Our Family

Ugh!

2011-10-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

The 3's ! What in the world! There are days where John and Megan are the most amazing little people I have ever had the privilege of knowing and then there are days where I wonder if they have a bit of the devil inside of them.
Today was a bit of a devilish day. Thank goodness I have great friends that are able to support mommy when she needs a time out.

Hi again....it has been a while.

2011-09-21T19:04:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I have actually posted anything that had some substance to it...so here we go...

John and Megan are doing great.
At their three year check-up they weighed in at 29 and 24 pounds respectively.
Megan has finally made it to the growth charts and is in the 1st percentile for weight! Yeah!!!!!
Let's be honest, she is still miniature. She is pretty darn cute though!
John is in the 14th percentile and is about 3 inches taller than Megan. He is my handsome little man.

Since the last post, they have been moved into their own bedrooms, are in big kid beds, we don't have any pacifiers or diapers/pull-ups in the house, and they are getting smarter by the day!
Both kids have begun learning how to ice skate as well as play soccer. They are starting to really get into both sports.

The summer flew by. The kids and I spent a few weekends in Indiana with Angie and crew, we also went to Tennessee and Georgia for a 10 day road trip. Grandpa Tad went with us...we all survived the 14 hour drive home...it was touch and go for a while, but we made it. The kids and I had a great time visiting with Tammy, Nick, Sara, Roger, and kids. I had an amazing summer! I spent a ton of time with my kids, got the opportunity to really enjoy myself again, really found out who my true friends were, and learned that I am not just a mommy!

Over Labor Day weekend, I (kids were with Tim) took a trip to Florida. My friend and I stayed with Aunt Karen and had an AMAZING time! It was my first adult vacation just for me...I am pretty sure that it will be happening again soon.

School has been in session about three weeks now. I lasted two days into the school year before the plague hit and I was knocked on my butt with bronchial pneumonia. It took about 4 days of nothing but sleep and fluids for me to get out of bed. I am feeling much better, but the cough is horrendous and lingering. At one point I was pretty sure my class was going to get to dissect my lung. The kids are also back at school at Real Life Nursery School and Farm and are loving it as much as last year!

As of the first of September, I am no longer the chairperson for the Family Advisory Board. I have passed the baton onto someone who is very capable, but I am still going to miss being the chair. I, of course will continue being part of the board, attending meetings and participating in activities and volunteering. November 4th will be our 7th annual fashion show. John and Megan will be in the fashion show this year, but I will be on the sidelines. Tim and I will be there supporting our kids and the NICU that helped to save their lives.

Tim and I are working together to make sure that John and Megan have everything that they need in order to be well rounded, happy, and healthy kids. We are doing our best and it seems to be working out well. :)

I am still dealing with mom's death. Some days are fine and some pretty much suck. Megan and John talk about Grammy Robbye Lou all the time and tell me that she is in heaven...taking care of the dead baby bird that we found in our back yard. Nothing sweeter than that!

I received a letter from my former school district today. They were calling me back from lay off and offering me a 5th grade position. I am so happy that I can say I didn't even hesitate or think twice about the decision I made...to stay with the school I am working with now. I don't know if I have ever had a job that is more challenging or more rewarding.

Missing so many of you more than you can imagine.

3rd Birthday Party May 2011 at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-07-18T10:35:00.001-07:00

John and Megan had an amazing 3rd birthday! So many of our friends and family were able to come and be part of the celebration.

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NICU Reunion 2011 - 3 years old! at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-07-18T08:23:00.001-07:00

Some cute pictures of the kiddos from the NICU reunion. My friend Greta is a photographer and she is amazing!

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Terrible 2's...more like terrible 3's!

2011-07-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

My neighbors kept telling me that the three's were going to be rough. I didn't believe them. John and Megan were great at 2...why would I expect anything less at 3.
Well, sadly they were right. These two are insane! It takes at least an hour to get settled for a nap, bedtime isn't so great either! Before I would lay them in their beds, give them some hugs and kisses, and leave the room. The angels would be asleep moments later. Now it is World War III trying to get them to leave each other alone. The phrase "I just want you" comes out of John's mouth every time I leave him alone (Tim has informed me it happens at his house too). They are kicking on the doors, jumping from bed to bed, and messing with each other. At this point, I am seriously considering separate bedrooms immediately!

Although that rant makes it sound like things are not so great...there are many amazing things happening at our house with my people as well.
John and Megan are both officially potty trained - NO pull-ups....dry over nights too!
The paci fairy came to mommy and daddy's houses and took the paci's away. We survived the 4 days of screaming and no longer use pacifiers!
They kids are talking a mile a minute, they are both active and happy. Megan loves reading and John is all boy!
They just started a 6 week ice skating class. Tim took them this week and I am excited to tag along and watch next week. I will get some pictures.

I will post some pictures before we head on our trip to Tennessee/Georgia the first week of August. I am looking forward to spending time with family for an entire week. I hope that they are ready to have my two little people infiltrate their space!

Easter and March for Babies 2011 at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-05-04T21:00:00.001-07:00

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My Amazing Miracles at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-04-06T19:20:00.001-07:00

Please join us as we walk with the March of Dimes on May 1st at Hudson Mills Metro Park. If you can't join us on the walk, please consider making a donation by going to our personal webpage. http://www.marchforbabies.org/melissanickel

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Update

2011-03-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

In two months John and Megan will be 3 and I am wondering where the time went.

About a month ago John started showing some excitement about using the big boy potty. For the past two weeks I have worked with him daily to get him to use the potty. We are now on day two of big boy underpants (after about 2 weeks of pull-ups) and we have had only one accident per day. I am so proud of him! Megan isn't really interested in potty training. She knows how to use the potty, will use it if I make her, but doesn't really want anything to do with it. I am hoping that with John in underwear she will want to try harder.

Both kids went to the allergy and immunology doc today for their yearly check-up. Megan continues to be my little peanut. She weighed in at 23 lbs even. Wearing clothing! John is up to 27 pounds. He is also 2 1/2 inches taller than his sister. Both kids take singulair and zyrtec daily to help with their allergies and asthma. We are going to try to take them off their singulair in two months and see how they do. Because of Megan's shoulder (hysteocytoma...sp) she will need to continue to take the zyrtec and might have to take an antihistamine for the rest of her life. Boo to that, but it is better than lesions all over her body.

The kids are thriving at daycare. It amazes me how much they do each day. I am so happy that we made the decision to put the kids at Real Life Nursery and Farm. They have adorable friends, amazing teachers, and a great learning opportunity!

Many of you know this, but on February 14th my mother passed peacefully in her sleep.

It was definitely a shock and I am still not fully processing what happened. I am still expecting her to call me to talk. I will post more about this later, but I am just not ready now.

Holiday Season 2010 at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-01-15T20:20:00.001-08:00

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Amazing Life Changes!

2011-01-15T17:27:00.001-08:00

I have tried to write this post at least half a dozen times, but I haven't known where to start. I write something and then erase it because it just doesn't sound right. Or, I log in to get started and then something will distract me. I have decided that I need to just write from the heart and leave it at that.

A year ago in December, Tim and I made the decision to separate. He moved out and the kids and I began a new life. A life that I never thought I would have, but the one that had been handed to me.

The first few months were difficult as I struggled trying to be a single mom, find a job, and relearn what it was like to take care of things on my own. Tim continued to be part of the kids lives (as he still is), but I had very little down time to mourn the loss of what I assumed my future would be.

I began taking the kids to an at home daycare one day a week as well as having someone come to the house half a day a week. This gave me time to go to the grocery store, see a therapist, and really take a little time for me. These women who cared for my kids gave me the opportunity to heal and be a better mom. I will never forget what they did for me.

In January of last year, the kids started spending overnights with Tim. This was a difficult transition for me as they had never slept anywhere without me. I was so proud that I was able to make it around the corner from Tim's place before I had to pull over and break down. The kids had a difficult time transition at first as well. They were used to having mommy tuck them in and be there in the morning. The three of us made it through the first few overnights and things started getting easier.

I was able to realize what it is that I wanted and needed out of life, which made the decision to file for divorce last February an easier one. Once the decision was made and the paperwork was started I realized that I really needed to get a job.

I applied several places and actually had interviews in each district I applied for. I was surprised by that as I have been out of the game for a few years. I received an offer to teach the 5th - 8th Grades - Accelerated Learning Program at South Arbor Charter Academy and I accepted.

Having a job made me feel more secure in the fact that I would be able to take care of myself and my children. It really let me know that I could do this on my own.

