The Baynes Family

First Day of School- 2nd Grade Edition

2011-08-17T17:44:00.005-06:00

Today was Abby's first day of Second Grade. She has been so excited and just could not wait to go. She was totally ready and loves her teacher already so we are all very optimistic around here. She doesn't have homework until Monday so that is nice for us all. Here's to a great year of learning!!!!

School's Out ...for... the Summer?!?

2011-06-03T11:10:00.007-06:00

Today was the last day of school. At noon today, Abby will officially be a 2nd grader! Notice what she is wearing... it is JUNE in CALIFORNIA and it has been cold and rainy! Paul has been in hog's heaven.

So, the last few weeks have been busy with end of year/beginning of summer activities. A couple of weeks ago, it was Open House night and we got to see Abby's classroom. She was so proud to show us around. Here is a poem Abby wrote earlier in the year that the whole class memorized!
We were so lucky to have such a fantastic teacher... perfect for Abby. She knew where to push and where to praise and when to let things be. Abby and her friend even spent a little time every day in a 2nd grade class. Mrs. Levitt was awesome and we will miss her!
Wednesday was the end-of-year awards ceremony and Abby was presented with the Science Award... fitting, I think! If you are wondering if Abby is catching up to her class in height, judge for yourself.
On the home front, we were finally able to get something done with our weed garden AKA side yard. We in a tiny raised veggie garden (that we will expand every year), evened out the surface, killed and cut all the weeds, laid weed block paper and covered the whole thing in playground wood chips! Doesn't it look great? Well, the kids haven't really even played in it yet because the weather has been crazy (that is why the playhouse is against the house- to protect it from the wind). Now we are looking forward to filling the area up with play things for the kids. Next year we want to put in a nice, wooden playground but I think the babies are still a little young this year. Slowly, but surely, we are whipping the yard into shape! Next project: the broken back fence!

Liam's First Hair Cut

2011-05-05T10:08:00.009-06:00

First, let me say, I LOVE LIAM'S LONG HAIR. However, even I had to admit that it was looking a bit mullety lately so I finally consented to have it cut. I still wanted to keep it a bit long, but I wanted the length in the back gone. We went to a children's haircutting place and had a really fun barber. Liam did really well and sat very still for him. He looks a bit like a hobbit- I think I'll like it better when it grows out a bit...

Bishop's Pumpkin Farm

2010-10-06T21:13:00.000-06:00

I have been so terrible at keeping up lately. I will try to play catch-up for October. On the 4th, we made our annual trip to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm. We pet goats, picked sunflowers, rode a train, played on the playgrounds and ate some yummy food. Here are the pics:

When You Have Sisters Only...

2010-10-05T17:04:00.003-06:00

My cute little boy totally zonked out in his high chair... even with Abby stomping all over the house announcing it in a voice that made Dora the Explorer sound like a "low talker" ...even with Lily poking him in the face saying, "Liam! Liam!"

Ahhhhhh, Breakfast...

2010-09-22T09:33:00.012-06:00

Don't you wish you had the soundtrack?

Soccer Season and Another Tooth Gone

2010-09-19T22:34:00.011-06:00

I told Abby to look tough and she busted out that pose! Awesome! The first game of the year was on Saturday and I have to say she is way more into it than last year. She got in the action and kicked the ball a bunch of times.
They are called the Bumblebees (for obvious reasons) and she went up to one little boy and said "BZZZZZ!" to which he replied, "Chomp Chomp" (the opposing side was the Gators). Her favorite thing was doing the throw-ins. The Bees took it in the end 3-1! Yay!
Here is Lily hittin' up the grandparents for more pretzels.
Here is Liam cheering his sister on to victory!
And here is our little tooth-less Jack-O-Lantern. Isn't she so cute?

All I Want for Christmas...

2010-08-25T21:20:00.003-06:00

So, maybe it's a little early to begin her wish list, but check it out! Two teeth in one week- and another bottom tooth is loose as well. We may not have to carve a jack-o-lantern for Halloween this year!

The First Day of School and Museum Day

2010-08-16T10:32:00.015-06:00

Can you believe it's the first day of school today? Where did the summer go? Here she is last year and this year:

My little girl is growing up WAY too fast! Friday, we took one last "summer" trip with my Mom to the biggest art museums in San Francisco: The Legion of Honor and the de Young. She did REALLY well all things considered. I made her a little tote that had compartments for a sketchbook, colored pencils and pamphlets/postcards/tickets. A few weeks ago, she thought she invented pointillism so I introduced her to Seurat and she fell in love with this painting he did of the Eiffel Tower and guess where the original is? That's right- in San Francisco! I LOOOOOVE going to art museums and it was such a treat to be able to share that experience together.The babies like hanging out without clothes these days- it's their favorite outfit! Lily's hair is just now sort of starting to grow!!! Liam's is so cute and curly! Here they are looking at a book, searching for familiar pictures and letters (they can point out A, Y and a few others now). Everybody is grounded! They just need to slow down and not grow up so fast!!!

Abby Won a Fishing Pole!

2010-08-10T12:38:00.002-06:00

Abby won a fishing pole from the Fish and Game Department at the County fair! She had to go to a board meeting to collect her prize and her photo will be in the local newspaper sometime this week. She is so excited! I wasn't able to go with her to the meeting so her grandpa took her- SO PERFECT- as he is her fishing partner-in-crime!

County Fairs and Amusement Parks: What a Week!

2010-08-03T13:05:00.022-06:00

I think the kids have had one of the most fun and tiring weeks of their lives. Last Thursday we went to the county fair and looked at all the livestock and watched Abby ride some fun rides and ate some overpriced fair food and looked at all the exhibit buildings. Everyone's favorite place was the kid's zone (it's also where I was able to get the best photos.
Abby had participated in a reading program in school last year that gave her one free ticket to Six Flags. Now the Six Flags nearest us is an odd-ball kind of place that can't decide what it wants to be. It is part aquarium complete with live whale, pinniped and dolphin shows and a shark tube, etc.; It is part zoo with tigers and other large cats, elephants, exotic birds and other animals with corresponding shows; And it is part amusement park with a ton of rides and roller coasters. There is no way you could do everything in a day so we watched the Dolphin Show and the Shouka the Whale Show, looked at all the animals (both land and sea) and rode a bunch of rides- I was surprised how many the whole family could do together. We even got to take a trip to Sodor and ride Thomas the Tank Engine and hang out with his friends! Liam's favorite part was getting totally drenched in the fountains. I think the highlight for the kids was Sylvester the Cat- even Lily and Liam came and sat on his lap!What a week... I'm tired even thinking about it! Abby's already talking about next year and the babies are going around saying, "Whale! Whale!"

Family Reunion Art Show

2010-07-28T15:31:00.018-06:00

Here are some fun photos from the Family Reunion/Art Show we went to this weekend in Dos Palos. It was at my dad's cousin, Allen's house which is always a treat. He is a collector of awesome things: vintage cars, horse-drawn vehicles, farm equipment, English Shire horses, and much more! Here are two of the lovely artists:The kids just loved running around and playing everywhere!They also loved harassing the animals- even though Abby was freaked out by the one-eyed horse! But just look at that gorgeous dog!We even tried a few family shots...

Escaping the Heat!

2010-07-24T10:35:00.002-06:00

I took some pictures at my parents house of the kids playing in the pools. I think they captured the day perfectly! Lily literally took an hour to eat ONE Oreo cookie! Every time we tried to take it or hurry her, she would not have it. First she took it apart and ate the top. Then took the next 45 minutes or so meticulously eating the cream; savoring it a little (very little) at a time and finally ate the bottom. We always make fun of my mom for taking FOREVER to eat a chocolate; Lily made Mom look like Dad!
Abby is getting braver in the water and likes to stay there all day. I usually make her come out when her lips turn purple! She is growing up so fast and loves to read and harass the twins all day long. Thankfully, she still loves to cuddle and read and do art in all of it's forms.Liam just loves to cuddle and has that wistful look down pat. He is blessed with nice eyelashes, man hands and an unhealthy obsession with stars, airplanes and wheels!It has been so hot, we have all been grateful to have a place to go cool off. We also went to the lake last week where we had a nice picnic and Paul and Abby got flung around on the inner-tube thingy for a while. Also, Lily did some interpretive dance-walking in the shallows. YIKES!

Some Things Never Change

2010-07-20T10:49:00.010-06:00

Remember when Lily was younger and made all kinds of faces? Well, some things never change!

Sacramento Discovery Museum

2010-07-10T22:06:00.018-06:00

Today, Paul had the day off and we took the kids to the Discovery Museum. It was small, but air-conditioned and hands-on. The kids really loved it!Paul and the twins made dinosaur etchings while...
...Abigail made a Triceratops pillow. I love how she sticks her tongue out when she's concentrating. I don't know ANYONE else in the family who does that!
Then, Abby got a little bit of help to finish her craft project.
Then we took a little walk in the little park attached. Oh yeah, and did you notice Abby's hair cut?
It was a nice, albeit ridiculously HOT day. Afterward, we went to IKEA for dinner. Oh, and because I forgot to post it earlier, I put Lily's hair in ponytails for the first time on the 4th of July. She LOVED looking at herself in the mirror with them but, of course, they didn't make it longer than an hour before she ripped them out. Oh well, we're getting closer to having actual hair we can actually fix!

Messing Around on the Computer...

2010-07-03T14:31:00.005-06:00

...when I should be doing something productive. I discovered a free photo editing site I love called, Picnik, and I have been playing around on it all morning. My poor neglected children. I have been really crazy since I started taking all the Crohn's drugs and my attention span has becom like a 12 year old ADHD boy's. I blame President Obama... I'm sure it's all his fault somehow. Anyway, here are the fruits of my labours(?):

Summer School

2010-06-30T13:14:00.004-06:00

Abby misses school so much, she decided to start her own. She has two mostly disobedient pupils who sometimes play along with her. She usually has more success with Lily as Lily pretty much wants to BE Abby when she grows up and will sit for long periods of time just to have Abby read her a book. Liam cares for all of about a minute before he's off to the next thing... typical boy.

Father's Day/Paul's Birthday

2010-06-22T12:16:00.016-06:00

Well, Paul was able to stretch this out over a few days. Saturday, we all had breakfast at Sonic (he missed it in Utah where we had one just a few blocks away). Then, on Sunday, Paul got the cards the kids made for him and this frame we all worked on. Abby actually helped out a lot with the sanding and photography! She is just growing up WAY too fast!Click HERE for the deets on how we did it. After church, we had my family over for dinner and dad opened his gifts. I love how my dad is still a kid at heart. Carrie shops for him and Abby at the same stores! Then we sang to Paul and ate my Banoffee Pie Cupcake Tarts where the whipped cream totally fizzled out and they looked horrible... but tasted okay. Note: Do not make banoffee pie cupcake tarts in the future! Then we played this Croquet/Football game in the back yard which was fun because we had an extra obstacle: two babies trying to steal and throw our balls around after we kicked them! It was a really nice day. Then, yesterday, we went and saw "The A-Team" which was, by the way, a really fun flick. That's it! I am so grateful for all the men and father's in my life that have helped and continue to help and guide and teach our family. We truly are blessed in this day and age that both of our families are still together. What great examples for our children!

