Addisen & Parker got to play Santa at Grams' & Papa's house on Christmas Eve...they LOVED giving all the gifts to everyone.
Christmas morning at our house-- Jason was trying to teach her to turn the guitar OFF. Haha!!!
Checking out her new toy camera...
The new KITCHEN for their new BIG GIRL ROOM!!!
The morning after Christmas...watching Charlotte's Web...
On October 30th my little preemies turned 2 years old! We took them to this wonderful park called Fairy Tale Town here in Sacramento to play and have a picnic...just the 4 of us. It was PERFECT! We came home just in time for a great nap and then woke up and went to dinner with my family. Afterwards we came home for cake and presents. They girls were TOTALLY into getting new toys this year and were loving opening gifts. My mom got them a Hello Kitty backpack, new tennis shoes for school, the Little People animal sounds farm toy, newborn cabbage patch babies, new Caillou movies...I am sure I am forgetting something. My Nanny got them new crib sheets, new mattress pads, new jammies, new socks, training pants and new Magna Doodles. The girls LOVE their magna doodles and always say "I write, mommy!". Jason and I bought them their Strider Bikes for their birthday this year and my mom and dad got them their helmets and knee pads. 
On Halloween we went to the downtown Marysville festival after a yummy dinner at our fave Mexican restaurant, Casa Carlos. We went with our friends Kelly, Ryan and their 11 month old, Evan. Having 3 kids out with just the 4 of us was a sort of interesting adventure. Fortunately, my mom and dad came just in time for the festival/trick or treating portion of the evening and we had all hands on deck. The girls dressed up as butterflies this year but would barely let me catch a pic of them in their costumes. 
After trick or treating, we ended up in Urgent Care. The girls' cold they had been fighting quickly turned into wheezing and non-stop coughing. A little Albuterol elixir and we were on the mend again. Just in time for their big jump party on Sunday...what a marathon weekend.
At 10:30 on Sunday, we arrived at Bounce U in Roseville. This place is GENIUS! It was the best place ever for their party. We were essentially in two padded rooms with our own party host. Each room had differnt bounce equipment including big slides, little slides, jump houses, obstacle courses and a firing canon (like on American Gladiators). The girls had a BLAST despite their nagging cough and sniffly nose.
After our jump time was over we went to our party room for snacks, lemonade, cake and gifts. My friend Emili made the girls' cakes this year and did a great job! Our theme was farm animals this year for their party and they LOVED seeing all the animals on their cake and decorations.
Our friends spoiled them rotten too...they got Disney dress up clothes, my little ponies, thumbelina toys, stickers, clothes, Elmo toys and savings bonds. We couldn't just stop at the bikes either so we took them to Toys R Us and let them pick a toy....they chose stick horses. Of everything in that store, it was the only thing that kept their attention. These girls are obsessed with animals and horses.
Today was their 2 year appt...Parker only weighs 23lbs 12oz and is 31.75". She is in the bottom 5-10th percentile for size but the doc is not at all worried about it. Addisen is slightly bigger at 25lbs 0oz and 32.25" Again in the 25th percentile, the doc isn't worried. We will no longer correct for their prematurity after age 2 for size or development. She said they are FAR advanced for their age in terms of speech and cognition. She said she has several 2-3 year olds that dont speak or communicate the way the girls do...she was VERY impressed and commended us on a job well done raising preemie twins to the thriving kids we have today. Feels good to get a pat on the back from a "pro". ;)
I used to blog. Regularly. Then this thing happened. I started a career. Unlike any job I had the past, this is a 'career' and its been demanding. Not quite as demanding as my first career of "mom" but none-the-less, my blogging has been limited to sneak peeks and photos of other people's children. ;)
The girls will be 2 on the 30th. How does that happen? Really?! Where are my teeny little darlings? Oh! There they are! Climbing onto the dining room table and fighting with each other. Addisen's favorite sentences are "Up mommy!", "What's that?" and "Thank you Mommy". Parker is hilarious! She won't do any command tricks/phrases but instead sends em out there and you catch yourself going "What did she just say?" LOL! Last weekend she called Jason's dad, my FIL, "guy". He hasn't seen them since January and so when he told her "lets go look at this" she said "ok, guy!" hahahaha!
