Spring Update on Selah & Jadah

I've forgotten to write for a few Sundays--- and tonight I'm attempting to write while watching Downton Abbey (after all the hype, we decided to give it a try...just started it a few nights ago).  Needless to say, I may sound a bit disconnected.
Selah and Jadah, two peas in a pod.  It'd be pointless to write separate posts about them, they are identical twins after all.  Blue-eyed beauties, both.  Their hair is different: we cut Selah's last summer due to a horrendous rat-tail.  And thanks to Christian's scissor skills, Jadah now gets to try out some bangs.  It's a nice differentiator.
They turned 3 in March.  They chatter and sing and have silly dance moves.  They are very particular about putting on their own clothes, saying good night (a dozen times), giving kisses on one cheek then the other, and having a kleenex to wipe their eyes after they cry: which seems much more often than necessary!
My mom has been able to spend a few weekends with them recently and has taught them the verses that Christian had learned (they also have been hearing him say them for 2 years).  It's so cute to randomly hear them rattle the verses off, even though they miss a word or phrase and are quite mumbly.

Besides normal church goings, they aren't involved in anything "extracurricular."  However, I have a feeling we are in for a lot of new activities with their growing (and more agile) 3 year old bodies.  I looked in the backyard yesterday and saw Christian teaching Selah how to hit a ball, they were using a tennis racket.  It was pretty adorable.  She was also attempting to pitch to him--- I'm surprised how patient he was with her!
Here they are!

My Girls are Two!

I absolutely looove the stage Selah and Jadah are in right now.  They are growing so fast--- learning more words and talking more each day.  They're getting attitudes.  They hit their brother (I don't know what they're thinking, he's capable of waaay more than they are).  They are potty trained except for while sleeping.  They eat by themselves and are learning to take off their own clothes (NOT simultaneously thank goodness).
I'm so glad we've gotten through 2 years with twins, there have been some struggles!  But I would quickly say that the joys of having twins has far outweighed the grief of that first year.  I was even crazy enough to wish for twins again when I found out I was pregnant.  In retrospect, I know I'll be thankful it's just one baby this time around.
While my sister was visiting this past weekend, we had fun taking pictures of our children together (Christian is three and a half, the girls are 2, and Malachi needed his 3 month pictures).  Here's what we came up with!

The Boys

Heart Breaker!

This boy is a ham!

My 3 Little Loves

The Birthday Girls!

Sweet Kisses

Jadah

Selah

And Sweet Little Malachi (honestly, such a good baby!)

Happy Birthday to Selah and Jadah!  I am so excited to live the next year as your mom!

Dear Selah & Jadah

You're my girls.

There isn't much point in writing two separate notes to each of you, you practically do everything together.  I think I've passed a turning point: I now like having twins, genuinely!  I can't decide if I like it enough to want another set, but I am definitely seeing the benefits of raising two babies who do everything at the same time.

Oh where do I begin?
We've just moved to Indiana, the place of your birth, so you're hoosiers at heart.  Just like your brother, I loved seeing your excitement grow every time we saw your Pappy and Mammaw Henry.  It was very special to live close to them for that part of your lives, even though you won't remember it.  And now you get the chance to grow in relationship with Pappaw and Grandma Potteiger, and I can already see your faces light up when they walk in the room.  You did great on the drive to Indiana (it was just me and you two for the long drive).  You took turns taking naps, looked at books and ate snacks that I tried handing back to you while driving.  It was swell.
I love to watch you two play together (especially when your brother isn't around to bug you)(but sometimes he's really sweet and I like to watch that too).  You both love to look at books, especially the kind with flaps to lift.

Selah,
You are sweet, and stubborn.  You give us these looks where your face is down, but your eyes are looking up at us, and you just stare.  You have gorgeous blue eyes and dark eyelashes, and since your hair is longer, you always wear a clip to hold your bangs back.  You are more content to play on your own, and you don't seem to cuddle as much as your sister (although you do love a nice long hug).  You still have the mole on your right arm that is our final backup in case we ever forget which girl you are.

Both of you still have your leg chubs...

Dirty puddle bottom and leg chubs

Jadah,
My little flirty daredevil, you may someday be my first child to break a bone.  You like to try dangerous things.  As far as the flirty part, you also have a "look."  You act shy and turn your body away, but you look back with your face and flutter your eyelashes.  You still have your dimple, and you laugh easily.  When meeting new people, you warm up to them pretty quickly.  You pooped in the bathtub this morning.  I think you will be funny and can't wait for you to start talking.

