4th of July

Yes, today is the 5th.  Well, we made it up to New England.  We drove first to Cambridge to visit my grandparents.  I was so anxious about it because of Benjamin's hatred of his car seat, but somehow we made it.  Ben avoided napping for most of the trip, and Asher napped a lot.  There was plenty of screaming, but when we got on to the Mass Pike, I felt great relief! 

We spent Thursday night with my grandparents in their apartment in Cambridge.  It was a lovely summer evening, and we watched the sun set from their windows.  We took a walk into Harvard Square, and the babies slept through it.

Here are pictures of me with my mom and grandma (3 generations of Landes women), and the babies with Pierrette, who is like a 3rd grandmother to me:

After breakfast on Friday, we took off for Maine.  This time both babies cried.  We had to pull over at the New Hampshire liquor store for me to nurse Asher in the back seat and for Ben to get a bottle.  I couldn't wait to get to Maine and be done with traveling for the time being! 

Maine has been wonderful.  I am getting so much help from my in-laws!  The first morning we were here, I dumped Asher on my mother-in-law, Pat, at 7:30.  I thought I would go back to sleep but of course I couldn't (my sleep troubles are ongoing.  I am not sure if they will improve or if I just have to wait for these babies to start sleeping through the night every night).  But they have taken the babies every morning for a little so that Eric and I can sleep in.  Today I got to sleep til 8:30!  That was so nice.

We have been getting lots of visitors coming to see our babies.  On Friday we saw Eric's cousin, Deb, and her son Hunter.  Our friend Tina also stopped by to get a peek at the boys.  On Saturday, our friends Juliette and Michael came for lunch on their way up from Massachusetts.  On Sunday, Eric's brother and his wife, Kerisa, spent the day here with their girls and baby Kiptyn.  Today we got to meet the boys' newest cousin, Charley (Charlotte)!  She is a beautiful little girl, only three weeks old.  Charley came with her mom, Jessi, and grandparents and uncle.  We had 4 babies 3 months and younger in the house.  Both Kerisa and Jessi are very modest about breast feeding and will leave the room to nurse in private.  I have no shame and nurse anytime, anywhere.  This morning we went to the 4th of July parade here and Asher got hungry, so I sat on someone's lawn and nursed him.  It may be shameless, but it is also convenient!

Here are pictures of the three newest Whitten additions, Kiptyn, Asher, and Benjamin:

And here is beautiful Charley:

More pictures to come, we have tons!