The Simple Things

"A" and I went to the thrift store today and found this old type hammer toy. I bought it for CG pretty sure she would love it. She did and so did the other littles! I got some cute clips of them playing with this together this afternoon!! Glad I have this on video for my memory bank.

J wanted to sing to his sisters last night . . .

Usually big Sis sing to the little girls before bed but last night J wanted to sing and he did a GREAT job and the girls LOVED it!:-)

The Littles Keeping Themselves Active

Twins

CG now calls B "Da" and B calls CG "Kitty". Very cute and sweet!

In the video above you can hear B say "Awesome!" when she fits a puzzle piece.

B is very talkative and C is quieter but very compassionate.

The Twins Birthday

The girls turned 2 in July! They have come a long way from birth at 2 lbs 10 ozs and 2 lbs 11ozs.

God has been good.

Grandma and Grandpa got them little stuffed animals which they have enjoyed especially B with her "Birdie". She loves that Big Bird!!

Our 2 Year Old Big Girls!!

These two girls are so sweet to hear say "Thank you" or CG say "You're welcome" if we say thank you to her. The other day we were outside and big brother R was working on repairing something broken for the girls and CG said "Thank you Ross".

They just recently moved to toddler beds. Sometimes they sleep like the picture below

and sometimes they play like the picture above and this morning I found B had crawled into CG's bed during the night. They are growing up. Last year at this time neither girl was walking so they have come sooooo far!!!

July 4th video clips

Top video: The twins storming Devil's Den at Gettysburg on July 4th
Middle video: G and B singing a song on July 4th in Gettysburg
Last video: After we got back home the boys decided to practice marching and you can see the little drummer boy tagging along

Soul Music

I found a CD on music of faith during the Civil War time. We have really enjoyed it and as you can see above one of my 2 year olds REALLY enjoyed it! Very funny considering we are not a hand raising family. I find it so interesting and cute!

Rays of Sunshine

Brother C gave her a chocolate bar and she enjoyed it very much!!

Whew, that was a long day!

Here is the Difference between the 2 Girls!!!

The clip right above this is of C and you'll see she keeps putting her head down later that night she got sick and was obviously not feeling well.:-) In the clip of the 2 girls some may wonder why I didn't take back the fork and give it to B again. The purpose of my video taping was to get their interactions with each other.

Baby C and Baby B are SOOOOOO different yet enjoy each other so much. Recently, I put C in bed and she cried while I went to go get Baby B and then when I brought B in C picked up B's bottle and handed it toward her like "ok, here you go now you and I can go to bed." Then another time I put C in her crib first again and then when I brought B in C pointed to B's bed like " Ok, put her right there." They laugh at each other and it is so funny to watch. C is very serious and stubborn and B is very animated, loves music, and to laugh . . . more easy going in some ways. I noticed that sometimes Baby C sees Baby B being praised for being cooperative and then decides "Hey, I want that praise too" so she does the same thing. NICE!

J, our 2 year old, seems to understand the difference between the two extremely well.  He is very rough and tumble with Baby C and usually very sweet and gentle with Baby B. Yesterday, the 3 were in the bath tub and J and Baby C were just really giving it to each other with smacking each other with wash clothes, etc. I came and said who wants to get out? J volunteered Baby B. I had G come and watch the kids in the bath tub while I went to get B dressed. G was telling me how J and C were just going at it with water at each other. J seems to know B is more fragile. The same day later on J was standing just gently hugging and hugging baby B and then even later chasing Baby c in the kitchen. I love that he gets their differences and enjoys them both for who they are.

A's Piano Recital

 This picture shows the difference in the twins personalities. 

Baby C is serious and Baby B 

about fun.

It was fun going to "A"'s Christmas piano recital. "A" did a great job and we enjoyed hearing the pieces of the other students. The girls made it for a little bit and then G ended up in the back with them and then eventually Daddy came back to reinforce.

The duet above she played with her teacher who is an absolutely lovely, kind, Christian lady. She has been a blessing to us.

