Picture Overload!

I feel like a lot of my recent posts have been really "heavy" lately so I'm going to try and lighten things up with some recent pictures and videos of the girls. I hope you enjoy!!

The below video was taken on March 8th. The girls don't get "let out" of their fenced in area much. But as soon as Addison sees the gate open she makes a run for it. This time I had to grab the camera.


We've been blessed with some amazing weather this past week here in Indiana. On Tuesday evening we decided to load up the girls and walk down to the park. The girls experienced the swings for the first time. The below video is Addison in the swing. Unfortunately, Alexis fell asleep in the stroller on the walk so we weren't able to capture her on video before the battery died. Bummer!

Below:  Addison wasn't sure what to think at first.

At first she was more interested in watching the other kids play.

Then she figured out that swinging is FUN!!!! And she was all smiles!

As I mentioned before, Alexis had fallen asleep in the stroller on the walk to the park.  She wasn't quite awake enough at first to enjoy swinging.  She just kind of stiffened up and stared at us for a bit.

Then she started checking out the other kids having fun.

The she really got into it!

"Hey Sissy, this swinging stuff is fun!"

What a great evening at the park with my kiddos!!

Here are a few other cute (at least I think so)random pictures that we have taken recently.

Everytime Addison sees me coming with the camera lately, this is what I get.  Do you think she's tired of me taking her picture?

Alexis likes to peek out at us through her gate.  She cracks herself up when she does this.

Our poor cat seems to be a target lately.  The girls are very amused my her tail lately.  Miss Alexis got caught pulling on her tail this morning.  She's giving me her "I didn't do it" look in this picture.  Jynxie has been a good sport about it.

Infertility SUCKS!!!

I was recently notified that one of my cousins, We will call her "X", recently had a miscarriage.  The person who told me thought that I might be able to help her since I've unfortunately been in her shoes on more than one occasion.  My first instinct was to get her phone number and call her up right away.  I would express my sympathy and tell her how I know all too well what she is going through.  I had to step back for a second and remember what those first few days were like for me.  I didn't want to talk to ANYONE!  I had all types of people calling me telling me how sorry they were.  While I appreciated everyone's concern, I didn't want to talk to anyone.  I was too busy feeling guilty and trying to figure out what I had done to cause this.  I wanted to be alone and when I did want to be around people, in my husband's arms was the only place I wanted to be. 

In my opinion, struggling through infertility is one of the most difficult things that a person can go through.  There really are no answers.  It's not a sickness, but yet it is, because there really is no cure.  Even if you eventually are able to have children, dealing with infertility will always be a part of your life.  You are never really cured.

I recently had a conversation with a good friend of mine (I'm sure I will get a phone call after she reads this).  She is pregnant with her third child and just found out that she is having her third girl.  She was crying, upset because it wasn't a boy.  My first instinct was to smack her because I know so many people who would love just to be pregnant.  No, I didn't smack her but I reminded her how lucky she is to be carrying a healthy baby girl.  She didn't struggle to get pregnant.  Her pregnancies are always easy and uncomplicated.  I felt bad afterwards for putting her in her place but for some reason it really bothered me that she was complaining when things always come so easily to her.  We talked later and she thanked me for reminding her that God chose her to be the mother of two, and soon to be three beautiful and healthy baby girls.  Whew!  I was relieved that I didn't make her mad but I knew in the back of my head that Terry and I secretly wished for a boy and a girl when we found out we were having multiples.  We too, had hoped for a certain gender.  Why was I criticizing her for being upset about another girl?  I think ultimately I was just upset that she wasn't seeing her unborn child as a blessing from God regardless of her gender.  But seriously, who am I to judge??

My heart feels heavy for "X" and her husband right now.  I know the terribly grief they are feeling.  I know the questions they are asking themselves.  Why did this happen to us?  What did I do to cause this?  How can I prevent this from happening again?  If they are like me, I felt constantly surrounded by new babies and pregnant women reminding me what I couldn't have, reminding me what I had longed for my entire married life.  I know now that the only thing that I can do for "X" is to pray for her healing and for her pain to lessen.  Please join me in saying a quick prayer for "X" and her husband as they continue through this difficult chapter in their life.

A difficult chapter in my life is exactly how I would describe our path through infertility.  I know now that God knew (and always knows) what was best for us at the time.  HE knew that we weren't ready to be parents.  HE knew when the time was right.  HE was trying to teach us patience that HE knew we would utilize on a daily basis when raising multiples.  Ultimately, traveling the path that we have to get our little girls has made us better parents.  Not that I would wish the struggle of infertility on any couple, but I know now that our road made us stronger.  It has strengthened our marriage.  It has taught us patience and has ultimately made us the people we are today.

I'm not sure why I felt compelled to write this blog today, but something told me to do so???  I again ask you to say a quick prayer for "X" and all those who are traveling the path through infertility right now.  It's a bumpy road that no one should have to travel.

Question of the week....

As an avid reader of the Multiples...and More! blog I don't usually partake in their surveys or questions of the week.  But as my husband and I are about to embark on our fourth year of marriage and our eighth year together I felt compelled to participate this week.

This week's questions.......

Do you think parents of multiples are more likely to become divorced?  Why or why not?

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  What aspect of parenting multiples have you found to be the most difficult as it pertains to maintaining a relationship?
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  How do you maintain a healthy marriage/relationship?
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  If you were to give one piece of advice to a couple who just found out they were pregnant with multiples on how to stay happy together, what would it be?

I totally can understand why statistics show that parents of multiples are more likely to become divorced.  Being a parent is hard work!  But sharing my role as a parent with my best friend is what gets us through the day.  Keeping a sense of humor is sometimes all we have.  Being able to laugh at ourselves and reflect back on our journey thus far helps us adjust to rolling with the punches of everyday life.

