Hello

I am officially the worst blogger in history. So much has happened since Christmas......I guess Christmas is where I should start.

Christmas was magical. Thomas and Elizabeth didn't know what to think when they got downstairs that morning. Santa Clause was generous but not over the top. David and I loved watching their faces as they played with toys and learned how to open presents. We look forward to each Christmas getting better and better as the twins grow. I made a late Christmas lunch for David's mom and stepfather, and that turned out well. I made duck dressing for the first time, and it was delicious....shouldn't brag, but can't help it:)

Since Christmas life has just happened with the death of Alexis and then more recently the death of Daryla. Daryla was my dad's secretary and office manager and had worked for him for 25 years. I really can't remember his clinic without Daryla being present. She died of a heart attack at the young age of 46. Darlya was hysterically funny, in your face honest, and fiercely loyal to those she loved. She was one, if not the only one, who could give my dad a good cussing when needed and get away with it. I love her and can't believe she is gone. I have no doubts that she is in a much better place than the rest of us right now.

With the ringing of the New Year David accepted a new job with a poultry company in Seattle. He was not looking for a job, but this one found him and made him "an offer he couln't refuse." No, we won't be moving to Seattle. David will be working from home and will spend one week per month in Seattle. Since he took the job things have been wild at our house with one week in Seattle, one week at home, a week in Atlanta and now back in Seattle. I took the twins to Atlanta as well and spent some time with the Wright crew and then went to visit Gramps and Grandmother Jane. David will be in Seattle for the next two weeks so I am taking T and E to Arkansas....two weeks is too long to go solo besides the fact that I just want/need to get home. I have a brand new niece to meet, hugs for Amanda upon losing Alexis, and hugs for my family and friends upon losing Daryla. Jo is flying over Wednesday and we will drive together the 12 + hours to the Delta.

Needless to say, things have been crazy here, and we (adults) are worn out. I don't know if it is the twins' age or my age or the season, but I am exhausted all the time. Just walking up the stairs makes me short of breath, and I always have to make that climb twice. I know.... I am out of shape and need to exercise. It would be great for my body and my mind. Just need to make myself do it. My health is more important than a clean house, right? My weight has dropped as well. I never get on the scale, but my clothes don't fit. Eating has just become such a HASSLE! I don't have the energy to make much (when making for myself) and rarely have the time to sit and eat (not unlike any other mother out there) so it is not enjoyable. I eat when I get the shakes.....not good I know.

I'm not whining....really. Do the rest of you with toddlers feel the same way? How do I get my energy back?

Thomas and Elizabeth are great, by the way. Elizabeth has a couple of new words she learned at Brett and Amy's house. She says "kitty" and will imitate me when I am calling for Thomas. It is really cute. Thomas says "yuck" when pointing to the trash can or the recycle bins, and he really enunciates the word. They are growing so fast and challenging me at every turn.

Motherhood......so exhausing but so rewarding at the same time.

For Alexis

One of my dearest and best friends laid a daughter to rest today. Alexis was thirteen years old and was killed in a car accident the day after Christmas. She was on her way home after seeing family in Wisconsin. Alexis left behind so many people who loved her. I did not know Alexis all that well, but have known her stepmother, Amanda, for as long as I can remember. Amanda loved Alexis as her own and is devastated by her loss as is the entire family and community. I pray for peace and light for all who are missing Alexis.

As I get older death becomes so much more tragic and confusing to me...especially the death of a child. I can't imagine losing a child. The mere thought takes my breath away. Alexis' death has left me with so many questions regarding my faith. I consider myself a Christian though I am not actively working on my relationship with the Lord. I haven't stepped foot in a church since Thomas and Elizabeth were christened last Christmas Eve. I do pray daily, but they are quick prayers here and there throughout the day....not real conversations with God. I begin praying when I lay my head down at night, but I always fall asleep somewhere between "Dear Heavenly Father" and "Amen." Maybe my lack of a spiritual life is the reason I have so many questions. I don't know.

Alexis' death was a complete accident. My biggest question is does God cause accidents? He has the power to stop them from happening, right? I have never believed that God is the puppet master and controls every aspect of life on earth though He most definitely could. Such control would be no fun, right? Isn't it more rewarding for Him to see His children practice free will and still choose Him and His way? Since He didn't stop the accident why didn't he save Alexis? Did God know at the moment Alexis was conceived that she would die in a car accident.......or was it just an accident that resulted in God wanting to take her to be with Him?

The Bible says that we are not to ask why.......but how much of it does God decide? I know He decides who, but does He always decide how and when or does He just let life happen?

I have been thinking about Alexis' tragic death in two ways......1) There is so much life she will never experience....no first date.....no driver's license.......no prom....no high school graduation. The list is endless and heartbreaking. 2) There are so many grown-up disappointments she will never have to endure. Alexis left this world with her innocence. Don't all adults long for childhood innocence at some point in their lives?

I know the Atwill family will forever have a hole in their hearts from the loss of Alexis, but I also know that heaven has gained an angel.

Peace and light to you, Alexis.

Aflac?!!!!

Thomas' first word (besides mama) was Aflac....yes, I said Aflac. I heard it, David heard it, Amy and Julia even heard it. Weird, huh? Why Aflac one might ask...Nana gave the twins a duck that says Aflac, Aflac, AFLAAAAC! when squeezed. T and E love that duck.

Thanks, Nana!

Buffet Style Post

Everyone has been sick at our house...coughing, snotting, sneezing, sore throats, ear infections...we have had it all. T and E are on the upswing as they are nearing the end of their antibiotics. I'm feeling better, but David is still coughing his head off. Franny says this is just life with kids. I NEVER use to get sick. Oh well, as one of my fellow twin mamas says," It is what it is."



Thomas is walking all over the place now. He and E play chase around the kitchen squealing and laughing with delight. I have tried a couple of times to catch it on video but can't seam to get a good camera angle. I will keep trying. It is hysterical to watch though somebody always gets hurt-- usually Thomas. He is not as good on his feet as his sister just yet.



Tuesday night was the annual Mom's of Twins Club Christmas Party (for moms only). I was on the committee this year. It felt good to be involved in something. That night David was out of town so for the first time we had a babysitter that was not a family member or close friend of the family. One of the young women from My Gym watched the twins for us. T and E did fine when I left...no tears. I had moments of sheer anxiety on and off all night feeling a desparate and urgent need to go home. I know this is a sign that I need to get out more....corrections....we need to get out more (meaning David and I). I guess one of my friends could tell I was anxious because out of the blue she said, "Let it go, Ashley." Anyway, I got home around 10:00, and the twins were fast asleep. There are lots of things I need to "let go," but this is not the time or place to address them. I have thought about putting the twins in some sort of preschool, Mom's Morning Out, etc a couple of days a week to give me some time and them some time away from Mama, but I can't make my mind up. I don't want to send them somewhere for "crowd control," but want it to be a structured environment with goals for the children. On the other hand, they are young and part of me hates to start "school" at such a young age.....we go to school our whole lives it seems. I am the worst at making decisions.

CALLING ALL MY FELLOW SPEECH PEOPLE: David and I think T and E need a speech evaluation. They will be 17 months old on 12/13, and the only words E uses spontaneously are "mama" and "dada", and T only says "mama." E will imitate sounds while T imitates nothing. They do communicate with gesturing, vocalizations, and some sign but have no words yet. I'm not worried about the receptive language at all right now but am starting to get concerned about their expression. Any opinions?

And He is Off!

Thomas is walking! He started walking some at Aunt Callie's house Tuesday and really took off at Uncle Tom's and Aunt Sherri's house Wednesday night. He looks like Frankenstein holding both arms straight out in front of him and giggling with every step. Things keep getting more and more interesting in Twinland.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know it isn't Thanksgiving yet, but I won't have time to make such wishes on the actual day. We are celebrating Thanksgiving in Arkansas this year, and our plan is to leave Twinland Saturday night. Instead of putting the twins to bed in their cribs we will put them in their carseats. E seems to get carsick when placed in her carseat after eating so we figure it will be better to tackle the 12 hour drive at night. I am very excited about the trip because I haven't been home since April. I know everyone is looking forward to seeing Thomas and Elizabeth. They won't believe how much they have grown. I'm anxious to see how T and E will react to all their cousins. David has new camera equipment that will allow him to take better pics inside as well as outside so I hope we have lots of pictures to share upon our return.

Happy Thanksgiving!

YIKES!

Elizabeth has three words now -- Mama, Dada, and YIKES! She imitated me saying it about a million times tonight. Thomas thought it was extremely funny. I never would have predicted that word as one of E's first.

Back from MIA

It has been too long since my last post, and so much has happened since the twins' well visit. I'm not even sure where to start and will probably not remember the exact order of all the events. The biggest event is that THE PACIFIERS ARE GONE!! The straw that broke the camel's back was one particular incident in which my precious Elizabeth woke me up screaming madly. I dashed up the stairs to find her pacifier in her hand next to her mouth.....I guess she needed me to put it in her mouth for her? The next morning I told David that the upcoming weekend we were joining forces to eliminate the pacifiers. It went better than either of us expected. The first night T and E cried for about 20 minutes. When I say cry I mean a pissed off "Give me my pacifier you !@$#@%^#$@@!" The second night they cried for 30 minutes, and each night after that the crying time decreased. Thomas was over it after night three, but Elizabeth took about five nights to get over it. Whew! Glad that hurdle has been jumped and left behind.

