Why Can't This Be Love...

...because who else would love a mess like these two little munchkins!?? Mom decided that it was a good idea to do some "Spoon Training" this evening. And you can see it went downhill from step 1!

We had a follow up with the Neurologist today and Allie's MRI was clear, or any defect was so minute that it didn't show. So now we are going to attack her lower limbs with an aggressive physical/occupational therapy regiment to get her mobile as soon as possible. She might need some braces that will go into her shoes to support her ankles and make her feet move the way they are supposed to and not how her tendons and muscles are currently. We were told that she might not ever win a running race and maybe even walk with a strange (to all of us regulars) gait for a while, but walk none-the-less she will do. She will just do it at her own pace! Stubbornness is not a hereditary is it? Hmmm?????

Allie enjoying her yogurt!!!

Brooke doing the same!!!

I'm Walking on Sunshine...

...and don't it feel good!

Enjoy Allie walking for the first time on her own! OK, she has a walker but if you knew what a challenge it is for her to get her legs moving...we are so proud! She tires out quickly and I am sure her legs are in much pain having to be flexed all the time, but she is a trooper! The occupational therapist told us it would be a long road. This was a huge leap for her today. She has begun to pull herself up on everything and then this...ATTA GIRL!!!!

Much too Young to Feel This Darn Old...

Sorry that it has been a while...but over the past two weeks everyone in some form or another has been sick around the house. As I type this all the girls in the house are sick and sleeping. We have 3 ear infections, a couple of fevers, a case of strep throat and one hellacious case of sinusitis. care to visit?

I am addicted to this show called Fight Quest on The Discovery Channel. It is a show where two guys go around the world learning fight styles for a week and then going up against local champs in a fight. They have learned Brazilian Jujitsu, Korean Hapkido and Israeli Krav Maga. Brandy and I have talked for a while that we want to get out girls into karate or Judo very early. There are so many positives for learning a martial art: confidence, self discipline, balance, self defense, and strength.

So watch the movie the first time to see Allie take some real good "steps" with the walker...and then watch it a second time for Brooke in the backgroud pull her shirt over her face and walk into the couch!!!!

The Bucket Express

Think they miss many meals...

...guess not!!

This is Brooke's new gig. She likes to pull her shirt over her head and walk around. Look at that smirk.

Belly monster attack!!!!

I tried to get all artsy with this shot...I call in "Brooke against the wall!" Original don't you think?

Allie doing her best Allen Iverson impersonation...don't get it? Google him!

Ain't she cute?

I Need a Hero...

Quick post from Dad here....I spent all night last night feeling sick and it has just progressed to having a fever, sore throat, and aches.

MY WIFE IS MY HERO!!!! She has taken both girls and acted as if she didn't need me one bit. Not in a bad way, but she just jumps in and pulls the weight that is normally reserved for me. She gets an A+, gold star, and a M&M candy all at the same time. She is a Super Mommy!

Right now I am locked up in the back room as not to get the girls (all three of them) sick. I love her whole-heartedly and can only hope that my twins grow up to be as awesome as she is! Now all I need to do is be an example for my little ones so when they grow up they can find a Godly man that will treat them right. I have seen and heard to many stories of women that get treated as objects and get sucked into some strange manipulative relationship with a total jerk...and the funny part is that the girls often defend the jerk's behavior!

Now back to the regularly scheduled blog:

I've been tagged...

By Liz!!! Instructions: If your name is on the list of people tagged, copy and paste into a new post and change the answers to whatever you love!

Places I want to go:

1. Hawaii (Honolulu and Maui to be exact)
2. Australia (actually, this is my hubby’s dream place, but I’d be glad to tag along)
3. New York
4. New England in the Fall
5. The beach with my babies

I like to eat:

1. Mexican Food!
2. Salty Stuff (I LOVE olives!)
3. CHEESE
4. Sugar Cookies with Icing

My play list contains:

1. Avalon (my favorite group)
2. Redeemer by Nicole C. Mullins (favorite song of all times!)
3. Prestonwood Choir (good music to work out to...really)
4. N*Sync (yes, I know I’m 33, but I LOVE them! Praying for a reunion!)

I buy clothes at:

1. New York and Company
2. Ann Taylor Loft
3. Express
4. Old Navy
5. Children's Place

I watch these TV shows:

1. Paula Deen - Y’ALL (who doesn't love her?)
2. Friday Night Lights
3. House
4. Biggest Loser
5. The Young and the Restless (reruns everyday at 6:00)

Things I like to do:

1. Hang out with my girls and my hubby
2. sing!
3. SHOP!
4. take naps (doesn’t happen all that often)

I’m tagging:

1. My hubby
2. Ashley
3. Ryan
4. Quenta

MY TURN!!!!!!!

By Mom!!! Instructions: If your name is on the list of people tagged, copy and paste into a new post and change the answers to whatever you love!

Places I want to go:
1. My “other home” in Tampa
2. Alice Springs/ Ayers Rock (Uluru)
3. Alaska in Spring
4. The airfields of England and the many other European battlefields of WWII.
5. back to a time when men were men and everyone wasn’t such a sissy and needed a hug!

I like to eat:
1. I sure do!
2. French Fries
3. Ice cream
4. BEVO

My play list contains:
1. Podcasts (college football, games, technology)
2. Thousand Foot Crutch
3. Pat Green
4. House of Pain and other early 90’s rap artists

I buy stuff at:
1. Target – Shopping there is like a buffet. You get a little of everything
2. Fry’s – If there were a religion where you worshiped electronics (stop lurking at me Tom Cruise) I would bow 3 times a day to whatever direction the nearest Fry’s was in.
3. Online – I seriously just invited someone to rape and pillage my PayPal account didn’t I?
4. Costco – Nothing like buying 17 cans of shave cream when you only need one!


