The meltdown

It's Saturday - We cleaned house a little, Corey put on a crockpot of Clam Chowder and we've been slowly working on the laundry buildup from the past few days. Christmas was fantastic, not just for the gifts, but, for the togetherness we had with our family this year. We had our big Christmas Eve feast with immediate family and others we don't see too often. A white elephant gift exchange provided us with some good house smelling stuff and an atomic clock. Cooper is much like the men in his life, in that he would much rather be around people he is always around, rather than a large group of people he doesn't know. So, after everyone arrived at Grandma's house he was a little overwhelmed, ran to the back door, and was begging "bye-bye, Dada, bye bye!!" He wanted to leave. We had to remove him from the group a few times and when the dinner and gift exchange was over, and guests other than the regulars were leaving, he was happy to assist them with a happy "bye bye" send off at the back door. It was actually pretty cute.

The children were blessed with some great gifts this year: A Wii (for Katie and the family), nintento DS, a new tricycle, clothes, books, a remote controlled ride on toy (for Cooper, of course) and many other wonderful Christmas gifts. Corey, and the twins, haha, gave me a new pair of slippers that won't fall off my feet, and keep them comfy and warm. For reasons unknown, I have been annually gifted slippers that are bright pink and super fluffy from various people. I have kept them over the years, but, with constant use they do wear down and when I am big and pregnant, like now, I have a hard time keeping slippers on that don't have heels. The new slippers, however.........aaaah. It's like heaven on earth. I'm pretty sure they're the most expensive slippers, or any footwear for that matter, that have ever graced my feet and when they're on I feel like royalty. My new microwave (with numbers! - Long story) is a dream, and our new back up camera for our SUV will be great.

I think that Christmas exhausted us this year. With so much snow to have to shovel and clear away during the daylight hours, by evening we were spent. Corey and I were up until well after midnight doing the Christmas morning preparations, and Cooper, not feeling well during Christmas Eve, woke at 4AM and screamed and screamed. Poor little boy! Corey and I both tended to him for an hour before Corey sent me back to bed. Before I headed back to bed, we decided to let Cooper have one of his gifts: A train table. His illness began to dissipate as he watched the train make the rounds, up the hills, around the mountains and over the bridge. It was beautiful to see him somewhat happy again. So, 5 am off to bed I went. An hour later, Cooper tucked in to bed, Corey joined me. 8:30 AM we woke up and attempted to make a plan for the next hour. We were supposed to be up at Grandma and Grandpa's house for the Santa visit gift opening and Christmas Brunch at 9am, but it was obvious we were going to be late. I think we made it there at 10AM, dragging ourselves in after Cooper woke. He was happy as could be and it made for a wonderful, happy Christmas morning.

Yesterday we had to take the tree down. The needles were falling off at warp speed and the tree seemed to be drier than it should have been. We don't need any extra dangers here, so out it went. The decorations came down with the tree and it's all put away for next year. Though Christmas is over, we have so much stuff to remind us all how great it was. Next year, we'll be spreading cheer with 4 children - It will be very interesting to see how we handle that!

The snow is now melting faster than we'd like it to, and the driveways and side roads are hellacious to travel on. I am so thankful we have our big heavy SUV to make it up the driveway in this meltdown. Any other car we've had in the past would be sitting at the bottom of the hill awaiting a total ice-melt before we could make it up the driveway. We just found out that Niko and Kathy, Corey's brother and sis in law, had a little fender bender on the slush covered freeway - They are both fine and the car has minor damage. Just a reminder to us all that we aren't invincible, even as good drivers in a vehicle with four wheel drive.

Tomorrow we will feast again at our annual Japanese New Year Celebration: The Mochi party. We will make fresh Mochi and throw last years for good luck. Several of us will walk away from the party with blistered hands from the scorching hot rice dough. And, others will several times over attempt to make the best ball of mochi, which can be seen in it's shine once the dough has settled. I've made several mochi balls throughout the years, but only maybe 1 or 2 that were brag-worthy. Each party goer will take turns with a big, huge, heavy mallot to beat mochi in a hollowed out tree stump, hoping that we don't lose control and land on someone's fingers instead. It can be dangerous, but I've never seen an accident in the 8 years I've participated. Thank goodness.

I hit walmart yesterday - Yes, Walmart is the only major retail store we have in our town, so I visit there often. I went on the hunt for snow pants and snow boots as we were unable to find what we were looking for prior to Christmas. Still, nothing. The walls were bare, but people were there to find the 50% discounts on Christmas items for next year. I probably should have loaded up, but I just didn't think about that. I did look for babies first Christmas stockings and decor, but was unable to find the right thing. Besides, I'll need two of them and I'll want them to be just right.

I hope that everyone had a fantastic Christmas, and that the new year brings you all joy and happiness. 2009 will be one of the most eventful years of our lives and I am so glad to have all the friends and family that I do to be a part of our adventure. I am proud of my husband for all his accomplishments and look forward to another year with him learning, exploring and growing together to be better spouses and better parents. I am proud of Kaitlyn for all her help while I am not as able to do things as I was a few months back. She has been so helpful and while 2009 will be one of her most eventful life years as well, I know she'll do great and will be able and willing to participate in the family matters that we will endeavor together. I am proud of Cooper for just being him - He doesn't really know that he's trying to do anything, but, he's such a smart, well rounded, curious and active little boy. He's all the boy I ever dreamed of having and I am so glad that he will be the big brother to his little twin sisters. I'm confident that both he and Katie will adapt well to their baby sisters, and will want to help mom and dad as best they can. And last, I am proud to have the family I do - Without them I wouldn't be who I am today. And without them, I couldn't look forward to the adventure of our lifetime that will continue in 2009.

Cheers to all on the best year we can make for ourselves! Happy New Year!

Lights Out!

Over the past few days it has snowed, and snowed and snowed and snowed. Oh, did I mention that it has snowed? Yes, I will have my white Christmas. And a white New Year's and at this rate a White Valentines day. It has pretty much snowed non-stop here since Thursday. There is enough snow in our front yard to bury our dog when he goes out in it. Our driveway has been plowed twice, and each time it was snowing so hard that within an hour after being plowed you couldn't tell that it had been. Aside from there being so much, it's the most beautiful sight I've seen in a while - Kind of like a scene out of a Thomas Kincade painting. Which is what I was truly looking forward to this year.

Unfortunately, because of the snow, Katie's Christmas program was canceled and she was out of school the last 2 days of last week. We have shoveled, chipped ice and have constantly cleaned off the cars. Our town had a snow emergency declared and ALL local freeways, going both directions, have been closed for the past 3 days. Grocery stores stocks have been thinning, retail stores haven't received their shipments of gifts and other Christmas necessities, and of course, UPS is now 3 days behind in their deliveries for our area. It's been a mess. But, today it looks as if we'll get a little break - A new storm is set to hit tomorrow. Thank goodness it will be Christmas Eve and people won't be going anywhere.

Last Wednesday we decided to bring the dog in to get warm - It was about 10 degrees outside. He smelled so horrible! I had to burn some candles and spray some air freshener just so as not to gag. We knew he still needed to come in again, so Corey bathed him on Thursday. Much better. It's Tuesday and I don't believe he has smelled decent this long, ever. Having clean snow to roll around in instead of his own poo is much nicer for all of us. He has slept inside the past few nights without one accident, which was a great fear of mine. He is tethered to the front door in our entryway on a fluffy blanket, so he can't go anywhere. To my surprise he's been great so far. No, honey, that doesn't mean I want him in permanently. Just until the weather is warmer and he can handle it outside.

