Handsome boys (phew!)

Well we did the regular visit to the good ol' JCPenney Portrait Studio. Why, you ask, did I choose the JCPenney Studio? Well, back in the day, when Nick was born and we NEEDED "professional" pictures taken to fully document the cuteness that was Nick, I found some coupons and it seemed like a reasonable deal at the time. Of course I joined the Club and thought all of those stated deals would work perfectly for our family. The pictures were always fine--cute enough, not alot of detail or imagination, but the kid usually grinned and we were out of there for less than $30 each time. Most of the family was happy with them and that was that. Now we have Owen too and so far he has been OK during the sessions. A bit busier and a bit more frightened to be alone with the photographer, but again, we get a grin or two and we leave. Well, this session was especially challenging. First off we had to wait about 20 minutes. If anyone has ever met Owen, he is not good at waiting for anything or anybody. So we cruised around JCPenney store and looked for interesting things to NOT TOUCH!! We found some cool backpacks and he was OK with me pushing him in and out of the aisles. Then we get to go in to the session. Let me say this--at least the "new" JCPenney Studio has handheld digital cameras and the photographer can get down on the floor or move around. That old standard camera on the retractable arm would have been a nightmare for Owen. By this point, both kids shoes are off, they have eaten all crackers I brought and Owen is a hot mess. BUT we perservere and get the job done with some good sweat equity. The boys were pretty insane and the photog. was incredibly patient. There was running, wrestling, monkey piles and alot of rolling around.....Thank goodness I am not a big "get a smile/cheese" pose, so I just kept telling her it was fine. All in all, the shots turned out great. Enjoy!

Busy, busy, busy boys (and mommy!)

Big Bird's mailbox

Nick is in a Big Boy bed!!!

Owen likes goofy goggles too!

A happy moment in the sand

Looking over the edge of the ferry was fun.

Whoa--When did half of August fly by?? I cannot believe I have off next week and my REAL work aka school year begins again! Wow, time really is not slowing down for anything or anyone. Well, we have been one busy group. We started out summer with lazy days enjoying the best weather MD has ever seen--just riding bikes, playing any sports and swimming in our silly pool. Then we went on a mini vacation to the Philly area to see the fun guys at Sesame Place. It was really cool and really fun, but Owen was a bit overwhelmed. Nick had a great time on the rides and we all enjoyed the character lunch where we high fived and hugged our way through typical kid fare. Everyone was tired after pizza and beer at the hotel and most of the children went to sleep....except the Duda boys. My so-called "good sleepers" decided that jumping out of their pack n' plays and getting to the toilet was a much better lights out activity. Andy ended up falling asleep on the bed waiting for them to fall asleep! That should have enlightened us to how it would go in WI. After a looooong 15 hour overnighter to the midwest, we were all exhausted and took good naps. That night Owen showed off his pack n' play jumping skills by getting out over and over and over again. I felt like whats her name on Nanny 911. No eye contact, no words, just place child back in bed and close the door. Whatever. After 20 mins of that, Grama tried rocking and singing--and after 5 more put downs, he fell asleep. I thought we were over all of this--but as I tell my new mommy friends: "Each day is a new day." :P So when I heard his padded pj feet at 5 AM coming to wake me up I knew we were in trouble for the next 2 1/2 weeks!! The visit otherwise was very nice. I got to see lots of friends and my whole family (minus Aunt KAffrin) which was great. We had great weather and did fun things like go to Titans Stadium and play baseball, football and soccer. We said our goodbyes and hopped on the SS Badger to head to MI. Drove in to a cloudy, windy day but we had our hopes up for better weather. Both boys slept well the first night with Owen staying in till 630 AM (good start!) By the next day, nap time was a disaster again. He jumped out about 12 times, before I held him down to rub his back and sing--haven't done that since 6 mos, but we do desperate things in desperate times. He fell asleep and all was well. For bed I had to sit on the couch and sneak out after he was asleep. I was his prisoner and he knew it!!! UGH. Totally infuriating and frustrating, but all part of the fun of parenthood. I have been told many, many times what great times these are and how fortunate we are to be able to share them. Yeah, yeah, yeah--I was still getting pretty grumpy about it. Especially when you hear your son padding around a pitch black room at 2 AM saying "mommy? nigh nigh mommy?" and he does not go to sleep again till 4 AM. Maybe "grumpy" is too nice a term....Yeah, so now since he can get out--he does, at ANY time. Not good. And he is waking up for the day around 5 AM. Really not good. Then he is MISERABLE all day, since he is tired and off schedule. Great vacation. We almost went home one day as it is pouring outside and I just can't take another day with him clinging to me or saying "up me up me". I had no strength left in my arms and no patience left in my heart. We had to get out of there!!! The beloved Crib Tent came by Monday (WHY DID WE WAIT????!!!) and POOF he was back to normal. He had to go to sleep when put in bed since his favorite Olympic sport had been cancelled! He was still up early, but not quite as early and the weather got better too! That big guy in the sky has a funny way of doing things. Everyone was happier now and we finished off a great week at the Lake. Phew. Parenting is HARD WORK!!