One of the Many Reasons I Love Lily

2010-06-18T17:12:00.003-06:00

Today at lunchtime, there was a little something left over from breakfast on her tray and she touched it and said, "Gross" while wrinkling up her little nose! BTW- this St. George's Cross ribbon tee can be found at The Paper Pony...

One of the Many Reasons I Love Liam

2010-06-12T19:19:00.002-06:00

Kindergarten Graduation and Choir Performances

2010-06-04T12:10:00.020-06:00

I cannot believe it! Time goes by too quickly and Abby's first year of school is over! Yesterday, she graduated Kindergarten. I know, I know; You don't really have to DO anything to graduate Kindergarten, but the kids love it and it makes the end of their first year so special. The parents were a little rude jumping in front of each other for the photo ops so I had a really hard time trying to get good photos. Her wonderful teacher, Mrs. Cassidy, gave a talk that had me in tears from the beginning! The kids sang a really cute song and recited a little poem- Abby had been practicing for weeks. Afterward, there was cake and congratulations.That afternoon and evening, Abigail had her choir performances at the 5th grade promotion ceremony and the Jr. High School Graduation respectively. The kids looked so cute in their matching polos and hair accessories. What a great experience! Abby looks mad in a couple of photos- unfortunately, she's like me and frowns when she is in deep concentration. She really is a mini me!Today was the last day of school and I will soon pick up an official First Grader. This morning we brought Mrs. Cassidy the GIANT thank you note we made her and little gifts for her classmates.
You can find out how we made them HERE. We are starting the tradition of going out for treats on the last day of school... let's see... are we in the mood for smoothies? Ice cream? Bakery goodies? Also, I created a little questionnaire for her to fill out; I will have all the kids fill it out- the sane one- every year so we can see how their answers change and/or stay the same throughout the years. I'll post the answers when we get them. Well, it's time! We're off to get our girl!

How Was Your Morning?

2010-06-01T10:05:00.007-06:00

After getting Abby off to school (this is her last week!) wearing a long-sleeved shirt and windbreaker- on June the First- in California (what?), the babies and I had a fun morning. Lily has REALLY been into puzzles lately and just LOVES them. She is very good at them as well and practices all the time. She gets really frustrated with Liam when he is too slow or tries to put his piece in the wrong place. He doesn't care so much and prefers to look at books, learn new words (there's about 7 or 8 things he says and the rest are just variations on the words he already knows) or- his personal favourite- and mine, cuddle. He just gives the best hugs! They both love to sing and dance- Lily has already made up actual songs! Our favorite is "Abby Abby Oh Oh". They can also keep each other busy and often give each other fist bumps, hugs and kisses as well as play Peek-A-Boo, Chase and Ring Around the Rosies. Oh, and my personal favorite- when one escapes the corral, they pass the remaining kid contraband from the outside that they quickly try to hide and ruin at the same time knowing it's just a matter of time before they get caught! Having twins is really amazing. Most children can only do side-by-side play until they are about 3 years old. It fills my heart to see my children play and laugh and work together at such a young age. As far as June goes, the weather makes Paul happy, the children are happy and that makes me happy!

Abby's New Hobby

2010-05-29T00:03:00.009-06:00

But before we get into all that, the other day we were all hanging out in Abby's room and Liam was jumping all around while Abby was reading a book to Lily. It was fun just playing around together. Lily will sit forever if someone is reading to her and gets really involved- especially if that someone is her older sister. The book they're reading here is a book Carrie wrote and had published when she was in the second grade called, "The Robbery". The kids LOVE it and it's now a Baynes family classic.So, back to Abigail. I know, Abby has a new hobby and/or obsession every week. This week (and for a while now) it is cooking, Asterix books and taking photos. A couple of weeks ago, she took a field trip with her class to the zoo and Paul got her a disposable camera to take with her. We tied a ribbon around it for a strap and she had such a great time taking pictures of everything... Paul is waiting until there is a coupon for printing so they are not developed yet, but she has been using the family camera to snap a few shots... here are a couple of her best:

Abby's 6th Birthday

2010-05-20T10:10:00.008-06:00

We're finally back up and running! I have a ton of back posts to write so I'll just do one at a time. Let's start with March 2nd- Abby's Sixth Birthday. We were planning a huge party on the weekend so to celebrate her actual school-night birthday, we decided to do a family night. Her school does a lot of fun things and she was so excited- I don' t think she's ever gotten ready so fast! She wore her "Birthday Girl" shirt and some crazy outfit she picked out to school and when she got there, found a huge bow, little gift and Birthday Crown at her table. She has the greatest teacher ever. Then, at lunch, the whole of the lunchroom sang to her as well. She was on cloud nine when she got home. For the family festivities, Grandma and Grandpa came over and we had lasagna for dinner (her request) and a chocolate cake her Grandma baked... yummy. She was so excited to get the My Little Pony "Sweetie Belle's Gumball House" from her Auntie Carrie she had been coveting for about a year and thought they didn't make anymore... Our gift seemed to pale in comparison... her first real bicycle! She quickly warmed to that idea and rode it round and round in the garage all night (it was dark and rainy by that time outside). What a fun day... and there was so much more to come that Saturday... her first school-girl party! She has grown into such a wonderful girl and we are so lucky to have her in our family. She just has a zeal for life and loves to make cards and do things for others. She is so smart and reads so much and loves her brother and sister so much and loves anything arts and craftsy and always tries new foods and can be so helpful... if only we could get her to have that same enthusiasm for keeping her bedroom clean...

2010-03-29T14:07:00.007-06:00

We are STILL having technical difficulties with our computer... and even adding photos so here are some older ones. There is not much to report. We had an AWESOME Hello Kitty birthday party for Abby on March 6. I did a little stint in the hospital. The good news? I don't have cancer. The bad news? They still don't know what's wrong so I have to wait for a specialist to accept my case or for Paul to get his big promotion- whichever comes first. Lily and Liam are learning new things everyday and can even do small commands. They are building their vocabularies... Lily is our little talker and tries really hard to say anything you ask her to. She can say, "Abby" perfectly and practices about 100,000 times per day- whether or not Abby is actually there or not.They are developing that hearing disorder... you know the one; apparently 100% deaf when you are saying something they do not like such as "don't jump on the couch" but suddenly develop super-human hearing when you are trying to sneak up on them as in to catch them to put them down for a nap. When I try to get them to say "Mama", they both giggle and say, "Dada!!" They like to save "Mama" for when they're hurt or need something. They like to share- sometimes and love to sit in the same chair and rock until it nearly falls over. Lily prefers mostly savory food while Liam is pretty much a hose that will suck in anything... that means ANYTHING. Abby continues to do very well in school and gets very obsessive about all things They Might Be Giants. I mean, OBSESSIVE. She also joined the school choir and is excited about that. She is mini-me. Here are some photos from a couple of months ago. I hope to update sooner rather than later this time.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

2010-01-31T12:10:00.002-07:00

Babies? What Babies?

2010-01-24T15:02:00.014-07:00

So, just as Abby is officially no-longer a toddler shaped little girl, Liam and Lily are officially toddlers. They don't even bother to crawl anymore and just toddle and climb and explore. We have this make-shift barrier to try to keep them confined to the living room (we now call it "the corral"), but they are constantly finding ways of breaking out. They are usually sporting a variety of bumps and bruises in varying stages of healing. (Check out Lily's shiner!) Oh, and they encourage each other in their attempts. Lily prefers the climbing over things method (Liam had been known to give her a leg up to help out) and Liam prefers the "brute strength" method... and he is STRONG!. Abby helps out the best she can and enjoys playing with her brother and sister now that they can finally play. And speaking of "play", I have started teaching her piano. I plan on getting her through the first book and then I'll find her a proper teacher... so far, so good! They looked so cute at church today, I had to take some photos. The dress Lily is wearing was one of my very favourite ones of Abby's (take a look below at little Abby). I love re-visiting all of her old clothes and giving them new life with Lily. Paul and I are still just doing the best we can. We look forward to his promotion which will take place as soon as a position opens up and he interviews with a district manager. We feel very blessed to live in a nice neighbourhood in a lovely home. We are so very fortunate.

Me and My Gallbladder

2010-01-06T09:38:00.004-07:00

So, as many of you already know, I have been suffering through digestive problems most of my adult life. About 8 years ago, I started having regular gall bladder attacks. At first I didn't know what they were because after waiting in the ER for hours, the pain would go away right before- dumb! Anyway, recently, I started having severe stomach pains so I finally went to the doctor (I was losing a ton of weight as I couldn't eat anything) and I mentioned having these attacks. I told the doctor that sometimes I can go months and months with nothing and then sometimes I might have 2 in the same week- her face looked horrified and she wondered why I hadn't done anything before now. I mentioned my fear of needles and procedures, not having the time, thinking it was just the way my body did things and the fact that in my family- we do not go to the doctor unless something is REALLY wrong. Long story short, she sent me in for an abdominal ultrasound and they found a ton of gallstones. I forget the wording used, but there are a bunch, so guess who is going to have a cholecystectomy? Woo hoo!
Abby has been worried so I told her the "good news"- that they found out my gallbladder wasn't working right and that it would easily be removed and my tummy aches would go away and wasn't that fantastic? I thought that would be it and she would be happy, but, Abby- being Abby- started in with the genius questions:

"Why would Jesus make your body with a part that doesn't work?" (Jesus didn't make my body, Grandma and Grandpa did and Heavenly Father made my spirit. Jesus is there to help us get through our difficulties).
"Will you have a surgery?" Yes, but it isn't that big of a deal- doctors do it all the time. And now, you don't even get a huge scar, just a few little ones."
"But your gallbladder is part of your body! You just can't remove a part of your body! It does something!- What does it do?" (Well, it stores acid called bile made in the liver and releases it to help you digest food only guess what? Bile is also sent directly to the intestines as well and so you can do without it.)
"Why do you even have one then, if you don't NEED it?" (Because there are a couple of ways your body can do the same thing and if it is broken, it just makes things worse. Don't worry it is a really easy surgery.)

