South Dakota smiles

It's time for an update! Jocelyn "officially" crawled on Christmas day. Yet, another reminder of the precious gifts we have in our little girls. They both have their bottom two teeth coming in. Julia cruises everywhere and climbs the stairs, trying to crawl over obstacles and even standing for a few moments on her own. They "talk" a lot. Jocelyn has earned a German nickname of Helga for her aggressive talking. (You have to hear it to understand) Jocelyn pulls herself up as well. They have been thriving around family and friends and having a blast!

Travis & Mandi's wedding

We went to St. Paul to attend Travis and Mandi's wedding. (Travis is Tim's youngest brother.) The wedding was whimsical and gorgeous in the Como Gardens Conservatory. The dinner and dance was a great time the following night. We enjoyed a lot of family time together at the hotel...many smiles and laughter. The girls had a blast, especially with their cousins.

Go Jacks!

I couldn't help but show off the girls in some South Dakota State gear (thanks Cousin Megan!). They looked like they were ready for dorm life. We are doing well in SD. Tim flies in tomorrow and then we head to Minneapolis for Tim's brother's wedding. We've been enjoying our winter wonderland of snowflakes here for the past few days and trying to stay warm in the subzero temps. We hope you are enjoying the holidays!

home for the holidays...

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving; we feel that we have so much to be thankful for. We spent the holiday with our families in MN and SD. It was so wonderful to see everyone. Melanie and the girls decided to stay in SD until Christmas. We needed a little "winter wonderland" and quality family time. It's been quite an adventure so far! If you're in the neighborhood be sure to give us a call!

silly sisters

We couldn't resist sharing a few random photos of our sweet little girls. Julia is cruising and getting into trouble. She now easily pulls herself up to her knees and sometimes she even gets up on her feet. Jocelyn is thinking really hard about crawling and keeps making the attempt to chase her sister. She often grabs onto Julia with two hands...I'm not sure if she's trying to keep her around and attempting to take a ride. She's getting frustrated, but often rolls to where she needs to go. They laugh A LOT and can both say "ma-ma" and "da-da"...although we're not convinced they know what it means. Julia most often says "ma-ma-ma-ma" when she's upset...pretty cute and completely irresistible. Jocelyn loves to get her picture taken and Julia will no longer sit still for even one...so, there's a reason you may see a few more of Jocelyn for the time being.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from our cute little pumpkins! They were Sweet Peas (two peas in a pod). I must say they were absolutely adorable! Julia managed to crawl around the floor in her "bag." I think it might have been one of the cutest things I have ever seen! The neighbors loved them and tried to give them candy...which I think they would have eaten if we would have let them. Jocelyn loves to smile for the camera these days and I think she knew how precious she looked with just her hat on. I wonder what they will be next year...it's hard to imagine anything better than this. ;)

a couple of cuties...

And away she goes...

It's official...Julia can crawl. Oh my, life is changing around here. I think I'm okay with Jocelyn taking her time on this one...I can only imagine what it's going to be like when I have them both going in different directions!

We also want to mention Julia and Jocelyn's sweet cousin Abigail. She is currently in Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD with hemolytic uremic syndrome. She is constantly in our thoughts and prayers and we hope she feels better soon. If you'd like to read her story our send her a note you may visit her CaringBridge website at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/abigailclemens . We love you Abigail!

Eight months and absolutely adorable

family time

Yes, this may be the longest slide show to date. This means one of two things...I'm either getting really behind or the girls just keep getting cuter! :) I'm afraid both are true. We were blessed by a visit from Grandma Diana and Grandpa Gregg. We all had such a wonderful time together...the girls LOVE their grandma and grandpa! We were actually able to go on a date to celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary. What an amazing eight years it has been; but I have a feeling this will be the best one yet thanks to our little munchkins. Speaking of, it's time to update you on some highlights.

They give great hugs. They love to dance with their mom. They hold hands while sitting in their high chairs. They giggle. Neither one will sleep through the night. They love to look at their puppy Belle. Whoever is in the front of the stroller will certainly be kicked from behind. They have both been "teething" for well over a month now, yet still no teeth! They love peek-a-boo or any other surprise. They both know their names. They are completely in love with their dad.
Jocelyn will win a staring contest with anyone who dares to play. She is apparently a vegetarian. She loves to babble and "talk" and will sit contently unless Julia steals her toy. Then she will make multiple rolls after her trying to catch her. She also had her first haircut.
Julia says ma-ma-ma-ma. I really think she knows that's me. :) She plays with sunshine on the floor. She isn't a picky eater, nor does she ever stop. She does the "army crawl," rolls, and scoots to wherever she desires...but, of course, finds the electrical outlet and power cords most appealing.

I've had to start and stop writing this about five times now...I think my time is up. Thank you again to Grandma Diana and Grandpa Gregg for visiting...we really appreciated it and enjoyed every moment.

little longhorns

home sweet home

We're home! We got the news that our house had power late Tuesday night and we arrived home Wednesday afternoon. We had some landscaping damage, but only minor. We are so fortunate and we pray for all of those in our neighboring communities who lost their homes and precious possessions. Enjoy the pictures...we tried to take advantage of our "evacuation vacation."

whoo-hoo!

