5 Months

Today Lizzie and Paul are 5 months old - almost 1/2 year. I can't believe how quickly time flies. They are doing better at holding up their heads. In fact, we may start a small amount of cereal later this week. Paul has been a little fussy lately - always wants to be held. Lizzie is still calm most of the time, but does make her needs known. Everything is going well at daycare. Not much else happening. We're all getting ready for our first road trips. First, we do a short 1 hour trip to General Butler State Park for my work - staying two nights - June 7 - 9. Then we do the 8 hour trip to Erie for the Trost get together - June 15 - 17. I expect the Erie trip will take closer to 10 - 11 hours.

Here are their 5 month pictures (they were being real smiley in their bouncy seats, so I changed them for the pictures - they got cranky before I could get the pictures done):

Paul likes to keep his hands in his mouth - even when we're trying to feed him.





The shots of them together were towards the end of the photo shoot, so Paul especially was getting tired.



Lizzie is drooling on Paul - I'm sure it won't be the last time.


Their head control is not the greatest!


Lizzie's just hanging out

Zoo

The twins had their first trip to the Zoo Sunday, May 6, 2007. We went with our friends Chase, Carrie, and Troi Simms. Carrie and I have been best friends since the 7th grade, so I'm sure anyone reading this has heard about her. They enjoyed their time in the sun (as much as we could tell). Here are some pictures from before and during the zoo visit.

4 month check up

The twins saw the doctor again last Thursday. The stats:

Lizzie - 14 lbs. 22.5 inches
Paul - 13 lbs. 22 inches

The doctor said they are growing perfectly - which we knew because everything about them is perfect!!! Nothing significant from the appointment, all is going well. We have to take them back in a week or so for the next round of immunizations.

4 Months

WOW - Lizzie and Paul are 4 months old. Time is really flying. Their personalities are showing a little more. They are both mostly happy babies and spend most of their awake time smiling and cooing. You can tell that they want to just start talking. Lizzie likes to stick her tongue out a lot and Paul likes to fidget. All continues to go well - they are eating 4 times a day - usually every 5-6 hours, but can sometimes go 7-9 hours between feedings. Below are some pictures we took on Saturday.

Daycare pictures

Here's a few pictures we took on Lizzie and Paul's first day at daycare. (And yes, I know this happened two weeks ago, but that's life).

They had a sign up on the fridge (and everyone was waiting for the babies - so nice)



Their cribs were already marked and ready



Their names were on the wall - yes the birthdate is wrong, but they have since fixed.

Daycare

Sorry it has been so long since the last post. I always feel that I need pictures, so when I don't have time to download, I skip posting. Hopefully I will have time for some more pictures soon, but I wanted to update on the daycare.

Lizzie and Paul started daycare last week on April 16. We are lucky because it is so very close to our work (we are both at the University of Louisville). It's about 1/4 mile away - across from the stadium (if you know where that is). It's small and very, very friendly and clean! So far everything seems to be going well. They have caught their first colds and have runny noses and a little cough. Paul had a fever last Friday and saw the doctor on Saturday. He said it's just a cold and had us continue to monitor his temperature, feeding habits, etc. Paul's temp was back to normal by Sunday. We're hoping they develop the daycare immunities soon.

Hard to believe, but Lizzie and Paul will be 4 months old this Saturday. We are sure to have some pictures then. Plus, their cousin Jonathen will make his First Communion on Sunday, and we'll take pictures at the party.

Other than that, we're just trying to get into a routine (one that involves at least 5 - 6 hours of consecutive sleep for me and Charlie).

First Easter

For the twins' first Easter, we dressed them in little bunny sleepers. They looked very cute in the little pink and blue sleepers. Luckily, the weather here was very cold and they didn't get too hot in the outfits. While the Easter bunny didn't visit them at home this year, Grandma and Great-Grandma came through with some cute stuffed animals to celebrate.

The pictures were taken at home - Charlie ran out the night before and bought the grass and eggs.

3 Month Check up

The babies saw the doctor again yesterday for their three month check up. They are both doing really great - Lizzie is 12 lbs. 13 oz, 21 3/4 inches and Paul is 11 lbs. 12 oz, 21 1/4 inches. Paul's incision sites from the hernia surgery look good. He is still having problems with reflux (one reason he weighs less than Lizzie) so we are thickening his formula with cereal now. He seems to like this and is keeping it down better.

They are enjoying their time with Daddy - and I will have him take some more pictures soon. We have cute bunny sleepers for them to wear on Easter - so look for pictures next week.

