Fun Pictures

Two of my sisters and I got a little crazy with the camera a week or two ago. We were laughing so hard while doing this! And after viewing our pictures, we laughed pretty hard all over again.
All you need is a digital camera, and a few willing participants. Actually your camera doesn't have to be digital, but it's nice if it is so you can just delete the boring ones and keep the better ones. It is fun to take jumpy shots like this:

Yes, I know we are easily entertained! I love my camera!

You don't have to be drunk for this to be funny--it's just good clean fun! Go on and try it! I promise you will laugh! We laughed until we cried!:) (I am in the black shirt)

Birthday Fun!

As I've already mentioned, it was the girls birthday today. We had a great day, so I decided I would post again...I know, I know-twice in one day that's just crazy!:) This picture is proof to me of a good day because they are sitting willingly and smiling for the camera. That NEVER happens! This is totally a first! Usually when they see the camera they run away or scream or cry. I have been able to get maybe one of them smiling, but not both.
Anyway, we started out by going to breakfast. I guess it was more like brunch. We rode the brand new front runner train to a mom-and-pops diner type restaurant. Matt rides this train every day to work, but it was a new experience for the kids and me. It was pretty cool and the kids loved it. I don't imagine it would be very fun if it was crowded, but today it was perfect. There weren't many other people and the kids could explore and be as noisy as they wanted. (I forgot my camera, dang it!) Brunch was yummy! I think we all ate too much!
After that we came home and the girls took a nap, while Matt and I cleaned house, wrapped presents, and made cakes.
Tonight we had a party with my family for the girls. We started off with some pizza. Then we all chatted for a while. After that we were ready for presents. Unfortunately the girls weren't very into this idea. They each opened up a present from my brother and his wife. They were baby dolls. After this, all they wanted were those babies and they didn't care about any of the other presents. (Sorry everybody!) But thanks to everyone that came and for the gifts you brought, too.
After I finished opening their presents, we talked and laughed hysterically (my family tends to do that a lot. We always laugh until we cry! Do any of you do that?) Then we had cake and ice cream. MMMM...Good. I made the cake and it really didn't turn out very well.....Let's just say it tasted a whole lot better than it looked...


What a great day!:)

Happy Birthday! x2

Happy Birthday to my sweet little girls! Can they really be turning 2 today? They are growing so fast!
I have loved them from the moment I found out about them. Getting them here, safe and healthy was a very long, hard process. Yet as a mother, I would do it over again in an instant. The hard times are/were definitely 2x's harder. The joys and love are also 2x's stronger! I get double the love, double the smiles, double the laughter, double the hugs and kisses. And that outweighs any of the bads for me. I love having 2 of everything. It wasn't something I asked for or planned for, but it happened to me. And I can't imagine life without my Abbie and Ellie! I wouldn't want it any other way. They are special girls who had to come in a special way--together! Although they fight a lot now (they've already mastered the 2 yr old attitude!), I am hopeful that they will always be close and have a special bond. And I am excited to witness this and be a part of it.
Isn't it amazing how much a baby can grow in two years time?
From this

To this




Happy Birthday Abbie and Ellie! I love you!

Looking back.....2

A peek into my journal...Continued. (This was written after I was feeling a little better and could function. Some of it was written in present tense and some in past tense)

7 Weeks Pregnant. We have all moved in to my Mom and Dad's house. Matt goes to work at 5:00 AM and I am still so sick! I can't function. I can't take care of myself or my kids. Life is very hard right now. I am very lucky to have good parents that can take care of me and my family. Some days I don't think I can survive this. Most days I don't even get out of bed, except to go to the bathroom. My mom and dad bring me food and medicine and anything else I might need. They are like my own personal nurses. All I need now is a little bell to ring!
They are taking very good care of all of us. We are very lucky. We could not make it through this without them.

16 Weeks Pregnant. Things are still horrible. I am feeling worse than ever. This week has been so awful. I don't think I can survive much more of this pregnancy. I went to see my perinatologist today and we discussed the possibility of getting a feeding tube. We talked it over and decided to hold off another couple weeks and hope things will start to get better.

