'Twas the night before Christmas!

When I was growing up the only Christmas tradition we had was the reading of "The Night Before Christmas".  My Dad and I would curl up on the couch and he would read it to me and my mother would snap a picture.  Well, I have kept the book (in storage) in the hopes in reading it to my children one day.  So the time has come for to pass along this tradition but the book was MISSING!  Josh and I literally tore our house apart looking for the book and it was nowhere to be found.  I called my parents and had them look through their boxes of stuff and still no luck.  I was heartbroken.  Then, Josh suggested looking in one more place...he had created a small storage nook in the rafters of the garage.  Josh got out his ladder and climbed up!  Digging through mostly junk he came across one box stuck in the corner and inside was...THE BOOK!  Josh saved Christmas.  My Dad and Darla (AKA: Grandpa and Nana) visited us on Christmas Eve eve and read "The Book" to the boys and of course we snapped some pics.  Then Christmas Eve I read "The Book" and carried on a sweet tradition onto another generation.  

Check out some of the night before Christmas pics below!

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Yummy, yummy I got food in my tummy!

We have crossed over into the food world with the boys and they are loving it!  We first introduced the standard rice cereal with lackluster excitement.  Foster seemed to enjoy his more but he was hungry so we could have feed him cardboard without much resistance!  The more we fed them cereal the more they resisted...I suppose than can only endure so much blandness in one week!  So, today we added sweet potatoes and wow!  The boys couldn't get enough...I had to open a second jar!  Jaxson reached and leaned towards each bite and screamed if I didn't feed him fast enough!  Foster seemed to savor each bite but was a bit unsure of the texture at first!  We'll continue with the sweet potatoes for the remainder of the week and move onto peas.  Let's pray they love the peas as much as the sweet potatoes!

Check out the video below of the boys enjoying their first bites of cereal!

In addition to the menu expansion the boys are moving right along...literally!  Jaxson will be crawling any day. He will get up on his knees and rock back and forth and scooting backwards, he's really ahead of the game!  Foster is working on rolling onto his belly and beginning to attempt to push up on his knees.  Both boys are doing amazing...jabbering and scooting like crazy!

We also survived our first cold.  Ugh.  Jaxson came down with a runny nose and it quickly spread through our household.  Luckily we all made it through just fine and I did not call the doctor...which for those who know me is quite a feat!  Thank Heaven for humidifiers!

Jolly ole St. Nick

Yesterday the boys met Santa, though it wasn't a really big production for them (more for us).  We attended the LKN Mother of Multiples Christmas Party and it was a blast being around all ages of multiples and their reactions to Santa!  Of course I had them dressed in appropriately themed hats AND booties found on Etsy.  Oh how I wish I could knit or crochet.  Once we returned home we posed for another photo shoot...see below.

Well, Jaxson looks like he's almost ready to crawl!  He will get up on his knees and rock...only for a few seconds but he's getting stronger everyday!  Foster has now started to hold the bottle during feedings, it's pretty cute!  He can't get all the way through the feeding...I think his little arms get tired!  Both boys are growing and changing so much...they'll be 5 months tomorrow!

 Santa's little elves

 Ho, ho, ho!

 Okay, look left.

 Now, look right.

 Best presents under the tree.

 Jaxson

 Foster

Hello December!

This time of year is always busy!  In the last week or so we've mastered rolling over, bumped up our formula intake, graduated from physical therapy, attended Christmas in Davidson, purchased our first pair of shoes, and I've nearly finished my semester of school!  

Foster graduated from physical therapy today; his torticolis has been resolved!  We are so thankful for Amy and Robin at Carolinas Rehabilitation for all the hard work, stretches and smiles for Foster.  In addition to graduating from PT Foster has mastered rolling over from belly to back...he flips and rolls constantly!  He's become a lot more vocal and giggly, reaches for his toys, and is beginning to enjoy his exersaucer.

Jaxson has started rolling from back to belly and surprises himself when he does!  Jaxson loves his exersaucer and stares at it while he's in his crib.  He also might be a bit of a bully...which we'll have to nip that in the bud! The other day he stole Foster's paci right out of his mouth and put it in his!  He also steals toys out of Foster's hands but Foster doesn't seem to mind!

