tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84208407230881245252024-03-20T08:00:08.232-04:00Mom, Mama, Drew and Jackthe adventures of two boys and their Moms....Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.comBlogger665125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-72963441367338845582014-11-21T22:39:00.000-05:002014-11-21T22:39:08.736-05:00Peace Among the FirePlease join us over on our new blog as we chronicle the journey of rebuilding our lives and attempting to find some Peace Among the Fire....<br />
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<a href="http://peaceamongthefire.blogspot.com/">http://peaceamongthefire.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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I am hoping to continue to update about the boys on this blog and Drew's much deserved 4 year letter WILL be written very soon!Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-42013722464555399912014-11-11T00:31:00.001-05:002014-11-11T00:31:07.133-05:00Another BlowWell, we've been dealt another huge blow. Just as we were relishing the fact that our lives were getting easier now that Jack has outgrown a lot of his issues our world was turned upside down. On Wednesday morning (Drew's 4th birthday) we suffered a devastating house fire. We literally lost everything but the clothes on our backs. Thankfully we were not home and we are all safe. The past 6 days have been an absolute nightmare.<br />
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My Facebook post from that evening:<br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Friends and family.....we don't even know where to start.....thank you all for the outpouring of love and support today. We are truly humbled and blessed by each and everyone of you. Here is what we have for an update: We took the day off today and surprised Drew last night with a trip to the "froggy water slide" in North Conway. At 5:58 this morning our neighbor called 911 to report our house on fire. By 6:15 the house was completely engulfed in flames. Crews responded <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">from about 8 different towns and a second alarm was called just before 7. The fire started outside where we have some lights that run on timers in the evening (they would not have been on at this time). It was not started by Halloween decorations as some news outlets have reported - there were no holiday decorations plugged in at that spot. We have lost absolutely everything including one of our cats. The silver lining is that because we were away we have 2 outfits and a set of PJ's. Had we been home we probably would have only had our pajamas on. Many people have asked how they can help....we will be completely honest and let you all know that what we would most appreciate right now are gift cards (Kohls, JCPenney, Bootleggers, WalMart, Toys rUs) so we can replace what we want to when we want to. Kohl's in Rochester and Bootleggers have generously offered 30% off whatever we need. There has also been a fund set up at Holy Rosary Credit Union for us (Feyler/Snyder Fire Fund). We are taking everything moment by moment and we will get through this together. Thanks again to everyone. All of the calls, texts, messages, etc have meant the world to us.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">I plan to start a new blog to journal our journey through this horrific time.</span></span>Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-48840036614952253892014-10-12T20:25:00.000-04:002014-10-12T20:25:08.794-04:00What a Difference a Year Makes!We have spent a lot of time this Fall reminiscing about last Fall.....about how trying of a time it really was. We have taken some outings that we also took last year and have spent time thinking back to all of the places we stopped on the side of the road to calm a screaming baby, about how difficult it was to enjoy anything as Jack was so miserable.<br />
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I think part of the reason we have spent so much time re-living that nightmare of last fall is because we have finally made it through to the other side. I think we have to keep reminding ourselves how far our family really has come, how we had the strength and stamina to make it through.<br />
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So, here we are a year later and our boys are happily playing trucks together on the floor. They are joking around together putting apples on their head at a local orchard's Fall Festival. They laugh and run and climb and get on each other's nerves. Dare I say it?!?! - things seem to finally be getting a bit "normal".<br />
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We have had a fantastic fall. We have survived going back to school and daycare, visited a local amusement park, picked apples, played outside, enjoyed each other's company. We went to a fair and a festival and can't wait for the next few weekends of fun Halloween activities. All of it without the stress that came with last year. It is refreshing, invigorating, surreal at times.<br />
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What a difference a year makes!<br />
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Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-91282464229497838912014-09-15T06:59:00.001-04:002014-09-15T06:59:20.403-04:00Birthday PartyWe had such a fun birthday party for Jack's First Birthday! We did a hungry caterpillar theme to match his nursery theme and we were so pleased with how everything came out!<br />
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Some pics for you to enjoy of the special day!<br />
