Hawks Nest

Bye Bye Grandma....

2012-01-29T15:05:00.003-05:00

...See you soon!!!

Foto Friday video edition

2012-01-27T16:14:00.001-05:00

Logan had his therapy appointment at Target yesterday :o

Mommy & Me

2012-01-27T14:16:00.000-05:00

Ladies man

2012-01-26T14:02:00.001-05:00

Do you see what he's looking at?

This one's for Daddy

2012-01-26T13:21:00.005-05:00

Daddy's been gone all week but lucky for us Grandma came to visit....so here's what we've been up to:

Looking forward to you coming home tomorrow :*

Update

2012-01-24T13:44:00.003-05:00

In addition to crib standing I suppose it's safe to add drawer opening & stair climbing to Reagans can do list

As of naptime today

2012-01-23T14:03:00.003-05:00

she figured out how to stand up in her crib.

She crawls

2012-01-20T13:36:00.005-05:00

Hard to say when she first started crawling for real cause it kinda just morphed into what it is now....which is what I would call a legit crawl. It's barely been a week that she's been doing it and already she's getting faster. It's fun to watch what she wants to do and where she wants to go....this morning I found her wandering around the kitchen just talkin and crawling :)

YouTube "recommended" this song selection for the video, so we went with it...kinda goes...lol

2 crawlers in the house!!!!

Foto Friday

2012-01-20T13:03:00.003-05:00

$10 to the person who can guess what happened next?
TGIF!

Bundles of happy

2012-01-19T14:23:00.002-05:00

Needed the 11 o'clock burst of fresh air to get us through till lunch time today.

:)

2012-01-19T08:50:00.000-05:00

Whats wrong with this picture?

2012-01-18T10:04:00.004-05:00

I was out of the room for a few minutes and came back to see this:

If you couldn't read Logan's face or see what's in Reagan's hand - This is Logan's Mommmm, Reagan took off my glasses whine face.

56 seconds of awesome

2012-01-17T13:53:00.001-05:00

Snow Day

2012-01-17T13:08:00.003-05:00

Snow today! Not much but he HAD to go out. So we did.

And this is where he ended up playing most of the time: the only dry spot in sight...lol

Closet re-do

2012-01-16T10:25:00.004-05:00

Remember the Sneak Peak project we started a couple weeks ago?

Our foyer closet.
It's donzo! Well it's 99.9% done...still have to paint the doors.
But I love it.

The closet was always this big but the small door made it impossible to use the entire space. So we opened it up, put on double doors and made it uber usable.

Before

During

After

On the open road!

2012-01-15T11:47:00.001-05:00

Double thumb

2012-01-13T16:04:00.001-05:00

Hard to tell from the picture but he was doing the double thumb suck at naptime today :)

Foto Friday

2012-01-13T13:38:00.003-05:00

Lookin at quite the toothy grin these days
TGIF!

Havin a good time

2012-01-11T11:11:00.001-05:00

Little Miss Mess

2012-01-10T19:39:00.003-05:00

A little someone thought she knew how to use the spoon better than I did....

The great outdoors

2012-01-10T14:54:00.002-05:00

It's been strangely nice out this winter which is fine by Logan since being outside is his newest favorite thing to do...and Reagan, well she just goes along for the ride ;)
quick and warm is the theme today for their outfits :)

Crawling?

2012-01-09T13:52:00.002-05:00

She is caught somewhere between desperately wanting to crawl but not having all the moves down pat. She still makes it from point A to B but it's hardly ever without tears & extreme frustration

2012-01-09T12:48:00.002-05:00

This is his Mom, get me outside as fast as possible outfit

Whole lotta nothing Sunday

2012-01-08T18:59:00.003-05:00

Killed some time at Lowes this morning
Then went for a hike after naps & lunch (beginning to think Reagan really doesn't like being in the pink snowsuit)
And then did some couch sitting and football watching
Always wish there was one more day in the weekend :/

Teeth update

2012-01-07T19:21:00.002-05:00

couple more days till they are all here....

Daddy & the babies

2012-01-07T18:07:00.003-05:00

Foto Friday

2012-01-06T20:03:00.001-05:00

Logan & Reagan at 7 months-n-change

A new walker!

