Month #8

Wow! 8 months old!?! I can't hardly believe it. I always thought time flew by, but now with Keaton and Bronwyn it goes by so much faster. This age has been so much fun. Their personalities are more apparent than ever, it seems as if they reach a new milestone every day, and our love for the two of them grows by the second.

One thing that I am so happy about that Nate and I (along with my mom) finally got rid of was the swaddle. Yes, I know, a four month old child, let alone seven month old twins... should not be swaddled anymore. The truth of the matter is... I didn't care. They slept through the night, were cozy and warm with it; that was all that mattered. Then this month they weren't napping well at all, so I thought that I might as well slowly wean them off of this. We started with one arm out during naps for a week. It was rough at first, but they got the hang of it after three days. Then we did both arms out, and after another week we decided to get rid of it completely and try it at night. Again, it took three nights..... now I am a proud mama of two babies that sleep un-swaddled! Because of this we had to lower their crib mattresses. Bronwyn was starting to peek over the top while on her tummy. Now she likes to look through the bars at the dogs while in her crib. It's pretty funny.

Bronwyn is a ball full of energy and makes us laugh all the time. In the beginning of the month she started growling, yes that's right, growling like a bear. I have never heard a baby growl before. Leave it to my darling, extremely petite little daughter to growl like a giant grizzly bear. This month she also started crawling. She is quick! I can no longer leave her unattended. I put the plug protectors in all the sockets and took the door stoppers off. She gets into everything and if she wants to go, she goes! Because she is more mobile than Keaton, she likes to steal his toys and even his binki. Keaton, being the sweet caring brother that he is, never complains. He just finds something else to occupy his play time with. She also got her first two teeth, on the bottom. Daddy noticed them first and boy does she think they are strange. She makes funny faces and flicks her tongue back and forth over them. All of this seemed to happen in the same week! Our baby girl is growing up... way too fast!

Keaton, as I said before, is not mobile like Brawny. He sits, with the best posture I have ever seen, and plays with his toys. He will scoot around in a circle on his tummy, but really doesn't show much interest in crawling; and that is totally fine with me! Daddy taught him how to give high fives. It is so cute. He loves to bang on things, even his sister sometimes (accidentally). He thinks it is pretty funny to blow raspberries while his binki is in. He screams at Bronwyn and she giggles at him. For Christmas he got a set of sports balls. Guess which one he seems to like the most... the basketball of course. He will sit and hold it and then roll it to me. His teeth are on their way. He is drooling and chewing on everything! He is the sweetest little boy, and loves to play with his daddy after his baths. His giggle melts my heart, and I love him so much.

This month they have really started to interact with each other. They "talk" to each other, laugh at each other, and Brawny crawls all over Keaton. It's cute to see them smile and notice each other now. They love the I-pad and Stanton optical commercials. If either of those come on, no matter what they are doing, they will stop dead in their tracks to watch it. They both put their binkis in on their own now, yay! So long are the days where mommy or daddy has to run in because they are crying because their binki fell out. They take it out, put it back in, shake it in the air, and bang it on things. Both of them started to really talk this month. They do all sorts of sounds now; ba ba, wa wa, and my favorite MA MA!!!! Though I know that they don't have a clue that mama is me, I like to think that they do. Whenever one of them blurts out that sweet word, I turn to mush and it brings tears to my eyes. They both are much more interested in the dogs. They belly laugh when the dogs run around and play with each other. Brawny crawls over to them and grabs their collars or their feet and the dogs just sit there and take it. They have been so good with the babies. They also rode in the shopping carts at target for the first time this month and loved it. Keaton especially enjoyed facing me, smiling, and talking during our shopping trip.

As far as food goes, they really love every kind of fruit, most vegetables, and will tolerate meat. We are very lucky to have such great eaters. They also had their first experience with puffs. Both of them gagged the first time they tried them. Neither like them much yet, but they are more interested in them now and open their mouths when I get them out.

At the end of the month we took them to their first Clovis East Basketball game. They stayed for the first quarter and then the grandmas took them home because it was way past their bed time. Keaton didn't blink the entire time he was there. He was mesmerized by it. He sat on Daddy's lap and watched the game, literally. Brawny loved it too. She sat with me, would let out a scream or growl every once in a while, and enjoyed watching the cheerleaders during timeouts. I know that they will be attending many more basketball games next year when it doesn't interfere with bedtime so much.

