One Year Checkup

The girls had their one year check up yesterday.  They did AMAZING!  I was so proud of them.  This was their first visit with a new doctor since we moved.  No tears, no screaming until the end of the appointment...the dreaded shots!  Three of them!

Weight/Height: My peanut, Sera, weighted 21 lb 2 oz and was 29.5" tall.  Matilda weighed 22 lb and was 31.25" tall (97th percentile for height!)
Eating:  They love their bottles, but their doctor said they should be weaned from their bottles by 15 months.  It will be difficult since I can't get them to drink from a sippy cup yet.  They are down to about 4 bottles a day (4/6oz bottles at a time).  They have been eating solids at least 4 times a day.  They are little snackers.  Matilda loves to feed herself and eat what we eat.  Sera has had difficulty lately with eating finger food...she stuffs her mouth and I think she expects it to dissolve like her rice puffs.  

Foods They Like:  They love ground beef and cheese.  We tried raisins and peaches (not together) for the first time today and they loved them!  They like scrambled eggs, yogurt, waffles and peas.

Foods They Don't:  Matilda is past pureed food--she's done with baby food!  Sera pretty much eats everything and anything.

Favorite Things:   Their big sister--they love playing with her.  Big sister loves playing with them more now since they actually "play" now.  Grandma bought them PB everywhere chairs for their birthday and they love them.  They sit in them, crawl over them and stand on them.  They still love music.

Favorite toy:  They like their LeapFrog activity table (a birthday gift from a relative).

Dislikes:  Bedtime--they never really want to go to bed, especially Matilda.  Sera doesn't like laying on her back (probably because she can't flip over yet!)  They aren't big fans of sharing yet.

Their Accomplishments:  They officially can walk now on their own!!! Sera started taking several steps at their birthday party on January 5th, and she walks like a pro now!  Matilda just started walking about 3 days ago.  She walked across the room today!  They get so happy and clap when they see each other walk.  I love seeing them interact!

New words:  I think Sera said her big sister's name the other day.   Matilda says Ou-ch.  Sera points and says That.  

Teeth:  Sera has 4 teeth (2 bottom, 2 top) now.  Matilda looks like she'll have all 4 top teeth come at the same time...they are just poking through now.

Sleep:  Sera is starting to sleep through the night again!  Usually a good 10 hours but I think Matilda usually wakes her up early.  Matilda still wakes up once during the night--I'm thinking part of it is due to teething.  However, last night they both went to bed at 8pm, woke at 5:15 for a bottle and back to bed and then woke at 8am.  They usually take one morning nap together and the afternoon nap is sometimes staggered between them.  Matilda gives up the afternoon nap occasionally.

Looking forward to:  watching them grow and interact more with each other.  I just love each day with them.  

DE Mom musings:  I'm so grateful for our donor.  Sometimes, I wish I could meet her just once and thank her personally.  She has given me the most wonderful gifts.

Happy 1st Birthday!!!

I remember a year ago so clearly.  Getting up early (after little sleep) for my planned c-section.  The weather was horrible.  We made it on time though.  Our nurse was late.  She was so calm for just driving 2 hours to get there...I liked her already.  Her name was Diane (or maybe Diana...ok, the memory is a little fuzzy).  She did an amazing job with my IV.  Dr.C came in the room to greet us...friendly and happy as usual.  I felt like I was in good hands...and I truly was!

We have the girls' birth on video, so I will always remember the sounds, the reactions, and the pure beauty of our newborns.  I was so in love from the minute they entered this world, and I feel so truly blessed.  I feel like I won the lottery with our girls.  They make me smile on my worst days and make the good days even better.

Happy FIRST Birthday to my precious baby girls!  You are so loved!

A Strange Start to the New Year

It's the eve of our daughters' 1st birthday and guess what arrived this morning!?!  The unthinkable has arrived and when you have POI/POF (especially for as long as I have), you really don't think one will actually arrive naturally EVER again.  Without taking my Prometrium, my period has arrived!!!  My first since 2005!!!  (I've been on HRT for so long, my periods come within days of taking Prometrium...no surprises!)  However, today was a HUGE surprise.  I had some mild cramping last night, but I didn't expect my period.

Questions arise now.  Can I actually ovulate on my own?  What would cause me to ovulate this past month?  Is it possible to ovulate again?  I can't help but feel a little excited.

Definitely an interesting start to 2013!  On another good note, after 2 weeks of flu symptoms in our household, we are all on the mend.  Not too shabby for the start of the year.

Off to party planning for the girls' birthday party this coming Saturday!  Can't believe they will be ONE tomorrow!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

11 Months

This update is more for me, so I can remember this stage in their lives. :)

Weight/Height: At 10 months, Sera was weighing 19 lbs even and Matilda was 20 lbs 5 oz.  Matilda was an inch taller.

Eating:  They eat about 8 oz of solids a day along with 4 bottles (6oz with cereal) each. Also, some finger foods are mixed throughout the day.

Foods They Like:  They LOVE sweet potatoes!!!  Applesauce and bananas are also faves.  We started shredded cheese and ground beef--definitely makes a mess of the kitchen floor!  They love baby flavored puffs too.

Foods They Don't:  Matilda is not a fan of green foods (i.e. sweet peas and green beans).  Sera is not as picky.  

