Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Four Month Old Justin and Lana

My babies are getting SO BIG! I took them (and Collin) to their four month well check before Christmas. The doctor (who I LOVE!!!) was dealing with a “rebellious teen” who was talking to her about drinking, drugs, and sex, so we ended up waiting over an hour for her. THAT is just how much I love her, I’m willing to wait that long, will still go back to see her again, and will even drive to Southside to see her.

This is how Collin made it through the long morning/afternoon, and the promise of ice cream. But the poor guy fell asleep on the way home so I may or may not have let him eat ice cream for lunch when he woke up from his nap because he was that good. (He is watching VeggieTales. A few episodes actually)

CIMG4656

That aside here are the stats for my sweet babies

My Lana I love this little chunk-a-monk! You can’t look at this and not fall in love and want to squeeze and kiss on those cheeks and thighs

14 pounds 8 ounces (75%) and 24.25 inches (50%)

CIMG4658

Oh my Justin. I love this sweet boy more and more every day. He has turned into such a happy boy who loves to cuddle and giggle.

13 pounds 11 ounces (50%) and 25 inches (50%) Perfect. But I already knew that :)

CIMG4659

Both are are on the charts as “normal singleton babies” not “premie twins” and we got the OK to start rice cereal, although we haven’t yet.

Before their appointment

Waiting at the appointment

Home after the appoinement

 

photo 3

Sporting bandages from their shots

photo 1

These kids have quickly become the loves of my life. All three of them. And here I was worried I wouldn’t know how to love them like I do Collin. Silly Erin. In the last two months they have learned to scoot and roll over. They have started to hold, play with, and chew on little rings.

There were about two weeks that they slept through the night. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe I had a child, never mind two, that slept though the night at not even four months old. Then my poor babies got sick and we are back up being up at night again. Thankfully, it’s only once (usually), somewhere between 4 and 6 AM.

All of my babies love each other. Justin and Lana have started to find each other when they are laying on the gym matt or blanket and hold hands while they are nursing. Collin, hugs them, loves them, and tickles them. But what I love most about it, is that he does it without me asking and often times when I’m not looking or he doesn’t know that I’m looking. It melts my heart and has made me cry more than once.

photo 2

Lana still hate being on her tummy. But Justin seems to enjoy it and will stay there for a while before rolling over. Both have started sitting in the Bumbos. It’s hit or miss if they like it or will tolerate it.

IMG_7065

Both their demeanors have seemed to change. Lana used to be so laid back and “go-with-the-flow” while Justin was “needy” and always fussy wanting to attention and to be held. But lately Justin has been Mr. Whatever and Miss Lana has turned into my high-maintenance Diva girl. She has entered this phase where she out right refuses a bottle, and isn’t happy unless you are holding her, she is nursing, or asleep. It’s made life, um, interesting. She gets so upset and cries so badly that she turns a dark red, almost purple, and no noise comes out. She has even refused to nurse because she gets so tired and cranky. But when it’s all said and done, she returns to her normal color, she smiles and coos at me and I can’t help but still be in love with her.

I feel like I have finally gotten the hang of twins and a toddler. I made a trip to Academy Sports and to the mall to do some Christmas shopping. While at the mall I even nursed both babies, got Collin pizza and myself a sub. We all managed to eat peacefully without any issues. I couldn’t have asked for better behaved kids. Collin was rewarded with some time in the playplace and ice cream when we got home.

While most days I feel like “I got this” there are definitely still those days (like the last couple) where I want to bang my head against the wall or just crawl in bed and never come out. But then I get a big hug from Collin and a smile, coo and giggle from Justin and Lana and fall in love with all of them all over again. each day is a new adventure. Someone is doing something new and cute, or not-so-cute pooping up the back and I’m changing their clothes several times. My life is filled with so much love I just don’t know what to do with myself. I can’t wait to see what is in store next.

 

photo 3

photo 4

 

The Twins’ First Christmas Ornaments

photo 2photo 3

My Babies’ First Christmas Ornaments

photo 1

A surprise package from New Jersey contained two more First Christmas Ornaments :)

photo 1

Family day at the park

IMG_7150

First set of Family Pictures!

