Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year From Addison and Fischer!



(I'm not sure why they look so terrified - they should be very used to the camera by now!)

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

It's hard to believe that it is almost 2010. Here are some pictures from throughout the year!

February: Happy Birthday babies!!


March


April


May


June


July


August


September


October


November


December


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

It has only been a few days since my last post, but I feel like I have a lot of updates... Addison and Fischer seem to have hit a "developmental growth spurt" and it seems like a lot of new things are happening!

*Addison is now dancing (bouncing while she is sitting) whenever one of her toys plays a song.
*Fischer's 3rd tooth is now visible, but hasn't broken through the gum yet.
*Addison has taken a couple of steps to the side while she is standing and holding on to the couch or bathtub (she loves to pull up on the tub and bang her hand on the side of it).
*Fischer seems to be saying that "dat" when he wants something we are holding (cell phone, camera, etc)... I hadn't noticed this and thought he was just saying "dadada" but my friend Kathy brought it to my attention, and I noticed that he was in fact saying "dat."
*Addison is now saying "mama" in context when I walk in and out of a room (usually while crying because she wants me to hold her).
*Fischer is now getting on his hands and knees and rocking, and has even crawled a couple of single steps. He is also putting himself into the sitting position now. I have yet to see him do it, but have found him several times sitting up!


As I mentioned above, my friend Kathy came to visit for a few days. It's always so nice having extra hands around and the babies love being spoiled. It was nice having such a close friend get to spend some quality time with the babies. My friend Melissa also came on Monday, so the babies were getting all kinds of attention!!

The babies seem to be enjoying the bigger dinners they've been getting. They are trying all sorts of new things and seem to like it all. Tonight they got to try a few pieces of a chicken finger that we cut up. Fischer has also grown very fond of the Yogurt Melts. He gets very excited when he sees the bag and makes happy sounds while eating them.

Our next goal is to find a sippy cup that they can both hold and drink out of. We have some that they can easily drink out of but have a hard time holidng, and other ones that they can hold, but they leak everywhere.  I would love any sippy cup suggestions you may have!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas, and hope you did too. It was just the four of us, and we spent the day relaxing and playing with new toys. It rained all day, so we were thankful we didn't have to travel.

Addison and Fischer got all kinds of new things. We put some away and will bring them out slowly so that they are getting new things every week!



We had fun watching them tear at the wrapping paper. We put them in their exersacuers while they were opening their gifts.






Their new eating schedule is going pretty well.  Addison was up a lot Thursday night, but did much better last night. Hopefully tonight she'll be back to normal. They are eating more throughout the day, just less right at bed time, and we are hoping it was just the change in routine that had her confused. They got to try some ham last night and really enjoyed it. They are getting heavier by the day - she is somewhere around 19 pounds according to our scale at home! It's amazing to me that they gain any weight with as much as they move.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!

We've had a very nice and relaxing day. This morning, we went to Costco, and it wasn't nearly as crowded as we thought it would be. Since they have the bigger carts, Addison and Fischer got to ride in a shopping cart for the very first time. We normally just use our double stroller, but it's much easier just having them in the cart. They really enjoyed being able to look around while we were shopping.



Tonight, Scott read The Night Before Christmas to the babies. This was something my Dad did every year and I hope to continue that tradition.  Scott also read "The Christmas Story" from the Chapter of Luke. We weren't able to make it to church this year, so we had our own little service at home.

We can't wait to spend Christmas with Addison and Fischer tomorrow!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

As I mentioned yesterday, Addison and Fischer got to spend some time with Grandma, Grandpa, and Great-Grandma Suttle.  We took them to NC on Thursday and came home on Monday. Scott and I were supposed to leave for Asheville Friday morning, but because there was some possible snow coming, we decided to leave Thursday night. This was supposed to be a relaxing getaway with friends, but that wasn't so much the case.