2012-01-04T10:06:00.003-05:00

Logans physical therapist brought Logan a fancy pants walker this morning....and he did awesome!!

When she first pulled it out Kevin & I both thought it might make him look handicap. But the second we saw him walking in it all those thoughts went away .... he loved it, he did well and it will help him be more confident on his feet and eventually walk on his own without any walker.... none of that sounds handicap - sounds more optimistic and promising to me :)

Sittin pretty

2012-01-03T19:31:00.002-05:00

She does her best work when she's skin clad and no one is watching - so I hid around the corner and video taped because she is >thisclose< to crawling and I thought I might be lucky enough to catch her first moves on film.
Better yet, I caught the little lady going from belly to sitting for the first time :)

Naptime today

2012-01-03T13:03:00.002-05:00

2012-01-02T10:50:00.002-05:00

Not everyone was as happy as Mommy was to break out the pink snowsuit....

23 months & 7 months

2012-01-01T09:43:00.003-05:00

Our babes & the world are a little older now.

Happy New Year!

6 chompers?!!

2011-12-31T14:53:00.003-05:00

1,2,3,4 you can count them cause you can see them - Reagan's top rack of teeth are well on their way. I predict by weeks end she'll have 4 new pearly whites to add to the bottom 2.
Holy teething!

The little lady can clap!

2011-12-31T09:51:00.001-05:00

Foto Friday

2011-12-30T19:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was the first day I didn't nurse her at all. Since her first bottle of formula she hasn't been interested in what I have to offer :/ When she wakes up at 4am, I nurse her and put her back down but other than that - she's a formula babe now.

Sneak Peak

2011-12-28T19:40:00.001-05:00

Started another project today.....

2011-12-26T19:57:00.001-05:00

Rut row Daddy...watch out you've got two pretty ladies now ;)

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T13:05:00.001-05:00

Before:

During:
After:
HoHoHo!

Twas the night before Christmas

2011-12-24T19:26:00.001-05:00

Foto Friday

2011-12-23T19:48:00.002-05:00

Me & the tater tots are pretty excited that Grandma Jo is here for the next 5 days and Daddy is home for the next 10 days!!!!

I tried painting with the kiddos today...

2011-12-21T20:35:00.003-05:00

We were trying to paint Daddy a picture for Christmas ....

But when all was said and done I ended up with two painted babies and no painting
Maybe next Christmas...

Best Audience

2011-12-20T14:13:00.005-05:00

I was baking cookies this morning when I turned to see this:
Was I singing Christmas songs? maybe
Was there dancing involved? perhaps

Just thankful these babes can't talk (yet) - Not sure I'm ready to hear whether they think I'm crazy or crazy awesome.

The Rock

2011-12-19T19:17:00.002-05:00

Sorry folks. No pictures. Dad was Mr. Mom today because Mom was down and out. Didn't have time for pics, videos or even a quick trip out and about. I was frantically trying to keep the ship sailing and snapping a pic was the last thing on my mind. We think it might have been a 24 hour bug that took out mom. She's got the immune system of a rock, so the fact that none of us got sick was a blessing. It's time for Grandma-Jo to visit and Santa's sleigh is just around the corner!! Get better moma!!!

Santa Baby 2011

2011-12-17T18:58:00.004-05:00

Santa Baby 2010

Foto Friday

2011-12-16T12:42:00.003-05:00

We have a wonderful family
We are happy
We have fun
We love
We are complete despite the crazy things life throws our way
TGIF!

Big boy

2011-12-15T14:00:00.002-05:00

He doesn't look like a baby anymore - when did that happen?

Beginning of the end

2011-12-14T15:42:00.004-05:00

It's been...
2 years, 7 months, and 13 days straight that I have been growing and/or nursing a baby.

Thats 957 days.

I turn 30 in February and have decided that I will return my body back to myself as a gift.

I have 2 months to prepare.
So today Reagan had her first bottle of formula. Bittersweet.

