Operation PAKO

A Day in the Life

2011-11-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

I am doing my best to get posts up but, obviously, I am doing a poor job of it considering it has been 2 weeks since I last posted something. I'll attribute that to the fact that my supervisor at work left and they transferred one of our administrative people to another unit so I am essentially doing the work of three people. The upside is that I will hopefully get the supervisory position permanently and the pay raise that goes along with it. Fingers crossed!

We were also out of town for almost a week on our Houston/Memphis trip and that is going to be a whole other post at some point in the future. I'll just say that we survived and that the boys were awesome! Liv and I were the ones that struggled. But all in all we had a really good time.

The best I can do right now is a week/day in the life type post.

The weather has started getting really beautiful so we've been spending more time outdoors which Olivia, and the boys, love. O especially likes getting into her hippo pool and splashing around.

The boys enjoy watching her and getting splashed by the water she pushes out of the pool toward them.

I really do try to keep the house as neat as possible but with two now mobile babies and a 3 1/2 year old it can be difficult as evidenced by the scene after one Saturday morning. It had been nice and clean when we woke up (and the tree has since been sold at a garage sale as the boys thought it was great to pull it over on top of themselves multiple times).

I really don't even bother picking up until Sunday evening. I just couldn't go back to work on Monday knowing my house was a pig-sty.

Jake and Zach also love the vertical blinds. I myself don't but that is beside the point. Here Jake is making as much noise as possible with them (as he does with almost everything else he can get his hands on).

Of course we have to bang pots, pans and tupperware in addition to stepstools. And eating the spoons and spatulas is a requirement. It is funny to me that in some of these pictures the boys are wearing identical outfits which is something I rarely do but somehow end up in all my pictures.

O got "creative" on Jake's head with one of her dry erase markers.

The boys, Zach especially, love paper. Here they are "reading" a magazine that I had finished. They didn't want to wait until I was done but they were very patient.

We have entered a new phase of babyhood in that the boys can now crawl and pull up to standing. It has been interesting to say the least. We have removed the mobiles from their cribs because they would stand up and pull on them when they were supposed to be going to sleep. One night I had to go in there 7 or 8 times and lay them down because they would get up and either get stuck or be talking loudly to each other. I hope they tire of this soon. (Though I have to say it is kind of cute to see them looking and smiling/talking to each other across the room, or looking eagerly at the door and breaking into huge smiles when they see you walk in.)

We went to the Coyotes' home opener a couple of weeks ago which was quite the excursion with a double stroller, two babies and a preschooler who wanted to stay and watch the whole game. Luckily we had tickets in the Coyotes Club which is a lounge-y type place with seats and tables around a bar so we had somewhere to park the stroller and feed the boys when it was time. Jake freaked out at the horn that blew when the Coyotes scored (and I forgot their earplugs) so we spent a lot of time away from the ice, but Zach really seemed to like watching the game. He and Liv are going to be my hockey fans. O has already said that it is her favorite sport and that she wants to play it. We'll see.

I am so glad I caught this little episode.

Hey, this Bumbo is pretty cool. I like all the toys. Let's play together.

I'm going to get you, brother.

Yeah, I pinned him!

8 Months Old

2011-10-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

Once again it is time to write the monthly update. Where does the time go?! All of us are doing well. The boys continue to grow like weeds and would probably eat weeds if they could get their hands on them. I took them in for their first flu shots but since I was by myself the nurse didn't bother with taking them out of their car seats to weigh them, so I don't know how big they are other than that they are BIG. We'll know more next month at their 9 month well-baby appointment.

I have had to modify my photos of them because they are all over the place and don't want to sit still so I figured a chair might keep them in one place for a minute or two.

WRONG.

After these pictures of Jake he went headfirst off the chair and as I grabbed him he flipped over onto my lap. Sigh. I guess we should get used to them tumbling headfirst over things.

Jake has mastered the traditional hands and knees crawl. He's not super fast yet but he's getting there. We recently had to get rid of our plants because both he and Zach were pulling them over on a regular basis. He also pulled a wine bottle out of our rack. We never really had to worry that much about things like that with Olivia but with these two we need eyes in the back of our heads. He's also figured out how to get into a sitting position from his crawl and can pull himself up to his knees. It's pretty funny to walk in to their bedroom and see these two hands and a couple of eyes peeking over the top of the crib at you. Even if it is at 4 in the morning.

While Jake is our charmer he can also be very anxious. We went to the Coyotes' home opener on Saturday and he did not like the noise. When the Coyotes score there is a very loud horn that sounds and he screamed each time it went off. Luckily, we were in the club at the arena and I could take them away from the main crowd. That seemed to help. As did all John's female coworkers coming by and fawning on him. He's such a flirt.
Zach is also crawling but he is still mainly an army crawler. He hasn't figured out how to get himself into a seated position from his hands and knees but he can pull himself up to a standing position. How is it even possible that my babies are big enough to do that?! Ugh. Zach is really turning into a mama's boy. He loves to cuddle and climb. He particularly enjoyed the hockey game. It really looked like he was watching the action. He and Olivia are going to bond over the sport because she loves it too! Z is still my good sleeper at night but once he is ready to get up it is hard to trick him into going back to sleep like we sometimes can with Jake and his pacifier.

I couldn't decide on which pictures to eliminate so I just left most of them in. They are so Zach.

Here are a few of them together. I love this first one.

Jake's wondering what is up with Zach. =)

Yep, knew this was coming.

Zach was in quite a mood so I got some more of him. Olivia wanted in on them too but she wasn't wearing any clothes so I didn't get that many with her.

John trying to get Jake to smile.

He wasn't interested.

We are taking the boys on their first plane trip on Wednesday when we fly to Houston. On Thursday we are all driving to Memphis with my parents. Please say a prayer that we all survive this. Okay, say a prayer that John and I survive this. =)

Olivia says . . .

2011-10-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

Another edition of some of the funny/clever things our daughter says. A lot of what she says is funny but taken out of context it just doesn't transfer so I'm trying to put down only the stuff that will make you grin without having to be there.

Our day care is off a dirt/gravel road and it is pretty bumpy. The other day we were driving down it and Olivia tells me that "Riding down this road makes my ears shake." Yep, it does, never thought about that but it's true!

We were packing a box to send to John's family and he had put some Coyotes coozies in it. Olivia pics one up and asks "Are these for your beers?". Once again, yes, but how would you know that when we hardly drink beer in the house and when we do it is in a glass? I blame my dad for this one since when he comes he will put his beer in a coozie.

Boston - Day 3, 4 & 5

2011-10-04T10:24:00.000-07:00

Day 3 was devoted to Irene. She set our plans for the day and luckily went easy on us. Boston really didn't get hit too badly. This is the view from our hotel room. Not too bad at all! It was extremely windy for most of the day and it rained on and off but the heaviest rain we got was the day before at the baseball game!

We eventually left the hotel looking for a lunch spot. Most stores and restaurants had closed in anticipation of Irene so there wasn't much to pick from. We did find a cool little place, The Rattlesnake Bar & Grill, on Boylston street that was open and grabbed a table there. The owner had told his staff not to come in so he was a one-man band, if you will, taking orders, bartending and cooking. I think someone ended up coming in to help but he did do a pretty good job of managing on his own. And the food was really good!

After lunch we walked (which was interesting considering we were going against the wind and saw lots of broken umbrellas along the way - but we had fun!) to King's where we bowled a couple of games. I managed to embarrass myself by falling on my ass after stepping on the greased part of the lane we were on. This was also after I fell in the bathroom at Fenway. Granted, it was pouring down rain and I was wearing sandals without and tread on them, so I'll cut myself some slack on that one. This time, though, not so much. My own error. If someone is going to fall, it is going to be me.

We walked back to the hotel and relaxed for a little while before Sara, JB and I went looking for dinner. We ended up at P.F. Chang's (again, one of the only places that opened that day) and it, as always, was good. I rarely get P.F. Chang's because John doesn't like any sort of Asian food so I didn't mind eating at a chain which I usually try to avoid when on vacation.

Monday dawned bright and sunny. The weather was beautiful. We headed out for Faneuil Hall for some breakfast and sightseeing.

Historic Quincy Market

The Faneuil Hall area was really pretty. Lots of trees and historic buildings filled the area. There was shopping - mainly tourist stuff, but that's okay - cafes and other restaurants. We walked around after breakfast and found ourselves down by the water.

Sara was able to get a flight out on Monday so she headed back to the hotel to get her bags and take the T to the airport. She had no problems getting there or through security and even said it was pretty weird being at the airport with hardly anyone there.

Once we said goodbye to Sara, JB, Steve, Diane and I decided to take a trolley tour. I had been wanting to do this since we had such limited time and there is so much to see in Boston. We decided on Old Town Trolley Tours since their tickets were good for two days and the guy that sold us our tickets gave us a student disount. We decided to be students of beer. Our first trolley tour guide was kind of a tool but the other ones that I had the following day were really good.

The trolley took us all over. First through the North End and by Paul Revere's house then across the Charles River to the USS Constitution (more on that later).

Bunker Hill Monument in the distance

USS Constitution

The ride then took us back toward downtown and past some more places like the oldest cemetary in Boston where lots of famous historic figures like Samuel Adams are buried, past the TD Garden where the Celtics and Bruins play and then out toward the Back Bay area where our hotel was located.

Hard to see but this is the Bell In Hand pub - the oldest in America

Back Bay is where Boston Common is. It is a beautiful green park with ponds and swan boats. We walked through it from our hotel on our way to Cheers and then again at the end of our trolley ride.

The tour went by the mother church for the Church of Christ, Scientist. The building was really pretty and had nice fountains out front. It's too bad there was so much concrete or it might have been a more peaceful place to hang out on a weekend afternoon.

JB's mom had picked up some cookies while at the Faneuil Hall marketplace. They were awesome!

King's - where we bowled on Sunday.

Fenway from the other side - we didn't make it to these statues on game day

After Fenway we went back over the Charles to MIT and down Charles Street. If we had more time I would have wanted to spend it on Charles Street. There were lots of adorable shops and cafes. Lots of things to explore.

I had mentioned in a previous post that our hotel is on the register of historic hotels. I wanted to get a picture of the elevators because I think they were the original lights on them letting you know when an elevator had arrived. They lit up and said "This Car Up".

After the trolley tour JB had to head back for an appointment so I said goodbye and went up to my room to rest. After a little while I decided to head back out to the H&M I had seen on Boylston for some shopping. I am so glad that there isn't one super close to my house because I would spend a lot of money there. I ended up having a beer at the hotel's Irish pub, M.J. O'Connor's, and taking dinner up to my room. I have to say, it was really nice to have some quiet time to myself. I don't get a lot of it!

On Tuesday I got up early and headed back out to the trolley tour to spend some time at the USS Constitution. My dad had said more than once that I needed to go see it and I'm really glad that I did. This ship is the one with the nickname "Old Ironsides" even though she is made completely of wood. It was fun to hear the history of the ship. Current Navy members operate and take care of the ship and give the tours. Our guide said that they clean her every day and that they are hoping to get her seaworthy so that she can go out next year on the anniversary of her "birth" during the War of 1812. What a site that would be!

By the time I was done with the tour and gift shops it was getting close to my needing to get back to the hotel to check out. I had intended to meet Steve and Diane for a harbor cruise (also part of our trolley tour ticket) but I could only push my check-out back so far and I wasn't going to have time to do it all. I'm sorry I missed the cruise and spending a little more time with them. They're really great! So I got some lunch, packed up my stuff and headed to the airport. My flight left on time - 48 hours exactly after I was supposed to leave.

Boston was so much fun and I had an awesome time with JB and Sara. I wish we could stuff like this more often! I'm ready to plan our next trip. =)

7 Months Old!

2011-09-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

The boys are now 7 months old and for their seven month birthday they decided to give me the gift of having to take care of them while they both have colds. It's been great. Both are extremely congested and snotty so sleeping has been difficult, especially for Jake who really loves his pacifier. It is hard to breathe and suck on a pacifier at the same time when you can't get any air through your nose! But we're dealing with it and I have to believe that every night here on out is going to get better.

In addition to a cold they both each have a tooth! Jake got his first tooth on a Friday and Zach got his the following Monday. I did not expect them to get their first teeth that close together, or this early, especially since Olivia didn't get her first tooth until she was ten and a half months. Even more coincidental is that they got a tooth in the same spot - lower right front. I'm guessing that Jake will gloat over getting a tooth first as I'm sure he will about being older too.

The weather has (kind of) started cooling off so if we can get out early enough in the morning for walks it isn't so bad. The boys, and Olivia, really like it.

I don't know their exact heights and weights but I do know that Jake is still bigger. Zach is catching up though. He consistently eats more than Jake (recently at least). I'd guess Jake to be around 19 pounds or more and Zach at around 18. They are both tall. I recently had to buy some 12m pajamas for Jake because he's just too long for 9m that both he and Zach normally wear. Here are some pictures from the 7 month pictures I took of them. I don't know why I am even bothering with the blue blanket backdrop. It doesn't look very good and is falling over. Oh well.

Baby boy Zach.

Zach loves anything shiny or with buttons. He is particularly fascinated by remote controls and anything around mom's neck. This can become painful for me when he doesn't want to let go of my necklaces. One of his other favorite things are magazines, or other pieces of paper. He spent about 15 minutes tearing up a Huggies ad yesterday. I don't know why. Olivia was the same way. At least we know now how to entertain him when we need to distract him. He is pretty fearless. He'll climb all over John and I and up onto the arms of couches or chairs to go after something. It is not odd to have to grab onto his legs to prevent him from going headfirst off the side of the couch or over the arm of our big chair in the pursuit of some incredibly interesting item. I also can't count the number of times he has seen Jake with his pacifier in his mouth and gone of our and snatched it right out of Jake's mouth.

Middle child Jake.

Jake still lives up to the nickname "Smash". Whereas Zach wants to grab things to see what it is, Jake wants to grab things to see how loudly he can bang them. It doesn't matter what it is, he wants to whack it to make noise. This includes mom and dad's arms, hands, legs and faces. Just this week he is getting the clapping motion down and when he is excited (and on his stomach) he'll kick his feet and clap his hands together. He is our wrecking ball and is into everything. And I do mean everything. We've had to close the door to the man room because he's been eyeballing the bobbleheads. Discussion of acquiring a baby pen has started but we can't figure out where we have the most room for it. The free rein they have right now is not going to last as they get bigger. Jake is still our dramatic one and is a pickier eater than Zach. He doesn't seem to like raspberries at all and will act like he's gagging if he doesn't like what you are giving him.

Oooh, I want that thing in your hands, Mom!

Dad's a funny guy!

Had to get all 3 of them!

Typical Zach trying to climb over someone to get what he wants. And typical happy-go-lucky Jake.

Jake's best, "But I'm an angel, Mom" face. Mmmhmm, I know better.

Oooh, neat!

The boys still aren't exactly crawling. They army crawl so getting around isn't an issue but once they figure out how to go more than one or two strides on their hands and knees we're in big trouble because they are already all over the place and when they conquer the traditional crawl they are going to be so much faster. This is one of Jake's favorite places to end up. I think it is because he can then reach the cord for the floor lamp. We've had to move him away from cords lots of times already. He and Zach have also pulled over one of our fake trees several times.

