Two under two...

Little Sister/Big Sister shirts from Mimi and Papa...so cute!

Happy Thursday!  There is lots to write about as we balance life with two girls!  I must admit that blogging seems like such an after thought lately.  As you know, on June 14th we became parents of two girls under the age of two.  It's absolutely wonderful and Ava makes our family that much more complete...but we are busy.  Here's an update about what is going on in the Herrin house:

Ava: Ava is a sweetie pie, cuddle bug!!  Her personality is a relatively easy going...but she is very vocal about letting me know when she is hungry.  Poor little thing has reflux like her big sis did-- so we have little colicky spells at night.  We're starting Zantac this week and moving to Prevacid if the Zantac doesn't work.  We're hoping it makes her feel much better.  Miss Ava is a very hearty girl.  She weighed 9 lbs 10 oz and was 22 inches long at her 1 month check-up last Monday.  It put her in the 90th percentile for height and 75th percentile for weight...and she has a little tiny head in the 20th percentile. So she's tall, healthy, and has a little head!  How do we make such "sturdy" babies? The nurse practitioner did all sorts of little developmental/ neurological skill tests with Ava and Ava passed "with flying colors."  She is super alert and holding her head up a lot of the time.  Ella didn't open her eyes for a whole month, so this is all new to us.  Ava is really interested in her world and loves to look around at everything.  She seems like she might be on the verge of smiling too...I know it's probably involuntary, but she really does look us in the face and seems to really want to connect.  It's hard to believe that such a healthy, advanced baby was 4.5 weeks early.  She's awesome and we love cuddling with her and having a newborn in the house.  The only thing we wish she would change is her night time sleeping patterns...she gets up several times at night (most nights) and seems to have her nights and days mixed up.  We're hoping that corrects itself very soon, but it is getting better day by day.  I do all the night duty since Brent works and I must admit it gets really hard to keep functional with only a few hours of sleep a night!  But, luckily she's so sweet that I don't mind too much.  And it's a huge help having my Mom here with me during the day.  Having two babies is A LOT of work and I'm very lucky to have an extra set of hands!

Ella:  Ella is 19 months old now.  Where is the time going?  She wants to be a total big girl now--most of the time.  At her 18 month check-up Ella was 33 inches tall (90th percentile) and 24 lbs (60th percentile).  So she is tall!  We actually looked back at my growth chart and we were the exact same height at 18 months! So maybe she can expect to be around my height??  We FINALLY rid her of the bottle at 18 months old.  She now uses an actual "BIG GIRL" sippy cuppy. Halelulia.  I thought she'd go to middle school with a bottle!!  She is obsessed with Barney these days and calls him "Baw"...she's always wanting to watch "Baw."  Ella loves to dance, play with her Sesame Street characters, swim, go to the park, and play in the sand box.  My mom and I have started taking the girls to walk every morning.  First we walk a loop around the rec center, then we take them to the little park to play.  There is a sandbox there and Ella absolutely loves it.  My mom made it her mission to get Ella a sandbox of her own...so Tuesday they set out to find one.  Ella really loves the time she spends with my Mom and it makes me feel less guilty about having to do so much with Ava.  And of course, Nana is loving every minute with her!  Well, apparently, most sandboxes have been marked down and sold since it's the end of summer, but Nana didn't give up.  They found a cute turtle one at K-Mart.  That night, Brent filled it with sand and my mom got it all set up with toys and Ella had a BLAST playing in it.  She's already been in it this morning too!

Ella had a rough time transitioning when Ava was born.  She did not like sharing time with Ava.  The first 3 weeks we had lots of fits and meltdowns, but she is doing SO much better now!  She loves "the baby" most days and right when she wakes up in the morning she starts asking for "duh bay-bee."  She typically wants to give Ava hugs and kisses, but there still is some jealousy.  Sometimes she likes to try to hit Ava and she has to go to time-out-- but those instances are getting less (thank goodness).  There is never a dull moment and we definitely have to stay on our toes with her!

Ella is starting to talk a little more, but her language is definitely still emerging.  We do see more and more communication from her each day which is really exciting.  We have waited for the day that she can tell us what she wants, because not being able to tell us exactly what she wants makes her very frustrated and has been the source of many meltdowns.  Hopefully, she's on the path to talking very soon.  Ella continues to be our spunky, spirited ray of light.  She makes us laugh everyday with her cute expressions and observant nature.  She doesn't miss a thing and loves to have things her way.  She's quite a character and we wouldn't have her any other way!

Yes...holding "the baby" notice how she
has grabbed her foot too...

One busy tired Daddy catching a nap with
sweet Ella!!

