The Joy of Twins!

We just turned 4!

2011-12-11T12:58:00.001-08:00

2010-09-22T12:33:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since the last post. I have plenty of updates for you. The girls are three now and still give me a run for my money. I will update soon.

Jail Break

2009-10-09T21:15:00.000-07:00

2009-09-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

Pool Sharks

2009-09-25T22:52:00.000-07:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Reese & Riley

2009-09-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

2009-07-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

Shoe's and carts

2009-05-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

Reese being a stinker

2008-12-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

Reese & Riley's first time at the beach.

2008-12-09T19:45:00.000-08:00

2008-12-01T21:33:00.000-08:00

Reese & Riley from Birth to 9 months

2008-11-26T23:27:00.000-08:00

Mom's precious pumpkins

2008-10-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Reese(left) & Riley (right)- I love this picture of the girls. It shows how much they already love each other. It's great watching them grow up together. It's not always sweetness but when it is, boy-o-boy is it ever precious.

This is a rare photo with mom (me) in

the picture. It always seems like everything is so hectic. This day however was great as I was able to spend it with my entire family.

These are the best pumpkins I've ever seen. My lovely husband and beautiful girls. They are the very reason I have many thanks this Thanksgiving and for many more to come.

Riley's having her say in picking out the biggest, best pumpkin.

Our three ladies. Here's to raising strong, independent, loving, kind and generous women. It's scary to think that I am and will be their biggest role model. I hope I have gained enough wisdom, love, elegance, faith and compassion from the wonderful women in my life so I can successfully pass these mannerisms along to my lovely daughters.

I love them so much, it makes me want to cry. - Forever Grateful-

Mommy 10-29-08

Our little walking babies

2008-10-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

The girls are so cute when they walk around. They hold their hands up to balance and look like little chickens running around. Reese has mastered the art of climbing up on the couch and Riley is soon to follow.

Riley Kissing Mike Barone III

2008-10-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Riley's first crush.

Dolfans

2008-10-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Don't blink, we are almost one!

2008-09-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Reese showing her love for the Miami Dolphins.

Riley likes the Dolphins too.

Ronnie Brown better not get hurt again this year Daddy, we can't afford another 1 win season!

Like my tricks?

Reese being cute as a button.

Riley, Mike Barone III and Reese

Our first bath with a boy! Yikes!

Riley with a Mohawk.

Play Time.

Yes we are too cute!

11 Months old - starting to walk

2008-08-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

These babies are so ready to walk. They are standing on their own and even taking a few steps. Reese has been doing very well and riley is starting to get the hang of it.

9 months and counting

2008-06-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

All that I can say is that the last 9 months have been a blur. The girls are growing so fast that I can't believe that they are almost walking. Both girls are so close that it scares me. Reese is gaining speed in her crawling that she is gone if you turn your back for one second and Riley is now just able to sit down after she pulls herself up to stand. What an amazing time we have had watching these girls grow.

We have introduced the girls to the pool and do they ever love it. They love to float on their baby rafts and splash in the pool. It is so cut to watch them splash each other in both the baby pool and the regular pool.

Riley has decided that she wants to stay awake much later than we want her to. After a long day, we usually put the girls down at 8:00 PM. The past week Riley has screamed so much that we get her and bring her into the family room to watch TV for about 45 more minutes to get her ready for bed. Reese on the other hand is waking up at 6:00 AM ready to rock and roll. If only they would stick to the same sleeping schedule.

Memorial Day

2008-05-28T20:18:00.001-07:00

Reese breaking it down

2008-05-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

Watch the first 30 seconds of this video and you can see how Reese really breaks it down.

7 1/2 Months

2008-05-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

The girls are starting to climb on everything. Reese is so strong that we can't keep her still. She wiggles out of every hold and takes off doing the inch worm. Riley can sit all by herself and is talking to us every chance she gets. This is such a special time to watch them grow. It just goes so fast, I can't believe that they both weigh 13 + lbs already.

Riley's first word

2008-04-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

7 months old and crawling

2008-04-09T15:36:00.000-07:00

The girls have started to crawl and it is not too easy to keep them in one place. Reese was first to crawl and she can really move now. Riley is doing the backwards crawl but Reese has the forward crawl down pat.

The picture to the right is of Riley and Reese with Reese's favorite toy her purple Octopus. When ever she sees it she gets really excited. If Riley touches it, Reese gets upset.

Tay and Riley.

Tay and Reese.

Mommy and Riley.

Riley and Reese looking at each other. This is right before Reese steals the pacifier.

Riley has already gotten two teeth.

Reese loves her bouncy chair.

The twin picture that everyone has of their twins.

"Daddy what in the world are you doing"?

Cell Mates.

Hi Daddy!

New Pictures

2008-03-15T08:30:00.001-07:00

Reese is trying to crawl

2008-03-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

The girls are starting to really move around

2008-02-25T18:02:00.001-08:00

Look out house here they come. Approaching the six month mark and Reese and Riley are really on the move. They both roll both ways and hold themselves up while on their stomaches with their arms. It is so cute to see them moving. When we put them in their cribs at night, you never can beleive where they end up the next time that you check on them.

Time sure passes quickly!