In my opinion the most difficult part of parenting multiples is maintaining our own identities.  Having young multiples doesn't leave much down time or a lot of time for other social commitments.  I can tell that there are many times where Terry misses being able to just pick up and go play poker with the guys.  And there are many days where I miss being able to go get a mani/pedi with the girls at the drop of the hat.  With multiples there isn't a lot of "ME" time.  Accepting this was hard for both of us at first.  We both try to step away every once in awhile to refresh.  Terry and I are both getting very good at recognizing when the other needs a break. 

I'm not going to lie....the first probably nine months were very difficult on our marriage.  There were times where we both yelled and snapped at the other.  I warmed the bottles and got one just a little too hot or Terry didn't put the diaper on right and now I have poop all over my hands.  All things that looking back now we can laugh at.  I think what makes our relationship work well with our little ones is that we both know our responsibilities and share them equally.  We both prayed for a family for so long, that we just want to enjoy our family and be thankful for the gift God has given us.  I feel that keeping a sense of humor is important.  Being able to laugh at my mistakes and move on is huge.  I also feel that spending quality time together EVERY DAY is very important!  Even if it's only ten minutes every day, we make it a point to do something together, just the two of us at least once a day.  A marriage isn't always easy but we know that we love each other and will do whatever it takes to make it work.

This one is difficult.  Just one piece of advice....hmmm?  It's hard to pick just one so I think I'm going to do two.  First, I remember when I first found out I was pregnant with triplets.  A fellow mom of trips warned me that "it's going to be hard".  She told me that it's going to suck sometimes and sometimes you are going to want to kill each other.  She told me to always remember to hug and kiss your husband even when you want to choke him because now that you are parents you will be forever tied together whether you like it or not.  There were many nights, or should I say two a.m. mornings, where we were both exhausted and irritated with each other.  But we managed to squeeze out a quick I love you and a kiss.  Never go to bed mad!  Even if you are going to bed at 2:00a.m.  Make the last thing you say to each other something nice.  COMMUNICATION IS KEY!!!!

And piece of advice #2.  Take one last trip together just the two of you!!!  This is something we didn't do and I really regret it!  Even if it's a small road trip across town, do something to get away.  It will never be just the two of you ever again.  So have that one last hoorah because it will be several years before you feel comfortable leaving the kiddos alone!

I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones who has a very hands on husband.  My girls are very lucky to have such a great father.  And I'm very lucky to have such an amazing hubby.  As we are about to celebrate our 4th anniversary in a little over a week, I can't think of anyone else I rather go through this journey with!  Love you Babe!!

My heart aches....

Ok, so yes, I must admit the title of this posting is a little dramatic.  When my precious little girls grow up to be major drama queens, at least they will have come by it honestly!!  So our latest dilemma.....teething.  UGH!!

Both girls have their two bottom teeth and are working on the top two.  Generally during the day, a frozen teething ring or the help of Hylands Teething tablets can soothe both girls.  The teething tablets are like crack to the girls.  Not that I know what crack is like, seriously I have no clue, but the effect that the tablets have on the girls is what I imagine someone on crack to be like.  I can tell that the tablets help, but the make the girls really hyper.  During the day this is not a major issue, but at night time having them bouncing off their cribs is not really doable!  Our pediatrician told us a few weeks back the Hylands Teething tablets can have a caffeine affect on babies under 20 pounds.  NICE!  Nothing like starting a Starbucks-like habit with my girls early!

Tuesday evening we did our nightly bed time ritual as usual.  We put the girls in their pj's.  They get cereal, applesauce and a few Gerber puffs, followed by Terry feeding Alexis a bottle and myself feeding Addison a bottle.  Everything was going smoothly until I went to place the bottle in Addison's cute little mouth.  She lunged her entire bottle backwards and starting kicking.  She was totally fighting me and didn't want any part of drinking her bottle.  Short of physically holding her down and shoving the bottle into her mouth, I tried everything I could to get her to drink it.  She went to bed without drinking her bottle and we fully expected her to be up in the middle of the night hungry.  Nope, she slept all night without even the slightest peep.  It took awhile to get her down but once she was asleep, she was out.

The girls and their food is what cause me the most anxiety lately.  They are still nowhere near being on the "official growth charts" that all our doctors keep referring to.  The doctors aren't very concerned since they continue to gain weight consistently, but have encouraged us to add "extra calories" to all their food.  They should be eating about 900-1100 calories a day.  If you think about it, that's ALOT of food for a baby.  On average 4-5 (6) ounce bottles a day contain about 600 calories.  A stage 2 jar of baby food (depending on kind and variety) has about 75-100 calories.  We are working hard to make sure that we keep their calorie count up there.  I've obviously never been a huge calorie counter myself, who knew I would be obsessing about calories for my munchkins?  Addison not drinking her bed time bottle was stressing me out.  I was praying that this wasn't going to be a consistent nightly issue.

Yesterday evening we once again were doing our nightly bedtime routine.  This time it was Alexis.  She hurled her body almost out of Terry's arms, refusing to drink her bottle.  She was restless and agitated.  You could see it in her big brown eyes that she just didn't feel well.  No fever, no signs of any type of sickness, but you could just tell that she was hurting.  After I got Addison to bed, Terry gave me Alexis to see if I could get her to drink.  Nope!  She wasn't having any part of it.  She was whining and just looked miserable.  This is where the title "my heart aches" comes from.  How can I help her?  What can I do to take away the pain?  How can I make it better?  Both girls had a dose of Tylenol before bedtime.  What else can I do? 

I reached out to some of my friends via FaceBook asking them for suggestions.  Within minutes I got the following responses....

1.  Rub Tylenol directly on their gums (I may try this in the future)

2.  Dampen a wash cloth & freeze it and let them chew on it (I have yet to try this but not really appropriate for bed time, in my opinion)

3.  Baby Orajel.  Baby orajel is a HUGE NO NO from our pediatrician.  Since the girls have issues with choking and swallowing already our pedi STRONGLY encouraged us to stay away from this.  The numbing effect can numb their throats and cause more issues.  She told us that she doesn't recommend this for any infant, not just those with choking issues.