17 Weeks Pregnant. This week I am actually able to keep a little bit of food down. I am glad we didn't do the feeding tube. The nausea has let up some, and I am actually starting to feel somewhat human again! Yeah!

18 Weeks Pregnant. I got my pic line out a few days ago! Yeah!:) I am so glad to be feeling better!

By the time I was 19 weeks pregnant, we had moved back home. We continued to see my doctor weekly for ultrasounds as we had been doing since week 7. We also started seeing the peri because we are considered "high risk." Having one placenta with two sacks is the middle risk category for twins. We are monochorionic diamniotic. Our biggest risk/worry is twin to twin transfusion-where one baby gets more blood and nutrition than the other and you end up with one baby a lot bigger than the other. You also get two very sick babies. So far there is no sign of this for us.
We also found out we are having girls! We are evening out our family all at once. And doubling it, too!
I know having two babies is going to be very challenging, but I am so excited!

February 27, 2006
About 20 Weeks Pregnant. We had an appointment with MFM (peri) today. As the tech was doing our ultrasound, she noticed something floating somewhat freely. After looking at it for a few minutes, she came to a very unusual conclusion. Somehow, the membrane which was separating the babies (which is about the thickness of saran wrap) has ruptured. We could see the membrane just floating around.
This changes everything!:(
Then our peri came in to talk about our new diagnosis. Our babies are now in the same sack, which makes us monochorionic monoamniotic, or momo. This also puts us in the highest risk category because now we have to worry about the babies' cords getting tangled and cord compression. Our peri informed us that I will be hospitalized at 28 weeks and that, considering we still have live babies, we will deliver them at 32 weeks.
I think my head was spinning!
Then I came home and did some research online and read some horrifying articles. They quote a 50% mortality rate. This makes me REALLY scared.
I can't lose these babies now. I can't even imagine what I would do. Reading these articles made me cry.
My peri was baffled by what has happened to us. He said he has never seen this happen before. He said, "This just doesn't happen." He said we are in our own category and he doesn't really know what to do with us. Therefore, we ere on the side of caution and treat us as if we've always been momo. I am glad he is being cautious.
Hospitalized for four weeks? I don't like the sound of that. However, I do want healthy babies, so I guess we better start preparing.

To be continued...

(By the way, those of you that aren't familiar with momos, the 50% mortality rate is NOT current. I will get more into that in part 3. Just want to make sure I'm not giving out bad info here!)

Tagged!

I was tagged for this by Jocasta. Here it goes:

Ten years ago (1998), I was:
*Enjoying the single life (not knowing I would be married less than a year later!)
*Managing a Supercuts
*Living at home
*Driving my first NEW car that I'd bought myself, a Mazda Protege

Five years ago (2003), I was:
*Pregnant with my second child
*Quiting my part-time job at Supercuts to be home full time
*Remodeling our family room
*Getting ready to sell our first home

Four things I did yesterday:
*Babysat my adorable 6 month old nephew (as I do every Mon, Wed, and Fri)
*Rocked my sad little girls who aren't feeling very well
*Watched my son's very first coach pitch game
*Gave my Mom a haircut

Four shows I love to watch (in random order): (even though none of them are currently on)
*Chuck
*Heroes
*The Amazing Race
*The Biggest Loser

Four things that make me REALLY happy: (I had to list five!)
*Spending time with my hubby
*Each one of my children's smiles and laughs
*A nice clean house
*Game night
*A great sale or bargain

Now it's MY turn to tag! I tag Michele, Chelsea, Carissa, and JP's Mom.

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother's Day! Mine was great! Hope yours was too!:)

Looking back.....1

(I was WAY too sick to write this at the time it happened, but I was good to remember dates and conversations and feelings. I wrote this when I was able)

Here's a peek into my journal:

November 28, 2005
I have been very sick for the past 4 weeks. At first I thought I had the flu. Then, 2 and a half weeks ago I found out I was pregnant. I have been down in bed the past 5 days. I feel SO sick! Thanksgiving was a few days ago, but we stayed home because I couldn't get up.
Today, my mom and dad came and got me from my house. My dad took me to the hospital. I am very dehydrated and I still can't keep anything down. I feel horrible. I am happy to be pregnant, but I hope this sickness doesn't last too long.

November 29, 2005
I got out of the hospital today and went back to my parents house. I still feel really crappy, but at least I am a little more hydrated. I don't know why I am so sick?! With my other pregnancies I was really sick--but not so early and not this bad. The medicine (zofran) helped a lot with my other pregnancies, but with this one, I can't even keep the pills down! I'm afeared this is going to be a long, hard pregnancy. My mom says it must be a girl.

November 30, 2005
Today I went in to the hospital and had a pic line put into my arm. Now I will be able to take my medicines through IV. Also, I am taking 2 bags of saline per day to keep me hydrated.
After I had my little surgery, I had an appointment to see Dr. Boheen. She decided to do an ultrasound to see if she could see anything that would indicate why I am being so sick and so soon. She started the ultrasound and after just a few seconds said, "oh, OK, now I see why you're so sick. (pause) Are you ready for this?" Then she repeated, "Are you ready for this?" At that moment, I knew! I said, "Is there 2 of them?" She confirmed.
WOW!! What a shock! I can't even believe this is happening! TWINS?!! How exciting!
I told my doctor that she'd better print me a picture, because nobody was going to believe this!
I went to the waiting room where my dad was patiently waiting and told him the news. I think I was in shock at this point. My dad said, "No way! Are you serious?!" Then we went back to my mom and dads house and told my mom and some of my siblings. My mom started to cry. (happy tears, of course). Nobody saw this coming.
I told Parson and Joshua the news. Then Parson called Matt at work. He said, "Guess what, daddy! Mommy has two babies in her tummy!" And Matt said, "Pars, are you teasing me?" and Parson said, "Yeah dad. I'm just teasing you." At that point I grabbed the phone and said "No, he's not teasing you! We are having twins!"
Wow! I still can't believe it.
Matt and I are very excited to be having twins! Well, actually I think everyone is excited about it.
I am only 7 weeks along and it is early to tell, but my doctor said she thinks we have one placenta but 2 sacks. Because we only have one placenta, we know that the babies will be identical.
What a day!:)

Photo Contest Update

Well, it is over. And I definitely didn't win. My husband said I should have written more about my trials and hardships about my pregnancy. After reading the comments left on the contest site, I realize I definitely should have. (I hate it when he's right!) I wanted my post to be short and sweet, thinking the picture said enough. People related as much to the writing, I think, as much as they did the pictures. Coulda, woulda, shoulda...
I took 4th place, and in my own little brain have chosen to see this as a victory. So, yeah for me. And yeah for those who voted for me!

Holy Cow!

Parson told me the other day that he couldn't see the board very well at school. This surprised me a little since I just got him glasses 6 months ago. I called the school and had the nurse recheck his eyes. She called me back and said I needed to get him in to the doctor.
I took him to the doctor and this is where the Holy Cow comes in to place-his sight is 3 times worse than it was 6 months ago! They are 2 full points worse than they were! The doctor put his hand about 3 feet in front of Parson's face and said he wasn't seeing anything beyond his hand clearly.
The poor kid. He didn't get a single thing from me except his eyesight. Ain't that the way it goes...

Voting Update

The 5minutesformom site continues to add new posts. This has made it difficult for a lot of people to find the photo contest and be able to vote. I have tried linking to the exact page of the contest, but it keeps kicking me back to the home page. The easiest way I can find to get to the photo contest is to go to 5minutesformom. Then click on contests from the categories across the top. Then under May 3, 2008 it says "The finalists in the $1000 Mothers Day photo contest." Click on that. Then it will explain the contest. Scroll down to see all of the photos. After the photos they have set up a polling box where you can place your vote.
I am seriously lagging in the vote department. I am only behind by like 300 votes! Ha ha:( I know it's a long shot, but help me out if you can!
Thanks!

No Way!!

I just checked out the results for the Mothers Day photo contest over at 5minutesformom.com and guess what! I am a finalist! Woohoooo!
I am super excited about this if you can't tell. So vote for me,

vote for me!:)