Babies Farlow

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T11:59:00.001-05:00

This was the girls first Christmas where they were really anticipating a visit from Santa Claus (Genevieve says "Kee Klaw"). Several weeks before Christmas arrived, we would look out the window each night looking for Santa in his sleigh soaring through the sky. Several times, the girls and I were able to see a quick glimpse of him and we got really excited:).

Papa Chris and Grandma Susan spent Christmas Eve with us which was so much fun. The girls adore them and really enjoy spending time with them. We had a delightful Christmas eve dinner and put the girls to bed early to make sure Santa didn't see them awake and pass by our house.

On Christmas morning, the girls woke up to a sweet surprise downstairs! Santa had brought them their own kitchen set, a bouncy rocking horse, and life-size horse and even brought them their own broom, iron/ironing board and vacuum! WOW! They must have been really good this year!

Figure 8 Island Beach Trip- 2009

2009-09-02T10:49:00.005-04:00

We had a great time staying at the "Tree House" on Figure Eight Island during the week of 8/17 - 8/21! The house we stayed in was phenomenal - just about 50 ft back from the beach with a perfect view of the ocean from the 3rd floor deck. Russ, Jennifer, Marlin and Ellarose joined us for several days of the trip and Brockie spent the entire week with us (From Saturday to Friday). Take a look at the pictures! The girls loved the beach and especially loved playing with their cousins! Click on the picture below to see more!

Valentine's Day - Feb 14, 2009

2009-02-16T09:19:00.004-05:00

Wow! What a great Valentine's Day! The girls will be 15 months on 2/28/09 and they are absorbing EVERYTHING. Genevieve is walking on her own and Sophie can walk several feet by herself - she will be running around like her sister any day now! They are really babbling now and they really think they are having their own conversations with you.

There are several small milestones that the girls have hit and various adorable things that they've done to truly begin to portray their own personalities. Genevieve loves to hug and kiss everyone she sees...although she means well, she is just a little too "rough" for some of the younger babies in her class at school. She also has gotten in trouble for biting although the teachers really don't think she is doing it on purpose- she is just trying to give kisses too:).

Dad has taught both girls how to show a "touchdown" play so when we yell, "Touchdown!", they both throw their hands in the air. They are both very intrigued with the dogs and kitty as well- they have walked up to CJ and Gizmo both and the animals actually aren't as timid as they used to be....the pets are very interested in the girls too:). Well, I think Sophie and Genevieve have really bonded over the past couple of months and have really started to play together and entertain each other...they will chase each other around the house, laughing and giggling! Everything that one is doing, the other just has to get into the same thing...they love pulling every piece of tupperware out of the cabinet - chewing on them, banging the pieces together and throwing them across the floor. Genevieve has also become quite the "fashionista" - she loves to pull their clothes out of the drawers and she is actually trying to put her socks and shoes on (as much as a 14.5 month old baby can:)).

On Saturday, we had a wonderful Valentine's Day at home with the girls. Because they absolutely love to play and crawl around on our couch, we got them their own Backyardigans couch that folds out into a bed!! What a hit!!! We cannot believe how much they absolutely love having their own piece of furniture- they both love to sit on it together, reading books and chewing on toys while watching cartoons or the Food channel. Just click on the picture to see more!!

Sophie & Genevieve turn TWO!!!

2009-02-06T11:52:00.000-05:00

My, how the time has passed so quickly....the girls turned 2 on 11/30/09. They had a small birthday party with family and neighbors on December 5 and enjoyed everyone's company immensely.

The Girls First Birthday - November 30, 2008

2008-12-03T21:14:00.007-05:00

The girls celebrated their 1st birthday today - Sunday, November 30, 2008! It's hard to believe that they're already a year old...wow, what a year it's been! We had a party with close friends and family at the Coffee Garden, across the street from our neighborhood. We had about 30 people in all and it was so much fun!!

Click on the picture to see more!!!

Girls are 10.5 months old! Can you believe it?

2008-10-13T19:06:00.005-04:00

The girls have gotten so big (click on the pic to see more)! They are in "12 month" clothes now (Sophie can still wear some smaller clothes). Genevieve officially pulled up to her feet last week (according to daycare) and she is now clapping when the music turns on. She even will dance by swaying back and forth when I sing to her- it's so funny!! Sophie is now crawling (backward) and is trying to pull up a little more on her toys. They both look for daddy when I mention his name and will both start to say "Da-da". :) Sophie loves the puppies and will reach out to pet them when we're outside.

