Peas in a pod

11.25.10

Sent from my iPhone. So please excuse any typos.

Thanksgiving 2010

Sent from my iPhone. So please excuse any typos.

How to Make a Birth Announcement

This is what happens when you try to take pictures for a birth announcement:

First, you start with the baby. Get him calm. Give him a pacifier. Pose him. Nice.

Hey, he looks ready. Steal the pacifier. Snap the picture.

Get one closer up. See the difference in his skin color depending on where the jaundice is. Consider changing pictures to black and white to hide this...maybe sepia.... hey, I have an idea. Let's get one with Liam and Gavin. That would be cute.

So what if his closet is fuller than mine and his clothes are just as expensive. He is a baby. Babies are cute when they are naked. A naked baby gets mottled after a few minutes. Mottling doesn't look good in photos. Cover it with a blanket. Get the boys all positioned. Snap picture. Well, I think the older boys are alright. Wait, baby's head is weird. Try that again.

Baby is still looking weird. Gavin is looking away.

Don't smash the baby with your heads boys. Give multiple directions and probably a bribery or two.

Hmmm...now their personalities are showing. Gavin looks wild, Liam looks disinterested and Dane looks freaked by the commotion. How do I make that all go away. Just take more pictures.

More falling, pleading, smashing of the baby. Baby looks frightened.

Children yelling. Baby, somehow, is more frightened (has his surprised look as Liam would say) than previously. Kids not in right positions anymore. I think I am losing control of the photo session. Now what?

Dismiss Liam and Gavin. Back to just baby.

In the end, you decide that the reason these pictures look like this is because they are supposed to. It is impossible to get a good picture of all 3 at once. It is what it is. Then you scroll back through and find the least offensive ones and make an announcement. Then you hope they get mailed before the baby is one. (Editors note...as I type this, they are not even printed.)

Just because

Just because he is so tiny and soon will be so big. I want to capture how he curls up in a ball, his cute toes and how small he seems in the car seat.

Firsts

Dane's umbilical cord fell off a little over a week which always means tub time! Here are the pictures from his first real bath. It is hard to tell from these, but he loved having water poured over him and getting his hair washed. He did not like the washing of the little body. Then once he was wrapped up in his hooded towel, all was well in his little world...well, plus the pacifier.

Imaginations at work

Liam and Gavin have begun to show us their true imaginations at work. Whether playing together or alone, they both love to create elaborate plots with their toys or engage in make believe play together. We took them to see Toy Story 3 recently, and as I watched the little boy from the movie, Andy, playing with his toys, I couldn't help but think Disney must have been studying our little men during playtime in order to get material for that movie. It is so much fun to watch them grow and become such creative, playful boys. 

Dane and I have started a tradition that the boys simply call "movie night". We let them choose a movie, we spread blankets on the floor, I make popcorn and we usually have some sweet treat (jellybeans or cookies). We all spread out on the living room floor, turn out the lights and enjoy the show. The boys LOVE this. It is cheap fun that I will remember forever. 

Because they have such vivid imaginations, the boys have taken to hosting their own "movie nights" for their toys and stuffed animals. They take our big exercise ball and put in against the dining room wall (usually secured by Dane's push up handles). This becomes the "TV". They spread out a throw from our couch on the floor and gather several stuffed animals, various toy story figures, cars and maybe some balls (that is Gavin of course), "cook" up some delicious snacks in their toy kitchen and sit in front of the pack n play to "watch" their movie. It is quite a production to watch. Although 1 part of me wants to cringe at the mess that ensues from the setup, I can't help but laugh (and get a little excited) when I hear Gavin ask Liam, "E-am, wanna have movie night?" Knowing that Liam will run and grab the blanket and promptly give Gavin orders for what he needs to track down to get things set up. I need to record this one night when they don't know I am watching. 

It may take me 15 minutes to clean it up, but getting to watch their little imaginations at work (or play) is priceless. 

Baby Dane is here!

He is here! Dane Patrick Stangler was welcomed into the world on June 1st, 2010! Weighing in at 8 lbs 12 oz and 21 inches long, he had lots of sandy brown/blonde hair and looked very much like Liam did at birth. We couldn't be more excited he is here. Liam and Gavin just love him. They have taken to the transition fairly well.

He is such a sweet baby. Very content most of the time. He is already trying to look around to find his big brothers when he hears them playing. Dane and I feel so lucky to have such cute, lovable children. Let the adventures begin! Here are some pictures from the day of delivery to the first few days at home. Enjoy!

This is my final belly shot taken at 0530 in the morning on June 1st right before we left to go the hospital!

Hello world! Another big boy! Born at 0832.

Big brothers Liam and Gavin getting to meet Dane for the first time in the recovery room.

They couldn't look any happier!

We had to take this picture- it is tradition. We have taken a picture of Dane in his scrubs each delivery.

Sweet (yet yellow) face

So squishy in his boppy.

Looking a bit tired there daddy!

Mommy could use a nap too!

Going home!

Our handmade welcome sign

First family photo.

swinging

All hands on deck for a feeding

Squeaky clean