Thanksgiving

I am so thankful for two beautiful, healthy babies, a wonderful husband, loving/caring family, food :) and a roof over my head. I am thankful I have a job in a school that I love! I am thankful for all my friends.
We had a wonderful thanksgiving this year. The kiddos got to show off their thanksgiving outfits one more time. They had a rough start to traveling, not much sleep led to some fussy babies. However, they are adjusting and doing better. I did some black Friday shopping, but found this 9 pm thing ridiculous. Next year I will head out around 4 am and call it good. Got some great deals, and was done by 3 am. I will say I had a lot more energy this year, which is great because that is when we celebrate thanksgiving with Brett's family. I just hope they tone it down a bit next year, or soon we will be having black thanksgiving :(
I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving!

First Thanksgiving

Well our first thanksgiving was a success! The kids did great and I was able to finish their turkey onesies just in time!! Unfortunately, we didn't have a huge turn out as one of my cousins was in a state championship, but I suppose we will see everyone at Christmas. On the way home we stopped at Grandpa and Grandma Jankord's house. Siddalee showed off her sitting skills. She has such a straight, strong back... she's so proper when she sits. Max is still working on it :) I didn't get a good picture of both their turkey outfits but we'll definitely get one on the real thanksgiving!

Pinterest... my new love!

Okay so I have filled up my pinterest... added like 6 new boards in one evening. My husband tells me I need to stop and actually create some of my loves instead of stock piling ideas. So I decided he was right. I don't want to overwhelm myself with ideas. So I am now setting goals for my pinterest projects!

First things first:
Finish Turkey Onesies
Siddalee's Thanksgiving tutu
Make Siddalee's Zebra onesie for pictures.
Make Max's Tie onesie for pictures.

Long Term Goals:
Organize craft "room" -Use formula canisters to organize buttons, markers, scissors, etc.
Gather ideas for 1st birthday and bathroom (summer projects)

And in the meantime I will squeeze in my master's assignments ;) Does a graduate gpa mean anything? Hopefully not, sounds like I'm going to be distracted! It's funny how things change. All my crafty ideas and free time went to my classroom and now it's all on my own kids. Guess it's just a part of growing up :)

Turkey Onesies

So I was a busy mommy this weekend. I finally setup camp in our unfinished basement. I collected all my craft stuff which was in various places all over our house and move downstairs. I setup a table and began crafting right away. Yesterday I made onesies for our upcoming Thanksgiving dinners! They are not quite done, but I was satisfied with the progress. All I need to add is eyes and beak. I am also making a tutu for Sidda to match her onesie... figured Max would probably do without ;)

Trying to get in the habit...

Wow, so this so far has turned out to be a failure. I guess I'm just not the blogging type, but I will try and get better.
Max and Sidda are now a little over 6 months old! I absolutely cannot believe how fast the time flies. They get to be more and more fun every day. They are ticklish, recognizing humor, and love to grab everything! Siddalee always pinches at my neck, which feels lovely as you can imagine. Max is quite the little trouble maker already, typical boy! He is grabbing everything and stealing toys from sister. If I give Siddalee a toy he steals it, if I replace the toy he took he rolls over and takes that one too. The other day he was using both hands holding the toys away from her. Siddalee isn't innocent either. One day she was sitting in the exersaucer and I was holding Max next to it. He started spinning one of the toys. She spun around quickly put her hand on the toy and glared at him. She did not want him playing with her toy. It was quite hilarious!
They are loving solids now! Max had a rough start, was getting to his tummy quick enough :) But now they love it, their favorite is definitely carrots!
We are getting their pictures taken in a couple of weeks... so excited. I'm holding off on Max until he starts sitting up a little better! Sidda has a zebra pettiskirt and I just bought material to make a onesie for her. I am planning on making a onesie with a tie for Max. Also have lots of new flowers/bows to assemble.
Attached are some halloween pictures... my little frog and flower! Max was not very happy that day, but Sidda was totally infatuated with her pumpkin!

Date Night!

