Cincinnati Children's Museum

So its actually kind of struggle to find places to take the boys to where they can actually *do* anything. Now this is mostly because at 10 months old they really don't know how to do anything. Almost every place for kids requires the kid to be able to at least walk. So we go to the aquarium and carry the boys around and point at thing, and sometimes they even look. But that's really abolut it.

Enter the Cincinnati Children's Museum. Not only do they have an entire area for kids filled with things that are *extra* interesting to look at while being carried around by a parent, but they actually have an infants area, with a padded play area and a railing two feet off the ground so infants can hold themselves up. Its a fun little trip we've made a few times and were joined by Grandma and Grandpa Wetzel for this trip.


Here Matt demonstrates the railing while Ben watches from the play area.


A few more pictures are available here

Matt and Ben Hanging Out

Matt and Ben Hanging Out, originally uploaded by wetzel9.

Better and cuter when viewed large

First Trip to a Playground

So we really hadn't considered taking the kids to a playground yet. It seemed like they should be able to at least walk before they could handle the slide, right? Actually it turns out that they can totally grasp the clasps that attach to the kiddie swings. They both seemed to have a good time.

How Ben Sleeps Now

IMG_3070, originally uploaded by wetzel9.

Fingers in mouth and bum in the air.

And so Ben has Learned to Do This

(The video will be right side up as soon as you hit play)

MVI_1415
Originally uploaded by wetzel9

So this has started happening. A lot. And he seems to enjoy it. A lot. I've taken to feeding them while wearing a rain poncho. Its like being at a Gallagher show

Hanging Out in Florida

We went to a cool restaurant that was on the water while we were in Florida. The boys were well behaved despite being up past their bedtime, and I discovered that fish Rueben sandwiches are delicious.

First View of the Ocean

The boys' first visit of the ocean wasn't in the nicest of weather. In fact I think it was raining pretty good by the time we headed back up to the condo. It was fun though.











Ben reacted to his toes in the waves a little less favorably than Matt.





In fact we waited until the next day to let Matt try his toes in the water.

Trip to Florida

So I've had pictures of our trip to Florida online for weeks now and I keep meaning to put up a huge, well written and funny-captioned post on the trip and how flying with the kids was. Except I apparently write slow and have little free time, so instead I'm just going to post them since it seems like such a glaring omission to have the boys' first vacation and plane trip undocumented here.

Flying with them wasn't nearly the hassle I thought it would be, but then again I thought it would be almost impossible. They were really well behaved on the plane and once we were in the air they actually slept most of the way. Some quick notes:

1) After putting a ton of thought into what into what toys would keep them occupied for the trip, it turns out that plastic cups and small bags of pretzels make the best toys. Which must be why the plane already has them.
2) A plane is the one place you can show up with cute twin babies and not see people smile. When people see Jess or I with the double stroller the usual reaction is something along the lines of "Awww.....twins!" On a plane you can actually see people think "Oh God there's two of them."
3) While holding a baby on a plane, pay careful attention to exactly how you have your arms arranged. Ask yourself "If the baby fell asleep right this very second, could I hold my arms like this for an hour?" If the answer is no readjust.

Here are some travel pictures.









I'll post actual Florida shots in a bit. If this gets any longer it'll turn into the long post I don't actually have time to write.

Well that didn't take long

I thought we'd have another week or so of diving grabs. But nope, Ben is not on the move. I've warned Duncan, moved, padded or bolted down everything in the house that exists between the floor and two feet above the floor.





One more video of him crawling is here.

He's *So* Close

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Originally uploaded by wetzel9

I also like the diving grab.

Matt's First Haircut

Matt's hair was getting a bit out of hand. It was falling over his ears, and was for some reason really long in back. His nickname around the house was "Bed Head." So it was time for his first haircut.




Where to actually get this done was a bit of a tricky question. I get mine done at Great Clips, where quite frankly I wouldn't want half the employees near my child with anything sharp. Jess goes to a Salon that, well, lets just say Matt didn't need something like a color treatment. Luckily we were not not the first parents to have this conundrum, and where there is parental confusion there is a business opportunity. That Business was a place called "Cookie Cutters" Kids get their hair cut while sitting in airplanes or race cars, watching TV or playing video games. It is a far cry from the barbershop where I cried over my first haircut.

He did okay at first, but a little kid can only take so much of the lady with scary sharp things and a water bottle.






Luckily the people at Cookie Cutters have seen this before. And they know the cure for crying little kids is a balloon.




Well, its not a complete cure.



It was over quickly though, and the balloon provided hours of enjoyment.




Ben also got his own balloon.

Matt and Dad Acting Goofy

IMG_1222, originally uploaded by wetzel9.

Its the simple things...

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Originally uploaded by wetzel9

Well, at least at this age.

Easily Amused

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Originally uploaded by wetzel9

Wait until he discovers that a Frosty is not just something that lets Daddy make funny noises

Ben's First Video

Ben's First Video
Originally uploaded by wetzel9

Maybe interest in cameras is genetic.