Where are those binkies?

Miles was being a big helper one day and found a new place to store the babies' binkies. In his shoes! Hmmm, not so sanitary!

I left Miles at the kitchen table to eat his grapes, this is what I discovered when I returned; grapes in a row on the table.
This was so cute. I think Miles wanted to be like Shawnee only he was watching Dumbo on his portable DVD player and she was surfing the net on her sweet laptop.

One night at dinner Miles wanted to tap glasses with Shawnee. (Thanks to my wise friend Leann, I now know it's called proposing a toast! I had a brain freeze when I originally wrote the post and didn't know the proper term) It was so funny they did it over and over. We all laughed.

The Harpers arrive!

June 5th is when I was scheduled to have the C-Section. Lynne arranged time off work to come and help. Little did we know the twins would come 3 weeks early! Luckily for me, the Harpers still came! We were so happy to have them come and enjoy Miles and the twins! It was so fun to have them here! Like Nicki & Haylee, they drove for hours and hours and even had to get a hotel there and back. While they were here, James and I got to go on a date and I had many opportunities to run errands while they took care of the twins! It was soooo wonderful!! Thanks so much guys!

Bath time

Julia enjoying her bath
Hold still Julia! Look! You can see Miles is watching! Notice how huge James' hands are compared to tiny Julia!

"So Lincoln, why were you crying during your bath?"

The babies chillin' in the crib after their baths.

Daddy gives good baths! Here he is giving Julia a bath. She was the first (Lincon was about 3 weeks later!) to lose her cord, so she gets the full bath. Lincoln just cries a lot. It's hard to keep him warm when a sponge bath is all he gets.

Kissy Face

Lincoln has a new trick! He puckers his lips and keeps them that way for a while! It's so cute.

So small

Daddy and Lincoln.

Miles is a giant compared to the babies.

two peas in a pod.

Lincoln is holding tight to daddy's thumb.

Lincoln is just hanging out in the corner of the sofa.

Daddy and Julia.

The twins are so small but it seems like they look normal size in every photo. Maybe these photos will show a little better their size.

Fun at the water park

James went with Nicki, Haylee and Miles to Dry Town, Palmdale's water park. When they got there the's funny characters were there to welcome them. Miles thinks their faces are "scary!"

Lincoln and Dr. Edralin

James had to go to Utah for work within a week of the twins' birth. One of the days he was gone (May 22nd) was the day of Lincoln's circumcision. So it was up to me to get it done. (the dr asked, "so what's dad's excuse for not being here today?") Here's Lincoln with our amazing pediatrician, Dr. Edralin. Lincoln did well through the procedure, although at times he cried harder than I've ever heard him cry, even though he was given a local anesthetic. It was so sad to see, but the Dr was really great and it's all over now!

Haylee's New Lonni-Purse

So Haylee uses the little purses I've made her over the years and I guess her family calls them Lonni-Purses. Because of all the great help Nicki and Haylee gave me, I had time to make Haylee a new purse to her specifications. Here she is modeling it. It was fun to make and I'm so glad I was able to give Haylee a little presant. It wasn't easy for her to be away from her dad and brothers for such a long time and she put up with a lot from Miles!

Sewing and gifts from Haylee

Haylee made these adorable hats for the twins! She is so sweet and loves to learn to make new crafts. While she was here she got a pot holder making kit and made 4 pot holders. I attempted to teach her how to sew. She helped me with the blanket I've been making for Julia until the sewing machine started acting up. She did get a lot done but was dissapointed we didn't get to finish it! Sorry Haylee!

Fun helpers Arrive!!

Oh, cute. Haylee with Julia, Nicki with Lincoln.

Haylee making watermelon balls, and Miles eating them! "This is delicious!" says Miles.

Haylee carrying Miles around.

Nicki and Haylee drove a whole 16 hours from Eugene, Oregon to come stay and help with the tiwns!! When I told our friend Stephen he said, "oh That is pure love!!" he's right!
Nicki took care of everything, all the washing and cooking and shopping so I could keep my big elephant legs and feet ...they were sooo swollen... elevated and rest my c-section wounds. They took Miles to the park and to the store, usually coming back with a new present for Miles! Haylee was a really great to play with Miles, even though he doesn't share very well and scratched or hit her more times than I can remember. Miles really needed someone to play with and did love having them here. Haylee liked to carry him around, even though he weighs a ton! They stayed nearly two weeks and it took 2 days each way to drive. Wow!! Thanks so much guys, and thanks to my brother and his boys for living without the girls for so long. That was a real sacrifice! Now Miles goes around the house looking for them. He'll say "hey, where's Mickey? (Nicki with a congested nose sounds like Mickey!) Wheres Hay yee??"

