Twins at Three Months!

Charlotte & Emily

Can you guess who is who? Baby girls, I know you're identical twins, but could you look anymore alike? Mommy would never be able to tell you girls apart if it wasn't for your dummy holders...or the fact that we paint Charlotte's toenails.

It's been so much fun watching you girls develop your personalities; you both are so much fun to be around.

Love, Mommy

New Year, New Me.

 I've never been one to make and keep New Year's resolutions; excuses, junk food, and a lack of energy always seem to get in the way. However, this year will be different. See in the past my goals just focused on bettering myself, which is a fantastic goal, but I never had enough drive to actually make the change. 

So this year my New Year's resolutions focus around my family, and how the choices I make will make my family healthier, stronger and closer to God. 

• This year I resolve to eat healthier and exercise more. I know, I know this should have been a goal from the getco and I really wish I had started this habit sooner, but I didn't. This year I'm going to make changes to my daily diet (cut back on sweets, add more veggies & fruits, and exercise lots) because I want to set a good example for my three beautiful children and wonderful husband. I want to make it easy for us to enjoy great food, without having to worry about all of the calories we're eating. So I plan on consulting Pinterest and finding low-calorie meals and snacks for us to try. 

•  This year I resolve to loose my pre-pre-baby weight. Yes, I'm talking about the weight I've racked on from the twin's and Rebekah's birth. Before I got pregnant with Rebekah I wore a size 9 in jeans, and I'm ashamed to admit I've gone up a few sizes since then and gained quite a few pounds. By no means do I think I'm fat, but I know I'm extremely unhealthy and because of that I want to make some changes. 

• This year I resolve to read my scriptures more. I've never been good at reading the scriptures, but I've spend hours pouring my heart and soul into countless YA fiction books. Reading is great, and there's nothing wrong with reading for enjoyment. However, if I can make time to keep up on the latest, trending YA books I certainly can make time to read my scriptures and try  to understand what they're saying. 

•  This year I resolve to make time for family night. Andrew and I have always been good at spending time together. We love watching movies together or playing board games/video games together. But I really want to set aside time every day that we each have some one on one time with the girls. We could read them a book, play a game with them, anything really as long as we're spending quality time with them. Although, I don't just want our family nights to be fun & games; I want them to mean a little but more. So each Monday I want to set aside an hour after dinner to learn more about our Savior Jesus Christ and what we can do to become more like him. 

• I want to resolve to finish writing The Missing Piece and send it a publishing agency. I've been working on this book for the last five years, and I'm scared to let go of it. I'm scared of reject. I'm scared that it won't get publish. I'm scared that people will laugh in my face. But how am I to know what will happen if I never try? I need to take a leap of faith, finish my book, and hope for the best. Maybe my book will never get published, maybe no one outside of family will ever read it, and you know what that is okay. Because at least I will have finished it and taken that leap of faith.

• I want to resolve to write more. This goes along with the goal to finish my book. I'm no longer in school, so I don't have deadlines telling me when my next story is due. I don't have teachers handing out writing assignments that guarantee I'll get some writing in each day. So, if I'm serious about being a YA author—and I am because I love writing more than anything in the world—I need to stop playing around and start taking writing seriously. I need to take the time to write every day; whether it's blogging, working on my book, writing in my journal or catching up on letters. Any form of writing will help improve my skills and bring me closer to my goal of becoming a YA author. 

• I want to resolve to read more. I love reading, but sometimes I get so pulled into my TV shows that I forfeit a good book. However, recently I've been reading nonstop. Amber told me about Overdrive (an app that access ebooks through your library) and since I've downloaded I've read at least 10 books in the past month. I've been reading as I feed the twins during the day & night, I've been reading as I wait at the doctors. I've been reading any chance that I get. And, I want to stick to it after the twins' midnight feedings stop. I want my children to have a love for reading, and seeing me read and having me read to them, will help that love develop.  

I have quite a few goals for this upcoming year, it's not going to be easy, but I know I can do it. I want to make this changes in my life. I want to better myself and draw closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior. I want to lead a healthier lifestyle. I want to become a better mom and wife. And, I know I can reach every one of my goals as I learn to rely on my Heavenly Father more fully and seek His guidance and help. 

So. what life changing goals do you have for 2016? What challenges are you ready to tackle? I wish you the best in your endeavors and know you'll be satisfied if you stick to it. Keep your chin up, look towards the future, and don't let anything keep you down. 

Twins at Two Months!

Charlotte & Emily

Merry Christmas my sweet little girls! Time is just flying so quickly with you two! I can't believe you're already two months old!!

Charlotte is being held by Andrew (red PJs) and I am holding Emily.

Such beautiful little girls! Emily is wearing the pink shirt and Charlotte is wearing the PJs.

You both love napping, cuddling with each other, and being held by mommy, daddy and Aunt Amber. Your Aunt Amber moved out with us to help mommy and daddy out with Rebekah and you girls.