We got snowed in at our cabin because of the 14 inches of snow that fell on Friday. Then, we lost power AND water, and when it was time to leave on Sunday, Scott and Jason had to dig our cars out (that took 3 hours).  I was nervous the whole time that we wouldn't get back to Addison and Fischer for several more days, and I was already sad about leaving them (even though I knew they were having fun).  To top it off, Christine was 9 months pregnant and we were so worried she'd go into labor. Thankfully she didn't! We also had a tour set up at the Biltmore and weren't able to go to that either. Luckily we had a gas fireplace, a gas grill and plenty of food. At least it's an interesting story to tell!

While we were snowed in, Addison and Fisher were having a great time. They got to see their first snow, and even got to go sit in it. Apparently Addison wasn't impressed. They also had some new toys to play with, and I'm sure they were carried around a lot, which they love. They took great naps while they were there, and slept pretty well at night.

When we got back to my parents on Sunday afternoon, we did our Christmas with them. Addison and Fischer got to open their very first gifts. They weren't quite sure what to do...Fischer tried to rip the paper, and Addison just touched it very lightly.






Here are some pictures of the snow in Asheville, and of Addison and Fischer having fun. They set up a "baby jail" similar to the one at home. I hear they didn't spend much time in there, and spent most of their time crawling around the kitchen instead.











In other news, Addison and Fischer have been very busy. They both still crawl everywhere, and Addison is pulling up on everything. She is even now trying to step up, even though there isn't anything to step on. She has also tried a couple times to take a step sideways, but hasn't had success yet. It won't be long though. Fischer is pulling up onto his knees much more, especially when it's my lap. Just today, he pulled up into the standing position onto my suitcase that was on the floor. He then climbed on top of the suitcase and was laying there, all by himself!

Tomorrow, we will start their new eating schedule. The major change is that they won't get their solid food and bottle at 8 pm. Instead they will just get a bottle, and will eat a bigger meal at 6 pm. Wish us luck that they still sleep well! I will keep you posted.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Happy 10 months, Addison and Fischer!!




The babies had a great time staying with Grandma and Grandpa Suttle. I will write soon and talk about all the fun they had, and will also tell you about Scott and I's "relaxing" getaway!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Twins

Some days seem endless-
My patience grows thin-
Why was I chosen?
To be the Mother of twins-
The answer comes clear-
at the end of the day-
as I tuck them into bed-
There's two to kiss-
There's two to hug-
And best of all-
There's two to love.

A friend gave me this poem when Addison and Fischer were just a couple months old. I have it framed and hanging in their room, and I have read it many, many times. Especially if I'm having an extra hard day.  The days (or nights) aren't nearly as hard anymore, but sometimes there is still that day that tries my patience.  Yesterday was one of them. I'm not sure why.  I read the poem and got through the day without a major breakdown. Today is a whole new day and I'm in a better mood. How can you not be in a good mood when you are greeted with smiles first thing in the morning?!





Tuesday, December 15, 2009

We took Addison and Fischer to see Santa yesterday.  We were the first in line so we didn't have to wait long at all. We handed the babies over to Santa, and stood right there beside them. The lady behind the camera snapped two pictures right away, then started ringing a bell and yelling in an attempt to get the babies to smile. Instead, Addison lost it and started crying. A lot.  We were happy that she managed to get a picture before the tears started though.


Monday, December 14, 2009

Five years ago today, we adopted Sassy. Since we don't know when her birthday is, we celebrate today as her "home day." She had such a sad life before coming to our house, and it's a great feeling to know that we've been able to keep her safe, healthy and happy!




Sunday, December 13, 2009

This weekend has been very rainy, which means we had a lot of play at home time!

Fischer has been trying very hard to pull up onto his knees. He's actually done it a couple of times and I can tell he's getting stronger. It's only a matter of time until I have two babies pulling up on anything and everything.  They are also getting faster with their crawling and like to go in two separate directions in the house. Because of this, Scott is at Babies R Us right now getting another baby gate. We will use this to keep them in the kitchen (right now they are all over the house because our kitchen opens up to the living room) when we actually need to get something done other than chasing them around.

Addison continues to pull up all the time, and she does it with such ease now. I think she will be cruising around the furniture any day now.