Baby C's New Thing

Baby C has found that she REALLY enjoys helping Big C or R unload the dishwasher! She loves it and does a great job:-) Hopefully the enthusiasm will continue but I have been at this long enough to know if probably won't:-) There is a developmental switch from learning how to do things to how to do things without being told and when asked to do something doing it cheerfully. It is fun to watch her early desire to help and be a big kid.

These Pictures Were NOT Posed . . . Just Brothers Being Good Brothers!

R was doing his school and cradling J at the same time. J looks so comfy with his big brother. My dad said when he saw this that it isn't just mother's the multitask!!! R often likes to solve his very young siblings problems. Tonight he was trying to get J to eat his dinner by telling him the food was a cool car that wanted to park in his garage mouth:-)

I know I am biased but I think this is extraordinary for a 2 YEAR OLD BOY to do on his own. Just hanging out with his little Sis. SOOOOO SWEET!! He and Baby C have really started a neat relationship lately. On another post I posted a video of him holding her hand as she walked.

I didn't get a picture but today Baby C was throwing a fit and Big brother C came over and asked if she wanted her belly rubbed and it worked!! How do kids figure these things out!

Baby C is Walking and "J" Loves to Hold Her Hand

Baby C is now walking!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! We have really looked forward to this stage! J loves to hold her hand and C seems to enjoy it too. I was really glad when I started video taping that he went to hold her hand so I could have that on video! It is so cute watching her facial expression because she looks at him like "awww, you're sweet!" He gets a little gregarious but that is boys for you and notice she doesn't seem to mind! She is used to him:-) and knows he loves her.

This Week . . . at our Home

Top video: Baby B being as adorable as it gets.
Middle video: Big C is saying his school Bible passage and doing a great job especially considering all the distraction around him!
Bottom video: Is "A" messing around with a new app on her I pad that does time laps photography. I think it is cute how she ends it.

We had a full week at our house. Babe's aunt and uncle were visiting with us and left earlier this week. I am going to wait to get the pictures they took while here to post. They are both photographers!

Last Saturday "A" got a new (to her new) used piano. Her piano teacher had found it for WAAAAAAY under its value. Her teacher felt she needed to have a piano that had the correct tone, consistent feeling in the keys, etc. Her teacher did the leg work on finding it and coordinating its delivery.  We used money we had put in "A's" account for her. We felt this was a good use of some of the money we had put away for her. She knows this is her piano and she'll take it with her when she leaves. She LOVES piano and works VERY hard at it. Her piano teacher really is impressed at the amount of consistent work she puts in. I am excited to hear her start practicing Christmas music now. She has it picked out!

Well, the man that sometimes helps with Big C at wrestling was not helping the other night and so to make sure C kept learning I stepped in to instruct him and that was interesting. I learned how you grab the chin, lace the arm under his arm reach across back and then with right knee down and left foot on floor propel yourself and opponent over. It works tremendously well and Big C did it on me. Probably not something they see at that wrestling club everyday but whatever works!! I thoroughly enjoy wrestling nights. It is an environment I feel very comfortable in. I love wrestling moms because they are no frill type people and there is no need to dress up or wear an abundance of make up. I always enjoyed playing sports.

G had 2 projects due this week. One he almost completely finished last weekend and the other he had started on but still had to do most the work for.  He got them done which is great. He got VERY EMBARRASSED this week when in Latin class the teacher photocopied his translation of a paragraph and handed it out in class and said something to the effect of "now you have a safe 'G' translation". G said he could feel his face turning red. "G" seems to have something I never really felt and that is love of his school. I didn't hate my school or anything I just didn't feel strongly about it. "G" LOVES his school and his teachers. There is another family that lives near us and their son goes to G's school and is on the swim team so we have just started the carpool thing for swim team practice which hopefully will work out well.

Babe made a major family decision this last week. In fact, a huge change for us all. I am very excited to see what God is working on in our family's lives. No, I am not going to go into this . . . we'll see how it all plays out.

Babe left for Germany and so I'll really need to be on my toes this next week.

Thoughts this week:
I watched as R and Big C were doing pushups in wrestling and hearing everyone say after each pushup "thank coach!!" there was another phrase too but it is not coming to mind. What a coach does is for their betterment and although uncomfortable and possibly painful you know it is because he wants you to succeed that he pushes you.  I thought if only to have that attitude toward discomfort/difficulties in my life to God "thank you God I know your at work.. I know you're making me stronger and of greater faith." Just a thought.

