Celebrating 12 Wonderful Years

Steve and I celebrated our 12 year anniversary this weekend!  I can't believe we have been married 12 years.  It has gone by so fast and I love this man more and more each day!  Some of the things I love about him:

1.  The biggest tease ever.  I never take anything he says serious!  And I laugh when others can't tell if he is serious or not!

2.  Hardest worker I know.  I could never work these 30+ hr shift he works and magnify all of his church callings.  Then come home and stay awake because he thinks he will miss out on something with the family.

3.  He loves his family more than anything in this world.

4.  Takes me in to get an ultrasound anytime I want, just to ease my mind!  Even at 1:30 am.

5.  He can reason with anyone. Kids, adults, crazy hormonal pregnant women.

6.  Calls me from work just to see how I'm doing and tell me how much he loves me.

7.  Begs me and the kids to come into work when he is on-call because he misses us.  Then after an hour or two, begs us to stay longer!

8.  Makes me sit in a kid shopping cart so he can push me around the grocery store because he is worried all my walking will cause pre-term labor. (hated this at the time, but I understand his concerns. I'm just stubborn and prideful)

9.  Love the messages he writes me on the mirror when its foggy.

10.  Love how he softly kisses me on the cheek while I'm sleeping before he leaves for work.

11.  I love how loyal and trustworthy he is!

12.  I love how he tells me I'm the hottest pregnant lady ever, even though I feel ugly and enormous right now!

13.  I love how he chases the kids around the house when he gets home from work or takes all 3 on bike rides in the evening.

14.  Love how he thinks everything I make is the best he has ever tasted, even if its disgusting.  NAILED IT!

15.  And most of all, I love him because he has stuck by my side these last 12 years and I know he will continue to be by my side for eternity!  No matter what!

I can think of a million other reasons but I have to get ready for all my drs appts for today!

 

 

Happy Anniversary Steve!

Karlee turns 7

On Sunday my sweet Karlee turned 7.  I can't believe how fast my kids are growing up. Its really exciting and scary at the same time.  Karlee is such a sweet heart.  She has a very tender heart and wants to make everyone happy.  She loves to write notes or make cards for everyone in the family.  She is so good at taking care of Stella.  She is better at making her happy than I am.  She loves to run and race anyone.  Lately she decided she loves to dance.  She dances all over the house and constantly is perfecting her cartwheels and handstands.  I asked Karlee a few questions:

Favorite color? Turquoise

Best Friend? Nixon

Favorite Game? Hide & Go seek in the Dark

Favorite Thing to Do? Dance

Favorite Food? Macaroni and Cheese

Favorite Show? Jessie

Favorite Song? Party in the USA (Miley Cyrus)

What time do you go to bed? 8:30 pm

What time do you wake up? 4pm

What are you excited for this year? Cheer leading

What grade are you going into? 2nd

What do you want to name the baby boys? Maddex and Porter

Favorite thing to play with Stella?  Mommy and Baby

Favorite thing to play with Cannon? When we are both servants that take care of Stella

What are you going to do with the babies? Cuddle and kiss them.

 

 

 

Some of the things I love about Karlee is how smart she is, kind and loving. She doesn't like to fight with anyone. She loves to go shopping with me. (kind of dangerous) and loves trying new things. She is such a helpful little girl. She can empty and load the dishwasher, put all her clothes away, take the clothes out of the washing machine and place in dryer, clean bathrooms and help make dinner. I couldn't ask for a better daughter. I love her so much and I am so blessed Heavenly Father sent me this angel!

 

Happy 7th Birthday Karlee!

30 Weeks Pregnant with TWiNs

I am so excited that I finally made it to the 30 week mark.  Not because it has gone by really slow, but because it was a milestone me and my Dr set!  For the most part it has been pretty uneventful.  Besides the hospital stay because of my kidney.  These next weeks will truly be the test.  The test to see how much my body can take physically and mentally.  Things have been getting a LOT harder.  Trips grocery shopping and to places where I have to walk very far are only out of necessity!  My husband gets mad when he finds out I have gone to the grocery store so unless he is with me, I don't go.  Its a good and bad thing to have an OB as a husband.  I don't have to call my doctor with questions BUT then my husband always thinks the worst and is super paranoid if I even mention "I have cramps or a contraction".  Its always a big deal.  I know he loves me and doesn't want anything to happen to me or the babies, so I usually keep my mouth shut. 
My pelvic bones and muscles along with my stent have been giving me trouble the last couple of days and I don't want to take any pain medicine.  I did end up buying a maternity belt that seems to relieve some of the pain and pressure, but on the flip side its a pain to have to take off and adjust every time I have to go to the bathroom which is A LOT.  Especially since the stent has been in.  But I am very grateful for the stent and will continue to use the maternity belt! 
I am trying very hard to keep up on my weekly posts but I have to say it is kind of hard when you have a million things going on and can't move as fast.  Cannon just finished basketball.  Then next week he starts football and Karlee starts cheer leading, both twice a week.  Then school starts two weeks later!  This month is flying by! I wanted to keep busy and I definitely put enough things on the schedule to keep us moving!  Good thing my Dr didn't put me on bed rest!
There are a few things I still need to get done before the babies arrive such as getting the car seat out of storage, take apart and clean.  I need to get the seat belt fixed in the Tahoe and find a diaper bag.  I still need to buy wipes and preemie diapers.  Then I should probably pack my hospital bag!

