Little momma

We recently visited family a few weekends ago. Macey played with a babydoll that had a diaper on it and she was instantly in love. She loved changing the doll's diaper numerous times (i.e. taking the diaper off, using a wipe, and putting the same diaper back on). She had already been playing with her stuff animals and pretending they were her babies as well as playing with her dolls, but once she saw that babydoll with a diaper her love for playing babies intensified. I've had to put a diaper on a stuffed duck, elephant, and who knows what else as well as her babydolls. She also loves to put blankets around her babies/stuffed animal and rock them. Or she'll lay her babies down with blankets on them. I come home many times to find babies/stuff animals laid out on the couch with blankets on them. She's such a good little momma. She still worries about where her brother or sister are if both of them are not awake. I love how she will ask me "Where's sister", as if it's her responsibility to keep track of them. She loves them so.

Blessings

A friend shared this website on facebook a few days ago (warning, have many tissues when you visit this site). This family's story is absolutely amazing. I do not know them nor do I know if the friend who shared it knows them. There are so many times when we think we know where our life is going, but truly it is not up to you. If you look at your life in those terms then some of the things you may worry about or may fret over no longer seem that big. Everyday I get to spend with my family is a day I should cherish more.

11 months and counting

11 months old today. They are busy 11 month olds.

Camryn is a singer, climber and a foodie. She sings with the hairdryer, sings when she hears a song and sings with you. Even if it is just "ahhhhhhhh" really loud, she's singing. She's one strong booger. She climbs on everything. There are absolutely no limits to what she will climb or attempt to climb. Just today I caught her trying to climb the oven by hanging from the oven door handle and putting her feet up on the door. She also gets on one of Macey's riding toys by herself, that's coordination. She's getting closer to walking. She'll walk with just holding one of my hands. Eat, she loves to eat. She will be done with what I give her within minutes. I hardly turn around and she's already done eating. And don't even think about taking food away from her once she's got it in her hand, or face a professional 11 month old tantrum (screaming and writhing included). Eat in front of her and don't share, if you dare. She will hold a grudge as well. You hurt her feelings (i.e don't share your food) and she won't forgive you quickly.

Miles is animated, a talker, and a head hugger. He is so bubbly and passionate. He squeals in excitement every morning when Sean or I go get them out of the bed. He will be crawling or cruising and will laugh at every move. He still thinks I'm pretty funny. After I read to them at night I ask if I can have a kiss and grin at them. Miles will grin back with those charming eyes all while keeping his two fingers in his mouth. He won't take them out when I go in for a kiss and that cracks him up. I have to take them out of his mouth and he thinks that's funny too. He has always been my little talker. Now he's copying a lot of what he hears. He definitely knows "ball" and uses it correctly. His little face lights up as he picks up a ball and says "ball" over and over. He loves playing ball. He's also said several other words, my little parrot. He loves to give you head hugs. He will bury his head in you as that's his way of giving you a hug. Miles is getting closer to walking too, but thankfully he doesn't climb as much as his sister (I don't think I could handle two climbers at the same time). He likes to push around those push toys and any other object that will push easily. He's also been caught pushing Camryn around on the riding toy that she can get on by herself. There's one of many advantages of having twins, they push each other around instead of mom/dad having to break their backs bending over to push them!

Some cute moments we've been about to experience in these 11 months are Miles and Camryn giving each other kisses, them laughing and talking to each other, Macey, Miles and Camryn playing chase around the kitchen island, Miles/Camryn stealing food from each other, Macey being a little momma to both of them, Miles and Camryn reaching for and holding each other's hand while riding in their carseats in the car, Macey getting worried about her brother/sister as someone walked away holding them, all three of them "attacking" us when we lay on the floor to play with them...there are so many.

Update on Allergies

So I talked with Miles' allergist doctor today. Apparently either the lab made a mistake or he did when filling out the lab request because we were suppose to test for peanuts as well, but instead got the results for pecans. So we know Miles' isn't allergic to pecans, but I'm certain he's allergic to peanuts since he had a horrific hive experience just by coming in contact with peanut butter (on his skin, never eaten it). His doctor also referred us to some reputable websites. The food allergy website the kids with food allergy website. Lots of recipes for no egg, no milk, no wheat, no soy foods. I even found a recipe to make your own "flour" out of rice flour and some additional starches (potato, arrowroot and tapioca).

