The Lucky Dog Club

All the pics from our Family Reunion.

Our Growing Family - More photos of Noah with Ian and from Ian's first 2 weeks.

Pa and Noah, buddies

We got back from our Annual Wilbur Family Reunion - held each year in Charlestown, WV, around where our cousin Valerie lives in a BEAUTIFUL old historic home. You should see the history this home holds -if the walls could talk! Our Reunion was a very memorable and enjoyable time with family members we do not often see. Lots of laughing, reminiscing, sharing of stores long past and just being together - it is a very important tradition for our family. Many many people have commented that they have not seen a family as close as ours.

The LUCKY DOG Club! Aren't they so lucky to be married to a member of the Wilbur family! I don't know about you - but, I am thinking that Connor and Matt are looking extra lucky!

Our best effort at a family photo

So, here's just the 3 of us!

Me and my snuggle-bug

New Family

Carly and I with our babies

Cousins! We are very close with my Aunt Dolores's girls.

Nana holding Ian

Treasuring every (well, most) moments (okay at least every other moment or so...)

The Wilbur Sibs - Grandma (or Great Grandma, GG) is on the bottom left. She is the cornerstone of our family.

Cutting Loose

Ian Russell

Weeks 1-2

For Comparison - How Much Do These 2 Look Alike??
Photo below - Noah at 4 weeks old

Back to Ian photos...

Boyzzz

Notice Noah holding his nose...






Loosing his mind??



In one post, I really can't tell you how funny I find our two-year old these days. The things he says... One of the more memorable questions he recently asked, while visiting us at the hospital about 12 hours after Ian was born: "Mommy, if baby's already come out, why is your belly still so big?" Nice.

Connor is a wonderful father - I could not ask for a better man for our boys. He loves spending time with Noah - setting up a water slide in our backyard, building things for our home, having wrestling matches - they will spend hours together, and Connor is never ready for a break - there is not another place he would rather be - genuinely. The type of father a person will be is is not exactly something you know about that person when you marry them! Well, I sure lucked out :):) I am eternally thankful for the gift I have in my hubby.

Noah and Connor have been BUDDIES, hanging out 24/7 since Ian was born. They went on many many adventures during Connor's week-long paternity leave. These are just a few good times they had - most that Betty captured for us. :)

Brotherly Love

This has been the most special time I have ever known - watching Noah understand the importance of having a brother and seeing the very first chapter of our family of four - has been profound. I will never forget this time.

I have many, many more pictures to post - we just got back from our family reunion (Wilbur Family Reuion - and The Lucky Dog Club) - and I have many stories and pictures to post from that as well... Ian is coming to life - eyes are opening wide now and he is cooing and making lots of baby noises. Our days and nights are definitely reversed (he is sleeping now - not so last night), but we are getting by. I think because I was expecting the absolute worst, I am pleasantly surprised - bad is when both boys are crying and neither will sleep! But overall the precious, I-will-never-forget-this moments outweigh any of the bad stuff.

First Days with Ian

All Ian photos

Minutes after arriving from home from hospital - Ian gets his first story time - big brother's idea.


Best feeling in the world...

Dr. Duke and delivery team!

Our chunker...

"Tick Tock Bates" Arrives On Time

Ian Russell Bates
8 lbs, 2oz
21.5 inches
8:53pm, 7-31-2009 (his due date)



Click here for:All photos of Ian!

Funny, Noah has been calling him "Tick Ttock Bates" for months now--appropriate, then, that Ian decided to join us on his due date, July 31st.