Four Peas In A Pod

9 MONTHS OLD AND ALABAMA BOUND!

2009-11-06T11:21:00.000-05:00

Well, today is our last day in sunny Florida. Blake and I are so excited to get the boys home to be closer to family. There are a lot of unknowns at the moment which makes our transition a little stressful, but finally having family around will be such a huge help. We have had such a great time in Florida and made some amazing friends whom we are going to miss dearly. They became our extended family. Not only did they take care of us, but now we have the boys that they have grown to love so I know that our moving is not easy for them either. But these are friends we will have for life. It is amazing to think how much things have changed for Blake and I. Just five years ago we were not even together and look at us now. We have accomplished so much in such a short period of time and now we are moving on to the next phase or our lives. It is all about the boys now and I would not change it for the world. Moving away did wonderful things for Blake and I and our relationship, but moving back is going to do wonderful things for our children. For all of my Florida friends that are reading this, I miss you already and thank you for your love and support. And to my family and friends back home, I am really looking forward to lots of hugs when I see each and every one of you!

Trip Details:
I picked my Mom up from the airport this morning at 1:00 a.m. Today we are getting the truck, packing it up and cleaning the house. Our friends have graciously allowed us to stay at their house tonight so we can get good sleep and we will leave bright and early Saturday and drive to Hope Hull. Mom will ride with me and the boys and Blake and Loli will have the truck with all our junk. Sunday, after some much needed rest we will head to Cherokee. Then, who knows. I feel like a gypsy :)

On another note....The boys are 9 MONTHS!!!! I keep thinking to myself, "I have had them in my life for as long as I carried them in my belly." It's a strange thought. And they are just the cutest things now. So full of personality and love. Their differences are starting to show and I am loving it. Daniel started making a fish face and Dalton has started clicking his tongue or smacking. Daniel takes toys from Dalton all the time and he initiates play more often. As in, he will take off crawling and he will be yelling and then stop and turn around to see if Dalton is following him. Daniel can lay in his crib and be content but Dalton typically cries the minute he wakes up. Dalton is still the ham and Daniel is a bit more serious. They are both pulling up on anything and everything and cruising around. They are working on a 7th tooth at the moment as well.

The doctor said that they are doing great. They are both in the 75th percentile for height, but only in the 5th percentile for weight. So the doctor told us to try to fatten them up. He told me to give them lots of fried foods and to add butter to everything they eat. It sounds disgusting to me and unhealthy but he said that they can have that kind of stuff until they are two. So yesterday they boys got their first taste of Chik-fil-a and they loved it! Daniel weighs 17lbs 1oz and is 29" tall. Dalton weighs 16lbs. 14oz. and is 28.4" tall.

Daniel and Dalton also had to get their finger pricked and they recieved the first dose of both the seasonal flu shot and the H1N1. They will get the second shot in a month. They both did amazing and only cried for a couple of minutes and slept really well the rest of the day. Only one minor hiccup....I caught Daniel trying to eat his bandaids! :)

Well, that is it for now. I am going to close with Daniel and Dalton's 9 month pictures I took at a park here by the house. They are my little muses.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T19:14:00.000-05:00

The boys 1st Halloween was great! We went to a party at our friends house and it was lots of fun. The boys fought sleep and stayed up partying with everyone until about 10:00. They soaked up all of the attention that they could and finally crashed. Blake and I dressed up like Johnny and June Carter Cash. We didn't look much like them, but it was an easy and comfortable costume. This was kind of our last horrah in Florida and we had such a fun time with our friends. We are going to miss everyone soooo much! Here are a few pictures from the night.

And this is Daniel. Since we are packing up the house we have boxes everywhere. I walked into the kitchen and I thought that he was crawling after me. I heard him in the dining room but I thought he was just hitting the boxes. When I went into the room he was standing on top of one box and trying to climb onto the next one. Sneaky little boys!

Cutest Pumpkins in the Patch

2009-10-20T13:57:00.002-04:00

Our cute little pumpkins went to the pumpkin patch last weekend at a local park. I dressed them up in their little outfits and they looked adorable. Blake thought I was completely silly for making them wear pumpkin outfits to a pumpkin patch. But once I got them on them and he saw how cute they were he changed his mind. The boys kept checking eachother out though. I think they were defenitly saying "Why do you look like that?" It was really funny watching them. They got lots of attention at the park. And they loved looking around at everything going on. I couldn't get a single picture of them looking at the camera.

