15 month checkup

Well, we braved the elements today and headed to the Dr. to get the 15 month check up & shots over with. We figured if we headed out today, maybe we would have a better shot at being less exposed to all those other germy kids waiting to be seen for real illnesses. So we headed out and got seen with little to no exposure to anyone else who was coughing, sneezing, wheezing etc...

All is well and we are still on the same track at usual.

Elliot weighs 18.8 lbs (just below 5%) & is 28 3/4 inches tall (almost 10%). Her head circumference is 50% though! What a noogin! That just means her brain development is right on track! We are just going to be tiny little things (but then again, look at her parents)!

Keaton weighs 19.11lbs (right below 5%) & 29 1/4 inches tall (right below 10%). His head circumference is just below 50% so he is right on track as well. The good news is his ears looked great!

We did find out that the kids are having chronic post-nasal dripage so we are starting on a daily regimen of Zyrtec to see if that will clear up our constant snotty noses and sore throats.

Other than that, the kids are right on track for development and other than being small, you would never know that they were once preemies! And for those of you out there wondering about boys vs. girls, girls develop their verbal skills first and boys develop their motor skills first. This could be why Keaton climbs on EVERYTHING and Elliot stands at the baby gate yelling at me about it! Oh man, life is about to get so much fun!

Shots also went well today and after their 18 month shots we should be done until age 4!!! Momma is happy about that. I can't stand seeing those sweet babies cry that hard. Luckily Ryan was there with me this time today and made things alot easier, soothing one baby while I tended to the other. That is tough to do alone!

We are so blessed to have two healthy, beautiful, thriving kids and I could not be a luckier girl!

Well, got my priorities and LOST is finally coming on! Gotta run!

More Growin' Up

Another milestone in growing up is graduating from eating off the table top to an actual plate. No, my kids still have not mastered spoons or forks but we did accomplish something big last night. BOTH kids ate at the table, kept their plates and mats on the table (with no dumping of the food onto the floor) and managed to keep their feeding of Allea (the dog) to a minimum! If we could only do so well in restaurants, we would probably have a lot more wait staff as our friends!

As you can see, the sippy cups weren't as fortunate.

We have also had to switch to the booster seats. One problem with having tiny little petite kids is that they can shimmy out of anything...especially highchairs. The booster seats have better straps that tighten and can control my little escape artists. I made the switch this weekend after I caught Keaton standing on top of his highchair tray three times in one meal, while Miss El was climbing from her highchair to his to steal his cheese (the girl is obsessed)! So my beautiful wooden highchairs sit empty while the big plastic boosters take over.

I also got my new lens yesterday so lots 'o pics will be coming.

Here are some playing tonight in the tub. (Elliot's new favorite game is to kiss herself (or that pretty baby) in the reflection!)

ps...

c vsmvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv esdfvedrrfgvefeg (Elliot says hi)

15 months old ALREADY?

Well, I am a few days behind on this post but my two precious ones turned 15 months old last weekend. With each passing month, the time just seems to fly faster and faster. And then today, I get a call about IVF and it just took me back to two years ago when we were about to start our IVF process. Where has the time gone and how can I slow it down?

Since I can't control the sun or moon or the tides, I will just have to try to live everyday as my most precious day I get to spend with two of the loves of my life. How lucky can one girl get?

So, done with the sappy thought for today. Let's get on with the 15 month milestones already!

Miss Elliot:

• Spunkier than ever!




• Loves to "talk" non-stop. We say we're screwed when she starts putting words together and we are done using words like "screwed" too!




• Loves grilled cheese, coke, M&Ms, grapes, bananas chicken and pretty much anything her momma is eating. And like her momma, she has a sick addiction for cheese dip!




• Got her 1st scraped knees yesterday...




• Loves to tell anyone and everyone hi & bye bye.



• Hates wearing shoes & socks!




• Loves her purse, blankies & sippy cups to chew one while teething.




• Teeth Count=4 1/2 (Seriously...we are NEVER going to get all our teeth!)




• Loves Mickey's Clubhouse and Super Why.




• Would stay outside all day if she could...bring on spring!




• Is a Momma's girl!

KG:

• Loves to ask "What's that?" & "Who's that?".


• Loves grapes, blueberries, cinnamon toast, waffles, blue gatorade & sweet tea.




• Loves to give hugs.



• Hates having his nose wiped!




• Favorite game is being chased by his Papa G down their hallway.




• Teeth Count= 4 1/2 too!




• Loves Mickey's Clubhouse & Super Why but will also watch Food Network with Momma late at night.




• Loves to run and stick out his tongue at people.




• Pretty attached to his blankets but super attached to his daddy right now.




• Would stay in the bathttub all night if we would let him.




• Starting to like his sis more...not seeing so many signs of the longing to be the only child anymore!

We go to the Dr. this week for shots and checkups so I will be sure to post pics and updated weigh ins. I can't believe it has been over a month since we have been to the Dr! What a difference a year makes!

I also got to watch Cayden & Payton last week. 4UNDER3...I don't know how you do it woman! You are amazing! An hour wasn't bad but all day everyday, I can't imagine. The kids played great together as you can see and since mine wanted to do what Cayden did, I got to love on Payton all myself. For now, two is just fine with me!

Playdates & Photographs

The last few days have been filed with two playdates and one LONG day for me and my new hobby.

Thursday night, Harry & Amanda came over to have chicken nuggets & play. Check out Amanda's blog for a play by play of Elliot and her antics! Classic! We had a great time and can't wait to schedule our next date with Harry!

Friday found ourselves at our first, weekly playdate set up by our good friends Ashlee, Sam & Isaac. We had a blast this first week and I think this will be just what all of us stay at home moms with little ones need. All the kids played great and we all loved us some adult conversation. Can't wait for this weeks date!

I don't know if I told yall or not but when I got my camera I figured the best way to get practice was to throw myself in head first. So I volunteered at church to take pictures to help update the photo database and so they could use them to update the website. Well, (Have I already told you this? I swear I have MAJOR twin brain!) anyway, last week, my camera wasn't in yet and I had to use my old one. This week, I had my camera and got to spend two whole services shooting the 3s & 4s. Oh I love this age! They are so funny and so sincere in their worship. Below are some of my favorite shots. If any should make the website, I will let yall know so you can check it out.

This final picture has to be my favorite. May we all worship Him this unashamed!

And You Thought She Didn't Pitch Fits...

This post is solely for my brother who upon his visit with us saw an Elliot none of us know...a perfect child! He swears that she is an angel from above and can't imagine her shedding the slightest tear. Well bro, here's some proof from tonight (and she is actually screaming as I type)!

Wordless Wednesday

Accountable Friends

I have great friends who hold each other accountable. I LOVE my friends even when they tell me tonight to blog because I have been boring this week. This coming from one of my favorite, always up to date blog friends and another who will remain nameless because she STILL hasn't started a blog and just likes to read ours! I must confess that I hate blogging without pictures. I guess I just think you all would rather skim over the antics of my life and just look at the cute pics of my kids. Apparently, some of you like the stories as well! So here goes with the latest from this week and other random thoughts from my cluttered brain...

1. Funny Keaton story....WARNING: Skip down to #2 if you have consumed food in the last hour!

So it was bathtime. The kids were in and I was at the sink doing the nightly ritual of washing the sippy cups of the day. I notice Keaton standing and it is as if he has sat on something and then upon standing, that "thing" has stuck in his little cheeks. I could not figure out what that "thing" was since it was a strange shade of mossy green with purple circles. I stop washing cups to take a closer look only to find he was pooping and WHOLE GRAPES were coming out! Oh I did NOT sign up for this! Luckily I caught him in time, held him over the potty, cleaned him up and salvaged a perfectly good tub of water and his sister!

2. Why no pictures you ask? Well, believe it or not, I am waiting to receive my 3rd, yes THIRD camera. The first one died completely after a week of use. The second one came with bent prongs in the CF Card area. So, let's hope third time is a charm and we will be up and posting new pics by this weekend.

3. I have actually read some books lately that I highly recommend! If I have read two books in the last couple of months you know they have to be good.

First one was "90 Minutes in Heaven". This is the story of a Don Piper who actually died in a car wreck and was revived after 90 minutes of being DOA. During that time he experienced a moment in heaven that is remarkable and would make even the biggest skeptic sense a longing for this place we call home.

Second is the new book by Jenna Bush ( Pres. Geo W's daughter) called Ana's Story. I really liked this book and was captured by this story of a young HIV positive mother and her struggle to survive. I think it is a great book for those of you with teenage daughters to read together. It will open up a great & much needed dialog of "coming of age", HIV, and ways to help those whom we might sometimes be afraid (or too judgemental) to approach.

Third book is an ongoing read that I pick up from time to time but can't get enough of. The book is called "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. If you have even been curious about heaven and want a clear picture of what the Bible says heaven will be like, you need to pick up this book. After getting through the initial chapters of philosophical factoids, you will find many of your wildest question answered through Bible based facts. This is a great one for you home libraries. I also just saw that he wrote a version for kids. I plan on getting this one too for when the kids are older!

4. We had tornadoes on Monday night but everyone is fine. We ended up at Gary & Martha's for dinner and decided to spend the night, until the kiddos woke up at 11:00pm screaming for some reason. After trying to calm them for 1 1/2 hrs, I made the decision to pack up and go home (and no, Gary & Martha never heard a thing...slept right through!). We drove around for a while and finally came home. Gave the kids another shot of Triamenic and put them in the trusty old swings. (Hallalujah my kids are still little squirts!) I finally went to sleep at 2am and woke up at 2:10 to what sounded like a tornado. The winds blew something into the bedroom window and shot me straight up in the bed. I don't remember ever hearing winds like that before and I have lived through many tornadoes in my lifetime. I turned the tv on and we weren't even under a tornado warning. I decided to ride it out before waking my precious angels who had FINALLY fallen back to sleep. After the winds calmed, I fell back asleep and then...back up at 3am to Keaton screaming. Nothing a little lovin and some more milk couldn't cure. OH, and have I mentioned that Ryan was out of town for all of this? I always seem to manage some type of drama and sleeplessness while he is gone. Everyone I have talked to is fine and I have only seen some trees down and part of a fence in our neighborhood. With as many as came through we are very lucky and blessed!

See how boring this is without pics?

Well, hopefully you have indulged me in reading through my barrage of random thoughts. I promise to mix in some pics once the camera drama is over. Speaking of, I have a meeting tomorrow with our media director at church to help out with taking updated pictures of all our ministries. I think this will be a great way to get some experience with my new camera and a great way to get involved at our wonderful church!

Til then!