I'm not ready to stop nursing her altogether (just yet) but I want to get her use to formula and the bottle. She did awesome and didn't even hesitate to gulp down all 3oz. We'll keep with one formula bottle a day for a bit and slowly replace the other feedings.

cutie pie pic

2011-12-13T19:52:00.002-05:00

Just gettin ready for bathtime

2011-12-12T19:55:00.001-05:00

laughter, smiles & crusty noses

2011-12-09T14:03:00.002-05:00

all signs that the sick ship is settin sail and returning my babies to me.

Foto Friday

2011-12-09T09:59:00.002-05:00

Norman Cringle's debut season is in full swing over here

TGIF!

6 month stats

2011-12-06T20:40:00.002-05:00

Weight: 16.3lb (25-50%)
Height: 26 1/4inches (50-75%)
Head: 42.4cm (25-50%)

Got 3 shots. Was a tough little nut for the first one and didn't cry....the last two, notsomuch.

all and all a pretty perfect little pumpkin :)

Trainwreck

2011-12-06T13:51:00.003-05:00

We are on day one to many of this cold and everyone feels and looks like they've been hit by a train.

2011-12-03T15:55:00.000-05:00

Foto Friday

2011-12-02T16:36:00.003-05:00

If only my hair grew as fast as my belly....

amen baby girl. amen.
TGIF!

Sick

2011-12-01T14:19:00.002-05:00

Yes, the babies are both sick again :/ We are knee deep in snot and tears over here.

22 months & 6 months

2011-11-30T19:11:00.003-05:00

2011-11-29T13:10:00.004-05:00

Good thing Reagan looks cute in just about anything.....
I also wanted to add that it's not just Logan growing up fast. Everyday when I go to get her up from bed she whips out a new move or new sound. I can't believe she's almost 6 months.... Anywhoo here is a poor quality cell phone video of some of her new sounds :)

This kid

2011-11-28T13:34:00.004-05:00

The other night I had a dream that I was in a giant street it was pouring rain and everyone was running to get out of the rain including myself....and way, way, way far in front of me I saw Logan and he was crawling just as fast as his little hands and knees could take him but he kept tripping over his hands (like he often does when he gets going at a good clip). I was running so hard and fast to catch up to him so I could scoop him up and get us out of the rain but I couldn't catch up. Eventually he stopped, sat there and just cried and thats when I caught up to him, picked him up and held him tight and just ran. The dream kinda broke my heart.

I can barely explain the overwhelming feelings I had during the dream and once I woke up and was recalling it to Kevin. Kevin's guess was that I would do anything and everything for him but sometimes it's out of my hands. Very true. But it wasn't until I was talking with my mom the other day and spent a good 15mins jibber jabbering on and on about all the new things that Logan is doing that it hit me..... this little kid, my baby is on the fast track to growing up and I'm just trying my best to keep up with him.

In the last 2months (maybe even less) he has grown up so much. Physically he's gotten taller, he is has grown one of his 2 year molars and the 2nd is protruding through as we speak. He talks. Sometimes in his words but mostly it's recognizable. He is beginning to put two words together, he has started repeating random words we say. He points out things he knows in books, at the store, outside. He cruises the couch and in his crib. He points to his walker and says walk and he walks behind it all. by. himself. He LOVES being outside. Open the front door and that kid is on a bee line straight for the door going a mile a minute. The front step that he use to sit at and cry because he couldn't figure out how to get down is not even a second or a third thought....he just plows straight down. I have personally watched him go to all four corners of our almost 1 acre yard. We ask if he wants to go upstairs and he goes - up all 13 stairs by himself. He comes down not so graceful but he's not afraid anymore. He feeds himself everything that doesn't require a spoon. He eats off a plate without flipping it over and playing with it. He likes to cheers before he has a drink. He whistles on command :)

He may not walk yet but this kid is going places.

Merry, Merry

2011-11-26T17:11:00.002-05:00

Foto Friday

2011-11-25T21:42:00.003-05:00

Going National Lampoons style this year.

TGIF

Tis' the season....

2011-11-25T21:26:00.005-05:00

...for Christmas tree pickin!!!She's a beaut.
Stay tuned for her debut tomorrow evening :)

Gobble Gobble?