I can't forget to include Olivia in this update. She is our little princess. She had originally said that she wants to be Whyatt from SuperWhy for Halloween but I think we are onto a princess now. Who knows what it will be in a month when the holiday actually rolls around. This is the "princess outfit" that she puts together for herself. Love the skirt pushed up by the tutu. =) I don't know what's up with her tiara either.

I don't know why she smiles like this with her nose all scrunched up. It's not her natural smile.

Olivia Says . . .

2011-09-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

I am terrible at writing down the funny things that Olivia says but I am going to do my best to get things down when I hear them so that I don't forget. In that vein here are some things that we have recently heard from Olivia that have been funny (of course without an intent to be funny because that is what makes them funnier!):

"When I get 21 I can have wine!" - Yes, she said "when I get 21". Maybe I shouldn't drink wine around her so she doesn't get used to seeing it in the house. Too late!

Me - "Olivia, tomorrow is Busha's birthday. You want to call and say happy birthday to her?"
O - "No. Let's just send a text message." - Really? You're 3 and you would already rather text?

Kimber, our daycare provider, and I were talking about another of the kids whose parents just got a puppy for the little boy to play with and I was saying that maybe the kid (who is already a bit of a handful to start with) and the dog could run around and wear each other out. Kimber said that they already had 4 dogs, so I replied, "Well, what's one more when you already have 4?". Olivia says, "Five". - Yes, that is correct. She is too smart for us already.

Boston, Day 2 - Fenway!

2011-09-20T08:32:00.002-07:00

This was the day that I was really looking forward to. From the day we decided on Boston we had hoped to get tickets to a Red Sox game. Luckily, Mike was able to score us some awesome seats. And I do mean awesome.

Saturday morning was beautiful so we decided to walk Newbury Street which was 2 blocks from our hotel. It is considered to be like the "Rodeo Drive of Boston". It was awesome. Any designer store you could imagine was there. It was too early to shop so we spent a lot of time ogling the window displays. It's not like I could afford much in the stores anyway! But it was fun to look. I did notice there was an H&M though and hoped to make my way back at some point.

We eventually stopped for breakfast and then headed back toward the hotel, with a stop at a liquor store, Clarendon Wine, to prepare for what we thought might be our day holed up in the hotel because of Irene. The shop was small but the people working were nice.

We met Mike at the hotel and then jumped on the T for Fenway with what seemed like the rest of Boston. I was giddy! All of you know what a baseball fan I am and the fact that I was going to Fenway was so exciting to me. It is one of those ballparks that all baseball fans HAVE to see at least once. It is absolutely beautiful. I wanted to take a walk around the entire concourse but didn't get the chance. Next time. I still have to take John (who was very jealous I got to go)!

We picked up our tickets on Landsdowne Street and headed for the best gate to enter. Here are some of my first views of Fenway.

We picked up our tickets here.

View down Landsdowne Street

Where we took the elevator to our seats

My first view of the field. Incredible!

The Green Monster!

We got to our seats in the middle of the first inning and immediately ordered some beers. Sara decided she was going to try to keep up with Steve. Let's just say that she tried her hardest but it didn't happen. We really didn't order much food so I can't speak to the quality, but my pretzel and daiquiris were good!

This is the view from our seats. We were at picnic tables in right field with no one in front of us.

The bullpens were just below us.

Sara enjoying the view.

Our menu for the day - our tickets came with a food/drink credit so we took advantage!

Mike getting fresh with the Red Sox mascot, Wally.

The front bands of Irene rolling in.

Eventually Irene made her presence known and the rain started to come down. There were at least two rain delays during our game (the Red Sox decided to schedule a double-header for Saturday since Sunday's game was more than likely going to be rained out), but they did get it and the second game in. Here are some pictures of us waiting out the rain.

We didn't have umbrellas so Steve and Diane improvised.

Shame on you, Sara!

We left in the 7th inning and headed for dinner. I had heard a lot of good things about Legal Sea Foods and there was one right around the corner from our hotel so we met there after a quick stop for Sara and I at the hotel. It lived up to all the positive reviews I had seen. I had the Legal Crab Cakes Combo with shrimp and scallops and it was awesome! Everywhere we ate while on this trip was really good. I wish I could eat that well on a daily basis.

After dinner Mike had to drive back to Connecticut before they shut down the highways for the hurricane and we all decided it was time to turn in. We were interested to see what Irene was going to bring us the following day. I also found out that evening that my flight had been cancelled the following day and when I called JetBlue they had also cancelled all their flights in/out of Boston for Monday too. I was able to rebook for Tuesday evening - exactly 48 hours later than I had been planning to leave. Boo. But it all ended up working out pretty well in the end.

First Haircut

2011-09-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

I (finally) took Olivia for her first haircut last week. Yes, she is 3 years and 3 months and has never had her hair cut. She desperately needed it but mom was holding out. Liv was all for it. She said she wanted to cut her hair "short like mommy's". I nixed that. I'm not ready for it.

I have been so scared to cut off all her beautiful curls for fear that they won't come back since the rest of her hair is straight. But the girl couldn't go any longer with her hair the way it was. It would just hang there and get in the way and get food in it. It doesn't help that O doesn't like to leave her rubberbands or bows in either.

So I sucked it up and took her to get it cut and she did great. I got mine done first so she'd know what to expect. She was more excited about sitting in the chair to watch than anything else.

She chose to not have her hair washed so the stylist just wet it with a spray bottle. Something she was used to because Kimber, our day care provider, does the same thing when she fixes Olivia's hair. (Yes, most mornings I can't fix her hair so Kimber will end up doing it. I'm a terrible mother, I know.)

Anyway, Olivia jumped onto the booster when I was done and was a champ. She kept her chin down when asked and didn't whimper, whine or cry about any of it. It was awesome! Once again, Olivia impresses me when I'm not sure how she'll react.

Her hair is now about 4 or 5 inches shorter and layered. I did keep some of her hair, some of her wonderful curls, just in case they don't return. They haven't so far.

Little Comments

2011-09-12T10:34:00.003-07:00

Twins (and other multiples) draw a lot of attention. You all know this, I'm sure, whether you have multiples or not. They're kind of a novelty and you notice them when you see them. Don't say you don't!

When we're out we get comments all the time:

"Twins? Oh my gosh!"
"How old are they?" (or "What are they?" - Yes, even now as they are obviously boys)
"Wow! I can't imagine two."
"Better you than me!" (I haven't replied "Yes, it is" to this yet, but who would say this?!)

You get the idea.

Those comments are ones that people make TO us. Most of the time this doesn't bother me. I get that twins are cool (I think so!) and different.

We also hear comments ABOUT us as we walk by:

"Can you imagine what I'd be like if I had two newborns?!" (This from a woman who was holding a brand new baby - probably only a couple of weeks old. I thought that was funny because I totally get it considering how I was after Olivia was born.)
"Oh my gosh, twins. How cute." (Yes, they are)
"Oh my gosh, twins." (Said in a tone that obviously means they're glad it wasn't them)

And the most popular:

"I'm so glad there was only one." (in reference to their own pregnancy)

For whatever reason I got really irritated when I heard this on Saturday while I was at Target with John, Olivia and the boys. Olivia decides, as she always does when we're at a store, that she has to go to the bathroom. So I tell John just to take her and I'll wait with the babies. I'm pushing the double stroller and pulling our cart around the baby section when I heard a woman say it to whoever she was with.

I kind of took it personally against my boys. I know, it doesn't make sense, but whatever. How could someone not want two of the sweetest babies ever? How could you not want these two little men greeting you with huge smiles and squeals in the morning? Who wouldn't want big, wet, sloppy Jake kisses on their face or to hear Zach belly laugh when you tickle him?

I guess, now that I have two, I can't imagine having just one. I totally understand what a person means when they say they're glad they only had 1. I am totally guilty of being THAT person who makes those comments - I even laughed when I heard my sister-in-law was having twins. This was before we found out that we were too. Even now when I think of having more than two it crosses my mind that I'm glad it wasn't more than that. Two is hard! Really hard! I can't imagine having another on top of that (especially with the night we had last night!). One would have been so much easier but we were given two and we do what we have to do. And if we had been given three or more we would have taken it on full speed ahead.

Anyway, it was stupid, and John made me feel better by saying that he was glad we had two. I don't know that I've ever heard him say it even though I know it is true. Give a point to the hubby!

And I couldn't agree with him more.

Boston - Day 1

2011-09-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

One of my very best friends, JB, is pregnant with her first child. Instead of going to one of her showers, one of my other best friends, Sara, and I decided with JB that we should meet up for a girls' weekend. We narrowed it down to NYC, Chicago or Boston and since the Red Sox were in town the weekend we were meeting we decided to go there. It's too bad you can't predict accurate weather forecasts 2 months in advance.

Our trip was Hurricane Irene weekend. Lovely. Of course, we didn't care. It ended up being a non-issue other than the fact that our flights were cancelled (mine for 2 days) and we had to spend some extra time in Boston. I just felt so bad that I was gone for a couple extra nights and that my dad had to stick around for 2 extra days to help John out with the kids (my mom had to leave Monday so it was just John and my dad for 2 nights but they did great!).

I will just say that I LOVE Boston. It is one of my favorite cities. It is totally walkable and the public transportation system is so easy to use.

I was the first to arrive on Friday morning. I had taken the red-eye in and got there at about 6:30 a.m. I grabbed my bag and took the T to our hotel, the Boston Park Plaza (highly recommended!), in the Back Bay area of Boston and just about a block from Boston Common. It is on the registry of historic hotels. Luckily they were able to get me into a room right away so that I could rest for a little bit before I met my Aunt Robin for breakfast at one of the hotel's restaurants. It was great to see my aunt and I of course showed her pictures of the boys and Olivia. We talked about my cousins, one of which had just deployed to Afghanistan, and my uncle who was trying to get back from Nigeria before Irene hit. It was really nice to sit and chat because we don't see them that often.

JB and Sara arrived early afternoon, as did JB's parents. Our first stop was happy hour at the original Cheers bar. We had some beers and appetizers before heading out toward the North End, also known as the Little Italy section of Boston. It was a bit of a walk but it was a really nice evening. I didn't get any pictures unfortunately. Sorry!

We had gotten some recommendations for restaurants and pastry places. It was a feast weekend and there were a ton of people on the streets. We walked through a cool little farmer's market with some beautiful produce and eventually stopped at Modern Pastry where I picked up a cannoli and another chocolate peanut bar torrone. My aunt had said that if there wasn't a line at one of the pastry places to take advantage and go in. So I did.

We went to a restaurant called Ristorante Fiore for dinner and while we were eating a marching band walked down the street in front of our restaurant. Totally random but I had been warned that this might happen. Sara and I had the Bombolotti al Forno. It was so good!

After dinner we walked a little bit further down Hanover Street and came across Mike's Pastry. This place had a line but we braved it anyway. There was a sign that said that there wasn't a single file line and to please just move up to the next available service person. It didn't take long to get up there and have to make a very difficult decision. What to get! They had probably 2 dozen or more types of cannolis and as many different types of cookies with some cheesecake thrown in there for good measure. I ordered the amaretto cannoli.

Yes, I got 2 cannolis. No, I didn't eat both of them that night. But in case anyone is wondering I liked the Mike's Pastry one better though both were really good.

It was getting late at this point so we jumped on the T back to our hotel. I was seriously looking forward to a night of uninterrupted sleep on a comfortable bed!

6 Month Update!

2011-09-01T12:35:00.001-07:00

I have officially made it through what most twin moms say is the hardest part. The first 6 months. And I have lived to tell all about it! I'm not gonna lie. It was tough. Really tough. But it has definitely gotten progressively better as the boys have gotten older. Bedtimes are easier. They are both pretty good at putting themselves to sleep. Feedings are going well. Jake still spits up a lot but they are both really enjoying solids and are taking less breastmilk (I really need to reduce my pump sessions since we're running out of room in the freezer!).

It is tough to go places with them only because of nap schedules. I have them on two naps a day for sure. Sometimes it is three if it seems they need one late in the afternoon/early evening. I don't like to mess with their naps and they like to fall asleep in their carseats so I don't want to take them anywhere during non-nap times so that they don't fall asleep in the car. It makes getting errands done a little bit harder but we figure it out. Sam's is our big family trip for the week and we usually do that after their first nap of the day.

At their 6 month check-up Jake weighed 18 lb 8 oz and was 28.5 inches tall. His nickname is "Smash" because he just bangs around everything we give him and when we put him in the Exersaucer he bounces around it like a pinball. The other day he pulled over one of our fake trees on top of himself and thought it was funny. He's that kid. But he's incredibly sweet and still a mama's boy. He will wrap his arms around my neck and give "Jakey kisses" as I've deemed them. Big open mouth on the cheek. I love them! He's an awesome sitter and is all over his crib and the floor trying to roll away. We'll have to keep an eye on this one.

He doesn't look so much like an old man anymore!

Zach is a big boy as well. Catching up to his brother but still smaller at 16 lbs 14 oz and 27.5 inches. He is our thinker and could be more of the bully between the two. He'll take Jake's pacifier from him (I think he does it because he can) and other things to get under Jake's skin. It's pretty funny. He is a lot more vocal on a regular basis than his brother (though the volume is a little lower). He seems to enjoy experimenting with his voice and different sounds. He isn't crawling yet but it won't be long. He can get up on his knees and hands and sometimes rock but he isn't quite there. We're in trouble when these two get mobile.

I got a text from our day care provider yesterday and it appears that the boys had their first fight. I guess Zach pulled Jake's ear, so Jake pulled Zach's hair. They had to be separated. =) Not surprising that Zach started it. Though just this morning Jake was rolled over almost on top of Zach and was trying to gnaw on his arm. No telling with these guys!

Here, brother, let me help you with that sticker.

Liv wanted in on the pictures too.

You've got to be kidding me!

2011-08-15T15:18:00.003-07:00

I have a lot to say about this article but am going to keep my thoughts to myself at the moment.

Anyone else want to chime in?

Edited 8/18/11:

I've gotten several responses via e-mail, text and on Facebook about this. Everyone I've talked to about it has been pissed off when they read the article. I was as well. It actually took me pretty much all day to read it because I would have to stop and take a break when it made me angry.

Ultimately, the remarks that I've received have been that if you don't want the babies don't get pregnant. As far as I'm concerned, don't go through fertility treatments (where one of the first things they advise you of is the possibility of multiples!). If you do go through IVF only transfer one egg. There are ways to avoid multiples in most cases.

As the mother of twins I was really upset about the comment made saying that parents of twins can't give all of themselves to their children. That their attention would always be divided. I GIVE ALL OF MYSELF EVERY DAY TO MY CHILDREN. I have three and I don't think any of them would say that they feel slighted by my having to take care of another child at any given time (that is, if they could talk at the moment =)). They are all very happy kids and I plan on doing whatever I can to make sure they never feel forgotten or that I am half-assing it with them. Do I feel guilty at times because I can't change a diaper right away or feed one because I'm dealing with another. Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm not trying to give everything I have to them. It's a logistical thing, not an emotional one.

As the friend of several people who have gone through fertility treatments I am pissed for them as well. I have friends who would give anything to have kids and aren't able to even with fertility treatments, so to hear that people reduce their pregnancies for social reasons is just ridiculous. These women in the article say that they don't want to say anything because they'll be judged. Hell, yes, you'll be judged! If you can't handle taking care of the children that you conceive then don't do it!

