The Brooks

23 weeks

2011-04-13T09:21:00.000-07:00

24 weeks pregnant with the boys- summer of 2009 April 8, 2011

22 weeks pregnant with baby boy!

Cricket 36 weeks pregnant with baby girl!

At our school this year, we have had roughly 17 people- have babies or get pregnant! Cricket also teaches 4th grade and is next door to me. I have a doctor's appointment for my check up today. So, I will write again tomorrow with an update on sweet baby boy! Love you all!

19 weeks and Spring Break

2011-03-19T13:04:00.001-07:00

It's a ...... BOY!!! We are so happy to announce that our perfect, healthy baby is a boy! Another boy to add to our team! We could not be happier. My doctor's appointment went great and he is perfect!

Jackson loving the swing at Rail Road Park.

Jarrett being our little monkey at Rail Road Park.

The boys having a blast running!

Daddy and his precious boys!

The boys telling us where to go at the zoo!

Jackson loved the zoo!

Jarrett wanted to get out of the stroller and climb with the monkeys!

"What does an elephant say? ROLL TIDE!!!"

My wonderful family at the zoo!

Our Spring Break was just wonderful! Here was our agenda:

Monday: Ultrasound. We got to find out what is growing inside my belly on Monday morning. It would not be complete without having the boys, Gran, and Mimi Deb to join us! Craig and I are so excited to add another little boy to our family! God is so good! And just think- 3 years ago, a doctor told us we may not ever have children of our own! Well, God had a different plan for the Brooks!

Monday afternoon: We met my great Aunt and Uncle at a carnival here in Trussville. No, the boys didn't ride anything, but loved seeing all the people and hearing all the screaming!

Tuesday: We went to the Galleria. I was trying to find some Easter outfits, but had no luck!

Wednesday: The boys FINALLY made it to their 15 month check ups! They have been so sick lately, we have had to cancel twice already. They both are doing GREAT! Jarrett weighs 25.5 pounds and is 32 inches tall. Jackson weighs 23.25 pounds and is 31.5 inches tall. This is the first time that they do not weigh EXACTLY 2 pounds difference! Well, since the day they were born!! Their motor skills are amazing! They walk with so much stability and LOVE to climb! If that is on the couch, the pack and play, the end tables- ANYTHING!! They explore every inch of every room! They love the bath and don't mind water in their face and eyes. They hate it when you have to feed them something- like oatmeal. They want to do it! But they have not quite mastered eating from a spoon and scooping food onto the spoon. They love rolling the ball back and forth with Daddy, or throwing it!

Thursday: We met my Aunt Necie, Blaire, Brock, Kathryn, Randall, baby Emmerson, and Melissa at the Birmingham Zoo, along with most of Birmingham. It was a perfect day to be at the zoo! The boys were so amazed and loved looking at all the animals! They both roared at the lions and tigers! Craig was not happy that we went without him! :(

Friday: The boys and I went to Mimi Deb's work. She got them out of the stroller and they loved running up and down in her big office building. My grandmother, grandfather, and Aunt Necie then met us for lunch at the Fish Market.

Saturday: Craig was finally off!!! :) We went to Rail Road Park downtown. We strolled the boys around for a while, then we went to the playground. They loved it!! Jarrett was sooooo hot! I think he takes that after his daddy. Then we headed to the Summit for some wonderful lunch at Chuy's.

I hope you have a great day! I love you- Kristi

Week 18

2011-03-10T11:19:00.001-08:00

I am absolutely AWFUL!! I have not blogged since Thanksgiving!! Well, A LOT has happened since then!

On Dec. 3rd 2011, I found out that I was pregnant!! I was a week late and stopped by WalMart and picked up a test! I took it and WOW! It said YES! I was in shock! I took a picture of it on my phone and texted it to Craig. He texted me back, "WHAT IS THIS??" He called a few seconds later and we were just so overjoyed and thrilled! God blessed us with these 2 boys and now we get to start all over again with another angel!

We told our families on Christmas Eve that I was pregnant. I made a picture album for both of my grandmothers and put a picture of our first ultrasound on the last page that read, "Coming Soon, August 2011". We all cried! We are so lucky that our family is so close and love us unconditionally!

My pregnancy has been wonderful! I was extremely sick my first trimester, but around week 16 I started to feel much better. I have more energy and I'm not sick! My doctor visits have gone great. The baby's heart rate has been 170, 165, 160 so far- very high! Dr. Bill says girl. Who knows? We will find out on Monday the 14th at 8am!! At my last doctor's visit, I was measuring 17 weeks and gained 6 pounds.

January did not start off good! Ever since January, we have been to the doctor every 10-15 days with one of the boys. They have had ear infection after ear infection and are just now getting over hand, foot, mouth disease! Wow! It was awful! The boys have not completed an entire week at daycare since January. They go about 3 to 4 days, then are out due to sickness! We live at the doctor's office!! UGGGGG! I am so ready for SPRING!!

Next week is Spring Break! Monday- Ultrasound, Tuesday- Zoo with the family, Wednesday- 15 month check ups. I can't wait!

Have a great Thursday!

Round 2

2010-11-30T12:49:00.001-08:00

My sister's family came in town for Thanksgiving, so we had to have another party for the boys and for Carsten while they were here! Here are some pictures!

GG holding Jackson and Michelle holding Jarrett
MY FAMILY

Craig and his little buddy, Jackson

Jarrett loving his cupcake

Jackson loving his cupcake

Carsten and his cupcake

Jarrett on the left and Jackson on the right

I just realized that we did not take one picture from Thanksgiving! I'm just awful! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are so thankful for so many people in our lives! We honestly feel that we have the best family in the entire world! We are so thankful to have 2 healthy little monsters, 2 great jobs, 2 cars, a warm house, and thankful that we all have our health and a wonderful family and friends to share this life with! Love you all! Kristi

1 year old

2010-11-18T05:32:00.000-08:00

Jarrett actually did not eat as much cake as I thought he would!

Jarrett tearing into his cake!

Singing Happy Birthday to our little angels!

Jackson

Jarrett

Where in the world to I start?! The last time I blogged, it was in the summer. WOW! Have things changed! Last Saturday, the boys turned ONE! I can't believe it!! Time just flies! They got a great check up with the doctor. I'm not going to say it went good, because it didn't!! Not only did they have to get 4 shots, they had to get blood from their toe. Needless to say, Jarrett screamed pretty much the entire time while we were there!!

They are now both walking, climbing, and saying "da da, mama, bite, bye bye" and love to wave and blow lots of kisses! It is amazing to me that they can be so independent and they are only one. They both love people and never meet a stranger! They also LOVE to scream, not because they are upset, just because they can!

Jarrett is my mischievous one! He loves getting into things. If he knows that he is not suppose to have something, he will turn around and cut his eyes up at you. As if to say, "I'm not doing anything!" If he is sick or really tired, he loves to cuddle and fall asleep on his mommy! He has super human powers! He is soooo very strong! He has great balance. He can squat down to the floor, then stand back up without a bobble.

Jackson is my laid back one! He gets into things, but usually because he is following in his older brother's footsteps! :) He will sit and play with toys alone for the longest time. He enjoys his alone time! He has the sweetest smile! He is walking, but not near as balanced or fast as his "big" brother.

I absolutely love being a mommy! God blessed me with the most amazing husband! He is the best daddy that I could have ever imagined! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! And ROLL TIDE!! :)

Our first family vacation

2010-07-22T07:55:00.000-07:00

Carsten, Jackson, Jarrett, and Connor.

Look at those cute Disney shirts Michelle bought! Thanks Aunt Chelle!

The boys loving the mall.

The boys having a blast at the Farmer's Market! I think Craig had MORE FUN! :)

Connor at Karate.

The boys at IKEA!

Carsten coming down the slid at Monkey Joe's.

Connor playing at Monkey Joe's.

Jarrett all smiles with 2 teeth on top and 2 on bottom!

My beautiful Connor! I can't believe he is about to start school this year!

Michelle and Carsten at Boardwalk Billies.

The boys in the baby pool. The boys actually loved the big pool, but we didn't get any pictures! They splashed around and had huge smiles on their faces!

