Chapter 1: Motherhood

Thank Heaven for Little Boys

2012-01-29T21:41:00.001-08:00

I learned my lesson...

2012-01-27T20:36:00.001-08:00

There is no such thing as a good cheap hair cut! The girl who normally cuts Chris' hair was out of town and the boys were both way over do so I caved-in and took them to a cheap place around the corner from our house. Never again! On a positive note, the lady was a very nice Armenian woman and the boys made me so proud at how good they were...And, they had a lot of fun in the jeep booth and loved the lollipops they got. So all wasn't lost, even if the two look like the girl from Amelie now:)

On a side note...I had a very big proud mama moment today when we were leaving the playground and Chris went up to two very nice moms we met and held out his hand to shake both of theirs and said "nice to meet you"...their hearts were melted instantly, as was mine:)

Been Busy...

2012-01-20T13:36:00.001-08:00

Painting our house. After three weeks, our new beautiful home is finally done! Poor Papa Bill was worked way too much on this major task. Although I am very sad that this means we are very close to putting our house up for sale, I'm hoping the new face helps us get BIG money:) It will be very sad to leave our one-of-a-kind neighborhood, but sometimes life directions have to change. Maybe I'll win the lottery and will be able to pay off our home and add on:)

Front Door & Ascent Window-"Italian Leather"

New Olive Trees/Trim Cream Color-"Asiago"

Siding-"Coastal Villa"

Viola! (Could you tell I was dreaming of Italy when I chose these paint colors:))

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T20:16:00.001-08:00

We were very fortunate this year to have 10 fun-filled days with family/friends all the way up to Christmas Day. So much better than last year! Here's a look at the past week and a half of festivities...

(The Christmas Tree at the Tenaya Lodge in Yosemite)

First off, we were able to escape sans kids for a weekend with the Kasparians. We had an amazing dinner at the Tenaya Lodge one evening...fireplace, fresh mountain air, and all!

Christopher was really all about Rudolph this year

Shopping for our Christmas Meal with GG

Santa (Papa Gene) Putting the kiddos really cool Firetruck together

Christmas Cookie Monster (Uncle Phil sure makes Yummy Cookies!)

Christmas Morning Muffins (My Boys LOVE to eat)

Noah Bean and GG reading a book for the 100th Time:)

Nana and the Boys

Papa Gene and the Boys

Our Little Christmas Tree:)

Merry Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T21:02:00.001-08:00

Santa was very generous already this year...Having lots of fun with Papa Gene, Nana, and GG. Pics and details to come...

Lots of Fun...And, Not So Fun...

2011-12-07T14:09:00.001-08:00

This past weekend Pa Marracino came to visit and went with us to Daddy's Union's Annual Christmas Party. As you can tell from the pics below we had tons of fun! (besides Noah not liking the laps of Santa or Mrs. Claus:0) It was a good thing both that we had Pa here and that we had tons of fun over the weekend because we then all fell victim one by one to a terrible stomach bug. Poor Noah Bean was sick all afternoon until the evening Saturday. Chris went down Monday morning, mama and daddy to follow later that afternoon. Doesn't the flu shot cover all types of flues!

Cute Noah Bean and the Christmas tie Mom made him wear

The only pic I could quickly capture of these two together before one shot off

Bounce House Fun

Maybe Noah knew what was around the corner for him that day...

My Rock Stars:)

Boys and their Bikes

2011-12-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Even though I'm exhausted most of the time trying to keep up with these two, I have to say our days are mostly filled with a lot of laughter and silliness. It has been a long while since I've recorded much about their individual personalities as they are coming into their own, so here it goes...

Noah "Bean" (as we all call him) loves to give open mouth kisses that are very wet, but I love. He now thinks he can do everything Big Bro does. He is slowly starting to eat with a fork and spoon, but still mostly prefers those good old hands. Words he speaks...Mama, Dada, Bear, Football, Book, More, and Otter Pops. He is not a glow baby boy like his Big Bro, he loves his blankie. His favorite things right now are dirt, pebbles, books, and boxes...he also loves to vacuum like his Big Bro. I love all the above about him, along with all the curls he's getting in the back of his head.

Christopher is still as adventurous as ever! He LOVES to dance and rock out with his daddy on the guitar. It has been so fun so far this year because he really got into Halloween and is getting into everything Christmas now. He is my lover boy, always giving hugs and kisses to all and saying "hi" to random strangers all the time, a cute trait his Little Bro is picking up too. I LOVE his wild-crazy hair, especially after a deep nap:) His other loves are Light Sabers, his Steelers Bike, drawing, blocks, and singing Christmas songs (we know Rudolf, Jingle Bells, and Frosty the Snowman so far). I love that he wants to say goodnight to the moon and stars every night. I recently put glow in the dark moons and stars above his bed so he has his own night sky to fall asleep to every night now.

Happy T Day!

2011-11-24T20:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Even though our poor little Noah Bean was pretty miserable all day with a 104 temp (probably another darn ear infection:(), we were very happy to all be home together safe and sound. Actually one of the most relaxing Turkey days...

Love Fall Leaves!

