Rough week

Sorry for the lack of postings in the last week, but the entire Pazdan Beaver Family has been run down with a nasty virus. Koen was the last and hardest hit victim, and given that he is only 5 weeks old ended up spending a night in the hospital. He is doing much better, and came home today. We'll try to post some more pictures soon, but in the meantime, we will all simply be catching up on sleep!
I swear Eliot is going in for a kiss on Koen's head here, and not just trying to smother him!

Brothers just hanging out together (this is after Eliot got over his illness and before Koen got his... back when life was peaceful and happy!)

Eliot Rides

So Eliot got this super cool 2 wheel bicycle/ scooter thing for Christmas. With the weather warming up a bit, he's had a couple of opportunities to ride outside. He is surprisingly good at it already. The two clips below showing off his growing riding prowess as well as his disdain for the paparazzi that are always hounding him.

Chilling out on the couch

Would you believe that my parents make me sleep in the laundry hamper? That's the problem with being child number two...
Whatcha lookin' at, mom?
(Koen at 1 month old)

Andy and the boys

Taking a timeout for some afternoon zzzzzz's

Wow, this baby toy is kinda cool!

Upgrade to the Double Wide

We gave in and got the double stroller... and we are now contemplating the practicalities of a minivan. I think we are now officially old.

More of Merichel's visit

Merichel looking very cute








Eliot trying to impress Mer with his Frenchy "I'm too cool" look








Eliot saying goodbye to Merichel.

Eliot at 5 weeks old

Koen at 3 weeks old

OK, so maybe they do look more alike than I thought!

Bathtime again

Eliot scored another bath with Merichel. You may remember his last Turkish bath with her.
How they have grown. Do you think it's coincidence that the one with glasses always has the smile on his or her face?

2 Weeks Already

It's hard to believe that Koen is already 2 weeks old. It goes by fast. Here are some shots of his 1st bath and one that shows how generous Eliot has been. He is sharing his most prized possession with him.

At your request...

Some more photos of Koen, and his "superdad", Andy.

Sleeping Beauty

Care to compare.

Here's a link to some day 4 photos of Eliot if you'd care to compare.

Day 2 at home.

First night was.... tough, but I guess ok for the 1st night. Eliot continues to be very sweet. Koen sleeps and eats a lot and that's about it.

Homecoming


As expected, Koen and Renee came home from the hospital today. Both are doing fabulous. Eliot has also taken a keen interest in baby Koen. He has really been very sweet with him and has already shared his two most prized possessions; his blanky and tag book.

5 minutes of fame

If you happened to be watching the 5:00 news in Chicago yesterday, you might have caught a glimpse of Renee, Eliot, and Koen.

If not, here's a link to the clip.

Koen Pazdan Beaver

Today we welcomed our second son to the family.
Koen Pazdan Beaver was born at 6:15 AM on Dec 21st at the Landstuhl Army Hospital in Germany.

7-1/2 lbs and 19.5 in long

Some things get worse before they get better...

So Eliot is well over the "going down the drain" fear, but his worry about the "bees" has grown. We have now added a layer of tape to the window barrier, as well as a "no bee" nightlight (a lion nightlight, chosen specifically by Eliot to keep bees out no doubt due to the ferocious roar), and the most recent addition to the arsenal is the fly/"bee" swatter, as you see pictured here. Mind you, we have not seen a fly, let alone a bee in months, but don't let that fool you! They could be just around the corner trying to get in...

Giddy-up, cowboy!

Virtual chillin' with the GP's

Bird's eye view

This is what I see when I look down. I never had the challenge of having to try to tie shoes last time, given that I was on bedrest at the end of my pregnancy, and it was the middle of summer so all I wore was flip flops. This time has been different, and much more difficult, until I found these:
That's right, "wooly" crocs. Comfy and warm, and NO SHOELACES! It's amazing how much such a little thing can improve ones quality of life. I may never wear real shoes again.