Hanging out on Vacation

I love New Orleans...

Mommy - 14 weeks along with our twins....
Headed to dinner with my favorite people:
I love this little girl:

And I love these little girls:

Taylor had a blast swimming with G-Daddy in the pool (all week long):

Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Baton Rouge

My sisters and I packed up the car on Friday March 18 and headed to Baton Rouge with our three little babies for a week of fun with Manna and G-Daddy. I love this trip! I love Baton Rouge – it is warm, my parents have an awesome condo with a heated pool, it is warm year round, the food is awesome, did I mention that it is warm year round! Today is March 30^th and in Bentonville it is only 40 degrees (but I will save that for a different post).

While we were in Baton Rouge we hit up the Saint Patrick’s day parade. This is a huge deal in Baton Rouge. The parade was miles long and lasted for hours. Taylor loved it, and all of the free beads that he collected. It is tradition in Baton Rouge to say “throw me something mister” and they will hook you up with beads.

Week 16 Update

Doctor’s appointment went well yesterday. Two healthy babies still bouncing around in their hidey hole. Both Baby A and Baby B still have very high heart rates. A is roughly 159 and B is roughly 152. Yikes – could they both be girls? We did ask the doctor for an ultrasound to see if we could determine the gender at 16 weeks. She agreed, but warned us that until week 20 there were no guarantees that things could not change. The doctors guess was Baby A was a girl, and maybe possibly Baby B was a boy. Baby B was being very stubborn, and sat Indian Style the whole time. I think that she was being nice and trying to give us hope when she said Baby B was a boy. If you can’t tell we really just want healthy babies, but would be tickled to death if we were blessed with at least one more really sweet little boy! We will see what God has planned for us. Our 20 week ultrasound will be on Monday April 25^th!

Thoughts and Reflections

Having two babies growing inside you at the same time is very exciting - don't get me wrong. But it is also a little but scary, especially when they are babies 3&4 in the birthing order. I told Ryan 2.5 years ago that I was not sure if we should be done having babies. We debated and thought about it, and ultimately we put the decision in God's hands and said "He will determine if it is meant to be." Well I guess He (God) thought it was meant to be, and sent the message twice as strong! But like I said it is still scary thinking about raising 4 children, birthing 2 at the same time, and making sure to spend equal time with each of them, not to mention the $37,000 in childcare that we are looking at annually. So I have often found myself reflecting on scripture, and finding peace in God's teachings. I ran across this today, and thought I would share. Babies or not we all get scared and need something to help pick us up and keep us going.

Isaiah, Chapter 23 - “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; YOU ARE MINE!” The Lord says that, as His people trust Him through times of trouble He will not leave them. Whatever the experience of those who belong to Him, He makes a promise using images that recall the historic Exodus event “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord Your God!”

Isaiah, Chapter 40 beginning at the 28^th verse: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and they young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Happy Birthday - My Sweet Baby Boy

I can't believe that 7 short years ago your daddy and I were blessed by your birth. You changed our life for the better, forever! And we are so very proud to be your parents.

My where have the years gone? Some days seem to last forever, but the years sure are going by way to fast.

I love you little boy and wish you a very Happy New Year of Live. Love, Mom

Happy Birthday My Little Love….

I can’t believe that seven short years ago you came into your daddy and my lives. We love you so very much and we are so very proud of the precious little boy that you have become. You love to talk and imagine, and to share your thoughts with everyone who will listen to you. You love playing with your cousins, teasing the puppy dogs. You told me the other day that you prefer to get your “exercise in your hands in fingers, while playing your video games.” At least you are honest, and for that I am so very proud of you. You are the most wonderful little honest boy, who keeps Christ at the center of your heart. I love you little boy. Now would you please quit growing up so darn fast?

Yes you picked this cake out, and it cracked me up. It is very fitting for the cheese lover that you are.

I am not very good at taking pregnancy pictures but that is me in the background 13 weeks, 2 days pregnant with twins. Good Greek I am going t be huge when this is all said and done!

I love you little boy....

Taylor my Star (and little public speaker)

A couple weeks ago Taylor was the star of his Friday morning Rise and Shine program. He had over 10 lines that he had to speak in front of his whole school. He did a phenomenal job – I am so proud of him and all of his accomplishments over the past year.