Pumpkin Hats make even sick little guys smile

Big Bro Making Little Bro Better:)

Brothers

2011-11-22T20:12:00.001-08:00

Everything is so much more fun with two...Even brushing your teeth:)

Fun in Fresno

2011-11-17T20:33:00.000-08:00

We finally made a mini-trip to Fresno two weeks ago to spend some quality time with friends & family. The weather was amazing and the visit was very nice and actually somewhat relaxing...

Ahh...the grape vines

Chris & Grandma Aud had some good times together

Noah Bean & Pa Paul

I remember this story differently:)

Fun dinner plates at the Saroyans

Chris & Ella on an outside adventure

Lots of Giggles

So much fun!

Rock Star

2011-11-03T13:56:00.000-07:00

Do we have a rock star in the making, or has Chris just been watching too many Smashing Pumpkins' concert DVDs with daddy...you be the judge:)

Days with Daddy

2011-11-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

The restored carousel is up and running at the LA Zoo. A bit pricey ($3/ride), but so worth it! Daddy finally got a chance to venture with us to the zoo this week...I know the boys have been loving having him off work a bit more lately...Me too:)

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T22:21:00.001-07:00

Daddy's Masterpieces

Candy!

Games

More candy!

Candy Apples & Milk...Yum!

Pancakes!

2011-10-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

Bright and early this morning we headed out for the Kiwanis annual Pancake Breakfast. Our neighbor, Uncle Phil, was very kind to get us tickets. The best pancakes and bacon I've ever had! I think the boys agreed:)

38

2011-10-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

I'm getting up there! I couldn't think of a better way to spend my birthday than with a Pumpkin, Elephant, and Lion:) Oh, my! Spooktacula Times at the Bret Harte Pumpkin Festival...

Sweet Sunday

2011-10-16T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Latest STATS are in...

2011-10-13T14:28:00.001-07:00

Took the boys in for their 1 & 2 year check-ups. Chris clocked in at 26 1/2 pounds, 34 1/4 inches...While Noah, not far behind, 24 pounds, 30 3/4 inches. They both are in the 90% range for height which makes their Dada very happy. Both their iron counts are in normal range now. Chris again took two shots without a whimper. Noah managed pretty well too. Two otter pops later and all was good:) (Here are some recent pics of the boys)

20 years...

2011-10-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

We still clean-up pretty well for two mamas with two babies each under the ages of 3:) This past weekend was my 20 year reunion, can you believe! It was my first time away for 3 days and Clint's first time flying completely solo. Our reunion was a blast and I enjoyed having no agenda besides.

The Boys First Baseball Game

2011-09-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

Even though it had to be a Dodger's Game:0 It was so much fun taking the boys to a ballpark! Chris loves baseball like his mom, so I'm giving the Dodgers a chance. Please know A's you will always be #1 in my book, but demographics are ruling right now...

All the boyz

Dodgers vs Pirates Sunday, September 18th, 2011

I'm not sure what Chris liked more...the game or his Dodger Dog and Snow Cone

Monster Bash

2011-09-26T13:55:00.001-07:00

We are truly blessed! The party was a blast! Mostly in part because of all the love and help from family and friends. So I'm a little behind in posting pics, at least they are up in the same month as the party. There are still more pics to come. I made my first pinata that actually turned out pretty cool if I may say so:) The boys LOVED their cakes. It was a very relaxed, fun-filled afternoon watching the little guys in all their glory.

Yes, mom had to get her boys silly monster shirts:)

Noah doing what he does best so far, eating!

Riley is still all about the hugs & kisses

Noah discovering girl stuff

Look out world, I'm 1!

Chris playing with his favorite neighbor buddy Eli

Our Awesome Designer friend Susie and her man

Noah eating again

Auntie Cindy, aka Cupcake Queen

More Awesome Neighbors

Fun Friends

Big Boyz Golf

Happy Birthday Miracle Boy #1

2011-09-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

Can't believe my first baby boy is now 2! Finally got his haircut yesterday...I made sure a little curl was left in the back:) He now looks so grown-up. I'm so glad that we now share a common BIG love, the Beach! These pics were taken at sunset last night at Zuma Beach. We escaped the 106 temps in the valley to help Daddy finish a film project he is working on.

Happy 1st Birthday Noah Bean!

2011-09-02T19:55:00.000-07:00

In some ways it seems like centuries have past:) But in actuality, I can't believe my baby boy was born a year ago today! Many wiser moms than I coined it best..."the days are long, but the years fast". Poor Dada had to work as usual today, so one of our best buds Maggie came to play and celebrate with us. It was simply perfect:) In two weekends we will have the boys official birthday bash with family & friends...can't wait!

11/23 months

2011-08-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our babies are going to be 1 & 2 next month! Here is a picture we took for our church to post for our official induction. We almost look like a "normal" functioning family:)

Chris' 1st Trip to the happiest place on earth...

2011-08-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

Disneyland! The date was Thursday, August 11th. Rachel (over old beloved babysitter) came over to spend the day n evening with Noah and her little girl while Chris and I met my girl friend Jennifer and her family at D Land for some fun and adventure! I have to admit that I was a little nervous about the day...whether or not Chris would ride the rides, how he would do with a long day without a nap, and just keeping after him during the craziest time of the year. Well, the day was perfect! We all had so much fun!!!