My divorce was final last October and Tim and I have been getting the last of our things taken care of. We realized that John and Megan deserved to have the opportunity to be with each of us as often as possible. Because of this, we decided to share custody. They spend Monday, Wednesday, and every other weekend with Tim and are with me the rest of the time. I miss them terribly when they are gone, but realize that I am a better mom because I have the time to take care of myself. I am now the proud homeowner of the home that I have lived in for the past 10 years. The kids have been transitioned into a full time nursery school setting (more about that later) and I am have transitioned to being a working mother.

I am happy to report that I am in love with my life right now. I have two of the most amazing children in the world. If not for them, I would not be the strong woman that I am today. At the beginning I survived because I knew that I had to take care of them. Now I thrive because I am privileged to be their mother. I have a terrific job that allows me to work with students who are excited about their learning and who teach me something new everyday. I have strengthened the friendships that are important to me and separated myself from those that were negative influences in my life. I am blessed to have people in my life who support me and honor me for the person that I am.

I am proud of the way that I have handled myself during this time in my life. I have tried to take the high road when things got difficult, ask myself what would be best for John and Megan when I wanted to simply explode from anger and frustration, and grow as a person from each new obstacle that I had to face.

I have learned that it is important to take care of yourself and never lose sight of what is essential to your happiness. If you don't know what makes you happy then you can not be happy. One of the hardest things about this entire situation was realizing that I had lost sight of who I was as a person. I didn't know what I needed or what my value was. I am slowly getting to know myself again and am liking who I am becoming.

John and Megan have learned flexibility and loss at an early age and I hope that they are stronger for that, despite of what the divorce has done to them. I can only hope that they know that they are loved by each of us. We fought like hell to have them and they continue to be my greatest accomplishment.

Fall Fun at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-11-13T11:04:00.001-08:00

The kids had a great time playing in the leaves. They have been at their new daycare for one week. These are pictures of their first day!

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Halloween 10/31/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-10-31T18:23:00.001-07:00

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My Montage 10/10/10 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-10-10T17:45:00.001-07:00

Finally posted some recent pictures and video clips! We had a wonderful weekend playing outside with great friends! Miss you all and can't wait to see you soon!

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So busy!

2010-08-18T11:28:00.001-07:00

For those of you who don't know, I have decided to go back to work and was fortunate to secure a teaching job in this economy. I am teaching the 5th-8th Grade Accelerated Learner Program at South Arbor Charter Academy. I will teach Science and Language Arts and am very excited for this new adventure!

This means daycare for the kids and what a stressful situation that is! A daycare has been chosen, but the kids can't start until they are 2 years and 6 months (November) so we had to figure out an alternate plan until then.

I have two amazing women that care for my kids when I need a moment. They have agreed to work together to care for John and Megan. Our sitter will come to the house in the morning so I can leave for work and she will take care of the kids until lunch time when she will drive them to daycare. This will let the kids be in their home, let them sleep in, and allow them to slowly transition into full time daycare in November. I can't imagine what I would do without them and know that my kids love them too!

I am still volunteering at St. Joseph Mercy (where the kids were born) and continue to be the Chairperson for the Family Advisory Board in the NICU. Our annual Fashion Show and Silent Auction are right around the corner and we are working hard to make this the best year ever.

This summer I continued with my canning. The kids and I are enjoying our jams, tomatoe sauces, and peaches. I am looking forward to the fall when I can make applebutter and applesauce.

The kids are amazing! Earlier in the summer they had surgery to put tubes in their ears. There have been minimal runny noses since then! They are talking up a storm and communicate in full sentences much of the time. John is riding his bike like he has been doing it his whole life, they love swimming, and are pretty excited about ice cream. Megan is still pretty tiny (about 22 pounds) and John is bulking up (nearing 27 pounds). They are both working on their two year molars which is super fun! They love going to birthday parties and singing "happy to you" to everyone who will listen. They are transitioning to full time daycare well and I hope that they continue to enjoy it! John now has curly blonde hair. It is fantastic and I hope that he keeps it. Megan has gone through a few stages of hair likes...ponytails are now acceptable again, but not everyday! She is very particular about it and we are letting her hair grow out. Unless it becomes a mullett again!

I am hoping that things calm down a little and I will be able to update everyone on my life soon.

Enjoy the rest of your summer....mine seems to have flown by!

Such a big boy! at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-06-19T20:38:00.001-07:00

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John and Megan Turn 2 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-05-24T18:11:00.001-07:00

I added pictures from the birthday party in Indiana. If you don't want to watch then entire thing again the new segment starts at 3 minutes 8 seconds.

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2 year photos

2010-05-16T19:59:00.000-07:00

John and Megan Turn 2 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-05-13T18:13:00.001-07:00

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John and Megan are 2

2010-05-13T17:11:00.001-07:00

It amazes me that my children are already two. They are such awesome kids and I know that I am so privileged to be their mom.
As many changes occur in our lives, I know that John and Megan will continue to thrive. They give and receive an overwhelming amount of love as well as support. They have such a connection to each other and always try to comfort the other if upset or angry (unless of course, they were the cause). It is my hope that they will always give their love, encouragement, and support freely to each other.
It has been a while since I have given a "What are the twins doing?" update, so I thought that it was time.
John is talking up a storm. He really loves to say "I don't want that" or "Stop it". He continues to be a rough and tumble boy. Right now he has two black eyes. One from running into a 2x4 and where the other one came from is a mystery. He chases and tackles Megan whenever he can and really enjoys sitting on her until she gets upset (and sometimes even after she gets upset). He has thought about sitting on the potty and has even peed 3 times, but shows no real interest, so we are not pushing him. John has shown that he is a true monkey. He climbs everything that he can and loves to play with balls and ride his bike. He is on the go all the time and when nap and bedtimes come around he is ready to sleep. He lies in his crib and covers himself up before saying "night night". So cute! At his two year check-up he weighed in at 24 lbs. The pediatrician says that he has no noticeable delays and that he has caught up with his peers, no longer being considered a preemie!
Megan is my little mommy. I am amazed at the tenderness she shows others. She is very concerned if people are crying and often dries their eyes and says "Don't cry, It's OK". She is my little helper too. She will always make sure that John has his drink or snack and then gets hers. It is pretty sweet (but we will make sure that she knows it is OK to take care of herself too). She is in love with baby dolls. She sleeps with at least one a night and is very particular about them. She got a few for her birthday that have removable clothes. She doesn't like them to stay dressed, so we have some naked babies all around the house. Megan is also VERY chatty! She is very interested in potty training. She has gone poopy in her diaper only 2 times in the past week. She will let us know she has to poop and then usually try to take her pants and diaper off then run to the potty. She like to take her time and spends 15-30 minutes working it out (often with a book or a conversation). She has NEVER peed on the potty though, which seems a bit backward to me, but I am not going to question it. She does like to take her diaper off right after she goes pee though, so maybe we are on our way. At her two year check-up she weighed in at 20 lbs 13 oz. She is still not caught up to full term babies of her age in regards to weight, but has made the height chart! The pediatrician said that she has also caught up with peers her age and is no longer considered a preemie either! He did say that she would probably continue to be tiny though.
Both John and Megan love to eat anything with ketchup as well as ice cream, but not together (as shown in the video). They are getting really good at drinking out of a cup and are finally getting rid of their pacifiers. Project pacifier disposal started this week and only allows for pacifiers at nap and bed time. Megan is struggling with it a bit more than John, but I am staying strong! Needless to say, taking them out is a bit more stressful if they get upset as there is now no silencer!
The past two years have been filled with tremendous joy and unbelievable sadness. As I continue to learn and grow from each new experience and roadblock, I know that I am becoming a better mom to the two most important people in my life. I love them more than I could have possibly imagined and will do everything in my power to make sure that they always know and feel that love.
Thank you to all the family and friends who have shown their support, love, and encouragement to John and Megan!

Ice Cream!

2010-04-29T17:21:00.001-07:00

Yummy!

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Amazing!

2010-04-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

What a weekend this has been. I feel truly blessed to have John and Megan in my life. They are truly an inspiration and a joy. My life was not complete until they joined our family and I know that with them such amazing things are possible. I feel truly honored to be their mother.

This weekend we spent some quality time with each other. Saturday we went to a wonderful fundraiser at a petting farm. It is interesting to see the differences between the two kids. John is fearless. He went into the pens and played with the animals. While Megan had a death grip on me and refused to get down for the first hour. She eventually warmed up, but was NOT going to let any animal touch her besides a kitten. We ended our time at the farm by taking a hay ride. This is something that we have done at least twice before and the kids loved. They were not very excited about it this time (I believe that it is because the wagons were covered with tarps). We had a great time sharing this day with some wonderful friends too! The kids were so exhausted from their day of play that they were in bed and asleep by 7pm. A full hour early!

