David and Kristy's Blog

More current pics...

2011-06-03T18:22:00.010-04:00

Easter Eggs

Air Show

Computer Time with Daddy

Silly Ella

Jack & Ella on our deck

Eating Guacamole - a favorite in our house!

It's been a while...

2010-12-16T17:29:00.005-05:00

I got a couple notes saying that I've been slacking on the updates so here are some pics over the last couple months.

Playing with dad.

Ella found out that she likes pudding.

Halloween costumes. They still see the witch on TV and say 'mommy'...

Momma's new truck.

Jackie chilling while he doesn't feel well.

Ella also discovered chocolate cereal.

Jack's skier boy look.

Ella's skier girl look.

Thanksgiving at the folks. Ella was first to eat...

Making the ginger bread house.

I take a walk

2010-09-15T07:14:00.004-04:00

Jack and Ella enjoy taking walks around the neighborhood and they let us know by saying 'I take a walk' and then running over to their cabinet to put their flops on. Amazing what change a few months can bring...

So big...

2010-08-22T16:01:00.006-04:00

J and E are in another growth spurt (well, at least for our short family). They've grown about 2 inches over the summer and are definitely getting heavier as well.

Kristy's now back in school and the kids are back at day care, but we had a great summer. Lots of trips to the zoo, children's museums, and relatives (even though we still haven't made it to my little bro's house yet).

Also, we finally started attending a church again - Northview Christian The kids seem to really like it and it's good for mom and dad too...

4 years...

2010-08-04T19:44:00.003-04:00

Today our girls turned 4. It's been a strange day for the both of us as Jack and Ella are such an important part of our lives, but we still can't help to question why Claire and Gracie were taken so early. We wonder what they would be like as they grew older. We miss them and will always love them. I hope that someday we find the answer.

Pom-pa's Tractor

2010-07-12T11:32:00.005-04:00

Pom-pa (aka Grandpa Kokoska) finally got to take Jackie out on his tractor. He tried last year when we visited the farm, but being the over-protective parents, we asked to hold off a year. In the past several months, Jack has decided that he really likes being outside and had a blast riding around with Pom-pa.

The walk to the shed

Pulling out

The worried mom look

Crusin'

The walk back to the house

Planes and Jeeps

2010-06-11T12:51:00.009-04:00

We took the kids to the Indy air show today. It was media day so not too many people and it's only 15 minutes down Olio. Jack, of course, loved all the planes and jeeps. Mom liked the helicopters and Ella enjoyed her showing off her independence. Plus we all were surprised when the B-17 Flying Fortress landed and taxied right past us.

Finally posing

2010-06-06T16:01:00.003-04:00

While the trip to the formal photographer didn't work out so well, Jack and Ella have been much better at posing for us at home. They'll even hold hands for a couple minutes.

More pics...

2010-06-01T15:39:00.004-04:00

Everything is going well in the Kokoska household. The kids are doing great and today was Kristy's last day at school. She's a bit excited and overwhelmed for the next couple summer months. We've enjoyed using the zoo and children's museum passes that the folks got us...

Jack's new shades

Getting taller....

Cruising the Indy Children's Museum

Out of hibernation and into the wild

2010-04-21T13:52:00.005-04:00

The Kokoska's have finally emerged from the winter long hibernation and are loving it...

At the zoo, the kids loved the polar bear even though it scared mom and dad

but Ella didn't care much for the walrus

Ella playing handylady at the Children's Museum (she knows dad can use some help around the house)

Jack's practicing for the beek (that's his word for Jeep)

And trying the real thing

No surprise here, the kids love the ipad

Jack set a toy on Grandpa, but let him sleep

No such luck for daddy's nap

Playing on the new fort (not very green-friendly, I know...)

We finally placed the girls' stone in their garden

Friends and Family

2010-04-04T18:36:00.005-04:00

Kristy and I spent that last couple days enjoying the weather and hanging out with the family and friends. Gotta love springtime...

Hanging out on the Julien's deck (Jack's shirt says Mama's boy, but everyone knows that isn't true...)

Jack and Emma

Aunt Mimi and our new cousin Caleb

Jack reading with Ryan and Kate

Ryan reading the Resurrection eggs for Easter

Spring is here...

2010-04-02T06:56:00.002-04:00

We got the kids a couple of patio toys and finally set them up yesterday (since it hit 82 degrees...) Of course, the favorite activities were pushing the chairs and playing with the umbrella sticks.

Kisses...

2010-03-29T14:36:00.005-04:00

The kids were so excited about the Butler Bulldogs making the Final Four that they danced around the house and gave lots of kisses...

Facebooking it

2010-02-27T05:38:00.004-05:00

Thanks very much for following our blog. While we still plan to update pictures and other events here, we have moved a lot of our more mundane discussion to our Facebook pages. Please send us a friend request if you'd like...

Kristy's Facebook page - much more interesting...
David's Facebook page

Ugh... I Hate This Weather

2010-01-22T21:34:00.003-05:00

Looks like we are going through another round of sickness this week as the weather plays havoc on us. How can it be icy, foggy, 20 then 50, and so on all in one week? The kids are snotty, coughy, feverish, lethargic and overall miserable. I have sinus issues, and my head just won't stop pounding. David's job is so stressful for him righ now... everything is just too much. Spring, where are you?!

Happy Birthday!!

2010-01-13T13:00:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it is here already... Jack and Ella are 2 years old today! David and I are so grateful for everyone that helped make this day a reality. When we were told that snowy Sunday morning that Jack was crashing, and we had to make a decision about delivering (or not), I am thankful for our naivety (and the guidance from Debbie, Dr. A, and well, God). So many things could have gone wrong, so many issues could have developed, but they didn't.

Everyday I think about how lucky we are to have Jack and Ella in our lives... Mommy and Daddy love you very much! Here's to many many more birthdays!!

(Oh and by the way... Ella decided on her birthday eve, that she would crawl out of her bed; or rather, fall out of her bed. Looks like it has finally happened - toddler beds, here we come.)

--- Added a couple pics of their birthday cupcake fiesta...

Flickr

2009-12-29T09:15:00.005-05:00

We took a few too many pix over Christmas for the blog, so I created a flickr account and posted them there. The kids had a great time this year and we are amazed at the changes since spending their first Christmas in the hospital.

Here's the link (click in the upper right corner for a slideshow):

Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T10:37:00.005-05:00

We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday. One of these days I'll get Kristy to come back from holiday and actually do a blog post. Until then, I'll just keep posting pictures...

Yesterday, we spent the day with my family (sans Scott's clan, who is taking care of the newborn in Peoria). The kids had a great day and I got another good opportunity to play with the new camera.

This teacup was sent to us from my cousin Vivian and was my Aunt Ruth's (from whom Ella received her middle name)

New books for Gma K

Our traditional Christmas Eve dinner of fried oysters and shrimp

Jack's new favorite toy

Dad taking pictures (he's worse than I am) and Aunt Mimi, Sam and Ryan watching Ella's next present

Showing GGma K our new toys

Welcome Caleb Scott

2009-12-21T06:04:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to my little brother and his wife for their latest addition. Caleb Scott was born overnight on 12/19 and weighed in at over 8 lbs and 20 inches. Sounds like he's going to be handful as he was born in my brother's car just 20 minutes after the water broke. All ended well and, fortunately, my folks were there to watch the 3 older kids.