30 Weeks

I am so excited to make it to this milestone!  Everything from here on out seem to be less stressful and a lot less "what if's".  This week I have started feeling rhythmic twitches from both babies and I am assuming they are hiccups.  The babies are growing fast now and hopefully each baby will gain a half pound each week until delivery!
The babies brains have been smooth until now, but this week there brains will start to get folds which give the brain more surface area, so it can hold more cells.  The brain has also started to take over the task of regulating body temperature.  They are able to turn up their internal thermostat if they start to get chilly!
By this point the top of my uterus is about 4 inches above my belly button! Yikes!  My belly is all out front.  You can't even tell I'm pregnant from behind, but as soon as I turn....Wow, there it is.  Staight out there!

Babies are the size of: a large cabbage (15.75 inches) and weigh almost 3lbs each.

How far along? 30 Weeks!  HooRaY!

Weight gain?  Yikes!  Lets just say I've never weighed this much before.

Workouts?  Ha ha ha!  LOL!  I don't think so

Symptoms? Lot of pressure and my uterus feels pretty heavy.  Sitting helps a lot and I have a chair with me in every room!  Yup!  I'm that lazy.  Bending at the waist is pretty much non-existent.  My kids have helped out so much.  I think they can see how hard things are getting for me and are more than willing to help out! 

Stretch Marks?  I'm kind of proud of myself for making it 30 weeks without stretch marks, now if I can make it the rest of the way!

Sleep?  On and off, having to wake up every two hours to use the bathroom makes getting a good night sleep difficult.  But I have been sleeping pretty good, other than that!

Movement?  Wow!  They are constantly moving.  Every time I sit down I can feel Baby A (on my right) start kicking and punching, in return Baby B (on my left) starts kicking and punching back.  Sometimes they kick and punch so hard I can actually feel my body jolt!  Its seriously the craziest thing!  I'm already starting to tell a little about there personalities just by there movements and how much they move. The nurses that do the NST nicknamed Baby A, Dr Adams Jr.  Just because he never stays on the monitor, always causing problems and kicking the monitor while its on.  Baby B is just like his mom, pretty mellow and doesn't throw too many fits while being monitored.

Gender?  Two BOYS

What I miss?  Breathing....lol, twisting and turning, being independent. And most of all, fitting into clothes.....any clothes for that matter.  Steve's scrubs are pretty much the only outfits that are comfortable.  But its to the point even his T-shirts look like belly shirts on me. 

Food Aversions?  still greasy food.  My stomach is so squished I have to remind myself to eat because I'm never hungry!  Thirsty, yes!

Food Cravings?  Fruit and something to drink.  Always thirsty!

Labor signs?  More and more contractions......if that's what they really are.  I can feel a tightening in my belly every so often.  But I've never really experienced "real contractions" with the other kids until they put me on pitocin.  This time I think I can feel them, they just don't ever hurt!

Belly button in or out?  Out as far as it can get.  Cannon thinks one of the boys is pushing it out with his finger just to play tricks on me!

Things I look forward to this week? (its a busy one)
1.  Our 12 year anniversary on Saturday
2.  Karlee's Birthday on Sunday
3.  OB appt on Tuesday
4.  Karlee's cheer leading starting on Tuesday
5.  Skye and the kids getting home on Wednesday
6.  Cannon starting football on Thursday

1st NST (Non-Stress Test)

Yesterday was a pretty busy day.  I had my scheduled Dr's Appt at 1pm. I decided to make my Dr and the nurses at the hospital that took such good care of me homemade chocolate chip cookies, just to say "thank you".  I know I'm suppose to be taking it easy, but making cookies really isn't that hard and I really wanted them to know how much I appreciated all they did.  I ended up doubling the batch of cookies, which ended up being about 16 dozen. 
My Dr's appointment went great!  My blood pressure was good, almost too good.  He keeps wondering why my blood pressure is so low.  Usually with pregnancy especially twins it raises it up quite a bit.  My pressure has always been around 100/60 even since being pregnant with twins.  Who knows?!!?  But my fluid levels looked good.  I about cried when I got on the scale.  I had to remind myself that I haven't been weighed at his office since June 21st.  But still, getting on the scale is the worst part.  In the end I will weigh more than I have ever before in my whole life.  Which really scares me!  As we were getting ready to leave I told him I was heading over to the hospital to take the nurses cookies too and he said "Great, Why don't you do an NST while your there?"  HUH??!! Why do I have to do that?  He assured me that it was just a routine thing I have to do every week until the babies are born.  Great!  Another appointment!  At least I get to see my hubby while there. 
So I drove over to the hospital and they started the NST, which is really easy, just a pain.  All they do is hook you up to three monitors.  One to watch my uterus contract and one each on the babies to check heart tones.  Pretty painless and simple right?  I ended up at the hospital for 1 1/2 because the babies were not cooperating.  Baby B was really easy.  They found the heart beat really quick.  Baby A on the other hand, not so easy.  He would not hold still and they couldn't find his heartbeat.  Steve was looking on the ultrasound and could actually see the heart beat so we knew everything was fine, but they just couldn't find it with the monitor.  They like to have about 15-20 mins of a good rhythm strip to print out and show the Dr before they would let me go.  After standing up, rolling over and going to the bathroom just to get Baby A's heartbeat, they found it best laying on my left side. 
Each baby has his own placenta, but Baby B was positioned so his head was laying right on top of Baby A's heart making it really difficult to hear Baby A's heart.
It was a knew experience as I've never had a NST with the other kids.  And now I have a standing appointment every week at the hospital until the babies are born.  Along with bi-weekly ultrasounds to check the growth and the fluid levels and weekly appointment with my OB.  (sigh)  I guess these will make the rest of my summer go by faster!  LOL

28 Weeks Pregnant with TwInS

Things have been a little busy around here and I totally slacked off on my 27 Week picture and stats, but I have a good excuse!  Last Wednesday night I started having this weird pain in my back.  I asked Steve to rub my back but it really hurt when he did.  I decided to take a couple of Tylenol to help me sleep.  A couple hours later I told Steve that my back really hurt and the Tylenol didn't help.  He advised me to take some vicodin.  I decided to only take one.  Tried to sleep but my side hurt too bad.  Long story short, took another vicadin and after that didn't help and I couldn't even sleep through the pain I decided it was time to go to the hospital.  Skye was out of town so we called my sweet neighbor Jean Khoury to come watch the kids at 3 am.  

