Christmas time

Christmas time is upon us people. Hope you are ready! I know I am. I actually don't even feel like it is Christmas. I guess with all the chaos this year I haven't had a chance to sit and ponder what I want from Santa and how excited I would be when I opened it. I mainly have been busy buying, budgeting, and being way too busy getting our life organized. So now that Christmas week is here I feel like I'm not in the holiday spirit. I sort of feel like it is a sign of my age or as I like to think of it "maturity". That now that my life is filled with three kids, the Christmas that once was all about me is now all about them. Shhh though, lets not tell my parents I even thought that. Hehe!



Ashlyn Kay has opened a couple of presents from friends and other family members so far. She loves opening presents and is so excited about each and every one of them. It is such a joy to watch her get so excited. I am looking forward to many more where there are three little girls running around, ripping open presents, and screaming with joy! Well until someone messes up their pile or takes their most favorite toy ever...-oh what joy.

Palmer and Blake had their 4 month check up two weeks ago. Palmer was 10 pounds 11 ounces and Blake was 9 pounds 6 ounces. They are really trying hard to gain that weight, especially Blake. The occupatial therapist met with Palmer yesterday. Her eating is so much better and she gave her a thumbs up! She still does we they call "fisting". This is where she keeps her hands closed tightly in a ball all the time. We worked on excersises and will continue to work. If she keeps her hands closed in a couple more months the therapist will put hand splits on her to help her develop muscle tone in her hands. Today the twins will meet with the physical therapist. I am looking forward to see what they think about Blakes legs.
Yesterday Blake went to the lab to have her alpha feta protein drawn. I am not sure when the results will come in. We are expecting this month's to be higher then getting lower each time. Guess we will see.





Now that we are closing in on a year end I sit and think about what has actually taken place in the year of 2010...
We found out we were pregnant, we found out we were having twins, we found out we were having twin girls, I went to the beach and ended up in the hospital with contractions and dehydration, Baby A was thought to have spina bifida, Baby A was diagnosed with a sacrococcygeal what??? oh teratoma, we were sent to Childrens Hospital Cincinnati to the fetal care center, every other week I had ultrasound after ultrasound, I went to the ER for more contractions, another visit to Childrens Cincinnati, back in the hospital for contractions again, final visit to Cincinnati, moved to Cincinnati, moved in to the Bradley home, went in to labor, babies delivered via emergency c-section, blake's life was saved, Ashlyn Kay was sent to wetumpka for three weeks while I recovered, Jeff & I moved in to the Ronald McDonald House, Jeff & I visited the NICU every day, Palmer released, moved back to the Bradley home, Blake had a second teratoma resection, Ashlyn Kay moved in to our "temporary home" aka apartment in Ohio, Blake had another surgery, Blake had another surgery, Blake was released (hooray), the whole Moran Clan (finally a family of 5) moved back to Birmingham, spent a couple months basking in the glory of God!, Jeff went back to work (booooo:(, and here we are December and whew what a year!
A whole 12 months of surprise, excitement, adjustment, shock, disappointment, new friends, nervousness, scared to death, pain, and praise!
It was not the year I was planning but now that it is coming to a close it was just the year I needed. I hope that 2011 is a little less eventful but still filled with love and happiness.
Thank you everyone for your compassion, concern, and prayers this year. You are all truely a blessing to our family.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!