Boys Catch Up Newborn

It was so much fun typing out Emery's beginning story so I had to get right now doing the boys. With 2 babies and our first babies, there are a lot more pictures. Poor Jacks has the least amount of baby picture.

I remember when Brad came to me and said he wanted to try and have a baby. We weren't married for too long, I was just getting used to being married and having to hear someone snore all night I wasn't too sure. I told him I'd think and pray about it and that week I just knew it was time. I have always wanted to be a mom. I loved to baby sit and I love babies but I was always worried that maybe it wouldn't happen or take forever. I guess to be shown I was meant to be a mom I was sent 2 at once. We had our first appointment and the doctor checked me. After he did he said he had a student who he wanted to check me too and asked if it was ok. I said ok and then after that he said we can do an ultrasound to "see how many are in there." He swears he was joking but I think he knew something was different, either I was farther along than I said or there was more than one.  I remember thinking why is there a dark sack at the top of the baby. Then the doctor said there was 2. Total and complete shock. I don't remember much else from it because I just kept thinking TWO!!! It was so fun telling people because we would show the picture of a single baby then the 2 on the same picture. Some of the people would start to say why is there 2 then it would hit it was twins.

 

 The doctors of course tell you all that can happen with twins so we thought that I would have them at 20 weeks, they would be in the NICU for months and probably be very small. None of that happened. Look how tiny I was at just a few weeks.

 Then how HUGE I got. This was a week or so before they came. Nothing fit me, and I was so uncomfortable. I went full term and since Beckham was transverse I had to have a C-Section.

This is Brad's favorite picture to kind of laugh at. I'm pretty sure I wasn't happy. I  was walking to try and get labor started but all I got was very swollen feet and later seeing the picture, a shirt that didn't even cover my belly...

The day finally came May 9 2006. I was so nervous for the spinal shot I had to get, nothing else. We just wanted to meet our babies. While only Brad could be in the operating room, thankfully Linda was able to get her and my mom in the babies recovery area.

A friend I have had since kindergarten has a mom who is an RN and she was my nurse and the best nurse. She kept me so calm for the shot I had to get. We debated on names for a while. We liked the nickname Beck and so Beckham was easy. Camden was going to be Carrigan or Brooklyn is he was a girl. We wanted family middle names but since there was 2 we didn't want to name one after brad and the other not but one day it hit me, our dads. The are both amazing men and naming the twins after then was perfect. The names go perfect with them too. Beckham looks most Arrington and his is Steven. Camden is a mini Brad Barnes and his is Charles. We also just decided first out was Cam and second was Beck. The delivery was good. Cam came out easy but they took him away fast. He was breathing but having a little bit of a hard time so they just gave him a little oxygen. Beck was 3 minutes later and a VERY long 3 min. He was up high and they couldn't get him to drop. They pushed on my ribs/stomach which made it hard to breath and then I got sick and threw up. Laying on my back I didn't know what to do and it was a few seconds before Brad or the anesthesiologist saw and helped. After that I couldn't stop shaking or gagging until Beck was out. They eventually had to get another doctor and use a vacuum. Beck's birth certificate has 2 doctors listed while Cam's only has one. They were both very healthy happy babies.

Camden was 7 lb 20.25 inch

 

Beckham was 6 lb 10 oz 21.25 inch

 Crazy how much 1 inch and 6 oz makes on a baby. I thought they were so tiny but that was over 13 lbs of baby in me. No wonder I was huge.

Proud dad

 

 Tired mom. It was fun to see people with twins. They are so different and it was a must to hold them both at once. How could you pick though, they both are so tiny and cute?

 Their bless was good. I love the matching tuxes, that were huge on them.

 We had a niece born a month before them and their blessings were the same day.

They really were good babies. Brad and I just took one baby a night, so if your baby slept, you slept. Camden was the one you wanted. He slept all the time. Beck liked to be held while he slept which didn't make for fun nights with him. Beck was the changing baby. He looks different in a lot of pictures, Camden still looks the same.

