LIFE GOES ON... THANKFULLY

We are really enjoying life with our 3 little boys! I don't think things will ever go back to the way they were before, but our new normal isn't that bad! The main thing I miss right now is being able to shower when I want to rather than when the boys give me a free moment, which is always later in the day than I would like... but other than that, life is pretty good!

BROTHERS

Benjamin (front) & Samuel are really opening their eyes now and looking around at the world.

Samuel (left) and Benjamin are sometimes happy just hanging out together.

They are especially happy hanging out in their bouncers together.

Joshy loves hanging out with his brothers too. Here he is with Benjamin...

...and with Samuel.

Joshua is a good big brother!

He really is so BIG compared to his tiny, little brothers.


HALLOWEEN

Joshy was a monster ("monter") for Halloween.

I thought it looked like a dragon costume, but he corrected me every time.

The babies were Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the Cat in the Hat book. Ryan's shirt says, "Let me show you a thing or two."

Here's Samuel in his costume. (Benjamin was crying and so did not get a picture in his costume.)

My dad took Joshua trick-or-treating around our neighborhood. Joshua's favorite treat was a Hot Wheel car that a nice neighbor gave him from her special treat stash. Way better than candy!

Although he did like the candy... see! Ooh, yum!

A family friend carved this pumpkin for Joshy. He loved it!


"AMIMALS"

Joshy really loves animals. Here he is playing zoo with Grandma.

Here is Joshua's ark.

His crib is filled with way too many must-have animals and blankets.

Joshy, Bear, & Giraffe are all snuggled up in Joshua's dinosaur sleeping bag.


SLEEPING BABIES
They sleep a lot right now, so I have tons of pictures of the boys asleep.






Don't be fooled into thinking that these boys always sleep at the same time because they most certainly do not. I wish they would! Maybe someday...


BENJAMIN

Here's Benjamin relaxing on the couch and staring at the window. Both boys love looking at any source of light.

Baby Benjamin Barrett in his Bunny Bouncer


SAMUEL

He looks like such a tiny, little thing here since he is curled up like a snail... a cute snail!

Snuggled up on Auntie Karen's shoulder.

It looks like Samuel is really trying to memorize his daddy's face.


JOSHUA

Joshua loves cars in general, so it's pretty lucky for him that there is all sorts of "Cars," the movie, paraphernalia available these days.

"Puh-tin!" (pumpkin)

Joshua feels pretty cool whenever he gets to talk on the phone. He's talking with his Daddy in this picture.

Gotta love Nutella!

"Cheese!" I love that Joshua can smile on cue now. He's so cute!


BLESSING DAY

Benjamin and Samuel

The boys got all fancied up in their suits to go to church.

The proud Papi!

Quite a few of our family members came to hear the boys' blessings.

Some of Ryan's family, including a few cousins, came down for a visit to meet the new baby boys. We had so much fun with them and are so glad they came!


BATHING BOYS


All the boys LOVE taking baths!


DAILY LIFE WITH TWINS

We certainly have our hands...

...and arms full with our boys!

It's a bit of an adjustment going from our sleek, single stroller to this unwieldy beast, but it is nice to be able to go on walks with the little boys asleep in their car seats.

The babies don't ever want to be set down, so we've gotten pretty good at multitasking.

This wrap is great because I can hold all my boys (except for Ryan) at the same time.

1 MONTH OLD

The boys have grown so much in just a month! (Samuel is on the left and Benjamin is on the right.)

THE 2 LITTLE BOYS HAVE ARRIVED!

A WEEK OLD

I can't believe that a week has already gone by! The boys are getting visibly bigger & cuter by the day. We love snuggling them, feeling their silky soft hair & skin, & admiring how beautiful and perfect they both are. We feel so blessed to have them in our family!


Joshua doesn't seem to mind the addition of two babies to his life. He has some grouchy moments, like when Mama can't get a snack for him right away since she's feeding two babies, but other than that, he's feeling pretty happy like usual!


THE BOYS' BIRTHDAY: 9/28/11

Samuel Steven Barrett ............................. Benjamin Daniel Barrett
6 pounds 13 ounces ................................. 6 pounds 7 ounces
20 1/4 inches .......................................... 20 inches


Benjamin and Samuel arrived on Wednesday, September 28th at 11:01am and 11:10am after a very short, uncomplicated, induced delivery.


It was worth the wait—39 weeks and 3 days—to have two healthy boys, 2.5 hours of labor, and a super easy delivery. I was happy... still am!


When Ryan got all dressed up in his scrubs and hat to go into the operating room with me, one of the nurses jokingly commented, "Well, you look like you could be a doctor."


The proud Dad!


The boys look similar, but thankfully different enough that we can easily tell them apart. In this picture, Benjamin is on the left and Samuel is on the right.


Our first visitors in the hospital were my parents and Big Brother Joshua.


Joshy was nice to his new brothers. He softly patted their little heads, but he didn't care too much about them. He really came to visit Mama!


My grandparents & aunt came to visit next. They also sent us these beautiful blue roses and lilies, which looked and smelled amazing!


We all came home from the hospital the next day since we were doing so well!


Here's Daddy bringing Benjamin and Samuel home for the first time.


The babies seemed to enjoy their first ride in the car. They fell right asleep.

STILL WAITING

Ryan & I really had no idea that we'd still be waiting for babies at this point, but here we are! I'm at 39 weeks now, which is overdue for twins. It's like going to 41 weeks with a single baby.

Ryan & I went walking on the beach yesterday after we sent our sweet boy off to stay with his grandparents until his brothers are born. It was a little odd not pushing the stroller while walking or having him with us for so much of the day.

We will miss this cute little guy!


LAST BIG BELLY PICTURES?

Hopefully these are the last big belly pictures to be taken. I'm supposed to be induced sometime today provided that the hospital isn't too busy with other births.

That's a pretty big belly!

I made it to 200 pounds! I knew it was a possibility, but I am still so impressed every time I step on the scale.

SEPTEMBER, SO FAR...

FEEDING THE DUCKS

We went to Lake Murray today to go on a walk & feed the ducks. Joshy did a great job breaking up bread & throwing it toward the ducks. He's really getting the hang of it. He didn't even try to eat any of the old bread we had brought.


JOSHUA'S FIRST CAR

Joshua loves to drive our cars, so we finally got him his own, which he loves.


AT HOME

37 weeks pregnant & feeling happy!

What a cute little boy!


JOSHY & "BLUE"

Joshy loves his blanket. Lately, he has been walking around with it around his shoulders like a cape, so he can keep it close.

Here's Joshy sitting on "Blue" in his upside-down step stool.


S'MORES

Joshy got to try s'mores for the first time at a Rush family barbecue.

He wasn't sure what to think about the sticky marshmallow at first...

...but, in the end, he decided he liked it.


BEACH BOYS

We love being able to escape to the beach whenever it is hot. That water is always amazingly cold & refreshing!

Joshy & I made quite a few sand "towees" (towers), but he was most happy about being made into a "towee" himself.


"TOWEE"

We build "towees" out of blocks pretty much every day! Ryan has noticed that Joshua doesn't like gaps in any of his "towees" or anyone else's "towees" & he works hard to fill them in. Funny little guy!


HANDSOME MAN

Joshy is such a good boy at church! He goes to Nursery all by himself & folds his arms during prayers. I can't believe he is such a big boy now!


SEAL BEACH

It was cool to see (but not to smell) all the seals, sea lions, & dolphins!

Joshy was a bit unsure about it all & may not want to go in the water again now that he knows those big stinky animals swim in it too.