Will You Be My Valentine?

I'm making my forever Valentine dinner tonight!  We're having ciabatta bread with balsalmic dipping sauce, New York Strip steaks, salad, Italian roasted green beans and pan seared scallops.  For dessert we'll be having pink pudding with oreo topping.  I'm hoping Danny will have a glass of wine with me but I won't hold me breath. ;-)

Marissa made Daddy a card today:

~*Happy Valentine's Day*~

Thursday Quickie

I had my 6 week PP check up yesterday.   I can't believe that Dylan is going to be 6 weeks old tomorrow.  Half my maternity leave is already gone.  Dylan has slept through the night twice, but last night he was up at 1:30 AM and again at 6:30 AM.  I still can't complain too much.

Just a few pics of D:

Drink It In

It's not just coffee I'm drinking up today.  I woke up a few minutes before 6:00 AM this morning and realized that Dylan didn't wake in the night (he gave a solid 9 hours last night, though I only got about 7 hours of straight sleep).  I jumped out of bed and checked on Dylan to make sure he was okay.  Sure enough he was all nice and cozy in his swaddle, snoozing away.  I figured while I was up I would go ahead and pump.  I climbed back in bed and snuggled Danny for a bit while I waited for Dylan to wake up.  He finally woke up around 6:40.  I went in and fed him in the glider and after he was done he fell asleep on my chest.  Normally I would bring him back to our bed and doze in and out of sleep until Marissa wakes up.  Instead I decided to soak up the quiet, Dylan resting on me, giving a little grin as I rubbed his hands and whispered sweet nothings to him.  Taking in the sweet baby smell.  Before I knew it the sun was up and it was no longer dark outside.  It's moments like that you sometimes take for granted.  You get so busy with schedules and to-do lists and you forget to drink in life, your sweet babies, your husband.  Marissa greeted me with a sweet "hiiiii" and a kiss as I got her out of her crib then she proceeded to tell me all about "Teddy" and Minnie Mouse (her two lovies she sleeps with).

So drink it in.  Take a minute to enjoy the day.  Stop for a second and be thankful for what you have today and worry about what you don't have another day.

I took this photo a few days ago.  Dylan and Daddy sleeping, they look like twins. :)

Who Needs Football...

...when you have these sweet faces to photograph?  I tried to do a sibling session today with not much luck...but I got a few of Marissa and Dylan.  She thought she was pretty cool holding Dylan, but then she got squirmy and the session was over. 

This was a re-edit from when Dylan was about 2 weeks old.

In Daddy's Hands

Momma's boy 

*Yawn* This is boring, mom.

Sweet, squishy baby 

So sweet 

Sibling Love 

Gosh, I love this sweet face! 

Saturday Photo Shoot

It's a lazy Saturday, we're all still in our pajamas, sipping coffee and taking photos of our sweet babe.  Dylan is growing and changing so much.  Here's a few photos I took today.  I'm no expert but I'm happy with how they've turned out. 

P.S. My photog friends...I'm sure you could pick apart my edits but I'm trying. :-)

Photo Fun (When I Should Be Sleeping)

It's getting late and I should be sleeping...instead I'm trying to learn how to edit photos using PhotoShop Elements.  Let's just say I've had a few choice words during the process.  I am the least patient person, ever.  And I am technically challenged when it comes to learning new things, especially when a computer or a remote are involved.  

Before:

After: 

This one is Straight off of Camera (SOOC)

After editing:

I know I have a lot to learn and not much time to devote to learning...but I'm excited to expand my knowledge and skills.  What do you think?

In all seriousness, I have  to get to bed.  Good night blogger world.

Almost Silent

I am sitting in an almost silent house; with the exception of the washing machine running diapers and a grunty baby sitting next to me.  Marissa is at the sitter's today to visit her friends.  I'm enjoying a hot cup of coffee without the sound of Mickey Mouse on in the background and enjoying just a few minutes of "me" time.  Not that I don't love my time with Marissa and Dylan, but I just need 10 minutes for me.   It's glorious.  Though I will soon peel myself off the couch to shower, put away laundry, vacuum, dust and steam the floors.

Right now my life revolves around my children.  I've become the person that everyone hates; the mom who only talks about her kids.  I'm sure my friends (especially those without children) don't really understand.  I don't have extracurricular activities, I can't just pick up and go out for a drink or pull an all nighter.  Heck, I can barely stay up until 10:30 on a good night.  Even having a friend over for a cup of coffee or a glass of wine without interruptions is impossible.  I don't have time to sew, scrapbook or do things that make me who I am.  I want to make time to learn more about photography so that I can capture these sweet faces that I see daily.  The sweet faces that will grow up all too soon.  I manage to snap a few photos a couple times a week.  Between waiting for good lighting in our house, nap times, story times, meal times, play times, laundry, dishes, chores and temper tantrums...I pull out the camera for a few minutes and then it's time to put it away again.  Most of my photos are of a sweet little toddler running away from the camera and a little boy who is either sleeping or looking to eat.  

This is my life.  I'm a mom to two sweet babes that have made my heart grow a thousand times over.  I love it and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but I'm still entitled to enjoy a few minutes of silence here and there.  

Dylan is sleeping from about 9:30 PM until 4:45 AM, which is AWESOME (and I know I shouldn't complain)...however, and a big however...he is then awake until about 6:00 AM.  I feed him, change him and get him back in bed but he doesn't sleep.  He grunts.  He doesn't cry, just grunts.  And grunts...and grunts, which makes it impossible for me to fall back asleep.  Then around 6:00 AM we've both had enough and I bring him into our bed and try to get another hour of sleep before Marissa is up.  I hope he figures it out soon because I am not friends with 5:00 AM, at all.  

We've had a few beautiful days this week.  I bought a double stroller off of craigslist and have been taking the kids on walks in the afternoons.  A little exercise and fresh air is good for the soul. 

Anyway, what is a blog post without pictures?  Without further ado...

Marissa feeding Dylan a bottle.  Marissa had a long bottle strike so we've been giving Dylan a bottle a day so that he is comfortable taking it when I go back to work.  So far, so good!

 It takes precision skills to hit the mark.

 There we go!   Good job, Marissa. 

 Marissa being sweet to baby brother during tummy time.

 Refusing to look at the camera for mommy.

 I could take pictures of his eyes all day long.  They are gorgeous!  

Perfection.

I was able to snap a few pictures before he went back to this...Marissa was trying to help but I decided it was time to put the camera away. 

I was able to catch an action photo of Miss Priss.  I promise I don't neglect her.  It probably seems like I only take pictures of Dylan, which isn't true...she's just a moving target and doesn't sit still for the camera that often. :)