Our biggest challenge will be keeping Macey from sharing her food with Miles. She loves to give them food. I've started telling her that it will make him sick if she gives it to him. We'll see how that goes. That could backfire on us.

I asked the doctor if he felt we needed an epi-pen as he had mentioned that in our first visit with him. He said that he would call one in for us. We don't know what his response would be if he ingested eggs or peanuts. He also stated that by removing the items he's been eating from his system if he was to ingest some he could have a more severe reaction than what he has shown.

Good grief...

We took Miles to a pediatric allergist last week. We have witnessed some additional reactions with food that made us suspect he had some allergies. The blood tests came back today and we were right. Milk, eggs, soy, wheat and dust mites all made the list. I also think he's got an intolerance/allergy to peanuts. So what do you give a 10 month old that is allergic to milk and soy? The answer is Elecare. Where do you get it? You got me. Luckily the allergist gave me several samples of it. What is it made of? Good question. It's an amino acid based formula.

Photo shoot day!

Ok, I'm a little late in posting this. Saturday morning we met with an AWESOME photographer and had family photos done. It was an 8am shoot and we met her at Mayfield park in Austin. Lots of ironing, packing, planning, and more planning the night before and then getting a jump start in the morning enabled us to only be 5 or 10 minutes late! Daddy was dragging his feet a bit (got sidetracked playing with the babies, who can blame him) or we may have been a little earlier. But we did manage to leave the house around 7:20. We were hoping to beat the heat, but after we got there and unloaded everything, I was already sweating. It was really humid! The kids didn't seem to be so bothered by it though. Poor Christina, the photographer, she had the hardest job! She did so well with Macey, who was the most uncooperative. There are tons of peacocks at this park and she wanted to chase the birds instead of smile for the camera. Well, Macey wanted to do a lot of other things (exploring, picking up feathers, etc) than smiling for the camera. Christina was so great at getting Macey's attention and corralling her to get some good pictures of her. She got some amazing pictures of us.

You can view the pictures on her website. Click on either html or flash and then click on "client". Our password is "jones". She's loading them as she completes them. I can't wait to see more! She's awesome!

Summer events

Nothing much going on in the Hardeman household. Just chasing babies. Miles and Camryn are on the move. Miles loves to walk around and cries when you stop holding his hands. He's a little cautious about his moves, but he makes them. He has times when he shows no fear, but overall he's calculating about the things he's going to do. Camryn has no fear, NONE. She's a climber. I thought Macey was bad (and she is), but somehow Camryn has managed to top her. She tries to climb EVERYTHING. She's tried to climb up on the side of the tub while she's taking a bath. She's successfully climbed up on a little kid sized wooden rocker. Not only climbed up on it, but stood in it while holding onto the back. She's climbed onto the bench of the kid-sized picnic table and stood on the bench seat while holding onto the tabletop. She tries to get her legs up on anything. Her latest feat was accomplished while holding onto the window sill and trying to see her daddy who was outside, she stood on the baseboards to lift herself up. Yep, those 1/4 inch thick things that only tiny toes can get on, she stood on it. They both can climb the stairs, oh boy. They are both letting go with one hand and maneuvering around to the next piece of furniture. And Camryn will pull up on the wall/cabinet/dishwasher and bang on it, letting go with both hands as she's banging. Macey thinks that jumping and then throwing her feet out from underneath her and landing on her bottom is so much fun. Of course this is done on the couch, bed, anything soft. And a lot of times is done to dismount from said piece of furniture.

We took them swimming this past weekend. It wasn't so daunting of a task. They all loved it. I was a little hesitant at putting Miles in the water since his skin is so sensitive, but he did fine, no rash/irritation. Thankfully only one of the three is walking. Next summer should be interesting should we decide to take them swimming.

I don't have any recent pictures since Sean took control of the camera again.