1) In regards to my previous post, wouldn’t you know it, we’ve already discovered a new Evan Food — pears! He loves ‘em. Yay! So he’s a fruit man, I guess. And for the record, no, I’m not a huge fan of pears, but it’s mostly a texture thing. In response to the person who asked me why I am so picky, my answer is “I don’t know,” although I like the idea of having a superpower, so I will happily go along with the SuperTaster thing (thanks, Mom!). Can I have a cape made for that? Ooh, and if Evan is a SuperTaster, too, I think I’ve found his first Halloween costume!

2) In regards to Oregon Trail, the computer game I “scored” at a garage sale last weekend: the 4th edition sucks. It’s way too fancy. It has video clips of actual people talking. Huh??? Now THIS is what I’m talking about — the low-tech, pixelated version:

Poor Mary.

3) Both Connor and Evan are very very close to crawling! They can move around basically anywhere they want to by rolling and sortof “scooting” around on their tummies. It won’t be long! In fact, Ryan predicts they’ll be crawling by the 4th of July. Boys, you’ve got less than 24 hours – better get working on it!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July, everyone!

So. Solids. We’ve been feeding them, for about a month now. If you look over on the right-hand side of this page, you can see a list of all of the different foods we’ve tried – a pretty good mixture of fruits and vegetables, plus cereal. Ryan and I are trying to expose the boys to lots of different kinds of foods, including foods that we, personally, wouldn’t eat, even for money (that list includes: rice cereal, sweet potatoes, applesauce, and squash).

As I have said before, Ryan and I are both picky eaters. In fact, if Ryan and I were added to the chart, it would look like this:

	Connor	Evan	Sarah	Ryan
Rice Cereal	Yes	Wouldn’t open mouth	Wouldn’t open mouth	Wouldn’t open mouth
Bananas	Yes!!	YES!!!	Yes	No
Carrots	NO!!! Cried	NO!!! Mr. Yuck faces	Baby carrots only	Yes
Sweet Potatoes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Peaches	Yes!	Yes!	They’re OK, I guess	No
Green Beans	Grudgingly tolerated, Mr. Yuck faces	Grudgingly tolerated, Mr. Yuck faces	Yes	Yes
Applesauce	Eh. Not really.	No	No way	Ryan doesn’t like cooked fruit
Squash	Yes	No	What IS squash??	No

 

I find it amusing that our only true consensus as a family is in regards to applesauce. Anyway, surprisingly, Connor has been a trooper throughout the whole solids experience, so far. He’ll try anything and usually opens his mouth really wide (like a bird, it’s so cute!!) for more.

Evan, on the other hand, pretty much only eats bananas.

I guess he liked sweet potatoes, and peaches, too (according to the chart), but it’s been so long since we tried those that all I can visualize at this point is his (not good) reaction to green beans, applesauce, and squash. He scrunches up his face and won’t really open his mouth, and sometimes he makes the Mr. Hughes face.

Remember that guy?

Sometimes he actually cries a little bit, too. And then I start to think that maybe it’s the spoon that he doesn’t like, so I go smash up some bananas (which I know he will eat), and try to feed him those, instead. He never accepts the bananas right away; he approaches them suspiciously, like anything else, until he has proof that they are actually bananas. When he determines that they are indeed bananas, he opens his mouth really wide, and makes noises like “Give me those! Now!”

Sigh.

I can now sortof understand the frustration that my own parents must have felt, having to deal with me, The Pickiest Eater Ever, night after night after night…. I’m sorry, Mom, Greg, Dad, and Charlene (and anybody else who had to feed me).

I really really hope that Evan isn’t following in my footsteps. But if he is, using my own history as a guideline, I predict that Evan will subsist primarily on the following foods until he’s about 30 years old:

• chicken nuggets
• french fries
• hamburgers (no cheese, vegetables, or condiments, and for the first 10 years of his life — no bun)
• pizza (no sauce)
• peanut butter sandwiches (no jelly)
• macaroni and cheese
• potato chips
• cookies / brownies / cake / ice cream
• apples
• bananas (of course)
• grapes
• corn
• green beans
• milk
• water

Lots of big stuff happening, folks! Here’s the rundown: 1) Connor’s got a tooth! It’s one of the bottom teeth in the middle, and the other middle tooth is on its way, you can see it so it won’t be long! 2) Connor and Evan can both sit up for a couple minutes at a time! I’m so proud of them! Check it out: 3) We had our big neighborhood garage sale today, so my mom and I went out in search of fun baby toys. We got the boys their first piano! They really seem to like it. See? Which is good because I was a music major in college, and piano is my instrument, so if they didn’t like it at all, I would be totally sad. We got lots of other good stuff, including more toys, some books, and a Cleveland Indians wall hanging for the boys’ room. But perhaps most importantly, I scored a copy of “Oregon Trail,” the computer game from elementary school! 4) Grandma and Grandpa King are watching the boys OVERNIGHT tonight!!!!!! Ryan and I are going to a big music festival that we always go to. And tomorrow, we’re going to bring Evan and Connor. Maybe. So that’s it for now! Off to take a shower for our big night out.

