Too cute!

Playing dress-up and trying on outfits for Dan and Lara's wedding!

This boy LOVES to laugh!

Hard to believe that these two are almost five months old!  Wow!  We've got two road trips coming up in June.  One to Boise to meet sweet Caroline and then to Spokane for the wedding of a dear college friend and roomie.  Excited to get out of town and take the babes for a few adventures!  They're starting to get so curious about everything and really enjoy trips out of the house so it's perfect timing.

Family photos

Getting two babies to cooperate for photos is like trying to herd cats!  But we got some decent shots and had fun at a friend's BBQ!  So excited for summer and warmer weather :)

Daily Life ...

Babies in jeans ... love it!

Sweet Amelia

The babes first play date.   Amelia was a bit outnumbered!

Twins + No dishwasher + Lots of pump parts and bottles = Disaster!

Just a few recent pictures ... Gretchen got the shot of our kitchen.  I'm sure someday I'll look back and smile about it,  but for now I feel like I do dishes all day long!  The babes saw the cardiologist today and she wasn't concerned about the murmurs.  Great news! ... Thanking God today for two healthy babies.  It was fun to be at the children's hospital and got to see some of my co-workers.  Hard to believe I'll be back at work next month.  Thankfully I'll only be working a few shifts a month which I'm hoping will be a nice work/home balance.
Yesterday Luke and Amelia had their first play date with 5-month old twin brothers, Adrian and Wyatt.  It was so sweet to see the four of them together.  Their mom was on bed rest at the same time I was and our husbands got to know each other at the hospital.  Once Nicole was able to go on wheelchair rides they would come by our room to visit.  Amazing to see where we all are five months later!
We're finalizing plans for the babies first road trip, heading to Boise to meet cousin Caroline!  Life is busy and crazy around here but in a wonderful, full, rewarding way.

It's a girl!!

Caroline Jane Hally

Look at all that beautiful hair!

My sister had her baby ... Luke and Amelia are already the "big" cousins!  Caroline Jane was born on 5.7.11 at 10:44pm.   She was 7lbs, 2oz and 22 inches long.  Caroline is healthy and beautiful!  Poor Luke is now out numbered 3 to 1.  Congratulations to Michala and Joe!

4 months old ... and Happy Mother's Day!

"The moment a child is born,
the mother is also born.
She never existed before.
The woman existed,
but the mother, never.
A mother is something absolutely new."  -Rajneesh

Happy four months to Luke and Amelia!  It's been such a joy to watch them grow over these last months.  They had their four month check-up this week.  Luke is 14 pounds even and Amelia is 11lbs, 14 oz.  The only concern is that both babes still have mild heart murmurs.  Their pediatrician had hoped they'd outgrow them by now but they haven't.  So both babes had chest x-rays and EKGs done.  We'll meet with cardiology to decide if they need echos as well.  Almost certainly they will outgrow the murmurs with a little more time but I'm glad that their doctor is looking into it.  We have been so thankful to have amazing doctors throughout this whole crazy experience.  By our OB, perinatologists, neonatologists and pediatrician we have felt listened to and taken care of ... what a difference that makes in the midst of difficult and scary situations.
I feel like we're starting to turn the corner on the sleep-deprivation.  My Mother's Day gift from Scott was EIGHT straight hours of sleep! ... the last time that happened was in November before we were admitted to the hospital.  Thank you to my thoughtful husband ... that was the best gift you could have given me!  This week both babies have started to sleep 3-5 hours at a time at night and the best part is that they're doing it at the same time.  We're getting there!
Tomorrow is Mother's Day.  This year it is an overwhelmingly sweet day for our family.  Scott and I have both been so very thankful for our moms this year.  I'm not sure what we would have done without them!  My sister is 39 weeks pregnant and hoping to go into labor at any moment (the sooner the better if you ask her!)  And Luke and Amelia have changed my life.  But as wonderful as this day is, it also feels very bittersweet.  During the years that we were living with infertility, this was a very hard day for me ... a painful reminder.   I have too many women in my life that would love very much to get to be mothers.  Their unfulfilled dreams make my heart heavy.  I think of them this weekend with so much love and so much hope.

Smiles and sunglasses ... two great things!

This is one animated and expressive little girl!

Love his smiles!

Sweet girl!

Not sure what's better, sunglasses for babies or the fact that there's actually sunshine!