8 MONTHS OLD

2009-10-08T16:10:00.000-04:00

I now have two babies that can pull up and stand. Yesterday I heard the boys get up from their nap but I left them in their room until it was time to eat. Usually they let me know that it is time to get them by crying or whinning. I never heard them start to fuss so I went to check on them and they were both standing in their cribs just as happy as could be. They were really enjoying looking at eachother. Now, they will not stop pulling up on all of the furniture. Today I was sitting on the couch watching tv with the ottoman in front of me. The boys were playing on the floor and all of a sudden I would see a little head pop up from in front of the ottoman and then a little face with a big grin. I can't help but laugh at them. And they are persistant. If you get on the floor then they are pulling up on you too. We also put up baby gates. The boys don't seem to mind too terribly much but I think they miss playing with the trashcan in the kitchen.

I can not believe that they are 8 months already. Time is flying. I have not been sad about them growing up because I think it is fun. But the other day I opened a drawer and found their first pacifiers and as I was throwing them away, I felt a wave of sadness come over me. They were so small. I was reluctant to throw them away. But then I thought better of it. Seriously, what do I need with old pacifiers? We have enough stuff as it is laying around. I am enjoying watching them grow and change and show affection, so that out weighs any sadness I have of them growing so fast. As you know, I take pictures of them every month. Here are just a few of my favoites...

DALTON

DANIEL

DALTON

DANIEL

Look at me!

2009-09-28T14:16:00.001-04:00

Dalton is standing up in his crib. It happened out of nowhere. It's really cute to walk in his room and find him standing up talking. I am so proud of my big boy and I am anxiously awaiting the day his brother will be doing the same thing and they will be talking across the room to one another.

7 Months

2009-09-14T17:07:00.000-04:00

I have not posted in quite a long time. The boys are doing wonderfully and are really a hand full. (I just had to stop typing because one was crawling underneath the computer chair.)Their personalities are changing. I originally thought that Dalton was the more aggressive and talkative child, while Daniel was my sweet baby. Daniel is still sweet as pie, but he is really aggressive and talks all the time now. And he gets really loud. The other day they were playing on the floor and Daniel was talking to Dalton and he was so loud that Dalton started crying. He just has these bursts of excitement and he screams. And usually if Dalton is playing with something he will go over and take it away, or just check it out to see if it is something he wants. I love watching them interact. Daniel has also gotten really attached to me. Sometimes he latches on and tries to climb me. Dalton, is always smiling and generally happy.

They both have 6 teeth now. It really amazed me how fast they came in. And the whole teething process has not been so bad. We had to lower their cribs this weekend since they are so mobile now. They still are not really crawling, but they can army crawl around the house like no bodies business. Daniel is sitting up, but he falls and bumps his head on our wood floors an awful lot, and I feel so bad. But they are boys so I better get use to it. They are still on a great napping schedule and sleeping through the night. They love solids now, even peas. And bath time is so much better now that they enjoy splashing around. They are just the sweetest little things and each day I think about how madly in love with them I am.

Here are some recent pictures. I got a new camera for my birthday which is amazing. I am loving using it. These boys will definitely know what a camera is!

My Growing Babies~ 6 months old

2009-08-10T14:33:00.000-04:00

Dalton

Daniel

My boys are growing up so fast. Everything seems to be happening all at once but I am loving it! They are so strong and healthy and it makes me so thankful. At the beginning of the month we started solid foods. They have had applesauce and carrots so far, both alone and mixed with rice cereal. Dalton will eat anything you put on a spoon. He is actually kind of hard to feed because he leans into the spoon which messes me up when I am aiming for his mouth. This really is funny to watch. Daniel, on the other hand can be difficult at times. He will close his lips together real tight and just look at you with a grin. And then I have to pry his lips open with the spoon. I think he thinks it's funny. And then other times he can't get enough!

We went on vacation to see our families in Alabama. It was such a wonderful vacation and the boys meet alot of their extended families. They traveled well and enjoyed all of the attention that they got. While we were there they both attempted to start crawling. Dalton started off by doing military style push ups, and then he would tuck his legs under. Sometimes he falls on his face, and other times he scoots forwards, or backwards. He hasn't quite figured out that he has to move his arms. I know he will get it in no time though. Daniel is pushing up and tucking his legs but he doesn't extend his arms all the way. It's funny to see them trying to figure it all out and the different ways that they go about it. Daniel also LOVES to jump in the jumparoo. He is an animal in that thing!

Last Friday I noticed that Dalton's first tooth came in. It is the bottom, front, left tooth. They have been teething for sure, but it has not been horrible. I was surprised that none of Daniels teeth had come in as well. I guess I was looking in the wrong place because at the Pediatrician's office this morning, much to my surprise I saw that his top, front, right tooth had come in! I am assuming this happened over the weekend. They are going to be so cute with toothy little grins! :)

Both boys seem to have a bit of stranger anxiety, or separation anxiety. Daniel will cry sometimes if I hand him off to someone else. Dalton will cry mostly if I walk out of a room. This is so exhausting and makes me feel bad because I would love to be able to hold them when they are like this, but I can not physically hold them at the same time for long periods. And of course they don't like it if I sit down. And Dalton has the most piercing scream! Sometimes he screams just to hear himself, sometimes he does it when he is happy and sometimes he does it because he is mad. Blake told him, "IF you don't stop that screaming someone is going to put a dress on you!" One thing that can make him happy without fail is Loli, our dog. He is so fascinated by her. And if he is crying I can take him to her and he will stop instantly.

Daniel is so funny and blowing bubbles all the time. He started off by blowing raspberries on his arm. Then out of nowhere he started to blow bubbles, well usually it's just blowing spit everywhere. The things they do amaze me! He is also so thoughtful. He can sit and just stare out the window and be completely content. It's fun to imagine what their personalities mean and how they will develop over the years.

Today was their 6 month well baby visit and it went great. They had to get more shots but it didn't phase them at all. They are completely healthy. Daniel weighs 15 lb. 15 oz and is 26.25" long. Dalton weighs 15 lb. 9 oz and is 26.5" long. They are in the lower percentile for weight but the Dr. says he assumes it is because they are so active, tall and slim. They have gained at a normal rate and are eating well.

We are all very happy and can not believe how fast these first 6 months have flown by. The best 6 months of our life!!!!!

~PICTURES FROM OUR VISIT HOME~

Grandmother Rutland meets the boys

With their cousins and Bubbles and Poppy

Our beautiful Family!

Bush Family

My nephews, Alex & Landon were so excited to each have their own baby

Grandmother & Granddaddy with the newest of their 20 great grandchildren

Daniel & Dalton meeting Nanny for the first time

Who Do They Look Like?

2009-07-10T08:49:00.000-04:00

So, Blake and I have been asked by just about everyone, "Who do they look like?" They, being the twins of course. We always say that we don't know. They look like little bald babies so it is hard to say. And then everyone likes to say that they both look just like their Daddy. How can I have two babies that I carried for 9 months and neither of them look like me? :( That just isn't fair now is it?!

Last night I got out the photo album with some of our baby pictures in it to see if we could get a better idea of who they look like and to desperatly find some similarites between me and the kids. We both came to the conclusion that Daniel, is all Blake! 100% his Daddy. Which is kind of funny because he use to remind me of my brother a bit. I guess I was wrong. And then there is Dalton. I think he is a good mixture of both of us, but I can definitly see that we have some of the same facial features. I think it's the eyes. So HA! Take a look and tell me what you think!!!!

Daniel, almost 5 months old

Blake, I don't know how old he was here

Dalton, 5 months old

Reagan, 1 year old

5 Months Old

2009-07-06T13:50:00.000-04:00

My boys are 5 months old. This is definitly the most fun we have had with them so far! So many changes and exciting things have happened in such a short time. They are both still doing wonderful. They are completely sleeping through the night, rolling all around during the day too. We are able to get them out a little bit more. And a babysitter found us.....she lives on our street and really wants to keep the boys. So I am letting her watch them for a few hours on Mondays which is going to be a huge help for me. It will also give Blake and I more time together on the weekends which I am really looking forward to. Here are their 5 month pictures!

4th of July Fun!

2009-07-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

The 4th of July was a big day for our boys. We ended up at 3 different get togethers which was alot more activity than the boys were use to. They really impressed me and were complete angels all day. Of course there were plenty of arms around to hold them so we got to have some fun too!

Daniel & Dalton also got to experience the pool for the first time. We got them in their suits, got them all lathered up with sunscreen, blew up their floats and got in the pool. Within 10 minutes they both FELL ASLEEP! I couldn't believe it! I thought it was going to be this grand time playing or screaming. It was completely uneventful. Oh well, I am just glad that they actually like the water. And if it relaxes them enough to put them to sleep then that is fine too! There will be lots more fun and exciting times in the pool!

Tough Men

2009-07-02T13:06:00.000-04:00

Blake took the boys to a birthday party last Sunday for our friends little boy Seth. All of the kids got Sponge Bob tatoos and Daniel & Dalton couldn't be left out from all of the fun. I had to work that day and when Blake picked me up from work he opened the side door on the van where Dalton was sitting. The first thing I see is this tatoo that is about the same size as his arm. It was too funny! Hopefully this is their first and their last tatoo! I had to make this post because the picture is just too cute!

