8 Months!

We got his 8 month pictures taken! They aren't my favorite, but the kid doesn't take bad pictures!

Carmine at 8 months......

Rece at 8 months......

Here are a few more.

More Pics

Rece

Carmine...There is about a 2 month age difference, but here is an example where I really don't think they look alike.

This is his newest thing he loves to do. He even gets brave and lets go with one hand, but after a while he fell backwards and hit his head on the wall...bad mommy, next time pull it out into the middle of the room!

Our little photographer, Rece got ahold of the camera and we had about 7 pictures like this :)

First Ohio State Game!! GO BUCKS!!!!!!
This is what daddy lives for!

Rece and daddy playing tennis together on XBox

Carmine's favorite playpen ;)

7 Months

Rece at 7 months
Carmine at 7 months...
Ok, they have identical smiles, but their face shapes are unmistakably different!
I couldn't decide on my favorite picture this time so I am posting a few.

Fireworks!!

We took the boys to see the big fireworks in the city. Carmine just stared at them with very little reaction. Rece kind of whined a little but eventually he loved them and kept asking for more.
We went with Conner and his mommy and daddy. Rece and Conner just loved dancing to the music that was played by a band.

Carmine took a little catnap waiting for all of the festivities to start!

And Then....

On Friday we had a relaxed day and didn't do much of anything...which I think everyone needed. Then on Saturday was Tony's brother, Jeffrey's graduation party. Nothing too exciting but Rece enjoyed the cake and Carmine enjoyed a snooze in the sun!

And on Saturday we had a double date night! Doesn't happen too often anymore! We went to a comedy club where we had dinner first. The comedian was really funny. I think everyone needed a good laugh and had a really good time. But I know the morning came way too soon!!

Stay tuned for all the details about the surprise party...as soon as I get the pictures from my brother!

Maggie Rose

WELCOME MAGGIE ROSE!!!!
Joey became a big brother yesterday at 11:56 am. She was 7 lbs. 5 oz. and 19.5 in. She is beautiful with lots of thick black hair!!

I have no Title

Yesterday, Rece had quite a jealous streak. Everytime I held Carmine, Rece got into everything that he knows he is not supposed to. Hence this picture!



On Tuesday we went to the nearby outlet malls and I finished up Rece's summer clothes shopping. Carmine got a few things but he really doesn't need the clothes. After we shopped, Rece played on the playground for a little bit, but he really preferred to people watch as always.



I took this picture a few days ago and I was going to write about how Carmine is so content on his belly that he is never going to learn to lift his head. But, then just today he surprised me and started lifting his head. He even lifted it about 90 degrees! Carmine has also slept through the night a couple nights in a row. I think that him not being swaddled has helped that. I was planning on swaddling through three months, but for probably 4 nights in a row he got totally out of the swaddle and that just leaves a loose blanket in the cradle and I can't have that! So, we have been weaning him gradually from the swaddle, only swaddling one arm. He seems to like that for now. But every night now he finds his thumb. He is still not really coordinated so him finding his thumb is quite a sight! I need to get it on video before he stops doing it. But, he basically rubs his hand all over his face vigorously over and over until the thumb finds its way into the mouth! It is cute, but he has scratched himself a couple of times in the process. And while doing this he has almost rolled over a couple of times. It won't be long now. YIKES! And Carmine has decided that he prefers two long naps. It is crazy but he will nap for like 3 or 4 hours! Especially in the afternoon. However he is not so good at the napping on the go. He is up and down and up and down the whole time we are out. I really don't mind too much because he is always in a good mood when he wakes up and then fusses a little later and then falls back to sleep. And he is only nursing 4 to 5 times a day, depending on if he wakes in the middle of the night. Rece didn't drop to 4 nursings until like 8 months! Crazy how different they are already. It makes me nervous that Carmine will be ready to wean long before I am. We shall see!

2 Months!

What!? 2 months already? Where did it go? I can't believe how fast it is going. It feels like yesterday that he was 1 month. I can't really say he has changed a whole lot in this last month. He is still only getting up once at night to eat. He is still very calm and easy going. He is starting to swat at his toys in his bouncy seat. I think his big brother is getting used to him. I know soon he won't even remember being an only child and things will be smoother sailing-until they are 10 and 12!!.

RECE AT 2 MONTHS



CARMINE AT 2 MONTHS



I know they are really different poses, but they are both smiling.

So many things

We took Rece to his first movie yesterday. We saw Happy Feet! It was cute. There were a couple parts that scared him(for good reason). But overall he did really well. He would never sit and watch a movie at home but I think just with the size of it all he was in awe. He fell asleep toward the end but it was a really good experience.
And tonight Rece fingerpainted for the first time. I hadn't done it with him yet because he still puts everything in his mouth. But he really needs some craft and activity time. He is starting to get very bored during the day, so I said oh well if he eats it and just did it. It went great. He put his finger in his mouth at the very end while I was cleaning up and that was it. The only thing we had a problem with was that he started shaking his hands to paint went flying, but only a little. And he kept wanting more paint, but other than that he had fun and we have 4 masterpieces to show for it!


