Happy 2nd Birthday Matthew!

Sometimes it seems impossible that this little baby:

Is now this 2 year old little boy:

I swear some days its seems like yesterday I was in the hospital lamenting how I was going to mother two boys under the age of two and others moments its felt like every day was two years. Truthfully those looong days usually come with an ear infection attached, but they have been far too many in the last 10 months. I am so glad that Matt was feeling well on his birthday, and so excited to see him running and playing without a care in the world. I love it when he is happy, because when Matt is smiling, its damn near impossible not to smile too. This is a wonderful quality except when he's smiling as he's jumping off of the furniture! Although I was going to post the pictures from his party, I think I will save that and talk about my baby boy instead.

Matt is a hurricane of activity. He likes to go go go, and he likes to go where he wants to go. Stubborn through and through, and sweet as can be. Matthew is a daredevil at heart, a real rough and tumble kind of boy, and he is constantly surprising us with the new words he says. Matt's best friend is definitely "brother" and try as I might to get him to call Zach by name, he still prefers to refer to him as brother. It is actually so magical to watch the two of them together....well about 80% of the time. The other 20% looks like head locks, pushing, punching, and antagonizing each other, but I'll take those odds in a sibling relationship any day! This past year has been trying on my baby, he went into daycare, had a series of ear infections, surgery, and more ear infections, and yet he always seems to try to make the most out of his days. He is obsessed with Sesame Street, and only recently started watching television for any length of time.

At two Matt is taller than his brother was... and just now getting any sort of substantial hair. He is charming and cuddly, and he loves to be "uppie" I sometimes say he is my two year old three month old, because he wants to be held more now than he ever did as a baby. Matt is trying hard to learn all of the big boy ways. He drinks out of cups, can undress himself, tries to put his shoes on, demands to sit at the table, walk in the stores, and be independent whenever he can. He enjoys building a lot and play-doh immensely, and he is one to "colour" whenever he gets the chance. His favorite activities are dancing in the kitchen and singing in the car to Laurie Berkner songs, his favorite of which is "oh ah" as he calls it. If Matt can be outside he's happy, and if he can be swinging he's thrilled. He really loves slides, balloons and bubbles, and trying to play catch or his own game which involves throwing balls in the air, and having them bop him on the head.

For the most part Matt is easy-going when he's well. He's demanding, but worth it. I know he is head-strong, determined, and smart. I can't imagine what this next year holds as far as his development, except to say that as he start to talk more and more we all better watch out. He will definitely speak his mind, but I doubt he will talk constantly, only because he likes to listen, access, and then take charge. Matt is adorable, and shy at times. He doesn't love to be the center of attention like Zach, unless its in his own home or his comfort zones. He likes to explore, and he likes to push limits. Some of this is his age, other aspects are his personality. He constantly does silly things and asks "I funny Momma" which is super sweet even when what he is doing is trying to climb on the kitchen table. Matthew is my baby boy, and no matter how old he becomes, he will always have the most impressive dimples and breathtaking smile. He is impossible to stay angry at long, and he is sweet in all the best ways. He is loving and giving, and concerned about the people he loves. I am so proud of the little man he is, and while he can be challenging at times, there will never be a moment that I don't feel blessed by having had the honor of being his Momma! Happy 2nd birthday Matthew! I am so excited to watch you grow and learn, and so lucky to be able to relish in your charm! I love you!

Broken Arms and Chocking Hazards...

See these two?

This week, one broke their arm and the other almost choked to death.

No, I am not being dramatic, I wish I was. See the cast??? This "lovely" little red thing is on Jack's left arm.

And see these Dots?

One of them was lodged in Z's airway on Friday night.

It's been a bizarre week. On Thursday Jack had the day off of school and stayed at Grandma's for the day. He loves going to my Mom and Dad's house because they pretty much do anything he asks them to. So when Jack suggested they "wrestle" my Mom oblidged him. Apparently they were pillow fighting as well, and as Jack ran towards my Mom, who had been catching him when he came near all the times before, he stumbled at a full run, outside of her reach. He must have landed just right, because he cracked his bone clear across his left forearm. My Mom says she knew immediately because it just "looked wrong", but it was her first experience with a kid breaking a bone "on her watch". She raised all three of us without incident, but Jack has a remarkable way of being the first! Jack is such a trooper, he seriously only cried when it happened, and then he just said it hurt. He was so calm in fact my sister didn't believe it was broken.(Ironically, the break happened about 5 minutes before she walked in the door from work) Like I said, Jack is remarkable and has always been soo tough on the few occassions he's gotten hurt. After a very long night, my nephew had his very own red cast. Most kids would be down about having a cast, or traumatized in some way, but not Jack...he always bounces right back. I admire that about him, even at age five, that he always takes things as they come and makes the most out of them. Its a quality I know he will keep whatever life throws his way. Accidents happen, and when you are an active boy, it seems accidents happen more often. So Jack, lets hope this is your last broken anything for a long while....and next time don't do it at Grandma's, her nerves can't take it :)

