Moving Time

nooooo, we aren't moving physically just my blog.  :)

I've been wanting to do more blogging and make it more personal for a long time now.  My friend Jesse Peak over at www.goodgirlgoneglad.com was kind enough to help me get this new, beautiful blog put together and I'm so excited about my new "home."

Check it out!

www.lifeofamamarazzi.com

Some Changes are Coming....

.....but I will keep you in the dark for a little longer.  Nothing big just working on a new project I'm excited about!!!  And no we are NOT pregnant haaaa!
We have been playing outside so much more lately!  The boys go straight to the back door after snack and demand to go out.  :)  They love their mower and their water table and just being OUTSIDE!!!!!!!!

iheartfaces - Photo Challenge | Let’s Hear It For The Boys

BOYS.  This should be fun.  I have thousands upon thousands of pictures of my boys.  When they were five months old I had over 900 just on my iPhone.  I had to clear them to make room for more.  At the splash pad I took 170 pictures and we were there only an hour.  I may have issues, yes that is true, but at least it is a safe, healthy addiction to have and it captures moments like this.  :)

I love this picture.  I took it yesterday during our Father's Day celebration at our house.  After their nap the boys got to go outside to play.  It was over 100 degrees so we let them run around in their diapers.  Watching them chase their daddy and giggle and fall and repeat was quite the entertainment for the family. 

I Heart Faces

I love this blog and always try to remind myself to enter their contests for fun.  Here goes!

Bright & Vivid Challenge.  This is about as bright and vivid as my photos have been lately.  I'm currently working on using color more instead of typical b&w. 

This was Fynn leaning down to give his twin brother, Sutton, a kiss!!

Photography

I by no means think I am going to be some professional photographer.  I just love taking pictures.  I enjoy the process and the editing.  I hope to fill my house with beautiful photos of my children.

It all began with the Nikon D5000 my mother-in-law gave us for Christmas when I was pregnant with the boys.  Whe the boys were born I didn't have much interest in photography.....I was trying to survive each day.  As they got older and more independent I started playing with the camera more and slowly realized I LOVED taking pictures.  My sister-in-law got Photoshop Lightroom and let us use her # to play with it.....LOVED it. 

Tomorrow I start a series of classes to learn to use my camera more and better ways to edit my photos.  I'm really excited and I hope the result is amazing pictures!

Our New Favorite Place

Just a few miles from our house is an awesome park that we had visited last fall when we let the boys swing for the first time.  We discovered recently they have a splash park within the park and it is our new favorite place to take the boys!!!

Diaper Dance Party

16 Months Already Here

Today my babies are 16 months old.  My friend said, "just wait you will be planning their 2nd birthday before you know it."  THAT I am not ready for just yet.  My husband absolutely cannot wait for time to go by (at least he says that) because he wants to do fun things like take them to baseball games, play catch, etc.  I just want them to come snuggle with me!  Is that so much to ask? :)

It seems like they learn something new every single day. 

Fynn (Fynnie) - he behaves so well and minds his mommy and daddy so well!  I just say his name and he comes as fast as he can.  He is currently a dancing machine!  He has 3 moves.  The side step.  The squats with the fist pump.  The spin in circles.  Sometimes he does all three in a sequence - side step, squat with fist pump then spin in circles.  Repeat.  It's so cute!  He even gets a very concentrated look on his face.  He LOVES TV - or I should say Sprout.  He loves to stack cups and put things inside other things.  He has his ornery moments, like jumping all over our sectional sofa.  Literally leaps and jumps head first into the cushions.  That scares me.  He likes to point and say gibberish as if he is telling me about something important.  He likes to say "ball" and "this" and tries to say "cheese."  He will of course say MAMA!!!  :)  Fynn is not a fan of new foods and is VERY picky!  He won't eat meat but will eat salmon sticks and tofu. 

