Christmas Day In Pictures

Lily waking up Christmas morning

Lola wondering if coffee is ready

Okay, now we are ready for festivities to begin

Oh yeah


The goofball twins are ready for action!



Lola loving on Elmo





Lily and Grover, new BFFs (she looks like a big girl, I can't believe it)

Working on presents

Me too!

Daddy and his girls

Quite possibly the picture of the year

Can't you just see these two tooling around

Branson or Eureka, in their golden years, dressed

exactly the same?

Here we are with Grandma and Grandpa

Merry Christmas!!

We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year's. We think ours will be successful IF we are NOT awake at midnight this year!

Love, Mel

Our First Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve

Daddy and his girls





Meeting Santa for the very first time







Santa and Lola







The girls with Santa, so calm, as if
this happens everyday around our house.












Lily with Santa

Then the dresses became toys...

Lola very content with hers off.

Lily, excited at Lola's idea of tights without dresses.

We are going to nickname Lily "The Body". Watch out Heidi Klum or is

it Elle McPherson?

Ain't life grand?

Funny, funny girls

Here we are with Gran and Grandad

Lily, excited that Santa will come back tonight!

Lola, our littlest elf

The girls really surprised us in how they reacted at Santa's visit Christmas Eve. No screaming or crying, it was great. Lola did a big double take the second Santa entered the room and then it was just acceptance from both of them, no crying. We were expecting histrionics. Next year, we will probably get some good crying.

Both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day the girls really seemed to sense the excitement of the holiday. They would get excited at opening presents and smiled and giggled all day long. It was just great for us to watch. Will post more pics over the next couple of days.

Love, Mel

Just a Couple of Pics

Here are just a few of the hundreds of pictures taken over the past few days. We will post more in the next few days, but these are two of my favorites.

We had such a wonderful Christmas. We hope everyone else did as well! Love, Mel

Christmas Eve

Some Children See Him

Some children see Him lily white

the infant Jesus born this night

Some children see Him lily white

with tresses soft and fair

Some children see Him bronzed and brown

the Lord of heav'n to earth come down

Some children see Him bronzed and brown

with dark and heavy hair

Some children see Him almond-eyed

This Saviour whom we kneel beside

Some children see Him almond-eyed

With skin of yellow hue

Some children see Him dark as they

Sweet Mary's Son to whom we pray

Some children see Him dark as they

And, ah! They love Him so!

The children in each different place

Will see the Baby Jesus' face

Like theirs but bright with heav'nly grace

And filled with holy light!

O lay aside each earthly thing

and with thy heart as offering

Come worship now the infant King

'tis love that's born tonight!

'tis love that's born tonight!

To see and listen to James Taylor sing above song: www.absolutelyrics.com and input James Taylor with "Some Children See Him".

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah! Love, the Heffingtons

Prelude to Christmas

We love to listen to Daddy read.

Lily all snuggled up, waiting on Santa.

Lola with visions of sugar plums dancing in her head...

One of these days Matilda...

(you can just barely make out her tail, lower left)

As we prepare our home and hearts for Christmas time, we want to express our sincere thanks to everyone who has shared our joy in Lily and Lola. We so appreciate your supportive emails and comments. It has been hard to not get out to physically share them, but this blog has really helped us feel like we can introduce them to our friends and family.

Both girls are doing just great. Lily is in the 95th percentile for weight and 85th percentile for height. Lola is in the 50th percentile for weight and 95th percentile for height. Not bad for not even 4 lbs. at birth, huh? Both girls have successfully begun rice cereal and we started carrots last night. Carrots brought a new challenge for Mom in the way of bright orange stains and messes. However, Don and I had so much fun watching their funny faces try and eat the carrots that it hardly mattered.

Developmentally, the girls are right on track for being 2 mo. premature and actually even a little ahead of the game. Both girls are reaching with both hands and sitting independently for a few seconds. Lola has rolled in every direction. Lily has decided it is a game and knowing her mother is a physical therapist, has decided to drive her crazy by not doing the complete textbook roll from back to belly. She can do belly to back. But for back to belly, she will do each part and then look around for me to complete next step. So, for example, roll to side and then she looks over her shoulder and laughs/smiles until I put her on her belly. Then she looks for me again to finish and put her on her elbows, and so on and so forth. Dr. was not concerned and I'm not either. It actually is kind of funny, but I would like to check it off the list! Both girls have started to pull their knees underneath them on their bellies and Lola is doing some scooting on her belly. Lily has begun to recite the Gettysburg address in Latin and Lola is working on her violin. Just kidding! Just seeing if you were actually reading this long diatribe I have begun.

Both girls have begun to fear strangers or people other than Mommy and Daddy. Both girls like to talk to us, smile, giggle and like to be startled (by Mom and Dad only, mind you).

No Gracie news and it does sadden us that she won't be with us for Christmas as we were told. Every Christmas since we began her adoption, we wonder when we will have her for Christmas. It isn't to be this one. We only hope the people who take care of her give her a Christmas where she feels loved and wanted. Our adoption is different than many in that we truly do not know very much about her day to day. We know she lives in a private orphanage and that is meant to be good. We know our case managers have visited and found the staff caring and facilities clean. It is really something that I daily turn over to God in order to feel peace about her life in Guatemala. It is not fair, but after her adoption turned from relinquishment to abandonment, we were given no choice but to go thru this without specific and credible updates.

Whatever holiday you celebrate, we wish you a joyous time. We hope that wherever you are and whoever you are with, you enjoy your holidays with a sense of peace and hope for this world we live in. Please when you remember Gracie in your prayers and thoughts, remember all children without families living in poverty. Every child deserves a family and someone to tell them they are special. When you think of Lily and Lola and smile at their silly grins, please remember the many babies born premature and their parents. These babies fight so hard to live, it is unbelievable.

My personal Christmas wish is that all children experience the true spirit of the season and feel the love of Jesus at the marking of His birth. Many blessings to all of you! Love, Mel

Mary Did You Know

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?

Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

Sleep Progress

As I get older, I get more superstitious. I have not wanted to say too loud our progress with sleeping, but I can't hold it in any longer.
I am going to announce to the world that both girls have now slept 7 pm until 7 am for 3 nights in a row!!!!!!!!
You have no idea the happy dances we are doing around here.
YEA GIRLS!!! YOUR PARENTS NEEDED THIS!!!!!
Love, Mel

Happy Six Months Old Lily and Lola!

Our little elves turned 6 mo. old today and we are so thankful they are healthy and well. This certainly is a fun time of baby babbles, sweet smiles, and excited faces. I really cannot believe it has been 6 months since they entered the world.

Love, Mel

Christmas Card Outtakes or Next Year We Budget for a Professional

We had no idea how hard it would be to get a good photo for our Christmas card. However, I think the outtakes are so funny it was worth it. Take a peek at our 3 day photo shoot for our first Christmas card photo.

First we tried hats and lights...

Then we ditched the hats and just went to lights...

Of course, the lights were too mesmorizing to look at the camera...

So, we turned them off, but then they got bored...

And fussy...

Then Lola thought she would do her Dr. No imitation...

Lily and Lola trying to escape from more picture taking...

Oh no, not the lights again...

And back to lights on...(LED so they weren't hot, I swear)

Oh the lights again...

Actually was a contender for the card, but we decided

Lily looks like she has an extra leg...

Possibly the best outtake...

Mom's visions of pictures with sweet girls in pretty dresses....

Dashed by both girls LOVING the taste and feel of their pretty dresses.

The End.