Christmas in Oregon

 For Christmas this year we spent 17 fun-filled days in Oregon. The girls loved all the attention and love. We sadly did not take very many pictures, but did catch a few good ones.

 On the Eve of Christmas Eve it is tradition to celebrate Lille Julaften--it is Danish. The tradition includes (at least Leigh's family eating rice pudding and an almond is secretly placed in one of the bowls. The person that gets the almond has to hide it and everyone guesses who has it. Then that person gets a gift--this year Leigh got it! After we celebrated Lille Julaften we went on a limo ride around the city to look at Christmas lights. 

The girls with Grandpa in their beautiful Christmas dresses.

Very sweet moment: Lyla hanging out with Eva and loving it.

The girls cannot get enough of their Auntie Kirsten :)

Cousin Preston is the BEST helper

Tessa-roo being cute cute cute

We were so grateful to be able to spend such a long amount of time with family because we know our years of being able to do so are dwindling as Leigh gets closer to finishing school. We had lots of fun despite all 4 of us getting sick and having to take the girls to a doctor to find out that Lyla had a double ear infection. We had some long night of little sleep. I got lots of reading done, a few naps, a girl's night out of Bunco, learned how to cook prime rib AND turkey, and lots of relaxing time. Leigh and I got to go on a little date (of shopping for Christmas presents and Taco Bell--oh, the excitement!) without the girls--Thank you Auntie Kirsten and Cousin Preston! We are excited for the next time we get to visit!

8 months!

8 months! I'm posting it on time! (7 months is below)

This past month we have seen SO much change in the girls. They have just taken off in their development and started to do so many new things. Time to baby-proof this house and watch these girls a little more closely!

Cutest helmet ever, right?

 

Lyla Jane::

13 lbs 14 oz. (3.6%)

24 inches (.5%)

Lyla...

-rolls a looot more

-on her tummy a lot

-has become a tummy sleeper

-way more interested in toys this month

-smiles instantly when talked to

-had a double ear infection and was so good about it

Kendal Mae::

14 lbs 5 oz (3.6%)

25 1/2 inches (11%)

Kendal...

-rolls all over to get things she wants

-gives kisses sometimes 

-lifting herself onto her knees---on her way to crawling

-has started a fake laugh

-talking a ton more

-has learned how to get out of her bumbo

After we came home from our Christmas vacation it seemed like the girls could do all these new things over night. The started rolling multiple times, sitting up without support, trying to crawl, scooting, moving in circles. It was exciting and a realization that our babies are growing up.

-I officially decided to declare that the girls are sitting up. I wasn't quite sure what the definition of "sitting up" was so they probably have been doing it for awhile, but it became more obvious this past month. The girls would still rather be rolling around, but we do have our little sit-playing time every day. 

-We had to buy little high chairs for the girls--we just got little boosters that attach to our dining room chairs due to lack of space. We were feeding the girls in their bumbos on the table, but after Kendal got out of hers a couple times (luckily while she was on the floor in the bumbo) I decided we needed something that would strap them in and have a tray close up to them. 

-We started solid foods!! I waited until after the New Year when we got home from Oregon. I read all these things about how babies will start out eating a teaspoon of rice cereal and don't be surprised if they don't want any at first. Not these girls. They dived right in and wanted more and more. I talked to the doctor and he said to go ahead with other foods since the girls were so eager and loving it. We have had rice cereal, oatmeal, squash, and just started carrots. We are worried the girls may be sensitive to the oatmeal because they broke out in an awful diaper rash so we have stopped feeding it to see if it makes a difference. Next on our list are peas or green beans. The girls get a bowl of rice cereal and a vegetable twice a day. They are still breastfeeding/bottle every 2 1/2 hours during the day.

-our Pediatrician suggested we stop using binkies for sleeping because we were having the issue of Lyla waking up every 20 minutes before finally falling asleep for the night after a couple hours. We have been going on a week without binkies for bedtime and it has been a success. The girls the past few nights have gone to bed with little or no crying and Lyla hasn't been waking up until the middle of the night feeding. It has been fabulous. Now on to no binkie for naps....oh naps. They seem like they will be the death of me. They just don't really happen around here, sadly. We get a couple shorts naps a day. I'm hoping to change that soon by waking them up earlier and being better about putting them down for naps at the same time every day. 

-the girls are LOVING: electronics (remotes, phones, laptops, tv) and our wipes container--it makes a fun crinkly noise and the wipes are so fun to grab.

-the girls are pretty much obsessed with their jumperoos. They go CRAZY....jumping super high over and over. It is quite hilarious. Kendal even fell asleep from jumping so much in the jumperoo!

-We are loving how much the girls are starting to interact. They continue to hold hands and smile at each other. But, now they have started talking to each other. I see a secret twin language happening in the near future. 

7 months!

 The girls turned 7 months old...a month ago. :) 

This was probably the busiest month of the girls' lives so far. It was a lot of fun! Not many changes in the girls, just growing and getting better at the skills they had started to develop. We just love these girls so much.

 Kendal Mae::

13 lbs 5 oz. (3%)

25.5 inches (23%)

Kendal...

-interested in EVERYTHING around her

-discovered how to drink out of a straw on accident (through my water bottle)

-everything does directly into her mout

 

Lyla Jane::

12 lbs. 13 oz. (1%)

24 inches (1.6%)

Lyla...

-extremely social, but not very interested in toys--she would much rather be looking at someone and smiling while they talk to her or trying to talk to them

 -rolled over back to tummy

-swings toys/things around like they are nun-chucks

Kendal and Lyla...

-sitting with lots of support and tend to fall forward still. They support themselves with their hands in front of them. They don't seem to interested in sitting on their own.

-are SOOO ready to eat solids. They watch us like hawks as we eat and try to grab our food. I'm trying SO hard to wait until they are 6 months adjusted age, but I don't think we will make it to then just because they are so ready.

-are chewing, chewing, chewing. We are definitely teething. 

-Favorite thing: their feet

-got their 2nd synagis (RSV) shot and it was no fun :( The girls were already tired when we went to the doctor appointment and so by the time we go to the shots they were not happy campers. It was the first time that I about cried for/with them.

-Feeding: 50% breastfeeding, 50% formula. My body just cannot keep up with these growing, hungry girls. I am grateful that I have been able to keep giving them some breastmilk--it definitely has not been a walk in the park and I pretty much only do it because I know it is good for them. 

We think the time is going by SO fast, but we love seeing these girls grow, change, and develop. 

Blessing: November 6, 2011

Okay, so I know that this event happened in early November and I am just getting around to it, but here it is. 

The girls were blessed on Sunday, November 6th, 2011. In our Church we give baby blessings which consist of giving the baby a name and a blessing. It welcomes the baby into the church family, gives them a name to be on the records of the church and gives them a blessing for their life. It is usually in front of the congregation, but we got to have our own little baby blessing because of a mix up with church meetings. Leigh gave each of the girls their blessings. It was beautiful and sweet. I am just so grateful to have Kendal and Lyla as my daughters. I know they are going to grow up to be wonderful girls and women. They have already touched so many people and given so much hope to people. They are a miracle and blessing. 

We are so grateful for the family and friends that were able to make it. Many of them had to travel for this special event and we are so grateful that they did so. 

And now some random pictures from November:

Nana got the girls these cute winter suits. They are huge and the girls love them. And I just think they look so adorable.

Grandpa with Kendal 

 Auntie Kirsten with Kendal--everyone says Kendal looks like Leigh, which I think she looks like her Auntie. It's definitely those blue eyes.

The girls do a lot of this with daddy. Hang out while daddy is on the computer. 

I don't think it gets any cuter than that. 

Watchin' the Ducks game 

Great-Grandma (the one Lyla's middle name, Jane, is after) playing with the girls. 

Great-Grandpa with Lyla--Oh, and her shirt says "My dad goes to BYU"   :)

We started solids!

Our Family Christmas

 In the middle of December we had our very own little Christmas. I was really excited this year to start some of our own family traditions. We made ornaments with the girls (handprints in salt dough), cookies to give to friends, reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, opening a new book and Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve, eating cinnamon rolls and drinking hot chocolate while opening presents. I'm excited to start even more traditions and to have the girls more involved next year. We had a small Christmas, but it was fabulous and wonderful. 

 Christmas Eve--Leigh reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. These girls looove books. They are both in their new jammies and have no idea Santa is on his way. :)

Kendal Christmas morning

Lyla Christmas morning

Both the girls in front of our itty-bitty tree. We just don't have room in our apartment for a tree, so this is what we got. Behind the girls you can catch a glimpse of the stockings I made for the girls. It was no easy task as I messed up awfully on both of them. But, they worked and were pretty cute. 

The girls each got books, play keys, and they got this cool train to push buttons, push when they stand up, and sit on when they are big enough. They were actually interested in opening the gifts and mainly wanted the paper. We spent the rest of the day lounging around. I made a fast "Christmas dinner" of chicken (instead of turkey), stuffing from a box, and mashed potatoes. All in all, it was fun and a great First Christmas for the girls.

2012 is THE year

I've decided that 2012 is the year that I accomplish my New Year's Resolutions. It is the year that at the end I will look back and think "I have no regrets". 2011 was a pretty fabulous year for us and was filled with many, many memories. Before I list what is going to happen in 2012, let me reflect on 2011.

Favorites of 2011:

1. Kendal and Lyla joining our family

2. K&L being born in a fabulous hospital with the best NICU

3. Bringing our babies home!

4. Spending time with family

5. Celebrating 3 fabulous years with my wonderful husband

6. Leigh getting in to BYU's Business School

7. Being a stay at home mommy

8. Moving to a 3 bedroom apartment

9. Mom (Leigh's) recovering from breast cancer--she went to her annual mammogram and it was caught early enough to be treated and be gone completely.

10. My mom (&dog) recovering from being hit by a car while out for a run without any major injuries.

I know there are a million other things that were favorites about 2011, but those are the 10 I can think of at midnight. On to 2012. I have decided my motto for the year is going to be, "Do Better". There are so many things I want to do. But, I know there is no way I will be able to perfect all of them. So my goal is to do better, to make improvements in my life. I don't want to be content and sit around--I want to be working for higher accomplishments and constantly improving myself so I can be the best mom and wife.

Here's what I want to do with that motto:

-healthy lifestyle

-organized house

-play with my girls more

-follow a budget

-spend more quality time with husband

-lose weight

-wear nice clothes more often (instead of switching between sweatpants and tshirts on a daily basis)

-find new ways to serve others

-sew more

-craft more

-daily scripture study

-Family Home Evening each week

-morning/night prayers

 -family prayer

-update blog more often (I have like 10 blogs I need to do....and I promise to get around to them)

-Journal more often

2012 is going to be awesome!