Kevin and his flock of seagulls! :) Connor and Carsten are such good swimmers! They love to jump in and swim around for hours!

Where do I begin? We left around 9 on Sunday the 11th. The boys slept all the way to Atlanta. Actually a little past the downtown area. We knew we needed to get them out and feed them, so they would travel better. So, we stopped at the mall of Georgia. We ate lunch, strolled around, used the bathroom, etc. We ended up staying at the mall for 2 hours. So, then we packed the car back up and headed out. The boys did great, until about an hour away from Charlotte. So, they watched some Praise Baby on the dvd player and they loved it!! (Thank you so much Amy!! I really didn't think they would watch it!!) We finally reached Michelle and Kevin's at 6:30 our time. The boys loved the fact that they got out of the car and could crawl around.

Here are somethings we did:

-Monday- We went to the mall and went to the Harrisburg Farmer's Market.

-Tuesday- We hung out around the house and Craig and I got to go to Sticky Fingers all by ourselves!

-Wednesday- We hung out around the house and strolled around their beautiful neighborhood.

-Thursday- Craig kept the boys and I took Connor and Carsten out. We went to Monkey Joe's, Wendy's for lunch, then Target. We quickly came home for a small nap, then went to the Leggo store at the mall for a birthday party. That night we all got ready and headed out to the University Area for their local band night at the lake. We ate at Boardwalk Billies.

-Friday- We all need some rest!

-Saturday- We went to Steve and Elaine's house for a cookout. We all swam and ate some amazing burgers!

Then Sunday it was time to load up and head out! We left around the same time, 9am our time. We figured they would sleep a couple of hours on the way out. What were we thinking!?! They slept maybe 30 minutes. Then they were up and ready for the day! We did the same thing and stopped at the mall of Georgia. Oh Jarrett was so excited to get out of the car! We spent 3 hours at the mall and enjoyed stretching our legs. I had to wrestle Jarrett to get back in the car! He basically screamed from that point on! I ended up getting in the back to calm him down. Thank goodness that worked. We got home around 7:30 and boy we all were so glad to pull in our driveway!!

To Michelle and Kevin- I love you both so much! We all had a wonderful time and thank you so much for making us feel like we are at home! I wish y'all did not live so far away! Thanks for everything! I love you!

July 4th

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

Craig and Jarrett

Mama Bet kissing Jarrett!

Mama Bet with her angels!

What a great long weekend! Saturday we headed to Maddox's 3rd birthday party! I cannot believe he is three already! Then we had dinner with Craig's mom and dad at the Bonner's. We always love spending time with them! I am so lucky to have married into such a wonderful family! Sundays are always packed! After Sunday School and church, we went to Mama Bet's house! The boys love being around others! They had a blast with everyone loving all over them! Monday was wonderful, because Craig was off! We laid around, then went to the Summit. The boys are completely happy as long as you are strolling them around!

Dreamland and Babies R Us

2010-07-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

Jackson chillin' at Dreamland! (before the screaming!)

Craig and Jarrett at Dreamland!

Jackson and I at Dreamland!

And YES- Sticky Fingers is still better!! :-)

Craig wrestling with boys!

Jackson slobbering all over Craig! (I love it!)

The day started out with their first trip to Dreamland! They were doing great, until Jackson thought it would be more fun to start screaming! Yes, I mean SCREAMING! He was not upset, he was playing! Every time I would put my hand over his mouth to make him stop, he would start to laugh! I mean BELLY LAUGH! Yes, they both have found their ability to make us leave, when they are ready to go! So, we left! And headed to Babies R Us! The boys needed their big boy car seats! I can't believe it, but they are now ready for a big car seat! That means--- NO SNAP AND GO STROLLER!!! YIKES!!!! My sister gave us the most amazing baby shower gift- our snap and go stroller! Yes, you take their car seats and just snap it into this stroller. We have used that stroller constantly! So, now it will take more time to get in and out of places!

More exciting news- Jarrett is now cutting his top front teeth! One has already come in and the other one should be in within the next day or two! And yes, Jackson is right behind him!

I absolutely love being a mom! Thank you Lord for choosing me to be the mother of Jarrett and Jackson! I am honored to be their mommy and Craig's wife! I am the luckiest woman on Earth! I love you all! Kristi

July 1, 2010

2010-07-01T12:39:00.001-07:00

Jackson loves the exersaucer!

This was Jarrett yesterday morning. He was trying to get his bear! How cute!

Jackson was so tired this morning! They both woke up extra early and he was tired!

It is just pitiful!!

GiGi and Great-Grandaddy came over to play! They had a ball!

(Jarrett and Jackson did too!)

Great-Grandaddy makes them laugh so hard! It is just precious!

This week

2010-06-25T08:40:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy in the whole world! I always knew Craig would be a good dad, but he is the most hands on, amazing daddy I have ever seen! We are so lucky to have you!! I love you baby!

The boys playing in their pool!

Sweet Jarrett laying on the floor watching Praise Baby right before bed time! (he is awake)

Crawling

2010-06-23T07:42:00.001-07:00

He is mobile! Jarrett is crawling!

Jackson wants to crawl so bad, but has not quite figured it out yet!

There is nothing wrong with this picture. YES- That is slobber drooling from Jarrett's mouth!! ha ha

Jarrett started crawling on Monday! YEAH!! He sits up all on his own and is ready to play! I have a feeling Jackson will be crawling within a week or so! He is almost sitting up on his own, but not completely alone!

What a mess!!

2010-06-23T07:31:00.001-07:00

Jackson was finished eating and ready to play, so I took him into the other room and this is what I came back to! JARRETT LOVES MAKING A MESS!!!!

Big boys! Drinking out of their sippy cups after lunch! YUMMY!

The boys absolutely love eating food! So far, they have had avocado, sweet potatoes, and carrots. We have had a wonderful summer so far! It is already going by too quickly!

pics

2010-06-15T11:25:00.001-07:00

Yes, that is Jackson eating Jarrett's foot! ha ha!

My beautiful Jackson!

Jarrett is all but crawling!

Hey Mom!

YES, I know how to sit up all by myself!

And I get here on my own too! (Jarrett)

Big Blue Eyes Jackson

Easter 2010

2010-06-14T11:13:00.001-07:00

I am just 2 months late on posting Easter pictures! ha ha! That is my life with twins! :)

Jackson is soooo happy!! (Jackson-left, Jarrett-right)

Jackson, Jarrett

It looks like Jarrett is just going to get up and walk away! ha ha!

Jarrett-left, Jackson-right

Sweet Jackson!

He looks EXACTLY like Craig's baby pictures!

Sweet Jarrett! He is such a happy baby!

Cricket's Wedding

2010-06-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

The 4th Grade Gang! (Leah, Lisa, Me, Cricket, Greg, Sherita, Mandy, and Robert)

The beautiful couple- Cricket and Greg Miller!

St. George Island, FL

Lisa and I. Lisa retired just a few weeks ago. Chalkville is not going to be the same! I love you!

Craig and I at dinner Friday night!

Yes, Craig and I got away for the first time without the boys! We went to Apalachicola, Florida on Friday and enjoyed a great weekend with friends! Gran and Grandaddy kept the boys and I know the boys had a wonderful time with them! Jarrett is on his way to crawling! He is up on all fours and bounces back and forth! I bet by this weekend he will be crawling! I am sure Jackson will be right behind him. Jackson's bottom teeth finally came through!! And now Jarrett has his top two teeth popping through!

I just realized that I have not downloads pics from Easter, so I will post those in just a few mins!

6 months pictures

2010-05-17T06:13:00.001-07:00

How precious are they???

Jarrett:

Jackson:

I cannot believe my little babies are getting so big! Yesterday in church I had a flood of emotions come over me when I realized they will not be babies much longer! God has given us the most amazing gifts! I hope you have a great Monday!!

Love- Kristi

6 months

2010-05-13T07:40:00.000-07:00

The boys watching their cousin Luke's baseball game! Having a blast!

