Antics

Lori brought up the boys antics in her comment a couple posts ago. Well, here is some gravy for you on their recent happenings.


This is Parks after we went to Chili's one night. He had just finished a large helping of mashed potatoes and decided he wanted some of my quesadilla. He bit off a little more than he could chew and threw up everything on himself, the high chair, the table, and the floor. He has one of the easiest gag reflexes I've ever seen. We had no change of clothes (which we now carry with us everywhere) and went through a small forest of napkins to clean it up. So, he had to sit like this the rest of dinner and ride home in nothing but a diaper.

This is a picture of Wyatt with a large bruise under his left eye (see arrow). He is just learning to crawl and trying to do so from a seated position. We have had a hard time finding things that would motivate him to take the first step of lunging out towards the item. For Easter, the boys got soccer ball easter eggs that open in half to fill them with candy, and they loved them. The egg was open in half and was sitting edge-ways up. The next thing we know, he flops down face first onto the egg without putting his hands up. He ended up with a nice crescent imprint on his cheek for several days. That's life with boys, huh.

Mobile Phone Pictures

I was clearing the SD card from my phone and found some candid moments when there just wasn't a real camera around.

This is a picture of Wyatt chewing on the table at our favorite pizza place in Pensacola. This same night we learned that he was deathly afraid of ceiling fans on high speed.





Randi captured these pictures of some of Parks' first smiles.








These are pictures of the family at A-Day, Auburn football spring game recently. The boys paid more attention to the people in the stands than they did to the action on the field. That is why we are not going to spend an extra $35-$50 per head to get them into football games this fall. We will save that until they are old enough to enjoy it...or we get free tickets.







These are pictures of Parks on an outing to Lowe's. As you might can see, we are in the outdoor power equipment area doing a little wishful thinking. He was still a little man, and this was his first trip in the front of the buggie.

Why We Blog

Recently, I have had my reservations about continuing this blog and moving on with something else. In the beginning, we set it up as a way for family and friends look in on Randi's pregnancy from several states away, since they could not be there for the day-to-day. As problems progressed in the pregnancy, and we began to doubt the sustainability of Wyatt, the blog took on a life of its own. We were so encouraged and touched by others' stories and how the blog reciprocated those feelings back to them. The boys are now approaching their one year birthday in less than 20 days, and we have had some medical bumps in the road beyond the daily stresses associated with having multiples. At times, we have been complacent and stepped away, for weeks at a time, from our blog.

As I started looking back through all those old pictures from the NICU at how far the boys have come; the images still etched so solidly on our memories. Sometimes we can hardly recognize that these are the same two little boys who live with us now. We can only express a snippet of the unabashed joy that comes to us as parents at the quirkiness of our children as children. Although I could post several times a day, I would never capture the chuckle of a Buddha I get as I watch them collapse into sleep during their mid-day nap after struggling so hard to stay wake to play a few more minutes. Those moments are lost to our fleeting memories.

Some have said that blogging is merely egotistical self-massaging...well I guess it depends on your intentions. I see it as the new historical record. No longer do the victor go the spoils. Each is able to leave their own imprint. We are telling the story of our family as no one else can. One of the most rewarding times over the last couple years has been the culmination of this blog into a printed, published book through the help of Blurb.com. For Christmas, we gave copies of a modest 7X7 book to our parents and grandparents of our children's struggle to be born and mature. And even more rewarding, was secretly creating and giving Randi a copy of the entire blog from the last year. We hope to continue this through year two and three, and so on, of this blog.

I am a private person, guarded and reserved in my emotions. I am far too analytical and facts-based. There is a quote that is very near and dear to my heart by Leo Tolstoy in Family Happiness. Through the years I have found no text in literature of equal measure.

"He was right in saying that the only certain happiness in life is to live for others . . . I have lived through much, and now I think I have found what is needed for happiness. A quiet secluded life in the country, with the possibility of being useful to people to whom it is easy to do good, and who are not accustomed to have it done to them; then work which one hopes may be of some use; then rest, nature, books, music, love for one's neighbor --such is my idea of happiness. And then on top of all that, you (look) for a mate, and children perhaps -- what more can the heart of a man desire?"