Decorations

James surprised me with a clean house and fun balloons welcoming the babies. He also set up the porta crib in the livingroom. It think that'll be my new bedroom, at least until the twins start sleeping more than eating in the night.

Car seats

First try with a binky, she cried when we put her in the car seat. The binky helped!

This is how they look in their car seats! We went to the hospital to have their blood tested for the jaundice. It was the frist time we had everyone together to go somewhere. All 5 of us in the minivan. It was so fun. I am loving the van!! So nice to have plenty of room for all of us!

Awesome friends

Bridgette adoring Lincoln.

Afton holding Julia

Isaac and Alyssa holding Lincoln
Living far from family required us to lean on our friends for support througout my pregnancy. I had several friends from the ward that helped tremendously taking care of Miles for me while I went to my many doctor appointments. Alyssa (mom of Afton and Issaac) and took care of Miles for us countless times and had him all day the day of the delivery and the day we were discharged from the hospital so that James could be with me and also get a break! She is beyond amazing and with 2 kids of her own I know it wasn't easy. Miles just loves to be with them - when he's home with us he's always asking to go to their house.

And Bridgette, she with the help of our friend Karen came to our house with a laundry basket full of tiny clothes and other necessities she noticed we needed when she visited us at the hospital! Bridgette and Alyssa also hosted a baby shower for me one week before the babies were born. (photos to come) We're getting meals from friends and so many gifts. We're so grateful for all our amazing friend here in Palmdale, we feel so blessed!

Hospital fun

Miles getting a lift to have a good view of his siblings.

Lincoln on the window ledge. Both babies have a little jaundice. Julia. Ooh, so sweet!

Miles and the hospital room were not a good mix. Keeping him entertained was hard. He was constantly getting into trouble. His favorite mischief was pulling the emergency cord in the bathroom causing the nurses to run into the room! When he wasn't doing that, he was pushing the baby cribs around the room and usually crashing the two together. Luckily the babies were not in the cribs when the crashing happened. James let him bring playdough one day. That entertained him for a while. Unfortunately, daddy didn't get to spend much time with the twins in the hospital because Miles would just be too much and he'd have to take him home. Mommy missed Miles! Ok, she missed Daddy too!

Lonni just before leaving for the hospital

One last photo! Here's how big my belly got.

The twins are here!

A family of 5! Miles doesn't look too happy in the photo, but believe me it's not because he's mad about no longer being an only child.
Julia and Lincoln sharing a tiny hospital crib. I think it looks like she's talking to him and he's a little annoyed because he wants some peace and quiet.

On Friday May 15th, just 35 weeks and 1 day pregnant, labor surprisingly began. Lincoln Kofi Liggison Dzineku and Julia Afi Dzineku arrived at 2:18 pm. He was the first to come and she was born within the same minute. He was loud. She didn't make a peep.

Here are the stats: Lincoln was 19.5 inches and 5lbs 4oz and Julia was 19 inches and 5lbs 5oz. (at their 2 week check up with their dr we discovered the hospital got their lengths mixed up - Julia was really 19 1/2 inches and Lincoln was really 19 inches. Way to be thorough hospital people!)We left the hospital on Monday May 18th and have loved every minute of caring for them. Miles is an adoring brother and is learning to be gentle with them. They sleep through all the noise Miles makes and are eating and sleeping quite well. Both have a little jaundice but nothing to be concerned with.

Hospital Hat

I've been going through Miles' baby clothes in preparation for our new arrivals and came across the Hospital issued hat Miles wore at birth. Just for kicks I had him try it on. It fits! well, a little! When he saw the camera he ran away and hid in the cupboard so I wouldn't take his picture but I did get him! Here's one of him in the hospital wearing it. Oh, he's so big now.

Ultrasound update

Today we had our last ultrasound. Everything looks great. It estimated that she weighs 5lbs 8oz and he's not far behind at 5lbs 3oz. That's 2 lbs heavier per kid in the last 4 weeks. No wonder I'm ready to end this now! I'm 34 weeks now and if nothing changes, the twins will be delivered as scheduled on June 5th.