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The invite:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXx1Rbm-_odOecxTdFJgQUjNIDl0BEjxabe8E7LVdUfQgNg4WQm9wf2-x6_a6V9ICAHX9kvvOZcFUgV0zNeQK2IorDkoAsWDC7GgYPM09mI0-iQ3JhOsrPHs-h3zG6bZUv3TAIOAZul7ET/s1600/IMG_0662-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXx1Rbm-_odOecxTdFJgQUjNIDl0BEjxabe8E7LVdUfQgNg4WQm9wf2-x6_a6V9ICAHX9kvvOZcFUgV0zNeQK2IorDkoAsWDC7GgYPM09mI0-iQ3JhOsrPHs-h3zG6bZUv3TAIOAZul7ET/s1600/IMG_0662-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXx1Rbm-_odOecxTdFJgQUjNIDl0BEjxabe8E7LVdUfQgNg4WQm9wf2-x6_a6V9ICAHX9kvvOZcFUgV0zNeQK2IorDkoAsWDC7GgYPM09mI0-iQ3JhOsrPHs-h3zG6bZUv3TAIOAZul7ET/s1600/IMG_0662-001.JPG" height="143" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXx1Rbm-_odOecxTdFJgQUjNIDl0BEjxabe8E7LVdUfQgNg4WQm9wf2-x6_a6V9ICAHX9kvvOZcFUgV0zNeQK2IorDkoAsWDC7GgYPM09mI0-iQ3JhOsrPHs-h3zG6bZUv3TAIOAZul7ET/s1600/IMG_0662-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Started the day with big brother helping to open presents.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Nl_sC5Yy-SE-1iUbvNjUg6TuSwi2LP5VkGeg97cTkadk8R3lVZxR15vuoLMq6JbYG2czHgo46iPFQWcs9o9FSfWr02R5AVrzlagCgOASabn39uJwawd1PSVJqGvQhfgKViEdnQ8k69Pa/s1600/DSC_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Nl_sC5Yy-SE-1iUbvNjUg6TuSwi2LP5VkGeg97cTkadk8R3lVZxR15vuoLMq6JbYG2czHgo46iPFQWcs9o9FSfWr02R5AVrzlagCgOASabn39uJwawd1PSVJqGvQhfgKViEdnQ8k69Pa/s1600/DSC_0465.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Some of the fun decorations:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3ENuQIoJgXKme7PZLIlXu1SBqBcIvOKge9ZCronPphFZ-j0Zh5Z0ISGO6dSBT6Xy5LSFVWdjgxSS0TvhEY_dPU9tUBGzaCfB3Fj_Ebwe418LF83-9dFffxiIPnIJErUBxC00XzcPstcu/s1600/DSC_0485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3ENuQIoJgXKme7PZLIlXu1SBqBcIvOKge9ZCronPphFZ-j0Zh5Z0ISGO6dSBT6Xy5LSFVWdjgxSS0TvhEY_dPU9tUBGzaCfB3Fj_Ebwe418LF83-9dFffxiIPnIJErUBxC00XzcPstcu/s1600/DSC_0485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The Birthday Boy!</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zZHFjQD44S9za-bbOqzjWQwoU-RIrKsviiwNTTG_ugR6va8y4YDFL8zLTxnyZq29B7PpE8zEJwcB5RkZIbbEuAlMZ-T-01II8cYd2y1g3J-ONXd_ycxPdX7USsREAxdf1XU5m8CuzCJF/s1600/DSC_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zZHFjQD44S9za-bbOqzjWQwoU-RIrKsviiwNTTG_ugR6va8y4YDFL8zLTxnyZq29B7PpE8zEJwcB5RkZIbbEuAlMZ-T-01II8cYd2y1g3J-ONXd_ycxPdX7USsREAxdf1XU5m8CuzCJF/s1600/DSC_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">A caterpillar to chronicle his growth month to month</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OwSF-oMUtf8hxmXvtIpRpny4LetoMLhJ73rQxb1X7b2d6O1_7RVbVIZJOXBF-SamEo1YVKoe4yr5xkXfi9jMcFoA5AnnhCtlkwPMx9Jb1wryJwPIYplEcMlI642LlLigJ4qsxonBVP-E/s1600/DSC_0500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OwSF-oMUtf8hxmXvtIpRpny4LetoMLhJ73rQxb1X7b2d6O1_7RVbVIZJOXBF-SamEo1YVKoe4yr5xkXfi9jMcFoA5AnnhCtlkwPMx9Jb1wryJwPIYplEcMlI642LlLigJ4qsxonBVP-E/s1600/DSC_0500.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOugwsbGZ3SwVcMaJ3ukla3sexCTXJzNvKERL9KoEmrPM1KxnLy5_L8nYT0tAgc1YPlE1uRqtJUdJknxxFIQhCLAILgfIoWRqod0Uk-tnSGmGTIB9eo3TV-4ZBSIMeV0ErFCXEzW6EANB3/s1600/DSC_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOugwsbGZ3SwVcMaJ3ukla3sexCTXJzNvKERL9KoEmrPM1KxnLy5_L8nYT0tAgc1YPlE1uRqtJUdJknxxFIQhCLAILgfIoWRqod0Uk-tnSGmGTIB9eo3TV-4ZBSIMeV0ErFCXEzW6EANB3/s1600/DSC_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOugwsbGZ3SwVcMaJ3ukla3sexCTXJzNvKERL9KoEmrPM1KxnLy5_L8nYT0tAgc1YPlE1uRqtJUdJknxxFIQhCLAILgfIoWRqod0Uk-tnSGmGTIB9eo3TV-4ZBSIMeV0ErFCXEzW6EANB3/s1600/DSC_0504.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOugwsbGZ3SwVcMaJ3ukla3sexCTXJzNvKERL9KoEmrPM1KxnLy5_L8nYT0tAgc1YPlE1uRqtJUdJknxxFIQhCLAILgfIoWRqod0Uk-tnSGmGTIB9eo3TV-4ZBSIMeV0ErFCXEzW6EANB3/s1600/DSC_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOugwsbGZ3SwVcMaJ3ukla3sexCTXJzNvKERL9KoEmrPM1KxnLy5_L8nYT0tAgc1YPlE1uRqtJUdJknxxFIQhCLAILgfIoWRqod0Uk-tnSGmGTIB9eo3TV-4ZBSIMeV0ErFCXEzW6EANB3/s1600/DSC_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Cupcakes and cake - I truly enjoy planning and making</a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOugwsbGZ3SwVcMaJ3ukla3sexCTXJzNvKERL9KoEmrPM1KxnLy5_L8nYT0tAgc1YPlE1uRqtJUdJknxxFIQhCLAILgfIoWRqod0Uk-tnSGmGTIB9eo3TV-4ZBSIMeV0ErFCXEzW6EANB3/s1600/DSC_0504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">these for the boys:</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WLcUXtHwHtdSS7euYsyxGLbhv_t6LEC0WF6UZUi5-SQQgmmvLvq2I-FYsfTl6JEIGwDHCa-zf4XEyaRO3Y6sb1gWNNia5bAD8ad0ycyqbKwM7RKXStuVLD9VXOJ9BSvorT7JSVkJ1eY/s1600/DSC_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WLcUXtHwHtdSS7euYsyxGLbhv_t6LEC0WF6UZUi5-SQQgmmvLvq2I-FYsfTl6JEIGwDHCa-zf4XEyaRO3Y6sb1gWNNia5bAD8ad0ycyqbKwM7RKXStuVLD9VXOJ9BSvorT7JSVkJ1eY/s1600/DSC_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WLcUXtHwHtdSS7euYsyxGLbhv_t6LEC0WF6UZUi5-SQQgmmvLvq2I-FYsfTl6JEIGwDHCa-zf4XEyaRO3Y6sb1gWNNia5bAD8ad0ycyqbKwM7RKXStuVLD9VXOJ9BSvorT7JSVkJ1eY/s1600/DSC_0523.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WLcUXtHwHtdSS7euYsyxGLbhv_t6LEC0WF6UZUi5-SQQgmmvLvq2I-FYsfTl6JEIGwDHCa-zf4XEyaRO3Y6sb1gWNNia5bAD8ad0ycyqbKwM7RKXStuVLD9VXOJ9BSvorT7JSVkJ1eY/s1600/DSC_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8WLcUXtHwHtdSS7euYsyxGLbhv_t6LEC0WF6UZUi5-SQQgmmvLvq2I-FYsfTl6JEIGwDHCa-zf4XEyaRO3Y6sb1gWNNia5bAD8ad0ycyqbKwM7RKXStuVLD9VXOJ9BSvorT7JSVkJ1eY/s1600/DSC_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">The cake smash!</a><br />
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Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-44320415958916690212014-08-23T21:49:00.000-04:002014-09-07T21:50:17.050-04:00ONE YEARJack -<br />
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You are one year old! Since the moment you were born, you have kept us on our toes. The first year of your life has been a wild ride, but we wouldn't trade it for the world. You are an amazing little man and you certainly complete our family.<br />
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The most exciting part of you turning one is that all of the digestive issues that you had during your first year are better. You have outgrown your milk/soy protein intolerance which is very exciting! It means that you (and Mama) have no more food restrictions! It also means that you were able to have cake and ice cream for your first birthday just like Dr. Repucci promised us way back when you were just 8 weeks old and completely miserable. You still struggle with reflux and we will continue to work with the doctor on this issue.<br />
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At one year old, you are crawling like a maniac. You pull up and cruise along everything but you aren't walking on your own yet. You will be walking soon and watch out when that happens - there will be no stopping you then! You can climb like a wild man - you love to climb the ladder on the swingset and it is a bit too high for our liking. You do a great job climbing the ladder in the kitchen when your brother is on it too!<br />
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You absolutely LOVE to be outside. You like to play in the sandbox and throw the sand. You also love to play in the toy house and "drive" around backwards in the Cozy Coupe car we have. You have almost sent yourself down the hill a few time in it. You also really enjoy the water table both with and without water in it. Your favorite thing to do in that is drop the balls down the center tube and wait for them to spin out.<br />
