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.  

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.

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.

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.

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!

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?

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!

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.

MY Apple...No, MY Apple

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.