SEW FUN

I have always wanted to learn to sew. It's one of the things I want to mark off my personal list of accomplishments. The time to learn could not be any better. I have three cute girls who need some cute things made by Mommy. :)

For Christmas last year my Aunt Cathy and my Grandparents gave me this sewing machine they found at a garage sale and had fixed up.


I am just now getting around to using it after being pregnant and getting ready for my babies. I am so glad I got it out and figured it out how to use it. I had absolutely no sewing knowledge until a few days ago. I read some stuff online, talked with my Aunt a few times, and read the machine's manual (which Nick found online for me). I'm sure I am not doing everything correctly but the things I have made so far have turned out pretty cute. I have just been doing projects that only require straight lines - I was told that's a good way to start. I'm having so much fun. Here are some pics of what I have made so far.

When I got my machine, my Aunt and Grandmother had given me a bunch of old fabric scraps. To learn how to use the machine, I used the scraps to make a little bag for Eden. It is probably the worst sewn bag ever, but Eden adored it. I didn't measure anything, I just went to town sewing trying to figure out what I was doing. (Don't look too closely.)




After I had some idea how to sew a straight line, I made these little dresses for E. I had seen them online a while ago and thought, "I can totally make that!" They are really very easy to make.

I started with a bandana dress...


Then, I had some zebra fabric from something I did last year and applied the same idea from the bandana dress to make this...


I love how excited she gets when I finish something and let her put it on.


I am now working on all the girls' Halloween costumes. I can't wait to see how they will turn out.

Have a great weekend!

MOMMY'S LITTLE HELPER

From day one, Eden has been a Mommy's girl - for sure!! She is a little more independent these days, but still wants to do just about EVERYTHING I do. I love that she wants to help, but sometimes it's hard to get stuff done. Her thing lately is to help me in the kitchen. I can walk into the kitchen to get a glass of water and she will follow me asking if she can help. She has a stool that she pushes around the kitchen the whole time I am in there, using it to see what I am doing or to help. It's great having her in the kitchen, but it's also frustrating because she is at the age where she wants to touch everything - which is sometimes dangerous in the kitchen. She is also at the age where she doesn't always obey what I tell her to do which results in a very messy kitchen. God is really teaching me patience. Since the day we found out she was a girl, I couldn't wait to have her in the kitchen helping me. I absolutely love to cook and bake and thought it would be so fun to have a little helper. I know we will eventually get to the point where she is actually helping, but until then I am trying to be creative in the what I let her do and creative as I explain what we are making and how we cook food. My friend, Karen suggested to get some pasta, a bowl, and a spoon and let her do whatever she wants with it while I do my cooking. I tried that and it worked for a while, until she decided to eat the uncooked pasta. I was concerned she would get choked on it because it was so hard. I may try the pasta thing again and see what happens. Do you have any suggestions for how she can help me in the kitchen??? I would love some creative ideas.

As a way to keep her involved in cooking, I try to do some sort of baking each week because baking seems a little more toddler friendly than cooking. I measure out the ingredients and let her dump it in the bowl and stir it up. She loves that. Her favorite part though is eating the batter (which she gets from me - that's my favorite part too.) This week we baked Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. (Recipe below pictures). Nick enjoys the weekly baking as well. :)Here are some pics from our baking fun!***Please excuse her crazy hair - she had just gotten up from a nap. :)

She liked dipping the beater in the batter to stir


And then, licking it...


It's my favorite part too...it's a little hard to resist!


Watching the cookies bake


She likes to smell them as they come out of the oven


Eating our creation - "Those are won-er-ful, Mommy!" she says.


Here is the recipe we used:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions: (pre-heat oven to 350)
1.)Cream butter, peanut butter & sugars until well combined
2.)Add egg and mix until fluffy
3.)In a different bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
4.)Mix flour mixture into butter mixture until well combined
5.)Stir in chocolate chips
6.)Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet
7.)Bake for 8-10 minutes
ENJOY!!

FUN WEEKEND...

I absolutely LOVE the weekends. I love having Nick home. It makes me so happy to have all my family together spending sweet moments together, even if it is busy.

