The Boy, The Girl, and The Babies

Leapin' Lizards!

2012-02-29T22:25:00.000-05:00

Happy Leap Day!

I really need to start updating this blog more often...

11/11/11

2011-11-11T23:11:00.001-05:00

It's 11:11 p.m. on 11/11/11....make a wish!

Independence Day!

2011-10-03T20:06:00.016-04:00

I had so many plans for this day.

This is what was supposed to happen:

1. Get the kids dressed up and head over to the 4th of July Parade with my brother

Chris...while Adam slept.

2. After naptime and after Adam woke up, head over to Adam's parents' house for a cookout.

3. Head home, put the boys to bed and have my mom stay at the house while Adam and I took Arden to see fireworks.

Pretty straight forward...it was going to be a perfect day!

This is what actually happened:

1. I woke up at 4 a.m. in extreme discomfort...which turned into extreme pain.

2. I call Adam at work and tell him I need to go to the hospital.

3. I call my mom and tell her she needs to come over and stay with the kids.

4. Adam arrives and takes me to the hospital.

5. Once in the ER, I'm diagnosed with a kidney stone. (Yipee!)

6. I go home and still want the kids to go to the parade, so Adam takes Arden and Chris and leaves the boys with me (they took a morning nap.)

7. I'm feeling ok and think I can still make it to the cookout. I start to feel some discomfort around noon and decide to take the prescription pain meds (percocet) just in case.

8. Percocet knocks me on my face and makes me wish for death...so I miss the cookout. Instead, I took a nap on the couch while everyone else went to the cookout (kind of nice, actually!)

9. Everyone gets home late, but at least the boys are bathed and can go straight to bed!

10. We miss the fireworks.

What's that saying about "The best laid plans...?" Oh well, maybe next year!

p.s. It took me two weeks to pass the monstrous stone. :/

Enjoy the pics!

These were taken on Sunday, the day before July 4th.

Grayson...so photogenic!

Rogan...couldn't get him to look at the camera!

Arden...my cute little girl!

I made my hair look all patriotic for church. :)

Arden at the 4th of July parade!

Grayson: "I like to eat dirt."

Arden: "Do I HAVE to take a picture with THEM?"

July 4th: Looking all cute for the festivities!

This hat was a lucky consignment find. It goes perfectly with her dress!

I hope your Independence Day turned out how you planned it!

Father's Day 2011

2011-07-23T13:55:00.011-04:00

I had a wonderful time celebrating Father's Day with all the dads in my life! I'm thankful for each one of them: my dad, my father-in-law, and Adam.

my baby daddy

Adam has had more time to play daddy lately! I started working again the day after these pics were taken. Adam gets home from work in the morning and stays up with the kids until they go down for their naps. I get home around 3 p.m., and the kids wake up soon after I arrive. I was dreading the schedule, but now I don't think it's so bad. You gotta do what you gotta do!

Here's What We've Been Up To!

2011-07-05T22:00:00.002-04:00

Things are getting pretty crazy at our house!

Grayson began climbing the stairs on Sunday! He's in the lead.

This video was taken on Sunday, too. Rogan walks more steps in a row now!

Zoo!

2011-06-12T20:02:00.013-04:00

Mother's Day weekend, Adam's dad treated us to a trip to the Asheboro Zoo! I've been wanting to take Arden for the longest time.

Adam and the boys stayed home. Adam slept, and my mom watched the boys. I'm pretty sure the trip wouldn't have been fun if the boys came along. Maybe when they're older.

Arden had lots of fun hanging out with Bryce and Caylee! She walked most of the time...until she decided to run away from me...then she got strapped into the stroller. Sure glad I brought it!

Cousins holding hands!

Pretty cool playground!

Arden got to try some fresh honey...yum!

Caylee just waking up from a nap...lucky girl!

We're just chillin' while Sabrina took Bryce to see the 4-D Dora/Diego show. Arden loves those shows, but I don't think she'd appreciate the 4-D version. :)

Arden wanted to go swimming with the albino alligators...

Arden loves her grandpa!

We had a fun day! I'm looking forward to when we can bring the boys, and they can enjoy it, too. :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-06-02T10:26:00.011-04:00

I'm thankful for all of the moms in my life. I'm thankful for my mom and all she does for my family. She's a great Nana! I'm also thankful for Adam's mom for her love and tenderness. She's a great grandma! I'm also thankful for my step-mother Mayeth for her hospitality and sweet nature.

I love the fact that I'm a mother. It isn't easy...at all. Sometimes I lose my patience, but these little ones know how to bring a smile to face.

Rogan about to take off!

Reigning in Rogan while Grayson cheeses it for the camera.

My Sweet Babies

Mischievous Little Monkeys

Me and my giggly girl!

I made chicken salad, and for dessert we had strawberry shortcake! I didn't get to rest much on Mother's Day, but I suppose that's fitting.

Happy Mother's Day!

Bunny Day

2011-05-29T16:40:00.011-04:00

April 16th was Bunny Day at the Natural Science Center. It was also my birthday, the day of the boys' party, and the day with nasty weather. Meredith and I decided to take Arden regardless of the weather. I'm really glad we did. We had a fun time!

A tasty little morsel for the T-Rex.

There were some BIG bunnies there!

Arden loved touching the bunnies! She also liked sticking her fingers in their cages, because they would tickle her finger by sniffing it. She giggled so much! And she's lucky she didn't get bit.

Face-painting!

Cutest little bunny ever!

Getting ready for the ball toss! (She ended up walking up and putting them directly in the hole.)

The weather actually didn't end up being that bad...we even got to go outside at one point!

*Gobble Gobble*

Easter Weekend 2011

2011-05-28T14:11:00.014-04:00

We had a ton of fun Easter weekend! That Saturday I took Arden and Jasmine to an Easter egg hunt sponsored by a local church. We were thirty minutes late to the event, but we got there just minutes before the egg hunt began. Perfect timing! I didn't get any pictures during the actual hunt, because I was too busy helping Arden. She totally got the idea of picking up eggs and putting them in her basket. She scored a bunch! After the hunt, I dragged the kids back to the van to put their eggs away. Arden was crying, because she thought we were going home...even though I kept telling her we were just putting the eggs in the van. Poor thing! Then the real fun began!

Arden and Jasmine loved the bounce house! I think Arden was a little overwhelmed by all the kids inside, though. She had trouble climbing the ladder to get to the slide. She cried a few times...but as soon as she slid down the slide, she wanted to go back in for more!

There was a craft table set up. For some reason they were all Christmas crafts. Jasmine made a bead snowflake (which I still have in my diaper bag,) and I made a bracelet for Arden. Check out Arden's cute bow...I totally made it!

The girls got into some foam stickers from another craft. They are too silly!

Arden looked like a little doll on Easter Sunday.

I got a few pics in before we headed to church! The church choir was amazing. I don't think I've heard a choir sing more beautifully.

After church, we sent Arden on an Easter egg hunt! She was totally into it and really didn't need any help finding the eggs. This is so different from last year. I was hugely pregnant, and we lived in an apartment. I spread a few eggs out in hopes she'd pick them up and put them in the basket. She was easily distracted, though, and kept running away from me. Almost every picture I have is of her running away!

The loot! Except there actually isn't anything in the eggs.

The boys' first Easter! They chilled in the play yard while Arden search for eggs.

Ah, the real loot! (I won the doll and bows!)

Arden discovering her Easter goodies.

Happy Easter!

Friday the 13th

2011-05-13T22:25:00.009-04:00

The boys turned 13 months old today...on Friday the 13th! Freaky deaky, my friends...freaky deaky! Ok, maybe not so much.

Today has actually been a great day! My mom was able to leave work early today so I could have a break. During that break, I had the best job interview ever! (Yep, that's right, I have to get a job.) I was a bit upset at first, but I'm over it. To be honest, it'll be nice to have a break from the kids everyday. If it all works out, it'll be part-time but 30 hours/week. I'm excited! I'll fill you in on the details once they're all worked out.

Anywho, to celebrate the boys' 13-month birthday, I thought I should get around to posting the pics from their birthday party. We had their party on my birthday, April 16th! Fun stuff! We went with a Thing 1/Thing 2 theme from Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat. I baked the cakes, and Adam decorated them. A lot of family came over to celebrate. We all had fun!

Enjoy!

Grayson

Rogan

Adam made me a "Better Than Johnny Depp" cake. Yum-o!

Arden prefers frosting over cake.

Mission: Cupcake Destruction

2011-05-03T21:25:00.010-04:00

As with Arden, we bought mini cupcakes to enjoy on the boys' actual birthday. Arden didn't "go to town" on hers, so I was curious to see what the boys would do. I was pleased with the result!

I used to feed them side-by-side. This was the first time they'd been this way in a long time. They just wanted to reach out to each other and hold hands. Too sweet!

A yellow cupcake for Grayson, blue for Rogan.

Not sure if Rogan wanted to still hold Grayson's hand or to try his cupcake.

