Bailey and Griffin's First Beach Vacation!

We can now say that we have gone on an official family vacation with Bailey and Griffin, and I would say that it was a success! I was a little nervous about the trip there, as well as how they were going to do with the beach, the pool, sleeping arrangements, etc. Although it was a challenge, they could not have been any more perfect! They were never fussy on the trip there or back, and the sand wasn't their favorite thing, but they loved the pool. I'm just going to post a lot of pictures, because that will show more than me just writing about it...we made some amazing memories, and it was just another reminder of how blessed I am to have my sweet, little family! Just to warn you...it's picture overload!

First reaction to the sand...not big fans of this!

Dinner at Doc's...love my sister!

Jacob took this picture...babies were restless and everyone was up trying to keep them happy, but I was determined to finish my crab legs!

Hannah trying to hold on!

Love my wiggly family!

First ice cream!

Now trying a chocolate cone

Griffin's turn!

COLD!

Bailey and Daddy

Love my sweet girl!

Hannah trying to hold on...right before she left us to go to the beach with her friends! :)

We don't have too many pictures of us these days!

Daddy mocking Bailey's new fake cry...it's hilarious!

We loved the pool!

These floats were the best decision I've made in awhile!

Griffin would only wear his hat backwards...love my little boy!

Warming up to the water

I LOVED Griffin being cuddly...he wasn't letting go of me while we were by the water!

Taking a juice break

This is what Bailey does EVERY TIME that you tell her no...this was after I told her that she couldn't eat sand!

She calmed down quickly...sand all over the face!

SO grateful for my family!

Daddy and Griffin

Mommy and Bailey

They have them wrapped around their little fingers!

On our way home, we stopped to visit with my college roommate, Meghon, and her husband and little guy! This was the best picture we could get!

So glad I got to see Meg..it's been too long!

It was a great vacation...and we have lots of pictures to show for it! :)

Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day was a great one...I really am so blessed to have my two little cuties! Before I got pregnant, I remember just longing to be able to have a baby and now I have two and couldn't be more grateful! There are many days and nights that I could just cry because I think about what a gift they are to me and how honored I feel to have the responsibility of raising them. I know that we will have many ups and downs, but there aren't too many things much sweeter than when they look at each other and at me and just start giggling!

Daddy made this Mother's Day really special...he let me sleep in on Saturday and Sunday before church. I remember never understanding why my mom couldn't sleep late. Now I understand...given the opportunity to "sleep in", I slept until 7:45! :) It sure was nice though. "Griffin and Bailey" made me a card with pictures of themselves, along with pictures with me, and put a sweet little note inside of it...they also gave me some other sweet gifts! We tried and tried to take pictures, but it is VERY difficult these days to get them both to look and smile at the same time (our one year pictures are going to be quite the challenge)!

Amazed by their shoes...they both kept trying to undo each others

Sweet grins!

The best one we got...and we took a LOT!

Bailey and Mommy

Griffin loves to move at all times...notice a shoe is missing because Bailey undid it and he kicked it right off...at least I tried! :)

I've had a great first Mother's Day! 

Griffin's First Haircut

It was a big day for Mommy and Griffin! His hair has been getting a little long lately...but only in the back and sides, not on top. As sweet as it is, and as sad as I was to cut his hair, it was really starting to need a little trim. I knew that we have some big things coming up with my sister's graduation next week, a trip to the beach in two weeks, and a FIRST BIRTHDAY in a month and a half. With all of these events, many pictures will be taken and Griffin wanted to look really handsome! I decided it was a good day for a date with just the two of us, so we went this morning to get his haircut, then took a little trip to Babies R Us. 

I was a little (okay, a LOT) nervous about how this haircut experience would go. I knew that we would have to time it right with naptime/eating time in order for this to all go smoothly...and that's not even taking the haircut experience into consideration! We got to Pigtails and Crewcuts, and there was a 45 minute wait, so we went and walked around a few stores while we waited (we did buy Bailey a few bows at The Toggery). After we were tired of walking around (and my arm was about to fall off from holding him), we went back to wait our turn. He was one of the smaller ones there, but he didn't seem to realize it. He drank his bottle, then kept wiggling to get down.

My big boy crawling right over to the train table

He stood right up with all the "big boys"

Playing with the trains!

