One Week Old

**The twins are now technically 3 weeks old but I have been really bad at posting so here is an update**

Avonlea is our little fighter.  The nurses are very polite and use the term "feisty" but we all know what that means.  In my family we always joked about having the "Danish Temper" and we blame our heritage on many of our blow ups (stories of our hard headed female ancestors help keep this stereotype alive).  Well it seems that our little Avonlea has inherited that same cursed/blessed trait.  

The nurses will tell us stories about how she will get her feet under her little 2 lb 14 oz frame and fling her body in a fit of rage over not being swaddled.  I didn't believe them until I saw it myself when I unswaddled her to take her temperature.  She woke right up looked at me with her big blue eyes and let how the most heartbreaking little squeal.  But that squeal then turned in to a scream and she began to kick and push my hand away.

Even with her rage she is THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL I HAVE EVER SEEN (but I may just be a little biased).  When she is happy and awake she will just blink her eyes and make cooing sounds.  She will wrap her tiny hand around your finger and act as if she could stay like that forever.  I guess her beauty will be her way to snag a man despite her temper (worked for me...joke).

Rhett is our gentle giant (well not too giant).  He is sweet as peach pie and the nurses LOVE him.  He has peed on almost everyone in the NICU but they still love him (and no one likes to be peed on).  When he wakes up he will just look around until he is noticed and doesn't make a fuss. He is now in an open crib and we love having more interaction with him.  Clay likes to pretend to tickle him and Rhett will just blink at him as if he is embarrassed of his dad (Clay is becoming more like Phil from Modern Family everyday).

He is just so trusting and content, which Clay says that Rhett gets from him.  When I hold Rhett he will look up at me and then fall asleep immediately.  I think he remembers what my heart sounds like and seems happy to have the familiar sound ( he was always up in my ribs during my pregnancy so he probably knows my heartbeats pretty well).

I can see his little personality already and know he is going to be a quite leader.  I imagine that when his friends ask permission to hang out on weekends that because Rhett will be there they know there won't be trouble.  A few nurses have said that they see Rhett being the "little big" brother who will take the blame when feisty Avonlea has broken the rules...I can see that too.

Clay and I love them so much and it breaks our hearts to leave them each night.  In fact I have made a rule that we can't leave until they are both asleep.  This rule was made after leaving one night while Avonlea was being so cute and awake.  We got out into the parking lot and I broke down crying (poor pedestrians walking past us must have thought someone died...but it was just my heart shattering as I left two huge pieces inside that nursery).  After that time we put the new rule into effect and it has worked out better.

This situation sucks and sometimes it is hard to see the blessings that make it possible for us to continue to function.  So here is a small list of blessings we have received:

We are blessed that the babies are doing so well.  

We are blessed because of the amazing hospital they are in.  

We are blessed to have an income/insurance so we don't have financial stress on top of this.  

We are blessed because of the support and prayers from family and friends.  

We are blessed that the twins seem to be progressing without any major set back.  

We are blessed to have a strong marriage that has allowed us to relay on each other.  

We are blessed to have these kids in our lives.

Well enough with my attempt to "humble brag" I need to go finish getting the nursery set up for when they come home.