They're SMILING and have new friends!!

It is finally happening from both girls-consistently! They are both smiling these huge silly grins! Sometimes it is a lot of work but other times you just look at them and they grin! It was a great day yesterday to get both girls to smile-consistently (that was key since they had been kind of smiling for a while) and of course, in true twin fashion-they did it on the same day! We had a busy weekend filled with going up to Fort Collins for some Gammy and Grandpa time, we moved Jake into his new room, and finally cleaned the baby stuff out of the basement and made that our new guest room. Now all of the baby stuff has migrated to Jake's old room-and that is my job this summer (to get the girls settled in their new girly room and paint Jake's new room too.) We finished the weekend with having some friends over....but-the whole weekend started WITH THE BIRTH OF A BABY!!!!!

Ever since the day Heather told me she was pregnant, I couldn't have been more excited for her, and of course since I knew I was also pregnant, we would be going on this journey together which is more special than I can express. Everyone knows what a special friend Heather is to me. I just love her. She is supportive, positive, helpful, kind, thoughtful, and a beautiful person. She always took the time on Monday nights for the whole two months I was in the hospital to come and spend hours with me. She even came up other times too! It made my time go by much faster and I enjoyed my Monday night dates so much. After I was home, she still came to the NICU and even when the girls came home she came over to help me feed babies and just to hold them. I know that my girls love her as much as I do.

Heather and Alysa and I met out for frozen yogurt on Thursday night last week and Hetaher was telling me on our drive home that she was having cramping-and of course I didn't expect to get a text from her at 4 am saying her cramping had been hurting since 2 am (we usually text back and forth several times in the middle of the night because I am up pumping and feeding and she is up going to the bathroom and with insomnia!!). This was the night the girls slept until 5:45 am! I checked my phone as I was pumping at 6:15 am and I saw a text from her from 6:18 that said, "Oh shit! They are getting really intense! We're heading to the hospital!" (Yes, that was an exact quote!) I wrote back, "YAYYYYYY!" but decided that wasn't enough and called her as her wonderful husband answered and told me they were going to the hospital and this was it (in between asking her if she was okay and making sure she was breathing! So funny)!

I couldn't stand being at home or at work knowing that my best friend is having her BABY-so I drove to Castle Rock, figured out a sub, went home and got the girls, and headed over to see her! She was already 6 cm dilated when she got there-I know what you're thinking-yes, she's stinkin' tough! It was double amazing because wouldn't you know it, all of my favorite nurses in the entire world were working. I got to show off the girls and they also did a diaper change for me! ;) Baby Collum was supposed to be here by lunch time but he wanted to take his time so after spending all day talking to Heather, her wonderful family and inlaws, and getting tons of help with the girls (thanks to Grammy, Quincy, Marge, Milton, Lance, and Marne) I got to see my favorite night nurses too, because after lots of hard work, Kelton Ray Collum was born at 7:18 pm and weighed 8.3 pounds and was 19.5 inches long! He is beautiful!! It was so special to be there to see these wonderful people become parents. Congratulations Victor and Heather! Thank you for letting me be a part of this joyous and monumental day in your lives (again!). I can't wait to watch our children grow up together.

Avery and baby Kelton! She looks like a monster compared to this new sweet little baby!

My other wonderful friend Bre had her baby, Kyson, on May 2nd early in the morning! It is so exciting to see my friends become a mommy and be so natural at it. I love watching mommyhood through their eyes-seeing everything for the first time. It is so special and beautiful. The three of us have such a special and close bond because of what we have all recently gone through. I can't think of a better couple of friends to go through this experience with. When Bre had Kyson she sent out a picture of him right away and I was laying in bed with Brooklynn and wouldn't you know that little peanut smiled so I think she likes him. They went on their first (play) date last week and while it was short and sweet it was adorable. Avery went with me to see Kelton in the hospital. Someday very soon they will all be interacting with each other and I can't wait to see that! The first meeting of the 4-pack will be soon and I am so anxious to get pictures and see our babies together and in person! Love you Bre and Heather and I am so happy for you and so proud of you both with what a wonderful job you are doing with your boys. They are both so precious!

Baby Kyson came over to meet the girls! He was so mellow and perfect the whole time!!

It looks like she is telling him a secret. (Oh..and they're holding hands! <3)

Yep, they're twins!

This was from last week-11 weeks old already!

3 months old on Monday, May 28th! 

Sometimes you can't get the paci out of Avery's mouth...and it's better to leave it in!

Best buddies holding each other's arms. Love.