What's new with the Hills?

Oh, boy...what a crazy time it's been at The House of Hills!
We're still adjusting to having two kids (why didn't someone
tell us 1+1=3?!!), but we're all still alive and trying to ease
into some semblance of a new routine. We had a common cold
breeze through the house last week--Benton and Dennis were
definitely sick, and Tamara and Iron caught a touch of it as well.

Iron is doing well--his weight gain and all other vitals checked
out well at his 2-wk well child visit. Much to Mama's dismay,
breast feeding hasn't been easy. And when Iron's not feeding
or sleeping, he's crying. His favorite position--just like big bro
Benton--is on up on the left shoulder, like this:


One thing we introduced to Iron last week is a pacifier.
Oftentimes he's not interested, but every now and then
he'll entertain a few sucks.


Here's another precious pacifier shot...


If you've been following our blog, you saw in an earlier
post the owls and tree from Iron's nursery. Aunt Deeky
wanted us to take a photo of Mama and Iron in front
of the tree, so here it is!


During the few minutes each day when Iron is awake
and interactive, we try to have fun with him. Here
Daddy is letting Iron ride the horsie (a.k.a. Daddy's leg).


Here Iron is testing out Benton's new chair. It's quite
big for him yet...


But check this out! Dennis turned Iron around, and
he stood up on the back of the chair! I realize this may
not be a big deal to some of you out there, but since
Benton can't do this at age 3, we were amazed!


Daddy was especially proud of him. :-)


A few days ago, Grandma Hills returned from a trip to
Boise, Idaho. That's where Aunt Cindy and Dennis' nieces
and nephews (and their kids) live. Cindy made Iron a
gorgeous owl quilt, featured below. She also made some
coordinating burp cloths, as well as some adorable burp
cloths for Benton. Thanks, Cindy! We love them!


Speaking of Benton, he's still trying to get used to having a
little brother in the house. Here he is thinking Iron's a chew
toy. (Don't worry...that sleeve is empty!)


And we're still making sure to show Benton lots of
love. Here's a shot of B with Mama. Why can't photo
editing software eliminate dark circles under the eyes?!!


School resumed for Benton during the second week of
September. Here he is awaiting the bus on his first day
of the new school year...


And once he boarded the bus, he continued to dream
of being back in bed!


Other than news of the boys, we've been meaning for
quite some time to share a few photos of completed house
projects. Below is a shelving unit we installed in the garage.
We took an ill-purposed corner and made the best of it
by building this "pantry." The right shelves house extra
grocery supplies we can't fit in the kitchen, and the left
shelves organize various medical supplies for Benton.


Here's a shot of some new motion detection lights
Dennis installed above the back deck.


A bigger challenge was the chimney. It needed restoration,
but instead of paying a mason big bucks to fix it, Dennis took
a crack at it. He also painted it white and invested in a custom
cap. Way to go, Dennis! Doesn't it look great?!


And for all of you who wondered what paint color we
picked for the house exterior, here's a shot of the finished
product! It takes on different hues as the natural light
changes throughout the day. Sometimes it looks like it has
brown undertones, while at other times the undertones
appear slightly green or blue. It's a dark color--one that
made our painters nervous, but we all love the end result.


For all of you who want to hear some of Iron's first
squawks--or for those who pine for the sound of a
newborn--this video clip is for you. Watch out...it
may make your milk let down! (Hee-hee!)


Thanks, everyone, for your continued love and support.
We'll leave you with the first Hills family (of four) photo!