I've had lots of thoughts this week but my head doesn't hold thoughts long. I often forget them so they must not be to important!!

This stage of life is exciting. I am starting to see what it is my older kids love and that is super fun. I am seeing more and more who they are individually. It is extremely busy but I thought this week "I am at the stage that one really dreams of when younger." I am in full on Mommy mode to different stages of kiddos.

It's Started . . .

Baby C is taking careful well thought out steps. She is not walking as her main mode of transportation but that is coming!!

When I thought of the 3 youngest in the past these pictures are pretty close to what I imagined.

It is obvious that they will have a GRAND time together. They all have VERY STRONG personalities so I am sure there will be fireworks along the way but a lot of fun too.

Baby B and J seems to especially hit it off.

Baby C kept plugging her ears the other day when I would sing a silly song. Also, the other day Baby C was crying and Little J and Baby B both patted her back as she cried. Very sweet. What friends it looks like they may be.

J is becoming more and more aware of God which thrills my heart. He sings with us during devotions whole heartedly. The other day my mom and I were sitting and talking and out of the blue J talked about how God made animals and people. Later the same day I went to put him to bed and the older boys were away that sleep in the same room. He asked a question about one of them and realizing they were not going to be there when he went to bed he asked "Is God there?":-) ABSOLUTELY He is. J is also pretty careful about praying for his food now. What a blessing to see him learning about his Creator and how he loves him and takes care of him. I noticed awhile back he seemed bothered when I mentioned Jesus dying on the cross . . . so interesting for such a young boy. J is a very strong child and I would love to see that strength of spirit go into J's Heavenly Fathers business. 

Off to the Park We Go!

Decided to take the little ones to the park. It was the same day I did the videos of the kiddos swinging. I had forgotten to ask Babe when he left for an errand to leave me the double stroller so I strapped both girls into the front seat of the stroller I had and J sat on the bench (for bigger kids/called sit and stand or something) on the back. It worked pretty well and they were definitely cute! I don't think they would have put up with it for a terribly long period of time.

You can tell they are NOT identical in any way!

Seems strange but at their last checkup just a few weeks ago

they were only about 2 ozs. different in weight and they were the

same height!!!!

This picture was taken on a different trip 

to the park. Baby B really enjoys swinging.

Baby C isn't incredibly thrilled with the swings but 

she can enjoy them some.

A Year Of Grace . . . A Year Of Blessings . . . Time to Celebrate the Twins 1st Year!

Baby C and Baby B had their first birthday on July 17th. It seems strange to reach this mark. It really seems so much longer than a year ago. The girls are making great progress in their development. Baby C is all over the place crawling. She is still not cruising but does walk with a baby push toy walker. I have never seen that before that she doesn't cruise but will walk with a walker? At least she is making progress.

Baby B has just progressed by leaps and bounds since her spica cast. I am so pleased at how hard she has worked and where she is at. She also is crawling and starting recently to pull up to her knees (two Sundays ago to her feet). The doctor said she was at about a 9 month level. Not that that matters she has come SOOO far and doing tremendously.

I was remembering before the girls were born I would ask moms of twins for advice and I noticed they were hesitant and really didn't give details. I now know why:-) You just do what works for you and you troop through. The best advice I got was have a camera handy and take pictures because you won't remember it from being tired. I took a lot of pictures and so glad I did because it really is a blur. I do remember setting my phone alarm for every 2 hours at night and feeding them and changing them and pumping.  As the girls birthday rolled around I did look back and remember the night before they were born, etc. but the emotion of it did not take place until I was sorting clothes after moving into the house. As I sorted the teeny tiny clothing I really felt emotional. Seeing the clothes brought it back to me;-) Praise the Lord they are off oxygen and doing well. I also flashed back to earlier this year when "A" got out of her chest surgery and was in EXTREME pain. It has been quite a year to say the least.

