6 Month Precious Pics !

Before we say goodbye to our Sixth Month we wanted to get some pictures to capture our two precious little ones. We went for our photo shoot this past weekend. Unfortunately Gracie did not feel like getting her picture taken and so we were definitely "those people" with "that screaming baby!" The photographer was able to get a couple cute shots before we got too frustrated! I still love the pics because I will always remember my little feisty girl on her 6 month picture day! Bailey was as sweet as could be but needless to say his sister's crying caused what we like to say is the "twin effect" after a while! Even though the day was a little stressful the pictures are priceless and mommy will continue to look at them with amazement that these are her precious little ones!

"Kathryn Grace"

When it came to naming our children Preston and I wanted their names to be very meaningful and special. "Kathryn Grace" was one of our very first names we picked out and it was set in stone probably about three years before we knew she was on her way!

I love the way that Gracie is looking at her Grandma "Kathryn" in this pic!

Celebrating with Grandma Katie on my first Mothers Day as a Mommy to be!

Kathryn comes from Preston's side of the family as Kathryn is his Grandmother. We call his grandma Katie and she is one of the sweetest people I know. Katie is currently in an assisted living and suffers from Alzheimer's which causes her to have good days and bad days. Katie is physically strong as she has even broken a hip but has not let it stop her from walking. In Katie's earlier days she was quite funny and always polite. I would love for our "Kathryn" to have these same characteristics of being strong yet humble and funny.

Gracie and her Grandma and Grandpa Grace.

"Grace" comes from my side of the family. I have what we like to call as adopted grandparents and their last name is Grace. Growing up my grandparents lived in Arkansas and Missouri and so we did not get to see them as often as we liked. My mom just so happened to work with a sweet school teacher named Mrs. Grace who lived just around the corner and so at seven years old I started visiting them daily. Grandpa Grace even picked me up from my elementary school on a daily basis. I spent many nights with them and would always wake up to a loaf of homemade bread! Today most people know them to be "Grandma and Grandpa Grace." Grandma and Grandpa Grace are two of the sweetest people you could ever meet. Grandma Grace loves music, butterflies, angels, to teach and life in general. She loves to talk and to entertain. Grandpa Grace is very patriotic and has a sincere love for God. He was also a twin himself! I would be honored for Gracie to have these same characteristics and to shine like Grandma and Grandpa Grace.

"Preston Bailey's" post will be coming as soon as we can get pics!

Bailey's First Tooth !

My sweet Bailey boy has been drooling and putting his fingers in his mouth for about the past two months and finally this weekend while in Macon it was discovered that he has his first tooth! My mom's best friend Linda, who we call aunt Linda just so happened to be holding Bailey and she said "oh so he got his first tooth." Mommy jumped off the sofa and about ten people crowded around Bailey to peek into his mouth to see his first tooth! We all started clapping and he looked a little confused. Katie Grace has also been drooling up a storm too but no sign of a tooth yet but I am sure she will not be far behind her brother!

Bailey looking a little sad and scared from everyone raising a commotion about his first tooth!

Celebrating Khloe

This past weekend Preston, the twins and I all headed to Macon to celebrate a very special occasion. My cousin, Shannon is pregnant and my mom hosted a baby shower. I always LOVE returning home because I get to see all of my family and like they say...home is where the heart is! We had lots of extended family come into town to celebrate the day. My cousin Jamie Lyn came from Virginia, my aunt and uncle came from Texas, and Shannon and her mother drove from Florida. This was Gracie and Bailey's first time attending a baby shower. Shannon looked so beautiful and was blessed with a great selection of gifts. We are very excited about meeting her sweet little girl, Khloe Ann who is expected to arrive in May.
Seeing Shanon pregnant honestly made me miss my big belly with my babies inside it. I tried to encourage Shannon to enjoy every minute of her pregnancy as it is a precious gift from God. I love baby showers and celebrating new life as my Grandpa Grace says "it is a reminder that God is not disappointed with mankind.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:13-16, NIV).

The beautiful Mommy to be, Shannon and her mother, Debbie.
The cousins, Jamie Lyn, Shannon, and me!

Gracie and Bailey all dressed up for the shower!

Gracie and Bailey crashing after a full day of playing with their cousins!

Happy Valentines Day !

Preston, Bailey, Gracie and I all had a wonderful time celebrating Valentines Day this year. Gracie and Bailey started getting their first "Valentines" in the mail a couple days before the big day. Mommy loves valentines and was so excited to display them on the counter!

To celebrate "love day" I thought I would share our special love story! Valentines is a special day for Preston and I because it is our "unofficial" anniversary of when we started dating nine years ago...yes nine years ago. Preston and I met at Young Harris College. I was the Rose for his fraternity, Kappa Tau Omega and with all the mix and mingling we just happened to fall in love! We started dating the February of our Freshman year. We loved spending time together and enjoying the beautiful outdoors in Young Harris. We dated our Sophomore year and then made the decision that we would both attend UGA. We dated for four years before he proposed at the beach house and we returned to YHC for our beautiful wedding on April 23, 2005. We returned to YHC February of 2009 while visiting Preston's sister at college to announce to Preston's family that we were Pregnant with twins. Mommy was overjoyed with love to be able to celebrate this year with her three valentines; Preston, Gracie and Bailey!

Preston and I were able to go on a date the day before Valentines Day and we watched the movie "Valentines Day" and went out to dinner. I enjoyed the movie and it was great to have time to ourselves to reminisce about our love story! On Valentines Day we attended church and I loved the song that was played at our church. It was all about the "hands of love."

