Pumpkin Patch

This past weekend we went to the Pumpkin Patch with grandpa, grandma, Auntie Erica, Uncle Bob, and cousin Dylan. We had a blast! Next year, we will REALLY have our hands FULL! Here are a few pictures from our little adventure. Daddy picked out the Carhartt's and "Aunt" Lorie C. made the adorable pumpkin hats. Thanks "Aunt" Lorie, the kids loved their hats and they kept them nice and warm. Enjoy!

Finally.....

I know it's been a while since I posted, I apologize. Between work, the girls, and keeping up the house, I NEVER seem to have time to do anything I want to do. At any rate, I have a quick minute this morning (the girls are napping) before we head out with my parents for a little boating and BBQing and wanted to share a picture. I am very excited to say my palsy is finally starting to heal!!! Slowly I am regaining function of my face. I honestly can't put into words how excited I am or how hard the last three months have been. As many of you know, I didn't allow anyone to take pictures of me for nearly the first three and a half months the girls were born, but last weekend at church I decided I was finally ready to take a family picture. I feel blessed that I am starting to heal and even more blessed that I finally have a family photo to share. Its not perfect, but it will do!!

(Steve is holding Sydney and I'm holding Morgan)

2 Months

Wednesday, May 5th was your two month checkup. Wow, have time is flying by!! Here's what's new....

Sydney
Head:
Height:
Weight: 8lbs 3oz, 2%

Your development continues to be right on track. You started smiling more socially and you are holding your head up a little better. The doctor was a little concerned that you are not gaining weight quite as fast as they would like to see. He asked mommy to start putting a teaspoon of formula in your bottles of breastmilk. This will give you a few extra calories and hopefully help you start gaining weight a little faster. Today your vaccinations included two shots (one in each leg) and a to drink that you didn't seem to mind at all. The doctor is going to have you come back in a couple of weeks to have a weight check to see if the formula is helping you gain weight any faster. Here are a few highlights from month two....

• Wearing newborn size diaper
• Wearing newborn size clothes (grandma tried 0-3 months, but you were SWIMMING in them)
• You are smiling socially.
• You are starting to make cooing noises.
• You are sleeping from about 10pm until 5am!! (mommy and daddy are VERY happy about this)
• You have found your hands and love to suck on your fingers.
• Grandpa Dan calls you the ceiling inspector because you have a real fascination with the ceiling!
• You love to mimic sissy's crying but you don't quite have the lungs she does. Your cry is quite cute.
• Drum roll please....you rolled over for the first time on Sunday, May 9th (2 months old)!

Morgan
Head:
Height:
Weight: 9lbs 9oz

The doctor gave you a glowing review! You are a healthy, growing, and meeting all of your developmental milestones. You did get a bit of a cold, but that is to be expected because all of the adults around you were sick (daddy, Auntie Erica, grandpa, and grandma). It didn't last long and you still slept like a champion! You also got 2 shots in your leg and the nurse was quite impressed when you sucked down the 3rd vaccination (the drink) in a matter of seconds! Here are a few highlights from month two....

• Wearing size 1 diapers.
• Wearing newborn and a few 0-3 month clothes.
• You are smiling socially.
• You make very cute cooing noises.
• You have definitely found your hands and you love to chew on them!
• You have a little bit of a temper - if you are mad or hungry, you let it be known!
• You do not like tummy time!
• You are drinking 4-5 oz every 4-5 hours.
• You are have some real stinky gas and can actually clear a room (daddy thinks it is quite impressive)!
• You are sleeping from 10pm until 5am (mommy and daddy think you would sleep even longer but sissy wakes up and needs to eat)!!

A Few Firsts...

I thought I would share a few "firsts" from the last few weeks.

The weather was beautiful a few Sundays ago, so Grandma, Auntie Erica, and I decided to take the girls on their first walk. Notice Morgan in the front carrier (thank you April and Grey). Frustrating story...Steve and I purchased a brand new stroller from Baby Jogger that was just released at the beginning of this year and unfortunately, we have only received ONE seat. Makes the stroller a little useless with twins. (Don't worry, mommy has been on the phone constantly with the customer service rep!)


