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! ;) 

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. 

Christmas Fun

We stayed in Fayetteville this Christmas to celebrate with Matt's family. 

My grandmother and Maddie

My parents went to North Carolina to visit the other half, so we convinced my grandmother to come stay with us for the holiday. 

Kate

Aunt Margaret and Kate

On Christmas Eve we always have gumbo at Matt's aunt and uncle's house. The table seems to keep expanding year after year! Kate and Maddie did great skipping nap, and were happily entertained by cousins, aunts, and uncles. We ran home for a quick nap, then to church for the Christmas Eve service. 

Christmas morning was SO much fun with Kate and Maddie. I know as they grow older, it will only become more fun! Santa brought big floor pillows and stocking stuffers. Pretty sure they would have been more than content with their toothpaste, bath toys, crown, etc. in their stocking! They also opened clothes and one toy each. Kate got a Little People Bus, and our animal lover got a veterinarian kit. 

After breakfast and a quick nap, we headed over to Matt's parents to join the fun there!

Maddie and Amps 

Maddie is a little attached to Aunt Carolyn!

Kate and Matt's dad

Matt's brother bought Kate and Maddie and all-terrain wagon for the "farm." Maddie's expression shows exactly how much they love it! 

Finally convinced my grandmother to sneak in a picture! She is 92, and unfortunately I don't think I have any of her amazing genetics! ;) 

Matt and I have said over and over how enjoyable Christmas was this year. Kate and Maddie's age made things much easier, and we enjoyed quality time with family. I'm in awe every year as I look at the girls, that our Savior came just like them into this world. As a baby, toddler, child, and adult to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. What else do we need?! 

Merry Christmas!

What we've been up to!

We had an appointment for weight checks and flu booster shots mid-November. Kate has yet to break the 17lbs mark! :( She has grown in length quite a bit. At this point Matt and I have decided to just take it for what it is, and not worry too much. She eats well, drinks well, and is growing. We tried Pediasure with her...but to our assumption she hated it! Kate won't eat sweets...not cookies, not chocolate, definitely not Pediasure! Maddie weighed in at 18lbs, and made the growth chart! Woohoo! :)

Drawers, cabinets, boxes, closets...nothing is out of their reach! I'm almost certain they will enjoy the paper and boxes at Christmas far more than the presents!

(Yes, the girls' walls are still lime green...January is the goal of painting!) My good friend Jordan gave Kate and Maddie these cute hats for their birthday. They are obsessed with them, especially Maddie! If they see them, they want them on. I'd say they are pretty cute myself! :)

We traveled to Jonesboro for Thanksgiving to visit my family. We broke up the trip in Little Rock to pick up my grandmother, and say hello to some friends. It made for a much happier trip! We had a wonderful time in Jonesboro, and the girls really did great...until the last night! Kate decided she wanted to scream at midnight and would NOT go back to sleep...finally I just laid with her in the guest bed, so that my family could sleep. (Cutting molars is the worst thing ever! I would scream too!)  Neither Matt or I slept any that night, but we are thankful those types of nights are few! 

One of our dogs, Lily, had to go with us to Jonesboro. She has heart worms...long story, but on our second round of treatment. She can't exert herself any. Instead of getting to stay with the big dogs at the farm, she was stuck with us! 

Kate woke up the other day with crazy hair! Matt said she looked like Kramer! With her crazy personality, it was very fitting! 

Pumpkin Patch

A few weekends ago Matt's youngest sister, Carolyn, was in town from college for the weekend. We decided due to her visit, the nice weather, and season we needed a trip to the pumpkin patch. After looking we discovered Farmland Adventures. Not just pumpkins, but animals too! The girls were in heaven (and Matt was too!)

1 Year Stats

Kate and Maddie have come a LONG way from here!!

3lb 12oz............................................4lb 6oz

Kate:

My very first memory of you is seeing your TINY bottom! You were so small, and still are our little, bitty Kate-Kate. Since I first laid eyes on you, I thought you looked just like your dad...to this day you still do! From your first days in the NICU, you have been active and determined. You are into everything, and quickly figure out solutions to problems. Everyday you are doing something silly that makes us laugh! You are a JOY, and have the CUTEST crinkled nose smile! Kate you are independent, a talker, and I pray you do great things!

-16lb 5oz (Weight check in 4 weeks. Our pediatrician is not too concerned about where Kate is. If she doesn't gain well in the next month, then we will discuss other options. She is just our petite girl!)
-27in long
-10 teeth! ;(
-Dad says you caught this from Lily, but you often crawl quickly, with your tongue out, and make a panting noise! haha
-You constantly point to things and say "dis," translated "this." So we name EVERYTHING around!
-One of the reasons you aren't walking yet is you don't know how to SLOW DOWN! haha When you push the walker around the house it's at lightning speed. Same when we hold your hand to walk. I'm afraid once you are confident taking many steps, I'm going to be chasing you even more!
-You finally eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise the LORD! You LOVE all meat! Recent favorites are pork chops, curry chicken, spaghetti, grapes, and green beans. You still have a strong love for peas! 
-Obsessed with being outside, and you get VERY unhappy if we can't go out! 



Maddie:

Maddie,

I remember the first time I was able to hold you (for 5 minutes!). I've never loved someone so much, that I didn't even know. You have the sweetest grin that could win anyone over. I think you know it can charm us! Oh, how you are strong willed, and maybe a little on the stubborn side! ;) I know those traits will come in handy someday! You love to cuddle more and more! Maddie Grace you are tender-hearted, spirited, lovable, and a joy!!

-17lbs 4oz
-27 1/2 in
-9 teeth
-You LOVE cats!!! (We will not be getting one). If I need to cheer you up, I just say "cats" or name Matt's parents' cats...you instantly smile and giggle. You squeal and chase the cats around for hours!
-Still few words...but you sure know what we are saying! ;) I can now say, "let out the water" in the tub and you pull the stopper up to let it out. You sure love to babble to Kate in your twin language!
-You make a fish noise when we ask what a fish says
-Standing up in the middle of a room is your new trick! You are so proud of yourself!
-You haven't been as interested in food lately. You have almost fully transitioned to whole milk. New food favorites are sweet potatoes, curry chicken, pork chops, spaghetti, and brownie! ;) 


Matt and I both agree that this has been the hardest, yet greatest year for us! From the high-risk pregnancy, NICU stay, feeding issues, growth problems, and just the chaos of twins it has been tough! But there have been SO many joy-filled moments, and we wouldn't change it for anything!