The second milestone/event was that Thomas had his first "big boy" haircut. Bless his heart, his hair was so long if he had been Thomasita I would have used a barrette to keep it out of his eyes. David made an appointment at a "real" barber shop in Columbia, and we met there one evening around 5:45. Elizabeth threw up in the truck right in the middle of downtown Columbia so I didn't get to see the event. David took Thomas inside while I cleaned E up and the truck up. By the time I finished David was back at the truck holding a baby boy who looked like he was about three. David reported that Thomas screamed the entire time. In spite of his behavior he has a very nice looking hair cut. Needless to say, with me outside and David trying to console Thomas we have very few pictures.

The third milestone was really more of a "mommy milestone." I spent my first night away from the twins since their days in the NICU. David has a customer in Pennsylvania who invited us to the Penn State v Ohio State football game. Gramps and Grandmother Jane were our first overnight babysitters. They drove in Friday night, and I flew out Saturday morning ( I was so sick but wanted to go anyway). I did better than I thought I would. I had pumped myself up all week, and was fine the whole time I was gone. I knew Gramps and Grandmother would take good care of the twins....I was never worried about that. Anyway, T and E did fine and reacted very strangely when David and I returned home. They just looked at us like, "Oh, you are back," and went about their business.....no excitement....nothing. I think they had a great time and wore Gramps and Grandmother out. They ate well, napped well, played well, and slept well at night. It was a successful weekend.

Halloween was lots of fun. I was too sick to take the twins to any of the pre-Halloween activities I had planned but was feeling much better when the actual night arrived. T and E were "Cuddly Elephants" for Halloween though David says they were "Roll Tide Elephants" (he never mentioned the Roll Tide bit until after Halloween was over. I made sure they had their Razorback onesies on under their costumes.) We only took them to three houses in the neighborhood and then went to the Kernen's (their adopted grandparents) house. Thomas and Elizabeth were good sports even though they were tired and not particularly fond of their head pieces. We didn't get pics that night because it was too dark but will take pics in their costumes this weekend. They really were adorable...I'm not partial -- not me.

We are starting Storytime at the library tomorrow, and I am really excited about it. The twins love books and love to be read to. I will let you know how it goes.

Well Visit

Elizabeth and Thomas had their 15 month Well Visit yesterday. It was an interesting visit in that both of them had a fit before the doctor came in to see them. Thomas' fit was so bad his entire body was covered in red hives when the doctor came in. "What's going on?" she asked. I answered, "You just missed his fit." She smiled and said, "That would explain the hives." Besides that their visit went well. Thomas weighs 22 lbs. 15 oz. and is 29 3/4 inches long. Both of these fall in the 25th percentile for his age and gender which is a BIG jump for him. He is finally in the "white area" of the chart :) Elizabeth weighs 19 lbs. and 13 oz. and is 28 1/2 inches long which puts her in the 5th percentile for her age and gender...still in the "red area" of the chart. Sweet Elizabeth may never reach 20lbs! Both T and E are proportionate in height and weight so no worries. Thomas' head circumference is 18 1/4 cm, and Elizabeth's is 18 cm. I can't remember the percentiles for these measurements...their brains are growing!

So far, T and E don't seem to feel bad from their shots. I took them to My Gym after their appointment yesterday, and playgroup met at the zoo today. They had such a good time at the zoo. They loved the bears, monkeys, penguins and sea lions. I wish I had taken the video camera. They both got so excited whenever they saw the animals. E kept pointing and talking while T squealed and waved his arms. I love to see them react to the world around them. They have been to the zoo four times now and seem to enjoy it more with each visit. I had a good time too. I enjoy the conversation with the other ladies.

All in all we have had one busy week. We went to My Gym Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday; saw the pediatrician on Wednesday; and went to the zoo today. That means tomorrow we will HAVE to go grocery shopping. Lately, T and E have been really impatient while grocery shopping. Imagine that....impatient 15 month olds. I can't say much because I am not a very patient person myself. We will have to get the shopping done tomorrow. I try to stay clear of the store on the weekends....it is a mad house.

Off to watch some mindless t.v.

15 Months

Elizabeth and Thomas are 15 months old now and seem so big....not babies anymore.

Elizabeth is walking more and more though she still prefers crawling or pushing her "scooter" as David calls it. She can point to her nose, head, mouth, and eye but still gets a little confused at times. She likes to point to said items on other people too. She waves "bye-bye" and says mama and daDI. E continues to love books and will bring books to us to read. E likes to point to pictures as we read. She likes to "pat-pat" her brother and will lay her head on him to "love" on him. Sometimes T tolerates this but not always. E has become a picky eater and changes her mind frequently about what she likes. Cheese is the only constant....and fruit. She uses the signs for "milk, more, and all done" mostly during meal time though she will sign to request milk after naptime. She pretty much uses the sign for milk to mean any sort of drink. Elizabeth follows some simple commands (ie "give thomas his bib, hand me a diaper, bring it to me"), and she laughs out loud when she farts --definitely our child :)

Thomas walks really well when holding two hands and just yesterday started walking while only holding one of David's hands....it won't be long. He is SO fast when pushing his scooter now that he is practically running. He too loves his books and "throws" books at us that he wants us to read. Just like his sister, he loves to point to pictures for us to name. His dog book is definitely his favorite. I'm not sure how long it will last before we need to buy him another one. T says mama, but that is his only word right now. He waved "bye-bye" today for the first time while I read Pat the Bunny! It was wonderful! Thomas is a pickier eater than his sister right now and changes his mind daily on his likes/dislikes. Like E, cheese and fruit are his constant likes. He uses the signs for "more and all done" and screechingly refuses to use the sign for milk :) He will point to it though.....much better than his screaming. T follows some simple commands (i.e. "bring it to me, show me the tractor, get your dog book"). Thomas is my behavioral challenge at the moment. He throws kicking, bucking, screaming fits especially when having his diaper changed. I tried to ignore them but have started putting him in "time out" for his fits which consists of a pack and play in our bedroom. Once he calms down I go and get him and explain that big boys don't throw fits. One day I'm sure he will get me for writing these posts....oh well.

We are still taking the twins to My Gym and more classes for their age group have been added. I am going to try to get them there at least three times a week. We are meeting up for playgroup with about five other moms once a week, and that is going really well. T and E love to play with their friends. I will try to take some pics next time. I am also planning on registering them for story time at the local library which is held once a week. They will love that, and so will I. I have heard it is hard to get registered because the classes fill up fast. We will keep our fingers crossed.

I am taking E and T to the pediatrician for their 15 month well visit this Wednesday and will post their growth updates.

I'm off to do my Monday chores :)

Sick

I slept with Elizabeth last night for the first time in a LONG time. Everyone in our house is sick though Thomas and Elizabeth have it the worst. ( I don't think I am sick) Crud...lots of crud... in their noses, chests, etc. Ears were clear as of Monday. Anyway, E was coughing with almost every breath it seemed in spite of her new medicine that is supposed to stop the cough. So, I put her in the guest bed with me. I sat up and she slept on my chest. That is how she slept when we first brought her home from the hospital because she was so congested from reflux. She is in her bed now.....hope she sleeps better tonight.

Thomas, on the other hand, slept pretty well for a sick fella. I only remember going in to see about him once last night.

I'm keeping them home this week -- no My Gym, no play group -- just the errands that have to be run. Hopefully they will be well soon.

Elizabeth Can...

Family Coming

We haven't had any company since the twins' birthday party so we are excited about our company coming. Auntie, Uncle Gary, and cousin Eric will be here this afternoon. T and E have never met their Uncle Gary or cousin Eric so that should be exciting. Gramps and possibly Grandmother Jane will be arriving tonight. Great Uncle Jimmy is coming in Friday. I should probably mention Daddy will be home today. He has been out of town on business since Monday. We have lots planned for our company like going to the zoo, Edventure, and shoe shopping. Now that T and E spend so much time walking with their walker thingys they need some shoes. Hopefully, Auntie will help me take the twins shopping.


I'm off to enjoy my quiet time and coffee.

I am Speed

One of Thomas' first pair of pajamas had a character from the cartoon movie "Cars" on the front. In big letters across his chest were the words "I am Speed." One night I read it to Thomas in a silly voice. "I am Speed, I am Speed" He giggled everytime I said it. So for a while it kind of stuck and for several months I knew if I said "I am Speed" in that voice, I could make him laugh. There's nothing better than hearing the twins laugh so whenever I can figure out how to do it I make the most of it.

When the twins learned how to walk behind their little walker-thingys, they gained a new kind of "freedom." Sometimes it's as if they're racing each other around the house. Elizabeth so far has the speed advantage, but I'm sure it won't be long before Thomas is giving her a run for it. It's so fun to watch them race around the house so we thought we'd share it with everyone via a new video we call "I am Speed."

Sleep deprived.......again

David and I are once again sleep deprived. Why? I have one word.....PACIFIERS. We are up and down the stairs 4 maybe 5 times each night looking for pacifiers with a pin light. It is driving me CRAZY! I would rather be up nursing every three hours.....at least I would be providing nourishment while being sleep deprived and would know about what time I could expect to be up again. Pardon the crankiness. David and I are both puzzled.....should we take the pacifiers away? We think it is time......Can we take the crying? Now that the twins are out of the "crying it out" phase we will definitely have to psyche ourselves back up for more crying phases. Everything we (david) has read says the longer we wait the harder it will be.

