Flanagan Clan

Patrick was born at 36 1/2 weeks, and Sammy had a couple extra days in the womb, before he was born a day or two shy of 37 weeks. However, from the beginning, Sammy has been trying to outdo Patrick. He rolled over before Patrick. He began to smile and giggle before Patrick. And he has done it again: he has just begun eating solid foods, almost a full month before Patrick!

This evening, after Sammy finished his nighttime bottle, seemed like he was still hungry, so I made up a small bowl of rice cereal. I had tried to feed him cereal a few weeks before, and he spit it out, so I honestly didn’t think he would eat it. He ate the whole bowl! Patrick didn’t start eating solids until he was nearly 6 months, and Sammy is a few days past 5 months. It’s funny how kids develop at different paces!

Also, Sammy seems like he is teething… stay tuned, he might be getting a tooth soon. Patrick’s first tooth came at 8 months, which seems a little on the late side. We’ll see when Sammy gets his!

It’s been wonderful having the whole Feucht family home together, and it was great to have most of Andrew’s family here for a week during Christmastime. I just love having family!

We took probably about a hundred pictures during the past week between all the cameras, and here are quite a few of some of the cutest ones that I have right now. If anyone took any pictures that I didn’t download on my computer (Jonny, Dad, Mom and Dad Flanagan?), I’d love it if I could get copies. Sorry if it takes forever for these all to download, but there were so many pictures I really wanted to include!!!!

Andrew and Diane enjoying time together

Diane tries to eat Jonny

Patrick and Sammy enjoy laying in Sammy’s crib together

Uncle Jonny, ready for Christmas Eve preludes, with Sammy

Oma Feucht and Little Patrick

The Aunties spending time with my little cherubs

The Flanagan’s (minus Sarah and Andrew!) on Christmas Eve

Happy Christmas faces (except Patrick!)

Patrick is already enjoying puzzles, just like Mommy

Chef Ken enjoying cooking for the waffle fest!

Auntie Rachel and Patrick eyeing those presents!

James trying on the garb that Jonny brought home from the Middle East

Sammy loves sleeping on Grandpa Flanagan’s shoulder

Patrick spending time with Mommy

Patrick sitting at the table with the adults

The past week has been quite busy for us. Last week Andrew was in DC while the second big storm hit our area. A few weeks ago, it was heavy rains that caused flooding in our area, but this past week we had a very scary wind storm, the worst that I remember since the one we had when I was in 6th grade. The power was out for 36 hours, and we sustained damage to our roof and deck awning. Andrew was able to fix the awning when he got home, but the roof is too steep and slippery to attempt fixing, so we had a guy come this weekend to look at it and give an estimate. He should be coming back between now and Thursday to fix it for us.

Sunday was a special day for us, as Patrick participated for the first time in the Sunday School Christmas program. He got to wear an angel costume and stand up in front of the church with the other two, three, four, and five year olds, singing Away in the Manger. We had practiced the song with him for several weeks before the performance, and he had the hand motions down for the first verse (since those are the only ones I remembered!!!), but as you can see from the video my brother posted on his blog, Patrick pretty much just watched all the other kids the whole time. Fortunately, Wesley, the little boy next to him, didn’t do anything either, so Patrick wasn’t the only one. At least he didn’t scream!

Andrew’s parents and three younger siblings will be coming to stay with us a week, and celebrate Christmas with us. They’ll be here tomorrow, so I’ve been busy preparing food ahead of time, washing sheets, cleaning and vacuuming, and so I’ve been quite busy. Andrew’s trying to get the guest bedroom painted really fast, so things have been incredibly hectic around here. Patrick and Sammy are definitely excited to see their other grandparents and have some other uncle and aunts around!  My sisters come home (to my parents’ home, not mine!) on Thursday, so we’ll have the whole Feucht family together again this year, the first in several years… We’re definitely looking forward to it!

Here are some cute and silly pictures I took tonight!

It seems like a week ago that we brought Baby Sammy home from the hospital. He’s growing so fast! Today he seemed as though he was bored of his swing, so I thought of something he might like better to occupy him. I pulled the exersaucer out of Patrick’s closet, stuck him in, and he liked it!