What is this on my hand?!

Obviously, both boys really enjoyed their cupcakes!

As Little Einsteins would put it: "Mission Completion!"

Love Came Early...

2011-04-13T08:31:00.011-04:00

A year ago today...at this very moment and one moment after, Grayson and Rogan entered this world nearly 11 weeks early.

Grayson Lear

April 13, 2010

8:33 a.m.

3 lbs 8 oz

15.5"

Rogan Emerson

April 13, 2010

8:34 a.m.

3 lbs 10 oz

16.5"

Their birth caught everyone off guard. If you'd like to read their birth story, click here. Everytime I think about that day, I feel guilty and tears well up in my eyes. They should've stayed safe inside me for much longer. Instead, they spent eight weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU.)

I actually don't regret the NICU experience. I learned so much. The doctors and nurses in the NICU at Women's Hospital are some of the best people I've ever met. When the boys came early, I knew there wasn't a better place they could've been.

They came home on June 8, 2010. That feels like their birthday to me.

The boys have come so far this past year! You can't even tell they were preemies. They don't have any health problems and are doing great!

This first year has been rough, though. Life with twins isn't easy! It's easier than it used to be. However, I still have days where their screaming drives me insane! They always want to be picked up at the same time. If you walk past them without picking them up, they scream like banshees! At least now they can sit up and crawl. They're able to entertain themselves...even if it means getting into mischief!

Rogan has always done everything first. Once Grayson does it, however, he perfects it. Rogan rolled from his back to his tummy a couple of months before Grayson did. Once Grayson finally rolled from his back to his tummy, he was rolling everywhere! Rogan still just laid there. Rogan cut his first tooth before Grayson did. Once Grayson did, he cut two teeth at once. (Rogan currently has 2.5 teeth, and Grayson has 4!) Rogan was able to sit unsupported for a few days before Grayson did. Once Grayson was able to, he had perfect posture. Rogan slouched and had bad posture. Rogan began crawling one day before Grayson. They both had no trouble perfecting that skill! Rogan has been pulling himself up for a couple of weeks now. Grayson hasn't done that yet...but I'm sure he will soon...and do it better. ;o)

This picture is so typical of their personalities. Grayson is screaming and scrunching his nose. Rogan is sitting contently.

Grayson Lear

April 8, 2011

16 lbs 14.5 oz

25.5"

Rogan Emerson

April 8, 2011

16 lbs 9.5 oz

25.5"

Happy Birthday, baby boys! Mommy, Daddy, and Big Sis love you so much!

Rubba Dub Dub...

2011-04-12T20:24:00.007-04:00

Three Kiddos in the Tub!

Just before Arden joined the excitement...

They LOVE bath time!

27 Years!

2011-04-10T21:54:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Chris and Catie! Thanks for being such a great uncle and aunt to my little ones. They each love you so much...as do I!

And so the April birthdays begin. It's going to be a busy week!

To celebrate, a picture of the twins...holding the twins! :)

Meet Graygan!

2011-04-10T12:24:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago I entered a contest by Just Be Happy. Alessandra is so amazingly talented! She makes the cutest crocheted creations! The contest was to design your own monster hat. She would pick two winners. The winners would get their monster hat in whatever size they wanted and be able to name it. Well, the contest ended yesterday, and I'm proud to say I was one of the winners!

It took me awhile to come with a name, so I decided to combine the names of my boys (since they were my inspiration.)

Grayson + Rogan = Graygan!

The hat looks AMAZING! I can't wait to get it and put it on one of the boys. Of course, I'll have to order another one...;o)

Click here to read the winning post!

Bumper Jumpers!

2011-04-04T10:32:00.004-04:00

I bought a great deal through Groupon.com: $8 for three bounce sessions at Bumper Jumpers! It's normally $8.50 per session for kids over 1 year old (parents are free.) We'd never taken Arden to a bounce house place before, but I was pretty sure she'd love it. She loves to jump!

Well, we've gone 2 out of the 3 sessions. The first time, she was a bit wary. We had to help her climb the ladders and then slide down with her on the slides. The second time...completely opposite! She climbed all the ladders and slid down all the slides with little help out all. She was born to play at this place!

Right now the boys are free, but they won't be once they turn 1. That is so ridiculous to me. I think it should be 18 months. I guess one of us will have to stay home with the boys while the other one takes Arden to Bumper Jumpers. I think we both want to take her, though...because it's pretty dang fun!

Grayson

Arden

Rogan

She loves this castle jumper. She kept hugging all the characters!

Big kid slide!

Climbing and sliding with daddy...no fear!

Arden's "Big Girl" Bike

2011-04-03T21:03:00.002-04:00

I scored this really cute Radio Flyer tricycle at a consignment sale. It was only $4! It was dirty, a little rusty, and definitely faded...but it drove like a dream. I cleaned it up a bit. Not exactly sure what to do about the rusty spots. Adam suggested covering them up with duct tape. Anywho, Arden wants to ride it whenever she sees it. She doesn't quite "get it" yet, but she's learning. I think I need to get her a helmet...

Country Park

2011-04-01T21:18:00.005-04:00

I love it when Adam's night off of work coincides with a beautiful day. We took advantage of the beautiful weather on March 18th and took the kids to Country Park. We'd never taken them there before. Arden LOVED the geese and ducks! I, however, was not a huge fan of the huge crowds of children and lack of baby swings.

I think the kids had a pretty good time...until lunchtime rolled around. We attempted a picnic in a gazebo. Arden wasn't very cooperative. She'd rather be playing. The boys were screaming until we gave them each a cracker. Then the wind blew everything to the ground. We headed home shortly thereafter. :)

This was the boys' first time in the wagon. They did great! Oh, and Rogan's in blue, Grayson's in green.

Arden really wanted to join the geese and ducks in the pond.

Big Girl Swing!

Such a good daddy! :)

Aunt Becky

2011-03-28T15:39:00.018-04:00

My Aunt Becky passed away this morning. From what I understand, she went peacefully in her sleep. She had been fighting ovarian cancer for the past year. It was already in stage 4 when it was discovered, so we all knew she wouldn't recover from it. We were lucky enough to celebrate her 72nd birthday with her last weekend. I'm just so glad she was able to meet my children and that we were able to spend lots of time with her in the end.

Adam's sister, Amy, came with us to Hospice about a month ago. She took some wonderful pictures of Becky with the kids. You can check out her other work here: Simple Moments Photography.

Becky's Portrait

She loved stuffed animals!

I'm in LOVE with this picture!

Talking to Grayson

Kissing Rogan

Thanksgiving 2010

Meeting Grayson for the first time.

Meeting Rogan for the first time.

Christmas 2009

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving 2008

Meeting Arden for the first time.

I know my kids won't remember her, but I hope these pictures are a testament to them of her love.

We love you, Becky! Give grandma and grandpa a hug for me. Rest in peace.

Mommy's Little Artist

2011-03-14T09:22:00.002-04:00

Arden will draw on anything and everything if I'm not keeping a close eye on her. My mom says I did the same thing when I was little...like mother, like daughter, I guess!

A couple of weeks ago, Arden and I were coloring in her coloring book during the boys' nap time. They woke up, and I needed to go downstairs to make their bottles. Arden was so into her coloring book that I thought maybe...just this once...she'd stick to coloring in it while I went downstairs. I was so wrong. The next thing I knew, she was downstairs and the entire stairwell was covered in green crayon. Luckily, it was washable and came off easily with just water.

Oh, this girl is such a little monkey. She's lucky she's cute...and that she loves to clean!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T22:29:00.003-05:00

When Arden awoke this morning, I picked her up and said "Happy Valentine's Day!" She gave me a big hug and said, "Ohhh, tay tu!" (thank you!) She can be the sweetest thing...sometimes. :) We had one of her favorite things for breakfast: dinosaur oatmeal. After Adam got home, I handed out the "goodies." I gave Arden flower barrettes, a fleece hoodie, and marshmallow kitties. I gave Adam a new picture frame for our wedding photo (it was in a poster frame) and Reese's peanut butter hearts. Adam gave me a Eureka steam mop (YES!) and a rose.

It's been a lovely day. Hope yours was, too!

Here's what Arden wore today!

I helped Arden make a Valentine for daddy. She had lots of fun, and Adam loved the card. Too sweet!

Meredith came over yesterday, and we decorated cookies! I even made heart-shaped no-bake cookies. Delicious!

Mmm...marshmallow kitties!

After the kids went to bed, Adam and I enjoyed a quiet dinner by ourselves. We got Chili's takeout...yummy!

Arden's Super Cute Room!

2011-02-11T22:56:00.010-05:00

I had so much fun decorating Arden's room! I knew we weren't going to paint it until she had a big kid bed with big kid bedding, so I really wasn't sure what to do at first...until I discovered wall decals. They're pretty amazing. You just stick them on the wall, and "Voila!", art! They're repositionable, and they don't damage the wall. I became obsessed with finding just the right ones and at just the right price. Those things can be expensive! My obsessive searching paid off, and I totally scored some cute stuff: a tree, flowers, and butterflies. I even got crafty and painted a bird house to hang on her wall. I'm so in love with her room!

