Took the girls to their well-baby checkups for 18 months old today. Harper weighed 19 lbs. 14 ounces; Hadley weighed 19 lbs. 11.5 ounces. They each had to get two immunization shots, but we are done with immunizations until they are four! Woohoo! They are very tiny and petite for their age, but otherwise they are healthy and happy. What a relief--we have two normal 18-month-old daughters!

I woke up this morning to the girls just laughing their heads off! They were tickling each other and laughing so hard. There's something I'll miss next week!

I'm going to miss almost all of Hunt's t-ball games this summer. I will catch the last two the last week of June. What else am I going to miss when I'm at school? Hadley's next tooth that JUST WON'T come through? Harper's next song she likes to sing? Oh, this is going to be a tough three weeks for mommy!

Both Harper and Hadley are really starting to put words together. It's starting to make sense, and I can understand it!!! It always amazes me when babies learn to talk! Some of the latest phrases:
-Hunter's shoes (and they WERE his shoes)
-hat! go outside! (they know they have to wear a hat to go outside, so they want a hat on)
-who is it? (when someone comes in the front door)
-Hello? (when talking on the play phone they have)
-drink sippy (sippy cup with milk in it)
-I have poop (and unfortunately for me, she did! They also have a "baby sign" to go with this one)

Hunter has assured me he will never become a dad. When asked why, he replied that he wasn't going to be a dad because he was never going to move to a different house. He's staying with his parents forever. I'm going to remind him of this when he's a teenager and hates us, our rules, and his present life. Right now, I'm just going to hug him and tell him he can stay for as long as he wants to!

My sick little boy (who's 5) was shrieking, "I need to wash my hands! I need to wash my hands!" When I finally got him to calm down enough to hear me ask why, he yelled, "Dad told me I have to wash my hands to get off the germs so I won't be sick. I don't want to throw up any more, so I HAVE to wash my hands!" He truly still believes that if I'd just let him wash his hands, he'd stop vomiting and be well...oh, so sad. My poor, sick baby boy!

Harper and Hadley are officially graduated out of the SoonerStart program! They are no longer considered "delayed" or developmentally behind. What a relief! They are both doing most things at 18 months (and they turn 18 months old tomorrow), so they have definitely caught up and progressed.

Hadley said "clean dipey" which is what I say when we're getting on clean diapers each day (I actually have a song...don't ask!). Harper said "my puppy" yesterday (and it wasn't her puppy, it was Hunter's). I can't believe how all of a sudden they're talking! They do Baby Signs for a few things, but now I think they're talking more than signing.

Harper got two more teeth, and Hadley's trying to get hers to work their way through. Then they'll both have 12 teeth. Just as they're getting their teeth IN, Hunter is going to start losing his. I dread the "loose tooth" stage! Teeth just gross me out! I think my idea of Hell is something involving me and other peoples' teeth!!!

Hunter is still very anxious about Big Nick coming down the street in the parade (in four days). I wonder if we're even going to get him out of the house! Prayers requested!

I gave my presentation yesterday in Young Adult Literature--the semester's officially over! Summer school starts June 1, and I have to be in Ada May 31st...that's coming up soon (I'm dreading that more than the teeth issue!). Hopefully it's a smooth three weeks for my whole family!

Here is the costume that frightens the be-jeezus out of Hunter! I finally found a picture of him, and maybe if he looks at it, it will de-sensitize him. I sure hope so! This is an 11-foot tall walk-around costume (a full-grown adult looks out the front from a mesh area near the "NICK" name). It's huge and walks with a lumbering step (because the knees don't bend). The arms are either straight down (as in the picture) or can be bent straight out (think Frankenstein!). Many children in our community are afraid of him, but most think he's great...hoping to join the latter group one of these days!

I'm trying to get everything ready to have a garage sale in a couple of weeks. I love going to garage sales, but I dread (with a big capital D) having them! I can't stand people who grab up a bunch of stuff and ask to make a deal on all of it...I put a price on it for a reason! I'm not a bargain-maker (my husband is, though), and I just want to sell it at the fair price I've already assigned to that item (I mean, come on, 25 cents is already cheap!). So, I'm pinning all the little tiny outfits together (oh, how can I get rid of those tiny little clothes Harper and Hadley wore last summer?), and stacking up stuff we no longer use (how can I sell all the things with memories attached?). I'm such a pack-rat--what a disaster!

