Valentines Babies, 2013!

[DragonflyWing]

Exciting stuff, Kellen! That would be awesome if DH is able to take that job. Way to go Teagen on the sentences and potty training!

We got back from our vacation yesterday. The twins had a BLAST, it was so so great for them. They met tons of new people, which they loved, and they were so happy and well behaved the whole time. They went swimming for the first time, and didn't want to get out of the pool even when their lips were purple and they were shivering lol.

Unfortunately, they had zero interest in the potty while we were gone, so I'm hoping they'll pick it up again now that we're home.

The flight to NY was a little rough...the kids didn't want to go to sleep and were pretty fussy. We had to drive 3 hours to get to the airport, so by the time we got on the plane, they were totally sick of sitting in one place already. They also didn't want to sit with my sister, so I was wrestling both of them for most of the flight. The flight home was MUCH better. We had been delayed and were stuck at the airport for 4 hours, so they were really tired by the time we boarded. We were hardly in the air before they both went to sleep, and they slept the whole time.

They were so happy to see Daddy! They really missed DH.

As for me, it was a pretty exhausting trip! Since they were in an unfamiiar place with lots of unfamiliar people, they were pretty attached to me...my family helped a lot, but frequently the twins just needed reassurance and cuddles from mama . They also got their sleep schedules all wonky, and never seemed to sleep at the same time. Often, Lily would wake up as early as 6am, and Gunnar would sleep until 10:30...and then Lily would go to bed early and Gunnar would be up until midnight. It made for some looong days with little sleep.

When we got home last night (really this morning- 3am), we had been travelling for almost 12 hours, and my feet, ankles, and hands had swelled up like crazy. All my muscles ached from lugging the kids and the luggage all over creation, and even though I had been drinking as much water as possible, I was super dehydrated. I was supposed to have a doctor appointment this morning, but I had to reschedule because I only would have gotten about 3.5 hours of sleep, and I felt like I'd been run over by a truck. Thankfully, I wasn't expected at work until noon, so I had some more time to rest. I still feel pretty rough, though.

Here are some pictures of the twins on our trip! The last one is my mom with Lily.

 

[helena]

Gorgeous photos dragon!! I adore the sleeping twins pic
12 hours traveling, oh wow!!

Will write more soon, was just dashing by xxx

Me and my babies ....

https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv218/helena1977/th_imagejpg1-2.jpg

The whole family recently when we were away camping: https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv218/helena1977/th_imagejpg1-1.jpg

 

[Kellen]

Dragon - The twins are adorable! I'm glad that you had a good trip, even if you are tired. I think I speak for us all when I say we all look forward to hearing how your doctor's appointment goes.

Helena - Your family is beautiful. What a good looking group of kids!

Yesterday was awesome in potty training land. Teagen wore a pair of underwear all day without a single accident! And today she actually went and sat on the potty all by herself. Dragon, don't be discouraged about the not using the potty. It takes a bit to become re-accustom to the potty. It took Teagen almost two weeks before she would use the potty there.

 

[wamommy]

Dragon, what great photos! I also love the one of them sleeping. Nothin' like a little elbow sucking to make for a great nap. Lily and Gunnar are getting SO big and are adorable!

Helena, your family looks like a postcard! Gorgeous! Kiara looks so grown up, and I can't believe how big the boys are! You look so lovely and trim, by the way!! You have such a beautiful family.

Kellen, well done with the sentences and potty training!! I'm also glad to hear that business is going well and that there are some great options for DH and employment. It sounds like this year has really opened up a ton of doors for you two, and it's exciting that you're contemplating (or almost?) another baby! I happen to think that you are such a wonderful Mom that is would be a crime NOT to bring another little one into this world.

Today was our first day back at church since Luca has been born and Max's first day in the nursery, since you have to be 18 months old to go there. He LOVED it!!! He flitted around from toy to toy and didn't even notice when we left. Two hours later we returned to Max chasing bubbles and playing "vroom vroom" with a bus, like we'd never left! He's so different from my uber-clingy girls that it's truly amazing.

