14 Months!

It's the Great Pumpkin Jack & Maggie!

Check out the HUGE pumpkin Daddy got us!

BIG changes

So much is different from this time last year! Last year Maggie was home for the second time and Jack was preparing for transfer to Children's Hospital. This time last year it was already cold outside, whereas now it is still in the 90s. This time last year we were just waiting for our family to be healthy and completely at home. Now we are preparing to move onto a new adventure as a family. Brian was laid off from Great American last month. He has been home with us and we have loved spending quality time with Daddy. As he has been looking at different job opportunities, I started looking around as well. I was offered a position at Kohl's and then Fifth Third Bank and then at Ohio National Financial Services (ONFS). I accepted the latter and will be the new Senior Customer Service Representative for Annuities. So...I will be returning to work full time this coming Monday! Brian will be turning in his insurance hat for the time being (or forever) and instead is going to wear the Stay-at-home Daddy hat. It's been nice for him because since he has been home he has been able to ease into this role- rather than getting thrust into it immediately. I won't lie- I'm anxious about leaving my two "babies", but I know they will be happy with Daddy too. Speaking of which, they are 14 months old! Maggie is walking, talking, babbling like crazy and such a funny little girl. She cracks me up every day with her squeals of delight over the slightest funny thing. Jack never stops moving, he is the energizer bunny of toddlers! He isn't walking, unless you count moving around the family nonstop pushing his walker. He has mastered picking up and repositioning the walker when it gets stuck and he does laps back and forth, back and forth and back and forth! When he isn't pushing the walker, he is doing more laps around the ottoman or standing between the piano and toy bins, choosing which is more entertaining. He has this new facial expression when he gets super excited, he grits his teeth and just SMILES from ear to ear. Both he and Maggie have learned to hug- seriously wrap their arms around my neck and HUG! Maggie even hugs her babies and is learning how to give them kisses. Both are sleeping awesome during the night, knock on wood. We've weaned them completely off morning and afternoon bottles, they just get a bottle before bed. Maggie could probably end that as well, but Jack still "needs" it so she is just following along with him until he is ready. As mobile as they have become, diaper changing and dressing, especially after a bath has become the newest headache. They HATE getting their diapers and clothes on and Brian and I are often left out of breath and sweaty from the fight. In addition to being great sleepers, they have really come a long way with eating. When hungry they can put away a LOT of food! And they have mastered sippy cups, though we are still working on open cups, which they are good at, but obviously can't handle alone. Our new step is putting their food on a plate or in a bowl, basically my precursor to utensils. They are also still working on not throwing their sippy cup on the floor when they are done drinking it. :) Wilma, as well as Jack and Maggie, know the words breakfast, lunch, dinner, walk, milk and cookies. The kids also know bath, night night, hug, doggie, Mommy, Daddy, Granny, Poppy/Papa (we're still fine tuning that one), bye, hi, and tons of others. In addition Maggie can say most of those as well as "take a bath" and "go bye bye". Jack isn't really "talking" or babbling much, but Maggie does enough for the both of them. All in all, it has been an exciting month for them and they are just changing on me every day it seems. Going to work will be bittersweet. I'll get back out into the real world, dress up, have adult conversations on a regular basis and when I come home I'll get to appreciate the twins that much more. I'm going to miss them terribly though...no changing that!

Can you tell me how to get?

They always stop in their tracks to watch the start of Sesame Street!

Dancing!!

Zoo, Wedding, Milk & Concert

Last week we took the kids to the Cincinnati Zoo, along with Chris, Audra & Deigan Vine. It was a ton of fun and while Jack simply enjoyed the ride, Maggie was really interested in all the animals. I look forward to going back now that the weather is becoming more agreeable.

"We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo! The Cincinnati zoo, zoo, zoo!"


Our first family trip to the zoo


Maggie at the petting zoo- she liked pointing at the sheep and goats


These little penguins were swimming all over and the kids had the perfect view


Maggie pointing at the elephants


That night the kids spent some time with Granny & Gramps while Brian and I attended Kate & Geoff's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and we were happy to be part of the celebration. :)

Congrats to Kate & Geoff and may you have a wonderful, happy marriage together!

We've been working on drinking out of cups during meals. They have finally got the hang of drinking, now we just have to work on tilting. They know what they are doing, which is fun. Maggie even occasionally says "milk" or "water".

Got milk?




This past weekend Gramp's band played a concert for family and friends at Keehner Park. The kids had tons of fun playing in the park and Maggie took some more steps, that we finally got on camera. She'll be walking before we know it!

Yeah, we're with the band



Here I come Mommy!