Couples Poll!

I got this from my good friend Lauren's Blog. 


Just a little Fun Friday poll all about me and Brian :)


♥ How long have you been together? 

6 years
♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating? 

We dated briefly when I was in high school after knowing each other about a month but we knew each other 2 years before we were serious.

♥ How old are each of you? 

Me- 25 Brian-27

♥ Whose siblings do/ did you see the most? 

We probably see his brother the most. 

♥ Do you have any children together? 

Yes! Two little cuties.
♥ What about pets? 

Rusty a 6 year old corgi and Rocco a 1 year old yorkie. 


♥ Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? 


Adjusting to our new life with children has been a little hard, but nothing we can't handle. 

♥ Did you go to the same school? 

Nope. Different high schools and colleges.

♥ Are you from the same home town? 

Yes, both from Seminole, FL


♥ Who is the most sensitive? 

Ha! Me!


♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple? 

Chipotle or Carmelitas!


♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? 

I'm not good at Geography! :) But somewhere in Europe.

♥ Who has the worst temper? 

Me again. Brian calls me snapper, snapfish, snapper turtle...you get the point. 

♥ Who does the cooking? 

Usually me but Brian has some things up his sleeve.


♥ Who is more social? 

We both are pretty social.

♥ Who is the neat-freak? 

Neither of us are neat freaks, but messes seem to bother Brian more than me. 


♥ Who is the more stubborn? 

Brian! 

♥ Who hogs the bed? 

Rocco.


♥ Who wakes up earlier? 

We both wake up all night :)

♥ Where was your first date? 

We went to the movies to see Old School.


♥ Who has the bigger family? 

I think I do, but neither of our families are that big.

♥ Do you get flowers often? 

Yes! All the time :)


♥ How do you spend the holidays? 

Usually it depends which holiday. But sometimes we spend the holidays on vacation! 

♥ How long did it take to get serious? 

We dated for about 6 months when I was in high school but it wasn't serious. We stayed friends and then get serious about a year and a half later.

♥ Who does/ did the laundry? 

We both do. Lately I have been doing it more because there is so much and I am home.

Confessions of a New Mom

     When I was pregnant I tried to learn a lot about babies and how to take care of them. I love kids but my experience with babies was very very limited. So Brian and I went to classes, watched videos, read books...everything we could to prepare. It seems there are a lot of rules when it comes to babies, and we keep breaking them. 


     Before getting pregnant I did not realize there were so many schools of thought on ways to raise your children. I didn't know what attachment parenting was or who Dr. Ferber was or anything about how to get babies to sleep at night. I thought they were just tired all the time so you let them sleep until they were hungry? 


     The last few nights have been a little hard on Brian and me. Emma is eating every 3 hours like clockwork and falls right back to sleep, but doesn't like to be put into her bassinet. Brett wakes up much more often for mini-feeds and then lies awake getting his gas out. He is then so tired he sleeps a lot more in the day. It is hard trying to get them on the same "schedule" when they are so different. Brian and I are exhausted at night and just want to console our tired/hungry/gassy/poopy babies so we cuddle them and hold them until we all fall asleep together. In bed. So controversial, I know. So are we attachment parents? Maybe. Or maybe we are in survival mode and trying everything we can to get a little sleep ourselves while we keep our babies happy. 


     I am going to read On Becoming Baby Wise today. It is a sleep reference guide that I have heard a lot of good things about from other moms of multiples. I really want Brett and Emma sleeping in their bassinets, and then in their cribs. But for now, Brian and I are teaming up to make it through each long night together. So wish us luck!! 


    And just for fun...a few more confessions:

• I got two more pairs of maternity leggings over the weekend from Pea in a Pod. They are so comfortable and I will wear them forever :)
• Sometimes Brett and Emma share a bottle.
• I have fallen asleep on a Boppy (the tag clearly says no sleeping!)
• Brett and Emma have fallen asleep in their Boppies.
• I don't sleep when the babies sleep. I have laundry to do, dishes to clean, bottles to rinse, dinner to make, and I need some time to myself to relax with coffee and US Weekly.
• Emma and Brett have worn each other's clothes on more than one occasion.
• I have spit up in my hair as I type this but I probably won't shower until this afternoon when the babies are sleeping again.
• Our formal dining room has become a war zone of laundry and diaper changing mishaps. Between you and me, nobody should eat in there. 

