A friend of mine asked me if we were planning on naming our future children virtues as well. Since that was never our intention I decided I would share the story of how we came up with the names Charity and Harmony.
When I was five my mom had a very difficult pregnancy. She was on bed rest for months because the placenta was tearing away from her uterine wall putting the baby at extreme risk. At thirty weeks my mom went into labor. She went to the hospital and while there a nurse took my mother off of the monitors because she was pregnant and wanted to monitor herself. Everything about that is completely unbelievable. It went undetected that the placenta tore away completely from her uterine wall. She didn't make it and was still born. My father had a very sweet spiritual experience following her death. Because of that and our knowledge of the Temple and it's sealing powers we know that she is very much a part of our family now and forever. She was named and buried in the Provo cemetery. Her name is Charity.
I never intended naming my baby after her. In the months of my pregnancy leading up to the birth of the girls Chuck and I poured over baby books and name websites. One night during our search I was resting on the couch while Chuck was making dinner. I read interesting names I liked out loud and he would generally shoot them all down. I came across the name Charity and felt so strongly that was one of the names meant for one of our girls that I cried. I read the name to Chuck and he replied he had always liked that name. We decided unanimously then and there that Charity was one of the names. It is so special to me to remember my sister in such a sweet, touching way.
I wanted the names of our twins to sounds good together. We picked Charity so early on we both thought we were having as boy and a girl. Chuck has always wanted to name his first born son Charles after him, his father and his grandfather. I thought Charley and Charity would be so sweet together. When we found out we were having two girls I thought Charley would still be really cute for a girl but Chuck wasn't interested in that. We were back to the drawing board. With the significance behind Charity's name and my desire to have the names sound good together our choices were very limited. I searched family history books for any names I liked. We couldn't agree on anything. Chuck mostly just shot down all of my ideas. My mother's maiden name is Harman. I thought of using that as inspiration to name our other daughter Harmony but spell it with an o to make it easier on her. I also loved the double reference in her name of a musical application as well. It took a while but Chuck warmed up to it.
Chuck didn't like the fact that each of the names "sounded like a sermon" but he got over it.
There was then a matter of which baby we would give each name. We both thought we would have one red headed baby and one brunette baby. We unanimously decided we would name the red head Charity and the brunette Harmony.
We didn't decide middle names until the hospital. Chuck's grandmothers name is Ruth. We both loved that name and thought it went beautifully with Harmony.It's special to have her named after her great grandmother. Charity's middle name, Ava, had zero significance. We just liked it and it was on our short list of names we both loved.
So there you have it. We never intended on them both being named after virtues so we won't be sticking with that theme in the future.
Family: Isn't it about Syme?
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
6 1/2 month Dr visit
I always get nervous taking the girls to the Dr. I hate having to watch them get shots. It's the WORST. I love checking in with the doctor to see how they're doing, however.
I'm not going to lie. I also stress about messing up their schedule as well. They eat and sleep so often and I don't want to mess it up. The appointment was at 10 am. They usually wake up at 7, eat first thing and then are ready to go back to sleep by 8/8:30 am. I thought that if I packed them up in their car seat and drove around for an hour it wouldn't mess up their sleeping schedule too bad. Well they didn't sleep so I kept driving around. After they'd been asleep for a few minutes I pulled up in the parking lot and they woke up when I turned the car off. Woops. I decided to drive around a little more. They cat napped but that was about it. It turned out my plan wasn't so great but it all worked out okay.
Chuck was able to get off of work and come to the visit with me. It was so nice having him there.
I LOVE my doctor and doctors office. The well baby visits are upstairs in a totally different suite than the sick baby visits. My girls don't have to share waiting rooms with germy sick babies. They get back right away and my doctor sits for as long as we want and answers all of our first time parent paranoid questions. He's young, personable and so, so great. We couldn't have found a better doctor. He said the girls are looking great and was surprised at how active Harmony was. I had her up on the table with me and she was just crawling around. It was adorable. Charity just chilled in Chuck's arms. My girls are just such angels.