(Can you tell I am completely amused that my husband took this picture?)

Once I got to the hospital my pain started to get worse.  They gave me a dose of morphine and that didn't help.  An hour after that dose my blood pressure started to drop causing me to get fainty and throw up!  I felt like such a baby.  All the nurses were super nice.  It was just embarrassing to have all these ladies that work with Steve, taking care of me.  Anyways, the 2 doses of morphine didn't work so they tried dilaudid.  After two doses of that, it still didn't touch the pain.  Meanwhile, my urinalysis came back negative.  At noon on Thursday they took me down for my 2 anatomy ultrasound for the twins and to scan my kidney's, gallbladder and appendix.  They usually prefer a CT scan to rule out problems, but being pregnant with twins they decided the best option would be for an ultrasound.  Thursday night the results came back and my right kidney had severe hydronephrosis and my ureter on the right was not showing any urine flow.  So they knew somewhere along the way was either a kidney stone or my uterus was so big it had kinked my ureter causing my pain.  It was bad enough that I couldn't just wait it out.  They needed to do something soon.  My doctor and husband decided it would be best if a 28cm stent was placed in my ureter to unblock whatever was causing the problem.  Friday morning I was scheduled for surgery.  I was pretty nervous but my husband and OB assured me everything would be OK and the babies would be fine.  Just in case I did go into preterm labor they gave me two steroid shots to help the babies lungs develop faster.  My OB cancelled all of his afternoon patients to come be in the OR and watch the babies.  I was so glad he was there.  It definitely calmed me down.  I was awake during the surgery and was able to watch the monitor and see the part that was blocked.  No one actually saw a stone so they are not 100%  positive it really was a stone and not just a kinked ureter because of the size of my uterus.  The surgery went well and I had no problems.  I did have to stay one more night in the hospital to get my second steroid shot and to monitor the babies and make sure I wasn't having any serious contractions.  Saturday morning I was able to come home.  I had so many wonderful friends volunteer to help out with the kids.  I know my family would have liked too but I think they felt better knowing we had an outpouring of help.  Now I'm just trying to take it easy and am slowly recovering. So I have just decided to skip my 27 week picture and jump to my next week.

28 Weeks

 

Officially started my 3rd trimester!  WAAHOOO!

The babies brains have developed more tissue and has formed grooves on the surface.  They are developing a 20-30 minute sleep schedule.  There lungs developing more, blood vessels are forming to circulate oxygenated blood and bronchial tubes are branching. They are starting to make surfactant, which keeps the air sacs in the babies lungs from sticking together.  The surfactant will allow them to breathe properly after birth.

 

 

Babies are the size of: Chinese cabbage (15 inches) and weigh around 2.25 lbs each.

 

How far along? 28 weeks

 

Weight gain?  Still not sure.  Had to cancel my Dr appt again because of my hospital stay!

 

Workouts? Nope, just waddling around to get a few chores done every day so I don't get too far behind.

 

Symptoms?  Basically if I stand for more than 30 mins, my uterus feels like it is going to fall out.  Once I sit down the pain goes away!  Now I put a chair in my bathroom so I can do my makeup, hair and getting dressed while sitting.  I could easily take a nap everyday, but all my kids are home so I usually just try to sit on the couch in the afternoon for 30 mins.

 

Stretch marks?  I'm so happy, NO stretch marks yet!

 

Sleep?  Not so much.  Last night I started out in my bed.  Moved to the couch for a couple hours, then to the recliner for a bit and then back to my bed.  My doctor has asked me to stay off my back and right side while sleeping, so basically I'm suppose to only lay on my left side for 8 hours a night?!!!?? Notta..

 

Movement?  Lots of it.  Each week the kicks and punches get stronger and stronger.

 

Gender? Still two boys

 

What I miss?  being independent.  being able to clean, cook and do chores without finding a way to do it sitting!  Still so grateful they are happy and safe inside my belly.  I wouldn't want to jeopardize that at all.

 

Food Aversions? greasy food, doesn't sound very good

 



Food Cravings?  breads, fresh fruit and soda pop

Labor signs?  luckily nothing much

Belly button In or Out?  Definitely OUT

Things I look forward to this week?
1.  My Drs Appt on Tuesday
2.  Watching Cannon play basketball
3.  Just taking it easy

26 Weeks Pregnant with Twins

I am a little late with this post.  Trying to get my hands on a decent camera is difficult.  My camera I can't get to work and the only other decent camera is Steve's phone which he has most of the time. I ended up taking pictures with Cannon's ipod which takes really grainy pics.  Oh well, could be worse!  Anyways we have had a busy summer week.
Monday: We went to Stoney Creek with Skye and her kids and Goldie and her kids.  It was a lot of fun and the kids loved playing in the sand and cooling off in the lake.  I should have got in the water but talked myself out of it.  I just enjoyed watching the kids even though it was about 100 degrees + humidity, and no breeze. 
Tuesday: Karlee and Stella finished up swimming lessons. I took them to Warren Community Center this year and they loved it.  The teachers are awesome and make learning to swim lots of fun.  They were both able to advance to the next level. 
Wednesday:  Cannon had basketball, which he absolutely loves.  This boy eats and sleeps basketball.  He doesn't really watch anything on T.V. unless its old NBA games or highlights. Then goes outside and shoots hoops.  He walks around the house jumping and air shooting trying to perfect his technique.  Then wonders why his ankles hurt?!?! And my sweet friend Shauna had her baby boy and my long lost sister Gerty had a baby girl too.  So excited to have all these babies around!
Thursday:  Steve called early in the morning and asked if we wanted to go to Lansing with him. He had already talked to my doctor and got permission to reschedule my appointment. So we all decided to go. He was chosen to give a lecture to all the 1st yr residents in the state of Michigan on c-sections.  He didn't need to stay for the whole day so we decided to tag along and do a little site seeing.  We went to the MSU Children's Garden and then to the State Building.  After that we wandered around the Farmer's Market.  Stopped and go ice cream and then headed home.  It was a pretty fun day!  It was nice to get to see another part of Michigan.  

 State Capital Building

 

(Laying on the floor looking up)                                                      (at the top looking down)

 

MSU Children's Garden



 

Friday:  Stella had a swim birthday party so I took the kids to Jensen's had they had a blast swimming the afternoon away. That evening I took the Olson's to the airport.  They went to Utah for a month.  Its going to be a LONG month for us in Michigan.  I just plan on keeping myself busy!
Saturday:  Steve had to work so I took the kids up to the hospital and we hung out with him for a couple hours.  We played around with the ultrasound machine.  Steve was getting so frustrated because the boys wouldn't hold still long enough that he could get good pictures of there head.  They kept kicking and punching each other.  It was seriously like a MMA match.  I could tell he was a little proud of that!  LOL.  But in the end he estimated the boys weighing in a little over 2 lbs.

26 Weeks
The babies lungs and brain are continuing to develop.  The babies can detect light and dark through the optic nerve.  They can also hear more than my rumbling tummy.  They can hear outside noises. The babies nostrils are open and ready to work.  The lungs will inhale and exhale amniotic fluid in preparation for breathing air.

Babies are the size of:cucumbers (14 inches) and weigh about 2 lbs each.

How far along? 26 Weeks

Weight gain?  Had to cancel my Dr Appt so I could go to Lansing with hubby, but I should know Thursday at my next appt!  LOL.

Workouts? Notta

Symptoms?  More cramps and a little pressure when standing for long periods of time.  Not sure how my body is handling growing and gaining weight so fast.  At the end of the day my pelvic bones are pretty sore!  Starting to get more tired during the day also.  My energy spurt is on its way out!

Stretch Marks?  None that I can see yet.  But my belly looks crazy with all the blue veins making a map.  My kids think they should trace the veins.  So far I've had a little bit of itching, but the coconut oil really helps relieve the need to scratch.

Sleep?  With my ligament pain and pelvic pain I haven't been sleeping so good.  I think if I took a Tylenol or ibuprofen before bed I could sleep better, but I'm trying not to take medicine besides my prenatals.

Movement?  LOTS of movement.  Pretty sure they are doing some MMA in my belly!

Gender?  Still boys...Steve has to check every time we do an ultrasound just to make sure.  Maybe he can't believe he is really getting TWO BOYS.

What I miss?  Ahhh!  Where to start?  I miss sitting comfortably, having my clothes fit right, laying on my stomach at night, walking without pain, you know, the usual!  Still enjoying this pregnancy. Especially because it is so much different than my other three.  I should make another paragraph title which states: What I WON'T miss:  people looking at my and saying or thinking...WOW, she's gonna POP anytime!

Food aversions?  None

Food cravings?  back to my high protein and fiber pancakes.  They are delicious.  Oh and I really like the Meijers brand Vanilla ice cream. 

Labor signs?  nothing crazy, just a few cramps here and there. 

Belly Button in or out?  Finally made its way out.  Very had an outie before!

Things  I look forward to this week
1.  My next Dr. Appt on Thursday
2.  Watching Cannon play basketball and playing outside with the kids
3.  Having Steve home and AWAKE on Sunday
4.  The HOT weather has left and this next week is only suppose to be a high of 82. NICE!

25 Weeks Pregnant with Twins

These last two weeks have been crazy with Valarie in the hospital and then with the funeral so I didn't get a chance to take my 24 week photo.  I decided to just combine 24 & 25 Weeks.

24 Weeks
The babies senses are developing.  They should probably be able to sense what is upside down or right side up.  The respiratory system is rapidly growing in preparation for breathing, moving amniotic fluid in and out of the lungs.  But for now the babies are still getting oxygen through there placenta's.  This week the babies are viable.  They can potentially survive outside the womb. (hopefully this won't happen for a LONG time) The babies eyelids are still shut, but the optic bits beneath are about ready to see the world.  The retina is on its way to being fully developed, but the iris hasn't turned that special hue yet.  That won't happen until after the babies are born.

