Mr. Sandman

11.9.12

So we are closing in on six months.  'They are getting to an age where they should be letting you sleep longer.' That was the quote from our pediatrician a few weeks ago when we took Em to have her ears checked (no problems with her ears).  However, we didn't feel like they, especially Emily, were going as long as they should or with any regularity.  We were coming off one of the worst five day stretches we have had with Emily since we first brought them home.

With hindsight and some sleep we realized she had gone through an extended growth spurt.  The first clue was the 14 pound weight she had at the doctor and her moving up to six month clothes that week.  She still isn't the best sleeper but she will go 6-8 hours each night as long as she is in her rock'n play.  We are having trouble getting her to sleep well in her crib.  For the time being we have decided not to fight her, but rather to let her sleep in the rock'n play.  Our hope is that we can establish a pattern of solid sleep and then we will crib train.  As it is now we feel like we are trying to get her use to her crib and teach her she needs to be sleeping at night.  Her favorite time to nurse is still at night.  We have been working at rocking her back to sleep after she wakes.  That usually gets her to sleep for another hour or so, but there are nights when she is up every 2-3 hours to eat.  Last night was one of those nights.  Hoping for better tonight.

Evan on the other hand eats whenever he can get food during the day although he is beginning to show a preference for a bottle.  He has been consistent about going to bed at 8 and sleeping until at least 4 and sometimes later.  At that point he is up for a short meal and then back to sleep for another 2-3 hours.  He usually eats again and finishes off whatever time is left until 730 or 8 with a 'nap'.  He naps well during the day, which Emily does not.  Every chance I get I hold Emily over her sleeping brother and tell her to learn.  I actually don't do that, but we do have to remind ourselves that we shouldn't compare them and each one is unique. This a good lesson to start learning now because I am sure I will have a life time of reminding myself of that fact.

Here are a few pics Jacqueline took of their Halloween costumes.

If we look cute will you take us out of these sooner?

Cute enough?

Can we take them off yet?

Ok, we look cute and we know it

Two peas in a pod, actually two pods

you look funny, no you look funny

Like I said, he will try and eat anything.

LUNCH time!

Bananas were not a hit

If he knew how to spit it out he would

For GG and Earl

A video of Evan for GG and Earl to see. Everyone will enjoy though.

Pictures

Some pics from our phones...old and new. Sorry if there are repeats

Happy after a nap

Almost always happy

beauty sleep

He got tired of waiting for us and wanted to try it on his own

FEET!

BIG

They have grown so much in five months

We have created a monster...she loves our bed - Parenting fail

Got to teach them young.

darn right

Getting ready for the Sandy snow

Cuteness coming out his ears

Victory Monday outfit...Da Bears

Mama found some Cubs pacifiers in Cincy

Preparing for the actual Halloween pictures...more to come

Mom coordinated their outfits

One of our last pics in Chicago. Family at the beach.

She loves to play in this thing.

new toy

Practicing eating big people food...sorta, this big person wouldn't touch the stuff

Nap time

She loves her big girl chair

Food please

Looking good

One year (part two)

The next day however did not go so well! I woke up around 3am needing to use the restroom. My entire abdomen hurt so bad that I passed out trying to urinate. I decided I needed to go to the ER. My mom and I drove back to Naperville in case my docter needed to see me.

This was also Ryan's first day at work! What craziness.

We were treated at the ER for constipation, which was more painful than trying to use the restroom and I almost passed out again! They sent me home without much hope and said to eat a clear liquid diet and fiber.

I tried eating lunch, thinking the whole time, that if it came up it was going to look like the scene from the exorcist; my mom made pea soup. Half of it went fine and then all of a sudden my whole body was sweating, I was shivering, and it felt like I was being ripped open from the inside out! It did look like the exorcist after all and I was put on clear liquids only plus Powerade. As the week progressed, I felt a little better, even returned to work, but by the next Monday, I was back in the ER. I couldn't keep anything, not even water, in me and my whole body felt like it was being torn open.

