'Tis the Season

Sorry for taking so long to update the blog, but the funniest thing happened...Wisdom and Truth started growing and needing attention. Long gone are the days when we could just swaddle them up, feed them a lil' bit, lay them down on their back and walk away. Now they have wake time and like for you to be within their line of sight. And what do they enjoy the most....being held. But it is all good, 'cause we love holding them :-)

W&T are 2 months now. They got their first round of shots (that wasn't fun) a couple weeks ago, so we have been able to take them out. Guess what??? They are both the same size (9 pounds). It is amazing how big they are. Everyone said how fast they would grow.

We all went to grand-parent Hopkins for Thanksgiving and almost the whole Keys family was there. Wisdom and Truth sure enjoyed all the love they were receiving. We went to church for the first time last week. It was great to share them with their church family. We hope that one day Truth and Wisdom can understand how many people truly love them and have been praying for them.

How is Shannon??? Well, she is as FINE as ever. She has lost all but about 10 of the pounds she had put on. Her incision is about 95% healed. She gave herself a new haircut (bangs) and it looks great. Her hair is so thick and healthy it actually looks like a wig.

How is Bryan??? He is hangin' in. The fall semester is about over, so he gets a break from school until February. In February, he will double his load to 2 classes. Bryan has retained about 12 of the 15 sympathy pounds he gained...but it's all good.

As you will see in a few clicks...Truth and Wisdom are the most beautiful lil' babies (of course there is a lil' parental bias in there :-)

The making of a spa-queen

Truth is ready to go eat some Thanksgiving turkey

Two proud grandparents

Wisdom, with her god-brother Matias, making one of her many faces

Chuck and Wisdom checkin' each other out

Ruthanne spreading the love

The power of prayer

Thembelani sneaking in for a visit

Mother and daughter....sleeping

Father and son....concentrating

Cuzzin Yusuf and Wisdom

Cuzzin Chelsea and Truth

The Hendersons, aka The Newlywed Game World Champs!!!

Dr. McKinney; definitely couldn't have done it without her...

...and the staff :-)

Pastor Madison and St. John, a true church family

A Part of History...

Wisdom and Truth got to witness history as we elected our 1st African-American President...Barack Obama!!!

Wisdom and Truth have had an exciting 11 days since the last posting. They are both doing well, but have been battling their first bouts of constipation. We have been feeding them breast milk and supplementing it with formula. Now we have added some water and that seems to help get things flowing....literally :-)

We have had some great visits with friends and family in the last couple weeks. Wisdom and Truth also had their first photo shoot with their amateur father photographer. We all went a post partem class. It was good to know that we are not the only ones wondering why our baby is crying.

Now that Bryan and Weezie (Louise, Shannon's mom) are back at work, the rest of the family has really stepped in. Grand Pa Hopkins comes over everyday to sit with the kids for a few hours, Sharon C. is on the job as nanny, and Sabrina allowed us to get our first date...just to mention a few. We love and appreciate ALL of you!!!

Yes We Can!!! (Thank you Sharon L., our favorite onesies!!!)

The Naked Truth

Look out Vogue and Essence , "here I come!!!"

Madelyn, Ryan and Trevor Kvinsland hangin' out with T & W

Grandpa Hopkins lettin' Shannon take a shower

Carl couldn't make it, but Lareasa was holdin' it down

If anyone knows how to show the love...it's The Walkers!!!

T&W relaxin' with Jayma

Do twins run in our family?....Yep, sure do.

They Keep Growing and Growing and...

Today is your chance to be a part of history....get out and VOTE!!!
Sorry it has taken so long to update the blog, but Truth and Wisdom have a tendancy to keep our hands full. A lot of good things have happened in the last week or so.

Bryan and Louise have both gone back to work. Even though Louise only went back to work for one day. She just couldn't stay away from her grand babies. I am not sure what we would have done without her and Willie.

Truth and Wisdom had their 3-week follow up appointment. Truth is now 6 lb - 9 0z, and Wisdom is 7 lb - 3oz. So in the last two weeks, they have both gained a pound. Additionally, Truth had to have an ultrasound on his hips. This is a standard procedure for babies born breech. Thankfully, there were no dislocations and they both have rec'd a clean bill of health.

October 31st was their first Halloween. Shannon put her creativitity and 20 years experience as a wardrobe stylist to work and converted Truth and Wisdom into carrots (for all our healthy eaters, don't worry, they were organic :-)
Not only is today election day, it is also Mikayla 10th birthday, Happy Birthday Mikayla!!!

Fresh from the garden...

Shannon stirrin' thangs up in the kitchen (doesn't she look great!)

Chillin' with the Arkills crew

Ellen and Larry squeezing in a visit

Nannie Sharon, ready to step into action

"Auntie Connie, please take us back to Hawaii with you"

"Wave your hands in the air, like you just don't care!!!"

"You're supposed to be putting me to sleep Grandpa"

Two proud grandma's finding the common ground

Marva making some baby time

Taylor and Madison practicing baby sitting

Happy 2-week Birthday!!!

Yep, believe it or not, Truth and Wisdom are 2 weeks old. Not only that, they actually share a birthday, October 9th, with their Auntie Ericka G.


Wisdom Louise (left) Truth Emory (right)


They have truly been a joy. And if we must say ourselves, they are they cutest lil' babies...spoken like true parents :-)


Before we left the hospital, we were struggling to get Truth to eat 20 cc's of formula (or breast milk). He is now eating ~65 cc's each feeding. Hallelujah!!! Wisdom continues to eat well, as a matter of fact, she is getting a lil' chunky :-)


Shannon has been breastfeeding, but we have also been supplementing them with formula. We feed them every 3-4 hours. Yep, that makes the nights tough...especially now that Bryan is back to work.


Shannon is doing great....just a lil' sleepy. She is healing from the surgery very well. She is not using any pain medication and the swelling in her legs and feet is almost gone.


Happy birthday to Uncle Emory (Truth's namesake) , who celebrated another great year October 21st.

Home Sweet Home

Truth was able to spend a few hours outside of the intermediate care nursery Monday. By Tuesday morning, Truth's body temperature had stabilized and he had doubled his formula intake. Thankfully, we ALL came home on Tuesday.

The first 60 hours of parenting (at home) haven't been too bad. Louise (Shannon's Mom, and the Wisdom's namesake) took a few weeks off work and has been a HUGE help. Not sure what we would we would do without her. So the three of us have been tag teaming the daily responsibilities. Bernita (Bryan's mom) is, of course, eagerly handling the grocery responsibilities. And while I am thinking about groceries, let me send a shout out to Brad, Julie, and Maddie, thanks for the dinners, the rigatoni was grubbin'.

We thank ALL of the medical staff at Tacoma General for taking such good care of us.

Do you think papa-Hopkins is proud of his grand babies?

DC and Bunny holding "The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothin' but..."

Papa Spann and Aunt 'Nanas...y'all got some more kids to raise

Zander snuck away from her twin brother long enough for a photo with mom (Mhoytia) and her new cousin, and fellow girl twin, Wisdom

Reunited and it Feels So Good.....

(Peaches & Herb, 1992)

Sunday evening the intermediate care nurses allowed us to bring Wisdom in to visit with Truth. Yep, so we could all be together.

Their first time being together since their birth...

Today (Monday) brought even more good news. Truth was allowed to come to our room today!!! So we are all together at the hospital tonight. If Truth passes his car seat test today, we will go home, as a family, on Tuesday.

Wisdom and Truth were able to enjoy visits today...

"Yes Matias, that's your God-sister," said Patience

Mrs. Weatherby and Wisdom

Uncle Michael and Elvia

First 3 Days of Parenting...

You will never believe this, but I have been trying to make this posting for the last 2 days. Everytime I sit down to create the posting, something comes up, can you believe that? I have a feeling that will soon become the norm, rather than the exception.

We have managed the pretty well so far. The fact that we rely on the nurses a lot may have a lil' something to do with that. So what has been happening the last few days...

Shannon is doing well, but is experiencing some swelling in her legs. She has started walking, at the nurses recommendation, and that seems to be helping. She did reach a key milestone....the first couple cc's of breast milk (You go girl!!!)

Wisdom is doing very well, but she really misses her brother (more details below). Wisdom has been able to spend every night in the room with Shannon and I. So she has had lots of visitors and photo opp's. As you can see, she looks just like her mommy

Wisdom sleeping peacefully

Wisdom with Aunt Nat (the IV in her head was only there for the day)

Ellie and Brynn Carr (her future baby sitters :-)

Aunt Mickey and Bobby

Gramma Weezie (on Cloud 9)

With Aunt Roni

Truth is doing well too, but he has had to spend some time in the Intermediate Care Unit. His blood sugar levels have been a little low and he is not quite eating enough. So we are working with the staff to build his strength up. Shortly after birth they were feeding him through an IV, but has graduated and is now drinking from a bottle (good job Truth!!!). Here are a couple pics of him, and yep...he looks just like his proud daddy :-)

Truth on the scales (flexin' his muscles, sportin' the 6-pack)

Close up of Truth (or is that mini-Bryan)