Who needs pants?

I just had to post these pictures. This weekend Junior spent most of his time in the yard in preparation for Claire's 3rd birhtday party next weekend. We are having her party at our house, keeping our fingers crossed for good weather. He mowed, weed eated, fertilized, repaired the fence, and finally planted flowers that he picked out for her. Well, when she saw him out in the yard with the purple flowers, that was it. She had to go help. For those of you who know Claire, you know she changes outfits AT LEAST 3 times a day and usually it invovles a princess dress. Well today it was a cute little shirt that would have looked adorable with jean capris, but instead she chose Tinkerbell panties and flip flop. No pants needed!!! But how cute are they!!!

First visit to Grace Avenue

Sunday we woke up bright and early (not on our own will of course) and decided it was time to take the twins to church. We go to Grace Avenue United Methodist and we absolutely love it! This is where Claire was baptized when she was about 8 months old. We will also have Allison and Brooke baptized here as well, when I am not sure yet!

In the Methodist faith, the first Sunday of every month is communion Sunday. So, of course we were prepared for this. Junior and I had decided we would just take turns going to the front to receive communion. Well, we didn't plan on it being conformation Sunday as well! There were 27 confirmands during our service. Needless to say Junior and I were nervous that the girls would wake up screaming during this special service. The twins proved us wrong and did wonderful through the entire hour and half service!


Daddy and his girls on the back row!!


Getting ready to leave for church


Still snoozing away at the end of the service!

Out to eat

Last night we ventured out to our favorite Mexican food restaurant, Los Charros, with all 3 girls. We had to time it just right (everything is about timing these days). We fed the girls at 6 and left for the restaurant promptly after! We eat at this restaurant at least once a week. They have the best fajitas in the world! We haven't gotten to go there to eat since the girls were born, so it was nice to see the familiar faces of the Los Charros staff again. We usually sit in the same spot, but last night when Junior walked in with 2 carseats and a toddler, they opted to sit us behind "the wall" where all the other people with small children were located! We had a great time and the twins slept through the whole meal! What a blessing. Claire did well too until it was time to leave and then she wanted another "majita"!!! We told her she could have ice cream since all the "majitas" were gone and that cleared up her frown pretty quickly!



I want another majita!!!!

One Month Old

I can't believe it, but the twins are now 1 month old!!! It has been a busy month, but such a fun one!

We had one of many firsts this week as well. Brooke and I spent Wed. night in the ER! I got really worried about her after she wouldn't wake up all day. I even gave her a bath to try and wake her up, no luck! So I finally called the peditrician and she receommended taking her to the ER just to be safe. Turns out she does have some sort of virus, but is doing much better! It was pretty scary at the time and of course Junior is out of town (bilingual convention in Austin). BIG thanks goes out to Mimi and Laura. Laura went with me and Brooke to the ER while Mimi stayed with Claire and Allison! It was weird only having one child in the car as I sped down the tollway!

One other cool thing the girls have started doing is snuggling up together at bed time. We were putting them in wedges to sleep, but they have figured out how to scoot down to the bottom of them so they can touch. I took the wedges out a few days ago so they could just be together, but I put them back in there last night due to Brooke's reflucts. They did no good, they were at the bottom of the bed again this morning all snuggled up! So cute!

We went to the ped. yesterday for out one month check up.
Allison weighed 8.2 and Brooke wieghed 7.10. They are both growing and thriving! Brooke has started taking Zantac for reflucts (we are used to this, Claire had the same thing). They are sleeping well and taking about 4 oz. of mommy milk at each feeding. I have started doing one formula bottle at night as well (to keep my sanity).

Happy one month birthday Allison and Brooke!

Sorry it's been so long, we've been a little BUSY....Announcing Allison Ann and Brooke Elizabeth!

I can't believe it has been a month since my last post, but our lives have been a bit nutty this past month. Our twin baby girls were born January 20, 2009! They are precious, healthy and the best babies on Earth!

Allison Ann was born at 8:03am. She weighed 6 lbs. 7 oz and was 19 inches long.

Brooke Elizabeth was born one minute later at 8:04 am. She weighed 5lbs. 11oz and was 18 3/4 inches long.

The delivery went very smoothly. There was about 15 people in the room. Each girl had 3 to 4 nurses attend to them right after they were born. I remember seeing them right when they were born, and then I was out! My dr. said, "Night, Night Jill,see you later."

