Almost 4 months

Wow time is flying. You will be 4 months old on the 6th! You both are awake more often and smile constantly. Jace you smile all the time at everyone and anything. You are on smiling auto pilot. Juliet makes people work for it. :) Including me. :) You are getting bigger and wearing 3-6 months clothes now. You still sleep with us and have starting squirming around. Both of you kick your legs like crazy which makes you move around on the bed. You both love to cover your face to sleep and gave both become big screamers when it is time to eat. Jace used to be more patient, but  must have realized he was getting the shaft and eating second, so now it is a toss up and the loser cries loudly. :) By that point a binky just won't cut it. You are both great babies though and generally happy. I think Jace will have a laid back personality like Ryder, he seems to have that carefree attitude a lot. Juliet, you will be interesting. :) You demand attention and love and cuddling often and like I said, make us work for your gorgeous smile. :) I still think if you could talk, you would have a lot to say. Sometimes you make expressions like, "seriously? " or just things I wonder if you are thinking we are ridiculous. :) It is still so much fun to have twins. Several of my friends just had twins and I find myself sad you are growing big so fast and wishing you to stay small. :) You are getting bigger and soon you will be sitting up and too big for me to cuddle you both. But no worries, I will still try. One day a couple of weeks ago I held you both up to look at each other and it was the cutest thing, you finally laid eyes on each other and started smiling so big. :) I only wish I had recorded it. :) So sweet!  I hope you will both be best friends forever. I adore you both and can't kiss you enough.

9 1/2 weeks old

Well my little babies, you are 2 months old and kicking! Really. Jace, you are always kicking out of your nightgowns...maybe because it is a nightgown...:) but you always end up with it around your waste. :) You are both doing so well and good babies. You have your moments like any other baby but you still sleep most of the day.

You are both happy babies and like to smile. I usually sit in my rocker chair and there is a picture of Jesus you adore on the wall. Both of you stare at it and smile big at it. After all it wasn't long ago when you were with Him. I am sure you remember.

Jace, you are so laid back. You usually eat second, and that is because you are patient and usually will wait peacefully, like a good boy. Juliet, you are not. :) You will wail until you are fed or held one. You love to be held. I know it is because in the womb you were pinned to my left side, since Jace was all sprawled out in there. And whenever you are fussy or tired or I am tired and need to go to sleep (and you are not) the solution is always to cuddle you. You love it! :) Sienna was a lot like that too.

You are both such good sports to be numbers 7 and 8 and put up with all these older siblings. Especially a Kason who is tyrannical right now and likes to walk by and smack you on the lack and look at me with a smirk. No worries though, he does the same thing to me and dad...smacks us then smiles. I think he thinks he's funny. But he adores you both and is quite the proficient binky placer when you need it. He also thinks he can pick you up, so we have to stop that right in the beginning. He loves to goo goo at you and smile and you can just tell he loves you dearly.

Every now and then I put you two together on the couch and you heads just cuddle in together right next to each other. It is cute :) I love it. :)

At your two month checkup you were both growing enormously. Juliet weighed in at 8 lbs 15 1/2 ounces, almost 9 lbs! Jace weighed in at 10lbs 5 oz! Yep....Big boy. I knew he felt so much heavier. Especially in a car seat. :)

I can't believe how old you are getting. While I love you so small and little, it is fun to see you awake more and smiling and gaining personalities. You are both such a blessing. I just can't kiss your little cute faces enough. :)

5 1/2 weeks old

My little babies, you are getting big. Even though you are only 5 1/2 weeks, I can see you getting bigger, and longer and I don't like it.:) It is so fun to hold you and cuddle you both at the same time. How can I do that with two big babies? I am sure I will find a way. You pretty much eat and sleep and poop still. The sleeping part is optional, usually you are both sure not to sleep when it is time for me to go to bed. :) Sometimes even when one is awake the other sleeps, then as soon as I get that one to sleep the other wakes....that makes it difficult when it is nighttime and I am exhausted. But you are both such sweet little angels from Heaven and I just kiss all over you and love to look at you. You are both so different. Jace is now sporting his second cold....we have a lot of sick kids in the house right now and the weather is back and forth so none of that helps.

