I took Jason and the girls out tonight and tried to get some good photos of them together for his 1st Father's Day pictures! I took these before my battery died (I could have SWORE I had my spare with me, but it was still on the charger at home). I will be continuing the shoot tomorrow morning while he is off for the weekend! Stay tuned for more!
Wow! I still can't believe it! They are 7 months old today and yesterday went to the doctor (its teething, we were afraid it was ear infections). Parker weighed 15lbs 8oz and Addisen weighed 15lbs 4oz! BIG GIRLS!
Its so hard for me to believe they are not these tiny babies anymore: 
They are my big girls:
I am starting my own little business making custom tutus for little ones. I have my first customer- a mother of twins! IRONIC huh?! Anyway, I have my website here at http://twinkletoestutus.webs.com/ Its not 100% finished yet but you can get a good idea of where its headed.
I am using e-bay for my invoices, etc right now since my buyers are few and far between.
Please pass the word along and contact me if you want to get a custom creation from me for a fraction of the price elsewhere!
Jason and I took the girls to the zoo with Kristie and her three boys yesterday. Mid-day on a Tuesday is the BEST time to go to the zoo. There were no crowds, no lines, etc. We had nice weather and both sets of twins behaved if you can believe that! AMAZING! Kristie only got stopped once and it was another mom of twin boys so it was not too bad at all! Though, she did leave both sets of twins with Jason and I while her older boy went to the bathroom and we got some STARES then...what it must be like to have quads! OH MY! Here are some pics from Kristie's camera.
Addisen (of course):
I read this online and HAD to post it! OH MY GOSH! No wonder American's are so overweight!
20: Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal - Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with cream ranch sauce. 830 Calories, 55 grams fat (4.5 trans fat), 48 carbs. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.
19: Worst drink - Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz). 900 calories, 10 g fat, 183 carbs, 166 g sugar. Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie, MSNBC calls it a milk shake. The beverage contains as much sugar as 8 pints of Ben & Jerry's butter pecan ice cream.
18: Worst supermarket meal - Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie). 1,020 calories, 64 g fat, 86 g carbs. Label may say this pie serves two, but, who ever divided a small pot pie in half? Once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping.
17: Worst 'healthy' burger - Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger. 1,145 calories, 71 g fat, 56 g carbs.
16: Worst Mexican entree - Chipotle Mexican Grill Chicken Burrito. 1,179 calories, 47 g fat, 125 g carbs, 2,656 mg sodium.
15: Worst kids' meal - Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese. 1,210 calories, 62 g fat, 3,450 mg sodium. It's like feeding your kid 1 1/2 boxes of Kraft mac 'n' cheese.
14: Worst sandwich - Quiznos Classic Italian (large). 1,528 calories, 92 g fat, 4,604 mg sodium, 110 g carbs. A large homemade sandwich would more likely provided about 500 calories.
13: Worst salad - On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef. 1,450 calories, 102 g fat, 78 g carbs, 2,410 mg sodium. This isn't an anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1, 100 calories each.
12: Worst burger - Carl's Jr. (Hardee's on East Coast) Double Six Dollar Burger. 1,520 calories! 111g fat. Carl's Jr. brags it's home to this enormous sandwich, but the restaurant chain also provides convenient nutrition info on its Web site -- so ignorance is no excuse for eating it.
11: Worst steak - Lonestar 20 oz T-bone. 1,540 calories, 124g fat. Add a baked potato and Lonestar's Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700 calorie blowout.
10: Worst breakfast - Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed hotcakes. 1,540 calories, 77 g fat (9 g trans fat), 198 g carbs, 109 g sugar. Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as this stack of sugar-stuffed flapjacks, which is truly a heavy breakfast, weighing in at a hefty pound and a half.
9: Worst dessert - Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream. 1,600 calories, 78 g fat, 215 g carbs. Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.
8: Worst chinese entree - P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein. 1,820 calories, 127 g fat,! 95 g carbs. The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories. And you'd have to eat almost five servings of pasta to match the number of carbs it contains. Now, do you really need five servings of pasta?
7: Worst chicken entree - Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce. 2,040 calories, 99 g fat, 240 g carbs. "Crispers" refers to an extra thick layer of break crumbs that soak up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.
6: Worst fish entree - On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans. 2,100 calories, 130 g fat, 169 g carbs, 4,700 mg sodium. Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America : A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories.
