First Professional Photos

Twelve weeks later, we're doing great. The kids are growing so much. Emma and Parker had their first professional photos taken at 11 weeks (hey, things are a little delayed with twins...double trouble!) and it was certainly worth the wait.

Adrian Hitt, our photographer, is an amazingly talented woman. We grew up together and I knew she was the right person to capture our precious babies. I always knew God had great plans for her. It's obvious He has given her such a wonderful talent. Adrian lives and works in Nashville, TN with her husband and dog, but travels to Fort Smith intermittently to visit family. She usually has some sessions available when she's here. If you're looking for a great photographer, she's your woman!

Here is the link to a sneak peek of the photos: http://adrianhitt.blogspot.com/2008/06/baby-photographer-franklin-tn-emma.html

Of course, we know there is a lot of updating to do to the blog. We're so in love with Parker and Emma that it's hard to take time away from them to crop pictures and update the blog. Hopefully, at least a couple of people are still reading (er, checking) the blog! Hang in there with us until we can catch you up on our lives!

The Rest of the Story

So, you've most likely noticed a large gap between the 33 week update and the announcement of the arrival of Parker and Emma. Now that we are little more settled, I can fill in the blanks.

We had two wonderful showers on March 15! Thank you to Lori, Susan and Teresa for such a beautiful brunch. The food and cake were amazing.

Stephen and Mary also hosted a great evening gathering. The food was amazing and I enjoyed the casual get together!

Just a few days later, my blood pressure started to rise. I knew the inevitable had arrived and I was put on full bed rest. There aren't words to describe how hard it is to lie down all day and night, but I knew it was what was best for Parker and Emma.

Larry was wonderful and I appreciate that his parents and my mom ate dinner in our bedroom night after night so I didn't feel left out. Lori mailed magazines...I especially loved the J-Lo and twins edition. I knew what I had to look forward to, minus the million dollar nursery! Mary loaned me movies and texted all day. Thanks to everyone who played a role, large or small, in keeping me going those last few days!

Here is a pic of what I looked like on Monday, March 24 (at 35 weeks) before heading to my doctor's appointment. This day, my belly measured 45 centimeters...whoa!

At 36 weeks and 3 days, Sunday, March 30, Larry and I decided it was time to pay a visit to Labor and Delivery at St. Edwards because my blood pressure had been high all day. To be honest, I was happy to go on a car ride. Spring had sprung...it's my favorite time of year. Upon arrival to the hospital, we learned that I was having contractions and dilating. We were so excited! I was admitted to the hospital and monitored over night.

On Monday morning, Dr. Bell came by to visit and decided to do a C-Section because of my high blood pressure and Parker being breech. I was scheduled for 9 a.m. Here is the last picture of Larry and I together before we became parents. You can see how excited and anxious we both were.
It has been an exciting time around our house. Emma and Parker are doing great! There's lots more to come, so keep checking back.

Our Little Blessings...Welcome Parker & Emma Ellis

After much anticipation, we finally welcome Parker and Emma Ellis into our lives. They were born on March 31, 2008. We have been richly blessed by God!

Emma Ellis
Born: 9:56 a.m.
Weight: 6 lbs., 1 oz.
Length: 19.5 inches

Parker Ellis
Born: 9:57 a.m.
Weight: 6 lbs., 0 oz.
Lenght: 19.5 inches

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers throughout the pregnancy and now. We have been so blessed to have such wonderful and supportive family and friends. THANK YOU!

Here is a picture of our two perfect little blessings. We are thrilled to be parents. I can't remember what life was like without these two!

Here are the links to the pictures of Emma & Parker that were taken at St. Edwards and posted to the web nursery.

Thanks for sharing our joy!

33 Weeks

We made it to the 33 week check...yay! Both Parker and Emma are doing great. They are both practicing breathing. In fact, I think it's their favorite thing to do...right next kicking my ribs! Parker caught up on growth over the past two weeks. He weighs 4 lbs. 10 oz. and Emma weighs 4 lbs. 11 oz.

We actually caught a little glimpse of their faces today. We had to look quickly to dodge the flying feet and legs, but they look pretty cute so far. Aside from the 20 week ultrasound where we found out about them, this was the best ultrasound thus far. We could actually make out hands, feet, legs, and Parker's ear.

I'm doing really well. I grew a centimeter from two weeks ago, putting me at 39 cm. (39 weeks). I feel great and am still trying to take it easy. Larry and I have gotten all of our projects taken care of, so now we just get to enjoy. If I haven't said it, I have the best husband in the world. I certainly would have had a different pregnancy if it weren't for him being such a wonderful man. As if I didn't already know...I'm a lucky girl.

We go back for a check in two weeks. We're keeping our fingers crossed that we make it two weeks. Keep yours crossed, too!

Car Seats...The Final Preparation

The car seats are installed!

We had a good friend show us how to properly install the car seats and how Parker and Emma should fit into them. She has passed the NHTSA's course to be a certified child passenger safety technician and was a HUGE HELP to us. She's had great advice throughout the whole pregnancy and gave us even more good advice about the car seats.

