12 Month Pictures

So I didn't share the 12 month pictures we had taken of the kids yet because I was giving some as gifts. A wonderful photographer, Brooke Turner, came to the house to take the pictures. She is expecting her own boy/girl twins and I am so excited for her!

I can't believe how much they have changed since these pictures!  Some other new posts are below and next up is 16 months, but not tonight... mama needs some sleep!

My Favorite Things...Baby

So I had someone ask recently about the best baby things out there, as well as what to skip.  I wanted to write this down while I still remember...

1.Video Monitor.  This has saved me so many trips upstairs in the middle of the night!  I love that when I hear something out of one of the kids I can just look on the monitor to see what is going on.  There are many times when they just cried out, coughed, etc and do not need me to come.  Without the monitor I would hear that noise and not know if they need me or not, so I would probably go just to be safe. And open the door, letting in light, and possible disturb them not to mention me being completely awake since I went upstairs only to find they are just fine.  There have also been other times when I look right away and see something is wrong and get there fast.  I maybe would have waited a few minutes to see if they would settle down without the video, so the reverse is good too!  It was a big expense, but for me it has been completely worth the money!

2. Snap and Go stroller.  Of course we got the double one but either way I love this thing.  It's light weight and inexpensive, and when you stop carrying the baby in the carrier, you can just move to another lightweight stroller like we did with our double Combi. 

3. Aquaphore. Great for diaper rashes and all skin ailments, just buy the big tub because it is worth it. 

4. Simple Diaper Pail. I skipped the elaborate ones that take special bags and just got a simple pail that I can get any old bag for (I get scented bags).  It worked great when they were little.  Let's face it little babies do not have smelly BM's.  When the kids got older, it could not contain the smell, but I hear from friends that their fancy ones didn't either.  I just moved the pail to the garage and throw the diapers away out there.

5. Good Nursing Bra.  If you plan to nurse, spend money on a great bra (or 2).  I bought a less expensive one and hated it so much I never wore it (unless I had not done wash and just had to).  I got 2 great bras from the nursing store at the hospital.  At the store they will fit you and everything!  Very worth the money, especially since I nursed my kids for 15 months!

6. Dishwasher Baskets.  Washing bottles by hand is a pain!  With these baskets you can just put all the small parts in there and stick them in the dishwasher and let it do all the work!

7. Space Saver High Chair. With 2 kids you have to save all the space you can.  These just strap into chairs and you are good to go. 

8. Loveys.  My kids were each given a lovey at a baby shower.  I started giving it to them at about 5-6 months old (for sleep) and they soon started wanting it to sleep with.  I went out and bought them each 2 extra.  I knew one could get lost or messed up or just need washing and I wanted back-ups.  My kids are so cute with their loveys and it's good for them to have a comforting object to help them sleep!

9. Sleep. So you can't buy this but you can get the book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth, M.D.  I basically followed the Baby wise principles for a feeding schedule but found that I needed more in-depth information to get 2 very different children sleeping well.  This book has so much helpful information, I recommend it to everyone!

10. Books, toys, and other activities.  So babies need things to do, to play with, to learn.  However, it seems that babies are very different, some will love the swing and others not so much. You just never know until yours is here.  Board books are great, not quite indestructible but they aren't destroyed easily!  Toys that help your baby to have tummy time are good too.  Riley hated tummy time, so anything that distracted her from realizing she was actually on her tummy was good (she loved a mirror).

I could probaby come up with a few more but that's some of my favorites!

Summer Fun

I'm behind in my posts, the kids turned 16 months on Sat. so I'm going to try to catch up so I can get to that post.

We've been having lots of fun this summer.  It is so very hot, so we are inside a lot, but we do get out some.  I'm really not sure where the month of June has gone, but I guess that's what they say about time flying when you are having fun!

The kids loved the sand table at a friend's house.

Don't you love the sunscreen in his hair?

Lots of sweet friends to play with!

I just love this picture of Riley :)

First time on a slip-n-slide!

Fun was had by all :)

The NICU where the kids were born has a reunion every year and we went and saw some of our nurses.

Pool time on the back porch (notice Haley in the door w/ her tongue hanging out).

We spend lots of time playing inside, they just laid down beside each other like this, so cute!

We also look at where we would like to be playing outside, but it is often too hot!

We had some friends come for a swim after dinner one Fri. night and then we put the kids in their pj's and all went to get donuts at Krispy Kreme!  That was a great outing!

This was our picnic with our Sunday School department at the park.  It rained right at the beginning and cooled it down from like 100 degrees to a cool 95 (some exaggeration, but not sure really how much, it was hot!) The kids did have a great time playing, and needed baths when we got home!

Happy Father's Day

It's Quinn and Riley, we wanted to write a message for our daddy...

