Warning: Serious Cuteness Ahead!!!
what not to say to a grieving mother
1 day ago
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Mother's Day 2012
Aaron and I took our mothers out for dinner at Cracker Barrel last Sunday for Mother's Day. Below are some of the pictures that my sister took of Abel and Belle...they had a great time in both the store and at the restaurant!
Warning: Serious Cuteness Ahead!!!
Warning: Serious Cuteness Ahead!!!
Friday, May 4, 2012
11 Months Old!
I can't believe that a month from today, Abel and Belle will be one year old! Crazy. Aaron had a business trip this week, so the babies, dog and I drove to Columbia and spent some time with family. Below are some pictures of our trip. Abel and Belle went with my mom and me to the bakery to order their 1st birthday cakes for next month, Taco Bell, and to the pool for the first time. They also got a few new toys from other relatives. They had a very exciting week!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Thoughts on Feedings: Formula, Breast milk and Solids
Not too long ago, I was talking to a soon to be pastor's wife about formula feeding our babies and how we both felt that in Christian circles, it is almost considered "Christian" to breast feed. We have sometimes felt that other Christian moms looked down on our decision not to breast feed. Below are the questions that Aaron and I thought through when deciding not to breast feed our babies.
1) Does the Bible call this thing I'm considering a sin? If yes, then my decision stops here. I must choose not to engage in that thing that nailed Jesus to the cross.
2) Can this be done to God's glory? Would I be able to lovingly acknowledge my Savior and give Him credit in this?
3) Can we financially afford this?
4) Do we simply want to do this?
Once we established that we weren't sinning, would be able to glorify God in caring for our children through their feedings, we moved onto the other questions that you obviously know our answer to.
Abel and Belle have never had a drop of breast milk. While in the NICU, they had what their nurse called a "cotton swab" dab of colostrum for a few days...that was it. And by God's grace alone, they have thrived. At their 9 month well visit in March, they had both caught up in weight with their birth age and not adjusted age. Belle was in the 48th percentile weighing in at over 19 lbs and Abel was in the 50th percentile weighing in at over 20 lbs. Again, by God's grace alone, they have been generally healthy even after being born at 31 weeks (although Abel did have an infection while in the NICU that was treated with antibiotics - breast milk antibodies wouldn't have cured this infection). They have each had a mild cold and the occasional runny nose, like most babies and children. But, that is it - no other illnesses at all (not even the common stomach bug). They have also been in various church childcare settings (Sunday morning worship, small group meetings in homes, special classes, etc) with other children on a weekly basis since around 6 months old. While breast milk does provide great antibodies, there are other factors that determine your baby's health and immune system's strength. I was breast fed for 6 weeks (not in day care) and my sister never had a drop of breast milk or colostrum (attended daycare) and my mom says she was far healthier than I was as a baby. As a pediatrician told me, formula has been improved over the years and all that is missing out of today's formula are the antibodies.
We also started solids at 4 months old, mainly because I thought the weight of solids would stay down better than their formula due to their acid reflux. Unfortunately, solids didn't make a difference in their reflux but they liked their solids, so I just continued feeding them increasing solids.
Again, my heart in this post is to be humble and encourage a mom who may be struggling to breast feed or simply doesn't want to but feels guilty for considering formula. It is not a sin, so be encouraged that you can choose not to breast feed to the glory of God. I think breast feeding does have some awesome benefits and if God ever blesses us with another baby, I might breast feed. However, with the twins, breast feeding just didn't interest me. Most mothers long for the bonding that nursing can bring between a mother and baby, but for some reason, I didn't have that desire (I know I'm weird - Ha!). When I was considering breast feeding, it was more because I thought that as a Christian mommy, others expected that of me and I was cowering to fear of man. I have had a great time picking out fun colored bottles and mixing powered milk and water to the glory of God! And kudos to my breast feeding mommies out there - I have heard that nursing is hard so way to go! You have more drive in this area than I did with Abel and Belle. :)
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)
1) Does the Bible call this thing I'm considering a sin? If yes, then my decision stops here. I must choose not to engage in that thing that nailed Jesus to the cross.
2) Can this be done to God's glory? Would I be able to lovingly acknowledge my Savior and give Him credit in this?
3) Can we financially afford this?
4) Do we simply want to do this?
Once we established that we weren't sinning, would be able to glorify God in caring for our children through their feedings, we moved onto the other questions that you obviously know our answer to.
