Merry Christmas!

What a great Christmas gift these boys are to our family! This morning we woke up, opened presents, went to church, came home and had Christmas dinner, then packed up and embarked on the boys' first road trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa Wolf! Packing for twin babies is quite a task! The boys did really well on their first trip- we only had to stop once to feed Caleb. The boys also got to meet their great-grandma Wolf! All in all, the boys had a great first Christmas!

Christmas Eve!

We attended WCC's Christmas Eve service, arriving an hour late, of course. You never know what time you'll get out the door with twin babies in tow!

As the boys' first Christmas approaches, the initial shock (yes, we mean shock!) of adjusting to life with infant twins has finally worn off, and we are gradually getting the hang of our new life with the boys. Joe and Grandma Sook Hee both returned to work full-time a few weeks ago, so Katie is usually alone with the boys during the day (with the exception of Uncle Chris helping out while he's at home on Christmas break). It's extremely hard work, but definitely worth it!

Watching the boys' personalities develop has been quite fascinating. Joshua is not always as mellow as we originally perceived him to be, but he is still very sweet and often comes across as the more carefree younger sibling, always with a sparkle in his eye ;) Caleb is definitely the more serious older brother whose frequently furrowed brow gives us the impression that he is constantly in deep thought. We frequently tell him not to be so serious, because what does he have to worry about with his daily activities consisting mainly of eating and sleeping? Caleb is also very passionate, especially when he's hungry! We're confident, however, that both boys are learning the important life skills and values of sharing and patience at a very early age, since oftentimes they cannot be attended to on demand, especially when they outnumber the adults on duty!

The boys are really growing, too! Their vocabulary is beginning to expand beyond crying and screaming, as we're now hearing an occasional babble and coo. They are also very alert, with their favorite points of focus being people's faces and ceiling fans (they don't have to be moving). They have also learned to hold their hands over their pacifiers to prevent them from falling out of their mouths (although this doesn't work as well when the boys are too agitated and are trying to spit them out on purpose!). The boys are also so much chubbier now than when they were born, with big plump bellies, chubby cheeks, double chins, round little butts, and the not unsubstantial trademark Wolf legs!

Now, as far as who the boys look like is concerned, general consensus has determined that Joshua looks like Katie, but has Joe's lighter skin and hair coloring, and Caleb looks more like Joe, but with Katie's darker skin and hair coloring. They both seem to have their daddy's lips and their mommy's chin and nose. They both have blue eyes like their dad, but we're told that eyes could still change up until they're 6 months old.

So in the midst of the frenzy of our new life as the loving parents of Caleb and Joshua, combined with the expected hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, we must pause and remind ourselves to be thankful for everything we have- for God sending us our Savior in the form of baby boy Jesus, for our own healthy and beautiful baby boys, and for the fact that our boys are blessed with 4 grandparents, 2 uncles, a great-grandma, and countless other uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, and devoted website fans :) Thank you all for your prayers and support, and a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

OCB

Tonight was a momentous occasion... we took the boys on their first trip to Old Country! Our friend Yesica was quite happy to meet the boys, and the manager even gave us discounted meals as his way of saying congrats!

A taste of kimchee

The boys go to their first restaurant- the same place where they received their last in-the-womb meal over a month ago- Hee Been! Even though spicy milk doesn't seem to agree with them, we're hoping they'll eventually grow to love Korean food, since they are after all a quarter Korean.

Visitors

The boys are visited by their Aunt Beth and Aunt Megan. They also went to their first Sunday morning church service, and also on another walk. It was a busy day for the boys.

Strolling for Slurpees

The boys go on their first ride in the stroller. The four of us are becoming regulars now at the local 7-11!

Sleepy Caleb

Last night Caleb slept for 5 and a half hours straight! Wow! Joshua, however, stuck to his waking up every 2 hours routine...

