Graduating....

These little monsters are growing like crazy. First of all they have graduated to the bottom of their pack and play. I know what you are thinking?!?! "She still has them in the pack and play!!??" Yes, as a matter of fact I still have them sleeping across my room in the pack and play. They sleep so wonderfully together. I have decided that when it is time to move them upstairs Rob is going to have to do the honors because I just can't bare to think of doing it. I had no problems putting the girls in their cribs and leaving them all night, but something just won't allow me to go through with it with the boys.. Call me psycho! I don't really care. They are my babies and I am entitled to do it how I see fit...RIGHT?!?!?!

They are developing so well. We are just incredibly thankful for their good health and physical and mental development. I won't lie, I was always so worried about their cognitive health at the beginning. I mean seriously think about all they have been through and the thought of having some major mental problems is scary. However, they seem to be developing just beautifully. Both boys now reach for you when they want you to pick them up. And for sure they squeal an extremely loud, major ticked off scream when you walk away from them if they intended on you picking them up. They recognize loved ones from strangers easily now. Both boys are exploring objects with their hands and "figuring out" things with their hands. They are very vocal babbling the vowel sounds and even some consonant sounds (that is really important in their speech development). They definitely know what the spoon and baby food jar mean and show excitement when they see either one. The therapist that came to the house not so long ago asked me if they were holding their own bottle? I told her I wasn't sure because I exclusively breastfeed, but they do grab hold of my boob with both hands and hold on for dear life without any problems...she laughed and said that "counted"!! They are eating about 6 EXPENSIVE jars of baby food each day (won't be long before we start grinding up some table food!) We have even given them their first table food...they went nutso for it..any guesses as to what it was??? Cold, creamy, sweet and mommy is totally addicted to it.....ICE CREAM!

It just seems that both boys have taken a big turn developmentally and I am so thankful for their growth. I just wanted to share with everyone the good news of growth and thank you for your continued prayers for our family. I still receive e-mails from loved ones expressing their support in prayer for us and I am so grateful for it. I know that God has orchestrated all of this in His own time and purpose. I still look back at pictures from last year and think to myself, "Was that really me living that unbelievable time?" It is all so surreal. I guess for those of you who have been through a major life ordeal (a time of terror and elation is how I'd like to put it) it doesn't surprise you to look in hind sight and think "wow, was that really me?" I am approached by people all the time that ask me "How did I manage not to go crazy" and "How do I handle my life now" and I always tell them the answer is quite easy....I didn't go crazy because I had a firm foundation in Christ that took the burden of worry and agony from me and I handle my days now with pure joy for being given the opportunity to love and nurture, teach and mold five extraordinary lives that GOD has entrusted to Rob and I....how can I not find pure joy in that.

Those of you who feel weary and worn out, those of you who feel panicked and pained or for those of you who feel defeated or depressed...Christ has felt it all and he will gladly take it again for you as he already has when he suffered and died for you. Give him your burdens, surrender to him and he will do immeasurable things in your life.

No Ranting...just some cute pics!

Tea Party for breakfast..if you look closely you can see the yogurt with gummies on her plate. She told me that all tea parties had sweets and since we didn't have fudge doughnuts we could just have gummies in our yogurt...also, we used her special dishes from Mamaw to serve our coffee (more like milk with a dash of coffee)!



Ellie and Jenna got to watch Cinderella in my bed one morning because they did such a great job cleaning up their toys upstairs (as Ellie said, "You didn't even have to scream at us to be nice to each other!"



Claire was invited to a Fairy Tale Ball this past weekend. This picture made me realize that one day soon, I am going to blink and she is going to be posed for prom pictures...ahhhh! We borrowed a formal dress from her friend, styled hair into a princess bun and the highlight of it all...she got to wear MOMMY'S REAL MAKE UP!



John David PASSED OUT watching tv with Daddy!


Claire posing with her French Vanilla Cappuccino from the gas station. I promised her after we left from babysitting Sam (my nephew) we'd stop and get a "gas station cappuccino"...she felt so big..too cute!


Claire babysitting Sam Pate (her cousin..she adores him and wanted to rock him to sleep. This pic is after Sam's bath and currently watching Baby Einsteins.