I am truly disappointed about one thing this week. Well, that gift exchange with all my husbands' friends and wives went great. Dinner was fantastic. BUT I WAS THE FIRST STINKIN' GIRL OUT OF THE POKER GAME!! It was so much fun, but I had practiced for the past few months, and have really got my game down. The winner? Lovely Marcie, who I had to BEG to play with us - She had never played before and didn't really know how. LOL. That was a heck of win for beginners luck....It looks like she fooled us all! But, in turn, I am very happy that a woman won the tournament. I love it! The power was lost throughout the county at about 10pm, right in the middle of our poker game. The hosts were well prepared, and nobody missed a beat - Poker by candlelight....lol. One for the memory books! Every person brought a white elephant gift as our entry fee, and as each person was eliminated, they chose a gift and opened it. 2 steals allowed, with the winner taking any gift opened, no matter how many times it had already been stolen. The gift I chose was a great coffee mug with coffee mixes and a starbucks gift certificate. Yay! I can still drink decaf! Corey, however, ended up with a box that he warned me ahead of time not to choose. It was the last one, and he ended up with it. It was a super real looking rattlesnake attached to the bottom of the inside of a box. I HATE snakes. They are my greatest fear. So, Corey, has chosen (so far) to put the snake in the cupboard for me to see when I open it up to get baking goods. He got me then. He has also put the snake in the refrigerator on the middle shelf, with the camera running right next to it. Well, He got me there too. Stupid snake. Stanley, I like you, I really do, but that has to be the all-time worst white elephant present that has been brought into our home. I can't blame you for Corey's pranks, but you brought the darn thing. A years worth of hair clippings in a pillowcase (Derek!) would have been more welcomed than that god awful, real looking, ugly, evil, tongue sticking out rattlesnake. I should burn it while Corey's at work.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I can't believe it's here. Tomorrow night we'll watch for Santa, and set out cookies and milk for him. We'll put the kids in their new Christmas PJ's and settle them down for a long night of rest. Maybe Corey and I will light a fire, turn on the music and just enjoy each others company in a home surrounded by mounds of clean, white snow. At this very moment Corey is hard at work, our babies are kicking, Cooper is singing and Katie is still sleeping. All I really need or wanted for Christmas is right here with me. My wonderful husband, my beautiful daughter, my precious little boy and two healthy, growing baby girls - I couldn't ask for more.

Merry Christmas All!

Dashing through the snow

I wished for a white Christmas. And, it looks as though I just might get that wish. It snowed last week and melted. Then, it snowed again...and froze. And snowed and snowed and snowed. We have close to a foot of snow at our house and my goodness is it beautiful. Our home sits at the top of a hill overlooking the Hood River Valley and from my living room window I get to see all the snow piled up on the trees and covering the whole valley floor. It is a beautiful sight. The downfall, however, comes on the roads when having to drive in it. Corey just called me a moment ago on his way home from town to tell me about all the people who were slipping and sliding all over the place.....Including him! (But not because of carelessness) We have a big, heavy four wheel drive that did just fine earlier in the day when we went to town. But, when the roads are plowed, not sanded, then some snow melts, then the temperature drops below freezing, it makes for a huge slippery mess. Especially the Friday before Christmas in a little town like ours! I don't imagine I'll be driving anywhere soon.

Today was my 23rd week OB checkup. Yay for no acid reflux. Not so yay for the 6 pounds I put in on the past 4 weeks because I could actually eat something. It could have been the extra layers I was wearing because of the snow. Or I could just suck it up that I really gained some baby weight the past few weeks and know that I, and the girls, are healthy as can be. At the ultrasound appointment we had in Portland a few weeks back the sonographer didn't disclose everything that she saw, or didn't see, and we found out everything today. Both babies are growing right on schedule; measurements are good, hearts beat fine and they move with great agility. Baby B is still the sportster, as she runs a heart rate of about 145. Baby A, not such a mover, is averaging 138-140 for her heart rate. Several appointments back we were told that the babies each had their own placental sac and that they were fraternal. Now, if you aren't familiar with how it works with twins, some share a placental sac and some have their own. And some share amniotic sacs as well. If the twins share a sac, they have a much higher probability of being identical. And, with that, comes the higher probability of risks - One twin taking too much food supply leaving another with less, if one is sick, the other could be as well...The list is quite lengthy. If they have their own placental sacs they would be fraternal. Well, it turns out that the doctors aren't sure what's in there, and that's mostly because the sonographer, who specializes in this, was not able to clearly see two amniotic sacs or two placental sacs. Since the reports are now conflicting, we must go back in 2 weeks to have another look. They should be able to tell by then. Also, on the report they sent to my doctor, they noted that they couldn't, but wanted to, see the babies lips. Everyone got a kick out of that, but these girls really were stubborn by putting their arms over the parts that the sonographer wanted to see.

I got the talk from the doc as well - LET PEOPLE HELP YOU!! Like I've said before, letting go is one of the hardest things I have had to think about. But, the time is now to rest more, put my feet up, and as the doctor says, LAY DOWN! She told me that the uterus is now the same size as it would be with a full term baby. In other words, I'm huge. She has not put me on bed rest, but I think she was trying to scare some sense into me by informing me that they USED to be required to put all mothers carrying multiples on bed rest at 20 weeks. She also said that weeks 24 to 32 are critical, and I must take extra care of myself, for the sake of the girls, during this time. So, NO BED REST.....yet. However, since Corey has now heard it firsthand from the doctor, he knows the importance as well, and will not let me get away with anything, I'm sure.

I am now to the point in the pregnancy where I will be seeing the doctor every 2 weeks. I knew it was about time for that. The doctor today told us that since we're having twins we should expect to be seen more often from here on out than with a single pregnancy. Sometimes it may only be a week between visits, depending on my, and the girls', condition. Rest, rest, rest.

Cooper got to play in the snow the day before yesterday for the first time. I couldn't take him out on my own, but when Corey got home he was ready to go: snow pants, snow boots, big puffy coat, a fuzzy hat and gloves. Sooooo sweet! He didn't like it when I was dressing him, but when he realized that he was going outside....Oh boy! Corey found him a baby sled with a buckle in it and he got to ride in it while being pulled by sister and Daddy. We got several pictures of it and it was so great. Katie is growing out of her fun in the snow stage, and would much rather be in the house watching Hannah Montana, or curled up in her bed reading a good book. I'm so proud of how well she's doing with her reading this year. She is loving all the books she's read - We have waited years for this! Basketball season starts up soon for her, so we'll be at a practice or two a week, and a weekly game beginning the first week in January. She's very excited about it and I hope that I'm able enough to make it to as many practices and games as possible. Cooper was born in the middle of softball season, now the twins could come during basketball. I think that Katie wouldn't care one bit when they were born, as long as it wasn't on March 23 - her birthday. I wish for that too. Everyone needs their own birthday!

Our Christmas shopping is done. I say that hesitantly because if I know my husband, he'll think of something on Tuesday or Wednesday that one of the kids MUST have, and he'll go find it. This paragraph should have started with I am done Christmas shopping. This is my first year as a mother of a child who knows the truth about Santa. I can't tell you how difficult it was to break the news to her. I broke down into tears, and had a good bawl. But, we put her off last year when she asked. So, when her friends this year told her she was crazy, she brought it up to us again. We decided several weeks back that if she asked, we would tell her the truth. So we did. I never enjoyed a lie as much as that one, but the spirit is what matters, and we made sure she understood that. Santa might not come down the chimney, or really be the one to eat the cookies and drink the milk, but, we'll still celebrate his arrival, every year. We'll still set out cookies for him, and somehow, they will be gone and the milk glass will be empty. Presents will still be from Santa, and the stockings will be filled with lots of love from Jolly Ol' Saint Nick. No matter how old we get, the spirit of Christmas will always be with this family. And the day after Christmas, we'll be planning for next year. Happy Holidays!!

Grandma got ran over by a reindeer

This morning we woke to a blanket of snow all around. Well, it was more like a really loose afghan rather than a blanket, as there were several spots of ground and rocks still poking through the snow. But tonight should lay out a different scene for us to wake to tomorrow. With this arctic weather that is coming our way, and quite a bit of precipitation in the air, I anticipate lots of snow in the next few days. I have been looking forward to the snow this year because it's beauty is something that takes my breath away. I say that now, but, I'm sure that when we have 4 or 5 feet of snow in our yard in early spring I'll feel differently. In the meantime I can think of just one thing: I just might get my Christmas wish - Snow on Christmas!!

The Christmas bunco party was last night, and though I missed seeing those friends, I just didn't have the energy to go. It was one of the first things that I have stepped up to say, "nope, I just can't do it." There are many things that I'm sure I shouldn't be doing, but can't help. When the snow and the 70 mile per hour wind gusts hit last night I didn't stop to think it over, and headed out to gather some things from our porch and deck that were banging against the house. Don't worry! Corey put a stop to that pretty fast, reminded me that it's really slick out and how awful it would be if I fell in the snow and ice in my condition. So, instead of that, I grabbed the stool and headed to the cupboard to pull out candles, just in case we lost power. I got my rear chewed for that too, as I was caught red handed as Corey came in after clearing the decks. I should know better, but I just keep thinking "I'm barely over 5 months along, and I can do it." It's becoming more and more evident that I can't do everything.

In order to get out of bed in the morning I roll out, instead of just sitting up. My whole body is so different this pregnancy and I am anxious to see what the docs tell me this week. I know I've put on some weight, but still not much. Many of the things that I am usually able to do are so difficult now, and the pressure and pelvic pain....holy cow! But, I am now carrying 2 babies that are 11 inches each, weigh just over a pound each, and at last glance, were both sideways. Unless you've been there to experience this yourself, the only way I can truly describe this is that it feels like I have several hands in my belly trying to tickle me from the inside out. I still look and feel 8 months along. Part of Corey's diligence in keeping me safely inside last night included one sentence that still rings in my head today; "You have one week left until the doctors put you on bed rest." I am fairly confident that I won't be put on bed rest....at least not yet. I might not move so well, but, I'm happy and healthy, as are these precious baby girls. I know now to settle down and rest more, so I will.

From here on out, I will rest more. This morning we took the children to the local antique airplane and automobile museum in town. Cooper is fascinated with airplanes (he calls them bearplanes) and today they were holding an indoor RC plane "fly in." He was so amazed at all the airplanes he got to see, and the RC planes were just awesome to him. In the hangar where the Fly in took place was a wood built plane with real equipment and switches that children could play in. Cooper made several rounds just taking in every inch of that airplane, mimicking plane sounds and turning the propeller in front. He also got to take a turn sitting in it, and we got some great pictures of his first time in an airplane. All good things must come to an end, however, and Cooper didn't agree with that so well today. Some fly in watchers got a nice air show from Cooper - Vocal air, that is.

This week Katie will be performing in her last elementary school Christmas program - I think they call it holiday program for political reasons, but we celebrate Christmas in our house, so that's what we call it. I am sad that it ends here, but maybe she'll choose some music program as an elective in middle school for next year. It's so surreal that my little girl will be headed to middle school next year. Hmm. I'm nervous, anxious, excited and slightly terrified by this...I imagine this happens to every parent of every child, boy or girl, but still. It's so different from elementary school and everything is bigger - Classes, sports, cliques, attitudes and .... ..eeek...boyfriends. Nah, she can just wait until she's in college.

On Friday I will have my monthly OB check up. I believe that after that I will start to go in every 2 weeks instead of once a month. We'll have an ultrasound at that appointment and I'll get an update on here after that. The boys' gift exchange is Saturday, and I'm looking forward to that. I'll get to see some friends that I don't get to see often, and if all goes well, I'll do some butt kickin' at the after dinner couples poker game. I've been practicing on POGO (free game website) during my "put my feet up" time and have won several tournaments that I am pretty proud of. Corey has taught me well, and I hope that I don't get stupid playing in a real game. Practice, practice!

So, as I type this, my children are watching "Grandma got ran over by a reindeer." I know the song, but I had no idea that it was a cartoon. In the show, the family dog just found grandma's shoes and fruitcake in the snow...lol! When I was 15 my grandparents took me and a friend up to Mt. Bachelor on our snowmobiles to get a Christmas tree and, to make the story short, my grandma got ran over by her snowmobile. Granddad and I put together the song that I'll always remember:

Granny got ran over by a snowmobile
on her way to cut a tree one day
You can say there's no such thing as killer snowmobiles
But as for me and granddad, we believe.

It was a cold and winter Sunday
when we went up to find a tree
But somehow gran fell off her snowmobile
and twisted up her foot and hurt her knee.

At first she thought that it was nothing.
But day by day her foot turned black
We took her in to get an x-ray
And found she broke her ankle right in half!

Granny got ran over by a snowmobile........


And, you know the rest. Onward to more Christmas memories, hopefully none consisting of killer snowmobiles!

Deck the Halls

I can't even count on my fingers the number of times I have cried over the past few days. The stupidest thing will set me off; An onstar commercial on the radio, a reuniting scene on TV, Cooper crying because he's really sad...........It's so annoying. I cried to myself the other day because I couldn't find my keys. I feel so overemotional, and I want to control it, but for some reason (could be that I'm pregnant with twins) it seems to be in control of itself. This is very much unlike me, as my emotions are usually in check. For the sake of my husband and my children, however, I pray that this oversensitive, easily jolted, super emotional side of me finds it's way home, away from me, really, really soon.

I can feel the little girls moving around, kicking, squirming and having a blast in this enormous thing in the middle of me that was once a belly. Now, yes, I've always been a chubby chick, and my belly sure hasn't been flat in...........Come to think of it, I don't know if it ever has been!! But, this belly now is more like a giant round pillow that I've stuffed under my shirt for play. Only it's not for play. I was in Walmart today and while in line I struck up a conversation with a lady in front of me who had a 3 1/2 month old daughter. She was cooing, gurgling and smiling at Cooper. The lady said, "She loves to look at and jabber at other babies, does yours?" I said "Yes, and hopefully that will continue when his twin sisters are born this Spring." After a small congrats and a disclosure of month they are due she snuck in "I thought you looked pretty pregnant, but I didn't want to say anything, just in case you really weren't. You can never tell anymore." So for those of you who haven't seen me in a while, just imagine me, looking 8 months pregnant, but not being so. I can only hope that I'll still be able to walk in 2 months when I'm only 7 months along!!

Since my doctors have put me on the Protonix for my heartburn I haven't felt one ounce of pain. It has been so wonderful not having to worry about whether my acid reflux is going to be so bad that I'll have to leave the room just in case I have to puke. That's not a fun way to go about your day, but that's the way that it's been for me every day, for months. Until Protonix. I am very thankful to the person who invented this wonderful concoction.