I'll put it all out on display. It will look so nice and organized until the first rush of bargain-hunters pours in...then, I'm mad again--look at the mess they've made of my size- and season- categorized baby clothes!

Hunter will cry when we sell his toys (that he no longer likes or plays with, but LOVES when he sees them for sale). I'll declare I'm NEVER having another garage sale ever again. Until next summer when the stuff gathers and the clothes pile up...Phil will talk me into another one. *sigh* I still hate having garage sales!

Hunter is very worried that since May comes after April, and Mommy is leaving in May (for a three-week summer school event), that Mommy is leaving any day now! I'm having a hard time convincing him that May 31st is not for a while...not too easy for a new five-year-old to grasp!

He's got a pathological fear of an inflatable (larger-than-lifesize) fireman named "Big Nick." He is on a float in the annual Pioneer Days parade (riding on the lead fire engine, no less). I've already had to promise him that he and I will go into Dollar General until Big Nick passes by...then we'll go back outside to grab up some candy and treats! Anyone have suggestions on helping with pathological fears??? I'm out of things to try! *sigh*

The girls are now 17 months old--and into everything! They're growing out of the 12 month clothes (which is good because most of their summer wardrobe is 18 month size).

I'm working on getting my masters degree in education with a library media specialty. I'm done about a year from now (after I make it through the summer program living in the dorms again for three weeks).

I just heard my old classroom from last year will be vacant again (I would love to go back to work, but who would watch the kids, pay for their medical insurance, and have enough energy to play with them in the evenings?). I wonder who'll be there in the fall...

Here's a video from back before the girls were born until they were about six months old. Such precious angels, and we got to keep both of them! After such a crazy roller coaster ride of a pregnancy, we weren't sure if we'd come home with even one. God is good!

Well, it's April 2008 and I now have three children! We were blessed with Harper and Hadley (identical twin girls) in November 2007! Hunter just turned 4, and he's a hoot! Life has sure changed a lot in a little bit of time, but mostly for the better. I'll try to post some pictures to show off my beautiful children. I guess I'll have to have someone take a family picture since we don't have one and the girls are 5 months old! Yikes!!!

Dec. 4, 2007 at 7:24 PM

I ended up having an emergency c-section at exactly 28 weeks (12 weeks early) on November 11th. The girls (we named them Hadley Sue and Harper Kate) are doing well for their age, and they are both in NICU for at least another 8-10 weeks. The pictures are from about 11 or 12 days after they were born.

I am home from the hospital, and we now have two daughters. Hadley Sue was 2 lbs. 1 ounce, and Harper Kate was 2 lbs. 3 ounces. They were born by emergency c-section on November 11th. Too tiny, but they are fighters according to the nurses and doctors in NICU at OU Medical Center Children's Hospital.

I was set to have my fourth amnioreduction procedure on the day I delivered. I was dilated to 4 cm, and they said it couldn't be halted. I had about five minutes to prepare mentally for the delivery (and Phil was almost five hours away!). My mom went into the delivery room with me, and my teeny, tiny girls were born to the music of Cindi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" on Mom's cell phone (it was ringing because Daddy was calling to see why Mom had called and left him a "CALL ME!" message). There was almost two gallons of excess fluid when they were delivered. Whew, I feel like I lost a baby elephant! My back was in constant pain (I had gained around 60 pounds and I usually weigh around 105).

Harper had to be on the ventilator for a day, and then she was put on the C-Pap machine. Hadley started out on the C-Pap. Now they are on nasal cannulas (the little tubes that stick in the nostrils) with oxygen. That's a huge improvement!

We will be going back each weekend on Friday night and staying until Sunday afternoon to visit them (and hold them when they get a little bigger). It doesn't feel real since they're not home with us.

Oct. 17, 2007 at 6:02 PM

Well, I found out why I was feeling so very crummy! I went to the dr. on Monday (Oct. 8) and the dr. wouldn't see me (saw the midwife). She thought I was exaggerating my symptoms, and she advised Tylenol PM and a visit or two to the chiropractor.

