March stats

The girls went yesterday for their LAST RSV vaccination. Praise the Lord! I have been appreciative of the shots because (cross our fingers) the twins have yet to get sick, but I obviously don't like my babies to get shots. It is so sad because they are so happy and laughing then BAM there it is. Immediate tears. I hate it! When the nurse weighed them Blake weighed 14 pounds 11.5 ounces and Palmer 15 pounds 1.5 ounces. Whoa...go big girls what you gone do??? Who would have thought. Also, Blake had her Alpha fetoprotein test this past Thursday. This lets the doctors know what the tumor cells are doing. She has this done every 3 months, so March was our next one. She had her labs drawn this past Thursday at Childrens here in Birmingham. Cincy called yesterday immediately followed by Childrens Birmingham. The nurse from Childrens Birmingham said her level was 112. December the level was 107. So this is up a couple of points and in the doctors eyes the same. Dr. Lim is out of town until Monday but he will call me then to figure what we need to do. I remembered from December that Dr. Lim said if in March the levels were the same or higher we might need to do another MRI. So as of today I am not sure what the plan is. I will have to wait to hear from Dr. Lim on Monday. This isn't exactly what we are wanting because the level should be slowly decreasing over every month. I will update everyone once I hear. Keep this in your prayers. I am hoping that it doesn't mean anything and we will continue to watch it and re-test again as planned in June. Then again that is just MY plan, not Gods. Not sure what he has in store for us.

Sharing

Whew! What a big and fun weekend we just had. A lot of fun, friends, and family all day all the time. Friday, Kala, myself, AK, Palmsicle, and ol' Blakey Boo head to the good old town of We-tu (slang for Wetumpka, Alabama). The trip was entertaining as usual, but we made it in one piece. Friday was a lazy day at the grandparents house and waiting on my parents to arrive. We were gearing up for a weekend full of fun. Saturday morning bright and early Kala (my sister) had a baby shower given by friends of my mothers. These ladies have hosted graduation parties, wedding shower, and baby showers for both my sister and I. We are so blessed to have such gracious women involved in our lives. Kala had a great turnout and got to visit with many of her high school friends who she doesn't see much anymore. Mary-Ross was showered some needed and just plain cute gifts. I can't wait to see her little self in those precious outfits. Ashlyn-Kay played in the playroom and on the great playset outside and exhausted herself (Praise the Lord). Good times were had by all, especially me when one of the hostess' showed up with boxes of Krispy Kreme. Yum Yum! Sunday morning we rushed around to get ready for church at First Baptist Church of Wetumpka. The church had skipped sanctity of life sunday due to the preacher being out of town. Normally on sanctity of life sunday he preaches on how all life is precious and abortion is not a option. He chose to take a different approach this time. There was a video clip shown called 99 balloons. I encourage everyone to check it out. Go to Godtube and search 99 balloons. It was about a set of parents who lost there son after 99 days of life to trisomey 18. So powerful! Then someone spoke who represents the Elmore County Pregnancy Center where they witness to all clients who enter the door. Then it was time for Jeff & I to share our testimony of God's Grace throughout our life this past year and how every childs life is very precious. We were both nervous, well at least I was. Some say speaking in front of old friends should be easy, but being from a small town can make that a little more nerve wracking. If you mess up guess where it will be the next day...all over the front page. Ha! I want to thank everyone for your encouragement to calm my nerves prior to the presentation. It helped! Jeff and I spoke in pieces. He spoke about the beginning, I spoke about the diagnosis and leading up until delivery. Then he spoke about the delivery and then we brought it back in on how our lives are forever changed only by God. Jeff did so amazing. I have never been more proud and honored to have him as my husband. He captivated not only the congregation but me! My extended family came over to my grandparents house to celebrate. We had yummy lunch and visited. We didn't get together at Thanksgiving due to us coming home. So it was nice to see everyone. The weekend was wonderful. The twins showed out as usual with their precious smiles and funny noises. Blake decided she COULD roll over and now is a rolly polly. It sure did take long enough. She hates it though and cries because she can't get back over to her back. Everyone was so impressed at how big they were and just couldn't believe our little miracles! Neither can we to be honest.

