Norris Updates

Please pray for the Maxey family...

2008-12-18T16:40:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday, Jackson!!

2008-12-16T22:53:00.012-05:00

It's hard to believe that our big boy is already turning 4! Jackson is growing by leaps and bounds. He played rookie baseball this past Fall, loves to go to preschool, has started spelling names and words, and is a great big brother to William and Maggie. He is a funny and sweet boy, prays nightly for family and friends, and tells me daily that I'm "the best"...who wouldn't like that?!?! Below is a short walk down memory lane. As I started looking through pictures I initially came up with 45 of my favorite...it was hard, but I've narrowed the list down :)

Megan's Handiwork

2008-12-12T14:59:00.003-05:00

This is too funny!! I wish I could dance like that :)

ELF Yourself Video - click here

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-09T11:23:00.003-05:00

It's way past time for an update...sorry to those that have been faithfully checking the blog. Life is busy and has a way of getting away from us at the Norris house. :)

We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Dothan visiting family...Jackson was actually there a week before the rest of us soaking up some grandparent time. He had so much fun, as always, and we were really glad to hug our sweet boy on Tuesday when we got to Dothan! On a sad note, my grandmother unexpectedly passed away Wednesday. She was 86 and had lived a long life - I think she was just ready to be with my granddaddy in heaven. The twins had a great time playing with their cousins and exploring Mimi's house. In fact, one night the twins were too quiet. Mimi and I looked all over for them. Eventually they were found in Mimi's bathroom playing in the toilet. They were having a great time! Laughing and soaking wet - they had even gotten water all over the walls. it was pretty funny (in a gross kind of way). We had to change their clothes and when I set William on the floor he took off back towards the toilet!
The twins are full of personality and lots of fun. The say mama, dada, hi, bye and William just started saying uh-oh. Maggie doesn't talk as much, but follows instructions better. It's interesting to see their differences and to know that though one may do something before the other, they're both "normal." We haven't seen any "twin-talk" yet. They are happy babies and LOVE mealtime better than any other part of the day. They've gotten into a bad habit of yelling/squealing when they want something so I've started doing some simple sign language with them. It seems to be helping!
While we were in Dothan Brandon and his brother Trey decided to camp out at Circuit City Thursday night to be the first in line for Black Friday sales...never mind that we weren't trying to get any big ticket items :) They were number 1 & 2 in line and had a great time hanging out together. They did get some good deals which made the long, cold night worthwhile!

Monday was grandmother's funeral in Montgomery. It was a really nice service. My dad made the comment that our family was getting smaller, but Brian and I were quick to point out that we'd added five new family members in 3 years time :) I have many fond memories of grandmother that I hold close to my heart. She was loved by us all and loved us back...I think that signifies a pretty good life!

About a month ago Brandon was given a promotion at McKesson. I am very proud of him and the work that he does. He has a great reputation as a go-to guy and really puts his all into the job that he does. Congratulations, Brandon!!
This past weekend we put the Christmas tree up and wreaths on the windows. Everything looks so pretty! Jackson hung the stocking in his playroom since we can't have them on the mantle for fear that the babies will pull them and their holders down. Jackson has had a great time with Christmas this year. We have "Frazzle," our Elf on a Shelf out and he's watching Jackson to make sure that he's a good boy...what a great behavior modification tool :) Jackson loves to come down in the morning to see where Frazzle is sitting (he changes places every night after he gets home from reporting the kids behavior to Santa at the North Pole). Brandon is taking tomorrow off and we're going to Jackson school Christmas program. We plan to also get a couple projects done. We've finished all our Christmas shopping and now the presents just need to be wrapped. I hope that we'll have our Christmas card picture taken this weekend so I can get them in the mail. Lastly, Jackson is turning 4 on 12/16!! I'm making a Pirate Ship cake for his party (gulp!). :)

Hope you all are well. Pictures coming soon :) If you join Facebook you can see pictures of our family - it's not just for high school/college students!! :)

2008-10-31T08:38:00.002-04:00

My first update in two months is a sad one...Uncle Bill (49) passed away early this morning after a short (3 mo.) battle with colon cancer. We rejoice that he is out of pain and has a new body in heaven, but are overwhelmingly sad that he is no longer here with us. Please pray for his wife Bonnie and their kids Will (14) and Lauren (8). Please visit his CaringBridge page (link is to the right of this post) if you'd like to leave condolences or a message of love/encouragement for Bonnie and the kids. Thanks for praying the family through this hard time.

2008-08-20T08:31:00.006-04:00

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!!!!

It's hard to believe that it's already been a year since Maggie and William were born! I'll reflect more on our first year later, but wanted to give a special shout out to my ONE year olds! Daddy got up and made blueberry birthday muffins for us this morning, which we decorated with a candle. They didn't quite know what to think about the candle/singing and truly were only interested in eating the muffins :)

Kissing Babies

2008-08-14T15:31:00.001-04:00

Date Night :)

2008-08-14T14:24:00.003-04:00

Brandon and I had a very fun date last night! For our anniversary (back in March) we bought tickets to the Jack Johnson concert at Lakewood Amphitheatre. What a great concert! We got tickets on the lawn so we could sit, lay down or dance as we wished. The weather was perfect and the music was awesome! What a treat to get out of the house with just my sweet husband!

Wall Art

2008-08-12T23:20:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure it would be considered "art" but William finally has his name above his crib. I've been going back and forth about what I wanted to do. Maggie and Jackson both have wooden letters in their rooms (well, Mags aren't on her wall yet...it's only been 6 months since I bought them!!), but I couldn't find any letters for William's room that I liked. I compromised and decided to paint his name on canvas. It didn't turn out exactly how I planned, but I think it's pretty good for my first time painting!

Go Mets!

2008-08-12T23:05:00.002-04:00

Jackson's first baseball practice was last night. He was so excited! Brandon and I practiced some questionable parenting and let him go even though he'd had a fever earlier in the day. He used his own bat and didn't get too close to the other boys, so I think we're pretty safe as far as spreading any germs goes. They practiced hitting in four different stations...the batting cage was my favorite to watch. One of the coaches pitched to each boy 10-15 times and gave them pointers on stance, how to hold the bat, swing, etc. It was nice to hear the coach compliment Jackson on his swing/contact with ball. We have practice again on Saturday...the boys will spend 45 minutes on the field and 45 minutes in the cage. I'm interested to see how he is on the field, since we've really practiced more on hitting that catching the ball. The fun has begun!

2008-08-09T16:37:00.002-04:00

If you need to find the Norris family from now through October, you'll need to check the baseball/softball fields! We'll be at one or the other 3-4 nights a week for the next several months (oh my!). Between Jackson's baseball practice/games and Brandon's softball games we're gonna be BUSY :)

Jackson's team is the Mets and his first practice is Monday night so we drove by the ballpark last night to show him the fields. He got so excited and kept asking where baseball team was.

Brandon and Jackson will have the same jersey number...22.

Peanut Allergy

2008-08-09T16:23:00.002-04:00

If you remember last week I wrote that William had some sort of allergic reaction that necessitated him being tested for common allergies. We thought that the test may come back to show an allergy to egg. Imagine my surprise to find out that he isn't allergic to eggs, but has a peanut allergy. The allergy is mild and we'll test him again at ages 2 & 3 and hopefully we'll find that he's outgrown the allergy.

After doing some research last night, I'm overwhelmed by all the products that do/could contain peanuts/peanut products...it's almost everything! If anyone has been through this with a child, I'd love some advice and guidance on how to change our lifestyle to accommodate this allergy. How do you keep your kids safe? Do you have an epi pen? I need a recipe for cupcakes...or to know what bakery to order from that doesn't use any peanut products. I know that ice cream is off-limits now, but what about frozen yogurt? Is Chick-Fil-A now a thing of the past (they cook in peanut oil)? Are there any "must have" books that I should get? I've found about 6 websites last night, but are there some that have better info than others? I'm completely overwhelmed and need practical guidance.

Anyone that wants to join us in praying that William will outgrow this allergy is much appreciated.

Thanks

Please continue to Pray!

2008-08-09T16:18:00.004-04:00

Uncle Bill had surgery yesterday to remove the tumor and a significant portion of his colon. He has been diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma (colon cancer) and through the PET scan found out that it has spread to the liver and lymph nodes around his collar bone, chest and colon. He will be in the hospital for the next several days and will undergo aggressive chemo. Please pray for healing, comfort and peace for Bill, Bonnie, Will (14) and Lauren (9). Please also visit Bill's CaringBridge page and leave an encouraging message. Thanks for supporting and praying for my family!

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2008-08-09T16:15:00.002-04:00

YUMMY!!

2008-08-04T09:58:00.005-04:00

The month of July flew by in a flash! We were so busy with traveling and sick kids...it's hard to believe it's already August!

Beach Trip
We started July out with an 11-day trip to the beach...it was awesome!! Jackson is at an age where everything is exciting to him, which is very fun. When we got to "Mimi's beach," Tonya, Cassidy, Coleman and Mimi were there to help entertain/corral the kids while we unloaded the van (which was slam-full, including the cartop carrier!). With their help we were able to take all the kids down to the beach the next day (4th of July). Jackson loved the sand and waves. Maggie thought the sand was a tasty snack and William wasn't too sure about it at all.

My family was in town for the 4th of July. Mom, Kim and Megan stayed at a new hotel right around the corner from us and Brian, Jen, Morgan and Matthew stayed with our cousins Trey, Steph and Lily. It was fun to hang out with everyone at the beach and the kids had a great time in the pool together. The kids slept great and were really good the whole trip. There were only a couple days that we didn't have any family with us. On those days we'd get up in the morning, load the kids in strollers and take a walk through Carillon Beach. When the babies went down for a morning nap, Brandon and Jackson would head to the pool while I stayed in the condo. During their afternoon naps, I would get to lay out by the pool. So even with 3 young kids, we had a very relaxing and fun beach trip.

Jackson especially loved the pool and is now quite the little swimmer. It took him a couple days to get over his fear, but by the end of the trip he was swimming to the deep end by himself (with swimmies and an adult close by). It was fun to see him emerge from his shell. Maggie and William loved swimming in the pool, too, though Mag thought she'd like to drink the pool as well as play in it. We had to be extra vigilant with her because she put her face in the water every chance she got.

Mimi and Doff spent the last 4 days with us which was really nice because it gave Brandon and me some hands-on help with the kids. We were able to meet Julie and Lane at Bud & Alley's in Seaside one night. It was fun to have some adult time and hang out with friends.

The weather was beautiful, except for the last Saturday we were there, which worked out well...we spent most of that day at the outlets shopping. :)

All in all it was a fantastic trip!!
****************************** iHealth Family Picnic
Brian and Dad both work at iHealth Technologies and we were excited to be included in their 1st annual family picnic at Stone Mountain. It was a fun (hot) day! We rode up to the top of the mountain which the big kids loved. I'm sure Jackson and Morgan felt like they were on top of the world. I could have done without riding through the air in a little box, with only a small wire holding us up, but that's just me! The company rented a hilltop pavilion and served dinner, played game (think: school field day), raffled stuff off and had an inflatable for the kids. When it got dark we went to the Laser Light Show. I hadn't been since I was a kid. It was very crowded but we were able to find a spot to spread blankets and watch. Jackson hated the fireworks (too loud), but enjoyed the rest of the laser show. Maggie and William both seemed to enjoy the show also. All 3 were asleep before we pulled out of the part. Ahh...silence! :)

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Sick Kids
The twins both had a nasty stomach bug, which resulted in the need to replace the carpet in the family room (aw, shucks!). The carpet has needed to go for a long time, but we were trying to get through the kids messy years before replacing it. We're planning to put in hardwoods, though, so whatever messes they make in the future can just be wiped up.

Then came the colds...all three had runny noses, but we noticed that William was being pretty fussy and pulling his ears. I made a 2:30 appointment for him at the doctor and arranged for Jenny to come watch the other two kids. I fed them lunch around 11:30...scrambled eggs (which they've had before). After William was finished I noticed his chin was red. He was so fussy that I was snuggling him in the chair while counting the minutes until I could leave for the doc. Around 1pm, I noticed that his face, head, arms, back and chest were completely red and it was spreading to his legs. Obviously an allergic reaction. Jenny rushed over and gave him benadryl while I got our things in the car. There were two times that I thought he was wheezing and it looked like his tongue was swelling. It was a very scary drive to the doctor. Thank goodness I had mom, Jen and Brandon on the phone so I wasn't so "alone." The color/rash didn't present like a typical allergic reaction to food, so we're having William tested for an egg allergy, but the reaction could have also been caused by the pain he was in due to the double ear infection. Thankfully, the antibiotics have done their thing and William is back to normal!
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Lake Martin
We took the kids to Lake Martin last weekend and stayed at an amazing lake house with Mom and Kim. As an added treat, Nana came up on Saturday and hung out with us for the afternoon. Jackson learned to fish with Kim and Brandon, which was great fun! By the end of Saturday he was even touching the bait (worms). They caught several brim and a bass (?) and threw them back into the lake. I love being out on the water and it was lots of fun taking the boat out for little trips around the lake. Jackson loved the hot tub which he called the "big bath". It was a relaxing and fun weekend.

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Camp Mimi
On the way home from the lake, Mimi called to ask if she could pick Jackson up on the way home from North Carolina and keep him until Friday. Heck, yea!! That's a no-brainer! So, I met Mimi and Doff at IKEA on Monday afternoon and he went to their house for the week. He had a great trip, talked the grandparents into treats that we don't normally let him have (lucky charms and sprite) and got lots of undivided attention. Mimi and Doff raved about what a good kid he is, which I love to hear. He is a great kid and a joy to Brandon and me.
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Almost 1 year old!
Maggie and William are going to turn ONE on August 20!!! Hallelujah!! They are so funny and into everything. We have so many gates up that our house looks like Fort Knox. William has been taking several steps on his own since we were at the beach. Maggie climbed all the way up the stairs at the beach condo, on her own...and anytime at home that we forget to lock the gate she starts climbing our stairs as well. They are both very physical babies. William is relaxed and chill (as Brandon says) and just like his daddy. Maggie is happy, wild, and determined to do what she wants to do...just like her mommy. It's funny to see their similarities and differences.

William (somehow) climbed into this basket but couldn't get back out!
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Rookie Baseball
We got an email this weekend about Jackson playing Rookie Baseball! We should hear from Jackson's coach this week and practices will start very soon. Before the season starts there will be a weekday and weekend practice each week. During the season, there will be one weekday practice and games on a weekday and the weekend. Should be busy and fun, especially since Brandon is also playing on his company team. We're all very excited! If you're in town, please join us for a game.
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School
Jackson starts preschool on September 3rd. He will go 4 days a week and is so excited! We passed his school yesterday and he asked when he was going back, then woke up this morning saying he wanted to go to school. I'm glad that he loves school so much and is looking forward to going back.

Prayers Needed

2008-08-04T09:36:00.002-04:00

Uncle Bill, my mom's younger brother, was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma (colon cancer) last week. He has a tumor in his large intestines that makes it nearly impossible for him to eat and as a result he's lost a lot of weight and is in a great deal of pain. He has had a CT scan and biopsy and there is some inflammation in his lymph nodes as well as a suspicious spot on his liver. He is scheduled to have a PET scan on Wednesday so the doctors can get a clearer picture of his cancer and to know whether it has spread. In the meantime, he'll meet with a surgeon today to discuss removing the tumor. I ask that you please join us in praying for Uncle Bill...that the surgery would be soon so he can have some relief from pain and get some nutrition. Please also pray that the cancer hasn't spread and can be removed with surgery. If further treatment is needed, please pray for the doctors wisdom in suggesting courses of treatment, strength for Uncle Bill, Bonnie, Will and Lauren, and most of all healing.

2008-07-01T22:10:00.003-04:00

William apparently decided he'd had enough time in his crib this morning and if mommy wasn't going to get him out, then he'd do it himself! That's right, sweet William, the laid-back twin, threw himself out of his crib after his morning nap. I was doing dishes and heard a loud crash, thud, scream and immediately knew what had happened. I ran up the stairs as fast as I could to get to him (Jackson was running up right behind me!). William was on the floor crying. After looking him over I figured he was okay, but he still needed some major comforting. Jackson, the sweetest big brother in the world, went to his room and picked out his favorite book for me to read to William.

