My Kite! My Kite!

A few weeks back, we were driving home and someone was flying a kite at the ball diamond by our house. Mady saw it, asked what it was and we told her. After hearing about it, she commented that she would like a kite. Every kid should fly a kite, so last week, we went out and found her one.

Apparently it's not entirely easy to find a kite in August in Illinois. Jenn had to go to several different stores to obtain one. She finally found one, believe it or not, at the dollar store. (for $2). It was some pink and blue one. I don't know.

We got home and I was asked incessantly about flying the silly thing in the back yard. A couple of days later, we unwound it, and away she went! Mady and I had a blast flying a kite for her first time. I was reminded during this little period that this is one of the joys of parenting. She had a blast and the smile on her face was priceless.


Cautiously I let her hold her kite. It was a fairly breezy day, so it flew very well. She loved it. I reminded her constantly to hold on tight to her new kite. I reminded her constantly...


About 20 minutes later, I look over and as she is switching hands, she accidently lets her kite go. She started screaming, "MY KITE! MY KITE! I've never run so fast in my entire life. This thing didn't fly up, it just flew away about as fast as I can run, about 10 feet away from me. I ran around the house, across our front yard, across the street, over the neighbor's flower garden, around a fence and I finally caught up to it on the next street over. I must have looked ridiculous, grasping at a kite string barely out of my reach.

I brought it back and she was thoroughly happy (I was sucking on my inhaler for at least 10 minutes afterwards). We continued to fly it again, but in the front yard this time. Cars drove by, neighbors waved and we were having a great time...until it happened again. This time it didn't go as far and I caught it in our neighbor's yard. Jenn saw the whole thing unfold this time around and laughed hysterically. She also made fun of me, saying that I run funny. Way to bruise the ego of an asthmatic still trying to catch his breathe.

We put the kite away for another day. It was an awesome memory making experience that we can ALL laugh about today.

Thank You...

I posted a while ago about some different multiple birth programs that I had sent letters to and some that I had called about. I got my first box in the mail two days ago. All I can say is Thank You, Gerber!

In my box were two "I'm a Gerber Baby" onsies, 10 Thank You cards, a bath package for mom, a coupon for a free can of formula and a coupon for free baby food.

It sure was a sweet surprise!

13 Weeks Old

Wow, it's hard to believe that my babes are 13 weeks old - technically they are only 3 weeks old if you use their "corrected age," as they say in the medical world. Wow! 13 weeks ago we went through a very scary time where we learned that our doctor wanted to take the babies early. I was terrified. Then they were born and they were sent directly to the NICU where nurses told us they would probably be until their due date (10 weeks later) - Hannah was in for 5 weeks and Samuel in for 8 weeks. Now, they are home and doing perfectly fine! Praise God for miracles like my babies. What a testimony they are to His goodness. The time that they were in the NICU was SO HARD but now I look back on it and it seems like only a blip on the radar... We would have never have made it through that time on our own strength... it was only by HIS strength that we made it. And now it's only by His strength that we make it through each day. I'm so thankful for the two precious babies that we have to add to our beautiful family and I give God all the glory!!!

The big question that we are constantly asked is this, "So, how is it with TWO?"

Well, the answer is that it is going well. They were on a schedule when the came home from the NICU (both on the same schedule) so they eat and sleep at the same times. I do have many periods throughout my day where both babes are sleeping at the same time and during the afternoon I have a period where all 3 kiddos are asleep. Now, they are *those* days where things don't go as I would like but overall I can't complain. They are only waking up once during the night (around 1-2) so I really can't complain about that either.

However I must admit that when things get hairy... they REALLY get hairy. This doesn't happen often (thankfully) but there are times where they both are needing attention as well as the 2 year old, as well as my dinner prep, as well as the husband coming home, as well as the laundry, etc... you get the idea. I have mastered picking up two infants at a time, feeding two hungry infants at a time, and I've mastered the art of wrapping the paci in the mouth... it's those little things in life... :)

I wouldn't trade this for the world... as hard or as easy as it is. Having twins brings a joy that you could never experience with a singleton. I'm so blessed to have two beautiful, healthy babies to share the love of Christ with and to share my love with. I can't wait to see the little people that they will grow into and how their personalities will evolve.

Here's some small known facts about my babes:
*Both babies loved to be swaddled. If they are fussy and not swaddled, I'll wrap them up and it usually does the trick.
*Samuel is our laid back baby. He can be swaddled and put in his bed wide awake and he'll lay there until he eventually closes his eyes - not a peep. Hannah is definitely our more "high maintenance" child. She just likes to let you know when she's not happy and then when you fix it for her - she's content again. It's funny because this is what I concluded from their time in the womb... Sam was laid back and Hannah was always the one that was moving in every direction and kicking every square inch of my belly!
*Samuel has a soft, raspy cry that breaks our heart... You can hear Hannah's cry in the next county!
*Hannah hates to sleep on her back while Samuel loves it.
*Hannah loves her paci. Sam could take it or leave it.
*Hannah loves to be held up over your shoulder or in the "sitting up" position. Sam doesn't mind being held like a baby.
*Samuel is still in NB clothes (even those are big on him) and Hannah is pushing to the top of the 0-3 size. They both are super long so we're in 3 month jammies.

