Week In Review

The past week has included: a 911 call, a fire in the neighborhood (separate from the 911 call), storm with hail damage, a sick husband, a sick baby, 3 trips to the doctor, fighting with the insurance company, & a lot of chaos! Our life continues to be crazy! Every week I think I am finally going to start their baby books, write thank-you notes, get housework done, maybe take a nap...WRONG again! I barely have time to update my blog as many of you so kindly remind me. Where shall I begin? How about a good note. The girls went for their 2 month check-up which included immunizations last Wednesday. Lexa has surpassed her sister weighing in at 9 pounds, 15 ounces... a long way from her lowest weight at 3 pounds, 13 ounces. Geneva weighed 9 pounds, 6 ounces. Both handled their shots well. I wonder if their month of hospitalization somehow lowered their pain tolerance compared to other babies. Two nurses laid each baby on the exam table, 1 at a time, and counted to 3 stabbing each leg with a needle simultaneously! The girls both cried but only for a few seconds. The worst part was an oral vaccination that triggered Geneva's sensitive gag reflex. Luckily Mommy recognized the panic stricken face & grabbed the burp cloth in just enough time. Monday morning at 2:00 a.m. was the 911 call to report my neighbors in a domestic disturbance, to put it mildly. Let's see... Tuesday morning Patrick woke up sick with a 103 fever but no other symptoms. We tried to keep him away from the kids as much as possible, but with twins that is really impossible. I cannot do everything 24/7, so a day later...Geneva wakes up with a 102.4 fever. I am having flashbacks of my conversation with the neonatologist who told us if either girls got a fever in the first few months--that meant automatic hospitalization because of their prematurity & inability to fight infection. I call the pediatrician on call who confirmed that we might as well head to the ER as hospitalization is likely. Well by this point it is 8:00 a.m. & the clinic is open, so I make an appointment for 8:45 a.m. I would like to make a side note here... I took Geneva to the doctor by myself & left Lexa home with Patrick. It was SO easy transporting just one!! I kept looking around..."I know I am forgetting something!" It was a weird feeling. So anyway the doctor obviously felt it was a virus caught from Daddy & that as long as she was eating & staying hydrated & the fever was controlled with Tylenol that we could monitor her at home. What a relief. I think I would have been in the psych ward if Geneva had to have been hospitalized again. Another side note, Geneva weighed in that day at 10 pounds, 4 ounces! Quite a gain in one week's time. So Wednesday & Thursday were pretty rough with a sickly girl & husband. She is such a sweetheart though--rarely crying, just looking at me with her big blue eyes, whimpering like a little sick puppy. She is much better & her fever finally broke this morning. Daddy had the worst of it & still doesn't feel back to par, although his fever is gone now, too. I love my husband to death but he is a TERRIBLE sick person. Very dramatic!!!! Everything is an emergency! Thank God I was the one who was pregnant is all I have to say. [Don't worry Patrick never reads my blog!] So far (my fingers are crossed) Lexa & I have been spared which is a true blessing. I don't know how 2 sick parents could possibly take care of 2 sick kids at the same time. So during all of this we had a terrible thunderstorm on Wednesday night with no warning. I was on my way back from Walgreens when golf-ball sized hail started & huge lightning bolts. As I crested the hill to our neighborhood, bright orange flames were shooting up... one of the houses in the neighborhood next to ours was on fire. Our neighborhood was covered in thick black smoke for hours. Our roof has some hail damage as well as my car. Craziness! Oh-- and the medical insurance!! Let's just say that with my hospitalization for a week, surgery, & the girls' hospitalization--our medical bills are well over $500,000. Our insurance has been great about paying their part except for the actual doctor portion for the neonatologist stating that although he is the only neonatologist at the hospital (he literally works 7 days a week) & even though the hospital is in-network, that he is an out-of-network doctor, so now I am in an appeals process. It's always something, but I am fortunate to have a great job with insurance when so many people are without, especially now. Speaking of work.. I am heading back August 31st, but we won't bring that up yet...Geneva's foot--so cute!
Patrick & Whiskey behind closed doors in their man cave, trying to escape the chaos
Geneva a little under the weather and not liking the Bumbo too much
Lexa in her new favorite spot, the Bumbo seat

Busy, Busy

Geneva peaking...

Whiskey very hyper & wanting attention.

Twice the work but twice the love.
Yes, that's a cat in the TV cabinet.

Sister Geneva? Left alone for a few minutes & her gown is over her head.The past week or two have been a blur. Sleep deprivation is really catching up to me. Hilary was right, the first couple of weeks home from the hospital you are so excited & running on adrenaline & then you crash... Patrick observed, "man having one kid must be so easy because having twins requires both parents all the time." A fellow Mom's of Multiples club member also said, "I never want to hear a mom of one complain about sleep deprivation again!" Last week Patrick had to attend a teacher's training several hours away & thankfully his parents were able to come up & help us out. I don't know what I would have done without them. They worked so hard that they may not be back!! Granny Patti said a co-worker told her twins were no different than having one, Patti said "I can't wait to get back to work & tell her she is a liar!" Words cannot expresses my gratitude to you both!! Granddad Bill cooked, cleaned, & did yard work all week, including cleaning & organizing our garage while Granny Patti & I divided & conquered feedings, diaper changing, bottle washing, & rocking crying babies. I was able to get a break every now & then--Jazzercise three times, a run to Target, took a bubble bath, & even shaved! During the week Lexa learned a new trick... crying uncontrollably for hours on end. I am sure it is her acid reflux. I know it burns her throat & stomach & she is miserable. She is on every medicine possible & has added rice cereal to her bottles & the doctor simply states she will outgrow in time. Nothing we can do would appease her during these episodes. Yesterday was another episode with about 10 hours of crying on & off (mostly on) luckily during the day this time. Tomorrow is our 2 month check-up complete with their shots. They continue to grow & gain weight. Patrick's observation while gone a whole week... "the girls are SO big & have changed SO much & mommy has lost weight!" Good answer, Patrick!! The girls are now in Size 1 diapers & 0-3 clothes, not newborn sizes. I believe even with Lexa's stomach issues, she has surpassed Geneva in size. She is a chunk. Granny calls her the Gerber baby--the fattest cheeks you've ever seen with that bald blonde head. Geneva remains quite the character. We just stare at her constantly & crack up--the funniest faces & noises you've ever seen/heard. They are a handful but worth it.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Happy Birthday, Mom. We hope you are having a great day. This picture was taken Mother's Day. (I was about to pop but was able to eat a huge brunch topped off with chocolate cake!) Unfortunately my mom now lives 4 hours away. We miss her already. Looking forward to your weekend visit. We love you!

Happy 7th Wedding Anniversary

July 20th is our 7th Wedding Anniversary. Here is a collection of some wonderful memories of our 7 years. What a glorious day when we were united husband & wife, and it just keeps getting better & better. I love you, sweetheart & can't wait until you get home Friday.

Happy Due Date

Today, July 14th, was my actual due date. It is hard to believe that I would have still been pregnant this whole time & that these past 7 weeks I would not have known my girls. I celebrated my due date by going back to Jazzercise today. I was so ready. I have lost over 40 pounds, but still have a few to go, not to mention after 10 months of no exercise I am way out of shape. It was wonderful being back at class this morning. No one could believe I had twins 7 weeks ago! Jazzercise is the perfect combination of aerobics, dance, yoga, kick-boxing, pilates, & weight lifting. I have done it for 5 years & feel like a different person when I go to class. So now to the update that you really care about...the girls are doing well. Lexa has been a little fussy with more & more spit-up incidences. So the doctor has put her on a new formula & new medicines to try & control the episodes. The episodes are now down to about 1 a day, but other digestive issues are now present if you catch my drift. So we are monitoring that & may end up back at the doctor soon if not better. I had them both by myself all last week for 12 hour days while Patrick was at a workshop. It was crazy to say the least, but we made it. I have SO much respect for you, Hilary! My good friend, Hilary, has twins (Carter & Calla) & kept them all by herself starting the third day they were home from the hospital. I don't know how you did it & still do it! You are my hero. I couldn't wait until Patrick's class was over! Bad news is he has 2 more this summer. Everyone says "Sleep when they sleep" but the problem is by the time you change both babies, feed them both, burp them both, get them both settled, & wash the bottles, there is about an hour until you do it all over again, 8 times a day. We've had some visitors over the week. My cousin, Sandi, who lives in Texas was passing through & stopped by to meet the girls. Mauree & Libby also stopped by & brought us a much-appreciated & yummy dinner. Thanks! You are such good friends. Will update more pictures soon.

4th of July

We had a great 4th of July, although not our typical celebration.
The 4th is my favorite holiday. Other holidays, especially Christmas, are so overdone & commercialized.  I love our family gatherings at Dad's house-- summertime & getting outside, eating hamburgers, baked beans, homemade ice cream, & banana pudding & watching fireworks.  Well this year we have our hands a little full so we stayed home & welcomed company--my brother, Eric; sister-in-law, Amy; & nephew, Luke.  Luke celebrated his 8th birthday (July 5th) & loved holding his new cousins.  Luke was initially very disappointed that both twins were girls, but he is now very intrigued & extremely good with them--so gentle & loving.  The girls dressed up for their company.  Geneva's dress says "Miss Independent" & Lexa's "I love the USA."  So cute!  Aunt Amy & Uncle Eric are the best role models the girls could have.  I can't wait for the girls to get to know them.  Come back soon!  We love you. 

Check out Amy's blog for better pics:  http://amyericluke.blogspot.com/

Random Pics from Monday

Just some pictures from Monday---girls napping, me with no makeup and 3 hours of sleep, our neighbor & good friend, Ashley who came to visit, Geneva in a milk-induced coma, Daddy talking to Lexa before bed, & Daddy holding his 3 babies.