Oh, What a Night!

Tonight was Ford and Hayden's First Birthday Bash with the family. It was just a small gathering of Grandparents, Aunt, Uncle, cousin and 2 close friends. We are trying to keep them healthy so... we are going to have a birthday party when they SHOULD have been born in April. Too much cold, flu and RSV out there right now.
Their cousin Patton even made them a Birthday sign!!!! So Sweet!

We have received so many wonderful email, texts and calls today wishing the boys Happy B-Day. KLTV even came out tonight and took video of the boys "trying to figure out what to do with their cake," opening presents, playing with the family and just being boys, 1 year-old boys now. It was so nice to have Layron Livingston here and to finally meet my boys... he was great with them.

I think they enjoyed their birthday and I know we did. What a milestone. We were glowing all day long today at what they have overcome and what is to come for Ford and Hayden.

They were good little birthday boys. We took lots of pics and I will add a few tonight and more tomorrow...

Here are just a few thoughts of how Hayden and Ford have changed our lives.....

It has been a big day in the Hughey household today 1/8/08.... Can you believe it that Ford and Hayden are celebrating their first birthday? A year ago last night was the scariest moment of my life... I was going into labor and really praying that my precious little ones would not be born so soon at 25 weeks, but God had a different plan. It was a bumpy, curvy and scary path to say the least in the beginning for Ford and Hayden, not to mention us... but we made it through the journey God had planned for us. Over the past year, I have tried to learn how to be appreciative of the journey no matter how tumultuous it may be. And boy have we been blessed 200-fold! Ford and Hayden are beyond our wildest dreams. They are the light in our lives and from the response I have gotten over the past year on our blog and to my work email... they have touched the hearts of East Texans to people overseas I have never met who prayed for my Ford and Hayden. Just the other night, Trey and I were at Hobby Lobby getting some family photos framed and a nice woman stopped Trey and said how are the boys, I would recognize them anywhere... and she didn't even see me... that's how special they've become to so many people. It really is great to know and witness the inspiration that they have been to so many families about what the power of prayer can do in our lives. I always knew down deep it was powerful, but I lived it this past year... and it has changed my life. Many of you are parents and you know what I mean about your children changing your world... showing you a love that goes deeper than anything you have ever known. I am so thrilled I can finally know that love... being a mommy is my greatest joy! I just wanted you to know also that I updated the blog tonight with some new photos and will add more tomorrow in a Birthday Blog. Thank you doesn't suffice what you all mean to me and what countless others mean to me that I can't give a personal thank you to, but hopefully they know...

Have a wonderful 2009, I know we plan on doing the same with Ford and Hayden!Love and Blessings~Dana, Trey, Ford and Hayden Hughey

Computer Situation Squared Away... Can Blog-away!

I CAN FINALLY UPDATE YOU ON "THE HUGHEY BOYS"!!!!!!

Well, as many of you parents may understand.... We uploaded so many pictures to our computer that we ran out of space and our computer was running VERY slow! We now have a hard drive back up and are back in business.

I just uploaded a TON of Holiday pictures of Ford and Hayden that I hope you will love. It has been so busy during the holidays that we didn't buy the new hard drive until Dec. 31... and then it took a bit to transfer files, blah blah blah... I am probably boring you with that!

Now to the Good Stuff. Thursday, this Thursday, Ford and Hayden turn 1! Can you believe it has been a year since you all started praying for our miracle twins. I prefer to relish the present and not dwell too much on the past, but appreciate what the Good Lord has brought us through.

I am sure I will forget something today about all the boys have been up to, so I will try to blog more this week as I remember.

As you'll notice from the pictures, the boys are sitting up alone completely on their own and side-sitting and even trying to crawl. I know for a 1 year old that seems a little late, but really they are only 8 1/2 months old adjusted so... the occupational therapists say they are really a little ahead of schedule.

We have graduated to NEW, BIGGER TOYS! For Christmas, it looks like Toys R Us moved to the Hughey House. We do have 2 so I expected more toys than most, but WOW... We are so fortunate the grandparents, aunts , uncles and friends spoil them so! I suppose we should be included in that as well, but being practical we did buy them lots of 12 months clothes so they could be warm for winter... AND stylish!

The boys just LOVED Christmas morning. Not that they really understood it of course, but they loved unwrapping their presents and playing with their new toys. I have to tell you it was a JOY to watch. It gave a new meaning to a Reason for The Season. We completely understand how blessed we have been this year and Christmas morning was a culmination of so many answered prayers... What a gift for a parent to watch the sheer joy on the children's faces... now I know what our parents always talked about. I could have received zero presents and been more fulfilled than any other Christmas on record.

It did take a while for Ford and Hayden to open their presents, but we just let them... enjoy! My mom and grandfather came over to see the Merry Madness and of course loved every second of it. Gram filled their stockings to the rim and flooded the Christmas tree with presents.

Then after some cleaning up, it was off to the Hughey Lakehouse for some more First Christmas Memories with Ford and Hayden.

They cleaned up their as well... more Toys, more fun for the boys. Trey's parents also gave us a video recorder to capture Christmas morning with and many future memories so I can't wait to share those as well, when I figure it out. The boys love big groups even though they have to stay germ free so all the aunts, uncles and grandparents were very careful with them... and sanitized so the boys would stay healthy... That was our main Christmas goal! We had an amazing time merging 3 families together, Mine, Trey's and John's (Trey's sisters' husband's parents-- our extended family Jean and Ronnie were there too! Yea!) SO many sweet gifts, great food and drink and "the very best" company anyone could ask for on Christmas Day.

Since then, we've been enjoying watching the boys play with their toys. Let's see... they have new guitars, a ball, cars, trucks, a wagon, cell phone, remote, kid pda's... the list goes on and on. You'll see them playing with them in the pictures.

Mom and Dad even had a chance to get out for a Christmas party a couple weeks before Christmas. I think that was our 3rd or 4th date/night out since I went into the hospital last November. We were able to enjoy our friends who we don't get to see very often and it was a really needed time for these two hardworking parents. Twins don't leave much downtime, but we love it and wouldn't have it any other way... we just need to recharge our batteries every now and then.

New Year's was spent home with our boys, Ryan Seacrest and a toast of Champagne at midnight! They were asleep of course, but we toasted to our many blessings and all the wonderful things that are in store for Ford and Hayden during 2009!

We've battled a few colds and ear infections since last I blogged, but my tough little men have fought through them and continue to grow and get stronger every day. Hayden still struggles with wheezing, but we are hoping it gets better.

Ford still has one surgery, we think, left to come, but we are praying the Urologist will not have to operate. I am crazy nuts about germs... never was a germ freak before, but now I am... We really just want them to stay away from RSV, more colds, and the flu... that would be so amazing. The pulmonologist says in April we can even start to have play dates so I can relieve some of this cabin fever, can't wait!

Today, Hayden started crawling backwards. Craziest thing! He still can't go forwards, but I feel that is not too far behind. Ford is leaning forward a lot like he is going to crawl and rocking back and forth, but just hasn't started to take off yet... It's coming!

Thanks for sticking with us through 2008... I promise to be better in 2009 about keeping you posted. The computer is all set, I am all set... now, I just have to see if the boys will give me time... they prefer I play with them... so I do a lot of singing and dancing for them. A mom's job is never done, hehe!

Happy 2009, all our love and prayers,

Dana~Trey~Ford~Hayden... They Hugheys

Merry Christmas from The Hugheys!