Thanksgiving

I never really bring up serious stuff on the blog, but with the holiday coming up, I have been feeling very thankful. I have so much to be thankful for this year that it is amazing to me that some days I can't see the forest through the trees so to speak. Most people close to Matt and I know that getting pregnant was not easy for us. We miscarried twins before getting pregnant with these twins. I had to wait nine months to get pregnant again after the miscarriage, and it was hard. I always wanted to be a mommy. When I was nineteen, I found out that it might not be as easy for me as some people. But at nineteen, it isn't something you really worry about. You just file that away for later. When Matt and I finally decided to try for kids, I was excited the first month that we did get pregnant. A close friend was also pregnant, so we were excited to share our pregnancies together. But it wasn't meant to be for me. She has a beautiful boy now, and it is funny to me that if I had stayed pregnant, I would also have a two year olds. It was hard all of those months. I seemed to see pregnant women and babies all around me. I felt defective. I kept hearing things like, "Oh it will happen eventually," "It just wasn't meant to be," and "Some people aren't meant to be mothers." It all stung. Even it was said with the purest of intentions. I clung to the fact that God had given me this desire, and he would fulfill it in his own time. While discussing this with a friend who had her own son, she told me, "there are people that God doesn't make mothers." I was upset, and shocked. I did realize though, that it might be true. So I fell back on just trusting him. I let it go. I know it is so cliche that the cycle you let it go you become pregnant, but that was the truth for me. I spent all this time counting days, taking my temperature, worrying. But I just stopped it all. We became pregnant that cycle, and I just trusted in the Lord like crazy. I held onto the knowledge that he was in control. I always liked Proverbs 3:5, and it seemed to fit. He was in control. Now we have two amazing children. And someday soon (I HOPE!) they will call me mommy. What an amazing answered prayer! That God decided to trust me with the care of these amazing children. So during this time of giving thanks, I am thanking the Lord for these two amazing children, and the knowledge that they have made me a mother.

Winter Clothes are so Cute!

A Typical Day

Here a few things that might see on an average day in our house:

• The twins get up between six and seven in the morning. (I won't mention the 4:00 wake ups that Jack has occasionally, because I am trying to black them out so that the twins have an opportunity for a sibling.) They nap at nine and two for an hour and a half each time.
• When the twins are not napping, they are ransacking the house. From one end to the next. We let them out of the living room about a month ago, and now they run everywhere and get into everything. Jack loves to run. Sophie is more content with letting people carry her around. We have seen tons of crusing from her, and pushing all the push toys, but no walking. When Matt and I try to get her to walk between us, she lifts her legs so that they stick straight out from her body! One time Matt and I tricked her into taking a few steps, but after that...NOPE...she wasn't going to do it!
• We don't hear a whole lot of words yet, (I feel terribly guitly, because I didn't talk to them enough in the first sleep deprived six months!) but they are making tons of sound, and sounds that are specific to things. If Sophie wants something, she says "Yeh, yeh". If she sees something exciting its "uh, uh". And sometimes she gets really excited and says things over and over.
• We go through about three gallons of milk a week. I'll give you a hint as to who drinks it...Matt and I don't.
• The twins are remarkably picky eaters. I wonder if my mom wished on me to have a picky eater when I gave her trouble about eating? One day they like something, and the next day they throw it on the floor as if to say, "Are you crazy? I'm not eating that." This morning they each ate a waffle, and half of a pear. Who knows, I just feed them as much as I can. I should buy stock in Yogurt Puffs(freeze dried yougurt) with amount my kids eat.
• Jack had always been aggressive with Sophie. If she finds a really cool toy that he likes, he tries to take it. We correct him everytime we see it. I also will offer them different toys to diffuse the situation. Sophie has picked up on this, and now she offers Jack a different toy, so that he doesn't take hers. It is too cute! She is such a smart little cookie! HA! And let me tell you, sometimes it works, and he doesn't take her toy.
• The twins are GREAT at helping me clean. Well, no not really. They walk behind me like tornados and make everything messy again. The other day while cleaning the bathroom, Jack tried to stick his hand in the toilet, he unrolled the toilet paper, tried to climb in the tub, pulled over the laundry basket. You get the picture. Sophie is content to watch him wreak havoc.
• We had friends over Saturday night, and the twins were so funny! Sophie convinced more people to carry her around the house and name the things she pointed to. (I think she is getting a little bit of a princess complex.) And Jack flirted away! It was too funny! The twins are stingy with their kisses, and don't give them out a whole lot. Jack kissed Lindsey many times, played with her hair, and climbed all over her. It was so darn cute to watch! He was just smitten with her!

We still love these kids like crazy. Same as always. Matt and I remark everyday how much fun they have become. The more their personalities creep through, the more fun they are! Sophie is the strong willed, loving, gentle baby. Jack is the wild, inquistive, loyal baby. We love them both so much!

I caught the kids in the corner, in the semi-dark, taking turns kissing the duck.

The twin's favorite thing to do it look at the window. They like to be held, but will settle for looking over the chair.