They both had some canned carrots over the weekend and really liked them! They are doing so well with feeding themselves now! Bo and Sassy are disappointed by this because hardly any food makes it to the floor these days. They also got to try some Gerber Graduate Yogurt Melts (peach flavor) last night. I tried one first and it was pretty sour so I wasn't sure how they would like them, but they loved them! We used them more as a dessert so they only got a few.

We are hoping to go see Santa this week. We will also be packing up and going to my parents on Thursday. From there, Scott and I are going to Asheville on Friday for a weekend away while my parents keep the babies. I know they are looking forward to being spoiled!

Grandma and Grandpa Suttle are big Duke fans, so Addison and Fischer wanted to show their support...


Friday, December 11, 2009

Before I get to Fischer's fun facts, I'd like to announce that Addison now has her second tooth. That means she and Fischer are tied at two teeth each.  She was up for about 2 hours last night screaming and crying... I finally rocked her to sleep around 3:30. This morning, her second tooth was through, so I'm assuming that's why she was up so much. Even Tylenol didn't help. Next time, we'll try Motrin.

As promised, here are 10 fun facts about my little man, Fischer:

1.  He loves taking medicine. He gets a big smile on his face when he sees a medicine bottle.
2.  He loves putting things through the bars of the baby jail and his crib. In the crib, it falls to the floor and he can't get it back. In the baby jail, he puts something on the floor outside of the bars, picks it back up, pulls it through, then repeats.
3.  He loves bath time and likes to kick his legs in the water.
4.  He doesn't really like putting clothes on, or taking them off.
5.  If it's windy outside and you let the wind hit his face, he smiles a huge smile.
6.  He kicks his crib as hard as he can until a piece of his mobile falls off, and then he happily plays with it.
7.  He has recently started chasing after the dogs for fun.
8.  He tries very hard to get my camera, cell phone or remote control. He seems to like anything with buttons.
9.  He loves chewing on pizza crust and gets really mad when we take it away.
10. He likes to feel different textures by doing his index finger nail back and forth on something.  He does this on toys, clothes, blankets, his car seat, and just about anything else.



Thursday, December 10, 2009

Addison and Fischer have very different personalities. It's been that way all along, even during my pregnancy!

Here are 10 fun facts about Addison:

1.  She loves dogs! She thinks getting licked by dog is one of the funniest things ever.
2.  She loves to eat.
3.  I think her most favorite thing ever is being held.
4.  She likes to jump/bounce.
5.  She cries her "I'm hurt" cry when you put her down in the crib.
6.  She has started a breathing thing, similar to a dog panting, and does it when she gets excited. She also carries things around in her mouth while crawling. These both may be because of her love of dogs. :)
7.  She is a good napper, but doesn't sleep as soundly at night.
8.  She likes looking at her reflection in our metal trash can, and sometimes licks it.
9.  She used to cry A LOT (most of the day, actually) and now is a very smily, happy baby.
10. She gets the biggest smile on her face (and will sometimes start bouncing) when her Daddy walks in the room!

Here is Addison playing with the empty wrapping paper roll.





Stay tuned... Fischer's fun facts are coming tomorrow!


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Tonight, Addison and Fischer tried canned pears for the first time. They seemed to like them and had no problems eating them. Yay for that. They, of course, also had some Puffs. Here are a couple of videos from tonight. You will see that Addison is very serious about her food, while Fischer likes to have some fun.








Monday, December 7, 2009

As soon as I found out I was pregnant (and probably before) I started researching baby stuff. I asked friends with babies what we would need, I read articles, I looked at endless websites... but now, in my opinion, it all comes down to trial and error. Not all babies like the same things. The things I found, and still find, very useful may not be useful at all for someone else!

Here are some items that were so useful to us at some point over the past 9 months (in no particular order):

1.  Boppies!! Some people I know never used their boppies.  We used them all the time.  I actually still use them when Scott is out of town for bottle feedings. They acted as our extra hands when we were holding one baby and couldn't hold the other.  Also, because of Addison and Fsicher's reflux, they actually had to sleep propped up in their boppies for several months.




