Two Pink Lines: One Year Later

It was exactly one year ago today - Halloween of 2010 - that I woke up with a headache way worse than was warranted by the one glass of wine I had with dinner the night before. It was one year ago today that I looked at a calendar and counted days and thought to myself "hmmm... maybe?" but tried not to get my hopes too up again. It was one year ago that I peed on a little plastic stick and put it down on the sink and got into the shower. It was one year ago today that when I pulled that shower curtain back I could see it from clear across the bathroom. It was one year ago today - Halloween of 2010 - that two pink lines changed my life.

Ok, so maybe it was more like 6 pink lines and one digital 8-letter word. (And maybe, not pictured here are the twelve other tests I took over the course of the next week until I got in to see the doctor). The fact is, those lines were there. And my life was changed.

Those lines held so much promise for me back then, and to look at them now is so bittersweet. We had been trying for 11 long months to get pregnant and those lines were the physical manifestation of 11 months of hope and tears and "good things come to those who wait" and trying (and most of the time failing) to trust in God's good timing. Those lines held dreams of tiny clothes and nursery designs and a swelling belly.

I did not know then that I was had not one, but two sweet little poppy seeds nestled in the depths of my belly. I did not know then that not even five months later I would end up in the hospital, and I did not know then that my sweet babies would be born sixteen weeks before they were supposed to be. I just knew then that I was pregnant and I loved everything about it.

The last year obviously did not go the way I had planned when I first saw that second line. It has, without a doubt, been the hardest year of my life. But it also has, without a doubt, been the very best year of my life.

Just look at us now.

Seven Months!

My not-so-bitty babies,

WHAT?!? How are we already on the downward slide to one? I can't even wrap my mind around it.

We're finally (FINALLY) moving out of that "newborn" stage. Don't get me wrong - I loved the newborn stage, but any preemie mom will tell you that with a preemie baby, the "newborn" stage can feel ETERNAL. Except now you two are hitting milestone after milestone and it feels like someone has pushed the fast-forward button. Slow down! (Apparently mom wants to have her cake and eat it too. I do love cake.)

Oh my Sassy, you're still so tiny - less than 10 pounds - but your personality just gets bigger and bigger. You wail so hard you look like a tomato with eyelashes but as soon as we give you what you want set things right for you, you flash this ridiculous grin. It's killer, and it's going to always get you what you want take you places. You're new thing is standing, you don't ever want to just sit anymore, you're always pushing up on your chunky little legs and looking around like the world looks TOTALLY different from up there. You really are the most awesome little tiny girl.

Grayson, my Smooch. You are the most kissable baby ever. You're just chunky and snuggly and loveable. You're perfectly happy to just be propped up and observing the room; you're such an old soul in a tiny body and I just am waiting for the day when you tell me all your secrets. You make me work hard for your smiles but when you give them they totally make my day! You take your time doing things but then you get them perfect on the first try. You're totally the tortoise to Audrey's hare.

I love you two so much. You're the very best part of my every day.

To the moon and back-
Your Mama

A Day Late and a Dollar Short (AND A WINNER!)

I know, I know... I was supposed to announce my winner yesterday.

I'm sorry!

BUT! I have a really good reason!

We're famous! Our local paper called me at the end of last week - the NICU my babies stayed in is expanding, and they wanted to interview a recent grad as part of their article. And they chose us! I was super super flattered and well, I love our NICU so of course I jumped at the chance. The only problem? I was out of town Thursday-Sunday and they wanted to run the article today. Which means yesterday was a blur of last minute cleaning our messy just-back-in-town house, making myself look presentable, and putting cute clothes on the babies for the paper's photographer to come take our picture. (Alright, alright, and then my sister came over and we tried to make our own weave. That's a whole 'nother story for a whole 'nother day.) Point of the story: yesterday was uber busy, which is why I didn't get to do this post.

But I'm here now!

Comment #13 was from thefloyds10! Yay Savannah!!! Email me (dingle.lee at gmail.com) and we'll get a hat going for sweet Noah :)

I'd like to extend a big huge THANK YOU to everyone who entered and promoted my giveaway! I had a lot of fun and I couldn't have done it without all of you! Annnnd a big HELLO to all my new readers... leave me a comment and tell me a little bit about you!


PS If you'd like to read the article featuring my sweet babies, you can see the whole thing online here!

Later, gator!

