Not a creature was stirring, not even Nate

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Yes, you read this correctly. Sam and Nate both slept through the night with no crying last night. We are not expecting this to continue forever, but it sure was nice. I actually woke up before them and finished my first cup of coffee before there were any stirrings. Gina and I both commented on how we both feel like ourselves ... sort of. I think a part of us--a large part--will never be the same, but I now have a much deeper understanding of the power of good sleep.

Four months old

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Well, a lot has happened in the last month. First, Nate and Sam got a visit from Granny and Granddad over Memorial Day weekend, and it was their first time to meet Granddad. They got to visit Richmond for the first time, and they went strawberry picking. They almost got to go swimming for the first time, but the weather didn't exactly cooperate, and it was getting late.




Besides getting to do some new things, they are also learning some new tricks. They both can almost roll over from their backs to their stomachs, though Nate seems to be a little more determined than Sam. I guess he has the eye of the tiger. They also learned how to bounce in the Johnny Jump-up. They don't really bounce yet, but they do sway back and forth and giggle a lot. This was the first month they could try rice cereal, which was not a hit with either of the boys. I think they are holding out for ice cream. Then there is the stroller. They don't have to stay in their car seats in the stroller anymore. They get to ride facing forward like big boys. As you can tell, the excitement was more than Nate could stand.







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The fourth month was a wonderful time of learning new things and exploring God's wonderful world. They can hardly wait to see what their fifth month will hold, though their dad has mentioned something about roller coasters. Shhh, don't tell Mom.

GiGi on the News

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Unless you live in Casper, WY, you probably were not able to see GiGi's feature story on the news. K2, the local news station, ran a human interest story on EB, the rare skin disorder our beautiful niece Ella has. I edited the video down to just GiGi's interview. You can see the entire hour-long newscast on the K2 website, if you are interested in what's going on in Casper.


Three months old

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One Month


Two Months


Three Months


What a difference 90 days makes! And to think we were worried about them losing weight for awhile. Gina and I can hardly believe we've made it to this point, and we are wondering where the time went. Wasn't it just last week that I sent out an e-mail saying they've been born? We are amazed at how they are growing, and we thank the Lord for his provision for us and for putting Sam and Nate in our family.

'Hoo Loves Virginia?

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Pick me! Pick me! Is there any question that Curby loves Virginia? Almost immediately upon arriving for the first time, I was quite taken with the place. So, it should come as no surprise that I stopped by Wal-Mart after taking GiGi to the airport to splurge on something that will pass that love on to Sam and Nate. I mean, they will look back one day and be able to say they were born at UVA Medical Center while their mom and dad were attending graduate school there. If that doesn't put a little orange and blue in the blood, I don't know what will. Now, whether or not Gina and I can afford to send them here in 18 years is another story! But for now we are having a ball dressing them up, showing them off and watching them grow and develop by the day.




Back to the Future

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Wouldn't it be nice if Gina and I were done with our dissertations and thinking ahead to the next stop on our journey? Apparently that is what I have been thinking sub-consciously because I mistakenly labeled one of the albums on our PicasaWeb "April 2009." So, you are not in a time warp. I just didn't pay attention. Sam and Nate, as you can see from this picture, seem to be generally disinterested in the whole concept of semantics.


He is risen indeed!

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Sam and Nate got to attend church at Christ Community today for the first time. Mom and Dad got up at 7:30 so they could bathe and dress us. We think they also planned on exchanging cards for Easter, but they didn't get to that. We got to wear our special Easter outfits GiGi and Paw Paw got for us, including some little blue shoes. This was the first time we ever wore shoes, and we didn't even cry when Dad put them on for us. The people at church were really nice and made quite a fuss over us. We slept through all of the music, then decided we needed some food when the preacher got up to talk. Nate let out a very loud burp, and then started to grunt and cry during the closing prayer. Mom and Dad are very happy to be able to celebrate Easter with us because it represents new life and eternal hope, things very important to them. We're just glad Jesus put us in this family, and we can't wait until next Easter when we get to help Dad eat all the candy.