Abel and Belle have never had a drop of breast milk. While in the NICU, they had what their nurse called a "cotton swab" dab of colostrum for a few days...that was it. And by God's grace alone, they have thrived. At their 9 month well visit in March, they had both caught up in weight with their birth age and not adjusted age. Belle was in the 48th percentile weighing in at over 19 lbs and Abel was in the 50th percentile weighing in at over 20 lbs. Again, by God's grace alone, they have been generally healthy even after being born at 31 weeks (although Abel did have an infection while in the NICU that was treated with antibiotics - breast milk antibodies wouldn't have cured this infection). They have each had a mild cold and the occasional runny nose, like most babies and children. But, that is it - no other illnesses at all (not even the common stomach bug). They have also been in various church childcare settings (Sunday morning worship, small group meetings in homes, special classes, etc) with other children on a weekly basis since around 6 months old. While breast milk does provide great antibodies, there are other factors that determine your baby's health and immune system's strength. I was breast fed for 6 weeks (not in day care) and my sister never had a drop of breast milk or colostrum (attended daycare) and my mom says she was far healthier than I was as a baby. As a pediatrician told me, formula has been improved over the years and all that is missing out of today's formula are the antibodies.
We also started solids at 4 months old, mainly because I thought the weight of solids would stay down better than their formula due to their acid reflux. Unfortunately, solids didn't make a difference in their reflux but they liked their solids, so I just continued feeding them increasing solids.
Again, my heart in this post is to be humble and encourage a mom who may be struggling to breast feed or simply doesn't want to but feels guilty for considering formula. It is not a sin, so be encouraged that you can choose not to breast feed to the glory of God. I think breast feeding does have some awesome benefits and if God ever blesses us with another baby, I might breast feed. However, with the twins, breast feeding just didn't interest me. Most mothers long for the bonding that nursing can bring between a mother and baby, but for some reason, I didn't have that desire (I know I'm weird - Ha!). When I was considering breast feeding, it was more because I thought that as a Christian mommy, others expected that of me and I was cowering to fear of man. I have had a great time picking out fun colored bottles and mixing powered milk and water to the glory of God! And kudos to my breast feeding mommies out there - I have heard that nursing is hard so way to go! You have more drive in this area than I did with Abel and Belle. :)
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Twin Dachshund Onesies!
Ashley bought and mailed these onesies to Abel and Belle last summer as a baby gift. She ordered them in a 6-12 month so that they would be able to wear them this Spring/Summer. They wore them for the first time last Tuesday night for our church's home group meeting. We have a chocolate, long haired miniature dachshund named, Toby. As you can see, Abel is wearing the boy/top half and Belle is wearing the girl and bottom half of a dachshund. This is so fitting, seeing as they LOVE our dog, especially Abel! I wish Toby had gotten in the picture but we were in a hurry and trying to get a quick shot of Abel and Belle before leaving...
Thank you, Ashley - We love our dachshund onesies!!! Love, Abel & Belle
P.S. Ashley was in the same embryo adoption cycle as our first two frozen embryo transfers at the NEDC. However, they didn't return for a third. Rather, they adopted their sweet daughter through domestic infant adoption a year ago...check our her blog to learn more about her family's story.
Thank you, Ashley - We love our dachshund onesies!!! Love, Abel & Belle
P.S. Ashley was in the same embryo adoption cycle as our first two frozen embryo transfers at the NEDC. However, they didn't return for a third. Rather, they adopted their sweet daughter through domestic infant adoption a year ago...check our her blog to learn more about her family's story.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sitting Up, Valentine's Day, My Birthday, and Pictures!
Abel and Belle are growing up so quickly now! They can both sit up alone and Belle is army crawling...soon to be real crawling. Both have cut the same 2 teeth on their bottom gums. They had their 2nd appointment with the Occupational Therapist last week (she meets with them every 4 months until their 1st birthday since they were born prematurely) and they are doing fantastic! Belle is developmentally at her birthage - between 7-8 months old. Abel is developmentally at his adjusted age - 6-7 months old. They are wearing 6-9 month clothing, in size 3 diapers, and eating grains, fruits, veggies, meats, snack puffs, yogurt, and pudding now...and drinking 25-30 oz of formula a day. They still struggle with reflux, especially Belle, but it has improved some since their newborn phase. Belle has been able to sleep in her crib since November now, which is a HUGE praise! They sleep 12 hours a night (which started at the end of November) and take about a 1-2 hour nap a day in their swings which they are quickly outgrowing! Below are 3 slideshows of Abel, Belle, and other festivities (photos taken by my talented sister, Grace). Since my birthday is on Valentine's Day, Aaron and I went on a date to Longhorn Steakhouse while our pastor and wife baby-sat the twins - what a gift they gave us! :) Sadly, Aaron is not in any of the pictures below because he had his Annual Physical Inventory at his store and worked all weekend so Abel, Belle, and I spent the weekend with my family and celebrated mine and my sister's birthdays. We are so blessed that God chose us to shepherd Abel and Belle...we love them so much and are so grateful for them!
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