The best part is that Arden loves her room, too. The first time she saw her room she said, "Oh, how pritty!" Now, everytime I open the curtains, she says "A pritty room! A special room!" She is my sweet pea.

Hi, I'm Arden! Welcome to my super cute room!

I'm loving these number cards. I hung up a ribbon, and used clothes pins to hang the cards.

My favorite!

I painted the "A."

9-Month Heartbreakers

2011-02-08T15:06:00.002-05:00

January was a very busy month. The boys had three appointments: WIC, audiology (hearing), and pediatric. Did I mention they were all within a week or two? It was crazy! Thank goodness for my mom and Lisa from the Health Dept. I couldn't have done it without them!

The WIC office charts the boys' growth based on their corrected age. At the time of the appointment, their corrected age was 6 months 12 days (they turned 9 months old the next day.) So according to the corrected chart, their growth is in the 50th percentile! When they went in October, their growth was in the 25th percentile...so they're growing quite nicely! Thinking back, I think Arden weighed the same as them when she was a year old. Petite little thing. :)

The pediatrician charts their growth based on their birthday. So, according to her chart, the boys are close to the 3rd percentile...a little bit below it. I just ignore her chart. She knows they're preemies and thinks they're doing amazingly well. It's just the way they have to do it.

Rogan passed his hearing test! His right hear failed the test in December, so I was pretty relieved. I really didn't think he had a hearing problem. He's been speaking with consonants for a long time (something Grayson has yet to do.)

Below are their stats and some cute things they do.

Grayson

weight: 16 lbs 2 oz

height: 25.5"

traits: lashes to die for, cute toothy grin

talents: rolls all over the place, hums

Rogan

weight: 15 lbs 13oz

height: 25.5"

traits: sweet snaggle-tooth smile, chubby cheeks

talents: claps hands, speaks baby-talk

I just love how interactive they are these days. They constantly steal each other's toys and giggle when they roll on top of each other.

I must admit they can be pretty fun...sometimes. They're still a lot of hard work, but things are much easier than they once were.

Now if I could just figure out how to get out of the house once in awhile...

Someone Got Into Mommy's Makeup...

2011-02-06T21:36:00.002-05:00

SNOW!!!!

2011-02-05T16:03:00.003-05:00

It snowed like crazy on Christmas Day. I can't remember ever having a white Christmas in NC, so that was pretty cool. We got several inches! Here are some pics from the day after.

Arden could only look at the snow from inside the house. She had a cold. :(

Catie's Jeep parked out on the street.

I don't know about you, but I really don't want to see anymore winter weather. Bring on the spring!

Christmas Treasures

2011-02-05T15:59:00.001-05:00

Every year, Adam's grandma Lewis send something special for Christmas: homemade cookies and ornaments for the kids. She lives in Oregon, so we hardly get to see her. When her package arrives, it's always a special day!

Festival of Disasters!

2011-02-02T15:41:00.004-05:00

Arden was really into the lights this year. Whenever she saw lights (even traffic lights), she would say "Ooo, pritty yights!" She loved them! So I thought she would enjoy Tanglewood's Festival of Lights.

The plan was to leave the boys at home with Adam's mom while we took Arden to the park. Instead, we all packed into the van to see the lights. Everything was fine until about 10 minutes into the park. Rogan started crying. Adam's mom took him out of seat. Then Grayson woke up and started crying...so I took him out of his seat. Arden realized she was still buckled into her seat, and she was not happy about that at all! So, I got her out of her seat, and she sat on Adam's lap...while he drove the van. It worked ok at first...until she decided to mess around with the dashboard instead of pay attention to the lights. I thought the outing couldn't get any worse, but then it did. When we exited, we had to pull over to get all the kids back into their seats. OH THE SCREAMING! The boys got over it pretty quickly, but Arden was upset the entire ride home. It was simply a disastrous night.

I do think she was old enough. The boys obviously weren't. They should've stayed at home.

Below are a few highlights before all heck broke loose!

Gingerbread Cookies and Such

2011-02-02T15:19:00.003-05:00

We decorated gingerbread houses at our house this year. We used premade kits instead of having Mary Bernice make the gingerbread. Adam actually bought a few haunted chocolate houses when they went on clearance after Halloween, and we used those!

I helped Arden decorate a house. We used only m&ms, because I knew she'd want to eat the candy...and she could easily choke on the other candy. She did some finger painting with the icing and placed a few m&ms on the house. Mostly, though, she pretended to put the candy on the house and then stuffed it in her mouth.

She's too funny!

Here are the finished products! Arden's is the bottom right. Adam's dad put a bit more candy on the roof when I stepped out of the room. haha

Meredith came over a couple days before Christmas. We baked and decorated gingerbread cookies. It was fun!

My dad and Jasmine came over that same day and decorated a house. Arden wanted to help out, too. Everyone had a lot of fun! Can't wait to do it again next year...eh, this year!

Trip to Boone

2011-02-01T10:12:00.006-05:00

A week after we moved into our new home, Adam's parents treated us to a trip to Boone to get a Christmas tree. I've always wanted to go to a tree farm, pick my tree, and cut it down. I was super excited! My mom and Meredith stayed with the kids during our trip. They were exhausted by the time we got home. :)

Let me tell you, I would not want to live in Boone. The place is so hilly, and it was filled with dirty snow...not to mention college kids. Yuck!

We did have a great time, though. Friday evening we had dinner at a Thai restaurant. I was afraid of the items on the menu, so I played it safe and ordered sweet and sour chicken. It was yummy! Saturday we took a drive to the Mast General Store. It was filled with all kinds of old timey stuff. We bought a bag of candy...haha. Then we went to the tree farm. The drive up the mountain was kind of scary. It was steep and snowy. We got stuck once, had to back up a little, and then made it up. It was lovely up there. Picking a tree was a little daunting, though. There were so many to choose from! Adam said he didn't enjoy the process of picking the tree, but I had fun. We came home with a beauty!

Boone had its picturesque moments.

The Mast General Store

Icicles!

Tree, trees everywhere! Which one will we choose?

This is the one!

Mary Bernice sprained her ankle a little bit, so she hitched a ride back to the car.

It's beautiful when you can't see the nasty town!

No explanation needed...haha!

Putting ornaments on the tree! It was a real beauty and much bigger than we realized. Gorgeous!

Christmas in the Manger

2011-01-29T21:51:00.005-05:00

I went a little crazy and got a bunch of Christmas books this year. As a child, I remember being so excited as my parents unpacked our Christmas books from the Christmas storage boxes. I loved reading those books every year! I want my kids to feel the same way. I want them to look forward to reading these special Christmas books each Christmas.

Every day, since the day after Thanksgiving, I read Arden Christmas books. She became so familiar with them that she knew the stories...knew the words. One day, we were reading Christmas in the Manger, and I realized she could finish each rhyming line. I showed this talent off to the grandparents when they came over. They loved it!

I realized I needed to record it for cuteness' sake...plus, I figured she'd like to watch herself in the future. I waited a little long to do the recording...it was probably a week after Christmas, and we hadn't read the book in awhile. She was a little rusty. Ah well...still cute.

Enjoy!

Christmas Day

2011-01-26T15:00:00.026-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas! There wasn't too much house-hopping this year. We enjoyed a little family time in the early morning. Adam's family came to us later in the morning, and we went to my dad's house in the afternoon. In the evening, my mom came to our house. Oh how wonderful it is to have a home with so much room!

Did I mention we had a WHITE Christmas, too?! It was a Christmas miracle! The snow started around 10 or 11 a.m. and continued throughout the day. We had several inches when all was said and done. Crazy!

It was nice to celebrate the boys' first Christmas. Unfortunately, all the kids were sick. Arden woke up very unhappy. She seemed better after breakfast. Once she opened her stocking and Adam's family came over, she was so happy! Let me just say this little munchkin girl is now a pro gift-opener.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Our Advent Calendar! When I first put it out, Arden was all over it...I found little people everywhere. She soon got used to the idea and left it alone. Then Bryce came over and took all the little people off...haha

Now that's how you open a stocking!

She's very excited about her Hello Kitty notepad!

It's so nice to have a real fireplace.

Feeding the monkey a treat.

Pig tails!

We were so glad Adam's family came to us this year...not that they had to travel far! It's great to have a house where everyone fits.

Hanging up an ornament that Mary Bernice made.

Arden with her "ios!"

This was before Arden became a pro at opening her gifts. You can see Adam's impatience...haha

Jason sent his dad and brothers on a scavenger hunt for their gifts. I'm sure they had fun, but it was a bit time consuming...and us women-folk were annoyed by it. This was the end result..haha

Hanging out with baby Caylee.

And so the snow begins!

Arden got her daddy-made blanket for Christmas! He started this thing before she was born. Life is busy with kids!

Arden as Cindy Lou Who!

We headed over to my dad's after the boys' naps. Unfortunately, we didn't see much of Mayeth. She was in the kitchen preparing a large feast for her friends.

Chris and Jasmine!

Arden discovered a new love this year: snowmen!

Arden got the hang of opening presents and decided every present was for her.

Meredith!

Since I'm usually the one behind the camera, I snapped this pic of myself. Love the brioche...it's from Sabrina!

Catie!

We were supposed to head over to my mom's for one last gift exchange, but she suggested we just head home because of all the snow. She met us there and brought cake and ice cream. Yum! She also brought the kids' gift: an awesome wagon.

We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! We certainly did.

Christmas Eve!

2011-01-26T14:34:00.003-05:00

Mmmk, so I know this is really late. I couldn't just skip it, though!

Traditionally, Christmas Eve is "Becky's Christmas." We all get together with my Aunt Becky at my mom's house, have dinner, and give Becky her Christmas presents. Unfortunately, at the beginning of last year, Becky had a fall. Her colon ended up rupturing. During surgery, it was discovered that she had stage 4 ovarian cancer. She's been through chemotherapy this past year and seems to be feeling better. She isn't mobile, though, so we have to make time to see her. When we do see her, she's in good spirits. I can make all the excuses in the world as to why I don't make time to see her...I really just need to go more often.

We still ended up having dinner at my mom's house. My mom surprised us by setting up a Christmas tree in her office. She had to get rid of hers last year due to the discovery of lead in it, and I didn't think she was going to get another one. Surprise! I didn't get any pictures, but it was a lovely tree. Anywho, dinner was delicious, but the baby boys have a way of making an evening unenjoyable. Once 5 p.m. hits, they are not happy babies. We headed home and had all kids in bed by 8:30 p.m. Phew!

Rogan and Grayson

Rogan!

Grayson!

I love their matching Christmas tree pjs. I got them at the GMOM consignment sale.

I got Arden dressed up for some shots by the tree. These are the best ones I could get!

The Great Binky Caper!

2010-12-29T22:06:00.005-05:00

Rogan sees that Grayson's binky isn't working for him.

Rogan grabs binky.

Rogan brings binky to mouth.

Grayson seems happier without binky.

Content Grayson

Content Rogan

Everyone's happy!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T20:45:00.001-05:00

Eight-Month Cuties

2010-12-24T16:03:00.004-05:00

To celebrate Grayson and Rogan's eight month birthday, we headed over to Women's Hospital for a developmental clinic. All premature babies go to this clinic. Doctors play with them to see how they're doing developmentally, a nutritionist talks to me, and they have a hearing test.

Developmentally, they're right on schedule with their corrected age, which is 5.5 months instead of 8 months. They're doing all the things an average 5 month old baby should do. Really, the only thing giving their prematurity away is their preemie muscle tone. When they stand up, they want to be on their tip-toes. This is because they didn't get the chance to be constricted in the womb. Their legs are really strong, but their backs aren't. I learned I need to let them play on their backs, tummies, and in sitting positions. No more standing for now! They love to stand, so this will not be an easy task.

Nutritionally, they're doing fine, too. Grayson weighs 15 pounds, and Rogan weighs 14 pounds 13 ounces. Compared to other 5 month olds, their around the 20 to 30th percentile for weight. All I can say is, they're huge compared to Arden at this age. I think she was nearly a year old before she was their weight!

They also had to have a hearing test, because some medications used in the NICU could cause hearing loss. Grayson passed both ears, but Rogan's right ear failed the test. I'm taking them both to Moses Cone in January for another hearing test. Hopefully, Rogan will pass! He turns his head to the right when I make noises on his right side, so I'm really not worried.

The good news is, they did so well at the clinic that they don't have to go back for another year! Generally, they would go back every 6 months until they turn 2. I'm pretty proud of them!

Anywho, I snapped some pics of the boys in their Christmas jammies. Of course, I had to get some of Arden, too. I have cute kids!

Grayson

Rogan

Arden

Arden is such a good big sis...most of the time!

This girl cracks me up!

Givin' the Podee Another Chance

2010-12-24T14:56:00.003-05:00

It's been a long time since we pulled out the Podee bottle. When we first got them, the boys were too young to use them. This time, Grayson did a fantastic job with it. I was impressed!

He started with 6.5 ounces.

Going to town!

Then he starts to fall asleep...cutest thing ever!

He drank nearly the whole bottle. I had to stick the hat on him and snap a pic of his sleepy head. Too sweet!

Because They're Just Stinkin' Cute

2010-12-23T22:20:00.001-05:00

Rogan with spiked-hair.

Grayson without unspikable hair.

Christmas Parade 2010

2010-12-23T21:42:00.003-05:00

I took Arden to the downtown Christmas parade at the beginning of the month. It was the same day we moved into the house, so it was bad timing. Plus, it was really cold outside. I figured we'd be ok, though. We were ok...at first. Then, just as a float passed by that said "Let It Snow!" it started snowing. Pretty cool, huh? It was, but then it really started coming down, and it got really cold. It didn't seem to phase Arden. She was running around and dancing. I soon realized her hands were freezing, though, and I decided we needed to go home. She wasn't happy about it, and the poor thing pretty much froze on the way to the car.

Before disaster struck, I got some cute pics and the greatest videos ever. Enjoy!

My dad and Jasmine

All bundled up!

Beautiful brown-eyed girl

"Good Dancing!"

Haha...I have no idea where she got these dance moves!

Lovin' the snow and the freedom!

Those mitten did nothing for her. Poor thing was freezing on the way back to the van. I felt horrible! Luckily, she fell asleep on the way home and felt much better after she awoke.

Let the "Solids" Begin!

2010-12-21T12:34:00.003-05:00

I began feeding the boys rice cereal at the beginning of the month. Since they won't technically be 6 months old until the day after Christmas, I was in no hurry! Let me tell you, it's tough feeding two little ones. I wish I could just bottle feed them until they're ready to feed themselves. Although, as you can see in the pics below, they already want to feed themselves!

Lately, I've been better about fitting it into our routine. I usually feed them cereal a little before their bedtime feeding. At first, Rogan was the better eater, but Grayson's proved to be the pro.

Enjoy the videos!

Grayson's first go at it!

Rogan's first try!

Arden tried to help by eating some herself. She thinks it's "tasty!" haha

We're Homeowners!

2010-12-15T14:54:00.003-05:00

Since rent was about to increase, we decided it was time to buy our first home! We looked at lots of houses for nearly a month until we decided on the perfect one. I love the porch and the big backyard! I can't wait until it's warm enough to hang out outside.

Notice how everything is still green! When we made the offer, the leaves on the trees had turned yellow.

When we took Arden there for the first time, she said "Ooo...nice!" as soon as she walked in the door...haha! And yes, she is loving those stairs.

The boys just chilled.

My mom got us this fabulous refrigerator for our house warming gift! So awesome!

And, look...moving day...it snowed!

We are mostly moved in...although we still need to figure out where stuff goes. We are loving all the extra space and the garage. I'm so proud to call this place home!

Thanksgiving!

2010-12-15T14:04:00.007-05:00

Yeah, I know this post is late. Better late than never!

We had a great Thanksgiving! We actually had five different dinners: Monday was at Aunt Becky's, Thursday was my at my mom's, Friday was at Adam's parents', Saturday was at my dad's, and Sunday we had another meal at my mom's since Catie missed the first one. Fun stuff!

Aunt Becky is in a skilled-care facility. Earlier this year, she had her colon removed and found out she has stage 4 ovarian cancer. It's been a really rough year for her. This was the first time she met the boys, and she was in really good spirits.

Arden on Thanksgiving Day. She watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and loved all the balloons.

I made this turkey clip for Arden's hair. I got the idea from someone on facebook...I wasn't willing to pay $5 for one of hers. I just used stuff I had around the house!

The boys dressed up in their Thanksgiving gear! I only had one outfit, so I split it amongst the two of them. Rogan got the shirt, and Grayson got the pants.

We went to my dad's on Friday for the annual Daniels' Reunion! Arden loved riding with her cousin Emma in the Barbie jeep!

The boys with their aunties! (plus Adam)

Of course, Arden was all over the place. She has fun wherever she goes! Oh, and this was the second day she didn't take a nap...it didn't phase her one bit!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Shutterfly Holiday Cards!

2010-11-22T20:48:00.002-05:00

I am so excited about sending out Christmas cards this year! The last time we sent them out was the year Arden was born. Since our family has had two additions this year, I figured it was time to send them out again. Plus, we're buying a house. What better way to get your new address to friends and family?! Oh, and did I mention we should be getting 50 cards for FREE this year? Yeah, you cannot beat that! Shutterfly is offering 50 free holiday cards to bloggers who promote its products. Check out the details here!

I was looking at the new designs at Shutterfly, and they are so awesome! I really love the ones where you can put tons of pictures on them. Gotta show off my cute kiddos! I've actually experimented with several layouts already. When I say several, I mean 13! Here's a few that I love: Joy Love Story, Monogram Snowman, Red Glee, Joy Dots Chocolate...my there are so many...and I'm so indecisive! I mean, just go here, and you'll see what I mean!

Of course, Shutterfly has way more to offer than just holiday cards. They have photo books! I love photo books, and they're so easy to make. I made the cutest photo book of Arden's first Christmas. It's such a special thing to look at every year. I'm really excited to make one for Rogan and Grayson this year. Yay!

Seven Months!

2010-11-19T21:14:00.008-05:00

I realize it's been forever since I've posted anything about the boys. They've grown so much! I can't believe they're seven months old now. (Their corrected age is 4.5 months.) At their six month checkup, they were both over 13 lbs and 24"! Compared to Arden, they're big babies! They're becoming really fun. They both want to sit up by themselves so badly. I think we'll all be happier once they do! They take three naps a day, but they aren't necessarily at the same time...which kind of stinks. I'm hoping they'll get on the same schedule soon. They also wake up once a night to eat...although occasionally one will sleep through the entire night. Life will be awesome once they both start sleeping through the night!

This past Monday, we went to Amy's house. She took some great pics of us in our Halloween costumes! Mary Bernice did such a great job on the boys' costumes, I knew I had to get some professional pics of them. I'm hoping to use their overalls for Christmas, too.

If you need a professional photographer, Amy is your gal! You can check out her work here: http://simplemomentsphoto.com/blog/

and here:http://www.simplemomentsphoto.com/

She's awesome!

Rogan: has one tooth; can roll from his back to his tummy (he doesn't like it too much, though;) can put himself to sleep in his bassinet (and has slept through the night there on several occasions!)

Grayson: has two teeth; will eat your nose if you let him; still has to be lulled to sleep in his swing (and will sleep there the entire night until he wants to eat!)

Looks like Alice is looking for some rabbits...

Grayson will touch anything he can get his hands on! He's become quite the playful monkey.

Looks like Alice caught her white rabbit!

Amy told Arden to put her hands on her lap...and she totally listened!

My cute, mischievous girl!

Graysie Face

Rogan and Grayson

Rogi Bear

Rogan and Grayson

My Sweet Angel

2010-11-19T16:48:00.004-05:00

Amy took some pics of Arden in her birthday tutu dress. I am in love with them! I can't wait until we close on the house so I can actually order some pictures!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T21:44:00.010-04:00

I was so excited for Halloween this year. I've been wanting to do Alice in Wonderland for so long. Having the boys made it all happen. Mary Bernice made their costumes, and they were super cute! Unfortunately, our church didn't have much of a Halloween event...just trunk-or-treating. No costume contest, no games, no food. It really bummed me out. I kind of feel like our family-themed costumes were pointless. Sad!

Anywho...onto the pics!

Rogan and Grayson...Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum!

The fam: The Queen of Hearts, The Mad Hatter, Alice, and Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum!

I picked up the red skirt and black dress at goodwill. I bought some felt, cut out some hearts, and hot-glued them to the black dress.

Below are some pics from last week. I count these as the boys' 6-month pics.

Grayson loves his mummy! Rogan is daddy's little monster. :)

We went to a Halloween party, and Arden loved this peek-a-boo cat!

She also loved playing with someone else's costume. In case you can't hear her, she's saying "ROAR!"

Ok, Grayson, turn her head this way...mommy wants to take a picture!

Rogi Bear

Graysie Face

Such cute kids I have! Man, they look alike.

And I'll leave you with a few kicks.

Yo Arden!

2010-10-17T22:24:00.010-04:00

We celebrated Arden's birthday on Saturday! We had lots of family over, and Arden enjoyed every second of it. She got lots of stuff to add to the lots of stuff she already has....yeah!

Our "little" family celebrated the day after her birthday. Adam got cupcakes from Harris Teeter, and Arden loved them. Now she expects to eat cake every night!

Here are the many family members who came! Yes, I took pics of them while they ate pizza.

After pizza came presents! Arden became distracted by every present she opened, so Gavin and Jasmine helped move the event along. She loved everything she received.

And then came the cake! Arden loves the show "Yo Gabba Gabba!" She lovingly calls it "Babba!" So I thought I'd make a Yo Gabba Gabba cake. I just wasn't sure what I was going to do. Then I thought it would be really cool to make the characters out of modelling chocolate or chocolate clay.

It was pretty easy to make: I bought a bunch of candy melts in different colors from Michaels. To make the clay, I melted 10 oz (by weight) of candy melts and folded in 1/3 cup light corn syrup until it formed a sticky ball. I then spread it on top of wax paper and let it set for 2 hours. Voila! Chocolate clay!

I also made a rice krispie treat base which I covered with melted candy melts. The cake itself was dark chocolate fudge with oreo cream cheese filling and buttercream frosting. Super sweet!

Arden with her cake!

Adam and I made all the characters. It was hard keeping them hidden from Arden!

She was so excited to finally be able to touch them!

Mmmmm!

Here she is seeing how tasty Plex's head is.

Arden's plate after all was said and done. Oh the carnage!

Happy Birthday, Gi! We love you so much!

Two Years Ago at This Very Moment...

2010-10-12T21:41:00.004-04:00

My Little Miss Arden was born! She made me a mommy for the first time, and my life has never been the same. Has it been hard? Yes! But, when she comes up to me and hugs me...or when she giggles and shows me her goofy-tooth grin...I know she's worth it.

Here are some things about Arden.

She LOVES to talk! I have no idea what she says most of the time. Like today, she was trying to get my attention by saying "Mama, mama, mama!" When I finally turned to look at her, she started jabbering away...obviously telling me something important...but I have no idea what it was! She tickles me so. Her new favorite phrase is "C'mon Mom!" She says this whenever she wants me to follow her somewhere. We were at Meredith's the other day to visit my cat, and she said "C'mon dat!" as she chased him around the house. He did not appreciate it!

She's a social butterfly! She loves going to nursery at church. She loves being around other kids. I love that she isn't clingy. I think the boys will be the opposite...we shall see!

She's a smart little cookie. She can say most of the alphabet when I point to the letter. She can do her puzzles easily and even remembers which piece goes to which puzzle. She loves to count. She started out by pointing to things and saying "One...one....one..." She now counts by saying "One...two...one...two..." She also loves to read books. If it were up to her, we'd spend all night reading books instead of going to bed!

She loves the tv and the computer! I know, I know...she shouldn't watch tv. But sometimes it's the only thing that'll occupy her while I'm dealing with fussy babies. Her favorite shows are "Barney and Friends" (which she calls "Bop!" after Baby Bop) and "Yo Gabba Gabba!" (which she calls "Babba!") This year's cake will be "Yo Gabba Gabba!" themed. Can't wait to finish it for her party on Saturday! As far as the computer goes, she loves playing online learning games from Fisher Price. She also loves using our painting program. Our computer is touch-screen, so she can work it pretty well (maybe a little TOO well!)

She is a wonderful big sister and loves her brothers! She seems concerned when one of the boys is crying. If they see her, they usually stop crying for a bit. They love her, too! She loves putting their pacies and bottles in their mouths. Of course, she also loves putting them in her mouth...haha! She'll also pat them on the back or caress their heads. Occasionally, she'll smack them on their heads and make them cry! She gets so tickled when they touch her with their hands or feet. She also loves to hold them, and will attempt to pick them up. She really is a great little mommy!

She loves the outdoors! If it were up to her, she'd live out there. She loves playing on the playground. The slides and swings are her favorites. She also just loves walking around. I wish I could take her outside more often, but it's hard to watch her and the boys. I can't wait to get a house with a fenced-in yard! She also enjoys staying inside to color...and not necessarily on paper!

At 31" and 20 lbs 5 oz, she's still a petite little thing. The boys are going to outgrow her in no time.

Below are pics of Arden on her birthdays! Happy Birthday, Gi!

Two Years Old!

One Year Old!

Zero Years Old!

Jonathan Goes on a Mission

2010-09-22T22:00:00.005-04:00

Jonathan received his mission call back in May. He left this morning for the MTC in Provo, UT, where he will stay for 7 weeks to learn Portuguese. Then, it's off to Brazil until September 2012! I know Adam will miss his younger brother greatly, but we all are very proud of his decision to serve a mission for the church.

Good luck, Jonathan! May you find the souls who are seeking out the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jonathan receives his mission call to Brazil! What's funny is that Jason and Adam served their missions in California, and the place that Jonathan is going is known as the California of Brazil...haha!

We were so blessed to be able to go to the temple when Jonathan received his Endowment. It had been a few years since we last went. The temple is so close...we really should go more often.

Beautiful House of the Lord

The temple grounds are beautiful...even the butterflies thought so.