One month old

Today the boys are 1 month old! We celebrated this milestone by attending Marianne's housewarming party, where Joshua proved himself to be quite the "party-pooper" if you know what we mean. Let's just say that from now on I will be packing spare outfits for the boys when we go out. The boys also met their first canine friend, Marianne's dog Wesley, who was quite excited to meet his first baby friends. We're surprised Marianne invited us back to her house, considering the chaos we instigated!

Churchgoing

Tonight we took the boys to church for the first time!

7-11

Today was a big day for the boys- we took them on their first 2 outings! In the afternoon we bundled them up in their Snugli carriers and went for a walk to 7-11. They really enjoyed their walk... so well, in fact, that Joe and I are considering hiring people to carry the boys around in their Snugli carriers at night so we can get some sleep! Later in the evening we loaded the boys up in the car and took them to meet their new "cousin" Camden Walker. The boys hit it off really well, as far as we could tell! You can see a photo of the Three Musketeers in the Gallery.

Two week checkup

Today we brought back a good report from the boys' 2 week doctor's appointment (actually, they'll be 3 weeks old tomorrow...). Caleb now weighs 8 lbs. 9 oz. and Joshua weighs 8 lbs. 1 oz. We were told that both boys are growing remarkably well, especially considering they are soley being fed breastmilk. Praise God for their excellent health!

Camden Lewis Walker

Happy Birthday to the boys' new "cousin" Camden Walker! Congratulations to Trent and Siobhan!

First week at home

We are overjoyed to announce that Caleb Weidman Wolf and Joshua Kim Wolf entered the world on November 10, 2005, at 6:51 and 6:52 pm, respectively. Caleb weighed 6 lbs. 7 oz. and Joshua weighed 6 lbs. 3 oz. They were both 19.25 inches long. Both boys are very healthy and incredibly cute! They also have hearty appetites and well-functioning vocal chords and digestive systems! We are so grateful and thankful that God has blessed them with such good health!

This past week has definitely plunged us into a new way of life. We never imagined that caring for infant twins would be so challenging, but at the same time we had never imagined the kind of love we have for these boys. Especially since bringing them home from the hospital, life has totally changed. I don't know what we would do if we weren't staying with my parents and having my mom's help 24-7, especially since I am recovering from a c-section and can't climb stairs more than 2-3 times a day or lift anything heavier than 10 lbs (good thing the boys are on the small side!). I know she doesn't have time to go online to read this, but thank you, Mom! You are a saint! The nurses told us that it usually takes 3 adults to care for 1 newborn. Right now we've got 3 (when Joe's not at work) taking care of 2, and it's exhausting beyond belief! (I really should be sleeping right now...) There's no way we could be doing this on our own.

The boys have already begun to show their distinct personalities, and they also look a lot different, too. Joshua is generally the mellow one and Caleb has a bit more energy. And they are so cute! And during early morning feeding/changing/cleaning/outfit-changing/consoling marathons, Joe likes to remind them they're lucky they're so cute!

Also, a quick testimony of God's faithfulness. Both boys had a little jaundice when they were born, and while Joshua's maintained a safe level, the day before we were discharged (Sunday), Caleb's billyruben (sp?) level climbed to 14 (the safe cut-off is 12). The doctor said he'd probably have to stay at the hospital under the billy (sp?) light after I was discharged. The thought of leaving one of the boys at the hospital practically had us in tears (I told you, being a parent brings out emotions you never thought you could have). So we prayed and believed in faith that God would heal him, and guess what, on Monday afternoon they tested Caleb again and his level went down to 10! The nurse said such a quick decrease is almost unheard of, and she tried to come up with an explanation for it. But we know the real reason! So by God's grace we were all able to go home together than night.

Alright, I'd better wrap this up before the boys wake up. We'll be posting new pictures of the boys every now and then in the Gallery so check back often!

Vacation's over

Today we were discharged from the hospital. We really liked the hospital experience. Joe said it was kind of like a little vacation, which is true, since we were together the whole time and we didn't have to do any work and we had our family and friends visiting us and meals delivered to us and friendly people waiting on us the whole time!

Say hello to Caleb and Joshua!