Camera, part 2

2009-12-19T13:08:00.004-05:00

I decided to do a wholescale revamping of my camera equipment to save some money and try something new. So, I picked up a Panasonic GF1 Micro Four Thirds camera. I think it does a great job and we'll have some more funds for our day care friends...

A Night in the Life...

2009-12-15T19:38:00.007-05:00

So, I sold my old point and shoot on ebay (and some more stuff...) and picked up a new Canon S90. It's not as good as the Nikon D300, but it's about 1/4 of the size and it does have a 2.0 28mm lens and I'm still learning the in's and out's of it. Here are some snaps of a typical evening in our household now. (oh, and she is a daddy's girl, at least I like to think so...)

We play

We eat

We take a bath

We play and eat some more

Then we cry

And finally mommy and daddy make it all better

Thanksgiving w/ the folks

2009-12-12T06:05:00.007-05:00

We finally took the kids for an overnight stay with my parents over Thanksgiving. The kids had a great time playing with their cousins and Uncle Scott snapped a couple pictures.

Ella and Grandpa

Sporting the new flannel look with Grandma (and yes, in the background, that is a 16 year old picture of the family posing with a tractor)

Grandma and Grandpa have lots of stuff to break...

And here's a not very good video, but about 1/2 way through, Kristy realizes that the basement door is open. Mama bear...

Putting up the Christmas tree...

2009-11-27T19:31:00.005-05:00

Kristy and I were feeling a bit adventurous (well, in our world...) and decided to put up the Christmas tree with some help from the kids. We all had a good time.

And Ella in her pigtails.

Tables, sippies and grandpa

2009-11-08T14:40:00.005-05:00

Some pics of Jack and Ella playing on their new table, making blocks with grandpa, trying a new set of sippy cups, and making their Christmas lists.

A Momentous Occasion

2009-11-01T15:49:00.003-05:00

Jackie and Bells had their first bites of bacon today. A world of opportunity has erupted for them...

How Ella got her arm back

2009-10-19T16:13:00.005-04:00

Today was a great day for the Kokoska family. After over 15 weeks, Ella finally got her arm back. The doc said that the bone had fully healed and looked great. So, after an interesting encounter with the bone saw, we got to finally take her home without a cast. Yeah!!!

Back to normal

2009-10-12T21:14:00.004-04:00

Life resumed to a 'normal' state this week. Ella and Jack are both healthy again. Ella has also started to understand and react to her environment much more. She's become quite the helper around the house. She loves to help unload the dishwasher, get diapers for mommy, and let Jackie know when he's doing a 'no-no'. Below are a few pics from the past couple weeks:

Ella's winter hat

Ella under the weather

Ella's new hot pink cast

Ella helping daddy make chili

Jackie under the weather

Classic Jack pose

Grandma Will's version of holding Jack (no comment in case I get in trouble...)

Great-grandma Kokoska's version of holding Jack (seems a bit more educational, but once again, no comment)

Daddy's favorite trio

Febrile Seizures, a New ER, and Pin Pulling

2009-10-03T12:37:00.004-04:00

Another week of ups and downs. We started the week off well with promising news for Ella from the hand doc. The gap between the break had decreased from .6mm to .3mm. The doc was very excited and said that it 'made his day'. We go back next Mon to hopefully pull the pins and 2-3 weeks later, Ella could finally be cast-free.

I headed out to Seattle on Tue, which usually means that things are going to go south. And, of course, they did. After a couple calm days, Kristy got a call at work on Thu that Jack had a seizure and he was headed to the ER (Riverview, this time). I'll let Kristy fill in the details, but apparently, he had a fever spike and a seizure can be a toddler's way of trying to reduce it. In most cases, the seizure just occurs once, but Jack had another early Fri morning. I wasn't coming back until Fri night, so Kristy called her mom and then went back to the ER (St. V's, where they recognized her from Ella...). They put him on a Tylenol/Motrin fever reducer plan and also Tamiflu (even though he tested negative for flu, they said it wouldn't hurt). Last night, he had several fever spikes, but fortunately no seizures and today he just seems like a sick kid. We're hoping that the worst is over.

Anyone got a padded room in a remote location on a farm for sale?

Another Couple Weeks

2009-09-23T05:56:00.002-04:00

We had our weekly visit to the doc and Ella's finger is getting better, but it's growing very slowly. It's been over 11 weeks since the break and 6 weeks since the last surgery. Best case scenario now would be to pull the pins next Monday and the cast the following week. The doc seems to think that since the break was so severe it took longer than expected for the bone to repair. We're taking the 'better safe than sorry' attitude and are happy that we haven't breached the bone graft conversation...

On a Jack note, I'd heard people talk about how their kids are always sick from daycare. Now, I'm a believer. It seems like Jack has been up and down for the past month after only being sick once the year before. And it's not even flu season. Argh.

2 More Weeks

2009-09-10T11:03:00.002-04:00

Good news, bad news. Ella's finger is actually starting to heal, however, the doc advised leaving her pins in for another couple weeks. Since we're already on week 9+ since the break and we don't want to go back to step 1, we agreed. She still is in good spirits and loves to dance and laugh...

Fun with Photoshop

2009-09-08T17:44:00.006-04:00

Tomorrow morning we have our next appt with the hand doc. Hopefully, it'll be good news. We'll let you know.... I've been playing with Photoshop the last couple days and it's amazing what you can do with a good subject and zero artistic talent whatsoever...

Football or Soccer?

Reading Merton

Chillin' in the chair

New winter hats

Still Waiting

2009-08-26T19:10:00.002-04:00

Ella had another doctor's appointment on Monday... still no progress on the bone, but it has only been a week and a half since the second surgery. David and I continue to pray that this second surgery will be the fix!! Ella is being so good about the whole thing, but her patience is waining.

The worst thing is seeing her try to do all the things the other kids are doing... with one hand, even using a sippy cup is difficult. Hopefully the cast won't impede the use of her arm and hand in the future. We worry that she'll need physical therapy to learn how to use her hand effectively.

What's crazy is that she'll not remember any of this, while David and I are scarred. I think the reason we have gone over the top with our house (taking things off the wall/removing furniture cushions/etc.) is because of her break. We thought we had done a good job before, and we have a bone that won't heal... ugh!

We go back to the doctor on Monday - the doctor said that the pins may possibly get to come out... not sure why if the bone isn't healed, but I guess I'll ask when we get there.

Buy CAT for Uncle Scott

2009-08-15T13:19:00.003-04:00

Since my brother now works for Caterpillar, Kristy and I have tried to do our part for the stimulus by getting the kids CAT toys. Below are a couple of their favorites. Also, Ella's cultures came back today. Negative. So, now we wait...

2nd time's a charm?

2009-08-13T10:19:00.002-04:00

Since her pinky bone was not growing together, Ella had her finger re-pinned today in a surgical procedure. The doc said that the finger looked normal, but it just wasn't fusing. He sent a couple samples for testing to determine if it was either an infection or necrolysis in the bone, but he didn't see signs of either. The procedure went fine and Ella, as usual, was a superstar during the whole process. We should know about the lab results soon and the bone fusing in a couple weeks.