Charlotte is wearing the red PJs and Emily is wearing the pink PJs.

Emily you now weigh 8 pounds. 13.5 ounces and are 22 inches long. You're getting so big!! Charlotte you weigh 8 pounds. and 14 ounces and are 22.25 inches long. I can't believe how quickly you two are growing and how closely you are in your weights.

Big sister Rebekah stealing some of the cookies she helped mommy put out for Santa Claus.

Mommy, daddy and big sister love you both so much!

Love, mommy

Twins at One Month!

Charlotte & Emily

Hello my beautiful twins! How is it possible you girls are already a month old? It seems like just yesterday we were bringing you home from the NICU. It's crazy to think you're already a month old; you're still so little and tiny.

Charlotte is in the blue wrap. Emily is in the purple wrap.

Andrew is holding Emily (left) and I am holding Charlotte (right).

Emily

Emily

Charlotte, Rebekah, and Emily

Charlotte

Charlotte

Mommy, daddy and big sister Rebekah love you sweet little angels so much. We're so happy that you've joined our little family.

Love, Mommy

Charlotte Ellen & Emily Marie Baxter

Well, I made it to 36 weeks, and then the twins decided to grace us with their presence. :) The day start off like any other day; Rebekah and I got up, played with her toys, read some books and then mommy got ready to go to her doctors appointment at 3:30. All day I had been feeling pretty crampy, so I asked my doctor to check and see if I was dilated so I would know for sure if I was having contractions. It turns out I was in fact having contractions and was dilated 2 cm. Yay!

I came home from the doctors and told Andrew the good news, we knew we still might have a little of waiting to do, but we were very excited to think that our little bambinas could be arriving in a couple of days, or sooner. We started gathering items for our hospital bag, made dinner (around 6) and watched some friends. But, while we were eating dinner (we had Tika Masla Curry) my contractions started to become more consistent and felt like they were only about five minutes apart, so we thought we would play it safe and head to the hospital.  

The problem was, I told Amber she could go to Idaho Falls for FHE, which is about 30 minutes away, so we had no babysitter at the moment. Luckily Amber's friend Stacia was willing to come over and stay with Rebekah until Amber got back. We headed to Madison Memorial Hospital, got checked in and then the waiting began. 

After being hooked up to monitors, to watch for contractions and keep track of the babies' heartbeats, and checking to see that I was continuing to dilate, Doctor Evans decided to have me admitted. We got to the hospital around 7 and were finally admitted around 9:30. Shortly after we were admitted and switched rooms, I decided that my contractions were too much and asked to get my epidural. I was a little nervous to get my epidural because when I was pregnant with Rebekah and got my epidural, my body got so relaxed that she tried pushing her way through which caused her heart rate to decrease. 

Well this time things weren't much different. I got my epidural and things were going good for a while and then the twins' heart rates started to slow down. The doctors were able to get the twin's heart rates back up, but Doctor Evans was concerned that other complications might arise (my uterus could rupture, the twins' heart rates could decrease again) if we waited for me to get dilated 10 cm (I was still 3 cm). Andrew and I talked the situation over and had to make a pretty quick and rash decision to have a c-section. I was pretty shaken up, scared and stressed out by everything that was going on so I asked Andrew to give me a blessing; it was such a huge relief and instantly calmed my nerves! 

Charlotte Ellen and Emily Marie were born around 11:55 on October 5th, 2015. They were both pretty small; Charlotte is 4lbs and 15oz and Emily is 4lbs and 12oz. They're both really tiny, their heads aren't much bigger than both of my fists. They have to be in the NICU too, because they were born at 36 weeks (I turned 37 weeks the following day, so they missed the 37th week mark by 5 minutes or so). 

 

 

Proud daddy holding both of his baby girls; Charlotte is on the left and Emily is on the right. 

Daddy holding Charlotte, while mommy was holding Emily.

Mommy holding the twins for the first time; Emily is on the left and Charlotte is on the right.

Charlotte is on the left and Emily is on the right.

 

Auntie Amber holding Charlotte for the first time. :) 

Amber wasn't feeling well a couple of days later when we went back to the hospital, so we have yet to get a picture of her holding Emily. She's held her already, we just weren't camera ready at the time. Rebekah gets pretty distracted when we're visiting the NICU and can sometimes be a handful; her latest fascination has been all the baby car seats in the NICU.

Here are a few pictures of Charlotte Ellen.

   

Here are a few picture of Emily Marie.  

 

Rebekah spending quality time with Charlotte. 

Rebekah spending quality time with Emily. 

Big sister Rebekah watching over little sister Emily; she kept trying to give Emily her dummy.

Don't mind the huge band-aid on my face, I'm getting over a cold sore. :( Andrew was holding Charlotte in this picture, while Rebekah and I held Emily.

We're not sure how long they'll be in the NICU, but we're grateful we're able to visit them frequently and that they're both healthy and strong and continuing to grow each day.