I watch these TV shows:
1. Sportscenter – I love sports…and you know what else…I love news about sports!
2. Friday Night Lights - I really can't wait to see "Smash" Williams doing his thing for the Aggies next year! Now only if Coach Taylor can get Riggins off the sauce long enough to go back-to-back!
3. House - That dude is raw, rugid and freakishly unsympathetic...but he sure saves a ton of people!
4. Biggest Loser – Fat doesn’t choose you…you choose to be fat, People!!!!
5. Anything TLC, Discovery Channel, Weather Channel, NatGeo, etc…Someone once said my mind is like a small child’s pocket…full of a bit of everything. I am knowledgeable on tons, but an expert at nothing!
6. Rob & Big - the darned nearest funniest 30 minutes on television!
7. But actually number 1 in my heart...Texas A&M Football


Things I like to do:
1. Hang out with my girls and my hot wife!
2. play video games (only when the wife and kids are asleep!)
3. workout and play sports
4. make fun of others! Just kidding! Or am I!?

I’m tagging:

Since this is really a chic thing to do…I am eternally tagging myself and stopping the spread of estrogen induced internet time wasting! Now beat it…I have songs to download and virtual touchdowns to score!

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Ok, so it is Friday night and my thumbs can't take any more COD4 tonight! I just got out of the girls room watching then sleep for the last 20 minutes or so. I stand over them and just watch then breathe, roll from font to back or tuck their legs under themselves and sleeping on their elbows and knees. I just watch, stroke their backs and say prayers over them. It is one of my favorite things. I would put watching my children sleep right up there with being in Kyle Field on a brisk Autumn Saturday watching the Aggies. And for those that know me, you know that is WAY up on the list. That got me thinking...what else do I love about my girls:
1) I love when Brooke eats. She acts like it will be her last meal and shovels as many peices in her mouth as she can all at once.
2) Allie's southern accent. I have no idea where she gets it *glimpses towards Odessa* but when she says "Bye" it sounds more like "byyyyyyyyyye!"
3) The fact that we hear "Double Trouble" EVERYDAY OF OUR LIVES!!!
4) They are great sleepers. 6-7pm to 6-7am.
5) Brooke's dancing...priceless!

Now things I don't care so much for:
1) The fact that each day either Allie or Brooke comes home with a bump, scrap or bruise from daycare.
2) There is a sign on the daycare door that says, "There is a confirmed case of Pink Eye in this room." Seriously? Can we go 1 month without sickness?
3) All the Dr visits and no confidence in diagnosis. I just want to know what is wrong/right with my girls...not more tests.
4) Not letting us sleep in on weekends

Dancin' Queen(s)...

The girls dancing to the ABC Worm! Allie rocking on all fours and Brooke getting a little "west Coast" smooth on you guys! You Got Served!!!!

They love getting in their "bucket!"

We do not know what it is about this carrot...but the girls love it and will brandish knuckles to get it from the other! At all times, this carrot is in one of the girl's mouth!

Brooke having fun in the entertainment center shelving. I think she has a good career coming up as a "tunnel rat!"

If only Allie knew where those wipes are intended to be used!? YUCK!

Turn Your Love Around...

Dad here! Just got back from being away from my babies (yes all "three" of them) for a whole week. My driving force while away was to get back home to hug and kiss on all three! I love my kids...and nothing reaffirms that like some time away to really see what is important in life. Amidst all the anger, stupidity and frustration of my trip I can take a step back and see the images of my kids in the NICU struggling with life some 16 months ago and all I can think to myself is "Nothing else matters!" Not an angry exhibitor, nor a dumb brained decision by the "higher ups" can change the fact that I have seen nightmares and miracles...and you sirs...are neither! I arrived home to, lets just call it, little fan fare! Both girls were sound asleep as Mom pulled up to the airport. I must say that after being gone a week, my wife must have gotten prettier by the day! I just simply forgot how beautiful she really is. I guess you take advantage of it when you get to lay down next to her each night!!!! As Napoleon Dynamite says..."LUCKY!!!!!" My girls are freaking amazing. I sit in awe as Brooke grabs her toys and walks across the floor and then climbs all over the window sill or ottoman. My heart melts when I see Allie, who is playing with two shoes, hands one to her sister so they can share and each have one. I am a blessed man. Not so much lucky...but blessed!

Home Sweet Home...

Allie and mommy in the hospital.

Poor thing, the nurses tried 4-5 different times to get her blood before they finally got it. Every time anyone walked into the room after that, she would freak out. Who can blame her?

Allie in hospital crib jail

Look who came to cheer her up - Brooke!

Allie home after the hospital - feeling MUCH better now. She loves to wear daddy's hat.

Sweet Brooke

Allie's first piggy tail :)



Brooke's first piggy tail - only lasted about 5 seconds before she pulled it out.

Update...

The family is separated tonight. Allie was checked into the hospital for observation today and will stay the night. She has had very shallow breathing and our Dr. wanted to rule out pneumonia, RSV and other yucky stuff! Well we were there for hours getting breathing treatments and steroids that open up her lungs, and all along we found out that the Dr's were looking at the wrong orifice!

Turns out, just like her father, she is full of ****! Her bowels and other nasty parts were so impacted with poo that it was pushing on her diaphragm which made her lungs not full with air and hence the shallow fast breathing. After an enema and several MESSY diapers she is feeling much better.

Mom is going to stay with her overnight at the hospital and I have Brooke and Bailey watch at the Casa. We are so blessed that it wasn't anything more traumatic than a big nasty dump that Dad would be proud of , but it still is dangerous when Dr's are flying in and out of your room ordering tons of tests and your baby is in such pain. I have a few pics to post once the camera gets home from the hospital with Baby A!