The Cranley's Blog

Fall Fun!

2011-09-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

We've been enjoying our early Fall weekends while the weather is still nice. Now that the kids are a little older, we are able to do a little more with them and it's quite a bit easier to get things all packed up and everyone ready to go for an outing. Last weekend was beautiful, so we made an early morning visit to the zoo. The highlights were the big tractor, watching Raleigh the Ape eat breakfast and the "moo cow" umm, tinkling right in front of us. Max and Tessa are still talking about that last one.

Yesterday was just gorgeous and I'm so glad we decided to take a last minute trip to Hobart, IN to visit the County Line Orchard for some apple picking, tractor rides and a visit to their animal farm. It was our first time there and we will definitely go back. We had a blast. Max loved shouting every animal's name he saw, they both fed a cow and they were obsessed with pumpkins. I think a visit to a pumpkin patch is definitely in order in a few weeks! Right now, were working on teaching M&T about Halloween and asking them what costume they want. We've heard cow, lamb, butterfly and moo cow even though I'm not really sure they get the concept of halloween costumes yet.

Hope you are all enjoying the beginning of Fall!

Using our Imaginations!

2011-09-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Max and Tessa have some new DIY toys for pretend play and they love them! There cooking up lots of special dishes (couscous is a popular one) and building lots of things (mostly houses). I love watching them use their imaginations and they are starting to play more with each other instead of just next to each other. It cracks me up every time one of them calls for the other to run, wrestle or jump on the bed (even though jumping is a no no!). Fun times at the Cranley house!

Two Year Stats!

2011-08-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Tessie Lou & Max Man

2011-08-14T20:01:00.000-07:00

Today is Max and Tessa's 2nd birthday and we cannot believe how fast their second year has flown by. We celebrated yesterday with a small family party at Duke's parent's house. It was a beautiful day and Max and Tessa had a blast! We are having so much fun with them at this stage. They crack us up every day. Max loves all cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles and tractors. Tessa loves animals, coloring, all books and stickers. They are talking up a storm and I could listen to them chat all day long. Max loves to talk about "stinky garbage trucks" and the "fire coming" when he hears a fire engine come down the street. Tessa loves saying "holy mokes" and counting "1, 2, 4!" and naming pretty much everything she sees. She'll also tattle on Max when he's doing something he's not supposed to be doing by running to me and yelling, "Max double trouble!" I can't begin to describe the amount of joy they bring to our lives and we look forward to each and every day with them. We have their two year doctor's appointment this week, so we'll have some new stats soon!

And, a big thanks to my parents and Duke's parents for all of their help with the Party. Mary and Don, the house looked great and the cake and cupcakes were delicious. Mom and Dad, thanks for driving in and helping with the set-up, food and taking on the tent DIY project. You guys are the best!

Happy Bday Honey

2011-08-11T13:29:00.001-07:00

Tuesday was Duke's bday and I'm a little late in posting about it here, but I wanted to tell my honey happy bday again! Happy birthday to my best friend. Each and every day you make me laugh, shower our kids with love and attention, work hard at growing our business and tolerate my love of reality TV even though you can't stand those trashy shows;) We are pretty lucky to have you. Love you tons!

No More Phone Pics!

2011-08-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

Months ago when Duke went to New York, our camera was either lost or stolen and we just never replaced it. Well, the need to have one for our business finally prompted us to get one and I know my mom is really happy about getting clear pictures that are not from our phones! So, here you go mom... photos from a real camera!

Back to Posting

2011-08-01T20:50:00.001-07:00

It hasn't really been since Easter that I've posted, has it?? I can't think of a better reason to get back to posting than to congratulate one of my best friends on her pregnancy. It's not exactly new news (her due date is August 27th!), but we are so thrilled for our friends Kathryn and Wes! We can not wait to meet Baby Powell! Here is a picture from a few weeks ago at a shower for Baby Powell.

Happy Easter!

2011-04-27T19:16:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful trip to Pittsburgh for Easter with lots of activities. One of the big reasons we went to Pittsburgh this past weekend was to surprise my dad with an early 60th birthday celebration since we can't go for his actual birthday in May. He had no idea we were coming and we had a nice little surprise dinner at my brother's Friday night. Tessa got to sit front and center on Papa Mow Mow's lap for all the gifts! It was a very special night. Happy Birthday Papa Mow Mow! We love you!

We also took a trip to Reilly's Summer Seat Farm near my parent's place to meet the Easter Bunny. We took a hay ride to the Easter Egg Hunt, visited some cows, sheep and ducks and sat right next to the Easter Bunny! Duke and I were very surprised that neither Max nor Tessa were afraid of the Easter Bunny or the animals. Max really wanted to hold the Easter Bunny's hand and they both wanted to get real up close and personal with the cow. Max started to cry when he walked away! It was pretty cute to see how much they loved the farm.

Even more surprising was how good Max and Tessa were in church on Sunday. They were prefect little angels for the entire hour. It was a nice service and we were able to watch my mom sing in the Choir. Max and Tessa just played with some toys and read books without making a peep. I wish they would have been as cooperative when it was picture time. They looked so cute all dressed up and no matter what I did, they would not sit for a good picture.

Max and Tessa also had a blast playing outside at Sassy and Papa Mow's house. They saw lots of birds, chipmunks and bugs and they were in heaven! They can't wait to go back to Camp Mowrey! We can't either!

Oh...and the drive! It was 8 hours both ways and the kids did AWESOME! I really hope it wasn't a fluke. Can they please be that good for our next drive to Pittsburgh in July? Please?

Nice to Meet You Quinn & Adalyn

2011-04-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

While we were in Pittsburgh for Easter, we finally able to meet Quinn & Adalyn Singer and they are PRECIOUS! They are such sweet babies and their Mommy is a natural! I wish we could have visited longer, but now that Keely and Spence moved to Pittsburgh, I see many more visits in our future. I can't wait for the next one!!

Happy Birthday Ainsley & Emery!

2011-04-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we headed out to Glen Ellyn for Ainsley & Emery Beaumont's 1st Birthday party. It was a barnyard birthday bash and we had a blast!! The girls were adorable in their pink cowboy boots. I'm still mad I didn't get a pic of the boots! Jenny and John did a fabulous job with the birthday party and we were so glad we could be there. Max and Tessa had so much fun. They even received balloons as a party favor which resulted in days of fun for them!

Spring!

2011-04-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

We finally had a beautiful Spring day. It was actually more like Summer today with temps around 80 degrees. We headed out first thing this morning for a trip to the park in our new double seater wagon! The kids have been having plenty of fun waiting for the nice weather day though. Here are some pics of them at our local indoor kids play area and the Chicago Children's Museum. The big hits at the Children's Museum were the water play areas for Tessa and the city bus and fire truck for Max.

Stinky Shoes

2011-03-23T18:25:00.001-07:00

Duke likes to tell the kids that Mommy's shoes are stinky. Max thinks that is a lot funnier than Mommy does.

Study Hall

2011-03-11T07:32:00.000-08:00

Very serious business going on here today. Tessa is learning about IU and Max is learning about the potty.

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No Park, No problem!

2011-02-27T18:22:00.001-08:00

I am so sick of the winter weather and Max and Tessa have been stuck inside for the last few weeks while Duke has been recovering from surgery. So, this weekend we made it a point to get them out as much as possible. Since we can't go to the park, we tried out one of the many indoor play areas around the city on Friday. Kid City is just around the corner from us and Max and Tessa LOVED it. Max is obsessed with cleaning and he spotted a vacuum right when we walked in and proceeded to vacuum all of Kid City. Tessa found the grocery store and got right to shopping. She picked up pieces of produce and dropped them into her cart yelling "boom" each time. I took them by myself and it took me quite a while to plan our exit so that I didn't have to drag out two screaming toddlers who didn't want to leave. I bribed them with food. Success!

