WWE

The girls had their 12-month well baby check the day after their birthday. Katie is now 19 lbs, and Jojo is 18 lbs. They are keeping to their petite stature and are around 10-25% percentile for weight. They are also following in big brother's footsteps with their big heads. Everything is in below 25th percentile except for the head size which is in the 75th percentile. We are a family of big heads.

I am beating myself up right now for not having other numbers available. I had the paper and now I can't find it. I will post it if and when I find it.

(Jojo is on top.)

These two are becoming quite the characters. They just love climbing on top of each other especially if one is wanting what the other has.

Katie is currently the pro with her evasive technique maneuvers. All you have to do is reach out towards her if she's holding something and she does a 180 in a split second. It's quite frustrating for me when I'm teaching her to tilt her head back when she's drinking water from a sippy cup. She always thinks I'm going to take her cup away!

chipmunks

Yesterday, Matty asked to take a nap in his room! Yes, in his room!! I couldn't believe it either. So Daddy promptly took his air mattress to his room. Daddy and I just couldn't believe it, and decided to take advantage of the situation and went ahead and moved the twins to their own room as well. So for the first time in 3 years, the master bedroom was devoid of kids! We moved the radio as well so also for the first time in 3 years, we slept in complete silence!!

Matty had no trouble sleeping, and actually slept through the night without waking. Another shocker! Katie slept fine without a fuss, but Jojo cried and cried. It took her an hour before she fell asleep.

This morning when I gave the girls a bath, I find I have a little chipmunk. I started with Jojo, but when I put her back in her crib to give Katie a bath, she cried the entire time. And when I came back, I found her to be chewing on the crib.

I told Daddy yesterday when he was reassembling the cribs that maybe we should lower the mattress one more notch and he said no. He said if we do, their heads would be under the rails, not over. Um, that would have been nice. Oh well. To his defense, though I was thinking that the girls may be chewing on the 2 end rails without teething guards, I didn't voice out.

Jojo throws a tantrum when I stopped her from chewing the crib.

Jojo & Katie's new set up. The room is unchanged from big brother's baby days, but we have a plan to replace the car and train with fairies. I'm sure it'll happen sometime before the girls become teens.

Jojo (back) still upset about me not letting her get some fiber.

I found some ribbons and used them to tie hand towels on the rails. Hopefully they don't chew through it.

fishing derby

It was the fishing derby at Daddy's work this Saturday and this year was the first time we've been able to make it - even though it was a stinkin' 100 degrees with what felt like 200% humidity. Thankfully, the gathering (aside from the actual fishing) was indoors in the cafeteria.

Matty's special request was a flower balloon.

Katie (and Jojo) got a rattle. The clown baloon maker obviously didn't have small children since she insisted on making this for the girls. We took them away a few minutes later.

This little boy was so impatient, he had to go outside and do this fishing thing while we all stayed in the cafeteria to eat. He and Daddy later went out to the pond to do some real fishing. No fish caught though. But now he's going to ask his Papaw to take him fishing. (Fair warning, Papaw!)

Looking around at the lobby. (Katie in front)

Matty and his awesome "soldier" hat, as he likes to call it. I had to get this in the adult section since his had is just too big for a toddler size hat.

my little girls

I can't believe it's been a year. It feels longer, but at the same time, it doesn't feel all that long. Twelve months and three days ago, I had a regular appointment to see my OB/GYN. I mentioned that I was contracting fairly often (7 in within 1 hour) and that's when my doctor checked me and said I was 2cm dilated. He said I was to get myself admitted right away. I was scared, shocked, worried.

For three days I was administered medication to stop my contraction, but they didn't really go away. Until finally, we've all decided it was enough and had the c-section. In a short time, I had 2 babies. Sadly I was only able to get a short glimpse before my little angels were taken away to the NICU. Unforunately, it took a little bit under 48 hours before I even got to hold my daughters. It was the saddest, darkest, loneliest days of my life. I hemorraged pretty badly after I gave birth, and it left me unable to recline for even just 30 minutes at a time.

Katie and Jojo spent 10 days in the NICU. When they came home was one of the happiest days of my life. To see my then 2 year old son finally meet his sisters for the first time was amazing. Big brother took to them well and from day one, they were HIS babies.

Katie, you were the bigger one. This helped Mommy and Daddy recognize which is which that we didn't need to resort to painting a toe nail or anything of the sort. You were always looking for Jojo and looking into her eyes waiting for her eyes to connect with yours and then you gave her the biggest smile. It was the kind of smile that says, "oh, there you are. I'm happy now because I know you're there." When you cried, you cry like you're the saddest person in the world! Your eyes just looked sorrowful!

Daddy and I thought you would be the shy one, the one who wouldn't venture from us and the one who would hide behind me when strangers try and talk to you. But we're having second thoughts now. When you started crawling, you crawled over, under, in between whatever makeshift barricade I had. And once you've done it, you know where and how to do it again! You're a clever adventurer, much like you brother.

You're very sensitive. You have sensitive eyes. Looking into your eyes is trully looking into your soul.

Jojo, you're my itty bitty one. I worried a lot about you when you were in the NICU. The nurses would tell me and Daddy how you wouldn't eat very much because in the middle of your bottle, you just forget to suck! But you're catching up fast now. And you're quite the bossy little thing. At only weeks old, your cry was so different from Katie's. While listening to the baby monitor, I could always tell if it was you crying. Because of this, Daddy and I thought you would be the adventurer, highly independent little girl. But you've changed lately. While Katie explores, you're just happy to stay were you are and play. If I am around you, you always want to climb on me.

Lately, to our amusement, you've become quite the drama queen. You hold your hands to your face whenever you cry! But you also have the most devilish smile. You smile as if you're trying to stop yourself. It starts from one corner of you mouth, but somehow it never makes it to the other end as if you enjoy making others guess whether you find them amusing or not! I think you will have boys wrapped around your little finger.

Katie and Jojo, this past year has not been easy on you and all of us, but the two of you and your brother makes everything worth it and worth doing all over again. Burying my nose in either of your necks make everything right in the world. Happy Birthday.

Love,
Mama

Happy 1st Birthday, Katie & Jojo!

(Click on the slide show to view an enlarged version.)

The twins turn 1 year old today!! They celebrated their birthday this Sunday when their Nana & Papa and their cousins were here. They had their first cake and absolutely made a mess! Enjoy the pictures.

some more Memorial Day shananigans

Being the photographer, I rarely have a picture/video of me here...but I will grace you all with my loveliness on this one.



And here is Katie. No, she's not having a fit. She's just happy.

the troop goes to the Y

Jojo

Katie

In preparation for the T-ball at the Y, which starts in 2 weeks, we went to the meet-the-coach meeting tonight. I can't believe there were so many kids enrolled!

"Where's the soccer ball?" says Matty. I guess we will be enrolling in soccer in the fall as well.

Two of Matty's friends from school were there but in a different team. Goshdarnit! I told Daddy to go up to the ladies behind the desk and request that Matty be changed to be with his friends, but I guess it's not a Daddy thing to do. He explained to me that even though they will not be in the same team, they could still be together in the field. Um, yeah. OK. I had to take matters into my own mommy hands on this one. Nothing was done, but at least they took the info and said the athletic director would call me back.