Ok, now I am going to b!tch and moan a little bit. But I think for good reason. Carmine's face is all scratched up. Rece has been hitting him a LOT!! I feel so bad for Carmine. He sees so much of the pack n play it isn't even funny. But the hitting happens generally when I am holding Carmine. But half of the time Rece just randomly walks up and smacks him and the other half he comes and gives him hugs and kisses and then hits him. Either way I am caught off guard and I am at the end of my rope with Rece. I just don't know what to do. I can give him 50 time outs a day and it doesn't seem to phase him. I don't want to spank, but even if I would consider it, I just couldn't hit him to teach him not to hit! It doesn't make sense to me so I am pretty sure it wouldn't make sense to him. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! I know eventually he will get used to Carmine and will grow out of it but poor Carmine suffers in the mean time. And it isn't just a jealousy thing because he does it to other kids. We are lucky to get invited back to playgroups. I don't even feel like I can be a good mom to either of them at this point. Rece, cause I have lost my patience with him with the hitting and don't know how to handle it. No one can give me advice, it seems like I am alone with the hitting. I know other 2 year olds hit, but where are they??? And even so do they do it for absolutely no reason and so often?? And Carmine, because he spends so much time in the pack n play. I can't put him on his play mat, swing, bouncy seat or anywhere else without very close supervision and even that doesn't even really protect him. I dont even see it coming when Rece hits him. I am at a total loss and all I could do today was cry to my sister. In the coming weeks I am going to try to get Rece involved in a couple of things, like gymnastics and I am going to start trying to do some type of craft or activity almost daily. But if anyone can offer any advice on how to make this easier on everyone please do.

POOR CARMINE!!!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

I swore I would never do this....

I can't believe I dressed them in matching outfits. But the outfits were too cute and it was really Annie's fault!

We had a really busy weekend. Annie and Brandon came down this weekend. Annie actually came down on Thursday night and just left this afternoon. So we hung out and shopped on Friday. Then Brandon came down Friday night. On Saturday we just hung out until Tony, Carmine and I went to a wedding. Thanks to Annie, Brandon and my mom for watching Rece! The wedding was an hour away and we weren't planning on staying long at the reception, plus with Rece getting over being sick (hopefully) we just decided it was better to leave him at home. Plus Annie and Brandon got to spend a few hours with him! Then Sunday we had a 1st birthday party and we went to lunch. And while we were at the mall having lunch, we finally did Rece's build-a-bear that he had a gift card for from his 1st birthday! I will post a picture of that later. Right now it is in Rece's crib with him napping! Brandon left after lunch on Sunday. Then Annie went to lunch with me, Carmine and Rece before leaving today!

Visit with the cousins

My sister and her kids came down this weekend to meet Carmine. Becca couldn't come but Phillip, Claire and Gabriel were down.

Picture of the cousins minus Becca

Aunt Teri and Carmine.

Tony and Gabriel. He is almost 6 months.

I just thought this was such a sweet picture of Phillip and Gabriel. Phillip loves his little brother so much!

First of all you were right. Rece was the first picture! But, boy do they look alike!

Rece has gotten much better about geing gentle with Carmine. He LOVES kissing and hugging him and even holding him. It is so cute, but he has tried to pick him up so we still have to watch very closely. Poor Carmine spends a LOT of time in the pack n play. That is the only place we don't have to worry constantly about Rece stepping on him or poking his eye accidentally.

And this morning we were playing in the playroom and his favorite thing down there is by far the slide. So I was cuddling in the papasan chair with Carmine and Rece was playing. He was going down the slide over and over. Well occasionally he stands up at the top and we tell him to sit down please. Usually it all works out ok...not this morning TWICE!!! The first time he stood up and looked up to point to one of the lights. He fell off backwards. I jumped up to go check on him and he was already on his way to standing up. So I knew he wasn't hurt, at least not badly, but he was pretty scared. So I cuddled him a couple minutes and I made him go back up the slide. I don't want him to be afraid, but I held his hand while he went down. I went back to Carmine and realized he was on his belly in the chair. I guess I rolled him when I got up :) Then I was putting together one of his puzzles in an effort to clean up the playroom a little and I look up and he is once again standing on the slide. I said Rece, sit DOWN. As I said that he fell forward! He fell like he was rolling down a hill on his side and he did a couple of rolls. His arm looked like it might have been a little twisted. But he got right up and I made him give me high fives with each arm and he seemed fine. Again scared to death, but that made two of us! After that we went upstairs! And this is why I lay the slide on its side when he is down there by himself!!!!!

Guess Who?

Now if you know the pictures don't cheat and reveal who is who. But I guess there is no denying that they look alike or at least like brothers! They are both about 3 weeks old here. I can't help but to do these comparison pictures, I just think it is so funny. I will be getting Carmine's one month picture taken next week so we will really see then!

Too Cute

I didn't even pose them. Rece just wanted to lay down next to Carmine and so I did, while I kept a close watch. And he just grabbed his hand and held it for a minute or so. Rece can be such a sweetheart. However, this was just minutes before Rece smacked Carmine. One thing is for sure, Carmine is not going to be a wimp!!

The Three Bs

Baths, Brothers and Breastfeeding

Carmine had his first bath on Wednesday. He did not like it at all! But who would enjoy being practically naked in the middle of the living room while having look warm water put on you very slowly?


Rece just loves his little brother. We have to watch him closely but not because he is aggressive with him, but because he likes to touch his eyes and rub his head and he tries to pull on his clothes or blanket when he is in the pack n play. He also brings him blankets and socks. They are so cute together.

And can I tell you how much I love breastfeeding!!!! I have already lost all of my pregnancy weight plus 4 lbs.!!!!! And that is less than a week afterwards! Now I just have to stay on it. Obviously I can't exercise yet and I am not really watching what I eat just yet, cause I know I need the calories for Carmine, but if I can keep on it then it shouldn't be too hard!

Oh and we are still trying to come up with a more clever blog title, so if anyone has any suggestions, let me know!