Big Shoes to Fill

Adrian at the Pumpkin Patch 10/16/10

Isaac with straw in his mouth at the Pumpkin Patch 10/16/10

Isaac in Papa’s shoes. 10/16/10

Halloween Jammies 10/16/10

Adrian in Papa’s shoes 10/19/10

What a great team. They are already fixing cars together. 10/25/10

10/25/10

At home (with Grandma & Grandpa Briggs), preparing to cheer Mizzou on to a victory over #1 ranked Oklahoma while Mom and Dad were at the game.

We have had a busy fall. Adrian got his first tooth on October 25 - at 11 1/2 months! It was an exciting day for us. Isaac already has 3 teeth.

The boys are pulling themselves up on everything and anything all over the house. Adrian is already graceful with getting back on his bottom. Isaac . . . not so much. He basically does the splits and then falls back on his bottom. They are walking with the support of the furniture. It is getting a little dangerous here.

Today, Grandma Oleva spent the day with the boys. She turned her head for a second and when she looked back, Isaac was doing a chin-up on the dining room table. That kid is strong - and hilarious. When you ask him where his eyes are, he blinks them and makes a funny face. If you ask where his nose is, he snorts air in and out of it while he scrunches up his face.

Adrian has been particularly loving lately. Yesterday morning, soon after the boys woke up, Adrian reach over and gave Isaac two kisses. He loves his brother so much. He will hate me someday for sharing that.

Life is good.

11 Months Old!!

Adrian 10/12/10 11 Months Old

Isaac 10/12/10 11 Months Old

Partners in Crime . . . already getting into trouble together - getting into Mom’s purse 10/12/10 11 Months

Unloading the Dishwasher

10/11/10

10/4/10 10 months, 3 weeks

Isaac & Adrian are 11 months old today!!

They are both pulling themselves up to standing better every day. They cruise around the couch. They have colds right now, but we took pictures today anyway.

Isaac & Adrian migrate around the house together most of the day. They have lots of fun working on projects together - like unloading the dishwasher and Mom’s purse.

Isaac has 3 teeth and Adrian still has none. Somehow, Adrian does a better job eating solid food. Isaac would rather have a bottle or pureed baby food.

Many Firsts

Isaac, cousin Palmer, Adrian before the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure

September 19, 2010

Komen Race for the Cure September 19, 2010 Columbia, MO

LtoR:Me, Dave, Travis, Jacqui, Mom (Oleva), Dave, Jeff, Tonya, Carla

Stroller row: Adrian, Isaac, Palmer

Palmer, Isaac, Adrian

Mizzou Tailgate 9/18/10

Isaac Swinging

9/14/10

10 Months

Adrian Swinging

9/14/10

10 Months

September was a month of many firsts. The boys tailgated at a Mizzou game for the first time. They also attended their first Mizzou game on September 18th. Mizzou beat San Diego State 27-7. My family also got together for our first Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Columbia, MO. We put together a team in honor of my mom. She has been cancer free for 1 year! Yeay! I had custom pink t-shirts made for Isaac, Adrian, and their cousin, Palmer that stated “I Wear Pink for My Grandma”.

Dave and I celebrated our 8th anniversary on September 14th with take-out Mexican food and a trip to the park with the boys. Adrian loves the swings. Isaac isn’t so sure about them. For each of our anniversaries, Dave always buys me a gift that is a “traditional” gift for that year. The eighth anniversary gift is bronze and small appliances, so naturally Dave gave me a margarita maker and some bronze-looking serving dishes. Fun.

We started teaching the boys sign language a couple of months ago and it is going well. They enjoy it. They both signed “light” and “milk” right away (around 10 months). The other signs are coming slowly. We have decided that Isaac’s first official spoken word is “light”. He babbles “Mamamamama" and “Dadadada" indiscriminently, but he actually knows what “light” is when he says it.

I & A are both pulling themselves up to a standing position and cruising around the furniture just barely. They both crawl all over the house - usually side by side. One will crawl right over the other to get to a toy. They spend a lot of time stealing toys from each other. Adrian loves to walk while holding someone’s hands. His new favorite activity is kicking a ball around the house. We may have a soccer player on our hands.

1, 2, 3 Grow! 10 Months, Really??!

It is so sad to see the summer wind down, but we love fall at our house, so I guess we will survive. We spent Labor Day weekend in St. Louis with our great friends Brian, Ranina, Mayson and Ryles Robinson. We ventured to the St. Louis Zoo and to a Cardinals game - two firsts for the boys. They did great with both experiences. I was quite worried about how the boys would do at the game and it went much better than I expected. The Cards beat the Reds 4-2 and we saw Holliday hit a 3 run home run. Great memories.