4.  Hylands Teething Tablets.  Ok, see my above comparison to crack.  Not appropriate for bedtime.

5.  Vanilla Extract, it has to be the pure kind, not imitation.  Put it on their gums and it will help ease the pain and swelling.   Really?  I've never heard of this?  Anyone else ever tried this?  Seems a little farfetched to me???

6.  Take a hammer to their skulls.  Clearly not a viable option, but I appreciate Rick's comic relief during my melt down.

7.  Chilled teething rings sold at Babies R Us.  DUH!  Why didn't I think of that?  Clearly I'm not an idiot.  I know where to buy teething rings.  We own about 25 of them.  But again giving them a teething ring isn't going to help them fall asleep.

8.  Rub whiskey on their gums.  Ok, I'm not really sure how I feel about this one.  I can remember clear as day, the only Grandfather that I've ever really known, rubbing whiskey on my little sisters gums.  I can still see him reaching up to the cabinet above the refrigerator to pull out the jug.  A little dab and she was good to go.  HMMM?  Would I seriously consider giving my girls a shot of whiskey?  I know that a shot of whiskey would knock me out, but could I really do this?  I don't even think we have any whiskey in the house??  Would red wine work?  Are the liquor stores still open?  We already have issues with CPS breathing down our necks (a post for another time, probably tomorrow) due to the girls prematurity issues. NOPE!  Again, not another viable option.

9.  Give them a frozen waffle to chew on.  Really?  This doesn't really seem like that crazy of an option to me.  But can I really tuck my girls into bed for the evening like this.  "Ok, girls it's night night time.  I love you!  Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite".  "Oh by the way, don't forget your frozen waffle".  According to the new "Back to Sleep" guidelines, all infants are to be put to bed on their back with no toys, blankets or pillows in their cribs for the first year.  No one ever said anything about frozen waffles???  Could a frozen waffle pass the Back to Sleep guidelines?  Probably not.

Finally we decided to just let Alexis "cry it out" for a little while.  This hurts me in a way that I cannot explain.  I know that sometimes it is necessary, but I almost feel like I'm going to hyperventilate sometimes when we do this.  I have a seven minute time limit.  Why seven minutes?  I have no idea but I won't let them cry for more than seven minutes.  To me seven minutes feels like an eternity!!  I stood in the kitchen holding the baby monitor.  Not that I needed the monitor because I could hear her screaming without it.  This wasn't her normal cry.  This wasn't her "I don't want to go to bed" or "I just fell down" cry.  This was different.  I just stood in the kitchen watching the clock on the microwave.  I couldn't take it anymore.  At six and a half minutes I went upstairs and picked her up.  She instantly smiled and started bouncing around.  We rocked in the chair for about 20 minutes and she finally fell asleep in my arms.

This morning I got a text message from my dear friend, Shereen.  It said "my best advice is to just love them, hold them and comfort them the best you can.  It sucks because sometimes there is nothing you can do but love them".  Is love and comfort how we are going to get through this teething phase?  I hope I have enough patience to go around!!! 

Anyone who has suggestions on how to comfort my girls at bedtime to help them sleep more peacefully while teeting.....I'M ALL EARS!!! 

Party Details:

Even though the invites have not "officially" gone out yet.....I wanted to give a quick heads up to our "Out of Town" guests who are planning on attending the party.

I contacted several local hotels in town to see if we could get a block of rooms reserved at a discounted rate.  I quickly learned that the NCAA finals are in town that weekend and hotel rooms are going to be few and far between.  I did manage to secure a block of 10 rooms for $79 each plus applicable taxes.

Anyone who is interested or is planning on staying in town I encourage you to book your rooms soon!!!

Hotel Indigo

9791 North by NorthEast Blvd

Fishers, IN  46037

317-558-4100
www.hotelindigo.com/fishersin
If booking online use Group Code "SBP"

Be sure to mention the "Smith Birthday Party" to receive the discounted rate.

Pancakes and Eggs!

At our last visit to the pediatrician she advised us that we really need to work on getting the girls to eat more solid foods.  She advised us to proceed slowly but to start the process.  The girls have no issues with their baby food but when it comes to solid foods they like to swallow things whole.  Over the past few weeks we have been working with the Gerber Puffs to help the girls learn how to chew, versus swallowing things whole.  This took a few days.  Both girls weren't sure at first and we did have a couple of choking scares.  Now "puffies", as we call them are no big deal to the girls.  So we have decided to branch out a little.  First off, banana pieces.  Addison loved them, Alexis not so much.  Mashed potatoes with a few tiny lumps....Alexis loved them and Addison not so much. 

Saturday Terry was still asleep when I was giving them their lunch at Noon.  Yes, I'm so jealous of his ability to sleep whenever and wherever!!  Around eleven I decided I wanted some scrambled eggs so on a whim, I decided to add and extra egg for the girls.  No, I didn't add cheese or salt to theirs like I did my own.  Just plain old scrambled eggs.  I put the girls in their high chairs and gave them each a few of their Gerber Puffs and a few tiny pieces of eggs.  Man you would have thought the girls hadn't eaten in weeks the way they snatched up those eggs.  They both were unsure of the taste at first but after awhile they were loving them.  Terry came downstairs in the middle of their "feeding frenzy" (which we call lunch time around our place) and was shocked to see the girls eating scrambled eggs and actually enjoying them. 