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You are an amazing eater. You basically will eat anything that is put in front of you. Most meals you eat more than your big brother does! You are great at feeding yourself and you often eat 4 meals a day as well as your snacks! You love to eat pork chops and steak right along side Mom and Mama and we often wonder where you are putting all of the food you eat!<br />
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You absolutely adore your big brother Drew and he can make you smile instantly! You love to play with him and he loves you too! When you are upset Drew will often make sure you are ok and he is great at singing to you to get you to calm down. I can't wait to see how your brotherly bond gets stronger and stronger as you get older.<br />
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You aren't really saying any words yet, but you jibber jabber and babble all of the time. We think you say some form of Mama and Kitty, but they aren't really easily understood when you say them. You have the greatest conversations with your Opa all of the time! You are great at pointing at what you want and letting us know if we are "understanding" you!<br />
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You love to go to Nana and Opa's house and see all of the animals. You also love swimming in their pool and riding in the little push car that they have. You also discovered Opa's tractor and whenever we go over you point to it and want your Opa to take you for a ride on it.<br />
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Your first year was full of challenges and obstacles. Your MSPI and reflux made a lot of your early days very miserable. You spent a lot of your first few months screaming and sleeping very little. We hated seeing you so miserable and wished there was more we could do to help you. You ushered in your 7th month with an overnight in the hospital for RSV. When you were 11 months old you made a trip to Urgent Care for Nursemaid's Elbow. You had a lot of trouble self soothing and entertaining yourself. With each passing month, we saw small improvements and now that you are a year old, things are much better.<br />
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In spite of all of the challenges your first year brought, we had a lot of fun experiences too! We traveled to MN twice to visit family. We went to Florida in February for a nice warm weather vacation. You celebrated your first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. We went to Storyland and Great Wolf Lodge. You picked your first apples, strawberries and peaches. You took your first trip to the beach and loved playing in the sand.<br />
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You are wearing some 12 but mostly 18 month clothes. You are in size 4 diapers. At your 1 year appointment you were 31 inches and 22 pounds. That put you in the 92% for height and 48% for weight. You are a big boy! You still have hardly any hair but what you do have certainly has wisps of red! You just keep growing and our little baby is turning into a toddler right before our eyes!<br />
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Jack, you are an amazing little soul and we are so lucky to have you as a part of our family. Your curiosity keeps you so busy and you don't miss a thing that goes on! The way you scrunch up your nose and flash a tooth filled smile brightens anyone's day. Your big blue eyes are mesmerizing and you capture everyone's heart with your cuteness!<br />
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We love you so very much!<br />
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Love,<br />
Mom and Mama and big brother Drew.Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-46534517062449110832014-08-23T14:49:00.000-04:002014-09-07T21:24:37.781-04:00ONE<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.31999969482422px;">Happy FIRST Birthday to our silly, inquisitive, smart, crazy littlest boy. You are amazing, Jack and you certainly complete our family. We are so blessed to have you!</span>Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-40467094010146996622014-08-17T22:02:00.001-04:002014-08-17T22:02:54.844-04:00SummerWe are a bit somber this Sunday evening.....you see, it is our final carefree Sunday evening - next Sunday evening we will be preparing for our return to work. We are somber because we have had an amazing summer with the boys. Being teachers we are so fortunate that we get 9 weeks off with the boys in the summer.<br />
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We have had the perfect mix of being busy and hanging at home. We have filled our 9 weeks with wonderful time together and we have made some amazing memories. We will be soaking in the last few days of vacation this week and also prepping for Jack's FIRST Birthday on Saturday.<br />
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Here is what we have done this summer...<br />
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Visited MJ's family in Minnesota. We had lots of fun with aunts, uncles and cousins. We took a trip to the zoo and took lots of walks to the park to play.<br />
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Went to a local water park, amusement park, the beach (twice), enjoyed Dis.ney's Pirat.es and Princ.esses, played in the backyard.<br />
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We spent three days at the brand new Gre.at W0lf L0dge here in New En.gland. <br />
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Got a new HUGE swingset/play structure for our backyard thanks to some friends. Played with the neighbors.<br />
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Had a bunch of backyard fires and roasted marshmallows and made smores.<br />
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Made a pact to read through ALL of the books on Drew's bookshelf (we are making great headway and should make it by the end of September- the boy has a TON of books!)<br />
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Played mini golf, ate ice cream, learned how to play Chute.s and Ladd.ers.<br />
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Laughed, loved spending time together, made memories to last a lifetime.<br />
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We are so very blessed.<br />
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<br />Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-27919234208829064482014-08-06T22:36:00.001-04:002014-08-06T22:43:56.366-04:00Tough YearYesterday I alluded to the fact that we have had a tough year....<br />