Saturday, we took Max to get his haircut which did not go so well. Screaming is a word that does not do justice to what Max was doing during the entire haircut. Because he was screaming so loud, I think our description of the kind of cut we wanted was lost. It's short. I know it looks fine, but his curls are gone...gone. Please, someone tell me they will grow back. Please.

Today, was Kylie Faber's 4th birthday party at the Little Gym and we all had a blast!! We were able to see friends we had not seen in a while and Max and Tessa were in heaven running around. So far, Tessa seems to be much more fearless than Max. He was a bit hesitant crawling on the mats. We've been working on "no hitting" at home, but I guess it's not working too well. Max singled out Finn Faber who is younger, but bigger than Max and proceeded to call him "baby" and then try to hit him. I think this is a sign that we shouldn't have another baby!!

It was a busy, but great weekend. I'm hoping to get the kids to places like The Little Gym and Kid City regularly until the weather is nicer to get us all out of the house a little more. Spring, you can arrive anytime now.

It's the little things.

2011-02-20T07:13:00.001-08:00

Tessa and Max have been enjoying a new treat the last few days and we just had to capture Max's excitement. Yummy pudding!

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Snow, Snow, More Snow & a Super Bowl

2011-02-07T19:40:00.000-08:00

There has been quite a bit going on at the Cranley house lately. Duke had surgery to repair his torn ACL on the morning of the biggest snowstorm Chicago has had in 4 years. Unfortunately, the surgery was done out the in the suburbs. The surgery went very well, but we ended up leaving later in the day than we anticipate to head home which led to a 3 hour drive. Not so much fun, but we made it home safe and sound.

The snow storm was pretty amazing dumping close to 20 inches around the city. It was fun to watch, but not so fun to dig out of. I actually owe our downstairs neighbors big time because they did most of the shoveling to help us out since they knew Duke was not able to do it. Max and Tessa loved watching the snow and I've taken them out a few times to play in it.

Max and Tessa are almost 18 months and are more and more entertaining by the day. Max is obsessed with cleaning and pretty much walks around with the swiffer all day. Tessa is talking up a storm and pretty much tries to say anything we ask her to say. Max is turning out to be a bit shy and Tessa is turning into a total ham. She's just goofy all day long. I just love watching their little personalities develop.

They were all ready for the big Super Bowl last night with their Steelers jerseys and Terrible towels, but I guess their cheers were not enough. Maybe next year!

Worker Man!

2011-01-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

Since Duke is on the DL, my dad was kind enough to help us out and fix a few things around the condo. Max was obsessed with watching Papa Mow fix things. He learned about screw drivers, drills and measuring tape and he officially wants to be a "worker man." Papa even went to Home Depot to get Max his very own measuring tape. I think Max was so impressed with Papa that he now thinks Papa is driving all the trucks in his truck books.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T11:53:00.001-08:00

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a happy New Year! While we did not have the Christmas we originally planned, it was still special and so much fun to watch Max & Tessa experience all the fun of Christmas. Unfortunately, before Christmas, Duke tore his ACL. It's been a bit challenging since his injury trying to chase Max and Tessa around, and cross all our t's and dot all the i's at work, but we did get lots of company and help from family over the holidays. The torn ACL is in Duke's right knee which means no driving. We had planned to drive to Pittsburgh for Christmas and spend a week, but Duke's doctor recommended we stay put. Duke will require surgery sometime in the next couple of weeks to fix the tear and we're trying to make sure he doesn't injure it further before the surgery.

So, we stayed here and made the best of it. We had a great Christmas day with a surprise visit from Duke's sister Mary, a webcam Christmas with my family and then Duke's parents, sister Julie and nephew Jack came over for Christmas dinner. Max and Tessa LOVED opening presents. I didn't think they would get it, but they had zero problems opening anything. My parents drove in that Monday and we did Christmas all over again. Max and Tessa really enjoyed spending time with the webcam grandparents "Gaga Sassy" and "Papa Mow". It was really nice to have them here for a few days. I wish we could do it more often. They were a huge help with the kids too since Dada had to have his leg up most of the time.

The big hits with Max and Tessa were slippers, a school bus and stuffed Big Bird from Santa, a Peek-a-boo baby from Aunt Beas and rocking chairs and a rocking pony from Gaga Sassy and Papa Mow. We're getting lots of requests to "rocky rocky" right now. Here are a few pics from the last week. Sorry for the quality. We need to get a new camera and these are all taken on Duke's phone.

Happy New Year!

Santa!

2010-12-12T18:44:00.000-08:00

We headed to Navy Pier's Winter Wonderfest this morning and had an absolute blast! If you have kids and live in Chicago, definitely check it out. Max and Tessa were too young for most of the rides/attractions, but it was still fun to see everything. We also took them to meet Santa for the first time. It went just as we thought it would. They were terrified. We did get a good pic (except for Max picking his nose) with all four of us that I will have to scan in and post. We are making Winter Wonderfest and annual event!

Snow, a Haircut and Turkey Day Re-do!

2010-12-06T21:31:00.000-08:00

We had a great weekend. Max and Tessa had their first hands-on experience with snow and they loved it. We let them play for a few minutes on our way out Saturday and they did not want to get in the car. We still need to get some appropriate snow clothes, but I can't seem to find snow boots small enough for Tessa's itty bitty feet.

After MANY requests from Duke to get Max's hair cut, I finally caved. I was just so afraid of loosing his curls, but it really did need cleaned up. He was starting to look a bit shaggy. So, Max got his first big boy hair cut on Sunday and other than one little cry, he did great! He drove the car he was sitting in, had some snacks and watched the "buh" (buses) go by outside the shop.

Sunday afternoon, we headed out to Duke's parents house for a Thanksgiving re-do. Since Max and Tessa were a little less than cooperative for us on Thanksgiving (we had to leave early without eating), Don and Mary made an entire Thanksgiving meal for us!! Max and Tessa loved the turkey and stuffing. Duke and I were very grateful to get a second chance at a very tasty meal.

Can you tell we tired them out this weekend?

Hats and Shoes

2010-11-28T19:41:00.000-08:00

Tessa has taken a liking to hats and shoes. Here she is with her new favorite hat from Grandma Sassy. She asks for it first thing in the morning and wears it for hours at a time.

Here she is after Thanksgiving wishing she could wear mamas "boos" (boots).

The Holidays are Here!

2010-11-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

We put up our holiday decorations last night after the kids went to bed and took a few pics of the kids coming out to see everything this morning. They didn't notice anything at first, but once we pointed them in the direction of the tree, they spent quite a bit of time looking at it, smelling it (this is funny because it's a fake tree) and touching all the ornaments they could reach. We strategically placed a few non-breakable ornaments within their reach. They gave Santa, an elf, Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman lots of kisses. So far they haven't pulled the tree over or broken any ornaments, but it's still early. We're working on getting them to say HO HO HO while jiggling their bellies.

We took a quick trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo today. We went thinking the kids could see Santa, but I must have must have read the flyer wrong. Santa didn't start until 5pm. Oops! Oh well, it was actually really fun. We practically had the place to ourselves. Max and Tessa loved watching the monkeys and the lions and wanted to touch everything in the gift shop. It was chilly, but a beautiful sunny day. We even took a ride on the carousel!

Happy Turkey Day

2010-11-25T07:10:00.000-08:00

Max and Tessa with their first turkey hats! We have so much to be thankful for this year, most of all our friends and family. We hope you are enjoying Thanksgiving with your friends and families. We are off to Duke's brother's house later this afternoon.

Jump Around!

2010-11-15T20:49:00.001-08:00

Max and Tessa have developed a love for dancing over the past month or so. We have little dance parties several times a day. Their favorite type of music is rap/hip-hop and it's just a complete riot to watch. Check out our favorite video so far.

