Decorating the Christmas Tree

Andrew was so excited to put the tree up this year.

That was for about 5 ornaments, then he got bored.

You mean we get presents!

This is the first year we are going to be home (Frisco)

for Christmas...

...so this is the first year we had the tree

up in the family room to enjoy. And probably the last

for a while since next year we will have

2 little hands trying to get at everything. :)

Twin Tales ~ 5 Months

This last month has gone by so fast! I don't have much in the way of stats, but Bernadette is about 15 lbs and Timothy is about 16 lbs. Not too much "new" has been happening. Both babies can kind of hold thier bottles now. Bernadette is much better at it, which is funny snce she won't take a bottle to eat (they get bottles with water each day that they are suppose to drink...). Timothy still takes one, but he hasn't need to have one in a while since I haven't gone anywhere for more than a few hours. They are really getting cute!

Bernadette:
Likes - Timothy, she tries as hard as she can to get him to look at her and they she just smiles a coos away, taking Timothy's toys from him and she LOVES to take the pacifier out of his mouth. Bruce the dog.
Dislikes - Being in the carseat or stroller too long, having her nose wiped

Timothy:
Likes - Getting kissed under the chin and mommy "chomping" on his tummy, throwing toys around, gurggeling his food/water and Bruce the dog.
Dislikes - Poopy diapers! Mommy blowing her nose.

Timothy with a little smile.

Bernadette not looking too scared here like usual.

Getting so big!

Here's a good one of Timothy smiling!

Twin Tales ~ First Thanksgiving

"Sitting" at the table with everyone

So cute! That is a turkey bow by the way...

My Little Turkeys

Andrew Anecdotes

Wow, have we been busy lately! Andrew is doing really well in MDO this year, especially in Spanish. He is still being a really good big brother. He sings his own version of Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies" to Bernadette that goes like "All the Single Babies"... It is hilarious!! He is also getting a little too observant for his own good. While talking with Grandma in the kitchen about him (nothing big or anything) he tells us "I CAN hear you, I AM right HERE". Well, I guess that means we better watch what we say. He has been so excited about all the holidays this year and couldn't wait to get the tree up, but like any typical 4 year old he got bored after 5 ornaments. I also let him help pick out the presents he was going to give the babies this year and he couldn't stop playing with them. Apparently they weren't joking when the box says 6M+ He is also, kind of on a picture strike. Every time I try and take his picture he makes a funny face or does some weired thing with his hands. I do have a few good ones but they are going to go in the decorating the Christmas tree post in a few days.

Twin Tales ~ 4 Months

We had the twins 4 month check-up the other day and they are doing great! They have been doing so much in the last 4 weeks, I can't believe it! Both babies are now rolling from their backs to their tummies. Bernadette has been doing this for a few weeks now and Timothy just started the other day. They have both found their feet and hands. We also started on cereal! I will say neither one really likes it yet. Our big thing is they have moved out of our room into their own room and in separate cribs. I will say they did much better than I though, especially Bernadette. We also stopped swaddling since they can roll now and that too wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Bernadette goes about 6 hours between feedings on most nights, but Timothy is still getting up every 3 hours (UGH!).Here are their 4 month stats:

Bernadette:
Weight - 11 lbs. 9 oz. 13%
Height - 23 inches 14%
Head Circumference - 15.50 inches 14%
Likes: Tummy time now, putting toys in her mouth and she "sings" when she is happy. She is getting way better at being in the car seat.
Dislikes: The bottle and being in the car seat/stroller for a long time

Timothy:
Weight - 12 lbs. 11 oz. 14%
Height - 24.5 inches 39% (way up from before)
Head Circumference - 16 inches 16%
Likes: Chewing on his fingers, putting toys in his mouth and kisses under the chin.
Dislikes: Having to "put himself" to sleep in the crib, and drinking water

Timothy

Bernadette

Look how big they are getting!

After she ate her cereal

Bernadette's first taste

After he ate his cereal. He cried a bit.

Timothy's first taste

Halloween 2010

Here are some pictures of our Fall activities. Andrew was so excited about Halloween this year. He picked Spiderman for his costume (I wanted him to be Scooby Doo, but oh well). He got a pretty good haul trick-or-treating. He got pretty tired at the end and I had to carry him most of the way home. You know they are tierd when they tell you they don't need anymore candy. With this being the twins first Halloween I wanted them to have a really cute costume, so my aunt (GAM) made them Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes and they were soooooo cute!

Here they are at a friend's birthday party at a pumpkin patch.

I just love this picture.

Andrew had a blast and I think he has a really good smile here.

They whole Kirkland clan on a hayride.

Raggedy Andy

Raggedy Ann

Too cute!

Spiderman Andrew without the mask. It got kind of hot

with it on.

My 3 kids. Finally a good one of the twins both smiling

and the only one looking at the camera is Andrew

and you can't see his face. ;)

After we carved the pumpkin. Andrew wanted a "mean" one

and that is as good as I could do.

