Random Miscellany to Finish Up!

So last month there was a comet or something like that supposedly visible for a while, and I think I saw it coming home from my grandma’s house one day.  I’m feeling too lazy to put an arrow on this picture but the streak is in almost the very middle of the image, just above the trees.

One day I was craving a lox and cream cheese bagel.  After ascertaining that the bagel shop was most likely still there (I hadn’t been in years!), I loaded up James and Natalie and headed over!

You have to go inside, so I likely wouldn’t have attempted it if I’d had any more than my littles.

I must have stopped at McDonald’s on the way home for a Dr. Pepper as well.  Yuuuuuuuumy lunch!

James had made himself a little fort under the exersaucer.  Have I mentioned he’s a cutie pie?

Natalie has several Groovy Girls, who mostly look different from each other.  She happens to have two of one of the dolls, and she calls them the twins.  :)

James loaded up his trains in the school bus one day.  I can only assume they were tired and needed to rest on their journey.

Mom and David went to Hawaii a couple of weeks ago.  Mom spelled the kids’ names in the sand with shells.

The babies even got one.  :)

I haven’t unloaded my camera card in a few days so I’m not actually caught up, but these pics have all been sitting in my “to blog” folder for forever.  And I’ve taken less than 200 pictures this month!  Being pregnant is slowing me down!  I’m okay with that though.  :)

A Day of Birthdays!

A couple of weeks ago we had two birthday parties to go to on Saturday.  First up, the girls and I went to Lisa’s to celebrate Emma’s 5th birthday!  James and Matt stayed home to do man stuff.

Birthday girl!

It was an Easter egg, Easter bunny birthday.  The kiddos “pinned” the tail on the bunny.  I made Natalie not cheat which is why her bunny tail is so much lower than the others.  :)

Emma got a Merida doll (from Brave) that Natalie spent a while gazing at.  She has a love/fear relationship with that movie.  She basically loves it, but is very scared of the bears.

After all that party fun, we headed home for a little rest before going to Aunt Missy’s house for Brooke’s first birthday!

James was pretending to be asleep for Uncle Mark.  That boy cracks me up.

I think it was Mamma that put James in Brooke’s walker.  He was in heaven at his very own drive-in movie.  :)

Super cute cake!

The birthday girl!

Brooke’s eyes are mid-blink or something (ain’t it always the way), but this was the best shot I got of her and her mom and dad blowing out the candle.

She’s like “what?”

Well, a spatula… that’s more like it!

She did end up eating some, but Ashley (Brooke’s mom) says she’s a very neat eater so this may have just been too much mess!  (And too much audience!)

My girls didn’t have any trouble eating their cake.  :)  I made them eat only very small portions so they could have a little at each party.

At first James didn’t want to share with Daddy.  But Daddy gives big bites so it turned out to be okay.

Cutie patootie in her new pink chair!

With one set of grandparents:

I didn’t take as many pictures as I would have liked; I was feeling poorly.  Both birthday houses had such great windows and natural light though – I missed out!

Happy birthday to our beautiful great-niece Brooke – we love you! 

And happy birthday to our sweet sweet friend Emma – we love you!

Fun at the Airport

I have been a super blog slacker lately, but I still want to post on a few several lots of things.  The blog is my memory.  :)

One day last month my mom, the kids, and I went out to lunch.  This picture is exposed poorly, but it made me happy.  I had an ice cream cone but needed to buckle the children.  There was a toilet paper roll in the van because I don’t buy kleenex – it worked perfectly to hold my cone!

Anyway, after lunch my mom needed to get a new security badge thing at the airport, so we all went in with her.

We don’t go many places with elevators – such fun!

We couldn’t actually go where she was going, so we went down to ride the inter-terminal train.

It was difficult to take pictures.  :)

It was fun!

Then we went up to baggage claim to wait on my mom.  James very much enjoyed climbing in between the chairs.

Super “cheese” face!

10 Weeks

10 weeks

How Your Baby’s Growing (from Babycenter.com):

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

How far along: 10 weeks

Pregnancy symptoms: nausea, constipation, tiredness, a little baby brain, some moody stuff

Food Cravings: chocolate, coffee, fruit, pizza, chocolate pudding, steak and potatoes, chips and quac

Food Aversions: I just thought to add this category, but I may not always put something in it.  And hopefully as this pregnancy progresses, I’ll feel like eating everything.  :)  Anyway: eggs (unless they’re in a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit), Cheetos, toast, peanut butter and jelly, most cold cereal

Sleep: The last few nights have been awesome!  I’ve woken up through the night but been able to get back to sleep pretty quickly.

Measurement: 40 inches around

Movement: I feel things that could be babies moving, but are most likely not since it’s still so early.  But it stops and makes me think for a minute!

Labor signs: nothing yet

What I miss: I miss wanting to cook and bake.  I miss the house being clean(ish) ever.  {same things from last week!}

What I’m looking forward to: I’m looking forward to hearing the babies’ heartbeats in a couple of weeks.

Milestone: Double digits!

Thoughts from the children: Joanna says she doesn’t mind if the twins are boys, but doesn’t want them to be rough and tackle her like her brother.  Ha! 

I actually heard James say “twins” today.  He was worried about a cockroach, and I told him the cockroach wouldn’t get him, and he agreed and said it wouldn’t get the twins either.  :)

Doctor’s visit: next visit is in a couple of weeks

Other thoughts: The last couple of days I have been considerably less nauseous than the last five weeks (hallelujah!).  I’m also having a little lower back and abdominal pain though that it feels like it’s just a little soon for.  Who knows…

Baby-related projects:

• I’ve started thinking about how the furniture will get rearranged for the new babies.  We probably won’t move things around until this summer (but that’s not too far off!)  It’s one thing I think about when I lay awake at night.  :)

Thursday

Yesterday was Matt’s birthday!!  We didn’t see him in the morning though; we were all slumbering away when he left for work. 

Natalie woke up with a cough and a teensy fever so she stayed home from school with me.  It was chilly and wet in the morning so she dressed in her cute rain get up for an errand.

After noon I went to get my hair colored while my mom watched Natalie (and picked up the others from school).  It is now super dark, but I didn’t take pictures with my good camera (and I am big fat lazy) so I’ll post a pic later on.  :)

I met my mom at James’ school to trade back cars and get all my kiddos so I could take them to the dentist.  It was James’ first time to get checked!

He had such fun playing with the toys.

Ummmmm… cutest boy in universe?  Yes!

He picked out some manly purple sunglasses for his cleaning.

Daddy showed up after work and got to hold James’ hand.

So brave!

We went to my grandma’s house for enchilada birthday dinner, and this is the only picture I managed to take:

I fail as the photographer momma/wife.  But in my defense, there are two people growing in my uterus.  :)

Andy and Christiana brought those beautiful roses from their garden – one for each baby!  They smelled so good!

I bought a chocolate cake from Kroger and a gallon of milk for us to share for dessert.  I forgot candles, so Grandma found a couple of matches we could stick in the top for Matt to blow out.  :)  Ha!  I think it worked out quite well.  David may have taken a picture with his phone; I’ll have to see if that is the case.  It was a lovely evening with family celebrating my wonderful husband!

And last night for the first time in almost a week, Matt slept very well all night long!  I guess he just needed to be 45 years old already.

I, however, had my usual up in the middle of the night for two hours fun.  It just seems so wasteful to be awake in the night – I could be sleeping!!  I laid awake for about 50 minutes, thinking about a big glass of milk and slice of chocolate cake before finally giving in and getting some.  It was wonderful.

Yesterday at dinner my cousin Christiana suggested I try her seabands for nausea, and they actually work!  I wore them all night long, and I did not wake up with super nausea.  Yay!  I’ve felt pretty nauseous this afternoon, but I know part of that is because I need to sleep (or eat more cake.)  :)

And best of all, Joanna told me with the seabands on and my dark hair that I look like Wonder Woman.  Yes!

This was quite a mashy miscellaneous post, but… It’s about all I can accomplish right now.  :)

9 Weeks

9 weeks

How Your Baby’s Growing (from Babycenter.com):

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

How far along: 9 weeks

Pregnancy symptoms: nausea, bloating, constipation, tiredness, a little baby brain

Food Cravings: bacon egg and cheese biscuits, smoothies, pineapple

Sleep: It’s okay. I lay awake almost every night for an hour to an hour and half in the wee hours of the morning.  That’s getting pretty old fast.  :)

Measurement: I was 176lbs at my doctor’s appointment on Thursday.  I measured around my belly (belly button) at 39 inches.

Movement: nothing yet

Labor signs: definitely nothing yet!

What I miss: I miss wanting to cook and bake.  I miss the house being clean(ish) ever.

What I’m looking forward to: I’ve got 2-3 months still, but I am looking forward to finding out the sex of the babies.

Milestone: I’d say finding out we’re expecting twins is pretty HUGE news!!

Thoughts from the children: They are absolutely taking it in stride that we’re having twins.  They are not as shocked as I am.  :)

Doctor’s visit: Joanna and I saw Dr. Torres on Thursday for my 8 week checkup.  She was running a little behind (but their office is so nice that I almost don’t mind), so I ended up in an office with a nurse who asked me a bunch of questions.  Among the questions was if twins run in my family.  I wasn’t aware/thinking about how they were a ways back on my family tree so I shared that Matt’s mom was a twin.  Then the doctor asked the same question and I gave the same answer, but I’m nearly positive they’ve never asked me that question before in any previous pregnancies.  Can you say FORESHADOWING?!!  So we get in with Dr. Torres and my favorite nurse.  I put Joanna in a chair up by my head since I was getting an exam.  Dr. Torres pulled the ultrasound machine over a bit so we could see it.  As the image was coming up, I wasn’t looking at the screen; I think I was looking back at Joanna.  I heard a sound of surprise come from my doctor.  I looked over at the screen and saw this:

I knew immediately that there were two babies in my uterus.  It was such a surreal moment.  I said something along the lines of “NO WAY.  NO. WAY!”  And then I began to blather about how I’d had this weird feeling about how I was going to have to keep all the baby clothes we have in the attic because they would be boy/girl twins.  And all the while I exclaiming something like “No way!” while rubbing my eyes and head.  And Joanna is just sitting there, calmly.  The doctor snapped the image, which is blurry due to all the moving and exclaiming I was doing.  The nurse pointed out to me how they were both just moving like crazy in there, which I’m sure I was too shocked to have noticed on my own.  The doctor pointed out that they were in their own sacs and placentas and that that was good.  There is the potential for fewer complications.  When I sat up, she said with twins we do things a little differently, and I said “Oh good, I was getting bored.”  I remember my nurse hugged me in congratulations.  And my mind just hasn’t stopped whirring since then.  :)

Looking back: This is all uncharted territory now!  I really don’t feel much different than the other pregnancies, even knowing I’m carrying twins.  I was this sick with Joanna, and I think this big already with James.

Baby-related projects:

• I have to keep reminding myself that I’m only nine weeks along, and I don’t need to rearrange the house, get two carseats, and find another crib yet.  There’s time.  :)  I am stalking my favorite diaper shop for sales though.  We’re going to need to expand the stash!

• Continue to put away much of the kids’ toys.  They really do play very well with less, and it’s so much more manageable to clean up!  I tackled the girls’ room this week, and the difference is huge.  I have to finish up in there, and then work on James’ room.  One thing that’s making it easier on me is that I’m not making myself make decisions about toys right now.  I’m not deciding whether to keep or toss; I’m just putting them away in the top of the closet.  It’s freeing for my brain.  :)

So Far on Friday

One sleep issue I struggle with a lot in pregnancy is getting back to sleep.  This has happened with my last two pregnancies.  I think it usually starts later than 8 weeks (boo!), but I’ve had a couple of nights of trouble this week.  Typically I fall asleep okay, especially if I give myself a long time to wind down, and I sleep until I get woken up, either by a snoring husband, a crying child, or my own wacky body.  Then, if I’m very very careful not to have too many coherent thoughts, walk around much, or talk at all, I can get back to sleep okay.  But if I have to talk or think about something, I’m looking at at least an hour of laying there, waiting to fall back asleep. 

This morning James woke up screaming at 3:30.  I could tell he needed to comforted, but I had to talk Matt into doing it.  :)  I also struggle with nausea in the middle of the night and really really didn’t want to get up and have to really feel it.  Matt came back to bed after a few minutes and fell back asleep immediately.  I laid awake until about the time he woke up for the day, close to 5:00.  Then I slept very very well for one hour. 

While I was laying awake, I got really really hungry (and nauseous) and decided I was craving a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit.  It took a lot of will power not to wake Matt up at 4:30 to ask him to get me one.  :)  I did mention it to him later, and he got me one at closer to 7:00.  It didn’t sound quite as perfect at that point, but it tasted really good, and I WILLED it to stay down (which is working so far anyway).  I knew I needed the protein and something filling (that I didn’t have to make.) 

I’ve been having a particular kind of tummy trouble this week, and my friend Martha prescribed (among other things) some coffee to help.  She even made me a yummy cup and brought it over this morning.  I don’t like coffee AT ALL, but this is really good!  I think it’s mostly sugar and milk, but I’ll take it!  And, I don’t know if y’all are aware of this, but coffee is strong.  I’m having trouble getting my eyes to close.  :)

I have my Joanna home today, which I love very very much.  She stayed home yesterday too.  She threw up one time yesterday morning and was running a fever last night.  Right now though she appears to be totally fine.  Oh well!

I am thinking I will start reading about carrying and mothering twins.  (WHAT?!!!)  There is just so much to think about!  My brain is already making lists of things we’re going to need.  I’m going to try and keep that list in check (we have kind of a small house), but some things we just won’t be able to avoid.  (TWO carseats!)  There’s also plenty of worry hanging out in the back of my head, which I’m trying not to take too much ownership of.  I know this is going to be hard.  I know it could get very scary.  I know I might not even get to keep them.  But I read something on a blog that I like very much:

“For as long as God allows me to, I will partner with Him in creation. I'll do the very best I can to mother my third and fourth children, whether I get to do that for 12 weeks, 12 years, or 5x12 years. They are real and they are His and they are ours and we are blessed.” {from www.sortacrunchy.net}

Because it’s not all about me you know.  Thankfully.

On a happier note, we have gender predictions from the children.  Joanna (whom we already know has a psychic link with my uterus) thinks they will be both be girls.  James thinks they will both be boys, and Natalie at first said one of each but then changed her answer to two girls.  All of these options scare me.  Ha!

I haven’t even had this information for 24 hours yet, so it kind of feels like a dream.  Sure, I’ve thought about twins before, but I always assumed that would be a club I’d never be in.  NOT so!  I’d better look in to getting my membership card.