2011-11-24T20:56:00.003-05:00

It was just our family of four this Thanksgiving so cooking a big bird and all the fixins just didn't seem right - so we switched it up a bit and had a feast of crab legs and champagne after the babies went down!
It was unbelievably delish and combined with the quick clean up and not being in a coma from oh my goodness I just ate way too much turkey and pie, crab legs might become the norm : o However, we definitely missed being around family and friends, spending most of the day in the kitchen, throwing the football around outside and all the other Thanksgiving affairs.

This year we're thankful for:
healthy, happy babies
a lovely home
wonderful family that we'll hopefully be with next year
and not having a shellfish allergies ;)

FYI

2011-11-22T11:01:00.002-05:00

She slept another full night. 6:45pm-6:15am with only a 3am pacifier plug :)

Hearing Test

2011-11-21T10:47:00.003-05:00

Logan had his hearing test this morning - we think he passed? He was extremely distracted and excitable, like he always is so some sounds he would react to and some sounds it was as if he had no idea there was a sound....

They will re-evaluate in a year when they can use head phones on him to isolate each ear.
But everyone agreed that he has no significant hearing loss :)

All nighter

2011-11-21T07:03:00.003-05:00

We did it! 7pm - 7am ...no feedings :) She woke only once at 2am and needed her pacifier but thats it.

Wahoooooooo!

Logan pulled his first all nighter just a couple days before he turned 5months.

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!

2011-11-19T16:43:00.003-05:00

His Birthday isn't until Tuesday but no good birthday party has ever taken place mid week, so we celebrate today.

Cake bakin 101:

Ever laughed till you cried? :

We love you.

Foto Friday

2011-11-18T10:14:00.002-05:00

Even when you're sad you're cute

TGIF!

New Love

2011-11-17T13:18:00.004-05:00

Their love is simple.

Logan loves whatever she is holding and has a fascination with her belly button and Reagan, well I'm pretty sure Reagan thinks Logan is the coolest thing since pumped milk.

Can't wait to document how their siblingship evolves :)

Try watching this without laughing

2011-11-16T19:27:00.001-05:00

this kid cracks us up!

1st bath together!

2011-11-14T19:27:00.002-05:00

Switcharoo

2011-11-14T13:22:00.005-05:00

It was the weekend so naturally we did a house project. Up on the plate this time the man closet-pantry switcharoo which was discussed over wine Friday night (which is how most of our house projects start), confirmed with a clear head on Saturday which led to an impromptu trip to Ikea Saturday afternoon and a finished project by dinner time Sunday.

Inspired by another Pinterest picture:
And I'm kicking myself because this is the one little nook of the house that I have never taken a picture of before - and therefore don't have a before picture. But I can summarize what it looked like by saying it was a clusterfest of all of Kevin's tools. But after a fresh coat of paint and installation of white shelves this is what our once man closet turned pantry now looks like now:Now we just need some more food on the shelves !!

And for those who are concerned with where Kevins tools got booted to - they are now in our Laundry/Utility room hangin out with his mini fridge :)

Got another house project brewin in our brains......

Two Toofers!

2011-11-13T19:34:00.001-05:00

A close up of her 2 pearly whites:

Foto Friday

2011-11-11T19:02:00.004-05:00

I didn't take any pictures today (gasp!) So today is a flashback foto friday:

This is my Moma holding me when I was a wee one.... and holy cow I think it's a spittin image of Reagan.

TGIF!

2011-11-10T16:04:00.002-05:00

Mommy's gonna have to spoil you if you keep lookin this cute.

Results

2011-11-08T12:56:00.003-05:00

Logans blood work came back and everything came back perfectly normal :) It appears he is his own version of perfect. Which brings us back around to what we researched way back when he was just a wee little baby in my belly:

1 in every 1,000 babies are diagnosed with Ventriculomegaly, normal size for ventricles is 10mm a child with ventricles measuring 10mm-15mm would be considered to have mild Ventriculomegaly children with 15mm + have moderate to severe Ventriculomegaly. Logans ventricles are measuring right around 15mm. He would be classified as having moderate isolated Ventriculomegaly, (isolated meaning he has no other abnormalities) 90% of these children are born completely normal with no delays. A small percentage of the children born with isolated Ventriculomegaly may show signs of developmental delays.