 The life, eating and sleeping while being held. Beckham got a rash shortly after he was born all over his body which is my he is so red.

 He really was a good baby but he like being held. He would actually eat his food and not just fall asleep.

 The start of his major outie belly button. It ended up being a hernia but it was just funny to see it while he was a baby.

 

 Very proud dad. The bigger they got the harder it was to hold them together, but there were times they thought they both needed to be held and it usually happened when you were alone.

 The fun time when they both got mad. I think they were just over pictures by this time.

 Then the joy of them both sleeping at the same time. They really didn't like sleeping next to each other. I guess even that young Beck wanted his space. We tired the same bed for a few nights and quickly found out that it wasn't working.

 They both started to fill out pretty quick.

 This looks so much like Jacks to me. Camden, Jacks and Brad have a lot of pictures like that.

 He loved baths and as I said, he slept, a lot. He was hard to keep awake. We used to joke that he slept through his first 3 months. Even still he is our only kid that really sleeps in. Camden would eat and fall asleep all the time. I had to feed him and be "mean" to keep him awake so he would actually get food.

 

Twins are so much fun. Maybe because they were our first or maybe its just our babies but they were so much easier than single babies. The first few weeks was hard getting used to a schedule, but every baby is that way. They always have a friend there. When they started to play they had someone to talk to and look at. I used to dress them alike only when we went to family functions to confuse people. They obviously don't look anything alike but the same outfit somehow made them look the same to family. 

12 Years Old!

The boys are 12! It doesn't seem like its been enough time for them to be 12 already, I'm not that old yet am I? They were both really excited to be 12. Beck thinks it makes him a man. I told him he's a young man, not yet a full on man, I'm really not ready for that. Since they had their party already and opened gifts we didn't do that on their actual birthday, but we still wanted them to feel special so we surprised them with lunch. Beck thought we may be going on another trip, I guess we did set ourselves up for them to think that.

Camden

Camden is still tiny and I think he likes but hates it. I would guess it gets old hearing HOW DIFFERENT twins are, but he says he likes being small. We are able to give his old clothes right to Jacks, so its nice for us. Camden is so smart (and he knows it). His math skills always amaze me. I like to give him problems just to see him work them out in his head. I just assume they're right. Have these two boys who love math has made me lazy in math, and I loved math in school too. He excels in piano as well. He's to a very fun point where he can sight read most music, so he is always trying to look up new songs to play. And unlike me, he likes playing for people. He also really likes band and playing that instrument. Its fun to see his love of music forming. Camden still likes to push everyone buttons, he really knows how to get Jacks mad, but then in the next breath they are best friends and he plays so well with Jacks. He can be so helpful with them, making forts and treat, or cause fight after fight. He loves to cook and is getting better with recipes. Camden HAS to have the last word, and so do I, so you can guess how fun some conversations are for us. His allergies are still over the top. We are going to try a new therapy soon and hope in a few months he gets some relief. Camden loves to help people. He tells me all the time of kids he helps at school with homework, especially math. Camden likes origami but doesn't do it as much as he used to, although the other day he made a folded flower that opened up in water. It was so impressive to see it work how he wanted it to. He likes to print out a picture and tap it to the window and trace it on another page. Magic is another thing he is working on. He likes to look up new card tricks to perform. Cam loves Beck. He really has a twin bond with him. He'll order what Beck does, he wants to be where Beck is and wants Beck to always follow him. I think different classes has really helped them both meet people and learn to be without the other, but they still like their brother best. They have majority of the same friends too, which really made inviting friends to the party easy. Camden's favorite food is ham, favorite game or toy is Fortnite, favorite subject is math.

