Friday, December 29, 2006

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

Our girls love bath time. I am sure all babies do, but our girls kick back and get scrubbed as good as any A-list celebrity pampering you have ever read about in People Magazine. Mom does all the washing. Dad is to afraid of drowning them! Why can't you just snatch them up and take them into the shower with you and hose off at the same time? Other that it being kind of icky...they might just squirt out of my arms like a greased watermelon...thats why!
All my happiness about the Aggies sound defeat of the longhorns was short lived if you watched the beating they took in the Holiday Bowl. A sentence that has become second nature to me..."There is always next year!"
Brooke already hamming it up for the camera!

Allie doing her best E.T. impersonation!

Hard to show in a stop action photo, but this is both girls rolling over in unison for the first time!

Friday, December 22, 2006

Santa Baby...

It's official. I am starting the "Mom N' Dad Need a Nanny Fund." Mom spends all day pumping and feeding that she has no time to spend stimulating our little girls to keep them awake. So when things are supposed to be calming down at night -- our girls are dressed and ready to hit the clubs! If you notice the time of this post you will know why I am about to stick my head in the oven and pray we have natural gas and not electric. The clock just rolled on the good ol' 1 AM in my house and my girls are wide awake!

One will scream her head off for 10 minutes and then relax...then that is when the "twin paradox" takes place. The MOMENT that Allie falls asleep, Brooke gets up and proceeds to scream and moan as if she was being forced to listen to Eddie Rabbit's I love a Rainy Night over and over again. I have truly entered another realm of tired - the "who the heck am I" tired. I just got a quick glance of my face in the mirror and I look like a buffet after Rosie O'Donnell passed through. TORE UP!

The game of keep Dad awake just switched courts...and picked up tempo. Brooke is now quite and Allie is barfing! I am sure this is not a good time to mention that my contract only stated one child. Do I get overtime for the 2nd?

You know what the hardest thing is...that you can't help but feel guilty when you pick one girl up and leave the other sitting in her chair. The one you pick up instantly stops crying and becomes content. However, the other one is still whaling like a beat mule and you can't help but feel bad. Unfortunately for Mom N' Dad you can't play Man on Man defense 24 hrs a day. Zone defense is a bit trickier if darn right impossible.

It is now 1:30 AM - both girls are wide awake and screaming! Mom is oblivious to this as she could sleep through the Second Coming! Bailey just came over with a checkered bandana filled with her possessions and tied to a stick and is making a B-line to the boxcar train that comes by the house every 20 minutes. I am pondering the idea of slamming the back of my head into the corner of the table to knock me out. Unconscious is as good as asleep, right?

Till later faithful friends and family. I have two wonderful girls! Mean it!





I forgot that Mattel made our girls! "Dress Up Twins" in stores now!

Brooke faking it all the way!

Allie checking her watch to see what time she needs to get up for her early morning "Hose Dad time!"

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Stranger Things...


Allie has a mushroom for a belly button. This is really called umbilical hernia. It is really funny when she cries hard and it looks like a big wad of chewing gum about to be blown into a bubble! Mom N' Dad find it hard to resist the urge to push on it!


Did another child design these tees? Not exactly matching the girls alike, but dressing them similar. Or if I was the Prez, would that be Simular? Crazy West Texans!


Even Dog hasn't been getting any sleep! She looks like we feel! At least she would be too tired, not to mention lazy, to chew off our babies toes!

Running Down a Dream...

Anyone that reads this ever use one of these Bumbo seats? We are thinking about getting 2 of these for the girls. This lady we talked to swore by it when she had an infant. They would be perfect to feed two at the same time. Please add a comment and tell me your experience with these seats. They kid of look like medieval torture seats, but if it works...torture away!




