Getting There

Me at 31 weeks.  Yes I know I seem to have gained everything in my face, 

but I'm having twins I can have a fat face right?

I am 34 weeks, the baby's are both head down and are 5 lbs 3 oz and 5 lbs, at 32 weeks!  Things are looking well for us.  The best part is I feel good physically, well as good as I can for carrying 10 and a half pounds of baby in me.  I only have 2 to 4 weeks left until I get to meet these boys and start the adventure of having 4 boys under 4.  I'm guessing they'll come the week of Steven's birthday which is in 3 weeks, really not that far away.  My first goal is going to Jenny's, Jacob's only sister, wedding in a week, then it's one more week and they won't stop me from going into labor.  Folks, it's getting here!

Some of you might be wondering how I'm doing emotionally.  Honestly?  Pretty good most of the time.  Once in a while, when my guard is down, I'm tired or hungry, and life is a bit too stressful, I fall apart.  I'm not sure how I'll get through it.  But then again, I know I will.  I know these twins will be good for our family, and we'll wonder what we ever did without them.  But I remember all too well the hardships of having a newborn and then adding another scares me.  Not to mention the fear that I have of this hindering Steven and Christopher's growth.  I tell Jacob that's why they are so smart, so I won't have to worry constantly that I've ruined their lives forever and hindered their chance of being everything I want them to be.

Which leads me to asking everyone something.  If you know someone or are talking to them about something that you think seems impossible for them to handle, don't be anything but positive.  They know it's going to be tough, they need to know they can get through it.  So many times people will say things, little things, like "What are you going to do when these twins come?"  Then when I reply with something like, "Have a whole lot of fun."  They make no comment or give me a look like I'm crazy.  I know I am crazy, but please don't make me feel like I'm less of a person.  It's hard to always come up to negative when you're trying to be positive, that's all I'm saying.

I honestly don't think about it that much.  I have a game plan.  In an ideal world, the twins will be amazing on a schedule of every 3 hours.  They will eat, I'll nurse both at the same time.  They will have awake time for 1/2 hour to an hour while the older boys and I will read or play with them.  Then they will go to sleep for an hour to an hour and a half, while I give the older boys one on one attention that will help them play independently while I feed the babies when they wake up.  Is that a long stretch?  Most likely.  But if I think of everything that goes wrong, I'm going to be depressed the rest of my life.  So I have my game plan and I'll work with mishaps when they come.  That's all I can do.  Deal with life one day at a time, and pray my guts out.  I read a woman's blog that said, she knew God wouldn't let her mess up her children.  He's too invested in them, He won't let me do something to mess them up as long as I seek His guidance throughout the day.

Other inspiration that I think will help me through it all?

Be still and know that I am God.  -Ps. 46:10

Recognize that my Father in Heaven has a plan for not only me but Jacob and my sweet boys.  He will not lead me a stray.  I just need to remain calm and let Him show me the way.

We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives.  We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us.  We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something.  We have to learn to be content with what are are.                 -Marjorie Pay Hinckley

I don't need to be anything but a mother to these boys: love them, feed them physically, emotionally, and spiritually, show them what a happy home and marriage looks like.  And if I can do that.  I've done pretty well it seems.  

So for the most part, I'm doing great.  I'll have another doctors appointment where he'll check my progress of labor on the 7th, another ultrasound on the 14th.  I'll keep you posted if I find out anything more.  

Grown Up Boys

It's been some time since I've posted just about Steven and Christopher and really they are so cute; I don't want to forget it!

Steven: 

Is always hungry now a days.  He can have a whole meal, then 10 minutes later say he's hungry again.  Most of the time he wants treats but will occasionally settle for some fruit or toast.  When I ask him what he wants, he says, "I don't know, you tell me."  I'll give him some options, then he'll say, "What about some fortune cookies?"

Can recite multiple books from memory, the best being "Cat in the Hat".  He can do it word for word until he gets bored, then he starts changing the words.  I usually have to watch out because if I don't read the books perfectly he correct me.

Loves Christopher.  Steven was invited to a sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa Morrise and some older cousins to sleep in Grandpa's shop.  Christopher is too little, so he stayed home with mom and dad.  Steven kept asking, "Is Christopher going to come?"  "I want Christopher to come."

