Some days..like today.and we are off to Ocean Beach

Some days I miss my mom some. Some days more. Some days lots. Some days it is an overwhelming amount. I am a tough person. A single mom to twins and work my butt off on a daily basis. Aren't some days am I aloud to say enough? Enough is enough? I look at my beautiful twin daughters and thank God everyday for them. I am so darn greatful beyond belief!!! I just miss my mom today. I think about if she could meet her grandkids and how she would go to the moon and back for them. Take them everywhere and do EVERYTHING in life for them. They could see what a wonderful person she was. How intelligent and sharp she was. How she was a twin too. How she was friends with everyone on the planet and then some. How she had an attitude. How clever she was. How she made sure I went to college even though at the time I was not in the mood. I guess somedays I just wish for her to be here for one day. One day is all I am asking. One day.

Did I mention on a happy note my kids and I are going on a road trip in about five hours! Heading to San Diego a six hour drive alone with twin one yr olds that never been in a car over a half hour since they were born! Planes yes- but not car. I am scared. I hope me and my twins are good! Again I am tough. LOL. What do you do when you are a single mom? Lots of singing and talking I guess. Going to OB and Sea World and MB. To see family, visit the ocean, the beach, the water, and just have some family fun time. Also "Papa" my Dad is turning 60 this week! Wowsers! I can't wait to see my Dad and all the family in Diego tomorrow. And I can't wait for cooler temperatures! I am sure I will have lots of pics of the girls first visit to the ocean in San Diego and Sea World! Just hope we make the drive smoothly! Planning to leave early and just maybe they will sleep a bit! Staying in OB since it is cheaper than MB. I love OB anyhow. More my style.

Katie

Gymnastics and Music Fundraiser for Phoenix Children's Hospital.

The girls racing each other around kinda cute.

Miss Sassy Multi-Tasking... drinking her whole milk and reading and singing. Yelling out no as well whenever she felt necessary. The 2's are here!

Miss Baili watching "C is for Cookie that is good enough for me..." She loves the computer!! My kids want nothing to do with TV or movies, but the laptop is interesting to them.

Who says Baili doesn't love to drink???

Kirra and Peyton rockin' out at the Gymnastics and Music Fundraiser!

I hope you all have a great week!

~Kate

Reminder blog.

My girls are great and doing absolutely wonderful. Absolute ANGELS.

This post is just to remind any parent, grandparent, family member, friend or anyone else on the planet. Watch your kids, grandkids around water. I read a blog I came across today, I tend to read twin blogs and such. Someone I didn't know or have no clue how I came across...her twins had a double drowning last summer at only age 2. Very very sad story. Gramma just went to the bathroom and heard splashing. They were watching TV in the living room and she went to the bathroom. There you go. They both died at only age 2. Somewhere in AL. Just a horrible sad story. Maybe God had me read that blog to remind me it only takes a second to drown. Have a gate, have locks, watch your kids at all times around water. One second is too long. I feel for that Mom and Gramma and family - OMG. I was crying and don't even know them. Watch your kids around water. If you live here in AZ. You know at the end of the news every night, they say goodnight and "watch your kids around water." Why? Because we have WAY to many children drown that CAN be prevented. Oh my heart goes out to that family. This reminds me to NEVER let my kids around water, ever without me. EVER. Not that I have but this is just a reminder for me and for anyone who listens.

Forgot to add the pic of the photographer, my cousin Keelyn.

Some Hawaii from a distance.

My oldest second cousin Keylynn is a wonderful photographer. First cousin to have a baby and now she is 18. Seems like yesterday my cousin had her! Now we have TONS and TONS and TONS of second cousins and I have two myself. LOL. Keylynn is going to school in Hawaii and majoring in Photography. If you're on my facebook you can see her work... She is amazing!! Seriously her work takes my breath away! She has millions of photos like these. I just wanted to share a couple she took. She makes me want to move to Hawaii!

Katie ~

Baili Bug.

Some pics of my bug crawling around. :)

Twin Questions Answered.

These are some questions I get a lot about my twins:

Thought I would answer some here...maybe you get these questions too? Maybe not?