Yeah, then, in the morning, the questions continued...
"How many cuts is a few? Where will they be? I want to see a gallbladder." (I show her a really good abdominal diagram on the computer)
"No! I want to see a REAL one, not a cartoon!" (So, I find a real one- and she's not grossed out.)
"I want to see where they will cut you." (I show her a diagram)
"No! I want to see it in real life- on the inside! I want to see the camera inside you!" (There are a bunch of videos on YouTube, so I showed her the whole surgery from the point of view of the laparoscope.)

And then she was fine with it. Seriously, where did she come from?

So now, it looks like it will be removed next month- unless I have to go to the ER before then! I'm kind of mad it's going to take so long because I like to eat and not have pain. At least I'm finally losing the baby weight, but I kind of don't think this is the best weight-loss program out there.

Merry Christmas

2010-01-01T12:54:00.014-07:00

Every year, Paul and I have the same old conversation: do we open gifts on Christmas Eve as was my family's tradition or on Christmas morning as was his family's tradition. This year, we compromised and spent Christmas Eve at Mom and Dad's house, had finger foods and opened gifts we got for each other. Then, on Christmas morning, we opened our own family gifts and those from Grandma and Grandad (and Santa), and Paul and I did a nice big Christmas dinner later on for the rest of the family. I think it worked out rather nice- we got to spend time with the whole family and also some quality time with just the five of us. I think this is the model that we will keep. So, the kiddies looked darling and Christmasy and I wanted to take some nice photos... yeah well, judge for yourself... I love how I caught this just as Lily was about to crash land... ...just slightly worse than last year's attempt I think. Can you believe how much they've all grown in a year? You would expect it from the twins, but just look at Abby! Christmas morning, they were all wearing gingerbread man themed jammies, but we banned the camera in favor of making some nice family memories. I hope everyone had a very happy holiday this year.

But, seriously...

2009-12-15T17:33:00.005-07:00

... could these recent photos be any cuter? There really is such joy and happiness (mixed in with the stress) of everyday, normal life. Today, I am so grateful for such a wonderful family.

Wobbly Walkers

2009-11-27T17:45:00.005-07:00

We're Hoping THIS Will End Soon...

2009-11-22T00:44:00.006-07:00

Liam is now on 4 medications for asthma and seasonal allergies and Lily is suspected of allergies as well... They were able to get their H1N1 Swine Flu vaccinations last week. I really hope THIS will end soon! They are playing together more and more... Lily LOVES to act silly and make faces to make Liam crack up. Also, they are both walking all over. Three weeks ago, it was a step here and there and now it is multiple, wobbly baby-steps all over the room. Lily is good until she starts cracking herself up and then she just falls to the ground, but she can get straight back up from the floor without holding on to anything. Liam walks with a bit more coordination, and can go further without falling, but he has to pull up on something. I'll get a video up soon. We just attended Abby's first parent-teacher conference. We love her teacher who is really helpful in providing opportunities for Abby's reading (she has grown by leaps and bounds in her reading ability and is a couple of grades ahead). Also, she is doing really well in math. We are obviously so proud of her. She is such a light in our home and the babies ADORE her.

Halloween

2009-11-03T22:51:00.003-07:00

We had fun this Halloween. My mom came with us and we went to the school's trunk or treat followed by the neighborhood. Liam was a chicken (what Abby was a few years ago), Lily was a flower (appropriate) and Abby went as "the girl who couldn't make up her mind what she wanted to be for Halloween". Sooooooo funny. I love my silly, funny, amazing children.

One Year Old!!!

2009-10-29T17:10:00.001-06:00

We survived! We had a little "family only" party for them yesterday, complete with prezzies and cake. If you look closely, you will even see Jack the Cat in the background through the sliding glass door. They did so well. They were fantastic at ripping up paper and loved their new toys. Liam just tore into everything and Lily was so dainty; sticking her pinky out as she ripped. Then, of course, it was time for their first cake- carrot cake with delicious cream cheese frosting that Abby helped decorate. I made the bibs myself and I think they did their job well. The babies devoured the frosting and mostly left the cake. I cannot believe how much has changed in a year- from 5 pound preemies to 20 pound, year-old, walking (they've each taken a few steps each on a regular basis but still mostly crawl), healthy babies. Here's to many happy birthdays to come! (Here, here!)

Flossie the Fairy and Hercule Poirot

2009-10-20T14:24:00.007-06:00

Our first-born child has lost her first tooth! According to my friend, Kim, who taught Abby all about the inner workings of tooth fairies, when the oldest child of a family loses her first tooth, the family is assigned a tooth fairy. Sometimes, that fairy is lazy, sometimes fantastic, sometimes even a boy- we were hoping for a good one! Well, Abby actually swallowed her tooth so she wrote a note to the fairy explaining everything and she got a note back with 2 quarters stuck to it:

Dear Abigail, Thank you for your note. My name is Flossie and I'm your tooth fairy. I am so sorry you lost your tooth. I hope you were not too sad about it. I know you have another loose tooth- I can't wait to see it under your pillow! Love, Flossie

Abby has it memorized. I am going to make a little fabric envelope for future lost teeth... the next, of which will probably be by the end of the week. She is such a funny girl. Today, she told me she was going to draw a picture but I might find it scary and it was a surprise. She came out with this: Can you tell who it is? I thought it was one of the Mr Men at first. Then she explained. A month or more ago, my mom brought over a catalog that featured many BBC titles. Abby pointed to the Poirot DVD set starring David Suchet and exclaimed, "Oh, isn't he handsome?" It was hilarious! She had never called anyone handsome like that... and Poirot? So funny! I told her I thought his mustache was a little scary for me and she never mentioned it again. Then, today, she draws that picture! She said, "It's that man I thought was handsome and you thought was scary!" I asked her why she drew it and she said, "It's part of a book I'm making about men with mustaches and beards." I asked her who else was going to be in it and she said, in a tone of voice that told me I should already know the answer, "Santa!" I cannot wait to see the rest of the book.

All Part of the Plan?

2009-10-13T08:48:00.010-06:00

The socks we were all given for soccer were so thick, Abby has not been able to wear them until this week. Her new soccer shoes finally arrived and I made sure to order them a little big for that very reason, so, this was the conversation while getting ready for the game:
Me: Abby, you get to wear your soccer socks now that you have proper shoes!
Abby: I HATE SOCKS! THEY FEEL WEIRD! THEY'RE WRINKLED!
Me: They feel weird at first, but then you'll get used to them.
Abby: I DON'T WANT TO WEAR THEM!
Me: Everyone else on your team is wearing them and you are too. It's part of your uniform.
Abby: I want to wear MY football socks!
Me: When you're on a team, you dress alike to show support for one another! You're going to wear them!
Abby: [frusterated but resigned] Oooooooooooh! I wish wearing socks wasn't part of Heavenly Father's Plan!

Also, she set up a "restaurant" one day while I was on the phone and this is what was on the menu:I thought it was rather modern and sophisticated for being Fruit Loops and Cheerios. Or maybe we watch too many cooking shows.

My New Blog

2009-10-10T12:27:00.004-06:00

I have started a new craft blog! I started one a long time ago- it had about 3 entries- because I wanted a way to keep a journal of all the things Abby and I were making together. When we moved to California, I wanted to have a craft booth at a local craft fair so I came up with The Paper Pony. Why the name? I like ponies and paper and alliteration and it seemed "me". Due to obvious time issues (as in, I don't have any) I won't be able to do any craft fairs this year. Abby and I have still been crafting a ton so I decided to use my Paper Pony idea to start a craft blog. It isn't like one of the awesome professional looking blogs and I won't be posting every single day, but I hope to put something up every week. Come and check it out! Just click HERE or on the logo on the side bar.

Organizing

2009-10-04T16:05:00.014-06:00

So, a few weeks ago, after I had gone over to my Mom's house to borrow another sewing notion, she just gave me the whole sewing box... to keep! That box belonged to her grandmother and still has thread and things that belonged to her. I remember using that box to store things from my 4-H sewing days and there are things that my Mom used when we were young (that was probably the last time she actually made something). It needed to be cleaned out badly so I did it during General Conference (which was great, as usual, by the way).I stacked up the thread and began to put on that ol' sentimental cap. I couldn't help but wonder why and for what and for whom each of those spools had been bought. They obviously spanned decades. I remembered each color that I personally had painstakingly chosen and each project it was attached to and wondered if my great-grandmother were with me, if she could do the same.The thimbles were just as cool to me and I wondered if there were still traces of fingerprints (I know, I watch WAY too many of THAT kind of TV program).I thumbed through these old sewing books that were lining the bottom of the box from the early 60's. It is amazing how much home sewing is the same as it was.Abby loved helping me (a little too much sometimes) and I kept imagining what future projects would grace that wooden box. I made a nice home for it at the top of our bedroom wardrobe.I continued to organize all morning...I LOVE the way this paper and felt look... so colorful and happy.The organization bug must have rubbed off because I caught Abby organizing my ribbon and Paul insisted on organizing the garage (not cleaning on a Sunday, he assured me, just a bit of family organization fun). It was fun... well, until the cat attacked Liam.

Go Teal Sharks!

2009-09-30T17:25:00.006-06:00

Abby and Paul won their first game last Saturday (it was only their second game of the season). He is such a great coach and the kids adore him. We are grateful to Bro. Faupula for being his assistant also. Anyway, I was congratulating Abby on her first win of the season and asked if she was so happy and she said yes at first and then, she kind of hung her head, slowly (for dramatic emphasis)shook it back and forth and said, "The Tigers are not feeling very happy." I was proud of her empathy but told her it was okay to be happy about winning as long as she didn't brag about it in front of the Tigers. She is hilarious. Also, the smallest member of the team- in size only.

Bathtime Bliss

2009-09-20T23:25:00.009-06:00

On Lily's Mind

2009-09-18T10:41:00.001-06:00

I wonder what is going on in this little head...

My Sunday Project

2009-09-14T00:46:00.008-06:00

I love reading craft blogs and lately, I have been inspired by silhouettes and papercutting. I decided it was time to give it a try because a. it looked approachable as even the easy stuff looked cute and b. I already had everything I needed.I sketched some ideas... Abby and her imagination was my inspiration and I liked the idea of doing a portrait of her. I chose the one that seemed the easiest and, using a lightbox, traced her form and then free-handed the rest- first in pencil, then in black ink. Anyone who knew the younger me would know the hours I spent "studying" cetaceans so it really wasn't that hard.I then lightly traced my final pattern onto a clean sheet of white card. I used sharp scrapbooking scissors to cut out the larger expanses and an exacto knife for the fine details. A couple of hole punches were also used for some of the bubbles.I only ripped two minor pieces. There are some things I will do differently next time, but I am really pleased with the final result. And now Abby has a portrait for her room- I just need to find the perfect 12X12 frame.