Chris, Kaethen, and little sis in the background

We came across some storm troopers

R2...Chris' one toy request

Toon Town

Mama's Doing (had to get my boy Mickey Ears to mark the day)

This made the day in my opinion (watching Chris in awe of "It's a Small World") It melted my heart:)

Mini-Long Trip

2011-08-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

What started out as a mini one week trip up to the Bay Area with the boys to visit my family, turned into a long two week, I think, trip that ended with my poor little guy Noah getting a 105.2 temp with two ear infections. Both my boys have been attacked by these darn ear infections! Not fun at all. Besides the very scary temp and sick condition of my poor little Noah Bean, we had a fun time up until. Here are some pics from our adventure...

On the drive up...My mom & I were fortunate to find this kid friendly playground in Tulare at our halfway point for lunch

The Jungle! (What more can I say)

The boys and their Pa Pa (Christopher every morning asked for his Pa Pa first thing)

GG Clay and Noah (I know she enjoyed my boys, but they also wore her out:)

Chris and his Cousin David (boys, balls, and pool noodles)

Silly Noah Pre-ear infection and Cousin Lisa

Little Miss Kaitlyn (My best friend's newest addition)

Christopher Jumping to Nana in the spa/pool (Chris takes after his mama in the water department, he is a fish for sure!)

The Zoo

2011-07-21T15:48:00.001-07:00

One last thing we've been enjoying a lot this summer as well, the LA Zoo. And, we are so fortunate that it is just in our backyard! Today while waiting for our gal pals Lisa & Maggie, clueless mom discovered the petting zoo for the first time. Chris was in heaven...goats, lambs, a donkey and pony oh my! I would be posting those pics, but again, clueless mom left her phone charging in Noah's room after the 3rd attempt at getting him to nap. He's finally sleeping peacefully...now I'll get a flood of calls:)

The boyz

What's Been Cooking this Summer...

2011-07-20T14:33:00.001-07:00

Noah is almost walking and Chris still runs around like a wild man. Heaven help me! We've been enjoying our local surroundings mostly this summer so far, but getting ready for some fun trips up ahead. Here's a look at what's been cooking...

Cooling Off outside with Bear Dog

Eating Yummy Tomatoes off the Vine in Uncle Phil's Garden

Playing House in Sunday School

Otter Pops, lots of Otter Pops!!! (A Teething Savior:))

Water Fun at B-day Parties

Partying with all of Burbank Downtown at Her 100th Celebration

Fun, but CRAZY!!!

And, Bocelli...What would I do without this man! I've learned to put him on while I'm making dinner to avoid the hunger meltdowns that usually occur. If I only had a quick fix for every other meltdown:)

HE EATS PUFFS!!!

2011-07-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Trails & Triumphs...

2011-07-06T20:35:00.001-07:00

Today I took Noah for his 9 month pediatrician appointment, even though he is actually already 10 months:) Where does the time go! Almost 22 pounds and 3o inches long, this boy is going to be a big one Dr. Lang chuckled. Poor boy is teething badly, but weathered the vaccines pretty well. My big "Triumph" today was getting him to be able to finally eat some chunky baby food!!! Not sure if I have mentioned yet, the boy eats A LOT, but hasn't been able to transition to texture food like he should be able to for his age. Anytime I have tried to graduate him to 9 month baby food he gags or pukes up the food:( It is so clear that he wants to eat our food though! The doc gave me a referral for a Occupational Therapist for help. I finally made the call today and after a long conversation with the person who gathers all the health benefits information about first finding out what my health insurance will cover, I was determined that I was going to work this out myself! Well, I slowly snuck Noah a little Beef and Rice Pilaf Earth's Best tonight and he really went for it, so I slowly started to put more on his spoon. He ate almost an entire 9 oz jar! We did a little victory cheer, tomorrow...Chicken & Stars!

10 months

Anyway, onto my "Trial" for the day quickly. Chris now likes to run and jump on everything, including mama:) He also likes to do it when you least expect it...Well, tonight his surprise punched mama's big tooth through her upper lip. OUCH!!!! I actually cried and blood came gushing out. Poor Chris felt so bad, he kept kissing me and saying sorry. BOYZ! Will they ever learn the meaning of SLOW DOWN or GENTLE:)

Happy 4th!

2011-07-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

BBQ, Kiddos, & Cupcakes...What more do you need! We had a very relaxing 4th with Uncle Phil (Who scored big by bringing the yummy cupcakes!) and our good friends the Chamberlains (sans Sophie & Doug who is roughing it in Italy, boo hoo:).

Crazy Boys!

2011-07-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Beating the Heat!

Kids n Grapes

2011-06-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Well, my oldest prefers them from the vine and my youngest from the bottle:)...

They are part Italian:)

Swim and Snack Buddy

2011-06-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

Chris' new swim lesson buddy Mia. Mia is the daughter of a girl who I used to work with at Pietown...small world in Burbank, Ca!

I think I love these hoodies as much as the pjs with footies:)

Day 2: Kicking

2011-06-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

Fear has left the station. Today, no clinging to mama. We went straight to kicking and then quickly onto splashing.

