Merry Christmas Love the Twins

We had a great Christmas around here. I had the best gifts ever! One healthy husband, two healthy children and my family with me on the holiday! We also had a VERY rare white Christmas here in Dallas. This is one of 5 while Christmas's in Dallas 111 year history. We felt VERY blessed.

Thursday started and my family came in from Fort Worth and my sister, Bryan and cousin Grady came over for food, gifts and fun! Grady is so cute and it is hard for me to imagine the guys were that small (and smaller) not that long ago! We had a nice family lunch while the boys all slept and then my parents watched the boys while Brandon and I got to go to church and then we switched. Since we can't attend church with the boys, this was such a nice treat for us!

Friday we opened gifts as a family and Brandon surprised me with a new canon rebel camera so I can take LOTS of pictures of the boys... I have attached my first "shoot" with them in their new Christmas outfits from nana.

Both boys are smiling and laughing now and they are sooooo much fun! We just love watching them grow, and it seems that each stage they hit is my new favorite :)

Merry Christmas!

Babies Babies Everywhere

Well we have the newest member of our family with us! Grady Linn Brazelton was born 12-16 at 421pm. He was 7 pounds, 10 oz and 19 inches long. I am a VERY proud auntie :) What a wonderful experience to see my sister welcome the child we have been waiting VERY long to meet. I know she and Bryan are going to be GREAT parents!

The boys are anxious to meet their new cousin. While I was in the waiting room for Sara, Brandon called me and let me know that Christian rolled over for the first time... sad that I missed it but VERY happy he hit a milestone. The boys are growing up sooooo fast around us. Brock is playful and smiling most of the day (if he is not put down or ignored my mom) and Christian loves to cuddle with me. It is hard finding time to do both things at once.

Long Time Since the Last Blog

Craig and Erin and Brandon and I with the twins

Four generations.. mom and my grandma Jane with the twins

The Linn great grandparents with the twins

Four generations of family.

Four generations of family on my mom's side.

Mom and B

Barefoot Family

Brock on left and C on right.

C on bottom and B on top

Family photo :)

Our little Christmas gifts :)

C and I snuggling.

We have been VERY busy around here so sorry I haven't gotten to blog! On Thanksgiving the babies met my family in Fort Worth. They LOVED meeting everyone but our trip was cut short by Bronculitis (sp?) The babies were pretty sick and gave it to mom and between the three of us had it for almost three weeks. Yuck! The babies had three visits to the pediatrician thanks to nervous mom :) Then two weekends ago, Brandon's family came in to meet the babies! They flew in Friday and we did LOTS of baby time, pictures and a yummy turkey dinner. Last weekend mom and dad got some away from baby time and got to attend my brother in law's graduation dinner party. We are so proud of him!

The babies are really doing great. We are at 11 pounds, 11 oz for Christian as of last Thursday and 14 pounds 3 oz for Brock. We have moved off our preemie formula onto good old regular baby formula and got to use our jogging stroller for the first time yesterday! Brock has been VERY smiley and is a morning baby for sure. He is all smiles and giggles in the morning and Christian is my night baby. He is all happy at about 6pm. Brock is still my more demanding child (he is on my lap while I type this) and Christian is still patient and extremely expressive in his face. We have been practicing rolling over this week and although mom has not seen them do it yet, I do think it is in our near future. Brock likes his jumper and Christian likes the swing. I think they are both going to be VERY active little boys.

We have moved up diaper sizes for Brock to size 2 and Christian is right behind him... I see a new size for him in the next week or two. We are starting to sleep pretty good and for the last two night have slept almost 8 hours! Very exciting times around here.

We had our four month apt recently and we were called NICU success stories! We are sooooo proud of our little men :) Brock was totally off the preemie chart and on the the "normal" four month chart and Christian was at the 95 percentile for preemie and expected to be off the preemie chart soon.

Here are just a couple of pics of the boys in the last few weeks... more to come! We had two photo shoots done in the last few weeks and LOVE the pictures!

