Monday, February 27, 2012

The Dresses

Lots of people have asked about the dresses.  When my sister, Maggie, was a baby, my mom would make her these fancy dresses.  They were soooo very pretty.  But she is saving those dresses for Maggie, of course.  She has made a few for my niece, Erin, but as time has gone on, she just doesn't really have the time to devote to making one of these dresses.  If you don't know her, my mom is one of those ladies that is sort of a "can do it all " ladies.  It does not matter what it is my mom is doing, it always turns out prefect.  She might wait until the last minute, or operate on her own agenda, but in the end, it is always well worth it.  Anyway, Maggie will have dresses, and Erin has dresses, and Mom wanted Bailey to have a dress, too.  So she found what she wanted and got a lady to make it.   Since the twins were so little and didn't really need much this Christmas, Mom got them their dresses.   So now all 3 of my girls have a dress alike, and although I don't get custody of the dresses now, I'm sure Mom has some bang of an idea of what we will do with them next.

I took a few pictures of the dresses just have on hand and thought I'd share.


The dress, from basically top to bottom. The one Mom made for Erin was reminds me alot of these dresses and Erin wore it in Maggie's wedding.  So Mom could do this if she had the time!


Close up of the top!  That satin ribbon tied in a big bow in the back.


Mom has a great big monogramming machine that I am  uber jealous of.  Ellie Jane Whitehead


Elissa Marie Whitehead

Thanks Mom and Dad!  We LOVE these dresses and know that all 3 of our girls will cherish them for a long time to come!


Sunday, February 26, 2012

The Lord Has Promised Good To Me

As many of you know, we took the twins to Alabama this weekend to have them Christened, along with my cousin's baby girl, Tanner.  I think I cried just as much today as I did the day I heard the doctor say "it's time"!  I just get so overwhelmed when I think about these babies.  They are hard hard work, but they are such a blessing and it's just one of those things that you have to pinch yourself daily over.  I know I say this over and over again, but it's really one of those things that you can't help but feel like you've received a miracle....on a daily basis.

As many of you also know, Sid and I were done having babies.  Neither of us wanted any more and the news of not one, but two babies, was complete shock.  The entire time I was pregnant, I would pray and say "these are your babies Lord.  You put them here for a reason and they will surely bless us, but please help me to always let them know that they are yours and they are here for your purpose."  With that being said, today was just perfect, a day to give them back to the Lord and say "they are your's, help us!"

Of course, it meant the world ten times over for my Papaw to Christen the babies.  He Christened Bailey when she was 10 months old.  We had to hurry and have the twins done before some baby we all know and love grows out of her dress.  I need to post of picture of her from her day.

One of my favorite pictures from her her day was her sitting on the alter in her dress.  Ellie did ok in the same pose, but not Elissa, and certainly not both of them.  It's really no fun to take have to be the one to take pictures and be the mom on days like today.  haha!!  Obviously, I didn't take all these pictures, but you know what I mean!

I just looked through a few of them, as there are only 192 pictures.  haha!   Of course I couldn't wait to share what I looked at!!!  I post more in the next few days!!!  Thanks to everybody who traveled near and far and made this a blessed day for our family!

Ellie at the church.  Elissa was still getting dressed.  I have a picture of Bailey in the exact same spot in her dress.  I'll try to post them together.  Sadly, I didn't get any of Elissa at the alter.  She didn't cooperate.



 Bailey got in on the picture action while we were still waiting on Elissa to get dressed!



And that's about as good as it gets when you are trying to take pictures of two 6 month olds who have on dresses that they think are toys by all the strings.  Someone said Ellie looks knocked out here.  Actually, she was busy trying to get her strings under control.

Pappaw and Ellie


Pappaw and Elissa


Robyn, her husband Justin, Sid and I were each presented with a prayer shawl.  The prayer shawl ministry at Lester Memorial knits shawls that they pray over and then give them away for someone to continue using them in the same fashion.  We each got one and were instructed to pray with it as we weave our way through this world, trying to rear small children.  It's supposed to be a comfort type thing and just a visual reminder of the task at hand.  While we were getting our shawls, Mom, Brother Barry, and Aunt Marianne stood so the congregation could see the babies. 

