halloween 2007

Who'd of thought kids could be so indecisive? We started this morning out as Thomas the Tank for school. They had a nice parade and party with lots of treats..

Then tonight Daddy was getting ready to take him trick or treating and he thought he should be the Hulk.. and he was a cute one too! He put on a "gun" show and everything.. It is good to be green!

Then as Daddy was buckling him into the truck, he quick said, "I wanna be Thomas." So back into the house for another change.. And they were off. Daddy ordered me to stay home with the porch light out so I am not getting up and down.. we will hand out candy when the two of them get home. This makes Thomas his costume for 3 years in a row, even though we buy a new one each year. That costume sure paid for itself! Maybe an update of their night later. Happy Halloween!

first halloween..

With Halloween being tomorrow, here is my little one for his first Halloween photos from 2003! He was a bug. One day Jacques said, "What is he going to be?" I showed him the costume and he said "Aww, I wanted him to be a cannibal." Too Funny! He was almost 9 months in this photo.. Can you belive that he is now almost 5?

8 months

Eight months along today! 32 weeks.. Here are belly shots from today.. no fancy altering, just point and shoot. Later I will edit them to black and white. So no news from my check up.. cervix is still closed and the doc said I was their "best pregnant patient." I go back in 2 weeks for another check up and that will put me at 8.5 months or 34 weeks.. Also I got preregistered at the hospital today (I had to do 3 sets of paperwork! One for me and each baby.) and found out they do not have an NICU (neo natal intensive care unit) so if they babies need any time in there, we all will be transferred to another hospital. So I am going to take it easy and just keep bakin these babies : ) But we have to be ready cause they could come any day now! All I have left to do is get a pack n' play and stock up on wipes, but other than that we are ready to go! As for our baby countdown (aiming for December 3 here) is 5 weeks or 35 days..

random things..

1. Today the hubby told me he wants to shadow box Jason's first pair of soccer cleats now that the season is over... hmmmmmmmmmm he is odd.

2. I got to throw away a pair of Jacques that were tore up years ago.. I told him yesterday to throw them away, I found them this morning in his closet so I threw them away myself : )

3. I say sarcastically, "Jason are those swings going to put themselves together?" And he replies, "Nope." (We are teasing Daddy about getting them together, hopefully soon!)

4. Jason can "read" Green Eggs and Ham all by himself, and is counting up to 50 by himself or higher with a little help.. He needs help with what is after like 59, 69, 79...

5. I am still in my pajamas at 5:48 pm.

6. I have 152 photo prints ready for pick up at the developers just done today.

7. Jason and Jacques say, "Back off. This is the Man's Club." I imagine this is only going to get worse when there are four of them..

8. I have got lots done today..

9. Check up tomorrow morning at 9:30 am.

six years ago today..

I said "I do" and so did you. Happy Anniversary to us today! Six years, WoW! Sorry the scans are so bad, that is why I hate events that I have to participate in, cause it means I can not run the camera! Grrrrrr! Half our photos are just awful.. Also note that tinesy little wedding dress was a size 2, another Wow.. I was going to put it on today for a trip down memory lane, but I don't think that is going happen : ) I had also dyed my hair way dark the month before we got married. So no big plans for today.. but Jason has his last soccer game at 12, then maybe a lunch out to celebrate and the hubby got us hockey tickets for tonights game here in Columbia.

great news!

I buzzed by the doctors office today because I have been having a hard time feeling the Right Twin move.. Well my doctor was out but his partner saw me and both babies are fine. We saw both hearts beating and we even saw the chest walls moving up and down. BUT the exciting news is that he said I could deliver them vaginally!! YEAH! He asked what my doctor had said, and I told him that at 12 weeks the doc just said we would do a c-section. He said that my doctor often jumps to C-sections with twins, but that I was a perfect candidate. I also told him the babies had been head down since about 28 weeks. He did say that I would still have to deliver in the operating room just as a precaution. He said he would make a note on my folder as a "hint" to my doctor. So keep those fingers crossed that these babies stay head down. And he also thought that the Left Twin would come first.

And it has been raining here since 5 this morning, so my favorite thing to do (besides scrap) is curl up on the couch with a great movie.. I will be turning this on in a few minutes. Seriously one of my favorites of all time, a classic! I have it on video, DVD and the record that I found at a thrift store for .25 cents!

you talkin' to me?

What a Ham! Caught him in the moment today.. We went to the park, got lots of great photos! Also today I asked Jason if he was going to be in the Army when he grows up and he said "No, I am just going to be a Daddy." Awwwww! Then we stopped at a thrift store and he said "You can get great junk here." Giggles!