Exciting times around the Barefoot household

We have been soooo busy over here! Our biggest thing has been the first cold for the twins (and then of course mom as well). Christian started us off with the sniffles and then lost his voice totally on Friday night while we were hanging our tree. Although we had some relief from the constant crying around here (haha) we wanted to get him in to see the ped. right away. After a 2.5 hour visit (scary office the Saturday before a holiday weekend) he is just fine and we have a breathing machine here to relief his stuffy nose for the next few days. His voice is back and stronger than ever. I have learned a good baby lesson... they get out the "gook" in their body by puking it up on mom. I got thrown up on this weekend at least 5 times from the babies. It kind of made me want to return the favor to Brandon :)

Brandon and I got our tree up with my sisters help on Friday. We had a visit from Don (Brandon's dad) on Friday and we have been super busy getting ready to see my family for thanksgiving this week. The boys are ready to meet the world... are you all ready for them?!?

I have gone back to work three days a week and that just makes everything that much crazier around here. I am loving having some "adult time" though and three days is just PERFECT right now! I am so ready to hand them to Sandra on Monday and sooooo ready to get them back full time on Thursday. I am in a very lucky spot right now :)

Just wanted to shoot a quick update... I am sure we will have LOTS of pictures after this week! Happy Turkey Day if I don't post before then.

Weekend so far

Brock, Christian

Brock, Christian

Thursday night... Christian, Brock

C & B

C trying to bite B's arm... yummmm

B and C

Brock on left, Christian on right

Here are some pics Brandon and I were snapping of the guys yesterday. They love to look at the fan so we can sometimes get them to look together.

Weights

Well the boys did great at their doctor apt today for the RSV shots... Brock weighed in at 11 pounds, 2 oz and Christian at 9 pounds, 7 oz. Very big boys :)

Babies, Babies Everywhere

11-10- A normal night around the Barefoot household.

Jenn and Jenn with our multiples. Taken with camera phone... sorry about the quality.

Mom with her screaming babies after her workout.

Mom and Christian.

Drew Eckman and Brock last Friday.

Christian in his bumbo seat... they are not big fans right now... it does seem to induce spit up.

Dad and Brock last night. Cute!

Good head lift Brock!

Brock in his bumbo seat.

Billy and Christian on Friday... I think Christian is sleepy :)

I have been trying to write a post all week and I am just now getting to it... the life of a twins mom I guess. Last weekend Brandon and I had a wonderful date night out with some of his friends and then on Saturday we went to visit some of our friends who are new parents of triplets! All five babies were a hoot and all were very well behaved. We had two of Brandon's friends visit the babies on Friday as well. I have included a couple of pics from the last few days. We have fully vocal babies now and have a LOT of crying going on :) Brock LOVES to be held and fusses when you put him down and Christian is more patient and tends to cry when Brock starts first. We have our hands full each day ;)

I made what I feel is my most mom purchase this week... the family Christmas tree. I think it just dawned on me that now I am in charge of providing a holiday experience instead of one being provided for me. Big mom moment.

We have made some big steps at night and are now eating at 11p and 4a and 8a. Keep in mind this DOES NOT mean the twins don't cry at 2a (their old feed time) but I don't feed them until 4a. Brandon and I will be thrilled the day they start to sleep through the night. I know it is coming... we just hope it is sooner rather than later. Brock is ready to go further, but Christian is not and we are keeping them on the same schedule around here.

Baby Weight

Hi- Just a quick note... Christian weighted 8 pounds 6.6 oz today and is officially moved from 24 calorie food to 22 calorie food with Brock. He was a good boy for me at the doctor today. We will not have to see the doctor again until our 4 month check up.

Happy Halloween!

Jenn and my aunt Kathy with the boys.

The twins in their costumes in their ranch photo shoot

Awww.

Brandon and I took the boys for a walk on Wednesday in their costumes since it was pretty cold. Christian is the tiger and Brock is the giraffe.

Kathy holding both boys :)

My parents with the boys.

