Monkey and The Chunk

Wow, it’s been a while! I was looking at my draft from over a month ago (ahem…never quite got around to posting it) and I was talking about them starting to crawl and pull up…and now they’ve long mastered that and I think are getting ready to take a few steps. Crazy how time flies.

Violet is our little Monkey, she’s absolutely fearless and likes to jump and crawl over everything and everyone (you’ll be crawled over if you’re in between her and something she wants). I predict that she’ll be the first to break a bone by jumping out of a tree, or off another tall object. She seems to be first with the physical milestones (turning over, crawling, pulling up), he’s been first with the vocal milestones (first one to say mamma and dada).

Samuel is The Chunk, but really only compared to Violet. At their 9 month appointment, he weighed in at 17lb 4oz (4^th percentile) and she weighed 15lb 14oz (4^th percentile). He continues to be the cuddlier one, he’ll frequently crawl up to me when I’m sitting on the floor and put his thumb in his mouth and lay his head down on my leg.

Both of them are pulling themselves up to standing and “cruising” (walking along the couch or other objects) and occasionally standing up by themselves until they realize it…then they promptly sit down.

A few “fights” have broken out between them – I try really hard not to laugh. It’s typically because one of them has found something that they shouldn’t have and the other wants to play with it too (remote control, mom’s phone, mom’s brush, mom’s laptop cord – anything that belongs to mom).

Both are really good at trying new foods and are having fun trying to feed themselves. I say “trying” because a lot of it ends up being a meal for the dogs. They like turkey loaf, tofu, plums, bananas, shredded pork and scrambled egg yolks (just to name a few).  

We’re fast approaching their 1 year mark, we can’t wait to celebrate it!

A Dose of Humility

I’m not really good at asking for help or admitting that I can’t do it all – silly, right? As I feverishly try to wrap my arms around more and more things (making my own baby food, making everything from scratch, activities for the twins, etc), I realize that I’ve made myself too busy to enjoy the things in my life. So, in an effort to be more forgiving to myself, here’s what I’ll try to remember:

• It’s ok to let someone else open the door for mewhen I’m carrying two carseats
• It’s ok to spend a weekend doing nothing butplaying with the twins (I’ll do chores next weekend)
• It’s ok to occasionally have a dinner come from a box or through a car window
• It’s ok to ask for help!

And since my little brother just got his driver’s license, it’s ok to send him grocery shopping (and the occasional ice cream trip).

We found out at the twins’ 2 month appointment that Samuel has torticollis (tightening of the neck muscle) which resulted in him getting a flat spot on the back of his noggin. He’s been going to regular PT appointments and we went earlier this month to get him fitted for his DOC band in order to correct his head shape (can cause a lot of damage if left untreated – vision, dental, etc). Here he is with his new gear; we think treatment will take about 9 weeks or so.

They are definitely starting to interact more with each other. We can have them entertain each other by laying them on the floor side-by-side. It’s probably just coincidental, but they usually end of holding hands at some point. As long as no one starts throwing elbows then all is good.

We’ve started them on solids, so far they like everything that we’ve put in front of them (just like their mom). Carrots are definitely their favorite so far, with green beans coming in at a close second.

We’re really looking forward to the 6 month appointment in a few weeks, I think Samuel will tip the scale at 15.5 pounds and Violet will probably be close behind at 14 pounds.

Click!

Have you seen the movie Click with Adam Sandler? It’s about a guy who ends up fast-forwarding through life with a magic remote control, one day his kids are pre-teens and the next day they’re grown adults. I don’t have one of those remote controls – but life is definitely moving fast!

The twins are already 4 and half months old and I have already (on multiple occasions) caught myself saying things like “they’re growing up too fast” and “they’re getting so big”. They no longer fit in the same pack-n-play together and it’s much harder trying to carry both car seats at once – they’re gonna give me some seriously buff arms.

They both love it when I sing to them. No really, they do! Although, now that I think about it, it makes Samuel smile really big and Violet will laugh…so maybe they just think I’m funny, that’s much more likely.

We can already see glimpses of their personalities. Samuel is pretty laid back and goofy, Violet is our serious (translation=dramatic) one, but she lights up a room when she flashes that smile.

