Babies were born! More on that later.
Easter 2021 - We had a quiet Easter at home this year with just us. First time in our marriage. The eggs were color-coded and hidden by age-appropriate difficulty for each kid.
Abram
Abram quote:
(while sitting on the potty) "Activate pee!" (pushes pretend button on cupboard next to him) "Activate poop!" (pushes a different part of cupboard)
We've been doing some basic potty training with Abram. Recently we've been putting him in underwear in the morning, and he's becoming more aware of when he needs to use the potty and communicating with us so we can help him use it (like his quotes at the beginning).
Finding yellow (his favorite color) flowers (and stuffing his pockets with them.)
Abram has become very imaginative. He loves to play Star Wars, Octonauts, Superheroes, and Paw Patrol. He loves to dress up in the astronaut outfit, as a superhero, or as a construction worker. When he plays Octonauts, he is almost always Kwazi the cat, and he assigns us our roles (I am often Peso). While Jackie's been here, he got upset at her one day because he asked for a stormtrooper and she gave him a scout trooper. He can be a bit particular.
Peter
We thought Peter had a hernia. Turns out one testicle hadn't descended. He had surgery to fix it, and hasn't let any of it slow him down. The black eye in the picture was from a tussle with his brother.
Peter quote:
After surgery and while still groggy, he noticed the X the doctors had drawn on him and said "Treasure!"
We put a clock in Peter and Abram's room, and Peter went bananas every time the minute changed for quite a while.
Some art from preschool
Adeline
Adeline learned to ride a two-wheel bike! She's also been doing amazing with reading, and has started writing her own stories. She is so excited to have a little sister.
I think she looks an awful lot like a young Alicia in this next video:
Stories
Everett
Everett has been reading up a storm. He recently got into the Animorphs series (which was also my favorite at around his age). Watching him play with Abram is pretty adorable.
Various Activities
Jackie's first visit she stayed at a hotel, and invited the kids over for a swim.
A "How-To" activity outside the library. It was super windy and a bit chilly this day. There were people spinning yarn, making bowls from clay, and doing origami. In these pictures the kids did some shaving cream paper marbling.
At the park
Building with magnet blocks.
SFA had a 40th anniversary outdoor music festival. We went to hear the local youth groups. They had activities for kids and some food trucks. It was a little rainy, but we had a lot of fun.
Shortly after the twins were born, I took the older kids to the zoo in Lufkin. They had recently opened a new section, which had snakes, lizards, geckos, frogs, and turtles. Abram loved the alligator picture on the floor.
I presented at a conference in San Antonio while Jackie was here the first time. My first night there I walked around the Riverwalk and got to see the Alamo. San Antonio actually reminded me a lot of Las Vegas with its vibrant night life, just without the degeneracy. My presentation was sparsely attended, but I had a great time with some friends. We went to get dinner before heading back home, and we got to eat at a restaurant on the Riverwalk about 8 feet from the water.
Tower of America
David sent some flowers for Mother's Day.
On the day of the birth, Alicia had a doctor's appointment in the morning (at 10:15 a.m.). At the appointment, the midwife checked her and told Alicia she had dilated to five cm. She told Alicia to head to the hospital to be induced. The midwife and doctor were worried that if Alicia just went on her own the babies might come too fast. We got Abram and Peter situated with some friends (thank you Martin family!), made arrangements for Everett and Adeline to get picked up after school, and then we headed to the hospital. Because it was a twin birth, the midwife and doctor recommended Alicia get an epidural. Alicia's not sure if it worked as intended, because she still felt a lot throughout labor and delivery, but she still felt like it helped. Also because it was a twin birth, Alicia gave birth in the OR, just in case an emergency C-Section was needed for baby B (Renee). They gave me scrubs to put on, and I'd only gotten about halfway done when they said I was needed in the OR. A nurse helped tie me up as I was walking in. In the OR there were about nine medical staff: the midwife, doctor, anesthesiologist, and about six nurses - two for Alicia and two for each baby. The midwife handled both deliveries with the doctor providing support. They did great. Alicia pushed 3 or 4 times for Samuel, and then only one full push for Renee. They came five minutes apart around 5:35 p.m.
Samuel. My glasses are in the upper left. That's the midwife with the baby and the doctor behind her. A nurse asked for my phone when Samuel was born and took a bunch of pictures through the whole process.
Renee. Notice Samuel's umbilical cord still hanging out in the bottom right.
Renee. Both babies were a bit purple when they came out. Renee had a stronger cry than Samuel, and she didn't really calm down until we were back in the Labor and Delivery room and Alicia nursed her. Samuel fell asleep pretty soon after birth. He proved difficult while we were in the hospital, as he just wanted to sleep and didn't want to wake up to eat. Alicia and the babies ended up staying an extra night because he was losing too much weight. Renee eats just fine.
Samuel all cleaned up.
My scrub get up. We think this is Samuel.
Both babies were a bit cold when we went back to the labor and delivery room (that room was freezing to me), so they put them under a heating lamp (which also helped me warm up). Alicia started shaking really badly at this point, probably from adrenaline and the epidural wearing off. The nurses wrapped her in blankets and I held her for a bit, and she started feeling better.
Adeline with Renee
Together
Renee
First matching outfits!
Babies and momma are doing great. Kids seem to be adjusting to the new little ones fine. Nights have occasionally been sleepless, but we're making progress and taking naps when we can. Jackie has been a huge help. I have two classes starting next week: one is dissertation, the other is a class on developmental disabilities. Outside of internship those are my last two classes.
Samuel is on the left. I was on his side of the bed, so the forced perspective is making their size difference a bit more than it really was. He does have a bigger head and was 8 ounces heavier.
At the nursery getting shots, bands, baths, and eye ointment. First is Renee.
In the recovery room. They made a little bow for Renee's beanie to make it easier to tell them apart.
Samuel
Lots of hair! Samuel on the left.
I stayed with Alicia the first night and through most of the day, then went and took care of the older kids the afternoon of the second day. Alicia had texted Jackie when the midwife told her to go to the hospital, and she made it from Nevada late that second night. We hoped Alicia and babies would be able to come home on day three, but they had them stay one more night because of concerns about Samuel's weight. Thankfully, other than the weight there were no complications or other concerns.
Renee
By the way, all of this is going on during my finals week. Thankfully my only test final was the night before Alicia went into labor, so I just had papers I needed to finish. My instructors were very understanding, and I was able to get what I needed to finished.
When they did get to come home, Alicia got a video of some of the chaos from Abram's perspective. Because of COVID restrictions, this was the first time Jackie and the kids had gotten to see the babies (well, Everett had come with me to pick them up from the hospital).
Samuel
First bath at home. Jackie got us a thing the babies can sit in in the sink that looks like a fish. Renee was not a fan of the bath. Samuel was chill.
An attempt was made at some pictures of all six kids. Here are the results:
