5 Month Stats + 4 Month Photos

Last Friday (May 22) the girls turned 5 months old. They are both cooing and baballing a lot. It's really very sweet. Charlotte (last week) and Elizabeth (this week) have mastered rolling back to front in addition to rolling front to back. Elizabeth is a master scooter (more of a wiggle technique really) and can end up several feet away from where you left her in a madder of minutes.

Both girls still wear a lot of 3 month clothes, but have started wearing some of their 6 month tops and outfits too. No shoes yet. And no teeth yet either. Though, this weekend we did get their highchair seats set up as they are now ready to join us at the table and will start solids in just a few more weeks. Wow, time flies!

Today we went for shots and got updated weights. Elizabeth weighs 11 pounds and 6 ounces. And Charlotte weighs 11 pounds and 6 ounces.

Here are a few pictures from their four (and a half) month shoot:

Birthday Memories

Celebrating my birthday today is so sweet with three little ones to hold. How I wondered if this would ever be my life and how overwhelmed I still am at times that these precious little ones have been entrusted to me. I can't help but reflect on my birthday last year. It may well prove to be my favorite birthday moment ever: 

"...in that moment I was overcome by the fact that I 

was holding him in my arms while my other two precious 

little ones were nestled in my womb"

We had just returned from our three day trip to Knoxville for our transfer. I woke Leland from his nap and got a great big hug. I could so strongly feel the presence of all three of my children in that moment. It was powerful and memorable. 

Leland holding Charlotte this morning while I fed Elizabeth

Wishing you all blessings today. May God fill you with strength and hope where ever you are in your journey!

Not Identical

The most common thing people say to me when I am out with the girls is "you have your hands full." After that I get lots of "are they twins?"..."are they identical?" ... and "how do you tell them apart?"

As you all know, they are not identical. In fact, they are really different. Not only are they very different people with different personalities and temperaments, but they look very differently too. I really love how their recent photos captured this well:

ELIZABETH

medium brown hair (with some red tones); soft blue eyes; and fair peachy skin

CHARLOTTE

dark brown hair; big brown eyes (with endless eyelashes); and rich olive skin

Happy Transfer Day Sweet Girls!

One year ago today I "met" my girls. Four precious embryos were thawed and two survived. Both were placed in my womb and by God's grace they snuggled in for the long haul. Now I have my two precious twin girls. God is good!

Chattanooga

For the fourth year in a row we spent Mother's Day weekend in Chattanooga, TN. We stay in a KOA cabin each year and have a nice low key time. Saturday was a little overwhelming and didn't go as smoothly as planned, but Sunday we went to Rock Citu and it was lovely. Life really is different balancing three kiddos (feedings, frequent potty breaks, sunscreen x3) rather than one. We are so happy and blessed.

Mother's Day is Looming

As I thought about this upcoming Mother's Day I looked back at what I wrote last year and I think it really sums it up:

"It really stuck me this year what an awful holiday Mother's Day is. Although it is wonderful to celebrate the hard work and sacrifice our mother's make, it is really a holiday filled with angst. Grief for mother's (and their husbands) who have lost and buried their children; grief for women (and their husbands) still longing to be mothers; grief for those who have lost their own mother - or who may be estranged from their mothers; sadness for mothers who have placed their precious children for adoption; stress for how to properly honor our mothers in a world dictated by external, social expectations, obligations, etc. I feel so blessed for the ability to celebrate mother's day with my son in my arms and my mother by my side. And yet, I kind of wish this "holiday" would just go away. This is likely why I choose to spend the holiday out of town, [we were in Chattanoiga last year] camping, playing, etc. - escaping from the "real world"...not attending church...not going to brunch...."

I am so thankful to hold my three precious babies in my arms this year - I am often overwhelmed at the miracle of these three children! 

I also struggling this year - missing my mom. I haven't seen her in over a month and won't see her again till at least the end of June. Her stated plan was to sell her home and move here (I live in my hometown; she and my dad moved a state away during my first year of college). But this plan has been in limbo for almost five months...and then this week she tells me she is applying for a job in a city in another state and is no longer actively making efforts to move back near me. Outwardly I tell her that I'm excited that she is excited, but inwardly I'm crushed and left wondering why she only wants a relationship at a distance.

"I like your earnings"

I've found lately that I've really enjoyed how well I documented Leland's baby years on this blog. I find myself looking back, comparing him and his sisters. Unfortunately, I've not been as good about documenting the girls or Leland lately.

With that in mind, I wanted to make record of a sweet moment. Maybe even a milestone. Tonight at dinner Leland looked over at me and said sweetly, "I like your earings, Mama." It was unprompted and so sweet. It had an air of maturity in tone and assertion that my Mama's heart is not quite ready for. Oh how I love my sweet boy.