Happy One Month Andrew!

For Aiden's first year of his life, I posted a video on the blog with pictures from each month:) I am hoping to continue this tradition for Andrew's first year of life and here is the first month of the series! Happy One Month, Andrew!

And I wanted to wish everyone a Happy 2011! I can't believe that 2010 has gone and come. We have had so many blessings this year and are thankful for all that God has brought into our life. I know that 2010 will be a year to remember in our immediate family as I don't think that we could make any other major life changes in the span of one year:

-Chris transferring jobs at Deloitte

-Moving from Connecticut to New Jersey

-Buying our first house

-And our new addition of baby Andrew to the family

As this very BUSY year winds down to a close, there is no other way that I would like to spend New Year's Eve then in the comfort of our own quiet, little home. We took a family trip to the mall to let Aiden enjoy the play area, ride the kiddie choo-choo train, and eat some delicious Chick-Fil-A. After a failed attempt at an afternoon nap, Aiden and Chris made "Frosty" the snowman outside and we took a family walk around the block. Since Aiden woke up at 5:30 am this morning, he will miss a New Year's Eve celebration by heading to bed early. Chris and I have a few small appetizers to share while we snuggle with little Andrew on the couch. And I'm guessing I will be asleep before the big ball drop occurs, unless Andrew decides to wake his Mommy up for a midnight feeding:)

Happy 2011!!!

The Great Blizzard of 2010!

We were officially snowed in the past couple days! We were overwhelmed with at least two feet of snow, which kept Chris very busy shoveling while I was taking care of little Andrew and stir crazy Aiden:) Let's just say that we have played with every toy that Aiden got for Christmas and his birthday over and over and over again!!!!

Here are some pictures from the great snowfall:

Our garage, playhouse, and swing set are BURIED!!

The view from the front. Over on the right hand side by the flag pole, you can see a square shaped mound. That's where our car is!

I guess you can't leave Grammy Ruff...your car is buried!

Our porch is full of snow:)

Chris trying to figure out where to start his shoveling!

Aiden is just as tall as the snow!

Having a few fun moments in the snow-it was cold and blustery out there!

Going on a sled ride down the sidewalk:)

Me, the lover of warm weather, is hoping that this is the only snowfall that I see this winter and am looking forward the almost 50 degree weather we are supposed to get this weekend. Although, I'm sure we will see lots of more of this powdery white stuff!!! I also have to say that I am disappointed that this massive snowstorm prevented Uncle Nate from making his trip out here, hopefully he will plan another trip out here soon!

Snowed In!

I know it was Christmas yesterday, but I have yet to upload the holiday pictures from my camera for the following reasons:

1. A toddler and a newborn are keeping my hands mighty full-between feedings, playing toys, changing diapers, and loving my babes...I don't have much free time!

2. Trying to pick up the mounds of wrapping paper, cardboard boxes, and our new presents from each other, extended family, and Santa!

3. Spending time with my parents who lovingly helped work on our house-stenciled our kitchen, worked on making curtains for our living and dining room, fixing the lights in our basement, priming the hallway, and other random jobs that must be done with this old house! While they worked, I baked a massive amount this year- including snowball cookies, elephant ears, sugar cookies, coconut macaroons:)

4. Now that they are gone, we have been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning!!! And resting, resting, resting!!!

So instead of holiday pictures, I am just sharing some of my favorite photos that my dad took this past week:

We bought Aiden this play tent from Ikea for ten dollars! I didn't realize that it was GIGANTIC and the whole family can easily fit in there:)

Look who is awake!

Checking out his new nativity set that he got for his birthday!

Our little bug sleeping

I don't think this is what Grandpa meant when he said "Say Cheese"

So cute-I love our little cuddlebug!

Enjoying his birthday ice cream

Just learning about the world

Static electricity!!!!

