The Long Vacation

Well, we're moving to Utah.

I know this is shocking (to me too:) Let me explain. 

In early November Danny started talking about going back to school to get a masters degree in real estate development. At first he was talking about finding an online program so we could stay where we are and he could continue working for Walnut Creek.  After some family encouragement and looking into some programs he decided to apply to the University of Utah's RED degree.  The deadline had already passed for the "spring" term, but he called and they said they were accepting late applications if we got it in fast.  He applied quickly and I tried to forget about it.  He told me ge didn't have either of the pre-requisites reqired, so he would probably reapply for next fall. When I asked when Spring term started he looked it up--January 9th. Let me just say, January in Utah does not qualify as spring.

Well, you guessed it, he got in.  He is really excited about the program and I am excited he's excited.  The program is only a year which is wonderful.  We've decided to think of it as a long vacation. We will love being in Utah where we'll see lots of family and eat Bajio as often as we can.  Then, we can come home just as its getting really cold next winter.  Sounds perfect right?

All this does mean I have to pack and move with two crawling babies. It is going to be wild-but I'm kind of excited too. We plan on bringing only the essentials with us and leaving lots of our stuff here-so it will be fun to sort everything out. I'm going to try and get as much as I can done this week so we can enjoy Christmas with our family.  In the mean time we're trying to find a place to live and figuring out all the details of the move. Wish me luck!

PS: if you see either of our moms, give them a squeeze. They'll be lonely without their babies!

Seven Months

Officially the girls are seven months and two weeks...I'm a bit late this month. Here is a quick update on the kiddos so I remember life at seven months.

This stage is pretty awesome. Both girls can sit up unassisted and can roll and army crawl around (until yesterday when Joyce started seriously crawling around).  They eat solids twice a day and take two naps. I'm still breastfeeding them, but am pumping more and more often because they are so feisty! Joyce will nurse for about two minuted before rolling off the pillow and looking for something else to do. Today I had to put up a barrier with my hands while nursing because each girl was trying to scratch/grab the others' head. It was wild.
 (these pics come from a two trips to the park over the last two weeks)

Joyce is adorable. She is a bit heavier then her sister and is a bit more mobile. She is incredibly active-she always wants to be on the move. She wakes up a bit more at night and has begun to want me ALL THE TIME. That said, she smiles at her Dad like he is the greatest thing in the world. She adores him. She is starting to get more hair and it is soft and sticks straight up. So cute:) She continues to have very dry, eczema-prone skin that I have to lotion constantly.

Lydia is adorable. She is on the slighter side, so I'm trying to feed her as much as her sister (who eats a bit more). Lydia has great laugh and loves to laugh at Lucy.  She still smiles at everything and everybody.  She is a good sleeper and will take slightly longer naps then her sister. She has slightly darker hair than Joyce but it doesn't stick up in the same way.

There is way more to these babies-I'll have to be better at documenting:)

Fun Wednesday

Wednesday is the hardest day of the week. It is smack in the middle of preschool days, which makes it lame because preschool days are the best days (in Lucy's opinion).  There are no shows on the DVR because the good shows come on Wed. and Thurs. (especially sad without my guilty pleasure show Ringer on until mid January).  It feels like days until the weekend, etc. etc. After some Wednesdays with nothing to look forward to I decided Wednesday would be our fun day.  By fun I mean a trip to Target or maybe the park (those activities used to happen a lot more often before I had to haul two car seats in and out of the car). 

Awhile ago I finally logged on to my local library website and signed up for Discover&Go-a long list of museums and activities that you can get free tickets for with your library card.  Several weeks ago we went to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum and had an awesome time. Today we went to the Oakland Zoo.  We haven't been to the zoo for ages and had a really fun time.

Looking for lions.

 Here is Lucy with her preschool mascot, Eddie the Elephant. He is visiting our house for few days and was lucky enough to see his cousins at the zoo!

 Grooming the goats. Lucy was pretty fearless! here is proof I was willing to try it too.

 

 The best part was that Aunt Katy came with us, even when my free pass didn't cover her. Lucy has her wrapped around her little finger because she carried Lucy whenever Lucy asked.

see her touching Katy's hair?-another generation Bec:)

I realized in the bathroom there that I put on no makeup today. That is yesterday's mascara.

Next week we're off to the Discovery museum-Wednesdays are awesome!

