Coughing, coughing...

I think the girls have had a cold or some kind of virus each month since they turned 1.  Most of the time, they are sick at the same time and it overlaps.  But other times one will be sick and then the other will get sick a few days later so it seems like there has been sickness in house FOREVER!  We haven't seen friends or been to story time in the past 2 weeks!
Last week, Rachel was congested with a slight runny nose on Sunday.  By Wednesday, Jenna started coughing...and coughing, and coughing.  On Thursday night, shortly after she fell asleep, she woke up with the loudest "barking" cough I've ever heard.  While I sat in the steamy bathroom with her, Kenny called the 24 hour nurse's number at the doctor's office.  The nurse could hear Jenna's loud breathing and cough so she suggested we take her to the ED at Augusta Health. Poor Jenna was so tired but she did great.  She had an x-ray which determined croup.  A steroid shot was given to her to help with swelling and inflammation.  We got home around midnight. It helped even though she still coughs sometimes during naps and at night.  I was glad we took her. As a mom, I often second guess my decisions and wonder if I should have done something differently.  I just kept thinking that everything I read said that if a child sounds like she's having trouble breathing, get help right away.  
A few days later, Rachel started coughing.  It didn't sound like Jenna so it's probably just part of her cold.  It's such an awful feeling, to hear them coughing while they're trying to sleep.  Hopefully they'll be better soon!  

April Update

I can't believe it's almost May.  April has been a fun month here!  The girls are changing so much and with Jenna almost running, she is definitely a "toddler".  She's been walking backwards, sideways, and learning to turn around.  Rachel still loves to crawl but she has been experimenting with getting up on her feet.  In the past couple days, she's standing standing without holding on to anything.  I have a feeling she'll be walking by the end of May.  I read somewhere that the average age of babies walking is 9-18 months.  That's a huge range! This is a funny picture of the girls standing on their head.  Jenna's been doing this for the last couple weeks and Rachel's now able to push up on her legs and do it too.

Being silly in the kitchen

I am loving their language learning.  Both girls have been trying new sounds and have words for lots of things.  They understand so much of what I say.  Jenna loves to be my helper and I can ask her to put something away or get something for me.  She likes putting garbage in the trashcan too.  I have to keep an eye on her and make sure it truly is garbage!! They know many animals and call them by their sound, so a cat is a "meow, meow."  It's so cute.  One of my favorites is a bee.  They say "buzz, buzz" and tickle their bellies like a bee is buzzing them!


My mom and dad visited earlier this month and we really enjoyed having them here.  Jenna and Rachel love their grandma and grandpa.  They both attempt to say "grandma" and it sounds something "ba-ba or ban-ba."  They get excited when they hear her voice on the phone.  It was great seeing my dad with the girls too.  I love watching both of them read to the girls and play with them.  Hopefully we'll see them again soon!

Reading with Grandpa and Grandma

Grandma and Rachel

A rare photo of me! 

They love these place mats they got for their birthday!

Rachel showing me the polar bear, and modeling a hair clip I made!

Jenna saw the camera and smiled!

Looking so grown up!

Jenna's modeling some of the hair clips I made! 

A full house!

We've had lots of guests during the last couple of weeks.  I love having people stay with us and it's nice to have some extra help with the girls too.  Two weeks ago, Kenny attended a conference in New Orleans so my sister, Sandra, came to stay with me.  We had SO much fun with the girls.  Each day we went somewhere like the library, park, shopping, or out to lunch.  Jenna and Rachel love their Aunt Sandra and by the end of the week, they were attempting to say her name.  It sounded something like "Ya-Ya".  

Jenna and Rachel with Aunt Sandra

Playing with bows

Silly Rachel (and Jenna's foot!)

This past weekend, many people from Kenny's family came to stay. On Friday night, there were 14 people here!!  The girls had a lot of fun playing with their cousin who is 4 months older than them.  A full house is wonderful.  It was strange today when everyone left and the girls were napping.  It was so quiet.  

Easter Sunday: April 8, 2012

My mom and dad will be here Wednesday and stay until Saturday.  The last time my dad saw Jenna and Rachel was at Christmas and their first birthday.  Even since mom was here in February, they've changed so much!  


Updates on the girls:
At their 15 month appointment: 
Jenna:  23lb, 8oz; 30.74 inches
Rachel: 21lb; 29.5 inches


Both girls are learning new words all the time.  Jenna started saying "no, no".  Both girls say "uh oh!"  They say 10-15 animal (and other) sounds.  They make attempts at many words by saying the beginning sound such as "ch-ch" for cheerios or "sh-sh" for shoes.  It's fun watching them learn and try new words.


Jenna is walking better and better.  She's faster and able to pick herself up quickly if she falls down.  Rachel isn't walking but likes to hold our hands and walk.  She still seems content with crawling because she is FAST!  

I'm still breastfeeding.  During the month of March, I went from five feedings a day to two feedings (when they wake in the morning and before bed).  I was very worried about getting plugged ducts or mastitis but because I slowly took away nursing times, my body adjusted and I had no problems.  Two days ago, Jenna stopped nursing, she cried and shook her head "no" so she may have self-weaned.  I think I will still offer for another day or two because Rachel still nurses at those 2 times.  I've noticed because of that she's needed more snuggles from me during the day.  I can't believe I've nursed them this long, but I see the end in sight and it makes me sad but happy at the same time: sad because I'll miss our quiet snuggle time, and happy because we made it so long.

What a difference a year makes

I was looking back at some pictures from last year and I'm amazed at how much the girls have changed.  

Rachel one year ago:

Rachel reading with Daddy yesterday: 

 Jenna one year ago:  

Jenna standing and walking yesterday:

Ready, Set:

Go! 

In the past week, Jenna has gone from taking 1 or 2 steps to taking up to 8 or 9.  In another week, I'll bet she'll be walking even more.  Right now, Rachel is content just to crawl although she loves to walk while pushing things and cruises around the coffee table and along the couches.  

Freezer Cooking

A few months ago I was introduced to a website called Pinterest.  It's basically a place to keep different ideas you come across when searching the internet. You "pin" things that "interest" you..."pinterest".   I love finding new recipes and ideas for the home.  One of my friends had posted a something she found about freezer crock pot meals.  This looked interesting and after mentioning it to Kenny we decided to try it.  I used this website for ideas: http://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html

We bought the ingredients for 6 meals, which is actually 12 meals because each one was put into 2 bags.  Here's the before picture: 

We made: Savory Chicken, Teriaki Chicken, Healthy BBQ Chicken, Lazy Day Beef Stew, Sausage and Peppers, and Sweet and Tangy Meatballs.  Here's what it looked like when we were done. 

The night before you want to cook it, you take one bag out of the freezer and let it defrost over night.  The next morning, you dump the entire contents of the bag into the crock pot and follow the directions.  I was going to do one today, but I forgot to take a bag out of the freezer last night...oops!  We'll try one tomorrow.  
If this works out well, I think we may try again.  There are so many recipes on the internet and one other blogs that looked delicious too!

What a week!

It's hard to believe that it's already Friday.  My mom came to visit this week and we had such a good time, but it went too fast.  On Sunday, I picked her up from the airport.  We got home and about 30-45 minutes later, the snow started falling giving us our first big snowfall of the year.  I think there was about 8 inches in all.  Mom worries about the weather so I was thankful that her flights were great and the bad weather didn't come until after she got here.  

Watching the snow falling

9pm and it's still coming down

On Tuesday, we went to story time at the library.  I hadn't gone by myself with the girls yet. I wanted to go with someone and check it out, making sure I could get in with a double stroller if I wanted to go by myself.  We had fun and the girls loved the books and the songs.  

We decided to go out to lunch on Wednesday.  The girls do so well when we go to a restaurant.  I think they like watching all the people.  Jenna loves to wave at everyone, even if they're not looking at her!  

Yesterday, it was about 65 degrees, a big change from Sunday!  We took the girls to the park.  There are several parks in Waynesboro, but I really like a small one about 5 minutes from our house.  There was only one other child there with his mother.  The last time the girls were in a swing was around 7 or 8 months and they both fit in together.  This time, they were by themselves and LOVED it!!  

  

Jenna

Grandma and Rachel

I'm so happy that my mom was able to come down this week.  It's fun to see her playing with Jenna and Rachel. They even started saying "Ba-ba" when I would ask them to say "grandma."  This morning they were looking for her and we're all sad she's gone.  Hopefully we'll see her and my dad in April!

Mid February with lots of photos

As I try to come up with a catchy title, all I can think of is "Sick Kiddos...still", but I'll just use something generic. Jenna's still coughing sometimes and now Rachel has a stomach bug.  Poor babies.  It's so hard to see them sick.  We've had plans for play dates and plans to visit people but most have been postponed, either from one of us not feeling well, or our friends not feeling well.  I'm excited that warmer weather will be coming and hopefully we can have a week or two (or more) of some health around here!!  

Kenny celebrated his birthday last Friday.  I made my mom's delicious Beef Burgandy and had his favorite German chocolate cake with coconut pecan frosting.  The babies loved the meal and even got a little cake too.  

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Valentine's Day was uneventful as I was feeling lousy.  I think I had some sort of stomach bug that thankfully only lasted for about a day.  

Even if they're not feeling well, the girls continue to make me smile and laugh every day.  They are really becoming good friends and enjoy playing together.  One of their newest thing to do it to go up to each other and sweetly bump heads as a sign of affection.  A few times, I've been head-butted pretty hard but it always turns into a sweet nuzzle.  

Valentine's day head bumps

The girls (especially Rachel) are becoming quite adventurous and love to get into things.  They've learned how to open cupboards, take the DVDs off the shelves, and open the wipe container.  We've put gates up to keep them somewhat contained but I still feel like I'm chasing them all the time.  It will be crazy when they start walking! 

They love wearing hats around the house.  These sweet hats and sweaters were made for them and given to me at my baby shower.  

"Ta da!"

A few more February pictures:

Jenna's checking Daddy's heartbeat

 

"I love putting the rings on my feet!"