4 Months Old!

2009-06-05T14:25:00.000-04:00

Daniel~4 months old

Dalton~4 months old

The boys went for their 4 month check up today. We started seeing a new Doctor who we love. The boys are completely healthy and growing and changing right before our eyes. Daniel weighed 14lb. 14oz. and he is 25.5" tall. Dalton is a little smaller, weighing 13lb. 8oz. and he is 25.25" tall. They also had to get shots today but just like last time, as soon as we picked them up they stopped crying and were good to go. I guess I have some tough little guys.

At 4 month well-baby visit

The last few months have been so fun for us. I am amazed everyday at how fast babies change. I never knew it could be so exciting! My Dr. said today that the 4 month age is his favorite age and that we should really stop and enjoy them now. And I plan on doing just that!

Dalton rolled over yesterday for the first time. Now he is a Roley poly! And since he is so mobile now he has found his feet and is trying to suck on those. I actually thought that Daniel would be the first to roll over because he seems to be stronger, but he is pretty content with laying on his back. Sometimes he gets frustrated and just lays there and grunts. It's kinda funny :) There are definite differences in their personalities already. We think that Dalton is going to be a little spit-fire, keeping us on our toes. And I think Daniel is going to be very thoughtful and laid back. Right now I have to say that he is the better baby. He is sleeping and eating well and generally has a great disposition (with moments of pure illness throw in there sometimes!) And then there is Dalton. He will drink his bottle and when he gets to the last ounce, he just wants to play and throw his head around and knock the bottle out of my hand. And at night he wakes up and cries until one of us gets up to put his pacifier back in. And usually he does all of this with a mischievous little grin on his face! And in turn you can't help but smile back. Those little dimpled faces just melt my heart. They love to talk and to be talked to. Dalton also started sucking his bottom lip this week which is really freakin cute. They are drooling everywhere and the Dr. said that Daniel will probably be cutting teeth soon. We were also able to put them in their Bumbo seats this week. I am really excited about that because Blake and I can eat dinner now! So, as you see they are doing lots of cool things and keeping Mommy and Daddy very entertained!

Dalton sucking on his lip

During the day we are at home. I have found that it is really hard for me to get out of the house with two babies so we just hang out here at the house. I have to pack the diaper bag, get them in the car seats (usually one is crying by now), put the dog up, get my stuff in the car, take one baby at a time to the car, lock the door to the house, and then get myself in the car. It's exhausting! Besides that, I have them on a really good schedule during the day and I have found that if that schedule gets messed up then I will have some really fussy babies on my hands. We do have fun during the day playing and I even get a pretty decent amount of time to myself when they take naps.

All in all, life is good! I would not change a thing. Blake and I have a lot of stress in our lives at the moment, but these boys put everything into perspective. They have changed our world and we are so incredibly lucky. And it just keeps getting better!!!!!

Little Easter Bunnies!

2009-04-12T21:16:00.000-04:00

Today was Easter and I was feeling a little down. Both mine and Blake's family have big Easter get togethers with all of the kids hunting Easter eggs. Being home for this hasn't really bothered me in the past. But this year since I have my own kids it was a little different. I wish more than anything that the boys could be home with their cousins (even though they can't really participate in all the fun). Lucky for us we do have some wonderful friends who are as close to family as you can get and we had the opportunity to spend Easter with them. I am very thankful that God has blessed us by putting these special people in our lives, and more importantly in our boys lives.

The highlight of my day was definitly this morning when I took pictures of Daniel and Dalton with the Easter baskets Bubbles gave them and their bunny ears. They are really going to hate me one day!!! But I can't help myself....HE HE! :)

8 WEEKS OLD!

2009-04-02T10:34:00.000-04:00

MY LITTLE MEN

DALTON

DANIEL

The boys were 8 weeks old on Monday. The time is just flying by. They amaze me every day. They are growing so big and strong. They smile all the time now. One of their favorite things to do is lay on your chest while you are sitting down and hold their heads up and look around. Blake and I have the best time watching them bobble around!

They are on formula now and have been for a few weeks. They adapted to it well. They obviously have no problem eating! I started working with them this week on sleeping through the night. Right now it is a little rough. I am trying to teach them to self soothe. Daniel seems to be catching on really quick but Dalton is a whole other story. He likes to trick Mommy and Daddy into thinking he is good and asleep and then he starts screaming the moment you put him down. He is a little spit fire! I have to remember that they are different babies with different personalities. And hey, if I have one baby that sleeps through the night, then taking care of the other one will be a walk in the park! I also have a love, hate relationship with pacifiers! They spit them out constantly! It's the most frustrating thing in the world! Both of them are trying to suck their thumbs and I wish they would just figure it out already. Daniel gave himself a hickey the other day sucking on his arm so hard. I have little leeches!