Back to Back

2009-09-09T16:06:00.004-06:00

So, these crazy babies are 10 and a half months old now... can you believe it? They continue to amaze us. Liam can swat at a bunny he finds on every page of Richard Scarry's "I Am A Bunny" (it was Abby's favourite and is quickly becoming the twins' favourite as well; thank you, Peggy). Lily says Mama, Dada and Baba (Abby) interchangeably and not always when we want her to but it is so cute. She has this little dimple that melts everyone's heart. That coupled with Liam's soft, blue eyeballs ensures that they get away with just about everything. Little Stinkers!

Abby continues to amaze us all. She reads multiple books per day and loves school. She had a friend who wanted her to stop making new friends all the time(who? Abby? Making lots of friends?). Abby told her friend that she was friends with everyone including her. That night, she made the little girl a card (unsolicited) and showed me when she was done- I had no idea what she had been up to. It showed them holding hands and being friends on the front with a message about being friends with everyone together on the inside- spelled phonetically- and then she glued her last party candy on the back. I am so proud of her for resolving her own problems in such a wonderful way.

I became a "classroom mom" which means that I will start helping in class and volunteering at school events like the upcoming "Harvest Fair". Our class is in charge of the beanbag toss so I will be working with other mothers (the other 2 LDS moms as a matter of fact) on that.

Paul started coaching Abby's soccer team yesterday. He is so wonderful with the kids and this will hopefully be a fun outlet for him. Abby is the smallest kid on the team, of course. It looks like it's shaping up to be a fun fall for us all.

New Teeth and Liam's Faux-hawk

2009-09-04T11:45:00.008-06:00

I guess there has been something of a lack of posts recently. Let's just look at this equation, and do the maths: 1 school girl + 2 sick babies + 10 teeth and counting + 1 soccer coach + 1 classroom mom + church callings + no sleep= 1 exhausted family. Lily is winning the new teeth race at 7 (5 of those in the last month or so) with Liam having 5 with more just on the brink. They also both have colds so that has made for really fun nights for Paul and I.
Abby has taken to school so well... to no one who knows her's surprise She still gets up every morning excited to go and comes home ready for homework. I went to Back-to-School night yesterday and got to meet with her teacher and I think she is fantastic. They are supposed to do 10-20 minutes of reading time everyday and fill out a chart and when I asked for clarification as to who was supposed to be reading, the parent or child, the other parents kind of murmured so at the risk of sounding all "isn't my child such a genius", I was able to talk to the teacher 1 on 1 later on about the concerns I had about the kindergarten reading curriculum which doesn't even have the kids reading c-v-c and sight words until later and Abby is reading books at a 1st/2nd grade level and rising. She practices every night. She was really nice and said that she will more than likely be put in a 1st grade reading class. Also, she did this.Enough bragging about my genius daughter (ha ha ha) or should I say (heh, heh, heh).

So,I was messing with Liam's hair the other day-he had been so fussy and sick all day- and tried the "faux-hawk" to hilariously cute results- judge for yourself.

Abby's First Day of Kindergarten

2009-08-18T10:26:00.008-06:00

The day FINALLY arrived! She has been looking forward to this day for a year or more and the day finally arrived! Her teacher called her the day before school started and welcomed her to her class. Abby was almost starstruck and almost at a loss for words. All she could say was, "I'm so excited for school!" The next morning, our routine went smoothly- just like we planned it- then Paul walked her and the babies all the way to her classroom. When she came home, she couldn't wait to tell us everything. She told us about the book her teacher read about Splat the Cat and about singing songs. She told me, "I'm just trying to tell you the truth about everything that really happened at school" and she struggled to remember EVERY LITTLE DETAIL. She brought home a little welcome to school picture she had colored and on the back she had written, "1+1=2 2+2=4 4+4=8. They hadn't actually learned that, she just finished coloring early and wanted to "practice maths". She has two little friends from church in her same class (not that Abby has a hard time making friends... I think it's one of the things I admire about her the most) which is nice for us moms. She asked me, "Will I go to school until I'm a grown-up?" and I said, "Yes." She got so happy! That just can't last can it? I hope it does. I think I learn something new from her everyday.

The Orphan Store

2009-08-05T19:26:00.006-06:00

Abby's newest obsession is orphans. She learned what an orphan was and she thought it was just so sad that that could actually happen to someone. She asked me if we weren't able to have Liam and Lily if Paul and I would have "bought a couple of orphans instead". When I told her, "Probably not," She freaked out and was on the verge of tears when she said, "but we're good people and we would want to love the orphans, wouldn't we?" And when I started to laugh, she got mad and said that it wasn't funny at all! Also, she has been corralling herself up with the babies and saying, "Mommy, pretend that this is the orphan store and you want to get a couple of orphans." Then, when I get there, she puts her arms around both babies and looks up at me with her best, "poor me, I'm an orphan" look. I have no idea where she gets this stuff... I blame her dad. Maybe I'll just be happy that she thinks we're good people and that she has compassion for others. But I can giggle just a little can't I?

Why You Don't Buy the Cheap Nappies

2009-07-31T11:04:00.010-06:00

...but before we get into all that, last night, Mom, Abby, the twins and I all went to the Yuba-Sutter Fair. It was really fun and I ran into some people I haven't seen in years. I remembered what it was like when I was a kid showing my 4-H lambs as we walked through the livestock barns and show areas. I got to camp out and stay the whole week and I remember every year, the same rule applied: stay away from the carnies. Like they even needed to say anything. I also told her when I was in a bed race with my friends, Heather and Ronnie and we won first and last place.Abby just had a total blast... although she'll tell you she's not too sure about that Go Gator roller coaster ride. Her face was on the brink of terror the whole time but she couldn't wait to tell her daddy that she went on a real roller coaster. She also got to play some carnie games, learn about local agriculture in a little passport book, get a toy airplane from the Republican booth, play in the kids area, eat a corn dog, taste cotton candy for the first time (something she's always wanted to do and talks about all the time), pet some animals and she even got her grandma to buy her a sparkly pink toy guitar. Pretty good night, I'd say.Don't you love how all the photos are blurry. Um, yeah, they're artistic and representative of a crazy evening... or something like that.Which brings us back to the cheap nappies. This is what I found when Liam woke up this morning... it was all dried on his legs and squished into the bedding and that's not chocolate on his face. The nappie, you will notice is by his head. I won't even get into the gory clean-up details but needless to say it all culminated with a large load of laundry, about a gallon of stain remover, a hospital bed-liner and a long baby bath. Is it night-time yet?

Bye-bye Ginger

2009-07-28T13:22:00.009-06:00

My parent's horse, Ginger, has been sick for a while. She was getting really old and just deteriorating and there was really nothing to be done for her. Last week, she stopped eating her pellets and we knew the end was near so I sat Abby down and prepared her. Ginger was the first and only horse she had ever really known. All Abby knows about horses came from Ginger and she helped take care of her ever since she could barely even walk. She rode her when only 18 months old. She could feed her by herself with no fear of the giant animal following behind her. They were great friends.
Sunday, Ginger passed away quietly in the softest grass in her pasture. When I broke the news to Abby she just cried and clung to me for a while. She was absolutely distraught and said, "Ginger was just the best horse ever! I wish she never had to die!" and we talked about the Plan of Salvation and how death isn't the end but the beginning of the next life, etc. We talked about how we will miss her but that she wasn't in pain anymore, etc. We talked about how it was okay to cry, etc. She began to stop crying a bit and I thought we were really having a moment and then she said, "I wish Ginger was a pegasus-unicorn and could live forever in Butterfly Land!" Then started crying and dramatically threw herself back into my arms. She was totally serious and sincere and it was all I could do not to laugh.We loved Ginger and I am thankful for all she taught my daughter. She will be missed.

The Female of the Species...

2009-07-19T11:15:00.008-06:00

...is more deadly than the male. Or so says Rudyard Kipling (and a terrible song from the worst decade of popular music... the 90's). I was on the computer and heard fussing behind me and when I turned around, this is what I saw; Lily climbing all over poor little Liam. At the time, I thought it was a funny coincidence since Lily is totally crawling around like Lightning and Liam is barely wiggling around (that head of his is HUGE), but just yesterday, I was at my parents house in the kitchen and when I came back into the living room, Lily was all on top of him again... poor little guy. He is stronger though, so when he gets good at moving around, she had better watch out!

My Mother's Dress

2009-07-14T16:04:00.009-06:00

My mom was going through boxes of things she's stored over the years and came across a little dress she wore when she was a little girl. It was bought by her mother in 1958 and she wore it for school pictures. Well, she got it out, washed and pressed it and put it on Abigail and guess what? It fit her perfectly! How awesome is that? It was so cool to think that Abby was wearing a dress my mom actually wore as a child in the 50's. I don't even think it looks outdated. So cute!

Dillon Beach

2009-07-09T13:29:00.012-06:00

Paul has been wanting to go to the beach for a long time but it seems like every day he has off, there is something else that comes up. Finally, Tuesday, we had a very nice family day and went to the Jelly Belly Factory and Dillon Beach. The weather at the beach was very typical North California Coast weather: chilly and windy and overcast. We found a nice big rock to shield us (especially the babies) from the wind and it was actually quite nice. Later, the fog lifted and it was even rather pleasant. Abby loved building sand castles, looking for shells and playing chase with the surf. We flew a kite, dozed and discovered a little crab and watched it for a while. We took a ton of photos. Lily seemed to really love it. She is very sensitive to the light and had to squint... she needs some baby sunglasses STAT. Liam looked like an angel the way the sea and sky made his eyes a brilliant blue. It was a lovely, memorable family day.Notice Paul in the background lifting Liam up to the sky near our little camp by the big rock.

Why I Haven't Been Blogging Lately

2009-07-05T15:13:00.002-06:00

I'm exhausted...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A True Red, Through and Through

2009-06-24T17:07:00.002-06:00

Did anyone know Paul has been scouting for Manchester United? Yeah, really... well, he didn't actually get PAID for it... but he was recognized by the official site. Click HERE!

Laugh Festival

2009-06-22T14:02:00.009-06:00

It was Paul's birthday on Saturday and he wanted a cheesecake so I did the true wifely thing and BOUGHT him one (I know, huh). We had a little party with just the 5 of us and played PAUL BINGO... I put little pictures of all his favorite things on grids and we drew slips of paper out of a basket. He won! Here is the picture Abby took of him blowing out the candles. Hmmm. Abby is growing up to be such a funny girl. She loves playing with the cat and her siblings and sometimes goes a bit far. Also, has anyone else noticed how much of her "baby look" she has lost in the last few months? She really is growing up and reading and knows what and octagon and pentagon are and writing and drawing really well and trying every new food she can enthusiastically and lavishing us with thank you's and I love you's for everything.After afternoon naps, Paul put the babies down and they just started this half-hour laugh fest and I couldn't wait to get it on camera!