Any advice?

Mama

Thomas called me Mama tonight. I wasn't sure if he was calling me mama or just babbling, but he would say it as he crawled toward me. This happened several times. I can't put into words how it made me feel...how I am still feeling.

Play Group

We went to our first playgroup yesterday and had a great time. Blair, one of the moms who I met at My Gym organized the group. I have been wanting to do something in addition to My Gym to increase the twins' chances for socialization with other kids but am not the organizer/leader type. Five moms, including me, met for lunch and then went to Blair's house so the kids could play. Elizabeth and Thomas had a great time and loved Mily's toys. The grown-ups had a good time as well. I was afraid Thomas would be the only boy, but there were two others. We are going to meet again next week.

It is so bittersweet watching T and E grow. I watch proudly as they play independently and alongside other children, and then they come to me with hugs or pats as if to say " ah, there you are" and are off again. I want my children to grow into little independent people ready to take on the world all the while knowing they have me as a safety net.

Thomas pulled up today!

I am sad to say that I did not see him do it, but Thomas pulled up to stand in his pack and play. I was in the bathroom getting dressed and heard him talking very loudly and happily. I peaked in and he was standing up smiling at me! He has been trying very hard to pull himself up...what a work ethic my boy has. All that hard work paid off today.

Smiles from Twinland :)

13 Months Old

Happy Birthday Elizabeth and Thomas! They turned 13 months old yesterday. My how things have changed in one month. The only baby food they eat now is the fruits and the cereal. They love deli meat, cheddar cheese, provolone cheese, scrambled eggs, yogurt, green beans, stewed carrots, new potatoes, tortellini with red sauce, graham crackers, and bagel (whole wheat and blueberry). They also love fresh banana, peaches, and plum. Thomas likes cantaloupe and pineapple, but Elizabeth does not. It is so funny watching them feed themselves. They will look at the table to see what their other choices are and definitely let me know when they are not happy with whatever food I have picked up for them. They are down to one bottle a day, and it is at bedtime. T and E are doing much better with cow's milk, thank goodness. I have started giving them a cup of water when they wake up from their afternoon nap. They are usually pretty thirsty. They still take two naps a day. Every time I think they are about to fade their morning nap out they fool me. It makes no difference to me. I figure they will let me know when they don't need that morning nap anymore.

T and E went to a birthday party last Friday and had a great time. They ate cupcake for the first time. They were homemade and delicious...or at least Thomas and I thought so. Elizabeth did not like them. I can't believe I have a child who won't eat a cupcake. I'm sure it is a passing phase :) They had Capri Sun in their cups and sucked it down! The three of us had a good time. It was a great way to get the weekend started.

Elizabeth is cruising around the furniture now and walking behind a push toy completely by herself. I'm guessing she will be walking by Thanksgiving. Thomas loves to walk behind the push toy too but is not as steady on his feet. We have a baby gate for their bedroom door but need some for the kitchen. I need some way to keep them better contained....for their safety.

The more they move the busier I get.

Thomas is mobile!

Yes, you correctly read the title....Thomas is mobile! He has been so frustrated lately watching his sister move all over the place, but he has finally found his own way of crawling. Until today we weren't sure how he was moving. We would put him in one area of a room and a few minutes later would see him in a totally different area. Don't think we leave him unattended...For example, while I was bathing Elizabeth I left Thomas in their room (door gated) by the bookshelf. When Elizabeth and I returned to the nursery he was by the door. This evening when David got home we saw Thomas' version of crawling. He sort of moves like a crab....he moves by getting on both hands, one knee, and one foot and then sits and then repeats the whole sequence. Make sense? We are going to try to get it on video. I was almost in tears tonight when he moved himself from the kitchen to the living room -- the first time he has ever been able to get to another room without assistance. He was SO proud of himself.

Yay Thomas!

Feeling Brand New

I went to a Moms of Twins Club meeting last night and feel like a brand new woman. I spent two hours with women! I had an uninterruped dinner, yummy dessert, and lots of conversation. I joined a few committees and am looking forward to our upcoming consignment sale. I am determined to be an active participant this year because I need the socialization, and the twins need time with someone other than me. I left the twins with David, and Thomas was screaming when I walked out the door...not because I was leaving. We weren't sure why he was so mad, but he got over it quickly I was told. David had leftovers in the frig for supper and had good play time with the twins before giving them their bottles and putting them to bed. When I got home all was quiet. I'll bet David enjoyed the night as much as I did.

Opinions are like.....

b---holes...Everybody has one and most of them stink. That is what I wanted to tell a lady at Wal-Mart yesterday. The twins and I were doing our grocery shopping when a lady noticed that T and E had pacifiers in their mouths. It's no secret...our babies are attached to their pacifiers. They LOVE them. I challenge anyone to get them to sleep without one. The lady was quick to let me know that she took the pacifier away from her children once they turned one ---"but your twins can't be one yet. They are so small." I answered, "They are small for their age, but they were preemies." Once she found out my babies were one she began her lecture of the whens, whys, and hows of getting rid of the pacifier. When I say lecture I am not using the term loosely. This stranger was giving me "a talking to" about how I really needed to take the pacifiers away. I was very polite and said several times, "I am just not ready to take on that challenge."

Why do strangers feel the need to give their opinions concerning children and how to raise them?

Lifesavers of the First Year

Now that the birthday party has come and gone along with all the company I have had moments here and there to reflect on the twins' first year of life. I have gone back and read twinchronicles from the beginning and been so happy David decided we start our own blog. While it hasn't been the greatest blog -- I'm not a gifted writer -- it has served its purpose in keeping our family members up to date on the twins and their continuous development. As I have looked back I have tried to come up with a list of things that "saved our lives" this first year. They may not work for all new parents and some may not agree with them, but they worked for us. Take them or leave them:

1. On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam
This book was recommended by some good friends of ours while I was pregnant, and it saved our lives in terms of getting the twins on a good eating/sleeping schedule. I have found more bad reviews of "Babywise" on the internet than good, but it worked for us. I have found most moms who belong to the Moms of Twins Club recommend this book and its principles as well.

2. Jennifer from grad school
A mother of two small children herself she answered every "HELP!" email I sent. She was so supportive and non-judgemental when T and E were screaming rather than napping, and her advice helped tremendously. I can hear her saying "consistency is key." No matter how stupid my questions were from letting the twins cry to what to feed them and when Jennifer was always ready to help.

3. My huge nursing pillow from Aunt Peggy
Being able to nurse my twins at the same time was a huge lifesaver in terms of time management and sleep for both me and David. I don't know what I would have done without that thing. David has asked if we still need it....I'm not ready to let go of it (haha). I loved nursing T and E!!

4. Breastfeeding Class
I took this class while I was pregnant and am so thankful I did. Most of what I thought I knew about breastfeeding was wrong. Taking the class was extremely helpful and lessened the stress once the twins were born.

5. The Lactation Center
Every single lactation specialist I came into contact with was wonderful. They came to my room when the twins were born.....there was one present the first time I tried to nurse each of the twins in the NICU....one came to see me before Thomas was discharged and before Elizabeth was discharged....I have called the Warm Line (help hotline) numerous times and been called back every single time....they fit me for good nursing bras ( my boobs were HUGE and my Target bra was not getting the job done.), weighed the babies for free....let me nurse the twins in the Lactation Boutique....the list goes on and on.

6. Baby Swings
Before we bought the swings David and I never got to eat supper at the same time or without one of the twins screaming in the background. We bought swings that sit low to the ground, play music, and have a "light show". Thomas and Elizabeth loved them from the start. We have used them for so many different activities....they drank their bottles in the swings, watched Baby Einstein (while David and I ate supper) in their swings, had juice time on the porch, etc. As of this week they have outgrown their swings. They now have their cups in their booster seats and watch Baby Einstein while sitting on the floor.

*** If there is one regret I have in terms of using area resources for help it would be joining the Moms of Twins Club earlier. I didn't join until January of this year and haven't been able to be as involved as I would have liked to be. If I could do it over I would have joined while I was pregnant. The club is so helpful to those on bed rest or those with babies in the NICU. I wish I would have had access to this wonderful group of ladies before the twins were born. I would definitely recommend to any woman pregnant with multiples to find an area Moms of Twins or Moms of Multiples group. Whenever I have questions about the twins I can email the group and get tons of answers and differing opinions. It is a great resource. I plan on becoming more active with the group now that the twins are older. I need the friends, and the twins need "Daddy Time".

Of course, our family members and friends have been great as well, but these "top six" are tips that anybody could use (except the Jennifer one....not going to post her email address).

I hope this post helps anyone out there who might be expecting more than one miracle.

1st Time at the Beach....and Measles

Thomas and Elizabeth had their first beach experience recently. Last Sunday we drove to Hilton Head to visit Tim and Helen, some friends who used to live in Georgia but now live in Delaware. They go to HH every summer with their family and were nice enough to invite us to stay with them for a few days. It is only a three hour drive from us so we took off when it was time for the twins' morning nap. They were good travelers though they did not have much of a nap. We went to the pool Sunday afternoon -- the resort had a great baby pool. T and E LOVED it crawling, splashing, going under (accidentally), swallowing water, etc. They were not the least bit afraid of the water. On Monday we took them to the beach once they woke up from their morning nap, and they really loved it. I was certain Elizabeth wouldn't like the sand since she has her "sensory issues", but she proved me wrong. They both loved playing in the sand....the wet sand where the surf came in. They loved the water. We really had to watch E because she would crawl in the water deeper and deeper without stopping. It didn't matter if it was covering her mouth/face she just kept crawling. They both made funny faces whenever they got saltwater in their mouths! I remember my first taste of the ocean...Yuck! E was good about keeping her sun hat on, but T didn't like his. We finally gave up on his hat. No worries...they were bathed in sunscreen... Helen and I made sure of that. Helen's family had a huge tent like contraption that the twins sat under to have their lunch. The weather was perfect -- not too hot and there was a nice breeze blowing. T and E played a little after eating their lunch but were getting sleepy. We took them to the pool to get some of the sand off, and then they both had baths and a nice long afternoon nap. David and I had a nap as well -- we were on vacation, right?