Every morning when I get up to feed them, I inevitably just stand by their cribs and just watch them sleep for a few moments. It’s still hard to believe that we were so lucky. Corny, right? I’m sure every parent feels this way, and boy, what a good feeling. Make sure to ask me how lucky I feel once they’re teenagers.

Settling Into a New Normal

The past 6 weeks have gone by so quickly, I can’t believe it’s already December! From now on, our life will be separated into Before and After the twin’s arrival. It’s hard to imagine life without them now, although we’re still working on our new routines with them. Something as simple as going to the grocery store requires a lot of effort! Any time we go out with them they both get a ton of attention, we’ll need to start adding time for when people stop us to meet the twins.

Samuel and Violet get more entertaining each day - the funny faces they make, the funny noises they make (coming out of both ends), their complete lack of coordination. Even at 6 weeks, we can already see glimpses of their personality. Samuel is definitely the cuddlier and calmer of the two. Violet is content to lay and observe everything around her and Samuel would like to be carried at all times.

I know what you’re wondering…am I sleeping? Eh, kinda. I get about 5 hours of sleep at night, but it’s broken up by feedings. The lack of sleep is what I worried about during a lot during pregnancy, I was pretty attached to my 8 hours every night. Surprisingly though, I’m doing really well…maybe it’s mommy hormones or something.

We’re enjoying every minute we have with them!

Violet and Samuel from Auntie Sarah's Perspective

Violet Elizabeth Hokulani (Heavenly Star) Williamson and Samuel Jacob Keikihiapo (First Born) Williamson, two babies who have stolen my heart…

My heart aches with how much I love these little ones… The anticipation of meeting Violet and Samuel has been well worth the wait. They are now 10 days old, and what amazing things can happen in just 10 days.. Here is “Auntie Sarah’s” view of the magical journey of getting to know these bundles of joy.

Here are a few things you may want to know about Miss Violet:

• The first thing you will notice about Violet is her big, gorgeous eyes. Her eyes are a beautiful shade of a gray blue that just captures your heart when she looks at you...
• Violet has a few nicknames, and one of our favorites is “Popeye.” She likes to stare at you with one beautiful eye. It is so funny! :)
• Violet is already showing the beautiful hair gene – beautiful locks when she came out of the womb, it’s a Villaruel blessing :)
• She does not like her feet being touched – if you choose to touch her little piggies, do so at your own risk…
• Snorting is just a natural part of speech for Miss Violet, it helps her make her point that she is hungry, poopy, or tired.
• Violet has the sweetest cry ever.. It has this slight raspiness to it that makes it even more sweetly pathetic :)
• Violet is definitely a diva in training.. she is the more vocal of the two and is clear on what she does/doesn’t want and if you don’t figure it out quickly – she’ll be happy to tell you. :)
• Violet is pure sweetness, and once you meet her your heart will never be the same…

Here are a few things you may want to know about Little Samuel:

• Samuel is a sweetheart, tender, and even-tempered. He is the calmer one of the two.
• At first glance you know immediately Samuel is a little boy. He has very masculine features, and is so handsome at such a young age!
• Samuel is a little cuddle bug, he is content to be and stay in your arms as long as you’ll have him. I so enjoy snuggling with this little man…
• Samuel showed early on that he has a tendency to want things quickly and easily (ie: milk = fast food, he is not a sit down and dine kinda guy, lol) – some would say this is typical of a boy? *Wink*
• Samuel at times may actually prefer his fingers, or fists over the real deal – it is so cute seeing him suck on his little hands! :)
• Samuel is not a big fan of having his clothes changed (and really what baby is…) but that is his least favorite part of the day and he tells you.. loudly.. :)
• Now although Samuel doesn’t like to have his clothes changed – you better be quick to get that little tush changed. He will NOT have a dirty diaper! :)
• Samuel will warm your heart and steal it right away…

These two little babies are heaven sent for sure. They have their own little personalities, and from the moment you see them you can immediately tell they are different – looks and all. Violet looks just like mommy and Samuel looks just like daddy.