Hoosier

2010-11-15T20:15:00.000-08:00

This year was the 20th anniversary of the Indiana University Dance Marathon and 10 years ago, I was lucky enough to be involved in planning the event. I headed back to IU on Saturday to celebrate the anniversary and catch up with some college friends. The picture above is of our 4:00 am Mad Mushroom cheese sticks! Visiting the Marathon was a blast and it was an evening full of laughs with some old friends. It was a short trip, but it was packed full of fun! And, to top it all off, IUDM raised over $1.6 million dollars for Riley Hospital for Children. I'm hoping that Duke and I can head back together next fall with some friends for some more college fun.

For my fellow IU Alumni reading the blog, here are a few things I noticed/learned while back on campus:

Kilroys on Kirkwood has been totally renovated and now has a top floor with big leather booths where kids order bottle service. Yes, bottle service.

La Bamba is gone. No more "burritos as big as your head." Several people had a hard time accepting this news this weekend.

The fanny pack is back! I didn't get the memo, but apparently neon fanny packs are all the rage with college girls. We saw them. Lots of them.

It's not a s fun to sing the fight song at the bar on the day your team looses 83 to 20.

Happy Halloween

2010-11-01T19:37:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun this weekend. I'm sad it's over! Friday night, we had a sleepover with the Oskay girls and I wish we could do it more often. It was so fun to see all the kids play together. Tessa loved having a little dance party with Emme and Delanie.

Saturday we all headed to Glen Ellyn to the Beaumont's for Keely and Spencer's baby shower. They are expecting TWIN GIRLS in early 2011!!!! Keely looked amazing and it was so good to see both Keely and Spencer. We wish we could see them more often. We took all the kids to the Glen Ellyn halloween parade and then headed back to the Beaumont's for food, cheesecake and gifts. The weather was gorgeous and everyone got great pics of the day. I especially love the shot of all the girls. We've gotten one at every baby shower so far. The monkey in the group shot is little Charlie Wells (you can't see them in this pic, but his cheeks are super pinchable!) and the butterflies are Ainsley and Emery Beaumont (I'm going to have to post some other close ups of these girls...adorable!)

Sunday, we headed to Duke's parent's house to show off our little lions to grandma and grandpa. We had some fun play time outside, a great lunch and a little shopping for M&T. Our little babies were exhausted by Sunday night and barely made it to 6:30 pm!

I can't wait until next year when we can take them trick or treating for the first time!

Tessa's First Haircut

2010-11-01T19:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Tessa's first haircut. She was such a big girl! No crying or fussing. I can't stand the thought of Max loosing his curls, so I decided I'd let him cut his hair when he goes to college.

Stella & Dot Open House

2010-10-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

I'm hosting my first Stella & Dot trunk show Saturday, November 6 from 1:00 - 4:00 PM at our house. If you're in the area, please stop by. I'll have the full Stella & Dot line for you to try on as well as some drinks and apps. Feel free to bring friends.

I received my first set of accessories in the mail and LOVE them! If this little job doesn't work out for the long term, I am sure going to have some nice jewelry to show for it!

In other news...my baby girl got her first haircut yesterday. I think I was holding my breath the whole time, but she did great! We actually had an appointment for both Tessa and Max, but when the stylist told me that there was a good chance Max's curls would not grown back after being cut, I practically ran out of there. No haircut for my Max Man any time soon. I can't give up these curls!! I'll post a pic of Tessa's super cute cut soon.

A Fun New Hobby - Stella and Dot

2010-10-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have loved Stella and Dot jewelry for some time now (I have several pieces thanks to my BFF Jorie!) and I recently attended a Stella and Dot trunk show hosted by my friend Kathryn. I had such a good time and really liked what I heard about the company from the event's Stylist that I have decided to sign on as a Stylist myself! I'm very excited about this new opportunity to do something that I think will feel much more like fun than a job. I'm also thrilled to be able to help my friends and family find some fabulous accessories!!

If you've never heard of Stella and Dot, it is an accessories company that's been around for about two years. You can learn more about Stella and Dot and view the jewelry at my website.

If you are in need of some fresh new accessories, think about Stella and Dot for you next purchase! You can:

*Order pieces for yourself or gifts for others on my website.
*Host a trunk show for your friends, family and co-workers and get $250 in FREE Stella and Dot jewelry
*Attend my Launch Trunk Show...more details to come soon!

Here are some of my current Stella and Dot Favorites:

The Nolita

The Vintage Link

Charlize Earrings

Jolie Ring

From Stella and Dot's new Little Girls Line - The Mini Soiree

Great Weekend

2010-10-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

We've had a great couple of days visiting family and enjoying some beautiful weather. I took Max and Tessa with my parents to visit my Aunt Patti in Indianapolis for a quick two day trip and had a great time. My parents left this morning after being here for my birthday yesterday and we can't wait until they come back next month! After they left today, we took the kids out to a pumpkin patch with Duke's sister and Jack, stopped by to see some friends and then met Duke's parents for dinner. We have a busy week of work this week and then we are hoping for more nice weather next weekend and maybe even another visit to the pumpkin patch!

New Pics

2010-09-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some new pics of M & T. Both are now officially walking and gaining speed by the day! It hit me yesterday that they are not babies anymore when Tessa walked from the living room into the kitchen looked at me and pointed to her bottle on the counter and said "ba ba." And, when I say it's nap time, they both get up and walk to their room. I swear that it was last week when we were swaddling, burping and feeding someone at 3 am.

Da Bears

2010-09-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

Max got to wear his first Bears shirt today and see their first win of the season. Go Bears! We're teaching them to put their arms up for the touchdowns. Max loves to do this so much, he wiggles his fingers back and forth when his arms are in the air. Spirit fingers! It's pretty funny to watch. And, since we couldn't find a Bears shirt small enough for Tessa, here's a pic of her just lookin cute:) I'm also on the look out for some Stillers shirts for them.

And We're Walking...

2010-09-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

M & T have been walking for a bit and they are getting more adventurous every day. These videos were taken a week or two ago and now they are taking off without any prompting from us. No running yet which is fine with us! I see lots of tears and boo boos in our near future. And, they're getting so big! We just had their one year check-up and Max is 24 lbs and Tessa is 19 lbs. Tessa is a little better with her words than Max and she started to repeat her name. It's sounds like teta, but still pretty fun to hear. Max is better at getting into EVERY cabinet and drawer than Tessa. They love looking at pictures of babies or their cousins over the web cam and the love dancing to music.

Please forgive me for my annoying mommy voice in the video!!

For Sale!

2010-08-26T08:36:00.001-07:00

We've decided to try and sell our condo. We'd like to stay in the area or maybe a suburb close by. Click here to visit our condo website! Lots of info on the neighborhood and pics. Let us know if you or anyone you know is interested.

Cousins!

2010-08-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

My brother had some work to do in Chicago, so they were here for a few extra days and we got to spend a lot of quality time with them. Max and Tessa LOVED watching Grayson and Lily. They love their cousins! It was so fun to watch them play together. They did very well sharing toys and even sharing some meals! I wish we could all hang out more often, but when we do hang out, we make the most of it. Miss you already Gary Sheetz and Mix N Match;)

Stitched with Love

2010-08-17T18:34:00.001-07:00

Max and Tessa received some VERY special birthday presents from Grandma Sassy. My Mom spent the last year making these birth samplers for Max and Tessa and I can't tell you how much I love them. So much love and hard work went into these gifts and they will be something special Max and Tessa will have forever. Mom, we can't thank you enough. They are beautiful!

Baptism

2010-08-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend was not just a bday celebration, but we also had Max and Tessa baptized. It was a beautiful day and a very nice ceremony with both of our families there. Max is very lucky to have Duke's brother Michael and my sister-in-law Kelly as his Godparents and Tessa is very lucky to have my brother Adam and Duke's sister Julie as her Godparents. We got some really nice family pictures at the church and then Duke's sister Mary hosted a get together at her house with cake and cookies. It was a really special afternoon.