Country Living

The kids love living out on the farm, and Ryan and I are enjoying a large safe place for them to run.

Emma Grace loves running outside!

Yesterday I got out of the shower and looked outside and this is what I found. … Taylor and Ryan love having the flexibility to do man stuff. They really want to raise a big out here as well.

Proof of Disney Trip....

Kids I have over 400 pictures from our trip, and they are saved on the computer for your viewing.

Catching up is so hard to do....

But I am determined to do it this week!!! Stay tuned for an abbreviated post of our Walt Disney World vacation. I have been so very tied from this pregnancy (and hungry), but now at least I know why. Who knew have twins could be so exhausting!!!

Well in the past 10 days we found out we were expecting twins, and we packed up our house and moved out to my parents vacant farm house. Well it was almost vacant - my sister Emily has been living here. She was kind enough to let us move in with her until we can get our tiny house sold, get the babies here safe and sound, and build a bigger house!!! We have been busy. I am glad my husband is a take charge kind of guy when he goes into stress mode because I have been so tiered I can't even conceive moving on to the next step of the day.

My precious baby boy turns 7 this week, so we are having our family over for a small birthday party tonight to celebrate with him. Taylor is adjusting really well to farm life. He loves being outside and playing with the kitty cats. This afternoon I looked outside and saw him and his daddy rinding on the lawn mower together picking up sticks for a bond fire.

Emma Grace is adjusting well. The only thing that she did for the first couple days is say "I want to go back to my old home and take a nap." Poor baby just did not understand the move. But she loves it out here in the county. She has so much room to run, and things that allow her to be more independent!

Well so long for now - I had to write a few things that were on my mind and promise my blog that I owed it more so I would come back and get it done.

And Then There Were Four....

Yes that is right - Twins!!! What a surprise but both Baby A and Baby B are showing all signs of being very healthy and active.

Thoughts from an expecting mom

This is the journal that I have been keeping over the past couple months. Just my thoughts on baby number three (and four).

Thursday January 6, 2011

Have you ever had a secret that no one knew, that did not know how to tell someone, including your husband, or your best friend? I have had a secret since 12:30 today, and I am scared to death. How is possible how could it be. We just started having the discussions, how could it have happened so very fast (how did it happen before we had the discussions?). I am so confused and so very scared. I hope a good night’s sleep solves it all.

Friday January 7, 2011

Well it is the next day, and a good night’s sleep did not help like I hoped it would. I am still in shock and still a little bit scared. How could my love possibly be spread any more, and my time anymore thinly? One more day till I get to tell my husband, and I know then everything will make since.

Saturday January 8, 2011

Well today is the day – God I hope he does not leave me with all these kids to raise by myself. Pretty sure it would not happen, but for some reason I am so nervous I don’t like keeping secrets from my best friend. We will go out for a nice dinner tonight and I will have a creative way to share the news.

Creative way to share –text sent with big news in subject line, and picture to prove the positive results. Husband is ecstatic, and says very matter of factly with a smile on his face “well all righty then!”

Thank you Nene watching the kids while I hopefully treated my husband to a night that he will never forget!

Sunday January 9, 2011

Best friend knows we are aligned and excited, and feeling much better about our third little blessing that will be here September 16, 2011. Having a hard time keeping a secret!

Monday January 10, 2011

Crap I can’t believe that my paints are already getting tight. I have worked really hard to count calories, eat healthy, and exercise. Two pounds lost since Christmas, but body filling up quickly with lots of good stuff to support baby. This did not happen as quickly with the first and second. I better not gain 60 points. My weight goal is 20 pound. 60 were gained with Taylor and 25 with Emma Grace. Emma Grace’s weight came off easy, but Taylor weight is still hanging around (6.5 years later). I will not gain more than 20 pounds. Oh my goodness I am craving Ginger like you would not believe. I need recipes for ginger whatever.

Tuesday January 11, 2011

Getting excited, looking to see if I can find a baby carrier, so that I can wear my new baby which I see is the newest fad. Aligned with my husband to tell Kellie (my boss) – next week in my one on one that I have scheduled. Wired to tell my boss before my family and friends, but she needs to know so that we can plan accordantly. Had this baby been planned like everything else in my life I would have planned to have him after the first of the year. September will be hard on the team since we are going into our key season of the year. But I have to realize in life that I can’t plan everything. I think this is God’s way of telling me to let go, believe that he has the plan (not me) and that I just have to trust in him. I am stressed out about selling out house, and building a new house. I pray that our house sell soon, or our land sells soon so I have one less thing to focus on.