We put our Christmas tree up yesterday and it is beautiful. The stored decorations were brought out, and one by one we decorated walls, shelves, counters, and of course, the tree. Cooper can truly enjoy the tree this year, as he is walking, talking and can reach everything on it. He even shouted out " Pitty" which of course, in Cooptalk is "pretty." We have placed a baby gate all around the tree, and though funny, it looks like it was meant to be. An old Santa we had was in the trash due to years of falling apart, and Cooper found it solidly attaching himself to it. I couldn't understand at first, but then I saw: The santa was holding a bag full of toys and one of the toys in the bag was a train. Cooper is in LOVE with trains now and he wasn't letting that one out of his sight. He hung on to it with all his might, but I was unable to remove the train from the santa. It was glued, screwed in and stuck on to other little toys in the bag - It was just a decoration, not ever meant to be played with by a train struck little toddler. The garbage welcomed it this morning with an open lid.

Katie just loved the decorations, and was very helpful in placing them all on the tree this year. She reminisced on ornaments she's received in the past with "Mama, remember this one?" or "Dad, remember when you gave me this one?" She danced around with a princess ornament her granny gave her and later found Christmas hats that she placed on her and Cooper. We were able to snag a picture of it before they ripped the hats off. Christmas music was in the background and the house smelled fantastic. It was al l the little things that help me get in to the holiday spirit and I loved every minute of it.

I have backed out of the annual Christmas bunco party with my bunco team this year. I feel bad, but at the same time, I know my friends will understand that I just need to rest and be with my family during that time. Corey and I have our own annual Christmas party that we are hosting (with another couple, thank goodness) the following weekend, and it will be a late, very busy event. This is the dinner party where a group of guys (8 of the 10 participating this year) get together for a gift exchange, and bring their wives. They have done this for a decade or so, beginning long before any of them had wives or girlfriends - It will probably continue on for decades more. So, we thought that four weekends in a row of leaving the children with family is too much for them, which means too much for me, too. Now, I'm off to continue planning our holidays and keeping it close to home. Home is where the heart is so that's where I ought to be!! On with the joy!!

Those crazy bargains

It's Saturday morning and though life is will continue to be hectic on a daily basis, I am quite content and relaxed with Cooper by my side watching Saturday morning baby cartoons. He has copied my sighs a few times and it's just precious. I won't be going anywhere today, I don't think, and that makes me one happy person.

Due to some scheduling conflicts, we had Thanksgiving on Friday rather than Thursday. The feast was grand, as it always is with us. Turkey, smoked salmon, lots of side dishes and lots of desserts. We all ended up with enough leftovers to last us a few days. OK by me, as cooking isn't my forte these days. And, as if Thanksgiving that day wasn't enough for me, I decided to be a part of the ridiculous crew of folks that got up early and waited in line for the stores to open. My first stop: Walmart. Ugh! I got there at 4:15 AM and the line had already formed across the front of the store, and was turned and headed back along the grass toward the parking lot. (If you aren't familiar with our walmart, use your imagination) I figured there would be several people there, and really, my spot in line wasn't that bad. I did notice that there was no gate or rope lining people up to where they needed to be and stay. I had seen this on news reports for Black Friday in the past, but I figured, hey, it's Hood River.....People are nice here! I'm so friggin naive.

I waited patiently, IN MY SPOT, for 45 minutes for the doors to open. The manager announced it's opening and everyone cheered - Yay, here we come crazy bargains. Just after he led the first person in, however, it turned out that several people were in their cars just waiting for the doors to open. They jumped out and ran for the door. Well, you know, all these people waiting for god knows how long couldn't bear the sight of the line cutters getting in first so all of a sudden the walmart parking lot became this stampede of hundreds of anxious people wanting to get in the doors. I was nearly trampled a few times, and was rammed by a cart or two that was in front of a frantic runner. For a moment I thought walmart was hosting a marathon or something with all these people, young and old, bolting for the doors. I was one pissed little mama. I can't run! So I hobbled, waddled and tried my best to keep out of the way of the maniacal crowd. Once at the door it took me a few minutes to get in - OK. Then, I wanted to head back to electronics. It looked like a lions pit. People ripping, tearing and shoving their way toward the gifts on their lists. At first entry to the store one lady kept huffing and puffing that the line wasn't moving, and started to ram her cart into my side. Once, a mistake. Twice, maybe even that was a mistake, but on the third time I confronted her and told her that I COULDN'T MOVE and trying to push me along with the cart wasn't doing a thing. She mentioned that I had "all this room" in front of me. I turned around so that she could see the enormous belly that sticks out far enough to be an extra person and she responded snobbily, "Oh, well I didn't KNOW you were pregnant." Like it matters??!! I felt the blood pressure rising fast.

Forty five minutes after I got through the door I FINALLY got to electronics and grabbed the first item on my list. There were only 2 left when I got there. Then one electronic item I wanted was being held at the jewelry counter and I had to buy it there. So I waited in line for 40 minutes to buy the 2 things I had in hand, then I was off again to finish my shopping. Minute by minute the crowds were dispersing. Families had come in to take advantage of the $8 winter coats, $4 pajama sets and $1 towels. Parents were clawing for the $88 Power Wheels and the $750 plasma 50" TV's were heading out the door at warp speed. Walmart suddenly looked like a store that had been ransacked after an Armageddon warning. But, by even 6:30 AM, the crowds were thinning, people were in line to check out, and I was no longer getting rammed by overanxious tweakers wanting to buy a damn barbie.

I had picked up everything on my list, surprisingly. I checked out for the last time at a little after 7AM. I still couldn't believe that I was able to fulfill my list, and that was an amazing feat. I conquered Black Friday! Yeah, I almost unleashed a side of me I haven't seen in a few years, but I didn't. And that was good for all involved, myself included. I talked to Corey just after leaving the store and swore I'd never do it again. HOWEVER, with prices that good and 4 children and a husband to shop for next year, I just may have to. But, I'll try to be at the front of the line so that I don't get trampled.

Katie has been in Bend for the last 3 days visiting her dad and his family and will be coming home today. We have today and tomorrow to relax, then Corey heads off for a business meeting for a couple of days. I don't think we have anything going next weekend, but then every weekend, and some weeknights, are busy through Christmas. The babies will be getting lots of food this season, and judging by how they wiggled and kicked last night, they'll enjoy every drop they get.

The holidays are here ( I always judged that by Santa's appearance on the Macy's Parade) and I am overjoyed for the craziness to begin. The holly, the lights, the decor, the tree, the presents under the tree....It's all just wonderful.

Home Sweet Home

Aaaaaaaahhhh. Though the mini vacation I returned from tonight was absolutely wonderful, it is great to be home; Home, where I can put my feet up, curl up in a blanket and fall asleep on the couch. Both Corey and I were a little nervous about leaving Cooper overnight with his grandparents. (Katie is older and spending nights away from her is nothing new) No, it wasn't because of lack of trust, but, because Cooper has never been away from us all night long. This was his first time and it was a double nighter. We fretted for nothing. Both grandma and grandpa say he was just a dream. No crying, no fussing, and didn't really seem to miss us much until about an hour or two before we got there. We couldn't have asked for better, as far as Cooper being without us goes.

Lincoln City was just gorgeous from the time we got there until we left. Sunday was sunny skies with not a cloud in it. Wierd for the Oregon Coast, but fantastic for us! We casinoed ourselves crazy and had so much fun. I won pretty big at the "Let it ride" table, and being my first time, it was really exciting. I also spun the big prize on the wheel of fortune game, and Coopers birthday was a lucky number for us on "Deal or No Deal." What great memories. I did find, however, that people don't like it when crazy, pregnant women, such as myself, get excited and let out a loud "Whooo hoooo" when a trip to a bonus game is won. It seemed that much of the time we had a tendency to choose games to play, and win, where others had just left on a losing streak. But, hey, what can I say...you win some, you lose some!

