The Yurcisins

Attempts at walking

2012-01-11T08:58:00.000-08:00

I am sure that the first steps are around the corner - but I am really enjoying the immobility right now :) and watching his cute little self scoot around on the walker.

Big girl panties

2012-01-11T08:51:00.000-08:00

We are definitely making headway on the potty training - thanks to Hello Kitty :)

Happy New Year 2012!!!!!

2012-01-11T08:50:00.000-08:00

Addie helped us ring in the New Year - well, kinda - we all went to bed at 9:30 - but not before a toast and then a good puking!!! (we found out later we all had the stomach flu :) - what a way to start out the new year!!!!

I can feed myself!!!

2012-01-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

As all babies do - Harrison decided he didn't like being fed by a spoon - so he wanted to do it himself. Although he gets quite messy - he does a pretty darn good job!!!!

Christmas Fun!!!

2012-01-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas - before the kiddos were awake

2012-01-11T08:07:00.000-08:00

I was really looking forward to this Christmas. Addie was in love with the idea of Christmas and everything that went along with it. I was equally excited because we got to finally do all of the child Christmas traditions: leaving food and a note for Santa and his reindeer, filling the stockings, reading the Christmas stories, placing the presents under the tree, etc. I was also excited for Christmas in our house because it was one person more this year - HARRISON!!! Although he was sick and cranky, I think he had fun putting Addie's toys in his mouth and playing with the wrapping paper. Addie was super excited to come down the stairs and see her long awaited "Belle" dress, shoes, slippers, and crown. Once that was discovered - she was less enthusiastic about the rest - but when she realized the last of the presents was about to be opened - she got very upset :) The presents were quickly opened that morning and the rest of the day was spent with toys scattered throughout all levels of the house. I was ready to clean up Christmas and get back to normalcy. Such excitement that was built up for one morning!!!!

Addie feeding Harrison

2012-01-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

I heard giggles in the kitchen and went to the dining room - I found that Addie had opened up Harrison's yogurt and was feeding him heaping spoonfuls. I couldn't grab my camera fast enough!!!!

Elves

2012-01-10T09:21:00.000-08:00

Delivering XMAS presents to Daddy's office is always so much fun!!!!

Harrison before Christmas

2012-01-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

Uhhhh - can you say - SICK, SICK, SICK!!!!! Poor little man got sick in November and has had one thing after another. He was pretty much sick the whole month of December - but we were able to manage to get some cute shots :) He is walking with a walker, eating like a mad man, playing the role of "prince" with his sister, trying to figure out how every gadget in the house works, and keeping mommy and daddy up all night :)

Adelaide before Christmas

2012-01-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

Addie is such a fun little girl. She is a doting mother to her baby dolls and loves playing princess and acting out all all the roles of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Cinderella. She is starting to look after her brother and makes sure he doesn't get into trouble :) Her vocabulary continues to grow and I always look forward to what she has to say next.

Whirlwind trip to Philly

2012-01-10T08:03:00.000-08:00

I wanted to take a day trip to Philly to see Aunt Kathleen during the holidays - we had a GREAT time - but, boy was it EXHAUSTING!!!!!! We got up early to drive - then had lunch at Aunt Kathleen's - then boarded the train to the city - got off at Macy's to see the Christmas show - tried to see Santa but the line was too long - decided to head back to Jenkintown - boarded the train again - hopped in the car - battled 2 1/2 hours of traffic on the NJ turnpike/Garden State Pkwy. I took a LONG LONG nap when I got home!!!!!

Making Christmas Cookies!

2012-01-10T07:52:00.000-08:00

Addie loves helping out in the kitchen and Harrison got to help this year, too!!! Although they turned out a little burnt - we heard that Santa likes his cookies on the crispy side :)

Let's go Duke!!!

2012-01-10T07:21:00.000-08:00

The 4 of us headed to Madison Square Gardens in mid-December for a Duke basketball game!!!! They both thought it was a pretty neat scene - for about 30 minutes :) We enjoyed hot dogs, popcorn, and cheering on our favorite NC team!

Our home at Christmas

2011-12-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

Garden State Bariatric Holiday Party

2011-12-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned last year - BJ's work puts on a fancy and fabulous Christmas party for all of it's patients and their families. It's a way for them to dress up, show off their new figures, and celebrate with those who have supported them. The entire event is at a gorgeous catering/reception hall and it is always beautifully decorated for Christmas. This year was very special for Addie because Santa Claus (who was a former patient) was present and she followed him EVERYWHERE!!! Her little eyes lit up when he showed up and he even sat at our table for dinner!!!! She was mesmerized by him and it was absolutely adorable. She even told him what she wanted for Christmas - so I can check that off our "to do" list!!!! We had a great time and it was nice to be there to support BJ and his practice!