Are they identical?
Umm have you seen them? Then those who ask that question respond: "some identicals don't look alike." Like they are doctors on twins, ha. Definitely not a person in the know of multiples and twins. My whole family Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother - all twins, and all had a few sets each. Twins is very popular with woman in my family. All fraternal, all boy/girl, all non-identical obviously and they all looked alike. Mine are the first girl/girl twins in a long time and they don't look a like one bit. But yes I guess identicals can not look a like, but when I get asked that question I look at them like they are just making up conversation. LOL.

How do you maneuver the stroller through the aisles?
I don't know any different is my main answer. But if I had to think about it I prefer long strollers (the skinny double ones). Babies sitting in front of each other. Usually Kirra in front and Baili in back. Poor Baili I need to switch it up more. She never gets to drive! I have double joggers, and side by side strollers but they tend to not fit in hallways, doors, etc. Much easier when going somewhere in a skinny one (I call them that). Joggers and side by side strollers are great when going for a jog or walk around the block. :-)

Were you on fertility drugs?
Kinda funny to have strangers just openly ask me this question. Usually goes like this, "are they identical, are they twins, did you do fertility drugs?" Wow. I would never have the guts to ask those questions to strangers in Costco. LOL. But NO absolutely NOT. I was actually on birth control and there you have it. Crazy surprise times two. Again, most of my family are twins so we are the usual twin family. My doctor/Gyno. said woman under 30 that have twins naturally and on birth control actual is under 2% of our country. Isn't that crazy? I was the 2% and man was I BLESSED from God.

Do you have your hands full all of the time?
YES. YES. YES. Only break is when they sleep and I tend to clean during that time or blog.

Are they double trouble?
No they are angels. No really Baili doesn't get in trouble a lot. Kirra likes to push my buttons. Baili is the sweetest baby on Earth and Kirra is the kindest most considerate baby ever! People say children under 5 don't have compassion or can't experience it...that's bull! Come to my house and see Kirra hug Baili over 100 times a day and kissing her non stop until Baili cries because she needs breathing space. Children know and understand compassion and no they certainly are not double trouble. But two almost 2 yr olds of course they can get each other in trouble. I do go by this... children imitate behaviors. They don't get in trouble much because all they have to copy is me and their Daddy and we are adults.

Since they are not in school yet they don't see other kids doing things they shouldn't- make sense? Just like the quote: "I am laughing because I can't hear what your saying because your behaviors are too loud!!"

Do twins run in your family?
ABSOLUTELY we don't even switch generations, ahhhh. My Grandmother who I never met always said (my Mom told me before she died). Don't tell me it is easier to have twins, because it is not. She was a single mom of seven two sets of twins. My Grandfather died young due to cancer. If she can do it, I can too. I tell myself this on hard days. How'd she do it? Tough woman, intelligent woman, worked in Congress, Professor, Mom of twins times 2 and 3 single births. She also said don't think it won't happen again if you get a set a twins in your first pregnancy. A lot of my woman in my family have had a couple sets. Also it is genetic only to girls obviously. Now that I have two girls that are twins. They have a HUGE chance to have twins as well.

Are you sure they are twins? They don't look alike...
This one I have got a lot. Yeah I think I should know this? Did you carry them together? Seriously some people are comical. Mine do not look a like not much at all. Especially Kirra tall, slender, and Baili tiny and very short and small, small feet. Baili is my tiny baby bug. Kirra is my tall happy bear. Still, I get this question. Funny.

Some twin Interesting Facts:
For some parents of multiples, questions like these seem to echo endlessly. Actually, it has been that way for ages. Twins and higher order multiples (three or more) have been the source of fascination and folklore for centuries, from the mythological Romulus and Remus to the biblical Jacob and Esau. Depending on the culture, twins were either revered or feared. Some were thought to bring on bad luck or poor crops, and the twins or the mother were sometimes killed. However, in some African tribes twins were honored and treated like royalty.

The average person has many misconceptions regarding twins and higher order multiples. One of the most common is that twins are people who look identical. The general public has little interest in boy/girl twins and those twins who look completely different from each other. Some will even argue with the mother (who carried the two in her womb) that these un-alike multiples could not be twins!

Katie ~

yeah to kid food!!