April 17, 2010

Can you believe it?? My baby boys are 6 months old today! Where has the time gone?? They are so big now! And soooo much fun! They are talking like crazy, rolling around, and they love to smile at all the ladies! Jarrett has TWO teeth and Jackson is still working on his! I know it will be really soon, because he was in rare form lastnight! They love looking at eachother and eating eachother's hand, foot, or whatever they can find! You can lay them on a blanket on the opposite sides and they will meet in the middle within just a few minutes!

My first Mother's Day with the boys was great! I think I ended up with 4 wonderful cards and a certificate to get a massage! (I can't wait!!) We went to church, then my grandmother's, then to Gran's! Usually after Sunday School, but before Ryan actually preaches, we get a page from the nursery. I am usually gone just a few minutes. I have to put Jarrett down. He loves to see me coming and goes right down! We also enjoyed some family time and got to spend some quality time with our moms!

I have 11 more days left of school!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!! I have never wanted the year to end more than this year!! The kids are going crazy and I am too! I can't wait to spend everyday with my boys!!

On Saturday, we went and got the boys pictures made. I will post them, as soon as I load them up! Love you all- Kristi

Pictures- 17 weeks old

2010-03-30T12:26:00.001-07:00

Jackson on the left and Jarrett on the right.

Jackson

Jackson on the left and Jarrett on the right.

Jarrett

week 19

2010-03-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

I had to post this! Gran sent this while we were at work! Look- they are holding hands while they are playing! How precious!! Jackson on the left and Jarrett on the right! March 30th, 2010

Week 19

2010-03-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

Where do I start? It has been CRAZY in the Brooks' household lately. I will start from the last time I blogged.

March 13th was a big day for Grace (our niece). She made middle school cheerleader! She was soooo excited! She is such a beautiful young lady and I still can't believe that she is in middle school. It seems like just yesterday, I was changing her diaper! Way to go Grace! We are so proud of you!

March 15th-19th was Spring Break! YEAH!!! Every year since I have been teaching, I go spend the week with my sister. Well, this year we didn't make it out to Charlotte. We were so upset, but I felt like the boys were not quite ready to travel. But we did have a great time spending it at home! Monday the boys and I met Craig for lunch. Hamburger Heaven's milk shakes are to die for!!! SO YUMMY! Tuesday we stayed at home! I cleaned all day! Wednesday was filled with family! First, we went to Mimi's work (my mom). The boys love all of the attention! They looked so cute in their jeans and St. Patrick's Day bibs! Then we strolled over to Newk's. By this time the boys were taking a nap. Then, we went to Gran's work (Craig's mom). Everyone was loving all over them and they loved it. Thursday, Jackson woke up with a cold. That afternoon he had a fever. So, off to the doctor we went. Dr. Miller told us that he didn't have the flu, but he just had a cold. Well, Friday morning, Jarrett woke up with a "cold". At this point, the boys started coughing, having fever, runny noses, etc. I called the doctor Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They starting coughing really bad by Sunday. Their cough sounded like the "croop". I was so worried. So, back to the doctor we went on Monday. They both had bronchiolitis and double ear infections. Needless to say, we were all exhausted and so ready for this "cold" to be over with! Then on Wednesday, Jarrett started weezing. It was just awful! So, back to the doctor! Dr. Redman gave him an inhaler and that finally started working on Friday. They are starting to get better and not near as congested as they were. But they are not 100% themselves yet!

March 20th was Michelle's birthday! I hope you had a wonderful day! I hate that I didn't get to come see you! You are my bestfriend and I love you very much!

Last week and this week is ARMT testing and SAT's. I know you all remember taking the SAT's when you were little, but now it is MUCH harder and their is so much pressure on the kids and US (the teachers)! I will be so glad when this week is over with. We cannot wait until Easter! The boys are going to have a blast! Michelle, Kevin, and the boys will be here to celebrate with us!

Yesterday, the boys had their 4 month check up. We are a little behind! Jarrett weighs 15.1 pounds and is 25 inches long. Jackson weighs 13.1 pounds and is 24.75 inches. You would think that Jarrett weighs more than 2 pounds, because he seems so heavy, but they are only 2 pounds apart! Developmentally they are doing great! Jackson has rolled over. Jarrett reached out for me this morning. Jarrett loves to stand and he loves his Johnny Jump Up! When Jackson cries, Jarrett has started whining. It is so sweet.

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter! Love you all!

Pictures

2010-03-08T11:04:00.000-08:00

Jarrett on the left and Jackson on the right. 16 weeks

TYPICAL JARRETT!! 2 seconds later! ha!! ha!!

Jarrett-15 weeks

Daddy holding Jackson's hand, while taking a nap on a Saturday. Jackson-15 weeks

Jackson on the left and Jarrett on the right. 13 weeks

16 weeks

2010-03-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

This past Friday was a big day! Jarrett and Jackson are now 16 weeks old! Can you believe it? We can't! They are such big boys now! They are just talking up a storm. They love being talked to and they will talk right back. They are getting so big. I don't know how in the world we are going to carry them in their car seats for 8 more months. My arms are going to be the size of a body builder!! ha! They are the sweetest little things! They love everyone that is keeping them. When someone picks them up, they just smile and laugh. They are sleeping so good. They go to bed around 9 or so and get up between 5:30 and 6. Even on the weekends, except Sunday. On Sunday, they woke up at 8! WOW!!! We felt soooo rested! Last week, the stomach virus hit us all. EVERYONE in our family had it, EXCEPT the boys!!! Praise the Lord!!! We were so lucky that they did not get it.

The boys just love church! They love the praise and worship music. They just look around and smile. They are praising Him too!! We have not put them in the nursery yet and not quite ready to! We are so afraid that they are going to get sick. Some parents take their kids to church no matter what! And I don't want them to get something! First time mom- ya know!

Oh by the way- no one told us that we should have bought Easter outfits 2 months ago! I am a new mom- I don't know all of these things. Craig and I went everywhere Saturday night to find them outfits and everything is picked over (especially trying to find 2 in the same size)!!

Have a great week! We love you!

Lastly, please pray for Craig's Granny. She is in the hospital and hopefully will be going back to the nursing home today or tomorrow.

**I was going to upload some new pictures, but something is wrong with my downloads. Hopefully, I will get to it this afternoon!**

Baby Dedication

2010-02-09T14:14:00.000-08:00

Pastor Ryan talking to the boys!

During the ceremony.

We didn't realize how much our outfits looked just alike!! :-/

Baby Dedication was amazing!! Just like I hoped! Craig and I have been looking forward to this day for many years now. So, actually being able to participate in it this year, made it just wonderful! The boys were great! They both just looked around and didn't make a peep. Towards the end, Jarrett spit up all over my arm and on his cute outfit, but I didn't care at that point! The most special time was when our family and friends gathered around us and put their hands on us and prayed for us. That meant so much to us. So many people prayed for these boys to get here and now we all can pray for them to accept Christ and grow in Him. Our family and friends mean so much to us and we just want to say thank you so much for sharing this beautiful day with us! I means so much more than you will ever know! We love you!!

12 weeks old

2010-02-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

Jackson and Jarrett- 12 weeks old.
Jarrett loves the mornings!
12 weeks old

Jackson waiting on Daddy to come home!! He refuses the smile!
12 weeks old

The boys are growing so much lately!! Jarrett's issues with his formula are getting better. Dr. Harmon wanted us to thicken up his formula, so they both are getting some rice cereal in their bottles! Jarrett LOVES it!!! He was never really satisfied with just formula anyway. Jarrett gets 1 tablespoon in 6 ounces of formula and Jackson gets a half tablespoon in 6 ounces. So, they are going to blow up! :-) I can't wait! They love to play and laugh. They loved to be talked to and love taking a bath. You always know that if Jarrett is fussy, then put him in a bath and it changes his mood in seconds!

Tomorrow is a big day for us- Baby Dedication at church. A couple of weeks ago, we attended a class to discuss the dedication. Basically the class was to remind us, that our children learn about God and the Bible from us, not just at church. And how my relationship with my husband is even more important than ever. We need to make sure that we set time to spend with each other. So, this week I am reading The Love Dare (from the movie, Fireproof). We both have gone through this book about a year ago with our Sunday School Class. With that being said, I encourage you to strengthen your marriage!

