Snowcation

                                                          Tim with Maurkice Pouncey

 She fell asleep in her jumper while I was feeding Tayden

 Carrots anyone?

 TCU practice field with Steelers' Logo

 My red penguins

 Brooklyn taking a closer look

 Tayden checking out the snow

 He is so thrilled!

 Look at me!

 Tayden look over there!

I know, I know - it has been way too long since I posted.  I have no good excuse, life has just been busy!  My principal gave me very strict orders to update the blog during my four days off from work, so I am finally sitting down to complete my homework.  As I type Tim is still busy trying to find a seat at the Super Bowl tomorrow.  I know it probably won't happen, but he gets an A+ for effort.  It is neat that the first Super Bowl of the twins' lives involves the Steelers.  They were fans back in their NICU days with their yellow blankets covering their isolets.
Before the weather got bad, we ventured out last weekend to go checkout downtown Fort Worth and TCU.  We saw the hotel where the Steelers are staying, the ESPN headquarters, and Tim even snuck onto the practice field at TCU (I highly doubt they practiced outside in the snow).  We took the twins to Trinity Park and walked by the river.  There were several people walking and riding bikes and the babies couldn't look at everything fast enough.  We tried sitting down to feed them, but they were too busy people watching.  Tim did go back downtown this weekend and was able to meet Steelers' rookie Maurkice Pouncey.  He even got a picture with him! 
Getting four unexpected days off from work was a great blessing (I probably won't feel this way in June when we are making them up).  I spent every minute possible with the twins - there is no place I would rather be!  They are growing and changing each day and definitely keep us busy.  They are going to bed around 10:00 or 10:30 and sleeping until 9:30 or 10:00.  They usually take one nap in the afternoon for about 2 hours.  They still have 4 - 5 bottles a day and they are eating solids twice a day.  They have started on Stage 3 - which is chunkier and are doing well.  We have given them some table food - scrambled eggs, cheese, pieces of chicken nuggets and bread.  They love it all!!!  Anytime one of us is eating they crawl over and start smacking their lips.  They love reading books, watching Sesame Street and strangely enough - the iPad commercial.  We can be anywhere in the house and when they hear it come on they freeze and try to find the tv.  We have started giving baths in the big tub.  They love splashing and playing with their toys.  We quickly realized that we need a mat in the bottom to keep them from sliding.   
We did take the twins out in the backyard yesterday.  We bundled them up in layers and their winter coats which are too big.  We sat them in box lids so they didn't get wet.  They looked like little red penguins.  Neither of them knew what to do.  They looked around and didn't seem too impressed.  I know that if it snows next year, things will be completely different.  At one point Brooklyn bent over to look at the snow and fell face first into the snow.  Luckily, the jacket kept her face from getting covered.  Both of the babies have been healthy - which is a blessing.  They will go in next week for their 4th Synagis shot and then they will get their 1 year vaccines the following week.  Yes, 1 year!!!  I cannot believe that they are about to be 1.  This year has flown by and I still find myself looking at them and thinking - these are my children.  I never imagined, when I stood beside their isolets in the hospital, that they would be this healthy and strong - God is so GOOD!!!
Brooklyn goes full speed from when she wakes up until she falls asleep.  She is into everything and is already proving to be quite sneaky.  She will hand her brother a toy so that she can take the toy he already has away from him.  Tonight I was sitting in the "cage" and she was trying to get my phone.  She grabbed my face and starting giving me kisses while reaching down and taking my phone.  She definitely has mastered the art of distraction.  She now claps her hands and says "Yeah."  We have been working on sounds that animals make and she can moo like a cow and cacaca like a rooster.  This morning she woke me up by repeatedly making the cacaca sound.  Who needs a rooster when you have Brooklyn?  She loves giving kisses and waving.  She will sometimes actually move her hand like a wave and say bye bye and other times she raises her hand like she has a question.  She laughs quite often and will crinkle her nose up and make a really silly face.  She has started to dance when music comes on and will tap both hands down and the same time in a rapid manner - my mom calls this her Stevie Wonder impression.  She did cut another bottom tooth so she now has two.
Tayden is much more mobile now and is starting to get into everything as well.  He is still army crawling, but making progress towards a regular crawl.  He pulls up on everything - couch, coffee table, legs, Brooklyn, etc.  He will hold on and walk a few steps.  His occupational therapist came last week and said that he is making great progress.  We asked about his crawling and she said to give it time and it will happen.  He makes noise most of the time - dadada and tatata.  He has learned to stick his tongue out and spit which is not so fun when he is eating carrots.  He laughs at almost anything and it is the cutest little laugh ever.  He is calmer than Brooklyn, except for when he is hungry.  He has a set of lungs for sure!!!  He also gets mad when Brooklyn takes a toy from and will take it back and put it in his other hand where she can't get it - pretty sneaky!!  He pulled a fast one on me the other day.  While they were napping I figured I would take a quick nap too.  (Sidenote:  we put Brooklyn's Nap Nanny down inside a pack n play so that if she gets out, she can't go far.  Tayden's however, has been in the floor, because he hasn't figured out how to get out yet.)  When I put him in his Nap Nanny I didn't fasten the straps because I was sleeping two feet from him and I figured I would hear him wake up.  Much to my surprise, I woke up to find that he had crawled out of his Nap Nanny and to a basket of magazines I have by the bed.  He was ripping the pages of the magazines and laughing.  Little TOOT!!!  It is now time for his Nap Nanny to go in a pack n play.
Tim is doing well - staying busy.  He shows houses every Saturday, most Sundays and usually a few nights during the week.  He still loves staying at home with the twins - which is such a blessing.  He continues to amaze me!  I knew he would be a wonderful father, but he goes above and beyond every single day!
SueSue came over last night and Tim and I ran to Cheddars for a quick dinner.  I hadn't left the house since Monday night so I was walking very cautiously on the driveway - not sure what to expect.  He was already in the car with the car started by the time I got in.  I started laughing thinking back to last year when I was pregnant and it snowed on Christmas Eve.  He wouldn't let me take a step by myself - how things have changed!