctuary, c. keep the peace among my children without my usual help of Kaitlin and Laura (both busy at the Easter breakfast), d. get to the Easter breakfast and enjoy cinnamon rolls while feeding 2 hungry boys. Oh, and celebrate the risen Lord, of course. I am happy to say that I was able to accomplish it all! It was an Easter miracle.

Guthrie looking very dapper

Zevon in his Sunday best

Nine months old

2011-04-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

Can you handle the cuteness?

Our boys are eating solid foods, sleeping through the night (for real!), taking decent naps (sometimes), and are making motions toward crawling. They laugh, shriek, babble, and are getting closer to saying mommy and daddy each day (at least we can hope). Every day they wear us out, but they also make us laugh until we cry. There is giggly goofy Gus who has discovered he can shake his head no and rock back and forth to the music and has become a cheerio eating machine. There is also zany Zevon who could can pull himself up to standing (and probably to a chin up) and can launch himself out of his jumper. A few days ago, a guy saw us on a walk and he told me, "Looks like double trouble!" Once they get their act together, get their legs coordinated and voices in sync, we will really be in double trouble. But for now, they are sweet happy boys who are content to bang blocks together and scoot on floor.

At their 9 month check up, the doctor had not much to say. They are healthy growing boys. Zevon is 24 lbs 9 oz (95%) and his length is 29 in (75%). His head is huge (19 1/4", 95+%) and it is still a little bit of a concern. A while back he had an ultrasound to check out his giant head and it came back normal, so we are guessing he just has a big head. Guthrie is a perfectly average 9 month old and in the 50% for all measurements: 20 lbs 4 oz, 28 1/2" long, and 18" head. Yep, they are not identical.

My two little cubs

2011-04-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

All bundled up and ready to go!

Last Wednesday we experienced some weird weather. It was nice enough and sunny, so I wanted to get the boys out for some much needed outdoors time. But, there was a little chill in the air, so I thought their cute winter hats were not a bad idea.

The boys kept on trying to take off their brother's hat. Perhaps they thought they looked ridiculous (ridiculously cute, that is!).

Later, when we had returned home, there was thunder, lightening, and much later, snow! I usually think of weather around here as pretty mild. April snow and thunder are not mild events.

Zevon and his toothy smile

You can see from the above photo that Zevon has 2 lower teeth. Thankfully, he has kept them mostly to himself. Guthrie has 2 teeth as well, but he has tried them out on just about everything (toys, brother's hand, nurse's gloved fingers in the hospital, my fingers, bottle nipples). Thankfully, they have not turned into little vampires during nursing sessions, so breastfeeding continues. Zevon has become quite the flirt. When he is feeling sweet, he'll smile and tilt his head to the side and sigh or squeal. It melts your heart!

Guthrie giving a grin to his sister off camera.

Guthrie's latest trick is eating with his fingers. He went on a bit of a solid food strike after coming home from the hospital and would only nurse (much to my dismay). But, when provided cheerios or the like, he would carefully pick them up and pop them in his mouth and eat them! This is the only time that Guthrie has mastered an eating skill before Zevon. Zevon looks at the smooshed pea in front of him, looks at me, looks at the pea, and seems to expect the pea to jump in his mouth so he can eat it. He does have the pincer grasp, but would much rather scoot the food off the table. Gus has finally gone back to solids and now would like to hold the spoon himself. That is one trick I'll let him master a bit later. I get a little tired damp mopping the floor every night...don't want to start mopping the walls as well!

Let's not do this again

2011-04-07T09:25:00.001-07:00

We have been experiencing the usual late winter/early spring crud. The joy of having 3 kids is that you get to experience it three times over. A fever runs into a cold, combines with teething for the boys, and melts into another respiratory illness. It has been made extra special by me getting whatever the children are experiencing (minus the teething, of course). But this last round of illness hit us exceptionally hard. The boys were extra snotty and crabby last week and no one was sleeping well. But, while Zevon started to get better, Guthrie got worse. By Thursday night his cough turned to wheezing and he didn't sleep unless held by Will or I. We got him a doctor's appointment that morning.

The doctors (yes, plural, because they kept on calling in another collegue for a second opinion) were concerned that he was working so hard to breathe. But his oxygen saturation was still 100%, so they told us to keep an eye on him and bring him in again later that afternoon for another listen. He was no better, and perhaps a little worse. We were sent to the ER at Children's in Seattle. One of the worst drives I've ever made was stuck on I-5 at 4pm on Thursday with a sick kid in the back. The worst part was that he was silent the whole way, meaning I never knew if he was breathing or not. Ick. We got to the ER and they treated him with a few rounds of nebulizer treatments and tested him for a variety of viruses. Because the treatments helped only marginally, and because his saturation levels were going down, he was admitted to the hospital late Friday night.

Our poor little Gus Gus still finding a smile despite a tough couple days

By the next day, we learned that he had RSV and the treatments for asthma could stop. Instead, he was put on oxygen and suction as needed. We simply needed to watch and wait and hope he got better. RSV is a common virus and it hits different kids different ways. Usually it causes problems for kids that were preemies or those that have lung or immune issues. Guthrie has none of those, so he is one of the lucky few healthy kids that still need hospitalization. Zevon, who probably had it as well, was one of the usual cases who get a bad cold and cough and then get better.

I had milk stored in the freezer at home, so it made sense for me to stay with Guthrie. Will became a single dad of 2 kids at home and I camped out at the hospital. Both of us wished we could be in 2 places at once the whole hospital stay. There were some scary moments that I hope I never have to experience again. Parenting has been a lesson of learning when to be patient and let things happen (waiting for a virus to run its course, for example) and knowing when to take action (hauling a kid into the ER). The really tough parts are when you have to make a decision of which route is the correct one.

Thankfully, Guthrie improved enough he could go home on Monday. We are very happy to have our goofy little guy back. It was interesting to spend time with the twins separated. Will found that Zevon sleeps a lot better and eats more without his brother around making a ruckus. I learned that Guthrie is super active and delightful when he gets a lot of one-on-one attention. The nurses kept on commenting on how chubby and big and 'robust' Guthrie was and all I could say was, "you should see his brother!" I found it was hard to talk about Guthrie without mentioning that he was a twin. In fact, one night I woke up in the middle of the hospital room looking for Zevon. Sleep deprivation has led to sleep walking, I guess.

All better and ready to play with his brother and sister

We aren't completely out of the woods with Gus, yet. He still has a lot of noise in his lungs and continues to wheeze. The hospital stay has messed with his sleep cycle and eating habits, and 3 days later we continue to fight with those habits. It seems like everything gets in the way of sleep training these boys! At least they keep us on our toes.

8 months old!

2011-03-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Gus is wondering what his brother is so excited about. The really funny thing is that Zevon was totally cranky before this shot and instantly smiled when I held up the camera. Guthrie was the opposite.

I'm a few weeks late with this post, but I'm sure you are all used to my poorly updated blog posts. The boys have made it to 8 months, and we are rapidly approaching the age where they have been out in the world as long as they were inside me. Kind of weird to think about, especially since it felt like I was pregnant FOREVER with the little guys and life since they have been born has raced by.

