Wednesday, July 10, 2013

4 months already!!

well, at least i am giving you the monthly updates!! lol.

in the last month it seems the girls have gotten so big! they are growing like crazy! life with twins is becoming much more normal for us. i have the girls on a great schedule...thankfully! i am not sure what i would do otherwise. i am super thankful for my husband who has been more than helpful/supportive/the best dad ever. we haven't done anything too major this month except sit at the pool at few times and we did go to our church middle school camp for a few days. peter went to help set up the tech and sound, so us girls went too...just for the weekend. it was so great being a small part and being with the students for a few days at one of my favorite times in a students' life...camp! i love being a mom and it is the most rewarding job in the world, but it is also the hardest and most demanding job. sometimes i miss being able to leave my job and come home and not get up at 3am for a feeding. :) so, being at camp, as a family, even for just a few days was the best of both worlds for me!!

so, we went to the doctor on monday for the girls' 4 month check up. they are hitting all of the milestones, right on track! annabel weighed in at 14lbs 9oz (75th percentile), 25 1/2" long (90th percentile) and her head is 16 1/4" around (75th percentile). she is a little ahead of the game...she is rolling over and cant be swaddled at night anymore. she is super strong and is really good at bearing weight and holding her head up. however, they both HATE tummy time!!! i mean, they pitch royal fits over it!! claire is still my little peanut. she was 12lbs 5oz (10th percentile), 24 1/4" long (50th percentile) and her head is 16" (50th percentile). she is not "standing" as much as annabel, but she is getting pretty good at holding her head up. i was encouraged by the doctor to not "baby her" as much...let her gain her strength. claire is not rolling yet, and still likes to be swaddled when falling asleep. she wriggles out of it pretty good, but they both like to be held tight when falling asleep! my girls are really good sleepers. we have had several nights of not getting up. the 3am feedings are becoming few and far between...thankfully! so, right now, they go down around 10 and get up at 5 to eat then sleep again until between 8 and 9. the last two days were off because they had to have 3 shots...that always really messes with things!! they both LOVE their hands...i mean eating them. they are also really figuring each other out. i love to watch them interact and have "twin time". they still both do great in the car, so we get out as much as we can. the texas summer heat is trying to kick our butts, but we do what we can! :)

each day has moments when i question if i know what i am doing...or if God was crazy in thinking i could be a mom to twins. then i will catch one of the girls smiling, or studying something, or a smirk while dreaming. thats when i stop and take a breath and say a prayer. i pray that i can continue to do my best, that the girls continue to grow and pass those milestones, and thank God for each moment that i have with them. these first 4 months have flown by and the awesome times way out weigh the hard moments! today was a good day...better than yesterday. we got out to run errands, stopped to see a few friends, did some laundry (this is everyday) and even made a batch of cookies. its a good day when you can sit and enjoy an almond joy cookie (recipe at bottom) while the babies nap! :) now off to start dinner!!

before i post the pics...please be praying for my mom. she had to have surgery today to repair her torn Achilles tendon and get rid of a bone spur on her heel. it has been an awful week for her awaiting surgery and now she will have to be in a cast for 3 months. if you know my mom, then you know this has got to be one of the worst things...especially this time of year! mom lives on a beautiful piece of land in michigan (michigan summers are the best!!!), so she wont be enjoying her tennis (which is how she got her injury), her horses, or the pool and lake. so sad!! she also cant drive!!! and lets not forget i have a 15 year old brother at home and she is a single parent...long thee months for both of them now! i so wish i was there to help her!!! love you, mom!! you are so strong and i know you can do this!! xxoo

here are a few pics from today... :) they are so big and starting to look a little more alike!

Annabel Marie

Giggles



Claire Mackenzie


she gets shy in front of the camera. glad she finally smiled!!


blue eyed babies!!

they love to hold hands, rub feet, anything to touch each other!

serious!

"Annabel, do think if i start crying she will stop??"

"Mom, Claire is serious...you might need to be done!"

i like big bows and i can not lie!! :)
bigger the bow, better the mom!!! lol
welcome to texas!

blessings, ALo

almond joy cookies, courtesy of my cousin Brooke Southwick

2 cups dark brown sugar (all i had was light, it worked!)
1 cup softened butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups AP flour
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut
1 cup almonds
1 bag chocolate chips

pre heat oven to 325. cream sugar, butter, salt, and soda. add eggs and cream again. mix in the flour and coconut until well blended. mix in the almonds and chips until just incorporated. bake for approx. 15 min or until just golden. these are much better if not too done!!! enjoy with coffee or really cold milk!!