The entire trip was wonderful! There were lots of grown-ups and big kids who played and fussed over the twins. T and E loved the attention, and David and I loved having the breaks. We haven't gotten to visit with Tim and Helen much at all since we got married so that was nice as well. It was refreshing for me to get out of the house and around other adults. The sun was heavenly and no gnats there! The gnats are so awful at our house that we rarely go outside...they swarm T and E.

We have lots of cute pictures from the trip and will post them soon.

Now the twins aren't feeling so well. They have slight cases of the measles from their vaccinations. Technically, they have not had a fever (E's was 100.5 tonight....pediatrician does not consider that a fever) so I hope we have not exposed anyone so far. I didn't realize what was going on until Friday afternoon. When I spoke to the nurse she talked to me like I was an idiot. I have a good mind to call and complain about her. I definitely have my moments (numerous moments) of insecurity as a firt time mom, and the last thing I need is to be "talked down to" when I am concerned for my children's health. I can't imagine I am the only mom in history to call about vaccination concerns. I read the information sheets about each vaccination but wanted to talk to a health professional to ease my mind. Initially I thought it might be a sun rash, but the more I thought I kept hearing my inner voice saying "vaccinations.....vaccinations... vaccinations." It clearly states on each info. sheet to call/report any concerns. Anyway, I haven't decided whether I will call and complain or not. Any opinions out there?

Birthday Party Recoup

The last of our company is gone. Callie flew out about 5:30 yesterday evening. I am always so sad when my family leaves but try to keep my tears to myself. No need to upset anybody if it can be avoided, right?

The birthday party was a success. The food was great ( I did not cook...had it catered) and friends and family were wonderful. David and I were afraid Thomas and Elizabeth would be miserable with so many people and so much noise, but they had a blast. They enjoyed their cousins, enjoyed hamming it up for pictures before the festivities began, enjoyed birthday cake, and they enjoyed playing while I, along with their cousins,opened gifts. Most of our family seemed to be happy with how things went. I wanted the day to be a celebration of life...the twins' first year. David and I are so blessed to have been given these extraordinary children, and to have had the ability to celebrate their first year. Many parents don't get that much time with their children. As parents our children are a gift from God....on loan until he is ready to call them home.

On a much lighter note, Callie went with me to the pediatrician's office on Monday for the twins' 12 month well visit. Thomas weighed in at 20 lbs and 1 oz, and measured 28 inches long. Elizabeth weighed in at 17 lbs and 8 oz and measured 27 1/2 inches long. They remain in the 5th and tenth percentiles in terms of height and weight -- not a concern because they are proportionate. Neither David nor I are big adults so we don't expect to have big children. Thomas is not crawling, but the doctor was not concerned....she said crawling was no longer considered a developmental milestone because it is not really necessary. She did say that she wanted Thomas to be able to pull to stand independently and to get from a lying position to a sitting position independently by his 15 month checkup. If he is not performing those two skills by then she will send him to an orthopedist and a physical therapist. Callie who is a physical therapist gave me some exercises to do with Thomas to help him along. She also told me to "stop giving in to him" when he fusses. I have already had him working this morning. As you know, I have been concerned with the twins' milk intake and talked to the pediatrician about this as well. She said they needed at least 12 oz of milk a day but no more than 20 oz. If I can't get them to drink 12 oz a day then focus on calcium rich foods such as yogurt, cottage cheese and other cheeses. She was not opposed to giving them strawberry or chocolate milk -- just wants them to get their calcium. I feel much better now that I have some guidelines and won't feel like a bad mom if I have to resort to choc. milk. They each got three shots (MMR, HepA, and chicken pox) one in each arm and one in a leg. I am so glad Callie was with me to comfort them. Needless to say they were both mad. I don't think I have ever heard Elizabeth scream that loud. All in all in was a good checkup.

Here's to another year full of excitement!

Hide and Seek

Elizabeth has developed a new game for mommy now that she has discovered the freedoms her mobility has allowed. She hides things....toys, diapers, books. Lately, during my nightly ritual of picking up toys I have been unable to find blocks, puzzle pieces, etc. Yesterday I discovered that Elizabeth had put those items up for me but in her own place. She likes to hide things in the changing table, under the changing table, and her swing. I laugh each time I find a toy in a new place. She seems to have so much fun taking things out of place and finding a new place for them. She is such her own little person. Today she learned she could take the diapers out of the diaper hanger and spread them on the floor. We played a great game of throwing them up in the air and watching them fall. Thomas laughed until he couldn't breathe! He loved this game.

Speaking of Thomas, he has developed quite a temper. I think he is becoming frustrated that he can not move and get things that he wants which results in him screaming at the top of his lungs. Several times this morning he was so mad I had to just leave him be to have his fit. Other times he wanted me to hold him, but it lasted for about a millisecond, and he would fling himself in the floor. Where did my easy going baby boy go? Poppy will love Thomas' temper.....says I need to pay for my raising.

We are welcoming our first round of family tonight. Mama, Jo, Grace, Caitlyn, Caroline, and MaryJo are on their way, and I am so excited! I can't wait to see them. I think David is excited too.

Gotta go...naptime almost over.

Progress at the Gym!

I took Elizabeth and Thomas to My Gym yesterday morning, and they had such a good morning! Neither one of them cried until the very end of the class, and I am assuming it was because they were tired. Elizabeth didn't cry during separation time at all. I was so proud of her! She crawled off to do her own thing several times, and after a few minutes would look back to see where I was. I was completely thrilled! They both tried new skills....no crying. I should mention it was a calmer class with fewer children, and the children were weirdly calm. They all must have been tired from Independence Day celebrations. I'm hoping this is a sign that they won't be too miserable at their birthday party with all of the family and friends we are expecting.

Both Elizabeth and Thomas drank their milk at lunch yesterday, but they did not drink much today....disappointing. We will keep trying. They are both napping now. Time to do some much needed housework. I've been so busy running errands and making phone calls this week that I haven't done my "daily chores". Hmmm, I hate the way that sounds.

News

It turns out my husband is a pretty smart guy. I tried his recommendation -- giving the twins milk before their solids today at lunch, and it worked. Both T and E drank a little over 3 ounces of very cold cow's milk Yay!

They have actually tried many new table foods so far. Here is a list:

Turkey (deli meat) T liked, E did not
Ham (deli meat) T liked, E did not
Cheddar cheese T liked, E did too
PBJ sandwich T liked, E did too
Whole wheat bread T liked, E did not
Biscuit with jelly T liked, E did too

I plan on trying cantoloupe this evening. They are ever changing little people.

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I made cookies yesterday during the twins' afternoon nap. It was the first time I have baked since they were born. David had hinted several times for me to make CC cookies, and we were going to a cook out last night so I thought I would bake. They turned out really well! When David got home from work he shared his cookie with T and E, and they LOVED it! Not really such a big surprise to me. CC cookies before birthday cake....had not been my plan but who cares? It was funny listening to their "more" sounds, especially Thomas' sounds.

Gotta go! Pack and play time is over.

Two Refusals!

Neither T nor E would drink their milk after lunch today. They had green beans and rice and strawberry yogurt -- shared about 14 oz. Maybe they were too full? I'm not sure because after they ate I had a sandwich and a banana. Thomas wanted some turkey and did well eating it. He and E both had some banana with me so I am thinking they couldn't have been too full for milk. David suggested we try giving them the milk first and then giving them solids....I don't know....

Gym -- Milk Update

I took the twins to My Gym this morning, and they both had a better day. They still cried some, but Thomas more willingly tried new skills even laughing during some of them but crying a little after each was over. Elizabeth tried as well but cried during each try. She cried again during separation time....practice, practice. Thomas has done well with the separation time ( I should mention here that Thomas loves women and is surrounded by pretty girls during separation time) but doesn't like the clean up afterward. He doesn't want to put the balls up......LOVES THEM! I was exhausted when we got home..so out of shape! Thought about napping during the twins' afternoon nap, but decided against it.. would be a waste of time. I cut foam for my dining room chairs instead -- fun fun!

Neither T nor E drank much cow's milk today, but they ate more solids than usual. I did not give either one a bottle of formula but did try formula in a cup for E. She refused so I thought I would go with it....see what happens. The worst case scenario would be waking up early from nap wanting something to eat. So far that has not happened. I'm guessing that now is the time that food will become more important than fluid intake? I talked to Daddy about it this morning, and he said some babies just don't like milk.... give her water or juice and make sure she eats well. Of course, he encouraged me to keep trying the milk.....sometimes it just takes time. I don't like milk myself, but I don't want to impose my likes or dislikes on my children.