Claire and Mommy date night. We ate supper at Shonos in Hoover. It was so fabulous. We had shrimp with grilled veggies and fried rice. I also gave Claire a new "big girl" devotional book for her and I to share together at night as well as a cross necklace. She beamed when I gave it to her and said, "Is it really real Mommy"...I told her yes, it was completely 100% sterling silver (plated) haha! Point being, she felt so proud of it and hasn't taken it off since Friday night. I really value the special times I get to have with each of my children independently. It is so important to do things together as a "family" but just as important to do things together with each of them individually too. Thanks Daddy for taking care of the other four children while Claire and I had date night and got to babysit SAMBO!







I could eat these babies...not really but you know what I mean. They are so precious. The pic of them surrounded by stuffed animals was one morning (I was actually kinda bored waiting on Jenna and Ellie to wake up) so I had cleaned out the "stuffed animal" tub the night before and thought, what a cute picture that would be to surround the boys with stuffed animals. I love it. I have one of Claire about the same age and she looked so much like they do now.

The boys sleeping on Daddy's pillow is pretty sweet as well. John David had been really sick with a high fever that week and he was snuggled up to James and they were snoozing. I wanted to crawl up next to them and snooze too but I had a two year old and four year old demanding my attention at the moment so I snapped a picture to preserve the memory. These little guys sleep so good together. It is going to be really hard to separate them.

Recipe for Weight LOSS!

Yes, I know a little odd to post something on "losing weight" but it is a HOT topic!
I am approached with this question EVERY SINGLE DAY! "What do you do...you don't look like you have had 5 children"...Okay so I will admit that I am proud to be back in my pre pregnant (pre before ANY of my children were born) jeans! I am proud because it is ALOT OF HARD WORK and of course DEDICATION. I will give you my tips and probably a little "ranting" as well. But so many of you asked for it so here goes:
1. NO MORE EXCUSES! You can't give me any excuse that I will accept! I have gone from total bed rest to running a half marathon in 3 months. I have FIVE kids to take care of daily. I have four small kids that can't be left unattended. I have been 40 pounds heavier and not able to WALK a mile. Now I run 6 miles a day and don't usually start sweating until mile 3! I don't have time either...blah blah!! Early morning, late afternoon, before bedtime..whatever it takes I make sure to get the miles in! I have bone spurs, aching knees, broken tail bone, blood clots, blah blah! If you can't run or walk, swim! Exercise MUST be a part of your recipe or it just AINT gonna work...
2. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! DO NOT eat greasy fast food...it is nasty and totally unhealthy for you. If we eat out (which is not often) I choose the HEALTHY options. Ribs, fries and sodas are NOT a choice. I will go to a gas station and eat a protein bar and bag of tortilla chips with a Propel before eating that! I always ask for dressing in low cal or on the side, I choose to eat MORE GOOD foods and LESS BAD foods. So basically eat a BIG salad with low cal dressing and eat HALF of the burger or sandwich!
3. WATER, WATER AND MORE WATER! I drink LOTS of water
4. EAT MORE THAN THREE TIMES a day. I always try to eat something every three hours so I don't end up starving and overeating.
5. EXERCISE! I run everyday! This is a big one because the excuse over used on a daily basis is "I just can't find the time!" Well you might be mad at me for saying it...but "WHATEVER"! I have FIVE small kids. FOUR of them are with me ALL the time. 24 hours 7 days a week! If I can find the time...so can you. Granted I don't "work" outside of the home right now, but I did two years ago and actually trained to run a full marathon EVERY AFTERNOON AFTER work. I am not trying to sugar coat it and say working out is easy and if you don't, it is your fault...what I AM TRYING TO SAY IS WORKING OUT IS HARD WORK AND IF YOU DON'T DO IT, IT IS YOUR FAULT!!! Running/walking/swimming/whatever you do to get your heart rate up for at least 20-30 min. should be part of your day like brushing your teeth! You don't wake up and try to figure out if you "HAVE THE TIME" to brush your teeth or decide if you "FEEL LIKE IT" Exercise should be the same way...not an option IF you will do it, only WHEN you will do it!!!!

Ask for support. Encourage your husband, friend, sister, brother, neighbor to join the bandwagon with you. This "change" is not for a month or two...it is for the rest of your life. Start making small steps and as you become more successful with your healthy eating and exercise, treat yourself. I use the first of each month as my "treat myself to a treat". Pick any ONE splurge and enjoy it guilt free because you have worked hard and deserve to indulge...careful to notice I said ONE splurge. Don't convince yourself that since you indulged that one time you should just start over NEXT MONTH! No way, remember it takes 3500 calories to gain/lose a pound of fat. So whether you take in 3500 less calories or burn off 3500 calories, that is how many calories = one pound of fat!!!



