Tag Team Blogging

Bronson Says:

I haven't had a chance to post all of my favorite pictures taken during the past couple of weeks because of the travel and here is a good one of my cousin Karen showing her magic touch of soothing Easton Troy as she rocked in the chair. Her and Mary sure know their stuff when it comes to taking care of the babies.

I spent all day at work and it was a little torturous to know Nana and Kendra were spending time with the twins without me. Nana learned a thing or two yesterday from the lactation consultant as well and she's keeping Kendra within the parameters of what the consultant recommended. It's kind of a "Change this and that for one week and see if it helps" type of thing.

Hearing the results of the pediatrician visit made my day a whole lot happier and I'll tag Kendra in to provide more details and her thoughts:

Kendra Says:

Hello All,

Monday was a sad day for me, my mother left to go back to Sacramento the day before and I thought that I would cry my eyes out before her departure. But since we were so occupied with the babies that never happened but once she left the river started to flow. Let's just say that I was a little emotional on Monday. I mourned all day long. On a happy note, it has been a joy and delight to have Connie here with me. She has been so loving and helpful with the babies and me. I have enjoyed our time together and looking forward to more of it.

Today was better but an interesting day. We had our one month check up and it went really well. Everyone is gaining weight like they should. My little Peanut, aka Layla is now weighs 6lbs 12oz. Woohoo! She is catching up to her big brother (who is now 8lbs 1oz). The only hard part was to see them receive there Hep B shots. It broke my heart to see them cry that hard. I do not know what I going to do when they 2 month check up comes and they have to receive 4, oh boy!

Well that is it for tonight, will try blog more tomorrow.

K

Best $50 we’ve spent in weeks

Today we had a visit from a lactation consultant who turned out to be very valuable for Kendra and worth every penny of the $50 fee. She is a mother of 7, has 9 grandchildren, registered nurse, blah, blah, blah. The consultant was able to help Kendra understand the exact best position to nurse, which is no small task with twins. I joined in with Kendra for the Q and A session where we fired question after question at her about sleep habits, best practices, timing of feeding, and many other topics. It was calming for Kendra to hear that some of her worries were about “normal” things that many babies experience.

One of the twins is needier than the other, one quieter, one hungrier, one bigger, etc. Kendra has a side-by-side comparison to say, “one of them is not doing the same thing as the other!?” The consultant assured us that with twins, each sibling is always different on some scale than the other.

Anyway, we miss you Oma! However, we are extremely grateful to have Nana here and she appears to be enjoying every moment of cuddling with Easton and Layla. She quickly jumped into our three-person rotation of keeping the well-oiled machine running smooth. It's been extra comforting to have her around during this time in my life and I'm already prodding her to stay as long as she can stretch this trip...

The consultant brought her baby scale here. (in my best Michael Buffer voice with ample strobe lights) “In this corner weighing in at 8 lbs. 2 oz., he’s half Burgess and half Webb, the pirate of desert, Hot Rod – Easton Troy!” (loud cheering) We were glad to see he’s still gaining weight and if he continues at his current rate, he’ll be 410 lbs by the time he graduates high school. Yes, I DID actually calculate that out… I’m such a nerd.

Easton is big enough to sit comfortably in the baby Bjorn as shown in the picture below (kind of like stuffing a turkey) and here’s a good picture of how Kendra is able to hold both babies, talk on the phone, AND look at herself in the bathroom mirror simultaneously.
I’m heading back to work tomorrow and look forward to getting things moving along at a normal pace again. I have about 95 emails to respond to, meetings all day, and several open issues to work through. I’ll have my hands full at work for the next… 3 years or so…
Tomorrow will also bring a visit to the pediatrician where the twins will get their first round of shots (ouch). I’m sure Kendra and Nana will sooth them well, but I just hate to see them in pain!

Good night and I’ll report out how much our little “peanut” weighs based on the results of the pediatrician.

Oma's OUT, Nana's IN!

Good evening friends and family,

Kendra and I bid farewell to Oma Burgess who has been such a pleasure to have around our house for the past month. Oma changed her flight to stay one day longer than her original plan. That was a huge relief since I was out of town and Kendra would have been alone for 24 hours with the twins, which is a mountainous task at this age. I begged her, “are you SURE you can’t stay for another few days or weeks?” But we knew she needed to get back home to tend to her own house and life. It was a sad day for Kendra to say goodbye to her mom and she cried a few times… every hour…

But guess who flew into Arizona just a few hours later? My mom, Connie will hence forth be known as Nana. I picked her up at the airport and she barely took time to close the front door to our house behind her before making a bee-line towards the babies and Kendra to hug them. I think her comment was, “who’s first?” trying to figure out which one of the babies was available to hold. Since Easton was drooling on himself as he laid motionless in the swing, Nana held Layla and there she’s been on the couch (in her suit outfit) talking through the details of how this crazy household functions.
Uncle Dave’s Memorial Service:
Chronologically this post will be a complete mess so don’t try and figure out the timing of everything. I’m just trying to get down some key points and pictures while I have a few minutes. I arrived home today from Oklahoma where I helped bury my best friend, Uncle Dave over the weekend. The sheer volume and diversity of emotions I’ve felt during the past few weeks has been overwhelming in a way I can’t even describe. I was at Dave’s side at 3:00 AM and he passed away at 5:57 AM on March 1st.

I’m honored to have been there for support and help during the past few months. The day before the memorial service Mary, his neighbor “big Dave”, and I had the chance to spend time in private with Uncle Dave as he lay in the open casket. I spent literal hours during the past few months sitting next to Uncle Dave while he was alive. I would watch him sleep, struggling for every breath while multiple noisy pieces of equipment hummed and beeped continually to assist him. At the funeral home, however, I spent what felt like hours on my knees sobbing with my head on the edge of the casket looking at his peaceful face. It was complete silence in the room and stillness in his body, which really brought the realities of his passing crashing down on me. Big Dave led the memorial service and I had the opportunity to speak. I have no idea if what I said made any sense to others in the room, but it was an incredible service none the less. Mary planned and coordinated a masterpiece service so well that the funeral director praised Mary in front of the entire family for her efforts. Today we went by his grave one last time and took a few pictures.

Anyway, the one consolation to the weekend was seeing family in spite of the circumstances and I was amazed at how other cousins and families have grown up so well. I’ll try to keep the sadness to a minimum for this blog since it is geared towards the twins. However, I have so much to share and a big pile of emotions to work through as these waves of sadness seem to roll in and toss me around every few hours, so bare with me. :)

I apologize for the lack of blogs recently, but fully expect to be back to blogging on a daily basis from here on to the foreseeable future. Oma and Kendra were a little too busy to keep the blog updated, but their priorities were set correctly. Our house is extremely clean and we have two happy babies. I can’t ask for more than that. While I was away Oma was able to catch this great picture of Layla and Easton holding arms as they cuddled. They are so comfortable being right up next to each other. I missed them very much while I was away and look forward to being in town for many days and weeks.
Catch you tomorrow.