Double Digits - Harrison is 10 Months!!!

2011-12-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

Whoa!!! Slow it down!!!! I don't want my baby boy to be double digits yet!!!! I don't want there to be only 8 weeks till he is 1 year old!!!!!! Time flies by so quickly and especially around the holidays I think it goes even QUICKER!!! He is so FREAKING cute and every day I marvel at how cute he is at everything he does!!! I guess it makes up for the frustration over his poor sleep habits :) He is really imitating everything we do now: talking on the phone, taking pictures with a camera, putting on hats, etc. I think he is taking in way more than we think he is!!!! He also claps now and loves to "dance" to music by bending his knees!!!! He doesn't like to be spoon fed anymore so mealtime options are a little more challenging - especially when you have NO TEETH!!!

Dancing to our snowman

2011-12-13T09:34:00.001-08:00

Harrison and Addie can do WAYYYY better than this - but this is what I caught on video :)

The art of brushing one's teeth

2011-12-13T09:32:00.000-08:00

Great shots of Addie's nightly routine. She loves looking at herself in the mirror!!!!

Decorating for Christmas!!!

2011-12-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

I was soooo excited to decorate this year. First of all - we have the BEST house for it. Open space, old Victorian home - LOVE IT!!!!! I have always enjoyed this time of year, but even more so now that I have children. Addie really GETS Christmas this year - Santa, the elves, the reindeer, etc. I am so excited for her I can hardly contain myself! I thought she would be all about putting up the tree and hanging up ornaments - but she really could have cared less :) I think she was more involved last year when she was 18 months!!!! Once the Christmas stuffed animals came out that made noise - she and Harrison literally went NUTS - and there BJ and I were stuck with putting all the ornaments on the tree. The kids really did seem to have a great time that night, though. We hung the stockings and then introduced our new elf from "Elf on the Shelf". Addie named it "Zoe" to give it it's magical powers to fly to the North Pole each night and report on her "naughty/nice" behavior. And that means that mommy/daddy have to put Zoe in a different spot of the house every morning for 25 days straight!!!!! We also have a Mickey Mouse countdown calendar where Addie moves the present each day. Ahhh - tis' the season!!!!!

Happy 2 1/2 Addie!!!

2011-12-10T02:31:00.001-08:00

Wow!! I realize now how much a difference 6 months can make! Addie has really grown up quite a bit since her 2nd birthday. Her speech and vocabulary are AMAZING and she has the best imagination ever! She has started to DIRECT play activities. For example " Okay, Mommy - you be the prince. I am the beautiful princess and am asleep. So you have to come and kiss me on my eye". She loves to make up her own songs by combining about 2-3 of her favorite songs and she will make up songs about absolutely ANYTHING - putting on socks, eating blueberries, etc. She love to dance around and wear princess dresses. She has her own little expressions and gestures - love when she puts her hand on her hips :) Wonder where she got that from ???!!!!! She is destined to be a very outgoing girl - possibly on the stage?????? Her memory still blows me away - she can remember every detail about an event that took place well over 6 months ago! - what she was wearing, what she ate, who was there, etc. She is also very loving - except for those moments when her terrible 2s kick in to high gear!!!! She has a big heart and is very in tune to people's emotions. She has all her teeth now and has stopped her crazy growth spurts. She loves her two friends and can't wait to have playdates with them. She still asks for a bottle all the time and Mommy gives in once in awhile :) She has to have "little bit of show", a book, and singing before bedtime. What a love the best is that she still has a little bit of "baby" left. Her cherub cheeks, her protruding tummy, her pudgy toes and hands, and the rolls right below her diaper. Her birthmark on her bottom is fading as is the one near her nose. I am sure that at her 3rd birthday - these things might be gone :( So I will give them all kisses and savor the last bit of "baby-ness". I just love everything about her - she's my girl.

Buffalo at Thanksgiving

2011-12-10T02:24:00.001-08:00

Grammy Sam and Bumpa had yet to meet Harrison. BJ had a few days off around Thanksgiving so we decided it was a good time to take a road trip and have his side of the family meet our little guy!!! The weather was very cooperative and the kids were AMAZING on the way to Buffalo. Blue was probably the least behaved of the "kids"!!!!! Addie and Harrison had fun with their cousins and even got to watch a Christmas parade!!!! It was a very nice trip and good to see everyone :) The way home was a different story - some cranky kids and a lot of traffic!!

Riding the train at the zoo!!!!

2011-12-10T02:20:00.001-08:00

We have a sweet little zoo about 10 minutes away. It's a nice place to go to get out of the house and the whole zoo takes about 1 1/2 hours to get through the whole thing!!!! The train ride was the highlight of this trip.

Ready for the cold weather!!!!

