1 Year Old

My handsome little dudes are a year old! Oh my goodness! It's been one of those months that make you take a step back & look at your life. We're missionaries living in the Dominican Republic with two one year olds. The only word I have to describe that is UNBELIEVABLE! I would have never pictured myself here at the young age of 29, but this is where God has lead us. I feel like I expressed myself best when I wrote a birthday post for the boys on my Facebook page, "It is not always obvious in the mundane, but my life is truly full of blessings." We have been given SO much!

All About | MAX |       29.25 in & 18.8 lb

       He is our little monkey. This guy will try to crawl up on anything! He's successfully made it up on the bed, the couch, and even the lazy boy :) We have a hard time keeping him on the floor. 

       On another note, he can barely sit still. He goes from one thing to another. When watching TV (our favorite shows are Bubble Guppies, Paw Patrol, & Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), he stands there for maybe 3-5 minutes before moving on to something else. 

       Max also has the desire to push his weight around. He tries to move things all the time. He'll push a chair; He'll push the gate; He'll push the music table; He'll push the coffee table; He even tries to push me when I'm on the rolling office chair. It's amazing to see how strong he actually is!

      With all of his new developments, there's bound to be some not so nice ones :) Max has reached the point were he REALLY wants to voice his opinion. To do this, he simply screams. What better way to get mom's attention, right? 

       Also, he's decided that he needs me to know when he's mad or upset. This has resulted in throwing tantrums. (He's not the only one.... *cough* Derek *cough*) Max tends to throw himself on the floor & whine. I'm still adjusting to this new stage & usually just watch him as he "expresses" his anger. I know these "expressions" stem from his sin nature, but I'm still surprised that they've begun this early. He's shown that he can be pretty stubborn. We're in for some challenges with both of them.

All About | DEREK |       29.75 in & 18.8 lb

       He is our expressive child. I get hugs from Derek A LOT, but then again he LOVES his mommy :) This little guy finds things super exciting, completely hilarious, very frustrating, and excruciatingly painful! When he is having fun, he's laughing. When he is happy, he's smiling. When his is mad, he's screaming. When he is hurting, he's bawling. There is the saying that some people, "wear their heart on their sleeve." This would be Derek.

      Within the first few months, I would have said that Derek wouldn't be able to play by himself, but this is not true. He is easily entertained for 10-15 minutes by stacking things or turning pages or moving books around. We've also found that he can stand in front of the TV for almost a whole show. (He got the Sprunger genes.)

       Derek is also interesting in moving things, but he has more of a will to actually walk. He's spent a good amount of time practicing between mom & dad. It's so much fun to see the excitement on his face when he reaches you!

       Of course, like with Max, there's the good and the bad. Derek "expresses" his frustrations by kicking and screaming. He lies on the floor and thrashes around, which goes right along with his personality that I mentioned above. 

       Derek also enjoys copying Max & has joined in on the screaming. I know they do it to get my attention, so we're trying to come up with a solution. I've started to teach them some baby sign language. Nothing big, just more & please. It's a work in progress :)

A year ago, I was writing about being new parents. It doesn't feel so new any more, & we are grateful for all that God has given us. I may not always act like it, but I am truly privileged to be the mom of two wonderful boys! Kurt & I love them both SO MUCH <3

Happy 1st Birthday Max & Derek!

11 Months Old

Max & Derek have finally made it to the won't-sit-still-can't-stop-moving stage! I thought I had my hands full before, but now I see that it was nothing compared to this :) I often find myself sitting in the living room in front of the couch with a boy on each side. If only I could take a video of the craziness that ensues! They've found that moving anywhere & everywhere is what it's all about. My eyes are being opened to the days ahead, & I'm a little scared!

EATING
This month, both boys have started eating the much talked about puffs :) They're doing well at picking each piece up. They've also learned how to suck through a straw. Their eating habits are definitely changing. We're finally down to 3 bottles a day :)

PLAYING
It is obvious that we have boys because they love to make as much noise as possible! They're all about banging their toys on the tile floor. Of course, they feed off of each other, so it gets REALLY loud :) At this age, they've also started playing well together & will copy what the other one is doing. They bat at their toys & try to kick things while sitting on the floor. Some days they can be very entertaining!

TALKING
No words yet, but they like to make a lot of different sounds. Max is constantly saying "at" or "dat." Both boys say dada, but not to Kurt. It seems like they're really working on their noises this month.

MOVING
We've got crawlers! Max & Derek have really picked up speed over the past month. I was ready for them to be mobile, but in a few months I might be saying otherwise. Also, these two have started to stand up in their cribs. It's become a game before naps where they stand up in their cribs & tease each other with their snuggle buddies by handing theirs over to the other, but yanking it back :) I've actually watched them do this on the monitor! What goof balls!

Next month they'll be a year old :) I wouldn't say that time has necessarily flown by, but there are months that I've all but forgotten about. (Probably because I would never want to repeat them). In any case, I can still hardly believe it will have been a year ago that we were in the hospital having just added two precious little boys to our family!

Happy 11 Months Max & Derek

Our Family

We enjoyed the sunshine down by the malecón a week ago. It was so nice to get out of the house!

Kurt, Derek, me & Max

Grandma & Grandpa Sprunger

Grandma, Derek, Grandpa & Max

Grandpa, Max, Todd & Derek

Derek, Grandma & Max

Grammy & Gramps Cline

Connie, me, Max, Derek, Kurt & Ken

 

Gramps & Derek

Grammy & Max

Jordan & Kelsey Rupp

Kelsey, Jordan, Derek, me, Kurt & Max

Auntie Lara & Uncle Mike

Auntie Lara, Max, Derek & Uncle Mike

Uncle Mike & Derek

Auntie Lara & Max

10 Months Old

Time flies when you're the mother of twins :) Max & Derek are keeping me on my toes & not planning on slowing down any time soon!

A quick update on these big boys...

>   We've got clappers! Both boys are really good at it, but refuse to clap on command... we're working on it :)

>   They started to pull themselves up with our hands. Obviously, they need a little help, but it won't be long!

>   Both got their first tooth is past month! On the top, no less! Max was first, but Derek wasn't far behind. They looked like little saber-tooth tigers... haha!

>   Derek is doing the army crawl like a pro. Max has chosen to take his time. Part of me wonders if he'll just forgo crawling & start walking.

>  I can barely carry these two lug-a-bugs anymore! Good thing they can sit up from being on their belly. It has helped immensely when trying to pick them both up. 

Our crazy cats are making us proud & hitting all their milestones. Kurt & I are definitely relieved! One less thing to worry about as they grow :) 

Happy 10 Months Max & Derek!

9 Months Old

I'm behind & that means I can't really remember what has happened over the past month! I do remember that Derek finally passed Max at their wellness appointment. I also remember that we had visitors, Auntie Lara & Uncle Mike and Jordan & Kelsey Rupp. And how could I forget this one... you're new favorite thing is hair! You both get super excited at the sight of hair :) I am constantly being abused by this fascination. Not baby related, Kurt & I celebrated our 7 Year Anniversary this month! 

As I look over this short update, I'm hoping the reason it's so limited is because we were too busy enjoying the boys in the moment :) We love them SO much <3

        Max                         Derek         

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................             

Weight  18.5 pounds                                 Weight 18.9 pounds

Height 26.2 inches                                    Height 26.5 inches

Happy 9 Months Max & Derek!

Trip to the US

8 Months Old

Holy cow! Max & Derek just keep getting older ;) The difference with this month is that they actually look older. For a while there they seemed to just maintain, but this month I can actually see that they are longer, feel that they are heavier, and watch them getting smarter.

They are both sitting up with assistance and even standing tall with your support when put on their feet. Derek can stay straight up for quite some time. He's really good at locking his knees. 

Both boys are also getting heavier. It's not so easy to lug them around, but I still do it. One in the carrier (usually Max because he's bigger), and the other on my hip (Derek). We love to get out of the house that way. 

I also noticed that their hair is getting longer! I see it more on the top of their heads, especially when Kurt gives them a side comb. 

We recently bought them a walker, & they love it :) It's them being more mobile before they're actually mobile. I found that Max enjoys it the most because he goes everywhere. The other day I found him looking out the porch window.

This month we've also watched them recognize people, specifically mom & dad. Derek became very needy near the end of the month & would only be content when I held him. It's kind of a nice feeling to be wanted, but there is this sense of exhaustion from being needed all the time.

They began enjoying each other too. Kurt & I have spent a lot of time just watching them watch each other :) It's so much fun to see their expressions & hear them "talk." They'll look at each other and screech. Haha... It's just so stinking cute! 

I think I say this every month, but I'm pretty sure they're teething. Everything goes into the mouth, and when it's in the mouth, it's being destroyed. They are biting really hard on anything & everything. We have a stock pile of teething rings in the freezer. Also, they've been fussier than usual, are eating less, and not sleeping good. I haven't seen any teeth or even white spots, but I don't know what else it could be.

We started rice cereal a while back, but got a huge supply of baby food from a recent team! Our first pick was organic sweet potates. It did not go so well :) They both looked and acted like we were giving them the nastiest tasting thing ever! However, the look on their faces were priceless. The next day we opted for bananas & oranges (something a little sweeter). After a day or so of trying it, Derek began eating like a pro. Max was still not very fond of the flavor, so we tried some blueberry & pear for him. He didn't mind that as much. 

Their personalities are definitely more apparent and each do different things.

Derek: He is super social. He smiles for everyone. He loves to look at his brother. He enjoys a nice cold teething ring. He has so much fun playing in the activity center. His favorite person is mommy. He always wants to sit up. He doesn't like to put clothes on. He hates being by himself, but plays well with Max. Naps are normally a little more difficult for him. He loves to talk & is usually the first to make a new sound. He can be feisty (like his mom), but has become rather content lately. He only gets really upset every once in a while.

Max: He tends to be more serious, but has such a big smile. He will play with anyone & let anyone hold him. He's content to be by himself. He enjoys making Derek laugh & laughing at Derek. His favorite toy is the walker. He loves the "freedom" it gives him. Noises are his specialty, anything loud. He has fun playing video games with daddy. Nap time is not normally an issue, but sleeping through the night has been a challenge. He can get pretty stubborn & throw a tantrum when something doesn't go his way. He does this frequently, but it's usually more of a small thing not a major breakdown.

It feels like there are so many other things that I could write, but it would make this post WAY too long :) To say the least, this month has been eventful. Each day, I am more and more amazed at how much I enjoy being around them now :) It's like a whole new life, & I love it! I can even see that Kurt is so close to feeling the same way.

Happy 8 Months Max & Derek!

The Results

We saw Dr. McGregor on Wednesday, February 4th. Her diagnosis was similar to the first doctor we saw here in San Pedro. She said that they boys can't see out of their right eye. Her understanding was that there were bands that destroyed the retina from being able to create a picture to send to the brain. However, she wanted to get a better look at the eye to see what could have caused this. According to her, it was either genetic or some form of infection that destroyed their vision. Since we were working with a limited time frame, they were able to schedule a post-op for the following day to get some pictures of the boy's eyes.

I'm not sure how to describe our feelings at this time other than to say we were extremely heartbroken. Anyone can probably imagine how difficult it was to hear the results. You pray for a miracle, but it's not the one you wanted. It hurts. You want to go back to how it was before you knew. You want them to be perfect physically & mentally without defect. It is obvious that God has not healed their eyes, but He has provided for us in so many other ways. *some of those ways are listed below*

Surgery
Thursday, February 5th, Dr. McGregor and the retina surgeon got a better look at the boy's eyes. They started with Derek & took pictures of both his right & left eye. The results of the left eye came back completely healthy; however, the right eye showed a significant retina fold (not a band). Due to the results from Derek's right eye, they decided to do an additional dye test on Max. The dye test would give the doctors a better view of the blood vessels in the back of the eye. This is necessary to see if there is an infection in the good eye (left eye) that would need to be monitored. They chose to do the test on Max because his right eye looked worse in the beginning, meaning that if there is an infection in the left eye, it would be most likely to be found on Max. Max's results came back the same as Derek's just slightly greater. Max has a healthy left eye, but an even bigger retina fold in the right. Both folds have the same outcome.

Results
Max & Derek have no vision in their right eye. Technically, they still have peripheral vision, but to what extent we don't know. We have been told that there is nothing we can do to help the right eye because the fold has completely destroyed the part of the eye that sends a picture to the brain. With no picture work with, there is nothing to strengthen.

Going Forward
In August, both boys will be fitted for glasses. They basically need glasses just to protect their good eye. However, Max is a little nearsighted in his left eye, so his glasses will also correct that. We know it's going to be a good thing, but yet, at the same time, it's hard to digest. So many people will say that they look cute in glasses, but it's not that simple as a parent. I think we'll both be struggling again come August.

My Thoughts
It's not the end of the world, but sometimes it feels just awful. I cry. I think about what it is like for them. I wonder what problems we'll have in the future because of it. What things will it affect? I know they'll be able to play sports, walk, drive, etc, but will there be extra hurdles to achieve these things? All these thoughts make it difficult to see the truth at times, but the truth is, it's not perfect vision that I desire most for our boys. What I want more than anything is for them to walk in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, living their lives to glorify Him.


*remembering how God worked*

• The Pediatric Ophthalmology center, they are booked 2 months out. However, Dr. McGregor offered to see us on her day off within a week.
• We found tickets, at such short notice, for an amazing price.
• The day we flew there was a serious snow storm in the Northeast, but our flight from Atlanta to Detroit left on time. It was the only flight headed to the Northeast out of Atlanta that didn't cancel.
• In Columbus, we were shown so much hospitality. A great friend provided supper for us Tuesday night. Another friend offered their home to us while they were gone, which allowed my mom, Kurt's parents & us to stay in the same place together. 
• The doctors were able to schedule the post-op for the following day on Thursday. This was a huge blessing considering the limited time frame we were dealing with.
• The retina surgeon came in specifically for us, on his day off, with less than 24 hours notice.
• The boy's left eyes were completely healthy. There would be no need for constant monitoring meaning that we don't have to make monthly visits.
• The post-op went smoothly, & we all could fly back on Saturday. We were really worried about being able to go home so quickly. There was a good possibility that we would have had to extend our trip, which we didn't want to do because my parents were flying to the Dominican to see us the same day. We actually booked the same flights as them so we could have extra hands to help on the way home.

 Surgery day. They did really well under the circumstances. (Left to right: Max & Derek)

The Gift of Sight

Between months 5 & 6, we noticed that the boys were not looking straight at things. At month 7, we decided most of those nuances should have been corrected by now. So, on January 15th, I took them to see the eye doctor here in San Pedro. She said that there is cause for concern with Max's vision in his right eye & wanted to see us at her location in Santo Domingo. As I stepped into the house after this visit, I realized the seriousness of the situation. Kurt & I both felt all the unknowns weighing on our hearts.

Our visit to Santo Domingo, that following Monday, brought to light the fears we felt over the weekend. The doctor got a better look at both their eyes & said they each have the same issue. They can't see out of their right eye & there was nothing we could do to correct it. We could only work on strengthening the left eye. Talk about devastation.

After discussing the results, Kurt & I felt it was necessary to get a second opinion. We had some doubts about the first doctor's diagnosis. How could it be possible that they can't see ANYTHING? Why is there NOTHING we can do to help strengthen the bad eye, even a little? There were so many questions we still had. So, we visited an eye doctor at Score in Juan Dolio to see what he thought. Of course, he had a different idea about it all & said that there is no cause for concern. They boys are still developing, & they have the ability to see things & grab whatever is placed in front of them. Kurt & I agreed with this doctor, but still felt uneasy about it all. 

The next step was to talk to a doctor in the states & get their opinion of the whole thing. Kurt's cousin, Matt, gave us the name of their pediatric Ophthalmologist. We contacted the hospital & sent in the information we had on the situation. They responded with a few options, but couldn't offer a real diagnosis without assessing the boys themselves. It felt like we were back at the beginning with all the unknowns still out there. This lead us to make a trip back to the states to see Dr. Mary Lou McGregor a Pediatric Ophthalmology at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus.

7 Months Old

I have this "oh my!" moment at least once a week when I look at the boys. It still feels surreal to have twins :) When I stop & think about what I thought my life would be like at this age, it is NOTHING close to what it actually is! God's plan was so much better than mine. We have experienced 7 months with our boys, & our connection to them is that much stronger. 

This month was our month to really enjoy being around Max & Derek. They would respond to us with smiles & laughs, making our time with them even more special. They began playing with us as we interacted with them. We are so thrilled to be on this side of things :)

What new things have happened this month... 

|Noises|

Both the boys have added to their "vocabulary." Not only that, but it has only gotten louder! We've heard lots of grunts, screams, gasps, and even some consonants. They get super loud when they see someone watching. I feel like it's my first glimpse into all the chaos that will ensue once they're running around the house.

|People|

They've gotten better at noticing people. When you walk by, you can actually feel them watching you :) It's a fun new development because it also means that they enjoy playing with you on the mat. We've gone from just entertaining to actually playing together. They know that you're there, & they want you to be there. It's the best feeling EVER!

|Wellness|

They are both very healthy & growing steadily. Max weighs over 15 pounds & Derek isn't too far behind at 14 pounds 10 oz. They're the same height - 25 inches. The one thing we did notice was their eyes, they were still deviating & going cross-eyed. So, we took them to the doctor here to have it checked.

 _________________________________________________________________

It's been a fun month & were excited to say we've made it this far :) Their personalities are stronger, but we have a feeling they'll be more apparent in the months to come. We love them so much & continue to remind them that Jesus loves them the MOST! 

Happy 7 Months Max & Derek!

Ringing in the New Year

Our first New Years Eve as parents went pretty much how we expected :) We were able to hang out with the team for a little while, but headed home early to feed the boys & put them to bed. The boys had just received their 6 month vaccinations, so we were experiencing some night feedings & fevers. This meant that when the boys feel asleep, Kurt & I headed to bed too. It was an early night for all of us. Too bad it wasn't a good nights sleep... the nearby colmado played SUPER loud music until 5:30am, & there were fireworks going off at 4:15am! I understand it's the New Year, but seriously! This New Years is one I will most likely never forget :)