Double the Fun!

Bald Head Island

2011-06-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

Chris and I officially introduced the boys to our favorite vacation spot, Bald Head Island. If you have never been there before, it is absolutely beautiful! You have to take a ferry over to the island and there are no cars on the island. Everyone travels around in golf carts. There is a little bit of everything too. There is a forest area, marsh area, harbour area, the beach and of course the golf course. We enjoy the island because you can go hiking one day, kayaking through the marsh the next day and then spend time on the beach. There is also a huge abundance of wild life there. Every time we go we see deer, foxes, pelicans, cranes, herons, alligators, turtles, etc. They even have a conservancy on the island that protects the sea turtle eggs that make it on the island.

It is also very quiet. It isn't commercialized like a lot of vacation spots. There is one grocery store, a handful of restaurants and the golf course. There are no hotels. There is one inn and everyone else stays in houses. So, you spend a lot of quality time with family cooking your own meals and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Here are some of our pictures for you to enjoy...

Cooper and Mommy relaxing on the beach in our cabana. That cabana was by far the best purchase of the summer! The boys have taken many naps in it and I have been able to enjoy the beach some while they are napping! :)

Uncle Scott playing with Cooper. I'm guessing Cooper was crying here and Scott was ready to hand him back to Chris...

One of my favorite pictures. My sister-in-law is really a great photographer. The boys are playing in their cabana here on the beach.

Grandparents and Grandkids! I love this!

The boys first trip to the pool. Emory loved it. He was already swimming around like a pro! Cooper just lounged around, but he still enjoyed it.

Papa Steve and Emory relaxing on the beach.

Family picture time!

I love this picture! The sun is setting and the boys look so cute!

Happy Emory after playing in the pool! Look out ladies! What a cutie!

The boys enjoying the sand.

Emory enjoying the beach. This is in between waves. He had such a good time watching the water go in and out.

This was such a great moment for Chris and I. I am such a lucky lady to have such a great husband!

My parents! I love this picture! They have been together for over 35 years and are still so cute!

My neice and nephew. The best part about this picture was that it was not prompted at all. They got tired of everyone else taking pictures and sat down together. How cute are they?

This is at the beginning of the week as we are waiting on the ferry to take us to the island. You can see one of the ferrys behind us.

This was one of my favorite days! I got a girl day with my mom. We played a little golf and it was just the two of us! I played horrible and the maintenance people were all over the place, but it was still an amazing day!!

Chris and Emory waiting on the ferry. I love this picture with the sail boats in the background.

Chris and Cooper waiting for the ferry. I think Cooper spotted it coming...

Hello World!!

2011-05-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hello there to all my friends and family! I'm sorry that I haven't updated you in a while. My life has been a little crazy with work and the boys lately. But, I do have some BIG updates to tell you about!

1) The boys have started playing in thier Jumperoo and their Baby Einstien Activity Center recently. They are getting so big! They are holding their head up so well that we thought we would see how they did in it and they LOVED it! Here are a few pictures to show you their new toys...

Cooper is mesmorized by these pandas that sit on a teeter totter.

Emory jumping away. I couldn't catch a smile in the picture, but he lights up completely when he is jumping!

2) The boys have started on solid foods! We have been trying rice cereal with them for a little over a week. Emory has grasped the concept of eating from a spoon really easy. Cooper has take a little bit longer. He seems more interested in how he can help with the spoon than anything else. Mostly they start the meal looking at us like "why do we have to put this in our mouth?" But, by the end they are wanting more. It has been so much fun watching them make this transition! Here are some pictures of their first bites...

3) We took the boys on their first beach trip this past weekend! And, they loved it! We had such a good time with Shawn, Lauren, Jen and Brian. It was so great to hang out with other parents and get to relax a little too! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy...

I love this picture. This is actually taken after our first day to the beach. We brought them inside and laid him down on the floor to get his bath set up and I turned around and he had fallen asleep! So adorable!

Daddy playing with Emory.

Family Picture!

The boys chillin in the tide pool

We had so much fun at Ocean Isle. I can't wait until they get to experience Bald Head later this week!

Mother's Day and Cooper update

2011-05-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

So, this was my first official Mother's Day! I have spent so many Mother's Days planning for my mom and putting together the family get together. It was honestly really nice to be on the other side of that awesome day! The day started out amazing. Chris cooked breakfast while I spent some quality mommy time with the boys. As the day went on though, we started to get more and more concerned. Cooper was eating ALL the time and spitting up at least half to all of what he was eating. By the end of the day, he was crying so much because he was in pain from all of the acid coming back up. It was so pitiful! He finally went to sleep though and my relaxing started to begin. Chris set up the fire pit outside and we watched the fire and had a glass of wine with mom and dad. We talked about what happened this time last year and what an amazing 12 months it has been.

This time last year, we were having our leftover eggs thawed out and put in. We didn't have any hope of actually becoming pregnant since we were told it may only be about a 20% chance we would have one child let alone two! And, against all odds, God delivered on his promise and made me a mom of my two precious little boys! And, to top it all off, we did that on my parent's anniversary. So, this year we celebrated their 38 years, Mother's Day and our anniversary of me really becoming a mom. What a special day! Here is a picture of my special boys and me...

I just love this picture because Cooper looks like he is saying "Excuse me. Can we start again?"

To back up a step...For those of you who weren't aware, Cooper has been not gaining weight. He is officially 2 pounds lighter than his brother. So, we are very concerned. So, that is why we were so concerned on Mother's Day. It looks like he is able to keep in enough fluids to maintain his weight and keep hydrated. But, there just isn't anything else that he can keep in his stomach to help him grow. We have been to countless doctor appointments to figure out what is going on.