To the zoo

2009-08-07T10:37:00.004-04:00

A couple weeks ago, Kristy and I took J and E to the Indianapolis zoo. We made it nearly three hours before the kids were done. We've learned in the last year that being at a place right when it opens is best. Less crowds, more space...

I think they enjoyed the rhinos the most because they could run around on the wooden deck.

Birthday Wishes

2009-08-04T22:37:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday loves... daddy and I miss you tremendously. We love you!

Third birthday

2009-08-04T22:20:00.003-04:00

Claire and Gracie were born three years ago today. The words still don't come easily. We love you and miss you intensely.

Ella update - 4 weeks

2009-08-03T13:29:00.005-04:00

It's been just a bit over 4 weeks now since Ella broke her finger and, unfortunately, it doesn't look like the bone is growing together well. It hasn't improved enough to remove the cast. We go back next week for yet another x-ray and if the bone still isn't mending, then she'll get a CT scan to gather more information on the bone structure. Then, she'd have a surgery to move the bone closer together as well as a deeper assessment of the current situation.

In the past, Ella was pretty uninterested in the whole wrap/re-wrap of the cast. Today, when the doc exposed her arm, we not only saw the beginnings of a bruise near her elbow but Ella was frantic when they tried to re-wrap it. I think losing the freedom of moving her fingers ticked her off...

Toddlers

2009-08-02T18:29:00.003-04:00

Kristy still likes to call them her babies, but I think the proof that they're now officially toddlers is in the pictures...

Ella update: She's going back tomorrow to hopefully remove the cast, but she's still doing great according to the doc.

Eating real food (Ella loves salmon)

Climbing and playing on the chairs

Rolling through the new tent/tunnel we got today for them

Still in Cast

2009-07-28T13:22:00.003-04:00

Ella's pins were removed from her hand (she didn't even flinch), but the dreaded cast remains. We go back on Monday (August 3) for another x-ray. Hopefully, she will get the ok to let her hand be a hand again - and not a club. I am over this thing!

Another Ella Update

2009-07-15T12:29:00.003-04:00

Ella had another appointment today to take a look at the progress of her pinkie. The doctor removed the cast and bandages and was again pleased with what he saw. Her finger was nice and pink, and she was able to wiggle it. The doctor then cleaned the wound and rewrapped the hand/arm. She was a trooper until the end when she wanted down (out of my arms), and I wouldn't let her. Oh well, I was prepared for some screaming/crying. We go back again next week... hopefully to remove one(or both) of her pins.

Ella with Duckie

Super Girl

2009-07-08T21:01:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update on Ella...

She is doing incredible!! You wouldn't know anything was wrong if she didn't have a cast on her arm. She uses her "club" like it was nothing. It is amazing how much better she is handling this than David and I. The only bad thing is trying to give her the oral antibiotic twice a day... she isn't cooperative at all.

Monday we go the surgeon to check on her progress and to redress the arm. We will give another update then.

Our first trip to the ER

2009-07-06T16:46:00.006-04:00

Well... the holiday started out well and went down hill fast. We reschedule our 4th plans for the 3rd (like many others). Thad, Bobbi, and the kids came over for some great food and fireworks fun. That was the end of the nice holiday.

Saturday, along with the rain, came sickness for David. He was achy all over and could hardly move. We still have no idea what he has. Although, he says he'll go to the doctor tomorrow if it's still bad.

Sunday was the worst. David was still really stiff and achy, and to add to the misery, the kids seemed accident prone all day. First, Jack busted his lip on a cabinet door. We've cleaned out two cabinets for them to play in and store their books. Jack was being Jack and tried to eat the knob... then came a scream and blood. He hit his lip. While David and I were calming him down and checking out the damage, Ella decides to make a break for the stairs and had pushed the gate away. I look up and see Ella about 5 steps up, and David makes a lunge for her as she turns and tumbles to the ground. Exasperated, we check out both kids for damage... luckily, it was all minor.

Ok, here's the grand finale of this awful day. After dinner, I send David to the couch to lie down (he cooked even though he was not feeling well), and I was cleaning up the kitchen. The kids were standing in the breakfast nook looking out the door. The next thing I know, the Japanese style (5ft tall) screen in the corner is crashing down on top of the kids.

Screaming ensued as David and I sprinted to the scene. There was blood coming from Ella's hand. I grabbed her and immediately saw that her pinkie was badly cut. We wrapped it the best we could, grabbed Jack and headed for the car. We raced to St.Vincent's care center off of Olio and 69. Thankfully, they have an emergency room. David and I were basically in our PJs, the kids in theirs, no socks on anyone... we were quite a sight.

The doctor took a look at her finger, did x-rays, and called the hand surgeon. Meanwhile, David took Jack home (it was 7:15pm) to change his diaper and put him to bed. Thankfully, Thad was able to come to our house and stay with Jack while he came back to the ER.

After getting an IV in Ella's arm and wrapping both hands/arms in gauze, David and I were off to the OR at St. Vincent's Carmel. The hand surgeon was waiting on us. He had looked at her x-rays and gave us the news. Ella had almost completely severed her pinkie... it was holding on by a tendon and some skin. He was very confident in her recovery, as little kids tend to rebound very well (much better then wimpy adults).

David and I sat in a deserted waiting room (it was now 10pm) while Ella had surgery. The procedure lasted about 1 1/2 hours. We were called back to the recovery room about 11:45pm. She was still asleep. The doctor went over the results of the surgery (all good) and showed us an x-ray of the newly placed pins in her finger.

We left the hospital around 12:15pm to head to CVS for her meds. Finally, around 12:45pm, we made it home. Poor Thad was on the couch, probably thinking we had taken off for good.

Today, besides the cast, you would never know that Ella almost lost her pinkie - permanently.

Soooo Big

2009-06-30T21:58:00.003-04:00

David and I just got back from vacation (very relaxing) and haven't stopped marveling at how big the kids got in only a week's time. Their legs are longer, their hands and feet are bigger, even their tummies seem bigger. I don't know what mom and dad did to get them to grow so much, but I'm not sure I like it.

You see, I still call them babies... David tries to convince me that they are toddlers now. What is he trying to do? Next thing you know they're in school, graduating, going to college, getting married... ok, you I am getting a little carried away. My point is that everyone keeps saying "they grow up so fast" - I never gave it a thought. Now, seeing how much they've changed in only a week, I'm scared to death of how fast this journey will go.

I guess I can't stop them from getting bigger, older, more independent - The only thing left for he is to love them with all my heart and be there when they need me.

Summer break

2009-06-19T06:19:00.008-04:00

It's hard to believe that we're nearly 3 weeks into Kristy's summer break already, but she does have a pretty standard schedule with the kids now.

06:30 - Jack starts wailing
06:35 - Ella starts in, so it's time to get them up
07:00 - First bottle (working on the sippy cups later in the day...)
07:45 - Breakfast (either eggs, french toast waffles, or just yogurt)
08:30 - Run around town shopping or sometimes just cruising
11:00 - Lunch time (along the lines of raviolis or hot dogs)
13:00 - Nap time (Kristy gets a couple hours of free time!)
15:00 - Juice with the sippy cups
17:00 - Dinner time (usually whatever we're having, last night it was salmon patties)
18:15 - Nighttime milk bottle
19:00 - Bedtime (one or two dr. seuss books settles them down)
19:30 - Chill on the deck (with the sound and video monitor, of course)

We snapped a bunch of pictures last week, so here they are:

Ella's side:

Jackie's side:

Jack decides to walk

2009-06-04T17:07:00.004-04:00

Well, Ella has been running circles around Jack for the last 4 months, but Jack decided that enough was enough, so in the last couple days, he's decided to try this walking thing. Take a look:

A Juxtaposed Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-25T15:27:00.009-04:00

This Memorial Day was a study of differences...