Chicago artwork and sleepy boys

Good evening all,

I don't have a lot of time tonight for text since I'm trying to finish work, feed Layla, pack my suitcase, and maybe sleep a little before my 6:00 AM wake up for the departure to Oklahoma tomorrow morning. I'm so glad this week is almost over.

Did you catch the "gap" in grandma watch from the last post I did? If not, Kendra will be alone with Layla and Easton on Saturday night since Oma is leaving Saturday and Nana is arriving on Sunday. Kendra asked our neighbor, Leigh Anne and her daughter Victoria to come over for the evening and they said, "yes!" I'm relieved for Kendra because the evenings are too busy for her to manage by herself. Having them over will also give Kendra a chance to get to know them better, which is a great opportunity since they are such a great family.

Anyway, during my trip to Chicago I found lots of interesting "art" on the streets and this thing in the middle of the park looks like the worlds largest solidified drop of Mercury and I found it very interesting:

And this is a special picture Oma took of Easton and I while we slept. It is special because the bed we are in is the hospital bed that was up against uncle Dave's bed where he had passed away only 8 hours prior to this picture. it was somehow comforting for Easton and I to lay there so close to where Dave spent the last several years of his life.

Please keep me in your thoughts over the next few days as I travel to see Dave one last time and stumble down this dark pathway called the grieving process.

I'll post again when I return on Sunday night from my travels and will do my best to encourage Kendra to share some more on here as well. :)

Good night.

Too Poop or Not to Poop, that is the question…..

Okay, everyone has told me that when you have kids the conversations will surround the kids and their body functions which are absolutely true! Tuesday I do not think I have ever spoken more about pooping in my whole life. Easton was going on day 6 without pooping and Layla was on day 4. My mother and I were a little concerned of course that they did not go yet. But finally the winds changed and they both went that evening. I have to admit I did a dance on behalf of my children. You know when you have become a mom is when you do a dance for that reason. :)

Tuesday also brought dear friends by to see me and the babies, Alishia and her husband Justin. They came to enjoy Arizona and see the sites: Grand Canyon and Sedona and spring training baseball. Monday my mother graciously let us out of the house and I was able to go to Sushi with them. We had a great time. Then on Tuesday Alishia came over to see us. She was so wonderful in helping and loving on my babies. Alishia was such good sport in holding Easton and Layla, giving Mom and I a break at times. Also Amy Rich was able to swing by on her way home from work. She and I used to work together and Enterprise and we played co-ed soccer on Sunday nights. It was nice to hug her and hear how things are going on in her own life.

Well that is my two cents for today, more on the way….

Love-Kendra

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Greetings everyone,

Kendra, Easton, and Layla are all healthy and doing very well. That being said, it has been an interesting few days for all of us so far this week and the rest of it will be no exception.

The Good:
Nana Webb (my mom) is arriving on Sunday night! I'm excited to have her be a part of our family for as long as she wishes to stay and enjoy her being grandma in real life to the twins. In other good news, Kendra's cold was short-lived and she's back to happy and healthy mommy. Kendra and Oma Burgess took the twins to the mall yesterday and it was nice to get out and walk around. At least that's what Kendra said... I travelled home from Chicago yesterday and didn't get to enjoy the outing. Southwest overbooked my flight so I took their $370 voucher with the idea that Oma Burgess can use it to visit again sometime sooner than June! That leads me into the Bad...

The Bad:
Oma Burgess is flying home on Saturday and I'm sure that will be a difficult time for both of them since they've been able to be a part of each other's lives in such a direct day-to-day way as opposed to over the phone or skype.

The Ugly:
Uncle Dave passed away last week and I will be in Oklahoma for the next few days to prepare for and attend the memorial service. Kendra and I were both able to talk with him the night before his passing and he was comfortable and peaceful all the way to the end. Aunt Mary was by his side as he took his last breath and we are all grateful for the time we've had to prepare for this over the past few months. I am incredibly fulfilled that he was able to hold my two babies in his arms even though it was a only for a very short time. We are all going through the grieving process in a healthy way and appreciate your thoughts and support.

To finish the blog on a more sun-shiny note, Kendra and Oma took several good pictures over the past few days and I'll help her post the pictures along with her own blog comments, which she is writing during the day today.

Pure bliss!

I promised Bronson that Kendra and I would try and blog while he is in Chicago and today is the first chance I have gotten to do so. The twins are growing up so fast! It is wonderful to see them become individual's with their own personality, disposition, etc. Easton is a snuggle bunny and loves to cuddle with me and that of course makes me so happy. Layla is sweet natured but lately has had some "intestinal" problems that are making her cranky. She definitely knows her Mom with Kendra being the best at soothing her. It breaks my heart to see either of them in any kind of pain. Bronson is right when he said in an earlier blog that all of us are so happy when either of them expresses any kind of bodily function or noise for that matter!
I will have to return home and back to work on the 8th. My heart cannot fathom that I will not be able to see or hold the twins again until June. I cannot even begin to imagine how much they will grow and change from now until then.
I took a picture of Bronson sleeping with Easton in his arms at his Aunt Mary and Uncle Dave's house. It is so cute but I do not know how to post it on the blog so you will have to wait until Bronson comes home tomorrow to see it.
I want to thank everyone for praying for the Webb clan! Bronson and Kendra are already awesome parents and Steve and I are so proud of them. Keep up your prayers as those of us who are parents know the road they will travel. I have always told my kids to keep the things they saw me do the right way and discard those things that were not. Take the best of both families and keep Jesus in the center of everything, always!
Goodnight :)

Oma

Seeing snow

Greetings friends and family,

I'm in Chicago for a conference related to work and can't wait to get home already! Kendra and Oma are holding down the fort and Kendra has a cold (yeah, i know it's 78 degrees in Phoenix and having a "cold" sounds odd). Bless poor little Oma who is caring for Layla and Easton while the vagrant father (me) wanders the country and the ill mother (Kendra) sleeps the day away hopped up on Tylenol.

I'll be back in home in a couple of days to hear what I missed with high hopes that the camera has not been neglected in my absence. It was clear when I left that no one else knows how to get pictures from the camera to the blog, so I apologize for the lack of illustrations this week. I begged them to at least blog without the pictures, but it sounds like things might be too hectic and tiring around the Webb house for them to have time to contribute here.

I may try to post some of the photos I've taken while here in Chicago, but that's not really what you came to visit this blog for though, is it!?

Give Kendra some love and support by phone if you get a chance because I know she could use it to lift her spirits and get over the sickness sooner. :)

Have a great Monday

Daughter, mom, and oma

Good afternoon,

The twins and I are at Aunt Mary's for the afternoon while Kendra and Oma go shopping and have some mother-daughter time. They've done such a great job of grinding through the mundane day-to-day requirements of raising twins, which both of them absolutely love and are enjoying. I am glad they are able to get out and have a little fun outside of the house. Mary, my cousin Karen, and myself will do our best to keep the twins happy so they don't have to worry while shopping. Kendra and Oma had a long, but happy day yesterday doing what they do best: keeping Layla and Easton fed and rested. I took this picture of the daughter, mom, and oma at the exact location of where I proposed to Kendra 6 years ago!