Peanuts And Cracker Jacks

We took the boys to their first baseball game last night. The game started at 6 p.m., and their bedtime starts around 7 p.m., so we arrived early and left early as well. We had really good seats, so the boys were able to really watch the action. They perked up every time they heard the "ting" of the aluminum bats. Although, at times, they seemed to be just as interested in the crowd as in the game itself, especially the hecklers. Randi's brother, who's 19, came with us and got to warm up to the boys some more. We joked that he needs to borrow them one day and take them out on campus because all the girls were swooning over the "precious little twins." Here are some pictures from the game:

The boys discussing ERA's and slugging percentages during warm-ups.Randi's brother, Blake, holding Wyatt for the first time. Look at that grip.That face right there says SOO much about Parks. All those competing emotions just waiting to get out.He's like an orange on a toothpick. Housing his big brain.Mommy and Wyatt

Blue Christmas

Our boys are starting to communicate with us more and more. Parks has started consistently and purposefully formulating his first sign to us. And what is it you may ask? Is it eat or more or drink? No, it is DOG? How appropriate. I guess the constant tail-swatting and face licking left quite a lasting impression. He will even sign for dog when we ask him about a specific dog by name.

Wyatt loves it when you copy the Campbell's Soup tag line, "mmm, mmm, good," while you are feeding him his fruits and vegetables. He really loves the "good" part, but he is usually in full, gummy grin with the "mmm, mmm's" in anticipation. Also, he is repeating back the "mmm's" consistently. I guess the word good is still a little complex.

Parks and Wyatt both have loved listening to daddy sing "Blue Christmas" in the bathtub for nearly six months. I try to sing it real deep and slow. I also ham-it-up a lot, worse than any cheesy, Vegas-lounge singing version of Elvis. Well, the other night I was full on into the second verse when Parks repeated back to me the full chorus--"Dial han ug boo boo boo keema." And, of course, he would not repeat it when I was able to get Randi in the bathroom.

They are really starting to pick up on a lot of what we are doing. Parks has taken special interest at Randi and I when we kiss in front of him. He looks at us with a sideways grin, not quite sure what we are doing. He knows somethings up.

Worth Fighting For...

I feel led to share this evening about a sermon I heard today. The series is entitled Fight Club and the premise, from Northpoint Ministries' website, is "one of the most tragic stories in the Bible is that of David and Absalom. Absalom longed for his father's approval. David longed for the respect of his son. In the end, war came between the two, and one lost his life, while the other lost any chance for reconciliation. This message explores the dynamics of family relationships and why some battles are worth fighting."

My parents were divorced when I was only three. I have no real memories of when my mom and dad were married. What I remember is living with my mom and seeing my dad every other weekend and a month in the Summer. Unfortunately, as I hit adolescence my relationship with my dad began to fall apart and I was hurt by him repeatedly until I finally just gave up and cut all ties with him. It was never a decision I discussed with him, just a decision I made in order to protect myself. After much counsel I was able to work through what God had commanded me to do, and that was forgive my father. My struggle for the next 10 years then became a struggle of whether or not I had to reconcile with him just because I forgave him. I never had the chance for reconciliation. Our story, like King David and Absalom's, has a very tragic ending. My father took his life in October of 2006, just two weeks before I found out I was pregnant with Wyatt and Parks. With hopes of having children of my own soon, I was just beginning to open my heart and mind to the possibility of reconciliation.

Andy Stanley's point was when we are not in relationship with our family members, there is something in all of our hearts, that will tug at us until we are reconciled. These are the relationships worth fighting for. We must fight for them the way God fights for His relationship with us. After all the Lord has done in order to be in relationship with me, how silly of me to really believe that I could just get away with forgiveness, that I wasn't also commanded to pursue reconciliation, regardless of whether I would win or lose. As I listened this morning, to this incredible story it was so odd to not feel the conviction to reconcile with my father, yet so heartbreaking that I will never have that opportunity. Not only for myself, but for my children. So, if you are struggling with familial relationships and feel led or have a few minutes this week, you can listen to it for free here.

