The Boys Are Back In Town

We're back from our holiday in Ontario.  It was a special way to share Christmas in a big house filled to the attic with family.  My parents just moved into an old brick house in Startford a month ago, so it was fun for everyone to get to know it.

All the kids (my niece and two nephews)  had so much fun running around the house playing.  They were always up to something...going on an "adventure" to find a hidden treasure, or putting on a puppet show with the popsicle stick Santa's and snowmen we made, or covering up dice with poker chips (don't ask!).  And when they needed a break, they'd stop and play with their littlest cousins Casey and Liam.

Casey, Makayla, Ethan, Liam and Andrew

Puppet Show

Andrew and Makayla playing with Casey

Christmas morning was full of excitement, but my poor little Liam was sick as a puppy dog.  I felt so bad for him, especially since I was the one who got him sick.  At least Casey was healthy though and he had enough fun for the two of them...

Casey and Liam Christmas morning

Fun new toys!

Casey

Sick little Liam

Daddy and Casey admiring the Christmas tree.

Great Nana Bartscher and Casey

Great Poppy Bartscher and Casey

Great Nana Hunt and Casey (Casey was doing the rounds while Liam was sick)

 

Great Poppa Hunt with moustache and the kids harry potter glasses haha!

Hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas holiday and have a very happy new year!

Lindsay

This Day Last Year (Dec. 22)

I remember this day last year, because it was the day we found out that there were two peas in my pod. Rob's mom was visiting for the holidays so we all went to the hospital for our very first ultra sound.  I was nine weeks in and still just getting used to the fact that I was pregnant.  We waited in the waiting room for over an hour.   They instructed me to drink a litre of water an hour before my appointment to ensre my blatter was full...well it was full alright,  I had to pee so bad I could taste it and my patience was running thin.  I kept threatening that I was going to just go pee and walk out of there.  But finally they called me in and  I was able to relieve myself a little... 

The ultra sound technician was quiet as she scanned my belly.  After a while she brought Rob into the room and that's when she hit us the news.  In a very calm voice she said, "So you don't just have one baby in there, but two." as she pointed to the two little beans on the screen.  Rob was totally speechless and a little teary eyed.  I burst out with a "WHAT?  Oh my god!"  I was completely shocked and all I could do was laugh.  After Rob got his voice back he joined me in the laughter and then quickly assured me that this was a good thing.  I had so many questions..."They're not Siamese are they?"  "How is this even possible, twins don't run in our family?"  "Are they identical?"  After I had grilled the woman with 21 questions, we brought Rob's Mom into the room and shared the news with her (if she hadn't already heard the outbursts through the wall).  We were all so happy...might I even say "giddy".

Leaving the hospital we couldn't stop laughing...none of us could find the words to say, so we just laughed.  This continued throughout the day and whenever there was a moment of silence in the room, it was broken by laughter.  We just couldn't believe it.  It was the best Christmas present we could imagine.  The only thing that tops it this year is being able to hold them in our arms and share them with our family.

Lindsay

P.S.  The flight was a success!

Merry Merry Christmas!

I was going to send out Christmas cards this year, but then I thought I would take the eco-friendly approach and send this blog post out to you instead...it's not an excuse...really! (I've got twins for that...that excuse will never get old.)

So here's wishing you all a wonderfully warm and happy holiday! 

We're off on a Christmas holiday adventure to Ontario tomorrow...so cross your fingers for us that the flight goes smoothly!

Happy Holidays!

Mountain Mama and Papa, Casey and Liam

Happy Halfsies!

It's Casey and Liam's half birthday today!  It's hard to believe six months has already past.  It has been an amazing experience thus far watching these guys grow...they have come a long way. 

My two little newborns (Casey left Liam right)



My two little superhero's. (Liam left Casey right)



The boys are doing great at six months.  They are such happy babies with lots of energy.  They're little inch worms these days...trying to crawl by sticking their bums up in the air and pushing off with their feet.  They've also been entertaining us with their new sounds as they explore their voices.  Just so much fun!

Lindsay



A Spoonful of Solids Helps The Twins Sleep At Night (sing like mary poppins)

Yes!  Finally the boys (and me!) got a full nights sleep last night.  And all it took was a tablespoon of rice cereal (each)...why didn't I try this sooner?  We were waiting until they turned 6 months to introduce solids, but 5 months 3 weeks and 4 days seemed just as good a time as any.   After talking to my Mom on the phone, telling her about the sleepless nights I've been having, she suggested trying some cereal.  They were definitely ready for it and gobbled it right up...
 

Food!



Casey opening wide.

Get in my belly.

 

What?  That's it?  I think Liam got more than me.



Liam chowing down.

That was good...I think I'm ready to lay down on the couch now.

This morning I celebrated our successful night of sleep with chocolate chip pancakes...my fav!

 I could really get used to this sleeping thing, it's pretty nice.

Lindsay

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party!

The boys got to partake their first "Ugly Christmas Sweater" party last night (or in their case, "Ugly Christmas Sleeper").  Our friends Josh and Shanna did a great job hosting, it was a lot of fun...even the dogs wore ugly sweaters!  If only Jack would've known...

Josh and Shanna's dog Petey getting into the ugly sweater spirit.

Rob, Jordy and Casey

Having fun with beards and mustaches...Liam just wanted to eat his.

June and Shanna with Casey and Liam

Casey after too much eggnog...just kidding.

Liam giving Marley a test drive.

The whole family in our ugly christmas attire...I think Dad wins, hands down.

Thanks everyone for the baby holding.  And thanks to Josh and Shanna for a fun time!

Lindsay

Christmas Cookies

Over the weekend I baked a big batch of Christmas sugar cookies...so big that I needed to call in the professionals to help me decorate them.  My friends Shanna and Jordy were just the girls for the job.  They came equipped with all the right tools needed to make these cookies look good enough to eat...icing bags, an array of different fancy icing tips, and sprinkles galore.  We had some fun!

Casey making sure we were doing a good job.

The finished product.

Jordy and Shanna with Liam and Casey.

Happy Christmas baking!

Lindsay

December Already?

Christmas is just around the corner, time to fill up the ipod with Christmas tunes, dig out the decorations and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation .  This time of year is always so busy, but even more so with twins!  There's so much sewing, crafting and baking to be done.  Oh yeah, and Christmas shopping of course.  We went to Calgary on Wednesday for that purpose...as well as to exchange the other snow suit, so now that little dilemma is over with and Casey will be toasty warm this winter too.



Yay I have a snow suit!

 While we were at the mall in Calgary, the boys got to meet Santa for the first time.  I wish I would have dressed them a little cuter (all the other children were decked out in there finest Christmas outfits).  But the timing was right, so joggers would have to do...Santa didn't judge.

I over heard them asking for their two front teeth.  Casey Left Liam Right.

While we were in line to see Santa we bumped into our friends Manny and Elaine who were getting pictures of their baby Cody.  So after Santa we all went out for a nice dinner.  We couldn't have planned a better evening if we tried.  It was a perfect random encounter.

Hope everyone is getting into the festive spirit.

Lindsay

Babies It's Cold Outside

The boys have survived their first cold snap.  It got down into the negative 30's last week...brrrr.  So we haven't gotten out much lately.  We would have been a little better prepared for going out in the cold if we had proper snow suits for the boys.  Actually, we had the snow suits, they just couldn't wear them.  Just days before this frozen storm arrived we had purchased two perfectly cozy warm snow suits, one we bought in Calgary and one in Banff.  Same suit, different colour...and both the wrong size.  So there we were, stuck inside the house which seemed liked an eternity with two snow suits they couldn't wear.  Pretty soon cabin fever started to set in...there's only so many cookies you can bake.  So I bundled up my little bundles like they've never been bundled before and we braved the cold.



Jack pulling his weight.  He's good help on the up hills.


Since then it has finally warmed up.  And we've exchanged one of two snow suits.  Looks like Liam has claimed the orange one and Casey will get the navy one once we get back to Calgary.

 

Now time to enjoy some fresh air (the kind that doesn't freeze your eyelashes shut).

Lindsay

Nappies

We've started a nightly bath routine in an attempt to relax the boys before bed time and in hopes for longer sleeps through the night (and well, they kinda need a bath after all the poop, drool and spit up they do in one day).  Apparently it relaxes Casey...after his bath I put him down on a blanket with some toys while I jumped in the tub with Liam and he fell fast asleep right on the bathroom floor.



Then the next day I put them in the crib while I had a shower and when I got out I found them both sleeping ever so peacefully together.  It always surprises me when they fall asleep on their own...no rocking, swinging, or lullaby's...who knew they could just fall asleep!



Casey and Liam



Now we just have to work on that sleeping through the night thing!

Lindsay

Winter Has Arrived

A winter storm has forced us to hunker down and snuggle up.  It's cold, snowy and windy out there and we want no part of it.  So we've been keeping warm indoors and doing what babies and Mama's should be doing...laying bare bummed by the fire (the babies, not me...that would be weird), playing guitar, and baking cookies of course.  This winter weather doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon, so I guess we better get used to it. 

Liam up front Casey behind

Liam and Casey

Little bum bums Liam and Casey

Getting serenaded

Best whole wheat chocolate chip cookies ever

I found a really yummy recipe for whole wheat chocolate chip cookies (click here).  Just a bit of a healthy twist on a classic comfort food. I couldn't even tell they were made with whole wheat flour...although I guess with enough butter and sugar you can make anything taste good.

Stay warm!

Lindsay