I can't wait to post some pictures of our big day tomorrow! Have a wonderful weekend!

11 weeks old

2010-01-29T07:58:00.001-08:00

Jarrett laughing at 9 weeks.

Jackson playing in his Bumbo. Jackson hit the toy every time!
Jackson-11 weeks
Christy and Darty- thanks so much! They love them!

Jackson laughing at 9 weeks.

The boys first trip to the Galleria. They loved looking at all the lights!

10 weeks

Jackson on the left and Jarrett on the right. Jarrett is waving at you!

(Gran took this while we were at work! She has so much fun with them and they love it!)

Can you believe it?? They are 11 weeks old today!! They are growing so fast! They had their 2 month check up on the 20th. They are getting so big! Jarrett weighed 10.10 and Jackson was 9.8. They both were the same length and head circumference. (I can't remember what it was!) The boys have a cold. :-( But they are quickly getting over it. We think Jarrett has some issues with his sinuses. I am going to talk with the doctor today to discuss it. We think his bottle is getting into his sinus cavity. So when he lays down, you can tell he cannot breath correctly. We still have not taken him to see if he has a hernia. We had an appointment scheduled for Jan. 18th, but they cancelled due to being closed for MLK day. So, it is re-scheduled for Feb. 8th. So, hopefully we will know something about it then!!

Jarrett is a handful!! Dr. Harmon said, "Jarrett is a typical baby with colic." Great!! The zantac did work for a while, but not anymore!!! He is only satisfied if he is being held. And it is so pitiful, because he will be screaming and you are trying to calm him down and you will look at Jackson and he will just be starring a hole through you. It makes you feel so guilty! Jarrett does love the morning! He is usually so happy after he eats. I always feed him at 6 and we have our special time in the morning. I take him to our bedroom and put him in his swing. He laughs and plays in his swing, while I get ready for work. We play and talk, then I bring him downstairs and then they watch their praise baby dvds. We usually find Jackson and Daddy asleep in the recliner!! It is just precious! They are so peaceful!

Jackson is just wonderful! He is so laid back and just takes everything in. He loves to play. As long as you are talking to him, he is happy!

They usually sleep pretty good! But lastnight was wonderful!! We have realized that when we wake them up at 10pm, they are in a deep sleep. And Wednesday night, neither one of them took their half of their bottle and they could not go back to sleep. So, lastnight we let them sleep through their 10pm feeding and we just knew that we would get up in the middle of the night and feed them. But guess what????!!! They fell asleep last night at 8 and slept until 5:30 this morning!!!!!! WOW!!!! Praise the Lord!! Boy they were hungry this morning, but they slept so peaceful and sound lastnight!!!

Yes, I am back at work and enjoying myself. I miss the boys like crazy, but I know they are being taken great care of and spending time with our wonderful family! We owe so much to our family for sacrificing their time to spend with the boys. We love you so much and could never repay you enough for all that you do!

Being a mom has been the most wonderful experience that I could ever imagine! I love every second of it! Even the loss of sleep! We love you all!

Pictures

2009-12-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

A really good friend of ours came to the house and took some pictures of the boys when they were 2 weeks old! They turned out really good! I hope you enjoy them! Thank you Randi! We love you- Kristi

1 month

2009-12-18T10:18:00.000-08:00

The best sister in the world!! We don't know what we would have done without you for the first couple of weeks! You saved our sanity! We love you so much! The boys love their Aunt Chel!
Jackson
Jarrett
Jackson and Jarrett looking around!

The boys love sitting in the recliner with Daddy! It seems like they always fall asleep! (including Daddy)

We had their one month check up the other day. I cannot believe that they are already one month old! It seems like we were just in the hospital. Jarrett and Jackson both have reflux. Which is just so pitiful! :( They just scream and cry because they are in so much pain. Jackson actually spits up and Jarrett doesn't. But they are now on medicine, so it is getting much better!! Jarrett now weighs 8.2 and is 20.75 inches long. BIG BOY! Jackson weighs 7.5 and is 20.5 inches long. So, we need to make sure that he doesn't spit up too much. He needs his bottle!! Since Jarrett was breech, he has an appointment on the 30th to make sure he doesn't have hip displayshia (I have no idea how to spell that). And we also have an appointment to see if he has a hernia. Please, pray that he doesn't have either!

The boys are becoming more and more active every day. Jarrett loves tummy time, Jackson not so much! They love their bouncy seats. I think they would live in them if we would let them. I am so proud of our boys! They now are sleeping in their room and in their cribs! Can you believe it?! They are great sleepers! At night, they usually sleep for 4-6 hours. Which is amazing! I think the boys know that Mama and Daddy love their sleep too! :-)

God has blessed us with the most loving and considerate family and friends. We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the love you have shown us over the last month. If that is bringing us food, holding a baby so I can take a shower, feeding a baby, or changing a baby so I can take a nap. We love you all so much! I don't know what we would do with you! The boys are now 5 weeks old today and I have not had to make one dinner! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! That is amazing!! Also, we had help for 3 weeks, everyday! We could not have done it without you!

We love you all- Kristi

FINALLY!!

2009-12-18T09:25:00.001-08:00

Okay- I AM AWFUL!!! I feel so bad that I have not updated the blog. There are so many people that have been praying for us and some of you still have not been able to see our precious angels! Well, I will start from the last time I blogged. We had a scheduled c-section for November 13th and had to be there at 5 am. We got there and they did their routine check up stuff for me. At this point, my belly was measuring 54 cm! WOW!!! I was HUGE!!!! I really wish we took a bare belly picture that day, but we were a little preoccupied. Our family arrived and prayed with us before I went into the operating room. I walked into the operating room and they quickly got to work. I was terrified of the spinal, but it was not bad AT ALL!!! The worst part was the numbing medication. I didn't feel the rest of it! They laid me down and I they were prepping me. Craig was sitting outside and made the nurse go tell him that everything was fine. (I knew he was probably freaking out.) A few minutes later he came in. His eyes were HUGE! You could tell that he wasn't quite ready for all of this. Before this day, he expressed to me how his entire life was on that table- me and the boys- and he was very nervous. The surgery went great! I didn't feel anything!! No tugging, pulling or anything. They pulled Jarrett out and he wasn't crying. So, I really started crying! I was so nervous and anxious. I started yelling at Dr. Bill and said, "Why is he not crying? Why?" They had to suction his mouth and then Dr. Bill told me what they were doing then, a few seconds later I heard the most amazing sound ever- MY FIRST BABY CRYING- Jarrett Marlin! I started screaming crying and saying Praise the Lord!! Two minutes later, I heard Jackson Montgomery crying. The rest is a blur- all I wanted to do was to stare at our precious babies! In the past couple of years, I never thought that the Lord would bless us with our own children and now I was experiencing our own babies' birth. The Lord blessed us with two. There have been so many people that have been negative about us having twins, but we would not have it any other way! We are now doubly blessed! Sometimes it is really hard, but isn't one child sometimes.

The first time I got to meet my boys!

The best Daddy in the world!! He was so nervous about holding them together! (That has definitely changed now!!)

Mama holding her boys in the room. We were so lucky that they were okay and did not have to spend any time in the NICU. Praise the Lord!

Jarrett Marlin Brooks was born at 7:26 am and weighed 6.4 and was 19.5 inches long. Jackson Montgomery Brooks was born at 7:28 am and weighed 6.2 and was 19 inches long.

"I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. Now I dedicate him to the Lord." 1 Samuel 1:27-28

We love you all- Kristi

Week 35

2009-11-05T06:52:00.000-08:00

I finally gave in the towel. My last day at work was Friday, October 30th. I really think my body could not handle it anymore. Well, I know it couldn't handle it anymore! Friday night I had A LOT of contractions, then Saturday a little less and so on. I haven't had any contractions since Monday. So, to me that was my body saying that is enough! On Saturday, my father in law came and helped Craig finish up the boys' room. How sweet- considering that was his birthday!! We love you Marlin!! They finished painting it and it looks wonderful. Their room is almost 100% finished!!! YEAH!! I will post some pictures when it is complete.