Beckham

Beckham is growing so fast and I'm sure he's like Cam but the opposite side, sick of hearing how big he is. He is like 2 inch off from me, so it is crazy just how fast he is growing. No pants from the beginning of the year fit in length but the waist is getting a little big because he is losing his 'baby fat' and ... well just changing, he's becoming a young man. I think he likes being bigger than Cam a little because there is more he can do and things he can do easier than Cam like mowing the lawn. He loves Camden, maybe won't admit it, but he likes to have his own space more than Cam. He still lets Cam push him around though. No matter what Cam does he just puts up with it even if he hates it. We have tried over and over to tell him to stand up for himself but he won't. He is my helper. He will help me when I need things done, or help doing things. Beck will also come and ask if he can help with anything and he usually does a really good job when he does help. I've been so impressed that he has stuck with piano. I didn't think he really liked it, but he wanted to keep playing and has had fun just learning concert songs. Beckham is in love with acting. He won't do anything in front of us, but really loved doing drama this year and misses not having a play to do right now. He tells me all the time he's going to California to be an actor when he's older. Beckham loves to collect Pops. He will spend his game time looking up new ones to try and save for to buy. They both always have grand plans to save for something then it's thrown off by a cool new pop or other toy. We made a new rule that they have to thing for 24 hours before they can spend over a certain amount. It's worked so far, Beck wanted a big Pop and 24 hours later forgot all about it and saved the money. He also has a new obsession each month. Last month it was basketball card which Brad has a lot of old ones that the boys thought were pretty sweet, but now he's over them. We're just waiting for the next obsession to hit. He is really trying to find out who he is, how to act and how far he can take things. It's not always easy dealing with the way he does things and unless is it rude or not ok we are trying to let him figure that out. We have had a few conversations about how something isn't funny like he thought or what he said or did was actually rude and not ok. I seem to be the tester on all of that, which makes motherhood so much fun. I've been told by a few wise moms that this is normal and to just hold on it's just starting. Yay! He is a really good kid though. Both of them are, their teachers have nothing but good things to say about them. A few weeks ago they had a new friend over and his dad happens to be a teacher at Stuart. He came outside with the boys and his son to meet Brad who picked them up after school. This dad told us later that other teachers saw them and said that the Barnes boys are good kids and his son picked a good friend. Those are the things as parents you love to hear. Beckham's favorite food is BLTs, favorite game/toy is Fortnite, favorite subject is band.

I love so much that we had twins and especially these two wonderful boys. They are so fascinating to watch grow up and especially right now as we watch them develop into young men. This past Sunday they also were ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood and they both couldn't have been more excited (and maybe a little nervous). They really watched the boys this week pass the sacrament, knowing they get to next week. It was Mother's Day so the young men pass out the gifts for the moms and they were so excited them the Bishop said that and they got to go and pass them out. While I miss my baby twins who jabbered to each other, I love seeing them grow into the young men that they are. Beck told us this week that only 6 years till he's 18 and we all know how fast that will go.



Emery Catch Up

A few months ago we were trying to look at the old pictures that are saved on our portable hard drive but we had a really hard time getting them to open and some we still haven't been able to. While I used to print off more pictures when the kids were younger, I still don't want to lost these pictures. I started to blog because I liked the idea of adding pictures to the stories. I also really like to journal and it was getting hard to write 4 journals. For about a year I kept a journal for Camden, Beckham, Emersyn and me. The blog is our family journal and when I have extra money I get them printed out in a book. Jackson has his whole life in a blog, but Emery and the boys don't, so my goal is little by little to add that in. Emery is only missing a few months, so her catch up is easy.