I convinced Oma to allow me to post a picture of her with the new hair cut even though she wanted to show it to Opa Burgess in real life when she returned home next week. I can't believe she only has one more week to spend time with us... But Nana Webb is planning to be here the day after she leaves! I can't wait to spend time with my mom and our family.

Easton slept for 6 hours straight last night. That alone is cause for the sun to break through the clouds and a chorus of voices singing, "halleluiah"! I learned from Oma how to give him a bath and wrapped up Easton afterwards. He was calm and looked really awake. Man, i wish i knew what he was thinking! I have a few more pictures and comments to post, but i need to take a nap, so i'll catch up with you all soon!

Bug-eyed Layla

Layla is the most perfectly beautiful baby girl ever. The video in this post, however, shows her looking a little bug-eyed. You can almost hear her saying, "oooooohhhhh! Aaaaaaaawe!" like someone watching fireworks or a caveman seeing a zippo lighter and fire for the first time... except she's staring at the lamp. That's right. the 60 watt GE bulb in the 8$ lamp from office max is enough to bring out her "amazed" look. It is really something to be a part of so many firsts for her. Everything is brand new and when she has that completely naive, innocent experience of the simple things you and I take for granted... well, that's just magical to watch.

Kendra and Oma Burgess went to Costco as their big outing of the day and Kendra says that random people (especially nice elderly ladies) stop her and talk like they were old friends. You know how friendly Kendra is, but it sounds like it happens so often when she is out that it is hard for them to get the shopping done!

We went to our "life group" meeting tonight and enjoyed getting to know some new people. She was a little nervous to leave Oma at home alone with the twins since they have been a little fussy today, but Oma did a super job as always! It was good for us to get away for a couple of hours.

Kendra will probably not be happy that I posted the following picture because she was in a mellow, tired, TV watching, zoned out mood and this doesn't show her normal smiley self. I think she looks great as always even with her crooked glasses and normal expression... However, this is real life with twins and I thought it was such a sight to see how she was able to feed and calm both babies at once.
Time to go to bed. Happy Friday to you!

More aware, more fun

Good afternoon everyone,

Layla and Easton are changing every day and becoming more aware of their surroundings and people. Yes, i know they are "growing" every day, but I mean there are noticeable changes to so many aspects of them. I thought it would be more like noticeable changes every week or month, but it is so bizarre to notice every single day new things about them. Easton started making odd sighing noises yesterday. I sat him down in the chair while I worked and he was signing as if to say, "I’m bored, pick me up!" It's not much in the grand scheme of things, but it is progress and that is the most we can hope for. Layla is becoming more aware of her surrounding every day and she smiled really big at Kendra. She smiled before, but it was usually just an expression that meant she was uncomfortable and didn't know how else to show it.

Prior to this week the twins were fairly still and fairly quiet. They didn't move around or make much noise probably because in the womb they didn't HAVE any room and making noise was not an option... but now it's getting louder in the house when they are awake and the twins roll around wherever we put them down. At least they stay where we laid them down, but i'm not sure how long that will last?

I did take a cute video of Layla being very awake showing her big, grey eyes and will upload that this evening. Oma Burgess has decided not to have any pictures of her on the blog until she is able to surprise Opa with her new hair cut, but that is a lot of days for her NOT to have pictures on the blog. maybe I'll get her to show it to Opa through Skype so I can include pictures of her.

My expectations of when things happen were completely off. I need to read Kendra's book, "what to expect during the first year" because I’m surprised every day. For example, did you know some boys aren't potty trained until THREE years old. That hit me like a ton of bricks to think I'll be changing diapers for three years. :) And on the other hand, Kendra says that the twins will be crawling around in only a few months. I know they won't stay where I put them anymore, but it will be much more engaging to play with the twins once they are able to move around. Also, babies aren't supposed to be in the sun until they are a few months old. didn't know that one either, but I'm learning! Not exactly a profound or well illustrated post to our blog, but just wanted to share!

Kendra, Oma, and the twins went to Costco to get some staple items and have a chance to be out of the house for a bit. It's hard to get out of that place for under $200 because there are always things we didn't know we couldn't live without until we saw it! Kendra is really good about spending/saving so I'm not worried. That's one of the many reasons I married her!

I'm better get back to work for the afternoon and will catch up here later tonight.

summer is here already?

Good evening all,

It was a toasty 78 degrees and sunny here in Arizona today. It was nice to air out the house, but even with a slight breeze and several windows open NOTHING can change the fact that everything we own now smells like Huggies baby wipes. I was driving to work this morning and caught a whiff of the baby wipes... I realized it was my own shirt! There is no escaping the saturating nature of whatever they put in those things. Eau de Toilette is now Eau de Huggies for everyone in the Webb house.

Anyway, Kendra and I took the twins to the pediatrician and both babies are great! Easton weighs 7 lbs. and Layla weighs 5 lbs. 12 oz., which is perfectly in line with where they should be. Kendra was relieved to find out some of the things she was worried about were normal and expected. We made the most of our visit by asking many questions and the pediatrician was patient enough to provide answers and assurance.

Kendra and I went to dinner alone as an early celebration of my birthday coming up this weekend. Being my choice of where to go, I chose sushi! Nothing says, "happy birthday to me" like a big plate of raw fish. That's right, I DIG the sashimi! We chose to be adventurous and try a new place and it turned out to be a pleasant experience. While we were gone Oma Burgess took this cute picture of Easton's feet sticking out from under the blanket he was sleeping on. It's a little fuzzy, but then again... so is Easton.
No, this next picture is NOT Kendra choking poor Easton. While she was burping him tonight Easton fell asleep in that position. He was upright with his chest and neck against her hand. She said he looks like a mummy and started making mummy-like "moaning" sounds as she moved his head around in a circle. Yes, this is what we call entertainment! Time to go to bed and get some sleep before the twins wake up for their 2:00 AM feeding. We're building happy babies at the Webb house, not cars like Henry Ford, but the concept is close enough. Here's your quote for the day:

"Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working togethers is success". -Henry Ford

Super Mommy Picture

Greetings friends and family,

I want to share this photo with you because I’m proud of myself for creating it. I’m also proud of Kendra and the twins for cooperating with my hair-brained attempt at a photo shoot. They knew we were all in for a long night when I came home from the gym and said, “I’ve got a GREAT idea for a picture!” Our friends, Judson and Heidi, sent two really special blankets in the mail today and Kendra was so excited when she opened the box. They are embroidered with each twins name and the date of their birth. I'm grateful the blankets were pink and blue because I'm obsessed with everything related to the twins being pink and blue. SO, I came up with two pictures I wanted to create and here are the results:

Kendra is doing an awesome job of keeping Easton and Layla cared for as well as herself. She is SUPER-MOMMY in my opinion. Sometimes I think there is TWO of her around. That's the only way explanation I can come up with for how she keeps order in the house. I spent most of the evening tonight photo-shopping the heck out of this, so I hope you appreciate the humor, art, effort, etc. Be sure to click on the photo to see the full-sized image. You might even notice that I edited her eye color (pink and blue) for each baby. And this one is kind of how I imaged (a long time ago) how babies arrive. I folded the blankets to look like envelopes and will title this one: “Express delivery of double miracles” OK, enough of the artsy stuff. When I was home for lunch today Kendra felt a little sick to her stomach (she’s much better now) and I was handed both babies at once since Oma Burgess was out running errands. Layla wiggled her way into the middle of the pillow-thingy and Easton soon followed as I tried in vain to get them resituated. Kendra appreciated my efforts, but still laughed at me when she came back into the room and thought it was picture worthy.
We’re heading to the pediatrician tomorrow for the weekly checkup and hope all goes well. Layla and Easton are both eating like offensive linemen, which is good for them and hard for Kendra. Each day they are more aware of things around them as their eyes increase the depth of view and they see further away. They finally are starting to take advantage of the “elbow room” outside of Kendra’s belly. Their legs kick around and arms flail randomly as they lay around. I spent 8 months thinking about all of the things I’ll teach them and tell them. However, when I hold one of them and they stare at me as if to say, “well? Start teaching me!” I freeze up and can’t figure out what to say. Which subject do I start with? Spanish? Math? History? Or do I go straight to self-defense techniques or proper grip for a golf club? So much to learn…

We're going to bed now. See you tomorrow!

Exhaustion and exhiliration!

Hello everyone from Oma Burgess!

It is Monday evening around 9:30 p.m. We (well, I took a few pictures but thank goodness I was not in any of them) just finished taking pictures of the whole Webb family. Bronson came up with a great idea and I think they will be adorable!

The three of us have been trying to come up with a system with the twins during the night. We have pretty much tried all possibilities and it seems that one works best. Kendra and Bronson keep Layla with them in their king size bed and I take Easton for the evening with me. He usually goes down around 11:00 or so, eats again around 1 or 2 and again at 5 or 6. When he wakes up to eat II am a a bit jarred as I have not gotten up to feed a baby in 21 years! As I roll over and look at his sweet little face I am again reminded that I have grandchildren and it tickles me so much. I am so grateful for this opportunity to share myself with Bronson, Kendra, Layla and Easton. Kendra told me today that I am amazing as I was in the kitchen doing the dishes etc. I am more than happy to help in any way I can. I want to bless them and make memories during this precious time. I don't think I am amazing, just in love with all 4 of them! I would not trade this time for anything!

These days, when I get up in the morning, I am never sure what day or date it is. I don't really want to know since it means I am getting closer to going back home. Don't get me wrong! I really miss Steve, my boys and my family but to not be able to hold the twins until June or July? Please say that isn't so!

Bronson keeps me in stitches everyday and I am still getting used to how detailed and organized he is. I have learned alot and will work on those skills myself. He is a great dad and works hard everyday. Kendra is a sweet, loving mother who is really tired but hanging in there nursing two babies. I am proud of both of them.

I have enjoyed going for walks everyday with the family. I have been going to the store for all of us and I keep coming home with "extra things" that were not on the list and they are not happy with me but hey, these cuties are my grandchildren! I have been waiting for this for so long! It is now 11:20 p.m. and I am pooped! I am going to get my hair cut tomorrow from Kendra's wonder girl so who knows what kind of a hair cut I will come home with! I think I want something sassy, well, as sassy as a 51 year old can get!

Oma Burgess

Layla wins an Oscar

Good evening!

I'll try to limit the number of "power to the peanut" pictures (see previous post for explanation) but this one was well timed with how she does the move, like clockwork, after waking up.

Out of shear boredom and an attempt at humor I took this short video clip of Layla's Oscar debut. Not exactly production worthy, but it's a start.

Here's the two of them on their beds this afternoon. It's hard to believe they both have a unique personality and are already showing their individuality, but this picture shows a little snapshot of how they act. Layla snorts to indicate, "i need something" and is quiet the rest of the time. Easton grunts frequently and only cries once in a great while, but when he cries... he shakes the rafters of the house! He has such a pitiful cry and whimper that it makes you really feel bad for the poor little guy. When I look at this picture I'm thinking, "how will I possibly say no to anything either of them ask for?"

Kendra and Oma Burgess went to church and I agreed to stay home with Layla and Easton. They were well behaved and things worked out well for the girls to get away for a little bit. Julie from church brought by a delicious spaghetti meal for lunch and we'll be feasting on that for the next couple of days. Tomorrow will start my first full week back to work and Kendra's first full week of being home without me here during the day! I hope we get some good nights of sleep because we'll need it.

Time to go watch the Oscars... Good night.

Pleasant Saturday

Good afternoon everyone,

Yesterday everyone at home survived fine while I was at work, as expected. Joan from our church came by last night and brought a tasty caserole dinner for us and tonight Vicky brought chicken tacos and homemade spanish rice. We are very grateful to be blessed like this from the church and it's been fun to meet new people in a more casual atmosphere like our house. Kendra had hoped to go to the women's Bible study this morning, but the four of us didn't get much sleep so Kendra will go to the Sunday evening study time tomorrow instead. Oma Burgess did get a good night of sleep and she's been taking care of the twins during the dat today while Kendra and I napped. Kendra felt good enough to go for a walk, so her and Oma took the babies for a stroll around the neighborhood to get their exercise in for the day. Here's a picture of Oma giving Easton his medicine tonight. She's got the right touch to keep him from spitting it all out, so she involuntarily gets the responsiblity of giving it!
Aunt Mary and her friend Kathy who is in town came by this afternoon to say hello and see the babies. Mary's hair didn't turn out as the bottle of hair color promised so she went to the solon to get it done the way she originally intended.

Here is one of Layla Rae that shows off her little outfit that I bought today. That's right... I was sent into Babies R' Us to get diapers and passed by the premiee rack to see if they had anything her size. We have more than enough clothes for her that are newborn and up, but not much in the way of premiee size (I think the "P" stands for peanut, not premiee). Anyway, I was so excited to put her in an outfit that didn't swallow her up like a 20 lbs. potatoe sack that I changed her outfit and put on this one. Doesn't she look like a little sweet pea, angel, peanut, pricess? I think I have too many terms of endearment already...

In some ways I've tried to censor the blog postings by presenting only the happy, sunshiney, positive side, of the events over the past few weeks. Not to do an injustice to the moments, but because for the most part the birth and "bringing home baby" process has been enjoyable and euphoric. All of the newness of the twins, changes to ourselves and the household, and having grandparents share in the events have been worthy of sharing with you through the blog. Almost every aspect of having a baby is magnified when having twins. Both fun times and struggles. One example is bodily functions. Any time a baby burps or produces a sound that would be completely unacceptable in public, we all break out in happy dances, claps, and cheers of encouragement. You'd think the kid just scored a goal in a soccer game or something! As bizzare as it sounds for me to write this down, it makes perfect sense when I turn and look into the living room where it's turned into baby kingdom.