They are both regularly saying 3 and 4 word sentences and using them appropriately. They love babies, kitties, dogs, animals of all kind. They know all their animal sounds (including a coyote, bear, tiger, monkey and elephant). They know the colors red, blue, green, purple and yellow. They can also "count" to 2. Sort of. We're working on that one. Dressing and particularly UN-dressing is their favorite past-time here lately. They love dress-up and ask for "bows and purses" on a regular basis. Boy oh boy are we in trouble!
They "read" to us and even tell us exactly what is in the book. Its so amazing to see them conversing and carrying on appropriately. I think that is my favorite thing about this age. Its so fun!!!
We have big plans for Halloween and their birthday this year. On their real b-day, we are having a family day together and then doing a dinner out at Red Robin with my family followed with cake and presents at our house. Saturday, Halloween we are dressing up (ok, THEY are dressing up) and we are eating out with some friends and doing our local old Marysville carnival with petting zoo, trick or treating, costume contest, etc. Then on the 1st, we are having their birthday party at Bounce U. This place lets us rent out two private bounce rooms and a party room. YEAH! No big kids jumping and trampling the little ones. This year, I really tried to gear it towards small kids. And since they are obsessed with barnyard items and country stuff, we are doing a farm animal themed party...complete with animal hats in the shape of the animals! :)
I have still not spent one night away from them since they came home from the NICU and I am READY!!! I think it was hard for me to be away because they have been on such a strict schedule for so long and because the 19 nights away from them in the NICU was enough. But...I am ready. Did I mention that I was ready? LOL! I think Jason is the one who is ready for me to be ready. ;)
I worked a trade with another photographer here in town because he wanted family photos done this year and so we're going up to Apple Hill in a couple weeks to do fall photos and 2 year photos of the girls. In the mean time, here are some of them that we did back in August/September. 
This one is hilarious to me because its so "us"...'you take care of her and I will get this one'. I can just hear one of us saying it!
So, because I am so busy on this blog I am neglecting this one. :( The girls have had a round of fun adventures here lately and I *PROMISE* to post pictures this week. We are going to the fair on Thursday and I want to include those photos in one long post...stay tuned! :)
I did want to have some fun and mindless blogging for a minute with Wish List Wednesday...which I missed until Sunday. *sigh*
Ok, taking a cue from Jenni, I also want hardwood floors. I am OVER carpet! And I dont want pergo or laminate...I want hard wood. Wide plank, dark stained, gorgeous wood floors. Remember, I have that mansion now from my last wish list?! ;)
I also really want a bigger SUV. Hauling photo stuff, twins and car seats has quickly made my Navi, a 4 person car. Not nearly big enough for two kids and the stuff you take with you, groceries you get, etc. I think a brand new Denali XL will do the trick!
But with that vacation I am wishing for, who needs a Denali!!! This is where I want to be:
Maybe I should teach the girls to say "Bora Bora"??? ;)
And I can just wear this adorable dress over my bikini for 2 weeks:
Ok, this is depressing me now. I am not in Bora Bora with the supermodel dress...instead I am in my carpeted house thinking about cleaning out my truck. :D HA HA!
If you haven't yet checked out Jenni's blog you need to! She is hilarious, single mom of twin girls. WOW!
Every week she does "Wish List Wednesday" and you get to post things you want even though you A) can't have them or B) can't afford them. LOVE it! So fun!!!
So, here is my 1st ever Wish List Wednesday Post...
I would LOVE to have a new house that's not 2 bedroom, 2 bath. We are outgrowing ours so fast...maybe something like this will do?
Of course, without all the sharp edges. ;)
But it has to have a playroom like this:
And maybe a children's library room like this:
And a natural light photo studio for me like this (in my new house, of course):
And, while we're at it...I might need someone to clean it. How about him?
P.S. Do NOT Google "male maid"...you don't EVEN want to know! LOL!
Anyway...back to wishing...I wish I could get this right now SO badly! In fact, I am trying to save up for it right now...
But it does need some accessories...too many to list on this wish list. But how about this to start (after the 50mm 1.4 thats pictured on the camera of course!)
