Budding journalist

After hearing the "Fast and Furious" news on the radio, Felix asked in a very serious tone, "Where are the guns?" Astute, young man, astute.  

Hooray for Grammy!

To say Grammy has been taking care of Archer while we go to work, is to minimize all the she does and has done for us. On any given day she: does the dishes, cleans up, cooks dinner, bakes some amazing bread or pastry, shampoos the carpets, takes Archer on a walk, gets Felix ready for day care, makes sure that we don't forget keys, wallet, phone or brain at home in the morning, makes a special trip to work to deliver any of the previous forgotten items, provides a unique perspective on nearly every topic, convinces us that she might be an alien, hosts dinner and a swim at Grammy Island, picks up the tip, picks up the tab, changes a million diapers, makes a poo joke, makes us laugh, empathizes, does a silly dance, makes us laugh again; all of this while getting her grandson (really, grandsons: she did all of this for Felix two years ago!) ready for the real world! We can't begin to express our gratitude for all she does and how lucky we are to have her in our lives. Thanks Grammy!!!

When I was little...

Felix is officially a big brother, or maybe an old man today. After pushing Archer around the kitchen in his walker, Felix decided to give him a hard push into the wall. As we were telling him for the millionth time that he needs to be gentle with Archer and not push him into the wall, Felix told us that, "When I was a baby, I was pushed into the wall." I plead the fifth.

Lately

Felix has been amazing us lately with his counting abilities among other things. He even learned how to spell his name! And he is awesome at the alphabet! And he can balance on one foot! Archer has been developing at a rapid rate as well - rolling all over and getting his knees under him - I think he'll be crawling in no time. First watermelon yesterday - he loved it!

Simultaneous sentimentality

Sometimes in a precious moment I find myself feeling not only joyful but also a bit sad and somewhat nostalgic about things as they are happening. I've felt a bit overwhelmed by this lately as I see in Archer how Felix was as a baby, which makes my heart ache at how fast time moves. Even listening to Felix speak in complete sentences using a vocabulary that I marvel at, I am both delighted and saddened as I see him so quickly shedding his babyhood and becoming more and more independent. When Grammy brought Fe to the hospital after Arch was born it was like I was seeing him, for the first time, as a boy and not a baby. The contrast between Archer's tiny form and Felix's tall skinny frame brought the staggering truth to light that he had been growing all this time in the gradual day by day millimeter by millimeter way that sneaks right through your human capacity to notice the effects of constant incremental change. Check out this photo of Felix on Father's Day weekend just a year ago!

The passing of the rattle

When Felix passes on a toy it comes complete with instructional demonstration.

Family Day at Mom's Work

Bath time with Super Felix

Felix has been bathing in a big plastic tub at Oma and Ompa's which he calls his pool. He likes to have a warm washcloth cape while he bathes, and buckets and cups are a must!

We miss Daddy

Felix, Archer, and I have been in IL visiting family, which has been tons of fun and so great to see everyone, but we miss Daddy! Here is a photo of Felix with a stuffed animal that he found at Oma and Ompa's house which he named Daddy. He's been sleeping with it every night. So cute. Daddy, we miss you!

It is cute

Felix: I am naked!
Dani: You can do whatever you want just don't touch your butt when you are naked.
Felix: I have to touch my butt.

Baby Felix and Baby Archer

Fe and I were looking at his baby photos the other day, and he kept pointing to the baby in the pictures saying "Archer!". I corrected him saying, "no, Felix, that's you when you were a baby!", to which he replied "I was baby Archer!".

Happy Felix

This big guy could always use a bit more sleep; after his nap today he said, "I slept for hours!" Today he actually did and we are happier for it.

Jowely Archer

This little chunker sleeps a lot!

Bellies and art!

Last night I was greeted by Felix at the door pulling at my hand and saying, "art"; he painted a masterpiece and was eager to share. Meanwhile his brother Archer has developed quite a milk belly!

Just a collection of cute pics

Haven't posted in a bit (sorry), so here are some recent photos. Enjoy.

Motherly Love

When I was pregnant with Archer, I had a nagging fear in the back of my mind that kept me awake some nights. It seemed so legitimate at the time. I feared that I would not be able to love another child as much as I love Felix. How can parents love their children equally? I wondered. My heart felt so completely devoted to my firstborn, even as my second born stirred in my belly. When I spoke about this with my Mom, she wisely informed me that your heart grows when you have more kids. Now that I have Archer in one arm, and can hold Felix's hand with my other, I understand. I can't quite explain it, but each of them resides so completely and effortlessly in my life, in my heart, and in my mind, like it was meant to be that way. I almost feel silly having thought that it could be any other way.

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about." -Angela Schwindt

What Felix did on his 2nd birthday

Morning tunnel stumble...

Ride the Magic Fingers!

Work on lung strength. 

Escape plan

Blue skies outside and discharge order moved to this afternoon: glorious!

A boy named...

The baby formally known as Baby Boy, shall now be called:

Archer Compeau Gillet

Born: 2/22/12 at 5:24 PM
Weight: 8 lbs 1 oz
Length: 21 in
Looks like: Felix

Baby boy Gillet

8 lb 1 oz

Prepped and ready

Waiting to be called into O.R.

Superwoman returns.

A lot of relief. Now rest, then push that baby out.

(sorry no photos of a baby or superwoman yet)

Long night

We headed up the hill at 8:30 and are now in the final throes of labor. As I tap this out Dani naps between contractions: a skill reserved for the desperately tired. Durning contractions Dani quietly breathes the mantra, "turn and open" (at last check the baby was turned 90 degrees and she was dialed 8 cm). She is so strong and beautiful.

I do believe that things are getting started

Intense contractions all day long - ranging from 2-17 minutes. Not quite regular yet, but stay tuned! This could be the big night folks!

False alarm

They threw us out of the hospital, the escape hatch was not yet open. Time to sleep.

Go time!

Contractions getting closer, stronger- every two minutes or so. Heading to the hospital for a long night, but first Dani wants to shave her legs. We may just have a Valentino!

Update

Dani keeps getting bigger; but is "holding in" the baby until after valentines day because she doesn't want a Cupid baby!

Felix keeps getting cooler and optimistic that the sun will shine sometime.

Catbird watching

On Friday, following a notably good week for Dani, I mentioned that she is in the catbird seat. A phrase that I love because it paints a funny picture in my mind. Then today we found out that a catbird is more than an idiomatic phrase; it is a real bird, found in nature and sometimes found in all it's glory actually wearing a cat head! What a day of catbird watching!

Fleece

Mama had a jacket on in the house one day this weekend, so Felix thought that he should wear one too. So we lounged around and read books all matchy-matchy like so. It is so much fun having our little family! I am grateful for every day. :D

The Amazing Felidini

In a move that will likely either get him into, or out of, a lot of trouble later in life, Felix successfully removed his diaper without removing any clothes. Overalls beckon that sort of tom-foolery. Fortunately he was kind enough to wait for a new diaper before adding poo to the trick.