January & February 2011

Rather than bore everyone with babble, I am just going to post pictures so I can catch up to present! ENJOY :)

Will LOVES playing outside...

one of the few winter days when it was not too cold to be outside!

Daddy reading to both boys!

Samuel LOVES when William talks to him :)

Anything to keep him occupied...LOTS of play-doh

Thank You Molly!!

2 weeks old

3 weeks old...and William with a cold -

At this point we all had colds :(

1 month old (and an outfit I LOVE)...

Thank You Schoening Family

again 1 month old!

a very tired big brother!

Happy baby :) he really enjoys lying like this!

sounds asleep...enjoys sleeping on his stomach(at the time he did)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Super Hero Squad - a must around here

tummy time on Mommy & Daddy's bed

Will cannot wait until Samuel can play with him

tummy time again(7 weeks old)...he really does enjoy it!

(so different than his brother)

Our boys :) Will would like to hold Sam all of the time...

now Sam is almost too long for him to hold!

Home sweet home

Luckily we were able to leave the hospital 2 days after Samuel was born! The next few weeks were tiring; both from having a newborn and from adjusting to having 2 children and trying to appease(I use that word in the most way possible) everyone(including the dog)! Luckily, Michael is very helpful around the house and with the children and dog, so at least I have help. My mother was in town two times within the first few weeks and with my in-laws just 10+ minutes away it seems to me that this time was an easier adjustment (for ME).

William has done very well welcoming Samuel in to our family and house...never once has he said to take him back; he did say something about where we "bought him from", but never asked us to return him! I think having 2 children is hardest on the first child, not the parents...trying to spend time with the first child and give them the love/affection and attention that they need and deserve...definitely the hardest part of parenting two - in my opinion. Now that Samuel is almost 3 months I am getting a hang of it...spreading myself between the two boys and also now being able to interact with them as the three(me, Sam and Will - during the day) of us, it has been great!

Going HOME!

Duke greeting Samuel

Daddy & his 2 boys

William holding Samuel (maybe the 1st time)

setting up new shelves in the playroom

(Will loves helping - with anything, really)

Tim holding Samuel

(a little refresher course before Julia's arrival)

Marisa's turn...

they were both pros...no refresher course needed

Will & Eric playing

(he loved having someone there to "be with him")

very proud of his train set-up

1 week old!

Hospital visitors

I have to admit that I have not been very good at remembering to take pictures this time around. We have a lot of pictures of Samuel, but I feel that I have neglected the camera much more with him than I did with William. Hopefully as the days pass, I get a little more sleep and get a better hold on parenting 2 boys, the camera will be at my side so I do not miss anything (or in the case of visitors, miss taking a picture of friends and/or family meeting Samuel and visiting William)! Along with the visitors in the below pictures, my good friend Angie (Samuel's godmother) came to meet him as did my Matthew and Jenny!

Aunt Caroline meeting Samuel

Grandma holding Samuel

Grandma & Grandpa visiting with Samuel

Great Grandma Moeller meeting Samuel

PK meeting Samuel

I'm a big brother!!!

William came to the hospital with Daddy(who was able to go home and at least take a quick shower) on Monday morning to meet his brother. A hospital room is definitely not a place for an almost 3 year old to be entertained, but he did very well.

meeting his baby brother for the 1st time!

Iron Man from his baby brother

giving Samuel a kiss

already a great big brother - checking on Samuel!

touching his *tiny toes*

enlarged by 2 feet...

Samuel James was born at 12:18am on Monday January 3! Honestly, his delivery was PAINFUL and not the way I had imagined the birth of my second child, but he was born healthy and happy - as a relative word(a few bruises and swelling from the speed of the delivery, but otherwise happy)and that is what matters. If nothing else, I have quite a story to tell about that morning (and the 2 hours the previous night).

8pounds 3oz. and 20.5"

finally holding Samuel :)

all clean after his hospital bath...

you can see the bruising on his face and lots of swelling

Proud Daddy (again)!

Finishing 2010

It has been forever since I have updated this, but didn't want to bore anyone, including myself, with trying to catch up completely. Below are just a few of the pictures taken in December 2010.

a little pep talk while waiting in line for Santa

William's new favorite thing - HOCKEY

helping Daddy shovel snow

making cookies with Grandma

opening presents at Grandma&Grandpa's house

Christmas day at home! (Super Hero Squad - very popular)

practicing "bottle" feeding

Happy 2nd Birthday Will

We celebrated Will's 2nd birthday over the last weekend in February! Neither Michael nor I can believe that he is already 2 - how time flies. It is amazing how fast they "grow-up" and how they develop and change in really no time at all. We have picture albums GALORE of the past two years and Will loves to look through them and see pictures of baby Will :)

On Saturday our house was filled with 7 children ranging in age from 6+months to 3 years. It seems like all of the children had a blast playing and eating cake (lunch was great also, but I think the children preferred the cake)!

On Sunday, we had more of a Moeller family party (which included our wonderful neighbor, Sandy). But before they arrived, Joel and Elaine stopped by to give Will his gift and to play. Will had a great time playing with them - I don't think there was on ounce of shy in him while they were here (usually he is pretty shy at first). I think that party was crazier than Saturday and Will was the only child! Cake again was a big hit...carrot cake this time - YUMMY!