Gatlin & Houston Newborn Photo shoot

Gatlin and Houston had their newborn photo shoot on April 1. Normally, NB pictures are taken in the first 10 days.  We waited 3 weeks, to allow the boys body temperature to increase.

It made me a little nervous having them exposed to the cold air, being so small.

Here are some many of my favorites.

 (Gatlin)

 (Houston)

Photographer: Chesley Summar
http://www.chesleysummarphotography.com

Ice Eggs

THANK YOU PINTEREST!  Josh had a company event on a Saturday morning, and I was alone with all three kids for more than an hour (for the first time).  I decided to browse Pinterest the day before for a fun and cheap project for Harper.  Enter: Ice Eggs.

What you need: Balloons, something small to put inside, and water.  I originally thought I would make them myself...but ended up recruiting Harper to help me.  It passed 30 minutes of time and she had a blast helping me make them.  

I would take the balloons, fill them with water in the tub, and Harper would drop in marbles (however many she felt like).  I would then tie the balloons and put them in a bowl. 

After we filled all the balloons, she took them in and out of the bowl, divided up by color, and shook them around a bit.  This was an extra bonus of playtime. :) 

The next day, Susie, Katie, and baby Thatcher came over to discover the ice eggs.  Harper had no idea that our water balloons would end up being ice eggs.  It was a great  surprise.  We took the balloons out of the freezer and cut off the balloon.  

We had beautiful eggs with marbles frozen in the middle.  We then took tongs, spoons, and spatulas to play, carry, and open the eggs. 

Showing Katie and the boys the ice eggs.

We eventually made our way over to the driveway to throw and crack the eggs.

Collecting the marbles was so fun for these girls! 

Thank you Pinterest for a wonderful idea and fun time had by all!

A Day in the Life- One Month Old Twins

I have started following a blog, TwinTalkBlog and was inspired by one of the "day in the life" posts.  There was a mom that did a "day in the life of one month old twins".  I thought it would be a great blog post and a fun way to look back at life with Gatlin and Houston at one month old.  

APRIL 16th - 2014

12:04 am - Houston wakes up and I change his diaper, go start the bottle warmer, change Gatlin's diaper, and tandem feed them in the rock'n'plays. 

12:11 am -Houston poops, change his diaper

12:15 am - Rock Houston in my arms and Gatlin in the rock'n'play with my foot
12:29 am - Houston has hiccups and nurses for 1 minute
12:34 am - Gatlin poops and I change his diaper

They both fall asleep.
12:47 am - I get back in bed and go to sleep
3:55 am - both boys wake up.
3:57 am - they tandem eat

4:11 am - Change Houston and take his temperature
4:14 am - change Gatlin and take his temperature
4:20 am - Houston nurses
4:37 am-  Gatlin poops and I change his diaper

4:46 am - I pump breastmilk
4:53 am - Houston starts crying and Josh has to get him b/c I am pumping
5:30 am - I get back in bed
6:50 am - Harper comes in our room and gets in bed. 

7:04 am - Houston wakes up and Josh starts warming a bottle

7:12 am - Gatlin wakes up while I am getting Harper ready for school 

7:16 am - Harper and Josh say goodbye to us and I feed both boys.

7:28 am - diaper changes and rock them back to sleep
7:51 am - I eat a bowl of cereal and pump breastmilk while watching the Today show
8:12 am - i go back to bed

9:14 am - Houston wakes up and takes his pacifier
9:28 am - Gatlin wakes up and takes hi pacifier
9:50 am - both boys start stirring and get diaper changes
10:01 am - I nursed both boys at the same time. This was the first time they nursed in place of a bottle (for 33 minutes).

10:40 am - Tandem burping and both boys go to sleep

11:37 am Paw paw arrives with lunch and Gatlin swings for the first time

11:40 am - I hold Houston while I eat
12:13 pm - Pawpaw helps me feed the boys (a formula bottle)

12:41 pm - I change both diapers
1:10 pm - I work on Harper's Easter dress applique on the computer and return a few emails.
1:30 pm- family  nap time

1:50 pm - Gatlin wakes up, I rock him and we go back to sleep.
3:06 pm - I spill a bottle of breast milk

3:13 pm - I feed both boys

3:25 pm - I nurse each baby for one minute
3:31 pm - pump and try to calm down crying babies

3:50 pm - I change diapers and put them in rock'n'play 

4:10 pm - I get Houston b/c he is fussy
4:23 pm - I get Gatlin b/c he is fussy
4:31 pm - they start acting hungry, so I warm bottles and tandem feed both boys
4:43 pm - I rock both babies
4:57 pm - change Houston's diaper and rock him back to sleep

5:11 pm - Bossy  brings Harper home from school
5:52 Houston is gassy and Bossy holds him 

5:52 pm - Harper and I are in the playroom playing and finishing her Easter Dress.

6:31 pm - I feed both boys while Harper watches Frozen

6:50 pm - I change diapers and both boys sleep. Houston is in the rock'n'play and Gatlin in the swing.

6:55 pm - Josh gets home from work and Bossy goes home

7:10 pm - we eat dinner brought to us by friends (brought home by Josh)

7:40 pm - I give Harper a bath and get her ready for bed.
8:30 pm - we brush teeth, put on jammies, and Harper says goodnight to daddy and her brothers.
8:52 pm - Houston wakes up and Harper starts fighting to go to bed
9:10 pm - I pump breastmilk
9:17 pm - Harper finally falls asleep
9:27 pm - Both boys wake up and Josh warms bottles
9:52 pm - the boys fall asleep on our chests
10:22 pm - the boys wake up when we transfer them to their beds.  Josh holds both boys while I get ready for bed. 

10:27 pm - I take Houston to bed with me while Josh rocks Gatlin to sleep

10:50 pm - I put Houston down and take Gatlin from Josh.  I nurse Gatlin.

11:30 pm - I take Gatlin to bed so I can sleep for 45 minutes before starting all over again.