I love to lay you right next to each other either on the couch or on my bed, and it seems to calm you both and I love to watch it. :) I would have you right next to each other constantly if it were possible.:)

Time if flying and I am trying to enjoy every second. Especially of you  being so small, because it will go so fast. You are both great eaters and at your last appointment, on March 5th Jace weighed 8lbs 6 oz  22 1/4 inches and Juliet 7lbs 3oz. 21 1/4 inches, so you are growing!

You just had your Grandma and Grandpa Cluff here and Aunt Corie and Uncle Nick. Along with Maddison, they all spoiled your rotten and held you every second of the day. :) I would do it if I could. I want to. I would love to sit here and do nothing but hold you both, but unfortunately that is impossible. :( 

In your blessing last week, Sister Gibson recorded some of the blessing your Heavenly Father and your Earthly Father want for you. Here is what she got:

Juliet
* Understand Love Heavenly Father has for you
* Mind strong to know right from wrong
*Be strong
*Help those around you
* Parents love you and are grateful to have you in their family.
*Wise Choices
*Serve Heavenly Father
*Go to the temple, receive ordinances, and be sealed to your husband.



Jace
* You are a great blessing to our family
*Know the Love you Heavenly Father has for you. Stay close to Him. Go to Him in prayer
*Gain the Priesthood, use it to serve others
*Strive to go to the temple
*Go on a mission and serve others
* Bless you to be able to bear the burdens of this life.

You are both so special and have been sent here to this earth for a special purpose. In reality, it is probably many special purposes. I hope that you will stay close to Heavenly Father and learn what they are, fulfill them, and return to live with Him someday... so that we can all be an Eternal Family.




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Blessing Day & Birthday!

Today we blessed the babies. :) It was fun to do it today because it is also Nelson's 33rd birthday! We were lucky to have some family come in and be with us. It is our first visitors from Nelson's side of the family since we moved here over a year ago! So that was exciting! We were so glad that they could come and be in the circle at church. It was also my first day going back to church and luckily there were others to help me. Although I spent the 2nd and 3rd hours in the nursing room! It was still fun to see people and go to church, although a little stressful.

All in all, it was a great day and their blessings were fantastic. A friend of mine, who had twin boy and girl also, took notes for me during their blessings! So that was nice and something I will always have.

All day I couldn't help but think of what a blessing it is for me to have these two sweet miracles. How sad Nelson and I were to lose the first set of twins we had, over 11 years ago. Every time I saw another twin blessing at church, I longed for my own twin babies. Although I know I will have an opportunity to have my first set again, my appreciation for these two is so great, my heart is bursting.  It is fitting that it is called a blessing...not only were they receiving their blessing and a name from Heavenly Father, but it is truly a day for me to count my own blessings.

I have many...but today, it is about these two.

 

 

 

Grandpa and Grandma Cluff

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 33rd Birthday Nelson! Love you bunches!

 

 

2 Weeks old

Today was your official due date! :) Thank goodness you didn't go that far, you may have been over 8 lbs! :) So you are two weeks old, and such great little babies.

You both seem to already have a personality of your own. Juliet has the funniest expressions and Nelson and I swear she knows what is going on and is interacting with us. She is always making funny faces and has smiled a few times, I am sure on purpose...even though it is quite early, these were intentional. I just know it. She is quite alert often, and although if she isn't burped well, gets fussy and gassy, she is a great little girl. So petite and precious.