Although my heart is fuller and bigger as a result of these two, it’s breaking into millions of little pieces knowing I am going to have to leave and not get to kiss their little faces, give them my little Eskimo kisses so I can feel their sweet little noses, change their little bums (and there was A LOT of that going on! Lol!), rock them to sleep, cuddle with them, enjoy everything about them… see every new little milestone…

However, I am excited knowing what loving parents they have, and what wonderful examples they have to grow up with. Amanda and Ben are special people, and Violet and Samuel don’t even know yet how blessed they are… Experiencing how they love their little ones in their first week of life has been magical… So many special memories to come!

Auntie Sarah will miss you Violet and Samuel – but I am just a Skype call away…

I love you sweet babies…

What a great day to be born!

Hi Everyone! Ben has commented on my lack of posting lately, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and write up a post for us before we head to the hospital. Thank you all for the prayers and well wishes, we'll make sure to get pics posted ASAP!

Here's Ben...

It’s the last few hours before Samuel and Violet grace this world with their presence…Sarah (Amanda’s twin sis) is cooking breakfast and it can be smelled all throughout the house. Poor Amanda probably can smell it upstairs and since she has to have an empty stomach, it’s got to be rough. Man, breakfast smells so good. I still can’t believe we’re having twins. The funny thing is, when I was a small boy, I prayed to God that he would let me have twins when I was old enough. When I told Amanda that she responded with, “what, are you serious?” I must say I have been pretty lucky through this pregnancy. No late night driving for cravings except for one trip to Carousels for a hot fudge sundae with no whip cream. Uh oh, Amanda just said “ok, one hour and fifteen minutes before we have to go.” I better wrap this up.

This is really cool. I know there are tons of twins in this world but how many of us can say “I have twins.” To top it all off, this house is going to be stacked with guns. Unfortunately yes, some of them will probably be pink. I can’t wait to go buy two little “Anne Oakley” .22 rifles. Right now I’m looking at a couple of Ruger 10-22s. But since those individually cost more than mine, they will probably only get the Wal-Mart special’s. Oh, and a pair of 50cc dirt bikes will look cool in the garage. I can’t wait.

I love and miss all you guys. I am so happy Amanda and I are about to be parents. This is going to be great and so memorable. I love you Amanda, thank you for making these last 9 months so easy on me.

Things I’ve Learned in 33 Weeks…

I know I still have some time left, but I’l like to share some things I’ve observed over the last 7 months:

• If you see a cricket in the house, don’t scream when you’re 33 weeks along in pregnancy. It REALLY scares everyone else in the house (everyone’s reaching for the “go” bag).
• As my tummy has grown in circumference – Ben’s sense of humor has grown too. We have found all sorts of new things to laugh at.
• I miss belt loops.
• Nothing like a looming and unknown deadline to get the butt in gear! In the last week we’ve painted the nursery, ordered diapers (LOVE AMAZON), picked up a guest bed, and started putting together other baby stuff.
• Just because baby clothes use less fabric does not mean that they’re less expensive than adult clothing. I couldn’t believe it when I saw a pair of baby pants for $48! OK – they were absolutely adorable – but not that adorable.
• My tummy makes a great shelf! I love the novelty of being able to set stuff on top of it while I’m sitting and proclaiming to Ben “Look, no hands!”. Gets a laugh every time.
• I strike a pretty impressive profile, it’s always fun to see the shocked looks on people’s faces when I’m out and about.
• I now know what heartburn feels like – and I hope I never have to deal with it again!
• Who knew that I’d actually miss wearing my heels (the same Birkenstocks for 3+ months is no fun).

33 weeks now, what a journey so far! I’m so thankful to have had a complication free pregnancy so far. Our upright freezer is slowly getting stocked with my not-uber-healthy-but-really-easy-and-delicious casseroles for when I don’t feel up to cooking after the twins arrive. I know I’ll be craving a salad after about 3 days!

I’m preparing to transition all my stuff at work – I just wished we had more of an idea of when I’m going to be out. All I know at this point is, “I’ll be out for 3 months and it’ll start soon…could be 3 weeks from now, or it could be 6 weeks.” How’s that for ambiguity?