The boys have been eating and growing like crazy!  They are getting so big!  Also this week Granny took us to get our first pair of shoes...boat shoes of course.  We've gotten several compliments already.  Nana and Grandpa went with us to Christmas in Davidson on Saturday...it was a little hectic navigating our limo (stroller) through the crowds but we still had a great time!  

A little rant...

Our life has changed pretty drastically in the last month or so.  Josh was let go after 16 years of dedicated employment and we have now have become a no income family.  Josh has made looking for work his full time job...but the pay and benefits suck!  I too, have been looking for work but fearing the possibility of daycare for Jaxson and Foster.  You don't realize how much you relied on your job not only for income but for the benefits as well.  Josh and I are becoming experts in navigating the health insurance world trying to figure how to get the best coverage for the least amount of money!  In doing this I recently applied for private insurance through BCBS and was denied coverage.  Why, you ask?  Infertility.  I was denied medical insurance because I suffer from infertility; I am not on any medications, I don't have allergies, asthma, or any other chronic illness...wow.  We live in a country with exceptional medical care, talented doctors, and access to state-of-the-art medical technology...health care should not be a privilege.  Our other option would be COBRA coverage which costs nearly 2/3 of our unemployment income!  This doesn't leave much more for our mortgage, groceries, diapers, or much else.  The point is we need health care reform so everyone has access to affordable health care.  I promise not to lose site of the original purpose of the blog but felt this topic was important and directly affects our family.  

 Getting ready for Christmas in Davidson...check out our new kicks!

 Just after bath time hanging out in their robes.

Jaxson (and daddy) brought me a flower.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We made it through our first Thanksgiving with only a few minor disasters.  I decided to cook almost all the Thanksgiving meal for the second time in my life.  My mother-in-law brought the stuffing and pumpkin pie, my mother brought the booze, and Josh smoked the turkey.  My favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is the sweet potato casserole which proved almost disastrous.  My marshmallow topping overflowed onto the bottom of the oven filling the entire house with smoke!  This tripped our smoke alarm which is hardwired to our security company...the dispatcher promptly chimed in over the loudspeaker asking if we needed the fire department.  I, embarrassingly, explained that I just burned dinner!  At least the house didn't burn down and it does make for a good story!

We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my dad and Darla on Wednesday!  They provided my favorite Thanksgiving treat, PIZZA!

This Thanksgiving allowed us to really reflect and think about what's important to us.  It's not money or material things but family, good health, and friendship.  I am so thankful that the boys have such wonderful grandparents and are able to spend so much time with them.

Check out some pictures from our Turkey Day photo shoot and dinner!

 "Who you calling a turkey, turkey?"

 Foster

 Jaxson

 Foster

 Foster with Grandma

 Jaxson with Granny

 Jaxson

 Foster with Poppy

 Granny and Papa with Jaxson

Happy Thanksgiving from the Ayers!

Exersaucers, Johnny Jump Ups, and check-ups!

The boys started playing in their Exersaucers and Johnny Jump Ups this week which made for some great entertainment!  Jaxson was a little terrified of one element on the Exersaucer and Foster hated the Johnny Jump Up!  Check out the pictures and video below!

The boys had their 4 month check-up on Thursday and they did great!  They did receive their second round of immunizations which was hard on mommy but they were troopers.  Foster weighed in at 13 lbs. and Jaxson at 12 lbs. 10 oz.  Foster is 1/2 an inch longer at 25.5" long making and Jaxson 25" long.  They are getting so big!

 Jaxson in his Exersaucer

Foster in his Exersaucer

 Jaxson enjoying some hang time in his Johnny Jump Up.

Foster, not so much!

Video of Jaxson startled by his Exersaucer!

Twin talk!

I caught the boys "talking" to each other in the crib this afternoon!  Check it out...

Milestones and a little rant about women's rights!

The boys are changing so much!  Foster and Jaxson both have become successful thumb suckers...not sure how happy I am about it but it's pretty darn cute!  Jaxson has almost learned to turn himself onto his belly, he's really close I'd say by the end of the week he'll be rolling from back to belly!  Foster's torticollis is nearly gone, so thrilled!  His physical therapist said he will most likely be released at his next appointment!  As we were playing at PT there was a young girl participating in speech therapy in the next room.  We could hear the therapist singing notes then the girl repeating...well Foster decided he wanted to participate as well.  The therapist let out a note and Foster responded with his note right on cue!  Amy (Foster's therapist) and I looked at each other and busted out laughing...it was precious!