We got lots of Christmas shopping done, ate lots of seafood, and it was just awesome to get away with my wonderful husband and spend some time enjoying each others company. We can enjoy it at home, but when we're away, with no cooking to do, no cleaning to do, and no kids to tend to, it's amazing how rested you can become and how rejuvenating that time can be. I love my children to pieces, but this weekend was just what we needed before the babies arrive.

Today was our Anatomical Sonogram for the twins at the Perinatal Center in Portland. We had to go to this special center because the Sonographers and Doctors there are specifically trained to look for and measure all body parts on the babies. The docs in HR felt it was better to have the measurements done at this center, rather than here at home. And, after being in the office at this center for an hour and a half, and I thought she was going pretty fast with the measurements, I can see why it was recommended that we go to this center. The same measurements would have probably taken close to 3 hours in HR for both babies. The Sonographer got great pictures of the little munchkins and doubly confirmed that we are, indeed, having twin girls. They kicked today, wiggled and danced, and we even got a picture of baby A waving at us. It was the perfect "Hi mom and dad" kind of wave. Both babies are healthy, strong and growing right on schedule. All of the heart chambers weren't seen today because these stubborn little girls were covering their chests with their arms crossed each time the Sonographer went to look for them. But, the hearbeats were strong, hearts were in the right places, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. So, in a couple of weeks, when they're a little bigger, we'll get the heart chamber pics. Since that's all that was left to be seen I hope that we can just have that done here in HR instead of going back to Portland for it. But, I suppose we'll do whatever the docs want us to.

So, now that we're home, we're going to get ready to begin the holiday cheer. I'll bring out the decorations this week, and maybe in the next couple of weeks we'll go out and cut a tree. I might even get the energy to test a few holiday treat recipes for some gifts around Christmas. Decorating the house will be fun this year, and I love that our Katie will be home for Christmas this year, too.

Life will be hectic for the next few weeks, but it's my favorite time of year, so I don't care. I know to make sure that I rest enough and not to over exert myself. But, if I get enough done now, when I can, Christmas will be a breeze. Tomorrow Cooper and I will sing "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" and probably watch a little bit of Thomas the tank engine. And, maybe wrap a few presents. Oh the joys of Christmas just tickle my tummy........Actually, that's probably Baby A kicking me to say "Mom, lets go to bed". So, happy holiday beginnings to all, and to all a good night!

Of Children and Men

It's been nearly 2 weeks since my last post. Ha! I keep telling myself, almost daily, that I need to get blogged for the week, but somehow time slips away and I just don't get it done. Those of you who know me well enough know that I WILL get it done, in time. Thanks for the patience.

So, there's not much to report since my last revelation that twin girls will be joining us in the spring. As I mentioned in my last blog, however, baby B was much easier to see than baby A, as far as genitalia go. So, this Monday, at my super scan at a Perinatal center in Portland, we will have them double check those puffs and make sure that those weren't peter puffs instead of princess puffs. This fetal scan that I have to have done in Portland is one that the OB docs in HR referred me to, since I've got twins on board. Luckily, we were able to schedule it on the day we head home from the coast. YES.....Corey and I are going away for our first weekend away ALONE in nearly 3 years. Since we both acknowledge that it will be yet another few years before we can venture out alone again, my wonderful mother in law has generously offered to watch the kids while we have this last relaxing getaway. As if she hasn't already offered more than enough with lots of her vacation time next summer after the babies arrive, she's given us this. It really is great.

My 19 week appointment was yesterday. It was fast, to the point, and I think I was in and out of the appointment in less than 30 minutes....Record time so far with the prenatal appointments. Katie went with me this time. This was the first time that she has ever gone to one of my prenatal appointments, and she was quite surprised at how many questions were asked: Are the babies kicking? Any nausea? Vomiting? And lots of other "how's it coming along" type questions. The heartburn this pregnancy has been ferocious, and even my 2 a day dose of Zantac hasn't been working. That has not been fun. So, the doc has suggested that I give Protonix a try for a month - Once a day, at night before bedtime. I took the first dose last night and I haven't had one little sign of heartburn ALL DAY LONG!! It's a feeling that I haven't experienced in so long and I almost feel like NOW something's wrong. Haha. I've eaten like a horse over the past few weeks and expected the scales to be tipped at the appointment. But, to my great surprise, I'd only put on a pound in a month. The docs aren't worried, as the babies heartbeats are strong, and they're kicking like soccer stars.

As I sit here looking down at my enormously round belly, and admiring my newest investment, (belly ups pregnancy suspenders) I am surrounded by shrills and screeches from my children as their daddy takes aim at them with Katies spray water bottle full of ice water. What a fun game to teach the children in the house, in the winter, with water. Oh how I love this man whose inner child outshines the outer child on so many occasions. Our children are so blessed with a man like this as their father. I look forward to the years of adventures that he'll lead them on, and hope that when they grow to have children of their own that they indulge in a little inner child themselves. It's great to hear them laughing and even more endearing to see them at play. I love this life.

Crazy candy and puffs

Well, with both Corey and I busy with things, and me having to rest during the daytime more often, it hasn't left us with much time to plan for a garage sale. So, it's not happening....At least not this fall. We'll be tossing some things, moving some things around, and storing some other things in our shop until we're able to sell them, or find new homes for them. Life was too hectic to plan something like a garage sale....We probably should have figured as much. But everyone here at home has their own tasks and jobs, and everything's getting done nicely in preparation for twin residency.

Halloween was fantastic. Cooper and his duck costume we're a solid hit and Katie was just beautiful in her little red riding hood costume.. There wasn't another duck out there, at least that we saw, and I don't recall seeing another little red riding hood either. Katie has decided that this would be her last year trick or treating, as she is becoming less and less interested in the door to door solicitation for candy. That came somewhat of a shock to us, but for some reason, many of her friends have decided the same thing, and I think she's following in their footsteps. Though sad, we still have a toddler and two babies who will be trick or treating for the next decade at least, so it's not like we will miss out on Halloween.

Corey's Lazy Turd competition was a great success. Thirty two men took part in this annual event, and it sounds as though it was a lot of fun for all. With all the preparation Corey did for this event, and all the excitement that everyone had in looking forward to it, it was bound to be a memorable day for all. Though Corey didn't win first place, he did bring home an awesome golf bag prize that was donated by a staff member at Dakine. He's pretty happy about that. I'm just happy that it was so successful and that everyone had a good time. On to next year's event planning.....

So...I'm sure everyone's just dying here as I type about the family with little mention of the twins so far. Many of our friends knew we were going to Portland this past Friday to an ultrasound center for a 3D/4D look at the babies and to determine their sexes. After 20 minutes into the scan, baby B, the baby towards the top was found to be a little girl! The sonographer is only allowed to say she's 85% sure, just in case, but she reassured us that there was no doubt in her mind it was a girl. We agree. We saw the "princess puffs" pretty clearly. I love how their genitalia was described by the sonographer in such a fun way. Baby A, the baby towards the bottom was really being uncooperative, and kept it up for nearly 45 minutes. However, after I flipped over a few times, ate some Pez (for a sugar rush), and finally got the baby to uncross it's legs, the sonographer finally saw it;

It was another little pair of "princess puffs." That's right folks, we're going to be the proud parents of twin girls!! I'm pretty sure that "Holy shit!" was my first response, followed by lots of excitement with talk of 2 prom dresses, 2 first dates, 2 first cars and, God help us, 2 more weddings. This combination, however, will be much easier than the boy/girl combination that I had that mothers intuition about. The girls can share clothes, toys, hair supplies, and I can't wait to get to dress them up. It's been over a decade since I've been able to dress up a little girl, and I know it will be so much fun. I imagine that Corey will have these little girls wrapped right around his fingers, snuggling, swooning and taking in how beautiful they'll be.

