HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

More to come later...for now...the best part of today...HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I can't wait to take the kiddos out later this evening. Right now both are napping so I have two minutes to type!

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The worst part of today...Bob and I took the babes to the train station around 9am this morning to head down to the city for the Phillies World Series Championship parade! After waiting almost 2 hours and watching many trains go zooming by without even slowing down...we realized we weren't going to get on a train to the city. They were all filling up at the Doylestown station and were not picking any other stops up b/c they were already filled to capacity. I am really bummed, disappointed, sad, upset, gloomy, frustrated, perturbed, etc... Got home and put the TV on and they announced that Septa wasn't going to be able to accommodate everyone and that people should pick a different type of transportation. Great! Just great...and all news media said to take public transit...no wonder nobody listens!!!! The parade is great on TV, but I really wanted to see it in person and to have the magnificent aura that was bubbling out all over the streets! I have rooted through thick and thin (unlike the fans that have just jumped onto the bandwagon), and who knows when we will have this opportunity again! Ho-hum.

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At least it is Halloween. It is my favorite holiday so it will cheer me up! But of course I am dressed in Phillies attire, not Halloween attire...as are my kids! They have Halloween under their T's...even if we can't make it to the city for the parade b/c of the *!&*!&* Septa trains we are still Phillies phans through and through! Congrats to any of my friends that made it into the city! I am EXTREMELY jealous!!

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Pictures of Halloween to come, probably tomorrow!

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN! HAVE FUN GOING TRICK OR TREATING OR GIVING CANDY TO THE TRICK OR TREATERS!!

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!

GOING DOWN TOMORROW TO SEE THE PARADE WITH THE KIDDOS! WAHOO!!

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PATIENTS AND CONSTANT SUPPORT!!!!

Halloween Playgroup

Today Morgan had her Halloween playgroup. It was lots of fun! Cute little animals and costumes all over! We had bumble bees, a lion, a penguin, a witch, a tiger, a dog (Morgan), a cat (RJ) and many more! It was cute to see all the kiddos dressed up in the their Halloween gear! Of course we got there late b/c my wonderful daughter slept until after 9 (NO COMPLAINTS!), but most of the kids kept their costumes on the whole time! Troopers!

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Halloween is coming really soon! It is actually my favorite holiday! I love dressing up and going out, even if it makes bedtime later...I think it is worth it! I went trick-or-treating through my senior year of high school and then took the town kids around the dorms at Bloomsburg, and you better believe I dressed up and had a bag for candy! (Maybe that leads to not being able to lose weight?)

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Phillies finish up their game tonight! Let's pray for a win! Tied 2-2 right now, so let's hope with the days rest those Phils get a few hits at the right times!!!

MEGAN and RJ

Aunt Meggie wanted some pictures of her and RJ...so this is what I've got! One of Morgan is thrown in too!

THEY FIT!

I'd like to proudly mention that I got into a pair of my normal everyday jeans today! Yippee! What a relief, I thought I would never get into them again! Still got some blubber...but it was nice to wear non-maternity or elastic waist pants!

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Today was such a fun day! Bob had off so we headed to Peddler's Village to check out the scarecrows! We took the double stroller today, the first big trip out that we took as a family with it. It worked out great! RJ stayed comfy and Morgan enjoyed being in the front and seeing the world around her! We walked around the village, looked at the scarecrows, went into some of the stores and did some window shopping. We went into Giggleberry Fair for Morgan. She played a few games and earned a few tickets...but to get the littlest prize you need a measly 500 tickets! Obviously that is exaggerated, but probably not by too much!! We had a scrumptious lunch of hot dogs and fries. Morgan ate all of her hot dog so we were happy! Not that it is very healthy, but if she eats that satisfies us!! Before we left Morgan shared a bowl of ice cream with her Daddy! Yum! RJ slept throughout the visit, but we did take his picture a few times!

Cute Phillies Phans!

What better way to root for the Phillies than to dress the kids in the gear! Too cute! Just want to eat up those kiddos!

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Morgan and I went to playgroup today and she had a good time. After she warmed up (2 minutes) she 'played' with the other kiddos the best almost 2 year olds play together! It was a little bit of a smaller turn out, but sometimes that is nicer! Next week's playgroup will be Halloween themed so that should be fun!

