No Such Thing as 'Half'

Just a quick note because I don't have much time ... I have got to do some cleaning while the babies are asleep ...

Last week my Aunt Trisha and Uncle Robert stopped by for a quick visit while they were in town. It was very fun to see them and for them to meet our new babies. Click below for Aunt Trisha's blog about their visit.

http://buboppy.blogspot.com/2008/12/visit-with-greg-and-margaret.html

Seeing Aunt Trisha reminded me of something my dad used to say ...

Aunt Trisha and Aunt Nellie are my dad's sisters -- they share the same father as my dad and have a different mother. As my brothers and sisters and I were growing up, we sometimes differentiated my father's siblings as 'real' and 'half'. Every single time my dad would hear us differentiate his siblings this way, he would make sure to remind us ...

"There is no such thing as a 'half-sister'!"

Just wanted to write that as I was thinking about it.

My Mom

A few lucky people in this world are granted one of the greatest blessings of all ... a wonderful mother. I have said many times that if everyone had parents like I was blessed with, the world would be a much better place in which to live.

I do happen to be one of the lucky ones. My mom is absolutely amazing and I am so grateful for her. She is my best friend. She has come to my rescue a million times, whether providing a much needed laugh, a shoulder to cry on, a prayer raised up to heaven on my behalf (and I know she has spent many many hours on her knees because of me), or just by being there with me.

During the last few weeks of my pregnancy she came to visit us three times, not wanting to miss the birth of our little babes. She was with me at my doctor's appointment on Oct. 17 when the doc told me to head to the hospital, and the girls were born two days later.

She stayed for about seven weeks after the girls were born and honestly, I don't know how Doug and I would have survived without her. Not only was she a lifesaver in keeping our house in order, but she was my lifesaver as well. She spent many many hours by my side in the NICU holding babies, changing diapers, feeding babies, and wiping my tears. I had such a great time being with her during those weeks, and I will cherish the time as long as I live.

Doug and the girls and I miss her a ton and can't wait for her to come back for a visit in January.

I love you Mom.

Layla Sandra Hancock is Home!

This morning when I arrived at the NICU to visit Layla, the nurse said, "did you bring her goin' home clothes?" "YES I DID!". So we packed up and brought her home.

So 19 days after they were born, Layla and Lilly are finally both home with us.

Layla weighed 4lbs 14.2 ozs last night and is finally eating really well now. They are both so precious. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for granting me with such wonderful blessings: a loving, kind, handsome, caring husband who I love very much; two beautiful baby girls; a mother who is absolutely the best, more so that I can put into words; and a fabulous "extended" family.

The doctors and nurses at Banner Desert NICU are really great I must say. Dr. Hamburg was absolutely wonderful and I'm grateful she took care of our babies while we were there. If you gotta use a NICU, I highly recommend Banner Desert ... although I hear Maricopa County Hospital has at least 1 fabulous NICU nurse and 1 marvelous pediatric nurse.

Love Forever.

Lilly Ann Hancock Comes Home

We were able to bring Lilly home today!!! We're getting ready for our first night together :) It was a bittersweet day for me ... so exciting to finally have a baby home (I feel like a real mommy now) but very sad to leave one baby in the hospital. Although not quite as difficult as the day I was released from the hospital and didn't get to bring home a baby at all, it was very sad to leave Layla alone in her pod and take her sister away.

Lilly is just beautiful and is doing great, sleeping right now on my chest as I type this blog. At her final NICU weigh-in last night she weighed 5lbs 1.5ozs ... we all cheered as she passed the 5lb milestone!!!! Layla is having a hard time eating and most of the time is just not interested; eating is really the last thing she has to master before she gets to come home -- hopefully soon!

More Pictures

The past two weeks have been very busy for us so we're a bit behind in communicating with everyone and sending pictures of our beautiful baby girls. They are two weeks old today!

Here are more pictures ...

Lilly and Layla's first picture together and first halloween costumes:

Lilly
Layla

With Mommy and Daddy

Layla with Daddy

With big brother and sister Ryland and Danielle

Layla with big sister Taylor

Layla with Aunt Margie

Grandma Ann with Lilly then with both girls

... more to follow ...

The Twins Are Here!

This is Little Miss Lilly

This is little Miss Lilly with her daddy

This is Grandma and Miss Layla

This is Grandma blogging for Drana and Doug (Lollie, I am helping :)).... The twins are here!!!!! YAY!!! The day is finally here and with that two new beautiful girls. Layla arrived at 11:30 AM weighing 4lbs 4oz, 17 and a fourth inches long. Lilly arrived at 11:31 AM weighing 4lbs 13oz and 17 and a half inches long. Doug said that he couldn't believe how long they were! They are the most beautiful children (as if we might have doubted with the parents they have... good genetics!) We think that the girls look like both their parents... but it will be determined later as to who looks like whom. :) Adriana is doing great and both parents are extremely excited. And I have to say it Drana is a MOMMY!!!!!!! I might add that these two little girls might likely become the most photographed children in our family (possibly even to give the 5 in '85 some serious competition :)) Well thats all for now....We are signing off for now... happy healthy and oh did I mention HAPPY ...

I Love ...

Being Pregnant ...
I really do. It is so amazing to feel life inside of me, knowing that Heavenly Father is giving me the chance to be a Mommy. I feel like I already know a little about these two baby girls and part of their differing personalities: I've decided that "Baby A" is going to be like her mom -- calm, patient, easy-going ;) and "Baby B" is going to be like her daddy -- a little inpatient and can't sit still. ;) It will be fun to see how right (or wrong) I am. (BTW, I added a new updated belly pic to the July post.)

My Husband ...
He's really wonderful. I've been on "bed-rest" now for 3.5 weeks and Doug is so great about it. He has taken over our household and he handles everything -- dishes, dinner, the laundry (when one of our Mom's isn't here), he's checking the items off of his "before-babies to-do list", not to mention loving an emotional wife who seems to have the tendancy to cry at the drop of a hat. I love him more and more every day and I am so grateful for him. He makes me very happy.

My Mom ...
What can I say about my mother. She is my idol, my mentor, my friend; if I can be just a small measure of the woman and mother that she is I will be great. She makes sure to call me every single day to check in and make sure I am okay and that the babies are doing well. I love her so much.

Knowing What I Know ...
That we can have eternal families. That before we are born we are with our Heavenly Father and Jesus and family and friends who love us very much. And that after we die we are again with our Heavenly Father and Jesus and family and friends who love us very much.

The last couple of weeks I keep getting a children's primary song stuck in my head -- "I'm so glad when daddy comes home, glad as I can be. Clap my hands and shout for joy and climb upon his knee. Put my arms around his neck; hug him tight like this. Pat his cheeks and give him what? A great - big - kiss".

This song makes me smile for a couple of reasons. I get to teach this song to my little girls so they can sing it to their daddy when he gets home at night. AND, it makes me think of my daddy, who is in Heaven. I can't help but think that my little girls are right now getting to spend time with their Grandpa Rogers. Maybe he has shown them a whisker pie (do men grow whiskers in heaven?); maybe he has taught them to sing "Twiddly Winkie Winkie Woo" or "Way Up High in the Cherry Tree"; maybe he has given them a ride on his foot as he lies on his back (I used to love and hate that at the same time). Do you think he has told them a little about their mom, his "baby girl", and how much he loves and misses her? I hope so.

I am grateful for my knowledge of the plan of salvation. I know that if we live righteously and do the simple things that we are supposed to do, our families can be together forever.

My Belly

Updated 19 Oct 08:

I wanted to keep track of my growing belly so thought I'd post the pictures so we can watch its progression ...

34 Weeks (17 Oct 2008)

32 Weeks (01 Oct 2008)

28 Weeks (03 Sep 2008)

20 Weeks (09 Jul 2008)
17 Weeks (19 Jun 2008)

I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to be pregnant. It is amazing to feel these little babies moving inside of me. So exciting. I can't wait to meet them!

Two Little Girls

We had our ultra sound on Wednesday. Amazing, just amazing. We learned that we are having two little girls and that they so far appear to be perfectly healthy. We have some incredible 3D pictures of them (including one that is face on where one is smiling and the other is sticking out her tongue). I love this picture of their little legs right next to each other. It looks a little like they could get tangled together but they're in their own sacs. The technician was getting a little frustrated because one of the babies would not hold still to have her picture taken (she IS her father's daughter). We are very excited for this adventure, and we're almost half-way there at 18 weeks.

Loves.
~Adriana

Daxton Douglas Kunz

Brittany and Doug's beautiful baby boy, Daxton Douglas Kunz, went back to his Father in Heaven on June 9, 2008. Our hearts are broken and we miss this beautiful baby boy. We love you as big as the sky, Daxton.

See Brittany's and Doug's tributes on the Kunz Family Blog http://www.dbkunz.blogspot.com/

Hello!

So Doug and I have decided to join the world of blogging. Here goes ...

We have been married almost 2 and a half years. I am so grateful that I was introduced to this wonderful man with whom I now get to share my life. He is amazing; handsome, creative, fun, sexy, caring, adventurous, dedicated, hard working, handsome, and so much more. I am truly blessed and I love him dearly.

See what I mean?

Before we were married Doug promised me that we would have a life of adventure together -- man, he wasn't kidding. We have had some fun trips and adventures: scuba diving, the Grand Canyon, dirt bike riding (yes, I rode a dirt bike for the first time -- how embarrassing, I'll share the story some time), snow skiing (it was really my first time that counts -- and I crashed only once), Mexico, fly fishing, we remodeled a house, bought a new one, own two small businesses, and we are currently embarking on our greatest adventure thus far ... I am 17 weeks pregnant with TWINS ! ! ! Doug has five great kids, so he'll be the proud father of seven! :) And he has five BEAUTIFUL grandchildren (to them he is known as Pop Pop) -- I'll post pictures sometime, you'll fall in love with them. Anyway, we get to have an ultra sound next Wednesday, June 25 and will hopefully find out what we're having. As long as they are healthy babies, we're happy as can be!! We'll keep you posted! ~Adriana