Comfy in mama's arms

Now, we are offically snowed in for the next day or two!!!!! It started snowing around 11 am this morning and I think we are close to having a foot on the ground with another 12-18 hours more of snow on the way:) Although I am not a fan of winter, I am thankful to be snowed in and enjoy spending time with Chris and our two little boys (and two doggies)!

Merry Christmas from the four of us!

Aiden: The Two Year Old

Our little bug, Aiden, turned two on Sunday! I can't believe how fast the past two years have gone. Looking at Andrew, I can't believe that just two years ago Aiden was just a teeny, sleepy newborn. The past two years have been the best years of our lives and I am so excited to see where the future takes our little Aiden:)

I can't believe how much you know and can do for such a little boy:

• Your language has picked up like crazy the past months! Now, you make two and three word sentences. You know a TON of words-some of your favorite things to talk about are: your family members (including aunts, uncles, cousins), modes of transportation (choo-choo train, trucks, bus), animals (Sheffy and Abby-my mom's cat), Mickey Mouse and Elmo, asking for food (milk, waffles, snacks, etc.), winter things (Santa, snowmen, and House-our elf) and SO much more! You can almost count to ten and just started naming colors. You like to help make decisions on what we are doing (playing toys or reading books, what outfit to wear, what books to read, etc.). You try to procrastinate the next activity by holding up your fingers and saying "two minutes" more! Most of the day, you never even stop talking!!
• You are still my tiny little bug. At your two year appointment, you weighed in at 22 pounds and are about 32 inches. You still remain below the third percentile in weight and height, although you are still growing along your own curve:)
• Although you are small, you have become a much better eater the past few months! You continue to eat three meals a day and two snacks (which makes the doctor happy) and we will continue you on whole milk for awhile longer. Your favorite breakfast foods are: oatmeal, bananas, and waffles. For lunch, you love fruit, Go-Gurts, peas, and other random selections. You often eat what we are eating for dinner, although sometimes you choose to be picky and refuse to eat! You rarely choose to eat meat and can be somewhat picky when it comes to vegetables, but Mommy still tries to feed you well-balanced meals every day. You love snacks...your favorites are cereal bars, apple crushers from Trader Joes, goldfish, and fruit snacks. I'm always trying new things, but it often ends up in the NO MORE category!
• You have started to watch a few shows on television (mostly due to the fact that Mommy needs to entertain you while she is feeding little Andrew)! You love Mickey Mouse, Elmo, Wheels on the Bus, and this December...you have enjoyed a little Frosty the Snowman:) Although, with your short attention span, you rarely watch a whole show before moving on to the next activity!
• You definitely have started the toddler meltdowns:) When I'm not tired and stressed, these little outbursts make me laugh! But sometimes, they add a little more tension to the house. When the tantrums get serious enough, you take a little "Uh Oh" break in your room to give you some time to cool off. Most of these tantrums, lately!, are due to electronics:) You LOVE, LOVE, LOVE anything electronic that adults use, such as iPods, iPhones, and computers. You may be one of the only two year olds who know the word, iPod. And you often ask to dance to music on the iPod. I think that you know how to use the iPhone better than your mommy does, often trying to manipulate Daddy or Grandpa Ruff into letting you borrow theirs;) I'm not sure how you learned to slide the bar across the screen or click on your own game applications. You love electronics so much that Mommy keeps her computer, camera, iPod, and cell phone away for most of the day, only bringing them out at naptime and bedtime! One reason that I'm never caught up on email or phone calls:)
• Despite the tantrums, 95 percent of the day, you are a bubbly, wild, joyful two year old. You have such a great sense of humor and sometimes I wonder what crazy thing you are going to do next;) You often crack up for no apparent reason! You love to dance-doing twirls, rolling your hands, head banging, and bobbing up and down all over the floor. You love to chase the dogs, especially Sheffield, often following him up on the top of the couch. When people sneeze, you often throw your self on the floor and say "Bless You".
• You love to be out and about, seeing new people and doing new things! One of your favorite things to do is going to the library storytime. You talk about the bubbles and stamps the whole way there and the whole way home. This month, you have been carrying Mimi (Grandma)'s purse to her and ask to go "shopping". You love to say "hi" and talk to people waiting in line and other random strangers.
• We have spent a lot of time at home this month, especially since your brother was just born! You LOVE to help do any chores, especially sweeping and vacumning. Your favorite toys right now are: the Cozy Coupe, Mickey Mouse, books, your new Handy Manny tool set, bubbles, your phones, cars and buses, and balls. Although with all the visitors we have had, you just love tagging along on the bottom of their shoes trying to get their attention and include you on their activities!!
• Now, at two years old, you are BIG brother! You give your brother kisses and point out his body parts. You call him "baby" and let mommy know if he is crying or napping. You try to give Andrew his pacifier and just yesterday, you were trying to soothe him when he was crying in his carseat before we left. You like to help give his bath, although I think you like to help because Mommy lets you play with the lotion bottle while she is busy trying to quickly clean your screaming brother!