The girls' first trip to Grandpa's new office. It's beautiful! They should be moved in by the end of May. I'm sure the girls will get LOTS of playtime there in the future!

On April 17th, we celebrated Erica's birthday and attended her shower for baby Dylan (due June 20th). Lots of friends and family got to meet the girls for the first time! Doesn't Auntie Erica look beautiful!!

Yesterday, we took the girls on their first road trip to Seattle for mommy's doctors appointment. Grandpa rented a minivan, so that we would all fit. The girls did so well, they never cried while we were in the car (unless we were at a stoplight), and they completed one whole feeding in their carseats without fussing. We were so proud of them!

Grandpa and daddy got a little bored while mommy was at her 4 hour doctor appointment. While Grandma and mommy were finishing up with the doctor, daddy sent us a picture to let us know the girls had their first trip to get some "chicken wings." Needless to say, I'm sure Grandpa and daddy were a huge hit at the restaurant, as twin baby girls can definitely attract female attention!!

The Photo Session with Doreen

At my baby shower, I received a wonderful gift from one of my mom's dearest friends, Nikki. It was a photo session with her friend, Doreen. I must say, the pictures are fabulous! Below is a link to the gallery which is open until May 3rd. Enjoy!

Dear "Grandma" Nikki,
We just wanted to send you a special thank you. The pictures Doreen took make us look like baby models and we love them. We also know our mommy will cherish these pictures forever. Thanks for the wonderful gift, we love you!!

http://www.doreenbeers-michel.com/Buschbach/index.html

One Month Checkup

Thursday, April 8th was your one month checkup with the pediatrician. Your last appointment was March 8th (7 days old). Here are the highlights...

Morgan
Head: 36 1/2 cm, 25% - up from 34 cm, 10-25%
Height: 20 1/2 inches, 17% - up from 18 1/2 inches, < 10%
Weight: 8 lbs 2 oz, 15% - up from 5 lbs 8 oz, < 5%

The doctor assessed your tummy issues and decided to try you on a 3 week trial of Prevacid. He said that your episodes, crying after eating, are likely caused by reflux or you may have colic. He said that if it is reflux, we should notice a marked decrease in your episodes over the next three weeks. If we don't notice a change, it's likely colic and will just need to let it run its course. We picked up the prescription for the Prevacid and surprisingly, you love it and suck it right down!! (It smells like bubble gum...I wonder if it tastes like bubble gum??) You had to get your second Hepatitis B shot in your thigh and you did not like it. You cried and it made mommy very sad. Other than the tummy issues, he said you are very healthy and he couldn't be happier with your growth and development!

Sydney
Head: 35 cm, 4% - up from 31 1/2 cm, 1%
Height: 19 3/4 inches, 4 % - up from 18 inches, 1%
Weight: 7 lbs 4 oz, 4% - up from 5 lbs 0 oz, 1%

The doctor said your growth and development was right on track. He was a little concerned because your skin tone still has a yellow tinge to it, which can be a sign of jaundice. He decided to do a blood test to make sure your Billirubin levels were not too high. (We got the results the next day and they were slightly elevated. The doctor said not to worry, the level is continuing to drop from when you were in the hospital, which is just what they want to see.) You also had to have your second Hepatitis B shot. For the first time mommy heard you cry (you never cry) and you even held your breath for a few second. It was very hard for mommy to watch. I can't believe you had to be poked twice in one day, mommy is very sorry!


Here are a few pictures from your visit to the pediatrician....

Waiting in the lobby. (Mommy loved your cute outfits that day)

Morgan on the scale.

Sydney on the scale.