David partook in his traditional "boys" weekend with too much golf, a couple bud lights, and a very busy/very exciting race day. He got home Sunday night nicely tanned, but dragging. I'm happy he had a good time... I know he looks forward to this weekend every year.

The kids and I took a different route and had a very quiet weekend to ourselves. We had hoped to visit grandma and grandpa, but with sick cousins, it wasn't worth the risk. We did have a great afternoon with Thad and Bobbi Sunday. The kids played in Emma's pool and got to wear their swimsuits for the first time. I appreciated having them cook for me too. I've gotten used to David always cooking, so when he is gone, I don't eat well.

Monday the family was back together again. We spent the day with intermittent naps, food, and family play. Overall, it was a good weekend.

Enjoy the pictures:

New pics and videos

2009-05-11T17:28:00.004-04:00

Mother's Day

Going for a Ride

Crazy Ella

Telling a Story to Dad

Jack's a bookworm and Ella just likes to have fun

Daddy gets them fired up for bedtime

Jackie can walk, but he just chooses not to... (oh, at the end that's rocket and not her head on the wall)

Spaghetti, Cars and Pillows

2009-04-21T17:16:00.003-04:00

The kids had their first 'official' spaghetti sauce on Sunday. This was the dish that solidified my status with Kristy as a cook and boyfriend. We've eaten it for the past 18+ years and I think the tradition will continue...

Posing on 'rocket'

Sometimes the world looks better this way...

Happy Birthday Again...

2009-04-10T20:08:00.007-04:00

Today marked Jack and Ella's "2nd" 1st birthday... Ok, so it isn't actually their birthday, but it was supposed to be. Today was our actual due date.

Instead, today was the day that we came home from the hospital, so a celebration was in order either way. We decided that each year Jack and Ella would get two special days. Birthday #1, we will celebrate with family and friends. Birthday #2, we will celebrate in our own special way... just us.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures of their "2nd" 1st birthday:

Birthday smile (for those who commented that we don't post him smiling enough)

Watching Jackie riding in his new car

Hanging out

Jack in the box (of course, he was the first in...)

Birthday tots (who knew the kids would like fish sticks and tots?, but you have to make sure it's not too hot)

Birthday cake (or at least a slice of cake)

I just want to bang on the drum all day (Jack seems to have inherited a talent from his grandpa)

Pushing sister around (Jack would prefer to push his car around than ride in it)

Raviolis, New Shoes and Basketball

2009-03-22T07:05:00.004-04:00

We had a couple 'big' events over the last couple weeks. Jack and Ella went off formula and onto just milk, plus they've started to eat 'real' food like raviolis, and they wore their first pair of shoes (Nice choice, Carrie).

On another positive note, the Hoosiers finally ended their awful season and Kristy and I could watch some college basketball. We actually found ourselves cheering for Purdue yesterday against Washington. What an odd feeling...

Facts and figures

2009-03-07T06:18:00.005-05:00

1 year, 1 month and 22 days old (or 10 months and 27 days...)

Jack is 17lb 11oz and 27in

Ella is 16lb 15oz and 26in

Jackie is the whiner and Ella the screamer

Ella needs her beauty sleep and Jack likes to deprive Mom of hers

Ella loves the independence of walking unless someone is holding Jack, then she practically runs to that person

Jackie loves his bathtime and splashing in the tub

Ella has discovered the joy of Cheerios (or is it mom)

Jack likes Cheerios, but prefers to hoard them

Ella is quickening her pace as mom and dad can't seem to go anywhere that she's not

Jack has discovered that he can roll and roll and roll... Can anyone say "steam-roller" time?

Both kids like when daddy reads to them before bed even though there are moments that other toys need their attention too

Ella is going to have very straight hair just like mommy

Jack has beautiful curls just like daddy (if he let his hair grow out)

Both kids have decided that getting their diaper changed is the worst thing in the world

Kitchen cabinets are the best places to play

Jack is getting too tall for his bed rails so we have to lower it again (last notch)

Jack is an early riser (this morning at 5:50am)

Ella would sleep in if Jack didn't always make such an announcement of his waking

Neither kid has ever worn shoes

Neither kid has slept with a blanket in their crib

We were going to move to new car seats, but neither kids is tall enough yet

Last fact... We can't believe how much Jack and Ella have become the center of our lives. They are incredible, and we love them very much!

New Toys

2009-03-01T18:49:00.003-05:00

Our two favorite new toys:

Balloons

Yep, that's a Run DMC shirt...

And Kitchen Cabinets

6 Months or almost 14 Months?

2009-02-28T18:34:00.005-05:00

Kristy and I finally ventured to the next step. Instead of using the stroller and the infant seats, we decided to try the cart slots for kids. So... our first attempt was today at Costco, which has the double-seated areas for kids. Ella on the right and Jack on the left. Everything was going fine except for Jack's attempts to investigate Ella's ear. And then, we were going down the milk isle (we are finally on 1/2 milk, 1/2 formula), when we heard a lady on a cell phone talking about the kids. "Oh, they're so cute, it's a little boy and a little girl. The little boy is trying to put his finger in the little girl's ear.... Well, they must be about 6-8 months old." Kristy and I turned around, but decided that the long explanation of 'They're actually almost 14 months, but were born 3 months early, and, by the way, we're of pretty short stature ourselves' wasn't worth it. So... we just smiled and moved on to the cereal isle. I wish she could see our little girl at 26" walking...

Getting Older

2009-02-18T19:31:00.003-05:00

Jack and Ella are so great! David and I see them do something new almost everyday. I can't help but wonder about the future, but already we long for stages they've passed.

Anyway, J&E are eating more and more solid foods and beginning the transition from formula to milk. So far there doesn't seem to be any allergy issues, so that is a huge sigh of relief. We've tried the "sippy" cup with Ella a couple of times, but she isn't interested at all. She does, however, love her Cheerios. Jack will eat them if you feed them to him, but he would rather hold them in his hands than put them in his mouth.

We've also been trying to read to Jack and Ella more, although at the moment they are more interested in eating the books or looking at the bar code than hearing a story. Every once in a while we'll get a whole story read but not often.

Ella is very good at walking now and has picked-up her speed... I can't get something done/put away without her "help" anymore. She has also discovered how to open the cabinet doors in the kitchen (we've locked most, but have a couple left to do). This past Sunday, Jack decided that he'd like to try walking too. Usually when you put him down, he'll just go to a crawl, but on Sunday he grabbed my fingers and was off walking. He grinned and laughed the whole time. Now each day we practice... it won't be long!!

School has been going well this semester, which is a good thing since David has been soooo busy. Several of his staff are in Seattle now, so he spends the mornings dealing with Boston and Cincinnati and the afternoons and evenings dealing with Seattle. It also doesn't help that Seattle is 3hrs behind us. So a 4pm call to them is a 7pm call to David. YUCK!