I got the twins' birthday outfits in the mail today, and they are just precious! I'm not sure if Thomas' will fit so I will have to try it on as soon as he wakes so I can exchange it if necessary. I spent more than I should have, but you only have one first birthday, right? It's only money, right? We can't take it with us when we go...Besides, I plan on having A LOT of things to sell at the twins club consignment sale in the fall.


Birthday party countdown.... 1 week and four days.

New Experiences.....New Refusals

We had a great weekend with Aunt JoJo and Poppy. It was hard to see them leave this morning as is always the case when I have to say good-bye. They will be back in two weeks though for the birthday party. Thomas and Elizabeth had a good time with them both, and David took some outstanding pics. He never disappoints, that husband of mine.

Yesterday we tried giving the twins cow's milk in their cups following their lunch. Thomas drank a little bit, but Elizabeth kept spitting her milk out. So, I ended up giving them both a bottle of formula. I tried again today, and Thomas drank a little over 3 ounces (yay!) Elizabeth spit hers out again and drank a bottle of formula. Our baby girl is remaining true to form...she refused the bottle at first and now cow's milk. She takes her juice really well from the cup so I know the cup is not the issue. We will keep trying. I guess we may have to try soy milk if she continues to spit her cow's milk out. No worries at this point.

Any advice from those who have been there?

Birthday party countdown....two weeks.

Another day at the gym...

I took the twins to My Gym again this morning, and there were three sets of twins there counting Thomas and Elizabeth. Weird, huh? There were lots more kids present today than there were Tuesday. It went a little better for Thomas. He cried less and seemed a little more comfortable. He could not take his eyes off Mr. Travis, the teacher. Both T and E enjoyed the opening circle time which included some silly warm up activities and songs. They both clapped, grinned, and giggled a little bit. Elizabeth had a tougher day today. She cried almost everytime I put her down. No worries though. It will just take some time for them to get used to it all. Again, I was exhausted and sweaty after the class. T and E were so tired neither of them made a sound on the ride home. I was afraid they had fallen asleep, but they had not. They had a great lunch and are napping at the moment. When they wake up they will have three big surprises... Daddy will be home (he has been out of town since Wednesday), and Poppy and Aunt JoJo will be here too.

I can't wait!

Big Day

The twins had a really BIG day today! I took them to a place called My Gym which I am assuming is a lot like a Gymboree. David and I have been recently discussing the twins' need to get out around other kids and adults and my need to do the same. So, today was the day. We were in a class for 23 months to 2 1/2 year olds because the class for the twins' age group is during their morning nap. I think it went well considering it was their first time, and there were ten other children present along with their moms. They did cry quite a bit....when "performing a skill" with the teacher or when another child screamed with delight.....all things they need to get used to and will I am sure of it. There was a portion of the class designated to working on separation anxiety in which the moms went to the lobby area (still in the same room...it is all one huge room). The teacher sat Thomas in a turtle sandbox that was full of plastic balls, and he never even knew I was gone...he loved it. Elizabeth screamed, and I do mean screamed the entire time. Again, something they need to learn. I told Elizabeth upon my return that "mommy always comes back." I was thrilled with the program and the teacher though completely exhausted after the class. I plan on taking the twins at least twice a week. I would like to take them on some Saturdays so David can go as well.

Once we got home from My Gym the twins were ready for their lunch which included some new foods. I gave them some really soft bite size carrots to try. Thomas liked them but got frustrated trying to feed himself. He squeezed them to bits in his chubby little hands. Elizabeth did not like the carrots but had a great time squeezing them and trying to throw them in the floor....a behavior I need to address quickly. They also ate some graham crackers for the first time and both loved them. Of course it was easier for T and E to feed themselves the crackers so there was no frustration. Unlike his sister, Thomas does not like it when food hits the floor. He stares at it and vocalizes as if saying, "hey mama, pick that up....it is supposed to be in my mouth."

I think all of these new adventures in one day has made T and E so tired. I bet they have a good afternoon nap.....I hope.

New play area....new favorite game

Until recently the twins play area was a large quilt in the living room floor. That worked out well until E started crawling everywhere. Gone are the days of sitting her down and being able to walk out of the room without worrying about what she can get in to. We have a sitting area in our kitchen that has been empty since we moved in. My plan has always been to buy a rug and move the twins' play area into the kitchen since that is where we (David, me and babies) are most of the time. David surprised me with a new rug Monday night (yea!) On Tuesday I moved everything into the "keeping room" which is what I have been told is the proper name for the sitting area. I love it, T and E love it, we all love it! The twins have found a new game since their play area has been moved. E will get her round blue block and toss/roll it around and chase after it. T loves to watch her and now joins in. Of course, I chase his block for him at this point. It is great fun for all of us though I suspect crawling on the hardwood is harder on my knees than E's.

I will try to get it on video.

T has a tooth!

T has a tooth barely poking through!

l.////////////////////////d says E


b says T

Happy Father's Day

Ten years ago I took my father out to dinner to celebrate Father's Day. A short time later, I received a letter from him. In the letter he thanked me for dinner, offered me some fatherly advice, and closed with this:

"Someday I hope you have a son to love as much as I love you."

I came across this letter a few weeks ago while re-arranging my closet. I didn't even remember saving it but I'm sure glad I did.

You see, eleven months ago my father's hope was realized when my son Thomas was born. On the same day I was blessed to not only have a new son to love but a beautiful daughter as well.

The meaning of Father's Day has changed forever for me now. Now I know that there is nothing in the world more special than being a father. I strive to be as good a father to Elizabeth and Thomas as my Dad is to me.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Someday I hope my son loves me as much as I love you.

Rest in peace, sweet Liam

My blogging friend lost one of her twins this morning. He recently had a shunt put in to relieve pressure off his brain from hydrocephaly. The doctors found he had much more damage to his brain than the ultrasounds had shown. Little Liam fought as long as he could...it was just too much for him. He passed away while lying on his mother's chest next to his father. May he feel peace as well as his family.

Another sweet angel in heaven....

I am thankful for Kate allowing us to share in her story and have been touched by her and her sweet family in an indescribable way. To read her story go to http://ingliseast.typepad.com/

11 Months Old!

Yesterday, Thomas and Elizabeth turned 11 months old! They had a pretty good day though they have been a little puny. I took them to the pediatrician on Monday because they have been REALLY fussy and playing with their ears. I thought they might be teething, but being a speech pathologist I was worried they might have an ear infection. Their ears were clear, no new teeth emerging, but they both had really red throats. They were negative for strep (whew!) so it may be viral. The doctor said to watch them and bring them back in if they get worse. Here's to getting better!


The twins went swimming for the very first time on Sunday! Our friends Marcus and Ann invited us over to their house for the afternoon to swim with their girls. They have a beautiful pool area in their backyard. Thomas and Elizabeth loved it! They didn't even seem to mind being coated with sunscreen. Their sun hats stayed on for most of the swim....they are not too fond of them but are learning. I fed them their supper poolside, and all went well until bottle time. That is when Thomas started having a "come apart". That was the moment that I felt like something was wrong with him and possibly Elizabeth.


Let's see....at eleven months what have they learned?


Elizabeth is crawling EVERYWHERE, clapping her hands and pulling to her knees consistently. She has pulled to stand a couple of times now. Bless her heart, she falls and hurts herself all the time now. E has two teeth but chews on everything...maybe more are coming? The bumper pads are out of her crib so she doesn't have anything to snuggle with as she did before. E seems to be doing ok with this but not sure mama and daddy are. It just seems so cold and hard without the bumper pads. Blankets aren't an option -- David says no...he is afraid of suffocation -- besides the fact that Elizabeth sleeps all over the place. There is absolutely no way she would stay covered up, and the blanket would wind up in the floor along with her pacifier. The other day I realized I only had one of her pacifiers in the "clean container".....I found three or four under her bed :) Elizabeth loves to play with shoes especially my tennis shoes and gets so excited when I put them on. She loves my birkenstocks as well, but I don't like to let her play with them because they are 13 years old....who knows what could be on them?! E loves her bed and is so good about waiting for me to come and get her whether it is from her nap or in the morning, and she is always so happy to see us when she wakes up. She is a happy baby and thinks funny faces are hysterical! She sounds like a grown-up when she laughs at our funny faces....such a cute cackle...reminds me of her Poppy. Elizabeth looks exactly like her daddy, and people notice it right away whenever he is holding her. She still clings to me and likes me in the room with her. Now that she is crawling she will follow me whenever I leave the room. I love to hear her hands patter on the hardwood floors....such a sweet sound. Her favorite food right now is strawberry bananas, and she doesn't seem to have a "full spot" when eating them. I recently tried giving Elizabeth formula in her cup, but she refused it. I decided to continue formula in the bottle and introduce whole milk in her cup in a couple of weeks. She does well drinking juice from her cup. Her favorite toys include board books and a duck from a farm puzzle/toy.