Kickin' it on the AV

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Today was an absolutely beautiful day to take a long walk, which is exactly what Gina, Sam, Nate and I did this afternoon. We walked to Arch's Frozen Yogurt to get a light snack, then headed to the Lawn. In case you are not familiar with UVA, this was referred to by Mr. Jefferson as the Academical Village. No one can say for sure whether or not "academical" is really a word, but it resonates with an erudite air nonetheless. I really don't know how this experience affected Sam and Nate, but I'm pretty sure they now stare a little longer at blue and orange than they used to. And yes, Sydney got to come on the walk for the second day in a row. She was one happy dog.


Who's who?

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Sam and Nate are a little confused. You see, they have received conflicting opinions about which parent each of them looks like. Some say they both look like Dad, while others say they both look like Mom. Others have even said that one looks like Mom and the other looks like Dad. With all this information floating around, who is a 1-month old to believe? This is important stuff, folks, and they need your help. Look at the photos below and tell Sam and Nate which parent you think is in each photo, as well as which month it was taken. Also tell us which baby you think looks like which parent (when he or she was a baby). Our family is counting on you!

Photo A
Photo B

Photo C
Photo D

Photo E

Photo F

You know you're an Alexander if...

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You love to watch football, especially teams that wear Orange and Blue ...
You are always looking for a good bargain ...
When you sing, sing loud ...

You always end a good day "watching" the news ...


Sam and Nate would like to tell everyone that they are four weeks old today. They like their room and Sydney, and the parts of Virginia they have actually seen seem very nice. Of course, they are still working on staying awake when they go places. Mom and Dad take really good care of them, and they are glad the grandparents have been here to help them get off to a good start. All in all, it's been a good month, and they can't wait to see what March has in store.


3 (weeks) is the magic number

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Today marks the 3rd week
birthday for Samuel and Nathaniel! We have truly been doubly blessed.
The past few weeks have been an adjustment, to say the least, but we
are enjoying the process of bonding with our sons. They are precious
and we thank God every day for them and for their health.

The boys are gaining weight and getting stronger with each passing
day. They have had the privilege of meeting all of their grandparents
in person, except for Grandad Johnson--who they've met on webcam via
Skype.



This past week, we really noticed a difference in the wakefulness of
the boys. They were alert more frequently after feedings, and we began
doing tummy time more deliberately. They interacted with each other
more when they were on the blanket--see the photos and video on the
"Pictures of Us" link. So cute!



This coming week will be a special one--Curby turns 9. He's getting
closer to the double digits, finally! Before we know it, the boys will
officially be older than he is. :)

Two weeks and goin' strong

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Sam and Nathan would like to announce to everyone that they are two weeks old today. This has been a precious time, with some late nights, lots of new adventures and mostly sleeping and eating. Mom and Dad are doing well and continue to be amazed at the miracles God placed in their lives. Speaking of birthdays, the boys would like to send a shout out to Pa Pa in Wyoming, who celebrated his birthday on Valentine's Day. They can't count yet, but they are pretty sure he isn't two weeks old.


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Meet the twins

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February 3 will be a special day in our family from now on, as that was the day Nathaniel Calvin (left) and Samuel Curby (right) came into our lives. Samuel was born at 5:19, weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz and is 20.25 inches long. His brother, Nathaniel was born 19 minutes later, weighed 8 lbs, 5 oz and is 21 inches long. Mom is doing well and has been sleeping for the last hour as the boys are in the nursery getting their bath and measurements. We are grateful that their delivery went so well and that they are healthy. I look forward to sharing more with everyone about their lives in the coming days, months and years.

Day 2: More of the same

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"Uh, yeah, like things were moving along great, but the hospital got like a rush of high risk cases coming in. And they were all, like, 'I know this is frustrating, but we are going to stop inducing labor until these high risk cases are resolved.' And I'm all like, 'Whatever! Just don't make me go home,' and they're all like, 'No, you can stay,' and I'm all like, 'That is so incredible! Thank you SO much!' So, they let us stay the night and started inducing labor again this morning. That's all there is tell you right now. XOXO, Mommy Girl signing off!"