3 months

Emma Cate and Holden,
You are three months old!

What our life is like:
You still wake up between 6:00 and 7:30 for a morning feed. We've figured out that bottle feeding at this time is much easier on all of us. :) I try to get up a little before you both and do my morning pump. You normally go back to sleep until 9:30 or 10 and I get up, take my shower and get our home ready for the day. If I need to get anything done it pretty much has to happen between 7-9am. You both take around 4-4.5 ounces when you wake up and then we change diapers and play! You are now to the point where we are playing more! You both are starting to enjoy tummy time more and are champs at holding your heads up. It's amazing to see your little bodies getting stronger. You both like music and love to sit in your boppys and watch me play musical instruments for you. The dogs normally join in on our little band with their barking. Both Boomer and Sophie like to lay down and snuggle with you guys. I put you both in the pack n' play and y'all love to flail your arms around, hit each other in the face, chew on each others' arms and ears, and kick kick kick! You have both started to reach for objects and like to bat at the toys that hang above your crib. You've both really started noticing your mobiles and love when we turn them on. After the 9:30 feeding we either stay home and play for about and hour before you go back to sleep or hop in the car and head to the park to walk with friends. You both eat a bottle at 12-1. Our routine pretty much consists of eat, play for an hour and then nap for an hour before it's time to eat again. We count the minutes until 2pm when Gigi gets home from school. She loves to play and sing with you guys. Unfortunately, we learned that Gigi is sick this month. She has breast cancer. Gigi has had lots of doctor's appointments so you guys have been joining mom at cheer practice :) You take a bottle at 3 and both of you are great a taking a bottle whenever from whomever. We get excited to see Daddy when he gets home around 5. Both of you love to be held by your Daddy. He throws you up in the air and plays airplane and zooms you around. You both take another bottle around 6pm and then the fussy period begins! Around 7 or 8 you both will fall asleep in our arms and we enjoy the cuddles. At 9pm we start bathtime. Daddy is the official bath giver while I nurse you. Once you finish nursing, Daddy puts you both in your swaddles and puts you down for the night. About a week before your 3 month birthday you both started sleep through the night, 9:30-6 or 7am. Mommy and Daddy are SOOO happy! We also put you in separate cribs. Emma Cate was a wiggler and would end up getting kicked in the head by Holden and waking up. So far you've (and us!) enjoyed your own space in your own cribs.

You are both smiling when prompted. You started music together class this month and love it! You both love the tambourine and all of the musical instruments  I like to sing all the songs to you and I can tell you enjoy it by the huge gummy smiles you give me! We've even gotten Daddy to sing a few rounds of the hello song. Towards the end of month 2, you both have been making more noise (besides crying). I love listening to your developing language skills. It is so fun to interact with you both! One of my favorites is when one of you screams, the other will smile and coo.

Emma Cate:
Nicknames:  Emma Tate, Taters, Sweet Pea (especially by your daddy), P 
Weight: around 9lbs
Height: unknown
Hair: girlfriend is sporting a major horseshoes and bows are a must to adorn your pretty little head. Emma Cate is taking after Pop Pops in the hair department. Good think this mama loves little bald babies :)
Eyes: Blue
Clothes: We just packed up all of your newborn clothes and are officially wearing 0-3 months. Your 3 month onesie was carter's size 3 months
Diapers: Using the Bumgenius 4.0 and Freedom. We LOVE the freedoms. You are still on the smallest size setting.
Eating: Takes 4-4.5 ounces every 3 hours, 6 feedings daily. Nursing once a day before bedtime.
Likes: watching tv (especially football she sneaks it while she's in the pack n play), mornings when I get her from her crib, laying next to/cuddling with Holden, her soft pink blanket, swatting at the baseball in the pack n play, being sung to, diaper changes, nuk pacis
Dislikes: falling asleep on her own (but she's getting better), tummy time, dirty diapers 
Development: starting to do baby push ups in tummy time, standing when held, learning to sit (still far from it),  is very alert and looks at the person speaking
Words: not yet!
Teeth: not yet!