Brent: Brent is currently the busiest member of our family!  First...some very exciting news for us... Brent will be opening a Pediatric Dentist office in East Cobb the second week of October.  It will be located at Roswell Road and Old Canton Road in Marietta.  He has been given a wonderful opportunity to start his own practice with huge support from some really wonderful people.  They have helped him set-up and design everything in hopes making his practice successful from day one.  The office will be called Herrin Pediatric Dentistry and we would LOVE to have any children/adolescents looking for a Pediatric Dentist home!!  Starting your own practice requires A LOT of planning and a incurring significant debt, BUT we are relying on faith and hope this turns out to be the beginning of an incredible journey. Brent has wanted his own place for a while now and I am so proud and excited for him that he is following his dreams.  I think it sets a great example for our girls that you have to go for the things in life you truly want.  It's exciting and scary all at the same time, but we are hopeful everything will turn out great!

On top of opening a practice, Brent is taking Step 2 Boards in October in Dallas, TX, helping me with the girls at night and studying, all on top of making an hour commute to Dawsonville Monday through Thursday to work in a dental office there.  He's super busy and we are super grateful that he somehow manages to put his family first in all the chaos.  We're lucky girls...he's always thinking of us!  We're all looking forward to the day everything finally settles down and we can enjoy day to day life without all the extra stress.

Me: I am finally feeling better from all my crazy pregnancy ailments.  I went to the doctor last Monday and it appears I am on the mend.  My platelets are totally back to normal, but my liver enzymes are still slightly elevated.  The doctor is not worried at all as the numbers are only borderline, but we will repeat the blood work in four weeks to make absolutely sure that the liver issues are pregnancy related.  This was to be expected as I had follow-up blood work four weeks after giving birth and it usually takes up to six weeks for all your levels to be normal.  Aside from the blood work,  I had a good talk with my doctor about everything that happened during my pregnancy with Ava because I was wondering if it meant that I should not have any more children.  She said that it didn't mean that I shouldn't have another baby.   We have talked about possibly wanting a 3rd in the future, but are still undecided.  We want to see how it goes with two first.  If we did consider a 3rd it would be a couple of years down the road...probably when Ava is talking AND beginning to potty train.  It's going to be a huge decision to weigh the pros and cons and give it a lot of prayer. It made me happy that my doctor still thought that was a viable option for us to have another child...so we'll see what the future holds.  Right now we are enjoying being a family of four and loving the beautiful girls God has blessed us with.  It will be a while before we consider anymore babies...trust me!

Day to day, I run around like a chicken with my head cut off all day taking care of Ava and Ella.  My time is occupied from sun-up to sun-down and this is even with A TON of help from my Mom!  We always joke that sweet Ella is as much work as having twins and of course Ava is a lot of work being a newborn...so the days go quickly and there's never a dull moment.  We are also looking to buy a house in East Cobb.  This has been a challenge because inventory is low over there right now and home prices are high.  We've seen about 20 homes (it seems like the only 20 for sale in our price range/ preferred area) and don't like any of them.  It's starting to get discouraging, but we hope something pops up that is what we are looking for.  So, in my five minutes of spare time I scour the internet looking for any homes in East Cobb that have just listed.  Moving out will be bittersweet because we can't wait to have our own home again and I can't wait to start decorating...I've been pinning lots of fun ideas...but at the same time, I am really going to miss all the help from my Mom!!  Luckily she will live nearby so that is a huge plus.  Hopefully something great will come on the market soon and I'll feel confident enough about juggling two under two when the time comes.

Other than being a mom and a house hunter, I'm working really hard on getting back in good shape.  I'm not yet 6 weeks out from being pregnant but have been walking on a regular basis.  I'm loving the new double stroller we got and the girls love it too.  It's a lot of fun to go to the REC each day and walk with the babies and my Mom.  I've also joined a gym and will start spinning and yoga classes as soon as my body is strong enough.  I'm starting Couch to 5K-- a running plan my friend Emily in Savannah told me about--and want to run a 5k in the fall too.  I'm hoping I evolve a passion for running--it's a great way to stay fit and clear your head, so we'll see.  I plan to really try to stick to my work out goals.  My friend Shaye responded to a wall post what I had written to her with something that has really stuck with me.  She told me if I work out and pursue my goal of running and staying in shape, I will be setting a good example for my girls that fitness is important and they will hopefully prioritize being fit too.  That really struck me and I am going to try my hardest to set a good "fitness example" too!  Thanks, Shaye!

All in all we are adjusting and are very pleased with our decision to make the move back to the Atlanta area and feel like things are slowly but surely falling into place.   We had a great trip to Dublin to see Mimi and Papa for Mimi's birthday at the beginning of July I still need to post about.  I'll catch you up when I can make a second...but, I hear Ella getting up for her nap!!

Summertime: May-Early June

A re-cap of May and June...for documentation sake!  I don't like to leave anything out and have gotten so behind.  We were busy, busy until Ava made her early arrival.  I can't say enough how good it feels to be in the Atlanta area.  So much support and familiarity surrounds us here.  We can't wait to spend more time with everyone once we get more settled into being parents of two under two!