Max and Tessa's Splish Splash Bash!

2010-08-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

I truly can't believe that my precious little babies are one! We had a bunch of friends and family over on Saturday to celebrate the big day with a baby pool themed party. The weather held out and it was a perfect day. Lots of sun, lots of kids in the pool and even a few cool planes flying over for the air and water show. Max and Tessa could have played in the pool all day. They just love it. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

This past year has been filled with challenges and blessings and we wouldn't trade it for the world. Max and Tessa are such happy babies and they are a joy to be around every day. They are changing so fast. We can't wait to see what the next year brings!

Superman Bedhead & Miss Manners

2010-08-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of funny pics of M&T. The other day I went in to get the kids after their nap and found Max with his blanket wrapped around him like a cape and a serious case of bed head.

Yesterday we met Duke's parents for lunch at Portillos (a big favorite of mine!) and Tessa pretty much ate her whole lunch with her foot on the table. Mom, I promise we'll start working on manners soon. She's also really into sunglasses right now. These shades are from her Great Aunt Molly.

On a non-baby note, today is Duke's bday! I want to wish my wonderful husband a very happy birthday! The last 12 months have been crazy to say the least and I don't think I could have made it through the first year with twins without him. He has so much love for Max and Tessa, it makes me smile at least once a day to watch him interact with them. I'm so lucky to have him in my life. Here's to the next twelve months being just as crazy and just as fun! Love you!

Almost One and Tons of Fun!

2010-08-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

Max and Tessa will be one in just a few short weeks and we can't believe it! Where has the year gone? Our little ones have been pretty active (and entertaining) lately. Here's what they've been up to.

They love playing with Mommy and Daddy's hats!

They both like to make a big big mess for Mommy to clean up after dinner

Tessa LOVES to make her cheesiest face for the camera while Max prefers his baby model look.

They are both showing their independent personalities (although there is still a lot of copying going on). Max is all boy as you can tell from his video. Lot's of moving fast, pushing, shaking and climbing. Tessa is much more interested in practicing gymnastics.

More Pool Time

2010-07-16T08:38:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pics our neighbors took a few weeks ago when we were outside for some pool time. Max and Tessa love their pool time! In fact, we are planning a fun filled baby pool themed bday for them next month!

Oglebay

2010-07-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

We recently spent the weekend at Oglebay Resort in West Virginia with my family to celebrate my Grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. It was such a fun weekend. The guys played golf while all the kids went to the on-site zoo. We had good food and lots of laughs and shared lots of memories with my grandparents. Here are a few pics of the weekend. We wish we could get together with everyone more often. Thanks for a great weekend Granny and Granddaddy!

The Patient

2010-07-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

Tessa had to make a visit to Children's Hospital last week for a corrective surgery. We have known about a few kidney issues Tessa has had since before she was born and up until now they had just required monitoring. A few weeks ago after her most recent check-up, her urologist said they thought she would need surgery to fix an enlarged ureter (tube connecting kidney to bladder). Tessa spent the night at the hospital and we've had her home recovering for the past week. The surgery went very well and we are not anticipating any further procedures. The recovery was a little more involved than we anticipated and her little body did not like the pain meds prescribed, but she's doing much better every day. We have a check-up this afternoon and she should finally be able to have the two catheter tubes/bags she has had all week taken out. That will make life for her a whole lot easier. Have you tried to keep a 10 month old still for a week?

We are so very very lucky that my Mom and Dad were able to come for the week to help out as Duke had a pretty busy work week. Grandma Sassy went over and above helping us out and we couldn't have made it through the week without her. Can't thank you enough Mom!

The picture above was while she was getting admitted and prepped for surgery. As you can see she was the cutest patient on the floor that day and was a hit with the nurses! She has done MUCH better than her mommy all week!

Tessa should be able to be up moving around by tonight and will be completely back to herself before we know it! Thank you to all of you who passed along your thoughts and prayers. We very much appreciate them!

Friends

2010-06-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Just some random pictures of Max and Tessa's friends from the past few months. There's one picture from a visit I had with the Beaumont girls (must get more and better pics next time). Ainsley and Emery are adorable and it was so fun to see Jenny and John with them. They are naturals!

Duke and I were honored to be asked to be Elsie Gibson's godparents and we headed out to Elmhurst a few weeks ago for the ceremony. Elsie was a perfect angel and the ceremony was beautiful. Max and Tessa came a long and had some fun play time at the Gibson's after the ceremony.

We got to spend a little bit of time with Jorie, Emme and Delanie over the weekend. Although I wish they could have stayed longer, Max LOVED watching the girls. Tessa was a little tired, so she was being shy. We get to see them again this weekend for the Max and Tessa's first trip to the zoo!

So Big!

2010-06-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

We had Max and Tessa's check-up today with Dr. Lynch and they're doing great! Max is almost 22 pounds and Tessa is 17 pounds. Max likes his food! As of the last couple of weeks, they are treating our place like a jungle gym. They are pulling up on everything and those little buggers can move fast! They just started doing so big and I swear Tessa is finally waving when I wave to her. Tessa has three teeth and Max FINALLY got his first tooth a few weeks ago. So far, it's just hanging out there by itself. I think meal times are their favorite times of the day. Max loves everything. Tessa is a bit more picky, but loves watermelon, pears, cheerios, cauliflower and cheese (just like her mommy). They love to laugh at their daddy's silly faces. They are such a blast to be around right now and we are enjoying every day.

Pool's Open!

2010-06-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

As city dwellers, our pool access is limited. So, we opened our own pool! As you can see, I bought one and assembled it in the living room and realized it was too big for the back deck. But, Max loved it and got pretty comfortable right away. We ended up putting the smaller pool on the back deck and they love it. Tessa especially loves to splash. We're looking forward to many more pool days this summer.

You Gotta Have Friends

2010-06-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

We recently got together with the Fabers, Hoods, and Ponces for a play date. Max and Tessa loved hanging with the gang!

Best Friends...Until You Take My Toy

2010-05-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

We've been busy for the last month chasing babies around here. They're fast! Both Max and Tessa are doing great. They are really happy babies and lately have really enjoyed playing together. I often have to separate them to avoid injuries and crying, but they just want to be right next to each other. They like to explore together and roll around together and occasionally try to nibble on the other one's toes for a snack! They play really well together, that is until Max takes Tessa's favorite toy...the music box! Max tries to take everything Tessa is playing with, but watch out if he tries to take the box. She gets mad! She does her best to hold on, but her brother is a little bit stronger so he usually wins. It's been a blast watching them develop their little personalities.

Who's a Silly Goose?

2010-04-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

Tessa's a silly goose!

Welcome Emery and Ainsley!

2010-04-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Our very good friends John and Jenny Beaumont just welcome their two beautiful daughters to the world on April 17th. Emery Jane and Ainsley Grace Beaumont make a quick entrance into the world last Saturday night right after I was able to spend some time with Jenny at a baby shower for our friend Nicole.

Babies, mom and dad are doing great! I was lucky enough to be able to visit them in the hospital the other night and they are just the cutest things I have ever seen!! I'm standing next to Ainsley in the pic above. She's busy getting nice and cozy in her warmer and my friend Kathryn is holding Emery.

When I found out that Jenny was having twins, I was so excited for them, but also very excited for me! I am thrilled that Jenny and I can share the experience of carrying twins and being new moms to twins. We have been the best of friends for almost ten years so she, John Emery and Ainsley are very special to me.

We also have other good friends, the Edison family, who are also expecting twins. I mean, what are the odds??

Love you guys! Congratulations on your beautiful family.