Time to go for now, but i've requested Oma and Kendra post some time soon to get their thoughts and perspectives as well.

Easton and Layla staredown

Good evening all,

Today was a great day for everyone. I had a good day back at work, Kendra was able to get a nap, Oma Burgess had some good cuddle time with the babies, Easton's temperature is gone so he's back to his normal happy self, and Layla... well, every day seems to be a great day for her. The twins are starting to feed and sleep on a similar schedule and we hope they synch up more and more as time goes by so Kendra can keep her sanity.

This afternoon Kendra put the babies right next to each other to see how they would act. Usually we have them separated into different cribs or beds or pack N' plays or chairs. The result was an intense staring competition, which Layla Rae won apparently. Maybe it wasn't exactly a staring competition, but still a very interesting moment for them to be aware of the other one and looking at each other in the face. Click on the picture to see it full sized.Our church graciously brought us dinner and it was extremely helpful not to worry about cooking and just sit and enjoy. With two babies and three people, only one person ate at a time, but it was still pleasant to have it hot and ready to eat without all the effort. Thank you very much, church family!

During the evening things get calm around the Webb house and you KNOW it's tiring and difficult when even the CATS are worn out. Here is a picture of Sugar (black) and Kobe (grey) in their wiped out state. Notice Sugar is even covering her eyes from the lamp with her paw... :)

One other picture Oma took of when I first came in the door from work. I just had to hold my babies and give them kisses. Layla wasn't thrilled about my scruffy "5 o'clock shadow" being pressed against her perfectly soft skin as a wake up from her nap, but I just couldn't resist.
One last thing for today is a short video clip of Kendra and Oma holding the twins and just hanging out.

Thursday = back to work for Bronson

After two weeks off, I'll be heading back to the salt mine tomorrow. I wish this could last another couple of weeks until the twins get a little further along, but it is what it is. Layla is doing great and sleeping like a.... umm... baby. Easton is having a tough evening with a bit of a temperature. we called the pediatrician and based on what we're seeing it isn't a big deal and should pass soon. Babies are much more flexible and nimble than I expected and much more fragile inside their little bodies than I expected. One thing is for sure though: nothing beats on the job training to really get your hands around something new like rearing a child... or two. We're all ready for an early bed time and plan to be asleep a few minutes after the final whistle blows for the Phoenix Suns and Lakers game. Go Lakers!


Here's one last picture from today's outside shots. Just to make sure when people ask, "where were you born?" The twins can have this picture with the cactus, sun, and stucco in the background and be sure it was Phoenix. :) I'll leave the camera with Kendra and Oma Burgess during the day. Hopefully I'll come home to stories and cute moments they captured on film. Catch you tomorrow!

We can comment too!

I didn't catch on before now, but apparently it is normal and acceptable for me to comment along with you all. Kendra and I are going back through to respond to the comments so far and hopefully it will feel more like two-way communication. :) Feel free to ask any questions or make requests or just to chat in general.

I've been in my fuzzy robe for almost 10 days straight now. I'm starting feel like a retired person! Kendra and I decided to put on normal clothes and clean ourselves up so we can take a few "2 week old" pictures of us and the twins.

Feel free to scroll down to the pictures of our lovely family, but there is a short story that I thought might give you a laugh:

A few months ago I allowed Kendra to give me a military-like haircut... with BEARD trimmers. We went in the backyard and she began shaving off my thick hair with short, rapid runs across my scalp. What happened next can only be described as painful and sit-com worthy...

I said, "ouch that hurts! STOP!" So Kendra turned off the trimmers in mid stroke then quickly jerked the trimmers away from my scalp taking with it a huge chunk of my hair. I should have said, "ouch that hurts! move the trimmers away from my head and THEN turn them off!" After a few apologies from her, I agreed to let her start again. This time she did it slowly and gently. About 30 seconds later we both heard the trimmer motor begin to slow down, down, down... It sputtered a few times and the coughed one final "buzz" before quitting. There i sat in pain; outside, at night in my backyard, with half of my head shaved, and lifeless trimmers. We both broke out in laughter and the results looked like this until the next morning after the batteries charged: It took about 5 months to grow back and to make a short story long, today I went and paid for a hair cut from my usual stylist at the salon for the informal photo shoot we had today. Anyway, here's a great picture of mommy Kendra with her two miracle babies:
And finally, a picture of the 4webbs. Notice how they are both yawning at the same time! It is funny to see how similar they are as twins, yet how different they are as unique, individual, little people.
Kendra and I went out for lunch today so we could have some "alone time". We left Easton and Layla at home with Grandma Burgess, who kindly watched the twins while we were gone. Grandma has been such a blessing with keeping our house in order, cooking meals, and taking care of the babies. After my haircut I stopped by the local day spa where Kendra typically goes and I set up an appointment for Grandma Burgess to get a massage. She is there now having a relaxing time and we'll have dinner ready for her when she gets home for a change. :)

Kendra's cousin Colleen gave us a call today with encouraging words for Kendra. It was good for her to hear about colleen's experiences with her two children from a sympathetic voice. Thanks for the call, Colleen!

Another welcomed call we had today was from our church. They are bringing us dinner for the next 4 days! This will really help us out since we are all three wiped out by the evening and sometimes resort to the old game, "1,2,3... NOT IT!" to determine who must fix dinner. :) We miss attending Christ Life Church, but with newborns and flu season we haven't been and can't get there for a couple of more weeks. I may be able to send Kendra and her Mom this Sunday while I stay home with Layla and Easton... We'll see if I feel confident enough in my ability to manage both at the same time without going insane.

I'll post a couple of more pics from this afternoon when I get a chance later tonight.

Kendra's first walk with the twins

Good evening friends,

All is quiet at the Webb house tonight finally. Kendra had somewhat of an emotional day as her hormones continue to readjust to levels for one instead of three people. She is a little sad about Layla's "gooky eye" (which is almost 100% better!) and finding out that Easton has thrush on his tongue. Neither were avoidable or have anything to do with Kendra, but she's taking it pretty hard. The good news is that Layla weighs 5 lbs. 4 oz. and Easton weighs 6 lbs. 5 oz. Both are exactly what the pediatrician hoped for as far as weight gain and general health go. Please keep Kendra in your thoughts and feel free to give her a call Wednesday or Thursday to encourage her and say, "Hello", ok?

I took Easton to the Pediatrician today by myself and it was really bizarre to be alone, out in the world with little Superman. It was the first time I didn't have Kendra around to say, "Take him! I don't have a clue what THAT cry means." We managed fine since he is such a laid-back, quiet guy. We listened to NPR together and I told him about some of the great adventures we're going to have together. Apparently mountain biking in Sedona isn't exciting right now since he was more occupied by the pacifier and trying to fit his entire hand in his mouth. That might be a cool party trick later in life if he figures it out...