...where I find Jadah at the park

I love you both dearly, and you love each other dearly.  Every night before bed we sing a song, pray, and then I tell you to give each other hugs, kisses, and say "nite nite."  You both love it, and it is funny to watch the different variations of hugs you come up with.

Glad I have both of you, can't imagine one of you without the other!
I love you,
Mommy

And one more thing!

I have to add this, today was just full of funny little things!  

I'm so glad Simon was home to witness this also...  we were all in the kitchen eating lunch.  I was just setting down some yogurt for the girls when I looked at Jadah and noticed her eyes rolling around.  Then it happened: the NOD!  Again and again, her eyes would do that fade-roll thing, nod, and repeat.  Even when we eyes were open, she wasn't responding to any of my movements.  I decided to let her fall asleep, because come on, it's just so stinkin' cute when your kid falls asleep while eating!

Selah ate her yogurt, Christian yelled and laughed, Simon went to work, I cleaned up lunch.

And still she slept.

I looked closer, and saw that she still had a piece of fruit in her lips...

(dried apricots in case you were curious)

And 20 minutes later...

...still sleeping.

Sigh.  

Yes, I finally woke her up because I didn't want to ruin her nap. 

 I wish I knew her thoughts as she woke up, but if I had to guess based on her facial expressions, it would be 

"I'm so confused, why am I sleeping at the table?  Where am I?  Mom, what have you done?"

I don't know when the next time will be I get to take pictures of her asleep.  Sweet little baby!

Twins' First Birthday!

We waited to have a party for the girls until my parents were in town, which was the end of March.  And now its the end of April...hmm, don't know where the time went.

 I had quite a bit of fun planning for the party, and I did more for this one party then I ever did for Christian's party, sorry buddy, maybe this year (and I think you're counting on it)!

I had been wanting to make these tissue-paper pompoms from Martha Stewart for quite a while, so this gave me the excuse.  I was making them a full 2 weeks before the party... Simon kept reminding me that I still had a while, to which I sweetly replied with a grin, "I know."

  

This next picture was taken the next morning... but wanted to show you the hanging pom-poms.  Confession: they are STILL hanging there now.  I took them down once, and it looked so bare.  I am now on the lookout for something I could hang in that corner permanently.  

Another project I had bookmarked was making fabric party hats from this post on Momtastic.  I'll be able to keep them for years (hopefully!).  And just the other day saw a different post of it here too!  In the middle of making them, however, I realized I had not actually bought party hats, but paper cones, as in, snow cones, except bigger and pretty, maybe for popcorn?  I know, you're wondering how I could confuse the two.  Just trust me, it was possible.  Besides, I got them on clearance for a buck.  And they are big enough for childrens heads, so it was perfect!

Getting the kids to keep them on was another thing entirely...

Cousins!...

Anyway, party time!  We had chili (an easy crowd pleaser), my Mother-in-Law made the cutie-pie cupcakes (spice cake!), and my mom brought the ice cream.  A true party.

And so we gave the girls their cupcakes with a candle in each, I was busy telling Simon to watch Jadah so that she would't touch the flame... and as I looked back down, Selah reached up and snuffed her candle out with her fingers.  Oh poor baby!  She started to scream, and it took a while before the icing calmed her sniffles.  I felt awful.  :(

Everyone is happy...

And then she starts to cry...

It all ended up okay.  Her fingers were a little red, but no permanent harm done. 

Friends and family are so generous.  I am always awed when people give gifts to our children, so kind to shower them with sweet things. 

 Part of the gifts included new carseats for Christian so that the girls could start using his current seats.  I'm so glad they are finally facing forward.

Thanks again everyone, and happy belated birthday to my baby girls!

Here's a "parting" shot for you...

Twins are One!

I just finished putting the girlsies (that's what we call them sometimes) in bed.  What little dears.  After they drink their bottles, they crawl around for a while while I tidy up their room and get their pj's ready.  Tonight Selah pulled one of their blankets out of their cribs and cuddled up with it on the floor.  Jadah wanted in on the action and followed suit.  So Selah squealed and crawled away, Jadah followed, laughing.  And then it was a mess of giggles, squeals, and more laughing for the next few minutes.  I sat there watching, laughing too.  I thought about where we were a year ago.  And then out of the blue, I pulled a classic move.  I started crying.  Yep, sappy.  I am just.so.glad to be done with that first year.  I know that each year will have challenges all their own, but from talking to other moms of twins, they say their first year was the hardest.  Am I qualified to cast my vote yet?  So far, I'd agree.
And of course I have to post pictures to remind us how far we've come...
Then...

 And now...

Can you tell who's who?  Selah has more hair (always has).  I am still looking forward to when they both have hair long enough to do something with.
I've also taken monthly pictures.  I started a little late, so all the pictures are taken at the half month.  I intended to take each one in their crib with a paper saying what month it was.  I didn't quite meet my goal, but close enough.  I think you can click on it to see it bigger.  (look how HUGE that bear looks the first time... and then how much smaller near the end!). 

Love these girls. 

While I was looking through pictures, I got a glimpse of what I was looking like a year ago too.  (this isn't a great picture, but it was 2 days before they were born, and it has good contrast with the wall).

OOOO.  Okay.  Now I understand why my tummy looks the way it does now. 

Speaking of yucky tummies.  Last summer, Simon and I started the Insanity workout.  It is similar to P90X, but a different plan and only 60 days, you've probably seen an info-mercial about it!  We got through the first month and then realized we were moving, so packing took priority over exercising.  Looking back now, finishing one month made a HUGE difference in how I felt AND looked. 
However, ever since moving, Simon and I have both found it very hard to work out, and I am especially inactive staying home with the kids.  It doesn't help that our eating habits have been slightly worse too (now that we are in the chip-making region of the country).  We've tried to start a routine several times, but they only last a week before we find ourselves eating yes, chips, while watching tv instead of working out.  Ugh.  So this week we are starting again: and I am writing it here in hopes that it will keep me accountable to the blogosphere....aka you, reader. 

Why am I talking about myself in this birthday post?  C'mon Rach.

My darling girls: I LOVE 'EM SO MUCH!  And I am excited for what the next year holds.  I am so glad God blessed us with both of them.  And I still can't believe we have twins.  How does that even happen!?  UHHHHH-mazing. 
Happy Birthday, Selah and Jadah!

"Oh You Have YOUR Hands Full..."

Ninety-eight percent of the time, this is what people say to me when they see me with twins and a two year old.  I just smile and nod..."yep, they keep me busy."  

 It's been a while since I've written about twin-life, they will be 10 months old in a few days.  Life is immeasurably better than it was 7 months ago, and 10 months ago for that matter.  I keep them on the same schedule for eating, sleeping, and playtime.  We've started to notice differences in their personalities and the "Nature vs. Nurture" issues are quite obvious.  Jadah is content to play by herself and is overall more playful.  She loves being tossed and standing on Simon's hand (like we did with Christian).  Selah is clingy and follows me from room to room whining.  She tenses up and starts to cry when lifted in the air, and refuses to stand on Simon's hand.  So even though we do everything the same with them, they are obviously not the same.  

It amuses us that Jadah loves to crawl on top of Selah.  And Selah hates it.  Maybe they're trying to recreate the womb... Jadah was on top.  Either way, it is cute:

And look what Jadah can do:

I can't believe it!...it seems like yesterday she couldn't sit up, and now she stands there all on her own (not for very long though).  She is also crawling "normal" now... both the girls have been army crawling for a few months.  Jadah has four teeth, Selah is working on her third.  And I keep thinking that I'll stop carrying them two-at-a-time soon, but somehow I just keep doing it.  It is nice now that they can stand in their cribs and reach for me, it makes the picking up process MUCH simpler.  Scoop #1.  Scoop #2.  Down the stairs we go... (unfortunately, the setting down process isn't always as smooth, we've had a few mild flops along the way). 

Sometimes we sit here and wonder how we ended up with two babies at one time.  It is a new adventure raising two at a time instead of one.  We are filled with joy when we look at our three little ones, something you understand perfectly if you have your own children.  It is a blast to watch them grow and learn new things each day, literally. 

One thing I know for sure, we are one happy blessed family!

BabyLand

"Everything's better in Maryland"... more to come on this picture later...

 

The girls are over 5 1/2 months now!

They aren't quite sitting up, but they are getting on knees and elbows and rocking already.  Crazy.

 

This picture shows both their "tells": Selah has a mole on her right arm. Jadah has dimples.

 

My mom's parents and their great-grands...

Christian, Selah, and Jadah, and Kaelyn and Janessa (daughters of my cousin Judith)

(we like to have our children within 1 month of each other)

 

Have a great week!