Trimming the Tree

I love decorating for Christmas with a preschooler. Lucy has been so excited this year.  Last weekend we decorated Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Aunt Katy got home from Telluride just in time. Lucy set up the tree with grandpa and then put up all of Grandma's decorations with Katy and Grandma.

One week later we went and bought a Christmas tree.  We've never had a tree before-we always spend the weeks before Christmas with family-so we were excited to get a little tree for our little house. Danny wanted the experience of finding a tree in the lot-so we went for a real tree.  Danny and Lucy went around looking and smelling tree while the babies and I tried to stay warm. Eventually we left the big beautiful trees and found a perfect tree for us (I only had $18 in cash-lucky our tree was only $14:)

 After church we decorated it.  One of our Leininger traditions is to receive a new ornament every year.  This year Lucy's ornament is a beautiful Rapunzel. This afternoon she told me she  "wanted to cry she loved it so much". She caresses it constantly:)

The babies got ornaments this year too.

We decorated our house, put lights in the windows and listen to Christmas music constantly. I love December.

Grateful

Disclaimer: I was grateful last week when I was supposed to be, but I'm grateful now when I actually have time to blog too.

Danny and I started a new Thanksgiving tradition this year. This summer we started writing one thing we were grateful for on a thin post-it note before we went to bed. I like it because it forces me to look back on my day and I end up thinking of all the things that went well or I appreciated.  The night before Thanksgiving Danny and I decided to frame all of our little gratitude slips. We had a great time reading through them as we placed them in the frame. We plan on layering our slips on top of each other each year.  Many of the slips were about our girls, our extended family, health, date night, the Savior.  Several were about my camera:) On one I was grateful someone returned my wallet when I lost it at the grocery store. On one Danny was grateful for air (he must have been tired that night).

I have been reading letters Danny wrote to his family when he had cancer. I made them into a book when he went into remission and it has been good to look through. It is amazing that I sometimes forget that time. I hope I don't forget the lessons I learned throughout it--I don't want a reminder:)

This year we spent Thanksgiving day with both families. We had a terrific morning at the Leiningers where we watched the parade and ate delicious wassail (yes I took a pic of it because it was so good-there were raspberries in it=awesome!)

Lucy played with her cousins, we ate a wonderful dinner, talked and played cards.

That evening we went to my grandparents an enjoyed a second Thanksgiving feast. Lucy and Danny played outside until it got dark and the babies were admired by my Uncle Mark and Kevin. Grandma Kay made the best Turkey I have ever had (she brined it-that must have been the magic because it was SO GOOD). 

I think I have documented how much I dislike Thanksgiving as a holiday-but this year has changed my mind (it helped that I didn't have to do ANY cooking:)

Birth Story

My babies are seven months old this week. They still seem so little to me, but they are practicallycrawling-eatingrealfood-giggling babies now.  My friend Celia (that seems funny because she is my sisters' best friend, but I love you too Celia!) just had her identical twin boys yesterday. They are teeny tiny and perfect.  You can check out her amazing and miraculous birth story here.  Reading her story and seeing her little babes together reminded me of delivering my own babies and I realized I never posted about it! After reading Celia's story my own sounds like a walk in the park-and actually, it really was pretty great.  Here is a detailed account for posterity-read at your own risk:)


I was induced on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011.  The day before we celebrated Lucy’s fourth birthday.  On Sunday we woke up, showered and finished packing our bags. We called in to labor and delivery and were told to come in at 8:30 AM.  I was able to eat a light breakfast, which turned out being Rice Chex, and Grandma Karen came over.  We had a fun easter egg hunt with Lucy and left her having fun with Grandma.  It was very exciting going to the hospital knowing that we would come home with two babies.  We parked, went in to the hospital and got through admitting-all of which was kinda of weird because we weren’t in labor!  It was a very different experience!
  