2008-02-07T17:20:00.000-08:00

The girls are 149 days old (5 months) and it feels like only a few days ago I was at the hospital. Both Reese and Riley are totally rolling over and geting bigger every day. I think they are both about 12 lb's now. They are sleeping pretty well throught the night but still wake up very early (sometimes 4:00 AM). I am really enjoying the little changes that happen everyday. They both are learning what their voices can do and the sounds that they are doing are just fantastic.

Bath Time 4 Months old

2008-01-10T18:05:00.001-08:00

Too cute!

What you looking at fool?

Me and my Best friend.

Grandmama & Grandpapa

2008-01-05T19:54:00.000-08:00

Grandma & Grandpa Gervais finally got to see the babies. Without them there would be no babies! It is so great the my grandparents get to see their great grand children!!!! My Grandmother turned 88 and Grandpa turned 84. They have truly lived a full life. I love them both and will look up to them long after they are gone. I love you Grandma & Grandpa.

Grand Mama & Grand Papa with the Twins

2008-01-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Jayson's Grandma & Grandpa Gervais got to spend some time with Reese & Riley.

Christmas

2008-01-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

Tay and I both enjoy the Wii

Michelle has really been amazing!!!! If I just had twins on September 11th I would not have been able to do the things that Michelle has done. She is a Freak of Nature!!!! For all of you reading this that know Michelle, you already know. What a blessing to have Michelle stay home with the twins, take care of Taylor and make sure that I am content. Michelle is a SAINT. I try to help her as much as I can with the babies but she has to take the majority of the work.

The twins like to rock out with the Jungle gym. Just to give you an update, Reese is able to roll over at will and Riley is laughing all the way. I am so shocked at how far my girls have progressed. It is truly amazing!!!!!!!!!!! These girls are so pretty, don't you agree?????

Mommy, the head band is going to leave a deep groove in my precious head.

What????????

Pure Sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Double Up?

New Pictures again

2007-12-11T20:01:00.001-08:00

It sure has been fun and a lot of work with the new babies! I would not trade it for the world but it can take it's toll. I am lucky enough that my wife is able to take care of the twin girls, Taylor and me and still find time to take care of everything else. She sure is a special person.

New Pictures

2007-11-30T21:08:00.000-08:00

These pictures are a little older 4 weeks old

2007-11-25T21:22:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T06:10:00.000-08:00

We are thankful to have 2 happy & healthy twin baby girls this thanksgiving.

2 months old - a picture says a 1000 words

2007-11-10T04:41:00.001-08:00

2 months old and cuter than anything! Look at how sweet these babies are? From their baths to just laying down are they not just fabulous?

Two babies, feed me Daddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big Sissy and me!

I love my MOMMA!

We are tooooooooooooo cute.

Sink bath, I love the attention!

Poppa and Reese, what a good picture.

7 weeks old - I have been slacking with the blog updates!!!!!

2007-11-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

I can't even believe how much the girls have grown. They definitely have two completely different personalities and I love to see the differences in them. Michelle has been working so hard to take care of the twins while I am at work and I know it can be very difficult. They are both beginning to sleep through the night and for this we are very thankful. I love to hold the babies and they are just so darn cute. Life has changed dramatically for our entire family but I love every minute. Taylor has been a great help with the girls and we are starting to get into a routine. Feedings start usually around 6:30 Am and Michelle keeps them on a schedule throughout the day where they eat every 3 hours. I usually feed and change one or both of the babies when I wake up and then take Taylor to school.

Michelle is getting cabin fever from staying in with the girls all day and I don't blame her. By the time I get home from work (usually 7:00 PM) she is worn out so I do my best to feed them and change them twice before I go to bed. If I feed them at 10:30 or 11:00 PM they can make it to 6:30 AM or later. Reese still is fussy at times during the night but will fall right back to sleep. No one told me how tired I would become during the day but I have started to feel the effects. Last week, I left home without my cell phone. I got almost all the way to work before I realized it and had to go home to retrieve it. I went back home and got the phone and once I got to work I left my little black book of contacts in the car. Needless to say, I think the sleep deprivation had something to do with it. What a wonderful feeling to see your babies smile at you. Michelle and I have both seen Riley smile for the first time this past week. They are both so strong now that they can roll over and try to flex their legs to stand up.

I'm the lucky one!

2007-10-03T09:17:00.000-07:00

I've been silent way too long. Let me first start by saying, I am sooooooooo blessed! I love the fact that my husband has been keeping track of the pregnancy and now the girls progress after birth. What an amazing memory to provide to our daughters. I am truely the lucky one, I have been treated like a queen while pregnant, felt two lives inside my belly for 38 weeks, watched our nine year old daughter bloosom into a beautiful and compassionate big sister, delivered two healthly little girls and our friends and family have provided us with their support and generous gifts. What more can one possibly need in life? Well....other than sleep.

The girls are now three weeks old today and I still can't believe we have twins. It's craziness. I am a little sleep deprived and I have a hard time asking for help. I really want to get the hang of feeding two babies at a time and getting them on a schedule. I get a little freaked out when they both cry at the same time and sometimes I feel I pay more attention to one versus the other. Oh yes, the motherly guilt has already kicked into overdrive. I also fear that I am getting off track with our older daughter in her school homework. Hopefully in due time, I will get all of the pieces to our family puzzle put together.

I am blessed to have such a loving family and a wonderful husband. It's great, more people to love, free laughs, hugs and kisses. Another bonus for me.... every time I watch my husband with our daughters, I seem to fall in love with him all over again.