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Here is the story....<br />
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Soon after Jack was born he started a cycle of nursing CONSTANTLY from 5-11 at night. We just figured it was cluster feeding. He also spent most of that time crying, and we just said it was his "witching hour."<br />
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Then came the fact that he was up every 2 hours all night long often with a period between 2-4 AM where he spent most of the time crying/needing to be consoled.<br />
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It wasn't so bad the first 5 weeks as MJ took maternity leave as well so we could tag team. We just figured we had a needy baby. Drew had been so ridiculously easy - we just figured that we lucked out the first time and now we had our tough one.<br />
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By the time MJ went back to work and I was home alone with the boys by myself things just went south. Drew watched WAY too much TV and played outside way too little, but Jack took so much of my time there was nothing else to do. I would dread having to change Drew's diaper because the minute I put Jack down he would scream. To the point that he would sweat through his clothes.<br />
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Going anywhere in the car was a NIGHTMARE. Trips that should have been 20-30 minutes would take an hour and a half because we would have to stop so many times. Jack would scream inconsolably and sweat through his clothes.<br />
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Jack (and we) lived in a cycle of nurse, catnap, scream; nurse, catnap, scream. Once he fell asleep nursing I often didn't dare to move him because he would scream. He NEVER slept more than 2 hours at a time. He spent 15-18 hours a day crying and screaming. We spent a number of nights sleeping in the recliner in the living room because it was just easier.<br />
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When he nursed he would sweat profusely. He would gulp for air when nursing or bottle feeding. EVERYTHING was difficult.<br />
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At Jack's 2 month pedi appt we talked about all of these things. She quickly diagnosed him with severe silent reflux and possible issue with dairy. I cut out all dairy and we put him on reflux meds. Not much change was seen. Cut out all dairy, soy, nuts, and eggs plus a different reflux med. Saw a tiny bit of change.<br />
Then our pedi gave us a referral to a pediatric gastro doc.<br />
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Jack was diagnosed with Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance and allergic colitis plus the severe reflux. I continued my dairy, soy, nut and egg free diet and things improved a bit but he was still a very needy child. He has been a full time job all on his own. I ended up taking an extra week of maternity leave because there was no way we could send him to a babysitter in this state. In December we switched to a third reflux med and it made a world of difference.<br />
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Even though we had my diet under control for his nursing and the reflux meds finally figured out, he was still so tough. We never went out to eat as a family, often one of us would just stay home with Jack instead of running errands, etc together as it was just easier. He had very little ability to entertain himself and almost no ability to self soothe. He still was up to nurse 2-3 times a night until just a few weeks ago. It has been exhausting. <br />
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However, having said all of this......Jack has the most amazing smile and he scrunches his nose in the cutest way when he does. He really is quite silly and has a great personality when he is feeling well. He loves his big brother to pieces and has a laugh that is ridiculously contagious! Drew has been an absolutely amazing big brother and we are so proud of the big boy he is becoming.<br />
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I think we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. This summer we have had so very many more good days than bad. We have been to the beach, an amusement park, swimming, the zoo, and so much more. We can go to a restaurant together. We can do things as a family. These things would not have been possible a few months ago. Jack is finally able to play on his own for some time. He still has great difficulty self soothing, but that will come with time I am sure. He is sleeping through the night finally. We are getting there.....<br />
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Our little family of 4 is perfect and we are so blessed with these boys.<br />
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<br />Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-54574707752275621372014-08-05T22:34:00.000-04:002014-08-05T22:34:34.736-04:00I Miss BloggingIt has been MONTHS since I updated here and I miss it.......<br />
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I miss having the record of what is going on........<br />
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I am sad that I don't have as much documented for Jack as we do for Drew.....<br />
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So.............here we go............I am going to start blogging again - my goal is once a week, hopefully more!<br />
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It has been a tough, tough year in our family - more on that in future posts.<br />
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But, we have made it through and our baby will be ONE in 2 short weeks and our big boy is on the verge of 4!<br />
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We are soaking up the last moments of summer vacation and loving life. </div>
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I promise a more detailed update soon, but for now - here are our handsome dudes!</div>