2.  Swings!! Some babies aren't comforted by the swinging motion, but luckily Addison and Fischer both enjoyed it.  They even napped in their swings for quite awhile.



3.  Dr. Brown's Formula Pitcher.   Scott and I both love this thing.  Instead of having to shake each bottle individually, you can make a whole pitcher and pour what's needed. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you are making 8-10 bottles a day, it's a nice time saver.



4.  Baby Trend Snap N Go Stroller.  Since we needed a double stroller, we couldn't get one of the usual travel systems.  Instead we picked the Snap N Go, and the infant carriers just snap in right on top.  We loved this stroller, and it was so light weight to load in and out of the car.



5.  Headrest mirrors.  Since their seats face backwards, it's impossible to see their faces without the mirrors. It only took a week or two of driving around like that until I made an "emergency" trip to Babies R Us to pick up two mirrors.





6.  Exersaucers/Activity Centers. These have been so nice to have. At first, we only had one. We quickly realized we'd need two, because both babies like being in them.  It's a great way to keep them entertained when we have to get some other things done.




7.  My camera. I know this isn't a baby item, but I can't imagine not having all of the pictures I've taken. I try to take pictures everyday, and I love looking back at them.

8.  Gerber Puffs.  I don't know what people did before Puffs. They have been a great thing to feed the babies while we are all sitting around the table eating. They also enjoy them just as a snack throughout the day.



9. Bumbos and Bumbo Trays.  We've used our bumbos for sitting practice, eating and playing. We also used them in the bath tub before the babies could sit on their own.  They have so many uses!





10. Video Monitor.  With one baby, I don't think the video part is really necessary.  With two, I'm so glad we had it. Mainly because when we first brought them home, we couldn't tell their cries apart. So, we were able to see who was crying and go straight to that crib. It also calmed our nerves when we could watch them without having to actually go into their room.

We have many, many more baby items that we use on a daily basis but we definitely have appreciated having these things!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

We've had a busy, but relaxing weekend that included several firsts for Addison and Fischer!

For starters, Thursday night they tried canned green beans for the first time. We are stepping up our efforts with table foods, so we thought green beans would be a good start. They did great, and we had no gagging episodes! They had some on Friday night too and enjoyed them just as much.  Today at the store we bought some canned peas, carrots, pears and peaches for them to try next.

Saturday morning, we went to Wal-Mart to do some Christmas shopping. This included getting Addison and Fischer's gifts even though they were with us. Something felt very wrong about that, but they didn't know. Next year, we'll have to make other arrangements! When we were checking out, the cashier was talking to the babies. When it was time to leave, she said "bye bye" and waved, and Addison waved back! That was the first wave for her, and she hasn't done it again despite my many efforts.

Saturday afternoon, we went to the first birthday party of the triplets that we sometimes have play dates with. It was fun, and we got to watch three babies get messy in their cakes. It was a nice preview of what's to come for us in February!  Addison and Fischer got to try their first taste of cake, and they LOVED it! Fischer even screamed when we took it away, but he was fine once the plate was out of sight.

Today, we went to get pizza for dinner. The babies enjoyed some crust, and also tried shredded mozzarella for the first time. They were a little confused at first but seemed to like it once they got used to it. The Doctor suggested trying some shredded cheese every now and then to see how they tolerate dairy.

Several times since Thursday, Fischer has gotten on his knees.  A couple of times when I was on the floor with him, he pulled up onto his knees while leaning on my leg.  He also got up on his knees and elbows a couple of times. We aren't quite sure if he's trying to get on his hands and knees to crawl, or trying to figure out how to pull up so he can see more of what Addison gets to see now that she's standing a lot. I guess only time will tell!!

As hard as it is to believe, I didn't take one picture over the weekend. I will be sure to take some this week and get some new ones on here!

Friday, December 4, 2009

The big announcement today is that Addison finally has her first tooth!  For the past few days, we've been able to see it, but it wasn't through the gum yet. This morning, I felt her gum and there it was! I'm sure her 2nd tooth will be coming soon.

