Doctor B and the Cardiologist

On the way to Dr. B's , all bundled up for the chilly weather

Last week Jo Ann, my sweet mother-in-law, and I took the twins to my favorite doctor – Dr. B, the pediatrician. I was so lucky to have Jo Ann come over early in the morning and help get us all ready for the 8:15 am appointment. The early morning appointments are great, but with Atlanta traffic, we had to be out of the house by 7:30. Elizabeth and Tom were wide awake on the way to the appointment, happily sitting in the back playing with their toys. Elizabeth 13.5 lbs. 24” Tom 11.15 lbs. 24” Dr. B was very happy with their weights and think they are both growing nicely, not too mention the cutest babies in the world! Tom is doing so well with eating that she is taking him off the super notorious, extra weight gain (and very expensive) formula – yeah!!! In addition, we can start cereal and baby food – yes, that is right – here comes some funny faces! Since Tom and I want to be home when we explore the baby food, I think we will start this during the holidays. I promise to video and hopefully find out how to post something online. I attached some pictures from the appointment, Tom was a rock star, but Elizabeth had huge crocodile tears! I was okay during the last visit when the twins received shots, but this had me a little teary-eyed because she was so upset. Little Tom and I also made it to the Pediatric Cardiologist last week, which was a bit unplanned, but worked out really well. Tom had another EKG and he was a perfect patient – the nurses were so impressed with his playful demeanor during the procedure. Dr. Jones said he feels Tom is doing great in regards to heart, weight gain, growth, sleeping, eating, etc. Even though Tom has doubled in size since the last appointment, Dr. Jones suggested we leave his medicine on the same dosage and see if there are any ill-effects. Of course we hope Tom’s heart continues to beat strong and steady without the increase of medication. We have a follow-up appointment set for February and if things continue to go well, we could be off the medication completely!!! This is great news for so many reasons, I do not want to jump to any conclusions (less than 40% of infants with heart arrhythmia outgrow them in the first year), but we are thinking positive. It is amazing to see how much the twins have grown in the past four months and we are so lucky they are thriving – we pray that is continues.

Tom on the scale, definitely catching up with Elizabeth!

Look at me - I can stand up! Jo Ann looks on as Dr. B's listens to Elizabeth's heart Elizabeth seems to know that shots are in her future.Not a happy camper Little Tom and I also made it to the Pediatric Cardiologist last week, which was a bit unplanned, but worked out really well. Tom had another EKG and he was a perfect patient – the nurses were so impressed with his playful demeanor during the procedure. Dr. Jones said he feels Tom is doing great in regards to heart, weight gain, growth, sleeping, eating, etc. Even though Tom has doubled in size since the last appointment, Dr. Jones suggested we leave his medicine on the same dosage and see if there are any ill-effects. Of course we hope Tom’s heart continues to beat strong and steady without the increase of medication. We have a follow-up appointment set for February and if things continue to go well, we could be off the medication completely!!! This is great news for so many reasons, I do not want to jump to any conclusions (less than 40% of infants with heart arrhythmia outgrow them in the first year), but we are thinking positive. It is amazing to see how much the twins have grown in the past four months and we are so lucky they are thriving – we pray that is continues. Getting ready to have the stickers placed on his body

Stickers are on...

....now for the wires

What is taking so long, let's get this going

All set, let's do this!

Santa Claus

Their first Thanksgiving

Seeing Santa for the first time, they were so excited

....just controlled excitement

Thanksgiving was great, we were able to spend quality time with the Powells and the Graffeos and even watch some of the Macy’s Day Parade on TV! Not to mention celebrating Topy’s (Grandfather Powell) birthday too.

Since the last post, we went to see Santa Claus and the twins were excellent! I will say that the days of “seeing Santa” have definitely changed. I remember going to the Galleria and standing in line for hours just to sit on Santa’s lap and have a Polaroid taken of the exciting moment! Of course the anticipation was over so quick after you sat on his lap and were shoved off a with Polaroid. The act of standing in line was very similar to the line for Space Mountain at Disney World – we waited two hours to have a thrilling ride for about 120 seconds. But no, at Phipps Plaza there is no standing in line, no cheesy Santa with a fake beard, no instant quality picture and definitely no walk-ups will be telling the big jolly man in the red suit what they want for Christmas. In late October, Santa’s appointment calendar opens online and you pick the date and time you will see the bearded fellow. Beware you must sign up fast because all the dates are booked in 48 hours – almost the same demand for the Hannah Montana concert. I will say it was very nice strolling up to Mr. Claus handing him two babies and smiling for the camera. His beard was real, the suit was authentic (lace trim and all) this was the closest to Santa I have ever been. Scheduling is key and walk-ups are turned away. Kindrea, thanks for sharing the new Santa information!

More pictures....Elizabeth and Tom holding hands

Elizabeth sporting her new slippers..... The twins moving around on the coffee table, their favorite place

Did I say slippers, I meant to say Flipper Slippers - how cute!!!

Thanksgiving

Denim done right.....Elizabeth all smiles and drooling all over the place!

Little man did not know what to do when I put him in his Bumbo. He was a bit confused, at least he was able to hold his head up, unlike Elizabeth.

