Of course I love you for many much more meaningful reasons, but your little quirks (many of them born of your stubborn nature) are so special and sweet.
I love you Rylen!
Sunday, 27 January 2013
I love you because....
....you insist on eating your ice cream cone from the bottom up.
Of course I love you for many much more meaningful reasons, but your little quirks (many of them born of your stubborn nature) are so special and sweet.
I love you Rylen!
Of course I love you for many much more meaningful reasons, but your little quirks (many of them born of your stubborn nature) are so special and sweet.
I love you Rylen!
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Scuba diving on a cold winter's day...
Rylen's gone scuba diving twice today!
We've killed about two hours total doing this. Not sure why I haven't thought of it before!!
We've killed about two hours total doing this. Not sure why I haven't thought of it before!!
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
It's Fun to be ONE!
This blog post is extremely tardy. I just don't seem to be able to make time for things like this lately, but I will post more about that later... (if I have time haha!) But for now, here's my super late summary of the boys first birthday:
I always say how fast time flies, but seriously this year was ridiculous. I can't believe my little boys turned one over a month ago!!!
In my opinion, this was a huge milestone birthday for them. Back when we were in the NICU, I couldn't see past the next day, let alone envision their first birthday. Garrett and Rhys have done so well, we are so proud of them. They are healthy, strong, and beautiful. I love those guys!
Of course, we thought a lot of Ben on their birthday, as always. When I was birthday cake making, I had a moment where I would have given just about anything to be making three cakes instead of two. We did a balloon release for Ben on the morning of the big day, and it was nice and lighthearted and just made the day even more special.
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| www.cynthiakorman.ca |
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| www.cynthiakorman.ca |
We set up Garrett and Rhys' present the night before at the end of the hallway, thinking they would crawl out of their room in the morning and race over to their new toy (we did this with Rylen on his first birthday and he was super jazzed about his new car.)
Well, that was kind of hilarious. We had the video camera all set up and were recording away for seconds, then minutes and then it became obvious that they had absolutely no interest in the fact that a new toy awaited them at the end of the hall. It took them like 15 minutes to make their way over, at which point the touched the toy for like a minute and then proceeded to race over to the dishwasher which was open.
Nothing beats the dishwasher in our house. They are like ants to a picnic as soon as the door opens. There isn't a toy in the world that can compete.
The next day was their big party. We all had a great time and the boys enjoyed their cake! I made sure to have some "little touches" in place to include Ben because we were thinking of him all day. See the blue and white balloons by the happy birthday banner?? There are two blue for Garrett and Rhys, and the white one for Ben.
The cake had three stars across the top: green for Garrett, red for Rhys and blue for Ben
Garrett enjoyed his cake more than Rhys which is suprising because Rhys usually wolfs food down enthusiastically while Garrett is more challenging to feed.
They got spoiled rotten and I think between this event and Christmas, I am going to have to invest in a few more toy boxes.
It was a great birthday celebration and I am very pleased with how it all turned out (despite a near meltdown on one occasion after going on Pinterest and discovering that my birthday plans did not even come close to measuring up to what some others do for their kids birthdays...one lady spray painted her kid's highchair to match the "color scheme"!!!! I have a beef with Pinterest but that's for another post....)
Sidenote: Mark and I sort of felt like we should get some kind of award or something for surviving the first year of raising multiples. Then, my friend Michelle B. surprised us with a gift for US in addition to a gift for the boys. It was like she was a mind reader! Thanks Michelle! I have the best friends ever!
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
13 Months
I really cannot believe my babies are thirteen months!
Here's what Garrett and Rhys are up to these days...
Rhys is our little investigator. He is extremely curious, and MUST know what is happening at all times. When you pick him up, he immediately twists his body so he is facing out because heaven forbid you impede his view by facing him towards you.
Rhys was the first to crawl, and as a result he is very speedy. This is not good news for Garrett, because when a toy catches their eyes, Rhys is always the first to get there (and of course, even though we have a million toys, they are always both after the same one!) Rhys can be a bit of a bully actually. He is known to attack Garrett, grabbing toys out of his hands, climb over him and knock him over. To be honest, it's quite hilarious to watch although I'm sure Garrett would not agree.
Rhys is our "anomaly". We call him that because his personality is quite a bit different than Garrett and Rylen who are like two peas in a pod. Rhys is the definition of "easy baby". He sleeps well (not through the night yet, but MUCH better than his brother), can put himself to sleep with no bells and whistles (unlike Garrett who needs you to rock him, sing to him, do the YMCA and stand on your head in order to fall asleep) and is a really good eater. If all babies were like Rhys, the world population would skyrocket!
We also call Rhys "Tank" since he's about 3 pounds heavier than Garrett and very stocky. He eats like a horse and so enjoys his food: "num num num num num num" he says enthusiastically while wolfing down his meals. He is a very vocal eater. I often wonder if that is a result of his days of being NPO (not allowed to eat) in the NICU...it makes him much more appreciative of food.
