Big Girl

As promised, here are some pictures of Harper that show just how much she's grown. Tony and I are so thankful- more than we can put into words- that Harper has been eating much better. She has acquired a taste for baby food and now sits in her high chair with her mouth open like a baby bird waiting for the next spoonful.  I was eating an apple for a snack and Harper crawled into my lap to investigate what I was doing. I let her touch the apple and the next thing I knew, she was trying to put the whole thing her mouth. After an initial confused look, Harper started sucking on the apple to get the juice; my snack turned into "bite for Mom, bite for Harper"-oh happy day, she wants to try new things!

Here are the side by sides of Harper. The first picture was taken in June and the second picture was taken today. Look at how much hair she has now!

Grow, grow little girl- your Momma and Daddy can't wait to see what you'll do next.

Big Man

We survived the first day of school! Our schedule has been changed a bit, and I feel like Tony and I are on a time clock from the moment we wake up until we fall into bed, but we will make it work.

The subject of the blog today is our little Jack man who is getting so big.  Durinda and I were talking about how much he's grown and she referenced these two pictures.  The first picture was taken just a couple of months ago, and the second picture was taken on Monday.

It's amazing to me how much he's changed in such a short time. I guess I don't notice it because I see them everyday, but looking at these pictures, it's obvious that the little baby phase is a thing of the past. I know I can't keep him little, and it's so neat to see all the things he's learning, but there are times I would snuggle with little baby Jack, if given the chance.

Tomorrow I'll post sister so you can see how big Harper is now!

Off to bed; according to my new schedule, I have 7 minutes to fall asleep so I can squeeze in seven hours before we're up and running again...

The Little Things We Want to Remember

Our weekend was pretty uneventful; I tried to savor every last moment before I embark on a new school year tomorrow. Tony and I were going through the pictures that we took this weekend and we were laughing at all the silly little moments; it hit me that in a few years, maybe even a few weeks or months, we won't remember the little things that made us smile and laugh.  So, with that in mind, I decided to post our little moments of the weekend- no big story behind them, but lots of big smiles...

Jack took a serious interest in my Braum's cup and demanded he be allowed to gnaw on it. When I tried to take it away, we had our first serious temper tantrum from Jack. He didn't get any ice cream, but he's already a Braum's fan.

This is Harper eating peas. Normally, the picture would be cute, but no big deal. This moment, almost brought tears to Tony's eyes. Harper was taking good bites of peas and opening her mouth everytime the spoon came near her. Harper eating on her own free will is a beautiful sight.

Jack got up before 6am on Saturday and so he got to go for a walk with Mom and Abby. He held the end of Abby's leash the entire walk (don't worry, I held the middle of the leash).

Harper's first time to sit in a highchair at a restaurant; she was a bit skeptical of the whole thing.

Jack and Harper spending their lazy weekend afternoon just riding around in the laundry basket. Their giggles made it even more fun.

Jack's first time to sit in a grocery cart. Harper and Dad were taking a nap, so Jack and I ran to Target and he was a trooper. He had a great time flirting with the checkout lady.

Harper playing on the outside of the exersaucer. Yes, she is standing on her own and did so for a couple of minutes. It's just a matter of time before she figures out how to pull up.

Finally, a last shot of our kiddos playing together. It warms my heart to see them interacting and sharing and happy.

Hot Water

This week has been interesting for a couple of reasons: school has started and I'm back to work, and- oh yeah- we haven't had hot water since Sunday. We had noticed a gas odor in our backyard and Sunday afternoon the odor was very strong, so Tony called our gas company. They came in and said we had a leak underground in the backyard. The gas company told us to call a plumber and then they shut off our gas, which left us with no hot water. One plumber came out and quoted us an outrageous price on Monday, a better quote came in on Tuesday, work was done on Wednesday, and the gas was turned back on today. We are lucky that our dear friends let us shower at their house (shout out to the Sterlings!) and we have the ability to boil water to wash bottles. Thank goodness for hot water from the tap- I wouldn't have made a good pioneer woman.

