Lots of Time Off

So I got up one morning, walked into the kitchen where Neil was making Evelyn a bottle. This is what I was greeted with as I rounded the corner. Yep, she's in the dryer.

I don't know why we do these things. I find them incredibly funny, but I'm sure my kids will hide such pictures when they get older. That is what it looks like it is, a diaper. Neil said she looks like an old time judge with the big white wig. Adia looks very serious about it.

So Eve and Adi think it is all kinds of exciting when I brush my hair over their faces. Thats what I was doing here until Neil said to stop and he'll take a picture of Evelyn with long hair.

We finally got Adia to smile. Evelyn has been smiling for about a week now, but Adia was a little harder to entertain.

We did a SAT study on  Evelyn last night, to see if her blood oxygen was stable enough to come off oxygen. We haven't gotten the results yet but we will soon, I hope.

Holiday Fun!

After Christmas dinner Neil give in to my continual begging for him to play a card game with me. If any of you know of the game called 'Hand and Foot', yes, I got my husband to play it with me.

We no sooner got the game underway, when our party was crashed by 2 very hungry babies.

Eve took it upon herself to finish up the strawberry cider.

While Adi decided to take over the card game.

The morning after we decided to repay our party crashers, I was given the responsibility to see to it that Evelyn got what was coming to her. Lots and lots of smiles.

While Neil gave Adia the belt...

Dancing with Daddy

So Neil being the brilliant man that he is, thought one night to put on some music while we rocked our girls to sleep. Needless to say it worked out wonderfully. It melts my heart so see the way he is with our daughters and how much they love to spend time their Daddy.

Adia is working very hard to keep hers eyes open.

Eventually gives up and snuggles up to her dad.

It is so sweet how they both wanted to just lean back and look at Neil while they danced around the living room.

Works like a charm. Eve is out like a light.

The next night we tried to do them both, it didn't turn out as well so he handed one to me, and we both danced them to sleep.

Between The Holidays

So these are all pictures of stuff that happened after Thanksgiving and before Christmas. If you hadn't already noticed I spend a lot(that's putting it lightly) of time at my sister Charity's house. She so awesome about letting come over and just hang out. In fact she has a pack 'n' play set up in her front room just for Eve and Adi cause we visit that often. Anyway just after Thanksgiving I got strep, which luckily can almost never get passed on to infants. I got on antibiotics and spend most of my time sleeping on Charity's couch. Cause the last thing she needs besides having a husband and 3 kids of her own is to take care of my kids as well. But I am so grateful for her and all she does to help me.

Felicia spent some time at Charity's as well. Nate has been busy. Sydnie and Kaylee sure had a good time playing together. Enjoying the reindeer that is just the right size to ride on. 

Felicia went with me to take Eve and Adi to get their first set of RSV shots.

Sydnie strapped in between Evelyn and Adia. She was holding on to both the car seats at first but by the time I had my camera ready she had let go of one.

My little ladies lounging on the couch.

Daddy studying for finals while having a little daddy daughter time as well.

More Holiday

Also while Neil's family were in town, we had a girl's night out. Neil was still at work so he didn't help babysit.

Uncle Gary burping Adia, wishing she could just burp herself so he could go back to playing his video game.

Grandpa with Evelyn.

Christy, me and Kathy in line for the movie. We saw Twilight, I really enjoyed it.

Thanksgiving Holiday

So yes, I know Thanksgiving was a while ago but I'm still going to blog about it. Neil's family finally got the opportunity to meet Evelyn and Adia. It was so wonderful to spent so much time with them. So this is Aunty Christy(I gave her that nickname) enjoying being an aunt.

And of course no family function would be complete without a haircut night. Both Kirk and Gary got major haircuts. You should have seen how much hair I swept up off the floor.

Grandma Oler feeding Adia. I told her I expected her to be over all day of everyday that she was down so she can get in as much "grandma" time as she possibly could.

Grandpa Oler feeding Evelyn. It was so fun to watch them both enjoy being with the girls. I was so happy they were able to spend so much time down here.

Grandpa holding both of his granddaughters. He got in a lot of practice.

Obviously we also did Thanksgiving dinner which was held at my parents house but, of course I forgot my camera. 

This is a great picture. Thought you'd all enjoy it. I should be working on so many school projects it's not funny.

Well, it is kind of funny because I suggested putting on our christmas cards next to a picture of our sweet little babies:

"We poop,

We pee,

We're from heaven above"

Now THERE'S poetry.

Neil's Band's Album for FREE!

Hey, our band, Ghost in a Jar, just finally pushed our our music to the world! We're letting it go for free, mainly because we think it's bad publicity and a sorry attempt to see a small, "local" band try to sell their CDs for $10-$15 when most people won't spend that much on CDs they really want, let alone some random band.

So we're letting it go for free. Download it, burn it to a CD, pass it along to your friends, burn a bunch and use them for coasters for your soda pops to avoid rings on your coffee tables, we don't care. Just check it out. Be warned, you may just like it. ;)

(Neil plays guitar and sings, Tom Larson: Drums, Peter Wall: Bass)

Here's the track listing:

1.) (Lost in Translation)
2.) Juno
3.) Brain's Vacation
4.) Bitter Song for a Bitter Man
5.) The Played
6.) Stranger Basis
7.) Supplements

Here's the download link: http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=50c529aa7cd929d7ab1eab3e9fa335caf7c0495b322e72eb

You can download either MP3 format or Apple's AAC (for iPod/iTunes fans). Please, let me know what you think.

Neil's Thoughts on Music

So I thought I'd post some interesting songs so people can 1) see how weird/varied/eclectic/wannabe my tastes are in music and 2) expand your horizons.

Warren Zevon - Warewolves of Londo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhSc8qVMjKM

Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlsO-JSA2pc

Pariisin Kevät (no video for this one, but the song "Pikku Huopalahti" is  amazing!): http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=208491508

Arcade Fire - No Cars Go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJDsm1Y4kUk

That ought to be enough to 1) make my wife say "don't post this stuff again" and 2) help you enjoy 

some new, crazy musics. And if it's not crazy, then you just might have a broad appreciation of 

other peoples' interpretation of music! Good job! ;)

Blessing Day!

Evelyn and Adia received their baby blessings yesterday. We did it at my sister Charity's house because I still don't feel comfortable taking them to church. It was wonderful! And before I start getting angry emails and calls, let me just explain that nobody was really informed that this was happening except our immediate family.

Evelyn in her blessing dress, sorry you can't really see it. My mom crocheted both the dresses and the blankets for them. They turned out beautifully, but of course they would.

Adia in her blessing dress being held by Grandma Kathy (Neil's mom). Neil's family all came down for this, it was their first time seeing the girls, all except one brother who lives in Provo.

Grandpa Van (Neil's dad) holding Evelyn, Grandma O. (Neil's grandma) holding Adia, and Neil telling them what to do. We were taking pictures, so they were trying to get organized.

Sister Kisses

So Adia does this nearly every time we have them sitting or laying next to each other. Yes, it looks like Adia is giving Evelyn a kiss on the head. But in truth, she lost her binky and is looking for a replacement... the closest available thing... her sister's head. When this first started happening, Evelyn would quickly let us know that she would not be a replacement binky for her sister by fussing. But as it inevitably continues to occur she has become more patient with the experience. And I like to tell myself and her every time it happens that Adia just enjoys giving her kisses. I just hope I don't come in one day to find a hickey on the side of dear Evelyn's head.

Saying Goodbye

So my girls are now getting too big to wear their preemie clothes. Very exciting because of the obvious, they're growing! Which is definitely something we try to accomplish. But as I was packing away all the cute little preemie sleepers, I started to think about how quickly they went from being so small that the preemie clothes were way to big, to being so big that they couldn't even straighten their legs in some of these outfits. It made me sad, to realize how fast all of this is growing up stuff is going to go. Then I got worried that if I blinked my eyes my little babies would be crawling, then walking... needless to say I got a little panicked. Pointless yes, to sit and worry your children's lives are going by too fast but a worry none the less. I spent the rest of the day laying by them just staring at them, into these sweet little faces that have brought so much joy into my life. After waking up from the nap that inevitably came from laying for any length of time, I realized how incredibly grateful I should be to be able to watch and be a part of these little lives. So I'm saying goodbye to all the little outfits that are just that, too little. I'm so excited to continue to watch them grow and learn. I love being a Mom!

Happy Full Term Day!!!

Today was my official due date. So I decided to put a slide slow together of them. Its hard to believe that my little girls are nearly 2 months old, and should just be arriving. I'm amazed at how much they've grown in just 7 weeks. I've come to realize that, even though I wouldn't do it again, having them spend time in the NICU has helped me learn to appreciate and absorb all the time I can with them. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful little miracles in my life. I love being able to spend my days just enjoying them. I love my little sweeties so much. They are such little troopers and they've come a long way.

Cute Pictures!

So I decided it was time for me to dress Eve and Adi up and take some cute pictures. I did them myself so they aren't that great but they'll do for now. These outfits were a gift, I think they are too cute. They're a little big but I just couldn't stand it I had to have them wear them.

Adia is always wide awake after she eats so I waited until after feeding her to take her picture.

Evelyn on the other hand wouldn't even wake up to eat, so she sleeping.

By the time I got done taking Evelyn pictures, Adia had fallen back to sleep, so they're both snoozing. My little sweeties.

What I'd say if I could say it...

So I think it's hillarious (read "only funny to me") to pretend that these munchkins can speak along with their facial expressions and hand motions and such. Here's a few good ones:

"Oh no! That's NOT who I voted for!"

"Can you believe what they used to stick this bow to my head?"

Alright, alright, but you try it. They don't do much other than scowl. I think they're beautiful little princesses anyhow. :)

(Neil)

A Visit from cousin Misty!

