Sunday, December 30, 2007

Love letter to Aunt Gayle

Koh: I think the scaring will be mild so please don't feel bad about the face stabbing you gave me... I know it was a mistake. The main thing I wanted to tell you is that I love you and I love the way you held me and made me feel in your home for all those days last week. I mean it was sooooo busy with sooooo many people and I'm shy and not even a year old... so it was just nice when you held me like you did.

And I loved that you put mommy and daddy in our room for the whoooooooole week. It was so cool having them sleep so close to us and whenever we wanted I could just stand up and almost touch 'em from my crib... and Abe liked that too, he told me so. And for some reason anytime we cried they picked us right up... something they don't do at our house. Way cool.

And all those toys.... they never stopped coming.... are you where Santa goes to get all the toys for the Christmas rush? And I love that you let me and Abe face forward in your car... WOW the views are much better! (Just today we made our mom make our car seats at home do that!) The best toy of all you gave us was the little cousin Jillian... we just don't have anything like her where we come from.

I can't stop thinking about one thing.... the FOOOOOOOOD that you gave me that I never had before. Jello. Pizza. Even a practice 1st Birthday cake. I know I cried on that last one, but it was tears of joy, you know. Plus Abe is such a pig and he had his hands smashed all over that big cake.

But the hugs you gave me were my favorite and I want to hug you more. So please come visit or I'll visit but let's hug a lot more, OK?

Love, Koh (and Abe likes you, too... he just told me)

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Christmas trip to Maryland

 Abe:  Over the rivers and thru the airports to Nana Jo's and our cousins we went... for our first Christmas family party in Maryland.   Oh my... we haven't had a party like that in our whole lives, with too many "firsts" to mention, and that's just in the food department.   Click the title to see photo highlights or check out this 3 min movie... 

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Click This: Holiday Elves

Abraham: Me and Koh had a little fun today - click on the headline above to see. Now some of you may wonder why there are of four of us. Mommy says that everyone has a twin somewhere in the world so I guess these are ours.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Video: Walking the walker

Koh: it's not a highchair, mom, it's our walker. Watch out... here we come!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

What are these hats about??

Abe: Mom and Dad have been taking us places with these silly hats and setting up "jump in" photos - many many too many many photos for .... what?   They keep saying they need one for the annual family Christmas Card... whatever that is.   Anyway, click on this blog's title for a preview of the fun greetings we are sending out this season.   

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

First Haircut

Abraham:  Today Mommy and Grandma took us to get our first haircuts (I'm not counting the bang trim Mommy did on me with the toenail clippers).  Daddy was out of town, which was good because he wanted us to have buzz cuts.  Instead we got these really nice new styles and I got to hold the comb.  It was a pretty good experience considering we didn't take an afternoon nap.  
No tears, not even my brother cried although he doesn't look too excited in this picture.  

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Turkey Time

Koh:  Our first Thanksgiving was full of fun and family.  Grandma, Aunt Angela, Uncle Torrey and his grandparents came over.  I had a blast because Grandma let me suck on a turkey leg bone.  Poor Abraham missed out on all the finger-lickin' good because he fell asleep at dinner.  I've heard about tryptophan but that was just rude.

We got to eat like the pilgrims and had cranberry sauce, masht taytoes, stuffin and sweet taytoes, but we didn't get wine.  

We even held hands around the table but everyone was looking down during that part.


Monday, November 19, 2007

Our Tricks

Abraham: We are not just cute boys, we are talented. I can balance a spoonful of spinach on my nose without the spoon. And Koh can fold his tongue in half. Daddy says these skills will come in handy when it is time to impress the girls.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Love Letter from Dad #2

Dad: The transition was fast tonight, about 3 minutes from appearing in my work clothes to when she walked out in her trail running gear... a kiss made the handoff complete. Warned they were tired, I hustled warm bottles to their little hands... after whisking Abe then Koh off the diaper station. Abe cried first, then fizzled so fast in my arms... what was different, being in my arms? Nice. So quickly to calm, and that was just me. I lay him softly to bed, letting go so gently... he was out like a light... you mean I'm done, all with no fight? I've never seen him so, still on his back, exactly as I let go. Breathing, breathing... cool, he's alive.

Koh started next, crying for Dad... OK here I come, boy am I glad. Quiet all at once, just as I lifted... what a great Dad, maybe I'm gifted. He faded to sleep this one so slowly... wide awake at first wiggle wiggle a bit... then the slow fade, oh what a site... eyes in my arms, eyes setting sun. He seems so calm, like he likes what's goin' on. Maybe he wants me to hold him some more, so I did so I did, one more lap in the hall. Walking slowly now, my eyes on his, I don't want to stop, this is nice let it last. One more lap in the hall I like what I feel. Asleep in my arms, so simple, very nice. Down in the crib, out with no whimper. Darn, am I done? I'll be back, my son.

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Bath Time aka Happy Hour


Koh: Abe and me love baths. We like to splash around and play with our rubber ducks. We are both also getting good at drinking out of cups on our own and during today's bath I combined the two. Mom didn't see me drinking the bath water cuz she was washing Abe. The photographer saw, but he thought it was funny so didn't stop me. Bottoms up!




Wednesday, October 31, 2007

New Sport: Vacuum Climbing


Koh: Today we learned a new sport called vacuum climbing. Abraham was my belay and I climbed up the vacuum cleaner. The crux move is just getting off the ground. I wonder if I can trust my brother to catch me if I fall?









Sunday, October 28, 2007

Coincidence?


Abraham & Koh: So just 48 hours ago, we were having a blast at daycare (see Post below). Now, we have runny noses, stuffy heads and didn't sleep much last night. Is this a coincidence? Is there a connection between these two "firsts"? Mommy says we're just getting our immune systems revved up. Daddy says we're gonna give more sickness than we get at daycare.



In unrelated news... here's a fun picture of us with our pumpkins!

Friday, October 26, 2007

School for the Gifted

Koh: Today was our first day of daycare. Daddy calls it the school for the gifted, but we didn't get any presents so I don't know why. We only went for half of a day as a warmup. We had fun playing with ALL THOSE TOYS!!!! How come we don't have that many toys at home? Abraham liked exploring the cubbies and rocking chair and I liked banging on the table at lunch.












Thursday, October 18, 2007

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Growin' and Out-growin'

Koh: We turned 9 months old today and decided to party in our smokin' jackets... which seem a bit snug now that we weigh 20 pounds. It seemed strangely like deja vu.








Thursday, October 04, 2007

Thinking


Koh: I haven't put anything on the blog lately, so I'm thinking about writing something. Maybe about our trip to Black Butte Ranch last weekend. That was fun, with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Aunt Angela & Uncle Torrey... and Jasper their doggy too. Hmmm, should I write how I got to ride on Jasper. Or maybe about the fun time we had at the swimming pool. So many stories, so little time. I'll have to keep thinking. http://picasaweb.google.com/markseker/FallFamilyBirthdayCelebrationAtBlackButte

Monday, September 24, 2007

Male Man

Abraham: I sure like the mail. You've seen the picture of me inside the mailbox on this blog, that was fun! But today's mail experience was even better. The Victoria's Secret catalog came and I grabbed it while Mommy was looking at the letter from Cousin Stephanie. I'm not sure why, but I liked those pictures. I hope Daddy doesn't get too mad that I drooled on the pages before he did.


Saturday, September 22, 2007

I'm gonna get out of this cage


Koh: Mom....Dad.....it's not gonna be that long till we figure out how to get outta this crib, OK? We learned to sit up, now pull ups on the side, pretty soon a little high jump move then we're free!! Lock your doors... here we come.


Kilroy was here.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Love Letter from Dad

(Special permission granted for Dad to write in our blog)
Dear Abe and Koh,

Your smell is what gets me first. When I walk in to your room, it's like no smell I can remember. I don't know what a little girls' room smells like, but this smell is very much my little boys' smell. It's my first smell each morning, and the room is dark these days, so I can barely see as all my senses reach out, searching for that daily proof that there are living, breathing boys in here, the ones I first saw in January when the dream came true.

I want to tell you how much you make me happy. That fast smile you both make sort of amazes me.... do you do that with everyone? Why are you so quick to smile at this big naked dude you see each day around 6am? Are your dreams that good every night? Well those big toothless grins sure make me feel good, and I notice they make me smile, too, a reflex that you bring on.

On many of these beautiful mornings there's no sound coming from your room... yet when I tiptoe in you're wide awake, silent in your cribs, on your back gazing up or on your tummy studying the sheet.... just what are you doing? ...you thinking? ...I really don't know, it's another of those new mysteries you bring to my world. I love this part of what you're doing... introducing new questions, new adventures almost on routine. New wonders... you make me wonder. And new feelings, too, like sadness I got the other day when you couldn't get to sleep, Abe. And frustration in the old days when you cried late at night for no reason, at least no reason you would tell us.

And you're making me love you , you know. I've never had this feeling about little smelly monsters. So please keep it up, keep the surprises coming, those powerful grins grinning, and the silent intensity I see in your faces when you watch something you haven't seen much before.

I love you Koh and Abraham.