Funny Faces

11 Months And Counting

The boys are 11 months old today. Here are some recent photos of the them in their new environment. Plans are in the works for the big day next month. They are getting so big and aware. It should be a lot of fun.

Wyatt's big grin, now with the first signs of 2 teeth, and blue eyes.

Parks in mommy's arms. He's such a ham.

Wyatt in his normal position while eating.

Parks is much more of a slouch.

I love Wyatt's big grin in the background of this picture.

Caught'cha

5 Against 1

Sticking with numerical themes...

Wyatt is finally getting his first tooth. It is just starting to break through his lower jaw. No more toothless wonder.

Parks is also getting another tooth, his fifth. He now has three on top and two on bottom and loves using them. He's graduated to some larger puffs cereal. Furthermore, might I say that he is a very neat eater. He rarely gets food anywhere outside his mouth and will only chew with his mouth closed.

Wyatt, on the other hand, seems to have a hole in his bottom lip in which some thing drops out with every bite, inevitably getting something on his clothes at most meals. He gets this from his mother, and from his father, he has the poor-mannered habit of chewing with his mouth open.

1..2..3..4..Give Me 5

The boys are developing such unique personalities. The other day we were at dinner, and I had one boy on each side of me. It was like night and day. Wyatt, our little details oriented son, was checking out the lines on the tablecloth. He studied every one intensely. He stared at them. He touched them. He tried to put his mouth on them. Parks, on the other hand, was banging a toy phone to the beat of the music playing over the airwaves and babbling ceaselessly.

Wyatt has also become fascinated with his hands and feet. Whenever he is in a high chair, he props one of his legs up and crosses it over his other leg. He loves to bend his fingers down, like forming numbers, and examine them. So, I started counting numbers on my hand, counting 1..2..3..4.. Parks likes things on more on the rambunctious side. He has started giving high-5's on command. He will raise his little hand up and spread his fingers out waiting for you to slap it. Now, in order to keep both of them entertained at the same time, we have combined the two styles. Now, to get them both laughing we go 1..2..3..4..Give me 5.

Looking Back

I found this video of Wyatt and Parks from the first day we brought Wyatt home after six weeks in the NICU. They look so different now than they did back then. Parks is the first baby and Wyatt is the second one.

Helmets and Bananas

Wyatt got some new digs for his helmet this week. For any of you out there with Starband helmets, rub-on transfers work best. We wanted superheros or Tonka trucks, but the closest we could find was fishing. Wyatt goes tomorrow to get his helmet adjusted. He has rubbed one nasty raw spot and developed a heat rash up the back of his head. Hopefully, we will only need the helmet a couple more weeks. He has made such improvements. The shape of his head is noticeably different. I will have to attach a copy of the final head scan when it's all said and done.Today, the boys and I were eating a real banana, not the semi-liquid, semi-solid mush that comes from Gerber. We have really started to practice verbalizing and signing objects. The easiest items have been foods and pets. A big help has been the Baby Signing Time series that the boys absolutely love...and that their parents unfortunately can sing all the songs in their sleep. They perk up two rooms away when they hear the theme music. It is the only television that we let them watch, other than some sports. They are boys.

Back to the story. We were eating the banana, and I'm showing them how to peel it, showing them the sign for banana, and slowly enunciating each syllable before saying the whole thing together. Park is laughing hysterically. Then he starts repeating what I'm saying. "Bah-nan-na-na-na". It sounded soooo much like banana, I ran back to get Randi to have her confirm it. He did it only once for her, but must have done it 6 times prior to that. I'm not going to say it's his first word, but he is starting to parrot what we are saying. This made Randi's warnings hit home. We'd better watch what we say around him.