Sunday morning I again decided to make breakfast.  Two days in a row is good for me!  Since having the girls I really only make big meals on the weekends.  It seems like our week day meals consist of something frozen or quick to make!!  I asked Terry what he wanted and he replied with sausage and pancakes.  Easy enough!  I whipped up some pancakes and sausage and Terry and I sat down at the kitchen table to eat.  Alexis started screaming because she couldn't see us.  She's going through this weird phase where she has to be able to see one of us at all times.  So, I took my plate and sat on the couch so Alexis would be content.  Addison immediately pulled herself into a standing position holding onto the couch.  She grabbed for my plate.  UGH!  I wasn't quick enough and she got a handful of syrup and was rubbing it in her hair.  NICE!!  Terry replies while laughing at me cleaning syrup out of her hair....."Maybe she wants some pancakes".  I kind of just laughed at him and shot him a dirty look for making a smart remark but the more I thought about it, the more I thought "why can't they have some pancakes"?  It was almost lunch time so we put the girls in their chairs and I grabbed a pancake and gave the girls a few pieces.  Again, they scarffed up those pancake pieces as if they hadn't eaten in days.  They seriously loved their pancakes.  They probably would have eaten more if I would have let them, but I did want them to eat their vegetables as well.

I have to say that the girls come by their love of breakfast food very honestly.  Terry and I both LOVE breakfast.  Many times when we go out for dinner we order breakfast for an evening meal.  So why should we be surprised that our kids would be any different? 

We are still looking for other small, soft foods to help the girls work on their chewing and swallowing.  Any suggestions???  Suprisingly the Gerber Yogurt Melts were not a hit!  They both hated them and have choked on them on numerous occasions.

Ouch!

We just returned from the pediatricians office with the girls.  They once again received their monthly synagis (RSV) vacinations.  Only one more of these to go.  March will be their last shot for RSV.  Doing this every month breaks my heart.  You would seriously think that someone was killing the girls.  They scream bloody murder after getting this shot.  I'm not sure who shed more tears today, me or the girls?  I over heard a boy in the room next to ours say to his mom "do you think that baby got a shot?  If she did I think we should leave now because I don't want to get a shot because it hurts my throat to scream."  It was the cutest thing.

Quick update on the girls:

Addison's current weight 15 pounds even.  They didn't measure the girls today but it's very obvious that Addison is using her calories to grow lengthwise.  She is a good inch and a half taller than Lex.  They keep telling us that she is going to be VERY tall like her Daddy.

Alexis is currently weighing 16 pounds 3 ounces.  She is filling in and has some of the cutest little fat rolls on her legs.  Terry and I were talking about her little chubby legs in the ped's office while the girls were naked waiting to be weighed.  He said, "remember when my wedding ring would fit all the way up her leg and touch her thigh?  Now, I seriously doubt I can get my watch all the way up her leg." 

The pediatrician is pleased with their progress and God willing we won't be back in the pediatricians office until it's time for next months shots.

Learning to relax a little.....

While the last 10 1/2 months have been the most difficult of my life they have also been the most exciting and moving times of my life.  When the girls first came home I thought that I would never be able to sleep again.  I hate to admit this, but there were a few nights when I would actually poke the girls just to make sure they were still breathing.  The machines at the hospital had become a crutch.  Instead of focusing on holding my beautiful babies, I was consistently checking the monitors making sure that their oxygen levels were ok and that their heart rates were where they needed to be.  I became serious uptight and obsessive about knowing everything that was going on.  A few evenings ago, I watched back the video of the girl's baptism in the NICU.  Instead of focusing my attention on what was going on, you can see in the video that I was preoccupied by the monitors.  When we finally got the girls home the monitors and alarms were not there to reassure me that everything was ok.  Hence the reason for my constant poking of the girls while they slept.  After a few months, I learned to sleep again.  It took me quite awhile to actually get that "good sleep" back.  I always felt like I was sleeping with one eye open or that I could never fall very deep asleep because I wanted to be alert in the event something happened.  I can honestly say that I now feel at peace when I lay down at night.  It only took me about 10 months but I'm finally there.

Change?!?  UGH!  I've never been one that is great with accepting new things.  I usually stress about it until it completely over takes my life.  When Addison wouldn't take her bottle when she first got home, I became obsessed with finding out what was going on.  I literally would not sleep until I figured out what was going on.  Come to find out that it was something as small as changing from a rubber nipple to a silicone nipple.  Addison doesn't like the silicone nipple and prefers rubber.  Where Alexis will only drink from a silicone nipple and dislikes rubber. 

When Alexis kept waking up every night soaking wet I became obsessed with finding the perfect diaper that didn't require her to lay in sopping wet pj's every morning.  I think I tried almost 9 different types and brands of diapers until I found a solution.

Over the weekend we made the switch from the specialty preemie formula to regular Similac Advanced formula.  Our pediatrician told us we could do this several weeks back.  She told us to use up what we had left and then transition them into the new formula.  I seriously have been having some major anxiety issues about switching the girls from their high calorie preemie formula to a regular infant formula.  Would they like the new formula?  What if they won't drink it?  How do we switch them?  Do we mix in some of the new with the old and slowly keep adding more of the new stuff?  Nope, as advised by the girl's pediatrician, we just switched them cold turkey.  Once again, All of my anxiety and stressing was for nothing.  They didn't even bat an eye at the change. 

These are only a few of the things that I've fixated on over the past few months.  So the moral of this story?  Is all of my anxiety, constant worrying, tension and stressing because I'm crazy or because I only want what's best for my little girls??  Probably a combination of both.  But after this weekend, where the girls once again surprised me with their amazing resilience, I'm vowing to chill out a little.  I've learned to sleep again, why can't I learn to mellow out a little?  It's the tiny little things like this that have caused me to prematurely grey.  Yes, at 32 years old I'm finding more and more grey hairs everyday.  My new goal is to just roll with the punches.  Shit happens and there is absolutely nothing that I can do to change it.  I feel like my constant obsessing is making me miss out on the amazing little moments that my girls experience everyday.  From here on out I will relax and take the time to breathe in my surroundings and not sweat the small stuff.

I saw this quote on a fellow MoM's (mother of multiples) blog last week and I thought it was perfect.

"In spite of the six thousand manuals on child raising in the bookstores, child raising is still a dark continent and no one really knows anything.  You just need a lot of love and luck - and, of course, courage."