Speaking of nerves...one of the all time scariest moments of my life as a Mom, hell my life at all, happened on Friday night around 5:30 p.m. We had just finished eating dinner, and the boys were asking for some Halloween candy, as the habit has become after dinner for nearly a month now. I gave Matt some Lifesaver fruit chews and Zach wanted some. The only gumlike treats left were a box of Dots, so I gave them to Z, and went back to cleaning up from dinner. Wayne and the boys were in the family room, and all of a sudden I heard a commotion to my right. I turned to see Wayne dropping to his knees, saying "Are you choking?" Zach was running towards us, his face turning purple and no sound escaping his lips. Wayne tried to hit his back, but that didn't work, so he yelled "He's choking, he can't breathe." I ran over, as Wayne was turning Z around and he began performing the hymlic on Z, explaining that he wasn't trying to hurt him, but that Daddy needed to get the object out. All the while, Zach looked terrified and had saliva pouring from his mouth. It was frightening, horrific, absolutely panic inducing. I did the only thing I could think of. I put my finger in his throat, to scoop out the object, I'd had to do something similar a few times when they were babies, but never to this extent. I know this is the wrong thing to do, I know it, and yet it is what I did. I could feel the dot, whole in the back of his throat, and I moved it, ever so slightly, at the same time Wayne was pushing on his diaphram. Somehow...he started to gag, and I knew gagging was good. Gagging meant air could get through, Gagging meant... life. I think Zach got the gumdrop up on his own after that, but I can't be sure. I can't be sure because at that point all I was doing was thanking God. I literally knew that He'd been there to help on some level...every level. I owe Him, of course, but I'd owed Him before too. Zach was a bit freaked out for a minute, mostly because in my invasion of his throat, I'd scratched him, and he was bleeding a bit. I was not tender, I was not well trained in my search for that candy, I was just so determined that it was coming out. Wayne was shaken after the event too, worried that he'd hurt Z trying to save his life, but within minutes, Zach was up and running about, no worse for the wear as the expression goes. In fact the picture of him and Jack above is taken about an hour later, when we went to visit Jack and see his cast. If the story ended there it wouldn't be the whole story.

After a great visit with Jack and Emma we came home, and Zach went to bed. Around 10:30 Wayne and I were watching a DVR'd Law and Order SVU, and I heard Zach crying in his room. We went up, and Zach was doubled over, saying "it hurts reawly bad" We spent the next 20 minutes frustrated because Zach couldn't stop crying long enough to explain what was wrong. When he pointed to his stomach, we knew we had to take him in to be looked at. Zach and I headed to the emergency care center near our house, while Wayne called his sister Lisa. It was 11 o'clock at night, but Lisa didn't hesistate to come, she was already getting dressed while Wayne was telling her the story(she was kind enough to come so Matt didn't need to be woken up and dragged to the hospital in the middle of the night) Thank you Aunt Lisa, you have always been there for us and the boys, and I will never forget it! Meanwhile Zach and I were headed to the emergency center, and Zach was acting fine. He said "I want to go home, it only hurts a little bit Mommy", but by then we were committed. We needed to make sure that he didn't have a cracked rib, or any other sort of trauma from the near choking incident five hours before. After an hour and a half of Z chatting up the nurses, the doctors, and anyone else he could talk to, we finally got released. Turns out Zach was fine, just a little bruised. He even invited the doctor and nurses as we were leaving to his brother's birthday party which was Saturday. So if you've made it through this long post, please stop back to see pics from Matt's Sesame Street birthday bash, and celebrate his 2nd birthday with us tomorrow. I can definitely say, I am so thankful this week for my nephew's resilience, my first born son's safety and conversation, my husband's knowledge of CPR, and my baby boy's 2nd year with us!

As a side note: I am taking a CPR course ASAP...I hope I am never in that situation again, but if I am next time I want to be prepared instead of panicked!

Catching up...

A week away from Thanksgiving you probably aren't expecting to see Halloween costumes, but since I slacked for three weeks the time was now or never:

Zach was pumped to wear his Red Power Ranger costume:

While Matt went into a full fledged meltdown in his Elmo costume:

After some snuggles from Grandma, and the promise of treats from his brother Matt reluctantly got into the wagon to head out trick or treating:Thanks to Grandma Alice we all were able to go trick or treating together while she passed out candy. Thank you Grandma! We were able to pause for a moment and snap a picture of the seven carved pumkins my husband prepared:Three of my favorites this year were

The Haunted House:

The Headless Horseman:

And the Owl I carved!

After we headed out, Dad took the boys up to the first house. Zach was so excited to get candy, and Matt was so excited to be out running around (He never did get back in that wagon the rest of the evening)

Here is Wayne and the boys:

And me and my little happier Elmo...our Power Ranger escort had run ahead to get candy:

It was a wonderful time. We ran into friends:

And ran wildly up the block.

The boys were done trick or treating after 45 minutes, and then we went home, took of our costumes and ate way too much candy. We've finally gotten rid of most of that stuff, just in time for our turkey feast, and of course Christmas cookies!

To my husband...

Happy Anniversary!

I can't believe it was six years ago today that we said "I do". What surprises me the most is how much has changed since that day. In those years we may have gotten a few more wrinkles, some gray hairs, and put on an extra pound or two, but every time I see you I always see the same thing, the man I choose over every other to share my life with. I can tell you that I knew you were the one from the beginning, but that over the years you've showed me more and more why. In six years we've accomplished amazing feats, and most importantly we did them together. We've been blessed to add two human beings to the world, two examples of what our love can nurture and build. I always wanted to me a Mom, but watching you be a Dad has brought my life such joy. Our boys are lucky to have a father who loves them like you do, and I am fortunate to have you as a partner in this roller coaster ride of parenting! We've had two homes, both beautiful, and perfected by your hard work and dedication, but more important than any residence, you have been my heart's home. I can't tell you what its meant through these years to have your friendship, strength, and love in my corner. Through all the changes the last six years have thrown our way, one thing has remained constant, the knowledge that one of the smartest decisions I ever made was to say "yes" to being your wife, that 1st day, and all the ones that have followed. Happy 6th anniversary! I love my flowers, I love that we are having a date night, but most importantly I love you!