Growing so fast!

George and Clara are seven weeks old today. We had some major accomplishments this week! George slept through the night for the first time. It was wonderful to go to bed at 11:15 and get up at 6:30. Of course I kept getting up to check on him during the night. He isn't doing this consistently but we'll take it when we can get it! He is staying up more and more during the day wanting to interact and play. He is tracking objects with his eyes and turns his head toward sound. He also rolled over for the first time from his tummy to his back on Christmas day! It was amazing. I will try to capture it on video and post it for everyone to see. George almost weighs 9 pounds now!

Clara is also making so many strides. She is holding her head up well even though she doesn't really enjoy tummy time! Clara is also tracking with her eyes and turns her head toward sounds. She bats at the hanging toys on the activity mat too. She makes more and more cooing noises every day. We also discovered that she loves sleeping in our baby swing. While in the swing she may sleep from 4 to 5 hours at a time! She really enjoys dancing with Mommy to Christmas music too. This past week poor Clara developed some tummy problems which can cause her to be quite fussy. It seems that her favorite place to sleep when she doesn't feel good is on Grandpa Quinn's chest, who comes for a visit and lunch once a week. Too bad I can't convince him to move in with us! :) Clara weighs just over 8 pounds now. If you can't tell from my gushing about their development I think these two are just a joy to watch grow!! They are so loved!!

We had a great visit from my cousin Tarala and her husband Tim with my Aunt Pam and her husband Jack. They brought us yummy Maggiano's for lunch and met the twins. Tarala and I grew up in Pennsylvania together and now we both live in Houston. The best thing is that she is seven months pregnant with a little girl. I can't wait to have play dates with the cousins!

A peaceful Clara

Meeting Cousin Tarala

A quiet moment with George

George 7 weeks

Clara 7 weeks

We love each other!

Our First Christmas

What a wonderful Christmas! My parents spent the night on Christmas eve and we had a wonderful fondue dinner, made cookies for Santa, and watched Christmas movies. We woke up the next morning to a million presents under the tree. George and Clara must have been very good for the first six weeks of their lives because Santa Claus certainly spoiled them. A real hit with the two of them was the glowworms they received from Grammy and Grandpa Quinn. We had a great breakfast before saying goodbye to the Quinn clan and welcoming the Hadjioannou clan. Bianca, George, Christina, and Sayed spent the night for the Hadjioannou family Christmas celebration. We also enjoyed meeting Christina and Sayed's puppy named Riesling. She added a little excitement to the family gathering! George and Clara were once again spoiled. A favorite gift was a beautiful quilt that their Aunt Christina and Uncle Sayed gave them with their names and birth date embroidered on it which is now hanging in the nursery. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner prepared by Bianca and John. It was a very busy 48 hours but we have many great memories from the twins first Christmas!

Me and Clara on Christmas Eve

John with the twins on Christmas Eve

The Quinn Clan

Grammy and Grandpa Quinn

Ready for bed on Christmas Eve

Santa was here!

Waiting to open presents

Reindeer butts!

Grandma and Grandpa Hadjioannou Christmas Day

Aunt Christina and Uncle Sayed Christmas Day

Pretty girl Riesling

The Hadjioannou Clan on Christmas Day

Time Flies!

It's hard to believe that George and Clara are 6 weeks old today. They have grown so much in the past few weeks that I barely remember what they were like in the NICU. George is over 8 pounds now and Clara is about 7 1/2. George is really strong and holds his head up by himself. I think he will be rolling over before we know it. Clara has found her voice and makes all kinds of noises. She gets really chatty when she is in close proximity to George. I wonder what she is trying to tell him! John and I keep saying that George will be running circles around Clara while she is asking him where he is going! They are more and more alert every day. Our favorite thing to do is lay on the Baby Einstein Activity Mat and watch them interact with each other and the toys.

Sleeping continues to be a challenge but the past two nights George has slept for about 5 hours straight. Hallelujah!!! Unfortunately Clara is not quite there yet but we keep hoping she will turn a corner soon! George, Clara, and I have our routine down during the day when it's just the three of us. It's definitely a challenge being outnumbered by babies but I wouldn't have it any other way. We've enjoyed many visits from our friends and family. John's sister Christina and her husband Sayed are in for the holidays so George and Clara met their Uncle Sayed for the first time. We really look forward to spending Christmas at our house around the tree with all of our family. It will be a special first Christmas for George and Clara. We will see what Santa brings them.

My good friend Jenn with her daughter Greyson and son Rory and the twins

The best Christmas present ever

The other best Christmas present ever

Baby Einstein Mat

George with Uncle Sayed

Go George Go!

Merry Christmas from George and Clara

We escaped!

We finally broke out the double stroller and took the twins for a walk. They loved it even if the weather was not so great. I loved it too! I don't get fresh air or exercise too often these days. They were both sound asleep when we got home so we left them in their car seats and enjoyed our dinner.

Sound asleep

So glad to be out!

Happy One Month Birthday Clara and George!

