Morgan and Grayson

Grayson's 1st Birthday

2010-07-21T12:29:00.002-04:00

My cutie little boy turned one last month. Sadly, the computer was not up to uploading pictures at the time. Here is a brief recap. Not the angelic "first birthday cake all over the face" picture I had in mind...it is more Braveheart than Birthday. That is what happens when the fabulous Sesame Street Cupcakes are smeared all over. They looked so good on the plate, such rich colors, just not so good on the baby.

Clearly, he had Elmo.

July 4th week and New Hampshire Vacation- Summer 2010

2010-07-17T13:44:00.005-04:00

Storyland! We had so much fun! Morgan's favorite ride? The roller coaster!

Morgan and Harper at the parade with Uncle Dave. They loved to collect candy.

Sticking our feet in the river in New Hampshire, not as cold as I remember.

On the train in North Conway, Morgan took this photo.

My handsome boys.

It was hot!

What We've Been Up To

2010-03-11T07:57:00.002-05:00

Gray is advancing his diet. Yum, Yum, Yum! Mo is flirting on the edge of the Princess craze. She love to wear her "tinkerbell".

The weather has been nice, we have been playing outside. And yes, Morgan picked her own outfit.

Cowboy Morgan

2010-03-10T20:27:00.003-05:00

Aunt Susan and Uncle Pete brought Morgan her own original Justin Cowboy hat. It fits much better than the dishpan she was wearing.

Yee-Haw!!! Grayson!

Two Babies; So Similar, So Different

2010-03-10T18:28:00.003-05:00

Grayson in the tubby, 8 months. Morgan in the tubby, 8-9 months.

Baby in a Sunbeam

2010-02-08T08:50:00.003-05:00

There is something about a baby in overalls sitting in a sunbeam, a holy spirit moment.

Tubby for Two

2010-01-31T20:23:00.002-05:00

Grayson is able to sit up well enough to tubby with Morgan. Bubbles were on hand for the special event. This time of year our tubbies are usually the Aveeno oatmeal variety.

Daddy Brought Him Home

2010-01-30T20:11:00.002-05:00

Morgan is over the moon about Daddy's surprise gift. The pictures tell the whole story. Paul brought him/her home from the hospital gift shop. Paul has been talking about how much Morgan would love this stuffed friend. When he opened the door, giraffe in hand she shouted, "My Giraffe!" Love at first sight.

Princess Dance Party

2010-01-25T15:55:00.002-05:00

Harper has 3 or 4 princess dresses. Dressing as Tinkerbelle is Morgan's favorite thing to do at Harper's house. I told Morgan on the way home last night we would "hit up TJMaxx to find her a Princess dress." She told me it is "not nice to hit your friends, Momma."

Percy Pony

2010-01-25T15:50:00.004-05:00

Aunty Chrissy has a new pony. Morgan wants a pony someday...and a pig, and a cow, and a dinosaur!

Princess Pizza

2010-01-23T17:11:00.000-05:00

Princess Morgan and Zoe

2010-01-23T17:04:00.003-05:00

Morgan and I have a wonderful friend, helper and "big sister" in Zoe. Mo loves her and asks for her everyday. Morgan is also fond of her new "princess" skirt. I sneak in at midnight to take it off; she insists on wearing it day and night.

Happy Birthday to Mommy!

2010-01-14T20:15:00.002-05:00

My birthday was last week but I am just getting around to posting a picture of my lovely cake. It was soo good. The frosting was the super sugary make your teeth itch kind. Love it! I have high expectations for 2010. 2009 was a bit of a rough year in our house and I am hoping this one will be smoother sailing. And some darling pictures of our little girls. They are too cute. Hard to believe they are a year apart?! Morgan caught Harper in height; and not to disclose her secrets, but Morgan has her beat by about 13 lbs.

Happy Holidays!

2010-01-03T17:55:00.004-05:00

Santa made a stop at our house. He ate his "Santa Cookies" and chocolate milk. We made the trek to Edaville and Morgan enjoyed the rides. She loves to play/eat in the snow. We did some yummy holiday baking. What a wonderful holiday!