I can not believe that it is a week before Christmas and I am debating turning on the AC in the house. The digital thermostat says it is 79 degrees inside my house today. I love my girls but I wish we had "normal" kids on days like this. It is so nice outside this weekend it would have been great to get out and take a walk or go to the mall and get some shopping done. But we are kind of prisoners in our own home with these two and their preemie status. We were told a short walk outside would be ok, but there is the ringing threat from the NICU Dr's about RSV and other sickness' our girls could get from exposure. So we sit and care for our girls on "house arrest." I can't wait until the CDC claims the flu season is over in late April or May. Then we can get the girls out in crowded places and not have to fear every time someone sneezes or coughs.

Dad can't wait to strap on his trusty New balances and take a good long run with his girls in one of these bad boys! The first one is a typical jogger. The second one is a freaking beast! I could run over SUV's with that thing. It is $399. The baby companies have a racket going...Seriously has anyone called the Fed's on this?

Mom N' Dad are in a bit of a celebratory mood right now...A&B had their first poops in over 3 days. One was green, the other brown. Weird?

Friday, December 15, 2006

Whisky Lullaby...

"Sleep...what is it good for...huh...Absolutely nothing..huh!"
If sleep was a commodity and traded on the stock exchange, it would go for more than gold and oil futures combined. I get tons more than Mom and I feel like the waling dead. I bet Mom feels like she is dead.
Mom has finally taken up "zone defense" on the girls during feeding. No more 'Man on man" for her. She gets them both in their chairs and plugs them both up at the same time. Mom is very inventive. Gets the feedings done in 1/2 the time.




We promise that we do not put Whisky in their milk! But its a thought if they don't start sleeping better...


The Shirts say it all. Introducing Mom's new live action dress-up dolls!

CHUNKY UPDATE

Allie 7 lbs. 14 oz.
Brooke 7 lbs. 14 oz.

Monday, December 11, 2006

If I only Had a Brain...

Our girls are getting more and more similar each day. They sleep exactly a like, and they have the same mannerisms already. They even wake up at the exact same time to eat. It is kind of spooky. They both make this noise like a horse naying. It is quit funny!
Remind me to never let my kids watch the Wizard of Oz. It is on as I post this and I wasn't aware that there was an LSD problem in America in 1939!
Do you really need to buy Christmas presents for 3.5 month olds? Would they know? Would they care? Aren't they content with just a diaper change and some milk a few times a day? What do you buy a 3.5 month old?



You like Brooke's wrist bling? It is all the rage!


Everyone has "that picture!" You know the one, the one you took yourself at arms length of you and your best friend after one too many during a night on the town...


Whooooaaahhh! I have a sister that looks just like me!

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Rock You Tonight...(to sleep maybe?)

Can one person be this tired? And Dad is not 1/2 as tired as Mom is. I am going to call a spade what it is...SUCKS! I understand why POW's get deprived a sleep to disclose secret information...I would spill my guts for just a 30 minute nap!
Random Thoughts:
1) I am already thinking how cool its going to be to have backscratchers on call 24 hours a day?
2) aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...oh sorry, I fell asleep for a minute!
3) Why do twins look so cute dressed alike?
4) Why do parents dress them alike? (See #3)
5) I am glad I didn't have SuperQuads.
6)asalllllkaasdfafljkasdfasldkjfasdfoaiesjakfsda!
7) What the heck was up with #6? Sleeeppy!
8) I am doubly blessed! Honestly, wouldn't change this freak show for the world!
9) Babies + constipation = not cool!
10) Baby's constipated butt + Dr's pinky finger = instant RELIEF!!!
Can you tell which is Dad's favorite* ? Look at those arms raised in victory! Bring on those Cal Bears!

"Who makes you smile, baby?"

Not yet understanding the "Tummy Time"

*disclaimer: There is no favorite. Both of my girls are great. I love them equally. They are both worthy of 1,000 ponies! BUT, and girls listen closely, Daddy loves a winner...and winners go to Texas A&M!


Sunday, December 03, 2006

Sick City...

