Ho Hum

Ho Hum.  Sometimes the mission of my day is this: make the day go by quicker.  The end.  I would say about 95% of the time, we have at least one or two activities planned for the day.  Whether it be a playdate, a trip to the park, lunch with friends, or one of the other 1500 things Orlando has to offer for children.  But every once in a while, we got nothing.  Usually it's because one of us is under the weather, and we don't want to share our germs...i.e. THIS WEEK!  I think the last time we stayed home for 3 days straight was due to potty training!!  Even when Drew was born, we were out and about in a matter of a couple of weeks.  Anyway, this week has been B to the Oring! And each and every day, I pray this day will go by faster than the previous day.  Sometimes, I crave chaos, because I know at least then, my day will fly by.  So today I took the boys and both dogs to the neighborhood park for a picnic.  Unfortunately, I have it down to a science, so even that was fairly Ho Hum.  One day I will look back at days like this and wish I didn't wish them away.  And I know that.  Oh well.  Until then, the years will fly by and the days will drag and I will continue to find ways to make them speed by.

Happy New Year!!!

Our song from our wedding day, hold's true to this day.  "I could not ask for more".  As cliche as it sounds, it's true.  If 2011 is half as good as 2010, I will embrace it with open arms, even though it does mean I am a year older and my babies aren't babies any more.  Happy New Year, from the Starstroms!!!

Guest Blogger: Evan (a buddying photographer)

Here are a few pictures that Evan took (and a few that I took) with his new digital camera that Meema got him for Christmas.  Not bad for a 3 year old and for a kid's camera!!!  I kind of wish that my camera could turn people into characters from Toy Story too!!!

Feather Weight Champion

Drew had his 15 month well visit today and here are the stats:

Weight: 20 lbs 1 oz (negative 5th percentile)
Height: 29.5 " (20th percentile)

Head: 19.5 "(100th percentile)

Seems like he is still a tiny little guy, and he is.  But the good news is, he gets to come off breast milk and start drinking whole milk.  Hoooray!!!!  I am lucky enough to still have plenty of frozen breast milk, but man, is that a pain in the butt when there is a little boy who is hungry!!!  It takes about 10 minutes to defrost it, and it doesn't travel well at all.  So being able to switch to whole milk is GREAT NEWS!!!  Plus, maybe it will even fatten him up a bit, it surely has more fat in it than my breastmilk?  Who am I kidding, I have tiny boys.  But I am pretty sure there is an indirect coorelation to sweetness.  The smaller the boy, the bigger the heart? 

Merry Christmakah

We celebrated Christmakah yesterday, with Meema, Ugbie and his girlfriend!!!  No, I didn't mispell Christmas, we just renamed it to a more ambiguous holiday, because Ugbie and his girlfriend (who is Jewish) were visiting.  Meema for some reason, mananged to escape the camera, but she was here too!  How nice it was to be able to snuggle with my boys, read them stories and watch them open presents without having to worry about taking lots of pictures!!!  Thanks to Ugbie for taking some beautiful pictures, that I will cherish for years to come!  The boys scored lots of gifts here, as you can see!!!  Evan is loving the digital camera Meema gave him, his remote-controlled dinosaur from Ugbie and his girlfriend, his Leapster from Mom and Dad, his Dragon house from Santa, his Buzz Lightyear laptop from Aunt Gina, his Mrs. Potato Head from Aunt Karen, his Easel from Grandma Starstrom and his Spiderman tent from Pop Pop and Nana.... just to name a few.  I am thinking we now need a bigger house to store all of these new toys.  Drew got some sweet loot too!!! 

Must Be Good

I must have two very good little boys, because Santa brought them lots of toys!!!  And so did Ugbie, check out this enormous Dinosaur he brought Evan, that is controlled by a remote!  Drew is not to keen about this new addition to the family, but Evan LOVES it!!!  Merry Christmas!!!  It was a good one!  I feel very lucky.  We spent the week eating delicous food, with amazing company (Meema, Ugbie, his girlfriend, PopPop and Nana), with two sweet little boys.  I feel so blessed to be able to put many presents under the tree for them (with alot of help from family...and Santa of course).  I wish all children were as lucky as mine. 

Leaving Cookies for Santa

Leaving cookies, milk and carrots for Santa and his reindeers. 

Making Sweets with my Sweet

Here are some pics of my sweetie, making some sweets for Santa, with his Meema and Ugbie's girlfriend!  Lots of love and sprinkles went into those cookies!  LOTSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS of sprinkles. 

You Betta Check Yourself

You betta check yourself, before you wreck yourself.  ---Love, Evan.

Post Christmas Blues

It's only natural to get a little bit bummed after Christmas is over.  Sometimes the anticipation is the most fun part of the holidays.  But other times, each and every moment is special.  Like ones spent with a certain uncle Kevin, or Ugbie. 

A certain uncle that is so hands-on, it almost makes Mommy and Daddy look bad!!!  One who will drop anything to blow bubbles with a certain 3 year old in a certain little boys' bathtub!



And a certain uncle's girlfriend whom we just met, but who fits in like she has been part of the family for years!!



A certain uncle, who Evan talks about every single day. 



A cool uncle, who will let a certain clumsy 3 year old, hold his expensive camera and take pictures of that, said, cool uncle and awesome girlfriend!!!

Who wouldn't get the post-holiday blues?  I know a certain 3 and 1 year old who have a terrible case... and 33 and 37 year old for that matter!!!  We miss our house guests!!!! *** (not pictured..Meema, Pop and Nana who are equally awesome and cool!!!)

Meema Time

Because Meema was so rarely caught in pictures this last week, I thought I would show a picture I took of her and the boys at Thanksgiving making a gingerbread house with the boys.  I don't think I already posted this?  Or did I?  I wanted to save it for Meema, because she included it in her Christmas cards this year.  But I just had to share. Lots of people say, it's all about quality time, when it comes to spending time with children.  But Meema is all about quantity time.  The only way to get any quality time with kids is to spend lots of time with them.  Because who knows, half the time, the kids may be cranky or sick.  But if you spend LOTS of time with them, you are bound to have lots of amazing, quality times like this!!! 

My Sidekick

Although we are rarely photographed together, here is a picture of me and my sidekick who can almost always be found at my feet, on my lap or on my hip.  My sweet D-roo.  Thanks Kristy for taking this precious photograph!  I love it!!!

Thanking my Lucky Stars

Sometimes I seriously get overwhelmed with emotion when I look at my sweet boys.  What did I do to deserve such an amazing little family!!!  For years and years we tried for Evan without success.  And now I am blessed with two healthy boys?  I need to pinch myself, but then maybe I will wake up!?!  I feel so lucky to be their Mom, and to be able to stay home with them and watch them grow up into little men, before my eyes!