Bernadette in the pumpkin

Andrew was a good helper carving the jack-o-lantern

Timothy in the pumpkin

His close up with the light shining on his head.

Bernadette wasn't too happy to be in there at first.

I am so happy she finally has enough hair to put a bow in it.

Twin Tales ~ 3 Months

I don't have any official stats but, Bernadette is weighing about 11 lbs and Timothy is about 12 lbs. They have really started to laugh and giggle a lot lately, especially Timothy, it is so cute. Bernadette just rolled from her back to her tummy on Oct. 14th. Timothy is getting close he gets on his side but that's about it. Bernadette is getting better about riding in the car seat and much better at StrollerFit. She usually only fusses a tiny bit now. Both babies are getting to where they like to hear themselves talk and Bernadette does this little screaming type thing when she is happy. They are also getting to where they like to see each other and will turn and look and talk to each other. It is too cute.

Andrew Anecdotes ~ Blue Blet

Andrew tested for his blue belt on Friday. I just can't believe how well he has done so far. I think the next step for him will be moving up to the next class level. I am so glad he still enjoys going to karate. He has so much fun!

Twin Tales ~ 2 month Stats

Wow! I just can't believe that 2 months have already gone by. The babies are growing so fast and are really getting cute. They are both smiling and cooing away. Bernadette is finally getting use to the car seat and is ok in it (not moving) for a while now. We started back at StrollerFit and now I have to get her use to the stroller. Timothy is a trooper as always. I am so glad that he is such a laid back baby. He really is so much like Andrew. Both Timothy's and Bernadette's hair is growing/growing back in and they both had super short hairs sticking up all over their heads. Bernadette has a few really long (original) hairs here and there. When those are sticking up she reminds me of a Muppet.

They had their 2 month check up on Sept. 7th and both passed with flying colors. Their doctor was impressed with all their weight gain and Bernadette is finally on the charts for weight, especially since I am still nursing them. They are sleeping ok at night. We usually get one good 4-5 hour stretch and then it's the every 3 hours. They are really starting to enjoy playing on the floor now. They kick their legs and wave their arms when we shake or dangle toys.

Here are their stats:

Bernadette:
Weights: 8 lbs 15 oz 10th percentile
Height: 21.5 inches 19th percentile
Head Circumference: 14.5 inches 9th percentile
Likes: The swing, shaking the rattle and being held facing forward or on your shoulder
Dislikes: The car seat

Timothy:
Weight: 9 lbs 14 oz 13th percentile
Height: 22 inches 18th Percentile
Head Circumference: 15.16 inches 18th percentile
Likes: The pacifier, dangling toys, and being held in the cradle position
Dislikes: Waking up in the mornings and getting his diaper changed.

Both babies gained about the same amount of weight and grew the same amount as Andrew did between his 2 week and 8 week appointments. That makes me feel better since Bernadette was so small when she was born. Everyone is right on track.

Andrew Anecdotes

Andrew had his last, first day of Mother's Day Out (preschool) last week. He had a pretty good first week and I am hoping that this will be a trend. I can already see a difference in the work they send home now as compared to the end of last year. First big surprise was Spanish homework!!! Not that it was anything big, he just had to color some pictures to practice his Spanish colors. He is getting pretty good at them now too. He really likes going to school, but misses his little friend from last year who isn't in his class this year.

A couple of funny stories. I already talked about him being upset that Timothy has to wear a "dress" for his Baptism, so I showed Andrew the pictures of him in the same gown. He was like "oh man, I was wearing a dress too!!!". It's funny how they think at this age already. The other funny was while we were in El Paso my mom was going to get Andrew gum or something and he wasn't asking very nice so mom says "What's the magic work" and Andrew answers "Abra-ka-dabra" instead of please. It was hilarious and too cute.

Twin's Baptism

We traveled to El Paso last week to have the twins Baptized and for a visit. All went well. The babies and Andrew were good on the trip up and back. Even though we had a rough start going. The batteries in both my car and Marc's died as we tried to leave. Then Marc forgot his phone. It was such a nice visit.

I was worried at first that I wasn't going to be able to find a Baptismal gown for both babies as we only had one. It's the one that my Aunt Anna made for Kathrine and all us kids and most of the grand kids have worn. Well, it turns out that Anna's mom had made one very similar for Richie when he was born so we got two almost identical Baptismal gowns. They looked so cute. Andrew wasn't too happy that Timothy was wearing a dress. When he saw him in it he said "Wait! He's wearing a dress! I think he needs to take it off.". So cute!

Bernadette getting Baptized

Timothy getting Baptized

Bernadette with her Godparents, Margaret (GAM) and Robert

Timothy with his Godparents, Michael and Elizabeth

The bow Bernadette is wearing, my sister gave to her, and

we are to save it so she can wear it as a garter for her wedding.

Bernadette

Timothy