Sara (and soon to be born Grady), Brandon with Christian, Jenn with Brock and Bryan with Maggie (dressed like a cow) at the ranch.

My little tiger was over the photo shoot

Before our walk on Wednesday.

Brock trying out his giraffe outfit on Wednesday.

Brock with his bib stuck on his head on Sat. morning. So cute :)

Dad with his boys. Aren't they the cutest :)

We had a wonderful Halloween week at the Barefoot household. We spent the week here in Dallas and then on Friday we went to the ranch and had a wonderful dinner with Sara and Bryan, my parents and my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Alan. The last time Kathy had seen the boys was in the NICU so they were quite a bit bigger to her! On Saturday we had a fun photo shoot with the boys on the ranch. After we got home we got more visitors from Ashley and Michael Nadeau and Ashley's mom Betty (in from Omaha). The twins got to show off their costumes one more time to the group and they loved all the attention.

Christian goes back to the doctor tomorrow for a weight check tomorrow and Brandon flies to San Antonio for work! Big Monday around here.

We are trying to get the boys out for lots of walks this fall while it is so nice. We get lots of comments and stopped quite a bit in our big twin stroller. Brandon and I don't mind at all and have loved showing our babies off to the neighborhood.

Big Weekend

Twins on their Boppy fort on Sunday... can you tell I got left alone with twin duty and the camera?!?

Aren't they cute on thier boppy?

Anna and Thomas Dickenson with the twins... they are doing their Dugger's pose. Now we just need 16 more kiddos and we can be on TLC too :)

Manny and Julie with Cooper, Isabelle and Sofia and Brandon and I with the twins

More of the Dickenson's with the twins... they are a wonderful photo opp!

Christian on my lap after a feed.

Brock on his boppy fort- we prop him up for 20 mins after his feed to help his reflux.

The boys had a very big weekend this weekend! On Friday the twins got a visit from my mom for the afternoon and then Josh and Lisa Taylor who were in town for the wedding stopped by to meet the twins. Then aunt Sara and uncle Bryan offered to watch them while mom and dad attended Aaron Koury and Elizabeth's wedding rehearsal. Brandon and I had a great time with them and Sara and Bryan did a wonderful job babysitting. On Sat. Thomas and Anna Dickenson came in town and stayed with us and meet the twins and then we all went to the wedding while the twins stayed home with a sitter. Sunday morning the twins met their first set of other multiples when Manny and Julie stopped by with the triplets! 5 babies is quite a bit but it was fun to see everyone!!! I was on twins duty while the troop went to the Cowboys game in the afternoon. We woke up to two CRANKY twins today from all the excitement over the weekend!!! I was very proud of my little guys and know that they will have lots of visitors over the years.

We tried a new sleep positioner... bad idea. They were both able to get themselves out of the positioner in about 5 minutes. We went back to the original positioners and will just have to figure out a way to keep Brock in it and in place. Our strong guy keeps moving down his crib.

Several people ask me the same few questions about the twins... what are some of our "must have" products and what do we need two of and what do we only need one of? For any other multiple mom out there... here is what I have found:

Must Have's:

- Pack and Plays (2)

- Miracle blanket's (2 or more)

- sleep jammies (tons and they have to have snaps or zippers and feet) they twins don't really like the kind that go over their heads at this stage) we also can't do complicated with two so no real buttons or difficult jammies

-Boppy's (2)

- Bathtub (1)

- diaper champ's (2)- one for each room the twins are in

- Changing stations - we have three... and we use ALL three

- Blankets- a TON

- Burp clothes- we use 16 a day if all goes to plan (which is rarely does).

- Bottle warmer (1) and we use it 16 times a day as well.

- Dr. Brown's bottles- we use 18 a day of the small 4 oz. bottles.

- pacifiers- a TON soothies. We try to keep them separate but that is so hard!

We have both the boys on Axid reflux medicine three times a day which has made our life so much easier!!! No more groaning and crying during feeds.