Here are some pictures of our favorite two year old!!!!!

SOO happy

Getting ready to eat his Elmo birthday cake:)

Showing off his belly while riding around the house

Thanks Mommy and Daddy for my own broom!!!

Aiden, we love you SO much and are SO thankful that you were brought into our lives two years ago!!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Aiden!

We love you SOOOOOO much!!!!!! Love, Daddy, Mommy, and Andrew

Andrew at 2 Weeks:)

Andrew has already hit the 2 week mark and is approaching his 3 week birthday this weekend:) But since we have a big 2nd birthday to celebrate this weekend, I decided to dedicate this post to life with Andrew.

Our little boy is a wonderful addition to our family. He is an easy baby who just loves to cuddle. He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to be held and I would hold him all day if I could, but chasing around a two year old doesn't always allow it. Thankfully, we have had grandparents around to help with one or another so once everyone returns home, I have a feeling that the Baby Bjorn will become one of my best friends.

Andrew has passed his birth weight and at his check-up today, he weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces. He nurses about every three hours and will sometimes go an extra hour at nighttime or if he takes a long nap. We just introduced the bottle yesterday and he took it really well so hopefully we can get into a routine where Chris can take on a night feeding so I can get to bed earlier and try to get more than a couple hours of sleep at a time.

Andrew sleeps like a champ for a newborn. He loves to be swaddled just like his brother did and goes to bed after a night feeding at 10-11:30 and wakes up twice in the night before the morning arrives. Sometimes after his middle of the night feeding, he is awake for awhile just taking in the night sights! I rock and cuddle him until he finally falls asleep struggling to stay awake myself:) The hardest part about having a second is the early morning feedings. Sometimes, I wake up around 4:30 and feed Andrew for the next 30-40 minutes. Then, once I finally get him asleep, Aiden will wake up and need to be consoled back to sleep and then Chris' alarm clock goes off to get ready for work and then Aiden is up again for good. So the last few hours of the nighttime are just a blur of no sleep for me:) I'm looking forward to Chris taking on a feeding so I can get to bed earlier and get a few more hours of quality rest.

Andrew has started tummy time, which his brother loves to do with him! He also enjoys a few hours in the swing every day. On the other hand, he does NOT love his bath or diaper changes:) He screams like crazy at bathtime-it's no fun at all:) We have started taking Andrew out and about a few times and he has been an excellent companion. We have done some Christmas shopping, gone to the doctor, and ran other errands and most of the time, he sleeps for the entire outing. Although he did wake up the other day screaming for food in the middle of the mall-YIKES!