Christmas Cousins

2009-12-13T17:51:00.003-05:00

Benjamin (6), Harper (3), Grayson (6 months)
Paxton (1), Jacob (8), Morgan (2)

Morgan Loves the Leaves!

2009-11-18T09:45:00.002-05:00

Halloween 2009

2009-11-18T09:45:00.001-05:00

The Zoo Choo-Choo

2009-11-03T12:13:00.001-05:00

A trip to the zoo would not be complete without a ride on the Zoo Choo-Choo. Gray (in the bucket) had his first ride last week.

Dear Aunt Susan and Uncle Pete,

2009-10-11T17:54:00.006-04:00

Welcome to our blog. Now that you have high speed internet, you will be able to enjoy our blog. We had a wonderful visit. Morgan loves the ponies and can not wait to have one of her very own!
Love, Morgan

Evening Play

2009-10-11T16:56:00.002-04:00

Paxton

Harper

Morgan

First Family Vacation

2009-10-11T16:49:00.002-04:00

Our first vacation went well. We spent Friday at Aunt Susan's in New Hampshire and two days at the Holden's home a little more to the north. The weather was chilly and rainy but the four of us had a great time. Halligan stayed with Auntie Susie and Grammy and had a vacation of his own.

Grayson & Morgan

2009-09-24T13:38:00.003-04:00

Our blog has had a very quiet summer. It is hard to keep a blog going with no computer at home. I eagerly await the holidays, when I can allocate some money for a "Mommy Computer". In the meantime, there should be a slight increase in blog activity, Grammy just got a new computer. Grayson is growing too fast, wearing 6-9 month clothes at 3 months. Morgan just grew 3 inches and can now open the freezer...oh joy. I went back to work two weeks ago and we are starting to settle into a routine.

Friends

2009-07-17T10:59:00.004-04:00

My friends Sarah and Kelly came over to play with their kiddos. So Fun!

Grayson's First Tubby

2009-07-17T10:55:00.002-04:00

With Morgan! She scrubbed his hair, Daddy helped.

Fourth of July

2009-07-17T10:49:00.003-04:00

Check out Morgan's 4th photo from last year in the side bar on the right.

Healthy Little Guy

2009-07-17T10:46:00.003-04:00

Grayson Paul Duhon

2009-07-17T10:37:00.003-04:00

Our baby boy arrived four weeks and four days ago. Grayson Paul weight 8 lbs 10 oz and was 21 inches long. He arrived 7:49 in the morning on Tuesday, June 16, 2009. He had some breathing troubles and after 9 days at Children's Hospital in Boston and 4 days at Charlton Hospital in Fall River; he came home on Sunday, June 30th. He is now a healthy, happy little guy.

A Morgan Update

2009-06-02T15:36:00.003-04:00

Morgan is no longer afraid of the fire engines. She now loves to "drive" and tries every truck in the garage; the bigger the better. We brought her to see the fire trucks and Daddy in action at a recent house fire. Every parent brings their children to working fires- don't they?!

On a recent hot day, Mo and Hal hit the pool. He loves to drink from the hose and lie in the pool at Morgan's foot. In the end, it is always more a mudbath than a pool, but they are both happy.

New Stroller! The wonderful people I work with gave us a Baby Sprinkle and we got a fabulous double jogger. So exciting! I barely had it in the door and Morgan was asking for "Vroom, Vroom!" SB got to ride shotgun- per MP's request!

Hot Tubbing

2009-04-26T18:11:00.000-04:00

The outdoor waterslide pool was a little chilly today. Everybody warmed up in the "warm tub".

Pictures of Cousins

2009-04-26T18:06:00.001-04:00

So much LOVE!

Visiting Daddy

2009-04-21T14:34:00.004-04:00

We visited Daddy at work yesterday. MPD is starting to love the fire engines.

Best Buddies

2009-03-22T19:25:00.002-04:00

Ready for the Pool

2009-03-22T19:20:00.000-04:00

Little Miss Mommy

2009-02-11T22:32:00.002-05:00

Morgan loves to feed her baby doll its "ba". She carries "baby" around by her hair. Hopefully her new sibling won't have much hair.