We had a doctor's appointment on Monday and everything looked great! I am so glad that we had that appointment, because I was having so many contractions at that point. Both boys weigh over 6 pounds!! BIG BOYS!! I not dilated, which is good! Baby A's heart rate was 156 and Baby B's heart rate was 123. Baby A is breech and Baby B is lateral! Which was the same as last time. So, we scheduled my c-section for Nov. 13th at 5am!!! YEAH!! In 8 days we will get to meet our precious boys!! PRAISE THE LORD!! A year ago, I would not have thought that I would have not one, but two boys by Thanksgiving!! God has given me patience and perseverance. After many doctor's appointments, disappointment, and crying I am going to be a mommy in a week! WOW!! I will try to be the best mom I can be and I want our boys to know that their parents love them unconditionally and will always be there for them!!

Craig is just wonderful! He has really stepped it up and taken control of the house and getting the room ready for the boys! He has to do a lot of things by himself. Which makes me sad, because we have always enjoyed spending time together.

Have a wonderful week and I will let you know how our appointment goes on Monday. Love you all- Kristi

Lu Ann's twin boys

2009-10-30T08:43:00.001-07:00

I am so excited for my pledge sister Lu Ann. Her and Justin have two healthy boys!! Beckett was born at 5:20 pm, weighing 5 pounds and 7 ounces and 19 inches long. Elijiah was born at 5:21 pm, weighing 5 pounds and 8 ounces and 18.5 inches long. They both are in the NICU due to some breathing issues. Please pray for mommy and boys! CONGRATULATIONS LU!! I love you!! Here are some pictures of her boys!

Week 34

2009-10-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

YES- 34 weeks!!! I can't believe it!! I know I say that every week, but it is so true!! Well, this week has not been easy- AT ALL!! I walk like a little old lady. It is so hard to stand up and sit down.

I went to the doctor yesterday and everything looks great! Last week, I was measuring 40 cm and now I am measuring 43 cm. WOW- 3 cm in one week!! I didn't gain an ounce, which is good, but boy they did some growing!! Baby A's heart rate was 171 and Baby B's heart rate was 136. Those heart rates have really changed lately. But he said that was normal. I am still teaching. But I am sitting at my desk, pretty much all day long. Thank you Lord, that I teach 4th graders and that they are so independent!!

Last week, I started the not sleeping thing!! I was waking up at 3 or 4 every morning. That was AWFUL!!!!!! So, my wonderful mother in law, is letting us borrow her recliner!! OH---- HOW WONDERFUL!! I can sleep again!! I put a pillow on each side, to make sure they don't move to one side (because that really hurts!) But I still have to get up every hour or so to go to the bathroom!! Imagine that!

Lastly, I want you to say a special prayer for Luann and her twin boys! She is having a C-Section on Thursday. Pray that her boys are healthy and her section goes perfect! Also, that they will be able to come home with her on Monday!! At the beginning of the year, Luann and Justin moved to Texas (away from their families), so pray that her church family will help them whenever they need someone!

I love you all and I cannot believe that our boys will be here before we know it. He is planning on taking them the week of Nov. 16th. I will know more details next week. We have an ultrasound next Monday to see how big they are!! YEAH! Please, keep us in your prayers! I love you all- Kristi

Week 33

2009-10-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

Yes- I am still hanging in there! :) I am now going to the doctor every week. So, Monday we had a doctor's appointment. Everything looks good. I am now measuring 40 cm. Baby A's heart rate was 153 and Baby B's heart rate was 144. Everything is the same as for me. My cervix is still thinning, but no change! Praise the Lord! I am getting more and more uncomfortable with such a HUGE belly!! I am still working, so after work I have to go home and lay on the couch.

Yesterday, I had an unexpected visit to the doctor. My blood pressure was raised and they wanted me to come in and check everything out. I got a BIG lecture from the doctor. He told me that I need to proud that I have carried them this long and have continued to work. But he said next time I come in with other issues, I will be put on bed rest. I know I have to do whatever it takes for these boys to bake as long as possible!! And if that is going on bed rest, then I will! I do have to say my co-workers have been wonderful! I haven't walked my kids to recess or pe in months and they know that if I am sitting at my desk, then I need to. I love you all and thank you so much for making this easy for me!!

Please, pray that my blood pressure will stay down and the boys will continue to grow. Also, pray for a co-worker who is 3 weeks behind me, she is now on bed rest. Lastly, a pledge sister of mine is about to have her twin boys!! I love you Lu and I hope everything goes smoothly!! I love you all!!

Weeks 31 and 32

2009-10-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am really starting to slack when it comes to my blogging. By the time I get home from school, I cannot peel myself off the couch to do anything!! Craig is just wonderful, because he doesn't complain about me not cooking or all of the clothes not washed. We eat a lot of cereal and sandwiches for dinner. On Saturday, the 3rd, we took some maternity pictures. My cousin's finance took the pictures. She did a great job!! But before I give you the link, I am going to prepare you- she took some bare belly shots and WOW is my belly so big!!!! Here is the link and just type in the guest name as: Kristi Brooks. https://www.thesmilestation.com/home.asp?AC=LTTT0773101044TAR

On Wednesday, the 7th, we had a doctor's appointment with an ultrasound. We got a fabulous report!! Baby B weighs 4.0 pounds and Baby A weighs 4.7 pounds. Baby A's heart rate was 153 and Baby B's heart rate was 145. I am measuring 38 cm. He did not mention anything about bed rest- PRAISE THE LORD!! But I have realized that I have to slow down and not do too much!! What a huge milestone I have now passed!! I would have never thought that I would make it this far!! We are so lucky and blessed that I have been able to to carry them this far!!

Please, keep us in your prayers! We love you all!! Kristi

Also- Craig will be the BIG 3-2 on Sunday! Happy Birthday to the most amazing husband in the world! I love you more and more everyday!! God has blessed me with a wonderful husband that strives to be a Godly man everyday! I love you!

Week 30

2009-09-28T17:28:00.001-07:00

WOW!! I cannot believe that we have made it to week 30!! YEAH!! Praise the Lord! Nothing much to report. Michelle, Kevin, and the boys were here this weekend. So, I got to spend some time with them. But I have quickly realized that I am not the young thang I used to be! ha!! I have to really focus on myself lately and make sure I get plenty of rest and don't get too worked up.

I have a doctor's appt next week. So, I will give an update on how the boys are doing. We will also have another growth scan. I love it when we get to see them!!! Please, keep us in your prayers!! Love you all- Kristi

Week 28 and 29

2009-09-26T07:36:00.001-07:00

Okay- I cannot believe I have not updated in 2 weeks!! Everything is fine, but school is just sucking the life out of me! It is so hard to come home after teaching all day and actually do anything but lay on the couch! We went to the doctor last Monday. Everything went great! That day at school I was having some major PRESSURE, but he told me that is normal and basically there is nothing we can do about it. He did check me. I am not dilated, but my cervix is starting to thin. (which is normal, since there is so much weight on my cervix.) Baby A's heart rate was 154 and Baby B's heart rate was 145. I am measuring almost 37 cm.

On the 13th, I had my baby tea. OH MY GOODNESS!! Words cannot express how Craig and I both felt after seeing everyone and reading all the cards and looking at how generous everyone was!!! I know that there are so many people out there that have been praying for us to have a baby for many years now, and that is all we needed. But so many people opened their hearts and wallets and we just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH and I know that God will bless you three fold!! We had such a fa-nominal turn out.

My mom and sister.

The best mother in law and sister in law in the world!
It was absolutely beautiful!
I have the best pledge sisters in the world!

Kelli- You are the best!

I also want to say thank you to the hostesses. You all worked so hard and I owe you tremendously! My tea could not have been any more perfect!! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!! I love you all!!

Psalm 40:1 "I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry."

Oh by the way- we have officially named them!! Jarrett Marlin (Marlin is Craig's middle name) and Jackson Montgomery (Montgomery is my maiden name)!!! YEAHHHHH!! Craig is working so hard on their room. Pictures will come soon when it is finally complete! We love you all and still need your prayers!