What about Thomas? He is really pullling away from Elizabeth in terms of their sizes. He weighs a little over twenty pounds while she weighs 17 pounds and 4 ounces. He drinks around three more ounces than she does per day though their solids are about the same. Thomas has started rolling over to sleep on his stomach which is SO weird! He has always preferred his back until recently. One morning I went to get the twins up from their morning nap, and Thomas was on his tummy looking as if he were swimming in a pool with his legs and arms kicking and moving at the same time. Since then he seems to roll onto his tummy after kicking on his back for awhile. He ABSOLUTELY LOVES his bed and squeals with delight whenever we lay him down. That is so comforting to both of us. Thomas no longer has his bumper pads either, but he was never one to cuddle up to them. He just recently started moving around in his bed while sleeping. Thomas likes to be put in Elizabeth's bed whenever he wakes up. He will sit up in her bed and just laugh and talk. She likes to go into his bed as well. Thomas continues to prefer standing up and has not shown much interest in crawling. He is reaching more for toys that are out of his reach and gets frustrated when he can't reach them. Thomas loves to pat his own belly while playing and continues to clap his hands. His favorite food? He likes most food -- HaHa!-- I don't think I can pick just one favorite for him. He likes bananas, Blueberry Buckle, vanilla custard, sweet potatoes, etc. I have started feeding them my yogurt instead of mixing baby food with plain yogurt. They like it better -- I'm sure because it has more sugar in it. It has bits of fruit in it so I figure it is good for teaching them how to move food around and begin to learn to chew. So far they seem to be tolerating the lactose. He is doing quite well drinking juice out of his sippy cup. I plan on trying whole milk in a couple of weeks. Thomas' favorite toys are board books, a farm puzzle/toy, and blocks. He screams at Elizabeth whenever she takes something from him, but she usually screams back. It is quite fun to watch.

It is amazing how much babies grow and develop in their first year of life. Thomas and Elizabeth have certainly come a long way since their birth. They are very happy babies who make us laugh every day, and we can't imagine life without them.

We are gearing up for their first birthday party and plan to have lots of family and some friends. More on that later.

We need an eleven year old...

Last weekend we had a bustling household....more so than usual. On Friday, Amanda, my best friend from home, and her daughter Hannah Beth drove from Arkansas for a visit. It was the first time either of them had been to South Carolina let alone our house. Gramps, Grandmother Jane, and Belle (their black lab) drove over on Saturday in their new motor home. They parked "the bus" in the cul de sac and plugged her up to our house....sounds funny doesn't it? It was really very nice. No complaints from the neighbors either. We also had a surprise visit from Donna and Jason who are some good friends from Georgia who now live in Charlotte. They brought their new baby Grayson who was born in December. They stopped by our house on their way to Charleston. I was so surprised and very happy to see them. Donna and I worked together in GA....miss her and the job. Anyway, we had a wonderful weekend with all of our guests. The twins are getting so much better when we have company in that they aren't as timid.

Thomas and Elizabeth LOVED Hannah Beth! They went right to her when she arrived which is quite rare. Typically they cling to me -- E more than T -- when we have company until they have time to warm up. Not with Hannah Beth or Amanda. They would reach for them --- something they have only done to David and I so far. Who knew an eleven year old could be SO helpful? Hannah Beth changed diapers, fed the babies table food, burped them at Baboo time, got them dressed, etc. You name it....she did it. It was so nice! T and E loved every minute of her visit. I think they missed her when she and Amanda left.

I told David we need to buy an eleven year old :)

More standing

Elizabeth pulled to stand in her crib this morning! She works so hard all day long.

Thomas had some good tummy time last night before bed. He pushed himself up higher than he ever has.

Wish I could write more....gotta go.

update

Elizabeth is crawling EVERYWHERE! Up until the end of last week she would only crawl on the rug or carpet -- would stop when she got to the hardwood. Now she is everywhere! Yesterday I had to spat her little hand for getting on the stairs. Afterwards she would crawl to the stairs and look back at me. Ah....learning "no" is so hard....hard for grown ups as well. This morning she pulled to stand on the exersaucer all by herself. She has been pulling to her knees while in her crib but got to her feet today. Life in the Hopkins' House is getting busier each day.

Thomas loves to watch his sister crawl. He gets so excited and talks and laughs while watching her. He loves to stand but has not tried pulling himself to stand. All in his own time.....

I got the twins' birthday party invitations in the mail over the weekend, and David and I plan to get started on them tonight. We are going to have mostly family and a few of our friends over. I found out over the weekend that my aunt is going to bring Franny and Grandaddy to the party. I am so glad they are going to be able to come! They have not been to our house yet and don't get to see the twins enough. That pretty much means my whole family will be here. Thanks, Aunt Peg!

It is so hard to believe they are almost one year old. We have had such a good year.

E is clapping!

Elizabeth started clapping her hands....was it today or last nigh? I can't remember lol! Anyway, she is clapping!

Bye-bye Feeding Fort

The "feeding fort" was officially dissassembled yesterday. For those of you who don't know, the feeding fort was a compilation of pillows and blankets piled in the floor of the nursery used exclusively for nursing the twins once they outgrew their gigantic nursing pillow. I knew they had outgrown their nursing pillow when Elizabeth rolled off into the floor. That was when I made the decision to nurse them while sitting in the floor, and the feeding fort was created. It reminded me of my sister Jo who is very crafty at "building" things like the feeding fort. Thomas and Elizabeth have been completely weaned from the breast for a couple of weeks now, but I was just unable to clean up the feeding fort. Yesterday, while changing their crib sheets I knew it was time. David seemed quite surprised when I told him the feeding fort was gone. I do still have two blankets down for getting the twins dressed and for a play area.

Elizabeth is starting to try to pull up on things. She will raise one arm to grab onto something (usually me but has also tried the exersaucers, her crib, and the couch) but seems unsure of what to do next. Thomas has started moving around more both in his crib and on the floor -- rolling that is. Thomas has always slept on his back but recently has been on his side when David and I go in for our bed time peeks. Elizabeth sleeps ALL OVER THE PLACE. It is funny how the personalities they had while in the NICU are still pretty much the same. Thomas is the quieter, laid back baby, and Elizabeth is still a firecracker whose cry can shatter glass (and eardrums).

Oh, how we love our babies!

Happy to report....

I am very happy to report that my blogging friend's twins are doing better and getting stronger everyday. Ben is off the ventilator, and Liam is currently being weaned from the ventilator. She got to hold both babies at the same time yesterday and has a beautiful picture on her blog. Go to http://ingliseast.typepad.com/ to view her blog and recent pics.

My twins are doing great! Elizabeth will crawl anywhere except on the hardwood floors. She just slides whenever she tries to crawl there. Thomas is really watching his sister move and starting to act a little sad that he can't....poor little guy. I'm not worried. He will move when he is ready. They may be twins, but they are different babies and will develop on their own timetables.

DAdadada

Thomas started saying dadadada today. He said it tonight until he fell asleep. David is away but could hear him when I put the phone up to the monitor. Sweet, sweet boy....

10 months old and so thankful!

T and E are ten months old now and are so healthy and strong. I am so thankful for this and so many other things. I have recently found an acquaintence/friend in the "blogging world" who gave birth to her identical twin boys at 28 weeks due to acute twin to twin transfusion. They are both in the NICU and having lots of problems as would be expected at such an early gestational age. I can't get her and her babies out of my head. I read her blog ferociously, but at the same time I can't/don't want to read it. I know what we went through with T and E at 36 weeks gestation and know it could have been so much worse. I sympathize with my new friend and wish I could console her. Now I want to look at T and E longer during our "night time peek" before David and I go to sleep. They are beautiful, amazing creatures.

At ten months we have had lots of changes. E is pretty much crawling though it is still a little awkward for her. She talks all the time and has started screaming as loud as she can when she wants a response from me ( I remember my niece MaryJo doing this at about the same age). She is testing her mom's resolve in that she thinks No is funny and will look at me when she is knowingly doing something she is not supposed to....the fun begins.

T is sitting up all by himself and loves to clap his hands. He still hates his tummy and doesn't role much. He has started talking/babbling more in the last couple of days. T remains the "quiet baby" for the most part except for when E is taking a toy away from him. He responds more appropriately to No than E does at this point. No teeth for T yet.

T and E have started fighting already....They scream at each other and take things away from each other. It is quite funny to watch them interacting from a distance. T is starting to take up for himself rather than letting E have whatever she wants. I know all siblings fight, but I do hope T and E are close.

T and E are completely weaned from the breast as of this past Saturday night. I had gotten down to only nursing them at bed time and was finally able to let go of that feeding. They didn't seem to miss it at all. I was sad of course and would have cried, but we were at a Karli's birthday party (Brett and Amy's baby girl). I think I chose their house subconsciously so that I wouldn't be able to get upset. I have found a sippy cup that is to T and E's liking -- Nuby is the brand. I have only given them juice out of it at this point but will start putting formula in it soon. I'm trying not to change too many things at once.

I have started giving the twins "self play time" in their pack and plays. This is when I put them in their pack and plays with a few toys and then leave the room -- they can't hear me or see me. This is to help them learn to play alone and to focus on one toy/task at a time. I started at ten minutes and have worked up to twenty minutes of self play time. They have done really well with this new concept and seem excited whenever I put them in their pack and plays. I want them to be able to play without Mommy or Daddy being right next to them. T and E both love their exersaucers and love it when I take them out on the porch to play. They love to have their bottles out on the back porch as well.

T and E are growing so fast. We are so blessed to have these beautiful creatures in our lives. I thank God for them everyday and pray he will guide David and I on our journey into parenthood.

More teeth...

E's second tooth is emerging...

9 month check-up

T and E's nine month check-up was a little late but went well. E weighs 15 lbs., 6 oz, and is 26 inches long. T weighs 17 lbs and is 27 inches long. I would have thought there was a bigger difference in their measurements by the way each one feels when holding them. They are only in the fifth percentile in terms of height and weight. However, they are in the 25th percentile in head circumference -- brains are growing :) They each had a rough morning because their appointment was during nap time. Thank goodness they only had to have two shots each -- hep B and polio. They are a little grumpy today which is to be expected. They have colds on top of today's vaccinations.