Hooray for Morgan!

2009-01-30T21:23:00.003-05:00

Today Morgan took her first independent steps. Mommy and Daddy were at work, but Nanny Deb caught her on video. I got an excited call from Deb this morning announcing Morgan's great accomplishment. So proud!

This is Definitely My Child

2009-01-25T19:49:00.003-05:00

Tye-dye t-shirt, purple cords, little hiking boots (all slightly stained), yummy tummy, crazy hair...this is so my kid.

Daddy's Idea

2009-01-19T20:00:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, Paul told me that Morgan fell out of the computer chair. To be more exact Morgan and the computer chair fell over. Apparently, she sits in the chair like a big girl and watches "Spo Bo" on the computer. I was upset yesterday and told Paul she was way too little to sit alone at the computer. Today, I watched Daddy set her up and she played for 10 whole minutes. Valuable time for a tired Mommy. Maybe it is not such a bad idea.

My New Sweater

2009-01-19T19:56:00.002-05:00

Aunt Susan in New Hampshire made me this wonderful sweater and hat. So cute! It had to go back on Christmas on account of my large cranium. The neck was resized and it fits perfect. This very cool color is called watermelon.

A Morgan Update

2009-01-15T10:10:00.004-05:00

So much has happened in the last four weeks, except for blog updates. The updates were hindered by a few factors. One, MP is obsessed with the computer. If you are at the computer, she attacks your legs and insists on sitting on your lap and watching SpongeBob. Thus, no computing while MP is awake. Second, I am so tired I was going to bed when Morgan went to bed, anywhere from 6:30-8:00, no energy to update the blog after bed.
But today is different. We are on day 2 of nap in your crib, night in your crib (Yes, we have tried before). New baby is only 5 months away and Morgan needs to be able to nap and sleep at night alone. I miss my snuggles though, so morning wakeup (anywhere from 4-6) means back in the big bed for snuggles. She is doing very well. I credit Grampy and Nanny Deb for helping us transition. I am so proud of her. I hope to post solo sleeping pictures soon but don't dare wake her up. This is her new Dora Ball pit. Thanks Deb! She loves to hide in the ball pit and feed the balls to Halligan. It creates the most incredible static hair. Her entire head of hair stands up.

Here she is standing up. She practices walking with Daddy.

She loves this house that Santa brought her. She runs through the door and slams it behind her when Mommy tries to catch her.

The Duck

2008-12-10T21:35:00.001-05:00

Morgan has fallen in love with the tub duckie once again. She can now climb in and out on her own. She loves to sit in the duck while she reads her books.

A Walk in the Snow

2008-12-08T08:12:00.002-05:00

Miss Morgan loved her first snow. We went for a walk and played in the front yard.

First Steps

2008-12-03T21:43:00.003-05:00

Morgan's little legs are hard at work. She took off yesterday with the help of Lion. Nanny Deb was there to see it happen. I still think it will be a little while before she takes off solo, but not too long.

A Monday Update for Auntie Chrissy

2008-12-01T14:04:00.002-05:00

Harper J. still sleeping going on 3 hours... Paxton D. decided to nap...

Morgan P. awake, having lunch (in her defense she did nap for 45 minutes all by herself)...

Miss you! Hope you come home soon.

Daddy is So Handsome

2008-11-30T08:08:00.001-05:00

The Quest for the Christmas Photo

2008-11-26T15:18:00.000-05:00

One little girl, one red wagon, and one golden dog; the quest for the Christmas photo continues.

In Case You Were Wondering

2008-11-17T09:19:00.003-05:00

Still scootching! She can pull herself up to stand but no steps.

What We've Been Up To

2008-11-13T08:28:00.006-05:00

The pool is being rebuilt. At first we were aghast at the estimate, but seeing as they are into their fourth week of rebuild I guess it is a lot more work than I thought. Scary looking, isn't it? Rody! Auntie got a hand-me-down Rody but H-doo already has one, so she gave it Morgan. She LOVES Rody! She really liked riding Rody at Auntie's but now has her own! I should have put him in the way back for the ride home because she insisted on holding him all the way. (Please notice the extreme tip-toe action for maximum bounce. When she's done, she just hurls herself onto the carpet.)