As of today, we went to see a Pediatric GI specialist. She agrees with our primary pediatrician that it may be a milk protien allergy. This apparently is different from him being lactose intolerant. And, there is milk protein in almost everything I eat! So, I am having to really cut back my diet. I can eat basically only meat, veggies and eggs. We also changed his formula that we supplement with to a hypoallergenic formula too. It takes about 2-3 weeks for us to be able to see any change with this too. So, we won't know if this is the real problem until it has time to work. This unfortunately is our best bet at this time. Because he is so small, they really don't want to do any more tests than we need to. So, we are going to try this and if it doesn't work we will move on to more testing as needed.

So, please keep Cooper in your prayers. He is an amazing little boy that is so advanced in so many ways, but we are concerned that if he doesn't start growing it could impact him long term. We are all hoping that this is a simple milk protein allergy. Once it gets out of my system, he should start to get better.

Catching up

2011-04-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Wow! These past couple couple of weeks I have had a lot going on! I'm sorry for the delay in my blogging, but I am having trouble keeping up right now... That being said, some awesome things have happened these past 2 weeks...

Cooper has been rolling from his stomach to his back for several weeks now, but we finally caught it on video! Check it out...

On top of that, last night Emory finally rolled over for the first time! We were setting up for his bath and I put him on the floor so that I could test the water before putting him in and he rolled over!! It was so cute! He was so proud of himself! I wish I would have been able to capture it on video or a picture, but we were getting ready for the bath. So, I didn't have anything close by!

Cooper also starting holding his bottle all on his own! It has been so cute to see him so excited about doing this on his own. We are definitely raising some independent children here!

The boys also turned 4 months old yesterday! It is so amazing to watch them grow so quickly and start to figure out the world around them. They are getting happier every day and discovering new things all the time.

They are both really starting to recognize Chris and I too. They especially respond if my voice is in the room.
They both made my day yesterday. When I walked into day care, Emory was sitting in a bouncy seat. So, I said hi to him and he responded with a huge smile! (It is seriously hard to get this boy to smile sometimes!) And, on top of that, Cooper was in the worker's arms and turned completely out of her arms and looked for me with a big smile! I just love my little boys! It really is the little things in life that make everything worth while!

Weekend with Grammie and Grandpa!

2011-04-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took our first big trip with the boys. We drove 4.5 hours to go see Chris's parents on their farm in Walterboro, SC. The boys did so good in the car and throughout the weekend. We only had to stop once on the way down and once on the way home to feed the boys and they were really pretty quiet the whole time. I was so proud!

Chris's parents have a Christmas tree farm and I can't wait for my boys to get to play in the dirt there. There is always something to plant and something to do and I know that they will have a blast there once they can walk around and dig in the dirt. They did get to ride on the ATV for the first time to go see papa's house. And, they had so much fun! Cooper was crying until Grandpa turned on the ATV. His eyes got big and started to pay attention to everything. It was so great to see him enjoying it. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. They even got to sport their new John Deere hats (compliments of Grandpa Langdale)!

I love that Cooper is smiling here!

Proud Grammie and Grandpa

Our boys and us had so much fun spending time with family. We'll compare photos in a couple of years when they are done digging in the dirt... Thanks Grammie and Grandpa for a great weekend!

8 Years?

2011-04-11T08:09:00.001-07:00

This past week Chris and I celebrated our 8th anniversary! It is so hard for me to believe that it has been 8 years since I married him. We had a beautiful wedding and a great honeymoon, but so many things have changed for the better since then. Over the years, we have shared so many wonderful “firsts.” This past year really has been the best though. It really has been a testament that things only get stronger with time. My pregnancy and our boys are such a gift to us both and it has been great to see our relationship grow around them.

Don’t get me wrong. It hasn’t been easy. However, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I used to do all of this “planning” to make sure I was ready for a family. I bought the house that was big enough. I bought the car that was big enough. And, I even made sure our dogs were trained well enough to handle a family. The best part of this past year was learning that none of that made any difference! For the first 3 months, we have all lived in about 1000 square feet. My car ended up being too small. Our dogs even reacted completely different than I would have thought!

I have learned so much and I am so thankful to have Chris keeping me sane through all of these changes!

Sick boys

2011-04-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have officially learned what it is like to worry about your children when they are sick. It is just so pitiful to see them suffer and not being able to take away any of the uncomfortable parts of being sick.

Last Monday night, Emory starting having a cough and a runny nose. I just thought it was a cold, but I thought we should probably get it checked out just in case. I picked him up from day care on Tuesday and he was completely hoarse! It was so sad. He kept trying to cry and nothing was coming out. So, I took him to the pediatrician and she detected some wheezing. So, she got concerned with RSV. She did the test while we were in the office though and it came out negative! Yeah! So, she just prescribed some breathing treatments for him to help open up his airways. He of course hates them, but has been getting better with at least holding still while taking them. Here is a picture of our pitiful little boy...

Doesn't this just break your heart?

Cooper has been much better overall than Emory. He has really just been congested. He started to cough a ltitle bit, but I think it is only from the nose gunk running down the back of his throat. The congestion doesn't seem to be in his lungs like it does with Emory. We have been very careful about keeping the boys separated, which I think has helped. We have separate burp clothes, pacifiers, etc now. We even sanitize between touching the boys. So, hopefully Cooper won't get any worse. The good news is that I am feeling better. So, hoepfully my good immune system will transfer to them quickly.

This week has really made me feel like a mom. I know it sounds funny...I have been a mom now for 13 weeks, but it really just brought my understanding of being a mom to a whole new level. It isn't just about going through the routine and catching the good stuff in between. It really breaks your heart when there is nothing you can do to take away their pain. I know I can't protect my boys from everything, but I sure want to try...