I called Brandon to let him know what happened...and to remind him that we would be lowering the crib mattresses tonight. I asked which baby he thought had climbed out and knew he'd say Maggie since she's pretty strong-willed (and it just seemed like something she'd do). He was pretty surprised to hear it was William :) No worries, the mattresses have been lowered and bumpers removed.

Tonight as I was putting Maggie to bed Jackson gave her a hug and kiss and said "bemember, i always wuv you." Is that not the sweetest?!?!

As promised...

2008-06-26T21:46:00.003-04:00

Here's a snapshot of what we've been up to the last 4-6 weeks...
*Jackson's last day of school was May 14th. He had a great year with Ms. Kim and Ms. Ali and loved all his friends at school. Because I was a room mom, I was invited to come to the class party on the last day of school. The kids had a great time being silly and I've got the pictures to prove it!

*We headed to Dallas on May 16th. What a fun trip! The kids were awesome in the car...thank goodness! We split the drive up into 2 days on the way there and 3 days on the way back. The twins had their first stay in a hotel on the way out. It wasn't the most restful night since they seemed to play "musical beds" all night. We arrived in Plano late afternoon on Saturday. Brandon and I had so much fun looking at all the buildings and pointing out what has changed since we moved, but also recognizing what has stayed the same. It was a bit bitter sweet to go back, only because we know that we would love to live there again if our immediate families were there as well. But, since we have young kids and we want them to have close relationships with grandparents, aunt, uncles and cousins we've got to stay in the SE for now! We spent Saturday through Wednesday at Uncle Woody and Aunt Gail's house. It was a lot of fun. Jackson had a great time getting to know Woody, Gail and Wil. The twins definitely ate up the attention, too. Gail was our secret weapon to get the twins to bed at night...since they were in an unfamiliar place we couldn't just lay them down and walk out of the room like we do at home. We went to Woody's new restaurant, Willy's, on Saturday night and them back with friends on Sunday night. We had so much fun catching up with old friends on Sunday night...total of 6 couples and 12 children (we had the most)! On Monday we went to the Wiggly Play Center with our friends the Polanco's. It was so much fun for the kids to run around and it even had an area for kids 18 months and younger. After that we headed to the Polanco's house so the kids could play even more. Being typical boys, Jackson and Benjamin ended up in the backyard, playing in a kiddie pool with only their shirts and underwear on.
On Wednesday we drove to Wichita Falls to visit Julie and Lane. They have a Jackson also which was a little confusing for the boys. Julie and I have always referred to them as Jackson #1 and Jackson #2 (theirs is #2 as he was born almost a year to the day after our Jackson). The boys had so much fun playing with each other and got along really well. We're going to see them at the beach in a couple weeks and the Jackson's are already talking about playing together! Julie and Lane welcomed Ava Claire in March...the twins were pretty interested in her and her bouncy chair. They pretty much made themselves comfortable and roamed all around the Odom's house. After stopping in Shreveport Thursday night we headed to Meg's new apartment in Hattiesburg, MS. She's got a great place and is settling in really well. We went to dinner Friday night, then just hung out and talked after the kids went to bed. Jackson woke up vomiting the next morning so we were a little late getting back on the road. We stopped through Auburn on Saturday to pick up George from Mom's house then got home at 9pm. We were all ready to be home, but the funniest thing was to see how excited Jackson was. He literally danced around the living room, laughing and carrying on until almost midnight. I guess he had a lot of energy stored up from being in the car for 3 days.

The trip with so much fun for us and the kids that we've decided to take a road trip every year. Next year I'd love to head towards the east coast.

*Brandon and I went to the Alicia Keys concert at the end of May with our friends, Colleen and Rob. It was a very fun date night and thanks to McKesson we had VIP passes/tickets...very nice!

*The first week of June, Jackson went to "Camp Mimi" for a week. Meg happened to be in town so she took him to Peppy and Kim's on Sunday and then to Montgomery to meet Mimi on Monday. He had so much fun!! We talked to him every day and loved hearing the joy and delight in his voice at being surrounded by family and getting everyone's undivided attention. He cried when I met them on Friday to pick him up...he wanted to go back home with Mimi!
*June 9-13 we had Vacation Bible School at church. I was one of the crafts leaders which means I have 125 kids come through my room each day in groups of 25-30. I was very apprehensive, but it turned out to be a fun week. There were 500+ kids at VBS and I know they were exposed to God/Christ in an effective way and had fun while they were at it! Jackson was in the 3 y.o. class with 4 other boys. He was so excited to go every morning and had a blast while he was there! The twins were the only babies in the crawlers room so they had a teacher, Liz, to themselves. They did great and I was very impressed with how she managed both of them...she even fed them lunch! After VBS each day we participated in Lunch Bunch...meals that were homemade and pre-packaged for volunteers and their children. We would pick up our meal each day and find a place in the sanctuary to have a picnic. For some reason this was one of Jackson's favorite parts of the day. All in all, I'm glad that I volunteered and plan to do it again next year.
*During the week of VBS, Jackson also had swim lessons in the afternoon. Miss Brittany came to our pool and taught Jackson how to blow bubbles and eventually got him to put his face in the water. He's no swimmer yet, but he is more comfortable in the water. I expect that by the time our beach trip is over, he'll be a little fish. :) Brittany is going to come back and work with him next Monday and Tuesday for a refresher course before we go out of town.
*Brandon took Jackson camping for the first time at Lake Lanier the Friday of Fathers Day weekend. They went with our friend Adam and his son Cole. Jackson had so much fun and was very good for Brandon. It looks like a Father's Day camping trip may be one of our family traditions from now on. Jackson did great sleeping in the tent...I took him to the store to get a new sleeping bag/backpack which he loves! The dads cooked breakfast the next morning then took to boys to the water to throw rocks in.

*William and Maggie turned 10 months on the 20th. I'm amazed at how fast this first year is flying by. They are crawling, cruising and getting into everything! They both babble pretty much non-stop and eat like little pigs. Their schedule is awesome! They are up between 7:45-8:15 in the morning. Take two 1.5-3 hour naps a day and are back in bed by 7:30 every night. It's great! They are very happy babies and pretty easy (knock on wood!). I'm really enjoying being home with the kids. It's been a process to get to this point, but I can finally say that I am very happy to be home and know that I am blessed to be able to do it. I know that eventually I'll go back to work, but there are no plans for that in the foreseeable future. Notice Maggie ever so gently "helping" William out of the seat :)

*I'm meeting Margaret and Tonya at a Beth Moore conference tomorrow and will stay down in Buckhead with them. I'm looking forward to the conference and to spending time with adults! It should be great. Brandon will be home with the kids until sometime Saturday afternoon and I know that it will be a change of pace for him, but he will do a great job! I'm sure he'd love your thoughts/prayers, though. :)

*Jen and I took Jackson and Morgan to Kangaroo Bob's for a Mommy/Big Kid date last weekend while the Dad's stayed with the babies. It was lots of fun and the kids wore themselves out jumping, running and climbing all around. I hope you are all well and as always will try to update the blog again soon!

How Do You Do It??

2008-06-26T14:43:00.002-04:00

This is one of my favorite blogs to read. It's written my other moms of twins/multiples and does a good job putting our daily lives, challenges, etc. in writing. If you have a minute or a few hours check it out. It gives those without multiples a good insight into our lives...

http://howdoyoudoit.wordpress.com/

Enjoy!!

A lot to catch up on...

2008-06-26T14:41:00.002-04:00

Don't give up on me yet!! I've finally gotten motivated to update the blog with the latest happenings in our families life. I will post an update with pictures this afternoon.

The Seal has been Broken!

2008-06-26T14:24:00.003-04:00

Jackson's FINALLY a toilet pooper! He's been peeing in the potty for several months, exclusively wearing big boy underwear, but had some kind of mental block about pooping in the potty. We decided to just wait it out and let him decide when he was ready to finish this last part of potty training. When he needed to go he used to say, "Mommy, I need a pull-up," and we'd take his underwear off, put a pull-up and shorts (???) back on him and he'd run to his playroom to take care of business. Last week I started bribing him with matchbox cars if he would poop in the bathroom instead of his playroom (he'd stand in the doorway so he was "technically" in the bathroom). This past Monday he asked for a pull-up and we ended up with a bit of a mess (he'd eaten lots of fruit for breakfast :)) so I told him that I was finished with pull-ups and that from now on he'd need to poop on the potty. Yes, I know this is way TMI!!! So on Tuesday morning he asked for a pull-up. I reminded him that we weren't using pull-ups anymore and that he'd need to go sit on the toilet. He said "ok, I sit on the potty and then I get my train table!" (We've had the train table in the garage for 6 months waiting for him to poop on the potty). After about 5 minutes, and a bit of reluctance/fear, he did it!! I was so happy I almost started crying :) After we got home from the gym Tuesday night, Brandon and Jackson put his new train table together. On Wednesday he asked for a pull-up twice and when I said no, he'd just say that's ok, I don't have to go anymore. Then this morning he asked for a pull-up again and I said no, but I'll give you another car if you poop on the potty. Apparently, bribes work because he went to the bathroom and within 10 seconds had pooped. This afternoon, he said "Mommy, I need to go poop on the potty!" Mission Accomplished...whew!! :) I am now very proud to say that we are officially 100% potty trained. Can you hear the angels singing?? :)

My Reason to Relay...

2008-05-13T17:25:00.007-04:00

Jackson with the luminaria in Honor of Doff and in Memory of Granddaddy Scooter. What a profound impact these two men have made in the life of Brandon and in turn our kids. Much love to you both.

This past weekend was the 15th anniversary of the Gwinnett County Relay For Life. It is a huge event and this year has already raised well over $2M dollars. It was fun to go back to the event as a participant rather than a staff member...you certainly see the event from a different angle. The staff and volunteers did an outstanding job, once again, pulling off the largest Relay For Life in the world!

Brandon stayed all night and helped Randy (my old manager) in the accounting room. Randy loves for Brandon to help because it means that the spreadsheets will match to the penny. Brandon got home about 9:30 on Saturday morning and had a couple well-deserved naps! Peppy came up on Friday to visit and we celebrated her birthday and Mother's Day on Saturday with her. She took Jackson the Chick-fil-A on a lunch date which he loved.

Happy Mother's Day to Peppy, Mimi, Nene, Nana and Grandmother (as well as the Aunts). We love you all!

Dual Crawlers!

2008-05-08T09:26:00.002-04:00

Maggie started moving her hands and hopping her knees forward yesterday. Something must have clicked while she slept last night, because this morning she is officially crawling! So now I'm running after 2 crawling infants. We ordered a baby gate last week that would go across the 12 foot opening between our kitchen and family room. Two of these gates can be configured to make a "baby corral" so the order was placed for a second gate last night! We're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll have both gates before we leave for Dallas next week. :)

Rookie Baseball!

2008-05-06T21:50:00.003-04:00

Jackson is finally old enough to play baseball!! He'll be in the "Rookie" league this year which is the step before t-ball (I had no idea there was a step before t-ball!). The season runs from early August through October. We play baseball almost every day in our front yard, which is one of Jackson's favorite things to do. Jackson bats and throws left-handed, though he writes right-handed. Just wanted to share our fun news...we're all so excited!

Da-da-da-da-da

2008-05-06T21:43:00.002-04:00

The babies have been babbling for a couple weeks now, though William is in the lead so far using consonants and stringing the sounds together. It kinda irks me (j/k) that Brandon and I heard him say da-da-da-da-da yesterday afternoon instead of ma-ma-ma-ma-ma. After all, I say the "mmm" sound to them pretty often in the hopes of hearing a distinct "ma-ma." My efforts seem to have failed since William said "da-da" first. At least with two babies I can hold out the hope that Maggie will say "ma-ma" first!

Twins are notorious for having their own language and being a bit delayed in the speech department. I wonder when the "twin speak" starts...or if it's already started?!?!

Time Flies...

2008-05-05T11:16:00.006-04:00

when you're having fun...and when you have a 3 year old and 8.5 month old twins! I look at our blog often and wish that I had updated it when the twins reached certain milestones or we have done something exciting as a family, but I never seem to find the time. Today is the day, though! Jackson is at preschool and the twins are down for a nap. Bills are paid, house is picked up/fairly clean and I've just gotten home from the gym. Seems like a perfect time to let you all back into our lives! We are all doing really well. This is the last full week of Jackson's school year before the summer break. Previously, I had been dreading the summer and having to entertain 3 kids 24/7. I think I am finally relaxing in my role as a stay at home mom (it will have been a year on May 31). I joined the gym about 5 weeks ago which has made a significant difference in how I feel being at home. It gives me a chance to have some "me" time, get in shape, take a shower(!) and just clear my head. The kids stay in the childcare center while I'm working out and they all seem pretty happy there. Jackson goes to a kids exercise class on Monday afternoons and really enjoys it. Brandon and I are working with a personal trainer 2 days a week...he's a former NFL player and definitely pushes us past what we think are our limits! William and Maggie are pure joy. They have the sweetest smiles and expressions. We are very blessed that they are such good babies. They sleep from about 7:30p-7:00a every night and take 2 good naps during the day. William crawls about 90 MPH and is pulling up to stand and even walking a few steps. Maggie has been pretty content to just sit and look pretty, but in the past several weeks has begun the rocking on hands and knees which will soon turn into a crawl. Jackson loves the babies and they light up when he walks into the room. He loves to go into their rooms (we moved them into separate rooms about 4 weeks ago. Better sleep for everyone!) in the morning to be the first to say 'Hi'.

Coordinating outfits made by our friend, Julie. So cute!
We have lots of fun planned for this summer. Jackson gets out of school next Wednesday and we leave on Friday to go to Dallas for about a week to visit our old stomping grounds, plus see friends and family that we haven't seen in a very long time! We'll also spend a couple days in Wichita Falls with friends. We are pretty excited! On the way home we are planning to stop in Hattiesburg, MS to visit Megan (she was accepted into their Psychology PhD program and moves there this week). In June, I will be one of the crafts leaders at church for VBS, which means Jackson will get to attend the 3 y.o. VBS class (twins will be in the nursery). Then in July we head to the beach for a little over a week...we can't wait to go since we didn't get to go last year while I was on bedrest with the twins. Jackson will be going to a sports camp in July, also. Each day they focus on a different sport: football, baseball, basketball and soccer. He is really excited as are Brandon and I. He is such a great little athlete and we can't wait to have him play team sports. In June I'm also going to see Beth Moore in ATL and will spend the night away...it will be Brandon's first time with the kids to himself overnight. I'm sure he'd appreciate many, many prayers :)

Brandon's job is going very well. He was instrumental in leading his business unit to success in sales in '07-'08 (fiscal year just ended). I am very proud of Brandon and love to see the congratulatory emails/calls that come from his upper management. McKesson had a family day last Friday. Jen and I took all the kids to Brandon's office for the day. Jackson and Morgan had a blast in the blow-up jumping thing, getting their faces painted (Jackson got Superman, Morgan got Hello Kitty) and playing carnival games. Maggie, William and Matthew hung out in their strollers and napped off and on! Twin mannerisms...notice the position of each ones right foot. :)

Jen and I took all the kids to the zoo last week. It was a perfect day...beautiful weather and kids that listened and minded us pretty well.
Sorry for the picture and detail overload. I know I've left a ton off stuff off that happened in the last month. As I say almost every post, I'll try to post again soon :)

7 months and 9 years!

2008-03-25T14:31:00.009-04:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks. We had Cassidy and Coleman visit during their Spring Break last Saturday through Thursday. Jackson and the babies adore them and we all had a really great visit. We went to the GA Aquarium on Wednesday (thanks Mimi and Doff!) which was fun for us all. Jackson has been 3 times and still is in awe of the big, big fish! The babies even had fun looking at everything...better yet, people had fun looking at them. We still get lots of attention when we're out and about which is a little strange to me. Twins are not THAT uncommon! :) We were sad to see CaCa and Coleman go home but look forward to seeing everyone again when we're down in Dothan (and Auburn) during Jackson's Spring Break.