Here are some pictures of Andrew for all to enjoy! In the first pictures, we feature sleepy Andrew in several different positions:

Mommy, Please stop taking pictures of me!!!:

Look who is finally awake:

Enjoying the swing:

Just chilling on the bed with Mommy:

And going on a ride with my brother, Aiden:

We are looking forward to a fun and busy weekend with the Ruff family:) This morning, my brother and dad arrived with more family to come tomorrow!!! Off to try to get a few moments of rest...:)

Brotherly Love:)

So we just passed Andrew's 2 week birthday and I can't believe how much quicker time flies with the second one! I have to say that I cherish the newborn stage so much more this time around because I know how quick it flies by. I love to hold our little boy and watching him sleep as I know my days are numbered before he will be running around just like his little brother:)

I do have to say that it hasn't been easy with two little ones, but I think that we are just starting to grasp how we are going to manage both of them. (Although I am still dreading the moment that my mom drives out of this driveway!) I am pretty sure that with the recent addition, we will be eating a lot more Crock Pot meals, our house will be strewn with toys a lot more, and the shower will become a luxury...but I am excited for what life will bring us with these two!

Our little Andrew is starting to really love his swing!!! (Thank goodness because he loves to be held and this mommy HAS to get a couple things done during the day)

Someone else thinks they love the swing too:)
And although it has been a lot of work, it's these moments that make me appreciate how close these two will be growing up:

We are looking forward to a busy and fun week!!!!!

Lots of family will be coming to town and Aiden will be turning 2 on Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting into the Christmas Spirit...

We have been enjoying the Christmas season here in the Rogers household! Stockings are hung by the fireplace, a fresh Christmas tree is decorated with special ornaments, lights adorn the outside of the house, and festive candles are lit many nights;) We love this time of year and look forward to building traditions and making this time special for our little family.

First, here's Santa's little helper, Andrew:

Before you watch this video, let me give you a little background information. We started "Elf on the Shelf" with Aiden this year. The idea is that the elf watches little boys and girls during the day at home and reports to Santa whether the children have been good or bad. Although Aiden doesn't understand this concept, we hide "Elfie" each morning and go on a big elf hunt until we find him! He loves this part of the day and continues to point out elf all day long.

Now, a couple funny things that have happened with this tradition...First, as a family, you are supposed to name your Elf. I would imagine most households have an elf named "Elfie", "Mr. Elf", or something similiar. Well, somehow, our little elf got the strange name of "House"! So throughout the day we are looking for House and hearing his name all day long! The second strange occurence with "House" is that one day earlier this month, House fell to the floor. Aiden quickly pointed out his boo-boo and wanted ice for House. (Our little rugrat loves to get ice every time he has a boo-boo!). So now, Aiden loves to give House boo-boos and yell for ice. So I have to say that House has gone through his share of tumbles and falls this Christmas season and Aiden better hope that despite his rough handling of House this year, he will get a good report to Santa this year. Let's just hope that House gets better treatment in the years to come or Santa won't be making a stop at the Rogers household!

Some pictures of baby Andrew:)

Whew...life has been BUSY with two!!!!!! I just looked at our blog and realized that I haven't updated since Saturday, yikes:)

Since it is 9:00 at night and I'm sure I will be up several times tonight, I am just posting some pictures and will update more on life later. Thank goodness for my mom's help this week while Chris is back at work! We are very thankful for her company, cooking skills, and child care:)

Andrew with his eyes open! He loves to sleep so I love to catch him in his awake moments;)

Sleeping, Sleeping

After his first bath! So far, Andrew HATES baths!!!!!!

Aiden, on the other hand, loves to help with baths. He is my bathtime buddy:)

Cuddling on the couch

We enjoyed a special visit from our neighbors in CT-Aamie and her son, Carter, stopped by earlier this week! We REALLY miss this awesome family...Aiden and I spent many, many days with them! Aiden still says their names every few days:)

Look who the little brother is!

Getting ready to head to Target-our first outing with the two of them. Andrew slept like a champ and Aiden actually stayed in the cart the whole time:) I love this car seat blanket that my aunt sent us-it's perfect for this Jersey winter!!!

Our cuddle bug:)

Hi Mommy!

Andrew is such a doll so far:) He sleeps well, eats well, and is just an awesome baby!!!! We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our new addition to the family!!!!!