Sunday was the March for Babies walk. The forecast called for rain, but we braved the elements anyway! It was cold and windy, but there was a good showing of people walking in memory of/or to honor those children born to soon. It is a humbling experience to be part of. There is not a day that goes by that I do not take a quiet moment to thank those who helped to make sure that John and Megan were able to be part of my life.

Check out the pictures from this weekend!

March of Dimes Weekend at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-04-25T13:02:00.001-07:00

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Decorating Easter Eggs 2010 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-04-05T10:21:00.001-07:00

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Easter Weekend

2010-04-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful holiday weekend and hope that you all did too.
My sister and brother-in-law came to visit and Tim's dad came in for Easter Sunday.
The kids ate way to much candy and snacks and way to little food that was good for them (which we are paying for now with poops). It is so much fun to see John and Megan react to presents and treats. They are finally understanding!
I can't wait until their birthday on May 6th!
I put together a few montages of the weekend activities. Easter Egg decorating was hysterical!
I hope that you are all doing well.

Easter 2010 at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-04-05T09:54:00.001-07:00

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Such a big girl! (warning...there are poop pictures)

2010-02-08T18:01:00.000-08:00

While John and Megan were taking their bath tonight Megan decided to let me know that she had to poop. She pointed to her bottom and said poop three times. I snagged her out of the tub and put her on the potty. She did not like it and cried. She got off. Said poop and pointed at her butt again so I put her back on the potty. She cried and then pooped! Mommy is so proud!

This is the first time either has gone potty anywhere beside their diaper or the floor! As well as the first time that there was an awareness of having to go! I wonder if it will happen again anytime soon...probably not.

Recent Happenings at OneTrueMedia.com

2010-02-03T19:08:00.001-08:00

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Recent Happenings

2010-02-03T18:13:00.000-08:00

My basement used to look like a dungeon. Dark paneling, swords hanging on the wall, candelabra chandeliers, all very bad!
I spent almost the whole of January working on the basement to prep it for the kids play area. Every area that could be painted was. The asbestos ceiling tiles were changed out for newer ones after the drop ceiling was painted. The vents and ducts were cleaned. Dry wall was installed and painted. New baseboards were installed. A new T.V was mounted on the wall. Three new lights were installed. The list seems to go on and on. I am still working on the bar. I have a vision of dry erase boards and magnetic boards. It is under construction, but looking good!

It is amazing how large my living room looks without all the kids clutter in it.

I am so happy with the way it turned out and so grateful for my friends and family who have helped me create my dream basement for the kids!

For those of you who have been to my house, you know what a transformation this is.

Both of the kids have started showing an interest in the potty! I bought them a toilet seat that goes on the big potty. I have let them initiate using it. We have had it for about 5 days. At least two or three times a day Megan will go into the bathroom, grab the seat and put it on the potty. They both pull their pants down and Megan actually removes her own diaper (not always fun). They sit on the potty and look at books or I will read them the potty book. So far there has been zero action, but they are getting used to it and really love it. They always reach for toilet paper when they are done and wipe themselves. So cute!

We have been pretty healthy for the past three weeks! Yeah! Hopefully it stays that way!
I hope that everyone is doing well.
Love to you all.

Snow What Fun!

2010-01-11T10:35:00.001-08:00

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Winter Fun!

2010-01-11T10:17:00.001-08:00

Today I took the kids out to play in the snow for the first time. They loved it!

I layered them up pretty good and they stayed warm. I think that it took us longer to actually get ready to play than we played. I should have taken pictures of us getting ready to go out. First we put on socks, then jammies, then jeans and a long sleeve shirt and shoes. Coats, mittens, and hats followed. It was worth it though!

They loved being pulled in their sleds and they loved throwing themselves into the snow. They did not love coming inside. John was very angry about it!

Enjoy the pictures and video.

Brrr...

2010-01-10T18:43:00.001-08:00

The kids love to wear hats, gloves, and scarves! Probably because it is freezing here!

So much fun!

2010-01-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

While in Tennessee John showed his amazing ability to climb out of his pack and play...over and over again! Because of this, I decided to transition both kids to beds. Luckily their cribs turn into toddler beds easily. I changed them after their nap today and braced myself for an exciting evening.

Megan did fairly well, but John was not happy about his new sleeping arrangement. I sat with him for a while and rubbed his back. I left...he ran to the door...I went back in and rubbed his back...he fell asleep..I left..he ran to the door again. I gave him a few minutes and went back in. He pooped. Megan woke up...we started all over again.

Surprisingly all of this only took 45 minutes. I waited about a half an hour and then went downstairs to paint the basement. At midnight I came up to check on them and Megan was asleep on the pillows on the floor in front of her crib. I should have been able to guess that this would happen. I will probably be getting them some rails to help them stay in the bed instead of making their way onto the floor.

I am hopeful that it only takes a few days for them to feel comfortable in their new beds!

On New Years Eve, John spiked a fever of nearly 102. He was lethargic and very fussy. I could not put him down. I made the decision to take him to the ER and get him checked out. He has a severe ear infection in one ear, bronchitis, and an asthma flare. He is on antibiotics and of course his breathing treatments. The doc did a chest x-ray because of some crackling, but all was clear. They are thinking that it is the asthma. Megan also has the lovely cough...they both sound like seals barking.

Today both are fever free and playing more. Neither are back to themselves yet, but are well on the way to mending.

First Haircut 12/18/09 at OneTrueMedia.com

2009-12-18T14:22:00.001-08:00

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First Haircuts!

2009-12-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

The time finally arrived. I could not live with Megan's mullet any longer. It was so bad that we couldn't leave the house without putting in pigtails.

John's hair was short everywhere but in a few scraggly locations around his ears and on the back of his head.

I decided that we couldn't get one haircut and not the other, so this morning Tim and I took them to Cookie Cutters in Canton. This place is great. John got to sit in a car and Megan sat in an airplane. They watched an Elmo DVD and ate a sucker. Megan got at least an inch cut off of the back to even it out with the rest if the new growth that she has. Sadly, there will be no pigtails for a while. I am just thankful that there is no longer a mullet!

There were NO tears! They did great. It might have been more traumatic for me than it was for them! Each got to take a balloon home and didn't want to leave!

One more thing to write in their baby books...if I ever get to them!

Our Evening In 12/15/09 at OneTrueMedia.com

2009-12-15T18:17:00.001-08:00

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How Preemie Moms Are Chosen--by Erma Bombeck

2009-12-15T13:55:00.000-08:00

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?Somehow, I visualize God hovering Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger."Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy.""Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel.""But does she have the patience?" asks the angel."I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair.Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother.You see, the child I am going to give her has a world of it's own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."God smiles. "This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness. "The angel gasps, "Selfishness! Is that a virtue?"God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says "momma" for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it.I will permit her to see cleary the things that I see - ignorance, cruelty, prejudice - and allow her to rise above them.She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side.""But what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air. God smiles."A mirror will suffice."***

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-13T11:30:00.001-08:00

I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season.

Poop!

2009-11-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

I put John and Megan down for their morning nap on Monday and started to do the dishes. As I was cleaning I heard them chatting with each. This happens often, so I wasn't concerned. It was when the chat turned into a cry that I thought that I should just peek in. I was almost done with the dishes so I quickly finished up. By the time I was done, John was very unhappy.

As soon as I opened their bedroom door I was greeted by the smell of POOP!
John was upset because he had pooped and decided to go in his diaper and play with it. The poop was EVERYWHERE! It was on his shirt, face, hands, and legs. It was also smeared on the wall, the sheets, and his crib rails. There was more poop outside of his diaper than inside of it!

Needless to say it was not a good situation. Megan seemed to be very interested in what he was doing as she was watching him closely.

Cleanup was a treat...baths for both, new sheets, and Clorox wipes for the walls and crib.

I am hopeful that this NEVER happens again!

Let's Say Thanks!

2009-11-20T10:17:00.000-08:00

Let's all take a moment to say thank you to a soldier serving in Iraq. To send a free card click on the link below and follow the directions. It takes just a few minutes to help touch a life of a soldier who is working hard to protect ours.

http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html

I have already sent mine!

18 months old already!

2009-11-11T10:31:00.001-08:00

It is hard for me to believe that 18 months ago our children were born. This past year and a half has brought some truly wonderful times, some very stressful times, and even some times of great sadness and joy.

As I have adjusted from being a working gal to a stay at home mom of twins, I am thankful for the support of my family and friends. I am especially grateful for the support of Tim. Without him I would not be able to stay home and raise our babies. This is the best job that I have ever had and I would not change it for anything!

John and Megan had their 18 month check-up yesterday. They are doing great! They are on track with other children their age in regards to physical activity, but are lacking a bit behind in speech. John has reached the 10th percentile in weight and 40th percentile for height, but Megan is still not on the growth chart.

John weighs 22 lbs 8 oz and is 32 inches tall.

