Faux Photo Shoot

So Mom and I tried to take advantage of some "happy awake time" yesterday and snapped a few pictures... I just had to post the different attempts to show their cute personalities... they are so funny!  

Avery:  Yay!  Photo shoot!  I just LOVE the camera... don't I look cute in my bow?
Silas:  Oh good gosh, are you kidding me?  

Avery:  Silas, why don't you have some fun. You're supposed to smile for the pictures.
Silas:  At least they don't have me dressed like a girl.

Silas:  Now this is better, my big man's chair.
Avery:  I love pictures, yes I do. These puppies are taking up too much room. And my bow is prettier. 

Shirts Mimi bought for us in Hawaii!
Avery:  Why did y'all take my paci?  (Avery is obsessed with her paci)
Silas:  Ok, t-shirts much better. I'll sit here.

No caption needed.

You're wearing me out, sister.

Cheesy smile.

Tummy time!  

Again, Avery loves her paci. She started trying to suck on this toy. Wish we had video so you could hear the sound effects! 

Big boy!  Look Mom, I can hold my head up!  (for about 1 minute...)

I'll keep updating about how precious Silas is doing at night... I'm sure we'll wake up one day soon and all problems will be solved...  we're still trying to find the magic cure. He does seem to be feeling slightly better during the day - which is great!

Recent Updates

I just can't believe they're 8 weeks old today!  They're growing... changing every day.  We started the transition to formula last week, which proved a little hard at first, but now we think their little 'systems' are ok with it. They still get one bottle of mom's milk every day 'til the freezer is empty...

Big outing last weekend... Silas and Avery spent the night with Papaw and Mimi in Grenada!  Bruce and I went out to eat Friday night - and just laughed as we stared at each other asking "and who are you again?" Ha.  We so enjoyed dinner and then went straight home for precious uninterrupted sleep!  We sure missed them, but are sooooo grateful for Papaw and Mimi - and Aunt Gay Gay!! for taking such wonderful care of them:-)  They can't wait to do that again!

Sleep is still a little hard to come by - which is why I haven't been able to update this blog as much as I'd like!  Avery is pretty predictable - sleeps between feedings every 4 hours at night - can't ask for much better than that at this point!  Silas.. well, I just hate to see him hurting - he seems to be having some serious reflux issues. After calling the pediatrician multiple times and trying just about everything we can think of, we're finally on Zantac and hoping for some relief. Sleep will come - I just wish we could figure out what is bothering poor precious Silas. Bless his heart. It's in the middle of the night when little tears are coming down his face (and mine too) and we've changed him, fed him, rocked him, swaddled him, unswaddled him, held him close... that I think "if only I could understand"... I just hope he feels my love for him and my desire for him to feel safe in my arms. I would do anything for him to just rest as I hold him close.  I realize as a new parent we get to experience God's love in ways we could never do before. If I feel this way about my children, how much more does God feel this for us?! We don't even have to tell Him what we feel - He already knows. If only I would just rest in His arms and accept His perfect provision for me.

Silas and Avery get their shots at their checkup Friday... Mom and Dad will be glad when that's over!  :-)  We're excited about taking them for their first Grove experience Saturday at the Auburn game!  :-)

Ok, on to the recent pictures... first, you've GOT TO SEE THIS!  Avery has figured out how to roll from her stomach to her back! 7 weeks...

I can't forget Silas:  he is just so much more comfortable on his stomach - of course, we won't let him sleep that way unless we're in the room with him... but I went into the nursery one night when my "shift" started and saw him on his stomach - Bruce swore he left him on his back... hmm.  There's no telling what they do/think when we're not looking! :-)  

Good Morning?

Much better now, thanks.
"Milk drunk"

Out to lunch with Mimi

With Gay Gay!!  At the lakehouse for the first time:)

6 weeks!

Ok, so my emotional tendencies are getting better (I think... may want to ask Bruce:-)... now I find myself using the phrase "momnesia" more and more for excuses as to why I do the crazy things I do! HA. The other morning, I realized about 11am (of course, I still have on my pajamas for some reason...) that I'd been up and around since 5am with a burp cloth on my shoulder.  You should see me trying to do simple things like count out change to pay for something... it's like my brain doesn't work like that anymore:-)

We celebrated Dad's birthday at our house - Happy Birthday Papaw!!

Last weekend, we ventured to Grenada for our first overnight trip!  Silas and Avery loved being at Mimi and Papaw's house:-) They knew something was different... but sure loved all the attention:-) Even Aunt Gay Gay came for the weekend - and was a lifesaver!  You should have seen DingDing and GayGay... I don't think I held my children all weekend:-) Ha!  kidding... SO GLAD for a few nights of GREAT sleep!