But when I go to use it, my favorite subjects will need some new clothes...how about these?
Well, and pretty much everything from the children's dept at this store 
because I cannot bring myself to spend over $50 on only two dresses that will A) either be stained, B) played in, or C) outgrown in a matter of weeks.
Ok, enough wishing for today. Off to pay bills... *sigh*
I have talked in the past about things I would do different if I did it again (or heck, if I had even had a singleton). Now that my babies are nearing 2, its become even more evident that they are not 'babies' anymore. No, we do not intend to have more anytime soon. But I still can't help but think about things I will do different when/if there is a next time.
Next time I want breast feed longer. Next time I want to attempt a natural VBAC if its possible or if I can handle it. Next time I want to do pre-natal yoga and exercise more during my pregnancy. Next time I want to be more laid back about things (like visitors, going places, etc...which I assume would have happened last time if I had a full term singleton).
If I have twins again, I want to attempt a VBAC if possible. I will take bedrest orders much more seriously. I will not worry as much about my weight or my body. I will keep them on a schedule and routine no matter how many nay-sayers I run across. I will tandem nurse more. I will kangaroo more often, even if we aren't in the NICU.
Next time...um, in like 4 years?! LOL!
What is your schedule like on an average day???
Basically, the girls get up between 8-8:30, have milk and get changed. Breakfast by 9:30 then playtime. Lunch at noon. Naps from 1-4. Snack. Dinner at 6. Bath. Milk & off to bed by 8:00.
On the days I have photo shoots, I work in the early morning before Jason leaves for work and in the evenings when I get a sitter or he is home. When school is in session and I am working part time there, I am gone M, T, W from 8:30-3:30 and Jason or my mom has the girls here are the house. Now that my mom is back to work though, we are unsure if I will continue to work for the school.
How do you find time for yourself, and when you do, what's your favorite "me" time activity???
I schedule it. I have an appointment book (a big one for the photo business) and I pencil in "me" time. I also get down time everyday from 1-4 during naps. I usually work during that time though editing photos and answering emails. For instance, today I am getting a massage at 2:30 while the girls nap and my grandma is going to come sit here while I am gone. I also schedule my hair appointments every 6 weeks NO MATTER WHAT. Its just something I need to do to get out, visit with the girls, etc.
I also read a lot and joined a 'mom's only' book club. We meet once a month and have food and cocktails. Mostly we chit chat but sometimes we actually talk about the book! I read every night before bed to shut my mind off and unwind from the day.
Jason is home in the mornings and every Wed and Thur so I can always plan on sleeping in one day or scheduling something on those days if I need to.
Also, I thought you may have mentioned something about a degree in nutrition and/or health...can you expand on that?
I went to school for my RN and was accepting to an associates degree nursing program. I declined it because I wanted the bachelors degree nursing. I was waitlisted for the BSN program though so I finished my degree in Health Science with a concentration in Health Care Administration. I have done ALL the science classes required for even pre-med with the exception of physics. I did my pharmacology classes, pathophysiology, etc and was actually thinking of going pre-med when we got pregnant. Not anymore, right?! HA HA! Its always funny to me how God works. For instance, I recently re-applied to an RN program and was waitlisted. The day I got the letter that I would be waitlisted was the same day that I landed two huge photography jobs. Do you think the Big Man is trying to tell me something? ;) I think so!
I thought that I might get more Q&A based on the number of hits per day my blog gets but that's ok! If you ever want to hear more, just ask away! I will gladly answer! :)
I know I dont have many followers and maybe even not many readers...most of my readers are friends and family members. BUT, you never know, right? I thought I would open it up for a Q & A session. So have at it! Ask away! Leave a comment with a CLEAN, appropriate question...topics can be from pregnancy, ttc, marriage, twins, photography...you name it (within reason) and we can talk about it.
=)
...because when have I ever said "no" to sharing my opinion. LOL! And, yes, I am referring to the Jon & Kate saga. Not that anyone should care but just because I do. As a mother of multiples, on a much smaller scale, I can certainly understand the up's and down's a marriage will face with the birth of an 'instant family' of more than a single child. Its my belief that ANY child is a change in a marriage and a relationship but when your blessing is multiplied, the issues that arise are raised exponentially.
If you watch Jon & Kate at all, then you will know what I am talking about. The other night they announced their plans to seperate and later an addition from the production team scrolled onto screen that they had filed for a legal divorce. Now, I am not 'pro-divorce' but I am pro-peace. If they cannot or will not get help or reconcile PEACEFULLY or cannot keep peace in their household for their children, then how is staying married and being completely dysfunctional helping those 8 darling kids? How is fighting and arguing in front of you children showing them a better family model than two happily seperated parents?
I think Jon & Kate have both been receiving a lot of flack for seperating and continuing thes how from some 'holier than thou' critics- most of whom have never had multiples and have never been through the amount of major life changes that these two have...and in such a short period of time, I might add. Think about it- in their 10 years of marriage they have had 2 sets of multiples (that's 8 children in 10 years), 2 high risk pregnancies, 2 sets of preemie babies, fertility treatments and infertility struggles, loss of jobs, high medical bills and financial worries, moved homes twice, been on television, wrote or co-wrote books, started a HUGE national enterprise company branding themselves as international icons...NO ONE can go through that many life changes and remain the same person they once were.
I dont try to defend Kate or her behavior but I can certainly understand how it gets to where it was. I can understand how you snap at someone when the safety of your children is at stake (out in public and you cannot take care of all your children yourself like a normal mother can). I can see how she could lose her cool. Its not always right but its a normal reaction to a HUGE life changing event. I can understand her using her fame to make an income for her family and children. I can understand that. Wouldn't we all be cashing those checks? I think we would! Preach what you may, critics, but I can almost guarantee that any person with 8 children to support and raise would have LOVED to have the income Kate has brought in with her show and books. Jon certainly had no problem spending the money.
In my opinion Jon seems to have totally cashed out. He is wearing earrings. He bought an OCC chopper bike, he was totally vacant for the little kids birthday except to zip in driving a SPORTS CAR. He is on vacation alone a lot. In his interview the other night he said he was "excited" about the seperation and "only 32" and "ready to take things one day at a time". Can we say MID-LIFE CRISIS, Jon? I dont mean to vilianize him at all. Not my intention but my bottom line with Jon is that if he really had issues with Kate and they way she treated him, he should have confronted her years ago and handled it appropriately. By putting up with it to the snapping point, he is just as guilty in my mind. Enabling a poor behavior is just as bad to me as doing the behavior.
Now, having re-read what I wrote, it sounds very one sided and 'anti-Jon Gosselin' but I really dont see things so black and white. I am sure there have been some misgivings on both parts...I can only base my opinion what I see and hear from their interviews. To that end, I leave you with this...my REAL and honest to Goodness belief on this situtation and all marriages for that matter: YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT GOES ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
that my blog has gone totally neglected.
Ok, updates...Parker's leg x-rays were totally normal and she sees Shriner's in August. She is currently doing 6 weeks of Physical Therapy because she has some weak muscle issues we are working to resolve. Little peanut! She is only in the 3rd percentile for growth and at almost 20 months old is 22 lbs. LOL! :) Tiny munchkin!
We started swimming lessons today and just as we suspected, they are not afraid of ANYTHING. They are going under water all the time, blowing bubbles and 'kicking' on a kickboard. Little fishies!
I have totally not started potty training at all. They know where their potties are and know to flush, etc. We do a lot of mock potty time and sitting on them before bath time, but mostly, they just play pretend potty. I have not had the energy to pursue it 100% yet and with swim lessons, I want to be consistent and I dont know logistically how to do that when we are gone 4 days a week over the next couple of weeks. Maybe after the 4th of July, I will get brave. :) They do love their potty books and can point to the poop. HA HA HA!!! They are almost ready...Im just not pushing it.
Business is VERY good right now and is taking up most of my summer days. Speaking of which...I was going to lay outside in the sunshine during naps today and not be on the computer...what am I doing?!
Jason is gone to work a lot lately since I am 'off' for the summer from the school district. I think he is working lots of OT to try and make up for my 'off time' even though I am working more now with the photography business.
Jason's sister just finished her Master's in Accounting and will be walking the stage in December. We all went out to celebrate the other night and then took the girls to the park to play. Auntie wanted to celebrate with her two favorite party girls!
We did some family photos at my family's ranch. They were my ideas but I had a very talented photographer/friend do the work for me...I need photos with my babies too, right? ;) I will get them up asap but one of them is the header for the blog now...do you love it? :) I could just squish those buns!
Ok, maybe not too many, but a few.
The girls went to the eye doctor to make sure they do not have any issues from their prematurity and because their apgar scores were so low at birth. They dilated their eyes and the doctor was so wonderful with them. Their eyes are fine and after stumbling around a bit at home, they took a long nap and woke up back to their normal selves.
Parker went to the doc on Friday because she is doing some strange turning in on her right foot and has an odd gait every now and then. After some x-rays and observation, the doc is sending her to Shriner's for an evaluation. She said that since Parker was a preemie, she would rather be on the side of 'early intervention' instead of 'observation'. And that's why we love her.
I am out of work (with the county) on the 11th and ready to start some potty training basics. Addisen HATES the feeling of being soiled but if you don't catch it immediately, she paints it all over. Duct tape and all. =( So, I plan to work on potty training a bit this summer and if they get it, great. If not, we have lots of time to work on it.
Swim lessons start on the 22nd and we are so excited about that. The girls are little fishies in their pools in the yard. They go down their slide into their pool like wild banchees and lay in the pool and 'kick kick kick'. They are SO ready for swim lessons.
I recently joined a Mother's Book Club here and am really excited to go to my first meeting tonight (total bonus is that its at a BAR!). HA HA!!! They seem like a good group of gals and hopefully it will give me a much needed break every month.
I remember when the twins came home from the hospital, every relative we had was trying to get us to go out and get out of the house. I thought "surely they must know that we just got HOME and don't want to go out yet". Then as the girls grew, I was constantly told that I needed to do more for me, go out on a date night, go get mani's and pedi's. I am ashamed to admit that I thought "surely these women WANT to leave their baby's sides" or "surely they don't understand me" or any other totally wrong assumption. *I'm blushing now from embarassment*
Now, I know. SURELY they were the mother of TODDLERS! Ok, back to my margarita. ;)
I am afraid that the days of being able to hold/pick up both of my babies at once is limited. In general, I think most mother's of multiples (MoMs) agree that you feel like you are never giving 100% to anyone...you are constantly torn. For me, the BEST feeling in the world was when I first got to hold BOTH babies at once in the NICU. I don't think that any mother of a singleton can understand that feeling (obviously) of holding your new baby but looking at your other baby and wanting to be physically able to hold them both. Its the BEST feeling in the WHOLE WORLD to hold both of them at once. I remember when they were about 10 months, I insisted on having a photo taken of me doing the 'double scoop' because I knew my time of holding them was limited. Most moms get to hold their kid on their hip for a longer time but MoMs can't physically do it. Its one or the other and one always feels left out of something. Its so bitter sweet. On one hand we are so lucky to have TWO (or more) babies and double hugs and kisses but the littlest things escape us...like holding hands, carrying them, dancing with them, getting them both out of bed and not being able to carry and snuggle them both...Its getting so much harder for me to lift them up and carry them both (hello? 45+ pounds and 60" combined!). I am pretty little (5'5" and 120 lbs). Here is a look back at our 'double scoop' and in the mean time, I am SOAKING it up while I still can!
1.5 days old:
This is about 1.5 weeks old:
2 months old...this was a 'modified double scoop' during naptime:
Tandem nursing/'milky double scoop':
3 months old:
4 months old:
5 months (Mommy was TIRED...please excuse my appearance):
Ok, that's better. Though, my hair was never that red...hmmm...
6 months:
7 months (attempting a QUADruple scoop with my BFF's twins too):
9 months:
10 months:
11 months:
1 year:
Ok, I am sure that I went over the limit of annoying on sharing photos. I will stop while I am ahead. There are a ton more I can post (of dad and grandparents too). I just need to remember to get one last double scoop photo while I can still lift them both by myself.
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