Happy 4 Months to our Twinsies!

Sam and Daddy cheer for Claire

In the past month, the twins have had their first sleepover at the house without mom and dad. Grandma Tam watched them while we ran amok in Deer Valley for our 10th Wedding Anniversary. (read about that here). We had fun this past month spending Tuesdays and Saturdays watching big sister Claire "play" soccer... or, rather, attend the game. It was fun this season because her good friend Taylor is on the team too. 

Claire and Taylor on the Blue Dragons Soccer Team

Scotland, Sam and August: The Dynamic Trio

The twins met their new little BFF, Scotland Grace Turnbow. She is about a month younger but the three of them look like triplets! It is so exciting to raise these babies with our dear friends, Eric and Sarah. 

The twins went bowling for the first time. We were careful not to mistake Sam for a bowling ball.

Overall, the twins have been very healthy, however, Sam got a little flu bug and had to go to the ER. Poor thing had an IV and was not a fan of that at all... his little face was so red with a fever it was heartbreaking.  He is on the mend now, and luckily, August and Claire didn't catch it. August's hemangiomas are shrinking and there is no cause for medical concern - we are very grateful that she seems to be in less pain as well. 

4 Month Check-Up

Miss August tipping the scales at 10 lbs 9 oz

Mr. Smiley Sam has grown a LOT! Over 12 lbs now.

Little friends (most of the time, except during feeding)

Sammy's getting close to holding his own bottle.

Mr. Strong Sammy can hold his head up 90 degrees - just waiting for him to crawl away.

Happy boy in Daddy's arms

August LOVED visiting Great Grandma Helen. They got along very well.

One of the aforementioned mealtime altercations: Sam and August were nursing together, and Sam put his hand in August's ridiculously giant bow and yanked it down covering both of her eyes. She screamed and swayed her head back and forth (Stevie Wonder style), all the while still trying to nurse. Very sad and absolutely hilarious. Sam definitely sabotaged her.

August smiles almost as much as Sam these days. She's pensive, but loves to smile and is starting to laugh.

I can't tell if I'm keeping the babies warm, or if they're keeping me warm during a chilly fall soccer game.

Happy Birthday

It's come again... your birthday. Happy 31st to my sweet little brother. So much has changed in this past year.  You are now an uncle to a miraculous set of twins (a boy and a girl, of course -- thanks if you had anything to do with that). Also, your little sister is getting hitched. You would really like her fiance; I have no doubt he'd get the Elliott seal of approval. He's a fly fisherman, an eagle scout, and a fireman. Someone who spends his time helping others would surely have a piece of your heart. Most of all, he loves your little sister so genuinely. 

As I always say, I loved the two months in between our birthdays when the age gap was narrowed to only one year and we were that much closer to being the twins we really wanted to be. I enjoy it now as I enjoyed it then, finding every way I can to feel close to you.

It is a beautiful fall day here - custom made for you, I think. The mountains are starting to turn and the air is so fresh. I'm glad to be back in Utah to smell the fall air the right way (in California it usually just smelled of wet salt and that didn't remind me of you at all.) 

As if it were on cue, your oldest niece has a field trip today with her school. They are going on a nature walk. She's all decked out in gear that you would love - Columbia, head to toe (courtesy of Grandma Tam).  She asked me if you would be sad that you can't see the nature walk because I told her how much you loved the outdoors, and I told her that you would still be able to see it and enjoy it. 

We celebrated your birthday a little differently this year. I organized a fly fishing trip for Matty and Zach. They were doing something you would have loved, and, more importantly, using some of your precious gear. I wanted those pieces of you to live on and this is the best way I knew how to accomplish that. They even caught a few brown trout - couldn't have been more perfect. Matty kept saying he hoped you'd swoop in and help him not get skunked this time, and I said absolutely not. No one ever helped you catch fish - he was on his own. But you would have joined him for a celebratory beer, I am sure :)

Erin, Claire and I made yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. We lit candles and blew them out to make a wish, but, of course, Claire had to sing Happy Birthday. You can't put a lit candle in front of a 4 year old and expect them not to sing with all their hearts. Without any prompting, she put her hands in prayer position, bowed her head and closed her eyes, and sang Happy Birthday to you in a prayer. I'll never forget it.

I love you every day and I'm keeping my promise to carry you with me so those unlucky enough to have never known you, may understand this exquisite person that graced our earth for just a short time. Thank you for crossing your path with mine.

Forever your little big sister...

Lauren

Happy 10th Anniversary!

Ten years ago, Matt and I got married in Salt Lake City, at the McCune Mansion. We were incredibly young, only 22, but I always tell people we were old on the inside! We had both finished college and had our career paths planned and ahead of us.

For some time we discussed celebrating ten years of marriage by taking a trip to Spain... then we got a little curve ball - or, should I say, two little curve balls. So, instead, we celebrated with a blissful one night away at Montage Deer Valley. We had a fabulous dinner at Stein Eriksen Lodge, and toasted the decade with a 2008 Far Niente Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon that was given to me on my 30th birthday by Matt's brothers. It lived up to every expectation, and then some.  The next day it rained a lot, so we stayed "snug and evil" at Montage and bowled, played shuffleboard and basically just enjoyed playing. 

Here is my gift to Matt: a little video Montage of our years together. I am very proud to say it made him cry... that's how you measure the quality of a gift in my family, ha ha ha.

All dressed up and ready for a grown-up night out!

Dinner at Glitretind, Stein Eriksen Lodge

It's hard to see, but I forced Matt to make a number 10 with our hands.. he obliged.

It rained a lot, but luckily there was a bowling alley in our hotel!

A LOT CAN CHANGE IN 3 MONTHS

Another month has passed, and we are finally settling into a sense of new normalcy in our lives. The twins are incredibly easy babies - very happy and easy to soothe. They are very smiley and have a TON of personality. There is rarely a dull moment in this house and I fall more in love with all of my children by the day.

FIRSTS this month: 

Twins started sleeping through the night!!!!! 

Twins went swimming - Sam was okay with it, August was not. They both looked adorable.

Twins were the world's smallest most enthusiastic UTES fans, at the season opener tailgate!

We survived our first week alone while Matt went on his first business trip since the babies were born. Thanks to the incredibly generous help of Grandmas & Grandpas and Auntie Erin, we were able to survive.  This is the reason we moved home, and it has been worth it every second of every day.

Sam is probably the happiest baby I have ever met. He smiles so much that he will have to take "smile breaks" from eating, just so he can look up at you and smile. You can tell he's desperate to talk to you and make contact with you. He's extremely interested in people, and loves to watch TV, like a real person.  He's getting big - kind of a little tank: almost 11 pounds now. 

Miss August is still as delicate as ever. Her cry is dainty, but her voice is kind of low. She has started smiling much more in this past month - in kind of a pixie tree fairy way. If she goes to bed first at night, she usually stays awake until her brother is in bed by her side. They still cuddle and spoon, and sleep much better together.

Other exciting news in the family:

Claire started Pre-K! She loves school and has decided she wants to be Jesus for Halloween. She wants Grandpa Judd to be an Iceberg, she wants me to be a gross lady, and she wants the twins to be Popsicles. She says God loves Grandma Tam because she gives Claire lots of presents. 

Auntie Erin got engaged! We are so excited that Erin is marrying a wonderful man... he is a fire fighter, a fly fisherman and an Eagle Scout... basically a good old fashioned dude. Claire is going to be a flower girl and is very excited to dress up! We can't wait to be a part of the wedding, and, most of all, it is incredible to see Erin so happy. Of course, I will lend any event planning help that is needed or wanted, and will do my best to be a good Maid of Honor to my sweet baby sister.

Last, the boring stuff just for other interested moms...babies' schedules are getting a little more predictable which makes for a happier mom and calmer household.

9:00pm Last feeding starts - we get them as full as humanly possible without making them throw up

10:00pm Bed

6:30am One twin usually wakes up for a snack and goes back to sleep

7:30/8am The other one wakes up for breakfast. The one that was asleep finds out that the other one is awake and they both wake up wanting breakfast.

8a-10am Lots and lots of feeding...

11-2 Nap!

2:00pm lunch and playtime

4:00pm maybe another nap

5:00-9:00pm Nonstop eating and playing

Two Babies, Two Months

Another month has flown by and what a difference it has made in these little babies.  Their personalities are continuing to emerge and they are less like newborn preemie balls of flesh and more like infants. August is still queen of giving dirty looks, but is an absolute delicate lady in all activities such as eating, diaper changes and nursing.  However, she did punch her brother Sam in the face yesterday when they were sleeping and woke him up from his slumber - not very ladylike if you ask me. Even though she has grown a lot she is still so dainty and I can't help but treat her like a fragile antique teacup or something. She is so pretty and I think that she is going to be a very kind person when she grows up.

August Rockin the Air Drums

Sam is increasingly alert and interested in our facial expressions and activities. He has given us some genuine social smiles and is trying to coo and make vowel sounds. Today, for the first time, he held a rattle and shook it on purpose – you could tell he was proud of the noise he could make. His fierce temper is still intact – especially if he is hungry, or if he senses that in any other part of the house someone else (namely August) is being fed. Sam’s new trick is that he loves to stand up any chance he gets. He expects it after every diaper change. He’s a strong little boy. He has been able to roll from his belly to his back from the time he was two weeks old.

Sam Rockin his Playmat

Sam and August had their 2 month check up and the doctor said they are perfectly healthy, growing well and couldn’t be better. They are small for regular term children (3-5 percentile), but they are average considering they were 4 weeks early so we’re very happy about that. They are finally the same height – Mr. Shorty Sam caught up to his tall sister. Babies measure 20 ½” tall!  Both babies continue to nurse well and we are able to do some tandem nursing which is quite an accomplishment. When we originally tried to do this, a fight literally broke out and Sam pushed August off of me and they yelled and cried at each other. It continues to be the time in which they are most aware of each other.

Two Month Check-up

Claire continues to be an adorable sister... she loves to pick out their outfits, dress them and change diapers. She is very patient with the babies when they fuss, and even tries to discipline them if one of the babies hits the other. 

In the past month, they got to meet both of their uncles who live out of state, go out to dinner for the first time (Robintino’s), celebrate their Great Grandmother’s 90th Birthday (Helen Reed), and go on their first of many outings to the library. They are very good in the car and in their stroller and in general are happiest when they are held. They are relatively easy babies and we are in love watching them grow.

Uncle Cam meets the twins

Uncle Dannykins meets the twins

They are both so cute and funny that you cannot help but smile or laugh every time you look at them. It still hasn’t quite sunken in yet that we have twins… it continues to be a novelty and an epic feat every day.