Almost 11 months!

The boys and I are sooo excited that fall is coming, b/c that means BIRTHDAYS! (mine and theirs)

Until then, here are some pictures to tide you over..and some stats if you will!

Nate:

Favorite thing: his thumb..no contest! Take one out, the other goes in.

Crawling? SOOOOO close! Rocking on all fours and pushing backwards around the house!

Food: LOVES pancakes and waffles with banana..sweet tea ( he gets it RARELY) and mac-n-cheese

Sleeps: AWESOME! Usually 8:30 to 7am, and good naps 2x daily

TV? ELMO please..Sometimes I sing the theme song just to see his face :)

He weighs in at 20lb and 30 inches...wearing a size 12 months! Doesn't look much like a preemie!

Nate is such a smiley happy boy! And loves to snuggle!

Noah:

Favorite thing: His jumparoo!!! He jumps, he jumps, he jumps ( thanks JEN) and water! Splash!

Crawling? Nope, still a little behind, but he is working so hard with his OT to catch up!

Food: Well this area has improved 100x..HE LOVES cottage cheese (yuck) with any fruit in it, and ICE CREAM

Sleeps: so-so..Goes to bed around 9, stirs around 3 (aka, needs paci) and then up between 5 and 6...working on this!

TV? The WIGGLES.. loves them!!

He weighs around 16lbs and almost 27 inches..growing quick right now, still a skinny scrapper! Wearing 6 to 9 months clothes..

Noah is our serious little professor, he seems to sit back and watch and take it all in. But he is all smiles in the jumparoo or the tub!

I can't believe they are almost ONE~!

Natey and Katey

Noey and Susu

( I think they have a thing for blondes)

Dear Nathan and Noah,

Thank you for your sweet grins and giggles, for loving to snuggle in the morning, for never meeting a stranger, for loving the outdoors, for rolling everywhere and showing off your teeth. You both are a constant reminder of how GREAT and BIG and AWESOME our GOD is.

You are a big part of what keeps me going!

Love,

Your Mommy

Family Reunion and First Family Vacation..

We just got back from an awesome weekend at one of our favorite places, Vogel State Park. Mike and I have been there several times for some fun tent camping! We love to walk around the lake and hike the trails... but this time was a little different. Mike's family on his Dad's side has a big reunion up there every year, about this time. We have never been able to go, for one reason or another.. but THIS year, we got to go and introduce our boys to everyone!! And NO,we did NOT try to camp in a tent with 8month old boys, but we rented a cottage instead. ( With A/C) We drove up Friday night in the crazy rain and got in around 8:30.. we spent Saturday talking and eating and walking and eating with Mike's Dad and Grandma and Aunts and Cousins.. such a fun time! The boys got passed around and loved on.. My favorite part was sitting behind our cottage in these two little wooden chairs watching the creek. Nate and Noah were fascinated by the water..these pictures are from those chairs!

For a quick update, the boys are doing well. Noah is still "tubeless" but is as stubborn as ever. He is rolling all over the place and catching up in activity. He has lost a pound though, please pray the eating gets better! Nate has been "caught" sitting up in his crib..He has FOUR teeth and likes to bite anything he can!!!

Sweet Sleepers

We seem to finally be a a GOOD sleeping schedule. I mean, I thought we were doing pretty well, BUT our beloved babysitter brought a book called "The Sleep Solution" and we have learned ALOT ALOT ALOT! First, (duh) it is possible for them to nap at the same time!... I think before because we had them on such different feeding schedules, they napped opposite. They also woke up every day between 5 and 6 am..UGH... So the book is based on a pretty set schedule and only letting them nap 2 naps during the day. The first being 1 hour, the second 2 hours. I was surprised at how it works. The hardest part is keeping Noah awake between the last 2 feedings, but he is the one whose schedule is really being changed..

SO step ONE, get them eating 30min apart. This actually is helping Mr. Noah with his eating, we have taken him down to 4x daily, and spread them out a bit, so he has more of a chance to get hungry. Nater-Tater was already on the 4x daily schedule. WOOT.

Here is our schedule, thus far..

7am- up and at em.

7:30-8 They each get a bottle/tube fed if Noah is particularly stubborn

8:30 Dinosaur Train ( a PBS favorite)

9am- Yummy solid food time

10-11 Naps!!! We usually read books on floor in nursery, snuggle with mommy til sleepy..

1130-12 Bottle

1-2 Play time

2-4 Nap #2

4-430 Bottles

5-6 Play time!

6pm, Yummy solids, again

7-8 bathtime, and 4th bottle. Then snuggle, sleepy music and NIGHT NIGHT!!!

Here are sweet sleepy pictures from this mornings naps.. They aren't high quality, but, hey, I was trying to be quiet!!!

Noey

Nater

Updates!!

Sweet Potatoes, Stroller Rides and Trips to Dee Dees...Just a few things keeping me from more frequent updates!