They are growing right along. The Dr was very pleased. Here are their stats:
Harmony
Height: 25.8" 30th percentile
Weight: 15.3 lbs 25th percentile
Head: 16.9" 25th percentile
Charity
Height: 27.2" 75th percentile
Weight: 17.13 lbs 90th percentile
Head: 17.2" 50th percentile
Dr. Cox said we could start the girls on solids two times a day. I've never had enough to feed both of them nursing alone. I usually supplement with formula and now we're supplementing with baby food as well. We have been feeding them baby food for their last meal of the day after Chuck gets home so we can both be there to feed them (one on one). He said to make sure to start them with one food a day to make sure they don't have allergies to anything. We're also up to Stage 2 foods. With feeding them solids two times a day means I'll need to try feeding them solids by myself. We'll see how that goes.
He also said we need to start brushing their teeth. Charity will be getting hers soon. She has two little buds under the skin. He said we should start them on a training toothpaste with no fluoride (he'll let us know when to change it). Can I just say how reassuring it is to have a professional tell you what you should be doing every step of the way. I LOVE that! We asked him other random questions that he was great about answering.
And... the shots. Boo! The girls actually did really well considering they got shots. We had Harmony go first. I think that went a lot better. Last time we had Charity go first and it scared Harmony to hear her cry that she wouldn't take the oral medicine. It was so sad. She got her shots first and didn't holler as loud as she has. She just sobbed quietly and cuddled up tight into my chest. It was really sweet. She calmed really fast too. Charity didn't cry until she got her shots and cried quietly cuddling into Chuck as well. They both did so well, got their snuggles and calmed right down.
We then loaded them in the car, ate and then they took a nap. It went a lot better than I feared. Yay! They're growing. Even though the girls are nearly 3 lbs apart the doctor said they both look great, are right on target developmentally and just as perfect as can be (at least I think so).
I'm not going to lie. I also stress about messing up their schedule as well. They eat and sleep so often and I don't want to mess it up. The appointment was at 10 am. They usually wake up at 7, eat first thing and then are ready to go back to sleep by 8/8:30 am. I thought that if I packed them up in their car seat and drove around for an hour it wouldn't mess up their sleeping schedule too bad. Well they didn't sleep so I kept driving around. After they'd been asleep for a few minutes I pulled up in the parking lot and they woke up when I turned the car off. Woops. I decided to drive around a little more. They cat napped but that was about it. It turned out my plan wasn't so great but it all worked out okay.
Chuck was able to get off of work and come to the visit with me. It was so nice having him there.
I LOVE my doctor and doctors office. The well baby visits are upstairs in a totally different suite than the sick baby visits. My girls don't have to share waiting rooms with germy sick babies. They get back right away and my doctor sits for as long as we want and answers all of our first time parent paranoid questions. He's young, personable and so, so great. We couldn't have found a better doctor. He said the girls are looking great and was surprised at how active Harmony was. I had her up on the table with me and she was just crawling around. It was adorable. Charity just chilled in Chuck's arms. My girls are just such angels.
They are growing right along. The Dr was very pleased. Here are their stats:
Harmony
Height: 25.8" 30th percentile
Weight: 15.3 lbs 25th percentile
Head: 16.9" 25th percentile
Charity
Height: 27.2" 75th percentile
Weight: 17.13 lbs 90th percentile
Head: 17.2" 50th percentile
Dr. Cox said we could start the girls on solids two times a day. I've never had enough to feed both of them nursing alone. I usually supplement with formula and now we're supplementing with baby food as well. We have been feeding them baby food for their last meal of the day after Chuck gets home so we can both be there to feed them (one on one). He said to make sure to start them with one food a day to make sure they don't have allergies to anything. We're also up to Stage 2 foods. With feeding them solids two times a day means I'll need to try feeding them solids by myself. We'll see how that goes.