Signed- Michelle Stewart

Video of the girls, Mommy and Grandma & Grandpa Stewart

2007-09-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

I will have to remember not to talk like such a goof ball on the next video!!!!!

1st Bath for Reese

2007-09-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

3 first times

2007-09-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

Greg & Felshia Blackwood (God Parents) holding Riley for the first time. They came to the hospital the second night to see the girls. I could tell that they were a little scarred to hold the babies since they were so small but Greg took charge and held onto Riley for a few minutes.

Aunt Gisele (Reese's middle name)and Uncle Dave holding the girls for the first time. They came down from Daytona Beach to see the girls and drove Taylor to Cape Caneveral for her Disney Cruise with my Father and Step Mother.
The girls first time in the car on the way home from the hospital. Michelle is sitting in the backseat with the girls on the way home and snapped this picture,

Can it get any better than this???????????

2007-09-21T23:21:00.000-07:00

What an unexplainable feeling I have to express the way I feel. When we found out the the twins would be born on September 11th we were at first uneasy. Now that they are born we look at it as a beautiful thing happened on a sad day in history. My wife is so tiny, she carried the girls 38 weeks and our last appointment the doctor said she needed to get them out right away. I can't explain the feelings we had with so little time to prepare. I was literally in shock, thank god that my wife had already packed our bags. I went to the hospital with the thought that it would happen so easily but to my dismay it was a traumatic experience. I am not the best with blood so I told the doctor not to let me see the procedure. My daughter came to see my wife into the delivery room and it was so sweet that she was very emotional (9 years old) that she did not want to see Mommy in any pain. They took Michelle into the Operating room and made me put on scrubs. When I got to enter the room, my wife had already had an epidural and she was calm as could be. I walked Behind the sheet to comfort her and all I could smell was burning flesh. They had already begun to cut her open and the smell was from the cauterisation. Not even two minutes into the surgery Michelle and I broke down and started to cry. Our Anisitigiolist was very comforting and helped us throughout the whole ordeal. Our neighbour was also one of the Nurses in the room so it made it very comfortable for us. After the babies were removed we heard them cry and it was the most surreal feeling I could ever feel. We were nervous about the girls so the nurse told me to come and see them to comfort my wife. I came around the curtain to see my girls and as soon as I laid eyes on them I was in love. I walked back to tell my wife that they were fine and shortly after that they asked me to escort them to the recovery room while my wife got stitched and stapled. Let me tell you one thing, I cried all the way to the recovery room. What an amazing feeling!!!!!!!!!!!

Sleep deprevation!!! You are calling my name

2007-09-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of the girls with Grandmas Drapeau and Miller. Look at how sweet the girls look while they are sleeping. Let me tell you something that everyone takes for granted before babies are born. Every human being needs a certain number of hours of sleep each day to revive brain cells and other body systems so they’ll continue functioning effectively. I find myself craving naps during the day and feel out of it, anxious and groggy. We have been getting only three hours of sleep or less each night. Ultimately, parents to be have no idea how the lack of sleep that two babies can bring. If you're only getting three hours of sleep night after night and sometimes less, you'll most likely take your frustration and anger out on your partner. I can see this slightly already and the girls are only one week old so I need to understand my wifes newly found impatience (not to mention mine). I want to get up during the night because if we work as a team we can get through this difficult time a little easier. With two babies, it takes twice as long to change, feed and dress them. When one is done, you have a whole new baby to deal with. Don't get me wrong, I love every minute of it but it can sure be draining. I find myself just staring at them at 2:00 AM and thinking what prefect little angels and two minutes later their cries could awaken Rip Van Winkle. Twins are double the fun and double the sleep deprevation but worth every second.

The Twins are Here!!!!!!!!!!!!! September 11th, 2007

2007-09-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

I am so amazed and pleased that our daughters were both born healthy and beautiful. I have to get back to the hospital but had to share. I will update later. Riley came first at 2:32 PM 9-11-07 weighing 5.4 lbs and Reese came second at 2:33 PM weighing 4.9 lbs. Michelle is doing well but hurting after the C- Section. Too much to tell, I will be back soon. We will bring the babies home on Friday!!!!!!

My Wife, My Friend, My Love & My Life- Week 38

2007-09-07T22:12:00.000-07:00

My wife went to the doctor today and from the looks of it we will have our girls in the next few days. I have been really trying to keep her comfortable and hope to keep the girls inside for as long as we can.. Their weights are still in the 5 1/2 LB range but the doctor feels confident that they are ready to be born any time. I am just so proud of my wife for the amazing gift that she is about to give me. I fell helpless that I can't help her right now but I know that once the girls are born that I can prove to her my dedication to our family. We have another doctors appointment on Monday and I will go to support Michelle. I feel terrible that I have not been able to attend more appointments than I have been too because of work. I really can't wait to see our girls!!! Taylor our daughter is getting really excited too, she told me tonight at dinner that she was so excited that she could scream. With all that we do, it is her, my wife, who has made things happen. We still talk about our dreams and things we still want to do and accomplish. Having these girls will be a major life change and a huge accomplishment. I can't believe that Michelle will be going into labor in the next few days. I would say that pain is part of the glory, or the tremendous mystery of life. And that if anything, it's a kind of privilege to stand so close to such an incredible miracle. My wife is braver than she believes. Stronger than she seems. And smarter than she thinks. I just hope that our babies will be as amazing as their mother.

