Sneak Peek!

After many missed sessions due to the weather, we finally had our outdoor photo session with my favorite photographer and friend, Jerry. Jerry snapped away while his wife, April, gathered children and did everything to get the kids to cooperate.

These are just the first look...Jerry has not worked all his magic yet. I have to pick from over 300 shots. I have no idea how I am ever going to narrow it down. I can't resist sharing some of the intial shots.

How happy does Graham look?

The girls enjoying the leaves.

and there goes the bow...

Graham enjoying the leaves.

Bryce

Layne

Graham~love the sweaty head as it is in the upper 70's in December.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

The tree is up. It took 4 whole days to decorate because I had 3 little ones that wanted to help at all times. I could not bare to finish the tree without them. Graham absolutely loved it this year and the girls loved the boxes. What a difference 3 kids have made in the way I decorate a tree. Before the children I thought I had The.Perfect.Tree. Everything coordinated and every ornament was placed with thought. The tree was glamorous.

Fast forward to present day and today I can say without doubt that I definitely have THE.PERFECT.TREE. The ornaments this year were placed with precision by a 3 year old. Breakables up high and out of reach of his sisters' little hands, soft, squishy indestructible ones down low to survive those same little hands.

I just loved how he "grouped" ornaments together so they would not be lonely.

Please note the sweaty matted hair...due to all his hard work.

Proud of all his hard work...yet still more to do.

Take notice of the teddy bear stocking hanging in the tree behind Layne and glass balls mid way up the tree. Do stockings go in trees? They do in our house.

Bryce preferred playing with ALL the boxes.

Layne and Bryce after they shared a sweet sisterly kiss. I can never catch their sweetness in action. I am always late.

Here is the finished product! I just hope it does not take me 4 days to finish decorating the rest of the house. But if 3 little helpers want to lend a helping hand, I will gladly spend the next 4 days letting them add their touch to our house.

18 months! Where has the time gone???

My girls turned 18 months and what a ride it has been thus far. I wonder what it will be like when they turn 18 years. Hopefully, they will still be daddy's little girls. Layne, Daddy & Bryce

November 2007

Bryce, Daddy & Layne

May 2006 NICU

18 months ago I was given the honor of becoming a mom to 2 beautiful yet tiny little girls. I entered the the world of twins, the NICU, a 26 month old son, and the beginning of sleepless nights on May 20. I remember that morning as if it were yesterday. I woke up crampy and wanted a few more minutes to lay in bed. Brian insisted we call the doctor. We were told to always call if anything out of the ordinary happened. I was suppossed to be induced on May 24...surely this was just indigestion. But nope...off to L&D to get monitored just in case...

We got to L&D at 8:30 AM and lo and behold I was 6 cm dialated. Those babies were coming at 34 weeks 5 days. Thank goodness my mom had already made her journey to our house and was able to take care of the G-man. At 10:13 Bryce Elizabeth entered the world @ 3 lbs 7 ozs and at 10:15 Layne Ashley followed at 5 lbs 7 oz. I just remember praying to hear their tiny cries. Two incredible sets of cries were heard through out the room. I remember feeling such relief. Bryce and Layne could not be more perfect.

Bryce entered this world tiny but strong willed. She is a true fighter and has surprised everyone that knows her. She has been through so much in her 18 months...every medical specialist, PT, OT, ECI, and a nutritionist. She has had to battle 24 days in the NICU, major feeding issues, severe reflux, 7 ear infections, 2 hospital stays with RSV and Roto, & most recently pneumonia but has prevailed everytime. My mantra for her is SHE IS TINY BUT MIGHTY. Today, that little girl does eveything a TYPICAL 18 month old should be doing. My prayers were answered that she would "grow"out of her prematurity. She. Did. Her personality is so much like Graham's...analytical, observant, and sensitive.

Layne has been known as the laid back baby since birth. Her smile will melt your heart. Layne spent 8 days in the NICU and never looked back. She ate and slept like a champ. She was on a mission to "catch up". By 6 months old no one would have ever thought she was a preemie. She has not had to struggle like Bryce and I often feel like she did not get the attention she deserved as an infant. I used to tell her she better start crying more to get more attention. But no...she knew Bryce needed it more. Layne has turned into a beautiful toddler full of personality, compassion, and spunk.

Here is too many, many more months of growing together as a family and as sisters. LOVE YOU!

Thanksgiving blessings!

We were so blessed this year to celebrate Thanksgiving with my side of the family. It was the first time I hosted family. Brian fried a turkey and we had all the trimmings. I must say it went much smoother than I thought it would. We even served dinner 45 minutes AHEAD of schedule. It.Was.Delicious.

Layne, Jacob, Graham, Bryce & Jordyn

Graham loves every minute he gets to spend with his cousins. It really makes my life easier when they are here. Jacob keeps Graham entertained. Jordyn adores Bryce and Layne and loves to help take care of them. It is wonderful.

Halloween had by all!

Graham was beyond excited this year about Halloween. I am not quite sure why since he does not really like to eat candy. Graham dressed up as Lightening McQueen from Cars movie. Bryce and Layne were lady bugs. They did not give me any trouble in the 80 degree weather while having to wear their costumes.

Graham kicked off Halloween with a parade at this preschool.

Dillion, Graham and Chas

Bryce

Layne

Graham

Take me home! I am ready to go to sleep.

Pumpkin Patch with the Taylors

The boys~ Will and Graham

The Girls~Layne, Jeanne, and Bryce

Cruising the neighborhood

From the mouth of a 3 year old...

Bedtime discussions...

G, "Why does the letter 0 and number 0 look alike?"

I have no answer. Does anyone?

I give G a kiss goodnight.
G says, "Why do you kiss me so much?"
Mom, "Because I love you !"
G, "I would only like ZERO kisses from now on."
I liked it better when his favorite number was 7.

Graham is into counting everything and zero is his new favorite number.
He has been able to count to 20 for awhile now but this is how he counted this evening
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,0...HUH! I tried explaining to him that 0 comes first. He still repeated his way of counting. I then tried to see if he new the concept of zero. If he had 5 toys and I had 0 toys, who has more? He knew he did. So why 0 after 9? After much discussion and thought, I finally realized that the numbers on a keyboard go from 1-0 across the top. Do you think he is spending too much time on a computer????

Here are some random pictures of the kids...

Graham and Layne

Bryce...she refused to sit on the couch with her siblings. It is RARE to have all 3 in a picture together.

Graham at his Olympic Day at his preschool

Nona with Bryce and Layne

Layne wanting the camera.

Daddy and the kids

Graham and his BFF Faith

The girls playing.

And the prince sleeps...

Splish, Splash 3 in the Bath

When I grow up...

As I was putting Graham to sleep we were recapping the days events. He is very into Halloween this year. Some how our discussion strayed to Thanksgiving and then on to Christmas. We talked about what each holiday meant and why we celebrated each one. As we were talking about Christmas, Graham had a million questions about Heaven and Jesus. Graham always wants to see and meet Jesus. The concept and the abstractness of it all is hard for a 3 year old to wrap his brain around. So in all his innocence Graham said, "When I grow up, I am going to drive my car to Heaven and meet Jesus. Then I'll drive back home."

She has FINALLY crossed the line!!!!

That's right, Bryce has crossed the growth chart line and is no longer below the 5 percentile on the charts. She is now in the 12th percentile for height. My little peanut is getting taller. Go Bryce Go! However, her weight is still below the 5th percentile. She weighed in today at 16 lbs 1 oz with a diaper on. At her check up, Dr. Sherrod said that I am just going to have to get used to her being petite. She is eating almost all table foods and is drinking from sippy cups now. Somedays she can throw back the food just like Layne and other days she is picky. You can never tell with her. She is also walking now. She still needs lots of practice but she can walk across a room unassisted. She gets so excited that she loses her balance and topples over. She is my fearless warrior. She never gives up and tries over and over again.
Layne is the sweet and sensitive one of the pair. Just this morning she gave her brother a kiss without being asked. Graham gave her a soccer ball and in return she leaned over and gave him a kiss. It was one of the sweetest moments the 2 have shared. Layne weighed in today at 25 lbs 8 ozs. That would be the 80th percentile. It is a good thing her height is the 90th percentile. Dr. Sherrod said I have 2 perfect little girls. He has a way of making you feel like your kids are the only ones he sees. I love that about him. Layne loves playing with her brother. They chase each other around the house and bounce the ball back and forth. It is so neat watching them all interact. Even though the girls are not truly talking yet, Graham seems to understand what they are saying.

Three is never a crowd.

Graham, Bryce and Layne have become quite the trio lately. It is so fascinating watching them interact, play and on occasion fight with one another.

Crib fun

Where is Bryce?

Here I am!

Playing together!

Here is just a short video of them playing together.