Anyway, after that we rounded up the troops and went for Kendra's first walk since IKEA (2 days before the delivery). The doctor told her today was the magic day to start walking again if she felt up to it. She is sore now, but extremely happy to be outside enjoying the great weather and walking on her own power. I caught Layla practicing her latest dance move: The sprinkler dance. Think oscillating lawn sprinkler and you will get the idea. Great form with her arm sticking straight out! Well, maybe she wasn't exactly dancing, but it's a good start.
My cousin David (Aunt Mary's son) came through town for a couple of days and we had him come by for dinner tonight. Ginny cooked a delicious crock pot meal and we finished it off with a Marie Callendar chocolate cream pie. We had a good time shooting pool, watching TV, and hanging out.

That's about all of the excitement we had for today. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed thinking about how I have to go back to work on Thursday... It'll be tough to be away from the family so many hours, but at least Grandma Burgess is still here! I don't know what we'd do without her. It looks like she will be returning home on the same day my mom is flying into town, so things are working out perfectly although we wish both Grandmas could stay here indefinitely!

I know this is completely off topic, but I wanted to sign off tonight with the first ever picture (one of my favorites) of Kendra and I that was taken only a couple of weeks after we met when we attended her cousin Jill's wedding in 2000:

Quote of the day: "Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love".

Wore out my camera

Howdy folks,

I figure that with enough pictures, I'll capture at least a couple of special moments like this one where Kendra is performing a double burping after a double feeding. She's amazing and talented. Over the past few days I noticed the selector switch on my Canon SD400 camera would not go into picture taking mode, but would stay in video mode. Looks like I just wore it out... I missed about 10 or so opportune moments and grew tired of saying, "Wait one more minute! Hold that pose!" trying to fix the darn thing. So, I took a trip to best buy and bought the Canon SD1000. ...and you thought I took a lot of pictures with my OLD camera?!?! My goal with the new camera is to pass the 10,000 picture mark by the summer. I also plan to take more video clips and post them here in the blog. A picture might be worth a thousand words, but a movie is worth a thousand pictures.

Tonight I'm listening to Brett Dennen as I blog. His song, "She's Mine" is awesome, awesome stuff. Makes me think of Kendra. :) Give it a listen yourself by clicking on his name above and let me know what you think. Kind of like a modern Bob Dylan, only you can actually understand the lyrics of Brett Dennen...

Anyway, enough about me. let's talk about the twins and what happened today. Kendra's long-time friend Sarah finally had a chance to come by and meet Layla and Easton. Sarah was feeling under the weather for the past few days since we came home from the hospital. We were VERY glad she cared enough to wait until she felt better before coming by. She is a good friend to and influence on Kendra and one of the happiest people I've ever known. Come again soon, Sarah!

Later this afternoon, Karen graciously came by and brought us an excellent dinner! Kendra and Karen work together and they became good friends over the past couple of years. She even went swing dancing with us once, which was very adventurous of her and turned out to be a lot of fun. When Kendra found out she also brought over homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast tomorrow, her eyes lit up like the Times Square New Year's Eve Ball.

Kendra said she's ready to post her own entry again soon, so stay tuned for more from the super-mommy herself.

Blog Entry from Grandpa Burgess

Here is the blog entry Grandpa Burgess sent for me to post on his behalf:

It was asked of me to put together an entry for the blog. So here goes! First a disclaimer, the word "great" was stated somewhere in Bronson's blog in reference to me. Now it's not that I don't appreciate the kudos, Bronson, "kissing up" is no longer needed after 5 years of marriage and now two gorgeous babies.


When we face big events in our life we tend to prepare ourselves mentally, before the event happens, I know that we think about what it might be like, what are going to be, the good things that might happen, and those that might hurt us. I know that I'm not the only one that does this. So all this to say that as I prepared myself for the arrival of our first grandchildren I really came to the conclusion that loss of sleep and personal time was a given. Been there and done that 3 times, but what I was not ready for was the immediate tug on the heart strings. As a man we kind of learn to take things in stride then react as they come, but like babies that reach out and grab anything in their path, they reached out a grabbed my heart strings and I know will never let go. The overwhelming emotion kind of caught me by surprise. Thought I was prepared, but not even close.


I would like to congratulate Kendra and Bronson on becoming parents and I know that they would appreciate all the prayer they can get from all of us. Ginny and I have been praying for our grandchildren since the day we found out Kendra was pregnant so we know that Easton and Layla are going to be very special little ones. (Starting to sound like a proud grandfather, oh well!!) It is going to be fun to watch the babies grow and Kendra and Bronson grow into the parents that God has planned for them.


Kendra, Bronson, thank you for allowing Ginny and I the opportunity to laugh and serve you as you start off on the fantastic journey called parenthood. Strap yourselves in, it is a bumpy ride. Phil and Connie, thank you for sharing this experience with us. It was very special as I know that a lot of new parents do not get the support of their grandparents let alone two sets. Being with you and sharing the experience together made it a memorable experience I will never forget.


Easton and Layla, grandpa (Opa) loves you very much, go easy on mom and dad, they're learning!!

Power to the peanuts

Greetings all,

We reluctantly let Grandpa Burgess leave for home last night and just for fun we took a "sad" picture so he can view the blog and look at this when he wonders if we miss him. He made it home safely around noon today and we were happy to hear the drive was uneventful. I appreciate how many days he spent with us and how many ways he was a blessing to us and the twins. Seeing his enormous hands so gently holding Layla's tiny head and body was very special.
On the first day the twins came home, Grandpa Burgess quickly noticed that every time Layla Rae woke up and stretched, she would always put her right arm in the air. The motion was very similar to the fist-pumping during the "power to the people" movements from years gone by. As a reference (in jest) to that and her nickname, Peanut, every time she would do this, Grandpa Burgess would exclaim, "Power to the Peanuts!" We tried a few times to capture the moment without much success, but finally did this evening:

Layla had bit of a rough day because we had to take her to the pediatrician for an unscheduled visit. She has what Kendra calls, "Gooky eye". I have no idea what the medical term is for it, but one of her eyes apparently has a clogged tear duct. We went by the pharmacy to get the eye cream to fix it and the doctor said she's doing great and the Gooky eye should be gone in a day or two. While we were there, Layla was weighed and she's up to 5 lbs. 4 oz.! This is really good news because she is gaining weight and growing like she should.

Grandpa Burgess agreed to post his own thoughts to our blog and I just received the contents of what he wants to post through email. I also have a couple of other good pictures from the day and our visitors so I'll post everything together later tonight!

Good night!

Did you know ducks like Oreos?

Good evening!

We had a full day of growing babies and enjoying time together. Easton and Layla are eating like champs and everything else seems to fall in line when that is going well.

