New Stats

Tucker: 19 lbs 11 oz, 27 inches long-90th percentile for weight, 75th for height.

Cooper: 17 lbs 12 oz., 26.5 inches long-75th percentile for weight and height.

I guess I grow 'em big.

Update November 19th doctor visit:

Tucker: Still 19-11, but 28 inches long

Cooper: 18 pounds and also 28 inches long! What a growth spurt!

The Coolest Thing...

The boys have reached an age of discovery lately that has me just tickled. Each and every thing they see becomes the coolest and most interesting thing they've discovered yet. Among their recent finds:

FEET!!!

Cooper has become very aware of his appendages. His hands reach for and grab whatever is within the 6-8 inch radius from his body. As he has wanted more and more to sit up and see what is going on, he has become fascinated by his own feet. I try over and over to get him to try sitting up on his own, yet all he wants to do is bend all the way over and try to pick up those things at the end of his legs. When on his back, he will curl up as far as he can and grasp his toes in an attempt to bring them to his mouth. He is a little too chubby to get them all the way to his face, but it is most adorable to see the glee on his face as he tries.

A BROTHER!

Both Tucker and Cooper have finally begun to enjoy one another's company. This morning as Tucker was playing in the "Step and Play Piano" in the living room, Cooper was lying on the floor within his brother's view. Cooper smiled at his brother and Tucker let out a delighted squeal which made Cooper begin to giggle like crazy, which in turn made Tucker belly laugh, which made Cooper giggle harder...etc. This went on for a good ten minutes. I wished I could have found the camera in time to tape it, but alas was too late. They have also begun to carry on small babbling conversations. I just love that they have taken an interest in one another. I'm not crazy about the efforts to grab, squeeze, pinch, eat and pretty much maul each other, but it had to happen sometime.

TOYS!!!

At last! All of the things that used to startle the twins about their toys-the squeaks, rattles, shakers and music-now excite and delight them. They squish, chew, throw and whack everything that makes it into their hands. I have to admit that it makes it a little easier to get a few more things done if I can distract them for a moment.

DADDY!

For a majority of their six month existence, mommy was the only thing that could make them feel better when they were upset. They have now begun to light up when they see their daddy. It warms my heart for them to recognize him because for a while they didn't get to spend much time with him and therefore treated him like a stranger. Cooper goes to Daddy for fun and Mommy for comfort. He rough houses with Dad (as much as you do with a six month old) but snuggles, eats and whimpers for soothing with mommy. It's nice to know that the "I want my mommy" bond has been created.

And the jury is still out on this next one.....THE POUT.

I'm not quite sure I love this development. It is so cute when they talk and coo and express themselves, however at the same time it is not very cute when they both wail and moan and scold me for not spending every moment I have holding and playing with them. They have learned all of the buttons they need to push for mommy to reach her limit and give in. I can't believe they have figured this out so soon. Little stinkers.

I guess that just about covers it for now. They seem to grow in leaps and bounds daily. It is so amazing to watch. The pout is being employed in full force at the moment so I'd better take care of it. No rest for the mommies.

"Bottoms Up!"

Heave Ho!

Our little boys are getting so big and learning so much. They are very alert, curious little monkeys who desperately want to crawl. The best they can do so far is to hoist their tiny bottoms into the air with their faces in the carpet and push with all their might. They get about an inch away from where they were, lift their heads to see how far they got and go right back to trying to get farther. I have noticed a couple of differences in these two. Cooper is a very hands on kind of curious; reaching out and grabbing anything he finds interesting and usually trying to get it into his mouth. Tucker, on the other hand, will zero in on something that catches his eye and lean WAY over until his nose is practically touching it and try to pick it up with his eyes. He's still figuring out those "hands" thingies. Both little darlings are cutting their first tooth and letting me know frequently how uncomfortable it is. I don't think there is one thing in this house that isn't slobber soaked and taste tested. Cooper doesn't mind the taste of the teething medicine, but Tucker HATES it. He gives me the worst sour expression every time I apply it to his gums. He has learned that if he shakes his head fast enough, mommy can't catch him. He does so every time I come near him with a finger of teething gel or a nasal aspirator to clean out his nose. It makes me giggle like crazy. While being frustrating it is still unbelievably cute.