--Bill Cosby

NOTE TO SELF.....

Stop leaving your cell phone in areas where little hands can get ahold of it!!!!

Two weeks ago I had to purchase a new cell phone because it unknowingly fell out of my pocket and little tiny hands (aka Alexis Faith) picked it up and started chewing on it.  When I finally got it back in my possession, it looked as if a Saint Bernard had slobbered all over it.  The water damage was beyond repair.

This evening I placed my phone on the back of the coffee table.  I seriously thought that it was out of reach.  I walked away to start getting the girls bedtime food ready and I started to hear some giggling.  I knew they were up to no good!  Sure enough, Alexis was showing Addison how she had gotten her tiny little paws on my phone once again.  Luckily this time I think I caught it fast enough that I was able to dry it out with the help of my hair dryer.  Here's hoping I don't have to buy another phone!!  :-)  The girls have serious obsessions with phones of any type of course with the exception of their own toy cell phones.  They know the difference between the real thing and the not so real thing.  They also love the remote controls and their baby monitors....all things which slobber can do serious damage too.

As my husband says, I have no one to blame but myself! 

LESSON LEARNED!!!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!

We have secured the date and location for the girls first birthday party.  Please save the date of Saturday, April 24th, 2010 to help us celebrate making it through the first year.  We have a ton to be thankful for and we hope that you will join us in honoring our two precious miracles.

The Girls First Valentine's Day!

I recently saw some pictures that a friend of mine had done of her daughter at a professional photo studio.  They basically gave her daughter a plastic shaped heart and she began chewing on it and they snapped some pictures.  I thought to myself..... I can do this myself and off to Michael's I went.  I bought a few foam hearts and two larger than normal heart shaped cookie cutters.  Let me tell you, this was a bigger project than I orginally thought it would be.  The girls we so over having their pictures taken by the time it was done.  Here are a few of my favorites that didn't make the cut:

The Above pictures are of Alexis.  Taken on February 3rd. 2010.

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The above three pictures are of Addison.

And the impossible.....getting a great picture of both girls sitting still at the same time.  This was much harder than I thought it would be!!!

Here is the final product.  Aren't my two little cupids adorable?  Sorry it didn't scan great but you get the idea of our finished Valentine's card.  Terry refers to Addison as Gene Simmons in this picture because she seriously has the longest tongue you have ever seen on a baby.

10 Months!!

The girls turned 10 months this past Saturday. This is so surreal to me! It seems like just yesterday Terry and I were hovering over their isolets, spending endless hours in the NICU. They have come so far and we feel so blessed to be the parents of two adorable girls! I can't believe that we are already planning their first birthday party. I'm days away from securing the location and date. Keep your fingers crossed that the date we've selected works out for us.

Here are some stats and my favorite pictures from the last month. I apologize for being so lax about posting pictures. It seems like lately my free time is becoming less and less. The girls are super mobile now and you can't step away for a second without one of them causing some form of trouble.

Addison

No current weight or height as we haven't been to the pediatrician in awhile.

Currently has two teeth and loves to show them to everyone. If you ask her to show you her teeth she will open up proudly.

She's quick! Our poor cat is being attacked on a daily basis. Jynxie gets love from Addison constantly. We are still working on teaching Addison the concept of "petting her nicely" but she isn't quite understanding. Addison can dart from one side of the living room to the other in seconds. Jynxie is quick, but Addison gives her a run for her money.

Addison plays very well by herself. She loves her books and absolutely loves her Playskool Busy Lil Garden Butterfly.

This butterfly will keep her busy for a long time.  We should really think about investing in Energizer because the amount of batteries we go through is insane.

I can't really say that Addison has a favorite food because she will eat just about anything.  She isn't a fan of fresh mashed up bananas but loves them in Gerber baby food form.

Still wearing Size 2 diapers and Size 3 at night.  Also wears 6 month clothing, some 9 months.

Addison becomes more vocal every day.  In the last month her hair has gotten really long.  She has the sweetest smile and the most beautiful blue eyes that pierce my heart every time I look at her.  She is really starting to have more and more of a personality and is generally a very happy little girl.

Typical picture of my Sweet Addison.  Always chewing on something.  She is seriously working on some more teeth.  We hope they pop through soon!

Umm...I will never forget to put a bib on her EVER AGAIN!!!  Love those blue eyes!!

I took the above two pictures on their actual ten month birthday.  Addison was more interested in actually playing with the letters than posing for a picture.  Again, we had to improvise with the second "D", since their play mat only has one.

This picture is not from the last month.  It actually was taken on New Year's Eve.  I'm not sure why it never got posted, but it's one of my favorite pictures of Addison.  She has the sweetest smile.

Alexis

Again, no current weight or height, but I would guess around 15lbs-ish.

Currently also has TWO teeth.  MAKING OUR OFFICIAL TOOTH COUNT AT FOUR!!  (I haven't done an official tooth count recently!)  She has discovered that having teeth causes her Momma to yell OUCH on a regular basis.  She thinks it's funny to chew on my hand and bite down occasionally.  For some reason hearing me yell OUCH is pretty funny?  I don't get it, but she thinks it's hysterical?

Alexis is a climber.  She tries to push her toys up against the couch and then uses them as a step stool to try and hoist herself up.  She hasn't quite figured it out yet, but I have a feeling that it's coming soon.  She also loves to be upside down?  I'm not sure what that's about, but if it makes her happy we just roll with it!  

I can't really say that Alexis has a favorite toy.  She bounces back and forth from all her toys and I can't say that she consistently plays with just one specific toy.  Her new favorite thing to do is play "Where's Alexis"?  She will grab one of her burp cloths and place it over her head until you say "Where's Alexis"  then she will pull it off of her head and start giggling.  It's the cutest thing!!!