First day of Summer '09

Father's Day Art

Sandy faced beach baby

Trying out the boogy board

Oh yeah!! Summer has started and we have been in full force staying outside for many hours past dinner time and enjoying all the nice weather. Once the rain stopped, the sun and clouds have given us the perfect mix to make for great days and nights. The boys have been busy with bikes, balls and swimming pools. They go, go, go till they drop! Nick is in love with all sports, so there is never a break from pitching/fetching a baseball, kicking a soccer ball or chasing for a game of tag. He loves freeze tag, but we need more people....:P We had fun staying at a friend's house in Bethany Beach, DE for a relaxing weekend. The boys loved the sand and surf. The sun was not blazing, so that was nice. I have had the last two weeks off and have been getting a ton done around the house including long overdue scrapbooking. It has been so fun looking back on the past year and tearing up at how much we have done and how much they have grown!! Where have my baby boys gone???? Andy continues to work hard and has gotten in a few rounds of golf lately. We celebrated him on Father's Day with breakfast in bed, a banner, and presents. I even cooked dinner that night!! WOW! :)~ I think he felt like a king and he deserved it!

The Best 3 boys on the Planet

Cloud gazing

Soccer school

Jazz Fest Baby!! Erykah Badu serenading us!

Hello all. This time of year is so great. Even with all the rain we have been getting, I just love seeing things grow and turn green again. Winter is just not my favorite season, so all this newness makes me feel refreshed. That being said, I am feeling refreshed in life too. I just have too many blessings to count and I feel so lucky to be surrounded by such good friends and family. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who support me and share life with me, I truly appreciate all the times we have had together and apart (as there are so many of you whom I don't get to share face to face encounters with, but still feel as close as ever!!) It seems like these boys of mine keep on surprising me with their sweetness and cuteness (yes, all THREE of them). The little ones come up with cute things to do and say (usually) and in general we have so much fun together. With all of this sunshine and fresh air, I feel like we are becoming such a strong family. Just hanging out in the backyard is filled with laughter and joy. Owen is joining in with all his little words and actions. He loves "basketball" (pronounced almost perfectly!) and the sandbox. Thank goodness he is not obsessed with eating sand and rocks anymore, that got so old last year. Now he just sits in the box, pushing trucks and "dump(ing)" all over the place. He looks so pleased with himself when he builds up something and knocks it down. Nick is all sports. Baseball, tennis, golf, soccer, playing tag. He loves it all. They both help to keep me in shape. My husband is such a wonderful constant in my life, and yet we continue to grow and change and realize just how important this pact is that we made almost 5 years ago. To love and cherish and honor and all that good stuff. It is not always easy, but we make a great team. I can only thank God and the people that surround us for such a blessed life. Happy Mother's Day to all.

silly mommy

Who doesn't need to stop and smell the flowers once in awhile!! :) Mommy's sweet boys.

Over Spring Break we went on our first of many DC zoo trips. We joined cousins Kate, Gabi, Jack, Aunt Kristen, Oma and Opa, Uncle Ben and Alia. What a day! It was a little chilly at the end, but we enjoyed all the animal acitivity!

My mom sent in some fancy treats and we finally checked them out. The boys LOVED it!! I must admit, PopRocks are pretty fun!!

Spring Flings

Well the weather has improved and we are having lots and lots of outdoor fun. Nature is big in our house, so we have been finding lots of bugs for Nick's new Critter Cabin. He is pretty brave and will go after just about anything. I keep my distance from spiders, but can do most other critters. We have fun with our big backyard and our crazy hill full of suprises. There are usually a few bunnies, some squirrels and even some deer out there. We are waiting patiently for our friendly hummingbird to return and we have filled up his feeder already! Owen is talking up a storm and is really in love with basketball right now. He has been working on his version of a jump shot and I will try to get that video posted soon. It is very cute. You can hear his gears working through all of the motions: 1. get ball, 2. put ball over head, 3. rock back and forth on feet holding ball overhead and trying not to fall, 4. PUSH it up and out of your hands, 5. watch it go in or somewhere near the hoop and CELEBRATE!! He is so cute. Feisty and a bit bullheaded, but very very cute. They both keep us laughing (most of the time). The Easter Bunny was a big hit this year. Nick's basket was on the ceiling fan in the family room!! Crazy bunny. He had a great time with an egg hunt at church and a suprise egg hunt in our yard--still don't know who that was, but thanks! We had a great dinner with the Duda's and stuffed ourselves with ham and lamb--YUM.