I couldn't find a place to golf today for under $75 a person since we waited until this morning to decide to try and go. Instead we opted for a day in the park, which is free. Free is becoming more and more attractive as the costs of babies continues to increase, but those are the sacrifices we happily make. We packed up the Pilot and drove 2 minutes across the street to the enormous park, which was almost vacant.
Grandpa Burgess and I had a great time playing frisbee and did our best to impress the women without much success. I ended up with a blister on my "mamas-boy" hands and he did something painful to his hip flexor. :)
Then I fed our extra pretzels to the ducks in the pond. They kept on flocking and quacking so when the pretzels were gone I resorted to tossing my non-creamy side of the Oreos (I find these completely useless when twisted off) to the ducks and they loved them! Yes I know that probably is really unhealthy and wrong, but it was fun to watch Layla and Easton take in all the new sights and sounds; Things you and I take for granted like airplanes flying overhead, dogs barking in the backyards, and water running through the fountain in the pond.
After that we came home and allowed the evening pass by with the Daytona 500, NCAA basketball, and BBQ chicken from the grill. Grandpa Burgess agreed to think through his own blog posting during the 12 HOUR drive home. It will be an honor to have the great Mr. Burgess post some time in the next couple of days to our blog.

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement through the phone calls, comments on the blog, and emails. It's been a eye-popping ride so far and I'm really glad to have shared it with so many people in our lives who care for and love us.

Good night to all and we'll see you tomorrow!

Layla's wake up

Good morning everyone,

It's a beautiful 70 degree sunny day here so we put on our short pants and are going to the park to lie out on a blanket. Here's a short video clip of Layla Rae waking up this morning while Grandpa Burgess and I were on dawn patrol:

The sleeping issues appear to have been short-lived and last night was two in a row where no one had to be up all night long. Hopefully Easton and Layla will continue to sleep for at least a few hours in a row each day and night from now on. Kendra is still recovering well and only has two more days of restrictions before she can go for walks. We went last night again to Aunt Mary and Uncle Dave's for a walk with the wheelchair:
We ended up staying for dinner and uncle Dave joined us at the table! It's been a long time and was a great surprise to have him eat with us. Mary's sweet potatoes must have lured him into the kitchen. Yum. It turned out to be a very pleasant evening. However, we're all sad that Grandpa Burgess is driving back home tonight, so it was bitter sweet to share our last evening with him around.

catch you later after the park

Got some Rest!

Hello All From Kendra!

I have finally found the time to sit down and write to all of our fans. Today was the first day that I felt rested. Since there is the four of us, each couple took one baby for the night which worked out wonderfully. Bronson and I took Layla. She slept for almost 4 hours straight! Woohoo! I could not believe it when I looked at the clock.
Grandma and Grandpa had Easton and he slept for 5 hours. They both could not believe how much he slept. Easton is definitely my chubby monkey. He loves to eat.
Today, Bronson and I were able to have a lunch date and get out of the house. Of course we went to have our favorite food, Sushi! We had a lovely time with each other, talking, kissing and just enjoying the moment. I could not imagine doing this alone without our parents.
Well it is bed time for me now. I will write more later.

Miss all my friends and family,
Kendra

Easton DOES look like me...

If you want to see and read the all of the posts and the entire story of our life from the start of last week, then go here: http://4webbs.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html

Here's a picture I pasted together from an old baby picture my cousin Bud sent (Thanks cuz!) and a new one of Easton from this morning. The baby on the left is me and the one on the right is Easton. You can click on the image to see a full-size version if you like. He is definitely my boy, but as Grandma Burgess pointed out he doesn't have the "big ears" like I do. :) Looks like i'll have to wait a few months to get a closer match to my age at the time of the photo and then i can try to recreate the setting from my old picture. Only I don't think i'll be able to find a sweet looking green jumpsuit like the one I had...

I was able to get one other picture of Kendra and Easton as we brewed some coffee and started the morning routine. She was reluctant as usual to be in front of the camera, but I can never figure out why. She has natural beauty, which means she looks as cute in the morning with no makeup as she does when dressed up for a night on the town.

And here is one more of me and my little cowpoke, Easton, after I came home from running an errand. I have no idea why I put on my cowboy hat, big belt buckle, and flannel shirt. It just seemed like a cowboy kind of day. We took a couple of tries to get the wedding picture in the background AND Easton with his hands out of his mouth in the same shot. :)

It's my turn now!

Good evening or should I say early morning! It is now Saturday early am, around midnight. Everyone is in bed now and I just finished the dishes. I am thrilled to be here to witness not only the birth of my first grandchildren but all that goes with that when they come home!

I am definitely not as clever as Bronson, or whom I like to refer to as Mr. Mom but I am excited about adding my thoughts on this wonderful blog. They are probably only worth two cents but here goes!

I have been looking forward to the birth of these two since the moment we found out Kendra was pregnant. People have been telling me how wonderful it is to be a grandparent and I knew it would be true but trying to describe how I feel is difficult. Some women don't want to be a grandmother as they say it makes them feel old. I say bring it on baby! I am thrilled to hold this new title!

Watching Kendra become a mother is one of my greatest joys with the exception of the birth of all 3 of my children. She has always been a natural and it shows with the twins! :) She was spectacular during her pregnancy and even now she glows and looks terrific. I always tell people that yes, she is beautiful but most important, she is beautiful on the inside!
Bronson LOVES his wife and these two precious gifts and I am so proud of him. He watches over Kendra and helps do everything. Changing diapers, feeding, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. He makes me laugh and has the greatest sense of humor. I got up early this morning around 5:30 to find him changing Easton wearing his special flashlight that he puts around his head (kind of like a miner might wear) with a stretch band. If I wasn't so tired at the time I would've laughed forever but I did not want him to be distracted from the work at hand so I just acted like every Dad wears a flashlight on his head while changing their son! To see the joy in his eyes, to hear him speak and sing to his children is a memory that I will hold in my heart forever. He is special and I am grateful that God sent Him into our lives.
He wants to do what is the best for all 4 of them and I have no doubt he will. I am also very jealous of his writing skills but hey, I can learn!! Bronson, flashlights off to you!!

Life goes in cycles and this time of my life is no exception. You want to get married, then have children and watch them go through life. As a parent you have this deep desire for their life to be full of only happiness and great highs. I know, I know!! It sounds sappy and like a B Hollywood movie but hey, that is what we Mom's want. It would be redundant to tell you that life does not usually turn out as easy as we dreamt it should. But I have learned (finally) to ride the roller coaster of everything that this crazy life brings and actually rest and enjoy it! I am grateful that right now this is one of those happy, joyous times. :)
That doesn't mean that I love the struggles or hard times but it forces me to go back to the most important basic foundations in my life. Jesus loves me and all those I love, He has wonderful plans for us and He uses everything to make me more like Him. He is light and there is no darkness in Him, period! It doesn't matter if my life is perfect or imperfect, He is there with unconditional love. I can trust Him!!!! I cannot begin to tell you the peace that brings to my heart and soul. You are probably asking yourself why I am talking about Jesus but I cannot help
it. He is the author of life and seeing Layla and Easton reveals it even more.