I Need a New Look

2009-06-18T19:20:00.002-06:00

Here is "the Kate Gosselin" on me. What do you think? Yeah, so it's pretty much the world's worst "do". Why don't you try it here?

Seven Months

2009-06-12T15:12:00.006-06:00

I know you're not supposed to compare your children, but it's hard not to when you have 2 the same age. They still continue to be so different. Liam likes to plop down in one spot and play with piles of toys very loudly while Lily just recently (as in the last few days) learned to sit with the help of her Auntie Carrie. Lily usually prefers to scootch around on her belly... she gets all the way up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth and then lunges... and usually loses ground. It's hilarious. Liam can be on his belly, but is not ready to go mobile yet. Abby was more like Lily by 7 months.

There is one thing that all of them have (have had) in common at this age and that is their Graco Lights and Sounds Walker- my life saver. Abby just LOVED it and the twins take turns in it everyday. Thank goodness for small little things that keep everyone happy and sane. Oh and Liam got his first tooth last week. It came with a lot of fussing and a few days of fever that later turned out to be Roseola when he broke out in a rash... poor little guy. The last couple of days, he's been the happiest he's ever been. Let's hope it's smooth sailing... for a while anyway!

How Cute is This?

2009-06-06T21:11:00.002-06:00

The Marysville Stampede

2009-05-31T13:03:00.002-06:00

The kids all attended their first rodeo last night with me and Mom. Abby LOVED watching the bull riding, laughing at the juvenile antics of the rodeo clown, th barrel racing and her favourite, the Mexican National Champion and his young son doing tricks with their beautiful palomino horse with extra-long flowing mane and tail. It was getting a bit long for her toward the end, but the babies did surprisingly well. The weather couldn't have been better. We saw a lot of people we know and it was a lot of fun. Abby even turned up the charm to get Grandma to get her a ride on a bull... the babies even got to share the experience!When we got home, the first thing Abigail did was get on the rocking horse and "run barrels". Then she slept very soundly.

Jack

2009-05-29T14:39:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, Abby got to pick out a kitten from Sophie, Kim's cat's litter. It is her first experience having a pet and we wanted it to be a good one so we had fun going to the pet store and getting all the things he would need like a bed, food, toys, etc. I felt so badly for Kim's kids. I remember how hard it was to give away little puppies and kittens- how you secretly wish that your parents will just keep them all or that no one else will want them so you'll have to keep them all. We assured them they could come and visit whenever they wanted and that he would be happy. She picked out the fluffiest one the kids called, Jack. We told Abby she could name him whatever she wanted and after thinking about it for a long time, she said, "I can name him whatever I want and I just like Jack". So Jack it is. Technically, we are keeping him for Mom and Dad for a while... but I think he might not ever make it over there as we already love him so much!

Today, Jack got a tour of the back yard. He is such a friendly little kitty and loves to follow us (especially Abby) around. Last night, Abigail wasn't sure how to hold him but today, she is a pro and they are already the best of friends.

Peace, Love and Twins

2009-05-28T12:57:00.016-06:00

We are so blessed to have some of the greatest friends around. We had a great Memorial Day and although some of the kids ended up puking (sorry Ethan and Kajsa) we had a fun bonfire and some good times. Also, Jenny had volunteered her husband Ed to take pictures of the twins as a baby shower gift and we never got around to it before so he was so kind to take some this time around and, well, as you can imagine, they turned out FANTASTIC! He is usually not a portrait photographer so we feel double-grateful... check out his portfolio here.

Today was Paul's mum's birthday and Abby wanted to do something special so she drew her a picture and we took photos to wish her a happy birthday. We really wish England, Utah and NoCal could just break the laws of physics and all be next to each other.
So, the babies are really getting interactive now. They love playing with their feet, peek-a-blocks, each other and Abby. Also, they get really excited when they see pictures of themselves. It's so amazing how fast kids grow up.

Abby is really reading now. I mean really. We are so blessed. Really.

My How Time Flies

2009-05-14T12:47:00.009-06:00

I cannot believe how big our kids are getting. Yesterday, Abigail went to Kindergarten Readiness Day. She was excited and nervous- she even got a little teary when the teacher took them away. She also had Maci, a little friend from church, in her same group and she was so happy about that. When I came to pick her up, she looked a bit disheveled and she was M-A-D mad! All the way home, I heard, "They had this play kitchen and other toys and stuff and I didn't even get to play with them at all!" and "When the teacher took us back, we walked by a drinking fountain and she didn't even stop and I was thirsty and wanted a drink!" When I asked her to tell me what she DID get to do, at first she held back... but after a while, she stopped being mad and told me all about it. Even today, she sang a song she learned. They sent everyone home with a mini report card that had two options: 1) Great Job! and 2) Needs to Work on Over the Summer. Guess who got ALL great jobs? She did do a great job and she can't wait to go back... mostly just to play with that kitchen though.

The other BIG news in the family: For two nights in a row, Liam and Lily (and Abby for that matter) have slept all the way through the night! Let's hope that becomes the new norm!

Out of the Hospital... For Good This Time

2009-05-11T22:48:00.006-06:00

So, Liam spent another week in the hospital... this time he had pneumonia in both lungs and was on oxygen for the first few days and everything. I am hopeful we nipped it in the bud permanently this time. We also switched his formula to a soy one and his breathing became dramatically better. Throw in the fact that the rest of us took turns with a nasty 24-hour stomach bug and you can guess the kind of week it was. Again, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have such AMAZING friends and family and church. Abby pretty much lived at Kim's house- staying the night every night and everything, Dawn came all the way up here to visit and bring me some much-needed In-N-Out Burger, Mom called in sick to work when I was puking so hard I had to go home and even now, members of our church are bringing us dinners as we try to catch-up and get our lives back to normal. I really don't know how others do it and we surely couldn't have ever done it alone. I guess that's the big secret to life, eh?

None of us miss the hospital much (WORST FOOD EVER) and we are so entirely happy to get back to normal! We really appreciated our time together today. Paul had the day off and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Liam is feeling MUCH better as you can see for yourself!

The Down-side of Being the First Born Child

2009-04-25T20:48:00.004-06:00

Paul is away in Utah for the weekend taking care of some business we didn't get to before we left. Don't feel too sorry for him... he got to play football and go to a Real Salt Lake game- he's all right. Anyway, Abby wanted to play on the computer but I had a couple of things to do first and the babies needed feeding before that so she offered to feed the babies while I finished up so she could get on sooner. She soon regretted that offer... She really is a big help and her baby brother and sister just adore her. She can get them to smile when no one else can. We love you, Abby!!!

How was your morning?

2009-04-23T11:41:00.008-06:00

Here is Lily kicking Liam in the head. Just before this, Liam had been gnawing on her feet.
Abby's Room... guess what she's doing all day? Her response- crying, of course: "But it's going to be a BORING day! I HATE boring days! I like FUN days!"
Here is Liam right after I had just changed and fed him. It was the grossest clean-up so far. It was all over his high chair, leg, back, etc. This was, of course, followed by a bath while Abby looked after Lily which led to half of her toys being brought out to the living room in my absence.
Still, I wouldn't trade my life for anything in the world. This morning, we were all at the breakfast table; Abby was playing a game on the back of the cereal box, Lily was sitting on my lap and I was feeding her a bottle with one hand while feeding Liam in his high chair with the other and then we all took a bite of the strained pears baby food and laughed and I thought my life really couldn't get much better. Then Liam blasted his pants.

Here is a freshly bathed Liam sleeping, Lily screaming and Abby trying to make it all better. All in a morning's work!

Liam's Hospital Stay and Lily's BIG Secret

2009-04-19T23:08:00.011-06:00

Thursday, both babies, who had been struggling with Abby's Easter cold, both became feverish and lethargic so we brought them to the ER. Lily's illness was mostly in her head so she was eventually sent home with antibiotics but Liam was diagnosed with pneumonia. There have been so many cases of it that I know of so I guess it was our turn. His chest was so wheezy and his little voice so diminished. He started feeling much better the next day and really enjoyed the attention of all the nurses. He batted his eyelashes and smiled and flirted and everyone just loved him. But it was really sad to see him hooked up to all the monitors and I think there is nothing sadder than a baby with an IV. Paul and I had experience holding babies with tubes and wires thanks to Lily in the NICU but it was still hard. He was the perfect little patient who got progressively better until he was released today.
You may, at this point, be feeling really sorry for me, his mother, for having to spend every night by his side at the hospital. Well, don't. Really. Let's just say, that it was pretty relaxing just dealing with only one baby... one who sleeps
through the night. And I got to sleep in the same room in a special bed designed for patients to prevent bed sores, so it was extremely comfortable. It was like a spa vacation only I had to go to Kim's house to shower. I actually got to READ! As in, a BOOK! Now Paul and my parents on the other hand... You can feel sorry for them. My parents kept the girls when they could and Lily- well, remember how I have been calling her our easiest baby ever? She has been the fussiest lately and she has the meanest little stare and she knows how to use it. She also has been sleeping really poorly in the night. Poor Paul. Abby has been having fun with my parents but her hearing problem has gotten progressively worse. Her hearing is so bad that we are having to tell her the same things upwards of 5 times before we are even acknowledged. If one were to whisper "My Little Pony" she could hear it from miles away. It is a fairly common hearing problem I think nearly every child experiences that becomes even worse, I hear, during the teenage years... can't wait. So, we bring everyone home today and Lily was fussing and gnawing her little hand off as usual when Paul discovered something.

Look closely at our little girl...
Closer...
Even closer...Can you see 2 bottom teeth in that cute little mouth? In the past few days while we have been concentrating on Liam, Lily sprouted her first 2 teeth at the same time. Poor girl, no wonder she was so fussy.

What Happens When Abby is in Charge

2009-04-15T11:31:00.002-06:00

Room for Two

2009-04-09T18:53:00.011-06:00

Here are pictures of the nursery. See if you can spot two little smiling faces peering out...
There wasn't too much to do as far as paint and decor. There was a really ugly, weird-height shelf that was taken down, but it was pretty move-in ready besides that. Lily and Liam are sleeping pretty well now... some days are definitely better than others but for the most part, they each get up at about 3:00 and then again at about 8 or so. Not everyday, but most days. We had to separate them because Liam kept turning and kicking Lily in the head in the middle of the night. Sometimes I still let them nap together. It is nice to have them out of our closet, that's for sure. You can now put down your phones as calling CPS is unnecessary. I made the name signs after I saw this one at Land of Nod for way too much money. I was able to use the font and colours I like from paper I already had and I think they turned out pretty well. The darling bedding and Lily's crib are all thanks to my AWESOME friend, Dawn. THANK YOU DAWN!!! The cute pillows were made by my WONDERFUL friend, Cheri. She just guessed at the colors and they couldn't match more perfectly. THANK YOU, CHERI! Eventually (hopefully soon), I want to put a big, cute shelf over the top of the closet and there is a frame that I want to hang by Lily's bed, but I'm pretty happy with the way it's turning out.