Labor Day!

2008-09-10T13:36:00.005-04:00

We all had a great time for Labor Day this year. The girls just turned 9 months old and we wanted to do something "different" to celebrate. Usually, we stay home or head to the beach for the holiday. However, this time, Jim, the girls and I (and don't forget Gizmo)headed up to Beech Mountain to get out of the heat! Chris, Susan, Russell, Jennifer and Marlin joined us for a night and we had a great time. Marlin and the girls really bonded and it was nothing more than just a great relaxing time that we needed GREATLY.

Check out the pictures by clicking above!

7 months old today!

2008-06-30T09:17:00.002-04:00

Wow, the girls are 7 months old today!!! Genevieve had her first tooth come through last Tuesday, 6/24 (the bottom front on right side) and now has the one beside it cutting through! As of Friday, 6/28 she has also begun to say "Da Da" which has thrilled Jim to death! Sophie is doing very well and is progressing - she now bears weight better on her legs and can handle tummy time alot better than she did before! They both love to smile and giggle all the time....They are now eating solid foods three times a day and are sleeping from 7pm until 7am!

However, Gizmo (our 12.5 year old poodle) now keeps us up during the night due to his diabetes- he wakes us up at 2:30/3am every morning barking to go outside. How crazy- what a sense of humor God has! Now that the girls are sleeping, the dog isn't! He definitely needs more insulin...we just tried a new approach where we put the "Pull Ups" diapers on him at night and put him in his crate- although he barks much of the night, our sound machine in our bedroom has really come in handy:).

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-14T15:23:00.004-04:00

Happy Father's Day to Papa Kiss, Grumpy Grampy, Daddy Nims, Nanks and all of the other daddies out there! The girls wanted to show you something a little special to celebrate your big day! Click on the picture above to see it!

The girls are 6.5 months old today!

2008-06-13T10:55:00.008-04:00

Wow- has time flown! The girls were 6 months old on May 30th and they had their 6-mo doctors appointment on Monday, June 9th. Sophie was 14 lb, 11oz and Genevieve was 15 lb. 4 oz.

They are both now eating baby food 3 meals per day along with their bottles. As of early June, we officially stopped Sophie's last feeding at 10pm so both girls are now sleeping from 7pm til 7am!

Genevieve can sit up for 10-15 seconds by supporting herself on her hands and she has now begun to roll all over the place! Sophie is rolling more now and loves to sleep on her side at night- she has also just recently found her thumb which is awesome for Mommy and Daddy! Now, both girls pacify themselves with their thumbs so no more waking us up in the middle of the night to have to put their pacis back in!

Click to view some recent pictures!

Doct Appt- 4 months old!

2008-04-08T17:16:00.002-04:00

The girls are 18.5 weeks old (about 4.5 months) today and had their 4 month appt at the doctor today! Unfortunately, they had to get 3 shots and 1 vaccine by mouth - they were definitely fussy afterward and it just broke my heart to see them scream.:( But, I know it's all for a good reason!

They are continuing to get SO BIG - Genevieve is 14 lb 1 oz (60%), 24 inches long (40%) and her head is 16 inches. Sophia is not far behind at 12 lb. 13 oz. (25%), 23.5 inches long (25%) and her head is 16 inches.

We got the green light to start giving them solid foods which should be fun. We are to give them cereal for the first couple of weeks and then we can start giving them vegetables once they learn how to eat from a spoon better. Grammy and I tried giving them cereal when we got home this afternoon and they wanted nothing to do with it...that will definitely take some time:).

Happy Easter 2008!

