Mmm, chocolate!

Yesterday, I took all three kiddos to a Valentine's party hosted by the Mom's Club that I'm a part of. We had a cookie exchange for the moms, and the kids got to decorate bags which were filled with valentines. On the way home, Allison held her Valentine's bag and pulled out her different treats. She pulled out a foil wrapped chocolate heart and I watched in the rear-view mirror as she figured out how to unwrap it. She is so smart! I couldn't believe she got it undone, and then, slowly, she took a bite. How did she know it was food?? I was so impressed that she did that all by herself, that I let her enjoy that little piece of chocolate, her first taste of this yummy goodness! When I looked back at her, she had a huge smile on her face, complete with melted chocolate all around. I had to capture it on camera...

LOVED

One of my friends who is a mom of twins wrote on her blog that one of things she was most proud of was that her girls never knew a day when they weren't loved. When I saw this onesie, I had to buy it for Allison (I would've gotten one for Bailey and Bennett too but they didn't have preemie ones). Being a parent, I have gained a deeper understanding of how God must love us, and how much God wants us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are LOVED. My children exasperate me at times, they don't always do as I ask and can sometimes be downright defiant. Though that behavior is frustrating, maddening, and wears my patience thin, there has never been a day when I have not loved them. As Allison, Bailey, and Bennett grow older, I want them so much to know in the core of their being that we love them without reserve, but more importantly, that Jesus loves them and that they can be absolutely secure in his love. Seeing the visual of Allison wearing this onesie is a lesson for me too. We all need to believe and know there has never been a moment when we have been without our heavenly Father's love. It probably wouldn't hurt if we all wore t-shirts to remind us that we are indeed, greatly LOVED.

Too fast

Life is moving at lightning speed. The babies will be six weeks old on Tuesday!! How can it be that they have changed so much from their announcement picture which was taken when they were 5 days old? I am seriously a little sad with every week that passes, because they are growing up way too fast. I thought Allison's first year went fast, but I think it's going faster with the twins. It's true that with the second (or third) child, you don't take as many pictures. There are so many moments I wish I had captured with a picture--the times that they smile spontaneously in their sleep, when they are both cuddled in my arms, when a tiny hand clasps my finger during a feeding...

Both are growing like weeds! At their one month check-up last week, Bennett weighed 8 lbs, 4 ounces and Bailey was 7 lbs, 2 ounces!! They were 5 lbs at birth. Bennett, my little voracious eater, has developed a double chin and chubby cheeks and thighs. He looks quite bigger than his older twin sister. Bailey has grown too, but she has retained her long, slender fingers and delicate features.

Having twins is an immense honor and joy. When I have both babies asleep on my chest, I just soak up their sweet baby smells and bask in the blessing of having the miracle of TWO to love at the same time. The tops of their heads are well worn from my many kisses.

So although I'm not getting much sleep these days, I know all too well how short this time is and how I will soon forget how tiny my babes were. I'm trying to soak in every second!

Unbelievably cute, watch at own risk!

Swaddle

Helping

More pics coming soon...

Sorry for the lack of updates! We can't believe the babies are already two weeks old! I don't have much time to get on the computer these days...imagine that. I've been meaning to post more pictures, but sleep is just a bigger priority. Both Bailey and Bennett are doing well. They are very sleepy still and pretty much eat and sleep all the time. We are enjoying this "honeymoon" period! Allison has taken to her new sister and brother very well and every morning excitedly says, "Babies!" She loves to hug them and even helps hold their bottles when we are feeding them. Check back soon for more pictures. I promise we'll put more up!

Baby Time!

We have babies!


Here's Bailey...Bennett...here's one of them!

Still waiting...

Thanks to all those who have checked in and wondered how I was doing. I am still pregnant!! I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and hopefully we can talk about about an induction date if I don't go into labor soon. I'll be 36 weeks on Thursday, January 1st. My OB didn't think I'd make it this far...what a testimony to the power of prayer! Phil would love it if the babies came in the next couple of days so we can get our tax deductions. I would love for them to come this week, because Phil has to go back to school next week and then things get crazy! I am completely off of bedrest, off of all meds, and not having many contractions--go figure! So now, will you please pray that I go into labor SOON?? I promise I will keep you updated on the blog if anything happens, otherwise we are still here, still waiting...

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas...we did! Check back for pictures!
Love,
Esther, Phil, Allison, Bailey, and Bennett

Home

It was sort of surreal to actually leave the hospital yesterday and take my first breath of outside air in six weeks! Phil and I got to go to my staff Christmas party and had a fun time, even winning some awesome white elephant gifts!

We are now back in Dallas at my sister's house, and although it is not HOME home, I am super grateful that we are all together again. Allison was SO excited to see us today, and we had a sweet time playing with her. Since Phil has two weeks off for his Christmas break, we will all stay here. Hopefully the babies will be born the week after next while he's still on break, otherwise he'll go back to Arlington and Allison and I will stay in Dallas until the twins arrive.

I'm doing great and have everything I need for me and the babies whenever we go back to the hospital, this time for delivery! I am so thankful to be "home," and hoping I don't go into labor this week so I can spend Christmas with my family.

Hallelujah!

Sorry for taking so long to post...there were really no updates this week, as I was just doing the same old, same old in my hospital bed.

BUT, every Thursday marks another week that I've stayed pregnant, PLUS it just so happens to be sonogram day. And TODAY, I am THIRTY-FOUR WEEKS!!!!!! AND...my sonogram showed that there has been no change from the last two weeks and thus considered stable! Can you hear the strains of the "Hallelujah Chorus" in the background like I can??

I haven't talked to my doctor yet, but she has said that if my sono was the same this week, I could be discharged from the hospital. Yippee!! They are going to take me off the turbutaline pump that has been giving me a constant dose of meds to keep my contractions in check and start me on oral meds that will hopefully do the same thing. If that goes well, I can go home tomorrow (well, to my sister's house). Both babies are still head down, which is another miracle!

Oh I am just so overjoyed and thankful to God that I have made it this far. Psalm 126 has been so precious to me through the trials we've endured in the last few years, and even particularly during this hospital stay. It "happens" to be the psalter reading for THIS week in THIS year's Advent lectionary cycle:

When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

We have certainly sown our share of tears, but oh what a harvest we are reaping now. This has been my constant song:
"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!"

Our sweet babies could come any day now. Yikes and hallelujah...I'm soon going to be the mother of TWINS!! Keep up the prayers!

33 weeks and we have hair!

Praise the Lord, I'm 33 weeks pregnant today! I had another sonogram this morning, and I'm so thrilled to report that there has been no change since last week! Dr. Magee also showed me that Bennett has a lot of hair--so cute! He couldn't quite tell with Bailey since she was so low, but I'm sure she has a ton too, because Allison was born with a full head of hair. In fact, she had so much hair all over her body that we called her our Monkey Girl! I am really feeling like I'm in the home stretch of my hospital stay, and possibly the pregnancy. If I'm still stable next Thursday, my doctor is letting me go home. Seven. More. Days. Blessedly, these last five weeks, though long, have gone faster than I thought they would.

Thank you for all the prayers! We know they have been sustaining me and the twins. One more week, and after that, if I go into labor they won't try to stop it. I'm still praying we make it past 35 weeks. Christmas Day is 35 weeks, and though it would be fun for the babies to share Jesus' birthday, it does sort of make it hard on a minister's schedule each year. But I am trusting that God knows the day they'll be born, just like he knows how many hairs are on their sweet little heads!