pumpkin patch and Halloween

Last Friday we took Gabriella and Benjamin to a small, local pumpkin patch.  They really got a kick out of the straw maze!

And then yesterday, for Halloween, Gabriella dressed up as a pink birdie and Benjamin was a friendly dragon!

play time, all of the time

We spend so.much.time. in the playroom.  The playroom is actually our dining room, but before we got Lucy we moved the dining room set to the basement and made the space into the babies' playroom.  Gabriella and Benjamin are growing so fast and changing so much!!  Here are a few pictures of an afternoon in the playroom this week:

Gabriella loves snuggling in laps and being tickled!  She loves watching Lucy outside from the playroom window and always shares lots of food off of her high chair tray with her puppy!!!

Benjamin loves reading books (especially the touch and feel truck board book), playing with his cars,  and giving kisses.  He is crazy about his puppy Lucy!!!

I just die when this baby girl flashes her pearly whites!
(15 months)

Benjamin's smile just melts my heart!
(15 months)

Daddy and the babies having some quiet time reading.

Mommy and Benjamin reading his new truck book.

Happy 1st Birthday!

One year ago today was the happiest day of my life - the day Gabriella and Benjamin were born.  I can not believe how fast this last year has gone by.  It's bittersweet; I want my babies to stay babies but am just thrilled to have happy, healthy babies in my arms that are getting bigger and stronger every day. 
We had a small celebration today with some presents and a couple of smash cakes and a big Mickey and Minnie Mouse cake that Uncle Nick and Auntie Brooke bought for the babies:

life lately

Daily life over here has been pretty uneventful, which is just fine in my book!  Gabriella and Benjamin will typically sleep in until between 7:15 and 8:30, but that's after having an early morning bottle.  Then they'll play and eat and play some more until it's nap time, around 3 hours later.  After naps, it's more of the same.  If it's nice out, we'll head outside to play or splash in the baby pools, or we'll take the short ride over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for a dip in the big pool.  A couple of times a week we'll have playdates with Auntie Brooke, Dominick, and Owen.  All of this excitement is followed by more food and bottles and an afternoon nap.  Once Jamie gets home from work, they can't get enough of him.  Just this week Gabriella started saying Dada; up until now it was just hi.  So, here's life lately, in pictures:

one year ago today - 33 weeks

I have this habit of viewing time in relative terms, which if fun when you're anticipating something but can be a downer when you're looking back.  Like vacations - my mind works like this *one week from today we'll be going on rides at the Magic Kingdom* OR *this time last week we were watching the sunset in Maui* (for example).
I've got a few posts to catch up on: we got our Saint Bernard puppy back in May; Benjamin qualified for physical therapy services through Early Intervention; party planning for the big birthday bash.  But in the meantime, here's what's on my heart right now...
One year ago today I was 33 weeks pregnant and sent to the hospital because of my blood pressure.  I remember the details of that night so vividly.  It seems like it just happened, but at the same time it feels like Gabriella and Benjamin have been with us forever.  My ob instructed me not to eat and head straight for Christ Hospital, just in case they had to pull the babies.  I remember that the babies kept falling off of the monitors all.night.long no matter which way I slept.  I remember in the morning how my heart raced and my bp sky-rocketed when the mean maternal fetal medicine doc that I had during the first week I was in entered my room to go over things with me.  He was just as mean this time around.  Looking back, I wish I would have filed a complaint.  Or demanded a different doctor.  Or something.  But I guess the bottom line is, he was part of the team that kept me and my babies safe, so for that I am grateful.
I have been playing back *one year ago today* all day and I continue to be just flooded with emotions.  I cry a lot.  I look at my sweet babies and just thank God for them.  I still feel pangs sadness for everything that my babies went through in the NICU, especially Benjamin.  I still feel like I was robbed of part of the picture perfect scenes that all mommas-to-be envision, water breaking, holding a newborn, rooming in, beaming as I held my newborns when we were discharged days later.  That just wash't our story.  I accept that.  I am grateful that we have our own happy story to share even if it wasn't a typical, run of the mill type of event.
One year ago today I was scared silly that my babies were going to be born too soon.  I was terrified of having a stroke or seizures.  But I was also blessed to be pregnant with two healthy babies.  I was happy to just take it day by day and keep them in as long as it was safe for all three of us.  I was excited to meet my snuggle bugs very soon.
 I was thankful for everything God had given me; and some things will never change.