Lactation Specialist

My last post from yesterday was quite long so I decided to make a separate post about our feeding issues. As I mentioned in my post on 03/18/2010, since we left the hospital I had been able to give the girls 100% breastmilk, either from the breast or the bottle. About a week and a half ago, I noticed that my supply was decreasing and I was barely pumping enough for a single feeding {insert panic and despair}. I decided to contact the lactation specialist at the hospital for some guidance. She indicated that there could be a few issues at play: the fact that my immune system was weakened and the fact that I was taking steroids and an antiviral medication for my Bell's Palsy. I guess both of these issues can cause a drop in your milk supply. She suggested that I contact my physician and request a prescription for Reglan (I believe it is an anti-nausea medication). Reglan is believed to increase milk supply in breastfeeding mothers. The doctor called in the prescription for the medication and I started taking it on 03/28/2010. Within two days my supply was back and I felt a HUGE sense of relief!

In an effort to prevent my supply from dropping again, I scheduled an appointment to meet in person with the lactation specialist. I scheduled our appointment with the WONDERFUL lactation specialist we met in the hospital, Kristin. One of the reasons I had not been solely breastfeeding the girls was the fact that they were inefficient nursers after birth and we weren't sure how my milk supply would do, given my previous breast surgery for fibroidadnoma's. At our postpartum appointment (two days after discharge from the hospital), both girls nursed for 30 minutes - Morgan only took in 5mL and Sydney took in 30mL. Because of these numbers, they suggested that I continue to offer them bottles of breastmilk to ensure their intake was adequate and they continued to gain weight. At our appointment with Kristin on 04/02/2010 both girls nursed for 20 minutes. This time, Morgan took in 90mL and Sydney took in 78mL. Essentially both girls were taking in their recommended amounts - they officially graduated to EFFICIENT nursers!! With this information the lactation specialist assured me that I can nurse them without hesitation and even start working towards tandem nursing (two at a time)! I'm still a little nervous to tandem nurse, but when I have someone around to help, I give it a shot. For the most part, I try when I can during the day to nurse them and then give them bottles at night. There are two reasons for the bottles at night: 1) I know how much they are getting and hope that means they will sleep for at least 4 hours and 2) I'm not yet confident at nursing and when I'm tired and sleep deprived, I get frustrated and then the girls get frustrated. So, for the time being we continue to bottle feed the girls breastmilk and I nurse them when I can. For the most part, both girls will take between 90-100mL at each feeding and they are feeding every 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Mommy really couldn't be happier!! Our girls truly are VERY GOOD babies, Steve and I truly feel blessed. God is Good!!

1 Month Update...(a little late)

Wow, all the twin blog moms were right...time is really flying by! I can't believe that our girls are already 5 weeks old (as of yesterday). April 1st marked their 1 month "birthday" and they celebrated by being tortured by Grandma Laurie taking pictures. Well, let me clarify...Morgan was tortured - nothing ever seems to bother Sydney, she simply goes with the flow.

We are keeping this blog, not only to update friends and family about our family, but to document our memories of the girls. So I apologize if some if this information is boring. I know that if I don't document it, I won't remember! Here are a few highlights:

Sydney
As of 4/2/2010 you weighed 6 lbs, 12.2 oz
You are wearing all newborn clothes
You are eating about 100mL of breastmilk (by bottle or breast) every 3.5 to 4 hours
At night, you sleep in the co-sleeper in our room, you prefer to be swaddled. you sleep on the Boppy, and are sleeping about 4 hours
**Mom and dad are trying to break you of sleeping on the Boppy, but you really don't like to sleep flat on your back - mom is paranoid that sleeping on the Boppy isn't safe**
We started trying to have you take your daytime naps in your crib. You did great and slept for about an hour!
You continue to be very "easy going" (like your daddy).
Rarely, do we hear you cry - only if you are VERY hungry.
You only really take a binky when you are hungry. Otherwise, you have no interest in it.
Things you love - stretching out on the floor, swinging in your swing, staring at the lights, being snuggled, and bathtime!
Things you're not so fond of - being strapped into your carseat, being given your binky when you don't want it, and the bouncy seat.