Week 27

2009-09-09T17:53:00.000-07:00

This past week has been uneventful! Thank you Lord!! We had a doctor's appointment yesterday and it went great! I am measuring 35 to 36 cm. So, I am rather LARGE! Since we found out that I was pregnant, I have gained almost 30 pounds. So, not too bad. The boys are growing!! Baby A's heart rate is 150 and Baby B's heart rate is 154. They both weigh 2 pounds and 9 ounces!! I can't believe it!! WOW! How amazing?!!?? We are just so excited!! Both of them are facing my rear. So, they were not able to get any good shots of their profiles or face. We got plenty of their butt! ha!

Keep us in your prayers! Also, please pray for my grandmother, Mama Bet. She had a heart attack on Monday night. She was released today from the hospital. We love you all!! Kristi

Week 26

2009-09-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

WOW!! What a week! Everything was great until Friday. Usually as soon as the last bell rings at school, I head to the restroom. I went to the restroom and when I was walking past an old refrigerator I saw some water on the floor. I thought I stepped over it, but I stepped in some of it. I then slipped and fell right on my belly! I did break my fall with my knee- Thank you Lord! But I did fall on my belly. I screamed and everyone came running. They called the paramedics and checked everything out. While the paramedics were checking me out, I noticed that Baby B was not moving or kicking at the time. So, I was freaking out. I asked the paramedic to find his heart beat. He put his stethoscope on my belly and started laughing. I asked him what was going on and he replied, "I can't hear his heartbeat, because he is kicking my stethoscope." That made me feel so much better. Then a few minutes later, they both were kicking and moving like normal. Craig came straight to the school and went downtown to St. Vincent's to get everything checked out. They were expecting me and were fabulous! They monitored the boy's heart rates and my contractions. They also did an ultrasound on them to look at the placentas and membrane. Everything looked good! PRAISE THE LORD!!! There was an angel protecting them- for sure!! We stayed a couple of hours and then came home and I went straight to bed.

Then yesterday, I woke up and my throat was a little scratchy. Craig got me some Tylenol Cold medicine last night and I took some and went to bed early. Well, I woke up at 4 and couldn't breathe and my throat was killing me. I went on to work, to get some stuff together for a sub. Once I got to school, I then had a fever. Thankfully, Melinda Loggins, one of our fabulous PTA ladies was around and she worked the rest of the day for me. Dr. Hudson called in some medicine for me. But I still wanted to make sure that I didn't have the flu. So, I went to my regular doctor and they checked me for the flu. YEAH!! No flu!! So, I have been sleeping and resting all day! Hopefully, the meds will kick in soon and do their job.

Please, keep all of us in your prayers! We need them! Also, we have an ultrasound on Tuesday! We love you!! Kristi

Week 25

2009-08-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

It is Thursday and I am just getting a second to blog about our boys! Well, school has officially started and man I am exhausted!! And my poor feet, ankles, and fingers- they are sooo swollen. I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and got a great report. The boys are doing great! Baby A's heart rate was 146 and Baby B's heart rate was 144. I am measuring 33 cm. Which means, in 2 weeks, I have grown 4 cm. WOW! I thought I had gotten big really quick. There are only a few medium shirts that I can wear now, because my stomach shows so much. So, now I am moving onto large shirts!! We are having an ultrasound on Sept. 8th. I can't wait!! It has already been 6 weeks since we saw them last. They are going to do a detailed development scan. Gestational diabetes has been going actually pretty good. Still no insulin, but that might change. I am eating the same things and sporadically my blood sugar will drop or rise. So, the doctor told me that right now is really when my glucose is put into overdrive and my diet may not work as well as it has. So, if I have to do insulin- it is not the end of the world!

Friday was an experience! My mom and I went to the Mother's of Multiples Garage Sale at the Zamora Temple. Wow! We got some deals!! On Saturday, Craig and I went there and bought an amazing glider with ottoman. It was a steal!! It doesn't even look like it has been used before.

Saturday was a big day. Craig is now in his "nesting" phase. Craig, Brandon (my cousin), and my grandfather moved our old furniture out and brought in the new furniture in. Now, all he has to do is paint the furniture.

Have a great day! Keep us in your prayers! We love you all! Kristi

Week 24

2009-08-17T13:46:00.000-07:00

24 weeks with our twin boys!!

As you can see, I did not post anything for week 23. It was good, but EXTREMELY busy. The kids first day back to school as the 12th. So, I was getting ready for them. My birthday was Thursday and wow- I cannot believe that I am 32! Where has the time gone?? It just seems like yesterday I was going off to Alabama. OH, THOSE WERE THE DAYS!! Our appointment last week went great. I am measuring about 6 weeks ahead for a single baby, which is normal. I am still on my gestational diabetes diet. But I am doing really well. My blood sugar is pretty stable. It might go up or down only once in an entire week. I am really pleased with that, just so I don't have to take insulin shots! :)

Please, keep us in your prayers. Today, I have realized that being on my feet all day is not easy! We love you all! Kristi

Week 22

2009-08-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

It is official- I have gestational diabetes. I went to a class today and she explained everything in great detail. Yesterday I was very upset about finding this out, but really it is not a big deal. I do have to check my blood sugar 4 times a day. Next Monday, my RD will review my levels and decide if I need insulin or not. Hopefully, I can do this without shots. But hey- we had to do shots to get to this point, so really it is not a big deal. (Just another step to have my twin boys!)

Michelle flew in on Friday. We had such a great time. It was wonderful to have my sister all to myself. We went to Cheesecake Factory on Friday night. Then had our usual manicure and pedicure on Saturday. My mom made her famous chicken and dumplings on Saturday night. Sunday night we met Daddy and Mama Bet at Logan's. On Monday, she got to sit with me at the doctor for 3 hours to do my glucose test! : ) She must really love me!

Please, keep the boys and myself in your prayers as we make sure that my blood sugar doesn't drop or rise. Love you all!

Week 21

2009-07-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

Well, I went to the doctor this morning for my glucose test. It was elevated, so I have a 3 hour test on Monday. So, until Monday, I am on a strict diet! Diet and pregnancy DO NOT MIX! But we did everything to get to this point, so I will continue to do whatever it takes for my boys to stay healthy! Please, keep all of you in your prayers! Love you all- Kristi

Week 21

2009-07-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

This week has been good. Not a lot of information to tell about. The boys are doing great and growing! I did get to hear their heart beats yesterday. Baby A is 153 and Baby B is 158. I know it is awful that we still call them that, but we are not 100% on the names yet. So, for now, they are A and B still.

This past week we have been cleaning out the boys room. It is amazing at all of the junk that you can accumulate over time. But we have to get everything out, so we can get all the new stuff in. The color of the room will be baby blue and brown.

I go to the doctor tomorrow to get my glucose test done. Hopefully, I will not have gestational diabetes. Please, keep us in your prayers. Love you all- Kristi
Also, please pray for a girlfriend of mine! She needs all the prayer she can get right now!

Week 20

2009-07-21T09:00:00.001-07:00

Well, we are at the halfway point!! YEAH!! These boys are so active! They love to kick!! Craig likes to say they are playing baseball in there! I try to rest as much as possible, since I have to go back to school in about 2 weeks. I cannot believe I have to go back so soon. It seems like we just got out. I am soooo nervous about getting back into the routine. It is so easy, especially all I have to do is take care of myself. I don't see how moms take care of other little ones while they are pregnant.

On Saturday, we registered at Babies R Us. Wow, what a task. We were those dorks, that were checking everything we registered for. I had a book with all kinds of reviews and Craig was on his phone checking consumer reports, etc. You could definitely tell that we are first time parents!

On Friday, I got to spend time with a dear friend from college. Natalie and I talked and talked. I also got to meet her beautiful little Madelyn. She is just beautiful, just like her mommy.

Praise the Lord that our boys are going and doing so well!! Please, pray that they continue to grow into big strong boys!! We love you!!

TWIN BOYS!!!!

2009-07-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

What a day! We found out this afternoon that we are having twin boys!! Can you believe it?? We can't. We have been anticipating this day for 15 weeks now. It still has not quite sunk in yet. We are sooooo happy that everything went great today.