2011-12-10T02:18:00.001-08:00

We have had it pretty good!!! 60s and 70s in November!!! I think this was a 50 degree day :)

Fun with the Kids

2011-12-10T02:09:00.001-08:00

I took lots of videos this week!!! Addie and Harrison have quite a lot of fun!

Happy 9 Months Harrison!!!!

2011-12-09T18:54:00.001-08:00

A rare picture of him sleeping!!!!

I love you little man! You brighten up our mornings with the biggest grin ever. You are so sweet and happy-go-lucky. You only weigh in the 10-15% but are 75% in height!!! My tall, skinny boy!!! You love to eat and try new food. You love to stick your finger in my nose and mouth when I feed you which drives me nuts but it is also somewhat endearing :) The sun rises and sets with Addie and you make it quite apparent that you adore her. Sorry she can be a little rough at times!!!! You are starting to talk and use a lot of gesture to let me know what you want. I still don't have a "mama" yet!!! But you say "dada" for everything!!!! You are still into exploring and making a TON of noise!!!!

Cardboard box fun

2011-12-06T07:17:00.001-08:00

The age-old rule that store-bought toys are not nearly as much fun as a cardboard box!!!!!

Attempt at getting Christmas card photos

2011-12-06T07:13:00.001-08:00

I had this whole plan to dress the kids up in their Christmas outfits and take advantage of the remaining fall foliage to capture some pictures for the holiday cards. Of course this never happened. What did happen was getting Addie slightly dressed and throwing Harrison outside in his night-before jammies for a few shots. Out of about 25, I got 1 good one :) I think both kids were sick with colds - notice Addie's nice coughing on Harrison - classic!!!!

Mike and Laura's Wedding

2011-12-06T07:10:00.001-08:00

11-11-11 was the big day for my cousin Laura and her fiance Mike. We packed up the kids and headed to Philly for the wedding and reception. We were lucky enough to have found a babysitter that watched the kids in our hotel room for the reception. We had such a fabulous time with the family - thanks for a great evening Mike and Laura and congrats!!!!!

Girlfriends!!!

2011-11-22T10:18:00.001-08:00

So one day after we got back into NJ and my close friends Erin and Molly came to visit for a few days. I had soooo much fun - I really miss these girls!!!!!

Halloween Fun

2011-11-22T10:13:00.001-08:00

A little sad that the kids couldn't go as planned: Little Miss Muffet and her Spider. But at LEAST we got to celebrate Halloween instead of hanging out in a hotel in NJ!!!! We whipped up some last minute costumes at the Goodwill and it was so much fun having my family see the kids on Halloween and trick-or-treat in MY old neighborhood!!!!!

World Champions!!!!!!!

2011-11-22T10:10:00.001-08:00

Cousins!!!!

2011-11-22T09:20:00.001-08:00

Baby Allison!

2011 BABIES!!!!

We spent an evening with BJ's family and Addie was so excited to see all of her cousins - especially the new additions - Parker and Allison!!!! Addie had a blast running around with Monroe and Lilly and was super happy to see Katie at her soccer practice!!! Harrison was very content being held by everyone and I am sure he will be running around with his 2011 cousins next year!!!! The cutest thing is that I found out that Harrison LOVES babies!!! He was so excited to see them and touch them!!!

Saint Louis Zoo

2011-11-22T09:14:00.001-08:00


Funny - a typical Addie move - always trying to strangle Harrison :)

Addie was very excited to see "Baby Dumbo"

By far - the BEST place to go when you are a kid. Addie and Harrison BOTH had a ton of fun!!! Harrison LOVED to see the animals and got soooo excited!!!! Addie just wanted to run around the whole place - but definitely was pooped out at the end :) And, of course, I ALWAYS like to go here - so it was even better shared with my parents and children!!!!!

Eckerts Farm

2011-11-22T09:10:00.001-08:00

The best part about our trip was that Addie and Harrison were able to visit MY favorite places from when I was a kid!!!!!! Addie was still a little young for Eckerts Farm but I was very proud of her for attempting to go on her first amusement ride ALL BY HERSELF!!!! She cried in the beginning but I think she ended up liking it after all :)

Homecoming Queen!

2011-11-22T09:08:00.001-08:00

Since Addie is totally into princesses and queens, etc - she definitely got a kick out of seeing Mommy's homecoming queen pictures and wearing her crown!!!!