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<br />Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-87216836759993443702013-12-05T08:34:00.003-05:002013-12-05T08:34:55.825-05:00One Year Ago<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What a difference a year makes....one year ago today we were sitting in the Doctor's office wondering if the IUI we were about to have would be "the one".....9 days later we saw those lovely 2 pink lines and now we have an amazing 3 1/2 month old. Happy Conception Day, Little Man!</span>Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-1089328641969540402013-11-27T09:10:00.001-05:002013-11-27T09:11:09.749-05:00Wordless Wednesday<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hVBLUBOgNr1CrIIpptuCYnQbdxOPmNOP49y6eIZCTDBJQb2cpn_xYq00JGXTxJexfuaY_31rdLlAGnGjHxDRW-_RPQSTIHOwq4rIGtPnkrHtESYxZlmm7OyzDWeFC1XO-uSm7TqbXTVb/s1600/DSC_0430.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hVBLUBOgNr1CrIIpptuCYnQbdxOPmNOP49y6eIZCTDBJQb2cpn_xYq00JGXTxJexfuaY_31rdLlAGnGjHxDRW-_RPQSTIHOwq4rIGtPnkrHtESYxZlmm7OyzDWeFC1XO-uSm7TqbXTVb/s400/DSC_0430.JPG" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-83787790260101917222013-11-23T09:12:00.000-05:002013-11-27T09:22:43.799-05:00THREE MONTHS - JACKJack, <br />
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You are three months old. One quarter of your first year has flown by already. We had a MUCH better month this month than your first two! You are finally feeling better and because of that you are a much happier baby.<br />
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This month was spent getting you feeling better. After two trips and three phone calls to your pediatrician and a visit to a pediatric gastroenterologist we finally have you in a good place. You have reflux as well as a milk/soy protein intolerance. That means that you take medicine three times a day and Mama has to avoid eating anything with dairy, soy, nuts or eggs. We think this has been the trick though as you are no longer screaming, sweating through your clothes, gulping when you eat and being just plain miserable.<br />
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This month you have been full of smiles and coos. It has been so nice to interact with our happy baby. You flash your smile to anyone who will make of you and it melts our hearts every time we see it. You have really started "talking" a lot too and boy do you have lots of stories to tell.<br />
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You have really started to take an interest in toys and you are beginning to be able to hold on to them. Of course, everything goes right for your mouth and you have mastered getting your fingers/fist right to your mouth when you want to. You love to be over someone's shoulder so you can suck on your fist.<br />
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You have also started sleeping much better this month. You generally are asleep for the night by 10 and sleep until 5:30. This has been made so much better now that you have medicine for your reflux. There are a number of nights that you fall asleep by 8 and we "dream feed" you at 10 and then you are out for the night! <br />
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You celebrated your first Halloween this month. Your brother was a pirate and you dressed as his parrot. The two of you were very cute together! We enjoyed a storybook hayride and went trick or treating at Nana's office. We can't wait until you can run around next year for Trick or Treat!<br />
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This month you also went to daycare as Mama's maternity leave was up. You have made the transition as smoothly as we could have hoped for. Lisa takes such good care of both of you and we are so happy that you are with her while we have to work.<br />
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You wore 3-6 month clothing and size 2 diapers for the entire month. We know you grew at least an inch and you are still around 13 pounds. <br />
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You are an amazing little boy and we can't wait to celebrate the holidays with you!<br />
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All our love,<br />
Mom and MamaCarrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-3377387539354963482013-11-06T13:25:00.001-05:002013-11-06T13:25:38.953-05:00Wordless Wednesday<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHqpQV0KYJnjWEqzWgWrtw-mbj3DovrZ-Gh-jb-ehB2XCc6PWKaknuoKYqzzjOaIB0cBWOuUGWNaKKOVFS6WUSMljaImcdDBeh6IjFsxd9nGNlJ9OAklct5nZkLG-zS-FO89IWd2qRoj7/s1600/November+2013.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHqpQV0KYJnjWEqzWgWrtw-mbj3DovrZ-Gh-jb-ehB2XCc6PWKaknuoKYqzzjOaIB0cBWOuUGWNaKKOVFS6WUSMljaImcdDBeh6IjFsxd9nGNlJ9OAklct5nZkLG-zS-FO89IWd2qRoj7/s400/November+2013.jpg" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-82950023695366549962013-11-05T21:52:00.000-05:002013-11-05T21:52:13.953-05:00Three Years OldDrew -<br />
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You are THREE years old. Three years ago we welcomed you into the world and you have brought immeasurable joy into our lives ever since. It is amazing how much you grow and change each year and this year was no exception.<br />
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This year you really understood holidays and so that made Christmas and Easter so much fun. For Christmas, your Elf on the Shelf, Jingle, came to visit our family. You really enjoyed seeing the funny things that Jingle did each night while you were sleeping. When we went to visit Grandmas for Christmas, you were convinced that Santa and his reindeer were flying our plane. <br />
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We took a road trip to Grandma's in the summer and you were a champ about spending 4 days each way in the car. Each night we stayed at a campground and you had tons of fun roasting marshmallows and playing outside. It was the perfect way to end each day after being cooped up in the car. When we were in Minnesota we visited the Zoo. We had a great time visiting Mom's family and had some nice cookouts and also enjoyed spending a day on Uncle Jim's boat.<br />
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We had lots of other adventures this year including a short vacation to the Cape, a couple of trips to the "froggy waterslide" and a trip to Pittsburgh with Mama's family. We had fun raspberry picking in the summer and apple picking in the fall. We took a ride on Thomas the Train - you still love your trains.<br />
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The most exciting thing for you this year was becoming a big brother. Your brother Jack was born in August and from the very beginning you have loved him. You are an amazing big brother. You make sure he is ok when he is crying and you can't wait to show him lots of fun things to do. We can't wait to see how your relationship with him will grow and change. We are sure it will be an amazing bond that the two of you will share.<br />