David's mom and stepdad are heading in to see us some time today. I hope T and E aren't too grumpy for their visit.

Back from Arkansas

We got back from Arkansas around 10:30 last night. We had a blast! The twins enjoyed seeing their cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great grandparents, and friends. E got her first tooth while we were there!

We are all tired. Will write more later.

Rocking...

E has been rocking on her hands and knees this morning.....baby gates here we come!

More changes...

Two big changes for T and E today. They both got a bottle this morning when they woke up instead of Mama's Milk. They didn't miss a beat -- sucked those bottles right down. T has been waking up REALLY early lately, and I think it is because he is not getting enough to eat during the day. Neither he nor E have been nursing well on a consistent basis -- maybe this is why he is hungry? I don't know. Anyway, I decided to take away their morning Mama's Milk, and will eventually take away their bedtime Mama's Milk. Their second big change was eating in their booster seats rather than their bouncey seats. They both looked SO big in their booster seats! They seemed to enjoy them -- who doesn't enjoy something new? However, it was much harder for them to hold their own bottles in the booster seats. They will get the hang of it I'm sure.

Tonight, during bedtime feeding E said mama! I know she was just babbling, but it sure sounded sweet!

Off to bed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Thomas and Elizabeth are nine months old today, and what a big day they have had already! T was hungry extra early this am -- guess he knew he was about to have a busy day. After their morning nap the photographer came to the house and took the twins' pictures. All of the pics were taken outside in the yard. E was very chatty and happy, but T was sort of grumpy. He had spurts of happiness but was mostly grumpy. As David would say, he was "the grump from frump." Anyway, the photographer was very good with them and extremely patient. I can't wait to see the prints!

Let's see.... at nine months E is ALL OVER THE PLACE! She is rolling everywhere, touching everything, and is SO close to crawling. Last night she rolled almost out of the nursery door from across the room. It is definitely time to get baby gates. We have lowered her mattress one notch because she could put her foot above the crib rail when turning over. What else has she learned....? She has learned to rip off her bib and open the bottom dresser drawer in the nursery -- learned that yesterday. She has also decided that the word "no" is very funny. Poor David is about to pay for my raising. E is also doing better at sitting up though she would rather be rolling around. E is really an independent baby and entertains herself unless she is sleepy. When sleepy she wants me in the room and/or holding her.

T has finally started moving around just in the past week during Auntie's visit. He is rolling onto his stomach when enticed by a toy. He does get tired pretty quickly, and boy, does he milk it :) He is talking more as well. He absolutely LOVES his exersaucer (thanks Brett and Amy)! He is happiest when standing, and he looks so big when standing up. He is better at sitting up than his sister, but I guess it is because he is not that interested in rolling. T has gotten better with entertaining himself, thanks to the saucer, but he does require more attention than E. T also loves his jumpy (hangs from the door facing). He and E love to jump and twirl around in these. They both continue to enjoy books. They love being read to and love to play with the books by themselves.

I am down to nursing only twice a day now once when they wake up in the morning and once at bedtime. T and E are both doing well with their lunch and supper time bottles though E rarely drinks 6 ounces. She is just so busy. Most days she drinks 3 to 4 ounces at lunchtime and won't take anymore. On the other hand, T would drink a gallon if I would let him. T is better at holding his own bottle. E is not as interested in holding her own. She has to be encourged to drink her bottle-- she would rather play with it. Right now they get their bottles in their bouncey seats, but I think it is time to try their booster seats since they are both sitting up better. Maybe this weekend we will give their booster seats a try.

I can't believe the twins are nine months old. I know I am repeating myself, but time is flying by so fast! They are eating well and were sleeping well until recently. Their naps are a little messed up right now, but after talking with another mom with twins, I think I need to stretch their awake time in the am so as to push their naps later in the day. This would allow me to drop their late evening cat nap. They are usually cranky when I wake them from the cat nap. Just another step -- moving from three naps a day to two. I plan on doing this slowly -- in thirty minute increments and will start tomorrow. It is always so hard to move to a "different schedule," but keeping them on the same schedule is definitely necessary for my sanity. Look out, Jennifer! I will probably be emailing you again for scheduling advice! It's all an experiment...

Next week I will be taking the twins to Arkansas for a week. Jo is going to fly here and drive to Arkansas with me. We will stay a week and drive back, and then Jo will fly home. I am really looking forward to seeing everybody, and I know they are all so excited about seeing T and E. My family won't believe how big the twins have gotten. I am wondering how the drive will go......we will see. Twelve hours is a long trip but will be well worth it.

I am so glad the weather is warming up. I am ready to get the twins into the water. All my nieces and nephew are little fish and love the water. T and E love bath time so I figure they will like to play in the water outside as well. We will give it a try when it gets a little warmer.

That is all for now.

Great visit with Auntie Amy!

Auntie -- David's sister -- just left this morning after visiting for a week. We had a great time! T and E just loved her. They laughed and laughed at her. I enjoyed her as well. I went to the dentist, shopped for baby clothes and shopped a tiny bit for myself while she was here. She is also a wonderful cook and cooked just about every night she was here. The company was good, and I know David enjoyed getting to see her. Such visits are always too short.

Come back soon, Auntie!

Gramps is coming!

Gramps is coming for a visit today! Yay!

Update

I have been meaning to post for a couple of days now but have not had the time. There are so many things to talk about that I don't know where to begin! Last week I started weaning Thomas and Elizabeth from the breast. Just when I had decided I would nurse until they turn one they -- once again -- showed me things don't/won't always go as planned. My decision to start weaning was based on several things. E has become so busy that she is not interested in the breast. She might nurse for 10 minutes and then wants to talk or get on the floor and play. Also, the size of the twins has become an issue. They are getting so big that they seem uncomfortable after nursing for awhile and begin to fuss rather than eat. I suppose I could nurse them separately, but that would take ALL DAY. Besides E being so busy, and the twins getting so big, T and E have learned to aggravate each other -- not sure if it is intentional yet but the end result is the same. T likes to "play" with his sister's head by scratching it or pulling her hair. Needless to say it is not so much fun for E. On the other hand, E likes to try to put her hands in T's mouth while he is nursing. His usual response is a yell. Obviously, nursing has become quite an ordeal, and it is not as pleasant for the twins or mom as it should be. So, last week I took away their supper time feeding and gave them a bottle instead. I wasn't sure how it would go since E has been refusing to take the bottle. It went surprisingly well. After fighting me for a short time E took her bottle. I did this for five days and then this past Monday I took away their lunch time feeding and substituted a bottle. They seem to be adjusting fine -- probably better than I am. E is still pretty busy and not completely interested in the bottle, but at least now I know how much she is getting, which is comforting to me.

Besides weaning we have been working on "acceptable meal time behaviors". Both T and E have started throwing the BIGGEST fits during meal time. David and I have endured several of these episodes and have decided there is nothing wrong with them -- not in pain, not wet/dirty, etc. We both think the fits are behavioral issues. Anyway, I have tried using some sign (the sign for stop) along with my words to stop the fit. I also do not give them a bite while they are screaming. That is actually impossible -- they won't swallow it but just keep right on screaming. We will see how it goes. A wise man recently told me, "There is no right way to be a parent. What works for one child might not work for another. Some decisions you make will be right and some will be wrong. As long as your heart is in the right place at the time of the decision is all that matters."

On a lighter note, Thomas rolled over from his back to his stomach for the first time on Saturday! We were giving T and E some naked time, and they were loving it. In the heat of the moment, T rolled over but was immediately unhappy about it (he hates being on his stomach). I was so happy to see him finally roll to his belly!

I met with a photographer today to discuss having some professional pictures taken of the twins. She will come to the house for the session which will make it so much easier for me and the twins. We discussed some possible places in the yard and what times of the day will be best for the babies. She will come twice in one day if she needs to -- so flexible! I am really excited about it! I have seen her work on her website, and her pictures are phenomenal. She is young and seems to have a lot of experience with babies.

That is all for now. Nap time is almost over.

Dadada!

Happy Birthday!

Elizabeth and Thomas are 8 months old today! I can't believe it....really can't believe it. We had a good birthday...good play time, good naps. I took their swings to the back porch and gave them each a sippy cup of juice without the stoppers in them. I want to let them play with their cups so they can learn how to hold them and use them. Thomas did pretty well with his cup. He did eventually hold it after some hand over hand help. I'm not sure how much juice he drank vs. how much he spilled, but he enjoyed it. Elizabeth did much better than I thought she would. At first she did not want the spout in her mouth, but by the end she was putting it in her mouth by herself. I think most of her juice ended up on the front of her dress. It was lots of fun! We also had a nice late afternoon walk. It was in the low 80's here today....beautiful!

Our babies are growing so fast. Wow, how time flies!

Daddy's Day

Today I will be leaving the twins with their daddy for most of the day. I will be helping at a consignment sale that is put on by the area Moms of Twins Club. I will feed them breakfast (soon) and will come home to feed them lunch and should be home to stay late this afternoon. I am looking forward to being out of the house but already miss them. I do hate leaving them even if it is only for a little while. I never thought I would be "one of those moms", but it turns out that I am. I guess it is because I rarely leave them. I know it is good for me to have some mommy time, but I still hate leaving them.