I was admitted to the ICU on October 17, 2011 for ovarian hyper-stimulation. My kidneys had begun to fail and my O2 levels were very low, not to mention I couldn't take a full breath, pee, or even think about my body not shivering from pain.

Lots happened that first hour in the ER. A chest xray, CT scan of my lungs, EKG, heart ultrasound, two IVs were started to try to rehydrate me, and arterial blood was drawn. All while I COULD have been pregnant. I just remember telling everyone to take precautions assuming I was pregnant.

It wouldn't be until October 20 that I would be told I was in fact pregnant. After four days in the ICU, my abdomen drained of excess fluid one time, and swelling beyond belief! The swelling made carrying twins seem easy!

I was released on Sunday and went straight to live with Drew and Tracie in Dekalb. I was placed on bed rest for one month and restricted activity until December 15. Needless to say, Ryan became a bachelor living in the city with Maggie.

November 1, 2011, we found out both embryos implanted and February 10, we found out it was a boy and a girl and knew them by name!

Worth 1000 words

10.30.12

When I rolled on to Hope's campus 13 years ago I never imagined a picture like this.

Use all the space you have and use it well.

 

That there Clark is a mini-van

 

Finally home, I'm beat!

They are getting so big and strong

She loves trying to figure all this stuff out

Dad, she tried to run but I held her down until you got here

How long do I have to be in here before you feed me again?

Whoever, is looking at me is the cutest thing I have seen in months

Hi mom.

You can tell when the professional has the camera...great picture by Jacqueline

Dad said its snowing, no idea what that means but I'm burning while we're inside

This snow stuff better be worth it, this hat is messing up my hair.

We don't get what all the fuss is about...but they will-SNOW!!!

So updating took longer than thought.  Tomorrow or Thursday I will get a bunch more pictures up from our phones.  Those are the ones when you can really catch a random moment.

Where has the time gone?

10.30.12

Today was a big guy for our not so little guys.  It was their first snow fall.  A fitting way to bring the close to a crazy month.  I know there is the little thing called Halloween left this month, but I try to ignore the day all together.  So lets wrap this thing up shall we?

This month has seen a move to a new state and a bunch of traveling.  As Jacqueline mentioned in the previous post we are now residing in the state of Ohio and enjoying the nonstop campaign ads.  One of the big adventures of the month was a tour of the Midwest.  The circumstances of the tour we not the best, but we made a family adventure out of it and managed to make it back to Cincy in one piece.  Jacqueline's grandfather passed away on Sept 30th, so we went to Louisville the first week of October to be with family there.  We didn't stay long because a good friend of mine from school lost his father, so the family headed up to Michigan to visit with them and be at the memorial service.  Both were fine men and will be missed.  There is no doubt that Evan and Emily will hear stories about both.  They will hear how they met their great-grandfather and how he loved to feed the squirrels in his back yard, loved the U of L, and most importantly his family.  They will also hear about Chris Warren and how he and his family were a family away from home for their dad while he was in school.  They will hear how Chris loved to run and had a treadmill that wasn't going to fit into the basement, 'but let's try and get it down there anyway.' They will hear how at Chris' memorial service he was remembered well, but the lasting memory of that night will be that HE was greatly praised.

This month was big for Jacqueline and I too.  I know for me it was the first time that it really sank in that it time to start raising them.  Up to this point, and to a large extent going forward, we have been meeting needs-changing diapers, feeding, comforting.  However, I have seen them responding more to us and soon enough guidance and directions will be of the greatest concern.  We have been charged with caring for these two little ones, but we also have a greater responsibility.  This month, for the first time, I have understood that the time is coming, and soon, for us to start to teach and guide.

Okay, back to the other reason you all tuned in...cute pictures... I will break them up into a few posts cause there are a lot to choice from.

This a series of us trying to a family shot...fail, but enjoy.