Megan weighs 18 lbs 13.5 oz and is 28.5 inches tall.

They are learning how to play nicely with each other, but John still tackles Megan a lot!

We are concerned that we will have to move John to a big boy bed sooner than we would really like to...he has learned how to escape! We have moved his crib so that the front is backed up to the wall. We are hoping that he won't figure out that he can go over the side! Megan is getting a ton of hair (she sports a fantastic mullet), which is worn in pigtails the majority of the time.

I hope that they continue to make me smile daily, appreciate the simple things in life, and love unconditionally. Without these two angels in my life, things would be very different.

We had oatmeal and smiles for breakfast this morning!

Oh crap!

2009-11-02T10:41:00.001-08:00

John climbed out of his crib straight into Megan's during naptime this afternoon. Megan was not happy. I am pretty sure that he landed on her!

This should be interesting!

Halloween!

2009-10-31T17:17:00.001-07:00

I took John and Megan trick or treating tonight. They were both pirates and were very cute!

The plan was for Tim to stay at home and pass out candy and for me to pull the kids in the wagon. As soon as we walked outside, Megan took off and ran to the neighbors house! We went to two houses walking and then came back home to get the wagon (and some blankets).

They had a great time! They walked up to doors, knocked (banged) on them, and put out their hands when people went to give them candy. At the third house Megan got her candy and was running back to the wagon when she did a face plant on the concrete. Her face is great, but her hand got a little scraped up. I think that the blood really made her pirate costume!

Unbelievably Cute!!!!!

2009-10-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

Tim took John to the hockey store with him today...he had a great time!

Max

2009-10-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

On our second anniversary Tim gave me an envelope with a picture of a miniature dachshund inside. It was to be my present. I was so excited. We had been talking about getting one for a while. I went with Tim's dad that week to pick up our little 5 pound puppy. He was adorable and fit in the front pocket of my overalls.

Today, just over six years later Max went to live at a new home. A home where he will be free to run, play, and even relax without two 17 month old children attacking him.

As John and Megan became more active Max became more aggressive. He had begun to growl and snap at them when they would try to take his toy or hit him. Because of these behaviors (and those of you who know him) and his constant barking, we felt that it was time to find him a new (good) home.
We are very lucky to have been going to an amazing boarding facility for the past year. Max loves being there and the owners and their children love him. When Tim mentioned that we were thinking about getting rid of him, they let us know that they would like to have him.
Max's days will now be spent running and playing with other dogs. Our hope is that he is now in a place where he will be happy.
We will miss Max, but know that this was the right thing to do for our family.

Help Needed

2009-10-06T19:45:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

As most of you know, I am a member of the Family Advisory Board. This boards focus is helping parents with children in the St. Joes Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU where our babies were taken care of).

There are two wonderful fundraising opportunities coming up soon and I wanted to ask for any assistance you can give.

The first event coming up is Shop For a Cause. This is a fundraiser hosted by Macy's. I am selling a 20% off coupon for all purchases (some exclusions) for the day of October 17th. The ticket is $5.00 and the proceeds go directly to the Family Advisory Board.

The second event is the 5th Annual Silent Auction and Fashion Show. The show is on Thursday, November 12th. The silent auction and reception begin at 5:30. The fashion show begins at 7. The event will be held at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor. The price of admission is $25.00 and the proceeds go directly to the Family Advisory Board.

If you are interested in supporting our cause please contact me for tickets. If you are unable to attend the Fashion Show or do not shop at Macy's, but still want to donate, please let me know.
You can email me at meawarner@hotmail.com with any questions or to donate.

It is important for our group to continue to be able to support the many families that go through the NICU each year. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

The dentist and the pumpkin patch...

2009-10-01T18:53:00.001-07:00

Today was a busy, but fun day.

We spent the afternoon at the pediatric dentist where John and Megan had their first cleaning. Their teeth look good, but the dentist let me know that Megan is going to need braces when she gets older. Fun...

Here are some pictures from the dentists office.

Before we went to the dentist the kids played around in the backyard. The sweaters they are wearing were made by a dear friend (who I am going to beg to make them sweaters for next fall/winter). Here are a few of my favorite shots from the backyard.

The evening was spent at the pumpkin patch...pictures posted in the montage...enjoy

It has begun...

2009-09-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

This week has been spent wiping noses, dosing out medicine, and giving breathing treatments. Both John and Megan have responded pretty well to the treatment and seem to be doing better.
The doctor seems to think that John has asthma and that Megan (and possibly John) has allergies. The asthma might be due to the immaturity of his lungs at birth and will quite possibly go away as he grows and gets stronger. Megan had an increased chance of having allergies due to her histamine cluster on her shoulder. Nothing is in stone yet, but we will discuss it further when we go in for their 18 month check up. Wish us luck.

Check out this amazing new website...

2009-09-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. Please check out my brother Zach's new website, The Truth Pursuit.

The Truth Pursuit is a smart news aggregator and gateway.
We utilize the Daylife news platform which provides our readers with access to a diverse collection of the day's news and views. Our smart news aggregator approach allows us to deliver multiple ideological perspectives, giving our readers an opportunity to develop an informed opinion. (taken straight from the website)

Follow The Truth Pursuit link to the right to see what the website has to offer.
I hope you enjoy it. I know that I have!

Recent pics

2009-09-09T18:35:00.001-07:00

Last year our yard was horrible. We decided that it was time to redo everything. The grass was torn out and the yard was leveled. A concrete slab and a great deal of landscaping were pulled out too. We had sod laid and some basic landscaping taken care of. We are so pleased with the results and the kids are enjoying playing in the lush, green grass.

Megan wearing pigtails! So much better than the mullet she has been sporting!

Our new fire pit was broken in with some great friends..s'mores were made and eaten!

Helping a dear friend unpack boxes and try to set up her classroom! Wow there were a lot of boxes (which the kids loved to climb on).

If you leave my bedroom door open for even a minute, the children will climb on my bed and look out the window. Pretty cute, but a bit nerve wracking as they climb on everything!!!

We spent the day at the beach with some amazing friends. Both John and Megan loved the sand and the water. They were filthy and exhausted when we got home!

A look back

2009-09-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

As September continues on, I look back fondly on the many wonderful things that the children and I (am sometimes with daddy) were able to do the past few months.
We spent days at the zoo with wonderful friends, met some family members at our family reunion in Iowa, made quite a few trips to Biggby Coffee on Plymouth Rd., and headed to Elkhart, IN to visit with my family.

We have had some great loss, but have also had great joy with my sisters wedding/reception and the birth of my nephew Vinny.

Both of the children are doing well! John has been filling out and actually has a chubby look to his face (so cute). We are not sure what the situation is with his injured tooth, but it looks like it might be coming in more (which would be a good sign). We go back to the dentist on October 1st and will update you all then. He now has his top 4 teeth, his bottom 4 teeth, and 4 molars. He is not a great teether and we had some tense days when all 4 molars were coming in at once, but he made it through by biting on everything he could get his hands on. He is very interested in jumping and has been trying to do so for a few weeks now. It is very cute to see him attempt it over and over again. There are a few occasions where he has actually done it and he gets so excited. He has a new found infatuation with airplanes. He hears them and will point in the sky and watch them as they go by. He loves them! He also has begun to play with a new type of toy...CARS!!! Can't get enough of them. I guess that we are getting out of the soft cuddly toys and moving into the big boy items. His personality continues to blossom and he makes me laugh constantly!

Megan is still pretty tiny, but is keeping up with her brother as he gets into mischief. She is completely in love with music and will dance and sing whenever she hears it. She is really vocal, but is not forming many words on her own..she will repeat words though. Megan is a magnet for mosquitos. I can't believe how often she gets bit and how large the bites become as well as how long they stay. I am wondering if it is because of her histamine clustering. Something to ask the doctor next time we see him. I got her a dolly last week and she loved it so much that she would sleep with it. I was hearing a strange banging sound during nap a few days ago and peeked my head into the room. Megan was banging the dolls head on the rails of the crib. I let it go and walked away. At the end of nap the dolls arm was broken off...probably not a good idea to let Megan play with any newborn babies by herself. Megan has her top 4 teeth, but only two on the bottom. She also has 3 of her 4 molars in with the fourth one working its way through. Megan has figured out how to open the pantry and get her favorite cereal out. She will pull out the box, take it to her favorite seat, open it, smile, and eat it piece by piece.

Tim is continuing to be busy with work and spending time with the kids and I. I have been training for a 5k (I am planning on signing up for one in October) and spending a lot of time with the kids and friends. It feels a bit strange not to be in the classroom right not, but am so happy that I am able to stay home and raise our kids!

We are looking forward to a wonderful fall. We will be trick or treating for the first time as well as heading to the pumpkin patch! Any suggestions for costumes???

