Your 2nd year...

At age 2, our baby books stop.  So from now on, this blog is our way to document the boys growth.

Alex & Evan,

We just celebrated your 2nd year of life.  You are not nearly as excited for yourselves as we are.  Its been a big year for our family.  Daddy started a new career and we left the state where you were born.  Your little personalities have really started to blossom.  Evan, you are a happy little boy.  At the moment, you are obsessed with balls, soccer balls, baseballs, beach balls, anything round, really.  You love Daddy's old matchbox car collection and you are starting to play quietly on your own.  Daddy is your guy.  You get so excited when he wears his soccer jerseys.  You love having your head rubbed before you go to sleep.  Alex, you are a Carlson, through and through.  You are never sitting still but love to snuggle anything soft and cuddly.  You love reading books but your obsession at the moment is riding bikes.  You would eat fruit and drink juice 24/7.  You are pretty serious but you love to be chased and wrestled.  You are pretty attached to me right now, I kinda hope that never changes:)  You seem to love nature and you are a climber.  Both of you have really learned the art of brotherhood.  You work and play seamlessly around each other.  You understand each other and have perfected the art of pestering (Alex, you are particularly good at it).
Some mornings when I come to get you out of bed, you both seem like you have grown a foot.  As your language develops, your frustration with life subsides.  My favorite thing to do is hand you a book and watch your little eyes as they devour every image, your little finger as it shoots to things you recognize and the little noise you make when you question something new.  We made an attempt at potty training this year but failed.  We will try again soon although neither of you seem to care to be bothered to step away from your play for anything, let alone going potty.
Its amazing to think how far we have come from just 2 years ago.  This time last year, you boys were giving us a run for our money.  Now, we are all running together.  Our lives finally flow together versus ours flooding around yours.  You two are still a handful.  We have days where I feel like I only have one child because one or the other is always in time out.  But, even on your grumpy days, the way you contort your faces or squeeze out those crocodile tears in the name of getting your way, I can't help but laugh.  The art of manipulation is perfected so early on.  But boys, I am on to you.  And know this, I am just as stubborn :).
I will repeat this every minute of every day for the rest of your lives, either out loud or in my heart: I love you.  It is a permanent, all-encompassing love.  It goes beyond your sweet little chubby 2 year old faces, it stretches into your teen years and past when you are an adult and leave me.  There is no end to it and tested or not, it remains and grows.  I promise to wrap you in it every morning and when you are out on your own, I will send it to you in letters, phone calls, home-cooked meals.

Happy 2nd Birthday!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Boys!!

On July 16, family came to town and we were able to celebrate the boys birthday.  It was just what we were hoping would happen when we moved back.  

It was last year at this time that I was freaking out about having a huge party for the boy's 1st birthday.  You know the kind that you super creative and talented mom's can pull off with coordinating party supplies, games, favors, cake pops, things that draw the collective "awww".  At some point in my life, I think I carried the ability to pull something like that off.  Now, not so much.  But, my dear husband gave me an out.  He said to me "their birthday isn't a day we are celebrating JUST them, its the day we celebrate becoming a family".  Well said, plus, it gets me off the hook.  So, we focused on family and good food and it was stress free and so special.  Yes, I am sure the boys will someday look back and say "not even a single balloon?"  But, hey, they had fun, we all did.

We grilled and ate ice cream and rode on their new bikes.  The next morning, we all went out to breakfast and said our good-byes.  It was short but sweet and we got some great pictures.  Thanks for all the great toys, books, bikes, etc.  

 

Reunion

As we hoped would happen once we moved back, we had the chance to reunite with dear friends from our time in Virginia.  When we saw them last, neither of us had children, now, we have both doubled!  Baby Owen was just the perfect baby.  Alex had a little crush on Brynn and needed to know where she was all the time.  Matt and Kevin fell right back into it and it was funny to hear them reminisce.  Mollie and I (and the other wives) had grown so close during those 3 years.  It was so good to see her and even more so now in her mother-role.  It was a short but fulfilling trip.  We get to see them again and with the rest of the crew in September.  It was a little sneak peak at how fun that reunion will be!!

Evan and his hat

Who knows what I am doing here but Evan's little face is just too cute!