As I say every month, I love being a mom. One of the best parts is sitting back and watching my wonderful husband interact with them. I know how much he loves me, but I have never been able to sit back and watch the way he looks at me or interacts with me. Watching him with Keaton and Bronwyn, I like to think, gives me a glimpse of what people see when they look at our family. This is something I cherrish. He LOVES those two. Being a dad comes so natural to him. He is the love of my life and I couldn't ask for a better husband or father to our children.

So, again, thanks for reading and checking up on our latest news. We love you all! Enjoy the pictures of our ever growing babies! Until next month...


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Month #7

We got through our first holiday season with TWO babies! Let me start off by saying that the holiday's are so much more fun with Keaton and Bronwyn. Though they weren't totally interested in the MANY toys that they got from Santa, family, and friends; Mommy and Daddy had a blast watching them pull at the paper and stare as the gift they were opening suddenly turned into a toy or clothes. Christmas truly is about the kids, and now that we had our first official Christmas with them, I look forward to the many more to come.

The best thing about this month was that Nate had two weeks off with us. Our sweet little family was together every day during the break. We spent time doing things that we don't normally get the chance to do.... my favorite was our mornings napping and when the kids got up we would bring them in bed with us and play, laugh, and be goofy. There truly is nothing better than my wonderful family. I love those three, and could watch Nate with the kids all day. He is such an amazing dad and husband. The three of us are so lucky to have him as our rock, our provider, our everything.

We started December off with going to meet the Big man himself... SANTA! They were mesmerized with him, and though I secretly wanted that classic picture of them crying, we got a darling one of Bronwyn smiling and Keaton being very serious. A big group of family members also walked down the lighted neighborhood on Peach with us. The night was perfect, and the babies really enjoyed looking at all of the lights. We also had our annul Christmas dinner party. We had 12 of our closest friends over, along with four kids. This get together just keeps growing every year! I wonder how many more new additions we will have next year.... I know of two for sure, another set of twins! Our neighbor's, Paul and Tracy, are expecting twin boys sometime in February/March! These yearly traditions are something that we will look forward to every holiday season.

One of my good girl friends, Karen Johnson, who has a baby girl that was born just 6 days after Keaton and Bronwyn has started making the cutest baby hats. Guess who have become models for these darling hats???? That's right, Keaton and Bronwyn. These hats are so cute and I am determined to learn how to make them myself. Thanks Auntie Karen for the awesome hand made Christmas gifts!

Now for the latest milestones and stats on the kids. We went to the doctor in the middle of this month. Keaton was 13 pounds 4 ounces and 24 1/2 inches long. Bronwyn was 12 pounds 15 ounces and 24 1/4 inches long. Neither of them are on the chart yet, but they're close. It's so hard to believe (and remember) just how tiny they were when we brought them home. Now when I look at them and realize how much they've really grown, it makes me want to freeze time.

Not only have Keaton and Bronwyn both grown physically, but they have both accomplished various milestones as well. They are both sitting up by themselves. Keaton enjoys this much more than Bronwyn. He likes to sit and play with his toys, he is such a mellow baby. Bronwyn, however, is always moving. She doesn't want to just sit; ever. She would rather be scooting around the room like a worm. She gets up on her hands and knees now, ready to crawl, but hasn't quite figured it out yet. She also will post up on her feet and hands with her heiny up in the air. We like to say she is practicing her yoga poses; down dog is her favorite. She has to be watched more intently now. Gone are the days where we could leave the room for a minute and not have to worry about them getting into things. Around Christmas Bronwyn relized that she can smack her tongue and make funny noises. She does it and people laugh, so you can imagine just how much she likes doing it!

Keaton is our thinker. He studies things, and takes everything in around him. When he plays with his toys he looks and plays with them so intently. I love watching his little mind at work. They both smile and laugh all the time, and really enjoy the puppets on their Baby Einstein DVD's. Bath time is the highlight of their day. No matter how fussy they are by 6:15 pm, that all goes away when bath time starts. They love splashing mommy and playing with daddy while they get dried off and ready for bed.

They are now eating all sorts of foods. So far they love every fruit we have given them, with peaches being their favorite. Vegetables are a different story though. Green beans and sweet potatoes are their favorites. Squash and Carrots still give them some trouble. Peas were a definite NO for both of them. They gagged and pushed the spoons away with every bite we tried. It's funny to see their reactions to new foods. This month we will be introducing meats.... that should be interesting!

As I have said probably every month... I love my life! I have an amazing husband and father to my two darling children, and our family and friends are the best anyone could ever ask for. What more could you want out of life? So, until next time.... Thanks for checking in and keeping up to date on our life here in the Allen Family's household. We love you all!


