And little d's prayers were answered.

I don't know if I have ever had so much pride in a place I lived in as I have this year in Boston. We moved into our first home (albeit a rental), had our second baby here, witnessed the tragic marathon bombing and (more importantly) the incredible heroic acts that followed, and witnessed the Red Sox win their second World Series since we've been married.

I would be lying if I told you naming my son in 2010 was not influenced by this man right here. He is a class act and little d's favorite ball player.

Maybe they won tonight because Cory was praying for them in his sleep?

Or because sister and I were repping our Red Sox gear (even though it is too cold for short sleeves!)

Most of all I like to think it is because of our two little good luck charms... Baseball kid

Who stayed up as late as he could (most nights till 11 or 12!) to watch the last playoff and then every World Series game with us, even though it meant having some distraction during the game...

Tonight was a big win. We can overcome great seemingly insurmountable things, and it truly is incredible on so many levels what a difference a year can make. And 2013 I think I can say for almost certain, has been a pretty amazing year. And it's not done yet.

Like an elusive blue moon... She did it again!

After a week of sleeping in the same room as brother with two naps a day (an early one hour nap around 11 and a later 2-ish hour nap at 3) and going to bed at 8ish, only to wake up 1-3 times to eat between then and 7:30am, she went to bed last night at 8, only to wake up multiple times till 12, then in the middle of the night woke up crying for a minute or two before falling back asleep till 8am today. So, technically, I believe this is what they call "sleeping through the night". And like a blue moon, it probably won't happen again for another couple months, but I look at those cheeks and I think "I made that" and my heart just fills to the brim and the deepening bags under my eyes seem much less of a concern.

Aaaaaaand together they will take over the world

Gween wantern (and Wonder Woman cuts her first tooth!!!)

Totally unprompted

Prayer over breakfast: ..."And pweese bwess da Red Sox to win all of da games and the other team, those birds, to win none of the games, in the name of Jesus Christ amen"

Game one for the win. Three more wins to go!

Little d stayed up way too late with us again, making peanut butter cookies with dad and throwing baseballs (along with sliding, so that's back now) during commercials. But he was a trooper and lasted until the Sox had a size able lead, then politely requested to be tucked in.

A few funny random things he said in the car over the last two days: "when I am 6 I can have a phone and finally take some pictures." "When I am five I can have a brother and we can name him Tim. If its a girl that's fine too, I like sisters and we can name her Concessa."

After little a was up crying: "I tried to give her her pacifier but she didn't want it. Her needs milk!"

The amazing things you discover when your kids nap in synch

Both kids just went down for a nap at the same time in the same room

Ohmigosh. I am so excited I don't even know what to do. Of course it's moments like this that I suddenly draw a blank on my eternal to do list. I need to start writing stuff down.

(Post flu shot mcd's trip from last night)

Copycat

It may not be perfect...But it is a Ruth Dowling original!

My last night with two roommates for awhile...

Update: kids have been asleep together in the same room for two hours (since 8:45ish) and I was thinking I would feel much more free and excited about this but if I am completely honest I have really mixed emotions about this whole thing. I was thinking that having my room back would mean I would be able to hang out in my room before going to bed, which I am, but mostly thinking about how empty this space now looks. I knew it would take the kids awhile to adjust but I didn't realize I would need some time as well.

Little d was in our bedroom for a whopping 7 weeks before he got his own room. Little a has been in our room (and let's be honest, ending up in our bed more mornings than not) for the past six MONTHS, which when I think about the lack of sleep I've accumulated it's enough to drive anyone nuts, but somehow I've survived. And while I love her to pieces and love having my kids close by, it will be nice to have my "sanctuary" back again, where I can read until I fall asleep in my bed, or actually carry on a post-bedtime conversation with mr. D without fear of waking baby girl.

Mostly though, I plan on having my kids share a room, probably for a big chunk of their childhood. If (when?) we have a third, whichever gender is dominant will then share and the other will have his or her own room (hoping and assuming we have three bedrooms before we have a third child). I do worry mostly about the kids waking each other up (her at night and he in the wee hours of the morning) but ultimately the sharing will happen no matter what so I may as well give it a go before we move, and if its a total disaster then when we move we can re-strategize. But little a is only (!!!) waking 2-3 times a night and only 1-2 of those times does she wake to eat.

A lot of prayers will be flowing from this house in the days and weeks to come for multiple reasons... But most importantly hoping that this transition helps pave the way for a lasting friendship, and maybe as a bonus I get more than four hours of sleep at a time (I can't even imagine what that feels like!!).

To be honest, yes. I will miss having her so close to me at all times. But at least I can rest assured knowing she will have the second best roommate in the house!

THIS IS OUR ...CITY!!

2013 is the first full year we have lived in Massachusetts, our first Boston born baby came into our family, we made it to a Red Sox game at Fenway as a family of four, and tonight I both kids stayed up wayyyyyy late (little d lasted till nearly midnight before asking to be tucked into bed!!) and we watched in awe as the Red Sox clinched a World Series birth for the second time since we got married in 2006. Tomorrow (today?!) will probably be exhausting but you can guarantee we four (or at least three) will be watching every game with baited breath!

Good to know that even if we can't pull it together as a family for a photo at Fenway, at least the Red Sox can pull it together to win at Fenway and that's all that really matters.

BOSTON STRONG!!

NYC in a day

Both mr. D and I have been to NYC multiple times (my latest venture being just last year for an art conference) but never together. He wanted to take a day off and I needed a day away from little d, so off he went to his grandparents and we headed to Connecticut to stay two nights, Friday we took the train in at 8am and came home around 10pm. It was a quick visit but we came, we walked all over the city and saw everything we wanted to and we exhausted our feet in the process. After a homemade breakfast of breakfast bagel with bacon eggs and cheese (when was the last time someone made breakfast for me?? its been too long... we had a fabulous host!!) We were driven by said host to the train to ride into grand central station to start off the day, then walked around Times Square, Central Park, the manhattan LDS temple and meetinghouse, met up with one of mr. D's friends for lunch at Cosi, took the subway downtown to the world trade memorial (probably my favorite part of the trip, and now one of my favorite works of public art), walked the Brooklyn bridge and saw lady liberty, went to FAO Shwartz and finally home. Our feet were completely worn out, but we carried little a all over the city and she was a trooper and in the best mood the whole time, took two one hour naps in the carrier and only had one (enormous) blowout on the last leg of our train home. It was perfect. We miss our little d and can't wait to be reunited with him in a few short hours.

Watching the Red Sox game the night before the big trip:

On the train

Hunger games!!!!!

Obligatory Times Square photo op: (nap number one)

Central Park

Bathroom selfie at the meetinghouse

World trade memorial (freedom tower or world trade tower one)

During which we had nap two

Brooklyn bridge 

Hot dad and a chubby baby

Did some window shopping while thinking of our little d

"I can't go back to jail!!"

And then of course some actual shopping

For Stephen Kron:

Grand central selfie by me

And by little a

And finally the train ride home!