Early Saturday morning, I met my friend Kim for a 5K run for Celiac disease awareness. Kim recently had a baby too so besides supporting the cause, we both are trying to find creative ways to loose this baby weight. I had a blast running alongside Kim. We had a chance to chat and catch up with each other and talking about our babies. I was really proud of us because we both ran it in about 35 minutes. Kim actually got 3rd place and a medal for her age group. Yay Kim!



When I got home, Nick had fixed waffles with strawberries and coffee for my Mom, Dad, and Papaw. Papaw came in for the weekend to meet my girlies and it was so nice to see him and spend some time with him.

Papaw and Jillian


Papaw feeding McKenna


GG and McKenna


On Sunday, the twins were dedicated at church. It was so neat to have lots of family and friends surrounding us as we vow to raise our girls in a Godly manor and to hear them committing to pray for us and support us.

The girls after dedication patiently waiting for their bottles. (Someone took a family photo of us, but I don't have that one yet.)


Nana (Nick's Mom), and GG with the girls


Nick and my younger brother, Connor


JB (one of Nick's younger brothers) and his girlfriend, Hannah


My Grandparent's - Grandad & Mudder (for some reason the picture I took of them smiling didn't turn out)


Eden


One of my dear friends, Rachel. We went to high school together and were roomates all through college. She is 12 weeks pregnant with TWINS!


My Aunt Cathy and Rachel with the girls


I hope you had a great weekend too -
Have a great week!

LIFE WITH TWINS

My last post was when I was 34 weeks pregnant with my girls. My babies are now 11 weeks old and the best way to describe life with twins is - CRAZY FUN!!! It's quite a circus at my house most days, but I am seriously LOVING every second with these girls and my sweet 2-year-old.

I think I will rewind a little and catch this blog up with the past few months. I'll start with the story of their birth.

This was the last picture of me before I delivered. This was about 36 weeks.

From 34 weeks up until I delivered at 37 weeks, I had contractions off and on everyday. I finally got to the point where I just stopped counting them because I felt like I would know if I was in true labor. At my 37 week check up with my specialist downtown, they did an ultrasound. Both babies looked healthy and both were head down. I was scheduled for a repeat c-section the next week and the ultrasound tech said they looked ready for it. Next, I headed to the room next door where they did a biophysical profile. They strapped three monitors onto my very, large belly. One for Jillian's heart rate, one for McKenna's heart rate, and one to monitor contractions. After 30 minutes, the nurse came in and asked me if I realized I had been contracting every 3 to 5 minutes. I told her yes, and that I had been contracting like that off and on for 3 weeks. She thought it would be a good idea for the doctor to check me just to make sure these contractions weren't causing me to dilate any more than I already was. At 34 weeks I was dilated to 2 centimeters and when he checked me that day I was about a 3 1/2. He called my OB and she said to meet her at my hospital and we were going to meet our girls. I sort of had a moment of panic because I wasn't sure I was ready for a c-section that day. I mean obviously I had to be ready, but as I have mentioned before, I really was nervous about this surgery. I was thinking I still had a week to mentally prepare myself, but that was not the case. I was definitely ready to meet my girls and not be pregnant anymore, but surgery?? - soooo not ready for that.
My amazing Mom had taken me (and Eden) to my appointment and I am so glad she was with me. She was my voice of reason as I began to slightly panic. We immediately got in the car and headed back to Sugar Land to my hospital. I called Nick on our way and at first he didn't believe me until he sensed the concern and fear in my voice. When I arrived at the hospital, several nurses were there waiting for me and immediately got started getting me ready for the c-section. As soon as they hooked me up to the contraction monitor, I was starting to feel really uncomfortable with contractions coming about every minute. Nick arrived shortly after I did and shortly after that, our baby girls were here. Just like that. It was wild. My appointment downtown was at 8:30am and my twins arrived at 12:37 (McKenna - baby A) and 12:38pm (Jillian - baby B).

Here are pics from July 21, 2010...

Eden waiting to meet her baby sisters.


This picture was actually from my hospital stay at 34 weeks when I first starting having contractions. We thought we were going to meet them that week so my Mom put Eden in the shirt I intended for her to wear the day they were to be born. Since I wasn't prepared the day they were actually born, I just have to include this darling pictures of Eden and her GG (my mom) with her big sister shirt.


Nick ready to go...(I was in the operating room crying, slightly panicking, and really wanting to have Nick in the room with me. They were putting my epidural in and he wasn't allowed in yet.)


