Friday Night Lights

This past weekend David and I braved the long 2.5 hour drive to Bartow with the boys to see my family. Our main goal: finally watch my little brother play football. Well, mission accomplished! John Paul was awesome and they won! And did I mention that he is getting SO big! He is a 14 year old freshman in high school and is a starter for their Varsity team... not to mention he'll be 15 in 3 months... Where does the time go?

Look at how much taller he is than me and Jackie! (And that's Hunter in the car seat)

And speaking of time flying by ~ Baylor and Hunter are 3 months old! Here are some beautiful pics of our gorgeous boys.

Hunter





Baylor

With Aunt Jackie

Go Dawgs!
David and I finally got out of town for the day and went to a UGA game last weekend! (Our first of the season!!) It definitely felt great to be back in Athens and hang out with family and friends. Winning doesn't hurt either! 41-14 over Tennessee! Maybe we brought the Bulldogs some luck?

Love my family!

XOXO

My Heart Just Melts

Well, two weeks have flown by and I haven't updated y'all yet. Things have been so great around here! Baylor and Hunter are growing up so fast and will be 3 months old on Thursday... Yes, you read that right. THREE months. (Insert long sigh here). I don't know where the time is going, but I'm enjoying the ride so far!

Check Ups and Melting Hearts
Here are the stats from our latest check up ~ Baylor weighed in at 9 pounds and was 23.5 inches long. Hunter was 11 pounds and 23 inches... That was a couple of weeks ago. I think they've added a pound/inch since then. They're growing up so fast! Here's the latest on each bébé!

Baylor


This blue eyed cutie is so stinking sweet! He loves tummy time and watching his brother's every move. He's not really into playing with toys. He'd rather watch me talk and sit in my lap so we can play Patty Cake. Baylor is talking alot more and rolling over! He can roll from his tummy to his back and is on his way from back to tummy!!! He also sleeps on his side some nights. And, I honestly believe he will be teething very, very soon. There is a small blister on the top part of his lower gum and I've read from tons of moms that their kids had the same thing and then BAM! A tooth... Ugh, what am I going to do with this one growing up so fast!?

Hunter


How can you resist this face?! I love my moments with Hunter after every feeding ~ we are now having our very own tiny conversations. He will talk and talk and talk to me for at least 5 minutes after he has downed his bottle. It is the sweetest moment with him and gets me through each day! He is not loving tummy time these days but does love his toys on the play mat. He has figured out that he can actually touch those funny looking shapes and they'll move! He was so proud of himself the first time he hit one... Now it's his favorite time of the day. Hunter will talk and squeal all day long and scoots across the floor when doing tummy time. He has rolled over, but I haven't seen it since. But I swear, this child will be crawling before I know it!

And speaking of chit chatting! I was able to actually get some video of these two talking to each other this morning!!! They are starting to recognize one another and it's the cutest thing. At first they stared at the other, then there was the reaching out to touch and make sure what they were seeing was real... and now they actually talk to the other! It's the absolute, most adorable thing in this world ~ check it out!




Let's Go Braves!
We took the boys to their very first Braves game Sunday. I think Baylor and Hunter brought the Bravos some luck because they actually won their last regular season game and made it to the playoffs!! Cox's last game, the boys first, perfect weather, and a win?! What could make for a more perfect Sunday?

One big happy family

The boys were sooooo good! We actually stayed from the 1st inning to the 7th!!! Baylor slept for most of the game but Hunter was a wee bit on the "holy-crap-what-is-going-on" side of things. He was scared with the first uproar of the crowd and from there he was on high alert! But he was awesome and hung in there with ease. Neither fussed and made us look like terrible, mean parents for bringing infants... whew! :) But boy were they tuckered out when we got home!





Family Time
Last week David's mom and grandmother came in to town so they could visit with the boys. This was his grandma's first time meeting Hunter and Baylor. We have a couple of sweet photos to share





David and I are finally heading to a GA game this weekend, of course when we're losing every game right now. But nonetheless we are looking forward to our time in Athens and watching our favorite team play! (No bandwagon fans here!) Go Dawgs!

XOXO

Visitors & Random photos

So I've been trying to do a better job of taking pictures of the boys with all of their loved ones and adoring fans, but I do forget now and then!

In the hospital family and friends came by to see Baylor and Hunter and spread the love!

Uncle John Paul & Aunt Jackie

Grandma Ann

Grandpa Ken

Grandma Barb

Great Aunt Nancy

Great Grandma Georgia

Uncle Zach

Grandpa Johnny

Mike Doyle, Jon Lindvig, & David Frank

(gave the boys their first UGA football)

"Aunt" Aubree

Mandy & Todd

*Thank you to my mom and sister for all of the above pictures!*

Once we were home we had SEVERAL visitors! I was such a zombie and always forgot to take pictures of everyone with the boys. My mom and Ken came into town to watch the boys one night for us so we could attend a friends wedding ~ I forgot a picture. David's mom and her boyfriend ~ I forgot! Friends... yep! Forgot again... I did finally remember when my Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joe came in from Anderson, SC with their girls.