Favorite Things:   They love to play in the carpeted room because they have room to roam and crawl around.  (The rest of house is off limits when it comes to crawling--not baby proof yet. :( )  They like to laugh at their big sister's funny noises and screams.  They enjoy playing in their cribs (when they are well-rested and not hungry) and laughing at each other.  Chewing on toys, making noises with toys, looking out the window, breaking through our barriers (little stinkers!), electronics,  and music.

Favorite toy:  They like to play the music button on their horse.  When the music plays, they dance.  It's so cute to see them excited about music.

Dislikes:  They get upset when they can't touch/play with our cell phones, sister's ipod.  Of course, they get crabby when tired and hungry.

Their Accomplishments:  Sera is starting to balance on her feet with no assistance.  She'll try to take a step and fall.  Matilda mimics me.  I started to teach them sign language and she's doing very well with it.  She's been telling me "no" by shaking her head. I wish she didn't learn that so quickly, but she's super cute shaking her head "no." Both girls are crawling and moving fast.  They walk around their cribs and other furniture.  

First words:  Momma and Dada or Dadee (~7 months), Matilda seems a little more advanced with her words or we just understand her better. She says Hi, Diap (for Diaper), Bye.  Sera has her own language--she's talking but I have no clue what she is saying.

Teeth:  Both of them have two bottom teeth (been there for about a month or two now).  Sera's gums just started bleeding this week and I see a top tooth coming through.  It looks painful and probably relates to her sleeping issues lately.

Sleep:  They were doing great until about two weeks ago.  They WERE sleeping at least 10 hours through the night since they were ~4 months.  As of lately, they are waking up for an extra bottle during the night and getting up too early (5:30am).  The rough part is when they both wake up during the night but at different times.  It's like having a newborn again.  I'm thinking it's their teeth that are bothering them.  Or maybe a growth spurt?  Naps are another story as well.  They slept fine at my mom's house because they slept in different rooms, but since we've moved, they sleep together in a room. One wakes the other up and they don't always want to sleep at the same time for naps.  Sera seems to require more sleep (with naps). They take at least two naps a day.  Sometimes together and sometimes schedules are just off.  

Looking forward to:  More communication and more mobility.  I can't wait for the teething pains to be gone.  Looking forward to everyday with them--teaching, holding and loving them and enjoying their every milestone.

DE Mom musings:  I don't think of our donor much, but I'm very grateful for her.  I see so many traits of my husband in our girls, so every now and then, I think if it's not his, it was hers.  She must have been an extraordinary baby.  :)  

Truly Thankful

It's been so long...I had to attempt my password three times to log in!  So much has happened in the past couple months, and it really makes me sad that I haven't been documenting here lately.

Of course, we are thankful for our beautiful girls and the joy they have brought into our lives.  At this time last year, I was huge and uncomfortable, barely able to eat a Thanksgiving meal.  This year, we ate as a family of 5 (plus one--my mom joined us) at our NEW home.   We fully moved into our new place in September, and we are still working on the house.  I have to say we've made tremendous progress on the house even though 2 rooms are still non-livable. DH (with the help of family) has done all the work himself including gutting the kitchen, replacing floors, rebuilding walls, painting the exterior/interior of the house, etc.  I have to bite my tongue when friends say how busy they are (off taking vacations) and we are juggling jobs, house stuff, and 3 children.  Amazingly, we also lived in the house for the first month without a stove and refrigerator.  It hasn't always been easy, but I'm so thankful for what we have and how far we've come.   Overcoming obstacles really make you appreciate what you have.

Baby girls and a new home in one year--it doesn't get much better than this!

Thanksgiving Day 2012

Where Does Time Go?

As I go to bed at night everyday, I ask myself that.  It's amazing how much time is required to take care of two babies (and their sister).  To add to my plate, we decided to move this summer!  What were we thinking, right?  So we are living temporarily with my Mom until our place sells and until we can move into our new house (which is taking almost 4 months to purchase...long story).  It looks like we will be able to move into the new house just in time for our older daughter to start school...whew, let's hope so!

Moving in with my Mom.  Wahoo, instant babysitter!  Wrong!  Not so much the case when my Mom is a busy senior citizen (and she's the one who labeled herself that).  It's been an adjustment--living in boxes/suitcases, cluttering up my Mom's home which was already heavily populated with her things, getting used to stairs with babies (we lived in a ranch), having my Mom tell me what she would do to discipline my older daughter, and the list goes on!  All I can say, I love my Mom but there's a reason we don't live together permanently.  

Enough about my Mom.  The girls...they are doing amazing.  Last appointment at 6 months, they were officially in the 90th percentile for weight (without their 4 week handicap)!  I know I couldn't believe my ears when the doc said that.  Seraphina is a little shorter (about 2 inches) and Matilda is in the 90th percentile for height too!  I have myself some big girls!  They are starting to sit up on their own and interact more with each other.  Their big sister is still in love with them--just not when they scream. :)

I hope to start posting more in the Fall--maybe when settled in the new house.  There's so much to say, I can't believe these girls have entered my life.  They make life so much sweeter.  

(Photo to follow soon!)

Last Year

Last year at this time:
I was nervous but excited.
I was skeptical and hopeful.
We returned home from our second DE embryo transfer.
Relieved that the transfer went smoothly.
Then, we waited...for two long weeks.

Now: 
I am tired but happy.
I am amazed and grateful.
We hold our two miracles.
Knowing how far we have come.
Now, we are in love...forever.