What's in a Name

So, this week I got a shocking and less than positive email from my mother-in-law.  Apparently she has been stewing over something terrible I had done. She went on a rant for two full paragraphs about why she is so upset with me.  So here it is, I referred to her ex husband's "girlfriend" as Grandma. I posted a picture on Facebook of Hubby's dad with his "girlfriend" and captioned it "grandpa and grandma" because that's what we call them.  That's right, how dare I.  Let me start by saying that this "girlfriend" has been in the picture for 18 years and has been amazing with the boys since the day they were born.  She has cooked, cleaned and come to stay (things my mother-in-law did not do).  I actually like my mother-in-law and have been more than happy with her hands off approach.  She too loves the boys but in a different way.  She doesn't drive and has a group of very close friends that have been there to spend time with and support her since her divorce. Let's just say she is still bitter about the divorce.  I am actually not sure why, she left him and she hates him so it isn't as if she wants him back.  I wish she would get over it and move forward.  I guess the reason it is still so painful is because they JUST made the final settlement.  When the initial divorce and support was decided they agreed that it would be reassessed when Hubby's dad retired.  Needless to say he just retired so it has been ugly.  She says he was hiding money and he said she was bleeding him dry.  Anyways, he will continue to support her until the day she dies so she is set (so I am not sure why she is so angry).
The email basically told me that "the girlfriend" let's call her N is nothing to Fynn and Hudson.  She doesn't share a last name or any blood relation.  She said N was a disgusting person to allow us to call her Grandma because she has her own "real" grandchildren.  It makes me sick.  If she really loved the boys wouldn't she be happy that they had more people who cared about them.  Furthermore, since she isn't able to help me out (she is legally blind, smokes heavily, has bad knees, and is pretty overweight) isn't she happy that someone is.  Let me clarify that N was not in the picture until after Mother in law and father in law divorced.  She has never said one bad thing about my mother in law and she highly respects the relationship my husband and his brothers have with their mother.  She would feel terrible if she knew she had caused any strife at all. Mother in law also said that if she finds out my three year old nephew has ever called N grandma she will have a corinary (I guess she better call the paramedics).   I also annoys because the boys will get the situation when they are old enough. Of course they will know that Mother in law is hubby's mom and that N isn't. They will see the relationship we have with each family member and have a bond with them individually.
I didn't really know how to respond to the email, hubby said to pretend it never happened. He said that it was crazy and didn't deserve to be responded to. I just responded that I was sorry it hurt her feelings and it wasn't my intentions.  Then I explained that the boys love her and that she has a special bond with them.  Gosh, I never anticipated things to progress like this.
By the way, to add fuel to the fire.  Mother in law used one of my pictures on facebook as her profile picture and edited one of the boys out of it. You heard that correctly.  She chose the grandson that she thinks looks like her, and that she favors and cut the other one out of the picture.  Um, that is disgusting.  I guess she is trying to get my reaction!

6 months

   
I seem to have drooled on my pants                  The cutest Woody and Buzz ever

Holy cow, I can't believe it has been 6 months since I had my guys.  I remember thinking how huge 6 month olds looked when I first had the boys and now they are the big guys.  This month has been a fun one and I loved getting to know my boys more this month. You now go to sleep between 6-6:30 pm and generally have one wake up (boo to the cottage ordeal or you would still be sleeping through the night) and then are up for the day between 6-7am. You eat between 6-8 of formula per feeding and two bowls of rice cereal mixed with either yummy sweet potato and yellow squash.
It has been bittersweet month but one that I will cherish.  Bitter because I know I will never get to have a newborn again and sweet because of all the exciting developments my boys have had. I have loved my boys from the moment I met them but as I get to know them more the love gets deeper because I don't just love them because they are my babies, I love who they are and the experiences we have shared.