Chavonne and Misty came up today and visited with me and the girls. It was really fun to see all of their reactions to seeing each other. Chavonne said she hears from people that Misty is a little baby, now granted she is a couple months older then Adia and Evelyn, but it was still crazy to see the size difference between them. It was wonderful to spend a few hours with Chavonne chatting and laughing, I really enjoyed it. It's been quite an adjustment since having the girls, I was used to seeing them at least a couple times a month, so it was quite a treat to get to spend some time with her again. I'm so grateful for my sisters and the constant support and encouragement they give.

Who Says You Need 2 of Everything

We finally got our swing! We've had the bouncey seat for a while now, but what good is one bouncey seat when you have two babies. Neil put the swing up last night and it hasn't had a rest since. I am so super excited because now my girls can actually spend time in a room other then the bedroom in something other then the bassinet.

I just got finished giving Adia and Evelyn their baths, and man do they love them. I think it is too cute to see how the like to just relax in the water. Adia likes to kick her legs like she's trying to swim, while Evelyn like to suck on the blanket she's wrapped in. They teach you at the NICU to wrap you infant in light blanket while bathing them to keep in body heat, and to control flailing arms and legs. I think it also helps them feel more safe as well cause I have yet to bathe a screaming baby (knock on wood).

Lounging The Morning Away

Most mornings Neil gets up and leaves for school or work around 8 or 9. Usually about that time Eve and Adi are starting to stir, and getting hungry. So we feed them, Neil gets ready and leaves. This is the time that I have to catch up on my sleep, because during the day they sleep longer between feedings. So I like to move them into the bed with me, so if one of them fusses I don't have to get up out of bed, they are just at arms length. So this morning this is the adorable sight that I get to wake up to. Very rarely do I get to sleep til I'm ready to wake up but I guess they decided to give me a little break this morning. What a couple of cuties.

An Awesome Technique

Today I decided I needed to run some errands, so I left Daddy with Evelyn and Adia. When I came home this was what I found. Quite smart if you ask me. Normally we just feed one at a time if there's only one set of hands, and most of the time one stays asleep longer then the other. But apparently both of them were hungry and awake, so Daddy being the smart guy that he is worked it out so they could both eat at the same time. I loved it, it was really cute.

Brag Tag! About My Husband

So I got this off of Felicia's blog... she didn't tag anyone. But I liked it and I wanted to do it.

1. Where did you meet? We met when he came to get my roommate at my apartment. She wasn't home, I was ornery, I closed the door in his face. We were introduced a few nights later at my neighbors apartment, at a movie night.

2. How long did you date before you were married? 5 months

3. How long have you been married? 2 amazing years

4. What is one thing he does that surprises you? His homework, if it were mine it wouldn't get done.

5. What is your favorite feature about him? His smile, he has the other half of my dimples!

6. What is your favorite quality about him? He can make me laugh in just about any situation

7. Does he have a nickname for you? Oh sure, quite a few but sweetie seems to be only one I can remember at the moment

8. What is his favorite color? blue

9. What is his favorite food? pizza, he would eat it everyday if I let him

10. What is his favorite sport? He's not really into sports

11. Who said "I love you" first? He did, we were on the stairs at my building. I told him that was sweet and to please forgive me for not saying it back yet.

12. When and where was your first kiss? I think a week or so after we first met, he had told me he wanted to date me. The next night after a movie with a bunch of friends everybody left, it was just us left and we were talking and he put his hands on my cheeks and kissed me.

13. What is your favorite thing to do as a couple? well, one of the things we would do before we had kids was we would see how big or how many treats we could sneak into the movies, we've gotten Sonic(drinks included), Betos(really messy, and hard to eat in the dark) and other odds and ends. His goal is to get a whole pizza in one day

14. Do you have any kids? 2 beautiful daughters

15. What is a hidden talent of his? He has an uncanny ability to turn anything and everything into a silly song(my favorite came around when we were waiting for the guy to call to do our taxes)

16. How old is he? 25

17. What do admire most about him? His willingness and determination to talk things out

18. What is his favorite pass time? playing guitar

19. What is his favorite kind of music? a little bit of everything

20. Do you think he'll read this? Maybe

They Finally Came Home!!!

What a wonderful weekend!! Evelyn and Adia finally got to come home with us Saturday night. We are so excited. Its been quite the experience having them at the NICU, we are so happy they are home with us now. Above is a picture of them, Evelyn on the right Adia on the left, in their car seats before we left the hospital. They look so tiny compared to those giant car seats.

Playing with Daddy their first night home. They seems quite excited to be home too. Evelyn is still on a little bit of oxygen, but should only have it for about a month. Both Adia and Evelyn, are on monitors, which have an alarm that goes off if a heart rate gets to high or low, or they don't breath for more then 20 seconds. It also helps Neil and I breath a little easier.

Bundled up together. I think it is the sweetest thing to see how they always like to be facing each other. I love having them home! I love finally feeling like a family, and finally feeling like I can be a real mother. Although I do seem to worry more, but I've been told that that never goes away as a mom. I'm so proud of my little girls!