We're just about halfway there and we're getting more and more excited each day. Now we can plan decor, buy some girl gear, and begin the oh so crazy task of choosing their names. Ideas for the names are welcome, but we won't share their names until the arrival - We did this with Cooper as well. I have two more appointments this month, and we'll keep everyone updated to how those go as well. It looks like we'll have cheese names for these fetus' much like we did with Cooper: Cooper was Cheddar. These babies have already been named swiss and havarti, and they were named this before we found out their sexes - Kinda feminine if you ask me...KIM!!!

The Lazy Turd

This weekend Corey is hosting the 8th Annual Lazy Turd Invitational. Now, the name sounds ridiculous, but the games involved are far from it. In 2001 when the fun began, the players consisted of Corey and about 7 of his closest buds - No women allowed. The word has spread over the years and this year there are nearly 40 players. They get up early, play 18 holes of golf then grab lunch. Then, they head off to the local bowling alley for (I believe) 2 games. The golf round has different prizes on different holes. For example, one of the golf contests is to see who can hit a marshmallow the farthest on a certain hole. That will be pretty funny if it's raining, as the weather man keeps predicting! Winners of the golfing and bowling contests win designated prizes, or extra chips to begin the final round of fun; Texas Hold em' Poker.
It's a day when wives and girlfriends need to free their men of anything for the ENTIRE day. Most times, I don't see Corey until the wee hours of the next morning. I don't know that Corey had planned on having the Lazy Turd continue on as long as it has, or grow to it's current notoriety, but it has become an annual event that Corey hopes to have his son(s) involved in in the years to come. I look forward to it, too.

I am now feeling the little ones kick daily. It's still more like a flutter, but it's certainly more recognizable than it was just a couple of weeks ago. It is now becoming harder to get out of a chair, or get out of bed, so I'm doing a lot of rolling. Whatever works, right? Cooper pats my belly every day and says "baby". In an earlier blog I mentioned that he did this, and finally realized that I am the only one with a baby in my tummy. I THOUGHT he realized it. But he still pats everyones belly and says "baby!" It's just too cute.

Today is Katie's "Serpentine Parade" at school. This is where all the children dress up in their Halloween costumes and in a snake-like manner weave in and out of every classroom - By doing this, everyone gets to see everyone's costume. Parents and friends are invited to stand along the walls to watch the parade and video, photograph and wave as each child they know marches by. I will be dressing Cooper in his costume today when we go to the parade. Many young children come dressed up to see their older siblings in the parade. It's quite fun, and every year it's great to see which child shocks everyone with their totally outrageous costume. Kate is Little Red Riding Hood....A shock for us since she has the tendency to lean toward gothic attire.

Since Katie will be going to middle school next year, this may be the last year we participate in the parade watching until Cooper attends Kindergarten - 4 years from now. We have nieces that attend the school for a few more years, but I don't know how involved we'll be with Cooper and the twins - Outings will be quite a challenge for me! But, after little Cooper gets to kindergarten, it will be only a couple more years before the twins join him. Should be fun!

Halloween is my kickoff of the holiday season, and I can't express how much I love this time of year. I am not one to suffer from fall/winter depression, and in fact, I love the cold weather and cloudy days. It's refreshing to go out in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea and take it all in.

Once we've made it through Halloween it will be time to gear up for Thanksgiving - It's the holiday where I look forward to nursing my husband back to health after he and his brother fast for the day before the big dinner, and then see who can eat the most without puking. These men are boys at heart, and the holidays bring out everyone's inner child......even mine!

"Quack Quack"

I didn't forget about the blog....Just got busy. So, I'm back!

I am a good mother. I am a good wife. But, I am a horrible organizer. I clean and clean and clean, but can't find a darn thing when I go looking for it. Now, I could be naive and blame it on pregnancy, but unfortunately this same scenario has played out for months and months. My poor husband. We've decided that we're going to have a garage sale soon. This, I'm sure, will help alleviate the "I can't find it anywhere" that we all say constantly. I hate to admit this, but much of this disorganization in our home is because I have become a "pack-rat". It's embarrassing! There are boxes of stuff that I really don't need, but look through and say "Awwww! I remember this!!" Lots of stuff that's unnecessary to keep, but somehow I've managed to carry with me from place to place. Silly me. This habit must be smooshed immediately. We must make room for the glorious addition to our family due to arrive this spring. A lot of preparation is ahead of us, and this great "clean out" that we're doing is just the beginning of lots of organization that lies ahead of us. This is a great thing.

My 15 week OB appointment was on Friday. I finally gained 2 pounds. Still not a great number to look at, but, I'm happy to have gained even that little bit for the babies. BP is still doing great and everything else looks fine and dandy. The doc scanned her doppler wand over the left part of my belly and got a really strong heartbeat from baby B. She then scanned my right side and couldn't get a heartbeat from baby A at all. I had actually pointed out to Corey over the past week that I could always feel baby B kicking on the left, but I could never feel anything on the right. I felt kicking toward the top of the left side and sometimes toward the bottom. The lack of heartbeat detection with the doppler scared us a little. So, the doc pulled out the ultrasound machine. What she found was funny. The babies had both migrated toward the left side, with the placenta taking up the right. Baby B (toward the top of the belly)was upright, with his butt pointing down. Baby A (bottom) was upside down with her butt pointing up. The doc laughed and says "They're bumping butts!" This would be why I feel kicking up and down on the left side. They are both happy and growing perfectly. A beautiful sight.

I look and feel more like I'm 6 or 7 months pregnant instead of the nearly 4 months I am. When I asked about this I was reassured that this is very normal for multiples pregnancies; Bigger faster, especially if it's baby 2 or beyond. And, since my body has already done this twice it recognizes these changes and adapts to them. Unfortunately, I am already walking like a duck. Ha! This might work Halloween night, as Cooper is dressing up as one,and I can be a mama duck, but walking like this in my everyday activities will soon enough bring out a "quack" here and there from teasing friends and family. (you know who you are!) It's actually pretty funny.

The doc says from here on out I should rest more. Lie down in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening while watching TV. I'm a busy body so it's hard. But, I'll do it happily if it ensures a safe and healthy pregnancy. I still have those sweet little boys coming to the house for care 2 days per week in the afternoon. I'll be able to do it for another 3 weeks, but then my appointments start taking up more time and I won't be as able to do nearly as much as I can now. I fear bedrest, but know that it's possible and plan to do all I can to prevent it now.

Corey and I will be finding out the sexes of our babies the first week in November. We found a great ultrasound center near Portland called Ultrasona. They will put together a DVD of the babies in 3D and 4D and set it to music. We also get a disk with all the still pictures that they take, as well as some great printed pictures. They guarantee sex determination - We had to be at least 17 weeks along for this guarantee and we'll meet that date. We are really excited about this and can't wait to share the news with everyone.

I will do better in the future with blogging - No more 3 week gaps!
Until next time.......