Oh no... Luca just pooped through his clothes onto my lap... gotta go. Motherhood is SO glamorous!

 

[helena]

Oh thanks so much for saying I look trim!! I am actually heavier than ever and feel a bit frumpy. All my limbs are toned and get a good workout chasing the kids and lugging and carrying them everyday. But my belly shows the signs of three kids, a love of pizza, eating late every evenings and a love of wine.... still, I dress to hide the 7 month preggers belly

Will done Max on being such a big brave boy. It's amazing how different siblings can be isn't it!

 

[DragonflyWing]

Thanks, ladies! Love the pictures, helena! What a lovely family you have

When I got home from vacation, I was shocked to see that I had somehow gained 5 pounds in 5 days! However, I think it was all excess fluid, as my swelling went down and all the weight disappeared with it.

I'm 25 weeks now, and I'm 3 pounds below my pre-pregnancy weight. DH is all worried, but the doctor seems fine with it, since I started out overweight anyway. They only want me to gain 15 pounds at the most, so hopefully I don't suddenly start gaining a ton!

 

[Kellen]

Here are a few updated pictures of Teagen. The first she is sitting on her potty pretending to be a bug. The second is her first haircut. Poor girl had bangs in her eyes so we finally made the decision to cut it. The third is just a nice view of her trim. We are leaving the back for now.

So DH is almost officially hired. All they need to do is complete the background check and then they'll give him a start date. We are all very excited.

We have interviewed three potential groomers so far. The first two were no goes, but we invited the one today to come back tomorrow and show us what she can do for some of the haircuts we have coming in.

Also I have decided that baby-making shall commence in late Feb or early March depending upon our insurance status. Hoping for a boy this go around and would really like him to be born on Dec 5th per family tradition. My dad was born on his grandfather's birthday, as was his grandfather. My eldest nephew missed it by 3 hours. I need uphold tradition. lol

 

[DragonflyWing]

Great photos, Kellen!

Is there a big growth spurt around this time? The twins are acting like they're gearing up to grow big time. They're more tired, and eating a ton, and they've been generally cranky and clingy.

This morning, Lily woke up at 7:15. I gave her some milk and sat her down with Curious George (this is her morning ritual). DH was up, and I went back to bed for a little while, and then started work (I'm working from home today). When I came out again at about 12:30 for lunch, Lily was asleep in the recliner exactly where I left her. DH said that she fell asleep watching George, and had been sleeping for about 3 hours. Gunnar woke up at about 9, stayed up for a half hour, then fell asleep on DH for 2.5 hours. It's 1:20pm and they haven't even had breakfast yet because they're being sleepyheads! It's so weird. I hope they're not getting sick.

 

[Kellen]

Teagen is the same way. I have also noticed that her face is getting really round again. She consumes mass quantities of food and still wants to nurse a bunch. She is also really clingy. I am waiting for the next big growth spurt. She slept for 3.5 hours yesterday.

 

[wamommy]

Wow, Teagen has grown and changed so much! She is gorgeous. I love the bangs!

Max has been super clingy and fussy too, but has been sleeping LESS, which isn't cool. He's dropped his ONE nap down to 45 min to an hour. Luckily he only wakes up once or twice a night now and sleeps until 7:30 or 8 most days.

I've discovered that Max has a great sense of humor! He makes jokes and then throws his head back and laughs. He'll say, "eye" and point to his nose and then laugh crazily, knowing he was wrong. He's also getting better at making his needs known which is so much better for all of us.

Weird question, but does anyone else's LO call things the sound they make? Max does this with everything. Cats are "meow," monkeys are "ah ah," cars (and everything with wheels) are "vroom vroom." Weird, huh? It's really consistent.

Here are newish pics of all of my babies! Max looks just like Daddy, and the rest are fair like me. I always joke that Max is like the one puppy at the end of "Lady and the Tramp" that looks just like its Daddy!