-Daddy

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Dangerous Boys

Abraham: For Father's Day we gave Daddy The Dangerous Book for Boys. It sits on his nightstand and today Mommy set me and Koh on the bedroom floor to put away some laundry. I'm just hours away from craawling so I did my army man move and squirmed over to the nightstand. I promptly pushed away Mommy's books that were on top of the dangerous book and grabbed it. Mommy got the camera, snapped some shots and then went back to putting away laundry. Next time she looked at me, I had the book on my chest and open to the inscription we wrote for Daddy. I'm such a dangerous boy. Koh, of course, just sat where Mommy set him this whole time. He's not as dangerous as me.

Koh: Hey, I may not be as dangerous as Abraham, but you don't see him hanging out in a tree without Mommy or Daddy hands.

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Dad, will you take us swimming?



Abraham: Koh and I love water... in the sink, the tub, our backyard playpool, the fun city pools, even the big rivers and beaches nearby. Over Labor Day weekend, we went crazy and did 'em all 'cause Dad had a day off and we just kept going even if we missed sleeping and eating (which we did). Here's the scene, and check out our new video favorites for the movies, too. Do you know we went to our first nude beach... and we got nude, too, even tho Mom didn't want to join in this time. Koh is such a show off, he's always doing situps or pushups when we go to the beach... that boy is really odd.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Pssst, wanna try something little boy?

Abraham: We had dinner over at our friend Ryan's house the other night. He introduced us to these things called Puffs. They are kinda like Cheerios, but they dissolve in your mouth. Eating them really challenged my hand-to-mouth coordination but once I got it in, I was hooked. Koh swallowed his whole. Mine kept sticking to my face. I want more.

Monday, August 27, 2007

What we do so Mommy can sleep


Koh: We love our Mommy, and she loves her sleep. But we get up by 6am almost every day and start needing things done for us... so she doesn't get to sleep in very often. So on weekend mornings we tell Daddy to play with us for a long time take us places and that way Mom gets lots of rest...which she really likes. This weekend was sort of normal, we romped around on the sofa for a while, but then we did something new... Daddy did a two-hump camel move carrying us both up to get bagels and coffee. It was crazy good times but people kept looking at us sort of funny.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Sending away a very bad boy?


Abe: I miss my Nana Jo and Susan, too. DADDY...WHY DON'T WE SEE THEM MORE? I just don't get it, they never come over, we never go there wherever that is. DADDY...CAN I GO VISIT THEM? He says if I'm ever really bad he's gonna send me away, but I had no idea what he meant...until today, when he pasted all these stamps on my rear, gave me a real big hug, then stuffed me into our mailbox. I mean I really never knew I could leave home like this.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

High School Reunion

Abraham: We're seven months old now, but Mommy's really old. We went to her 20 year high school reunion last weekend. It was boring for Daddy, Koh and me. Well, except for these exciting things:
- I got my first two teeth on Friday
- We got to stay up late Friday and Saturday nights
- We went swimming in the pool at the hotel
- Lots of Mommy's friends held us and oohed and ahhed






Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Sally the Babysitter

Abraham: Last night Mommy and Daddy went on a date and our neighbor Sally babysat us. This was our first babysitter besides Grandma. Sally's smart and nice and we like her. But, we can't let our parents think that they can just leave us anytime they want, so we were a little rough on her when it came time to go to sleep. I cried and didn't like it when she put me in my crib. I think we did a good balance of being cute and adorable little boys with being loud and stubborn so that she'll come back again. The nice girls always come back to the bad boys, don't they!




Sunday, August 05, 2007

Daddy...can we go play on Mt Hood?



Koh: Dad says he'll take us anywhere we want to go if it's outdoors. Yesterday Abe screamed WE WANT GO TO MOUNT HOOD so next thing u know we're back in the packs at Timberline Lodge bouncin' 'round on the barren trails above treeline having such a blast watching mom and dad reach down with us in the backpack to pick up our hats every time we tossed 'em off. Abe and me were like tricken' them every time... 'cause they can't see us very well since we sit right behind their heads. It was SO FUNNY faking like the wind was blowing off our hats! Then Abe was having fun grabbin mom's hair, too.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Over the River and Through the Woods

Koh: Actually, it was over the river and down I-5 to Grandma's house we go. Mommy took us to visit Grandma at her house for the first time and boy was it fun. We couldn't even get out of the car before several of her neighbors greeted us. Grandma was so proud. We got to eat lunch there, in a chair covered in towels. It was a good thing it was covered in towels. Grandma tried to give me formula, but I wouldn't drink it. I like my mama lattes and haven't drank that stinky stuff yet. Mommy is getting kinda frustrated with me because she's ready to start weaning us. Abraham seems to love the formula, but not me. Mommy's tried lots of things and the only way any of it gets into my mouth is with a regular ol' cup and then I just blow bubbles in it and some sneaks into my mouth that way.