I went back to the dr. on Tues (10/9) because my husband called them and said they WOULD be seeing me that day. After some more talk of hot packs and ice packs for my ever-aching back, I asked the dr. to feel my stomach where it was tightening up painfully again at that moment. By the way, it had been doing that for days! He felt my tummy and sent me directly to the hospital. That was the first time I had ever seen the real dr. (not the midwife) at 23 weeks into a high-risk twin pregnancy!

At the hospital, it was confirmed I was in full-blown labor (at 23 weeks!). After spending an entire night in the hospital with NO dr. checking on me (and the midwife was next door delivering a baby that night!), my husband finally managed to get the dr. to "peek in." They had words (in MY ROOM in front of me and my dad) because the dr. had not been in (he was "busy"). I was given Magnesium Sulfate and a shot of something else (Terbutaline?) to stop or ease the contractions. I was then sent on a 5 hour ambulance drive without lights or excess speed--per my doctor (I live in the middle of nowhere) to OKC to OU Medical Center. I was there for a week.

I was diagnosed with Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) and an insufficient cervix. I was given more Magnesium Sulfate and LOTS of fluids. The babies had an amnioreduction (about 2 1/2 liters of amniotic fluid were drained), and they are looking much better now. The dr. said he hopes they will both make a full recovery to appropriate size (one was too small and one too large). I had a cerclage put in on Friday (10/12). I am now on modified bed rest, stuck in OKC away from all of my family, and living with a generous friend and her family. I have been instructed to not leave the metro OKC area until after delivery. I have been put on full disability, so no more work for me. My new dr. is hoping I can reach 34 weeks (9 1/2 weeks from now) until I deliver.

If you ever feel like something isn't "right" with your body--demand to be seen and checked out. If my husband hadn't forced the dr. to see me, we would not have twins anymore (possibly not even one baby).  I may have a laser procedure at a later date in Houston to divide the placenta--not sure though.

We're going to Kansas City area in the next few days, so I hope the giant heat wave goes away--fast! It's been over 100 for a few days in a row, and in that area of the country there is also a "heat index" to deal with.

We have almost no humidity out in our neck of the country, so we are not used to the sticky, sweaty feeling of Northeast Kansas.

I'm hoping to get some new work clothes (well, new to me). I buy almost all of my workday clothes at the Goodwill in Lawrence, KS. It's actually really clean and nice. I can buy a pair of GAP or Banana Republic pants for about $4.00! Who wouldn't go for that??? I get a pair of Old Navy or GAP jeans for about $4.00 also, so that's a great value for my money. Okay, so someone else had their hiney in them a time or two, that's why God made washing machines!

If I have on something NWT (new with tags) it is probably from Wal-Mart or JC Penney (on the clearance rack for $5.00 or less). No one has ever told me I look like I get all my clothes from the Goodwill, but I think I would take it as a compliment if it ever happened. I also have bought clothes at garage sales and thrift stores. I have found some great buys (GAP denim shorts for $1.00) that are still very fashionable and have lots of wear left in them.

It may be getting a little extreme however since my sister showed me a skirt at Sam's for $17.00, and I about crapped my pants at the price (I could get a whole wardrobe for that at the Goodwill store!). It was a cute skirt.... I didn't buy it--surprise, surprise!

Well, gotta go check on Hunter (27mo.). It's too quiet, and that usually means trouble!

So, a year ago we were working on the house. Now 12 months later (and a LOT of money to Home Depot) we have a wonderful, like-new house! Yea! I'm just so glad to have 2 bathrooms and more than 700 square feet to spread out (we now have about 2200!).

Hunter (27mo) has 20 teeth now! Somewhere in the last 3 months he snuck in 2 on the bottom??? He never complained, so we never looked. He got tubes in his ears a month or so ago, and now he has orthotics in his shoes (he had no arches!). I hope that's all the doctoring he needs for a while. He met his $300 deductible, though. hahaha

I had 6 relatives stay over last weekend. It went much smoother than I thought it would. They were just in town for the weekend for a family reunion of sorts. I guess if the guests are good to pick up after themselves (as these were) it is easy to have 6 extras stay for a couple of nights.

Gotta let Phil on the computer now to decide if the golf cart he bought is worth saving or should be driven off into a ditch somewhere!