So, I probably won't get a "World's Best Mom" certificate this Mother's Day. But I can handle that :) I still think I have the world's best family! 

Newborn Photo Shoot!

     I cannot wait to see more pictures, but here are the "sneak peeks" from the photographers blog. It was quite an adventure getting these pictures. Getting Brett and Emma to sleep at the same time, diaperless, was pretty impossible. We didn't end up getting any diaperless pictures of Emma because once she finally fell asleep, we didn't want to risk her waking up.

More to come soon...I cannot wait!!

Three weeks tomorrow! :)

     Brett and Emma are so big. They are almost three week olds!  Brett weighs 6 lbs 12 oz and Emma weighs 7 lbs 6 oz (as of last Tuesday). They are over their birth weights which means we can let them sleep as long as they want without having to worry if they need to wake up for a feeding. Seems like it would be a big relief, right? Well they don't sleep very long...so we weren't too worried about that, anyways.


     We took them to the doctor last week for their two week check-up and everything was perfect! We go back for their one month appointment next week and I am going to try and talk to the pediatrician about Brett's gassiness. It is pretty bad. Last week the doctor said it was normal, but I don't think she realizes how bad it can get. I should take a video! A benefit of having two infants is that I can sort of compare them. Emma doesn't get gassy like Brett. So to me, it isn't really that normal. I supplement their feedings with formula (Similac Advanced) so maybe it is bothering him. I did see a Similac for gassiness but it said it was for babies who cannot tolerate lactose. I didn't want to jump to any conclusions and start diagnosing a food allergy so I am sticking with the Advanced for now and we will see what the pediatrician says next week. I am also trying to increase my own milk supply so I don't have to supplement as much. My goal is to breastfeed for 6 months. After only 3 weeks it is getting tiring but I am going to push through!!! 

3 weeks post c-section I am recovering well! I feel good and am moving around without any problems. I do everything like I normally would, but take Motrin a couple of times a day if I start to feel a little pain. After 3 more weeks I should be recovered and will have all the restrictions lifted. I also plan to start back at the gym! It sure has been a while. I miss spinning and zumba!

FOR FUN:

How far along? 2 weeks, 6 days postpartum

Total weight gain/loss: Lost 40 lbs, 21 more to go!

Maternity clothes? In between. Some stuff is just so comfortable I am not ready to give it up!

Stretch marks? They have faded so much! YAY! Maybe they will just disappear :)

Sleep: Last night was pretty good! I am getting to be a pro at using two Boppies to feed both babies at the same time then burp them, swaddle them, and lay them down. The Boppies are comfy and help them fall asleep without me needing to hold them and once they are out, it is much easier to put them down in their bassinet. 

Best moment this week: Shopping with the babies!! 

Movement: N/A

Food cravings: No cravings, but I still have a pretty hearty appetite!

Gender: One boy and one girl!

Labor Signs: N/A

Belly Button in or out? It is back in :)

What I miss: Sleep, being able to run an errand without planning.

What I am looking forward to: When Brett and Emma sleep through the night.

Weekly Wisdom: It really does get easier every day!

Milestones: Last night Brett and Emma slept from 3-6AM without making a peep! Then again from 6-9, and they are sleeping again right now...

I didn't get a chance to update how our Valentine's Day went, but here are some pictures!

Our delicious dinner from The Palm!

 Brett and Emma gave us the best presents, they slept while we ate! Usually they happen to wake up just as we are sitting down for dinner!!

Emma's first Valentine's Day, sleeping in the PackNPlay.

Brett's first Valentine's Day, sleeping in his bassinet.

 Here are a few more pictures we have taken over the last few days. I am still looking for my camera cord so these are from my iPhone...

A day at the beach! (playmat)

Brett being a big boy and trying to hold his own bottle!