I finally found something Baili liked.
She is trying or WE are trying to have her gain weight.
As we all know.

These are pics of grilled cheese sandwiches.
She loved them and stuffed her face literally!
Kirra didn't like them at all.
Oh well.
Can't please both of them.

Kirra enjoyed her raspberries and polish sausage and other things.
We are mixing it up.
They both liked their broccoli.

Anyway Baili lately won't eat anything so I was so excited.
Literally she throws everything off her tray and LAUGHS at me.
"Like Mom go clean it up, cause I ain't eating it!" LOL.

She was stuffing her face with the grilled cheese.
For someone so small that is just fine!
Eat it up Baili!
Kirra isn't a big eater either but she LOVES her milk!

Brad Paisley Concert in Phx, AZ on Sept. 18 :)

I went to Brad Paisley with one of my best friends.
It was a lot of fun.
These pics are hard to see...

But Brad came out on some kind of stretcher and sat and sang to us on the lawn!
He was speaking to us that when he went to concerts he was like us in the lawn seats.
So he came out and sang to us.
Then he gave his guitar to some one in the lawn.
Amazing.

He truly is a great singer.
We had lots of fun.
The pics are not that great because we were so far away.
Plus they do zero justice of the concert.
All in all it was great!!!
But even though we were far we still enjoyed the music TONS!

Doctor Time.

Well I went into the doctor for ME. Crazy going to the doctor for Baili so much I haven't really gone since the twins were born. I really haven't been sick. So I decided to get a full physical, the blood tests, cholesterol, etc. They tested me for everything under the sun. I just got a call back this week that I am VERY healthy. And to keep up what I am doing because all my numbers were great. All my levels were great, cholesterol is wonderful, everything was great. Wow. What a relief! I didn't think anything was wrong but you never know when I had two people growing in me and took over my entire body. Having the NICU stress for 15 weeks and all the stress of being a Mom to preemies, twins, etc. Plus I have had some "extra pounds" still on ME. I think I could lose about 15 pounds for my sake. Since I was always smaller about 25 pounds lighter, but I am okay with 15. Yep I used to be 25 pounds lighter. So my new goal is by Christmas to try and lose this baby weight. The doctors say I am great for my height and all and everything is just fine. This would be for me. I am 5 '7 and 145 and I was always 120. I would like to be at least 130? We will see...

Hopefully when the weather gets cooler, one day... I will be more active outside with the girls. Like Boo at the Zoo and walks and such. We have many play dates planned and going to California and Sea World coming up. Oh my I have to be on a beach, does that entail a suit? All physical activities for me. Kirra being everywhere and Baili MOBILE now I am always on the move. Not like I can really take a break? It's that I am at work all day on my butt at a desk that scares me. Since my Mother always was on the thin side at my age I have NO excuse! She gave birth to four babies and always popped back older than me. So here's to a start and I will try to be healthy and work out more. I am healthy doctors cleared all that for me that all is great. This is for me. I want my skinny jeans back on!

IT IS HOT!!!

Yesterday as I was leaving work, I got in my car and it read 133. Not kidding, 133. I had to take a picture to prove this. I am sorry but that is INSANELY HOT! My car doesn't lie. It did go down to 109 as I drove because I thought it may be broken?? Nope. It was 133 in my car around 4pm. It is Sept. 17 this is not normal. Now you say why I complain and HATE the sun and HEAT?

Gobs of Pics of Kirra, Baili, Ellie and more.....

Kirra and Baili played with my Mom's best friend's daughter Lindsay's daughter "Ellie" (also my GREAT friend for life) in town from San Fransico. It was great to see Lindsay and Ellie! Ellie is about four months younger than my twins. Only a month younger if we count when my twins were suppose to be born. :) We of course didn't get any photos together but I got some of the girls.... Do you see Elle's Pink Pima Pumps? -- They are AWESOME!!

KIRRA:

Kir Bear, aka: Kirra

Update on Kirra:

Kirra is Baili’s best friend. Too funny at her appointment yesterday her Dad was taking her outside the hospital because she was acting restless and cranky because she CAN’T sit still for the life of her. Then she was balling on the way out and Dad had to bring her back within a minute of leaving. She didn’t want to leave Baili. Isn’t that so sweet?? She knew Bai didn’t like her appt one bit and she wanted to be there for her. They cannot be apart.