37 Weeks - Happy Labor Day

2007-09-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

It is 37 weeks and Michelle is ready to have our girls. I am sooooooooo scarred yet anxious to hold them. It is getting to be difficult for Michelle to stand up and move around. Her next appointment is in 2 days and we should know if they are going to plan a C - Section or let her give birth naturally. Either way, I am nervous the C - Section would be planned and that would take the unknown out of the equation but seeing blood makes my knees weak. I would have to be in a position to support Michelle and and stay away from seeing the incision. Naturally I will be just as nervous and am not sure if I would pass out there either. I want to know how to prepare for the water breaking, contractions and from what I hear the grossest thing they don't explain about in pregnancy: Two Words - Mucus Plug. Unless you’re exposed to a bunch of pregnant women (which I am not), there aren’t many occasions for it to pop into a conversation. So what exactly is a mucus plug? I am sure when I find out, this will not be the appropriate place to post it. Michelle got the hospital bags packed weeks in advance in the corner of our bedroom with a crisply folded birth plan sitting neatly on the counter. The bag has everything from clothes for us to the digital camera, video camera and everything Michelle will need. I still need to assemble the baby seats for the car, the woman that gave us the tour of the hospital said that the parking lot of the hospital would not be appropriate. I am glad that she told me that, I probably would not have put them in there.

Reality Check......

2007-08-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

It is going to be any day now............ I have never seen my wife so uncomfortable as she is now and to think that she is carrying two of my babies I can see why. For someone who usually weighs 105 pounds and now is around 145 is quite a difference. I don't have the words to say how I feel. My poor wife is so tired and bored with sitting around but that will all change shortly, at least the bored part. I predict that the girls will be born within two weeks because I can't see my wife going much further. I want her to be comfortable but I also want whats best for the babies. The last visit to the doctor was good and I hope to have the same result this week. I am getting very nervous, what will I do when it's time? What will I do in the delivery room? What will I do when they come home? I am getting freaked out but I know this is going to come natural to me. I can't wait but the nervous energy is killing me. I can't wait to see little Reese and Riley.

35 weeks and counting

2007-08-24T21:48:00.001-07:00

Michelle had another doctor's appointment this week and from the looks of it we may not see the babies until Week 38 - 40. One of the babies is in the right position to deliver but the other baby is laying sideways so it is possible that we may get a scheduled C- Section. Michelle is so tired, immobile and swollen right now that it is hard for her to breath and move. What can I do to help is the burning question? If I was not such "the man" with the dual shot she would not be in such pain. Just kidding around!!!! Scan through the pictures and see her belly from the beginning until now. What a difference!!!! The babies are really getting rambunctious in there. I am in awe at how much they actually push her belly out in the weirdest of places and shapes. I often wonder if I am seeing a hand, foot, elbow or knee when her stomach is being pummeled. I really enjoy seeing Daddy's Duo move but I hope that they are not hurting their mommy too much. This is getting to be a real task for my wife to do daily things like get the mail or drive her car. I want her to stay on strick bed rest for at least the last few weeks but that will be prety hard for her to do. Last night her feet were really swollen and I think that it freaked her out just a bit. It was very noticeable and I think she is getting very close to having the bundles of joy.

Pins and Needles - any day could be the day

2007-08-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am really getting nervous! Everyday when I get home my wife is exhausted and feeling pain and I feel helpless so I do my best to rub her feet and let her know how honored I am for her to carry our two babies. She is so uncomfortable just moving around that I can tell the girls will be here soon. I want them to stay inside for at least 4 more weeks but the way Michelle is acting it looks to be any day now. We are really getting along so well right now and I could not be happier. I have even been getting so close to my step daughter lately that I feel so complete. My step daughter Taylor who I think of as my own made my lunch for me yesterday. She was so cute about it and wrote me a note that said "Hey Daddy Jay, I hope that you have a great day at work I just wanted to say that I love you. Love Pumpkin" This was the best feeling anyone could ever feel. I ate my lunch with the biggest smile that you could imagine. Taylor can be so sweet and loving when you least expect it. I have been thinking so much now about my new family dynamic and I heard a really good quote, "Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad". I promise to make these words ring true with all three of my girls! Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!

34 Weeks - Double Occupancy - we are almost in the clear.

2007-08-14T18:02:00.001-07:00

Can you even believe it, the partners in crime are so close to being born. All things will become wreckage of the "Twinadoes" when they arrive. I guess that we won't really be going crazy until they start to walk but nonetheless it will be challenging. The wombmates are kicking mommy so much now and moving around that I can tell that they are getting so much stronger. We want to keep them inside as long as possible but feel confident now if they were born today they would be absolutely safe. Check out Michelle's Watermelon shirt, how fitting I sell Watermelon and she is growing them. I just bought the twins some Miami Dolphins gear to be ready for the season. I am wondering how much time I will be able to devote to watching football this season? I can't wait for the twins and football to get here. I imagine that the twins will take a front seat to football from now on. I can't wait untill I can take them to their first game.

32 weeks - Taylor and Mommy

2007-07-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

We sure are getting closer to having the girls. Taylor wantted to get in on the Blog so we took her picture last night.

My emotions are on overload.

2007-07-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

The greatest thing that I can do right now is to love my 2 babies, daughter and their mother!! Guess what, pinch me.............. I can't even wait to see my girls. Tonight I had 2 of my nieces spend the night and to have all three girls with us at once was pretty eye opening. Life as it seems is going to get much more difficult. In the past having one child has been pretty easy. We watch her, feed her and let her get ready for bed and do it all over again every day. Now with twins, are we going to transition into them easily? I am a nervous wreck but I know that I will step it up and do what is necessary to make it work. Lets face it, we are not the first people to have twins and by no means are in a position to fear them. Life has been very good so far and 2 more babies is going to be a blessing to us. Cutting back on entertainment is not going to be all that hard, blockbuster movies are just as fun as going to the movies. I like to grill out so eating out is not going to be that much of a difference. I am not Bobby Flay but I do enjoy cooking for my friends and family. Can I go out and play poker on the weekends? Probably no, but is that a problem to me?????????????? I bet that once the girls are born I will be putty in their hands. I still want my Man time and living in a house with 4 ladies, I may have to get one guy night a week just to shake off the estrogen. I am so excited about the babies that I want to scream............. I just sat down with Michelle and we are so happy to be blessed with two bundles of joy. It is hard to explain how happy one man can be to experience the pregnancy of his babies, I know that I am not carrying them but I feel so close to my wife during this process.

The Babies are growing at a rapid pace.

2007-07-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Michelle just called me to say that the babies are growing right on schedule. Baby A is weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces and Baby B is weighing 3 pounds 10 ounces. She also mentioned that the Doctor may let her carry the girls a little longer than she said the last visit to let them develop more. I think this is a funny set of shirts that I will buy for the babies. I am getting really excited!!! Michelle, Taylor and I watched the babies kick so much last night. they sure are moving a lot now and it is amazing to watch her stomach move. Just a little footnote, I was thinking about a parent is someone who carries pictures where his/her money used to be and Diaper backwards spells repaid. Think about it.

We toured the hospital

2007-07-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

We took the baby tour at Wellington Regional Medical Center on Monday night and it took about an hour. Taylor had a blast, Michelle was a little upset about the rooms but as the Nurse said it is not a hotel. The rooms looked fine to me, a chair for me and a T.V. is just about all I need. Michelle will be fine with it I am sure too. We will have to deliver in the OR and I think that makes Michelle worried. Our neighbor is a nurse at Wellington and she will actually be in the delivery room with us. It is getting very close and I think the shock is starting to set. in.

More 4 D pictures of both of the girls

2007-07-21T16:35:00.001-07:00

We are going to wait to see the babies before we pick which baby will be Reese or Riley. Michele wants to decide once they are born so for now Baby A and Baby B will have to do. I am amazed how much detail we can se from the pictures. Michelle even saw them kiss each other in the session.

The room is finished...... Look at the girlie pink dressers

2007-07-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

Tah Dah.................... Look at the bubble gum pink dressers that Michelle ordered for the babies room. I can see myself stripping the paint off in a few years. I think it looks great and can't wait for the twins to come. The doctor said that Michelle won't go past 38 weeks so we are on a 7 1/2 week countdown. I am both nervous and excited.

30 1/2 weeks

2007-07-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

Michelle is just as beautiful as ever in her 30 and 1/2 week of pregnancy. We had our 5th year wedding anniversary last night and I took her to the Breakers in Palm beach for dinner. We had a good time and we talked about how excited we were to have the twins. everyone from the valet to the waitress and guests at other tables all had comments to her on how good she looked to good luck with twins. There are two things in life for which we are never truly prepared: Twins

One little Angel

2007-07-19T17:55:00.001-07:00

See how she is resting her chin on her hand. How Cute!!!

I am getting prepared for questions asked most often:
Are they twins? - duh
Are they girls? - doesn't matter if they are in pink dresses, still asked!
Are they all yours? No actually one is mine and one is yours, do you want her back now?
Are you twins also? - haven't figured that one out yet
How do you do it? - you do what you have to do
Are they identical?

4 D Pictures of the Girls - 30 weeks

2007-07-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

Michelle went and got these amazing 4 D pictures today and are they ever cool. I can't believe how much you can actually see their faces. She also brought home a DVD of the girls and it is so cool to watch them move around. What do you think by these pictures, are they identical or fraternal? There are just way too many pictures to post so I selected just two that had their faces in the same position. Sometimes the babies were opening their mouths and it was fascinating to watch them rub their eyes and kick and punch each other. At on point it looked as if they were holding each other by the hand but since they are in two separate sacks I guess that would be impossible. I am getting too excited now to actually see them. Michelle and I watched a video about two ladies who had twins and the both said the same thing. We are going to be very busy the first few years but after that they are much easier than having one because they entertain each other. Michelle said that she counted ten fingers and ten toes on both Reese and Riley and they look so sweet and peaceful. They both weigh 2.8 pounds and we expect that they will make it to at least 37 weeks. The doctor said they were right on track in size and weight and that they looked very similar in all of their features. We will have to wait and see in a few more months. Leave us a comment if you think that they are identical or not.

30 weeks - Baby Shower

2007-07-15T18:31:00.001-07:00

I wanted to thank everyone who came to the Baby Shower!! We can not thank you enough for all of the nice gifts and seeing everyone was just great! I think we are set on diapers for the first month or two and the gifts that you all brought were just fantastic. All of the guys had a great time playing poker and I think that all of the girls had fun doing the baby shower stuff. I know for a fact that the shower would have been boring to me without the poker (and the beer). I wanted everyone to finally see the the picture of me with a smaller belly than Michelle. I guess I only have a few more months to make this claim so I better let everyone know while I can. It was really good to see all of our Friends and family during the shower and I can't wait for the babies to get here. We are waiting up tonight for the babies new furniture to get here. I will post the pictures soon.