There is my top 5 on shedding those extra pounds. I have a ton more tips but won't bore you with them. I have been pregnant four times and have lost baby weight four times now. You have to figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle and body type. But for me, I am an advocate of exercise and living a healthy, active lifestyle. Those of you who read this and are young moms raising a family, YOU get to decide what your family eats for dinner. It is just as much effort preparing good healthy food as it is to prepare unhealthy food (a.k.a. garbage food!). Your children are forming habits now that will last their life. Teach them healhty ways to enjoy yummy food and fun ways to be active so they live a strong, healthy lifestyle. Our country is pathetically obese and it is really sad to see the children fall subject to the statistics when ultimately it is Moms and Dads that are responsible for nourishing their children.

The fad diets don't work. Counting carbs and sugars and eating a ridiculous amount of protein DOESN'T work! Starving yourself DOESN'T work! Slim Fast DOESN'T work!

I would love to be a "buddy" for anyone who is serious about changing their lifestyle and becoming serious about losing weight and becoming strong physically, mentally and spiritually!

Best part of losing weight and changing your lifestyle is once you have successfully done it, maintaining it is really easy. Speaking of maintaining...once you increase your cardio regimen and run/walk more, you can't go below that number. Example,if you have always run 2 miles and you decide to up it to 2.2 miles, you have proven to yourself that you can do it and now you can't go back to 1 mile or even 2 miles. Always run.walk to you last best time!

This is what I get to wake up to in the mornings..precious ugh!?








My living room looks like a daycare center...at one point we had two swings, two Bumbo seats, two bouncy seats, an exasaucer, johnny jumper, a walker, a floor play mat and two boppy pillows. Not to mention a few toys. My dining room doesn't have a dining room table, no it has a mini classroom in it. I have everything from pre-school to fourth grade materials and activities. But you know what...I love it and I am so thankful I have the opportunity to teach my children right now. I feel like I am able to really spend quality time with them and share the love of learning with them each day.

What fun my days are! I am so thankful to be home with these little guys. I still wake up in the morning and think to myself "Is this really MY life?!" The boys are doing really well. They are growing up too fast. They are at one of the best stages for babies. They aren't mobile enough to crawl all over the house (that is going to stress me out for sure!) and they are out of the newborn, just lay and do nothing stage! They are interactive and playful, laughing and smiling all the time. They cuddle and snuggle with me at night, which I absolutely love. In the mornings after Daddy takes Claire to school, I am able to lay in the bed with the boys and nurse them while I drink my coffee (I LOVE COFFEE) and either read or journal...I am savoring those moments...Ellie and Jenna wake up around 8:30 and we begin the day. The immediate challenge right now is to teach them both on their developmental level. While Jenna finds letters in magazines, Ellie is searching for sight words. That activity works pretty well, however, when it is time to help Ellie with her addition facts, Jenna is counting strawberry shortcake cards, "one, two, three, four, sixteen, fifty, one, two , one hundred...!" she just listens to Ellie and tries to count to one hundred...too funny! I have thoroughly enjoyed teaching them and watching them learn each day. Staying home this year has nothing to do with me and my wants in the day. It has everything to do with our family and what is best for them. One day in life (maybe) it will be more about me, but for now...it is about them. Catering to their needs each day is my "JOB" right now. And boy has it changed my world. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be doing what I am doing right now.

Ellie will start Montessori school on September 8th. She is really looking forward to it and I know it will be perfect for her. So all is well at the Pate house.

Family picture after the Oak Mountain Fish Fry! Boy was it HOT!


Popcorn and cookies...


These boys are so silly. Doesn't matter how I adjust them in their Bumbo seats, they always go for the same toy and play tug of war until one of them wins (usually James)




Jenna posing for a picture on her night to be "kitchen helper"...I started having a kitchen helper each night so the girls would each have individual "special" time with either me or Rob (whoever was in charge of dinner). They LOVE it because the other two girls aren't allowed to enter the kitchen and help. They have to stay in the living room and having "learning time"...




Claire started 3rd grade this past week. Oh how I hate seeing her grow up so fast. It makes me want to re-wind time and send her back to Kindergarten. I am so proud of the young lady she is becoming though. She is compassionate and caring of others. She tries her best and wants to do well for others. I am grateful to have her as my daughter and love her deeply.