I've learned more about myself in this last year than I ever have both the good and the stuff I need to improve on. Intense stress will bring a lot to light! I had more comments on my personality traits more this year than ever before too. In many ways I am a "take life seriously person" but I definitely have a take it as it comes side to me. As one Dr. said I "just roll with it." A lady the other day in a store was EXTREMELY shocked that all the kids were mine. She was surprised I wasn't frantic.  I've learned that that side of me that just rolls with it allows me to get through a lot and handle things. But on the flip side sometimes I let a little bit to much slide and I can drive other people that are planners and schedule people batty and cause them to be uncomfortable. I need to learn to while being myself to give a certain amount of structure when those type of people are around out of kindness. Also, I can learn from the efficient structure of others. My mom keeps me from sliding to much into my laid back side.:-)

I love my two girls sooo much. I can remember laying in bed not knowing if one or both of them would not make it through the pregnancy. I prayed and prayed they would both make it. I also remember early on in the pregnancy but after I found out it was twins that I wished it was the day I was delivering so it could all be done with. I had had an ultrasound and got a picture of one baby but weeks later I started bleeding and thought I was already in the process of miscarrying. I wrote down some verses to take with me to the ER thinking I would find out the baby was gone. The ultrasound technician was a serious lady and said she could not tell us the results of what she saw and that the Dr. was to do that. Babe and I tried to look at the screen and figure it out ourselves but it just looked weird. I had seen a lot of ultrasounds but this one was different but I didn't know why. Finally, the technician said "I want to share this moment with you." Huh? What moment? I thought she wasn't going to tell us anything? Then she told us there were 2 babies! We were SHOCKED. I was crying but Babe just sat there not understanding then I told him and he was SHOCKED. He was soooo shocked. He just kept going over and over it in his mind . . . what about a vehicle, etc. It was very cute.

I was hospitalized the week before the girls were born with preclampsia. I was SOO swollen. I actually lost about 30 or 40 pounds the first 4 or so weeks after delivery I had so much water weight. The girls were born at 30 weeks. Baby C was 2 lbs 11 ozs and Baby B was 2 lbs. 10 ozs. and they spent 7 1/2 weeks in the NICU. When they were delivered Baby C was silent but Baby B made a little kitten noise and the people in the operating room went "AWWW!" It was so sweet. My Dr told me later that the student in there was just thrilled she got to be in there for that delivery. They were at an excellent hospital and the care they received was super. The nurses were like friends. I could go on and on because their story is long but God is good. I adore my girls. I am grateful to God I was able to meet them and love them.

The older kids also have memories of going to the NICU. It is fun to hear their accounts of their memories. I almost always brought one or two of the other kids with me to come see the girls and I would rotate through them. It was a good experience to see how a NICU works and what their sisters were going through.

The picture at the top was taken at the Cheesecake Factory on their birthday. We had a great time there as a family. Even the twins were enjoying themselves! The pictures below were taken the day after their birthday but it is them eating their birthday cupcakes! We had a great celebration both times! Two parties are better than one!!

The second party was outside on our back deck. Great place to get messy!

Big C is a Big Jumper!

We sometimes call Baby C our "goat" or "mountain goat". We call her that because if she can get something to her mouth she will just like a goat. Goats aren't picky! I guess we could call her C the kangaroo too!!! She is quite the jumper . . . reminds me of G when he was this age. We've never have a kiddo since G that could jump like him but Baby C is getting pretty close!!

Two Sundays ago Baby B started pulling up onto her feet!! She is also waving now. She is progressing so quickly! Sometimes cries when she gets up to her feet probably for 2 reasons . . . she hasn't figured out how to just sit down again and I think her leg may not be super strong so it gets fatigued but even that I think is getting better.

Kids Are So Resilient

G took these videos for me this week documenting our amazing little Baby B. She can do just about anything in her brace now . . . roll over, crawl, sit up. . .  except stand up in it . . . given long enough she might even be able to do that. What a blessing to see her spirit and drive. We are so thankful for her and how God has helped her reach where she is.

We are also thankful for the good orthopedic Dr. we had in CO. He told us he didn't want her pushed to do anything but to let her do things at her own pace and she has been doing so well. She is quickly catching up to Baby C.