2008-03-23T15:07:00.010-04:00

The girls went to the Sunday morning service at church for the first time! They sat in the sanctuary with us and were absolute angels. They are a little over 16 weeks old today and are really developing their own personalities at this point. They love to smile, coo and stare and Mommy & Daddy. Genevieve has officially found her thumb- although people tend to freak out about the thumb sucking, I think it is absolutely adorable and it helps to pacify her when she does not have a pacifier around.:)

Girls Dedication and Mommy's Baptism

2008-02-24T20:00:00.002-05:00

The girls were dedicated to Jesus tonight at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church and Mom was baptized for the first time- what a special night! We had many family members and friends at the church with us and then came back to our house for cake and coffee. Banks and Allison gave the girls and Mom their own Bibles with their names engraved on the front. This was truly one of the most significant and unforgettable events of our lives:).

The girls have their 2 month appt

2008-02-05T22:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the girls had their 2 month doctor's appt today and it was somewhat traumatic for Mom, Grammy and the girls. They received all of their immunizations via 3 shots and one oral medication (for RSV). I've honestly never seen the girls scream in such fear and both of their little faces turned "beat red". :(

Genevieve was 10 lbs. 9 oz. and Sophia was 9 lb. 6 oz! The doctor said they were very healthy and won't need to make a return visit again until 4 months, tentatively scheduled for April 8th at 2:15.

Girls will be 9 weeks old tomorrow 2/1!

2008-01-31T19:35:00.000-05:00

Wow, the girls are growing like weeds! Click on the picture above to see some recent pics!

1 month Doc Appt today

2008-01-10T10:08:00.000-05:00

The girls went for their one month doctor visit today and wow, have they grown! Genevieve was 4 lb 14 oz. when she left the hospital on 12/8 and she was 8 lb. 6 oz today! What a chunkster!

As of 12/21, Sophia was 6 lb. 4 oz and she was 7 lb. 11 oz today!

The girls have grown 2 inches since birth (18 in. vs. 20 in) and their heads are 14.5 inc in circumference.

They have their 2 month appt on 2/11. More to come!

The girls are one month old today!

2007-12-30T14:58:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a long & somewhat crazy month! We're so glad to finally have both of the home! They are not sleeping regularly at all and are eating like champs at this point- they both are taking between 2.5 - 3 oz at each feeding (about every 2 hours). Unfortunately, I am having to supplement with formula for just about every feeding because my body can't seem to keep up with producing enough milk for both of them. Fortunately, it continues to get a little better each and every day- I'm pumping plenty of milk about every 2-3 hours during the day and trying to nurse each of them at least 2 times every 24 hours. The Lactation Consultant recommended that we feed them via bottles for the first 4-6 weeks because they were preemies and exert alot less energy when feeding this way vs. by breast. As of the 12/21 doc appt, Sophie was already 6 lb, 4 oz (she was 5 lb 7 oz at birth) - the doc was very happy with this weight so we're doing something right! I wouldn't be surprised if Genevieve has already surpassed her sister with her weight!

For the first couple of weeks, the only clothes that really fit them were the preemie outfits (1 for each) that Jennifer Pilch bought them. I was so sure that it would be too small but luckily, I didn't have a chance to take it back before they were born. As of last week, the Newborn outfits fit them perfectly and I bet it won't be but another week or so until they outgrow those. Both of the girls have larger than normal feet (thanks to their Father:)) so they will likely move into the "0-3 months" clothes very soon.

Both Genevieve & Sophie are beginning to pull their heads up regularly and startle easily to loud noises or if you begin talking to them when they're sleeping. They also both have bad gas- I never thought someone could have gas as bad as myself but they have definitely outdone me. They both continue to smile regularly when sleeping and seem to be absorbing every little thing when they're awake. Both Sophie & Genevieve have smiled at me when awake a couple of times but I'm not quite sure if these are the "social smiles" that the doctor said should be coming soon- it's not real obvious if they truly recognize me at this point. However, they definitely open their eyes and recognize my voice if my mom or Jim are holding them.

Grammy McManus has been a HUGE help to Jim and I for this entire 4 weeks. She and I have begun alternating "shifts" at night so we are getting around 5-6 hours of sleep a piece. Without her, we simply don't know what we would do. She has also been so supportive with everything- my mood swings, the girls' very inconsistent schedules and just helping out around the house. We definitely don't expect her to do alot of these things and are forever appreciative. If I can have the relationship with these girls that my mom and I have, I couldn't ask for more. She is my best friend (in addition to Jim, of course) and will be a wonderful Grandmother to the babies.