Since having Addison and Fischer, I've learned a lot of things about myself. Here are just a few:

1.  I am terrified of cutting Addison and Fischer's fingernails.
2.  It's almost impossible for me to put a crib sheet on the mattress.
3.  I am bad with straps - storller straps, car seat straps, making straps bigger, smaller, etc.
4.  I can function on much less sleep than I thought possible.
5.  I love these children more than anythinng (I obviously knew I'd love them, but it's very different and much more powerful than I anticipated... in a good way!!).
6.  Changing dirty diapers doesn't bother me at all (except extreme circumstances), it just comes with the territory!
7.  I am seriously dreading the day they start getting loose teeth - just thinking about it makes me queasy.
8.  I love all holidays even more with Addison and Fischer around.
9.  I can do many things with just one hand while holding a baby in the other arm.
10. I can't stand it when Addison and Fischer roll over on the changing table while getting their diapers changed.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

We had Addison and Fischer's 9 month check up today. It went great, and the Doctor said everything seems to be going very well. I, of course, had a million questions, but she is always so patient with me. I'm sure she's used to all the questions though.

I always look forward to seeing how much they weigh, and how tall they are. Here are their most current stats:

Addison:
17 lb 8 oz - 20th percentile
26.5 inches - 12th percentile

Fischer:
16 lb 6 oz - 1st percentile
27 inches - 7th percentile

It's interesting to me that their weights are so far apart, because they eat the exact same amount everyday, give or take a few puffs.  It just goes to show how different body types and metabolism can be!

They also received two shots each today.  They got their Seasonal Flu booster, and the first of 2 H1N1 shots. I was torn on whether or not they should get the H1N1, but we talked to the Doctor about it and she strongly suggested it, so we trusted her and went ahead and got it. They cried A LOT (especially Addison) when they got the H1N1, which makes me dread having to get the booster in a month.

Some other topics we discussed included transitioning to whole milk around 12 months, getting Fischer to go into a sitting position on his own, eating more solid foods, crawling, and many more. Like I said, I had a million questions.

The main thing we are going to work on right now is transitioning into more of a breakfast, lunch, dinner schedule for solids, and just a bottle at bedtime. Right now they get solids and a bottle at 8 pm, then go straight to bed.  So, this weekend, we will start solids 3 times a day, and just the bottle at 8.  I'm worried this will mess up their sleeping habits, but the Doctor doesn't seem to think it will. So, we'll give it a shot!  They are still gagging on a lot of foods, so she said to just keeping trying everyday and eventually they will tolerate the food better.  The good news is they'll get to try a lot of new things now. I also asked her about them eating salt and other seasonings, because sometimes we give them food right off of our plate. She said it's just fine, which made Scott very happy, because he loves seasonings. :)

I also asked her about working with Fischer to get him to sit up on his own. He can sit unassisted, he just can't put himself into that position. So, she showed us how to work on that, so we'll do that a few times a day.  And, she isn't worried that he crawls army-style. He's getting where he needs to go, and she said that's what counts right now!

I am just so thankful that both babies are so healthy and growing so well.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

A fellow twin mom recently put a slideshow on her blog with the same song as I've picked this month. When I heard it on her blog, it reminded me how much I've always liked the song.  This slideshow isn't long enough to play the whole song, but at the end, there is a verse about the couple having twins; one boy and one girl! I never thought that'd actually be me!


It's December! Our house is completely decorated for Christmas now. We have never decorated this early, but I think we are both so excited that Addison and Fischer will be having their first Christmas!

In honor of Addison and Fischer turning 10 months old in December, I've decided to do some "lists of 10" throughout the month. They aren't necessarily top 10 lists, because on most of them, I could come up with many more than 10 things.

Since it's the first day of December, I am going to start with one about Christmas, and these are in no particular order.

10 Things I Love About Christmas:


1.  Christmas music
2.  Christmas trees
3.  Cold Weather
4.  Buying a gift that I know someone will love
5.  Christmas lights
6.  All things snowmen
7.  Food
8.  Reading The Night Before Christmas (my dad always read this on Christmas Eve and now we        can read it to Addison and Fischer!)
9.  Getting Christmas cards in the mail
10. Waking up on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought