The last few months have been a whirlwind of activity. I always mean to get on here and post an update for everyone but just never follow through.
The girls are doing so wonderfully! They are developing unique personalities and are just both such joys. I was looking at photos of them from our first month home. They were both short with little potbellies when I picked them up. They are getting so tall and thin now! Everyone comments on their height and all their pants fall off of them. I need to measure them and see how much they have grown. They both shot up 0.8 inch in the first month home. They are huge eaters and I still haven't found a food they don't like. I feed them very healthy so I feel like they are getting ample opportunity to catch up with their peers. Addie is my "go with the flow" kid now (weird since she was the difficult one during the first few weeks). Mariya is a definite Momma's girl and doesn't seem to like change too much. They are both very silly and I joke that Mariya is going to be the class clown when she gets to kindergarten. They are very happy little girls and I smile when I watch them play and think about their lives now versus in the orphanage. They talk constantly but a lot of what they say is still hard for most people to understand. I seem to understand them better than anyone. At first they spoke only in single words but are saying 3-4 word phrases now. They still haven't had their speech therapy appointment since it takes so long to get them in but that will happen beginning of next month. They are little both little fish. They took swim lessons in June and loved it. They swim under water, will jump off the side or diving board and think water is fantastic. They still don't swim well enough to swim without supervision so the scariest thing for me is that they have no fear. Honestly, they aren't afraid of ANYTHING. This is both a good thing and a bad thing.
Some of our bigger news from the last few months is that the twins are getting two step-sisters and a daddy. Kyle and I have been dating for a long while now and he proposed to me last month. We still haven't settled on a wedding date, but plan on it being in the next year. His two little girls, 7 and 9 years old, are very excited and the twins love them so much. Of course having 3 more people in our house will be a change for me and the girls, but Kyle, Kaylee and Kyla have been a part of their life since day one so I am hoping that the adjustment won't be too hard. Kyle is fantastic with them and they will be blessed to have him in their life.
As for other family changes, we are very excited to tell everyone that the twins will also be getting a new cousin. My sister is pregnant with her second child and is due at the beginning of next year. All the men in the family are hoping for a boy since there are now 5 girl cousins (including Kyle's daughters) but we shall see. My uncle has a 1 year old boy so I know they are hoping for a male playmate for him as well! Kynslie doesn't know what is about to hit her, but I think learning to share with the twins and having to share some family attention may make it easier for her. She is still a family star so a sibling will be a definite adjustment. I was the oldest and Kacie was the second child so I joke with her that the new kid will ruin poor Kynslie's life like she did mine. LOL Don't tell her, but I actually think they will be the best of playmates and Kyns will love having a sibling. I know that Kacie and I had lots of fun as kids and she is still one of my favorite people to spend time with.
I started back to work in June. I hate leaving the twins everyday and would love to be able to stay at home with them. Unfortunately, the option just isn't there right now. Everyone tells me that it will get easier but I think they are lying. I think I will hate it everyday, but I am at least thankful that I don't have to worry about if they are safe or being adequately taken care of. They are staying at our house will a nanny, Miss Lori. The adjustment to me going back to work was very difficult but they like Lori and have settled into a routine. They no longer have meltdowns when I leave and are always excited to see her. They still prefer their momma (hope that never changes) but seem happy with their nanny as well. She says that they are such a joy and blessing in her life and that makes me feel good. They will start a mother's day out program next month that is two days a week. I am anxious for them to start that as I feel that it will good for them to get some other toddler friends. Currently, their favorite friends are their cousin Kynslie, Depot the cat, and our two dogs. I am afraid that they are going to start thinking that they are cats or dogs if I don't get them around more kids. LOL
The girls will be having surgery in the near future. They both have small umbilical hernias and Mariya has a cyst near her eye. The doctors said that we can do both Mariya's surgeries at the same time and I figured we might as well put Addie on the list as well. This will be good for 3 reasons - 1) I won't have to take off work twice, 2) both girls will have to take it easy which will be easier than having one trying to get the other one up to play, 3) I won't have to find childcare for the other twin as they will both be in the same boat. We meet with the pediatric surgeon at the beginning of August and will schedule the surgeries at that time. I am told that the cyst surgery does not require inpatient stay but that the abdominal surgery will.