We Did It!

2008-11-01T20:46:00.004-04:00

I put Morgan to sleep in her crib. There was no crying, no arm clawing, no big stress. Yes, she laid down with her bottle and Yes, her crib is still in my room but she fell asleep in her own bed. I did have to lie next to her on our bed and I positioned her crib so that she see me and it "felt" most like we were co-snuggling, except for the big bars in the middle. There were 37 minutes of Shhh-ing and back patting when she was upset, the rest I just lied there and pretended to sleep. She'd sit up, I'd lie her down. She'd stand up, I'd lie her down. (It was hard not to applaud and reward the standing, standing is big deal for Morgan)

We did it! Way to go Morgan P! We have a totally new nighttime routine. It started tonight! Bath at 7:30, Jammies on in the living room (used to be in our room, jumping on the king size bed), two books and 8:00 bed. Someday, I'll lie on the other side of the bed, then not at all, then there will be no bottle, then a new room...the possibilities are endless.

In case you have not heard her latest stats, Morgan is 31 3/4'' tall and 27lbs 7oz. She is as tall as an 18 mo old and as heavy as a 2 year old, says her pediatrician.

Morgan with her breakfast taking in some tv (home with Daddy).

Halloween!

2008-11-01T20:42:00.002-04:00

When I got home from work last night, I was wondering why the jack o'lantern was in the front yard. One look at the camera and I figured it out. Morgan made the cutest monkey. Trick-or-treat.

Monday Madness

2008-10-27T15:04:00.002-04:00

Paxton is really loving his turn at the Jumper-roo. The blue lizard is his favorite. They have long conversations.Toe Jam Puppet Band had a Halloween Party today. Off we went with costumes in tow. Morgan is a Monkey. Harper only wanted to wear part of her dragon costume. As with every other Monday, Chrissy's children have taking naps- mine has yet to nap.

Move Over Halligan

2008-10-27T14:54:00.002-04:00

After months of trying, Morgan finally made if over the lip into Halligan's crate. She was very excited when he climbed in right behind her. She wasted no time in closing the door; declaring this "play fort" for her own.

Happy Birthday Harper!

2008-10-24T07:23:00.004-04:00

Miss Harper-doo is TWO today! Harper Birthday Harper!

We love you! So much growing in one year!

Pumpkins!

2008-10-20T08:21:00.002-04:00

We went with Harper and Auntie to pick pumpkins yesterday. It sure was chilly outside. Morgan rode another tractor! She expressed her joy with lots of arm flapping. We rode out to the pumpkin patch, picked out the perfect pumpkin and rode the tractor back. Little pumpkins for our pumpkins'.

Morgan's First Haircut!

2008-10-17T13:58:00.001-04:00

Before: During:

After:

Happy Birthday Uncle Timmy!!!

2008-10-15T09:02:00.005-04:00

One day late- sorry!

Morgan's Vacation

2008-10-15T08:32:00.009-04:00

Pictures of our trip, in reverse order.

The night before we left we stayed at the Hilton. Morgan appreciated the high quality bedding and the "baby-friend" that offered at least 7 minutes of entertainment. Due to Mom's bad planning, Grammy had to shell out $11.57 on milk for nighttime bottles. Oops.

We went to a Scarecrow Festival went for a wagon ride, through a corn maze and played in the corn box. It was a 15'x15' "sandbox" but filled with CORN! It was the coolest thing! You sunk like quicksand. No matter how hard we tried to bury them, Morgan's toes kept sticking out.

We went on a tractor ride. Please note the vast, flatness in the background. You can see for miles here on flat ground.

On vacation I tried chocolate pudding and Coca-Cola. Thanks Uncle Luke!

Aunt Lisa gave me and Alayna matching "sprouts". My first up-doo.

They have swings here too!

2008-10-10T20:03:00.001-04:00

We found some swings not too far from Uncle Luke's house.

Morgan Travels the USA

2008-10-10T19:25:00.004-04:00

After a one-hour delay at the airport we were off. Morgan, Grammy and I flew to Chicago to visit family. She was a super, good girl on the plane and even took a nap. Mr. Monkey was along for the ride.

This is Morgan with her 5 cousins. She thinks they are pretty neat.

Hooray for Pumpkins!

2008-10-06T14:47:00.000-04:00

Because She Turned One Today...

2008-10-01T21:08:00.004-04:00

She had the smallest amount of milk with her Cheerios and ate with a spoon.
She had two bottles with whole milk, no formula.
We took her to the zoo and let her wear the sticker.
She weighed 26lbs, 5 oz.
We hugged her extra tight, gave extra kisses (though I think everyday we give extra hugs and kisses).
We talked to her about her Grampy and how they share a special day.
We prayed.
We got her a balloon.
Her cousins came to dinner and we had ice cream cake.
We realized it has been 365 nights with her sleeping some portion of the night in our bed.
We tried (again) to put her to sleep in her crib.
Daddy snuggled her to sleep in our bed.

Happy Birthday Morgan P!!

2008-10-01T07:26:00.006-04:00

So much growing has happened in the past year, it sure flew by. So far, she has celebrated by waking up an hour and a half early and drank 8 oz of whole milk. Such a big girl!

We love you so much!

"Ahh Mummy?"

2008-09-29T13:22:00.002-04:00

When Harper is looking for her Mom, she tilts her little head to the right, holds both hands up in the air and ask "ah mummy"? After a mommy-daughter hanging out day yesterday, I have entertained many "ah mummy" today.

"Harper, Mommy is working, she'll be home soon."

"ah daddy?"

"Working."

"ah Momo?"

It has been a Monday full of questions. It has also been a Monday with Uncle Paul's help! Yippee, Paul is home until 3 PM before he goes to work- Hallelujah! I was so excited and he helped so much that at 1 o'clock I told him to go take a nap before work. Naps in our house are more valuable than gold, silver and platinum combined.

We made it to Toe Jam Puppet Band today!

Don't worry Mom, she was just washing the mud off- and that is not Paxie yelling in the background.

Goody, Goody Gum Drops

2008-09-27T21:24:00.003-04:00

We have matching Pajammies!

Working on her Spoon Skills

2008-09-27T21:18:00.002-04:00

These still shots don't do Morgan's spoon action justice. She is getting quite good. What skill! Double fisted, spoon in one hand, sippy cup in the other!

Our Newest Love

2008-09-22T22:29:00.002-04:00

Now that it is cooler, late afternoon trips to the beach are no longer an option. We have been going to the playground in the center of town. I wanted to share a few of my favorite pictures of Morgan. She was frustrated our last visit, she is starting to notice other kids walking and running and realizes her mode of travel is different. My heart broke for her, but soon enough she will be keeping up.

Can You See It?

2008-09-22T22:21:00.002-04:00

Look close, under her left eye, Morgan's first toddler injury. No, she was not walking, she was scootching. A faceplant into the wooden rungs under the end table resulted in this horrible, traumatic abrasion. She cried for less than a minute, Mommy cried slightly longer.

Still Scootching

2008-09-22T22:08:00.005-04:00

Morgan continues to perfect her scootching. Parents are the playground were awed by her skills- they were speechless. Don't worry, no splinters were found.

Swinging

2008-09-21T20:49:00.005-04:00

A trip to the playground in the center of town was our favorite part of the day. The girls enjoyed the swings, the slides and a bouncy dinosaur. Don't tell them it was a dino, Harper thought it was a beautiful "pomo" (pony). Sadly, no shots of the pomo. All hands were needed on children to prevent a fall. Morgan's pumping technique on the swing still needs some work.

Tonight's the Night

2008-09-19T21:35:00.003-04:00

On the eve of this crisp, beautiful, fall-like night it happened. The event we snuggle driven, cuddle loving parents have been waiting for- the return of the fuzzy, footy pajamas.

How to Eat Spaghetti

2008-09-18T14:26:00.006-04:00

For a few moments I thought she was going to be stained orange.

(Please notice the every helpful red friend at the bottom right of screen.)

One of my Favorites

2008-09-18T08:08:00.002-04:00

This picture was taken October 15, 2007. We were headed to the Fire Station to see Daddy. It is one of my favorites.

What a Day!

2008-09-18T07:21:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was super busy and fun for us. We started the day with a hike. Daddy carried Morgan in the backpack and Halligan came too. We then went to visit our friends Kelly, Leah and Dan. Dan was napping during the picture. Dan was very good about sharing his toys and playing with Morgan. Leah is 3 weeks and so very sweet. Sarah was also there with Connor and Andrew. The twins are now 8 weeks and getting big fast. Sarah is my mommy-hero. Not only did she travel from an hour away with the boys, she made multiple visiting stops and ended the day off with a spur of the moment look at a potential new house. We ended the day with dinner at the Holden's, yummy, yummy. All that and still, Morgan did not fall asleep on the way home.

First Driver's License Photo

2008-09-16T22:09:00.004-04:00

Harper and Paxton

2008-09-15T16:47:00.005-04:00

A sibling moment in the baby gym.

Using the Spoon

2008-09-15T14:45:00.004-04:00

Morgan is getting the hang of using her spoon. For every feeding there are 2 or 3 complete cycles of spoon in bowl, food on spoon, spoon in mouth. Sometimes it is easier to spoon off the tray, so she dumps the bowl's contents out first- so smart! She has tried ice cream (her favorite), applesauce, pasta, and today she tried yogurt.

Happy Birthday Chrissy!

2008-09-14T21:31:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Mommy! We LOVE you lots and lots!

Too Loud

2008-09-08T18:52:00.002-04:00

The very nice neighbor across the street has been jackhammering out his front walk and driveway ALL day. Today at Duhon Day Care we learned "too loud!"

Toe Jam Monday

2008-09-08T14:51:00.004-04:00

Chrissy and Dave & Paul and I swap childcare during the week. It gives the girls time to play together (true, they are not short on time together lately). They watch Morgan on the weekends and (Paul and) I watch Paxton and Harper on Mondays. Before Paxton's arrival the girls and I would often find our way to the zoo to see their favorite band, Toe Jam Puppet Band. Unable to fit three car seats in the back of a Honda CRV, we now spend Mondays at home. We were very excited this morning to discover that Paxton is also a Toe Jam fan. His new fuzzy PJ's left him with a fabulous specimen.

Tub, Tub, Tubby Time

2008-09-07T08:49:00.002-04:00

Morgan has had a tubby partner for the last couple months. The sound of a running faucet and both girls run/scootch for the bathroom. Harper occasionally refuses to get in but the sight of Morgan splashing around is too much to resist.

Harper's Hair Salon

2008-09-07T08:37:00.003-04:00

The power went out last night around 9 PM. Morgan cried and cried, apparently still afraid of the dark. We had a few candles going. This morning, Harper wiped wax out of a candle and used it to "do" Mo's hair...Fortunately, it was a soy candle and hopefully will wash out with ease.

Morgan's Scootch

2008-09-04T16:49:00.002-04:00

She doesn't crawl, she doesn't walk but Morgan P. has a mode of transportation all her own. She scootches on her buttom and uses her legs for propulsion. She is getting quite good and travels the length of our house quite quickly.

Morgan's First Boat Ride

2008-09-03T07:04:00.006-04:00

On Labor Day Morgan and I went out on Uncle Timmy's boat. She was not too sure at first but soon decided she enjoyed the waves and wind. We anchored off a beach, swam to shore and spent time playing in the tidal pools. Morgan may have eaten a periwinkle, we are not sure. Jake and Ben helped Morgan establish her "sea legs".

Uncle Timmy has a new beard. He looks scruffy but handsome.

Morgan liked the view from the chair and kept reaching for the controls. Timmy would not let her drive.

Paxton's New Smile

2008-09-03T06:57:00.003-04:00

Paxton has been practicing his new smile! He is undecided between the closed mouth and open mouthed variety.