I didn't get to take as many pictures as I would have liked to taken.  But I did get a few good ones.  Me, Sid, Elissa, and Ellie

The Whitehead 5!



And a generational picture.  Pappaw, Dad, Me, my girls, and Sid. I guess technically Sid isn't in the generation.  I don't really know how that works. 



Sid and Ellie.  Those eyes, my goodness, I just don't know where they come from or how they got that blue.  But she sure is a pretty thing.


Sunday, February 19, 2012

Baby Items For Sale

I have a house full of things that we are growing out of now that the twins are getting older.  I tried to post on Neshoba County Buy, Sell, Trade but the pictures wouldn't upload.  I don't want to sell on Craigslist if I don't have to for location reasons. I will be in Alabama next weekend if anyone there is interested.  These are just the first few things to go.  If you have something you are looking for, ask me, chances are I have it and need to get rid of it.

Text me, call me, email me wareaglegirl30@gmail.com  or leave me a message on Facebook (Barbie Self Whitehead).

The fist is a Bright Stars automatic bouncer.  It is in excellent condition.  No rips, stains, tears, smoke and pet free home.  This is a must have for newborns.  At 6 months old, my girls don't really like it anymore.  It bounces to the beat of a few different vibrations and has music if wanted, but you don't have to play the music.  The baby is able to bounce themselves if it's not turned on.  $25



This is a Baby Trend Snap n Go.  This is hands down the best thing I ever bought and wish I had known about them with Bailey instead of buying a big stroller at first.  This thing weighs about 12 lbs and folds up very nice and neat.  I am able to get this in and out alone, which is almost impossible with a big stroller.  The baby carrier snaps right on to the base of this thing just like it does the base in the car.  So, when ever you get where you are going, you just lift the baby right out of the car in the carrier, and place the carrier onto the frame of this stroller.  Very simple and I can't stress how easy to use.  We even used it with only one baby when we had only one out.  Right now, the bars are adjusted for two Graco seats, but it can be adjusted for any baby carrier.  The ease of this thing is it's weight and how easily it turns.  The downside is you can't use it anymore after the baby outgrows the baby carrier.  $50


And last on this post is the Graco Travel System in style Windham.  This comes with the car seat, the base, and the stroller.  The car seat fits onto the stroller.  The stroller has been used maybe 10 times.  The car seat has been used but still in great condition.  No rips, stains, tears, smoke and pet free home.  The car seat has been well taken care of, not expired, and never in an accident.  The stroller has barely been used.  Also, not pictured, is another Graco car seat that is expired, but comes with an extra base.  So you get the stroller, 2 bases, and 2 car seats, one of the car seats expired.  All for $70.

Not pictured, I have 2 more baby seats: one that is does not bounce, but does vibrate and play music, used only with the first child, not the twins so like new.  The other is just like the automatic bouncer, but a different brand.  Used only a handful of time.  $25 each

Also, not pictured, Bright Starts play mat with bars and toys hanging down that the baby can lay under to reach up.  Perfect condition.  $25
Can send pictures of  these if interested.  

Call me, text me, email me, facebook me, or leave a message here!  Thanks for looking!

Sunday, February 12, 2012

6 Months Later

I cannot believe that I have two six month old babies living in my house!  How in the world did that happen and where is the time going!  It seems like just yesterday we were loading up the sister ride to head home from Jackson with them and now all of the sudden we have two babies, not infants, but babies.  I really can't describe the feeling of "I blinked" and look what happened. haha! 

So Aunt Amy brought the girls some new bows.  I have been forbidden to spend one cent of their daddy's money on this type of thing, so Amy comes to rescue and gets them for us.  haha!  I think these are sooo cute, but poor Ellie's small head is just not made for a gigantic bow like this.  Sid and I laughed and laughed at her while I was taking these pictures! 