As for TK and I, we don't get as much done as we would like now that the boys are semi-mobile. They roll into and onto each other often and neither one is a big fan of that. They have also begun to form strong attachments to us, which is great, yet they know if they say "mama" in a manner pitiful enough I will come to see what is wrong. Then they beam with pride at their accomplishment of bringing mommy back.

Well, I hear a little one stirring from his nap so I'll go for now. Love to all!

Cute Pics

Thinking?

"Poser."

Those Cheeks!

Some cute things the boys have done that were aught on camera:

Funny faces.

Waking up after camping out.

What a smile!

Gotta run. These boys take both hands!

Staycation

So, my family always goes camping over Labor Day weekend and TK though it might be fun to do so this year even though we were not with my family. Camping with two four month olds, however, was not something we wanted to try out in the middle of nowhere or up a mountain somewhere. Not wanting to sacrifice the three day weekend entirely, we decided to camp out in the backyard. Just in case things didn't go well, the house would only be about 50 feet away. We could retreat with our tail between our legs if need be. It was rather fun and a nice memory to make with the boys. Step 1: build a cozy fire in home made fire pit and have friends over. Also set up screen house to keep monstrously huge crickets and grasshoppers away from food and company.

Step 2: eat campfire food. Apparently Samantha wasn't into having her picture taken. We all had tin foil dinners and sodas and a really yummy pasta salad that the Hendersons made. It was a lot of fun.

Tucker got a little tired of all the fun and took a little snooze.

Dinner time for little Cooper. Well, not too little. 14 lbs 2.5 oz, 25.5 inches long this month. He sure is burning those calories. He is trying to crawl already and getting pretty good at it from the waist down. He still has to master things from the waist up.Both he and his brother really liked the outdoors.

One last bottle before it's bedtime. Tucker eats often and eats a lot. He is getting so big! (16 lbs 8 oz, 26 inches long at his last visit to the doctor on the 3rd of Sept.)

So, I got thirsty and there weren't any cups around. I improvised.

Step 3: get comfy in sleeping bags/crib and go to sleep. The boys slept right through a huge rain storm that blew the tent around and kept TK and I awake. It didn't bother them at all.

Cute little camper the next morning.

Step 4: take cheesy cute pictures for scrap booking. It was so cold the next morning. We were all bundled up in several layers.

Staying warm by the fire after breakfast. Because the house was so close, TK and I just had cold cereal and took the dishes right in to the dishwasher. It was nice to be "roughing it" only when we wanted to. :-p

Here we are after breakfast between our eating and sleeping quarters. It really was a fun experience. Now if I could just work on my wardrobe....what on earth was I wearing????

Cooper's giving you the eye! He was very snuggly in the morning.

The boys got very comfy and relaxed in the tent. It was like they had been camping dozens of times before. I'm sure this won't be our last backyard camp out.

Growing Pains

Growing babies mean lots of tired fussiness, but it also means new milestones and achievements and fun discoveries for the boys. It's pretty fun for me too. The boys can now babble with the best of them, and are very close to saying "mama"...sort of. Tucker has learned how to spit bubbles and thinks it is just the funnest thing in the world. Cooper is trying to crawl already and that makes me more than a little nervous. At least he hasn't quite figured out how to get on his stomach yet, but I think it will only be about another two weeks before he's got it down. Tucker couldn't care less about tummy time. I have yet to find the right motivation to get him to lift his head and look around. He just lays there and sucks his thumb. I guess that's an improvement over laying there crying. :-p

Their second round of shots is coming up next Thursday, the 3rd, and I'm not really looking forward to handling that on my own. Say lots of prayers for me! I am amazed that four months is almost here. They are getting so grown up! TK enjoys their ability to interact with him a little more. When they were small they weren't very much "fun." Now they talk and coo and laugh and kick and wave their arms and all kinds of fun stuff. The time has really flown by. I am astonished to think that just four months ago I was pregnant "out to here!" and waddling from appointment to appointment. Wow. Soon the weather will begin to turn and we will be stuck indoors for a long haul. I'm trying to go outside with them as much as I have the energy and time to so that they get to experience life outside of the living room. We go for family walks three times a week and they really love looking at all the wonderful things we pass like trees, houses, mailboxes, etc. They are just fascinated. They especially like cars and traffic lights. They are their father's sons. :-p

It is time for "mommy" to eat something and do some dishes and wash the bottles for the next round of feedings. I should also fold the laundry, but I'm feeling a little like a slacker today so that may just have to wait. I choose playing with my kids over chores hands down! Gotta run!

Three Months Old!!!

Wow. My sweet little boys are three months old already. That time just flew by. They are developing so rapidly. They love to face outward when they are held so they can see what's going on and they don't like being on the floor unless someone is entertaining them with something. They are quite curious little guys. They are discovering their hands and how easy it is to get them in their mouths and Cooper has even begun to clasp his hands as if he was praying. It is just adorable! They always smile in recognition of me and their Daddy and "Mimi" (grandma Pearl). They talk and half-giggle, and pre-sit (on the sofa). They also no longer nap as often as they used to which makes getting things done a little difficult. But time with them is worth more than having a clean kitchen or living room. Some day life will level out again and things will get done. :-p

Whoa

So I was way off. Tucker is now 12lbs 13oz an cooper is 11lbs 10oz!!! What big babies. They went in for their first round of immunizations as well today. I was so impressed by these little guys. They were well behaved and very social with Dr. Prince, cooing and smiling through their exams. And I was very nervous about their shots. Cooper was fed and falling asleep when it was his turn and he screamed as expected while needles were going into his legs, but then quieted right down and went to sleep..wow!! Then Tucker was laid down with bottle in mouth. He let out a wail when the needles went in, but once band aids were on he went right back to finishing his lunch. What excellent little troopers. Such brave boys. I'm sure they'll be a little cranky for the rest of the day, but that just means they will get some extra loving from those with arms to hold them. I will be thanking the Lord in my prayers tonight for the blessing of such a pleasant experience under the circumstances.

Growing Boys

So cute and so big!
I am constantly amazed by how quickly these little darlings are growing. A month ago they were 8lbs 13oz (Cooper) and 9lbs 4.5oz (Tucker) and both about 21 inches long. Now they have another appointment Thursday (for shots, ouch!) and I think they have each gained at least a pound and a half. They eat and sleep and eat and sleep and when they eat it's always at least 6 oz. Tucker takes 8oz before bed at night. I can't imagine that I will be getting much sleep until they are sleeping through the night. They are each good for about six hours at night, but not at the same time. Cooper goes to bed earlier than Tucker and wakes up at 0200 or 0300 for at least an hour (he's a slow eater) and then right when my head hits the pillow, it's Tucker's turn. There was one night, last Thursday I think, that Tucker slept from 2200 (10pm) to 0600! It was great! Cooper still woke up at 0330, but only having one baby to feed in the middle of the night was awesome. I got pretty decent sleep that night. It's hard having their bedroom upstairs and the kitchen downstairs where the bottles are, but eventually we won't need to make any trips up the stairs with bottles in water to warm them. I just know that I'm going to slip and spill all over myself one of these sleepy nights. Oh well, stuff happens, right? Soon I'll be able to successfully do this in my sleep. Probably right around the time I don't have to anymore. :-p

Some pictures.

Pics of the boys (even Daddy) for all to enjoy. The loves of my life!Learning to share.
Loves his snuggle buddy.

Well, hello, Tucker....

Just having a chat.

Sleeping boys. Tucker and Dad.

My two bugs in a rug.

Holy Crap!

I know the subject sounds a little crude, but after what I witnessed this afternoon, it is the only expression that will do. At around 1200 a bottle was warmed for sweet little Cooper and a very hungry Tucker. We had given baths to both little ones and dressed them in matching green terry cloth teddy bear onesies with crisp white tennis shoes from Old Navy (Ked's like). They were adorable! I changed a slightly messy diaper for Cooper before handing him off to Dad while I dried my hair (I had just taken a shower myself while little ones took a small nap) and put on my shoes. We had plans to make an outing to visit my former co-workers at Alliance Title. After my hair had been dried and styled I put on my shoes and offered to take Cooper from Daddy so he could go take care of the garbage. Cooper had been eating very slowly so he still had half a bottle left. I picked him up by his bottom and had one hand behind his shoulders and head. He looked so peaceful and drowsy. The next thing out of TK's mouth was an expression I've heard many times before, but this particular instance gave way to a closer examination of the infant in my hands. The simple "whoa!" that escaped my husbands lips was due not at all to a simple misfortune. Upon closer inspection of the little darling in my arms I became aware of the dark, green-ish brown glop that was roughly the consistency of a rich chocolate pudding that had coated not only the entire right leg of said infant, but also his Daddy's shirt in quantities I had never seen come from such a small body. He must have been backed up to his armpits! I know, I have now ruined chocolate pudding for many of you.
Moving on. I was of course disturbed by the sight. What I think was the most disturbing was the layer of "yuck" that was now on the aforementioned crisp white (and brand new) tennis shoes. It was soon on my hands and TK found it hilarious to torment his mother by sharing his lot and wiping it on her un-shoed foot. She was holding Tucker and couldn't defend herself. She sat with her foot in the air until she could get it off. The wipes were swiftly opened and "the cleansing" began. Off came the shoes and socks, which were sent directly to the washer (after a good scrubbing from Daddy) followed by the onesie. The dilemma here was that the only way to remove the outfit was over poor Cooper's head. After some impressive clothing gymnastics the offensive attire was removed without one smudge on his face. His chest, arms and back are another story, but his face was protected.
Lest you forget, may I remind you that the diaper has not even been touched up to this point. So legs and feet were wiped down and the diaper was unleashed. I didn't even bother to put a new one down yet because there would have been no way to keep it clean. So, six wipes later things were looking better. I could see the color of skin again below my baby's belly button. He only stuck his foot in the pile of scariness once. He seemed to like the sensation, squishing it between his toes like mud bath or spa treatment. I however did not find it as pleasant. I had to use a wipe to pick between his toes.
Once the stench of it all had passed and the bowel bomb had been moved to a garbage sack, I looked up just in time for my nice clean accomplishment to become the backdrop for a jet stream of liquid which rose from his "boy parts" and shot over the changing pad onto the only pair of jeans that fit after two surgeries. As quickly as I could I placed the wipe I was using over the source of the stream and watched as the changing pad became soaked and fluid flowed around and under my nice clean baby!!! So, seeing as naturally we had emptied one container of the remainder of it's wipes, a new container was opened and the process of mopping up began. Three more wipes later and the baby was mostly clean while the pad was more than a little wet. A new diaper was put on long enough to move to a more suitable changing arena. That diaper had pee on the outside so it was replaced with a clean one once we were on a blanket on the floor. Then a new clean outfit was dawned and all seemed right with the world again. What was the most amazing part of the ordeal was how calm and collected Cooper was through the entire thing. He just laid there while wipes and diapers and clothing went flying around him in a frenzied blur. What a trooper.
Good news: the shoes, socks, onsie and daddy's shirt were all saved by the washer. :o)
It was quite a morning.

They're here!!!

...and they're beautiful and they're time consuming. Vitals: Cooper Takeo Stokes born at 3:11 pm on May 6th weighing in at 6 lbs 6 oz. and Tucker Kiyoshi Stokes born at 3:12 pm weighing in at 7 lbs 4 oz. also born May 6th via C-section. Now mommy needs to get back to feeding and trying to sleep. Lovies!

It just keeps growing and growing....

Here are some photos chronicling the ever expanding middle through the month of April. The first here is from an April 18th baby shower thrown by my relief society. I was still able to stand without pain at this point. That has changed. :-p These jeans still fit in the legs and bottom, but there is NO way they cover the middle now. I tried really hard to make them fit last week crossing my fingers and everything. No luck. The fabric top that makes them maternity pants just slowly slid down until my stretch marks were visible in all there glory from the navel down. I am now down to one pair of pants, which you will see in the following pictures.