Twins are tough. Even with a very helpful and supportive partner it is difficult, but I do it. I do it because I wanted kids and I got twins. Am I exhausted and at times frustrated? Absolutely. Is it tough financially. Yes! But I still do it because this is what I chose and what I was given. No, I didn't do fertility treatments but I don't think it matters. I wasn't going to reduce because I may have only wanted one.

Ugh, I need to stop or I'm going to get all worked up again.

5 Months Old!

2011-08-04T11:35:00.004-07:00

The boys have hit the 5 month mark and along with that milestone they have also gotten sick. Multiple times. It has really been nothing major. Just colds - snotty noses (REALLY snotty, boogery noses), slight coughs. Zach handles these things really well. He'll still sleep really well, occasionally waking up in the middle of the night but generally sticking with his 10 hour night stretch. Sure, he can't breathe through his nose but that doesn't stop him from sleeping! Napping, however, can be a challenge.

Jake, on the other hand, is a whole different story. You know that Dayquil (I think) commercial where the guy is sick on the couch and the remote control is on the table right next to him but just out of reach and he complains that he can't reach the remote? That is so going to be Jake. He is overdramatic in the best of times so being sick makes it that much worse. He'll be up several times a night crying after losing his pacifier. Most recently we had to bring him into bed with us and John had to hold the pacifier in his mouth so that we could get some sleep. Luckily that was a day I worked from home so when I was up at 5:15 for good I just got right to work. But it was the longest.night.ever. Even worse than any of their newborn days. We are finally back to normal with him but I really need to break him of that damn pacifier.

Here are their 5 month pictures:

Not a great pic of Jake but it'll do. Check out his thighs!

Zach blowing yet another raspberry

Zach is rolling both front to back and back to front and is really wanting to crawl but he just hasn't quite figured out how to get all limbs working the right way at the same time in order to do it. Jake just started rolling from front to back last week. They are both loving the Exersaucer so I went out and bought a jumper so they both can enjoy time in them (at the same time) and give John and I a break. It works really well in the morning when John is trying to get everyone ready to go by himself.

Both Jake and Zach are extremely vocal. Zach has his little squeal/screech thing down and it is really cute. Both are laughing and it is my favorite thing to get them both going. They both love Olivia still and she can make them laugh just by standing in front of them and smiling. I'm so glad I can use her to entertain them from time to time. And luckily she still enjoys doing it!

One problem I have noticed, though, is that no matter how closely I keep their fingernails clipped they still manage to cut themselves. Especially Jake. He has this habit of scratching the back of his head and his forehead leaving scratches all over the place. Poor kid cuts himself to the point of bleeding and scabbing. Any advice on how to keep those nails shorter and/or avoid this?

We have started them on solids and Zach is doing particularly well but just this week Jake is finally figuring it out. So far they have had sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, squash, green beans, applesauce and bananas. Plus we've started them on the combo fruits like bananas with mixed berries and applesauce with strawberries and bananas. Jake still has the tongue thrust habit but he seems to like everything I've given him except rice cereal. He refuses to eat it so I've switched to the oatmeal cereal which he seems to like better. Zach is eating solids like a champ and will yell if I take too long to get him another spoonful. I guess its good he has a brother he has to share me with at dinner time so that he can learn some patience! Too bad Olivia didn't have that. =)

Jake's favorite thing to try to eat, however, is this:

Don't you wish you were this flexible?

I just thought this was a funny picture of Zach. He wasn't happy about sitting there.

What can I say about Olivia? That girl is pushing all my buttons right now. She is asking why a lot less nowadays but no is still her favorite thing to say. Of course she has her moments. She loves to dance and spin for her brothers after dinner and insisted that we take her picture.

I do let her pick out her own clothes. Some days are more successful than others. This day was not one of them.

She is usually really good for us while we're putting the boys to bed. She watches Ni-Hao Kai Lan while we're feeding them and the other night she told John that she wants to visit Kai Lan and stay at her house. John told her it was in China, a long way away. She said that we could drive the car there. When John explained that there was water between us and China and that we'd have to fly or take a boat she suggested that if we take a boat we should all get purple fishing poles and fish off the side of the boat. She also concluded that, if we want to fly, we could just ask a bird if we could fly on their back. Ahh, the toddler mind.

They DO Come in 3's!

2011-08-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we got our third thing in Saturday's mail.

A letter from the IRS.

Turns out I had transposed some numbers on our 2009 tax return and instead of the $3,355 that I thought we got we should have only received $655.

Yes, we now owe them $2,700 and with interest it's actually $2,847.

Seriously, this has got to be the last thing, right?!

Just one of them days

2011-07-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

Actually, it's just one of them two days.

We got our water bill from the city a couple of weeks ago and when I FINALLY looked at it, just a couple days before it was due, I realized that it was higher than normal.

Not just slightly higher.

SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.

I immediately called our city's finance department to see what was up. They were very nice about it and said they would transfer me to the water department because it is possible there was a leak and that's what made it go up. One transfer later, and another very nice lady, I am on the schedule to have a water technician come out and check our meter.

But they said it could take a week to get that done. In the meantime I'm thinking that if there is a leak I don't want it to get worse and the ceiling come down on one of my kids. Even though we haven't noticed any sort of water damage anywhere.

So I call a plumber yesterday. They are going to send someone out today between 8 a.m. and noon. Fine. I work from home today so no big deal.

Get home from work last night and I walk into an 86 degree house. What the?! The A/C is blowing but not cooling. Son of a bitch! That's just what we need.

So I call the A/C company we've used in the past and someone was here within an hour. The guy is great. Does all his little stuff to figure out what is wrong including climbing into the attic. Turns out our motor is shot and the drains need to be cleaned.

Of course the manufacturer, Carrier, makes their A/Cs as difficult as possible to get into and needing a special motor. But we need it fixed. You can't live in Phoenix without an A/C. Not gonna happen.

Well, the guy can fix it but it won't happen until today. What to do then?

Pack the kiddos up and head to a hotel. No way are we staying in the house with a 3 year old, two 5 month olds and nothing but fans to blow around hot air.

Luckily there is a hotel close and I had a $100 off a repair for the A/C so essentially our room was free.

That's about as far as our luck goes although the plumber got here and discovered that there was in fact a leak but only in our drip system. I am so glad it wasn't something in the walls, ceiling, or under the concrete which he said it could have been.

So we're out about $1250 and counting.

They say bad things come in 3's. I'm hoping the third one decides to skip over us. We really don't need it!

On a positive note, the kids did awesome in the hotel. The boys shared a sofabed and didn't roll all over each other. John got his own bed and I shared with Olivia. When we were leaving this morning Liv told us that she wants to go to that hotel again. I said that I hope we don't ever have to stay there again. Keep your fingers crossed!

Aunt Manny & Kristen's Visit

2011-07-27T12:07:00.002-07:00

My Aunt Manny and cousin Kristen came out to visit a couple of weeks ago. My family is awesome! This is the second of my aunt's (and first cousin) to come out since the boys were born to help out with housework and cooking because Lord knows it's not getting done that well without some help. =)

We had a lot of fun with them and they did an incredible job of (along with my mom) cleaning my entire house and cooking some delicious food. I am so incredibly thankful that they wanted to do this for John and me.

The boys enjoyed meeting their great aunt Manny and Kristen. In typical form Jake charmed the pants off of them from the get-go with his smiles and laughing and generally outgoing personality. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of this but you can imagine.

Zach was true to form as well. He quietly observed everything before becoming comfortable with the changes. It didn't take long to warm up to Manny or Kristen.

While they were in town John and I took the opportunity to take Olivia on a "staycation". We went to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge so that we could float on the lazy river, swim, and relax. Liv got to sleep in the king size bed with us and she had a great time hanging out in the pool with Daddy. She has already told us she wants to go back to the hotel. I was glad we were able to give her some 1 on 1 time for a while. Some days she needs it more than others.

Most of you know that I am NOT a fan of dressing twins in matching clothes, especially when they are fraternal. I will coordinate but not match the boys. There are some exceptions. We received these as a gift and I had to get a shot of them in it. Most of the time they wear these to sleep in or at different times but here is the token picture of them in them at the same time.

4 Month Update

2011-07-07T09:33:00.000-07:00

The boys had their 4 month check-up and Olivia had her 3 year check-up last week. I have big kids.

Jake weighed in at 16' 12.5" (75th percentile) and was 27" long (95th percentile). Zach is a little leaner at 14' 14" (45th percentile) and 26.5" (88th percentile). The nurse practitioner that we see said they were "long and lean". She doesn't have to carry Jake around every day though. Compared to Olivia though, at 4 months they are lightweights! She was almost 19 pounds at this point but only 25.5" so they definitely have her in the height category. Not really a surprise.

Had to get them in their Baylor onesies. Sic 'em Bears!

Zach was trying to maneuver himself to better see the TV.

Jake "doing work" as Olivia would say.

We have started them on solids. Kind of. We have given them peas so far and they aren't huge on them but are getting better at the whole eating with a spoon thing. Only about 3/4 of what I give them ends up on them now. This is how I feed them. Jake tends to be more interested in the toys and is much more overdramatic as far as gagging goes. But that's not a surprise. He's our diva!

Sweet Olivia is definitely in her terrible threes. Lots of "No!" and "Why?" come out of her mouth to the point where I just want to shoot myself. I suppose it is to be expected though. And then she goes and redeems herself by sitting nicely with her little brother and asking if I want to take a picture. Yes, please!

At 3 years old she is 36.8 pounds (90th percentile) and 38 1/2 inches tall (76th percentile).

It's Hard to Believe

2011-06-26T09:18:00.002-07:00

It is hard for me to believe that my babies are 4 months old. Yes, they are 1/3 of the way through their first year. This makes me sad some days because I know they are my last children but most of the time I am so happy that they are getting bigger and more interactive with us. I neglected to put up a 3 month post so here are some pictures that I took at 3 months. I don't have official weights or lengths but I think Zach was around 14 1/2 pounds and Jake was close to 16 pounds.

Zach

Jake

Uncle Danny was able to make it out for a quick visit and Olivia had a ton of fun with him. They bonded over jumping on the bed and decorating her brothers with stickers. Now, if only I could have gotten him to get up with the boys at night it would have been a perfect visit!

Never know what is going to happen when Uncle Danny comes!

Zach always stops smiling as soon as I raise the camera so I kind of caught a partial smile here. He has the best wide open mouth smile ever.

Jake looks as if he's planning something here.

My boys

They are both really happy boys. Jake, in particular, wakes up with a huge smile on his face which sticks around most of the day as long as he is fed and gets adequate sleep. For a stretch both boys slept through the night (7:30 to approximately 5ish) but now Jake is getting up at 3:30 which I suppose is better than 1 or 2. He is usually up for good at about 6 or 6:30. Zach, on the other hand, is getting up around 5 to eat and then wants to stay up. Not fun. He'll usually go back to sleep around 6:30 when Jake is getting up. They have impeccable timing.

Both boys are still eating a ton but luckily I am still keeping up. In fact, after having to defrost about 1 bag a day for about a week and a half after a clogged duct about a month and a half ago, I've actually been able to freeze a bunch more milk in the last couple of weeks. I am so glad that I have been able to exclusively give them breastmilk though we do cheat and put some rice cereal in their bedtime bottles. I think it helps Zach more than Jake.

I won't have their heights and weights until the end of next week at their check-up but here are some things they are doing. At 4 months both boys are getting used to the Bumbo chair as they practice sitting up on their own. We attempted giving both boys some rice cereal over the weekend without success. Zach about gagged and Jake started screaming. We'll try again in a few weeks but at least we have video to blackmail them in the future.

Jake is blowing raspberries and talking up a storm both to himself and to others. He's becoming very proficient at reaching out and grabbing at the toys that hang on the toy bar on his bouncy chair and he loves grabbing fingers and playing with them. He has start belly laughing which is the best sound. He still loves his sister - she was the first thing we ever heard him laugh at - and his pacifier. Another paci kid. Great. You all know how I feel about that but whatever. He is still the smiley one and is still a mama's boy. He is a load and when he wants to be held all.the.time. my arms ache. He has much better control of his head now but is still kind of spastic with his movements. He scratches his forehead and the back of his head all the time to the point where he has scratch marks and irritated skin even though I keep his fingernails clipped as short as I can. Jake also loves his baths. Water in the face doesn't bother him in the least and I think he'd spend a lot more time in the tub if he could.

Jake, our happy boy

Zach started blowing raspberries before Jake and will still talk a lot but not as much as his brother. He is kind of laughing but not the belly laugh yet. He is close though. Turns out that Z is our thumb sucker. It has to be his left thumb though. He has seemed to favor his left side so I'm wondering if he is going to be our southpaw. He is trying to reach out for stuff but isn't quite there yet but you can see him concentrating so hard on it. One major physical milestone that he has passed is rolling from front to back. I walked into their bedroom one morning and he had rolled to his back. It happened again a couple of nights later and now he does it all the time. You can tell that he is so proud of himself but it becomes a problem when he pushes himself into a corner of the crib and can't roll out of it so starting the whining and crying for mom and dad (this inevitably happens at the most inopportune time). He is drooling and gnawing like crazy so I wonder if he is going to be getting a tooth sooner than later. Plus, he sports a sweet mohawk.

Zach getting ready to blow a raspberry.

"Hello there!"

Olivia is 3!

2011-06-22T11:56:00.002-07:00

Olivia turned 3 a couple of weeks ago and we had a party for her with several of her friends able to make it. We had a lot of fun and her brothers enjoyed their first birthday party even though they both slept through part of it. We had lots of extra hands to hold them and I don't remember even seeing either one of them for a couple of hours. It was odd but kind of nice to have a break and let everyone else enjoy them.

We opened presents after everyone had left and I didn't think to get pictures. She got several Zhu Zhu pets and the Zhu Zhu pet princess castle and carriage, lots of stickers and activity books, one of those sit on bouncy balls (that she adores) and several other things. We really need to get rid of some stuff to accommodate all the new items she received.

We got a bunch of balloons and pink and purple decorations

My sister and parents were able to come out for the party

The set up for our ice cream sundae bar! We had chocolate, strawberry and caramel sauces, mini chocolate chips, marshmallows, whipped cream and sprinkles to top the ice cream as well as fruit and marshmallow cream dip to go along with the cake.

We were singing to her. She wasn't quite sure she liked that.

She wanted a cake with pink and purple horses on it but the best I could come up with were My Little Pony decorations. She picked out the other Minnie Mouse decorations to add to it. It was kind of a strange themed party with a My Little Pony and Minnie Mouse cake, and Backyardigan, Tinkerbell and Minnie Mouse balloons.

At 3, Olivia is going on 13. I went into a lot about her in the previous post but some days the things she says make me wonder where she came from! I'll "blame" some of it on her father. I can only imagine what she is going to be like as a teenager with the attitude she throws at us at times. But all in all she is awesome. She is a good kid and a great big sister. I can't wait to see the girl/teenager/woman she will turn into.