Brett and I went to the T-bones game with Josh and Jenny Friday night! My sis came and watched the kiddos! It was so nice to have a night away. At one point I had missed a call from my sis and when I tried calling back she didn't answer... I felt like I was going to throw up. After near panic my sis finally called back and all was okay. She had a hard time getting them to go to sleep and stay asleep. Siddalee KNOWS when her momma is gone. She was crying while Paige was holding her but all of a sudden got calm. We realized she could hear my voice through the phone, so I talked to her a little bit and she was fine :) Makes you feel good to know they are aware of who you are and when you are not there.

Saturday Mommy got out to go to a wedding and Daddy stayed home with the kiddos!

Tuesday, Amanda is coming up and we are going to try and do pictures of the kiddos ourselves. And if they don't turn out as good as I am hoping we will just go to a studio, but I thought it's worth a shot! I'm going to do some shopping around the internet and see if I can steal some ideas ;)

Run, run, run...

Wow, had a great run today. Met up with another 4th grade teacher and we ran 2.7 miles. I feel great!! The only problem now is I'm exhausted and am resulting to drinking coffee. I guess I may end up using the Keurig coffee maker after all.

Today the kiddos are going to start adjusting to their new schedule. Now that they can go longer between feedings I might actually be able to set up nap times and have a more predictable schedule! Of course with my teacher brain I have already been concocting a daily schedule in my head.

I am also reading a great book..."the curious incident of the dog in the night-time." It is from the perspective of a 15 year old autistic boy, very interesting. It is especially a good read if you have been around autistic kiddos.

2 Months Old!

Can't believe it... as of yesterday they are 2 months old.

Today we had lunch with Ms Jenny and then headed to the doctor's office. We had our 2 mo. checkup and all looks good! Siddalee had an ear infection last week and doctor says it looks better already. We did have to get shots which was not fun. Mommy got tears in her eyes... it's hard to see your babies in such pain. But they were both troopers and only took a few seconds to recover once they were in mommy's arms :) (Thank you Jenny for joining us, it was nice to have an extra pair of cuddly arms!!)

Doctor says we can up feedings and go longer in between... Max is not going to like this! He loves to eat about every 2 1/2 hours and doctor says he should be able to stretch to 4 now!! We are also supposed to do more tummy time, which neither of my children enjoy.

Mommy's running scheduled has already been derailed for one reason or another. I really need to find a running partner, that would be a big motivator!! Never did start the P90x so we'll have to work on that.

No Swimsuit for this Momma

So we are finally getting a routine down. They go to bed about 8 pm and sleep until 2 am. Then they get up again sometime from 5-6 am. I really can't complain for them not quite being 2 months old. My husband is still taking care of the morning feeding which is awesome! Now that I have adjusted to this schedule and I got cleared from the doctor... I am running!! First day was rough, but it's getting better. It's starting to become enjoyable. My plan is to start mixing in some P90X and see how that goes.

As for this summer I don't think we will be getting into a swimsuit. It's not just a matter of losing weight (I technically only have 7 lbs. left to lose), but just getting back to normal across the board. Which really with 2 little ones, you can't really go to the pool anyway.

One Month!!

Well a little past one month... can't believe how fast the time flies! I feel like the days pass me by so quickly with getting very little "done." I love my two little bugs more than anything else, but man is two a lot of work.

At their checkup Max was up to 8 lbs. 14 oz. and Siddalee at 6 lbs. 5 oz. A friend just had a baby at 8 lbs. 15 oz... hard to believe that my kiddo doesn't even weigh as much as a newborn :) We have been getting out more and more. Last weekend we traveled to Manhattan and stayed with Brett's parents (our first overnight). Chelsey's graduation brought many friends and family together so we were able to show them off a little. We also headed to Salina to visit my grandma in the hospital and my grandpa.

This week was also the last day of school, and I was able to go visit the kiddos. We had lunch with the 4th grade teachers including Haelynn. We also headed into school the next day to clean/organize. After the tornado warnings passed we headed to lunch with Jenny. And today I have my first milkshake since I have been home with the babies. What a great week!

