At the Playground

We took Rachel and Haley to our neighborhood playground Sunday afternoon.  This is not the first time they have been to this playground, its just the first time I took my camera to take some pictures.  Haley was doing good seeing she had her tonsils taken out a couple of days ago.  Haley did get to come home from the hospital Saturday afternoon.  She is back to her normal self.  Haley really enjoyed swinging in the swings.  She loves to be outside.  Rachel didn't like the swings at first, but warmed up to them.  The girls also enjoyed going down the slide with mommy or daddy.  While Thomas, I and Grandpa Stansel walked to the playground, Grandma Stansel stayed back at our house while little Kayla slept.  I look forward to when Kayla is big enough to play at the playground with her big sisters.

Haley and Rachel swinging together

Rachel not liking the swing

Haley having fun

Me and Rachel

Rachel and I

Rachel and I

Haley

Haley and daddy

Haley

Kayla at home sleeping

  

Haley's Surgery

Haley had her tonsillectomy today (February 24).  She made it through the surgery ok.  She was very agitated after the surgery due to the anesthesia, but she is doing well now.  We are so glad those tonsils are out because they were huge.  The doctor said that if her tonsils had gotten any bigger they would have overlapped.  Poor Haley!  No wonder she was having some problems with swallowing foods.  We had to feed her creamy, smooth foods because she wouldn't want to swallow textured foods very well.  Haley is staying in the hospital for observation for one night, I hope.  We hope she will be able to come home soon.  What a tough, strong little girl she is!

Playing in the waiting room

Dressed and ready for surgery

Resting after surgery

Haley asleep after a long day

Valentine's Day 2012

Our Valentine's day was good.  The girls wore cute valentine outfits and had a pretty typical day.  Thomas and I were able to go out for dinner with friends.  We went to Outback Steakhouse and the food was so good!  We appreciate the babysitters who watched the girls for us.  We were so happy to go out and spend time together and spend time with our friends on Valentine's day.

Pictures from Valentine's day:

Haley

Rachel

Kayla's first Valentine's day

Kayla and I

The back of Kayla's cute outfit

The balloons Thomas gave me

The picture below is the box of Chocolates Thomas gave me for Valentine's day.  I think its so funny that Thomas didn't even notice that the box was written in Spanish.  I know it doesn't matter and its the chocolates inside that matter, but I just think its so Thomas to not notice that it was written in Spanish.  I appreciate all the gifts that Thomas gave me and I love him and my girls so much. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

My sweet little girls so cute together.  I was finally able to get a picture of all three together.  They just melt my heart.  Thomas and I love them so very much!  Happy Valentine's Day!

Rachel, Kayla and Haley

Haley

Haley

Rachel and Haley

Rachel

Rachel

Kayla

Kayla

My sweet Valentine's

Just pictures of my Girls

Pictures I took this weekend.  Rachel and Haley looking so cute in their colorful outfits. 

Haley and Rachel

Rachel

Haley

Haley

Rachel

Haley and Rachel

I took these pictures of Kayla on February 2.  These are too cute to not post. 

 

Kayla is 2 Months Old!

Kayla is already 2 months old!  She is growing.  Kayla weighs 9 pounds, 13 ounces and is 21 inches long.  She wears 0-3 month and some 3 month clothing.  She wears a size 1 diaper.  She feeds 8 times a day of mostly to all breastmilk.  She sometimes gets maybe one feed of formula depending on the day.  I continue to pump and luckily I am still able to make enough breastmilk to meet her needs 100%.  I even have some extra breastmilk in the deep freeze for when I need it.  She is still a slow eater, but she's getting better at it.  She gets so comfortable and sleepy during her feedings.  Kayla is so much more alert and aware now.  She smiles and makes cute baby sounds.  She's lifting her head and is gaining some head control.  She doesn't sleep as much as she was a month ago, but she still sleeps a lot.  She has longer wake periods now and loves to look around when she is awake.  She also loves to be held by mommy.  She is just too cute and cuddly!

 

 

 

My little Longhorns

I'm from Austin, Texas and seeing how close The University of Texas was, I attended and graduated from UT in May 2001.  So I'm naturally a Longhorn fan.  My husband Thomas is also a big Longhorn fan.  The girls are by default our little Longhorns.  We enjoy seeing our girls sporting cute Longhorn clothes, socks, etc.  I had fun doing a little photo shoot of Kayla, our littlest Longhorn.  She was such a good sport about it.

I don't want to leave out Rachel and Haley.  Back in early September 2011, I took pictures of them in their cute Texas Longhorn dresses.  I had already posted these pictures back then, but here they are again.  Too cute!

Rachel & Haley are 2 1/2 years old!

 Today Rachel and Haley are 2 1/2 years old.  It seemed like yesterday they turned 2!  Now they are only 6 months away from turning 3!  Wow!  My little girls are getting older so fast.  They sure are active girls.  I have a hard time getting pictures of them because they are always on the move.  Here are the pictures I got today of my cute Rachel and Haley.

Haley and Rachel

Rachel:
Rachel has caught up well on her growth.  She weighs 28 pounds (25-50% ile) and is 33 inches tall (5% ile).  She is doing well with her walking.  Rachel has not said any words yet, but is learning sign language.  She has learned to sign "more".  Her speech and hearing teachers are working on other words as well.  We continue to work on her eating.  It has been a very long frustrating challenge and it will continue to be a challenge to get her to eating 100% by mouth.  Rachel puts some finger foods in her mouth and chews the food, but she continues to spit the food out without swallowing much at all.  She still gets fed 100% through her g-tube.  Rachel is a very determined little girl.  She does not give up when there is something she wants.  Rachel likes to look at books and puzzles and has started becoming interested in watching children's  TV shows (Dora, Sesame Street and cartoons).  She also loves to look at children's apps on mommy's ipod.  She is a beautiful princess.  

 

Haley:
Haley's growth is still slow, but she is growing at her own pace.  She weighs 21 1/2 pounds (<5% ile) and is 28 inches tall (<5% ile).  Haley will be seeing the endocrinologist again in June.  We will decide then to do the growth hormone shots or not.  We have been working on getting Haley to eat more to see if it will help her growth.  She is eating larger quantities now so hopefully that will help.  I really think Haley is just going to be a petite person.  Her daddy was little as a child.  With Haley's speech, she sometimes says "mom", but I'm not sure if she knows what she is saying.  She says it at random times even when I'm not near her.  Haley is a fun loving, stimulation seeking little girl.  She loves to jump, play and go outside.  Haley also likes looking at the children's apps on my ipod.  She most likely doesn't see the detail in the apps, but she sees the light, movement and colors.  Haley is a sweet little sensitive girl.