Samantha, Aunt Lisa, Sydney & Uncle Joe

This past weekend David's dad and his wife, Karen, came in all the way from Doylestown, PA. We were so happy to have them here to finally meet Baylor and Hunter. They got lots of love from the boys and were witness to the new and improved play time. Baylor and Hunter love play time now! They kick and coo constantly! It's so stinking cute!

Grandma Karen & Grandpa Gary

And by the way, we're doing an amazing job during tummy time!



More Photos of Baylor & Hunter

My First Toy




My First Bath

Baylor has loved his baths from the very beginning


Hunter, not so much. But now he loves it ~ thank goodness!


Catching up on some zzzz....


With Uncle JP after his first football game as a starter on the Varsity team ~ and a Freshman!


I'll definitely continue to post more photos and keep everyone updated on Baylor and Hunter's new adventures and progress! Two month check up this coming up week...

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...

So far, life as a mom has been great! I am finding that little things here and there are making me happier and happier... It's nice. But don't get me wrong, I still have my moments when I want to run and hide in a dark room just to get some sleep and forget that I have to pump (constantly!). Hunter, Baylor and David, though, are just so amazing and make me so ridiculously, incredibly happy everyday!

Excuse Me, Did You Know We Have Twins?
Can you say matching outfits!? Yes, I know... this will only last as long as I'm in control of what they wear. Therefore, I plan to take FULL advantage of dressing Baylor and Hunter in the exact same outfit and/or color any chance I get. These two are pretty much naked 100% of their lives so far anyway!!

Here they are a little less than a month old. Look at how tiny!

Family time in the Botanical Gardens, celebrating their 2 month birthday, and stopping to laugh at their silly dad!

And speaking of birthdays...

Happy TWO month birthday!!!

Don't you just adore these stickers (months 1 through 12)! I think they are just darling. They are called Sticky Bellies. A friend on Facebook sent me the owners email address and said that I should email her my photo because it was just too cute not to! So I emailed Carly and she posted it on her company's Facebook page and website! I cannot believe Baylor and Hunter's photo is up for the world to see!! Here is the link for her FB fan page and the link for Sticky Bellies.

You Can Call Me Betty... Betty Crocker That Is.
I don't know what has gotten in to me, but my sweet tooth is more like a mouth full of "sweet teeth" combined. I have never liked desserts or candy this much before in my life! It came on during my third trimester and has not hit the road yet! And now I can't pass by the candy isle without bringing home M&Ms or fresh baked cookies from Fresh Market. I'm also finding new recipes that are out of my norm and baking pretty often these days, when I can find the time of course.
I have a new love on Food Network and her name is Aarti. I was obsessed with "The Next Food Network Star" and she was definitely my favorite. Well, Aarti won, has her own show and I'm loving it! I'm also loving her Huggy Buggy Bread Pudding. So delicious! Instead of figs I used apricots. And it was so good that David said he liked this more than my super, yummy-delicious peach cobbler! Say what?! I guess it's a good thing though because this bread pudding was SO easy to make!


Another delicious treat is Aarti's BLC (bacon, lettuce and cucumber). I know it sounds crazy, right? But, it is so good! The spread is a nice mint/garlic/Indian spicy mayo that works really well with the crisp cucumber. Add this to a nice, freshly baked slice of bread and you've got yourself a sandwich! I can't wait to try more of Aarti's Indian and American-Indian infused recipes.

The other night I made Giada's Peach and Strawberry Crumble... so yummy! Not sure about all of the juice, but it doesn't bother my taste buds!


Summer Time... And the Livin' Is Easy
It's the simple, little things in life that fill my heart ~ Over the past couple of weeks the weather has been so nice and inviting that I find myself just sitting outside with a drink, be it coffee in the morning or a glass of wine/beer at night, and hanging out with my hunny. I also love to take the boys out to feed or just sit and rock them. The lake is beautiful out behind our place and the temperature has been awesome! It feels great to be outside and the boys love it...

Night time feeding with dad

Just Sayin'...

My all time favorite.

Where Does The Time Go?

Now 6 six weeks old, sleeping longer through the night, making mom's day hectic and picking up the pounds left and right.... Baylor and Hunter couldn't be any more perfect! I know it's been quite a while since my last post, but these two have me scrambling day in and day out! So this post is one that's going to take a few sit down sessions.

