Yeah Twins

Today, I took the girls to a play date with some other twin moms. Four sets of twins met at the play area at the mall. We played, ate, and played some more. It was really fun and exhausting. The girls fell asleep in the car and went straight to bed. I took a nap too!

The other big thing today is that the girls moved to their own room. Since they have come home from the hospital, they have stayed in our room. We first had their bassinets, then the cribs in our room. We decided that they were big girls and could be in their room (and I decided I could be a big girl and let them go to their room).

Playing on the slide with Trevor and Ashley

Lizzie, Trevor, Gracie and Caleb

Happy Birthday Wes!

Today is Wes's birthday so I decided to dedicate this post to him. I want to share what a wonderful husband, dad, and person he is. He was recently laid off and has been spending his days looking for a job and watching the girls. It hasn't been easy for him but he has taken it with a good attitude and takes the best care of the girls. Not all fathers get a chance to do what Wes is doing.

Twins Rock!

We received these onesies when the girls were first born and now one year later they can finally wear them! I came home from work yesterday and Wes only had Lizzie in it. I told him you can't have one baby in it and the other one not. It was just too weird. So, I had to change Gracie's clothes before we went to dinner and Babies R Us (which is our second home).

Right now, we are trying to work toward sippy cups. Lizzie has it down, but Gracie is still fighting it. We keep buying new cups to try but she is wise to our tricks......

July 4th

This was the girls second July 4th. The first one they spent in the NICU. They were about three weeks old. I remember feeling guilty because we left them early to go watch fireworks.

This year was more fun. We went to Oklahoma and visited family. We took the girls to a parade and went swimming in a pool. They ended up going to bed and not watching fireworks. We decided that their sleep was more important and we will take them next year.

Below are some before and after pictures of the parade.

Before

After

Done.....

I think I am officially done nursing the girls. For the last week, I've been trying to transition them both to all bottles. Because of their prematurity, they won't go on whole milk until they are 14 months old (12 months adjusted). I stopped nursing Gracie a week ago because she kept getting frustrated and biting me. So, I just nursed Lizzie.

Nursing twins has been both good and exhausting. When the girls were first born, I had to pump and then it was fortified and fed to them through a tube. They didn't get a bottle until they were about three weeks old. While they were in the NICU, I tried a couple of times to actually nurse Lizzie (Gracie wasn't ready). It was really embarrassing because all that was between me and about 10 other people was a curtain. Not quite what I had envisioned. Wes and I decided that I would keep pumping and wait until the girls were home before we really tried to nurse.

The girls were finally home and I was able to feed each about once a day because they still needed the fortified milk. The doctor we were going to at the time was not a big proponent of breast feeding and when the girls weren't gaining weight like she wanted, she wanted them to go off breast milk completely and go back to all formula. We decided she was crazy and switched doctors. The new doctor said he saw no reason to not be completely on breast milk. So, I started tandem feeding the girls when I was home and pumping when at work. Feeding them at the same time saved so much time because they would take about 20-30 minutes to eat. We slowly got it down to 5 minutes.

All this to say that I only thought I would last 6 months at the most and I lasted a year.

P.S. I forgot to mention the 6 months that I couldn't have any dairy because of the girls milk protein allergy.

Bonkers

Today the girls and I went to a place called Going Bonkers. It's a huge indoor playland. We met some of our twin mommy friends and had fun.

Swimming

Today, the girls went swimming in their pool. They had a ton of fun. Both girls loved splashing around and knew it was very different from a bath. They love the pool they got from their Grandma. It has lots of things to play with.

Spaghetti

Tonight, the girls had spaghetti for the first time. They thought it was yummy and got it all over their faces! Lizzie was trying to take it out of her bib to make sure she got all of it.

Project Transformation

Tonight, Wes and I went with our Sunday school class to serve dinner to interns with Project Transformation. The interns are here for the summer and are college-aged. They create community oriented programs for children and youth living in low-income neighborhoods of North Texas. Each year our church hosts two dinners and two weeks of volunteers reading with kids.