The other big news in Olivia's world is that she is now pacifier free! Woohoo! I hated that thing. The Paci Pixie came a few days after her birthday and left her a present for giving up her pacifier. We put the pacifier in a bowl and left it just outside her bedroom door for the Pixie just like we left treats for Santa and the Easter Bunny. When O went to bed she didn't whine or ask for it once and hasn't since. It's been awesome. I didn't think it was going to be this easy! I think it helped that she could understand what was going on and was (kind of) ready for it.

One last picture of her with her pacifier. We also removed the barriers on her bed so now she is in the "day bed" set up.

The day before O's party our friends Andi and Kyle had a 2nd birthday party for their son Landon. It was at our local splash pad and we had a really fun time. O loves going to parks but still isn't quite sure about the water. We can't get her to get her face wet at all. I am not looking forward to ever getting her into swimming lessons!

Landon got Elmo and Cookie Monster cakes. He loved the singing and wanted us to sing more so we sang "Happy Birthday" twice.

Ashlee enjoyed her Elmo cupcake!

So did Olivia. She even had some Cookie Monster cupcake too. She has a sweet tooth just like her mom.

Can't Forget Olivia!

2011-05-25T15:31:00.001-07:00

My little Liv is going to be 3 soon and I can't believe it. She has turned into such a wonderful little girl. Most days. She has her moments as all children her age do but she really is a sweet kid. She LOVES her baby brothers so much and always wants to hug or kiss them and rub their "wubby" cheeks. We assume she means chubby but who knows.

Before her first dance class which also became her last dance class because she decided she wasn't going to have anything to do with the teacher or the class. We'll wait until she's a little older and try again.

She is becoming a lot like her mother in personality and in looks. She is quite orderly as evidenced below with how she lined up her pillows and dolls on her bed. She loves books and will sleep with several in her bed at night. I can only hope that her love of reading continues as she gets older. She is incredibly smart with a brain that forgets nothing. She is constantly reminding us of things we said we would do or that we said she could have. Nothing gets past her, which can be a problem for John and I sometimes. It is not easy to distract her when she has her mind made up that she wants something.

Right now Olivia likes anything pink, purple, butterfly, Tinkerbell, Minnie Mouse or Disney Princess. Once she latches onto something, whether it be a toy, lovie or item of clothing she doesn't want to let it go. She would probably wear the same pajamas or outfits every day if we let her.

This is a dress from my friend, Sara's, daughter, Mia, that Olivia will wear over and over again.

My Aunt Barb came out to visit for about a week last month and she and Olivia bonded. Liv loved her and still talks about her fairly often. It helps that Barb is Bobcat Busha's sister I think.

The boys couldn't have asked for a better big sister than Olivia. We have been very lucky in that she hasn't had any problems with the boys. She told me the other day that she loves her baby brothers and that she is glad she has them. There were a few weeks there were we saw some jealousy but she didn't project it at the babies. John and I got the brunt of the whininess and neediness but it's starting to even out as we're getting more into a routine now that I'm back at work and we have set times every day where it is just her and us. We're probably going to take her to the circus in a few weeks for some one on one time that I think she'll really enjoy.

With "Zach Attack" as she calls him. Jake is "Jake the Snake".

Having fun in the bathtub with Daddy. I do not endorse the messages he writes on the sides of the tub.

I have to admit that I am glad that it is just Olivia and I as the only girls in the family. It's us against the guys and I couldn't think of a person I'd rather have in that situation.

Sometimes I Just Need a Little Encouragement

2011-05-19T16:08:00.001-07:00

Since going back to work I've been struggling with taking care of the babies, Olivia, and John (and myself!) while also working full time and making sure the house is clean (it's not) and that dinner is on the table (it gets there though its not what I'd call a "real dinner" most nights - I'm lucky if I can get O a hot dog, vegetables and milk). Taking care of two babies is no cake walk and I'm really feeling the effects of sleep deprivation and frustration. I'm constantly having to remind myself that all of the struggles are temporary. The boys will start sleeping through the night and things will get easier. My mom forwarded me some stuff to encourage me and remind me of this (thanks Mom!). I highlighted the ones in the first e-mail that I found particularly relevant for where I am right now.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.33. Believe in miracles.34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

I have to remember that the babies aren't always going to be the size they are now forever. I got a link to a friend's pictures of her twins and I realized that I was already forgetting what mine were like when they were only a few weeks old. I don't want to waste my time being upset while they're this little because they are only this little once, and like it said above, they only have one childhood. Plus, with them being my last babies I want to enjoy every age.

The other e-mail she send has to do with asking for help. Specifically asking for God's help.

There, before the throne of God, is a huge multitude of people, and they're all shaking their fists at him and complaining about this situation and that, and each person ends his complaint with "Why didn't you do something?" And then God says to all of us, "Why didn't you ask?"

— from Dion the Wanderer Talks Truth

I really thought I'd be able to handle the twins without much help. Boy was I wrong! Two babies isn't just two times the work. It's way more than that. I have been extremely lucky though in that both boys are incredibly healthy and normal and so many people have come out to help us out. My family is the best and I know that when I need help they, and He, will be there for me. I just need to ask.

Easter

2011-05-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

My parents and sister were in town for Easter this year and it was really nice to spend a holiday with family. It doesn't happen a lot for us being so far away from everyone. Olivia had a wonderful time with her Busha and Dadu coloring eggs and participating in our annual egg-cracking contest on Easter morning.

Ready to dye!

Checking out the results - let's just say we had some interesting looking eggs

The Easter bunny was great to Olivia this year and the favorite thing she got this year was a metal monkey water bottle and green monkey jammies. Plus she got some new Tinkerbell underwear that she loved. It's the little things that impress her. =) We didn't do baskets for the boys this year because, really, what do you get 2 month olds? Diapers? We do have baskets for them because a family friend got all three kids personalized baskets with their name on them. The boys look like Olivia's but the bunny has a bow tie, not a flower, and instead of pink lining it's blue. They are really cute!

The chocolate went fast (thanks to sneaky mom and dad) but we are still finishing all the jelly beans that she got.

Laundry

2011-05-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know I posted this last week but for whatever reason it didn't save. Anyway, I'm not going to try to remember everything I posted so I'll just say that this is 5 days worth of laundry. Pre-twins I did laundry once a week on Sundays and normally only had 5 loads (4 before Olivia). Now I easily have 6-8 depending on how pukey the boys were. Now I am doing laundry on Fridays when I work from home so that I don't have the kids distracting me and I can get it all done in one day.

The wall is about 3 feet high so you can kind of get an idea of the size of the pile. The pictures really don't do it justice.

These are the boys' sheets and burp cloths only.

2 Months Old!

2011-05-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

The boys turned 2 months old on April 17th so as of yesterday they are actually 11 weeks old. The time has flown by. They are continuing to grow like weeds. At their check-up Jake was 13 lb 10 oz and 24.5" (90th and 92nd percentile). Zach was a little smaller at 12 lb and 24" (50th and 80th percentile). Jake is trying to keep up with his sister who was always in the 95+ percentile range.

I just realized as I was putting these pictures in that I put the wrong lovie with each boy. Oops.


I love this because it looks like they're saying "Holla!" and are ready to party.

Jake and Zach started at daycare this week. Yes, I am back to work. I officially return to the office on Monday but I did work from home a couple of days this week. It sucks but its what we need to do right now. John is going to be responsible for getting all three of the munchkins ready to go in the morning so I'm anxious to see how that goes. Not because I don't think he can do it. I know he can. It's just a lot, especially with two infants and a very headstrong almost 3 year old. Luckily they are able to go to the same daycare as O and we are so comfortable sending them there so I have no qualms about that part of it. Do I wish that I could stay home with them? Sure. Most days. They are a lot of work and my job is easier than staying home but its not nearly as rewarding. But, I will admit, it is nice to have a break every now and then.

They are not sleeping completely through the night yet but Zach essentially is. He'll sleep from 7:15 or so to about 5. He'll then get up, eat, and go back to sleep for several more hours. John or I have to wake him at 7:30 to get ready for daycare. If only Jake were the same way. He still gets up a couple of times a night and occasionally doesn't want to go back to sleep after his 4:30 or 5 feeding because it is already starting to get light outside. It's killing me! Especially now that I am really going to have to be up after that feeding to get ready for work. Unfortunately, I think that if we'd let them sleep on their stomachs more they would sleep better.

Jake is still our smiley one. He will smile and try to be all coy. He's our ladies man and is going to be a flirt. He is also extremely high-maintenance. He will whine and moan when you put him down. Not really crying, just making noise and doing the lip thing. It's pretty funny. Once you pick him up, he's good. He also absolutely loves Olivia. He will smile when she's around and watch her as she runs around. I think he'd rather watch her than be with John and I. O calls him "Jakery" (because we call Zach Zachary fairly often) and "bobblehead" because he doesn't quite have total control of his huge noggin.

Zach, as well as being my awesome sleeper, is my talker. I love it! He will sit and talk to you for a long time. The best is when he's eating, looks up at me, smiles and coos. It doesn't matter that it might be 2 a.m. He's quite a mover too. He's all over his bed, especially when he naps on his stomach. I'll come in and he'll be turned perpendicular to when I laid him down and pressed up against the end of the crib. Just yesterday I was watching him on the play mat and he was getting onto his side from his back. He will be rolling over first. And I think he'll be doing it soon.

Just some more pictures of the boys together.

I really wish this weren't blurry!


Love the looks on their faces.


Trying to hold hands.

One Month Update (2 weeks late!)

2011-04-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have a free moment while both boys sleep (which doesn't happen often) so I'm going to get a quick update on here. The boys are now 6 1/2 weeks old but at their one month appointment Jake weighed in at 11' 6" and 22 3/4" long. That's the 80th percentile for both. My "petite" Zach came in at 10' and 22" long (the 50th percentile). They are both doing awesome and look really good. Their circumcisions went well. The doctor even went so far as to tell us that they have "plenty of penis" and will "make their wives very happy one day". John was so proud. =) With the exception of Jake's belly button not being completely healed from when the umbilical cord came off, they are both right on track.

Zach (top) & Jake

Jake (left) & Zach

Jake started smiling at us when he was about 3 weeks old. Early, I know, so I wasn't sure they were real smiles but they were. He can get away with anything if he just flashes the smile. So far he is a mama's boy and I can tell he is going to be a flirt.

Zach is still pretty laid back. He is a very slow eater most of the time and makes a huge mess by spitting a lot of the milk out but he's my baby and his big toothless grin is adorable so I don't mind the milk all over the place. He is our champion burper too. Nothing little about those bad boys - you'd think he was a grown man.

My 6-week post-partum check up was last week and everything is great. I am 12 pounds away from pre-pregnancy weight and have already been able to wear some pre-pregnancy clothes so I'm feeling pretty good about that. The saggy skin and stretch marks, not so much, but I'll get over that. I am exclusively pumping and giving the boys milk in bottles. The nursing two babies was too hard and I knew I needed to have someone be able to help me feed them in order to keep my own sanity. Yes, it is a lot of work, but I want them to have as much breast milk as possible and so far I've been able to stay ahead of them. They are starting to eat more, however, so I've had to defrost some frozen milk recently and I think I'll have to start supplementing in the next month or so. I'm disappointed but if it's what they need then so be it.

Olivia has been really great with her brothers (or "baby brudders" as she says). She gives them kisses all the time and will retrieve lost pacifiers or hang out on the floor on their play mats and tummy time mats with them. With us she is still struggling with not being the baby anymore. It seems to happen more with me so she and I are going to have a girls day on Friday. I'm sending the boys to day care and am taking her to see the Disney Princesses on Ice show and to lunch. She needs some "mom time" for sure.

Jake


Zach

On our own

2011-03-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Imagine this:

But with babies in the car seats parked in some random parking lot and me where Olivia is. Can you see it?

That's exactly what took place last week not 45 minutes after I had dropped my mom at the airport so that she could go home after being here helping for a little over a month. I ran into my first test without help after stopping at Sonic for a drink (gotta love their happy hour).

By the time I left Sonic both boys were screaming. I thought I could make it home. Not so much.

I pulled over into a random Napa Auto Parts parking lot, climbed into the back seat and fed the boys at the same time. This was after taking both of them out of their seats to try to calm them (obviously it didn't work). Ah, the life of a mom of twins.

But we survived and I've only had a couple other instances of them both being hungry at the same time and really screaming about it. So I've been lucky.

So, thanks Mom! As soon as you leave they turn on me! =)

The boys turned one month old last Thursday. The time has flown by for the most part, though some days it seems like forever ago that I had them. Those are mainly days when the night was a long one! Their one month check-up is on Wednesday so I will update weights, etc. then.

February 17, 2011

2011-03-04T11:54:00.003-07:00

The day that I finally delivered my boys. Yes, it was supposed to be February 16th but due to there not being enough beds when I called they pushed me back. And back. And back. I ended up going in 21 hours after my original induction time. Here I am Wednesday evening prior to heading into the hospital.

The previous 6 or so days had not been good ones. I had pretty much put myself on bedrest as I've written about before. I was in pain, couldn't walk far, couldn't breathe well and I was most comfortable sleeping on the couch. John was lucky to have the whole bed to himself for several nights and was able to get some good night sleeps before our long night in the hospital. My parents came in the evening of the 14th and were a God send taking care of Olivia and cooking dinner (my mom is still here cleaning my house and making sure everyone is fed - I don't know what I'd do without her!).
We checked in at midnight on Wednesday night/Thursday morning putting me at 39 weeks and 1 day. My nurse was awesome. Softball player who played the same position that I did and we share the same birthday. She also played college ball with a girl I played high school ball with. Small world. Needless to say she and I got along really well which was nice. She got me on my IV and my doctor came in to check if both boys were still head down. I thought that Baby B had flipped but he hadn't. When I was checked I hadn't progressed from my 36 week check-up - I was still 1 cm dilated and soft but not effaced. Who knows how long these boys would have stayed in!

I was started on Pitocin by 1:30 a.m. so I'll count that as the start of my labor.

I did try to sleep but really couldn't with everyone in and out of the room checking monitors because the boys wouldn't stay on and the contractions getting increasingly uncomfortable. By about 5 a.m. I had progressed to 3 cm and was given the epidural. I realize now how much I don't remember about my first delivery with Olivia because of the Stadol I was given before my epidural that time around. Everything is much more vivid this time around and the epidural, while still not a big deal, wasn't as easy as it was last time.

Between the epidural and being checked again around 6:30 a.m. (by my new nurse - also awesome) I went from 3 to 7 cm. Cool. Going well. Around 8 a.m. I was 7-8 cm but not effacing like they wanted me to. They put me on oxygen and put a birthing ball that was shaped like a bean under my right leg and had me roll a little to my left side. Within about 20-30 minutes I was feeling a ton of pressure and when they checked I was complete and baby A had come way down.

So off to the OR.

After prepping for a while I was finally able to push. It was highly uncomfortable just laying there with a baby ready to come out. At least I had had the epidural and it wasn't too painful.

Once everything was finally ready to go, two contractions and 6 pushes later Jacob Ryan was born at 9:15 a.m. weighing 7'15" and measuring 21" in length. This is where things got tricky.

Jake screamed like crazy so I knew he was fine. John wasn't really able to get any pictures of him on the scale because they don't have the scales in the OR and he wasn't going to leave with Baby B still not born. So once they took Jake to be cleaned up and checked out we kind of hunkered down to wait on B.
What they explained to me at that point was that B's heart rate had been going down with every contraction and wasn't going back up to a level they wanted so they kept me on oxygen to help him out and gave me a few more contractions to see if he'd move down far enough to be able to push him out quickly and maybe with the help of the vacuum.

Unfortunately he didn't move down far enough for their liking and his heart rate didn't come up high enough either so my doctor recommended a C-section to get him out. I consented (and had already signed the form in L&D so they prepped me really quickly and in less than 5 minutes Zachary Thomas entered the world at 9:48 a.m. at 7'3" and 20.5" in length. John told me that he was blue when he came out and that they had to use oxygen on him. It took him about 30 seconds to start crying but once he did he pinked right up and hasn't had a problem since.

My labor lasted a little over 8 hours this time and it flew by. The 12 hours that I labored with Olivia dragged so I'm glad this time was better.

I was closed and cleaned up and out of the OR by 10:20 a.m. Both boys came straight to recovery with me with no time in NICU. Only a slight amount of jaundice in both of them was noticed but nothing to warrant any special treatment.

Jake (left) & Zach (right)

Once I was moved to my postpartum room and was comfortable we called my parents and had them bring Olivia to meet her brothers. She was excited to see them and brought them some balloons but after about 10 minutes she said she was ready to go home. Since then she has really taken to them. She gives them kisses all the time and many mornings they only way I can get her to get up and get dressed for daycare is to tell her she has to be dressed before she can see her brothers. Whatever works, right?

Recovery this time around has been much easier that it was with Olivia. I attribute it to the fact that I was on meds this time around and I knew kind of what to expect with newborns. The babies have gone easy on me too. They rarely cry and I've had a ton of help with feedings at night which allows me a few extra minutes of sleep here and there. John has taken over a lot of the care of Olivia which takes a load off me and she seems to be okay with it too.

The boys were circumcised on Monday and have recovered well from that. At their post-circ check-up Jake weighed in at 9'3.5" and Zach was 8'2" so I have a couple of loads on my hands. Eating is not a problem for them though it can be a little rough on mom!

Pretty typical - Zach chilled out and Jake upset

Zach (l) and Jake (r)


Zach (l) and Jake (r)

Love the Double Snap N Go

38 weeks

2011-02-10T12:29:00.000-07:00

This is going to be short and sweet. Hopefully. Because I want to go sit my ass on the couch for the rest of the afternoon.

I hit 38 weeks yesterday. The babies still are not here and after our bio-physical profile today it looks as though they are going to stay in until my scheduled induction date of February 16th. We are supposed to call an hour before our 3 a.m. show time to make sure we can still come in. I don't even care that it is 3 in the morning. I am just ready for the boys to be out.

The ultrasound lady today said she thinks baby A will be a little over 8 pounds when he is born. She said that they are going to check with my doctor's office to see what the weights ended up being. I guess everyone is so surprised/impressed that I have made it this long.

I for one am just done. In the last couple of days I've started having a hard time breathing and I'm having more and more pubic pain but I suppose I can make it another 6 days though I'm trying to will them out earlier. And at this point I don't even care if they are born on Valentine's Day (I had been dead set against it).

So here I am at 38 weeks. I will take another one the night before I go in to the hospital.

In comparison, here is a shot of me at 39 weeks with Olivia:

Just a slight difference, huh?

37 week update

2011-02-03T12:11:00.000-07:00

Honestly, there really isn't much of an update at all. Not much is happening on the baby front as far as any sort of progression. Last week, at my 36 week appointment, I was dilated to 1 centimeter. Woo hoo. That basically means nothing. I was also not effaced at all so the boys are nice and snug in there. Which is good because we have had highs in the 40's here for the last couple of days and it has dropped below freezing at night. Nothing like what my friends are experiencing in Colorado and the Northeast but still cold for us.

O and I did have lunch and play date with our friends Andi and Landon last week and Andi made these awesome blankets and burp cloths for the boys. She is so talented (and I think still available to custom make stuff for you so if you want to order let me know and I'll get you in contact with her). I LOVE that they are Elvis print and just different enough to know which is which. Olivia has already started assigning items to each baby and calls each of them by name. Yes, O knows there names. No, we are still not telling what they are.

We also took the time to get both car seat bases installed into my car. We will do John's this weekend probably. It was a tight fit but they are in. It is just going to be interesting getting all 3 of them in there at once. Olivia is going to have to do a lot of climbing in and out by herself, though she does that now so I don't think it'll be an issue. I think she is going to like being able to look at and entertain the babies. I've already told her that she can help mommy and daddy by making sure the babies get their pacifiers if they fall out of their mouths or lovies if they can't reach them. I think she's looking forward to being a big sister. We'll see how long that lasts.

And now for the belly shots. I am huge. Very little of my clothing fits. I am having a difficult time sleeping at night and I can't eat a lot because there is no room. Though gaining weight doesn't seem to be a problem. =) Last week, at our growth ultrasound, baby A was measuring at 7' 13" and baby B was at 6' 10". I don't think they are quite that big. Yet. And the measurements could be off by as much as a pound so we've got some leeway there. They are both still head down (and my doctor did mention today that he thinks A is locked into place and won't flip) so I am still planning on attempting a vaginal delivery as long as baby B cooperates and doesn't move. As far as when the babies will come that is still up in the air. The doctor did say that he won't induce, if it does actually come to that, until 39 weeks. That's February 16th people. 2 weeks away! Ugh. Anyway, hopefully the boys will decide to come before that - I'm hoping by February 11th at the latest. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

33 weeks

35 weeks (somehow we missed a 34 week shot)

36 weeks

37 weeks (taken last night) - you can't even see where my boobs start or end anymore

Chuck E. Cheese

2011-01-26T08:32:00.000-07:00

They say in their ads that Chuck E. Cheese is a place "Where a Kid can be a Kid". In our case it was a place where parents can be a kid and "Where our Kid can be a Scaredycat".

We took O last week for some pizza and fun and our local establishment and while she said she had fun as we were leaving I really don't think that was true. She was scared of the noisy games and rides so we didn't even bother taking her over to see the animated Chuck E. Cheese. She barely even wanted to watch us play the games.

She seemed to enjoy the pizza though.

So John and I ended up using all the tokens to play and somehow she got to choose all the prizes. How does that work?!

Hmm, what to pick?


She loves her Nerds.

Dad's excited!

O shared her Tootsie Pops.

Are you in labor?

2011-01-19T09:35:00.002-07:00

The answer is no.

This is one of the most common questions I get either when I call someone or receive a text. At 35 weeks along today the boys could really come at any time but from what I can tell they are in there for the long haul. They are much too comfortable and content to kick both each other and me.

Our NST's continue to go well. Both usually pass fairly quickly so I can usually get in and out of the hospital in 30-45 minutes. BPP's are fine too. Our next one is tomorrow and our next growth ultrasound is next Thursday. I'm eager to see how big they think they are.

On another note my sister-in-law, Sam, had her two girls today. She had a scheduled C-section this morning and everything went very well. She was approximately 38.5 weeks along. I can't even imagine. But both girls are very healthy at 7 lbs 4 oz and 6 lbs (either 6 oz or 11 oz - John couldn't remember) with full heads of hair and chubby cheeks. Sam is doing well too. She and Adam add them to their two older kids Courtney and Billy. I am so excited for them and to think that she had almost 14 pounds of baby in there when she delivered is incredible to me. I've told her that she is my hero.

ETA: The girls were actually 7'2" and 6'14".

Twins v. Singleton

2011-01-11T09:14:00.002-07:00

I have gotten the following questions several times and wanted to address them here:

What's it like carrying twins?
How is it different from just one baby?
Would you rather have had the twins first?

I know many women carrying multiples will have totally different experiences than I do, but this is how it has been for me. Carrying twins hasn't been that difficult or that much different from my pregnancy with Olivia. I haven't had any bleeding, cramping or trips to L&D. Sure, I'm much bigger this time around but I still feel pretty good. My stretch marks are getting a little bit longer and my belly button has popped this time around. It would make sense that there is more movement but the boys have not yet woken me up from sleep with their kicking and squirming and O never did either.

I am a lot more tired with this pregnancy and I can't stand or walk for an extended period of time because my back starts to ache. With Olivia I worked up to the day I was scheduled for an induction. This time around I am out at about 35 1/2 weeks (one week from Friday!). I am taking myself out because it is just too much for me and I want to have some "me" time for at least a few days. I don't remember having many Braxton Hicks contractions with my first pregnancy but this time around they are more prevalent but not frequent. There is a lot more that goes into doctor's appointments for a twin pregnancy, much of which I have enjoyed. Yes, I have to go to a lot more appointments - monthly growth ultrasounds, weekly NST's at the hospital started last week, weekly BBP's at the perinatologist started last week too, and weekly OB appointment will start after this week - but it has been nice to hear heartbeats more often and see the boys moving away on a regular basis. It can be a lot to keep straight but it has worked out so far.

The first trimester of my twin pregnancy was actually easier than the first with my singleton. I had no morning sickness with the boys. The only time I had any sort of issue was if I waited too long to eat or if I ate too much. Then the nausea would hit me. But I avoided that like the plague and really felt pretty good. With Olivia I was nauseated every day almost all day long for about 6 weeks between week 6 1/2 and week 12. It was not fun. I walked a lot during the first part of this pregnancy but was very careful of any pain that I had because I remembered how bad it got with O and I've been lucky in that the SPD hasn't really reared its ugly head too much. The emotional side has been the same as well - the insecurity, self-confidence (or lack thereof because of how gigantic I feel that I am), etc. I remember it from when I was pregnant (and post-partum) with O so I'm hoping I can deal with it a little bit better this time around.

The hardest part with a twin pregnancy, for me at least, has been the unknowns. I don't know when they are going to come (of course I didn't with O but I really didn't think that she'd come really early), I don't know if I'm going to be able to attempt a vaginal delivery yet, I don't know how I'm going to take care of TWO babies and a toddler, and on and on and on.

As far as having twins or a single baby first I really can't decide. Having had Olivia first it really will help in knowing what the hell I am doing with a newborn. I've had some practice and have more confidence in my abilities to take care of a newborn. Of course I know that having two is going to be a lot more work but maybe with my experience it'll make it a bit easier. On the other hand if I had had the twins first I wouldn't have had any idea what I was in for. This being my second pregnancy I know how difficult it is going to be taking care of one baby, let alone two. They say ignorance is bliss and I was totally ignorant before Olivia was born. Not so much this time and it makes me a little bit (okay, a lot) nervous.

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter to me how alike or different the pregnancies were (though I have to say it has been nice that this one has been so "easy") as long as there are two healthy babies born at the end. My goal is to make it to 36 weeks at a minimum. That would be January 26. Of course 38 would be more ideal but I'm going to be interested to see if I still feel that way when 38 weeks actually rolls around.

Week 32/33 Update

2011-01-05T10:45:00.003-07:00

I am 33 weeks along today and am still not seeing any end in sight although I know delivery day is just around the corner. But whether that corner is just down the block or a mile away I'm still not sure. I have been having some Braxton-Hicks contractions. They are not painful but the tightening is uncomfortable. Luckily they don't usually last any longer than 30 seconds or so.

I am sort of nesting. I'm not in the "I HAVE to get this cleaned/done/disinfected/organized" phase but I am feeling the need to at least get started on completing everything that needs to be completed. Yesterday I worked from home and during breaks I vacuumed and washed floors and baseboards (yes, Mom, baseboards - aren't you proud?). I was only able to do the bathrooms, babies' room and kitchen though which really bothered me because normally I'd be able to do the whole house. It really hit me that I really can't do as much as I used to and I DID NOT like it. It is hard for me to turn over some of the control of things like cleaning (unless my mom is doing it for me - she's so good!). John has told me he'd help me and I know he will but most of you will agree that things don't always get done the way you want them to unless you do it yourself. But I am going to let him help me and do it his way. I will do the dusting but I'll probably let him vacuum since standing for a long time is not something I'm able to do. I think we'll split the floor washing. Once I'm on the ground it is easier for me to stay down so floor washing is not something that is tough. It's the getting up after the floor washing that will pose a problem.

The babies' room is ready for the most part after a very successful trip to Babies R Us (successful for BRU considering they took all our money). We are waiting on one more mattress and then I'll have both cribs ready to go. It is as organized as I'm going to get it and there are a couple of more things that need to be purchased or hung on the wall but we are set on diapers/wipes (thanks to our diaper dinner held by Me Too and her husband - thank you!), clothes (again, thank you to everyone who has sent us stuff, we really haven't had to buy anything), sheets, etc.

The boys are big. At my ultrasound last Thursday (32 weeks, 1 day) Baby A was measuring 5 lbs and Baby B was 4 lbs 6 oz. That's almost 9 1/2 pounds! It's also about a pound and a half more than Olivia was when she was born. I knew I was big at 32 weeks but I was honestly surprised to find out that I had that much more baby weight inside me. This week I started my weekly NST's (non-stress tests - at the hospital) and BPP's (bio-physical profiles - at the perinatologist's office). These are on different days and I'll soon start my weekly OB appointments so I am in and out of the office a lot more these days. NST's are to check for fetal heart rate and movement. They just hook up the heart rate monitors around the stomach and find the heartbeats that way. It checks to make sure that neurologically the heart is working correctly and responding to the brain's signals. For example, when we move around and get more active our heart rates go up. At this point in pregnancy a baby's heart should do the same. NST's check to make sure that they do. Both boys, once we were able to get them to cooperate, were fine. They were not at all interested in staying where they should have once we got their heart on the monitor. BPP's, on the other hand, are ultrasounds that measure four different things:

1. Fetal movement

2. Fetal tone
3. Fetal breathing
4. Amniotic fluid volume

Babies can score up to 2 points on each for a total of 8 points in any given BPP. The boys both scored 8 out of 8 on Monday (I got an extra BPP this week - the next one is tomorrow). They have to live up to the perfect score every time now. My little overachievers!

My next OB appointment is on January 14 and I am going to talk to him about stopping work. I'm thinking that either the 21st or 28th will be my last day but we'll see. I don't want to go out way before the boys are born but I would like to have a week or so to relax before they arrive.

Below are my most recent belly shots. The clothes are starting to become repetitive because I really don't fit into a whole lot anymore so I end up wearing the same stuff every week and John's shirts on weekends.

Week 29

Week 30

Week 31 (I am smiling big in this one because John was laughing at how big I was and I was laughing at him. Thanks, honey.)

Week 32

Also week 32, from Olivia's angle. Nice and flattering, right?

The Days of our Lives (leading up to Christmas)

2010-12-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

I have a lot to cover as I have once again been slacking on getting my blog updated. John's mom came out for a visit the week before Christmas and along with entertaining O while I worked she got to go to the zoo with O and J. O loves all animals and had a really fun time. She especially enjoyed the petting zoo area. I enjoyed it too because I got to spend some quiet time alone at home which NEVER happens. So it was a good day all around.

O is a very good helper, sometimes. In this case she stayed out of my hair while I wrapped some gifts because she was so fascinated by the wrapping paper and the wrapping paper roll.

