Gabe's 2nd Byline & 26th Birthday!

Gabe doesn't cease to amaze me, his second byline was published by CNN's religion blog:

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/23/review-the-14th-dalai-lama-a-manga-biography/

September 10th it was Gabe's Birthday!

HAPPY 26th BIRTHDAY GABE!

On his birthday, I had to work the morning shift, then he had to work the afternoon shift, so we squeezed in a birthday lunch at one of his favorite places.

Jack enjoyed the birthday cake and loved the redskins balloon.

Everyone gets a birthday weekend, right?

For my birthday in August, I got to go to Ocean City with my girlfriends :) Then Gabe surprised me with a new bike!

We continued to celebrate Gabe's birthday by meeting up at the fall festival when I got off of work on Saturday.

Then we headed to our last National's game of the season!

Jack sat in his stroller like a big boy watching the game and stuffing his face with popcorn:

At the very end of the game he got squirmy:

All that popcorn and squirming made him thirsty.

It was our lucky day! The Yards Park was celebrating their grand opening next door to the stadium. http://www.yardspark.org/

Outdoor Art Gallery...

We enjoyed great local art. These photos are courtesy of Gabe

Above the waterfall is a fun sprayground, Jack will have some fun cooling down next summer.

.

This is the blurry picture I took before Gabe headed out to the Redskin's game to celebrate his birthday with his buddies:

It would have been so cute!

Gabe's birthday weekend was victorious, the Redskins beat the Cowboys!

HAIL!

Birthday Twins

August 15, 1985 at 2:10pm twin A, Sarah Collier Crane, entered the world. Two minutes later, twin B, Leah Knuti Crane, followed.

Contrary to our height differences now, I was the bigger baby weighing in at 6 lb. 6 oz. Sarah was 6 lbs. Now she stands five inches taller then me.

Whenever my pregnancy was hard, or during trying times this past year of Jack's life, I try to ask myself, how did my mom do it with two?

We have been best friends since day one.

Too bad you can't hear the giggles that went along with bedtime. Putting our dirty socks on our ears was funny to us, we did this almost every night at this age. Play time didn't end until we retreated into our own rooms for bedtime.

As naturally conceived twins in the 80s, a time where multiple births were not common, we got a lot of curious questions growing up.

First off, no one ever believed we were twins, this still happens to us...

Q?: You are twins?

A?: Yes, probably in unison.

Q?: Oh I thought you were just best friends,

Well yes, we are that too...

Q?: Wait, how are you twins if you don't look a like?

A?: We are fraternal twins. (Fraternal twins develop from two separate eggs that a fertilized by two different sperm.)

Q?: So, you are not identical?

I often feeling like screaming, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORD, IDENTICAL, MEANS?

(Identical twins develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos.)

Q?: Do you have twin telepathy?

A?: No.

However, we do know each other extremely well.

Does it matter this birthday post is over a month late?

No, because she gets me.

Q?: Do twins run in your family?

A?: No.

Q?: Did your parents use fertility treatments?

A:? No.

I always am a bit shocked when people ask me about how my parents conceived twins. Either method, it is probably none of their business, however, I understand people are curious.

Again, Q?: But you don't look like?

A?: OH REALLY!?

Happy 25th Birthday to my sweet sister Sarah, I am so blessed to have you by my side :)

This never happens anymore

One year and 12 hours ago this picture was taken, 11:46 am (Iphoto was able to inform me of the photo details).

Jack was no where close to sleeping through the night. He is in bed with us after his morning meals (yes, by this time of the day he probably had eaten at least 2 or 3 times.)

Gabe was always a big help, he was really the only one who was able to get him to sleep at night in his bassinet. However, I was the sole provider of food, no bottles/formula for this guy. Gabe pitched in by doing the transporting of the babe from the bassinet to the bed. By morning to ensure more sleep for us parents, he was in bed with us.

Recently I've been REALLY cranky in the morning. Poor Gabe has to deal. Bottom line, I miss sleeping in.

Why am I still up at this time of night?

I get delirious when I think of Jack's wake up times, it is bliss when he sleeps until 9am. It is rare if he sleeps that late. It is rare if he sleeps until 8:30. Sometimes he wakes up at 6:30. Every morning is a surprise! I know my morning schedule could be a lot worse. I don't have to be at work until 9:30 and its only a 15 minute commute.

