Ella ... and the helmet

So today we went to pick up Ella's new helmet.

I thought that I was going to be a total basket case, but I actually did very well. She really does look cute with it on. It was very surprising to me how well she acted when the doctor put it on her for the first time. She tolerated it very well. That little girl of mine...she's a trooper.

The rest of the day today and all day tomorrow she will wear it for 1 hour and then it will be off for 1 hour. She doesn't have to wear it for nap time and bedtime until Friday...PRAY!!!! She hasn't been tolerating it so well since we have been home. She does fine when she is sitting up, being held or playing in her jumper, but the minute I put her in the bouncy seat or swing she seems to get a little frustrated.

Even though it is time consuming putting the helmet on and taking the helmet off...I know I have the better end of the deal. It must be uncomfortable laying with this hard helmet on all the time. I just keep telling myself it is only for a short period of time....we can manage...I am sure it will get easier when she gets used to it.

Here is a picture of my pretty little princess in her butterfly helmet...
Isn't she adorable???

And then there was food!!!!

The next step in parenting...SOLID FOOD!!! It was a scary thought, and honestly I wasn't really ready to give in to anything besides bottles, but Everett seemed to want more. Obviously I can't say no to Everett...he's just so cute...so I went and bought some rice cereal and this morning we tried it for the first time.

Everett was a huge fan. He had a little trouble in the beginning knowing how to swallow what was in his mouth, but he quickly got the hang of it. When I would pause for a moment he would grunt like...come on mom, I want more!...so I gave him more. He seemed to really enjoy food. Ella also had a bit of trouble swallowing what was in her mouth, and she really didn't catch on as easily as Everett did...but tomorrow is another day. I am sure that she will get the hang of it soon.

I attached some photos of our first adventure in the world of solid food. Hope you like them. Now on to bigger and better things.

Ella Noelle

Well...what can I say about my precious little girl. She was the first child to join our family, and with her came her issues. From day one Ella has been the more demanding child; not latching on to eat, needing to be held tightly all the time becuase of her dramatic startle reflex, spitting up at every feeding. Let's just say she gives mommy a run for her money most days. That doesn't mean that I don't love and adore her...I do! She has the cutest little smile and when she laughs she melts your heart.

We noticed when she was 1 month old that she favored looking to her left. In fact you would have thought she was an accrobat the way that she would sit in her swing. We talked to the doctor about it and he gave us some tips on how to make her look the other way. At her 2-month appointment I brought it up yet again to her pediatrician and he agreed that she had some flat spots beginning to form. So he recommended that we start seeing a physical therapist to try to correct her "crooked neck" also known as tortecolis. We immediatly began going to therapy for Ella. Every Tuesday at 1pm. It has been a long 2 months, but needless to say we still go every Tuesday. A couple weeks ago we were at therapy and our PT was talking to us about the twins being 4 months old, and unfortunately there was no dramatic improvement in the shape of her head, so she wanted us to go and get her head scanned to see if she would fall in the range of benefiting from a helmet.

Well, we went for the head scan....she qualifies for a helmet. She will be wearing the helmet for 3-6 months and about 23 hours a day. I know it seems like a lot, but in the end she will benefit! As a mom you want to do anything and everything you can to make your children's lives easier, so she will get her helmet on November 4th. We are excited to see the improvements it will make.

Grocery Shopping with Twins!

Let me start with...people are just stupid. There is no rhyme or reason they are just stupid.

So I took the kids grocery shopping with me yesterday. This is a normal occurance in our house. Since Jeff works a lot I usually take both to the grocery store with me. Well yesterday we went to BJ's and Super Wal-Mart, and before I could even get in the door at BJ's the stupid people were out. I had put the twins in the snap and go stroller, since it is a little difficult to put them both in the shopping cart, and was grabbing a shopping cart outside because I had a box of diapers to exchange. This nice lady walks up to me and says, "Oh dear, I wish I could help you." Do I look like I need help?? I do this all the time. Well, I guess she was just trying to be nice. Then there was the guy that works at BJ's. I was walking in with my stroller and my shopping cart and he grabs my shopping cart and says," Oh, I am going that way...I will push this for you." Well, that was very nice of him....was that his idea of a pick up line??? He then proceeded to tell me all about is 22-month old daughter. Guess it wasn't a pick up line. LOL. Obviously I looked interested so he kept talking! I just want to do my grocery shopping, leave me alone! Well then it went from bad to worse. I returned my diapers and went on about my shopping, but every 20 feet or so I was stopped in my tracks. For some reason when people see twins in the grocery store or anywhere for that matter they have to say," stop...I want to see." They must not understand how busy I am and that stopping puts me behind schedule. Remember I feed the kids before we leave the house and I only have a 2 1/2 hour window to get the shopping done...because then it is time to eat again. I can't stop for every Tom, Dick, and Harry!