It has been a while, so I just wanted to post a quick update... Yes Debbie, we'll post more pictures soon...

Cruising the Family Room

2009-02-09T17:13:00.003-05:00

Ella has made quite the progress in her ability to maneuver the room. Before we know it, she'll be playing soccer with Sam, Ryan and Emma.

Jack's still content with crawling most places but he does enjoy the shopping cart (wonder where he got that from?)

Let them eat cake

2009-01-23T18:38:00.001-05:00

Party Pics

2009-01-18T14:15:00.004-05:00

The kids had their first birthday party yesterday and had a blast. They seem to really enjoy having a bunch of people at the house. Of course, being the center of attention doesn't hurt...

The Cake

Balloons

The Stage

Excited Onlookers

First B-day Presents

Unable to Contain Her Enthusiasm

Sometimes We Share

Onto the Cake Ceremony

Winding Down with GMa W

Birthday Video

2009-01-13T21:57:00.003-05:00

Wow, what a difference a year can make. It seems like just yesterday that Jack, Ella, Kristy and I were in the hospital, but what a great year it turned out to be. We're looking forward to another one...

On the sick front, Kristy still isn't doing so hot, but the kids are feeling better today. Ella has decided that it's time to start trying to walk, which is scary and exciting.

The family is coming over this weekend for their official party, so hopefully we'll all be well by then. Kristy, of course, has the decorations, balloons, cakes, banners... all ready to go.

Here's a little video of them on their birthday.

Sick for their Birthday eve

2009-01-12T20:29:00.003-05:00

We all decided that getting sick was the only option for the kids' first birthday eve. Poor Ella has a bad case of diaper rash, Jackie hasn't been himself, and Kristy and I; well I won't go into that... Hopefully, everyone will wake up tomorrow all better...

363 and counting

2009-01-11T13:59:00.005-05:00

Jack and Ella turn 1 year old in 2 days. Can you believe it? The last 6 months have flown by as they've learned all kinds of new tricks. Crawling, sitting, standing and now walking around the furniture. Ella can make it a couple steps now without help and she can get on her new 'rocket ship'.

We all had our PSU gear on, but they decided not to show up for the game.

Ella pointing out that Daddy could lose a little weight.

Colts & Chargers

2009-01-04T07:31:00.003-05:00

Well, I know I speak for many when I say that last night's Colt's game was a huge bummer!! However, I have to say that it was much better than last year's loss to the Chargers in the playoffs...

Last year, Sunday, January 13, David and I were told that Jack was failing in the womb and would need to be delivered to save his live. This, however, would mean that both Jack and Ella would have to be delivered 13 weeks too soon. We had no idea if either would survive since both were IUGR (behind in their growth). Jack was actually only at 24 weeks, and Ella was only 25 weeks. They other option was to just stop monitoring Jack, and let Ella finish "cooking". As you can imagine, this wasn't an option.

The Colts lost, Jack and Ella were born, David and I became parents... I guess two out of three aren't bad!!

Christmas Video

2008-12-29T21:56:00.001-05:00

Adding a video of the Will family festivities...

Family Christmas Craziness

2008-12-28T20:33:00.006-05:00

The past couple days we spent with my family. It started Friday night with my mom coming down to help out while we prepped the meals (an Italian fest of ravioli, spaghetti, manicotti and lasagna). Everyone was supposed to come over on Saturday at noon, but my dad had a bout with a couple of kidney stones, and mom had to go home to 'baby' him.

Everyone else arrived safely Saturday though Kelly brought way too much dessert and Kerri/Bret had to stop at a gas station on the way to clean-up Keagan's car sickness surprise. Needless to say, we didn't start out exactly as planned, but once the last car arrived... it was lots of fun.

First we chowed on David's excellent food, then we played a board game until Zach & Heather arrived. Once they arrived we started in on the presents. Jack and Ella were soooo excited. They immediately started climbing the mound as soon as they saw it. I think they were so thrilled with all the activity, they weren't sure what else to do.

Once we finished the presents, calmed all the kids down a bit, put babies to bed, and cleaned-up the kitchen, it was off to the basement for Guitar Hero. I'm not much of a singer, but I did my part to help "the band". It was a blast. We ended-up playing until about 1:30am. I was exhausted. We found beds/floors for everyone (10 adults & 7 children) and ventured off to dreamland. Well, at least until Jack and Ella woke-up at 6:45am.

David made everyone breakfast and then mom surprised us with a visit (she left dad in Grandma's capable hands). She came down so that she could give everyone their presents.

We then said goodbye to mom, Zach & Heather, and Kerri & the kids. Kelly, Jack, Ella, and I all took a nap as everyone else went to the basement to play another round of Guitar Hero. Tristan, Jessica & Aydan left around 2:30 then Joe, Kelly, Chey, and Bret left around 4pm.

David and I are exhausted, but very pleased with how everything turned out... We had a great Christmas; Jack and Ella's first. I can't wait until next year (hopefully Dad can enjoy the pictures since I know he hated missing the big event...)

Uncle Bret and Cousin Kaine signifying the first Christmas for J and E

As he noticed from Jack's outfit

The 'fam'

Jack's new favorite toy (a present from Great Grandma Joy)

Jack, Aydan and Ella playing

A rough morning for Tristan and Jessica

posted by Kristy

Christmas Fun

2008-12-26T09:49:00.002-05:00

Christmas was a great day for us. The kids were awesome on the trip. Our bellies settled down a bit and the weather turned out great. We even got Jack and Ella home early enough to play with some toys before bed.

Thanks very much for your prayers and support this year so that we could enjoy this Christmas with Jack and Ella. We hope that yours was blessed, as well.

Christmas Break - Part 2

2008-12-23T19:33:00.002-05:00

So I'm finally back to about 80%... I've eaten some noodle soup, a piece of toast, and 1/2 a sandwich in the last 48 hours and have keep it all down!! Jack and Ella are still battling diarrhea, but neither has thrown-up for over a day. Yeah!!

Here's the bad news... David has finally been hit. He got up this morning not feeling so well, and as the day went on, he got worse. He has probably slept 20 of the last 24 hours and has only eaten 1 piece of toast. I'm praying that he'll have a fast recovery as we are supposed to go to his mom and dad's for Christmas day festivities. My family is coming down Saturday expecting an Italian feast.

This is our first real Christmas since 2005, so I'm hoping for a little Christmas miracle so that we're all healthy and can have the very merry Christmas we've been dreaming of...

Christmas Break - Part 1 - Everyone's sick

2008-12-21T14:32:00.004-05:00

Kristy and I were planning on enjoying a nice, peaceful break with the kids. Unfortunately, Kristy, Jack and Ella got sick yesterday. Hopefully, it's one of those 24 hour bugs...

In other news, we did pick up a nice booster/high chair (thanks to Carrie's recommendation). It works much better than feeding them on the floor.

Plus, we decided to give Ella a shot at the sippy cup. She's not quite ready yet.

We set up an open toybox on the wall. It's become the new, favorite zone in the house.

A couple of the many Ella expressions (the first one is actually a yawn).

If we don't post again before Christmas, have a great Christmas.