The babies turned 7 months last Thursday. Our life is crazy, busy, hectic and wonderful all at the same time! One day I'm really enjoying being home with the kids, the next day I'm ready to dust off my resume and go back to work! I'm getting a little anxious about having all 3 kids 24/7 this summer so we've planned a couple trips and I'm going to be leading part of our church VBS...anything to stay busy :)

Brandon and I celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary this Thursday. We were able to enjoy a date night last week while Mimi and the big kids watched our 3. It was a much needed break and was so nice to be able to relax and just talk...no one needed their nose (or butt!) wiped, no bottles, no crying, etc. :) Brandon, I love being married to you. You are a wonderful husband and father, provider and best friend. I'm proud of you and love you so very much!

Now onto the good stuff...new pictures!

Jax loved to do anything CaCa and Coleman did. In this pic, he's trying to lie on his belly like CaCa to watch TV. William and Maggie ate frozen waffles for the first time last week. I cut a frozen one in half for them to use as a teether. It was a big hit! Playing on the floor after a long day of Easter Eggs hunting and playing outside. William decided to take a nap on the floor. What a sweet boy he is. He has the most soulful eyes and such a sweet smile. In the picture below of Maggie - she seemed a little upset that her "built-in" play mate had dared to fall asleep!

Our first sibling bath! While William snoozed the afternoon away, Jackson and Maggie got their first bath together. Jackson was super excited and has a renewed love of the bathtub!

While Jackson was upstairs taking a nap, William jumped on the opportunity to play with big brother's new racetrack.
Ross started his new round of chemo yesterday...had a doctor appointment at 8am, chemo was administered and then he was back at his office for an 11:30 client. Most of you know that Ross is an accountant and this is obviously the busiest time of his year. Please keep him in your prayers. He will have chemo every 3 weeks and is scheduled for a minimum of 4 rounds right now. The doctors call the chemo preventative, but expect his cancer to come back more quickly that before. Please pray for Ross and Margaret as they continue on what seems to be a never ending journey with cancer.

Our life in pictures

2008-03-13T11:05:00.013-04:00

WARNING: Picture overload!

Twins sharing (or fighting over!) a toy :)

Jackson is a bit camera shy these days, but I managed to get a smile out of him.
Maggie loves the exersaucer and Brandon and I love the curl on top of her head!
William sitting on his own. Maggie mastered this a few weeks ago, but William is finally onboard!

We've had lots of sickness in our house lately. When anyone is sick I usually remove the couch pillows and make a bed for them downstairs in the family room. This day the pillows were stacked next to the hutch in the dining room. If you look closely, you'll see that Jackson thought this would be a good place for a nap. What a weird-o!

Close-up of Jackson under hutch. Yes, he did need some help getting out of there after he finally woke up!
Mommy and her girl...what a difference in coloring!

Jackson inherited this train set from a neighbor and has had lot of fun playing with it. The babies especially like to watch the train go round and round.

Aunt Meg and William

Morgan, Matthew and Jen at hospital. Morgan loves to give Matthew hugs and kisses!

Peppy and Matthew

Granddaddy and Maggie

That's it! Hope you all enjoyed the new pictures. The kids are all doing great and are a source of joy for Brandon and me. Maggie and William's personalities are beginning to show...they are both good babies and very happy, which makes mothering twins a lot easier! Jackson continues to be a great big brother. The twins absolutely light up when he walks into the room...I love it!

Matthew Brian Lemmings is here!!!

2008-03-08T11:14:00.001-05:00

Upside of Down: Introducing Matthew Brian Lemmings#links

SIX Months!!!

2008-02-20T21:00:00.004-05:00

6 month pictures taken on Monday

Maggie sitting on her own!

William & Joshua Presley (Hannah's boys) and Jackson at the park in Auburn

For some reason, Jackson calls this "tummy, tummy time". WR on left, MG on right

Bottle time! WR on left, MG on right. Thank goodness for the podee's!

William seems to think that Maggie is a mountain that he has to climb. Whenever they're on the floor together, he makes his way over to her and starts to climb on her belly. As you can see in the pic, Maggie is good at defending herself :)

William and Mommy (and Jackson!)

Jumping is Hard Work!

2008-01-17T16:45:00.000-05:00

Maggie had fun in the jumparoo this afternoon...that is until she fell asleep :) Sweet baby girl!!

2008-01-17T15:03:00.000-05:00

Jackson did great getting his staples out last Friday. I anticipated that it would be a bit traumatic for him...boy was I wrong! It took just a few minutes to get the staples out and Jackson was a champ! He didn't fuss or even flinch. I was so proud and relieved!

The twins started going to Marianne's (Jackson's old babysitter) one morning a week last Friday. It's a big job to take care of twins and a 3 year old and I was in desperate need of some downtime. Thankfully, Brandon is very supportive of me and agreed that I needed some help one day a week. I'm very glad to be able to take them to Marianne's since I know her and trust that she will love on them the 4 hours they are at her house. My first Friday of "freedom" was spent getting a manicure/pedicure :), but in the future I plan to use the time to run errands or do other things that it's hard to do with the kids. Tomorrow morning while they are at Marianne's I'll be packing for a trip down to Dothan.

Jackson treated us to another trip to the ER last weekend...that's two weekends in a row! He woke up early Sunday morning with a very high fever that didn't respond to motrin and complaining that his neck hurt. Our pediatrician was concerned about meningitis and sent us to get Jackson checked out. We were very thankful to farm William out to Adam & Jenny and Maggie out to Dad & Janine. It was an answer to prayer to find out the Jackson just had a bad URI and after 3 days of fever he's feeling much better (and WILL be going to school tomorrow!). Unfortunately, I came down with his cold and have been sick the last couple days...I've never felt so bad from a cold my whole life. I'm still not 100%. Brandon has been awesome...home from work the last 2 days taking care of us and keeping the house running. William started having a fever last night...please pray with us that the twins and Brandon do not get sick.

As I mentioned earlier, we're excited to beheading to Dothan this weekend to visit family. I ask for you prayers concerning Ross. He and Margaret were out in Houston this week at MD Anderson for his quarterly check-up. Two suspicious spots were found in his neck and will be biopsied tomorrow morning at 9am...surgery has been preliminarily scheduled for next Wednesday. Please pray that the spots are benign and that the doctors get all the info they need from the biopsies. Please also pray for Ross and Margaret's spirits and for safe travels as they are driving home on Friday and possibly back out to Houston on Monday.

The twins are continuing to grow and change so quickly. They are sweet babies and generally pretty mellow...but, don't get me wrong, they definitely let you know when they are frustrated/hungry/tired/cranky, etc. They will be 5 months on the 20th!

Last but not least...pictures!! I have no idea why some of the pics are sideways...I edited them all before uploading to http://www.slide.com/ - looks like I need some more practice! Click on the slide show to read the captions. If the pictures don't show up click "view all pictures". Enjoy :)

Always an Adventure...

2008-01-07T13:13:00.000-05:00

Jackson and Mommy at hospital Last night was our first trip to the ER for one of our children...not a "first" that we looked forward to and we are very glad that it's now behind us!

Yesterday was beautiful in Atlanta so we spent the afternoon outside with the kids. Jackson jumped on his trampoline and played with his friend Cole while the twins watched from their exersaucers. About 4pm, Jackson was running and somehow collided into the chair was sitting in...the chair won. Jackson ended up with a laceration on the side of his head in the shape of a Nike "swoosh". After much deliberation we finally decided to take him to the ER to get checked out (hoping to be sent home quickly because he didn't need stitches). No such luck. Jackson is now the proud (not really) owner of two staples. He was a trooper during the traumatic trip to the ER. It was a scary experience for him and not too fun for us, either! I think that if Jackson had asked for the moon afterward, Brandon would have done his best to give it to him. Thankfully, all he asked for was pancakes :) So after a pancake dinner and an ice cream sundae, we headed home to pick up the twins from our neighbors and get all the kids into bed. The twins went to bed as soon as we got home and slept until 8am. Jackson and I made a bed on the couch and snuggled all night (I had to take advantage of the situation...it's not too often that I get to snuggle my big boy!).

We go back on Friday to have the staples removed. That ought to be fun...prayers would be appreciated!!

Happy Birthday, Brandon!

2008-01-02T22:58:00.001-05:00

You are an exceptional husband, father and provider...the kids and I are proud to claim you as "ours". Hope you're enjoying your night off :) (the kids and I are in Auburn visiting family)

4 Months Old!

2007-12-20T23:18:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that the twins are already 4 months. Time has gone by quickly, though when both babies cry it seems like time is standing still. :) We are very excited to have Daddy home with us until January 2, and I'm sure by then he'll be more than ready to get back to work!

We took Jackson to his 3-year-old well child visit this morning and got a great report! He continues to exceed most milestones which always is nice to hear. Physically, he dropped a little in percentages, but still showed a positive trend for the year. He is now 31.5 pounds (48%) and 38.5 inches tall (67%). He didn't have to have any shots, but did get a finger prick to check his hemoglobin. When he was diagnosed with Alopecia earlier this year we found out that he is slightly anemic. Today the test showed that his iron levels have dropped a little more, so we have to keep up the daily vitamins and feed him iron-rich foods. The doctors are not concerned, but will do a recheck in a couple months. Thank you all for your prayers about Jackson's alopecia. He has responded so well to his current treatment and the large patches of hair loss are now covered in hair! He still has thin spots, but we continue to use the meds and pray that no bald spots return. Please do not stop praying! Alopecia cannot be cured and my prayer is that we will be able to maintain the positive results. Thank you all for trusting and believing in God for this miracle.

The twins are a joy and add so much to our family. I've been trying to think of a word to describe the love I have for my children. I finally decided that the word is fierce. I love them fiercely, with every ounce of my being. I am proud of them, exasperated by them, humored by them and a mother because of them. I love them fiercely.

William ate his first rice cereal tonight. He did pretty well with it! It must have stuck to his ribs because I fed him at 5:30 and normally he'd be awake by 8:30 for his last bottle of the night, but it's 11:30 and he'd still sleeping. Maggie doesn't seem as hungry as William so we are going to wait a little while before starting cereal with her. They are both talking a lot, chewing on their hands, batting at toys, have strong head control, etc. Maggie has been rolling over for a couple weeks, too.

We took all the kids to the library tonight and Jackson made sure to let everyone in the place know that we were there. It was pretty embarrassing! He doesn't understand that the library is a quiet place. Oh well...such is life.

Tuesday Fun!

2007-12-18T14:09:00.000-05:00

MAGGIE smiling in the bumbo seat.

JACKSON loves his new trampoween. Thanks, Mimi and Doff!

WILLIAM taking his turn in the bumbo seat.
Aren't they cute?!?! :)

Prayers for Peppy

2007-12-18T12:24:00.000-05:00

Peppy is having surgery this morning to repair a torn rotator cuff in her right shoulder. She had the same surgery on the other shoulder last October. It is a very hard recovery and I ask that each of you lift my mom up in your prayers for a safe surgery and fast recovery.

We love you, Peppy!!

Jackson's Big Day!

2007-12-16T23:05:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JACKSON!!!

I can't believe that my big boy is 3 years old! We have had a great birthday weekend, full of family, friends and good times. I can't help but remember back to the day Jackson was born...at 4:00 a.m. I started having contractions, at 12:30 p.m. the doc broke my water, at 8:30 p.m. I started pushing and at 9:59 p.m. my world was forever changed by the birth of my amazing son. I am so proud to call Jackson my child and love him more than I can express. Thanks to everyone who was able to celebrate Jackson with us.

We're Back!!

2007-12-14T15:29:00.000-05:00

My laptop has been on the fritz and I just got a new one (wahoo!)...I'll update the blog soon!

To whet your appetite...the babies are almost 4 months (on the 20th) and Jackson is turning 3 this Sunday (the 16th). Everyone is doing well! Pictures and post by this weekend...I promise! :)

12 Weeks!

2007-11-14T20:15:00.001-05:00

Life is so busy! The babies turned 12 weeks old on Monday...for some reason this seems like a big milestone. They are both doing great and bless us with many smiles/coo's/chuckles. I have a bunch of pictures to upload and so much to tell you all about the babies and Jackson, but there just isn't enough time in the day. :) The babies are eating every 3.5-4 hours during the day and usually are asleep by 9pm. Sometimes they wake at 3am, but usually we are very lucky that they sleep until 6-7am. They are awake a lot during the day and love to be under their activity gym, in the bouncy seat, on the floor, in their swings or in the stroller outside. They love to be talked to, especially by big brother Jackson. Jackson is still a big help with the babies, but does have his moments. He has stopped taking naps recently, so I put him to bed at 7pm tonight...I wish that was my bedtime!

We spent 5 days at mom's house last week. The change of scenery was really nice...we had a great visit! We tail-gated before the homecoming game...went to Tiger Walk and the Alumni Tent (highlight of the day for Brandon was getting a picture with the cheerleaders and Jackson).
Mom and I took the babies and Morgan home for naps, and Brandon, Jackson, Brian and Jen went to the game. Thanks, Kim, for the great tickets! Brandon had to travel for the first time since the twins were born, which is why we stayed so long in AU...I would go crazy to have all the kids by myself for 24 hours. I am a little stir-crazy already (even though we get out almost every day!) and really miss working...I don't know if the desire to work outside of the home will ever go away for me...I got so much satisfaction from working...although, I do get a whole different kind of satisfaction from the work I do now and wouldn't want to be away from the kids.

My first role as the lead room mom for Jackson's class was to organize the class Thanksgiving Feast. The Feast is next Monday and I think the kids are going to have a great time. Now, I've got to start working on their Christmas Party!!

I'll do a picture post soon...I've got some great ones to share!!

Happy Halloween!!

2007-10-31T19:52:00.000-04:00

Picture time! It's been a fun-filled night...

Brandon is very proud of his pumpkin carving abilities!

This is the view of Jackson we see most often (him running away).

Best pic of his pirate costume. Taking a rest after running his little legs off during the neighborhood pizza party.

Jackson and Cole stop for a drink.

Maggie showing off her double-chin!

William just waking up.

Smiley Maggie

William talking

At the end of the night, Jackson had a blast handing out candy to the big kids.

The Perfect Weekend

2007-10-30T22:58:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my sweet family, we just had the perfect weekend!! Saturday was my 31st birthday and to start things off, I received 2 dozen roses from the kids (including George!) on Friday. They are gorgeous and are still in full bloom. (thanks, Brandon!)

The babies slept nine hours straight on Friday night :) They've been sleeping through the night for a little over week...what good babies they are! We are very blessed. SO, we woke up Saturday morning well rested and after everyone showered we headed out to breakfast. After breakfast we did a little shopping then ate lunch at one of my favorite places. After lunch we went to the park and played soccer with Jackson while the babies hung out in the tent. By the time we were finished playing it was dinner-time so we headed across the park to a burger restaurant - 3 meals out in one day...we haven't done that in a long time (and don't plan to do it again anytime in the near future!).

Brandon surprised me with a beautiful necklace for my birthday (and for having the twins). The necklace matches the ring he gave me after having Jackson. The jewelry are pieces that I will treasure forever as they signify the love that Brandon and I share...the love that brought 3 precious babies into the world.

On Sunday afternoon we took the kids to the Kinsey Family Farm to pick out pumpkins. Jackson had a blast and kept singing E-I-E-I-O (Old McDonald had a Farm). We rode on a hayride and Jackson got to feed catfish in the pond, then we picked our pumpkin and headed home. That afternoon we got together with neighbors to carve the pumpkins...somehow our ended up with three faces on it?!?! Go figure...Brandon's creativity at work.

