2014.

Ringing in 2014 with Henry… Parker didn’t make it ’til midnight.

We are already ten days into the New Year!  2013 was {obviously} a crazy, great year for us.  I started the year out not pregnant, and then BAM… 365 days later, we have two babies.  How did that happen?

{Henry, Parker wearing their whales and continuing to refuse to acknowledge each other}

This year, I didn’t even think about making any resolutions, probably because I haven’t had time to sit down and think about it.  But if I *had* made any, I think they would have looked like this:

* Lose the baby weight, so I can wear all my old clothes again!  I miss my old jeans.  They are still too snug.  Even most of my shirts don’t quite look right.  I’ll get there though.. eventually.

* Be a good mom.  Duh.  My newest job is my most important goal this year.  I want to be the best I can for these little guys, so they know they are SO loved by their mom and dad.  I still find myself surprised to think that we are PARENTS.  That’s huge!

* Balance.  I go back to work next week {tear. for real. there have been tears.}  My heart is torn because I miss my job and my kids at school so much, but I can’t imagine leaving these guys everyday. Luckily, I have a great support system to help with this transition: Mark is of course helping to remind me that H and P are still going to do great, and that we will just give them LOTS and LOTS of extra love so they don’t forget about us during the work days.  My job is also rocking by allowing me to ease back into being at work, so I’ll start out working shorter days, so we can all get used to our new schedule.  And hey, summer break is only four months away…. we can do it!  And finally, I have so many great Working Mom Friends who have been helping me this week.  Hearing from other moms who do this everyday helps me realize that we are all going to be okay.  So a big THANK YOU to everyone who has been helping me get ready for this new phase of parenthood.

So maybe if I had made resolutions, those would have been them!

Now, on to what we’ve been up to lately!  We pulled out the Bumbo chairs last week, since the boys can hold their heads up better now.  These chairs rock.  H and P {mostly} really like sitting in them and looking around, which means I can have them both awake and happy, without having to figure out how to hold both of them! A win for Mom!

  Henry, Parker

The other day, I put the guys in their chairs after they ate and Parker immediately fell asleep.  He stayed like this for a good 20 minutes before I was convinced he really was going to stay asleep and I moved him to his bed:

 

Seems like lots of our photo opportunities are on the bathroom floor these days, like these two a few weeks ago.  Both Henry and Parker are strangely captivated by the bathroom and love to lay on the floor and stare at the walls and lights in there. So we hang out there. A lot. Don’t judge us.

Henry, my neon running shoes {had high hopes of working out that day}, Parker

Oh hey, in the bathroom again!  But we had just taken baths, so at least it makes sense this time.

Do your eyes hurt yet?  Stripes on zig-zag, ahh!  {P and H}

Henry, Parker - thinking about life

Henry is a snuggle bear.  Parker prefers to squirm, so snuggles are a little tougher with him. But this little cuddler is getting in some quality snuggles here lately.

This photo fooled 3 out of 4 grandparents!  Who is it??  The majority guessed Parker.  Wrong!  It’s The Hulk himself.  Maybe they do look more alike than we realize?

And…. that brings us to present day.  Lots of laundry, one crying baby and a rainy morning.  Guess I better get started!  Thanks for stopping by and checking in on us.  Please send me some good thoughts and positive vibes next Wednesday when I go back to work.  We’ll all need the prayers.  Heck, if I make it out the door on time, I will consider the day a success!