If it hadn't already sunk in that we are having two kids, this certainly brought us a piece of reality. Every time we hop in Larry's car, I catch a glimpse of the two seats. It's almost hard to believe that within the next few weeks, we'll have two little people riding there.

Childbirth Classes

Larry and I went to Childbirth Classes last Saturday to learn about having a baby. What an experience!

Larry had to wear the empathy belly. I actually felt sorry for him because the instructor forgot that he was wearing it and left him in it for a good hour. Here's a great pic...you can see how tired he is from wearing the 25 lbs. of belly while sitting down! Poor thing.

The childbirth video definitely brought back bad memories from 8th grade Biology class!

While we were glad we went, none of the information pertained to twins. We did learn a couple of things, but the most exciting part was the tour of the neonatal unit. We hope that our kiddos don't have to pay a visit, but it was great to see how it's set up and what the capabilities are...just in case.

We were happy to receive a certificate of achievement...we're officially ready to be parents!

31 Weeks

Larry and I went for our 31 week check. Parker and Emma are growing so well and have gained a pound each from two weeks ago. Parker weighs 3 lbs. 14 oz. and Emma weighs 4 lbs. 2 oz. I feel so bad for the little kiddos with how crowded they are. Parker is still breech, so he and Emma have their legs and feet in each others faces.

I'm doing well. Staying off my feet has really helped my energy level. My belly is growing quite a bit to accommodate for their growing size. I measured 38 cm. (38 weeks). I was concerned that I couldn't measure over 40 cm (40 weeks), but Dr. Bell assured me that he's delivered plenty of babies whose mothers measured over 40 cm. So, this week, my body thinks it is 38 weeks and carrying an 8 lb. baby.

The results from my gestational diabetes test came back and there are no worries there! At this appointment, I had to get a Rh shot because my blood is Rh negative and Larry's is Rh positive. It's just a normal precaution that's taken in case my blood mixes with the kiddos' blood.

As for preparing for Parker and Emma's arrival, their clothes that we'll take to the hospital are washed and packed neatly. I've also started packing my bag so we can head to the hospital at a moments notice. The "to-do" list is much shorter and Larry and I feel good that everything is in good order for the arrival of our babies.

Thanks to Nana, Grammy and Papa, we now have the car seats. We're planning to install them this weekend with the help of a friend that is a certified pro (really!) and a mother of three!

We make our next visit for a check up in two weeks where we'll have another ultrasound to check Parker and Emma's progress.

Check back with us...we'll keep you posted!

29 Weeks

At our last appointment, Larry and I got another preview of our little kiddos. We had an ultrasound to check their progress and all is well. Parker and Emma each weigh about 3 lbs. To be exact, Parker weighs 2 lbs. 14 oz. and Emma weighs 3 lbs. 1 oz. They did a little switcharoo from the first ultrasound where Parker weighed more than Emma.

Emma has her head down, but Parker did a little summersault and has decided to hang out for a while with his head up, so he's currently breech. He still has time to flip back around, but not too much longer.

Larry and I did laugh at their little personalities. They let us in on a little treat for how they'll act as brother and sister. Parker had his booty on Emma's face! But, don't think she'll go down without a fight. She had her knee on his nose. As you can tell, their living space is starting to get cramped!

Other things that they did during the ultrasound:

• Parker showed us that he is practicing his breathing - great news for when he is delivered


• Emma yawned and turned her head back and forth several times- she is developmentally ahead of schedule!

Since their living quarters are so cramped, it was hard to get any good pictures of them. Their bones are more dense now, so they create shadows on each other. Sneaky little kiddos!

As for me, I measured at 35 cm. or 35 weeks. My body thinks it's at 35 weeks with a 6 lb. baby! So, I've been taking it easy and trying to stay off of my feet as much as possible, which for me is difficult. My mom has been wonderful to do the things that I just can't at this point.

The nursery is mostly completed now. We bought mattresses and curtains, washed the bedding, and put everything in its place. We're just waiting on a couple of decorator items and we'll be finished.

Larry's co-workers and friends had a shower for us at his work. We were so blessed by everyones generosity. We will be putting everything to good use.

Up next, we have an appointment in two weeks where we'll have another ultrasound to check Parker and Emma's progress.

The Bedding Arrived!

Parker and Emma's baby bedding arrived and Larry and I couldn't wait to tear it out of the package. Even though we are still deciding on mattresses to buy, we had to stick it in the cribs to see how it looked. The verdict...we LOVE it!!! It looks as good as we thought it would and we're happy with how it pulls in the wall color.

Emma's Bedding

Parker's Bedding

Today was the first snow of 2008, so we had to capture it for our kiddos. This is a shot of the back yard. It looked so pretty with snow on all of the trees.

The dogs were going crazy in the snow, but I couldn't get a good picture of them. This is the two of them acting like they love each other...awe, how sweet.

Rebel & Gunner

We have our ultrasound next week...stay tuned!