Rhys is a bit of a "mama's boy". I'm not complaining, I think it's super adorable. He often follows me around saying "mum mum mum mum".
Garrett, is our little "Tiny". He is the cutest, most cuddliest little monster ever. And it's a good thing too! Cause, this little man doesn't sleep or eat well and can be a very challenging little boy! He does make up for it by being ultra adorable though. This guy is 18 lbs full of smiles, cuddles and laughs. He's pretty much smiling all the time (unless he is mad, in which case he can scream the house down in a matter of seconds). As an example, recently we all had the stomach flu (what fun). Immediately after projectile vomitting, Garrett would just look at us with a huge grin on his face as if stomach flu was the funnest thing ever. I love that kid.
Garrett is about a month or two behind Rhys as far as "milestones". But that doesn't stop him. He finds a way to keep up as best as he can. He is definitely strong willed and determined. About a month ago he learned to crawl on all fours (previously he was doing the army crawl thing) and he thinks its the greatest thing ever. He also loves to crawl under things and over things... in fact, before he even knew how to crawl, I caught him on top of a diaper box. No clue how he got up there, but he was super proud of himself. He has also just learned to pull himself into standing position, another milestone he is just so thrilled with.
Garrett is quite entertained by Rylen. Those two have such similar personalities it's almost uncanny. Parenting Garrett is like parenting Rylen all over again (which kind of scares me sometimes!)
Garrett often reminds me of a little puppy. He kind of wiggles when he crawls with itty bitty steps, and he is always carrying stuff in his mouth...socks are his favorite.
We are noticing more and more every day that Garrett and Rhys like to do things together. It's rare that they are off in different directions. Usually, one is following the other...to the window to look out, to the toys, under the table, to the dishwasher... these guys like to travel in pairs. It's pretty cute.
I have to say that I love this age. Garrett and Rhys are so much fun and it's so entertaining to watch them explore and interact with eachother. I could seriously watch them all day long!
Here's what Garrett and Rhys are up to these days...
Rhys is our little investigator. He is extremely curious, and MUST know what is happening at all times. When you pick him up, he immediately twists his body so he is facing out because heaven forbid you impede his view by facing him towards you.
Rhys was the first to crawl, and as a result he is very speedy. This is not good news for Garrett, because when a toy catches their eyes, Rhys is always the first to get there (and of course, even though we have a million toys, they are always both after the same one!) Rhys can be a bit of a bully actually. He is known to attack Garrett, grabbing toys out of his hands, climb over him and knock him over. To be honest, it's quite hilarious to watch although I'm sure Garrett would not agree.
Rhys is our "anomaly". We call him that because his personality is quite a bit different than Garrett and Rylen who are like two peas in a pod. Rhys is the definition of "easy baby". He sleeps well (not through the night yet, but MUCH better than his brother), can put himself to sleep with no bells and whistles (unlike Garrett who needs you to rock him, sing to him, do the YMCA and stand on your head in order to fall asleep) and is a really good eater. If all babies were like Rhys, the world population would skyrocket!
We also call Rhys "Tank" since he's about 3 pounds heavier than Garrett and very stocky. He eats like a horse and so enjoys his food: "num num num num num num" he says enthusiastically while wolfing down his meals. He is a very vocal eater. I often wonder if that is a result of his days of being NPO (not allowed to eat) in the NICU...it makes him much more appreciative of food.
Rhys is a bit of a "mama's boy". I'm not complaining, I think it's super adorable. He often follows me around saying "mum mum mum mum".
Garrett, is our little "Tiny". He is the cutest, most cuddliest little monster ever. And it's a good thing too! Cause, this little man doesn't sleep or eat well and can be a very challenging little boy! He does make up for it by being ultra adorable though. This guy is 18 lbs full of smiles, cuddles and laughs. He's pretty much smiling all the time (unless he is mad, in which case he can scream the house down in a matter of seconds). As an example, recently we all had the stomach flu (what fun). Immediately after projectile vomitting, Garrett would just look at us with a huge grin on his face as if stomach flu was the funnest thing ever. I love that kid.
Garrett is about a month or two behind Rhys as far as "milestones". But that doesn't stop him. He finds a way to keep up as best as he can. He is definitely strong willed and determined. About a month ago he learned to crawl on all fours (previously he was doing the army crawl thing) and he thinks its the greatest thing ever. He also loves to crawl under things and over things... in fact, before he even knew how to crawl, I caught him on top of a diaper box. No clue how he got up there, but he was super proud of himself. He has also just learned to pull himself into standing position, another milestone he is just so thrilled with.
Garrett is quite entertained by Rylen. Those two have such similar personalities it's almost uncanny. Parenting Garrett is like parenting Rylen all over again (which kind of scares me sometimes!)
Garrett often reminds me of a little puppy. He kind of wiggles when he crawls with itty bitty steps, and he is always carrying stuff in his mouth...socks are his favorite.
