After the kids go to bed...

I have been scrapping! The girls have been going to bed pretty consistently now between 8:30 and 9:00 so I have been spending some time in my scrap room. We have so many great pictures of the girls and I have really enjoyed getting back into creating layouts again. Before now, I don't think I've made a layout in over a year! And the best part is I am actually using things I already have and have been holding onto for just that "special occasion." :)

The girls turn 3 months old on Saturday...it's hard to believe it's only been 3 months since these little sweethearts have taken over our hearts and lives! I truly love every minute of being a mommy - even when I get frustrated. I look back over pictures of when the girls were newborns and it already makes me sad that they aren't that little any more. Time really does fly when you have kids.

Well, I best get moving today. We're headed out of town at noon today for a very important meeting regarding the finalization of our adoption. If you think of it, please say a prayer for safe travels...we have to go clear over to Cedar Rapids...which will be the longest we have ever traveled with the girls.

Have a great day! :)

Sleep, sleep, GLORIOUS sleep!

The girls are finally starting to sleep longer at night which is a huge blessing for two very tired parents (especially the mama who is usually the one up with them). Last night, we put the girls to bed by 9:00 and I think that made a world of difference. Before that, they were being very fussy at night for about 2 hours before they went to bed. It was IMPOSSIBLE to do anything as both of us were needed to walk around and rock the girls. I had hoped to get a night with a couple hours to myself but that didn't happen. I'm hoping for it next week and maybe some time on Saturday. Glen and I have found if we have a major project we want to work on a Saturday that we need to split the day in shifts. It makes things so much more manageable.

Parenting is such trial and error, isn't it? You can read up, talk to other parents for advice, but when it all comes down to it...you have to do what works best for you. I am very thankful for all the great help we have. I try not to be Super Mom and do it all myself. It's definitely very humbling to say "Yes, I need you. When can you come over?" I had a really bad day on Wednesday. Starting at 5:00 a.m. both girls were hungry at EXACTLY the same time at EVERY feeding ALL day long. Nora and Lily also apparently had a discussion and decided that taking a shower was a luxury their mama would not have until daddy came home at 6:00. Looking back, it was all somewhat comical. Around 4:00 or so, I got the girls all set up in the hallway to the bathroom in their swing and vibrating chair, stripped down, started the shower and all heck broke loose! I threw on my robe and stayed in my robe until 6:00. When Glen got home, I took an extra long shower just because I could! :) And then the girls were fussy that night on top of it. I had Glen call his mom to come over in the morning, and I woke up with the attitude that today was a brand new day. And we had a much better day! I'm sure we will have rough days to come but it was a good learning experience for me. My attitude is definitely a choice!

Today, I thought I would share a photo of the girls' first 4th of July. We celebrated in my hometown. I was very bummed that we couldn't go to the parade because of the drizzle and cold but we did get to go uptown and walk around a little bit. We even missed the fireworks because it was so cold and mama was tired. But, I couldn't resist taking some photos of the girls in their super cute festive outfits! :)

So I've been a little busy...

being a mama to these two little sweethearts! My life has completely and utterly been turned upside down and I'm loving every minute of it. I have had to learn to completely readjust my time and priorities and it has been quite the challenge. Gone are the days where I can spend a couple hours leisurely on the computer. I'm lucky if I get a couple minutes to myself every day and you can bet I'm not on the computer. At any rate, I'm hoping to start blogging again because I really enjoy it but I'll probably only get a chance to do it once a week.

Nora Elizabeth and Lily Kathryn were born on May 1st and are now 11 weeks old. The picture at the top is their 2 month shot. I LOVE this photo! They look so alike to me but I can definitely tell them apart. Although last night was a little rough, the girls are starting to sleep longer at night which is a blessing! Thankfully, we have had a lot of great help which has made the transition to parenthood much easier. My mom and dad are thrilled to be grandparents so they visit about once a week whereas my in-laws now live just 5 minutes away and my mother-in-law has been over just about every day to help me. It's been so wonderful to have her close by so I can shower, make bottles, do laundry, run errands, etc. Oh yeah, and eat! :) Eating any meal is quite difficult with twins!

At this point, I am a stay-at-home mom and enjoying it so much! Finances are definitely tight but we're trying to make it work. Daycare is so expensive, and I don't want to miss anything. We're making a lot of sacrifices personally but it's only so I can be with our girls. And with me being home we've found ways to save money on gas, food and entertainment. My only vice lately has been little girl clothes...holy cow, am I loving shopping for little girls! Most of our gifts were for the summer so I have started looking at 6-9 months stuff to get us through the fall and winter.

Milestone-wise, the girls are smiling as us which we LOVE! It's so fun to just sit and talk to my baby girls and watch them react to me. It's one of those things I never thought I would get to experience and I treasure those moments so much!

Well, I think that's a good update for today. We're celebrating our anniversary today (it's tomorrow) and going on a date. Harry Potter here we come!!!! (I am so pumped about this movie!) We have been married for 6 years now and it's hard to believe how fast the time has gone.

(By the way, I'm hoping to do some scrapping soon. We're trying to figure out our schedule so Glen and I each have one night a week to ourselves and I'm planning on spending my time scrapping. These little girls take the cutest pictures!)