Bruce and I had fun at my 10-year high school reunion!! I loved walking the halls of my elementary school, showing Bruce my old classrooms and telling stories of wonderful memories!  What great friends and great times!  We had a picnic at the school that Saturday at lunch and all our kids played - so fun!  Here's a picture of our class at 333 that night after supper...

Elizabeth and Kayla, sweet friends

Laura, best bud since preschool!

I just can't believe Silas and Avery are 6 weeks old already!!  

They are still eating about every 3-4 hours during the day and night... Bruce keeps asking when they'll sleep longer (translation:  when will we sleep?)... We're hoping in a few weeks....

Silas weighs 9 lbs now and Avery is 8 lbs!  Bulking up:-) Or "rounding out" or "fattening up" as some of my patients would say:-)  

They LOVE their Mimi visiting several days a week...

She reads to us...

And sings us to sleep...

Ha!  At this point, Avery was sucking on Silas' arm...he began to get upset. She already knows how to aggravate her brother...

Shopping with MiMi and Aunt GG!!  Stylin'

Bruce's cousins stopped by after their swim meet last weekend - They loved seeing Lisa again and meeting Andy and Adam!!!

After they eat, Silas usually takes a short nap (like his Papaw's "coma" after Sunday lunch...:-)  and Avery becomes WIDE AWAKE... seriously, I don't think she blinks for several minutes! HA!  I was worried about the coffee I've been having (lots of it..) in the milk, but Silas seems not to be bothered by this:-)  Just tell me how to resist this:

Squeeze me!!

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk...

First, I am emotional (well, just cry easily for no apparent reason at all). They tell me it's the hormones. Oh well. I am perfectly fine...feel great. It just sometimes hits me at odd times - like Dancing With the Stars or even a crazy commercial. HA. 

Second, I (we) are tired. Of course. There are hungry babies in the house. Nuf said.

To feed these hungry, growing, hungry children (did I mention they are hungry?!), I am mostly pumping breastmilk, a.k.a. Liquid Gold. It is just so much easier to have others able to help with feedings!  I was preparing the bottles for last night's feedings and wasn't seeing straight. I looked up with a gasp, hoping that it wasn't what I thought. But it was. I had spilled Liquid Gold all over the counter. Tears. Then Laughter. Still laughing.

Don't cry over spilled milk, (unless, of course, it's liquid gold).

Silas and Avery are doing great!  They still eat every 2.5 to 3 hours, 24 hours a day, growing like crazy! Silas is still our "little old man"... this morning, he just was NOT having the cool little baby toys (big swing, bouncer seat, play mat), so I finally put him in the chair beside me. He now has a new favorite place: the big man's chair. See what I mean?

My mom brought some pictures from the day they brought me home from the hospital... I said... oh wow! a fat Avery. ha! see?

 

We actually went to church and snuck into the balcony Sunday! Well, we were late (of course), but finally made it (all 4 of us!). They did great and slept the whole time:-) We need practice with "outings"... I'm learning to set aside about an hour more to leave than I actually think it will take to get out the door. ha!  

ONE MONTH OLD! wow.

Hotty Toddy!!  Notice Avery doing the Heisman pose:-)!

Here are a few more pics from the week...

They LOVE their Mimi!

Just hand me the blapper and get these cameras out of my way! There's a game on people!

Just had to show off the back of his cute onesie;)

Avery LOVES her bath. Watch out world... another spa queen is born!

Time flies!

Lots of happenings this week!  We ventured to Bruce's office on Tuesday and met most of the church staff - they loved it!  Wednesday was our 3-week birthday...

They're growing and changing so quickly!  I don't want to wish any time away... but it sure will be nice when they can skip that 3am feeding:-)  I was thinking this morning... you know, millions of moms around the world are up right now doing this same thing right now.  It really is a sweet time with just the two of them:-)  Note tip: if waiting on a dirty diaper to change before going to sleep at 3am, remedy is putting a clean diaper on. It will immediately become dirty. 

We've started playing more during the day - so precious!  It won't be long before they're smiling back at us:-)  I think Silas has already started looking out for his sister... what do you think?

We recorded them playing the other day - I think we could just sit and watch them all day long. ha!  What in the world did we do before these kids? 

Oh and I mustn't forget:  New songs from Auntie Grace...

One last thing... Bruce is doing great in the "Dad" role... but I must share last night's story. I laid out Avery's "nighttime" clothes and asked him to change her - he just needed to get some socks from the drawer for her feet. He did well putting on the t-shirt and onesie... but Avery came out with mittens on her feet!  ha! Bless his heart. I'll lay out the socks too next time. 