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Month #6

Half a year??? I can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant with two babies that we could only picture in our minds; what would they look like and what would their personalities be? We loved them so much and we didn't even know them. Now, having them for the past six months, we could've never imagined just how much we would love these two little people who WE created. They are truly amazing and we love them so much. It's so cliche to say, but time really does go by so much more quickly when you have children.

Again, this was a month filled with lots of firsts, laughs, and smiles. Both Keaton and Bronwyn enjoy tummy time more. Bronwyn can actually hold herself up with her arms now, raising her chest high above the ground. Both of her grandma's think that she will crawl before she can sit up by herself. I'm hoping that she waits on that milestone for a little bit longer. The thought of two mobile children scares me! They can both sit up supported, which they really like because they can play with their toys with a whole new perspective. They both smile all the time, and even belly laugh at their daddy. He is really funny! They have been reaching for and touching our faces with their tiny hands, which feels in some way like a small gesture of love from them to us. And though you might not be able to tell from the pictures, they are getting hair. It looks like they are both going to have very blonde hair. I can't wait to start playing with it! Keaton with a faux-hawk and Bronwyn with pigtales..... So cute!

This month we gave them their first taste of something other than milk, rice cereal. They loved it! It took a few times for them to understand the whole spoon thing, but they've got it down now. After a few weeks we decided to try out squash. I was hoping for lots of funny faces with this first actual food, but nope! They just ate it up without much of a reaction at all. Though they seemed to really like it, we decided to stop the squash for a couple weeks. Bronwyn's digestive system didn't seem quite ready for it yet. But we'll try again very soon!

In the beginning of this month Nate and I went to San Diego to help James, Molly, and Nathan move in to their new apartment in San Diego. Keaton and Bronwyn stayed home with both sets of grandparents. They even had their first trip to church. My mom said they really enjoyed the music. We are so thankful for our parents watching them and taking such good care of them while we were gone.

Durning the Veteran's Day weekend we took them on their very first vacation away from home and where else would we take them but.... CAYUCOS! We rented a house across the street from the beach. Both sets of grandparents, as well as Uncle Aaron and Aunt Jennifer came too. The kids loved the beach. The first time their little feet touched the sand is a moment I will never forget. They loved the feeling of the sand between their toes and that's a good thing as we expect to be there quite often. We took many walks on the beach around sunset, went shopping in Morro, and the grandparent's took them into town to get Cayucos sweatshirts. I was nervous about the car ride and how they would react being away from home. There was absolutely nothing to worry about. They are wonderful children and I know that this trip is just one of many that we will be taking.

They also went to their first sporting event. Cousin Kylie is on the Clovis High Varsity Water Polo team and they made it to the Valley Championship game against Clovis West. So, we got them dressed in their clovis high t-shirts that their Auntie Ju-Ju made them and went to the game. Brawny was a little scared when everyone cheered, but got used to it after a while. It turns out that they are the teams good luck charms because Clovis High won and are now the 2010 Valley Champs!

With it being November, this was obviously their first Thanksgiving. They wore darling outfits and really enjoyed being around friends and family. There is something so much more meaningful about having kids around during the holidays. Two new little lives, healthy and happy in our family is something that everyone was thankful for. I know that they are definitely what Nate and I are thankful for this year.

At the end of the month Nate had his 10 year reunion, which brought James, Molly, and Nathan home to Clovis. This was the first time Aunt Molly and Nathan got to meet the twins. We are so happy that they are so much closer now. The kids can grow up together!

I have learned in the last six months that being a mom is a very difficult and trying task; but by far the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. With the love and support of my wonderful husband, and the joy that my children bring to my life on a daily basis, I know that there is nothing in this world I would rather be doing.

So enjoy the pictures from the month. We'll see you next time!


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Month #5

Wow! Time is going by so quickly. We are enjoying every minute, but wish it would slow down a bit. This month was yet again, full of firsts, smiles, laughs, and excitement. As I said last month Bronwyn was soooo close to rolling over. Well, that happened just a day or two after I posted last months blog, and now we can't keep her on her back. The second we lay her down, she is rolling over on to her belly, which isn't a great idea after she just ate! She rolls, gets on to her belly, and either spits up or starts crying out of frustration because she couldn't roll back over. "Couldn't" being the key word there... On Daddy's birthday, she rolled to her tummy and then, yes!, to her back. She can now roll all the way over. Keaton has been able to roll from his tummy to his back for a while now, though he didn't do it often. This month, with about a week of teasing us, he rolled from his back to stomach. So, he too, can roll all the way over now. Though this is extremely exciting for us, it is also a view into the future of two children becoming mobile. That is a scary thought!