It is hard to believe that one month ago tonight John and I were in the hospital still waiting to hold our newborn twins. The moment when we finally were able to see them was one I will never forget. Having George and Clara in the NICU for two weeks was really difficult but the celebration of them coming home was fantastic. Now they have been home for over two weeks and we know their little personalities and quirks. Daddy and I are settling into a routine and getting used to the sleep deprivation. We've been so lucky to have my mom and John's mom here to help out. It's made a world of difference in getting settled in as new parents. John and I also made the decision that I will not return to work. Instead I am going to spend my time watching these two little ones grow. What a blessing! George and Clara have grown so much in the past month. John and I are definitely proud parents of these two little munchkins! We love them so much!

George One Month Old

The Twins One Month Old

Clara One Month Old

Alligators and Bumble Bees

George's Alligator Toes


Clara's Bumble Bee Feet

Clara all clean after bath

George all clean after bath

Grammy Quinn

What would we do without our mothers? My mom, now known as Grammy Quinn, stayed with us for a week and she was so helpful. Tears were definitely shed when she left yesterday. I've always felt so loved and supported by my mom and have really felt this connection even more since becoming a mother. I appreciate everything that she has done for me for my entire life so much more now that I can relate. She is an amazing woman who so selflessly does everything she can for her children. I hope I can be as good of a mother to George and Clara as she has been to me. I love you mom! You're amazing!

Grammy Quinn feeding Clara in the rocking chair she rocked
my brother and I in over 30 years ago

Picture Perfect Moments

A visit from Grandpa Quinn

Sleepy Clara


George is...

A Late Night Wish for My Sweet Babies

I Wish You Love
Nancy Falkow

All the sun for you,
All I can do for you,
Is wish you the best of everything.

All the sky for you,
Forever I fly for you,
And the good life this will bring.

So while you lay sleeping,
I just sit and stare
and pray you're dreaming.

A lifetime of happiness,
A joy from up above,
Until then I wish you love.

All the world for you,
Whatever you think'll be true,
And all your days filled with fun.

All my time for you,
Whatever I've got for you,
Underneath the living breathing sun.

So while you lay sleeping,
I just sit and stare
and pray you're dreaming.

A lifetime of happiness,
A joy from up above,
Until then I wish you love.

So while you lay sleeping,
I just sit and stare
and pray you're dreaming.

A lifetime of happiness,
A joy from up above,
Until then I wish you love.

Until then I wish you love.

G&C Bonding Time

Hey Clara Wanna Cuddle? By the way how does my hand taste?

We're cute!!

George do you have to be so close?

This is much better mom!

Meeting Good Friends

I didn't realize how much fun it would be to introduce George and Clara to some of our very best friends. Yesterday the babies met their Godfathers Jake and Mark. Jake, Maria, and their daughter Allison came by in the afternoon. They brought us a great Italian meal, spent time holding the babies, and watching football. Their little darling girl Allison is such a sweet and happy baby! It was fun to see what these two might be like in about 8 months. In the evening Mark and Sarah brought us a yummy dinner from Macaroni Grill and got their fill of the twins. Sarah was such a great help holding a fussy Clara so we could actually sit down to eat a meal. It is wonderful to have such amazing friends! We love you guys!

Jake with George

Maria with Clara

Sweet Allison meeting George - I said they could get married - John and Jake said that would be weird - I think it would be great!

Mark and Sarah with the twins

A Visit from Old Friends

Thursday night three of my girlfriends from high school came by to meet George and Clara and they brought us dinner. It just so happened that we were all in town at the same time...two of them drove in from Austin and one flew in from New Jersey. We did miss a few friends from our high school "crew" though...Kari, Brandi, Carol, and Shannon. We don't get to see each other very often so it is always nice when we can get together. The crazy thing is that three of the four of us are now mothers. All of us have careers and my friend Lindsey is about to move to Kenya for a year long job. It was fun to think back over 12 years ago to all of the good times we had together and all of the things we did that we don't want our kiddos to do. :) One thing I do hope for is that they have a great group of friends like we did! I doubt if you told us then where the four of us would be right now we would believe it. What a great night! Lots of love to Bonnie and little Owen, Melissa and big boy Juna, and Lindsey. Thanks for coming by!

Melissa and Juna, Me and the twins, Bonnie and Owen, Lindsey

Three Weeks Old

Today George and Clara are three weeks old and have been at home with us for a week. We are finally getting into a routine at home. John and I are getting used to the total sleep deprivation. I keep reminding myself that this is only a phase and it will get better. I think my brain has stopped working at this point! We enjoyed introducing George and Clara to their Godmothers Ashley and Brandi. These two women are two of my very best friends and mean the world to me. I know George and Clara will be guided and loved by them too. We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner at our house with our parents. Our moms did all the cooking while John and I took care of the twins. We also survived our first pediatrician appointment. Both babies have grown so much since coming home. They both gained almost a pound and grew an inch! The doctor said they looked great. Today we had a fantastic photographer Holly Anderson come to the house to take George and Clara's newborn photos. Check out her website www.hollyandersonphotography.com. I can't wait to see how the photos turned out. John returns to work tomorrow and I am sad that our time together fully focused on the twins is over. We've had some moments together this week that I will never forget. My mom is coming tomorrow to help us out for about a week and I am so happy that she is able to take the time off from work. It will be so fun to have her around. I know I've said it a million times in the last three weeks but we are blessed. I thank God for these two little miracles, my amazing husband, and our family and friends.

Thanksgiving Day and a very upset George

George watching his first Texans game with Daddy and Bailey

Clara asleep on Daddy's chest

Clara sleeping

George sleeping