Extra: You are the sweetest baby but girl, you have the most attention getting cry! I think that people think I'm being mean to you! You let out these wails and in between you turn beet red and don't breath. It scares me a little. You love to be held and that normally stops the tantrum. You are just so sweet. You love to smile and I love receiving those smiles. You adore storytime at the library and music together. You love to read books and will pay attention to anything that catches your eye. You have started to deliberatly reach out and grab things. It is so fun to watch you grow and learn! You are a very pretty little girl and I love how you look in hairbows! I think you love it too! You are growing long but still are skinny. You have little thighs that only touch when you stretch out really long on the changing table. Your legs are definitely straightening out after being cramped in mommy's tummy for so long. You are mommy's sweetie!


Holden

Nicknames: Holdy, Holds, Handsome Holden, Golden Holden, Franklin, Fwankwin, Fwank
Weight: around 10.5 pounds
Height: unknown- 
Hair: blond. Slowly its growing longer. Very slowly.
Eyes: Blue
Clothes: Just packed up all of your newborn and your 0-3, and 3 month fit you well. You've got some 6 months but they're pretty big on you.
Diapers: Bumgenius 4.0 and freetime. They are set one snap bigger than the smallest size.
Eating: 4.5-5oz of breastmilk every 3 hours by bottle, around 15 minute nursing session at night.
Likes: sitting up, looking around, being held, the mobile in the crib and pack n play, seeing what's going on, tummy time, being naked, bath time
Dislikes: being strapped in your car seat (before the car gets moving, but you're getting better), being hungry (boy likes his bottle!)
Development: You continue to be our strong boy, you've got great neck control and like looking around, you like to flail your arms but aren't necessarily deliberate in your movements. You do great at tummy time and give us lots of baby push ups!
Words: not yet!
Teeth: not yet!

Extra:
Holden, you are so fun to be around! You make awesome faces and are just plain cute. You get fussy and your lip quivers and you snort and it is hilarious. I try not to laugh! You still like to stand up and dance. You let me move your arms around. Your cry sounds like a little girl (we need to work on that). It is super high pitched! Your tummy has been feeling sooo much better recently, you hardly spit up anymore. You can still let out some monster farts (yuck!). Your dad is very proud of you... You have a long neck and like to stick it out (hence the nickname franklin, as in franklin the turtle!)

Cancer

We learned yesterday that my mom has breast cancer. She found a lump, had a mammogram, had a biopsy and the doctor called with the results yesterday morning. They biopsied two lumps in her breast and a lymph node in her armpit that was swollen. All three were positive for cancer. She will meet with her surgical oncologist on the 18th to learn how they are going to treat it and we will know more information about the cancer, how far it has spread, etc. Luckily we have been referred to one of the BEST oncologists in our area and are praying for him and his team. We are very fortunate to have good friends in the medical community :)

Surprisingly, I am very at peace with this. I KNOW that she will beat this and that cancer will be small dot on the timeline of her life. I'm struggling in how to keep her confident that she can beat it. I know she has doubts and that she is scared. I have never been through something like this and I've never seen my mom so visibly nervous. I'm not sure what to say, but know that I need to stay positive. Do I talk about cancer, do I avoid talking about cancer, do I act like things are normal, do I treat her like she is sick, am I burdening her if she watches my babies (she normally does this 2-3 afternoons a week while I'm at cheerleading practice), or am I taking something away from her if I get someone else to watch them? Where is the manual to dealing with your mother's breast cancer?!

I am lucky I have my sisters. We are all positive and ready to do anything we can to support my mom as she fights this. We are also very lucky that my mom is back in Charlotte. She has sooo many friends here and people that care about her. I believe that God knew this was coming and sent my mom back to Charlotte and had them buy a house in a neighborhood where tons of her friends live (and is 3 miles down the road from me!), he did it at a time where I am not working so that I can care for her. He gave my Dad a new job where his boss is very understand and he can work from home and will be in Charlotte whenever he needs to be. My mother in law is now retired and can help watch the babies while we help my mom. I believe that God set this all up so that my mom can beat this disease.

I'll continue to update as we know more but please pray for my mom, that she knows she can beat this, and for her doctors and those that care for her, for my Dad who is by himself right now and so worried about his wife, and for all of the women that are suffering from this terrible thing.

Thank you!