Happy Birthday Caleb and Joshua! After 10 hours of induced labor, including nearly 3 hours of pushing to no avail, the boys arrived via cesarean section at 6:51 and 6:52 pm weighing 6 lbs. 7 oz. and 6 lbs. 3 oz and measuring 19.25 inches long. Katie was too drugged up and exhausted to remember much about their birth, but Joe was there to witness it and all 4 grandparents were present to welcome the boys into the world! Thank God for these beautiful and healthy baby boys!

Mark your calendars

This morning at the doctor we found out that the babies now have a birthday- it will be this Thursday, November 10, 2005! Joe and I will arrive at the hospital at 8 am. If the induction is successful, we will stay at the hospital through Saturday. If I end up needing a c-section, we will stay through Monday. I'm still not dilated at all, but the doctor says we shouldn't wait any longer than this week. Please join us in believing God for a safe and easy double-delivery!

Triple shower

Another fun shower, this one at our church, honoring 3 moms-to-be and 4 babies! Thank you everyone for everything! We feel truly blessed by the overwhelming generosity of our loving church family!

Big, healthy boys

Another visit to the perinatal unit at Alexandria hospital. After a lengthy session of monitoring the babies' heart rates, we had a sonogram to chart the babies' growth. Baby A now weighs 6 lbs. 6 oz. and Baby B weighs 6 lbs. 3 oz.! The doctor remarked "wow, these are BIG twins!" Each twin measures in the 40-50th percentile for a singleton baby (twins are typically much smaller than singletons by this point in gestation)! So it's no wonder my belly is so HUGE- I'm carrying 12 and a half pounds of baby inside of me! Thank God for such big healthy babies! We didn't get any pictures this time, but that's ok, we'll get to see them in person in just one week!

One week to go

The doctor is going to schedule the delivery for either Wednesday or Thursday of next week- November 9th or 10th! She'll confirm the exact date later this week. I'm still not dilated, so the boys are doing a good job staying put safe inside of me.

Busy Day

What a busy day! At our first appointment, the doctor said next Tuesday we'll schedule a day the following week (Nov. 7-11) to induce me if I haven't gone into labor yet. That is so soon! Also, I gained 4 lbs since last week, which is good! Our next stop was at work, where they were giving away flu shots this week to high-risk individuals (as a pregnant woman and and the father of infants under 6 months of age we both qualified for free shots!). Then we went and picked up mom at the Metro and dined on some yummy Korean food for lunch. It was delicious, but unfortunately I can't fit as much into my stomach as I used to... but once I have the babies, look out, Hee Been, here I come! Then we went to the hospital to see the perinatologist. They hooked up 2 ultrasound contraptions to my belly, one to monitor each baby's heart beats, as well as a device that monitored contractions. They monitored the heart beats to make sure that the babies' heart rates rise when they move, and so they gave me a button to push whenever I felt movement. Thank God the tests indicated that their hearts are working perfectly! The contractions monitor indicated that I am having contractions even though I can't feel them because my belly is always so hard from having 2 babies packed in there! Then we had a brief sonogram (didn't get any pictures or measurements this time... too bad) where they measured the amount of amniotic fluid in each sac. Each baby has double the minimum amount, so that's good. We also learned that they have moved a little bit. They are both still head-down, but their bodies are crossed over each other, so that Baby A's head is on the left and his butt in on the right, and vice versa for Baby B! Silly boys! I just feel sorry for them- they must be so squished in there! I'm sure they are as eager to come out as we are for them to come out!

Labor Day in October?

Today we went to the doctor for our weekly checkup. I lost 1 lb. since last week, despite eating everything in sight, so it seems like our babies are running out of room! The doctor said she's not worried, though, b/c I've gained a total of 43 lbs. which is a good amount. She said I could go into labor any day now, and that the babies would be fine. If I haven't gone into labor by November 11, they will induce me then. So it could happen any time during these next 3 weeks! Please be praying for me and the babies for a safe and easy delivery according to God's perfect timing!

