HAPPY HALLOWEEN...

...from our "treats"

 Halloween 2011

Kendall

I can't get my ghetto photo edit to rotate these

Seren

but they are still stinkin cute

 For the first Halloween I can remember I didn't really dress up.  My husband suggested us being bug catchers and so I made some butterfly/bug nets and we dressed in khakis for a Halloween party but other than that we put no effort into ourselves.  I did however make their costumes so I think that more than makes up for my lacking in other areas.  Happy Halloween everyone!

10 months old

Height/Weight:  Unsure...haven't measured them lately.  Hopefully longer and heavier :)

Eating:  6 oz of formula 3 times a days with 3-4 ounces of solids and then a bottle at bed (4-6 ounces). Oh and finger foods...I don't really know how to add those in.  I usually give them a snack in the morning and while we eat dinner.

Foods They Like:  Anything they can feed themselves (toast, cereal, bananas, etc; cheese was ok).  Also beans, ham, yams, fruit and squash. 

Foods They Don't:  There isn't much these days.  Seren has wanted nothing to do with solids the last week but I think it's due to her tummy being upset.  Seren's appetite is returning and now Kendall is the one that's sick.

Favorite Things:  They still love each other (more and more).  They seem to like to get in each other's space even more now.  They will nuzzle heads together and sometimes lean in on purpose to squeal or laugh at each other.  Kendall still loves to play with Thor and he's a good sport as she grabs his tags and plays keep away or tug-o-war (accidentally I'm sure) with his toys.  Seren is our chatty girl still.  She also has taken to this devilish little grin (wrinkling her eyes and forehead with how big she smiles).  

Dislikes:  Being hungry and tired.  For Seren I will add teething...she seems to be getting there and has been very cranky and needy the last few days.  Kendall has a tooth cutting through and I never even knew it based on her behavior.

Their Accomplishments:  They are both pulling up onto anything in site (this started a few days after they turned 9 months) and shuffle very minimally around this way.  Kendall likes to clap now and gets especially excited when it makes noise.  She also claps a lot when we put their trays on for finger food (I think she likes it).  They sit very well on their own.  They can eat finger food with precision now.  They are both able to fully crawl and are gaining speed...oh boy.  They seem to understand trouble or mischief a little more.  They love to crawl to the bathroom upstairs if we forget to close it and if you catch them half-way sometimes they try to crawl faster thinking they'll beat you.

Our Accomplishments:  We have them on a good schedule for eating, napping and sleeping.  We take them out when we want to although sometimes still rare based on funds.  Jeff works full-time days, I work part-time swing shift now and we balance out the girls between us still.  Very blessed to have the ability to work with/around the girls instead of the girls around our work.  

Sleep: Still sticking to our routine and loving it.  They sleep 11-12 hour nights.  They have once again stopped waking in the middle of the night and sleep a solid night through.  They take one 2 hour nap at 10 am and 1 hour nap at 2:30pm.

Looking forward to:  Looking forward to more mobility but also scared of two toddlers running around.  Still looking forward to more freedom with food (although having more freedom now I'm realizing this will just mean more work in preparing meals; no more freezer cubed baby food).  Planning their 1st birthday...with their birthday 3 days after Christmas it's now or never.

DE Mom musings:  We watched our wedding video (with baby pictures in it) this past month and I kind of found myself wondering if I physically look like I could be their mother.  I think I do...at least enough that it doesn't bother me or make me think on it much.  Although it's still a little sad when people say how much the girls look like Jeff and of course never like me (just a little selfish thought I guess).  Jeff was little more open with their conception story with our close friends (our best friends who know that donor egg aspect and our close friend couple who does not) and it made me a little nervous some donor aspect might slip out around the second couple.  I don't know why.  I'm still protective over that because I want our girls to "get it" before anyone else is told.

*pictures to come*

Twice the Fun...

When the girls were first born and we were struggling to keep them fed and changed and fed again I had this weird little notion.  That when they were bigger and able to do more for themselves that it would be kind of like morphing them into one child and it wouldn't be any harder than taking care of one.  That it might actually be as easy because they would have each other and they would entertain each other.

Well now I realize there is no denying it.  They are twice the work.  But they are definitely twice the fun.  They are both crawling all over the house and pulling up on everything they can get a grip on.  I love to just watch them sometimes.  They will crawl towards each other and just smile or Seren will get the giggles as Kendall paws at her face or hair.  They steal toys from each other and play tug of war over one they like.  Then they smile and giggle as they "fight" over who gets to play with it.  Luckily this "sharing" hasn't been a bad thing yet.

They both love to lay on my stomach and turn one cheek to my mouth for kisses.  I'll kiss their cheeks repeatedly and sometimes they laugh and sometimes they just relax and seem content.  A couple days ago I was lying on the floor to play with them and Seren crawled over to me.  I pointed to my cheek and said "kiss" and made kissy noises and she crawled a little closer and laid a wide open wet mouth on my cheek.  I have no idea if it was intentional but she did it again later that day and once the next day so I like to think it was.

It is so much fun watching them together and seeing them interact.  Also just seeing their different personalities and strengths.  I think they aid each other.  Seren is still the more social and giggly baby and she helps Kendall to interact and get the giggles too.  Kendall is our little active and daredevil child and she has the little bruises on her head to prove it.  She is almost always the first to try things.  Seren watches her and follows her lead.  They are just the best and I am so lucky.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day...

Today is worldwide pregnancy and infant loss remembrance day (miscarriages, stillbirths and SIDS).  I never really knew that this would strike so close to my heart as it does now. I know of four women in real life that have suffered the loss of their babies.  I'm sure there are many many more in my life who have suffered miscarriages without mention but feel the loss just as deeply.  And of course endless numbers of women in the world who have.  Many of these I've become familiar with through blogs and felt their grief through their words.

Three of the women I know actively participate in SHARE , a national program that helps remember these women and their children.  There is a walk going on to commemorate and gather their family and friends together today. Such a wonderful program.  Their website also gives advice on how to be supportive.

Somewhat like infertility I used to think that things like this would rarely if ever happen to those I love and care about.  But like infertility this is a part of so many lives.  Some people are vocal about it and some are more private.  Either way we need to find ways to support them in a way that works for the person and family.

It isn't a crime to remember their children and talk about their children.  They think about them all the time and (for the most part) I think it is comforting for them to know they aren't the only ones that do.

*In memory of Everhett, Emily, Preston and Armando and their beautiful strong mothers and families*

First Family Picture

Okay it's actually kind of the second but the one from the hospital was not so attractive of me.  We actually had my cousin do these pictures (she also took their 6 month pictures).  This is just a sneak peak from her Facebook page so the quality isn't the best (yet) but I adore it.  I still can't believe we got any pictures with the girls both looking at the camera (and smiling to boot).  Holy freakin amazing!!

9 months

Height/Weight:  Kendall:  28.62 inches (84%) and 16 lb 14 oz (17%)  Seren:  27.95" (64%) and 17 lb 4.5 oz (22%) so they are long and skinny;  and yes I heard about it from my friend that her daughter (who is two months younger) is now officially heavier and longer than my girls.  What is up with parents comparing and competing with this? (soooooo annoying)

Eating:  6-7 oz of formula typically and then 3-4 oz of solids.

Foods They Like:  Anything they can feed themselves (toast, cereal, bananas, etc; cheese was ok).  Beans, ham, yams, fruit and squash.

Foods They Don't:  Kendall doesn't like tart (peaches, apricots, etc). Seren eats anything I throw at her. 

Favorite Things:  They still love each other (more and more).  They crawl right up to each other and gab or sometimes just stare at the other.  Kendall loves to "chase" Thor (our little dog) around the front room and giggles every time she catches him.  Seren loves to be held but is enjoying her new found freedom in crawling now also.  They both like being held upside down by the thighs while being swung and tickled on the stomach.  They laugh so hard.  Seren loves it when dad comes home (for lunch and at the end of the day)...she gets a big smile on her face and wiggles around like crazy.

Dislikes:  Being hungry and tired.  Poor constipation issues still (going back to prunes instead of prune juice).

Their Accomplishments:  They sit very well on their own.  They can eat finger food with precision now.  They are both able to fully crawl and are gaining speed...oh boy.  They both babble a fair amount (Seren more so).  Still no teeth quite yet but I can feel some under the surface in Kendall's mouth and see an outline in Seren's.  I love their toothless grins and I'm afraid I'm really going to miss them.

Our Accomplishments:  We have them on a good schedule for eating, napping and sleeping.  We take them out when we want to (their being able to sit in high chairs makes this so much easier).  Jeff works full-time days, I work part-time swing shift now and we balance out the girls between us still.  Very blessed to have the ability to work with/around the girls instead of the girls around our work.  

Sleep: Still sticking to our routine and loving it.  They sleep 11-12 hour nights.  Lately they have been waking up around 12 am or 1 am to cry and we typically feed them and they go right back down (growth spurt maybe?).

Looking forward to:  Looking forward to more mobility but also scared of two toddlers running around.  Still looking forward to more freedom with food.  I suppose that means them getting teeth which I don't actually look forward to.  Planning their 1st birthday...with their birthday 3 days after Christmas it's now or never.

DE Mom musings:  Besides the inferiority questioning post I haven't really thought about it.  I rarely remember how much work and intervention was required for us to have them now (if that makes sense...I know how can you possibly forget that right?)

 9 months old

 Kendall

Seren (too much edit but it was washed out before)

The Ins and Outs

37 weeks and 5 days old.  They have been out in the world for as long as they were in now.  It is crazy to believe that the same time that we have been enjoying them is the same amount of time the pregnancy lasted.  The time with them here seems to be so much shorter (and longer some days but mostly shorter).  I'm so grateful that they are here and were brought here safely by such good doctors and care.

We look forward to each milestone and enjoy each day with them.  People always ask how it is with twins and honestly the first couple months or so were rough and I questioned our sanity a little at thinking we could handle it (and putting back two embryos when our doctor recommended only one).  But once we started getting some sleep again things couldn't be better.  It is such a fun experience to watch them grow and develop together.  To see them interact more and more everyday.  I look forward to that for the future and I hope that they are good friends with each other as well as sisters.

I can't believe that it is only a few months from now that they will be a year old.  I have been a little nutty with that and actually have been planning for a little 1 year old celebration (I'm sure many moms do this).  I have ideas for cakes/cupcakes, colors, decor, presents and a video in the process of making.  Sometimes I think I am trying to juggle too many balls with the various projects I have in my head.  But I suppose as long as the projects still make me happy instead of stressed then it is all good.

So in love with our little girls and so excited for the future with them.