I'm sorry it has been so long since I posted! I have been working 4 days a week at the restaurant, and then spending every spare minute I can with all my guys.
Patrick, left; Andrew, right; Sitting and playing together :)
Here is a quick recap of everything that has gone on. I took the boys for a weekend up to Presque Isle, where my mom was from, and saw my great aunt and uncle, and all of my cousins who I haven't seen in over a decade. It was just Andrew, Patrick and me. It was our first hotel stay, and of course that is when I discovered we can never let Andrew sleep without a onesie on. He took off his pajama pants and played with his poopie diaper and proceeded to pee into his brother's pack n play. That was certainly a fun morning!
Some more playing
As for the visit itself, it was one of the most amazing experiences I have had with them. I still need to write to or call my family to let them know how much it meant to see them, but I honestly have had trouble finding the words to truly express how amazing it was. Ever since the boys were born, for the most part, they have been surrounded by Dave's family. I am so grateful to have them in our lives, but sometimes it is really hard on me that I don't have more to offer them on my end. They have their amazing and crazy Uncle Eddie, and my two aunts and uncle, but no little cousins or other family on my side.
Patrick likes to hug his stuffed animals
While we were up there, my entire family got together on Saturday evening for a dinner at the family farm. For everyone to be willing to come together to see us meant so much. That after over ten years, everyone was willing to let the past be the past and welcome my boys and me with open arms was fantastic. But it was so much more. Receiving little rocking chairs that were once my mom's and her brother's for the boys to have, and then seeing them running around all night with their cousins and surrounded by my family brought me to tears.
The rocking chairs!
We ended up leaving in a rush because the skies opened up. I would have liked to say goodbye in a more meaningful way, but I'm not sure I could have held it together. I am so excited to go up there more often and to know that now, only a few hours north of home, there is a huge family for Andrew and Patrick to visit full of blue eyed people just like them.
Andrew likes to hug his stuffed animals too
As for the rest of the time since then, the boys have started speaking more and more. Not just the babble, but actual English! "Shoes" is Andrew's favorite word, and Patrick loves to say "bath tub" and "backpack". It seems like almost every day they are learning a new word. It is amazing, and wonderful to see!
That's all for now! I will try to keep it from being another two months before I update again!