Today will be good for David because since he has been sick he really has not gotten to see T and E much. He has kept his distance in hopes of not making them sick. I think they have missed him and will happy to have some Daddy time.

It is time for some morning "mama's milk."

Sick at our house

Elizabeth has her first cold since leaving daycare. Her nose is both stuffy and runny, and she is sneezing quite a bit. Yesterday she felt really bad and wanted to be held or at least have me in her sight. Whenever I left the room she would turn her bottom lip upside down and cry big tears. It is so heartbreaking to see her little face with such a big frown. Elizabeth didn't nap much either. In fact, she cried for about one hour while lying on my stomach. I thought about taking her to the ER, but she wasn't running a fever. It could have been her ears, I guess. I will see how she feels today and call the pediatrician Monday if I need to. My pediatrician seems hesitant about prescribing cold meds and has told me to just buy over the counter meds. I personally don't agree and feel prescription meds are safer when taken properly. That is where Poppy and Aunt JoJo come in (thank the Lord!). I have some good cold medicine for both Thomas and Elizabeth that seems to be working well on Elizabeth's nose. She was much happier this morning so maybe today will be a better day for her.

David has the flu, poor thing. It has to be impossible to rest in our house -- especially yesterday. When Elizabeth cries you can hear it throughout the entire house. Closed doors don't keep the sound out. I'm trying to be a nazi nurse and make him stay in bed. I've already told him no work tomorrow. Let's see if he listens.

RIght now Thomas and I are healthy. I hope it lasts!

A milestone for mommy

I have been meaning to write about my milestone for a little while but either I haven't had the time or haven't thought about it while on the computer. When the twins first came home we had their crib in our bedroom. Who knew newborns could be so loud while sleeping? Next we decided to take "sleeping shifts" where one of us stayed in our bedroom with the babies while the other slept on a mattress upstairs in the nursery. That went on for a week or so ( I think). Then we decided to move the twins into the nursery, and we moved our bed into the guest room upstairs and moved the guest bed downstairs into the master bedroom (make sense?) This worked out the best because I was just a few footsteps away from the twins when they needed me, but we were far enough away so as not to hear every single baby noise. David and I both slept better when the twins were sleeping. In December, David decided it was time for us to move back into our bedroom downstairs. However, I was not ready to make the move. The twins were still waking around 4 am for their first feeding of the day, and honestly, I wasn't ready to be that far away from them. Anyway, last week David asked if I was ready to move downstairs, and I decided I was. Last Friday night we moved our bed back into our room and moved the guest bed back into the guest room. That night was the first night we slept in our own room for months. It felt really strange, but I slept fine. Of course, we do have a baby monitor so we can hear the twins if they need us. Otherwise I would not have made the move back downstairs. Unfortunately, when we have guests they will have the pleasure of hearing E sing around 5 am. Starting around 5 (though it was 4 this morning) she will sing for 15 minutes or longer and then sleep for awhile. She goes back and forth between singing and sleeping until around 6:30 or 7:00 when I go in to feed her and T their morning "Mama's milk." Grandmother Jane was the first guest to hear E's sweet early morning voice last weekend.

Anyway, that has been my most recent milestone as a mother.

E is mobile!

Elizabeth is officially mobile! I put her and her brother on their quilt in the living room after lunch and walked into the kitchen to fix a sandwich. When I walked back into the living room E was on the opposite end of the quilt. I moved her back and watched as she rolled all the way to the end of the rug. I can't believe it! Hopefully, this will motivate T to start moving.

Best Birthday Present!

Sunday was my birthday, and all I have asked for was a grown-up dinner requiring we dress up. David delivered! Gramps and Grandmother Jane drove up Saturday and babysat while David took me out to dinner. We went to a cozy Italian restaurant on the river with a great view of the skyline. Our dinner was out of this world and the wine was good too...until I ruined it with dessert. Both were good but not together. We had a wonderful time! It is only the second time we have been out to dinner since T and E were born. David also got me Everyday Italian by Giada De Lerentis (spelling?) which is a cook book I have wanted for awhile.

T and E had a good time with Gramps and Grandmother Jane. However, E would not take her bedtime bottle. She was screaming when we got home. Poor Gramps, who was amazingly calm, had been walking her around the house and trying to feed her. She was so mad. I nursed her and put her to bed. She is such a stinker about the bottle...always has been. I gave her a bottle using the same nipple (Gerber newborn is the most recent I have tried) a few days before our date and she took it, although it did have juice rather than formula in it. I know I need to keep working with her using different nipples --- but when?

Anyway, I had a wonderful birthday.

Role switching

It is so funny to me how t and e have switched roles back and forth since coming into this world. T used to be our good sleeper and very laid back baby. Not lately...E has become our good napper and night sleeper. T is back to cat napping and then crying to be picked up. Yesterday he threw the biggest fit....I did not know it was possible for a baby so young to throw such a fit. I was thinking I wouldn't see a big fit until toddlerhood. Motherhood is full of surprises! I keep reminding myself "consistency is key" (thanks Jennifer!) when it comes to nap time. That way they will learn my expectations.

Besides naps t and e continue to amaze me everyday. E is really starting to move around by rolling. Yesterday she rolled from the "feeding fort" to the closet in the nursery in pursuit of a ball David recently bought. It rolls by itself and plays music and lights up. When E decides she wants something she goes after it, and boy, does she get a determined look on her face! She is starting to stand more which makes her daddy really happy. T continues to be my little lazy boy. He rolls when he feels like it. He does not roll from back to stomach yet. If something is out of his reach...who cares...unless it is his pacifier. He still prefers standing over sitting. Neither one of them is sitting up unassisted yet though we try to "practice."

That's all for now.

7 Months Old!

The twins are seven months old as of yesterday. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by, how much they have grown, and how much they have changed. Their little faces have changed, their personalities are starting to show, the list goes on. They have grown out of their first pair of blue jeans, and I ordered them a new pair yesterday. They have pretty much outgrown their 3-6 months clothes and are now in 6-12 and/or 9 months sizes. All of the sudden they need new clothes. I haven't actually shopped for baby clothes at all and am looking forward to it. Over the weekend we bought them jumpers ( the ones that hang from the door facing), and they seem to like them. They don't actually jump yet, but they do turn around in circles. I feel great that they have somewhere to be besides the floor or swing. I think they are almost ready to move from their bouncey seats to their booster seats for feeding. We decided not buy highchairs and bought the booster seats instead. If they don't work out we can always go buy some highchairs.

Thomas had an appointment at the pediatrician's office today. We think his ringworm is back. Unfortunately, he is too young for the oral meds and the cream has to be used at least six weeks. My sister who is a nurse practitioner told me she always advises her patients to use the cream for 2 to 4 weeks longer than the six weeks -- especially if the ringworm is in the hair. Of course, that is where Thomas' is. Poor thing! He was just starting to get his hair back.

I have decided to cut back on the amount of baby food the twins are getting because they have really started spitting up worse in spite of the meds thay take for reflux. They spit up worse in the evening it seems. They have also started taking less breast milk even though they only get about 3 tablespoons of baby food twice a day. Breast milk is best and is where they should be getting most of their nutrition. The pediatrician said it would be fine to discontinue baby food, but it might mean feeding more frequently including during the middle of the night. As much as I have enjoyed T and E sleeping through the night I would rather feed them more frequently than have them spitting up so much. I may drop down to one baby food feeding per day and see how that goes before discontinuing the food all together. I don't know....it is all one big experiment, right? Any advice on nursing and baby food from those who have been there is welcome!

Ooooh

I have been scolded.....

I know I haven't posted in awhile and have been scolded by a good friend and a few family members. Time is a huge factor. At night when I have the time to post I just want to go to sleep...and do! T and E are growing so fast! They have already started fighting with each other! E loves to take her brother's pacifier and put it in her own mouth. We really can't put them close together unless we are right there because they grab at each other like they do their toys and it results in somebody getting scratched. OUCH! T and E both throw little mini fits now when things aren't going their way (ie. not being picked up first, not getting medicine first, when toys aren't going in their mouths correctly, when the other is getting a bite of food or is on the breast first, etc) It cracks me up to see their fits. E is definitely my little firecracker at the moment and T is an extremely close second! They are back on meds for reflux. Oh well. We will try again when they are older, I guess. Dare I say it.....their naps have gotten better. Nights have gotten better with E. She has been sleeping through the night (from about 9 pm to 5 or 6am). T still wakes up frequently for his pacifier and often wants to play or be held around 4 am. I put him in our bed a couple of times -- HUGE MISTAKE I KNOW! No more of that. Famous last words!

E is really trying her best to sit up while T is not very interested in that. He prefers to stand. He thinks everything is funny...going down the stairs, eating, me laughing, anything his daddy does. T and E both think David is extremely funny! It is so sweet the way they can't take their eyes off him when he comes home at night. He can't even be in the same room with me while I am nursing because they won't nurse. They just want to look at him and watch his every move. I love to hear them laugh. It warms my heart. They have both recently shown some stranger anxiety. E started crying in Kohl's when a nice lady spoke to her and this past Tuesday when our good friend Linda came to babysit while I went to the doctor for a checkup. Wednesday, T cried when David's Aunt Diane came to babysit so I could go back to the doctor. Neither episode lasted long...thank goodness.


We are going to start going to a play group monthly maybe weekly if we like it. Will post on that later.