Month #3 is in the Bag!

The girls are officially 3 months old now!  YAHOOOOO!  I feel like the last 3 months have been the hardest, most overwhelming months of my life, but have been so, so worth it.  The babies are smiling, cooing, kicking, sleeping (some--we're still working on it), and are fat enough that I finally don't feel like I'm going to break them. 

Life has settled into a rhythm and last night before going to bed I realized that this was the first night I didn't feel like the start of a new week was such a totally overwhelmingly monumental challenge that I may or may not survive.  It's a welcome feeling to be sure that even though you'll be exhausted at the end of the day, you will in fact MAKE it to the end of the day.  That is something I won't take for granted again soon... :)

So here are a few (or a lot...) of pictures from the last month for anyone who wants to see the two cutest babies in my world. 

Sweet Mama KK came for a week and was such a great help!

Lily with a game of Settlers of Catan in the background

Babies in their Sunday best

This is what inevitably happens whenever they are within arms reach of each other--and they actually don't seem to mind!

Savannah flirting with the camera

Lily, not sure what she thinks about Dad's big, black camera

A typical Savannah smile, usually accompanied by a lot of cooing and squealing

Sisters, just hanging out on a Sunday afternoon

A typical worried Lily face

And finally, a smile!

 

I am SO PROUD of us!!  Bring on the next 3 months!  

For My Mom:

This picture captures the results of (some) of my Mom's 6+ weeks of hard work while she was here in Houston:

• An adorable wall-hanging that matches the quilts in the nursery (it's really a trophy for me to someday look back and fondly remember these crazy days)
• 2 happy, rapidly chunkifying babies, both alive and well.  
• Not shown: Me, also still alive (and trying to de-chunkify myself), and learning to be a Mom from the world's greatest example. 

Thanks, Mom!   Love you! 

PS.  COME BACK SOON!   :)

(seriously...)

Baby Blessings

Warning: Many, many pictures ahead...

On the first Sunday in September we had lots and lots of family come into town to be with us when Savannah and Lily (and cousin Kate) were blessed at church.

One of our wonderful friends at church offered to make their blessing dresses, and when I saw them I could not believe how beautifully they turned out!  The next time they get to wear dresses like this will probably be their weddings....yikes!  (Hopefully they'll have a little more hair by then.)

Savannah practicing being reverent

Lily, exhausted by all of the picture-taking

Proud Grandparents (and parents)

Adoring Grandmas, KK (Kathryn) and Laura

Grandpa Kurt and Grandma Laura

Great Grandma Emma

Great Grandparents Ada and Bob

Rob's brother and sister-in-law, Matt and Natalie, welcomed baby Kate into their family about 3 weeks after Lily and Savannah were born.  They came down from Dallas to bless Kate so the whole family could be together. 

Can't you tell they're going to be the best of friends?  ;)

Monday morning, before Matt and Natalie drove home, Kate came over for a newborn photo shoot. 

Sleeping in the flowers

Then we had to squeeze in one more photo-op while we had the chance.  We broke out some of our adorable little dresses and snapped away. 

It's a pretty tight fit in there!

And one more sister shot:

Thanks Auntie Lola for the CUTE dresses! :)

We're so blessed to have these little ones in our family!

Time Flies

Here are some more pictures we took when Lily and Savannah were 2 weeks old.  One benefit of living in Houston during the hottest August on record is that you can take newborn pictures of your babies outside and not worry for a second that they are cold.  :)

I already can't believe how little they were....

In a full-fledged milk coma

My favorite shot

In a little Moses basket

They take after their Mom...

Today we had Lily and Savannah's 2-week check-up and confirmed that their exceptional eating talents are really paying dividends on the scale.

On Sunday Savannah weighed 4lbs 12oz and Lily weighed 3lbs 10oz. Today Savannah was up to 5lbs and Lily to 4lbs 4oz! Our babies are getting fatter!!

Grandma is so proud.  :)

THEY'RE HOME!!!

Rob and I spent Wednesday night sleeping in a little "hotel" room off of the NICU in preparation for Lily and Savannah's discharge on Thursday.

At the NICU's "Parent Inn"

After a little stress and uncertainty because Lily was still so small, we were all successfully discharged Thursday afternoon.  We were SO happy to graduate from the hospital and come home!!

Little, little babies in normal-sized car seats

We got home, moved into the nursery, took a few deep breaths, and then Rob broke out the camera to document our new life. 

Snug as bugs in rugs at home

Savannah thinks life is pretty rough when you're a baby

Friday night my Mom and Dad arrived from Minneapolis to meet their first grand-babies.  It was love at first sight. 

And here are a few baby-glamor shots a la Rob:

Lily and Savannah

Savannah, striking a pose

Sisters

Life is good.

A few more pics

Christa (aka Rock Star Mom), Lily and Savannah

Here are a couple more pictures.  We have not taken very many the last few days for two main reasons: 1) the girls are still in the NICU, which is kept pretty dark and the babies do not like the flash; 2) for a day and a half, they spent all their non-eating hours at a spa/tanning salon (i.e. anti-jaundice UV treatment) where most of their little bodies are covered.

 Lily and Savannah's Spa Treatment

We're having a lot of fun holding them, and they're starting to eat a lot.  Christa and I came home from the hospital this evening.  The kids will stay at the intensive care until they put on some more weight, but we're hoping they'll be able to come home later this week!

First Family Nap