They are growing and developing their own unique personalities. Zevon is still low-key yet sensitive and Guthrie is still a mover and a shaker. But they are also adding layers to those personalities.

Zevon the drool monster

Zevon loves faces and will try to chat with any welcoming face. I caught him talking to his reflection yesterday...pretty cute! He is very social and tuned into people, so it isn't any wonder that he is showing early signs of stranger anxiety. He knows when there is a new face around and now he isn't sure about it. He loves touching your clothes, faces, hair, necklaces, and he is very gentle. He is also a brute, and when he is upset he is a little difficult to contain (makes me nervous for when he is a tantrum-filled 2 year old). We had a little scare a week ago with an odd rash that appeared on his arm. At the doctor's office, they weighed him and he was 22 lbs 6 oz! Oof. No wonder my back hurts. The rash is still a mystery, but everything else seems fine so we are just watching it.

Goofy Guthrie

Guthrie is a total wiggle bottom. He has discovered how to clap his hands and use his voice. The best is when he combines the two and he looks like a little protester ("I will not stand for this!-pounds his fist-These peas are terrible!-claps his hands-Feed me more applesauce!"). He is not crawling, yet. But he is getting very good at the belly rotate and pivot with a little bit of creeping. I caught him pulling things out of the coffee table the other day. He is such a goof ball!

They are also starting to interact with each other. To our amusement, they display this interaction through stealing each others' toys. They will play tug-of-war with a toy until one wins (usually Zevon). If you've seen the video Will posted a few days ago, you'll know what I mean.

One thing hasn't changed: they still aren't sleeping well. The only difference now is that we know they can sleep through the night because they have! They just don't do it at the same time. I guess we can count ourselves lucky that they aren't both up, but I'd much rather have neither up at 2 am (and 3 and 4 and 5...). They are fighting colds, and teething is bugging them, I'm sure. Zevon has sprouted 2 teeth and I can tell he is proud of them. Guthrie is constantly gnawing on everything, so he isn't far behind. With these guys there is always something that is bothering their sleep patterns. A small success is that they are napping sort of consistently with a morning and an afternoon nap. But they often don't last more than an hour. This makes for a cranky household. We continue to put one foot in front of the other and hope for a better night tonight.

Let's hope Will's eternal Cubs fan optimism will rub off on us in surviving the remaining 4 months of this challenging first year with twins!

Sharing Is Not What We Do Best

2011-03-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

Our boys are frighteningly good at taking toys away from each other. At this point Zevon has the strength advantage, but Guthrie is showing some craftiness. I love the point when they both realize they are being watched.

Evie and Zevon

2011-03-02T15:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I'll ask Evie to talk one of her brothers for a minute while I take care of the other. This is what I walked in on after I asked Evie to talk to Zevon.

What's for dinner?

2011-02-25T14:39:00.000-08:00

Guthie getting his first taste of sweet potatoes and rice cereal

Zevon trying rice cereal for the first time

Our boys are not small. They are what I'd like to call 'pleasantly plump'. So you can imagine that we have gotten quite a few comments like, "what are you feeding those boys?!" Up until January, they had been enjoying meals straight from the cow (I'm the cow). I can't say it has been the most pleasant experience nursing twins, but I feel very fortunate that I've been able to continue as long as I have. Still, I have been eagerly waiting the day that I could feed them something else and start to phase myself out.

While home in Minnesota for Christmas, we had the boys sitting with us in high chairs. We suddenly noticed that both Zevon and Guthrie were watching every bite of food we would eat. In fact, they would open their mouths if we brought the spoon close to them.

Guthrie sitting in the high chair his mom and aunts sat in.

Zevon in the high chair that used to be his grandpa's

Doctor recommendations state to wait until 6 months before starting with any solid foods. I'm such a stickler for rules. But we realized that these boys were ready to eat. When we got back to Washington in early January, we purchased 2 new high chairs (Evie had destroyed her old one) and bought our first of many boxes of rice cereal. And what do you know, they loved it!

Guthrie wasn't sure at first, but soon warmed up to the new food. Zevon loved it from the start (surprise surprise). Since then we have tried oatmeal, whole wheat cereal, carrots, apples, peas, sweet potatoes, squash, peaches, and green beans. They aren't the biggest fan of green veggies, and Guthrie doesn't like cold food, but for the most part they eat everything. Or, at least they attempt to eat everything. Zevon likes to suck his tongue, and sticks his tongue out so much while eating that most spoonfuls end up back on the spoon. Guthrie takes a little more coaxing to open his mouth and eats less than his brother (by far), but is the better eater when he is hungry (opens his mouth more, doesn't spit food back out).

So how do you feed twins? Most mealtimes, when feeding is going well, I feel like a momma bird trying to keep hungry mouths full. At its worst, it is a circus. Or an episode of Double Dare with goop flying everywhere. I have one bowl with 2 servings of whatever I'm feeding the boys, and one spoon to feed both. I try to make sure each guy gets an equal number of spoonfuls, but I'm pretty sure Zevon usually ends up with more. Guthrie will lose interest pretty quickly and I swear Zevon gets more hungry as the feeding goes on.

What meals look like in a home with twins. Not sure anyone is actually eating here...

I haven't completely phased myself out. If it all continues to go well, I'll continue to breastfeed the boys until they are about one. I can't nurse them in tandem any more...they keep on poking each others' eyes out during the feeding. I have to play the role of nursemaid and referee all at the same time. Now, I feed them one at a time. Much calmer for everyone, and they seem to be okay with waiting their turn.

Check up city

2011-02-03T15:54:00.000-08:00

I know that we have nightgowns, but night skirts? Evie is modeling her new pajamas from Grandma Bev and Grandpa Wayne

Evie had her 4 year well child check up two weeks ago and her first dental appointment yesterday. You would all be so proud of her! She had 5 shots and barely shed a tear! Such a big girl! The doctor was impressed with how well she did. Her stats are pretty impressive too: 44 lbs and 42 1/2 inches tall. That puts her in the 90% and 95% for weight and height. As the doctor said, she is a 'solid' girl. The doctor encouraged us to get her into the dentist, which is something that we have meaning to do for a while. We would like to be a good first experience instead of waiting until she has a cavity or a tooth is knocked out. I was able to get her an appointment yesterday and I will say it was a good experience. She got to watch a movie and they gave her a bag full of tooth-happy treats. She sat still for the x-rays and the cleaning (though each time the hygienist paused in the cleaning, Evie asked if she was done yet). Her teeth look great and she is very proud of them now. I am still having trouble coming to grips with the fact that I have a preschooler. Sometimes she acts like she is 2, other times like she is 14. We are all trying to figure this growing-up thing out!

Belly Time

2011-01-31T15:52:00.000-08:00

It used to be that Zevon hated belly time and Guthrie loved it. Now they both agree it is a good time. Guthrie regularly rolls over now, but Zevon still hasn't made his move yet. I am starting to think Z will crawl before he rolls. You can see how close our boys are to getting mobile. That is a frightening thought. Check out the video and listen carefully near the end.

