And A Happy New Year!

The last week of the year brings a lot of people looking back on the happenings of the past year.  This is no different in our household.  And we have a lot to look back on.  2012 has been an extremely busy year for our family.

The biggest event happened on February 15 when we went from a family of 3 to a family of 5.  This happened way earlier than we had had expected or hoped....3 months and 1 day too early to be exact.  Christian and Charlie joined our family nonetheless being born at 27 weeks gestation.  They weighed 2lbs. 4oz. and 2lbs. 2oz. and were rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary's Hospital.  They ended up staying there for almost 3 months- Christian 73 days and Charlie 85 days.  Then, after being home for about a month, Charlie had hernia surgery and stayed another 5 days in the hospital recuperating.  Easton became a big brother and has done a great job leading the way for his little brothers.

It's been a whirlwind having 3 boys under the age of 2, but we wouldn't have it any other way.  We have the most amazing little boys parents could ever ask for.  Our summer seemed to go by so fast even though we really didn't do too much.  We didn't get any camping in...didn't even get our camper out of storage this year, but we had other things to look forward to.  We spent warm summer days outside with the boys and went on many many walks in our neighborhood stopping along the way to let Easton play at a nearby park.  We spent time with family and friends and still hosted our annual Byron Good Neighbor Days celebration at our house taking in the parade just down the street and fireworks that are shot off not a mile behind our house!  It was another spectacular view.  Easton even decided to stay up for his first fire works display even though he was one tired boy by that time!  We spent a very hot 4th of July in Stewartville where Easton enjoyed the parade and the Christian and Charlie (and mom and dad) enjoyed the air conditioning inside Granny and Pa's (Tyler's grandparents) house.  And of course, throughout the summer, we had the pleasure of watching our sons grow and learn each and every day.

I was extremely fortunate to be able to extend my maternity leave by several months and stay home with the boys until September.  I couldn't have a better employer and amazing supervisor to be so supportive of me and our family.  And of course I couldn't have a more amazing and supportive husband to be able to take that amount of time off of work.  When I did go back to work I went back at 30 hours a week and have the flexibility of working from home when needed.  Again....I have an AMAZING employer.  Right before I went back to work Easton left family daycare and we started employing a nanny that comes to our house to watch the boys 3 days a week.  Yes, we are very very lucky and fortunate to have such an awesome deal with an amazing nanny who loves our boys and they love her as well.

This fall we had fun celebrating Halloween and getting the kiddos dressed up.  Easton had fun trick-or-treating for the first time and even got to go out with 4 of his older cousins for a short time.  He had so much fun!  Thanksgiving and Christmas were-needless to say-busy.  Non-stop family gatherings and many more firsts.

We're looking forward to a busy and fun 2013 where we have so much planned.  So bring it on 2013!  We're ready for you!

From our house to yours.....Happy New Year!

Just a Check-Up

Christian and Charlie had quite the adventurous day today.  From 9am to 3pm they spent the day at the Mayo Clinic.  Not exactly how a baby, or a mom for that matter, wants to spend the day....let alone a cold, snowy, blizzardy (is that a word? we'll go with it) day.  No worries, there is nothing concerning or wrong with the boys.  It was just a check up kind of day.  First they visited Dr. Brodsky in the Mayo building for another eye exam.  This time they were not checking for ROP (Retinopathy Of Prematurity) which is what they were watching for while they were in the NICU.  Those checks are all done.  This check up was to look for nearsightedness.  I'm not exactly sure how they can tell, I think it has something to do with the shape of the eyeball and cornea.  Anyhow when the boys got there they had numbing drops put in to their eyes as well as drops to dilate their eyes.  Then we had to sit 25 minutes and wait for their eyes to fully dilate before the doctor could do the exam.  25 minutes to a 10 month old can feel like eternity, or so Charlie tells me.  We passed the time by playing and singing songs.  The doctor called us back and Charlie was up first.  All looked good!  No glasses needed and he doesn't need another eye exam for 2 years!!  Next, Christian.  The doctor made a comment about how alike they look and no wonder because they are identical twins.....Ummm, no.  The nurse got a good laugh out of that one.  Nonetheless, he was trying to get the point across that their eyes are about identical and Christian will not need glasses either!  Recheck in 2 years!  Yea!!!  The boys were such troopers for this appointment.  We left the Mayo building at 10:30.

What to do?  What to do?  Their next appointment wasn't until 1:30.  Since it was blizzardy (yes, I'm going to use it again) I didn't want to leave the Mayo campus or drive around.  By this time both boys were looking a little sleepy.  I decided it would be good just to walk around for a bit.  Low and behold we stumbled upon a coffee shop.  Okay, you got me.  I knew the coffee shop was there and deliberately walked in that direction.  Well, since we were there I thought I better get a cup of coffee because you know there isn't anything better than a nice hot cup of coffee on a blizzardy day (yep, there it is again). By the time I got my coffee Charlie was sleeping and Christian wasn't far off.  So, we walk some more.  We then come upon an area of the Charlton building, a commons area where there are places to sit and relax most likely for people just like us, trying to kill time between appointments. This area also has a very large window spanning 2 stories looking out onto the street and other Mayo Clinic buildings as well as a piano in the corner. By this time Christian's eyes are very heavy.  I decide to sit for awhile while the babies slept.  I had brought my Nook and thought I could sit and enjoy my coffee and read a bit.  I sit, get cozy, enjoy my coffee and reveled in the beauty of the falling snow outside...even though it was windy and blizzardy (it will be a word when we're done here).  Just as I get my Nook out a man walks up to the piano and started playing.  We were sitting right next to the piano.  I don't know who this man was, he could have been a famous pianist for all I know, but WOW.  He played very well and it just made the entire scene complete.  Sleeping babies, coffee, falling snow, and beautiful music coming from a piano.  It couldn't get much better than this.  This man played a mixture of Christmas music and Billy Joel songs.  An odd combination of music if you ask me, but wonderfully comforting, soothing and relaxing.  After sitting and relaxing for about an hour I decide I better call Tyler and meet him for lunch before the next appointment.  Both boys are awake by now.