So we might just be paranoid parents or just extra cautious...but Brooke is taking her first unexpected trip to the Dr's today. Mom and Brooke are there right now. She has had a deep hacking cough for about 48 hrs. She does not have a temperature nor has she been refusing feedings...but she was coughing a ton the last two days and was up and restless for 4-5 hours last night. Any parents out there feel me? Got any advice? Allie is sleeping away today. But I am all to prepared to take her to the Dr's office in the next 24-48 hrs due to the twin sickness thing. But anyone with more than one kid knows what I am talking about. We finally got some birth announcements done...so if you receive one we love you...if not...just kidding! We only had enough $$ to print a few, so family and friends get one. But I have posted one for all to share.


Thursday, November 30, 2006

Baby its Cold Outside...

So what do you do when there is snow and ice outside and you have multiples? You put them in thick velour jumpsuits and take pictures of them! Allie's says Mommy Loves me! and Brooke's says Daddy's Little Girl!
Grandma from Odessa has been here all week. What a blessing. She has helped with the 2am feeding without complaining once. But I am sure as the Southwest 737 turns westbound on Friday she will be glad to be going home.
B - "Yeah for me!" A - Giving her best Rocky Balboa impersonation

I didn't know I had triplets!!!????

It's official, they are now our toys to pose as we wish!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Goodbye to Texas University...

...so long to the orange and white!!!
The extra long Thanksgiving weekend has been bittersweet for Dad's football addiction. My Buc's lose pitifully to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving...BUT Dad's Aggies "sawed the horns of the wicked" and took the 'horns to the woodshed...in their own house none the less! Bring the comments about cheap shots and bad PI call, but the refs didn't make the sips QB's throw 4 INT's! Nor did they have anything to do with the #1 rush defense getting a whole big dose of 1980's Option Attack. For the record I still hate Coach Fran and my daughters will never be 'Horns or Red Raiders...unless the trip is an all expenses paid one!
The girls are doing well. Dad has been under the weather and worries that every little squirm, cough or hack that the girls do is my fault. I hope that they don't get sick because of me. Mom's mom is coming this next week. I hope she has her boring clothes on. She is coming for a whole week. The girls don't do anything yet but sleep, eat and poop. In no particular order. We can't take them to the mall or church...so there is a ton of sitting on our duff's being done around our house. Mom N' Dad try to spell one another each day to give us a few hours outside of "A&B Central Command."
Our first lesson in "What's mine is not always yours!"


They don't exactly match but Mom sure does point out that the flower print does!

Our girls showing the love! Was it a candid or posed shot?

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Thanks A Lot...


Anyone remember that Jonny Cash song?

Well today is Thanksgiving, and with out the fear of tears I can only say thank you to y'all that visit this site to check on the well being of Allie and Brooke and Mom N' Dad. Your thoughts, prayers and heart felt comments have touched us all very much. You have been along for such a roller coaster ride from September 8th till now. I sit and type this as I stare at my little girls basking in the sleep that only a full tummy brings! (Dad will know that feeling all to well around the 2nd quarter of the Buccaneers' game today...who are my Bucs playing today anyways?)

Thank you for visiting A & B! Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your gifts. Thank you for your advice. Thank you for your friendship, and thank you for being family.

Thank you Dr. B and Dr. K! (PS: Dr. K forgot to tell me you were a bonafide TV star! We saw you on Discovery Health!) Thank you nurses and Dr's of the NICU at Medical Center of Plano.

Thank you Lord for being the "great physician" that your Word claims you are. Thank you for holding my girls when we couldn't be there. Thank you for giving me the gift of fatherhood and blessing my doubly so! I know that all we have been through and all that we have called on you to do, you have been steadfast and our Rock. Thank you!
CHUNKY UPDATE
Allie: 6 lbs. 5 oz.
Brooke: 6 lbs. 3 oz.
PS: Their actual due date was yesterday. 11/22/06

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Silent Night...(as if !!?)