"Hercules" and "The Genius"

Another sonogram with the perinatologist! Both babies are right on target, weighing in at just under 5 lbs. each. The doctor called Baby A "the genius" on account of his huge head measuring 2 weeks bigger than average (much like his mom's big head!) and Baby B "Hercules" on account of his big kicks (much like his dad's wolf legs!).

The shower

What a fun shower! Thank you, Dianne, Susan, and Mom for planning such a fun and lovely shower, and thank you everyone for coming from near and far to spend the afternoon together, and for the wonderful gifts for the boys! I really appreciated it, and I know the boys did, too!

Cribs in our cribs

Today we had an appointment with the doctor and everything is fine. Praise God for such a smooth pregnancy! The doctor said I'll deliver around Nov. 11. I've gained 37 lbs. so far. The cribs came in on Monday, and last night Joe set one of them up in the babies' room. The other crib is at the boys' grandparents' house, since that's where we'll be staying when we first bring them home from the hospital. Until the boys get bigger, they'll share one crib.

Eye action

Today we had an appointment for a sonogram with a perinatologist. The highlight of the visit was seeing Baby A blink his eyes several times! It was amazing!

Living Large

Today is week 29. I've gained a total of 32 lbs and the doc said my belly measures at 37 weeks. I'm basically the size of a normal full-term pregnant lady, but I still have 9 weeks to go!

Appreciation

At 28 weeks, it's hard to believe that the babies will be here in just 10 weeks! The babies now have eyelashes and can open and close their eyes, and are beginning to grow baby fat to prepare for life outside the womb. Meanwhile I'm enjoying this time to relax and work from home. I appreciate my husband for stepping up and doing even more cleaning and grocery shopping than before, my parents for cooking Joe and I some tasty meals (as always), my friends for visiting and calling, and everyone who has been so generous with their support, gifts, and prayers!

Homework

Today at 26 weeks, my belly measured 33 weeks (in singleton pregnancy terms). So far I've gained 26 lbs. The doctor said I should wind things down at work this week- earlier than I'd planned! Thankfully, we have an incredibly understanding boss who has agreed to allow me to work from home starting Monday! After 3 fond years in the corporate world, working from home will definitely be different! I can't say, however, that I'm going to miss my lovely warehouse cubicle... just the company of other people!

Lil' feet of fury

The babies had their third sonogram today. They are now above-average size for their age, and weigh a combined total of nearly 4 lbs. They are kicking up a storm these days, and in the precious few moments we have to just sit and stare at Katie's belly, we can actually see where they're kicking!

Twins class

Today we attended a twins class at the hospital. The instructor was a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse who gave birth to twin sons of her own. If we learned anything from the class, it was that we want our pregnancy to go as full-term as possible! That means strictly obeying bedrest orders, staying well-hydrated, avoiding stressful situations, etc. We toured the NICU and saw a preemie baby who was delivered last week at just 25 weeks gestation! That would be like if I delivered our babies this Wednesday! The baby we saw was a twin girl, and she was the tiniest baby I'd ever seen. Her legs were so skinny and pinkish translucent- they looked like frog legs. It was just heart-breaking to see her twitching her little limbs under the harsh light of the incubator. So yes, God-willing I'll keep our boys inside of me for as long as possible!

24 Weeks

Did you know that at 24 weeks, with proper medical care, babies can survive outside the womb? That means that if our boys were born today, they would live! What an amazing blessing to have two tiny people growing inside of me!

Five month check-up

Our 5 month check-up was today; I've gained 20 lbs! I can feel the boys kicking all the time now, especially after eating spicy food... yum!

20 till 2

Today marks the half-way point. Only 20 weeks (or less) to go!

Sweet Potatoes

At 18 weeks, I've already gained a whopping 15 lbs. Each baby is about the size of a large sweet potato.

Two cool

At our first sonogram today, we find out that we are having twins!

Doctor doctor

The doctor told us today that she thinks the baby is either farther along than we think, or there is more than one in there...!

Heartsounds

Today we heard the baby's heart beat...at just 10 weeks!

We're having a baby!

Today we find out that we're having a baby!