Rock-A-Bye Babies...

We just picked up the glider and ottoman for the nursery and it looks wonderful! This will be such a lifesaver.

The Chair and Ottoman

We all three fit!

Daddy's napping spot!

Parker and Emma's baby books also arrived, so we picked those up, too! I also found out that our bedding shipped yesterday and should arrive this next week. Although Larry and I aren't big on having everything match, we knew the bedding would need to coordinate and we just loved the baby books. It has certainly been an exciting day!

Thanks for checking in on us!

26 Weeks

We had our 26 week appointment and everything is going well. At this appointment, I did the glucose screening for gestational diabetes. It wasn't too bad, but it's certainly not anything I would ever look forward to. Apparently, I'm lucky because the sugar drink that I was given was lemon-lime flavor. Before you think that doesn't sound too bad, think about what a 2 week old Sprite tastes like...yum, right? :( If the results come back to show that I don't have gestational diabetes, then I won't have to worry about enjoying the drink again anytime soon!

Larry and I found out that we will have our next ultrasound at 28 weeks. We're very excited about seeing our two little cuties! I'm really looking forward to seeing how much they've grown and what they are looking like these days.

As for what I'm looking like these days...I've had several requests for a picture of me. Ah, the dreaded pregnancy picture. But, I'm proud of how our kiddos are growing, so I'll indulge you all! At the appointment, I measured at 33 weeks. That is 7 weeks ahead of where I actually was at that point. It's pretty normal for a woman carrying twins to measure 6-8 weeks ahead, so I'm right on track. I can't see my feet anymore, but I can still (with great effort) tie my tennis shoes! I've made my friend, Mary, promise to tell me when I need a pedicure.

27 Weeks

Parker & Emma's Room

The nursery is finally coming together. This past weekend, Larry and the grandparents painted the room. We settled on a creamy yellow. In case you've never had to pick out yellow paint, let me tell you...it's difficult. Even the slightest bit of color can turn out looking like you're heading to touch up a school bus!

Larry and I are so thankful that our parents live in the area. We couldn't have gotten the room together so quickly without them. In two days, they hung new closet doors, primed the room, painted trim, and painted the wall color. I am so happy with how it has turned out.

The Grandparents
From Left to Right: Larry's Mom & Dad, Dequita & Larry Sr. - a.k.a - Grammy & Papa & My Mom, Linda - a.k.a. Nana

Larry

Our furniture arrived on Tuesday and we spent all night putting it together. We ordered two cribs, one changing table (combo), and a dresser.

The Living Room was packed with boxes!

The Crib(s)

The Changing Table

The Dresser

The bedding should be arriving in early February. Now that we have the furniture in the room, we can start planning on decorations for the walls. We also have to assign Emma and Parker to a specific crib so we can decorate accordingly.

Still on the list of "to do" for the nursery:

• Mattresses
• Curtains
• Rug
• Lamp
• Nightlight
• Wall Decor

We have our next appointment next week. At this appointment, I'll be tested for gestational diabetes. Please pray that the test will return normal. Check back for an update!

Just Kickin' It

Whew! The holidays are over now, but they were so enjoyable. We took a whirlwind trip to Texas to see my brother graduate from the Air Force as a fighter pilot. He will be flying an A-10...a very awesome plane. Of course, I am a very proud sister. While we were there, Larry got to feel the babies kick for the first time!

Christmas was wonderful and Parker and Emma made out like bandits thanks to all of our family. I think they already realize they are spoiled rotten!

I had a very long break from work (11 days) and was able to get quite a bit completed. We ordered our furniture and bedding and I'm so excited to get that in. We are working to pick out a paint color for the nursery. We're thinking along the lines of a creamy yellow. We also ordered the glider and ottoman for the nursery. It is so comfortable and I know it will get a ton of use.

Parker and Emma must be growing a ton, because my baby belly grows bigger every day! Larry and I went back to see our doctor for the 24 week appointment. It looks as though everything is progressing very well. We were told that the ultrasound showed that both Parker and Emma are on track for growth and are very healthy.

We will start going to see the doctor every two weeks now. Wow, I can't believe it is already time. Of course, we are starting to go more frequently so early because we are having twins and they just want to keep an eye on them. Dr. Bell said that he wanted to make sure they didn't turn out like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in the movie "Twins"! Did I mention that I LOVE Dr. Bell?!! The exciting news is that we will have several more ultrasounds before Parker and Emma arrive to make sure they continue to stay on track.

I can now tell a difference between Parker's and Emma's kicks. They are both very active, but not so much that they are keeping me awake at night...yet! It's so funny to me that they already have a routine. They are very active early in the morning, then they seem to nap until about 11:30 a.m. They start moving around again during lunch time, settling down some more for the afternoon, and then they're extremely active in the evening from about 6 p.m. until I go to sleep.

This weekend, we might try to paint the room. We will have to beg for help from the grandparents. I'll be sure to take before and after pics, but they won't look very exciting until we get the furniture, etc. in place.