What a Difference a Year Makes

2008-12-08T19:49:00.003-05:00

December 4th was the anniversary of the beginning of my lengthy hospital stay. One year ago on the 4th, David and I went to see Dr. A for a routine ultrasound and got the surprise of our lives... Jack's amniotic fluid was down to a dangerous level, and I would have to be on bedrest at the hospital until delivery.

Of course and that time, the thought was that we were going to lose both Jack and Ella. It was much too early in the pregnancy to deliver, and there was nothing they could do to add more fluid to Jack's sac. If Jack died in utero, more than likely they would have had to deliver Ella prematurely because of the risk of infection among other issues. You know it is bad when no one in the doctor's office can look you in the eyes.

The next several days were spent in a hospital gown, hooked up to numerous IVs and monitors, wearing extremely uncomfortable tights, drenched in tears, and praying that God would not do this to us again. Thankfully, David was beside me the whole time, and Debbie (our favorite nurse ever) knows exactly what to say even when you don't think there is anything that would possibly help.

As you can imagine, this Christmas has a whole new meaning for David and I. Jack and Ella have completed us in so many ways. They've renewed my faith and my outlook on life. I look forward to every smile, every cuddle, and even the late night feedings. This will be the best Christmas ever!!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-07T12:48:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday this year... much better than last year's! Here are a couple of pics from the festivities:

This was taken at my mom and dad's house on Thanksgiving day. As you can tell by the picture, there is quite an age gap between the oldest grandchild to the youngest. Of course David and I "waited" a little longer than most to have kids.

This was taken at our house. We hosted David's side of the family the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The ages here are much closer!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T19:56:00.004-05:00

We hope y'all have a great Thanksgiving. Jack and I have a lot to be thankful for, including:

A conversation:

A distraction for Ella:

A sister to play with (Jackie learned how to climb too):

And a pair that completes us:

Ella learns to climb, part 2

2008-11-22T23:21:00.007-05:00

So, our niece was married today (Congrats, Jessica), but I wasn't feeling very well so I stayed home with the kids. Everything was going according to plan until I looked around the edge of the couch and saw that Ella has decided that standing up against the gate isn't good enough (and yes, she did get up there by herself). Not our best quality picture, but I was a bit worried...

Oh, and Jack does enjoy carrying around books and banging them against pretty much anything.

Ella learns to climb

2008-11-19T05:16:00.003-05:00

In the last month, the Kokoska house has changed dramatically. No longer can we just sit and watch as the kids play/roll around harmlessly. Ella is incessantly wanting to crawl over/around and up objects. So... Kristy and I put up some gates in the family room to wall off anything that might hurt them. Of course, that provides a nice mechanism for Ella to pull herself up. Unfortunately, she hasn't learned how to get down, so after a few minutes (or seconds) she wants us to come rescue her.

And people always told us this gets easier...

Prayers Please

2008-11-13T08:40:00.005-05:00

In a matter of a week, I know of 3 families that have lost their babies. To Trea, Tiffany and Robin (and their families)...

I know exactly how you are feeling, yet I don't know what to say... Really words are not enough when you've lost part of your life. I remember seeing my belly still so full, but knowing that Claire and Gracie were no longer there. And somehow, as a mom, I was the one that was supposed to keep them safe and didn't. It was like my body was reminding me of it everyday. All the kind words were nice, but didn't fill the emptiness of my womb.

I still miss my girls everyday... sometimes it brings me to sobbing tears, but sometimes it makes me smile too because of the lessons that they have taught me.

I really think David said it best in a note he sent to someone (we love):

This Christmas we are again left with an empty void in our lives as our children are no longer with us. While we understand that there are those less fortunate than us in the world, it's hard to imagine a pain greater than having our children die. What unnaturatility is it that a father outlives his children? What cruel and punishing world would allow an unwanting person to be with child while mine dies? Why should I continue to care?

My first desire is to strike out at those around me. To tell everyone to go to hell, besides, what the hell do they know? This pain is beyond what a normal person should have to endure.

At this point, what options do I have? I can choose to despise the world I live in, loath those beside me who have 'easily' had their children, and hate the stupid people around me who have no idea what it's like to lose their child. 'I understand' is such a simplistic and meaningless phrase that only an idiot should be allowed to say it.

On the other hand, I can choose to love those around me. While the pain burns inside me, I can use that pain to understand the strife that others go through. This brings an empathy that allows me to see the anguish that the poor or the malnourished go through on a daily basis. This empathy can only be seen by those who have suffered and allows us to see those 'others' in a new light and be understanding of their plight.

Don't get me wrong, this pain doesn't go away. In fact, it only burns deeper at times. My children are now 2 years old, but in the eyes of man are now buried.

I don't know the answers for the families that have lost... I can't offer them a rosy world that will somehow spring to life in the next month, years. I can offer them an ear, a shoulder to lean on, a heart that knows the pain they're feeling. It may not be much, but it's what I have.

Superbabies

2008-11-12T20:31:00.003-05:00

I can't help but brag about my awesome babies...

Ella is speed crawling and can make it from one corner of the family room to the other in seconds. She is also sitting straight-up and loving every minute of it. Her newest trick is pulling herself up to a standing position. She started by climbing up David and progressed to climbing up furniture and the gate between the family room and the kitchen.

Jack has mastered the crawl as well, though he is a bit more thoughtful as to where he is going (Ella goes over whatever is in her way). Jack is doing the "lean" on his arm but isn't quite sitting up.

We had a pediatrician appointment Tuesday this week, and he was thrilled with their progress. Many things they are doing are age appropriate for their birth age. Our hopes before were that they would be hitting developmental goals for their adjusted age.

At the doctor's appointment we also got their newest measurements. Jack is now 15.2lbs and is at the 50th percentile in both his length and weight (adjusted) and at the 90th percentile for his head size. Poor baby... such a big head for a little boy.

Ella is now 14.8lbs and is at the 25th percentile in both length and weight (adjusted). Her head is in the 50th percentile.

David and I are so amazed everyday at Jack and Ella's progress. Once again... their soooo awesome!!

1, 2, 3 Kokoskas

2008-11-09T16:59:00.005-05:00

I'll let Kristy fill in some detail in a later post, but here are some pics from the last couple weeks.

The Costanza Pose

Ella learned how to sit up while I was in Boston

To my first daughters

2008-10-30T23:53:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry that I tell people that Jack and Ella are our first kids.

I'm sorry that I never got to give you nicknames.

I'm sorry that I'm starting to forget your beautiful faces.

I'm sorry that I wasn't there for your births.

I'm sorry that you won't be here for Christmas.

I'm sorry that you died before I did.

I love you.

How to get a heavy sleeper out of bed... and more

2008-10-26T19:39:00.006-04:00

I think Kristy finally convinced the kids that daddy should get up with the overnight feeding. Usually, I sleep right through the crying and talking, but a couple nights ago, I heard 'I want dada dada dada'...'dada dada dada'. How can you resist that?

The last couple weeks have been incredible for us. The kids are starting to do normal activities, which seem amazing to us. Ella has really gotten the hang of crawling and loves when she has an audience to show off her new found abilities. Jackie is even more animated than ever. While Ella has more physical prowess, he understands his name and responds eagerly to our chatter. Plus he finally decided to show his eye color (the green outfit helps...).

While Ella still has the baby blues.

