Wednesday, April 30, 2014

18 Months! (Almost 19!)



I never understood why parents would get teary-eyed thinking about their children getting older...until I became a parent. I'll say I was not sad to see the newborn stage go by, but for some reason the past 6 months have FLOWN by. The changes between 15-18 months are so quick, and I know so much will change in Kate and Maddie in the coming months. 




I look at them and begin to see little kids, not little babies. They may be small still, but are looking more mature and definitely acting more independently! :)






Kate:


-My independent one! Not much has change in that area! You want to put on your own shoes with no help, insist on snapping yourself into your highchair or carseat sometimes, and will walk without much hesitation into new situations. 
-Call people, especially Maddie, over like we do the dogs. A little pat-pat where you want her to sit, with the same sound we call the dogs...
-Tell us when you go to the bathroom. You point to your diaper and say, "boof." Don't know where the word came from, but it sure helps me to know when you need a clean diaper! ;) Not sure if I will jump on this to attempt potty training, or just give it more time. 
-Get very frustrated that you cannot express everything you want to say. You make connections to everything. For example, if we read about a horse you point until I say, "Yes, like the horse we see in the neighborhood." 
-You call Maddie "Maa" or "Maa-Maa." Every time she leaves your sit you call for her! Cutest thing ever! 
-No fear...You have a love for climbing, and waiting patiently with a smirk on your face until I notice where you have climbed! 
-Still obsessed with animals! You can point out almost all the animals in your 100 first animals book. Newest animal sound is a rabbit...teeth and all! :)
-You love to clap for yourself! When you share with Maddie, throw trash away, fork something on your plate, etc...you clap! 
-Hitting the parrot stage of your speech. Almost daily I say something, and you shockingly repeat it back to me. You also duplicate words...it's not just a "ball," it's a "ball-ball," "bath-bath," "back-back,"etc.
-You have a fit almost every time we have to come in from being outside. Thankfully they are short, but whew you get upset!

Eating:
-Mastered eating with a spoon and fork, but get frustrated when you can't stab little tiny pieces with your fork.
-Still my meat eater...You put sausage, chicken, steak, and pork chops away like a teenage boy!
-Have no desire to eat sweets...often won't even try it.
-Food favorites: bapples (apples), meat, dipping sauce, blueberries, grapes, poppyseed chicken, smoothies, cheese, and still your all time favorite green peas
-Food dislikes: Ground beef...can't get you to touch a hamburger, sweets, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts 

Sleep:
-Dropped to one nap soon after 15 months. You transitioned much easier, but many days you were awoken by Maddie. Now nap at 12:45 typically 2 hours.
-Sleeping 7:30-between 7:15-7:45. Started sleeping later when we dropped to one nap! :)


Maddie:

-My shy one...Between 15-18months you began to have a much harder time in the nursery or at Mother's Day Out. We often hear, "Maddie just wanted to be held" when picking you up. It makes me sad that you don't show off your silly, sweet, and often show-off personality to those outside of familiar family. Praying it is in many ways a phase, but I don't doubt that you may always lean towards the shy side! 
-Your obsession with "toos" (Shoes) remains...Shoes are changed multiple times a day to different pairs, and are often put on first thing in the morning. You also love to bring us our shoes to put on!
-Hitting has been a new battle...ugh...You are SO tender-hearted and sweet, yet aggressive at times too! ;) 
-You give the best hugs...with the "awww" sound and everything!
-Your speech took off between 15-18 months! Any worry I had about you not saying much before has faded. For a few weeks "uh-oh" and "no" were said non-stop. Everyday you are adding something new to your vocabulary! "Yes,yes" or "yes, ma'am" have been learned to contradict the frequent "no." You may or may not have a little southern accent like your me! ;) "Dog" and "down" are very drawn out with a little twang! 
-Animal obsessed just like Kate, except for stuffed animals!...Cats may still be your favorite animal to chase at the grandparents and you have the most shrill squeal when you see them!
-A baby is your favorite toy. You carry her around talking to her and saying "baby, baby." Sometimes you like to sit on it! ;) Have to work on that before Hays comes!
-Dumping things is also a love of yours....Dumping crackers, dog food bowls, blocks, such joy you find in the mess! 