After the girls were born, I got pretty sick. I had HELLP (hypertension, elevated liver, low plateletes) syndrome, which usually develops during pregnancy and the only cure is to deliver your baby. Well, I had already done that, so the cure for me was to have a blood platelet transfusion! It was kind of scary for a little bit, but I had pure faith in God and my doctor that I would be ok to take care of my precious family. Basically my BP went way up the night the girls were born (190/100). THe next morning they put me on magnesium to help with my bp and then they ran blood lab work. Your regular blood platelet count is supposed to be between 120 and 400. Mine was 18! My dr and the nurse first thought it was a mistake, so they ran it again and this time it was 16! Soooo, that is when they decided to give me the transfusion! We had to spend an extra day and half in the labor and delivery ward instead of going to the post pardum ward. Junior wasn't real happy about that b/c the bed in the LD room was horrible!!! Finally my liver levels came down and my platelets went up! I had soooo much blood drawn during those few days I am surprised I have any left! (for those of you who know me pretty well know that I don't do good with shots and blood, I am a passer outer!!)

All in all it was a great experience and our girls are here and HEALTHY! Praise the Lord!

A typical night with Claire

Claire is at such a fun age! She has developed such a personality and is so funny! The other night after her bath she wanted to dress up in her princess costume. So, of course we said ok. She comes walking into the living room with her pj's on, the costume over the pj's, a crown on her head, her dress up high heels, and of course her purse (she goes no where without her purse). She takes out a little card from her purse and says, "Mom I have a gift card to Target. Goin shopping, BYE!" We laughed at her so hard.


Really! How cute is she!!!



Here is her Target gift card! Too cute!

more of week 37

Sorry I was so short last time, but I was TIRED! Then of course I slept awful and have been up since 4 this morning (I didn't have my Tylenol PM, refered to later in the post). I did take a nap for bit, so I am a little refreshed now. More about the dr. visit.....

I already posted the girls stats, so there is not much more on that. My sweet mother in law took me to the dr. yesterday so she was there to experience my final sonogram. She also got a good look at my belly!! WHOA!!! The sonogram went well, it was just really hard to make anything out this time because the girls are so big. It was very special to have Brenda there with me anyhow!

My belly measures 43 weeks and I have gained 50 pounds. I gained 50 pounds with Claire (because I ate anything and everything sweet I could get my hands on) so I feel pretty good about that. My dr. thinks it is great as well.

I know this may sounds kind of weird, but I am truly going to miss seeing my dr. and her nurse Valerie every week. I know I always have to wait hours to see them, but then once I get back to the room I am truly treated like a queen. Valerie nevers make me go straight into a room, she always let me wait in the BP room and we talk. I feel like she is one of my friends now. I know all about her and her family, Valerie is a twin by the way! She is even going to come see me when the girls arrive.

Here are some interesting facts about the past nine months:

June: We found out we were pregnant and then on the 19th we found out we were having TWINS! What shock!
Junior also had surgery on his achilles tendon. He was in a cast for a LONG time!

July: I had my 15 year class reunion and felt like I was going to through up all month. I never did though! We also took a quick vacation to Galveston. It was not our favorite vacation (not becasue of the company, but because of the ailments that trailed us). Junior still had his cast on and was completely uncomfortable at the beach. Do you blame him? I also started having heart palpatations. Come to find out, those are very normal while carrying twins. I had to wear a heart monitor for a few days!

August: Junior and I both turned 33 and started another school year. junior started his new job as principal of Christie Elementary, so proud of him! Claire also started school this month! It was a BIG deal for her and she loves it!

September: We found out we were having 2 little GIRLS!!!
I am pretty sure I had a cold/cough/sore throat and had to take antibiotics this month. this is something that happens to me every year! We also went to Henrietta for Pioneer Reunion and to celebrate my dad's 65th birthday.

October: I can't remember anything too spectacular that happened this month. I know I looked like a pumpkin at this time!

November: We traveled to Henrietta for the last time as a family of 3! We spent Thanksgiving there with my family. What a great visit.

December: Another cold/cough/sore throat episode and more antibiotics. I went on bedrest December 5th. Heartburn became my worst nightmare (I have been through 2 bottles of Tums and almost 1 bottle of Pepcid!) My best friend however throughout this month has become Tylenol PM (my dr. said to take it, so I trust her and thank God it works). I have been through 2 1/2 bottles of the PM!!!
We spent Christmas break with Junior's family in Allen. I was hoping to get through the break without any signs of labor. My dr. was in Hawaii for 10 days! I did it!!!

January: WE MADE IT!!! I have been on bedrest and trying to take it easy all month. I am all packed and ready for Allison and Brooke to make their entrance into the world!

Well, that wraps up the past nine months in a nutshell. I feel like I have been pregnant for years and now it is truly coming to an end. I am NOT sad!!!!