25 Weeks
The babies body parts are continuing to become more proportional to each other.  Baby fat is also continuing to fill in the babies wrinkled skin for a smoother look and more hair is growing, developing texture and color.  The babies are really growing quick now. (I'm blaming this on my weight gain, HA!) Tiny capillaries below her skin give her a soft pink glow.  The babies cerebral cortex is coming into its own.  Activites are still being orchestrated by brain areas that developed earlier, but before long the cerebral cortx will help with more complex actions like thinking, feeling and planning. (like being born)

Babies are the size of: rutabagas (13.5 inches each) and weigh 1.5 lbs.

How far along? 25 weeks

Weight gain?  Not sure, had to cancel my dr appt for the funeral.  We will know for sure at 26 weeks.

Workouts?  Nothing but sanding, painting and cleaning......which in my mind, HAS to count!

Symptoms?  Achy feet after standing all day and a few cramps here and there.

Stretch Marks?  None yet!  Hoping coconut oil will cure me of that.

Sleep?  Actually pretty good, but I can tell all this energy I was having is starting to disappear.  Getting more sleepy.

Movement?  LOTS of kicking.....even up higher in my ribs and on my left side.  Which hasn't been the case. Most of the movement has been on the right.

Genders?  boy...boy...

What I miss?  fitting into my clothes, bending over to pick things up, standing up easily and sqeezing through tight places (not happening)

Food aversions?  None

Food cravings?  Milk and cereal.

Labor signs?  a few cramps here and there.....nothing serious, but my husband freaks out anytime I hold my belly.  "do we need to go to the hospital? are you okay?  how bad are they?  is it constant?"  You would think he's never been through this before.  LOL.

Belly button in or out?  half and half....its not all the way out, yet! I'll give it a week or two!

Things I look forward to this week
1.  Playing with the Olson's until they leave for the summer.
2.  Dr's appointment on Thursday
3.  Enjoying Sunday with Steve home
4.  Hoping my friend Shauna has her baby soon!

Stella's turns 4

On July 8th we celebrated Maddilyn Stella turning 4.  She was so excited to finally turn 4.  She is such a sweet, intense and funny girl.  I sat down and asked her some of her favorite things.

How old are you now?   5 (jumping and laughing) no I mean 4.....wait I decided 6.

Favorite color? Pink

Best Friend? Aliza

Favorite game to play? Sofia the First

Favorite show to watch? Sofia the First

Favorite food?  Chocolate

Favorite drink? watermelon

Favorite Song? I am a Child of God

What time do you go to bed? fourty

What time do you wake up? 49 years.

How old is dad? 7

How old is mom? 10

What is daddy's job?  Fixes the wall at the hospital

What does mommy have in her tummy? Babies.....boy....boy.

What are we going to name the babies? Mickey Mouse and Nick Jr.

One thing I love about Stella is she adds "ily' to her words.  Such as hungerily, softily, angerily, smoothily.  She starts preschool at Dooley this September with her best friend.  She is excited to ride the bus and have Mrs. Rice and Mrs. Jarocki for teachers (just like Karlee and Nixon).

                                                (1st bath, with crazy, thick, curly hair)

                                                         (crazy, thick, wavy hair at 4)

 

Happy Birthday my sweet Stella!

DIY Kids Dressers

As my hubby said "They look homeade!"  Not sure exactly what he meant by that.  I don't care though.  I think they turned out awesome.  I started these on Wednesday and finished all three by Saturday.  Pretty good for a pregnant lady!  LOL.

Cannon's Dresser (free from Dr. Champine)

Karlee's Dresser (free from Burnette's) my favorite

Stella's Dresser (free from my Grandma Beck) color is a coral color, but lighting makes it look really pink.  Love all of the different knobs.  Little Miss Unmatched!

I really love how these turned out!  It makes me smile everytime I walk in there room's. 
Now on to another DIY project!

Valarie Martin

My dear sweet friend and neighbor passed away Sunday night.  She was such a sweet lady. She had struggled with heart problems most of her life.  Last year in November she had major heart surgery which they placed an LVAD (left ventricular assisting device) in her chest.  She was constantly hooked up to batteries or plugged into a wall so her heart would beat properly.  This was just suppose to be a stepping stone to getting a new heart.  She did everything in preparation to get on the list.  Finally in February 2013 they gave her a pager, put her on Status B and told her to never travel more than an hour away!  Things were really looking up!  She was feeling pretty good, healthy and more active. 

Cannon had remembered her birthday was July 14th and she was going to turn 41.  We wrote it on the calendar and talked about little things we could do.  He absolutely adored her.  She would always cook him fried chicken (his favorite), chicken noodle soup, ham and potato soup, pork chops, and spaghetti.  She would sit outside in the driveway and Cannon would go over and talk to her about everything.  He would tell her about Idaho, basketball, animals.......you name it.  Then he would come home and shake his head......."I can't believe how nice she is, they are just so nice....I can't believe it.  Mom, can you believe it, they are SO extremely nice."  I knew he thought the world of her for just spending so many hours talking with him.