We meet, choose a local pizza spot in the Mayo campus area.  I must tell you, in case you're not familiar with Mayo, that everything in the downtown/Mayo campus area can be walked to via either a subway or skyway system.  We do not have to walk outside at all.  Nice, huh?  Especially on a blizzardy day like this!  While we eat Christian decides he should eat too.  I feed Christian, Tyler plays with Charlie.  So, nice lunch with Tyler and he needs to get back to work.  By this time it's 12:30.  We still have an hour to burn before their next appointment.  The boys and I walk some more and Charlie decides he's had enough of sitting in the stroller.  I find another spot to sit and feed Charlie.  Meanwhile Christian tells me a very engaging story about how he's so excited for Santa to come next week and that he'd like to bake some cookies to leave out for him and his reindeer.  He's got it all planned out.  I guess we'll be baking cookies this weekend.

1:15 we walk to Baldwin building.  This appointment was for weight checks and Synagis shot.  Synagis is a shot that helps them fight RSV if they would be unfortunate enough to get it.  It doesn't mean they won't get RSV, but if they do it shouldn't be as severe and their bodies should be able to fight it better.  These shots are especially for premature babies and they are monthly shots between November and March.  We get called back almost immediately.  We get weight checks first.  Drum roll please.....Charlie is 11lbs. 11oz and Christian is 15lbs 14oz!!!  Way to grow boys!  Now, the cruddy thing about these shots is that the dose goes by weight.  The bigger they get, the bigger the dose.  The bigger the dose, they need to divide it in to multiple shots.  Christian is big enough they had to divide his shots, he had to get 2 shots.  Charlie got 1.  Another cruddy thing about these shots is that we are required to sit at the doctor's office for at least 30 minutes after the shot so a nurse can check them every 5 minutes to make sure they are not having an allergic reaction to the shot.  So there I sit with 2 upset, crying babies, trying to cuddle and love up both.  With such a long busy day both of them fell asleep fairly quickly after the shot.  By 3:00 we meet Tyler and leave the Clinic and go pick up Easton at my Mom's house where he had a fun day with his cousin.

Whew, what a long story to a long day.  But there it is.  The happenings of the day.  An update on Christian and Charlie and a small glimpse of what it's like to be part of the King household for a day.  Oh, but our day isn't done yet.  We still have the evening routine to go through as well as bedtime, cleanup time.  Bed time for babies, 8:00-8:30, bed time for mom and dad, 10:00.  We hope your day was a little less eventful than ours and we hope you didn't have to venture out into the blizzardy weather.  We'll leave you with some updated pics of Christian and Charlie:

Charlie Bear working on sitting

Christian rockin' his big boy jammies and a mohawk

Sleepy Christian

Waiting at the doctor's office

Holidays

We are in the middle of the busy holiday season and have yet to slow down.  Wait, what's that you say?     We won't ever slow down again? EVER?  Well, that may be, but we're having fun with our little guys anyway.  Our days lately have been filled with work, feedings, naps (the kids, not the adults sadly), appointments, Santa pictures, church pictures, meetings, Christmas shopping, grocery shopping, new clothes and new shoes shopping (again, the kids not the adults), gatherings with family and friends and the list goes on and on and on.....

Easton is again enjoying another round of "school" a community education class he takes on Monday evenings.  He has so much fun getting out of the house and meeting new friends each week.

Easton in his "recliner" reading

And enjoying some pudding.....

Christian is on the verge of crawling.  Well, it might be awhile yet, but he's getting up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth almost like he's awaiting take off.  And if he's not on his hands and knees he's rolling around trying to find his big brother's toys because we all know those toys are way more fun than the baby toys.  We also switched Christian to a "regular" formula instead of giving him a special formula for preemie babies.  Since his weight gain has always been good and he is over 9 months old the pediatrician said to go ahead and switch him over.  And along with formula he eats solids 3 times a day!  AND, drum roll please.........Christian is working on his first tooth!  A little sliver of the tooth has poked through, but has more work to go.  Way to grow Christian!!!

Christian working on crawling!

Charlie is catching up to his brother slowly.  He is also rolling around like crazy and working hard on sitting.  He gets places fast with his rolling and is such a strong little boy.  Don't let his size deceive you.  He also likes to arch his back and push with his feet when he's on his back so he scoots around which has led to a nice bald spot on the back of his head.

Charlie filling in for Santa while Santa is on his dinner break

All in all, everyone is doing well, staying healthy, growing and learning new things each day.  We continue to pray for good health daily.  The last thing we need is for any of us to be sick!