Sutton (Bubba) - He might be the most passionate child I have ever known.  He just lights up the world with his cheesy grin and giggles.  His laugh comes from the belly.  He too is a dancing machine but he pretty much just jumps up and down and spins in circles.  Sometimes he will throw in some twists and flails his arms.  He still says, "uh oh" a lot but says more words than his brother.  He tries to say "thank you" when handing out toys.  He too will say MAMA!!!  This boy  LOVES his Kiki (my mother-in-law) and when she is around that is who he wants.  He's my good eater....will eat most things we put in front of him or at least try it.  Sutton is still our little climber and his all-time favorite game is hide-and-seek.  He will open cabinets just to hide behind the door.  He loves peek-a-boo too. Both boys LOVE books and will bring them to you when they want you to read to them.  They will also sit and flip the pages and pretend to be reading themselves.



With my Kiki

They are still on the same schedule for the most part. 

Wake at 8/8:30. 

Eat Breakfast - either scrambled eggs with cinnamon raisin English muffin or french toast sticks (we LOVE Earth's Best) or Oatmeal with pureed fruit (peaches, strawberries, banana, etc.)

9-11 Play or run an errand

11-1 Nap (Sutton sometimes is allergic to sleep and fights it for 30 minutes or so)

Lunch - something different but usually a protein, cheese, whole grain and fruit

2-4 Play or we run errands (grocery store, Hobby Lobby, etc.) Now that it's nice out we can go outside but we need more outside toys and a fence.

4 - Snack (whole wheat toast with hummus, fruit, etc.)

4:30/5 - 6/6:30 - nap (Sutton is hit or miss with this one)

7/7:30 Dinner

Play, Bath & Bed at 8:30

I'm thinking of trying to cut them both down to just one afternoon nap but I just don't see them staying up until noon without some hysterical fits.  I tried it one day and lunch was a disaster.  We will see how it goes over the next few weeks. 

These two boys light up my every single day!  I got teary-eyed the other day when I said the words, "my son."  I still look at them and THANK GOD for them.  It still doesn't fully sink in at times that I am a mommy.  I. AM.BLESSED.

Well.....Hello

When did life get so busy?  Oh, that's right....I have 15 month old twin boys, I work in my husband's chiropractic office and now I've signed up to sell jewelry for Stella & Dot.  LIFE.IS.HECTIC!
We have walkers on our hands!  They started walking right at 14 months....right after my last post.  They just started walking and haven't stopped!  Jason and I are having so much fun with them.....every day they seem to have grown so much and it's going by so fast.  Jason gets excited because he can't wait to teach them things....like baseball, football, etc.  I just wish they would snuggle like they did when they were tiny preemies.
But, I have to say it's amazing have twins.....they just love each other so much and they kiss, hug, play, talk....with an occasional disagreement here and there.  :)

Fynn - he loves to say "ball" and play ball.  He can put the ball through the mini basketball goal they got for their birthday.  He loves books and stacking things, always trying to figure out how everything works.  He loves to give kisses and try to copy everything we do!
Sutton - he loves to carry stuff around and pass things out....he always brings me toys and then says, "thank you!"  It is so cute!  He is obsessed with climbing onto and into everything...tables, sofas, etc.  He loves to talk!

Both boys sleep so good and have since they were babies....to bed at 8:30 and up at 8-8:30.  They are still napping in the morning from about 11-1 but trying to fight the afternoon nap.....some days they take one, other days they don't.
They are pretty good eaters.....Fynn is a bit picky but he is slowly getting better.  He will pick up something new and put it in his mouth ever so cautiously, then spit it out, then realize he liked it.  Sutton can't get food in his mouth fast enough!

Still........NO

Yes, my boys are 13.5 months old and STILL NOT WALKING! 
Sutton could if he just gave it more effort....he just likes to crawl because it's faster.  He took 3 steps at Kiki & Pappy's house but that's it. 
Fynn could walk if he would JUST......LET......GO!!!!!!!!!  He is obsessed with walking.....but he has to hold BOTH your hands.  He will come over to someone sitting, grab their hands and want to walk.
Just because they are not walking does not mean they are not smart. 
I've taught Fynn to say, "my mom" and I.LOVE.IT!
They babble a lot to each other.  I'm positive this is "twin language."
Sutton has learned to climb into thing.....on things.....and through things.  Oh joy.  Sarcasm.