One semi-tradition I remember while growing up in Colorado was the day that one of our neighbors had a bunch of kids over to decorate Christmas cookies. I had a lot of fun doing that and would like to start the same sort of tradition with my family. So the week before Christmas I invited a couple of friends and their kids over to decorate cookies. There was O, at 2 1/2 and two 1 1/2 year olds so you can imagine how it all went.

The before shot of the decorating table and cookies (I had some issues with the cookies so it is kind of difficult to tell what the shapes are supposed to be - they are supposed to be trees, snowflakes, stars and snowmen).

A mint chip related accident

The sort of after - they were more interested in eating the toppings and sticking their hands in the frosting tubs

After decorating we headed outside to run off some of the sugar

The following day John, Olivia and I sat down and decorated some of the remaining cookies.

John's designs

This is supposed to say "Romo 9". Lame.

Once again, more interested in eating the icing and toppings (she LOVED the gumdrops)

Our Christmas was very nice and I hope that all of yours were too. On Christmas Eve we went to the children's Mass at church and Santa paid a visit which O loved. After that we went to dinner and decided that it was going to be a long time before we were going to be able to do that again. O was all over the booth dancing on the seats and all around just misbehaving. She also told us she had to go to the bathroom at least 3 different times (as she did at church too). Now with 2 little ones on the way we're going to have to figure out different dinner arrangements for Christmas Eve. I don't know if I can do it with 3!

Christmas morning John and I were up before Olivia. She didn't roll out of bed until 9 and that was with us going in there to get her. It took her close to 2 hours to open all her presents because she'd want to stop and play with everything as she opened them. Our little girlie girl loved her tutu from Bobcat Busha and Dadu as well as the heels she got from Uncle David and Aunt Shae and the princess mirror from Aunt Erin and Uncle Ryan. The "Olivia" books from Uncle Danny were a hit too. We had to read them all right away.

The princess mirror and our stockings

She has really liked this easel. There is a dry erase board on the other side and some good storage for her chalk and markers.

Her "Angelina Ballerina" movie and Minnie panties. We couldn't get her to put on any clothes so in most of these shots she's almost nude. Oh well.

Her purse from Granny that came with a phone, sunglasses, barrettes and lipstick.

Her tutu, tiara and one pair of her three pairs of heels

Checking herself out in her mirror

We've been having problems getting her to sleep at night so we've kind of cut out naps. Christmas wiped her out though and she fell asleep watching a Muppets movie on our bed.

As for John and I we relaxed as much as we could after opening all our gifts. We were very lucky this year. Is it bad that one of my favorite gifts is the pots and pans set that J got me? I was so excited!

Big Girl Room!

2010-12-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

I am finally getting around to posting about O's big girl room. She absolutely loves it! She had been saying over and over again that she wants a purple room (just like the one in the twins book we got her). So I got online and found some cute purple bedding (that is also reversible - there are flowers on the other side - and I didn't realize it!) along with a couple of accessories to get her started. She was so excited that she had me take it out of the packaging immediately and she went and laid on J and my bed with it.

No she's not naked, you just can't see her diaper. Plus, check out her pretty red nails. She LOVES having her fingers and toes painted. Such a girlie-girl.

We had a bookcase in the guest room but wanted to include in O's new room so we decided to paint it purple to go with the bedding and the curtain and rug that she helped us pick out. Here are some before and after shots.

I was wondering how transitioning her to her new room would go but it was very smooth. She fell out of bed only a couple of times and has never gotten up and come to our room in the middle of the night. She is constantly surprising us.

Children's Museum

2010-12-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

Being a government employee I had Veteran's Day off so a couple of my mommy friends and I took the kids to the Children's Museum. It was really a lot of fun (but exhausting for me) and I was glad to get O out of the house for the day. She enjoyed running around and playing with all the neat things they had for the kids.

This was a lot like "Plinko" on The Price is Right. Of course my child was more interested in organizing the "chips" and putting them into the same two bins at the bottom.

Being her mother's child, one of O's favorite areas was the reading corner. That makes me so happy. I was fairly surprised though considering how many cool things there were to do.

Lunch time is always a favorite for her

With her friends who we went with. Who knew that water and a squeegie (sp?) could provide so much entertainment? They loved it!

She did not want to leave.

Week 28 Update

2010-12-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday I hit the 28 week mark. This was a big deal to me because most babies born at this point have a very good chance of surviving. We had an ultrasound check-up yesterday and everything still looks really good. Baby A had a heart rate of 154 and is estimated to weigh 3 lbs 3 ounces and Baby B's heart rate was 140 and he came in around 2 lb 11 ounces. A is in the about 95th percentile and B is in the 52nd. But they weren't concerned about the weight difference because they are only about 15% apart, or something. Plus, since both babies have their own placenta they aren't stealing anything from each other and are really like "two kids on the same bus".

Our last ultrasound was 5 weeks ago (the boys were 1 lb 8 oz and 1 lb 7 oz), which is when I did my last belly shot update. Just by looking at me it is very obvious that the boys grew significantly. So here you go. I know. I'm ginormous.

Week 24

Week 25

Week 26

Week 27 (I don't know why I look drunk here. Maybe I was wishing.)

Week 28 (and some comparisons at week 27 with O)

I still don't know how long I will continue to work. I am still feeling really good but have been put on iron supplements and had to do a 3 hour glucose tolerance test for gestational diabetes on Monday. I haven't heard anything from my doctor's office on the results of that so I'm assuming no news is good news. Thank goodness. Part of me wants to be on some sort of bedrest just so I can rest because I know once the boys get here any sort of me time is going to go out the window. I think what I am going to do is try to work out with my supervisor more work from home days as I get further and further along. I don't want to burn much leave time so that I have it available for when I really do go out when the boys are born.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-23T11:51:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your turkey, pumpkin pie, football and/or any other family traditions you have for the day. I will be cooking this year and missing my (almost) entire maternal family who will be at my parents' house for the big day. I probably could have made the trip but didn't want to push it. I'm disappointed that we won't be there to celebrate with all of them.

We had our 26 week check-up last week and everything continues to go well with the exception that my glucose test numbers were "elevated" so I have to do the 3 hour glucose tolerance test on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed that I do not have gestational diabetes.

Also, please wish us luck as we prepare to potty train O this weekend. She is ready and J and I are so done with diapers (at least during the day) so we're going for it. I'll keep everyone updated on how that goes. Hopefully I won't have to clean up too many accidents!

Randomness

2010-11-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

This is just a big amalgam of random pictures that don't really have a home in other posts so I thought I'd just throw them together in one.

John was trying to take pictures of O and she just said "butt" and turned around. Apparently she wanted him to take a picture of her butt. Whatever.

I found a Barbie I had kept and my Joey McIntyre doll. They are now O's. She wasn't big on the Joey doll but loves the Barbie.

My daughter is slightly OCD. I guess she gets that from me. She lines up all her dolls (or "guys") and covers them with a blanket to keep them warm.

This is our orange tree. It grows out of control but for whatever reason hasn't given us any fruit yet. Maybe next year. John is very proud of how tall it gets (J is 6' 3" to give you an idea of the height of the top branches).

I went through a ton of stuff for our garage sale and had one big box and a half full of trophies. But we don't have room for them anymore and my mom suggested that I take a picture of all of them so that it is documented that I had them and then get rid of them. Done, though I did keep some that were more important to me (not pictured).

Halloween

2010-11-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

Just some Halloween pictures, 2 weeks late. Sorry. O picked out her own costume and of course had to wear it several times before Halloween actually came around. We took her to the Coyotes game on the 30th and she was happy to show it off (minus the hat). I made her put it on for some pictures. We didn't take her trick or treating this year but she enjoyed seeing all the kids in their costumes when they came to the door.

Apparently we couldn't be bothered with wiping the food off O's face or fixing her hair before we took pictures. For whatever reason she would not smile for the camera either.

"Come on, Mom! Are we done yet?"

Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

My parents were in town a couple of weekends ago to help us with our garage sale. And boy am I glad they were there. We were busy and it was nice to have extra hands around to entertain O.

We took them to a pumpkin patch with O so that she could run around and pet some animals. She really enjoyed the baby chicks and the corn maze, especially when my mom would jump out from behind some of the corn to scare her.

O wanted to ride the kids train because they looked like ladybugs but once the motor started up she freaked out and had to get out so she ended up not riding after all.

O loves all animals and would start laughing hysterically whenever a goat or calf would do something. I don't know why.

We had to get at least one family picture in here.

23 Week Update

2010-10-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

J and I had an ultrasound check-up yesterday and everything looks great! No signs of cleft lip/palette, Down's, Spina Bifida or any other developmental problem for either of the boys. Amniotic fluid is measuring normal and so is cervix length. I was very glad to hear that the cervix is still long and closed because that is generally a good sign that I won't be going into labor any time soon. As the babies have gotten bigger it is harder and harder to tell exactly what we are looking at on the screen during ultrasounds. It's hard to tell who is who and which side is left and which is right. How the tech finds the stuff is beyond me. They sent us home with a disk with about 90 pictures on it but there weren't a ton of great ones because the appointment was mainly about checking length of bones and sizes of heads and bellies and to make sure kidneys and stomachs and hearts were all working right. Here are the best I could come up with:

According to my dates, I am 23 weeks and 2 days along (as of today) but the boys are measuring 8 days ahead (baby A) and 5 days ahead (baby B). The tech said that she thinks A is going to be a big baby based on the size of his belly. He currently ways 1 pound 8 ounces. His brother is 1 pound 7 ounces, so I already have about 3 pounds worth of baby in there. And I can feel every bit of it! At my appointment with my OB last week (at 22 weeks and 2 days) I was measuring at 26 weeks. This is totally normal for a woman pregnant with twins but it does make me nervous for when I'm actually further along. How large will I be measuring when I actually deliver? Yikes! They are both laying transversely with their heads to the left of my body. Basically, baby B is laying right on top of his brother. They still have lots of time to turn and end up head down which I really hope that they do. I am really hoping to not have a c-section. Here are some belly progression shots:

Week 18

Week 19

Week 20

Week 21

Week 22 (and a week 22 with O comparison shot)

Week 23

Me and O (she has no pants on for some reason, had just had a purple popsicle so her mouth looks really weird and she was busy putting stickers wherever she could find a place)

Bragging on my Daughter

2010-10-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

For our anniversary a few weeks ago John and I went to the Carrie Underwood concert (awesome!) and left O with our friend, Me Too, and her son for the evening. I received the following e-mail and wanted to put it out there because I am so proud of O and it appears that J and I are doing something right. With the exception of being very stubborn when it came to bed time it sounds like she was a very polite little girl.

I know you probably already know all the cute thigns your daughter does, but I know I love hearing random little stories about L, and I wanted to share with you all the cute stories about O. . .

Around our alphabet foam playing mat are strips of foam that border the letters. She found a couple of these border pieces, sat on the floor with them and said "Fott" and I was like "Foot?" "Yes. Foot." And then she was trying to put them on her feet. It was only then that I realized those border pieces look like really big versions of the dividers you use on your toes when you paint your toenails!!! Takes a child to show you something new in your home!!

She also said "thank you" and "please" for EVERYTHING. HOw did you teach her to be so polite? "Eat." She asked, pointing at her diaper bag. "Please. Eat." Then walked to the table and climbed onto a chair. I brought her goldfish to her, opened the container and placed it on the table. She ate for a few minutes, then took the lid, put it on the container (partway! :)) and said "Thank you". before getting down. Soooo cute!

When we headed to the pack n play bed about 9:30 ish, I had one of L's TTU blankets beside the pack n play in case she needed one (her pink) to hold and one to cover her. The first thing she said when we went in the room was "no" and pointed at the blanket. I moved the blanket away from the pack and play and again she pointed at it and said "no." I think her Daddy would be very proud to know that his little girl was very adamant that she did not want a Texas Tech blanket near her when she was sleeping!! :)

She helped pick up all the toys she was playing with - mainly blocks like the ones she has at "home" (or so she kept telling me!!) :) After we had finished cleaning up and moved on to another room, she found a block in that room, walked over to the zipped-up block bag and said "help" so that I could open it and she could put it away properly. What a considerate house guest - making sure her whole mess is cleaned up! (Oh, and the bag full of blocks was "heavy". I am so amazed at her vocabulary! So many words and so clearly said!)

I thought you might be potty training her bc she grabbed my hand and said "pee pee". "Did you go pee pee?" I asked, thinking that was maybe her way to tell me her diaper was too full. "No." Shakes her head. "Pee pee." "Do you need to go on the potty?" "yes." and walks to the bathroom. "Do you want to go on the potty?" "Yes. Pee pee." and points to the toilet. We don't have a little potty, so I thought, well, let's give this a shot on the big one!! She took off her pants, I took off her diaper and I held her up on the toilet. She looked a little bewildered and after about a minute said "No pee pee. Down." so either I did something wrong or she didn't have to go after all. (And I don't even know if you are potty training her - I may have gotten it completely wrong!!)

When I was lying next to her on the floor trying to get her to sleep, I asked if she wanted me to tell her a story. "Yes please." So I did. I told her a childrens story that I had started writing a few months ago, but had stopped because I could not figure out what hte heck was going to happen next. Talking out loud to her, I was able to see where the story should go and how it should end!! Although she didn't give me alot of feedback :) I think she really helps with the creative process. If its ever published, she's getting an acknowledgment in the booK!! :)

There were probably more cute-as-heck moments, but these are the ones off the top of my head that I remember. And I am so sorry I couldn't get her to sleep earlier. I felt so bad for her and tried to make her as comfortable as possible, but I think nothing beats home and Momma. Besides the bed thing, she really was easy and sweet. And I would baby sit her again anytime. (Even at nighttime - I'll figure a way to get her to sleep somehow!) Glad you were able to take a night out :)

Now if we can only get her to act the same way at home . . .

Coyotes' Home Opener

2010-10-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

Saturday was the Coyotes' home opener and J, O and I all went. We were lucky enough to get bumped up to row A right behind one of the goals (our regular seats are in row O around center ice) and while I prefer to be further up so that we can see everything well these seats were awesome. We got to see the players up close both during warm-ups and during the game (many of them are MUCH bigger than I thought - Mike Modano, and HOT! - Taylor Pyatt).

O loved when they'd come right up close and she even got an official NHL practice puck during the pregame so she was super excited about that. All she wanted to do after that was play with the puck. Here are some pictures I shot. I did the best I could but our camera sucks.

Player introductions

The game - O is now saying she wants to go to a game every day

We left in the middle of the third period and the game eventually went into overtime. Unfortunately the Coyotes lost with 16 seconds left in the overtime period. Damn Red Wings.

They Say Every Pregnancy is Different . . .

2010-10-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

This couldn't be more true for me. I've mentioned more than once to J and pretty much everyone else that it is like I am pregnant for the very first time all over again. This pregnancy, so far, has been SO different from the one with O (especially in the first trimester). This is how:

*With O I was pretty miserable for the first trimester as far as morning sickness went. While I only threw up twice (both were on the same day within minutes of each other) I was nauseated almost all day long from about 6 weeks to the end of the first trimester. I would start to feel some relief starting at about 2 p.m. every day but it never fully went away until I moved into the second trimester.

*Very few food aversions this time around. I have been eating well and pretty much everything that I want. With O the thought of vegetables and any kind of sandwich made me want to hurl. When I did want to eat all I wanted was some sort of fried chicken be it a chicken finger or chicken nugget (the chicken crispers from Chili's called my name more than once!). I am so glad that this time I can eat almost everything though in smaller amounts. If I eat too much, or let myself get to hungry, that is when I start to feel sick. You should see the amount of food I bring to work with me each day. It's a wonder that my coworkers didn't figure it out on that hint alone.

*My work knew about my pregnancy at 8 weeks because of how sick I felt. This time around I took my own sweet time in telling them. I was almost 13 weeks when I let the cat out of the bag on this one.

*With O I started wearing maternity pants at 12 weeks. Not because I was showing but because my regular pants weren't fitting exactly right and maternity pants are so much more comfortable. This time around, at 10 1/2 weeks I was busting out the maternity stuff and using a rubber band on my pants to keep them up, though at 13 weeks I had yet to wear any maternity clothes to work. It must have been bloat.

*My pregnancy symptoms really dissipated at about 9 weeks, to the point of making me nervous. My breasts weren't as sore as they had been, the sick feeling after eating was almost gone, and the tiredness that I felt around 7:30 p.m. every night wasn't there as badly. Heck, compared to my first pregnancy I was bouncing off the walls. I would almost fall asleep at my desk when I was pregnant with O. This time the fatigue is not there.

*I don't remember getting up every night in the first trimester to pee when I was pregnant with O, but that is what I am doing this time around. Not fun. I think we may go broke on toilet paper alone.

*For about 2 1/2 weeks (from about 6 1/2 weeks to close to 9 weeks) I was hungry 24/7. Not just kind of hungry. Starving. My stomach growled all day. I went to bed feeling a little hungry and woke up needing to eat. Luckily, by 8 1/2 weeks I had only put on about 3 pounds. It could have been much worse. I would absolutely prefer this problem over the morning sickness however. It now makes sense why I was so much hungrier.

*My skin is still not great, but with O my face broke out really badly. Not so much now. I've gotten more bumps on my chest and shoulders but not really on my face. Thank goodness.

*I am much more run-down by the end of the day than I was with O. I was pretty go, go, go with her, but I can't do as much now. I notice much more pain with this pregnancy if I really overdo it, which I can have a tendency to do. I have to make a conscious effort to slow down sometimes but when my toddler wants to be picked up or play it is hard for me to say no when I know how much her life is going to change in a few short months. I have developed the SPD that I had the first time around (and some days I limp around because it hurts - I'm sure I look interesting) and I have a feeling that resting is not going to help me a ton this time. I haven't been exercising much like when I had it with O so I think just the sheer weight and hormones from the babies are going to give me a hard time. I broke down and took some Tylenol for the first time the other day but I do not want it to become a regular thing.

*This pregnancy has also been more stressful. The surprise of twins threw a whole bunch of kinks in our planning for another child. We now have to plan for two and that poses a bunch more questions and logistical dilemmas than we thought we'd have to deal with. We had gotten a lot of neutral baby items (stroller, car seat, bedroom decor) planning to use it for future children. While this was a great idea it isn't going to work out for us since we now need two car seats, a double stroller, two cribs, more diapers, etc. And where we are going to put all the stuff only God knows. We really need a bigger car (which we did get about a week ago) and a bigger house and those are both items that we really aren't wanting to have to buy right now. Plus the daycare costs are going to pretty much triple (though our provider said she'd work with us on that) but it makes us wonder if it really makes much sense for me to continue working at all. Ugh, the things we have to think about and decide in the next 3 or 4 months.

*While this has been more stressful this time around it also makes things a lot easier. We know, for sure, that we are done having kids after this. Three is our max. Now that I know this is my last pregnancy I am trying to enjoy every minute of it. The movements, the pain, the expanding belly are all things that I am making sure to appreciate as much as I can. The novelty of having twins is fun too. Not everyone gets the joy of having twins and I'm enjoying the special attention that twin moms get (along with some of the dumb questions but luckily it takes a lot to really bother me when it comes to that). Maybe it is selfish to say that I enjoy the extra attention I've gotten since announcing that it is twins but it's true. You don't often get to be the center of attention even for a short time after your wedding day. =)

I told John about a week after we found out that we were having twins that I couldn't imagine it being one. Two just feels right. Yes, it is extremely scary to know that we are going to have two newborns to take care of by February, but I know it is how it is supposed to be. I can't picture our family any other way.

Coyotes Fun

2010-10-12T10:39:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago the Coyotes had an open house for people to come out and buy stuff and watch the team scrimmage. It was fun and O discovered her new favorite thing: a bounce house.

There are some great fountains outside of Jobing.com Arena and O thought they were really cool. We had just come from gymnastics class so she was still wearing her leotard. I doubt she would have let me take it off had I tried to change her clothes.

She had her stunner shades on (and monkey was along for the ride). She wears these everywhere we go.

Between arrival and bounce house time we had an accident in the middle of the concourse. I was talking to a couple of John's coworkers and all of a sudden I hear a whining/crying "pee-pee! pee-pee!". I would like to apologize to Kyle for having to handle the pee on the floor (the same guy whose house floor she peed on at his son's birthday party - oops!).

Ahh, the bounce house.

And the Winners are . . .

2010-10-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

Those of you who voted boy/boy! Yes, as most of you have already heard, we are having two boys. And no, we don't have names so don't bother asking. I am telling people that they will have to force us to pick names in the hospital in order to get the paperwork for birth certificates because J and I CAN NOT agree on names. Especially boy names, so now that we have to pick two it's going to be an interesting "negotiation" process.

The boys look very good. They both had heart rates of 158 and A weighed in at about 12 oz. with B at 11 oz. The tech said that is measuring about 10 days ahead of my due date. I'm thinking we'll have January babies but it is still too early to tell. Our next ultrasound is scheduled for October 28. I'm already looking forward to it.

They both looked healthy and were moving all over the place. I didn't get a CD this time and I haven't had time to scan in the pictures but as soon as I get them onto my computer I'll post them. Let's just say that neither boy was shy about showing the goods. J and I joked that they are already proud and he said that they'll never grow out of it and that we (women) would be proud if we had one too. Men.

Toddler Bed

2010-09-27T13:44:00.002-07:00

Edited 9/28/10 - We had our first toddler bed casualty last night. No problems with the door being closed or pacifier lost but apparently O fell out of bed right as John was getting into bed. All of sudden we hear her crying and when he went to check on her he couldn't see her but got a night light on and she was sitting on the floor next to the bed saying "bed!", "bed!" over and over again. Poor thing. J told her she could just climb back in bed, helped her in, and she was fine after that.

J and I have been talking about converting O's crib to a toddler bed for a couple of months now and we finally got it done this past weekend. She is almost 2 1/2 and not once had she tried to climb out of her crib but we're going to be moving her to our guest bedroom so we wanted to do this transition piece of it first so she's used to it when we switch rooms on her. I was nervous about how this was going to play out because whenever we'd read books or look at pictures of "big girl beds" she act like she wanted one but when we asked her she'd say no. But we knew it was time and we did it Saturday before nap time so she'd have a few times of going to sleep in it before the week started up again.

O was so excited once we got that front piece off it that she climbed right in and laid down.

Eventually I was able to get the barriers on the sides. She likes to sleep in the lower left hand corner of the bed so that's why I wanted them on there, at least temporarily, until she gets used to being able to get in and out on her own. Of course she had to load all her dolls in there as soon as we were done.

It was not nap time but she wanted to pretend that it was so she got her blanket and laid down.

I was amazed at how open the room felt with that big front section removed.

I have to say that I was expecting the worst when we put her down the first few times but once again my daughter has surprised me. Since Saturday, not once has she woken up and climbed out of bed. She has slept awesomely even with the change. I don't know if she realizes that she can get up on her own now. I think she still feels like she needs us to come in and get her after she's woken up. I am not going to clue her in otherwise! The only problems we had were last night when she woke up and realized that her door was closed (we close her door every night after she is asleep but I don't think she realized it because the bumper was blocking her view) and then she woke up again a little bit later on when she lost her pacifier (once again, the bumper wasn't there to stop it from falling out so I think we are going to rethink the removal of the bumper - at least until she isn't using the pacifier anymore (don't even get me started on that, you know how I feel about it)).

Yay for a "big girl bed"!

Cute O Story

2010-09-22T07:44:00.000-07:00

This won't take long but I wanted to get it down while I was thinking about it.

Yesterday when I went to pick up O from daycare I happened to wearing a shirt that really emphasized my every growing belly. I guess O hadn't really noticed it before until then and this is what happened:

O walks up, notices my stomach, points and touches it - "Oh!" (her facial expression was pretty funny too, kind of a mix between surprise and confusion)

"Yep, my belly has gotten big. What is in there?"

"Babies."

"That's right. How many babies?"

"Two!"

I think in theory she understands that there are two babies in there but doesn't really get it. It's cute to hear her say that there are two babies in there though.

Belly Pictures

2010-09-16T10:04:00.001-07:00

I've been asked for some belly shots so here you go.

This first one is 7 weeks. And I will apologize in advance for the look on my face in some of the pictures. John wasn't supposed to get my head in the shot but obviously that didn't happen.

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10 (and the "Give Me A Break" look). What I needed a break from I don't know.

Week 11 (and yes, if you look closely, you can see my old stretch marks - I am NOT looking forward to those bad boys coming back).

Week 12 ( two days before finding out it was twins). Again, my head was not supposed to be in the picture thus, the popsicle wasn't supposed to be visible.

Week 14

Kapow! I popped around week 15 and these shots are from week 16. Love the maternity clothes. Wish I could wear them all the time.

I hit 17 weeks yesterday so this is the most up to date picture of me (and a comparison picture of me at 16 weeks with Olivia).

A Lesson on Twins

2010-09-13T15:33:00.000-07:00

Since finding out I was pregnant with twins I have done a ton of reading and research. I have learned a lot about twins and how they come about. I didn't realize that identical twins, for instance, come in three different "combinations".

Twins, while becoming much more common, are still rare and people who don't have them probably don't know much about the biology behind twins. I know I didn't! So here is a short lesson.

Twins are either monozygotic (come from one zygote, or egg) or dizygotic (come from two different eggs). Monozygotes are identical, and fraternal twins are dizygotic. And just so everyone knows, twins can't be identical if one is a boy and one is a girl. The sperm that fertilizes the egg determines the gender so you would need two different sperm and two different eggs in order to have one of each. (Yes, I have been asked that question.)

Most of the time it is easy to tell whether a woman is expecting identical or fraternal twins. About 30% are identical while the remaining 70% are fraternal (with about 1/2 of fraternal twins being boy/girl). Fraternal twins will each have their own amniotic sac and their own placenta (termed diamniotic and dichorionic, or Di/Di). Identical twins, however, come in three different combinations. They can be Di/Di if the egg split within the first 3 days of fertilization. If the egg splits between 4 and 7 days the twins will have two different amniotic sacs but one fused placenta (diamniotic/monochorionic, or Di/Mo). The last combo is if the egg splits 8 days or after. In this case the babies will me monoamniotic and monochorionic, or Mo/Mo, with one amniotic sac and one placenta.

Mo/Mo is the most rare type of twin sets out there, and also one of the most concerning because of the complications that can arise during pregnancy, including twin-to-twin transfusion which can lead to one baby being born healthy and weighing much more than the other baby who may be severely underweight. Take a look at Raising Twins or Wikipedia for some good information if you want to read more into that.

My babies are Di/Di, but this doesn't necessarily mean that they are fraternal. I think I read somewhere that I have a 30% chance that they are identical and unless they are different sexes we won't know until they are born whether they are identical or not. And even then it may be difficult to tell and a DNA test may be needed. I've been asked if I would do the DNA test to find out and I don't know that it really matters whether they are identical or not, just as long as they are healthy. Though in the long run it may be good to know because if one has some sort of genetic disease and they are identical then the other will have it too and we can do what we need to do for both of them.

I am currently 16 1/2 weeks along and this is what fraternal twins tend to look like in utero at 16 weeks:

I have to say that I look much bigger than the drawing!

If you guys have any questions please ask away! I am an open book and not scared to share my experiences no matter how embarrassing. =)

Our Oldest

2010-09-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

John and I got some couple time this past weekend when we were able to go stay at the Westin Kierland for two nights. My parents came into town to watch O for us and they (or my mom really) wore her out. Or maybe it was the other way around. Probably a little bit of both. John and I had a wonderful time. We ate, laid by the pool, read, slept and ate some more. Though we were in the heart of North Scottsdale we did not venture off the hotel's property. It was awesome. Of course, we still returned home exhausted but refreshed.

With all that is going on in our lives I didn't want to forget getting new pictures of our first baby. The summer has been busy on and off. In June we had O's birthday and a birthday party for two other kids. The pictures below are from Mavic's birthday (his sister is Emma, who is about 2 1/2 weeks younger than O, and whose party was the one where we went to see Sesame Street Live). After last year we weren't sure if O would be at all interested in the pool, but we have now learned that our daughter is a fish. She loved it!

She still isn't interested in putting her face in but we'll get there

Our 27 month old is starting to become very independent. She loves to take pictures of herself and others and has finally decided that she is going to smile for the camera again.

She has also taken to not liking clothes, but don't worry, she is always clothed when we go out. I will not be one of those that takes their kids to the store in a diaper. When the twins arrive I can't guarantee that will continue. I may be lucky to make it out of the house dressed.

One of O's favorite things at gymnastice is the trampoline. She loves to jump on it (and on the beds at home) so when my mom told us that my aunt had a mini trampoline that she wasn't using we jumped (excuse the pun) on the chance to get it for O. While it isn't always used appropriately (as evidenced by the pictures below) it has been really great to have.

Peek-a-boo!

This is a hippo baby pool that Erin gave O for her birthday. It has been too dang hot out to use it outside so O has gotten creative (it is on top of the mini tramp).

O likes to pick out her own clothes and for the most part I just go with it. She actually does a fairly decent job. Below is a picture from one Saturday when she picked out her clothes. What you can't see are the pink stretch pants. Why she wanted to wear pants on a 110 degree day I don't know. But the flower hairpiece is a nice touch.

John is a WONDERFUL father. But he really hasn't gotten the fixing of the hair part down. In the next pictures he was just trying to put rubberbands in O's hair to keep it out of her face. I think he's afraid to make them tight and hurt her head.

It doesn't matter. She always looks cute.

Multiple Pregnancy Nutrition

2010-08-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

I just received a couple of books that I ordered specifically geared toward women who are expecting multiples. I am currently reading this one:

I am SO glad that I got this book after it was recommended by several women on one of the boards I read. It is extremely informative and makes me realize that I really need to step some things up.

For example, Dr. Barbara Luke, one of the authors of the book, has done extensive studies on nutrition and women pregnant with multiples. She is a founder of a couple of clinics focusing solely on mothers to be of multiples. By following her program most of the babies born to women in her program come out healthier and weighing more at birth than women who don't follow her nutritional and health guidelines. She has been in the multiples business for over 40 years and is well thought of in that realm.

Ultimately it comes down to the fact that I am not eating enough. I think I already knew that before but the arguments she makes in the book really make me realize that I need to gain more weight earlier on because as I get further along in the pregnancy it is going to be harder for me to get the nutrition that I need because my stomach won't have enough room to take in everything I need. So I need the reserves.