Day One: Blowing Bubbles

2011-06-20T21:51:00.001-07:00

Today marked the first day of mommy & me swim lessons for Chris and I. Chris was very excited to hear that we were going somewhere to swim in a BIG pool. Once we got to the pool I could tell he was ready for water but practiced great patience while we listened to our instructor before officially getting wet. At first Chris held on to me with a tight grip (I'm always happy when Chris shows some caution because usually this kid has no fear!), but slowly began to relax once he was in the water after a bit. Today's Lesson: Blowing Bubbles...so much fun!

Chris in his swim gear

Chris trying to impress his friend Mia

The "BIG" pool

The silly towel hoodie mom bought for me:)

June Gloom Go Away!

2011-06-18T20:57:00.001-07:00

Even though the first half of our days lately have been filled with gray (even heavy drizzle yesterday!), we have managed to start celebrating summer with a few dips in our fancy backyard pool:)

Chris enjoying a snack after a dip in the pool

Noah has finally caught up in size and ability with his girlfriend Maggie...actually I think he is bigger now!

While Noah was napping, Chris kept begging for him in the pool. He finally got his wish! So cute to hear Chris ask for his brother all the time when he's not with us:)

Look Who's Standing Now...

2011-06-12T20:30:00.001-07:00

9 months and just a few days shy of 21 months

2011-06-02T12:55:00.001-07:00

Today is Noah's actual 9 month birthday! Chris will be 21 months in 5 days. My babies are almost 1 and 2! Where has the time gone? A good friend once said "The days are long, but the years go fast!"...I so get it now! I just put out our swing Grandpa Bill bought for Chris last year and Noah loves it, especially swinging high. It is so funny how these boys are so different because Chris has never really enjoyed riding in the swing, he's more of a slide guy:) So, Noah's new favorite things are crawling EVERYWHERE and swinging. Chris LOVES walking Bear. Needless to say we get a lot of exercise around here which I know is good.

Next week Clint and I start touring preschools for Chris, I can't believe it!

mini trip

2011-05-30T13:01:00.000-07:00

We finally took a mini trip to Fresno this past week. A lot of exciting firsts on this trip...Number one, Noah got to meet GG Kasparian for the first time. As you can see below, Chris still holds his GG very dear:) Secondly, Noah, as well as all of us, got to meet his new buddy Stanley Saroyan...2 months younger, but quickly catching up. We stayed at the Saroyan's new home which was amazing. They live on 2 acres with neighbors that have horses that daddy walked Christopher and Ella out to see twice a day...so much fun!

(On a side note, strangers are starting to ask if Chris and Noah are twins! Noah is so huge he will be Chris' size soon no doubt:))

GG Kasparian and Christopher

All the boys and GG

Stanley and Noah

Ella Saroyan and Noah

He's off and crawling...

2011-05-21T21:52:00.000-07:00

Noah started crawling forward this past week. He now can't sit still, I'm sooo in trouble:)

8 Months

2011-05-15T20:34:00.000-07:00

So, my little man is definitely not so little anymore. We had another amazing fun day with two of our favorite peeps, Lisa and Miss Maggie at Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena. Christopher had the time of his life with all the interactive water options. Noah starting to inch forward finally with his crawl, motivated by all the fun objects in the small kiddos' room. We spent most of the day their from 9:45am until almost 2pm. So much fun!!!

Noah & Miss Maggie

Chris nailing me with a ball as usual

Water...

And, more water!!!

Fun new things to chew:}

I was happy to learn that my oldest isn't the only one who makes such goofy sounds:)

Big Bro and a Day at the Arboretum

2011-05-06T14:53:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from these first two pics, it was a beautiful day at the Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia. It was our first trip and a great experience to remember and do again soon! Noah had fun with his girlfriend Maggie, but on to Chris...

I feel like I haven't spent much time lately highlighting what's going on with our Big Boy. These are a few if the many things I don't want to forget...1) When I have to give him Oragel for his teeth I tell him to chomp like a T-Rex and he growls at me every time 2) He blows kisses to EVERYONE & EVERYTHING when he says goodbye 3) He loves running wild through the sprinkler 4) He loves giving his little bro BIG bear hugs, even though it often knocks Noah over and ends up making him cry 5) Even more than bear hugs, he loves making Noah laugh 6) He's aka the "Kissie Monster" 7) He loves pouring sand on his head, I don't know why but it is so Chris! 8) He stops and smells EVERY flower he sees when we take Bear on walks (I hope he does this the rest of his life)...I must go, starting to cry:)

Geese!

A little young don't ya think:)

Beautiful Peacocks!

Wide Open Fields

He was out in under 3 minutes and took a 4 hour nap that day!

8 Months

2011-05-03T19:40:00.000-07:00

Our little man is finally crawling...Well, at least backwards:)

Easter Bunny

2011-04-25T13:29:00.000-07:00

Noah was all smiles for the Easter Bunny this year...

Chris said "hi", but had other planes...

I had my own little bunny to snuggle:)

Look at all those parents & kids behind me at Burbank's Spring Eggstravaganza this year holding their kids back before the egg hunt. It was fun but totally nuts!

Pre-Easter Fun

2011-04-23T12:39:00.001-07:00

Hay Stacks at the Zoo (I love this pic!)