The twins room is almost complete.......Just waiting on the twins.

2007-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

We finally have the girls room finished. The second crib was assembled by Michelle and I on Saturday and it was a little easier than I thought it would be. I can't believe that they will be here in about 10 more weeks. Michelle has bee very tired the past few days and is supposed to stay off her feet. The babies are so active in her belly, it is really neat to see them both kick and move around. They respond to our voices and we enjoy talking to them everyday.

Michelle is 27 weeks pregnant in this picture. My has she grown in the past few months. I hope to take more pictures the last 2 months and once the twins are born.

Erik painted both Reese and Riley's Names

2007-06-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

They look great!!!

The Girls room is almost finished

2007-06-27T16:23:00.000-07:00

Erik Wartberg painted Reese's name for us and it looks awesome. He will paint Riley's too to go in their newly decorated room. Annie, Michelle's sister has been a big help since I have been in Georgia. She painted the walls, hung a border and put up Tiki like straw above the windows and closet. It looks really good. Michell went to the doctor today and the girls are getting really big. Both of them are 2 pounds each and are starting to become very active. Michelle has been told to stay off of her feet more now because the girls are trying to come out and it is much too early for that. If I could only get her to stop being such a busy body and lay down the last few months I would not worry so much.

In the new ultrasound that Michelle got today we can see the babies features. It is so crazy but one of them has her eyes open. I will put up the pictures soon. I can't even wait to see my girls, and I bet Michelle can't wait to release them too. It has been a little more difficult for her the past few months with having heartburn and tremendous kicks from double trouble. I will be getting finished with the Georgia deal and heading home to West Palm in the next week or so just in time for the Baby Shower. Can you believe that we will be seeing the little girls in only a few more months.

26 weeks

2007-06-27T05:41:00.000-07:00

Can you beleive it is already 26 weeks? With it getting close to crunch time I think we should start really eating healthy for both Michelle and the twins sake. I read an article about the 10 Power Foods!Oooohhh…. Ahhhhh…It was a decent article that said that the following foods are tops for health in specific areas:

1. Almonds

2. Apples

3. Blueberries

4. Broccoli

5. Dark Chocolate

6. Garlic

7. Pomegranate Juice

8. Salmon

9. Tea (especially green)

10. Tomatoes
(The above mentioned foods were listed in alphabetical order so that no fruits, vegetables or food groups were offended)Well… I’ve got to say that, I too, have a list of 10 Power Foods… but it doesn’t look like the one that the so called experts compiled. (compiled… I like that word… it has many uses… “Leroy compiled my firewood with me”)

24 weeks

2007-06-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in Tallahassee at Michelle's sister Elide's house. We took all 4 girls to the Tallahassee Nature Preserve on Sunday to see all of the animals and historic buildings. Michelle got overheated walking around the preserve and complained that her hands were swelling. I myself could not see the difference, but they must have been by the way she was holding them up in front of her all the way around the park. We had a good time but I think the long walks are done for now, especially in the hot summer weather.

Week 23

2007-06-05T16:32:00.000-07:00

This is the first picture of Michelle and the babies in Georgia. It has been a tiring couple of weeks for her since she has been watching 4 little girls (3 nieces and our daughter) while they are all on summer break. While they have been in Georgia, the smoke from area forest fires has been really thick and makes it hard to breath. This weekend it poured rain and from the looks of it the smoke is now gone. I have been working some pretty long hours and hope to spend more time with my family once the Georgia Produce deal is over.

21 Weeks - Daddy is in Georgia

2007-05-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

This past week has been pretty tough. I have been working in Georgia and my family is still in Florida. I feel bad that my wife has to be alone to do everything while I am away. She has been getting the babies room organized while her sister painted it for us. Thank you Annie, it looks great. My wife says that the babies are really kicking like crazy now and she can actually see them move. I can't wait to see that. As soon as school is out they will be coming to visit and I can't wait. Annie took this picture of Michell for the blog so the next picture you will see will be from Georgia. You've probably heard the stories. Twins "connecting" mentally, seeing or feeling what their twin is feeling and doing other unbelievable things. So is there any truth to this mysterious twin connection? Do these things really happen? I am at work now and kind of busy so I will write more later.

Happy Mothers Day

2007-05-13T17:52:00.000-07:00

To Mommy happy mother's day .
I hope you are happy on mother's day and we both love you both Jay and I YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL YOU DO LOT'S FOR US WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO LOVE ALWAYS pumkin

20 Weeks

2007-05-13T10:14:00.000-07:00

It's Mothers Day and I could not be more excited. We are still working on Middle names but I think we have one for Riley. What do you think of Kennedy? Riley Kennedy Stewart, it sounds very distinguished don't you think? We still want to find the middle name of Reese and are leaning towards Gisele. Reese Gisele Stewart is starting to grow on us and I think may stick. Last night we had dinner with Greg Blackwood at Riggins Crab house and asked him and Felisha to be the God Parents to Reese and Riley. We are very pleased to announce that they are happy to accept. What a great night we had and won't soon forget. I am leaving for Georgia tomorrow for work so I will take one more picture from our batroom tonight (where we have taken all of the previous pictures) and then we will have a new back drop in Georgia. I am so happy that my family will be with me this time!!!!

