Easter is just around the corner, let's celebrate some Sacraments!



Br. Kevin explaining his habit to Stephen

 I know it's one of those things that you just don't have to mention to people, they just know - but  Easter is right around the corner!  As Holy week comes to an end my heart has had and exceptional opportunity to really reflect on the beauty of Easter and what it all means.

My boys with my dear friend!

I mean what more that the celebration of Sacraments could open your mind to Easter!  Last Sunday not only did we have an amazing witness of our faith in our home (Br. Kevin) but we also celebrated the baptism of Cecilia and Jude! 

 It was such a glorious moment, a time to come together with our family and friends to welcome these amazing children into the Church - watch them become children of God!  How amazing, how miraculous!

Welcome to the Church Cecilia and Jude!

To top it all off, today we will head to one of our dear friends first communion! 



Sweet Molly is on the right, this picture is over two years old! 

Molly Melnick (who's mom writes this blog) will receive her First Holy Communion at the Holy Thursday Mass!! So exciting, as we prepare our hearts for the coming of our Lord we get to witness these young members of the Church receive him for the first time!! What a gift! Please pray for all those receiving their First Communion, that their hearts will always approach his Holy Banquet with as much joy and anticipation as they will tonight!



It's been awhile

 It's been awhile since I sat down to inform you all of my inner deep thoughts......well, today I have no deep thoughts so you will have to deal with random rambling while checking out some super cute pictures!

Six of the 15 book club kids :)  Fun times!

   People keep asking me "how do you do it?" well my answer is the same every time - I just do it! 

 I don't do it well, we have good days, bad days, and cartoon days (the kids might call those the good days)

But we do it.  As you know, we have two amazing, very active toddlers!  They don't like to sit around all day watching me nurse, so we have to get up and go

 Even if it's just heading out to the front street to watch this all-star ride his bike!! (ps, I am a very proud mama that he has learned to really ride since the twins where born)

 Or we meet up with friends at the park (usually with a bike ride included) 



picture by Mary B Photography

But over the past few weeks, we've been working harder and harder on getting up and going.  I do tell people that if the twins where my only children I would stay home 90% of the time; but since I have been graced with two older children we're off and running. 

Ok, gotta go - both babies crying :)

1 Month....ALREADY???

 I can't believe it's been 1 month already!!  To say it's flown by would be an understatement - but now that I'm acknowledging that it's been 1 month, maybe I should get out of my sweat pants for a few days :)

 As for the twins, their doing pretty good.  We headed to the doctor yesterday and did the weight check.  For most, this is a very normal process - for me, I am always nervous at weight checks

 See, Stephen couldn't gain weight, he had to be supplemented from two weeks on - that was hard for me to handle.  Abby, she was an amazing nurser and never took formula - I felt like I had conquered what ever issue I had with Stephen (please note, that I do not believe that you are a bad mother if you give your child formula, I am just a very prideful and hard-headed person who puts something in her mind and wants to do it no matter what)

 The twins had issues at the very beginning with weight, mainly b/c of the jaundice and the inability to stay awake (except at night of course).  So we supplemented a little until they came off the blue light suits.

So with two weeks only nursing, feeling like they were doing great - plenty of tee's and poo poo's I was somewhat confident going to the doctor.  Talk about a wind out of my sails, little Jude is only 7lbs 4oz and Cecilia is 7lbs 2oz.  This is one of those moments where I am going to be extremely honest with you - one, you can't see or hear me cry which is what I do when I talk about this, and two I just need to vent.

I feel like a failure!  Bottom line, I know I'm not, but I sure feel like it.  I've read all the books, taken the herbal supplements, pumped, jumped on one foot while singing songs (ok, that one's not a proven method of increasing breast milk) still I've done it all - and still can't make enough milk or at least enough fatty milk to feed my children.  That's a hard thing to swallow!  All the books and doctors say that our bodies make enough, we just have to keep trying and pumping and all that jazz - but somehow I'm just not doing the job. 

There, I've admitted it the world - now I will suck up my pride and make a bottle, b/c I know that at the end of the day the health of my children is what is most important.  I'm still nursing, I won't stop doing that - it's to good for them; but we will just add to the routine of feeding twins and add a bottle in there a few times a day.  Maybe, just maybe this will give Alan and I some sleep; that would be the ultimate positive side of this!

Ok, that's all I got this morning - I do have a little Jude who is ready and willing to eat at this exact moment! :)  God bless you all!

Getting outside!

As you can imagine, our lives have been kinda confined to the wonderful walls of our home.  To say the least, the kids.....and their mother have developed a small case of cabin fever.

Ok, more their mother than the kids - due only to the wonderful friends and family that have been coming over and taking Stephen and Abby out and about.

That being said, it was a wonderful break for everyone (even the dog) to head over to Mississippi for the day this past Saturday.  Stephen and Abby played outside non-stop!!!  I can't wait to move!

A huge added bonus.....Aunt Lisa, Uncle Kenny, Katherine, and Taylor all made it over for the weekend so we got to see them and play all day with family.  Even some special friends stopped by to say hi and get a quick hug from the twins!

Abby was tired by the end of the day, but not to tired to celebrate her birthday one more time with her Aunt and Uncle and of course cousins!  What a fun day - welcome Spring!!! :)

A little home photo session

Cecilia

Inbetween nursing sessions I thought it would fun to goof off with the twins and some pictures



Jude

There's something so fun about taking pictures of newborns......they don't run!!!!

Cecilia

They are just so sweet and innocent, loving, and cuddly.  I just can't get over these amazing miricles!!!  I'm so in love - thank you Jesus!!

Jude

My next goal would be to run off to the store, get some props and take some pictures of them together.....we'll see if I make it out of the house before they're toddlers :)

Cecila

Until then, I hope these very ammiture pictures of Cecilia and Jude will just have to do :)

Jude

1 wk down!

 1 week down and things are going great - have a mentioned it's b/c my husband is unbelievably amazing!!!  Well, he is!  It's been a lazy week for these two, for the most part they lay around looking like this, all hooked up trying get the yellow away. 
 They both had very high levels of jaundice, which has caused them to be very, very lethargic. They are snapping out of it slowly - and hopefully Jude will start gaining weight, nursing better, and we'll be right on track!

Other than some jaundice, and some fun "light saber" suits as Stephen calls the lights, their doing great!  We are so blessed and over joyed :)  Thanks for all the prayers and love, keep them coming!! :)

Welcome Cecilia Marie and Jude Martin Maddox!!



 So I know my last post said that the twins were coming Monday - but they had a different idea



Mimi and Cecilia

Sunday morning, very early.... ok middle of the night, my water broke!  Thanks so much Lauren and Dan for coming to the rescue!! :)

 After a somewhat short afternoon, Cecilia and Jude were born 1:35 Cecilia and 1:44 Jude

 Jude had a little fluid in his lungs so off they took him to the nursery to get him on some oxygen

 And look only 7 hrs on oxygen and an overnight observation and he was in the room with us!!

 Stephen was so excited!!  The first thing he asked when he first arrived at the hospital on Sunday was where's Jude - so on Monday he was so thrilled when he was in the room with us!

 He just wanted to hold him and hold him and give him some love! :)

 It did take Abby a bit longer to get used to everything, but she's come around

Since we've been home, things have been great!  Alan is amazing and I couldn't do this without him!!  Stephen and Abby seem to be adjusting well.  The twins have some jaundice, but they should only be glow worms for a few days!  :)  keep us in your prayers, and keep updated - it will take me a bit longer to blog these days I can promise you that!!