Saturday was a fun family day. The kids played all morning at home (destroying the upstairs of our house) but played well together nonetheless. Saturday afternoon we enjoyed the Oak Mountain Fish Fry (kick-off to football season) Afterwards, Daddy took us all out to eat at Wings. This is a treat for our family because we rarely go out to eat. The girls were so excited to order the "gooey fries" and then top it off with cesar salad and grilled chicken and hamburgers! Rob and I appreciated the environment in which we dined...it was completely LOUD and CHAOTIC. For those of you who have never enjoyed a evening at Wings, it is the perfect place to take a family of 5 small children, because if they act up or misbehave loudly...NOBODY CAN HEAR THEM!!! This place has more stimulation than I prefer, but they have awesome grilled chicken dippers and white bbq sauce. My favorite part of the evening was just watching how excited my children were to "eat out"....

This week I am preparing for the Birmingham Moms of Multiples consignment sale. I have been pricing my items for a couple of weeks now. It is ridiculously hard to do this when the majority of my day is spent tending to little ones. However, I have finally entered and priced all my items. 57 pairs of shoes, and 130 clothing items. I am hoping to make a good bit of money on this sale so we can buy the girls bunk beds.

Well that is about it for now, I am heading to bed...oh yea, by the way, in case I haven't mentioned it already....I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE STAYING HOME THIS YEAR! What in the heck was I thinking back in the spring "trying to decide" what was best for me and my family. I am spending my days with the most precious children in the world to me. I hover on the edge of losing my mind occasionally but I find such pure joy in teaching Ellie and Jenna right now and loving and nurturing those two definite miracle baby boys God blessed us with. I am completely exhausted most nights after I have seriously put in 15 hours of major "mommying" but always lay down and thank God for the opportunity HE has given me to do what I am doing right now.

Busy DAYS!

Boy have we been busy. The summer has come to a close. Claire Bear started third grade today (just doesn't seem possible, where does the time go?) We ended our summer with a pool party and hair cuts. The girls all had their hair cuts together. It was really sweet to see them wait and watch for one another. They went in order, Claire, Ellie and then Jenna. Funny side note, don't tell a two year old she is going to get a hair "cut" , instead use the term "trim" because the word CUT makes them think it is going to hurt like a "cut". All is well here. The boys start physical therapy tomorrow and I am really excited to seem what physical therapy will do for them. They are physically about the strength of a 6 month old, but should be at 8 month old status. So we need to catch them up. Here are some pics from last week.





Ellie enjoying her BBQ sandwhich at the Eye Care Associates swim party!


Boys hanging out by the pool.


Claire and Daddy playing cheerleader!


James trying out his big boy cup..look how big his foot is...haha!



Ellie creating her "world of art" at the kitchen table. I actually think she was in "time out" here. But it just shows how happy art makes her. She is definitely going to be our "right brained" child.


Jenna having book time (she does this independently and it works wonderfully when we are what I call "DONE" (meaning, no more stimulation or interaction with each other while mommy cooks supper and puts the house back together again after two creative little girls have destroyed it!)



Boys practicing their waving. I caught James doing it here. Too cute. They just make big arm motions but are definitely "figuring" it out. I also love the thing 1 and thing2 outfits they have on in this picture.



Here is a picture of James having his typical "blow out"...this happens daily. Usually in the bumbo seat or car seat...something that allows me to have to wash not only him but a piece of baby equipment too. Oh yea, this also happens at the most perfect time, when we are about to walk out the door or two seconds after I have changed them both!!!!



Just two precious boys on my bed having tummy time. Laughing at Ellie!



Jenna getting her first hair cut. She was totally quiet...very nervous about the "cutting" part, She kept saying "hers not gonna cut me"...






Ellie after her hair "trim"



Claire after her hair "trim"..she wanted it really short and I wanted to grow it back out really long, so we both compromised and went for mid length (called it short-long hair...ahah!)



All Five of my precious children!!!

8 months old!!!

James Daniel and John David are 8 months old today. They are growing up way too fast. I can remember bringing them home, panicky about everything! I remember when they both fit perfectly in the same swing. They were a mere 4 pounds a piece when we brought them home from the hospital and now they are 15 and 16 pounds, laughing, playing, cooing, scooting, and almost waving bye bye! Their growth and development has amazed us all. I am so grateful God has blessed our family with these little guys.