Jack decided that he likes mac n' cheese

Not so much for Ella

This fall we discovered several wild pansies growing in the yard. The first couple were in the girls' garden. Purple and pink were their colors.

We've never planted white pansies anywhere in the yard, but yet here they are... We think they're looking out for their siblings.

Off the Wall Thoughts

2008-10-22T13:44:00.004-04:00

On my bulletin board by my desk at school I have little messages posted to myself... here are a couple:

I've learned that
-it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
I've learned that
-it's not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.
I've learned that
-you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you'd better know something.
I've learned that
-you can keep going long after you can't.

The last one keeps me going when I'm having a "bad" day remembering the girls. I don't know what keeps us going when we just know that we can't... but I hope it never stops.

If 6 Was 9

2008-10-13T19:55:00.002-04:00

I think Jimi got it right, when he said:

Now if 6 turned out to be 9,
I don't mind, I don't mind

The kids turned 9 months today and 6 months last Friday. It's been great watching them 'catch up' and Ella surprised us tonight by deciding to crawl. Take a look.

Jack in Black

2008-10-05T07:20:00.002-04:00

Modeling this year's PSU gear

Hangin' with Great Grandma K

and Grandma W

The Yawn

2008-10-04T15:38:00.003-04:00

Teeth, Crawling, and New Facial Expressions

2008-09-22T17:28:00.008-04:00

Things have been changing around the house lately... It seems like that in the last week Jack and Ella have decided to leap ahead.

Jack now has two teeth coming in and doesn't seem to mind at all. He can easily get on his hands and knees, but hasn't figured out how to move forward (yet). Jack has also discovered that he can make all kinds of noises and shapes with his lips. He is sooooo cute. He will look at us so intently and try to copy all of our facial gestures. The only time this isn't cute is when I'm trying to feed him, and he spits his food all over me (motor boat style).

Ella has little bumps in her mouth, but the teeth haven't broken the surface. She was very irritable today and last night, so I'm guessing this is her way of telling us something is up. Ella is on the verge of crawling. She can move herself backwards easily, but going forward is labored. She will be on all fours and lunge forward falling on her face. She doesn't seem to mind because she is quickly up on all fours again. I guess gates are in the near future for the Kokoska household.

Both kids continue to "talk" and make those adorable cooing sounds. They tend to be the most talkative in the mornings and when David gets home from work. It is so cute to see them light-up when he walks in the door. Both instantly begin to "tell" him all about their days. I love it...

Hats

2008-09-14T07:34:00.006-04:00

We've found that the kids look cute in hats. Also, since it's been a few weeks since we've posted pics, so here are a few more...

Ella's new hat from Slovakia. Thanks, Grandma

And Jackie got one too.

Mom gets in on the hat action

Jack the calm and Ella the exciter

Puppy-dog eyes

And Kristy says they're blue...

Still breathing

2008-09-07T00:08:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I wander into the kids' room at night and I hear the most wondrous sound. It's the in's and out's of a sleeping baby. It may be a sniffled sound at times, but it's still amazing. I think to myself "how can this child who was so small just several months ago continue to be with us?". But somehow, he still is. And I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to be his father.

Back to School

2008-09-04T20:36:00.004-04:00

I've been back to school now for 3 1/2 weeks, and it has been a mix of emotions. I love my job and am excited to be back, but it is so hard to leave Jack and Ella each morning. The only thing that saves me from tears is knowing they're at a good home with someone who doesn't mind snuggling them when needed. It also helps that they're not at that attachment stage (yet).

Our babysitter is a former nurse that doesn't mind those little issues that a regular day care might require us to keep J&E at home (runny nose, diarrhea, etc.). I think she's pretty amazing; I don't know how she keeps up with all the diapers/naps/feedings and so on. It's also nice that she gives us an update every day of when they ate, what they ate, diaper changes, and naps.

Each morning when I drop J&E off, she meets us in the driveway and takes one of them in for me. She already has breakfast made for her own kids that are school-aged, so Jack and Ella get all her attention. They usually eat breakfast (a fruit and bottle) around 7:30 then lie back down for an hour. J&E are in a good routine... and in good hands. What more could I ask?

Ella's Laugh

2008-08-26T19:30:00.002-04:00

Ella had her first laugh a couple weeks ago when daddy zerberted her, but we finally caught it on video today. Poor Jack was the victim of her giggles.

The many faces of Jack

2008-08-24T21:30:00.004-04:00

Sitting on the bumbo

Fighting with Ella

Hanging with Mason

Doctors Doctors Doctors

2008-08-20T20:29:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Jack and I went to see the neurosurgeon at Riley downtown. We went to check on the status of Jack's head. As many of you know, Jack's head has formed a little crookedly. Though it has gotten much better with time, our pediatrician thought we should go see a neurosurgeon just to be safe.

After waiting over an hour, we meet the doc. He was super nice, so my frustration with the long wait was eased. He "talked" to Jack as he measured and felt his head. Jack, being the ham he is, just cooed and smiled at him.

The good news is that the doc said that he wasn't going to order any scans (too much radiation), nor would he need to see Jack again (unless we requested it). I could have hugged him. In his opinion, Jack's head was still soft enough to "fix" itself... and it is. He said that Jack was showing all the right signs and there wasn't any hint of a particular disease (I can't remember the name). YEAH!!

Today, David and I took J&E to the pediatrician. Jack weighed in at 14lbs and is measuring 23 3/4". Ella weighed 12.5lbs (down from our last measurement) and measured 23 1/4". The doc checked them both over and was very impressed with their development. He was very excited that they are doing all the things a 6-month-old should do... and they're only supposed to be at the 4 month level. Of course, David and I were beaming!

Unfortunately though, Ella is still battling a bug of some kind. She has a runny nose, a watering eye, diarrhea, and awful diaper rash (from the diarrhea). The worst part of it all is that there is nothing we can do about it... she is too young for any medication. We've been trying to give her as many bananas as possible, but so far, no luck. Hopefully we can get through this soon; it makes me so nervous because of all the horror stories I've read/heard about with babies and diarrhea.

A special prayer for Aunt Ruth... we love you!

The Missing Pics

2008-08-15T20:17:00.005-04:00

Once again, we're behind in posting some pics of Jack and Ella, so, below are some from the last several weeks...

Jack talking to Mommy

Ella cheesing while trying to get under the couch

Who's cuter?

Mommy's trying to show Jack that pink can be manly

Hanging with the cousins (Sam and Ryan)

Showing the blues with Aunt Mimi

Trying to mimic dad's bad posture

Already treating his sister like a princess

5113 Days

2008-08-13T16:26:00.008-04:00

Fourteen years ago, Kristy and I walked down the aisle in a small, non-air conditioned church in Markle, IN in front of our friends and family. I'm sure many of Kristy's friends didn't think we'd make it this long because they weren't really happy with her mate selection (something about jealousy and immaturity). Fortunately, Kristy is pretty stubborn and hard-headed and didn't listen.

Anyways, we proceeded to the reception, which somehow didn't even have a d.j. and then spent our wedding night coming home in a driving rainstorm in a once performance German sedan that required frequent stops on the side of the highway so we didn't hydroplane into a semi-truck. Kristy had just started a new job, so I think we had only a couple days to recuperate. Besides, we'd spent our honeymoon money buying a table and bedroom set at a local auction so that our first rental on Garfield Avenue in Terre Haute wasn't completely bare...