Tuesday morning I got a call from Valarie telling me she was in the hospital.  She didn't think it was anything serious.  She was having problems with her stomach so she decided to go get it checked out.  I was teasing her "Why am I just finding out now? You've been in the hospital since Friday"  She was laughing and saying "I know, I know." 
I decided the best way to help out was to stay home so I could watch Deborah.  Carolyn and Kenya were driving back and forth, taking turns staying with her in the hospital.  They had found a leaky valve in her heart and had to take her to surgery to fix it.  The surgery took longer than anticipated because her LVAD was starting to adhere to her chest cavity.  Her blood pressure dropped dramatically and they were worried about brain damage at that point.  She can out of surgery but never fully recovered.  From this point on she just had complication after complication.  On Sunday morning I texted Carolyn and she said she was holding her own.  I forgot my phone at home and went to church.  As soon as I got back I grabbed my phone and saw a text from Carolyn saying she wasn't going to make it.  I immediately called Carolyn back.  She was on her way to the hospital because they were calling family and friends in.  Her tiny body couldn't take anymore.
I jumped in the car and raced down to the hospital.  It was so hard to see her hooked up to all those machines.  It didn't look anything like my sweet friend.  She was bruised and swollen to the point I couldn't recognize her. It was so hard to see her like this. To think of little Deborah who was only nine.  Who would never have her mom to tuck her in at night or be there when she had children of her own.  My only solace was to know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us.  Valarie had done her work here on earth and now Heavenly Father needed her to help in Heaven.  I know Valarie is in Heaven watching down on Deborah and her family. 
This whole experience has made me cherish each and every moment with those who matter most in my life.  Its not about how big your house is, what kind of car you drive or how much money you have.  Its about kissing my kids goodnight and tucking them into bed, hugs and kisses, watching them grow up and have children of there own.  Its about loving each moment while we are on this earth.  I am so grateful for the knowledge, I can live with my family again.  To be in Heaven with my husband, children, parents, brothers and sisters. I know I will see Valarie again and be able to give her a hug and tell her how much I've missed our chats.
But today is Stella's 4th Birthday so I am going to go out and make the best of this sad day. We are going to party and make new memories we can always remember. I love you Valarie and you will be truly missed but I know you wouldn't want us to sit around and sulk.  Until I see you again....as Valarie likes to say "Have a Blessed Day"!

23 Weeks Pregnant with TwInS

These weeks are just flying by!  I don't know if it is because it is summer and I have been busy keeping the kids entertained or what.  It has been fun being with the kids during summer and I am loving every minute of it!  Cannon is in basketball and doing awesome.  He plays basketball every spare minute he has.  Then begs his dad to play with him as soon as his dad pulls in the driveway.  Karlee and Stella are both in swimming lessons.  They love learning to swim and spending time in the water.  Karlee had her end of the year piano recital and she did awesome!  She has the best piano teacher who makes piano so exciting for her! 

23 Weeks:
Now, on to the babies!  The babies are really active right now.  Sometimes we can even see my belly move on the surface.  The bones in the ears have hardened and they can hear my voice.  At this point each amniotic sac contains about a pint of fluid that is refreshed every 3 or 4 hours. This keeps the babies warm and it protects them from infections and provides buoyancy so they can move around without having to worry about gravity.  No wonder I am so thirsty all the time!

 

 

Sunday Steve was on call so he talked me into bringing the kids up to the hospital to have dinner with him and he would do an ultrasound.  The kids love every chance they get to see the babies.  They thought it was funny to see one of the boys punching the other boy.  Ahh!  They are already fighting. LOL.

 



Babies are the size of: two large mango's (11.5 inches) and weigh about 1.1 lb each.

How far along? 23 weeks

Weight gain? Not sure exactly but will find out next Thursday at my Dr's Appt.

Workouts?  Counting all of the cleaning and nesting I'm doing as workouts....it counts right?

Symptoms?  The pressure is gone for the most part.  My feet are starting to ache and my back is a little sore. Other than that I feel pretty lucky to be feeling this good at this point!

Stretch Marks?  Nothing yet.

Sleep?  If I can keep my husband from snoring I usually sleep pretty good. 

Movement?  Lots of kicking......and punching!

Genders?  Both still boys. 

What I miss?  Squeezing through tight places!  I forget I'm pregnant and I'll try to squeeze between my car and the garbage can.  Then when I look down I realize I have just rubbed all the dirt off the car.  Or when I'm trying to wash counters, I have to stand on my tippy toes so my belly can rest on the counter while I wash the other side!

Food Aversions?  Nothing really

Food Cravings?  Greek Yogurt Pancakes with raspberry jam and blueberries!  They are delicious!

Labor signs?  Nothing, YEAH!

Belly button IN or OUT?  In but not sure how much longer.

Things I look forward to this week?

1.  Basketball and swimming lessons with my kids
2.  Spending a whole day with my hubby on Thursday!
3.  Having a 4th of July party with my friends and lighting fireworks.
4.  DIY projects.  Refinishing a dresser we got for free for Cannon and then refinishing the dresser which was in his room, for Karlee's room.  Got a new-to-us crib and picked up some gel stain to fill in the scuff marks.  I love refinishing furniture!  Its so exciting!

22 Weeks Pregnant with TwiNs

This week for the babies has been very eventful.  Taste buds are forming and nerve endings are developed enough for the babies to experience the sensation of touch!  The arms and legs have reached their final proportion. Some moves they are able to perform are: kicking, flexing, clasping hands and sucking thumb.
I had a crazy experience the other day at the gas station.  Some crazy lady started rubbing my belly and started commenting on my belly.  Then she asked if I knew what I was having!  I happily replied "Yes, twin boys!"  Then she said "I always wanted to have twin boys, you lucky TWIT." as she ran out the door..... Yes, she called me a twit!  I was kind of shocked, but rolled my eyes.....whatever crazy lady!

22 Weeks (camera is still not working...resorted to using my sons ipod)

 

The babies are the size of spaghetti squash (11 inches) and now weigh about 1 lb.  Yeah they have hit the 1 lb mark!

 

How far along? 22 Weeks

 

Weight gain?  23 lbs.  Not sure where its all going. Luckily my regular pants and skirts still fit. 