Me during the procedure...a little more calm at this point but still had butterflies in my tummy. At this point I was no longer scared of the surgery but concerned about my sweet babies. I just wanted to hear them cry and know they were OK.


McKenna Joy arrives at 12:37pm weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces, & 17.8 inches long.


Jillian Grace arrives at 12:38pm weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces, & 19 inches long.


I had to have an emergency c-section with Eden after 10 hours of labor with her, so my memories of the c-section were a little blurred due to extra medication and being so exhausted. This time I was much more aware of what was happening and my memories aren't so tainted. Sure you are numb, but the pressure as they pulled the babies out was horrific - especially as they got Jillian out. Two doctors literally pushed from the top of my belly all the way until she came out. Thankfully as soon as they got them out, there wasn't much left to feel - until the meds wore off anyway.

Here we are on our way back to the room. It felt surreal holding two babies.


Shortly after arriving to our room, I was able to nurse both of them. They both did great, however I did notice Jillian's breathing seemed different than McKenna's. The nurses reassured me that she was still trying to get some fluid out of her lungs (they took a considerable amount out of her when she was born) and not to worry. The next time I nursed them, Jillian had a hard time and didn't do very well. Later that night, the girls' nurse noticed the labored breathing as well and took Jill to observe her for a little while. After some time passed, we learned Jilli needed to be taken to the NICU (Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit). Her respiration per minute was way too high and it wasn't improving and her breathing was also still labored. Jillian ended up staying in the NICU for 1 week. That was a difficult week. The hardest part was leaving the hospital with McKenna and not Jillian. I cried a LOT that night, but was so thankful for amazing family who came to help so I could go see her everyday during the time she was still at the hospital. Jill couldn't handle the formula so my STINKIN' AMAZING husband delivered breastmilk to the hospital at least 4 times everyday - even in the middle of the night - so she would have breastmilk at every feeding. She improved each day she was there and was able to come home with us a week after they were born.

Here are some pictures of our hospital stay and Jillian in the NICU. I understand some of these pictures look a little scary, but it was in her best interest for all the tubes, wires, etc...and honestly I was really OK with all of it because I knew it was the best thing for her.

Me and Jillian before they took her to the NICU.


Holding both girls together for the last time until Jill came home.


Hanging out with sweet McKenna.


Visiting my baby Jill...


Getting to hold her for the first time since taken to the NICU.


Nick getting to feed Jillian her bottle. She has the head mask because she had to be put under some bilirubin lights because her jaundice levels were too high. It was there to protect her eyes.


The girls together before we went home with McKenna.


McKenna ready to go home.


Taking McKenna home (right before the floodgates of tears for Jillian opened up!)


Visiting Jill at the hospital.


Jillian ready to come home.


My girls together again!


Eden checking out both of her new baby sisters.


We are having so much fun with these sweet baby girls. It's definitely challenging but each day we are reminded of how blessed we are and how GOOD God is. The girls are sleeping about 9-10 hours each night and that is AMAZING. No complaints here!!

I would like to say a special "THANK YOU!!!" to all the people who helped us by bringing meals, taking us to doctors appointments, watching Eden, getting groceries, and praying for us. A special thank you to my amazing family. Mom, I don't know what I would do without your help, love, encouragement, and advice. I love you so much and feel VERY blessed and honored to call you my Mom. Thank you to my Aunt Cathy who has carved out time to help me with my girls and who has been an asset to getting us through these last 11 weeks. My grandparents too have spent time over here holding and feeding babies and I am so grateful. Thank you to Nick's Mom (Nana) who spent time helping us as we transitioned to a family of 5. You are wonderful, Rose!! Can't forget my Dad who has come to hang out with Eden a few times as I took the girls to their appointments and for my best friend Hayley who has come several times to help me out. You all are incredible!!

Finally, thank you to my husband. I can't express to you how amazing this man is. From the second he got to the hospital, he became this superman who has been completely selfless and definitely the best daddy and husband in the world. I mean he always has been that to me, but since our girls were born it is apparent why God chose us to be parents of twins - just by watching him. He knows just what to do and how to take care of these girlies. The nurses at the hospital couldn't stop complimenting his daddy skills and I couldn't either. I wouldn't want to go through this with anyone else. I love you, Nick!

"From the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another." -John 1:16

Thank you, Jesus!!