The babies turned 10 weeks on Monday...I can't believe how fast time is flying with them! At their 2 month check-up, William weighed 1/10 of an ounce shy of 11 pounds (if we're getting technical) and Maggie weighed 10.5 pounds. They are both meeting their developmental milestones which I was glad to hear! We are getting tons of smiles out of both of them and lots of coo's, too. This week has been their first week in their cribs (they had been sleeping in their swings). We went ahead and put them in separate cribs because they flail their arms and wake each other up. We are glad to have them in their room and to be sleeping in our own bed again (we were camping out downstairs for about a week). Thankfully the transition from swing to bed has been really easy.

On Monday the twins and I went to the Fall Festival at Jackson's school. Jackson had a blast running from station to station (lots of games set up), but his absolute favorite was the blow up jumping thing. He must have gone through it a dozen times. Monday afternoon, I dressed Jackson in his costume and we met Brandon at his office for trick-or-treating. We are lucky that McKesson is such a family oriented company. They do a lot for their employee's and their families. Each person on Brandon's floor had candy bowls at the desks for the kids. It's nice, safe trick-or-treating...I'm all for that!

We are having a neighborhood pizza party before the kids start going door to door tomorrow. We borrowed costumes for the twins...2 pea's in a pod. Jackson is a pirate...argh!!!

We are still getting used to the stares and questions from perfect strangers about the twins. It's really pretty funny. We were in Costco on Saturday and must have been stopped 20 times for people to ask questions and peek at Maggie and William. Later, we were walking through the park and I was wearing William in a sling while holding Jackson's hand and Brandon was pushing the stroller with both carriers...I heard someone nearby whisper not so quietly to her friend..."Look, they have 4 kids...two are in the stroller, one is in the sling and the other is walking!" I quickly let them know that we only have three kids, not four. :)

I think the above picture is funny because if you look at their arms you will notice that they are in the exact same position. I guess it's a twin thing!

That's all I can think of for now. The babies are awake more during the day now so it's hard to find time to update the blog.

2007-10-19T05:10:00.000-04:00

Jackson spending time outside with his brother and sister. Check out his new Rice hat (thank you Great Uncle Woody and Aunt Gail! Now he can cheer on his cousin each time he plays)

I've been trying to find the time to sit and write a blog to detail the last 2 weeks of our lives. That's easier said than done with 3 kids! I'll bullet-point some highlights...

*William and Maggie are little butterballs!

*William has slept 8 consecutive hours at night 2x in the past 2 weeks

*Maggie has been cooing

*Neither baby likes to sleep in their crib/s...they've slept in their swings the last two nights (any suggestions?!?!)

*I had a great girls weekend with my friends. Brandon kept all the kids so I could have dinner out Friday night and pedicure time on Saturday. Brandon made brunch for all of us "girls" on Sunday morning. I look forward to girls weekend 2008 when I don't have infants and can spend uninterrupted time with my friends, though it was fun to show all my kiddo's off!

*We spent last weekend in Dothan - great visit!

*Ross went back to Houston this week for a check-up. After a little scare he was sent home in good health. Thank You, Lord!

*Extended family has had hard health news this week. Please pray specifically for healing.

*Brandon (Bronchitis) and I (Sinus and Ear infection) are both sick so Jackson got to spend the day with Marianne, his old babysitter. They had a great time and she has offered to keep all the kids for a day (when I'm ready) so Brandon and I can have some down time. Hallelujah!! We can't wait!

6 Weeks!

2007-10-02T22:20:00.000-04:00

Six weeks feels like a huge milestone. A lot of people ask me how things are going with the twins, how they sleep, eat, etc. The short answer is that things are really good. The long answer is that, yes, things are good...the babies are sweet...sleep is hard to come by some nights...some nights we're pleasantly surprised because the babies slept 5 hours in a row...William has fussy time for about an hour some nights...Maggie is the more content baby (though as soon as I say that, she'll start fussing!)...having twins is not nearly as hard as I expected...but it is a lot harder and busier than just having one baby...William is a good eater, but Maggie is better...William loves his binky, Maggie isn't very interested in hers...Brandon and I are tired...William looks like his big brother...I still can't figure out who Maggie looks like :)...I'm surprised to say that I really like my mini-van (shock!)...Jackson is an exceptional big brother...

I'm sure there's more. Things really are good and I'm enjoying being home with the kids. I like to get out of the house at least once a day for sanity sake...today we met Brandon at his office for lunch. Tomorrow Jackson has school and I'm going to Yoga/Pilates at church (I'm writing this on our blog to keep myself accountable!). On Thursday I'm taking the kids to Jackson's old babysitter to let Marianne see Jackson and meet the twins...she's pretty excited. This weekend is my Annual Girls Weekend...I'm looking forward to spending time with good friends from high school and college.

I promised stats from the twins doctor visit last week...

Maggie:

Weight - 8 lbs, 0.4 oz (16%)

Height - 20 1/4" (17%)

Head Circumference - 13.8 (7%)

William:
Weight - 8 lbs, 12 oz (20%)
Height - 21 1/4" (30%)
Head Circumference - 15.25 (51%)

We got a great report for both babies at the appointment!! They have both gained 3+ pounds since birth...little porkers! A PPS heart murmur was detected in Maggie that should resolve on it's own and is not a major concern. We go back in about a month for their next well-baby check and their first round of shots :(

William has been making "cooing" noises for about a week. I love to hear his sweet voice...the first noises are so special! I was talking to Maggie today, tickling her double chin and she smiled in response to me...I loved it! It's so fun to watch their personalities develop.

That's it for now...here are some recent pictures...

Jackson and Daddy at an AU game. He likes to say "Go Auburn, HEY!"

William and Maggie holding hands

Jackson in a fall outfit embroidered by Aunt Fran (thank you!)

Pictures from AU

2007-09-25T22:48:00.000-04:00

Sorry so small!

Four generations

William

Daddy feeding both babies
Aunt Meg and Maggie

William and Dr. John

Another Week Flies By...

2007-09-25T21:56:00.000-04:00

Where does the time go? I have a feeling the twins are going to have their first birthday and I'll still be sitting here wondering where the time has gone. Our days are fast and furious, but really good. Jackson loves his preschool and gets so excited about going. It's fun for me to drop him off knowing that he enjoys it so much. We have a great after school routine: eat lunch, take a nap, play...we chant this as we drive home from school. This way Jackson knows exactly what to expect out of his afternoon (the sooner the goes down for a nap, the sooner he gets to play). He is still an incredible help with the twins...loves to hold and talk to them and is very good at getting one a binky if I'm tied up with the other baby.

The babies are growing big and strong. They've both gotten really good at picking their heads up and looking around. William has be more awake/alert the last several days and is starting to coo. Maggie is still sleepy, but has spent a good portion of today awake.

We took the babies on their first road trip this weekend to Auburn! They did great in the car...we tanked them up and they slept the whole way there and back. We had a nice, relaxing visit with Mom. Friday night Hank & Susan Moreman came to visit (she's due 9/27 with their 3rd baby!). We also met Kim's assistant coach, Courtney and her family. I love being home with family and soaked the time up! We got to spend lots of time with Meg too, which was long overdue...Happy Birthday to Meg on 9/27!!! Brandon and Jackson went to the AU game on Saturday. Jackson was soooo excited and kept saying "Go Auburn, HEY!" Thanks, Jennifer, for the tickets! Mom and I enjoyed baby time while the guys were at the game and Nana joined us for dinner. The twins have been congested and Mom noticed that William was running a fever. Mom called John and he made a house-call to check William out. He was okay and his fever had dropped by the time John got there...thank goodness!

Sunday was a lazy day at home. Mom's shoulder was acting up so Brandon and I helped her with errands/chores...it was fun to be able to take care of her since she's usually the one taking care of all of us. We got a call Sunday evening that George had gotten out and ran away from our neighbors. We've been looking for him since Sunday night and I'm very relieved to say that he is home now, safe and sound. He was gone for a full 2 days...I'd love to know what was going through his doggy-brain during that time!

The twins go to the dr. tomorrow for their one-month check-up...I'm excited to see how much they've grown. I'll post their latest stats soon...

4 Weeks, Already??

2007-09-17T14:06:00.000-04:00

Time has really flown by! We are getting into a groove now and the days run like clock-work (yea, right!). We really are figuring things out, though, and I feel very good about that. William has had a runny, congested nose for about a week and now Maggie has it. Thankfully they don't seem too affected by it, but both were a little restless last night.

We took the babies to church for the first time yesterday. It was the first time I've been to church since starting bedrest in May. I really missed it and was glad to be back! We weren't able to stay for the whole service, but did sit in the lobby and listen to the sermon after leaving the sanctuary for diaper changes.

After dropping Jackson off at school this morning the twins and I ran to the mall for a couple hours. It was fun to get out by myself with the babies. I was able to run a couple errands and they had a good nap in the car & stroller!

When I picked Jackson up from school his teacher came to the car and asked if I thought I could be the Lead Room Mom (considering the twins). I'd signed up to be in the committee, but hadn't thought I'd lead anything. I told her that I'd give it a shot - sounds like a fun challenge. This is the kind of stuff that I couldn't do while working, so I'm very excited to do it now! Once the twins are a little older I think I'll also volunteer at either the American Cancer Society or at church :)

That's it for now! I've got two down and one to go...Jackson and Maggie are sleeping...William is eating as I type and should be asleep soon...

3 Weeks Old!

2007-09-11T11:33:00.000-04:00

Sweet Babies...William (left) and Maggie (right)

Yesterday was my first day alone with the babies. It was a successful day, meaning that everyone was fed, diapers were changed and I was able to get Jackson to and from school on time. By the end of the afternoon, I was ready for reinforcement (a.k.a., Brandon). It really was a pretty good day, but I am ready to have some help again from the grandparents. :) (Side note: About an hour after writing this, I got a call from Mimi saying that she was on her way up! Yea!!!)

We took all the kids to the park on Sunday night for a picnic dinner and some play time. Brandon and Jackson played baseball and soccer while I walked the twins around the park. People really are drawn to you when they see that you have twins and love to ask tons of questions. Right now I'm having fun with the attention that the twins get, though I wonder how long I'll think it's fun?!?!

Jackson and Daddy playing baseball.

Maggie snoozed through all the fun!

My guys...

We Love Our Families!!

Aunt Prue snuggling Maggie

Brandon, William, Christy, Maggie and Mimi

Granddaddy, Christy and William

Brandon, Maggie, Alex, Brian, Christy, William, Jackson, Morgan, Jen

Unfortunately, those (Peppy, Nene) who take the great pictures aren't in any of them!

I've got 3 kids sleeping...Jackson's on the couch, Maggie's in the swing and William's in the pack n' play. Hallelujah!!! And, I had a chance to take a bath :) Wahoo!!

Jackson - Alopecia Update

2007-09-07T10:16:00.000-04:00

Brandon took Jackson to his 6-week follow-up appointment with his new dermatologist yesterday. The doctor got out a magnifying glass and showed Brandon new hair growth on Jackson's head! It's blond right now, which is what was expected...it will get darker as it continues to grow. The doc also upped his meds to 2x a day since we are seeing some growth. There are no guarantees, but we hope that things are moving in the right direction! Please continue to pray for his hair to regrow or for the miracle of complete healing. Thanks!!

1st Day of School

2007-09-05T15:35:00.000-04:00

Jackson started preschool today! We went yesterday morning to meet the teacher and the rest of the kids in his class. There are 12 kids in Jackson's class, including his friend (and next door neighbor) Cole who was in his class last year. Jackson will go M/W/F from 9am-12pm, with the option of staying for "Lunch Bunch" until 1pm. Jackson walked confidently into his class today and didn't seem nervous at all! What a BIG BOY! :)

Happy Birthday, Morgan!

2007-09-05T15:26:00.001-04:00

Miss Morgan turned 2 years old last Saturday, September 1st! She had an ice cream party at home after spending the morning playing at Chuck E Cheese. It was very fun to celebrate Morgan with family and friends!!

2 Weeks Old!

2007-09-05T15:16:00.000-04:00

(this past Monday, that is...)

It feels like the babies have been with us forever so it's hard to believe that they are only two weeks old! They are very sweet and cuddly...love to snuggle with us or with each other. Jackson is still very gentle and sweet with them, though takes advantage of feeding times to get into a little mischief because he's figured out that I can't get up to stop him :) The babies are really growing...you can actually feel that they are heavier! Peppy and I took them to the doc this morning for a weight check. We were very excited with the results. The average weight gain is 0.5-1 ounce a day, which would have put the twins at gaining 4-8 ounces. They blew it out of the water!! Maggie gained a whopping 12 ounces and William gained 9. Maggie now weighs 5 lbs, 7.5 oz and William weighs 6 lbs, 1 oz. Maggie's face has begun to fill out and even though she is still pretty tiny she doesn't look quite as skinny as she did before. Jackson is also filling out a little...maybe a result of eating too much McDonald's while Mommy was in the hospital (yikes!). The babies eat well, fill their diapers more than any baby should and sleep pretty well. We've had a couple of rough nights, but in the morning things tend to look brighter.

Pictures to come...

"Perfect"

2007-08-28T22:59:00.000-04:00

That the word our pediatrician used to describe Maggie & William..."perfect." That's always nice for a parent to hear! They did great at the appointment today. Both have lost a little weight, as expected, but their doc was pleased with their weight/measurements. We go back in a week for a weight check.

Last night was pretty good. William was a little restless around 4am, but nothing that a cuddle with Mommy couldn't cure! Jackson was woken up by a big thunderstorm around 6am, thankfully the rest of us were awake already for a morning feeding.

Jackson is still very excited (but calm) every time he sees the babies. He loves to hold them and is learning to tell them apart. He also likes to sing lullabies to them...I asked him what song he wanted to sing tonight and he sang "I love you, love you, love you." These are the words to a song that my mom sang to me and that I've sung to him for the last 2 1/2 years. It's neat that he has picked up on the words and melody.

The house is quiet...I'm off to bed before the next feeding...

Happy Birthday to YOU!

2007-08-27T16:48:00.000-04:00

Today is my dad's birthday...Happy Birthday, Dad!! Hope you have a wonderful day. We love you very much!!

The twins are ONE week old today!! This time last week I was being prepped for surgery. It's hard to believe that it's only been 7 days...it feels like Maggie and William have been part of our family forever! We're all healthy, happy and enjoying getting adjusted to our new life as a family of FIVE!

We're ALL Home!!

2007-08-27T12:58:00.000-04:00

Brandon and I picked up our newest bundles of joy from the hospital yesterday afternoon! It was a very relaxed ride home...I remember bringing Jackson home from the hospital and being so nervous. It's nice to feel confident in our ability to take care of the babies instead of anxious like we were with Jackson.

We came home to a quiet house. Tonya, Trey and the kids have been here this weekend, but they were all out (with Jackson) getting lunch when we got home. It was nice to walk in and have a few minutes to get settled (somewhat!) before everyone got back. I was feeding Maggie when the crew walked in...Jackson was so excited to meet his little brother and sister for the first time! We are very proud of him...he went over to each baby and softly talked to them, gently touched them, etc. He excitedly showed them off to Dad and Janine when they walked in. It is very endearing to see him adjust so well to all that's happened in the last several months, and instead of being jealous of Maggie & William he was just thrilled to show them off. Jackson is a very special child and I am constantly proud of him and want to show him off just like he showed the twins off.

We had lots of other family visitors yesterday...Peppy drove up from Auburn to see the babies and drop off food. Brian, Jen and Morgan came over to get a chance to hold/see the babies again. Lastly, Mimi flew in from a Lifeway conference to spend the next week with us. I am really glad to have lots of help as we adjust. As I said, Mimi is here this week, Peppy will be here next week and we're very blessed to have family in town that will also help us as needed.

We had a GREAT first night!! The babies ate and slept all night on a 3-4 hour schedule. Other than some occasional baby noises, we didn't hear from them until mealtimes. Jackson came into our room at about 4:15 this morning...we went ahead and let him stay and sleep in our bed since the twins were also in our room. So, we had two babies in the pack n' play, one dog on the floor, two adults in the bed, plus one snuggly 2 1/2+ year old. Jackson woke up this morning as I was feeding the babies and couldn't wait to hold them again. Like I said, it was a great first night and I hope we have many others like it.