Max & Tessa Update

2010-04-01T17:17:00.000-07:00

The babies have been so much fun lately. They are almost on the move. They are rolling all over the place, pretty good at sitting up and talking up a storm. We started finger foods a while ago and so far, they love it all. They really like blueberries, cheese and bananas. They are 7 1/2 months and when we went to the pediatrician for a check-up about a month ago, Max was 19 lbs and Tessa was 15lbs. Tessa is still on the small side, but look at her parents! But, they both have ginormous heads around the 80th percentile. Both Max and Tessa are such happy babies and it is so much fun to be around them. We look forward to every day with them!

Welcome Charlie!

2010-03-27T06:48:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Brian and Nicole Wells welcomed their beautiful baby boy Charles Anthony Wells on Valentines Day, much earlier than his parents expected. But, little Charlie quickly showed his Mom and Dad what a champ he is and began thriving and growing from day one. Charlie is now at home with Nicole and Brian and we can't wait to meet him. Max and Tessa can't wait for a play date:) Congratulations Wells family!

I give it a 10!

2010-03-27T06:43:00.000-07:00

Both babies were displaying new skills yesterday. Tessa found out the she loves to climb all over the playmat. I think she's going to be a gymnast. She nailed the landing!

Mr. Clean

2010-03-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I put Tessa in her frog chair and Max in his bumbo chair in the living room while I was cleaning up the kitchen. Max had his back to me and was a bit hidden by our chair but I could see his head. I thought he was being unusually quiet, but I didn't want to disturb that nice moment of quiet so I kept cleaning. After a few more minutes of quiet I peeked over and couldn't see his head. So, I walked over into the living room to find this! Max was leaning over his chair to pull out ALL the wipes in the diaper wipe box. He was VERY proud of himself!

Daddy's Girl

2010-03-22T18:59:00.001-07:00

I think this is my favorite picture from our vacation!!

We went on vacation with twins and...survived to tell the story!

2010-03-18T18:41:00.000-07:00

We are back from Florida. I've decided not to call our trip a vacation. It was a learning experience. We learned a lot about traveling with twins! It was wonderful to see all of our family and enjoy some nice weather and give the babies a taste of pool time. However, poor Max and Tessa were under the weather with bad colds the whole time we were there. On a positive note, they did great on the plane.

I almost wish we could have stayed another week. It wasn't until the end of the trip that we started to feel like we had everything under control, got a good schedule going and the babies started to feel a bit better. Oh well, there's always next year!

Here are some pics and a slide show is below. As you can see, we still managed to have a good time and the babies still manage to look like the cutest things in the world even when they are sick. They are such a joy!

Celebrating Babies

2010-03-18T18:26:00.000-07:00

Right before we went on vacation, we hosted a joint couples baby shower for our dear friends the Wells' and the Beaumont's. Nicole and Brian Wells welcomed their beautiful little boy, Charlie, into the world quite a bit early. Nicole delivered Charlie on Valentine's Day and he is doing just great! He's growing and getting stronger every day.

Jenny and John Beaumont are expecting identical twin girls in May. I still can not believe Jenny is having twins! Our good friends the Edison's were at the shower and they are also expecting twins! How did I luck out and have two close friends expecting twins??? I am selfishly so excited to be able to share the twin experience with them!!

This was actually the first time we've had our whole group of friends together in quite some time. The only person missing from this group was Spencer Singer who could not make it. After it was all over, I realized we didn't get a big group pic of everyone...kind of bummed about that. Anyway, here are a few pics.

It was a great afternoon celebrating the babies and catching up with wonderful friends. We can't wait to meet Charlie in person and we can't wait for the Edison and Beaumont twins to make their way into the world.

Where's the Sun

2010-02-12T09:30:00.001-08:00

Max and Tessa got an early Valentine's Day gift from their Grandma Sassy and Papa Mowrey the other day. They sent some really cute new outfits for our Florida trip. I tried on these outfits today to see how they fit. I think they look ready for vacation! Now, let's just hope we get some warm weather while we are there next month!

Someone's Full of Himself

2010-02-11T06:47:00.001-08:00

New Pics

2010-02-04T06:58:00.001-08:00

Just a few new pics of the babies.

THANK YOU NIKI!!

2010-01-25T13:47:00.000-08:00

We totally lucked out for the last few months having the Gibson's nanny, Niki, temporarily watch the babies while Laura was on maternity leave. The timing worked out perfectly. We needed someone in November, but I had not yet had the time to search for someone more permanently and Niki was looking for temporary work.

Well, I just can not say enough nice things about Niki. She was amazing with the babies and very quickly fit in with us. I felt completely at ease leaving the babies in her care and she just showed so much love for them. I loved how excited she was to see them each week. I'm so glad I will be able to keep in touch with Niki and have her see the kids since she will continue to nanny for the Gibsons. They are a lucky family to have her! Thank you Matt and Laura for sharing. Niki, we can't thank you enough. The babies (and I) miss you already!

Having Niki with us over the last few months enabled me to take the time to search for the right person to watch the babies on a permanent basis three days a week. We were lucky enough to find Bridget who we know will be a wonderful nanny. She was over today to learn the ropes and starts tomorrow.

Baby Food Update

2010-01-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

We're two weeks in to rice cereal and oatmeal and just about to introduce some fruits and veggies. Tessa has taken a bit longer to get used to eating solid food than Max. I'm not surprised at all, but it took him about two days to figure it out. Now, I can't get it in his mouth fast enough! He loves it. I think Tessa likes the whole experience more than the food itself. She loves sitting in her chair. She smiles and opens wide when the spoon comes in her direction, takes the food in her mouth and then promptly spits most of it back out. She's eating a little more day by day and definitely likes oatmeal more than rice cereal.

I think I'll give butternut squash a try this weekend. It might sound like I'm crazy, but I am going to try making their food myself at first and see if can keep it up for a while. I like the idea of fresh fruits and veggies going into their system, but mainly I'm trying to save some pennies. We'll see how it goes!

Baby Update

2010-01-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

The babies will be 5 months old in a couple of days!! We just had our 4 month dr. visit this past Monday and it was an excellent visit. Max is 15.5 pounds and Tessa is just about 13 pounds! We knew Max was doing just fine in the weight department (he's a little piggy), but were concerned about Tessa's weight gain in the beginning. This visit showed a really good jump in weight and we can tell she's got a much better appetite.

Speaking of food, we got the green light to start them on rice cereal! The big day is tomorrow. We're breaking out the booster seats, bibs and baby spoons. Let the fun begin!

Both Max and Tessa are smiling all the time, laughing, getting in lots of play time with their toys and they are really good sleepers!!!!! Max is a chatterbox. Tessa is a little quieter, but a good tickle can get her laughing pretty hard.

They are so much fun! We're loving every minute of it! Here's a few pics to enjoy.

Stitched with Love

2009-12-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

My grandmother (Granny) has been making Christmas stockings for her grandchildren and great grandchildren since my brother was born. This Christmas we were lucky enough to get stockings made for Max and Tessa. They are just so beautiful. I could not have been more excited. Granny really had to work hard this past year because she also had my niece Lily's stocking to make. Luckily, my Aunt Molly was able to help work on Tessa's stocking. It makes me so happy to see their stockings next to mine, all made with such love. Thank you SO MUCH Granny and Aunt Molly!!!! Above, you'll see Granny in front of all the stockings she has made for her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

My Gift to Duke

2009-12-28T16:07:00.000-08:00

We have plenty to celebrate this year with the babies, so we just got small gifts for each other. This hat was my gift to Duke (and to my brother). As you can see, it was a hit. Our Christmas dinner was deep fried prime rib (which was awesome) and that gave the guys a chance to have some fun outside. If you are interested, the hat is from Beard Head and they have several different hats to choose from.

It was a merry merry Christmas!