I also can't say that Alexis has a favorite food.  Both girls are not really picky eaters. (knock on wood)  We are still trying to transition the girls into more solid foods.  They have been eating baby food for quite awhile.  Our pediatrician wants us to work on getting them into more textured foods.  We are still working with the puffs so the girls get the swallowing of whole foods down.

Still wearing Size 2 diapers and Size 3 at night.  Alexis is probably ready to transition into a Size 3 diaper full time.  I'm just trying to use up some of the Size 2's we have first.

Alexis is our resident "Drama Queen" this month.  She knows that when she "fake coughs" that she gets attention.  When the girls were younger and had a lot of "choking issues" we would quickly dart to them every time we heard the slightest cough.  I think that Alexis knows this and tries to use this trick to get attention sometimes.  We are on to her little games!  She also has developed a very distinct "fake cry" that turns into her laughing.  She's a little stinker but is also the biggest cuddler.  She didn't used to be so cuddly but now she loves to give hugs.  She melts me everytime she climbs up onto my lap to give me a hug. 

Alexis' hair has gotten long this month as well, but has also gotten very thick.  She is so much like her father I can't even explain it.  She is SO Terry's little female version of MINI ME!!!

This picture is from the beginning of the month.  It amazes how big she has gotten in the last few weeks!Alexis NEVER sleeps in her boppy anymore so I couldn't resist taking a picture of her so peaceful and QUIET!!!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this picture of Lex.  She has the biggest smile that can brighten any room!

Alexis also loves to scream!  I can actually hear her screaming just by looking at this picture.

YEP, another picture to prove that I was having a momentary bout with insanity. 

I VOW TO NEVER FORGET TO PUT ON A BIB AGAIN!!!

I'm learning how to be quick with the camera.  I take 25 pictures and get 2-3 good ones.  Thank goodness for digital cameras!!

This picture cracks me up.  Alexis is giving me "the look".  I  feel like she is telling me that I'm nuts.  I get this look at least once a day. 

I know that I say this every month, but I can't believe how far they have come.  I'm reminded on a daily basis how blessed we are to have two beautiful healthy baby girls.  I look back and can't believe that they were once so tiny.  I'm seriously going to work on posting a "look back" blog soon!  When people ask me why we keep the girls so sheltered during cold and flu season it's because we've been through hell and back.  I'm hoping that doing a "look back" post will put things into perspective.  Just envision for a second.....

a newborn baby who's head is no larger than a tennis ball,

a precious life who's just longer than a standard size ruler

a tiny leg that's not much wider than a tube of chap stick

I could keep going, but I'm going to save it for another time.  But let me just ask you this.....If you had experienced what we have, don't you think you would do absolutely everything in your power to protect your children as well???

We know that protecting our girls is the least we can do.  I credit God for having a HUGE role in getting us to where we are today.  Every breath is sacred.  Every smile is a gift.  Every day is a blessing.

I feel so lucky to be the Mom of these two precious GIFTS FROM GOD!!!

I promise to get my Valentine's post up soon!!!

This is what I've been listening to all morning....

The SWEETEST sound!!

Our girls have been doing the baby talk for a long time now.  You know....the typical goo goo gah gah baby babble.  On numerous occasions while I would be getting ready for work, I would hear the girls babbling to each other in their cribs.  It was so sweet!!  Over the last few days Alexis and Addison both have been popping out with an occasion Da Da.  Last Sunday was filled with Alexis constantly saying Da Da at least 100 times during the day.  Every time I hear a Da Da, I follow it with a Ma Ma.  Alexis thinks that is funny and Addison just stares at me like I'm nuts. 

Well, yesterday when I got home from work, I greeted the girls in my normal fashion and Alexis looks up at me with her big brown eyes and a huge smile on her face and says Ma Ma.  It totally melted my heart!!

I played with the girls for a bit and then went upstairs to prep for our Valentine's pictures (stay tuned to see!).  When I returned downstairs, Addison saw me from around the corner and yelled Ma Ma.  Talk about making me cry some major happy tears!!!  This morning I was giving the girls hugs & kisses before I left for work.  As I started to walk away, Alexis looks at me and says Ma Ma Ma Ma.  Talk about making it super hard to leave for work!!!

I continue to be truly amazed at our girl's progress!  When I was putting away some things in the girls memory boxes last weekend I pulled out the hospital bands that were placed around their ankles on Day 1.  WOW!!  I need to post pictures of them next to a quarter so you can see the size in perspective.  The circle that the band created was smaller than the size of a quarter.  They have come so far and we are truly blessed that they continue to thrive.  Who knew that when they told us Addison would never leave the hospital or that she would never use the left side of her body, that she would be the mastermind behind the trouble the girls have been up to lately (a posting for another time)?

Official Tooth Count....

Our official "Tooth Count" has now moved up to THREE!! 

Miss Addison is still holding strong with her two bottom teeth and poses a close resemblance to a super cute Halloween jack-o-lantern.  You can feel in her mouth that her top two are ready to pop out any day now.

This morning when I was feeding Alexis breakfast she started doing her little "spit at mom" routine which she thinks is hilarious, let me tell you it's not!!!  It's the same spitting thing she does all day long that sounds likes she is blowing raspberries.  Occasionally she does it while she is eating and makes a HUGE mess.  I know that she knows that she is making a mess, because she gets this little mischievous look on her face and then starts laughing at herself.  Anyway, while she was cracking herself up, I noticed a little toofer in her mouth.  It must have just poked out because it wasn't there last night when she was chewing on my finger.  My babies are growing up so quickly!!!

Quick story....I'm sure that you all have seen the pictures that I have posted of our baby gate/corral that keeps the girls confined in our living room, well I guess I should say....used to keep the girls confined.  Yesterday Terry called me at work and told me that the girls have figured out how to open the gate and free themselves.  We are in big trouble if this continues!!  He said Alexis was standing up at the front door and Addison had climbed up three stairs and was on her way upstairs.  We are still trying to figure out who was the mastermind behind their escape, but we are pretty sure that they have been plotting this for awhile.  I continue to be amazed at how much they interact and play with each other.  They are constantly laughing at each other and smiling at one another.  Don't get me wrong...they have their share of fights, but we can already tell they are going to be best friends.