So I was looking at fun things to get the girls for Christmas pictures. The whole pregnancy, Mom N’ Dad talked about not dressing our kids alike and letting them be their own beings. Well since they are here now, we have dressed them alike often. Why? It is so much fun! They are 100% dependant on Mom N’ Dad right now…so suck it up girls! Save it if you want to get all “emo” on us and want to express your individuality right now. Mom N’ Dad are having too much fun at your expense! I am sure the girls will not be emotionally scarred later in life if we put them in the same Pooh PJ’s one night. They are getting so close in weight it is getting harder to tell them apart at first glance. Once you stare at them for a minute you can tell…Allie has more and darker hair. I am just starting to feel as if I have Identical twins…and not just two girls!

Some “twin” funnies for your entertainment. Shirts I have seen:

One Baby? I laugh at your One Baby!

Yes they are twins!
1) Yes they are identical
2) Yes I can tell them apart
3) Yes my hands are full, so is my heart!
4) Yes they are natural, what is an artificial twin anyway?
5) I’m Glad they are mine and not yours too

Twingenuity (n.)
Inventive skill of combining the efforts of two toddlers in the pursuit of a common goal (i.e. candy, toys, room destruction, nap evasion, etc.) See also - Twintelligence

Monday, November 20, 2006

Feelin' Single, Seein' Double...

So I still feel under the weather. I am still wearing the surgeons mask as to try and not get my girls sick. Mom is doing a great job with the girls since she is having to double team them while I am on the bench. We are trying to get them on a schedule so they will be up more in the day time and sleep a little longer in the night. Allie, especially, likes to remain awake from about 11pm to 3-am screaming bloody murder when her pacifier falls out of her mouth...Which is about every 16 seconds.
When one parent feeds/changes both girls, it takes 1 hour. When we are both capable it takes 20 minutes to change a feed. They should really find a way to give salaries to Mom's!
Our girls suffer from a bit of reflux! Wonders on the sheets.

Brooke trying to figure out where the freakishly large Pooh came from. Or is this Allie?

Allie dancing a jig before her diaper change...one of 600 diaper changes a day! Or is this Brooke?

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired...

It has been a long weekend. Dad came down with flu-like symptoms on Saturday. I am wearing a surgeons mask and using antiseptic wash every .5 seconds to keep myself as "clean" as possible. I am quarantined into the back room until my fever breaks. I pray that the girls do not get sick. The statement from our Dr rings in my head, "When full-term babies get sick, they go to the Dr., but when Preemies get sick they go to the hospital."

Good thing it is a short week for work. We will take A & B over to my parents house for Thanksgiving. Should be fun trying to get them out there. The Dr's do not want the girls out very long in the elements, so we will pack them in and pack them out of the car as fast as possible. I will post more pics soon. Mom is having fun dressing them and setting them with a backdrop and snapping some pics.

We have more Dr's appointments this week, so I will give you updates soon.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

BaWitDaBa...

A & B had a Dr's appointment yesterday. Dr. said they are doing well for what they have gone through. He wants to see them weekly to chart their growth. We also have an eye Dr's appointment, Cardiologist appointment, Developmental specialist appointment and monthly Synagis shots appointments! That is a ton of Dr's looking after our kids even after the NICU!
Chunky Update:
Allie 5 lbs. 13 oz.
Brooke 5 lbs. 10 oz.
Shoes specially ordered for A & B. Cool huh!? Another special gift from a special friend.

Finally got the border up! Look at the letters that hang from the crib...great gift! Pooh contemplating suicide if the girls don't stop crying!

This is a scene more often than not in our household right now!

The House Rule!

Bartender, Make That a Double...

Ok, so both Mom N' Dad had talked about not dressing the girls alike when they came home, but what fun is that? We got twice the kids with 1/2 the pregnancy so we are taking full advantage of these girls and their uncanny skill of being cute!
The trickery begins...which one is which.?

Allie: "Hey sis, how about you and I try and get out of here!? We both pretend like we are sleeping and wham...head for the front door!"

Poops, I Did it Again...

Ok, so Dad has the week off this week and wouldn't you know it the main TV in our living room is out. The one in our back bedroom blew out a week or so ago as well. How can I get along without TV? I watched the Buccaneers play on MNF on a 13" tube. So needless to say I have surfed the net and read a lot this week. I also found a unmarked CD in our "Twins" file. Popped it in and it was pictures of Mom's work shower. Oooops!!! Those people at Mom's work can throw a good shindig as well! The reason not mentioned earlier....well Dad was not made aware that there was pics of the festivities. And seriously folks, what is a story without pictures...ask any 4 year old!


