1 month old

Say it isn’t so… 1 month old?!  This has been the shortest, busiest, exhausting, exciting, and best month of our lives!  Gage and Graham, you have already brought so much joy, love and excitement into our lives.  In your first month in the real world, your personalities are already shining so strong.

 

Gage

In this first month, we have learned how aggressive and serious you are.  You know what you want and you want it right then.  This is very apparent when you are nursing.  You also started grunting all the time.  This worried mommy and daddy but Dr. G said it was ok and it should stop around month 2, we will see.  You sleep like a rock during the day, just like your daddy and you are almost impossible to wake up when it is time to feed.  At night, you are a different story.  You like to hang out with mommy and daddy, instead of sleeping.  You are a very strong boy already, and love tummy time.  When we first brought you home from the hospital, you were not eating as much as your brother and we were thinking Graham was going to weigh more than you.  At your two week appt, you proved us wrong.  You weighed 6 pounds 14 oz!  You gained all your birth weight (6 lbs 8 oz) plus some.  You grew an inch and a half, from 18 1/2 inches to 20 inches!  All your extra skin you were born with is now filling in.  You are getting creases in your thighs, neck and arms.  This makes mommy very happy! At your 1 month appt, you weighed in at 9 lbs 2 oz and 21 1/4 inches long, holy cow bubba!  Dr. G noted on your 1 month report card that you had “awesome weight gain and a grunting boy.”  He also noted that you were alert and active and for that you got an A+!  Woohoo! You and your brother also had to get one shot at this appt, the Hepatitis B.  You are so strong Gage but you screamed so loud that it brought tears to mommy’s eyes.  What will it be like at your 2 month appt when you have to get 4 shots???

Here are some pictures of your first month!

So big

Watching the Masters, your daddy is so proud!

Doing what you do best, staying awake in the middle of the night! (Dr. G, your pediatrician, says we can do whatever we want, in order for us all to get some sleep, the first two months.  So we rock you, swaddle you, give you a paci, let you snuggle with us in bed (just for a few minutes) but all you want to do is just hang out with mom and dad because you don’t want to miss anything at night.

Playing Xbox with daddy.  I am sure this will be happening for at least the next 18 plus years!

All swaddled up and ready for bed

You like to cuddle with mommy in the Moby wrap

Yes this is a pink miracle blanket.  These are the best blankets and we have a blue one and green one but it is hard to keep them clean and washed all the time so our friend Alisa let us borrow two more miracle blankets (from her little girl) so we would not have to buy more.  I know one day you will not be too happy with me for this picture but it gets the job done for now!

Watching the Mavs and wearing mommy’s glasses

1 month old!

Graham

In this first month, we have learned that you are a dramatic baby and lazy at the same time.  Maybe “laid back” is a better word for you.  You get the dramatic part from your mommy.  You have this fake little cough and when I hear it, I laugh because I have that same cough.  You are lazy when you eat, it is all in your time, when you are ready.  Same with tummy time.  You are not a fan of tummy time and usually you just lay your head down and try to go back to sleep instead of trying to make your neck stronger.  You are a good sleeper.  Even if you don’t go right to sleep after you eat, you will just lay there and relax, with your big eyes looking all around you.  You are a very content baby.  You ate a lot in the beginning and we called you “So big” because we thought you were going to pass your brother up in weight.  Since then, you have slowed down in eating.  At your 2 week appt, you gained all your birth weight (6 lbs 7 oz) plus some (6 lbs 12 oz)!    You were the same length as your brother, 20 inches long.  Mommy is so proud! Your hair is getting blonder and eyes are getting bluer.  At your 1 month appt, you weighed in at 8 lbs 10 oz and 21 inches long.  Dr. G noted on your 1 month report card that you are laid back, getting taller and stronger.  You got an A+!  Good work buddy!

first mohawk

silly boy

These frog pj’s are perfect for you since you always have your legs like this, your legs were even bunched up like this in my tummy.

A little preview of what you will look like when you start smiling!

Little monkey

Ahh, Sic’em Bears!

You and your brother have to take turns wearing this pink blanket, I’m sorry

You loved wearing mommy’s glasses!

1 month old!

