Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Happy Big 0 - 1, Boys!

As of 9:34 and 9:37AM, by baby boys have officially turned 1. I cannot comprehend that this day is here, and not only is it here, but it came flying at about 1,000 miles per hour! Yet, at the same time, I find it hard to remember life before the boys...like they've always been meant to be here and their arrival was just another jig saw piece put into the puzzle. It's amazing how much love you can have for two little beings that have existed just barely a year!

I plan on posting a year in pictures later, so stay tuned for that...but for now, here is some photos of the boys enjoying their big birthday party last Saturday. It was a fun bash in which over 30 friends and family came to celebrate with Team Gillis, who absolutely adored all the attention (and the food!) :) Please take special note of my cupcakes...again, one of my many great ideas that aren't all that great when I realize how much time and effort it is really going to take!! Enjoy!!









We are the birthday boys!!

yummy, pizza!

Josh's new favorite camera face.

Serenading the boys

Josh Before

Josh After

Brody Before

Brody After

Monday, March 2, 2009

Spill-Proof Sippy....my @ss!


There are many mythical creatures, ideas, and notions out in the world that people would love to believe in, would do anything to see, would try anything to get to. You know - unicorns, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, world peace, and spill proof sippy cups.

Oh sure, all the fancy packaging out there touts "No Leaks", "Spill Proof" and all sorts of other blatant lies, but the worst offense is even mentioning the fact that ANY sippy cup is actually spill proof! I have shelled out too much money than I care to admit, just to find that elusive sippy cup that actually does not end up all of the surface of where ever the boys are drinking them. I thought, OF COURSE, just like everything else...if it cost more it must work, right...right?!?!

Nope, nada, zilch. In the world of toddler drinking (and not of the alcoholic variety, what kind of mother do you take me for??), there is no holy grail of spill-proof sippy cups. And it is a sad realization when you discover that the mythical item that you were sure you'd find, never existed in the first place.

I guess I should say how lucky I am for being able to transition from the tag team of bottle/formula to sippy/cows milk. I have heard plenty of horror stories of the pleading and begging of parents to their little toddlers, to "puh-lease just try the sippy cup...it's for BIG boys and girls, don't you want to be a big boy and girl??". None of that in the land of Team Gillis, but really, are you surprised?? I mean these kids eat OLIVES for crying out loud!

So, the best option I could find was the high-tech "Straw Sippy"...ooh, I know sounds fancy, doesn't it?? It allows them to suck just like on their bottles, but this tricky contraption is actually a straw and they have just hopped, skipped, and jumped from bottles to straws, not even stopping to stay at the actually sippy cup for a moment. So surely, I was joyous, thinking I must have the special mommy touch for bottle transition!! I should order up an info-mercial stat and let everyone know my tricks!!!


But really, the joke is on me. Thinking the boys would make less of a mess with said "spill proof sippy straw cups" than they did shaking their bottles left and right just mesmerized with the white splatters all over the floor, the wall, and our clothes. I think in actuality they make MORE of a mess, and yes when they shake there are no more sprays of formula erupting out of a tiny pin prick of a hole...but now they have figured out in their demonic little toddler brains that if they suck as much as they can through the straw, it can't possible all stay in their mouth, but dump all over the front of them on the floor. Which in turn soaks them and completely messes up the floors.


Oh and another clever little trick they have figured out (who knew two "under-oners" could be so smart!) is to leave a little milk at the top off the straw where there is a little well and then they flick the straw with their little teeth and voila! White spray everywhere! ::sigh::

Sorry, don't have anymore time to post, must go wash off my floors, my walls, and my children!