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This year you enjoyed two different toddler "classes." On Saturday mornings we went to Tumble Time. You absolutely LOVE doing this. Mr. Bill is your teacher and he is great at finding activities that you all loce. You always choose the end spot to sit on and you have done a great job learning to follow directions. Each week you roll balls, make "shapes" with your legs, complete stations, play in an obstacle course and get a ride from bill. Mom and Mama have fun participating with you. <br />
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We also enjoyed an Art class at Twice the Fun. Miss Marcey was your art teacher and you loved doing all of the projects. You colored with oil pastels, painted with water colors, made an egg carton caterpillar, and enjoyed gluing tissue paper and cotton balls to paper. After Art class we enjoyed playing at Twice the Fun and we met some other Moms and kids to play with while we were there.<br />
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You continue to love anything with wheels just like you did when you were a baby. You love trains, cars, cranes, your cement mixer, dump truck and any other construction vehicle. You LOVE to play with chip clips, tongs, and anything else that you can use to "clip" things. You enjoy playing with your tools to fix things and do a great job cooking meals and snacks in your kitchen. You love to do puzzles and you are getting really good at putting the pieces together.<br />
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You absolutely LOVE books and love to be read to. We have enjoyed the Old Lady books as well as Pete the Cat and Clifford. You still enjoy Curious George and your Thomas stories. WE love reading books before bed and naps. Speaking of naps, you decided to give those up right around the same time that Jack was born.<br />
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You are such a curious and inquisitive little boy. We often comment that you will not be someone with a desk job because you are too busy and into "tinkering" with things. You love to be a helper. You help when we bake and always make sure we let you lick the beaters. You are so kind and compassionate and always make sure that everyone is OK. You are very sensitive and we love that about you. <br />
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You give the best high fives and knucks and even better hugs and kisses. You have learned to blow raspberries and you have the best laugh in the world. Your smile melts us every time and you are one of the funniest little people we know. Your vocabulary is amazing and we sometimes have no idea where you come up with some of the things that you say! <br />
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You are our firstborn, compassionate, kind, caring, and silly boy. You are an amazing big brother. Your love for life and excitement about the little things make us learn to enjoy each day to its fullest. You bring a smile to our face each and every day and we are so blessed to call you our son. We love you more than life itself and we can't wait to see what new advenutures are in store for the next year.<br />
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All our love,<br />
<br />
Mom and MamaCarrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-7702836886518227312013-10-23T08:11:00.000-04:002013-10-31T09:22:19.113-04:00TWO MONTHS - JackJack - <br />
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You are two months old! We can't believe that two whole months have passed and the amount that you have grown and changed is just amazing. You are definitely no longer a newborn!<br />
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This month was filled with fun fall activities. We went apple picking, had an apple cider pressing party with family, went to an Octoberfest at a local farm, went on a hayride, enjoyed a Storybook trick or treat and much more. Fall is so wonderful and it has been so much fun for your brother to "introduce" you to these activities.<br />
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You had a tough month as well. You spent the majority of your days crying and don't sleep very well. At the end of the month, we finally realized that you have reflux as well as a milk protein intolerance. Mama is eating very healthy now (no dairy, soy, nuts, eggs) in order to help make you better and Dr. Claire gave you some medicine for the reflux. Hopefully month 3 will have you being happier!<br />
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We saw your first smiles this month and boy do they melt our hearts! You have also begun the very beginnings of babbling and making noises. You still LOVE your big brother. When he is near, you will calm down and he really tries to take care of you.<br />
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You have changed so much this month and you are definitely not a newborn anymore. You have chubby cheeks and thighs, and everything else. It is so cute! You have been more alert as well and it is so much fun to interact with you.<br />
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You wore 0 - 3 month clothes and Size 1 diapers for a little bit of the month and then for anything one piece we had to switch you to 3-6 month and you definitely needed the size 2 diapers!. At your two month pediatricians appointment, you weighed 12 pounds 15 ounces and were 24 inches long. You are in the 85th percentile for height and the 79th percentile for weight.<br />
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We love you, Peanut, with all of our hearts!<br />
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Love,<br />
Mom and Mama<br />
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Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-70577759083555995112013-10-18T19:00:00.000-04:002013-10-18T19:00:02.811-04:00Fall Foto FridayThe leaves here have been spectacular this fall.....these were just a few snaps while out playing in the yard...<br />
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We are just about at peak color where we live and there has been a lot of red and orange this year - driving around there are some breathtaking colors to be seen.<br />
