More Spring Break!

My mom, little brother Mark and new sister-in-law Mallory also visited us over Spring Break. The weather was a little chilly, but overall pretty good. Everyone arrived Tuesday night and we had a jam packed week ahead of us. Paul was still in his psychology rotation, and was rotating at a prison in Sugar Land, TX (about an hour away from where we live) this week. Luckily, the medical students call the psychology rotation 'psychation', and he was home by 2:00 everyday so he got to hang out and have some fun too. He did have to get up super early though to be at the prison by 7:00am.


On Wednesday, we slept in (well tried to at least) and then did some shopping before meeting up with Paul for a late lunch, and heading to the island to ride the ferry while the boys went fishing. I think I may have mentioned a few times that I love riding the ferry and so does my mom. This was Mallory's first time to ride the ferry, and I always get nervous that we won't see any dolphins. We did see a dolphin on this trip, and I was so excited! I still think the best time to see dolphins is in the fall. I also brought some bread to feed the birds. I did not realize how scary feeding the birds while holding a baby would be and may have freaked out a little bit.  After, we rode the ferry we met up with the guys briefly while they were fishing on a jetty. They didn't have much luck, but I guess they had some fun. It was a little chilly that night so we ditched the guys and headed home to make some queso and put the girls to sleep.

Grandma on double duty while we wait for the ferry

Hailey on her first ferry ride

Hadley on her first ferry ride

Group photo minus Mallory

Mallory feeding the birds while I try and protect Hadley because I thought the birds were much closer than they were

Fishing with Daddy on the jetty

On Thursday, we headed to the outlet malls and did some shopping while we waited for Paul to get off work. Only the girls really got anything. When Paul got home we headed to Kemah for some boardwalk fun. I really enjoy going out to Kemah it's a nice little board walk. Mark, Mallory and Paul rode some rides while my mom, the girls and I walked around. It was a little chilly and windy that day, but we just bundled up and took in the sights. We even rode the boardwalk tower and the train to end our evening. 

Mallory and Mark at Kemah

Mallory and Mark riding a ride at Kemah

Hadley annoying Hailey in line for the boardwalk tower

about to see Kemah at sunset from the boardwalk tower

Ending our day with a train ride. Hailey slept while Hadley enjoyed all the sounds and lights

Curious little Hadley

Family photo for our first trip to Kemah

Paul and I at Kemah our first year in Houston. What a difference 2 years can make...

On Friday we packed up and headed out to the beach. We were hoping it would be warm enough to play in the water. On Wednesday we had seen a few people at the beach. While the air was warm, the water was very very cold. We did stay for a while and even dipped the girls toes in the water to complete their first trip to the beach. We then ditched the boys to do a little shopping while they went back fishing. We then headed home and said good bye to Uncle Mark and Aunt Mallory, but first we had some yummy sundaes from Sonic.

Hadley playing at the beach with her bath toys

Hadley did not like the cold water

Hailey didn't mind it so much

Hailey left and Hadley right...she still doesn't like to touch the water

Family photo for our first trip to the beach

Group shot with Uncle Mark and Aunt Mallory

My mom was able to stay with us until Monday morning so we spent Saturday and Sunday hanging out at the house playing with the girls, and of course doing some more shopping ;). I am so grateful that Southwest has reasonable tickets from Houston to OKC. It makes being so far away not so bad. I'm also glad that Mark and Mallory now live in San Antonio which is only 4 hours away! 4 hours doesn't seem so bad when the rest of the family is 8-10 hours away. We had a great spring break and are looking forward to the summer!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Spring Break with the McGaha's

We had a jam packed Spring Break and started it off with a visit from Vovô and Vovó and all of our Titias and Titio. Everyone arrived late Friday night. Paul's little sisters stayed with us all weekend and we had fun having them around to help with the girls and to stay up late to watch movies. I could not believe they had not seen Confessions of a Shopaholic. This may be in my top 10 all time favorite movies and I can completely relate with the main character.

Saturday morning started off early as it always does with Hadley and Hailey. Everyone gathered at our place around 9:00am and we had breakfast and hung out for a few hours before heading to the zoo. This was the girls first trip to the zoo! It was a lot of fun to take them and they were more observant of the animals than I thought they would be. I think the zoo will be one of our favorite places to visit over and over again.

We arrived just in time to feed the giraffes.

Hadley watching the swans

Hadley and Hailey playing the drums in Africa

Family photo with the monkeys

My two little monkeys. Hailey is on the bottom and Hadley is asleep on the top

Hailey looking at the red pandas

Group photo

Family photo

 After our trip to the zoo we headed to a local Brazilian restaurant to celebrate Paul's mom's birthday. The girls did very well at the restaurant and are getting so big. They sat in the restaurant high chairs for the first time. They looked so big yet so little at the same time.