13 Months

I literally blinked and the last month has flown by!
The boys are SOOOO close to walking but just can't get the courage to let go. 


Fynn
He LOVES to walk.....but he has to hold your hands.  He will come up to you while you are sitting and grab both hands like he is saying, "Let's go!"  He gets so excited!  He loves books and really likes studying how things work.  He likes to put objects in bigger objects - like their small toys, he likes to put them in their drum.  He likes to dance to music and sometimes will "sing."  It is so cute with his adorable little boy voice.  Fynn is my HAM when it comes to pictures!  He is such a good boy!! 

Sutton
Sutton is closer to walking than he will let on.  I think he just enjoys crawling and having people carry him too much.  :)  Sutton LOVES to play "chase" or "hide-and-seek!"  We have two baby recliners in the living room and he loves to play chase with mama and dada or even bubba.  He just laughs and laughs and that laugh is the most adorable thing in this world!  Sutton likes to bang objects together - he loves to take something and bash it on the coffee table.  And this boys loves music as well - he really waves his hands around when music comes on.  He also loves to hang upside down.....like I've always said, he is my dare-devil!

They are on such a great schedule now. 
8:00-8:30 - wake up and play in our cribs while mama makes breakfast. 
8:30-9:30 - breakfast - they are marathon eaters!
We play until nap
10:45-11:30 - go down for a nap and will sleep until about 12:45-1:15Lunch

Play or usually run errands with mama.  Tuesday and Wednesdays they go to Kiki's house (Jason's mom) so we can go to work at the clinic.

3:30-4:00 Snack

4:30-5:30/6:00 - nap (weird nap time - you would think they would not go to bed after this nap but they do)

7:00-7:30 Dinner

8:30 - Bedtime!  They get baths every other day. 

They are such great boys!  Oh, and we just enrolled them for preschool at a local church program for the next school year.  They will get to be in class with their cousin!

My Mom

Yesterday my mom would have celebrated her 65th birthday.  And this Friday it will be 12 years since her passing.  She has missed so much from not being here.......my high school graduation, both my brother and I's college graduations, my wedding, my babies, my brother's career........it truly SUCKS! 

When someone close to you passes people always say, "It gets easier with time."  THEY ARE LYING!  I was 18 when my mom passed and it didn't even hit me until a year or two later, at which time I was distracted with the fun parts of college and it always felt like I was just away from home and she would still be there when I was done.

Having babies made it really hit home.....there are so many things a mother does for her daughter when she gives birth.  There isn't a book out there that can tell you what your mom can.

My mom was amazing!  She just made everything FUN and never wanted to dwell on the negative.  She lived as if every day was important and as a mother she simply ROCKED!

She was involved in everything.....making my breakfast, driving carpools, packing my lunch with a sweet note inside......a card every week I was at boarding school......too many things to name. 

I hope I can be as dedicated to my kids as my mom was to us. 

I have to say I am very thankful for my mother-in-law, Kristi.  She has been so incredibly involved in my kids' lives and was such a huge help when they were born.  I can call her every day, ten times  a day if needed, to ask any question I may have.  I'm 100% positive God put her in my life since my mom is not here.

Our New House

March 16 is now the day we will get to move into our dream house!!!!  That is if weather cooperates.  We've already been delayed from Blizzard 2011. 

We stumbled across this model home about 3 years ago while out looking at some neighborhoods.  We were home visiting from Kansas City and trying to figure out what area we would like to move into once Jason was done with Chiropractic College.  We LOVED this house!!!  LOVED LOVED LOVED IT!  The floor plan is perfect for us and our kiddos, it has every single feature we would want/need in a home without a lot of wasted space.  Plus, moving from KC our home prices were so much more reasonable.  If we would have built this house in KC it would have cost twice as much.

We will have on the first floor: entry, big den, formal dining, kitchen nook, nice open kitchen with butler's pantry, guest room with own bathroom and walk-in closet, master with sitting area, walk-in closet that connects to laundry room, study, half bath and the big framed windows.  :)
Upstairs we have a game room with wet bar (for juice boxes), two bedrooms, a large double vanity bathroom for the boys and an unfinished theater room, which we will do on our own down the road.
Best part - THREE CAR GARAGE!! :)

Let's hope we don't have any bad weather and March 16 is the day!  Or I'll take sooner if they can make it work.  :)

My Guys

These guys are my world. Plain and simple.
My husband is such an amazing guy. I know most wives say that about their husbands but those words don't begin to explain how I feel.
Jason is so caring and compassionate. He will lift anyone's spirits. He rarely lets much bother him or bring him down and always sees the big picture in difficult circumstances. He always keeps a positive attitude and encourages others to do so.
In the 11 1/2 years we have been together we have shared so many experiences together - some amazing and others not so much.
Through everything life has put us through he has always been my best friend and encouraged me through it all.
I'm not saying he is perfect....no one is. He may forget things from time to time. He may not love to clean and do dishes or laundry. He may like certain shows that I find annoying. He may get annoyed in traffic. And yes we may have a disagreement from time to time.....

BUT..........

That's about as bad as it gets. He simply rocks and I just want the blog world to know.

Pirate Party

no longer babies....

My boys are 1. How can this already be here?! It seems like just a few days ago I went in for my routine appointment at 3:00 p.m. and then rushed over to the hospital for them to be born. My life changed forever that day. Granted, it changed when we got pregnant and changed again when we found out it was twins but January 19, 2010 was the day that started our forever.

Fynn Stevens was born first at 6:14 p.m. weighing in at 5 lbs 6 oz. He looked like a cute, little old man. He was soooo loud when he cried and definitely let us all know he had arrived.

Sutton Eric was born second at 6:16 p.m. weighing in at 5 lbs 12 oz. He had mama's big lips and they were quivering. He cried too but not as much and not as loud.

That feeling of seeing your child for the first time is something that a parent NEVER forgets. It makes me tear up even right now. This overwhelming sense of pride, love, fear, hope all at one time.

All I wanted was to be a mother and in one day I got two gorgeous amazing sons.

Fynn has always made silly faces and has always been the entertainment. He was pretty feisty as a newborn but at the age of one he is my sweet, obeying, gentle, happy boy that makes me laugh and smile all day, every day.

Sutton was the most laid-back newborn I have ever been around. He slept through his first 3 months and was so quiet and peaceful. Now at age one he is my busy body that loves to get into everything and bash and smash and destroy everything! He is ornery and silly and loves to talk up a storm. He too makes me laugh and smile all day, every day.

For their first birthday I made them sugar free pancakes with some fruit, we played, napped and then went to Kiki & Pappy's for the afternoon so we could work. W had dinner at the house with Kiki & Pappy & Auntie Nai (Jason's mom, dad and little sister) as well as with Papa O (my stepdad). Then it was time for CUPCAKES!!!! Their first sugar!!! I've been dreading this day for a year! I want my kids to be healthy eaters so I was hesitant.

Fynn just started in on his but he was very proper and ate it like every other thing he eats.....one piece at a time. But the boy polished it off and loved every crumb.

Sutton cried. He was not sure what to do and didn't like having an audience. But Pappy, Mommy and Daddy all helped and he ended up loving it and he too polished it off....just not as clean as his brother.

The boys are learning new things all the time.....they love to clap and wave "bye bye." They have said "mama," "dada," "up," "bubba" so we are working on forming actual words but man, they love to jibber jabber!!!!

The birthday party is Saturday and I cannot wait!! I've had shirts made for them, custom banners, hats for them, their cakes will be so cute!!!