5: Worst pizza - Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza. 2,310 calories, 162 g fat, 123 g carbs, 4,470 mg sodium. Downing this "personal" pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza.
4: Worst pasta - Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce. 2,430 calories, 128 g fat, 207 g carbs, 5,290 mg sodium. This meal satisfied your calorie requirements for an entire day.
3: Worst nachos - On the Border Stacked Border Nachos. 2,740 calories, 166 g fat, 191 g carbs, 5,280 sodium.
2: Worst starter - Chili's Awesome Blossom. 2,710 calories, 203 g fat, 194 g carbs, 6,360 mg sodium.
1: The worst food in America - Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing. 2,900 calories, 182 g fat, 240 g carbs. Even if you split these "starters" with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before you entree arrives!
Happy dining everyone!
Boo!!! I am so sorry that we missed our big debut (ha ha) on Good Day Sacramento this morning. We were supposed to be there with some other twin moms and their babies but the girls were up ALL night long with runny and stuffy noses, teething and all over "ickiness"...not fun. I blame their impending teeth breaking thru since we have not been around anyone that is sick and no one else is sick...I don't know.
Anyway, we did watch it and my friend Kristie that has 11 month old boys was on camera a lot and I am so happy for her! The boys looked so cute and mom looked gorgeous!
Sorry to disappoint all our friends and family, but the girls were just not up to it.
Here is the link to a tiny clip:
http://www.cbs13.com/video/?id=33989@kovr.dayport.com
(this is not my friend that was interviewed...this is another lady).
My cousin's wife got these onesies made for the girls back when I was pregnant and they fit into them now...so cute (and true!)
And, they are playing together so much more now and at night they really get each other going. They go down to bed between 8-8:30 and we can hear them "talking", squealing and playing in there. I went in the other night to see what they were up to and settle them back down. Addisen was scooting/crawling around in her bed and didn't see me come in...I said "Addisen Claire! What are you doing?!" and she 'hit the deck' so fast and 'pretended to be asleep' while Parker laughed at her with her blankie on her head like a turbin! I am telling you, though its harder than it used to be, its a TON of fun!!!
I swear, these are the most photographed babies ever!!! Their mommy must really love them! HA HA! Here are my newest face shots:
Addisen
Parker
Parker
Addisen
Hi...I had a long day yesterday taking the girls to the mall and it was nice to get out and shop but also stressful with all the lurkers and people that would get in their faces, scream at them, wake them up...oh my gosh! I can't imagine having triplets of more...the "freak show" factor would make me a hermit. I hate it when people get all up close to them, touch them, bug them, stop me...its not fair to me or especially to them. Its sort of like "what the hell? Haven't you ever seen two babies before?"...I doubt people stop everyone that has a singleton! Leave them alone! I don't want them to be faced with this their whole lives but I guess I better get acustomed to it, as much as I hate to.
I am sort of reaching that point where I am done apologizing for my behavior. I am done with not being that "perfect" and sweet person all the time and done with not being on my best behavior when I have the twins out. I was FOLLOWED (I am not kidding) by a lady yesterday that thought she "knew" the girls because she had seen their portraits on a website. FOLLOWED!!!! I had a crowd around them in the shoe department while they were trying to sleep gawking at them, talking to them, etc...hello? They are sleeping! Leave us alone! I just took the stroller and walked away and kept my back to people while they CONTINUED to talk to us and follow us. WHAT THE HECK?
To top it off, I ran into a friend and was a total bitch to her because the girls were having a meltdown, they had just been accosted by some random people, they were exhausted, I was tired and stressed and our cell phone was ringing. I hate being rude to people but more than that, I hate it when people don't understand. I hate it when people think I should just be cheery and go with the flow...well, you can't just "go with the flow" when you have twins or more. There is a routine. There is a schedule. They were preemies and have not been out very much...just let us be. Let me be bitchy and cranky and let them enjoy getting out of the house.
I am not kidding- one lady JUMPED in front of the stroller and SCREAMED (I could hear her across the mall) in Spanish at the girls...she had them so terrified that they started wailing. Irgh!!!
Because I feel like this I think people get the wrong idea and think I don't like having twins or something. NOT TRUE! I looooooove having my girls and can't imagine what I would do with only one baby. I looove having twins. I love my babies. I think I am a better mom for it. I just wish people would give us a break and leave us alone!
