Kate on Christmas Day. She weighed 7 lbs 14 oz at the doctor on 12/23

All the family after the Christmas Eve service. Wright and Kate were angels through the service, but not happy to get back in their car seats!

Taylor loved holding her little cousins!

My mom, Taylor and Kate on Christmas Day

Taylor feeding baby "Cake"

Sunny, my grandmother, with Kate...Kate was enjoying her nap in her great grandmothers arms

My grandfather, Harry with Kate...they sleep so well when being held

Wright napping in his great grandfathers arms...this is where he slept best last week

He weighed 8lbs 6 oz on 12/23

We had a wonderful first Christmas with Wright and Kate! My parents, grandparents and sister's family (they came Christmas Day) came to Wild Dunes for the week. Will and I packed up our house (it felt that way) and stayed at the beach with everyone for the week. It was insane getting all their stuff, but worth it...I couldn't turn down so many helping hands! The weather was great and we had beautiful marsh views. Wright and Kate loved all the extra attention and mommy loved getting some rest at night. My mom either split shifts with Will and I or did them herself...I never knew how wonderful 6-7 hours of uninterrupted sleep could be! Taylor (my 3 1/2 year old niece) had a great time with baby Wright and baby Cake (so cute when she says it..) they were her very own "real" baby dolls! The holiday season is so special, but this year was even better. It was so wonderful to be with family all week and for my children to spend time with their grandparents AND great grandparents!

Wright and Kate attended their first church service on Christmas Eve! It was very special for us and Will's parents came down to join us. Wright and Kate slept soundly through the entire service only getting upset when they were put back in their car seats!

Wright's reflux is getting better and they are both starting to eat close to 4 oz at each feeding. We are still feeding them every 3 hours (sometimes a bit less), but as they grow they should be able to stretch that out. I am hopeful that will be soon!

My babies are 7 weeks old today!

One Month Old

Kate

Wright

Kate and Wright are one month old today! I can't believe how quickly time is passing!

We went to the doctor today and are very pleased with their weight gain.

Wright weighs 6 lbs. 13 oz. and Kate weighs 6 lbs. 7 oz.

They both have a bit of acid reflux so we are trying different ways to feed them and will start medicine as well. They are both more alert and have started following the mobile with their eyes on the swing! Here are a few pictures of them on their one month birthday!

Tired of the photo shoot already and we were just getting started

I need to cherish these moments where they can be so close...and enjoy it!

Give Thanks

Our little man...I promise Mommy did not pose him...

Caroline brought Kate a hair bow just like hers

This weekend they met more cousins! Will's sister Traci and family came into town with his parents. Caroline loved feeding Kate!

After a long day...daddy and Wright napping

Little angels enjoying an afternoon nap in their swing

Beautiful Thanksgiving Day!!

This year we have so much to be thankful for! Not only the healthy birth of Wright and Kate, but our wonderful families and all their support. We have been so lucky these past two weeks to have our parents helping us with our precious little ones. It has allowed us to get some sleep! Jennifer came to visit this past week and was a tremendous help. Kate and Wright love her and miss her already! My parents were in town this past week and we had a great week preparing for my first Thanksgiving meal at my house. My mom did a fantastic job! We also went back to the pediatrician Wednesday and got another great report.

Wright now weighs 5lbs. 5oz

Kate now weighs 5lbs

I was so happy to see them finally past their birth weights and then some. They are now eating 2 oz at each feeding and have progressed to their bottles! They are now eating every 2 to 2 1/2 hours which makes the night really long, but that won't last forever (thankfully). Both of them tinkled on the scale as soon as they got on which was comical. Thank goodness my mom was with me to dress and console Wright while I had Kate. The doctor is very pleased with their weight gain and I am so glad that they are growing and eating well!

They will be 3 weeks old tomorrow which amazes Will and me. We love being parents and so love this amazing journey!

First week home and pediatrician appointments

Most of our pictures are of them sleeping together. She doesn't sleep as well without him in the moses basket with her. Even when we move them apart they end up right beside each other again. It is so sweet!

Our first visit to the pediatrician was on Monday for a weight check and they had grown, but not as much as they wanted so we headed back on Thursday. I am very nervous with them in their car seats since they are so tiny so our car trips are few and far between at this point. They both did well and are not quite back to birth weight, but we are close.

Kate is 4lbs 10oz and has grown 3/4 inch to 18 1/2 inches

Wright is 4lbs 11oz and has grown an inch to 18 1/2 inches

I feel like they change so much everyday! They are becoming more alert each day and enjoy their time awake with Mommy! Today we went on our first walk...didn't get too far because it was getting chilly, but it is a start. They really hate to be changed and that is the only time they get really upset...so far. I know there are many, many changes to come! Will's mom was with us this week and a tremendous help. Thanks Gran! My mom comes in tonight and will stay through Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and I am so glad my little blessings will be here to celebrate with us.

Tomorrow we cheer on the Tigers against Virginia!

Happy Birthday Wright and Kate

November 9, 2009

Happy Birthday Wright and Kate!