We were really fooled! We thought Baby B was the active one, but actually all along it has been Baby A. We saw Baby A kicking his brother. And he was kicking him hard! Poor Baby B! Baby A's heart rate was 150 and Baby B's heart rate was 158. Baby A is measuring 19 weeks and 6 days. Baby B is measuring 19 weeks and 5 days. As of today, I am 19 weeks and 1 day. So, they are right on target!! They both weigh 11 ounces.

We just want to give all the glory to God! He not only gave us one miracle, but two. They are doing great! My iron came up one point! YEAH! It is about time! My mom (Mimi Deb) and Craig's mom (Gran) both got to share this experience with us! We are so lucky to have a great family! Please, keep us and our twin boys in your prayers! Love you- Kristi

Week 18

2009-07-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

Up until Saturday, I was feeling great. When anyone asked, I would respond with great! Saturday for the 4th, we went to Mama Bet's and I guess I got too hot and was up and down a lot. We left soon and came home and my back was killing me!! My blood pressure has been okay, but my heart rate has gone up. It is usually around 95-100. I am monitoring that and will call the doctor on Thursday with all of what I have recorded. On Sunday, I woke up and was so sick. Which is so weird, because it has been at least 2 weeks since I have been sick. We have one more week and I be blogging about what they are! YEAH! Please, keep us all in your prayers!

I have a dear friend that needs your prayers and support right now. Please, pray right now for her and her husband! Thanks! Love you all!

Week 17

2009-06-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

We had our check up yesterday. Everything is going great. I am gaining weight correctly. But, I am even more anemic than last time. So, I have to increase my iron to twice a day. YUCK! We did get to hear their heart beats. Baby A is 151 and Baby B is is 157. Baby B started showing out and was do flips and was moving a bunch. This one will probably be the dominate one. Baby A will probably be the laid back one. We just can't wait to meet them. Our gender scan will be July 14th at 3. So, in two weeks we will know what they are! YEAH!! We are so excited and can't wait! Keep us in your prayers! Love you all!

Week 15 and 16

2009-06-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

Well, back to reality. We are back from the beach. We left June 16 to head down to Orange Beach with Craig's family. It was Craig's mom and dad, Amy, Brian, Grace, Luke, Craig and myself at Pelican Pointe. Then on Saturday, we traveled to Ft. Walton to stay for a week to be with my mom, Michelle, Kevin, Connor, Carsten, Grandmother, Grandaddy, Necie, Brian, Blake, Brandon, Brock, Blair, Craig, and myself.

We had such a great time! We ate some amazing food and spent some much needed quality time with both families! Back to the pregnancy- I feel great! I'm still taking zophran- but I think I am really scared not to. I am getting big. Seeing myself in a bathing suit, was definitely different!

We have a check up tomorrow. So, I'll post what he says. Love you all! Keep us in your prayers! Two more weeks and we get to find out what they are! :) YEAH!

Week 14

2009-06-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Mondays are usually good days. But the rest of the week was awful. I was sooo sick- STILL! I was really hoping that part of the pregnancy was going to be in the past, but I was wrong! I am not sure if my sickness is getting worse due to my iron pill or just because there are two in there. Some days my belly is HUGE, other days it is not quite as big!

I do have a funny story. Saturday night, I was craving a hot dog. So, Craig and I went to Johnny Rockets. Yes, I ordered a hot dog. I normally do not eat hot dogs. I had one bite and almost threw it all up on the table. So, I learned that just because I crave something, doesn't mean that I show eat it! HA!

Please keep us in your prayers. We are going to the beach next week and I want to feel good and have a great time! Love you all!

PS- I am back on zophran! :(

Week 13

2009-06-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

We had a check-up yesterday and everything looks great! We heard two strong heart beats!! One was 162 and the other one was 168. I have actually lost 2 ounces in 3 weeks. (I didn't think that was correct!!) So, I need to drink more ensures and milk shakes. I am on the borderline of being anemic. So, I have to start taking iron supplements. We will be able to find out the sex in 6 weeks! YEAH!! That seems soooo far away!

I actually feel good. Since yesterday, I have had more energy and for the second day in a row I have not taken zophran (my nausea medicine). Please, keep all of us in your prayers! Love you all- Kristi

Week 12

2009-05-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

Good-bye first trimester and hello second! This is my last week at school and I can't wait to start the summer. Kids are usually are soooo ready to get out of school, well guess what, so are the teachers!! There is not a whole lot to report this week. I am feeling a little bit better. But still get very tired!

Last week, many of my pledge sisters got together for dinner. We had such a great time. We laughed so hard. Oh, the memories!! Ladies, it was so good to see your beautiful faces and spend quality time with each of you! I love you all!

We have another doctor's appointment on Monday. Please, keep all of us in your prayers! Love- Kristi

Week 11

2009-05-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

What a week! I went to the doctor last Monday and everything went great! I just love everyone at Henderson and Walton! They are just great! I didn't get an ultrasound, but I did get to hear their heartbeats! They only got to measure one, because the other one was moving around too much! Imagine that! Baby B is always doing somersaults! Baby A's heartbeat was 169. Hearing their heartbeats was amazing!

I feel like my belly has gone down some, not quite as big as it was the week before. That is probably due to me able to go to the restroom. I am not feeling as bloated as I was. I am still sick everyday. I still have no energy, but hopefully all of this will soon change.

On Wednesday, my mom and I flew to Charlotte to see the Michelle, Kevin, and the boys. We had such a great time! Carsten is getting so big and TALKING!! Wow- he is talking up a storm and running everywhere. He is putting words together. I just can't get over how one month makes such a difference! Connor's 4th birthday was Saturday. Michelle and Kevin really know how to throw a party! All the kids had such a great time! They played pin the spider man on the bad guy, opened presents, played on Connor's new play set, ate pizza and cake. All the kids had such a great time! Connor got a new play set for outside and it looks amazing! Kevin had to put it all together and it took him and some friends, all week to do. I cannot believe that Connor is already four. It seems like just yesterday that Kevin called and said Michelle was going into labor and we better go. At that time, they lived in Nashville. Connor, you are an amazing little boy and I can't wait to see you grow into a man. I love you with all my heart! Connor and Carsten have me and Mama (Mimi Deb) right in their little hands! ha

Mama and I came back from Charlotte on Saturday night. I have had an awful cold since last week, so I didn't get to attend Blake's graduation recognition at church or go to LuAnn's baby shower on Sunday. I am so upset that I missed both of these! Blake- I promise I will be at your graduation. Lu- I will send your gift asap and I hate that I missed seeing you and the babies!

Please pray for Jodi, Ted, and Parker. Courtney is a proud Aunt again. Parker was born yesterday at 10:30 am. Parker was doing great until last night. He stopped breathing twice. He is now in the NICU and they are running some tests. Pray for the doctors and nurses taking care of Parker and also for Jodi. She is very upset and scared!

We love you all- Kristi

Week 10

2009-05-11T07:07:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? Ten weeks! WOW! I didn't think I would ever get to the double digits! For two days in a row, I actually feel like a normal human being. I haven't been sick. I do get tired, but hey, I am not sick! Praise Jesus! I did end up at the doctor again on Friday. I had some spotting and cramping, so they checked everything out again. Again, everything is fine. Saw two growing babies with their heartbeats at 167. Baby B was doing somersaults and all kinds of flips and Baby A was just relaxed and chilling. It was amazing! They actually look like little babies now. Seeing that ultrasound just puts life into perspective! It makes you realize that God has created TWO miracles in you and they are just growing!

Yesterday was Mother's Day and it was just a great day! We spent Saturday evening with Craig's mom and family. I am so lucky to have such wonderful in-laws! They honestly treat me like a daughter and love me unconditionally! After church yesterday, we went to my Grandmother's to see my mom. We always have a great time with all of them! We laughed so hard, my belly was sore last night! Wow! All those stories! Then, we went to Logan's to see Mama Bet, Daddy, Betty Anne, Stephanie, and Butch. We really didn't eat, but just wanted to spend time with them. Family means so much to us! We are just so lucky that our twins will be loved so much by so many people! God has truly blessed us with an amazing marriage and a wonderful family!

