Logan & Taylor are 10 months!

At 10 months, Logan:
- crawls

- went to a pet store to look at puppies
- went to the Farmers' Market
- can sit from a laying position
- pulls up on furniture (only when he’s curious about something)
- pulls up on people (only when food is involved)
- went to his first birthday party, his cousin’s
- made a girl cry by pulling her hair
- got his first kiss (from Kate, who is just about a week younger than him)
- loves watermelon, bread, and ice cream (which we don’t give him a lot of)
- went to the zoo for the first time
- discovered his shadow and chased it
- went to the playground for the first time (swing and slide)
- had his first professional photo shoot (and hated it)
- says mama, mum, and daddy
- got his 2 top teeth
- started nodding, like a rockstar
- loves to read books and magazines
- loves to sing
- enjoys shaking and banging objects
- enjoys cuddling and kissing mommy and daddy – a lot
- occasionally crawls over Taylor when he’s in his way
- occasionally gets stuck underneath a chair or between furniture
- masters the pincer grab
- flirts with girls and women of all ages
- eats paper

- threw his first tantrum... for Cold Stone ice cream

- can stand in his crib

- occasionally bites Taylor

At 10 months, Taylor:
- crawls

- went to a pet store to look at puppies

- went to the Farmers' Market

- can sit from a laying position
- pulls up on furniture and people
- went to his first birthday party, his cousin’s
- loves watermelon, bread, and ice cream (which we don’t give him a lot of)
- went to the zoo for the first time
- discovered his shadow and chased it
- went to the playground for the first time (swing and slide)
- had his first professional photo shoot
- says shoo, poo, and deedee
- got his 2 top teeth
- loves to read books, menus, and DVD covers
- loves to make long loud sounds
- enjoys shaking, banging, and dropping objects
- enjoys cuddling and kissing mommy and daddy – some
- often crawls over Logan when he’s in his way
- sometimes gets stuck underneath a chair or between furniture
- masters the pincer grab
- flirts with girls and women of all ages
- eats paper
- threw his first tantrum... because I was feeding him something he wasn't liking much

- can stand in his crib

- occasionally bites Logan

Our schedule this month:
6:00 a.m. wake up
6:15 a.m. bottle
6:30 a.m. play
8:45 a.m. bottle
9:00 a.m. nap
11:00ish a.m. wake up
11:00ish a.m. play/outing
NOON solids
1:00 p.m. play/outing
2:00 nap
3:30ish p.m. wake up
3:30ish p.m. solids
4:00 p.m. play
5:30 p.m. snack
6:30 p.m. bath
7:00 p.m. story time
7:15 p.m. bottle
7:30 p.m. brush teeth/cuddle/prayer
7:45 p.m. bedtime

What I’m looking forward to this month: for the boys to understand me better and for me to understand them better

Being crafty

Lately I've been feeling crafty, which is kind of amazing because I wouldn't actually consider myself a "crafty" person. Anyway, I decided to start with easy crafts, by making my own birthday and shower cards. It's not a work of art, but it's a start.

Friends Leaving

When Billy got into Med School, I imagined we would eat peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches every day, and that I would see him just long enough to say a prayer and give him a goodnight kiss. Having these expectations has made these last 3 years not-so-bad.
We have been incredibly blessed financially, and I don’t feel like we’ve been missing out on anything. We have learned to manage our money in such a way that we live comfortably and splurge only occasionally.
For the first year and a half, I scheduled my classes in a way that allowed me to come home and have lunch with Billy. This gave me an extra hour to spend with him, for a total of 3-4 hours a day. Now that he’s rotating, I still see him 2-3 hours a day.
I did not expect one of the hardest parts of Med School would be to say goodbye to friends. Every summer, more and more friends leave the state to rotate, start residency, or start a job. It has been really hard on me to watch friends leave, not knowing when, or if, I’ll see them again.
To all of you, DMU-DO families, DMU-Podiatry families, and Drake Law families:
(P.S.: I miss you, love you, and hope we will stay in touch)

Summer 2008:

Haylee & Brent (+ Erik & Chase); Amanda & Jonathan (+ Savannah & Nathan); Erica & Nate (+ Brynlee & Gracen); LauraLee & Mark (+ Addie & Kate); Ashley & Logan (+ Gavin)

Summer 2009:

Megan & Nate (+ Cambri) ; Kamala & Travis ; Annie & Caleb (+ Roman) ; Natali & Bryce (+ Benson); Aunna & Phil; Karen & Dave (+ Evan & Charlie); Jenni & Nick (+ George & Steward)

Summer 2010:

Amanda & Gavin (+ Amelia) ; Sara & Ryan (+ Isaac, Maddie, & Davis) ; Charlsie & Brad ; Michelle & Nick (+ Zuri); Jordan & Clay (+ Hallie) ; Aurpeille & Mark (+ Teairsa) ; Kristelle & James ; Jamie & James (+ Emma & Alex) ; Shauni & Colby (+ Ammon, Carter, & Abbi) ; Katrina & Matt (+ Bailey & Scarlet) ; Becca & Ben (+ Natali, Isaac, & Spencer) ; Megan & Jason (+ Caden, Austin, & Logan)

Dear Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Today you are moving away, and I will miss you more than you'll ever know. You have been a wonderful friend to me over these last 3 years. You were always by my side when I needed someone to talk to or someone to hang out, laugh, and cry with.

Thank you for always remembering the big events in my life, for taking me out on my birthdays, for planning my baby shower, for throwing me a party when I got my citizenship, for teaching me how to make salsa, for watching my boys a couple of hours a day so that I could sleep, for letting me cry on your shoulder when my dog passed away, and the list could go on and on.

I will miss you and look forward to seeing you again.

Love,

Nathalie

Poker night '07

Girls' fancy dinner night '07

Haunted House '07

Winter Gala '08

Jenni's Baby Shower'08

Hanging out by the pool '08

Girls' Minneapolis Trip '08

Girls' Minneapolis Trip '08

Murder Mystery, Halloween '08

Pumpkin Carving '08

Hanging out with the kiddos '08

Christmas Tree & Cookies Decorating '08

Christmas Tree & Cookies Decorating '08

Christmas Tree & Cookies Decorating '08

Winter Gala '09

Cinco de Mayo '09

Erin's Baby Shower '09

Annie's Baby Shower '09

My Birthday '09

My Birthday '09

My Baby Shower '09

My Baby Shower '09

Nationality Party '09

Your birthday '09

Your Baby Shower '10

Your Baby Shower '10

With Taylor '10

At the Botanical Center '10

St. Patrick's Day '10

Welcome to the World, Amelia '10

Hardcore diet

This past week, Logan and Taylor had their 9-month appointment. Unforunately, we found out that they are both falling off the charts.

Logan's height: 27-1/4" (17%)
Weight: 17 lb 4 oz (6%)
HC: 45 cm (40%)

Taylor's height: 24-3/4" (7.43%)
Weight: 15 lb 7 oz (0.31%)
HC: 43.5 cm (8%)

These last couple of months, I've been feeding Logan and Taylor solids 2 times a day (at noon and in the afternoon) and 2 bottles a day (in the morning and at night). Since this obviously hasn't helped them to gain weight, our doctor suggested feeding them formula before solids, since formula has more calories than most solids. She also suggested feeding them 5-6 times a day instead of 4.
A couple of weeks ago, I had tried to feed Logan and Taylor more often, every 3 hours, but those 2 days were absolutely miserable. I ended up stressed out and very frustrated. But the difference was that I had tried this with solids, when I should have tried it with formula.
So for the last couple of days, I've been trying to stretch their tummies by giving them 5 bottles a day. Sometimes they can finish a whole bottle in 15 minutes, and other times it takes us 45 minutes (EACH). I also give them solids twice a day, after a bottle, but they are usually pretty stuffed by the time we get to solids, so they usually don't have anymore than 4 oz.
Taylor is supposed to have 680 calories a day, and Logan is supposed to have 790 calories. Most days they do well, occasionally they are a little under, and sometimes they are slightly over. I really really really hope that this new diet will make a difference and that they will gain weight. I am afraid that if they don't, their brains won't get the calories that they need, and Logan and Taylor will not develop at the best rate. I hope this works... I pray this works...

Mother's Day

A friend of mine wrote this a little while ago, and I think it describes motherhood perfectly:

1. A shower is so much more than just a shower. It's an escape from cries, screams and poopy diapers. For ten wonderful minutes you can leave the world of chaos and commotion and focus only on shampoo, conditioner, body wash and a loofah. Just be sure to keep the baby monitor turned off.

2. No matter how much you love your baby and how guilty you feel when you leave them with someone else, you really need to go on dates with your husband. And go on a regular basis. Hold hands, talk about non-baby things, and don't leave your cell phone on the table "just in case the babysitter calls".