What a week!

2011-03-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

This past week has been so much fun! The boys really have started to show their personalities and they are starting to talk to you a little bit. It has been great to have them interacting with us and smiling all the time!

This weekend we also had family in town and we had the boys baptized as well. It was so great to have the boys surrounded by so many friends and family. Of course I stressed the whole weekend about the boys crying or spitting up on the pastor. Well, one out of two isn't so bad... In reality the boys did really good. :) They stayed in the service up until the baptism without making one sound. Then the pastor calls us up and Emory started to fuss. Luckily, Chris turned him around to look at all of the people and he quieted right down (our little socialite). Cooper slept up until the minute we walked up to the front of the church. Both boys did fine until the water was placed on their heads and then they both fussed a little bit. (I'm thinking the church should invest in a heater to put in the water so that it isn't so shocking on their little heads...) They quieted right down though once the pastor took both of them and walked around the church. Emory even fell asleep in Pastor Ray's arms! Cooper fussed through the entire prayer after that though. I felt so bad! Our dear friend Kristen prepared this beautiful prayer for us and I don't think I heard 2 words of it. :( I did read it afterwards though and she did such a great job. It was really special to have her as a part of our day! She has been praying for our boys since before they were born! So, it was great that she could be our elder for this special day. The rest of the day went really well. We invited everyone over to our house for lunch afterwards. The boys did great! They slept through the whole thing!

Here is a picture of our special day...As you can tell, they had enough attention by the time we could take the photo. Both babies were screaming, but it was nice to at least take a picture of all of us.

The other great thing about this past week is that the boys turned 3 months yesterday! And, to celebrate, they allowed mommy and daddy to have a good night sleep! The boys manage to sleep a whopping 10 hours! So, we actually were able to sleep through the night. It was great!! I just hope they keep it up...We'll see...

Sleeping Through the Night?

2011-03-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

This week has definitely been a week of adjustments. To our surprise, Emory and Cooper have started sleeping much longer than they have been before. They now go about 5 or 6 hours between feedings at night. You would think we would be excited about that, right? Well, the problem is that we had been feeding them at 11:00 before we went to sleep. So, they started waking up at 5am (which of course after we feed and change the boys, is really too early for us to be awake for the day, but not enough time for us to really go back to sleep before we have to really wake up). So, this past week has been hard on sleep. We have started letting them sleep as long as possible after their 7:30 feeding though and it is helping a little bit. We still have to get up once in the middle of the night, but at least we can sleep for a couple of hours after we feed them.

The other adjustment that comes with sleeping through the night, is that the boys are now awake a lot more during the day. So, they have really started to develop their personalities. It has been a lot of fun to watch. Cooper has always been our quiet laid back boy. Now he seems to be our talker! On Saturday afternoon, I think he told my mom about his entire week! He talked to her for so long. It was adorable! I really wish I would have had my video camera, but I leant it out to my brother for the week. So, we couldn’t capture it for everyone else to see. Emory has also started to develop his personality. He is taking in everything. His eyes are wide open and exploring everything around him. He will talk to you and smile some, but he is much more interested in everything around him. He is our serious snuggler too. Both boys actually love to snuggle, but Emory I think could be content laying on Chris's chest all day long. It is so funny how different they are already. Here are some pictures to show off their personalities…

Cooper laughing at mommy. He loves to be tickled.

His adorable laugh again!

Sweet smile as he was talking to me.

Emory's big eyes. He was a little surprised by the camera. I just couldn't miss that opportunity!

This is a picture of Emory sleeping on Chris's chest. I just love this picture because his mouth is wide open! It is adorable!

Emory is down for the count! Adorable!

On the Road Again...

2011-03-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

This week we decided to take our first trip with the boys. We went to Greensboro to see my neice, Ellie, turn 4 years old. It is only about an hour and a half away, but the logistics for being away that long were kind of difficult. And, we had to time the trip just right so that we weren't on the road in the middle of when the boys would be hungry.

Well, even with all of the planning we did, some times our boys have other plans... Cooper decided he was going to go through a growth spurt this weekend. So, the times that he ate were WAY off. We ended up having to stop by the side of the road and feed him on the way home Saturday. That was the first time we ever had to pull over on the highway. Looking back at things, we probably could have just waited until the next exit and fed him in a parking lot. But, when we were in the moment, we were just trying to figure out why our boy was screaming non-stop in the back seat.

So, now we know...It doesn't matter what time it is...The boys eat before we leave anywhere. That was a little crazy, but a great learning experience!

Updates!!

2011-03-07T08:20:00.000-08:00

So, I know it has been a little while since I was able to update this. And, honestly a lot has been going on. Last week was my first week back at work. So, I reluctantly had to drop off the boys at their new day care. I thought it would be a lot harder than it was though. I made up my mind to start thinking about all of the things I needed to get done at work that day as soon as I left and it worked! I was successfully distracted all day! And, it made things so much easier when I went to pick up the boys and Emory gave me a big smile as soon as he saw me!

We also have had the 2 month check-up for the boys. Emory weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds and 4 ounces and Cooper was about a half pound behind him at 7 pounds 12 ounces. Both boys are doing well, but the doctor switched Cooper's reflux medicine to see if we can get him to gain a little more weight. So, we are crossing our fingers that it will work. So far it has been a little better, but we are hoping that it will continue to help. We also had to schedule an ultrasound on Cooper's hips when we were at the doctor. Apparently it is very common for breach babies to have hip problems. So, they check every baby out that was breach. Chris took Cooper that day and everything went pretty well. The doctors measured 3 areas and 2 were looking great. One was borderline though. So, they are scheduling another ultrasound in 6 more weeks just to check and see how things are growing. So, please say a prayer that our little boy will continue to grow well.