We know we’re a day late on this — it’s Mommy’s fault!

Ryan, Happy Happy Father’s Day to you! Over the past 6 months you’ve proven what a wonderful dad you are, and C & E are so lucky to have you! I’m lucky to have you, too — thanks so much for sharing every aspect of parenthood with me, from the good (playing, laughing, snuggling with sleepy babies, all of the “firsts,” etc.) to the not-so-good (geysers in the face, winning the “baby lottery,” and waking up for the occasional late-night cry marathon). I’m having so much fun and I can tell that you are too — just think how much fun we still have ahead of us! Love, Sarah P.S. Happy (Belated) Father’s Day, too, to all of the Awesome Grandpas – Grandpa Harsha, Grandpa King, and Grandpa Curran! Evan and Connor are super lucky to have all of you, too (and so are we!). We love you.

First things first — I need to correct my food chart from earlier today:

	Connor	Evan
Rice Cereal	Yes	NO!!!
Bananas	Yes	YES!!!
Carrots	NO!!!	NO!!!

 

Carrots were SO NOT successful tonight! Wow, do they hate carrots! Or maybe we just had the wrong ratio of carrots vs. rice cereal, who knows? In any case, we’ll be moving on, probably back to bananas for a couple days, and next up after that: peaches, sweet potatoes, and green beans. 3 foods that I almost never eat! Oops, I mean 2 foods that I never eat (peaches, sweet potatoes) and 1 food that I rarely eat (green beans)!

So, other stuff… the big physical development lately is the mastering of rolling. It took awhile, but both boys are now rolling machines, to the point that we are going to permanently move our coffee table out of our living room so that they have more room to move around (we have a small house). Crawling doesn’t seem too far away, either — Connor can pivot around in a circle on his tummy, and when Evan is on his stomach he sticks his butt in the air and moves his legs around. So cute!

At the 6-month well visit, our pediatrician asked us if either Connor or Evan are sitting up unassisted yet (they’re not), which made me think that’s something they’re supposed to be doing, so we’re working on that now. They can both sit up for a second or two and sometimes a little longer (especially Evan) but they don’t quite have the balance thing figured out yet. They’re getting there, though!

This is just the most fun age, there’s so much going on – the beginnings of mobility, eating real(ish) food, their personalities are becoming more and more developed, laughs are sounding more “real,” etc. etc. – we’re just having a lot of fun!

Here are some recent pictures:

I know I’m a little late on this, but Evan and Connor had their 6-month well visit a couple of weeks ago, so we have some new stats to share – weights and lengths, and I’m throwing # of teeth in there, too.

Evan:
Weight: 15 lb., 11 oz (25th percentile)
Length: 27 in. (75th percentile)
Teeth: 2 (middle 2 teeth on the bottom)

Connor:
Weight: 15 lb. (10th percentile)
Length: 27 in. (75th percentile)
Teeth: 0

So they are tall and skinny. Huh. Who does that sound like? Oh yeah – Ryan!

We’re trying to fatten them up with solids, now that they’re old enough. We’ve added 1 meal of solids per day – we do it around 6:00pm, about 45 minutes before their last bottle for the day. We have tried 3 different foods, and so far, we’ve had a very positive reaction from Connor, who seems to enjoy everything at about the same level of intensity. Evan has been much more varied in his responses. I’m keeping a chart of which foods we’ve tried and who likes what, and as of right now it looks like this:

	Connor	Evan
Rice Cereal	Yes	NO!!!
Bananas	Yes	YES!!!
Carrots	Yes	…maybe?

 

I think Connor would eat pureed worms if we gave it to him on a spoon. He’s pretty gung-ho about eating his solids. Evan is much more skeptical. He flat-out would not open his mouth for rice cereal from the second time we fed it to him, onward (the first time we gave it to him, he at least tried it). The bananas were a HUGE HIT!!! Carrots? He made a very unpleasant face but then proceeded to go ahead and eat it, but without the enthusiasm received by the bananas.

I’m a very (very very) picky eater, although I’m getting better. At age 30, I will eat some sauces (hooray for me!). Still no condiments, though. Ryan is pretty picky, too. So it would not be surprising at all if we get at least one picky eater out of the two. We shall see!

More updates and some pictures later!

Trip to Kansas

Our family went on our first big road trip in May – we drove all the way to Wichita, Kansas (a 13-hour drive!) to visit family, including my dad and my stepmom, Charlene, and my brother, Jeff. I grew up in Wichita, so this was also my first time showing Ryan my hometown.

We stayed at my dad and Charlene’s house (the house they were renting for the time being) out in the country. We didn’t have Internet or very good television reception, so we played a lot of cards, watched a lot of movies, completed a 1,000 piece puzzle, and, of course, spent a lot of time playing with the boys.

Here are some pictures from our trip:

Getting ready for a walk in the “big boy strollers.”

Cruisin’ the dirt roads with Mommy, Grandma and Grandpa. On our walks, we saw dogs, horses, and even a snake!

Posing for a family photo.

There were 5 horses in the field behind the house – we fed them treats every day.