What’s new with the boys? So much I can’t even list it all here. The biggie is that they are both crawling. They do an army crawl with their bellies only barely getting off of the floor, but they manage to zoom very quickly all over the house. It seems like the fun is just beginning.

We already had our first incident today. Isaac loves crawling over to any furniture, cabinets, a person, etc. and getting on his back and kicking said item or individual. He has a true love for kicking anything and everything. So, this afternoon I was actually laying on the floor with both boys while he was kicking an end table that toppled and landed right on his forehead. He has a huge goose egg. Ugghh! I feel awful about it. So, the baby-proofing of the house has been stepped up a notch.

Adrian still loves to walk/run everywhere, but he still needs support from someone to do so. They have both recently started self-feeding small snack foods. That is a mess and so much fun. I am also incorporating more solid foods into their diet. It is always an adventure when we add something new. Isaac makes the most ridiculous faces when he experiences new foods. Adrian makes the most ridiculous faces for no apparent reason.

Isaac has just recently started to have some attachment issues with both Dave and myself. When we walk in the door from work, he insists upon being held and loved up. We are fine with it, but he occasionally gets upset when we put him down. It is always very short lived though. We just eliminated Isaac’s pacifier four days ago. That has been an experience. I actually thought it would be much worse. There have been a handful of fits at nap time or bedtime. I think the worst is behind us. Luckily, Adrian never took a pacifier.

Adrian is a studier. He spends a lot of time studying his environment and toys. This is why walking is so appealing to him. He has lots of areas in the house he needs to explore. He enjoys holding toys in his left hand and hitting them repeatedly with a toy that he is holding in his right hand. He always seems to be trying to figure things out. We have a thinker on our hands.

Within the last couple of weeks the boys seem to play together a lot more. They also fight over toys frequently. Adrian is definitely more tenacious than Isaac. Isaac just gives up. We have seen a few head locks and of course Isaac loves to try to kick Adrian. That doesn’t go over well with anyone. There have also been some sympathy cries from a brother here and there. They are going to have so much fun together very soon. I can’t wait!

Ranina, Brian, Ryles Robinson Dave, Adrian, Tisha, Isaac

Mayson opted out of this picture. He was tired of being photographed.

Ryles is one month younger than the twins.

9/5/10 St. Louis

The Briggs Family at the boys’ first Cards game. Many, many more to come.

9/5/10 9 Months, 3 Weeks

“Let’s Get Papa!!” and the fun begins.

9/10/10 10 Months

The boys are officially crawling - although they don’t get their bellies off the floor. This is what chases me around the house all day. I am the luckiest girl to have two handsome fellows like this on my tail. 9/9/10

Adrian & Isaac

10 Month Birthday

9/12/10

Isaac is actually taller than Adrian, but Adrian has better posture while sitting. Funny.

Happy 9 Month Birthday, Isaac & Adrian

Isaac & Adrian 9 Month Birthday 8/12/10

Isaac & Adrian 9 Month Birthday 8/12/10

Adrian 9 Month Birthday 8/12/10

Isaac 9 Month Birthday 8/12/10

Isaac & Adrian before swim lessons 8 1/2 Months 8/5/10

Swim Lessons 8 1/2 Months 8/5/10

I know it is hard to believe, but my babies are 9 months old today! I took the two of them to the Truman State campus for some pictures this morning. It was an adventure. Isaac had a hunk of grass and mud in his mouth in less than 1 minute. Adrian was so focused on the grass, trees, noises, etc. that he refused to look at the camera. Fun, fun.

Adrian is busy walking (while holding our hands) all over the place. That is all he wishes to do. Isaac’s hair is getting so long his Papa says he needs a haircut. I say, “No way!” We are going to try to get some curls.

We started swim lessons the first week of August and the boys both enjoy it. They kick their legs, blow bubbles and scoop their hands. It has been lots of fun. They both seem to get a lot out of it. Bath time is a lot of fun now.

Adrian & Isaac in the bath 8 1/2 Months 7/23/10

They have been taking baths together. They splash and play with toys. We were remembering back to baths when they were newborns. This is significantly less stressful. I will try to get some bathtime video up sometime.

There is still no crawling. Adrian sleeps on his tummy with his face buried in the mattress and his legs tucked up under himself with his butt sticking straight in the air. It is quite a sight. I can’t get any good pictures of it without waking him. Isaac sleeps with blankets on his head.

They keep us laughing!

My Love & Sunshine

The older the boys get (they are 8 1/2 months old now), the more their differences are highlighted every day. We cherish them both for so many reasons. I am amazed by them daily. They are not yet crawling, but they roll all over the place. I am not pushing the crawling too much, because I don’t know what I will do when they go in two separate directions.