 

[DragonflyWing]

wamommy, your children are all so beautiful!

The twins tend to say the name of things, followed by the sounds they make...so we get "Monkey, ooh ooh ah ah! Cow, moo! Frog, ribbit!" etc. I think it's totally normal to associate things with the sounds they make, and call them by the sounds.

Lily woke up with a fever today 102.5. She's been sleeping on and off all day, and her appetite is in the toilet. I guess yesterday was a warning that she was getting sick! Gunnar seems fine, although his appetite yesterday and today hasn't been great. I hope he's not getting sick too. I woke up with incredibly sore joints and a headache, so I might be getting something too. Fun fun.

I was supposed to have my 3 hour glucose test today, but I cancelled it when I woke up feeling so awful.

 

[helena]

What beautiful children wamommy. You must be so proud do they all get along?
There has been a Fair bit of bickering between my 4 and 6 year olds this school holidays. They play nicely ken minute then are literally punching the next....one and a half weeks and school starts again. Yay!

Taegan looks so grown up! Oh wow!! Gorgeous. I always feel Kiara looks much younger..I think it's the lack of hair at the front that makes her look like a baby.

She amazed me yesterday by being grown up. She went out of our front door, down the steps, unaided, ran across the lawn, climbed the ladder into the big trampoline, turned around and zipped the door opening shut and then started jumping around. Proper jumps. When did she grow up so much!?

Sounds like there are a few growth spurts going on. Unless the twins got sick? I do hope not.
Kiara also looks to have fattened up a bit lately. I see it in her thighs most. And wow she eats.
She was also whinging a lot this morning with her fingers in her mouth. I think the final front ones are a least broken through so that would just leave her final set of molars hope if it is them they come through quick. I can't remember when my sons got them, but I do rememebr my eldest eldest had all through before his brother arrived on the scene and he was 25 months then, so maybe it's possible for Kiara now, I don't know.

My eldest is at a football / soccer camp all this week. The house seems so quiet! He goes each day at 9 and I collect him at 5. He is super tired, SO grumpy, but happy

Hope you are feeling good dragon. Can you feel baby moving a lot? Gosh it all seems so long ago now!...xx

 

[wamommy]

Oh no, Dragon! I'm so sorry Lily is sick and that you feel awful. Sick+pregnant=no fun!!! I hope it passes quickly.

Helena, my girls have been on a real fighting spree lately. They play so nicely sometimes, but it almost always ends in "Mom, she won't let me wear the hat I want!" or "Mom, she just pinched my arm!" My favorite lately was, "Mom, Nica said she'd never play with me again, EVER!" School starts here in about a week and I'm pretty excited for the peace and quiet! I'm nervous for my 4-year-old though. She'll only be FOUR when she starts kindergarten this year... with no preschool or half-day warm-up year. I hope it all goes well.

Dragon, I can't believe you're almost there! Have you thought of names? Do Gunnar and Lily know what's going on? Max still calls Luca "Bop." It's the funniest thing. When we first came home from the hospital and held the baby down to Max, he whacked Luca in the head!! I said to Max, "Oh Max, we don't bop the baby!" So apparently he thinks Bop IS the baby...

 

[wamommy]

I was just thinking about you, Sierra, and hope all is well with the move!! We'd love to hear how you are when you have a chance.

 

[Kellen]

So we unexpectedly found out my mom has cancer. Kind of reeling. But good news is DH got the federal job and we hired a new groomer. I just want to sit down all alone and cry, but I have to stay and be strong for everyone.