Since I had a C-section with the boys, they schedule one for your next baby, which I came to find out is a blessing and curse. I know the latest day that we'll get to meet our baby, but I have gone into the hospital before the date with all of the kids and every time I've been sent home because my surgery was soon after. The boys it was ok, labor stopped, Emery's didn't. She was 'supposed' to be born September 24 but on September 22 labor started around 5 or 6 pm. I knew with the boys to wait till them are about 5 minutes apart before I went in, so when that had been going on for a few hours I went in and as you guessed sent home. The doctor said I wasn't progressing fast enough and my date is close. He told me to come in if they get closer, but they never did. They did however not stop and got stronger. I felt my stomach was huge but I mainly felt them in my back, it was miserable. I took 3 or 4 baths and moved from room to room. Brad kept following me to help me... not sure with what. I more just got annoyed that he wasn't sleeping. I knew doctor shift change was around 8, so I waited until then to call again to say the contractions aren't stopping. They checked me in the office, I was at I believe a 4 and they sent me to the floor. A different doctor came in and asked if I wanted to do a vbac (vaginal delivery after C-section). Brad said he was tired of waiting, you know because it's so hard on him. I chose not to and while I'm very glad I didn't try I semi regretted not trying for a few years after that. I do think I was meant for C-sections. When the contractions, that were concentrated in my back, came Brad thought I needed to know how high the line went and how strong it was, incase it couldn't feel them, then everyone around telling me to breath. When I'm in pain I have very low patients, so I'm sure I may have thrown a few potties out if I went full labor. I do remember it was just after my mom got a cell phone and she was on a bike ride and it took a bit to get ahold of her. I just kept thinking they cant take me back until I have my mom. She isn't in the room with me, but a daughter needs her mom around when she is giving birth. Birth went great. The doctor later told my dad the cord was around her neck a little so it was probably best she was delivered that way. She was 8lb 2 oz and perfect.

 Brad was instantly hook and she had him wrapped around her finger.

 She is so loved by everyone.

The boys were kind of excited  but not too sure. I had a reaction to the meds, notice the lovely post birth chubby face. Since I had been up since who knows what time the day before, I was tired. I remember Michelle coming to see Emery but I swore I kept falling asleep.

When she was a day old they told me she dropped 6 oz. I didn't believe it, my boys were 6 oz apart and it looks like a lot of weight on a tiny baby. They told me I wasn't feeding her enough and they needed her to have formula. Whenever I tried to give it to her she would pull back and hated it. The nurse said maybe her stomach hurts to they pumped to try and get meconium out, nothing was in there. Then the nurse used a syringe to feed her because I wouldn't do it. She went and weighed her again and realized they must have weighed her wrong because she only lost an ounce or two. I look back now and wished I spoke up, but I was tired and young and thought they knew best. Just after this they did a routine blood test. That evening I got a call from the doctor saying they're putting her in the NICU and that's all she told me. They came and took Emery and it was a while before I knew why. It wasn't a fun time after this birth. I don't remember what levels, but some levels were too high and they show inflammation in the body and she needed to be monitored. While we were 'lucky' because our baby was a chubby 8lb baby and they said it was just a precaution, nothing prepares you to see a baby hooked up to so many wires. She spent I think 48 hours there. Leaving without her was the hardest thing I had to do. I think I cried until I went back to feed her. I'm so glad I said I was nursing and only nursing because we came to later find out that she was allergic to milk. Until she was about 3 she had to have lactose free things. I'm not sure why it went away I just know if they fed her formula she would have been in there even longer.

When we got to take her home we were all so in love and over joyed. The fun continued but with me this time. I got strep and the flu shortly after we got home. I'd still take this sort of recovery over the spinal headache I got with Jacks.

 

 He's telling her here that she will always get whatever she wants and he's stuck to that.

She was a pretty easy baby. It took probably a month for her to finally take a binkey but then she didn't want to give it up. She didn't sleep much and still really doesn't. Her naps were always short but she was still happy.

 

 Her blessing dress is extra special. Great Grandma Arrington made it I don't know how long ago and I was excited to use it for Emery's dress. She also has my silver bracelet on. In Ireland you give a baby girl silver. Each of my parents Granddaughters have gotten a bracelet from Ireland and Emery gets mine. I love traditions like that.

They really did love their sister. Looking back at pictures, Camden had something with touching her head.

 She loves her daddy. He could get her to smile so easy.

 First Christmas

 More head touching.

 First Halloween. We later used the outfit for a Christmas card. Around this is when I started the original blog so the rest of her story is there. She is such a joy to have in our lives and I'm so glad we only had one girl, although she is like me and hates it now. Someday she'll get how awesome it really is to be the only girl.