11th Sunday, see how big we are!

11 sundays...

miss princess aubrey, our observer of the family...

mister truman, swaddled and lovin' it!

Ten Sundays

Here we are, 10 Sundays living in our home. It's a lot of fun here, we have some crazy adults taking care of us! But hey, whatever keeps those adults happy and entertained!!!

...just chillin',

bree & tj

my life...52 weeks

While I am staring down the upcoming month I really just want to throw myself on the ground, kicking and screaming. You know, just like the 2 year old you see at Target with the embarrassed mom nearby. Yes, I want to throw a tantrum like a toddler. But since that seems to be frowned upon I suppose I won't...well that and because it won't change or help anything.

As I was driving tonight on the familiar roads of the town we now call home, I was thrust into many different emotions. I wanted to get lost, I want to be driving the car and having to look for nearby stores as signals of where to turn. Because if I had to do that, if I was getting lost on these "oh so familiar" roads it would mean that we had a year together. Yes, we have lived that year together. We have made tons of memories, including a couple new additions to our family. No I don't want to go back and "redo" this past year, I just want another year, and another year and another year. But, before we can have that next year we must go through this year. And overall it's okay. I know that I hate it, but I know that I love this timeframe a year from now.

Someone wise once told me, you have to endure the worst to enjoy the best. So I'll do just that. I'll endure this again knowing that in one year it will again be the best.

...your 2 months already, yikes!

Here is a picture book of life with twins...we have made it 2 months and I think we'll continue to survive! Enjoy the storybook of our lives with twins...

Thanks to Kim we have our salt and pepper onesies (or as I say their "Salt-n-Pepa" onesies), they really do show just how different these minis are. Yet as it appears here they aren't all that different after all, they both have a good set of lungs!

"I have no idea how kiddos, but somehow you got stuck with me!"

Yes, they are exhausted...and so am I.

Photos taken by Renee Parisi.

9th sunday

Hope everyone is enjoying watching Truman and Aubrey grow up via weekly photos! I know that by the time we get home they will look nothing like any of these photos either, so I'm just glad I get to share their changes in some fashion. Now onto the 9th sunday...

mister truman...

1st sunday

9th sunday

Truman has many expressions, so I had to put in the photo below...he was having a nice chat with me in Mikey's office. Telling on daddy I'm sure!

miss princess aubrey...

1st sunday

9th sunday (still serious!)

Eighth Sunday

We just keep counting up the sundays, and this sunday we put them in matching outfits! Yep, it rarely happens but today it did. They have their American Flag "born in 2010" onesies on. The only other time they have had the exact same outfit on is with their duckie sleepers. So this really is a rare thing around here.

princess aubrey...

1st sunday

8th sunday

yes, she is always our serious child...only her daddy can seem to crack a smile from her!

mister truman...

1st sunday

8th sunday

...Truman seems to be a getting wiser with age

(or at least he makes it look like he is a thinker!)

As the sundays progress the mini's are more and more alert and each of them are showing us how different each child is. They have their own unique personalities and it is a blast getting to know each of them. We love them so much, and also find that they are good entertainment!

tata for now,

annie

It's our 7th Sunday

The mini's have been home now for 7 sundays. It seems that every sunday they are here they take over another square foot of the house. I guess raising babies takes a lot of things, especially when you double it!

I have put the photo from the first sunday home on here so you can compare from when they were just four days old to now nearly two months old. Enjoy!

mister truman...

1st sunday

5th sunday

6th sunday

7th sunday

princess aubrey...

1st sunday

5th sunday (1 month old)

6th sunday

7th sunday

hope you enjoy watching our mini's grow week by week!

Who says Starbucks is only for adults

One month checkup

We had our one month check up, and boy are these mini's growing. Mikey and I were always telling them that they were growing up too quickly and now looking old, but we couldn't have guessed just how much weight they had put on that was making them look older.

Truman:

July 29, 2010 7 lbs. 2 oz. & 19.5 inches

September 7, 2010 9 lbs. 12 oz & 21.5 inches

Aubrey:

July 29, 2010 6 lbs. 2 oz & 18.5 inches

September 7, 2010 8 lbs. 13 oz & 21 inches

Now I understand why they are both out of their newborn outfits, which was a sad day for me when I had to pack those away. We are now wearing o-3 month clothes and at the rate they are growing I'm afraid within a blink of an eye we will be onto the next size. Everyone tells you they grow fast, but until you are the parent raising them you will never understand just has "fast" that is.

I know that it's good they are gaining weight, just sometimes wish I could freeze time.

tata for now,

annie

happy one month birthday

Happy Birthday precious ones. I remember a month ago how in love we fell when we saw you, held you, kissed you. We knew we loved you when you were in my tummy, but once we heard your cries our hearts sank further. Truman, you were born first and cried instantly, easing my fears. Aubrey, you were a bit more dramatic and choose to give our doctor a good challenge. You refused to leave your "station." The doctor had your arm and leg out and you showed him you were boss and put them back where he found them! He finally won and you again were a drama queen. I kept asking for you to cry, waiting to hear your precious voice. I waited for what felt like hours, but within minutes your precious whimper filled the room.