Bath night gone wrong!

2009-09-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

Tim was playing softball last night so bath night fell to me. Here's how it went down....

The kids were having a great time playing in the tub. I bathed them and let them play for a few more minutes while I cleaned up all the toys and started to drain the tub.

I got Megan out first and started to dry her off. Before I could get John out and dried off he squatted and pooped in the tub. I quickly scooped the poop and John out of the tub and began to dry him off so that I could get a diaper on him.

Megan followed us to the bedroom (carrying her towel) and played on the floor while I dried and diapered John. As I turned to put John on the ground I saw that Megan was squatting down and pooping on the carpet! I said "no, no, no", which caused Megan to step back into the poop. I scooped her up and blocked the path to the poop from John. I quickly cleaned her foot and put a diaper on her (neither finished their poops so diapering immediately was important). I put her down and had a wipe in my hand to clean up the poop from the carpet. Before I could get to it, my dog ran out from under Megan's crib and ATE THE POOP!!!!!

I don't think that I will be bathing them by myself for quite some time!

Here is a recent photo of the kids..enjoying a snack after naptime...

15 month check-up

2009-08-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

AAAGGGHHH...a walk right before bedtime!

I took the babies in for their 15 month check-up on Thursday.

Both kids are doing great! They are continuing to grow appropriately...right along the arch below the charts.

John weighs in at 19 lbs 11 oz and is actually in the 3rd percentile for weight.

Megan weighs 16 lbs 15 1/2 oz and is still not quite on the charts.

Both of their head sizes are on the charts..basically I have long skinny babies with giant heads!

It is a wonder they can walk so well!

Both are starting to talk more and are very daring athletically.

John loves to stack things so that he can climb onto either the couch or a chair. He has only fallen a few times and we are hoping that he keeps all of his teeth and that he will not need any stitches. He realized that he is bigger than Megan so he picks on her. He will chase her and then grab her shirt, pull her down and sit or lay on her. Megan laughs some of the time, but at times gets pretty upset about it.

Megan loves to dance (as you can see by the video)! She is always moving and always chatting. She is repeating more words and can now say "all done". Because she is smaller and gets picked on by her brother she has started to BITE...so bad. Hopefully as she gets a bit bigger or as she learns different ways to get away from John the biting will stop. It happens about once every day or so and only once so badly that I had to get her to unclench her jaws! I guess that we are lucky it is not all the time.

The kids and I are heading to Indiana next Wednesday to help my sister get ready for her wedding reception. Tim will be joining us for the weekend. We are looking forward to spending time with family and friends again...for something that will be a happy occasion!

Megan Dancing!

2009-08-02T19:04:00.001-07:00

Tim and I have been wondering where Megan got her dance moves from...any thoughts?

Anyone need a ride???

2009-07-28T19:11:00.001-07:00

Enough...

2009-07-28T18:42:00.000-07:00

My Uncle John passed away suddenly last week. The entire family has of course come together to try and get through this, but it is hard.

John was loved by so many people and he really loved my kids. It is hard to imagine them growing up and not knowing him.

Megan loved to pull out Uncle John's proudly displayed chest hair and play with his chain and ring. John loved it when Uncle John would put his ring onto his fingers. Each time we were together he would measure how big the kids were getting by seeing how many fingers his ring would fit over.

He was someone who always was smiling and having a good time. He would do anything for you and was always there for you if you needed him.

I will always look back on my childhood and remember the times I was whisked away by him and my Aunt Meg to a cookout or a swim at his sister Kathy's pool. He taught me how to ski...something that I am surprised I survived. He took me on more boat rides than I can count. So many of my favorite childhood memories involve my time spent with Aunt Meg and Uncle John. He always treated me and my sisters like we were more than just his nieces and we loved him unconditionally.

I miss him terribly and am having a hard time processing the loss, but hope that he is at peace.

This is our fourth family member that has passed away since September (Grandma Peggy, Grandpa Harry, Mary-Lou...my mother-in-law) and I hope that we are now going to have a break from death.

I have been looking for a picture of Megan with my Uncle John, but have not found one..if anyone has one can you please send it to me. Thanks.

These are two of my favorite photos of the boys. Uncle John came over to check on Grandma Peggy and helped me out with the kids for a while. I think that he was in heaven when the babies were around...

Recent Photos

2009-07-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

Some of these were taken when we were in Indiana visiting family.
The kids love the water table...Megan threw my cell phone into it today! I dried it out and it appears to be working ok...time will tell.
They are getting so big and are walking everywhere. I will try to get some video of them walking and talking so that I can share with you all.

Strawberry Jam!

2009-07-05T17:51:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night my friend Kelly and I made 36 jars of strawberry jam! This week I plan on making four more batches. I am so excited that jamming season is here. I am thinking about making blackberry this year. I will be making peach jam as well as apple butter before the jamming season is over...

If you are lucky, you might be getting some for the holidays!

Our First Dental Visit

2009-07-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago John was walking around the living room and lost his footing. He fell face first into the hardwood floors and was unable to catch himself or even get his hands down. Basically...he ate the wood.
There were tears and snuggling, but no blood. I noticed the his tooth (top tooth one off from the front) looked like it had been pushed back up into his gums. I had hoped that he would be OK and had been keeping an eye on it. The tooth appeared to be yellow and a bit sensitive when brushed. I decided to take him to see a pediatric dentist last week.
It turns out that not only did his tooth go back up into his gums, it also broke. The tooth basically cracked all the way across and the front tooth has a fracture. I was concerned that the tooth died, but the dentist feel confident that it is still alive. We go back in three months and if there is no change then we will do an x-ray. If the tooth dies then we will have to have it pulled.
I didn't even realize that it was cracked and feel so bad about waiting to take him to see the dentist.

My new nephew!

2009-06-27T18:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Vinny (my sister Sarah's new baby).

I love him already and wish that I could see him soon...my sister too! Tacoma, WA seems so far away when you really want to be there and can't go!

The past few weeks...

2009-06-21T20:20:00.001-07:00

It is 11:20 p.m. on Fathers Day and I am finally sitting down to post to the blog (something that I have been meaning to do for days). Last week was very hectic. My friend and I had a huge garage sale at my house that began Thursday morning at 7:30 and ended on Sunday evening at about 4. We were exhausted, but are happy with the results..we say we will never do it again. I am already starting to put things aside for the next one! Because of the sale, the posts have been nonexistent..so here is a update of what has been going on recently.

John has been walking for a few weeks now. He is so sturdy. He still crawls at least half of the time, but is getting to be a strong walker. Today he walked from our bathroom, down the hallway, turned into his bedroom, and then walked to his bookshelf. The entire time he is smiling and giggling. He loves to walk! His third bottom tooth finally broke through last week and he is chunking up. I weighed him tonight and I think that he is just about 20 pounds. Yeah John!

As of my last post Megan was still not walking. She is now! She has really taken off in the last week. She is standing all the time and walks 7 or 8 steps easily. It is so cute to see such a tiny kids walking! She is beginning to mimic us when we ask her to talk. So far she has repeated "Angie", "Thank You", "John", and a few others..only if we say it first and repeat it a few times. I am not sure of her weight, but know that she is not gaining or growing as quickly as John. She has a lot of very fine blond hair. In fact, it is shaped like a mullet (nice).

Tim, the kids, and I are heading to Indiana tomorrow. My sister, Tammy and her family will be there as well. She has not seen the kids since they were a few months old. It should be a lot of fun! I will post pictures of the trip when we get back.

My sister Sarah is home from the hospital with Vinny and they are both doing well. She is sending me pictures and I will be sure to post them to the blog as well!

I hope that everyone had a great fathers day.

John and Megan are enjoying spending time with daddy. They pulled all their books of their bookshelf. Something that they do at least twice a day. Tim read them a few books before putting them back on the shelf. Megan was very excited about this book!

This picture was taken at the NICU reunion. We had a wonderful time visiting with doctors, nurses, staff, and friends that we met and made during our stay in the NICU.

Welcome to the family Vinny!

2009-06-17T17:48:00.001-07:00

My sister Sarah finally gave birth to my nephew Vincenzo "Vinny".
I say finally because she was 8 days overdue and she went through 30 hours of labor (after being unduced)! Both mom and baby are doing well and will be going home from the hospital tomorrow.
I am so proud of her for fighting through the pain and giving me another nephew to love and spoil.
Congratulations Sarah and Dominic. We can't wait to see you and meet the little guy.

You can see pictures of Vinny as well as his birth stats by doing the following...

go to:
www.our365.com
search by last name: Warner
city: Tacoma
state: WA

In case you need her address....
Sarah Warner
3203 South Mason Ave
Apt. M103
Tacoma, WA98409

Not without me...