He also said we need to start brushing their teeth. Charity will be getting hers soon. She has two little buds under the skin. He said we should start them on a training toothpaste with no fluoride (he'll let us know when to change it). Can I just say how reassuring it is to have a professional tell you what you should be doing every step of the way. I LOVE that! We asked him other random questions that he was great about answering.
And... the shots. Boo! The girls actually did really well considering they got shots. We had Harmony go first. I think that went a lot better. Last time we had Charity go first and it scared Harmony to hear her cry that she wouldn't take the oral medicine. It was so sad. She got her shots first and didn't holler as loud as she has. She just sobbed quietly and cuddled up tight into my chest. It was really sweet. She calmed really fast too. Charity didn't cry until she got her shots and cried quietly cuddling into Chuck as well. They both did so well, got their snuggles and calmed right down.
We then loaded them in the car, ate and then they took a nap. It went a lot better than I feared. Yay! They're growing. Even though the girls are nearly 3 lbs apart the doctor said they both look great, are right on target developmentally and just as perfect as can be (at least I think so).
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Chuck is flying solo at church!
This Sunday was the first Sunday Chuck was on his own with getting himself and the girls to church at 9 am. He wasn't nervous about the three hours at church, just getting them ready and out the door. The great people in our ward all know I was going back to choir and were anticipating him needing some help. I even had a long Sunday so I didn't get home until they did. I texted him at 11 to see how things were going. He said they were going fine. I couldn't wait to get home to see how he dressed them and hear all about how things worked out. This is what I came home to. Picture perfect! All dressed up in their Sunday dresses and socks and shoes. So cute!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Harmony has two teeth!!!
Sometimes Harmony is my little ADD baby and likes to get distracted when she eats. I've learned if I touch her mouth to change the direction of her head I can get her back to nursing. On April 3rd I felt her first tooth as I did that. I just happened upon it. She didn't have any symptoms of a tooth growing in. She was her happy, cheerful little self. It was so cute to see her little tooth popping through! She did have the rosy cheeks and nose which I remember somewhere on the Internet said was a symptom of teething.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
April 2013 General Conference
It's time for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints semi-annual General Conference again. I was leaving the hospital with my sweet babies during the Saturday morning session last conference. Maternity leave from the choir lasts six months. Since I didn't take my leave until four days before the girls arrived I had my full six months after they were born to spend with them before I went back to choir. I went back on their six month birthday (April 2), the Tuesday before conference. It worked out perfectly.
It is so fun to be back at choir. I missed all of my sweet friends and singing in such an amazing, inspired capacity. I STILL pinch myself that I have the amazing opportunity to sing in the choir. I love it with all of my heart. It tries me and my musical abilities, it is a source of spiritual strength, allows me to bear my testimony through song, feel so very close to my loving father in heaven and Savior Jesus Christ, and many other reasons. I love everything about it but at the same time I would be willing to give all of that up for my sweet girls and amazing husband if it was too much for me to be gone every Thursday night and Sunday morning (unless more is required).
Chuck and I had a heart to heart when I went back. He knows how much I love being a member of the Tabernacle Choir but I told him to let me know if it was too much. I loved his response. (Prepare yourself for your heart to MELT.) He said "I love the fact that you're in the choir for multiple reasons. 1- All the blessing our family receives from your choir service. 2-It will teach our girls what they can accomplish when you work for your dreams."
I love that. He doesn't just support me because it's something that I love, but he loves it as well. It brought me so much peace to know that. I also personally feel it will be such a special bonding time for Chuck and the girls while I am gone. I know I loved my me time with my dad growing up. This will give them that opportunity weekly. I just adore my sweet little family more than I can ever fully explain. My little heart just wants to BURST ALL day EVERY day.
When I'm at choir people ask who has the girls. When I say their dad people always seem surprised Chuck has them on his own. They then say he deserves a father of the year award. I agree. He is an amazingly caring, capable dad. He doesn't feel comfortable when people say that though. It's just what you do when you have kids. He's a dad and that's just what dad's do. When people are surprised at what he is capable of and comfortable with it makes him uncomfortable. He's not good with compliments. I personally think he is so wonderful and feel so blessed he is such a good father.