Seeing Double? Both baby swings arrived today! As I was in the kitchen, I heard Jason over say to his Dad "The swings aren't going to put themselves together!" Hehehhe! Wonder where he heard that from? Hmmmmmmm.

And finally, two teacher Halloween gifts that I made today.. I had to make up 24 goody sacks for the class and aides, but I made something nicer for the teachers.. I love Snickers!

bottle makin' station

So today I set this up in the cupboard.. it will be the center of our world for the next 9-12 months.. There are over 30 bottles in this photo, along with extra supplies too.. And at $4.50 a bottle, ummmmmmm yeah, what is that... like $135 bucks! And we have 17 more that are in the larger size, but I won't bust them out until the babies are drinking larger amounts.. Wonder if this will be enough?

And here is Jason today.. He was watching JAWS earlier, then I noticed he had ran off to his room to play trains.

Thanks, Mom!

My mother got us this today! So now we will have two soon. It will be here in 3 to 5 days, so hubby is going to have fun putting this baby together, TWICE! Heheheh! Just wanted to shout out to my Mom a BIG thank you!

And other baby news.. I am 31 weeks today, at this stage the only organ left to be fully functional is the lungs.

we are just too cute

fun at the fair

We spent the evening last night at the South Carolina State Fair! It was sooooo fun.. Jason rode all the rides and Daddy joined in for all the roller coasters.. We munched on sausages, fries and fried chips.. and what fair would be complete without cotton candy? ummmm yeah, we bought the monster $4 bag.. yummmm! more photos later.. going to the soccer game.

just for fun..

a flashback.. photo by Bell : ) taken on my 17th birthday, we were having fun with a Polaroid.. that night the most of the Wendy's gang all went out to the Hott's house (where no trespassing is permitted : ) and I think we were out till almost 4 am that night..

note that back then my hair, nails and make up was done.. those were the days! that waist and those jeans.. yep, a size 2.. that was before marriage, pregnancy and double digits.. anyway sorry about the bad scan.. who'd of guessed that Polaroids don't age well? later.

three new layouts..

30 week check up

Okay one more 4D to share.. it is hard to see, but there are both babies faces here.. you can make out the left one pretty good, and then you can see the Right ones nose.. it is almost like the Right baby is kissing the Left Baby's cheek, Can you see it now??

Today's check up at 30 weeks... HELLO, seven and a half months! Another milestone! The doctor told me I could give birth tomorrow and the babies would be okay.. Of course they would be tiny and need a month or more in the NICU, but they would be okay. BUT just so you know, I have to grocery shop tomorrow, so I will not be having these babies : )

The babies are now weighing in at 2.9 pounds and 3.5 pounds.. the doctor isn't concerned about the weight difference because they are so close in size. And my cervix is still closed. And now I will start seeing the doctor every 2 weeks for a while, then down to once a week.. I might as well just camp out there.. Next Check up is on the 29th, and that will put me up to 8 months!

And as for the Baby Countdown.. I am aiming for December 3rd ish because my mother gets here on the first.. So that puts us at exaclty 7 weeks or 49 days, but who knows when I will go. I better get some serious sleep in and shopping done!

i am scrappin..

Sooo lately I have been scrappin like a mad woman.. and here are a few of the results.. The first is a new album titled "Recycled." I saw something like this on SIS and had to do it. To start the album, I dug through the trash and took out anything that we love.. Example: a ripped up Eggo box. Jason painted the cover yellow. I figure that someday that trash maybe treasure : )


Second is just a layout of my love and me, I absolutely love that fuzzy photo and may scrap it numerous times.. Out of Focus, In love. Get it?



And last is the first album I have made for the twins.. well "am making for the twins." It is from the October Kit of the Month and it is a circle box and album.. The album is not even started (hence..there are no babies to photograph yet) but I plan on adding a little more to the top of the box and doing the inside with all black and white photos. The box top says "be in the moment." I really thought I would be ready with plenty of albums to fill once the babies were here, haveing a head start with baby scrappin, but I am not.. The only project I have done is a pregnancy journal.. I am such a slacker! Click on the photos to see them better... Later.

and today's 4D ultrasound..

Photo 1: Tops of babies heads.. this is 2D

Photo 2: This is the Right Baby, but you can see the two fingers of the Left Baby.

Photo 3: Right Baby with his hand up by his face..

Photo 4: The Right Baby's face.

So about today's session.. The babies were NOT cooperative at all and the amniotic fluid was low around their faces, and that is why everything is so fuzzy. These are about the only shots we got of them. It was nice to peak in on them and they are doing fine, but I was a little bummed that we couldn't see more..