We were taken to a very comfy delivery room and got settled in.  I was in bed ready to go by 9:30-but forgot how long the process takes to get started. It took several hours to get my IV put in and my heartbeat monitors and contraction monitor in place.  Fortunately I had a tv and I began watching a “Say Yes to the Dress” marathon and Legally Blond (alternating during commercials:) After the first hour my first nurse went home and Jennifer came in. She was super nice and really looked after me.  By eleven I was already starving but had been told I couldn’t eat anything-Jennifer made sure I got lunch which really saved me. Isn’t it weird how hospital food always tastes great? At least for me. I’m normally quite picky, but I LOVED all the hospital food I had during my stay, Just shows you how starving I was:)

We waited most of the morning for a doctor to be available to check the position of the babies and my dilation. Dr. Riggs, a really nice younger woman, came in and checked me about 11:45 AM. I was still dilated to a 3 (same as in my last Dr. appt the previous Thursday).  She stripped my membranes and started me on the smallest amount (2 something) of pitocin at about noon (they didn’t know how my body would react because everyone is different).  By about 1:30 I started feeling some contractions, they weren’t very painful, but I could definitely feel them. Jennifer came in every once and awhile and increased my pitocin drip, although at the time I didn’t know she was doing that.
  
While we waited I continued to watch my marathon while Danny alternated between trying to rest, trying to read and taking walks around the building. The time dragged on-we both felt silly we didn’t have any fun movies or shows on the iPad. We prepare more entertainment for plane rides than our hospital stay! It was nice to know that things would progress eventually, however. I don’t remember being overly anxious about the wait.
  
At around 3 PM Jennifer came in and introduced me to my new nurse Michael. I confess I was somewhat disappointed to get a male nurse. I’m not sure why it isn’t weird to have a male Dr. checking things down there, but to have a male nurse poking around was a little weird. He was very nice, but also very chatty and I was a little annoyed with him most of the time. He mostly regaled me with stories of his adventures with his twin brother-they made me very grateful I was having girls:)
  
At 6:50 Dr. Riggs came back in to check on me. My contractions had progressed, but weren’t awful yet. They had given me quite a bit of pitocin (thats when I figured out they had been increasing my drip the whole time) and she decided to break my water to get things moving a little faster. She also installed (thats a gross word choice) the heart rate monitor on Baby A’s head to get a more accurate reading. They kept baby B’s heart rate belt on me. After my water was broken I started feeling more painful contraptions almost immediately. They told me I could get the epidural whenever I wanted and I told them to get it started (it always takes so long and why wait:).  I was surprised how fast the anesthesiologist made it to me. She was incredibly nice and who doesn’t love the Dr. who takes away all the pain? The one thing I remember about getting the epidural is that while I was leaning over getting it Michael tried to relax me by rubbing my shoulders. He had the opposite effect-I think I tightened right up. I’m not sexist I swear, but this guy was just a bit weird. Anyway, by 8 PM the epidural was in and I was relieved.  I had a harder time with this epidural than when I had Lucy. I had sone random pain down there and would get a shooting pain down on thigh. Fortunately it all got worked out without too much pain or hassle.
  
 For the next little bit Danny and I were able to rest.  I fell sound asleep but had to wake up every little bit because Baby B kept moving and messing up her heart rate monitor.  I felt so tired and resented poor Michael for coming in and messing with the belt.  At 10:30 Michael checked my dilation and I was at a ten. I was surprised I had finished dilating so fast.  My Ob Dr. Lee was just coming on duty, so I was pleased my body had waited for her.  Danny got in his scrubs (twin births happen in the OR in case anything goes wrong) and by 10:45 he nurses were taking me to the OR with all of my monitors etc. At this point I just felt excited. I wasn’t hurting and I was just so glad to get pushing.  Delivering in the OR was definitely different that my experience with Lucy.The main difference was the number of people involved. My anesthesiologist  stood behind me, my Dr. stood in front of me in her full gear, I had another Dr. doing an ultrasound on my tummy and two nursing standing by the Dr. and two pediatric nurses standing by the baby bassinet things.  It was tricky finding a spot for Danny! (He ended up sitting behind my left shoulder holding my arm.)
   