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After playgroup Morgan, RJ and I headed down to Aston to visit our cousin Laura and her son Justin (pictured in the photo). It was great to visit with them and catch up! Morgan tried to destroy the house, but I think we managed to put it back together before we left...she did spill her whole prunes on her lap...thank goodness for an extra outfit in the diaper bag, good ol' diaper bag!

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Both kids fell asleep on the way home so only peaceful sounds came from the back of the car and the kiddie music could be turned off! Yipee, adult radio even if only for 20 minutes!

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GO PHILLIES!

Precious Moments

Morgan is very interested in "baby" RJ.

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Little things I'm sure I will not remember in 10 years...

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Morgan continues to call RJ "baby"

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Morgan will not get her diaper changed unless RJ gets his diaper changed

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Morgan wants to eat every time RJ eats (maybe she'll gain some weight!!)

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Morgan makes sure RJ always has both his socks on

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Morgan wants RJ to always have a hat on his head

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Morgan insists in keeping RJ covered (sometimes his face too) with a blanket

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Morgan loves to burp RJ

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Morgan loves to hold RJ

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RJ is just starting to focus on people and lifts his head to familiar voices

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Morgan wanting a clip in her hair just to pull it out and have Momma put it back in again...over and over and over again

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When Morgan gets up from a nap asking for anyone else except who gets her up!

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Morgan calling for "Momma, DaDa, Ace (Lacey), i-eee (Nikki)"

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Telling Morgan to say I love you and her response... "I ou" with a high pitch voice

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Morgan willingly helps clean, throw things away, and clean up her toys!

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Just a few things that I will never remember but love to see happening!

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I love my kids...even if they run me ragged during the day!

TANK!

Today was the first day I took Morgan back to the sitter since RJ was born. We will be taking her once a week for the rest of the time I am home so she gets some interaction with her peers and some time for her to have to herself without the 'baby' being around! It was hard for her to stay at the sitter! She cried as I left which as always breaks my heart, but I know she is only putting on an act for her Momma! When I picked her up this afternoon I was told Morgan had a great time playing with all her friends! I knew she would!!

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While Morgan was at the sitter I ran a few errands with RJ, did some wash, and headed to the nursing group I went to religiously every Thursday with Morgan from four days after she was born until I returned to work! I wanted to go and see how RJ was doing in his weight gaining! When he was put on the scale (butt naked) he weighed in at 7 pounds 10 ounces! A week and a half ago Monday at his first doctor's appointment he weighed in at 6 pounds 11 ounces! So even if the scales are a little different, he has still gained a ton of weight! My little tanker!! Night and day from Morgan! At group today there were a couple moms that I met when I went with Morgan that are also back with number 2! It was nice to chat and catch up a little bit!

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Did I mention RJ slept for a five hour stint last night! Awesome little guy!! Guess that's what happens when you have a wonderfully full belly! I didn't realize how loud little boys are when they sleep!! RJ loves to snort, moan, groan, sigh, yawn, etc all in his sleep! I have heard from many other moms that their boys were the same! Morgan was soooo silent! I am learning to sleep through the noise since RJ will be in his bassinet for quite a while longer!

Freddy Hill Farms!

What a fun day we had yesterday!! Aunt Meggie and Uncle Andy joined Daddy, Morgan, RJ, and I in a fun day of fall fest at Freddy Hill Farms. I (and Aunt Meggie) worked at the farm scooping ice cream for many years throughout high school and college breaks so we have a bond with Freddy Hill.

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Like every other crazy mother and father Bob and I wanted to have a fun fall experience with Morgan and RJ. Wanted to go to the pumpkin patch, take a pony ride, sit on big tractors, play in the hay, pick pumpkins, watch pig races, and eat homemade ice cream...spend all our money, and come home full of ice cream and happy with our pumpkin finds! We had a beautiful day to go out! It was very very crowded but we had a great time! Morgan was a little worried about the pony ride so we skipped that but she enjoyed everything else! RJ...well...he just slept and ate while at the farm. Guess you can say he had a good time!! We all found pumpkins we liked and had a good time with all the different activities going on! As always the homemade ice cream was delicious!

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We got home tired, hot, and broke, but most important happy! We had a lot of fun and seeing Morgan's delight in testing out new textures and walking gingerly around vines in the pumpkin patch was such a blast! Can't wait to go back again next year!!