Angel Moroni

A Father and His Sons

Raleigh, North Carolina Temple

Can't wait to take this picture again in two years!

Baby Blessings

2010-08-05T12:58:00.012-04:00

Adam blessed the boys on July 11th. He gave them beautiful blessings. It was hard for me to concentrate on them, though, because I was wrestling with Arden. I should've handed her off to family.

I'm so thankful for the Priesthood and our family. We are truly blessed!

The Priesthood Circle

Proud Grandmommies!

Arden loved all the attention she got from her cousins!

My family!

Yes, Rogan has something white coming out of his mouth...

I posted this pic just for giggles. It was taken by Keaton.

My dad with Arden

Catie's feeding Grayson, and Meredith's searching for words...hehe

Daddy's feeding Rogan.

Rogan...see the "R" on his pocket? Juanita Dunlap made the darling blessing outfits.

Grayson

Awww...

Sweet Baby Feet!

I think they love each other :)

Blessing Weekend

2010-08-05T12:41:00.003-04:00

We had lots of family in town July 9-11th! They all came for the boys' baby blessings. So special! We had lots of fun on Saturday at the Lewis'. I'm so thankful for big back yards and family!

We played "Blongo Ball!" Arden and Bryce really wanted to join in on the fun.

My lovely little lady...she was everywhere!

Grandpa Mike and Grayson

Arden shared her gold fish crackers with Bryce...even though he kept saying "mine!"

Little Miss Caylee Ann! She is such a content baby. I wish my boys were like her!

My Sweet Girl

Born to Explore

2010-08-05T12:32:00.002-04:00

Amy got the boys the cutest matching outfits. They say "Born to Explore," which is a perfect representation of their daddy and Grandpa Mike. They love to travel! I'm sure the boys will grow up to follow in their footsteps.

The pics below were taken the weekend of their baby blessings (July 10th.)

Grayson

Rogan

Independence Day!

2010-08-03T17:21:00.010-04:00

So I realize this post is way late, but....Happy Birthday, USA!

We had a wonderful Independence Day weekend. Saturday morning we went to the ward's pancake breakfast. This was our first public outting with the boys. They were pretty content, thank goodness! Arden had lots of fun. She walked all over the grove. I'm sure she would've done it all day long if she had the choice.

Had to snap a shot of her walking by the flag in the grove.

That evening I took Arden to Crystie's house for some food and fun. Arden really took to Crystie's cousin Levi. They had so much fun together!

I was playing with the zoom on my camera. Pretty cool!

Crystie, Leslie, Arden, and Levi!

Sunday was Independence Day. We went to church, and it was the first time we took the boys!

Cheese!

Fun with mommy and daddy!

I found this dress at Kohl's. It's so adorable!

I took Arden to see the fireworks with dad, Chris, and Jasmine. It was her first time seeing them. I was so glad when they finally started, because all she wanted to do was run around. She was scared a couple of times, but I got her ooing and awing in no time. It was a fun evening!

The Due Date

2010-06-26T22:07:00.006-04:00

It's hard to believe that the boys' due date is here. They're now 10.5 weeks old! They've come so far and are now 5 pounds more than they were at birth. They're my little miracle babies.

Rogan on his birthday.

Rogan on his due date.

Grayson on his birthday.

Grayson on his due date.

Two Months Old!

2010-06-22T16:08:00.009-04:00

It's hard to believe the boys turned 2 months old on June 13th! I feel like they're brand new...probably because they had only been home for 5 days. Anywho, the boys are happy and healthy! Here are a few pics from that day.

Rogan and Grayson

Rogan's 2 month stats

Weight: 7lbs 7oz (He's over 8 lbs now!)

Height: 19.75"

Grayson's 2 month stats

Weight: 7lbs 2oz (I'm sure he's bigger, too!)

Height: 19.5"

Happy feet! Cute. :) Dinosaur feet! Hilarious! :)

Arden loves her brothers!

She really, really loves them...

Maybe a little too much!

Yay for family!

Home at Last!

2010-06-17T13:47:00.007-04:00

As many of you already know, the boys are home! We brought them home on June 8th, the day they turned 8 weeks old. I must say it seemed like they'd live in the NICU forever. Then, on June 7th we got a phone call from one of the NICU doctors, and she told us we could take the boys home that day! That totally caught us off guard. All that time, and we were still unprepared! Funny, huh? We opted to take them home the next day.

Earlier that day I realized we needed to buy new car seats, because the ones we had for Arden were expired. So, on our way to the NICU, we bought a couple of car seats at Baby Depot. The boys passed their car seat test that night, meaning they tolerated sitting in their seats for an hour. The only left for them to have done was their circumcisions. Poor guys! As we arrived at the NICU for the last time on June 8th, my OB was leaving. She'd just circumcised the boys. They were so unhappy!! We had to wait for 1.5 hours until they were ready to be discharged. Ugh, I wish they would've been circumcised a couple days earlier.

Last visit to the NICU! We had to wear a gown, gloves, and mask because of a potential chickenpox exposure. The garb was incredibly uncomfortable! We're so glad the boys were able to come...so we didn't have to continue wearing that stuff!

Rogan on left, Grayson on right...so snug in their new car seats!

Baby Rogan

Baby Grayson

Arden was so excited when we came home with the boys! I wish I would've had the camera handy when we walked in the door. She just kept touching them and giggling when she saw them move.

She loves to rock her brothers!

We are so glad to have our boys home! Is it hard work? YES! Is it worth it? YES!!! We love all our children so much. It's so nice to have them all in one place.

Gift to Grandmas

2010-05-29T14:59:00.002-04:00

It took us awhile to let anyone but us hold the boys. Once we did, the grandmas were in heaven.

Nana with Grayson

GrimGram with Rogan

NICU Moments

2010-05-29T14:45:00.012-04:00

The boys are doing so great! Today they're at 36 weeks gestation, and they're 6.5 weeks old. They still have a couple more weeks to go. The major thing they need to do is take every feeding from a bottle. A few days ago, we went to the NICU and discovered they didn't have feeding tubes in their noses! They'd taken every feeding that day via bottle. The tubes were put back in, though. Sucking on the nipples just wears them out. They'll get there, though...they're so close! They're about to grow out of their preemie clothes, too. They're already bigger than Arden was when she was born at 36 weeks...amazing!!

Grayson...no feeding tube! He weighs 5 lbs 13 oz.

Rogan...no feeding tube! He weighs 6 lbs 1 oz.

Grayson is red, Rogan in green

Whenever we bring Arden, we inevitably end up in the family room. She loves playing with everything in there!

Arden loves her baby brothers! I hope she feels the same way when they come home.

"Baby!"

They were still in their isolettes here. It feels like so long ago! Grayson is on his tummy, Rogan is on his back.

Big Sister!

I think we're both feeding Grayson.

Family!

A few weeks ago, we got to hold them both at the same time. We haven't done it since. I can't believe they're so much bigger than this now. I can't wait for them to come home. It'll feel like Christmas!

Pool Time!

2010-05-29T08:48:00.001-04:00

The pool at our apartment opened a couple of months ago, but we waited until last week to take advantage of it. We went just before lunch. The water was so cold! We got used to it, though. I thought Arden would fuss about how cold it was, but she didn't. We stayed out there for about 30 minutes. It's a good thing, too, because I didn't have any sunscreen on and still ended up with tan lines!

Isn't her swimsuit the cutest?! I got it for $2.50 at Once Upon a Child.

Mother's Day

2010-05-27T15:57:00.007-04:00

This year was my second official Mother's Day, and I have 3 kids! Crazy! I'd like to say the day was restful, but it wasn't. I took Arden to church all by my lonesome. I then fed her lunch, put her down for a nap, and arranged flowers for my mom, Mary Bernice, and Mayeth. No nap for me! We did have dinner at my mom's house, so I didn't have to cook....that was nice. Then we visited the boys at the NICU. We held them a long time, but we didn't get any pics. However, the boys (with the help of some nurses) made me the sweet card below. It made my day!

I'm grateful for all the mothers in my life. Happy Mother's Day!

The flowers I arranged for my mom.

A gift from Adam: My babies and their birthstones!

This necklace was made for me by a family support group at the NICU. It has all the birthstones of my kids. So sweet!

We're One Month Old!

2010-05-13T22:51:00.002-04:00

I can't believe how quickly time flies...and yet it seems like it's standing still. Our boys are one month old today. Wow! They are doing so well! They've come a long way since the beginning. I'm so proud of them.

I was lucky enough to get to spend lots of time with them today. My lovely maw-in-law watched Arden nearly all day long. Here's how we celebrated: bath time!

The boys get their baths on Thursdays and Sundays. This was their second official bath, as in being placed in water. Fun times!

Grayson got his bath first. He was actually ok with it for the most part, although he seems upset in the upper right pic. He became very calm after I clothed him. I also got to bottle-feed him, but he was tuckered out after 15 mL. He fell sound asleep, sweet boy.