Wednesday January 12, 2011

Not sure I am going to make it for the next two years without coffee. This pregnancy is going to be a test. Taylor I did not drink Caffeine with – most calm child in the world (in and out of utero). . Emma Grace I had one serving a day (like doctors recommend) – most hyperactive/spastic child in the world (in and out of utero). I am committed to not drink caffeine with this baby, and we will see what happens.

If it is a boy his name will be Preston Anthony. If it is a girl we don’t know what her name will be.

Have I told you how excited Ryan is about a new baby? I did not think he would react this way, but he is glowing, and can’t hardly keep it a secret.

Crap – have I told you how much I am craving ginger? “Help need ginger recipes.” Maybe if it is a little girl we should name her Ginger.

Friday January 14, 2011

Somehow I have gained one pound and my pants are getting very snug. How in the world can either of these be? All I eat are fruit and veggies, and a little bit of protein (and a bunch of water). I will keep doing what I am doing, plus jogging every morning – I will not gain more than 20 pounds!!!!

I am getting really excited – I can’t believe that we are going to have three children. My parents had three children, Ryan’s parents had three children, and my friend Mauree has three children. I can do this. I just worry that I am going to sell one of my children short with their special time. I can remember my love multiplying, not dividing, when I had Emma Grace. I know that will happen again. I just pray that God will help me prioritize my time.

January 24, 2011

The doctors gave me something for nausea, but I am scared to death to take it plus it is not covered by insurance and it cost $200 for a 30 day supply. I think that is God’s way of telling me to suck it up and don’t take the medicine. I am 6 weeks and 3 days today, which is the half way point for getting rid of the nausea. God please let me make it and please let me have a fun time in Disney with my children and my husband – please let me be strong and well for them. Only three more days till we leave!!! I don’t remember being this sick with Emma Grace or Taylor. Even the thought of something will make me gag. The other day I looked in the refrigerator at some left over soup, and I had to run to the sink because I just knew I was going to get sick.

At first I was thinking it was a girl because my face was so broken out (much like with Emma Grace), but then my face cleared up and now I really can’t stomach spice foods (much like with Taylor). I really don’t want to find out the gender, that was the best surprise of my life. Hopefully I can talk Ryan into that as well!

February 25, 2011

State of depression – my OB doctors’ office called today and told me that my Doctor (Dr. Cole) is not seeing OB patients any longer. I love Dr. Cole – he delivered Taylor and I have seen him ever since. I don’t know how I will function without him.

March 1, 2011

8:00 am

Today’s the big day. One hours till the big doctor’s appointment! Hopefully it will go well. I am eleven weeks and four days along, and I have only gained 5 pounds. Yes, I consider that good. I am ¼ of the way through and I have gained ¼ of my planned weight gain. Let’s hope we stay on track.

12:55 pm

Went to our appointment, disappointed about a new doctor, but handled it well. Doctor walked in the room and said “are you ready to hear your baby’s heart beat?” First thing Ryan said was “yes we are ready to make sure there is only one.” She laughed and said “are you worried/have you been having dreams?” My response “well sort of, and everyone keeps commenting that there are two.” So she checks for the heart beat and it take her about 5 minutes to find it – the longest five minutes of my life because at that point I was so worried that something was wrong with baby. Doctor gets heart beat at 161 beats per minutes, and states “I don’t think that there is more than one because that is all I hear and it took me so long to find. But your uterus is measuring big and you might be further along than we thought. Let’s do an ultrasound to make sure that we don’t have to move up your due date.”

Ryan and I head down to the ultrasound room, and the tech starts doing her thing, and within 30 seconds she says “you’re having twins and that is why your uterus is measuring big.”

Oh Shit. We are having twins.

They are healthy and everything looks good. They are actually measuring a little bit bigger than we thought. They are measuring 12 weeks and 1 day, and we thought we were 11 weeks and 5 days. They are both in their own sack. Not sure what that means yet, but I will be doing lots of research on twins. Healthy babies are all that we are praying for right now, God will make the rest fall into place. This is His Will, and we will carry thought with it to the best of our abilities.

Twins, who would have thought? More to come I can promise.