Learning every day. 

Growing little people!

So we had our first pediatrician appointment today - we really like our doctor!  He was super thorough and spent lots of time just talking with us. He said Silas and Avery couldn't look any better:-)  Again, so much to be thankful for! Here are the new stats:

Silas

6lb 7oz

19 1/2 in long

Avery

5lb 8oz

19 in long

My dad says they've definitely got the "I love to eat" Gore genes:-)  ha!  On another note, tonight will be Bruce and my (GULP!) first night alone with them... we'll see how this goes...

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Aunt Grace - she's been over here spoiling them almost every night!  We're so glad she and Micajah are in Jackson with us - I told her I'd pay her to be our nanny if she'd cook some... she said I'll order out...oh well. Silas and Avery love their Uncle M and Aunt GG!!  Grace was able to keep Avery awake (she gets very sleepy during feedings and we're trying to keep her awake... like the book Babywise promises will help get a full night's sleep...) which is very hard!  Check it out... Avery loves Beyonce!

These kids just don't know what a crazy family they've been born into! 

Thankfully, Super Mimi comes back Monday!  :-)

2 weeks!

Can't believe Silas and Avery are 2 weeks old! They are doing great... hungry all the time... probably because it seems to go straight through them (I think the diaper count is well over 200 now:-)!  ha!  Some nights are better than others - but we're starting to get "the hang" of it. Mom is going home tomorrow (oh no!), but thankfully will be back Monday! Moppy came into town Monday and we have LOVED having her here too! Everything is just so much easier with more than 2 pairs of hands!  

4 Generations!  So special!

We are learning... all the time. Silas has already "showered" Bruce, Mop and me... I might need to buy some of those teepee things! haha. I know it's too early to tell, but their little personalities are already so funny!  Silas is our "old man" and Avery is our drama queen!  Mop says she'll be the beauty queen... I say, good thing that's Auntie Grace's department... it's sure not mine! Silas is definitely ACTIVE all the time - even in his sleep... grunting and moving arms and legs and squirming all day long! Avery is more content to sit and watch her brother...

The "old man" Silas loves to sit in the big recliner for his weekly pictures... check it out. Can't you just hear him thinking, "alright people, where's my blapper"! (FYI: "blapper" is the Gore term for the remote control for the TV)

We've also had our first pseudo-baths... they weren't too sure at first, but ended up loving them!

So... I've had some complaints about the bad nursery pictures I posted awhile ago... and no, the room is not ugly mustard yellow!  Grace keeps telling me I must post new pics... 

Silas and Avery LOVE to stroll:-)

Warf, party of 5!

We go to the pediatrician tomorrow for the first time!  The 2-week appointment/check-up! I'll update with info tomorrow.

 We can't wait til we can get "out and about" more in the next few weeks!!

Welcome to Our World

Welcome to the world Silas and Avery!!  Born 9/1/10... Silas at a svelt 5lb13oz, 18 3/4 in long and Avery at a dainty 5lb4oz, 18 1/4 in long!  Mom and Dad couldn't be happier and more thankful that they're here healthy and safely. Here is what I heard while in surgery - you can't tell me anything that sounds better than this!!

After 4 nights in the hospital, Mom and babies are home safe and sound.  And- thank the Lord for awesome Moms... my wonderful Mom has been here and been a life-saver!  She's been "working" the 12-6:30 shift at night - whew!

Silas and Avery are so much fun - their little personalities are already showing (I'm sure these will change many times in the next years)... Silas has this serious, thinking face that he does - cracks me up!  And Avery is just bright eyed and happy to see the world... she seems to be the more laid back one so far:-)

The hospital had someone come around and take pictures - I'll share my favorite:

They most definitely LOVE to be next to one another!  We have them sleeping in a bassinet with their heads at opposite ends - but definitely have them close for snuggle time for naps:-)  

With newborns and as first time parents, I find myself with new obsessions:

1)  How long has it been since they've eaten?  You sure? 

2)  Did you mark on the record sheet that wet diaper?

3) What color was that poop?  

4)  How many dirty diapers have they had?

    - I understand there are two times in your life that your obsessed with poop. As a parent of a newborn and....

5)  Is that paci sterilized?

6)  Are they still hungry?  How could they still be hungry?  

7)  and the list goes on and on! 

Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention our first child. Millie has been patiently sitting at the door with her leash in her mouth BEGGING for a walk. Bless her heart. She has found the only way to get a word in and have some sort of control:

When we can't find the "blapper", we must check Millie's bed. HA.

Alright, looks like naptime is over.....