Today we went to the pediatrician for their 2 month visit. They did so good! They got 3 shots and both of them only cried for a few seconds. They are both super healthy and the doctor said that everything is good. Daniel weighs 10lbs 12oz and is 23.5" long. Dalton weighs 10lbs. 8oz. and is 23.75" long.

Blake and I are doing really well. He told me last night as we were feeding them that, "It's pretty cool having kids!" Glad he thinks so! I am realizing that I don't require as much sleep as I thought I did. And I LOVE being a Mom!!! There is no other way I would rather spend my days than hanging out with my boys.

AT THE PEDIATRICIAN

Bubbles and Poppy Came to Visit

2009-04-02T10:23:00.000-04:00

My sweet inlaws come to visit for a week in March. It was Trisha and Warren's first time meeting the new additions to the family. They already have 3 grandchildren; Lea, Jackson, and Noah. They were so excited to see the boys and gave them lots and lots of love while they were here. The week just flew by. We sure are missing them now and can not wait until we can get home to see them again this summer.

SANIBEL ISLAND

LEA

JACKSON

NOAH

Slideshow from our photo session

2009-03-07T10:53:00.000-05:00

I am sure you all remember me talking about the newborn photo session that we did the week after the boys were born. Well, last night I finally got the slideshow that the photographer puts together for all of her clients. It is just so precious and brings me to tears watching it. The boys have changed so much in 4 short weeks. I am glad that we have these amazing pictures to remember just how tiny they were. (Although I think that they are going to hate me for them when they get older!) I will have pictures to embarrass them with in front of future girlfriends! ;) Anyway, the photographer did a fantastic job, so check it out! Enjoy!

link: http://lifexpressions.net/shows
username: Rutland
password: rr021009

p.s. make sure your speakers are turned on!!!

Our boys are a month old!

2009-03-05T12:34:00.001-05:00

Daniel
Dalton

On Monday the boys were 4 weeks old. My how time flies. I have made the comment on several occasions that if feels like Groundhogs Day....everyday is the same. I am a bit worn out, but I am loving being a Mommy! I know it sounds cheesy, but the other day I was thinking that I could not believe that God gave us two little angels to take care of. It's the best feeling in the world!

My days are spent feeding them and changing them, and every now and then doing laundry or playing on the computer. The first few weeks were easy because they slept ALL the time. Now things seem to be changing. They are becoming much more fussy and hard to calm down. I am sure it is just their age, and a phase that they go through. It takes me about an hour to get them both fed. I feed one, put him down (thinking he is sleeping and content) pick up the other one and start feeding and then the first one starts screaming it's head off. Then I just have to sit and listen to it. I have never had so many headaches in my life! They are eating every 3 hours. At night we give them a bottle and put them in their cribs. They usually wake up 3 hours later. I am getting some sleep, although interrupted. I don't mind waking up to feed them if they will go right back to sleep, and usually they do. The mornings are the best time. I feed them around 6 and go back to bed afterwards and they usually sleep until 10. So I soak up as much sleep as I can. Then we wake up and watch Ellen. It's a great way to start the day :)

Last week my sister-in-law Paige came to visit. She was such a HUGE help. She cooked and cleaned, and helped with the boys. She also kept me sain by getting me out of the house and keeping me company. We even went for a 5 mile walk one day with the boys. That is the only exercise I have had since the surgery and it felt great! We took the boys to the mall that I work at to meet my coworkers as well and to dinner at a friends house. It was wonderful to have the extra set of hands! The boys are so lucky to have an aunt like Paige! We love you!

We weighed the boys last weekend and if our scale is right, they are both over 8 lbs. now. They really are growing so fast. It's amazing. They open their eyes so much wider now and you can tell that they are really focusing. They are just wonderful! Needless to say, we are so in love!!!!

Daniel

2009-03-05T12:27:00.000-05:00

I don't have as many pictures of Daniel as I do of Dalton because I always feed Daniel first and then put him down so that I can feed Dalton. Once I have a free hand to use the camera, my little man is already off to dream land. I guess that is one of the hard parts about having twins, you feel like you don't get to spend an equal amount of time with them both.
These pictures are precious though. The first image Aunt Paige captured and I just love it! And Daddy was playing around in the second picture. He looks pretty cool huh?!