Noah is learning to love real food! We get excited about anything this kid will take by mouth! Still working on the bottle. Little buddy is going to be meeting with an Occupational Therapist to work on eating and muscle tone :)

Mother's Day was spent at Dee Dee and Daddy Ran's house! They stole Daddy Ran's chair, but I don't think he minds!

We love to get decked out and go for a stroll!

I just love this picture of Nate, he looks like a fisherman to me!

All yummy and sweet smelling from a bath!

Nate working on sitting up, and LOVES to stand up, all the time.

Noah is working on sitting up too, but still not much leg strength! They both LOVE the TV show Dinasaur Train, and I think we are going to see a "tooth explosion" soon!

Taking things for granted..

It has officially been 6 days since our little buddy underwent open heart surgery. Over the past week, in the midst of no sleep and a whirlwind of waiting rooms, ICU, CSU, surgeons, residents, nurses, I have had some time to think. We have been rocked to the very core of our being this week...we could have had such different results, but God is so merciful and our Noah is better! I have been thinking of all the things that I take for granted every day..just wanted to share a few..

My house, my bed, my shower...enough said.
Now, on a more serious note:

Our friends... We are so blessed to have such amazing friends, that you feel more like family. Well, like parts of ONE body :) Thank you seems too small. When I look at a silly facebook page and see that over 200 people are compelled to pray for my baby, I am blown away. So many of you came and sat, and brought us food, and made us LAUGH..even more of you have called and texted and emailed. or donated blood..I love you and I am thankful for you...

Access to healthcare....I may have a few beefs with Egleston, but there are some pretty awesome doctors there, who are soo sharp and at the top of their field, but at the same time are not afraid to make goo goo eyes at Noah just to see him smile. Priceless!

Nurses who know what they are doing...Ok, yes, I am one too, but I will be the first to admit, we aren't perfect. Mistakes can be made...I am so much more thankful for those of us who care, and go the extra mile to listen, explain and help make it ok! To those of you who let me just cry as I sat with my baby in the ICU...or in the room..or came to visit ...NURSES ROCK..I am just stating the obvious!

Our health.... I think Mike and I have a renewed conviction to get healthier. Our baby(ies) could have had much worse situation. We sat in a room in the ER next to a baby who went into arrest, and had to listen to them try to revive him, we have talked to parents who were waiting for transplants...it just makes the "hole that was" seem so much smaller.

May I never take these things for granted.. May I never take for granted the ability to hold Nathan or Noah every day, the sweet smiles they give me first thing in the morning, the adorable way they talk to each other, the awesome friends and family that we are surrounded with, and the healing power of our Lord!!!

Love, from the Turners

What we've been up to!

We have been busy! ( Duh..) Last weekend, Mike and I celebrated our 5th anniversary and belated Valentines Day, in Hiawassee..We stayed at the Hidden Valley B & B..We have been there before and LOVE the Inn keepers, and the sweet cosy, non-fuss lifestyle they encourage! On Saturday, we took the 2mile hike up Hemlock Falls, and at the top, had a yummy picnic lunch, packed by Mardi, Innkeeper extraordinaire. Little did I know, Mike had been conspiring for weeks and had sent a gift to Mardi for ME to pack in my lunch! A heart key chain, engraved, and best of all, with pictures of my boys inside! You can see the wrappings below!

Seriously...we crossed that! It was a little scary.

I was FREEEZING!

We have also been working on rice cereal with the boys! Nate is doing well, and Noah..well, not so much!

This one is a little late, but they were ready for their first Valentine's Day!

Thanks DeeDee for the bibs :)

Twin Update

Finally, I am "snowed in" and found some time to post. Noah is in the bouncy seat right next to me, getting his yummy tube feeding. ( After yet, another unsuccessful attempt to feed him a bottle) Nathan is happily napping in a swing. ( I am typing fast, that could change at any time)

We have survived having them both home for a month. Nathan and I were getting into a nice routine, and then Noah came home and we had to "readjust" I think we are back on the upswing, feeding them 30 min apart. Nathan sleeps through the night, and Noah usually does, but we have to feed him every 3 hours. Nathan is smiling and laughing, learning to sit up in the bumbo. Noah is more reactive every day, and actually has better head control than Nate. I am back to work, part time, but with some full time hours. We are learning what a truly "tight" budget is, in the midst of broken refridgerators, computers and hot water heaters (that last one, we added this morning) We have a new perspective on what matters, and it seems like no matter how stinky a day ( or a diaper) may be, our boys make it ok. Nothing beats that first smile in the morning when we get Nate out of his crib, or the sweet face of a sleeping Noah.

Here are some pictures of our first month with both babies home! Enjoy!

Our Friend Joshua Hwang came for a visit!

Mamaw Grace came too!

I LOVE bathtime (and hooded towels)

And nightgowns..sweet chubby legs!

This is how you can usually find me between 7 and 9pm, waiting on Daddy to come home and TAKE ONE!

This one cracks me up, looks like they are fighting!

Noah, after his first bath at home. Not really sure what he thought!

Nathan LOVES his bath!

Um, yeah :) That sums it up!

Until next time, thank you for your prayers :0)