The love of my life has to go home on Sunday and man I am going to miss him something fierce.
Not only will I miss him but Kendra, Bronson, Easton and Layla will to.
He has the touch with the twins in all areas! Kendra says that he needs to bottle up his special smell so that she can use it when he goes home. He also has the burping thing down perfectly and we are all jealous!

I am tired so I am going to bed. I am praying that Layla and Easton will remember my face, voice, smell etc. after I leave to go home on March 8th. Kendra and I have already decided to cry and fuss on March 7th so that the 8th will be a happy day! (I'll probably have to fake it but I'll try) I don't know if I can wait until June to see them again but unless Grandpa's pushup tester takes off even more than it has I may have to wait! :(

Connie, I can't wait to see you again! I know they are looking forward to you coming to stay with them. You will not believe how fast they are changing! I am so grateful that you, Phil and the whole Webb and Brown clan love Kendra the way you do. It is truly a blessing to Steve and I.

Thanks for reading my posting. I enjoyed adding a little something from the grandparents perspective.

Ginny aka grandma, Oma, (that is South African for grandmother) or whatever they want to call me

Coming tomorrow: From Kendra with Love...

If you want to see and read the all of the posts and the entire story of our life from the start of last week, then go here: http://4webbs.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html

Today was rainy and chilly here and unfortunately, we didn't get a single picture taken! We all ran some errands (Ginny bought us a diaper warmer and some clothes that actually fit their tiny bodies) and I spent this evening with Uncle Dave while Mary went out to run some errands of her own. Dave and I had a good time watching westerns and talking about what life could have been like in the US if the south would have won the civil war. :)

I (Bronson) decided to dictate Kendra's words tonight so everyone could hear from the mommy herself, but it didn't go so well since she's tired, but her promise was to put some thought into it and work through a post of her own tomorrow. She's experiencing restless leg syndrome a little bit and needs to stand up and walk around. Her usual remedy would be to talk a warm bath, but the c-section recovery says, "no baths, only showers for 6 weeks". We've decided to try a new strategy for the "night shift" of caring for the twins. Easton will be Grandma and Grandpa Burgess' responsibility and Layla will be cared for Kendra and I. That way each couple can sleep when the baby they care for is sleeping.

begin dictation from Kendra:
I think it's finally hit me this evening that I'll be a parent to these two children and go through their life with them through the pain and the joys. During conversations with Dad tonight about them dating, going out in public, and sending them go to school it was a little overwhelming. I can't think of anything special to say because I'm tired and jittery so i'll have to put some thought into it and do this tomorrow. I've never exposed myself so much in my whole life since becoming a milking machine. Having a child is like having your heart residing in two other bodies. Peace.

end dictation

Ginny is planning to write her own post on our blog at some point, so you can look forward to the words of wisdom from the greatest mother-in-law a guy could ask for. We've all had so much fun over the past week with in-laws and between the parents themselves even.

Catch you tomorrow.

Kendra and twins picture

Happy Friday everyone. at least i think it's Friday... Sleep is like oxygen: It's not important until you aren't getting any! :) Although with 3 of us adults helping Kendra it has worked out very well where if anyone needs to sleep or take a nap, everything can keep running smooth.

I'm taking the sunrise shift and everyone else is catching up on sleep. I have my headphones on listening to Jack Johnson and singing to my lovely Layla, who never criticizes my lack of enunciation, but instead looks at me with her eyes and mouth WIDE open like I'm the coolest thing since Elvis.

If you haven't seen the "Diaper Daddies" clip on YouTube, PLEASE turn up your volume and have a laugh. It shows in a humorous some of the choice moments of fatherhood. If you are expecting kids, you will experience this at some level: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeJPmSrHUQo

More confessions of a new dad: My perceptions of raising newborns was COMPLETELY wrong. I developed a few expectations for how situations could possibly go, but never in my wildest dreams planned for this. The lows are much lower and the highs are much higher. I think "Is this boy truly hungry AGAIN already without having a tape worm" and "Is it really necessary to pat a baby on the back for 50 minutes just for one little burp?"

Here's how I thought the situation would unfold:

1. Feed baby for 5 minutes
2. burp baby for 2 minutes
3. baby sleeps for 2+ hours.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for second baby.
5. Then you hang out and watch TV for 2 hours
6. Repeat steps 1-5 ad infinitum.

WRONG! The only thing consistent is change, from what I can tell, and as my Pediatrician said today, "During the first few months you are in survival mode and there are no guidelines". Some people have said to me, "babies are not very interesting for the first few months because they sleep ALL the time". This is absolutely not true. There have been days where our two babies sleep only 6 hours and most of that was during the sunlight hours! I find myself bargaining with them sometimes and saying, "If you just go to sleep for a couple of hours, I'll buy you a Porsche 911 turbo when you turn 16". Neither one took me up on the offer so I won't have to get a second job for the next 16 years to pay for it, but the offer was worth a try.

Key Learnings of the day (somewhat sarcastic):

• Increasing the cadence of burping a baby does not yield faster results. In other words, don't pat the baby on the back any faster because he/she won't get all the bubbles out any faster.
• "The squeaky wheel gets the grease" applies to twin babies too! Whichever one is crying the loudest gets the attention. Sorry, that's just the way it is since there is only one of me.
• If you pick up a crying baby and he/she immediately stops crying, then one thing is certain: Putting the baby back down will produce more cries. You didn't magically fix whatever it was that made the baby cry in the first place just by changing their position from horizontal to vertical.

As I said earlier, the highs are much higher also. Easton and Layla are already providing endless hours of entertainment just being themselves and growing up. When exercising in a new way or in a new sport, you find muscles you never knew you had. Similarly, with babies you find feelings you never knew you had. Some of them have no words in the English language. Some of the words we have don't accurately portray how incredible the moments are so I won't even try.

Ever had a Krispy Kreme doughnut fresh off their conveyor belt? Well, if not, then it's hard to describe. I love Krispy Kreme and if you've never had one, then it doesn't make sense. You probably say, "It's just a doughnut! Why must you drive for 30 minutes and wait in line for a doughnut", but those of you who HAVE ate one of those delectable delights know exactly what I mean. Well, having a baby (or two in my case) is similar in that I felt the same way about babies even up to last week before mine arrived. "It's just a baby!", i thought. But there is something special about staring into their eyes as they stare back. Many of the negative aspects of babies are quantifiable or tangible things: no sleep, changing stinky diapers, loss of free time, etc. However, many of the positive aspects are completely intangible and so wonderful that it IS all worth it.

Here's the picture I've been trying to get for a few days. It seems every time these three are together, she is feeding one or both and it's hard to get a G-rated picture to post. :) Luckily with a little planning and help from Grandma and Grandpa Burgess they were able to get it done. Kendra looks so beautiful and is as photogenic as ever. Even more so when she's holding one or both of our babies.

I sense a disturbance in the force... Oh, that's just Easton waking up. Feeding time again. The next post will be more pictures and less words, I promise. See you soon!