Gage and Graham, we love both of you so much and we love seeing how different you both are.  We love watching your personalities unfold every day and how much you change every day.  We are loving every minute spent with you, even the late nights when you want to stay up instead of sleep.  I love how you smile in your sleep.  I love cuddling with you any time of the day.  I love rocking you in the glider and singing to you.  You are both so precious and we thank God every day for the miracles he has brought into our lives!

Mom of the Year!

Let me explain this picture…This was right after the 8:30AM feeding, running on about 2 hours of sleep the night before.  I had just fed them and I was letting them get “settled” before I took them to their bed.  Well, I guess I fell asleep.  But, the pillows are not around their faces AND Jared was awake, obviously, to take this picture.  He did put them in their bed right after he took this picture.  Never will I say “I will never let my babies/kids sleep in my bed!”

Best Day of our married life!

March 25, 2011

 

My original due date for the twins was April 13, 2011.  Because full term for twins is around 36-37 weeks, Dr. MacDonald set our C-section date for Friday, March 25, 2011 at 7:30AM.  I was 37 weeks and 2 days. 

 

The night before, Thursday night, my mom, dad, and sister and Jared’s mom and dad came in town.  We all went to eat at Babe’s and then came back to our house and talked about the big day tomorrow.  Later, when we went to bed, all of these thoughts starting running through my head.  This was the last night I was going to bed with our family of two (Jared and I).  Tomorrow it would double!  I also had so many anxious thoughts about the c-section, the recovery, the boys health, what they would look like and so on.  I couldn’t believe that I was going to be a mommy the next morning!  So exciting but then also scary.  What if  I can’t take care of them?  Was I going to be a good mom?  What if I slept through my alarm and missed the c-section?  I know, crazy thoughts. Wow, I eventually had to turn off my brain and try to relax and get some rest.  After all, everyone said “Enjoy the sleep while you can!” Jared and I finally fell asleep around 12:00.  We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 so we wanted to leave by 5:00.  I set my alarm for 4:00 but Jared and I woke up at 3:30 ready to go! 

 

When we got to the hospital, we had to check in and fill out all this paperwork.  Then, they took us to our room.  Before I had to put on my gown, I had the nurse take one more picture of Jared and I. 

 

Wow! I do not remember being this big! 

Then, it was time to get my gown on so they could start my IV and get this show on the road.  About 6:30, our families showed up and got to hang out in our room until it was time for me to go.  I was so nervous, Jared was just excited.  Here are some pictures Linda took of Jared.

 

About 7:15, my doctor, Dr. MacDonald came in the room and said it was time.  So I said bye to our family and Jared.  When they got me in the O.R., I had a nurse named Courtney and she talked me through everything.  She told me exactly everything I was going to feel during the spinal and epidural.  It was not bad at all.  Then, they put me on the table and I kept asking them when Jared was coming in.  They sent an intern to go get Jared and by the time he got in the room it was 7:45.  I asked Jared when they were going to start cutting me open and he said, “They are about to pull the first baby out!”  Awesome, I couldn’t feel a thing!  When they pulled “A” out, I was really hoping Jared was going to name him Gage because my type A personality wanted the boys in alphabetical order, Gage first and then Graham.  As they pulled baby “A” out, I heard Jared say “He looks like a Gage!”  Gage was born at 7:50AM weighing 6 lbs 8 ounces and 18 1/2 inches long.

Graham was born at 7:51AM weighing 6 lbs 7 ounces and measuring 18 1/2 inches long.  I couldn’t believe how close in weight they were!

Pretty soon after they pulled the boys out, Jared told me they were going to have to take Gage to the NICU because he was breathing very fast.  So, Jared went with Gage and the nurses to the NICU, they finished putting me back together and then took Graham and I to our recovery room.  I was so happy to have the bonding time with Graham but I was also so scared for Gage. 

He ended up staying in the NICU for about 6 hours and then they brought him to me and I got to bond (skin to skin) with him immediately.  It was the best feeling to have both of our boys safely in my arms!  After 3 years of waiting for out miracles, they were finally here!

 

I was one happy momma!

Proud grandparents and aunt!

Proud Granna and Honey!

Happy “BIRTH”day Gage and Graham!  Looking forward to many more birthday parties with both of you!  Mommy and Daddy love you sooooo much and we are glad you both are finally here!