Our Neighbor Eli at the Zoo with his Bunny Ears

The boys tolerating bunny ears at home for mom:)

Chris trial run egg hunt at home

Pics to come of the official egg hunt and Easter Bunny greeting...

Spring Break

2011-04-22T21:00:00.001-07:00

Despite ear infections once again:( We've been out and about enjoying our fortunate close surroundings at Griffith Park. This week we headed to Shane's Inspiration Playground and The Merry-Go-Round in GP with our good gal pals Lisa & Maggie and Wendy & Jenna. The Merry-G0-Round may be old, but it goes fast baby...So much fun!

Surviving Last Week's Heat Wave...

2011-04-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Noah's 1st Swing

2011-04-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

At 7 months Noah weighed in at 19 1/2 pounds, 27 1/2 inches! And, as you can see below, he liked his first swing ride. Guess who wanted to push...

Drum Roll...

2011-04-08T20:31:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing Noah's New Room and the Amazing Man who built it, Gramps...

More detailed Pics to come...

Happy 7 months

2011-04-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

Here's our little guy with his gramps, who has been working hard at building Noah's new room. He is getting sooo big! He's already wearing 9-12 month size clothes and is eating us out of our house:) Poor little boy is struggling with teething just like his big bro did, but he is still never short of smiles and giggles. His favorite person in the world is his big brother...I love to watch his face light up the minute Christopher walks in the room.

Silver Spoon

2011-04-03T21:04:00.001-07:00

What's in a name? Noah's new paint color...

Also, check out the new lighting! Carpet tomorrow...

Day 3- Sheetrock

2011-03-29T21:32:00.001-07:00

Day 2- The Wall

2011-03-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

My computer was sick yesterday:), so I'm a day behind on my posts. Here was yesterday's work...

Noah's New Room Construction Day 1

2011-03-27T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have finally come to the conclusion that my two boys are just TOO young to share a room if any of us wants sleep or sanity:). So, today marks the ground breaking day of construction to convert our garage into Noah's new sleeping space! With the help from Grandpa Bill, we are off and running. Here is a pic of the insulation laid in between the 2 x 4's that will hold the plywood for the new raised floor. Stay tuned for more pics and details as construction continues...

Bay Area Travels

2011-03-27T13:31:00.001-07:00

So, I'm terribly behind on my blog...Better several weeks late than never right:) We have been surviving two ear infections (Chris & Noah) and a cold (Me). Noah's first tooth is peeking thru!

Finally. here are some pics from our travels up north. We had a lot of fun with family & friends we haven't seen for awhile as you will see (I will try to add details to pics later when I have more time to figure out how to)...

Happy 6 Months Baby Boy!

2011-03-03T08:48:00.001-08:00

Yesterday our little man turned 6 months old. Despite the fact that he, and now his big bro, have a cold:(...he still manages to give the biggest smiles that will always melt my heart. We celebrated with a little trip to Travel Train (Outdoor Train Museum) to ride the "Choo Choo", as Chris calls it.

Both boys are now sharing a room. I'm not going to say that this transition has been easy, still a work-in-progress. I long for the day that Noah will start to sleep-in past 4-4:30am! Please! Please! Please! I still love you a lot baby boy!

Noah's First Sippy Cup

2011-02-26T19:22:00.001-08:00

He's a big boy now!

Made My Day...

2011-02-24T20:24:00.000-08:00

The Boys...

2011-02-16T06:07:00.000-08:00

Can you believe how big little Noahie is!

No Fear

2011-02-10T20:26:00.000-08:00

This week Grandpa Bill is visiting so we decided to take Chris & Noah on a little adventure to Griffith Park to take a ride on their Southern Railroad (a mile long trip through some of the park) and see if Chris would be interested in riding a pony. Apparently Chris has a little John Wayne in him because I thought for sure he might freak out some, but the boy was a natural! See the cowboy ride...

The shirt says it all!

It was bound to happen...

2011-02-03T14:44:00.000-08:00

Help! Both my boys are teething...

Chris is getting 4 molars all at once and Noah is getting his bottom two teeth...Thank goodness for Ibuprofen, Tylenol, and wine:)

Happy 5 Months Noah!

2011-02-02T19:58:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a little one's giggles:)

Need I say more...

2011-01-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

Other than the fact that tonight he also wolfed down his first jar of baby food...sweet potatoes...the entire jar! After two nights of him voicing unusual frustration while I fed Christopher, combined with him trying to grab my dinner plate...a light finally went on..."are you ready for solids?" And, the answer was a very clear gulping "Yes!!!"

Tribute to Noah

2011-01-27T13:50:00.000-08:00

Poor number 2 is so less documented. My sweet little Noahie is growing so fast. At four months we are already eating rice cereal, somewhat:), and sleeping through the night 7pm-6am...Such heaven! He loves his big brother so much and watches his every move. I can't wait for these two to be able to play together. We are so blessed with such sweet boys!

Enjoying the backyard breeze

Almost sitting up on my own

I think I like rice cereal

Noah's First Playdate!