This is Jackson's last week at Marianne's (babysitter) house. She was a huge help to us while I was in the hospital and I know that we will sometimes miss Jackson going over there. She loves him so much and has been a constant during these last several months. Jackson starts his M/W/F morning preschool next week and will be home with me the other days. I'm excited to have more time with him now that we're finished with the hospital and a little anxious at juggling 3 children. I know all will be fine and that we'll just figure it out as we go.

Maggie and William have their first appointment tomorrow morning at the pediatrician. We love our pediatric group and are excited to take them to their first appointment!

Guess that's it for now...it's almost feeding time :)

Making Great Progress!!

2007-08-24T10:15:00.000-04:00

The babies are doing very well! Last night they were down to just vitamins through their IV's...this morning their IV's were removed!! Because they are doing so well with the feedings, they are now on an ad lib schedule. This means that they will eat on demand instead of having to stay to a strict "every 3 hours" schedule. I got to dress them in regular clothes (the NICU has tons of clothes for the babies to wear) and they are not having to stay under the heat lamps anymore. All of this is really good progress! They have to prove now that they can regulate their body temperatures and could be home tomorrow or Sunday!

I am feeling pretty great also. I haven't taken anything besides Ibuprofen for pain since yesterday morning...the nurses are very surprised. I went down to the NICU for every feeding yesterday from 8am-8pm, at which point I was exhausted. I was able to pump throughout the night so the babies still got breastmilk. I am being discharged today. I don't have to leave until 11:59 pm, so I'll probably stay through their 8pm feeding then plan to be up hear early in the morning.

We have some cute pictures to share with you all but I can't find the camera cord to load them on the computer. Check back this afternoon for new pics. I'm going to catch a quick nap before heading back downstairs.

They've Stolen Our Hearts!

2007-08-22T22:37:00.000-04:00

I wasn't sure how I would feel having two more babies. During the pregnancy I went through periods of excitement and sadness. The sadness was purely linked to Jackson no longer being an only child and having to get used to not just one new baby, but two at once. Well, I can say without a doubt that I love Maggie & William with all my heart! They have done so well since birth...I am very proud of them and feel so protective of them. They are the sweetest (biased opinion) and most quiet babies (fact!) in the NICU. It was hard for me to not get to see them right after they were born. I was taken from recovery to the NICU, but was only able to see them for a few minutes. That first night I had a hard time feeling like they were my babies...I just felt disconnected from them since I wasn't able to hold/take care of them.

The c-section went really well. I was so scared and nervous that I ended I crying through most of it. I'm sure the surgery team was glad to see me leave the OR! It was a bit surreal to have surgery while awake, but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It was really fast...seems like I was in and out of the OR in 30 minutes. I'm feeling really well so far. The first day was a little rough, but yesterday and today have been really good. I am religiously taking the pain meds so that I can stay in front of the pain instead of trying to catch up when I'm hurting. This is a much easier recovery (so far) than I had with Jackson...what a relief!

Many of you have asked about Maggie's hair...yes, she's a blond! What a shocker! I could never have imagined a blond child coming from Brandon and I. William looks just like Jackson did and Mimi says that Maggie looks like Brandon did as a baby. They are so very sweet and I love getting to see, hold and feed them. When we go to the NICU for a feeding we take their temps and change their diapers before starting the feeding. It's hard to believe that so much poop can come out of these little babies :) I took last night off from feeding to get a good nights sleep and was so excited to wake up this morning knowing that I would see them shortly. The NICU has been a really great experience for us so far. I know that it will be hard to leave them here at the hospital, but it is very comforting to know that they are in good hands. I am definitely looking forward to them being home with us and having our family finally complete. They nurse that I spoke with this morning doesn't think it will be long before they are able to be home. They have to be weaned off of one last IV (contains vitamins) and will need to be able to regulate their temps...once those goals are accomplished they'll be home with us. I'm hopeful that it will be sometime this weekend, but also realize that it could be sometime next week before they are home.

Jackson hasn't been able to see the babies yet. I can't wait to introduce them all and am anxious to see how Jackson will react. I think he will be very curious and excited. We've shown him a couple pictures and told him that they are no longer in Mommy's belly, but not getting to actually see them makes the situation a little hard for him to understand.

I love the fact that I am now the mother of three and wouldn't want it any other way. I know that we will have some rough moments over the next several months/years, but I really look forward to all of it! When I look at the babies in the nursery that don't have a sibling sharing their bed I feel a little sorry for them. Maggie and William snuggle and are such a comfort to each other. I am proud to have three gorgeous kids and know that Brandon and I are so blessed. Thank you all, again, for your prayers and well wishes. It's been a long, hard road and we couldn't have gotten through it as well without everyone's love and support.

PS...
I was feeding William the other night and singing lullaby's to him. I started singing Amazing Grace...after getting to the second verse I heard a man singing along with me. He continued to sing with me through a 3rd verse also. I didn't realize that others would be able to hear me singing to the babies and thought it was funny to sing a duet with the stranger sitting across the room.

We'll download and post more pictures this afternoon.

Wahoo! The babies are here!!!!

2007-08-20T21:03:00.000-04:00

So, at 5:40pm and 5:41pm we had two babies born into the Norris/Lemmings family.

First to arrive was Mr. William Ross Norris - 5lbs. 12oz.
Second to visit was Ms. Margaret (Maggie) Grace Norris - 4lbs. 15oz.

Today is the Day

2007-08-20T12:54:00.000-04:00

Due to William's positioning we are having a c-section between 4 and 4:30 this afternoon. Please pray!

OUCH!

2007-08-20T11:14:00.000-04:00

No, the pain I feel is not contractions. I feel like my hips are being pulled apart and my belly is so heavy! I walked for a little over an hour and came back to my room to take a short rest before starting again. Here is my belly shot at 35 weeks...

We're off to walk some more!

1st Update

2007-08-20T09:58:00.000-04:00

Before I start my walking, the doc came in to check me and said that I am a good 3-4 cm dilated. She hadn't checked me yet this pregnancy so the difference in 3 cm vs 3-4 cm could just be two doctors interpretations. The babies looked good in the ultrasound. William is measuring between 5 lbs 12 oz and 6 lbs 9 oz...she measured him twice and came up with those drastically different weights. Maggie is measuring 5 lbs 9 oz. The measurements could be off by up to a pound. Also, the US tech said that William is transverse presenting, which means his head is at my cervix but his body is sideways. Maggie started off head down during the US and flipped to breech in the middle of it. I'm off to start walking.

Let the Laps Begin!

2007-08-20T08:06:00.000-04:00

In anticipation of an exciting day today, I had a hard time falling asleep/staying asleep last night! I am up and showered with makeup on(!) eating my breakfast right now. This is the last real meal that I'll be allowed to eat today in case wandering the halls DOES put me into labor. I'm sure I'll be starving before too long :)

I am waiting for the ultrasound tech to get here so we can get the show on the road! As long as William is still head down we'll get to move forward with walking. If he's changed positions back to transverse, then I'm not exactly sure what is going to happen. So, please keep your fingers crossed, but more importantly, please keep lifting us up in prayer. Brandon had to go to a meeting this morning so he won't get here until about 10:30. Just as a recap...if I don't go into labor I'll be discharged today or tomorrow. If I DO go into labor OR if there are any "changes", we'll have our babies! I have no clue which way things will go, but will update later today with any news.

Please also pray that I'll have strength to walk around...I've been down for so long that I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do.

WAHOO!!!!!

2007-08-16T11:16:00.000-04:00

I just got very exciting news from one of my doctors! We have a new game-plan!

Both babies continue to do really well and during an ultrasound this morning (both scored 8/8) we found out that both are in the head down position. Here's the new plan...
On Monday I will do my usual morning routine of breakfast then an ultrasound. We will check the babies growth again, but the doctors are not concerned about their sizes. After the ultrasound I will spend the rest of the day walking around the hospital. If I go into labor from the walking then the c-section will be performed that day and we'll have babies! If I don't go into labor, the doctor will check my cervix on Tuesday morning...if there has been any change they'll deliver the babies. If there has not been any change, I will be discharged to my home, sweet home. I asked whether they are concerned about William changing positions and they said that he's more likely to change while I'm on bedrest...if I'm up and about then gravity will help him stay in the head down position. I'm not sure yet whether I'll be sent home on any restrictions, but know that since I've been in bed so long I won't have a ton of energy. Part of me would love to be sent home so I can spend time with Jackson and Brandon before the babies get here (plus it would give them more time to put on weight). On the other hand, I can't wait to meet Maggie & William. I know that God has already determined their birthday...it's comforting to trust in that fact!

Brandon will take Monday and Tuesday off just in case we end up delivering. Exciting stuff is right around the corner! Thank you all for your prayers...please keep them coming! I'm still very nervous about the c-section, but trust that God will keep me and the babies safe (and Brandon from passing out! j/k).

2007-08-15T14:20:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for the kind words of support and encouragement...yesterday was a very bad day for me, but I'm happy to say that I moved on and am back to feeling semi-upbeat about the situation. I am very blessed to have so many family and friends that love me, Brandon and Jackson...thank you so much!

One of the worst parts about yesterday was not understanding why I needed to stay for another two weeks when the risk factors had resolved. It just didn't make sense to me. I asked my doctor about it this morning. He seemed surprised and said that the risk factors aren't "gone". Yes, Maggie has gained weight and that did resolve one of the problems. With William changing to a head down position, he not only got himself into the position that the docs were wanting, but he also proved that he can still flip around at will. So, I'm being kept in the hospital due to being dilated 3cm and because of William flipping around so easily. They want to monitor his cycle of flipping over the next two weeks to determine whether I can come home before they are born. If I were to go home and William turned transverse we would have a potentially fatal situation on our hands if my water were to break and his cord slipped down. I don't think I'd ever be able to forgive myself if that were to happen especially knowing that staying in the hospital lowers that risk significantly (because they could get me into the OR fast enough and perform an emergency c-section to get William out). At 36 weeks, if he stays head down I will be released because he will be big enough that more flipping will probably not happen.

I asked if they could just deliver the babies on August 27th (also, my Dad and Granddaddy's birthday) when I turn 36 weeks instead of sending me home. The doctors had talked about it, but really want to give the babies the best chance of not going to the NICU, so the earliest they will schedule my c-section is 37 weeks (Sept. 3rd). So potentially, I'll spend the next two weeks here, one week at home (Mimi might come stay that week so I'm not alone...and Jackson could be home, too!) then go in for my scheduled c-section on September 3rd (sorry Dad, they may not make it to the first AU game!). This all could change anytime if I were to go into labor on my own.

I'm more settled about the plan, though I still 150% hate being away from Jackson and Brandon. I know that they are doing okay and are being taken care of, but my goodness I wish I were there!!! This week I've been able to ride in a wheelchair 30 minutes a day. I can't leave the floor that I'm on, so the highlight has been going to the nursery and seeing all the babies. They are so cute! I can't wait to have my two babies here!

Countdown, What Countdown??

2007-08-14T12:58:00.000-04:00

The countdown has officially stopped. My doc came in this morning and told me that since William has flipped to heads down and Maggie has gained weight, the major issues they were concerned about have been resolved. Here's the kicker...there isn't a reason to speed delivery up at this point so they want to keep me in the hospital until 36 weeks (August 27), then send me home and let me go into labor on my own. I didn't even try to hide my tears from the doctor. Having to spend another two weeks in the hospital sounds like pure torture, especially given the fact that I was told we'd have the babies this week or next. I am very upset. I want the twins to be healthy, but at the same time the thought of staying in the hospital another two weeks is almost more than I can handle. It means that I won't be able to go to Jackson's parent/teacher meeting and I won't be able to take him to school on his first day. I am so sad and frustrated. For my sanity, please do not tell me that two more weeks is not that long or I'm being negative, yada, yada, yada...this is not easy by any stretch of the imagination.

34 Weeks!!

2007-08-13T18:38:00.001-04:00

This is probably the biggest milestone of them all. There is research that shows babies born at 34-37 weeks, without other health problems, are just as likely to lead a normal life as those that are born full term. It is a relief to know that Maggie and William have the odds stacked in their favor!

We had another BioPhysical Profile and growth ultrasound this morning. Miss Maggie gained 13 oz in the last week! She is estimated to weigh 4 lbs 15 oz, so almost 5 lbs!! I'm very excited about her weight gain and am glad that she hit a growth spurt. William gained 4 oz for a total of 5 lbs 6 oz...he's holding strong! The discordance in their weights made a drastic change for the better in the last week. I'm anxious to see how much they actually weight when they are born. I'm now carrying over 10 lbs of baby...Jackson was 7.2, so that's 3 extra lbs of baby than I carried with him.

William has changed to a vertex (head down) position and Maggie is transverse. Because William is now head down there is no need to deliver them asap. The positive side of that is that they will have some more time to gain weight before being born, the negative side (for me) is that it means that I'll be in the hospital for the foreseeable future. The doctors will not discharge me since William can flip transverse again anytime...if he did and my water were to break at home we'd be facing an emergency situation. I am content sitting here for a little while longer so the can get stronger/fatter...my discontent comes from wanting so badly to be at home with Brandon and Jackson.

Jackson had a GREAT weekend in AU with Peppy and Kim. He ran and jumped in my bed last night and gave me the biggest bear hug, saying "mommy" in his special way that translates to "I love you, You are so important to me." He told me that he missed me, then we went through the list of everything he did at Peppy's house. I've seen some pictures from the weekend and can't wait to see more.

Brandon spent Friday night at the hospital with me. He's so exhausted that he fell asleep at 9:00, but it was comforting to look across the room and see him lying there. He is a source of strength and encouragement to me, I am so blessed.

On Saturday we went for a tour of the NICU (which means I got to leave my room in a wheelchair!). Brandon took the long route so I could be out of my room as long as possible. I have mixed emotions about the NICU. All babies that are born before 35 weeks are required to go to the NICU even if it's just to be monitored for a short while. After 35 weeks the babies will be evaluated in the delivery room, but will only go to the NICU if needed. Our hospital has a top-rated NICU and I feel very comfortable with the care that Maggie and William will get if they have to spend time there. They have beds big enough for the babies to share (unless one is too sick). It makes me feel good to know that as long as they are doing well they will be able to be physically close to each other. I am hoping/praying, of course, that they will both do so well that they won't need any NICU time.

I am starting to have more "irritability" in my uterus...it is like having mini-contractions. They were uncomfortable enough on Saturday night that the nurse put me on the monitors and saw that I was also having some real contractions. The doctor had the nurse give me a shot of terbutaline to stop the contractions which worked for about an hour. By 3am they had slowed down enough for me to be taken off the monitors and I was able go to sleep. My uterus continues to show some irritability and I have several contractions a day, but nothing that would bring on labor. So, it looks like I'll be pregnant until next week if William stays head down or until my body decides 10+ lbs of baby is it's limit! We shall see!

The Countdown Has Begun!

2007-08-10T18:00:00.000-04:00

Well, I've now been in the hospital for 12 days...seems unreal. Last night I saw my doctor and he let me know that the doctors had discussed my case and plan to take the babies next week. I'll be 34 weeks. The reason for going ahead and delivering is that William has changed positions from vertex (head down) to transverse (laying across my belly). This puts him at risk because there is a chance of a cord prolapse if my water breaks. So, the plan is to have the c-section at the beginning to middle of next week. I should know the actual date on Monday. If William has flipped back to a head down position, then delivery may be put off for a little while longer. Please start saying prayers for me that the c-section and recovery goes well...I am very nervous about the c-section. Please pray for the babies that they would continue to put on weight before they make their debut. My OB estimates that they will spend 0-7 days in the NICU, but you never really know until the baby is born.