Rocco snuck into Emma's Boppy!

What Brett looks like when he gets gas :( And daddy sleeping on the job!!

Happy Monday, everyone!! Brian just called me and he is getting off work early today! I am so excited, he should be home before lunch :) What a special treat!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

     I love Valentine's Day! I know some people think it is a lame holiday, but I really love it. What is not to love? Presents, candy, cards, flowers, cute stuffed animals, conversation hearts. This is Brian and I's 7th Valentine's Day together! And I know it will be the best one yet. We have had some pretty interesting Valentine's days in the past. Especially when I was at FSU. One year Brian brought Rusty to Tallahassee with him so we had to stay in a dog-friendly hotel. Let me tell you, this was no classy resort! I am pretty sure the room was less than $50 and I refused to use the shower. We ordered Outback to go and ate out of styrofoam. Very romantic. Another year we drove all around trying to find a restaurant without a two hour wait and ended up eating at Applebees. Brian was such a trooper always coming to Tallahassee to visit me in the middle of the week for anniversaries and holidays. He must really love me!! 


     Our first Valentine's Day that I was not in school there happened to be a hockey game. How perfect! So I bought Brian a new Jersey and let him take me out to the game. 

Valentine's Day -- 2009

     This year we are excited to celebrate the day of love with our precious little babies!! Even though we have had offers for babysitters (thanks, Susan!!) we really wanted to stay in with Brett and Emma. So tonight we are having take-out from The Palm and cuddling up with our cuties. Brian got a $100 gift card from a client over the holidays so tonight seemed like a good time to cash it in. And I sort of refused to get dressed up for dinner the last few months if I didn't really have to, so he has been waiting to use it. There is a $49.95 4 course special going on at The Palm right now so it is perfect! And it includes dessert - yum! I also got Brian a little gift that he will love and am making him some special treats. 

     I think Brian already gave me the BEST Valentine's Day present. I fell asleep last night around 11:00 and didn't wake up until 3:00AM. That is 4 straight hours of sleep. As in not waking up every hour to pump milk, warm a bottle, or change a diaper. He took care of everything (except the pumping business) and was up for work at 7:30. He is back to work full time this week and I know he needs his energy! There are 3 hockey games this week! So that was very extra special sweet of him to do!!! 

    I hope everyone else has a great Valentine's Day. Eat some chocolate and give lots of hugs and kisses! I can't wait to post pictures of Brett and Emma's first Valentine's Day!!! 

XOXO! 

It has been a great week!

     It has been over a week since our little loves were born, and they have been keeping us very busy!! Brett and Emma are really good babies. Brian and I could not have been more blessed. They eat about every 3 hours and rarely cry. When they start wiggling around we know it is time for a diaper change and some food in their cute little bellies. They do not sleep through the night, but they stick to their schedule which really helps us! Brian and I take turns getting up and we work together as a really great team. I couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else in the world. 

     Things at home aren't quite as we had planned. Because I had to have a c-section, we have been sleeping downstairs. Brian brought a bassinet down from our bedroom and we already had a pack-n-play set up in the living room. So Brett and Emma have been sleeping in those while we sleep on the couch. I cannot wait to get upstairs into our big comfy bed, but this is working out really well right now. It is going to be hard to put the babies in their nursery when we move upstairs, I am so used to having them so close to us! I guess that is why we bought the bassinets in the first place, I knew I would want them in our room for a little while. It makes the nighttime feedings easier, and we just like having them close by. 

     We have been taking a lot of pictures over the last few days and I will get them on here as soon as I get them all uploaded. But here are a few to hold everyone over for now! 

Emma right after she was born.

Uncle Heath (Brian's brother) holding Brett when he was an hour old!

Emma in her cute outfit when we were leaving the hospital. 

She wasn't too happy here!

I love this outfit on Brett. It says "Mommy's peanut!" This was taken when we were leaving the hospital.

Our first day at home and they were holding hands in the pack-n-play!! This is the most adorable picture, ever!! 

Daddy playing a trick on Brett and giving him bunny ears!