Dalton

2009-03-05T12:17:00.000-05:00

This little love bug makes the funniest faces! I am constantly laughing at him. And that smile, even though he doesn't quite know what he is doing, just melts my heart!

First Well Baby Visit

2009-02-17T15:10:00.000-05:00

Going to the Pediatrician

Yesterday was the boys first trip to the pediatrician. It was also our first time taking them out of the house. I had to pack the diaper bag for the first time. I also had to have my day planned out to a T so that the boys would be well fed and happy when we got their. I also had to make sure that I had enough time to get ready myself which meant sporadically getting things done in between feedings. It's a good thing I am organized!
The pediatrician was great and the boys are just perfect. They are completely healthy and have gained weight since we brought them home. Which of course is a concern when you are breast feeding and not knowing if your baby is getting enough to eat.
Daniel weighs 6lbs 11oz and is 19 1/2" long.
Dalton is back up to his birth weight at 6lbs 8oz and 20" long.
I think the nurse measured one of them wrong because Daniel is definitely longer than Dalton. I also have a theory that Dalton weighs less because he poops ALL the time. He actually was the bigger of the two at birth. Now he seems kind of small next to his brother.
Blake and I are very thankful that they are doing so well. Most nights they are sleeping for 5 hours straight and giving us some peace. They are extremely well tempered babies.
Our next Pediatrician visit is in April.

Happy BIRTHday Daniel and Dalton!

2009-02-11T17:24:00.001-05:00

Well, I am finally finding the time to write. Our little miracles were a week old on Monday. Things are going wonderful. I will start off with the day that they were born and try my best to remember all the stuff in between. I have a sleep deprived brain!!
Monday February 2ND we went to the hospital at 6:15 in the morning. They got me all set up for surgery in the triage and then I went to the surgical room for my spinal which took effect super fast and next thing I know Blake is holding my hand and Daniel is born. It was 7:19 a.m and at 7:20 Dalton arrived. It was such a strange experience not being able to see or feel anything and then hearing this beautiful cry and seeing my babies face over a curtain. Tears just streamed down my face. I know there will never be a feeling like that again! Blake was allowed to leave with the boys and I was taken to recovery.
Daniel weighed 6lbs 7 oz and was 19" long. Dalton was 6lbs 8 oz and 18" long. Can you believe I had that much baby in me!? By the time we left their weight was down to 6lbs. a piece. They have gained weight since.
When the boys got to the nursery Dalton's blood sugar was low so they fed them formula. Aside from that everything was fine, most importantly their ability to breath on their own. When I finally made it to our room the boys did not come for a few hours. I think I finally got to hold them around noon that day. And they were just so perfect!
The whole hospital stay is a big blur. But I will say that I loved every minute of having someone looking after me. I think alot of people forget that a c-section is major surgery, and then having two babies to look after as well is a lot to take in. The nurses were great. Especially my second day. We had one nurse that showed me and the boys alot of attention and helped us tremendously with the whole breast feeding thing. Which for the moment is still working out great!
We left the hospital on Thursday about 12:30. It was kind of bitter sweet being discharged, I won't lie! I think it was a trying day for the boys and they slept most of the time after we got home. Since then, things have been up and down. They slept well in the beginning and then we went through a few nights were they fought sleep. I think their days and nights were confused. And Blake and I had them in moses baskets in the bed with us and the dog. NO ONE was comfortable! Now they are sleeping well in the living room in bassinets. I am trying my best to keep them on a schedule. The days pass so fast and before I know it it is time to feed again. I had one or two rough days and I have to keep reminding myself that this is a very short stage that we have to get through. I have recovered from surgery well. Today I am feeling very refreshed.
Aside from all of that they are the most precious things I have ever seen. I still can not believe that Blake and I created them and that they are ours. It is just amazing! We can absolutely tell them apart, they don't look much alike to me. But at the same time, they just look like babies. We don't really think they look like either of us at this point. I do know that they did not get my ears (Thank God!).
This weekend my Mom leaves and I will be alone for about a week and a half with the boys by myself. Paige, Blake's sister will be coming for a visit after that. My Mother has been a huge help and it has been a blessing to have her here looking after all of us. We will be sad to see her go.
Yesterday we had a newborn session with an amazing photographer and as soon as we get the link for the proofs I will make a post with the info. I have seen two pictures already and they are AMAZING! So sweet! The photo shoot was interesting. The photographer was here for about 4 hours and her patience is amazing! She worked with them mostly while they were sleeping, but towards the end they were having none of it! They also really enjoyed pooping and peeing on everything since they were naked for the majority of the pictures. But they will be SOOOO worth it.
Here are some pictures of delivery day. One of my best friends, Jessi drove down from Jacksonville to be here when the boys were born and I am so thankful that she was able to document such a special time in our lives. She captured some very precious moments! Thank you Aunt Jessi!