Both boys are becoming more vocal laughing, cooing, and ahhing and even responding to our baby talk!  I love it.  We are approaching the 4 month mark and I am quickly (and rudely) reminded that time is not slowing down.

Now for my little rant.  NBC Nightly News featured a story on Mississippi's Measure 26, the "Personhood" amendment, that sent me into oblivion!  Mississippi is attempting to pass a law that makes certain forms of birth control illegal, abortions illegal, and processes involved with the IVF and embryo storage illegal.  So basically ALL abortions would become illegal (ectopic pregnancy, rape, incest, other high risk/life threatening pregnancies), certain forms of birth control, and determine how IVF patients use their frozen embryos.  As an IVF patient I do not want the government to tell me what I can and cannot do with my embryos.  This is an extreme invasion of privacy on so many levels.  This entire legislation is based on religion and faith which should not be taken into account when passing laws, especially when dealing with something so intimate and personal.  Hello..separation of church and state mean anything to you?  Shame on you Mississippi for even considering putting this on the ballot.  You can read more about this story here, here, and here.  Okay, I think I'm done now.  Had to throw in a little controversy to make things a little more entertaining.

Apples, bananas, and a monkey

What a week so far!  The boys are doing wonderful!  Foster has found his thumb and loves it!  They are beginning to mimic facial expressions...so adorable!  Jaxson will try to blow raspberries back at you, Foster will stick out his tongue, and they are now laughing out loud!  They are getting so big and changing so much.  I wish I could capture every moment on film.  We head back to the pediatrician next week, I am anxious to see how much they weigh.

After going through my first 25lbs of apples I decided to get 50lbs more!  Boy was I ambitious.  I spent most of today peeling, slicing, and dicing apples for more applesauce, apple butter, and apple bread!  I successfully canned 30 jars of applesauce and made a large batch of apple butter (I ran out of cans before I could can the butter).  All the while I dreamt of starting my own (small) baby food and jelly business...big dreams for my small kitchen!  For those of you who know me (I mean really know me) you can see just how much of a success story this really is...I'm no Betty Crocker or Paula Deen!  In the midst of my own little apple festival I managed to crank out two loaves of pumpkin bread as well...talk about multi-tasking!  I don't mean to toot my own horn but going back to the previous statement this is quite a feat.  

In addition to my sudden spark of domestic behavior the boys enjoyed their first Halloween as a monkey (Foster) and a banana (Jaxson).  We attended our very first LKN MoMs (Lake Norman Moms of Multiples) Halloween party on Sunday and it was a hoot.  Lots of twins and twin parents, I love learning what to expect next and relating to other twin moms, they are an AWESOME resource.  

Finally, this morning, before my apple craze, I woke the boys up at 6:30 am for Harris Teeter's Super Double coupon event!  This was my first couponing trip with the boys...normally I go at night while Josh watches them.  I strapped Foster to my chest in his carrier and left Jaxson in his car seat strapped to the buggy and away we went!  Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with super doubles...Harris Teeter will double any manufacturer's coupon up to $1.98 (limit 20 coupons).  This is a big deal.  I scored some free dish soap, shaving gel, tea, and a few other things.  My total was $186.32 minus my coupons brought the total down to $115.24.  I'm not the best couponer out there but I was pleased with my excursion...especially with two baby boys tagging along!  

 My bounty of applesauce, pumpkin bread, and apple bread.

 Applesauce!

 Foster found his thumb!

 Foster the monkey chillin' in his car seat.

 Jaxson the banana hanging with daddy.

 My lil' monkey.

 Monkey trying to get his banana.

My lil' banana.

Mini-Me(s)

It's funny I don't think the boys look identical to each other...however, they do look identical to Josh and I when we were young.  Very strange to look at your children and see yourself!  So, I have posted a picture of me compared to Jaxson and a picture of Josh compared to Foster.  CRAZY, huh!  

Enjoy.  

...Halloween costume pictures coming soon!

 Me somewhere around 4-6 months.

Jaxson at 3 months.

 Foster at 3 months.

Josh around 3 months.

Criss Cross Applesauce!

So my in-laws delivered 25lbs of freshly picked apples yesterday...and I spent the majority of today making homemade applesauce! FYI...for those of you wanting to make applesauce it is very messy and I'm not sure I could have done it without my KitchenAid! We now have quite a supply of applesauce...let's pray they like it!