Whoops (mistake) ..... It's two girls

2007-05-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

Something told me that it was too early to tell the sexes of the twins when we were first told. After the last visit to the doctor with the 4 D ultra sound we are almost sure it is two little darling girls which we will still name Reese and Riley. I could not be more surprised to find out yet, nevertheless happy as can be. It would be so neat to have identical twins but I am not opposed to fraternal either. There are pros and cons to both, I am just so excited to see the little beauties. My wife has been so terrific the past month but as of yesterday the hormones are raging once again. Sudden tears at the drop of the hat are no longer uncommon and for the time being I will do my best to be supportive and keep quiet. I know whats good for me!

THE PICTURES ARE STARTING WITH:

WEEK 8

WEEK 14

WEEK 14 SMILE

WEEK 19

MORE TO COME..........

How Amazing

2007-04-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

I finally felt one of my babies kick. How strange to feel something that you and your wife created move for the first time. I am so amazed and excited. My wife is getting so big so soon. It is so fantastic to see her grow and know that she is carrying two babies. It is still so shocking to me that we are about to expand our family from 3 to 5 in the next few months.

My wife has been feeling the babies move for a few weeks now but until tonight I have not been able to feel anything. I am so happy that I actually felt one of my babies.

We have talked to other parents of twins. Many have told us that they were so busy and things changed so fast that the experience is just a blur when they think back. I write this blog both for ourselves and for our twins. We want to be able to relive the moments after the twins have grown up and left home. If the twins are interested when they grow up, they may choose to read this journal before having children of their own.
As a side product, this journal can also serve other parents who want to share our experience. This journal is about our experience in raising twins.

14 Weeks - I have got my wife back and we are changing doctors.

2007-03-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

What a roller coaster we have been on the first trimester. All I can say is thank you for letting it end. My wife has been so fantastic the past few days and I am so happy. We went out to dinner last Friday night and she explained that she knew she has been pretty moody lately and that she was sorry. I really do appreciate the fact that she said that because I really did not know what the heck was going on with her. We have been getting along really well the past week and I attribute it all to the fact that we are over the first trimester. My wife is looking fantastic and glowing with her pregnancy and I am so pleased with the fact that we are out of the scary first 12 weeks. Not that it is not scary now, I am just happy to be this much closer to giving birth. I also have been trying to do more (rubbing her feet and back nightly) and for that I believe my wife has calmed down.

About the Doc- 5 foot nothing and full of attitude.

Let me start off by saying whatever my wife wants she gets. We were told our doctor was top notch by a great family friend and she just may be but as I told you before, my wife always gets what she wants. Last week when we all went to see her for the appointment, we had to wait in the waiting room for close to an hour. This in itself was enough to change doctors for my wife but not only did we wait, the doctor ran through the appointment at a rabbits pace. She seemed rushed and hurried through our questions. She even went as far to say that there is no way to tell the sex of the baby or hear a heart beat until 20 weeks. Hello, my wife just was told the sex yesterday as well as hearing the heartbeats. I liked the doctor myself but I do understand that my wife must love the person that is going to be in the room with us when she is going through horrific pain and I do expect honesty. If I was a jerk I should have told her "We know the sexes, my wife heard the heartbeats yesterday and your fired."

I am feeling more comfortable about the names Reese and Riley. My wife turned 34 yesterday and I gave her three birthday cards. One from me, our daughter and one from Reese and Riley. She said "Yeah, we are keeping the names Reese and Riley." So I guess there we have it unless Taylor our daughter has her way of changing Reese to Jack. Like I said, Reese was what I wanted for a girl and Riley for a boy but I am starting to like it reversed.

13 Weeks - It's a Boy and a Girl !!!!!

2007-03-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

When I got home from work my wife was busting at the seams to tell me something. My daughter had a present and we all sat on my bed to open it up. I did and I saw two baby books, a pink one and a blue one. I can't even believe it, both a boy and a girl. Let me tell you how it went down. My wife went to get an ultrasound today at our doctor's office. Both babies were growing just at the right speed and the ultrasound tec took a few still shots. My wife was pleased with the results and left after the visit. A good friend of ours is also an ultrasound tech and my wife went to see her for a more detailed visit. She looked to see if she could tell her the sex of the babies. After she examined my wife for a few minutes she saw the boys parts and told my wife this is a boy. After a closer look she could tell the second one was a girl. It is still very early to tell but our friend told her that she is 99 % sure it is a boy and a girl but we will have to see in a few more weeks. My wife said that the girl was kicking the boy and they were both very active. She was able to listen to their heart beats and she was surprised at how much they were jumping around in there. We are scheduled for another ultrasound tomorrow and we are bringing our daughter. I can't wait to see it firsthand. My wife looks so cute now with her belly getting bigger. She sure is one sexy Mama!

Names.......... If it is a boy and a girl we think we will call them Reese and Riley. Our daughter still wants to call the boy Jack but I think my wife has decided. I want it to be Reese (girl) and Riley (boy) but my wife likes Reese (boy) Riley (girl). I think that we are setting them up for an butt beating at school if we do but we still have 6 months to decide.

