Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Christmas morning

Santa came!

You'll remember that Turner asked for a "key" this year so we thought that he'd go right for the key... we under estimated the power of trains. Grandma & Grandpa from Ohio sent the train set, but they get no credit because Turner thinks it's from Santa. Then, you'll see how he thinks the key is from the "guy at the key store." Matt and I have our work cut out for us if we are going to pull off the Santa gig next year.







Blessings to all on a day full of Peace and Joy. May something beautiful be born in each of your lives as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Merry Christmas

Monday, December 24, 2007

Getting Ready for Christmas...

Hi Everyone.

You can tell that our blogging has slowed as our sleep has decreased. Still, there is much happening at 66 Summer Street. Here are a few shots of the happenings around Christmas.

Piano Rolls at 505. Gus and Charlie have a new found love for the player piano. Turner was mesmerized too... Catherine Brunell & 3 tikes in "Winter Wonderland"


This video was taken pre-Jane on the night we put up our Christmas tree...


Santa Baby


Twas the night before Christmas...


Turner made these cookies with Nanny, Catherine, Gus & Charlie. Tonight, I explained that we needed to leave cookies for Santa to thank him and to give him energy for the rest of his package delivering. Turner said that Santa could have the tree - mind you there were 6 cookies on the plate and the tree was the smallest cookie. Turner said the rest were for him. Clearly, we've been able to get across the concept of "generosity."


Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight... until tomorrow's Christmas morning post. Love, Caty

Sunday, December 16, 2007

The Gingerbread Teepee

Our gingerbread adventure today went like this... first we had 7 cans of fruit cocktail holding up the walls as they "set," then when we attempted to put the roof on, it knocked down one of the walls. We had a gingerbread manger for a few hours, but then another wall fell and the roof slipped off entirely. In the end, with a few toothpicks, we managed a gingerbread teepee. It's the thought that counts, right?


Monday, December 10, 2007

Aunts, Uncles, Friends oh my!

Jane has been spoiled with visitors in the past few days. Here are she and Turner with family & friends. We are very thankful for all of the help we have received!

Auntie Buff...


In Grandma Jane's arms...


Aunt Anne & Ava - Uncle Matt & William



Chrissy

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Keeping Turner Busy

Many of you have asked how Turner is doing... seemingly, he's acting pretty normal.

Jane's trip to the Doctor's office

Hi everyone.

Here's our trip to the Doctor's yesterday. She is healthy as can be, almost back up to her birth weight, and very portable. A photo diary of our trip (minus the accident we almost were in b/c some crazy woman tried to pass me on the left while I was turning left into the parking lot. I could have done without that.)



Cousin Sadie loaned us an outfit



Tammy, always there when we need her.



Jane posing infront of the mirror



Jane and Dr. Rossolet - Jane's actual Dr. is on maternity leave with her 5th child - we go to the experts ;)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Sleeping Baby Noises

I woke up from a nap to the sounds of little sqeaky, cooing Janey B. Here's a snap shot of our morning:

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Jane's Birthday Party



We have a tradition of celebrating a new birth in the family with a funfetti cake. It started 3 years ago with Ava... and now here's Jane's celebration. Turner was very happy to get two pieces of cake since Jane couldn't eat hers.

Jane Beatrice has arrived!

Our little girl was born on Friday morning at 10:13 a.m. Here's a clip of her first cries - the picture is pretty bad, but you can hear her experiencing the everyday for the very first time.



More pictures and stories to come!
With love, Catherine, Matt and Turner



Thursday, November 29, 2007

The Lion at the Mall

I didn't think to bring my camera with me to the mall today, but still a few stories worth sharing. First, we were welcomed into the American Express Lounge - thank you Boston College for my corporate card. It's a new thing they are trying during the Holiday season. Anyone with a card is welcomed into this place with snacks, a free cappachino machine, bathrooms (stocked with diapers), giftwrap, a coat check and big couches perfect for a woman just a little bit past her due date. Turner and I lounged for almost 45 minutes while he played with another little 2 year old and I actually made a "mom friend." We even exchanged emails - (This is something I've found harder to do than I've ever expected - "mom friends"- so it was a big day!)

Next, Turner and I headed out to see if Santa was available. On the way there Turner saw a lion getting out of his cage (something quite common in his world these days.) He raced with me to Santa to tell him the news, pausing only once outside of a sporting good store. There was a picture of Jason Varitech getting in some fight during the 2004 world series - yes, a framed picture of these two grown men fighting. I explained to Turner that the one man had his glove stuck on his face and the other one was trying to help him get it off. Turner then acted the scene out, "Mom, my gloves stuck to my face," he said in his deep adult voice. But then it was back to our quest of Santa. While he was sitting on Santa's couch, he got all tounge tied and told Santa about his shoes and that he wanted a key for Christmas, perhaps trying to get to the lion subject. We left the winter wonderland and as we approach the car (almost 15 minutes later), Turner stops and says, "I forgot to say the lion!" He was distraught. I did what anyone else would do and lied - I told him I told Santa about the lion - his response, "What did he say?" Again, lying, I told him Santa thanked us for the information. He seemed content with it. We made it to the car and he promptly fell asleep on the way home talking about Santa and the crayons that Santa had given him and that I had dropped on the way out of the mall. I promised hime that we'd go back, and for you, we'll bring a camera the next time.