Let's start from the beginning ~

Oh Hospital, How I Loathe Thee...
Spending 5 days in the hospital after I deliver via c-section = understandable. Returning to the hospital 5 days later because of an unknown infection = utterly ridiculous and 6 of the worst days of my life! My first week in the hospital was actually OK. On the day of their birth (July 7) it was a whirlwind. Baylor arrived at 12:33 and Hunter at 12:35. As soon as I saw Baylor over the curtain, my emotions just began flooding out of me and I was sobbing. I heard him cry and then there was another little angel in my sight... I couldn't believe it! TWO boys... I really incubated two??? I was able to "see" them for a couple of seconds at a time behind my wall of blue in the operating room and then they were gone. I spent an hour in the OR and then another in the recovery room.
One of the doctors was nice enough to take some photos for us

Seeing Baylor for the first time

Seeing Hunter for the first time

By the way, that's the new dad holding his boys!

In the recovery room we had a few scares. Hunter stopped breathing twice, my blood pressure was through the roof and they had to give medication to help stabilize me, and Baylor's insulin level was so low they had to prick his heel at every feeding to check and make sure he was getting better for 4 days....... UGH! What else, right?

But Wait! There's More!
I leave the hospital that Sunday and could not be happier to be going home with my two precious angels! On Monday night I ask David to look at my incision and see if he thinks I'm OK because it is really swollen and hard as rock. The next day I go into my OBs office.
And so the story begins.

After looking at me for a minute Dr. Bennett wants to open me up right away. I have an infection! WHAT?! And I have to do what??? Oh, pack and repack my open wound everyday.... no big deal. After going in to the doctor's office for three days they finally are able to get me into the Wound Care Specialist office at the hospital. By Friday (when I see the wound care people) my infection has gotten worse. They open my incision even more and pack a silver nitrate gauze in me hoping that this will help me heal faster. Nope, not so much. The next day David forces me to the ER b/c he says it has gotten worse and they admit me right away...

Oh and did I mention how amazing David was during this whole process? He had to take off the outer gauze and redress my wound every single day. Sometimes 3 times a day. At least he did not have to pack my wound.

2nd Go 'Round
The ER nurses and doctor were SO nice and helpful. They decided to start me on IV antibiotics at the highest level instead of what my OB decided to do and start from the bottom. First antibiotic down. Second step down of antibiotics and this is what happened...

My eyes started to itch... and then my face. I wanted to claw my skin off! David started to freak out and ran to get the nurse. They immediately took the line off and injected me with Benadryl. Boy did that stuff send me for a ride! I have never felt so loopy and drugged up!!
Cefepime. I'll never forget that name!
LONG story "short" I ended up having my incision completely reopened and packed for 4 more days until the lead doctor of the Wound Care facility, a plastic surgeon no less, decided to throw in the towel and perform a second surgery. I also had an infectious disease doctor come in to see me everyday because they could not determine what was going on with this infection! My red blood cell count was severely low and white cell count extremely high. I was anemic. I never saw my boys until Thursday, for 20 minutes. Needless to say I had to start the recovery process all over again. AND they sent me home with a PICC line and 10 days worth of IV antibiotics to change every morning.
Thank goodness for the second surgery though. I am healing beautifully and feel great! I still have a few pains, but these are actually normal this time around.

Present Day
In this corner, he hails from the right side of the crib. He measures at 20 3/4 inches long, weighing in at 9 pounds. He can down a bottle like it's nobody's business. He currently holds the championship title for the "Largest Poopy Diaper In the Preston Household".... Hunter Preston!!!


And in this corner, hailing from the far left side of the crib. He measures at 20 3/4 inches long, weighing in at 8 pounds. He has a smile that can melt your heart but a scream that can burst an a eardrum. He currently holds the title of "Preston With The Most Gas" (yes, surpassing his dad)..... Baylor Preston!!!


We took them in for their one month check up and were so shocked at how much weight they had gained! Honestly, we thought Hunter was going to be more than just a pound heavier than Baylor!
And speaking of one month, David and I went to Cami Cakes and bought the boys a couple of cupcakes to celebrate their one month birthday! Well, we ate them and said they were for the boys! Mmmm.... I love a good cupcake!






How ADORABLE are these two?! Ugh, we cannot get enough of them! We are getting in to week 7 and we're still in awe, shock, love, disbelief, and heaven when we look at Baylor and Hunter. This is also the time where they will finally recognize us and begin to have reactionary smiles. We've gotten a few here and there. Those moments make all of the trying times and hair pulling nights all worth it!

I forgot to post this last photo of me pregnant! This was week 38 and my last night pregnant! Look at how big I was! Oh my goodness!!! I do sort of miss being pregnant though. Does that make me clinically insane?