Wants a chocolate cake for his birthday next month.  I asked him what he wanted on his chocolate cake, thinking of how to decorate it, he said,"frosting."  I asked him what he wanted on the frosting, "chocolate".  This kid knows what he wants!

Continues to amaze Jacob and Me with his knowledge and skill to remember facts and songs.  Jacob wanted the boys to get to know hymns other than, "Happy are We."  So we started singing, "Count Your Many Blessings."  The next day, he sang the chorus with me.  Not to mention the many times he'll say, "Mom remember when I...."  and spouts off a story of what we did months and months ago.

Went through a phase, it's slowed down and I hope for good, where all he wanted to do was fight monsters, alligators, and robbers.  He would ask for guns, bats, swords, anything to help him fight. I don't like any of those around our house, so he settled for a plastic hanger for a while then moved on a flashlight-my favorite weapon of choice.

Christopher:

Loves a new "bike" we brought back from the storage unit, it's a lion that helps kids learn to walk then can be turned into bike form.  Today Steven was playing on it and Christopher said, "Bike Steven, Bike."  Over and over hoping Steven would get off it so he could play with it.  He also found a new love in our sweeper.  He'll go around the house saying, "I seeper, I seeper"

Knows how to get what he wants, like his brother.  At Grandma Morrise's house we were having cookies, he had 2 and I said it was enough.  He then goes over to his cousin, whose 5, and says, "hand, hand."  He takes her by the hand, leads her to the kitchen saying, "tootie, tootie."  Smart kid, ask anyone who can give you want you want, no matter the age.

When given fruit loops, he'll eat all the purple ones first.

Loves Steven.  He loves to play with him and loves to laugh with him.  The cutest thing was when Steven left with Grandma to go to the sleepover Christopher said clear as day, "Bye Steven."  That's the first time I've heard him say Steven's name so well.

Surprises us with songs he knows daily.  So far his favorite is "Twinkle Twinkle", it's his go to song.  He knows parts to, "Happy are We", "Silent Night", "Once there was a Snowman", "Wise Man/Foolish Man", "Popcorn Popping", "ABC's", "Sing Sing Sing", "Sunbeams", "3 little ducks", "5 silly monkeys"...and I'm sure I'm missing a whole lot more.  This kid has got the knack like his older brother.

Will be in nursery after one more Sunday.  Steven is beyond excited.

Has grown up so much, last night I asked Jacob when he turned into a little boy.  Jacob thought that very moment as well, but it's been like for weeks now.  He must know he's loosing the baby title and is quick to show us there is more reason to love him.

Visitors

Here are some photo documentation of the visitors we've had for the last 5 weeks.  It started with my sister Melanie coming and staying with us for 2 weeks, my mom joined her for the second week.  One day the Roberts cousins came to play, and boy was it fun!  

For some reason the highlight of playing outside for my boys is putting rocks and sticks down the grates.  

Squirt bottle fight!

Reading with Grandma

Mom helping me quilt the babies' quilt

Yes the camera adds 20 lbs, in my case it's all in my face...

Mel and I sitting pool side.

The last two weeks our niece Emma came to help us out with the boys. 

 Here we are playing in the sprinklers.

And it doesn't end there; we've had Jacob's family help us countless times and my visiting teachers help out as well.  We're lucky to have so many people to help us out, we truly feel loved.

Rain

It's raining.  We need rain desperately here to help with all the fires around, so it was an answer to so many people's prayers.  But also it is so refreshing.  It washes away all the negative and makes way for so much positive.  Steven and Christopher played outside in the rain and enjoyed every second.  They splashed in the puddles, ran under the steady rain falling off the roof, and really just ran around to their hearts content.  Time seemed to slow down as I watched them; it was magical.  It reminds me that life can be hard.  There may be fires or problems everywhere we look, that seem to go on for days, weeks, months.  But then comes the rain.  It gives us hope and slows down time, so we can see what really matters.  It lifts us back up and gives us a promise of a better tomorrow.  Just what I needed today.  Thank the heavens for rain.