Stay tuned in the next week or so for the girls "First Valentine's Day" photos!!!

C is for COOKIE!!

Look out Cookie Monster.....You've got some competition!!! 

This is why "cookie time" only happens on bath night!!  Alexis was a serious mess! 

(Thanks Aunt Sandy for the pictures!!!)

The latest Happenings in our house....

A lot of random stuff to put in todays entry, where to begin? The girls had their nine month physicals with the pediatrician on Monday afternoon. Dr. Freeman gave both girls an A+++ (yes she said three pluses) for their progress. She was amazed that neither girl is having any "preemie issues" and that they are both progressing at their "actual age" as opposed to their "adjusted age". We still continue to be cautiously optimistic with both girls since we have no idea what the future holds regarding their development, but all and all it was a great visit! Oh and another BIG thing for us....she took them off the special preemie formula! YEAH!

As of Monday Addison weighed 14 pounds 1 ounce and is 26 1/4 inches long.

Alexis weighed 15 pounds even and is 25 inches long.

The doctor predicts that both girls are going to be very tall!

While waiting for the doctor both girls were very intrigued by the paper that lined the exam table. Who knew ripping and crinkling exam table paper could be so fun? See below picture: Addison (left) and Alexis (right). As you can see in the picture Alexis still has her hemangioma on the left side of her chest. It is shrinking but only time will tell if we need "medical intervention" for removal. As long as she isn't bothered by it we are going to let nature take its course.

The girls got a jump a roo for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa Zehner (aka Ga Ga and Pop Pop). Our pediatrician had previously told us to stear clear from jumpy toys because preemies are more apt to get hip displasia. We got the go ahead from the pediatrician for the girls to jump their little hearts out! Alexis loves it, Addison well, not so much. See the below video of Alexis in the "jumpy" for the first time.

The pediatrician also told us that the girls should start eating more solid foods. She suggested starting with puffs and teething biscuits. We gave the girls teething biscuits for the first time this evening. Wow, I was shocked at how messy those things are! The girls loved them! Addison went to town on hers. She was knawing on it with her two little teeth. Alexis pretty much just slobbered all over hers but she still enjoyed it. We now know that "cookie time" is only going to happen close to bath time since the girls made such a big mess. Alexis loved the few puffs that we gave her but Addison tried swallowing them whole, so we are going to have to revaluate her eating those right now.

Above:  Addison eating her cookie as we called them.  I LOVE this picture!!

Above:  Alexis eating her cookie.  She had to use two hands and thought it was funny to drop her cookie down into her high chair.

Above three pictures:  Addison (left) and Alexis (right) having "cookie time" in their cousins old high chairs that their Aunt Gretchen passed onto our girls.  Thanks guys!  I absolutely love the fact they have wheels on them for easy moving and storage in our kitchen!

I think that is all for today.  I should have some more pictures next week.  The girls are looking forward to a visit from their Grandma Flanigan and Aunt Sandy this weekend and Mommy and Daddy are looking forward to sneeking out of the house for a little bit, ALONE!!!!

GO COLTS!!

The girls were super excited about their first football playoff game this weekend! Seriously, they have no idea, but I was thrilled to put them in their cheerleader outfits for the day! Lets hope the Colts have another great week!

Alexis trying to run away from the camera, but giving a great smile. (Alexis left, Addison right)

Addison giving a great smile! Why can't I ever capture both of them smiling at the same time?

Addison getting fired up for the game!!

Alexis pondering game strategies.

Addison and Alexis say GO COLTS!!!

9 MONTHS!!!

I know I say this with every monthly post....but how is it possible that my girls are nine months old already? Seems like just yesterday that we were bringing them home with us, and now I'm already starting to plan their first birthday party. How is this possible? The girls seem to have really developed A LOT in the last month. Here is the latest and the greatest:

Addison

Don't have a current weight since we haven't been to the doctor in awhile (YEAH!), but she is getting very tall.

Now wearing all 6 month clothing.

Size 2 diapers

Loves Prunes

Has two teeth

Is very independent and is generally happy just laying on the floor playing with whatever toys are around. She loves music, which I think that she gets that from her father.

LOVES to terrorize our cat, Jynxie. Addison smiles and laughs every time Jynx walks by her. She will then proceed to chase her until Jynx gives up and lets her pull a clump full of hair.

Has the sweetest little laugh that you ever heard, but easily gets the hiccups after laughing too hard. They seem to last a long time and almost seems like they hurt her at times.

She was the first to master crawling and is QUICK! If you don't close the gate, she will be at your feet in 30 seconds or less. She also loves to pull up on the couch and stand.


ALEXIS

Again, no current weight. She's not as tall as her sister but she is definitely very solid and is the heavier of the two.

Now wearing all 6 month clothing

Size 2 diapers, except at night she wears a size 3 for extra absorbency. This girl pees like SeaBiscuit some times! (TMI, I know!)

Doesn't really have a favorite food that I know of, because she will eat anything that you put in her mouth. She loves food! I think she gets that from her Dad also!

No teeth yet, but seriously chews on EVERYTHING! We are thinking any day now.

Likes to be involved in everything. She doesn't play as independently as Addison. She likes to be up in everyone business. If Addison is playing with a toy, she will crawl over and start playing with it too.

Alexis is LOUD! She loves to chat and have conversations, but she is LOUD! Some times I feel like she does this on purpose so she is the center of attention. It's cute, but sometimes we have to tell her to use her "inside voice". She thinks that is funny. When she laughs it melts my heart as she has the most delicate laugh, despite being so loud with everything else.

Lex was the first to master pulling up and standing. She's a gutsy girl! She stands up holding onto the couch and will walk back and forth from one end to the other. She has NO fear! Terry has even caught her using her toys as a step stool to try and climb up onto the couch. I joke about trying to find little tiny baby helmets for the girls to wear since they are constantly falling down.