Morgan
As of 4/2/2010 you weighed 7 lbs, 9 oz
You are wearing all newborn clothes
You are eating about 100mL of breastmilk (by bottle or breast) every 3.5 to 4 hours
At night, you sleep in the co-sleeper in our room, you prefer to be swaddled, you sleep on the Boppy, and are sleeping about 4 hours
**Mom and dad are trying to break you of sleeping on the Boppy, but you really don't like to sleep flat on your back - mom is paranoid that sleeping on the Boppy isn't safe**
We started trying to have you take your daytime naps in your crib. You didn't really like it and spent most of the time crying - we're going to keep working on it though!
I think you and mommy may have VERY similar personalities! You are slightly impatient, a little dramatic, but love to be snuggled and loved.
You have been having some tummy issues. It seems to mommy and daddy that every time you eat, you are in pain afterwards and spend quite a bit of time crying and stiffening your body. We started giving you Mylicon drops before each feeding and that seems to have helped a little. We will ask the pediatrician about it at our next appointment (4/8/2010).
You are a binky girl. Often times, giving you your binky will soothe and calm you.
Things you love - stretching out on the floor (for a short time), being snuggled, walking around while being held, swinging in your swing, and sitting in your bouncy seat (but only with the vibration on).
Things you're not so fond of - bathtime, changing your diaper or clothes, being strapped into your carseat, and being put down when you want to be held.


Update on Mommy and Daddy
Steve went back to work two weeks after the girls were born, boy was that an adjustment for mom. I really loved having him around to help every day - he is a great dad and helps with feedings, changing diapers, and dressing the girls (he's not too sure about bathtime yet)!

Right now Steve is working a very difficult schedule: one day shift, two swing shifts, and two night shifts. Needless to say it is an exhausting schedule for someone without kids, not to mention someone with newborn twins! On the days that he works night shift, the girls and I have been staying the night at my mom and dad's house. My mom is a gem, she sleeps with me and helps me with the nighttime feedings! Side note - we tried one night using the baby monitors (one in the guest room, where the cribs are, and the other in my parents room). Needless to say that only lasted one night because grandpa didn't get any sleep! Grandma now sleeps with me in the guest room - after two nights of helping with the girls, grandma is definitely exhausted! I must say, we are getting LOTS of help from both sets of grandparents, Auntie Erica, and Uncle Bob. Without our family, I'm not sure what we would do. We always have family that is willing to come over and watch the girls so we can sleep, run errands, or just take a bath! We truly feel blessed to have such a wonderful, supportive family - thank you mom, dad, Dave, Norene, Bob, and Erica - we could not do this without you guys!!

Lastly, a quick update on me. I still have Bell's Palsy, hence why we still have no family pictures. It's a little depressing to think its been four weeks and there hasn't been a significant change for the better. I'm trying to stay positive though and hope that in time it will get better. My speech articulation is still impacted, I can't smile, and I can't blink. I must say, it is a little frustrating and makes me somewhat self-conscious, but again, I'm trying to stay positive. With all the family support (time to sleep). I have managed to get and stay healthy, which is a HUGE relief!! Being sick and raising twins is NO FUN!

Sorry for the long post! For those of you that read all of that, I'll leave you with a few photos of the girls, taken by grandma Laurie on their 1 month "birthday." (In all the photos, Morgan is on the left and Sydney is on the right)

Thank you to my friend Liz who made these adorable tutu's! She is also the mother of adorable twin girls, "Thank you Liz, we have gotten lots of use out of the tutu's!"

Dr. Appt Update

Playing Dress Up at Grandma's

Waiting for the Doctor

Sydney

Morgan

This is a quick post because I am supposed to be taking a nap!! Today the girls went back to the Dr. for a quick check up to make sure they were still gaining weight and that their jaundice looked better. Mommy is proud to say that they both passed with flying colors!!

Here are the stats and a feeding update:

Sydney

At the last appt, she weighed 5 lbs - today, she weighed in at 5 lbs, 12 oz. She also grew 1 1/4 inches...she's now 19 1/4 inches long!

Morgan

At the last appt, she weighed 5 lbs, 8 oz - today she weighed in at 6 lbs, 8 oz.