The kids have had a great week with Durinda. I am sad to leave them, but so happy that they're with someone who cares about them so much and I know that they're learning and having lots of fun. Harper's eating has been better the past couple of days, and both she and Jack are doing well eating their fruit each day. I love coming home to their little smiling faces and hearing about the things they discovered that day. For instance, today when I got home, Harper scooted/crawled over to me and climbed into my lap- that was wonderful. Jack also got up on his hands and knees (with a little help) and then started rocking back and forth- so exciting that he is putting these movements together. It's really cool to literally be able to watch my children learn- amazing.

I thought I'd share some of the funny photos of the week- enjoy!

Schedule Change

Well, our house has survived the first two days of back-to-work mode. This new schedule includes an early morning wake-up call for the twins (6:30) and an even earlier morning wake up call for me. I have been bouncing out of bed before dawn to get Abby's walk in before Tony and I get the kids up for breakfast. So far, so good. Tomorrow will be the big test with my earliest day this week. Let's hope things run smoothly. When I get home from walking Abby, I give the kids their medicine (which usually wakes them up) and I have 20 minutes to get myself ready before it's time for the kids to eat. Here's a picture of what I found on Monday when I walked out of the bathroom after getting dressed.  Harper was sleeping in an extra few minutes, while Jack was up talking- guess who takes after their mom and who takes after their dad!

We are very happy to have Durinda back this school year; we could not be more excited to have her. We know that the kids are in great hands and I think that they're going to be little handfuls this fall, for sure. Harper has already pulled her "I won't eat my bottle" routine and Durinda called her bluff, and after that, Harper took 90% of every bottle offered her for the rest of the day. Jack has tried the "I'm a big boy and don't take naps" routine; Durinda also called his bluff on that and he fell asleep taking his bottle. I think he'll take a nap next time. Here's a picture of Harper napping today; Durinda sent this to me and Tony and I cracked up. We have no idea how she got her lovey to balance like that; Durinda said she slept that way for an hour- too funny.

Last Day of Summer

The last weekend of my summer is upon us and we spent the weekend with two fiesty little ones who are growing and learning so much. Tony had the day off on Friday so we ran errands, got somethings done around the house and played with two adorable kiddos. 

Thursday was Harper's last Vital-Stem therapy (we are wait listed because of appointment shifts when school starts). I think being wait listed is a good thing right now because it will give us some time to evaluate how therapy is working. Harper is having a little stubborn streak with her eating (again) and Tony and I are trying to call her bluff (again); I'm worried this may become a trend. She will have few days of great eating, and then a couple of days of stubborn refusal where she takes 4-5 ounces less than we hope she will. The whole thing is, quite frankly, exhausting, but just when we're ready to scream, Harper will start eating better and we heave a sigh of relief- it's a sick waltz between the three of us. Despite the feeding back and forth, Harper is still growing and moving all over. She has started stringing together movements to form an "army crawl" that can get her any place she wants to go. Here's a shot of Harper this weekend trying to climb under our living room chair- silly girl.

Jack has been sitting up so well that when we went to breakfast this morning, he got to sit in a restaurant high chair for the first time. He does well in our high chairs at home, but they have a higher back and we were impressed he sat so well today. I think he was also excited that he got to sit next to his friend Madeline, like a big kid. Jack's other new skill is that he's become a big "talker". Nana and Pop came over yesterday and stayed with a kids so Tony and I could support our friends at a Crossfit competition (shout out to Black Iron Crossfit).  Nana said that Jack spent all day babbling and he talked up a storm today too. It's so fun to hear him putting sounds together with little sighs and inflections. I know that I'm going to miss his conversations in the morning when school starts.