So Logan falls into the small percentage of the 1% of the population with Ventriculomegaly.

ummmm....

2011-11-07T19:51:00.002-05:00

...you best not be workin on doing what I think you're doing young lady

2011-11-07T14:03:00.004-05:00

Not many days left for diggin in the dirt with your pants half down.

Fall back

2011-11-06T07:39:00.004-05:00

Long gone are the days when the time change in the fall means an extra hour of sleep....if anything it means an hour less. So what do you when you're up with your little lady at 5?

A photoshoot!

Weekend Projects

2011-11-05T13:18:00.005-04:00

1. Install our shower stall in the upstairs bathroom

Before:

After:
and it works!!!

2. I'm new to Pinterest but I saw this and knew we had to make it for the playroom:

Donzo:
Here's our version - we decided to use bungees instead of wooden dowels so it would be easier to get things in and out.

Foto Friday

2011-11-04T17:37:00.002-04:00

Friday Fun

TGIF!

Camera Happy

2011-11-03T13:00:00.004-04:00

With two babies there is always a photo opportunity happening. I just try my best to keep up.

What Logan was up to yesterday while I nursed Reagan in the other room

Feeding my little birds

What?! I have 2 cart riders now??? Where will all the groceries go?

My ghetto sleeper

Logan, where'd the baby go? (She started in the middle of the room...)

Been awhile since we dished out the scoop on the big guy!

2011-11-03T09:23:00.001-04:00

Think we're gonna have to talk to Santa to see if he can bring him some suspenders.

Awhile back we got the results from his MRI - it was good news in that the neurologist saw nothing of concern. His ventricles are still dilated but there is no brain tissue damage. The bad news (if you can call it that) is we still are no further along in determining what is causing his delays.

Since the MRI results we've talked with our Pediatrician, our Neurologist and the Birth to Three Therapist and are in process of doing the following things:

The Pediatrician scheduled Logan a hearing test coming up later this month. He also managed to get him in for an appointment with a Developmental Specialist at Childrens Hospital in Hartford in February 2012. The waiting list for these docs are sometimes up to a year so I'm pretty siked he managed us an appointment in February.

The Neurologist sent us a prescription to have blood work done... the first test is a gene analysis to look for any gene mutations and the second test is for Fragile X. Kevin took him for the blood work while I was in Ohio and we should get results back sometime this month

He has Birth to Three appointments on a weekly basis with the Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, and Developmental Teacher visiting twice a month and the Speech Therapist visiting once a month (we are in the works of increasing the Speech therapy) We will re-evaluate our goals for Logan this month now that he has been in the program for 6 months and in April he will be re-scored.

The improvements he makes are small - yet big in our world. Just today he stood for probably 20 secs on his own. Doesn't sound like much but - I've never seen him stand that still for that long by himself. We're getting there :)

Kevin & I are just trying to wrap our head around the idea that it's very possible if not probable that Reagan will surpass Logan. It will be a bittersweet time and we're trying to mentally prepare for it - but who knows what it will be like when it actually starts happening.

We worked on his standing again this morning and I managed to get it on video....twice! The second video he gets a little frustrated (as do I...lol). Think we both worked up a sweat.

Halloween!

2011-10-31T20:10:00.003-04:00

We got fancy this year with our pumpkin carving. Logan cried when we pulled the seeds out?! But then was pretty pumped when he realized he could put his trucks inside :) Reagan on the other hand thought she would help by eating the newspapers.
Since Spiderman and our Little Pumpkin were all dressed up and happy for Halloween we wanted to at least go next door and see our neighbor, Mr. Bruce. When we stepped outside we were met with dark houses and not a trick or treater in sight. There was one house across the street that was lit up, so over we went. Logan carried his pumpkin bucket all the way and came back with 3 pieces of candy!

Happy Halloween!!

21 months & 5 months

2011-10-31T15:17:00.003-04:00

Getting bigger & older look never looked so cute.

The pictures do the talkin for this post

2011-10-30T19:49:00.005-04:00

Baby Reagans first try at solids!!

Beginning

Middle

End

I think it's fair to say she loved it.

