2017 was filled with all things baby. It was a long and crazy year, but it was full of love, joy, and laughter. It was a beautiful picture of redemption and healing after so many years of heavy hearts. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
In January, Eli and Maddie turned 2 months old, and we were still in the bleary-eyed-just-trying-to-survive stage :) The reality of having twins was kicking. our. butts. For real. But all of the hardship was worth it, especially when those 2 cuties would look up at us and smile!
Grandma came to visit in February, and we were ALL so thankful for the extra hands! We also started sleep training, which changed. our. life. Our little baby sumo wrestlers sure looked adorable and made the sleep transition SO well! I got to celebrate my birthday as a mama to 2 babies, which was an answer to so many prayers. Eli and Maddie celebrated their first Valentine's Day, and I helped host Laura's baby shower. We also celebrated our 1 year Transferversary, and we rejoiced over all the Lord had done!
In March, I was starting to find somewhat of a rhythm as a twin mama. Things were still really hard, but I was finding a new normal where I felt I could function a little better. We got the official word that my dad was cancer free, which was such a huge blessing! Babies started sleeping through the night {WAHOO!}, and they also started solid foods, which started a whole new adventure.
I took a walk down memory lane in April, sharing photos from my college days at Baylor. I also blogged for the National Infertility Awareness Week. Eli and Maddie celebrated their first Easter, and I was able to be a part of Christine Hoover's launch team for her third book. Eli and Maddie also welcomed their friend Cooper to the world! After some routine blood work, I learned that I had a tumor on pituitary gland, which started a long few months of additional tests, doctors, and trying to figure out next steps.
In May, we hit the half way mark of Eli and Maddie's first year...6 months! I said goodbye to Peabody {my Mazda Tribute} and Mike got a new car, Eli started seeing the chiropractor for his torticollis and plagiocephaly, and I got to celebrate my first Mother's Day with my arms full! We made our first family road trip to Oklahoma for a weekend adventure, and I got to enjoy my first day off since the babies were born. May also brought our first round of sickness; while it was no fun, we are thankful that we made it 6 months before babies got sick.
In June, Mike got to celebrate his first Father's Day with his arms full. Sasha turned 10 {!} but got a clean bill of health from the vet. I saw a bunch of specialists for my tumor. Babies were growing fast, sitting up, and starting to get mobile!
I saw more doctors and had a repeat MRI in July. My health stuff was a bit overwhelming, but God was gracious to provide peace and plenty of distraction. We made a trip to San Antonio, so babies enjoyed their first trip to see Grandma and Grandpa. Mike and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary {complete with an actual date night out!} Babies had their first swim, started bathing in the big tub together, and we had to lower their cribs because they started pulling up!
August was the month that babies officially became mobile- they were crawling everywhere! I started a new Bible study with Laura, and we welcomed our new niece Charley. The biggest news in August was that JESUS HEALED MY TUMOR. I had one that would probably require surgery, and then I didn't. It shrunk, and I was given the all clear.
We took a trip to Colorado in September, which made it Eli and Maddie's first plane ride! We got to spend time with dear friends and it was nice to enjoy the mountain scenery. I had a routine colonoscopy {fun}, and we enjoyed a lot of time outside in the beautiful weather.
In October, we welcomed the fall season with a trip to a pumpkin patch. Since Eli and Maddie are still so young, it was mostly so I could get cute pictures of them, but we had fun nonetheless. We had another round of sickness, which kept us at home for a couple of weeks. Eli and Maddie experienced their first Halloween, and I took advantage of dressing up my kiddos :)
Eli and Maddie turned 1 year old in November! We celebrated with a fun photo shoot, a Winter ONEderland birthday party with family, and lots of time pouring over photos to watch them grow over the past year. We got to enjoy some good time with Grandma and Grandpa, and spent a lot of time enjoying all the new toys they received for their birthday. We spent Thanksgiving with Granny and Grumpz and all the cousins, and we breathed a sigh of relief for surviving the first year with twins!
We started off December with a new Advent tradition. We decided to forego the Christmas tree {because twins}, but still were able to enjoy some holiday decorations. We enjoyed a visit from grandma...and then a week later she came back with grandpa for Christmas! We had a fun-filled week of Christmas festivities, and we are so grateful for family and fun memories.
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The beginning of 2017 was a bleary-eyed fog of new parent craziness, but by the end of the year, we were finally feeling like we were getting our legs underneath us, getting into a rhythm as a family of 4! We are so thankful for all the Lord has done, and we praise God for our little family. Thank you, Jesus, for our sweet baby loves!
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