The Deuce has survived one month with us

What a month:  Thanksgiving, blah blah blah, Nana's Birthday.  That is what I recall anyway.  When going back and comparing the two wee ones I noticed a distinct lack in ugly face pictures thus far so I attempted some last night and managed to capture a possible smile instead

 Today during the one month photos though he turned out some rather unfortunate faces.  He looks like he is looking at you in real life, but in photos it is clear that his eyes are directed elsewhere, sometimes one eye looking at one thing and the other eye at something else all together.

And today was lil Jimmy's first illness, he caught Mino's cold and has been choking on his post nasal drip which apparently upsets his stomach.  Portos bore the brunt of that episode and that dog is so lazy that he just sat there, covered in Jimmy stomach cheese until I cleaned him off. Gross, I know, but just had to emphasize a bit of Portos' nature here.
For a flashback - here is Mino at one month:

They are fairly similar looking, however, the most striking difference is Jimmy's distinct lack of need for the Pepe.  Mino took it like a champ and never looked back, he has it in his mouth as I type, Jimmy isn't too interested and doesn't really need it, I offer up the real thing when he is hungry and he is good to go.

Back to life, back to reality

After the festivities of Thanksgiving and family fun and visitors we have been here alone with our two offspring. 

 

And even out - we attempted to visit Santa, but apparantly he is kind of popular on Sunday afternoons.

Why I had it built up as a momentous thing to be able to do this is beyond me, isn't the average 2.1 children?  I feel like a champion being able to manage the two of them though.  Jimmy isn't so sure from the looks on his face.

Mino has actively been pushing his limits.  He now has an "evil grin" which I refuse to photograph because then he will get even more attention for it and use it more often. Basically he knows he is doing something he shouldn't (taking a red Christmas ornament off the tree which he has gently named 'Fire' and stabbing the chair) and looks at you, waiting for you to say no, and flashes it as he repeatedly does naughty action as often as he can before I manage to find a place to set little Jimmy down and go grab Ben to put him in timeout.  And that being said he also has a fake cry which starts with him placing both hands up on his eyes to wipe away the tears before he starts the loud "cry."
Maybe it is the age, maybe he was always pulling these antics and running on a full night of sleep I thought it was really cute, or maybe it his way to deal with sharing the limelight with Jimmy.  Who knows but he is going through a really trying stage right now.

 He also has been super cute and really likes to help.  When I am in the kitchen he runs over asking for his ladder (a step stool) so he can help cook.  When I am in changing diapers for Jimmy, Ben sits next to me and hands me the open diaper and opens the diaper cream.  When I am doing laundry he helps load and unload.  When I am folding he turns into godzilla and smashes all the piles.  He is starting to help pick out his clothes in the morning, only wants to put his coat on himself and lets me know when his diaper is dirty but is refusing to sit on the toilet.
Jimmy is a chill little dude.

 He is eating, sleeping, not really pooping that often but farting very regularly.  He is alert and smiley - although I am not convinced it is a proper smile, I think it is still just him figuring out his different facial muscles or gas.   (The picture below is not a smile - I just thought it was funny and once he is smiling he probably won't be making these faces quite as often)

He does have a distinct temper though, he is calm and nice 99% of the time, but if something is not to his satisfaction he lets you know.  I took him out of the tub last night and he didn't like that much - to the point that Martin thought that I broke him or dumped ice water on him.  He turns purple and screams so much he has to pant to recover his breath afterward. 

 

Don't worry, we still bathe Ben, he just enjoys rubbing his head on the couch and getting mega static hair.

I am trying very hard to not second child him in that I want to take tons of pictures and not miss those little moments that I documented up the wazoo for Mino, but I can see how easy it is for that to happen. 

 I attempted a newborn photoshoot but need to learn how to white balance my camera :)

Thankful for family Thanksgiving

We had two Thanksgivings this year.  Both here in MN.  The first ended up being far more than we anticipated, we thought it would be Nana and our family - low key.  Auntie Sarah had to work so she and Aaron couldn't be here until late Friday night and Granddude thought he had to work as well.  Turns out he didn't have to work and our friends Kate and Claude's plans fell through and came over so we had 8 chairs for two separate meals.  Loads of fun.  Nana and I had some free time together prior to Jimmy's emergence and that involved a LOT of food network so we took Thanksgiving to a fancy place.  Lets just say our stuffing had figs.

 They previously had plans to host so already had a good amount of food planned and purchased so we had a ton of great food (tastes way better than my picture makes it look - I am no food photographer)
Aaron's sister Ali came down from Up Nort for the festivities on Saturday.  Just so happens our lake froze over prior to any snowfall so we had an entire lake that was like a skating rink.  Needless to say we took advantage (not as much as our Mayberry neighbors who have a full on hockey rink with lights for night skating) but as much as our newly Minnesotan family could muster.

 

 After skating was time to eat.  Poor Nana had a foot issue (cough cough wanted to hold the baby all by herself) so had to stay inside during our outdoor time but was able to whip up a fabulous Thanksgiving feast.

 Again - I am not a food photographer and therefore not good at getting table shots.  But I am good at being a newly wed photographer - look at these two. . .

 Ali and Aaron's parents sent little gifts to the boys.

  Auntie ginger trying to convince Jimmy's follicles to be more red.

 When all is said and done we are so happy to have little Jimmy and Ben and so many people willing to come out to our place to eat.

Adjusting to life as a foursome

As I said previously this postpartum experience has been worlds different than the first time.  As I was going through it with Mino I didn't know otherwise, I didn't know that my epidural probably had worn out and that is why it hurt so much when he was born, I didn't know whether he was a fussy baby or not as I had no clue what I was stumbling in to with a newborn, I didn't know that I did probably have the baby blues last time for the first couple weeks because I had no comparison.

Anyway, Nana has been here with us (until today) helping with cooking and laundry and holding little Jimmy while we cater to Mino.  He was really great at first but has been exceptionally whiny since.  He is going through a MAJOR daddy phase which probably started that last few weeks I was pregnant because I couldn't do a whole lot for him but is very clear when he asks for "my daddy" to read to him at night and if someone else is in the chair and he wants his daddy watch out.  He hasn't tried to hurt the wee one yet or do anything mean for that matter, so I call this a successful transition.  Mino's vocabulary has skyrocketed in the last month, he speaks in sentences and parrots everything you say.  Watch out, literally, everything you say.  He has said all of the bad 4 letter words already.  Luckliy just in parrot mode, he has yet to conjur one up and use it on his own.  He is big time into stuffed animals - nap time involves Otie Lion, panda, clean doggy, dirty doggy, a car or book, Batman, bad guy (Bane from his Gotham City Jail) , bat sign and reading one short book and one long book (Polar Express is his choice right now)  We learned late but this kid thrives with routines and loves his bedtime routine.  Bath time involves Iron Man, brushing teeth can be Iron Man or maybe Batman watching to make sure he gets every tooth.   If something is missing, it is unsuccessful.  He loves to help with chores, he helps unload and load the dishwasher, he helps pour his cereal and milk, he helps sweep, he helps change the baby's diapers.

 He also likes to "go adventure" which can be going to the grocery store or going for a walk, anything that allows him to go outside of the house.

My mom has a reputation in our household of being a bit of a "Debbie Downer" and through the miracle of SNL and a skit with Horatio Sanz with a character named Carol we tease her a lot.  Ben took it to a new level and calls Nana "Carole Nana" with a combo of debbie downer and Horatio Sanz's Carol.  Needless to say we laugh when he does it then he keeps on getting louder and louder and louder until he has a maniacal laugh and throws his plate full of food in joy or his toy at the TV or window and he ends up in timeout. Anyway, another thing he does is faces - he was doing them in the video posted in the deuce dropped post.  Here are stone cold images of his faces.
Happy face:

 

Surprised face:

 

Angry face:

or

And cute little Mino face:

Jimmy is a great baby he sleeps and eats and cries when he has gas or is hungry.  Thus far.  He is only two weeks old so time will tell if his personality keeps up.  He is alert for good stretches of time and his eyes appear to be looking back at you.  I know they can't see more than 8 inches in front of their cute baby faces but he is good at faking it.  Oh, and he has auburn hair.  Some say red but that is only when the light is shining on it.  I know that is temporary - Mino looked like Elvis when born and has blonde hair and blue eyes now - but interesting that we are starting here.  Nana says it is because we give Auntie Gingah such a hard time.  His umbilical cord stump fell off when he was one week old so that is nice.  He does have second child syndrome though. . .he is two weeks old, had one bath at the hospital and one at home.  He doesn't poop that often so I figure it is OK.