Adrian is my love. He has the most affectionate heart. Every mother loves a child that wants snuggles and kisses. He is so sweet, gentle and loving. He loves to run his fingers through my hair (without pulling it), will put his hands on my cheeks, and always wants an extra few kisses at bed time. He was the first to start giving kisses, also. Someone told me that he has an old soul. That may be true. I think he might be my sensitive son.

He recently started walking while holding our hands. The kid only weighs 15 1/2 pounds. He is a skinny baby, so it is interesting to see him cruising around on his chicken legs. He refuses to sit. He would prefer to stand, please. He thoroughly enjoys books. Dave and I think we can actually see his wheels spinning at times. He spends a lot of time studying his toys, the dog, anything new that he sees. He is a thinker, like his Papa.

Isaac is my sunshine. He is simply happy. You can count on him for a smile. It is impossible to be unhappy in his presence. He is only unhappy when extremely tired, hungry or if he doesn’t feel well. Don’t tell him I said so, but we call him our little maniac. He is a wild man. I may sound like a broken record, but his Uncle Jeffy was the same way as a baby.

He is a busy guy, also. He does not stay still for a single moment. He is constantly kicking his feet, rolling every which way on the floor, shaking his head, clapping, dancing. He has lots of interesting noises to share with us, too. He spends most of his time shrieking, babbling, blowing bubbles in his everflowing drool, clicking his tongue.

Adrian & Isaac 7/20/10 8 Months, 1 Week

Grandma Oleva reading the boys a bedtime book 7/20/10

Adrian & Isaac’s first bath together 7/23/10 8 1/2 Months

Vegas, Baby!

Well, we did it. It was the first time Dave and I hopped on a jet plane and left the boys behind. We had the opportunity to go to Vegas with our friends Tim & Kellie Herbst and Darren and Alice Allinson, so we did it. We had a great time. The boys went home with Grandma Oleva for the long weekend. Grandma Oleva and Grandma Adrianna shared custody of the boys. They had a fabulous time, as did we. Everyone survived. Maybe we will do it again.

Grandma Oleva with Isaac & Adrian

First Grandma Weekend 7/8 - 7/11/10 8 Months

Dave, myself, Darren, Alice, Kellie & Tim

Me & Dave after Blue Man Group 7/9/10

Me with Alice & Kellie in front of our Hotel, the Venetian 7/9/10

Did I mention that I met Pete Rose?! 7/9/10

Busy Summer

Happy Fourth of July!!

Jeff, Owen, Leigh Ann, Elsie Williams 7/4/10

We have had a busy summer and I haven’t done well keeping up with the blog. Over the Independence Day weekend, the Williams family from Lee’s Summit came to visit us. We had a great time. Jeff ran in the first annual Kirksville Marathon on Saturday, July 3. He placed second. Isaac decided to get up at 5:15 that morning and Adrian woke at 6:00. (That is a little earlier than usual.) So, I put them in the stroller and we walked out to the end of our subdivision to cheer on the dedicated runners.

Isaac & Adrian bundled up watching the Kirksville Marathon (at 6:15 am) 7/3/10

On June 26, I enjoyed a lovely afternoon with good friends at a baby shower for my great friend, Melissa Hamm. She is expecting a baby girl sometime at the end of August.

Melissa’s Baby Shower 6/26/10

Missy, Me, Melissa, Ranina & Angie (she is expecting, too!)

Me with my boys after we attended Melissa’s Shower 6/26/10

My Aunt Elaine and Cousins Paula and Michael from Phoenix came for a visit.

Cousins 6/21/10

Damian, Paula, Isaac, Michael, Adrian, Jeff

Grandma Adrianna, Grandma Oleva and Adrian walking in the Cancer Survivor’s walk at the Memphis Relay for Life

Isaac was scared by motorcycles before the walk, so I was holding him.

6/11/10

Uncle Jeffy, Isaac, me, Adrian 6/19/10

The boys enjoyed their first time in Grandma Oleva’s pool. Isaac splashed all of us the entire time. Adrian is a little more mellow. He just took it all in.

Dave with his boys on his first Father’s Day 6/20/10

Happy 7 Month Birthday, Adrian & Isaac!

Adrian 6 months, 3 weeks

Isaac 7 Months

Adrian & Isaac 7 Months

Yesterday, Saturday, June 12 was the twins' 7 month birthday. I don't have time to post much more other than pictures. Adrian has been standing (with some help) a lot lately. Isaac is very close to sitting up on his own. They have both been sick over the past couple of weeks, so that hasn't been much fun. They are so much fun!