Here are photo's from our trip to story hour yesterday. The kind librarians saw how happy Turner was and how I was able to sit down so they let us stay in the library during the hour that they are usually closed to the public. Pregnancy has lots of benefits.


Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Swimming in the Tub

Turner's been working on this trick for a few months and he really got it today! He's very excited to start swim lessons in a few weeks with his friend Martha. Stay tuned for more pictures of our little whale.




We're off to the library hour today hoping that the baby will hear how much fun it is to be in the world and will decide that today is the day! Love to you all - Caty

Monday, November 26, 2007

We received a package today from a dear friend... a gift that gave us an hour of fun! Waiting for the baby, enjoying the sleep and Turner antics before the day arrives... no news yet

Friday, November 23, 2007

"Steve"

Uncle Stephen, or "Steve" as Turner named him, came to visit us this week. "That's in my ear," a reference to our Father's reaction to noise while we were growing up, was a frequent thought for Stephen, I'm sure. Matt and I have grown used to Turner's almost continuous verbal account of his 3 year old world, however Stephen was immersed and was happy to have earplugs from the plane trip. Admist the noise, we still found time for cotemplation today.

We headed out to Walden Pond with Catherine, Chris, Gus, Charlie & Mary to see the site of Thoreau's experience in the woods.

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/wldn.htm








The sign reads:
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Thanksgiving 2007



Anne & Matt hosted again this year. A feast!


See what happened to the Rum Cake before we arrived at the party... Turner managed through 6 layers of saran wrap to pick a few pieces off when we weren't looking.

A wonderful day in all with family from all over the country.









A video at the end of the night (sorry, you'll have to turn your head I keep forgetting to turn the camera.)




Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

First Snow!

The gentle fall of snow today gave us a few hours of entertainment outside. See Ben & Turner experiencing the first fall:



Turner of course remembers the "no man" we built last March, so he assumed we could build one today. After I tried to get away with a snow man drawing, Uncle Stephen stepped in and helped build a real snow man. In a quick series of events, the snow man was no longer. You can see him at the end, defeated by the giant. Our own version of Calvin & Hobbes.











Baby had a big growth spurt last week and all signs point to a baby coming soon!

Friday, November 16, 2007

Getting Ready

Hi Everyone.

The baby is due in just over a week so we are making sure that we still know how to get photo's and video's up on-line. Here's Turner, soon to be a big brother...



You can see that he's already getting ready

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Marathon Training



In honor of Mary Kate who is running the New York City Marathon tomorrow, Matt planned on going for a run today... and Turner demanded to go with him! Even with the cold and wet conditions, it looks like Turner might have the bug for long distance in him. Go Mary Go!

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween!

Can you find the Goofy Bird? It's Turner!



Turner with his Uncle John...

(We outsourced to keep up with Turner tonight. And, as the youngest trick-or-treater in the group, Turner did pretty well - he was usually a good 20 feet behind the other kids and he dropped his pumpkin a few times, but quickly learned to direct the people around him to pick up the candy. "You get that one okay!")




Turner and his best friend Martha...




This little Monkey helped pass out the candy this year... but wait until he's on the move next year!



Pictures at the apple farm with Cousins Caitlin, Max, Sadie and Sara
(Maybe this is why Turner says "Who's Mike?" - we don't have any photo's of him.)





Sara also recently asked Turner if he was going to be a big brother and he replied, "No, a goofy bird."

Friday, September 14, 2007

Celebrations this Month

Dear Family and Friends,

September started off with a big celebration (see post below) and only continues with smaller moments of joy. Turning 31 yesterday, I had a wonderful day. No longer burdened by the shock of entering my 4th decade, I have a whole year ahead to appreciate that I am in my early thirties. Turner and I made buckeyes, Ben smiled his way more into our hearts, Matt made his special beans and rice and Pam suprised me with a new homemade pencil box and cake! Thank you for all your cards, gifts and phone calls. Its a pleasure to share this life with you. Much love, Caty





Monday, September 3, 2007

...But you can't escape my love.



9.1.07 - At Fenway, a rookie was throwing a no-hitter. 10 miles away - on the grounds immortalized by Longfellow - two rookies threw a perfect game...After a truly moving ceremony at St. Anne's - replete with inspired words from Uncle Bob, a kiss to remember and Mike's papal wave to the masses - the newlyweds danced up a storm on a cloudless night.



Some highlights from the soul-affirming evening included...Matt's ordering of filet mignon for Turner, Johnny B feeling the flow on the dancefloor, Turner's dancing (= a running back looking for a hole), Turner takes the cakes (literally), Enrique (not Julio) as the Brunell's favorite Iglesias, the hunt for twins, beeming smiles from the proud parents and circling-up the newlyweds at night's end.