Peppy drove up yesterday to pick up Jackson for a long weekend in Auburn. He's having a great time! They went to Target yesterday and Jackson picked out a backpack with a soccer ball on the front...it has a sleeping bag attached along with a water bottle, flashlight and whistle...I know he was thrilled about the treat! They also picked a backpack out for Morgan...she'll be there Saturday/Sunday. I know the cousins will get a kick out of wearing their backpacks together. Jackson even slept in the sleeping bag last night, which is a first for him! This morning Jackson and Peppy went to the AU Fire Station and they let Jackson climb into all 4 firetrucks and wear a helmet. Jackson was a little shocked when they got an emergency call...he was able to watch the firemen get ready, run to the trucks and speed out of there with sirens and lights on. I know that was so cool to him! Mom also took him to the AU football museum. She said that Jackson jumped up and down, so excited about "a game, a game!!" Brandon will definitely have to take Jackson to a game this season. The rest of the plan today was to eat lunch, nap, then go to the AU golf course with Kim to play golf! When Mom called today I heard Jackson say, "I'm having fun!" It's so nice to know that he enjoys all his grandparents so much...we're so blessed to have good ones!

Brandon is spending the night at the hospital tonight...I'm glad to have the company! We're taking a tour of the NICU tomorrow which I'm looking forward to. Thanks again for all the prayers, calls and emails. We'll keep you updated!

33 Weeks!

2007-08-06T12:22:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy day so far...
I've had a BPP (Biophysical Profile) along with a growth ultrasound, the babies have been monitored, the doctor came to see me and I had a consultation with the lactation consultant. All of this has made the morning go by quickly, which is SOOO nice! I'll probably take a nap this afternoon and call it a productive day :)

I'll start with the babies...they are both looking great and showed good growth over the last 2 weeks. William's weight is estimated at 5 lbs 2 oz (gain of 1 lb) and Maggie is estimated at 4 lbs 2 oz (gain of just under a lb), so they are exactly a pound apart. William is measuring just over 36 weeks and Maggie is measuring just under 33 weeks. Seems to me that I'm going to have a big boy and a petite girl! The discordance in their sizes has increased a little, but no one seems too concerned. William decided that being head-down wasn't fun anymore and has moved into a transverse position (laying across my belly). Because of him being transverse and Maggie being breech I have to have a mandatory c-section. A c-section was the plan all along, but it makes me feel better that I don't have to make the "choice"...God made it for us! Both babies got an 8/8 on their BPP.

I'm am hanging in there and definitely have good/bad days. I am missing Brandon and Jackson so much and would do just about anything to be home with them (anyone want to kidnap me??). I have lost weight since being in the hospital...I have no idea how that could happen since all I do is eat and lie in bed. As long as the babies are gaining, that's the most important thing! And, it just means that there will be a little less weight for me to lose after the babies. I asked the doctor this morning if I could have wheelchair privileges and was turned down. He mentioned that because of the way William is lying I could be more than 3 cm dilated so I guess he wants pressure to stay off of my cervix. What a bummer though! My nurse was who suggested I ask for the wheelchair since things have been going so well.

I had a consultation with a NICU doctor yesterday. He was pretty optimistic about how they'd do even if they were born right now. He said that if they are born at 33 weeks, they will probably be in the NICU 2-3 weeks and their biggest issues would probably be feeding and regulating their body temps. He was glad to hear that I've had 2 rounds of steroids for their lungs and didn't seem to think that would be much of an issue. He also said that the vast majority of babies born at 33 weeks went on to have totally normal, healthy lives. It's comforting for me to know that they have a good shot at being very healthy and their likelihood of facing developmental delays (due to being preemie) is not much more than full-term babies. I'm still planning to cook these babies as long as possible, but it's nice to hear such positive stuff from the Neonatologist. A nurse told me last night that I'm to the point where the babies will be fine, but now they are focused on keeping them inside long enough so they can come home with me instead of staying in the NICU. As much as I am tired of being pregnant (and adamantly do NOT want to do this again), I want Maggie and William to have the best shot at a healthy life...which means sticking this pregnancy out as long as possible. Please say a prayer for me that the time will pass quickly...I know that their birthday is already chosen by God and I just have to be patient. Besides, it's can't be more than 3-4 weeks, right :)

I'll post more later...

An Aunt for the 4th Time!

2007-08-03T11:45:00.000-04:00

I've been waiting to share our exciting family news...Brian and Jen are expecting Baby #2 in March 2008! We're very excited to be welcoming another precious child into the family!

Congratulations, Brian, Jen and Morgan!!

Norris Family Celebration

2007-08-03T11:33:00.000-04:00

The "surprise" party has been moved to the Azalea Room at Gwinnett Medical Center tomorrow (Sat.) at noon. Please see the link below and call Brian/Jen with questions...
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=EVKYRSAOPVKZCGICDEFV&li=iq&src=email

For directions:
http://www.gwinnetthealth.org/subpages/Gwinnett_Medical_Center.asp

I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone!

Here for the Duration...

2007-08-01T06:46:00.000-04:00

My doctor came in last night at 11:30 to tell me that he and the Maternal Fetal Specialist had spoken at length and all the docs feel that I need to stay in the hospital until I reach 34 weeks (August 13th). Their reason is because of my being very dilated/effaced for a 32 week pregnancy - they are concerned that if I'm sent home and go into labor something could happen to the babies. That sounds like a good enough reason to me to stay put for the next couple weeks...though I am disappointed to not go home. I'm definitely not able to sleep well in the hospital due to being uncomfortable and the seemingly constant traffic through my room...why do the nurses have to bother you at night?!?! Makes no sense to me :)

Other than a few minor contractions last night, things were uneventful (unless you want to count the umpteen trips to the bathroom). Seems like all I have to do it look at a glass of water and I have to go!! Nene brought Jackson up to see me last night. He came into my room saying "game, game"...he remembered that last time I was here the "game" was to push the buttons on my hospital bed to make it go up/down. Unfortunately, he also called the nurse station a couple times but they were very understanding, thank goodness. One of the nice things about this unit is that the staff is used to long-term patients and are set up to accommodate children visiting. Jackson went to the nursery several times to look at the babies...he told me they were big so I'll be interested to hear what he thinks when he sees Maggie and William for the first time :)

Thank you all again for the emails and calls...they really help the time go by more quickly. In a few days I may not think that any of the time is going by very quick :) Thanks for the prayers and please keep them coming!

HOME SWEET HOME...sort of (new/old Room)

2007-07-31T15:22:00.000-04:00

Christy has been moved to her home away from home. She was just transferred to the same room she had last visit. She is now in room 230 on the High Risk Floor.

New room phone number is 678-312-3930.

Afternoon update

2007-07-31T13:10:00.000-04:00

The fetal fibronectin test came back negative, which indicates that I'm not likely to have the babies in the next 2 weeks! And, the terbutaline shot stopped my contractions! AND, the babies look so good that the doc took me back off of the continuous monitoring. So, all good news this afternoon. Thank You, God!! I had a great nurse last night that stayed with me (and on the phone with my doc) during the contractions. I'm very thankful to have excellent healthcare. I am hopeful that since I haven't dilated anymore and the contractions stopped that I'll be able to get home sooner rather than later...on strict bedrest. I'd take that any day over being in the hospital!

Thanks for all the emails and phone calls...I'll be in touch with each of you soon. I'm trying to catch catnaps whenever I can since it's hard to sleep in the hospital. I should be moved up to the High Risk Maternity floor this afternoon, which I'm really looking forward to...the rooms are very large and nice. I'll send out my new room number when I get it. My cell phone is not working well in the hospital, so if you do call, please use the hospital number.

Guess that's it for now. Please keep the prayers coming. Thanks!!

32 Weeks!! +++

2007-07-31T08:41:00.000-04:00

Update for you all...We will do our best to keep this site updated with latest news. This is much easier for us and will not fill up your inbox with updates...

This morning Christy started having contractions 2-3 minutes apart around 3:30am. They slowed down to 5-7 minutes apart at 5am. They picked back up to 2-3 minutes apart from 5:30-7:30am. The doctor came in around 7:30am and did a fetal fibronectin test (will tell us if she will deliver within the next two weeks). The doc also checked Christy and she is still at 3cm. The fact that she has not dilated any further is good news. They gave her a shot of terbutaline (to stop contractions and also make the three hearts race). The contractions have slowed/stopped.

They have given her the second shot of steroids for the babies lung development and they put her back on IV antibiotics and fluids.

Sum of it all: The doctor said that Christy will be here from 3-4 days up to 34 weeks. All of us are healthy.

Prayer Request: Please pray that Jackson will be able to adjust to this crazy schedule. We know he is resilient as he has been in the past, but the hospital visits freak him out a little. Also, pray for Christy and the babies. She needs rest.

Stay tuned...

32 Weeks!!

2007-07-30T18:13:00.000-04:00

The good news is that the babies look great! I had an OB appointment this morning and had a BPP (Bio-Physical Profile). This is an ultrasound that tests each baby in four areas: as they practice breathing, measures their amniotic fluid, checks muscle tone and measures movement. They had to score 8/8 in the first 30 minutes or we would have had to do some more tests. Maggie & William scored 8/8 in less than 10 minutes!

The bad news is that I have been admitted to the hospital because I am 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced. I've been here since this morning around 9:00 and hope to be released tomorrow at the latest. We'll see!!

Encouraging Appointment - Jackson

2007-07-26T17:43:00.000-04:00

Brandon and I took Jackson to the Alopecia specialist today. It was a very good appointment...the nurse and doctor were both very thorough and detailed in getting Jackson's Alopecia history. The doc was very personable and easy to talk to. He wants to run new thyroid tests that are more extensive than those previously run. Because my dad and I both have a thyroid disorder (auto-immune), Jackson has Alopecia (auto-immune) and Brian has PSC (auto-immune...see below) he thinks there may be a correlation. He also wrote Jackson a prescription for a stronger corti-steroid which we'll apply to the bald spots 1x a day. We go back in 6 weeks for a follow-up appointment. The doctor is hopeful that we'll see some good results from this new treatment. I feel very good about this next step! Thanks for the prayers and keep them coming!

I mentioned above that Brian has PSC. He was diagnosed this week. I've attached a link to his blog...please read and start praying for him, Jen and the rest of the family. Thanks!
http://upofdn.blogspot.com/2007/07/medical-mystery-tour-2007.html

31 Weeks!

2007-07-25T10:59:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that it has been almost 8 weeks since I was admitted to the hospital (and 7 weeks since I've been home!). At that point, we weren't sure how long I would be able to keep these babies inside and were hoping and praying to just get to 28 weeks. It's really great to be at 31 weeks now and to know that both babies are thriving!

I had appointments on Monday at the specialist and regular OB. My Mom drove up on Sunday afternoon to go to the doc with me and to get another chance to see the babies. We had a "growth ultrasound" at the specialists office. The babies are really growing! They estimated William's weight at 4 lbs 2 ounces (83rd percentile) and Maggie's weight at 3 lbs 7 ounces (36th percentile). So basically, Maggie is 3 1/2 lbs and William is 4 lbs...not a bad difference in fraternal twins. I was a little concerned at first because I thought the difference in weight was significant, but all the docs were pleased with their growth. They also look at each twins vital organs at these detailed ultrasounds and both babies look awesome! As I am getting bigger and more uncomfortable it's nice to know that the babies are thriving. If I were to have them now, the docs estimate that they would spend about two weeks in the NICU...not too bad when we were looking at 3 months in the NICU when I was first admitted to the hospital. My goal is to hold onto these little ones until 34-36 weeks so they spend very little time in the NICU at all.

I am getting more excited about bringing Maggie and William home. I know that our house is going to be chaotic for a while, but I look forward to being off of bedrest and taking care of my 3 kids (my goodness...that sounds weird!). Jackson's preschool starts again on September 5th...he will go 3 days a weeks from 9am-12pm. He enjoyed it so much last year and I know he'll be excited to start "school" again. The three mornings he is at school will give me "2-on-1" time with the twins and I look forward to getting them on a good schedule so that Jackson and I can have "1-on-1" time in the afternoon.

Brandon has been working diligently on the "honey-do" list that WE(!) put together. He has done a great job taking care of me, Jackson, the household, his job and still finding the time to work on our list. I know that he welcomes the day that we cross the last item off the list and throw it away (or maybe he'll want it framed!). He left the house at 4am this morning to fly to Washington DC and flies back in tonight around 7pm. He continues to excel at his job and I expect to hear great things about the meeting he had today. I am very proud of him and know that I am blessed to have a great husband/best friend as well as him being an excellent father and provider.

HUGE ANSWER TO PRAYER!
Thank you to everyone that joined us in praying that Jackson would get into the dermatologist earlier. I've been calling almost daily to ask for him to be squeezed into a canceled appointment rather than having to wait until his August 14th appointment (I would have been 34 weeks at that point). I struck gold this morning when I called...they had a cancellation tomorrow at 11:15 and we got the appointment!!!! I am super excited! The doc we're taking Jackson to is the best pediatric dermatologist in the Atlanta area and is on the Alopecia Areata board. I feel so much relief to have a chance to see this doc and to get a second opinion on Jackson's hair loss. I finally feel like we are making progress...even if nothing new comes of this appointment, I will know that we are doing everything possible. So my new prayer request in regards to Jackson's alopecia is that we would have a good appointment and connect with the doctor in such a way that we know without a doubt that we are in the best place possible for Jackson, getting the best care. I do still ask that you all pray for a miracle...that Jackson's hair would regrow and we wouldn't have to deal with this. But, if that doesn't happen, I ask that you all would pray for Brandon and I as we figure out how to deal with this and that we would equip Jackson in a way that he can stand tall in knowing that alopecia doesn't in any way define who he is. He is such a great little boy that I don't think this can or will hinder him...I believe that I will always have a harder time with it than he does.

I do have one additional prayer request. A family member was given a difficult diagnosis yesterday. I won't go into detail, but I do ask that those that pray would join us in prayer for this unspoken request.

So thankful to have each of you in our lives... :)

Jackson - Alopecia Update & Prayer Request

2007-07-20T16:24:00.000-04:00

Jackson's alopecia has gotten considerably worse in the last couple weeks. He has several more patches of hair loss and no re-growth. I made an appointment for him with a specialist - it's on August 14th. I'll be 34 weeks pregnant at that point and am desperately trying to get him an appointment earlier. His pediatrician office is also trying to help us get an appointment. They've been told to call back on Monday to see if anything opens up. PLEASE say a prayer that: 1) God would heal Jackson's alopecia and hair would begin to re-grow, and 2) that we will be able to get him in for an appointment with the specialist ASAP. Thanks.

Doff's Good News

2007-07-20T16:21:00.000-04:00

We were very excited to hear good news from Doff's (Mr. Ross) most recent trip out to MD Anderson in Houston. He was back for a 3 month check-up and had several tests. He met with all his docs on Tuesday and received the wonderful news that all is well! He had great results from all his tests and the doctors called him their "model patient."

Fun on the "Mo-mo"

2007-07-20T15:49:00.000-04:00

Jackson on his "mo-mo"

30 weeks pregnant & Jackson waiting to get on his mo-mo

2nd Milestone Reached!

2007-07-16T10:10:00.000-04:00

I am 30 weeks today which means I have reached the second milestone set by my doctors. Now, the goal is to reach 32, 34, and possibly 36 weeks. I feel confident that I'll get to the 34 weeks mark, but after that who knows! I am having more contractions than before, but nothing consistent, so they are not too big of a concern. I go back to the specialist and regular OB next Monday. I'm excited to see how much the twins have grown in the last several weeks since I've had a detailed ultrasound. I'll let you all know!

Neighborhood Fun:

Yesterday afternoon Jackson spent hours playing with this kids in our cul-de-sac. He, Cole and Eliza each have motorized vehicles and had a blast driving them all over. I've attached a picture of all the kids taking a much-needed popsicle break. Notice that the little kids are sitting on the curb just like the big kids...it's fun to watch how much they want to be like the big boys. Jackson especially likes playing with Eliza's older brothers, Scott & Sullivan and they both do a great job playing with him.

Family dinner was at our house Friday night. Jackson and Morgan had a great time playing with Uncle Alex, particularly when he would toss them in the air! They also had fun soaking up the play time with Granddaddy and Nene.

Jackson's Surprise

2007-07-10T16:44:00.000-04:00

Jackson has been doing a great job sleeping in his big boy bed/room for over two weeks now. He goes to bed between 8:30/8:45 and we're going to work on getting him down closer to 8:00. The transition has been much easier than we thought it'd be and we are so proud of him! He has several items that he has to have before he goes to sleep...a big stuffed puppy, a soft baseball that he holds in his hand and sometimes a blanket. When he comes into our room in the morning he brings the puppy and baseball with him. I'm sure by the time he goes to college he'll have given these things up, so for now I'm not going to worry about it!

Here are a couple pictures of his sleep chart with stars and of him getting his "prize." He was so excited! He has a favorite CD that he listens to every day, so we put that in for him and he jumped around and danced to it!

I Passed!

2007-07-06T12:01:00.000-04:00

That's right...no Gestational Diabetes for me! All of my numbers were well within the normal range, thank goodness. Mom and Jen were able to go to the ultrasound with me this morning. The babies look great. We saw them touching hands...if they were in the same sac, they probably would've been holding hands...it was neat to see them reaching out to each other. The rest of my appointment was uneventful. I asked the doc if I could have another 2 hours out of the house a week and he flat-out said no. Oh well!

Happy Fourth of July!

2007-07-05T14:29:00.000-04:00

This has been an exciting week so far. On Monday I reached the first milestone set by my doctors...28 weeks! Now the goal is to reach 30, 32, 34 and hopefully 36 weeks...which means I only have 6-8 weeks left of being pregnant (yea!). It has definitely been a difficult pregnancy and I am ready to hold my new babies in my arms and never be pregnant again! Since I am now able to go out 2 hours a week, I spent Tuesday afternoon at the salon having my hair done. It looks so much better and makes me feel so good :)

On Wednesday, 4th of July, we had family and friends over for a BBQ. Peppy also came in town and is staying through Saturday. Morgan and Jackson played in the kiddie pool in the backyard, while the adults relaxed on the back patio. Our friends let me borrow a camping-type chair that has a leg rest, so I'm able to be outside some while still lying/reclining back.

Peppy brought Jackson's wooden bed frame with her and we were able to get it set up last night. She's also working on a couple projects to complete Jackson's room while she's here. When it's finished, I'll post pictures. Peppy has some great ideas and I can't wait to see it all come together!

Mom also brought matching 4th of July shirts for the kids as you can see in the picture...too cute!

We got the furniture in the twins room rearranged and bedding is now in both cribs! It makes me feel better to see the rooms put together in a way that is functional/livable, though I wish I could help do some of it! We've still got a ways to go in getting the nursery organized, but at least now the babies have somewhere to sleep!

I go back to the doctor tomorrow for an ultrasound, etc. It's been nice to see the twins so often via ultrasound, though now that they are getting bigger it's harder to see them on the screen. I haven't heard back about my 3-hr. glucose test yet...still keeping my fingers crossed that I passed! I'll let you know :)

Visit from Mimi

2007-06-26T23:13:00.000-04:00

Mimi is here for a visit through Thursday afternoon. She met me at the specialist on Monday and was able to be there for the ultrasound. The babies are doing great! William is 2 lbs 6 oz and Maggie is 2 lbs 4 oz...the doctor was very pleased with their progress. At the end of the ultrasound the tech switched to 4D, so we got to see what the babies look like. It was pretty cool. William had one hand next to his head and his other hand in his mouth. Maggie is snuggled up next to my uterus, like it's a pillow. The doctor lifted some of my restrictions...now I'm on modified bedrest which means I can be up 2 hours during the day. I can also go up and down the stairs 2x a day. Lastly, the doc said that I can go to a movie OR dinner OR church, etc. 1x a week. I've very excited that things are going well enough that the doc felt comfortable giving me some additional priveleges! I hadn't been upstairs in 3.5 weeks, so it was very fun to go upstairs and see Jackson's new room and the nursery painted. I also got to sleep in my own bed!

Jackson has really enjoyed having Mimi here. They have played each day until they were both exhausted! Last night Jackson wanted to put on his AU jacket and baseball cap...he looked pretty cute! Needless to say, it is WAY too hot to wear the jacket outside (though, he did try this morning). Jackson's favorite thing to play with right now is his bat and ball. Mimi pitched the ball to him and he was able to swing and hit the ball seven times!

This morning Jackson and Mimi played outside

again...baseball, then he rode his bike around the neighborhood. He's doing really well on the bike and is almost able to peddle it. He has really hated wearing the helmet, but is not aloud on the bike without it...he's finally giving in without a fight. The first couple times he wore the helmet it pinched the skin on his neck so he was very leery of putting it on for a while.

Brandon was traveling yesterday and today for work, but is home now. Jackson practically tackled him when he walked in the door...the boy sure does love his daddy! I talked to the nurse from my OB office and found out that I failed the 1 hour glucose test (which I also failed while pregnant with Jackson). I have to go on Friday morning to take the 3 hour test. Please say a prayer that I pass...I really don't want to have to worry about gestational diabetes.

Photo Album

2007-06-23T15:48:00.001-04:00

Fun in the backyard:

Jackson and Mommy relaxing in the backyard (pre-bedrest).

Jackson and George playing with a tennis ball in the backyard. Jackson loves to play ball...he's gotten pretty accurate with his throws, too!

Jackson and Daddy giving George a bath before our trip to Dothan. Jackson definitely had more fun than George did!

Look below the counter and you'll see Jackson's artistic handiwork on the wall. He decided that coloring on paper was boring and gave the wall a shot. Fortunately, we caught him quickly! The paint and crayons were both washable and cleaned up very easily!

Dothan Trip:

Jackson had a blast swimming in Mimi's pool with Cassidy and Coleman. When he got tired of swimming he entertained himself by moving all the floats out of the pool and into the spa...then back again!

Tonya and I relaxing on the back patio.

Mimi surprised Jackson with a new Elmo bike! Jackson loved the bike, but hated the helmet that we made him wear! Eventually he got over it and drug Mimi all over the neighborhood!

Coleman, Anna Claire, Cassidy and Harrison enjoying Mimi's pool. Anna Claire and Harrison are Tonya's niece and nephew.

Playing basketball on Mimi's back porch. Jackson is practicing his dribbling skills, although the picture looks like he's learned to balance the ball on his head.

Jackson's Big Boy room:

Jackson and Morgan sitting on his new bed. Yes, the paint is very bright...we're really hoping it will be toned down once we get decorations on the walls :)

Jackson's first night in the new bed...guess we need to read the 10 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed book to him again! We will be getting the wood bed frame in a couple weeks, so the room will look a little more complete.

Jackson's Sleep Chart

2007-06-23T11:23:00.000-04:00

As you know, we moved Jackson into his new room last weekend. Initially, he did very well going to sleep in his new bed, but for the past several nights he's struggled a bit at bedtime. As an incentive for him to go to/stay in bed, I made a "sleep chart" and we hung it on the fireplace. Every night that Jackson sleeps in his bed he gets a star on his chart...and when he gets a star he also gets a skittle (big treat for him). After he gets 4 stars in the same week, he'll get to go to the dollar store to pick out a prize...if he gets to 7 stars in one week he'll get two prizes. So far the chart is working pretty well. Thursday night I sang to him (from the couch) for about an hour before he fell asleep and last night I sang for about 30 minutes. He's had a lot of change/upheaval in his life in the last month and is dealing with them the best he can.

Last night before going to bed he got to put a sticker on his chart for staying in his *room* Thursday night. No, he wasn't in his bed...he slept on the floor next to the door, but we wanted to make a big deal about him staying in his room all night. I've attached a couple pictures of him putting his sticker on the chart last night.

Cassidy's BIG Decision!

2007-06-23T11:20:00.000-04:00

Our niece, Cassidy, made the biggest decision of her life last night at Vacation Bible School. She asked Jesus Christ to come into her heart and became a Christian! Her parents had been talking to her about this for a while, but last night was when Cassidy's heart was ready to make the decision. We are very proud of you, Cassidy, and love you very much!!

26 Weeks!

2007-06-21T13:43:00.000-04:00

Every week that the babies stay in my belly means that they'll hopefully have less problems (or none!) at birth. I'm about 1 1/2 weeks away from my first milestone of 28 weeks. Being on bedrest is boring and a bit frustrating, but I'm trying to keep a positive attitude.

Last weekend my mom and Kim came up to help us do projects and fill the freezer with home cooked meals. Brandon and Kim painted Jackson's new room a very bright green (Brandon calls it radioactive...it does kinda glow). I can't go upstairs, but B's been taking pictures for me so I can see the progress. Jackson's new room is almost put together...Jen put his clothes in the closet and in his dresser and put toys/books in the room. The bed frame was a little messed up so Mom took it to Auburn to get it fixed and we'll get it back the week of July 4th. The bed was Brandon's fathers, then his growing up, so it's pretty special. I really like the bedding that we chose for Jackson's room. We'll post pictures soon. I think once we get some pictures on the walls, the paint color will be a little less dramatic :)

Kim and Brandon also painted the nursery...the color is "svelte sage" and is a rich, neutral color. Brandon put both cribs together and arranged the nursery furniture in a new configuration that better accommodates 2 babies! Now, we need to get the mattresses and bedding in the cribs and the twins will officially have a room to come home to!

Mom spent Friday night and all day Saturday in the kitchen. She and Brian cooked a ton of food to freeze, which we are very thankful for. She even wrote instructions on all the packages so Brandon would know exactly how to heat everything up. It was very fun to have family up to visit! Mom will be back the week of July 4th, which I'm really looking forward to!

On Tuesday night we went to the pool for the first time since my doctor gave me the okay. It was a cool night and the water was colder than I'd normally want to be in...but it was totally worth it! I got to wear my new maternity bathing suit for the first time and actually felt like a normal person. The best thing about the 30 minutes I got to spend in the pool was that Jackson was able to see me doing something "normal" and we were able to play a little bit together. Since my pool privileges are 2x a week I think we'll go again this weekend...something to look forward to!

Last night, Brandon and Jackson went to church. Brandon went to a "Starting Point" class that talks about church membership. We joined a church a few months after moving here, but haven't really felt drawn to it anymore. Instead we've been attending Brian and Jen's church for the last 6-9 months. The church is Sugarloaf United Methodist and we really like it. They have incredible worship music, a godly pastor and a great kids program. We have been considering membership, but wanted to talk with the pastor about some doctrinal differences (Methodist vs. Baptist) before we made the decision to change our membership. Brandon was able to get our questions answered last night. If we do decide to join it will probably when I'm off of bedrest so that we can stand up together as a family.

I had a doctors appointment today that went very well. I took the glucose tolerance test, which checks for gestational diabetes. With Jackson's pregnancy I failed the 1 hour test by 1 point and had to take the 3 hour test (which I passed). This time, I won't get my results until next week...I'm really hoping that I pass so I don't have to take the 3 hr. test. Twin pregnancies are more likely to test positive for gestational diabetes...I seriously hope I don't fall into that category! My belly is measuring 31 weeks pregnant, which is perfect because twin pregnancies generally measure 4-6 weeks ahead of a singleton. Since I'm 26 1/2 weeks pregnant, that means I measured 4 1/2 weeks ahead. I can't believe I'm going to tell you all this, but here goes...I gained 5 lbs. in the past week which I attribute to my mom being in town and filling my plates full of high-fat foods (and being inactive on bedrest)! The doctor was pleased with the 5 lbs. because she said I was too skinny before (yea, right!). I was concerned about the weight gain, but she said that my total weight gain so far was in line with what the average singleton mom gains at 26 weeks. That's nice to hear, but in the back of my mind I still worry about gaining too much weight and having to lose it after the babies are born. The doc gave me the okay to go to dad's house for dinner tomorrow night. I have to be reclined on the ride there and back, and will have to stay on their couch, but the change of scenery will be very nice!

I'm lying on the couch typing to you all with the sweetest little boy asleep next to me. Jackson is so precious. I absolutely LOVE being his mommy! His new schedule is awesome!! He goes to the sitter in the morning, then our friend Jenny picks him up after lunch and brings him home to me. I let him watch one cartoon and then he goes down for a nap. It's been really nice because it allows me to still play a "mommy" role even though I can't get up. He takes his nap on the couch...sometimes snuggled up next to me and other times he lies at the opposite end. Either way, we have our own special time together that's just "ours." I LOVE IT!

Guess that's it for now. I have intentions of writing more regularly so the posts aren't quite so long...who knows, maybe I'll post something tomorrow (like pictures!). Margaret is coming up next week...we're all very excited to see her! She'll get to go to the doctor with me on Monday and see the twins via ultrasound for the first time...very exciting!

Another Good Dr. Appointment!

2007-06-15T13:07:00.000-04:00

We had an appointment yesterday at my regular OB. The babies continue to look good and the doctor is pleased with my progress as well. I asked about bedrest and was told that I'd be on it until at least 28 weeks, then they would consider modifying it a bit. The doctor did give me a couple more privileges, which I'm very excited about. I am now able to sit up 3-4 times a day for 20 minutes and I can drive myself to my doctor appointments! Sitting for 20 minutes may not seem like much, but when you're on your back 24 hours a day, sitting in a chair sounds like heaven!

Nene kept Jackson and Morgan at my house yesterday because Marianne's (babysitter) husband was having surgery. It was a really nice day! I enjoyed listening to the kids playing in the playroom and getting to interact with them some. Jackson was very content staying at home all day and showered Nene with kisses and hugs.

I am very excited that Peppy and Kim are on their why up here as I type! They are going to help us do some projects (set up Jackson's big boy room) and cook lots of meals to fill the freezer. Jackson stayed home with me this morning (we snuggled in my bed and watched cartoons), then went to Eliza's house to play. Eliza turned 4 this week and is very into ballet and princesses...so I won't be too surprised if Jackson comes home in a princess costume! I thought he would have a hard time leaving when Sally (Eliza's mom) walked over to get him, but he just walked right out with her (whew!!)...he was very excited to get to play at Eliza's house! I just got a call from Sally...she said that Jackson is playing baseball with Eliza and Scott (older brother) and doesn't want to come home. She asked him if he wanted to see his mommy and he said "no, play!" I'm so glad that he's having such a great time!!

I won't be able to go upstairs to see Jackson's new room so I'll have to rely on pictures...once Brandon takes some I'll post them on here!

25 Weeks!

2007-06-11T23:18:00.001-04:00

Another week...another milestone.

I went to the doctor this morning. Everything looked really good on the ultrasound! Janine was with me so she got to see the babies for the first time...we saw William yawning and Maggie sticking out her tongue. It was pretty cute! I am still on strict bedrest, but the doctor said that I can go to the pool 1-2 times a week to float for 20-30 minutes...FREEDOM (even if it is for a short amount of time)!!

Jackson got home on Saturday afternoon. He was very excited to see his Daddy and when they got home he ran inside calling my name. I am so glad to have him home, although it's a bit bittersweet because I can't be up doing anything with him. He had a great week with Mimi & Doff in Dothan...thank you guys for taking such good care of him!! Saturday night I had Jackson put his hand on my belly while the babies were moving. He didn't seem to notice anything at first, but all of a sudden he froze and looked at my belly. I know he felt the babies move, but of course, has no idea what he was feeling.

I've received voicemails and cards from a couple people that I don't know...they know me through Margaret and just want to extend their support to us. It's very sweet and I really appreciate their thoughtfulness. We have been surrounded by family, friends, neighbors, etc. and as I said before, it's humbling to be on the receiving end of such kindness and support.

Today was Jackson's first day back at his babysitters house. It was her birthday and she gave Jackson some flowers out of her b-day bouquet to bring home to me. It was very sweet. Jackson came in yelling "I you, I you"...meaning "for you". He gave me the flowers, then helped Brandon put them in water. Brandon was going to put them on the mantle, but Jackson started crying...he wanted the special flowers right next to his Mommy. Once they were in their "proper place" he said "I you" again. I said thank you and he followed with "you're welcome" (something we haven't heard him say before).

He had a bit of a rough day at Marianne's...wouldn't eat after breakfast and only took a 40 minute nap. As soon as he was in the car coming home with Brandon, he was fast asleep. Poor little guy has had his world turned upside down over the last couple weeks. He snuggled with me for about an hour this afternoon...I ate it up!! I know he knows that something is going on and is dealing with it as best he can. Brandon and I are doing the best we can to help him in this adjustment period. We are blessed that he is a sweet child...expressive (good & bad!), playful and loving.