Well Monday started like most others with restless sleep and frequent trips to the restroom. I had been more tired than normal on Sunday, but thought it must be due to the enormous size of my belly! One of the trips to the restroom was a bit different than any other when I realized my water was breaking. I can't describe the emotions I went through within 15 seconds...fear and excitement and a strained call to Will started the day we would meet our precious children. We waited another hour or so to "make sure" it was my water and around 6am realized that I was definitely in labor. My contractions became much stronger so I naturally jumped in the shower and we started hastily getting bags packed, car seats in the car, batteries for the camera etc. I had started this process, but being one day away from 35 weeks thought I definitely had more time. We called our parents who immediately jumped on highway 20 and 26 to head down and we were off (after a few last minute pregnancy photos). Once we arrived at the hospital it all started to sink in and Will and I both became a bit worried about the prematurity of my labor. An ultrasound confirmed that Wright was ready, his membrane had burst and he was in the birth canal...on the flip side Kate was still laying tranverse across the top of my stomach not ready to come out. The doctor let us decide how to proceed with labor and after prayer and consideration we decided to have a C-Section. Kate was breach and would have had to be manipulated out and we felt like due to how early I was we may need to make things a bit less traumatic for baby girl.

So shortly after I was whisked away for my spinal tap (so thankful...contractions are PAINFUL) and prep for C-section. Will was great through the process. His parents and our sister in law Kirsten were all at the hospital prior to delivery. William "Wright" was born at 10:35 weighing 4lbs 14oz and Kathryn "Kate" Hastings was born at 10:36 weighing 4lbs 12 oz. I was able to see both of them briefly before they were whisked away to the nursery. As soon as I was released from the recovery room my mom arrived (record timing from Athens, GA) and Wright was brought to my room. Understand that as happy as I was to finally see my baby boy I was also concerned about why my baby girl wasn't with him. Since Kate was not ready to enter the world she had some immaturity in her lungs and needed some help at the beginning. We were worried, but new we had some of the best doctors in the city with her and they were very reassuring. Each nurse said she was extremely fiesty and a fighter and she progressed through the day/night. I was able to see her Monday evening, hold her Tuesday early afternoon and finally she came to our room off all monitors on Wednesday afternoon. What an answer to prayers; to have two healthy, precious babies! Will and I are overwhelmed with love for them! We are so thankful for our family and the help they have and continue to provide for us and all our or friends who are praying for our family!

Finally the nursery is complete

34 weeks and 6 days...on our way to the hospital

Ready to meet our little ones!

Our First Family Photo!

Finally I had both babies in my room with me!

They sleep cuddled together..it is the sweetest thing.

First time in their swing. Kate was more alert than Wright..he really likes to sleep!

31 weeks today and some updated pictures

Kate and Wright's cribs in the nursery. We still have a few things to finish, but it is coming along!

Joanne, me and Mom at my shower at the Swan House in Atlanta.

It was so great to be with family. We had a great time together!

31 weeks pregnant!!

I can not believe how quickly this pregnancy has gone by...I am so ready to meet Kate and Wright, but will miss being pregnant. I am constantly amazed by their movement in the womb that continues to get stronger and more frequent every day! We had an ultrasound yesterday and everything looks great with both babies. They have gotten so big (and cramped) that we can't get a clear ultrasound picture of their sweet profiles anymore. Wright continues to measure bigger than Kate and is ~4lbs. 4oz while Kate is measuring ~3lbs 12oz. Wright is actually measuring a few weeks ahead of schedule which doesn't surprise us since Will was such a big baby! Our doctor did not give any indication as to how long she expects me to carry, but feels really good about how things are progressing. I continue to have some contractions every day and will stay on medicine to keep them under control, but it doesn't seem that they are causing any signs of pre-term labor which is great. We feel so blessed and just pray that the babies continue to stay healthy and keep growing!

27 week appointment

We had our 27 week appointment yesterday with an ultrasound and both babies continue to be healthy and are growing well! Wright is bigger than Kate, but the doctor is not concerned at all. They both tend to stay on my right side very close to each other. It makes getting a clear picture really difficult. They continue to move often and were yawning and stretching during the ultrasound. What a miracle!

Kate's profile

currently weighs 2 lbs 1 oz

Wright's profile

currently weighs 2 lbs. 6 oz.

Books, Books Everywhere

Table full of books...everyone signed the books they brought so we would always know who they came from

Will and I after the shower

Hostesses and I

Traci, Aunt Celeste and Kirsten

I love to read and was looking forward to my library shower this past Saturday in Sumter. It was so nice to see family and friends. We received so many wonderful books of all types...from Baby's First Bibles, Nursery Rhymes, animals, ABC's and the list goes on. What an amazing start to our library. Now Mr. Dinkins has to build a bookshelf! It was so special to see which books people would bring that they have enjoyed themselves or reading to their own children. I look forward to many, many memories reading to Kate and Wright and hope that they share in my love of books.

Savannah Baby Shower

Jocelyn and I pregnant together!

The hostessses and I at the shower
Mom, sister and I

Jennifer and I at the shower

My first baby shower was this past Sunday in Savannah! The shower was wonderful! It was so nice to be with some of my closest friends and celebrate the upcoming arrival of Kate and Wright. Friends hosted a brunch at the Olde Pink House in Savannah which is beautiful and such a treat. The menu was fantastic, decorations so thoughtful and the company even better. We received beautiful gifts and I am overwhelmed with gratitude. The nursery feels like it is coming together especially as I added sweet gowns and blankets to the drawers of the new furniture. Our glider recently arrived and the cribs are in place. I am 25 weeks and feeling Kate and Wright move more and more. They enjoy music and are especially active shortly after I eat! She seems to be more active and tends to "wake up" around 4:30 each morning...just preparing mommy for the months ahead!

They will attend their first Clemson football game this weekend! I am looking forward to a weekend in the mountains with family, cool weather and the start of football!