The Girls' Birthday- 11/30/07

2007-12-10T07:36:00.000-05:00

Click on the picture to the left to see more pictures! By the way, Genevieve is on the left, Sophia is on the right:).

Babies Have Arrived- 11/30/2007

2007-12-06T06:41:00.001-05:00

Not even an hour after I placed the updated picture of my belly in the post below, my water broke on the evening of 11/29 around 7:30pm! It was very strange- just a trickle at first until we were officially on our way to the hospital. When I bent over to get my cell phone out of the floorboard, the flood gates opened and I was left sitting in a LARGE pool of water all the way to the hospital;).

We arrived at the hospital around 9pm and because I had eaten the LARGEST spaghetti dinner of my entire pregnancy (with a ton of jalapenos and tabasco) just 2 hours earlier, we were required to wait about 3-4 hours after our arrival to ensure that it was out of my system. Around 12:45am on 11/30, they took me in to the OR for the C-section. It was definitely a scary experience for me- my first epidural did not even "kick in" at all and when I asked the nurse how often this happened, I was given the reply of "Never"- OMG. They gave me a 2nd epidural and thankfully, it went into effect within 10 minutes or so and everything from nipple down was as numb as ever. However, I must have had a panic attack at that point because I was deathly afraid that the 2nd epidural would not work either.

Jim came into the OR shortly thereafter and was able to watch the entire C-section. He saw them cutting into my abdomen and saw each little girl come out butt first. He said it was truly the most amazing experience he had ever seen. Sophia was delivered at 1:26am on 11/30 and Genevieve entered the world a minute after her big sister at 1:27am.

We came home on Tuesday, 12/4 - just looking forward to bringing Genevieve home now at this point.

Pics to come in the next post!

36 weeks!

2007-11-29T18:43:00.001-05:00

35 weeks 5 days- Doc appt

2007-11-27T17:29:00.000-05:00

Well, babies are doing really well! I'm measuring 45 weeks (with a singleton)- Baby A is 6 lb 4 oz. and Baby B is 6 lb. 2 oz. - WOW. The doc told us today that it could literally be any day, especially with the light signs of labor I've been having (back pain, upset stomach, contractions). Both babies are breech (one is butt down on my cervix and the other is almost transverse (lying side to side). If I don't go into labor by next Tuesday, 12/4, there is a possibility that they may change my C-Section date to a few days sooner at 37.5 weeks. WOOHOO!

Luckily, my blood pressure was back to normal and my iron is in the normal range. Now, it's just a waiting game for when these babies may decide to come.

Everyone say some prayers!!! We're so excited and anxious at this point and this could not be at a better time for Christmas;). What a gift God is giving us.

Doctor Visit today- 11/14/07- Almost 34 weeks!

2007-11-14T16:53:00.000-05:00

Everything is still going well- I'm measuring around 42 weeks today with one baby- wow, can my body take much more? Actually, I'm still feeling pretty good except for the sheer exhaustion- no sleep is really beginning to take a toll on me physically and mentally.

I set up an official hospital appt. today for delivery on 12/13 at 1pm (will be 38 weeks)! This is Stacey Denning's birthday so if they "stay in there" this long, it is a very special day! However, the doc chuckles when we discuss 38 weeks because the avg. twin gestation is around 35.5 to 36 weeks. It does happen but based on her experience, she doesn't see me going any further than 37 weeks! I think I will be begging to get them out of here by then!

33.5 Weeks and counting!

2007-11-11T16:39:00.000-05:00

They're getting bigger every day and boy, are they active! I am measuring about 40 weeks (with one baby)! We officially have the nursery ready which is great news- all clothes washed, bassinets assembled and now all we need are the babies!:)

P.S. Sorry- need to clean the mirror.

32 week Ultrasound

2007-10-31T16:45:00.000-04:00

We went for another ultrasound today! Baby A is 4 lbs. 10 oz. and Baby B is 3 lb. 15 oz. The doctor tells us that they are right on schedule with size/weight and will likely be around 6 lb. each at 36 weeks! Baby B posed for the camera for quite a few great shots (to the left), Baby A did not want to turn over unfortunately so we couldn't get much more than the back of her head....I think she is the one that is more like

Jim!