We also had a another first this week! Emory has been holding his head up so well lately that we decided to see if he would sit OK in the Bumbo seat. So, I have attached a video for you all to see just how well he did. You can even see him do a short giggle at one point!

I hope you all have enjoyed taking a look at our sweet Emory! I will try to get some video of Cooper too for you next week!

Last week at home...

2011-02-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

It is official...I go back to work full time next Wednesday, March 2nd. I honestly have mixed feelings about this. Part of me feels like I will just be missing so much with my boys. They are changing so quickly these days and I hate to miss anything. Plus, the happiest time of day for them is right after their 10:30am feeding. They play so well and have even started smiling and laughing now. So, I will definitely miss that. The other part of me is SO ready to get back to work! I love what I do for a living and I am ready to start working with customers again and making their dreams of home ownership a reality. Plus, sometimes time away from the boys is hard to come by. On days when they both cry for 30 minutes straight several times, it is a relief to get a little "me" time. So, that will be a plus to going back to work.

So, I will just have to take things day by day and enjoy the moments that I have with the boys. Maybe going back to work will help me to appreciate that even more... :)

Baby update: They go into the doctor for their 2 month check up on March 1st. So, I will have some updates for you next week! We have started something new this week with them. Up until now we have rocked them to sleep at their bed time. I have been reading more about that and the articles I read encourage parents to let their kids learn to fall asleep on their own. Otherwise, we could be rocking a 3 year old to sleep every night... So, we started to put the kids in their crib before they are actually asleep. Cooper cried for about 2 minutes total and Emory had a little tougher time. I read that it is important to soothe them right away once they start crying, but don't pick them up. So, we rubbed their back and talked softly to them and shortly after they quieted down! It was awesome! We spent some time working on this with them after the 7:30 feeding and they did much better after the 10:30 feeding. So, it looks like it is working so far! Yeah! Good sleeping habits are always appreciated!

Mommy update: I am so excited to have a girls day on Saturday! One of the things that I asked for from Santa was a spa day and I got gift certificates galore! So, I am using my first one this Saturday and my mom is going to join me! So, we are getting massages and facials. Then, we are grabbing lunch and getting pedicures! Chris is going to watch the boys for the first time, but I am sure he will do fine. He is so good with them and honestly, he has to learn some time. :)

Date Night!!

2011-02-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to post that Chris and I actually got our first date night in about 4 months this past week! We decided to go out to dinner at the Melting Pot to celebrate Valentine's Day. We actually hired a baby sitter (THANK YOU SO MUCH KIM!!) and left home for 3 hours! I know that seems like only a short period of time, but you would be surprised at how refreshing 3 hours can be when it is not filled with feeding, changing diapers and crying. Please don't misunderstand me...I ADORE my two precious gifts from God, but everyone needs a little adult time. It was awesome for us to get a chance to reconnect and build on our marriage.

Baby update: Our boys are now 7 weeks old! It is amazing to me how fast they are growing and changing! They are starting to grow out of all of their newborn clothes. So, we are having to switch over to the 0-3 month outfits now. Some of them are still too big, but they are starting to fill out a lot of them already. The biggest problem that we have is length. Who would have guessed that our boys would be too long for an outfit before they would be too round for it?? LOL.

Another update: Cooper gave us his first smile this week and he has found his voice! I love it! It is so precious when he gives us that big smile and starts talking to us. He was in our baby swing yesterday while I was feeding Emory and he was talking to the animal that was on the swing. It was adorable! I got a little of it on video, but I haven't figured out how to post that stuff yet. So, maybe next week...

Mommy update: This Valentine's Day has proven to be a new chapter in my life. The days of date nights filled with champagne, good food and movies are now on hold for a little bit. I am limited to my one glass of wine a night. So, I have to choose wisely... And, we rarely have enough time to watch a movie. But, my nights are filled with love in a different way. It fills my heart to see my little boys and get to snuggle with them before they go to bed. And, it fills my heart to see how wonderful Chris is as a father. And, that is not all. He has always been a wonderful husband, but now it just seems to be getting better and better. He is my supporter, my rock, and I am so blessed to have him! (Sorry for the sappiness, but I thought I could get away with it since it is Valentine's Day.) :)

Family picture day!!

2011-02-09T13:08:00.000-08:00

We decided to venture out and try taking some pictures of the boys while they are still so little this past weekend. No one told us that it makes no difference if you make an appointment some of these places. I made an appointment for noon on Saturday thinking that would be perfect time between feedings. So, we get there about 5 minutes early and there are about 20 people in front of us... So, I have no idea why we made an appointment! We didn't get in there until almost 1:00pm and then the boys were woken up and hungry. So, we had to postpone pictures once and feed them. We restarted about 1:45pm and really got some great pictures then. However, this put us home at about 4:30. So, it was a LONG day for the boys.

Here are some of the pictures we got though...

Look at the smile on Emory! I just love this shot!

This one cracks me up. Emory is reaching for his brother and still smiling. How sweet!

My sweet boys...

How can you resist this smile?

Sweet Cooper

I love this shot because Chris does this all the time at home. I just adore how they stare at each other!

Peace out yo!

I'm so excited that we got such great pictures! I think the day really had it's toll on the boys though. Sunday was a nightmare with them. They started crying and just wouldn't stop. We were up most of Saturday night with them and all day Sunday. Cooper seemed to be so much worse than Emory and that was so unlike him. He has always been our more laid back child. So, this was very surprising to us. He started to have some stomach issues. So, we just assumed it would go away in a couple of days, but it didn't. We ended up going to the doctor yesterday and she gave us some reflux medicine for both boys and some medicine for Cooper's tummy. Luckily by this morning it all ended up working through Cooper's system and he seems to be getting so much better. The best part is that he is so much happier! I was actually able to get a couple of things done around the house today! Yeah! It was so hard to watch him suffer. I'm just glad it is getting better and he seems happier now.