IMG_7159

Little Cute-asaurus

IMG_7171

Big Brother Loves his “JustinLana”

IMG_7177

Mother-Daughter :)

IMG_7190

Cuteness

IMG_7195IMG_7212IMG_7229IMG_7276

IMG_7297

Not so much cuteness

IMG_7316

But so much cuteness

IMG_7323

IMG_7335

Ready for some Monday Night Football

IMG_7339

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

3 in One: Helper, Stinker, and Booger

First of all, there are about a hundred things that I could be doing right now. Finishing getting dressed and ready for the day, emptying the dishwasher and reloading it, folding laundry, cleaning the garage, vacuuming, wrapping Christmas presents, the list goes on. But I had to stop and sit down for a moment to write about my Sweet Collin.

He’s been such a helper lately. He has also been a cranky stink pot, and a cute little booger too. So I just had to post about him again.

Let’s start with Stinker. This kid definitely has his moments and can be described as a cranky stink pot during those time. And that’s putting it nicely and mildly. But he’s my cranky stink pot and I love him just the same. I may not like him very much during those moments, but we all have issues from time to time. There really isn’t a whole lot to write about in this category. There isn’t one or two specific instances that stick out that I just have to share. But in general, if I leave a room and he doesn’t want me to, he will run in front up me and turn around with much authority, put his hands up and say “STOP MAMA! STOP!” Other than that, for the most part, he’s been really good lately. The occasional bipolar moments (like yesterday, but I’m blaming the rain), but overall a good kid.

Booger. I call him Booger on a pretty regular basis. It’s funny, my mom has a cat who we affectionately nicknamed “Booger” years ago and Collin knows that. So if he’s in a moment and I call him Booger he says “no Booger, I’m Collin!” or “Gigi’s house!” and then assumed we are going to Gigi’s house to see Booger. He does some of the silliest things that just crack me up. Sneaky too. Recently in the morning he asked for cookies. I, obviously, told him no and I would make him a bagel when I was done feeding Justin and Lana. So, because he knows I’m not able to get up when I’m nursing them, he went to the pantry and took out the box of vanilla wafers and brought them too me. I, again, told him no, I would make him a bagel after I was done nursing Justin and Lana. He got a sad look on his face and hung his head as he took the box and walked back to the kitchen. But then turned into the dining room instead of to the pantry. Then he got quiet. I thought he must be trying to get into the box, so I listened for the bag to rustle. It did, so I called him. He comes running in. When I asked what he was doing, he ran away then ran back in with the box and said, “help Mommy, cookies!” Although I was a little annoyed that he was taking advantage of my sitting on the couch with the babies, I couldn’t help but think he was too cute in doing so.

Helper. He is turning into such a big helper for me. He’s starting to look out for Justin and Lana a little more every day. When they were really little he would try to put the pacifier in their mouth if they were crying and I was out of the room. He managed to get Justin back to sleep in the swing one day. He pushed the swing, gave him a pacifier, and turned on the music. I watched in awe as he did that. Lana threw up in the car one day. Because Collin faces forward and she is backwards he saw all of it happen. As I was checking my mirrors I saw him leaning forward to check on her and say “goodness.” When I asked if she threw up, he puts more emphasis behind it and says “GOODNESS!” haha She had thrown up a lot. He likes to help when they are in the bath and to give them a bottle if he can. He’s recently started to ask to hold them. I was coming downstairs with Justin one afternoon when he met us at the bottom of the stairs and asked to carry him. So I “let him carry Justin” over to the couch. He “laid Justin down” said “oh heavy” then kissed his forehead. Moments like that I just stand back and smile. Yesterday was one of my favorites. I had just fed and changed Justin and Lana and laid them on their tummies and walked into the kitchen to make Collin a smoothie. They, of course, started to fuss because they were unhappy. When I looked over the counter I saw that Collin had sat down between them and was rubbing their backs, looking at them, and saying “no cry JustinLana” (When he talks about them together they become one “JustinLana” it’s cute.)

It’s still true today that I love this kid more and more everyday. He’s getting so big and becoming such a little man. He’s polite, lovey, spoiled rotten, and I wouldn’t change anything about him.

 

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

photo 2photo 1

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

So Many Ideas So Little Time

The world is hooked on Pinterest.com. It’s a fantastic place to get sucked into for hours upon hours. Much like Facebook. At least with Pinterest there is an end product. I’ve made a couple different things I found there and have a laundry list 8 miles long of things I want to make, foods I want to try, deserts I want to bake, pictures to take, ways to organize, and a hundred other things that make you go “OOOoooo!” Here are just a few things I’ve Oooed and Aaahed over in the past couple months.

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

So who is up for a day of nothing but fun and creating, organizing, cooking, and baking?