At 6 months old, Elissa weighs 19.2 pounds (per her cardio appointment about 2 weeks ago) and Ellie weighs 13.4 (per her doctor's appointment last week when she went because of fever).  Speaking of that doctor's appointment, this was the first appointment for either girl due to random acute illness.  We still are too sure what Ellie had, but after a bunch of tests that showed a high white count, she got a shot and some medicine to take at home.  She seems to be better as far as the fever goes, but Friday night I noticed her belly button looking funny.  I had to doctor is a bit and it looked way better on Saturday, but we will for sure mention this when we go for their 6 month appointment this week!


I had a friend tell me this didn't even look like Elissa with that  bow on her head. I'm guessing it was the fact that all her dark dark hair was hidden!  Yes, you read correctly when I said that Elissa was weighing 19.2 pounds.  She is just a big baby because she doesn't over eat or really eat more than Ellie.  She eats 4 to 5 seven oz. bottles a day (all have cereal in them) and she eats two solid meals a day, usually a fruit with milk and oatmeal in the morning and 2 veggies at night.  We will add in a 3rd meal probably sometime this month.  Elissa has done very good eating solids and hasn't gagged like she was doing when we first started.


Elissa is the sweetest baby I have ever seen.  I know that isn't very nice of me to say when I have two more babies, but really and truly, the other two are so high needs and Elissa is just as laid back as she can be.  She will love all over you and talk and talk, but rarely cries or fusses.  When she does, we know something is up. When we took her to the doctors last week, I bet 20 people stopped us to tell us how pretty of a baby she was because she was just smiling at everybody and talking and SO good!

At a day shy of 6 months, yesterday, Elissa's first tooth broke the skin.  I think there are about 3 more to come very soon!  She did really good with it, too!  Wasn't fussy, didn't run fever, nothing.  Well, unless you count her runny nose, which some say might have something to do with it and some say it doesn't!

Elissa sleeps in her bed now, instead of the nap nanny, but does sleep on this medical type pillow that still props her up.  Even though we have been released from the ENT and her airway is perfectly fine, she is just used to sleeping on an incline. She also sleeps under a blanket and with a small blanket pulled up close to her face.  She has always wanted her face buried when she sleeps.  She takes a paci when she goes to sleep but spits it out and doesn't really cry for it at night after she falls asleep.  If she ever does wake up at night, we can put her paci back in and wrap her back up in her blanket and she goes right back to sleep. Elissa generally goes to sleep about 6 and sleeps 12 straight hours!  AH! Such a good baby!!


Oh, sweet Ellie!  Ellie is eating 4 to 5 six oz bottles during the day and eating the same solid amount as Elissa.  They both still want to eat about every 3 hours during the day.  Ellie has spells where she doesn't want to go to bed and will just cry and cry.  She has spells where she will go to bed just fine and then wake up an hour later and just cry and cry.  Currently, she is in a new spell of going to bed and sleeping fine until about 4, when she wakes up acting like she hasn't eaten in six days!  I usually get up, feed her, and within an hour have am back in the bed. During that time, we usually are both asleep in the rocking chair, so neither of us are up an hour.  Ellie still sleeps in her bed, on her stomach, with her head buried and under a blanket.  She tends to wake up wanting her paci more than Ellie!  On nights when she goes to bed and stays in bed, she will sleep 12 hours, too!  (ignore the nasty on her shirt, spit up!)

I can't get over how blue her eyes are.  Both of them have blue eyes, but Ellie's just glow!  No teeth for Ellie yet either, but she loves to chew on anything she can get her hands on and to her mouth!







Both girls can roll from their backs to their stomachs and Ellie can roll from her stomach to her back in the bed, but I think she uses her pillows or blankets as leverage to get over.  Both girls act like they are ready to just crawl off and would rather be sitting and playing than in the swing now.  We are working on sitting up and Elissa does better at than Ellie, but they will both get there.




And off with the bows!!!  Ellie and that look!!








Elissa's new trick is to suck on her bottom lip.  That may be why she doesn't need her paci at night!