Ahda and Ju-Ju

2011-11-22T09:03:00.001-08:00

Missouri Botanical Gardens

2011-11-22T08:56:00.001-08:00

Trip to St. Louis - the saga

2011-11-22T08:42:00.001-08:00

Wow - what a trip this was!!!!! I traveled by myself with both kids while BJ had a conference in San Francisco. We were supposed to stay for only 6 days. We accomplished a lot in those days - the Botanical Gardens, the Zoo, visiting all the family, and Eckerts Farm. We headed back to the airport 6 days later and found that our flight back to NJ was delayed due to rainy weather. So we sat there - and sat there - and sat there. Just when we thought we were going to board the plane - they delayed it even longer!!!! By this time the kids were a mess because they hadn't napped yet and the airline attendant had no clue if this flight was ever going to take off. So I said - NO WAY am I staying here any longer with these kids :) Let's start the trip off fresh the next morning. The airline lady said that was fine - the only issue was that all flights back to NJ were booked until Sunday - and it was only Thursday!!! Since we didn't really have anything to get back to and we would still be home in time for Halloween - I said "fine". I could use more days to hang out with my family!!!

The other story behind this is that the Cardinals were in the midst of the World Series playoffs. BJ and I both wanted to be in town for the big win. So I called BJ up and told him about our delay. He was already back in NJ and said that if the Cardinals won game 5 that night - he would fly in for game 6 and then the whole family would hang out for the weekend. So that night I stayed up watching the game until the bottom of the 8th inning. It wasn't looking good for the Cardinals and I was upset - so I went to bed and turned off my cell phone. The next morning I woke up, turned on my phone, and was surprised at the plethora of text messages that included: "Wow! What a game!" to "This is going to be a happy flight" to "I am on the plane now - be there at noon". What the @#$#@??????? Turns out I missed the best playoff game in a long time!!!! The Cardinals came back in over-time to win!!!!!! How exciting! So the kids stayed with my parents for a day while BJ and I got a hotel in St. Louis and hung out around the stadium. BJ went to the winning game with his buddy, Ryan and I watched the game nearby with Molly. Long story short - the Cardinals ended up winning the World Series and we were right in the mix of things!!!!! It was a fun night - not as much fun as I had in 2006 - but maybe that is because I am older now, a mother, and not a fan of drunken crowds like I used to be :)

The next day came another surprise. I got texts from the NJ weather channel and my neighbor across the street about a bad snowstorm hitting the area later that day. Supposedly there would be high winds, heavy snow, and the potential for downed trees and powerlines. WHAT!!!!????? It was 70 degrees when we left and only the end of October - this was crazy!!! How bad could it be??? Well it turns out it was really bad. That heavens we were not home for this mess. About 8 inches of heavy snow fell - but the main issues was that the trees still had all of the leaves and the snow on top made them start falling everywhere. The entire area was worse than after Hurricane Irene. Fallen trees everywhere, no power, no heat, nowhere to drive or get anywhere. BJ had to leave Sunday morning to get back to surgery on Monday - but we decided to stay longer in St. Louis till we knew it was safe to take the kids back. BJ had to stay in a hotel because there was no power or heat at the house. Halloween, which was Monday, was cancelled in our town. We ended up staying till Wednesday (finally got heat and power Tuesday night) and the kids actually had a Halloween in my old neighborhood!!!!

Bath Time!!!!!

2011-11-22T08:36:00.001-08:00

My skinny little baby!!!! This was before he started putting on a little more weight!!! He's such a little guy!!!!

Hanging around the house...

2011-11-22T08:33:00.001-08:00

Blueberries!!!!!!

Showing off my Hello Kitty boots!

Housewarming Party!!!

2011-11-22T08:06:00.001-08:00

It was a lot of work - but a lot of fun, too!!! We welcomed all of our NJ/NYC friends over to our house for some food, drinks, and fun. We had over 25 people show up!!!!

Yay Addie!!!! Riding a trike!

2011-11-22T08:03:00.001-08:00

Just before the cold weather set in....Addie finally got it!!!

Happy 8 Months!!!!!

2011-11-22T07:51:00.001-08:00

I am getting soooo big!!! I LOVE to play and explore!!!


Is there a doctor in the house?

At the farm with friends :)

2011-10-18T15:34:00.000-07:00

We headed out to a nearby farm with Addie's bestie - Camille and her mommy and baby brother. The girls had a BLAST together and had the whole place to themselves!!! They saw farm animals, went through a pumpkin patch, and took a ride on a tractor!!!!! Good fall fun :0)

Here we go Steelers, Here we Go!!!!

2011-10-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

We are decked out in our Steelers gear!!! We found a great pub to go to where Steelers fans unite and watch the games together outside!!!!!

Let's Go Birds!!!!!

2011-10-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

Rooting on our team from afar....

TOOOOOO CUTE!!!!

2011-10-10T17:48:00.001-07:00

My baby clicking his tongue - soooo cute! (At least I think so)

Steps!!!!!

2011-10-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

Oh goodness - first walking - now the steps....