2009-06-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

Despite what the video (Walking!) shows, Megan is not happy that John is walking while she just crawls. She has been watching him and seeing us cheer him on so she has started to try to walk. She is now letting go of furniture and standing for 10-20 seconds at a time. Today she even took 2 and 3 steps a few times.

We are very close...she looks so cute because she is just so tiny!

Here are two of my favorite photos of the kids..these are from their one year photo shoot done by Heather Rogers (She did the birth announcements and our Christmas cards too).

Walking!

2009-05-31T09:05:00.001-07:00

Here are a few clips of John walking this morning! I hope that you enjoy.

What a day!

2009-05-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

We had one of those days where naps were short, whining and wanting mommy to hold us were our two favorite things, and headaches came on full force.

I am not sure why the kids only thought they should take a one hour nap this morning (usually take at least a two hour nap), but it didn't set the day off to a good start.

After nap it was off to Fed Ex and then to the Post Office. Those went relatively smoothly except that I dropped my Carmel Marvel (almost teared up) on my bumper as I hit it getting out the stroller..I salvaged it and the kids behaved very well at both locations.

We then went to Sam's Club to get milk and some fruit. Can someone please tell me why so many people feel like they need to stop me and talk to me about my kids. I have gotten to the point where I smile and am polite, but don't even stop my cart/stroller anymore...I would never get anything done! This woman actually told me that it would be a great idea to get leashes for my kids as soon as they start to walk. The leashes will help me keep track of my kids...I wanted to tell her that they were not pets, but actual human beings and that they would not be leashed...but I simply said, "Thanks for the advice".

We left Sam's Club shortly after the leash conversation and headed for the house. Had lunch and then it was nap time. John fell right asleep, Megan was a bit fussy. I started a load of laundry and she was still fussing. I pulled some chicken out of the refrigerator and then heard a VERY LOUD THUD...my baby started to scream and I ran to the bedroom. Megan decided that she really did not want to nap and made a break for it. The thud was her hitting the ground. Thankfully she was just scared. She cried for 30 minutes and would not let me put her down for quite a while. John slept through her falling and screaming and me rushing into the room. As soon as I got her settled down he woke up and started to scream. He was clingy for the next two hours. If I put him down he would just sit and whine...so sad with the big tears running down his face!

At about 3:30 I started to get that wonderful behind your eye headache that doesn't go away no matter what you do..I am hoping that it decides to go away while I am sleeping tonight.

Tim came home at about 5. Kissed us all, changed clothes, and then went directly to the babies room to lower Megan's mattress and remove her bumper. I am pretty sure she will no longer be able to escape.

I feel like I have spent a lot of time complaining so here are some good things about today...

I got to take a shower that was longer than 5 minutes, the kind lady at Sam's club who was handing out grilled chicken cut two pieces into kid friendly sizes and John and Megan had a wonderful snack, Tim folded two loads of laundry, we had dinner together as a family, the kids were bathed and in bed by 7:30, and I am now sitting in the recliner with my feet up!

John and Megan got a Radio Flyer for their birthday from their Aunt Sara and Uncle Rog. They love it...so does their friend Max!

John has started to climb into his rocking chair and rock back and forth on it. He loves it!

He is walking 8-10 steps at a time now and really loves to show off doing it!!!!

Helping Mommy with the Laundry...

2009-05-24T13:20:00.001-07:00

John is a monkey!

2009-05-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

John has been trying to climb on everything lately. He is now able to climb up onto our bed by grabbing onto the sheets/blankets and pulling himself up.

He has been pushing toys, laundry baskets, wipes containers, and everything else that he can think of up to our furniture so that he can try to climb up onto the couches.

The most amazing thing that has happened with John lately is that he took a few steps on his own on the 23rd of May (writing the date so that I can remember to put it in the baby book). He pushed his ride on car to me and then let go and walked three steps to get the rest of the way to me. He was very excited. He did it again a short while later.

He has been so close to walking for a while now...we shall see how quickly he progresses now that he has done it a few times! i will try to get a video of it soon!!!!!

Oustide...so wonderful!

2009-05-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

John and Megan have enjoyed the sunny days by playing in their pool and with their water table.

John loves to just lay in the pool and stay in one place. Megan sits in it for a little while and then crawls out and over to me.

They are taking great naps and sleeping long hours at night. You have to love what fresh air and playing with water does to you!

2009-05-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

I have become addicted to One True Media. I am contemplating joining the site so that I can do even more with our pictures. If any of you are members can you let me know if you think it is worth it or not.

1 year photo shoot pictures

2009-05-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!
These are from a photo shoot that we had for the kids first birthday. They were teething so not as happy as normal, but there are some cute shots. Follow the directions below to see the photos. Let me know what you think!

I would like to invite you to view pictures Nickel at www.hrphotodesign.com. They are located at http://hrphotodesign.com/store.
When you go to the website, click the Access Gallery link and enter in the access code below:
Access code: birthday
After you do that, you will be able to view these pictures.

We are one!

2009-05-06T11:01:00.001-07:00

We made it! I can not believe that John and Megan turned one today! This past year has flown by! We have made some amazing friends, strengthened friendships that had already been made, and learned how to exist with little sleep.

John weighed 5 lbs 10 oz a year ago today and now weighs in at a husky (yeah right) 16 lbs 14 oz. He is creeping on furniture and has started to stand up without holding onto anything. Walking here we come! He loves to drink strawberry banana smoothies and eat pancakes and french toast. He is bigger than his sister and uses it to his advantage when he wants something that she has! John has his bottom two teeth, his top two middle teeth, and one on either side on top have just started to poke through ((for those of you counting...that makes 6) He can say "mama" and "dada" and has his own language with his sister!

Megan was 4 lbs 5 oz and 16 1/2 inches long at birth and is now 14 lbs 10 oz and 26 1/2 inches long. She is pretty small, but very active. She loves to crawl and pull herself up. She creeps along furniture and loves to push her brother on their train (thanks Stephanie and Rob for the awesome birthday present). Megan also loves her smoothies and just like her brother can drink out of her sippy or a straw easily. She inhales strawberries and especially loves mandarin oranges. You can't get them on her tray fast enough! Megan has her bottom two and top two teeth with the top two side teeth trying to make an appearance. She can also say "mama" and "'dada", but is more vocal than John.

Both John and Megan love to play peek-a-boo and often play with each other. We are learning how to give kisses and are practicing eating with a fork. They both sleep 9 1/2 to 10 hours per night and take two naps each day.

Over all..they are pretty amazing!

I am trying something new with pictures and will post something in the next few days!

March for Babies

2009-04-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am amazed at the strength of the men, women, and children who I walked with yesterday! Whenever I spend time with my fellow Family Advisory Board members or other families who have experienced the NICU, I am thankful. Thankful that my children received amazing care at St. Joes, thankful that they are thriving and doing well, and thankful that I have them.

I hope that many more children are able to benefit from the funds raised from these walks.

Next year I am forming a team and gathering many walkers. If you aren't on a team already let this be your warning. I will ask you to join the cause and walk with us!

John and Megan were so exhausted from the walk that they spent the first half sleeping.

Oh to be pushed around all day...what a life!

$$$

Kids..

2009-04-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

Megan loves to feed herself!

John took the spoon out of my hands and would not give it back!

Tim did a good job of putting the kids to bed that night!!!

Playing with the Aunt Angie and Uncle Tadd's front door!

I haven't really updated info on the kids lately...I will do a large post after their next doctors appointment, but here is some news.

Both babies are everywhere! John is close to walking. He will push his little bike (used to practice walking) and walk behind it...very cute. Megan will stand at the toy, take a step or two, and then fall down.

John now has 4 teeth...two on top and two on bottom. Megan just has the two on the bottom.

Both love to take baths and are very good at saying mama and dada! They eat pretty much what we eat and dislike most baby food now.

On May 6th they will be turning 1. Where did the time go???

A Wedding!

2009-04-11T18:26:00.000-07:00

My sister Angie and her fiance Tadd called on Wednesday morning and asked what we were doing the next day at 3. I of course said nothing (as if that were the truth) and they said that they were getting married! Tim, the babies, and I made our way back to Indiana to witness the wedding! We are so happy to officially welcome Tadd to our family! We love them both and know that they will have many happy years together.

Right before the ceremony.

These are the members of the family (Angie's side) that were able to make the wedding.

Joined together as husband and wife!

How thoughtful of Jill to bring them a cake! I have decapitated the lamb and placed its head in their freezer for the happy couple to eat on their one year anniversary!