Joining the "Mommy Club" bright and early in the morning!

2009-02-01T17:39:00.000-05:00

Well, the day is finally here! It seems like it has taken forever and it also seems like it has flown by. I am so happy that the last nine months have been easy and that the boys have remained healthy. It has made this process so much easier and enjoyable. I am not nervous, just anxious. I have never had surgery before and I don't deal well with blood and stuff. But I know that tomorrow everything will be just fine and go smoothly. We have to be at the hospital at 6:15 and they will perform the c-section around 7:30. I am the first patient of the day and I am glad that we have to be there so early to get it all over with. The quicker I can hold my babies the better! Blake will be in the operating room with me. My Mom and one of my best friends, Jessi will be in the waiting room patiently awaiting their arrival as well. I will be discharged some time on Thursday. I hope to have pictures and updates as soon as possible. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I know that nothing bigger than this will ever happen in my life. It gives me so much peace knowing that my boys are loved so much by so many!
XXXOOO

36 weeks pregnant with 10 more days to go!!!!

2009-01-23T16:32:00.001-05:00

Today I went back to the doctor. My last few appointments have been pretty uneventful. Which now that I think about it is a positive thing. Daniel is so low that the Dr. is surprised he hasn't just fallen out. And Dalton is constantly kicking me in the ribs. So I literally have babies everywhere! She was not able to get good measurements today but both boys are 6 lbs. or more at this point. They are both in position and the Dr. said that I could have them vaginally but since we already scheduled the c-section we are going to stick to that date. I have mixed emotions about this. The thought of never experiencing labor makes me a little sad. I feel like it is a part of being a woman that I am going to miss out on. On the other hand, I am a planner and I feel like I have some control over what is going on and I know the boys won't be under any stress. I just want to do what is best for them.
Since I have been off work I have done a few craft projects and now I am a little bored. It is nice to have the time to be bored but I am not use to sitting around and doing nothing. I am getting really uncomfortable but I think that having more time to sit and dwell on it makes it worse. Today my braxton hicks are pretty frequent as well.
I am counting down the days at this point. My last Dr.'s appointment is next Wednesday. My mother will be flying down that Saturday the 31st. Sunday I have my pre-op at the hospital and then we will head to labor and delivery bright and early on Monday the 2nd.

33 Week Appointment

2009-01-07T15:14:00.000-05:00

Today Blake and I went to the Dr. I am not sure if you would consider this our 33 week appointment or 34 since we will be 34 weeks tomorrow. My doctor does an ultrasound at every appointment. And boy did she have her work cut out for her today! The boys are laying somewhat transversely or sideways. Dalton is completely sitting on Daniel. We could barely see Daniel today during the u/s because Dalton was in front of him. It was pretty funny watching the Dr. try to tell whose body part was whose. I guess that quarters are getting pretty cramped in there. Dalton's weight measured 4lb. 13oz. We could not get accurate measurements of Daniel because his head is so low. But with the measurements that she got he weighed 5lb. We assume it is a little less than that though. All in all they are still healthy as can be. The Dr. is very glad that they are measuring so similar. And I think a bit surprised that they have not made their way into the world yet.
We also scheduled a c-section today. February 2nd at 7:15 a.m. I wanted February
3rd because 3 is my favorite number but it must be a popular day because the hospital was already all booked up. But I think having 2 babies on the 2nd day of the 2nd month is pretty fitting :) So we will be counting down the days until the
2nd....unless I go into labor first!

The Nursery

2009-01-07T14:43:00.000-05:00

Our Life The Past 8 Months!

2009-01-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

Hello All!

I thought that I would give blogging a try. I think it will be a nice way to keep everyone up to date and informed once the boys make their arrival!

I think I will start off by giving you a run down of our past year. I am sure all of you know our story, but it is fun to retell it. So here goes!

Blake and I decided that we would start trying to get pregnant in 2008. After many pep talks from me, Blake finally gave in. When I asked him if he was ready his response was, "It's just like marriage Reagan. You just do it!" That was good enough for me. But we had one last thing we needed to do.....VACATION! So we booked a trip to Cancun, Mexico and we were on our way.