Ok...well I finally made it through BJ's...now to pack the car. It is amazing to me how people think. One lady walked up to me and said,"wow, you have your hands full" Do I? It's like they think I have never heard that phrase before. I proceeded to smile and load my trunk with all my groceries. Then I drove over to Super Wal-Mart.

Well I think all the stupid people followed me. I met this nice little old man....he walked passed me....backed up...and then said..wow...are they twins? I hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with some smart remark that wouldn't sound too rude...unfortunately nothing nice came to mind...I guess it took me too long to answer because he asked again...are they twins...I just smiled and nodded. Then he stepped it up a notch and said....wow...a boy and a girl...you did it all in one shot. You're all done! Who is he to say that I am finished having children??? Does he know my husband??? I really feel like I can have as amany kids as I choose. As far as I am concerned people need to mind their own business.

You know it is funny. Right after I had the tiwns my mom was here for 4 weeks, and when we would take them out people would ask us if they were twins. I really wanted to say..."Nope...that is my little brother and this is her grand-daughter." I really wish I could have seen the astonished look on their faces. People are ridiculous!!!

My personal favorite comment though is this..."wow I can't believe you take them both out by yourself." Well, honestly what would you recommend that I do? Leave them home alone...wait...maybe my dog can babysit. Yeah, not seeing any other way to go grocery shopping. But thanks for the idea!!! People are just stupid....there is no other way to put it.

I wish I had a smart remark that would shut people up....well I will leave the rest for another day of shopping!

4 month check-up

Ok...so I took Ella and Everett to the doctor on Wednesday for their 4 month check-up. I knew that my children were big, but I didn't know how big. Everett is weighing in at 17lbs 7 oz and Ella dis weighing in at 16lbs 6 oz. Can you believe it. I mean honestly I knew I would never have small children due to the fact that i mysself have never been small, but this is ridiculous! Everett is 26 inches long and Ella is 26 2/3 inches long. The funniest thing to me is that Everett was definitly born with the sweedish noggin!!!! His head circumferance is in th 93 percentile. WOW! That kid has a big head.
Anyway...they might be big, but the are healthy. Praise God for that! The doctor and I talked about starting solid foods. I was like are you joking.....do you realize how big my kids will be at 6 months if I start giving them food now??? Yeah..I don't think so. He agreed that it would be fine if we waited until 6 months, but finished that sentence with...if you think they are getting hungrier, give me a call and we will talk about solid food! Yeah...I won't be calling. My kids are fine with the formula for now. I have no complaints....they sleep at least 8 hours at night.
We bought them a new toy last week. It is the Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper. They love it. Its fun...its exercise. It also helps them with their head control...man...you gotta love it.

All right well thats it for now....

Almost 4 months and counting.....

Man...time flies when your having fun....I can't believe that the twins are already almost 4 months old. They are getting so big so fast. We haven't been to the doctor since their 2 month appointment and I am sure that Everett weighs almost 17lbs and Ella weighs close to 15 or 16lbs. They are going to be out of their infant car seats sooner than I imagined. It feels like it took them forever to get out of the newborn size, but now they have jumped right in to 6-9 month clothing.

There is a fun side to them getting bigger though...they have great laughs. The other night we were at the in-laws, and I was tickling Ella....she was cracking up! She has the cutest little laugh and Everett just loves to look at his daddy. Their personalities are really beginning to show. In the beginning Everett was always more laid back and calm. Not to say that he isn't laid back and calm now, but he is learning that he has a voice and he is letting us know that he knows how to use it. Ella has always been more high maintenance. I know that sounds like a bad thing, but remember she is a girl...and....my daughter! I will say that the day to day drama of constantly spitting up and screaming has slowed down. She is learning to keep her food in her belly for the most part and she loves naps now.

All I can say is this is the biggest adventure of my life, and I am trying to experience it to the fullest! Pray for us...and them...we all need it.