A Surprising Loss

2009-03-16T11:25:00.000-07:00

Well, they say that it comes in threes. First was my Grandma Peggy, a few weeks later was my Grandpa Harry. Then we had a few months where nothing went wrong...yesterday morning Tim's mom passed away in her sleep. She had been struggling with cancer and had been in a hospice facility. We went to see her on Saturday (along with Tim's brother and his partner) and spoke with her doctor. He felt that she had weeks to possibly months left, but a few short hours later she was gone. It was pretty unexpected even though she had terminal cancer.
We will be in Bay City for the services on Wednesday and Thursday.

My sister Sarah...26 weeks pregnant!

2009-03-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

This post is mostly for family. Sarah sent me some pictures and asked that I share them.

I think that she looks great! I talked to her tonight and she sounded pretty good too. Tim and I think that she has a bit of Angie's coloring, but is starting to look a bit like me in the face. No wonder I think that she looks so good!!!!!

FUN FUN FUN!!

2009-02-28T19:03:00.000-08:00

The first three people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.
This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year.
4- You have no clue what it's going to be.
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
The catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 3 people who do the same on your blog. The first 3 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it! Who's in?

If you don't have a blog...you can offer this to people through email or some other form if you want to participate!
(My friend is doing this and I thought that it was a great idea, I might be crazy as I am pretty busy but let's see how it goes)

RSV

2009-02-28T18:20:00.001-08:00

Last weekend both John and Megan started to have runny noses and run low grade fevers. They also had a nasty cough. I was worried that it was something more serious than a cold so we went into the doctor early Monday. It turns out that both the babies have RSV. Mind you this is just a week after they stopped puking and pooping their brains out from the rotavirus.

John was wheezing so he was given an albuterol breathing treatment (I gave it to him in the office). By his reaction, I am pretty sure that he thought it was the worst thing in the world. To say he cried doesn't quite explain how upset he was during the experience. Poor kid! It seemed to help his wheezing so we were sent home with a Nebulizer machine and told to give him 4 treatments a day. Yeah!

This picture was taken in the office during his first treatment. He not only screamed, he also was pushing the mask away with all his strength...he is pretty strong for a 15 pound munchkin!

Megan was not wheezing, but the doctor said that is she started to then we were to give her 4 treatments per day. Tuesday morning we woke up and Megan sounded awful. I began the breathing treatments that day and she perked up quickly.

We are down to one or two breathing treatments per day for each of them right now. They tolerate them much better than they did at the beginning of the week. They are playing around again and have begun to get their appetites back.

I am hopeful that this is the last virus we get for a while! I am exhausted and they have to be ready to feel better!

Sam's Club

2009-02-28T18:14:00.000-08:00

I have decided that I love Sam's Club. It is the only store that I can go to with both kids and not have to take someone else with me or wear one of the babies on my body so that I can get a cart.

Megan and John enjoyed sitting in the cart together (for the first time). Megan kept leaning on John and holding his hand. It might have been the cutest thing I have ever seen!

I took this picture using my phone so even though Megan was looking at me when I hit the button...this is what the end result was. Still, you get the picture

Yes, we are still here!

2009-02-21T16:58:00.001-08:00

I know that it has been quite a while since I updated the blog and I am sorry. My computer died (am using Tim's work computer now) and we have been dealing with some sick babies. By the time they are in bed for the night, I have been falling into bed. This post will hopefully catch everyone up on what has been going on since I last updated you.

This is a picture of Megan the first time she stood in her crib!

John and Megan are both standing, crawling, into everything, and absolutely adorable. They are learning how to feed themselves crackers, peas, cereal, and bits of fruit and meat.

Shortly after John got his first tooth the second one arrived. They are both on the bottom and in the middle. Megan has been about 4 weeks behind John in doing things. She stood 4 weeks after him and now her two bottom teeth are visible with a portion of one that has broken through. Both are saying "dada" and Tim swears he can hear Megan say "mama". I think that it has happened a few times, but nowhere near as consistent as "dada".

They are everywhere and they are fast. I am trying very hard to make sure that they are not getting into things, but they outnumber me. My friend Kelly let me borrow a few things to help corral the kids (and Tim) and sometimes John uses Megan's back to try to escape. They love to steal each others pacifiers and basically anything else that the other has in their hands.

Tim is playing around in the "corral" that I am borrowing from a friend. This thing is great. John does try to escape from it by attempting to climb the sides. He also stands on his sisters back to try to break free!

One of my favorite things is seeing the babies interact. They stand in their cribs and stare at each other. They also can sit and play for quite a while without needing me for anything.

For the past 2 months we have been spending Saturday mornings at the Livonia Recreation Center in the pool. John and Megan have had swimming lessons...very cute!

We got Megan ready for swimming lessons and put her in the crib. Before we could grab John to get him ready he went right for her bathing suit. She had to beat him off of her with the hammer!

Three weeks ago both John and Megan got the Rotavirus. This virus causes severe nausea and diarrhea. Needless to say we spent 11 days with a load of foul smelling things coming out both ends. It was not a pleasant experience at all! They both lost 1/2 pound in 6 days.

Two weeks ago we had their 9 month check-up.
John weighs 15 pounds and Megan weighs 13. John is almost 2 inches longer than Megan too.

Although both are getting bigger, they are still not on the regular baby growth charts for anything except their head circumference (they are obviously intelligent as big head = big brain).

As I write this update I am fighting off the end of a cold that I unfortunately gave to the children. They are both hacking away and have runny noses. Tim has been the only one in our family that hasn't been sick.

We had quite a scare with Max (our dog) this past week. He spent a few days vomiting and not eating. Finally I took him into the vet and there was a possibility of a blockage. We had to decide on a course of treatment. We opted for an endoscopy and found nothing. A little over a thousand dollars and two days later he was sent home with some medication and special food to try. It that didn't work there was a chance that we would have to put him down. Thankfully he is feeling better and I am hopeful that the medicine and the new food are doing the trick. Max is only 5 1/2 years old and even though he is a pain in the butt sometimes I am not ready to lose him.

John and Megan love their doggy! They like to have him near them at all times. Max is not so sure about the close proximity though!

I found out my sister Sarah is going to be having a baby boy in mid June. She is very excited and says that she is getting huge. They have decided to name the baby Vincenzo Cosmo but they are going to call him Vinny!! I wish that we lived closer so that we could see each other and so that I could see her pregnant! She did send me some ultrasound pictures that I will share that so the rest of the family can see!

(My kids never posed this well for my ultrasounds...wonder if it is because they were squished)

I am participating in the Walk for Babies. A March of Dimes fundraiser that benefits prematurity awareness. On the blog there is a place that you can click if you would be interested in donating to the cause. Any help that you can give would be great.

The babies are finally able to take a bath in the big kid tub! They had so much fun playing and tried to crawl away from us. They splashed and giggled the whole time!

Hopefully I will be getting a new computer soon and will be able to update the blog more frequently!

Help me reach my goal!Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

2009-02-02T18:21:00.001-08:00

Tooth!

2009-01-08T18:43:00.001-08:00

While cleaning John up from his yummy dinner of sweet potatoes, pears, and a few banana and whole wheat puffs I saw what I thought was a chunk of food in the front of his bottom jaw. It turned out to be his first tooth! It is just barely through, but it is sharp.
Why are baby teeth so sharp? Don't they feel any compassion for the women who are breastfeeding? I am living in fear of the first big bite and hoping that everything on me will remain intact!
While it is exciting to have this new addition I am sad that my babies are growing up so fast! They are already 8 months old and I feel like they were just born!

Standing!

2009-01-04T18:13:00.001-08:00

While visiting my sister Angie, John decided to learn a new trick. He grabbed onto daddy's hands and pulled himself to his knees then to his feet. He then decided to do this using the exersaucer instead of daddy.

When we got home, I was nursing Megan in their room while John laid in his crib. The next thing I knew I saw a little head pop up and a huge grin form....needless to say the mattress has now been lowered all the way!

He is so proud of himself and it is pretty darn cute to watch. Now we let him stay in Megan's crib (which is closest to the changing table) and let him stand up while we change diapers.

Christmas Morning

2009-01-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

John and Megan got exactly what they wanted for Christmas..paper!

They also received wonderful clothes and toys from so many family and friends. I can't wait until next year when they actually know what is going on!

We hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season.

Hysterical! (at least to me)

2008-12-09T19:26:00.000-08:00

I have not laughed this hard in months!

Tim called me into the bathroom when he was bathing Megan....she was bright red and bearing down.

Tim didn't think that there was any poop until he moved her to rinse and down drops a turd ball.

He wants to rinse her off then take care of it..I thought that perhaps he should take care of it and then rinse her off with non poop water. He agreed and proceeded to pull the turd out with his hands. I almost peed my pants!

Here are some pictures. The dark spot next to the green area is what you are looking at. Enjoy!

Santa

2008-12-08T19:50:00.001-08:00

The babies met Santa today!