Before Saturday morning session of conference with my best bud AnneMarie
During Saturday morning session of conference (from my TV sorry for the quality)
The choir sings the same sessions every conference (Saturday morning, Sunday morning and afternoon). On Saturday I'm gone from about 6:30 AM - 1:00 PM. Sunday's I'm usually gone from 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM. 11 hours on Sunday would be way too long for me to be away. I just told them I couldn't stay for the Sunday afternoon session so I made it home by 1 instead. Perfect! We even got to watch with our friends Dennis, Sarah and Maggie as well. Thanks for coming over you guys! We love you!
It's so good to be back!
I LOVE my little FAMILY!!!
It is so fun to be back at choir. I missed all of my sweet friends and singing in such an amazing, inspired capacity. I STILL pinch myself that I have the amazing opportunity to sing in the choir. I love it with all of my heart. It tries me and my musical abilities, it is a source of spiritual strength, allows me to bear my testimony through song, feel so very close to my loving father in heaven and Savior Jesus Christ, and many other reasons. I love everything about it but at the same time I would be willing to give all of that up for my sweet girls and amazing husband if it was too much for me to be gone every Thursday night and Sunday morning (unless more is required).
Chuck and I had a heart to heart when I went back. He knows how much I love being a member of the Tabernacle Choir but I told him to let me know if it was too much. I loved his response. (Prepare yourself for your heart to MELT.) He said "I love the fact that you're in the choir for multiple reasons. 1- All the blessing our family receives from your choir service. 2-It will teach our girls what they can accomplish when you work for your dreams."
I love that. He doesn't just support me because it's something that I love, but he loves it as well. It brought me so much peace to know that. I also personally feel it will be such a special bonding time for Chuck and the girls while I am gone. I know I loved my me time with my dad growing up. This will give them that opportunity weekly. I just adore my sweet little family more than I can ever fully explain. My little heart just wants to BURST ALL day EVERY day.
When I'm at choir people ask who has the girls. When I say their dad people always seem surprised Chuck has them on his own. They then say he deserves a father of the year award. I agree. He is an amazingly caring, capable dad. He doesn't feel comfortable when people say that though. It's just what you do when you have kids. He's a dad and that's just what dad's do. When people are surprised at what he is capable of and comfortable with it makes him uncomfortable. He's not good with compliments. I personally think he is so wonderful and feel so blessed he is such a good father.
Before Saturday morning session of conference with my best bud AnneMarie
I LOVE my little FAMILY!!!
Friday, April 5, 2013
growing (6 month clothes)
I spent my day yesterday switching out the next round of clothes. My little ones have out grown their 3-6 month clothes. In the closet I have their current sizes on the left hand side of the closet and their next size of clothes on the right hand side of the closet. I moved their six month clothes to the left and got the nine month clothes all washed and hung on the right side of the closet. My friend Ann has twin girls that just turned two years old. They are her 5th and 6th kids. We have bought big items from her but she has given us two boxes of clothes and shoes. We're just getting into the clothes she has given us. It is saving us HUNDREDS of dollars. Thanks Ann! It's so generous. We're set at least for the girls first year of their life. With all the gifts and hand me downs we have only bought five pairs of sleepers (clothes wise).
We have been so blessed by the generosity of others. I cannot thank all of you enough! My girls are growing up so fast!
We have been so blessed by the generosity of others. I cannot thank all of you enough! My girls are growing up so fast!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
6 months old!
My babies are SIX months old! Can you believe it? They are just growing and are so incredibly cute and fun. I think is the perfect age. They are interacting, ticklish, smiley, cute, and happy but not yet mobile. They smile and laugh at each other. I am just so obsessed with my little punkins! Life could NOT be any sweeter!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)