Chris is taking me and the babies to Florida to visit my parents for my birthday, so I'll be gone through the weekend. I can't wait to introduce Grayson and Audrey to their great-grandmas and put their little tootsies in the ocean for the first time! This is totally what life is all about :)

***And don't forget about my giveaway! I'll be choosing the winner on Monday when I get home!

Saturday is a Special Day...

It's my birthday!!! And in honor of my birthday, I am so excited to be hosting...

And yall... I am really pumped about this. I've teamed with a longtime, very dear friend of mine and her mom who run a sweet little shop called Nene's Creations.

Nene's Creations makes the cutest hand-crocheted hats. As a homecoming gift, she sent me these ADORABLE owl hats, modeled here by my also adorable (and napfighting) (and therefore also very cranky) babies.

SO CUTE, right? She has all kinds of really fun hats.

Sock Monkey! Dinosaur! Giraffe! I love them all!!!

Ok, and I know what some of you are thinking. "But Jessica," you're thinking. "I don't have a baby. Why would I enter this giveaway?" Well...

Nene's Creations has offered to CUSTOM-MAKE a hat for one of my lucky readers!

That means YOU pick the size, YOU pick the colors, and YOU pick the design. Want an adult sized brown hat with a pink flower? Done. Infant sized purple owl hat? You got it! Adult sized sock monkey? You rock that sock monkey.

TO ENTER:
All you have to do is be a follower here at Double Everything! Leave me a comment on this entry to let me know you're around :)

BONUS ENTRIES:
-- "Like" Nene's Creations on Facebook here. Leave me a comment and let me know which hat in her photo album is your favorite.

-- Tweet about this giveaway (include a link to this post) and leave me a comment with a link to your Twitter update.
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-- Post about this giveaway on your Facebook (again, with a link) and leave me a comment with a link to your Facebook status.

-- (Worth TWO entries!) Grab my snazzy new button and blog about my giveaway! Leave me TWO comments with a link to your blog post.

Leave me one comment for each entry. On Monday, October 24, I'll use random.org to pick one comment to be my lucky winner! GOOD LUCK!

Psst....

I'm doing my very first ever guest post for the fabulous Laura over at Between the Lines... go check it out!

In Medical Terms: 6 Months

It's been awhile since I've done a big update on where the babies are, medically speaking. Really, I don't think I've done one big comprehensive health post since they were born! (Mom blog fail right there, huh?) We just had our 6-month check up, so let's catch you all up!

Grayson at birth was 1 pound 8 ounces and 12.5 inches, at 6 months is TEN POUNDS, 6 ounces and 22.75 inches!

Audrey at birth was 1 pound 5 ounces and 12.25 inches, at 6 months is finally (finally) (praise the Lord and pass the ammunition) (FINALLY) right at NINE POUNDS! And 21.5 inches long.

Both babies got their full round of 6 month vaccines plus their flu shot. Four shots apiece! They wailed like banshees but I don't blame them one bit. I thought Audrey was having a bad reaction to hers, but like I said, it was something else. Thank goodness, because that was miserable and I wouldn't want to do that with every round of shots!

Grayson was FINALLY cleared at the retina specialist! Audrey was cleared at our first visit two weeks after we left the NICU, but Grayson has made slow progress and has had to go back once a month since then. His oxygen requirements were a little higher when they were teeny tiny in the hospital, which made his eyes mature a bit slower. But hooray, no more miserable retina checks! We go to a pediatric opthamologist starting in January to do routine checks for nearsightedness. Side note: I'm really curious to see how they check a baby for nearsightedness. It's not like they can cover one eye and read the letters.

The babies had their first physical therapy evaluation back in August and were right on par for milestones for their adjusted age of one month then. Preemies are notorious for being behind on physical development due to laying in a hospital bed for so long, so that was a huge relief to hear! We have been doing our little exercises every day though and we go back in November for a re-evaluation. I can't wait to show off what we can do!

Speaking of what we can do, the babies have been hitting milestones left and right lately! So far, they can: hold their heads up during tummy time (Audrey more than Grayson, although I think it's more of a "want to" thing than a "can do" thing. A is nosey and G is lazy!), are starting to push up on their arms, will bear weight on their legs when held up, can track from almost across the room now, are smiling and cooing socially, and are showing interest in toys. They are alllllmost rolling over and have tried to reach for a toy once or twice now. Laughing and interacting with toys are next, and I cannot freaking wait for those!