Dr. Luke recommends that women pregnant with twins gain between 20 and 25 pounds by week 20, and a total of 40-56 by delivery. I have gained almost 9 and I will be at 15 weeks on Wednesday. Even though I was overweight when I got pregnant these numbers still apply to me. Um, yeah, I need to eat a bit more.

Of course she doesn't recommend going out and gorging on cake and cookies which I would enjoy but eating healthfully. At this point I especially need protein and fat as well as iron. It is recommended that I get 2 3 oz. servings of red meat every day. We don't really eat red meat. Not because we don't like it but because it is so fatty (and expensive - plus John is watching what he eats so he doesn't gain sympathy weight this time around). I'll have to figure out how to get it in. She does say that going out and getting a burger is fine but limit the fries. Just be smart about your choices.

One other thing that I'm finding difficult is the 8 servings of dairy that I should get. Most of you know that I DO NOT like milk (Kelley and Cindy know this well). One serving of milk is 8 oz. And whole milk is supposed to be best but I can't go there. I'm going to try 2% and see how it goes. So I have gotten Carnation Instant Breakfast and some chocolate milk mix to make sure I get some milk. I've also gotten quite a bit of cheese to snack on. The great thing is that ice cream counts toward the dairy. And I'm not talking the low fat version - they say to go for the premium. So yes, Mom, there will be some Blue Bell full fat ice cream in my freezer when you and Dad come to visit this week.

There is so much more to the book that I could talk about but I'll stop there. So wish me luck as I attempt to put on about 10 pounds in the next 5 weeks or so. I honestly don't know if I can do it because I feel like I am eating all.the.time but I'm going to try. I need to, for the babies' sake.

It was Friday the 13th

2010-08-26T16:53:00.000-07:00

No, that is not the start of some weird joke. That is actually the day that we went in for our first trimester screening which included an ultrasound and blood draw. Friday, August 13, a day that J and I (and the rest of our family) will NEVER forget.

Our appointment was at 1:30 that afternoon so I picked J up at work and we went up to the appointment together. I still hadn't decided if I wanted to find out what the sex of the baby was going to be but at 12 weeks and 2 days I didn't figure we'd be able to tell anyway.

Our ultrasound tech's name was Alice and she was awesome (we will definitely try to get her again for our future ultrasounds). I laid down on the chair in a nice dark room and J sat in the chair right next to me. By the way, I am soooo glad that they warm that jelly stuff because it is not such a shock when it hits your stomach.

Anyway, I'm watching the screen and she puts the wand down and I see the top of two sacs. The first thing that goes through my head is "Oh, shit there's two!" but I didn't say anything because obviously I don't do this every day so I wasn't entirely sure what it was I was looking at. But I knew. Oh yes, I knew right away.

Alice moves the wand around for a second and goes "There is one heartbeat, and there's another." Wait. What? And that is essentially what I said. I then proceeded to ask if she were serious and I think there was a "No way" in there somewhere. John is sitting on the chair next to me in shock. I don't think he said more than 5 words during the 30 minute ultrasound. I did grab his hand shortly after we saw the 2 and we stayed that way the whole time. I would squeeze occasionally just make sure he was okay. I just started laughing because I didn't know how else to react. How do you handle that sort of news when you have ABSOLUTELY NO INKLING that there were two in there. Some women get the feeling that something is up, but not me. I had no idea.

The rest of the scan is kind of a blur. I would randomly start laughing as we saw two at a time on the screen and would apologize for jiggling the wand all over the place but Alice was so sweet. She thought it was great that we were having two and I really think she enjoyed watching our reactions to the news. I wish there was a camera videotaping it all. I would love to have seen our faces. John told me later on in the car that he almost kind of started to freak out when she went on about how there was one heartbeat and there was another because all he could see was stuff moving around and he didn't know what he was looking at but that he thought there were more than two in there. Our friend's and family's reactions were great but I'll share that stuff in another post.

I know that both babies were measuring right on schedule. We're pretty sure that A is a boy, and I think B is a boy as well but Alice wasn't sure. She originally thought probably a girl but when she went back to look she couldn't tell. So, yes, right then and there I decided that I was going to NEED to know the sexes of these babies. And we will find out. Here are our little ones individually.

A was the active one. The mover and shaker. I think this one is going to give us trouble as he gets older.

B was pretty chill and took all the kicking from A and didn't seem to care. Our laid back baby.

As you can see above A took up as much room as possible and didn't really want to stay still for the ultrasound though we got the best shots of him after all.

Lots of flipping going on. Twin A will be our middle child, and B will be our baby.

All our results came back very good. The risk of Down Syndrome for both babies is less than 1 in 10,000 so that's awesome. The risk of Trisomy 18 for A is 1 in about 1,900 and for B is 1 in about 3,000. All good numbers so that is a relief.

We had a check-up with my regular OB today and heartbeats were 153 for A and 159 for B. My doctor seems to think that I will be able to get close to my due date if everything stays healthy. He doesn't think I'll make it all the way there but we're not speculating on getting them out now. It's just too early. We will have our detailed anatomy scan in about 5 weeks and then after that we'll probably go in for scans and non-stress tests once a month just to make sure both babies are doing well and growing as they should. I'm excited to be able to see them more often than we were able to see O. With her it was our 20 week scan and done.

I have learned A LOT about twins in the last two weeks and I will probably be passing along some of that information on this blog. For example, fraternal vs. identical, monozygotic vs. dizygotic, etc. There is a ton for us learn and a ton for us to decide as far as changing how we were planning for another child. I'll keep you all updated!

Maternity Leave - or lack thereof

2010-08-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

According to Working Mother magazine the United States is one of four countries (the others are Liberia, Papua New Guinea and Swaziland) that doesn't have a national standard for paid maternity leave. Sure there is FMLA and some organizations offer portions of maternity leave paid but that doesn't seem like enough.

I'm lucky in a way in that with my job I accumulate leave and sick time in hours every pay period. By the time I get close to my due date I will have close to 14 weeks worth of time built up that I will be able to use to pay for the 12 weeks that I will be off (if not longer). But if I were working for J's company I would only have 2 weeks of paid vacation that I could use and then be stuck in leave without pay for the remaining 10. I think that sucks.

Also according to the magazine the countries with the best paid maternity leave are Canada (50 weeks), Japan (58 weeks) and Norway (90 weeks!).

Must be nice.

SB 1070

2010-08-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

I know most of you want to read about O and the twins and I promise I will get back to that! But I have been meaning to do this post for a little over 2 weeks now so I needed to get it out there.

Most of you have heard of Arizona's SB 1070 and how it relates to illegal immigration in the state of Arizona. I work about a 5 minute walk from the state capitol and the week leading up to the beginning of 1070 was nuts. There were news vans and satellites, helicopters and protestors all over the place. I tried to get some pictures so that you could get an idea of what it was like for those of us living through it. I am not very political and I really try to keep politics off my blog but I am making a little bit of an exception with this post and I will only go so far to say that I was, and am, in support of SB 1070.

This first couple shots were taken as I was leaving my building. You can kind of see how full the parking lot across the street is and some of the news vans.

Here are some of the protestors, although I think at this point the most controversial parts of 1070 had been halted by the judge on the case so I don't really know what they were protesting.

At one point there were 4 helicopters very close to my building and for those of you who are friends of mine on Facebook may have noticed one of my status updates complaining about how irritating it was. If you look really closely you can almost see one of the other helicopters along with the one that was over our building (its down toward the lower left of the picture - small black dot).

These shots are from the top of my parking garage. It kind of gives you an idea of how close the capitol is. It is the builing with the copper dome. I also tried to get some more of the news vans to give an idea of how many were really there.

These rainy ones were just to show more of the news vans and the number of buses that showed up with people to protest. I think there were 8 of these buses parked along the street.

Luckily our Capitol Police and Department of Public Safety did a really good job of keeping everything contained and under control.

Oh, Baby, Baby

2010-08-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

The fact of the matter is that John and I started trying for another baby in April. On day thirty-two I got my period. THIRTY-TWO! Talk about being certain you were pregnant and then being totally disappointed. Looking back now, though, I realize that I knew I wasn't pregnant. I had been spotting for a few days before I got my full-blown period. Of course at one point I was also pretty sure I had an ectopic pregnancy but that is a totally different story (I have a tendency to get a little crazy when it comes to getting, and being, pregnant).

Anyway, I didn't really think that it would but when my period was later and later I was hoping that just maybe . . . .

But, no.

It was the first month that I had been off the pill this time around so I wasn't sure how long my natural cycle really was. When we were trying the first time I think it was around 30ish days. Prior to going on the pill I had a very erratic cycle so I've never been what you would call "normal" when it came to that. (Cue the smart ass comments about not being normal anyway, etc. . . .)

With O it took us 3 months to get pregnant. Not long at all though at the time I was very frustrated. I've learned A LOT more about fertility and infertility and having seen the experiences that many of my friends have had I will NEVER complain about it taking three months to get pregnant again.

So we moved on to month of trying number two. I am one of those women who can feel ovulation (at least I'm pretty sure that's what it is). It comes at the right time to be ovulation pain so I'm going with that. Anyway, I feel the pain, we do what we have to do but to be safe I like to throw in a couple extra for good measure to make sure we don't miss anything. Of course, John's back decides to give him hell at the most inopportune time. Month two pretty much out the window.

Or so I thought.

Along with being one of the lucky ones who feels ovulation I am also one of those that feels implantation. I did with Olivia and now I know I felt it this time too. It feels like menstrual cramps and only lasts about an hour if that. I got that cramping on Sunday, June 13 (about 10 days past ovulation) and was pretty sure I was pregnant at that point but it was only day 25 and I told myself I was going to wait until the following Monday to take a test because then that would be day 33.

I made it to Thursday.

After I got home from work with O I took the test. Three minutes later I had a positive result. Holy crap!

Then began the debate as to how and when to tell John. I wanted to get a t-shirt for O to wear that said "I'm the Big Sister" and put her in it on Father's Day. Okay, so I'm all set.

Fast forward to about 5:45 a.m. on Friday (the next day!) and both J and I are awake for some reason. I choose this time to tell him that I was pregnant. I wanted to tell him before he took the first part of his C.P.S.M. so that he'd be in a good mood but at the same time I wanted to wait so he wouldn't have other things on his mind. He reassured me that he was glad I told him and that he wanted to know earlier rather than later.

Later that day I returned 4 bottles of wine that I had gotten at the BevMo 5 cent sale. So sad, but this would be the only reason to return wine as far as I'm concerned.

So, there you go. And, oh yeah, it's twins!

Shoot Me Now!

2010-08-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

My daughter has discovered movies and she LOVES them. But if I have to watch this:

(called "b")

or this:

(called "gungle")

one more time I think I may go crazy.

Everyday Life

2010-07-28T09:08:00.000-07:00

Our life is not that exciting. And I'm okay with that. I get enough drama at work, I don't need it at home. Here are some pictures from our everyday happenings.

Olivia got some great headbands from her day care provider for her birthday and I thought it would be funny to put them on incorrectly and take pictures. She seemed to enjoy it.

O has really started to become a mama's girl. She is all about mom doing everything for her. And she has really started to like having her picture taken. So here we are, food on the face and all.

Just a little light reading for the bathroom (US Weekly - my guilty pleasure).

She loved having daddy slide her around on the floor while riding in the storage containers.

John has O's bicycle helmet on his head. I don't know why. O hasn't quite figured out the game of bowling so she just stands the pins up and then holds the ball in her hand as she knocks down the pins. We really should take her to an alley so she can see how it actually works.

OK & KS Trip

2010-07-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, I'm late on getting this out there. We've been super busy for some reason so I am just now getting a chance to get pictures uploaded and on here.

We went to visit J's family in OK on June 30. We decided to fly on Southwest buddy passes which, looking back, probably wasn't the best idea. After being the last 3 on the flight, having to ask someone to move to a middle seat so that O and I could sit together and an hour and a half delay because of no a/c on the plane we finally made it to OK at 11:45 p.m.. It was when we were getting the rental car that O lost it (poor thing was so tired and had done so well until then!). We finally got on the road and got to J's mom's house at 1:15 a.m. O had had a short nap by that time so she got a second wind while we had a snack before bed. We finally got into bed at 2:15 a.m. completely exhausted.

The next day we took J's mom to lunch and then his brothers and their families came over for a barbecue. O loved the trampoline out behind Granny's house and she and her cousins had a blast jumping together.

Courtney is almost 5 and acted like a great big sister.

Checking out Aunt Sam under the trampoline.

She got soooo dirty but it was worth it. She also left a black ring around the bath tub. Nice.

Courtney trying to help her wash her hands.

On Friday morning we drove to Wichita in time for my cousin's bridal luncheon. The drive itself took about 3 hours including stops. Not so bad but O is not used to being in the car that long. I tried to get creative in keeping her entertained. At one point she had my make-up brushes strewn across the back seat of the car as well as lots of different snacks. I also gave her the camera for a bit and while most pictures were not good this one kind of turned out all right.

Turns out we have a little swimmer on our hands. On Friday night we decided to take O down to the pool to put her feet in. To our surpries she wanted to get right in and swim. She hadn't been in a pool in about a year and she was not at all interested in the water back then so we didn't expect the reaction we got. So John went back up to the room to put his suit on and got in with her.

Aunt Erin and her Goddaughter.

MB and Jose's wedding was absolutely beautiful. We had a really good time. It was great to see family and let O have fun with her Bobcat Busha (it's a long story). O really enjoyed the music and dancing and was not happy when we had to leave. We tried to get some family pictures but either O didn't want to cooperate or the camera acted up. We really need a new one.

Erin and our cousin, Luke.

O hanging out with Dadu, Bobcat Bush and Aunt Manny.

A shot from when O had the camera. That's Erin's Tangy Whisko in the background. Tangy Whisko is Maker's Mark and Dr. Pepper. Try it.

The dollar dance with MB.

On Sunday we drove back to OK to spend the 4th with John's family. We weren't sure how O would react to the fireworks but she absolutely loved them. She laughed and laughed as they set them off. It was almost more fun watching and listening to her!

With Courtney and Billy (who is almost exactly 1 year older than her)

Enjoying dinner at the Dora table

We were planning on staying in OK until Tuesday but the flights filled up so we ended up leaving on Monday evening. We had a really nice lunch with one of J's old friends, Paul, his wife Amy, and their two kids earlier in the day and were able to spend an hour or two with Linda before we left to head out to the airport. This leg of the trip went better than the first as J, O and I all ended up being able to sit together. We got home around 9 p.m. and this was how O looked when we pulled into the garage. Poor thing.

The trip was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed spending so much time with both sides of the family. O had a great time with her cousins and it really made us want to get back to that area of the country as soon as possible.

We're Baaaaack . . .

2010-07-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a chance to upload any pictures from our Oklahoma/Wichita, KS trip. I will get them up as soon as I can but it probably won't happen until Friday.

We had a very nice time both with John's family and at my cousin's wedding. O continued to amaze us with her enjoyment of both dancing and fireworks. I wish I had a video of her seeing those fireworks for the first time. She laughed and laughed at them. It was great. She had a wonderful time with her cousins too as you'll see in the pictures I will eventually post.

The flights were fine though we did have some problems on both legs but we all made it back in one piece. Hope everyone had a great 4th!