The good news is that the doctor has confirmed that everything is going well and assuming things continue as they are, I am off of full bedrest for the time being. I have decided as long as I've feeling well, I am going to go back to work for a few weeks to keep my mind busy.

P.S. I think Baby B has my lips!:)

Babies' Nursery

2007-10-06T15:10:00.001-04:00

Still a little ways to go but almost finished (thanks to everyone who assisted!):

Going on 29 weeks and counting!

2007-10-06T14:27:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm getting bigger by the day! I've officially gained about 40 lbs and the girls are more active than ever making Mommy very uncomfortable. In my doc. appt. on Wednesday, 10/3, I was measuring about 37 weeks with a singleton. Dr. Whitten told me my last day of work is on Friday, Oct. 5th which was somewhat of a shock and has been quite difficult to absorb. However, I know that I'm doing what's best for these babies and want to keep them in there as long as possible. The girls are definitely on different schedules and seem to sleep frequently already throughout the day- they get really active after eating Italian food (pizza or spaghetti)- I'm thinking now that they will not come out with sombreros on after all but may be saying "Mama Mia" instead:). I think their favorite times to harrass Mommy are around 10pm at night (as she is trying to go to sleep) and lately around 4am in the morning.

My Baby Shower!!!

2007-09-23T09:04:00.000-04:00

My baby shower could not have been more perfect- Allison, Jodie and my mom put everything together and it was definitely one of the most special days that I've ever had. A total of around 45 people dropped by and I actually saw many people that I had not see in years....my cousins, Carol, Carmen and Candace, Julie and Brenda Wells, Cindy & Ashley Gilleland and many others! Conner was a perfect "assistant" with helping me open the babies' gifts and Jodie "fanned" me throughout the event because I was unfortunately feeling very light-headed from the heat...it was certainly a combination of having all of the people there at the same time and I'm sure that a good reason I was feeling so flushed was simply due to pregnancy.

Just click on the picture above to see the shower - if you were at the shower and have some more pictures, please send them our way - we honestly didn't get enough and I'd like to add some!:

25 Weeks - Can I get any bigger???

2007-09-14T19:00:00.000-04:00

23 weeks and growing!!!

2007-08-30T19:00:00.000-04:00

Wow- what a BIG Belly! Those girls are really growing and mom is definitely feeling the difference....unfortunately, I've had major back problems, headaches and difficulty sleeping. The doctors have told us that "they don't mess around with twins" so depending upon my progress, precautions may have to be taken to ensure that the babies remain healthy and happy (and mommy does too).

We're headed to Hawaii!!!

2007-07-05T08:48:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday morning, June 26th (around 8am), Jim and I headed to Honolulu from Phoenix for our last big vacation before the babies come! We had a great time and had some time just to ourselves for a few days. Click on the picture below to see more!

May 10th, 2007- Ultrasound confirms it's twins!!!!

2007-05-10T19:57:00.000-04:00

We had our first ultrasound today! And GUESS WHAT? It's TWINS! See the video here:

Note: Daddy is a little shaky;)

Daddy talks...

2007-05-04T13:19:00.000-04:00

Weird cravings that Julie has had so far as witnessed by Nims:
Beans - Yogurt - Green Olives - virgin bloody Marys

Last Blood Test Confirms....

2007-04-23T08:30:00.000-04:00

3rd and last beta test was successful!! HCG levels were at 8,753! First ultrasound scheduled for 5/10 to hear the heartbeat and to find out how many little ones are in there!!!

2nd Blood Test Looks Good!

2007-04-19T08:08:00.000-04:00

2nd Beta test this morning. Results came back great at 2,411 HCG and prog./estrogen tests are again great.

1st Blood Test after the Embryo Transfer...

2007-04-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

The big day!!! The official first beta test to determine if we're pregnant. I arrive at REACH early in the morning for bloodwork and head into the office. I would not know the results immediately but would know them in the afternoon. After playing phone tag with Alice around 2pm, I finally get in touch with her and the first thing she says is "You already know the answer to the test results...." (She already knew that I had taken the home pg tests:). She confirmed that the test was positive!! My HCG level was 873 which is right on target and my progesterone and estrogent levels were great as well. She scheduled my 2nd beta test for Thursday, April 19th.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting....