Diaper blow out at Target

Ok, no pictures for this one!! I'm kind of glad I didn't have my camera for this one. Miles was put on antibiotics for a sinus infection and he's had the trotts for a few days now. I needed some things at the store so I carefully planned ahead knowing he might have a diaper leak. I packed a change of clothes and a ton of wipes but left it all in the car because we were going to be quick.
Just as I put Miles in the shopping cart I said to him "Miles, tell Mommy when you need to poo poo ok?" He nodded his head - I'm sure oblivious to what I asked him to do. Well a couple minutes later he showed me his arm and said "Look Mommy yucky!" It was covered in poo. I checked his back, it was covered. Luckily the shopping cart was empty because the poo ran down into the basket, to the bottom shelf of the basket and as I am running toward the exit I see where the poo dripped all the way to where I put him in the cart! I can't tell you how embarrassed I was!! I was trying to find someone working there to tell, but no one was around. I ran to the car and cleaned Miles up and changed his clothes. I cleaned the cart as best as I could and went back into the store to see they had discovered the mess and were cleaning it up. PHEW!! We went into the bathroom to thoroughly clean our hands and left. I couldn't even go back in to shop I just had to get out of there! Miles didn't cry once. He cooperated really well even though in the end he was a little peved that we left the store after washing our hands because he wanted to go play with the toys in the toy department.

Bar of Soap

I ran out of the nice gentle liquid baby soap we bathe Miles with and thought I'd just try the regular bar soap we grown ups use... Miles loves to play with it! The first time he relaized he could dig his fingernails into it he said "Look Mommy I cut it!" (how old is he? comments like that amaze me) I have to say I can't wait to go get more baby soap... this adult stuff is drying his skin out. Maybe I'll start using the baby stuff myself.

Lonni with 6 weeks to go

Some of you have asked to see what I look like these days. Well, here it is!!! I wanted to wear a skirt today and found this one in my closet. I'm too embarrassed to admit the size. Lets just say I can't believe it fits because I bought it with James and his mom not long after Miles was born and actually wore it. It's a little depressing to realize this is how fat I was then. Lets hope with the twins out, it's too big and I have to donate it to charity.

First Dentist Appointment

My friend told me she loves her kids' dentist and so I took Miles to see her. It was scary because I Miles freaks out any time he sees someone in a white coat like most doctors wear and he HATES to have his teeth cleaned. Scary thoughts aside, it was time to take him. The Dr was so nice and had loads of cool toys, and a ton of huge stuffed animals, excellent distractions. They took this picture of him holding a huge penguin. I learned a lot from the dentist. She taught me an excellent way to, with James' help, hold Miles down to get his teeth properly cleaned. She examined him and told me he had no cavities and had 4 new molars coming through. Good to know!!

Miles had so much fun at the dentist (that is after he stopped crying from having us hold him down to clean his teeth) that I couldn't get him to leave. I wanted to take him to Disneyland since we were half way there anyway and I wanted to reward him for being a big boy... I'd tell him lets go see mickey! And he still didn't want to leave. It took about a half hour to get him to go! We did make it to Disneyland and had wonderful time. Mind you this was about 6 weeks ago. Today I'm so big I don't know that I'd venture taking Miles by myself to Disneyland. But you never know!! I might get a wild hair...

Nice Glasses

I had to post these. Miles found his sunglasses and wanted to wear them, but not for a picture!! Ha ha. He's started to say "handsome Miles!!"

He is very good at introducing himself to people we meet (and telling them "I'm 2!") like the cashier at the grocery store or a ward member we bumped into today at the bank. He differentiates women and men by mommy and daddy. We were watching Madagascar 2 and he said "Mommy Hippo". I had to say What?!! I'm that fat I look like that hippo?!! But I really knew what he meant. That was a girl hippo he was seeing.

Ward Activity

Checking out the cool old cars they have all over the ranch.

Some of the horses... they even had a huge hairy pig.

Riding the tire swing with Lexi.

Having fun on the "Bull".

Wow! He held on so tight! Good job!

Family Pic

Last Saturday we had a fun ward activity at a local horse ranch. Miles got to ride a pony for the first time! He looked so tiny on the back of the horse! In addition to horse riding, Miles loved playing on the swings with his friends, riding the bull, and wearing daddy out while I was occupied helping the Young Women sell items for our camp fund raiser. It was a very fun and busy day!