Jace is like a little puppy dog. Always sleepy and just content. I think you have smiled a few times intentionally too. You turn when someone speaks and are very aware, when you are awake that is. :0)

Since you both weren't getting enough to eat in the hospital, we started supplementing you with bottles. After the first few days at home, we stopped that and now you are both feeding well. We have taken you to the doctor twice to have you weighed and make sure you are gaining back the weight you have lost, and so far so good. On Monday, February 11th Juliet weighed 6 lb 9 oz and Jace 7lb 4 oz. On Friday, Juliet 6lbs 12 oz and Jace 7lb 8oz. So that is good. When we left the hospital you had both lost about 9% of your weight, so any gaining is great!

You both do really good, mostly eating, sleeping, and pooping..per the usual newborn! At night, you do relatively well. I try to stick to a 12,3,6,9 schedule as much as I can...at night you feed around 11 or 12 then 3, then 8 usually. Which is good, but remember it takes me about an hour at least to feed, burp, and change you both. Then if you are fussy and don't go right back to sleep, I am usually up for a couple of hours. It could be worse though, so I don't think that schedule is too bad. :)

It has been super fun having twins. I am in awe still there are two of you. I just love to sit and hold you both. I love you both near me, and still haven't put you in your swings too much. Next week Nana will be leaving and then I won't have a choice but to put you in your swings more:( but its okay....I will still love all over you every chance I get.

It has been so much fun and such a blessing. I have enjoyed every single second and am so grateful and blessed! Happy two weeks my little angel bunnies!

Birth Day!

Well, good morning! Here I am ready to head to the hospital to deliver the babies! This was my final pic of pregnancy! HUMONGO!

I headed to the hospital around 6, I had to prep for 7:30 surgery. To say I was apprehensive is an understatement. I was a bit nervous for a c section, and the new experience and recovery it would require!

When we arrived at the hospital, they monitored the babies, asked more questions, gave me an iv (which is usually by far the worst part of the whole thing), washed my belly :), and just prepared I guess. Then they made me drink this nasty nasty nasty acid drink to help with any throwing up I may do....put my hat on, and walked me over the ER. Nelson wasn't allowed to come in until right before they cut me open, so I had to go in by myself. Being so hormonal, I thought I would cry when I walked into the operating room. That is a weird experience. There are at least 10-15 people in the room, including residents learning....and I had to get up on the operating table and get a spinal block. It was much like an epidural, only just a shot instead of a cord going into your back. I am not sure if I think it was any more or less painful than an epidural. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't fun either. Mostly uncomfortable and a somewhat painful, but not too bad. (And I am a wuss with pain!)

After I received the spinal block, I went numb relatively fast. They laid me down, and put up the curtain so I can't see anything. They scrubbed me up, with iodine and whatever else they do...I couldn't feel anything....and as they are waiting for the Dr., they wanted to make sure I was numb enough, so they poked my arm with a tack and asked If could feel that. Of course I could, I was numb from the chest down.....then they poke your stomach and ask if you can feel the same sharpness. At first, you can, but then it goes away. It is really weird, because the block takes away any sharpness or feeling of that sort, but you still feel the sensation of touch or pressure. Quite weird, but no pain. So finally they cut me open, and I didn't feel a thing...thank goodness! I felt a little pressure but nothing to make me sick. It was just weird. So our little Juliet Emma made her debut into this world at 8:11 am weighing 7lbs 3 oz. As she was coming out she was grabbing onto the suction tube...they all found that funny. 

Here is her first picture. (we had to hurry and take some and text them to Jayda at home so the kids could see them before they left for school!:) 

Jace Joseph made his debut a couple of minutes later at 8:13am weighing 7lbs 13 oz. He came out and started peeing....following in his big brother Kason's footsteps! :) 

 I didn't really get to even see them until they took me into the recovery room. I started feeling really woozy and weird...not sick...just fuzzy headed and weird, so they showed me Juliet I think, but I just laid there with my eyes closed waiting for them to be done. Once both babies were out, my stomach felt better, but then I could feel the Dr. and the resident (who by the way delivered them really), pushing my organs around in there....that is what it felt like and Nelson said that is what they were doing. The anesthesiologist let Nelson take a peek a few times at what was going on, but he couldn't see much for the 2 Dr.s. Finally after what seemed a little long....I was done, they lifted me off onto my bed and took me to recovery to see these two cuties!