A few firsts from Ohio

2011-10-30T10:07:00.003-04:00

1. First time on an airplane!
2. First time meeting Great Grandma
3. First time meeting OSU's Brutus
4. First time sipping water out of a sippy cup
5. First time on an iPad
6. FIRST TOOTH!!! (bottom middle, second one is one it's way)

October 27th

2011-10-27T13:54:00.005-04:00

My Grandma passed away today.

I took this picture yesterday just after Reagan & I left her room for the evening. It wasn't until after my mom called in the middle of the night to tell me she had passed that I realized it was the first time I had left her room without saying good night, good bye or seeya later to Grandma. We just left. I imagine it was because I figured she had hung on this long she would be there in the morning. She didn't suffer and I know the last 6 days she was just laying there listening & enjoying her family reminiscing, laughing and crying.

She's in a better place now, watching over all of us.

Just Right

2011-10-23T14:18:00.004-04:00

There comes a time in life when we reflect and think did I do everything right? Erin's grandmother has been in the hospital for a while now for various reasons. Things have been getting exponentially worse. Erin's grandparents have never met Reagan and it had been a while since she herself had seen them, so she began to plan out a way to go visit. It's normally an 11 hour drive, so figure 13 with two kids. There aren't any affordable flights and I hardly have any vacation. Seemed like everything was making it an uphill battle to make a visit. The time has come that a visit wasn't going to be filled with laughter and the joy of meeting the most recent family member, Reagan. Erin began to feel down about not going to visit earlier and letting all these road blocks get in her way. The very next day she was on a flight to Columbus with Reagan. They met. Reagan squeezed grandma's hand as if to say "Hi, we're all here and we love you". Erin's grandpa has been able to absorb some of her light too and although Erin's grandma may not be able to say in words how happy she is or how proud she is, deep down I know she feels the love. It's just what she needs and just when she needed it. Say a prayer and keep loved ones in your thoughts always

Foto Friday

2011-10-21T11:42:00.003-04:00

This is what it's all about.

2011-10-19T09:10:00.003-04:00

This is how we celebrated our anniversary yesterday :)

#3

2011-10-18T11:27:00.003-04:00

3 years down, 5 bajillion to go.

love you love
love,
love

Sitting?!

2011-10-17T19:43:00.002-04:00

I've long since stopped checking what milestones should be hit and when but I feel like this is baby Reagan doing well :)

My Grandparents

2011-10-17T16:14:00.002-04:00

This is how I will always see them. Happy & Healthy. Smiling & Loving.
They are beautiful people inside and out. Their love is something every couple should strive for.

All their lives they've done nothing but love, give and care.
But now thats everything they need.

Send a prayer, or a happy thought their way.

love you both.
love you moma - stay strong.

Weekend Favs

2011-10-16T20:40:00.006-04:00

Lil Shopper

2011-10-14T17:32:00.004-04:00

I best look into that part time job - looks like the little lady was born with shoppin hands :o

Foto Friday

2011-10-14T07:39:00.001-04:00

Sick baby couch bed reading this morning

TGIF.

Virus Vacation(s)

2011-10-13T13:38:00.003-04:00

Somehow whenever you get my family together you get some sort of sickness - Kevin has deemed them Virus Vacations:
First was the Hertel House Swine Flu epidemic back in Jan. 2009
Then there was the Plague that swept over our house for Logans first birthday in Jan. 2011
and most recently the Green Snot Outbreak of Oct. 2011

The Hertel babies brought it & our house got it.

Andrea tried to be good about not letting the babies swap spit and tickle toes but who knows when we'll get to see each other next and if we catch colds cause Olivia wants to tickle Reagans toes and Mason wants to give whatever is in his mouth to Logan so Logan can taste it - so be it.

Went to the docs. today. No ear infections :) Soooo rest, fluids, and time should kill this beast.

Back to Texas

2011-10-12T15:00:00.004-04:00

The Hertels left us yesterday :(

mrrrrrr for lots of reasons.

My Baby Girl

2011-10-10T15:47:00.001-04:00

Then & Now

18 weeks preggo 4 months old
December 18, 2010 & October 10, 2010

Baby in Baby out - Amazing what 10months can do :)