Sid was waving his hat or something trying to get their attention.  This was right after bath and just before bedtime!  They both look so tired in this picture to me!

 Sometimes it is so hard to not get upset being stuck in the house all the time.  We can't really go anywhere at night because the babies eat and go to bed so early.  Twice this past month, we have thrown caution to the wind and stayed out past bedtime. Both times, the babies did so good coming home and going to bed despite the fact that they were off schedule.  I'm hoping we are coming to a crossroads between having two infants and having two babies that will allow us a little more flexibility.  It's so hard not to worry about the schedule when there are two babies to think about.








I put this picture in here to compare their profiles.  They don't even have the same hair line.  It is unreal to me how truly different they are.  Last night, we were in Jackson and ate at Applebee's.  The woman at the table next to me asked if they were both mine.  I said yes, and was nice about it, but inside I was thinking "really lady???"  I mean, why would I want to have to take two 6 months old and my 3 year old out to supper.  And they were dressed the same, too, so if they both weren't mine they probably wouldn't be dressed alike either, I wouldn't think!  Then of course came the next age-old question of "are they twins."  I know they don't look alike, but they really don't look 9 or 10 months apart either.  So, some common sense every now and then would be great. And six months later, I still cannot stand the whole "I know how hard it is, mine are 12 or 15 or how ever many months apart."  I am sure that is a different kind of hard, but unless you have two babies the exact same age with the exact same wants and needs, or sometimes different wants and needs, then no you don't.  It's hard to be nice when you get that line, especially in the still slightly sleep deprived state.


At 6 months old, I still long for a night of not having to have the monitor by my head, of not being woke up before the sun, and of being able to have maybe 2 hours to do what I want to do. My hair is the pits, so much so that I'm sort of embarrassed by it, but I just do not have the time to get it done.  And when I do, it's never at a time that I have help with the babies.  I have a ton of help when it comes to Bailey and I'd have to recognize the fact that I need that help and it's ok, but sometimes I am just in tears for some time to get things done that I need to get done.  I have several hundred dollars of pictures that need to be put into frames, I have clothes I need to get out of my closet and their closet.  Bailey being gone allows me to focus on the twins and not be so overwhelmed, but I still have two more babies here that don't really allow that kind of stuff to go on.  I get upset because I want just one good nights sleep or just one Saturday to get things done or just maybe one Sunday afternoon to catch a movie Sid.  And then I see this sweet face and I am sooo thankful that I have these babies.  That my pregnancy was event-free and that their 7 week early entrance into this world didn't bring a slew of problems.  That I have not one, not two, but three healthy happy children.  And it makes up for the fact that I get no sleep or even when I do get sleep, my days are non-stop.  That I work full time and have a full time household to run.  Not everybody gets to have their dreams come true like me and for that I am grateful.

It might have taken 6 long months to get there, but I am grateful for these beautiful babies!




At the end of the month, we are having Ellie and Elissa, along with my cousin's baby, Tanner, christened by my grandfather in Oneonta.  I cannot wait and think this will be such a special experience for all us, but especially for my pappaw.  I put in a special request to have Amazing Grace put into the service somehow. Every night, the babies go to sleep to me singing this song to them.   Bailey's song was Jesus Loves Me and then turned into He's Got the Whole World in His Hands and is now "the manager baby" which is Silent Night.  I wish all the time that my grandmother were still alive so she could see me with these babies, and give me advice!



I think that just about sums up what is going on at 6 months for these two.  They new nickname from Big Sister is "my baby deers". She is too funny and how she comes up with this stuff is anybody's guess, but it is so funny to hear her refer to one of them has "baby deer"!  haha!

Happy Six Months my sweet girls! We love you both so very much!  It is truly nothing but AMAZING GRACE when I look at the two of you!!!!  Here's to a month of growing even more. I bet by the time I am writing about 7 months I have some crawlers, some sitters, and lots more teeth!!!!!

(PS- If you missed the pictures from last week, go to the last blog post to see them.  They are sooo cute of all three girls!)