Eating:
-Mastered the fork and spoon!
-You are a very mess eater! Your food ends up all over you and your plate at the end of meals!
-You could eat a "nana" at EVERY meal if I let you!
-Food Favorites: Bananas, green beans, cheese, mashed potatoes, rice, crackers, applesauce, pasta, smoothies
-Food Dislikes: Beef, most meat in general, pickles, spicy foods

Sleep:
-Dropping to one nap was very hard for you! Spent many trying to sneak in to get your before you awoke Kate, way too early! The past few weeks have been much better, and you are awaking happy!
-Sleeping 7:30-between 7:15-7:45. Started sleeping later when we dropped to one nap! :)



The past three months have been filled with some GREAT weeks, and some really tough weeks. Double ear infections hit both girls, which caused many tears from all. New found independence, can lead to frustration when unable to express themselves or just a full on breakdown when not getting what they want! Each day they discover something new about the world around them or start repeating a new word. I laugh often at their goofiness, worry often if I'm training them well, and have learned to stop and love every bit of affection!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Long overdue!

I'm LONG overdue for a blog update. It has definitely been forgotten about! 

Here is a glimpse of life lately:


Hays _(no middle name yet because I can't decide)____ Adams will join us June 10th, if not sooner! Hays is Matthew's middle name, and his paternal grandmother's maiden name. The Hays/Hay family is from Scotland/Ireland. Their is much history to his name! His nursery will be decorated with pictures of the Hay Castle, crest, and hopefully even the kilt pattern! 

He is measuring big, which is a whole new territory for us! :) 


The only baby bump picture so far! This was a month ago (23ish wks), so I'm now 27 and showing much more. I'm still feeling great, but starting to have much more difficulty bending, lifting, etc. I'm carrying much lower than with Kate and Maddie, and of course showing more! Gaining weight well, and craving all things sour! :) I may or may not have gone to the store with Sour Patch Kids as the main purchase of the trip! 

 

These two are the best of friends! Don't get me wrong they will fight over a toy like crazy some days, but they are also so sweet to each other. I love to watch them laugh and laugh at each other. 


 

 We have finally had some days of warmer weather! It's amazing how warm 55 and sunny feels, after a long/cold/snowy winter! Kate and Maddie love, love, love being outside! Can't wait for more Spring days!

 
Matt's parents added goats to their farm around Christmas. Kate and Maddie LOVE them! Maddie likes to be more at a distance though! ;) 

Friday, January 17, 2014

15 Months!


Best age ever! :) Kate and Maddie are SO fun, always making us laugh, learning, and life seems to be "easier" in many ways! Enjoying the no attitude/no talking back time! ;) 
This stage with twins has been the easiest and most enjoyable! Yes, there are tough days where they fight all day over a toy, or both want to be held all day. But, they have come SO far! I mentioned to Matt the other night (as we dropped the last bottle with no fuss about it), that this time last year feedings were taking FOREVER and the girls were screaming! So different from now! 

Two things have changed in the past few months that have seemed to make life much easier!
1. Walking to the car to load up, or walking into the house! Life changing for a twin mom!
2. Nodding yes and no! :) 

My heart might burst sometimes when I see their love for each other. Now when they wake up, they must hug or pat each other! Nothing sweeter!!!




Maddie Grace
-18lb 4oz! Made the 5% ;) 28in. below 5%...but you have a good sized head! :)
-16 teeth...yes that says 16! May be small, but we are overachievers in the teeth department! ;) 
-You make yourself laugh. It's the cutest thing. You squint your eyes, wave your arms, crouch a bit, and just chuckle at yourself. 
-LOVE to hug! You love to hug Kate. She isn't always a fan, but sometimes you hug a little too hard and she falls over! ;)
-when you are doing something you shouldn't or really want something I have (food), you wave and say "hi" with your cheesy grin...I almost give in! ;)
-Animal sounds, you have those down: dog, cat, fish, cow, chicken, monkey, and my new favorite an elephant! :) 
-You and Kate like to walk like ducks around the house! (hands behind back, saying "quack," which sounds nothing like quack! ha)
-favorite book is the Bible...okay it's a really cheesy version with animals on EVERY page...so we must identify every animal...multiple times a day! (I do hide it some). ;) it's a little odd with the animal choices...ducks at the manger scene, rats at the tomb, cats and dogs in the temple...
-nothing makes you happier than to carry around a wet wipe and "clean." 
-favorite foods: mashed potatoes, broccoli, grape tomatoes, bananas, and Puppy chow!
-Least favorite foods: ground beef, spicy food, strawberries