Lily's First Food

2009-04-05T16:54:00.009-06:00

So, today was Lily's first solid food experience and she did so well! At first, she wasn't sure she liked it, but after a few bites, she decided she did and even started to open her mouth on her own.

She wasn't so sure about things when her sister took over feeding duties.
All in all a great effort. We are so proud of her. Great job, Lily!

Hey Mikey, He Likes It!

2009-04-02T14:42:00.009-06:00

Here is Liam eating solid food for the very first time... nappy-time will never be the same. He has been showing signs of needing more than just formula to drink for a while... like never being really satiated, gnawing on his sister between feedings, etc... so, yesterday, we gave him his first solid food. Just rice cereal, of course, and do you care to guess how he liked it? It was just what he needed. We are going to wait to start Lily until she is 6 months old as per the doctor's recommendation, but Liam was obviously more than ready.

By the way, how jealous am I of his long, dark eyelashes. It's a good thing he has them, really... what with him being our fussiest baby and all. All in all, great job, Liam!Oh, and since we didn't have a blog when Abby was a wee baby, here are some shots of her first taste of solid food. She was only 4 months at the time and didn't really take to it until she was more like 7 months. I think she looked a lot like Lily does now.

The Master Bedroom

2009-03-29T19:43:00.010-06:00

First of all, can I just say how incredible it is to have a Master Suite? As in, a bedroom that can fit a King-sized bed, a bathroom with double sinks (great for bathing the twins at the same time) and a walk-in closet. Amazing! So it started out that horrible dual-tone colour; complete with tape still on the molding and splatters everywhere... really a sight to see.
Then, for my birthday last year, my dad painted the master bedroom green (I can't leave Mom out- she did all the prep work). It took a couple coats of primer and 5 coats of paint to get rid of that red. It was one of the best birthday gifts I ever got.
So, finally, we moved in and these last photos are just our stuff as we put it in... nothing fancy and it will change but I thought everyone might like to see it anyway. We love it and so do the kids... a little too much sometimes.

Growing Like Weeds

2009-03-26T18:52:00.003-06:00

I cannot believe my little babies will be 5 months old in a couple of days. They are both reaching out and grabbing for things... like each others' hands to gnaw on. Lily was the first to roll on her side a couple of weeks ago, but Tuesday, Liam actually rolled all the way over to the delight of his oldest sister. They both are drooling like maniacs and are struggling with teething although they have yet to actually cut a tooth. Abby cut her first tooth at 4 months so their time is coming. They moved out of our closet and in to their own bedroom because they now only wake one time in the night at about 3:00am. Not too bad. Abby continues to be the best big sister in the world and tells how happy she is to have babies everyday. We are getting settled into our new home slowly but surely and feel so blessed to have such a lovely place to raise our little family.

We Made It!

2009-03-18T15:22:00.007-06:00

It has been a long time between posts and a lot has happened! We packed up and moved being the main one... all the way to California. I'll give the abridged version of our crazy trip that took a whopping 22 hours on the road over 2 whole days; a trip that would take two adults about 10 hours, but with a moving truck, infant twins and a 5-year-old, things took a little bit longer. In a nutshell, the move included: walkie-talkies, Abby peeing in a cup, screaming bored babies, rain, a hotel stay in Truckee, getting turned away for not having chains at Donner (it was only raining), going back to Reno for chains, getting help turning around by some of Nevada's finest, getting back to the pass and NOT needing chains, In-N-Out Burger, Mom crying, and help from Dawn and some nice folks from our new ward unloading our stuff.
Now, we are finally here and mostly unpacked; settling in quite nicely thanks to so many people in Utah and California. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and have such a nice home in which to raise our little family. Abby tells us everyday how happy she is to live in our new home. I'll be posting some before and after home shots soon. Until then, here are some photos of the kids.

Holding Hands

2009-02-23T15:31:00.006-07:00

Last week, Liam and Lily re-discovered one another and started smiling at each other a little bit. Yesterday, we caught them holding hands and again today. It isn't just one of them, either... they both seem to initiate it. So cute. Luckily, we were able to get a bit of it on film. I hope they become life-long friends and treasure the special bond they share. Also, I hope Liam forgives me for making him wear a girlie bib in this post for the world to see... it was the only one clean, sheesh.

Abby's Perspective

2009-02-21T11:22:00.003-07:00

While she was in time out, Abby decided to write me a note. I don't know what it says about my parenting, but here is her exact translation:

Dear Mommy,

I love you because you're the best mummy in the world. Please don't rip up this note and please don't send me to time out not ever not never again. I want to bring this when we move. I love you.

Love, Abby
Photo: Courtesy of my sister, Carrie, who came to visit last week. I will post more on that later...

Obedience Training

2009-02-13T12:24:00.006-07:00

Look to the left...
Look to the right...
Look straight ahead...
Now, everyone GO CRAZY!!!

Beware: Cute Overload

2009-02-07T21:12:00.002-07:00

BYU Museum of Art

2009-02-05T19:41:00.006-07:00

Abby asked me last week what art was. We talked about painting, and sculpture and music and for the rest of the week she kept asking for more information.
"If I put stickers on a paper, is that art?"
Finally, I told her that anything can be art- that art is something someone creates from other things and it becomes something else. So, today I took her to the BYU Art Museum while Paul stayed with the babies. She was so excited and LOVED it all. There was a modern art display which featured a large piece decorated with orange sauce packets from a Chinese restaurant turned backward which looked awesome and there was a corner of packing peanuts with fans that blew on them making it look like ocean waves. Her favorite was a huge circle made of interlocking balloons.We looked at the brush strokes on the paintings close up, then stood back and enjoyed the effect. Her favorite painting was a large Carl Bloch- the museum's crown jewel- "Christ Healing the Sick at Bethesda". She fell down the stairs which gave us both a scare, but got right back up with minimal crying... oh, and she didn't touch a thing and was really quiet, well, for her anyway. I cannot wait to take her to more. She was disappointed in one thing; she asked me "Where is that one painting of the girl with her arms crossed but her eyes are open?" She meant the Mona Lisa. I really hope someday I can take her to see it in real life. We had such a fun mother-daughter day.

Watch Out, Paula Deen!

2009-01-23T23:07:00.010-07:00

Abby loves to watch the Food Network and her favorite TV chef is Paula Deen. She about freaked out when her Auntie Carrie called her from Paula Deen's restaurant, "The Lady and Sons," in Savannah, Georgia. When Carrie said one of the sons was there, Abby asked, "Jaime or Bobby?" Yeah, she's pretty much a fan. So, Abby has been pretending to be a TV chef for a while now. It is really funny. I think she has potential. Here is a favourite family snack that is really easy... especially for kids.

Chocolate Pretzels with a Twist

Here's what you need:

Here's what you do:After you place the Rolos on top of the pretzels, put them in a warm 170 degree oven. Note: In place of the Rolos, you could substitute Hershey's Kisses or Hugs. Then...

After the 3 pieces are properly squished together. Place in the refrigerator to cool. You could wait for them to harden at room temperature... but who wants to wait that long?So, what do you think about Abby's future career as a TV chef?

We Are a Happy Family

2009-01-18T19:00:00.006-07:00

The twins have really been smiling a ton lately... especially at their big sister. It is so fun to see how they are all getting to know each other.

Here's Lily looking at her daddy way too late at night:
Here's Liam with his crooked little smile (Watch out, Edward Cullen!):

And just for comparison, here is Abby when she was their age:

Manchester United 3 Chelsea 0

2009-01-13T16:17:00.004-07:00

We were watching the United game Sunday and Abby overheard the pundit say something about "Rooney". She perked up and announced, "Wayne Rooney! He's our favourite scouser!" What a funny girl. Oh, and Paul was holding a sleeping Lily through most of it and you should have seen him try to tone it down to keep from waking her after every goal and bad call by the ref. She may have stirred a bit. Too bad, Chelsea.

Camping Sister

2009-01-08T11:59:00.004-07:00

Abigail was pretending to go camping by laying a bed out on the floor and she wanted Lily to come too. Well, Lily started smiling really big and just loved laying there with her big sister. Great idea, Abby!

Little Bill

2009-01-07T11:06:00.007-07:00

Liam is growing so quickly. He and Lily were the same size at birth and exactly the same size a week later. Now, he is well over a pound heavier and eats much more. We think he looks a bit like my dad and a lot like me. He is smiling a lot and fussing even more- he hates being even a little bit uncomfortable so we have to guard him when we open the door. He is also turning out to be a bit of a mamma's boy which I don't mind at all. He has the cutest little puppy-paw hands and likes to just roll up into a ball and cuddle. He can easily move his head around and is not at all floppy, just a solid little boy. We love him so much.

Lily's Faces

2009-01-06T11:24:00.017-07:00

Our darling daughter, Lily, is so cute (and I'm not biased at all because my mom totally agrees with me). She has the sweetest demeanor, the loveliest little eyeballs and the daintiest little hands- especially when compared to her twin brother. She is now smiling at all of us regularly and just yesterday, was able to hold her entire head up and steady when placed on her tummy. The only problem is that I cannot take a good photo of her- and believe me, I've tried. I just end up keeping the funny ones and erasing the rest. What's the deal? I mean, I know I am far from being the world's best photog, but when you take a bajillion photos of one subject, you expect a couple to turn out. Anyway, here are some of our favourite "Lily-faces" so far.

My, How the Time Flies

2008-12-28T11:28:00.014-07:00

It has been a while since I last posted but I think the reason for that is probably fairly obvious. We had a wonderful holiday season. My Mom came for a couple of weeks to help out and Dad joined us all for Christmas. He always brings some gadget or toy and this time, he brought a remote control bee that he flew around while Abby tried to catch it with her hands or pretended to shoot it down with her pop gun. It was really funny.

Paul and I still can't agree on when to open presents. My family always opened them Christmas Eve (except for the one from Santa, of course, which we got with our filled stockings the next morning) and Paul's family always opened all of theirs on Christmas morning. We compromised and we opened one gift on Christmas Eve and the rest the next morning... I'm still not sure I'm completely satisfied with the arrangement... 'till next year! We let Abby and Lily open the package that had their matching jammies in it. Abby was so excited to match her little sister.

The kids had so many gifts under the tree there was barely room in our tiny house for them. Abby spent all of Christmas day playing with Play Dough and leaving all the rest of the toys for later. Also, this was the first year she looked visibly disappointed when she got clothing... she's growing up!

The twins are now 2 months old and are doing better at night... or Paul and I are. We sort of take turns with them so we can get a little more sleep. They are at least mostly tired during the night now. Liam can sleep for longer than Lily at night. I think that is due to the fact that he is heavier than her. Last week, Liam weighed in at 10lbs 3oz and Lily at 8lbs 15oz. So Liam is a pound and a quarter heavier, but Lily is actually a bit taller than him. Oh, and by the way, Paul was right about their birth weights. When we got their birth certificates, they were both recorded as weighing 5lbs 8oz. And if you're interested, I have now lost about 70lbs total. Not bad for 2 months, eh?

Now, we're on our own and I think we can handle it. We have had so much help, we honestly don't know how we could have coped without it but I think we're ready to do it all on our own. No doubt, our house will not be as tidy and the laundry done as quickly, but we can do it. I remember last year at about this time, Paul and I decided we would do whatever it took to have another baby this year... wow, what a difference a year makes! We are so blessed to have such happy, healthy children and we look forward to what this New Year brings.

Family Portraits

2008-12-07T18:16:00.009-07:00

Yeah, well, the whole picture thing is pretty funny. This first one is, by far, the best as it is taken from so far away and has the temple in it. I have many, wonderful, talented friends who take the most beautiful photos. I just cannot seem to get a good photo of everyone together... whether it is one of us taking the photo, or someone else. It is hard to find a time when both babies are awake and happy. Also, Abby has been on a "I'm going to only take photos with different silly faces and poses" phase. Some of these are Paul's dad's photos and he's a good photog, so I don't feel so bad. Here are some of our attempts:
Aren't you loving the peace sign sweats?
Here is "Ringo, the friendly dragon"
This is definitely a future family classic.

Blessings

2008-12-07T17:49:00.006-07:00

I cannot believe how slow the days go (especially at night) and how quickly the weeks pass. Paul's Mum and Dad left Thursday and we've been going at it on our own. There are a few things we've done that have made our lives easier. I just couldn't keep up with the breastfeeding demands of 2 children while trying to keep my relative sanity so I have cut back to breastfeeding one and formula feeding the other (so others can help out and cut the time). I switch off which baby gets what every other feeding.

Last Sunday (so, I'm a week late with the post), the babies had their blessings at church. It was such a wonderful, spiritual experience. It re-confirmed how much Heavenly Father loves us and how he really does know each of us personally; how he knows my little patient Lily and brave little Liam. Of course, getting cute photos of the both of them is nearly impossible. My favourite is the one where Lily has spat up all over her beautiful dress. FYI: Liam had actually peed all over his somehow so he wasn't a happy camper either. Ah, someday we will have decent photos of them both.

Feed, Eat, Feed, Change Nappy, Feed, Maybe Sleep, etc.

2008-11-17T12:24:00.005-07:00

So, that is life with 2 newborns. I have just reread the previous posts and must apologize for my lack of brain cells. I know there were typos and redundant words as well as other grammatical no-nos, but I just can't be bothered to change anything. It is an actual reflection of how I am thinking right now... disjointed and random. Here are some photos from the last week I thought were cute:
Here is Abigail (holding Liam); big sister extraordinaire. She is very helpful and sings songs to the babies when they cry. She has been extremely patient as her whole world has changed. We are very lucky to have such a happy, adaptable little girl. And she was only one of 2 children in our entire primary to have her lines memorized for the Primary program. Way to go, Abby!

Here is Lily; bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and (surprise) ready to eat. She is actually pretty mellow and can fall asleep in the crib by herself and can wait a little while for her brother to finish when she's a little hungry... that is until she's had it and then she has the loudest cry in the house.

Here is Liam during a rare moment of satiation. He is constantly hungry and gulps down his milk (lucky me, eh?). He also has gas. Lots and lots of gas, poor lad. He loves to cuddle into a little ball and snuggle... especially under one's chin and he has the softest little head. Lily's shoulder still is another favourite place to lay his head.

Hospital Stay and Homecoming

2008-11-14T17:42:00.012-07:00

Liam stayed in the well-baby nursery and Lily in the NICU the rest of the hospital stay. I have such amazing and wonderful friends who were able to come and visit through the recovery (the same amazing and wonderful friends who helped my sanity by bringing me great food and movie nights and taking Abby out on play dates so she wouldn't go crazy.) The whole experience was such a double-edged sword though as I was able to feed and bond and show off Liam, Lily was hooked up to machines and wires and IVs on a different floor and I had never spent a night away from Abby before this hospital stay and I really missed her so much as well. I wished I could spend so much more time with little Lily, but I still had to be wheeled everywhere due to the weight gain and surgery and had to do it in between taking care of Liam. It was a couple of days before I could hold her and I was finally able to nurse her on Friday. She was a real trooper and latched on right away. That was a real turning point in her recovery I think... but more on that later.

Liam was a real entertainer and enjoyed all the attention I think. He nursed well at first, and then forgot what he was doing. The Nazi lactation consultant was no help whatsoever, but we eventually got back on track after a few emotional breakdowns by his mother. The water in my body started coming out every possible way it could and very often... I couldn't notice any change at first and finally, after a few days there was some change. I think that recovering from the c-section was actually a little easier than recovering from Abby's birth... not to give away too many gory details, but let's just say that it took a lot more than 6 weeks to recover from that one. Abby REALLY was so excited to meet her brother and got to hold him which was what she had been dreaming about since she found out I was pregnant. I have to give her major props for her patience.

I CANNOT tell you how nice it was to have Paul's mum here! I never had to worry about Paul or Abigail the whole time I was in hospital and she, of course, is completely in love with her new grandchildren and we are so glad that she is here to share this experience with us. Abby finally got to meet Lily on Saturday, the day Liam and I were discharged. She fell in instant love and it was such a great experience. It was still one of the hardest things I ever had to do to leave one baby at the hospital while taking the other one home. I wondered if they missed one another. We are more fortunate than most people as we live just a couple of blocks from the hospital. That would REALLY be nice over the next few days.

Lily was never too bad compared to many of the others there. The leg started looking more and more normal everyday and now, they are just a little worried about the hip joint, but we have an appointment at Children's Primary Hospital (one of the very best children's hospitals in the world) at the end of the month just to make sure it doesn't need further work. Worst case scenario: She'll need surgery, but everything is 100% fixable. The other issue she had that kept her in the NICU- the main reason- was an air bubble that was outside the lung... not uncommon. They had to wait to see if it would get bigger- which would indicate a larger issue- or get smaller. Hers stayed the same, didn't seem to affect her breathing and finally got smaller toward the end of the week. Except for the first day, she was on room air the entire time and mostly on observation. The last step was to get her to gain weight and nurse and she was finally able to come home on Monday, November 6.

When we first came home, my schedule went something like this: Feed Liam, pump, go to the hospital and feed Lily, come home and maybe eat or nap for a second, then start all over again all day and all night. My milk finally came in the day Lily came home. Paul and I were so happy to reunite our twins and have our entire little family together for the first time. At first, there didn't seem to be any difference, but as soon as it was time for them to sleep, we put them down together and they (especially Liam) cuddled up together and went straight down. They are still sleeping that way today. He loves putting his head on her shoulder and when I thought about it, that was exactly how they were in the womb for the last few months.
They are just so precious and I CANNOT believe that I- that this little body of mine- actually grew them and that we have been given this great blessing. Our family feels complete now and I am constantly overwhelmed by the amazing gifts Heavenly Father gave to us... our 3 wonderful, healthy children and amazing extended family and friends without whom we could have never done what we've done.

Birth Day!

2008-11-14T15:59:00.011-07:00

We started the drugs to start my labor induction Monday night and by Tuesday morning, I was put on pitocin (a drug that brings on contractions)to see how that would develop. I got a very fine epidural so that alleviated the contraction pain and so we waited and waited as my cervix slowly got ready for birth. Late afternoon, baby B (Liam) started showing signs of distress and could not be roused. We had to make the difficult decision to go for a cesarean section- I say difficult, but the decision wasn't that hard because we were worried for Liam... I say difficult because I was scared to death of surgery and had very little time to get used to the idea. About 20 minutes later, I was wheeled into the OR and prepped for surgery. Paul was so amazing. He was able to peek and watch the surgery as well as be there for me at the same time.
For me, it was so weird, there was a paper barrier hung so I couldn't see what was going on (which was fine with me), but I could feel everything... and it didn't hurt. I mean, I could feel hands inside of me, I could feel the babies being maneuvered and lifted out of my body, and didn't feel pain... it was so weird. Lily still got to come out first with Liam following a minute afterward. I saw a brief glance and heard the cries of each one before they were whisked off. Paul was able to go with them as I was getting stapled back together. When I was patched up, I was wheeled to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit to see them before going to the recovery room To be honest, I was so high and so tired, this part was all a blur. I will have to have Paul tell you more about this. I don't even remember being taken to my room. I do know that Liam was taken out of the NICU and brought into the well-baby nursery and I got to nurse him and spend all night with him. It was a great surprise to his daddy to be able to hold him the next morning...
As it turned out, Liam saved all of our bacon. We didn't see it on the ultrasound,but Lily (at the gate and ready to come out first) had a leg up behind her head and a vaginal birth could have done so much more damage to her and to me... it would not have been pretty. Liam was in distress because his placenta had started pulling away and there was meconium in his water. THANK YOU LIAM! I know that Heavenly Father had heard my prayers (and many of yours as well) and helped this delivery go as smoothly as possible.

Lily Claire Baynes was born on October 28, 2008 at 5:44 pm. She was 18 inches long and weighed 5lb 7oz (although Paul swears she was 5.8 in the OR).

Liam Thomas Baynes was born on October 28, 2008 at 5:45 pm. He was 18 inches long and weighed 5lb 8oz.

Hospitalized

2008-11-14T15:30:00.005-07:00

I guess it's been a while since I've posted... the time has really flown for me. Let's see... Mid-October I was going for non-stress tests every weeks to make sure the babies and I were still doing well. I had really started putting on water weight to the point that I couldn't move all that well and could only sleep in my recliner. On Wednesday, October 22, my blood pressure was getting a little high and there was a little protein in my urine so they admitted me to the hospital and released me the same night. Saturday, I had another Dr. appointment and by that time, I really could not walk at all because of the water gain. I was so swollen, I could not even stand in the shower because my legs could not go together. I also could not walk without major help and it just plain hurt. I was admitted to the hospital again and again, the protein and blood pressure were not high enough to be considered pre-eclampsia and my cervix was still nearly closed, but I was gaining about 4 lbs of water PER DAY! The doctor told me that on paper, I was doing really well, but in person, I wasn't. I was unrecognizable but the doctors did not want to take the babies too early. I was told that I would be staying in the hospital until the babies were born, but I heard everything from 1 day to more than a week for the estimate. This was probably the hardest time in my life and it was really humbling not being able to even go to the bathroom without assistance. The nurses were all really kind and I think they were all trying to put their two cents in as far as how bad I really was (thanks Sarah). Finally, Monday night, the doctor came in and we (Paul, the Doctor and I) made a plan. The babies were still both head-down so we decided to try for a vaginal birth, which is what we were really hoping for, as long as it was safe for me and the babies. I weighed myself one last time and was 198 pounds. That was a total of about 90 lbs of weight gain. The average for twins is between 45 and 50. We were scared, but ready and I spent the rest of the night praying that everything would be all right.

Update

2008-10-16T16:11:00.002-06:00

Nothing much to tell. I cannot sit at the computer for long so I probably won't post again until the babies are born... maybe a belly pic. I am on bed rest and am taking medicine for contractions but everything is working fine. On Sunday, I will be 35 weeks along and I will go off the medicines and can move around as much as I want/can. I go to two baby appointments per week and the babies are doing really well and are both head down. WARNING, TMI AHEAD: The last couple of appointments, Dr/Nurse has been able to actually feel Lily's head. They don't think I'll go much longer. I am now a whopping 175 lbs (12.5 stone) and can barely walk because of the weight, puffy feet and legs that turn purple, having 2 heads down very low with one pinching a nerve in my right leg. THANK GOODNESS MUM IS HERE! We are in the home stretch. The bags are packed and Paul is getting a few last-minute necessities as we speak. My WONDERFUL friends are throwing me a shower on Saturday and then, it is just the waiting game. Pray for healthy, happy babies (and that the epidural works well).

When Will They Be Born?

2008-10-05T16:56:00.004-06:00

I've decided to have a little contest of my own. I am 33 weeks along today. Paul's mum is here and there is already a huge difference in the feel of the house... much less chaotic. We are so grateful for her. Soooooo, I could have the babies anytime from today (which we DO NOT really want... well, I'm perfectly ready to be done, but they are not) all the way up until November 10 (that's the longest the docs will let me carry them; 38 weeks). So, just leave a comment with the date you choose. Three are already taken: Oct. 30 is my Mom's b-day, Nov 8 is mine, and Nov 10 is my dad's b-day so we choose those dates... anything else is wide open! Good luck. There will be a surprise for the winner... don't ask what... it's a surprise!

A Big Milestone

2008-09-30T15:41:00.015-06:00

Today, I had another ultrasound and doctor's appointment. The babies are doing great! We are 32 weeks along, which is a HUGE milestone in their development. Their weights were as they should be with very little discordance; Lily weighed in at 4.6 and Liam is a bit bigger at 4.9 which means I am carrying just under 9 lbs of baby in me. YIKES! Oh, and I am 165 lbs and measuring 42 weeks. The ultrasound photos were a little more vague as they are getting so huge.

As for me... I am still on bed rest until 35 weeks (like I could do anything anyway). My feet turn blotchy and purple and start to tingle if I am up for more than just a few minutes. Also, I have constant tightening contractions which worsen if I get up. From here on out, I have weekly appointments at the OB and weekly Non-Stress Tests at the Hospital... I'm glad we live so close and Mum really could not be coming at a better time... c'mon Friday! Still... no stretch marks (yet)!

The End of an Era

2008-09-27T11:08:00.007-06:00

Well, that might have been a bit dramatic. Today, Abigail and Paul had their last football class of the year. Abby was excited because she came home with a medal, a brownie, yellow candy and a certificate. Paul was excited because, even though he sacrificed watching a Manchester United game for it (that's a BIG deal), United still won their game. I was excited because they brought home an egg McMuffin for me. But seriously, this has been such a great experience for both of them and the big coup for Abby was making friends with Avery... the girl who brings her own pink ball. Abby had her eye on it since day one and finally, after making friends, they shared it. What a funny kid.

Thank You

2008-09-26T00:19:00.004-06:00

We have been receiving such generous help lately, it is really overwhelming. The woman across (or "acrost" as they say in Utah) the street has been bringing us a feast every Thursday this month and Abby has been so impressed by this act of service that she insisted on writing her own thank-you note. She started asking me to spell out every single letter and I, being busy with a crossword puzzle, told her to sound everything out and just write. I went back to my puzzle and about 5 minutes later, she announced she was finished (I, being the ever-attentive mother I am, had forgotten what it was she was even supposed to be doing by that time). I cried when I saw it... she really isn't a baby anymore is she? I had to scan it before we delivered it (which brought more tears from the recipient). Here it is in all its glory:

I love the part where she forgot how to spell "the" and just scribbled something in. Also, I was surprised at how well she was able to phonetically spell words she had never spelled before. My baby is all grown up.

When It's Appropriate to Use the Word Hate

2008-09-24T23:15:00.003-06:00

I believe it is appropriate to use the word "hate" when talking about mayonnaise, bad drivers, getting needles put in your arms, yappy little dogs, sin and David Blaine.

Our Night at Labor and Delivery

2008-09-20T11:15:00.003-06:00

Last night, my contractions, although not painful, were getting pretty close, so I went to the hospital to make sure everything was okay. Luckily, it is only 2 blocks from my house. Well, it turns out, the contractions were pretty regular at 5 minutes apart so after monitoring me and the babies for a while, they decided to do a cervix check and a fetal fibronectin test. The great news is that I'm still not dilated at all and the fFN test came back negative so that means no delivery for at least 2 weeks. Whoo! Also, the babies were so active they kept kicking off the monitors so the nurse was not worried about them at all... little stinkers. The bad news is that I have a little infection which is what they think was causing all of the contractions in the first place so, I'm on an antibiotic and hopefully that will keep those puppies at bay.

So, after a long evening, we got home about 12:30 AM and found my friend Heather, who had been watching Abigail, had cleaned and organised our living room and kitchen top to bottom. I wanted to cry. I am so fortunate to have a monopoly on the best friends around. Hopefully we will not have any other scares. The babies will be born perfectly healthy at 36 or 37 weeks and will already be on a good schedule and will never cry and eat perfectly well, etc. etc.

Two Days of Gourmet Food... and even more perks!

2008-09-19T10:41:00.006-06:00

Last Tuesday, I had an OB appt. and was put on "chair rest" (or at least, that's what I call it). He said I wasn't on bed rest, but I can't really leave the house, can't cook or clean (that's the same), I have to keep my feet up for the majority of the day and I'm not supposed to go anywhere (did I mention that?). So the difference? I guess I just don't have to lie in bed all day. I can sit in a chair all day. He showed me how far off the scale I was compared to a singleton pregnancy (I'm 30 weeks and measuring 37... that's how far along I was when I had Abby! And I am now, officially, the heaviest I have ever been- 157 lbs. I was 156 when I gave birth to Abby). Oh and I have braxton hicks (practice contractions) about every 1/2 hour now so they are a little "concerned".

Here's the food part: People in my ward, Paul and my wonderful friends have been keeping us in delicious food for a couple of weeks, but the last couple of days, I have eaten some of the most amazing food of my life! Maybe part of that is that eating is one of the few things I can still do... VERY well I might add. So, Paul made a delicious stir-fry on Wednesday night with brown rice- mmmmmm. The next day, my amazing cook friend Jenny brought her kids over to play with Abby and made the best, no THE BEST sandwich I have ever eaten: BLT's (with a real garden tomato) on home-baked sourdough bread and the spread? Well, it was this cream cheese pesto thing she (and I- just because I hate mayo so she substituted the cream cheese) made. I cannot explain how wonderful this sandwich was! Then, that very night (last night) was my monthly Cooking Club meeting. Now I know I'm not supposed to go anywhere, but seriously, a girl has to eat, and I just went from my car seat to a chair in a house and my wonderful friends brought the food to me. I have never been happier to just sit and eat. From the tomato tart and bruschetta appetizers to the roast turkey (as in the turkey was roasted and carved) apple and brie panini main course to the fresh from the back yard apple pie for dessert (plus the side dishes and peach lemonade)- all of it local produce- even the turkey! It made all of the heartburn I had all last night (even though I loaded up on Zantac and Maalox) totally worth it! Oh! Don't think Abby and Paul were left out... the lovely neighbour brought over tons of food for their dinner which, I'm sure we'll be finishing up tonight. So, this morning, I am reveling in the left-overs, when Jenny calls and says she is coming over to bring pumpkin pancakes with homemade spicy syrup (it was even warm!). If you would like the recipes, check out our Cooking Club blog by clicking HERE.

Ewww.

2008-09-16T09:44:00.003-06:00

Does anyone else find this picture creepy? I mean, I know it's fake, but I see it on pregnant people websites all over the place and it is NOT cute or adorable... it's gross. I actually think something like this happened to me last night and I couldn't take a photo because I was bending over in pain trying to push that little limb back where it should be. Also, there are a lot more blue veins and fuzzy hair on my belly... and my belly button sticks out more... oh, and I'm 10 times fatter.

I'm Making Cookies Tonight!!

2008-09-11T12:09:00.004-06:00

...or eating some, at least! Monday, I failed my 1-hour Glucose test for Gestational Diabetes which meant Wednesday, I had to take the three-hour one.

This is why I hated the 1-hour test: It involved drinking this gross sugary drink they CLAIMED tasted like oranges in five minutes and after one hour, they took a phial of blood. That, of course gave me a bruise on my arm because of my ridiculously hard-to-find veins. This is all fine and dandy except I had already done this entire test the week before BUT the idiotic nurse did not know which form to fill out and then tried to get blood (a half-hour late I might add... on a timed test) in four places (she only stuck me twice but had to dig around) and in the end, did not file ANY paperwork, so the test was never even done.

This is why I hated the 3-hour test:
It involved drinking this gross sugary drink- twice as potent as the one before but the same size- they CLAIMED tasted like Sprite in five minutes. I had to go in fasting. It required me to give FOUR phials of blood at one hour intervals. The nurses were good and used the littlest needle, but I only have a couple of places to draw from; one of which was already bruised from Monday so I ended up leaving the place looking like a pregnant junkie! It's a nice look.

The good news is:
I PASSED so I don't have to change my diet to keep the babies healthy! My cookie cravings can continue guilt-free! Thank goodness.