Fortunately, money and wealth don't have a high correlation with a succesful marriage, but here are a couple that I think do:

Saying I love you as often as possible
A kiss before going to sleep
Keeping her belly happy
Marrying a caring, loving, forgiving woman who looks smoking in a wedding dress

Happy Anniversay, babe.

Oh and more pics of the kids soon...

Two Years

2008-08-05T08:43:00.003-04:00

Yesterday marked two years since Claire and Gracie passed... Our hearts still break and tears still flow; however, Jack and Ella have given us new hope. It's interesting the way God works; I don't always agree with his plan, but I accept it.

'Faith' is a difficult way to live your life sometimes, but I don't know were we'd be without it.

Spoiled

2008-07-30T21:17:00.002-04:00

Well, we survived our first separation.... David and I went out of town over the weekend and left Jack and Ella with Grandma & Grandpa Will. After the last 9 months, David and I needed some alone time. We decided to get away before school starts, and his work got too crazy.

I took the kids up to mom and dad's Thursday night and got them accustomed to their new surroundings. I left after breakfast Friday morning and headed back home. David and I flew out Friday afternoon for Ft. Lauderdale.

We spent the weekend basking in the sun and eating oysters. OK, I didn't actually bask in the sun... I hid under an umbrella because right now I'm soooo pale (I haven't seen much sunlight this summer). Just the sound of the ocean, and the cool breeze was enough for me.

David knew I would not be able to last three days without seeing the babies, so he hooked-up the webcam and each night we would see the babies before they went to bed. It was great... mom and dad would hold them up to the camera and put us on speaker phone. If not for the webcam, we would have flown home much earlier than planned.

When we got home Monday, I went to get the babies immediately. Boy oh boy... spoiled!!! It has taken a couple of days to get the babies adjusted to not being held 24/7. Grandparents, what are you gonna do?

Next week I start school again... I'll keep you posted.

Reminiscing

2008-07-22T22:46:00.008-04:00

So... Kristy and I were talking tonight about the last year and are still amazed that our little boy has grown from this:

To this:

And even though we were never as worried about Ella, we love that she's healthy too.

So... Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers and we continually thank God for them and you.

The last month in video

2008-07-20T17:05:00.002-04:00

Jack and Ella have had a busy month.

They both are learning to eat from a spoon.

They're learning to entertain each other.

And then we all took a nap.

6 Months Old

2008-07-15T15:49:00.003-04:00

Jack and Ella turned 6 months on July 13... Wow!! We celebrated their big day with Jason, Ericka, and Jackson. Really, though, the whole weekend was a celebration. Thad, Bobbi, and Emma celebrated with us on Friday, and Grandma and Grandpa Kokoska celebrated with us on Saturday.

Before Jack & Ella's baths last night, David weighed them. Jack weighed in at 13 lbs, and Ella weighed in at 12 lbs. Our babies are getting so big - and their personalities are really starting to shine through. I look at pictures from the first couple of months and don't even recognize them.

I can't wait for the next 6 months - wait only 6 months left??? I better start planning their 1st birthday party (we only have about 100 people to invite). Poor David doesn't stand a chance...

4th of July and more

2008-07-10T19:47:00.008-04:00

It appears that we've been behind in the picture posting, so here goes...

Daddy got to spend a lot of time with Jack and Ella (yes, I do have about 6 of those gray t-shirts...)

Cousin Sam and Uncle Evan, Aunt Mimi and also cousin Ryan moved to town

We had some bbq

And Ryan had her 11th birthday on the 3rd

Then we had more friends and family over for the 4th

Jack and Ella showed off their patriotic outfits

Then they went to bed

While everyone else watched the fireworks

Changes

2008-07-08T13:40:00.002-04:00

I can't believe it... Jack and Ella have both fallen asleep at the same time!! I actually have time to write.

Where to start...

Jack is growing like a weed and every time I look at him, I am astounded. He is not only putting on weight, but his legs are getting longer. He continues to show so much personality in his facial expressions and has become quite the talker (ok, so he doesn't make any sense, but it is way too cute). Another thing that he has learned to do is roll over. He has the front to back thing conquered much to my horror in the middle of the night when I find him on his belly. Today at the hospital (renal ultrasound) he rolled from his belly to his back. David and I were both so excited.

Ella is growing as well, but is much more petite than Jack. She is our wild woman... she can smile (cheese - as David calls it) so big it makes you giggle then scream/turn red all within a minute. You never know what you're going to get with her. Ella too has mastered the roll over, but doesn't seem as impressed with the whole process as Jack does.

Well, I have tried the whole feeding them with a spoon thing, but man, it is a lot of work for the very little that they actually eat. I end-up scraping more rice off their chins than they eat, and I have to bottle feed them as well (because they don't get that much from the spoon). I know it is time really start pushing it, but I can change them, bottle feed them, and be done in 1/2 hour. When I spoon feed them, it takes a minimum 1/2 for each. Any tricks?

On a different note, thanks for all the church suggestions! We look forward to starting our hunt soon.

Church?

2008-06-29T12:24:00.002-04:00

So, Kristy and I have looked for a while to find a church we like around Fishers/Carmel. Unfortunately a) we didn't find the perfect one yet and b) we didn't even think to look at how 'kid-friendly' the churches were. So... if you go to or know of one that you'd recommend, please let us know. Thanks.

Time "Off"

2008-06-26T19:35:00.005-04:00

I am soooo looking forward to next week as David took the week off. I'm sure he is second guessing his decision after the fit that Jack and Ella had tonight. They decided to play "who can scream louder" from about 7:15 pm to 8:00 pm. Oh well, I guess it won't be the last time they throw a fit.

Typically, we would go on vacation during this week, but this year vacation will be hanging out around Fishers (or maybe go to the camp ground to visit grandma and grandpa). I have a feeling that golf will play heavily into the equation as well. The big bummer of next week is that David still has to work on Tuesday... July 1... my birthday!

I'm also excited about fireworks on the fourth. We have a panoramic view of the skyline from our deck. We get to see several different shows, as well as, all the personal fireworks that people shoot off.

This weekend we are going to go to the Fishers Freedom Festival... I think. I bought 4th of July outfits for Jack & Ella, so I'm excited about seeing them all dressed-up. Fortunately, we'll spend a big portion of the time with Thad and Bobbi. It is always nice to have the extra arms to hold the babies.

I had a great visit today from my mom, sister, niece, and nephews. I wish we lived closer - I'm sure that line will get a raised eyebrow from David :).

It's been a very good year

2008-06-21T21:11:00.007-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's been less than a year since Kristy started taking meds and we were then fortunate enough to meet Jack and Ella. However, the past couple weeks since Kristy has been out of school have flown by for us.

We hung out with Grandma and pa

And with our new cousin Kaine

And with Debbie

And with Dylan who was born on Jack/Ella's original due date (We thought Jack was big until then...)

Jack still enjoys a good nap

And just may be a computer geek like dad

We had another big storm and visited the basement, but Jack still wasn't scared

Ella loves a good laugh

Even when dad tries to sleep in a boppy

Someday only one of them will be able to sit in the chair

And to top it off, Saturday night Jack and Ella got their first bites of food