I was still feeling so weird, I couldn't even hold them, I felt weak and woozy and thought I may drop them. So that part was not fun. They said it was from the medicine they give you so you don't throw up. I didn't puke or even feel like it, but I was so woozy after it bothered me. It took a couple of hours to go away...which was a bummer!

So after I was in the recovery for awhile and all checked out well, they took me to my room. Then I got to enjoy looking at my two babies all I wanted! 

Here is Juliet, and a side view to see her pretty hair! :) She has lots of it in the back!

                           

Here is Jace and a side view...he doesn't have quite as much hair!

   

My two little Angels!

I just kept looking at them thinking, seriously? Is this real? I can't believe there are two! I told Nelson one would just seem boring. :) I just can't believe it. 

Overall, having a c section wasn't too bad. I would definitely prefer a regular birth over a c-section any day, but I am glad they were born healthy with no problems! So I would do anything for that outcome! 

The kids and Nana came up to the hospital to see the babies, Halle was sick a bit, so had to wear a mask, but they just loved them! 

 What a blessing. 2 in fact. So glad they are finally here. 

Definitely 2 tender mercies from our Heavenly Father. 

Are we there yet?

Wowser. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

I am so glad my countdown is so close. :) I am super uncomfortable and my joints are all lose, since that is what happens during pregnancy...so my hip are always hurting.....and pretty much doing anything but sitting on my duff is uncomfortable. And then, that is too sometimes!

Today I decided to stay home from church. It is hard enough to get them all dressed and hair fixed and such, but myself too...then climb in the van, drive to church, sit there for 3 hrs. I think I did pretty good going all the way up until last week. So the kids couldn't understand why I wasnt going...I apparently am not sick...so whats the deal?

I know they don't understand..and since to them I still do everything I can, they just don't get it. I should have stopped doing many things a long time ago, but as a mother of 6, that is virtually impossible and not a reality. And apparently besides being uncomfortalble, achy, and sore, it hasn't put me into to labor either, so be it. I am built to make babies I suppose.

You have to do what you have to do right? I asked for this, to be a mom and although I am quite miserable right now, irritable, and just probably no fun to be around....I am so grateful to be a mother and to be able to stay home with my kids. I am so grateful to have twins coming this week, and pain or not...c-section or not, it will all pass and nothing else will matter. I try to always be grateful for my blessings, because there are so many. Even though it is hard not being able to do what I want or need to do...like cleaning or organizing...and that is hard when you are about to have two new babies and you want to have a clean, organized, perfectly running house. But I just have to let go of that and move on.

Today and tomorrow are the two last days I can sit around on my duff, so I am trying to take complete advantage of that. Tuesday I have a Dr. appt and then have to do pre-admission testing at the hospital for my induction Wednesday. So even though there is laundry to wash, and things to be done.....it will have to be done a little at a time over the next two days. Because I am super uncomfortable.

My mom has been here for about 6 weeks, waiting to see if they come early...guess not. Sorry mom, you have put up with us for longer than necessary I guess. It has been nice to have her here to help do some of the cleaning and to stay with the kids when I need to go places, or Nelson takes me to the store. I know it can't be easy to be at someone else's mercy for so long, with no real independance of your own.

So here we go....in 72 hours from now we will have to new babies in our family! Can't wait.

Here are a couple of pics of me last week

37 weeks

                       Thursday





                                                                         Friday

 

Last weeks dr. appt measured me at 47 cm....he commented he hasn't seen a belly that big since triplets. I said, "well people have asked if there is an extra one hiding in there!" :) Yes, I am large... and it is time to have these babies!!!! :)