2011-01-26T21:21:00.001-08:00

I'm a little behind...This playdate was over two weeks ago:) Any who, here is Noah with his girlfriend Maggie enjoying the Boppy playmate spread together. Miss Maggie is a week older than Noah. Noah still hates being on his stomach, but sometimes will rock from side to side exploring his new mobility. I'm in no rush for this one to start crawling:)

Recent Travels

2011-01-23T20:07:00.001-08:00

Last week I took my first trip solo away from my boys. Although I looked forward to the rest, I knew I would miss my little guys terribly. My trip was up to the Bay Area to spend time with my best childhood girlfriend Jennifer who just recently had a baby girl on January 6th. My trip was just what I longed for...relaxing! So without further ado...introducing baby Kaitlyn Marie Dennis and her older Bro Kaethen:

Tough Little Guy

2011-01-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

Today Noah and Chris had their 4-month & 16-month Pediatrician visits. Both boys got two shots and a finger prick. Poor little Noah didn't care too much for the injections in his chubby thighs:( Christopher on the other hand was a champ and didn't cry once after each injection, one in each arm. Our Big Little Guy was rewarded with his favorite thing, a smoothie!

Here are the STATS: Chris 23 pounds, 32 inches...Noah 17 pounds, 25 inches

Since I just posted a pic of Noah, here is a recent pic and some video of Chris...

Here's Chris riding the little "Choo Choo" Train at Travel Town

Here's our Golf Pro in Training

Number 2

2011-01-08T20:10:00.000-08:00

So, I really need to get back to being a better blogger. Poor little Noahie is definitely not getting the documentation Christopher got. But, my Jolly Little Giant today crawled a bit! He looked more like a caterpillar inching forward twice, but he for sure got those knees up and moved himself forward. Usually on his tummy he just screams after awhile but today I guess he decided to do something else about it:) I can also tell he's about to roll over from his back to tummy...and then scream I'm sure. My four month-old will probably be walking next week at this rate!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-28T13:10:00.001-08:00

Despite the fact that daddy was gone...I think the boys liked their Christmas gifts...And, as always, loved watching Sesame Street videos together:) (I'm afraid Noah already has a bad TV addiction:()

Merry Christmas Eve from the Kasparian Boyz

2010-12-24T14:47:00.000-08:00

Christmas Came Early tonight!

2010-12-23T22:03:00.001-08:00

It's way past my bedtime:), but I had to make note of tonight's big event. Noah went to bed for the first time since birth without crying the moment I put him down or soon after! I was so glad that I also had someone here to share the excitement with, "Uncle Phil". He has once again been such a saving grace while Clint has been out of town. Tonight we enjoyed amazing Chinese food together while watching the Steelers win a game...such a perfect evening for not having my poor-hard-working husband around!

My Adventurer

2010-12-13T20:26:00.001-08:00

3 Months

2010-12-03T09:07:00.001-08:00

Our little man turned 3 Months yesterday. Despite sharing a cold with his big brother, he is still full of smiles and spirit. It is so amazing to watch these two grow together and individually. Noah is our joyful soul, while Chris is the adventurer!

Daddy's Back!

2010-11-17T19:56:00.001-08:00

This is how happy both boys were to have their daddy home...Also, a trip to the zoo helped:) Yesterday we spent most of the day at the LA zoo. It was so fun watching Chris discover all the animals and I know Noah loved all the action too. I always say fresh air is the best medicine for kids and yesterday didn't disappoint. Last night Noah went down for the first time without waking up crying soon after and slept almost 9 hours! I guess we need to go to the zoo every day:)

Today, Chris had his 1 year check-up and was very brave like his little bro. So his STATS...22 pounds and 31 3/4 inches tall! He unfortunately has an iron deficiency so we will be supplementing that soon, but besides that all was healthy! Oh yeah, and he chipped his front tooth the other day when he crashed into the coffee table and didn't even shed a tear. Communication with Chris is getting easier every day now. It's amazing how much these little guys understand! I now ask him every night if he is ready for bed and when ready he shakes his head yes and heads for his room, how great is that! I love you so much BIG little man:)

2 months

2010-11-16T10:31:00.001-08:00

The STATS are in...14 pounds...23 3/4 inches!!!...Noah was brave yesterday at his two-month check-up only crying once after receiving two shots. He is growing so fast! Not looking forward to Wednesday, I've been avoiding Christopher's 1-year check-up because of how much more aware now he will be of the shots:( Stats soon for Big Bro...

Best Buds

2010-11-13T20:55:00.000-08:00

"It's Not Easy Being Green"

2010-11-09T20:22:00.001-08:00

I'm so glad that I got Chris this costume for Halloween and that we had several parties this year that he wore it to. If I could I would have him wear this costume everyday...The cutest Kermie ever, if I may say so!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-07T22:08:00.001-08:00

I think you will see from the pics below that we had a lot of fun in our neighborhood this past Hallow's Eve!

2 Months

2010-11-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a few days behind, but I figured I better post something soon before another month passes! Time is and isn't flying by quickly. There are days where I look at the clock constantly counting the hours down before both boys' bedtime. Then there are days where I look at both of them and think to myself based on their sizes "Where have the days gone!"

I have yet to take both boys for their pediatrician check-ups, but I will deliver weight and size info as soon as I manage to arrange their appointments. For now, here's an update on our Little Noah...who isn't so little anymore:

He's HUGE!!! Loves to eat like his big bro. Has the greatest smile in the world! Starting to really check-out his big bro like the picture below and often finds him funny. Loves to be held all the time. Sorry Mr. Noah that I had to start sleep training you early:(. Although he cries almost every time I put him down from sleep in my arms, he falls to sleep soon after and still wakes with a smile:)

A quick note about Chris...He now gives kisses on the lips and often gives his little bro several which is the cutest thing ever! He also brings snacks, blankets, and his sippy cup to Noah. On the flip side, he often squeezes poor Noah's feet for some reason which brings little tears to his eyes when mama can't stop the process soon enough.

Each day has its' ups n downs, but one things is for certain, we are soooooo lucky to have such healthy-sweet boys!

Agent Time?

2010-10-23T14:24:00.001-07:00

The other night Chris got his first taste of show business filling in as background for the feature daddy is currently working on, and I believe he LOVED it...See what you think...

Here's daddy looking on as his son manages to find the center of the action

Doing what he does best, Dancing!

Yes, we have some teeth coming in

Some Bean Bag play with our buddy Penny Chamberlain

Pumpkin Time!

2010-10-19T12:51:00.001-07:00

Last weekend the whole family heading out to Saugus for a day of Harvest Fun at Lombardi Ranch, a family ran pumpkin patch with lots of extras. As you can see below, Chris had a lot of fun picking out his first pumpkin...

Daddy Daycare

2010-10-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

Clint gave Noah & I a much needed break from big bro yesterday and took Christopher to work with him. This is how Daddy kept little man under wraps:) No, Chris had a great time and Noah finally got Mama all to himself for a day.

Rollercoaster

2010-10-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day! Not a perfect day, but a day where I didn't go shopping while the babysitter was here and contemplate never returning home:) Yesterday was such a day. I had not had decent sleep in over a week's time and it was definitely catching up with me. Even though we had our amazing Rachel here and I tried taking two naps, I was so tired I couldn't settle. After a very frank text to my husband, mama got a night of Ambien sleep out in the studio. Yes, this is what the times have come to! I know it sounds dramatic, but remember my company these days:) The fact that I'm eating dinner before 10pm and posting this blog is a major accomplishment tonight. (And, really forgive my spelling and grammar these days, my brain is mush!)

Below, the boyz chillin outside...

Bear Hug

2010-10-12T22:35:00.000-07:00

Christopher has now mastered the art of climbing up on the couch and leather chair. Bear for some reason is now allowing Chris to hug him, not without a snarl or two:)

Super Powers or an Old Soul trying to tell us something?

2010-10-10T22:04:00.001-07:00

I think it is the latter of the two. Noah has already turned himself over from his stomach to his back during tummy time. Are we in trouble or what? I wouldn't believe it if it wasn't for the fact that it happened right before my eyes, twice! I also have three witnesses now! At two weeks Noah turned himself over for the first time in front of my mom and myself. I thought maybe a freak incident, but no, just yesterday Noah did it again in front of my good friend Susie and Clint. For many reasons I have thought this little guy to have an old soul but now I'm convinced! I think this is his way of letting us know that he comes already equipped with many capabilities so..."Just chill out about the tummy time and let me take in my new life by lying on my back which I prefer":)

Brotherly Love?

2010-10-07T21:59:00.001-07:00

Poor Christopher has been having a heck of a time adjusting to mama's attention to new baby bro. An ear infection that wont go away doesn't help! There have been some tender moments between boys, but my days lately have been filled with a lot of tears...mostly coming from Chris:( Luckily help has come in the form of Rachel, an amazing new babysitter that has allowed Chris to have some much needed "mommy & me" time together again. The weather has been rainy so the pics below are from a recent mall outing and a quick jaunt in the backyard. Ah, to see him smile again...

One Month, here we are again...

2010-10-02T09:34:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our little Noah is already one month old today! He really isn't little anymore! As of last week he was already 9 pounds 4 ounces. He, like Christopher, LOVES to eat! So, I'm sure you can understand why it has been a while since I've posted anything...Just in case you can't understand let me give you some insight...Two babies under a year apart = a major juggling act! I now feel like I'm in boot camp for a gigantic circus act. Both boys have already master the act of crying at the same time, or should I say "screaming". Did I mention yet that Chris still has a darn ear infection that his last round of antibiotics did not attack! So, now big brother is on some stronger antibiotics that I pray take action quickly. Noah is having some stomach/sleep issues at night that we are working on. Christopher luckily still puts himself to sleep and sleeps all night even through little one's cries. Christopher also quickly took to his sippy cup with whole milk so I'm at least only doing bottles for one kid, I'm saying my prayers this continues...

Although in one day you can experience everything from a dead car battery, a flat stroller tire, a freaked out dog from thunder, and two babies screaming...I'm amazed how you can go from feeling like the worst mother ever to the luckiest person in the world! I'm also amazed at how I'm still functioning on such little sleep. Truth be told, I'm very happy to report that starting next week I will have help two days a week! I know this is going to be the best thing for me and the boys, mama needs her sanity:)

Here are some recent pics...Noah is an old soul with the sweetest smiles. Poor Christopher is suffering from some jealousy, but luckily I can still manage to get a giggle out of him. The last pic is of Chris hugging Noah. There have been a lot of sweet moments already with these two, as well as some frightening ones:) Oh boy do I have a lot of training ahead:)

Anniversary

2010-09-19T22:36:00.001-07:00

6 years...2 beautiful baby boys later...We actually made it out for a fun Anniversary brunch at Castaways today. We are very blessed!