Great news! We heard from our neighbors and our house is fine! I believe part of our fence may have blown down, but we are just so thankful for the minimal damage. The power is still out in our area, there is no fuel (or power to pump it), and questionable water use...so we will continue to chill in Austin. We have officially named this our 'evacuation vacation.' :)

running from Ike...

Hurricane Ike is coming our way. Tim is boarding up the last windows on our house as I write to you. After that we will pack up a few precious items and head to safety in Austin . We pray that we don't spend excessive hours in the car like last time. Thank you so much to our friend Jason for taking us into his home...and his pool. :) The four of us will be safe and together; there is nothing more valuable than that.

sweet peas?

Sweet peas or elves...we're not sure?! :) We tried on the hats to their sweet pea Halloween costumes and they were just too cute. We couldn't resist taking a few pictures. Stay tuned for the full costume in October!

little sunshines

my, oh my...six months old

Wow, we look at the calendar and we can't believe our eyes. The girls are six months old already and so much fun! They babble, giggle, smile, sit, and scoot. We're having fun introducing a few foods...of course we had to start with sweet peas. :) Julia actually "quivered" the first time she tried them she disliked them so much--hilarious!

sittin' pretty...

Jocelyn sat up all by herself! We are so proud! Julia definitely has the strength and can sit for several seconds as well. I'm sure she will hit the milestone "officially" this week. Julia delighted us with her laughter last night. She couldn't stop laughing at Tim dropping her nuk out of his mouth. Quite cute!

hats and happiness

Melanie decided to have a little "photo shoot" with the girls last week. They looked so adorable in their hats (thanks Jan!) we couldn't help but keep the camera clicking. We certainly couldn't resist sharing a few favorites. We busily prepared for a tropical storm/ possible hurricane predicted to hit this morning. Thankfully it missed us and wasn't very severe. Thank you to all who were concerned. Overall we are doing very well. The evening fussiness have improved tremendously. We now spend our time reading books together and playing rather than bouncing, lunging, and trying to calm crying babies. The smiles and giggles greatly outnumber the tears and we are so thankful. Life is good.

giggles

Grandma Diana and cousin Abigail had a fun time making the girls giggle when they were visiting. We couldn't help but share the footage...it's a guaranteed smile for your day. :)

family fun

Grandma Diana, Aunt Dawn and her three girls came for a visit last week. We all had such a wonderful time together! We went swimming, went on walks, did some serious cooking, and enjoyed quality time together. Julia and Jocelyn just loved having them around (and are missing them already). The girls were full of smiles and Abigail was the best at making them giggle. :) We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

happy days

not to be outdone...

Julia decided to show her sister up today by rolling from her back to her tummy. Let the competition begin!

Jocelyn rolled over!!

Yup, Jocelyn finally took the plunge. She has been rolling from side to side for months...actually she hardly ever stops moving. Well, last night she decided to surprise her parents and make the roll. When we started cheering she just looked at us like "What's the big deal...of course I could do it?" :) We constantly find her on the opposite end or sideways in her crib. They never cease to amaze us!

Five months old!

The girls are five months old already. I guess time does fly when you're having fun (and not sleeping). :) We celebrated five months with a little taste of cereal. They loved it, although I'm sure as much ended up on their faces as it did in their tummies. They are enjoying the exersaucer and jumper (thanks Susan!) and becoming more interactive every day. Jocelyn giggles every time she spins the toys and Julia loves to jump. Tim managed to teach Julia to "motorboat" with her lips...and she hasn't stopped doing it since. So funny! Life is good.

filled with wonder...

If one feels the need of something grand, something infinite, something that makes one feel aware of God, one need not go far to find it. I think that I see something deeper, more infinite, more eternal than the ocean in the expression of the eyes of a little baby when it wakes in the morning and coos or laughs because it sees the sun shining on its cradle.-- Vincent van Gogh

American Girls

Wishing everyone a fantastic 4th of July!

my, how they have grown

Four months old already! Jocelyn weighed 12 lbs 13 oz and measured 24 inches. Julia weighed 13 lbs 2 oz and measured 24 1/2 inches. The doctor was very pleased with all of their smiles and babbling. They are busy little girls! Julia loves to pull her sister's hair (I think she may be a little jealous) and Jocelyn loves to carry on 20 minute, very serious conversations...especially with her dad. Julia seems to be a little more laid back at the moment; whereas Jocelyn has earned her "high maintenance" shirt. :) They are both so sweet!
Melanie resigned from her Nurse Manager position at the hospital. She will continue to work on the units a few days a month. We'll see what the future brings, but for now the girls are just too much fun.
A few of these pictures are a month old, but we just couldn't resist. Enjoy!

a father's day tribute

What a journey it has been. Happy Father's Day...you are simply amazing.