     We have really been enjoying our time at home. Brian went back to work for a few hours today and after this weekend he will probably be back to his regular schedule. Having him home has been so much fun. I wish our little family could always be this way but I guess someone has to work :) Luckily I won't be going back to work until August, but I know that is going to be very hard! I thought leaving my students was tough, I cannot imagine leaving my babies! 

     A lot of people have been asking us how the dogs are adjusting to the babies. I think they are doing fantastic! Rocco and Rusty are very curious but they are acting like their typical selves. I am sure they are a little jealous of all the attention the babies get, but we found a great doggy day care that we can take them to. They get to play with other dogs, and there are even video cameras so we can check on them during the day and see them play! I think we will start taking Rusty one or two days a week so she can get exercise and have fun with the other dogs. I am not sure about Rocco, I don't think he gets as much out of it. At home, he usually just lounges around. 

Rocco loves to curl up on the couch cushions!

     Rusty has been a little more productive around here. While we are busy changing diapers and warming bottles, she has been catching up on our e-mails for us. Don't be offended if she doesn't get back to you right away. It takes her a while to type since she doesn't have opposable thumbs! 

     So that is what we have been up to lately. Staying busy with the babies and enjoying every minute of it. It has really been a lot easier than I could have imagined. Sometimes it is tough getting up at 3 and 6 in the morning, but seeing my little pumpkins smile makes it totally worth it! 

Two Boksen babies are here -- the birth!

It has been a little while since I last posted a blog. Well, a lot has happened since then :) I will start with the birth of Brett and Emma. It was long...so prepare yourself if you intend on reading this entry. I will spare a few details but this might be TMI for some, or just uninteresting.

Last Monday morning (1/31) Brian and I went to see my OB and find out why I was still pregnant! It was a good appointment. Babies looked great and we scheduled another induction for Wednesday morning (38 weeks, 6 days) . I would come in Tuesday night to start the cervidil and hopefully things would progress more quickly than last time. I am sure you can imagine Brian and I were excited but at the same time questioning what the outcome would be of all this. We told the doctor that we needed a "backup plan" this time! We were not leaving the hospital without babies. He laughed and promised they would be coming out, one way or another!

I think the babies finally started feeling guilty for making us wait so long because Tuesday morning around 6:30AM my water broke spontaneously! I had been laying in bed for over an hour with back pains and was flipping from side to side. After a few minutes I felt what I thought might be my water breaking so I stood up to go to the bathroom and check. When I stood up I knew my water had definitely broken, it was sort of like in the movies - well, a little less dramatic. I woke Brian up immediately and he was a mix of emotions. He was excited, scared, nervous...it was very cute to see him so frantic. I called my doctor and he said to go to the hospital. YAY -- we were having babies! Brian walked our dogs and gave them food and water while I got dressed and finished grabbing a few things to take to the hospital.

On the way to the hospital Brian was getting annoyed at every car on the road! Even though I was in labor, I had to keep him calm. I guess we never expected this to actually happen this way. We had planned to be at the hospital at 11:30PM that night and had already made one other scheduled trip to labor and delivery. But it seems Brett and Emma were coming on their own time and this was finally it!

By 8:00AM I was checked in to the hospital and laying in a bed in a delivery suite. I was started on pitocin a little while later to get my contractions stronger so I could go into more active labor. My doctor warned me that the pitocin would cause very strong and painful contractions and that I should get my epidural sooner rather than later. I knew for sure I would be getting an epidural so I went ahead and had it ordered. When the epidural came I was so scared and nervous, but it was painless and quick! I promise!! Just a quick pinch in my back and I was numb from the top of my stomach down to my hip area. The nurses told me I shouldn't feel any pain from the contractions but that I would feel pressure when the babies were coming. I would still be able to push through labor but it would not be too painful. I could handle that! Once the epidural was in I had to stay in bed. I watched TV, read, played Words With Friends (thanks Tressa and Brian!), and listened to everyone tell me how boring I was! The time went on and on and every few hours my doctor would pop in to see how my labor was progressing. It was moving very very slow. I had only dilated a couple of centimeters but my contractions were coming very close together and lasting over a minute each. My doctor and nurses told me 4cm was the golden number. Once I was 4cm dilated labor would speed up. Every time I had my cervix checked, I was hoping to hear that number! But instead I kept hearing "2cm" over and over. And then "3 cm." I was being checked every two hours and it was discouraging to have been making no progress between checks. Also, I was starving! I hadn't eaten anything since dinner the night before, and I was not allowed to eat or drink the whole day. Brian was being a trooper and hadn't really eaten anything either, even though I packed him snacks and told him to just eat! Finally around 9PM he went to the cafeteria to get some food.

