Alex

Alex, there has been and will be more posts about how you have and continue to beat all the odds despite being born three months too soon and with Spina Bifida. I am inspired daily by you (and your brother) with where you are today. It is almost absurd to me now to think about how much I worried about whether you would be able to walk or not before you were born.You have taught me what is truly important in life and it really has NOTHING at all to do with your legs.

But no this post is not about Spina Bifida or the fact that you were born at just one pound, 10 ounces. Because as miraculous as your beginning was, you are amazing simply because you are you!

Just like in the previous post about your brother Nicholas, It will be hard to narrow it down to just a few things but here are some of the highlights of what I LOVE about you!

Everyone that meets you comments on your thoughtful gaze. You've truly been this way since you were just a baby, as if you could really figure everything out if you looked hard and long enough!

oh, those eyes just melt me everytime!

and those lashes....

I love that YOU love books!!!!!

 we read them before nap

and before bed

but you bring them to us throughout the day as well

and keep asking for more!

 We have a soft bin of books that you easily pull over

and you seem to be looking for a certain one

and give a BIG smile when you pick one.

Your top 10 right now include anything that makes

mommy or daddy have to make animal sounds

or anything with flaps that you can pull and look to see whats inside.

 you love to help turn the pages!

 I love your curious side

 

Here Kitty, kitty!!!

I actually love that you are a contemplative, take it all in kind of boy.

my little philosopher

or is this "come on guys, I'm bored already!"

  I watch those eyes and can almost see that little mind working.....

I love your more serious side because it is that much more striking when you share your awesome silly side!!!

You do the funniest face when you're really having fun.

its your squinty eyes/nose face dialed up with something hilarious you do with your mouth.

I know, I can't describe it but it makes us laugh EVERY time

cracks me up EVERY time!

You are doing it a lot these days and its when I know you are at your absolute happiest

which ofcourse just makes MY heart sing!

I love how you sign "please" for everything

 

although it makes it really hard to say "no" to just about everything because you "ask" so nicely.

Ofcourse its also really funny when the rare chance we don't give in to your request for whatever "please" is for and you think if you keep doing it over and over, more vehemently that we'll give in. your little temper sure comes out. I even love that too!!!

I love that you are so in tune with your brother and ever since I can remember, you laugh or cry simply because he is. Often times I hear you start giggling out of nowhere and I realize its because you hear your brother in the other room laughing--gosh have I said how much I love that? The connection that you have!!!!

I LOVE that you have completely flattened your crib bumper on the side facing your brothers crib because he's the first person you look for and "talk" to as SOON as you wake up, and the last person you check on before finally giving in to sleep!!!

oh and froggy! You LOVE this thing.
It is well worn from all the chewing you've done to his poor little "feet".
You find it the second you get into your crib

 and if you wake in the middle of the night, you search all over for it,
until you find it, sooooo sweet!

We have been trying to teach you hugs
Froggy is the first and only thing you would "hug" for awhile.
You lean in real close and put your head down for "hugs".

You actually do that for Grandmas, and your daddy now
 but for some reason mommy wasn't on your approved list yet?
We'll talk about that when your older.
Until yesterday anyway.
You crawled over to me and put your head down on my leg
to give me "hugs"!!!!

and then wanted to make sure you got credit for this!!!!

you're a little stinker, I love you!!!!!

oh back to the cribs and brother love......

You constantly inspire me by your determination, your strength, your amazing sweet sweet spirit.

 Here you are supposed to be practicing your standing, but mostly you just want to climb right up into that chair, move out of the way Daddy, I'm going!!!

 Pulling yourself up on your knees all the time in your crib now!!!!

You got your wheels almost three weeks ago now.

I thought I would be sad about all this new "equipment"

but who could be sad looking at this face ever?

You LOVE your wheels. You crawl over and bang on the wheels

to tell me you want up and in!

You smile as soon as you start wheeling around.

and you've taught ALL of us "uh oh, move out of the way--

Alex is on the run!"

You've taught me that needing equipment isn't a burden,

its your FREEDOM!

I love anything that puts this smile on your face!!!

Here you are strutting your stuff in your wheels.

You are pretty fantastic. This is you only two weeks

after getting them. You make it look effortless the way you move,

turn around and speed ahead. I am soooo proud of you!!!

the only problem? trying to keep your brother safe

while little Mario has the floor :)

Nicholas is attracted to those shiny wheels like nothing else

and as much as you love your brother, 

when you want to go, you don't stop for any one :)

we use snack time so Nicholas is tucked safely away for a bit

of your wheels time. 

Really though, its a great thing to have to problem solve!!!!

I love that you light up when Daddy comes home, or heck even walks in the room. You are such a Daddy's boy and I'm not even a little bit jealous of that, partly because I think he's pretty great too!!!!

Honestly I love that you make people work a little harder to gain your smile, 

because its such a reward when you do and they know they earned something special!!!!

  

and I challenge any one NOT to laugh when you do, its soooo infectious!!!

Nicholas

I wanted to do a post not talking about medical updates or challenges but just about how amazing I think my boys are. I actually started this one several months ago but am finding it harder and harder to piece together more than a few minutes at a time (imagine that, ha,ha). There are few older pictures/videos in here that even though they are older are still really cute.

so here's one for Nicholas!!!! There are so, soooo many things I love about you Nicholas. It would be impossible to list them all.

But here's just a few.......

Every new stage is my FAVORITE stage
For the last several months
 you have been SUPER busy practicing moving furniture (a.k.a walking)

yep, you move every thing you can find thats not nailed down,
 slamming into any thing in your way, (these are from a couple months ago but sooo cute)



 But its when you are pushing things---using everything as a "walker" that you are at your absolute happiest!!!!

I love how you check in with me when you are about to explore something new to get my reaction....,

"I"m going to help you mama, okay?" "see this is me being super cute helping you,
 really how can you say no?"

It doesn't stop you..... but I love that you do it!!!

 I love how you are fascinated by every thing

and how determined you are

and that look on your face when you accompish something new

ah, ha, gotcha!

I love that you like to snuggle and that even in the middle of the day out of nowhere you will crawl into my lap to do so. No matter what kind of day I'm having, it absolutely melts me

(and I"m pretty certain, any one special enough who gets this gift!)

I love your serious, contemplative side when you are just taking it all in

I love how you stick your tongue out when you are concentrating on something

I love your "squinty" face and how you do it to make US laugh and yet it makes YOU laugh every time you do it too!!!

The crazy squeal you do when you're having a blast.

The familiar smirk that is sooooo your daddy

seriously, that smirk must be in the DNA

I challenge any one not to crack a smile when you are!!

Oh and ohhhhh how I love that your a mommy's boy

at least for right now

I'll try to soak up every second because I know

its not forever

 I love, love that no matter who's in the room, its me you look and reach for when you need comforting. such a powerful feeling being a mama. I love how you always reach up for whatever necklace I'm wearing to touch when you're getting sleepy or just needing some extra love. You've done this since you were a baby and its just your thing, its sooooo sweet.

 I love how busy, busy, busy you are and yet you always come back to me to "check in" with me throughout the running, like I am your home base. Its hard on others but I secretly (not so secretly now) love that you are so tuned in to me that you sense as soon as I'm not in the room and you go to seek me out.

I love that you look soooo much like your daddy yet you have my fiery "spirit" (a.k.a temper). okay I don't always love that but at least I know I'm in there somewhere.

 I read somewhere that once you become a Mother its like your heart beats permanently outside your chest. I totally get that now. I love you sweet Nicholas!!!

this was from a couple months ago but realize

I never posted. I think you need a dog in the future but

for now I love that you "walk" your car