6 months old

2011-01-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

Happy boys, happy daddy!

We are halfway to Zevon and Guthrie's 1st birthday. Where has the time gone? Where has my mind gone?

The boys had their 6 mo check up on the 14th and they passed with flying colors. Here are their stats:

Zevon: weight 19 lbs 3oz (75-90%), 27 1/4 in (75-90%) long, head 18 in (90%)
Guthrie: weight 17 lbs 7.5 oz (50%), 25 3/4 in long (25-50%), head 17 1/4 in (50%)

We had some concern over Guthrie's cold that won't go away, and the doctor told us to keep on eye on it (but it might be a long winter). Since then, his chest isn't as full and he seems to be feeling better. There was also some concern over Zevon's large head. It is a joke in our family that several of us have big heads (literally). For example, I wear the same hat size as Will. Grandpa Hanson used to say, "you can't keep your brains in a teacup!" But Zevon's head size jumped a little more than the doctor felt comfortable, so she ordered an ultrasound of his head to check. Thankfully, the scan showed nothing of concern. Turns out our little guy just has a massive heed.

In other development news, the boys continue to show us new tricks. Guthrie, on the day before we left Minnesota rolled over from back to belly. It was met with loud cheers from all of us, which then made Gus and his brother cry. He did it once more about an hour later, and has not done it since! Zevon continues to be more laid back and is taking his time with rolling over. But, Z is working on his verbal ability, moving from simple coos to "da da da" and "ga ga ga". He is also a fan of the raspberry. Guthrie is vocal, too. Of course, he is louder and it is more of a squeal/scream than sweet baby sounds.

Both boys are moving closer to sitting up on their own. Zevon is so close! I could probably just call it and say he is sitting, but it is more likely his baby chub is acting as scaffolding more than his own muscles doing the work. I can pull both boys to a stand and they will stay up with me only holding their hands.

The twins are also giving us a hard time in the sleep department. They can, and will, sleep through the night. But lately they have been refusing to go back to sleep when they wake up at 2 am. Because there are two of them, both Will and I don't get much sleep as a result. To make matters worse, their napping has been nonexistent. The whole "crying it out" technique meant the boys would scream for an hour, leaving everyone frazzled. Together, this makes for some cranky parents, not to mention cranky kids (Evie included). After hitting a crisis point, I bought a book that promised to help twins sleep. We'll let you know how it turns out. Currently they are in the middle of a decent morning nap, and I'm really hoping it is a sign of things to come.

What does it take to get a picture of 4 generations?

2011-01-20T16:16:00.000-08:00

Twins and a preschooler complicate any photo. Here's what it takes:

Help Great-grandma get settled in the center and help Evie up (making sure she doesn't step on Zevon)

Get the twins settled and Evie calmed down

Make sure sweaters are buttoned and shirts out of mouths

Smile!

Evie's 4th birthday!

2011-01-20T15:55:00.000-08:00

Our little princess

Evie got to celebrate her 4th birthday at the farm. It turned out to be an intimate affair, since a blizzard was due that evening. But for those of us that were there, it was a birthday fit for a princess! Pink cupcakes, tutus, sparkly jewelry, and princesses ruled the night. (I'm enjoying the frills and sparkles, because something tells me I won't get that with the twins.) I can't believe how fast Evie has grown up! It seems like not too long ago she was wiggling on the floor like her brothers. Recently, I was looking at old video clips from when she was almost 2. I thought she was such a big girl then! Now, she is running and jumping, full of imagination, and generally giving us a run for our money. Some days she is 4 going on 14, and other days she is as goofy as a clown. But one thing hasn't changed: she is our beautiful little girl.

Mmm...cupcakes!

Opening her gifts so ladylike

Evie modeling her latest fashion

When the weather outside is frightful

2011-01-18T11:31:00.001-08:00

Evie and Guthrie all curled up with Grandma Bev

What do you do when it is freezing outside (and by freezing, I mean Minnesota freezing, not Pacific NW "freezing")? You hang out with family! Here's what we were up to while staying warm and cozy during the sub-zero temps and while the blizzard was raging outdoors.

Zevon snuggling with Aunt Megan

Zevon and Guthrie wiggling on the floor with Grandpa Wayne

Grandma Bev and Kaitlin doing an impossible puzzle

Guthrie chatting with his daddy and Grandma Rhonda

Zevon picking out wedding dresses with Kaitlin and Grandma Bev

Zevon playing peek-a-boo with Grandma Bev

Evie coloring with Grandma Rhonda

Evie playing Princess Yatzee with Daddy, Aunt Megan and Uncle Chris. It was pretty funny hearing Chris say, "I only need two more Jasmines to win!"

Guthrie checking email with Grandpa Wayne

Bathtime with Grandma Bev (I don't know what was so funny...and I'm pretty sure Mom doesn't know either.)

Bedtime story with Great-grandma. We were so lucky to have Great-grandma stay with us at the farm for most of the week!

Grandpa Wayne rocking Zevon to sleep. As wonderful as the week at home was, the boys' sleeping was terrible. They woke up for midnight feedings and refused to go to sleep easily at night or for naps. Thankfully we had lots of helpful hands to hold babies!

Minnesota snow

2011-01-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

All bundled up and excited for snow

The first thing Evie asked Grandma Bev when we got off the plane was, "Do you have a box full of snow for me to play in at your house?" Evidently Evie was thinking of her sandbox, and knowing that there was snow in Minnesota, got the two mixed up. Evie was super excited for snow, but this kid has had limited experience with it. Luckily, she got her fill. The weather did not disappoint with below zero temperatures and a blizzard around new years. Evie was not swayed by the cold weather. She bundled up and played in the snow with whoever would brave the cold with her. She went sledding with Aunt Megan and Uncle Chris, built a fort with her dad, and went skiing with Aunt Kaitlin.

Evie and Will showing off their snow fort

Mush, Daddy, Mush!

Aunt Kaitlin and Evie

Wearing the cross-country skis her mommy and aunts learned to ski on

Look at her go!

Evie got a little help from Aunt Kaitlin and Grandpa Wayne coming back from the yard

Of course, the boys didn't take a run in the snow. But, they had their snowsuits waiting for them in Minnesota to brave the cold runs from house to car.

Zevon and Guthrie all cozy

More twins holding twins

2011-01-15T17:10:00.001-08:00

Sondra (left) holding Zevon and Shirley (right) holding Guthrie

In case you are wondering, there are twins in my family. Actually, the only set of twins I know of are my dad's twin sisters. Sondra and Shirley are identical (as far as I can tell) and we all have heard stories of their amazing twin-ness (unknowingly buying the same outfits for their sons, giving each other the same Christmas gift, etc). So, of course when you have twins together in the same room, you need to take a picture. Zevon wasn't in such a great mood, and Shirley kept on blaming Sondra. They both got the giggles watching the flurry of picture taking from the rest of the family (see the picture below to know what I mean). I guess everyone gets excited about twins!