Maternity leave has ended and I am officially back at work. I returned to Newell Rubbermaid just over a week ago and it is certainly different from the past three months. I have amazing friends and co-workers in the office supporting me and providing encouragement. However, I am not going to lie, going back is difficult. Since August 6th, I have been there everyday, all day for Elizabeth and Tom and now I am with them for just a fraction of time. When I get home from work, it seems as if they have grown while I was away! So many working parents tell me it gets easier with time, but in my mind I keep asking, "When?" My heart aches and misses the twins each working day, but my head says working is the right thing. I have realized that my head and my heart feel differently, but I am learning to appreciate the precious time I have with my family.

I know this sounds bad, but previously, I never really spent a great deal of thought into Thanksgiving....other than having a couple days off, spending time with family and hitting the post Turkey Day sales! This year I realize there are so many reasons to rejoice and truly be thankful. So this post is dedicated to the blessing in my life and a prayer request for the less fortunate. Of the many things I have learned the past three months, living in the present and accepting God's plan are the two that top the list. A storybook beginning is not how my motherhood began, but that is no longer relevant. I have two children that just look at me and the wild roller coaster of pain, heartache, fear and anger is a far distant memory in the past. Why look back when I am surrounded with twenty little toes, four hands to hold, toothless grins, big brown eyes and so much more! I am thankful for

• the gift of motherhood, it happens in an instant, but stays with you for a lifetime
• the ability to have multiples - double the diapers and definitely double the love
• friends that have motivated me to accept there are things I cannot change and supported me during the rough times
• our new home - it took us awhile to find, but worth the wait
• the amazing doctors that continue to monitor the twins and those that took care of us in the hospital
• health, it is something you take for granted until someone tries to take it away
• parents and grandparents who serve as role models and inspiration
• my "mother of multiples" friends (& family) - I have learned enough tips and tricks to write a book
• our extended family who shower us with love, words of wisdom and clothes!!!
• our siblings who let us live vicariously through them
• the new relationships that have come to us this year, they are always stopping by and usually have food or gifts in their hands.
• everyone who is reading this post right now; you are loyal to our family, you have followed our story, you have prayed with us during the most difficult and confusing times and more importantly you have celebrated the milestones
• my husband and best friend - he always knows what to say to make me laugh

Please pray for

• our friends that have sick babies and loved ones, give them strength to fight for a healthy life and pray for a cure
• those caring for the sick, that they remain strong and know their work does not go unnoticed
• the individuals serving our country and their families, that sacrifice so much for the benefits of strangers
• those couples anxiously awaiting two pink lines and those about to deliver
• all parents, this profession is the most underpaid
• the individuals looking for that perfect person to spend a lifetime with
• the employees at Babies R Us, so they will learn better customer service and make shopping a pleasure (rather than a nightmare)

I hope all of you enjoy your Thanksgiving and are able to spend the holiday with those you love. We love you and Happy Thanksgiving!

Pictures...

Time is limited, so I thought I would let the pictures do the talking...

Right before Halloween we made our second trip to Birmingham to visit with family and brought the twins to their first wedding. Of course the weekend was packed

Uncle Mike and Tom

Aunt Anna and Elizabeth

After being held ALL day, the twins definitely liked stretching out!

Four generations of lovely ladies....

The twins first wedding

First trip to Tuscaloosa: Sorority sisters Margaret and Shelly

Due to a MAJOR messy diaper, Elizabeth was striped down and just as I am about to put clean clothes on her, she let me know that she needed to burp.

The Powells and the Hambys

Uncle Buck and the babies!

Halloween

Hope you had a great Halloween - so sorry I am posting these late!

Family picture before the costume..

As you can tell the twins were two peas in a pod!

We really have SO many kids in our neighboorhood!

Tom and Elizabeth were the youngest part-goers, propped up in their carseats!

The kids are really starting to laugh, look at Tom's big smile! Are you seeing spots?

Bath time with Tom - so stoic Bath time with Elizabeth, the little Diva

I hope you all enjoyed the pictures and I promise to post more this weekend,

we have been very busy! Happy Friday!

Sleeping Through the Night

Swaddled and sound asleep.

Yes, that is right - the twins are sleeping through the night!!! Tom and I feel like different people, now that we are actually catching a few zzzzz! At almost ten weeks Elizabeth and Tom have proven they can sleep like champs. I wish I could tell you that I am the greatest mom in the world and I did it all by myself, but I am not ashamed to admit - I did have a little help. My "Angel," Laura Hunter, changed our world. Laura is truly a gift from God; she has a super busy professional and personal life, yet somehow she teaches parents how to care for their new baby, which includes getting the little one to sleep through the night. She is located here in Atlanta, but to the new mom's out there (Nicole, I am talking about you) she is available for phone consults. I promise you will not be disappointed with her.