2009-12-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year! It started with an early Christmas celebration with Duke's family
(forgot my camera that day) and then we headed to Pittsburgh last Tuesday. I think I will do a couple posts, but I'll start with highlights of Max and Tessa. They did great in the car (minus a major diaper mishap on the way home). They also loved watching their cousins Grayson and Lily play. Grandma Sassy and Papa gave them lots of love!! We started a tradition this year of having all the kids wear matching Christmas pjs that my mom picks out. How cute are they? How long do you think we can get them to wear matching pjs??

We had such a wonderful time in Pittsburgh. My parents went out of their way to make our visit special and we can't thank them enough. It was good to be home for a few days. Lots of fun family time and good food! We can't wait until next year!

Then and Now

2009-12-14T09:40:00.001-08:00

Here's a pic of the babies when they were first born and one of them at four months!

Thanksgiving and Four Months!

2009-12-14T09:32:00.001-08:00

Max and Tessa are four months old today! I can't believe it and I also can't believe how much they have changed in just a few short months. They are doing something new everyday and it is so much fun to watch them grow. I've been meaning to put pictures up for a while, so here are a few from Thanksgiving and random pics over the last few weeks. Here's an album with more:

Cranley Scholastics, Inc.

2009-11-25T17:52:00.000-08:00

After talking about this for a very long time, we recently decided that I would leave my job at the ABA to work with Duke on our business, Cranley Scholastics, Inc. Duke has been working hard as a one man team for a few years and we really wanted to try and take the business to the next level. I have been so proud of Duke for being dedicated to making this business successful and staying positive every day (even the super stressful days). Here is a pic of us in front of the new office storefront. Cranley Scholastics, Inc. is open for business!

P.S. We are still arguing over who is "the boss"

Great Weekend

2009-11-25T17:47:00.000-08:00

My parents were here over the weekend and we had a great time. It was a beautiful fall weekend. We did some shopping, made some good dinners and had breakfast at Feed one morning. We also tried out the hats my mom got the babies...too cute! We can't wait to see them again at Christmas.

Three Months

2009-11-15T17:57:00.000-08:00

Max and Tessa were three months yesterday and we can't believe how fast these few months have gone by. It has been challenging, tiring and amazing all at the same time. We have really enjoyed the last few weeks as M&T have started to smile all the time and Max is even giving us a few giggles here and there. I can't believe how much they have changed already!

Next up, we have a visit from Grandma Sassy and Papa and M&T can't wait to see them on Friday.

Welcome Elizabeth "Elsie" Gibson

2009-11-12T12:53:00.001-08:00

Our good friends Matt and Laura welcomed their new baby girl, Elsie into the world on November 2nd. Elsie was 8 lbs and 20 1/2 inches. All are going well. Here's a pic of Elsie and her big sis Anna. Congrats Gibsons!

Big Kid Seats and Thumb Sucking

2009-11-09T08:35:00.000-08:00

The weekend in Chicago was fabulous. Sunny and 70 degrees both Saturday and Sunday. We took the opportunity to get the kids out for some walks before it gets cold again. And, we thought we would try out the regular stroller seats instead of their car seats. I wasn't sure if they were big enough yet, but it worked great. You can reline the seats, so they were fine. They both snoozed on the walks. We headed out to breakfast both mornings. We hit Moonshine on Division Saturday and this great place Feed at Chicago and California on Sunday. Feed was excellent. It's small, but good. If you go soon, try the pumpkin french toast...awesome!

In other big news, Max is officially sucking his thumb! We tried to get a good pic. I am sure the time will come soon enough when we want him to stop sucking his thumb, but for now it is his way of self-soothing. This is good for us because in the middle of the night when he drops his pacifier, he sticks his hand in his mouth.

Tessa tends to suck on her whole hand more than her thumb, but both are finding and studying their hands. It's pretty neat to watch. That's excitement for us these days!!

Hope you all had nice weekends.

Happy Belated Halloween

2009-11-07T15:05:00.000-08:00

This is a late Halloween post. I would have posted earlier, but the babies only lasted five minutes in their costumes before they got overheated. We didn't get any pics of them on Halloween. We did get this shot when we tried the costumes on them in Pittsburgh. The leaves in the background are courtesy of Grandma Sassy's photo staging. We went to the Hood's Halloween party and had a blast! Can't wait for next year's party!!

Also, I just saw this Today Show video on The Soup and could not stop laughing. Thought I would share. It's hilarious!! Be sure to watch the whole video.

Happy Halloween!

Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers!

2009-10-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

My best friend Jorie came to help with the babies last week for a couple of days and we had the best time (We met at Indiana University). Jorie was a huge help with feedings and she changed lots of diapers! Friday morning, I asked Auntie Jorie to dress Max and Tessa and as you can see above, she wanted them to show their IU pride. I think they look pretty comfortable in their IU gear.

Max and Tessa also loved meeting Jorie's girl's Emme and Delanie. The girls did an excellent job with the babies holding them and feeding them. It was so fun to see the girls so excited about the babies.

Jorie and I also got a well deserved night out on the town while Duke watched the babies. I have to say, that wine tasted pretty good after not drinking for close to a year. I probably had one too many!

Thanks for coming to help Jorie...it was a blast!

Say Cheese!

2009-10-17T14:05:00.000-07:00

My parents gave us an early Christmas present when they scheduled a photo shoot for Max and Tessa and my brother's kids, Grayson and Lily. The kids did great at the photo shoot and here are some of the really good ones and some of the really funny ones.

Yinz go dantan n watch the stillers play

2009-10-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

I didn't go dantan n watch the stillers play, but I have had a wonderful time in the burgh for the last week. We came to Pittsburgh last thursday for a baby shower my mom and sister-in-law hosted for us. The shower was fabulous. All the decorations were beautiful, the food was excellent and I was able to visit with so many friends and family that I don't get to see that often.

Duke headed back to Chicago and I stayed with the babies for the week. It has been great. My mom and dad are spoiling the babies and best of all, I am getting lots of much needed help and sleep! The babies have been great. They have been smiling a lot. They are starting to get a little more fussy, but grandma sassy knows just how to calm them down.

As much as I have enjoyed my time in Pittsburgh, I really can't wait to get home tomorrow to see Duke. I know he misses the babies a lot and he won't believe how much they have changed in just a week.

Here are some pics from the trip.

Pittsburgh Trip - Fall 09

Good Luck Singers! We will miss you!

2009-09-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

Our very dear friends Keely and Spencer Singer are heading off on a new adventure this weekend when they move to Charlotte. They love the area and wanted a change from city living, so off the go. We are going to miss them so much, but we are truly excited for them as they start this new chapter in their lives.

Keely and I went to high school together, but became very close when we roomed together at IU for our first semester freshman year. Keely transferred to Belmont University, but little did we know we would meet up again when she moved to Chicago shortly after I did. Our friendship means the world to me and we have made the best memories together and with our whole group of friends here. Tons of laughs and good times. It will not be the same without them.

But, we know it's not goodbye. We have plenty of fun times ahead. We can't wait to visit them in their new home and have them show us around their new town. And, since we're both from Pittsburgh, I know we will see them in the 'burgh soon!

These pics are from a going away dinner hosted by our friends Jenny and John last night.

Keely and Spence, we love you! Good luck and best wishes.

Visitors

2009-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

We have had lots of visitors since the babies were born and it's always fun when someone stops by to meet them. I don't have pics of everyone, but here are a few. The picture with all the babies on the couch was from yesterday. Several of our friends had babies this summer so we got them all together for the Bears/Steelers game and got this picture. It was surprisingly quiet with all those babies. We made it through the whole game without any babies having a major meltdown! On the couch from right to left is Jack Hood, Mia Tullis, Jade Ponce and Max and Tessa. Jairus Ponce was also there, but we didn't get a good picture with him on the couch.

The picture in the pack n play is of Max and Tessa and Jade Ponce born just a week after the babies. How about that hair!!!