I have the hardest days physically and mentally I have ever had in my entire life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. There are so many moments in my day that I cherish with my children. Not that we don't have moments when I want to scream and cry like the kids do, but many more moments of pure joy. The boys (by the way) are the easiest of all the kids. They are more effort to carry around and get in and out of the van, but other than that, they are easy! The 8 year old (who I swear is approaching puberty) and the 4 year old (who is ready for Broadway now) and the 2 year old (who will for sure grow up to be a judge) keeps me the busiest. You know it is funny how often I speak with friends and even total strangers that tell me, "I don't know how you do it..." I always chuckle and respond, "yea, me neither!" But actually I do know how I do it...I start every single day with someone who is way bigger and stronger than I...GOD. I ask HIM daily to give me patience and love to take care of all of the precious lives HE has entrusted to me. I ask HIM for simple things like, the parking place closest to the store or the rain to stop for a moment until I get all 5 kids safely into the van. May sound crazy but I draw strength from HIM all day long. When I feel overwhelmed and completely exhausted (which is often) I fixate my thoughts on the suffering Christ went through for me. I meditate on the power in which GOD spared the lives of these miracle boys and I find peace and strength. The world is full of so much crap and some days just seem really bad, but when I step back and take a moment to "re-evaluate", I always find the strength I need to manage my day. Yes, it becomes insanely crazy around here when I am trying to juggle multiple tasks: breastfeeding the twins, individual time with the girls, reading stories, painting pictures, marathon running, domestic responsibilities (you can't even imagine the laundry we have), preparing meals, running errands (the worst with 5 small kids),coaching cheerleaders, and being a good wife to my incredible husband...sounds like a lot ugh? Well it is, and I wouldn't be able to do any of it without the help of my LORD. I have no doubt that HE is the reason I survive the days and I thank Him for it EVERYDAY!





Look at these handsome little men...they look just like their daddy!

Ellie's Arm Celebration Day!!!

We celebrated Ellie's broken arm this weekend (or should I say, healed broken arm) at Alabama Adventure. It was a marvelous celebration. The girls had such a blast and Rob and I have officially hit "old"...we were dragging by the end of the day, motion sick and suffering from head trauma as we endured the "hurricane" ride, roller coaster, and tube slides. Mamaw kept Jenna and the boys ALL DAY, seriously for 12 hours, while we played! Highlights from the day: Ellie and Claire ate chocolate glazed doughnuts from Krispy Kreme, water sliding ALL day, standing in line for ONE HOUR to ride the stupid log ride (the pic from the ride is awesome though), eating Dip N Dots, surfing on Daddy's back in the Lazy River, and riding the roller coasters. I am grateful Ellie's arm has healed and she is now officially out of her cast. We do however have the cast at home (uncut) because Claire pulled it off of her arm on the way to the doctor last Thursday. The weekend was fun and very memorable and I am thankful we were able to spend all day with just the "big girls" since it is not often we are able to do so.

Cute DUDES!

John David on the left and James on the right!


John David on the left and James on the right!


Too funny, John David being LAZY, just as happy laying down. James pitches a fit to sit up and doesn't like to lay on his back..James wants to see all that is going on (from a vertical position)!!!



James Daniel


John David


These precious boys keep us laughing daily. I LOVE watching them grow and change weekly. This week James has started puckering his lips blowing spit bubbles. James has also found his hands. He will watch his hands grab at an object. Too cute. He tried to wave this morning when I was showing him how to wave bye bye...seriously he looked at my hand and then made eye contact and then looked back at my hand and then looked at his hand...it was a precious moment. John David (Mr. Laid Back) is able to fall asleep anywhere at anytime. The boys sleeps way more than James. And James eats way more than John David. Some days I nurse James an extra feeding before supper time. Both boys are sitting up by themselves with a boppy pillow. They both still hate their tummy time. Getting cuter by the day. Eyelashes are thickening and growing. Still bald and waiting for hair to grow in. Eating 5-6 jars of size two baby food a day. Today they had Chicken Mango Risotto (I kid you not, I found it at Publix) They eat better than I do...

Just wanted to post some pics from tonight as they were playing in the floor. Hope everyone is doing well. We are praising God for healthy happy, growing baby boys!

WE'VE BEEN BUSY!!!

Mellow Mushroom..pizza and homemade baked pretzels..YUMMY! Ellie was so happy here. Nothing makes that child happier than eating...she is for sure going to be a chef when she grows up!





James playing in the background (in the Johnny Jumper) and John David fell sound asleep playing in the walker.