winter fun

We have had quite the exciting March. A big snow storm came in the "nick" of time for Nick. He was thrilled to wake up to 6 inches of fluff and would have been out there in his pajamas if I had let him! We waited till after breakfast since the winds were high and it was COOOOLD. What a great time everyone had just romping around and plopping down and eating it and exploring. We were so tired of hearing about all the snow in Michigan and Wisconsin and this stuff is FUN! We have a great sledding hill at the end of the cul-de-sac where all the big kids play and spent endless hours sliding down the hill and trudging back up. Owen was not so happy with all of this as Ithink he got his mother's poor circulation and gets cold hands and feet that become painful in minutes. He sledded a few times, but would be Ok watching the activity. Also--Nick finally learned how to ride that tricycle of his. It all clicked this past weekend--steering was especially challenging, but all of a sudden I let go and off he went. Sound effects of course were so much fun--tongue out, making those car noises. He is thrilled with himself and goes down the sidewalk, turns around and heads back about a hundred times a day. It is awesome to watch and I think Owen will be close on his heels! MUST DO WHAT OLDER BROTHER DOES!! Owen likes to growl when you try to help him, much to mommy's chagrin.

Mommy weekend

Well today is a new day and things are slowly improving in our house. Owen still sounds like an 80 year old smoker, but his energy is back and he is starting to get into trouble again, a tell-tale sign of better health! I enjoyed some of the cuddling I got to do with both boys as they would melt in to my chest and fall asleep, snoring and drooling peacefully for a couple of hours, but now we are back to regular business of crashing cars, running races around the kitchen island and trying to figure out what Owen is up to when it gets quiet! He is the proverbial "dickens".

Great news came on Feb 25 that my good friend from Oshkosh had a beautiful and healthy baby boy. I had guessed they would go more traditional with names, but they picked an ultra cool one: Cole Joseph. He is a little cutie pie--all 6 pounds of him at 9 days early! (Why were my babies so BIG??!!) It sounds like she had a long labor, but not too intense and she held off on the epidural till a few hours before pushing, so I could not be more proud. It really is amazing watching my friends become mothers and fathers. I beam with pride as I think of her gazing into his eyes at whatever time it is in the morning and the thoughts that surround that little miracle. I enjoyed that time I had with my boys and love hearing about it from my friends. Life is truly a gift and a miracle!

I am looking forward to a good weekend. Andy is going with friends to a rustic cabin in West Virginia to do what boys do---ride 4 wheelers and drink beer. I hope he gets some much needed rest (ha ha) and some relaxation. He has been working very hard lately and deserves to blow off some steam. I have plans for Saturday night to go see a movie and out to dinner with two of my best girlfriends, Kelly and Patti. Can't wait to see them and just hang out. I am blessed with good friends and always look forward to spending time with them--baby free!!

I better get some things done while the house is quiet--maybe even my 20 mins. of reading. We have a book club and the Twilight series is in full effect. Many of the girls are quite smitten by young Edward Cullen--I must admit, he does not do it for me, but the stories are entertaining. I am starting #2--and at my turtle reading pace I might be finished by Easter!

Checking this blogging thing out

I figured since I am currently OBSESSED with my friend Sara's blog about her pregnancy and the beginning of a new life with a baby I would try again at the blogging thing. I entered one post almost 3 years ago and am not sure why I could not commit. It probably goes back to my difficulty with journaling as well. I just lose interest in the everyday events....it all starts to sound the same....BUT with two little rascals running around--no two days are EVER the same and so many great things happen in their lives, that I thought I better start recording it here. Even reading that first post brought a tear to my eye. Just thinking about how sweet that day was with our family around us and Nick was just a little baby. Amazing how time flies by and now we have Owen with us on our journey. I hope it is enjoyable for us all. I hope I can keep up!!

Update on the boys. NICK is 3 and OWEN is 17 mos. Both are sick right now, so that encompasses our thoughts. Fevers, coughs, runny noses...all the good stuff. I took Owen to the ER for a chest xray and flu check this morning. He was such a trooper and it all came back clear. Just a really bad cold. We left with steroids and will be doing the nebulizer treatments in full force for both boys. I guess this respiratory thing is going to be the deal for them--it strikes them hard and lasts for a while. They are both in pretty good spirits despite being really sick, so we are lucky for that. Currently the house is quiet as all 3 of my boys nap!!

The Duda Family 4

This was a shot of our happy family at Christmas. Nick is holding "Ralph" the Elf on the Shelf. Ralph came in handy during some of those tough times before Christmas when behaviors can be monitored and reported to Santa!

Our Little Nicholas is not so little anymore! We celebrated his baptism this past weekend with lots of friends and family! Grandma Mary was here to take care of him as Kristin went back to work and Nanutz (John) joined us for the weekend of fun. All of the Duda's were together also, with a fun hang out day at Kristen and John's on Saturday. Aunt Katie and Uncle Roger even came from NYC to admire our little one. NIcholas performed his own rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in church, but looked wonderful in the 100+ year old baptism gown handed down from the Baum family. It was a wonderful day, albeit very very hot! Thanks to all who joined us!