Photos

Memorial Day weekend we took the kids for their first ride in the jeep with the top down.  They absolutely loved it until we got going a little faster.  I didn't have my wide angle lens with me so you'll just have to trust me that they were in the car.




I also took them for a quick spin in the park next door in the new bike trailer.  They laughed the entire time!  And oh the meltdown when we got back in the driveway.  Jackson was completely crushed.

We rode up the street yesterday on the bike after dropping the car off to visit with Ellen and A&A.  Jackson was absolutely loving being escorted around in the wagon!

Then they all got a ride from Ellen.



My little love.  I just can't even describe how much I love him.

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This is another lovely medley of "Twinkle Twinkle" and the ABC song including hiccups.

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Excuse the playroom that looks like a tornado went through. It just doesn't matter if you turn the chairs over or pick up the toys. Within minutes they will be turned back over and toys strewn about.
Maddie is saying "squirrel run away" at the end.

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I was trying so hard not to laugh but I broke out at the end. This is what she does if you don't acknowledge her.

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This is a lovely medley of "Happy Birthday" and the ABC song.

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A little of Jackson's speech.

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I shot this video probably 3 hours ago. I kid you not he's still wearing that one pink shoe. Jackson was cooperative in the beginning of the song but the seagull noise he makes through the rest is what he does every time I sing.

Jackson talking

I really really miss the video feature on my point and shoot camera that Chris sold after I got my DLSR.  Of course I love having our HD movie camera but I just can't seem to figure out how share the videos on here and isn't that the whole point??  ;-)

I just remembered yesterday that Chris has a point and shoot with video on it.  So I went a little overboard with the video today.

Lima

I'm so curious who my regular visitor from Lima is.  Please leave a comment and say hi!  That goes for any other lurkers too :-)

The money pit: Car edition

Once again a shocking estimate from the mechanic.  Last year we had an issue with our brake lights not turning off.  In order to avoid the battery from dying we had to pull the fuse to turn off the lights.  They were fixed although I don't remember exactly what the problem was.  Less than a year later the same issue popped up.  My inspection sticker was up and I knew I would need the brake lights taken care of before getting the sticker.  I dropped it off yesterday.  Today I found out that it will not pass inspection without getting the upper and lower ball joints replaced, an outer tie rod replaced as well as the entire exhaust system.  All to the tune of $1000 which includes "half price labor".  I swear every time I bring it there the bill is higher than the last time.  Luckily the brake light issue is covered by warranty so it will be fixed at no charge.

I guess this is what you get for driving a 9 year old car.  Things eventually need to be replaced.  But we also don't have a car payment on either of our cars and our excise tax is super cheap.  But I am once again without a car for a week (hopefully not more!!).  Visitors please!!

Too cute

I helped the kids flip over for somersaults yesterday.  They knew how they were supposed to end up so this is how they both do it on their own.  Cracks me up.

It finally happened

The day I have been (literally) dreaming of for over two years happened today. I was woken up from my nap by Jackson running into my room yelling "Mama!" Not only did he manage to get out of his crib but he also opened their bedroom door which I've never seen him do before.

I don't think I've ever mentioned it here before but since they were born I have had a dream (one of the ones that seems SO real) at least once a week that one of them is getting out of their crib. Except for the time that Maddie catapulted herself out of her crib and Jackson climbed INTO his crib (from a bench that is higher than the crib mattress) this is the first time it's happened.

I'm hoping that it was just a fluke and he won't remember that he did it. I'm just not ready for beds. I just don't see them staying in them. There was a period of time where they were really good about laying down to go to sleep with no crying. I could have imagined it then, but for the last 3 weeks or so we've been back to crying/jumping/screaming for about 10 minutes before settling into party mode which includes singing/jumping/screeching which lasts up to an hour. I just can't imagine what would happen during party mode if they weren't contained!

UGH!

Look what we got!

I mentioned to my mom that I was looking for a second hand bike trailer on craigslist but hadn't had any luck.  She mentioned it to her friend who happened to see this one at a yard sale.  It looks like it was never even used!

I'm thinking of putting my double jogger away for the summer and just keep this one in the car since it can be used as a trailer or a stroller.  Now we need to get some bike helmets for them.  They're $40 in the store and times two, it's more than I paid for the trailer!  Again I tried craigslist but had no luck.  I think I found a seller on ebay for $16 each.  And they're PLAIN!  No spongebob or dora or elmo!

Our city has a new bike path and I can't wait to go try it out!

More beach photos

I wanted to share the rest of my beach photos from the other day. It was such a nice overcast day so the pictures are just so pretty...not to mention the beach. There aren't many nicer places to photograph around here. And then of course there are the kids :-)

Auntie Kristen's baby shower

My mom was nice enough to let us use her house for Kristen's shower.  She really has the perfect room.  My mom and dad worked really hard getting the house all nice for the guests.  