walk it out

Lovin' the sun hats!  Since Gabriella has a really big brain like her mommy, she'll outgrow hers in no time.  But that's ok, just another reason I'll have to go shopping for my princess!

what the babies have been up to

The weather here is crazy... it's mid 70s!  We're totally taking advantage of the unseasonably high temperatures and going for walks in the double stroller. 

Gabriella had front row seating!

Benjamin enjoyed having bars to rest his feet on and was very interested in how the straps worked!

Benjamin took his first nap in his crib in the nursery today! 

my little Benjamin, having sweet dreams
lullabies, loose swaddle (arms free), paci, and shh-shh puppy

We're slowly trying to get both babies in there for naps, but not overnight yet.  The American Academy of Pediatrics' safe sleeping guidelines {click full text, and it's recommendation 3} for reducing the incidents of SIDS has as one of their recommendations that babies co-sleep (but never co-bed) until the age of 1.  Gabriella is still sleeping the the NapNanny because of her reflux.  Knock on wood, she's been doing great, so we're trying to transition her back to the bassinet so she's laying flat, and then after she's used to that, she'll try out her crib for naps.

6 month pictures

time flies... 6 months old

I can.not.believe. that my tiny babies are 6 months old already.  I don't know where the time has gone.  This momma has shed a few tears over the last couple of days even thinking about it.  Happy half-birthday, my sweet snugglebugs!

Benjamin weighs almost 12 pounds.
Gabriella weighs about 15 and a half pounds.
They are both right around 24 centimeters tall.

My beautiful baby girl can roll from her back to her tummy and chatters nonstop!
She must get that from her daddy.  =) 
She's figuring out how much fun it is to blow raspberries.
Gabriella loves it best when Daddy rocks her to sleep at night.



My precious baby boy is not in any hurry to roll over, but gets about halfway there when he tries.
He loves reading stories and is an incredible listener.  He's going to be a bookworm like his mommy.
He loves making spit and spit bubbles ~ a little boy through and through!
Benjamin's eyes and nose turn red when he's tired.  And then all he wants is to be swaddled with his arms out, have his paci in his mouth, and listen to his Disney lullabies.



Melt my heart, you little hand holders!

baby updates

We took Gabriella to the dermatologist this afternoon.  As soon as we unwrapped her bandaged nuggin' the doctor said that there was no need for the laser.  Beyond excited!!!  Her ulceration has been healing beautifully and the hemangioma has also made positive changes.  We were in and out in about twenty minutes. 

News on the Benjamin front- I called Early Intervention and did his background information yesterday.  A developmental therapist, physical therapist, and his case manager will be out next Tuesday to evaluate his development.  Our concerns are with his neck, core, and trunk muscles.  In order to qualify for services, he would have to have a 30% (or greater) delay.  I cried.  I want him to get any and all help that he needs, but shit.  30%  is a lot of percent.  The case manager understood my fear and basically broke it down like this: Although he's 5 months old, we use adjusted age up until he's two for all milestones.  So they'll be looking at him as if her were 3.5 months old.  If there is a delay, we'd rather close the gap sooner than later. 

Just for conversation's sake, let's imagine a 50% delay.  It's less catching up to do for a "3.5" month old to be only reaching milestones like an almost 2 month old than it would be for a 2 year old to be developmentally at a 1 year old level.  Huh... that made me feel better, but I still just want my baby to be ok.  Ultimately it's not about me or my feelings though; it's whatever's best for my little man.

3 month pictures