Honestly, the first nine weeks were not terrible, but Tom and I knew that the twins needed to start sleeping in order for us both to return to work and to carry on an adult conversation. I shot Laura an email on a Tuesday and next thing I know, I have an appointment scheduled at 8 AM for the following morning. That afternoon, I ran out to buy some breakfast items and bought a few baby things, that she suggested. I had this great plan that I would cook breakfast for her and maybe squeeze in a shower for me! Needless to say this was not the case. Little Tom decided he really did not want to sleep on Tuesday night, so we stayed up until 6 am and finally fell asleep on the couch sometime shortly after. We both awoke to Laura ringing the doorbell; you guessed it - no shower for me and definitely no breakfast for anyone.

Although, the Powells got off to a rough start, we finished strong and the babies were napping soundly by the time she left just a few short hours later. I know you are wondering, what did she do? Believe me, I was asking myself the same thing. It was not that Tom and I were doing anything wrong, Laura just had a better way to do a few things. It sounds so minor, but we altered their feeding scheduled, only let them sleep for two hours at a time during the day, swaddled with a much larger blanket, cranked up the sound machine and a few others tricks. It was definitely worth every penny. The entire Powell family is much happier. You can learn more about her at http://www.momsoncall.com/.

I hope with all this bragging, I am not jinxing myself!

Great-Uncle Phillip feeding Elizabeth.

Great-Grandmother talks to Elizabeth while Esther is burping her niece.

Grandmother Powell looks at Robert, while he holds Tom.

Sunday Traditions

Last weekend we went to Sunday morning mass and we were very close to being on time, for a change. I don't understand how we wake up at 6 am and still run late to mass at 11:30! Most families head to lunch after church, but we have a slightly different tradition - we go to Home Depot. Prior to the twins arrival, Tom and I were always busy completing projects around the house....remodeling a bathroom, painting, landscape.... This was the first time the twins have been to the home improvement store; they cannot wait to pick up some tools and start working around the house with mom and dad.

The twins are starting to grow into some of their clothes -

here they are dressed in their church outfits.

Many thanks to all of the families that have brought over delicious meals the past two weeks: Widener, Davidson, Jackson, Rowe, Bremer, Gregg and Secretarski. Knowing that dinner is being delivered is one less thing to worry about during the day - it is so nice!!!

That is right, Elizabeth has found her hand!

Such a big yawn for such a little boy.

Catching Up

I feel like I am constantly playing catch up with the posts, so I thought I would give you the high-level overview of the past couple weeks. We have made several trips to doctor offices and things seem to be going well. The twins visited their pediatrician to receive their two month shots for MMR and they did so good!! Tom let out a little scream, but no real tears - he is such a strong guy; while Elizabeth puckered up and definitely shed a few tears. I have never seen her make tears so quickly and honestly I had to take a few pictures of her crying, because she just looked so cute! The Powells jumped on the scale and the official weigh-in is: Elizabeth 9.11 and Tom 7.11. Yes, there is a bit of a weight difference, but there is no reason for concern. Even though they are twins, Elizabeth and Tom are two different babies and will have differences - weight being one of them.

Daddy is getting Tom undressed for his shots.

Tom comforts his son as the shots are administered.

Elizabeth is not happy.

In addition to the pediatrician, we visited the neurologist and Tom had an Electroencephalogram (EEG). An EEG is a test that measures and records the electrical activity of the brain. Special sensors are attached to your head and hooked by wires to a computer. The computer records the brain's electrical activity on the screen as wavy lines. Tom was a perfect baby throughout the entire test, which took nearly 45 minutes (after 45 minutes in the waiting room). As you can see from the pictures the nurse attached 20 sensors to his head with some sticky goo and cotton balls, then wrapped him up, so he would not pull on the wires. Initially, everything looks good, but the doctor will review the results and follow up in a couple weeks. Of course this was a big day for all of the Powells, it is not everyday your child dresses up as a Q-tip while mom and sister stand watch. Yes, that is right - the three of us went to the doctor and everyone was impressed with how well behaved the twins were!

Tom smiles as the nurses starts the test.

This is a piece of cake! This new cap keeps me warm!

Last week I celebrated my birthday for the first time as a mom - wow, the times have changed! Last birthday, Tom planned a surprise party for me with a margarita machine....let's just say this year was a little more low key. Looking back on the past year I have realized just how precious time is, because things change so quickly. I absolutely love being a mom and now I understand what my mom meant when she said, once you have children, you will be amazed how you can love someone so much. It is so true!

I spend most of my days at the house taking care of the twins with outings to the doctor and lunch with friends. Since the twins are getting bigger, it is nice getting us all out of the house, but there is a great deal of preparation and planning that goes into each outing. As my maternity leave is coming to an end, I must prepare myself to go back to work. This includes finding the perfect childcare for Tom and Elizabeth and mentally getting ready to face corporate America while my children are with someone else. I ask that you send special prayers for the Harper family. Their second child, Bennett, was born this summer and is scheduled to have surgery this afternoon www.caringbridge.org/visit/bennettharper. Please continue to pray for the health of Elizabeth and Tom in addition to a great report from the tests performed on Tom this week. As I prepare to return to work, please pray that we find the perfect outlet for our children. As always thank you for visiting our site and joining our army of angels, praying for us all.

Even though she might be bigger, Tom is definitely taking charge.

Their 8 week picture.