Brothers . December 2012

Most months I attempt one "brothers" picture, but when none of the boys were interested when they were wearing their "Christmas shirts", we tried again - while wearing Christmas jammies!  This was better anyway, as it is what we did last year too!

Also, I'm typically able to narrow it down to just one picture to share on the blog.  But, this month, I have to share an "outtake" also!

Getting the boys to be agreeable takes a bit of work...but, we got them to all laugh!

Brothers . December 2012
(Harvick, Ryder, and Jarrett)

Which do you prefer?!

One Year Ago: December 2012

All Brothers Posts

Christmas . 2012

I took too many pictures over Christmas.  Way too many!  So, while you may feel this post is overloaded with pictures, just know it is literally a very small percentage of the actual pictures captured.

In evaluating our Christmas plans this year, Patrick and I made the decision to seperate each of our family celebrations (3) into different days.  Patrick's mom chose first, and picked Christmas Eve (Monday) morning.  Our church, and my parent's church, were both hosting Christmas Eve services that would conflict - and since we each wanted to attend our own, it left us to pick a different day for Christmas celebrations with my family - my mom chose Saturday.  With Sunday open, and know we both worked the day after Thanksgiving, Patrick's dad had no issue with moving our celebration with them to Sunday.

So...in order...

Saturday morning started with opening their babysitter's presents - the favorite was easily the PlayDough and MoonDough!  We played together in jammies that morning.

Saturday night my parents and Rory came over to celebrate with us.  This year they all loved opening presents - it didn't even matter if it was their own, or someone else's - they wanted to open it!

Our church was canceled Sunday morning (due to all the services the next day), so we took advantage of the extra free time, again playing with the boys that morning.

Jim & Martha came over that night.  Their favorite gift from them was easily the new Christmas Train!

I wanted a "Brothers" picture that evening...clearly, I had no willing participants...
(Harvick, Ryder, and Jarrett)

I love their "Christmas" shirts I found - festive, but not limited to Christmas!
(Ryder, Harvick, and Jarrett)

Monday morning we headed to Jody & Ann's house for breakfast and presents with them, and Verl & Saundra.  Harvick loved imitating Ann, wearing a bow on his head, and of course, Jarrett didn't want to be left out!

Christmas Eve Service at Alpine West Haven.  For how young our boys are, and the fact that we are outnumbered by them, they did remarkably well.  Ryder even got to hold his own candle, and was extremely careful (hence the solemn face).

After coming home for dinner, we had the boys open new Christmas jammies - matching, of course!

An attempt at a family photo, in Christmas jammies.  When we saw this one, despite Patrick's head being partially cut off, we called it good enough!  Click here for 2011's picture.

Opening presents, Christmas Eve night, from us!

The main gift was a shared one for the boys - more track pieces and accessories.  They love having more diverse track layouts to play with now!

Christmas Morning breakfast!

Jarrett took a tumble off of his chair, while climbing up to play - hitting his chin on the table, then falling to the tile floor.  Poor little guy got quite a fat lip.  Jarrett is by far my least snuggly baby, but was more than willing to sit and be snuggled while he calmed down.  Ryder went to grab his blanket for him, then ran back to their rooms, and grabbed his and Harvick's - so they could sit with Patrick!

And, then, within seconds of getting off of my lap, this occurred...these boys love to wrestle...not sure what I think about it...

More playing together!  Christmas Day left us with no plans - we all stayed in our jammies all day, and just had a fun day together.

After taking a bath, before bed, we let the boys open one last present - a personalized book with their names!

This Christmas was so great for our family.  Like last year, we asked family and friends to buy the boys useful things and/or "experiences", rather than a bunch of toys.  Clearly, they still got toys, but really, not too many!  Our decision to not celebrate Christmas with a visit from Santa Claus was a good one for us.  We did our best to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, while still having fun.  Being given the opportunity to enjoy a day together, no other obligations, was a perfect Christmas!

Ryder . First Christmas Ornament

Ryder made his first Christmas ornament this year (excluding paper cut-outs with glitter/glue/stickers/etc)!  At his one-day-a-week daycare, they made ornaments using pipe cleaners in a borax solution.  The children were given a straight pipe cleaner on a paperclip, and told to make it any shape.  Because he only attends one day a week, the teacher sent the whole jar home, with the instructions to wait one day, then remove it.

The ornament, hanging in the borax solution.

 
Ryder was so proud to show off his ornament, once it was dry.  He selected the spot on the tree where it should hang - a spot that is easily seen as you walk down the hall, toward the tree.

Ryder, showing off his ornament.

Ryder's First Christmas Ornament . 2012

The ornament is very sturdy (not like sugar crystal ones), so I am going to try to save it!  If it doesn't work, I have lots of pictures to remember it.

Christmas Train . 2012

Earlier this month we set up a "Christmas Train" around the base of our tree.  The train actually belongs to Ann, but is on loan to us this year.  Patrick and I hesitated before setting it up, to make sure the tree itself wouldn't cause the boys an issue.  Once cleared of that, we set it up...

Getting the train out of the box!

Enjoying the process of getting it all set up, and running.

Ryder, SO EXCITED to have the train working!

All of the boys (especially Ryder!) are fascinated with the train.  I love that Ryder lays down to get a better look. And, since setting it up (2 weeks ago), all of the boys will lay down by the tree once their jammies are on, and they are ready for bed.  We will let them watch as the train goes by for a few minutes, then follow the typical bedtime routine of reading a book together as a family!

Thanks Ann!

Playing Together

One of my favorite things right now is to watch my boys play together.  They fight hard, but they also love hard.  I know they are young, but they already strike me as a group that will be rough with each other, but wouldn't let anyone else treat their brother that way!

Recently, Ryder learned "Ring Around the Rosie", and we have been working to get Harvick and Jarrett to play along with him.  Ryder has the tune nailed down, and is able to sing most of the song - the parts he struggles with, he just hums!

I do have the cutest video (quite possible, the cutest ever!) of the boys doing this in their underwear/diapers only.  Patrick says it's the kind of video all of them will cringe at when they are older.  It's a good thing for the boys that I don't know how to post it!

At first, the babies needed help with the motions of the song - but, the routine came quick!
(Harvick in blue, Jarrett in green)

"Ring around the rosie..."

Over, and over again.

Another few dozen times for good measure!

And, when everyone wants to do their own thing, they independently spin, and fall down!

Spinning, spinning, spinning!  I love that they all enjoy copying each other...that is, until they are copying each other doing something naughty!

Harvick & Jarrett . 19 Months

19 months old
.
27 pounds, 6 ounces (Harvick)
29 pounds, 6 ounces (Jarrett)
.
(Compare to Ryder at 19 Months)

Can you believe that when Ryder was this age, I was 28 weeks pregnant?  I can NOT imagine being pregnant now, with Harvick & Jarrett (or even just one of them!), let alone only 10 weeks away from having 2 more!

Harvick and Jarrett are the greatest.  Life with twins flies by in a flash, though. We're still commonly asked whether they are Fraternal or Identical.  Our response is usually to just agree with whatever the person suggests (ie, "Oh, what cute boys!  I'm sure it's nice that they are Fraternal - you can tell them apart!" - "Yes, it is."  OR "WOW!  How do you EVER tell those boys apart - must be a challenge for them to be Identical" - "Yes, it is.").  It still seems to be a split response from strangers.  Even friends have started to switch what they initially thought.  We are able to easily tell them apart, unless they are wearing the same hat - it takes a direct look at their face, not just a side profile!

Both boys have generally happy dispositions.  Harvick remains the calmer baby, but is definitely more whiny.  While Jarrett is (much) more easily angered, but his fits are typically short-term.

One more comparison with Ryder - at this age, he wad already moved him into a Toddler Bed (more having to do with the expense of 2 more cribs vs. Ryder being "ready").  Harvick & Jarrett remain in their cribs.  I'm concerned with how the boys will react, being in the same room.  They are excellent about going to sleep each night, but they often wake each other up in the morning by throwing their lamb at each other.  And, going down for a nap goes well, but they often spend a bit of time playing in their cribs before they fall asleep.  We're not sure when we should make that transition...any ideas?!

And, the pictures from the last month...

Harvick got a kick out of wearing a Guitar Hero guitar around the house.  And, both boys think it is funny to thrown things over the gate, down the stairs (they do not do this with the gate in the hall) - Patrick and I do not find this very funny.

A rare time both boys wanted to cuddle at the same time (Harvick on the left, Jarrett on the right). Jarrett got down first, but came back as soon as he saw Harvick get down - they tend to equalize the time they spend with each of us!

Cute boys in the bath!  All three still bathe together, but Ryder got out early this time - the babies didn't know what to do with "all" the space!
(Jarrett on the left, Harvick on the right)

Silly boys, playing with their packs of diapers.
(Harvick on the left, Jarrett on the right)

Getting ready for bed, Harvick thought he should take the opportunity to climb up in the office chair - he is so proud of himself!

I LOVE when the boys play together.  Both Harvick and Jarrett play well with Ryder when it is one-on-one, when both babies try to interact together, there are often arguments.  And, although they all get along with each other, I love that each of them is also okay to play on their own sometimes!

Random photos of the boys!

Ryder . Just Because

I have a dozen posts of fun things we've been doing.  Seeing lights, baking and decorating cookies, Christmas outings and activities, and on and on.  But, tonight, I love these pictures more!

When I stopped in at Old Navy recently, I saw this shirt - it's technically from the toddler section (he wears the boys' sizes there now), but I couldn't resist.

Ryder LOVES robots.  And, he LOVES dancing (that may be due to my encouragement of it whenever music is on!).  So, despite it not having a train, I knew he'd love it!

I asked for a picture...so he danced (walked?) like a robot toward me..."Mom! Me is a dan-seen (dancing) robot!!".
(and the self portrait, I was zoomed in too close, but I love his smile!)

Ryder naturally posed himself like this - good thing my camera was close by!

Brothers . November 2012

The worst part about me posting this late, is that we took it on time, and I had even saved the image to my "to be blogged" folder the day it was taken...

Of course, Thanksgiving provided a great day to take a picture.  Too bad none of the boys agreed!  The only way to get them to sit still was to give the babies their pacifiers (Ryder calms down when his brothers calm down), and allow Harvick to hold his bear.

But, this is real life.

Brothers . November 2012
(Harvick, Ryder, and Jarrett)

These monthly pictures are far from perfect, but I love them.  These boys grow entirely too fast, and it's fun to have a monthly documentation of their growth!

One Year Ago: November 2011

All Brothers Posts

First Snow! . 2012

I'm missing the snow we had several weeks ago, so I am posting some of the fun we had in the snow then!

After church, and a trip to Costco, we couldn't resist letting the boys play in the snow for a bit...

Fun in the snow!
Jarrett (blue pacifier), Harvick (orange pacifier), and Ryder loved the snow.  Harvick was the most timid, with Jarrett not caring at all if he fell in the snow!

When it snows again, we'll break out the gloves and snow pants, and really let them play - bare hands and no hats limited our time.

WE WANT MORE SNOW!

Nana & Papa's House . Bath Time!

A few weeks ago, Patrick and I headed to my parent's house to help them with something (at this point, it's been a few weeks, so I can't remember exactly what it was!).  It was a bath night, and since we were there in the evening, we had packed the boys soap & jammies so that they could bathe there.

The boys love baths, but something about a new bathtub was extra fun for them!

Bath time fun with cups!
(Harvick, Ryder, and Jarrett)

Cute (VERY TIRED) boys eating freshly baked cookies before we headed home!
(Jarrett, Ryder, and Harvick)

Christmas Lights . 2012

A few weeks ago we had some free time after church on Sunday.  Patrick thought it was the perfect opportunity to hang the Christmas lights on our house!

So...the boys played in the driveway...

Ryder pulling, with Jarrett in front, and Harvick in back.

...as Patrick worked on the roof!

The boys watching Patrick as he strung the lights.

Now that Ryder has developed an interest in taking pictures, he is more willing to let me take pictures of him too!  I love this boy!

More playing in the driveway.

The Stomp Rocket made an appearance - all of the boys loved it!

Harvick was so interested in the ladder...and decided it wasn't fun to just watch, he needed to help!

Self-portrait!

I was happy to have the lights put up early this year!  No worries about trying to find time with bad weather, and we got to enjoy them for a couple extra weeks!

Christmas Lights . 2012
(now, I just need to take an updated picture, without the pumpkins, and with the tree!)