And the award goes to...

Kari Price for being The World's Worst Blogger!  So when I first started this blog, I didn't think that it was going to be this difficult for me to keep up with it.  To my defense, I have had two different blog posts written, and they both were lost when I tried to post pictures with it.  Lets hope that it doesn't happen again, because believe me, I was not happy to use an hour of my free time (twice) for it to be lost.  Free time doesn't happen very often, and it seems to be more sparse every day.  The older the boys get, the more they are awake, and it seems a lot of times, they are awake during the day at different times, which means that there isn't much time for this mamma to get much of anything done some days. 

For the most part, we are have been getting along pretty well.  Since my last post, we have had some ups and downs, but that is just part of having a baby...especially when you have 2 and a 2 year old.  We found out that the boys both have acid reflux about a month ago.  They are both taking medicine twice a day and it seems to be helping a lot.  Poor boys were so uncomfortable before the medicine.  Just imagine having heartburn 24/7.  Doesn't sound like fun to me.  They also have had a lot of gas issues.   A lot of times they could be mistaken for a grown man, with the sound and smell.  Unfortunately they aren't able to release the gas as easily and are in pain A LOT.  We switched their formula to Similac Sensitive, and that seems to be helping, but there are days when I just feel like there is nothing I can do to help them.  So if any of you out there have any good tricks to help a gassy baby, I would love to know.  They are still waking up every 3 hours to eat, which is not fun at all, but we just have to realize that they really should only be about 4 weeks old, so their little tummies are still developing.  Some nights they will sleep between 4 and 5 hours the first stretch.  Of course I am not in  bed during this time, because this is when I can change laundry around, get the house cleaned up, and just have a few minutes of quiet time to myself.  I cherish that a lot these days.  The boys had their 2 month check up last Monday and they both weighed 9 lbs 15 ozs, so our little Maxer has caught up to his younger (by 1 minute) brother. 

Kaner after a walk.

Playtime in our pajamas!

Kane our blue-eyed boy, for now anyway.

Maxer pondering him and his brothers 1st trick on his sister.

A couple weeks ago, my mom and I took the boys and headed to IA City for Kane's 6 week check-up with the urologist where we came away with good and bad news.  The surgery that he had when he was 13 days old to remove the ureter seal was a success.  The seal is completely gone.  That was the good news.  The bad news is that the reflux that he has in his kidney is slightly worse.  He did have Grade 4 reflux and now has Grade 5, which is the worst, so he will for sure have to have surgery again to fix the reflux.  Nothing is going to be done right now, because he has to get bigger for the surgery to work the way it should.  We go back in 6 months to see the urologist again.  They would like to wait  until he is a year old, but if it hasn't gotten any better at the next appointment, we will probably have to have it sooner.  I'm not very excited to have to put my baby under again, but it is definately necessary.  Until then he is on antibiotic every day to prevent infection, so hopefully he will not get one from now til then. 

So now, that you are caught up on the twins, I better update you on our sweet, but sassy 2 year old.  She is now home with me everyday and loving it.  I often feel bad for her because a lot of times I am doing something with a baby, but she has handled it all really well.  We just try to take her when we can and have some 1 on 1 time with her, which she loves.  I took her to the Dowling softball game the other night and she had a ton of fun!  She is starting to sing her ABC's and can get about half of them correct all the way through and beginning to count to 10 with a little help.  She also likes to push our buttons.  We will ask her to do something and she will say "No Mom." or "No Dad."  At that time we begin the count.  Usually by the time we get to 2, she comes back with her sweet voice saying, "O-tay Mom" or "O-tay Dad".  I mean, this girl knows how to work us already...especially her dad.   Every day is something new with her and she definately brings so much life and joy to our world.  We can't imagine what we did without any of them in our life. 

A little playtime outside for Karter. 

As for us, well, we actually have been really busy.  We have celebrated our nephew Payton's birthday, John's birthday, gone to 3 weddings, 2 graduation parties, and just been trying to keep up with the kids every day.  We went to a wedding this past weekend in Brookfield, MO (about a 3 hour drive) and just took the boys.  Karter got to stay at Uncle Jared and Aunt Angi's and play with "Addy, P, G."  That is what she calls Addy, Payton, and Gavin.  I only hear it about 1200 times a day.  It wasn't easy taking the boys, but well worth it to see some friends that we hadn't seen in over 6 months. 

Addy, Kane, Payton, Karter, Gavin, and Max at Payton's 6th birthday party.

Big Cousin G with Kane and Max

So, I am going to try my hardest to not get the award for The World's Worst Blogger again.  Our lives are so crazy right now, and at times, I really wonder if I can handle it.  But...we always seem to work through it and at the end of everyday, when I check on the kids one last time before laying my head down (sometimes it is only for about 30 minutes before I have to get up again), I realize how blessed John and I are to have 3 amazing, healthy babies in our lives, and that is what gets me through the rough days. 

Oh, and I started writing this post about 24 hours ago.  So it wasn't easy to get it done, but here it is!  Now I have to get ready for the next feeding and then I am going to have dinner with a few friends.  It is amazing how refreshed I am after coming home after just a couple hours out of the house.  And lucky for me, I have a husband that not one worry crosses my mind when I am gone.