Dumbo

2011-10-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

So Addie had a day when she was really sick - all she wanted to do was lay on the sofa, drink Pedialyte from a bottle, and watch TV. So we rented "Dumbo" (old version) on TV. It was the first Disney movie that Addie really connected with. She fell in love with the mommy/baby relationship and bawled when Dumbo had to be taken away from his mommy. She said "His mommy be right back with him? " over and over through the tears. It broke my heart and I held her so tight. At the same time I was happy that she understood what was going on and that she had empathy towards another being. We watched that movie 8 times that day. About the first 4 times she cried each time during the "Baby be Mine" scene - then she finally realized that the ending stayed the same and his mommy always came back to Dumbo - that made her happy and reassured. :)

Addie update end of 28 months

2011-10-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

I LOVE tomatoes!

Add caption

The last days of a "baba"

Baby blues

New "Hello Kitty" shoes

Showing of her "Hello Kitty" boots

Picked out her clothes

Wearing all of Daddy's accessories

Sick day - watched Dumbo

Oh - where do I begin!!! She is my everything and my love - yet she frazzles and puzzles me every day! I am having a hard adjustment from the sweet little baby girl to this almost 2 1/2 year old with her own thoughts, strong will, and struggle for independence. One minute she makes me lose my temper and the next she is melting my heart with her "Oh, I love you Mommy - you my bestest". She is ME - only at 16. But - I still love everything about who she is turning into. If you take out the moments of "terrible twos" - she is so caring, sensitive, and extremely bright - not to mention gorgeous. She is all about being a princess and a dancer and loves to jump and dance about a room. She talks NONSTOP and sometimes exhausts me from all the things she has to say! She is very intuitive and soaks in everything that she learns each day. I still get excited to see her every morning to see what "adventures" she will take me on that day. Although I am still trying to figure out my new mommy role for a toddler - I couldn't ask for a better job.

Sibling love/rivalry

2011-10-10T17:29:00.000-07:00

It's already started - the fight over toys, the fight over who sits on Mommy's lap, the fight over the remote control.....they have their good day and bad days. Harrison is usually always happy with Addie - but she can get quite frustrated with him! The laundry basket day was my favorite - they were both sick with runny noses. I put them in the basket together and gave them a "ride" around the room - it was squeals from both and a big smile on Mommy - a very fun moment!

Breakfast time :)

2011-10-10T17:23:00.000-07:00

Big day!!! Harrison started using his "pincer grasp" to eat his puffs!!!! Starting to look like a big boy!!!

Harrison - end of 7 months

2011-10-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

I wish that time could slow down - but it just seems to speed up faster and faster with 2 kiddos. Harrison is cruising ahead!!!! He is definitely liking the pureed food and is a speed demon with his sideways crawling. He still cannot sit on his bottom and prefers to play with one leg under his butt and the other out to the side!!!!!! He tries soooo hard to keep up with Addie - he really loves her :) he is still my snuggle bug - but is definitely liking his independence and ability to explore the house. He is VERY loud and is babbling like crazy!!!!!

Mischevious little one

2011-10-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Laura's Wedding Shower

2011-10-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

My cousin Laura is getting married 11/11/11. We headed to Philly to attend her bridal shower. Lots of fun hanging out with our extended Philly family!!!!

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

Birthdays aren't as big as they used to be. But that's fine because we celebrate as a family :) This year I made BJ's favorite appetizers and a homemade tiramisu :) And the evening was topped off with our own rendition of Happy Birthday!!!!

Our new home :)

2011-10-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ahma and Paw-Paw Visit

2011-09-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

We had such a good time when my parents came to visit. We accomplished more than we had in the last few visits because the kids were a little easier to take around. We got to Alstede Farms for apple and berry picking and the American Museum of Natural History. The kids had a great time playing with Ahma and Paw-Paw and we were sad to see them get back on the plane to St. Louis :(

Addie learns to jump!!!

2011-09-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

Just in time for the airport :)

Colorado/Utah

2011-09-22T05:12:00.000-07:00

BJ had a conference in Boulder, CO - basically the week after we moved. No way I was staying home in an unpacked house with 2 kids!!!! So we packed up everyone and headed to Colorado. Both kids did well on the 5 hour flight - Addie had her own seat which helped tremendously. We didn't realize what a blessing the trip would truly be....we missed an earthquake AND Hurricane Irene!!! We were essentially trapped in Colorado beyond our original date due to being unable to return home to NJ. And thank goodness - since we didn't know the state of our new home - all we had were reports of no electricity, flooded basements, and no water in Maplewood. We were happy to spend time in dry Colorado where the kids were safe. It was a great trip - we started the family vacation part in Aspen which was GORGEOUS!!! We took air gondolas into the mountains and Addie had a blast! Then we stayed in Grand Junction, CO with the Hanly family (Eric was a fellow with BJ at Duke). Addie had a wonderful time with Rachel, their youngest daughter. We relaxed, ate wonderful home cooked meals, and visited the Arches National Park in Utah. That was an awe-inspiring day. I felt like I was on a completely different planet!!! The natural structures were AMAZING and so absolutely gorgeous - Addie had fun trying to keep up with the older kids. At one point we were trying to get a picture of Addie and we said "Say, Utah!". Addie held up her arms and said "I'm tah with you!!!!!" and then later "Me-tah!" So cute! We really fell in love with all that Colorado had to offer and it was humbling to see the Rockies and the Grand Basin in the near distance. A great first family vacation as a family of 4! And the best part was coming home to an untouched home - nice and dry ;)

Happy 7 months Harrison!!!!

2011-09-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

He is just the cutest little boy ever!!!!!! He has a quirky smile that stretches a mile wide, a face that lights up from ear to ear, "Sting" hair, a side-ways crawl, and an odd guttural grunt that signals when he wants attention or "more" of something. He is very mobile and standing up on his own. He started consonant babbling and his first word was "dada" which he says over and over. He can wave "bye" on occasion and is very accurate with his gaze when you ask "Where is ... (mommy, daddy, Addie, Blue). He still loves Mommy and Daddy's bed and can sleep through the night if snuggled up against one of us. Otherwise - it's many trips back and forth if we try to have him sleep in the crib. He loves making noise with objects and getting caught in the trickiest of situations. He is attracted to electrical outlets, dog food bowls, rod iron tables, and stair landings :)

Bring it on!!!!

2011-09-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

As soon as we got back from our trip to Colorado - Harrison started pureed foods. Needless to say - he LOVES food!!!! Every time he eats, he grabs the spoon, grunts, and makes the cheesiest smile. We started with homemade pears, squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and apples. Yum!!!! He is a happy little man and a delight to feed!!!!! Although I now have twice the mess to clean up :)

In my crib - finally

2011-09-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

So we moved to the new house and Addie got a new pink crib and Harrison went into Addie's old crib. Although he still seems to make it into our bed every night - he is taking naps in his crib and at least attempting to sleep on his own :) Mommy found the cute Curious George themed sheets at Pottery Barn and is excited to finally get the room decorated!!!!!!
It is so cute to see this little man pull himself up in the crib - he looks so little in the big crib!!!!

Little Miss Muffet

2011-09-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Addie has fallen in love with Mother Goose nursery rhymes. Personally, I think they are morbid and odd - but she loves the sing-songy beat and the funny words. Her favorite is Little Miss Muffet and she can recite it perfectly. In this video - she sat down on a little bench at the park and started saying it (hard to hear on the clip- sorry) - but it was sooo cute!!!! She is even going to be Miss Muffet for Halloween and Harrison is going to be the spider :)

Aunt Kathleen visits!

2011-09-20T08:37:00.000-07:00

We had just moved into the new house and BJ had to go away for the weekend. So Aunt Kathleen was kind enough to drive to our house and help take care of the kids while Mommy packed for our trip on that Monday to Colorado. We all had a lot of fun and Addie enjoyed showing Aunt K the nearby zoo!!!!

Addie and Harrison's First Movie

2011-09-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

As soon as Winnie the Pooh came to the Maplewood movie theater and we found out it was only 50 minutes long - we had to take Addie and of course Harrison came along, too. It was great - a theater full of noisy kids to mask our noise kids (Addie was still the loudest with her cute ongoing commentary), a booster seat to give her a little height, and a kiddie snack with popcorn and fruit snacks! Addie had a great time and it was fun to watch her reactions. The movie time was JUST RIGHT as she started to get antsy towards the end. I think it will be a while before we take them to anything longer :)

CRAWLING!!!!!

2011-09-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

Harrison attempted to start crawling around 5 1/2 months - but he began full on crawling the exact week that we moved - perfect - right??? So he loved to explore everything that was not safe - electrical outlets, piles of moving boxes, etc. It made trying to put things away quite hectic!!!!!

Addie and Harrison in August

2011-09-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

Addie just HAD to sit in her old car seat

Sleeping in the Ergo!

I look like an Ewok!

First time in my NEW crib!!!!!

Pulling myself up like a pro

Wow - sorry to clump all of this together. We moved in the middle of August and then went out of town and life has been CRAZY!!! With Harrison doing full-on crawling now, I don't get much time to post on this blog. The month of August was very hectic, but BIG things happened. Harrison became very mobile, we moved to our new house, we all took a trip to Colorado, and Addie is just growing like a weed! Never a dull moment around here!

Here it is - our new house!!!! 110 Sherman Place

2011-08-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures - since this was taken we have done some landscaping and put in hanging baskets and flower pots on the front porch (makes it look a hundred times better) - could use a little paint job on the outside - but its a rental home and the inside is wonderful!!!!!!

Visit to a farm

2011-08-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

Amidst all of the packing - I decided to take Addie and Harrison on an adventure. They were both super cranky from staying in and being watched by a sitter while mommy and daddy were working. It was a beautiful day and a gorgeous scenic drive to a farm in Boonton Township. Addie had fun feeding the animals carrots and playing in the outdoor house.

Mommy and Addie and shopping at Trader Joes

2011-08-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

I had been to Trader Joes before - in StL, NC and Pittsburgh - never saw what the hype was about - crowed parking lot on Saturdays - full of healthy food that I wasn't really caring about at the time....but now it's my favorite place to go!!! First, I have had to make meals on the run due to the craziness of moving/packing and not wanting to make meals from scratch ( TJs makes FABULOUS microwavable meals and snacks!!!!) and 2nd, Addie can push her own little cart in the store and it's an entire outing for us - BONUS!!! Minus one carton of eggs on the ground - she has been pretty good :)

Brotherly Love :)

2011-08-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Addie is just the sweetest thing to Harrison - even saying "You are the best ever" - and then there are times when she is horrid :) - like when he tries to "eat" her toys!!!! But all-in-all they are pretty cute together!

Silly Town Fun!

2011-08-16T05:44:00.000-07:00

Harrison LOVES this toy!!! Mostly because he likes to turn the wheel and bang on it :)

Harrison and Mommy :)

2011-08-16T05:42:00.000-07:00

HOLY COW - YOU ARE HALF A YEAR OLD, HARRISON!!!!

2011-08-16T05:18:00.000-07:00

I love you, I love you!!! You are a crazy baby and nothing that I every expected!!! It truly is true that boys and girls are completely different species. You squeal with delight at everything and growl when you are happy or want "more" of something. You aren't that interested with your baby toys - just curious HOW they work and how much NOISE they can make when you bang them against things. What you really want are Addie's toys - especially her pull-along puppy and her Minnie Mouse doll. You will stop at nothing to see what she is playing with and get your hands on it. The very day you turned 6 months you started full on crawling!!!! Mommy put out Addie's baby toy - Silly Town - and you went nuts with it! You also found that you could pull yourself up to standing! Wow - 2 milestones in one day! Unfortunately once you found out you could move - you went exploring. You are into everything that isn't safe for you - electrical outlets, fireplace, steps, wires, etc. - AHHHH!!!!! You don't like to sit yet, but you sit on your knees and that seems to work just fine. Oh - you also get a HUGE kick out of standing on the sofa with Addie - you think it is the most fun ever and when you fall down you laugh and laugh. You are also into peek-a-boo, tickling, and airplanes with our feet. You are still a Momma's boy and throw the BIGGEST tantrum when she isn't around and you want 1) food or 2) cuddling - although exhausting at times - Mommy still loves it :) You also get extremely excited when you see Addie first thing in the morning - your face lights up and you squeal really loud - it is very sweet. You are still waking up about 1-2 times in the middle of the night - but hopefully that will change once you start solids this month. You are just a CRAZY little man - that hair says it all!!!! I know that we are in for a wild ride with you and this is just the beginning :)

My little cowgirl

2011-08-06T04:21:00.001-07:00

Round em' Up!!!! Hee Haw!!!

Cutest thing ever!

2011-08-06T04:18:00.001-07:00

Ring-a-round-the-rosie - by 2 year olds. Addie's first time doing this with kids her own age! The sweetest voices ever :)

BJ's 1 year at Garden State Bariatrics - Anniversary Party

2011-08-06T04:10:00.000-07:00

BJ is truly blessed to work with wonderful people!!! They made this transition to New Jersey much easier and we cannot thank them enough for welcoming us into their lives!!! Thank you!!!!

Addie playing with her Little People

2011-08-06T04:09:00.000-07:00

This girl has an imagination! I am always amazed at the things she comes up with while playing. She is already EXTREMELY creative!

A few days before I started crawling!

2011-08-06T04:08:00.000-07:00

He can definitely get to anything he wants by scooting, pushing, head rolling, etc. And his favorite toy is a ball to chase on the mat.

Nighttime Silliness

2011-08-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

When the bewitching hour of 7:00 pm rolls around and I have 2 kids to put to sleep - it can be most challenging. Both are cranky - Addie usually cranky AND wound-up. Both have their nighttime rituals that must be done in order to ensure ZZZZs and Mommy wants to get it all done so she can have a hour at least of relaxation, quiet, and a glass of wine!!! Addie likes her PJs, dolly, bottle, one episode of a favorite show, and rockie time with songs and a story (whew!). Harrison just wants to nurse right now - but that is still a 30 minute routine!

Harrison is getting bigger!!!!

2011-07-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

Our little man is getting bigger!!!! He is exploring everything!!!! And is quite mobile on the mat - getting into his toys - and Addie's toys. :)

My pigtails and my ba-ba

2011-07-29T18:18:00.000-07:00

I love my Sophie giraffe

2011-07-28T11:04:00.001-07:00

Poor little Sophie giraffe - he has been chewed and slobbered on by 2 babies!!!!

Addie and Harrison blowing raspberries

2011-07-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Of course Addie has to be doing whatever Harrison does!!!!

Harrison's first bites of cereal - funny reaction!

2011-07-27T11:51:00.000-07:00

I must apologize for the lengthy clip and me and BJ's annoying commentary :) I just wanted to show you Harrison's odd reaction to the food!!!! Unfortunately when you trim a video in iPhoto - you cannot successfully upload it to another source - you I have to show you all of our originals video takes.

Anyway....I am not really starting Harrison on eating yet until we are moved to the new house and back from our trip to Colorado. He is still exclusively breast-fed (yay - pat on my back) but we wanted to see how he would do with a little food. So we mixed a little breastmilk with rice cereal and the kid went NUTS!!!! I can't imagine what he will do with bananas! :)

He really has the BEST laugh!

2011-07-10T07:40:00.001-07:00

The best shots ever!

2011-07-10T05:34:00.001-07:00

I love our new camera - what wonderful shots it captured of Harrison on the 4th of July. His eyes are gorgeous and piercing blue!!!! And that smile!

4th of July!!!!!!!

2011-07-10T05:23:00.000-07:00

Checking for dirtballs :)

Addie had a blast this year!!! We took in all that Maplewood had to offer (not too much, but the animals and fireworks were fun) - and she thought it was the best thing ever. This is the first year that she watched the fireworks. Although she was up waaayyy past her bedtime - she was not bothered at all by the loud noise and loved watching them and dancing around in the grass!!!! Some GREAT shots of the kids with our new camera.

Harrison and Tilly!

2011-07-10T05:18:00.000-07:00

Our very good friends from Pittsburgh, Amanda and Reggie, stopped by 4th of July weekend to visit and we were honored to meet there new baby - Mathilda!!!! She and Harrison hit it off and got their picture together :) Very cute that he is holding on to her!

The makings of a superstar

2011-07-10T05:14:00.000-07:00

Wow - 5 Months!!!!

2011-07-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

Where is the world is the time going? BJ commented that we would just sit around and watch Addie's every move and now we still do that - but Harrison is in the mix :) I remember it seemed to take forever to approach 6 months with Addie and now here we are week month away from 1/2 a year with Harrison and it seems like I just gave birth!!! He is the most wonderful baby ever - but definitely high needs :0) When he is happy - he is the most smiley, laughing baby on the block. When he is upset - boy, you know it!!!! He is super tall - already wearing 9 month clothes!!!! He is so soft and cuddly. He loves to play with his baby toys on the mat and has mastered rolling over in both directions - although I have yet to catch this on video. He scoots all around on his tummy and loves to watch Addie play with her toys. He is in love with Addie - she can do no wrong. He could be in the midst of a terrible crying jag and then she sings to him and he starts smiling and laughing. He is very tactile and love to touch faces and skin - especially when he is nursing. His eyes are amazing - the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. This has definitely been a turning month for him - more aware of his environment and much happier to be left to play. Very minimal carrying around in the Ergo carrier this month!!!

They love each other :)

2011-07-10T05:02:00.000-07:00

Boat Ride!!!

2011-07-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Our first boat ride as a family - well, on a pontoon boat. We had a lot of fun - went with another family on a lake in New Jersey. Despite the chilly water - Addie wanted to go swimming with Daddy. She had a blast! She even got to experience fishing - helping daddy put hot dogs on a kiddie fishing pole and then casting it into the water. Although she didn't catch anything herself - she was very excited to see a fish on the pole of a fellow fisher. All in all - it was a very memorable experience for everyone. Harrison was awake most of the time - but fell dead asleep at the end of the trip.

Turtle Back Zoo

2011-07-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

Patting myself on the back for taking both kids by myself on a Saturday to a local zoo. We had a lot of fun! A small zoo - but just right for right now - 1 hour and you are done :) Addie was happy because she saw animals and got to feed the sheep.

Trying to crawl, already!!!????

2011-07-08T10:36:00.000-07:00

Wow - wasn't ready for this one!!!

Happy 20 Weeks Harrison!

2011-07-08T10:31:00.000-07:00

You are my smiley, snuggly, drooly baby and I love you so much!

The light of our eyes :)

2011-07-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Oh 2 is so fun!!!!!

Pigtails!!!!

2011-07-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

Ahhh - finally she likes having things in her hair - bows, ponytails, and now pigtails. And she looks super cute!!! Must be nice to not have that hair in her eyes!!!

Happy Baby Video

2011-06-19T06:24:00.001-07:00