Kate:
-Up to 17lb 12oz...now down almost to 17lb again due to not eating from a fever virus turned first ear infection! Can't catch a break! We are really praying about running some tests in the next weeks to determine if the slow growth is caused by anything...or just the way it is. 
-15 teeth! Number 16 is about to crack the surface! 
-the first born personality is more and more apparent in you each day! Dad calls you "line leader." Which is his nickname for me...you like to get to things first! :) When we ask you to point to animals, you like to be the first! ;)
-talk ALL day long...with inflection and hand gestures! At a furniture store recently you walked around pointing and jabbering the whole time, pretty sure you could have helped sell a couch or two!
-LOVE stuffed animals..your new favorite is your Raccoon and Maddie's bobcat (thanks to a Cabellas trip)
-a daddy's girl! Always sad when he leaves for work, and immediately want to be held when he gets home
-newest words in Your vocabulary "wow!" and "There it is." Don't know how or why those became some of your first words, but it's funny to hear!
-VERY particular about what books are read before sleep! Your likes/dislikes change daily! Always a guessing game for us
-favorite foods: any chicken, broccoli, pickles, crackers, pasta, grapes, Dad's eggs, sauce!
-Least favorite: ground beef, ANYTHING sweet (ice cream, chocolate, etc), sweet potatoes 

Everyday Matt and I praise God for how far they have come! I find myself laughing most of the day at something new they are doing. It seems like every morning they wake up, they have grown and changed overnight! Once baby #3 arrives, Kate and Maddie will no longer be the babies. Hard pill to swallow some days! ;) 

Friday, January 3, 2014

Baby #3

When you have twins first it is difficult to know how to refer to the next baby! Technically it will be baby #3, but my second pregnancy, and feels like it will be the second child in many ways. Poor thing will hopefully not hold it against me that I have hardly blogged about this pregnancy, and probably won't much. Two toddlers keep me busy! 

For our memory I want to write about from the beginning...

-We found out the week of the girls' 1st birthday. I was barely 4 weeks along. Never thought I would be pregnant at their birthday! 

-Only told parents until 8 week appointment. Matt looked up the statistics of having twins again. Since Kate and Maddie were considered identical, the odds of having twins again were 1/10,000...:) Our sweet doctor double checked during the ultrasound to assure us there was just one baby! :) 

-The first trimester I was nauseated ALL day long. Never threw up...just sick all day. I NEVER felt like that the first time around.

-As a friend said..."your body just knows how to stretch." I'm showing much more than pregnancy 1! I'll be honest and say I have only worked out twice with this pregnancy...with Kate and Maddie I did Crossfit until 7 months. Recovery might not be as quick this time around! ;)

-We told close friends around 12 weeks, then made it public about 16. I'm almost 18 weeks. Anatomy scan/gender reveal on Jan. 22!

-I forget I'm pregnant...haha I had SO many doctors appointments and ultrasounds with the twins that I always had it on my mind. I was able to see the girls through ultrasounds about every 2 weeks. This time around I feel a little disconnected at this point, I know as the baby grows and I start to feel movement things will change! 

-My prayer from day one of finding out...BIG, healthy baby that gets to come home with us!!! I don't know why that makes me emotional to type, but it does. Something so normal for most, is a dream for me. To hold my baby after they are born as long as I want...visitors to hold the baby...and to leave with the baby. I've never experienced that joy. Just the sadness and heartache of being distanced. I just can't wait for those moments, oh how I pray I'm blessed to experience those moments, the moments many take for granted that I will cherish forever.