Busted......by the man (not sure who)

2007-03-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

Ouch............ Our 9 year old daughter found out about the twins before we told her. We had a bar-b- que and she was informed by an unknown source. Duh, only the entire family knew except for her and who can keep a secret that big? We are not talking about a small family either, At my last count there are 17 nieces and nephew's who were pretty much all at the Bar-b-que. Nevertheless, my wife and daughter went to visit family for spring break and on the 5 hour trip our daughter spilled the beans. I have been pushing my wife to tell her for weeks out of pure excitement but she wanted to wait until the first tri-mester was over.

My wife called to ask if I wanted to talk to our daughter on the phone about the situation and I was a little upset that I could not tell her in person. Little did I know, she was less than excited. I spoke to her and asked if she was excited about being a big sister and she told me "Not really."

I was miffed about her initial reaction but I guess that being the only child and then finding out from anyone but your parents that you are going to be a big sister could be shocking. After a few days had past, she has warmed up to the idea after assurance that we were still going to love her just as much. She is so funny that she is even telling us the names that she will accept. I am so happy that we have made it through the first trimester and it is no longer a secret.

11 Weeks - Can I say mood swings?

2007-03-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

A funny thing we call hormones. These levels in pregnant women are truly profound. Most men find it difficult to fully comprehend what is causing all these changes from mood swings to extra sleep to food cravings but I am trying to learn as much as I can. Let me tell you, there is not enough information available for me to read about these changes. Everywhere I walk around my wife there are eggshells this past week. From the incredible highs to the darkest lows, it has been quite an adventure.

The physical changes have been dramatic, from her belly to her BOOBS!!!! Wow those suckers (no pun intended) are getting huge. It seems like overnight they grew 2 cup sizes and don't seem to be slowing down. My wife is shopping for new bras today because she is really busting out of hers.

Just 6 more months until they are born, I can't even believe it! I am so excited.

The names are still up in the air and until we know their sex we have been tossing around a few. For girls I like Reese, Riley, Kennedy, Lexi and Piper. For boys I like Hunter, Dalton and Parker but Michelle loves the name Jack. That is the name that our daughter picked.

Keeping the secret

2007-03-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

We have not told our 9 year old yet. We are waiting until my wife makes it past the first tri-mester. It is starting to to become difficult because she is showing and the constant sleeping but our daughter is unaware for now.

10 Weeks pregnant

2007-03-03T04:37:00.000-08:00

3-3-07
Let me start of by saying.....I am so excited!!! We have been trying to have another child (my wife had a daughter 9 years ago with her first husband) for 2 years now. It has been very difficult for me because I thought my sperm was not going to work. We went to a fertility doctor to check me out and the results were slow mobility, low sperm count. After the results of the sperm test, I was advised to take a supplement to increase my sperm mobility. These were four horse pills daily and to be honest I thought they were giving me anxiety attacks so I quit taking them. It turns out it was work related stress but that's a whole other story.

After starting to accept that I may not be able to reproduce without medical help we enjoyed a normal sex life without any protection. And yes we are pregnant with twins! On or about the first of 20th of January I got home form work, had dinner and relaxed on the couch to watch a little T.V. My wife said she had to go to the store to pick up a few things so I thought nothing of it. She returned and I did not see her for a while until she came out of our room. She grabbed my hand and walked me to the bathroom which I thought was odd but when I got there I understood. She had taken a pregnancy test and the results were positive. My first thought was pure joy and to think we never thought it was going to happen naturally. We both looked at each other and she began to cry. I was on cloud 9 and the journey began. We first called my parents and then hers to spread our good news. Everyone was shocked and happy. The first night I could hardly sleep with all of the thoughts of a new baby and it was hard to contain all of my emotions.

Lets jump to the first doctors appointment.

The night before was the Superbowl and after the game a few of my friends stuck around and we talked about having children and I told them I thought I was having twins. We all laughed and I went to bed dreaming about twins.

It was a few weeks later that my wife could get the first doctors appointment. I went to work as usual and she had been working from the house so her appointment was for 10:00 AM. I asked her to call me right after the visit. At around 12:30 she showed up to my work unannounced. I sell produce and our sales office is one big "bullpen". Our desks are in a giant rectangle facing each other to make it easy to hear and interact. We are on the phone all day and it can get pretty intense. My wife came in and my first though was fear because she had just left her appointment with the doctor and she did not call me. She made her way over to my desk and told me she need to speak to me in private so we went into a back office and closed the door. It was awkward yet I already knew in my heart what she was about to say. She pulled out her sonogram and told me your in big trouble, were having twins. What a feeling............. I could not even explain how good I felt! We hugged and I saw a tear of Joy from my wife's eye. We waled out of the back office and all eyes were on us. My wife whispered to me that we better tell them something so I said we have good news, we are pregnant with twins. The owner of my company is a twin and his face just lit up. Everyone was very happy for us and told me to take her to lunch. WOW we are having twins.

The thoughts of having healthy babies and mommy are on my mind constantly. My wife smokes and she has been doing really good by cutting down but I want her to quit completely.
I always try to get her to eat, drink water, take her vitamins and rest to the point of exhausting her. She always tells me that she has had a child before and she knows what to do and I fell helpless.

Second sonogram.

Both babies are so tiny but on is even smaller and after reading everything on the Internet about vanishing twin syndrome, I am scared. The babies are the size of a piece of rice right now but everything looks good.