April Catch-Up Post: Thank you Granny, Jet Setters & On Our Own

The girls have been keeping me busy and I haven't had much time for blogging ;) , but before April draws to a close I wanted to capture a few updates from the last couple of weeks.

First, I want to say thank you to Granny! We were lucky enough to have Granny Gail (Randall's mom) stay with us for a month and I'm not sure how we would have survived without her. Not only was she a huge help ... waking up in the middle of the night to help with feedings, making formula and washing bottles, helping with laundry and other chores ... but she also gave so much love to our little girls. She sang to them, told them stories about their daddy and cousins, took naps with both of them on the couch, and spoiled them rotten. Granny was there for Kenzie & Lexi's first Easter, she was there for their first dinner out, and accompanied them on their first plane trip. Thank you Granny for all of your love and support! Thank you for dropping everything in your own day to day life to come spend an entire month helping us! We feel so fortunate that you were able to share this time with Kenzie & Lexi!The girls had a successful first trip! We spent a week down in New Orleans visiting Randall's family and friends and the girls did great. Gail and I flew down with Kenzie & Lexi on Wednesday, April 14 ... the girls were exactly 6 weeks old and already jet setting :) I was very nervous about the flight, but for no reason. Besides a minor meltdown from Lexi as we went through security they both did great. They slept the entire duration of the 2 hour flight and didn't make a peep... to the extent that when we were deplaning several passengers commented that they didn't even know there had been 2 infants on board. I am so proud of my girls. I asked the pilot if the girls could get a set of wings to commemorate their first flight, but apparently those have been eliminated along with meals and blankets in this age of airline budget cuts. The girls had a great time while in New Orleans meeting all sorts of new people ... their Granny Nanny (Randall's grandmother), Nanny B and Parran, Aunt Janet and Aunt Barbara, many of Randall's friends and their families ... to name just a few. Granny Nanny was so sweet to her great granddaughters... helping with feedings and cuddling and loving them both. The girls also loved seeing their Papa Gene again. We also got to cheer for Daddy in the New Orleans Half Ironman Triathlon while we were in town.


We then made the 12 hour car trip back home with Randall ... it turned out to be 14.5 hours due to longer, more frequent stops for feedings, diaper changes, etc. It was a very long day but the girls did very well. Overall we had a great trip and it was so nice to have a change of scenery and to visit with so many wonderful people!
Finally, I survived my first week on my own with the girls. I was really nervous about being on my own after having help for the first 6 weeks. It has been challenging, but we are having fun and are enjoying the mommy/daughter bonding time. Kenzie and Lexi are such sweethearts and are changing day by day. Earlier this week they both laughed for the first time ... I love sharing moments like this with them and I keep these in mind during the moments when both girls are crying, Tobi is barking and I haven't showered in 3 days :) I am learning to be super efficient ... who knew how much could be done with your chin and feet, and I have even managed to cook a few meals thanks to the wonders of the crock pot. While I am pretty exhausted by the end of each day and don't find much time to do anything other than care for and play with the girls, that's all that really matters right now...

I mwan, how precioous are they? I love them so!!!

Celebrating Life: Follow-Up to Previous 2 Posts

Our Easter Sunday church service with the girls was a success. Randall and I each held one of the girls in our arms and the slept like little angels. They especially seemed to enjoy the organ music and the only time that they fussed even a little was for a few seconds when the music would stop.

I am so happy that we made it out of the house to celebrate Easter Sunday. Not only was it a perfectly beautiful sunny spring day, with daffodils, tulips and cherry blossoms in full bloom, but as the service began with the singing of "Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia!" it reminded me full force of what Easter is really all about ... the celebration of life! As I sat in that pew up in the church balcony surrounded by organ pipes shouting out this glorious song, tears welled up in my eyes. There I was holding my beautiful Alexandra, sitting next to my wonderful husband who was holding our gorgeous Mckenna and I was just thankful beyond words. Just a year ago, we weren't sure whether we would ever get to experience this joy and there I was looking down at these two beautiful girls that grew inside of me. I was just in awe and said yet another prayer to thank God for our two little miracles. I am so blessed to be surrounded by so much love and this moment reminded me how important it is to celebrate life - not only on Easter, but every day. This first month has been exhausting and there are moments where I feel like I am too worn out to continue this routine - but moments like this one, remind how important it is to enjoy and cherish this time. It is difficult and exhausting but it is oh so beautiful!

I also wanted to capture an update to the girls 1st month post. At the time I did not have a chance to write about how each of their personalities are developing and these are memories that I don't want to forget. Mothers of twins often tell me that the first few months are such a blur that I won't remember them at all ... and I want to ensure that I don't forget these beautiful moments.

Lexi - at one month you are quite the thinker. You make the funniest facial expressions and I am dying to know what is going on inside that little head of yours - based on your expressions there are clearly some very deep thoughts. You also love to stare at things - among your favorite things are the ceiling fan and the mobile with black and white animal picture cards that hangs above your changing table. I think that you may be left handed as right now it definitely seems to be your dominant arm ... constantly trying to escape the swaddle, grasping fingers, blankets and my hair. As we predicted from your behavior in the womb, you are very strong willed. I think you are going to be the one that wants to try to do everything on your own ... already evidenced by the fact that when you are breastfeeding you do not really want my help to latch on, you prefer to shake your head around until you find it on your own. You are getting better at tummy time, but I think you prefer to be on your back because that way it is easier for you to take in more of the world around you. While you often seem serious, it melts my heart when we lock eyes and you give me a big grin and let all tension escape from your sweet little face. I love you to the sky and back my little Lexi!

Kenzie - at one month you are so peaceful. You love to make sweet humming/sighing sounds when you are relaxed - particularly while eating and drifting off to sleep .. such a precious sound, it is music to my ears. You also seem to love music ... whether it is mommy, daddy or granny singing to you, music from the ipod or your bouncy chair or swing .. you seem to listen intently and it helps calm you. You will also lock eyes with us and are staring to return our smiles with a smile of your own ... but some of your biggest grins are after a feeding when you are drifting into sleep ... we think that you must be having very sweet dreams. You are still enjoying tummy time and I can tell that your neck muscles are getting very strong. I especially love holding you when you are awake and completely at peace looking deep into my eyes. I love you to the sky & back my little Kenzie!

You both love to be in your car seats - whether they are in the car, in your Baby Jogger stroller frame, or sitting on the family room floor or dinning room table (your standard spot during family meals). You love to go for walks which has been so great since we have had some very nice spring weather in the past 2 weeks. You have both been great during little outings between feedings - lunch at Panera, Amy's 30th birthday party at Tellers, dinner at Betta's, trips to the grocery store and Target - you usualy fall asleep in the car and then continue to snooze while we run our errands.

There are of course also those moments that I would like to forget, or at least hope that they become less common ;) You have both been suffering from lots of gas, and I hate to hear you cry out in pain. As you become more alert during the day you seem to have your witching hours from 8-10pm every night as you reach a point of overstimulation .. hopefully this will go away once we get on more of a scheduled 'bed-time'.

All in all, the beautiful moments outnumber those that I would like to forget and I love watching your personalities develop and evolve day by day. I have so much love for you both!

Look what the Easter Bunny brought me ...

Happy Easter to everyone! Hope you got something equally wonderful in your easter basket... although I'm not sure it could be possible :)

We are going to attempt to take the girls to church for the first time this morning. Wish us luck!

Happy 1 Month Birthday Kenzie & Lexi!

I can't believe my baby girls are one month old today. In some ways it seems like they were born just yesterday, and in other ways it seems like it has been much longer than a month. I guess that is what sleep deprivation and repeating the same routine (feed, burp, change diaper, cuddle, sleep) every three hours can do to you :) Thankfully sprinkled into our 'Groundhog Day' routine are those precious moments that make everything so worthwhile ... that sweet smile, having them lock eyes with you and follow your face, when they momentarily link arms or grasp hands with each other, taking a nap with one or both on your chest ...

The girls are getting so big. Based on our highly scientific home weighing method (i.e. 1. weigh self, 2. hold baby and weigh self + baby, subtract 2 from 1) Kenzie now weighs 8.4 lbs and Lexi weighs 9 lbs. Their personalities are also really starting to develop.

Happy 1 Month Birthday Girls! I love you more and more each day and look forward to seeing what the next month holds! Love, Mom

Happy Birthday Randall!

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful husband I could wish for! Thank you for being my best friend and constant supporter. Thank you for being such an amazing father to our two beautiful little girls. I love you more and more each year and my love for you has grown more than I knew was possible over the past four weeks as I witness you as a dad to our daughters. Thanks for making us laugh, for making us feel safe and secure and for loving us exactly as you do!

Wishing you a fabulous day to kick off another wonderful year filled with adventure! As you said, you already got the most amazing birthday gift exactly 4 weeks ago today. And it will be a gift that keeps on giving (and taking :)) each and every day.

Randall - We love you! Happy Birthday! Love, Antje, Kenzie, Lexi & Tobi

West Coast Visitors

Besides Omi K and Granny & Papa Gene, Kenzie and Lexi have been lucky enough to have 2 other out of town visitors in their first month ... all the way from the west coast.

Aunt Inken flew in from San Francisco when the girls were only 2 days old. It meant so much to me that my sister came to visit her nieces in those very early days ... despite the fact that she had culinary school final exams on Friday and Monday, meaning that she could be here less than 48 hours. Aunt Inken was so excited about the arrival of her nieces throughout my entire pregnancy and the love that she has for these little girls is overflowing. It was so special for me to see my little sister holding and loving my daughters. Although I can honestly say that before I knew their gender, that I would have been truly happy with whatever gender my babies turned out to be. When I found out that I was having 2 girls there was that extra bit of excitement knowing that they would grow up having a sister and would get to experience that same bond that Inken and I have. As Aunt Inken wrote in a card to her nieces, "Having a sister is an amazing thing and you two are even luckier to be twins and grow up and experience life together." I am so happy that my daughters will always have each other ... their sister.

Thanks Inky Pink for coming to meet the girls so early on. We can't wait for you to come back in May!

Our second West Coast visitor was "Aunt" Tara who was here from Seattle this past weekend. We really miss having Tara, Kevin , Brooke and Gavin just down the street and it was so great to get to see Tara. Tara has given me so much great advice throughout my pregnancy and these first few weeks via the phone and it was so wonderful to see her in person. We hope that the girls get to meet the rest of the Stealey family very soon! Tara - thanks for the visit! Thanks for bringing us lunch and for the adorable oufits for Kenzie & Lexi!

Omi K, we love you to the sky & back!

I am so thankful that my mom (Omi K to the girls) was able to be with us for the first two weeks of the girls lives.

I am so thankful that she was there for the last few days of my pregnancy. She rubbed my back and massaged my feet in those last uncomfortable days. I am so happy that she was there during the entire labor/birth journey... that she was there to help provide comfort during some of the more difficult moments ...that she was able to hold both of her granddaughters when they were only minutes old. I am so thankful that she was there those first two weeks to help support me as I faced many 'new mom' challenges. She cooked us delicious and healthy meals, she reminded me to eat when I was too tired to remember to do so on my own, she provided encouragement when I felt overwhelmed by breastfeeding challenges and crying babies.

Most importantly, I am so thankful that she was here to bond with her granddaughters. She sacrificed sleep to rock them and sing to them in the wee hours of the morning. She was the one with the magic touch that could calm Lexi when nothing else could. She introduced the girls to the music of Pete Seeger, the Beatles and the Beach Boys. She was there to snuggle the girls after their first bath and to help console Kenzie after her jaundice bloodwork at their first doctor's appointment. She was there to love the girls from the very start.

And I must say that I have never felt closer to my mom than I do at this time in my life. We have always been close and she has always been supportive of me in whatever I do. But somehow, now that I have two daughters of my own, I realize just how strong her love for me has been all of these years and it makes me love her even more. I am so thankful that she is my mom and my daughters are so lucky to have her as their Omi.

Mom - we love you to the sky & back! Thank you so much for everything you did during your 2 1/2 weeks here. Miss you so much already!