{holy crap. we have twins}

compare and contrast.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:28:00 +0000

It amazes me how much these two short people changed in the last year.

christmas photo bloopers.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:20:00 +0000

First snow of 2009.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:27:00 +0000

Chloe, Connor and their friend, Zack, enjoyed playing out in the first snow of the season. Unfortunately this snow was followed by a dump of 14 or so inches a week later!

First haircut for Chloe.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:20:00 +0000

Chloe just needed a trim and the ends evened out.
Doesn't she look happy???

Watching herself in the mirror....what a girl!

After, not a huge change and she still has the curls!

First haircut for Connor.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:14:00 +0000

Before, in it's usual messy, semi-curled stat.

During, he pretty much squirmed the entire time....

After....I think we'll still have some curls show up! He will get cuts at home from now on,
but thought a professional cut for the first time would be nice.

Connor has nice curls...that last from after his bath until he goes to sleep. Otherwise, it looks like bed head! So, it was time for his first haircut.

Yikes! I can't even blame the snow for lack of attention to my poor blog....

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Not so recent photos....I'll update with newer photos soon! For now, you can enjoy photos of the bucket head backpack wearing duo.

Showing her boo-boo. She even has the perfect boo-boo face.

You NEED to wear oven mitts while wearing your backpack and bucket head, without a shirt, of course!

Can't forget the need to wear bucket shoes.....

Though we did recently get dumped with 14 inches or so of white fluffy stuff. I decided to bundle the kids up to go outside.

Getting ready to go out was like this......

Get Chloe dressed (as she stripped down to her diaper (or less) about 7 times today. Tuck pants into socks, shirt into pants. Put on pink snow pants. Put on chloe's pink hat and mittens. Put on her pink jacket, zip it up, put hood up.
Ask connor to look for his boots. Stop dressing Chloe to find Connor's boots. His boots are downstairs.
Pick up Chloe's boots as I head downstairs. Help Connor find his boots. Head upstairs. Get Connor's shirt on (again, strippers live in my house). Put on Connor's snow pants, boots, hat, mittens, jacket. Zip up jacket, hood up.
Chloe decides to take off her jacket, hat, snow pants. Fine, Connor and I head out. As we head out the front door, Chloe decides she NOW wants to go outside.....get her dressed, praying that connor keeps his clothes on.......
Get outside. In all of five minutes, Chloe has taken off her mittens, hood is down, hat is off, jacket unzipped and starting to take it off......so I get them inside. Darn kids! Took longer to get them dressed to go outside than they stayed outside!

HarmoniConnor

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:47:00 +0000

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:26:00 +0000

We stayed home and handed out candy tonight. The shorties do not quite get the idea of trick or treating, so they were my little helpers. They both got into giving candy out!

Sill boy...we ended up taking the jammies off and putting on a sweatshirt and pants. He kept that on, thankfully!

Chloe waving to people outside. They were excited when visitors arrived!

Connor pulling the spider web that was on the front door.

Mine, all mine. I'm not sharing, either!

Grabbing candy for visitors!

Photos by Connor.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:39:00 +0000

What happens when a two year old grabs the camera and yells "cheese"????

gentle nudging.......

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:22:00 +0000

A photo post, for those who have been hinting for an update....you know who you are!
Chloe, who was awfully quite while in our bedroom. She found the tube of lipstick I put on the bed. Isn't she pretty????

Connor, wearing cymbals on his ears.

His faithful friend, Diego.

Enjoying a warm weather day.

Making a pumpkin shaped cake. They were more interested in the sprinkles.

Watching me work.

Walking to the park with Chad. They noticed me following and ran back to me.

And he falls down. Love the facial expression!

Yeah, he's with the band.

Connor, Chad and Uncle Dennis watching Justin play football.

VERY proud of her pretty face.....

I'm with the band.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:07:00 +0000

Nothing but seriousness and manners in this house. No more, no less!

Making cookies.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:11:00 +0000

I had some peanut butter cookie balls in the freezer, left over from CHRISTMAS! I decided to let C&C have some fun with them. I found Halloween sprinkles at Target in their dollar spot. I'm pretty sure they enjoyed eating the sprinkles more than decorating. And, Connor decided to throw most of his cookies on the floor....but they had fun!

October 2008 vs. 2009.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 03:34:00 +0000

Apple orchard trip.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:16:00 +0000

Chloe, Connor and I headed to a sort of local orchard with our friends/neighbors Erin and Zack. My friend, Jen, met us at the orchard for some fun times! We definitely plan to return to this fun and almost free orchard, the kids LOVED it!

2 year anniversary, 9 year anniversary.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:16:00 +0000

Two year ago (and a few days) we brought Chloe and Connor home from the NICU. After a 15 day stay, we were looking forward to having all of us in the same house, with no more long days at the hospital. What a blur it was two years ago! Here is a link to posts from September 2007 and September 2008. It's amazing how much the have changed in the past two years!

Nine years ago, Chad and I were married. It was a beautiful day. I'm so lucky to be spending my life with Chad!

Tonight we are going to enjoy steaks at home. Friday we have a babysitter coming, so we'll celebrate at a restaurant at that time.

Later, Jennie

Is it odd?

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

That I follow up with photographers that documented C&C's early days? I remember touching base at one year, and again tonight with Elaine and Nicole.

Nicole took photos while C&C were in NICU. They are the only photos we had taken, other than the ones we took, while in the hospital. Not exactly sure why the typical newborn mug shot was missed, as they always look like their first prison entrance photo. I made a photo book for both C&C with the photos that Nicole took. She released the CD to me. Simply amazing. She volunteers for a great organization, ACPCG.

I met Elaine early in my pregnancy. I was at Archiver's working on birth announcements. Elaine was scrapping with a group of friends. She was starting her photography business and wanted to add some twin portrait photos to her portfolio. She took photos soon after returning home from the NICU and again around 9 months old. The photos she took are on our living room wall and one each in C&C's room. I wish I could have bought one of every photo she took.

Odd? Maybe. I know in Nicole's case, she often takes photos of severely ill infants, many who do not survive their NICU stay. I hope a healthy report a year or two after a session brightens her day a bit.

separation of toys.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:58:00 +0000

Has there always been a severe line of separation between boy and girl toys? Or is my newfound appreciation of Redefining Girly helping me to see the obvious that has always been present?

I shopped at a local Toys 'R Us last week. I was searching for a toy or book, as both Chloe and Connor had birthday coupons. They were good coupons, too. $3 off a $3 purchase! I looked at the books. I looked through the wooden toys and puzzles. I searched for the play food. Not sure if I walked right by it or if I was blinded by the pink and sparkly displays...but I headed up to the counter to ask where it was located. The store employee told me it was on the girl side of the store. What? They refer to the store as girl and boy sides of the store?

So I guess I will not allow my son to play with toys or my daughter to play with trucks. No more wearing Princess shoes, Connor. Chloe, stay out of the dirt.

Maybe I'm more sensitive to it because I'm raising boy and girl twins. I am not pushing Chloe to play with dolls, nor am I stopping Connor to play with them. Connor has actually taken more of an interest in dolls than Chloe has.

Am I being too sensitive? Not sure I'll ever know that answer. I do know that I'm not the only parent who notices the severe and obvious line drawn between traditional boy and girl toys.

I also realize there is no right or wrong way to parent. Your parenting style may not be right me, but it works for you. And that is OK.

What am I not OK with? Spending my free money at a store that supports the girl/boy line of toy separation. Childhood is a time to explore, play and enjoy life. If that means that Connor will play with dolls and dress up in a princess dress, so be it. Chloe is more than welcome to wear a tool belt and carry a hammer everywhere.

What did I do? I walked out of the store, coupons still in my purse.

Wonder if Melissa will take my coupons?

Second birthday photos.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:48:00 +0000

Click here to view these pictures larger

Link to 2nd birthday photos.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:32:00 +0000

Here is a link to most of the pictures from the party. My generous friend, Erin, borrowed her d-slr camera to me so here are the photos from that camera! I'll upload more later.
Shutterfly birthday album

first glimpse: double second birthday twins.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:43:00 +0000

first glimpse: double second birthday boy

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:40:00 +0000

first glimpse: double second birthday girl

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:20:00 +0000

Reflecting: one year ago

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:18:00 +0000

Reflecting: going home.

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:27:00 +0000

Reflecting: Connor in the NICU

noreply@blogger.com ({jennie}) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:22:00 +0000

Our camera died mid-NICU stay....and we lost the photos that were on that memory card. So, we missed out on a few days of photos, along with some between the delivery photos and when we bought the new camera. So glad we had my laptop at the hospital to download the delivery and day after photos!