Last February....Mommy and Daddy announcing we were pregnant with twins!

Bailey and his Valentine.

All of our Valentines!

Snow Much Fun !!!

Let it Snow...for a second time this year!

Our own little winter wonderland!

Mommy and her babies all bundled up!

Grandma got stuck in town due to the snow, YIPPIE!
Our adorable snow puppy, Dixie!

Superbowl Sunday

Bailey McFarland.....Our Future Football Star !!!

We celebrated Superbowl Sunday with a get together in our home with Preston's Family. It was so much fun for Daddy to have his little guy to watch the game with. I have to admit that I was not very interested in the game but it was fun watching the commercials and entertaining family. Preston's mom made some homemade chili and chicken chili and of course we had lots of appetizers and desserts. The boys watched the game and the girls played with the babies!

Our First Family Superbowl Party

Mommy and her little football player.

Aunt Nicole and Mommy with the twins.

Happy Six Month Birthday

Oh my goodness....I need to take a deep breath because my sweet babies are six months old. Six Months....that is half a year! Where on Earth did all of the time go. I can not believe that time flies by this fast. We have been so blessed these past 6 months. First, with just having Gracie and Bailey arrive safely "minus a couple days in the hospital." Second, with somehow working out our budget to allow me to stay home to care for our babies. Third, for the health of Gracie and Bailey over the last six months. "Knock on wood" We have only had one "sick" pediatrician apt due to Bailey having a little congestion and cough. A blessing of mine is that I have made it to my 6 month goal of providing breast milk for the twins! I never in a million years imagined that I would be able to feed two babies! I guess goals are meant to be broken and that I need to set my goals a little higher because my milk seems to be working quite well for keeping these little one's healthy and so this momma is going to be feeding these babies until our blessing runs out!

So for some updates on what is new in the past 6 months.....

Kathryn Grace McFarland

Kathryn Grace McFarland "Gracie". Weighs 13.8 pds and is 24 5/8 inches long. She is 10% in weight and 15% in height on the growth chart for normal babies "not preemies." Gracie has quite the personality and her cutest trait seems to be her big beautiful eyes and long eyelashes. She sure does know how to use her eyes to bat them at her daddy to get whatever she wants! Gracie has quite the appetite and she is eating about 4 oz every 3 hours during the day and we are working on her night time eating. Gracie SCREAMS when she is hungry at night and so this area is going to require a little more time and attention. She loves her oatmeal and has just started on sweet potatoes. Gracie is very active and she loves to pull up into a sitting position and even stand with support. Gracie's favorite thing to do is to sit in her bumbo and watch her brother play. She absolutely LOVES her puppy dog Dixie and we have been bribing Dixie with bones to sit next to Gracie. Gracie can be screaming and if Dixie runs by she will stop and laugh. Gracie has become very independent and no longer wants to be rocked and when it is time for her to nap or sleep all she wants is to be laid down with her blankie and paci. She already seems to be acting like a mother to her brother and if Bailey starts crying when she is then she will stop and look at him to act as if he needs mommy more then her. Gracie's favorite time of the day is when her daddy comes home and flies her around the house.

Preston Bailey McFarland

Preston "Bailey" McFarland. Weighs 14.10 pds and is 25 1/4 inches long. He is in the 10% for both weight and height on the full term baby chart. Bailey is our laid back, easy going baby and is pretty much always content. I would say that Bailey's cutest characteristic is his sweet smile that goes just about from ear to ear when he grins. His smile is very contagious and can light up a room. Bailey is eating about 5ozs every 3-4 hours and is sleeping almost all the way through the night. Bailey does not seem to enjoy his oatmeal as much as his sister. Bailey LOVES his exersaucer and would sit in it and play all day if we let him. He loves to throw his toys off of it and giggle. Bailey is talking nonstop and seems to talk the most when sitting in his highchair. Sometimes he upsets his sister because he talks so much! Bailey awakes early and loves to watch cartoons first thing in the morning while mommy is washing bottles. He still loves to be rocked to sleep. Every morning Gracie gives Bailey a kiss and says "I love you Brother" and Bailey just giggles. Bailey loves to read books with his mommy while his sister takes a longer afternoon nap. Bailey's favorite time of the day is when he sits in his highchair when mommy and daddy are eating dinner and he talks, talks, talks!

Field Trip !

Nemo, Gracie and Bailey!

This past weekend we enjoyed one of our first field trips to the GA aquarium. We were so excited to be invited to go with my sister, Mary Ellen, her husband Brian and their children Andrew and Lauren. They are annual members and so Andrew was a great tour guide for the twins. We were able to try out our new double side by side jogging stroller that Grandma got the twins for Christmas. We loved it and it seemed to maneuver quite well and even fit cousin Lauren who is 3yrs old! I think the twins enjoyed both having a front seat view instead of or other front/back stroller. It was great to get out of the house after we have been staying in most weekends and have definitely had cabin fever. It was freezing outside and so we bundled up the twins to try to stay warm. The looks on their faces were priceless when looking at all the fish. Bailey was quite talkative when looking at the fish. Gracie took a little nap and awoke in front of one of the big tanks and she seemed surprised to wake up with all the fish in front of her. My favorite exhibit was the penguins and Preston's is usually the beluga whales but the exhibit was closed because they were getting ready for the dolphin exhibit. We look forward to many more fun family field trips!

Bailey and Gracie looking at the fish.

Our new stroller!

Gracie was a little tired after lunch but Bailey was ready to see more fish!
Cousin Lauren taking a ride with Bailey

Mommy and Gracie enjoying the fish