Mady is having a ball with two babies around the house. I am always finding her "little people" next to the babies and she likes to read her books to them. Whenever we see pregnant ladies around (we have a few friends that are pregnant), Mady always makes it a point to say "they are having just ONE baby mommy." Yes, Mads, most people have just one baby at a time but God decided to bless us with two. What a privilege to be the mom of 3 little blessings.... ALL under the age of THREE!

Please call me Belle, Mom...

This is what I hear just about daily from Madalyn lately. My daughter thinks she is the princess known as Belle. She has not seen Beauty and the Beast nor has she been formally introduced to the Disney Princesses. But, her name is Belle and that's that.

A couple of weeks ago a friend sent me an email that there was going to be a princess social at a local church in town. Girls ages 2-6 were to come dressed as princesses and they would get to spend the evening eating pink cupcakes, making crafts, and meeting a princess and her prince. I knew Madalyn would have a ball (as she loves to dress us) and so we planned on going. I got a babysitter for the babes, Mark went to softball, and we went for some mother-daughter time at the "Princess Party" as Mady called it.

I was right - she had a ball. We met up with about 8 little other princesses that go to the same church as us. The girls colored, did a craft of decorating their very own crown, got their picture taken with a princess and her prince, ate pink cupcakes, got Princess tattoos, and watched a brief Princess movie. It was the perfect activity for my little girl... she was having the time of her life.

One of her friends from church, whom she loves to play with, came dressed as Belle - complete with the yellow dress and all. Mady had heard her say that she was dressed as Belle, I'm sure - as I never told her. The next day I asked Mady if she could do something for me. Surprisingly I heard her say "Mom, I'm not Mady... I'm Belle." I politely said "okay, Belle. Could you go do so-and-so" - the whole time I was laughing inside. To this day (3 weeks or so after the princess party) she's still telling us to call her Belle. Sometimes she even says, "You're not mom, you're Cinderella. And Daddy is the Prince." It's super cute. She's into everything Princess right now as well. I love that she gets to excited. Just tonight she said, "these shoes are not Mady's they are Belle's."

So, if you see us out somewhere, make sure to tell "Belle" hi!

Here's my little Princess... Belle.
P.S. A random story from the Princess Party. They had a room set up where they were taking pictures of each girl with the Princess and the Prince, two young college kids dressed up accordingly. Mady was all excited until it was her turn and she wigged out. She held onto my leg and wanted nothing to do with getting her pictures taken. So, we went and did something else and came back later. We had talked it over and she said she was going to do it this time. A couple of the little girls in front of us asked if they could get their picture taken with just the Princess - no Prince. They did that and I explained to Madalyn that she could just sit with the Princess if that would make her comfortable. She said "no mommy, I just want the Prince not the Princess." Oh boy... So, mom had to explain to the photographer that we wanted just the Prince. And then, of course, she gets scared again. She's holding onto my leg not wanting to move. I hear them say "mom, you can go up with her." So, I headed up hoping that it would make her feel more comfortable. Next thing I know they took 2 pictures. Whew... glad that was over. I didn't think too much about it until we got the pictures in the mail a little while ago. I had to laugh as I showed it to Mark... a picture of Mady, A young Prince, and Me. Had I not told the Mark the story and he opened that picture I'm sure it would have been really funny. It's definitely not a picture that's on display but it is one that will go in Mady's scrapbook for many laughs down the road....

Multiple Birth Programs

Most of you know that I'm always out to find a good deal or to find some good coupons. I love bargain hunting. When I was still pregnant with the babes, I did some research online on "multiple birth discounts." I came across a few sites that had companies listed that participated in and gave multiple birth discounts. I wrote them all down and saved them for a rainy day... or a day when I would have *free* time.

About a week ago I decided to sit down and call some of the companies listed on my sheet... Proctor and Gamble, the makers of Tylenol and Motrin, Beechnut, Enfamil, Similac, among many others. I gave them my information and waited to see what they would send me. Yesterday it was like Christmas at our house... ok, maybe not like Christmas but it was still exciting. I got 3 super thick envelopes filled with coupons for money off and coupons for free products. I have coupons for free bottles of adult and baby tylenol and motrin, coupons for a free bottle of mylicon drops (a $11 value), and coupons for free band-aids, among other things. I also got a ton of of money saving coupons as well as a free samples of baby cereal and 2 free feeding spoons. I am excited to see what else will be coming our way.

As well as calling different companies, I also sent out some letters. Some places required copies of the babies birth announcements from the hospital in order for me to quality for the multiple birth program. We'll see what arrives from those companies. From what the descriptions said on the website that I checked, some of them send free baby products like rattles and teethers and some even send coupons for free boxes of diapers and free cans of formula.

It pays to check into things like this. I know that most of these companies send out coupons for moms who have singleton babes as well. You just have to call and inquire. It's definitely worth the time and effort if you're into coupon-ing.