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There really is nothing better than fall in New England!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW9JTPTC-G7A7d3PFZdAeB3dS64H5-22FzjeSftbYPYcZ4pqxpqF27Qifo65ZsxTEEk5eBFzMdFbh-ssv6BHo0O_yYOHsSsAHtgCrF1mw_S_B262cJYme_gd-BTh4L2g4f69hbCMof_-S/s1600/DSC_0087.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnW9JTPTC-G7A7d3PFZdAeB3dS64H5-22FzjeSftbYPYcZ4pqxpqF27Qifo65ZsxTEEk5eBFzMdFbh-ssv6BHo0O_yYOHsSsAHtgCrF1mw_S_B262cJYme_gd-BTh4L2g4f69hbCMof_-S/s320/DSC_0087.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoauJKp2rH6EVDNneXwPAJ9lYQRxtzJX4bLHqNzvsT2eHxFh66KtYKx6-p4hV4wAqIiZmCuixjwl0hNmfZfjPzxBXbK5vU26PWj3-PA3AkmXX6d5eVfEiyhgzshZ30UfyX415CaN6MbZD/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCoauJKp2rH6EVDNneXwPAJ9lYQRxtzJX4bLHqNzvsT2eHxFh66KtYKx6-p4hV4wAqIiZmCuixjwl0hNmfZfjPzxBXbK5vU26PWj3-PA3AkmXX6d5eVfEiyhgzshZ30UfyX415CaN6MbZD/s320/DSC_0089.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MskG5vVLKU34I1igMYM3kxBD27LpTHazTOFS29rfg0FCnRmf7GMwytLxkM8QFmv6klZP_Nec-_Alm5F0SD2hPa7Q4v230pvWAeSMGQ4yCrfOwVqNbw6qu-mwWa4YOnrAtE6oNn_zGFOX/s1600/DSC_0092.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MskG5vVLKU34I1igMYM3kxBD27LpTHazTOFS29rfg0FCnRmf7GMwytLxkM8QFmv6klZP_Nec-_Alm5F0SD2hPa7Q4v230pvWAeSMGQ4yCrfOwVqNbw6qu-mwWa4YOnrAtE6oNn_zGFOX/s320/DSC_0092.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a></div>
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Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-73597281789054661242013-10-18T08:05:00.000-04:002013-10-18T08:05:06.350-04:00{this moment}<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMh8HJ2OlvWwLzjXh-_4h2J1SUQznzqLxHOouSpI73g8VgEtyc186ENr3N3viL0U8vqBc24sJwsxxT_NyJwBOjINHRdsiDbwqDfVO9vJuTnuqwkXZFyPPiMnTGE5NPViBSgBJCoOzJ4ch/s1600/DSC_0060-001.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVMh8HJ2OlvWwLzjXh-_4h2J1SUQznzqLxHOouSpI73g8VgEtyc186ENr3N3viL0U8vqBc24sJwsxxT_NyJwBOjINHRdsiDbwqDfVO9vJuTnuqwkXZFyPPiMnTGE5NPViBSgBJCoOzJ4ch/s320/DSC_0060-001.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
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<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
{this moment} – A Friday ritual
inspired by <a href="http://www.soulemama.com/"><span style="color: #cc3300;">SouleMama</span></a>.<br />
A single photo – no words –
capturing a moment from the week.<br />
A simple, special, extraordinary
moment.<br />
A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.</div>
</div>
</div>
Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-29370014177696758592013-10-16T11:51:00.000-04:002013-10-16T11:51:00.135-04:00Wordless Wednesday<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-6470103472261777462013-10-15T11:53:00.000-04:002013-10-15T11:53:35.995-04:00Announcement and Thank You CardsJust wanted to take a moment to share the Thank You Card and Birth announcements we whipped up for Peanut's arrival:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AhJftRlG5Y7AGmsyl9MZZ8gx5DcwTmmTK3kphdnZjJKXzwiCMFvMDYLzqCaWRahigtA_3qHbYdSbiGEiGCW4cjC82LNHpllvALe-LJBbSwPpZ2mgBF0BLNWgrR2_u8V2g7HDgjQOjr5J/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3AhJftRlG5Y7AGmsyl9MZZ8gx5DcwTmmTK3kphdnZjJKXzwiCMFvMDYLzqCaWRahigtA_3qHbYdSbiGEiGCW4cjC82LNHpllvALe-LJBbSwPpZ2mgBF0BLNWgrR2_u8V2g7HDgjQOjr5J/s320/DSC_0020.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QpZaJOclIhCVEQEILaarzAHjer4Z9wAjCDt0TnanHu6ZrD1V68bxOsOkuNMtZGUsR5fnjL3BDnu-q-faZvDY7scXfVomdDCMTnSEenfQ8YIaGcNP0DRL85XUt1EHJDASSuXAlh337dRV/s320/DSC_0021-001.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /><br />
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Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-25882454068711815152013-10-14T14:42:00.001-04:002013-10-14T14:42:44.611-04:00Fall Things....We are having such a gorgeous fall here in New England! Some things to say on this Fall Day....<br />
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**We had a great time at a local apple orchard yesterday. We went on tractor rides, painted faces, painted pumpkins, picked apples and danced with Nana and Opa. We also finally got a family picture of the 4 of us. Hence the changed blog pic!<br />
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**I only have 2 weeks and 5 days left of Maternity Leave - entirely too short of a time. Though it has been a bit of a challenge, I have loved being home with the boys.<br />
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**We are so happy today is a bonus day with MJ - it is so nice to have all 4 of us home and Drew has really enjoyed some extra time with Mom!<br />
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**Drew continues to be amazing - he is so patient and understanding when it comes to having an infant in the house.<br />
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**Jack is a bit of a tough baby - he spends a lot of time crying and doesn't like to be put down without creating a screaming fit. He IS getting better, but it definitely consumes you!<br />
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**Then we think about the fact that even though Jack is tough, we probably notice it more because there is a toddler in the house that needs attention as well. When it is just you and a baby, there isn't anything better to do than tend to their needs.<br />
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**How in the world are our boys growing so quickly - in just a few short weeks Jack will already be 2 months old and Drew will be 3 - time needs to slow down!<br />
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**Even with an infant, we have managed to put up a dozen jars of applesauce and a dozen of salsa for the winter - not bad if I do say so myself!<br />
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Life is good as a family of 4!Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-51700557968317088622013-10-11T09:24:00.000-04:002013-10-11T09:24:06.088-04:00Fall Foto FridayOur Little Pumpkin....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXeThRkBRfgYBJ76Yo9OpYFod1oQhdzwwNS_1jSffDpft38sWh8KgpAtXyr_oCtCtSbJIZlpusa9Cr3O0qIRy_EtPoVMw0hrkKmHZHMCRHf24ceFuuy7N3a9TxmHDlHVe3TVK2eZs-vSj/s1600/October+2013.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXeThRkBRfgYBJ76Yo9OpYFod1oQhdzwwNS_1jSffDpft38sWh8KgpAtXyr_oCtCtSbJIZlpusa9Cr3O0qIRy_EtPoVMw0hrkKmHZHMCRHf24ceFuuy7N3a9TxmHDlHVe3TVK2eZs-vSj/s320/October+2013.jpg" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a></div>
Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-17575776833933629842013-10-09T08:35:00.000-04:002013-10-09T08:35:29.835-04:00Big BrotherSince all of the attention has been on the new baby as of late, I want to take a moment and give the Big Brother his own blog post! Drew has adjusted amazingly well to having a baby in the house. Other than the fact that he has decided that it is time to boycott napping, the transition really has gone incredibly smoothly. He absolutely loves his role as big brother and is already VERY protective of HIS baby. It is amazing to see the bond that Drew has with Jack already and I can only hope that it continues to be strong as they grow up.<br />