Happy 30th Birthday

Happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you...happy birthday dear Daddy...happy birthday to you!! We hope your day is as wonderful as you are. Love You!

we love our books

A special thank you to all of our family for the wonderful books we received at the "book themed baby shower." We enjoy reading them everyday. The girls get so excited--they wave their arms, move their feet, and let out squeals as the pages turn. We'd like to especially thank Aunt Dawn and Grandma Diana for planning the shower and Great Grandma Shirley for hosting it at her house. We had the most amazing afternoon! Thanks again!

Memorial Day 2008

We had the most wonderful trip back to SD and MN! The girls really enjoyed seeing all their relatives. Thank you for such an amazing week!

I ROLLED OVER!!!

Julia was lying on her stomach for about 30 seconds when she decided to roll over! Needless to say, mom was shocked and amazed! Melanie started cheering and Julia just looked at her like she was crazy and smiled.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!! We love you!

life is good

Things change at our house everyday. There are more smiles, a few giggles, and a lot more noises. Life just keeps getting better. :) We have entered the "evening fussiness" phase, which we've now learned is quite common. So, we just jump in the car or go on a walk and everyone is happy. We're counting the days until our trip to SD and MN at the end of the month; we are so excited! The girls can't wait to meet all their family and friends they've heard so much about.

Happiness

Our girls are now smiling all the time, except when they see a video camera! We've captured a few happy moments in the video below. Melanie didn't expect her commentary to appear in this blog...but the video wouldn't be the same without her. Let the show begin!

smiles all around

Hello everybody! I know...it's been awhile. We have just been having too much fun and we got a little behind on our blog. Since we last wrote there have been a lot of first smiles at our house. So adorable! The girls are starting to "coo" and make noises as well. Mom and Dad are just loving every minute of it! As of 4/22/08 Julia weighed 9 lbs 12 oz and Jocelyn weighed 9 lbs 10 oz. Yes, they both gained 10 oz in one week...simply amazing. They have even developed a sleeping routine where they sleep about five hours at a time...Mom is so grateful! Well, until next time...keep smiling!

blue bonnets

We honored a Texas tradition last weekend and sat down in a field of Blue Bonnets. The wildflowers were amazing and there were hundreds of people in the fields and on the side of the road taking pictures. I think we're becoming more Texan every day. :) The girls had their two month appointment yesterday and things went well. Julia weighed in at 9 lbs 1.5 oz and Jocelyn (drum roll, please) weighed 8 lbs 15 oz. Both measured the same length at 22 1/4 inches. They continue to show us their pretty smiles and are becoming more interactive everyday.

Infant Dedication

Julia and Jocelyn were dedicated at Friendswood Community Church. Our wonderful neighbors Mr. & Mrs. Crawley and our friend Adam were there to share this special occasion with us.
God bless our two daughters!

the birth announcement

sisters

Life is good. Everyday there are new miracles happening at our house. The girls are doing wonderful! We are starting to see smiles (which make us just melt), they're holding their heads up, and interacting more and more. Julia's jaundice has returned, but we're continuing to monitor it. At the doctor's office on Monday Julia weighed 7 lbs 10 oz. So, we're guessing Jocelyn has to be close to 7 lbs herself. We have been enjoying the warm weather and manage to get a little sunshine on our daily walks. Have a great weekend!

Happy Easter from Julia and Jocelyn!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day from two little Irish girls! Clearly, Jocelyn was not up for any wardrobe changes today. :)

A few more photos...

We had another doctor's appointment this morning and we are happy to report that the girls are still gaining enough weight. Julia weighed in at 6 lbs 15 oz and Jocelyn weighed 6 lbs 4 oz. We hope that this means a less rigorous feeding schedule and more sleep! Most of the pictures are from week three...enjoy!

A special thank you...

We wanted to take a moment to thank Grandma Diana for all of her love and support over the past month. She was absolutely incredible and helped us tremendously. We appreciate her being there for us and for helping us welcome our two little miracles into the world. We are so grateful for EVERYTHING and we miss you already! Love you Grandma!

growing girls...

We had a pediatrician visit today and we are VERY happy to report that the girls are growing! Julia weighs 5 lbs 15.5 oz (was 4 lbs 11oz) and 19 3/4 inches and Jocelyn weighs 5 lbs 4 oz (was 4 lbs 2 oz) and 19 1/4 inches. This means we can stop supplementing and not be so stringent about feeding them every two hours...yeah! We are all looking forward to a little more rest. :) The girls are getting stronger and more alert every day. They are so amazing!

Photos From Week Two

In between short periods of sleep, we've managed to snap a few more photos of Julia and Jocelyn this week. Enjoy the slideshow!

Two little miracles...

Welcome to Julia and Jocelyn's new blog! They are doing just wonderfully and making us smile in amazement everyday. They both have the greatest facial expressions and their eyes make us fall in love with them more and more every time we look at them. Mom and Dad are adjusting to this sleepless life, but enjoying every moment. Enjoy the pictures!