John was all smiles and Megan really liked Santa's fur collar.

No tears from either baby!

2008-12-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

This weekend the babies did two things for the first time.

1. Eating fresh fruit (yummy) through a mesh baggie thing...banana is so good...yet so messy!

2. Sitting in a high chair to eat instead of a bouncy seat

I can't believe that they are getting so big! I still think that they look pretty tiny. Especially in their high chair seats.

My favorite!

2008-12-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas is and has always been my favorite holiday. I am working on finalizing Christmas shopping as well as decorating the house for the holiday. I am not surprised that it is taking a bit longer to get things done this year....I am a lot busier now than I ever have been.
I am going to brave the mall Santa this week and see how John and Megan enjoy sitting on his lap. I will let you all know how it goes.

Sequence!

2008-12-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

For those of you who spent time at Grandma Peggy's house this summer.....
Over the holiday weekend I taught Tim's family how to play Sequence. I thought of our time together this summer and really spent a lot of time thinking of Grandma....especially since we were playing at her dining room table.
Such great memories!

Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T18:04:00.000-08:00

Grandma Mary Lou with all 6 of her grandchildren!

The three brothers: Roger, Tom, Tim, and their mom!

Devyn holding Megan

John, Tim, and his mom

This year Tim and I decided to stay home for Thanksgiving. We were very happy to have Tim's family join us for the weekend. The family began to arrive on Tuesday evening and our house was busy from that point forward. This was the first time in quite a few years that all of Tim's brothers were together with his mother and father. The babies loved spending time with their aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents.
Turkey, ham, stuffing, and all the trimmings were made by myself and my sister-in-law. We had a wonderful time cooking and eating! Tim's aunt made pies and we all seemed to overindulge! It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without overeating though!
Our final guest left on Sunday at 6 am. Tim, the babies, and I went back to bed and slept until 9! It was wonderful having everyone together and it was great having the house quiet again.

6 months old already!

2008-11-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

I took John and Megan in for their 6 month checkup last week.

They are doing great! They are moving right along (but below) the curve of the growth charts.

They now eat cereal/fruits/vegetables three times a day and the rest of the time are still breastfed. John absolutely loves peaches. Megan eats everything, but wants to feed herself most of the time. She is usually filthy when we get done eating.

John weighs 12 lbs 6 oz!
Megan weighs 11 lbs 2 oz!

They continue to amaze me. They are laughing and making adorable sounds! John is very close to sitting up and they both roll all over the place! I can't wait to see what the next few months will bring!

Last chance for calendar purchase!

2008-11-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Sorry to say, but this is the last chance to order calendars online.

Greta (the woman who made the calendars) is going to hold a few back, but the rest will be put in local stores so that they sell over the holiday.

If you are at all interested, please take the initiative to order now before they run out.

Click on the link below to go directly to the webpage to order the calendar.

http://gmyers.photobiz.com/cart/product_list.cfm?categoryID=6598

Holiday Photo Shoot

2008-11-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

Some of you were not able to access the photo shoot that we just did. This is because it was on the photographers Facebook account. If you do not have facebook that was the problem.
Here is a link to follow http://www.hrphotodesign.com/proofs/ choose Nickel, enter gallery, password is holiday.
Enjoy.

Fall

2008-11-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

I love the fall! The smell of leaves and the beautiful colors. Sadly, I think that it is over as the snow has begun!

Thankfully I put the kids outside in the leaves earlier in the week.

John tried to eat the leaves the entire time he was in the pile.

Megan had no idea what to think and just laid there for a few minutes until she saw her brother having a taste.

Photo Shoot!

2008-11-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

Follow this link to see some new pictures!
We had a great photo shoot done by Heather Rogers at an amazing house. I can't wait to see the rest of the photos.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1344608991&aid=8645

When it rains it pours!

2008-11-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

I am in total shock right now.
I received a phone call around 6 this morning telling me that my grandpa passed away.
He went into the hospital three days ago to have his gallbladder removed and was recovering nicely.
I talked to my grandma Jean last night and she said that he was doing good and that she was going to pick him up today.
This comes not even two weeks after my grandma Peggy passed away.
I keep thinking about what my grandma Jean is going through and hope that she knows how much we all love her and are there for her. I am sure that it will be a trying time and I hope that she leans on us as much as she needs to.

Calendar

2008-11-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!
I wanted to let you know that the calendar benefiting the NICU at St. Joes is completed and ready for ordering.
I just went on Greta Myers website to make sure that you could access it and to my surprise the twins are on the cover.
Each child in the calendar is either a NICU graduate or a sibling of a NICU graduate. Greta has donated all profit of the sales of the calendar to the NICU. Please feel free to order one (or two).
Here is a link that will take you directly to the web page you need to order. http://gmyers.photobiz.com/cart/product_list.cfm?categoryID=6598

Her website homepage is http://gretamyers.com/

Let me know if you ordered one!

My grandmother's obituary

2008-10-28T07:05:00.001-07:00

Juanita "Peggy" Heirman
Aug. 13, 1935 - Oct. 26, 2008MISHAWAKA - Juanita C. "Peggy" Heirman, 73, passed away at 12:25 p.m. on October 26, 2008, at her home after a battle with cancer. Peggy was born on August 13, 1935, in Eldorado, IL, to Elmer Bryan and Gertrude Marie (Loney) Whitfield. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, James Whitfield and Elmer (Tollie) Whitfield; and a sister, Neva Jean Yellich; and in-laws, Ernest and Florence Heirman. On March 27, 1954, in St. Bavo Catholic Church, Mishawaka, Peggy Whitfield married Richard "Spike" L. Heirman, who preceded her in death on June 29, 1993. Surviving are their children, Robbye Lou (Tad) Warner of Osceola, EnRico Lee (Amy) Heirman of Crystal Lake, IL, Stephanie Ann (Mort) Sarabakhsh of Fargo, ND, Christina Marie (Brian) Gangl of Melrose, MN, Rex Arthur Heirman of Michigan City, IN, Knute Eric (Kim) of Seminole, FL, and Karen Lynn (Michael) Iannotti of Seminole, FL; sister, Nada "Tootsie" (Clarence) Senger of California; and brothers, Leonard (Julianna) Whitfield of Mishawaka and Bill (Jean) Whitfield of Port Clinton, OH. Also surviving are 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Peggy lived in Eldorado, IL, from 1935 to 1942. She then moved with her family to Mishawaka and had lived here ever since. She graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1953 and worked as a cook for Mishawaka School City for 30 years. Peggy was a member of St. Joseph Church in Mishawaka, the Eagles Ladies Auxiliary, and was a past member and secretary of ASFSCME Local 3060. Peggy thought her greatest legacy was her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She lit up a room with her smile and laughter. An avid collector of angels, spoons and lighthouses, she made the best pancakes anyone could ever imagine. Most importantly, she lived her life as a Good Samaritan. Family and friends may visit from 3 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, in the Hahn Funeral Home, 505 W. 8th Street, Mishawaka. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30th, in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Mishawaka, with Reverend Terry Fisher presiding. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery, Mishawaka. Memorial contributions may be made in Peggy's name to the Center for the Homeless, the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care; or to St. Bavo's athletic department. To leave the family an online condolence or to share memories with the family, please visit our website at www.hahnfuneralhomes.com.

Grandma Peggy

2008-10-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

This afternoon my grandma Peggy passed away. When my dad called me I was both relieved and sad. I felt relief because I knew that she was no longer in pain and sadness because I was never going to see her smile again.

My grandma always remembered your birthdays and sent a card with her signature kiss inside. My birthday is in December...I am going to miss getting that card this year!

She was an amazing mother and grandmother. She was always there to listen to you or to show support when you needed it. She was a true inspiration to me and a joy to be around.

I had the privilege to spend the past few weeks with her and I know that I will remember our time together always.

My aunts said it best...we had a great time this summer. We all got to spend time together. This would not have happened if not for grandma. I only hope that the relationships that have grown these past few months only continue to get stronger now that grandma is gone.

Megan's Shoulder Update

2008-10-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

I just realized that I have not updated everyone on Megan's shoulder.
The good news is that it has not blistered in over a month...yeah!
I spoke with the doctors office about the difficulty drawing her blood for any lab work. They decided that we could wait until she got bigger to do the tests.
Now we just wait and see. If it starts to blister again, or if there are symptoms on other areas of her body we will move ahead quicker.
I will let you know if anything changes.

Away from home!

2008-10-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

I decided that I needed to see my husband and spend time in our home so I came back to Michigan for the weekend.

I am heading back to Indiana on Monday afternoon and hope that the drive goes well.

I promised some pictures, so here are a few from our trip.

I am going to try to figure out how to do a slideshow and add that today as well!

Talk to you all soon.

Missy