The family paparazzi

Guthrie and Zevon, Children of God

2011-01-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

Zevon and Guthrie, partners in crime

On December 26, Zevon and Guthrie were baptized at the church where I was baptized and confirmed and where Will and I were married. It was a little overwhelming to walk into the church and be greeted by so many people, but it was very special, too. We were surrounded by love from the whole church! Aunt Megan and Uncle Chris were sponsors and Megan also did the 'dunking'. They boys were so calm during the service...up until the baptism. Either they wanted all to know that they were filled with the Spirit or the water was a little cold. After the service, we enjoyed ham and potatoes in the church basement with the whole family (thanks to Mom and Dad and everyone else who got the meal ready and cleaned up!).

Zevon

Guthrie

Godparents Chris and Megan holding Zevon and Guthrie

We were so lucky to have lots of family around us. Many of my aunts, uncles, and cousins were in town for Christmas, and Grandma Rhonda was able to make the trip from Montana.

Christmas!

2011-01-14T14:20:00.001-08:00

Members of Santa's good list

We have a huge number of posts to share! Let's start at Christmas...
Actually, let's start at December 23. The Norwegians call it "Lille Julaften" or "Little Christmas" and Kaitlin and I decided to start our Christmas a little early, too. We had Kaitlin and Johny over for Swedish meatballs and sugar cookies and to open presents. Then, we wouldn't have to cart presents to Minnesota just to cart them back. We also worked out a deal with Santa to come on Christmas eve morning since we were leaving for Minnesota early on Christmas Day. Something tells me that pastor's kids have to get used to a flexible Christmas celebration. Evie set out the cookies we made for Santa and a few carrots for the reindeer. She was super excited for the ladybug pillow pet Santa brought here the next morning.

The kids and I went to the early family service on Christmas eve. The Christmas story is read and kids are asked to come up and play a part. Evie, like every little girl in the congregation, wanted to be an angel. She was happy to find a preschool classmate in the angel throng and they had a little angel chat up there. Unlike last year's excitement, there were no cows fighting behind the pulpit but the shepherds looked like they could cause some trouble with their staffs. This year was more mellow.

After getting the children all snug in their beds on Christmas eve, it was my job to finish the packing and take down the tree before we left the next morning. I think I'm starting to understand why my mom always looked so tired on Christmas eve. There is a lot of doing and undoing that happens around that time of year. It is a lot of work to get 3 kids all dressed up! But they looked super cute...just look!

Evie in her Christmas best

Zevon with visions of sugar plums

Guthrie listening for reindeer hooves

Baby entertainment

2010-12-22T19:56:00.000-08:00

The boys wiggling around on the floor. Their blanket is almost not enough to contain them!

Zevon and Guthrie are practicing their new tricks! They are inching closer to rolling onto their tummies. Evie and I were cheering Guthrie on this afternoon because he was so close! Zevon is a little more content to lay around, but his kicking power almost launched him out of his baby bath one night a few weeks ago. Both are getting really good at grabbing toys and bringing them to their mouths. Guthrie almost transferred a rattle from one hand to the other tonight. Zevon loves bringing his burp cloth up to his face, punching it in his mouth and then wiggling around. This was a trick Evie did as a baby, and it cracks me up. Zevon reminds me a lot of Evie! Tonight, Zevon would laugh at everything Evie did for him. She would dance around him, he would laugh. She would laugh back at him and he would shriek with joy! Gus just watched with a grin. I really want to know what these little guys are going to be like as siblings. With as fast as everyone is growing, it will happen quicker than I can imagine.

Guthrie and his 3/4 roll

Zevon is contemplating his next move

5 months old!

2010-12-18T12:57:00.001-08:00

Zevon, Will, and Guthrie, my three rock stars!

The boys turned five months old this week. We can't believe how big they are getting! Guthrie is starting to scoot himself off the blanket while he is wiggling on the floor. Both Zevon and Guthrie have found their hands very entertaining. They are now grabbing at things and cuddling with stuffed animals and blankets. They are able to bat at toys on the activity bar in their swing and chair. As Will says, they are no longer lumps of mashed potatoes. They are real, animated, little people! I've also noticed that they will smile at each other, as if to say, "hi there, bro!". Every time Evie is close, they will smile and 'talk' to her. She can get them to laugh every time.

Evie, Zevon and Guthrie, staying toasty by the fire.

Rock star babies

2010-12-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Guthrie and Zevon rocking out

I think it is Will's goal to make all of his children rock stars and he takes any opportunity he can get (we named the twins Zevon and Guthrie for starters). Kaitlin and Johny helped him out by giving the boys these adorable outfits. The boys have been channeling the rock star angst lately with midnight parties, exercising their vocal cords, and generally being moody. In their defense, they both battled colds last week and I believe teething is on its way. In fact, I can feel a little spot in Guthrie's gums that seems like a little tooth poking through. Also, they are learning to stay awake for longer stretches, which is more fun but leads to fussier babies. Needless to say, it has been a rough time in the Sappington house. But things are looking up. They have finally put themselves to sleep the past 2 nights, and right now they are taking a nap that has lasted longer than 20 minutes. Let's hope this continues, and then they'll be rock stars in my book.

Zevon flashing a grin to all his fans

Gus contemplating his next rock anthem

Gospel according to Evie

2010-12-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

Ever since we set up the nativity scene, Evie has been relocating and rearranging it. It seems that Santa Claus and Snowman were there to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Thanksgiving

2010-12-03T12:53:00.001-08:00

Good food, good people! What more could you ask for?

Snow storms couldn't keep Uncle Jody and Aunt Leanne from visiting their new nephews and wild niece. We were very happy to have them visit us over Thanksgiving this year. They got plenty of cuddles from Zevon and Guthrie, and lots of fun and laughs with Evie Lu.

Jody, holding Zevon, and Leanne, holding Gus

For the big meal, we also had Kaitlin and Johny over. Together, we cooked a turkey and all the sides (all homemade, I should add!). I was pretty impressed with our meal, but it wasn't without event. I exploded some melted butter in the microwave, and needed to call the Butterball hotline after some debate as to if the turkey was actually done (very helpful, and I am totally buying a butterball next year just to thank the company!).

We are in the full swing of the holiday season and that means lots of Christmas music and toy advertisements. Evie loves looking at the "kids newspaper" (Toys R Us circular) and points out all the things she wants. Nothing gets by this kid! She has her clock radio set to the station playing 24-7 Christmas music. A few days ago she told me we needed to go to Fred Meyer Jewelers today, and that we needed to buy gift cards for everyone. Anyone have a good way at limiting media influence on a preschooler?

The boys are busy now, staying awake for long periods and starting to grab at things with their hands. In fact, their hands are their favorite play things and they can stare at them for a long time. They are constantly chewing on their fingers, so we wonder if teeth are coming soon. They both have colds right now and that is making sleeping very difficult. But they are sweet most of the time. Guthrie still gets the giggles when you tickle his neck and chin, and Zevon is all smiles when you sing and talk to him. My favorite is seeing Evie talk to Zevon and Zevon "talks" back to her. So cute!

All ready for bed (Guthrie left, Zevon right). Just a few short months back, they shared this crib. Hard to believe now!

The boys are 4 months old

2010-11-23T13:43:00.001-08:00

We're two handsome young men! (Guthrie on left, Zevon on right)

We can't tell you where the time has gone, but it has been over 4 months since Zevon and Guthrie made their appearance. Many parents of twins have told us that we won't remember the first year, and our doctor last week said after 6 months it gets much easier. Either way, we are reaching at least one of those milestones.

At their doctor's check up we learned the boys are doing very very well. Zevon continues to be the brute of the two. He is 17 lbs 4 oz (90 percentile) and 25 1/4" (50-75 percentile). His head continues on its massive curve at 17 " circumference (75 percentile). Guthrie isn't anything too tiny either. He weighs 15 lbs 8 oz (50-75 percentile) and is 25 in long. Guthrie's head is a little smaller (16 1/4 ", 25 percentile) which explains why all his hoodies keep falling over his eyes. Their doctor was very pleased with them (as are we!).

In other developments, the boys continue to delight us with their coos and squeals. Gus has a laugh that will bring us to our knees and Zevon continues to win us over with his smile. They have been champion sleepers, too, for the most part. In fact, they have teased us with nights of 8pm-5am without a peep! But as of late, they want to eat at 3-4am and will fight to stay up well past 9pm. Plus, they will only go to sleep if held and rocked to sleep. We love our boys and I would hold them all day long if I could. But, there are two of them and I can't hold them both all day. So, we are trying some sleep training to get them to calm themselves. So far, Will and I can only let them scream a few minutes before picking them up, so maybe it is more about training us!

Boys and their dad (Zevon on left, Gus on right)

Snow day!

2010-11-23T13:23:00.001-08:00

The past week or so has been a stressful one for the family, so we are happy to say that we are enjoying the recent snow huddled up inside (or playing outside in it!). Last week, Will was out of town, so Kaitlin stayed with us to help out. With an over active 3 year old and 2 boys that decided to go through some sort of fussiness/growth spurt, I sure needed it! We did have some fun...here is a picture of Evie and her doll dressed up as twins and enjoying a tea party.

Evie and her doll Cup (short for Buttercup)

Will came home to much colder temperatures as the Seattle area was enjoying a cold snap with snow. I know our friends and family in Montana and Minnesota would laugh at us, but this area crawls to a halt every time it snows and this time is no exception. Right now, it is bright, cold, and sunny with a few inches of snow on the ground, but everything is closed down so it makes it easy to enjoy. Evie got out yesterday and today to run in the snow. She loves her new snow boots!

Good bye rain boots, hello snow boots!

While Evie and Will braved the cold outdoors, the boys and I have enjoyed the cozy indoors. Will was very excited Zevon and Guthrie fit into their Twins uniforms today. Anytime he can enjoy a little baseball is a good day. I was hoping this year, being the year of the twins for us that it would be the year of the Twins in baseball. No such luck. At least our boys are winners!

Zevon on left, Guthrie on right.

Tickle Time

2010-11-08T11:24:00.000-08:00

The boys love to giggle and here Kaia was trying to get them to laugh on camera. Guthrie got the closest to a laugh, but Zevon just looks annoyed.

Halloween

2010-11-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

Evie had a long list of things that she wanted to be for Halloween (tiger, fairy, and a mouse are among them), but she kept on coming back to being a princess. When she saw the Snow White costume, she knew that was the one for her. Evie had plenty of events to wear her costume to. She had her Halloween party at preschool, a party at a near-by church with her friend Quinn, and of course trick-or-treating on the big day. It was a sugar-fueled weekend, and I think we are still feeling the effects of a hyped up three year old. At least Evie had lots of fun!

Hi! I'm Snow White! Perhaps you've met my brothers, the two dwarfs.

Evie and her friend Quinn. Evie was extremely excited when she found out that they were both going to be princesses (Snow White and Cinderella).

Pumpkin carving with Dad

The finished product. Can you see the resemblance of a certain furry family member?

Evie's preschool class all dressed up

More great-grandma!

2010-11-04T11:02:00.001-07:00

I finally have a chance to post more pictures from Great-grandma's visit.

Kaia (with Zevon), Great-grandma, Kaitlin, and Evie in front of Pike Place Market

Kaitlin, Great-grandma, and Evie where they throw the fish at the Market

Evie and Great-grandma pose by Rachel the pig

Evie and Great-grandma at the zoo

Great-grandma tries to pacify unhappy twins

Great-grandma and her Pacific NW great-grandchildren

Great-grandma!

2010-10-26T12:05:00.001-07:00

Evie is at preschool, and the boys are taking an unexpected long nap in their swings, so I have a chance to do a little post. We have been extremely lucky to have my grandma here this past week. She rocked babies, played with Evie, and looked at wedding magazines with Kaitlin. She was here a whole week, and I wish she could have stayed a month more! I'll post more later about our adventures, but here are a few photos to start.

Great-grandma with Guthrie

Great-grandma with Zevon

2 peas in a pod?

2010-10-14T15:43:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering, the boys are not identical. If you need any proof, look at the picture below:

Zen Zevon on left, fussy Gus on right.

Clearly, these boys are fraternal twins. Even though they are both boys, share the same parents, and were womb-mates for almost 9 months, they are very different.

Busy busy family

2010-10-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

Evie and her pumpkin

Two weekends ago, we made the most of a nice couple of days. On the first of the month, we took Guthrie and Zevon on their first hike at Tiger Mountain. We happen to get there at the same time as some kind of family pumpkin hunt, and Evie found her very own pumpkin. The boys seemed to love the fresh air and Evie loved running as fast as she could down the trail. They all took excellent naps that afternoon!

Zevon and Mom

Guthrie and Dad

After naps, we made an overdue appointment to get Evie's hair trimmed. Evie has never had her hair cut (besides an ill-fated trim to her baby mullet the day before her baptism). We love the curls, but it was getting hard to comb out after her bath. We took her to a kids haircut place, hoping that would make her more willing to sit still, and it did. She didn't get a lot cut off and you can hardly tell she had anything trimmed. But it was sad to see those little curls go. Evie now asks if she can have her hair trimmed just about every day.

Flying on to big girl hair!

The weekend was rounded out by a trip to Issaquah Salmon Days with the Barsness clan on Saturday and church on Sunday. Whew. No wonder it has taken me so long to post! It took us a week to recover.

Baby tattoos

2010-09-30T10:58:00.000-07:00

Zevon showing his love for mom on his sleeve.

Guthrie wants everyone to know his dad is awesome

Before Evie was born, Will found a Fender onesie that he knew his first born needed to wear. Aunt Megan and Uncle Chris have followed Will in deciding our progeny needed to have rockin' onesies. These were sent before the boys were born and were chosen so that Baby A would keep mom at his right and Baby B would know his dad rocks. It is very fitting because Zevon was on my right side through the whole pregnancy and Guthrie and Will share the same middle name. Yesterday the boys did little other than scream at me, so I needed the ego boost. As you can see, they are in much better moods today. As a result, so am I!

Hello, my name is...

2010-09-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

Guthrie in brown, Zevon in blue (duh).

The twins are very lucky to have received so many lovely gifts. (I have a huge backlog of thank yous to write, as a result!) One of the gifts they received recently was a set of onesies with their names embroidered on the front. There is no mixing them up now! I did think about playing a trick on Will and putting Zevon's shirt on Guthrie and vice versa just to mess with him, but I think he would have known quickly. We are pretty good at telling them apart without any question. Between differences in their faces, weights, and disposition, we have enough to help distinguish one from the other. And now we have shirts to help us through the day!

The 5 hour baby sweater

2010-09-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

Here you see over 25 pounds of love!

In the last trimester of my pregnancy, I figured I had a limited amount of time to make baby sweaters for the boys. So, I looked up patterns on the web for a quick and easy pattern to knit. I found one titled "the 5 hour baby sweater". Ideal, right? It turned out to be the 5 hour...yeah right...baby sweater. Maybe it took so long because I modified the pattern as I went. Maybe it was my swollen wrists and fingers that slowed me up. In any case, these sweaters seemed to take forever (much like the last few weeks of my pregnancy!). I did finish them, and not a moment too soon. I put the buttons on just days before the boys were born.

This past week, the boys are finally fitting into their homemade sweaters. I'm pretty proud of them and how they turned out (the boys and the sweaters...the boys more so).

Zevon in blue and turtle buttons

Guthrie in green and elephant buttons

Smiles!

2010-09-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

Gus and his sideways grin

Zevon and his charming smile

I started making breakfast for Will and I this morning when I became totally distracted by two very smiley boys. Zevon and Guthrie were in great moods after their breakfast and had nothing but smiles on their faces! Zevon has been grinning for a few weeks now, while Gus is relatively new to this social state. Zevon has also starting cooing, especially before falling asleep (as if to say "hold me just a little longer"). Guthrie has started what can only be described as laughing. So sweet! Diaper changes are so much more fun now!

Two months old!

2010-09-17T11:33:00.001-07:00

Becoming more of a handful for Dad
(Zevon in brown, Gus in blue)

Zevon and Guthrie turned 2 months old on Wednesday. Where does the time go? Today was their 2 month check up at the doctor's, and they are doing great! Here are the stats:
Zevon is 12 lbs 15 oz (75-90%) and 23 1/4" long (50-75%). Guthrie is 12 lbs 1 oz (75%) and 23" long (50%). Both have head circumferences that put them in the 50th percentile. Big boys! Their doctor told me I deserved some ice cream and chocolate cake since they must be sucking the life out of me. (I do feel like that!)

In other good baby news, they are sleeping better at night. Last night they slept from just after 11pm to 4am. They ate and then right back to sleep until 8am. Excellent!

Unfortunately Evie is still waking up in the middle of the night. We never thought that we would have to worry about our oldest not sleeping through the night! But she was a champ at the doctor's office today and didn't cry getting her flu shot, so we'll forgive her.

First day of preschool!

2010-09-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Look ma, no hands!

Evie has her first day of preschool today! She left with Will this morning carrying a Thomas the Tank Engine backpack and a big smile. I'm aware that I'm the mom of a preschooler, but this morning it was still a little hard to believe. She gave me a big hug and I waved good bye (standing in the doorway in my bathrobe...so cliche!). She's growing up so fast!

Two days ago, we had a practice run at preschool where all the students and parents got together to meet the teachers and each other. It surprised me how shy Evie was and how much I had to push her to join the other kids. But after a while, she got the hang of it and was playing with her classmates. Let's hope she remembers how much fun she had on Tuesday and that today is as much fun.

Playing with her new friends in the play school house.

Showing off her scissor skills with some play dough.

And since we can't have a post without pictures of Zevon and Guthrie, here you go! They are changing so much. Zevon is an excellent charmer with his smiles and coos. Guthrie continues to amaze us with his head-holding ability and pushing up so well. Now that I have a functioning computer to work with, I'll be better at posting updated photos. (Zevon is on the left, Gus on the right.)

"Guthrie, this is so hard!"
"Oh, Zevon, you are such a complainer."
"You were the one complaining at 5 am, Gus."
"I wanted to catch the early morning news, big Z!"

The Gym

2010-09-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

This place is always crowded when I want to work out!

Zevon and Guthrie are surprising us daily with how they are hitting all the infant development marks. Belly time is a short burst of a lot of fun. Guthrie has changed his tune about it and we think he holds his head up better than his brother. At this point we're betting he crawls first. That is a terrifying thought.

Evie and Zevon

2010-08-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Evie loves holding her little brothers. Usually she asks to hold them when we've finally got them asleep, but when she does get to hold a brother she's very good.

Our First Week Without Grandmas

2010-08-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

Evie and her next door friend Quinn

I am happy to report that we are finding our way as a family of five. As I've said many times we haven't made it this far alone. We've been surrounded by help. We've needed it too.

Hooray dinner!

Twice this week Evie Lu has been taken out for awesome playtime. Her Aunt Kaitlin and our friend Laura stole her for a day at the park and pizza. This was followed by a full day with our next door neighbors and their daughter Quinn.

A good looking trio

Kaia has noticed that parents of twins tend to look much younger as their children get farther away from infancy. I'm hoping this holds true for us.

Guthrie catches some z's

Just A Little Crazy

2010-08-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

Say, did you hear the one about the twins who let their parents sleep?

Kaia and I are exhausted. It reminds me of when I was 25 and I asked my dad why my hair hadn't started to turn gray like his did at the same age. He responded, "Son by the time I was 25, you and your sister were giving me gray hair." As wonderful as Guthrie and Zevon are, they aren't all that great in the sleep department. They take turns on who will sleep through the night and who wants to party. (It works great for them.) The last few days with no Grandma help have really been a test of our sanity.
To compound the getting rest issue we are going with cloth diapers. They are more work, but worth it when you figure our boys go through nearly 170 diapers a week. I really like them. Between our cloth diapers hanging on a line and our neighbor's chickens, the street almost feels like we're in the country.

The latest in backyard decorating

One Month Check-up

2010-08-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

That's a whole lot of cute

Zevon and Guthrie had their one month check-up today and we were thrilled with what we heard. Zevon now weighs 9lbs 15oz which puts him in the 50-75th percentile and he is 21 3/4 inches long, also placing him in the 50-75th percentile. Guthrie is now 9lbs 3oz and 21 1/4 inches long which puts him on the 25-50th percentile. Our new doc is amazed with how they are growing and we are too.

Yep, We Think We're Cute

2010-08-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

Twins holding our twins

There have been several parents of multiples who have helped us greatly. Karen my co-worker is one of those. She has been an amazing resource (and sanity saver) for Kaia and I as we prepared for the arrival of Gus and Z. So it was a special treat when she dropped by with a meal for us and her family of an older son and younger twin girls came to see our family. The fact that Karen's twins have survived to age six gives me hope for survival!

Grandma Rhonda!

2010-08-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

Guthrie gets his turn in Grandma's arms

My mom came into town on Saturday and she got right down to getting some serious love from her West Coast grandchildren. We've been anxiously awaiting her arrival and we didn't even let record breaking heat diminish our good times. It is so good to have her here!

One Month Old!

2010-08-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

Wait, what were we looking at?

Guthrie and Zevon are a month old today! I can't believe how fast it has gone. (It doesn't help that Kaia and I can't remember most of the last month.) We will have their one month check up on Friday the 20th and it will be good to see what their updated stats are now.
The picture below is a recreation of how I held them on their birthday. I'm hoping they'll let me do this for a while.

Deja vu all over again

Thank You!

2010-08-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

On June 24th Evie's Grandma Bev pulled into our driveway to be our helping hands as we prepared for the arrival of Zevon and Guthrie and this morning she drove away to head home. We would not have survived if not for all of her help.
Your grandchildren can't wait to see you again, Grandma Bev! We all love you!

Four Weeks Old

2010-08-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

They don't do much yet, but hey Gus and Z are only four weeks old. Here is a little video peek at the Gents.

What's In A Name

2010-08-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

"Hey Zevon, there's a Grandma up there!"
"I know man, she's awesome."

Their Uncle Jody admitted that he thought I was kidding when I first told him their names, but Kaia and I hope that Zevon Thomas and Guthrie Clayton live up to their big names.
Zevon Thomas was a name that we had considered before we knew Evangeline was a girl. Warren Zevon is one of my favorite songwriters and once while discussing names Kaia said Zevon had a nice ring to it. In Hebrew the name means "light of God" and he has definitely been a light for us so far.
His middle name is in honor of his Grandfather Wayne Thomas and his Great Grandfather Thomas.

"Guthrie, the sister has us again!"
"Stay real still man. Sudden moves spook her."

Guthrie's name came as we were considering names that would fit with a brother named Zevon. Woody Guthrie was one of the most influential songwriters and political activists in history. (In my opinion, without Woody Guthrie's influence you wouldn't have Bob Dylan and without Dylan we would all be poorer.) Guthrie means, "a windy place" and from birth Guthrie has been the more vocal of our boys.
Guthrie's middle name is my middle name and my middle name is also my father's. I like to say that Guthrie and Zevon are named for three of my favorite songwriters, Warren Zevon, Woody Guthrie, and Ralph Clayton Sappington. Zevon also is named for one of the nicest and most honorable men you'll ever meet, Wayne Thomas Torgerson.

My hope for my boys is that they are as fiercely independent, fearless, honest, creative, and compassionate as their namesakes.

Dad, in the family band I get to sing lead and take all the solos.

Three Weeks Old

2010-08-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

Guthrie

I see such a difference between the faces you see here and the boys we met July 15. So what has changed? In the last week we started cloth diapers, watched our boys fly past their birth weights, and got some quality Grandpa Wayne time. We are really seeing personalities emerge and not just with Zevon and Guthrie.
Kaia and I have found this to be a very different experience than our first weeks with Evangeline. It seemed then that we had all day just to stare at our daughter. This time around we feel like we are racing the clock. Kaitlin compared our life these days to the second season of LOST when it was all about pushing a button every 108 minutes. To say we are exhausted is an understatement and I have no idea how we would manage without Grandma Bev being in the house. In fact the primary reason that Evie Lu hasn't completely felt abandoned is the time Bev, Wayne, and Cam have given.

Zevon

You Write The Caption!

2010-08-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

We haven't played this game with Zevon and Gus yet, so I thought this might be a good one. We've had a awesomely busy couple of days. The whole family made it to church for the first time and we got to hear a great sermon from our friend Ken. Kaia continues to amaze me with her tenacity.
Overall we are far more adventurous with this time around. I think Kaia and I were so scared of breaking Evie Lu that we didn't do much of anything. Now we are really up for most anything. Whew!

Belly Time

2010-07-31T10:23:00.000-07:00

You can do it Zevon!

Even at just two weeks old, we are seeing major differences between Guthrie and Zevon. Zevon is more prone to spitting up like Evangeline was as a baby. Guthrie seems to get worked up more easily than his brother. They take turns being the fussy one overnight, so that is a wash. All in all Zevon at this point is the more laid back twin. He takes all sorts of annoyances in stride.

Guthrie is not a fan of belly time

The best example of the difference between their temperaments was last week when they each had to get a heel stick. Guthrie started screaming before the nurse even touched him. He screamed for a solid ten minutes until the nurse left the room and I could finally calm him. Zevon on the other hand felt the poke that started blood flowing from his heel, grimaced a bit, and gave me a look that said, "I'm not a fan of that." He was quiet for the entire time the nurse was taking blood. I know we are working with a small sample size, but it is interesting to imagine how our boys will be as they grow.

The watchful eyes of big sister

Your Next Action Stars

2010-07-29T20:36:00.000-07:00

Hey Zevon, there is something behind my neck I want to give you.

Do you smell what the Guthrie is cooking?

And I flip you!

Hey! Feet!?! I called no feet!

You may have won this time, but I will be baaaaack!

Grandpa Wayne Arrives!

2010-07-27T22:22:00.000-07:00

Okay Grandpa, smile because I'm the first and your favorite.

Grandpa Wayne arrived today to great fanfare and excitement. We weren't sure if he would be able to make the trip, but we are all so glad he did. Evie especially is glad to have someone new who will play games and chase her around.

Grandsons are alright

We got some great news today as Guthrie and Zevon have both passed their birth weights and received glowing marks for their progress. (Kaia is doing a great job too!)

Put to work

Updated Stats

2010-07-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

Enjoying the summer

Zevon and Guthrie had their one week check in yesterday and we are thrilled with what we heard. Zevon has almost returned to his birth weight and has grown 3/4 of an inch. Guthrie is within 4oz of his birth weight and is up 1/2 an inch. After watching Evie Lu grow and hear about our child being in the 90th percentile for weight and height it is wild to hear our new doc be excited about Gus and Zevon making it into the 10th percentile. They are growing big and strong and soon we hope to be done with the overnight feedings every 2-3 hours.

We also learned that Zevon and Guthrie are not identical. After a week with them I would have been willing to bet that they were fraternal. There are just too many differences for them to be identical. I think this makes for an even more exciting adventure as we'll have two very different sons.

Staying Close

2010-07-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

A kiss for my brother

Yesterday Kaia peeked in to check on Gus and Zevon as they were sleeping in the bassinet in the living room. As she looked down the picture above is what she saw; Guthrie giving Zevon a kiss on the nose. There is a slight valley in the middle of the bassinet and as they wiggled The Gents found themselves face to face.

One Week Old

2010-07-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

Sitting in the eye of the hurricane

I know that I've been present and awake for the last week, but I honestly could not tell you where the time has gone. We are in a constant loop of changing, feeding, sleeping, Evie entertaining, and sanity maintaining. Somehow in the midst of all of that a week flew by.