At this point I didn’t expect to deliver soon. I pushed for two hours with Lucy and thought it would take awhile-the girls had proved they liked it in there already! Dr. Lee had me try one practice push and then told me it would only take one good push to get Joyce out.  I was so excited! I gave that push all my strength and there she was (11:15 PM) ! I remember feeling completely hollow after she came out. I wouldn't have minded keeping Lydia inside for awhile more!  Joyce was taken immediately to the bassinet and her waiting nurse. She was covered in meconium (poop) because she had pooped on her way out of the birth canal (poor baby). The nurse gave her a vigorous toweling off and Joyce screamed reassuringly. I heard the nurse give her an Apgar score of 8. There was a collective gasp when they announced her weight: 7 lbs 7 ounces. No wonder I felt hollow! I couldn’t really get a good look at her, but Danny was able to go over and take a look at her while I focused on what the Dr. was saying.  I heard her mention giving me more pitocin to make sure I continued laboring and my cervix didn’t start shrinking.  Fortunately Lydia was wiling to leave and once I started pushing again she was on her way. I think I pushed four times and she was born (11:24PM). She was whisked away to her station and got an Apgar of 9. She weighed in at 7 lbs 3 ounces.  Yes-that means there was almost 15 lbs of baby in me. I was astonished. Guess I didn't need those preemie clothes:)

Joyce

Lydia

    While I was pushing with Lydia, Danny stayed with Joyce who was having a little problem. The nurse was worried about her lungs so she was put on oxygen and got ready to be moved to the NICU.  The whole time they worked on her she screamed bloody murder. Lydia yelled for a minute and then promptly spread out as much as she could and fell asleep (she must have been really cramped in there:)

  The Dr.s were very optimistic about Joyce and so I don’t remember being overly worried-but I was very glad Danny could go with her and stay with her.  By midnight I was ready to leave the OR and took Lydia with me. My mom and Marilyn had come to the hospital when we went to the OR and were there to meet me when I got back to my room. I was so happy to have them there to talk and be with. They were able to hold Lydia immediately see her get her first bath.  Danny came back after about thirty minutes and took each grandma to visit Joyce too. I was very excited to see a picture of Joyce Marilyn took in the NICU because I hadn’t seen her yet!

At around 2 AM Lydia and I were taken to the mother and baby unit. The grandmas came with me and kept me company while we waited for Danny and news. He came soon thereafter to tell me Joyce was doing great and would be with us soon and by 4 AM she was released from the NICU and was with us. The poor baby had been poked and prodded (they had a really hard time getting an IV in her poor girl) and needed some calming down. We put both babies in the same bassinet and that seemed to really help.  We had an awesome hospital stay and I didn’t want to leave.

Well, those are the details  of my twin delivery.  What I can’t really express is all the emotions associated. I had a great delivery and felt incredibly grateful to the Dr.s and nurses for making it such a great experience.  I was blessed that I had two seven pound babies and could take them home with me immediately.

 

baby Nemo

I think there is nothing cuter than baby Nemo. Yesterday I put away these jammies:

I bought them the winter of 2010 when I didn't have any babies, and wasn't sure I would ever have any babies.

I spoiled Lucy while Danny had cancer. We used to go to the Disney store almost every week just to look at the princess things and play around. On one trip I saw the jammies and I must have been feeling particularly hopeless because I lost it.  I looked at the tiny 0-3 month size every time we went. I jokingly hugged the baby mannequin wearing it once and sent a pic to Danny (not funny, just depressing:)

On a more hopeful visit I just decided to buy them.

During IVF I hung them in my room.

When I eventually found out I was pregnant with twins I kicked myself for not buying two.

Being a sap I cried when I put them on a baby for the first time. I love these little jammies. I boxed them up today with the other 3-6 month clothes, but I plan on getting them out when Danny and I start our second family in ten years (they'd work on a boy don't you think?)

the CARD

You may remember that I am obsessed with Christmas cards and getting family pictures taken (I documented it at length here.) Believe it or not I had briefly forgotten about these obsessions, it not being the Christmas season quite yet.  Lucky for me Danny hadn't.

While Becca was here we had her take some pictures of us. We tried not to make it a big deal-but that didn't work.  I obsessed about it-enough that we actually did it when many things stood in the way. We didn't have anyone to watch Ruby while we took them, so we brought her with us. The poor baby wasn't feeling very good and was unhappy ( read: screaming) the whole time. We had to wake the babies up and neither of them woke up feeling very smiley. Last but not least, no amount of bribery can get Lucy to do a normal smile while looking at a camera lately.  Seriously, when she smiles her eyes are unable to focus and when she focuses she is unable to smile.  Fortunately we all survived the experience and we actually got a couple of cute shots:)
It proved difficult to pose two babies who can't sit up yet, but here are some of my favorite shots- some edited, some not. We'll surprise you with which one we choose:)

Worth a thousand words: