Getting Ready for Santa Claus...

As we all get ready for Christmas, I can't help but be excited. This is the first Christmas with my little girls, and I can't wait to show them the magic of Christmas...It may sound corny, but I want my girls to believe in magic, love, and the goodness of people.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! And, before you get ready to celebrate, please read this letter that a little girl wrote in 1897, and part of the response she received....I think we should all believe in Santa! :-)

DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
-------------------

VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished...

...No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Thanksgiving and Dec. 2010 Recap

It's been a crazy few weeks for us, but that's nothing new! We had a great Thanksgiving with our families. We hosted the holiday dinner for the first time and it was a success...much less stressful than I had thought it would be ;-)

Take a look...






The girls have started going through the dreaded period of teething! Lily has her two bottom, front teeth peeking out from her gums. Madi's teeth aren't visible, but will be here soon. I can't believe it!!

Last Friday, the girls also celebrated their 6-month birthday. It's hard to imagine that my little babies are six months old...time really flies when you have kids!!

On Sunday, we got the girls' pictures taken at The Picture People...after spending a small fortune we walked out with some great pics. My girls could be baby models...they are just SO cute!!

I have really been slacking this year as far as Christmas goes. No shopping is done, no cards are sent, and very few decorations are up...I guess I will be busy with that this weekend!!

Halloween 2010...

Here's a look at the girls' first Halloween. They were Thing 1 and Thing 2 :-) There really aren't any words...my girls are amazing, adorable, and everything to me!

Take a peak:



Lily


Madison


First Halloween!


There are also some big changes in store for our family over the next few months.

1. Nov. 19th will be my last day at State Street. Most of you know that I have really struggled with working full-time. I may not have any more kids, so I don't want to miss a moment of my girls' life! I will go back to work full-time when the girls are a little older, but I am very excited about this decision! I value the opportunity State Street gave me over the last couple of years, and may return someday.

2. Instead of working full-time, I will be working part-time from home. Training starts in Lee's Summit on Nov. 29th, and goes for 8 weeks. After that, I will be home full-time with the girls, and just work part-time in the evening (when Nate's home). Not working at all really isn't an option, so this is the best of both worlds.

3. We're moving back to Kansas! In January or February we are moving back to Kansas, and are going to rent Nate's parents' rental house. In the meantime, there is a lot of work to be done on the house. Nate, my dad, his dad, and contractors will be hard at work getting the house ready for us to move in...I'm clicking my red heels now! ;-)

Many good things are on the horizon for us, and I'm very excited to enjoy the present and look forward to the future!

October...

It's has been very hard to keep blogging lately. It seems like there aren't enough hours in the day, and what little free-time I do have, I try to spend with the girls. But, I'm home on vacation today, and the girls are asleep...so, let's catch up!

October brought us to our 4-Month Check (can you believe it?!). I can't believe it, but my girls are 4 months old! Lily weighs 11lbs 8oz, and Madison weighs 12lbs. They're still small, but they're gaining ground. The moved from the 4-5 percentile, to the 9-10 percentile. That may not seem like much to you, but to a premie-mom, it's awesome news! They're also meeting all of their developmental milestones, and they amaze me everyday! They have started pushing themselves around with their legs when they lay on their backs (moving around like hands on a clock)...it's really funny! I'm sure this means it'll be time for two cribs soon :-(

Here they are in their crib, 4 months old:



Here they were at one month old in their crib...quite a difference!



Dropping the girls off at daycare is still a challenge for me, but I'm coping as best as I can. I drop them off at the last minute, and pick them up as soon as I can. Eventually, I'd like to stay home with them more...we'll see!

My girls are also big talkers! They have even started to look at each other and talk, which is very cute! I think they're starting to realize that they have a little PIC (partner-in-crime).

We also took our first trip to the pumpkin patch this month! I am planning on making it a yearly visit. Here's the girls in a pile of pumpkins!


Madi


Lily

We also tried rice cereal for the first time...I don't think they like it yet ;-)









We're getting very excited for Halloween this weekend, and will post pics about that little adventure next week!

A very busy two weeks...

Since Labor Day weekend, my family has been running full steam...and it stinks! :-( Labor Day weekend brought TWO family reunions. It was great to be able to show off my girls...they are irresistible! At the end of the weekend though, it was time to go back to work. On my first day back to work, Nate stayed home with the girls. It was his first time alone with the girls (for more than a couple of hours). He did a great job! Here's a few pics of the girls' adventure with Dad:


Daddy dressed us...not bad! :-)


On a walk with Dad!

For the first week back to work, I cried on the way to daycare, on the way to work, on the way back to daycare, on the way home (see a pattern here). My emotions have been running high, and it only got worse last Sunday...

We had our first illness on Sunday. Lily had a fever, stuffy nose, and was very fussy. It was horrible to see my baby so miserable. On Wednesday night/Thursday, we got to repeat the entire thing...Madison got sick, too. I hated having a sick baby, but I was glad Nate and I could stay home with them. Luckily, my parents stayed home with the girls yesterday. I wanted to make sure they were both 100% before I sent them back to daycare on Monday.

I'm still struggling with daycare...do you think your babies remember who you are when you're gone all day at work? I hope so!

I have the best baby girls ever! Many people struggle to have one healthy baby...I was blessed to have TWO! Other than my work situation, my life couldn't get much better!

12 Weeks Old...and the end of Maternity Leave

My big girls are 12 weeks old today, and I can’t believe it!! There’s one bad thing about the girls turning 12 weeks old, my maternity leave is coming to an end. :-( I HATE the idea of going back to work. As one fellow mom put it, I will be “crying on the way, and speeding on the way home!”

They’ve gotten so big over the last 12 weeks. When they were first born, I used to pray that they would eat a 1 oz bottle, and now they eat between 3 oz and 5 oz five times a day! They are also holding their heads up, SMILING, cooing, and ROLLING OVER!! They are right on schedule for their age (which is awesome, since they were early. But, of course, my girls would be advanced!!).

I’d love to stay home all weekend with my girls, but we’ve got big plans…TWO family reunions, both on my hubby’s side. Saturday brings the Hartig reunion and Sunday brings the Johannes reunion. By Monday, I think we’ll need to spend all day home alone, just the four of us!

Here's my girls @ 12 weeks old!

Twin Princess Go to the Library...

We have had a very busy week; of course it always feels busy when you’re taking care of two babies!! On Wednesday, I decided to have an adventure….an outing all by myself with both babies. We had two stops: the Blue Springs Library and Target (one of my favorite stores).

I have sort of become obsessed with reading books on twins, and I had two of them reserved at the library. I was a little worried about how the girls would act. You don’t realize how quiet a library is until you walk in with two little babies. But, of course, my girls were perfect!! Lily slept the whole time (per usual) and Madi just looked around while I picked out my books. We made it in and out of the library with only 5 people stopping us (I’ve just started to accept that). Side note: one of my books said the best accessory for a mother of twins is dark sunglasses. It lets you get in and out of a store with little eye contact, minimizing the number of people who stop you.

After our trip to the library it was time to go to Target. The worst part of the whole trip was getting both the girls in and out of the car, and into their stroller. If you haven’t seen my stroller…it is major! I think it’s about 6 feet long (well, maybe not that long, but it takes a lot of skill to maneuver through the stores with it!). I went to Target to return a few things that didn’t fit the girls. The line was REALLY long (annoying). Again, I was worried about keeping the girls occupied while I waited in line…but, they did great. Really, I think I have the best behaved babies ever! They may cry at home, but out in public they are angels!

Our stroller...it's pretty long, but it works for us!

Friday brought us to a shopping spree! Babies ‘R Us was having a sale on Pampers (our choice of diapers), so we ran to the store to stock up on diapers. While there, I couldn’t pass up a few clothes! We are very lucky to have hand-me-downs from some very good friends, but it’s nice to give the girls some new clothes that are just theirs. One book I read said it’s a waste of money to dress your twins in matching clothes. Before I had the girls, I agreed. Once they came though, I’m all about the matching and coordinating. Of course, they don’t match everyday…but if I buy clothes, they’re usually matching (it’s just TOO cute!).

Saturday and Sunday were full of visits from Papa Joe and Grandma Jennie and Grandpa Larry and Grammy. It’s really fun to see our parents interact with the girls. Very cute! Too bad they can’t babysit when I go back to work!

Speaking of work, I go back after Labor Day. I HATE the idea of going to work, but we’ve gotta pay our bills. I can’t really talk about it or think about it too long…I start to cry when I do. I think most working moms feel the same way. I just try to remember…quality time is more important than the quantity of time.

Here’s a look at my angels…who have started smiling and cooing!!

Beautiful little smirk from Madi

Love it! She's trying to smile/laugh :-)

Lily is such a beautiful little lady!!

Reaching for the fan on the ceiling...she's getting so big!! :-)

2 Months Old!!

It's hard to believe, but my girls turned two months old yesterday! The last two months have been the fastest and most hectic of my life. I know that I'm tired, stressed, and a little overwhelmed...but, I have also never been happier. My girls are EVERYTHING to me. I can't imagine missing one of my girls...I was meant to be the mom of twins.

Today was a big day for our family...the dreaded 2 Month Check Up. All parents know that this doctor's appointment is where you get your vaccinations. The girls actually handled the shots really well! Lily barely cried at all. She just needed a little comforting from Daddy, and she was pretty good to go. Madison took it a little harder (typical Madison, she's slightly more "dramatic" about everything). They both puckered up their bottom lips when the first shot hit...it was so cute and heartbreaking at the same time.

We're home now, and both girls are asleep. It's too early to tell if they'll get a mild fever from the shots, but so far so good (keeping fingers crossed!!).

Here's some stats on my girls...FYI: they're both on the small size, but are right on schedule developmentally (which is great since they were 5 weeks early!)

*Weight: Lily is 8lbs (2nd percentile), at birth she weighed 4lbs 11oz
Madison is 8lbs 14 oz (8th percentile), at birth she weighed 5lbs 10oz
*Length: Lily is 20.25 inches (1st to 3rd percentile)
Madison is 21 inches (7th percentile)
*Head Circumference: Lily's is 14.5 inches (7th percentile)
Madison's is 14.75 inches (17th percentile)

They may be small, but they are actually gaining ground, since they were in the 1st percentile for everything at their 2 week check.

They may be little, but they've got spunk!!


Lily and her shades


Madison and her shades

Guess who? :-)

On their "2-Month Birthday"

Madison


Lily

7 Weeks Old!

It's been a very busy week at the Hartig house! The girls got a special visitor on Saturday, my friend Jessica (from State Street). It's great introducing the girls to new people. It never fails to amuse me when someone new meets my babies. Everyone seems to be in awe of the twins...I guess most people haven't seen twin babies before.

The worst is when we go out in public. Nate and I have learned to dread taking the girls out. I can actually see people's mouths drop, and their heads turn to follow us through the store. It's amazing the questions we get, too. Are they identical? Is that one a boy (poor Lily, since she doesn't have much hair)? Are they both girls? How did they fit in there? Is it a lot of work? How old are they? Better you than me. How much do they weigh? Do you get much sleep? Are they on the same schedule? .... Those are just a few of the questions we get. I can't imagine asking a stranger these kinds of questions!! This experience has made me be a little more patient with people. I know everyone loves babies, but sometimes I'd prefer to actually get in and out of the store without being stopped 20 times (no exaggeration...Wal-Mart last week was quite an experience!).

Moving onto Sunday...we were running around like crazy! First, we went to Audrina Elmer's First Birthday Party in Bonner. It was Baby Crazy there!! The girls got to meet Audrina (age 1), Carson (age 3 weeks), and Kamryn (age 3 weeks)...I think we'll need to start a new mom support group!! :-) It was nice to talk to other new moms, who feel the same way I do. It's nice that I'm not crazy!! Of course, there is one big difference...there's never a dull moment in the Hartig House. We're almost always trying to feed one of them, change one of them, get one to sleep, get one to stop screaming...but I wouldn't have it any other way! :-)

After the party, we went to Grandma and Papa Prather's house for a visit, and then to Grammy and Granddad Hartig's house...by the time we got home, we were all exhausted! I love visiting family, but it's quite a chore to get the girls out of the house...hopefully that will get easier!

Here's the girls at Audrina's party:


Unfortunately, this week had a rough start. Sunday night I only got about 3 hours of sleep. When I woke up, I had strep throat/sinus infection....ugh!! I hate being sick, but I guess it comes with being so worn down. Monday night the girls cooperated, and actually slept in 3 hour intervals, so I was able to rest. And, luckily, I have a great hubby!! Tuesday night he took care of the girls all alone from 9pm to 2am, so I could sleep...it was WONDERFUL!!

I'm on the mend now, and enjoying a little quiet time right now! The girls went on their first car ride alone with me...and it put them right to sleep!! :-)

After their nap, the girls "exercised" on their play mat....my girls are so strong!! Madison "Mighty Mouse" Hartig rolled herself over!! She went from her tummy to flat on her back :-) Lily isn't quite there, but she did lean to one side, so it won't be long for her. It's amazing how fast they're growing! We're very blessed!!

Here's a look at the girls, 7 weeks old!


Lily


Madison


Ruffled Bottoms :-)

Our Terrific Twins are 6 Weeks Old!

I decided to jump on the "Blog Mom" bandwagon, and start a blog about my beautiful twin girls! I don't know if anyone is actually going to read this or not, but I thought it would be nice for the girls to be able to look back at our life when they're older :-)

Lily and Madison are 6 weeks old today...which is funny, since they weren't officially due until July 12. These have been a very crazy 6 weeks for us! The girls were born early, so they were sent to the NICU. Lily was in there for 12 days, and Madi was there for 17 days. Those were the HARDEST days of my life. For the first week, I cried everyday...at least twice a day. Leaving your children every night in the hospital is unbearable, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. But, the girls are doing great now! You would never know they didn't come straight home. :-)

As most of you know, we were very shocked to find out we were having twins...well, shocked is an understatement. I don't think I actually came to terms with it until I saw them. Once they were both here, though, I couldn't imagine it any other way. I think having one baby is scary enough, but two is exponentially harder (not just twice as hard). It can be especially hard when they're crying and screaming at the same time...it's like"dueling banjos"! But, when they're happy and laying together in their crib, or sitting in my lap, my heart melts...Nate and I are VERY BLESSED!!

Here's a few facts about Lily and Madison: Likes: Bouncy Seats, Boppy, Swinging, Bottle Time, Sleeping on Daddy's Chest, the Mobile above their Crib, Snuggling with Mom, & Being Held by Anyone!

Dislikes: Bath Time, the "Nose Sucker", Dog Barks

That's it for now...but with more to come! :-)