Auntie Jorie also came for a visit with her mom. It was so nice to have them here for the afternoon. Max and Tessa miss you Auntie Jorie! We did get a picture of Kathryn and Wes holing the babies. Now we just need some pics of the rest of the Chicago group.

Outtakes

2009-09-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

We tried to have our own little photo shoot to get a good picture of Max and Tessa for the baby announcement and we ended up with a lot of pretty funny and cute shots. Here are a few we won't be using on the announcement.

Thanks Mom!

2009-09-07T13:59:00.001-07:00

My Mom was incredibly generous with her time and just left Chicago after a little more than three weeks of helping us with the babies. We could not have done it without her and I am so sad she is gone. The first couple weeks has been pretty overwhelming and she was there the whole time encouraging me and helping me through the tough moments. She was an amazing mother and I've learned so much from her. She is also the BEST Gramma Sassy our babies could ask for. They also got a special treat when Papa Mowrey came back to Chicago this past Thursday for a visit. Both Max and Tessa got to take naps with Papa and Gramma Sassy all weekend. We miss them already and can't wait to see them in Pittsburgh in October. Thanks Mom and Dad. I love you so much!!!

Max Alan and Tessa Louise Cranley

2009-08-31T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this much later than I thought I would, but I finally have a second to introduce our beautiful babies on our blog. Max Alan and Tessa Louise Cranley were born on August 14th, 2009. Both were 6 lbs 14 ozs. Max was 20 inches and Tessa was 19 inches. It all happened pretty quickly. I started having contractions in the morning, we went to the hospital around 9am and they were in our arms by 1:30 pm.

The c-section delivery went very well. I did end up with an infection that was pretty hard to deal with for several days and I ended up in the hospital for a week. But, that's all over and I'm almost feeling back to normal. The babies are doing great. Tessa lost a bit too much weight in the hospital, so we're focused on plumping her up these first few weeks. She goes back into the doctor for her second weigh-in on Wednesday and we hope she will be back up to her birth weight by then. Max is our little piggy and just wants to eat all the time. His weight gain is just fine.

We have been trying to adjust to taking care of two babies. We've had really good days and some not so good days, but we are learning a ton and each day gets a little bit easier. Max and Tessa are just amazing and I could just stare at them all day!!

We have been so lucky to have so many cards, visitors, calls from friends and family. We have had a ton of support and it has meant the world to us. My BFF Jorie was there to lend a hand the day they were born. My mom is staying with us for a few weeks which has been a lifesaver. My Chicago girls have been a huge help by making us meals a few days a week and our friends Robin and Mike even made a trip to meet the babies from Michigan. We couldn't ask for a better support sytem as we navigate through this experience. THANK YOU to all of you who have helped us!!!!

I'll try to keep up with the blog to update you on the babies in between feedings and changings. Here is an album of the twins and there are a few pics above.

Twins - second album

Paper Boy & Baby Update

2009-08-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

My mom was telling me that the other day our nephew Grayson all on his own picked up my dad's watch, glasses and the newspaper and sat down on the floor. He put the glasses on, the watch on and started acting like he was reading the paper. Here's the proof above. He loves his Grandpa!

Hopefully this will be the last baby update before Max and Tessa are born. We are officially scheduled for a c-section on the 19th. One week! That is the soonest the hosptial could fit us into the schedule. We were hoping it would be this week, but we know the 19th will be here before we know it. We can't wait to meet our babies!

Thanks to everyone who has been checking on us to see how we're doing and sending good luck wishes!!

Happy Birthday Duke!

2009-08-10T08:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday (yesterday) to my AMAZING husband Duke! I wish we were able to do something a little more exciting for his birthday, but waiting for these babies to arrive limits our options. I was actually hoping the twins would arrive yesterday...what a great bday present for Duke. But, they are not cooperating at all and still do not want to come out.

Happy birthday Honey. Thank you for being the absolute BEST husband to me especially throughout this pregnancy. I am so lucky to have you there to support me, make me laugh and most importantly in the last few weeks, put my shoes on for me! I can't wait to share the experience of being parents with you and I can't wait to meet our kids in a few short days! LOVE YOU even when you grow creepy mustaches to make yourself and others laugh!

No Babies Yet...

2009-07-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

I'm 36 weeks pregnant with the babies and we had our weekly doctor's appointments yesterday. Apparently they are pretty cozy in their little home in my tummy and are not quite ready to come out yet. I'm not showing very many signs of going into labor, although that can change any day. If I do not go into labor on my own, we will go into the hospital to get the process started on or around August 12th.

The BIG news is how BIG they are! We feel very lucky that the babies are so healthy and we have made it past the important stage in pregnancy so that they will not be pre-term. But, we were a bit surprised to hear their approximate weights. For those of you who don't already know, we'll spill the beans on the names too.

Max Alan Cranley is approximately 6 lbs 7 ozs and Tessa Louise Cranley is approximately 7 lbs 2 ozs. The ultrasound technician said there is a margin of error in either direction of 20%. Either way...we will be having some healthy babies!

Duke's first comment when he heard Tessa's approximate weight was "72, that's the Refrigerator Perry's number!" Funny and cute as long as we don't start calling Tessa The Fridge!

So, look for some baby news from us sometime in the next two weeks!

Congrats Adam!

2009-07-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my brother for completing the Pittsburgh Triathlon Adventure Race. The race was this past weekend and we wish we could have been there to cheer him on. The money he raised will go to Plan International USA.

35 Weeks and Belly Laughs

2009-07-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

I hit the 35 week mark in my pregnancy yesterday. Most twins are born between 35 - 37 weeks. Mine however, seem to be pretty cozy right where they are. I supposed things can change at any moment, but for now we are thrilled that they are healthy and growing in my belly for a bit longer.

I haven not posted much about the pregnancy, but I thought I would share a few funny stories. Things people have said to me while I have been pregnant have been the most entertaining part of this whole experience. Now, let me be completely clear, I find all of these encounters and statements funny. I have not been offended by any of them. Plus I have had many more people say wonderfully flattering things to me all the way through the pregnancy.

Duke after reading about breastfeeding: You are going to start pumping the month before you have the babies to store up the milk, right?
Me: after lots of laughter - "That's not really how it works honey"
(he's got it straight now!)

Einstein Bagel Employee: "Awww...are you having a boy or a girl and how far along are you?"
Me: "I'm having twins, and I'm 6 months"
Einstein Bagel Employee: "Girl, I can't believe your face isn't even messed up yet!"
(apparently some pregnant women's facial features change, specifically their noses...who knew?)

Random stranger: "do you know what you are having?"
Me: "not yet, but it's twins."
Random stranger: "Oh my, we thought we might have twins and we were so relieved to find out it was just one."

Cashier to me at 34 weeks: "You're about ready to pop any time"
Duke: She's having twins"
Cashier: "Oh, that's why you are SO big"

Co-worker: "Are you sure you aren't having triplets"

Now this one takes the cake!!!!! -
Co-worker to me in a meeting of 10 people: "Oh my goodness, look at you. You know they have a TV show named after you"
Me: What show is that?
Co-worker: "House! hahahaha"

I'm sure it's just the beginning of funny and interesting things people will say to us and things Duke and I will say to each other. I need to remember to write all of them down in journal so we can look at back and have a good laugh now and then.

My next appointment is a week from today and we should be able to update you on the babies sizes. Can't wait to find out how much they've grown!

Baby Shower

2009-07-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, my wonderful girlfriends Jorie, Alison and Shannon hosted a fabulous baby shower for me and the twins. The shower was at PJ Clarks on Armitage and the room was perfect. I highly recommend this location for any type of party.