I think that's all our stats for this month. We continue to be amazed at our girls progression. Every day that we share with them is definitely full of chaos and excitement but we wouldn't change a minute of it for anything!

Official TOOTH Count....

As of today our official "tooth count" (maybe it should be teeth count but I like tooth count better) is up to TWO!! Addison now has her bottom two teeth. How is this possible already? She continues to surprise me on a daily basis. Alexis is still working on hers. Her gums are very hard and I'm hoping they break through VERY soon!

I need to do a better job at taking pictures!! Terry and I talk about this all the time. It's just so hard now that the girls are VERY mobile. We spend most of our time wrangling them and keeping them out of stuff. My goal is to start doing a better job taking pictures

Does it seem crazy to anyone else but me that I'm starting to think about plans for the girls 1st birthday party? How can this only be a few months away??

Baby it's cold outside!!

After a yucky day yesterday filled with super COLD temps and about six or seven inches of snow, we want to say a BIG THANK YOU to whomever plowed our driveway yesterday evening. We have several friends and neighbors who own snow trucks but so far no one will take credit for doing it. So whoever you are THANKS! It truly amazes us how people continue to do things anonymously for us. We definitely have angels watching out for us all over the place!

Why I Blog.

When I first created my blog back in October of 2008, I started it with the intentions that no one would ever read it but me. It was MY own personal journal of how our beautiful daughters came to be and our struggles through infertility. I love to write, but I'm not much with a pen and paper. Getting my feelings and frustrations out as we hoped and prayed for a child became therapeutic to me. There was just something about expressing my feelings in words that helped me to accept the hand that God had dealt us.

When we found out that we were pregnant with triplets, my blog took a turn. It became dedicated to keeping our families and friends all across the United States abreast of the current news with our babies. We needed the love and support of everyone to get us through what we knew would be a difficult pregnancy.

And when my water broke on Easter morning, my blog again took on a whole different life of it's own. Our two precious babies were about to be born and we were told that they didn't stand a chance. I'll never forget my doctor looking into my eyes and telling me that "All we can do now is pray". At that point my blog turned into a prayer chain. We kept it up to date, so that everyone we knew and hundreds of people that we didn't, would pray for our girls that we had spent so much time hoping and praying for. Prayers were our only hope. At that point it was all in God's hands.

Never in a million years did I expect that my blog would receive almost 2,500 hits in four months. Since I've added trackers (my ladybug tracker doesn't work & I can't figure out how to delete her?), I can see the locations of my readers and most of their identities. This continues to amaze me and NEVER once have I taken for granted each and every reader who I know has said a prayer for us or has been supporting our family in one way or another.

God answered our prayers giving us the two most beautiful daughters that any parent could ask for. I continue to maintain our blog as a way of journaling our process as the parents of Addison and Alexis. While I would like to be one of those mom's who stays at home and has a ton of time to scrapbook and create memory books for their children, that's just not me. For one, I am not creative enough to scrapbook and number two, I just don't have the time. On a monthly basis I print out two copies of all my blog entries for the month and place them in two separate binders. Someday my daughters will be able to read back through the journey of how they came to be and all of the wonderful comments of support left by our family and friends.

Every breath is precious, because you never know when it is going to be your last. Over the last few years, I've watched a close friend lose her husband after only 5 weeks of marriage. I've struggled to watch my own children fight for every breath of air, while a machine created their breaths for them. I've become close with other NICU moms who have gone through the same freakishly scary journey that we have. I've learned not to take one second, one person, or one thing for granted. I am eternally grateful for EVERYONE who has EVER done ANYTHING to help us get to where we are today. Without our family and friends we couldn't have survived the last year and my daughters would not have the best of everything. While I'm not the best at showing gratitude, please know that NOTHING has EVER gone unnoticed or unappreciated!!

With all this being said it has been brought to my attention that my blog is causing several people hard feelings. The minute I walked in the door yesterday from work, It was demanded to me by my husband that I delete my blog immediately. I don't feel that this is an option for me and I WILL continue to blog. I write my blog for myself and my children, no one else. Terry will not reveal to me who my blog is indirectly bothering other than it is numerous people (like more than 10 people). I'm not sure if I feel hurt or angry about this? Probably a little of both. I do my best to live my life as a good person. I try to give 110% into being a good Mom and a good wife. I never intentionally would hurt anyone! This is why I think I'm so badly hurt by this. I obviously can't change the past, but I can do something about the future. But without knowing what the exact issues are I can't fix the problem. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how I could have offended more than 10 people with my blog??

If you happen to be one of the people who I've offended with something I've posted on my blog I would like to invite you to please bring this to my attention. Please email me at cardinalsfan0718@netzero.com or call my cell phone if you have the number. If you have an issue with me I ask that you take it up with me directly rather than indirectly through a third or fourth party.

WE HAVE A TOOTH!

Saturday evening while playing with the girls, Addison did her usual grab one of my fingers and stick it in her mouth to chew on it. Both girls have been doing this for awhile now. As long as I'm sure my hands are clean, I let them do it. Yes, we are super germ-a-phobs around our house! If my hands aren't clean I try to recommend another toy for chewing. So, Addison chomped down on my finger and frickin' ouch!! The little bitter has a tooth!! I couldn't believe it! This totally explains her mega attitude the last week, which I had chalked up to her being overly stressed from the holiday festivities. I feel awful now, not realizing that a sharp object was slicing through her gums causing her indescribable amounts of pain. Baby tylenol seems to have helped her pain issues since I realized what was happening.

Terry again continues to laugh at me when I cry at major milestones. He knows that we are blessed to experience these, but he thinks my emotional issues may be a little out of control. I just can't help be affected by all of the things that she does, especially since we were originally told that she would never make it out of the hospital. She has defied all the odds and for this we are eternally grateful!!