We are noticing more and more every day that Garrett and Rhys like to do things together. It's rare that they are off in different directions. Usually, one is following the other...to the window to look out, to the toys, under the table, to the dishwasher... these guys like to travel in pairs. It's pretty cute.
I have to say that I love this age. Garrett and Rhys are so much fun and it's so entertaining to watch them explore and interact with eachother. I could seriously watch them all day long!
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Happy First Birthday!!!
I cannot believe that a whole year has gone by! By far, the fastest year of my life. I am so proud of my little guys for all they have accomplished this year. And, I have to say I am pretty proud of Mark and I too for surviving!
I made a couple videos for the boys. My first stab at any sort of thing like this so hopefully one day when they are grown up they like it. And I hope you enjoy them too!
Happy Birthday to my boys! I love you!
Celebrating Garrett and Rhys:
Remembering Ben:
Some of the photography in the videos is done by Cynthia Korman. Thanks for letting me use them Cynthia!!!
Friday, 16 November 2012
People Who "Get It"
November 7 was the anniversary of the day we found out Ben had passed.
During this whole journey, I have encountered many people who just don't "get it". Granted, "IT" is a hard thing to understand unless you have been through it yourself. I try to always keep in mind that everyone has the best intentions and even when some people say hurtful or insensitive things, they always mean the best.
However, there are a few people out there that do "get it". It's sad, really, because usually these are people that have experienced some sort of loss themselves. Sometimes not though, sometimes they are just really compassionate and thoughtful people that seem to have a gift for saying the right thing.
Anyways, I have a few friends in particular who "get it". One of these friends Lisa, left these flowers on my doorstep on November 7th.
It brought a smile to my face. So thoughtful. I love the significance of the two blue and one white rose.
Thank you Lisa.
And thanks to everyone else who "gets it" and isn't afraid to talk to me about Ben.
During this whole journey, I have encountered many people who just don't "get it". Granted, "IT" is a hard thing to understand unless you have been through it yourself. I try to always keep in mind that everyone has the best intentions and even when some people say hurtful or insensitive things, they always mean the best.
However, there are a few people out there that do "get it". It's sad, really, because usually these are people that have experienced some sort of loss themselves. Sometimes not though, sometimes they are just really compassionate and thoughtful people that seem to have a gift for saying the right thing.
Anyways, I have a few friends in particular who "get it". One of these friends Lisa, left these flowers on my doorstep on November 7th.
It brought a smile to my face. So thoughtful. I love the significance of the two blue and one white rose.
Thank you Lisa.
And thanks to everyone else who "gets it" and isn't afraid to talk to me about Ben.
Halloween 2012
I am really behind on blogging here. Sometimes even to find the time to upload pictures is too much.
But better late than never.....
Here are some snippets of our Halloween! We had a great time and our costumes were a hit. Although Rylen was disappointed that I didn't have a costume. Truthfully, I'm not all that into Halloween but I guess when you have young kids, you sort of have to be.
Rylen was tired from his party at daycare, so he only lasted six houses. I think he wanted to hurry home so that he could dig in to his candy. It worked out for the best, because he didn't really get much which allowed me to throw all the "rules" out the window. "Sure, eat it all!" I told him. I figured if it was all going to end up in his body anyways, we may as well get it over with and avoid a month long "candy fight" every day. I'm sure this won't win me any "Mother of the Year" awards, but the upside was that once it was gone, it was gone!!!
Garrett and Rhys thought trick or treating was pretty neat. They seemed fascinated by all the activity.
They were super cute "fire puppies". But, colouring their noses black was apparently a gross violation of their personal comfort. I may as well have tossed them in hot oil. Kids are so funny. And they are very particular about their noses!
Anyways, we had a great night. But I have to say, I was glad when it was over. Bring on Christmas!!!!
But better late than never.....
Here are some snippets of our Halloween! We had a great time and our costumes were a hit. Although Rylen was disappointed that I didn't have a costume. Truthfully, I'm not all that into Halloween but I guess when you have young kids, you sort of have to be.
Rylen was tired from his party at daycare, so he only lasted six houses. I think he wanted to hurry home so that he could dig in to his candy. It worked out for the best, because he didn't really get much which allowed me to throw all the "rules" out the window. "Sure, eat it all!" I told him. I figured if it was all going to end up in his body anyways, we may as well get it over with and avoid a month long "candy fight" every day. I'm sure this won't win me any "Mother of the Year" awards, but the upside was that once it was gone, it was gone!!!
Garrett and Rhys thought trick or treating was pretty neat. They seemed fascinated by all the activity.
They were super cute "fire puppies". But, colouring their noses black was apparently a gross violation of their personal comfort. I may as well have tossed them in hot oil. Kids are so funny. And they are very particular about their noses!
Anyways, we had a great night. But I have to say, I was glad when it was over. Bring on Christmas!!!!
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