Happy 1st Birthday My Baby Boy!

2010-09-17T21:59:00.001-07:00

Better late than never...Baby Noah ended up coming home from the NICU on Chris' 1st Birthday. Although Mama & Papa were very tired, we were very excited to have our entire family home to celebrate the birth day of our first baby boy Christopher Anthony. A couple of our close neighbors that are like family came to celebrate with us. The evening was perfect. Our very talented neighbor, Auntie Cindy, made Chris another amazing birthday cake. Chris had so much fun! I still can't believe my baby is one!

My Boys

2010-09-13T11:28:00.001-07:00

So I'm a bit behind on my blog, go figure:) I'm still trying to wrap my brain around taking care of two little ones. At least we have family visiting for the next several weeks so I'm not flying solo yet.

Noah LOVES his paci. He is a pretty mellow dude except when he's hungry. He doesn't like to go to bed early quit yet. My favorite moment each day is after he has been fed he always gives the biggest smile like the one above, usually his eyes are closed.
Chris LOVES golf! He spends most his days on the putting green with Grandpa. On this day above Daddy and Grandpa took him for his first round of golf which he loved. He's walking everywhere now. Some of his favorites are "Mum Mums" (rice cake snack), oatmeal, his guitar, the Millennium Falcon, and MUSIC! He loves to dance. He is getting so big! I can't believe that he is one already. Pics from his birthday to come I promise soon!

Noah's First Trip

2010-09-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

Noah's sun bathing in Hawaii. At least that's what we would like to think right now:) Our poor little guy had to go back to the hospital because of his jaundice levels. He now lies under constant light rays which seem to sooth him. He already is doing much better. We hope he comes home soon.

Brothers

2010-09-04T10:07:00.001-07:00

Hello World!

2010-09-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

Introducing Baby Noah...

2010-09-02T22:10:00.001-07:00

It was an intense amazing morning! I woke with sharp cramps at 4:08am. Just a little over 4 hours later at 8:14am this amazing little man was born, Noah Paul Kasparian. 7 pounds 11 ounces, 20 1/2 inches long. More details and pics to come soon...

Happy Birthday Buddy Simon!

2010-08-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

Since the last time Mama Chamberlain and I goofed and missed the opportunity to ride the kiddy train at "Travel Town", today we made a quick trip in honor of our buddy Simon's 1st Birthday! Simon is exactly one week older than Chris. Here the kids are taking a "Mum Mum" break...

Ah, and proof we made it on the train this time...

Best Daddy in the World!

2010-08-31T14:50:00.001-07:00

Thank heaven daddy has been off the past couple of days because mommy has not been so much fun! Not only is he the BEST daddy in the world, he's a pretty amazing husband. Chris, Baby Boy #2, and I are very lucky:)

Enjoying the fountain outside my favorite brunch place, "The Smoke House"

Quality Time on the Greens

Learning BBQ secrets

Any Day Now???

2010-08-29T16:10:00.001-07:00

Could it be? Nothing is certain, but I did start to feel a lot of cramping last night and today can barely move. I go to the doc tomorrow to see if anything is officially shaking down below, but my gut instinct tells me that it will be any day now...So, we figured we better take a few pics of my preggo belly now because I guarantee that I will not be preggo for awhile (at least 3 months).

Christopher's 1st Haircut

2010-08-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

Hair by Amanda D'Alfonso

So much Fun!

My New Little Man:)

We even got a Certificate to Mark the day!

Beating the Heat!

2010-08-26T09:36:00.001-07:00

We are so fortunate to have good friends that are making their way our way during this crazy heat spell. 105 degree weather go away! As if I wasn't already ready to get this pregnancy over with:) Anyway, here is cutie pie Paige Lorton who came over to play yesterday.

Monday's Update

2010-08-23T21:15:00.001-07:00

Went to weekly OBGYN appointment today and still nothing! I go back next Monday, but we did discuss the possibility of inducing early because of baby's size. So, unless this little guy decides to take action soon, it will be another week to see. I have to be honest that it is getting really tough to keep up with Chris carrying an extra 40 pounds around myself. I want to no longer be pregnant for sure, but I also have so much anxiety about having two little ones at once. Here are just a few of the worries I carry around with me...1) how will I manage the feeding demands of a newborn and be able to have the energy for Chris? 2) will Chris feel neglected by me, or worse yet, feel I don't love him as much? 3) what will this new family dynamic be like? 4) can I do this? Can you tell I'm very exhausted and hormonal:)

Anyway, moving on...To keep you updated with our latest outings and events. We went to a 1st birthday party on Sunday for one of the boys in our playgroup, sorry no pics. And, today Chris' buddy Dominic D'Alfonso came over for some playtime and music, pic below...

Grandma Audrey would be proud Chris' piano abilities, although he is a bit of a diva requesting me to feed him his bottle often while he plays:)