Brotherly Love

Some cute pictures of my boys playing together...Charlie loves to make Aaron laugh and he really doesn't have to do much to make that happen. Sometimes I have to ask Charlie to go in the other room when Aaron is eating because Aaron will stare at him and not eat a thing! It's really adorable. Enjoy!

Pictures from this past weekend...

Sitting up like a big boy in his highchair...hamming it up for the camera!

We went to a birthday party this weekend and Charlie had a blast...look at this awesome slide!

Aaron got in on the action at the party too!

My boys

We had a fun BBQ at my parents' on Saturday. My Uncle Norman (above with Charlie) was in town from Hawaii and my grandparents' (my grandpa Tutu is Norman's cousin) are still in town from California. So we had a big BBQ that was tons of fun and super delicious (my mom's cooking always is!).

Last year when Uncle Norman visited, Charlie called him Uncle Morman. My dad was hoping he still called him that...but he said Norman this time. Then we wondered if Charlie would always call my dad "Gampa" or eventually call him Grandpa...we hope it's always Gampa!

Bode and Norman

Uncle Norman with my Tutus

This trip accomplished something big for us...we decided what the kids will call my tutus. Charlie picked tutu for my mom and Gampa for my dad...so that's what they are to the kids. We gave them the name "Makua" to use which I think means elder in Hawaiian...not really sure...guess I should have been paying attention! So Charlie now calls my Grandma "Tutu Makua" and my Grandpa "Gampa Makua". It works! Even Bode can say Makua...yeah he's talking like crazy and now pooping and peeing on the potty. Overachiever!

Charlie really enjoyed the chocolate cake!

There was a great guitar and singing session with my other grandpa's (my mom's dad) old guitar.

Aaron and Tutu...showing off his two bottom teeth!

I love this picture! My mom and my little man!

Aaron had his 6 month check up today and he weighs 17 pounds. He's 40% for weight, 60% for length, and 70% for head size. He's doing so much more this past week...he can roll both ways now and rolls on purpose to get to something. He sat in a tri-pod sit for a few seconds on his own on Saturday. The pediatrician is pleased that he is meeting his bigger milestones on time for a 4 1/2 month old (which is what he REALLY is, and although he still has low tone and still has head lag and all of that, he's finding ways to make his body do what he wants it to do. He reaches for his bottle and helps "hold" it and really is doing so great! Hooray!

Tomorrow Charlie moves up to the half pint class at school. He's nervous and doesn't want to change classes but all of his classmates are going with him so it will be fine we hope!

Watch us on TV!

NBC 10 (Dawn Timmeney to be exact) came to our house last week to do a story on Alex and his vision (lack thereof) and how he is coping, the visionwalk, etc. It is airing tonight (9/9/09) on the 11pm news during the health segment, and re-airing tomorrow (9/10/09) during the 5:30pm news. Watch us and let us know what you think. Because we have yet to see it, we have no idea how it will turn out (does the camera really add 10 pounds...if so can they put a disclaimer that I just had a baby...six months ago, but still!). We are hoping to bring awareness to degenerative retinal diseases and the Visionwalk and the foundation fighting blindness. Stay tuned!

Labor Day Weekend at the Beach!

We went to Dewey Beach this weekend for a big family fun-filled time! It was alot of fun. My grandparents (my dad's parents) are in town from California to meet Aaron and Bode...and see Charlie who was 10 months old last they saw him. Christy and her crew were there and my parents were there as well. It was a full house but it was alot of fun and there were lots of hands in deck to help hold kiddos!My grandma tutu holding Aaron...he loves to snuggle!

My grandpa tutu holding Aaron...

Bode and Charlie playing before bed...the got along soemtimes but mostly just yelled, "no mine" back and forth. Bode started daycare and knows the concept of mine and Charlie doesn't understand that Bode is alot younger than him. He doesn't understand that yelling back at him does nothing more than make Bode yell even louder! I find it cure and I know that they will get along once they are more on even ground. It took Charlie and my nephew Ethan a long time to play well together and they were only 9 months apart. It wasn't until the last few months that they are pretty even developmentally and can play well together. So I know the day is coming, it will just take time!

Snuggling with my favorite big boy. He has been such a snuggle bug lately and I love it!

Trying to get Bode in on the action

Grandpa tutu with both of my boys

On the beach...Grandpa sleeping in his chair while Grandma helps Charlie with his banana

Aaron was a trooper on the beach. We had great weather again...low humidity, 80 degrees, lots of sun. He slept some and played in his chair some. We got about 3 hours both saturday and sunday on the beach...not bad!

One last shot of me and my adorabel nephew while we were out to eat.

Aaron passed out during dinner...ahhhh!

I enjoyed some great running while at the beach thanks to Alex and my parents for watching the boys. I have been running regularly for the past month now and I am hooked again. I've been trying to run 3-4 miles at least 4 times a week. At the beach I had one 5 mile run. It makes me more relaxed, and I certainly feel better about myself once I am finished! Running was always my therapy, but ever since I trained for the marathon last year, I almost forgot that runs didn't have to be miles and miles long. Three miles is plenty and doesn't take up the whole day. I almost got programmed to think that the miles had to be 7-10 per run as they were at the end of my training. So now that I have my mind back where it needs to be, I am enjoying running regularly again. Alex and I talked about doing the Philly half marathon this fall...we'll see! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Charlie's trip to the dentist

Charlie had a dentist appointment last week. He's been before but was rather young and was totally freaked by the chair and people with masks. Because he was slow to talk (thanks to poor hearing...) it was hard to communicate to him what a dentist was and what happens there. So he's older and wiser and more verbal now so we went for another appointment. It went really well. I'm trying to take him to the same lady that sees Alex and I so I don't have even more doctor's numbers to deal with and more places to go. We'll see if this works...if not I'll switch to a pediatric dentist. Dr. S is really great and she used to see all the kids at this practice. First she gave "James" a drool bib like Charlie had (above picture)...she scored major points for that!

Then she used her tools to count James' teeth and buff his teeth before she did Charlie's

He liked the cool glasses he got to wear and he liked using the mirror ro see inside his mouth and wanted to see inside Dr. S's mouth too.

Overall it went really well. I had my appointment first so he could see it all done then he was in the chair. His teeth are great and we'll go back in 6 months!

Happy 6 months baby boy!

More random toughts from my oldest...

The other night while having dinner:



C- "mom, can I ask you a kestion (quiestion)"

me- "sure buddy, what's up"?

C-"um (while tapping his finger on his chin), are you thinking what's I'm thinking?"

me-"uh, I don't actually know" (I'm laughing at this point)

C-"oh, ok, I justs wondering that"



On the phone with him while Aaron was in the hospital:

(Aaron is crying in the background)

C-"is that my little teeny brother making fuss noises?"

me-"yes buddy, Aaron's not feeling well but we'll be home soon"

C-"oh, ok, you can tell him to be quiet cause I love him and he'll be feeling all better real soon"

me-"thanks sweetie, sleep tight, I'll see you tomorrow"

C-"wait just a minute, my daddy has to finish talking to you, he says he wants to talk to you, hold on just a minute mommy, good bye, here's my daddy..."



I was hysterical!