I know is Texans shouldn't complain about the cold because we don't have it bad at all but for the Austin the last two weeks cold snap and rain was awful and it meant being housebound basically with 2 13 month olds is not that much fun. Friday our weather turned gorgeous!
I took the girls to HEB Saturday morning and we had to split a donut to finish getting all the groceries we needed.
Riley testing my patience :)
Sunday we ate at Chipotle with the girls and they loved watching the birds pick up food.
Sloan is starting her chores early - Posted using BlogPress
I am linking up today with Leslie at Blonde Ambition for confessional friday!
1. I confess this is my first link up/confessional Friday!
2. I confess I am 2 weeks into my new routine of going to work out at Orange Theory twice a week and so far so good. I came to the realization that if I don't go in the morning before the day starts I never have time to go. So I dragged it out of bed at 4:30am and made the 5am class and today I did a 6:15am class and 5:30 felt like sleeping compared to 4:30am.
3. I confess that my babies are 13 months old and time is flying.
4. I confess that I love my new Nutri Bullet for smoothies but I also really want to make a milkshake in it and that doesn't exactly fit in with me trying to eat better.
5. I confess I have a girls trip coming up in February and I am so excited about it I have a countdown on my phone. My life isn't super exciting I have to celebrate the small things.
My Riley girl is working so hard to get this walking thing down.....
I haven't been great about keeping up with the blog over the holidays but I'll try and recap it all here. It's a balance trying to capture memories and to live in the moment.
Dec. 23rd we made the journey from Austin to Louisville. We had pretty good flight times and I had packed and planned our trip within an inch of my life but as twins teaches you at then end of the day you just go with it. We ate breakfast in the Austin airport and changed diapers right before boarding and while the short flight from Austin to Dallas was pretty brutal (lots of screaming/thrashing around) we did survive and you can't blame the girls it was prime morning nap time for them. We had a very short layover to get to our other flight to Louisville so we only had time to stop and buy milk. We had to change diapers on the plane and a lovely woman offered to switch seats so Matt and I could sit closer. I love the kindness of strangers! When you travel with twins for some reason lots of people look at you like a circus sideshow....even though lots of people travel with multiple children....something about them being twins just blows peoples minds and lots of people want to high five you or say "You've got your hands full!" YES WE DO. I held Sloan on this flight and miraculously got her to nap and Matt held Riley and said she basically ate the entire time and didn't nap. So before we could even pull out of the airport.....she was asleep.
Riley frequently talks or babbles herself to sleep.
We had a great time at grandma and grandpa's house.....they had everything we needed so traveling wasn't that rough. Plus their house is a lot bigger with lots of wood floors to push walker toys around and crawl around the girls loved it. Matt's mom had kept lots of toys from his childhood and it made my heart so happy to see my girls play with their daddy's old toys.
Food is always a big part of the trip to Louisville Matt's mom Judy is an amazing cook and baker. I never leave without my pants being a lot tighter and now my little girls got to experience it too. These girls were spoiled rotten meal wise.....waffles, cheesy eggs, grilled cheese, crab meat, mac n cheese, sweet corn, beef tenderloin, creme brulee, cookies.....it was the best eating week of their life. It also happened to coincide with what we think was a big growth spurt and these girls couldn't eat enough! Also my girls are obsessed with blueberries.......it's the strangest thing but they can eat blueberries at every single meal and you would think it was some amazingly sweet candy but they love them. We had to buy more throughout the week and we packed a bunch for the plane and blueberries are the fail proof get someone to calm down or quit crying tool we have.
Dec. 28th we traveled home and it wasn't bad...I mean some crying a few fits and a few poops but nothing we couldn't handle.
Leaving Austin airport
Our time in Kentucky is never long enough but we will be back and I can't wait to start taking the girls to explore more places and learn more about their daddy's childhood. Christmas this year was so surreal for me....even though the girls were with us at Christmas last year and its not like this year they even understand the whole Christmas thing....it just made me thank God for these blessings...I have a family that I love and we are all healthy (in the grand scheme) and got to spend Christmas together and my kids have more than they could ever need or want in this life and so do I. God is good. Thank you for the amazing Christmas Jeff, Judy, Jan, Dave!