For the past three summers, I have been organizing our church's activities. We served dinner to 100 college kids. We took the girls to their first ever mission project. They were a hit. The kids loved to see the girls and asked lots of questions. The girls had a good time too! The only problem was when Gracie knocked a plate off a table onto my toe. It still hurts three hours later!

Long week

On Monday, Lizzie got sick again. She threw up in the morning so Wes took her to the doctor. He said it was just a stomach bug and to make sure we kept her hydrated. The rest of Monday she was fussy but ok. Then at 10 that night, she threw up again and couldn't keep pedialite down.

The next morning, she woke up at 4 am, ate and threw up again. We called the doctor and he said it would be best to take her to the ER at Children's in Plano. So, we packed her up and left Gracie with Nana. Thankfully she was still in town from the birthday.

We got to Children's and went straight back. The doctor examined Lizzie and said that she wasn't clinically dehydrated but that she could have been if we waited. They gave Lizzie something to settle her tummy and wanted us to feed her to see if she could keep it down. Thankfully, she did and we got to take her home. She was fussy the rest of the day and wouldn't go to anyone but her mommy.

The other fun part of the day was that Wes was sick too and couldn't help at all with the girls. It was an exhausting day that ended with mommy in tears! Both babies (Wes and Lizzie) are feeling better now and good as new.

1st Birthday Party

The party went well for the girls. My mom counted 35 guests in attendance in our little house. The air conditioner was working over time and the house was very warm. It was around 100 degrees outside and 85 in our house! The girls loved eating the cake but Lizzie got sick and threw up all her cake. She was acting sickly the rest of the day and was laying down when we opened presents. Gracie enjoyed opening the gifts, but we think she enjoyed the paper as well as the gifts.

The girls did get to open their mommy and daddy present. We didn't have enough wrapping paper so we only wrapped part of the gift. We figured they didn't care any way and the paper was the most fun. Below are pictures from their actual birthday and the party.

Unwrapping Elmo and Cookie Monster

Wrestling over the paper

What is this? We have never seen anything like this.

Gracie eating her cupcake

Lizzie eating her cupcake that made her sick.
Our home made butterfly birthday cake.

One for each girl.

Happy Birthday!

Today is the girls' birthday! It's been a good day so far except it rained all morning. The girls went to the doctor and got their shots. Nana, Grandma, Papa, Sydney and Sam all came to visit. We went to Babies R Us and got presents. Of course the girls think it's like any other day. They have both been in good moods. Their birthday party is on Saturday. I'll post pictures soon.

One year ago.......

One year ago, I was in the hospital praying that my babies would stay in for a few more weeks. It was this time last year that I scared Wes and said I needed to go to the hospital. We thought I would be in there for four to five weeks. I was in for five days when the girls decided to make their entrance.

Just a few more days and our babies will be one.

Beans....

Last night we went to Taco Bueno for dinner. Because the girls are trying new foods, we thought we would give beans a try. We bought one bowl and were going to let the girls split it. We forgot to bring the girls spoons with us so we had to use the spoons they had. Instead of regular spoons, they had the soup spoons which were pretty big for their little mouths. Gracie was all for it but Lizzie was a little apprehensive about the spoon. Once both girls started eating, there was no turning back. They ate more than half the bowl! Lizzie started crying when Wes went to clean her up!

The race is on

We just discovered the girls love for Gerbers Graduates Puffs. They love them. Knowing this, we decided to have the girls practices crawling by crawling to a pile of them on the floor. It worked. They both worked like mad to get to them and when they did, they just rolled over and ate them.

Visitor

For the past week and a half, we have been dog sitting for my sister's dog Andy. He is an 100 pound Siberian Husky mix. He is getting older and his hearing is not as good as it use to be. Anyway, he and Molly love to play together. The girls think that he is pretty interesting too. Both of them have taken a turn playing with him. He is getting a little cantakerous in his old age so I was really proud of how he was so good with the girls. Below are pictures of the girls playing with him.

Play date

Today, we went to our first play date with my Metrocrest Parents of Multiples (MPOM). We had a great time. Our friends Amber and Gerald were there with their adorable twin boy, Trevor and Caleb. The girls had a good time and we did too. We got a great picture of the dads with their babies.

Another thing we learned today is that the girls love Gerber puffs. I bought a generic brand and they didn't seem to like it. But today, they ate some of the boys puffs and they loved it. They crawled all over the blanket to get to them. Now we know how to get them to crawl!

The other exciting thing in our house is that the girls are starting to stand. At first both were climbing up mom and dad. Now, they are climbing on the gate and their little table. Looks like walking is in their near future!

Busy Holiday Weekend

We had a very busy weekend. My sister and family came on Friday and stayed until Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, we went to the park and played in the backyard. The kids also finger painted. Below is a picture of the kids painting. Aunt Laura bought the girls balls for a ball pit and all four kids climbed in! It was very cute. On Sunday, Grandma and Papa came and we did a little shopping.

Random Pictures

As I mentioned in the last post, the girls had a busy week. I thought I would post a couple of pictures. We gave the girls avacados for the second time and they liked it. The first time, they didn't like it because of the texture. This time they loved it. Here is a picture of Lizzie eating.

We have a play yard in the middle of our living room that the girls play in. They seem to be quite happy. They are starting to learn that they can climb up it. Gracie likes to climb and then lick the wall. This is her trying to climb and lick.

Busy Week

This week has been very busy and won't stop until next Monday. On Sunday, we went on a picnic with some friends to the park. We had fun playing on the swings. Then on Monday, Nana Darlene came to visit. She leaves today. She and Wes went to the park Monday, went to the doctor because the girls have ear infections, finger painted yesterday, and are folded laundry today. The girls are having a great time!

The girls have had some firsts this week. They ate ground turkey and chicken that wasn't pureed. They are getting to be big girls. They are both fighting ear infections and been a little cranky. Gracie woke up last night around 3:00 and was very unhappy. We gave them Motrin and feed them. She fell back asleep.

The girls are also getting teeth. Lizzie is up to four and Gracie finally has one!

My sister and her family is coming for a visit. It should be really fun. The girls love Sydney and Sam. Then on Sunday, my parents are coming.

Shopping Spree

Wes and I went on a shopping spree today for the girls. It was the kind of shopping I love best, free. We went to our local consignment shop and spent the last of the money we made off of our bassinets. We bought bassinets for the girls (way too expensive) thinking they would be in them for a while. Then we decided to co-bed the girls (put them in the same crib) and didn't need the bassinets anymore so, we sold them. Anyway, we had a good time picking out shorts for the girls. They have long pants but with 90 degree days, they need shorts!

One of our biggest challenges with the girls is getting them in and out of the car. It's a lot easier now that we leave the car seats in the car but it's still exhausting. Wes and I will not go somewhere just because we don't want to get the girls in the car. To make things even more fun, Gracie has decided that she doesn't want to sit still when you are trying to buckle her in. She wiggles and turns so it takes even longer.

Mother's Day

This was my first mother's day with the girls on the outside. Last year, I was about six months pregnant. Wes made it a great day. First, he woke me up with both girls telling me happy mother's day and gave me my card. The night before, he brought me flowers home from the grocery store. We got up and he made me breakfast while I showered. We got ready for church and then went out for lunch. We picked somewhere were we thought nobody would eat and we were right. Then we came home and I took a nap with the girls while he worked in the yard. After I got up, I went and helped him in the yard. Then the ice cream truck came by and Wes bought me ice cream! It was a really great day! Happy Mother's Day! Below are our mother's (and father's) day pictures.

Another first

The girls were invited to their first birthday party for their friends Caleb and Trevor who are identical boy twins. The girls had a great time! We were a little worried because the girls took a very short morning nap and had no afternoon nap. They slept off and on today so they were cranky on the way there and cranky on the way home.

Anyway, the girls had their first experience with a ball pit. At first they just played with the balls and then we put them in. They did think it was fun and loved watching the other kids play. Below are action shots of Lizzie and Gracie playing together with the balls.