They both really enjoy playing in their play gym and jumpers, which we have two of now thanks to Great Aunt Debbie and Great Uncle Dale! They talk to the animals and grab and play with all the toys. It's pretty cute to see just how much they enjoy themselves. They both are manufacturing much more drool, which makes blowing raspberries very fun and messy. Keaton figured out how to do this first, but his little sis wasn't far behind. They think it's really funny, and so do we.

This month the fair opened. Mommy, Grandma, Great Aunt Marsha, and Cousin Julie took the kids for their first fair experience. We walked through the farm animals, exhibits, and mommy got to have a good ol' fashioned corndog... which Keaton and Bronwyn enjoyed later. Though it was pretty hot the day we went and the kids slept through most of it, we still had a good time. I'm sure Keaton and Bronwyn will enjoy the fair much more next year!

As far as night time goes, this month we started bathing them at night, feeding them a little earlier, and getting them down in bed around 7:15 p.m. They both absolutely love their baths. Next summer will be lots of fun in the pool. Nate and I are enjoying the earlier bedtime, so we can actually relax and have some down time together.

At the end of the month Nate and I, along with both sets of Grandparents, took them to the pumpkin patch. And yes, they were in costume. They were the most darling skeletons you have ever seen. Though we didn't buy any pumpkins, we did get a lot of cute pictures while we were there. Bronwyn was mesmerized by everything around her and Keaton just chilled and hung out with the pumpkins.

This month we had a loss in the family. Nate's grandma Kit passed away. She was a wonderful woman and I am so thankful that she got to meet her two and only great-grandchildren before she was taken from all of us. With her loss many family members and friends came in to town and got to meet Keaton and Bronwyn. They met their Great-Aunt Holly from Conneticut who also as twins. She loved them so much, and they loved her.

Like every other October we hosted our annul N8oween party. Keaton and Bronwyn were not invited due to age, so they had their first sleep over with Grammy and G-pa (Bill and Becky). This was an ordeal. Packing bottles, bath stuff, burp rags, jammies..... I could go on and on..... was a process. Once I got them over there I was very surprised when I got emotional as I bent down to kiss my baby girl goodbye for the night. This was the first time that they would be away from home and us since we brought them home from the hospital. Long story short, the party was a lot of fun and Keaton and Bronwyn were very good babies for their grandparents. And, I survived! It was a good experience to ease in to because this next weekend Nate and I are going to San Diego for the weekend, without them. So now I know that they will be fine, and I will be too.

For Nate's birthday the four of us just hung out together and watched football during the day. That night we went over to Bill and Becky's for dinner with family and close friends. The kids were great and the company was awesome. Nate had a nice relaxing birthday and got to spend it with the people he loves most. I hope you had a good birthday babe, you deserve it.... I love you!!!

So again, another great month full of memories. I hope you all enjoy the pictures and updates just as much as we do. We're looking forward to the new milestones and experiences throughout this next month. Until next time.....


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With a sad heart...

This past Sunday Nate's Grandma Kit passed away. It was a total shock to us, and we still can't believe she is gone. Grandma Kit ("Kitty" as I joked with her) was an amazing woman and was loved by all who knew her. She was the mother to 5 amazing children; Patty, Steve, Bill, Holly, and Danny. Her love for her children and their families was apparent by the stories she would tell and the laughter that would follow, the smile on her face whenever everyone was together, and the numerous pictures scattered around her house of her children and grandchildren. She loved her family and we loved her. She had a sense of style that I can only hope to have later in life, and she was an AMAZING cook! Jacqui would request her pecan pie every holiday... it was a little slice of heaven. I loved how blunt she was. She would tell you how it is and could care less if you agreed with her or not. She loved to read, watch movies and sports, cook, and hated driving in the fog.

Nate and I are so thankful that she was able to meet her first and only great-grandchildren. She was at the hospital within the first 24 hours of their birth, and it was love at first sight. The joy that they brought to her life in the past four months is something that we will always remember and cherish. Though Keaton and Bronwyn won't remember their great-grandma Kit, we will make sure that they know her, the wonderful woman that she was, and how much she loved them both. After all, we did name our daughter after the name, Bronwyn, that she suggested. It's after one of her favorite actresses in an old movie she loved...and we loved it right when she mentioned it.

We will miss you terribly Grandma Kit.... but our hearts are full of joy knowing that you are in heaven and have been reunited with Grandpa Jack. We love you very much and wish we could have said a proper goodbye, like you deserve.