 

[DragonflyWing]

Thanks...turns out we have hand, foot, and mouth disease. Lily has the blisters all around her mouth and I think in her throat, too. She had two days of fever and sleepiness, and she seems a little bit better today now that the fever is gone, but she still won't eat much. She woke up last night crying inconsolably, saying "hurt, hurt," but she wouldn't tell me where it hurt. I tried giving her some ice cold juice to soothe her mouth, and that finally helped enough for her to go back to sleep. During the day, she's beein dragging a blanket around with her so she can lie down and rest on it wherever she wants lol. Poor little baby, I hate to see her feeling so yucky. Gunnar has been a little more tired than usual, but he's eating normally and hasn't had any other symptoms, so I'm hoping he doesn't get it.

My mouth and tongue are quite sore, but I didn't develop the rash like Lily did. Mostly I'm just super tired and achey.

helena, yes, I feel the baby moving a ton! Just a little while ago, I was reading on my lunch break, and he was kicking my kindle off my belly!

We're still working on names. It's been extremely difficult to find anything that we both agree on...so far there aren't any that I love. I've been scouring the internet for every baby names list I can find, and I've gotten tons of suggestions from friends and family...but nothing is clicking. :-\

Kellen- I'm so sorry about your mom! That must have been such a shock. I sure hope they caught it early and her prognosis is good. Super hugs for you.

 

[wamommy]

Oh Kellen, I'm so very sorry. I wish you didn't feel like you have to stay strong and would allow yourself a good cry. Life is so strange, isn't it? What wonderful news about DH's job, but to couple it with difficult news seems like a cruel twist.

Dragon, I hope you both recover soon! Poor Lily. Don't worry about names just yet. You may come across something in an unexpected way that just hits you and you KNOW it's right. Random, but I like Odin. It kind of goes with the twins' names.

 

[DragonflyWing]

I failed my 3 hour glucose tolerance test (by just 4 points ), so I've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes

I have to make an appointment with the diabetes clinic to talk to a dietician and learn how to test my blood sugar. I'm so upset...and DH is going to be mad. He thinks my sweet tooth caused it, which isn't true!

 

[Kellen]

Dragon - I am so sorry to hear about poor Lily and your glucose test. I hope that your DH is understanding and supportive of you during this rather stressful time. But how exciting to feel a baby moving in you again. I agree with Wamommy - You will find a name that is just right when the time comes. Have you found out the gender or are you waiting to be surprised?

Wamommy - Your girls and Max are so funny. I think the sibling fighting is one main reason I am not wanting another one right away. I always saw my friends fighting with their siblings and I was always really glad that I didn't have to compete for attention or watch other people play sports.

I am doing a little better with my mom's diagnosis. It is endometrial cancer so they are talking about a hysterectomy. We are hoping that it is being caught early and that it can all be removed before it spreads. My great-grandmother on my mom's dad's side died of advanced endometrial cancer, but the poor woman didn't even realize how she became pregnant until boy #3 came along. She was also told that my great-uncle (her 8th and last boy) was a tumor when she was pregnant.

In other news Teagen is 100% day potty trained. 90% of the time she doesn't pee at night, but on the rare night (last night) when she sleeps for 12 hours straight her pull-up is slightly damp. But other than that we go to town in underwear and can actually wear pants as well without having an accident.

DH is down in our old town today taking a drug test and a physical. Once the results are sent in to his HR manager she will give him a ship-out date. I can't believe this is actually happening! And we found out that once he gets his 3rd's there is a continual opening for a 3rd on a federal dredge in Portland. So instead of having to fly to work I could just drive him up and drop him off.

 

[DragonflyWing]

Yep we found out the gender, it's a boy . The funny thing is, I have a ton of girl names that I love! Unfortunately we're having a tough time with boy names, but I'm sure we'll find something we both like.

That's great that Teagen is completely day-trained!

We're having a setback with potty training- since they've been sick, the twins don't have much interest in the potty. Although this morning Lily clapped and cheered for me when I peed

I woke up this morning with a terrible sore throat, and when I checked, I can see that I have a bunch of blisters in my throat just like the twins had...great. Just when Lily got over the worst of it, Gunnar got it. Now he's on the mend, and it's my turn. I'm sure DH will come next. I thought I had it last week, but this is much worse. *sigh*