I am also looking forward to this next weekend, going to my friends grad party and then headed to the lake house for memorial weekend!

Mommy got some sleep!

Last night the kiddos only woke up twice and they woke up at the same time. Mommy got 2 four hour chunks of sleep!! It was amazing!

We have been trying to get my milk production up and hopefully the things we are doing are helping and may be in relation to them sleeping better.

I have been getting more sleep lately which has boosted my mood, probably a good thing since our house is usually full of some kind of guests. We are hoping soon to be a little more self-sufficient and not need so much help here soon. Just ready to get our lives as normal as can be.

Max had a total blow out in his pants today... luckily grandma had volunteered that diaper and I was stuck feeding Siddalee. She ended up putting him in the bath tub it was so bad. Glad I got out of that one :) I love when his hair is freshly cleaned it tends to get fuzzy and spiky.. too cute!

Yesterday was my last iron infusion, so no more trips to the hospital!! I am also not taking pain medication anymore for the c-section, which is nice!

The only other good news I have is ... my sister got into pharmacy school at KU. I am so proud of her as she has worked very hard to get there!

Here is a quick glimpse of their newborn photos. We were in a studio for 4.5 hours at a temp of 85 degrees to keep the kiddos comfy. They slept through almost the whole thing! I am so excited to see the rest of the picutes!

A chance to breathe...

Wow, it's amazing how times flies. Seems like yesterday I was counting down the hours until my sweet babies arrival. Now they are a couple days from being 2 weeks old.

We had a scheduled c-section on April 19th. Everything went so well... they rolled me in at 7:30 am and by 8:00 am I was being rolled back into my room with 2 beautiful babies.

Maxwell Stephen was born at 7:40 am and Siddalee Kay followed at 7:42 am.

My mom helped capture the moment in the surgery room and my dad, sharon and kirstin joined us in the room after. Brett's parents arrived shortly after with his sister. It was a bit crowded and I honestly don't remember much from that day. Don't know if was the medicine or what but it's a blur. I had an allergic reaction to the medicine and all I remember is my face being itchy and continuing to swell as the day went on. Then I got benedryl which knocked me out for an hour or so. Amanda and Wes came to visit and also my sister, paige, that evening. I was exhausted.

We got to go home on Friday. Brett's mom stayed with us. Our first night was rough. While you think everything is ready and prepared before you leave for the hospital we found that it becomes a learn as you go process. We ended up rearranging furniture, and baby stuff the next day to prepare for night 2. Over the last 2 weeks we have finally mastered a schedule and cut down our feeding times.

At our first doctor's appointment last week Siddalee peed all over the check up bed, and both of them filled their pants within 5 minutes of being in the waiting room!! They both had not shown much of a weight gain and therefore we will be going back to the doctor tomorrow in hope they have gained some weight. Not sure what the plan is if they haven't!

That is a pretty brief summary of what our life has been like for the last 2 weeks, but Max is getting very impatient with me at the moment as he is ready to eat and go to bed!! I better go before he gets too mad at me :)

Less than 72 hours!

We are getting so excited as we approach Tuesday! Brett and I keep asking each other... are you ready? can you believe it?

Yesterday I had to go to the DMV to register my new vehicle and stopped by a sale in Olathe. They had some adorable clothes that of course I couldn't resist! While I was there a lady was trying to get one of her kiddos to stand up so she could see if something would fit him. In an exasperated voice she looks and me and says "never have twins." I just laughed pointed to my stomach and said "too late." We both got a good laugh, as she couldn't believe I was also have boy/girl twins. I thanked her for the warning, anyway. Also picked up a few other necessities that I have been putting off. It amazes me how much stuff a little person needs.

Today we went out for a free lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings and decided to do some shopping while we were out. Brett picked out a couple of newborn outfits... he said he felt like he hadn't gotten to pick out anything for them. I said what the heck, whatever makes him feel special :) He picked out a pink onsie that says "daddy's princess" and a little polo onsie for Max. It was cute to see him debating which ones he liked best.