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Month #4

Wow! 4 months old.... I can hardly believe it! Keaton and Bronwyn are getting so big, we wish we could freeze time because it is flying by! I was putting away some of their preemie clothes this month and could not believe how small they were and just how much they have grown. We have experienced so much this month... with various milestones, new found interests, and random people touching our babies! Why do people think it's ok to touch a person's child that they don't know? I don't know where your hands have been... Don't touch my kid!

Anyways... Keaton and Bronwyn both have discovered just how much fun their mobiles are. We lay them in their cribs, wind up their mobiles, and watch them smile, kick and squeal in delight. They both love to have conversations with anyone who will listen and talk back to them. You would think that they were actually telling you a very fascinating story. We also bumped them up to 5 oz during their feedings. Crazy to think just how much more they are eating now. They really are growing and it appears that Keaton has passed up his sissy in weight and height. We go to the doctor next week for their four month check up.... so we'll see just how much they've grown then.

They still are sleeping together at night.... which by the way, they are sleeping from 8:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m!!!! We are still waking them up for a top off feeding at 10:00 p.m. before we go to bed, but we are so lucky to have such good sleepers! Naps, however, are a little different. They are now sleeping in their own cribs during nap time because Bronwyn moves and grunts while sleeping which wakes Keaton up.

This month they also had their first dinner outing at the Daily Grill for my birthday. They did great!

Keaton and Bronwyn were also very lucky to have the opportunity to meet their Uncle James! This is who Keaton got his middle name from. James came into town all the way from Chicago and met his niece and nephew. Needless to say they loved him just as much as we do, and I am pretty sure the feeling is mutual. James, Molly, and Nathan... we can't wait for you guys to make the move to San Diego so we can spend a lot more time together. We love you guys!

Keaton has made two huge milestones this month. He now grabs at the toys under his play gym. He hits them, grabs them, and holds them. It's funny how that seems so silly and small, but it was a huge deal to us, the proud parents of these amazing twins. Now for the big one... he rolled over! He went from his stomach to his back. That was so exciting to see and we got it on tape. Bronwyn is so close to rolling over from her back to her stomach. She gets to her side and then flops back on to her back. We're sure she'll master rolling over really soon. She also loves to hold anything... her burp rag, onesie, really anything she can get her hands on. She is definitely going to be a blanky baby. Both of them love to stand up too. So, we got out their activity jumper, which they are still too small for. Their legs don't touch the ground, so we put a pillow underneath; and they don't fit in the seat, so we stuff a blanket around them. They love it!

I must say that being a stay-at-home mom is exhausting, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Being able to be home with them is the most rewarding job I could ever have. Thanks Nate for being such an amazing husband for going to work so that I can stay home with our wonderful twins. I love you! Hope you all enjoy the pictures from this month. See you again soon for Month #5! Love you all!


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Month #3

Aw, the third month! Everyone said it would get better by this time, and it has! Both Keaton and Bronwyn have been sleeping from 10:30 pm all the way to around 6 am!!! We have exceptional children, and are very lucky that they are on the same schedule. That is the one thing that I have learned as a mommy of twins.... start them on a schedule from the very beginning with eating and sleeping. We are very blessed to have such good babies.
This month has included so many different memories and milestones, it has been so much fun to see how much they are growing and becoming their own little people with such awesome personalities. They talk and smile so much now. One of their favorite places to be is the changing table. We are always guaranteed lots of smiles and a great conversation whenever we go to this wonderful place in the nursery. They both have found their hands. It is so funny to watch them as they marvel at their own fist. The look on their faces is priceless when they see it. We noticed them also following us as we walk to another place in the room or will turn to us when they hear our voices. It is amazing just how much they are starting to change... before we know it they'll be all grown up. That is why we try to enjoy every second of the day.
Nate went back to work this month, which has been difficult for him and me. I send him tons of pictures and audio messages of them throughout the day. He says it always puts a smile on his face. Not too many dads get the chance to spend the first 2 1/2 months with their babies... we were so lucky that they came when they did.
Speaking of lucky, my wonderful mom retired the Friday before Nate had to report back to work... again, great timing! She has been staying the night and helping me during the day. Having twins is a two person job right now, and I cannot express my gratitude enough to my mom for being here basically 24 hours a day to help me. I don't know what I would do without her. I have the best mom in the world! Thanks Mom!
Well, that's all for now. We hope that you enjoy the slideshow of this month. Thanks to all of you for coming by to check up on us. We love you all. Until next month....


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