Sleep

RJ is being a champ! He is sleeping 3-4 hour stretches at night! When he wakes up he eats and immediately goes back to sleep! It is great! Morgan is going down between 8:30-9 at night and sleeping until 8:30-9 in the morning so we are in good shape! RJ still sleeps away the majority of his day, but I'm sure that will change soon! Let's just hope his night habits don't regress!

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The weather has been beautiful! Morgan and I have been taking advantage of the weather and playing outside during some of RJ's nap time! Morgan loves to play with her balls, slides, and chalk! I love this weather! Warm during the day and sweater weather in the evening!

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Changing topics...the more I look at RJ the more I am not sure he looks like Morgan as a babe! He has some of the same qualities, but lots of differences are emerging! The shape of their head is different, they have different noses, different hair...but they are both beautiful! (Slightly prejudice) I think the RJ truly looks like a little baby boy!

Love it!

I am still a proud Momma of two! Having two little ones has been wonderful! RJ still loves to eat and when he wakes up in the middle of the night he eats and goes right back to sleep! That is the perfect little baby! At his doctor's appointment the beginning of the week he has already surpassed his birth weight weighing in at 6 pounds 11 ounces! Go champ!! We do not have to return for a month! With Morgan b/c she had such a hard time nursing (at first) we had a doctor appointment every other day for like the first two weeks! RJ was given a wonderful clean bill of health! He has gained weight, has no jaundice, and all his body parts look like they are in perfect condition! Thanks Doctor, you made our day!

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Morgan continues to be great with him, smothering him with kisses and being a big helper! She is great at getting things upon request...please get him his sock...please throw his diaper in the trash...she loves to help, so we give her helper jobs!

Total enjoyment!

These last few days have been wonderful! It is so amazing to have two children! I think I am still in awe that I now have a little girl and little boy! So far RJ has been great! Eating, sleeping, pooping...I have not wanted to put him down! Just watching him sleep in my arms and holding him against my chest...LOVE IT! Morgan has been a great big sister so far!! She loves to say baby, working on RJ but doesn't quite sound like RJ yet! She gives lots of kisses and likes to touch him!

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We have had many visitors which makes me very happy! The more people that come over the happier I am!

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MeMom and PopPop have been a big help too...Daddy has been home to help out as well! We'll see how it goes next week when Daddy goes back to work! I will be able to hold Morgan (finally!)...The nurses at the hospital said not to pick up more than 10 pounds for 2 weeks just to prevent anything negative from happening to my recovery...so Morgan will be happier and I will be happier to when my two weeks have passed!

Family of 4!!

We are officially a family of four! Bob and I feel so wonderfully blessed to now have a little girl and a baby boy! Morgan is infatuated with RJ right now...hopefully she will keep up the un-jealous attitude!

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Details...was due on Wednesday September 24, that date came and went. Felt great over the weekend and no baby. Monday went to school and when coming home I felt an odd twinge in the belly...maybe a contraction? Didn't hurt...so maybe just my imagination or a kick? Nope...from around 4pm on Monday until I went to bed around 10pm I got a slight (not painful) contraction every 1/2 hour. Slept until midnight when I woke up to a much more intense contraction. Contractions followed from then on until 5 am every 10 minutes. They began coming a bit closer together and by 9am the contractions were 5 minutes apart consistently and getting rough! Dropped Morgan off at Mom's best friend's house and started the 45 minute drive to the hospital! To make the long story short...we got there around 10:30am...I was told I was already an 8 and had a brief amount of time to decide on an epidural. I declined, the doctor broke my water, pushed for 9 minutes and RJ was born at 12:19 Tuesday (Sept 30th) afternoon! Just in time for lunch! Unlike Morgan...he began nursing immediately and was/is a champ!!! Delivery was definitely painful and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it...but it was all worth it! It was so wonderful to have that little, beautiful baby boy in my arms with no unnecessary medication in my system or his! I was so overwhelmed and excited! We still hadn't decided on a girl's name and to realize we had had a boy...it took all our breaths away!

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Morgan was 6 days early, 6 pounds 2 ounces, 19.5 inches long

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RJ was 6 days late, 6 pounds 9 ounces, 20.5 inches long

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I am so much in love...I am having a hard time not staring at my two beautiful children...not that I am biased or anything!

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Many more pictures to come!