Last night, Craig gave me 2 cards. One was for a mom to be and it was sooooo sweet and thoughtful. Then, he gave me a card from the twins! I will treasure it forever! He wrote in there how they were sorry that they made me sick, but it was because they were growing so much. Also, how Daddy worries a lot about them, but it is because he loves them so much. Oh, it was just precious! Craig is so considerate and thoughtful! I am soooo lucky to have the best husband in the world! He bought them their first "Lovies." They were Winnie the Pooh and were just beautiful. They will be great for a boy or a girl or both. They are soooo soft. One side is furry and the other side is silky.

I have a regular doctor's appointment today. Today I will post their picture that we got on Friday! They are growing so big!

Please, pray for our babies as they grow! Also, a dear friend of ours lost his sister this past week. Please, pray for Blake and his family. Love you all- Kristi

Week 9

2009-05-04T07:34:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was our anniversary. We have been married for 6 years. Wow- it seems a lot longer than that!! But we have been together for 14 years! This anniversary was definitely not spent like the other ones, that is for sure! I was on the couch or in the bathroom all day long! Craig was so wonderful. He is so patient with me and doesn't complain at all when I feel awful. I am soooo lucky to have him as my wonderful husband and best friend! He is going to be the best Daddy in the world! I love you- dinky!

Since Wednesday, it has been pretty uneventful around here! Babies are good and growing. I go next Monday for a check up. Please, keep all of us in your prayers! Love you all- Kristi

Week 8, Day 3

2009-04-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

Well, we had quite a scare on Tuesday night. I started spotting. So, Wednesday morning we headed straight to the doctor. Since Dr. Steinkampft had released us on Monday, we really didn't know where to go. So, we went to Dr. Steinkampft's office. Marty (his nurse practitioner) talked to us and told us that he was in surgery and was not there. And told us to go to Dr. Bill Hudson and see what he had to say. So, we went down to St. Vincent's. Once we saw him, he saw the look on our faces and the only thing that was going to make it okay was seeing two heartbeats. He sent us over to ultrasound and there we saw 2 STRONG heartbeats. Baby A was 176 and Baby B was 167.

OHHHHHH Praise Jesus!!! Everything was okay! Craig was so strong when I was completely freaking out!! Thank you Jesus, that our babies are okay and how you kept Craig's nerves calm, while I was not! Please, pray for our little peanuts! Love you all- Kristi

Bill Hudson was wonderful and knew that we would be okay, once we saw those babies and their heartbeats. I had orders to go home and rest in the bed for the rest of the day. So, they had to twist my arm and I followed instructions! ha!

Week 8

2009-04-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

Can you believe how much bigger they are?? We can't!! Two weeks ago they were the size of a grain of rice, now they are the size of a butter bean. WOW!! How amazing is this!?! We had our last appointment today with Dr. Steinkampft (our fertility specialist). Everything looks so good, that he released us and is sending us to my regular OB, which is Bill Hudson with Henderson and Walton at St. Vincent's. Our appointment was wonderful. They checked my thyroid levels again and will let us know if they are in the normal range or not. Our next appointment will be in 4 weeks. That is going to seem like an eternity! I have enjoyed our appointments every two weeks.

When comparing these two pictures I think of this scripture: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know the full well." Psalm 139:13-14

Craig and I are enjoying this so much. Even though I am sick and feel awful, most of the time, this is the most precious time in our lives! We talk about "baby" stuff all the time. Please, keep all of us in your prayers. Love- Kristi

Below you will find a picture of my GROWING belly!! Can you believe how big it is? And it is very hard. I will try to post a picture of my belly every week.

WEEK 8

Week 7

2009-04-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

I keep telling myself that I am not going to complain, BUT MORNING SICKNESS IS BRUTAL!!!! I have never in my life thought that I wanted to sleep so much or puke. I am nauseous pretty much all day long, then if I take medicine- it goes away for a couple of hours. THEN, it returns, usually around 4. This morning, I thought I was okay, then at about 9, it is back. (If you are reading this and it doesn't make sense- SORRY!! I don't make sense A LOT of the time now. Ask anyone that works with me!)

My body is already in full change. I cannot wear any of my regular clothes. And some of my "fat clothes" I can't wear either. But I guess my body is going to change dramatically anyway.

This morning I was sitting at my desk and I saw some scripture that I typed out about 5 months ago, when I never thought I would be going through our very own pregnancy! I hope you enjoy it! Keep praying for our little peanuts and me! Love you all!! Kristi

Romans 8:24-28
24For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Week 6, Day 3

2009-04-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, I thought I was tired last week!!!! Oh my goodness!! I can barely function at work and feel like I could take a nap anytime throughout the day! I did find out that my thyroid levels are off, so I am now having to double my meds until further notice. These babies are sucking the life out of me!!! (ha- already!)

I have the sweetest husband ever!!!! Well, the other night I was telling Craig that I was craving some Krispy Kreme doughnuts. He walked in the door from work last night with Krispy Kreme doughnuts! But the East Lake store was out of chocolate covered creme filled, so he drove all the way to Hoover! How sweet!!! I am sooo lucky! Also- how do they run out of CHOCOLATE COVERED CREME FILLED!!!!!!?????? I guess the same way Craig experienced McDonald's running out of their french fries!!

I am loving every second of this! I cannot wait to go to the doctor the 27th! I can't wait to see how big they have gotten. God has always blessed me with an amazing family, friends, husband, and now we are experiencing how lucky we are that we get to love these two babies unconditionally!!

PS- I haven't been able to eat any of those doughnuts yet, but hopefully I will feel like it soon!

Week 6

2009-04-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it?? TWINS?? We went for our first Ultrasound today. We saw two tiny heart beats! That is their first picture ever.

I have to explain what happened before our appointment. Well, I went to see Michelle, Kevin, and the boys off this morning. Spending every last second I could with them, until they traveled back to Charlotte. When I got in my car (at 9am), there was a message from Dr. Steinkampf's office. She said, "I am sorry, but our office is closed for the day. We have lost power due to the storm last night and please call tomorrow to reschedule your appointment." Needless to say, I went through the roof. (You could probably see steam coming out of my ears!!) After Craig and I talked, I finally calmed down. At 11 am, the nurse called me and said, "We are open today. We have power again. So, when can you be here?" PRAISE THE LORD!!! He knew that I could not wait until LATER!!

Craig and I arrived at the dr's office at 11:30. First, we had our ultrasound. It was amazing!! With tears rolling down my face, we saw two tiny heart beats. She finally gave us a "moment" and I just lost it. It was the happiest cry I have ever had. We have waited so long for this and now God has blessed us with not one, but two little ones!! Second, we met with the doctor to discuss our due date and thyroid stuff. We were off a little. I am actually 6 weeks today, and my due date is December the 7th. Usually, twins come early, so he really wants me to make it until November the 7th.

Please, keep all of us in your prayers. We love you!

Romans 12:12- "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Romans 15:13- "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Week 4

2009-04-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

WOW! What a week! We found out that on Monday that Craig and I will soon become parents! I went to the doctor for a blood test on Monday at 12. They finally called me around 1:30 and told me that it was positive. My hCG was 291 and progesterone was greater than 21. Those were great numbers to start off with. I immediately called Craig and we both were just shocked. We have been working toward this goal for so long and now it has just begun.

We were just thrilled and couldn't keep our mouth shut! I called Michelle, Mama, and Necie. I also, went to Amy's house and told her as well. We went to the house to tell Daddy in person. I know that Craig called his mom asap as well.

We went to celebrate with a dinner at Chili's.

I had to repeat some more blood work on Wednesday. My numbers were great. My hCG was 851 and progesterone was greater than 21. Normally every 72 hours your hCG numbers increase by doubling, but my numbers more than doubled! YEAH!

I have had some crazy things going on in my body this week!!!! I have already gained 2 pounds and I am now in my "FAT clothes". But, I am not complaining at ALLLLL!!! I have wanted this for so long, the last thing that I am going to do now is complain!

I just want to give God all the GLORY!! He held me in His arms and encouraged me when I thought this would never happen. We are soooo lucky for God to grant this amazing miracle to us!! I just have to remember that these little ones growing inside of me are only on LOAN- they are HIS PRECIOUS CHILDREN!