Halloween!!!

Halloween was pretty low key this year. We didn't have any plans so we stayed in and carved a pumpkin, roasted pumkin seeds and watched a scary movie. Oh, and take a bunch of pictures of two really cute little guys!!

Meeting the Fases

While we were in Illinois, the boys got to meet Eric's mom's side of the family. The boys did great meeting all the Fases. It is so much fun to share our little blessings with others and watch as others fall in love with them.

Brandt with Aunt Sue and Marcy

Carter with Marcy

Aunt Sue feeding Carter
Grandpa Fase, Uncle Drew with Carter, Aunt Mardy with Brandt

Eric's mom and Uncle Drew with the boys

Eric with Uncle Drew and Aunt Mardy with the boys. We realized that Uncle Drew is the boys' great uncle and Aunt Mardy is their great-great aunt!

Grandpa Fase with Brandt

Grandma Fase with the boys

Grandma Fase feeding Carter

Five Months Old

On October 26th, the boys turned 5 months old. They are able to sit by themselves for a few seconds before toppling over. We are still working with them on rolling over. They can do it, but don't really seem interested in doing it themselves.

Brandt is as energetic as ever. In the past month, he has developed this laugh that is so funny. He goes into hysterics if you kiss his neck or give him blow kisses on his belly. He has also turned into a major flirt. He smiles at everyone and squirms with delight when anyone gives him attention. He has been teething. Everything and everyone gets covered in his drool. His upper gums are swollen and we expect his top teeth to cut through soon.

Carter is so calm and goes with the flow. Like Brandt, he also enjoys getting attention, but is showing signs of stranger anxiety. There were just a few times when we were in IL where he would give a distressed look if he was handed to someone he hadn't met. He as also been teething. On Monday, he cut his upper left tooth. These teeth have been pretty difficult to cut. He hasn't been napping very well, been crankier than usual, and spits up like you wouldn't believe.

The boys have begun to grab at things. This has been so much fun. When they do tummy time, they grab at their toys and beginning to play with them. Carter's favorite toy is a towel. He bites it and hugs it. Brandt enjoys chain links and crinkle books.

They have also tried all the fruits. They have liked them all so far. We are now moving on to vegetables. The boys have liked sweet potatoes (but mommy has not as orange spit up is staining!). I am going to start making baby food because it is getting expensive for two babies. I made carrots yesterday and was surprised it was so easy and cheap! I didn't try to do it for fruits because I didn't want to bother peeling apples and cooking them down. Veggies have definitely been easy and worth it.

The boys experience fall

While we've been in Illinois, the boys have had their first experience with fall. Here's a few pictures we took with them with the beautiful leaves.

This picture cracks me up. Look at Carter and Brandt's faces!

Time with Family

This first week as been full of visits with friends and family. On Saturday we went out to breakfast with Dao, Jeff and Lizette. Afterwards they came over to meet the little guys.

Here's Carter and Uncle Jeffy!

Brandt with Dao

Jeff showing Carter his super cool watch

On Sunday and Monday, Grandma and Grandpa Groen came over to see the boys. Boy, do their great grandkids love them!!

I thought this picture was cute of Brandt. He had a fun time hanging out with their Great Grandma Groen.

Carter with Great Grandpa Groen

Grandpa and Great Grandpa Groen with the boys. Three out of the four generations of Groen men!

Grandpa Groen feeding Brandt

The boys were crabby one night so Eric and his dad let them gnaw on a sugar cookie. They loved them! The next day we went out and got them some teething biscuits.

Health Update

Two weeks ago I had another CT scan done to see if my spleen and kidney had gone down in size. Last week I went to see the hemotologist/oncologist for another check up and to get the results from the CT.

Good news! My spleen and liver have gone down! Also, they did a CBC and my white count was up to 5.4!!!!! That is well within normal limits! Dare I say the weird blood problem is gone?:)

Praise the LORD!!!!

Trip to Illinois

Eric is doing a two week anesthesiology rotation at Illinois Masonic Hospital. We'd planned to all come out so all the Illinois family could meet the boys, but due to my sickness and our apprehension of traveling with twins, we kind of nixed the idea awhile ago. Since my weird blood problem seemed to have gone away, I was feeling a little more comfortable with the idea of heading across country. Eric and I discussed it again and said, "What the heck? We've got to do it sometime so let's just do it!" So a few weeks ago we decided that we'd all come out and we've been so happy we did it.

The flight here could not have gone smoother! We were even two hours delayed and the boys were great. Grandpa G treated the boys to not only their first airplane ride, but a first class ride! As soon as we boarded with the rest of the families, we sat and watched everyone else board. You could tell the business people around us were thinking, "Oh no! Two infants. This is going to be miserable."

Eric and I had prepared for the worst. I'd packed tons of spit-up cloths, tons of bottles and some toys to entertain them with. Before we'd even taken off, both boys were asleep. We gave the boys a bottle during take-off and then Carter immediately fell asleep and slept almost the whole flight. I was holding Brandt and he was a little bit different. He was too excited with his surroundings to sleep. He was busy flirting with my seatmate and standing up (he still loves to stand and can do it as long as someone with hold him up). He was just a joy and the flight attendents loved him. One flight attendant held him so I could eat my breakfast. Near the end of the flight, another flight attendant came over and asked if it was their first flight and wanted to know their names. He came back and gave me a certificate for each that was signed by him and the captain! It was so special!

When the plane landed and got up to deboard, several people turned around to tell us how well behaved our little boys were. Wheew! What a relief!

Here the boys are before we left for the airport. They are wearing the outfits that our family friends, Carol and Larry Turoff, gave them. They were perfect as they had matching hoodies the boys wore as soon as we landed.