The Monolith...

The latest fascination for the boys are the ceiling fans. They will stare up at them in amazement...

What we see...

What they see...
(Only the sci-fi geeks in the audience will get this one...)

Its going to completely blow their mind in the summer when we actually turn the fans on.

Cheers & Happy New Year. :)

Happy Hectic Holiday

Alex, Nick, and Logan celebrated their first Christmas this year. In fact they celebrated it three times! On December 23, Tiffany took the boys to Decatur to celebrate with the Krehers and associated families (Tiffany’s mom’s family). Christmas Eve was spent with the Benningtons at our house. And then it was back down to Decatur on Christmas Day to open presents at Brandon & Carol’s as well as dinner at Matt’s.

Needless to say, it was a busy time for Tiff & I as we spent a lot of time cleaning, wrapping presents, cooking, cleaning up after cooking, getting the boys ready, driving, etc. etc. It kind of got frustrating because by the time we had time to sit down and enjoy time with the boys, Tiffany & I were exhausted! For their part, the boys pretty much slept through events. When they were awake, dad managed to slip Nick a bit of wine on his pacifier and Alex some cranberry sauce. And Grandpa Brandon tried feeding Logan some of Grandma’s mashed potatoes, much to the consternation of mom…

The boys got lots of clothes and toys that they’ll be able to use over the next year, including some of the following…

- Personalized blocks from April and Jon including their full name, birthdate, birth weight and length.

- A giggly face toy- Activity center from Uncle Brandon (some assembly required)
- 2007 Coin Set from the U.S. Mint: http://catalog.usmint.gov/wcsstore/ConsumerDirect/images/catalog/en_US/U07_popup.jpg

Tiff & I got lots of nice loot including (but not limited to) some of the following…

• Bottle of Natchgold Eiswein: http://www.prestigewinegroup.com/brands/nachtgold.aspx and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_wine
  
• The Heart of Everything by Within Temptation http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Everything-Within-Temptation/dp/B000ROALIU/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198700411&sr=8-1
  
• Catch Some ZZZs Tank Pajamas: http://www.pajamagram.com/vtbcatchsomezzzstankpajamas.html


• The Business of Spirits: How Savvy Marketers, Innovative Distillers, and Entrepreneurs Changed How We Drink by Noah Rothbaum http://www.amazon.com/Business-Spirits-Innovative-Distillers-Entrepreneurs/dp/1427754756/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198700558&sr=1-1


• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End: http://imdb.com/title/tt0449088/


• Pedro Fina Ceramic File: http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001129.php


• Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling http://www.amazon.com/Roll-Bones-Gambling-David-Schwartz/dp/B000RW9DPO/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198701325&sr=8-2

Thanks to all the folks who limited exposure to the boys due to illness. Doc keeps warning us respiratory infections really cause havoc in preemies. We know it was a pain, but we really appreciate it. We’ll probably be a lot less cautious once the boys reach about six months old.

Merry Christmas from the Benningtons!!!

Nick's Hip & a Trip to State Farm

As we mentioned in an earlier post, Nick's right hip/knee has been popping for some time. Our pediatrician recommended having a sonogram of the hip, but they didn't find anything wrong. It doesn't appear to be hurting him because he doesn't cry when it happens, so the doc told us to just keep an eye on it.

Alex, Nick & Logan also had their first trip to a library on Friday. Mom & Grandpa (Brandon) brought them in to State Farm to meet Adam's co-workers. The boys were a little shy, but very well received. We thought about charging a $1 admission price and $2 for five minute holding sessions, but decided against it.

Smile for the Camera!

Alex, Logan and Nick are all smiling much more now (and not just when they have gas)! Here is a short video of Logan smiling (and not smiling). They actually even smile bigger now, but the video is still kinda cute – at least I think it is. Enjoy!!

Visit to the Cardiologists & Sonographers

We mentioned in the last entry that Alex and Logan were being watched for heart murmurs and that Nick was being looked at for his hip. Alex and Nick went to see the baby cardiologist in Peoria and we are happy to report that the docs don't believe there is anything seriously wrong. After looking at the x-rays, EKGs, blood pressure readings, pulses, and listening to their hearts, the doc said the murmur was "normal" and to check back in another year. The murmur was so faint on Logan that the doctor couldn't hear it. While Alex fussed initially, both he and Logan were generally calm. Logan is also turning out to be quite the little flirt as he flashed his smiles and glances at many of the nurses.

So while we were happy that nothing serious was wrong, the trip to the cardiologists felt like kind of a waste. It took more time to get the boys out of the car and into the right hospital suite than the check up took. Luckily the boys seem to travel well. Put them in the car seats and start the car and they are out. After getting 2.5 hours of sleep on Sunday night due to fussy babies, daddy may just take them down to the car and sleep there next time!

The trip also gave us a chance to stop and see some of Tiffany's co-workers at CAT. The boys had quite a welcoming committee!

Not to be left out, Nick had a sonogram on his hip this morning, which continues to pop. No news on the results as of yet.

2 Months Old!

It’s been a little while since the last blog update, but in this case no news is good news.

We had our 2 month pediatrician appointment last week so we can share the following measurements…

• Alex: 9 lbs, 8 ½ oz. – 21 ¾ inches long
• Logan: 9 lbs 4 ½ oz. – 22 1/10 inches long
• Nick: 9 lbs 10 ½ oz – 22 9/10 inches long

The Inmates at Play

This puts them in the small-ish size for two month olds, mainly because they were preemies. However, they are gaining weight & length as they should. And they are a lot more active and attentive. They all stay awake longer after feedings and they are getting strong! Each of the boys has quite a grip! All can hold their neck upright and they like to smile a lot. Unfortunately, they smile a lot more during the day than at night. So by the time daddy gets home sometimes there is a prison riot going on.

There have been a few minor problems that the docs continue to monitor. Alex and Logan both have heart murmurs and holes in their hearts. From what I’ve read and heard other parents discuss, this condition is pretty common, especially in newborns, and goes away as the heart continues to develop. The docs don’t really think it’s very serious, but are running some sonos & x-rays to make sure it’s not something that will get worse. And Nick’s right hip pops a lot. It doesn’t seem to hurt him at all, but we are getting sonos to make sure that something bad isn’t happening. We hosted Thanksgiving at the Bennington Casa this year. No turkey for the boys this year, except for the one that mom brought. What’s that human doing attached to its butt??

Turkey with a Grandma Attached

And of course, Thanksgiving offered some prime time for photo ops...

The Bennington Clan

The Williams Clan

Scions of the Benningtons

The final bit of news is that we have hired a nanny to take care of the boys after Tiffany goes back to work in early January. We’re very excited about having Dawn on board. And while I’m sure Tiffany will miss the boys, she’s also looking forward to a bit of adult contact.

Happy Babies & Cute Onesies