Guthrie sacked out

The Gents have their first pediatrician appointment tomorrow and Kaia and I are excited to see how they've grown. When we left the hospital Zevon and Guthrie were 1oz away from falling below the 10% weight loss line. (You do not want to fall below that line.) They've been eating very well, so we are hopeful they've at least gained back what they've lost.

Zevon snoozing

Twice As Many Cuddles

2010-07-20T22:34:00.000-07:00

Kaitlin meets her nephews

It has been an exhausting, but amazing couple of days at home. Thank goodness for Grandma Bev and all the help we've been getting from wonderful friends like Cam and Erik.

Too Sweet

Heading Home

2010-07-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

Do three car seats really fit?

After three days in the hospital, we were released into the world. Is the world ready for us? Are we ready for the world? Evangeline came with Grandma Bev, but was insistent on leaving with us. I've never been a more careful driver than I was on the short trip home.

The Gentlemen at home

We've settled into a pattern of Zevon and Guthrie eating every couple of hours during the day and every three hours at night. I had forgotten the newborn routine, but it has come back in a rush. Thankfully the boys are super relaxed and are treating us very well.

A proud Grandma

My first reflection as a father of twins is that I'm amazed how they can be sleeping inches from each other and they don't wake the other up. Guthrie was the loud one last night and Zevon was sleeping like a log. Amazing.

Sleeping arrangements . . . for now

The Real Star Of The Show

2010-07-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

Holding one close to her heart and one in her hands

Kaia's strength is something to behold. The journey from finding out we were expecting twins to actually holding them has been a challenging one, but Kaia has traveled it with great grace. Zevon and Guthrie may only be two days old, but they've had months to learn from their awesome mom.

Zevon in a close up

Our ultrasound doc dropped by yesterday and again asserted that he things our boys are identical. Take a look at the pictures here and let us know what you think. Zevon definitely has a baby rash and Guthrie's complexion is smoother, but I flip flop on whether I think they look identical or not. At the moment I think not.

Guthrie takes a turn

Evie Lu Meets Her Brothers

2010-07-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, I give up, how do you tell them apart?

Zevon and Guthrie have a growing fan club, but there is no doubt as to who the president of that club is right now. Their big sister is crazy for her brothers. As Grandma Bev stays with her and Kaia and I are at the hospital, Evie spends her time wondering what her brothers are doing. Evangeline told Bev after Vacation Bible School was done, "Grandma, I'm going to see MY babies at the hospital."
All of her time playing with baby dolls has paid off as my little girl is very gentle as she holds her tiny brothers. As I write this I realize I've committed a very big dad sin, I'm not totally sure which brother Evangeline is with in these pictures! I'll check with the all knowing Grandma Bev, but I think it is Guthrie. Man, am I in for years of trouble with my boys!

Nope, I'm still the cutest.

The Gentlemen Arrive!

2010-07-15T18:58:00.000-07:00

Happiness

Although we were thinking July 21, The Gentlemen made their appearance today. Kaia and Grandma Bev were at an ultrasound appointment while Evie and I were at Vacation Bible School and Kaia's blood pressure was higher than our doc was comfortable seeing.

Side by Side

Zevon Thomas and Guthrie Clayton were born at 1:41pm and 1:43pm. Zevon was 6lbs 8oz and 18 and 3/4 inches long. Guthrie was 6lbs 5oz and 18.5 inches long.

Zevon Thomas

Kaia was amazing. She is doing very well and I am blessed to be married to such an wonderful woman. The Gentlemen have already changed our lives. Oh the places we will go!

Guthrie Clayton (aka "Gus")

Megan Wants More Evie!

2010-07-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

Dad, are you sure Jimmy Buffett is the only music for hammock time?

Evie's Aunt Megan demanded more and so here is another just Evangeline post. A few days ago I picked up a $20 hammock at one of my favorite stores. I checked google to see how to tie a hammock knot and voila we have a new chill out spot on the deck. I'm not sure if it is the low price or the fact I put it up, but Evie and I are the only ones who will use it.
Evie loves the hammock and I love to see my not so little girl hanging out with me.

Yeah, I might be here all day.

Summer Finally Came!

2010-07-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

I don't like to eat them, I just like the fire

Evie has been having an amazing time with her Grandma Bev and last week warm weather finally came. Nearly every day featured kiddie pool time and outdoor eating. Evie was initiated into the marshmallow roasting club too. For some reason she still likes the plain ones better.

Zero Concerns

2010-07-08T11:36:00.001-07:00

Kaia sees a Torgerson nose here

"I have zero concerns about the health of your baby boys." Those were the words of our doctor today near the end of our ultrasound appointment. We had been a little worried about Baby B after a non stress test yesterday, but all those worries were wiped away, by the two little words, zero concerns.

These are definitely giant noggins

Another special treat was seeing Baby A in 3D. He has been hiding for the last 6 weeks and it was so good to get to see him. Of course his brother decided to hide and that is why you only see one good profile in the picture above.

Kaia is a real trooper and now that she is into her 36th week she is really uncomfortable. There is no such thing as a restful position anymore. If the boys hold to July 21 our doc thinks twin 7lb boys are a strong likelihood! Whew!

The side by side comparison of waistlines shows B has really caught up

Every One Is Growing!

2010-07-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

From May 30, 2010

It has been a wild week! Last Thursday Grandma Bev rolled in from Minnesota to help with Evie care and Gentlemen prep. Very quickly the phrase, "Grandma can you . . ." became constant.
Kaia hit 35 weeks yesterday and we are ecstatic. Even better we had a growth scan today and here are the latest numbers. Baby A is targeted at 5lbs 10oz and Baby B is estimated at 5lbs 9oz. Baby A is growing well and Baby B has closed the gap! Our ultrasound doc is feeling pretty strongly the boys are identical. We are just thrilled that the Gentlemen are growing strong.

From July 1, 2010

After church last week a member asked if we needed to build scaffolding to help keep Kaia upright. So far, she's doing great!

A Quick Update On The Gents

2010-06-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a month since our last growth scan and today we had another. Our Doc told us that Baby A who had been in the 60th percentile has slowed a bit in his growth to the 40th percentile and is now at 4lbs 11oz. (He said this slowing was normal and nothing to worry about.) Baby B on the other hand has closed the gap and is now in the 30th percentile at 4lbs 8oz. Brain and heart development continue to look great. Baby A is breach (feet down) and Baby B is transverse (laying horizontally and on top of his brother).
All signs point to the Gentlemen staying put for a while longer which is very good.
Evie came with us and got to see a 3-D picture of Baby B. She was very excited.

A Little Something for Wednesday

2010-06-16T16:03:00.000-07:00

A Graduate!

2010-06-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

A distinguished group

Friday June 11th was a major day for our family. Kaia attended her hooding for her master's degree in teaching. Evie and I were very proud to be able to be with her and see the culmination of a lot of hard work. Way to go Kaia!

Evie is eyeing what degree she wants