The flowers were from Shannon's garden and were beautiful. The cake and cookies were delicious and the menus and cake decoration matched the invites (menus, invites and thank you cards were all made by Shannon, along with some bath towels for the babies...she's one talented girl!). It was so wonderful to have my family and friends there to celebrate the babies. My family came into town from Ohio and Pittsburgh, Jorie and Shannon came in from Indianapolis and Cosette came in from Champaign. It was such a great day and we received so many wonderful gifts for the babies. My mother recovered a bassinet that was first used to carry my grandmother and all the babies in the family since then have spent a little time in it. It is just beautiful. My mom also gave me a door stop that my grandmother made years ago that has a little girl and a little boy on it...perfect for the nursery.

The weather was beautiful and all the guys got to play golf while we were at the shower and Duke and I got lots of family time with everyone over the weekend. My brother, sister-in-law and their two kids, Grayson and Lily, stayed with us and we had a blast. Duke and I always wish we could spend more time with them. Grayson is tons of fun and Lily is just the cutest little girl. I just loved seeing Grayson play with Jorie's girls when they stopped by on Sunday. I've posted an album below, but still need to add a few pics. I definitely didn't want the weekend to end.

Thank you to everyone who came to the shower, hosted, traveled and most of all, thanks for already having so much love for the babies!!

Happy 30th Jenny!

2009-07-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

One of my best girlfriends and my old roommie, Jenny, turned 30 last week. The girls got together last night to welcome her to the club! I feel so lucky that Jenny was the very first new friend I made after moving to Chicago. I have had too many laughs and too many fun times with her over the years to count and I know there are many more to come. This pic is from a fun night out last summer. Happy Bday Jenny! Love you!

Welcome Baby Hood

2009-07-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Our good friends Brian and Sarah Hood welcomed their baby boy, Jack Brian Hood, into the world last week. He's adorable. We are hoping to meet him sometime soon. Both Jack and Sarah are home and doing very well. Congrats Hood Family!

32 Weeks!

2009-07-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

We had our 32 week appointments last Thursday and all is well with the Cranley babies! They are growing at a great pace. Baby A (Boy) weighs approximately 4lbs, 8 ozs and Baby B (Girl) as the ultrasound technician said is "hefty" at 5 lbs, 3ozs!!! These are great weights for 32 weeks and I'm not showing any signs of early labor, so we just sit tight and wait now for them to arrive. Hopefully they will decide to join us in the world sometime between 35 - 38 weeks. I can't believe they will be here so soon.

I'm feeling pretty good considering I'm carrying around almost 10 lbs of baby! Just feeling tired and I can't walk around or stand for too long...but no complaints. I've been very lucky to have a great second and third trimester.

We have everything pretty much ready to go. Duke is doing his own form of "nesting" as he has been obsessed with fixing things around the condo. There has been a lot of painting, drilling, power washing, etc.

We're very excited for this weekend. We have a bunch of family and friends coming in for a baby shower to celebrate the twins! Family starts arriving on Thursday and it couldn't get here soon enough!

The Rocker!

2009-06-10T09:40:00.000-07:00

We decided to have a family rocker recovered for the nursery. It was my great Grandmother Carrig's and we think it actually first belonged to her parents. It's the perfect size for our small nursery and I love how the fabric looks on it. I love it and have already sat in it several times!! Thanks Mom and Dad for letting us have this special chair for the room.

28 Weeks!

2009-06-05T07:40:00.000-07:00

I just had my 28 week appointment and things are looking great with Baby A and Baby B. They are just the right size for 28 weeks. Baby A (our boy) is about 2 lbs 15 oz and Baby B (our girl) is about 3 lbs 5 oz. They looked pretty cozy during the ultrasound and I hope that's just how they stay for several more weeks. I'm hoping to make it to the beginning of August. I start going to the doctor every two weeks now to make sure there are no signs of early labor. I can't belive we will have two babies in just a few short months!!!

The Nursery - Phase One

2009-05-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

We had the BEST weekend working on the nursery. My parents came in for the weekend to help with the transformation. My mom helped me sew the most beautiful drapes, pillows and a fabric ottoman. I just love how they look in the room. My dad helped Duke fix up and paint the cheap dresser we found at a resale shop. It's going to be the changing table. We also had the room painted and it immediately made the room look brighter which was good considering how small the room is. We quickly realized that the room is going to be pretty crowded, but we're making it work.

We got a lot done this weekend and just have to work on some finishing touches like shelves artwork and we are waiting for our rocker to be re-upholstered (we're keeping our fingers crossed that it will fit!). Oh...and we also put up the second crib in our bedroom. We'll have the babies sleep in there with us for a few months. Lastly, even though this wasn't for the babies, my dad was a HUGE help to Duke putting brick down on our downstairs back patio. I forgot to take pics of that, but we'll get some up when it's finished.

We could not have done all of this work without my parents. Every time they come to help us with our home to-do lists, we have such a wonderful time and we learn so much from them. I'm really looking forward to having some more space so I can get a sewing machine and start making a few more things. Duke always gets some good handyman lessons from my dad. We can't thank them enough. I wish we could see them more often, but when we do, we always make the most of it. Thanks mom and dad (special thanks to you dad for agreeing to change the ceiling fans!), we love you!

I put some pics in the post. The first one is a before picture and then a few from the weekend and the after shots. Click here to see all the pics.

Celebrating the Babies

2009-05-11T14:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend a group of our close friends here in Chicago planned a brunch for us all to get together and celebrate the twins. It was such a wonderful day! We had brunch at Hot Chocolate. It was the first time I had been there and the food was very very good. they had beautiful flowers on the table...one vase for our girl and one for our boy and very generously surprised us with the stroller that we had registered for. I can not wait to put it together!! We feel very lucky to have such wonderful and caring friends who are so excited to celebrate these babies and we are anxious for them to be a part of our children's lives. It is also very comforting to know that with twins coming, there are lots of aunties and uncles very close by to lend a hand. Thanks so much friends!!!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all of the mothers in my family and my friends who are mothers. I hope you all had a wonderful mother's day!!!

Baby Update

2009-05-07T17:25:00.000-07:00

We had our 24 week appointment today and the babies look great! In case you didn't notice from the pictures above, my bump is getting bigger by the second! Baby A and Baby B are growing and moving quite a bit. I feel pretty good other than some minor swelling in my feet and legs. Our next big project is getting the nursery ready and my parents are coming to Chicago the last weekend in May to help out with the room. We can't wait!

Also, check out those White Sox outfits!! Our wonderful downstairs neighbors surprised us with those last weekend. We can't wait to take the kids to their first game.

Congratulations to the Pucci Family

2009-04-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

Our friends Ben and Julia Pucci welcomed their beautiful baby boy Griffin Thomas Pucci into the world on Tuesday. Griffin was 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 inches. We are so excited for Ben and Julia and can't wait to see some more pics of this little cutie!

Can you Guess What Baby A and Baby B Are???

2009-04-09T17:08:00.000-07:00

Duke and I were THRILLED today to find out we are going to have a baby boy and a baby girl!!! Today's appointment was so exciting and we couldn't be happier that we are having one of each. We found out that Baby A was a boy first and then had to wait about 20 minutes before the ultra sound technician got to Baby B. She told us Baby B was a girl and I had to ask if she was absolutely sure. 99.9% sure was the answer I got. We got a lot of great pics of the babies and they were moving around like crazy. Our little girl was doing some major dance moves in there and it took them a long time to get all of her measurements. Our little boy was very well behaved. I am 20 weeks and feeling great and now that we know what the babies are, we have lots of planning to do!! We'll keep you updated on the babies over the next few months.

Girl's Weekend

2009-03-31T09:59:00.001-07:00

I was lucky enough to have my Mom and my Aunt Molly visit this past weekend for three days of girl time! It was great. We lunched, talked, shopped...and tried to teach my mom how to use Facebook:) We looked at some baby stores and got some planning/ideas going for the nursery. But, poor Duke! He was in our bedroom most of the time he was home so he could watch the basketball games instead of HGTV! We had a blast and I can't wait to see them again.