My big boys...

2011-02-01T18:28:00.000-08:00

This past week has been so eventful! I have been at home by myself with the boys for an entire week now. It has been really not too bad. The boys are pretty quiet most of the day. So, we have been having a lot of fun. For some reason they both have a melt down at about 5:00pm every day. But, since Chris is almost home by then, I don't have to endure it too long by myself.

We also did our first full bath this week. We have been previously just giving sponge baths since you have to wait for the umbilical cord to fall off for that. I was really impressed by both boys. They both really did well. There wasn't too much screaming. In fact, I don't think Cooper cried at all. He loved being in the water! Emory fussed a little bit, but as soon as he realized he could stay warm in the water, he quieted down. All in all, I think we really lucked out on that one! Who knows, maybe we have some swimmers on our hands. We have a lot of swimmers in the family so I know that they would be proud of that!

We did find a day care for the boys this week too. It is only until May when we have a very special nanny that will be taking care of the boys. But, we are very excited to find such a great facility so close to home that is affordable! And, it is a christian facility. So, they pray with the boys every morning and afternoon. They pray for all of the parents and children. I just think that is awesome! And, they give such a great twin discount that there are several families with twins there and one that has triplets. So, this will be a great resource for us!

I also got to go on my first outing with the boys by myself! I haven't driven my car in so long though that the battery was dead. But, I hooked up the battery charger and a couple hours later was back in the road! I am so excited to have a little freedom!! I took the boys to see one of my realtor friends and then to the pediatrician's office for their weigh in...And, they did great! They didn't have a melt down when I was visiting with my friend and they both did great at the doctor. Cooper is now bigger than Emory, but not by much. He weighed in at 6 pounds and 7 ounces and Emory weighed in at 6 pounds and 6 ounces. They are growing more than an ounce a day. So, the doctors are thrilled! We could tell they were getting big. They have already started to outgrow some of their clothes and socks. It has been really fun to watch them change every day!

Quote of the week from Chris: "My shins are really sore from all of that speed walking in Target." He is going to hate that I posted this, but I just think it is hilarious. We went to Target on Sunday morning (to try and beat the crowds and get back before the boys next feeding) and Cooper decided to have a melt down. We aren't sure why, but he would not stop crying. Chris was going to take him out to the car and try and feed him a bottle, when he noticed that he stopped crying when the stroller was moving quickly. So, being the awesome dad that he is, he speed pushed the stroller around Target while I finished up the shopping. We reconnected in the check out line and made it home just in time for his next feeding. So, he was happy after that.

Wow! How Things Change...

2011-01-26T12:22:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I have noticed over the past 4 weeks is that time is very different now. What used to take me 5 minutes, now takes days… Maybe it is because my priorities have changed... Maybe it is because I can only do so much on top of watching 2 boys that need my every bit of attention… Whatever the case, it is amazing to me how much life changes just by having these two little guys.

Here are my top 5 changes that I have noticed so far…

1) I can’t seem to get anything done on time. I used to make time every Monday to get my blog updated. Now, I have to take time in between feedings and during naps. With two boys, often one of them is awake and the other is sleeping. So, my time has been seriously cut…And, getting out of the house to go anywhere is a whole different story!

2) My washer and dryer are really taking a beating. OMG! I have done more laundry in the last 4 weeks than I have done in the past 4 months! It is amazing to me considering the boys’ clothes are so tiny! However, it never fails that they will pee through or on at least 2 outfits each a night. Crazy, huh? And, that is just their pajamas! I never would have thought that I would do so much laundry!

3) Shower time is awesome!! I always used to laugh at my friends when they told me this, but it is true…The time when you can take a shower and just have a little time to yourself is awesome! It is amazing how great you can feel after just taking 15 minutes to relax in a warm shower.

4) TV time is SO different! When I can watch TV it is normally only while they are napping. DVR’s are great, but when you only have 20-30 minutes you are really limited on the number of things you can watch. So, my favorite shows like Fringe, House, Bones, Grey’s Anatomy, etc are all very limited. They are stacking up like crazy in my DVR queue. And, I have just now gotten back to being able to watch the news for a few minutes while I eat lunch. I completely missed the news on the Tucson tragedy. How sad is that?

5) Preparation is everything!! I have started keeping the boys on my own now that Chris has gone back to work and I figured out that procrastination is not in my best interest when it comes to feeding and caring for the boys. Even though we have them on a very tight schedule (and yes, they honestly keep it very well), you never know when one of them just needs to be held or wants an extra snack. So, I have figured out that I can feed them both at the same time, take turns changing diapers and then put them down in their bouncy seats to play with them until they fall asleep. And, then it starts all over. So, as soon as they fall asleep, I have to wash the pump and prep the bottles, etc for next time. That way, I am ready for the next feeding as soon as it comes. And, if I have time in between I can update my blog or even get a little work done.

Wow. Life changes so much with babies. You hear it all the time, but I don’t think it really hits home until you experience it.

And, speaking of time management, if I haven’t sent you a thank you card yet for the gift you sent me, please know that it is in the works… And, be on the lookout for our announcements. I hope to have them out in the next couple of weeks. My intentions and reality may be two different things, but that is what I hope for…

Best wishes to all and please know that I am VERY thankful for all of the gifts, prayers, and food that you all have provided! It has kept me sane during all of these changes!

3 weeks!

2011-01-18T12:48:00.000-08:00

I can not believe that my boys are now 3 weeks old! Time has really flown by!!