Oh Kirra, Oh Kirra. She is my smart cookie! She is attempting 3-5 words at a time. She knows many letters and sounds. A-E and sounds, and many others like t, s, v, y, w, etc. She loves her laptops, leapfrog, any educational activities. She LOVES the internet u-tube Sesame Street, ABC’s, stories, books, all of those educational videos on u-tube. It is so nice because she replays them and is RETAINING THEM!! She really is smart and I am not just saying it. You teach her that is red. She knows red for life. She just gets it. She is easy. She is smart. She loves life, family, people, babies, everything. She has had a tough time with Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, Mommy all the time! I feel bad because I need a moment break sometimes and she will scream. She wants me to sit with her as she learns on U-Tube. She wants me right there with her. But then it gives me time as the teacher I am to say what does a say? Which one is a? What does y say? Etc. The girl is always working on a test around me. Poor thing! Never kick back relaxing… always what does a hippo say? What about a cow? A bird? A cat? And on and on… She is really doing well. Thank God since we have so much with Baili. So much.

Kirra is running around and hoping, yes hoping! She is something. Oh LOVES Elmo! Elmo is her favorite and the Gummy Bear Song or anything with Gummy Bears and Sesame Street. Growing fast last weight at home was 26 pounds and size 6 shoes! I am so glad I have Kirra too she helps keep it all together. She will hug and kiss me and her sister all day long. She is so funny. She kisses my knees, skirt, whatever is at her level. Oh I love my Kirra!

Of course I will post pics soon. We have LOTS of new ones with their cousins and things and Baili crawling!

GI Baili

GI Appointment:

Dear Friends,

If you are interested in our angel Baili. Here is an update: So Baili… She had a GI appt yesterday at Scottsdale Hospital with our wonderful doctor – Dr. Gary Silber. He is the best in the business, my opinion. However it really wasn’t good. Unfortunately she lost weight. There is a lot to it and I don’t feel like typing it all out because all it does is make me cry. But she lost 7 ounces. She is down 7 ounces in a month time. Which is A LOT for a baby especially Baili. She was 21 pounds 4 ounces. A month a go she was 21 pounds 11 ounces. She needs to be gaining 5-6 grams a day at her age. She was gaining 11 grams a day when on the tube? This was phenomenal. Now we are off the tube. This was my decision. I thought she was drinking and eating like a pig and the doctor told me three cans a day she doesn’t need the night time feeds…

We have been off the tube for 3 or 4 weeks now around August 23rd ish… So maybe she was retaining more calories by eating a lot and drinking whole milk daily and then getting formula at night with high calories? Now she is drinking 2-4 cans of Pedisure a day and eating her three meals to the best we can get down her. Can’t force a child to eat, creates HUGE negativity about food. Sometimes she’s a pig. Sometimes she is a bird. Just depends on Bai’s mood. It is very frustrating to say the least for me. Because seriously she EATS and DRINKS!! She drinks Pedisure at least 3 cans a day which is high calorie! It saddens me because I really don’t know what to do anymore?? I HATE the **** tube. I don’t want it on her. You know why? Hundreds of reasons!!!! But mainly she has gotten so mobile in the last 3 weeks being off it. Maybe it has no significance what so ever? Maybe I am wrong? Maybe I am crazy? But she is CRAWLING! She is pulling herself up a little. She can sit up from any position, in bed, ground, anywhere! DID I SAY SHE IS CRAWLING!!! She attempts the stairs, not successful but attempts them. I think once she could sit up from laying down things were multiplying for her. She waves, bye, hi, can point to her head, starting to know body parts, claps, some signs, she is picking things up that she never did.

If she doesn’t gain or maintain weight by the next visit 10/13/10 then we are going to do future testing to see if she has well testing on many things to see why she won’t gain or maintain weight? If all is negative we will go back on the tube. I hate the tube. But at least it will give her the calories she needs? Doc says you need to gain and maintain to develop properly and for now she is only in the 2 percentiles for her age. She also has always had issues pooping, both girls. Trying new meds for that and we will see. A lot involved with that – that I won’t bore you with… She is NOT reflexing/vomiting either anymore. I personally think she was getting way too much formula at night and puking it up, but I am not a doctor. We weaned off one med and weaning off another as we speak for that.