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Some snippets of some of the fun things Drew has said and done in his new big brother role:<br />
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**When Jack was first born he saw the umbilical cord and asked about it - I reminded him that it was how babies are "hooked" to their Mamas so that they can live inside their tummy. For days, Drew kept asking if Jacks hook had fallen off yet. It was too cute!<br />
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**Drew was quite upset that we didn't choose Namey for the baby's name. He still brings it up now and again that Peanut should be called Namey.<br />
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**He still calls him Peanut and it is the cutest thing ever.<br />
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**Whenever Jack is crying he immediately goes over and tries to soothe him. He will pat him and say "There, there" which is interesting because that isn't anything that MJ and I do to soothe him. Drew will also sing to Jack and even gives him one of his own prized blankies to try to make him stop crying.<br />
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**The other night, Drew decided it would be a good idea to sing Jack a lullaby to calm him down. When Jack continued to cry Drew said to me, "He is not being a very good listener." Can you tell this is something we have been working on with Drew? He then proceeded to sing VERY loud so that maybe Jack would be a better listener.<br />
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I could go on and on with stories, but suffice it to say that we are thrilled with our two boys and we are so excited to see how their relationship will grow and strengthen as they get older.Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-18436699875174873192013-10-08T07:44:00.002-04:002013-10-08T07:44:55.679-04:00Wheels on the BusWhen Drew was infant, MJ would take him every night while I pumped and put him to bed. She would sit on the edge of our cedar chest with our swaddled little baby, rock him and sing Wheels on the Bus to him. Why she picked that song is a mystery, but it stuck and she (we) sang it to him every night for the longest time. We even made up our own verses such as "The Opas on the bus say let's ride the tractor; The Grandmas on the bus say see you at Christmas, etc." <br />
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Wheels on the Bus became THE song that would put him to sleep and calm him almost instantly. I remember taking him to daycare at 4 months old when my leave was over and telling the babysitter that a rousing rendition of Wheels on the Bus would calm him almost instantly. It has worked through tantrums, toddler meltdowns, just to be silly, and everything in between. Many times mid tearful meltdown, Drew would stop crying long enough to request a certain verse that he wanted sung to him! Like magic, singing that darn song has worked to solve many problems.<br />
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I can't tell you the last time we have actually needed to use it to calm Drew and lately we only seem to sing it for the fun of it. Well, we have a sick little man on our hands and last night he was just miserable. Couldn't fall asleep because he couldn't breathe, choked/coughed when he took some cold medicine (cue meltdown), sore throat, just plain miserable. It seemed like every time he just fell asleep, he would wake back up and just sob. <br />
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I had finished nursing Jack, so the rocking chair was free. I asked Drew if he would like to go into Jack's room and rock (I can't tell you the last time we rocked in that chair). He quickly agreed so in we went. We sat down and he snuggled in and looked up at me and said, "I need you to sing me a song." When I asked what song he would like me to sing, he quickly replied, "Wheels on the Bus." Wouldn't you know that within minutes I had a snoring boy laying on my chest (or my whole body cause he is so big! - how in the world did that happen?)<br />
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The song is MAGIC I tell ya!Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-24381764848183816132013-10-04T05:15:00.000-04:002013-10-04T05:15:00.205-04:00{this moment}<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguq0aYnemAVRbUQFIu9YUprx3yXCD_mNYrgquwC2PWWo3UbUl5pPPYcTy8V01zkr_tdJVYKZmpft5am35ukWmuIjfkONHmhNKGac1VMi9TVN2CadlBzLcTz7C05JcEZO3LkmYDsIG-3AZ/s1600/IMG_0014.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguq0aYnemAVRbUQFIu9YUprx3yXCD_mNYrgquwC2PWWo3UbUl5pPPYcTy8V01zkr_tdJVYKZmpft5am35ukWmuIjfkONHmhNKGac1VMi9TVN2CadlBzLcTz7C05JcEZO3LkmYDsIG-3AZ/s320/IMG_0014.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
{this moment} – A Friday ritual inspired by <a href="http://www.soulemama.com/"><span style="color: #cc3300;">SouleMama</span></a>.<br />A single photo – no words –
capturing a moment from the week.<br />A simple, special, extraordinary
moment.<br />A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.</div>
Carrie and MJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02903518338033480826noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8420840723088124525.post-71117614648719300602013-10-02T08:22:00.000-04:002013-10-02T08:22:00.210-04:00Wordless Wednesday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5PcOoJMA6U-FekEOA3viQdzSfn-CG0PSeA6dum2LwKQvpVJ6PzUOuO1yWZTGHtHL3nZVEb_2aTZ2Bdx6EVogIHUmDCcK_QhuBn5zuIcZp5KVVKei0ztAwfBZwR5HsLJKOsgFYoR2-GmP/s1600/DSC_0483.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5PcOoJMA6U-FekEOA3viQdzSfn-CG0PSeA6dum2LwKQvpVJ6PzUOuO1yWZTGHtHL3nZVEb_2aTZ2Bdx6EVogIHUmDCcK_QhuBn5zuIcZp5KVVKei0ztAwfBZwR5HsLJKOsgFYoR2-GmP/s320/DSC_0483.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK19qaDYkv7pMIOLWNV2eTcD5myrhgdrm-WMzqmdN-AFyZWwodnsbxqlTpbJRvvRpDY07DkmyEzkGgVOVS6Ni1KpB7KktFlC8KJpAVTAMgdNgaTs5mFVoTMPTpAs8cmfODpe6S7XoqihnE/s1600/DSC_0485.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK19qaDYkv7pMIOLWNV2eTcD5myrhgdrm-WMzqmdN-AFyZWwodnsbxqlTpbJRvvRpDY07DkmyEzkGgVOVS6Ni1KpB7KktFlC8KJpAVTAMgdNgaTs5mFVoTMPTpAs8cmfODpe6S7XoqihnE/s320/DSC_0485.JPG" style="clear: both; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px;" /></a><br />
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