The girls are doing so wonderfully! They are developing unique personalities and are just both such joys. I was looking at photos of them from our first month home. They were both short with little potbellies when I picked them up. They are getting so tall and thin now! Everyone comments on their height and all their pants fall off of them. I need to measure them and see how much they have grown. They both shot up 0.8 inch in the first month home. They are huge eaters and I still haven't found a food they don't like. I feed them very healthy so I feel like they are getting ample opportunity to catch up with their peers. Addie is my "go with the flow" kid now (weird since she was the difficult one during the first few weeks). Mariya is a definite Momma's girl and doesn't seem to like change too much. They are both very silly and I joke that Mariya is going to be the class clown when she gets to kindergarten. They are very happy little girls and I smile when I watch them play and think about their lives now versus in the orphanage. They talk constantly but a lot of what they say is still hard for most people to understand. I seem to understand them better than anyone. At first they spoke only in single words but are saying 3-4 word phrases now. They still haven't had their speech therapy appointment since it takes so long to get them in but that will happen beginning of next month. They are little both little fish. They took swim lessons in June and loved it. They swim under water, will jump off the side or diving board and think water is fantastic. They still don't swim well enough to swim without supervision so the scariest thing for me is that they have no fear. Honestly, they aren't afraid of ANYTHING. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Some of our bigger news from the last few months is that the twins are getting two step-sisters and a daddy. Kyle and I have been dating for a long while now and he proposed to me last month. We still haven't settled on a wedding date, but plan on it being in the next year. His two little girls, 7 and 9 years old, are very excited and the twins love them so much. Of course having 3 more people in our house will be a change for me and the girls, but Kyle, Kaylee and Kyla have been a part of their life since day one so I am hoping that the adjustment won't be too hard. Kyle is fantastic with them and they will be blessed to have him in their life.
As for other family changes, we are very excited to tell everyone that the twins will also be getting a new cousin. My sister is pregnant with her second child and is due at the beginning of next year. All the men in the family are hoping for a boy since there are now 5 girl cousins (including Kyle's daughters) but we shall see. My uncle has a 1 year old boy so I know they are hoping for a male playmate for him as well! Kynslie doesn't know what is about to hit her, but I think learning to share with the twins and having to share some family attention may make it easier for her. She is still a family star so a sibling will be a definite adjustment. I was the oldest and Kacie was the second child so I joke with her that the new kid will ruin poor Kynslie's life like she did mine. LOL Don't tell her, but I actually think they will be the best of playmates and Kyns will love having a sibling. I know that Kacie and I had lots of fun as kids and she is still one of my favorite people to spend time with.
I started back to work in June. I hate leaving the twins everyday and would love to be able to stay at home with them. Unfortunately, the option just isn't there right now. Everyone tells me that it will get easier but I think they are lying. I think I will hate it everyday, but I am at least thankful that I don't have to worry about if they are safe or being adequately taken care of. They are staying at our house will a nanny, Miss Lori. The adjustment to me going back to work was very difficult but they like Lori and have settled into a routine. They no longer have meltdowns when I leave and are always excited to see her. They still prefer their momma (hope that never changes) but seem happy with their nanny as well. She says that they are such a joy and blessing in her life and that makes me feel good. They will start a mother's day out program next month that is two days a week. I am anxious for them to start that as I feel that it will good for them to get some other toddler friends. Currently, their favorite friends are their cousin Kynslie, Depot the cat, and our two dogs. I am afraid that they are going to start thinking that they are cats or dogs if I don't get them around more kids. LOL
The girls will be having surgery in the near future. They both have small umbilical hernias and Mariya has a cyst near her eye. The doctors said that we can do both Mariya's surgeries at the same time and I figured we might as well put Addie on the list as well. This will be good for 3 reasons - 1) I won't have to take off work twice, 2) both girls will have to take it easy which will be easier than having one trying to get the other one up to play, 3) I won't have to find childcare for the other twin as they will both be in the same boat. We meet with the pediatric surgeon at the beginning of August and will schedule the surgeries at that time. I am told that the cyst surgery does not require inpatient stay but that the abdominal surgery will. We have our audiology appointment on Monday. I don't expect to get anything but a good report from that visit, but still needs to be done. I am hoping to take the kids to the aquarium afterwards since I will be off already and we are already in Houston. We love our Houston doctor appointments because we always make a fun day out of it. I am trying to make the doctors fun rather than scary. So far we have been to the zoo, the children's museum, and cheesecake factory.
On a last note, I want to do a birthparent search for the twins. I am told that the chance of getting information is much better if you do it immediately. If any of my friends from the adoption community have recommendations for good searchers feel free to email me. I am a little overwhelmed in choosing who to have do it.