Our Girls and Dog

The girls think that the dog, Molly, is the funniest thing ever. They love to watch her and the cats to see what they are doing. They love to have Molly lick their face and hands. They stick their hands out for her and their face. If they are cranky and I let Molly in, the instantly start laughing. Here is video of the girls with Molly the other night.

Cheating....

I kept a journal for part of the time that the girls were in the NICU. I started it on day 17 and kept it up until the day they came home. I also wrote the story of the girls delivery.

http://wesandmelissapotterfamily.blogspot.com/2008/06/our-story.html

I decided to back date the blog for those entries. I will be posting more as I get time but the first couple are there for you to read. The closer we get to the girls first birthday the more sentimental I get.

The girls

Here are some pictures we took tonight of the girls. I don't know why when we take pictures we always seem to get all the junk we have around in the picture. Also, it takes us about 20 shots to get both girls to smile at the same time. I'm glad we have a digital camera!

Wessie with Lizzie and Gracie

Lizzie

Gracie

The girls playing

Trying to get the girls to look at the camera and smile at the same time.

Me with the girls

Perfume

We learned something today. The girls hate perfume. Since RSV season is over, we have started putting the girls in the nursery at church (before that they were going to Sunday school and church with us). Usually the girls will go to people with no problem, but today Wes tried to hand Gracie over and she screamed. I noticed that the nursery worker smelled strongly of perfume. Once Lizzie got a whiff, she started crying too.

The girls do ok in the nursery except that it's during nap time so they don't get much sleep. When we went to pick them up, they told me that Lizzie had been throwing up. I asked if it was spitting up or throwing up. They said it was more than spit up and slightly discolored. I said that my girls were spitters and they had Cheerios this morning. Lizzie acted fine. I just don't think they know the kind of spit up my girls are capable of and the girls have actualy gotten better!

Our little destroyer

Wes and I were in the kitchen making dinner while the girls were playing in the living room. I looked up to see what the girls were doing. Gracie had somehow taken apart the flooring they play on and had put her body through it. Later that evening, she had somehow taken off her pants. I think we will have to keep an eye on her.

New Foods

We have been experimenting with different foods for the girls. Tonight was the first time they tried meat. We made spaghetti with meat sauce for us and took some of the meat before we added sauce and pureed it. We fed the girls meat, pasta, and pears. It was a big meal for them. Gracie loved it and ate a ton. Lizzie has texture issues and wasn't too sure about putting things in her mouth. She slowly ate. But, when I added Cheerios on top of it she ate it fast! The girls love their Cheerios. It's like candy to them!

Party and Hair Bows

Today we went to a new mom brunch with my moms of multiples group. It was the first play date outing the girls have done. I was nervous because it was the first time by myself with the girls in this type of situation. It was a little rocky because it was during nap time and a feeding. They started getting a little cranky because they didn't have their nap and got hungry. I ended up having to excuse myself and ask the hostess for some place private where I could feed them. To my surprise it was easier than I thought.

Us before the party

As I have mentioned before, people have given us their baby stuff. One of the things I found in the boxes have been hair bows. I am usually not very good about putting bows on the girls because they take them off and I forget to put it on them in the first place. However, I thought it would be funny to see what they would look like in them. Surprisingly, they let me put several of them on and let their daddy take a picture.

Fort Worth Botanical Gardens

Today was the girls appointment with the therapist, so we usually make a day of it. We went to their appointment and the girls are doing great! They tested to be at or above their adjusted age and even at their chronological age! That means they have caught up! We were so excited.

The next thing we did was take the girls to visit the nurses in the NICU. We saw several nurses and they all told us how cute the girls are.

Then, we decided to go to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. We had a great time walking around and seeing the pretty flowers and plants. Gracie likes the plants a little too much and every time we put her down she wanted to eat them. Below are some pictures of our day.

Butterfly chair

Lizzie in the grass

Gracie trying to eat the grass

The girls sitting in the grass