Eileen, Bruce and I went over the night before (I didn't have to work that night) to move the furniture around and set up all we could.  Chris came over later with the kids and we all had dinner together.

Testing out the lighting in the mom to be's chair.  Maddie was a good model.

This was before most of the guests got there...

The shower wasn't a surprise so Kristen and her mother came along with the rest of the guests.

We had tons of chinese food for lunch and it was SO good.

Maddie was pretty shy with all the people around so all she wanted was for me to hold her.  Luckily my dad was around and helped distract her.  By the time it was time to open presents she was the life of the party making everyone laugh with her cute antics.  Of course she wanted to help open presents.

Kristen is having a scheduled c-section on July 23.  I can't wait to meet my first niece!  I think Raffe is in for a big loud surprise when his sister arrives.

One more baby shower next month to celebrate my second niece :-)

First beach trip of the year: Crane Beach

I knew the weather was going to be really nice this week so I wanted to make sure we got to the beach.  I called Melanie to see if she and Alice wanted to join us.  They live in Ipswich where Crane beach is (I think it's around $25 to park there if you're not an Ipswich resident or a member of the Trustees of the Reservation).  Since it is before Memorial day the rate was only $7.  I figured it was the only time we'd get to go there this year so that's where we went.  On the way up we stopped at Russell Orchard and saw ducks, chickens, bunnies, horses, goats and even played in a little playground area they have.  We were waiting for Alice to wake up from her nap at home so they could join us.  We eventually made our way to the beach.  I carried all of the gear while M&J whined because I wasn't carrying them.  It's a fairly long walk through the dunes so I was wiped by the time we got to the beach.

Right away I attempted to get their annual name in the sand photos.  I think I said last year that this year would be easier but I was wrong.  Maybe next year.

I saw a sand dollar so I was trying to take photos of it.  All of a sudden a hand came into the frame and I caught Jackson stealing it!

Jackson's and my feet.

Smiling at an airplane

Maddie just wandered around holding as many toys as she could

After a while we went for a walk down the beach.  It was so cute how they just followed me.  Jackson did want to hold my hand though which just melted my heart.

On our walk we found a perfect tide pool to play in.  I sat there for an entire hour while they ran and splashed and threw mud.  They had such a fun time.  You can see Crane castle in the background.  The movie Flowers in the Attic was filmed there and when I was in high school I went to a prom there.

While we were playing here Melanie called to say that Alice had finally woken up but it was too late for them to join us because Melanie had to go to work.

More pictures from the 17th

Jackson winding up to hit unsuspecting Maddie.

"Who me?  I'm just lovin' on my puppy."

Randomness

Chris found a flash card app for his iphone.  Maddie loves to sit with him and look at them.  She knows pretty much all of them.

I took Jackson for another haircut last week.  He didn't handle this one as well as the last one.  Look at that face!  He just breaks my heart.  I think if I hadn't been in the room he might have done ok.  

Chris's cousin Jackie (in the green) had her junior prom last weekend.  She goes to the same high school that Chris and I went to.  It was completely renovated shortly after we graduated but I haven't been in there in 18 years so it was pretty weird to be there.  Jackie looked amazing.

M&J riding the pink jeep.  I think they actually look alike in this picture!

Visit with Great Gram and Gramp

Last week my mom and I took our semi-annual trip to visit her parents.  Maddie was saying "geet gamma" "geet gampa" We went down to the Connecticut River in downtown Turners Falls.  We found a perfect playground that had picnic tables.  The kids were able to play while my grandparents were able to relax at the table in the shade.

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Jackson actually climbed up this high all by himself.  MONKEY!

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I heart my rainbow shirt :-)

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We got sandwiches at a local restaurant and ate at the park.  After we left the park we went to get ice cream!  Madison sat on the top of the table and spun in a circle as she took bites from all of our cups.  After we dropped my grandparents off we were on our way out of town and saw a small farmers market.  We couldn't resist so we got out to check it out.  There were chickens there!  The kids got to pet chickens!!  There were big ones and baby ones that said peep peep.  M&J were loving them!  

Since I have to be at work at night it's a pretty quick visit.  3 hours of travel time really eats into a day.  It ends up being perfect though because the kids are ready for a perfect nap on the way home.

Mother's Day 2009

In the morning I was up with Maddie at 5:30 for the day.  Jackson was up around 8:30.  At 9 Chris rolled out of bed.  Next thing I knew Jackson was walking toward me with a card in his hand :-)  It was very sweet. This year in the afternoon we went to Chris's mom's house to celebrate with my mom and dad, Nana Fitz, Mike, Kristen and Raffe, Eileen's sister Karen, Jim, and three of their kids Jim, Jackie, and Mike The boys cooked on the grill while the moms enjoyed some lovely cocktails. <

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There was no getting M&J in a picture with me together so we attempted one at a time.  Maddie did ok...

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Jackson wouldn't come near me because all he wanted to do was ride his hand me down bike.  We managed to get this shot even though he was totally moving and not happy to be there.

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