The girls got their tubes this morning and both did great....it was a little scary for me as a mama but it really wasn't a big deal and we were in and out in 2 hours. I hope the girls both feel better now and the doc did say they both still had infections so hopefully we see immediate improvement now that all that gunk can drain out.
Sloans ear bled a little
This weekend we hosted Christmas for my side of the family since we head to Kentucky tomorrow and it was so fun, I have never hosted before and cooked for everyone. I think it went well and everyone had a good time and of course the girls were spoiled rotten with presents.
We have had a rough week and half around here. Last Monday Sloan got sent home from school with a fever we went to the doc and she just said it looks like a regular cold and even wrote her a note to go back to school since she didn't see anything wrong her being at school. Monday night Riley threw up cut to Tuesday they are both worse both running fevers so I stay home with them and figure we will be fine by the afternoon and maybe I'll even take them both to Target.....I honestly thought that. Psh....they didn't move all day really, they watched tv, napped, cried and barely ate. I knew something was wrong but now I was getting scared.....Riley threw up again Tuesday night. Wed we went to the doc double ear infections for both and very sore throats for both and not to mention super high fevers. Thursday....more of the same. Sloan went to school Friday but got sent home half way thru the day because her fever was too high again. Friday afternoon we were back at the doc getting antibiotic shots because the oral meds weren't working. Saturday the girls finally seemed to feel a little better.........SUNDAY Riley wakes up with roseola and I wake up feeling awful and headed to the urgent care.
Thank God for my mom and sister.....we wouldn't have made it thru this last 10 days without them. The girls are going to get ear tubes put in Monday before we head to Kentucky for Christmas so hopefully we can all stay healthy for a while. Seriously 2014 has been the sickest year of Matt and I's lives daycare germs are no joke.
Roseola is annoying because now that she is all better the spots showed up and school won't let her back until they are gone. Does this look sick to you? NOPE
This time last year I could never have imagined that this day would come......It just felt like in those first few months time stood still because our days and nights were so long and hard but like everyone said BAM time flew and now my little 6 and 5 pound babies are no longer babies but big growing girls. We went to the doc for their one year check up today and we are so blessed to have happy, healthy, growing girls.
Sloan 21 pounds
Riley 20.1 pounds
You girls aren't walking yet but I am sure its not far around the corner you stand and cruise on everything and when you are holding on to your little walker there is no stopping you. Sloan I find you standing all the time just on your own and you can bend down and pick things up and stand back up without holding on to anything. Riley you are so brave and I feel like you may just stand up one day and never sit back down again. You both say Da-da ALL the time you love that daddy so much...and "Dugh"= Dog is your other favorite word. You babble all the time and have very intense conversations we just don't understand them yet. You are eating everything we eat and surprise us all the time with what you like.
Your actual birthday fell on Thanksgiving Day this year and we had the best time celebrating. We went to Bebe and Bebo's house and Aunt Lauren's family joined us too it was great to have a big group. It was a beautiful day and we even played outside on a sheet in the grass and showed off your precious outfits!
You girls are so loved and so blessed.
Birthday girls
Turkey dresses
School thanksgiving lunch
Sloan
How daddy likes the headbands
At the doc this morning wearing our big girl shoes!
Dear Sloan and Riley,
I simply cannot believe it has been one year since you came into our lives. Obviously we had 36 long weeks of prep time while mama was growing you in her tummy but the minute you came on to this earth everything changed. Your dad and I were elated and terrified at the same time I mean 2 new babies is no easy task and we wanted to give you the best care around so rightfully so we were nervous and it took a little while before we felt at ease in the role of Mom and Dad. We had lots of sleepless nights, lots of rough evening times, new adventures, and more laughing and joy than we have ever experienced in our life. Simply put you two have completed our little family and now we can hardly remember what our lives were like before you. We are not perfect parents and we don't know everything but we get up every single day and give you our best. This first year was a growing year for the McGowan's but we all did it together and I like the way we all turned out. Your dad and I are more patient and easy going people simply because it's the only way to be with new babies....we try to go with the flow and roll with the punches. We love you both and are elated about getting to spend the rest of our lives seeing who you both become.
My name is Andrea and I am 30 something Texas born and raised twin mama. Wife to Matt and fur mother to Oli and Casey. Struggling thru this twin thing a day at a time. Documenting our journey here.