But we were able to make sure they both still had all their boy parts.. they do! Heartbeats were very strong again today with the Left Baby's BPM 143 and Right Baby's BPM 136. Also one baby has LOTS of hair and one has some peach fuzz! And note: Both babies are HEAD DOWN, this means there is hope for a vaginal delivery!! Now if they could just stay put for 6 more weeks without turning!

So Tuesday is our 30 week check up.. Yeah for seven and a half month milestone! More updates then..

Here is the link to our first 4D session..

29 weeks

Okay just a quick update.. I am 29 weeks and 3 days preggo with the twins.. That is 7 months and 1 week, 3 days.. At this point, each baby should be 17'' inches long.. That is a total of 34" inches of babies in my originally pea sized uterus.. and quoting my Grandma, "Honey, that's almost a full yard stick wadded up." Ummmmmm yeah, tell me about it. We have our second 4D ultrasound session this Saturday and my next check up (at 30 weeks or 7.5 months) is on Tuesday the 16th. More updates then..And as for the Baby Countdown: 49 days give or take a few..

we created art

our family today.

mini artist.

These are all by Jason and he did them all yesterday, I just wanted to share.. The first is the family including (from left to right) Daddy, Steve the Fish (who died like 2 months ago) Jason, the twins, mommy and a flower on the end..

Then more flowers for me.. pink is my favorite color. I ask him to write his name on everything he does for extra practice.. I tease him and say, "Well I wonder who drew me this?" And he says "Me, Jason!" So I tell him to write his name so I never forget..

And last is an Army picture for his dad.. It is Jason as a solider. And he wrote his full name here!

baby belly.

Today we are 28 weeks, 4 days pregnant with the twins.. So took a few photos to mark the seventh month.. This is a great milestone with twins, putting them up to a 90% survival rate in case of premature births. Okay so the photos are NOT as beautiful as I had imagined them to be with Jason. Who knew that getting a four year old to cooperate with you was hard work? Maybe we can try again another time for those shots.. I need some with Daddy too.. HUGS!

life lists.

So I saw that Ali was talking about Life Lists today, and I LOVE LISTS in general. I have one for myself and one for Jason.. So I thought I'd share them. Some of the things are done, on going or have yet to be marked off. Some are short term and some are long term.

Here is my Things To Do List:
1. Read the bible front to back.
2. Adopt a dog.
3. Weigh 120 pounds.
4. Snow ski.
5. Visit a vineyard.
6. Buy a house.
7. Work on and LOVE my handwriting.
8. Relax on my very own porch swing.
9. Plant a tree.
10. See The Nutcracker.
11. Learn to sew.
12. Visit Mexico.
13. Meet someone famous.
14. Have all three boys in elementary school.
15. Celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary.
16. Support and encourage anything my children want to do.
17. Visit 5 new states.
18. Take a crochet or knit class.
19. Visit Walt Disney World.
20. Take my photography semi-pro.
21. Own a great bookcase.
22. Enjoy the “Deep South."
23. Compliment the Hubby more.
24. Create something everyday.
25. Say I love you everyday.
26. Journal.
27. Buy a Polaroid camera.
28. Put money in savings every month.
29. Have nice calves.
30. Scuba dive.
31. Stay away from sharks.
32. Join the PTA.
33. Be grateful.
34. Run/Walk in another charity event.
35. Attend church more regularly.
36. Learn a new instrument.
37. Back up photos on a CD Rom.
38. Buy an old typewriter, that works.
39. Volunteer.
40. Attend a costume party.
41. Go to a scrapbook retreat.
42. Encourage Jason’s creativeness.
43. Get published in a magazine.
44. See the Statue of Liberty.
45. See Vegas.
46. Tour the Smithsonian.
47. Go to another continent.
48. Let go of resentment.
49. Have these babies.
50. See Canada.
51. Go Green.
52. Smooch More.
53. Go canoeing.
54. Be able to visit Grandma daily.
55. Baptize the twins.
56. Cook more.
57. Take Jason to a pottery class.
58. Enroll Jason in tee-ball.
59. Donate hair to Locks of Love.
60. Grow hair back out.
61. See an animal in the wild.
62. Prepare a Will.
63. Have my own studio.
64. Say a prayer for health.
65. Work a charity event.
66. Visit the Grand Canyon.
67. Whiten my teeth.
68. See a pro sport event.
69. Take up yoga.
70. Go away ALONE with hubby.
71. Meet Ali Edwards.
72. Go to the SC State Fair.
73. See a Live show.
74. Be a design team member.
75. Organize.
76. Set up the spare bed room.
77. Do a newborn photo shoot.
78. Do a family photo shoot.
79. See old friends.
80. Worry less.
81. Seriously purge closet, including shoes.
82. Do something BIG.
83. Get a list journal.
84. Work on 100 Books List.
85. Work on Jason’s 100 To Do List.
86. Volunteer at a shelter on Thanksgiving Day.
87. Decide on a profession.
88. See George Strait in 2008.
89. Always cut the crust off all Jason’s PB sandwiches.
90. Finish this list and start a new one..

