A Mover and a Shaker

While I was pregnant with the twins, Baby B (Ellie) was a little acrobat, always kicking and moving around. Baby A (Cate) was lower down, I believe pinned between Ellie and my pelvis, and only moved around occasionally. Ellie always had a faster heart rate than Cate at each doctor visit, ultrasound, and non-stress test.

At my non-stress tests, they would monitor the movements of the babies to determine their well-being. Ellie always passed in a short amount of time while we always waited for Cate to move around some more. Inevitably, the nurse would get out the buzzer/vibrator and zap my stomach where Cate was. This would completely freak Ellie out who would jump practically up my throat. Cate would finally pass the test and I would have to wait an extra 20 minutes for Ellie's heart rate to come back down.

While I was pregnant, I worried about Cate and the fact that she didn't move as much as Ellie. A short time after they were born, I realized that it is just a difference in personality. Ellie is always on-the-go, even though she can't even crawl yet.

She learned how to roll over early and is very mobile. She can get from one end of the room to the other just by rolling around. I just love when she's on her tummy and she pushes herself up with her arms and rocks back and forth from shoulder to shoulder. It looks like she's dancing.

She also has to have constant entertainment. If she doesn't have a toy, she's looking for one. If there's none in sight, she's fussing for one. If there's something else interesting (a necklace, earrings, a dish), she'll grab that too. In fact, I've called her "Grabby McGrabberson" a few times and people always wonder what Max is saying when he calls her "Grabberson".

It is a work-out to hold Ellie. By the end of church, if I've been holding her, I'm exhausted. She moves her arms, legs, and body non-stop. She'd much rather be free on the floor than held for very long.

I know that our spirits lived before we came to this earth. It is obvious to me because each of my children have their own distinct personalities that are evident very early in their lives. Doug was saying the other day he never believed his parents when they said they didn't have a favorite child. Then he understood when he had three children of his own. We love them all!