Three Months Old!

Sorry for the lack in posting, I just don't have much time! When I get home, it's all about Joel and the girls and trying to fix dinner, take a shower, and get bottles ready for the next day. I don't have time for much else. But we are obviously still taking pictures of our baby girls, as you will see below. They turned three months old on St. Patrick's Day, and are doing fabulous! We have gone on a few walks with them in the Baby Bjorns, which has been so fun for all of us.

I brought the girls to work two times (once to my school and once to my agency's main office for Family Day) Everyone loved meeting them! Kennedy seems like the social butterfly right now, and woke up immediately and was the one who got passed around and held most of the time. Natalie stayed sound asleep in her car seat and missed out on all the interaction. Natalie is starting to smile and talk more. The girls are starting to really notice each other more now, and last night we were holding them by each other and Kennedy was smiling and talking to Natalie. Natalie was just staring back at her sister - precious! I know it will just get better the older they get. We usually give them a bath every third day - Kennedy used to scream throughout the whole bath, but about two weeks ago that stopped (thankfully) and although she doesn't seem to love it, she looks around at us with wide eyes and we clean her super fast before she decides she isn't happy. Natalie likes the bath, but is such a wiggle worm and squirms around while we are cleaning her. I love it though how they look and smell after their bath! The girls are doing great at day care and really like their teacher, Ms. AJ. Napping in their beds is still a challenge, but other than that, they are happy and playful and learning lots of new things.

We are all doing quite well and thankful for our time together. I know that everyone says time with children passes so quickly, so I am trying to soak up every minute. Here are a few moments we have enjoyed with our daughters:

Natalie all clean in her bunny towel

Right after her bath

Kennedy waiting while Natalie gets her bath


Me & Natalie in her cool polka dot sunglasses

Natalie in her bonnet

Daddy & Kennedy

K is ready to go with her new sunglasses on!

She looks hilarious, but oh so cute!

Going for a walk earlier this week when it was a perfect 70 degree day

Kennedy trying out the Bumbo seat for the first time

We missed it, but she was smiling a lot! Guess she likes it :o)

Kennedy snoozing on Grandad

Happy in the pack 'n' play

Daddy with Natalie

She loved facing out so she could look around

The whole fam after church

Me & my pretty little ladies

Dressed up for church

N on left, K on right

love that Kennedy has that cute smile on her face

Natalie has found her thumb... we think it's so cute right now, with those

other four fingers over her face

Kennedy's sweet face

Mommy & Ken

Natalie (Little Red Riding Hood)

We stuck her hands in the pockets cause we thought it was funny!

Kennedy being adorable

Natalie looking surprised

Aunt Emily juggling giving both girls a bottle

Natalie

Looking cute in their zebra print "Born to shop" outfits from Mimi

Both fell asleep on the boppy after nursing

Kennedy in her yellow sundress that Aunt Emily got for her

Think she likes it!

Angelic little Natalie in her sundress from Aunt Emily

Natalie & Mommy looking at each other

I'm a working mom

Well, that is something I never thought I'd have to be - a working mom. Now let me say first that I am not saying anything negative about moms who work, whether it be by choice or necessity. That is a personal decision and has nothing to do with being a wonderful mother. I certainly think both staying at home and working at an office are equally hard. And moms who stay home do work, I know this from being home with our twins for three months! But oh how I would love to do that kind of work... When we first had the girls, I really thought I was gonna be able to be home with them. So I know that this post will be a surprise to many of you. But the fact is that in order for right now, I need to work. So that's what I'm gonna do. Hopefully this will be temporary and I am just taking it one day at a time.

So honestly - I am heartbroken. I DO NOT want to be away from my girls. They are such a gift and a joy, and for me, I can think of nothing better than spending my days with them. For the past few weeks, I have really had a bad attitude about going back to work. I've been frustrated that this is where we are and that God is allowing me to be in this tough spot. I know He's got a reason for it all... and that He is telling me "Not right now" to my plea to be able to stay home. And that has been the HARDEST thing for me to accept, I mean, the most difficult situation I've been in. And it's really tough on Joel, because I know he wants me to be able to stay home too. He works very hard at owning his own business, and as any of you self-employed folks know, jobs and income can be unreliable and inconsistent. So we never know exactly how much he will bring home each month. And then there is the struggle with where does Faith come in??? I mean, we want to believe God will provide ALL of our needs, and I know He will. But then there is that fine line of also being responsible and trusting Him regardless of the decision. Being a good steward with our money and not going into further debt. Believe me, we prayed about this for a long time. And we both feel like this is what we have to do, if only for a season. I had to really soul search and stop being so mad about it and start accepting that these are our circumstances and that God works ALL things for good, so I have to trust in that, even if I don't like this place I'm in. I had to spend a lot of time in prayer, and ask God even what I should pray, cause I felt so upset about not being able to stay home. He told me to pray for my heart, my attitude, to be obedient, and put all my trust in Him. So although I still pray that I can be a stay-at-home mom, I have added those things to it, and I do have a lot more peace now than I did a few weeks ago. I also have been praying that He would reveal to both Joel & I when IS the right time for me to stop working. And that we will know it and be confident in the timing.
So I started back to work yesterday... of course it wasn't easy, and driving away from the day care broke my heart and was definitely the most difficult thing I have yet to do in my young life. I cried many tears. But I survived. The girls are happy and are loved on at New Hope. God is still good. I will be okay, really more than okay. My house will be more messy than it has ever been and my laundry pile even bigger. But I've got to make the most of my time with my family, even more so now that I am working away from home. It's really hard. I like having a clean house :o) But I love Joel and Natalie and Kennedy even more, so forget keeping a neat and tidy house. Bottles are piled up, shoes are everywhere, we had a macaroni & cheese dinner with apples on the side last night, but hey, I'm holding one cute baby girl and Joel's got the other - and we're happy about that!

I would like to ask you for prayer, however the Lord leads you to pray... and also for any advice, encouragement, Bible verses, etc that have helped you, whether you work away from home or not. I would really appreciate it. Thank you. Take care and be blessed.

Look how big we're getting!

My sweet babies are growing every day! We have been having a lot of fun together and I sure have enjoyed being home with them and having Joel around some of the day too. Their personalities continue to come out and it's so neat to watch who they are becoming! Kennedy has certainly become more calm and is really happy except when she is hungry or right when she wakes up. The girl has a set of lungs! But she smiles and coos ALL the time, and we just love it! Natalie is a stinker bug and still tries to fight falling asleep, but it's getting better. She loves kicking her legs and is just now smiling at us when we talk to and smile at her.
The girls started day care this week, as a trial run for when I go back to work on Monday. I will write another post on that situation soon. But they did pretty good, except for nap time - they are used to being swaddled and at the day care they can't even wrap their blanket around them, so as soon as they move their arms, they startle themselves and wake up. That will be a big adjustment for them. Ms. AJ is their teacher and there are only two other babies in the room, so they get a good bit of attention. Plus being Pastor Paul's grand kids helps too! Oh, so they are at day care at our church, New Hope. Since I can't be home with them, this is definitely the next best place I would want them to be. I'm sure they will do really well there... Here are some pictures our beauties -

Kennedy's happy face

Kennedy's big smile

Just playing on the ottoman


Natalie snoozing - can you see her long, dark eyelashes???

Daddy holding both his girls

Natalie looking so cute!

Smiling babies!

Our little bear cub, Natalie

Natalie on the surfboard

Kennedy surfing!