I have tried my best to savor my last weekend at home with my little ones. Tomorrow morning I march back to work and the little routine I've grown accustom to in the last weeks will be thrown aside. I will miss playing in the morning after breakfast, the moments when I can see their brains working hard to problem solve, the squeals of delight from little Harper as she bounces, and Jack's laugh at silly things I do. I know that I'll still experience these things everyday, but it won't replace the fact that I will miss things and that makes my heart hurt. I guess I'll just have to hug those babies tighter on the weekends and count down the days until Thanksgiving break.

Here's one more picture of Harper, Jack, and Madeline at breakfast this morning. Heidi, Jeff, and their daughter, Madeline, are some of our best friends and I can't wait to see what these kiddos are like as they grow up together.

Developmental Specialist Update

Two months ago, the kiddos went to see a developmental specialist who evaluated Jack as the "rockstar" and who put Harper in "failure to thrive" and sent our world into a spiral. I was a wreck the last time I left that office and, frankly, I was a little nervous about going back. Tony and I knew Harper was gaining weight, but I wasn't sure what the verdict would be on the torticolis and the head shape. So, here's the update (all about Harper):

-Head shape looks great- no helmet needed
-Neck still a little stiff, referal to PT for follow up work
-Shoulders a little stiff (from arching so much to avoid eating), stretches given
-Great overall mobility
-2 lb weight gain (now putting Harper in the 2%, instead of < 1%)
-Weight: 11 lbs 10 oz
-Height: 23 3/4 inches
-Head is growing as well- great sign

Overall, the specialist was very impressed with Harper's improvement; she said she never would've guessed we'd be doing so well. I was a very proud Momma when I heard that. Jack didn't get a full evaluation (because he didn't have any concerns at the previous visit), but he did get down to play and she said Jack's sitting up looked great.

I am over the moon that Harper has been doing so well and it feels like we're starting to climb that long hill out of the woods. She has been a little fussy today and wasn't a great eater for me- I hope this won't be two steps backwards. I also hope that our transition from me being home all day, everyday, to me going back to work will be a smooth one. I know the girl will have to eat if she gets hungry enough...right?

All prayers will be accepted with a thankful heart.

Speaking of work, tomorrow is my last day at home by myself with the kids before I go back to work. Tony has Friday off, so we'll have a family day, but it's odd for me to think that this time next week I'll be getting ready for my "real" job. I keep reminding myself to enjoy each and every moment (even the tantrums and dirty diapers) because I will miss it so much when I'm dealing with teenage attitudes, school drama, and grading papers.  So, here's to my last day with my babies- I hope I make the most of it.

Weekend Update

Our weekend started off with a nice visit from Uncle Tanner. Friday was his last day of his summer job and he had to turn in his work truck, so the kids and I picked Tanner up and he hung out with us. The kids had a great time playing with Uncle T and Harper took advantage of a warm napping spot.

We also tried some new foods this weekend. So far, Harper has not been super excited about any food, but will tolerate taking bites. She did seem to like avacado and peaches more than the others. Jack, on the flip side, opens his mouth in anticipation of anything on the spoon. His favorites seem to be butternut squash, apples, and tonight he liked bananas.  Here's a shot of them sitting in their chairs; they are getting so big!

Our big weekend project was getting our letter wall hung in the kids' room. I think it turned out great and it took us far less time to hang everything than I had aniticipated. Tony was very patient with me. He has all the spaital/mathematical brains in the family and I just wanted to put things up and see how they looked. Tony won out and I'm so glad he did!  Here's a glimpse at the final product; we are crazy about the wall.

We want to extend a huge "thank you" to everyone who contributed a letter on our wall. It is  wonderful to know that our little family has an extraordinary extended family that cares about us so much. I think it will be neat to be able to tell Jack and Harper about their Aunts in Kentucky and show them the "J" they sent, or tell the kiddos about their cousins in Houston and show them the "S" they sent. So, thank you, for all of your hard work, for supporting our little family, and for making our nursery a place filled with love!

Tahlequah Trip

What a whirlwind this week has been! My mom and I packed up the kids and drove 4 hours to visit my grandparents and I am so glad that we did. We had a wonderful time; the kids were great travelers (each had about 10 minutes worth of screaming, but not at the same time- thank goodness). I had so much fun introducing Harper and Jack to their Aunt Sunny, Uncle Andy, Cousins Cody, Bronc, Clancey and Blaze. We were blessed to get to meet another set of twins who are six weeks old. Sunny's niece, Whitney, and her husband, Dustin, came over with their boys Paxton and Peyton and big sister Hunter. Sunny's mom, Louann, also came by. It was great to see everyone and to be able to have a low key imprompu visit.

Mama Reba and the twins

While we were in Tahlequah, we went on a walk and strolled through Northeastern State's campus and downtown Tahlequah. We also made our way out to the country to see Andy and Sunny's new place complete with 3 horses, 2 donkeys, a dozen chickens, and a handful of puppy dogs. These city folks thought the country was fun, but we wouldn't last a day in their shoes.  We also spent hours playing on Grandpa and Mama Reba's living room floor and Grandpa walked the floor with the kiddos showing them the rabbits, chipmunks, and birds that populate their backyard.  Here are some pictures of our adventures. We can't wait to see all our Oklahoma relatives again soon- thank you for your hospitality!

Uncle Andy and Aunt Sunny

Clancey and Jack

Nana, Sunny, and Jack

Blaze, Cody, and Jack

Harper and Bronc

Louann, Harper, Cody, and Blaze

Mama Reba and Jack

  

Uncle Andy and Harper

Grandpa and Harper

Sick Days

It's been almost a week since I last updated the blog and it has been an exhausting week for me and for Tony. We had a busy weekend planned, but everything was side tracked when Tony and I both got sick on Saturday evening. We had some sort of stomach bug and by the time we put the kids to bed, it was all I could do to crawl into my own bed.

Tony and I spent the remainder of the weekend laying on the couch, napping in shifts, and sipping ginger ale. We let the kids have the run of the play mat and Abby supervised from her chair. Abby was very concerned that both Tony and I were sick and no one was watching the kiddos. Abby would run to one of us on the couch when the babies would fuss, like she was in charge of making sure we didn't forget about the babies.

Now that it's Tuesday, Tony is feeling better and is working. I'm still not 100%, but at least I can eat some food. My mom, the babies, and I are in Oklahoma visiting the Quetones, so I have plenty of help. The kids did great on the car ride; they even got to have their bottles parked off of some farm road in the shade (because the Braum's where we stopped was too exciting and the kids couldn't be bothered with eating), and the they are enjoying their play time at Great Mama Reba and Great Grandpa's.

I am so thankful Tony and I made it through the weekend and here's to no more stomach bugs!

Twins First Trip to Great Granny's

On Wednesday, I packed up the kiddos and we headed to Fort Worth to visit my Granny. The kids hadn't been to her house yet, and I wanted to make sure we made it out before school started. We had a great time with Granny, Aunt Becky, Uncle Rex, Pop, and Uncle Tanner (Nana is out of town).

We got to Granny's just in time for mid-morning bottles and a quick nap, and after this picture, these kids didn't stop moving until we got in the car to come home.

Harper had a great time sitting on the couch and talking with Granny and showing Granny how flexible she is. She just chattered away and held on to those toes!

Aunt Becky introduced Harper to the carpet ball- one of my favorite's from childhood. Harper really liked putting her tummy on the carpet ball and jumping to roll around.

Jack even tried it too, though it wasn't his cup of tea. Jack really enjoyed walking around Granny's backyard, looking out the window at all the tall trees and birds, rocking with Uncle Rex, and playing with Uncle Tanner.

When we got home, the kiddos were wiped out and slept well that night.

Because I've been posting so much about Harper lately, here are some pictures of Jack smiling, sitting up and playing, and zonked out today. He's such a handsome boy and we are so lucky to have him and his sister too!