2007-04-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

Over the period of the next 3 days, I will end up giving CVS a large chunk of our life's funds to buy pregnancy tests! All in all, FIVE pregnancy tests are taken from Friday to Sunday and guess what???? They're all POSITIVE! Jim is thinking I'm an absolute psycho at this point because it's all I can think about....he's not exactly incorrect!!!

Could it be? Nine more possilities of a little Nims or Nulies?

2007-04-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

Spoke with Alice who informed us that we officially have 9 frozen embryos....even if it doesn't work this time, we have NINE more opportunities! Kitty can relate since he has nine lives....

Big Day- Transfer of the Embryos!!!

2007-04-12T13:00:00.000-04:00

Well! Today's the big day! We're heading to the REACH office shortly for a Day-5 transfer.
8:30: We arrive at the REACH office and are pretty quickly taken back to the same faux-room that we were in on Saturday. Same routine, put my "scrubs" on and around 9:15, Dr. Teaff arrives to introduce herself to my mother and again to Jim. She will be doing the transfer and she informs us that we have 2 very high quality embryos that we will be transferring. She also comments that these are "beautiful" embryos.
Around 9:40am, a nurse arrives to take me back to the same OR as the retrieval. Dr. Teaff and some other nurses greet me on my arrival and explain a little about how the process will be done. On the left side, there is a flat-screen monitor that is filming the extraction of the embryos from a TINY drop of fluid in the lab. On the right side, there is another flat screen where they begin performing an ultrasound to help guide Dr. Teaff to the correct place for the embryo "drop off".
For this procedure, I am awake and luckily, only takes about 20 minutes. At this point, I am a little uncomfortable with the long tube being directed WAY up inside but overall, it wasn't too bad. I am able to see the embryos transferred into my uterus via ultrasound and am told "ok, we're done!". Next was very interesting....we had to wait for exactly one minute and then a nurse went back into the lab to confirm that the embryos were successfully transferred and were not still present in the tube. On the left flat screen, you can see the liquid that contained the embryos begin sifted through under the microscope and shortly thereafter, the nurse yells, "All clear!". Everything had gone as planned and was successfuly thus far.
Before long, Jim and I would enter into the longest 11 days of our lives....until the official first pregnancy test.

How many embryos sitting in a petri dish?

2007-04-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

Alice, my IVF nurse called this morning to inform us that there were now 19 embryos that were still alive and kicking. 13 of those however were in optimal condition and would be most promising for a successful pregnancy. The IVF transfer is still scheduled for Thursday and the time has been set to 9am.

Nurse Jeff calls to deliver progress....

2007-04-08T08:17:00.000-04:00

We received a call from Nurse Jeff (a female) who updated us on the progress of the embryos. As of today, all 24 were still viable and she would update us again on Tuesday with further progress. We tentatively scheduled my embryo transfer for Thursday, April 12th. Good news!!!

After all the shots, drugs and anticipation....

2007-04-07T08:18:00.000-04:00

Today is the first big day of our IVF process! The egg retrieval is scheduled for 1pm at the REACH office and everyone is a little nervous about the procedure! My mom, Jim and I arrive promptly at 12:30 and we're quickly taken back into the room where we will be "planted" for a good while (It's not really a room but more like an ER where the rooms are separated by curtains). I change into a very stylish (haha) gown, booties and cap which is required for the OR due to its sterility.
Around 1pm, the nurse comes in to put the IV in my hand although of course, she does not start the anesthesia yet (only saline). Around 1:15, I give my mom and Nims kisses and then walk back to the OR with the nurse and Dr. Wing. Shortly after arriving in the OR, they begin my anesthesia and within 10 secs, I'm out. Next thing I know, I wake up back in the room with Nims and Mom staring at me. The funny thing is that as I was coming to, I told my mom that I wanted a biscuit with jelly, not the K-mart brand (?)! As my mom began talking to me as I was coming back to earth, I told her that she didn't sound like herself....she sounded like an alien! Wow- that anesthesia was great!!!
I had to lay down on my back to recover for about 30 minutes. During that time, the nurse informed us that there had been 24 eggs retrieved! Wow, all of the shots and medications had really put my egg production on overdrive!
We were soon released and eager to hear about how our 24 "babies" would grow over the next couple of days!