3. You will constantly get unsolicited advice from other mothers - and sometimes they're right. You will read parenting books and magazine and internet articles - and sometimes they're right too. But when it comes down to it, no matter the issue, nobody knows your baby better than you do and the best cure is always to love your baby the best way you know how.

4. Sneaking into your baby's room to watch them sleep will never get old. I still do this on a regular basis and see the exact same faces that we brought home from the hospital right after they were born. They have changed so much over the past year, but that angelic look on their sleeping faces will always look the same to me.

5. You can never take too many pictures of your baby. Just be sure to sit back every once in a while and watch a sweet moment happen instead of trying to make it happen for the camera.

6. When all else fails, just snuggle.

7. When you thought you couldn't love your husband any more than you do, you hear him singing lullabies to your baby in the next room and telling them how much he loves them and your heart instantly melts. Your love for your husband will increase more than you could ever imagine after you start to experience parenthood together.

8. Nothing turns out the way you plan after you've had a baby. I was certain that my apartment would always be clean, that my baby would be sleeping through the night by three months, then six months, then nine months. I was sure that I would never experience diaper blowouts and emotional breakdowns in public. Needless to say I have been proven very wrong on a number of occasions.

9. Soon after your baby is born you will find yourself singing the same songs that your mother sang to you and playing the games your mother played. Then someone will tell you you're turning into your mother...and it will be one of the best compliments you've ever received.

10. Some days are just plain hard. Whether nap times were cut short for no apparent reason or more of their lunch ended up on the floor than in their mouth. Whether you got one of those looks from someone in line at the grocery store or it's four o'clock in the afternoon and you're just finally getting out of your pajamas. No matter how many times you've been spit up on, pooped on, or cried at, and no matter how badly dinner was burnt or how messy your home is, it's still a good day. It's a good day because you're a mother. You have children who loves you unconditionally and you love them just as much, if not more. You have been blessed with children of God to teach, to nurture, to love with all you have. You have a miracle in your life that so many others wish and pray for and sometimes don't ever get to experience on this earth. You are a mother. You have the greatest job in the world.

Tonton Fred, Taty Marie

It's been hard to be apart from Billy for so long. Before now, we had never been apart for more than a couple of days. Fortunately, my brother and his wife came for a week, to keep me company and to keep me from losing my mind.

I wanted them to enjoy their vacation and not feel like all they were doing was feeding the boys and sitting around while they were napping. So I planned fun activities and yummy dinners for them.

On Sunday I went to church so that Fred and Marie could sleep in. Then we took a walk at Gray's Lake, and for dinner we had a Cafe Rio burrito.

On Monday, we went to the store to get a few things (ok, not so exciting), then we had a coconut and curry chicken dinner.

On Tuesday we went to the zoo, and for dinner we had Tamale Pie. We also tried to go to Baby Boomers Cafe to get cookies, but they were out. I call their cookies "Obama cookies" because President Obama always goes to this place when he's in Des Moines. Then Marie and I went on a date to get pedicures. My pasty-white feet don't exactly pull off the bright yellow nail polish, but what can I say, I'm excited about this beautiful weather we've been having.

On Wednesday we went to the park. This was Logan's and Taylor's first time going on the swing and going down the slide. They didn't seem to care much, actually, but we had fun watching them. We also went to a place that sells yummy cupcakes. And for dinner we had cheesy mashed potatoes, asparagus with Hollandaise sauce on top, and cheesey chicken tenders for dinner. Yum! Then Fred and I went on a brother-sister date to Funny Bone. The guy was not only a comedian but also a hypnotist. He was hilarious, although occasionally crude, and went over 45 minutes. I have never seen an entertainer going over time. It was super fun!

Thursday was my birthday, so we went to the Pella Tulip Festival, and for dinner we went to Texas Road House.


And on Friday we went to JC Penny to get some professional pictures taken of the boys. It was their first photo shoot. I gotta say that Taylor was a good sport, but Logan was kind of a party pooper. Then we had paella for dinner.


I think that the Hairson kids have really good taste when it comes to spouses. Marie is an awesome sister-in-law and aunt. It's easy to see that Logan and Taylor really love her.


When I see Fred interacting with Logan and Taylor, I can immediately tell that he is going to be a great dad. He is loving, caring, patient, and is strict just the right amount. =)