Feeding Update

Currently, I am able to provide enough expressed breast milk for the girls and we are not having to supplement with formula. I will be honest though, I am only nursing a couple times a day because it unfortunately leaves no time for me to sleep or get anything done around the house. Right now the girls are getting expressed breast milk from a bottle and then nurse a couple times throughout the day....and I must say I am very pleased with this. I wish that I had more hours in the day that I could just nurse them both exclusively, but I am happy that I can provide enough breast milk for them, even if its from a bottle.

We're Home!!

Sorry for the delay in posting...to say the least, things have been exhausting and chaotic! Let's start with the update on the girls....

Morgan was discharged from the NICU on Wednesday evening (3/3/10) and Sydney was discharged from the NICU on Thursday morning (3/4/10). On Thursday evening, I was discharged from Labor and Delivery and Steve and I moved rooms to stay with the girls in the Pediatric Unit at the hospital. The girls weren't quite ready to go home on Thursday evening. The doctors took the girls off the Billirubin lights on Thursday evening and told us that if their levels remained stable, we would all be going home on Friday. The girls passed with flying colors and we were discharged Friday by lunch time!

The girls are doing really well here at home. We went to the Pediatrician on Monday (3/8/10) and Morgan was almost back to her birth weight, she weighed in at 5 lbs, 8oz. Sydney weighed in at 5 lbs even! The girls are eating every 3 hours and keeping mom, dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles very busy changing diapers!

I've had lots of requests to update on how I am doing, so here goes.... I woke up the morning of the C-Section with a slight cough. By Tuesday, I had a full fledged bronchial infection - does not feel very good after abdominal surgery. As the week progressed, I came down with a viral infection on top of the bronchial infection. Needless to say, I felt miserable! Not to mention I was trying to breast feed both girls while they were in the NICU, every three hours, then go back to my room pump, eat, and try to take a nap. By about day 5, I was running on VERY LITTLE sleep. Thankfully, this wonderful RN on the Pediatric Unit offered to babysit the girls during the night shift so Steve and I could get nearly 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep - it was wonderful and much needed prior to discharge. We got home Friday afternoon and I was still battling both the bronchial infection and viral infection, on top of the sleep deprivation. On Sunday afternoon, I noticed that my tongue was going numb and I was having ear pain. By bedtime on Sunday, I went to take a drink of water and it started pouring out the side of my mouth. I called Steve into the room to show him, he said smile and I couldn't. He then told me that he thought I had Bell's Palsy. Sure enough, I do have Bell's Palsy - the left side of my face is paralyzed. My left eye will not close all the way, and I cannot smile or drink out of a cup....it's WONDERFUL!!

For now, I'll leave you with a picture of the girls - more to come I promise....

(Morgan on the left - Sydney on the right)

THE GIRLS ARE HERE!!!!!

Announcing.......

Morgan Danielle - born at 1:02pm
5 lbs, 9.9 oz
18 inches

Sydney Camille - born at 1:03pm
5 lbs, 6.5 oz
19 inches


First, both girls are doing VERY well! They are however spending their first night in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). At birth, Morgan was suffering from anemia and Sydney was having difficulty managing her blood sugars.

Morgan received a blood transfusion earlier this afternoon and is currently being nourished by IV Dextrose. We are hoping to start feedings with Morgan tomorrow. Her color is looking much better this evening and she REALLY loves her daddy!

Sydney was able to attempt breast feeding for the first time around 8pm and did great! She finished the remainder of her feeding on the bottle but then gave mom and dad quite the scare. She started to spit up and then stopped breathing. The NICU staff came right over, used the bulb to suction, gave her some oxygen, and she bounced back beautifully! They said that perhaps she needed a smaller nipple on the bottle, with less flow; and they reiterated that she is still learning to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time.

Tomorrow I promise to post and update with more pictures!! Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and kind words. Steve and I truly feel so blessed.

5 more days.....

Yes, the title of this entry says it all....we have, AT MOST...5 MORE DAYS until we meet the girls!! Our doctor has rescheduled the C-Section for Monday, March 1st at 12:30pm (and he will be back from his vacation). Let me explain how this all came about...