We couldn't stop smiling, couldn't stop thanking our Lord for two healthy babies. I knew I wasn't going to get to spend the next hour with you, but was comforted knowing your dad would be there. He left the operation room and followed you two to the nursery, grinning from ear to ear. Seeing how proud he was of his two babies also brought tears to my eyes. He stayed by your side, even forgetting to tell your Grandparents that you were born (ask Grandma Terri about that some day). By the time I was out of recovery and able to see and hold you again he knew more about each of you then I did. He rushed to my side with each of you and told me all about each of you.

Truman (the older brother), you weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and were 19.5 inches tall. Aubrey (the little sister), you weighed 6 pounds 2 ounces and were 18.5 inches tall. Yes, your older brother was also your bigger brother by one pound and one inch.

I'm not sure I remember hearing those stats in the hallway as I held you both in my arms for the first time. What I do remember is how perfect life was. I had both of you in my arms, your dad had his arms wrapped around all of us and we were surrounded by loved ones. Love was what made this perfect moment.

We had no idea what to expect in the coming days, nor did we care. We just wanted to hold you both all day and take care of your every want, which really wasn't much. You wouldn't end up having names for another 48 hours, even though we had plenty of people harass us to figure it out. We finally narrowed it down and called you by the last three options, figuring out which name fit your look.

So...Happy ONE Month Birthday Truman and Aubrey. We love you always through eternity. You keep us smiling from ear to ear daily. Thank you for being such precious angels.

Happy Birthday...and note two unique things about today, 1) you are sharing this day with your Grandma Terri, it's here birthday too but we won't give away her age! 2) the block party was today so you finally met everyone on our block, you stole the show!

Love you mini's,

us

survived 4 sundays...

Welcome to our fourth sunday as a family of four at home, (even though right now it is Saturday...we aren't good at calendars). There have been many adventures. Right now Mikey and I laugh daily, usually at how little we know as parents. When we aren't laughing you can usually find us googling something about the newest things these mini's are doing. Seriously, how did people know anything about parenting before google!

Aubrey and Truman do keep us guessing, but really overall they are great babies. I actually already hate seeing how they are not looking like newborns anymore. I miss it so much that this week when we were at the pet store I nearly agreed to bringing home a new puppy...yikes! I need to watch myself or soon I'll have a zoo and a daycare (of our own kids)!

Enough writing and onto the pictures, I am not sure if you will notice as many difference as we have but they are definitely growing. We will have weights for their one month soon so keep checking back. Enjoy the photo growth charts below!

Aubrey - first sunday

Aubrey - second sunday

Aubrey - third sunday

Aubrey - fourth sunday

Truman - first sunday

Truman - second sunday

Truman - third sunday

Truman - fourth sunday

One week ago today...

One week ago today we were giving our new mini's a tour of their home. They seemed to like it, so much that they were comfortable enough to take a nap in their chairs in the living room with daddy. And now today as I sit here writing this they are again taking naps in their chairs, but the week between has brought many different experiences!

Rather then go into how each night went let's just say this, just when we think we have this down and we know what we are doing they throw us a curveball. So today we accept the fact that we will NEVER know how to be good parents and just go on loving them and doing the best.

With that said I want to just share some different photos from last Sunday to this Sunday. This way everyone who can't live next door to us can track their weekly progress, at least in photos. Enjoy and remember...be nice to your parents, once upon a time all of our parents dealt with this same thing and all I can say is, "I'm sorry...and boy am I thankful God made you to love me!"

First Sunday Home

Truman James - 4 days old

Aubrey Lynn - 4 days old

Second Sunday Home

Truman James - 11 days old

Aubrey Lynn - 11 days old

Keep watching for the Weekly Sunday Photos!

upon popular request...

I have been contemplating putting up these photos, for many reasons really, but the most being the judgement or comments that I am subjecting myself to. However, suddenly I realized something. It doesn't matter, I have two healthy babies growing inside of me. Nothing beyond that miracle staying on track matters. I know the typical responses are either "you aren't that big for twins" or "do you have any more room for them" neither of which I want to go into my emotions upon. Rather I say this for all of us women that begin the sacrafices of motherhood in this same exact stage.

WE have NO control. So grow those bellies and let God work his magic no matter the size you end at, it's just the beginning of a mother's sacrafice.

So enjoy the photos of the mini's growing, today they weigh over 3 lbs each!!! So yes, 29 weeks now and I have almost 7 lbs of baby in me, yippee!

13 weeks...

17 weeks...

21 weeks...(easter weekend)

23 weeks...

...clearly we still laugh, possibly at knowing how little of sleep we are going to get soon!!!
(all these last 6 photos are from the same weekend...
27 weeks)

27 weeks...

(6 pounds of baby in that "bump") :-)

Here is the final 27 week photo.

We are VERY happy parents, which may be because we are very naive to what awaits us. Either way we say "bring it on kids, bring it on!"

Enjoy and feel free to share any of your baby bump photos too!

tata for now,

annie

28 weeks and counting...

It's been a while, but I wanted to give a quick update. We have hit our 28 week mark today! Mini A and Mini B are active, never a dull moment in this growing tummy! We still cannot decide if they are fighting already or just playing, only time will tell.

We really couldn't ask for a better pregnancy. These babies are growing, usually about one week ahead of schedule. Good work minis, go overachieve - we LOVE that (for now)!

I plan to update you on adventures we've taken the mini's on - like our "family date" to the Drive-In movies. But for now just smile knowing we have made it past my stress point...and it looks good to make it well into the complete uncomfortable zone of full-term for twins!

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers, they are working so keep them coming.

annie (and mini's)

Our 1st Family Movie...