Both babies are still moving around like crazy. Siddalee loves to poke her head up on the top of my stomach, making me look quite deformed.

Last Doctor's Appt.

With less than 6 days to go and no more doctor's appointments we are very anxious/excited for the arrival of our twins!

Monday, I met with the specialist for measurements. Their growth has definitely slowed down, but they are still doing great. Max weighed in at 5 lbs. 12 oz. and Sidda at 5 lbs. 5 oz. (Of course these are approximations based on length measurements/gestational age). Doctor said they are quite squished inside... which I can only imagine!!

On Tuesday we met with my doctor and he was happy to see that I was still pregnant. It cracks me up every time I go, because he always comments on how skinny my ankles are. He even explained to Brett that he rarely see's pregnant ladies keep their ankle size let alone one who is carrying two.

Both babies are still moving like crazy, so much for their movement "slowing down." My principal promised me things would get better once they were stuck, but unfortunately for me they don't care how cramped they are. In the last two days Siddalee has totally bruised my right ribs and keeps kicking hard on my right side. Laura told me I will miss feeling them move inside me once they are out, but I am not so sure about that!

My energy level has been like a roller coaster, two days in a row of mad house cleaning and then completely out of it the next two days. Brett and I have been keeping up with our daily walks and I have been keeping up with my chocolate milkshakes (not too much longer until I feel guilty having a daily milkshake).

Getting Started

So I have contemplated starting a blog several times. I had a website through thebump.com but never did much with it. Here is what I had written on our website and then I guess we'll go from there...

Brett and I have been married 2 and a half years... time flies! We bought a house last year and are living here in Gardner, KS. He is working for a web design company in Olathe and I am teaching 4th grade at Madison Elementary.

Brett and I had been trying for almost a year. Finally, with a little help from the doctor, I was able to produce a positive pregnancy test! I knew right after conceiving that I was pregnant even though my mom told me there was no way, unless it was twins. Little did we know it was actually twins... at 6 weeks we did the first ultrasound. There I saw two little heart beats on the screen. When I got home I handed the picture to Brett and his reaction was, "Why are there two?" All I could do was laugh, and then with a fearful face he gave me a big hug! At 9 weeks we confirmed the two were growing and both at a perfectly healthy size! Our minds have finally adjusted to the fact that everything will be X2 and we are nothing but excited.

Nov. 26th, 2010 Day after Thanksgiving. Felt one of the babies kick for the first time.

Dec. 21st, 2010 Babies have been very active. After xmas parties at school I just laid on the couch and watched them react to an overdose of sweets. It was entertaining.

Dec. 22nd, 2010 Specialist doctor confirmed a boy and a girl.

Dec. 25th, 2010 Announced our babies names to both of our families by passing on a favorite children's book of ours... Where the Wild Things Are.

Dec. 28th, 2010 Mommy started painting the nursery during xmas break.

Jan. 1st, 2011 Daddy started working on the mural (white silhouette trees).

Jan. 23rd, 2011 We completed all the nursery painting.

February 2011 Steve and Chelsey came up to help with things around the house. We put together the cribs and changing table. Chelsey helped mommy pick out decorations for the room.

February 15th, 2011 The 4th grade team at Madison threw mommy a shower. Grandma, Kirstin and Julian came also! Got some great gifts for the little ones :)

March 8th, 2011 Mommy went to labor and delivery to be treated for pre-term labor. Had to stay over night and then was asked to go on bed rest for remainder of pregnancy.

March 9th, 2011 Grandma and Julian visited mommy in the hospital, grandma purchased their baby books just in case they came early. Grandma Jankord came later that day and went home with us. She helped clean, and cook for a the next day!

March 26th, 2011 Best friend Amanda threw baby shower in Topeka for friends and family. Great to see everyone and what great gifts for the little ones :)

March 28th, 2011 Mommy upgrades to swagger wagon (or Chevy Traverse).

March 31st, 2011 Mommy is relieved to hear that her students did great on both math and reading state assessments!

April 7th, 2011 MADE IT TO 36 weeks!!

How big are the babies?

Countdown to the c-section!