We are set in diapers for at least 6 months or 1 stomach virus...whichever comes first.

Mom opening presents so fast that she is a blur!

Pink is a recurring theme (nightmare) in my life!

Monday, November 13, 2006

Rock-A-Bye Baby...

Day 2 of having both the girls home...and still tired. On the scale of tiredness I would say that I am a step below grumpy...and a step above insane with lack of sleep!
Our girls are getting into such a routine...one is awake when the other is asleep! I am thinking about slipping the awake one a shot of whisky so they can get on the same sleep schedule (Jokes Folks!!)
The don't like sleeping from 11pm to 2am. It makes for a long night! But they are great. They sleep and smile and grunt with pleasure when they get some food. Which is every three hours. They even sleep while being fed. The one amazing question is if they sleep so much, how come Mom N' Dad are so tired!?
I think they have had enough of Mom N' Dad taking photos of them already!

Can't tell their identical? They even sleep alike!




Sunday, November 12, 2006

Home Sweet Home...

What can I say - both my girls are home now! They are both doing great and feed every 3 hours. I hope that soon we can go a little longer because it is not fun at the 2 am and 5 am feedings.
I know that things could have been so much worse in this experience. It was for sure a trial but with faith and prayer and a lot of will power we got through it all. I praise God for giving us two beautiful girls and for the grace and healing that was shown in the NICU. Those nurses and Dr's are gifts from Heaven. Thank you Pediatrix and Medical Center of Plano for healing my two beautiful daughters!
My favorite girls!

Co-bedding once again...for about 1 hour and then they started grunting at one another like apes. I am a firm believer in Creationism, but my girls grunt like primates. Hope they don't have another habit primates are known for...Poo Flinging comes to mind!


"Lets go cruise Hebron...I gotta rep my hood!" - Gangsta Brooke


How fitting! From a primadona to fashionably late, Brooke has always been more of the Diva!

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Sleeping Single in a Double Bed...

It has been only 4 days since we have had 1/2 of our children home from the NICU and I am TIRED. It is not like the "Study all night for a test" or "talk to your best friend for 8 hours" tired...this is "I think the couch is on fire, oh well!" kind of TIRED. And if I am that tired, Mom is a mouse toot away from being in the grave TIRED.
Remember in one of the Star Trek movies where the aliens come to destroy Earth if they don't hear the whale song for some almost extinct species? Well I have Allie Alien at home. When Allie and Brooke were co-bedding in the NICU, Allie would send out these grunts and Brooke would answer with the same grunts. Well having them split is really sad...but funny...to hear Allie make her "whale song" and get no reply. I am sure she will be SO happy on Sunday morning when my two whales can talk to one another again.
I think I might bash my head into the table now...if I hit it hard enough I might get knocked out and get some good sleep.
Sunday morning, both of these chairs will be full! Brooke was given the "Go" to come home and reunite with her sister and make this family whole again!

Allie cheering on her Aggies...to bad it didn't work! I need to see if they have a newborn outfit with "Fire Fran" on it!

Bailey (the dog) still has no clue. She thinks Allie is a toy. When Allie grunts, Bailey freaks out!

Friday, November 10, 2006

There's A Party Going on Right Here....

So Dad's work knows how to party...and buy presents! Thank you guys so much for the blessings that are diapers. They snuck behind my back for 2 months collecting diapers and got a ton! They also collected cash to get what was left on our registry. What a great group of people! They even gave Dad a Subway card because Dad needs some love too! Thanks to all involved. You made Mom shed a tear.
Cakes from the Master Cake Builder! See the little difference in the two?

Where's the Playstation 3 in all this? Doesn't Dad get any love? That is a lot of diapers...do babies poop that much?


The setup before Dad tore into it all. I never want to see that much pink again!