Daddy taking time out on April 19th to whisper some words of wisdom to his boys. He kept telling them to come out and see him. I was not amused. I kept scolding him because they would have been way too tiny at that point.

And here we are at our friends' Chris and Becca's home in Ogden, UT on April 23rd. We had to make a trip to see one of the specialists in person. I'm not sure what is with the face, but we really did have a good time visiting.

A little love for the daddy. He has been a real trooper through all of this crazy stuff. I'll have to be sure and show him some love at 2:00 am when we're both up with crying babies. :o) April 26th.

"The girls (me and my sisters) and the boys." I can't believe they completely cover Vicky's torso. This was at a really fun going away party for my sister Jessica who has moved to Pennsylvania because her husband got a job over there. We will miss her so much!

Holy belly. Nibbling on a strawberry at grandma's during the party.

April 29th visit to the hospital to see Dr. Belfort, one of the specialists who performed the transfusion on Baby A. He's a really nice guy.

There it is people: The incubator. That's the most recent picture I have. There will be more I'm positive.

So...I'm a slacker.

I have admittedly been terrible about updating this thing. Bedrest and Dr. appointments have been just about all I do now. I watch a little TV, see the doctors, nap, and eat. Here are a couple of pictures from the 33.5 weeks. I am now at 36 weeks and there has been a C-section scheduled for May 11th (shortly after 37 weeks) with ultrasounds every other day to see if that will be bumped up. The boys are recovering from the virus they acquired and getting rather large so I'm hoping to be able to bring them home from the hospital once I am released as well. I feel huge and there are no longer any comfortable positions to be had. I just have to maintain a chanting mantra of the countdown. Having a goal makes things a little easier. There is something to look forward to. And that has helped us all breathe a little easier. With all of the uncertainty we had to deal with lately, it is nice to have somewhat of a plan. Not one that is set in stone, but still an idea of when the boys will arrive. I am tired more often than ever before and that includes now so I am going to go make friends with my pillows. Love you all. It takes a lot of effort to carry these guys so far out front. It's all baby hanging out there. :o)

At least one with a smile. I can't believe I thought I was big then. I'm even larger now!!!

You asked....

...so here they are! More pictures of the ever growing middle. Today we had our 28 week ultrasound to check the boys' growth and make sure all is well. The kiddo on the right is still bigger than the one on the left, but only by a few days so it's nothing to worry about. Dr. Allred would like the little one to catch up a bit, but there's still time for that. Since Grandma Stokes has decided to call them "Chuck and Tuck" until their real names are revealed I will use those names to help you folks at home keep them straight as well. We'll call Baby "A" Chuck and Baby "B" Tuck. So..."Chuck" is on the left, weighing in at 2.5 pounds (approximately), and presenting head down (yes, this is a change from the last ultrasound) and "Tuck" is on the right, weighing in at 3 pounds, and now breech (facing head up). They have switched positions which isn't a bad thing, but might cause some trouble if they stay that way. It is not preferred to deliver larger twins feet first. Although if one is delivered head first then the other would have plenty of room to "flip," even with assistance from the professionals. ;o) My only complaint at this point is that Mom (me) is now profoundly uncomfortable about 90% of the time and there is still two months to go. We're in the home stretch now so I've just got to keep my eye on the prize. I think our birthing class this Saturday will help with that. At least I'll feel a little more prepared. Okay, enough rambling. On to the photos: These next few were intentionally taken in the same sweater that the 19 week photos were taken in to illustrate the extent of growing that has occured over the last 9 weeks. Just scroll down to see the difference. It's quite surprising. It does, however, explain the stretch marks that have now taken over.

"Smile pretty."

This is what happens when Tia gets tired of posing.

Sunday after church.

"Do something cute."...ummm, yeah. This is about as cute as it gets these days.

This is my "holy cow my back hurts" face. :-p
And that's all for now folks! See ya'all later.