Connor reaching out to touch Gracie.

We got to spend a lot of time with Uncle Jeff.

E-Man and Uncle Jeff.

Connor was extremely interested in Ryan’s beer at our Memorial Day cookout. And NO, he didn’t get to try any, although he was quite persistent!

Bottle time with Grandpa.

First Time Eating Solids

We decided to try rice cereal for the first time on May 30, just before Connor and Evan’s 6-month birthday. Here are some pictures of our experiences so far:

Despite how these pictures look, Connor is actually enjoying cereal much more than Evan. We’re having a hard time getting Evan to open his mouth whereas Connor gobbles it right up!

New Toys!

The boys have so much fun in this doorway jumper! The doorway is in between the kitchen and the laundry room, so while Ryan and I cook dinner, Evan and Connor take turns jumping. It’s so cute!!

Connor goes nuts in this jumperoo – it makes funny noises and he loves it - it’s adorable!

They’re still just a little too wobbly to stand up in this toy without the help of a stuffed puppy behind their backs! But they still have fun!

More pictures and a 6-month update coming soon!

I had my annual exam with Dr. B. today.  I realized that this appointment is probably the last time I will see her.  (In fact, let’s hope I don’t see her again before leaving Athens, because that will mean either 1) I’m having a health issue or 2) I’m pregnant!)  Our family will be moving back to Columbus (closer to Ryan, Sarah, Evan, and Connor!) in July so Scott can start his 3rd year rotations at a hospital downtown.

It was really strange to be saying goodbye to Dr. B.  I met her last February, 16 months ago.  I have never felt close to a doctor before, or felt like the doctor truly cared about me both as a patient and a person, but I definitely do in this case.  I hope one day patients feel this way about Scott when he is a doctor. 

I know I’ve said this before, but Dr. B. is truly the best doctor I have ever had.  Not only did she bring two healthy babies into the world for Ryan and Sarah, she also…

1.  Always included Scott, Sarah, and Ryan in our appointments
2. Called me after appointments just to make sure I was doing okay
3.  Was realistic, honest, and straightforward while still managing to convey care and compassion in regards to sensitive topics related to the babies’ health
4.  Was always an advocate for my health and comfort throughout the pregnancy, while still keeping the best needs of the babies in mind
5.  Gave me support and encouragement to have the babies vaginally
6.  After the nurse called her at home, came into the hospital before her shift so she could be the one to deliver
7. Supported me after the birth when I was having trouble coping with the post-partum period (hormones, stressed and overwhelmed with being a parent, body image issues, and other things I needn’t go into here!)

At the end of today’s visit, Dr. B. wished us luck with our move and told me I was welcome back in her office anytime.  She gave me a hug and then, as we were saying goodbye, she said, “Patients like you are the reasons doctors come to work.”  As she left the room, we both had tears in our eyes.

As you can see, a surrogacy touches more than just a few people’s lives.  Beyond Ryan and Sarah’s new family of four, beyond my own husband and children, beyond new doting grandparents and aunts and uncles, the beautiful journey of surrogacy touches so many other people along the way.

Yesterday was Evan and Connor’s half-birthday, which means that they are six months old!  We celebrate half-birthdays in our house, something I remember my parents doing for me when I was a child.  Our half-birthday festivities aren’t elaborate, but Josie and Riley still love having this extra day of celebration.  The day simply consists of numerous “Happy Half-Birthday!!!” wishes and then, of course, a baked treat chosen by the half-birthday child complete with the correct number of candles.  (We represent the half year by a candle pushed in further than the rest, so it appears shorter.)  As you can see from the photographs (particularly Josie’s), the honored child gets to choose whatever decorations they want for the birthday treat.) 

I hope Sarah and Ryan will allow us to share our special tradition with their family.  Scott told Josie last month on her half birthday, “You are now closer to 6 than you are to 5,” which made Josie smile from ear to ear. So Evan and Connor, today we tell you:

You are now closer to 1 than you are to 0!  Happy Half-Birthday!

Love,

Aunt Marika, Uncle Scott, Josie, and Riley

Josie's half-birthday was last month on May 14. She decorated her cake with lots of sprinkles, a smiley face with blue hair, and a teddy bear (leftover from a baby shower).

Riley's half-birthday is in July, so this photo is from almost a year ago. We will celebrate his half-birthday next month. He chose jack-'o-lantern cupcake liners for some reason! And yes, his shirt is on backwards (also his choice).

Well, “tooth,” anyway!

This morning, prompted by bucket-loads of drool from Connor, I did a Random Tooth Check on both boys’ gums. Turns out it’s Evan, not Connor, who is sprouting teeth! The tooth that’s coming in is the bottom front tooth, on the right-hand side. Here’s my attempt at a picture of it:

We were already planning to try rice cereal for the first time this afternoon, because of the boys’ fascination in watching us eat, but it seems even more appropriate to start solid foods now that Evan has a tooth. You don’t really need teeth for rice cereal, though, maybe we should skip it and go straight to steak! Just kidding!

Oh, wow, I just thought of something — do we need to start brushing the tooth already??