Claire's bestfriend Anna playing with John David. He was giggling so loud when Anna would swing him back and forth.



Girls sliding. By the way, I will always have to get this picture each year because I have the same pose from the past two years and I love to see how much they change and grow from summer to summer...





Uncle Phillip and cousin Sam playing at Veteran's park with us.


Jesse's Place






NICU visit for the yearly reunion...Nurse Susie was so wonderful to our boys. There were many other fabulous nurses but Susie holds a special place in our hearts. We didn't get a chance to visit with Annette but she was another one of our favorite nurses. For those of you who have been through the Brookwood NICU (especially if your visit was lengthy like ours) would probably remember Annette and Susie. They will always be treasured by our family because the special care they gave these two precious miracle baby boys was undoubtedably priceless.






Our spend the night party up stairs. I had promised the girls that I would have a spend the night party with them before summer was over. It was fun but my back and hiney bone seriously hurt the next morning.


Piled up in Mommy and Daddy's bed. One of the best things about summer mornings...lazy lounging reading books together. Occasionally Mommy gets a back scratch or foot massage...the pleasure of having &;quot;girls"..hahaha!


Daddy and James were napping on the couch together and when I walked through the living room, James looked up and turned his head like a turtle and smiled at me. It was kind of like, "Ha Ha, I am not really sleeping but Daddy doesn't know it!" Too cute!


Boys hanging out at Claire's tumbling class. They LOVE all the attention!



Not that anyone should be shocked by my post title, but we have been super busy lately. My computer crashed about two weeks ago ( I won't bore you with all the drama involved in us purchasing a new laptop) but I am finally "hooked" up again! Here are lots of pictures from the past two weeks. The girls and I (and boys) have really enjoyed our last few weeks of summer. It saddens me so that the summer has dwindled down and is coming to an end. I am going to miss hanging out with my girls all day. They are such my little buddies. Even though some days are so ridiculously hard and trying of my patience, I still savor the memories we have made together this summer.

Last week we spent a day at the park with Uncle Philip and cousin Sam. Nana also met us there to have a picnic lunch. The girls had a blast and the highlight came at the end of our park play as we were packing up ready to leave, we heard an all to common sound in the distance...the popsicle man! He actually came to the park. The girls ate their bubble gum and banana cherry popsicles under the slides. It was a good thing Nana was there because the popsicle man wouldn't take Mommy's debit card!

Also, I took the girls to Jesse's Place to donate clothes and toys to women and children who are displaced and in need. It was a great experience for them. When they opened the tub of clothes, Ellie found some of her old favorite PJ's and got really excited, then realized she was leaving them there. Her first instinct was to cry and want them back, but then I reminded her that those children she was donating her things too didn't have much of anything, and she said, "It is okay Mommy, I have lots of PJ's at home, so they can have these"...not much makes me more proud of my children than to see the compassion and love they have for others. After Jesse's Place we enjoyed a special lunch at Mellow Mushroom (we NEVER eat out so they were so pumped).
The boys are doing well. They had to go to the doctor last week to get another one of thier shots. Since we are splitting up their shots, we have to go every month. The nurses always comment on how much bigger they look in just one month. They are eating four jars of baby food a day now and still nursing 5-6 times a day. The Johnny Jumper is definitely the highlight of their day. Thanks to cousin Sam we have a Johnny Jumper and thanks to sweet friend Ella Mayfield, we have an awesome exasaucer (which the boys equally love)...
We also enjoyed attending the Brookwood NICU reunion. It was great seeing all the nurses that took such amazing care of our boys during those LONG, scary 49 days.

We had a therapist from the state departement of rehabilitaion come out to the house to evaluate the boys. She said they looked great and seemed to be around 5-6 months physically and cognitively. Basically it means that they are developing "typically" for their gestational age. The therapist said for the first two years the doctors will "correct" their age so that they will be developing on the scale in which they "should have been born"...The calendar started counting days toward their "age" when they should have still been in the womb. So even though the calendar says they are 7 months old, the books say they should appear more like 4 1/2 month old babies becasue they were 10 weeks early. So we are thankful they are doing so well. Growing and thriving and developing wonderfully. God has been so good to us! We thank HIM daily for these precious little miracels. The therapist really couldn't believe their story. She kept saying, "So that is amazing they are doing so well when they shouldn't have even survived the pregnancy!" Yes mam it is amazing, but so is GOD!!!

I'll post more later. Good night for now!