Alabama Baby Multiple Contest

So I love entering contest, especially photo contest. This month is multiple awareness month. So in honor of that Alabama Baby magazine is having a photo cover contest on facebook.

Go to this link: www.facebook.com/alabamababy
"Like" their page then scroll down and click on the magazine cover contest. You can look at all the pictures then "like" ours. The twins are wearing their "buy one, get one free" bodysuits.

Thanks everyone. The most "likes" wins a photo session with our favorite photographer, The Blink Lady, and they get to be on the magazine cover! We have a long way to go with our number of "likes" so make sure to get everyone you know to vote.

Blake & Palmer 7 months old

On Tuesday the girls turned 7 months old. When they turned 6 months old it felt appropriate, but when I realized they were turning 7 months old I felt sad. As if time is now moving a lightning speed. I didn't even realize that a month had passed. Before we know it they will be a year old!

We are enjoying them so much right now. They interact with us and are so alert. Both of the girls can sit up for a couple of minutes all by themselves. They still topple over when the breeze blows-haha. Palmer is still not crawling, well not on her knees. She can army crawl with a little help and Blake spins around like a bottle top on her back. Its funny.

Now that the weather has been pleasant we spend our mornings on the back patio. The twins jumping in their jumperoo and AK playing in her house while I drink my coffee. It is so pleasant. I look forward to the summer when I can throw blow up pools outside and we just all sunbathe. I also hope to get a swing soon too. With three kids I need my yard to be pretty much a park to keep us entertained.

Blake will have her alpha feta protein blood test again this month. The hope is for numbers lower than her December check. I have no doubt that they won't be great. She really is thriving! So happy and joyful all the time. Not sure how much she weighs but I would guess a little under 15 pounds. Girl is getting big. She loves her baby food. Peas have been her favorite so far. Today we move on to yellow/orange veggies. Carrots here we come.

Palmer is such a calm and pleasant baby. She just observes and smiles a lot. She loves to cuddle and be rocked. The two adorable nursery workers who keep them while I teach aerobics on Fridays just hold and rock them. When I get back the girls always look as if they really wished they didn't have to leave. So blessed to have kind and caring people to watch them. Palmer seems a little smaller weight wise than Blake these days. We won't find out until the end of the month what their weight is. I'm sure I will be shocked as usual.

I took a couple pics of the girls to commemorate their 7 months! Enjoy!

Buy One...Get one Free!.

My friend Alison gave the twins these bodysuits way back when and they finally fit. They are so cute and so "fitting" for our situation. Between mine and Blake's medical bills this past year she cost us a pretty penny. So I figured it was appropriate for her to wear the "Buy One" bodysuit and as usual Palmer is just along for the free ride. Bless her heart. Blake as always is cheesing it up for the camera in this picture. She is such a ham. I completely expect her to be my beauty queen. I mean she would def. score top in interview. They always ask the question, " What is a circumstance in your life you have had to overcome." Seriously...she has got a story to tell right there. They might as well just hand her over the crown. Okay, so I'm obviously in a little over the top on that one. No toddlers and tiaras here.

Some new developments with the girls. Palmer's physicial therapist said today that if she isn't crawling in a couple of weeks to a month she will be shocked and Blake is probably about 3 weeks behind that. So this means in about 6 weeks I might possibly have three mobile children. Lord....please give me strength! Blake & Palmer love their jumperoo and Blake seems to have a desire to want to be in a rodeo at some point. She throw one hand high in the air and jumps vigourously while acting like a bucking bronco. It's pretty entertaining.

They are both growing like weeds and Blake has officially closed the gap in weight with Palmer. Blake weighs 14 pounds and Palmer weighs 14 pounds 2.5 ounces. Whoa big girls! I think it is the green veggies we have been eating every night. Last week was green beans (not Palmers favorite) and this week was zucchini (which they both lap up).

I also schedule Blake's one year MRI and follow up visit for two days after her birthday. I am so excited about it. Walking in to the hospital with Blake after one year will be a emotional moment. I can't wait to walk in that hospital and show her cute smile off to the doctors, nurses, and staff who helped save her life. Wow! We are also going to speak to a prosthetic person about fashioning her a foam hiney until her surgery. It will help her sitting up because as of right now she tilts to one side and has a hard time doing that. Hopefully that will go well.