We went in to see the doctor last week for thier 2 week check up and we found out that the boys are both back up to their birth weights or more. So, that is great news! Cooper weighed in at 4 pounds 15.5 ounces and Emory weighed in at a whopping 5 pounds 3 ounces. I love that they are eating so well!

We do go back in to the doctor this week to recheck their weight and make sure they are still growing like they should. We were told by the doctor that we could reduce the number of food supplements we were giving them. So, that has made our lives a little easier.

We are also going to have to start adjusting to a new plan this week as well. Chris is going back to work on the 25th. So, we are doing a couple of days where I take care of everything before Chris goes back to work just to try and get all of the kinks out of our system. So, please pray for my sanity over the next couple of days. We are going to try to pump and then feed the boys bottles during the day to get them used to it for when I go back to work too. So, it may take a little adjusting at first. But, I am confident that the boys will adjust accordingly. They have been so great so far.

Mommy update: I have officially lost over 50 pounds!! I know I am not supposed to say stuff like that, but I was so miserable in my last couple of weeks and I gained so much weight. It has been nice to lose some of it so quickly. I still have a little ways to go before I am back down at my pre-pregnancy weight, but at least I am closer... Also, I am feeling overall pretty good. I am tired of course, but other than that, I am trying to get out and take walks as much as possible to stay fit. I can't do anything too strenuous until I go back in for my 6 week check up, but this will keep me happy until then hopefully.

Thanks again to everyone that has brought us meals and brought us presents for our boys. You can't imagine how helpful that has been! It is such a blessing to have such wonderful friends and family!

Thankful

2011-01-11T15:47:00.000-08:00

This past week has left me feeling very thankful. I am so thankful that my boys are two weeks old today. This past two weeks has been so amazing with them! I am thankful for all of the precious moments that I have gotten to spend with my little boys. It has been so great being at home and getting to know them as their personalities develop.

I am thankful that my swelling has gone down and I can actually wear my wedding ring again...

I am thankful that my dogs have both started adjusting to the boys well. They both like to sniff around them, but are very cautious. This transition could have been so much worse. So, I am so thankful for that!

I am also so thankful for all of my friends and family who have helped us with food and time. Without you, we would have had a much harder transition at home. It has been very time consuming handling two newborns. So, your gifts of food have really helped.

I am also extremely thankful that our night last night ended well. Chris and I had to call 911 for the first time ever last night. Cooper ended up having an allergic reaction to a vitamin supplement that we gave him. His tongue got huge and cut off his air supply shortly. Chris and I jumped in and were able to push his tongue down and clear his airway. Eventually the swelling went down and he returned to his normal color and started acting normal again. Luckily that was right when the paramedics arrived. So, it wasn’t going on for too long. However, it was probably the scariest moment that Chris and I have ever had. So, we are very thankful that we were able to get him to respond so quickly and it didn’t end up so much worse. We went to the doctor today and Cooper checked out fine. So, there is nothing else to worry about for now. We just need to avoid that supplement and we should be OK. We are keeping a close eye on him though just in case. We are so thankful that everything ended up being OK.

So, we have a lot to be thankful for. Last, but not least is that we are so thankful for our boys to be home and be adjusting well. Here are some new pictures of our precious boys for you to enjoy…

Proud parents...

Dear friends - They brought us dinner and spent some quality time with Cooper and Emory.

Proud grandparents. I love watching them fall in love with our boys.

Aunt Rachel and Uncle Scott enjoying some quality time with the boys...

Cousin Sean holding Cooper for the first time. I loved watching Sean's eyes light up as he realized he could hold him. It was so adorable!

Ellie was equally as cute. Her face lit up when Emory smiled at her.

Our precious Emory. He is our little "high maintenance" boy. I love that he has that McDowell personality!

Our sweet Cooper. He loves to snuggle and is perfectly content in most situatuations. I love that he gets that from his daddy.

Proud grammie. Kim was so sweet to stay and help us the first couple of days that we were home. I am so thankful for everything she did. We would not have been sane without her help! Thank you so much!!

New Year's Resolutions - Ask Me How I Lost 35 pounds in 5 days!!

2011-01-04T11:02:00.000-08:00

So, I have discovered the key to losing weight! All you have to do is deliver twins! Seriously though, we are so excited to share our little boys with you! Here are all of the stats for you...

Emory Charles Langdale

Born December 28, 2010

Weight: 4 pounds, 15 ounces

Length: 18.5 inches

Cooper Lee Langdale

Born December 28, 2010

Weight: 4 pounds, 15 ounces

Length: 19 inches

Highlights of the week so far...

- Breastfeeding Twins is not as easy as it looks, but I'm excited to say we have actually been able to breastfeed both at the same time! I am so excited about this! I can actually get some sleep now!

- I got to see projectile poop for the first time in my life. Chris actually got to experience it though... I was left laughing so hard I was crying!

- Vibrating/Bouncy Seats are worth their weight in gold!

- The boy's first sponge bath. Both our boys love their hair to be washed, but hate for their bodies to be washed! I sure this is just the beginning of our bath time woes...

- Friends and Family are such blesssings! We have been so lucky to have so many friends and family help us out in this first week. It has made things so much easier on us. Just getting the boys on a feeding schedule has been hard enough. I don't think we ever would have eaten if it weren't for Chris's mom and my parents. I am SO grateful that Chris's mom could stay with us until tomorrow. I'm a little nervous about things once she leaves, but I think we have been able to at least establish somewhat of a system for now that will help us be able to handle things on our own.