Please say some extra prayers for Jackson that he feels our love surrounding him and is able to express himself in a way that we can understand so that we can help him to understand that things are different but will return to normal soon. Even though "normal" will change with the addition of William and Maggie. Thank you!

I'M HOME!!!!

2007-06-07T22:40:00.000-04:00

That's right...I'm laying on my couch, surrounded by my things! Brian, Jen, Morgan & Sercy (their dog) met Brandon at the house this afternoon to get things ready for me to be home. Janine picked me up from the hospital and we got home around 6:45. Soon after, Dad got here with a mini-fridge. The guys worked very hard to get our downstairs bedroom ready to be made into my room. Jen helped get clothes from upstairs and other things organized in my new space. And, Janine went on a grocery run! All in all, I am pretty well set up to be on bedrest. It feels very good to be in my house again. Thank you all for the prayers and thank you, my ATL family, for helping get the house ready for me! You are all very appreciated! :)

I'M HOME!!

Awesome News!

2007-06-07T16:48:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to let you all know about some great news we got during our ultrasound last Friday. The cyst that was seen in Maggie's brain at my 19 week appointment is GONE!! Thank You, God!!

Possibly going home!!

2007-06-07T15:20:00.001-04:00

Thursday, June 7, 2007 (24 weeks, 3 days)
I've officially been in the hospital for a week. The time has gone by fairly quickly so it's hard to believe that I've been here this long. This morning one of the specialists came to see me. It has now been confirmed that I DO have a placenta abruption...I thought that had been ruled out, but apparently not. The good news is that the separation (abruption) is small. The doc said that I could still be in the hospital for several weeks. However, my regular OB came in a little while later and said that as long as I did not have any spotting by 5pm today, she will discharge me!! So, there's a very good chance that I could go home tonight. :) I will, of course, go home on strict bedrest and if the bleeding starts again I'll be back in the hospital until the babies are born. I will have the same restrictions at home as I did at the hospital...can get up for the bathroom and to shower, otherwise, I have to by lying down. The list of things I can't do seems to be ever growing...I can't drive, I can't sit up in a chair (or in bed), I can't walk up/down stairs, etc. It's a very good thing that we have the extra bedroom/bathroom downstairs...looks like I'll be relocating there for the next several months.

Most of my Atlanta family is coming over tonight to help Brandon get everything set up for me to be home. They're having to move some furniture around, transfer my clothes/bathroom stuff downstairs, install a mini-fridge, go on a grocery run, and so on... A couple of my neighbors are putting a meal schedule together and are going to help us with Jackson as needed. Brandon and I are very blessed to have family (in & out of town) and friends that are willing to bend over backwards to help us. It's very humbling to be on the receiving end of such generosity, love and support. Thank you all so much!

I'll update tonight and let you know whether I'm at home or in the hospital. Keep your fingers crossed and those prayers coming :)

Hospital Update

2007-06-06T23:05:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, June 6, 2007 (24 weeks, 2 days)

The past two days have been pretty uneventful. I am still in the hospital...will be until I don't have any type of bleeding/spotting for 24 hours. Yesterday, I was allowed to walk around the halls for 30 minutes (the docs want to see if being up triggers more bleeding). Jen was visiting when I was allowed to get up so she and I walked the halls for about 20 minutes. It was really nice to get out of bed, but made it painfully obvious that I'd been laying on my back for 5 days. I started having back pain and had to come back to my room before the 30 minute walk time limit was up so that they could monitor me for contractions. The walking also triggered some spotting, which let us know that I'd definitely be here for another day at least. I've been keeping busy with the laptop, books, phone and tv...definitely a different kind of busy that chasing Jackson around!

Speaking of my sweet son...Mimi and Doff took Jackson, Coleman and Cassidy to the Montgomery Zoo yesterday. Jackson was most excited about seeing the lions. :) They had a great time and all went home exhausted!

Today I was having some bad pains in my back, which I attribute to laying down so much. I was so uncomfortable that the nurse let me sit in the recliner in my room for 30 minutes. Normally, sitting in the recliner would take the place of walking around, so I made her promise me that I would still get my daily walk. I don't think sitting in the chair helped my back feel better, but it was nice to be out of the bed! The only downside was that I started spotting again, so now we're back to the 24 hour countdown. I waited until Brandon came to the hospital this evening to take my walk...I also have "terrace privileges" which means I can sit on the terrace for 30 minutes, 2 times a day. Normally a nurse would have to wheel me out to the terrace and back to my room, but we combined my daily walk with the terrace instead. We walked around the floor for 15 minutes, then walked out to the terrace and sat outside for the last 15 minutes. Dad & Janine came to visit while we were outside...it felt almost "normal" to be sitting outside in the sun, talking with family. I'm in such a weird situation right now that I'll take as much "normalcy" as I can get!

While we were walking, Brandon and I passed by the nursery several times. There was a little girl and a little boy in the window. We're both amazed to think that we could be looking into that nursery in a couple months and see a boy & girl in the window...and they'll both be ours! It's a bit scary and overwhelming, but certainly a blessing.

Thank you all that have called/emailed/visited, etc. Brandon and I feel totally surrounded by love and support. We feel the prayers that are being said for the babies and for us. We could not get through this without an amazing support system, but most importantly an Amazing God.

Things Can Change In The Blink Of An Eye

2007-06-04T20:20:00.000-04:00

Thursday, May 31, 2007 (23 weeks, 3 days)
Last Thursday night, Jackson and I went to watch Brandon play in his final softball game of the season. Jackson had a great time running up and down the fence and watching daddy. Afterward we grabbed a quick bite to eat and I noticed that my back was hurting a lot and I was a little crampy. I've been told when that happens that I need to get off my feet and drink a lot of water. We ran by Target on the way home to pick up some diapers. While there I went to the restroom and noticed that I was bleeding pretty bad. I called my OB to let them know what was going on and he had us drive straight to the Labor & Delivery department at the hospital (he'd called ahead to let them know I was on the way). My Dad and Janine met us there to pick up Jackson for the night (thank you!). I was taken to a triage room and they immediately did an ultrasound and some other tests to try to figure out what was happening. I ended up having 2 ultrasounds on Thursday night which showed the twins were doing good, but it looked like William's placenta was separating from my uterine wall. We were told that I would be admitted to the hospital for an indefinite time frame. Over the next 24 hours, I would receive 2 injections to mature the babies lungs in case they were going to be delivered early and IV antibiotics to help with any possible infections.

Friday, June 1, 2007 (23 weeks, 4 days)
I was up most of last night with nurses coming in and out of my hospital room. They were monitoring the babies heartrates and possible contractions. I saw my OB, a Perinatologist (high risk OB doc) and had an ultrasound (US) today, along with all the other monitoring. The US still showed a possible placenta abruption and a blood clot in my uterus. The docs let me know that I would be in the hospital until at least Sunday and could be here for weeks. Because I'm carrying twins, bleeding and only in my 23rd week, I am considered high-risk. Mom and Megan drove up Friday afternoon so that they could see me and help Brandon with Jackson. Mom spent the night with me Friday night...I know one of her reasons was so that SHE could make sure that I was getting the best care possible! We normally have "family dinner" on Friday nights, so most of the family came up to the hospital and we all ate Chick-Fil-A together. My bleeding was progressively getting better, then started again a little late Friday night.

Saturday, June 2, 2007 (23 weeks, 5 days)
Since the babies have continued to look so good, I have been taken off of the continuous fetal monitoring. Now, the nurses will put me on the monitor for 15-30 minutes every 12 hours. I am on strict bedrest (bathroom privileges and 1 shower daily). It's hard to not be able to get up and move around like I'd like to do, but I'll do whatever it takes to make sure the babies are safe! The doctor came in today and said that I would not be able to leave until Monday at the earliest because they want to continue monitoring my progress. She did allow the IV to be taken out and has stopped my antibiotics, which is very nice! I was also told that I'd be moved from the Labor & Delivery floor to the High Risk Pregnancy unit...I finally got moved to my new room tonight around 11pm. It is a very nice room which feels a little less clinical than the rooms on the L&D floor.

Sunday, June 3, 2007 (23 weeks, 6 days)
Brandon took Jackson down to Columbus today (1/2 way to Dothan) to meet Trey, so that Jackson can spend the week with Mimi. It is hard to not get to see him this week, but will be much better for us since I don't know yet when I'll leave the hospital...and I'll have to be on bedrest at home. It'll give Brandon and I some time to adjust to my bedrest before we add an energetic 2 1/2 year old to the mix! All in all today was a pretty good day. I didn't have any bleeding today until midnight, which pushes my discharge from the hospital out at least 24 hours...bummer!

Monday, June 4, 2007 (24 weeks)
Today I saw the regular OB, Perinatologist and had 2 US's. The US's looked really good and the doctors now don't think that I have a placental abruption...which is great news! I am very anemic so I now have to take 2 iron pills a day (which I also did with Jackson). The OB said that I had to continue on strict bedrest today, but as long as there is no other bleeding I can be up a little bit tomorrow to see if walking around triggers new bleeding. If I am up/about and don't start bleeding I can possibly go home by Tuesday evening (on strict bedrest at home, though). The doctor did say that if I go home and start bleeding again that I'll be re-admitted until the babies come...so I'll definitely plan to take this bedrest thing seriously!! The perinatologist came in this afternoon and agreed with my OB's plan. They both have said that my goal is to get to 28 weeks...after that milestone we'll work on reaching 30, 32, 34+ weeks. Last Thursday I turned my resignation in at work for my last day to be June 29th...in light of the past several days it looks like my last day was Thursday. I'll be on strict bedrest for the next 4 weeks and will possibly be upgraded to modified bedrest if all continues to go well. Thank you all for your prayers, support and caring as we start this new phase of our journey. I'll try to keep the blog updated regularly as we walk our new path.

Jackson - Alopecia update

2007-05-31T12:32:00.000-04:00

We went back to Jackson's dermatologist for a follow-up visit this morning. We have spent the last six weeks putting cortisone cream on the portion of his scalp where the hair loss occurred. The doctor confirmed that the cortisone has not been effective and that there is another spot of hair loss on the back of his head. We are now starting a new "tar" therapy which we'll apply daily. The tar cream is supposed to irritate the scalp to encourage the hair follicles to begin new growth. We have to apply the cream, let it sit for 5 minutes, then wash it off with soapy water. We will increase the time limit on the cream until we are letting it stay on his head for 30 minutes a day (should take about a week to work up to 30 minutes). It's frustrating that nothing has worked so far, but the doctor is hopeful that this will do the trick. We didn't go right to the tar cream before because of the knowledge that it will cause Jackson some discomfort. So for now the plan is to use this new cream for 6 weeks and go back on July 12 for another follow-up. We're running out of treatment options and ask that each of you please (PLEASE!!) join us in prayer for hair growth to resume on Jackson's head. I believe in the power of prayer and thank all of you in advance for joining us in this journey.

Memorial Day weekend!

2007-05-31T11:50:00.000-04:00

Last Friday, we headed down to Dothan for the long Memorial Day weekend. It was a great trip and we had so much fun spending time with family and friends! Jackson had a run-in with a basketball about 10 minutes after we arrived in Dothan and is now sporting a bruised head and scratched eye! He and Mimi were throwing the basketball on her back porch and Jackson decided he wanted to dribble the ball. He did pretty good for a couple seconds, then rolled over the ball and into the brick floor. He fussed for about a minute, refused an ice pack and started dribbling the basketball again. What a boy!

Mimi had a surprise waiting for Jackson in her garage...a new bicycle! It's an Elmo toddler bike with training wheels...very cute. Jackson hasn't figured out how to pedal the bike yet, but loved being pushed around on the bike by Mimi (her poor back!). I'll post pictures soon. We even have video...if it appears on the blog in the next few days you'll know that I figured out how to upload it!!

On Saturday Brandon and I went to see Brandon Price and his wife as they were moving into their new house. We took lunch over and got to visit for a little while before they had to start unpacking again! While we were gone Jackson, Coleman and Cassidy had fun in Mimi's pool. The new game was for Jackson to stand on the pool steps and yell "BLAST-OFF" as he jumped into their arms. Pictures coming soon.

After church on Sunday we went to Cassidy's piano recital. She did a great job and has become quite the accomplished musician which is really fun for me to see. Music is such an important part of life and it's nice to see her embrace her talents and share them with others. We are very proud of her.

Coleman had baseball practice on Monday morning. He came back raving about a ball that he hit to the fence...way to go Coleman!!

Many of you ask Brandon and me how Ross is doing. Thank you for your care and concern. Ross is doing really well and goes back to Houston (MD Anderson) for several days at the end of June. As always, we trust God to protect Ross and pray that no signs of cancer have returned. Ross jokes about being a "short order cook" when we're in town...we always show up knowing exactly what we want to eat while visiting. Ross is a fantastic cook and we love to indulge while at their house...we always come back with a couple extra pounds on us! It's worth it though (besides...a week back at our house, eating MY cooking ensures that all the "Dothan" weight will be lost). :)

Margaret is spending this week putting together a new Bible Study (outline) to be published by Lifeway. It will be geared towards the Baby-boomer generation and will deal with some of the struggles/life challenges that their generation will (or already does) face. It's due tomorrow and probably already complete, but please say a prayer for her as she goes through this process.

This was my last trip to Dothan before the twins arrive. It was a nice/relaxing visit and we hope to see our Dothan family as they visit us in Atlanta this summer/fall. We've already got Mimi penciled in for a week at the end of June and can't wait!!

By the way, when we got home on Monday evening Jackson and Brandon went outside to play in the backyard. Jackson was running, tripped over his own feet and went face-first into the ground. He had dirt all over the side of his face when he came in to get cleaned up for bed...the area around his eye was red and tender, but didn't look that bad. Well, on Tuesday morning when he got up we were greeted by a puffy eye and some mean looking scratches. Now BOTH eyes are scratched up!! Boys will be boys :)

I love being a mommy to an active, fun, loving and precious son!

If she can do it, so can I!!

2007-05-23T08:36:00.000-04:00

N.J. Woman, 60, Gives Birth to Twin Boys

TRENTON, N.J. — A 60-year-old woman became a mother, twice over, when she delivered a pair of boys Tuesday.
Frieda Birnbaum gave birth to "Baby A" at 12:44 p.m. and "Baby B" a minute later by Caesarean section at Hackensack University Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Nancy Radwin said. The twins each weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces, she said.
"The mom is in recovery, and she and the babies are doing really well," Radwin said, declining a request to speak with the mother.
Hospital officials believe Birnbaum may be the oldest woman to give birth to twins in the United States, Radwin said.
Birnbaum, a psychologist from Saddle River, underwent in-vitro fertilization last year in Cape Town, South Africa, at a center that specializes in older women. She and her husband, Ken, a New York attorney, have been married for 38 years and have three other children — sons ages 6 and 33 and a daughter, 29.
Birnbaum told Fox News she wanted her younger son to have siblings closer to his age and wanted to remove some of the stigma attached to older women giving birth.
Coincidentally, Tuesday was the birthday of twins born one year ago to a 59-year-old woman — also to a New Jersey woman. Lauren Cohen gave birth to Gregory and Giselle on May 22, 2006, at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia.
Cohen said Birnbaum contacted her after seeing her name in a magazine and that the two quickly became friends.
"We talked about babies; I suggested things that would be helpful when you try to feed two babies simultaneously," Cohen said.

Big Boy Undies!

2007-05-17T10:18:00.000-04:00

Peppy came up last weekend to see the kids and celebrate Mothers Day with us! She always brings goodies for Jackson and Morgan. This time Jackson got new pajama's and big boy underwear with Spider Man on them! He wasn't too interested in them while in the package, but after I washed them it was a different story! He always likes to "help" me do the laundry, whether it's sorting clothes, transferring from washer to dryer or folding. This time he found his new underwear right away and had to put them on. He looked pretty cute!

After inspecting a second pair, he decided to wear them both!