 

Workouts?  Still trying to use that extra energy for all the cleaning.  Which usually requires enough lifting, bending, squatting and a few beads of sweat.

 

Symptoms?  This week I have had quite a bit of pressure.  Just a few cramps.  I told Steve and he didn't seem too concerned since I was not having any other symptoms.  Sore feet.  That's about it!

 

Stretch Marks?  Nope...I can feel my skin getting tighter and tighter though.

 

Sleep?  On and off.  If I rest at all during the day, I will be awake during the night.

 

Movement?  I'm not exactly sure how to describe it.  They movement reminds me of Karate Kid.  Wax on, wax off!

 

Genders?  BOYS!

 

What I miss?  The usual. I'm just enjoying being pregnant. 

 

Food Cravings?  Still these Greek Yogurt Pancakes with Raspberry jam, topped with a couple handfuls of blueberries!  So delicious and healthy too!

 

Food Aversions?  Pretty much can talk myself into eating anything at this stage.

 

Labor signs?  None

 

Belly button IN or OUT?  IN still!

 

Things I look forward to this week?



1.  Basketball and Swimming lessons with my kids
2.  Going to Parker's sealing with Steve
3.  A relaxing Sunday with Steve home
4.  Getting one of the cribs put together so I can start working on the nursery ( I hope)
5.  Summer vacation with my kids home.

21 Weeks Pregnant with TwiNs

I can't believe I am more than half way through this pregnancy!  It has gone by so fast, and I mean really fast.  I am excited and really nervous for these two boys to arrive.  I don't think it has really sunk in yet.  Except for the part every week on Sunday where I look down and think "now I know my belly wasn't this big last week."  Its just growing SO SO fast.  But I really do love it.  I complained so much about my last pregnancies even though they were pretty easy, I promised myself I would cherish every moment of this pregnancy no matter how hard it got or how sick I felt.  So many women would love for the opportunity to be pregnant and would do anything for it.  So my lesson is learned....love every minute of the opportunity our Heavenly Father gave me!

This week the babies digestive system has developed enough that they are beginning to swallow amniotic fluid and absorb small amounts of sugar.  Most of the nutrients are still delivered through the placenta. Heart beats can now be heard on a simple stethoscope!

21 weeks (kids had to take photo and my camera is doing crazy things)

 

Babies are about the size: of a banana (10.5 inches and weigh 12.7 oz).  Crazy to think just one of the babies has grown about 4 inches in ONE week. Times two.... they have grown EIGHT inches. WOW! No wonder I can literally watch my belly grow...LOL

 

 

How far along?  21 weeks

 

Weight gain?  Have my Dr's appt next week.....so we will see!

 

Workouts?  Lots of cleaning.  I think nesting has settled in early for me.  I'm constantly cleaning, maybe its because I know in the near future I won't be able to move as much!

 

Symptoms?  Not a lot. A few cramps here and there.  Feet still sore after standing for a long period of time. 

 

Stretch Marks?  Not yet....but my belly is starting to itch more.  Still using coconut oil in hopes I can keep those stretch marks from coming!

 

Sleep?  Ok!  My sides are getting sore and by the morning I am more than ready to get out of bed to give them a break.

 

Movement?  More and more everyday. Instead of just feeling movement I am starting to recognize feet kicks in different spots from different babies (if that makes sense)  Not sure which baby they are coming from!

 

Genders?  Still boys as far as we can tell!

 

What I miss?  Running, this weather is making my crave to go out running!  Being independent.  I am used to doing things on my own and each week I am asking for more and more help!

 

Food cravings?  This week every morning I have wanted my Greek Yogurt Pancakes.  So good for you and lots of protein.  Fruit, soda pop and in the evenings a bowl of cereal!

 

Food Aversions?  French fries and the smell of the deep fat fryer my husband so dearly loves. 

 

Labor signs?  Nothing really. 

 

Belly Button In or Out? IN

Things I look forward to this week?
1.  Basketball and swimming lessons for my kids
2.  Next Dr's Appt
3.  Fathers Day to celebrate and spoil my Hubby, my father and my father in law.  (I got the best of each)
4.  Trying a few recipes I found on Pintrest
5.  The gorgeous weather we are having. Not too hot, and Not too cold!

We had such a fun week with our family!  Lots of places we went and things we saw. 

Grandma Tammy, Kim, Sheridan, Sam and Coledon flew in on Monday night.

Tuesday: They watched my kids and I went to a Doctors appointment.  We had lunch at Culvers (Gullivers according to Papa Steve) and went grocery shopping, made dinner and spend the evening playing outside and chit-chatting.

Wednesday:  We took them down to Detroit to show them the "Hood" and we stopped by the Heidelberg Project.  It is just a weird street.  People decorate houses with all kids of crazy stuff and call it artistic. 

 

 

Then for dinner we made "Dinner and Dessert Crepes" and invited some good friends over (Khoury's) to have dinner with us.

 

 

Thursday:  Tammy and Kim helped Steve lay tile and grout.  He took a week off of work to spend time with family and ended up working.  Then we went to a movie "Now you See Me".  It was really good.  Then Kim fixed us Crockpot Cheese Tortellini soup.  It was soo yummy!

 

Friday:  My sweet friends Skye and Shauna threw me a baby shower for the twins.  It was so much fun and I have to say they spoiled me rotten.  I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.  Then we took our visitors out to Clarkston to eat at "Union Woodshop".  According to Kid Rock, this is his favorite BBQ pit.  They have THE BEST fried pickles.....that's all I want to eat when I go there!