We love you daddy!  You are the BEST daddy in the world!  We love spending time with you, laughing, playing and having so much fun!  We love when you get home from work and we light up when you walk in the house.  Thank you for working so hard so mommy can be home with us, we really appreciate you!  Thank you for making so many fun memories with us!  We love you so much! Happy Father's Day!

Love,

Quinn & Riley

Pool fun with daddy!

Snuggle time :)

Daddy's lap, froggy, and my thumb...nothing better!

We also love our Pop and Papa and wish them a very Happy Father's day!  We hope all the other dads out there had a great day too!

Funny Story

Quinn has this habit of not actually taking his cup in his hands when you offer it to him.  He instead puckers up and somehow manages to get you to turn his cup up for him and hold it while he drinks.  Sometimes he has toys in his hands and other times he's just taking advantage of his mama thinking he's too cute and giving in when he is totally capable of holding it for himself. 

Well, this came to a new level yesterday.  They both had juice cups out for them to drink while they played.  They are pretty good about knowing which cup is there own and Riley will often bring Quinn his cup if she happens to pick it up.  I look up yesterday to find Riley holding out Quinn's cup and him doing the same thing where he just goes to drink it with you holding it...and she held it for him while he drank!  It was so funny!  At first I thought oh she loves him look at how sweet, and then I thought this little boy has got all the girls in his life taking care of him.  I've got some things to work on or his future wife will not thank me!

8 years and 15 Months

8 years ago Geoff and I were married, and our family was started!  What a wonderful 8 years it has been being married to my best friend.  We have been through some difficult times and some amazing times and I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else.  I am so thankful that the Lord brought us together and is allowing us to walk this life together!

Quinn and Riley turned 15 months last Wed.  They are growing up so quickly!  We celebrated our anniversary by going to Charleston this past weekend, it was my first time away from the kids.  Geoff's parents came to stay with Quinn and Riley!  They were loved on and had lots of fun with Grammy and Pop, and Geoff and I had a great time getting away together!  I cried a little on the way down on Fri. (that was also my last day nursing them) but we all had a great weekend and I'm so glad we went.  I think time away together is great for your marriage, and children thrive when mom and dad's marriage is good so it was a win-win for everyone.  We are so grateful to Grammy and Pop for taking such good care of Quinn and Riley...Thank YOU!

These 15 month olds are very busy children.  They play so hard and are so cute the way that they play with each other.  Today they both had some wash cloths and were wiping a chair together.  It looks like I will have some great helpers (dusters)! 

We had their 15 month appointment and Quinn was 31 1/2 inches tall and 25lbs 2oz,  Riley was 29 1/2 inches tall and 19lbs 13oz (almost 20lbs, and she can join her brother facing forward :) 

A few things about Quinn and Riley at 15 months:

Quinn is in size 4 diapers and Riley size 3. Quinn is in mostly 18 month clothes and Riley is in 12 month, with some 9 month. Riley just got in her 16th tooth and Quinn has14 teeth, but his 15th and 16th should be cutting through any day. They still take 2 naps a day (about 10am and 2:30pm) and go to bed about 7:30pm.

They are both "talking" and will carry on conversations with each other, so cute! Riley's been trying out some new words (lion and apple) and has a lot of words she commonly uses. Quinn is starting to try out some more words. He recently said "Amen" "thank you" and "bye bye".

  They are back to being pretty good eaters, are even willing to try some new things if Geoff and I are eating it.  They like to eat off our plates so that's how we usually introduce new foods.  They do not have a peanut allergy...and love peanut butter! 

 

They have decided that they really don't like bath time right now! They don't mind water, played in the pool over the weekend and even put their faces in the water. I don't know what it is right now but they just cry all the way through bath time. So they get cleaned very quickly and get out. They do love that after baths they get to walk around in the buff for awhile before they get on diapers and pj's.

Eating a popsicle for the 1st time.  I cut it into chunks and put it on their trays.  Riley is reacting to the cold!

They love looking out windows!

I was doing laundry and Quinn can spot his frog lovey anywhere!

Riley likes playing with hats, this is her brothers.  She won't wear them long but she keeps wanting you to put it back on her.

Needs no explanation...

Quinn is so proud that he can walk up and down the driveway, without falling!

She was loving that football!

I love this picture, such a sweet bond between a daddy and his daughter.

Quinn can also spot a stick anywhere :)

Riley is practicing her walking!

They love their Aunt Cricket!

Riley in Aunt Cricket's sunglasses :)

Quinn cracks us up doing the funniest things, here he decided to make the box his seat. And he sat and read his book that way!

Walking around at Nana and Papa's house!

Riley at 15 months!

Quinn at 15 months!

Quinn and Riley,

I love you and love watching you grow!  I am so proud to be your mother and love that I get to spend my days with you.  My life is so much richer because of you both and I am thankful everyday for you!  Thank you for your smiles, cuddles, and daily antics that make me laugh.  You are adorable and so precious to me!

Love, Mommy