Rogan got his bath a couple hours later. Nurse Cathy actually took pics while I was bathing him. So sweet! Rogan was not thrilled with his bath at all. I think the water cooled down too much before he actually got in it. He was so happy when he was clothed, too. I then bottle-fed him, but he didn't take much at all. He wanted to sleep.

I will add a more detailed update later, but this is all I have time for at the moment. G'night!

Our Beautiful Girl

2010-05-12T13:57:00.028-04:00

Our little Arden is 19 months old today and a big sister of twin boys! Considering the boys were born the day after she turned 18 months, I totally slacked in giving an 18-month update...so here it is!

Arden is 19 pounds (still off the chart but getting closer to the third percentile) and 29.75" long (5th percentile.) So she's still petite, but she's growing! The doctor says the rear-facing carseat is still safest, so that's what we'll keep her in until she gets too tall. She has 8 teeth...4 in the front and 4 in the back.

Arden loves spending time with all of her grandparents. Whenever she sees my mom, she says "Nana!" She always has fun at Grandma and Grandpa Lewis' house. She probably wears them out by going up and down the stairs, though. Grandpa Randy's house is fun, too...especially with Auntie Jasmine around! She also loves spending time with all her aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Her personality has definitely begun to shine through. She is a jabber mouth! I think that's hilarious since Adam and I are not big talkers. The phrase she loves to use is "Ahhh nahh!" and she says it very dramatically. I'm not really sure what it means, but my guess is "oh no..?" Since the boys have been born, her favorite word is "baby!" She calls all of her stuffed animals babies. I love to hear her talking to them in her crib. I always kiss her goodnight, and she's picked up on that. She says "Muh! Nigh-nigh...bye-bye!" She even kisses her stuffed animals on the mouth (which is funny, because we do not kiss her on the mouth!) She loves to dance. She shakes her hips from side-to-side. She loves Elmo and calls him "Melmo!" Actually, she calls every character on Sesame Street "Melmo"...too funny! Outdoors is her favorite place to be. If she had her way, she'd stay outside and walk around all day long. She loves nursery at church (thank goodness,) and has no problem going in even when other kids are screaming. She definitely throws fits and can be very loud at home, but it's hard to get mad at her when she shows you her toothy grin.

Here are some random pics in a random order. Enjoy!

Duhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuhnuh....Bat Girl!

Sitting very nicely in the NICU...that didn't last long! The lactation consultant let Arden play with this baby doll.

Arden really wanted on dadoo's lap with Baby Rogan. She was not happy when she didn't get her way.

Pointing at Baby Rogan

Pointing at Baby Grayson

Monkey See....Monkey Do!

My Sweet Pea

Hanging out with Grandpa Lewis

She loves her dadoo! Ever since my hospital stay, she's been calling him "mama!"

Arden really loves going to Grandpa Randy's and playing with her Auntie Jasmine. Jasmine isn't always too thrilled, though.

"He loves me....he loves me not....he loves me!"

She loves going over to the Allen's house and playing with their kids. Since the boys have been born, she calls all kids "baby."

She loves to feed herself and flirt at the dinner table. Batting her eyelashes is her specialty!

One time at Steak-n-Shake, she started dipping her fries in her applesauce. I have no clue where she got that from, but she now loves to dip!

She loves sticking out her tongue!

Little Miss Pebbles

My first and only attempt at pigtails...I will do them again!

Gorgeous Child

She loves riding on her zebra!

It's amazing to me how much she's turned into such a little girl...no longer a baby. I love my girl!

Whirlwind of a Morning!

2010-04-19T20:48:00.007-04:00

On Tuesday, April 13th, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. with pain in my abdomen. It felt like gas, so I went to the bathroom. I had a bowel movement, so I thought that was that. However, the pain wouldn`t go away. It started to increase, and it came in waves. At 6 a.m., I texted my husband, Adam, who was in the next room, with this: "!!!!" He came into the room to see what was up. I told him I was in major pain. He laid down next to me and tried to get me to relax. It wasn`t working. I told him I needed to go to the hospital. Our daughter Arden was still asleep, of course, and I thought we could wait until she woke up. I went ahead and took a shower. Afterwards, my husband took a shower. By then it was nearly 7 a.m. I told him we couldn`t wait to wake up Arden, so he got her up. She wasn`t too happy about it, but she soon got over it. He gave her some milk and was taking his time changing her diaper. I was in so much pain. I was literally screaming every few minutes. I told him I couldn`t wait any longer. We had to go now! On the way to the hospital, my husband was trying to talk to me. I couldn`t concentrate on anything he was saying. I was trying to breathe and scream at the same time.

We got to the hospital around 7:30 a.m. I went to admittance and told them I thought I was in preterm labor, and that I was carrying twins. I bent over the desk in pain and screamed. The lady took my drivers` license so she could fill out the paperwork for me. A nurse came and got me and took me to a room. She had me give her a urine sample, which wasn`t the easiest thing to do at that moment. Afterwards, I changed into the hospital gown and got on the bed. She put the monitors on my belly to see how the babies were doing. They were doing just fine...it was I who was in distress! Finally, she checked my cervix. I was at 6 cm with a bulging bag! I wasn`t prepared for such news. All I could say was, "This is not good....this is not good..." My husband and daughter finally made it to the room, and I shared the news with him. He started to call family members. Of course, they were going to try and stop the labor. No one wants to have babies at 29 weeks! A little later, the doctor came in to check my cervix. I was already at 8 cm! This labor was progressing fast! I was in so much pain. I started shaking, because that`s what I do when I`m in shock. They asked how I was planning to give birth to the boys, and I said it depended on their positions. They did a sonogram, and at least one was breech. Emergency c-section it is!

By this time, family was on the way, but they had no clue that I was actually going to deliver the boys this morning. A nurse had to take Arden since family hadn`t arrived yet, and Adam went to the OR with me. I got a spinal, and went numb really quickly. They laid me down and put the sheet up so I couldn`t see anything. By that time, Adam came in the room. The doctors did a couple checks to make sure I was numb. I was told I`d feel pressure and pulling. I felt nothing. I literally laid there thinking "are they doing anything?" as they were pulling my insides out. That was fine with me! Grayson came out rear-first, and I heard him cry. Rogan came out feet-first. He was up so high, they really had to tug on his little feet and legs. He had quite the bruising afterwards...poor guy. I threw up after that. I didn`t get to see them. They were sent directly to the NICU. Adam went with them, and I stayed to get sewn up. The incision itself was stapled up. I then got pushed to the recovery room.

I was trying to take everything in, but it was hard. I just wanted to sleep. After an hour in recovery, the nurse actually pushed my bed to the NICU to see my boys before going to my room. I was so glad I got to see them. I found out they both weighed at or around 3.5 lbs, which is amazing for 29 week twins! I was so happy the nurses and doctors in the NICU were pleasantly surprised by how big they were. I then got wheeled to my room where I stayed for 3 nights and 4 days. I went to the NICU whenever I wanted to see my boys. I`m amazed by how many milestones they`ve already overcome. I was discharged on my birthday. On our way out, I stopped by the NICU and actually got to hold Rogan while Adam held Grayson. It was the best birthday gift I`ve ever received.

I love my boys! They truly are a blessing. It was hard leaving them at the hospital, but I know there`s no better place for them right now. They`ll come home when they`re ready, and I`ll be here waiting for them.

Grayson Lear
April 13, 2010
8:33 a.m.
3 lbs 8 oz
15.5"

Rogan Emerson

April 13, 2010

8:34 a.m.

3 lbs 10 oz

16.5"

The photos below were taken Saturday, April 17th.

Daddy and baby Rogan.

Rogan the little cutie!

Mommy and baby Grayson.

Grayson the little cutie!

He's no longer wearing the oxygen tubing on his nose!

Baby Boys Update

2010-04-11T13:34:00.004-04:00

I'm 28 weeks in this pic.

Time for an update! The boys are doing great! Every time I have an ultrasound, they always measure at least a week ahead. They are constantly moving around. Sometimes it feels like my pelvic bone is going to explode...not too comfy! I'm 29 weeks along and already bigger than I was right before Arden made her entrance into the world. I feel beyond pregnant. My feet and ankles just started to swell a couple of days ago. As I'm typing this, they're huge! Not sure why thought I was going to get lucky with this pregnancy. Ah well...now I just need to put my feet up and chillax.

I failed my 1-hour glucose test a couple weeks ago and found out my iron was slightly low, which means I'm slightly anemic (I'm now taking an iron supplement every other day.) I had to go in for the 3-hour glucose test the following week. It was not fun! The nurse draws blood before I drink the sugary stuff, then she draws it 3 more times...once every hour. I had to pass 3 out of 4 tests...and that's exactly what I did. I ended up failing the very last one! Since I failed one, the doctor told me I had an intolerance to glucose and to avoid foods with high concentrations of sugar...like dessert! I will try...but I'm not sure how often I'll succeed. Oh, and I felt like crap for at least the first 1.5 hours of the test. I kind of felt like a zombie ready to puke. It's a wonder I didn't faint. Since it was April Fool's Day, I decided to play a little prank on my facebook friends. I said I felt so terrible during my glucose test that the doctor decided I needed an ultrasound. During the ultrasound, the tech realized I was having twin girls instead of twins boys. There were quite a few people who fell for it...hilarious!

Oh, and since I'm having twin boys, two of my friends are throwing me a baby shower. It'll be May 1st. Hopefully I'll still be able to move around by then! Goodness...these boys will be here before I know it!

Baby Boy A at 24 weeks 5 days weighing in at 1 lb 13 oz!

Baby Boy B at 24 weeks 5 days weighing in at 1 lb 9 oz!

Baby Boy A at 28 weeks 5 days weighing in at 3 lbs 1 oz!

Baby Boy B at 28 weeks 5 days weighing in at 3 lbs 1 oz! He caught up to his brother.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T12:13:00.017-04:00

We celebrated Arden's second Easter this year. Adam didn't think it was reasonable to get her anything last year considering she was only 6 months old, so I decided I wouldn't let that happen this year. She was pretty happy when she saw her easter basket...the first thing she went for were the bunny ears. She is such a cutie pie!

Once Adam went to bed, I put Arden in her Easter dress in hopes of getting some cute pics. Let me tell you, it was difficult being the stager/poser and the photographer. As soon as I got here where I wanted her, she'd run away! Most of the pics I got are of her running away from me. Ah well...at least I got a couple of cute pics out of the chaos.

Let me go ahead and give you an Arden update, considering it's been so long since I really posted anything. I took her in for another weight check last week. I was pleasantly surprised to find she had gained nearly 2 pounds in a month! She's now over 17.5 pounds. I guess that Pediasure really does work! If she hadn't gained anymore weight, the doctor would've wanted to take some of Arden's blood and run tests. I went through all that stuff as a child, and I really didn't want Arden to go through it, too. Luckily, all is well!

I can't believe my baby will be 18 months a week from today! That means we get to stick her in the nursery at church. We've already been taking her for half the time and sitting in with her during it. Last week, Adam put her in there and left. She's technically not old enough for that, but she did great. She went and played with the toys while the other kids screamed...ha! The only thing I'm worried about are the older kids (3-year-olds.) Arden is very interested in toys that other kids are playing with. Even if she just wants to watch, the kids will push her away. Sometimes she gets shoved down and cries. She's so little, and the kids just don't care. Mama is not happy about this! I guess it's just something I need to get used to. *Sigh*

Anywho, enjoy the Easter pics below!

Arden's Loot: bunny ears, stuffed bunny, bath squirt toys, fancy socks, hairbands, plastic eggs, and a really cute basket.

Eating breakfast with Dadoo!

Running away from me....

I really love this shot. She fell down and skinned her knees right after I took it...poor thing!

Running away from me...

He is Risen!

2010-04-04T09:32:00.002-04:00

Heavenly Father sent his son, Jesus Christ, to this earth for me. Jesus Christ took upon him my sins and died for me. He was resurrected so that I can be resurrected also. He did everything for me....and you! I think upon that this Easter Sunday and everyday. I am so very thankful for this gift. May I never take it for granted.

A Chair for the Gi

2010-03-12T13:46:00.003-05:00

I've been looking for a chair for Arden for quite some time. What I noticed was they're all so expensive! Then, I went to Walmart.com and found this cute kid rocking chair. It came in all sorts of colors and fabrics (even animal print!) Looking on eBay, this same exact chair in zebra and cow print was being sold for $100 PLUS $25 shipping! How much was it at Walmart.com, you ask? $50! Oh, and shipping was free with site-to-store. SUCKERS!!

My mom actually bought it for Arden. She's so generous. :)

As soon as I brought it into the apartment, she knew it was for her and couldn't wait to sit in it.

Watching Wonder Pets in her new chair...she loves it!

Bedtime Silliness

2010-03-12T13:30:00.002-05:00

Funny how she's fussing and giggling...she's so tired!

A Baby Doll for the Baby Doll

2010-02-25T20:20:00.009-05:00

For Valentine's Day, I got Arden a baby doll. She saw some at a friend's house, and she got so excited about them. I knew I had to get her one. She is too cute with it!

No clue why she's sucking on the baby's head. The baby doll does smell like lemon, though, so maybe that has something to do with it!

Just being a silly goose!

Considering Valentine's Day was on a Sunday, we really didn't do much on that exact day. Monday night, we dropped Arden off at Adam's parents house and headed to PF Chang's for dinner. The food was delicious, and I ate way too much.

Anywho, I love you, babe!

Adam did arrive home from work with a single pink rose and a box of chocolates...nice! I gave him a bag of Reese's hearts and sweet & tangy twizzlers...yum!

I failed to take care of my rose right away. It didn't go in water until after church, and even then I forgot to trim the stem. These pics were taken a couple days later, and it was a little wilted. It was a beauty, though!

Arden looked super cute in her Valentine's Day Sunday attire.

Here she is in the kitchen holding the tv remote...haha!

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day!

SNOW!

2010-02-23T22:27:00.010-05:00

And that's an understatement...at least for this part of NC! Back in January, we got like 8 inches of snow. I haven't seen that much snow here in years. I think school was cancelled everyday except for Thursday, and they went to school 2 hours late that day. I really enjoyed hearing the kids jumping around in the apartment above me...NOT!

Here's a view out our front door.

It had been awhile since I checked the mail, so I had this bright idea to make a sled using a plastic bin and a jump rope to tug Arden along for the ride.

I thought she would love it.

She HATED it and cried when I started pulling her! Everytime I stopped, she tried to climb out.

So, we barely got out the door, and I had to turn around. When we got back to the door, the bin tipped over, and Arden fell face-first into the snow. Poor thing screamed her head off!

She was much more content being in the "sled" when it was inside.

She even enjoyed wearing my gloves.

Adam took these gorgeous pics of the golf course across the street. It was right after he got home from work, so the sun was just starting to rise.

I hope everyone had some fun snow days. I'll be happy if I don't see snow for a long time!

Bubble Baby

2010-02-23T22:17:00.001-05:00

Arden loves bubbles! It's even one of her favorite words to say. One evening, I turned on our bubble machine during her bath.

She wasn't too sure about it at first...maybe because it was so loud.

But she eventually got pretty excited!

My sweet girl. I just love her reflection in the fixture.

The Belly

2010-02-23T22:10:00.001-05:00

So I figured I should post some pics of my twin belly. I went in for a doctor's appointment today, and the doctor measured my belly. Currently, my 22 week 3 day twin belly is equal to that of a 30-31 week singleton belly. Oy! This pregnancy is going to get rough real fast!

18 Weeks

19 Weeks

20 Weeks

21 Weeks

Big Girl Carseat

2010-02-17T20:57:00.000-05:00

As part of Arden's Christmas presents, we ordered her a new carseat. She was definitely too tall for her infant seat. Unfortunately, she's a few pounds away from weighing 20 pounds, so she still has to be rear-facing. I thought for sure we were going to go with a Britax, but after a bit of research and recommendations from friends, we went with a Sunshine Kids seat. You can fit 3 seats side-by-side, and that is definitely not the case with Britax. This particular one is the Radian80. It'll hold a child up to 80 pounds in a 5-point harness. And, no, I am not planning on replacing this seat ever (you're supposed to after 5 years)...as long as it isn't involved in any accidents. Arden's going to be sitting in this thing until she's 8 years old...ha!

The Park: It's an Addiction

2010-02-17T13:53:00.011-05:00

I know it's been forever since I've blogged anything. Once I found out I'm having twins, pretty much everything else fell by the wayside. I'll have to play catch-up...one post at a time.

In January, Arden discovered the joy of the park. Our apartment is right next to the playground. I was thinking this would be nice and convenient, but those dang kids can be noisy! Anywho, Arden loves climbing up the stairs, crawling across the bridge, and sliding down the slide (with assistance, of course.) She also loves the old-school duck and horse rockers. I've come to realize I don't like our apartment's playground, though. It's dirty, and there's no baby swing. Every time we come home, we pass that playground and she always wants to go play...even if it's cold and rainy. I haven't taken her there since she started walking because of the terrible weather we've been having. I hope it warms up soon. Of course when it does, I'll probably take her to a different park: Triad Park.

Triad Park is a fabulous park. It's about 7 minutes from where we live. The ground surrounding the playground is made of this soft material...it's not dirty, and your kid likely won't get hurt if he/she falls. There is a separate playground for toddlers, and it has two baby swings. No crazy big kids running around! I took Arden there once, and she loved it. She had just started walking, but was still doing the knee-walk thing most of the time. I think she'll love it even more now that she's walking. If the weather would just warm up, I'd take her again!

Below are pics and a video from our dirty playground. Not fun for me, but Arden loves it!

Below are pics and a video from Triad Park...so much fun!