I made it

Cooper is learning fast; It's ONLY mama that has babies in her tummy. For a while when we asked where the baby was he'd tap dad's tummy or even Katie's along with mine. We've finally convinced him that mama's the different one.
With the babies on the way we have decided that one of our two labs needs to go to a different home. I put out a notice to friends and family last week and we had quite a fast response. Flip and Maija discussed taking her, but agreed to let another interested family meet her and see if they had a connection. The family, a really nice couple with two young girls, came yesterday to meet her. Though Annie was shy with them at first she really warmed up to them quickly, in turn making the family fall for her. They have decided that they do want her. Natalie, the mom, is on her way out of the country for a couple of weeks, but will take Annie when she returns. We're very excited for Annie to have this opportunity. Doyle, our male lab, has been so dominant with her that he has sometimes hurt her pretty bad. We know that it's in Annie's best interest to have this chance with a family who is able to focus only on her. In fact, they've already investigated obedience classes for her. We love that they will be her new owners.

We have been discussing the layout of our house, and how we'll room our 4 children. Sure, we don't have a mansion, but we're (Corey mostly) fairly creative, and can make the best of any situation. We have 3 bedrooms, a family room and a living room. We're pretty sure that the "family room", which is currently used as the daycare room, will be Katie's room. It's big, roomy, and though it has a sliding glass door that is often used as the point of entry to the house, we'll block that off and put an alarm on it. No, we won't be telling this to miss Katie. haha. But, we can put doors on the entry point to the room from the inside and close it up, making it a 4th bedroom. That way we can put the babies in her room and keep them closer to us. I have faith that it will all work out, and with Corey's crazy obsession with interior design and rearranging, this should be a fun project.

I can now feel some slight "flutters" in my tummy. they're in the same spot each time, so I'm pretty sure it's bouncing babies and not just gas. It will be several weeks before I can feel actual kicking, but I'm looking forward to seeing the twins fight it out in their little sacs. It should be quite a sight from the outside! I'd love to say I'm feeling better, but the moment I say it I'll probably get heart burn. That seems to be the way it goes; Feel great, feel like crap. Feel great, oh, yep, there it is, feel like crap. I'm no longer involuntarily vomiting, which is great, but when I can't eat, that horrible, nauseated feeling is still there. If this doesn't last the whole pregnancy, ya know, that wouldn't be so bad. I'm in mostly all maternity clothes now. It's pretty obvious I'm pregnant and my regular jeans certainly don't fit anymore. Thank goodness for maternity jeans. My only downfall is that I have no butt....Let me rephrase that; I have a large flat area that consumes my back end, and I have trouble keeping my pants up. Ha. I asked Corey this morning if he had a pair of suspenders in the house and he just looked at me like I was crazy. Sorry, honey. I was just being honest!

Day before yesterday was my 30th birthday. It has been pretty traumatic for me getting ready to turn 30. My wonderful husband took me to Skamania Lodge for dinner and it was so romantic. Just a nice, quiet time for the two of us, which is something that we don't have too often. He bought me a beautiful pair of earrings, and put together a gift bag from Coop and Kate with bath stuff, lotion and jordan almonds. He ordered a pregnancy pillow that I had asked for some time back and it should be here soon - Yay! He spent time looking for just the right pair of earrings, and found a beautiful pair at HR Jewelers that had an opal in it - My birthstone. Absolutely beautiful. And I must give him kudos for actually going downtown and, by god, meter parking! He must really love me to do something like that. Flip, Maija and Kim got me a new pot and pan set, and Maija picked up a beautiful pair of earrings as well and labeled them from Cooper. I had also requested strawberry shortcake and Kim whipped that up for me as well. My grandma visited last weekend and brought me new maternity tops, very welcomed, and a big fuzzy blanket - I freeze when pregnant. It was perfect.

I never would have imagined being 30 and pregnant with twins. Double the emotions! But, I know that I'm in a good place and I have family here that love and support us, making this journey that much easier. I actually made it to my thirties....It hasn't completely sunk in yet. The glamour magazines say that 40 is the new 30 which means I have 10 years to do some remodeling and improvements on my shrine. Giving birth to twins has to be a fantastic workout, and god knows that the months to follow should provide some good excercise. This great life only has room to get better. What a blessing!

Dance Party!

Today we met with our new OB doctor, Dr. Elaine Adsit, and had the "works" done at this first appointment with her. I had been in this clinic several times, as it is part of Providence - I worked there for 3 years prior to leaving after Cooper's birth. It was different, however, being in there and being the patient. The rooms are enormous, the atmosphere relaxing, and all the equipment is all a little more up to date than other family practice clinics. Corey and I were roomed and the first thing he said was "I already like this place, a lot." That was reassuring to me. I need him to feel somewhat comfortable in this journey because he's not just the hubby who goes to appointments, he's my labor coach, my confidant, my best friend. And, what I might miss along the way, he can usually catch. I love that.

This appointment was full of all sorts of things. I'd lost a pound in 2 weeks...Yay for me! My blood pressure was down to normal which was something I was quite worried about. They gave us a "new OB patient" packet full of all sorts of information - What to expect in my visits throughout the pregnancy, when I'll have certain tests done, how often I'll be seen, mulitples pregnancy support group info - Just lots of really great information that will come in handy for us. This office seemed very prepared for us and the doctor knew most of my OB history before she walked in the room - That was wonderful for us. Just by her knowing that history it made me feel like I had known her before this appointment, and I was glad we picked her.

After my oh so fun exam, it was time for the ultrasound and Corey bounded out of his seat to get a good view. Since he wasn't able to make it to the first appointment I wanted to make sure that he was there this time to witness the twins on the ultrasound firsthand. It was beautiful. The doctor was able to find the babies effortlessly and explained to us the "Baby A" and "Baby B" references that she'll make throughout the pregnancy. Baby A will always be closest to the cervix, and, the first to be delivered if we have a natural birth. Baby B sits higher, and will be born second. We got to see them both today active and well, hearts beating strong. Baby B is a mover and a shaker. We saw him (or her) moving around like he was at a dance party. We saw his arms move, his legs move, and his whole body shift. It was pretty incredible. Baby A was not nearly as active as Baby B, but if it's a girl, as Corey suspects, she was just sitting back and hanging on while brother (as Corey also suspects) danced around and shook them both silly. It was quite a show that the babies put on for us. We loved it.

Corey promised the boys at his office pictures of the babies - Dr. Adsit got pictures that showed the head, arms and legs of both babies. I love seeing Corey react to such an incredible thing. He was so proud of those pictures, and when we came out of the room he asked the office staff, "Do you wanna see my babies??!!" Tonight, we'll show off the new pictures to the family while we celebrate Kim's 36th birthday. I am constantly reminded that this is my last week of being in my 20's. Not really sure what I can do to feel any younger at this point, but there is a strangeness, a desperate kind of feeling I've had recently in thinking about my impending "I'm in my 30's" declaration.

In my what to do/what not to do during pregnancy sheet I received at the visit today, it mentioned that getting my hair colored and nails done is something that is OK as long as there is good ventilation. I may have to take advantage of that so that my gray hairs don't start popping out all over. Maybe that would help me feel younger - Maybe I'll just surprise Corey with a nice hair chop! tee hee. JUST KIDDING!!

Autumn has arrived!

Today is the first day of Fall. This is the beginning of my favorite time of year. The weather is cooler, which means I can wear clothes and be comfortable in them. It also brings on lots of holidays, get togethers, food (really, really good food), and more time with my husband. The harvest season will be wrapping up in a few weeks so he'll have a little more time to do things that he wants to do, without worrying about whether he's traveled too far from his growers. I know he's looking forward to that.

Last night, as an anniversary present, I took Corey to a show in Portland. I bought the tickets for seating that was above the floor level, but not up in the nosebleed section - I actually paid more for this arrangement - And, was excited to see that our seats were on the aisle. Corey loves having a "quick escape route". The seating arrangement, however, was not how the website displayed it. Yes, we were above the floor level, but only by about 6 inches. And the worst part? We were placed right behind the audio control board and cameramen. This was never disclosed in the seating chart, or in the sales of the tickets. I was livid. How could they sell tickets, higher priced tickets, to people and then give them an obstructed view? We left halfway through the show with that being one of the reasons. I'll be calling them today.

Night before last the family sat down to dinner and began our normal discussion of each persons day. We then focused on Cooper. He cannot tell us about his day, but is determined to tell us something. So we ask, "What does a Lion say?" He responds "roooooaaaarrrr!" Then, "What does a cow say?" "Moooooooo", he responds. "What does Katie say?" He screams in response. Well, "What does daddy say?", daddy asks. "No, no, no!" He says. We all laugh. But I'm curious; If daddy says "no no no", then what does mommy say? I ask him. He responds "me me me!" The laughing resumes and Cooper joins in. He thinks that was pretty funny. Oh those wonderful moments of parenthood. Just think, one year from now we'll have a jabbery boy, a tweeny bopper and two curious little babies to pine over. What an adventure. I look forward to seeing how well the children function together.

The schedule for the upcoming week is full of all sorts of things; birthday parties, doctors appointments, school stuff, meetings with photographers, and as I just found out at 10:30 last night - A visit from my grandma. I'll make sure to get lots of extra rest, as I think I might need it.

Double the joyful news

Let me begin a few months back......



Corey and I have been trying to concieve for a while, and though unsuccessful thus far, we weren't really getting too discouraged. The pregnancy would be number 3 for me, number 2 for him. Our first baby, Cooper, was born in May of last year and he has been such a joy for us. Katie, my 10 year old daughter, has been a great help with him. Though it was hard for her to become adjusted to having a baby in the house, after being an only child for so long, she hung in there with us and learned the ups and downs, ins and outs of being a great sister. Now, Cooper just adores her. We saw how hard it was for Katie not to have a sibling to grow up with, and we just didn't want that for Cooper too.

On August 9, 2008 Corey bought the family a new 4 wheel drive vehicle, with plenty of room, of course, and we picked miss Katie up from visiting her dad in California for the summer. It was an eventful day, but we were pretty anxious for the next day. On the morning of August 10 - a Sunday - I took our first pregnancy test. I had completed the last round of fertility treatments that I could for the year, so we were pretty nervous to find out results. It was the first test for this month of trying; We had taken MANY before this time during other months. It was the Clearblue Digital HPT - You know, the one that is so catchy with that commercial line "It's the most advanced piece of technology you will ever pee on". Ha! Corey wanted to make sure that I had just that...The best of the best. Quite funny if you ask me. We had a deal: Corey would be the first to see the test and without saying a word of the results I would follow. He looked and when he came out of the bathroom there was no response. I got nothing...Darn! So in I go, heart racing. I looked at the test and what do I see? A nice, big, "positive". I had to look again. And, again. And, again. I gasped and Corey let out a big "woohoo!" It was yet another eventful, exciting day.....



A week after we found out we finally started to tell people. For his family we edited one of Cooper's books with the big announcement at the end. I called friends and family and everyone was excited for us. I was 5 weeks along when the news broke. Early for most people to start announcing a pregnancy, but I wasn't worried at all.

I had an abundance of morning (all day in my case) sickness, and I felt myself growing over the weeks. At about 7 weeks I couldn't believe how the sickness was getting to me - I was having a hard time just going to town (still am). At about 8 weeks I was wondering how I'd put on 5 pounds despite having consumed less food in a week than a 100 pound vegetarian could in a day and why my clothes were beginning to get snug. Corey jokingly told people that it was obvious: We were having twins. ha. Haha.

September 12, 2008. This Friday morning was exciting as it was the first OB appointment. Corey couldn't make it as he was so busy with the pear harvest, but I promised not to discuss the appointment with anyone until I had shared all details with him. I go in to the office and get all sorts of congratulations..It's quite heartwarming. I am taken back to the room by Val, Dr. Dillon's nurse. I have been to this office many times, but have never met Val. She'd been there a while, I'd seen her there. I like her. She seems very nice and laid back - Just what I need. She weighs me. ugh. I hate those numbers, but oh well....The scale shows I've gained 6 pounds since I got pregnant. Hmmm. We go to the room and she takes my blood pressure. It's high, and Val asks me if that's normal. It is, but only during pregnancy. Dr. Dillon comes in and we talk about dates, fertility, and general "welcome to pregnancy" stuff. She asks if I would like to see the baby and I say of course. I was going to ask her if she didn't bring it up first, as I promised Corey a picture of his little punkin. She plops on the tummy goo and whips the wand out. We've been through this before, it's nothing new, nothing shocking. I could only see a little bit of the screen, but I know she wanted to locate the baby before I saw the screen. She wasn't saying anything at first, but then mutters "huh." My heart sank. Who wants to hear "huh" while you're having an ultrasound done. She turns the monitor toward me and asks, "Do you see what I see?" I do. I'd seen it online before. There isn't a baby there. No, there are TWO babies. HOLY COW! The doctor is not sure how to respond, or how I expect her to respond so she just says "wow." I reassure her that Corey and I had discussed and knew the chance of this happening - There were several factors. I was so nervous and shocked that I really didn't know what to think. After the doctor printed out those amazing ultrasound photos for me to take I went to the car and sat there. It's so shocking to find out that you're carrying twins...I never imagined this overwhelming, exciting, tremendously scared feeling could happen to a person. It was the meeting of every emotion imaginable. I wanted so bad to call Corey and just tell him, but, that's not how he wanted to find out. I called him anyway, but to see if he would like me to stop into his office with the picture. He says no, but he would be home at noon to see it. Maija had watched Cooper while I was at the appointment, and she asked me about it when I picked Cooper up - I told her that I didn't know anything just yet..I felt so horrible!! But, I did promise Corey that he'd be the first to know everything.

I called him at 9Am. That 3 hour wait until he got home was the longest wait ever... But then he finally came home. He asked to see the picture and I informed him that Dr. Dillon took 3 photos. I handed them to him. He studied them for a moment and said "Cara, I see the baby, but it looks like there are two sacs, not just one." I said teasingly "It does??" He knew immediately. He jumped up, kissed me, screamed a little and bounced a few more times around the house before settling into his own wonderment. It was so wonderful to see this man so happy about twins. Later that evening he called his mom and told her the incredible news. When I got home from an outing that evening, the house was filled with pies, ice cream, balloons, flowers, and, I love this one: Doublemint Gum!!

Needless to say, this odd weight gain, the early need for the maternity clothes and the massive amount of nausea and vomiting now had a reason for their happening. Double the joyful news.

I am now 10 weeks, and we will be seeing a new OB doc next week. Dr. Dillon is soon leaving on a Sabbatical to South America and will be gone for 6 months. She won't return until after the babies are born. The new doctor is strictly OB/GYN, so with this "high risk" pregnancy I think that seeing this Dr. Elaine Adsit will be great for us. I've done some research, and I believe that she will be the best match for us - Educated, strictly OB and GYN, has delivered twins in the past, is part of a very top notch OB clinic, has lots of newer machines in the clinic, and, to top it off she is the mother of young twins. How lucky for us.