The news channel doesn't require Gabe to be in until later in the day.

We like to sleep in. (Because we go to bed too late.)

A week ago, it was Gabe's birthday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABE!

Jack's godfather Peter took Gabe out the night before. I took the opportunity to plop the 13 month old on the couch with his godfather in the morning while I got ready for work. Peter took these pics from his cool new phone.

This is his routine now, morning bottle:

I should wean him off bottles. He likes sippy cups, I think I need to wean myself off the comfort of bottles.

Jack has to be the cutest alarm clock out there. His morning bottle is our snooze button. We fetch him from his crib, change his diaper, grab the already poured bottle in the fridge and return to bed for a early morning snuggle.

As soon as the last drop is gone, ITS MORNING TIME!!!!

Jack is ready to play!

We are still trying to wake up while we proceed transporting him to his highchair.

Where he eats a whole banana all by himself almost every morning. Minus the pieces he throws on the floor.

Then we start our day!

Now the day is done, and I am up way too late, again, goodnight!

Gabe's First Byline!!!

CNNpoltics.com published Gabe's first byline!

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/07/murkowski-reconsidering-her-options/

I can't describe how proud and excited I am for my talented husband!

Summer 2010 in review: Madison, Wisconsin

In June, my Mom, Jack and I took a trip to Madison, Wisconsin.

My mother is the youngest of four, the only daughter to Violet and Ernest Knuti, the baby sister to her older brothers, David, Bobby, and John.

-My Uncle David and Aunt Sigrid retired from living abroad to Madison, Wisconsin.

-A little later my Uncle John fell ill and moved from Arlington, Virginia to Madison.

-My Uncle Bobby and Aunt Carol live in Chicago, about two hours away from Madison.

Like their early years the brothers are reunited again in their later years.

I took John Gabriel La Monica Jr. to meet his Great Uncle John Knuti:

This picture was taken on the rooftop of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art:

This is one my Uncle John's favorite places to go. The art was amazing, the museum was intimate. It was enjoyable to be able to cover a whole museum without feeling rushed or overwhelmed by its large size. I recommend on any vacation you go on, checking out a local museum. It is a unique experience to that town or city, like the Andy Warhol Museum we visited while in Pittsburgh.

My Mom is an alum on the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Here is my mom, Uncle David and Uncle John at the student union. This is the summer time and the lake front terrace on Lake Mendota is bumping with a live band.

Memorial Union is impressive, it is the only student union in the country that serves alcoholic beverages.

This wasn't the first time I have visit UW-Madison, and every time we go to the union we get their delicious home made ice cream.

Here is the littlest Badger:

Who is also the littlest cubs fan:

My Mom grew up in Evanston, IL, right outside of Chicago. She tagged along with her older brothers to Wrigley field and has been a Cubs fan ever since. Ironically this t-shirt is a hand-me down from Gabe! He is a native Washingtonian however he did live in Chicago for a brief stint when he was a baby.

These pictures were taken in June, days before Jack learned to walk. He was over crawling by this point, he cruised everywhere he wanted to go. My Aunt Sigrid-who is smart in every practical aspect of life-like child rearing, knew he would be walking on his own in days. It was true, she never fails to be correct.

Aunt Sigrid, Jack and Aiti:

Aiti?

Aiti means mother in Finnish. My mom is 100% Finnish, making me 50% Finnish (no not half baked) and Jack is 25% Finnish.

Days before Jack was born we were brainstorming what my mom's grandma name would be.

Isoäiti means grandmother in Finnish, so we shorten it to Aiti (meaning mother). Pronounced I-T or Eye-Tee.

Since our finnish heritage has always been important to us, it was very fitting.

It wouldn't be a trip to Wisconsin without going to someone's lake house, this is outside David & Sigrids lake house:

And going on a boat ride:

Later that day back in Madison with Uncle Bobby, Aiti, Uncle David and Jack:

Enjoying more time with Uncle John:

Jack enjoyed pushing John around in his wheelchair, he has super baby strength!

Growing up I spent nearly every holiday with my Uncle John, he attended my soccer games, high school graduation and he was constant figure in my life. I was so happy to spend time with him again, I miss him a lot. Jack is like a grandchild to him, it was an amazing introduction.