Hailey showing off in the high chair

mmm...drinking guaranara (a brazilian soda)

It was cloudy and rainy on Sunday so we decided to go to Main Event for some indoor fun. Paul and his brother and sisters enjoyed bowling, miniature glow golf, and laser tag. We even played some arcade games and had some photo booth fun. It was a great way to end a fun first weekend of spring break.

Anne, Megan, Paul (Hailey), Jessica, and Jacob getting ready to bowl

Hailey is ready to bowl...well it may be a few years yet still.

Hadley

Strike!

playing arcade games

Paul and Jacob playing laser tag

Photo Booth attempt

The square wasn't quite big enough for all 4 of us.

On Monday it was back to school/work for Paul. Medical students don't get spring breaks :(. Paul's family came over for a few hours to see the girls Monday morning before heading back to Tyler later that morning, and I got to take a shower without worrying I would have to jump out at any minute to tend to a crying baby. That doesn't happen very often. We had a good time, and kicked off our spring break with lots of firsts for the girls!

6 months old!!

Hadley and Hailey turned 6 months (19 weeks adjusted) on February 4th!  They are getting sooo big! I don't even feel like I have babies any more. Their faces are maturing and they are really coming into their own personalities. Hadley definitely acts more like her mommy, but looks just like her daddy. Hailey acts more like her daddy, but looks more like her mommy (or well at least her mommy's side of the family). Hadley is my active, busy baby. She is very inquisitive and serious when she plays. She is also more particular and set in her ways. Hailey on the other hand is all smiles. She is more laid back and never in a hurry to do anything. She can roll over and do all the things Hadley does, but prefers to lie on her back, play with her feet and talk to whoever will listen. She is willing and compliant with anything you want her to do and goes with the flow of the day. Both of my girls are so happy all the time and love to laugh!

Hadley (left); Hailey (right)

This month Hailey and Hadley are:
- still wearing size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothes

- eating 6 oz roughly every 4-5 hours, and trying solids on the weekends

- attempting to drink water from a cup

- They are still sleeping well in their own room in their own cribs from about 8:00pm-6:00am; every once in a while they will wake up once in the night to eat and go right back to sleep

- They both roll over from back to belly and from belly to back

- They still love to talk and play, and are beginning to interact more with each other now

- They are better at grasping objects and toys and can switch items from hand to hand

- They sit well while supported and love being in their infant chairs

- They both recognize change in facial expressions from across the room and respond to our silly faces.

-They both still love the jumper and fight for time in it.

- They discovered their toes and love to play with them; and take off their socks
- They love being sung to and read to

- They are still doing well at daycare and making tons of friends

Hadley: 13lbs 13 0z; 25 in

Hailey: 13lbs 13oz; 25in

Video of Hailey talking and playing with her pants

Video of Hadley in the jumper.

After Hadley reached for and tried to drink Paul's Dr. Pepper we gave her a cup of water and she knew just what to do

Hailey drinking from the cup

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day will always be a special day to us because it was on Valentine's Day last year that we found out we were expecting a baby. It wasn't until a few weeks later that we found out we were expecting two little babies! Now, a year later, we are blessed with two happy little 5 1/2 month olds. It was so fun to celebrate Valentine's Day with my two little Valentine's in addition to my forever Valentine and puppy Valentine this year. It was also so sweet to see what Paul got them for Valentine's Day. I think we will start a tradition where Paul gets Valentine's for the girls and I get Valentine's for the boys.

Our Valentine's Day outfits...aren't we soo cute! (Hailey: left; Hadley: right)

Happy Valentine's Day to us from Daddy

Happy Valentine's Day from Grandma

Happy Valentine's Day from Vovo and Vovo

Happy Valentine's Day from Uncle Ben, Aunt Kourtney, Tyler, Addelynn and Trevor! Man we sure are loved!

This year for Valentine's Day we played everything really low key and celebrated at home after the girls went to sleep. Paul made me dinner. We were supposed to watch a movie, but I was not feeling well at all the whole week and I ended up falling asleep right after dinner. Paul was great! He really took care or me and the girls plus did all the house work for the whole week. To top it all off he still got me Valentine's Day goodies too! I think I will keep my forever Valentine forever!

My flowers, chocolate covered strawberries, balloons and earrings. I got Paul a board game and some of his favorite mints, but somehow didn't get a picture :(

We hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day as well!