And here is my 100 list of things to do with Jason. Some are done, on going or have yet to be attempted.. This should keep him busy for a while!

1. Visit the Ocean.
2. Make a sand castle.
3. Walt Disney World.
4. Go Camping.
5. Bake cakes and treats together.
6. Go on a picnic.
7. Visit an apple orchard.
8. Fly a Kite.
9. Go Sledding.
10. Build a birdhouse.
11. Hand our birdhouse.
12. Go to an outdoor concert.
13. Go to the park, frequently.
14. Go to an aquarium.
15. Go to a baseball game.
16. Go to a football game.
17. Go to a basketball game.
18. Play mini golf.
19. Play on a soccer team.
20. Feed ducks at a pond.
21. Visit a pumpkin patch every year.
22. Visit the library.
23. Go for A Day Out With Thomas.
24. See Sesame Street Live.
25. Go to a Live show.
26. Go to a Lollipop concert.
27. Meet Santa at the Mall.
28. Visit the Easter Bunny at the Mall.
29. Go to a haunted house.
30. Go to the Omaha Zoo and get a membership.
31. Visit the Lincoln’s Children’s Museum.
32. Go to the Omaha Children’s Museum.
33. Visit Pioneer Village.
34. Mall of America.
35. Ride a roller coaster.
36. Go to the Fair.
37. Have a puppet show.
38. Make a pottery piece together.
39. Go to the circus.
40. Visit a cemetery.
41. Go to a natural history museum.
42. Start preschool.
43. Learn to ride a bike.
44. Visit a Zoo in Colorado.
45. Make Smores.
46. Go to a Disney on Ice show.
47. Have a visit from the tooth fairy.
48. Buy him a fish.
49. Pray together more.
50. Attend Kindermusik classes.
51. Go on an airplane ride.
52. Visit USS Yorktown.
53. Learn to play an instrument.
54. Go to a hockey game.
55. Try to ice skate.
56. Join the Cub Scouts.
57. Go to Elementary school.
58. Go to a Monster Truck show.
59. Visit the Edventure Children’s museum.
60. Visit the South Carolina State Museum.
61. Travel.
62. Do a Build a Bear together.
63. Try to snow ski.
64. Go fishing as a family.
65. Go to Chuck E. Cheese’s.
66. Finger paint.
67. Make a sock puppet.
68. Enroll in swimming lessons.
69. Stay in pajamas all day.
70. Buy him his own camera.
71. Open a savings account.
72. Go to a chocolate factory.
73. Learn all the months of the year.
74. Go to the movies. Enjoy some popcorn.
75. Drive around to see all the Christmas lights.
76. Celebrate EVERY birthday.
77. Learn to tie shoes.
78. Go to a rodeo.
79. Go to the “Field of Dreams.”
80. Visit the University of Nebraska natural history museum.
81. Visit the Houston Zoo.
82. Go to an Arboretum.
83. Visit the Science Center in Des Monies, Iowa.
84. Visit the Lincoln Children’s Zoo.
85. Ride a train.
86. Learn to roller skate.
87. Go to the Columbia Zoo.
88. Go to the Waterloo Children’s Museum.
89. Go to the center of the United States in Lebanon, Kansas.
90. See another Live show.
91. See DC.
92. See the Grand Canyon.
93. Be a Big Brother.
94. Plant a tree.
95. Go to a play place.
96. Have him keep a daily picture journal.
97. Sing Christmas Carols.
98. Be in a play.
99. Learn to be patient.
100. Give kisses everyday.
101. Finish this list. Start a new one..

from the zoo..

Yesterday we woke up to some really nice cool weather and Jacques said to me "I hope the Z-O-O is on the agenda for the day." He had spelled it.. We had been wanting to visit the Zoo before I got to big and we had been waiting for it to get cooler. It was such a nice zoo that afterwards we bought a membership for it. Jacques thought him and Jason could spend time there over the next couple of months so I could rest.. We all rode the carousel, fed the farm animals, and had lunch at the cafe. Jason also got to pet the old big turtles. This trip his favorites were the Grizzlies and Gorillas.

I should tell you the story behind the boys matching shirts.. Jason asked his Dad to get his Hawaii shirt out of of closet. I hear Jacques say "Let's go see what I have that matches yours" So then they come into our closet with the shirt on the hanger and match it up to Daddy's clothes.. Seriously they are such goofs! (But I wore blue too..)