Happy Christmas

 We celebrated Josie and Piper's second Christmas here at home.  We had a great time, although we definitely missed our families.  Last year the girls were still in the hospital and it never really felt like Christmas, so this year we stuck around here to avoid the craziness of holiday travel and had a low key Christmas together and then headed down to Morehead City for a great dinner with the Koupals.

 

Looking pretty cute in their new Christmas jammies from Gramma Bubba

 

 Playing games

 Piper sitting on her new chair from Nana

 Josh stealing Grey's new helmet

 Opening their presents

Snowy day-after Christmas

We had a real honest-to-goodness snowstorm here in Eastern NC the day after Christmas.  It started snowing Christmas night and didn't stop really the entire next day.  When they predicted this storm, of course we didn't believe it would be real snow, but turns out they didn't exaggerate this time.  Two days later there is still snow on the ground.  These pictures were taken before most of the snow fell, but you can see that it is actually sticking.  Very rare around these parts. 

I'm so gonna get you

I took this picture when I was trying to catch a good picture of the girls for their 12-month shot.  I didn't even look through them until Josh pointed this one out to me and commented how it's the perfect representation of their relationship.  So true!  Piper wants to tackle her so bad!  Classic!  And Josie is just sitting there playing patty cake. 

Partytime

After a rough start to the birthday celebrations with Piper's trip to the hospital, the girls had a great birthday party with lots of their little baby friends (and some of our friends too).  We had a get together at our house and celebrated with the Koupals and Nana, the Cromwells, Halls, Larsons, Whitsetts, and the Arnolds.  It was lots of fun and a great way to celebrate both their birthday, and our accomplishment of surviving the first year with twins. :)

 Ready to go in their party dresses

 Party table and Jacksonboy

 Hanging in the playroom

 Grady and Ellie Katie having some grub in Josie and Piper's chairs

 With their cousin Kloebelle

 They completely devoured their cupcakes

 Emma and McKenzie came

 Kleigh and Piper

 The Cromwells and the Larsons

Grey with his signature camera smile

We're One!!!!

Josie and Piper turned one yesterday!  We can't believe how fast the past year has gone.  We have experienced pretty much every emotion during the past year: happiness, fear, stress, exhaustion, exhilaration, anxiety.  And of course we have been very very very tired at times.  There were times in the early months we didn't know how we would continue with the sleep deprivation and the exhaustion.  Thank goodness we are past that.  I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't say a little prayer of gratitude that I don't have two newborns anymore.  One-year-olds are FUN!  They are doing something new and different every day now and it's always always funny and cute.  They are crazy little girls and zooming all over the place, getting into everything, and making lots of big messes, but they bring us a lot of joy.

Here's their one-year chair picture with the stats from their one-year doctor's appointment.  Getting them to hold still for this is getting more and more difficult:

Measurements for one-year and a little about each of them

Josie
Weight: 19 lbs even
Height: 28 1/2 inches
Head: 18 1/4 inches

• Josie has discovered clapping in the past few days.  About 20 times a day, she looks at you and spontaneously claps and smiles and is completely DELIGHTED with herself.  So freaking cute!  
• She carries around two wooden toys from an infant IKEA toy and bangs them together all day.  She would be fine with only these toys.
• She says mama and said "daddy" the other day very clearly.  I think she will probably talk a little sooner than Piper.
• She has stood on her own for a few seconds, but really isn't that interested in walking or doing much "cruising" although she can do it if she tries.  
• She is sweet and silly and very tender-hearted.  She likes to cuddle in and lean her head to "touch heads" which is her version if kissing. 

Piper
Weight: 18 lbs 3 oz (she has been dieting during her illness)
Height: 28 inches
Head: 18 1/2 inches (how is it possible that she has a bigger head?)

• Piper's latest thing is pointing.  She seems to understand what certain objects are in books and on her toys and will point to them and make her little sounds.  She still loves to read books at night and will sit in my lap and point out objects on her toys, puzzles, and books.
• Piper is more interested in walking, pulling up, cruising, and starting to practice standing on her own.  She doesn't like when we make her do it though.  
• She is still very independent and will sit and entertain herself with a toy with no problems.
• She is a little trooper, tough, spunky, and crazy!

Some pictures from a year ago

 Josie

 Piper

 Piper

 Josie

Happy birthday to my sweet, beautiful, funny, sassy, silly, crazy, adorable little girls!