First, rewind to Sunday. I spent most of day at Labor and Delivery as the girls decided to decrease their movement. After nearly 5 and a 1/2 hours of monitoring and a biophysical profile, both girls finally decided to cooperate and we were released to go home. Before parting ways at Labor and Delivery, the on call OB explained to us that he would be surprised if we made it through the rest of this week, given the girls are positioned VERY low in my pelvis, I am beginning to efface and dilate, and my contractions are starting to intensify.

On Tuesday, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my doctor had not left for his vacation yet and would be able to see us after our routine testing (NST, BPP, and growth scan). After he reviewed our test results, he made the decision that our C-Section should be rescheduled to Monday, March 1st. He said there is essentially 0% chance of making it to Monday, March 8th and didn't give me a percentage for making it to Monday, March 1st. He just reiterated that I need to STAY OFF MY FEET. Here are the highlights from the testing....

• Both girls passed the non-stress test and it was confirmed that I am having contractions, which are increasing in intensity and frequency.
• Both girls passed their bio-physical profiles, but it took nearly the entire hour - I think they are definitely running out of room!
• Morgan was estimated to weigh 5 lbs, 9 oz. Sydney was estimated to weigh 5 lbs, 7 oz.

In other news, I am FINALLY packed for the hospital and last night Steve cleaned out our car and installed the girls' car seats. Wow, I can't believe its almost time!!! Now we just wait and see if they come on their own or if we make it to Monday at 12:30pm. Updates to follow, stay tuned....

35 Weeks....

Before I update about the girls, Steve and I would like to thank everyone for your kind words, notes, messages, and prayers during the past few weeks - they have really meant a lot to us during this very difficult time. We laid my grandmother to rest and had a very lovely memorial service for her on Tuesday. My grandpa is still in the hospital, but we are hoping that he will be discharged home next week!!

We had our weekly doctor appointment on Thursday and once again, the babies looked great! Our doctor (whom I adore) actually said I could be the poster child for a twin pregnancy. Here are the facts:

• Both girls passed their biophysical profile ultrasound and non-stress test with flying colors.
• I am 50% effaced and dilated externally a finger tip. He also said he could feel Morgan's head.
• Both girls are head down and sitting right on top of my cervix.
• My fundal height was measured at 39 cm, which was a little small. The doctor did say that could be due to the fact that both girls may have dropped and are low in my pelvis. We have a growth scan next week and will make certain they are still gaining weight and growing.
• We parted ways by him telling me that I should "STAY OFF MY FEET" if I want him to deliver the babies. He is going to be out of town next week....I really, really would like him to be able to deliver the girls, so I am trying my best to keep my feet up!!

Our next appointment is on Tuesday and the girls will have another growth ultrasound at that appointment (fingers crossed both girls will be estimated to weigh over 5lbs). I think the reality is starting to set in that we are going to have two children sometime in the next 17 days!!

Dorothy J. Aden ~ 11/29/1920 - 02/10/2010

In loving memory of my Grandma Dot, aka "G. Dot".....this November would have marked her 90th birthday! Steve and I are very saddened that she will not be able to meet Sydney and Morgan, but we are finding comfort in the fact that she is now in heaven with my Grandpa Sam. We love you Grandma and promise to tell the girls all about you! Here are a few recent photos of Steve and I with G. Dot.

Taken at our wedding in Cle Elum, WA (02/07/2009)

Taken Christmas Day (December 25th, 2009)

33 1/2 Weeks - When it rains, it pours.....

Sorry for the long absence from posting, our world has been in upheaval for the past few weeks. It all started on January 25th...