Blake and I in Cancun

The trip was wonderful. Blake and I had not spent that much quality time together since our honeymoon and it really felt like a fresh start. We left Cancun feeling rejuvenated. Little did we know we were also leaving Cancun with a bun in the oven ;)

On Father's Day morning Blake took our dog, Loli out and I jumped out of bed to take a pregnancy test. It was positive instantly! By the time he made it back in the house I was standing there with the test and said, "Happy Father's Day!" It could not have been more perfect! We both cried and called our families to tell them the good news.

The day we found out we were pregnant

Now, I have to tell you that on multiple occasions when we would talk about children Blake would mention the fact that he thought that we would have twins. There was no rhyme or reason for this. He just said that you have to start somewhere. I told him he was crazy and that twins did not run in our family. I had an appointment with my Dr. set up for 8 weeks and the day before the appointment Blake said, "So what if we have twins?" And of course I responded with the usual, "It isn't possible." To which Blake said, "Well if I am right and we do have twins then I guess you will believe anything I say from now on. You can just call me Nostradamus!" I just laughed, told him he was crazy and went on about my business.

The next day I went to my appointment alone. Thinking it would be no big deal and that Blake might be a bit uncomfortable. Boy do I regret that choice! My Doctor started the appointment with an ultrasound. I was watching the monitor, and even though I have never had an ultrasound before, the first thing I saw was two little blobs on the screen. I knew right away! And the Dr. said, "Well, this is baby 1 and this is baby 2!" TWINS! I was speechless. I felt like I was floating above my body. I was surprisingly calm and all I could think is, "Get me out of here! I need to call my husband!"
First Ultra Sound

I called Blake as soon as I got in my car. He asked me how it went and I said, "Well, I guess that we will call you Nostradamus!" Once again we both cried and called our families and friends to share the good news with them. Everyone that I told that we were having twins thought that I was lying. I mean, EVERYONE! I don't blame them. I mean, how does this happen on the first try? I couldn't even believe how blessed we were. Not only did it not take us long to conceive but we got 2 on the first go round! Maybe Blake has magical powers ;)

The babies are fraternal and we knew that right away. In September we found out that they are boys. I was a little surprised by this. But I was so excited for Blake to have two little buddies. And now that I have had time to wrap my head around the idea of boys, I don't think that it could be any more perfect.

The boys sleeping head to head

We had one boy named picked out from the beginning. Daniel, which represents my father and my brother. As for a second name, we were both at a lose. I gave Blake the name book and told him to start looking. He chose a few names that he liked and the only one that we agreed on was Dalton. We waited about a month to tell anyone because I wanted to be sure that it was a name we loved. The middle names were the easy part. Baby A, which will always be born first is Daniel Blake. And Baby B is Dalton Warren. Warren is Blake's first name as well as his fathers name.

Dalton's precious little face-Dec 08'

This pregnancy has been just about the easiest thing I have ever done. I was never sick, I have slept fine, I could write forever about all the symptoms I didn't have. What a blessing! I was able to work until now and never had any complications aside from the on going braxton hicks. At this point I am 33 weeks and things are beginning to get a little uncomfortable. But I hate to complain when things could be much worse. I have two extremely healthy boys growing inside of me. Sometimes it is still hard to believe, but I know of nothing else so it seems normal to me.

Thanksgiving 08'

I am going to the Doctor every week now and we are just waiting. Blake asks me every day when they are coming. He said that now it feels like waiting on Christmas. His excitement is contagious. And he has been so wonderful to me. I am at a point now where I can not stand up for too long and my belly really prohibits me from doing alot, so he has started doing more around the house to help me out. Pregnancy has definitely brought us closer. I can only imagine what parenthood will do to us. I can not wait to see him as a father!

Blake working on the nursery
We have some finishing touches to put on the nursery and as soon as it is done I will post some pictures. We took birthing classes, and I am reading as much as I can right now to prepare myself. I do not know at this point if I will have a c-section or not. My Dr. tells me something different every week. My due date is February 19th but my Doctor has made it pretty clear that I won't go that long. (Thank the Lord!) If I go into labor then she will not stop it and we will have the boys. Otherwise she told me that I could pick a date at the end of January or beginning of February. This is all so weird to me and I am not a patient person! One day at a time is all that I can do. I am a little bit nervous about taking care of two babies at once. Neither Blake or I have had much experience with newborns. When I asked him if he was nervous he put it perfectly, "No, I am not nervous. Taking care of them is going to be the easy part, it will come naturally. The hard part will be being patient with one another and keeping our calm." I definitely agree with him on that one.

In closing, 2009 has so many wonderful things in store for us and I can not wait to share them with all of you. I hope that this year brings you lots of love and happiness as well! Happy New Year!

Watch Me grow!