Positive note she is a HAPPY bug!! SHE IS CRAWLING!! My angel is happy and playing and crawling and messing up my house more to my likes but oh well! She is in the stage Kirra was at about 12 months. Messing up all my chores, my clothes everywhere, and toilet paper, anything she can get her hands on she does it now. It’s annoying because I am used to her staying put and it’s all good. But I am so thankful she is mobile now!! Exploring her world!

Sometimes there are no answers all we can do is pray. I pray she has nothing wrong why she can’t gain. Because she was fine on the tube? I pray her rash on her legs right now isn’t exema again, because that’s a whole other story. Back to that doctor (pediatric dermatologist) if it is, yes she has one of those too. I pray for a lot of things.

Walk, Walk, Walk, Walk....and Other Stuff...

So I decided to ditch the stroller and let my girls lead me on a walk around the block last night. I was amazed at how many times my curious explorer stopped to check out small objects such as an interesting rock, a dead leaf, or a parade of ants. I know Kirra isn't trying to drive me crazy by dawdling. To her, the journey is as exciting as the destination, and the small details of the world are irresistible. We all had a fun walk, a long walk, just around the block but my Lord!

Kirra found dogs, cats, grass, flowers, you name it! Baili had a great time checking out everything Kirra found too!!

I do thank God for strollers with twins but once in awhile I need to let them explore outside of the house. Only being one person it is hard at times, but I live in a nice neighborhood.

Going to Best Buy last weekend, they don't have a cart that holds two. So for now exploring in Best Buy is not a good idea. If you have twins and need to go there, bring the stroller! Unless your kids listen and will stay right with you.

My Kirra likes to do her own thing and runs from me, fast! All I think about is my Dad's story about losing my sister at Disneyland. They had the whole place looking for her and she was only 1 yrs old. Telling him she probably been kidnapped and has a wig on her already. That anyone would want a blonde curly haired baby. So that story brings me nightmare thoughts, so Kirra is right by my side!!! They also lost her at SeaWorld too. But obviously hours later at Disneyland she was in the lost and found for children and watching movies and eating candy. Safe and sound. But it doesn't always happen that way. Being a fast toddler Kirra is I have to watch her closely wherever we go she is so fast and will run away in a second.

I love seeing all the new things both girls are doing!!! Baili is starting to crawl, talk more, play, being very mobile, etc. This is AMAZING for her!! She throws everything out of the tub. Including cups full of water, shampoo bottles, and toys full of water! I mean everything and laughs about it constantly, like she is so proud of herself! Drinks lots of pedisure and pooped twice this week on her own. Anyone that knows Baili that is a huge accomplishment for her!!! Her neurologist is proud of her accomplishments lately too.

Kirra has been saying everything she really amazes me. No worries about being preemie with her. She runs, talks, figure things out fast, and is a very smart cookie. She is very lovable and loves her sissy!!! She loves all people including strangers which is good and bad. Good because she has great social skills and loves all people. Bad because I am so afraid of her being kidnapped. She would just say bye bye and not know what is happening... Maybe I am just super protective. They hug and kiss constantly and man I love it! They are best friends.

Good Night Moon, BY: Margaret Wise Brown

Kirra is obsessed with Good Night Moon.
I try other books, she says, NO, NO, NO, Moon, Moon, Moon, Peeeease!!
We only have 200 books and all she wants is Moon!
I found it on u-tube she LOVES it!
She will watch it a 100 times in a row.
I try new books on u-tube and they start...
She notices it is not Moon and says No, No, No, MOON PEEASE!
Too cute!
She is border line obsessed with Good Night Moon.
This has been for months, not just a week and will get over it. LOL

Here is Kirra watching her Good Night Moon. :)

Hippy Kirra, yeah!

Kirra playing around helping Mommy clean. Baili busy on her laptop. :)

Katie

more pics

More pics of the angels. =)

This website is for them to hopefully one day understand how WONDERFUL they are to everyone who knows and loves them. Especially me. :) Also to remember the trials we went through with preemies.