My grandparents, Cloid and Pat (my mom's parents), were down visiting family in Nevada and on the evening of January 25th, my grandfather fell and broke his hip. He is 84 years old and is considered to be in poor health due to blockages in his heart, diabetes, and a host of other issues. Anyhow, he was flown back to Washington on Tuesday and admitted to a hospital here in the Tri-Cities. I won't get into all the details, but he finally underwent hip surgery on Friday, January 29th. We were told the surgery was VERY risky as his heart was very weak, but he's a fighter and our family had faith in him. He shocked all the doctors and sailed through surgery with flying colors! The next day, things took a turn for the worse, we were told his heart had been placed under a lot of stress and "it could go either way." He appeared to be entering the first stages of organ failure and we would just have to wait it out and see if he could fight his way back. Our family held vigil by his bedside, prayed, and talked to him all through the day on Saturday. He again shocked us all and started talking and was back with us on Sunday. By all accounts, God answered our prayers. It was a miracle. He has worked very hard and as of today, he is being transferred to the inpatient rehab unit at the hospital where he will undergo extensive, daily therapy to try and regain some of his strength and hopefully get out of the hospital. All in all, as of today, he is stable and fighting to regain his mobility and get home!

Just when we thought we had weathered our family crisis and were on our way to getting things back to normal, we were hit again. On Friday, February 5th my parents received a phone call from my grandmothers caretaker - this time it was regarding my dad's mom, Dorothy. Apparently my grandmother had fallen and hit her head and when the caretaker founder her, she was laying in a pool of blood, in her bed. The paramedics were called and she was transported to yet a different area hospital (we now have two family members, at two different hospitals). They ended up admitting her as she was suffering from a very bad urinary tract infection and she has congestive heart failure. We were told that she was going to be watched and treated for the infection and the plan was for her to be released today. At about 6am this morning, my parents received a phone call that her heart had stopped. She is now on life support and this prognosis is not good. The next 24 hours are in God's hands.

Through all of this, the babies are holding strong inside mommy, which is where I need them to stay. At our last appointment (32 1/2 weeks), Morgan weighed approximately 4lbs, 14oz and Sydney weighed approximately 4lbs, 4oz. My blood pressure was holding low and stable - thank goodness! And they passed their non-stress test with flying colors. I am supposed to go back to the doctor tomorrow, but given today's turn of events, the appointment may need to be postponed.

Sorry again for the delay in posting, if I could ask....please keep my family in your prayers. We could really use them right now.

Oh....I almost forgot in the midst of all this mayhem....Steve and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary yesterday! We have had a wonderful first year together and I know for sure, without him, I couldn't get through all of this. He truly is my best friend, he gives me strength and courage, and I love him so much. I know he is going to be an amazing father!!

Baby Shower

I'm finally getting around to posting about my baby shower. I have literally been "under the weather" for nearly 3 weeks! I must say that I had been looking forward to this day for so long. My baby shower was Saturday, January 9th. Sometime around New Years I came down with a TERRIBLE cold. Needless to say the day of my actual shower I barely had a voice and felt like I was running at about 5%, I was so bummed; although, nothing was going to stop me from attending my own baby shower. It was an AMAZING shower! My two cousins, Crystal and April, and my Aunt Darla hosted the event and I was blown away. The decorations were adorable, the food was delicious, and seeing everyone was great! Unfortunately, because I was functioning at about 5%, I didn't take A SINGLE PICTURE. Thankfully, my cousin Crystal (also one of the hostesses) took some picture. I don't know what I would have done if she would not have snapped these pictures, "thank you so much Crystal!"

The hostesses: my cousin, Crystal; my Aunt Darla; and my cousin, April.
The next two pictures are of the beautiful cupcakes. It was almost hard to eat them, they were so pretty! The butterflies on top were edible - I loved them!!

The table centerpieces. These trees were actually used at our wedding and it was so cool to see them re-used at the baby shower. This time the trees were adorned with butterflies that my cousin's and aunt cut out!!

Me, enjoying the delicious food!!

My sister, Erica and my friends, Wendy and Heather.

A diaper cake made by one of my friends, Christy. Is this not adorable!?! I think the girls will love the toys on top as well!

My cousin April made the owl applique's that are on the front of these onesies!

Two pairs of sheep slippers that were given to us by Steve's parents neighbor, Marcia. Marcia and her husband raise sheep (and..Steve spent MANY years helping out Marcia and her husband with their sheep - Steve also did 4H). The picture doesn't really do these slippers justice, they are ABSOLUTELY the MOST ADORABLE slippers!! Steve and I thank you very much Marcia!!