- Our dogs and their response to the boys... We have been keeping Payton and Manning away from the boys for a while, but eventually we had to introduce them. Payton is our spastic dog and we were a little worried how she would handle these two new additions to our family. However, she has been pretty good. She has had her moments when she goes over the top, but not too many. She is still learning... Manning seems to have taken the approach that she would rather not get in trouble. So, she pretty much ignores the boys at all cost. Payton did have a break through last night though. We let her sleep in the same room as us for the first time. Chris got up once because Emory was crying. Apparently Payton didn't think he was doing a good enough job and ran back into our bedroom and licked me in the face and just stared at me until I woke up... Such a smart dog!

- Pacifiers are not such a bad thing... Both our boys were feeding really well. So, our doctor told us it was OK to introduce a pacifier to them. It has been so helpful and they are still eating really well. I'm so thankful for this!

I'm sure that I will have many more stories to share with all of you, but I'm sure for now you would rather meet these little guys. Take a look at our new additions!

Proud Grandparents

Ellie being introduced to her new cousins!

Scott, Ellie and Cooper

Proud grandma

Showing a little brotherly love...

(Emory on the left and Cooper on the right)

Grandpa Tom

Snuggle time!

Going Home Outfits. How adorable!

I just love this picture. Emory slept with his hand on Cooper's head. So cute!

The nurses were so nice to take this picture of us. What a great family memory!

Decked out in our Clemson colors! Go Tigers!

I finally got some rest...Emory snuggled up for the moment.

Thank you all for sharing in this great moment in our lives. It is such a blessing to have such wonderful friends and family. We are sending out big hugs and kisses to you all! This first week has been a blast with our boys. I know it is only going to get better!

I'm SOOOO Ready!

2010-12-20T09:08:00.000-08:00

I am very excited that we have made it to the 35 week mark this week! Only a couple more weeks to go maybe… I am really beginning to feel uncomfortable now though. My feet, ankles and legs all now swell up without me even doing anything all day. I can’t sleep because I can’t get comfortable for more than 45 minutes to an hour at a time. So, I am exhausted all day. On top of that, all of the extra weight has my knees killing me! Every time I get up and down, I have to support myself with my arms because my knees are really taking a beating…

I know these are all normal pregnancy symptoms. I guess I am just using the blog to vent today. These boys are such a blessing and I can’t wait to meet them. However, I am also just as anxious to get control over my body again and start feeling like “normal.” I feel guilty for complaining about this, but I still have anywhere from one week to four weeks left and I just can’t imagine how much worse it is going to get.

On to more positive thoughts… My precious friends came over yesterday to help me get in the holiday spirit! It was such a blessing to have Kim, Carol and Kristen come bake cookies at our house and visit with me! Thanks so much ladies for getting me in the Christmas spirit! It meant the world to me!

Baby update: The babies should be close to 5 pounds or so now. They are getting longer and gaining fat to help them maintain their body temperature once they are born. We did get to see their little lungs moving consistently in our last ultrasound. So, that was great news! They are getting ready to take their first breath! We also got to see a 4D picture of Cooper’s face! The technician surprised us with this and it just made my day! I started crying immediately. We haven’t been able to see Cooper’s face the entire pregnancy because he has always been turned the other direction. So, this was definitely a blessing. She also confirmed that the fluid levels are looking OK for Emory. We are going back in tomorrow though just to check and make sure.

Take a look at our precious Cooper! Doesn’t this just make you smile?

Update!

2010-12-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

I know I normally update on Mondays, but since we just had our doctor appointment, I thought I would fill everyone in on the details...

We went in for our ultrasound first thing this morning and we found out that Emory is so far down that we couldn't measure his head. Cooper is now transverse/breech. So, the plan now is we will have to do a c-section. There is a possibility that he could still flip, but the probability is really low. Everything else measured pretty good for the boys. They are currently 12th and 15th percentile in their growth and for twins at this stage they say that is good. Each of the boys are estimated at about 4.5 pounds at this point.

The doctor did notice that Emory's fluid is a little low. So, he is a little concerned. We go in again on Friday for another ultrasound and then again on Tuesday. They are going to monitor him every couple of days to make sure it doesn't get too low. That is the only concern at this point.

My blood pressure is staying pretty even. So, he thinks the bed rest is continuing to help, but luckily it will only be for another week or so. We are still trying to make it past Christmas. The boys lungs were going pretty active today in the ultrasound, but they still have some maturing to do. So, we want to allow them to cook as long as they can.

So, this week's prayer request would be for Emory and that his fluid levels won't get too low. Thank you for your prayers and for all of those people that have helped us with meals and visits! It means the world to us!!

Nursery is DONE!

2010-12-13T10:34:00.000-08:00

Yep! I said it! Our nursery is officially complete! We have washed all of the clothes for the first couple months and all of our decorations are up! Take a look!

Here you can see our glider and the curtains. Chris really did a good job!

Here is one side of the nursery. You can see Cooper's crib, the bookcase and their dresser/changing table.

This is Emory's side of the room!

A close up of Cooper's crib...

A close up of Emory's crib...

And, finally a close up of the bedding...

Chris really did a great job cleaning up everything finishing the room. What a great husband! I can't wait for my little boys to see their room.

Baby update: We are 34 weeks pregnant now! So, we are getting close! WebMD says that the boys should each be about 19 inches long from head to toe and each weigh about 4-5 pounds. All of their organs are almost fully mature except for the lungs.

Mommy update: I am still on modified bed rest and doing mostly OK. My blood pressure is staying on the cusp of being high and I am starting to swell up even though I am doing nothing but lay around. So, I am continuing to try to take it easy. I go in to the doctor tomorrow morning for probably our last ultrasound. If Cooper hasn't turned around, they are probably going to schedule a c-section for us. We also get to see if the boys are growing the way they are supposed to too. So, cross your fingers we have some big boys in there! I'm hoping that we will have some good pictures from this ultrasound that we can post for you!