Don't mess with my bro

Fynn

You my boy have had a great month.  You have settled down  and you have really mastered this napping thing.  Mommy actually thinks that you need more sleep than she had originally anticipated and the more naps you have the better your awake time is. You go down for naps and bedtime easily now and you sleep in the most adorable position (butt in the air), Mommy thinks that you get more sleep now because you are a tummy sleeper and when you used to sleep on your back you just weren't comfortable.  You sure do travel now in your sleep. You literally move from one side of the crib to the other.  Sometimes mommy moves you in the night because you look uncomfortable but you move right back to where you were. For some reason you like to have your face pressed against the bars or squished into your crib sheet.  It is so adorable when you wake up and your face has little wrinkles from being pressed against things. You have also learned to turn your aquarium on when you are up from your nap and sometims mommy finds you laying in your crib just watching the fish swim by.
  It is funny to think that just 2 short months ago I worried that you weren't playing in your excersaucer, now you take that thing prisoner.  You play with it with such enthusiasm and excitement.  You smile from ear to ear and you attack it.  You can't decide which toy to play with first so you just go for them all.  It is quite a site and it is impossible to watch without grinning. 
You continue to be vocal but luckily for us now it is cooing, laughing and happy sounds.  No longer do you whine (as much) and you love to tell us stories.  You screech with excitement and I love it.
We had a set back this month when we visited Grampa's cottage. Our routine was off and one night you literally didn't sleep all night.  By the time we got home we were all exhausted and we had to start getting our routine back on track.  It literally took 2 full weeks to get back to normal and now you are back to only one wake up in the night. Mommy is not in any hurry to travel again but we will make up for that in a couple of years,  Let's not even talk about "the poop saga|" that happened on the way home, I think daddy is scarred for life.
You love to stand my boy and your legs are soooo strong.  We joke that you look like a little baby bodybuilder.  You can stand on your own for about five seconds holding onto something for balance but then you tilt over. When given fingers to balance I think you could stand all day!  You are also working very hard to crawl and you can travel from one side of the play mat to the other but it isn't exactly crawling. You actually use your head in the process and it is unbelievable to see.  You don't have much interest in sitting but when mommy props you up you can sit for about 20 seconds with no assistance, then you dive forward or straighen up trying to stand up.  Mommy is quickly realizing how much trouble she is in when you and your brother can move. 
You also love to reach out and grab things and to be tickled.  You knock everything in site over and you laugh loud and hard and it is pretty hilarious!
I love you Fynn and I am so lucky to be your mom.  We have found our groove and I really get a kick out of you.  Thanks for saving most of your smiles for me, they literally fill my heart.

                                           






                       Nothing like a bath on the dock!






Fynn is Fly!


Hudson
Wow, bubba what a month for you.  You are no longer our quiet little observer.  You are fiesty and full of life and energy.  Your legs literally don't stop moving from the time you wake up. Actually you even kick the side of your crib when falling asleep and sometimes in the middle of the night.  You are a good sleeper and are back to sleeping through the night, with the cottage debachle a thing of the past.  You are now a talker and you love to tell stories like your brother.  You are testing sounds out and it cracks me up.
You are also a big slobber puss and love to suck you hards!
Until this month you had barely put weight on your legs but half way through the month this changed.  Now you do everything in your power to get one of us to hold you in the standing position for long stretches.  You lock your knees and don't want to give up your position.
You have a thing about blankets and love to cover your face with them.  It makes mommy so nervous we no longer put a blanket with you in your crib (even though we used the crochet blanket). At first we thought you ended up with blankets over your face and head by accident but it has become clear that it is purposeful.  You rub the blanket against your cheeks, suck one end of it and then put the other up covering your face. Your favorite blankets are the muslin ones so luckily they are very thin but mommy has to watch you whenever you are holding a blanket just to be sure.
You also have discovered mommy's hair and love to pull on it.  Actually you love to pull on anything in your way, especially mommy's face.  I think you just love to remind mommy of when you need your nails cut when you grab onto her face.  Mommy now understands why new moms chop their hair off, because not only do you pull on it any chance you have but mommy never actually does her hair and she hates it in her face tickling her.
Speaking of tickling you love to be tickled, you giggle and squirm and it is so adorable.
What an exciting month for you and I love to see this new side of you.  You are changing and growing and I love seeing you come into your own.

Howdy partner

They are both cute!

My boys are both adorable to me and they melt my heart with one glance. I have to say though that people (women particularily) flock to Hudson.  He has what they call the Hudson Smolder and he bats his eyelashes.  I love that he gets their attention but it makes me want Fynn to get the same attention.  Fynn doesn't give away smiles and when we are around other people he comes accross as very serious.  He saves all his smiles for me and I love it.  He literally smiles with his entire face and it lights up the room.  It still bothers me though that people go on about how cute Hudson is, without acknowledging Fynn.  When I post picture on Facebook I will have a page full of compliments on Hudson and one or two "like"s on Fynn's picture (and those are from my closests friends who I have mentioned this to before).  Even my neices and nephews say they like the way Hudson looks better. 

How can anyone not think this face is cute????