When Brian left the room...the action started! I was hooked up to some monitors that watched the babies' heartbeats and my contractions. There was a yellow box that showed where the babies' heartbeats should be. Out of nowhere Brett's heartbeat dipped out of the box, way down to the bottom of the screen. My older sister, Kathleen, was visiting me and noticed it right away. She started freaking out and panicking but I told her to relax, I was sure everything was fine. And if there was a problem my nurse would come in and check on me. I guess I was way too relaxed because within a minute three nurses ran in. They unhooked my pitocin and told me to roll onto my side. I guess the contractions were getting to be too much for Brett. They were too close together and the babies were not getting a break in between. After just a minute his heartbeat went back to normal. My pitocin dose was lowered and everything seemed to go right back to normal. Phew! I think Kathleen was still pretty freaked out, but I really trusted that the nurses knew what they were doing. A few minutes later, my doctor came in for another cervix check. I crossed my fingers! What was my lucky number going to be?!! A 4? 5? NOPE! He said I was maybe 4 cm, but it was more like 3. Ughh! I thought I was going to be in labor until the next day. It was already 9:30PM and my water broke at 6:30AM...so it had already been 15 hours. Not that I should complain. The epidural had made it a very easy labor. My doctor told me if I had not had the epidural, there was no way I could have made it 8 hours with how many contractions I was having. That was a relief, I guess.

Brian was still out of the room at this time. He had been in the room with me all day and the second he leaves things start to get interesting! Poor guy. I figured my doctor would come back in a few hours to check me again, but I was wrong. He told me I would need to have a c-section! WHAT?! Since my water broke so long ago, there was a risk of infection. My labor wasn't going anywhere even though my contractions were regular. I asked him when the c-section would be (tomorrow morning?) and he said right now! An anesthesiologist would be in to talk to me and within 30 minutes I would be in the operating room. My mom and sister started texting and calling Brian, he was still gone! I couldn't believe it. After all this time, I was going to have a c-section. This is what I avoided doing an entire week ago! So all the waiting was sort of for nothing.

When Brian finally got back into the room it was about time to leave for surgery. I could not believe we were about to finally meet our little babies!!! The next few minutes went by so fast. I was wheeled into the operating room and Brian had to wait outside for a few minutes. My epidural was turned up and I was numb and ready to go! Brian came in and stood next to me and held my hand while we waited for everything to begin. There was a big curtain in front of me and I couldn't see anything, but Brian was able to see everything! And he even got some of it on video. I could watch the video a hundred times, it is so cool. From the time the doctor started cutting to the time the babies were out was probably less than ten minutes. My doctor showed me the babies real quick and they were taken over to a table to be examined. Brian went with them to the other side of the room and I was able to see everything from the table. It was pretty cool. Brian left with the babies to go to the nursery for a little while. I was cleaned up and taken to a recovery room. Within 30 minutes our little family was reunited and we were taken to the mother baby suite, where we stayed for 3 nights.

Brett Owen Boksen was born at 10:32 PM. He was 19 3/4 inches long and 6 lbs, 6 oz.

Emma Zoey Boksen was born at 10:33 PM. She was 19 3/4 inches long and 7 lbs.

Both babies were healthy and able to come right to the room with us after their check-ups and baths. They truly are beautiful and are keeping Brian and I so busy. We love just looking at them and are falling more and more in love with them all the time. We are lucky to be parents and to have such healthy and beautiful babies. They are a week old and the time has gone by so fast!