The girls saw the pediatrician on Friday for their 6 month check-up. Paker weighed 14lbs 11oz and Addie weighed 14lbs 9oz. We laughed and said Parker must not have pooped yet! HA HA! They are both 25" long and in the 50th percentile for growth even when unadjusted for their prematurity. They have almost TRIPLED their birth weights!
They had 3 shots and one oral vaccine (for Rotavirus). Next appointment they get NO SHOTS! YEAH! Poor girls have got stabbed every 28 days since birth so they get a break at their 9 month appt.
Milestone-wise they are on par for a normal 6 month old so that is SUPER!!! She said a 34 week preemie tends to catch up faster than a preemie born even one week earlier...that explains a lot!
Next appointment she will do a quick blood test and DNA testing- she says even identical twins can not be truly identical and she thinks they should be tested. we'll find out soon enough I guess.
I asked her about them "hating" strangers and having "stanger anxiety" and she said its a milestone. She said that at 6 month check-ups she knows that the babies will hate her and her nurse and that she would worry if they didn't. That was really nice to hear...I was worried my babies were just anti-social! HA HA! Nope, they are normal!
I just have to say "Happy Mother's Day" to me! HA HA!!! Well, and of course to my mom, Nanny, Kristie, Debbie, Katie and all my friends that are mothers! I can't believe its my FIRST Mother's Day! Pretty soon it will be a day filled with burnt toast and macaroni necklaces! I can't wait!
I have become in LOVE with motherhood- the good, the bad and the ugly! I just wish that all mothers could be honest about how hard it is- especially with twins- and not make other mother's feel bad for struggling and having difficult times. Its the hardest job I have ever done! Times TWO!
Anyway, I wanted to share a picture I had done for Mother's Day-- Laura Lynne Photography took these and I loooooove them!
We let Addisen play with her green beans and cereal last night. Parker had already eaten was was in NO MOOD to get back in the chair. Addie was having a ball and trying to take the spoon from me so we let her have it! Enjoy her little pics! (Oh, and please excuse my DISGUSTING look and no make-up!!!) 
Parker was staying out of the way of flying food with Daddy: 
In celebration of Cinco de Mayo yesterday, I had to share!
You Are an Orange Margarita |
 At first glance, you are very unique - but deep down you are still quite a traditionalist. A margarita may be "too fancy" for you, but you'll never turn a free one down. |
As most of my close friends and family know, I was very upset to discover we were having twins (a year ago this May). I didn't want the added risks and pressures as a first time mother, not to mention the financial and marital stress or raising multiples (by the way- did you know the divorce rates are DOUBLED for parents of multiples?). We are still considered "newlyweds" and wanted that time to enjoy and adapt to ONE baby...but we got twins! I had periods of excitement and joy and periods of resentment and frustration. I struggled with it thru the entire pregnancy.
Of course, I love my girls to death and they are my world. I would not trade them for ANYTHING...it was literally love at first sight. But, they came with their fair share of trying times- that's for sure!
I was mad that we had to have preemies and leave them in intensive care- something you cannot FATHOM unless you have had to do it. I was frustrated that we didn't get a "nice" entrance into parenthood and instead got thrust into being caretakers for preemies and having "double duty" on EVERYTHING. We still do 10 total bottles per day and solid feedings-- 10 bottles! That is more than one newborn sometimes takes! And, I will be doing that forever! Its like permenant newborn-duty. That is just feeding. When you start couting diapers, money spent, time, play, clothes, laundry...its a constant full time job just to keep up with them.
Yes, I am blessed. I have double the love. Double the giggles. Double the grins. I love my twins! (Hey! That rhymes!) I just have had a HARD time adjusting to life with twins this year and not getting the "norm" that most of my other friends have.
Recently, I had to adjust my mindset and let go of it. I don't have time to chat with girlfriends all day long like I used to or like my other friends do. It makes me sad that other moms have time to get together and visit or go on playdates...but, I have twins. I don't get to clean my house or cook dinner like I would if I had one baby. But, I have twins. It takes me 3 hours to try and get out with the twins only to have to be back home in less than 3 hours or plan my bottles and feedings out REALLY carefully. I don't have freedom like other moms. Instead, I have twins...the list could go on and on but you get the idea.
I have to let go of all preconceived notions and enjoy the cards I have been dealt...so, I am changing my 'tude and gonna just start going with the flow.
I have twins and I am gonna learn to LOVE that fact almost as much as I love the babies themselves!!!!
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