3 months

Wow, Lizzie and Paul are 3 months old - a quarter of a year. Of course, their adjusted age is only 2 weeks. They are starting to stay awake a little more and are sleeping longer between bottles - sometimes a whole 5 hours!!! I'm getting ready to go back to work on Monday. Charlie is staying with them the next 2 weeks and then they'll start daycare. I'm still shocked all the time at how much they've grown. Charlie and I think they're sooo big (although most of the comments from others revolves around how small they are). Here's their 3 month pictures.

Paul's surgery

Small Paul had a hernia on his right side and a small one on his left side. They were causing some fluid build up. Yesterday he had surgery to take care of them. Everything is good now and he's home doing fine. They had him stay overnight due to how young he is - as there can sometimes be complications with the anesthesia. He didn't like the hospital room and had trouble sleeping, although once I gave him his snoodle (from the NICU) it helped.

Playing at home

We're still doing good and mainly playing around the house. At the latest doctor appointment on March 13, Lizzie weighed 10 lbs. 4 oz and Paul weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz. We have started taking the babies out more. They have visited our work and attended their first Eastern Star and Rainbow meetings. Here are some more pictures of us playing and them getting a bath.

2 Months

Well, the babies are now two months old. They had another check up last Tuesday and they continue to grow. Lizzie is 8 lbs. 4 oz, 20.25 inches and Paul is 8 lbs. even, 19.25 inches. Unfortunately, they had to get a shot - which they didn't like at all - and they will get another shot today and some more next week. All in all, they are doing great. Lizzie has even stayed awake a couple of times after feeding and played on her mat and got in some tummy time. Here are some pictures from their 2 month "birthday".

This is our favorite - the babies have such cute expressions



Their hands are striking the same pose - they did this several times.


Lizzie waving to everyone.


Paul staring into space


Lizzie on the play mat.

Hanging around the house

Here are some pictures of the babies in their favorite bouncy seats. These things have saved our lives as they help Lizzie with her reflux and keep Paul happy till we can feed him.





























Here's some other photos of the babies hanging around the house ...































and with some of their visitors.

Paul with cousins Killien and Austen















Lizzie with Aunt Amy

Baptism

On Sunday, February 18, 2007 we had Lizzie and Paul baptised at St. Jerome's Catholic Church. My sister Amy is Lizzie's godmother and my sister Ellie is Paul's godmother and my brother Paul is godfather to them both. The ceremony was very nice and the babies did well - very little fussing during the whole mass and hardly no crying during the actual baptisim. After mass, we had a little brunch for everyone who came and Charlie's mom prepared some wonderful food. Below are some pictures from the ceremony.

Here are all the Allgeier cousins!

Everyday Living

Lizzie and Paul are still doing great. We took them out once last week to meet with our deacon at Church about their baptism. It takes a lot longer to get them ready than we expexcted. Hopefully we'll get a routine down soon enough and not be late all the time. Their feeding continus to improve and we usually go 4 hours between feedings. I haven't taken any pictures layely, but will try to get some new ones in the next few days.

Learning the ropes

Charlie and I are learning just how much the nurses did for us in the NICU. It is a lot of work and a whole lot of fun having the babies home. We're sleeping in shifts and that seems to work well. The babies are doing great - Paul weighs 6 lbs 4 oz and Lizzie weighs 6 lbs 3 oz. They're growing out of the preemie clothes and fitting into the newborn clothes. It's amazing how much they've changed in just five short weeks. They had their first visit to the pediatrician yesterday and everything looks great. I'm holding Small Paul - as he will be known to the Allgeier family due to the other Pauls known as Big Paul (my Dad) and Little Paul (my brother) - right now as he is a little fussy and a lot spoiled!

THEY'RE HOME!!!!!

Lizzie and Paul came home yesterday. Charlie and I stayed at the hospital Wednesday night - taking care of them in a room so that we could have a chance to ask the nurse any questions. We arrived home on Thursday, Feb. 1 at around 1:00 pm - and almost immediately had to feed them. I don't think we've stopped feeding them (or so it seems). Right now we're trading off shifts and trying to get a couple of hours of sleep. They are doing good, although I can tell that they have to adjust to their new surroundings. We'll have a couple of follow up visits from home health and doctor visits, but for now, we're doing good.

The pictures are: 1. Lizzie and Paul in their car seats at the hospital ready to come home; 2. Me carrying them into the house; 3. Them in their new crib; and 4. Another view of them in the crib.