At this point, I'm getting VERY nervous because there's another little boy a little bit older getting his first haircut and it was not pretty! He was SCREAMING and his Mom was having to hold him down...I said many prayers at this point!

Sitting in the firetruck waiting for this adventure to begin!

This isn't so bad...having fun driving the truck!

Watching cartoons on the tv

Handsome boy finishing up the animal crackers that he got to munch on during his haircut!

Sitting so still!

All done, but checking everybody else out!

WE SURVIVED! He was absolutely perfect and I was so proud of him. The stylist kept commenting on how amazed she was at how well he acted and sat there. I love my little boy and had a great time with him today!

Our weekend trip to El Dorado

This past weekend we headed to El Dorado. We don't get to go nearly as much as I would like to either of Bailey and Griffin's grandparents houses, so we love when we do get to go. This weekend, we headed there for the wedding of one of my best friends from high school, Jordan. I didn't get any pictures, but here are some from the weekend...

Hannah and I before the wedding...love my sweet sister!

These next few pictures were my attempt at taking some pictures of them Saturday, which is why I had to take more Sunday (the ones I posted yesterday)

We love playing in the grass!

My Dad came around the corner is the lawn mower and they were amazed!

The best that I got that day!

Griffin riding the lawn mower with my Dad

I LOVE this picture of G and B with my sweet Dad!

We love grandparents!

Bailey is SO excited that Aunt Hannah is about to graduate from high school and move to Harding!!!

10 Months Old

Yay for being 10 months old!!!!

Griffin has developed quite a personality lately and he has become very mobile. He is now doing an army crawl across the floor, but he is pulling up on everything! So far, we have had a busted lip and a bump on the forehead. As excited as I am for them to reach new milestones, my life is about to drastically change!! He still has eight teeth and is becoming a pro at eating. Griffin will eat anything we give him, except for green peas...he won't even let them come near his mouth. One of my favorite things is that he has become a big time Mama's boy. He wants to be with me at all times, and while it can make things a little difficult, I'm not complaining one bit. My heart melts when I hear that little voice repeating "Mama Mama Mama" and reaching those chubby arms in the air. I think Daddy is a little jealous because the other night he kept them and Griffin wanted me all night! :) His favorite things right now are clapping when he finds something he likes, and being outside...he would stay outside all day if it was possible! This little boy is going to keep us very busy!

 Bailey Jane has discovered her voice in a big way! She squeals all of the time just to get our attention. Lately, she also has developed a fake cry and when you look at her, she will start giggling. She is a mess! Her appetite has become much better and she will eat most anything that we give her, even broccoli! Bailey has finally gotten one more tooth, and it's a little funny looking because she now has her bottom two and one on the top, right side. We laugh a lot because it sounds like she says "Hey Daddy!" a lot! Dada is her favorite word of choice right now and there aren't many things she doesn't get from her Daddy. Our latest struggle with her is that she wakes up in the middle of the night wanting to chit chat. She's so happy, but it's three in the morning, so Mommy isn't really in a talkative mood...although you can't help but love those sweet sounds and smiles! She is quite the crawler/scooter now, especially if food is involved. She has the ability to see any Cheerio that has been dropped on the floor that we have missed and she gets there quick! She is such a sweet girl!

Bailey and Griffin are discussing how it's time for Mommy to start planning their first birthday!!!

A Year Ago Today....

One year ago today I looked like this....

One year ago today, I was really afraid that I was about to meet these faces way too soon...

 (Griffin)

(Bailey)

April 11 and April 12, 2011 were the scariest days of my life. I went into my routine doctors appointment relaxed and excited to hear two little heartbeats...every other appointment had been perfect, so I expected nothing less. It was that day that I found out that I was in labor at 24 weeks and didn't know if my babies were about to be born. I cried more tears in those days, prayed more prayers, was prayed for by so many, and felt more love than I had ever felt. I know that it's because of those things that I was about to be on bed rest for 11 weeks and not go into labor until almost 37 weeks. Looking back, it's amazing that it was a year ago and how much has changed since then. I'm so grateful for Bailey and Griffin and how healthy that they are. At this point last year, there were many unknowns about if they would be born, and if they were, what condition they would be in. It truly is a miracle that I have these two healthy babies! I am pretty sure I've said it before, but today I have really thought about how much I appreciated everyone's support, love, and especially prayers during this time! I am one lucky mama! 

Very thankful today!!