Morgan Hits the Beach

2008-08-27T20:47:00.005-04:00

The state has done some fabulous renovations at our local "little" beach. Being late summer and the sun not too hot late in the day, we have been taking Miss Morgan for some swimming. She loves to sit in the surf, kick and slap the waves, smear mud on her legs and suck on salty rocks. Today the waves were much too big for someone only a foot tall to sit in the surf, so we had to leave and go to the smaller beach. Morgan was hollering the entire walk over the dunes. She thought she was not going to get to swim.

Morgan's First Bicycle Ride

2008-08-27T20:39:00.005-04:00

Last week Morgan went on her first bicycle ride. We cleaned the bicycle trailer and loaded it up with toys. Her first ride was about three miles, from Grammy's house to the Holden's and around the big block.

We had to change helmets before we even left the driveway. Her helmet kept falling over her eyes.

In the end, riding the bicycle was too strenuous and Morgan needed to catch some Zzzz's before we got back. Overall, I think she really enjoyed the ride!

Rub-a-dub-dub

2008-08-16T21:18:00.002-04:00

four kids in a tub. I just could not say "no" to anyone. Everyone wanted to jump in with Morgan.

A Family of 7

2008-08-13T21:55:00.004-04:00

Our home has been filled with lots of activity. Chrissy, Dave, Harper and Paxton have been living with us for the past few weeks. Just when the roof was taken off for their second floor addition, the August rains began. They have had puddles, holes and lots of buckets in their roofless home. Spirits are high, however, the builders just finished two solid days without weather interruptions, today walls were completed and tomorrow they should have a roof. Fortunately, they won't be leaving anytime soon, there is lots of finish work to be done. Morgan loves having her cousins to play with all day, everyday. Thanks to Craig's List, we acquired this Kelty backpack for FREE! The woman who had it is married to a firefighter. We met to exchange the backpack for cash and both had our Firefighter stickers on our cars (a must for all FF wives), we chatted and she gave it to me and Mo for FREE!

Morgan had a rare treat and got to ride forward facing in Harper-doo's seat.

Paxton is doing his part by bulking up. At his four week visit he has already gained 3 pounds! He has made himself at home on the couch and really loves Morgan's bassinet. Morgan has made strides and now sleeps most of the night in her own crib (next to Mommy & Daddy's bed of course). She is doing well and even goes down for naps without too much of a fuss...most of the time.

No Pool Party Today

2008-08-07T14:11:00.005-04:00

A combination of icky, not super sunny weather and friends with a variety of physical ailments and emotional distress lead to postponement of the pool party. Harper took the day off from daycare to attend. She and Morgan have been making the best of it. They shared a "duck tour" of the living room and kitchen.

Harper shared her poplickle with Mo-mo. Morgan thought the coolness and taste was refreshing.

They were both sticky and decided on a dip in the heated indoor pool.

Happy Anniversary Paul!

2008-08-05T02:06:00.004-04:00

Today marks our three year anniversary! In the last three years we have added three college degrees, two more careers, a new house, a dog and Morgan. This day remains special to me for many reasons. It was a day of mixed emotion. Knowing I was marrying the man I loved was the easy part. Preparing to lose my Dad was the hardest. Love has carried us through some tough times. You are always there to grab my hand, stand beside me and support me when the going gets rough. We are blessed and look forward to the years ahead!
Happy Anniversary Chrissy and Dave!
Here we all smile while buckets of perspiration flow down our backs. Our dresses- picked for our fall weddings- were no match for this humid, super hot August day.

Move over Mr. Stick

2008-08-04T15:17:00.003-04:00

This afternoon Morgan met Mr. Broom. She scooted over on her bum for a closer look. It was love at first twirl. For those who don't know, Morgan does not crawl, she scoots on her bottom in a half crab walk maneuver. She won't break any land speed records but she gets where she needs to go.

Another Trip to the Zoo

2008-08-04T12:04:00.006-04:00

We are lucky to live very close to a great, small zoo. The girls love it! Today we abandoned the double stroller and brought the wagon. A lot of people loved our covered wagon and some small people wanted a ride- unfortunately, we were at capacity. Paxton cried all the way to the zoo in the car and then slept during our entire visit. We saw "elpants", "pomos" (ponies), cows, sheep, "shish" (fish) and bears!

We listened to Toe Jam Puppet Band- LIVE! Morgan and Harper danced a bit.

Paxton slept, tired from his crying in the car.

Wagons Ho!

Wedding Day

2008-08-02T08:49:00.006-04:00

Yesterday, our family friend Nicole got married. What a beautiful day! Morgan loves a good party. She was a ring bearer and the Radio Flyer was decked out for its trip down the aisle. She did very well. Apparently, she ate part of her flowers. I did not know until she spit-up later and I was wondering "when did Morgan eat lettuce?" I really enjoyed the Half and Half cocktails; half lemonade, half tea, a little vodka- lovely refreshment on such a warm day.

Fortunately for Harper there was room to stretch your legs.

Maiden Voyage

2008-07-28T21:51:00.003-04:00

Grammy bought Miss Morgan this fabulous All Terrain Wagon. Today Harper and Morgan took the wagon on its first journey around the block. Mommy pulled the wagon, while Auntie pushed Paxton in the strollie.

Beloved Mr. Stick

2008-07-28T08:38:00.006-04:00

It is now a routine. Every morning just after getting out of bed Morgan likes to sit in front of the sliding glass door and play with her newest friend, "Mr. Stick". Its true purpose is to lock the slider because the latch broke soon after we moved in last year. She practices twirling and javelin with Mr. Stick while watching Halligan and Tyler out the window. I figured he was too big to 'poke her eye out' and is relatively safe. We can always count on Mr. Stick for 10-15 minutes of entertainment. Any attempts to skip this vital morning ritual results in pointing, hollering and real tears.

Cousin Love

2008-07-27T21:34:00.005-04:00

We had a very special family gathering yesterday. Grammy's cousin Judy and her Aunt Ned came to visit from Indiana. Aunt Susan and Uncle Pete were here from New Hampshire. We had a fun, relaxing day of swimming, snacking and celebrating. The "little" cousins had a great day. Ben and Jake worked hard practicing their swimming. Harper helped to feed "Mo-mo" her dinner and Paxton got to be in his first cousin photo. He is looking especially "boneless" at 2 weeks old, next time we hope to capture his face.

A New View

2008-07-27T21:23:00.002-04:00

In hopes of curbing our struggling during diaper changes, I strategically placed Morgan's table in front of the window. She has already decided outside is a great place to be and now tries to roll out the window. She is checking out the view for the first time.

Harper-doo

2008-07-25T21:50:00.005-04:00

Miss Harper-doo is Morgan's cousin and her best friend. Chrissy and I hope they will grow up to be as close as sister. Harper always gives Morgan a sample of what is on her tray and even lets her ride in the back of her stroller. It's mostly hugs & snuggles...but the occasional thump on the head has been known to occur... Highchairs today, bar stools tomorrow; we hope their love and friendship will be as strong as their moms'.

The Squinty-eyed Smile

2008-07-25T21:40:00.005-04:00

After almost 10 months Morgan has gotten the hang of smiling for the camera. She firmly believes that her squinty-eyed smile is the best for taking pictures. Her "new" smile is her favorite. Mommy likes it almost as much as the squinty-eyed, tongue out smile.

Old Friends for Mommy, New Friends for Morgan

2008-07-24T08:28:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, Morgan had a very busy day. She visited two new friends, Andrew and Connor. I grew up with their Mom. I was impressed by how orderly and calm everything was at their house. Things were in total chaos here those first few weeks.

She then visited with some of Mommy's friends from Stonehill and their children. She loved hanging out with Mabel and Timmy.

Swimmy, swimmy

2008-07-21T11:54:00.009-04:00

Just of few tempting pictures of the pool. Pool party for Mommies and babies (Daddies too, if they don't have to work) is set for Thursday, August 7th. Suits optional- under age 5.