Mother's Day 2012: We had a special Mother's Day weekend.  It was the first Mother's Day that I was able to spend with my Mom in a long time so that was really great.   It was also the first Mother's Day that Ella spent with her Nana too. Mom, Ella, and I spent Saturday together.  We had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen--we even got dessert---and did some shopping.  We got Ella some cute (and really cheap) clothes at Old Navy and had lots of fun looking at all the make-up and girl stuff at Ulta!  I even got a haircut while we were at Ulta which I desperately needed.  Sunday, I awoke to sweet cards, breakfast from Starbucks, and a year subscription to PEOPLE magazine (my favorite) from Brent and Ella.  They made sure that I felt so special...love those two!  Ella gave Nana her gifts which she was really proud to do.  Brent also grilled out a delicious lunch for the Moms.  The rest of the afternoon Brent, Ella, and I spent relaxing and hanging out.  It was raining so we enjoyed a lazy day inside with our wonderful little family.  For dinner we ate Provino's Italian Restaurant in Roswell.  Apparently, Mother's Day is their biggest day of the year...who knew...so it was PACKED.  Luckily, we got a table fairly quickly and enjoyed a delicious and filling Italian feast...yum!  It was a restful and wonderful weekend--and I can honestly say I couldn't be more blessed to be a Mom.  What a priceless treasure!  I'm also blessed to have such a special mom too.

With my sweet girl

The little angel that makes me a Mommy

The end of May and early June was filled with trying to keep Ella busy.  She was teething and kind of cranky in general.  I think she was having a rough time transitioning from our structured life in Savannah where we did the same thing at the same time everyday.  It's the teacher in me, but I seriously believe children function best on a rigid routine.  But, by the end of May, I was feeling pretty sick and it was hard for me to do as much with Ella.  Luckily, I had my Mom's help during the day and Brent was always there at night to pick up the slack.  We had some fun too.  Ella found her passion for water and the pool this summer and is loving anything where she can get wet.

Ella and Jason's dog, Joey!

We also had some kid-free time too.  Whether it was grabbing a bite to eat or even yogurt, it felt great to know my Mom was here to watch Ella when we need a little break!   We grilled out with my college girlfriends in Atlanta and got to see Babies Finley and Ward.  They are too precious and I'm so excited that they are practically the same age as Ava. It was great to catch up with my girlfriends and their husbands/boyfriends and I'm so glad that we live closer to them.

On the Sunday of Memorial Day we attended the gorgeous wedding of my dear high school friend, Meredith to her husband, Zach!  What an amazing wedding at the Georgian Terrace!  It was great to catch up with some lovely friends from the past.  So nice to be seated with you Kris, Allison, and Leslie!!  On a fun note, Leslie just took a new job with Facebook so she's making the move from NYC to San Francisco...so that's super cool  She's the kind of person that everyone wants to be around and is so much fun...Facebook will love her!  Congrats to Leslie!  Meredith was an amazingly gorgeous bride and the whole evening was fabulous down to the minor details.  Brent and I had a wonderful time and even made it on the dance floor.  The band was too great not to dance!   I made it out until 1 a.m. which I thought was pretty good for someone almost 8 months pregnant! It was a spectacular night  and we wish the best today and always to Meredith and Zach! They are a fabulous match and I really do believe each others soulmate!

The happy couple...Meredith and Zach!!

Loved seeing Leslie!

My handsome date!!

 On June 3rd, Brent and I celebrated our 6th Anniversary.  I can honestly say there is not a person in this world I'd rather take journey with.  I feel God has blessed me with my soulmate and I'm so lucky to have Brent!!  It's hard to believe that the years have flown so quickly and that we have two beautiful girls.  We are blessed with this life and I can't wait to see what the future holds!  Brent surprised me with tickets to The Fox to see Jersey Boys.  We ate an early dinner at Provino's (again) and headed into Atlanta.  The play was great and we had such a fun time!  It was a wonderful anniversary!  Love you, Brent!

6th Anniversary!!

The Tuesday after our anniversary, Ella went to spend some time in Dublin with Mimi and Papa.  It was a great chance to rest for me and she was so excited to go there.  It sounded like they had quite the week and she got to enjoy more pool time and had a fabulous time in general.  Mimi and Papa certainly know how to show Miss Ella a great time.  I was so grateful she was there when I got sick because I knew she was in great hands and having fun.  I didn't have to worry about her for a second.  Thanks so much for everything, Julie and Eddie!!


By the Thursday following our anniversary, I ended up at the doctor not feeling quite right.  They ran a battery of tests and I saw a series of specialists.  On June 12th I was hospitalized for monitoring and on June 14th our dear, sweet Ava was born!!!!  What a WONDERFUL gift to end a scary time.  And so, by mid-June, we began the next phase of our journey and that is being the best parents we can be to two amazing little girls.  We are so very grateful! So there's a recap of the past....the rest of my posts will focus on what's going on in the present...just needed to play a little catch up!