So much changes in 7 months!

I know it has been quite a long time since my last post, and man has our world changed. Doug and I have two beautiful little girls that were born on September 9, 2008. Isabel Rita Hartig and Alexa Marley Hartig. We feel so blessed and are enjoying being parents more than we could have ever expected. After finding out we were expecting early in the year, and just a couple of weeks later finding out we were expecting twins the pregnancy progressed pretty normally. Then August arrived! On August 5th I went into preterm labor and was put in the hospital for a couple of days to quiet the contractions and make sure I wasn't dialating any further than I already had. I was able to go home 4 days later but was put on bedrest until delivery. The next week I dialated a little further and was contracting regularly again so I was again admitted to the hospital. 4 days later I was sent home with strict bedrest and remained at home for another 3 weeks until I was 35.5 weeks and was then scheduled for a c-section. The delivery was as easy as I could have ever wanted and the girls were just perfect. Alexa was having some difficulty breathing due to underdeveloped lungs and had to be take to the NICU about an hour or so after birth. We originally though she might have to just stay over night, but that visit turned into a 3 week stay in the NICU. She is home now and both girls are doing great and bring so much happiness to our lives we are still in awe. To add to this adventure, Doug accepted a new position with Amtrak in management and had to leave just 6 days after the girls were born to attend training in Wilmington DE. He attended training Monday thru Friday and would come home on the weekends for the first 4 weeks after the girls were born. It was harder on him to have to leave every Sunday and be gone all week than it was on me taking care of the girls. We figured out a way to get through the first month and actually enjoy it. I feel so lucky to be able to say that because many first time parents don't have that experience.

A BIG BIG BIG thank you to my mom. I could not have gotten through the first week without her. She was the glue that held me together while Doug had to be away, and I was at home with a new baby and running back and forth to the hospital to see my sick baby. She supported me so much emotionally and did every bit of physical work that needed to be done. I have no doubt that recovering from a c-section would have been much harder if it were not for her. She was more than amazing, I am falling so short in finding the words that even remotely describe what she did for me, Doug and our girls. I have always know she was an amazing lady, but it is a whole other story to be the recipient of her love and care when you need it most.

Another special thank you to my mother-in-law Bobbie who has been with us here in Maryland helping with the girls since my parents left. She left her home and job, and husband, in NC to be here with us until November! She has cooked, cleaned, washed clothes, and tended to the girls every chance she gets. Thank you, you have been more help than I can express and we will miss you when your gone. We have had so much support from Doug's parents as well as mine.

I would be remiss to not thank our friends and family who have all sent their love and congratulations from all around the world. We are so lucky to have the friends and loved ones we do and please don't think your love goes unnoticed. Thank you.

About the girls:

The girls are different not only in looks but also in personality. Isabel is darker complected and has dark wavy hair and a cone shaped head. Lexi has a lighter complexion and lighter colored hair, and lighter eyes too. Her head is much more round and her eyes are bigger. They are both very independent but there are definitely moments when I think they use their "twin powers" to communicate with eachother.









Well today the girls are 6 weeks old, and are starting focus on objects and people now. They can hear a voice and find who it is coming from, and they are starting to find their hands and connect them to their mouths! They are happy babies in general and we hardly hear crying, but our little Lexi is definitely a night owl! They like music and love to hear Daddy's voice.

The girls have different personalities, Alexa is our sweet little angel, and Isabel is our grunty demanding one! Alexa likes to be held when she goes to sleep at night and neither of them like to have a dirty diaper! They are both able to lift their heads and turn them from side to side now; but both don't really care for tummy time! Isabel is over 7 lbs now, and measures exactly the same as Alexa at 20.25 inches long. Alexa is not putting on weight as quickly and weighs in at 6.5 lbs now, but she is still steadily gaining. We are excited to see what the next month will bring; they change so much so fast!