 

Saturday: We did a little shopping at Partridge Creek and the kids played on the toys and the splash pad.  We then drove over to Metro park and watched the kids collect shells and build sand castles.

 

Sunday:  Went to church, seminary graduation and then headed to Sandusky Ohio to Great Wolfe Lodge.

 

Monday:  Played at the water park most of the day  It was so much fun.  The kids had a blast.

 

After the park we took Grandma Tammy out to dinner for her birthday.  She decided on "Joe's Crab Shack".  It was such a great day!

 

Tuesday:  We said our good-byes to all our "somebody's". And Steve took them to the airport.  Stella could never remember there names so she just called them, somebody who is 4, somebody who is her sister and just "somebody" for Kim.  It was pretty funny!  

 

We had such a great time it went by so fast.  It is so much fun to have visitors.  We will love and miss them very much. 

20 Weeks Pregnant with Twins

Talk about a crazy week!  We went to a baby shower for the twins and had lots of excitement this week with the family, but I'll get to that on the next post.  I slacked off this week doing this post because family was in town and we were BUSY!

 

This week the twins skin will become covered with a waxy-like substance call vernix which will protect skin from being scratched or chapped.  They are also starting to produce meconium which will accumulate in the bowels and eventually pass during delivery or in the first diaper change.

 

Babies are the size of: small cantaloupes (6.5 inches) and each weigh about 11 oz.

 

How Far Along?  20 weeks

 

Weight Gain?  15 lbs and I can tell the swelling of the limbs are starting to appear. Yikes!

 

Workouts?  None unless you count lots of cleaning, de-junking and trying to keep up with Grandma Tammy and Kim.  Walked around the stores a lot!

 

Symptoms?  Limbs are starting to swell and feet get sore after a period of standing.  Love having more energy in the morning but by afternoon, I'm exhausted!

 

Stretch Marks? Nope!  Still using lots of coconut oil. 

 

Sleep? Sleeping pretty good!  I have been staying up late hanging out with the family so by the time I get to bed, I sleep good!

 

Movement?  Stronger movements and more and more every week.

 

Genders?  TWO little boys

 

What I miss?  Getting in and out of the car easily.  On and off the couch without assistance.  Bending over to clean without grunting.  Sad, I know!  And still I miss wearing regular clothes.

 

Food Cravings?  Protein....you name it. Any type sounds good.  I have been eating lots of red meat, pork, cheese, Greek yogurt, peanut butter and eggs.  Its a challenge to get 135 grams of protein in my diet even with all of the cravings.

 

Food Aversions? I think all of these are gone.  Starting to eat a little bit of chicken and enjoy it!

 

Labor signs? None yet

 

Belly Button in or out?  IN and my flat spot is starting to disappear. LOL

 

Things I look forward to this week:

1.  Officially start summer vacation with my kids

2.  not having to get up early for seminary

3.  Going to Great Wolfe Lodge with Grandma Tammy, Kim, Sheridan, Sam and Coleden.

4.  Watching the kids spend time with cousins and Grandma



19 Weeks with TwinS

This has been an exciting week.  I got my ultrasound on Wednesday.  I used to think if you've been pregnant once it wouldn't be much different with the next.  That was true for my other three pregnancies but this one has been totally different from the beginning.  The ultrasound took forever and it wasn't just because I had to pee like crazy.  It really took over an hour, just because the babies were moving and the tech didn't want measure the wrong baby at the wrong time.  She was very good though!


19 Weeks Pregnant with Twins: (no self-portrait this week, too sick to do much)

Babies are about the size of heirloom tomatoes.  They are about 6 inches each and weigh about 8.5 oz. 

 

How far along?  19 weeks

 

Weight gain?  Not sure, haven't been to the doctor, and haven't been eating right because of this nasty cold and cough.  I'm guessing about 12-15 lbs.  Same as last week!

 

Workouts?  None, unless you count moving from couch, to chair, to bed, to bathroom and back again.  This cold has kept me down.

 

Symptoms?  easily out of breath and still get tired fast. 

 

Stretch Marks?  None yet!  Started to feel a little itchy so I slathered my belly with lots of coconut oil and let it soak in. Started using coconut oil a couple of times a day, but this is only on occasion.

 

Sleep?  I can sleep pretty good as long as my nose is not stuffy.  This has been a challenge this last week.  Starting to feel on the up and up so I'm hoping for amazing sleep tonight!

 

Movement?  Lots of movement.  It is so weird to feel all of that movement in my stomach.  It is also very low movement.  Not too much movement up high or in my ribs.

 

Genders?  We found out this week and are so excited to find out these two are BOTH little boys!  I was so hoping to have a couple more boys around this house.  They are so fun and my son definitely needed some little brothers to tease and teach the ways of "boy-hood".

 

What I miss? Not a lot, just enjoying this pregnancy.  Well OK, I do miss my regular closes.  I grew out of them WAY too FAST!

 

Food cravings?  Beef, cereal and lots of mild

 

Food aversions?  Most sweets don't sound good and still chicken!

 

Labor signs?  None really

 

Belly button in or out?  IN and I still have that flat spot!

 

Things I look forward to this week?

 

1.  Grandma Tammy, Kim and her kids coming out to visit for the week.

2.  My next Dr's appt.  (I have the best Dr)

3.  Going to Lake Michigan sometime over the weekend

4.  Seminary Graduation on Sunday (I will miss my students terribly)

5.  A baby shower my friends are insisting I need.  I'm more excited just to get together with my friends!