Under the weather

 Piper decided to celebrate her birthday and the day before her birthday by coming down with pneumonia. :(  She had been sick all week, but woke up Friday morning with shallow breathing and was very listless.  Josh stayed home with Josie and I ran her to the doctor, who gave her a breathing treatment, checked her oxygen levels, and promptly admitted her to the hospital. 

Once she got to the hospital, she started making improvements, but still required oxygen when she fell asleep.  They continued to give her breathing treatments.  I spent the first night with her and Josh spent the second night with her.  That night, she didn't require any oxygen, thank goodness, so she got to come home in time to celebrate her birthday at home.  Luckily, their party isn't planned until next week and even more luckily, Josh was home!  Otherwise, I would have been SOL. 

Being in the hospital with a one-year-old is a challenge.  It was like de ja vu having her hooked up to that same monitor all over again, one year later.  Aside from that, it's NOT like it was a year ago, where you put them down and they stayed in their isolette.  Nope, she required a LOT of entertaining and of course we couldn't put her down on the floor at all.  The only place to put her was a big, uncomfortable metal crib, where she pulled on her lead and her oxygen cords.  Fun toys!!  Of course, we are just thankful she is okay and made a quick recovery. 

 Sick girl with Daddy

 Trying to sleep in her froggy position with all her cords

Feeling better in her jail crib

Some fun stuff!

Here's some of what we've been up to having Josh around and home for the last week. 

Turkey day

 We had a great Thanksgiving around here.  It was quiet.  Itt ended up being just our little family, but we were fine with that and had a really nice, low key day.  Josh fried a turkey, (and redeemed himself after last years turkey debacle) we whipped up some mashed potatoes, yams, stuffing, rolls, and had some apple pie for dessert.  The girls had turkey and stuffing and loved it.  We all made it out to the Turkey Trot in Taberna Thanksgiving morning, which is one of my favorite traditions.  Josh and the girls cheered me on to a new 5K PR. 

All bundled up for the race

Daddy's home!

Josh made it home last week and we are so happy to have him here!  He came home to some very happy babies, but unfortunately, just in time to head to Richmond for Nana's funeral.  We are happy he was able to make it home in time.  He has spent the last week or so catching up on all the new things the girls are doing, their new routine, their new mobility, their crazy little personalities.  It has been great having another set of hands around here and already I'm not sure how I did it alone. 

Here are some pics from his homecoming:

 Coming in on the C-9

 Saying hello to Piper.  She wasn't sure what to think.  Josie had a meltdown.  However, both girls are back to being daddy's girls.  It didn't take long. 

 The only picture we got of the four of us.  We were too excited to take pictures. 

 Ready to go!

 Greeting Jackson.  There were some times after his surgery I was very worried Jackson wouldn't hang on long enough to see his papa again.  Our poor guy is just not doing very well.  We sure are glad to be all together again. 

11 Months!

Here are our sweet, sassy girls the day they turned 11 months.  We are getting so close to the big 1!  And so close to surviving the first year with twins.  These girls are moving all over the place, very curious, and into everything.  They are finally starting to 'get' the sippy cup, but only the one with a straw.  I see a very rough transition from the bottle in our future.  They also love to play together.  I'm going to start separating them for naptime because they won't lay down and stop 'talking' to each other.    I don't think there's a day that goes by that I don't think how lucky they are to have each other (and how lucky we are to have them).  Here are some updates on each of them:

Josie:

• Just really started pulling up on stuff about a week ago.  She is so proud of herself when she does it!  And still looks a little surprised.
• Loves to play patty cake and peek-a-boo.  I think sometimes she tries to say 'peek-a-boo'.
• Said da da today while we skyped with Josh.
• Used to be my good eater, but is trying to boycott all table food.  She sticks her tongue out and makes a gagging noise.  She would like to continue to eat baby food if I let her.
• Can be a little drama queen.  Every time I sit her down she loses it!  But calms down after about 30 seconds.  She really has a set of lungs on her and has this loud 'honking' cry! 

Piper

• Is pulling up on everything and starting to cruise a lot.  She's also getting more comfortable letting go with at least one hand.  
• Has turned into a pretty good eater.  She'll eat black beans, kidney beans, veggie burgers, etc.  All things her sister refuses.  
• Is pretty good at entertaining herself.  If I need to get something done, I put her in the play pen and she finds a toy and jabbers away.
• Likes to read books.  She will sit and entertain herself with a book for a while!  I hope she's a little reader.  

Happy Halloween

First Halloween for my little ladybug and my little dalmation.  And here are some pics of the clips in their hair Brynn.  They started pulling on each other's headbands as soon as the pictures were taken.