One more update - We found an amazing nanny that I can't wait to start! The only problem is that she doesn't start until May when she graduates. If you know of anyone that wants a temporary nanny job between January/February and May, please let me know!

Bathroom is decorated!

2010-12-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited about how the boy's bathroom turned out! I just love all of the monkeys. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!

Here is the outside picture of the bathroom. You can see their adorable rugs!

Here is a picture of the hand towel area....

Here is a picture of the towel bar...

And, last but not least, here is a picture of the long wall across from the mirror in the bathroom.

I just can't wait until our little monkeys get to use their bathroom. I hope they like it!

Baby update this week: We are 33 weeks pregnant now! So, the chance of survival if we deliver is much better! Each baby should be about 19 inches long by now and weigh a little over 4 pounds. They are supposed to gain about half of their birth weight in the next 7 weeks. Unfortunately, I don't think we are going to make it that long... Emory has officially "dropped" now and that could mean that we could deliver in the next couple of weeks. Keep your fingers crossed that we make it to Christmas! I want their little lungs to develop some more...

Mom update...I feel HUGE! And, laying around the house doesn't help either. My muscles are still finding the strength to stretch some more. The problem is that it is putting extra strain on everywhere else. My back is killing me and my stomach muscles feel like they are a rubber band about ready to bust. The awesome thing is that Chris and I have been getting some help with meals from friends, family and our church. This makes it so much easier on Chris. He has to do so much around the house now (to finish up everything and get ready for the babies) that it has really helped him to not have to worry about one more thing. So, thank you so much to everyone that has brought us a meal! It means the world to us!!

We go to the doctor tomorrow afternoon to do another blood pressure check and check and see how the boys are doing. So, hopefully my blood pressure will still be down. I will keep you posted!

Thanks again for your support through this! It has been an interesting ride so far and I know it is only going to get better. There are just a couple more weeks and then we get to meet Emory and Cooper!

Bed rest? You have got to be talking to the wrong person!

2010-11-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

Well, it is official…I had to go on a modified bed rest all throughout Thanksgiving weekend. Do these doctors not know who they are talking to? Bed rest for me??? You might as well shoot me. Sitting still is not in my vocabulary. Plus, I had planned on getting everything done this weekend to be able to slow down in December! Ok…So, there’s one more example of God showing me that my plans are not always His plans. Now, if we could just communicate and get on the same page, that would make me a very happy person. But, we all know that God doesn’t work that way. There is obviously a life lesson here and I’m pretty sure you can all guess what that is…It’s not about me anymore. My plans and my life are no longer my own. I have two precious gifts that are more important. OK God. Message received.

So, the reason for my bed rest? Well, the doctors are concerned that I am developing preeclampsia. I went in on Wednesday to my regular appointment and my blood pressure was about 140/90. Plus, I had trace amounts of protein in my urine. Combine that with the fact that I had seen spots a couple of times and I was swelling so bad that week and there was definitely concern on the doctor’s face. The good news is that she had me lay on my left side for a couple of minutes and my blood pressure went down to 110/70! So, she said that there was no denying that I just needed to lay down and rest. She told me to wrap up everything I could at work and start really taking it slow. I can’t cook, clean or do any shopping. I can sit up at least, but not for long periods of time. So, poor Chris has had to do everything around the house. And, we are trying to get everything wrapped up for the babies so that we are ready if they have to come early. The doctors are having me go in every couple of days now to monitor things and if my pressure gets too high or the protein levels are too high, they will have to go in for a c-section right away. We are hoping that the bed rest will help so that our little boys will have a couple more weeks to get ready for the world. Their lungs are still a little weak at this point. So, we don’t want to have to take them too early.

I will keep you posted on how things progress from here. Please say a prayer for my sanity and mine and the boys’ health. I have read that preeclampsia can cause seizures and problems with the placenta sometimes. So, I’m a little concerned. But, I know we are in God’s hands and if bed rest is all that I have to do to keep my boys safe, I guess that is not so bad. Thank you for your prayers and your support!

Thankful

2010-11-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

This week I’m reflecting on all of the things that I am thankful for… I’m sure you all can guess my #1! I have been especially blessed this year. I have an amazing husband, an extremely supportive family and 2 precious gifts on the way! With all of the bad stuff that happens in the world, I am so thankful that I have been so blessed this year! It has been a long road to get here, but I am thankful that I will soon have my little boys home and my body back!

Baby update: Each boy should measure about 18 inches by now and should weigh in at a little over 3 pounds. And, the exciting thing this week is that their ears have matured enough so that they are no longer just hearing vibrations. They are actually able to hear distinct sounds, like familiar voices and music. It’s making me think twice about what kind of music I play in the car now…

Mom update: I feel officially ginormous and my body is definitely starting to feel the effects of pregnancy. I am tired and I am swelling now without even doing anything. If I don’t keep my feet up, they start swelling within an hour. I don’t even have to be standing up! So, I am trying to take things easy now. I have to plan out my days more and more so that I am limiting how much time I spend on my feet, but my eyes are still on the prize! Only another couple of weeks and I can meet my boys! If we make it full term, we will be another 8 weeks. Most twins come a little early though. So, we are thinking more that they will be here in about 5-6 weeks. It is so hard to believe that it is right around the corner! We go in for another doctor’s appointment this week and then our next ultrasound will be on December 14th. We will need to check and see if the boys have turned by then. So, pray that Cooper flips around. Otherwise, we are guaranteed a C-Section!

I’ve started a poll on how big you think the boys will be and when you think they will come. Let’s see how many of you get it right!